BizAnalyst Network: 09/01/2005

Learn Real-World Scenarios for Branch Office IT

Ziff Davis Internet eSeminars: The Online Seminar Standard

Taking Control of Your Branch Office IT with Microsoft and Tacit
Networks Technologies
October 10, 2005 @ 12:00 p.m. Eastern/ 9:00 a.m. Pacific
Duration: 60 minutes

Register & Attend Online:
http://ct.eletters.eseminarslive.com/rd/cts?d=187-1141-1-1482-192205-19807-0-0-0-1

If you are unable to attend the live event you may still register and
will receive an e-mail when the on-demand version becomes available.

Event Overview:
Three real-world scenarios for successful branch office IT centralization and WAN collaboration.

Modern businesses do business everywhere, but how do you avoid losing control of branch office IT operations? Poor WAN performance and lack of remote manageability leads to branch office storage "islands" that are often left unprotected and poorly managed. Productivity and collaboration suffer. New regulatory requirements magnify the problem of poor manageability and WAN latency and give it new urgency. You need a complete solution that gives centralized control and management and simplifies data backup. And this solution needs to leverage your existing IT investments.

Using three real-world deployment scenarios, this live, interactive eSeminar will highlight the Microsoft Tacit Networks' Branch Office IT services technologies that meet these needs head on, rapidly enabling IT professionals to take total control of their branch office IT infrastructure.

Attend this event and learn about:
*Microsoft Windows solutions that offer high-performance, easy-to-manage, and cost-effective file serving, storage, data protection and replication
*Tacit Networks' Branch Office IT Services solutions that tackle WAN latency to enable datacenter consolidation of branch office IT for centralized data management and security and LAN-like worldwide branch office user collaboration
*The compatibility and benefits of a combined Microsoft and Tacit Networks solution for rapid deployment, seamless management and 100% utilization of Microsoft security technologies
*Real-world deployment scenarios that illustrate storage consolidation, branch office collaboration and local file services and replication configurations to fit a variety of organizational requirements

Join Microsoft, Tacit Networks and a Forrester Research analyst to find out how the world's best and most widely-used storage, server and Branch Office IT Services technologies can help you successfully take total control of your remote infrastructure.

Featured Speakers:
Noah Breslow, VP, Marketing - Tacit Networks
Richard Fichera, Vice President - Forrester
Ravi Gopal, Senior Product Manager, Windows Server Division - Microsoft Corporation
Frank Derfler, VP, Market Experts Group - Ziff Davis Media

UPS Delivers Real Presence for Virtual Bank

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-------- BASELINE BRIEFING --------
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A weekly digest of original case histories, commentary and
tools to help CIOs, CTOs, and technology project leaders
deploy complex new information systems.

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Want a Web-like experience when you search your business
content and a search engine that can be tuned to meet your
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http://ct.enews.baselinemag.com/rd/cts?d=189-273-1-21-56373-28996-0-0-0-1

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In This Edition
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September 27, 2005

-- CASE STUDY: UPS Delivers Real Presence for Virtual Bank
-- COMMENTARY: My Personal Identity Crisis
-- COMMUNITY: Supervising the Application-Construction Site
-- PLANNER: Calculating Costs of a Revenue Management System

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CASE STUDY: UPS Delivers Real Presence for Virtual Bank

The online bank partnered with UPS to give its retail
customers a place to deposit checks-and cut processing times
to a day or two instead of a week.
http://ct.enews.baselinemag.com/rd/cts?d=189-273-1-21-56373-28999-0-0-0-1

QUESTION:
What creative ways have you used to cut processing time?
Tell us at mailto:baseline@ziffdavis.com?subject=netbank

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COMMENTARY: My Personal Identity Crisis

I thought I knew who I really was-until I tried to get
information from data brokers.
http://ct.enews.baselinemag.com/rd/cts?d=189-273-1-21-56373-29002-0-0-0-1

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COMMUNITY: Supervising the Application-Construction Site

Building solid, efficient software that runs a business
often requires as much management and discipline as erecting
an office building.
http://ct.enews.baselinemag.com/rd/cts?d=189-273-1-21-56373-29005-0-0-0-1

============================================================

PLANNER: Calculating Costs of a Revenue Management System

Figure out what it would cost your company to build a
flexible revenue-management system.
http://ct.enews.baselinemag.com/rd/cts?d=189-273-1-21-56373-29008-0-0-0-1

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Job Search
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The Channel Insider
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DevSource
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Insider Tips for Job Seekers


September 26, 2005	The Career News	Vol. 5, Issue 38

The Latest News, Tips and Tools For Your Career

Insider tips to put your resume on top
Cynthia Shapiro, Career Coach and Author, CorporateConfidential.com

LOS ANGELES, CA -- We all want to make it to the top of that teetering pile of resumes atop hiring manager's desks. Competition is fierce. Here are a few secret insider tips that can help you get picked as the top candidate every time.

1) Be Bold: Think of your resume as a one-page billboard. Lots of white space, bold bullet points, and get rid of that vague objective. Quantify your accomplishments with numbers where you can.

2) Be the perfect fit: Mirror the ad's language in your cover letter and resume. Many companies use software that looks for key words to identify top candidates, usually those are the same words in the ads. Even if they do it the old fashioned way, it will make you look like a perfect match.

3) Avoid the No.1 mistake: Make sure your language exudes confidence. Too many candidates sound like they are asking or even begging for consideration. You are not asking, you are making them aware of all the wonderful things you have to offer. If you're not excited about what you have to offer, why should they be?

Job Seekers: Get the job by working smarter
Staff Writer, The Career News

LOS ANGELES, CA -- To land a job over the competition, you have to work smarter. The hard part is to get your resume read by the right people at the right time. Good jobs aren't on the market very long. To succeed your resume has to be available to the employer the moment they decide to fill a position.

One easy way to be found by employers who are looking to hire someone with your skills is to post your resume on all the top career sites. As soon as an employer needs someone, this is often the first place they look. It is a proven, documented method of successful job searching. While it may take a fair amount of time to find and fill out the forms of all these sites, you will definitely multiply your chances of landing a job.

If you want all the benefits without all the work, you can use a service like Resume Rabbit to do it for you. You fill out one simple form and they'll instantly post your resume on up to 75 career sites like Monster, Job.com, CareerBuilder, Net-Temps, Dice & more. Then you'll be seen by over 1.5 million employers & recruiters daily. It takes ONLY 5 minutes and saves 60 hours of research and data entry. Try Resume Rabbit today.

