WASHINGTON (AFP) — Two astronauts returned from the void Friday after a spacewalk to test new repair techniques for the space shuttle's heat shield, crucial for a new mission to the orbiting Hubble Space Telescope.
Astronauts Robert Behnken and Mike Foreman, who arrived at the International Space Station (ISS) aboard the shuttle Endeavour last week, spent six hours and 24 minutes outside the ISS working on a to-do list that also included replacing a failed circuit breaker-like unit and other maintenance work, NASA officials said.
In testing the heat-shield repair method, the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration sought to make sure astronauts can fix any potential damage during the Hubble mission on August 28, when the shuttle will be moored too far from the ISS, its only habitable shelter in orbit.
Dana Weigel, lead ISS flight director, called the spacewalk and the repair material tests a "huge success" after it concluded.
"I'm thrilled with what we saw today" after the astronauts practiced mixing and injecting the two epoxy-like compounds onto test heat shield materials with an apparatus resembling a caulk gun.
While the materials had been tested on Earth and in the absence of gravity for short periods, NASA wanted to see how it flowed, swelled and set in the gravity-less vacuum of space.
"Working with a fluid in microgravity is certainly no small feat," Weigel said.
"All the tools and techniques that the ground crew developed were excellent."
Officials said that the technique appeared fully workable, but that they will test the materials fully after they are brought back from space to confirm they can survive the extreme temperatures the shuttle endures on its super-heated return into Earth's atmosphere.
Astronauts have been testing different in-space repair techniques on the shuttle's protective layer since a crack in Columbia's heat shield caused it to explode while re-entering Earth in 2003, killing its seven-member crew.
NASA now uses special cameras to scan the shuttle's thermal tiles during flights to see if they have been damaged by debris during liftoff or by micrometeorites while orbiting the Earth. Columbia's heat shield was hit by debris during takeoff.
Getting a workable repair technique is crucial for the Hubble mission, when the astronauts will not have the option of staying aboard the ISS if something goes wrong with the shuttle.
However, NASA officials pointed out, there will be a second shuttle on backup in case of problems in the Hubble mission.
Before testing the new repair methods Thursday, Behnken and Foreman replaced a remote power control module -- the failed circuit breaker -- on the space station's truss, with vivid images of the home-repair-in-space job shown live on NASA television.
The astronauts, however, were unable to remove a power connector from the truss, NASA said.
Meanwhile, Japan's Aerospace Exploration Agency reported that Japanese astronaut Takao Doi experimented with a boomerang's performance in the absence of gravity and confirmed that it flies back much like on Earth.
Doi "threw a boomerang and saw it come back" in the ISS on Tuesday, an agency spokeswoman said.
Doi was asked to test the boomerang by Yasuhiro Togai, a world boomerang champion.
"I was very surprised and moved to see that it flew the same way it does on Earth," the Mainichi Shimbun daily quoted the 53-year-old astronaut as telling his wife in a chat from space.
Thursday's spacewalk was the fourth of five for the Endeavour mission, a record 16-day trip with the primary tasks of installing the first part of Japan's Kibo laboratory and assembling Canada's Dextre robot.
Future missions will deliver Kibo's two other parts, which will give Japan a foothold in the ISS alongside the United States, Russia and Europe, whose Columbus lab was delivered last month.
The microgravity research aboard the ISS is considered a crucial step toward long human missions on the moon and eventually Mars.
Endeavour's crew will conduct a fifth and final spacewalk Saturday before the shuttle undocks from the ISS Monday for its March 26 return to Earth.
NASA wants to complete construction of the ISS by 2010, when its three-shuttle fleet is scheduled to be retired.
http://afp.google.com/
Saturday, March 22, 2008
S.J. woman's water-saving techniques could help you save money
While most of us save for a rainy day, it's the dry kind that Rhondda Nunes worries about.
During the gutter-swelling rainstorms of January and February, she carefully positioned a 30-gallon garbage bin to catch water pouring off the roof of her central Stockton home.
Now, with barely a cloud in the sky in weeks, her cache of rainwater is still nourishing her wild and verdant gardens.
What's more, pots and pans all over the piano instructor's home collect water from dripping faucets, as well as rinse water from the kitchen sink that can safely be used on some plants.
"My friends think I'm nuts," Nunes said.
Her shrinking water bill suggests she is not.
She may, in fact, be an example for the rest of us. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger recently urged water conservation as part of his plan to stretch the state's tight water supplies; the governor's goal of a 20 percent reduction in per capita water use by 2020 is at the very least ambitious, some water providers say.
"I kind of had to take a deep breath and say, 'Wow,' " said Bob Granberg, deputy director of Stockton's Municipal Utilities Department. "That's pretty aggressive. I suppose it could be done. We're going to have to get pretty creative."
The state is just beginning to think of ways to achieve Schwarzenegger's goal. Mark Cowin, deputy director of the state Department of Water Resources, said last week that a detailed plan is expected later this year.
