Libyan Project Management Association

Download Free AAPM Handbook and Executive Guide

2010-06-19T04:26:00.000-07:00

http://www.certifiedprojectmanager.org/Project%20Management%20Book%20-%202006-7.pdf

Government Approved Recognition Registration Granted by USPTO: MPM® Master Project Manager® & AAPM ® American Academy of Project Management ®

2010-06-19T04:18:00.000-07:00

The US Government has recognized the AAPM® and the MPM® Certification via Approved Trademark registration.

MPM® Master Project Manager® is now a Registered Trademark and so is the AAPM ® American Academy of Project Management ®

http://tarr.uspto.gov/servlet/tarr?regser=serial&entry=77784090 MPM®

http://tarr.uspto.gov/servlet/tarr?regser=serial&entry=77788234 AAPM®

MPM®

MASTER PROJECT MANAGER - INTERNATIONAL CHARTER AND CERTIFICATION ®

This certification and mark of MPM ® has been globally popular and now has governmental protection via distribution worldwide.

AApM American Academy of Project Management

2010-06-19T04:13:00.000-07:00

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

www.aapm.info

The American Academy of Project Management is a professional Board of Standards for project management professionals. It was formed in 1999, and is an affiliate of the newly formed International Project Management Commission. The AAPM has been listed and disclosed as a training and certification provider with the US Department of Education EROD Directory

The AAPM board is the certifying body internationally and regulates standards and requirements for certification, masters certification and membership. The AAPM Board and International Project Management Commission are founded and based in the USA. All certifications and masters qualifications are officially issued from the USA Board of Standards. The AAPM recognizes over 40 accredited project management degree programs as well as government credentials and licenses.

The IPMC International Project Management Commmission USA and the AAPM Board of Standards USA created several programs such as the CIPM and MPM certification standards and programs and issues several trademarked certifications such as the: CIPM Certified International Project Manager and MPM Master Project Manager. The CIPM is the international generalist designation and the MPM is the global graduate project management credential.

PRINCE2® 2009 Foundation Introductory Module

2010-05-28T13:31:00.000-07:00

PRINCE2 Process Model Introduction - PRINCE2 Training

2010-05-28T13:30:00.001-07:00

PRINCE2 Made Simple

2010-05-28T13:14:00.001-07:00

International Project Management Award

2010-05-28T11:50:00.000-07:00

Top Ten Skills for Project Managers

2010-03-23T23:23:00.000-07:00

By Lisa MacLean

Wentworth Institute of Technology
Boston, Massachusetts, USA , USA

1) If you’re going to put the fox in charge of the henhouse, plan on losing some chickens. If the project manager (PM) is seeing the project only as a means of showcasing themselves and their talents, or a way to bring negative and/or false information regarding coworkers to management, you can lose your best people. This can work as a way to make the messenger look superior, make other team members look bad or to shift blame. It will anger the better workers and send the poorer ones scurrying for their resumes coming out of the shared laser printer. Both reactions suction energy from the project.

If a project starts missing deadlines and people are backbiting and finger pointing, the Fox is on the job. People start to leave. Job quality falls but it’s everyone’s fault but the Project Manager, who praises you to your face but trashes you to higher-ups, which you discover at evaluation time.

2) A good Project Manager is respectful to everyone, not just the “important” people. There are many unsung heroes of the information age. The data entry people have tedious jobs, yet are your first line of defense when it comes to keeping data clean. The person who cleans your work area so that you can have a nicer space deserves the same courtesy and respect as the supervisor who comes by and interprets your uncluttered desk as a sign of an organized mind. Anyone wearing a name tag should be greeted by their name.

An effective project manager knows to make everyone feel important to the project and that they have a stake in its success. This kind of Project Manager gets projects done, and generates good will for the next project. A good measure of this is that other project members are speaking positively about that PM.

Click here to read entire paper

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Author: Lisa MacLean

Lisa MacLean is Assistant Professor of Computer Science and Systems at Wentworth Institute of Technology in Boston. She worked in industry doing programming, systems analysis and design, and network and database administration for over a decade before taking her faculty appointment at the Wentworth Institute of Technology in Boston, Massachusetts. She is a graduate of Rhode Island College and Bentley University. Lisa can be contacted at macleanl@wit.edu.

It’s All About Commitment!

2010-01-14T08:52:00.001-08:00

One of the biggest challenges a practitioner Project Manager can face, is a project with a tight deadline. Given today’s economic and market conditions, that is a very common trend nowadays. But the key to drive a project of this kind in its way to success is held by people, so in order to get what is needed from these people, it is extremely important to gain their commitment to the project, since the very beginning.

But, what exactly is commitment? How can it be defined? It can be described as a shared vision, a vision that makes people work in synergy to achieve any given objective. Commitment is a sum of many factors, including at least:

* Understanding of business’ needs
* Willingness
* Communication
* Sincerity
* Negotiation and conflict resolution

Read the entire article at PM World Today.

The Productive Lazy Project Manager and the Open Door Policy

2010-01-14T08:51:00.001-08:00

I’m all for being there for people, honest I am. It’s just that people take advantage of it if I am.

So for the ‘productive lazy’ project manager, I would suggest that it is perfectly acceptable for the lights to be on and for no one to be home; not all of the time obviously, and at critical times access and visibility are all too important. But for the rest of the time, why not let the whole team work a few things out for themselves, take some degree of responsibility and decision making, and generally get on with the tasks at hand.

Being there when you are really needed and being there all the time are very different things indeed.

Being reachable in a controlled manner, and within an acceptable timeframe, to answer appropriate questions (and not stupid ones) is equally important. The last thing you want is a long line of people queuing up at your desk waiting to ask advice, and your phone flashing with an ever increasing number of messages, and all the time your inbox is reaching capacity with demands for your attention.

Project Memoirs: Real Projects, Real Lessons

2010-01-14T08:48:00.000-08:00

Reflecting back on some 30-plus years of managing projects, so many lessons have been learned along the way. Some projects were easy while others seemed to suck years off my life. Each project was a case study unto itself (and each still rattles around in my brain). But without question, a few stand out more than others for the lessons they taught and maturity they fostered. So take a stroll with me down memory lane as I use real projects from my personal experience as case studies for a few lessons learned.

Lesson 1: Sometimes it is better to go with chemistry than credentials.

When I got tasked with becoming the Corporate VP of IT for Showboat Casinos, I was charged with spearheading the IT portion of all new expansion properties. The budgets for the IT portions ran from about $6 million to $20+ million depending on the size of the property. The first new property was going into Sydney, Australia, so Task 1 was to assemble my away team.

Read the rest at Gantthead.com.

The Project Manager’s Guide to Dealing With Difficult Sponsors

2010-01-14T08:46:00.001-08:00

Part of the challenge that the project manager faces is the reality of having to serve so many different stakeholders and sometimes being pulled in very different directions. We’re often taught that our “sponsor” is the person who is the champion of the effort. Indeed, they are often the one we’re to seek out for support and issue resolution throughout the project. But what do you do when your sponsor is the problem?

As I travel the country and beyond to speak to business analysts, project managers, and team leaders about how to best manage problem attendees in their meetings or deal with difficult team members, I am astounded by how often someone raises their hand to ask, “But what do you do if your sponsor is the problem?” I have to admit that that does pose an interesting dilemma, but it’s not one void of strategies you can use to address this not too uncommon dilemma. Let’s explore a few different varieties of the “difficult sponsor” and see how they can be managed for optimum success.

Sponsor Type 1: I hope you don’t mind me intimidating everyone with my overbearing nature at your team meetings. I’m just trying to help you speed things along.

Read the rest at ProjectSmart.

Project Sponsor as Core Team Member

2010-01-14T08:42:00.000-08:00

Recently I was teaching one of our human dimension skills seminars and the question about who was on the core project team was put to the participants. Someone said the project sponsor was always part of their project team. When quizzed further they indicated that, in fact, the sponsor was also responsible for activities and deliverables in the project plan. This surprised me since we always position the sponsor on the project organization chart above the project manager and team in the overall hierarchy.

It made me wonder how are projects using their sponsor and what level of active involvement do they play?

Who Should the Sponsor Be?

The logical sponsor is the person who both wants the project accomplished and has responsibility for all of the organizational units affected. In essence the person who can make it happen.

This person needs to possess an organizational authority equal to or greater than the scope of influence of the project. The sponsor is usually an executive or member of management and champions the project, pays for it and makes sure the changes are accepted in the business units affected.

Read the entire article at ProjectTimes.

How to Leverage Value From Your PMO

2010-01-14T08:39:00.000-08:00

A Project Management Institute (PMI) and CIO study found that of 750 organisations researched worldwide, over 75% of organisations that had set up a PMO shut it down because it did not demonstrate any added value. PMOs should be a way to increase efficiency, cut costs, and improve programme and project delivery in terms of time and budget. So why are so many failing to deliver?

Challenge yourself. Go on, really challenge yourself. As a programme and project management practitioner, how well are your PPM practices working? Do you believe that you are performing optimally across the spectrum of functionality; are you concerned that there may be deficiencies in your individual and organisational capabilities; do you know where the gaps lie and do you have an approach to address these areas?

Download the PDF at PM World Today.

Work Breakdown Structure: What It’s for and How to Use It

2010-01-09T06:30:00.001-08:00

PROJECT MANAGEMENT TIPS AND TRICKS

By Mark Wilfer

AT&T Business Solutions

Every project is regarded as a unique endeavor. Therefore, when a project is first chartered it is assumed the project team cannot immediately know all details of the work to be done. The Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) is the tool used to determine those details. The WBS is considered an essential part of project planning because it serves as a framework for discovery, exploring the full extent of work to be conducted. Understanding the role of the WBS and how to use it effectively can make a substantial difference in the project team’s ability to successfully manage the project.

The WBS is aptly named; it is truly a structural breakdown of work. More specifically, the breakdown is in terms of the project’s deliverables—that is, the nouns, or things, that need to be produced, compiled, designed, built, created, or otherwise made ready. The WBS is hierarchical in nature, with the very top showing the highest level deliverable: the product, service, or result that serves as the project purpose. The next level of the WBS represents the highest-level component deliverables necessary to complete the overall purpose. These are often identified in, and carried over directly from, the scope statement.

Through experience, inquiry, and expert judgment, the Project Manager and project team determine all subsequent deliverables that comprise each of the major deliverables.

To read entire paper (click here)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Mark Wilfer

Mark Wilfer is a Senior Program Manager at AT&T Business Solutions Project Management. He earned his PMP certification in 2004, and went on to develop numerous tools, templates, and guides, to help other project managers become more efficient at their work. Mark also volunteered for the Project Management Institute (PMI), leading development of Chapter Two for the PMBOK® Guide Fourth Edition, as well as assisting with the review and adjudication of several other chapters. In addition to a Master of Science in Telecommunications Management from Golden Gate University, Mark holds a Master of International Management from the Thunderbird School of Global Management, and speaks Mandarin Chinese as a second language. His experience in the Telecommunications industry spans more than 12 years, covering the installation of complex voice and data services for some of the largest Fortune 500 corporations in the United States. Prior to joining AT&T, Mark worked for State government on a project delivering Internet service to schools and libraries through the TEACH Wisconsin program. Mark can be reached at mark.wilfer@att.com.

How to be Ready for the Recovery!

2010-01-09T06:26:00.000-08:00

PROJECT MANAGEMENT TIPS AND TRICKS

By Curt Finch
CEO of Journyx

CNN recently published an article about the aftermath of the recession, claiming that the economy is “finally back in gear.” What does this mean for businesses like yours? Projects that were sidelined for the past year or two could come off the bench, and there might be more money to go around. Great news, right? It depends on how ready you are to make the most of this new opportunity. Are you confident that you will be able to put the right people on these projects and make the right decisions about how to spend this money?

Successful project execution requires quality data on who is available and qualified to do the work, when specific tasks will be completed, and which projects are in danger and why. Without this data, project managers are often scrambling to keep tabs on everything and address problems before it is too late. Here are a few questions you need to ask to be sure that you are getting the data you need and putting it to good use in your organization.

1. Where Are We Profitable?

Now that money is not as tight as it was last year, how can you be sure that you are investing it in the right projects rather than wasting it on projects that will bring in a minimal ROI? It is easy when you have the right data. Believe it or not, simple project time data can tell you which of your past projects were successful and which were failures, how many people worked on these projects and how much time they spent, and which of your clients are profitable and which ones are not. Without this information in hand, you cannot ensure success.

To read entire paper (click here)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Curt Finch

Curt Finch is the CEO of Journyx (http://pr.journyx.com), a provider of Web-based software located in Austin, Texas, that tracks time and project accounting solutions to guide customers to per-person, per-project profitability. Journyx has thousands of customers worldwide and is the first and only company to establish Per Person/Per Project Profitability (P5), a proprietary process that enables customers to gather and analyze information to discover profit opportunities. In 1997, Curt created the world’s first Internet-based timesheet application - the foundation for the current Journyx product offering. Curt is an avid speaker and author, and recently published the book “All Your Money Won’t Another Minute Buy: Valuing Time as a Business Resource”. Curt also authors a project management blog at www.project-management-blog.com, and you can follow him on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/clf99.

Management of Communications in IT Projects

2010-01-09T06:22:00.000-08:00

Training the Customer in Project Management

2010-01-09T06:19:00.000-08:00

By Rebecca Winston, Esq.

Idaho, USA

Pleasant moments of reward don’t come along every day and when they do, one should treasure them. I do. I had one of those days of reward when I came to the end of week in which I had one of our customers for a Program I manage in the project management class arranged for staff.

Project managers, myself included, have long stated that if our customers and upper management only understood in more detail what we do; our role, efforts, and product would be more appreciated and applied. In fact, books and studies have been done on how best to get them to understand the role of project management. In the class, I had not only one of my customers from the US Federal Government but three of the upper management team. In this age of cutbacks on training, the class was indeed a luxury. By inviting the customer into the fold, the class became more cost effective for the customer and the idea was well received by the senior management for the customer as well as internal to the company for which I work.

Senior management attended as they noticed that those who had attended the first class were much more prepared and spoke a common language. The previous class participants also appear surer of themselves in their job and the role of project manager. Besides as stated previously, training is not an option these days unless it is a job requirement, so this training was one not to be missed.

Click here to read entire paper

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Rebecca Winston, Esq.

Rebecca (Becky) Winston, Esq., JD, PMI Fellow, is a former Chair of the Board of Directors of the Project Management Institute (PMI®). An experienced expert on the subject of project management (PM) in the fields of research & development (R&D), energy, environmental restoration and national security, she is well known throughout the United States and globally as a leader in the PM professional world. Becky has over 25 years of experience in program and project management, primarily on programs funded by the US government. She is a graduate of the University of Nebraska’s College of Law, Juris Doctorate (1980), in Lincoln, Nebraska and has a Bachelor’s of Science (BS) degree in Education from Nebraska Wesleyan University in the USA. Active in PMI since 1993, Rebecca Winston helped pioneer PMI's Specific Interest Groups (SIGs) in the nineties, including the Project Earth and Government SIGs, and was a founder and first co-chair of the Women in Project Management SIG. She served two terms on the PMI board of directors and was elected a PMI Fellow in 2005. She is a licensed attorney and a member of the American Bar Association and the Association of Female Executives in the USA. She has extensive recent PM experience in the areas of national defense and security, and has worked closely with local, regional and national officials, including federal agencies, the US Congress and the Pentagon. Becky is currently Chair of the US Technical Advisory Group for the new ISO Standard for Project Management, currently under development. She also serves as a Global Advisor to PMForum and is a PM AmbassadorTM, available for international speaking engagements. She lives in Idaho Falls, Idaho, USA.

The Need for Speed!

2010-01-09T06:16:00.000-08:00

By James Brown, PhD

Florida, USA

There is nothing wrong with speed when a system is designed for it. I had a harrowing taxi ride in Germany on the autobahn. The ride was uncomfortable not because of the very high speed, but the condition of the dilapidated taxi I was riding in. It is not a good feeling when you know you are going too fast. It is uncomfortable. That taxi was not ready for high speed.

If you have ever ridden in a car that you felt was going too fast because of the car, driver or conditions, you are aware of that uneasy feeling associated with the experience. It can cause you to try to mash an imaginary brake when you are sitting in the passenger seat. That same uneasy feeling can overtake you as a project manager if things are going too fast. The bad news is projects are a lot longer than a ride in a car.

Odds are high that your organization is obsessed with speed

Your organization should be obsessed with speed. Speed is necessary for success in today’s market. The question for you and your organization is “Do you know what truly enables speed?” When speed is required you should focus on two things. 1. Insight. 2. Braking. Consider the following quote by the famous soccer player Johan Cruijff:

Click here to read entire paper

About the Author

Dr. James T. Brown, president of SEBA® Solutions Inc., a Registered Education Provider for the Project Management Institute, has provided training and consulting services for dozens of companies nationally and internationally. SEBA® Solutions also provides OnePdu.com http://OnePdu.com for online project management training. A recognized authority in project management, Dr. Brown is a frequently invited speaker on project management areas of interest. He is the author of The Handbook of Program Management published by McGraw Hill and is a member of the Project Management Institute, the National Speakers Association and the National Association of Corporate Directors. Dr. Brown has a patent for a project scheduling methodology, and has received numerous awards including "Engineer of the Year" from the Cape Canaveral Technical Societies and is a recipient of the "NASA Public Service Medal" for exceptional contributions to NASA’s mission. He has a Ph.D. in Industrial Engineering from the University of Central Florida, a MS in Engineering Management from Florida Institute of Technology and a BS in Electrical Engineering from Tennessee State University. He is a licensed Professional Engineer (PE), a certified Project Management Professional (PMP) and a certified speaking professional (CSP). To learn more about SEBA® visit www.SebaSolutions.com. You can contact James directly at jtbrown@sebasolutions.com.

Series on Construction Project Scheduling - The Principles, Processes & Practices of Construction Project Scheduling

2010-01-09T06:10:00.000-08:00

By Earl Glenwright

The fundamental concepts of scheduling principles and processes were laid out by Jim Kelly and Morgan Walker 50+ years ago when they formulated the activity network method of managing a project’s resources and time. Whereas these principles and processes are unchanged, the practices have evolved ever since.

I. Principles. The principles are embedded in the definition of a project. These are that a ‘project’ has a definitive scope of work, is a temporary endeavor, and has a fixed ending time for producing a product. Moreover, work-items or activities are arranged in a logical network where activities are linked to predecessors and successors such that an activity can not start until all of it’s predecessors are completed and none of its successor activities can start until the activity is functionally complete. This can be restated as an activities inputs and outputs for the ‘work’ done by an activity-work item. This is the bedrock upon which the processes and practices take place.

II. Processes. ‘Processes’ include decomposing the project’s scope of work [SOW] into deliverable components, sub-components, and work packages of activities. This structure, the Scope [work] Breakdown Structure has neither implied durations, logical sequences, nor activities…To read entire paper Click Here

Construction Project Scheduling Today: Issues and Controversies

2010-01-09T06:07:00.000-08:00

By Earl Glenwright

Editor’s note: This editorial launches a new series of articles in PM World Today related to construction project scheduling, by one of the world’s leading project scheduling experts. Earl Glenwright has nearly 40 years of experience in the field of construction project scheduling. He has agreed to provide a series of articles on various aspects of the topic for our readers. We hope this series provides new and useful information for those of you engaged in planning and managing construction projects around the world. This guest editorial introduces the series.

PM World Today is introducing a new monthly series of presentations on contemporary construction scheduling issues and discussions about controversial aspects of construction scheduling in the real world of today’s projects.

Construction Scheduling has been evolving from its beginning in 1957 until today. Consequently practitioners and management teams should upgrade their understanding of the principles, processes, practices, and how they can profit by taking full advantage of current techniques.

Hence we must put today’s scheduling practices in a contemporary perspective.

To understand the issues, explanations, and remedies one must accept the reality that an evolution has occurred in the way we practice the use of scheduling principles and processes today. Many prior practices, albeit appropriate work-arounds of software and hardware limitations at the time they were used, are no longer appropriate. In fact they are hindering full use of current hardware and software in the most effective way of achieving the full benefits that are now available. Good scheduling practices will enhance achieving on-time completion of construction projects which ultimately manifests itself in larger contributions that increase the amount of profit.

Experienced senior scheduling managers are not all in agreement but they do acknowledge the issues.

