text:
FRIDAY - JANUARY 9, 2009 - ISSUE NO. 342
Dear Friends of Wireless,
I am sorry that I am a little late with today's newsletter. I spent part of the afternoon today watching (on TV) our Illinois Governor make a fool out of himself after our State House of Representatives voted to impeach him. I guess no one ever told him the old adage, "It's better to keep your mouth shut and have everyone think you are a fool, than to open it and remove all doubt." There was only one vote against impeachment—now it goes to the State Senate for a final vote to remove him from office.
When the Watergate scandal was going on, I was living in South America. One day, I went by to visit a friend who ran a little auto-parts store—he was the president of the local ham radio club. I remember telling him that as a North American I was a little embarrassed about President Nixon being caught breaking the law. My friend just laughed and said, "But in your country when politicians get caught doing something wrong, you are able to do something about it. Here, we can't do anything because we are still ruled by Caciques. (A Cacique is a tribal chief.) So I went away reminded that our laws here in the United States are supposed to apply to everyone—equally. It doesn't always happen as it should, but when it does I don't have to be embarrassed—I can be proud!
I have some dear friends at Radiomensajes, a paging company in Costa Rica. I hope that none of them were hurt in the recent earthquake. Little earthquakes are routine there, but this was a big one.
Earthquake Strikes Costa Rica, Emergency Ham Frequency Declared:
ZCZC AX01
QST de W1AW
Special Bulletin 1 ARLX001
From ARRL Headquarters
Newington CT January 9, 2009
To all radio amateurs
SB SPCL ARL ARLX001
ARLX001 Earthquake Strikes Costa Rica, Emergency Ham Frequency Declared
On Thursday, January 8 at 1921z, an earthquake measuring 6.2 on the Richter scale struck the Central American country of Costa Rica. The earthquake, with an epicenter located about 22 miles northeast of San Jose, comes after a series of almost 60 seismic events that have rocked the country since early this week.
The Radio Club de Costa Rica (RCCR) — that country's IARU Member-Society — is monitoring local repeaters and 7090 kHz. IARU Region 2 Emergency Communications Coordinator Cesar Pio Santos, HR2P, requests that 7090 kHz be kept clear of non-essential traffic due to possible emergency communications dealing with the earthquake. The ARRL encourages all amateurs to be aware of the emergency operations on this frequency. US amateurs should avoid interfering with Spanish language SSB while using digital modes. NNNN /EX
Source: W1AW Bulletin via the ARRL.
Now on to more news and views.
Wireless Messaging Newsletter
Emergency Radio Communications
Wireless Messaging
Critical Messaging
This is my weekly newsletter about Wireless Messaging. You are receiving this because you have either communicated with me in the past about a wireless topic, or your address was included in another e-mail that I received on the same subject. This is not a SPAM. If you have received this message in error, or you are not interested in these topics, please click here, then click on "send" and you will be promptly removed from the mailing list.
This newsletter is brought to you by the generous support of our advertisers and the courtesy of iland Internet Solutions Corporation. For more information about the web-hosting services available from iland Internet Solutions Corporation, please click on their logo to the left.
A new issue of The Wireless Messaging Newsletter gets posted on the web each week. A notification goes out by e-mail to subscribers on most Fridays around noon central US time. The notification message has a link to the actual newsletter on the Internet. That way it doesn't fill up your incoming e-mail account.
There is no charge for subscription and there are no membership restrictions. Readers are a very select group of wireless industry professionals, and include the senior managers of many of the world's major Paging and Wireless Data companies. There is an even mix of operations managers, marketing people, and engineers — so I try to include items of interest to all three groups. It's all about staying up-to-date with business trends and technology. I regularly get readers' comments, so this newsletter has become a community forum for the Paging, and Wireless Data communities. You are welcome to contribute your ideas and opinions. Unless otherwise requested, all correspondence addressed to me is subject to publication in the newsletter and on my web site. I am very careful to protect the anonymity of those who request it.
Editorial Policy: The opinions expressed here are my own and DO NOT reflect the opinions or policies of any of the advertisers, supporters, contributors, the AAPC (American Association of Paging Carriers, or the EWA (Enterprise Wireless Alliance). As a general rule, I publish opposing opinions, even when I have to substitute "----" for some of the off-color words. This is a public forum for the topics covered, and all views are welcome (so far). Clips of news that I find on the Internet always include a link to the source and just because I report on a given topic or opinion doesn't mean that I agree with it.
Anyone wanting to help support The Wireless Messaging Newsletter can do so by clicking on the PayPal Donate button above.
A CONSULTING ALLIANCE
Brad Dye, Ron Mercer, and Vic Jackson are friends and colleagues who work both together and independently, on wireline and wireless communications projects. Click here for a summary of their qualifications and experience. They collaborate on consulting assignments, and share the work according to their individual expertise and their schedules.
The local newspaper here in Springfield, Illinois costs 75¢ a copy and it NEVER mentions paging. If you receive some benefit from this publication maybe you would like to help support it financially? A donation of $25.00 would represent approximately 50¢ a copy for one year. If you are so inclined, please click on the PayPal Donate button above. No trees were chopped down to produce this electronic newsletter.
AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF PAGING CARRIERS
AAPC Bulletin
www.pagingcarriers.org • 866-301-2272
The Voice of US Paging Carriers
Letter from AAPC President
Thank you for your membership and continued support of the American Association of Paging Carriers (AAPC). As you know, AAPC is the national association dedicated to representing and advancing the paging industry and other paging-related technologies. Your membership dues enable us to provide a unified front to ensure that paging continues to survive through our regulatory and advocacy efforts. Representing a smaller carrier, I know we must constantly evaluate where our dollars are spent. I urge you to continue your participation in AAPC, as it is critical to our overall success.
As an association, we highlight paging to end users and the FCC, as a time-tested and proven technology that is deployed extensively throughout the United States, providing the most affordable and reliable solution for emergency wireless communications. As a result of AAPC Counsel Ken Hardman's outstanding watchdog efforts, we have protected the industry from potentially harmful FCC rules and made great progress advocating in the best interest of paging carriers. The major regulatory accomplishments include:
Successfully urging the FCC to continue its freeze on the level of annual regulatory fees paid by paging carriers and to consider lowering those fees in the future
Successfully fighting an attempt by AT&T and Verizon to push Universal Service Fund (USF) assessment rules through the FCC this year that would have drastically increased USF fees paid by virtually all paging carriers
Successfully urging the FCC to adopt Commercial Mobile Alert Service (CMAS) rules encouraging paging carrier participation in CMAS
AAPC has had a good year, welcoming several new members. As part of our affiliation with EWA, we co-hosted a successful conference in Scottsdale, Arizona last month, and those that attended appreciated several educational sessions and networking opportunities. We also launched the "First Page," a quarterly article in Enterprise Wireless magazine that focuses solely on paging and related technologies.