The new face of techies
Abridged: TimesOnline.com

DAGSBORO, DE -- In their heyday, techies could immerse themselves in their world of, well, technology. Nowadays, they need to be just as savvy with people, on the phone and at meetings. The jobs that are staying in North America are more sensitive and they require more interaction with people at different levels, according to experts. "We're starting to see people who are splitting their careers and studies between computer science, information systems and business management and they're becoming more well-rounded professionals," says Bob Cohen, senior vice president at the Arlington, Va.-based Information Technology Association of America.

A recent survey of chief information officers completed by Robert Half Technology in Menlo Park, Calif., found that help desk/end-user support was ranked number one for the first time in its IT Hiring Index and Skills Report. At 17 percent, the category tied with networking, a longtime top spot on the list of high-demand jobs.

The survey found that 14 percent of CIOs interviewed plan to add full-time information technology staff in the third quarter of 2005, while only 3 percent anticipate job cuts. CIO survey respondents say that the technical skills in greatest demand are those held by Microsoft Windows (NT/2000/XP) administrators. Wireless network management is also a sought-after specialty, followed by SQL Server management.

IBM to help employees become teachers
Abridged: cNet News

LOS ANGELES, CA -- Citing a U.S. shortage of math and science teachers, IBM has pledged financial support for employees who leave the company to pursue teaching careers. The tech giant said in September that it would reimburse participants in its new "Transition to Teaching" program up to $15,000 for tuition and stipends. Participants will also be able to remain at IBM while they conduct course work and training, the company said.

"Many of our experienced employees have math and science backgrounds and have made it clear that when they are ready to leave IBM, they aren't ready to stop contributing," Stanley Litow, vice president of IBM Corporate Community Relations, said in a statement. "Transferring their skills from IBM to the classroom is a natural for many--especially in the areas of math and science."

The program is set to begin in January in New York, North Carolina and several other locations where IBM has big staffs, the company said. Employees who wish to participate must have management approval and must have worked for the company for at least 10 years. IBM's move comes as technology executives voice concern about the U.S. losing ground to China, India and other countries in math and science education.

Try a different approach in your job search
Staff Writer, The Career News

VIRGINIA BEACH, VA -- Have you spent hours upon hours in your job search only to find that you get few responses back no matter how many resumes you email? These days emails are being deleted at a significant rate without ever being opened. Many hiring managers are simply overwhelmed with the amount of emailed resumes they have to go through.

Consider a different approach. Try faxing your resume directly to employers you're interested in. When you fax your resume it is delivered already opened, unlike email. The recipient can't delete your resume prior to it being seen, and if your faxed resume is addressed to the actual decision maker it almost always ends up on that person's desk.

If this sounds like a good idea to you, we recommend using JobsByFax. This company has categorized 3.9 million employers into about 73 categories. They'll quickly fax your resume directly to the exact type of employers you want in your selected geographic area. To find out how many employers matching your criteria you can fax your resume directly to, just go to JobsByFax.

An example of leadership in the workplace
Erik Rosenberry, TheDestinyGroup.com

SAN DIEGO, CA -- In job interviews I have often been asked what kind of manager I would want to work for. I can think of two "styles" I have seen both military and civilian leaders follow.

First the "micro-manager" who instead of telling you WHAT to do, tells you HOW to do it, usually in excruciating detail. They are always over your shoulder checking to "make sure it's getting done right." Working under this kind of leadership is frustrating at best. It gives you no chance to show your own initiative and no chance to grow. Then there are the other kind, the ones who give their workers responsibility without over managing them.

I remember a senior officer who would grab a mop and start working with the troops during weekly clean ups. I also know a Director who would jump in and help unload a truck when the warehouse was short handed. But both gave plenty of room for their "troops" to grow and take initiative. The latter type of leader sets the example and gives people the respect they deserve and the opportunity to grow. The best leaders I recall working for were those who have a great balance of getting their hands dirty without muddying the waters.

Learn how you can own your own business
Staff Writer, The Career News

LAS VEGAS, NV -- Have you dreamed of owning your own business but don't know where to start? Franchises are becoming more and more popular as a way for people to buy and own their own business. Here are 4 main advantages to owning a franchise.

First, you're able to operate your own business with the security of working with a large company. Second, the start-up, operations and general business plans are laid out for you with training and support from the franchisor. Third, you reduce your risk due to the success of the franchisor's reputation & experience. Fourth, it may be easier to borrow money to start a franchise than an independent business. If you've been thinking about starting your own business, we recommend a free consultation with FranChoice, the premier "matchmaker" of the franchising industry.

During your consultation, the consultants from FranChoice will help you identify franchise businesses that meet your criteria based on your goals, skills and preferences. Then they'll guide you through the franchise investigation process and answer all your questions. FranChoice is paid by the various companies offering franchises to help them find suitable matches. So it's free to you, and there's no commitment or pressure to buy. To instantly sign up for your free consultation, just go to FranChoice.

Take notes during your interview
Karen E. McMahan, Certified Job & Career Transition Coach

DURHAM, NC -- During your interview, take notes on key points. If you've ever interviewed with more than one person, or had multiple interviews in the same day, you'll quickly realize how valuable taking notes can be. You cannot rely solely on your memory after the stress of an interview to compose a thank-you letter that will ensure you cover the information you need to without making costly mistakes.

To write a great thank-you letter, you should ask yourself the questions: 1) What were the key points you talked about and with whom? 2) Were there any points you felt were important that you didn't have a chance to bring up, or that you felt you didn't address well?

Try to remember something special about each person with whom you talked so you can personalize the letters. Keep the letters very brief. Highlight two or three key points in which you reinforce how your skills and experience will benefit the employer. By demonstrating how you fit in with the prospective company and can help meet their goals, you will greatly increase the likelihood of being selected for the job.

Career Tools Highlighted in This Issue:

Resume Rabbit - Newer & Faster
Get your resume on up to 75 career sites - Takes only 5 Minutes.

Fax your resume - JobsByFax
Find out how many employers you can fax your resume to

FranChoice - Start your own business
Instantly sign up for your free consultation

span>

Contact The Career News:

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Copyright 2005, The Career News
9461 Charleville Blvd. #501 Beverly Hills, CA 90212

Fw: Complimentary Sales Seminar from Entrepreneur Magazine

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Break Through Sales Barriers:
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Entrepreneur magazine invites you to attend a FREE sales seminar
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customer-focused business.

