VSEP

While membrane-based separations of liquids from solids have enjoyed increasing popularity over the last 20 years, the technology has an inherent Achilles heel that affects all membrane devices: fouling. This long-term loss in throughput capacity is due primarily to the formation of a boundary layer that builds up naturally on the membranes surface during the filtration process. In addition to cutting down on the flux performance of the membrane, this boundary or gel layer acts as a secondary membrane reducing the native design selectivity of the membrane in use. This inability to handle the buildup of solids has also limited the use of membranes to low-solids feed streams.

(Figure1)

To help minimize this boundary layer buildup, membrane designers have used a method known as tangential-flow or cross-flow filtration that relies on high velocity fluid flow pumped across the membranes surface as a means of reducing the boundary layer effect. (See Figure 1)

In cross-flow designs, it is not economic to create high shear forces, thus limiting the use of cross-flow to low-viscosity (watery) fluids. In addition, increased cross-flow velocities result in a significant pressure drop from the inlet (high pressure) to the outlet (lower pressure) end of the device, which leads to premature fouling of the membrane that creeps up the device until permeate rates drop to unacceptably low levels.

(Figure 2)

Instead of producing high cross flow, an alternative method for producing intense shear waves on the face of a membrane is developed. The technique is called Vibratory Shear Enhanced Processing (VSEP). In a VSEP System, the feed slurry remains nearly stationary, moving in a leisurely, meandering flow between parallel membrane leaf elements. Shear cleaning action is created by vigorously vibrating the leaf elements in a direction tangent to the faces of the membranes.

The shear waves produced by the membrane's vibration cause solids and foulants to be lifted off the membrane surface and remixed with the bulk material flowing through the membrane stack. This high shear processing exposes the membrane pores for maximum throughput that is typically between 3 and 10 times the throughput of conventional cross-flow systems. (See Figure 2, above)

The oscillation produces a shear at the membrane surface of about 150,000 inverse seconds (equivalent to over 200 G's of force), which is approximately 10 times the shear rate of the best conventional cross-flow systems. More importantly, the shear in a VSEP System is focused at the membrane surface where it is cost effective and most useful in preventing fouling, while the bulk fluid between the membrane disks moves very little.

Because VSEP does not depend on feed flow induced shearing forces, the feed slurry can become extremely viscous and still be successfully dewatered. The concentrate is essentially extruded between the vibrating disc elements and exits the machine once it reaches the desired concentration level. Thus, VSEP Systems can be run in a single pass through the system, eliminating the need for costly working tanks, ancillary equipment and associated valving.

The disc pack hold up volume of a system with 1,400 ft2 (130 sq. meters) of membrane area, is less than 50 gallons (189 liters). As a result, product recovery in batch processes can be extremely high.

Emulsified oil are serving as lubricant as well as coolant in various metal industries such as steel making and metal cutting. Disposal of emulsified fluid is a very tough environmental pollution issue. It has high COD and oil/water fully emulsified. Conventional bio-chemical treatment consumes large amount of chemicals and high running cost yet still requires multiple post-treatment steps. The disposal of solid cake will ultimately contaminate underground water. Conventional membrane treatment faces low flux and severe fouling issues. VSEP can simplify treatment process. It has high anti-fouling ability and high recovery ratio. Concentrate can be put as fuel and permeate can achieve discharge standard.

At startup, the VSEP system is fed with a slurry and the concentrate valve is closed. Permeate is produced and suspended solids in the feed are collected inside the VSEP filter pack. After a programmed time interval, valve on concentrate line is opened to release the accumulated concentrated solids. The valve is then closed to allow the concentration of additional feed material. This cycle repeats indefinitely.

Membrane selection is the single most important parameter that affects the quality of the separation. Other important parameters that affect system performance are pressure, temperature, vibration amplitude, and residence time. All of these elements are optimized during testing and entered into the programmable logic controller (PLC) which controls the system.

The operating pressure is created by the feed pump. VSEP machines can routinely operate at pressures as high as 500 psig (35 bar). While higher pressures often produce increased permeate flow rates, they also use more energy. Therefore, an operating pressure is used that optimizes the balance between flow rates and energy consumption.

The vibration amplitude and corresponding shear rate can also be varied which directly affects filtration rates. Shearing is produced by the torsion oscillation of the filter stack. Typically the stack oscillates with an amplitude of 3/4 to 1 1/4 inches (1.9 to 3.2 cm) peak to peak displacement at the rim of the stack. The oscillation frequency is approximately 53 Hz and produces a shear intensity of about 150,000 inverse seconds.

Feed residence time is set by the frequency of the opening and closing of the exit valve (valve one). The solids level in the feed increases as the feed material remains in the machine. Occasionally, a cleaner is added to the membrane stack and continued oscillation helps clean the membrane in minutes. This process can be automated and only consumes approximately 50 gallons (189 liters) of cleaning solution thus reducing cleaner disposal problems inherent with other membrane systems.

Control system

VSEP systems are supplied with internationally branded Programmable Logic Controllers. All components are fully contained in a NEMA 4 rated enclosure.

Various levels of control sophistication are available depending on the complexity of the application. For polishing or low solids applications simple controls having minimal outputs and inputs are provided. For high solids applications controls with more features are used to insure trouble free operation. The VSEP controller typically sets solids levels by actuating the exit valve based on operating parameters such as pressure or flow rate.

Other control options available include automatic clean-in-place, automatic flush, automatic shut down, full alarm features with digital diagnostic displays, remote diagnostics and monitoring, and many others. Dunwell engineers have spent years perfecting VSEP controls to maximize reliability and to minimize operator intervention.

Clean-In-Place

Clean-In-Place, CIP, is a package of pre-connected pipes, valves, tanks, pumps serving to clean the filter pack in steps by washing and flushing. Different cleaner can be applied according to different fouling chemistry. Piping has different material and different grade of polishing according to applications. One CIP can serve up to 6 i-series VSEP. Customer can choose either fully manual or fully automatic or somewhere in between according to individual application.

MacsWith Photoshop, PCs Need $600 Extra to 'Perform As Well As

Regular people are probably confused by the re-inflamed Mac vs. PC ad war, which now focuses on price. Never fear, CNBC's Jim Goldman breaks down the true cost of PCs. Wait, Macs come with Photoshop?

According to CNBC's Silicon Valley Bureau Chief, PCs need the following things to "perform as well as a Mac": $50 a year for anti-virus software, $104 multimedia software, $100 music software, $140 "Photoshop—you get that with Apple" and $129 for a Geek Squad visit. Over $600 worth of extra stuff. Oh, and Macs get 4x the battery life, have faster processors and a higher resolution screen.

Um. What? Last time I checked, you can get pretty decent antivirus software for free, my MacBook Pro didn't come with Photoshop, and iTunes was free on OS X and Windows. For multimedia, you've got Windows Media Center, which is also pretty free. And Picasa—hey, it's free too—isn't a bad alternative to iPhoto. Okay, you might have to spend money on video editing software, since MovieMaker ain't so hot. But you know what? A lot of the stuff MobileMe charges you $100 a year to get, Windows Live provides for free, like SkyDrive's 25GB of storage. I would also like to meet this mythical Mac with an all-day battery, since we sure haven't seen it.