We are very excited to announce the first Global Paging Convention, June 17 – 19, at the Hilton Montreal Bonaventure Hotel in Montreal, Canada, which we are hosting with our European counterpart, the European Mobile Messaging Association (EMMA). This will be a paging-focused event and will attract a global audience comprised of carriers, manufacturers, suppliers, and resellers. If you are in the industry – you will not only want to, but need to be at this premier event. If you only get to attend one event – plan now for June in Montreal. Remember to check www.pagingcarriers.org for details.
The value of AAPC membership has never been more evident than during the last year. With your continued involvement and support, AAPC is on the front line promoting your business and our industry. Thank you for a productive 2008. I'm looking forward to your continued participation and support in the new year.
Scott Forsythe
President, AAPC
Thank you to those members who have already paid their 2009 membership fees. Your continued support and participation is greatly appreciated. You should have already received your 2009 invoice. If you did not receive yours or you wish to join and need an application, please contact Linda at aapc@ec.rr.com
Thanks to our Gold Vendor member!
PRISM Paging
Thanks to our Silver Vendor Members!
ISC Technologies, Inc.
Recurrent Software Solutions, Inc.
Unication USA
Thanks to our Bronze Member Vendors!
Commtech Wireless
Critical Response Systems, Inc.
Hark Technologies
Inilex, Inc.
Microspace Communications Corporation
Minilec Service, Inc.
Nighthawk Systems, Inc.
Raven Systems
United Communications Corporation
AAPC Executive Director
441 N. Crestwood Drive
E-mail: info@pagingcarriers.org
Web: www.pagingcarriers.org AAPC Regulatory Affairs Office
WIRELESS MESSAGING NEWS
• SkyTel of Herndon recently hired Dave Bornmann as vice president for marketing and product development. Mr. Bornmann formerly served as vice president of marketing at eLink Communications Inc. and @Link Communications Inc., both of which provided broadband connectivity to businesses.
• SkyTel also named Eric Ellis vice president for network and operations, Henry Popplewell vice president for sales and Nadia Sa'd Mulaire vice president for business development. Mr. Ellis joined SkyTel from Sprint Nextel Corp., where he was national director of service delivery for its network solutions group. Mr. Popplewell was senior vice president of sales and marketing for Aptela Inc., a provider of hosted telecommunications solutions to businesses. Ms. Sa'd Mulair previously headed commercial business development for TerreStar Networks Inc.
Source: The Washington Times
FEATURED ADVERTISERS SUPPORTING THE NEWSLETTER
AAPC—American Association of Paging Carriers Paging & Wireless Network Planners LLC
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For BlackBerry, Obama's Devotion
By STEPHANIE CLIFFORD
This week, Michael Phelps signed a deal worth more than $1 million to advertise Mazda in China. Jerry Seinfeld earned a reported $10 million to appear in Microsoft's recent television campaign.
But the person who may be the biggest celebrity pitchman in the world is not earning a penny for his work.
Charles Dharapak/Associated Press
President-elect Barack Obama says, "I'm still clinging to my BlackBerry."
President-elect Barack Obama has repeatedly said how much his BlackBerry means to him and how he is dreading the prospect of being forced to give it up, because of legal and security concerns, once he takes office.
"I'm still clinging to my BlackBerry," Mr. Obama said Wednesday in an interview with CNBC and The New York Times. "They're going to pry it out of my hands."
What could the "BlackBerry president" charge for his plugs of the device if he were not a public servant? More than $25 million, marketing experts say, and maybe as much as $50 million.
"This would be almost the biggest endorsement deal in the history of endorsements," said Doug Shabelman, the president of Burns Entertainment, which arranges deals between celebrities and companies. "He's consistently seen using it and consistently in the news arguing — and arguing with issues of national security and global welfare — how he absolutely needs this to function on a daily basis."
Mr. Obama is an ideal marketing representative, other agents say — popular, constantly in the news and explicit about his attachment to the product.
"You always want the celebrity to be a good fit with your brand, and is anybody considered a better communicator right now than Barack Obama, or a better networker?" said Fran Kelly, the chief executive of the advertising agency Arnold Worldwide, who estimated that an endorsement by Mr. Obama would be worth $25 million. "It couldn't have a better spokesperson."
Mr. Shabelman put the value even higher, at $50 million or more, because the endorsement is worldwide.
"The worth to a company to have the president always talking about a BlackBerry and how it absolutely is a necessity to keep in touch with reality?" he said. "Think about how far the company has come if they're able to say, 'The president has to have this to keep in touch.' "
The maker of the BlackBerry, Research in Motion, recently introduced advertising campaigns and products like the touch-screen Storm that are meant to position BlackBerry as not just a business device but a consumer product like the iPhone. The company, which declined to comment on Mr. Obama's enthusiasm for its product, also struck a sponsorship deal with John Mayer, a popular guitarist but hardly the leader of the free world.
"The most powerful man in the country is saying, at this moment, basically, I can't live without mine," Lori Sale, the head of artist marketing at the agency Paradigm, which pairs actors like Adrien Brody and Katherine Heigl with advertisers. "It represents their now complete and final crossover to a device that people adore."
Ms. Sale said that Mr. Obama had essentially participated in what is called a satellite media tour for BlackBerry by discussing the product with reporters. Just a single day of a media tour, "with the most A-list of A-list of A-list, would probably be 10 to 15 million dollars," she said.
That he is not paid to promote BlackBerry is even better for R.I.M. "What makes it even more valuable than that is how authentic it is," she said.
Mr. Kelly said the endorsement went both ways: while Mr. Obama was doing a lot for BlackBerry, BlackBerry had helped Mr. Obama's image by making his message seem more relevant.
"The BlackBerry anecdotes are a huge part of Obama's brand reputation," he said. "It positions him as one of us: he's got friends and family and people to communicate with us, just like all of us. And it positions him as a next-generation politician."
Inevitably, perhaps, marketing executives dream about creating an ad featuring the president-elect, something Gene Liebel, a partner in the Brooklyn agency Huge, said would be a "fantasy assignment."
Asked what tagline he might use for the campaign, Mr. Liebel repeated one his employees had thought up: "If Blagojevich can pick my replacement, I can pick my device."
R. Vann Graves, the chief creative officer of the UniWorld Group, suggested a campaign showing Mr. Obama in the Oval Office. "In the foreground, you have the desk, but instead of having the proverbial red phone, you have a red BlackBerry," Mr. Graves said, with the tagline "Shot Caller."
Matt Reinhard, the executive creative director of DDB Los Angeles, suggested Apple try to steal Mr. Obama away from BlackBerry as a spokesman for the iPhone.
The message could be, "It's time for change," Mr. Reinhard said.
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DTV delay could affect 700 MHz spectrum owners
January 9, 2009 — 10:43am ET
By Phil Goldstein
President-elect Barack Obama's decision this week to urge the Congress to delay the switch from analog signals to digital television (DTV) that had been planned for the middle of February could impact the decision-making of owners of 700 MHz spectrum, which is involved in the transition.
The head of Obama's transition team, John Podesta, sent a letter to Congress on Thursday urging them to hold off on the Feb. 17 DTV transition. Apparently, demand for the $40 coupon that Congress had been issuing to consumers to buy a digital converter box has outstripped supply. Converter boxes will allow consumers with old analog televisions, about 15 million consumers, to continue receiving television signals following the switch. The program that issues the coupons has run out of money and consumers have also had problems finding converter boxes before the coupons expired, which happened 90 days after they were issued.