Read Complete Editorial

About the Author

Earl Glenwright, PSP

Author

Earl Glenwright, PSP, has a career spanning 40+ years in construction project scheduling. Earl is certified as a Planning and Scheduling Professional [PSP] by the Association for the Advancement of Cost Engineering International [AACEi]. He frequently gives presentations at their annual conferences. Earl has both a BS in Civil Engineering and MBA degree and is a Registered Professional Engineer. Earl’s career has included multi-year positions in several countries including Brasil, Saudi Arabia, and Sudan. He currently lives in Colorado and Bulgaria. Prior to 1988 he was employed by the [US] Bureau of Reclamation and the [US] Army Corps of Engineers. After retiring in 1988 he has been a free-lance consultant for both contractor’s construction scheduling and small business Enterprise Project Management. His experience includes large and very large [super-mega] construction projects, very small projects such as construction planning, and scheduling for home construction by his Habitat for Humanity affiliate. Through his extensive scheduling experience he has been recognized as a Subject Matter Expert [SME], a Master Scheduler, and an Expert Advisor. Earl has been active in the Project Management Institute (PMI) for 30+ years. He has presented “Time & Cost” training at PMI’s annual seminar-symposia, and was a member of the initial PMBoK Guide Project Team, the 2000 update team, and the project team that prepared the 3rd edition. Earl has recently presented ‘workshop/seminars’ for Bulgarian project scheduling and controls persons which cover the 3 phases of scheduling: framework preparation/planning, schedule development, and schedule management and control. The workbooks are dual language English and Bulgarian. Earl can be contacted at earl_csss@yahoo.com.

Happy New Year!

2010-01-01T11:43:00.000-08:00

Astronauts Get Two Christmases in Space

2009-12-28T12:42:00.000-08:00

Clara Moskowitz
Staff Writer
SPACE.com clara Moskowitz
staff Writer
space.com – Thu Dec 24, 10:46 am ET

Christmas comes twice to the astronauts aboard the International Space Station this year as the multi-nation crew celebrates the traditional Dec. 25 holiday as well as Russian Orthodox Christmas on Jan. 7.

Current station commander Jeff Williams of NASA is leading a crew of five, including Russian cosmonauts Maxim Suraev and Oleg Kotov, Japanese astronaut Soichi Noguchi, and American spaceflyer Timothy "T.J." Creamer.

Kotov, Noguchi and Creamer arrived just recently, docking at the station aboard the Russian Soyuz TMA-17 spacecraft on Tuesday.

"We're privileged this time of year to be in this unique place looking back at our planet," Williams said in a video beamed down from the orbiting outpost. "It's a time for us to be thinking about our family and friends... It's also a time to look forward to the future year, finishing the assembly of the International Space Station."

Each year, the crew gets to choose when to hold their official holiday feast, during which they gather to share special delicacies beyond the scope of their normal daily rations.

This year, the spaceflyers have all elected to take American Christmas and American New Year's as their official holidays, NASA spokesman Kelly Humphries said.

Nonetheless, there will likely be some festivities on all the upcoming occasions, including the Russian Christmas.

"They'll probably celebrate a little on both," NASA spokesman Josh Byerly said.

Space feast

The special treats for Dec. 25 include smoked turkey, candied yams, green beans with mushrooms, and cornbread dressing.

"There's the traditional food, and also I think that Soichi is bringing up some Japanese food, and of course they have the Russian food," Byerly said.

That day will be a particularly light one, with minimal duties scheduled for the astronauts. They will have a chance to make phone calls and send e-mails back home, and of course, enjoy their meals.

"They gather around the table and kind of break out all the food," Byerly told SPACE.com. "They probably barter with one another and trade different foods. It's a big feast."

Christmases past

Christmas has a storied history in space that began with Apollo 8, when astronauts read Genesis from the moon. That year, in 1968, astronauts Frank Borman, Jim Lovell and Bill Anders sent a Christmas Eve broadcast back to Earth showing the now-famous view of Earth rising over the lunar surface.

In 1973, the crew aboard the U.S. Skylab space station constructed a homemade Christmas tree out of empty food cans.

Later, on Russia's Space Station Mir, NASA astronauts John Blaha and David Wolf celebrated American Christmas in 1996 and 1997, respectively.

The crew of space shuttle Discovery's STS-103 mission to service the Hubble Space Telescope celebrated the holiday by releasing the rejuvenated observatory back into space.

Since 2000, astronauts have lived continuously on the International Space Station and have celebrated the holidays each year.

Wall Street prepares to coast to end of 2009

2009-12-28T12:40:00.000-08:00

NEW YORK (AFP) – Wall Street prepares to close out 2009 on an upbeat note with the market holding hefty gains from a stunning comeback following a disastrous start to the year.

The stock market enters the final week of trading at its highs for the year on the heels of a stunning nine-month rally that lifted the main indexes from their lowest levels in over a decade.

The final four trading days of the year in the upcoming holiday-shortened week are expected to see light activity and a favorable mood, with the market enjoying a so-called Santa Claus rally.

In the holiday week ending Thursday, the Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed 1.85 percent to 10,520.10, its best level in nearly 15 months.

The tech-rich Nasdaq composite meanwhile rallied 3.35 percent to 2285.69 and the broad Standard & Poor's 500 index advanced 2.18 percent to 1,126.48.

Fred Dickson, market strategist at DA Davidson & Co., said the mood on Wall Street should remain positive through the coming week.

"Trading activity should pick up next week as investors make last minute portfolio changes like tax-loss sales and portfolio rebalancing," he said.

"We still expect to see the minor Santa Claus rally continue through New Year's Eve."

Some said the upbeat mood was helped by a steepening of the yield curve -- or a rise in the difference between short-term and long-term bond rates. Analysts say this is a positive sign because it encourages lending and risk taking.

The opposite phenomenon, an inverted yield curve, suggested recession was coming in 2007.

The yield curve is "a good barometer of the health of the US economy," said Chris Gaffney at EverBank World Markets, who noted that the difference between the short and long bonds rose to a record high in the past week.

With the year almost over, the Dow blue-chip index is sitting on 2009 gains of 19.87 percent, with the Nasdaq up 44.94 percent and S&P index ahead by 24.71 percent.

Although the market remains well below highs hit in 2007 and is stuck near levels from a decade ago, many traders are satisfied with a positive year.

"The year now ending will be remembered more for what didn't happen, than what did," said Peter Buchanan, economist at CIBC World Markets.

Buchanan said the year opened "with talk of financial and economic Armageddon," but that a recovery came with surprising speed.

"Few developments have been more striking than the turnaround in equity markets," he said.

Many analysts say that following the stomach-turning ups and downs over the past months, the stock market may be fairly valued, leaving the possibility of an extension of gains into 2010.

"We have made a lot of progress during 2009 and we have a lot more to make," said John Wilson, equity strategist at Morgan Keegan.

"This has been a difficult decade for investors. If history is any example, the next decade should provide a more favorable environment."

Bonds fell amid a shift to equities in the past week. The yield on the 10-year Treasury bond increased to 3.807 percent from 3.546 percent a week earlier while that on the 30-year bond rose to 4.687 percent from 4.458 percent. Bond yields and prices move in opposite directions.

Airport Security: Why It Failed

2009-12-28T12:36:00.000-08:00

Airport screening procedures failed for many reasons to catch the Nigerian man who aimed to blow up flight 253 as it approached Detroit. Scanners that might have spotted the explosives are not fully deployed, and even at airports where they exist, the scanners aren't used on all passengers.

Bottom line: No system will likely prove foolproof, experts say.

Investigators say 23-year-old Nigerian Umar Farouk Abdul Mutallab hid an explosive device and the chemical explosive PETN on his body while traveling from Amsterdam to Detroit aboard the Delta flight on Christmas day.

Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano admitted the security system didn't suffice.

"Our system did not work in this instance," Napolitano told NBC's "Today" on Monday. "No one is happy or satisfied with that. An extensive review is under way."

Well-known explosive

PETN is a white powder that resembles a less-shiny version of sugar and is used by the military and commercial mining outfits.

"So anywhere people are allowed to handle explosives, it's there, and it's usually there in quite a bit of abundance because it's present in detonating cords and sheet explosives," said Jimmie Oxley, an explosives expert at the University of Rhode Island.

PETN was widely used in terrorist plots in the 1970s and 1980s, and as a result was among the first detectable explosives when tests were developed. PETN can be easily detected with today's airport screening technology, but it usually requires that a passenger or their luggage be singled out for screening, Oxley said.

According to investigators, Mutallab was not screened for explosives in Amsterdam.

Experts have also speculated that a new full-body screening method employing millimeter waves, or MMW, could have also detected the explosives, or at least the packaging affixed to Mutallab's body.

But unlike currently employed screening machines, which can identify banned chemicals directly, MMW scanners are only "anomaly detectors," said Oxley, who is a co-author of the book "Aspects of Explosive Detection."

MMW scanners can see through clothing to reveal metallic and non-metallic objects or other suspicious things on a passenger's body, but they cannot identify explosives by their chemical signatures.

Nothing is foolproof

Another weakness of MMW scanners is they cannot see inside a person's body, so a determined terrorist could conceivably hide explosives inside their body cavities.

"I doubt there's any foolproof [screening] method that we can instigate," Oxley told LiveScience.

Early this year, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) began implementing MMW as a primary screening technology next to metal detectors at airports in San Francisco, Miami, Albuquerque, Tulsa, Salt Lake City and Las Vegas.

Airports in 20 U.S. cities, such as JFK in New York City and LAX in Los Angeles, have used or plan to use MMW tech this year. Other countries have also begun using or evaluating MMW for airport screening, including the UK, Netherlands, Japan and Thailand.

Not every passenger is put through the new scanners, however. And some privacy advocates have complained that the technology is too invasive. TSA has said that it will blur the facial features of passengers going through MMW scanners and that the scans will not be saved.

Meanwhile, passengers can expect longer delays at airports as additional security measures are employed in response to the recent bombing attempt, Department of Homeland Security's Napolitano said in a statement over the weekend.

"These measures are designed to be unpredictable, so passengers should not expect to see the same thing everywhere," she said. "Due to the busy holiday travel season, both domestic and international travelers should allot extra time for check-in."

Shanda and Kingsoft in expanded partnership

2009-12-28T12:35:00.000-08:00

NEW YORK – Shanda Games Ltd., a Chinese video game company, said Monday it is partnering with Kingsoft Corp. in a joint venture aimed at developing new online games.

The companies did not disclose financial terms of the deal, which expands an existing partnership in which they both operate Kingsoft's "JX" martial arts game franchise.

Under the new agreement, the companies plan to cooperate on improving other games published by Kingsoft, which is based in Beijing, and distributing them both in China and internationally.

Shares of Shanda, based in Shanghai, slipped 2 cents to $10.23 in midday trading.

Google sharpens aim on mobile marketing with AdMob

2009-12-28T12:32:00.000-08:00

By MICHAEL LIEDTKE, AP Technology Writer Michael Liedtke, Ap Technology Writer – Fri Dec 25, 11:11 am ET

SAN MATEO, Calif. – Four years ago, Omar Hamoui was just another ineffectual entrepreneur trying to spruce up his resume in graduate school.

Now, he's poised to become Google Inc.'s newest weapon as the company aims to extend its dominance of online advertising from computers to mobile devices.

Google is buying Hamoui's expertise in a $750 million acquisition of AdMob, a network for ads on iPhones and similar gadgets. He launched the business while struggling to support his wife and children as a student at the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School.

Hamoui, 32, changed his life by setting up a system for advertising on mobile devices. Though that sounds simple, it was a breakthrough because Hamoui's network got around stifling controls that wireless carriers had imposed on the content their customers could see on their phones. The crack that AdMob opened in the carriers' "walled gardens" made it easier for independent programmers to profit from applications planted on mobile phones.

"It took a lot of guts because (the carriers) were the gatekeepers of the industry," says Rich Wong, an AdMob investor and board member who is with Accel Partners. "Back then, it was sort of like if you said no to the Godfather. Bad things could happen."

More than a year after Hamoui ignited the fuse, Apple Inc. blew up the status quo with the June 2007 introduction of the iPhone — which created a platform for applications chosen by users.

That has spawned more than 100,000 mobile "apps" for doing everything from bird watching to cooking poultry. The revenue from AdMob's ad network is one of the main reasons application developers can give the programs away or just charge a few bucks.

"Omar was absolutely the tip of the spear in this mobile media revolution," says Jason Spero, general manager of AdMob's North America operations.

If Google's proposed acquisition is approved by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission, Hamoui thinks he and AdMob's 150 employees will be in an even better position to turn mobile phones into moneymaking magnets.

Google is banking on it.

Drawing upon the more than $20 billion in revenue that it generates from Internet ads, Google has been investing aggressively in mobile technology. The Internet search leader has developed a free software system, Android, that runs mobile devices and is experimenting with its own phone, called Nexus One, that could be sold directly to consumers.

Google believes explosive growth in mobile advertising will justify its spending. For now, the market remains relatively small, with U.S. mobile advertising revenue expected to reach $416 million this year, according to the research firm eMarketer Inc.

AdMob has delivered nearly 140 billion ads on mobile Web sites and applications since its inception. That has helped AdMob double its revenue this year after tripling it last year. Hamoui won't be more specific, leaving it to analysts to estimate that AdMob's revenue this year will range between $45 million and $60 million.

That's less revenue than Google generates in a day. Nevertheless, AdMob's early lead in mobile advertising could trouble antitrust regulators already concerned about Google's growing power. The Federal Trade Commission has asked for more information about the deal — a sign that regulators want to take a closer look at how it will affect competition in the mobile ad market, which is expected to quadruple in size during the next four years.

Only two of Google's acquisitions have been bigger than the proposed AdMob deal. Regulators quickly approved Google's $1.76 billion acquisition of the Internet's top video channel, YouTube, in 2006 but took a year before signing off on the $3.2 billion purchase of another Internet ad service, DoubleClick Inc., in 2008. (By coincidence, AdMob is headquartered across the street from where YouTube started in San Mateo, Calif.)

Google contends its AdMob acquisition won't hurt competition. Among other things, Google points to other mobile ad networks from rivals such as Jumptap, Mojiva and AOL and argues that mobile ads still don't generate attract enough spending to be considered a distinct market.

Hamoui started AdMob out of frustration a few months after he enrolled in graduate school. He was building a phone-friendly Web site to make it easier for people to share photos with their family and friends, but he couldn't seem to attract much traffic.

To get the word out, Hamoui bought ads that would appear alongside certain search results at Google, Yahoo and other engines. That ended up costing him about $30 per referral, which he couldn't afford. So Hamoui decided to try advertising his site on other mobile Web sites, which are specially designed to work with the small screens and technological restraints of mobile phones.

Hamoui found a mobile Web site willing to run his ad for dramatically less money and wound up paying just 10 cents per referral. The experience resonated with Hamoui's studies on efficient markets, and inspired him to build a network that would make it easier to advertise on mobile devices.

If nothing else, he thought he might be able to turn the ad network into a project that would let him get out of having a conventional internship during his summer break in 2006. As it happened, AdMob created enough buzz that Hamoui dropped out of Wharton in the spring.

One key element of his system is that it lets programmers specify when and where ads can show up while their apps are running on a phone. Advertisers, which range from mass merchants to other app makers, can aim their messages widely — for instance, to everyone with an iPhone. Or ads can be aimed at a particular demographic. An ad for the movie "Fast and Furious" might show up on a mobile game such as "Tap Tap Revenge" that's popular among young men. The targeting frequently hits the mark: Users tend to click on mobile ads five to eight times more often than they do on PC ads, Hamoui says.

Jim Goetz, who joined AdMob's board after his firm, Sequoia Capital, put up the first $4 million of the $47 million in venture capital raised by AdMob, likens Hamoui to some of the other successful entrepreneurs that Sequoia has backed. That group includes Apple's Steve Jobs, Yahoo co-founders Jerry Yang and David Filo, and Google co-founders Sergey Brin and Larry Page.

"Omar is a lot like them," Goetz says. "He has the ambition, the intelligence and that special sparkle."

By selling his startup to a larger company, Hamoui is doing something those other entrepreneurs didn't. His investors say he didn't do it for the money — AdMob still had plenty in the bank, and Hamoui doesn't seem to be driven by striking it rich. He still drives a lime-green Toyota Camry that elicits good-natured gibes around AdMob's offices. When he splurges, he does so frugally. AdMob's holiday party is being held next month when the prices are cheaper.

"It just seemed like we would be able to do the things we want a lot faster and a lot better with the resources we will have at Google," Hamoui says. "We already have achieved a big part of what we wanted to do — getting mobile advertising going and making it possible for people to start a mobile company without having to do a deal with a carrier first."

Russian YouTube cop charged with fraud

2009-12-28T12:30:00.000-08:00

MOSCOW – Russian prosecutors are filing fraud charges against a police officer who had complained on YouTube of abuse and corruption in the law enforcement system.

The prosecutor's office in the southern Krasnodar region said in a statement Monday that former Maj. Alexey Dymovsky embezzled about $800 while working as a narcotics investigator.

In November, Dymovsky posted three videos on Google's YouTube site in which he said he was promised a promotion in return for jailing an innocent person. He also accused his superiors of forcing officers to fake reports on unsolved crimes.

Within days, the videos were seen by 700,000 people, provoking a public outcry and prompting several similar YouTube postings.

Dymovsky was fired and founded a rights defense group.

Consumer groups try to block Google purchase of AdMob

2009-12-28T12:23:00.000-08:00

WASHINGTON (AFP) – Two consumer groups urged the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) on Monday to block Internet search and advertising giant Google's proposed purchase of mobile advertising company AdMob.

In a joint letter, Consumer Watchdog and the Center for Digital Democracy (CDD) asked the FTC to oppose Google's acquisition of AdMob on anti-trust grounds and said the deal also raises privacy concerns.

The move comes after Google said last week that the FTC was seeking more information about its proposed 750-million-dollar acquisition of AdMob.

"The proposed deal would substantially lessen competition in the increasingly important mobile advertising market," Consumer Watchdog and the CDD said in their letter to FTC chairman Jon Leibowitz.

"Instead of acquiring dominance in this increasingly important market through legitimate competition and innovation, Google is buying its way to a preeminent position," the non-profit groups said.

They urged the FTC to use its"statutory and regulatory authority to oppose the merger."

"In addition to the antitrust issues, the specter of a combined Google/AdMob raises substantial privacy concerns that must be addressed by the commission," the groups said.

"Permitting the expansion of mobile advertising through the combination of these two market leaders without requiring privacy guarantees poses a serious threat to consumers," they said.

"The mobile sector is the next frontier of the digital revolution," Consumer Watchdog and the CDD said. "Without vigorous competition and strong privacy guarantees this vital and growing segment of the online economy will be stifled."

Paul Feng, a group product manager at Google, said in a blog post last week that Google had received a "second request" for information from the FTC about the acquisition of AdMob.

"While this means we won't be closing right away, we're confident that the FTC will conclude that the rapidly growing mobile advertising space will remain highly competitive after this deal closes," Feng said.

"We'll be working closely and cooperatively with (the FTC) as they continue their review," he added.

Google, which previously has drawn scrutiny from US antitrust regulators, hopes AdMob will help it more effectively extend its lucrative Internet advertising domain into the booming world of mobile devices.

Earlier this year, Google was forced to revise its legal settlement with authors and publishers over its digital book-scanning project amid objections from the US Justice Department.

Last year, Google was forced to abandon a proposed advertising agreement with Yahoo! amid Justice Department anti-trust concerns.

High-tech vehicles pose trouble for some mechanics

2009-12-28T12:09:00.000-08:00

By DAISY NGUYEN, Associated Press Writer Daisy Nguyen, Associated Press Writer – Sat Dec 26, 12:48 pm ET

LOS ANGELES – A sign inside the Humming Motors auto repair shop says, "We do the worrying so you don't have to."

These days, owner David Baur spends a lot of time worrying in his full-service garage near downtown Los Angeles.

As cars become vastly more complicated than models made just a few years ago, Baur is often turning down jobs and referring customers to auto dealer shops. Like many other independent mechanics, he does not have the thousands of dollars to purchase the online manuals and specialized tools needed to fix the computer-controlled machines.

Baur says the dilemma has left customers with fewer options for repair work and given automakers an unfair advantage.

"When I was younger, I kept going until I solved the problem," the weary mechanic said as he wiped grease from his hands while taking a break. "Lately I find myself backing out. I'm more reluctant to take complex jobs on."

Access to repair information is at the heart of a debate over a congressional bill called the Right to Repair Act. Supporters of the proposal say automakers are trying to monopolize the parts and repair industry by only sharing crucial tools and data with their dealership shops. The bill, which has been sent to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, would require automakers to provide all information to diagnose and service vehicles.

Automakers say they spend millions in research and development and aren't willing to give away their intellectual property. They say the auto parts and repair industry wants the bill passed so it can get patented information to make its own parts and sell them for less.

