Mileage Reimbursement Rate for 2012 – Stays the Same

The Internal Revenue Service has announced that the mileage reimbursement rate will continue at $0.555 per mile for 2012. (See Internal Revenue Bulletin IR-2011-166, December 9, 2011, amending Internal Revenue Procedures 2010-51).

WASHINGTON - As 2011 - one of the most active years for disasters in recent history - comes to a close and Americans get ready to ring in a new year, the Federal Emergency Management Agency is encouraging all Americans to Resolve to be Ready in the by making a new year's resolution to be prepared for emergencies.

As a recent report by the National Climatic Data Center highlights, 2011 has seen more billion-dollar natural disasters than any year on record. This year alone, the U.S. experienced its first hurricane landfall since 2008, the most deadly series of tornadoes since the 1950s, significant earthquakes and severe flooding - hazards that impacted every region of the country. All of these events have served as important reminders that disasters can strike anytime, anywhere, and being prepared is one of the most effective things we can do to protect our homes, businesses and loved ones.

Today, FEMA kicked off its annual campaign, Resolve to be Ready in 2012, which urges Americans to make preparedness a priority during the holiday season by making a new year's resolution to be ready for disasters or by thinking about preparedness tools for last minute gift ideas.

"One of the most important lessons we can take away from this year is that disasters can impact all of us, no matter what part of the country we live in," said FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate. "While we can't control where or when they might hit, we can take steps in advance to prepare for them - efforts that can go a long way toward protecting our families, homes and business. Resolving to be Ready in 2012 could be the most important pledge you make this year."

By making a resolution to take a few simple steps in advance, Americans can minimize the impact of an emergency on their families, homes or businesses. To take the pledge, visit www.ready.gov/resolve or www.listo.gov, which includes free information, checklists, and guidelines about how to put together a kit, make a plan, and stay informed.

Resolve to be Ready in 2012 is a nationwide effort to increase awareness and encourage individuals, families, businesses, and communities to take action and prepare for emergencies in the New Year. This effort is led by FEMA's Ready Campaign in partnership with Citizen Corps and The Advertising Council. For more information, visit Ready.gov and CitizenCorps.gov or follow the campaign on Twitter using the hashtags #ready2012 and #resolve.

FEMA's mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.

###

Much work went into the Emergency Alert System test to make a reality
the first national test held November 9.

Between broadcasters and the government, this was one of the best
examples of public/private partnership.

On November 29, twenty days later, the Federal Emergency Management
Agency held a conference call attended by over 900 participants
nationwide. These notes are part of that call.

Calling it a learning experience for all, participants heard an
explanation of the cause of varying performance during the test.

For the most part, broadcasters received the message and rebroadcast it.
Technical difficulties were discussed as a reason the test did not
work but broadcasters were quick to report the test was over 70%
successful.

Hardware failures were the primary reason given for the
"failure" of the test. Those issues can be expected regardless of who
does the test. What worked Monday, may fail Tuesday.
Speaking of the next test, it was noted that the next test will reveal
a new set of problems.

One can read more about the Conference Call.

Did you hear the EAS Test? Are you happy that broadcasters and the
government is working together to "fix things"?

WX4NHC, National Hurricane Center Miami Florida, will be on at their usual time slot from past years and the remaining open time slot from 1400-1500 UTC has been filled by NWS Salt Lake City Utah, WX4SLC. For this year, WX7PHX, NWS Phoenix Arizona has relinguished their time slot.

EchoLink and IRLP are just a couple of modes people can utilize to contact NWS offices during SKYWARN Recognition Day. Many NWS offices will be on 2 Meters, 440 MHz, HF, Digital other VHF/UHF bands. Additional details on SKYWARN Recognition Day can be found via the following links:

http://hamradio.noaa.gov
http://www.arrl.org/news/the-13th-annual-skywarn-recognition-day-set-for-december-3

The December issue of the ARRL QST Magazine has a story on National Weather Service / ARRL SKYWARN Recognition Day on page 68 in their Public Service Column.

As in past years, the EchoLink *WX_TALK* Node: 7203/IRLP reflector 9219 system will be scheduling time for NWS offices in 1-2 hour time slots to act as a net control to make contacts with spotters that are on the system. If a NWS office runs out of contacts and there are other NWS offices on the system, the NWS office acting as net control can turn it over to a different NWS office to act as a net control on the system at their discretion.

We'd like to ask NWS offices to do their best to adhere to the schedule. Sometimes this is difficult due to the number of contacts received by NWS offices. We ask for everyone's patience and working cooperatively to respect the time slot schedule.