He said officials believe the reduction can be accomplished largely through voluntary strategies. For example, many cities already offer rebates to encourage replacement of water-guzzling appliances with new, higher-efficiency models.
"I wouldn't rule out legislation that would require additional mandates or more regulation," Cowin said. "But we're going to work with local agencies to implement plans that are on the books right now."
Reports show that the average Stockton home uses about 22 percent less water during the summertime today than it did in 1987.
Much of that decline reflects advances in low-flush toilets and landscape irrigation in the 1990s, Granberg said. The region's large number of newer homes has also improved conservation since newer homes tend to be more efficient.
Conservation will only get tougher from here, Granberg said. The city's new water plan calls for a 3.4 percent increase in water conservation over the next five years, less than the gains made in the past 20 years.
One of the problems, experts say, is that water is so cheap that there is little financial incentive to conserve. Nunes, for example, pays $1.40 per 100 cubic feet of water. That's about 750 gallons of water, enough for about 75 showers of five minutes.
At that rate, each shower costs less than 2 cents.
The Pacific Institute, a nonprofit think tank that supports increased water conservation methods, has suggested changing water rates to discourage waste.
"The potential for increasing efficiency is enormous," said Peter Gleick, who heads the Oakland-based institute. "Why should we spend billions to try to find new, expensive sources of supply to fill a leaky bucket? Shouldn't we try to plug the leaks first? That's what efficiency improvements do."
Many cities already have detailed conservation programs and laws on the books to back them up. In Lodi, for example, it's illegal to wash down a sidewalk or driveway.
A bucket must be used when washing a car. Hoses are only for rinsing, and no longer than three minutes at a time.
In Manteca, officials have focused on replacing old toilets that swallow five gallons or more in a single flush. Toilets account for most indoor water use. Finding new ways to conserve gets harder as time goes by, said city associate engineer Keith Conarroe.
Not for Nunes. She has an elaborate system: Water is collected in the first bin - which is covered during dry weather to keep mosquitoes out - and then is transferred to four other bins at the side of the house, where it's stored for future use. Neighbors see her lugging pots of water back and forth, from the storage bins to her fish tank, from her kitchen sink to her backyard blooms.
"You get some biceps out of it," she said. "You're also saving money - that's the most practical concern."
http://www.recordnet.com/
During the gutter-swelling rainstorms of January and February, she carefully positioned a 30-gallon garbage bin to catch water pouring off the roof of her central Stockton home.
Now, with barely a cloud in the sky in weeks, her cache of rainwater is still nourishing her wild and verdant gardens.
What's more, pots and pans all over the piano instructor's home collect water from dripping faucets, as well as rinse water from the kitchen sink that can safely be used on some plants.
"My friends think I'm nuts," Nunes said.
Her shrinking water bill suggests she is not.
She may, in fact, be an example for the rest of us. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger recently urged water conservation as part of his plan to stretch the state's tight water supplies; the governor's goal of a 20 percent reduction in per capita water use by 2020 is at the very least ambitious, some water providers say.
"I kind of had to take a deep breath and say, 'Wow,' " said Bob Granberg, deputy director of Stockton's Municipal Utilities Department. "That's pretty aggressive. I suppose it could be done. We're going to have to get pretty creative."
The state is just beginning to think of ways to achieve Schwarzenegger's goal. Mark Cowin, deputy director of the state Department of Water Resources, said last week that a detailed plan is expected later this year.
He said officials believe the reduction can be accomplished largely through voluntary strategies. For example, many cities already offer rebates to encourage replacement of water-guzzling appliances with new, higher-efficiency models.
"I wouldn't rule out legislation that would require additional mandates or more regulation," Cowin said. "But we're going to work with local agencies to implement plans that are on the books right now."
Reports show that the average Stockton home uses about 22 percent less water during the summertime today than it did in 1987.
Much of that decline reflects advances in low-flush toilets and landscape irrigation in the 1990s, Granberg said. The region's large number of newer homes has also improved conservation since newer homes tend to be more efficient.
Conservation will only get tougher from here, Granberg said. The city's new water plan calls for a 3.4 percent increase in water conservation over the next five years, less than the gains made in the past 20 years.
One of the problems, experts say, is that water is so cheap that there is little financial incentive to conserve. Nunes, for example, pays $1.40 per 100 cubic feet of water. That's about 750 gallons of water, enough for about 75 showers of five minutes.
At that rate, each shower costs less than 2 cents.
The Pacific Institute, a nonprofit think tank that supports increased water conservation methods, has suggested changing water rates to discourage waste.
"The potential for increasing efficiency is enormous," said Peter Gleick, who heads the Oakland-based institute. "Why should we spend billions to try to find new, expensive sources of supply to fill a leaky bucket? Shouldn't we try to plug the leaks first? That's what efficiency improvements do."
Many cities already have detailed conservation programs and laws on the books to back them up. In Lodi, for example, it's illegal to wash down a sidewalk or driveway.
A bucket must be used when washing a car. Hoses are only for rinsing, and no longer than three minutes at a time.