If Congress does accede to Obama's wishes, the move could impact owners of 700 MHz spectrum, which was supposed to be freed up with the transition. Verizon Wireless and other wireless incumbents were the major winners in last year's 700 MHz spectrum auction by the FCC. Verizon had planned to use the new spectrum allocation to begin laying the groundwork for the deployment of Long Term Evolution (LTE) technology, Verizon's chosen standard for 4G cellular technology.
Source: FierceWireless
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RIM rolls out a thinner Curve smartphone
by Jacqueline Emigh
At CES, RIM is introducing a smartphone touted as the thinnest full-QWERTY BlackBerry to date. The BlackBerry Curve 8900 is one of several new phones from various vendors now being added to T-Mobile's US network.
RIM's new Curve 8900 is both thinner and lighter than older Curves in the 8300 series, which are available for T-Mobile, Verizon Wireless, and other networks, a RIM spokesperson said, speaking with Betanews at the show in Las Vegas. RIM has upgraded the Curve's built-in camera to 3.2 megapixels.
Source: Beta News
In Cuba, Cellphone Calls Go Unanswered
Growing Ranks Use Coveted Device for Less Costly Paging, Texts
A woman speaks on her cellphone, a luxury for most Cubans, who use the devices to page and text, but not to talk. (By Ramon Espinosa — Associated Press)
By William Booth
Washington Post Foreign Service
HAVANA, Jan. 2 — Tatiana González stood transfixed before the glass display case watching a single cellphone spin around and around on a carousel at the government-run store. It was a Nokia 1112, a simple, boxy gray workhorse of mobile telecommunications technology -- and González was in love.
She coveted that phone. She confessed she had dreamed of that phone. But she would have to wait just a little longer before she could cradle it to her ear. How much longer? "I hope a year, no more," said González, who toils as a manager of medical records in a hospital, earning $21.44 a month.
That Nokia 1112? The government is offering the phone, charger included, for $58.
This is the hard math of the Cuban revolution, as it celebrates its 50th anniversary and a rickety state-run socialist economy struggles not only to feed, house and care for its people but also to offer them a nibble of global consumer culture.
In his first year as president, Raúl Castro has added a few items to the menu of island life. Since taking over from his ailing older brother Fidel, who has not been seen in public since July 2006 when he underwent what is believed to have been intestinal surgery, Raúl has decided that Cubans can now, legally, purchase once-forbidden fruit, such as DVD players, microwave ovens, desktop computers and mobile phones. It is an experiment that Havana residents have embraced — especially the cellphones. They're crazy for them.
Everyone agrees a microwave is a useful tool, but a cellphone is the icon of modernity. Since Castro began allowing the purchases in April, and then slashed prices in half in December, mobile phones have become the new status symbol in proletarian Havana, but with a Cuban twist. Cubans don't actually talk on their cellphones. They use them as pagers.
"I never talk on mine. Never, never. If I talk, I talk because it's almost like an emergency, and even then, I talk for a minute, that's it," said Vladimiro Pérez, who stirs mojitos at a swank hotel bar in Old Havana and earns a pittance in salary but hundreds of dollars more in tips from the Canadian and European tourists keeping the island afloat in hard currencies.
The United States entered and exited the Age of the Beeper in the 1980s, but Cuba has just arrived at it. All over Havana, a visitor sees people looking at the cellphones, not speaking into them.
When Pérez and other Cubans get a call, they rarely answer. Instead, they look at the number, find a land-line telephone, which is ubiquitous and dirt cheap to use, and return the call. If they're feeling flush, they might type a message. "We just type," explained Pérez, wagging his finger. "No talk."
The Cuban government has not released official tallies of cellphone users, though a person who works in the technology field in Havana estimated that there were no more than 250,000 users in a nation of 11.2 million.
Even so, the obstacles to entering the cellular world are almost impossibly high for most Cubans. First, there is getting the phone. Most Cubans appear not to have purchased that Nokia 1112 so beloved by Tatiana González but to have worked a deal for a used phone on the gray market — or more likely, were given one by a relative living abroad. Those old, outdated Ericksons gathering dust in a drawer in Miami or Madrid? They're headed to Cuba.
Now the hard part. To open a mobile phone account with the state telephone monopoly, ETECSA, a user must go, with a cellphone in hand, to one of the few offices in Havana, stand in line for an hour and then pay $65 to activate the service — a bargain compared with the $130 the government used to charge. This money is not paid in Cuban pesos but in the parallel currency used by foreigners, Cuban "convertible pesos," known as CUCs and pronounced "kooks." These are huge sums for Cubans, whose average monthly salary is around $20.
"It is a very expensive habit for a Cuban," said Philip Peters, a Cuba expert at the Lexington Institute in Arlington, Va., who writes a blog called the Cuban Triangle. Peters said he doubted the Castro government feared that texting and paging Cubans would use the phones to organize against the state.
Standing in a two-hour line at the ETECSA shop at the Miramar Trade Center, a young woman said the Samsung cellphone she has had for more than a year was a gift from an aunt who lives in Spain. "I used it as an alarm clock," she explained, "while I saved my money to activate the line."
As every cellphone owner learns, the price of minutes in Cuba is cruel. Local calls between cellphones cost 65 cents a minute. Cellphone calls to a land line are slightly more. Calls abroad? Ordinary Cubans interviewed for this article laughed. No one calls abroad. Dialing the United States costs $2.70 a minute. Europe will set a caller back $5.85.
A couple of younger Cubans waiting in line to open an account said they have friends who have never spoken on their cellphones. But texting, at 17 cents a message, is popular.
To use their cells, Cubans purchase prepaid cards; the most common denomination is 10 convertible pesos. Several Cubans said they learned to limit their calls by buying only one prepaid card a month. There is no credit in Cuba.
And although some plugged-in sophisticates in Havana have BlackBerrys, there is no Web surfing, no YouTube watching, no e-mailing on cellphones. The bandwidth is not available for them. Cuba connects to the digital world via Italian satellite. Because of the U.S. trade embargo, there is no undersea fiber-optic cable connecting the island to Florida.
Until the changes announced by Raúl Castro last year, ordinary Cubans were not permitted to open cellphone accounts. But foreigners could — so many of the first Cubans to have and use the devices were top government officials, special workers for foreign companies, and the hotel hustlers and street prostitutes, girlfriends and boyfriends of foreign visitors, who were given or sometimes sold a phone and an account number.
Cubans speak some of the highest-speed Spanish in Latin America, but even that cannot save them from the ticking clock and cost of cell minutes. Many Cubans don't like to give out their cellphone numbers, for fear they will be called— and have to answer a number they don't recognize. They never use voice mail.
A Cuban with a BlackBerry explained that like the United States and Europe, Cuban society will be changed by the cellphone. "We will be reachable," said the man, who was sharing a glass of homemade wine with friends on New Year's Eve. "But we don't want to answer."
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Oops! Verizon CEO Leaks Microsoft Search Deal
"Can you hear me now?" Verizon's tagline takes on a new meaning as the wireless carrier steals Microsoft chief Steve Ballmer's thunder.
By Stuart J. Johnston
It's a little like giving away the punch line to a joke too early.
Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer is primed to unveil a search and advertising deal with Verizon Wireless during his pre-conference keynote this evening at the 2009 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas.
As it turned out, it was Verizon Communication's CEO, Ivan Seidenberg, who announced the deal during at a Citigroup conference Wednesday morning — taking some of the surprise value out of Ballmer's speech tonight.