Below is the finalized SRD Schedule for 2011. See the list of NWS offices below:

Time in UTC NWS Office Call-Sign
0000-0100: WX0GLD (Confirmed to keep the time slot)
0100-0200: WX1GYX (Confirmed to keep the time slot)
0200-0300: WX4MLB (Confirmed to keep the time slot)
0300-0400: W0ABR  (Confirmed to keep the time slot)
0400-0500: WX1BOX (Confirmed to keep the time slot)  
0500-0600: WX9GRB (Confirmed to keep the time slot)
0600-0700: WX4HUN (Confirmed to keep the time slot)
0700-0800: N0NWS  (Confirmed to keep the time slot)
0800-0900: KL7FWX (Confirmed to keep time slot. Will Show Up on Echolink as KL2GS - NWS Fairbanks AK)
0900-1000: KL7FWX (Confirmed to keep time slot. Will Show Up on Echolink as KL2GS - NWS Fairbanks AK)
1000-1100: KL7FWX (Confirmed to keep time slot. Will Show Up on Echolink as KL2GS - NWS Fairbanks AK)
1100-1200: WX4HUN (Taking WX7PHX Time Slot and relinguishing their 1400-1500 UTC time slot)  
1200-1300: W7NWS  (Confirmed to keep the time slot)
1300-1400: KL7FWX (Confirmed to keep time slot. Will Show Up on Echolink as KL2GS - NWS Fairbanks AK)  
1400-1500: WX4SLC (New NWS Office for SRD'2011)
1500-1600: WX1BOX (Confirmed to keep the time slot)
1600-1800: WX4NC  (Confirmed to keep the time slot, 2 hour time slot and time slot is from last year)
1800-1900: WX6MTR (Confirmed to keep the time slot)
1900-2000: K0MPX  (Confirmed to keep the time slot)
2000-2100: WX4MLB (Confirmed to keep the time slot)
2100-2300: WX4NHC (Confirmed to keep the time slot)
2300-2400: WX6NWS (Confirmed the NWS Sacramento California Office for this time slot)

There will be other conference systems utilized for SKYWARN Recognition Day. They are as follows:

The New England Reflector Gateway System will be utilized by the NWS Taunton, Mass. and NWS Gray, Maine offices from 0000-0500 UTC and 1200-2400 UTC. The New England Gateway system is on EchoLink Conference server *NEW-ENG* Node: 9123, IRLP reflector 9123. If other NWS offices would like to join the system, they are welcome to do so and participants in SKYWARN Recognition Day can also use that system to make contact with various NWS offices. This is a great place to move off the *WX_TALK* Node: 7203/IRLP 9219 system after your scheduled time if other Amateurs or NWS offices whish to make contact with you.

Also, the Western Reflector will be having NWS offices calling CQ as in past years on reflector 9250 and have its gateway system on IRLP 9258/EchoLink Conference *NV-GATE* Node: 125266 open for NWS offices. Please contact Kent-W7AOR for additional information on the Western Reflector.

A few technical reminders for folks interested in making contacts with the NWS Forecast Offices on the *WX-TALK* Node: 7203/IRLP 9219 and New England Reflector Gateway IRLP 9123/*NEW-ENG* Echolink Node: 9123 systems:

-The system allows both EchoLink and IRLP connections. For EchoLink users, you connect to the *WX-TALK* Node: 7203 conference system. For IRLP users, you would connect to IRLP reflector 9219.

-If you are using EchoLink, the RF node or PC that you’re using must have EchoLink conferencing disabled. If it is not disabled, the system will automatically kick the node or PC off of the system.

The reason this occurs is to prevent unintentional interference from a conferencing station that may not know the node is connected somewhere else. This will keep traffic moving on the net and reduce interference considerably.

For more information on VoIP Technical Configuration Tips, please go to our web site at http://www.voipwx.net where we have a link to that information on the main menu of the web site. This announcement will also be on the web site.

We are looking forward to another fun SKYWARN Recognition Day on the *WX-TALK* Node: 7203/IRLP reflector 9219 system, New England Reflector Gateway system and Western Reflector system. Thanks to all for their support!

73,Rob-KD1CY.
Director of Operations for the VoIP Hurricane Net
ARES SKYWARN Coordinator for NWS Taunton Massachusetts
Eastern Massachusetts ARES Section Emergency Coordinator

FEMA IPAWS Special Event: What's Next for Improving the Emergency Alert System?
EAS Test Findings and Observations, Lessons Learned, and Way Forward
November 29th, 2011, 2:00 PM - 3:30 PM ET

Join us on November 29th at 2:00 PM ET for a discussion with industry
experts and leaders on the Nationwide EAS Test findings, lessons
learned, observed technical challenges, and way forward for alert and
warning!

Event Details

What: What's Next for Improving the Emergency Alert System? EAS Test
Findings and Observations, Lessons Learned, and Way Forward
When: Tuesday, November 29th, 2:00 PM - 3:30 PM (Eastern)
Where: Microsoft Live Meeting 2007 (This link will only be active the
morning of November 29th)

https://www323.livemeeting.com/cc/eiip/join?id=IPAWS&role=attend
Please note that if you have Live Meeting Client correctly installed,
you do not need a pass code or username (Live Meeting instructions
http://www.fema.gov/pdf/emergency/ipaws/livemtginstruct.pdf)

A first-ever Nationwide EAS Test was conducted on November 9th, 2011
to assess the readiness and effectiveness of the system as it
currently exists. A test message was sent at 2:00 PM Eastern to over
60 national primary stations across the country.