"Coke doesn't give away the recipe for Coke," said Charlie Territo, a spokesman for the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers. "What this bill seeks to get is the recipe for Coke."

Many new vehicles come equipped with multiple computers controlling everything from the brakes to steering wheel, and automakers hold the key to diagnosing a vehicle's problem. In many instances, replacing a part requires reprogramming the computers — a difficult task without the software codes or diagrams of the vehicle's electrical wires.

Mechanics say repair information gets constantly updated so they must know how to find answers amid the sometimes overwhelming amount of data. Keeping up with technology has become almost a part-time job and requires thousands of dollars to get the right tools and online manuals for each model.

"Doctors have it easy because the human body doesn't change model every year," said Paul Brow, owner of All-Car Specialists, a 30-year-old shop in suburban San Gabriel.

The technology wave has made even the simplest tasks difficult for some ill-equipped mechanics. Baur, for instance, said he couldn't turn off the "check tire pressure" light after fixing a 2008 Mercury Grand Marquis because he lacked the roughly $1,000 tool to reset the tire pressure monitor.

The customer said he has to visit the dealer shop to complete the job.

"The tires are fine, for some reason the light just stays on," Louis Ontiveros, 42, said. "I haven't had the time to deal with it."

Dealership shops may be reaping profits from the technological advancements. A study released in March by the Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association found vehicle repairs cost an average of 34 percent more at new car dealerships than at independent repair shops, resulting in $11.7 billion in additional costs for consumers annually.

The association, whose members include Autozone, Jiffy Lube and other companies that provide replacement parts and accessories, contend automakers want the bill rejected so they can continue charging consumers more money.

"You pay all this money for your car, you should be able to decide where to get it repaired," said Aaron Lowe, the association's vice president of government affairs.

Opponents of the bill counter that the information and tools to repair the vehicles are available to those willing to buy them. They say any mechanic who can't get what they're looking for can file a complaint with the National Automotive Service Task Force. The nonprofit takes the complaints to carmakers and tries to resolve them through a voluntary arbitration process. Of the 44 complaints filed last year, all were resolved, according to the organization.

The bill, introduced by Rep. Edolphus Towns, D-N.Y., has been stalled in the House committee since April but has attracted 51 co-sponsors. It's unclear when or if the committee will vote on the matter.

Not all independent mechanics want to see the proposal approved.

Donny Seyfer, owner of a repair shop in Wheat Ridge, Colo., said the bill gives the impression that mechanics are unable to fix cars unless Congress steps in.

"I am so upset they're out there telling my customers that I can't do my job," said Seyfer, who leads training classes for mechanics. He said the modern mechanic must take regular training classes and spend hours reading and networking with other mechanics to share the latest repair information.

Seyfer said mechanics can't afford to work on all types of cars because vehicles are increasingly built with unique specifications and require their own set of tools. Mechanics must specialize in a select number of models to stay competitive, he said.

Baur said specialization is a luxury he can't afford. He said he bought the garage 20 years ago from a former boss who serviced all kinds of cars.

"What are you going to do? Refuse service to the people who've been coming here all these years?" he said.

Carolyn Coquillette, owner of a 2-year-old shop in downtown San Francisco that specializes in hybrid vehicles, said she spends about $11,000 a year on diagnostic tools and subscriptions to online databases. She said she passes the cost down to the customer but can compete with dealer shops by offering better deals.

She said her shop offers another advantage: Her team of mechanics can modify technical features and convert the hybrids — which are powered by battery and gasoline — into plug-ins.

"Cars present a challenge to me," Coquillette said. "I can think it's a pain in my butt, or I can think this is why I'm paid to do this job."

EBay: holiday cell phone shopping up threefold

2009-12-28T12:06:00.000-08:00

By RACHEL METZ, AP Technology Writer Rachel Metz, Ap Technology Writer

SAN FRANCISCO – EBay shoppers used cell phones to make more purchases this holiday season than in past years. And it was not just to buy the hot toy du jour, Zhu Zhu Pets.

The online marketplace operator said Monday that people used cell phones to buy 1.5 million products in the past several weeks — three times the number for the same period last year, which ran from the day after Thanksgiving until Christmas Eve.

EBay said holiday mobile purchases include a 1966 Chevrolet Corvette that sold for $75,000 and a 23-foot boat that sold for $19,108. Other items bought through mobile applications included watches, cell phones and video games.

Counting both mobile and traditional online purchases, eBay users bought more than 500,000 Zhu Zhu Pets robotic hamsters.

EBay, which is based in San Jose, Calif., said nearly 6 million people have eBay's applications on iPhones and people use mobile apps to visit its site more than 2 million times each day. EBay released its mobile Web site in 2007 and its iPhone application in 2008.

For the full year, eBay users completed more than $500 million worth of transactions on cell phones.

Cell phone mania forces scramble for more airwaves

2009-12-28T12:00:00.000-08:00

By JOELLE TESSLER, AP Technology Writer Joelle Tessler, Ap Technology Writer – Sun Dec 27, 1:27 pm ET

WASHINGTON – Wireless devices such as Apple's iPhone are transforming the way we go online, making it possible to look up driving directions, find the nearest coffee shop and update Facebook on the go. All this has a price — in airwaves.

As mobile phones become more sophisticated, they transmit and receive more data over the airwaves. But the spectrum of wireless frequencies is finite — and devices like the iPhone are allowed to use only so much of it. TV and radio broadcasts, Wi-Fi networks and other communications services also use the airwaves. Each transmits on certain frequencies to avoid interference with others.

Now wireless phone companies fear they're in danger of running out of room, leaving congested networks that frustrate users and slow innovation. So the wireless companies want the government to give them bigger slices of airwaves — even if other users have to give up rights to theirs.

"Spectrum is the equivalent of our highways," says Christopher Guttman-McCabe, vice president of regulatory affairs for CTIA-The Wireless Association, an industry trade group. "That's how we move our traffic. And the volume of that traffic is increasing so dramatically that we need more lanes. We need more highways."

That won't happen without a fight. Wireless companies are eyeing some frequencies used by TV broadcasters, satellite-communications companies and federal agencies such as the Pentagon. Already, some of those groups are pushing back.

That means tough choices are ahead. But one way or another, Washington will keep up with the exploding growth of the wireless market, insists Rep. Rick Boucher, D-Va. He is sponsoring a bill that would mandate a government inventory of the airwaves to identify unused or underused bands that could be reallocated.

"It's not a question of whether we can find more spectrum," says Boucher, chairman of the House Commerce Subcommittee on Communications, Technology and the Internet. "We have to find more spectrum."

CTIA, the industry group, is asking the government to make an additional 800 megahertz of the airwaves available for wireless companies to license over the next six years. That would be a huge expansion from the industry's current slice of roughly 500 megahertz. The Federal Communications Commission is preparing to make more frequencies available for commercial use, but has just 50 megahertz in the pipeline.

Two trends are driving the demand.

First, advanced new wireless applications — such as mobile video and online games — devour far more bandwidth than voice calls or basic text messages, says Neville Ray, senior vice president for engineering operations for T-Mobile USA Inc.

Second, consumers are flocking to wireless Internet connections, in some cases dropping landline accounts altogether. ABI Research projects U.S. mobile broadband subscriptions will climb to 150 million by 2014, up from 48 million this year and 5 million in 2007.

The predicament, says Jamie Hedlund, vice president of regulatory affairs for the Consumer Electronics Association, is that many users "assume the wireless experience should be the same as the wired experience, but the capacity is just not there for that."

The industry's concerns are finding a sympathetic ear in Washington.

Julius Genachowski, chairman of the FCC, says finding more room for the wireless industry will be an important part of his agency's broadband plan. That plan, mandated by the 2009 stimulus bill, is due in February and will propose using wireless systems to bring high-speed Internet connections to corners of the country that are too remote for landline networks.

"If we are going to have a world-leading broadband infrastructure for the nation, wireless is an indispensable ingredient," says Genachowski aide Colin Crowell.

Lawrence Strickling, head of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, the arm of the Commerce Department that manages the federal government's use of the airwaves, says the agency is also hunting for more frequencies the wireless industry can use.

Some of the crunch can be addressed with technologies that make more efficient use of airwaves and new equipment that lets users share bands. The FCC also wants to promote greater use of frequencies that aren't licensed to anyone, such as the "white spaces" between the bands used by TV channels.

But such solutions alone won't solve the crisis, the wireless industry warns.

The FCC's attention for now is on TV broadcasters, which hold nearly 300 megahertz of airwaves that are mainly used to serve just 10 percent of American homes — those that still rely solely on over-the-air TV signals.

The FCC is exploring multiple options, most of which would leave broadcasters with enough capacity to deliver a high-definition signal over the air. One possibility, which might require congressional approval, is a voluntary program that would let broadcasters sell excess bandwidth through an auction, to either the government or directly to wireless companies. Although the FCC awarded spectrum licenses to broadcasters for free many years ago, those licenses are worth millions today.

"Fewer people are getting over-the-air TV and at the same time, more and more people are using mobile broadband," says Blair Levin, the official overseeing the FCC broadband plan. "So it only makes sense ... to get that asset into the hands of whomever can realize its greatest value."

The idea faces opposition from the powerful broadcast lobby. Dennis Wharton, executive vice president of the National Association of Broadcasters, says the proposal would stunt the industry's plans to make innovative use of the airwaves that became free when it turned off analog broadcasts and went entirely digital in June. Broadcasters have already returned more than 100 megahertz of those airwaves to the government and plan to use the rest to transmit high-definition signals, "multicast" multiple channels and deliver mobile TV to phones, laptops and cars.

"The FCC proposal would kill many of our future business plans in the cradle," Wharton says.

Wireless carriers are also setting their sights on frequencies held by companies that deliver voice and data services through satellites.

Hedlund, of the Consumer Electronics Association, notes that some of these companies have a lot of bandwidth but not a lot of customers. TerreStar Corp., for one, launched its satellite in July and is just building a subscriber base. And ICO Global Communications, which is running tests on a satellite launched last year, has not announced when it will begin commercial service.

But TerreStar General Counsel Doug Brandon believes the company has a strong argument for keeping its airwaves: Satellites can provide a critical lifeline in emergencies when other communications links go down and in rural areas where other carriers don't offer service.

If anything, added ICO Vice President Christopher Doherty, satellite phone companies are ideal partners for cell phone companies that want to expand coverage. TerreStar, for one, has a deal for AT&T Inc. to resell the satellite service.

More potential sources of frequencies are federal agencies that handle everything from emergency communications to surveillance operations. The Defense Department, for instance, needs the airwaves for such critical equipment as radars, precision-guided weapons and drone planes.

The Pentagon has vacated some frequencies and is developing technology that can make more efficient use of airwaves. It also says it is committed to finding compromises that work for the government and commercial sector, so long as those don't jeopardize military capabilities.

Karl Nebbia, head of the NTIA's Office of Spectrum Management, points out that federal agencies may be open to moving to different bands because the government is "a huge user of commercial broadband services." But one challenge will be to ensure federal users get the resources to relocate — including new equipment, potentially paid for with spectrum auction proceeds.

For now, one thing everyone agrees is that there are no easy pickings in the airwaves.

"There is no open space anywhere," says Kathleen Ham, vice president of regulatory affairs for T-Mobile.

China unveils 'world's fastest train link'

2009-12-27T04:37:00.000-08:00

Chinese workers put the final touch on the interior of a new railway station in Wuhan, central China's Hubei province. China has unveiled what it billed as the fastest rail link in the world -- a train connecting the modern cities of Guangzhou and Wuhan at an average speed of 350 kilometres (217 miles) an hour.

(AFP/Str)

Sat Dec 26, 7:54 am ET

BEIJING (AFP) – China on Saturday unveiled what it billed as the fastest rail link in the world -- a train connecting the modern cities of Guangzhou and Wuhan at an average speed of 350 kilometres (217 miles) an hour.

The super-high-speed train reduces the 1,069 kilometre journey to a three hour ride and cuts the previous journey time by more than seven and a half hours, the official Xinhua news agency said.

Work on the project began in 2005 as part of plans to expand a high-speed network aimed at eventually linking Guangzhou, a business hub in southern China near Hong Kong, with the capital Beijing, Xinhua added.

"The train can go 394.2 kilometres per hour, it's the fastest train in operation in the world," Zhang Shuguang, head of the transport bureau at the railways ministry, told Xinhua.

Test runs for the service began earlier in December and the link officially went into service when the first scheduled train left the eastern metropolis of Wuhan on Saturday.

By comparison, the average for high-speed trains in Japan was 243 kilometres per hour while in France it was 277 kilometres per hour, said Xu Fangliang, general engineer in charge of designing the link, according to Xinhua.

Beijing has an ambitious rail development programme aimed at increasing the national network from the current 86,000 kilometres to 120,000 kilometres, making it the most extensive rail system outside the United States.

China unveiled its first high-speed line at the time of the Beijing Olympics in 2008 -- a service linking the capital with the port city of Tianjin.

In September, officials said they planned to build 42 high-speed lines by 2012 in a massive system overhaul as part of efforts to spur economic growth amid the global downturn.

The network uses technology developed in co-operation with foreign firms such as Siemens, Bombardier and Alstom.

NASA and Saudi Arabia announce Research Partnership

2009-12-25T04:47:00.001-08:00

Wednesday, December 23, 2009

NASA and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST) have signed a joint statement that allows for collaboration in lunar and asteroid science research. The partnership recognizes the Saudi Lunar and Near-Earth Object Science Center as an affiliate partner with the NASA Lunar Science Institute at NASA's Ames Research Center in Moffett Field, California, USA.

"This collaboration is within the scope of the Memorandum of Understanding on Science and Technology signed between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United States of America last year and later ratified by the Council of Ministers," said H.H. Dr. Turki Bin Saud Bin Mohammed Al-Saud, vice president for Research Institutes, KACST (pictured at right). "The international interest in lunar science and, more recently, near Earth objects led to the establishment of the Saudi Lunar and Near Earth Object Science Center as a focal point for lunar science and NEO studies in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Furthermore, we are looking forward to our expanding collaboration with NASA for the benefit of both countries."

"NASA's Lunar Science Institute exists to conduct cutting-edge lunar science and train the next generation of lunar scientists and explorers," said Greg Schmidt, institute deputy director at Ames. "Our international partnerships are critical for meeting these objectives, and we are very excited by the important science, training and education that our new Saudi colleagues bring to the NASA Lunar Science Institute."

"This is an important advance in our growing program of bilateral science and technology cooperation," said U.S. Ambassador to Saudi Arabia James Smith, pictured at left. "It will help realize President Obama's goal, expressed in his June 4 speech to the Muslim world, of increasing our cooperation on science and technology, which we believe closely corresponds to King Abdullah's vision."

The Saudi science center's proposal brings technical and engineering expertise to advance the broad goals of lunar science at the institute. Specific areas of lunar study of both scientific and cultural importance include radar and infrared imaging, laser ranging and imaging, and topographical studies. The center's studies in near-Earth object science also offer important contributions to an area of importance to NASA.

"The Saudi Lunar and Near Earth Object Science Center's primary mission is to direct all lunar and near Earth object related research within the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia," said Dr. Haithem Altwaijry, deputy director of the National Satellite Technology Program at KACST. "It will reach out to students in addition to researchers and present fertile ground for scientific research."

"NASA welcomes international cooperation for mutual benefit with organizations large and small in all regions of the world," said Michael O'Brien, pictured right, assistant administrator for external relations at NASA Headquarters in Washington. "Our continuing discussions with Saudi Arabian officials may lead to future joint scientific collaboration in other areas of mutual interest."

To learn more about the NASA Lunar Science Institute visit: http://lunarscience.nasa.gov

Created in 1958, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is America's focal point for research, development and exploration of outer space. In 2005, the US President and Congress committed the United States to exploring the solar system and beyond: completing assembly of the International Space Station, flying the new Crew Exploration Vehicle no later than 2014, returning astronauts to the moon by the end of the next decade, and sending human missions to Mars and beyond. For over 50 years, NASA has been leading the world in the development and usage of advanced program and project management. Additional information about NASA can be found at www.nasa.gov. To learn more about NASA's space exploration plans, visit: www.nasa.gov/exploration

Indian Railways Executive Reviews Frankly Discusses Issues at 17th Global Symposium in New Delhi

2009-12-25T04:46:00.000-08:00

Thursday, December 24, 2009 - Reported by David Pells in New Delhi

The opening keynote presentation on Day The of the 17^th Global Symposium 2009 - Managing Projects, Programs & Portfolios - held during 14 - 16 December 2009 at the Hotel Hyatt Regency in New Delhi, India, was by Mr. Rakesh Chopra, Member of the Board of Directors of the Railway Board of India. Mr. Chopra's presentation was entitled "Imperative of Optimally Managing Portfolios."

The Railway Board of India is one of the largest project-based organizations in the world, currently with 316 major projects associated with main lines, bridges, and metro systems. Such national projects as "Mega bridges" are included. Total budget exceeds 1 trillion Rupees (1 lak crores), or approximately US$20 billion.

According to Mr. Chopra, "Distribution of funds is a big issue. Of course, there is a long wish list of projects, but projects languish for various reasons. Each project must also meet political criteria; but gage conversions are among the highest priorities.

During his presentation, Mr. Chopra described some problems confronting major rail projects in India that cause delays, including land acquisition, forest clearances and labor problems. Since India does not have an eminent domain policy, land acquisition can be a big problem, often delaying projects by several years. At the same time, approval for clearing forests or removing trees can delay projects for decades.

He added, "There is also a big shortage of skilled manpower, especially inspectors. It is inadequate even in private industry. The capacity of builders is also inadequate. There has been some expansion, but the big are getting bigger while there is little growth among medium and small enterprises. There are also many equipment failures due to poor maintenance."

Mr. Chopra mentioned problems associated with contracting methods and suggested that the design/build approach is gaining acceptance in India. But, he said, foreign contractors often do not understand local problems.

Mr. Chopra suggested some areas where additional improvements could significantly enhance project management on rail programs and projects, including: (1) more consistent guidelines; (2) more training prior to construction; (3) standards for performance; (4) better procedures for security, land acquisition and forest clearing; and (5) more accountability, with consequences.

"I am of the opinion that railway projects are for the benefit of the country," he concluded. "China is building 2,000 km of rail per year, while India achieves only 250 km. The USA is spending $10 billion. India needs more funding. We also need more honesty, ethics and transparency. Nevertheless, I am sure that implementation of projects will come up in a big way."

Other speakers on day three of the 17^th Global Symposium in New Delhi included: Ruchira Jain, Director of CEPM, India; Dr. A S Pillai, CEO and Managing Director, Brahmos, India; Mr. R S Sharma, Chairman and Managing Director, Oil & Natural Gas Commission, India; Mr. P S Bhattacharyya, Chairman & Managing Director, Coal India; Mr. R S Sharma, Chairman & Managing Director, NTPC (India's largest power company); and Mr. Adesh Jain, Honorary President, PMA India (also pictured above right with Mr. Chopra).

The 17^th Global Symposium provided an opportunity for Indian government officials, project managers and company executives to come together for presentations and discussions about managing projects & programs in India. The 17^th Global Symposium was jointly organized by Project Management Associates (PMA) and the Centre for Excellence in Project Management (CEPM), in association with the International Project Management Association (IPMA). The 17^th Global Symposium in New Delhi was organized under the Chair of Mr. B K Chaturvedi, Member, Planning Commission, Government of India, who is also the Chair of the 2009 International Advisory Committee (IAC). The Programme Director was Mr. Adesh Jain, Honorary President of PMA. For information about the symposium or to see copies of presentations, visit http://www.cepm.com/gs09/default.aspx.

Founded in 1993, Project Management Associates (PMA) is a non-profit registered professional body of projects and business managers, aimed at strengthening project management in India. PMA's vision is to be an apex agency for promotion of project thinking in India and worldwide for continuously enhancing delivery potential of programs and projects, thereby providing competitive edge to organizations, and growth to individuals. Based in New Delhi and with branches in Hyderabad, Pune and Ranchi, PMA serves members and stakeholders throughout India. PMA is the Indian national association member of IPMA. The Managing Director of PMA is Mr. Arvind Agarwal; the honorary president is Mr. Adesh Jain. For more information, visit www.pma-india.org. For more information about IPMA, visit http://www.ipma.ch/Pages/default.aspx

The Centre for Excellence in Project Management (CEPM) is a project and programme management education, training and consulting organization based in Noida, New Delhi, India. The company offers basic and advanced project management courses, on the web, in public seminars and in-house workshops. CEPM's Certificate in Project Management (CIPM) is a high quality, low-cost project management qualification; CEPM also offers certification training in support of both PMI's PMP® certification as well as IPMA's 4-level competence-based certification program. For more information, visit http://www.cepm.com/.