Look, there are some valid reasons to pick a Mac over a PC, just like there are valid reasons to pick a PC over a Mac. But you shouldn't smear blatant horseshit all over them, especially when it's already confusing enough for regular people, your audience, Mr. CNBC Silicon Valley Bureau Chief.

Update: No wonder the figures Goldman tosses out look so familiar. Reader Rob points out they're pulled straight out of this piece by Arik Hesseldahl in BusinessWeek. Did I just miss the credit to BusinessWeek or Hesseldahl? [CNBC - Thanks Jason and Rob!]

VSEP

vsep
While membrane-based separations of liquids from solids have enjoyed increasing popularity over the last 20 years, the technology has an inherent Achilles heel that affects all membrane devices: fouling. This long-term loss in throughput capacity is due primarily to the formation of a boundary layer that builds up naturally on the membranes surface during the filtration process. In addition to cutting down on the flux performance of the membrane, this boundary or gel layer acts as a secondary membrane reducing the native design selectivity of the membrane in use. This inability to handle the buildup of solids has also limited the use of membranes to low-solids feed streams.




(Figure1)

To help minimize this boundary layer buildup, membrane designers have used a method known as tangential-flow or cross-flow filtration that relies on high velocity fluid flow pumped across the membranes surface as a means of reducing the boundary layer effect. (See Figure 1)

In cross-flow designs, it is not economic to create high shear forces, thus limiting the use of cross-flow to low-viscosity (watery) fluids. In addition, increased cross-flow velocities result in a significant pressure drop from the inlet (high pressure) to the outlet (lower pressure) end of the device, which leads to premature fouling of the membrane that creeps up the device until permeate rates drop to unacceptably low levels.



(Figure 2)

Instead of producing high cross flow, an alternative method for producing intense shear waves on the face of a membrane is developed. The technique is called Vibratory Shear Enhanced Processing (VSEP). In a VSEP System, the feed slurry remains nearly stationary, moving in a leisurely, meandering flow between parallel membrane leaf elements. Shear cleaning action is created by vigorously vibrating the leaf elements in a direction tangent to the faces of the membranes.

The shear waves produced by the membrane's vibration cause solids and foulants to be lifted off the membrane surface and remixed with the bulk material flowing through the membrane stack. This high shear processing exposes the membrane pores for maximum throughput that is typically between 3 and 10 times the throughput of conventional cross-flow systems. (See Figure 2, above)

The oscillation produces a shear at the membrane surface of about 150,000 inverse seconds (equivalent to over 200 G's of force), which is approximately 10 times the shear rate of the best conventional cross-flow systems. More importantly, the shear in a VSEP System is focused at the membrane surface where it is cost effective and most useful in preventing fouling, while the bulk fluid between the membrane disks moves very little.



Because VSEP does not depend on feed flow induced shearing forces, the feed slurry can become extremely viscous and still be successfully dewatered. The concentrate is essentially extruded between the vibrating disc elements and exits the machine once it reaches the desired concentration level. Thus, VSEP Systems can be run in a single pass through the system, eliminating the need for costly working tanks, ancillary equipment and associated valving.

The disc pack hold up volume of a system with 1,400 ft2 (130 sq. meters) of membrane area, is less than 50 gallons (189 liters). As a result, product recovery in batch processes can be extremely high.


Emulsified oil are serving as lubricant as well as coolant in various metal industries such as steel making and metal cutting. Disposal of emulsified fluid is a very tough environmental pollution issue. It has high COD and oil/water fully emulsified. Conventional bio-chemical treatment consumes large amount of chemicals and high running cost yet still requires multiple post-treatment steps. The disposal of solid cake will ultimately contaminate underground water. Conventional membrane treatment faces low flux and severe fouling issues. VSEP can simplify treatment process. It has high anti-fouling ability and high recovery ratio. Concentrate can be put as fuel and permeate can achieve discharge standard.

At startup, the VSEP system is fed with a slurry and the concentrate valve is closed. Permeate is produced and suspended solids in the feed are collected inside the VSEP filter pack. After a programmed time interval, valve on concentrate line is opened to release the accumulated concentrated solids. The valve is then closed to allow the concentration of additional feed material. This cycle repeats indefinitely.

FOREX EDUCATION

Do you have what it takes to become a successful Forex Trader?Forex
trading, or any trading for that matter, is an occupation that requires
experience and the accumulation of proficiency not unlike any other highly
skilled profession. Whether you are a leading executive at a major publically
traded company, a professional golfer or trading from your kitchen table, there
are 5 key ingredients that one must possess in order to become successful.1. You
must be Passionate about what you do.As Forex traders we all face one unique set
of circumstances that does not exist in any other profession. We get rewarded
for when we succeed and equally punished when we don’t! Could you image a
corporate worker one quarter receiving a significant accomplishment bonus and
the next quarter actually getting money taken from their paycheck for missing
performance targets? Not on your life!We do as Forex traders and that is why
passion for what you do will carry you through the tough times that are part of
your trading business. Asked yourself why you trade currencies and would you
still do it if Forex were not potentially lucrative? Your answers will be quite
revealing. You’ve got to feel your passion for trading!2. You have to Apply
Yourself and work hard at it.I talk to so many people that enter into Forex
trading with the aspiration of getting rich quick. Without putting the time and
energy into really getting good at trading I see them jump from strategy to
strategy looking for the goose that will lay the golden egg and eventually
quitting while blaming everything else, except the true cause.I got news for you
– you are the goose and your Forex education is the golden egg. The magic has
always resided with the magician and not some strategy. Work hard at trading and
the rewards will eventually come your way. Remember what Tiger Woods said,
“Funny, the harder I work the luckier I get.” Apply yourself as a trader and it
will be no accident when your account begins to blossom.3. You must Focus to
really get good at what you do.Now here is the hurdle most Forex traders
struggle to get over. You have the passion and you are applying yourself to your
trade, now focus and really get good at just at what you are doing. Be the
expert to the experts at just that one thing. Become the master of a strategy or
risk management methodologies. Really focus on getting good at it.Stop jumping
around or getting pulled from the last “latest and greatest” into the next
“latest and greatest” and focus on one aspect of Forex trading and know it
inside out. Know it strengths and weakness. Set your sights on becoming expert
on just one aspect of trading and watch it spill over in all other aspects for
your currency trading. This is the time to fail forward fast, use every setback
as a learning opportunity that will propel you 3-steps ahead!4. You must Push
Yourself beyond the point everyone else might have quite.In Forex Trading this
is simple. Assume there is someone on the other side of your trade that is
pushing themselves and sharpening their edge. To be successful you must you must
do the same thing. Now is the time to examine your mental edge. Do you know the
single most critical factor in any currency trade? It is you, the trader!
Sharpening you mental edge is the most difficult aspect of trading, but also the
most rewarding.Start with your Forex education and gain the self-awareness
necessary to maximize your strengths and suppress your weaknesses. Any expert
will tell you that trading is 80% mental. It’s time to sharpen your trading to
the razor’s edge and you do this through Forex education. A constant and never
ending process that will become the cornerstone of your Forex experience.5. You
must, without wavering, be Determined and Persist to your objective.You will
fail. I can state that emphatically. However, you will not be defeated unless
you allow your failures to control your trading. It is the old adage; failure is
not falling of your horse, failure is refusing to get back on. Your success
depends on your ability to dismiss the criticism, rejection, self-doubt and
pressures associated with Forex trading.Defining what is a winning trade, losing
trade and bad trade will go a long way into developing you as a successful
trader. Without the determination and persistence in all aspects of your trading
life, obstacle will definitely appear closer and larger than they actually
are.Take a moment and assess yourself and your trading. Do you have the key
elements to succeed? Which areas are presents development opportunities? When
conducting a self-evaluation it is critical to be totally upfront and honest
with yourself. After all, you will only be dishonest with yourself. One of the
most interesting observations you can make is that all key success factors are
interwoven. One factor supports the other. This is why your Forex education is a
continuous journey of forex strategy, money management and self-mastery. Set
these factors as your Forex education goals and take your currency trading to
new heights.Happy Trading!!