While early indicators show most radio and television stations
received and relayed the test message, many technical issues such as
audio quality and repeated messages were observed and immediately
reported. This web event will focus on a roundtable discussion with
industry leaders and experts to discuss further EAS improvements
needed across a variety of topics:

· Test Successes and Lessons Learned
· Top 5 Technical Challenges of the Test
· State and Local Field Observations and Reports
· Mitigation Strategies and Improvements
· Next Steps and the Future of Alert and Warning

We've added more topics for discussion on A National Dialogue on the
Emergency Alert System website! Want to contribute ideas for the next
version of the EAS Best Practices Guide? Go to A National Dialogue on
the Emergency Alert System
(https://nationaldialogue-emergencyalertsystem.ideascale.com/). For
official information on the EAS, please visit the FEMA IPAWS website:
http://www.fema.gov/emergency/ipaws/eas_info.shtm.

Hello to all..

The Skywarn Recognition Day event was confirmed with EchoLink and IRLP are just a couple of modes people can utilize to contact NWS offices during SKYWARN Recognition Day. Many NWS offices
will be on 2 Meters, 440 MHz, HF and other VHF/UHF bands. Additional
details on SKYWARN Recognition Day can be found via the following
link:
http://hamradio.noaa.gov

As in past years, the EchoLink *WX_TALK* Node: 7203/IRLP reflector
9219 system will be scheduling time for NWS offices in 1-2 hour time
slots to act as a net control to make contacts with spotters that are
on the system. If a NWS office runs out of contacts and there are
other NWS offices on the system, the NWS office acting as net control
can turn it over to a different NWS office to act as a net control on
the system at their discretion.

We'd like to ask NWS offices to do their best to adhere to the
schedule. Sometimes this is difficult due to the number of contacts
received by NWS offices. We ask for everyone's patience and working
cooperatively to respect the time slot schedule.

Below is the SRD schedule from last year. We would like to know if NWS
offices would like to keep their time slot or change time slots. A
couple of NWS offices have already asked to keep their time slot. See
the list of NWS offices below:

Time in UTC NWS Office Call-Sign
0000-0100: WX0GLD (Time slot from last year)
0100-0200: WX1GYX (Time slot from last year)
0200-0300: WX4MLB (Time slot from last year)
0300-0400: W0ABR  (Time slot from last year)
0400-0500: WX1BOX (Confirmed to keep the time slot but can swap if needed)
0500-0600: WX9GRB (Time slot from last year)
0600-0700: WX4HUN (Time slot from last year)
0700-0800: N0NWS  (Time slot from last year)
0800-0900: KL7FWX (Time slot from last year. Will Show Up on Echolink
as KL2GS - NWS Fairbanks AL)
0900-1000: KL7FWX (Time slot from last year. Will Show Up on Echolink
as KL2GS - NWS Fairbanks AL)
1000-1100: KL7FWX (Time slot from last year. Will Show Up on Echolink
as KL2GS - NWS Fairbanks AL)
1100-1200: WX7PHX (Time slot from last year)
1200-1300: W7NWS  (Time slot from last year)
1300-1400: KL7FWX (Time slot from last year. Will Show Up on Echolink
as KL2GS - NWS Fairbanks AL)
1400-1500: WX4HUN (Time slot from last year)
1500-1600: WX1BOX (Confirmed to keep the time slot but can swap if needed)
1600-1800: WX4NC  (Confirmed to keep the time slot, 2 hour time slot
and time slot is from last year)
1800-1900: WX6MTR (Time slot from last year)
1900-2000: K0MPX  (Time slot from last year)
2000-2100: WX4MLB (Time slot from last year)
2100-2300: WX4NHC (Time slot from last year)
2300-2400: N6NWS  (Time slot from last year)

There will be other conference systems utilized for SKYWARN
Recognition Day. They are as follows:

The New England Reflector Gateway System will be utilized by the NWS
Taunton, Mass. and NWS Gray, Maine offices from 0000-0500 UTC and
1200-2400 UTC.
The New England Gateway system is on EchoLink Conference server *NEW-ENG* Node: 9123, IRLP reflector 9123.

If other NWS offices would like to join the system, they are welcome to do so
and participants in SKYWARN Recognition Day can also use that system
to make contact with various NWS offices. This is a great place to
move off the *WX_TALK* Node: 7203/IRLP 9219 system after your
scheduled time if other Amateurs or NWS offices whish to make contact
with you.

Also, the Western Reflector will be having NWS offices calling CQ as
in past years on reflector 9250 and have its gateway system on IRLP
9258/EchoLink Conference *NV-GATE* Node: 125266 open for NWS offices.
Please contact Kent-W7AOR for additional information on the Western
Reflector.

A few technical reminders for folks interested in making contacts with
the NWS Forecast Offices on the *WX-TALK* Node: 7203/IRLP 9219 and New
England Reflector Gateway IRLP 9123/*NEW-ENG* Echolink Node: 9123
systems:

-The system allows both EchoLink and IRLP connections. For EchoLink
users, you connect to the *WX-TALK* Node: 7203 conference system. For
IRLP users, you would connect to IRLP reflector 9219.