Photos courtesy of PMForum, Inc.

Elizabeth Harrin wins Best Project Management Blog Award

2009-12-25T04:44:00.002-08:00

Friday, December 25, 2009 - Reported by Miles Shepherd in UK

Elizabeth Harrin's blog, A Girl's Guide to Project Management, took the top prize in the project management category of the Computer Weekly IT Blog Awards in November.

Harrin collected her award at a ceremony at Shoreditch House, London, from James Garner, Computer Weekly's Editor. It's the second year in a row that Harrin has won this award, which is voted for by Computer Weekly readers. "It's great to hold on to my title this year," she said. "There were 400 blogs nominated, and the quality of the entrants was really high, so I was happy to make it on to the shortlist - and even happier to win!"

Photo: Elizabeth Harrin and James Garner, photo courtesy of Computer Weekly.

There were over 12,500 votes cast in the competition, across 11 categories. Michael Krigsman, author of the ZDNet blog IT Project Failures, was the runner up in the project management category.

Elizabeth Harrin, BA (Hons), MA, MBCS (pictured right) is an author and project manager living and working in London. She has a decade of experience in projects. Elizabeth has led a variety of IT and process improvement projects including e-commerce and communications developments. She is also experienced in managing business change, having spent eight years working in financial services (including two based in Paris, France). She writes the award-winning blog, A Girl's Guide to Project Management (www.pm4g irls.co.uk ).

For more details on the Computer Weekly Blog Awards see http://www.computerweekly.com/static-pages/blog-awards-2009/.

UN Roads Project Aidx Impoverished in Haiti

2009-12-25T04:44:00.001-08:00

Friday, December 25, 2009

A cracked, flood-prone and sewage-infested stretch of road in a quarter of Port-au-Prince, the Haitian capital, has recently been transformed into a resurfaced, smooth and clean highway for cars and pedestrians. The United Nations (UN) funded project has improved both the health and image of the area.

The $900,000, 645-metre project at Martissant 23, part of National Highway 1, was carried out by the UN Office for Project Services together with the Haitian Ministry of Public Works and other UN agencies, and paid for by the World Bank. The road is bordered by a metre-wide pavement on both sides, allowing passage for both vehicle and pedestrian where both previously feared to tread.

"It was important to remedy this situation to change the face of the quarter and to allow residents to resume a more normal life," Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's Special Representative Hédi Annabi said at the inauguration on 21 December.

Mr. Annabi added that the repairs had a four-fold goal: improved living conditions, job creation, better economic opportunities through improved access, and enhanced security by creating an environment favourable to reducing violence and crime.

"What has been achieved by this road is symbolic," Haitian Prime Minister Jean-Max Bellerive said. "It is part of a global vision of reconstruction for the area."

Mr. Annabi noted that with regard to security, the improvements enhanced the operational capabilities of the joint patrols by the UN peacekeeping mission in Haiti and the Haitian police. He reiterated that MINUSTAH would continue to use its military engineering units to respond to urgent needs and create greater stability in the strife-racked country.

The mission has been on the ground in Haiti, the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, since mid-2004 after the then president Jean-Bertrand Aristide went into exile amid violent unrest. Currently there are more than 9,000 military and police personnel deployed and nearly 2,000 civilian staff.

For more information, visit UNOPS

Coaching for Development Initiative Launched by IPMA Young Crew in Nepal

2009-12-25T04:42:00.001-08:00

Friday, December 25, 2009

A new initiative has been announced by the members of the IPMA Young Crew, project management students, mentors and supporters. They also invite interest, participation and support from around the world to make it indeed a global effort.

According to PMForum's International Correspondent in Nepal Suraj Dahal, who is also chair of the newly recognized Project Management Association of Nepal, "The days before Christmas and New Year's Eve are the time to look back at the achievements of the year, share good news and give presents. I wanted to share with you an initiative that has kept some of us, PM enthusiasts, active after our initial discussions during the 23rd IPMA World Congress in Helsinki.'

Suraj (pictured left) continued, "My international colleagues and I felt inspired to participate in the creation of a new endeavor of the IPMA Young Crew: Coaching for Development. Through this project we intend to encourage people in project management to contribute and cooperate in developing countries and assist them in transmitting and generating knowledge through collaboration."

Objectives for the new initiative are to train and coach young project managers in developing countries, to share experiences and knowledge, and to extend the networks of all parties. This initiative is starting out in 2010 with a pilot project: a training-coaching workshop in Nepal. Project management coaches from all over the world will meet social entrepreneurs in Nepal for an intense one and a half week workshop in September / October.

Mr. Dahal adds, "To make Coaching for Development real, we need support. Please help us spread the word. There are, I'm sure, organizations or individuals who would want to be a part of the initiative and help make it possible."

To learn more please visit www.coaching4development.org, or get in contact by email at info@coaching4development.org. Also, feel free to become a fan on Facebook and to follow us on Twitter @ co4development.

The Coaching for Development Team wishes a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to everyone in the project management discipline!

Let your life be filled with love, joy, peace, wisdom, prosperity and lots of happy projects!

Oracle News Briefs

2009-12-25T04:36:00.000-08:00

AT ORACLE: Oracle News Briefs

Oracle Application Development Framework Mobile Client Preview Available

Oracle has released a developer preview of Oracle Application Development Framework (Oracle ADF) Mobile Client, which enables developers to extend their enterprise applications onto mobile devices. It provides built-in security and database synchronization services to manage data distribution and reconciliation with mobile applications.

Oracle ADF Mobile Client also supports disconnected access to enterprise applications from mobile devices; offers mobile application rendering in the native look and feel of each device; and integrates with on-device services such as calendar, contacts, and peripherals.

“With Oracle ADF Mobile Client, developers can write their applications once and deploy them on multiple mobile platforms, saving time and allowing developers to focus on building better applications,” says Ted Farrell, tools and middleware chief architect and senior vice president at Oracle.

Oracle VM 2.2 Accelerates Application Deployment

The latest release of Oracle’s server virtualization software, Oracle VM 2.2, enables customers to accelerate deployment of and simplify management of enterprise applications. Now available, the new release enables organizations to run their data centers in the most environmentally sustainable and efficient manner, while lowering costs.

Oracle VM 2.2 features the latest Xen-based, industry-standard hypervisor, Xen 3.4, and provides substantial performance enhancements for customers running Intel Xeon processor 5500 series and Six-Core AMD Opteron processors. Other enhancements include new CPU power management, memory management, and direct disk I/O capabilities. Additionally, this release delivers on the initial integration of Oracle VM and Virtual Iron technology.

“The release of Oracle VM 2.2 enables customers to capitalize on the latest advancements in server virtualization technology to better manage their virtual environments and reduce both cost and power consumption in the data center,” says Wim Coekaerts, vice president of Linux and virtualization engineering at Oracle.

Updated Line of Oracle Berkeley DB Embeddable Databases Released

Three new releases in the Oracle Berkeley DB family of open source, embeddable databases are available: Oracle Berkeley DB 4.8, Oracle Berkeley DB XML 2.5, and Oracle Berkeley DB Java Edition 4.0. Oracle Berkeley DB products can be integrated directly into software applications, devices, and equipment to deliver high performance, reliability, and availability with virtually no human administration.

Oracle Berkeley DB 4.8 delivers improved scalability, performance, and ease of use. New features include support for foreign keys, improved failure handling for multithreaded applications, and a new db_sql utility that generates Berkeley DB application code from a SQL schema description.

Oracle Berkeley DB XML 2.5 delivers several performance and data management improvements, including support for external functions, a smaller on-disk footprint for XML containers, and certification on Oracle Berkeley DB 4.8.

Oracle Berkeley DB Java Edition 4.0 includes new replication features for high availability and scalability, significant performance improvements, and a plug-in for JConsole, which eases application deployment and monitoring.

“These new releases contain significant new enhancements to the products in terms of performance, high availability, and ease of use and reinforce Oracle’s commitment to open source products,” says Rex Wang, vice president of product marketing at Oracle.

Oracle Secure Backup 10.3 Supports Virtual Tape Libraries

Did You Know?

Tales of Encryption
In a survey of more than 600 IT security professionals, 41 percent said they encrypt backup tapes, 43 percent encrypt databases, and 49 percent encrypt full disks. The single most important factor preventing encryption was cost, with 26 percent citing the cost of acquiring encryption and 26 percent citing the cost of managing encryption.
Source: Trust Catalyst

More Companies Think Green
60 percent of organizations in the U.S. have a partial or comprehensive green IT strategy, and 72 percent conduct audits of energy consumption and power management, according to a CompTIA survey. Worldwide, about 25 percent of companies have a green IT program in place, and another 9 percent plan to have one within a year, according to a Deloitte survey.
Source: CompTIA and Deloitte

Accidents Worse Than Hackers for Data Loss
85 percent of companies surveyed say data loss through external hacking is “very unlikely,” and 45 percent believe that accidental employee error is the most likely channel for data loss. Almost 60 percent plan an IT security audit. The survey included more than 400 IT security decision-makers in 18 countries worldwide.
Source: Dimension Data and IDC

Social Networking Restricted
A survey of 1,400 CIOs in the U.S. found that 54 percent of companies completely prohibit employee use of social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter at work. 19 percent permit social networking for business purposes, 16 percent permit it for limited personal use, and 10 percent have no restrictions.
Source: Robert Half Technology

Oracle is now shipping the latest release of its centralized tape backup management system, Oracle Secure Backup 10.3. The new release provides enhanced virtual tape library support through serverless tape duplication, which helps increase performance and reduce server overhead when backup data is copied from virtual to physical tapes. Oracle Secure Backup 10.3 also allows backup encryption to be performed on the host or by leveraging LTO-4 tape drives to offload encryption processes from the host. Other new features include tape vaulting enhancements that better automate management of tapes between multiple locations; support for IP version 6; and platform support for HP-UX Itanium, AIX, Linux, Windows, and Solaris SPARC.

Oracle Application Testing Suite Includes Test-Scripting Platform

Oracle has unveiled the latest version of its application testing solution for Oracle Applications, Web, and SOA applications: Oracle Application Testing Suite 9.0.

The suite introduces OpenScript, a Java-based, integrated test-scripting platform for automated functional testing and load testing. Users can now create test scripts that automate both Web- and Oracle Forms-based application interfaces. Leveraging OpenScript’s intuitive graphical scripting interface, users can record automated test scripts by stepping through their Oracle E-Business Suite business transactions in the browser.

To help ensure the health and performance of packaged, Web, and SOA applications, Oracle Application Testing Suite 9.0 delivers Oracle E-Business Suite accelerators that support automated functional testing and load testing of Oracle E-Business Suite applications.

“Comprehensive application testing is among the most important parts of today’s IT toolbox for delivering cost efficiencies to the business,” says Melinda-Carol Ballou, program director, application lifecycle management, at market intelligence firm IDC.

Oracle and Sun Achieve World-Record Benchmark

Oracle has announced a new world-record Transaction Processing Performance Council (TPC-C) benchmark result for Oracle Database 11g running on Sun SPARC servers with chip multithreading technology and the Sun Solaris Operating System.(1) Oracle Database 11g running on the Solaris 10 Operating System achieved a record-breaking 7.7 million tpmC at $2.34/tpmC. This result proves that the Oracle-Sun combination runs faster than IBM DB2 running on IBM’s flagship Power 595.(2)

The Oracle-Sun benchmark used a combination of Sun’s chip multithreading servers to power the database, along with Sun’s Flash Storage technology to speed I/O. With the Sun Storage F5100 Flash Array, Oracle and Sun were able to set the world record using eight times less hardware than IBM used for its largest benchmark.(3) Oracle Real Application Clusters allowed Sun and Oracle to scale performance on a 12-node Sun SPARC Enterprise T5440 cluster.

Web Locator

Oracle Application Development Framework Mobile Client
Oracle VM
Oracle Berkeley DB
Oracle Secure Backup
Oracle Application Testing Suite
Oracle and Sun Benchmark
Oracle Application Integration Architecture
Oracle and HyperRoll
Oracle and GoldenGate
Oracle Database Vault
Oracle’s PeopleSoft Enterprise 9.1
Oracle Media Intellectual Property Management

The Oracle-Sun configuration also consumed four times less energy than the IBM configuration even though it ran 26 percent faster.

“With this benchmark result, there’s no denying that Oracle Database 11g running on Sun SPARC Enterprise T5440 servers outperforms IBM and DB2,” says Juan Loaiza, senior vice president of systems technology at Oracle.

As of October 11, 2009. Source: TPC-C, www.tpc.org.
(1) 12-node Sun SPARC Enterprise T5440 server cluster: 7,717,510 tpmC at $2.34/tpmC. Available December 14, 2009.
(2) IBM Power 595 server, model 9119-FHA: 6,085,166 tpmC at $2.81/tpmC (best IBM DB2 TPC-C result). Available December 10, 2008.
(3) Hardware size measured in racks of equipment as priced for the benchmarks.

Oracle Application Integration Architecture 2.5 Supports Industry Solutions

Oracle has released Oracle Application Integration Architecture 2.5, which includes 10 new cross-industry process integration packs, 6 new industry-specific process integration packs, and a library of more than 1,000 enterprise services and 100 enterprise objects. Oracle Application Integration Architecture 2.5 provides an open, standards-based approach for organizations to integrate end-to-end business processes across a broad range of custom, Oracle, and third-party applications.

With an increased focus on end-to-end industry solutions and prebuilt integrations across Oracle and non-Oracle applications, Oracle Application Integration Architecture Release 2.5 helps organizations reduce business process integration complexity and accelerate delivery of enterprise application solutions. With 30 process integration packs and 4 foundation packs, this release supports critical business processes across multiple industries, including manufacturing, utilities, retail, and health sciences, and provides customers with integration solutions that can be extended and managed over time.

“Oracle Application Integration Architecture Release 2.5 reinforces our unwavering commitment to reducing the cost of integration for our customers,” says Jose Lazares, vice president of application development and product strategy for Oracle Application Integration Architecture.

Oracle Agrees to Acquire HyperRoll Assets

Oracle has agreed to acquire certain assets of HyperRoll, a leading provider of financial reporting acceleration solutions. HyperRoll’s products help improve reporting performance, shrink the close cycle, and improve visibility of financial data to line management. Customers across multiple industries including retail, consumer goods, and financial services currently use HyperRoll’s products.

“Enterprise performance management is a critical requirement for organizations,” says Robert Gersten, senior vice president of Oracle product development. “Oracle enterprise performance management already enables rapid, accurate, and secure financial consolidation and reporting. With the addition of HyperRoll’s reporting acceleration technology, customers are expected to be able to execute a faster and more compliant financial close.”

Oracle Acquires Data integration Provider GolDenGate

Oracle has acquired GoldenGate Software, a leading provider of real-time data integration solutions. GoldenGate’s best-in-class solutions enable real-time data integration and continuous data availability by capturing and delivering updates of critical information as the changes occur and providing continuous data synchronization across heterogeneous environments.

“The need to improve operating performance in a global 24/7 environment has led to the need for data integration to support real-time and high-availability capabilities,” says Hasan Rizvi, senior vice president of Oracle Fusion Middleware product development. “With the addition of GoldenGate, Oracle will help customers achieve better performance through improved business intelligence and business continuity with real-time information.”

Oracle Database Vault Certified with SAP Applications

In order to provide customers with increased security for mission-critical SAP application data, Oracle has certified Oracle Database Vault for use with SAP applications. Oracle Database Vault enables organizations to efficiently increase security and address regulatory compliance by controlling who, when, where, and how existing SAP application data can be accessed by any users, including privileged database users such as DBAs.

Using Oracle Database Vault, organizations can further ensure that database users cannot bypass SAP application security features and access SAP application data directly using ad hoc database query tools. Oracle Database Vault establishes protective realms around SAP application database objects to prevent privileged database user access to sensitive data.

“Oracle Database Vault proactively and transparently safeguards application data, preventing unauthorized access and providing customers with the necessary database security technology to help achieve regulatory compliance. This certification extends that protection to SAP environments, allowing companies to protect their critical business information,” says Vipin Samar, vice president of database security at Oracle.

Oracle’s PeopleSoft Enterprise 9.1 Unveiled

Oracle has released Oracle’s PeopleSoft Enterprise 9.1, which includes release 9.1 of PeopleSoft human capital management solutions, PeopleSoft PeopleTools 8.50, PeopleSoft Enterprise Portal 9.1, and PeopleSoft Enterprise Learning Management 9.1.

Release 9.1 of PeopleSoft human capital management solutions includes a core platform that addresses end-to-end human resources responsibilities for global organizations. In addition to best-in-class integrated talent management, workforce management, and workforce service delivery, the latest version includes embedded Web 2.0 capabilities and new industry-specific enhancements.

PeopleSoft PeopleTools 8.50 offers a flexible development environment for customers to manage, customize, integrate, and support their PeopleSoft applications. This latest update features an enriched end-user experience through the use of new Web 2.0 capabilities, enhanced integration, and expanded reporting options.

PeopleSoft Enterprise Portal 9.1 helps organizations promote engagement and collaboration through the deployment of online communities and Web-based self-service sites for their enterprises.

PeopleSoft Enterprise Learning Management 9.1 enables organizations to proactively manage their learning environments, ensuring that employees acquire knowledge and skills consistent with corporate objectives and regulatory compliance.

“Oracle’s PeopleSoft Enterprise 9.1 includes many new features that customers have told us they need today,” says Paco Aubrejuan, vice president and general manager for Oracle’s PeopleSoft Enterprise product line. “This approach ensures our products continue to drive real business value today.”

Oracle Media Intellectual Property Management Released

Oracle is shipping Oracle Media Intellectual Property Management, a comprehensive software solution acquired from Sophoi that manages intellectual property and the content value chain for media and entertainment companies. It automates intellectual property rights and royalty management and sales and distribution across content owners, aggregators, and service providers to reduce revenue leakage and develop new revenue models.

“With the proliferation of media and entertainment distribution channels, the management and licensing of intellectual property rights and royalties has become increasingly complex,” says Liam Maxwell, vice president of products, Oracle Communications. “The addition of Sophoi technology to Oracle’s product line for the communications, media, and entertainment industries is expected to accelerate the adoption of standards-based software to monetize digital content and enable better financial control of content assets.”

Oracle to Buy Sun

2009-12-25T04:24:00.000-08:00

SANTA CLARA, Calif. April 20, 2009 Sun Microsystems (NASDAQ: JAVA) and Oracle Corporation (NASDAQ: ORCL) announced today they have entered into a definitive agreement under which Oracle will acquire Sun common stock for $9.50 per share in cash. The transaction is valued at approximately $7.4 billion, or $5.6 billion net of Sun's cash and debt.

"We expect this acquisition to be accretive to Oracle's earnings by at least 15 cents on a non-GAAP basis in the first full year after closing. We estimate that the acquired business will contribute over $1.5 billion to Oracle's non-GAAP operating profit in the first year, increasing to over $2 billion in the second year. This would make the Sun acquisition more profitable in per share contribution in the first year than we had planned for the acquisitions of BEA, PeopleSoft and Siebel combined," said Oracle President Safra Catz.

"The acquisition of Sun transforms the IT industry, combining best-in-class enterprise software and mission-critical computing systems," said Oracle CEO Larry Ellison. "Oracle will be the only company that can engineer an integrated system - applications to disk - where all the pieces fit and work together so customers do not have to do it themselves. Our customers benefit as their systems integration costs go down while system performance, reliability and security go up."

There are substantial long-term strategic customer advantages to Oracle owning two key Sun software assets: Java and Solaris. Java is one of the computer industry's best-known brands and most widely deployed technologies, and it is the most important software Oracle has ever acquired. Oracle Fusion Middleware, Oracle's fastest growing business, is built on top of Sun's Java language and software. Oracle can now ensure continued innovation and investment in Java technology for the benefit of customers and the Java community.

The Sun Solaris operating system is the leading platform for the Oracle database, Oracle's largest business, and has been for a long time. With the acquisition of Sun, Oracle can optimize the Oracle database for some of the unique, high-end features of Solaris. Oracle is as committed as ever to Linux and other open platforms and will continue to support and enhance our strong industry partnerships.

"Oracle and Sun have been industry pioneers and close partners for more than 20 years," said Sun Chairman Scott McNealy. "This combination is a natural evolution of our relationship and will be an industry-defining event."

"This is a fantastic day for Sun's customers, developers, partners and employees across the globe, joining forces with the global leader in enterprise software to drive innovation and value across every aspect of the technology marketplace," said Jonathan Schwartz, Sun's CEO, "From the Java platform touching nearly every business system on earth, powering billions of consumers on mobile handsets and consumer electronics, to the convergence of storage, networking and computing driven by the Solaris operating system and Sun's SPARC and x64 systems. Together with Oracle, we'll drive the innovation pipeline to create compelling value to our customer base and the marketplace."