RSVP Today and get:

* A free breakfast
* A 30-day action plan
* Powerful ideas to increase your sales immediately

This is an invitation-only event.
To secure your attendance, register today!
http://m1e.net/c?35876372-alTWRlxRgac8E%401201266-xpo743tS3xyCU

Seminar Agenda
8:00AM - Registration/Continental Breakfast
8:45AM - Opening Comments (Rieva Lesonsky, Editorial Director-Entrepreneur Magazine)
9:00AM - Barry Farber (Nationally known author, speaker and entrepreneur)
10:00AM - Coffee/Soda break
10:20AM - Barry Farber
11:20AM - Q&A/Closing Comments

Dates & Locations
Chicago, IL
Hyatt Regency O'Hare, October 6, 2005
Register Today
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Los Angeles, CA
Radisson LAX, October 11, 2005
Register Today
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Orlando, FL
Embassy Suites, October 18, 2005
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Teaneck, NJ
Marriott at Glenpointe, October 20, 2005
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Minneapolis, MN
Hilton Minneapolis, October 26, 2005
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Crowne Plaza, October 27, 2005
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Copyright 2005 Entrepreneur.com, Inc. All rights reserved
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Irvine, CA 92614
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Fw: Information for Balasny Asset Management

Information for Balasny Asset Maangement:

Analyst Web Sites
http://www.globalfundanalysis.com/

http://www.hedgefundintelligence.com/

http://www.xhedgefund.com/

More info (check out p1-2), it has articles and anlysis on the firm.
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=hedge+fund+analysis+balyasny&spell=1

Create Your Own Security Manual

View it in your Web browser.

Security Manual Template

Lock Down Your Security Plan with Newly Revised Security Manual Template
Whether you manage a small business or a large enterprise, IT security is one area in which you cannot afford to miss a single detail. That's why IT Business Edge is making available to its subscribers the comprehensive and newly updated Security Manual Template from Janco Associates.

Learn more about the
Security Manual Template!

Comprehensive, Detailed and Customizable for Your Business
The 148-page Security Manual Template provides all the essential sections of a complete security manual. Detailed language addressing more than a dozen security topics is included in this Microsoft Word document, which you can modify as much or as little as you need to fit your business requirements. The template includes sections on critical topics like:

Risk analysis
Staff member roles
Physical security
Facility design, construction and operations
Media and documentation
Data and software security
Network security
Internet and IT contingency planning
Insurance
Outsourced services
Waiver procedures
Incident reporting procedures
Access control guidelines

Bonus: Assessment Instruments to Analyze Your Security Needs

To help you assess factors affecting your IT security, the Security Manual Template comes with the Business & IT Impact Questionnaire, a Word document that helps you gather essential security-related information from across your organization. You'll also receive the Threat & Vulnerability Assessment Tool, a Microsoft Excel workbook you can use to define and compare dangers that could impair your business operations. And both these useful tools have been redesigned to address Sarbanes-Oxley compliance.

Don't wait. Order your Security Management Template now!

Working for Your Success,
The IT Business Edge Team

You expressed an interest in receiving periodic updates and offers from IT Business Edge and its partners when you subscribed. If you no longer wish to receive this information, please click here to unsubscribe from this IT Business Edge list. You are currently on our mailing list as victor7@bizanalyst.net. This e-mail was sent by NarrowCast Group, LLC, 124 N.First St., Louisville, KY 40202.

PTGC: Triple-Digit Energy Stock Winner under $1.00

Top Priority Buy

2nd week � September 2005

Petrogen Corp. (PTGC):

My NEXT Triple-Digit Energy Stock Winner

�I just issued a Top Priority Buy on Eden Energy below $3 before it ran up to $10 � Now I am telling you to buy Petrogen below a buck fifty a share for an immediate share-price TRIPLE�

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My track record of delivering triple-digit winners in the North American oil and gas sector is the �Stuff of Legend.� Imagine...you are being presented with an opportunity to be one of the earliest shareholders in an emerging oil and gas company that could soon be climbing the ladder of the world�s top-tier producers.

Petrogen Corporation is my #1 energy-stock recommendation for VAST PROFITS... I urge you to take it!

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YES�my profit-projections in the small-cap oil and gas sector are becoming REALITY faster than ever:

- 10 weeks ago I said buy Eden Energy ...before a 280% increase!
- 12 weeks ago I said buy Fellows Energy ...before a 130% increase!

Plus, you already know about my Legendary Energy-Stock Picks:

- I recommended Ultra Petroleum below $1.50 � within 12 months it shot up 900%!
- I recommended Pennaco Energy at $2.50 � early shareholders witnessed a 660% increase as Marathon bought the entire company at $19 per share!
- I selected Atlas Pipelines � it skyrocketed 230%!
- I recommended American Oil & Gas � it jumped 450% in 26 months!

The fact is, we�ve witnessed vast increases on Eden and Fellows in just the past 100 days � plus we�ve followed tremendous value expansion throughout this hot sector. Now, everyone�s asking for my Next Big Winner.

Here it is...

Petrogen Corporation (Symbol PTGC on the OTCBB)

You need to own this stock now � below $1.50 per share � BEFORE Wall Street and the investing masses catch up to what I�m telling you today.

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Get Ready to Make a TON of Money on Your Early PTGC
Share Position

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Petrogen is going after MAMMOTH oil and gas reserves in Texas and the Texas Gulf Coast � one of the premier oil and gas exploration regions on the planet. In fact, this area accounts for nearly one-third of all natural gas production and 27% of proven natural gas reserves in the United States.

And unlike the myriad of pretenders, Petrogen Corporation � which is led by a veteran team of industry professionals � is already generating significant cash-flow through natural gas production. That fact alone gives me plenty of confidence.

Listen�I�ve been uncovering hidden energy-stock gems for over a decade. And frankly, my track record, which includes Hall-of-Fame picks such as 900% on Ultra Petroleum and 660% on Pennaco Energy, speaks for itself.

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�I am literally awed by the fact that you can buy shares of Petrogen�RIGHT NOW�below a dollar a share. Petrogen will soon be making industry-wide headlines as the market begins taking inventory of the company�s prime development position in Texas and the Texas Gulf Coast region.

My near-term projection: Those who follow my immediate PTGC buy-signal below $1.50 per share will be looking at a share-price TRIPLE within weeks.�

� Scott Fraser

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Now, what I am about to tell you could make you rich. Like Ultra and Pennaco before it, Petrogen Corporation represents one of those truly undiscovered, yet rapidly-emerging petroleum companies that can increase in value by 300%...500%...and even 1,000% in a matter of months.

The trick is identifying these future energy leaders BEFORE Wall Street�s gigantic financial institutions. And I�ve done it yet again with Petrogen.

Petrogen Corporation (PTGC � OTCBB) is my #1 Top Priority Buy from the small-cap oil and gas sector � the rest is up to you.

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HUGE Texas Oil & Gas Production Potential and a
Current Share-Price Below a Buck Fifty

Petrogen Corp. (PTGC) is Poised-for-Profits!

