HEALTH chiefs have set up a group to tackle parking charges and poor transport links to its hospitals.
NHS Lothian chairman Brian Cavanagh said the health board was "very anxious" about car parking charges and action would be taken to tackle them.
The transport group has pledged to unveil a series of new initiatives to tackle transport and parking issues within the next three months.
The move comes amid continuing anger from the public and health workers about parking charges of up to £10-a-day at the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary.
Concern has also been raised about a lack of parking spaces at the Western General and patients from Edinburgh having to travel long distances to St John's Hospital in Livingston after a shake-up of health services saw some clinics moved to West Lothian.
And some staff at the Royal Hospital for Sick Children in Edinburgh also vowed to quit their jobs unless they become exempt from new parking charges set to be introduced by the city council on surrounding streets.
Health board chiefs have pledged to report their findings by March - a year after Consort, the company which runs facilities at the ERI including parking, said it would review charges.
The plan was revealed after bosses came under fire about the issue from a concerned member of the public at NHS Lothian's annual general meeting yesterday.
In response, board chairman Brian Cavanagh said: "It's no secret that the board is very anxious about the huge burden of car parking charges.
"We are currently in negotiations over the contract and we are of a view, of the unanimous view, that the car parking charges are too high and part of the discussion with Consort is a to renegotiate the contract.
"This is a matter that's gone on too long as far as I am concerned but I do assure you we do need to address the car parking issue.
"It's a running sore and a cause of anxiety to a range of people who use the Royal Infirmary."
Despite pledging back in March to tackle the parking charges, which Mr Cavanagh described as "unacceptable", NHS Lothian is still in negotiations with Consort about the issue.
The health board's facilities director, John Jack, told the meeting at Murrayfield Stadium that the expert group would report its findings in March. He said the transport group, which also consists of representatives from local councils and the ambulance service, was also considering new shuttle bus services.
An initiative in which valets are employed to park patients' cars was also on the table.
Mr Jack said: "We are very conscious of the increasing transport demands, both for our patients and staff at NHS Lothian.
A Consort spokeswoman said: "We are part of ongoing discussions with the health board and parking will be part of those."
www.news.scotsman.com
Friday, December 02, 2005
U.N. health agency turns up heat on its smokersBy Andy Sullivan
The World Health Organisation (WHO), which is spearheading a global campaign against tobacco consumption, said it would no longer hire smokers.
"Smokers and other tobacco users will not be recruited by WHO as and from Dec. 1, 2005," the U.N. health agency said in a letter circulated to staff.
The agency, which employs some 2,400 people at its Geneva headquarters, said the new policy would not affect those already working for it.
But new recruits would be asked whether they were smokers, and if they were, whether they would be prepared to give up a habit which WHO says kills nearly 5 million people around the world each year.
"WHO is at the forefront of the global campaign to curb the tobacco epidemic ... the organisation has a responsibility to ensure that this is reflected in all its work," said the letter, a copy of which was obtained by Reuters.
There was no immediate reaction from the WHO staff association to the anti-smoking move.
On Wednesday, several hundred WHO staff halted work for an hour in an unprecedented protest against job cuts.
www.thestar.com.my
"Smokers and other tobacco users will not be recruited by WHO as and from Dec. 1, 2005," the U.N. health agency said in a letter circulated to staff.
The agency, which employs some 2,400 people at its Geneva headquarters, said the new policy would not affect those already working for it.
But new recruits would be asked whether they were smokers, and if they were, whether they would be prepared to give up a habit which WHO says kills nearly 5 million people around the world each year.
"WHO is at the forefront of the global campaign to curb the tobacco epidemic ... the organisation has a responsibility to ensure that this is reflected in all its work," said the letter, a copy of which was obtained by Reuters.
There was no immediate reaction from the WHO staff association to the anti-smoking move.
On Wednesday, several hundred WHO staff halted work for an hour in an unprecedented protest against job cuts.
www.thestar.com.my
Review condemns Canty mental health services
An Auckland man has died and a Christchurch man was treated in hospital after violent incidents this week involving mental health patients, one carrying a knife, the other an axe.
The father of a man wounded in the Auckland attack has joined public calls for mental health patients to be kept in hospital, accusing health chiefs of closing hospital beds to save money.
In a damning review of Canterbury mental health services, the Mental Health Commission has found inpatient services are overcrowded and its community services under-developed. Commission advice to Health Minister Pete Hodgson has warned that mental health problems are on the rise, yet services remained patchy.
"If access to services does not improve and people experiencing mental ill health are denied essential services, the result will be longer and more severe experiences of mental illness, greater likelihood of relapse, more severe life disruptions, impacts on employment and family relationships, self-harm and suicide," the advice paper says.
"Delivering good services when they are needed encourages less demand for high-cost mental health services less often, for shorter periods and more often on a voluntary basis."
In 2003, the commission, which monitors district health boards (DHBs), said overcrowding at Hillmorton Hospital's inpatient unit was "a critical issue" for the Canterbury DHB.
Two years on, commissioner Ruth Harrison has visited Canterbury to find its inpatient services still overcrowded and its community services under-developed.
In a letter, released to The Press under the Official Information Act, Harrison called for "significant investment" in community services.