In Manteca, officials have focused on replacing old toilets that swallow five gallons or more in a single flush. Toilets account for most indoor water use. Finding new ways to conserve gets harder as time goes by, said city associate engineer Keith Conarroe.
Not for Nunes. She has an elaborate system: Water is collected in the first bin - which is covered during dry weather to keep mosquitoes out - and then is transferred to four other bins at the side of the house, where it's stored for future use. Neighbors see her lugging pots of water back and forth, from the storage bins to her fish tank, from her kitchen sink to her backyard blooms.
"You get some biceps out of it," she said. "You're also saving money - that's the most practical concern."
http://www.recordnet.com/
Thursday, February 14, 2008
New computer software to boost swimming techniques
Researchers in Britain have developed a new computer software that would enable swimmers to improve a key aspect of their technique more quickly and effectively than previously possible.
The software is being developed by sports scientists at the University of Edinburgh's Centre for Aquatics Research and Education (CARE) with additional input from Sheffield Hallam University.
What the software does is that it provides instant, in-depth feedback on a swimmer's glide technique.
Swimmers glide following starts and turns, when a swimmer is not moving their arms or legs but is just using their momentum to travel through the water.
As well as supplying data on head position, body posture/alignment, the software actively suggests ways a swimmer can improve their posture to minimize resistance and pinpoints the optimum moment to begin kicking.
The new system offers two key benefits beyond the capabilities of any other currently used in swimming training.
First, the feedback it generates is available immediately, so swimmers and coaches can use it at the poolside and implement its recommendations while a training session is still in progress. This will speed up the whole process involved in improving glide technique.
Second, it generates data of unprecedented quality in terms of detail and accuracy.
Ultimately, the result will be faster times in races. Gliding more efficiently, with less 'drag', can cut vital fractions of a second from a swimmer's time.
According to Professor Ross Sanders, who is leading the project, "Both the speed and accuracy of the feedback will add to the value of the advice that coaches give their swimmers."
"Another important benefit is that the alterations to technique suggested by the software are customized exactly to suit each individual swimmer," he added.
"The software could even help to identify the champions of tomorrow," said Professor Sanders. "It will show which young swimmers naturally move easily through the water, which may well equate to outstanding ability or a particular aptitude for the sport," he explained.
http://www.thecheers.org/
The software is being developed by sports scientists at the University of Edinburgh's Centre for Aquatics Research and Education (CARE) with additional input from Sheffield Hallam University.
What the software does is that it provides instant, in-depth feedback on a swimmer's glide technique.
Swimmers glide following starts and turns, when a swimmer is not moving their arms or legs but is just using their momentum to travel through the water.
As well as supplying data on head position, body posture/alignment, the software actively suggests ways a swimmer can improve their posture to minimize resistance and pinpoints the optimum moment to begin kicking.
The new system offers two key benefits beyond the capabilities of any other currently used in swimming training.
First, the feedback it generates is available immediately, so swimmers and coaches can use it at the poolside and implement its recommendations while a training session is still in progress. This will speed up the whole process involved in improving glide technique.
Second, it generates data of unprecedented quality in terms of detail and accuracy.
Ultimately, the result will be faster times in races. Gliding more efficiently, with less 'drag', can cut vital fractions of a second from a swimmer's time.
According to Professor Ross Sanders, who is leading the project, "Both the speed and accuracy of the feedback will add to the value of the advice that coaches give their swimmers."
"Another important benefit is that the alterations to technique suggested by the software are customized exactly to suit each individual swimmer," he added.
"The software could even help to identify the champions of tomorrow," said Professor Sanders. "It will show which young swimmers naturally move easily through the water, which may well equate to outstanding ability or a particular aptitude for the sport," he explained.
http://www.thecheers.org/
Senate Passes Ban On Waterboarding, Other Techniques
The Senate voted yesterday to ban waterboarding and other harsh interrogation tactics used by the CIA, matching a previous House vote and putting Congress on a collision course with the White House over a pivotal national security issue.
In a 51 to 45 vote, the Senate approved an intelligence bill that limits the CIA to using 19 less-aggressive interrogation tactics outlined in a U.S. Army Field Manual. The measure would effectively ban the use of simulated drowning, temperature extremes and other harsh tactics that the CIA used on al-Qaeda prisoners after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.
President Bush has vowed to veto the legislation, which the House approved in December, and Congress does not appear to have enough votes to override a veto.
House lawmakers, meanwhile, bickered yesterday over a Senate bill approved Tuesday that would permanently expand the government's ability to eavesdrop on terrorism suspects without warrants and would protect telecommunication firms from lawsuits for helping conduct such wiretaps. A temporary law that does not include the immunity provision is due to expire Saturday.
House Democrats had sought to extend the temporary law for 21 days to allow more time for debate, but the full chamber overwhelmingly rejected that idea by a vote of 229 to 191. Thirty-four Democrats joined Republicans in defeating the measure.
The outcome marked a notable victory for Bush, who had threatened to veto any delay and warned yesterday that "terrorists are planning new attacks on our country . . . that will make Sept. 11 pale by comparison."