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Petrogen�s remarkable property acquisition success in one of our nation�s richest natural gas producing regions will soon reveal YOUR road-to-riches. Petrogen Corporation is a rapidly evolving natural gas producer that will soon be turning heads in the oil and gas sector. To take advantage of the tremendous potential from this early level, begin accumulating shares of PTGC now below $1.50 per share.

Emily Hawes Project, Texas
==========================
Target: Natural Gas
Interest: 64.125% working interest
Area: 1,571 gross acres

Right now, Petrogen is producing natural gas from the #3A discovery well on its Emily Hawes Property, located in Calhoun County, Texas. Initial production rates are presently fluctuating between 250 Mcf (thousand cubic feet) and 1,500 Mcf of gas per day.

This is a MAJOR milestone for Petrogen as it marks the crucial transition from energy explorer to �Successful Texas Gulf Coast Operator� � a title usually reserved for top-tier producers such as Shell, BP, and Chevron Texaco.

And as mentioned, the Emily Hawes Project represents BIG-MONEY natural gas production potential.

Of the 14 Bcf (billion cubic feet) of natural gas reserves originally proven in these Miocene Sands, only 1.8 Bcf was produced�leaving expected recoverable reserves of 12.2 BILLION CUBIC FEET.

At current natural gas prices, that level of production could translate to more than $100 MILLION in revenues. Just imagine what that would do to the PTGC share-price � currently below $1!

PTGC's Emily Hawes Natural Gas Project --
in the Heart of "BIG-MONEY" Texas Petroleum Country

see location map here:
http://sdm3.rm04.net/ctt?kn=1&m=402366&r=MTY2OTAxMzI0NQS2&b=2&j=Nzg3NjM4NwS2&mt=1

Now, here�s the really exciting news. The same geological structure responsible for the Miocene Sands gas production at the Emily Hawes Field is also recognized at what�s known as the Frio level (approx. 9,000-12,500 feet below surface). Petrogen�s technical team anticipates that a successful Frio test-well could provide an additional 60 BILLION cubic feet of recoverable reserves.

Such an event would likely send your PTGC share-value through the roof! Why? At current prices, 60 Billion cubic feet of natural gas computes to a potential value of over $600 MILLION!

Here�s your profitable bottom line: The Emily Hawes Field has every indicator of an expansive natural gas play�and the Petrogen team is firmly committed to the long-term success of the project. And that means YOUR shareholder value could expand exponentially as the company brings a steady stream of �gushers� online.

In fact, Petrogen recently completed the design and installation of the entire natural gas gathering, transmission, and metering system that will deploy its natural gas production not only from the Emily Hawes Prospect but also from other areas of interest in close proximity to the field.

I know a thing or two about petroleum production, and let me tell you�this is a fast developing play -- Petrogen reports that it could drill as many as three additional step-out and infill wells by the end of this year alone.

Translation: Buy this stock now below $1.50 before it shoots above $3 and keeps going.

Tiller Ranch Project, Texas
===========================
Target: Natural Gas & Oil
Interest: 100% working interest
Area: 822 gross acres

With the company�s proven operating structure and expanding natural gas production, Petrogen Corporation is now positioned to rapidly extend operations not only in the broader Emily Hawes structure, but also in other areas of strong oil and gas production potential.

And you won�t have to wait long for additional major successes!

Petrogen recently completed its second major coup with the stealth acquisition of the Tiller Ranch Lease located within the Tom Graham Field, Jim Wells County, Texas. Again, this is BIG-TIME petroleum-production country � and Petrogen has secured yet another key prospect.

The Tom Graham Field has produced 13 BILLION cubic feet of natural gas and 6.8 MILLION barrels of oil to date! The Petrogen team projects recoverable natural gas reserves upward of 18 BILLION cubic feet and is currently mapping out 6 primary drill-site locations.

The Tiller Ranch Prospect should result in expanding oil and gas revenues for the company. Natural gas wells in the area typically demonstrate a long production lifespan of 8 to 10 years with production ranging from approximately 2.6 to 3.5 BILLION cubic feet of gas!

Or put another way�early PTGC shareholders are now sitting in the prime position for an immediate share-price surge�and expansive, longer-term gains for years to come. Petrogen Corp. (PTGC � OTCBB) is an immediate BUY up to the $1.00 level.

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From Tiny Undiscovered Explorer to $6 BILLION Producer

Petrogen (PTGC) is my NEXT Hall-of-Fame Pick

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Natural Gas Bull Market!
Buy Petrogen Corporation (PTGC) Now

see chart here:
http://sdm3.rm04.net/ctt?kn=3&m=402366&r=MTY2OTAxMzI0NQS2&b=2&j=Nzg3NjM4NwS2&mt=1

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My Urgent Call to Action

I was the VERY FIRST stock market guru to uncover Ultra Petroleum when it was just a tiny junior explorer with a well-planned roadmap to success. And those who followed my BUY SIGNAL made an absolute killing. Now I am telling you to purchase shares of Petrogen Corporation at that same early development stage.

And remember...in order to lock-in the LARGEST percentage returns, you must establish your PTGC position NOW while the company�s shares are still available below the $1.50 level.

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Do you remember when I recommended Ultra Petroleum below $1 per share? You may profitably recall that I was the very first market expert to recognize Ultra�s incredible potential at that early stage. Like they say, �the rest is history� as those who came along for the ride were presented with a remarkable profit opportunity.

At the time of my Ultra recommendation, no one on Wall Street was even aware of this future energy leader.

Yet within months, Ultra�s share price was driven upward by 900% as Wall Street engaged in a �buying frenzy.� Today, Ultra Petroleum is a $6 BILLION market-cap producer trading above $40 per share. That�s right...FORTY dollars a share!

Needless to say, many early Ultra shareholders are now abundantly wealthy as a result!

Here�s the timely news that could make YOU a fortune: I believe a similar scenario is about to unfold for Petrogen Corporation (PTGC � OTCBB). In fact, there are striking similarities between Ultra and Petrogen�as you will soon discover.

But what makes Petrogen even more compelling is this: We stand to profit REGARDLESS of whether energy prices move up or down. Why? Because the company has established the prime development position in one of the hottest natural gas producing regions in all of North America.

There�s more. The REAL excitement is going to commence as Petrogen further expands the production-profile on its Emily Hawes Prospect by way of the drill. The reactionary wave of market attention could easily send the value of this company upward by a factor of 1,000%.

Remember, the Emily Hawes Field could contain over 70 BILLION cubic feet of recoverable natural gas reserves. That�s a TON of natural gas with a potential value of over $700 million. And that means one thing: Your window of opportunity to buy PTGC below $1.50 is about to be slammed shut�forever.