-If you are using EchoLink, the RF node or PC that you're using must
have EchoLink conferencing disabled. If it is not disabled, the system
will automatically kick the node or PC off of the system.

The reason this occurs is to prevent unintentional interference from a
conferencing station that may not know the node is connected somewhere
else. This will keep traffic moving on the net and reduce interference
considerably.

For more information on VoIP Technical Configuration Tips, please go
to our web site at http://www.voipwx.net where we have a link to that
information on the main menu of the web site. This announcement will
also be on the web site.

We are looking forward to another fun SKYWARN Recognition Day on the
*WX-TALK* Node: 7203/IRLP reflector 9219 system, New England Reflector
Gateway system and Western Reflector system. Thanks to all for their
support!

73,Rob-KD1CY.
Director of Operations for the VoIP Hurricane Net
ARES SKYWARN Coordinator for NWS Taunton Massachusetts
Eastern Massachusetts ARES Section Emergency Coordinator

What surprises await you? What will tomorrow bring? Was it something
you were expecting?

So many years ago, I had the privilege and pleasure of traveling to
Scandinavia. It was a nice trip. It was a trip I want to do again.

During that experience, I was giving a presentation to an English
class in Sweden.

There, the habit was to lock the door after the class started. Soon
after I had started the presentation, there was a knock at the door.

Not knowing what to do, I looked at the teacher who indicated I should
do what I thought was right.

Someone's in for a surprise ... was it going to be me?

As I opened the door, there was a Swedish teenage young lady.

In my Oklahoma accent in Swedish, I asked her to come in. She did.

Again, in Swedish, what's your name? She told me.

How are you today? ... still in Swedish ... she said she was fine.

OH, I just remembered, so, in Swedish, I asked her if she spoke English. Yes
Good ... then since this is English class, we will use that language.
"Please put your books down and help me."

The teacher, at the end of class, said she bets that student would
NEVER be late for class.

The TEACHER says: "Behold, I stand at the door and knock."

Will you be surprised or will He?

Really?

Are you sure about that?

After all, are there really any absolutes?

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) will conduct the first nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System (EAS). The national test will occur on Wednesday, November 9 at 9 a.m. (HAST) will last 30 seconds.

The EAS is a national alert and warning system established to enable the President of the United States to address the American public during emergencies.  NOAA's National Weather Service, governors and state and local emergency authorities also use parts of the system to issue more localized emergency alerts. 

Similar to local EAS tests that are already conducted frequently, the nationwide test will involve broadcast radio and television stations, cable television, satellite radio and television services and wireline video service providers across all states and the territories of Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and American Samoa.

On November 9, the public will hear a message indicating that "This is a test." The audio message will be the same for both radio and television. Under the FCC's rules, radio and television broadcasters, cable operators, satellite digital audio radio service providers, direct broadcast satellite service providers and wireline video service providers are required to receive and transmit presidential EAS messages to the public. A national test will help the federal partners and EAS participants determine the reliability of the system and its effectiveness in notifying the public of emergencies and potential dangers nationally and regionally.

"A national test of our Emergency Alert System, with the vital communications support and involvement of participants, is a step towards ensuring that the alert and warning community is prepared to deliver critical information that can help save lives and protect property," said Damon Penn, FEMA's Assistant Administrator of National Continuity Programs. "Because there has never been an activation of the Emergency Alert System on a national level, FEMA views this test as an excellent opportunity to assess the readiness and effectiveness of the current system.  It is important to remember that this is not a pass or fail test, but a chance to establish a baseline for making incremental improvements to the Emergency Alert System with ongoing and future testing.  It is also important to remember that the Emergency Alert System is one of many tools in our communications toolbox, and we will continue to work on additional channels that can be a lifeline of information for people during an emergency."

"The upcoming national test is critical to ensuring that the EAS works as designed," said Jamie Barnett, Chief of the FCC's Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau.  "As recent disasters here at home and in Japan have reminded us, a reliable and effective emergency alert and warning system is key to ensuring the public's safety during times of emergency.  We look forward to working with FEMA in preparation for this important test."

Over the past two years and as part of ongoing national preparedness planning efforts, FEMA, the FCC and other federal partners, state, local, tribal and territorial governments, Emergency Alert System participants and other stakeholders have been working toward making this test a reality. 

As the federal, state, tribal, territorial and local governments prepare for and test their capabilities, this event serves as a reminder that everyone should establish an emergency preparedness kit and emergency plan for themselves, their families, communities, and businesses.  Anyone can visitwww.Ready.gov for more information about how to prepare for and stay informed about what to do in the event of an actual emergency.

For more information on this test visit: http://www.fema.gov/eastest/

WHAT an amazing time at Hotzone this year! This is such a worthwhile
conference. Where else can one go to get this quality of training and
networking?

The suicide bomber class was amazing. The take-away from it was the
response of the Israeli citizen to these horrific events. Using
volunteers, the bombing site is cleared and cleaned within FIVE hours.
Area folks are taught to take out their cell phones and take pictures
or video, immediately after the explosion. Those pictures are NOT
sent to YouTube or the blog. Those pictures are sent to the local
authorities who add them to the evidence pool.