Through the agreement between the two companies, Microsoft's Live Search will become the default search engine for Verizon Wireless' mobile phones. Neither Microsoft nor Verizon spokespeople would give further details of the agreement in advance of Ballmer's speech, which is being Webcast and runs from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Pacific time.
"We can confirm the Microsoft, Verizon Wireless mobile search and advertising relationship, but have no further details to disclose at this time," a Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) spokesperson said in an e-mail to InternetNews.com this morning.
Despite having stolen a bit of Ballmer's thunder, Seidenberg's announcement still marks a significant victory for Microsoft — especially since Verizon Wireless, a joint venture of Verizon (NYSE: VZ) and Vodafone (NYSE: VOD), is poised to become the nation's largest wireless carrier later this week, when it finalizes its $28 billion acquisition of Alltel.
As a result, the agreement may give Microsoft some important ammunition in its battle against Google and Yahoo, according to one industry analyst. That's because many handset buyers use the default browser that comes with their phones instead of customizing the device to use a different search engine.
"By sheer convenience and placement, they're going to get exposure to Microsoft Search," Charlene Li, industry analyst and founder of Altimeter Group, told InternetNews.com.
Becoming the default search engine for Verizon Wireless users may be a signal victory for Microsoft particularly in its rivalry against Google -- and especially after Microsoft's ill-fated attempt to buy out Yahoo or its search business last year. Microsoft had undertaken both efforts in a bid to better compete against its archrival.
In fact, the Microsoft and Verizon deal may mark a major coup, given that rumors abounded last summer that Verizon was close to a similar deal with Google.
"It does give Microsoft a leg up [on Google and Yahoo Search] for the more casual user," Li said. "Microsoft can chip away at the Google block."
As for Ballmer's presentation, the Verizon news is the second rabbit to get let out of the hat too early.
Microsoft is set to announce the start of public beta testing for Windows 7 at tonight's keynote. However, the testing period's announcement has become a poorly kept secret in the weeks running up to CES.
Source: InternetNews
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For information call 480-515-2344 or visit our website
E-mail addresses are posted there!
Hesse: Sprint will shutter more call centers, cut jobs, but won't panic
Submitted by Jason Gertzen on January 7, 2009 - 2:32 pm.
Sprint is going to cut costs, possibly more jobs, but is not going to panic, Dan Hesse said Wednesday.
Speaking at Citi's Annual Global Entertainment, Media and Telecommunications Conference in Phoenix, Sprint CEO Hesse said the company closed nearly a dozen call centers in 2008 and could close far more this year.
"We could close potentially as many as 20 in 2009," Hesse said.
Sprint has been improving the service it provides to customers, which has been reducing the number of calls coming in from customers with questions or complaints. Clerks are improving their efficiency, solving problems more frequently on the first call, which also reduces the number of call centers needed, he said.
He also mentioned other potential "headcount" cuts, but did not offer any specifics.
"What 2008 shows is you can improve your performance, your operating performance, by getting very disciplined around care and cut costs," Hesse said.
It was about a year ago when Hesse started talking about "nukes," referring to potentially aggressive actions the nation's third-largest wireless company might take to counter top rivals such as AT&T and Verizon Wireless. Many industry observers considered Sprint to have its back against the wall and raised the prospects of a price war.
Hesse said Wednesday that he definitely wants a turnaround, but he does not want to "pull the price lever," substantially boost phone subsidies or lower the credit quality of the customers it signs.
"The key for us is not to panic," Hesse said. "We are making progress. It does take time. We do not want to do unnatural things to stimulate gross adds if it doesn't make sense from a profitability perspective. That's why it's going to take some time. It's not going to happen overnight."
Source: Sprint Connection
UNITED COMMUNICATIONS
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January Edition of "Wonder of Wireless" Webcast Now Available
WASHINGTON, DC – An innovative way for Chicagoans to track their daily commute, a clever seven-year-old who comes to his father's rescue, and an overview of exciting developments about the convergence of new wireless devices and applications at AT&T from Glenn Lurie, President of Emerging Devices, National Distribution and Resale for AT&T, are featured segments in this month's "Wonder of Wireless" (WOW) webcast, produced by CTIA-The Wireless Association®. The webcast is now available for viewing and includes several video segments that highlight a variety of wireless related topics involving the mobile enterprise, emergency rescues, significant public policy milestones, and much more.
The "Wireless at Work" segment of the January WOW webcast features the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) and a new mobile application called Bus Tracker. This innovative tool is a web-based application that allows users to access a CTA site via their web-enabled mobile device, laptop with an air card, or PC, and plug-in basic information to determine when buses are scheduled to arrive at various stops. Users simply input their bus line, originating bus stop, and direction of travel, then Bus Tracker gives them an estimated arrival time of buses that will get them on their way. CTA officials and Chicago bus riders talk about how Bus Tracker is helping to take the guesswork out of daily commuting by increasing efficiency and cutting costs.
This month's webcast also highlights a one-on-one "Insider Interview" with Glenn Lurie, AT&T's President of Emerging Devices, National Distribution and Resale. Lurie discusses his new position and mission of introducing wireless capabilities into a host of emerging devices beyond handsets, and provides an inside look into some of the exciting opportunities on the horizon for consumers in a 'converged' world.
The "Wireless Lifesaver" story recounts a heroic seven-year-old who called 911 from a cell phone to help save his father's life as he was suffering from a heart attack. And, the WOW "Policy Point" examines the important issue of wireless child safety and what the wireless industry is doing to help protect kids from unsuitable mobile content and behavior.
CTIA is the international association for the wireless telecommunications industry, representing carriers, manufacturers and wireless Internet providers.
www.ctia.org
Source: Virtual Press Office
NEWS FLASH — SATELLITE FAILURES
January 11, 1997—Telstar 401 suffers a short in the satellite circuitry—TOTAL LOSS
May 19, 1998—Galaxy 4 control processor causes loss of fixed orbit—TOTAL LOSS
September 19, 2003—Telstar 4 suffers loss of its primary power bus—TOTAL LOSS
March 17, 2004—PAS-6 suffers loss of power—TOTAL LOSS
January 14, 2005—Intelsat 804 suffers electrical power system anomaly—TOTAL LOSS
DON'T WAIT FOR THE NEXT SATELLITE OUTAGE
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— Miscellaneous:
2 Aluminum Equipment racks
1 Hennessy Outdoor Shelter, 60" tall x 40" deep x 35" wide, w/AC Unit
1 GL3000L Terminal (e-mail for list of cards)
2 GL3000ES Terminals (e-mail for list of cards)
2 GL3100 RF Director (e-mail for list of cards)
— Link Transmitters:
1 Glenayre QT6994, 150W, 900 MHz Link TX
1 Glenayre QT4201, 25W Midband Link TX
3 Motorola 10W, 900 MHz Link TX (C35JZB6106)
2 Motorola 30W, Midband Link TX (C42JZB6106AC)
— VHF Paging Transmitters
8 QT-100C, 100W VHF, TCC, RL70XC
3 Motorola VHF PURC-5000 125W, ACB or TRC
3 Motorola VHF PURC 5000 350W, ACB or TRC
— UHF Paging Transmitters:
10 Glenayre UHF GLT5340, 125W, DSP Exciter
4 Motorola UHF PURC 5000, 110W, ACB or TRC
2 Motorola UHF Nucleus 125W NAC
— 900 MHz Paging Transmitters:
1 Glenayre GLT 8600, 500W
35 Glenayre GLT-8500, 250W, C2000, w/ or w/o I20
10 Motorola PURC 5000, 300W, DRC or ACB
SEE WEB FOR COMPLETE LIST:
www.preferredwireless.com/equipment CLICK HERE
Too Much To List • Call or E-Mail
Rick McMichael
rickm@preferredwireless.com CLICK HERE