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YOUR Energy-Stock Wealth is Just Days Away...

YES ...we just witnessed a 280% increase on Eden Energy and a 130% value-surgeon Fellows Energy. And you know about my Hall-of-Fame energy stock-picks�including 900% on Ultra Petroleum and 660% on Pennaco Energy.

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Now I am telling you to buy Petrogen Corp. (PTGC � OTCBB) below $1.50 � its shares are poised for a dramatic value-surge.

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If you are new to my highly sought-after Contrarian guidance, you probably missed out on my previous legendary winners. While long-time Contrarians were loading up on monumental gainers like Ultra Petroleum, Pennaco Energy, Atlas Pipelines, and American Oil & Gas � others were getting left behind.

DON�T GET LEFT BEHIND AGAIN.

You may never see another energy stock of such massive profit potential. Your window of opportunity is very limited. I expect to see PTGC shares extremely active in the very near-term as developments heat up.

Expect to be counting your profits as Wall Street and the investing herd propel your PTGC share-value exponentially higher.

IMPORTANT: Remember to take partial profits when the PTGC share-price surges ahead. Then, let the remainder of your position ride the wave of Wall Street buying to MUCH HIGHER LEVELS.

Pick up the phone and call your broker now. Or better yet, go online and purchase your shares through your discount brokerage.

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Get YOUR Arsenal of Automatic-Profit Weapons

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Below is an offer for you to obtain my proprietary stock-selection system � The Arsenal of Automatic-Profit Weapons. This system contains the exact tools I have used for over a decade to compile my list of legendary profit-stocks. Once you own this system, you�ll be able to deploy it forever for your own profitable reward.

Sincerely on the Contrary,

Scott S. Fraser

Build a Successful IT Plan

View it in your Web browser.

Strategic IT Planning and Governance
Best Practices Guide

Develop Your IT Strategies
Based on Proven Best Practices
If your company is like most, you can't afford to bring in high-paid consultants and analysts to help chart the business technology strategies that will be critical to your success for years to come. But even if you have to go it alone, you can now apply the most effective and proven best practices while developing your strategic plans. Strategic IT Planning and Governance is an interactive Best Practices Guide from Info~Tech Research Group that walks you through the entire process of creating a strategically-aligned IT plan, as well as the tasks and activities required to carry it out

Get the details on this invaluable resource now!

A Comprehensive Planning Guide
Building a comprehensive strategic IT plan that aligns with your business strategy is essential to ensuring success. For many IT professionals, the amount of time it takes to develop such a plan, and the complex process required to complete it, makes strategic IT planning a daunting task.

But Info-Tech has extensive experience developing such plans for their clients, and they've channeled all that expertise into this step-by-step guide. Strategic IT Planning and Governance provides more information and tools than any mere book could hope to. Packed in this downloadable resource, you'll find:

Detailed tasks and action steps for each phase of the strategic IT planning process
Learning guides and resources to keep you up-to-speed on the latest issues concerning IT strategy and governance
Interactive tools and templates to help you efficiently complete the required tasks

Your Satisfaction
is Guaranteed

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Interactive and Easy to Use
The heart of the Strategic IT Planning and Governance Best Practices Guide is an interactive 154-page PDF file that guides you through the entire planning process. At each step, the Guide links to the appropriate Microsoft Office tools and templates. The interactive nature of this product lets you get right to work, documenting your needs, calculating costs and benefits, and presenting this critical information to management.

Order your Strategic IT Planning and Governance Best Practices Guide now!

Working for Your Success,
The IT Business Edge Team

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Bravenet Webmaster Tips and Tricks (www.SpreadShirt.com)

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	Sept 26th, 2005

	Welcome to the award winning Tips and Tricks Newsletter; loaded with tips, scripts, and other webmaster tricks.

This months HOT topics:

Styling Anchor Tags with CSS
Adventures in Photoshop
Javascript - Required Form Elements

Styling your links with CSS
by Andrea Butterworth

With the use of Cascading Style Sheets (CSS), in conjunction with HTML, you can easily achieve a variety of effects for your links. Lets start with basic link styling. In the <head> portion of your document place the following:

 <style type="text/css">    a:link {font: bold 11px tahoma, sans-serif; color: #004891;}   a:visited {font: bold 11px tahoma, sans-serif; color: #a800ff;}   a:hover {font: bold 11px tahoma, sans-serif; color: #ff8400;}   a:active {font: bold 11px tahoma, sans-serif; color: #ff0000;} </style>

These are the basic pseudo classes for the anchor tag. A pseudo class allows several different styles to be applied to some selectors such as the anchor. Let's define these pseudo classes by what they control.

a:link	the default style of the link.
a:visited	the style of the link after you have already clicked on it.
a:hover	the link style while a user's mouse is hovering over it.
a:active	the style while a user is actively clicking on the link.

If you want to take things a step further, you can style your anchor tag to have a width and a height and a background color. This will, in effect, make it look like a button. Add the following to the style tag in your <head> tag:

  a {width: 90px; height: 25px; background-color: #fff0df; border: 1px solid #666666; text-align: center; padding-top: 4px;}

In the end, you will have an anchor tag that looks like this:

Free Tools

...Good Luck!

If these sample scripts do not render properly in your email client, please visit the online version of this newsletter.

CafePressure:David's In The House

It was bound to happen. Cafepress enjoyed a nearly unchallenged playing field in the online, customized apparel and merchandise business within the United States. With their shop platform, quick turn around times, and early start in the market they quickly expanded their company. Now, like David before them, Spreadshirt.com has stepped onto the field to do battle with the Goliath CP – but Spreadshirt has more than rocks to throw…

Spreadshirt has the most technologically advanced design tool in the business. Customers can visit it at www.spreadshirt-designer.com and design their items or it can be integrated into a shop as www.boingboing.net recently did. Moreover, Spreadshirt allows customers to print on dark colored clothing unlike CP – this has everyone but the Easter Bunny excited. SS also has far more options in printing including digitals, dark digitals, flex, and flock – a fuzzy material that is cool and redeems Spreadshirt to the Easter Bunny. Plus Spreadshirt is the market leader in Europe – so if someone creates a shop they can have it all over the world in every language that matters. SS matches CP or exceeds them in quality, shipping times, and shop development

If you’re looking to merchandise your designs, logos, or catchphrases; run an outstanding promotion; or set up a free shop with Spreadshirt visit us at www.spreadshirt.com. Come on, David was way cooler than Goliath – and you know he would have went for being global and wearing something other than girly pink ;)

Fun with Photoshop
by Jake Redekop

Vector Masking allows one to hide parts of a layer. We�ll get to the practical application of this powerful technique next month so save this newsletter.