SAS® Analytics

Analytics delivering greater insight

SAS Analytics provides an integrated environment for predictive and descriptive modeling, data mining, text analytics, forecasting, optimization, simulation, experimental design and more. From predictive analytics to model deployment and process optimization, SAS provides a range of techniques and processes for the collection, classification, analysis and interpretation of data to reveal patterns, anomalies, key variables and relationships, leading ultimately to new insights and better answers faster.

SAS Analytics can be applied to a vast range of business challenges across many industries and departments. To learn more about what you can achieve with SAS Analytics, explore our Analytics Info Kit.

SAS^® Solutions for Regulatory Compliance

Compliance with regulations has always been a reality of business. Now, thanks to a continuing line of corporate scandals, compliance more than ever connects directly to market performance.

And regulations have seemed to multiply over time. All public companies that trade on U.S. markets must comply with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. Financial services firms in Europe must comply with the Basel II accord. U.S. financial services companies face security requirements outlined in the USA Patriot Act.

The list is long and the regulations complex, regardless of your industry. Failure to comply now bears more serious penalties than ever, including the loss of corporate integrity and shareholder confidence.

SAS understands the complexity of your compliance needs – that they are vast, interconnected and vital to your success. For this reason, we offer solutions for a variety of specific compliance requirements. All these solutions are built on a common platform that allows you to pull together complex compliance data from multiple systems and then quickly analyze it, report on it and deliver the required information to regulators.

With SAS, you can comply with even the most challenging aspects of:

• Anti-money laundering regulations – Automatically identify, classify and surface suspicious activities so you'll be able to meet stringent government regulations, protect shareholder confidence and maintain a strong reputation.
• Basel II – Satisfy the requirements of all three pillars of Basel II, calculate and aggregate market, credit and operational risk measures, and minimize efforts and investments in risk management.
• Fair banking regulations – Boost analytical capabilities to know materiality, set priorities and enhance risk controls associated with the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA), Community Reinvestment Act (CRA), Equal Credit Opportunity, Home Owner's Equity Protection Act (HOEPA) and more.
• MiFID – Meet MiFID requirements for client classification and trade transparency, and aggregate information to support execution and client reporting.
• Sarbanes-Oxley – Track, store, document and audit every financial process and control within your business more effectively.
• 21 CFR Part 11 – Effortlessly ensure compliance with the FDA's 21 CFR Part 11 requirements, as well as other life sciences regulations.

Client Onboarding and KYC Compliance

The GoldTier product incorporates all of the functionality required to effectively:

• Manage the onboarding and maintenance of new and existing clients across a variety of teams including sales, relationship managers, operations, compliance, documentation, tax, credit and legal
• Integrate compliance controls into the client onboarding process
• Deliver Know Your Customer (KYC / AML), Customer Identification Profile (CIP), MiFID client classification, USA PATRIOT Act, and related client regulatory due diligence
• Create transparency to stakeholders throughout the client lifecycle.

'GoldTier is creating a standard to address both the tactical and strategic challenges arising from the processes of client onboarding.' HSBC

The solution empowers financial institutions to:

• Meet regulatory compliance demands: with automated due diligence processing and comprehensive client audit profiles on-demand
• Improve time to revenue: with the reduction in paperwork and tightening of account opening cycle times
• Control costs: with the automation of manual tasks, elimination of expensive repeat tasks, and real-time management dashboards
• Enhance the client experience: with the minimization of touch points and repeat requests to your clients.

Each onboarding activity is tied back into a common onboarding framework, meaning client knowledge can be leveraged across all activities. GoldTier enables financial institutions to set policies, adopt regulations and then implement and enforce them throughout these activities.

To receive a complimentary copy of the GoldTier KYC and Client Onboarding Solution brochure with key client commentary please select Contact Us from the menu on the right.

ASC process systems

ASC is a leading manufacturer of specialized process equipment, control systems, and custom manufacturing software used in the composites, plastics, glass, solar, lumber, and concrete, coatings, and finishing industries. Our product lines include composite autoclaves, glass-laminating autoclaves, concrete autoclaves, industrial ovens, composite ovens, electroplating automation systems, process control software, autoclave control software, oven control software, and crane and hoist control software including scheduling. We're located in Los Angeles, CA and support thousands o
Autoclaves and other equipment
ASC manufactures a range of process equipment, including autoclaves, ovens, presses, heating systems, cooling systems, vacuum systems, and specialty pressure equipment. We also buy and sell used equipment.
systems and hundreds of customers w
Control & power systems
ASC is a leading supplier of control and power systems for a wide variety of equipment and industries. We specialize in PC-based and PLC-based control solutions. Our PC-based systems typically feature our industry-standard CPC control software package.
orldwide.
Software for controls and manufacturing
ASC can develop custom software solutions for a wide variety of manufacturing applications. Our CPC software is the world's leading software for control of autoclaves, ovens, and many other applications. Our FLEXTIME software is also the leading PC-based solution for electro-plating and anodizing control

precision gantry system

Anorad is the world's leader in precision gantries with an installed base of several thousand systems reliably operating around the world. The success of these products is due to Anorad's ability to competitively meet the aggressive performance demands of OEMs in an ever-increasing array of precision manufacturing processes.

Hercules Series Gantry X-Y stages

Anorad's standard low cost Hercules Series Gantries are designed for economy and performance. Their highly efficient layout provides the best utilization ratio of system X-Y travel to overall gantry footprint.

The Hercules family of gantries are designed to address a multitude of performance requirements for inspection, pick-and-place, assembly or dispensing applications. Taking advantage of economies-of-scale, the Hercules gantry stages are based on a single platform design. Many linear servo motor selections, linear encoder options and several travel lengths allow Anorad to uniquely support a variety of applications with a cost effective solution.

The standard model Hercules gantries feature Anorad's new LC iron core linear motors. These motors are ideally suited to meet the rapid point-to-point motion common in the electronics assembly industry. These high force LC motors, combined with a low mass, ridged webbed X-axis crossbeam, allows high acceleration to help maximize throughput.

Additional design features include cable carriers terminating at a fixed bulkhead connector. This provides for easy integration. Travel limits for both the X and Y axes are adjustable to optimize total work area. A variety of optical encoders with multiple resolutions can be selected based upon application requirements.

The Hercules Gantry is the first of its type to offer a standard modular base plate to reduce total gantry cost in a standard base configuration. This innovative design offers user flexibility with work surface fixturing and interchangeability. The modular base allows the machine builder to utilize the same machine on differently tooled multiple lines.