"Sun is a pioneer in enterprise computing, and this combination recognizes the innovation and customer success the company has achieved. Our largest customers have been asking us to step up to a broader role to reduce complexity, risk and cost by delivering a highly optimized stack based on standards," said Oracle President Charles Phillips. "This transaction will preserve and enhance investments made by our customers, while we continue to work with our partners to provide customers with choice."

The Board of Directors of Sun Microsystems has unanimously approved the transaction. It is anticipated to close this summer, subject to Sun stockholder approval, certain regulatory approvals and customary closing conditions.

There will be a conference call today to discuss the transaction at 5:30 a.m. Pacific time. Investors can listen to the conference call by dialing (719) 234-7870, passcode 923645. A replay will be available for 24 hours after the call ends at (719) 884-8882, passcode: 923645. A live audio webcast of the call will be made available at www.oracle.com/investor and a replay will be available for seven days after the call ends.

About Oracle

Oracle (NASDAQ: ORCL) is the world's largest enterprise software company. For more information about Oracle, please visit our Web site at http://www.oracle.com.

About Sun Microsystems, Inc.

Sun Microsystems develops the technologies that power the global marketplace. Guided by a singular vision -- "The Network is the Computer" -- Sun drives network participation through shared innovation, community development and open source leadership. Sun can be found in more than 100 countries and on the Web at http://sun.com.

Trademarks
Oracle is a registered trademark of Oracle Corporation and/or its affiliates. Other names may be trademarks of their respective owners.

Sun, Sun Microsystems, the Sun logo, Java, Solaris and the Network is the Computer are trademarks or registered trademarks of Sun Microsystems, Inc. or its subsidiaries in the United States and other countries.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, including but not limited to, statements regarding Sun's expected contributions to Oracle's earnings and profits, the integration of Sun's product offerings into Oracle's business, the anticipated value of the combined business to customers and partners, and the expected closing of the proposed Merger. These forward-looking statements involve certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated in such forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, the ability of the parties to consummate the proposed Merger, satisfaction of closing conditions precedent to the consummation of the proposed Merger, the ability of Oracle to successfully integrate Sun's operations and employees, the ability to realize anticipated synergies and cost savings of the proposed Merger, and such other risks as identified in Oracle's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended May 31, 2008, Oracle's most recent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Sun's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2008, and Sun's most recent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, each as filed with the SEC, which contain and identify important factors that could cause the actual results to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements. Oracle and Sun assume no obligation to update any forward-looking statement contained in this press release.

Additional Information about the Merger and Where to Find It

Sun plans to file with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") and mail to its stockholders a proxy statement in connection with the proposed merger with Soda Acquisition Corporation, pursuant to which Sun would be acquired by Oracle (the "Merger"). The proxy statement will contain important information about the proposed Merger and related matters. INVESTORS AND STOCKHOLDERS ARE URGED TO READ THE PROXY STATEMENT CAREFULLY WHEN IT BECOMES AVAILABLE. Investors and stockholders will be able to obtain free copies of the proxy statement and other documents filed with the SEC by Sun through the web site maintained by the SEC at www.sec.gov. In addition, investors and stockholders will be able to obtain free copies of the proxy statement from Sun by contacting Investor Relations by telephone at (800) 801-7869 (within the U.S.) or (408) 404-8427 (outside the U.S.), or by mail at Sun Microsystems, Inc., Investor Relations, Mail Stop UMPK14-336, 4150 Network Circle, Santa Clara, California 95054, USA.

Sun and its directors and executive officers may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies from the stockholders of Sun in connection with the proposed Merger. Information regarding the interests of these directors and executive officers in the transaction described herein will be included in the proxy statement described above. Additional information regarding these directors and executive officers is also included in Sun's proxy statement for its 2008 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, which was filed with the SEC on September 24, 2008. This document is available free of charge at the SEC's web site at www.sec.gov, and from Sun by contacting Investor Relations by telephone at (800) 801-7869 (within the U.S.) or (408) 404-8427 (outside the U.S.), or by mail at Sun Microsystems, Inc., Mail Stop UMPK14-336, 4150 Network Circle, Santa Clara, California 95054, USA, or by going to Sun's Investor Relations page on its corporate web site at www.sun.com.

Benghazi welcomes winter by drowning in its first showers of rain

2009-10-27T11:51:00.000-07:00

Libyan Times Special

Abdel Eljaroshi
Project Management Specialist

With the drops from heaven that struck the locals on October 25th Sunday morning (2009), the piling of rain water in ponds, and low grounds all over the city's main streets, the 5 rings roads, and the drives connecting the western entrance with the eastern exit, this proved the Benghazi is far away from ready to receive any amount of falling rain.

The showers that started early Sunday morning, went down all day in an irregular fall, causing waters in most of the city's round-abouts, and the heavy rain caused serious traffic jams in Ahmad Rafik Almahdawi Dr., 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th ring roads, with emphasis on the 3rd ring road, on which the water ponds caused its cross sections with Lebanon Street, and Palestine Street to collapse due to lack of proper road courses compaction, and wearing due to lack of asphalt on a very busy road.

As for residential areas, and neighborhoods, such as Alwehishi, Shebna, Assalam, Zwawa, Assirti, Assherif, Assalak, Greish, Sidi Younis, Allithey, where accumulations of rain water resulted in the appearance of huge water ponds, causing difficulty in the movement of people on foot, especially school students who were faced with the fact of walking to school and back-home in the lakes that rain water produced for them, with water over their heads, and under their feet.

The fact is that Benghazi drowned, and that was just a day of rain, a solid proof that the city is not ready yet to deal with mother nature, even the routes that were known to be get-aways for the locals were jammed with traffic, where water rose to a level cars could not pass.

A recurring episode that we expect every year, will the time come to resolve this mysterious puzzle, or will the episode of drowning homes and neighborhoods, crashing cars, and ones failing in water, will this become the way we welcome winter to our homes?

The War Against Islam

2009-10-20T06:53:00.000-07:00

Islam is misinterpreted everywhere, most young Europeans or Americans think that Islam is some kind of terrorist cult to annihilate Westerners, a clan of mad killers fighting everyone who is not a Muslim.

What I would like to ask is to read about the history of Islam, where it began, and the true leaders and heroes in Islamic history. Read how prophet Muhammad PBUH dealt with the torture of first Muslims from his own people, how he asked them to go to Aksum (Ethiopia) where it was governed by a Christian king at that time Aṣḥama ibn Abjar, and they did not attack the kingdom of Aksum, but peacefully asked to stay away from the torture, and hostility in Mecca.

Islam is not just a religion, it is a way of life, peaceful and harmonious. Islam drives the followers of this life method to be forgiving, and non-hostile, and rather cool when thinking or taking decisions.

Other then that: Islam is not reflected by the deeds of those who say they are Muslims, it is the truthful, meaningful, clear, and caring acts of a person that make him/her a Muslim.

Racism is totally rejected in Islam, there is no BLACK, WHITE, or any kind of discrimination at all, people are all equal. A person is not judged for what he/she looks, talks, or walks, they are judged for doing good, or bad, Quran proves this, so does Sun'na.

The last point is: the guides to Islam are Quran and Sun'na, and they are not to be read apart whether from each other, or in their entities, Quran is to be read as whole, so does Sun'na, so does the both of them.

Primavera Training

2009-10-16T12:34:00.000-07:00

By: Jamie Hanson

Primavera training is the excellent way by which you can plan, manage, execute any project proposed by the organization effectively and easily. In today's extremely competitive conditions, large business entities and companies have just realized that the businesses are driven forward by assignments only. Due to this reason, companies have become challenging on each project that they start. Therefore, Primavera is a helpful course to manage projects, their resources involving human and artificial, their plan, their whole business procedures, the budget included and project change. Here are a few ways by which huge business entities are benefited with perfect Primavera courses, like:

Identify prior caution of the risks included in execution of project
Get better project's transparency
Predict the project status- on time or on budget, at project finish
Working as a team within enterprise environment

An effectient Primavera training course provides all the participants better contact on Primavera software. The main advantage of this training is that the students get practical training of the software. If you are searching for some genuine and extremely qualified company offering project management, project controls consulting, software sales, implementations and coaching on Oracle Primavera software suite, look no more. You get required Primavera training provided by certified training institutes, so that you can confidently handle any large enterprise project easily. Because of the advanced technology, it is become very essential that students get a perfect coaching and learn the significance of operating Primavera P6 project management software for their execution and planning.

Every teacher at Emerald has hands-on experience operating enterprise projects using Primavera tools. During Primavera class, answers are adapted to attendees real life experience by Emerald Associates's highly qualified teachers.

There may be several training institutes out there, but today, Emerald Associates is one among the 6 worlds Oracle Primavera Premium Partners offering an entire list of certified Primavera training programs . This is the entire list of training programs provided by Emerald Associates: Project Risk - 501, P6 for Turnarounds - T100, Primavera P6 - Basic 102, Primavera P6 - Adv 106-A, Primavera P6 - Adv 106-P, Primavera P6 - Adv 106-R, Primavera P6 - Web 101, Primavera P6 - Web 107, Expedition - E202, Cost Manager - CM100, Primavera SureTrak - 401, Primavera Prosight and Custom Training. One of the remarkable achievements of Emerald Associates is that it has been rewarded with "Oracle Certified Advantage Partner" status, which is the latest Primavera attainment by Oracle.

You can get a thorough certified Primavera training in North America. This company provides top training courses to help buld and complete any project offered by the company most successfully. As the students get practical training, it helps them to gain thorough background in basic concepts of project like planning, forecasting, scheduling and management on Oracle Primavera software suite.

Author Resource:-> Know more about Primavera training - USA and Primavera training - Canada at emerald-associates.com Article From Articlebliss

Electronic Banking, in Libya!

2009-10-15T08:20:00.000-07:00

The first privately operated Libyan banking service provider, Bank of Commerce and Development, launched an e-banking service, an Online Bank they called it, but my question is: Is it secure?

Banks deal with very sensitive data, its sensitivity comes from having to deal directly with bank accounts, and those have MONEY in them. So is the quality of services that high? Did Libyan banks, private or government owned, become that capable of providing such service, and running it without the risk of an info leak, or a security breach?

I guess not, my answer will be... But what might you think? My advice: Do not use such services, or any other kind of service that might make you the victim of online banking theft crimes, and believe me, there are a lot of those who can hack into banking systems and rob them clean.

Eljaroshi: Libyana goes a long way the other way!

2009-10-15T08:17:00.000-07:00

Not a long time ago, I was installing some games on a friend's portable computer, and I was amazed to find on his computer a copy of Libyana Mobile Phone Company's client's database, containing all kinds of very important information, to name a few: names, phone numbers, and addresses, I asked him: Where did you get this? He said: Everyone has it.

I found some people I know, and this just disturbed me, if they have to have it, they have to take care of it.

The other issue is the use of this database goes against all ethics, Islamic teachings, and it just disgusted me.

Please be aware that Libyana's database contains more then 2 million users, that just make the concept of Information Security trash material in Libya. And they get paid 150 Dirhams per minute, what a waste of time, money, and what a risk we take giving our REAL information for those people.

PMI July event in Rosario, Argentina

2009-07-20T03:43:00.000-07:00

PMForum News

Sunday, July 19, 2009
Reported by Ana Maria Rodriguez in Argentina

The Buenos Aires Argentina Chapter of the Project Management Institute (PMIBA), invites all to a lecture on the topic of "The Successful PM Office" to be offered by Ana Maria Rodriguez, Leader of PMIBA in Rosario. The event will be hosted at the Majestic Hotel (pictured at right), 980 San Lorenzo Street, Rosario on July 30th, at 6pm-8pm.

The event is open to members and non-members of PMIBA. Those interested in attending should send an email to eventosrosario@pmi.org.ar

With almost 300,000 members in more than 170 countries, PMI offers professional development opportunities, networking, training events and the well recognized Project Management Professional Certificate (PMP), among other benefits.

Read it on PMForum

Applications for High-Speed Rail Projects in USA total $102 Billion

2009-07-20T03:31:00.001-07:00

PMFORUM News
Monday, July 20, 2009

The US Department of Transportation has announced that the Federal Railroad Administration has received 278 pre-applications for grant funding totaling $102 billion. The money will come from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) for the High-Speed Intercity Passenger Rail competitive grant program.

"The response has been tremendous and shows that the country is ready for high-speed rail," U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood (pictured right) said. "It's time to look beyond our highways and invest in public transportation services like rail, which will enhance regional mobility and reduce our carbon footprint."

Pre-applications by region:

West - 108 Pre-applications total $38 billion
Northeast - 79 Pre-applications total $35 billion
Midwest - 47 Pre-applications total $13 billion
South/Southeast - 44 Pre-applications total $16 billion

Forty states and the District of Columbia filed pre-applications. While not all proposed projects can be funded, the Department will work with states and regions to identify priorities and prepare for ongoing high-speed passenger rail development. The US Congress passed the Recovery Act, which included an $8 billion competitive grant program as a down payment to develop high-speed and intercity passenger rail networks. The President has proposed a continuing $1 billion annual investment to further this effort.

The US Department of Transportation issued a strategic plan for high-speed rail in April 2009, followed by guidelines for states and groups of states to apply for the economic recovery money in June 2009. The Department expects to announce the first round of merit-based grants in the fall. The final application deadline is August 24 for funding on individual projects and planning, and October 2 for corridor programs.

To learn more about President Obama's vision for high-speed rail in America, go to: http://www.fra.dot.gov/us/content/31

Read it on PMForum

Space Shuttle Endeavor finally Launches from Florida to complete Japanese Lab

2009-07-16T15:13:00.000-07:00

PMFORUM Breaking News

Thursday, July 16, 2009

After five previous attempts over the past week, the Space Shuttle Endeavour and its seven-member crew finally launched at 6:03 p.m. EDT (23:03 GMT) Wednesday, 15 July 2009, from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The mission is to deliver the final segment to the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's Kibo laboratory and a new crew member to the International Space Station.

Image at left: Endeavor liftoff, courtesy of NASA.

Endeavour's 16-day mission includes five spacewalks and the installation of two platforms outside the Japanese module. One platform is permanent and will allow experiments to be directly exposed to space. The other is an experiment storage pallet that will be detached and returned with the shuttle. During the mission, Kibo's robotic arm will transfer three experiments from the pallet to the exposed platform. Future experiments also can be moved to the platform from the inside of the station using the laboratory's airlock.

Shortly before liftoff, Commander Mark Polansky thanked the teams that helped make the launch possible. "Endeavour has patiently waited for this," said Polansky. "We're ready to go, and we're going to take all of you with us on a great mission."

Polansky is joined on STS-127 by Pilot Doug Hurley and Mission Specialists Christopher Cassidy, Tom Marshburn, Dave Wolf, Canadian Space Agency astronaut Julie Payette, and Tim

Kopra. Kopra will replace space station crew member Koichi Wakata, who has been aboard the station for more than three months. Kopra will return to Earth during the next station shuttle mission, STS-128, targeted to launch in August 2009. Hurley, Cassidy Marshburn and Kopra are first-time space fliers.

Image at right: Front row, Commander Mark Polansky (right) and Pilot Doug Hurley. Back row (left to right), astronauts Dave Wolf, Christopher Cassidy, Canadian Space Agency's Julie Payette, Tom Marshburn and Tim Kopra, all mission specialists.

Endeavour's first landing opportunity at Kennedy is scheduled for Friday, July 31 at 10:45 a.m. STS-127 is the 127th space shuttle flight, the 29th to the station, the 23rd for Endeavour and the third in 2009.

NASA is providing continuous television and Internet coverage of Endeavour's mission. NASA Television features live mission events, daily mission status news conferences and 24-hour commentary. For NASA TV streaming video, downlink and schedule information, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/ntv

NASA's Web coverage of STS-127 includes current mission information, interactive features, news conference images, graphics and videos.

Mission coverage, including the latest NASA TV schedule, also is available on the main space shuttle Web site at: http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle

Polansky will send updates about the mission from space to his Twitter account, Astro_127. He can be followed at: http://www.twitter.com/Astro_127

Live updates to the NASA News Twitter feed will be added throughout the shuttle mission and landing. To access the NASA News Twitter feed, visit: http://www.twitter.com/nasa

Created in 1958, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is America's focal point for research, development and exploration of outer space. In 2005, the US President and Congress committed the United States to exploring the solar system and beyond: completing assembly of the International Space Station, flying the new Crew Exploration Vehicle no later than 2014, returning astronauts to the moon by the end of the next decade, and sending human missions to Mars and beyond. For over 50 years, NASA has been leading the world in the use of advanced program and project management. Additional information about NASA can be found at www.nasa.gov.

Professor Jang Ra named International Academic Advisor for PMForum and PM World Today in Alaska

2009-07-15T18:02:00.000-07:00

July 14, 2009

Professor Jang Ra of University of Alaska Anchorage named International Academic Advisor for PMForum and project management eJournal PM World Today

Dallas, Texas — PMForum is pleased to announce that Jang Ra, Ph.D., professor of project management and Chair of the Engineering, Science & Project Management Department at the University of Alaska Anchorage has been named an International Academic Advisor for PMForum and the monthly project management eJournal PM World Today. The Master of Science in Project Management is one of the fastest growing programs in the UAA system.

According to PMForum President and Managing Editor David Pells, “Professor Ra is now growing one of the most visible and robust project management programs in the USA. As Chair of the department, he has helped bring project management to a higher level of visibility and academic standing in the University of Alaska system; and now they are introducing a PhD in Program Management. Dr. Ra has also been active internationally in recent years, having hosted the ProMAC 2008 conference last year. It is an honor to have Dr. Ra join our academic advisory council.”

Dr. Jang Ra, PhD, PMP is a professor and founding Chair of the Master of Science in Project Management Program (MSPM) at University of Alaska Anchorage. Under the leadership of Dr. Ra the MSPM program has grown to be one of the major graduate programs in the University of Alaska system. His specialties are in project management, multi-criteria decision making, and quantitative analysis. He has taught more than fifteen different graduate-level subjects since 1987 at University of Pittsburgh, Portland State University, George Washington University, University of Alaska-Fairbanks, Han-Yang University and UAA. Dr. Ra has offered extensive PM professional consulting services and training in the State of Alaska and the Pacific Rim.

UAA's Engineering, Science, and Project Management (ESPM) Department offers the MSPM degree program and project management (PM) training courses as a Project Management Institute Registered Education Provider (PMI REP®). These courses are offered at UAA's Anchorage University Center campus and via the Web, allowing participation by students from across Alaska, the USA and the world. In addition, the department has successfully delivered an 18-month customized, on-site MSPM degree program to a major, international transportation company in Seattle. All MSPM and PM courses are taught by highly qualified faculty and recognized industry professionals. The MSPM degree program includes detailed study and application of PMI's Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK®) process domains and knowledge areas across many industry sectors. Professional training courses include Project Management Professional (PMP®) certification examination preparation, Microsoft Project, Primavera, Project Controls, PM for Non-PMs and customized classes. For more information, visit www.uaa.alaska.edu/espm.

About the University of Alaska Anchorage

The University of Alaska educational system spans three separately accredited urban universities in Anchorage, Fairbanks and Juneau, and includes a dozen community campuses, from Ketchikan in Southeast Alaska, to Kotzebue, in the state's far north. The system enrolls over 32,000 students studying among the 430 programs offered, everything from certificates and associate degree programs to bachelor's, master's and doctorate degrees. The mission of the University of Alaska Anchorage (UAA) is to discover and disseminate knowledge through teaching, research, engagement, and creative expression. Located in Anchorage and on community campuses in South-central Alaska, UAA is committed to serving the higher education needs of the state, its communities, and its diverse peoples. The UAA is an open access university with academic programs leading to occupational endorsements; undergraduate and graduate certificates; and associate, baccalaureate, and graduate degrees in a rich, diverse, and inclusive environment. Visit www.alaska.edu.

About PMForum

PMForum operates http://www.pmforum.org, the world’s oldest project management website and a leading source of global project management news and information. PMForum also publishes the monthly online PM World Today e-Journal, where articles, reports and stories about projects and project management around the world can be found. PMForum is rapidly gaining global recognition due to its growing team of international advisors and correspondents, now representing more than 50 countries. For more information, visit www.pmforum.org. PMForum’s International Academic Advisors includes professors and heads of departments from some of the world’s leading universities. Information at www.pmworldtoday.net/team.htm.