Duplicate your image (right click and choose �Duplicate Layer�). Now, create a new layer by clicking the �Create New Layer� icon located at the bottom of the layers palette. Fill this new layer with white using the Fill Tool (shortcut: 'g') and move it down one position on your layers palette. Select the top layer (your image) and apply a vector mask to it by clicking this icon: also located at the bottom of the layers palette.

While the vector mask is enabled, anything painted black will be hidden, revealing whatever is behind the layer (in our case, a white canvas) and anything painted white will be visible.

Click on the vector mask and select the brush tool (shortcut: 'b'). Now, with black selected as your foreground color, start painting on areas of the image that you wish to hide. As you do this, you will reveal the white canvas from the layer immediately below your image layer. If you accidentally hide a portion of the image, switch your brush color to white and paint over the mistake. To quickly swap the colors in your swatch, hit the 'x' key. This makes correcting mistakes quick and easy.

Some helpful tips and shortcuts: magnify the image with the Zoom Tool (shortcut 'z') for more precision. While zoomed, press and hold the space bar and left mouse button, and move your mouse to move to other areas of the canvas quickly. Use the '[' and ']' keys to increase or decrease your brush size so as to make getting in those tight spots easier.

Tip: Try using a brush with 50% hardness to smooth any unnaturally rough or discolored edges of your subject caused by the masking process.

Build a FREE toolbar for your website!
Customize it with your own Logo, and include things like RSS, Radio, Chat & Ticker. In 4 easy steps and 60 sec you can begin making more money from the built-in business model!
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Javascript - Required Fields on Forms
Roger Riche

If you would like to have a form that requires the user to fill out all or selected fields, this article will show you how.

The Javascript

Place the following javascript in between the <head></head> of your html document.

 <script type="text/javascript"> 	var valid = true; 	function validate_form() 	{ 		var required_fields 	= new Array('name','email','comments'); 		var num_required 	= required_fields.length; 		for(i=0;i<num_required;i++) 		{ 			if(eval("document.bravenet_form." + required_fields[i] + ".value")=="") 			{ 				window.alert('The ' + required_fields[i] + ' field is required.  Please fill in all required fields to continue.'); 				valid = false; 				break; 			} 			else 			{ 				valid = true; 			} 	 		} 	}  </script>

The Email Form

Place the following form in between the <body></body> of your html document.

 <form method="post" action="path-to/your-script" name="bravenet_form" onsubmit="validate_form();if(!valid) return false;"> 	Your Name <input type="text" name="name"><br>  	Your Email <input type="text" name="email"><br> 	Your Phone <input type="text" name="phone"><br> 	Comment <textarea name="comments" cols="30" rows="5"></textarea><br><br>  	<input type="submit"> </form>

To customize this javascript to work with your current form, modify the items in the required_fields line to match the names of your form elements. Make sure that your form has name="bravenet_form".

For example,
var required_fields = new Array('country','state','postal'); for form elements with the names country, state and postal.

That's it, you can now require input to specified form elements within your online forms. Happy coding!

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Sponsor: American Power Conversion (APC)
Choosing a management solution for the physical infrastructure of IT networks? Download a free white paper: Management Strategy for Network-Critical Physical Infrastructure.

Hot White Papers

E-mail Archival Retrieval: Hours, Not Weeks

•	Emerging Importance of Hosted CRM
•	A VoIP Strategy for Unified Messaging
•	How to Select the Right Disk-based Backup

View entire Research Library

Sept. 27, 2005 An Internet presence is a must-have for most companies, yet few seem to know how to measure the value of their Web sites.

Also in this Issue
•	Are IT's Priorities in the Right Place?
•	SEC Delays Small-Company 404 Compliance
•	License to Thrive

Top Insights

Usability: One Sure Way to Maximize Sales (and Increase Conversions)

MarketingProfs.com: Attracting potential customers to a Web site is only half the battle. To win the ROI war, you must actually make the sale. The best way of doing so, this article says, is to make sure your site is easy to use. The piece offers plenty of useful tips, such as quickly satisfying the terms of promotions that direct users to your Web page — without making them sift through unrelated offers or read a lengthy product pitch first. Navigation options should be kept to a minimum, as should the registration forms that can help capture customer information.

SPONSOR

ADDITIONAL READING:

Internet Retailer: Follow the Money
evolt.org: ROI: How Hard Is Your Web Site Working?
BusinessWeek: Jakob Nielsen on the Unwieldy Web

Businesses Cashing in on Virtual Meetings

Business Edge: A vice-president with Fusepoint Managed Services says the Canadian IT business services company has enjoyed tremendous increases in productivity since it began using an on-demand service that lets users integrate a combination of Web, audio and desktop video-conferencing services. The company's partners log in on their PCs and dial in on their telephones for weekly meetings, during which individual audience members can raise questions for the group to consider or send an instant message directly to the VP for questions they don't want to address in public. While such sessions don't replace face-to-face discussions, they help ensure that face time has a more strategic focus, the VP says. Other pros — and a few cons — of Web conferencing are discussed.

ADDITIONAL READING:

itWorldCanada: The Virtual Workplace: The Price is Right
TMCnet.com: Enterprise Conferencing Is Coming Your Way. Here's Why You Should Care
Streaming Media: Measuring ROI

Sponsor: American Power Conversion (APC)

Choosing a management solution for the physical infrastructure of IT networks?
Download a free white paper: Management Strategy for Network-Critical Physical Infrastructure.

> Click here to download white paper.

New Billion-Dollar Printer Market Takes Shape

Forbes: It hasn't been quite a year since Canon introduced the first color laser multifunction printer. Yet the market for these versatile devices is set for stratospheric growth. Lyra Research, which tracks trends in the imaging market, says North American shipments of MFPs — printers that also copy, scan and fax — will hit nearly 78,000 units in 2005, up from 1,700 in 2004. The firm forecasts a 220 percent compound annual growth rate over the next four years. Lasers are generally a more cost-effective option than similar multifunction inkjet printers, as they have a speedier output and require less maintenance. A Lyra analyst says the MFPs boast more advanced technical capabilities than standalone printers.

ADDITIONAL READING:

Scoop: e-Maintenance Solution Increases Efficiencies
Purchasing.com: Demand for Color Grows
Infoconomy: Output Ambitions
PC Magazine: Multifunction Printers That Mean Business

Contract Sadness

CIO.com: This article highlights the dangers of negotiating contracts that focus so closely on cost savings and service-level agreements that the processes required to implement the new technology are shortchanged, leaving no wiggle room for innovative solutions that can ease implementations and cut costs. The author offers brief examples of good and bad contract clauses and makes the point that valuing good outcomes over good process practically guarantees that neither will occur. CIOs should share their next-to-final-draft vendor contracts with project leaders to solicit comment on what impact the contract could have on system implementation, he suggests. An interesting string of reader comments following the article support its conclusions.