In addition to all these features, the Hercules Series Gantries can be supplied with many desirable value-added options including Z axis or Theta axis modules, servo drive and control packages, machine frames, enclosures and the complete line of over 500,000 world-class industrial automation products available only from Rockwell Automation.

Product Features

• Low-cost modular design
• Optional modular base plate offers flexibility with work surface fixturing
• XY travels from 250-to-650 mm
• High output iron core or zero cogging motors
• Dual-motor Y axis options for high-speed precision applications
• Compact Footprint maximizes use of production area
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hymarkets

HY Markets has its global headquarters in London and is authorized and regulated by the Financial Services Authority of the United Kingdom. The Group has over 30 years of operational history and is the trading platform of choice for investors seeking fast and direct access to the world's capital markets. This long-standing expertise has enabled us to develop our revolutionary web-based Internet trading platform, which enables clients to invest in all major capital markets from one integrated account in an easy-to-use interface. HY Markets is a division of the Henyep Group, a global diversified conglomerate with business in financial services, property, education, and charity spanning 3 continents and 20 countries worldwide. The Henyep Group of companies are registered and authorized in world-leading jurisdictions including London, Dubai, and Hong Kong. This provides clients with the comfort and security of a global institution. HY Markets provides investors with efficient and direct access to all their trading needs. Start trading with the security of an FSA regulated company. Advanced Online Trading Platforms The heart of the HY Markets service is our state-of- the-art trading platform. We offer our clients with the choice of an easy-to-use web-based online trading platform, and advanced users download platform with mobile phone trading integration. These cutting-edge multi-product platforms integrate live tradable prices, charting tools, real-time news and market commentary, and complete account information all in easy-to-use revolutionary interfaces. Start trading in less than 5 minutes Open an account with just US$50 Forex, oil, gas, commodities, metals, stocks and more 2 trading platforms to suit your trading needs Complete product offering While many online trading companies only provide Forex trading, HY Markets clients are able to take advantage of our deep product offering including oil/gas, metals, commodities, stocks and more. All traded within a single integrated account. Such access to multiple markets gives our clients a competitive edge to trade all markets and diversify an investment portfolio. Continuous market information Live prices, Live Reuters news, market information, advanced charting systems, and technical analysis tools to give you a competitive edge. Live customer support HY Markets online trading platform is supported by 24 hrs. live dedicated customer support professionals via phone, email and chat. Online account status Technology driven back-office systems that let you check your open positions, equity and P&L online 24hrs a day

SHADYSİDE INN SUİTES

Shadyside Inn Suites is different. Your idea of staying in a hotel is about to change. Our suites are not typical hotel rooms. In fact we do not have rooms; we only offer suites. Why are we different? Your suite is a fully furnished apartment with the same amenities as a hotel located in a residential neighborhood. It’s not just any neighborhood, it's Shadyside, Pittsburgh’s most quaint, trendy, and upscale urban area. Picture Boston’s Newberry Street, or New York’s East Village and you will get an idea of what the Shadyside area is like.

Imagine having your own apartment in the best location in Pittsburgh for as little as a day or for as long as a lifetime. Shadyside Inn Suites is as flexible as you need. Only going to be here for a night? Why not have your own fully equipped apartment? Need somewhere to stay for a month while your house is renovated? Shadyside Inn Suites is your answer. Looking to attend the University for only nine months? Shadyside Inn Suites can accommodate. Think this is going to cost you more than a hotel? Not even close. Our rates are lower, our suites are double the size of any hotel in the area, our parking is free, and our location is unrivaled.

Our suites are located within a block or two of some of the best dining, entertainment, and shopping in Pittsburgh. At your door are 135+ shops, 15+ restaurants and some of the best nightlife in the area. Shop in small boutiques, visit your favorite national store, and dine on cuisines from all over the world. Shadyside living is unmatched.

Stay in Shadyside and still be approximately 4 miles from Downtown Pittsburgh and the Convention Center and less than 1 mile from the following hospitals: Presbyterian, Montefiore, Magee Women's, Falk Clinic, West Penn, Children's, Shadyside Hospital, and Western Psychiatric

Within 1 mile of the Shadyside Inn Suites is The Carnegie Museum of Art, The Museum of Natural History, The University of Pittsburgh, Carnegie Mellon University Chatham College, and Carlow College.

Besides coming for a visit, the best way to learn about our story is read what other people have said about us. Please click on the following links to read what the professionals have to say.

THE LAST DAYS OF PRIVACY

As technology makes life richer and easier, we leave a trail of information that is susceptible to prying eyes


Within the next four months, a major Bay Area supermarket chain plans to introduce a payment system that uses biometric fingerprint authentication to verify customers' identities. Under this system, shoppers in checkout lines won't need to use cash, checks, debit cards or credit cards. Instead, they can place their fingers on scanners that read fingerprints, and once the device links to their bank or credit card accounts, they can buy groceries, get cash back and do everything else shoppers do.



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[Podcast: Insight Editor Jim Finefrock and reporter Jonathan Curiel talk about how Americans might as well face up the fact that there is little privacy left.]

The system is already used in cities around the United States, including Portland, Ore., and Chicago, where one shopper says it has changed his life for the better. Linc Thelen, a 37-year-old interior designer, says the fingerprint system -- known commercially as Pay By Touch -- is convenient to use and expedites his way through grocery lines at Jewel-Osco, where he shops. Thelen says the system lets people leave their wallets behind, so they don't have to worry about being robbed or losing their credit cards.

"I had no reservation," Thelen said in a phone interview. "It's a safe way to store information."

But no system is 100 percent foolproof.

Despite the fact that armed men guard the computers that store the customers' virtual fingerprints, despite the fact that Bank of America's former security chief now heads Pay By Touch's security division, and despite the fact that Pay By Touch hires people to try to expose vulnerabilities in its computer system (so those vulnerabilities can be eliminated), Pay By Touch President John Morris acknowledges that "it's not impossible" for computer hackers to figure out how to tamper with its information.

And therein lies one of the 21st century's most vexing problems: More and more of our personal data are captured and stored by corporate and government interests, and are potentially available to anyone with the technological, legal or financial means to access that information.

Whether it's phone calls we make, library books we check out, CDs we buy on the Internet or divorces we finalize in court, we leave a trail of information that becomes susceptible to prying eyes. For the price of a bus pass, you can pay a company to supply anyone's address, phone number, political affiliation, estimated income and property history. For $20 more, you can find out if that person is married or divorced, has a criminal record, and what sort of jobs he or she has worked.

Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., says she will introduce a "privacy bill of rights" because identity theft and security failures of personal records have become "one of the most important issues facing us as individuals and as a nation."

The availability of personal information -- downloadable onto laptop computers, which are increasingly being fitted with fingerprint technology -- is changing the culture in ways that may seem trivial but are really benchmarks for a new society already in its formative stages.

A small example: Unbeknownst to the men who date her, Judy runs background checks on all of them, using a private investigator to dig out any "red flags" that would presage troubling behavior. A businesswoman in Southern California, Judy, 50, uses a company called DateSmart, whose client base has boomed in the past five years as more people confront the perils of online dating.