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AlphaPage® First Responder (Windows 2000, XP, Vista). When the message matters, AlphaPage® First Responder is the fast, reliable, and secure solution Emergency Management Professionals choose. AlphaPage® First Responder is designed for the modern professional who requires full-featured commercial wireless messaging capabilities that include advanced features such as automated Route-on-Failure, custom message templates, and secure messaging with SSL encryption. AlphaCare™ extended premium support plans are also available. For more information on all InfoRad Wireless Messaging software solutions, and fully supported free demos, please click on the InfoRad logo.
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Wireless Communication Solutions
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IPG Internet Paging Gateway
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PageTrack
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Omega Unified Messaging Server
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Big Skype Update Coming Next Month
James Niccolai
IDG News Service
Skype will release a big upgrade to its PC client software early next month, making video conferencing a central feature of the new interface.
The company has also released a beta version of Skype for Google Android and other Java-enabled phones, and said a version for Apple's iPhone is in the works. Skype also plans to increase its focus on business customers this year.
Skype 4.0, which has been in beta for several months, will be released in early February for PC users, with an equivalent for the Mac OS due later this year, Scott Durchslag, Skype's chief operating officer, told reporters at the Consumer Electronics Show Thursday.
The update includes a new codec that can handle video and audio twice as efficiently as the current version, according to Durchslag, giving smoother video and clearer voice calls. Skype 4.0 will support 30-frame-per-second video for people on fast enough connections, he said.
"The only thing I would caution is don't forget it's on," he joked, as he demonstrated the software with a video call from Europe. "Luckily I'm at this press conference and not in my shower this morning."
The client displays video in full-screen mode and the interface has a large green button that makes video calling more prominent. It also supports picture-in-picture, so the caller can see himself and the person he is calling.
A video call between three or more people presents "unique challenges" over Skype's peer-to-peer infrastructure, however, but it is high on Skype's priority list, Durchslag said. "Hopefully we'll have it in the not-too-distant future," he said.
Video is popular among Skype's 370 million users. On Christmas Day, 41 percent of all Skype calls were video calls as people used it to connect with relatives and friends, he said.
Skype is also coming to more devices. Skype Lite, the Java-based client for phones, should be available free from the Google Android store in the coming days. Along with T-Mobile's G1 Android phone, it will run on more than 100 Java-enabled phones from Motorola, LG, Samsung, Nokia and Sony Ericcson, Skype said.
The company has developed a Skype client for the iPhone but needs to reduce its power consumption before it can release it, Durchslag said.
More businesses are looking at Skype as a way to cut communications costs, but Durchslag acknowledged that the software still lacks features that businesses require, as well as a services infrastructure to support businesses.
It will enlist value-added resellers and systems integrators this year to provide those services. It will also add better security and management capabilities, and the ability to record digital video, which some call centers require.
He didn't give specifics about the planned business features but said Skype is likely to start by targeting small and mid-sized businesses.
Source: PCWorld
EMERGENCY AUTOMATION & NOTIFICATION
• FIREHOUSES • SCHOOLS • PUBLIC FACILITIES • GOVERNMENT FACILITIES • EMERGENCY ROOMS WHAT DO FEDERAL AND STATE GOVERNMENT AGENCIES, FORTUNE 500 COMPANIES, WISPS, HAVE IN COMMON? THEY ALL USE NIGHTHAWK.
Nighthawk Systems Inc. manufactures low cost and reliable remote control products for fire house alerting, volunteer alerting, activation of warning signs and sirens, and a number of applications for public safety. The Company manufactures the EA1 and the FAS-8 which have been designed specifically for these applications. Both products are paging based and will work with any public or private paging network. They are available in all VHF, UHF, and 900 MHz paging frequencies. The products can serve as the primary notification system or an excellent, low-cost backup to existing systems.
Public Emergency Notification & Volunteer Alerting
The EA1 is the solution for remotely activating public warning signage. Examples include tornado sirens, flash flood warnings, fire danger, Amber Alert, icy roads, etc. The EA1 can also send text messages to scrolling signs. This can occur in conjunction with the activation of audible alarms and visual strobes. This is ideal for public notification in buildings, schools, hotels, factories, etc. The group call feature allows for any number of signs or flashing lights to be activated at the same time over a wide geographic area. In addition, the EA1 Emergency Alert is the perfect solution for low cost yet highly effective alerting of volunteer fire fighters in their home. When activated the EA1 will emit an audible alarm and activate the power outlet on the units faceplate. A common setup is to simply place the EA1 on a table and plug a lamp into the faceplate. When paged from dispatch or any touch tone phone the EA1 will awaken the fire fighter to a lit room. As an option the EA1 can be ordered with a serial cable, allowing for attachment of a serial printer. When paged the alphanumeric message will be printed out at the same time the alarm sounds and the outlet is activated. The EA1 is an ideal complement to alphanumeric belt pagers common to volunteers.
Firehouse Automation
The FAS-8 is designed for activating one or more relays in a firehouse and if desired, printing the alphanumeric message to a serial printer. For this application the FAS-8 is set to activate upon receiving the proper paging cap code sent from 911 dispatch. Up to eight different devices can be activated all with individual time functions. The most common devices to turn on include the PA amplifier, audible wake up alarm, and house lights. The most common device turned off is the stove. The FAS-8 can accept up to 8 different cap codes and have separate relay and time functions per cap code. This allows for different alerting to be accomplished at the same physical location depending upon which cap code is sent. This can be very helpful when fire crews and medical crews are housed in the same building.
FAS8
Put the innovative technology of Nighthawk to work for you. For more information on any of our products or services, please contact us. Nighthawk Systems, Inc.
10715 Gulfdale, Suite 200
San Antonio, TX 78216 Phone: 877-764-4484
E-mail: sales@nighthawksystems.com
Web: www.nighthawksystems.com
hmce@bellsouth.net Click to e-mail
http://www.h-mce.com Paging Web Site
Joshua's Mission Helping Wounded Marines Homepage
Joshua's Mission Joshua's Mission Press Release
PAGING & WIRELESS
NETWORK PLANNERS LLC
WIRELESS SPECIALISTS
www.pagingplanners.com
rmercer@pagingplanners.com
R.H. (Ron) Mercer
217 First Street South
East Northport, NY 11731
Your company's logo and product promotion can appear right here for six months. It only costs $600.00 for a full-size ad in 26 issues—that's only $23.08 an issue. (6-month minimum run.)
Read more about the advertising plans here. CLICK HERE
Complete Technical Services For The
Communications and Electronics Industries
Design • Installation • Maintenance • Training
Ira Wiesenfeld, P.E.
Consulting Engineer
Registered Professional Engineer
Cell: 214-707-7711 7711 Scotia Dr.
E-mail: iwiesenfel@aol.com
If you see someone in the field (like salespeople, technicians, and delivery people) using paper forms, their company could probably save a pile of money, and get much better timeliness, accuracy and efficiency, by using converting to Outr.Net's Wireless Forms. Custom applications for as little as $995, delivered in just a few days.Outr.Net has a web page on Wireless Forms for Timeports at: http://www.outr.net/overnight_pw.htm Their latest newsletter is: "Business Development in Mobile Data"
Please call me so we can discuss your need or your idea. Or contact me by e-mail for more information
Youth@HamRadio.Fun: A Small Island, a Young Ham and a Whole Lot of Spirit!
By Duncan MacLachlan, KU0DM
ARRL Youth Editor
ku0dm@arrl.net