SOURCE: PMForum, Inc.

editor@pmforum.org

The ENGINEERING MANAGEMENT

2009-05-07T09:38:00.001-07:00

That is what the Libyan Academy of Postgraduate Studies is calling its Masters of Business Administration in a Semi-Project Management Profession. The degree combines some project management knowledge areas "PMBOK", also some Construction Management views.

I train a lot of those people who enroll for this program, and I advise, and guide them along the way to choose a specialty and carry out a profession in RISK MANAGEMENT, which is the best profession this degree has to offer. The other two are vague, and not clear, I don't even remember their titles.

The people who teach this degrees' components are mixed between General Management doctors, Accounting professors, architects, civil engineers, and not one single teacher is a Project Management Specialist.

Will the day come when I see Project Management thrive in Libya?

Abdel

AECOM failing to make contractors use P6

2009-05-07T09:04:00.000-07:00

Since its declaration as program manager for Libya's HIB, AECOM has tried to make contractors working on infrastructure projects in Libya use Primavera P6 to plan, and monitor the construction of their projects.

The attempts failed 70% of the time, and the contractors claimed that this request is not contractual.

My idea was: OK, they don't want to do because its not mentioned in the contract, make it part of the contract, how hard is that?

The answer from a fellow construction management engineer: "This will have to pass through the traditional document cycle". In Libyan this means a very long time.

I'm still thinking about it, but I believe it could be done..

Abdel

Eljaroshi introduces AApM to the Libyan engineering society

2009-03-30T11:50:00.001-07:00

Libyan young Project Management Specialist, and Project Management Software coach Abdel Eljaroshi is writing a periodical column for "Sawaed Alemara" newsletter that is published by the largest engineering consultations corporation in Libya.

Eljaroshi's column is about introducing the American Academy of Project Management, and the International Project Management Commission to the Libyan engineering society, and discuss the training programs, and the certification programs offered by AApM.

The column will be initiated next week, and will continue as a regular on the newsletter.

NASA Awards Space Station Commercial Resupply Services Contracts

2008-12-26T04:05:00.002-08:00

Wednesday, December 24, 2008

WASHINGTON , DC - December 23, 2008 -- NASA has awarded two contracts -- one to Orbital Sciences Corp. of Dulles, Va., and one to Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) of Hawthorne, Calif. -- for commercial cargo resupply services to the International Space Station. At the time of award, NASA has ordered eight flights valued at about $1.9 billion from Orbital and 12 flights valued at about $1.6 billion from SpaceX.

These fixed-price indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity contracts will begin Jan. 1, 2009, and are effective through Dec. 31, 2016. The contracts each call for the delivery of a minimum of 20 metric tons of upmass cargo to the space station. The contracts also call for delivery of non-standard services in support of the cargo resupply, including analysis and special tasks as the government determines are necessary.

NASA has set production milestones and reviews on the contracts to monitor progress toward providing services. The maximum potential value of each contract is about $3.1 billion. Based on known requirements, the value of both contracts combined is projected at $3.5 billion.

These agreements will fulfill NASA's need to procure cargo delivery services to the space station using a U.S. commercial carrier after the retirement of the space shuttle.

For more information about the space station, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/station.

DOE Announces Funding Opportunity of up to $200 Million for Pilot and Demonstration Scale Biorefinery Projects

2008-12-26T04:05:00.001-08:00

Tuesday, December 23, 2008

Projects Will Demonstrate Continued Commitment to Develop Sustainable, Cost-Competitive Advanced Biofuels

WASHINGTON, DC - December 22, 2008 -- The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) today announced the issuance of a Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) for up to $200 million over six years (FY 2009 - FY 2014), subject to annual appropriations, to support the development of pilot and demonstration-scale biorefineries including the use of feedstocks such as algae and production of advanced biofuels such as bio-butanol, green gasoline and other innovative biofuels. The projects will support the Administration’s comprehensive energy strategy of increasing the nation’s energy, economic and national security by reducing our reliance on foreign oil, and reducing greenhouse gases. While supporting deployment and increased biofuels usage, DOE continues to focus on research and development of advanced biofuels technologies.

"This funding opportunity will look for the most promising technologies that can advance the potential of renewable biomass as a resource for second generation transportation biofuels," Acting Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy John F. Mizroch said. "The Department of Energy will select breakthrough integrated biorefinery projects that have technical and economic performance data at the bench or pilot scale to prove they are ready to move a step closer toward commercial readiness."

The FOA has two topic areas for biorefinery development:

Pilot-scale, minimum throughput of one dry tonne of feedstock per day with a minimum non-federal cost-share at 30 percent.
Demonstration-scale minimum throughput of 50 dry tonnes of feedstock per day, with a minimum non-federal cost-share at 50 percent.

DOE anticipates making approximately 5-12 awards under this announcement, depending on the topic area, and size of awards. Projects selected under this FOA will provide operational data that reduces the risk associated with commercialization. The intent of this FOA is to have integrated biorefinery projects at the pilot and demonstration scale levels operational within three to four years after applicants are selected. All projects must be located within the U.S., use feedstock from domestic biomass resources, and demonstrate significant greenhouse gas reductions on a lifecycle basis. This FOA adds to over $1 billion DOE has committed to research, development, and demonstration of cellulosic biofuels technology.

These pilot and demonstration-scale facilities are intended to lead to commercialization in the near term. If deployed on a large scale, these commercial facilities could produce volumes that could significantly contribute to the Energy and Independence Security Act (EISA) Renewable Fuels Standard goal of 21 billion gallons of advanced biofuels by 2022. The projects selected will demonstrate the commercial viability for producing advanced biofuels from a variety of biomass conversion technologies and non-food feedstocks, therefore reducing U.S. dependence on oil. Advanced biofuels produced from these projects are expected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by a minimum of 50 percent, as determined by the Environmental Protection Agency.

Letters of intent are due February, 20, 2009, and completed applications are due April 16, 2009. The complete FOA (number DE-PS36-09GO99038), can be viewed at www.grants.gov. Projects are expected to begin in Fiscal Year 2009 and continue through Fiscal Year 2014. Funding is subject to annual Congressional appropriations.

Sheraton Dallas Hotel Kicks Off $90 Million Renovation Project

2008-12-26T04:04:00.000-08:00

Monday, December 22, 2008

Guest room updates to become template for Sheraton hotels across the nation

DALLAS, TX - PRNewswire - December 19, 2008 -- Located at the heart of Dallas' commercial center, the Sheraton Dallas Hotel announced today that it has begun construction on the first phase of its $90 million renovation project which will include a comprehensive new design of its public spaces, guest rooms in the north and center towers and conference center. Led by Leo A. Daly, an internationally renowned architecture, planning, engineering, interior design and project management firm, completion of the four-phased renovation project is estimated for summer 2009.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20081219/DA53800)

Sheraton Dallas' renovation plan is part of a global initiative from Sheraton Hotels & Resorts and Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE: HOT) , to revitalize the iconic Sheraton brand and differentiate the guest experience at each of its 406 hotels across 71 countries.

"Our entire Sheraton Dallas team is excited to undergo a renovation of this magnitude and we look forward to transforming our hotel into a place where guests can kick back, relax and feel that they truly belong," said Ray Hammer, general manager of the Sheraton Dallas Hotel. "Most importantly, we are pleased that the renovations will be conducted in a manner that causes the least amount of disruption to our guests so that we may continue to provide the superior, personal touches that are so firmly associated with the Sheraton brand."

Phase one of the renovations includes changes to the fourth floor fitness center and pool area, registration desk and north end of the lobby. Phase two will cover the south end of the lobby and fourth floor meeting spaces. Phase three will include meeting spaces on the third and upper floors, as well as the Chaparral Room. The final phase will encompass the second floor meeting spaces. Renovations to the guest rooms, which will serve as the model template for all Sheraton hotels across the nation, will take place throughout the duration of the project.

Upon completion, the hotel will provide guests with a relaxing environment designed to ease the travel burden and help them feel at home. In particular, the guest rooms have been designed in response to guests' preferences for flexible room design through development of four distinct zones. They include a welcome area, a "connection zone" comprised of a modular, mobile desk that accommodate an individual's need for work, meeting space, entertainment or dining, a rest area featuring the luxurious Sheraton Sweet Sleeper bed, and a re-energizing bathroom area designed to minimize clutter and maximize space.

Guests in search of a community atmosphere where they will feel a sense of belonging, warmth and community will enjoy the social aspect of the new lobby, which has been inspired metaphorically by elements of nature and great public parks from around the world. Game tables and oversized chairs encourage playful interaction while a communal table allows guests to work as a group or independently. The heart of the new lobby features Link@Sheraton(SM) experienced with Microsoft(R), a unique lobby lounge enabling today's travelers - who live a digital lifestyle - to stay connected in today's 24/7 digital world with instant access to information and technology to check email, research local attractions and even print boarding passes using free Wi-Fi and Internet-enabled computer stations. The Link@Sheraton is a unique environment that meets the needs of Sheraton's core guest by enabling them to work, relax and remain connected to family and friends during their travels.

Meeting spaces will also draw from the nature elements used in the lobby design. Custom carpeting with patterns that evoke leaves, flowers and branches along with lighting sconces, glass fixtures and overhead lights bring a piece of the outdoors to the interior design.

The renovations will also allow the Sheraton Dallas hotel to offer guests state-of-art technology in guest rooms and public areas. New flat panel HDTV's will be installed in all guest rooms, suites, parlors and clubs and touch screen electronic monitors will be installed as directional guides in hallways throughout the entire hotel. Updates to the registration desk include an automated check-in kiosk for guests who prefer to bypass a personal check-in experience.

Green initiatives have also been incorporated into the renovations. In addition to using fluorescent lights, motion sensors and energy-saving appliances, the hotel is investing in an Energy Management System that will maximize a guest's comfort level while they occupy the room and minimize energy consumption and waste when the guest rooms and meeting spaces are not in use.

About the Sheraton Dallas Hotel

Located at the heart of Dallas' commercial center, the Sheraton Dallas offers an ideal meeting environment for events of any size. Featuring 1,840 guest rooms and over 230,000 square feet of meeting space, including the largest ballroom in Dallas and the historic Chaparral Club, the Sheraton Dallas combines form, function and style to host a video conference for 10 or a gala for 5,000. The hotel's meeting and event amenities include high-speed Internet access, complete audiovisual and production services and technicians, meeting and event staff, convention center staff and a full-time wedding coordinator. Guest amenities include 24-hour room service, express/video check-out options, an indoor and outdoor pool, full-service health club, sauna and complimentary breakfast and afternoon hors d'oeuvres with a wide selection of beverages at the Club Lounge. A variety of dining and entertainment options are also available.

For more information about the Sheraton Dallas, or to make a reservation, visit www.sheraton.com/Dallas. From the U.S. and Canada, reservations for any Sheraton hotel worldwide may be obtained by calling 1-800-325-3535 or logging onto www.starwoodhotels.com/sheraton.

Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20081219/DA53800
http://photoarchive.ap.org/
AP PhotoExpress Network: PRN2
PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com

Source: Sheraton Dallas Hotel

Contact:

Molli Samuels, ext. 22,

or

Michelle Frith, ext. 14,
both of Cooksey Communications,
+1-972-580-0662,
for Sheraton Dallas Hotel

Web Site: http://www.sheraton.com/Dallas
http://www.starwoodhotels.com/sheraton

Leading-Edge Project Planner Released Today

2008-12-26T04:03:00.003-08:00

Monday, December 22, 2008

LA HABRA, CA - December 19, 2008 -- The latest in Project Planning technology was released today by Project Manager Online Ltd.

The technology allows Project Managers and teams to plan their projects online. Microsoft Project, the leading project planning software world-wide for individuals does not enable teams to plan their projects online. So the team at Project Manager Online set about creating similar Project Management Software online that allows teams to plan, update and track their projects.

At ProjectManager.com, customers log in to their projects and create detailed project plans to set out the vision for their project. They can then use online planning tools to track the progress of their projects daily. And as team members enter timesheets, expense forms and update their work completed, the system immediately provides the Project Manager with a high level view of the progress of the project to date.

“The Project Planner uses the latest in online technologies to allow Project Managers to collaboratively plan projects,” says Craig Nicholson, Project Manager Online Technical Director. “The scheduling engine helps customers create a detailed task list and then schedule each task by allocating start and end dates. They can reschedule tasks, allocate resources and assign expenses on the fly. They can track progress at the helicopter level, and then drill down to see detailed progress every step of the way. And if they already have Microsoft Project, then they can simply import their project plans and start sharing them with colleagues online. It’s that simple.”

With the release of this Project Plannning Software, managers and teams are easily able to track the progress of their project on a minute-by-minute basis. They can view their actual vs planned progress and report on the difference between them. The reporting suite allows them to create project status reports at the click of a button and the built-in Project Dashboard allows teams to see the health of their projects at each step in the life cycle.

“The benefits to a project team in using this smart software are enormous,” says Nicholson. “Knowing at every point in the project life cycle whether you are on track or behind, is critical to success. You need to know how you’re progressing against schedule and your budget. This smart Project Planner tells you just that. It gives you all of the information you need to make quick decisions. It tells you when you’re ahead and when you’re behind. And if your project is over resourced or at risk, then you can quickly and easily get it back on track. It’s smart software for project professionals.”

In the future, Project Manager Online Ltd plan to integrate a suite of project management templates and project management methodologies, to further boost the value to their clients. For further information, visit ProjectManager.com.

Boeing to Launch 4th Earth-Observation Satellite for Italy

2008-12-26T04:03:00.001-08:00

Monday, December 22, 2008

ST. LOUIS, MO - PRNewswire-FirstCall - December 19, 2008 -- The Boeing Company (NYSE:BA),through its commercial launch business, has received a contract to launch the fourth satellite for the COSMO-SkyMed (Constellation of Small Satellites for Mediterranean basin Observation) program for Thales Alenia Space Italia, prime contractor of the Italian Space Agency.

The COSMO-SkyMed spacecraft is expected to be launched in 2010 from Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif., on a Delta II vehicle in the 7420-10 configuration.

"Boeing Launch Services is honored to provide the fourth COSMO-SkyMed mission for Thales Alenia Space," said Boeing Launch Services President Ken Heinly. "The proven reliability of the Delta II rocket has enabled the success of the COSMO-SkyMed program, and this fourth satellite will deliver the full capabilities of the system."

Boeing Launch Services will procure the launch vehicle and related support from United Launch Alliance, a Boeing-Lockheed Martin joint venture.

To support a rapid initial operating capability, Boeing successfully launched the first three COSMO-SkyMed satellites from Vandenberg within the 17-month period between June 2007 and October 2008.

Thales Alenia Space Italia developed the COSMO-SkyMed program for the Italian Space Agency and the Italian Ministry of Defense. It is an end-to-end Earth-observation system comprised of four medium-sized satellites and supporting ground stations, which provide orbit-control systems and data reception and processing. The system takes imagery of the Earth using an X- Band Synthetic Aperture Radar instrument capable of operating in all visibility conditions. Its institutional and commercial users include members of the civil, scientific and defense communities.

Boeing is committed to strengthening its more than 40-year partnership with the Italian aeronautics industry and to expanding its collaboration with the Italian Ministry of Defense. Thales Alenia Space has provided Delta II tanks to Boeing since 2001 and built the Cupola and Harmony Node 2 elements of the International Space Station (ISS) for the European Space Agency. Boeing is the prime contractor for the ISS.

Boeing Launch Services is a customer-focused subsidiary that provides business development, sales, procurement and program management of Delta launch services for commercial customers. It is part of the Space Exploration division of Boeing Integrated Defense Systems and is based in Huntington Beach, Calif.

A unit of The Boeing Company, Boeing Integrated Defense Systems (http://www.boeing.com/ids/) is one of the world's largest space and defense businesses specializing in innovative and capabilities-driven customer solutions, and the world's largest and most versatile manufacturer of military aircraft. Headquartered in St. Louis, Boeing Integrated Defense Systems is a $32.1 billion business with 71,000 employees worldwide.

Source: The Boeing Company

Contact:

Susan Wells of Boeing Communications,
+1-321-446-4970,
susan.h.wells@boeing.com,

or

Marcia Costley of Boeing International Communications,
+1-562-797-7281,
marcia.b.costley@boeing.com

Web site:
http://www.boeing.com/

Arabian World Construction Summit (AWCS) 2009 to Analyse Impact of Global Economic Crisis on Regional Projects

2008-12-26T04:02:00.000-08:00

Friday, December 19, 2008

Dubai: 17 December, 2008 --

60 Industry Leaders and 700 Delegates to Converge in Abu Dhabi for 3-Day Event

MEED, the region's premier business intelligence provider and organizers of the Arabian World Construction Summit (AWCS) 2009, today announced the impact of the current global credit crisis on the region’s projects will be among the key issues that will come up for discussion during the event.

To be held at the Emirates Palace in Abu Dhabi from 9–11 February, the event themed ‘Business Sustainability in a Challenging Market' will see more than 60 experts and over 700 delegates analysing key issues impacting new industry dynamics.

Addressing a press conference, Edmund O’Sullivan, MEED Events Chairman said: “We have lined up an in-depth agenda for the upcoming AWCS 2009 that will include interactive panel discussions on the current economic scenario. The event is already being looked forward to with great anticipation for the industry specific forecasts that it is expected to highlight.

“AWCS will serve as a distinct networking platform allowing participants to outline an agenda of sustainable growth based on fresh innovative business models.”

In the run up to the event, two industry experts, David Mosey and Andrew Greaves from the law firm Trowers & Hamlins, will lead a pre-summit workshop offering detailed overview and insight into the growing role of project partnering in the Gulf. An in-depth discussion on ‘Bridging old divides for predictability, productivity and profitability’ will form the highlight of this segment focusing on key areas of resource management, cost certainty, timetable for delivery, risk management and end user satisfaction.

Abdul Majeed Ismail Al Fahim, Chairman of Pearl Dubai FZ LLC, said: “A reality check such as this will help create an appropriate environment for the market to mature and enable industry players to adopt a meticulous and rigorous approach to project management. As developers of the landmark Dubai Pearl project, we look forward to deriving positive and enriching perspectives at AWCS that will be brought to the table for the benefit of all segments of the industry.”

AWCS participants will deliberate on the three key factors leading to sustainable development: economic growth, social cohesion and environmental sustainability, and how these could be achieved while coping with high regional and international volatility.

Mounir Haidar, Chief Executive Officer of Sorouh Real Estate PJSC, said: “The MEED Arabian World Construction Summit is an important event for the region, providing an opportunity for industry leaders and decision makers to come together and discuss current and future development plans. The summit is particularly relevant in light of today’s global economic situation.”

Paul Robinson, Group Manager, Non-ferrous Metals, CRU Group, will present an outlook for the cost of raw materials in the construction industry using the CRU Construction Commodity Index. He will also assess the impact on the supply-demand dynamics arising out of project cancellations and delays. As cash flow gains added importance, the ‘price volatility’ mini-workshop will focus on cost savings through efficient allocation of resources.

AWCS 2009 will draw to a close with a VIP tour around the Al Raha beach project site.

MEED’s highly anticipated events are intended to benefit industry leaders seeking to become key players in the market. By delivering comprehensive industry information, MEED seeks to connect people by hosting some of the most acclaimed events in the industry. In pursuing its ambitious objectives, MEED consciously raises the industry benchmark and brings up to date market intelligence and insights to the fore.

About MEED:

MEED is internationally recognised as providing essential business intelligence for anyone doing business in, or with, the Middle East and North Africa. With journalists and contacts across the entire Middle East and North Africa region, MEED provides reliable, up-to-date business news, analysis and data in both print and online. MEED attracts customers from across 78 countries worldwide.

For further information, please contact:

Agency:

Muhannad Al Badri
Jiwin
Tel: +971 4 361 3572
Fax: + 971 4 3688001
E-mail: muhannad.albadri@jiwin.ae

Jan Dabrowa
Jiwin
Tel: +971 4 374 8566
Mobile: +971 5 922 3684
Fax: + 971 4 3688001
E-mail: jan.dabrowa@jiwin.ae

Anca Westley
Director - Summits
MEED
Tel:+971 4 368 1641
Fax: +971 4 368 8025
E-mail: anca.westley@meed-dubai.com

Cassie Start
Campaign Manager - Summits
MEED
Tel:+ 971 4 364 2324
Fax: +971 4 368 8025
E-mail: cassie.start@meed-dubai.com

Program Management Academy announces new Requirements Workshop to be held February 20, 2009

2008-12-26T04:01:00.000-08:00

Tuesday, December 16, 2008

PORTLAND, OR - December 12, 2008 --

For Personal Development in Writing and Managing Great Requirements, Attend the Public Workshop Offered February 20, 2009.