"The overcrowding is a symptom of the lack of other services available in the community and this needs to be addressed with significant investment and with the development of more or new services in order to make any difference."
The Press has highlighted the crisis at Hillmorton's acute inpatient unit, Te Awakura, where staff are regularly forced to care for more patients than they have beds. Patients must then be moved at the end of each day for sleepovers in other units, sometimes travelling as far as Timaru.
Debate has raged over whether Te Awakura needs more beds or whether users need better support in the community. Half of all its female patients are readmitted within a month of being discharged.
Psychiatric Consumer Trust manager Colin Slade said no matter how many hospital beds there were "they would always be filled. The logical place to tackle the problem is at the community end."
Hospitals could be quite distressing for people in a crisis. "When you need hospital care, you need peace and quiet and good support and relaxation, and, especially when there's overcrowding, it's not like that."
Home support did not necessarily require highly skilled, highly trained people, said Slade.
"Somebody that could come in and cook a meal and maybe sit with somebody through a long evening ... it does make a significant difference."
CDHB mental health services general manager Vince Barry said there were no plans to reduce hospital bed numbers in Canterbury's acute or specialist units.
An announcement would be made before Christmas on new funding for more community-based crisis respite.
www.stuff.co.nz
The father of a man wounded in the Auckland attack has joined public calls for mental health patients to be kept in hospital, accusing health chiefs of closing hospital beds to save money.
In a damning review of Canterbury mental health services, the Mental Health Commission has found inpatient services are overcrowded and its community services under-developed. Commission advice to Health Minister Pete Hodgson has warned that mental health problems are on the rise, yet services remained patchy.
"If access to services does not improve and people experiencing mental ill health are denied essential services, the result will be longer and more severe experiences of mental illness, greater likelihood of relapse, more severe life disruptions, impacts on employment and family relationships, self-harm and suicide," the advice paper says.
"Delivering good services when they are needed encourages less demand for high-cost mental health services less often, for shorter periods and more often on a voluntary basis."
In 2003, the commission, which monitors district health boards (DHBs), said overcrowding at Hillmorton Hospital's inpatient unit was "a critical issue" for the Canterbury DHB.
Two years on, commissioner Ruth Harrison has visited Canterbury to find its inpatient services still overcrowded and its community services under-developed.
In a letter, released to The Press under the Official Information Act, Harrison called for "significant investment" in community services.
"The overcrowding is a symptom of the lack of other services available in the community and this needs to be addressed with significant investment and with the development of more or new services in order to make any difference."
The Press has highlighted the crisis at Hillmorton's acute inpatient unit, Te Awakura, where staff are regularly forced to care for more patients than they have beds. Patients must then be moved at the end of each day for sleepovers in other units, sometimes travelling as far as Timaru.
Debate has raged over whether Te Awakura needs more beds or whether users need better support in the community. Half of all its female patients are readmitted within a month of being discharged.
Psychiatric Consumer Trust manager Colin Slade said no matter how many hospital beds there were "they would always be filled. The logical place to tackle the problem is at the community end."
Hospitals could be quite distressing for people in a crisis. "When you need hospital care, you need peace and quiet and good support and relaxation, and, especially when there's overcrowding, it's not like that."
Home support did not necessarily require highly skilled, highly trained people, said Slade.
"Somebody that could come in and cook a meal and maybe sit with somebody through a long evening ... it does make a significant difference."
CDHB mental health services general manager Vince Barry said there were no plans to reduce hospital bed numbers in Canterbury's acute or specialist units.
An announcement would be made before Christmas on new funding for more community-based crisis respite.
www.stuff.co.nz
Lloyds boosts Scots business banking service
BANKING group Lloyds TSB Scotland has unveiled a number of new measures aimed at beefing up its business banking offering to Scotland's small businesses.
Lloyds said it is more than doubling the number of locally-based business banking managers at branches across Scotland. Also, it is putting more business banking managers into high street branches and establishing business development teams in five Scottish centres - including Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen, Paisley and Stirling - to support the growth in this sector.
And later this month, the bank's Scottish headquarters in Edinburgh will also see a banking lounge opened, allowing corporate clients a central location to conduct business either with the bank or with their own clients.
Lloyd is aiming to enable every SME customer to see a business banker locally, face-to-face and free of charge. Andrew Stark, head of business banking, Lloyds TSB Scotland, said: "We've listened to our customers and built a new service to deliver the one-to-one contact they value."
www.business.scotsman.com
Lloyds said it is more than doubling the number of locally-based business banking managers at branches across Scotland. Also, it is putting more business banking managers into high street branches and establishing business development teams in five Scottish centres - including Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen, Paisley and Stirling - to support the growth in this sector.
And later this month, the bank's Scottish headquarters in Edinburgh will also see a banking lounge opened, allowing corporate clients a central location to conduct business either with the bank or with their own clients.
Lloyd is aiming to enable every SME customer to see a business banker locally, face-to-face and free of charge. Andrew Stark, head of business banking, Lloyds TSB Scotland, said: "We've listened to our customers and built a new service to deliver the one-to-one contact they value."
www.business.scotsman.com
SFBC Says Bed Removal Won't Hurt Business Since Not All Filled
SFBC International Inc., which operates the largest private clinical trials center in North America, said removing 325 of the center's 675 beds in an agreement with local officials won't harm its business because 66 percent of the beds were unoccupied.
SFBC's agreed to remove the beds after building code enforcement officials said the five-story building was unsafe. The company will move 120 beds to another Miami building and use available space as necessary at a center in Fort Myers, Miami- based SFBC said today in a statement on Business Wire.
``SFBC is confident that its ability to win new contracts and fulfill existing contracts will not be impacted by the current capacity of 350 beds at its principal Miami facility,'' the statement said.
The company's shares rose $2.55, or 16 percent, to $18.19 at 10:12 a.m. New York time in Nasdaq Stock Market composite trading. The shares have dropped 60 percent this year through yesterday.
A plan announced last month for the company to buy back up to one million shares has been changed to cover repurchases totaling $30 million, with 100,000 shares already purchased at $31, the statement also said. SFBC said its credit line was amended to permit the purchases.
``We believe that at current levels a stock repurchase program is an appropriate use of our cash and borrowing power under our credit facility,'' said SFBC Chief Executive Officer Arnold Hantman in the statement.
www.quote.bloomberg.com
SFBC's agreed to remove the beds after building code enforcement officials said the five-story building was unsafe. The company will move 120 beds to another Miami building and use available space as necessary at a center in Fort Myers, Miami- based SFBC said today in a statement on Business Wire.
``SFBC is confident that its ability to win new contracts and fulfill existing contracts will not be impacted by the current capacity of 350 beds at its principal Miami facility,'' the statement said.
The company's shares rose $2.55, or 16 percent, to $18.19 at 10:12 a.m. New York time in Nasdaq Stock Market composite trading. The shares have dropped 60 percent this year through yesterday.
A plan announced last month for the company to buy back up to one million shares has been changed to cover repurchases totaling $30 million, with 100,000 shares already purchased at $31, the statement also said. SFBC said its credit line was amended to permit the purchases.
``We believe that at current levels a stock repurchase program is an appropriate use of our cash and borrowing power under our credit facility,'' said SFBC Chief Executive Officer Arnold Hantman in the statement.
www.quote.bloomberg.com
Montgomerie back in business in Hong Kong
Briton Colin Montgomerie sounded a warning after he shot a second round four-under-par 66 to move into contention at the halfway stage of the Hong Kong Open on Friday.
Montgomerie totalled five-under-par 135 to be four shots behind leader Rick Gibson of Canada. Happy with his bogey-free round, Montgomerie said he was well-placed and looking forward to challenging for the title at the $1.2 million event which is co-sanctioned by the European Tour and the Asian Tour.
"Being on the leaderboard does send out a warning to the rest provided I get off to a good start tomorrow," the Scot said.
"If I can be two under after four or five and get to seven under for the tournament and start pressing, then it counts. There is no point doing this today and then backing off tomorrow."
Gibson added a 66 to his first round total of 65 to take the lead at nine-under-par 131. Based in the Philippines for the past 16 years, Gibson, an Asian Tour veteran, said an enforced holiday recently had resulted in him playing his best golf in a long time.
"I spent three weeks at home before coming here. I practised a lot, something I haven't done for a long time. It seems to be working," Gibson said.
In second place, one shot adrift of Gibson was American Edward Loar who shot 64 to go to eight-under 132. Swede Martin Erlandsson was one shot further adrift on 133.
Overnight leader Kang Wook-soon of South Korea and Briton Andrew Butterfield were lying in fourth place, on 134. Montgomerie, Europe's number one in the 2005 season, could have gone even lower, but he failed to take his chances missing a handful of birdie putts.
"It should have been a very, very low round if I had taken the putts. This is probably the shortest course we play throughout the year and although it is quite tricky, if you do the right things, a low score is possible," he said.
Defending champion Miguel Angel Jimenez of Spain was four-under-par 136, five shots off the pace.
England's Ryder Cup player Paul Casey failed to make the cut. Winner of last week's China Open, Casey had a poor first round of 74 and then made a two-under 68 in the second round. But that was not enough to save him from being eliminated.
www.today.reuters.co.uk
Montgomerie totalled five-under-par 135 to be four shots behind leader Rick Gibson of Canada. Happy with his bogey-free round, Montgomerie said he was well-placed and looking forward to challenging for the title at the $1.2 million event which is co-sanctioned by the European Tour and the Asian Tour.
"Being on the leaderboard does send out a warning to the rest provided I get off to a good start tomorrow," the Scot said.
"If I can be two under after four or five and get to seven under for the tournament and start pressing, then it counts. There is no point doing this today and then backing off tomorrow."
Gibson added a 66 to his first round total of 65 to take the lead at nine-under-par 131. Based in the Philippines for the past 16 years, Gibson, an Asian Tour veteran, said an enforced holiday recently had resulted in him playing his best golf in a long time.
"I spent three weeks at home before coming here. I practised a lot, something I haven't done for a long time. It seems to be working," Gibson said.
In second place, one shot adrift of Gibson was American Edward Loar who shot 64 to go to eight-under 132. Swede Martin Erlandsson was one shot further adrift on 133.
Overnight leader Kang Wook-soon of South Korea and Briton Andrew Butterfield were lying in fourth place, on 134. Montgomerie, Europe's number one in the 2005 season, could have gone even lower, but he failed to take his chances missing a handful of birdie putts.
"It should have been a very, very low round if I had taken the putts. This is probably the shortest course we play throughout the year and although it is quite tricky, if you do the right things, a low score is possible," he said.
Defending champion Miguel Angel Jimenez of Spain was four-under-par 136, five shots off the pace.
England's Ryder Cup player Paul Casey failed to make the cut. Winner of last week's China Open, Casey had a poor first round of 74 and then made a two-under 68 in the second round. But that was not enough to save him from being eliminated.
www.today.reuters.co.uk
DP Technology Releases ESPRIT 2006 for Machine Tools
CAMARILLO, California, December 2, 2005 - Built upon the success of its previous product releases, DP Technology Corp. is proud to announce the immediate availability of its latest CAM software, ESPRIT 2006. Featuring functionality that emphasizes higher cutting speeds, longer tool life and suitability to increasingly complex geometry, ESPRIT 2006 is comprehensive in its ability to handle today’s most advanced machine tools and demanding machining applications.
ESPRIT is described as a high-performance computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) system for a full range of machine tool applications. ESPRIT delivers powerful full-spectrum programming for 2–5 axis milling, 2–22 axis turning, 2–5 axis wire EDM, multitasking mill-turn machining, and B-axis machine tools.
Each year, through events such as ESPRIT World Conference, DP connects with its end-users and resellers to assure ESPRIT product development is focused on the needs of ESPRIT customers and markets. As a result DP is convinced this release will be well accepted by users, far exceed any competitive products, and push ESPRIT into a new and higher category of excellence in CAM software.
“The enhancements made for 2006 significantly increase the performance of ESPRIT,” says Chuck Mathews, vice president of DP Technology. “CNC Programmers will find ESPRIT meets their needs better than ever with all the new features designed and added as a result of direct customer involvement in the development process. ESPRIT 2006 is another demonstration of DP’s passion for excellence and commitment to provide CNC programmers with the most powerful CAM software ever.”
The new developments for ESPRIT 2006 are highlighted in a 150 page manual entitled, What’s New in 2006. This new manual will be shipped to all North American customers when they update to this latest version. The following features identify a few of the more notable developments for ESPRIT 2006:
Enhanced Wire EDM machining cycles
For 2006 ESPRIT offers enhanced feature recognition and machining cycles for EDM customers. These enhancements are one step along the road for DP to meet its vision for EDM programming; no prints, no dimensions, just a solid model with automated programming. The 2006 version now offers new path optimization and operation sorting, enhanced retract moves for 2-axis and 4-axis contouring, expanded strategies for 2-axis contouring and new cut off options for 2-axis contouring.
New Turning cycles
The latest developments within ESPRIT 2006 include new grooving cycles which have been added to support advances in cutting tool geometry and machine tool design, including machines capable of turning while utilizing a B-axis. These new grooving cycles offer the following key functionalities: any-tool orientation utilizing a B-axis, new pre-finish options, expanded finish pass control—enhanced for NC compensation, optimized step-over calculations, additional roughing patterns, and support for casting stock.
New Rotary Milling Cycles
ESPRIT 2006 includes a new 4-axis wrap pocketing machining cycle which allows users to easily machine in 4-axis directly from a 3D solid model. This new capability supplements the wrap-contouring cycle introduced in ESPRIT 2005. Both of these machining cycles provide the programmer with the choice of working with flat 2D or 3D representations of the work piece. Roughing, semi-finishing and finishing, including dedicated wall-finish passes and floor-finish passes, can now be combined in a single operation, and each type of pass allows the selection of a different cutting tool. Tool path can be produced on the OD or the ID of cylindrical stock, utilizing one or two rotary axes, and all tool paths are displayed in 3D for greater clarity.
Expanded Traditional Milling
Higher cutting speeds and longer tool life are the result of the expanded capabilities for traditional milling with ESPRIT 2006. This version includes new tool path options, which maintain constant material removal rates throughout the entire machining process. The new machining options are available for roughing (pocketing), semi-finishing and finishing (contouring). Other milling additions include expanded options for open pockets and bottom-up machining for operations such as back-boring.
New Report Generator
ESPRIT’s new Report Generator creates machining reports in both HTML and PDF format that provide complete shop floor information for milling, turning, and wire EDM machining processes. Reports contain information about the machine, the tools, the part, operations, and the NC program. In addition, each page in the report displays a full-color image showing how the part should look at each stage of the machining process. Report creation is based on HTML and XML templates which are fully customizable to suit each individual shop’s preferences.
New NC Editor
The ESPRIT NC editor was rebuilt from the ground up for 2006. This new NC Editor has a friendly interface and includes a tabbed file manager for a better view. The NC Editor opens automatically when NC code is generated to give users an immediate view of the code after it is processed. The new tabbed view makes it easy to navigate and view several NC files at once. An asterisk symbol next to a file name makes it easy to see which files have been changed, but not saved.
Automated 3D Milling
For the 3D programmer ESPRIT 2006 offers a new automated approach to defining machining boundaries thereby reducing part programming time. New slope machining options have been added to ESPRIT 3D milling cycles that let users optimize finishing passes by part or by area without defining additional boundaries. ESPRIT can now calculate areas to machine based on a user-defined slope angle and automatically create boundaries to restrict the tool path.
Enhanced 3D Free-Form Machining Cycles
FreeForm 3D machining with ESPRIT 2006 now benefits from an enhanced Z-level finish cycle for quicker programming, short cycle time and increased part quality. Programmers now benefit from the power to combine multiple types of machining strategies into a single operation for the best possible surface finish on complex surfaces. Users have the option to machine the entire part or selectively machine vertical or horizontal areas with an expanded number of options for tool motion pattern that are now available for horizontal surfaces.
About DP Technology
DP Technology is a computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) software market leader with a mission to provide CNC programmers with the most powerful CAM software ever. DP Technology’s flagship product, ESPRIT, captures the company’s vision of technology’s potential and its passion for excellence. DP Technology maintains its worldwide headquarters and product development team in Camarillo, California, with sales and support operations in Europe, Asia, and North and South America. For additional information about DP Technology and ESPRIT, call +1-805-388-6000, send an email to esprit@dptechnology.com, or visit the company web site at www.dptechnology.com.
www.tenlinks.com
ESPRIT is described as a high-performance computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) system for a full range of machine tool applications. ESPRIT delivers powerful full-spectrum programming for 2–5 axis milling, 2–22 axis turning, 2–5 axis wire EDM, multitasking mill-turn machining, and B-axis machine tools.
Each year, through events such as ESPRIT World Conference, DP connects with its end-users and resellers to assure ESPRIT product development is focused on the needs of ESPRIT customers and markets. As a result DP is convinced this release will be well accepted by users, far exceed any competitive products, and push ESPRIT into a new and higher category of excellence in CAM software.
“The enhancements made for 2006 significantly increase the performance of ESPRIT,” says Chuck Mathews, vice president of DP Technology. “CNC Programmers will find ESPRIT meets their needs better than ever with all the new features designed and added as a result of direct customer involvement in the development process. ESPRIT 2006 is another demonstration of DP’s passion for excellence and commitment to provide CNC programmers with the most powerful CAM software ever.”
The new developments for ESPRIT 2006 are highlighted in a 150 page manual entitled, What’s New in 2006. This new manual will be shipped to all North American customers when they update to this latest version. The following features identify a few of the more notable developments for ESPRIT 2006:
Enhanced Wire EDM machining cycles
For 2006 ESPRIT offers enhanced feature recognition and machining cycles for EDM customers. These enhancements are one step along the road for DP to meet its vision for EDM programming; no prints, no dimensions, just a solid model with automated programming. The 2006 version now offers new path optimization and operation sorting, enhanced retract moves for 2-axis and 4-axis contouring, expanded strategies for 2-axis contouring and new cut off options for 2-axis contouring.
New Turning cycles
The latest developments within ESPRIT 2006 include new grooving cycles which have been added to support advances in cutting tool geometry and machine tool design, including machines capable of turning while utilizing a B-axis. These new grooving cycles offer the following key functionalities: any-tool orientation utilizing a B-axis, new pre-finish options, expanded finish pass control—enhanced for NC compensation, optimized step-over calculations, additional roughing patterns, and support for casting stock.
New Rotary Milling Cycles
ESPRIT 2006 includes a new 4-axis wrap pocketing machining cycle which allows users to easily machine in 4-axis directly from a 3D solid model. This new capability supplements the wrap-contouring cycle introduced in ESPRIT 2005. Both of these machining cycles provide the programmer with the choice of working with flat 2D or 3D representations of the work piece. Roughing, semi-finishing and finishing, including dedicated wall-finish passes and floor-finish passes, can now be combined in a single operation, and each type of pass allows the selection of a different cutting tool. Tool path can be produced on the OD or the ID of cylindrical stock, utilizing one or two rotary axes, and all tool paths are displayed in 3D for greater clarity.
Expanded Traditional Milling
Higher cutting speeds and longer tool life are the result of the expanded capabilities for traditional milling with ESPRIT 2006. This version includes new tool path options, which maintain constant material removal rates throughout the entire machining process. The new machining options are available for roughing (pocketing), semi-finishing and finishing (contouring). Other milling additions include expanded options for open pockets and bottom-up machining for operations such as back-boring.
New Report Generator
ESPRIT’s new Report Generator creates machining reports in both HTML and PDF format that provide complete shop floor information for milling, turning, and wire EDM machining processes. Reports contain information about the machine, the tools, the part, operations, and the NC program. In addition, each page in the report displays a full-color image showing how the part should look at each stage of the machining process. Report creation is based on HTML and XML templates which are fully customizable to suit each individual shop’s preferences.
New NC Editor
The ESPRIT NC editor was rebuilt from the ground up for 2006. This new NC Editor has a friendly interface and includes a tabbed file manager for a better view. The NC Editor opens automatically when NC code is generated to give users an immediate view of the code after it is processed. The new tabbed view makes it easy to navigate and view several NC files at once. An asterisk symbol next to a file name makes it easy to see which files have been changed, but not saved.
Automated 3D Milling
For the 3D programmer ESPRIT 2006 offers a new automated approach to defining machining boundaries thereby reducing part programming time. New slope machining options have been added to ESPRIT 3D milling cycles that let users optimize finishing passes by part or by area without defining additional boundaries. ESPRIT can now calculate areas to machine based on a user-defined slope angle and automatically create boundaries to restrict the tool path.
Enhanced 3D Free-Form Machining Cycles
FreeForm 3D machining with ESPRIT 2006 now benefits from an enhanced Z-level finish cycle for quicker programming, short cycle time and increased part quality. Programmers now benefit from the power to combine multiple types of machining strategies into a single operation for the best possible surface finish on complex surfaces. Users have the option to machine the entire part or selectively machine vertical or horizontal areas with an expanded number of options for tool motion pattern that are now available for horizontal surfaces.
About DP Technology
DP Technology is a computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) software market leader with a mission to provide CNC programmers with the most powerful CAM software ever. DP Technology’s flagship product, ESPRIT, captures the company’s vision of technology’s potential and its passion for excellence. DP Technology maintains its worldwide headquarters and product development team in Camarillo, California, with sales and support operations in Europe, Asia, and North and South America. For additional information about DP Technology and ESPRIT, call +1-805-388-6000, send an email to esprit@dptechnology.com, or visit the company web site at www.dptechnology.com.
www.tenlinks.com
Electronic Sensor Technology's zNose(R) Deployed by China Heilongjiang Environmental
Electronic Sensor Technology (OTCBB: ESNR), a leading provider of innovative Homeland Security solutions, announced today that its zNose(R) has been deployed by China's Heilongjiang Environmental Protection Agency (HEPA) to test the contaminated water in northeastern China caused by a recent chemical plant explosion.
The zNose(R), which is an electronic sensor device that can capture and analyze nearly any odor, fragrance or chemical vapor within ten seconds, is the only portable detector capable of measuring the polluted water containing benzene, aniline and nitro-benzene to low parts per billion sensitivity in a near real-time speed of less than 10 seconds. Harbin, the capital of Heilongjiang, suffered a five-day water shutdown after a blast at a PetroChina plant upstream released 100 tons of chemicals into the Songhua River, which provides most of the city's drinking water.
Beijing R&D Technology, which recently signed a distribution agreement with Electronic Sensor Technology for the zNose(R), is providing technical assistance to officials of HEPA. As a result of successful testing to date, HEPA has elected to expand the use of the zNose(R) to further test water that may be affected in cities and areas surrounding the Songhua River, in conjunction with local EPA engineers.
"In addition to playing a key role in security and defense applications, the zNose(R) has proven to be a highly useful tool in environmental disasters such as this one," said Matthew S. Collier, President and CEO of Electronic Sensor. "Through our solid relationship with Beijing R&D, along with the successful use of the zNose(R) in this and other applications in the region, the Chinese market represents a highly lucrative opportunity for the Company in the future." A translated video news clip that appeared recently on Chinese television news station, HLJ News, is available at the link provided below.
The video news clip features Wen Chao, Chief of the Heilongjiang EPA, explaining the use of the zNose(R) in support of the cleanup operation on the Songhua River. A link will be available at www.znose.com on the Home Page after 12pm eastern time today. About Electronic Sensor Technology: Founded in 1995, Electronic Sensor Technology has developed and patented a very unique chemical vapor analysis process.
We believe that the Company's product line is positioned to provide a solution to key vulnerabilities in the homeland security and environmental applications. SEC Filings and Forward-Looking Statements This press release includes forward looking statements, including the Company's expectations regarding its ability to develop and access capital markets and its ability to achieve expected results in the chemical detection and analysis industry. The forward looking statements are identified through use of the words "potential," "anticipate," "expect," "planned" and other words of similar meaning.
These forward-looking statements may be affected by the risks and uncertainties inherent in the chemical detection and analysis industry and in the Company's business. The Company cautions readers that certain important factors may have affected and could in the future affect the Company's beliefs and expectations and could cause the actual results to differ materially from those expressed in any forward-looking statement made by or on behalf of the Company.
For a discussion of these factors, please refer to our recent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including our most recent report on form 10-KSB. The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof.
www.tmcnet.com
The zNose(R), which is an electronic sensor device that can capture and analyze nearly any odor, fragrance or chemical vapor within ten seconds, is the only portable detector capable of measuring the polluted water containing benzene, aniline and nitro-benzene to low parts per billion sensitivity in a near real-time speed of less than 10 seconds. Harbin, the capital of Heilongjiang, suffered a five-day water shutdown after a blast at a PetroChina plant upstream released 100 tons of chemicals into the Songhua River, which provides most of the city's drinking water.
Beijing R&D Technology, which recently signed a distribution agreement with Electronic Sensor Technology for the zNose(R), is providing technical assistance to officials of HEPA. As a result of successful testing to date, HEPA has elected to expand the use of the zNose(R) to further test water that may be affected in cities and areas surrounding the Songhua River, in conjunction with local EPA engineers.
"In addition to playing a key role in security and defense applications, the zNose(R) has proven to be a highly useful tool in environmental disasters such as this one," said Matthew S. Collier, President and CEO of Electronic Sensor. "Through our solid relationship with Beijing R&D, along with the successful use of the zNose(R) in this and other applications in the region, the Chinese market represents a highly lucrative opportunity for the Company in the future." A translated video news clip that appeared recently on Chinese television news station, HLJ News, is available at the link provided below.
The video news clip features Wen Chao, Chief of the Heilongjiang EPA, explaining the use of the zNose(R) in support of the cleanup operation on the Songhua River. A link will be available at www.znose.com on the Home Page after 12pm eastern time today. About Electronic Sensor Technology: Founded in 1995, Electronic Sensor Technology has developed and patented a very unique chemical vapor analysis process.
We believe that the Company's product line is positioned to provide a solution to key vulnerabilities in the homeland security and environmental applications. SEC Filings and Forward-Looking Statements This press release includes forward looking statements, including the Company's expectations regarding its ability to develop and access capital markets and its ability to achieve expected results in the chemical detection and analysis industry. The forward looking statements are identified through use of the words "potential," "anticipate," "expect," "planned" and other words of similar meaning.
These forward-looking statements may be affected by the risks and uncertainties inherent in the chemical detection and analysis industry and in the Company's business. The Company cautions readers that certain important factors may have affected and could in the future affect the Company's beliefs and expectations and could cause the actual results to differ materially from those expressed in any forward-looking statement made by or on behalf of the Company.
For a discussion of these factors, please refer to our recent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including our most recent report on form 10-KSB. The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof.
www.tmcnet.com
The week in technology: Microsoft gets classified
And unlike Google, which has played down its ambitions for Base despite many excited bloggers attributing grand ambitions to the new database, Microsoft made no bones about its intention to become a major force in online classified advertising.
Microsoft said its service, code-named Fremont after a Seattle market, is similar to the popular Craigslist.org classified service. On Craigslist, anyone can post items for sale or available jobs, apartments, or houses, as well as other services and events they’d like to broadcast to the public. In turn, users can search these product listings and connect with the sellers, companies, or organizers directly through the service.
The service has reportedly been available in test form to Microsoft employees since last week, and is expected to be unveiled in a couple of weeks from now.
Unsurprisingly, the move drew ire from bloggers, with many accusing the company they love to hate of copycat-ism - although Microsoft insisted that it had been working on the idea since early this year.
“We started this before anyone knew about Google Base. Having seen what Google Base is doing, I don’t think they were aiming for a classifieds service. They don’t have a taxonomy of listings like we do. They see it as an open database,” said Garry Wiseman, MSN product unit manager.
For those not talking Microspeak, one blogger has been kind enough to provide a definition of taxonomy.
Mr Wiseman hopes to release a test version of Windows Live Classifieds to the public in the next month, with the full service going live in the first half of next year.
Not all bloggers came out against the service. Some noted that Fremont offered a degree of user control over the content posted on the service that could make it a more attractive prospect than Base, or even Craiglist.
The key difference is that Fremont will be integrated with other MSN services, such as its instant messaging service. This will allow the poster to control who sees their listings, from everyone to just a select group of people on the MSN Messenger buddy list. So if you’d rather give your friends first dibs at some hot concert tickets rather than flog them to strangers, the service lets you.
Blogger Charlene Li said use of buddly lists would give Fremont an additional “social” element with users, for example, organising second-hand clothes swaps.
She also said Microsoft’s classifieds interface was familiar and easy to use - resembling Craigslist in many respects - but was unsure whether everyone would be able to grasp it.
“Don’t get me wrong - I love Google Base because of the audacious potential it represents in terms of creating new content for the web. But in terms of a classifieds service, it will take a lot of application development to get it to the point where the average Joe will be able to use it.”
Another blogger concurred: “I can’t see my mum being able to figure out how it works.”
Only time will tell which of the services internet users will take to their hearts.
Browser wars stoked by new Firefox
A new version of web browser Firefox sparked an ecstatic reception from internet geeks who have been singing its praises ever since the free service was launched by non-profit Mozilla Corporation last year.
“Good show, mozilla.com! It’s just awesome, TOTALLY AWESOME!!!,” one enthusiast exclaimed.
Firefox 1.5 - download free-of-charge here - boasts faster browsing, quicker updates and better blocking of pop-up advertising. It also offers improved security - checking daily for patches, downloading them automatically and prompting users to install them - and makes it easier to sign up for RSS feeds. Click here for the new version’s full specifications.
Firefox has grown in popularity thanks to a clean, uncluttered interface, its distinctive tabbed pages accessible via a single mouse click and faster web page navigation on the back of fewer nuisance ads.
Firefox 1.0 has been downloaded 100m times and won almost 10 per cent of the browser market, dominated by Microsoft’s Internet Explorer - a new version of which, IE7, is expected next year.
Being an open source program, the new version of Firefox was developed and tested with the help of thousands of volunteer programmers since a beta version was released at the beginning of November. Mozilla is now planning a regular release schedule with 2.0 and 3.0 versions expected in 2006 and 2007 respectively.
In his review of 1.5, Paul Taylor, the FT technology columnist, described it as “very solid and reliable - even when it encounters a website optimised specifically for IE”. He went on to bemoan the “powerful force” of inertia which ties so many users to Explorer.
Firefox users were almost universally favourable towards the new version, although a few party poopers warned that IE7 would incorporate Firefox’s most popular features like tabbed browsing.
“You may not like the might of Microsoft, but when they release something, you should fear the userbase outreach of the Microsoft coverage worldwide. Firefox will lose a lot of home users with IE7,” one CNET reader said.
But another replied that Explorer still had a long way to go to catch up.
“IE’s biggest handicap has always been the fact that it’s code is integrated into the operating system. Firefox sits on top of the OS lessening the opportunities for code hacks, worm, trojan or virus attacks.”
When Microsoft releases a new Explorer we may be in for the most heated browser wars since the Microsoft/Netscape battle of the 90s.
www.news.ft.com
Microsoft said its service, code-named Fremont after a Seattle market, is similar to the popular Craigslist.org classified service. On Craigslist, anyone can post items for sale or available jobs, apartments, or houses, as well as other services and events they’d like to broadcast to the public. In turn, users can search these product listings and connect with the sellers, companies, or organizers directly through the service.
The service has reportedly been available in test form to Microsoft employees since last week, and is expected to be unveiled in a couple of weeks from now.
Unsurprisingly, the move drew ire from bloggers, with many accusing the company they love to hate of copycat-ism - although Microsoft insisted that it had been working on the idea since early this year.
“We started this before anyone knew about Google Base. Having seen what Google Base is doing, I don’t think they were aiming for a classifieds service. They don’t have a taxonomy of listings like we do. They see it as an open database,” said Garry Wiseman, MSN product unit manager.
For those not talking Microspeak, one blogger has been kind enough to provide a definition of taxonomy.
Mr Wiseman hopes to release a test version of Windows Live Classifieds to the public in the next month, with the full service going live in the first half of next year.
Not all bloggers came out against the service. Some noted that Fremont offered a degree of user control over the content posted on the service that could make it a more attractive prospect than Base, or even Craiglist.
The key difference is that Fremont will be integrated with other MSN services, such as its instant messaging service. This will allow the poster to control who sees their listings, from everyone to just a select group of people on the MSN Messenger buddy list. So if you’d rather give your friends first dibs at some hot concert tickets rather than flog them to strangers, the service lets you.
Blogger Charlene Li said use of buddly lists would give Fremont an additional “social” element with users, for example, organising second-hand clothes swaps.
She also said Microsoft’s classifieds interface was familiar and easy to use - resembling Craigslist in many respects - but was unsure whether everyone would be able to grasp it.
“Don’t get me wrong - I love Google Base because of the audacious potential it represents in terms of creating new content for the web. But in terms of a classifieds service, it will take a lot of application development to get it to the point where the average Joe will be able to use it.”
Another blogger concurred: “I can’t see my mum being able to figure out how it works.”
Only time will tell which of the services internet users will take to their hearts.
Browser wars stoked by new Firefox
A new version of web browser Firefox sparked an ecstatic reception from internet geeks who have been singing its praises ever since the free service was launched by non-profit Mozilla Corporation last year.
“Good show, mozilla.com! It’s just awesome, TOTALLY AWESOME!!!,” one enthusiast exclaimed.
Firefox 1.5 - download free-of-charge here - boasts faster browsing, quicker updates and better blocking of pop-up advertising. It also offers improved security - checking daily for patches, downloading them automatically and prompting users to install them - and makes it easier to sign up for RSS feeds. Click here for the new version’s full specifications.
Firefox has grown in popularity thanks to a clean, uncluttered interface, its distinctive tabbed pages accessible via a single mouse click and faster web page navigation on the back of fewer nuisance ads.
Firefox 1.0 has been downloaded 100m times and won almost 10 per cent of the browser market, dominated by Microsoft’s Internet Explorer - a new version of which, IE7, is expected next year.
Being an open source program, the new version of Firefox was developed and tested with the help of thousands of volunteer programmers since a beta version was released at the beginning of November. Mozilla is now planning a regular release schedule with 2.0 and 3.0 versions expected in 2006 and 2007 respectively.
In his review of 1.5, Paul Taylor, the FT technology columnist, described it as “very solid and reliable - even when it encounters a website optimised specifically for IE”. He went on to bemoan the “powerful force” of inertia which ties so many users to Explorer.
Firefox users were almost universally favourable towards the new version, although a few party poopers warned that IE7 would incorporate Firefox’s most popular features like tabbed browsing.
“You may not like the might of Microsoft, but when they release something, you should fear the userbase outreach of the Microsoft coverage worldwide. Firefox will lose a lot of home users with IE7,” one CNET reader said.
But another replied that Explorer still had a long way to go to catch up.
“IE’s biggest handicap has always been the fact that it’s code is integrated into the operating system. Firefox sits on top of the OS lessening the opportunities for code hacks, worm, trojan or virus attacks.”
When Microsoft releases a new Explorer we may be in for the most heated browser wars since the Microsoft/Netscape battle of the 90s.
www.news.ft.com
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