Mercer Island is a small island in Washington, located a few miles outside of Seattle; it has a population of approximately 22,000 people. The local radio club on the island is the Mercer Island Radio Operators (MIRO), W7MIR. MIRO is always prepared to aide with communications in the event of a natural or man-made disaster. Alex Banbury, KE7WUD, is proud to call himself the youngest member of MIRO, and possibly the youngest ham on the island!
Alex Banbury, KE7WUD, operating the ARRL 10 Meter Contest with his dad John, AG7N.
I've made it my New Year's resolution to do more CW operating. What do you plan to accomplish in 2009 as you get on the air?
Alex, a 5th grader, was licensed in October 2008 at the age of 10 and is already involved in recruiting youth and emergency communications. Alex said he got interested in the Amateur Radio because of his father John, AG7N. Alex said he remembers "sitting on my Dad's lap while he was talking to a friend who lived in Wichita," and since a very young age, always wanted to get his license and become a ham. Alex said one of the many appeals of Amateur Radio is ragchewing and meeting new people.
Being able to meet new people was a motivating factor for Alex, especially since his mother is from Germany: "I want to be able to speak to hams and learn about their countries using ham radio." Since Alex occasionally goes to Germany to visit family, traveling and seeing new things has always interested him. Alex said he plans to pursue that interest with the help of ham radio.
Another big part of Alex's career in ham radio is emergency communications. Alex says he's relatively new to emergency communications, but looks forward to working with MIRO more and more. I asked Alex how he thinks ARES® groups can be more welcoming to youth. He thinks that the groups should "actively pursue younger members' thoughts on projects and get them to participate in any drills. Really encourage young hams to help them with any of their projects." Alex's recommendation to young members is this: "Get into it, meet the people and learn about what they're doing. Get to know them before you do anything else."
I was also able to talk to Alex about his experience with recruiting; and he is a natural! Alex has told several friends about Amateur Radio, and now two close friends are interested in getting their license. Alex thinks that when promoting Amateur Radio to youth that we should "emphasize on worldwide communications" as one of our capabilities. He also recommends "active presentations — get the students involved" and that we "focus on just letting people know what ham radio is, what the basics are."
Alex's key strategy was getting his teacher interested: "It helped that my 5th grade teacher is really into teaching science and math." Another key group that Alex recommends talking to is parents. He said that a lot of his friends' parents don't even know what ham radio is, "so the parents have to be shown what it is too." Alex said he'd like to see radio clubs becoming more involved with the recruiting, and offering classes "so interested kids have a way to get a license."
Alex has already done much good for the Service, even at such a young age. My generation truly will be the future of Amateur Radio. As computers and the Internet continue to crowd out other hobbies, it will be up to us to keep Amateur Radio a healthy and appealing hobby to all ages and backgrounds.
As is custom all across the world with the coming of the New Year, I've made my New Year's resolution! Ever since I've been licensed, I have been extremely active on SSB and the digital modes, and have spent countless hours doing ARES and public service events. I have, however, neglected my CW operating! I learned the 5 WPM code in early 2006 to get on HF, and have dabbled with code off and on. I worked up to 10 WPM and just sat there for a while, and focused on DXing.
Now most would wonder how could I have possibly overlooked CW and been a DXer? Well, for a while I had the attitude of "I don't use it enough for it to be worth it" and "If I hear DX, I'll just look it up on the cluster." I later learned through experience that my reasoning was flawed. First off, CW has much more use than just DXing! I'm also an avid contester, and many of the DX contests are CW. I also have been bitten by the QRP bug, and CW is much more effective for low power. The other problem was once you get past 100 DX entities, you'll find it gets increasingly challenging to find a new one. At that point, most new entities will be relatively rare, and it's crucial to get to them before the cluster doe — especially if you have a small station like I do. It's better to be able to hear them first and work them, instead of waiting for a spot on the cluster and trying to work the station as hundreds of others call.
For that reason, I have begun work on my CW once again. It truly is like riding a bicycle — you never forget how! I've quickly increased from my 15 WPM speed; 27 WPM is the fasted I've copied. I've found that RufzXP is an excellent program to increase speed and become more comfortable copying calls. RufzXP is a training program created by Mathias Kolpe, DL4MM, and Alessandro Vitiello, IV3XYM. You can download the program, or see some screen shots on their Web site.
I encourage all of you to make a New Year's resolution to try something new in ham radio! Please email me your resolution, I'd love to read them and will even include a few of them in an upcoming article. e-mail your submissions to me; include your call sign in the subject line.
I want to wish all the readers a happy, safe, and prosperous New Year! Here's to more sunspots, better band conditions and another great year of Amateur Radio!
Duncan MacLachlan, KUØDM
Source: ARRL
From: Jerry Griffith
Subject: From the newsletter
Date: January 6, 2009 6:55:07 AM CST
To: Brad Dye
Brad, thanks for all the hope we have for paging to continue in the areas needed: my job and focus is Public Safety and Health-Care. A $150 alpha pager vs. a $5000 P25 radio works for many First Responders, mainly our rural EMS guys and gals with limited funds, They do awesome work!
I know this may be shocking, but there are actually Hospitals that are expanding their paging systems, as those wireless phones I see in every Hospital can't do a "group-call" like the in-house paging system can in 3 seconds. Think NaviCare (Hill-Rom), Amcom, Code Blue, Trauma Teams, Security Teams, Disaster Teams and many others.
And to top it all off, all these Unipage and Zetron and Motorola and Glenayre systems are at end-of-life. We are trying every day to upgrade these systems that these folks depend upon.
Jerry Griffith
Paging Project Manager
Mobilcomm Cincinnati, Ohio
jgriffith@mobilcomm.com
From: Paul Flickinger
Subject: Re: Wireless Messaging Newsletter for Paul Flickinger
Date: January 2, 2009 12:25:42 AM CST
Reply-To: paul@procom1.com
Hello Brad,
I don't know if you publish this kind of information in your newsletters, but I thought I would pass this information on to you in case you did.
In September we had the following radios stolen from us:
Twenty brand new, in the boxes, CP200 Portable Radios - Motorola model # AAH50KDC9AA2AN - VHF 5 watt 16 channel portable radios including Li-ion battery, rapid charger, antenna, belt clip, Serial numbers:
018TJR5153, 018TJR5141, 018TJR5142, 018TJR5159, 018TJR4927, 018TJR5008, 018TJR5018, 018TJR5013, 018TJR5002, 018TJR5009, 018TJR5124, 018TJR5130, 018TJR5132, 018TJR5137, 018TJR5139, 018TJR5136, 018TJR5138, 018TJR5134, 018TJR5133, 018TJR5135
Paul Flickinger
Pro-Com, Inc.
UNTIL NEXT WEEK
If you enjoyed this newsletter, please recommend it to a friend or colleague.
73 DE K9IQY
Brad Dye, Editor
The Wireless Messaging Newsletter
Springfield, IL 62791 USA
Skype: braddye
E–mail: brad@braddye.com
Wireless Consulting page
Paging Information Home Page
Marketing & Engineering Papers WIRELESS
There are only two kinds of people in the end: those who say to God, 'Thy will be done,' and those to whom God says, in the end, 'Thy will be done.'
The local newspaper here in Springfield, Illinois costs 75¢ a copy and it NEVER mentions paging. If you receive some benefit from this publication maybe you would like to help support it financially? A donation of $25.00 would represent approximately 50¢ a copy for one year. If you are so inclined, please click on the PayPal Donate button to the left. No trees were chopped down to produce this electronic newsletter.
THE WIRELESS MESSAGING NEWSLETTER & THE PAGING INFORMATION RESOURCE
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dateFormat:'dd/mm/yy',
minDate: minDate,
maxDate: '+21d',