Assistance to Fire Fighter grants process is changing. A very
informative session on the process was given at this conference.

This year, the Local Emergency Planning Committee track was VERY much
appreciated. This information helps your LEPC learn best practices.

Hotzone is over this year. Bookmark http://hotzone.org/ for next year.

On October 18, 2006, April Green, one of the characters in the TV series Jericho said "Our world has changed".


The viewing public was exposed, during that episode called "The Federal Response" to what would have the IPAWS look and feel.

During the show, every phone in the community of 5000 in western Kansas came to life with a message from the Under Secretary of Homeland Security.

The internet started working again.

The Emergency Alert System came on otherwise dark television sets.

It's unclear how the writers of Jericho came up with this idea but the inclusion in the show is forward-thinking.

The fans of the show were given some insight what the future might hold, should that disaster befall America.

For my #SMEM friends....

Sent to you by KC5FM via Google Reader:

Why No One Company Will Ever Monopolize the Internet

via Mashable! by Jonathan Rick on 10/14/11

Jonathan Rick is a social media strategist in Arlington, VA. You can follow him on Twitter @jrick and read his blog at JonathanRick.com.
The pace and power of web-fueled innovation is stunning. One day we're swearing by Outlook, the next, we can't live without Gmail. These changes exemplify the beauty of the Internet — the possibility that greener pastures are but a click away.
On the other hand, the list of tech innovations that could have been is quite long. Before we get into those, a few caveats:

• Some of the companies below may not have missed the boat so much as skipped the ride. Oftentimes, these businesses simply chose to perfect their core businesses instead of tacking on new features.
• None of these companies has been "MySpaced." To the contrary, each remains well-regarded and innovative in its own right.

So, how did tech companies miss the boat?

---

1. Google Docs missed the SlideShare boat. Sure, Google Docs can display PDFs and PPTs, but documents are slow to load, maximized by default, and can't easily be shared or embedded. By contrast, SlideShare is known as "YouTube for documents" because it's fast, user-friendly and social.
2. Google Docs missed the Dropbox boat. The search giant passed on adding synchronization to Google Docs (or GDrive). Meanwhile, Dropbox pioneered this feature, for which it's now the gold standard. And, in an ironic twist, during a five-day, company-wide hackathon, Dropbox developed the ability to sync its accounts with Google Docs. (Although Google may soon unleash a Dropbox killer.)
3. Microsoft Office missed the Google Docs boat. Only after companies, governments and non-profits had "gone Google" did Redmond release a cloud-based, collaborative version of its cash cow, Office (along with a few videos that contrast Office with Docs).
4. iTunes missed the Spotify boat. Apple cornered the digital music market years ago, but besides the all-important $0.99 per song price tag, Cupertino never really innovated with iTunes. Specifically, the software's lack of social and streaming services created massive opportunities that Spotify — and Pandora, Amazon, Google, and Facebook — pounced on. Apple now is playing catch-up with Ping (pathetic) and iCloud (promising).
5. Mapquest missed the Google Maps boat. When I was in college, "Mapquest" was so popular that we used it as a verb. Today, it seems the only people who use this site are those who still have an AOL email address. The reason: thanks to relentless innovation (mash-ups, Street View, GPS-enabled mobile apps), Google Maps has presented itself everywhere you want to travel.
6. Google Latitude missed the Foursquare boat. Ironically, the founder of Foursquare was a former Googler who left because Mountain View wouldn't allocate enough resources to his team, "leaving us to watch as other startups got to innovate in the mobile + social space." Google still hasn't made it with Latitude, whereas Foursquare's points system, partnership with American Express, and merchant features have generated growth of a million users per month. (Perhaps this is why Google may want to buy Foursquare instead of compete with it.)
7. Facebook missed the LinkedIn boat. When I learned of LinkedIn, I thought, can't you already do this with Facebook? Well, yes, but not without some hassle. Reed Hoffman, LinkedIn's founder, recognized that, while we want to be hip in our personal lives, we strive to be practical and maybe even a little boring in our careers. This is why we use one email address for pleasure and one for business, and why we use Facebook to socialize with friends and LinkedIn to network with colleagues. Recognizing this, Facebook continues to hype its business pages, while such professional credibility comes naturally to LinkedIn.
8. Facebook missed the Twitter boat. When I learned of Twitter, I thought, can't you already do this with Facebook? Indeed, at its core, Twitter is merely the Facebook status update. Yet Facebook lacked Twitter's simplicity and pith, a void that ascetic Twitter founder, Jack Dorsey, was keen to fill. Apparently, 100 million people agree.
9. Blogger and WordPress missed the Tumblr boat. Finally, when I learned of Tumblr, I thought, can't you already do this with Blogger or WordPress? Just write shorter. Again, you could, but not with Tumblr's base-bones simplicity, dynamic community and effective reblogging feature. Microblogging, it turns out, is different from blogging. (No doubt, this is why Blogger just announced Dynamic Views.)
10. Yelp missed the Foodspotting boat. Even though Yelp remains the top social network for restaurant reviews, it overlooked an essential facet of the dining experience: pictures. Foodspotting seized this opening, made it mobile, and now is expanding its focus beyond foodies.