"I'm glad the information is out there," says Judy, who did not want her last name used because of concerns her suitors would read this article. "The men I'm talking to online are complete strangers. And I have absolutely no knowledge of their character other than what they're saying in their profiles. I need to feel comfortable knowing that they're not an ax murderer. The people you meet might be well dressed, but you never know if they have any criminal history. It's for (my) safety."

Background checks are nothing new. What's changed are the speed with which you can obtain them, their relatively small price (some companies advertise free checks) and their growing public acceptance. The information revolution has transformed the background check into a common and casual tool, and those being scrutinized probably don't have a clue. More obvious are the security cameras embedded in nearly every major American city, including New York, Milwaukee, Chicago, Atlanta, Los Angeles and, yes, San Francisco, where lenses record people's activities in such crime-ridden neighborhoods as Bayview-Hunters Point and the Western Addition. The spread of these cameras is championed by authorities, who say it reduces criminal activity, and criticized by the ACLU, which says the equipment is an unnecessary intrusion into public spaces.

Civil liberties groups have joined the widespread outcry against the government's monitoring of Americans' phone-call records. Two weeks ago in federal court, the ACLU challenged the legal rationale behind the National Security Agency program, arguing that the NSA's actions -- involving "data mining" of records provided by AT&T and other telephone companies -- violate Americans' rights to free speech and privacy as guaranteed under the First and Fourth Amendments. Last week, privacy experts raised questions about the U.S. government's monitoring of international bank transfers -- previously secret data surveillance officials say is justified by the fight against terrorism.

Americans' rights to privacy will be tested even more in the next few years as biometric technology creeps increasingly into everyday arenas. For example, on the campus of UC San Diego, biometric experts are testing a soda machine that uses both fingerprint and face-recognition technology. The machine is in a lounge for grad students in UC San Diego's computer science building.

"The students are very excited about getting it working," Serge Belongie, a UC San Diego associate professor of computer science, says in a phone interview. "People think it's very cool. ... No one uses money. They have accounts. What would be fun is if (the machine) recognizes you and says, 'Would you like your usual?' "

If UC San Diego students are reluctant to use the machine, their privacy concerns are outweighed by convenience -- a sentiment echoed in survey after survey on biometric technology. In March, Unisys Corp. released a report on public perception of "identity management" that said convenience and efficiency were the two biggest reasons consumers would use biometric technology. (The most preferred biometric methods are fingerprints and voice recognition, according to the survey. The least preferred, because of its perceived intrusiveness, is an iris or eye scan.)

Two of the biggest turnoffs for those who shun biometric technology: suspicion of how the technology works and loss of privacy. Among respondents from North America, just 56 percent said they'd be willing to share their fingerprint with a government organization such as a post office or tax authority. Among respondents from the Asia-Pacific region, 71 percent said they'd share their fingerprint with the government.

"As consumer confidence grows in the large-scale usage of (biometric technology) and standards are more generally comfortably adopted, you're going to see a pretty rapid migration" to it, says Mark Cohn, Unisys vice president for homeland security solutions.

Cohn, a principal architect of the Department of Homeland Security's US-VISIT Exit system, which uses fingerprint technology to run background checks on visa applicants and verify their entry to and arrival from the United States, says Malaysia offers a preview of how the United States may change in the coming years.

Since 2001, the Malay government has issued a biometric "multipurpose card" to Malaysians 12 years and older. The card, which features a thumbprint and photograph, acts as a passport, driver's license, ATM card, toll and parking pass, and medical record that lists blood type and any allergies.

The card is convenient to use -- but it's a nightmare for Malaysians who lose it or have it stolen. Crime syndicates in Malaysia have altered cards with different photographs and used them to give members new identities, though the Malay government insists these identity thieves can't access the original cardholders' personal information. Special chip technology and other password features prevent this, they say. Also, the cardholder's fingerprint -- rather than being visible on the card -- is encrypted in the card itself: To reveal the fingerprint, the card must be inserted into a special biometric device that compares the encrypted print with that of the person claiming to be the cardholder.

For anyone who has read Orwell's "Nineteen Eighty-Four," where "telescreens" keep track of people's lives, this new biometric technology will seem like fiction come to life. It's showing up everywhere. By the end of this year, U.S. passport agencies hope to issue "electronic passports" with computer chips that have digital photos of the holders. With the help of face-recognition machines, airport security can compare a photo with the face of the passport holder. For two years, an American corporation, VeriChip, has sold government-approved electronic chips that are inserted under people's skin to give doctors instant access to patients' medical histories.

In 2008, as mandated by the Real ID Act, states plan to issue driver's licenses linked to a database that includes each license holder's photo and Social Security number. These licenses (civil liberties groups call them national identity cards) will likely include a biometric photo of the driver accessible by authorities.

In the meantime, banks are considering using iris scans and even palm scans at ATMs in an effort to cut down on fraud. (In 1999, Bank United in Texas adopted iris-scan technology at three of its ATMs in a test that was discontinued when Washington Mutual took over the bank.)

Some people love the new technology. Others shun it.

Pay By Touch admits it has encountered some resistance among shoppers it approached in supermarkets that already use the company's fingerprint service. But Morris, its president, says many of these customers are quickly won over by the convenience of Pay By Touch, which is free for consumers, and that the company keeps data points based on users' fingerprints, not actual fingerprints. So far, supermarkets in 40 states use the Pay By Touch system.

Pay By Touch, which is based in San Francisco, wouldn't say which Bay Area supermarket chain will start using its fingerprint system in the next four months -- only that the chain will use the system in just a handful of its Bay Area stores. Pay By Touch users sign up voluntarily and are under no obligation to use it at the checkout line.

Pay By Touch says it takes great care to safeguard its users' data. After fingerprints are converted into algorithms, they're encrypted, then stored in IBM computers. Those algorithms can't be reconverted into an exact copy of the fingerprint, though Pay By Touch may eventually store users' actual fingerprints if the technology improves, Morris says. The company insists it will never sell users' personal information or fingerprints to anyone else -- a pledge that's backed up in writing when users sign up with the company. But what if federal authorities, citing national security, insist on the finger scan and payment history of a Pay By Touch user?

Pam Dixon, who heads the World Privacy Forum, a public research group, went to Chicago to warn potential Pay By Touch users about possible dangers.

"It didn't stick," she says. "People were (more) concerned with (convenience than) the potential risks. People can put their thumb on a pad and be done with it. But meanwhile, their biometric data is sitting with another company, a third party, that's subject to subpoena. One argument that I made: Let's say that every supermarket in the country, particularly the large chains, (use) a biometric payment system. It's a law enforcement dream because who needs a biometric database run by the U.S. government when you've got one being run by private companies?"

Citing the recent disclosure by the Veterans Administration, which said a computer with credit information on millions of veterans had been stolen, Dixon says, "The second issue is information security. If the VA can't keep its records secure, which is a government agency that has all sorts of strict controls that are supposed to be in place, how on Earth can a private company without the resources of something like the VA manage to keep something secure? When we have a credit card stolen, we can call the credit card company and say, 'Give me a new number.' But you can't do that with your biometric. You can't say, 'Give me a new fingerprint.' "

Morris dismisses such concerns, saying that Pay By Touch will actually decrease the likelihood that consumers' credit information is stolen or misappropriated. "I think (Pay By Touch users) get pretty rapidly that it's the ultimate way to secure their private data," he says. "It connects (their accounts) to something that's uniquely them, as opposed to handing a credit card over to a stranger or writing a personal check that seven or eight humans touch before it gets in their statement. Securing information by a biometric is a giant leap forward. (Users) like that they don't have to pull their card out anymore. They (tell us they) like that they don't have to carry their (purses or wallets) through the parking lot of an urban supermarket. There's a physical security benefit. Their numbers are never displayed. The safety of securing their data is the No. 1 thing they like."