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) signaled last night that debate over the bill is unlikely to end quickly and that Democrats may let the temporary law expire. Although Bush and his aides have said such a move would undermine current surveillance efforts and pose a national security threat, Democrats note that intelligence-gathering orders under the temporary law are good for a year and that routine surveillance powers would remain.
"The President and House Republicans refused to support the extension and therefore will bear the responsibility should any adverse national consequences result," Pelosi said in a statement.
In the Senate, the move to ban coercive techniques at the CIA follows two weeks of intense public debate over the agency's use of waterboarding, a type of simulated drowning, on three al-Qaeda prisoners in 2002 and 2003. It also comes in the same week that the Bush administration announced plans to try six prisoners at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, for alleged involvement in the Sept. 11 attacks. Five of the six were subjected to harsh CIA tactics.
Congress banned any military use of waterboarding and other harsh tactics through the Detainee Treatment Act of 2006, which was co-sponsored by Sen. John McCain (Ariz.), now the front-runner for the GOP presidential nomination.
But McCain sided with the Bush administration yesterday on the waterboarding ban passed by the Senate, saying in a statement that the measure goes too far by applying military standards to intelligence agencies. He also said current laws already forbid waterboarding, and he urged the administration to declare it illegal.
"Staging a mock execution by inducing the misperception of drowning is a clear violation" of laws and treaties, McCain said.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/
In a 51 to 45 vote, the Senate approved an intelligence bill that limits the CIA to using 19 less-aggressive interrogation tactics outlined in a U.S. Army Field Manual. The measure would effectively ban the use of simulated drowning, temperature extremes and other harsh tactics that the CIA used on al-Qaeda prisoners after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.
President Bush has vowed to veto the legislation, which the House approved in December, and Congress does not appear to have enough votes to override a veto.
House lawmakers, meanwhile, bickered yesterday over a Senate bill approved Tuesday that would permanently expand the government's ability to eavesdrop on terrorism suspects without warrants and would protect telecommunication firms from lawsuits for helping conduct such wiretaps. A temporary law that does not include the immunity provision is due to expire Saturday.
House Democrats had sought to extend the temporary law for 21 days to allow more time for debate, but the full chamber overwhelmingly rejected that idea by a vote of 229 to 191. Thirty-four Democrats joined Republicans in defeating the measure.
The outcome marked a notable victory for Bush, who had threatened to veto any delay and warned yesterday that "terrorists are planning new attacks on our country . . . that will make Sept. 11 pale by comparison."
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) signaled last night that debate over the bill is unlikely to end quickly and that Democrats may let the temporary law expire. Although Bush and his aides have said such a move would undermine current surveillance efforts and pose a national security threat, Democrats note that intelligence-gathering orders under the temporary law are good for a year and that routine surveillance powers would remain.
"The President and House Republicans refused to support the extension and therefore will bear the responsibility should any adverse national consequences result," Pelosi said in a statement.
In the Senate, the move to ban coercive techniques at the CIA follows two weeks of intense public debate over the agency's use of waterboarding, a type of simulated drowning, on three al-Qaeda prisoners in 2002 and 2003. It also comes in the same week that the Bush administration announced plans to try six prisoners at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, for alleged involvement in the Sept. 11 attacks. Five of the six were subjected to harsh CIA tactics.
Congress banned any military use of waterboarding and other harsh tactics through the Detainee Treatment Act of 2006, which was co-sponsored by Sen. John McCain (Ariz.), now the front-runner for the GOP presidential nomination.
But McCain sided with the Bush administration yesterday on the waterboarding ban passed by the Senate, saying in a statement that the measure goes too far by applying military standards to intelligence agencies. He also said current laws already forbid waterboarding, and he urged the administration to declare it illegal.
"Staging a mock execution by inducing the misperception of drowning is a clear violation" of laws and treaties, McCain said.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/
Friday, December 28, 2007
7 Tips for Training Link Developers
We all know the vital role of backlinks in search engine visibility. Many companies devote an entire department to link promotion. Therefore, let's discuss some important tips for training link developers.
Many of these tips can be implemented on an individual or group basis. They can also be useful for companies in the preliminary stages of starting a link promotion department.
The tips below range from encouraging creativity to teaching negotiation tactics for overcoming obstacles when dealing with Webmasters.
Promote Creativity
Encourage creativeness and thinking outside the box. This is probably one of the best qualities to promote during link training.
There are many different angles and methodologies to successful link building (define). Don't constrain people to using the same techniques that have been used and overused during the last few years.
This is especially true if you work in competitive industries and your competition is active in link building. Your site needs better links than theirs.
Instead of training your staff on the specific steps they must follow as if they worked for a fast-food chain, empower them to find creative solutions. The end results are better links and happier employers. It also helps to hire people who are creative and innovative.
Conduct Brainstorming Sessions
Once a week, perhaps even once a day, get together, if only for 15 minutes, to brainstorm new ideas and different ways to get better links. Encourage people to contribute their ideas no matter how off-the-wall or impossible they may seem. Encourage randomness.