Portland, Oregon, USA – The Program Management Academy will sponsor a public workshop on writing good project and program requirements titled ”Getting Great Requirements”. The workshop will be held in Portland, Oregon, USA on February 20, 2009. The instructor is Debra Lavell, a nationally recognized requirements training expert.

The workshop is highly interactive, with individual and small-team exercises specifically oriented toward improvement of the quality of your project or program requirements. Best practices, tips and techniques are taught which can be used immediately to increase project effectiveness and improve business results.

The workshop is kicked off by building a foundation emphasizing the business case behind requirements engineering, the purpose of requirements, and an overview of the various, tools, tips, and techniques required to successfully improve the requirements engineering activities in your organization. By the end of the workshop, you will have high quality requirements to take back to your organization as well as a practical process to document and manage the requirements for your projects.

The 1-day workshop will be held in Tigard, Oregon at the Courtyard by Marriott. This beautiful setting is an easy 40 minutes from the PDX airport and immediately off the I-5 freeway. Lunch, snacks, and refreshments are provided during the workshop. Upon completion, students can receive PDU credits.

This course is offered in collaboration between the Program Management Academy and Innovation Frameworks. For more information, visit one of the following websites: www.innovationframeworks.com or http://www.programmanagement-academy.com.

Click here to register for February 20, 2009 or for assistance contact the registrar: rose.marshall@innovationframeworks.com.

About the Program Management Academy

The Program Management Academy was created to help companies, organizations, and individuals better understand the principles of program management and to improve their program management practices. The primary goals of the Program Management Academy are: (1) To increase the awareness of program management as a critical business function; (2) To provide training, coaching, and consultation for individuals, teams and organizations practicing program management; and (3) To perform research and continued publication to further evolve program and business management practices worldwide. For additional information about the Program Management Academy, visit http://www.programmanagement-academy.com.

New Project Management Methodology for Teams

2008-12-26T03:59:00.000-08:00

Monday, December 15, 2008

Method123 Ltd today announced the release of its new software for project teams.

The “Method123 Project Management Methodology” (or MPMM) is a software toolset for organizations that run multiple projects at the same time. These organizations usually need to implement projects in a standard manner, using best practice project processes. MPMM contains such processes to ensure that projects are always run in the same way.

“Project management can be chaos at times,” says Jason Westland, CEO of Method123. “Everyone is scrambling for time, money and resources to try and achieve an objective that the organization is dependent on meeting. Most successful organizations attempt to control this chaos by implementing projects in a standard manner. Every project passes through the same life cycle phases, they have the same reporting mechanisms, and changes, risks and issues are all handled in the same manner. It’s like clockwork. Everyone knows what they have to do, by when and how to do it. The only way to achieve this is by implementing a best practice methodology. That’s where MPMM steps in. It describes every phase, activity and task in the project life cycle so that projects can be undertaken in the same repeatible manner. It’s a recipe for success.”

In this latest version of MPMM, Project Managers and teams can create and customize their own methodologies for projects. They can take the methodology that comes with the product and customize it by adding their own terminology, language and acronyms. They can also adapt the processes to conform to their own organizational standards and they can upload new processes as they wish. Teams can create as many project management methodologies as they wish.

Originally released as stand alone software, this new version allows teams to collaborate on projects. Team members can all work on the same project management methodologies at the same time. And they can upload their own project management templates into the tool to act as a repository for their projects.

In the future, Method123 Ltd is planning to allow Project Managers to publish their own project management methodologies to their corporate intranet, so that the entire compnay can access the valuable knowledge included.

“A Project Manager’s job is not an easy one,” says Westland. “They have a lot of deliverables to produce within a very short period of time. Adopting a standard methodology to followcan reduce their stress levels because no longer do they have to work out how they are going to achieve everything. The Method123 Project Management Methodology describes every step in the project life cycle, so that Project Managers know what they have to do and when. It’s as easy to follow as 1-2-3.”

LYPMA offers Project Management Training with NHR Inc. in Benghazi

2008-12-14T04:59:00.000-08:00

Starting from January 2009 LYPMA will launch a 7 months training program based on preparatory materials for the PMI's PMP Exam, the program will carry the commercial brand: (PMs for Excellence) .

The LYPMA joined NHR Inc. starting this course inthe city of Benghazi that thrives with construction projects nowadays, these courses will be a particular segment of the professional training-for-accreditation programs LYPMA is planning to offer by mid 2009.

The modules of PMs for Excellence is:
1. Introducing Project Management.
2. Project Phases.
3. Project Planning.
4. Execution and Construction.
5. QA/QC.
6. Monitoring and Control.
7. Risk Management.
8. Closing and Handing Over Procedure.

The program will be available and NHR's Engineers Development Center will accept applications starting January 1st 2009.

EMC Corporation Joins Project Management Institute Global Corporate Council

2008-12-08T13:22:00.001-08:00

Monday, December 08, 2008

NEWTOWN SQUARE, PA - November 20, 2008 -- Project Management Institute (PMI), the world's leading not-for-profit professional association for the project management profession, announces that EMC Corporation has recently joined its Global Corporate Council, having successfully fulfilled PMI's rigorous partnership criteria.

The PMI Global Corporate Council is composed of 28 major corporations and government agencies from around the world. These predominantly multinational companies represent more than two million employees in 190 countries and within 13 industries. The Council provides a forum for organizations that utilize enterprise-wide project management to advance the profession through increased publicity and global recognition. Global Corporate Council members are strong proponents of utilizing project management for tactical efficiencies, strategic advantage and a more effective overall organization.

Global Corporate Council partners gain access to the project expertise and knowledge of other senior-level leaders at key corporations and government agencies. As a strategic advisor to PMI, the Council meets twice per year.

By aligning with PMI, EMC Corporation joins organizations such as IBM, Lockheed Martin, Boeing, the U.S. Department of Energy, SAP and Huawei Technologies in advancing the profession by increasing recognition of project management’s strategic and tactical importance.

About Project Management Institute (PMI)

Project Management Institute (pmi.org) is the leading advocate for the project management profession globally. Founded in 1969, PMI has more than 425,000 members and credential holders in 175 countries. PMI’s Project Management Professional (PMP®) credential is recognized as the only globally transferable credential in project management.

Media contacts:

Pamela Green
Project Management Institute
+ 1 610 356 4600 x7030
Pamela.Green@PMI.org

Kaycee Holmes
Edelman
+1 214 443 7597
Kaycee.Holmes@edelman.com

©2008 Project Management Institute, Inc. All right reserved.
The PMI logo is a registered mark of the Project Management Institute, Inc.
PMP is a registered certification mark of the Project Management Institute, Inc.
The PMI Global Corporate Council logo is a mark of the Project Management Institute, Inc.

New PMI Research Compilation Defines Roles, Responsibilities and Characteristics of Sponsorship Role in Project Management

2008-12-08T13:21:00.002-08:00

Sunday, December 07, 2008

NEWTOWN SQUARE, PA - November 19, 2008 -- Project Management Institute (PMI), the world's leading member association and advocate for the project management profession, announces the release of a new research title, Situational Sponsorship of Projects and Programs: An Empirical Review (200 pp, tpb, $29.95 USD).

From projects in construction to IT, project sponsors, or advocates, play a crucial role in the success of projects of any magnitude. Sponsors are typically high-level champions of projects, providing approval and lobbying for funding, promoting support for the project among stakeholders, encouraging recognition and supporting team member reviews. Often times project success lies with not only the project managers leading the way, but with the support of the project sponsor pushing the project through the process.

Situational Sponsorship is a collection of academic studies related to the formal and informal aspects of the sponsorship role. The research compilation aims to clarify roles and responsibilities of the sponsor within corporate and project governance frameworks, as well as identify the characteristics of effective performance of the sponsor role.

With the different needs and concerns surrounding large projects, the need for an advocate becomes imperative to the success of the project and the roles and responsibilities, along with characteristics of effective performance, must be highlighted. Within the research, two significant roles emerged, depending on the specific contexts of the projects and organizations. In certain cases, the sponsor takes on a governance role to protect the interests of the organization, while in other cases, the sponsor acts as an advocate for the project.

“Aside from good ideas and hard work, the essential driving force behind the evolution of project management is research,” said Edwin Andrews, director of academic and educational programs and services at Project Management Institute. “Research compilations such as Situational Sponsorship are vital to the project management profession because they allow the project management body of knowledge to continue to grow and evolve with the profession.”

PMI is the only global project management advocacy organization with a dedicated research department, allowing PMI to keep at the forefront of project management research, testing theories and solutions which inevitably lead to best practices and finally, global standards. In addition to conducting its own research, the PMI Research Program sponsors and supports projects conducted by researchers and academic institutions all over the world, offering full or partial financial support. Through research compilations such as Situational Sponsorship of Project and Programs: An Empirical Review, the PMI Research Program advances the profession by exploring, discovering and defining best practices in project management that evolve into global standards, allowing all project managers in all industries to speak a unified project management language.

About Project Management Institute (PMI)

Project Management Institute (pmi.org) is the leading advocate for the project management profession globally. Founded in 1969, PMI has more than 425,000 members and credential holders in 174 countries. PMI’s Project Management Professional (PMP®) credential is recognized as the only globally transferable credential in project management.

http://www.pmi.org/Marketplace/Pages/ProductDetail.aspx?GMProduct=00101032801
ISBN: 9781933890463 | Paperback, 200 pp. | Retail: $29.95 (US)

To place an order visit PMI.org/Marketplace

Resellers contact:

PMI Book Service Center
Phone: 1-866-276-4764 (US & Canada); +1-770-280-4129 (globally)
E-mail: Book.Orders@PMI.org

To request a review copy contact: BooksOnline@PMI.org

Media contact:

Kaycee Holmes
Edelman for PMI
+1 214 443 7597
kaycee.holmes@edelman.com

©2008 Project Management Institute, Inc. All right reserved.
The PMI logo is a registered mark of the project Management Institute, Inc.
PMP is a registered certification mark of the project Management Institute, Inc.

Project Management Associations to Work Jointly on Education and Research Initiatives

2008-12-08T13:21:00.001-08:00

Saturday, December 06, 2008

Organizations will jointly pursue efforts to increase the supply of qualified, educated professionals

NEWTOWN SQUARE, PA - December 03, 2008 -- Project Management Institute (PMI) and International Project Management Association (IPMA) have signed a memorandum of understanding to collaborate on globally promoting the profession of project management.In pursuing their mutual objectives, the two organizations will immediately seek opportunities to increase the supply of qualified, educated professionals to fill expected vacancies in the profession.

“By the end of 2016, $4.5 trillion in global project expenditures will be at risk due to a shortage of qualified project managers,” said Philip Diab, chairman of the board of directors for PMI. “Together, PMI and IPMA can more effectively address this critical talent shortfall by pursuing growth in accreditation of university programs and by substantially increasing the number of colleges and universities worldwide that teach project management.”

The organizations will also explore future opportunities to improve the quality and quantity of academic research on the project management profession and its application. Both organizations support research and plan to fund or sponsor research projects of mutual interest and will share the results.

The memorandum of understanding will be effective for three years.

About Project Management Institute (PMI)

Project Management Institute (pmi.org) is the leading advocate for the project management profession globally. Founded in 1969, PMI has more than 425,000 members and credential holders in 175 countries. PMI’s Project Management Professional (PMP^®) credential is recognized as the only globally transferable credential in project management.

KBR Awarded Lobito Refinery Site Development Contract by Sonangol, E.P.

2008-12-08T13:20:00.002-08:00

Saturday, December 06, 2008

HOUSTON, TX - (BUSINESS WIRE) - December 05, 2008 -- KBR (NYSE:KBR) announced today that it has been awarded a site development contract by Sonangol, E.P. to provide engineering, procurement and construction management services for the 200,000 barrel per day (bpd) Lobito refinery, located in Lobito, Angola.

The site development contract award follows KBR’s Front-End Engineering and Design (FEED) contract awarded in November 2008. KBR will provide engineering, procurement and construction management services for the infrastructure necessary to support the construction of the refinery. This includes the development of a heavy haul road used to transport material and equipment to the refinery, as well as a marine facility that will be used to import and export both raw and finished hydrocarbon products. Work on the contract is expected to begin immediately.

“KBR is pleased to receive this second contract related to the Lobito Refinery,” said John Quinn, President, Downstream for KBR. “This award demonstrates Sonangol’s recognition of KBR’s strong commitment to helping our client achieve their objective of reducing Angola’s reliance on imported refined products.”

KBR is a global engineering, construction and services company supporting the energy, petrochemicals, government services and civil infrastructure sectors. The company offers a wide range of services through its Downstream, Government and Infrastructure, Services, Technology, Upstream and Ventures business segments. For more information, visit www.kbr.com.

Contacts:

KBR, Houston
Director, Communications
Heather Browne, 713-753-3775
heather.browne@kbr.com

or

Director, Investor Relations
Rob Kukla, Jr., 713-753-5082
investors@kbr.com

Source: KBR

Project Management Associations to Work Jointly on Education and Research Initiatives

2008-12-08T13:20:00.001-08:00

Friday, December 05, 2008

Organizations will jointly pursue efforts to increase the supply of qualified, educated professionals

NEWTOWN SQUARE, PA - December 03, 2008 -- Project Management Institute (PMI) and International Project Management Association (IPMA) have signed a memorandum of understanding to collaborate on globally promoting the profession of project management.In pursuing their mutual objectives, the two organizations will immediately seek opportunities to increase the supply of qualified, educated professionals to fill expected vacancies in the profession.

"By the end of 2016, $4.5 trillion in global project expenditures will be at risk due to a shortage of qualified project managers," said Philip Diab, chairman of the board of directors for PMI. "Together, PMI and IPMA can more effectively address this critical talent shortfall by pursuing growth in accreditation of university programs and by substantially increasing the number of colleges and universities worldwide that teach project management."

The organizations will also explore future opportunities to improve the quality and quantity of academic research on the project management profession and its application. Both organizations support research and plan to fund or sponsor research projects of mutual interest and will share the results.

The memorandum of understanding will be effective for three years.

About Project Management Institute (PMI)

Project Management Institute (pmi.org) is the leading advocate for the project management profession globally. Founded in 1969, PMI has more than 425,000 members and credential holders in 175 countries. PMI’s Project Management Professional (PMP^®) credential is recognized as the only globally transferable credential in project management.

Contact:

Pamela Green
Project Management Institute
+ 1 610 356 4600 x7030
Pamela.Green@pmi.org

or

Kaycee Holmes
Edelman
+1 214 443 7597
Kaycee.Holmes@Edelman.com

NASA Sets Target Shuttle Launch Date For Hubble Servicing Mission

2008-12-08T13:19:00.000-08:00

Friday, December 05, 2008

HOUSTON, TX - December 04, 2008 -- NASA announced Thursday that space shuttle Atlantis' STS-125 mission to repair the Hubble Space Telescope is targeted to launch May 12, 2009.

The final servicing mission to Hubble was delayed in September when a data handling unit on the telescope failed. Since then, engineers have been working to prepare a spare for flight. They expect to be able to ship the spare, known as the Science Instrument Command and Data Handling System, to NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida in spring 2009.

STS-125 is an 11-day flight featuring five spacewalks to extend Hubble's life into the next decade by refurbishing and upgrading the telescope with state-of-the-art science instruments and swapping failed hardware. Scott Altman will command STS-125, with Gregory C. Johnson serving as pilot. Mission specialists are veteran spacewalkers John Grunsfeld and Mike Massimino, and first-time space fliers Andrew Feustel, Michael Good and Megan McArthur.

The manifest has been adjusted to reflect current planning. The next space shuttle mission, STS-119, is targeted for launch on Feb. 12, 2009. Preparations continue for the STS-127 mission, currently targeted for launch in May 2009. That launch will be further assessed and coordinated with NASA's international partners at a later date. STS-128 is targeted for August 2009, and STS-129 is targeted for November 2009. All target launch dates are subject to change.

The shuttle launch manifest is available at: http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/structure/iss_manifest.html

For more information about the Hubble repair mission, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/hubble

NEXT NASA Mars Mission Rescheduled for 2011

2008-12-08T13:18:00.002-08:00

Friday, December 05, 2008

WASHINGTON, DC - December 04, 2008 -- NASA's Mars Science Laboratory will launch two years later than previously planned in the fall of 2011. The mission will send a next-generation rover with unprecedented research tools to study the early environmental history of Mars.

A launch date of October 2009 no longer is feasible because of testing and hardware challenges that must be addressed to ensure mission success. The window for a 2009 launch ends in late October. The relative positions of Earth and Mars are favorable for flights to Mars only a few weeks every two years. The next launch opportunity after 2009 is in 2011.

"We will not lessen our standards for testing the mission's complex flight systems, so we are choosing the more responsible option of changing the launch date," said Doug McCuistion, director of the Mars Exploration Program at NASA Headquarters in Washington. "Up to this point, efforts have focused on launching next year, both to begin the exciting science and because the delay will increase taxpayers' investment in the mission. However, we've reached the point where we can not condense the schedule further without compromising vital testing."

The Mars Science Laboratory team recently completed an assessment of the progress it has made in the past three months. As a result of the team's findings, the launch date was changed.

"Despite exhaustive work in multiple shifts by a dedicated team, the progress in recent weeks has not come fast enough on solving technical challenges and pulling hardware together," said Charles Elachi, director of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif. "The right and smart course now for a successful mission is to launch in 2011."

The advanced rover is one of the most technologically challenging interplanetary missions ever designed. It will use new technologies to adjust its flight while descending through the Martian atmosphere, and to set the rover on the surface by lowering it on a tether from a hovering descent stage. Advanced research instruments make up a science payload 10 times the mass of instruments on NASA's Spirit and Opportunity Mars rovers. The Mars Science Laboratory is engineered to drive longer distances over rougher terrain than previous rovers. It will employ a new surface propulsion system.

Rigorous testing of components and systems is essential to develop such a complex mission and prepare it for launch. Tests during the middle phases of development resulted in decisions to re-engineer key parts of the spacecraft.

"Costs and schedules are taken very seriously on any science mission," said Ed Weiler, associate administrator for NASA's Science Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters. "However, when it's all said and done, the passing grade is mission success."

The mission will explore a Mars site where images taken by NASA's orbiting spacecraft indicate there were wet conditions in the past. Four candidate landing sites are under consideration. The rover will check for evidence of whether ancient Mars environments had conditions favorable for supporting microbial life and preserving evidence of that life if it existed there.

NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the Mars Science Laboratory project for the Science Mission Directorate.

For more information about the Mars Science Laboratory, visit: http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl

URS to Provide Support to the Navy Education and Training Professional Development Technology Center

2008-12-08T13:18:00.001-08:00

Friday, December 05, 2008

Contract Has Maximum Value of $41 Million

SAN FRANCISCO, CA - (BUSINESS WIRE) - December 04, 2008 -- URS Corporation (NYSE:URS) today announced that it has been selected to provide training support products and services to the Navy Education and Training Professional Development Technology Center (NETPDTC) to serve the U.S. Navy's Manpower, Personnel, Training and Education (MPT&E) Enterprise in Pensacola, Florida. The indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity contract, which includes a one-year base period followed by four one-year options, has a maximum value of $41 million to URS, if all options are exercised.

Under the terms of the contract, URS will provide instructional systems development, program management and analytical support services to the MPT&E Enterprise, which includes over 26 Navy Training Commands, Schools and Training Centers, as well as other Department of Defense customers. URS will support strategic DoD initiatives including, training technology support, education strategy and policy alignment, workforce development support, and enterprise decision support.

Commenting on the contract award, Randall A. Wotring, President of the EG&G Division, said, "We are proud to have been selected to provide the U.S. Navy with training support, using state of the art technologies that will improve Navy readiness. We look forward to continuing to assist the Navy with its preparation of our sailors."

URS Corporation (NYSE:URS) is a leading provider of engineering, construction and technical services for public agencies and private sector companies around the world. The Company offers a full range of program management; planning, design and engineering; systems engineering and technical assistance; construction and construction management; operations and maintenance; and decommissioning and closure services. URS provides services for power, infrastructure, industrial and commercial, and federal projects and programs. Headquartered in San Francisco, the Company operates through three divisions: the URS Division, the EG&G Division and the Washington Division. URS Corporation has more than 50,000 employees in a network of offices in more than 30 countries (www.urscorp.com).

Contact:

URS Corporation
H. Thomas Hicks, 415-774-2700
Vice President & Chief Financial Officer

or

Sard Verbinnen & Co
Hugh Burns/Jamie Tully/Jane Simmons
212-687-8080

Source: URS Corporation

Schal to Manage Project to Transform London's Exhibition Road in GBP30M Plan

2008-12-08T13:17:00.002-08:00

Friday, December 05, 2008

LONDON, UK - PRNewswire - December 04, 2008 -- Development to Deliver Better Traffic Flow and Pedestrian Safety

The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea has appointed Balfour Beatty to carry out the first phase of works of the ambitious GBP30M plan to transform Exhibition Road, the heart of London's museum district, into a "shared" space for cars and pedestrians.