---

So why do these examples matter?
The beauty of the web is that it dramatically lowers the traditional barriers to entry, so an entrepreneur can penetrate an already saturated market. For instance, despite heavy competition from the likes of LinkedIn, Yahoo, Facebook, Google-owned Aardvark, and Answers.com, Quora plunged into the Q&A fray. In short order, it carved out and capitalized on a niche.
Examine the above list and you arrive at an under-appreciated conclusion: Internet innovation is so fierce and constant that it undermines the notion of zero-sum market share. Instead of vying for a piece of the same fixed and static pie, webtrepreneurs bake whole new pies. Not for nothing does Jeff Bezos insist that the Kindle comprises a "different product category" than the iPad. Just because a company maintains a seeming monopoly on a market doesn't mean the market is devoid of opportunities. When there's an innovator, there's a way. With the web, Goliath is always vulnerable.
Sure, tech giants are somewhat limited. Just reference the lawsuit from the Justice Department, the investigation from the Federal Trade Commission or the hearing from Congress.
Internet innovation comes in tidal waves, big and bold. By contrast, when's the last time your microwave got a radical upgrade? Or your shower head? And how's that electric car coming along?
In the end, the web's rising tides lift the only ship that matters: the user's.
Image courtesy of iStockphoto, aluxum
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One never knows what one will find when one goes with his brother to garage sales.  I will admit, I spent more money than he.

One @AP Stylebook was rescued from an uncertain fate.  Glad I brought my coffee.  I found a Beatles Yellow Submarine ornament for two dollars.

My brother got to spend a morning away from his work and get some cheap gas at Murphy.

One never knows what one will find when one goes with his brother to garage sales.

The Tailgater.

A man was being tailgated by a totally stressed-out woman on a busy boulevard. Suddenly, the light turned yellow, just in front of him.  He did the right thing, stopping at the crosswalk, even though he could have beaten the red light by accelerating through the intersection.

The tailgating woman hit the roof–and the horn–screaming in frustration as she missed her chance to get through the intersection. 

As she was still in mid-rant when she heard a tap on her window and looked up into the face of a very serious police officer.  The officer ordered her to exit her car with her hands up. 

He took her  to the police station where she was searched, finger printed, photographed and placed in a holding cell. 

After a couple of hours, a policeman approached the cell and opened the door. She was escorted back to the booking desk where the arresting officer was waiting with her personal effects. 

He said, “I’m very sorry for this mistake. You see, I pulled up behind your car while you were blowing your horn, flipping off the guy in front of you, and cussing a blue streak at him. Then I noticed the ‘Choose Life’ license plate holder, the ‘What Would Jesus Do’ bumper sticker, the ‘Follow Me to Sunday School’ bumper sticker, and the chrome-plated Christian fish emblem on the trunk”.

"I assumed you had stolen the car!”

Live your faith wisely.  The world is watching.

Thanks to the tip from @W5RAW Judy and I got extra tissue for the extra butter popcorn at the movie Courageous.

Judy says "If every man in America saw this movie and did what it asks them to do, our crime rate would drop dramatically."

What it asks them to do is embrace:

THE RESOLUTION

I do solemnly resolve before God to take full responsibility for myself, my wife, and my children.

I WILL love them, protect them, serve them, and teach them the Word of God as the spiritual leader of my home.

I WILL be faithful to my wife, to love and honor her, and be willing to lay down my life for her as Jesus Christ did for me.

I WILL bless my children and teach them to love God with all of their hearts, all of their minds, and all of their strength.

I WILL train them to honor authority and live responsibly.

I WILL confront evil, pursue justice, and love mercy.

I WILL pray for others and treat them with kindness, respect, and compassion.

I WILL work diligently to provide for the needs of my family.

I WILL forgive those who have wronged me and reconcile with those I have wronged.

I WILL learn from my mistakes, repent of my sins, and walk with integrity as a man answerable to God.

I WILL seek to honor God, be faithful to His church, obey His Word, and do His will.

I WILL courageously work with the strength God provides to fulfill this resolution for the rest of my life and for His glory.

As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. – Joshua 24:15

In this movie, I saw a lot of similarities to the Promise Keepers Promises. It's the same concept except apparently more promises to keep.

I saw a lot in this movie and had a list of folks to need to see the movie.

1.  Persons who have had a child die.  It's tough.  You can't go it alone.
2.  People who need Jesus.  Isn't that all of us?
3.  People who have have good relationships with their fathers.
4.  People who did not have good relationships with their fathers.
5.  Law Enforcement Officers



Please find time to see this movie.  Take extra tissue for the popcorn.  You won't be sorry.

What are the AM Radio Nets?  #ARRL #hamradio

Please let me know if there are changes.