	Special Offer: Free White Paper Yankee Group: The Emerging Importance of Hosted CRM Until recently, hosted solutions generally have not figured in strategic, enterprise-wide initiatives that extend CRM across departments, systems, channels, partners and geographies to reduce operating costs, drive new revenue and deliver superior customer experiences. According to this white paper, all organizations now have unprecedented opportunities to combine the lower costs and faster time-to-the-customer of hosted solutions with the strategic benefits of enterprise-wide CRM.

Nine Adoption Risks That Deter Customers From Buying

Under the Buzz: Although this commentary is written from the perspective of helping software sales reps close deals with prospective customers, we think it's just as valuable as a guide for said customers. It includes a handy list of nine questions that every CIO should expect to have answered: Who are you and how do we know you'll still be in the space a year from now? What does your product do, and what does it not do? Do you actually have a product we can install and use? How are your products different from those of competitors? What critical problem does your product help me solve? Which companies in our industry use your product with positive results? How difficult is your product to install and implement? How will your product impact the way we work? What proof do you have that we will achieve the desired results? The author's explanations provide insight that may help CIOs separate sales pitches from reality.

Are IT's Priorities in the Right Place?

Computerworld: Business appears to be taking a backseat to technology in recent IT spending surveys by Alinean. Business initiatives like ERP, CRM, Web services, business intelligence and portals are being passed over in favor of upgrading aging equipment and unsupported platforms, consolidating assets and operations, beefing up security to fight costly attacks, and integrating prior application and data storage. Yet Alinean says more companies should take their cues from peers categorized as top performers, who pay as much attention to improving the business as to reducing costs. Top performers also allocate more funds to innovation — on average, 17 percent vs. 10 percent in average companies and less than 5 percent for those defined as laggards. They've also increased spending from just 0.82 percent of revenue in 2003 to 2.8 percent of revenue in 2005, to help their companies capture growth opportunities.

Force's Use of Blackberrys Bears Fruit

West Yorkshire Police: The UK's West Yorkshire Police force is saving money and boosting productivity with wireless Blackberrys issued to 1,500 frontline officers across 11 divisions. The project has been so successful that it was nominated for Best Public Sector Technology Project of the Year in the forthcoming CNET Networks UK Technology Awards. The handhelds let officers access police computer systems while on patrol, making checks on people or vehicles, updating and executing warrants, viewing the latest intelligence and briefing information, and sending and receiving e-mails while on the go. The project was inspired by a 2001 study of national police forces that revealed that most officers spent almost as much time in police stations as they did on the streets. Research shows that the use of handhelds saves up to five hours a week of an officer's time. The West Yorkshire system costs the equivalent of one hour a week to run.

IT Marketplace

Hardware
•	Citrix Access Gateway - a Universal SSL VPN Appliance
•	RazorGate 100 - Spam, Virus and Hacker Protection
•	Data Privacy/Data Encryption Solutions
Software
•	Expensewatch.com Reporting Solutions
•	WebFOCUS Query and Analysis Solutions (OLAP and Ad Hoc Reporting Tools)
Events
•	The IT Infrastructure Management Conference & Expo - October 2-5, Orlando, Florida
•	OutsourceWorld - New York City, October 18-19, 2005
Publications
•	All the Basics of IT Management

Publications (continued)
•	Guide to Portfolio Management Includes Numerous Office Templates
•	Implement Your Outsourcing Initiatives with These Process Templates
White Papers
•	Understanding the TCO of IP Telephony Solutions
•	Learn How Encryption Can Protect Your Most Important Business Assets
Training & Tools
•	IT Operations Guide Perfect for IT and non-IT Managers
•	Best Practices Guide Walks You Through IT Strategic Planning
•	Be Ready for a Disaster with this Best Practices Guide
•	Optimizing Your Infrastructure: A Best Practices Methodology
IT Services (listings available)
Jobs (listings available)

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3 QUESTIONS:
BI Can Boost Quality of Healthcare

With Scott Wanless, a business intelligence consultant with Greenbrier & Russel, a business and technology consulting and training company.

Question: Are business intelligence tools more useful/important in the healthcare industry than in some other sectors?
Wanless: Right now, BI is critical in healthcare. Frankly, we have what amounts to a national crisis on our hands — rising costs, increased pressure for quality, performance, efficiency, safety, etc. You also have a rapidly aging population with chronic conditions, which will put a further burden on our healthcare system. Plus, we have an industry where it is difficult to even identify who our patients are, where they have received care, what the outcome of that care is, and even if the care given is proven to be effective. Add to that the fact that much of the information is still in paper form, with a high price tag to make it electronic. This will hamper efforts to improve quality, performance and so on.
BI tools are essential to this industry because they serve as a means to "pull" value through the system. For example, a basic necessity right now is widespread implementation of electronic health records (EHRs). But implementing EHRs is viewed as a cost. Using BI tools converts this "cost" into an investment. The value of this investment surfaces when you combine EHR data with other data (clinical encounters, lab, financial, research evidence, operational process statistics, etc.) and then analyze this combined information for patterns, trends and improvement opportunities. This helps to justify the investment — but it can only happen if you can see, touch, slice, dice, sort, sum and squeeze the data for value. That is where BI tools come in.

Question: Which BI tools in general provide the biggest bang for the buck in the healthcare industry?
Wanless: The most important tools in healthcare are extract, transform, load (ETL) tools, data visualization tools and predictive analytics capabilities. ETL tools are the most important because healthcare data and data structures are extremely complicated. There are dozens of "standards" for each subject area in healthcare, be it diagnoses, procedures, treatments, outcomes and so on. Plus, there are subject areas for which there really are no standards at all, such as measuring satisfaction, measuring accessibility to healthcare services, measuring the effects of improved outreach and so forth. It is complex and difficult to transform the data for all of these subject areas, whether they have standards or not. To get the value out of the data requires heavy-duty ETL tools to successfully manage this data.
Data visualization tools are the next most important BI tool. There are two reasons for this. First of all, healthcare people do not have much time to explore data. The patterns and trends must be instantly visible, or (healthcare workers) must by necessity move on to one of the thousand other things they have to do today. The second reason is that most of the key decision-makers in all healthcare sectors (provider, payer, researcher, public health authority, etc.) have been trained in some discipline which required heavy use of data. Leaders in provider organizations usually have medical and clinical education. In payer organizations, leaders are often actuaries by trade. In research organizations, they grew up as scientists. In public health agencies, they are social scientists. All of these disciplines are accustomed to data usage, and visualizing this data provides them with a powerful perspective as to what is going on.
The third type of tool, predictive analytics, is usually regarded as a new technology capability. But this is not the case. Evidence-based medicine is actually a predictive capability. Study the past, discern patterns, and use the patterns to predict the future. Actuarial science is even older, dating to the mid-1700s. Pursuing predictive analytics today has both tactical and strategic value. On the tactical side is the ability to translate observations into predictions, and then use these predictions to be prepared. This is the promise being touted. On the strategic side is the ability to study the past, translate observations into proactive actions, and then create a new future, so you can not only prevent bad outcomes but promote good outcomes. No matter how you gather, transform, deliver and report your data, it is essential to use it to the fullest.