Often in these brainstorming sessions, new ideas will stem from someone else's idea. It's all about the group interaction and collective thinking. Plus, it helps to keep people motivated and builds a better group dynamic at your company.
Group Review and Strategy Meetings
Once a week, perhaps even once a day, have your team get together to discuss how they're going about link development. Find out what's working and what isn't.
If one person is having more success than the others, have that person lead the discussion to guide the others in the right direction. Find out this person's approach. Find out what he or she is doing to get better results.
Negotiation and Sales Training
Provide books, CDs, videos, and articles on negotiation and sales training. Unless your staff comes from a sales background, this is essential. Your link developers need to be able to sell your site, overcome obstacles, and then finally secure the link.
This is an excellent topic for the group meetings -- to find out how people have overcome specific obstacles. Find out the tactics or approaches used that are getting the best results. It would also be helpful to have one of your sales or marketing people participate to give advice and guidance.
Experiment, Experiment, Experiment
Allow time each week to test out new ways to get links. Such tests could range from different methods for contacting Web sites to viral marketing techniques.
This is the best way to find out what works and what doesn't. Even if some of the methods are unsuccessful, there are still lessons to be learned that can be applied to other areas.
Teach Link Value
Educate your staff on the real value of links. Show them examples of how sites have risen in the rankings after getting a couple dozen trusted links. Run experiments to show them how a link from a trusted site can influence rankings.
By being educated, they'll gain a better understanding of the power of links. It'll also give more meaning to their work when they can see the final results.
Study Competitive Industries
Allow time for your staff to study the way sites in hyper-competitive industries are handling their link development. While some of the more aggressive techniques used must be avoided, there's always something to be learned. It'll also help your staff identify sites that have more advanced link development methods.
Why reinvent the wheel when you can learn from others?
All of these link training tips are easy to implement individually, or as a group. Many can be combined into a weekly meeting, such as the brainstorming, link value, and negotiation training sessions.
http://searchenginewatch.com/showPage.html?page=3627963
Many of these tips can be implemented on an individual or group basis. They can also be useful for companies in the preliminary stages of starting a link promotion department.
The tips below range from encouraging creativity to teaching negotiation tactics for overcoming obstacles when dealing with Webmasters.
Promote Creativity
Encourage creativeness and thinking outside the box. This is probably one of the best qualities to promote during link training.
There are many different angles and methodologies to successful link building (define). Don't constrain people to using the same techniques that have been used and overused during the last few years.
This is especially true if you work in competitive industries and your competition is active in link building. Your site needs better links than theirs.
Instead of training your staff on the specific steps they must follow as if they worked for a fast-food chain, empower them to find creative solutions. The end results are better links and happier employers. It also helps to hire people who are creative and innovative.
Conduct Brainstorming Sessions
Once a week, perhaps even once a day, get together, if only for 15 minutes, to brainstorm new ideas and different ways to get better links. Encourage people to contribute their ideas no matter how off-the-wall or impossible they may seem. Encourage randomness.
Often in these brainstorming sessions, new ideas will stem from someone else's idea. It's all about the group interaction and collective thinking. Plus, it helps to keep people motivated and builds a better group dynamic at your company.
Group Review and Strategy Meetings
Once a week, perhaps even once a day, have your team get together to discuss how they're going about link development. Find out what's working and what isn't.
If one person is having more success than the others, have that person lead the discussion to guide the others in the right direction. Find out this person's approach. Find out what he or she is doing to get better results.
Negotiation and Sales Training
Provide books, CDs, videos, and articles on negotiation and sales training. Unless your staff comes from a sales background, this is essential. Your link developers need to be able to sell your site, overcome obstacles, and then finally secure the link.
This is an excellent topic for the group meetings -- to find out how people have overcome specific obstacles. Find out the tactics or approaches used that are getting the best results. It would also be helpful to have one of your sales or marketing people participate to give advice and guidance.
Experiment, Experiment, Experiment
Allow time each week to test out new ways to get links. Such tests could range from different methods for contacting Web sites to viral marketing techniques.
This is the best way to find out what works and what doesn't. Even if some of the methods are unsuccessful, there are still lessons to be learned that can be applied to other areas.
Teach Link Value
Educate your staff on the real value of links. Show them examples of how sites have risen in the rankings after getting a couple dozen trusted links. Run experiments to show them how a link from a trusted site can influence rankings.
By being educated, they'll gain a better understanding of the power of links. It'll also give more meaning to their work when they can see the final results.
Study Competitive Industries
Allow time for your staff to study the way sites in hyper-competitive industries are handling their link development. While some of the more aggressive techniques used must be avoided, there's always something to be learned. It'll also help your staff identify sites that have more advanced link development methods.
Why reinvent the wheel when you can learn from others?