Day Time Zone Net Freqy Location Other
    Daily 5:00 AM ET Early Morning 160 Meter Net 1.888 East Coast
    Daily 5:00 AM ET Early Morning 160 Meter Net 1.888 Midwest
    Daily 10:00 AM ET Old Buzzards Net 3.945 Northeast Hosted by W1GAC and W1ECO.
    Daily 12:00 PM CT The NoonTime Forum 3.885 Midwest Chicago area.
    Daily 3:00 PM PT Northwest AM Net 3.870 Northwest
    Daily 6:30 AM MT Colorado Morning Net 3.875 Colorado
    Daily 4:00 PM PT K6HQI Memorial Net 14.286 East Coast In memory in Les K6HQI 

    Daily 6 PM Local "Old Italian Buzzards" BA Net 28.730 Italy Not always on AM
    Daily 7:00 PM ET Buffalo NY AM Group 29.0 Northeast
    Daily 7:00 PM ET Fort Wayne Indiana 6M AM Net 50.58 Midwest
    Daily 7:30 PM ET 2 Meter NY City-Long Island Net 144.28 Northeast Except Sunday
    Daily 7:30 PM ET New England 2 Meter AM Net 144.425 Northeast
    Daily 9:30 PM PT West Coast AM Net 3.870 Northwest
    Daily 9:30 PM PT West Coast AM Net 3.870 Southwest
    Daily 9:30 PM PT West Coast AM Net 3.870 West Coast
    Sunday 6:00 AM Local Gauteng 3.700, 3.740 South Africa
    Sunday 6:00 AM ET Toledo Ohio 50.36 Midwest
    Sunday 8:30 AM ET The AM Carrier Net 3.835 Northeast 
    Sunday 9:00 AM ET The Sunday Morning Coffee Net 50.4 
    Sunday 9:00 AM PT SCV AM Net 50.4 West Coast SVC CA
    Sunday 10:00 AM UTC  Netherlands AM Net 3.705 Netherlands
    Sunday 9:30 AM Atlantic Time Sunday Atlantic AM Net 3.735 Eastern Canada
     Sunday 7:00 PM ET Echo Net  50.538  Connecticut 
    Sunday 10:00 AM PT Southern California 6 Meter Club 50.5 West Coast
    Sunday 10:00 AM ET Cleveland Ohio 6 Meter AM Net 50.55 Midwest
    Sunday 10:00 AM ET Wadsworth Ohio 6 Meter Net 50.55 Midwest
     Sunday 11:00 AM  UTC  UK AM Net 1.980 UK
    Sunday 12:00 PM CT Collins Collector Association AM Net 29.050 All
    Sunday 2:00 PM ET DX-60 Net 7.290 
    Sunday 3:00 PM MT Arizona AM Net 3.855 Southwest
    Sunday 3:00 PM PT The AM Swap Net 3.875 West Coast 
    Sunday 4:30 PM ET AWA Vintage AM Nets 3.837 East Coast
    Sunday 4:00 PM ET The Future Net 3.875 
    Sunday 4:00 PM PT West Coast 40 Meter Net 7.160 West Coast
    Sunday 8:00 PM ET Buffalo NY AM Group 144.450 Northeast
    Sunday 9:00 PM ET Media PA 6 Meter Net 50.55 Northeast
    Monday 7:00 PM PT SAM Club Net 50.4 West Coast I
    Tuesday 7:30 PM ET The AM Swap Net 3.885 Southeast 
    Tuesday 7:30 PM CT St. Clair County Illinois Radio Club 2 Meter AM Net 145.65 
     Tuesday  7:30 PM  MT Phoenix VHF AM Net 144.450  Southwest
    Tuesday 8:00 PM CT Moline Illinois 6M AM Net 50.4 Midwest 
    Tuesday 8:30 PM ET The Gray Hair Net 1.945 Northeast 
    Tuesday 9:00 PM ET Cleveland Ohio 6 Meter AM Net 50.55 Midwest
    Tuesday 9:30 PM ET Kalamazoo 6 Meter Net 50.4 Midwest Kalamazoo, MI area
    Wednesday 8:00 PM ET Muti-Elmac 3.880 Midwest Except for the 1st Wednesday of each month.
    Wednesday 7:30 PM ET Buffalo NY AM Group 50.4 Northeast
    Wednesday 8:00 PM ET Central Florida 6M AM Net 50.4 Southeast 
    Wednesday 8:00 PM ET  ROAM 144.260 Midwest Ludington, MI
    Wednesday 9:00 PM PT The AM Swap Net 3.870 West Coast 
    Thursday 6:00 PM CT Gulf Coast Mullet Society 3.885 Southeast
    Thursday 8:00 PM Local The AM Net 3.580 Australia Western Australia.
    Friday 7:30 PM PT Saugus California 6 Meter AM Net 50.4 West Coast 
    Friday 10:30 PM Local Eighty Meter AM Net 3.580 Australia 
    Updated Saturday 5:00 AM ET The Old Military Radio Net  3.885 
    Saturday 8:00 AM PT California Early Bird Net 3.870 West Coast
    Saturday 7:30 AM CT Midwest Classic Radio Net 3.885 Midwest Swap/sale
    Saturday 8:00 AM PT The West Coast Military Radio Collectors Net 3.990 West Coast
    Saturday 8:00 AM ET 6 Meter SE Mass/Cape Cod Area Net 50.4 Northeast
     Saturday 8:30 AM Local Vintage and Amateur Radio Society (VMARS) Net 3.615 UK  www.vmars.org.uk
    Saturday 3:00 PM ET Canadian Boatanchor Net 3.745 Eastern Canada
    Saturday 7 PM Local The East of Scotland AM Group 145.8 
    Saturday 8:00 PM ET Northern PA 6M AM Net 50.4 Northeast
    Saturday 8:00 PM MT Arizona AM Net 50.4 Southwest
    Saturday 9:00 PM PT The West Coast Military Radio Collectors Net 3.985 West Coast
    Saturday 11:30 PM local Australian 160 Meter Crossband Net 1.850 Australia
    Friday or Saturday 9:00 PM ET Cleveland Ohio 6 Meter AM Net 50.55 Midwest
    Monday thru Friday 8:00 PM ET Albany 6M AM Net 50.4 Northeast
    Monday and Thursday 8:00 PM ET AM/PM Net 50.4 Northeast Southern Maine
    Saturday and Sunday 1:00 AM UTC JA AM Net 14.190 Japan
    Saturday, Sunday 7:30 AM ET New England Six Meter AM Net 50.4 Northeast
    Sunday and Wednesday 8:00 PM PT Northwest AM Net 50.4 Northwest Puget Sound Area
    Sunday and Thursday 7:00 AM/8PM ET Florida AM Net 3.880 Southeast
    Tuesday and Thursday 8:00 PM PT Northwest AM Net 144.4 Northwest
     Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday  9:00 PM PT Califirnia 160 Meter Net 1.925 West Coast