The project is being managed by Schal, the project management arm of TPS Consult (part of the Carillion Group), and will start in the New Year by unravelling the one way system around South Kensington Station. This will improve traffic flow; provide new direct pedestrian crossings and more pavement space, greatly improving pedestrian safety and driving conditions for motorists.

The second phase which is now out to tender is for the paving works which is proposed to be in granite in a 'diamond' pattern. Subject to funding, it is hoped that these works will start in the autumn of 2009.

Steve Child, Schal's Director, commented: "This is a most ambitious development that demonstrates the Royal Borough's commitment to improving the public realm. It also demonstrates the expertise of TPS in working with clients to deliver innovative and technically challenging projects."

The latest in a series of high profile contracts, Schal has also been appointed Project Manager and Construction Design and Management Co-ordinators to implement the historic restoration of Crossness Pumping Station. The restoration, part of a project costing GBP2.7 million, is due to start in early 2009, with Schal handling project management of exhibition, catering, retail, visitor facilities, ticketing, volunteer facilities, repairs to the roofs and external walls and landscape work to create a Victorian garden and habitat areas.

The contract continues on from the company's earlier appointment to help the Crossness Engines Trust with its Stage 2 HLF application, where Schal's experts advised the Trust's Board on a range of project management issues including programme, strategic approach and consultant appointments.

http://www.schal.com

Source: Schal

Contact:

Anna Morgan
anna@mediainkpr.com
+44(0)7909-905-882

Redcorp Ventures Ltd.: Appointment of Owner's Project Management Team

2008-12-08T13:17:00.001-08:00

Friday, December 05, 2008

VANCOUVER, BC - (Marketwire) - December 02, 2008 -- Redcorp Ventures Ltd. (TSX:RDV) ("Redcorp" or the "Company") and its wholly-owned subsidiary, Redfern Resources Ltd. ("Redfern"), are pleased to announce the appointment of Global Project Management Corporation ("Global") to head the Tulsequah Chief Mine project management team and provide Owner's representation on site and with external contractors.

Global's principal is William (Bill) McKenzie, P.Eng., a well-known expert in project development and construction management in the mining industry and other major projects. Bill has over 35 years experience in diverse mining projects in Canada and globally. Bill will bring in additional key staff to provide full-time effective supervision and cost control services for the Company in order to achieve maximum efficiency during the main construction period at the mine site through 2009.

"We are very pleased to have secured the services of Bill McKenzie and his team to ensure that there is efficient coordination and integration of the construction management and engineering services and to assist in identifying improvements to logistics and contractor operations. Bill's expertise is at the highest level and well-recognized in the industry," stated Terry Chandler, Redcorp President and CEO.

Part of the scope of responsibility for Global will be to assist Redfern to integrate key operating staff into the construction management to ensure that there is a smooth transition to operations at the finalization of the mine build. Global has already commenced initial orientation and familiarization work and will bring full-time staff on stream by mid-December 2008.

Site Construction Progress

The Company is also pleased to report that the final bridge and causeway connecting the site access roads was put in place on November 30, three days ahead of schedule. This will now allow full movement of equipment and supplies to the mine site area and associated key infrastructure facilities, including the waste pads and future tailings facility areas.

Redcorp is a Vancouver based mineral exploration and development company with active projects in British Columbia, Canada and Portugal. Further information on Redcorp and the Tulsequah Project can be obtained on our website at www.redcorp-ventures.com and at Redfern's website at www.redfern.bc.ca or by calling toll-free to Troy Winsor, Manager of Investor Relations or Salina Landstad, Manager of Public Relations at the contact numbers listed below.

On Behalf Of The Board Of Directors Of Redcorp Ventures Ltd.

Terence Chandler, President and CEO

Certain of the statements made and information contained herein may contain "forward-looking information" within the meaning of the British Columbia Securities Act, Alberta Securities Act and Ontario Securities Act or "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 of the United States, including, without limitation, statements concerning the Company's plans at its Tulsequah Project and other mineral properties and the Company's revised economic evaluation of the Tulsequah Project, which involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, some of which are beyond the Company's control which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company, or industry results and/or consensus metal prices, to be materially different from any future results, metal prices, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking information or forward-looking statements. Forward-looking information and forward-looking statements are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties which could cause actual events or results to differ from those reflected in the forward-looking information or forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, material factors and assumptions relating to, and risks and uncertainties associated with, the ultimate recovery, if any, of the Company's investment in ABCP that has since August 2007 been the subject of a liquidity restructuring plan proposed by the Pan Canadian Committee representing the Montreal Accord and sanctioned on August 18, 2008 by the Ontario Court of Appeal pursuant to section 6 of the Companies' Creditors Arrangement Act (leave to appeal to the Supreme Court of Canada was refused on September 19, 2008) and expected to be finalized and distributed on or before December 19, 2008, risks relating to the availability of financing for activities when required and on acceptable terms, risks relating to the non-completion of the Company's gold sale agreement, the MRI contingency loan, or the HSBC Bank Canada loan facilities, risks and uncertainties relating to the interpretation of drill results and the estimation of mineral resources and reserves, the geology, grade and continuity of mineral deposits, the possibility that future exploration, development or mining results will not be consistent with the Company's expectations, metal price fluctuations, the achievement and maintenance of planned production rates, the accuracy of component costs of capital and operating cost estimates, current and future environmental and regulatory requirements, favourable governmental relations, the availability of permits and the timeliness of the permitting process, the availability of shipping services, the availability of specialized vehicles and similar equipment, costs of remediation and mitigation, maintenance of title to the Company's mineral properties, industrial accidents, equipment breakdowns, contractor's costs, remote site transportation costs, materials costs for remediation, labour disputes, the potential for delays in exploration or development activities, timely completion of future NI 43-101 compliant reports, timely completion of future feasibility studies, the inherent uncertainty of production and cost estimates and the potential for unexpected costs and expenses, commodity price fluctuations, currency fluctuations, continuing global demand for base metals, the fact that the 2007 Feasibility Study is based upon probable mineral reserves and not proven mineral reserves, expectations and beliefs of management and other risks and uncertainties, including those described under "Risk Factors" in the Annual Information Form of the Company filed on SEDAR on March 31, 2008, and in each subsequent management's discussion and analysis. Forward-looking information and forward-looking statements for time periods subsequent to 2008 involve longer term assumptions and estimates than forward-looking information and forward-looking statements for 2008 and are consequently subject to greater uncertainty. Should one or more of these risks and uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described in forward-looking information or forward-looking statements. Accordingly, readers are advised not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information or forward-looking statements. When used herein, the words "anticipate", "believe", "estimate" and "expect" and similar expressions, as they relate to the Company or its management, are intended to identify forward-looking information or forward-looking statements relating to the business and affairs of the Company. Except as required under applicable securities legislation, the Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise forward-looking information or forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Contact:

Redcorp Ventures Ltd.
Troy Winsor
Manager, Investor Relations
(604) 466-8934 or 1-888-225-9662

or

Redcorp Ventures Ltd.
Salina Landstad
Manager, Public Relations & Corporate Communications
(604) 639-0135 or 1-888-669-4775 ext. 103

Website: www.redcorp-ventures.com

MMM Successfully Completes Contract Management Project for ERDAS

2008-12-08T13:16:00.000-08:00

Friday, December 05, 2008

Law Firm's Contract Management System Provides Clarity, Efficiency, Effectiveness

ATLANTA, GA - (Marketwire) - December 03, 2008 --- Morris, Manning & Martin, LLP recently used its new Contract Management System to help Atlanta-based ERDAS, formerly known as Leica Geosystems Geospatial Imaging, make its contracts more manageable, accessible, efficient and effective.

ERDAS, based in Atlanta, is an international leader in the geospatial information market. Like many large companies, it has thousands of contracts, with various renewal dates, for a wide range of services. The team from Morris, Manning & Martin reviewed and inventoried every single contract, suggesting ways to improve future negotiation and organization.

"The project was quite large and actually turned out to be more complex than we originally thought," says ERDAS Legal and Contracts Manager Lynne Jenson. "Our acquisition of assets and stock in three other companies during a six-month period complicated the process further. Now, we finally have a system we can follow without a lot of difficulty. The work was well worth the money; the company will definitely benefit from it. It feels like Christmas for me, to be honest," she added. Morris, Manning & Martin's Contract Management System helps businesses of all sizes manage their contracts more efficiently and effectively. The firm launched the unique, cost-effective solution earlier this year. Experienced attorneys and paralegals from the firm's Technology Group work with clients to streamline a variety of legal agreements including services, vendors, manufacturing, sales and licensing documents. Contract management is a component of MMM's patent-pending Legal Project Management System.

"ERDAS can use MMM's ERDAS-project team to provide training for future Legal/Contracts Department resources, which we hope to have as we continue to transition personnel and businesses as a result of acquisition. We can build on the strong document infrastructure the MMM team created," Jenson added. "Their personnel worked closely with my office to understand our needs and learn about our typical contracting process. They allowed good communication in working through a huge process. The team was professional and sensitive to my time constraints in meeting to discuss certain types of documents and provided good input for ERDAS' future plans to create an electronic database of all files, protected by password, but which will allow all legal and management personnel to access read-only documents as needed."

In addition to the basic services provided to ERDAS, the firm can also use the team's extensive knowledge to provide legal overflow assistance, becoming an ongoing resource for contract-related matters. The team can also analyze the volume, organizational structure and process flow, then offer "best practices" recommendations. Regular review and updates of the implemented system are available to current clients upon request in order to help access changing needs or audit the ongoing process.

"The Contract Management System helps businesses fine-tune processes, anticipate deadlines and make contract-related information more easily accessible," says Linda Klausing, Morris Manning's Project Management Director.

"In ERDAS' case, one person is responsible for all the company's contracts, but it can also add clarity and prevent duplication of efforts when responsibility is decentralized and spread throughout multiple divisions of the organization," adds
Paul Arne, a Partner in Morris Manning's Technology Group. The group has represented technology, computer, medical device and Internet companies in complex transactions for more than 20 years.

For more information about contract management, contact Linda Klausing at lklausing@mmmlaw.com or (404) 504-5464.

About ERDAS

ERDAS creates geospatial business systems that transform our earth's data into business information, enabling individuals, businesses and public agencies to quickly access, manage, process and share that information from anywhere. Using secure geospatial information, ERDAS solutions improve employee, customer and partner visibility to information, enabling them to respond faster and collaborate better. It also means better decision-making, increased productivity and new revenue streams. ERDAS is a part of the Hexagon Group, Sweden. For more information about ERDAS or its products and services, please call +1 770 776 3400, toll free +1 866 534 2286, or visit www.erdas.com.

About Morris, Manning & Martin, LLP

Morris, Manning & Martin, LLP, (www.mmmlaw.com) enjoys national prominence for its corporate finance, securities, mergers and acquisitions, litigation, technology, intellectual property, real estate and real estate capital markets, environmental, insurance and healthcare practices. The firm has offices in Atlanta, Raleigh-Durham, Savannah and Washington, D.C.

Contact:

Terri Thornton
Thornton Communications
(404) 932-4347
Email Contact

TeamDynamix Project and Portfolio Management (PPM) Software Keeping Syracuse University on Task

2008-12-08T13:15:00.000-08:00

Thursday, December 04, 2008

Syracuse University Information Technology and Services Group Deploys TeamDynamix to Help Manage Projects, Meet University Goals

COLUMBUS, OH - (Marketwire) - December 02, 2008 -- TeamDynamix, the leading provider of Web-based project and portfolio management solutions for the higher education market, today announced that Syracuse University (SU) Information Technology and Services (ITS) has deployed TeamDynamix to manage projects and ensure that work gets done on time. TeamDynamix provides the university's CIO and ITS group with a single, centrally located view of the organization's work from budget, resource, and progress perspectives.

In an effort to manage resource allocation in light of increasing workload, SU's ITS evaluated a number of PPM solutions, ultimately determining that TeamDynamix satisfied many of the organization's requirements.

"While we are early in the deployment of the TeamDynamix solution, we like its flexibility and the fact that it will grow with our organization," said Glenda Ranallo, project manager at Syracuse University. "TeamDynamix' support team has been extremely responsive to our needs and readily available throughout the implementation process to answer questions and make changes. As we continue to learn and use all of its capabilities, we see potentials for TeamDynamix to be used widely across the University."

TeamDynamix was developed to meet the specific and unique needs of the higher education IT market, from strengthening the capabilities and strategic role of the CIO, to supporting consensus and committee-based higher education environments. The Web-based solution also simplifies the IT funding process by aligning all IT work and needs with institutional and departmental strategic objectives. With TeamDynamix, SU's ITS management has a clear understanding of all available IT resources for project allocation while individual users each can access a personal dashboard that presents only the projects and information that are relevant to them.

"We designed TeamDynamix so that users, departments and universities can effectively use our solution based upon how they are organized, rather than making them fit into a specific application," said Andrew Graf, lead analyst for TeamDynamix. "Our approach to PPM has been built upon the feedback of our users and our experiences with our customers, which has resulted in a solution that truly addresses the needs of the higher education IT professionals. We appreciate the opportunity to work with Syracuse University in creating an environment for their ITS group where principles of project and portfolio management are applied efficiently and successfully across the organization."

About TeamDynamix

TeamDynamix is the leading provider of Web-based project and portfolio management solutions for the higher education market. The company's suite of project tracking, reporting and portfolio management software provides the work tools and environment necessary for successful project management and delivery, in addition to project portfolio management and planning, IT governance, sales opportunity management, time and expense tracking and knowledge management. The company's software creates an online team environment that advances communication, collaboration, efficiency, accountability, security and success. TeamDynamix is currently used by a number of the nation's leading colleges and universities, including The Ohio State University, The University of Texas at Austin, and Syracuse University. The company is based in Columbus, Ohio. For more information, visit www.teamdynamix.com.

Contact:

Kevin Wilson
Email Contact
513-898-1008

Source: TeamDynamix, Inc.

New Project Management Tools Help Define Jobs

2008-12-08T13:13:00.000-08:00

Thursday, December 04, 2008

LA HABRA, CA - December 04, 2008 -- Today, Method123 Ltd announced a new suite of tools to help companies define job roles.

The tools allow Managers to define every job in the organization, so that performance can be more easily monitored. By completing a Job Description template, Managers can describe every role within their organization in detail.

“If you want to track the performance of your staff, then you have to define what it is that you expect them to achieve,” says Craig Nicholson, Technical Director of Method123. “The place to do this is in the Job Description. Few organizations these days have a detailed Job Description for every person in the company. This often leads to performance problems because there is nothing against which to compare performance. High growth organizations usually define every role in the organization, in detail. This allows them to set the expectations for each staff member, in terms of what needs to be delivered and by when. By clarifying roles and responsibilities for staff members, there is less confusion and you can easily build a cohesive team all working towards the same goal.”

The Job Description Template helps Managers set out the purpose, responsibilities and reporting relationships for each role in the organization. It also lists the skills, experience and qualifications needed for every person. This helps managers to recruit the right staff, by appointing people who fit the job description perfectly. Where there is a slight mismatch, training is usually needed to upskill the person to fit the role.

Method123 has taken the Job Description toolset one step further by helping Managers to set out the performance criteria for each role in the organization. The theory is that each of the high level objectives for the organization are broken down into smaller sized objectives and these are broken down in turn, until each person in the organization has personal objectives to meet. The performance criteria define the way that each objective will be measured. It’s a simple formula for success.

“We believe that organizations that define their roles in greater depth, experience a faster rate of growth than others,” says Nicholson. “The reason is that by defining roles based around organizational objectives, you can build a common sense of direction and therefore motivate teams towards a single goal. It’s then easier to motivate teams and it boosts job satisfaction. The benefits from using these tools are enormous.”

Method123 offer a complete suite of Project Management Templates which help managers and teams to deliver projects successfully. Their flagship product is the Method123 Project Management Methodology which enables teams to create and manage methodologies for projects. And recently, Method123 released their Project Management Software online. For more information, visit Method123.com

Successful Seminar in Libya reflects growing demand for PM in Mediterranean - building up for IPMA Congress in Rome

2008-10-03T16:13:00.001-07:00

Interest in project management continues to grow in the Mediterranean area! This was the message resulting from a successful seminar on project management in Libya organized by IPMA, which received exceptionally high attendance by managers of Libyan Iron &Steel Co. This successful event helps launch further actions of the IPMA Mediterranean Network (MedNet) at the IPMA World Congress on Project Management, to be held in Rome during November. (www.ipmaroma2008.it)

Following the kind invitation of LISCO - Libyan Iron and Steel Company - IPMA has made in January 2008 at Misurata a presentation on Project Management issues, including training and certification. The presentation was attended by more than 100 LISCO Managers from various departments of the Misurata Steel Complex as well as by Managers of the Misurata Free Zone, which has plans for many important projects in the near future.

Under the Chairmanship of Dr. Mohamed Abdulmalik El Figih - LISCO Technical Director and Chairman of the Tender Committee - the presentation on Project Management was made by Prof. Mary McKinlay, Vice President IPMA and Prof. Dr. Refaat Abdel-Razek of Zagazig University, Egypt.

Mr. Roberto Mori, President Italian Project Management Academy, then presented, on behalf of the Organizing Committee, the IPMA World Congress of Rome 2008, focusing in particular on the IPMA Mediterranean Network (MedNet), the development of which will be the subject of a specific panel discussion in Rome, see.

In addition Dr. M.A. El Figih underlined the importance of project management to ensure that the many projects under way at LISCO Misurata are completed, respecting schedule and budget for the satisfaction of the stakeholders. The seminar was concluded by a long debate with active participation of many attendees, thus confirming the interest and importance of the theme.

IPMA representatives expressed sincere thanks to Dr. M.A. El Figih and LISCO Management for the opportunity granted to address such a high and qualified number of managers. A common wish was expressed that the Seminar be followed by other similar events in Libya, aimed at possibly establishing a Libyan Project Management Association.

The 22nd IPMA World Congress on Project Management, ROMA 2008 – Project Management to Run – will be conducted during November 9-11, 2008 in Rome, Italy. Project and program managers, experts and practitioners around the world are invited to attend the IPMA congress in Rome, which will be one of the largest project management conferences in the world this year. For registration, schedule and other information, visit the conference website at www.ipmaroma2008.it.

Founded in 1967 and registered in Switzerland, the International Project Management Association (IPMA) is the world's oldest project management professional organization. IPMA is an international federation of more than 40 national PM societies in Africa, Asia, Europe and the Americas. Local societies serve the specific development needs of each country in its national language. IPMA provides an umbrella organization to represent them at the international level. Additional information is available at www.ipma.cht. The local host organizations for the ROMA 2008 World Congress in Rome, Italy are the Italian Project Management Academy and the Italian National Association of Industrial Plant Engineering (ANIMP).

Libyan Project Managers Convention

2008-10-03T16:12:00.001-07:00

LYPMA is preparing to launch the first official project managers convention in Libya, the convention is planned to set the standards and measures for project management methodology in the country.

The agenda will come up with many topics, and important issues regarding project management in Libya, and the most important it accreditation of Project Management Professionals, and Specialists according to international standards.

Project Management Training: A leading software with no sufficient training!

2008-10-02T03:21:00.000-07:00

Primavera, and by the testimonies of many engineers, project managers, and PM professionals, is the most leading project planning and management software in the industry.

Being a whole-in-one planning software with applications for project, portfolio, issue tracking, resources, and document management, the program is by logical comparison to desktop and server based software's is the best, and therefore the most widely spread and used in managing projects ranging from small, medium, to large scale.

The only issue facing this program that it does not have sufficient training available, it is monopolized by the manufacturer, and when we search for a training course with professional training services providers you get a message that says: "No training is prepared for this subject!".

Considering its spread amongst managers, and engineers, this will leave the job of teaching simple (HOW TO USE) courses for the users of this program, and forgive me for saying: "Not every user is destined to be a trainer".

Therefore it will be very useful, advantageous, and motivating to prepare and sell training guides for these products by their manufacturers, in order to encourage professional users, and insure that even the program "HOW TO USE" courses are taught will.

Launching LYPMA Activities in Libya

2008-10-02T02:54:00.000-07:00

The Libyan Project Management Association held its first meeting in the city of Benghazi in Libya on the 27th of Ramadhan, 26th of Sep. 2008 to propose its list and schedule of activities for 2009.

The LYPMA Council discussed training plans, conferences, participations, and meetings that the existing members, and the prospective members will work by for 2009.