});

}

This  works as intended and the dates are initially excluded, however if I go into my google spreadsheet and change the dates that are returned in the array, if I change the input the dates do not update in the datepicker and do not reflect the change in the spreadsheet (example below).
Image1
I've then gone into the google spreadsheet and removed the 20th and set the 13th, so the dates that should now be excluded are the 13th and 27th. I go back into my website change the input but the dates have not changed.
Image2
How do I make the datepicker reflect the changes made to the spreadsheet ?
Any help with this will be greatly appreciated !

A: After searching the site some more I have now found a solution to my problem.
Here is the link if any body else has the same issue trying to refresh the datepicker.
jQuery Datepicker - refresh pickable days based on selected option
Spoiler - I needed to add
$("#datepicker").datepicker("destroy");

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


The "Linnankoskenkatu" bus stop 1316 on Topeliuksenkatu will be relocated some 300 meters from the its current location on Friday 9 September. The new location is in front of Töölö library. The relocation is due to construction and the stop will remain in the temporary location until the end of October. The stop is served by routes 14, 18, 18N, 39, 39B, 39N, 69, 194, 194A, 195 and 195N.


text:
Interior Secretary
Interior Secretary Nominee Must Commit to Balanced Approach that Conserves Public Lands and Wildlife
Mike Saccone
Washington, DC — Lawmakers should press Interior Secretary nominee David Bernhardt on how he will return balance to the department's public lands stewardship, wildlife conservation, tribal commitments and natural resources management. The National Wildlife Federation said today that the U.S. Senate must ask Acting Interior Secretary Bernhardt about his role in the precise execution of the administration's unbalanced "energy dominance" agenda, which will impair millions of acres of our shared natural heritage, and what steps he will take to advance conservation priorities across the nation. The transition from the roles of Deputy and Acting Secretary to Secretary and keeper of the department's full and diverse mission affords him the opportunity to recalibrate the Department's priorities and enact a thoughtful conservation agenda for the Department.
"History judges Secretaries of the Interior by the public lands they steward, the wildlife species they conserve, and the voices of people on the landscape they amplify. The U.S. Senate should press Acting Secretary Bernhardt on his top conservation priorities and the specific steps he will take restore balance to the Department's actions, including prioritizing the recovery of the thousands of vulnerable wildlife species, protecting treasured landscapes across the nation, upholding Tribal obligations and responsibilities, preventing oil spills off our coasts, and restoring robust public input into decision-making," said Collin O'Mara, president and CEO of the National Wildlife Federation.
O'Mara recently wrote a column for the Washington Post about the lessons of Zinke's tenure and his legacy at the Interior Department.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Travel to Värmland
Destinations Close
Destinations in Värmland
Värmester - Vacation in Värmland
Accommodiation
See and do in Värmland
About Visit Värmland
Tourist agencies in Värmland
All roads lead to Värmland
Several main roads connect Värmland with the rest of Sweden and Scandinavia. The E18 motorway links the eastern, central and western parts of the county with Oslo and Stockholm. The E45 follows the western shore of lake Vänern and runs northwards through the Fryksdalen valley before turning westwards into the county of Dalarna. The other main roads are 61, 62, 63 and 26.
Värmlandstrafik is responsible for regional bus and train traffic. Times and schedules are developed for both day commuters and visitors responsible for regional bus and train traffic. Times and schedules are developed for both day commuters and visitors.
Several transport companies, such as Swebus operate bus services to and from Värmland. Once you are here, the orange buses run by Karlstadsbuss get you around the town of Karlstad, whilst the yellow buses of Värmlandstrafik take you out into the rest of Värmland. Several of the smaller towns and villages have their own local bus services.
There are three airports in Värmland. Flight from Karlstad Airport have destinations that include Jönköping and Frankfurt. Several major charter flight companies fly out of Karlstad to Crete, Rhodes, Majorca, Croatia and Cyprus. From Torsby Flygplats you can fly to Stockholm-Arlanda . From Hagfors Flygplats you can fly to Stockholm-Arlanda.
There are many good guest harbours and fina canals if you come to Värmland by boat. The archipelago in Lake Vänern has some lovely natural harbours, and you can also visit Sweden's innermost harbour in Arvika. If you don't have a boat of your own, you can catch a boat bus "Båtbussarna" that takes you around Karlstad on the Klarälven River or one that goes all the way out to Lake Vänern, and stops at a number of wonderful places in the archipelago.
The state-owned railway company SJ operates about nine trains daily on weekdays between Värmland and Stockholm and about five trains to Gothenburg and Oslo. Besides Karlstad there are also railway stations in Kristinehamn, Kil, Grums, Säffle, Arvika, Sunne and Torsby.
Although not many people cycle all the way to Värmland, you always have the opportunity of experiencing it from the seat of a bicycle once you are here. The Klarälvsbanan is perfect for cycling: this old railway embankment between Karlstad and Hagfors is now a 90 km long asphalted cycle way. There are also a number of downhill tracks and mountain bike trails in Värmland.
Enchanting, wild and epic
Popular, unfettered and vibrant
Boundless, surprising and significant
Down-to-earth, inventive and welcoming
A travel guide who helps you to find the best in Värmland. Visitvarmland.com is driven by and developed by Visit Värmland and the municipalities of Värmland.
Discover Värmland
Parking lot for overnight stay of caravans and motorhomes
UNIQUE ACCOMODIATION
Guest Harbours
Accessibility of visitvarmland.com
visitvarmland.com is driven by Visit Värmland. Publisher Mia Landin.


I love this first kitchen with the pops of green. The countertops are Carrara marble.
This kitchen mixes a grey island with white cabinets on the perimeter. The countertops look like they are granite, but I can't tell exactly what color.
Another beautiful white marble kitchen countertop. The subway tile backsplash has a greenish tint, I like how this adds some depth to the kitchen. Also, notice the detail on the ceiling. Beautiful kitchen!
The countertops are hard to see, they are a cream colored marble, the website doesn't name them specifically. This kitchen is really pretty, you can see more pictures of it here.
This last kitchen is my favorite of the day. I love the red brick wall and those barstools are awesome. The countertops look like Kashmir White granite.


text:
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http://www.oracle.com/webfolder/technetwork/jsc/xml/ns/persistence/persistence_2_1.xsd">
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Firewall (2018) 20" x 30" Fusograph.
A single, elegant burning line inside flowing organic shapes of white, oranges, creams and blacks. Color, depth, and energy define the piece.
I just completed my first artwork of 2018. It is a 20 x 30-inch fusograph titled "Firewall". The base image is of the concrete wall in The Blast Factory that leads to our 60's built bomb shelter. The early morning light was being reflected into the wall when I took this photo. My fuse work was done outside in sub-zero temperatures.
Black Metal Frame. White matt.


text:
The market for zero-day exploits is commercial activity related to the trafficking of software exploits.

Software vulnerabilities and "exploits" are used to get remote access to both stored information and information generated in real time. When most people use the same software, as is the case in most of countries today given the monopolistic nature of internet content and service providers, one specific vulnerability can be used against thousands if not millions of people. In this context, criminals have become interested in such vulnerabilities. A 2014 report from McAfee's Center for Strategic and International Studies estimates that the cost of cybercrime and cyberespionage is somewhere around $160 billion per year. Worldwide, countries have appointed public institutions to deal with this issue, but they will likely conflict with the interest of their own government to access people's information in order to prevent crime. As a result, both national security agencies and criminals hide certain software vulnerabilities from both users and the original developer. This type of vulnerability is known as a zero-day exploit.

Much has been said in academia and regular media about the regulation of zero-day exploits in the market. However, it is very difficult to reach a consensus because most definitions for zero-day exploits are rather vague or not applicable, as one can only define the use of certain software as malware after it has been used. In addition, there is a conflict of interest within the operations of the state that could prevent a regulation that can make mandatory the disclosure of zero-days. Governments face a trade-off between protecting their citizens' privacy through the reporting of vulnerabilities to private companies on one hand and undermining the communication technologies used by their targets—who also threaten the security of the public—on the other. The protection of national security through exploitation of software vulnerabilities unknown to both companies and the public is an ultimate resource for security agencies but also compromises the safety of every single user because any third party, including criminal organizations, could be making use of the same resource. Hence, only users and private firms have incentives to minimize the risks associated with zero-day exploits; the former to avoid an invasion of privacy and the latter to reduce the costs of data breaches. These include legal processes, costs related to the development of solutions to fix or "patch" the original vulnerability in the software and costs associated with the loss of confidence of clients in the product.

Description

Ablon, Libicki and Golay have explained to a great extent the inner workings of the zero-day market. The main findings can be separated into five components: Commodity, Currency, Marketplace, Supply and Demand. These components and their relationship with pricing will be described. The definition given to the demand component will also be challenged because it is paramount to understand the nature of the markets (i.e. white, gray and black) and its regulation or lack thereof.

Commodity

Exploits are digital products, which means that they are information goods with near-zero marginal production costs. However, they are atypical information goods. Unlike e-books or digital videos, they do not lose their value because they are easy to replicate but due to the fact that once they are exposed, the original developer will "patch" the vulnerability, decreasing the value of the commodity.