Recently, the Colston Clan paid a visit to #Joplin.  The devastation remains.  It is horrendous, even now. #NPM11 #OKready

From an emergency management perspective, debris management still goes on four months after the event.   Piles of "stuff" can be seen in the same area as bare dirt and concrete slabs.

Businesses remain closed.  Places we used to stop and shop are no longer able to conduct any transaction, except to sell the land that was laid bare.  The Red Hot and Blue just reopened this month.

Folks are still recovering.  Churches still minister.  Government still is helping the residents of the area.

I bet the residents of the area would still like you to pray for them.  The pictures don't do justice.  At any rate, as part of National Preparedness Month, will you at least think about what you would be doing, if this were happening to you?  Please do something to make your reality what YOU want it to be.

This month our Nation marked the tenth anniversary of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. The events of that day revealed just how important coordination and interoperable communications are to the critical work of emergency responders who save lives, every day, in our cities and towns across the Nation. While the attacks were dramatic and tragic events for our Nation, they highlighted the concerns about the vital need for improved emergency communications and were an important catalyst for change.

Over the last ten years, we have made significant progress to improve emergency communications capabilities. Since its inception in 2007, the US Department of Homeland Security's Office of Emergency Communications (OEC) has worked with our partners at the Federal, State, local, and tribal levels to ensure emergency responders can share information—voice and data—with each other during emergencies and day-to-day operations. Through these partnerships, we have shared best practices and insights to develop solutions that benefit stakeholders across disciplines and jurisdictions.

To highlight advancements made by stakeholders, OEC has published five case studies. These case studies align with the SAFECOM Interoperability Continuum— the critical success factors that help jurisdictions achieve interoperability—governance, standard operating procedures, technology, training and exercises, and usage. Through these case studies, OEC is highlighting examples from various jurisdictions across the Nation so that others will be able to understand the complexities of interoperability and determine how the innovative solutions included in the studies might help them overcome their own barriers.

The case studies include: 

• Governance—New York City Interagency Communications Committee as an example of how jurisdictions are demonstrating the capability of managing a regional committee working within a multi-state framework
•  Standard Operating Procedures—Minnesota Allied Radio Matrix for Emergency Response (ARMER) as an example of comprehensive interoperability achieved through procedures and protocols governing response designed prior to an incident 
• Technology—Delaware Statewide Emergency Communications System as an example of a standards-based, regionally-shared system that supports more than 14,000 subscribers from 247 different local, State, Federal, and non-governmental agencies, processing more than 115,000 interoperable communications calls on a routine day
• Training and Exercises—Washington State Integrated Interoperable Communications Plan, developed in preparation for the 2010 Olympic Games, as an example of an interagency communications plan adapted into a two-day curriculum enabling students to apply their new communications skills through a series of tabletop exercises
• Usage—Louisiana Wireless Information Network (LWIN), developed as part of the recovery efforts of Hurricane Katrina, as an example of a multijurisdictional system that provided vital support to local, State, and Federal responders during responses to Hurricane Gustav and the Deepwater Horizon oil spill

These case studies highlight just a few examples of the tremendous progress made in the field of emergency communications since that tragic day in 2001. While much has been accomplished towards achieving nationwide interoperability in the last ten years, there is still work to be done. As new technologies and their capabilities are explored, the principles that have worked to date cannot be overlooked. The ability of public safety officials to effectively communicate is essential to saving lives and property. OEC and our stakeholder partners will continue working together to ensure progress is made and the citizens of the Nation are provided the highest level of safety and security possible.

For more information or to request a PDF copy of the case studies, contact OEC@dhs.gov.