The marketplace will determine whether the public is ready to accept commercial fingerprint identification. Investors in Pay By Touch believe that day is here, capitalizing the company with $190 million in the past 12 months. More than 2.5 million shoppers already use the Pay By Touch system. Morris envisions a day when all stores -- even mom-and-pop ones -- offer a Pay By Touch option.

Soon, customers will be able to use Pay By Touch from home with the help of fingerprint readers attached to their computers. In ancient China, rulers would put their fingerprints on documents to give them an official seal. Artists would also mark their work with prints. It wasn't until the late 1800s that authorities realized they could use fingerprints to catch criminals. Their evolution as a way to pay for groceries is a 21st century twist fueled by technology. It's also a trade-off between privacy and convenience. Welcome to the brave new world in Aisle 5.

Moneyweb

In een kort overzicht vind u hier de verschillende leenvormen. Voor de alle
duidelijkheid staan hier de verschillen in het kort
opgesomd.
RekenvoorbeeldDe familie De Vries wil een lening aanvragen voor de
verbouwing van de badkamer. Voor deze verbouwing willen ze € 5000,00 lenen. De
familie De Vries wil zekerheid wat betreft de maandelijkse rente en wil
tussentijds geen geld meer opnemen. Ze kiezen daarom voor een persoonlijke
lening.
Jan en Anita willen meer financiële bestedingsruimte. Tussentijds
willen ze geld kunnen opnemen. Wanneer er meer geld beschikbaar is, willen ze
ook de mogelijkheid hebben om meer af te lossen. Ze kiezen voor een doorlopend

krediet.

KYC compliance

Know Your Customer (KYC) compliance regulation has proved to be
one of the biggest operational challenges banks, accountants, lawyers and
similar financial service providers worldwide have had to
overcome.

World-Check, the industry standard KYC compliance solution,
provides an overview of KYC compliance and its origins, and outlines the
compliance mandate as applicable to banks, accounting firms, lawyers and other
regulated financial service providers – not just in the UK, Europe and the USA,
but all around the world. Relied upon by more than 3,000 institutions worldwide,
this KYC database solution provides effective legal and reputational risk
reduction.

Why “Know Your Customer?”


The 9/11 terrorist
attacks on the World Trade Centre revealed that there were sinister forces at
work around the world, and that terrorists activities were being funded with
laundered money, the proceeds of illicit activities such as narcotics and human
trafficking, fraud and organised crime. Overnight, the combating of terrorist
financing became a priority on the international agenda.

For the
financial services provider of the 21st century, “knowing your customers” was no
longer a suggested course of action. Based on the requirements of legislative
landmarks such as the USA PATRIOT Act 2002, modern Know Your Customer (KYC)
compliance mandates were created to simultaneously combat money laundering and
the funding of terrorist activities.

What is Know Your Customer
(KYC)?


Know Your Customer, or KYC, refers to the regulatory
compliance mandate imposed on financial service providers to implement a
Customer Identification Programme and perform due diligence checks before doing
business with a person or entity.

KYC fulfils a risk mitigation function,
and one its key requirements is checking that a prospective customer is not
listed on any government lists for wanted money launders, known fraudsters or
terrorists.

If preliminary KYC checks reveal that the person is a
Politically Exposed Person (PEP), for example, Advanced Due Diligence must be
done in order to ensure that the person’s source of wealth is transparent, and
that he or she does not pose a reputational or financial risk in terms of their
finances, public positions or associations. Beyond customer identification
checks, the ongoing monitoring of transfers and financial transactions against a
range of risk variables forms an integral part of the KYC compliance
mandate.

But to understand the importance of KYC compliance for financial
service providers better, its origins need to be examined.

Origins of
Know Your Customer (KYC) compliance


The arrival of the new millennium
was marred by a spate of terrorist attacks and corporate scandals that unmasked
the darker features of globalisation. These events highlighted the role of money
laundering in cross-border crime and terrorism, and underlined the need to clamp
down on the exploitation of financial systems worldwide.

Know Your
Customer (KYC) legislation was principally not absent prior to 9/11. Regulated
financial service providers for a long time have been required to conduct due
diligence and customer identification checks in order to mitigate their own
operation risks, and to ensure a consistent and acceptable level of
service.

In essence, the USA PATRIOT Act was not so much a radical
departure from prior legislation as it was a firmer and more extensive
articulation of existing laws. The Act would lead to the more rigorous
regulation of a greater range of financial services providers, and expanded the
authority of American law enforcement agencies in the fighting of terrorism,
both in the USA and abroad.

In October 2001, President George W. Bush
signed off the USA PATRIOT Act, effectively providing federal regulators with a
new range of tools and powers for fighting terror financing and money
laundering. During July 2002, the US Treasury proceeded to introduce Section 326
of the PATRIOT Act, a clause that removed some key burdens for regulators and
added significant enforcement muscle to the Act.

What 9/11 changed, in
essence, was the extent to which existing legislation was being implemented.
Using the provisions of the earlier anti-terrorism USA Act as a foundation, it
included the Financial Anti-Terrorism Act, which allowed for federal
jurisdiction over foreign money launders and money laundered through foreign
banks. Significantly, it is this anti-terror law that would make the creation of
an Anti Money Laundering (AML) programme compulsory for all financial
institutions and service providers.

Section 326 of the USA PATRIOT Act
dealt specifically with the identification of new customers (“CIP regulation”),
and made extensive provisions in terms of KYC and the methods employed to verify
client identities.

In accordance with this piece of updated KYC
legislation, federal regulators would hold financial institutions accountable
for the effectiveness of their initial customer identification and ongoing KYC
screening. Institutions are required to keep detailed records of the steps that
were taken to verify prospective clients’ identities.

Although current
KYC legislation does not yet demand the exclusion of specific types of
foreign-issued identification, it recommends the usage of machine-verifiable
identity documents. The ability to notify financial institutions if concerns
regarding specific types of identification were to arise, combined with a
risk-based approach to KYC, proved to provide a robust mechanism for addressing
security concerns.

Effectively, the risk-based approach to customer due
diligence grants regulated institutions a certain degree of flexibility to
determine the forms of identification they will accept, and under which
conditions.

KYC compliance: Implications for banks, lawyers and
accounting firms


The KYC compliance mandate, for all its positive
outcomes, has burdened companies and organisations with a substantial
administrative obligation. Additionally, KYC compliance increasingly entails the
creation of auditable proof of due diligence activities, in addition to the need
for customer identification.