Question: What are some key criteria for folks in the healthcare industry to use when evaluating how BI can help their organization?
Wanless: There are three key criteria to use when evaluating applications and projects to pursue. These are value (business, clinical), feasibility and reusability. The pressure is on in healthcare to perform better, faster, smarter. Eventually, you will be required to measure everything. So aim for value. Prioritize projects based on value. Resolve conflicts based on value. Another key decision factor has to be feasibility. Almost all projects that are proposed have some form of value. But some are just not feasible. Some never will be, while others will be some day. So, while you aim for value, keep in mind whether the proposal is doable.
The third factor is reusability. For most organizations in most industries, healthcare included, a single set of data can be used for a number of productive purposes. Clinical data can be used for clinical analysis, operational analysis, business analysis, research purposes, quality improvement purposes and so on. Unfortunately, in these same organizations, this same data is being gathered, stored and manipulated a number of times by various groups, using various levels of sophistication. View your data as a reusable resource across the organization, and you can eliminate much of this duplication and waste, while adding to the value of your data to improve the quality, efficiency and effectiveness of the services your organization provides.

Also from IT Business Edge: Voice & Data Convergence
Voice & Data Convergence examines the strategic and tactical implications of emerging IP telephony technologies, from VoIP services to advanced CRM systems to security considerations. Find out what every IT decision maker should know. Click here to sign up!

By the Numbers

5 percent

Portion of the typical IT budget eaten up by printers, related supplies and the support required to keep them up and running, according to Gartner.

Source: Infoconomy

17 percent

Proportion of IT budgets allocated to innovation by companies categorized as top performers, according to Alinean. In contrast, companies deemed average spend 10 percent on innovation while those defined as laggards earmark less than 5 percent of their IT spend for innovation.

Source: Computerworld

85 million

USB flash drives sold in 2005, as forecast by Gartner, up from 1.7 million sold in 2001.

Source: SiliconValley.com

Breaking Headlines

IT Spending to Rise 4.3% in 2006, Forrester Predicts

InformationWeek: According to Forrester Research, 53 percent of business technology executives expect IT spending to increase in 2006, while only 7 percent say spending will decline. Forrester predicts spending will increase 4.3 percent — not a huge number, but more than the 3.5 percent increase forecast in 2005 and 1.4 percent increase in 2004. Interestingly, the survey indicates that 60 percent of companies that centralize IT will increase their tech spending next year compared to 46 percent of peers with decentralized IT organizations. (The article doesn't account for the math.) Other survey results are highlighted.

SEC Delays Small-Company 404 Compliance

CFO.com: The Securities and Exchange Commission, as expected, has granted small companies — defined as those with market capitalization of up to $75 million — another year before they must report on their internal controls under Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. They will now have until July of 2007 to do so. Companies have complained that Section 404, which requires them and their auditors to sign off on corporate adherence to internal controls, is an especially costly area of Sarbox compliance. Some advocates want the SEC to expand its definition of small businesses to include companies with a market float of up to $1 billion.

HP Buys Peregrine with Eye on Enterprise Management

E-Commerce Times: Hewlett-Packard is acquiring Peregrine Systems in an all-cash deal worth $425 million in a bid for the lead in the growing IT asset management software market, expected to be worth $1 billion within three years. HP will integrate Peregrine's software into its OpenView suite of IT management tools, which claim to reduce the costs and complexity of maintaining complex enterprise systems. The acquisition comes on the heels of HP's purchase of AppIQ, a provider of open storage area network management and storage resource management software. Some analysts say the move may help indicate the company's future strategic direction as it attempts to turn around its flagging financials.

Emerging Trends

Flash Drives of the Future: the Next Portable Computers

SiliconValley.com: USB drives, the lowly little bits of plastic used to transfer information from one PC to another, are getting a lot smarter — with the ability to perform tasks rather than just storing documents. A Silicon Valley startup called U3 has introduced software that allows flash drives to store software applications as well as data. Because applications run from the drive itself, without having to be installed on the PC's hard disk, users can access data on any computer into which they insert a U3-compatible flash drive. Several companies will sell the U3 drives, beginning in October. For now, they work only with Windows XP and Windows 2003, but U3 plans to support Apple's Macintosh and Linux as well. Flash drive manufacturer Lexar Media, chip maker Samsung and Microsoft are supporting a non-proprietary approach through a group called the USB Flash Drive Alliance, which is working on creating open standards for smart flash drives.

License to Thrive

Entrepreneur: Want to save money on R&D spending? Consider having companies like IBM and Microsoft do the heavy lifting for you. These companies license patents, trademarks and other intellectual property for cutting-edge technologies they have developed but have no plans to market. Microsoft recently began offering licenses for technologies for biometric identity authentication, counterfeit-resistant labels and other intellectual property through its IP Ventures division. IBM reportedly earns billions of dollars a year in added revenue by licensing its assets, including its 40,000 U.S. patents. Such deals require the companies licensing the technology to split profits with the developer — but they also allow smaller companies to legally capitalize on the considerable time, effort and money that the big players pour into R&D.

Airport PCs Stuffed with Meaty Goodness

The Register: CIOs looking for a business case to fund laptops for executives may find one in these warnings by network security provider Scanit that execs are using Microsoft Outlook to write and send e-mails on PCs in airport lounges that allow business and first-class travelers to surf the Web. Unless removed by the user, messages remain in the "sent items" folder where they can be accessed by others. Scanit engineers claim to have found everything from illicit personal messages to documents containing sensitive business info on such machines during their own travels. They are also frequently infected with viruses, says the company's CEO, who calls the machines "a veritable goldmine" for fraudsters hoping to collect confidential data.

IT Business Edge: Maximizing IT Investments	Issue 39, Vol. 3
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