All of these link training tips are easy to implement individually, or as a group. Many can be combined into a weekly meeting, such as the brainstorming, link value, and negotiation training sessions.
http://searchenginewatch.com/showPage.html?page=3627963
Poveromo's Seminars Teach Angling Skills
PARKLAND — For the past two decades, George Poveromo's name has been synonymous with saltwater fishing how-to. Through television shows and articles in magazines and newspapers, he has built a career out of sharing fishing knowledge with enthusiastic anglers.
From January through early March, Poveromo will conduct nine day-long seminars designed to bring the latest and greatest tips, techniques and know-how to the saltwater angling public. The 2008 Saltwater Sportsman Magazine National Seminar Series presented by Boater's World Marine Centers will include three stops in Florida. The two seminars nearest to Treasure Coast anglers will be Feb. 2 in Titusville and Feb. 9 in Coral Springs.
As the touring series begins its 21st year of packing auditoriums and meeting halls, Poveromo can't help but smile at its longevity.
"The only two gigs that have been around that long are us and The Rolling Stones," he joked. "The way I see it, if we weren't successful at providing top-rate instruction, we wouldn't be around."
Over the years, more than 100,000 anglers have attended the seminars for the how-to and where-to information, Poveromo said. Many have returned because one day spent absorbing expert angling wisdom translated into many more satisfying fishing trips with family and friends.
"It really is a crash course on the most successful fishing information available for a given type of fishing," he said.
The seminars are tailored toward fishing opportunities and popular methods in the region in which they take place.
For example, the Coral Springs stop will pull from North Miami, Boca Raton, North Palm Beach, Stuart and Port St. Lucie. As a result, it is loaded with expert captains and anglers who have fresh information on daytime swordfishing — one of the hottest current trends in South Florida sport fishing. Poveromo also has arranged for skippers to share tips on high-speed trolling for wahoo, how and where to find dolphin, stalking big kingfish and how to catch trophy tarpon and snook.
The Central Florida seminar will pull anglers from Daytona, Orlando, Sebastian, Vero Beach and Fort Pierce. One topic will help owners of center consoles under 30 feet learn how to target yellowfin tuna on the eastern edge of the Gulf Stream.
"We'll explain how to best use the radar to locate the right kind of birds and demonstrate the right kind of rigs to use," he said. "We'll also share how to employ chunking tactics that are very successful for tuna fishermen in South Florida."
Grouper, snapper and cobia fishing techniques offshore as well as inshore techniques designed for trout, redfish, flounder, snook and tripletail also will be covered by Poveromo's team of experts.
SALTWATER SPORTSMAN NATIONAL SEMINAR SERIES
• Hosted by George Poveromo, senior editor with Saltwater Sportsman magazine and host of ESPN2's "George Poveromo's World of Saltwater Fishing" and Dr. Ray Waldner, marine biology professor and accomplished light tackle angler.
• Fee: $55 per seat. Registration includes one-year subscription to Saltwater Sportsman magazine ($24.95 value), a 330-yard spool of Sufix fishing line, one Roffer's Ocean Fishing Forecast analysis (tuna, dolphin and marlin only), a 16-ounce bottle of OrPine Wash and Wax and one tub of Chum-King Chum. A drawing will take place at the end of each Florida seminar to win a bonefishing excursion to the Bimini Sands Resort and Marina. The attendees of the 2008 seminars will be entered into a drawing for the grand prize — a Mako 212 Center Console with Float-On trailer.
• Seminars begin at 9 a.m. and last until 4 p.m.
• For complete information on all nine seminar dates and to register online, visit www.nationalseminarseries.com or call (800) 448-7360.
DATES NEAREST TREASURE COAST
TITUSVILLE, FEB. 2
Astronaut High School Performing Arts Theater, 800 War Eagle Blvd., Titusville
Speakers include: Capt. Troy Perez, Indian River and Mosquito Lagoon guide for 30 years; Dave Workman, three-time Southern Kingfish Association Angler of the Year; Capt. Brent Hancock, Port Canaveral offshore trolling, live baiting and bottom fishing specialist; Ed Perry, Central Florida trophy flounder specialist and expert on fishing inlets and rivers for snook, redfish and trout; Capt. Greg Bogdan, South Florida light tackle, live bait, bottom fishing and swordfish specialist and Dr. Mitch Roffer, the nation's leading authority on locating sea surface temperatures and currents that hold fish.
CORAL SPRINGS, FEB. 9
Coral Springs Center for the Arts, 2855 Coral Springs Dr., Coral Springs
Speakers include: Capt. Greg Bogdan, South Florida light tackle, live bait, bottom fishing and swordfish specialist; Capt. Jimmy Wickett, snook and tarpon inlet and beach angling specialist; Capt. Ron Schatman, legendary big-game skipper who pioneered high-speed trolling for wahoo and specializes in swordfish; Capt. Art Sapp, Pompano-beach based tournament pro specializing in live baiting for big kingfish and tuna, and dead-bait trolling for sailfish and dolphin; Capt. Ralph Hawkins, expert with live baiting for sailfish, tuna, kingfish and dolphin; and Capt. Steve Huddleston, Fort Lauderdale-based snook, tarpon and reef fishing authority.
http://www.tcpalm.com/news/2007/dec/27/no-headline-28tpoveromo/
From January through early March, Poveromo will conduct nine day-long seminars designed to bring the latest and greatest tips, techniques and know-how to the saltwater angling public. The 2008 Saltwater Sportsman Magazine National Seminar Series presented by Boater's World Marine Centers will include three stops in Florida. The two seminars nearest to Treasure Coast anglers will be Feb. 2 in Titusville and Feb. 9 in Coral Springs.