Petroleum Technology Transfer Council

The Petroleum Technology Transfer
Council (PTTC) is an American national not-for-profit organization established
in 1994 by producers, state organizations and the Department of Energy (DOE).
While emphasizing the needs of independent oil and gas producers, PTTC’s
activities also benefit industry consultants, service and supply companies, and
other industry participants. To ensure timeliness and relevance of technical
workshops and other activities, PTTC’s regional programs are developed under the
guidance of local Producer Advisory Groups. Through these volunteers and the
National Board of Directors, who are primarily domestic oil and natural gas
operators, hundreds of producers and other industry participants nationwide
contribute their time and expertise to the technology transfer program.
PTTC
is involved with foster networking people, who impact domestic
production.
Oil and Gas Producers rely upon the network for non-biased,
straight forward technical information;
Provides Technology providers with an
avenue to communicate developing or under-applied technologies to producers,
consultants, and explorationists;
Consultants better equip themselves for
serving producers, which further broadens application; and
The DOE uses the
network to disseminate its R&D results and gather insights on domestic
concerns and issues.
The relationships that are developed between the various
entities and individuals have achieved technology information transfer through
the PTTC’s programs and are reducing costs, while increasing profits, and
ultimately increasing recovery in existing mature fields, expanding recovery
from unconventional reservoirs, profitably developing ever-smaller domestic
production and reserves, and increasing environmental stewardships.
Since
1994, the PTTC was funded primarily by the DOE with matching funds by the states
and Oil and Gas industry. The PTTC's work has been a recognized force for
transferring exploration and production technology to domestic U.S. producers.
In 2006, the U.S. Congress declined to provide fiscal year 2007 funding for many
elements of the DOE’s natural gas and oil R&D program, from which PTTC drew
its federal funds. DOE ultimately provided $1 million of funding through
September 2008 to help PTTC transition to a primarily industry-funded
organization.
Due these evets, the Executive Committee of AAPG and the Board
of PTTC both voted in late September for AAPG to assume management of the new
organization. The American Association of Petroleum Geologists and the Petroleum
Technology Transfer Council have announced that AAPG has assumed management of
PTTC activities effective October 9, 2007.This includes fundraising, marketing
and corporate operation of the PTTC Program. The vote followed a 90-day due
diligence period. AAPG President Will Green, of Midland, Texas, said “PTTC has
perhaps the most successful scientific technology transfer program for the
independent U.S. producer and has proven its value to the industry. The
Association considers the program important for the industry, the members of
AAPG and the country.” Outgoing PTTC Chairman Gene Ames noted: “Strengths of
PTTC will be the same – most universities will stay engaged, regional volunteer
groups will be autonomous and work closely with the universities,
cross-discipline diversity will be encouraged, and producers will comprise the
majority of the volunteers. DOE remains a strong supporter and will strive
toward some funding albeit at a lower level than historical.” Members of the new
board of directors will be announced later. Green said PTTC’s primary tool for
transferring E&P technology will continue to be regional workshops, which
will be supplemented with a strong Web presence, newsletters and other personal
outreach. Using these tools, PTTC will continue to connect producers, the
service sector, consultants, researchers and others with the data and technology
information needed to spur technology application.
Topics addressed by PTTC
activities have covered the full spectrum of E&P operations, including
exploration, unconventional resources, enhanced recovery processes, imaging
technology, drilling and completion, hydraulic fracturing and many others.
Serving industry locally through Regional Lead Organizations, typically at
universities or geological surveys, PTTC’s primary focus has been serving

independents. This operation model will continue in the future.

Sunnyledge

Sunnyledge is a Boutique Hotel featuring eight rooms and
suites. Boutique Hotels are recognized for their elegance and
personalized attention.

Each room is uniquely decorated and feature deluxe amenities
including king size beds, cable television, minibar, personal safe, and two-line
speakerphone.

Marble bathrooms are complete with Jacuzzi tubs,
deep pile robes, and hairdryers.

Twice daily maid service, same day valet and
laundry service, and complimentary shoe shine encompass the hospitality and
luxury you will find at Sunnyledge. Guests are also welcome
to enjoy the library, exercise room, and 24 hour concierge.

''alıntı''

MLTrac™

With the ever-increasing emphasis on being able to demonstrate adequate anti money laundering procedures and prevention techniques, plus the draconian penalties for those failing to maintain suitable evidence of such activity, no financial institution can afford to be without an automated system such as MLTrac.

MLTrac is part of our portfolio of banking software and is dedicated to identifying, tracking and regulating potentially suspicious or illegal activities in respect of money laundering and/or the proceeds of crime.


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MLTrac enables financial institutions to improve their internal disciplines,supplement their policies and procedures, and make a clear statement to the authorities about their commitment to effective anti money laundering controls.

MLTrac's functionality is based upon a combination of our experience, together with contributions from our customer base and the relevant international financial authorities. Regular updates also take account of any future changes in market requirements and legislation.

Functions:

*
KYC Document Management - The definition, scanning, management and tracking of customer documentation, and reporting of any deviations.
*
KYC Account Monitoring -The tracking of movements over account(s) looking for deviations outside of a pre-determined profile.
*
Manual Watch List Checking. Enter a name and the system will check to see if the name, or like sounding names, appear on any of the watch lists (e.g. OFAC, Bank of England and others) that the system monitors
* Message Monitoring. MLTrac can be configured to check all inbound and outbound messages, irrespective of format, to see whether any field (normally the Ordering Customer and Beneficiary) appears on one of the supported checklists. The bank has control over the granularity of the name checking so as not to create too many false alerts. Messages that fail Watch List Checking are put to a quarantine queue for manual intervention. Full Audit Trails of all checks and actions taken is maintained by the system.
*
Cash Remittances. For the many institutions that originate from a country with a large overseas population the problems associated with accepting cash for remittance back home when taken against the potential ramifications of anti money laundering legislation means that the business is very risky and, often, not worth doing. The Cash Remittances module does away with this fear. Information concerning the remitter is maintained as part of the KYC Documentation Management module and is displayed and made available to the teller at the point of capturing data. A full record off all remitters and beneficiaries is maintained. Limits can be placed upon the individual remitter and upon the ultimate beneficiary (irrespective of source). The resulting SQL database can be interrogated for unusual payment patterns.