The value will not go to zero for two reasons: (1) the distribution of the patch is asymmetric and (2) developers could use the original bug to create a variant at a decreased cost. They are also atypical because they are time-sensitive commodities. Companies are updating their software on a regular basis and a patch is only useful during the lapse between versions; sometimes a vulnerability can be corrected without any external report. Third, even in confidential transactions, the use of the exploit itself can create a dysfunction on the user-end, exposing the vulnerability and leading to its loss of value. In this sense, exploits are non-excludable but they can or can not be non-rivalrous, as the more users use a zero day exploit after a certain point, the more visible its impact will be to the company in question. This could result in the company being more likely to patch the exploit, resulting in a limited period of time where the exploit is available for all users.

Currency

In most cases, transactions are typically designed to protect the identity of at least one of the parties involved in the exchange. While this is dependent on the type of market—white markets can use traceable money—most purchases are made with stolen digital funds (credit cards) and cryptocurrencies. While the latter has been the dominant trend in the last few years, prices in the gray market are set in dollars, as shown by the leaks of Hacking Team's email archive.

Marketplace

Classically, black markets—like illegal weapons or narcotics—require a huge network of trusted parties to perform the transactions of deal-making, document forgery, financial transfers and illicit transport, among others. As it is very difficult to enforce any legal agreement within these networks, many criminal organizations recruit members close to home. This proximity element increases the cost of transaction as more intermediaries are required for transnational transactions, decreasing the overall profit of the original seller.

Zero-days, on the other hand, are virtual products and can be easily sold without intermediaries over the internet as available technologies are strong enough to provide anonymity at a very low cost. Even if there is a need for intermediaries, "unwitting data mules" can be used to avoid any evidence of wrongdoing. This is why the black market is so lucrative compared to gray markets. Gray markets, which involve transactions with public institutions in charge of national security, usually require the use of third parties to hide the traces of their transactions. The Hacking Team archive, for example, contains alleged contracts with the Ecuadorian National Secretariat of Intelligence where they used two intermediaries: Robotec and Theola. In the same archive, it is said that third-party companies Cicom and Robotec negotiated the contracts on behalf of the FBI and DEA respectively. It is less likely that white markets face the same problem as it is not in their interest to hide the transaction, it is quite the opposite because companies actively promote the use of their new patches.

Supply

The supply chain is complex and involves multiple actors organized by hierarchies, where administrators sit at the top, followed by the technical experts. Next are intermediaries, brokers and vendors which can or can not be sophisticated, finally followed by witting mules. Within this chain of command, one can find multiple products. While zero-day exploits can be "found" or developed by subject matter experts only, other exploits can be easily commercialized by almost any person willing to enter the black market. There are two reasons for this. First, some devices use outdated or deprecated software and can be easily targeted by exploits that otherwise would be completely useless. Second, these "half-day exploits" can be used through graphical interfaces and learned through freely available tutorials, which means that very little expertise is required to enter the market as a seller.

The coexistence of zero-day and half-day markets influences the resilience of the black market, as developers keep moving towards the more sophisticated end. While take-downs on high organized crime has increased, the suppliers are easily replaced with people in lower levels of the pyramid. It can take less than a day to find a new provider after a take-down operation that can easily last months.

Getting to the top, however, requires personal connections and a good reputation, in this the digital black market is no different from the physical one. Half-day exploits are usually traded in more easily accessible places but zero-days often require "double-blind" auctions and the use of multiple layers of encryption to evade law enforcement. This can not be done in forums or boards, hence these transactions occur in extremely vetted spaces.

Demand

Who buys zero-day exploits defines the kind of market we are dealing with. Afidler differentiates between white, gray and black markets following the market-sizing methodology from Harvard Business School as a guide. Here they differentiate between white markets, gray markets and black markets.

White markets are those where the original developers reward security researchers for reporting vulnerabilities. On average, prices reported until 2014 were less than ten thousands of dollars but special offers up to $100,000 were made to certain vulnerabilities based on the type, criticality, and nature of the affected software. Fourteen percent of all Microsoft, Apple and Adobe vulnerabilities in the past ten years came through white market programs.

Criminals buy in the black market; however, governments can be occasional buyers if their offer can not be satisfied in the gray market or if they find impediments to acquire zero-days due to international regulations. Hacking Team states in their website that they "do not sell products to governments or to countries blacklisted by the U.S., EU, UN, NATO or ASEAN", although they have been found infringing their own policy. Prices are usually 10–100 times higher in this market when compared to the white market and this changes depending on the location of the buyer; The United States being the place where the best prices are offered. Potential sellers which are not allowed to sell in specific territories, like Cuba and North Korea in the case of the U.S., are likely to operate in the black market as well.

Gray markets buyers include clients from the private sector, governments and brokers who resell vulnerabilities. The information regarding these markets is only available through requests of confidential information from governments, where the price is usually redacted for safety purposes, and information leaked from both national security agencies and private companies (i.e. FinFisher and Hacking Team).

Tsyrklevich reported on the transactions made by Hacking Team. To date, this represents the best evidence available on the inner workings of the gray market. However, it is likely to be the case that some of these procedures are applied in both white and black markets as well:

Controversies

Typically the parties opposed to gray markets are the retailers of the item in the market as it damages its profits and reputation. As a result, they usually pressure the original manufacturer to adjust the official channels of distribution. The state also plays an important role enforcing penalties in the case of law infringement. However, the zero-day exploit market is atypical and the way it operates is closer to the workings of the black market. Brokers and bounty programs, which could be seen as retailers of zero-days, have no control whatsoever on the original producers of the "bad" as they are independently discovered by different, and often anonymous, actors. It is not in their interest to change the channel of distribution as they can profit from both the white and gray markets, having much less risk in the former.

States, which usually complement the labour of the original manufacturers to restrict gray markets, play a different role in the zero-day market as they are regular purchasers of exploits. Given the secretive nature of information security, it is not in their interest to disclose information on software vulnerabilities as their interest is, in this case, aligned with that of the criminals who seek to infiltrate devices and acquire information of specific targets. It can be argued that the presence of intelligence agencies as consumers of this "bad" could increase the price of zero-days even further as legitimate markets provide bargaining power to black-market sellers.

Finally, private companies are unwilling to raise the prices of their rewards to those levels reached in the gray and black markets arguing that they are not sustainable for defensive markets. Previous studies have shown that reward programs are more cost-effective for private firms as compared to hiring in-house security researchers, but if the prize of rewards keeps increasing that might not be the case anymore.

In 2015, Zerodium, a new start-up focused on the acquisition of "high-risk vulnerabilities", announced their new bounty program. They published the formats required for vulnerability submissions, their criteria to determine prices—the popularity and complexity of the affected software, and the quality of the submitted exploit—and the prices themselves. This represents a mixture of the transparency offered by traditional vulnerability reward program and the high rewards offered in the gray and black markets. Software developer companies perceived this new approach as a threat, primarily due to the fact that very high bounties could cause developer and tester employees to leave their day jobs. Its effects on the market, however, are yet to be defined.

The NSA was criticized for buying up and stockpiling zero-day vulnerabilities, keeping them secret and developing mainly offensive capabilities instead of helping patch vulnerabilities.

See also
 Bug bounty program
 Cybercrime
 Cybercrime countermeasures
 Cyber-arms industry
 Duqu
 Mass surveillance industry
 stuxnet
 Surveillance capitalism
 Proactive cyber defense

References

Hacking (computer security)
Cybercrime
Darknet markets
Cyberwarfare
Cyberpunk themes
Retail markets

Mass surveillance
Information economy

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia