March 16th, 2010 by
In this summary you will learn: How to position and pitch a new business How to get the most benefit from branding and staffing Why starting a business is akin to a spiritual undertaking, requiring belief in the project’s worth and its benefit to society Why you should read The Art of the Start This is not a manual, but rather a collection of mostly useful tips for people who wish to start businesses, or even, as author Guy Kawasaki claims, other sorts of projects, including nonprofit organizations. Kawasaki may over-use business-babble such as “bootstrapping” or “rainmaking” (in fact, he recommends coming up with a brand name that can enter the language as a verb, such as Google or Xerox) – but his style is good-natured and humorous. The chapters are divided accessibly with subheads, charts, bullet points, “minichapters,” answers to “Frequently Avoided Questions” and reading lists, making it easy to find important points. Many of Kawasaki’s “exercises” are tongue-in-cheek, like, “Go to eBay and search for used Aeron chairs.” He got his start working at Apple Computer, marketing early MacIntoshes, and he now runs a venture capital firm, Garage Technology Ventures. He refers to both frequently, and most of the book’s examples come from these venues, not from inside knowledge of others start-ups, even though the author has been involved in several. This isn’t the only book you’ll need to read when you decide to start a business, but getAbstract.com finds that its iconoclastic pointers are useful and fun, and its sections on pitching, recruiting and branding, in particular, apply to businesses of any size. About the Author Guy Kawasaki got his start in marketing at Apple Computer and went on to found several high tech businesses. He currently runs the venture capital firm Garage Technology Ventures Request Free!
More:
The Art of the Start – The Time-Tested, Battle-Hardened Guide for Anyone Starting Anything – Free Book Summary
Read the rest »
March 8th, 2010 by
Defense Technology International (DTI) is the one publication focusing on the critical role of defense technologies in programs, policies, programs and funding, providing readers with integrated intelligence and global perspective in Land, Sea, and Air. For military officers, government officials and lead system integrators involved in air, land or sea defenses, DTI provides unprecedented coverage of the technologies that are driving new strategies and procurement plans to fight today’s unconventional warfare and evolving threats. Here’s what you’ll find inside DTI : Land – Warfighter body armor and armaments, unmanned ground systems, biological/chemical detection, exotic munitions, anti-IED developments, infantry fighting vehicles, battlefield software Sea – Advanced submarine technologies, directed energy, innovative ship and hull designs, propulsion systems, maritime UAV’s Air – Satellite technology, UCAV, missile defense, stealth and composite materials, laser technologies, mapping and information gathering breakthroughs Request Free!
View post:
Defense Technology International
Read the rest »
March 1st, 2010 by
It provides power electronics engineers, designers and system integrators information on the engineering, design and integration of power electronics systems applications, such as battery-powered systems; consumers, commercial and industrial power electronics systems, and power systems for electrical and automotive transportation. Request Free!
Read the original here:
Power Electronics Technology
Read the rest »
February 12th, 2010 by engineering magazines
In a conventional marine diesel engine the power is produced by hot compressed air igniting fuel sprayed under very high pressure into the cylinder head. A marine diesel engine does not use a carburetor to mix fuel and air or spark plugs to ignite the mixture. Instead it employs the pistons to compress the air to 3000 kPa which causes it to become extremely hot and the fuel is ignited as soon as it is injected into the cylinder.
Some marine diesel engines are fitted with a heater plug in the inlet manifold or a glow plug in the pre-combustion chamber of each cylinder to provide additional heat to the combustion air during starting.
Diesel engines are heavier and slower revving than petrol engines but they are also more reliable because they do not rely on external carburetion or an electrical spark for ignition.
Newer engines use an electronic fuel injection system whereby fuel and air are mixed more thoroughly in the pre-combustion chamber before entering the cylinder. This system maximizes power and fuel economy and is also less polluting.
Every boater should have an understanding of how their engine works so let’s start by explaining the mechanical cycles.
Most reciprocating piston internal combustion engines work on one of two mechanical cycles-either the four-stroke cycle or the two-stroke cycle. These cycles designate, in correct sequence, the mechanical actions by which the fuel and air gain access to the engine cylinder, the gas pressure – due to combustion – is converted to power and, finally, the burnt gas is expelled from the engine cylinder.
The Basic Four-Stroke Diesel Engine
From its name, it is obvious there are four strokes in one complete engine cycle. A stroke is the movement of the piston through the full length of the cylinder and – since one such movement causes the crankshaft to rotate half a turn – it follows that there are two crankshaft revolutions in one complete engine cycle.
The four strokes in the order they occur are:
1. Inlet stroke. With the inlet valve open and the exhaust valve closed, the piston moves from top dead center (TDC) to bottom dead center (BDC), creating a low-pressure area in the cylinder. Clean, filtered air rushes through the open inlet valve to relieve this low-pressure area, and the cylinder fills with air.
2. Compression stroke. With both valves closed, the piston moves from BDC to TDC, compressing the air. During this stroke the air becomes heated to a temperature sufficiently high to ignite the fuel.
3. Power stroke. At approximately TDC, the fuel is injected, or sprayed, into the hot, compressed air, where it ignites, burns and expands. Both valves remain closed, and the pressure acts on the piston crown, forcing it down the cylinder from TDC to BDC.
4. Exhaust stroke. At approximately BDC the exhaust valve opens and the piston starts to move from BDC to TDC, driving the burnt gas out of the cylinder through the open exhaust valve.
The Two-Stroke Diesel Engine
The two-stroke engine uses two piston strokes to complete one power stroke and, therefore, fire twice as often as a four-stroke engine. A two-stroke engine is smaller and simpler with fewer moving parts. A two-stroke engine has the potential to produce twice as much power as a four-stroke engine of the same size, however, because of the extra fitting required in a two-stroke diesel engine, for example blowers and governors, they become more expensive to produce. There has been a shift towards four stroke diesel engines which have become more efficient and smaller.
Protect Your Marine Diesel Engine
Protect your engine by avoiding long periods (more than 10 minutes) of idling in a “no-load” situation. This is often done to charge batteries or cool refrigeration but if done repeatedly it will glaze the bores of the engine and cause premature engine failure. If the vessel is in a berth the engine can be put in gear to create load at idle.
All boat owners should have an understanding of basic marine diesel engine maintenance to keep themselves and their families safe on the water.
Read the rest »
February 11th, 2010 by
Nothing is more valuable to a business than its reputation. That is why brand attacks, which leverage a company’s valuable brand for nefarious purposes, must be battled on every possible front. Brand attacks are the new form of eCrime, and they’re being launched with new and rapidly evolving exploits, including phishing and—most recently—malware. In this paper, they discuss how brand attacks, and malware attacks in particular, have evolved and proliferated, becoming another one of the many varied and sophisticated types of eCrime that any security professional should be ready to confront. They outline the most effective strategies for those experts to pursue as they guard against reputational risk and diminished customer trust. Request Free!
Original post:
The New World of eCrime: Targeted Brand Attacks and How to Combat Them
Read the rest »
February 6th, 2010 by
Learn the benefits of a coordinated online marketing attack that leverages teamwork and shared data. “Battle Plan: Multilateral Online Marketing (MOM)” looks at everything from Search Engine Optimization and Paid Search to Video Marketing and Opt-in Email Marketing. Key topics include: Maximizing online marketing initiatives Sharing creative, data Building teams Improving Calls to Action Effective timing of email marketing Request Free!
See the original post:
Battle Plan: Multilateral Online Marketing (MOM)
Read the rest »
Tags: Art, Automotive, Computers, development, Insurance, Internet, learning, Sem, start, Technology