The RTOS Motto: On Time And On Budget

Real-time operating systems (RTOSs) tend to be a checkbox item for many
embedded projects. But is an RTOS always necessary? The answer is
application-specific, so understanding what one will deliver is key to
determining whether it becomes a requirement or an extravagance.
In general,
an RTOS can be used anywhere a non-RTOS is employed. However, it’s rare to find
an operating system with a matching RTOS that has exactly the same application
programming interface (API). Many of them, though, embed an RTOS within a
conventional operating system. For example, Lynux- Works LynxOS and Bluecat
Linux share a Linux API. LynxOS is a hard RTOS, while Bluecat inherits its base
from Linux.
Linux continues to improve its real-time performance, but its
worst-case interrupt latency still doesn’t meet what would be considered hard
real time for an RTOS. It all comes down to quality of service (QoS). Platforms
like RTLinux Free augment Linux, providing hard real-time class QoS.
It’s
important to note that this type of addition often incorporates an RTOS
programming environment that’s distinct from the original operating system. An
RTOS is typically small compared to a conventional desktop or server OS. They
often target more smaller, resource-constrained microcontrollers. For instance,
CMX’s CMX-RTX and CMX-Tiny+ can run on 8-bit MCUs up through 64-bit
processors.
The increased power and memory capacity of 8-bit processors is
making an RTOS more desirable for these platforms. But, an OS or RTOS is usually
a requirement in 16-bit platforms and up with RTOS products like Express Logic’s
ThreadX, Wind River’s VxWorks, Micrium’s uCOS-II, and Green Hills Software’s
velOSity being common selections. Depending on requirements, MontaVista’s Linux
meets 16- and 32-bit platform requirements in the low microsecond range.
THE
RTOS CORE: SCHEDULING AND PARTITIONINGMost programmers aren’t familiar with RTOS
constraints and requirements. Most usually opt for an RTOS due to its
performance. Most RTOS products are small and fast, yet an RTOS also adds
consistency. Beyond the fact that an RTOS gets the job done quickly, it can
guarantee a job will get done.
In many applications, a late result can be
catastrophic. Thus, a poor result within the proper timeframe is preferable.
These applications are generally called hard real-time systems. Hard real time
doesn’t indicate how fast the system may be or how quickly a system may respond.
Rather, it refers to how reliably a system can meet the specified
requirements.
A hard real-time system may have a fixed cycle time of one
minute with a response time of one second. In theory, it’s something almost any
operating system could handle. This isn’t always the case, though, as anyone can
attest to when waiting for a desktop application to respond within a
minute.
Hard real-time systems typically have shorter cycle times and tighter
response requirements. Faster processors always help, and multicore platforms
can improve response time, too. The trick for developers is to match system
requirements to the hardware and software, hence the importance of an RTOS in
embedded applications.
An RTOS can implement a range of scheduling policies,
and the application will often restrict a programmer’s choices (see the
table). Non-preemptive scheduling is trivial to implement but useful in some
applications. On the other hand, non-preemptive scheduling within a task can be
implemented on top of a preemptive system.
Non-preemptive should not be
overlooked, especially in light of new multicore processors. Here, hardware may
be tuned to handle an event-based operation in which a thread will wait for an
external event to occur. This approach is usually unsuitable for a single-core
processor handling multiple threads. On multicore systems with many cores,
though, it’s often typical to dedicate one core to handle one peripheral. It
then makes sense to have that core idle while waiting for an event to
occur.
As a result, preemptive, interrupt-driven RTOS architectures make up
the majority of platforms deployed. These platforms have a range of
requirements, issues, and solutions (see the
figure). Interrupt latency is always an issue, although hardware— multiple
register sets, hardware scheduling and task switching, and hierarchical priority
interrupt systems—can significantly reduce this overhead.
Several issues
coincide with preemption. Most are timing-related, like race conditions,
deadlock, starvation, and priority inversion, which occurs when a low-priority
task A owns a synchronization resource of a higher-priority task B, and a task C
with priority higher than A is running.
Without a feature like priority
ceilings, task C can prevent task A and C from running. A priority-ceiling
feature changes the priority of task A to that of task C, allowing it to run and
eventually release the resource needed by C. At this point, task A’s priority
returns to normal and task C can run.
The other timing-related issues, which
the programmer must address, are often the sources of bugs that are difficult to
locate and correct. Trace tools become valuable assets in locating these kinds
of bugs, since symptoms such as blocked tasks are the only indication of the
problem

Garwood Dynamics Control Room

HOTELS

Crown
American Hotels' 100% Satisfaction Guarantee:“We pledge that your stay will be
comfortablein friendly, clean surroundings. If any partof your stay does not
meet with yourexpectations, give us a chance to correct it.If you’re not
satisfied, you don’t pay for that part of your stay.”Crown American Hotels'
Mission Statement: "We strive to exceed the expectations of ourguests in a home
away from home environment."Corporate
CultureEmployee
BenefitsEmployment
OpportunitiesResume
SubmissionEEOC
StatementAt Crown American Hotels, our company is only as good as our
people.Innovative, talented and committed individuals have worked hard during
the past 40 years to build Crown American Hotels into one of the mid-Atlantic's
top hotel management and development corporations.Working here is all about
exceeding the expectations of our guests -- a philosophy which has earned us an
outstanding reputation nationwide.
We're always looking for top talent --
smart people who are energized, innovative, flexible in their thinking and ready
to realize their potential in a company positioned for success. Our employees
operate with a common set of values -- a code of ethics, that distinguishes us
and provides a secure, productive and pleasant place to work.Ultimately, our
strong corporate reputation -- the positive perception of our hotel franchises,
our values and our financial performance -- comes from our people.Isn't it time
for you to join our winning team?
Holiday inn
DowntownAddress: PA Route 56
to Downtown250 Market Street, Johnstown, PA 15901 USAPhone: 814.535.7777 Fax:
814.539.1393Reservations: 800.433.5663http://www.johnstown-dwtn.holiday-inn.com 159 guest rooms & suites feature an in–room coffee maker, hair dryer,
iron / board. Indoor pool, fitness room, whirlpool / sauna and Harrigan's Cafe
& Wine Deck.
Address: 1440 Scalp Avenue, Johnstown, PA 15904 USAPhone:
814.266.8789 Fax: 814.266.5285Reservations: 800.822.9194http://www.johnstownpa.hiexpress.com 108 guest rooms & suites feature an in–room coffee maker, hair dryer,
iron/ board. Complimentary Express Start Breakfast Bar, free local phone calls
and bus parking.
Harrigans
DowntownAddress: Holiday Inn: 250 Market
Street, Johnstown, PA 15901 USAPhone: 814.361.2620 Fax:
814.539.1393Reservations: 814.361.2620http://www.harriganscafewinedeck.com The region's best for food and wine featuring gourmet fare in an elegant yet
relaxed atmosphere. Wine Spectator Award of Excellence, 100+ wine selections
featuring 30 wines by the glass, complimentary parking, live weekend
entertainment, Wine Deck, and comfortable lounge featuring a Tapas
menu.
posquarilla conference centreDowntownAddress: 301 Napoleon Street,
Johnstown, PA 15901 USAPhone: 814.535.9385 Fax: 814.248.3042Reservations:
866.277.5573http://www.fjpconferencecenter.com
State–of–the–art facility featuring 14,895 sq. ft. for up to 850 • Menu Guide
Available • Audio–Visual Equipment Available • 60 miles southeast of Pittsburgh
•
140 miles west of Harrisburg
As a leader in the hospitality business for
over forty years, Crown American Hotels is proud of our continued dedication and
commitment to Johnstown. Crown American Hotels manages Harrigan's Café &
Wine Deck, the Holiday Inn – Downtown Johnstown and the Holiday Inn Express on
Scalp Avenue; both of which are franchised through agreements with
Inter-Continental Hotels. Crown American Hotels also manages the Frank J.
Pasquerilla Conference Center in Downtown Johnstown.Our MissionWe strive to be
the best hospitality value in the communities we serve. We accommodate our
guests in friendly, clean and secure "home away from home" surroundings. We are
driven to excellence by exceeding the expectations of our guests.

''ALINTI''

LUXURY CAR

A Luxury car is a styled, luxurious automobile intended for comfort and satisfaction of its owner or driver,sacrificing passenger space, cargo capacity and other practical concerns for the sake of style. The luxury cars are very expensive and its price range is above Rs 20 lakhs. Hence these cars are affordable and are preferred by high income group.

Luxury cars have the capacity to carry at the most 6 passengers. The companies like- BMW, Daimler Chrysler, Porsche, Rolls Royce manufacture these cars and companies like -Aston Martin and General Motors are still planning to launch their models in the market under this segment.