As the touring series begins its 21st year of packing auditoriums and meeting halls, Poveromo can't help but smile at its longevity.
"The only two gigs that have been around that long are us and The Rolling Stones," he joked. "The way I see it, if we weren't successful at providing top-rate instruction, we wouldn't be around."
Over the years, more than 100,000 anglers have attended the seminars for the how-to and where-to information, Poveromo said. Many have returned because one day spent absorbing expert angling wisdom translated into many more satisfying fishing trips with family and friends.
"It really is a crash course on the most successful fishing information available for a given type of fishing," he said.
The seminars are tailored toward fishing opportunities and popular methods in the region in which they take place.
For example, the Coral Springs stop will pull from North Miami, Boca Raton, North Palm Beach, Stuart and Port St. Lucie. As a result, it is loaded with expert captains and anglers who have fresh information on daytime swordfishing — one of the hottest current trends in South Florida sport fishing. Poveromo also has arranged for skippers to share tips on high-speed trolling for wahoo, how and where to find dolphin, stalking big kingfish and how to catch trophy tarpon and snook.
The Central Florida seminar will pull anglers from Daytona, Orlando, Sebastian, Vero Beach and Fort Pierce. One topic will help owners of center consoles under 30 feet learn how to target yellowfin tuna on the eastern edge of the Gulf Stream.
"We'll explain how to best use the radar to locate the right kind of birds and demonstrate the right kind of rigs to use," he said. "We'll also share how to employ chunking tactics that are very successful for tuna fishermen in South Florida."
Grouper, snapper and cobia fishing techniques offshore as well as inshore techniques designed for trout, redfish, flounder, snook and tripletail also will be covered by Poveromo's team of experts.
SALTWATER SPORTSMAN NATIONAL SEMINAR SERIES
• Hosted by George Poveromo, senior editor with Saltwater Sportsman magazine and host of ESPN2's "George Poveromo's World of Saltwater Fishing" and Dr. Ray Waldner, marine biology professor and accomplished light tackle angler.
• Fee: $55 per seat. Registration includes one-year subscription to Saltwater Sportsman magazine ($24.95 value), a 330-yard spool of Sufix fishing line, one Roffer's Ocean Fishing Forecast analysis (tuna, dolphin and marlin only), a 16-ounce bottle of OrPine Wash and Wax and one tub of Chum-King Chum. A drawing will take place at the end of each Florida seminar to win a bonefishing excursion to the Bimini Sands Resort and Marina. The attendees of the 2008 seminars will be entered into a drawing for the grand prize — a Mako 212 Center Console with Float-On trailer.
• Seminars begin at 9 a.m. and last until 4 p.m.
• For complete information on all nine seminar dates and to register online, visit www.nationalseminarseries.com or call (800) 448-7360.
DATES NEAREST TREASURE COAST
TITUSVILLE, FEB. 2
Astronaut High School Performing Arts Theater, 800 War Eagle Blvd., Titusville
Speakers include: Capt. Troy Perez, Indian River and Mosquito Lagoon guide for 30 years; Dave Workman, three-time Southern Kingfish Association Angler of the Year; Capt. Brent Hancock, Port Canaveral offshore trolling, live baiting and bottom fishing specialist; Ed Perry, Central Florida trophy flounder specialist and expert on fishing inlets and rivers for snook, redfish and trout; Capt. Greg Bogdan, South Florida light tackle, live bait, bottom fishing and swordfish specialist and Dr. Mitch Roffer, the nation's leading authority on locating sea surface temperatures and currents that hold fish.
CORAL SPRINGS, FEB. 9
Coral Springs Center for the Arts, 2855 Coral Springs Dr., Coral Springs
Speakers include: Capt. Greg Bogdan, South Florida light tackle, live bait, bottom fishing and swordfish specialist; Capt. Jimmy Wickett, snook and tarpon inlet and beach angling specialist; Capt. Ron Schatman, legendary big-game skipper who pioneered high-speed trolling for wahoo and specializes in swordfish; Capt. Art Sapp, Pompano-beach based tournament pro specializing in live baiting for big kingfish and tuna, and dead-bait trolling for sailfish and dolphin; Capt. Ralph Hawkins, expert with live baiting for sailfish, tuna, kingfish and dolphin; and Capt. Steve Huddleston, Fort Lauderdale-based snook, tarpon and reef fishing authority.
http://www.tcpalm.com/news/2007/dec/27/no-headline-28tpoveromo/
2007: Top 10 Embedded.com design articles
Based on the total number of views received during 2007, here are the top ten most popular Design Articles on Embedded.com this year (URL links are to the Embedded TechSearch engine containing a full listing for each part in the article series highlighted):
#1. The basics of embedded programming, by Wayne Wolf. This highly popular series covered all aspects of programming on embedded systems, from the basics of using C on microcontrollers, program design and analysis all the way to software test and validation.
#2. Building Bare-Metal ARM Systems with GNU by Miro Samek. In this intensively how to series of ten articles the author takes you step by through the process of developing embedded control designs on the ARM processor using the GNU open source tool chain, complete with the source code in both C and C++.
#3. Common multicore programming problems by Shameem Akhter and Jason Roberts. This hands-on series of four articles takes embedded developers through many of the common programming issues in multicore designs and how to solve them.
#4. Making the transition from sequential to implicit parallel programming by Rishiyur Nikhil and Arvind. Despite the common view that a parallel programming model for programming multiprocessors is 5 to 10 years away, in this eight part series, the authors delve into all the alternative approaches to to addressing the issue.
#5. Doing C-code unit testing on a shoestring, by Ark Khasin. In this informative three part series the author takes the programmer through the various ways to use the pre-processor in any standards-compliant C compiler for unit testing of software programs.
#6. Using Direct Memory Access effectively in media-based embedded applications by David Katz and Rick Gentile. In this four part series, the authors delve into the basics of direct memory access and how it can be used effectively in many embedded multimedia systems.
#7. The challenges of next-gen multicore networks-on-chip systems by Luca Benini and Giovanni De Michelli. This series of seven articles describe the architectural, programming and debug challenges of next-generation heterogeneous multicore networks-on-chip designs.
#8. The basics of embedded multitasking on a PIC by Gamal Ali Labib. In this three part series, the author provided details on how to do multitasking on the Microchip PIC18F452 microcontroller including pre-emptive and re-entrant multitasking and how to pack programs for tasks.
#9. Using block diagrams as a system design "language" by Tim Wescott. In a two-part article this long time Embedded Systems Design contributor describes how to use block diagrams as a system design language for control systems analysis and design.
#10. Tricks and techniques for performance tuning your embedded system using patterns by Peter Barry and Gerard Harnett. In this three part series the authors share some of the tricks and techniques they have picked up from their experience with real-life embedded systems they have designed.
These are the selections you made by voting with your browser. Such information is factored into our decision making about what Design Articles we will select to run on Embedded.com and in Embedded Systems Design next year. But I am open to hearing from you via email at bccole@acm.org with your opinions about what you would like to see - and what you would like to contribute.
http://www.eetimes.com/news/design/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=205101030
#1. The basics of embedded programming, by Wayne Wolf. This highly popular series covered all aspects of programming on embedded systems, from the basics of using C on microcontrollers, program design and analysis all the way to software test and validation.
#2. Building Bare-Metal ARM Systems with GNU by Miro Samek. In this intensively how to series of ten articles the author takes you step by through the process of developing embedded control designs on the ARM processor using the GNU open source tool chain, complete with the source code in both C and C++.
#3. Common multicore programming problems by Shameem Akhter and Jason Roberts. This hands-on series of four articles takes embedded developers through many of the common programming issues in multicore designs and how to solve them.
#4. Making the transition from sequential to implicit parallel programming by Rishiyur Nikhil and Arvind. Despite the common view that a parallel programming model for programming multiprocessors is 5 to 10 years away, in this eight part series, the authors delve into all the alternative approaches to to addressing the issue.
#5. Doing C-code unit testing on a shoestring, by Ark Khasin. In this informative three part series the author takes the programmer through the various ways to use the pre-processor in any standards-compliant C compiler for unit testing of software programs.
#6. Using Direct Memory Access effectively in media-based embedded applications by David Katz and Rick Gentile. In this four part series, the authors delve into the basics of direct memory access and how it can be used effectively in many embedded multimedia systems.
#7. The challenges of next-gen multicore networks-on-chip systems by Luca Benini and Giovanni De Michelli. This series of seven articles describe the architectural, programming and debug challenges of next-generation heterogeneous multicore networks-on-chip designs.
#8. The basics of embedded multitasking on a PIC by Gamal Ali Labib. In this three part series, the author provided details on how to do multitasking on the Microchip PIC18F452 microcontroller including pre-emptive and re-entrant multitasking and how to pack programs for tasks.
#9. Using block diagrams as a system design "language" by Tim Wescott. In a two-part article this long time Embedded Systems Design contributor describes how to use block diagrams as a system design language for control systems analysis and design.
#10. Tricks and techniques for performance tuning your embedded system using patterns by Peter Barry and Gerard Harnett. In this three part series the authors share some of the tricks and techniques they have picked up from their experience with real-life embedded systems they have designed.
These are the selections you made by voting with your browser. Such information is factored into our decision making about what Design Articles we will select to run on Embedded.com and in Embedded Systems Design next year. But I am open to hearing from you via email at bccole@acm.org with your opinions about what you would like to see - and what you would like to contribute.
http://www.eetimes.com/news/design/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=205101030
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