Author: Serkadis

This post is part of the IT Innovation series, sponsored by Sun & Intel. Read more at ITInnovation.com.
Of course, the content of this post consists entirely of the thoughts and opinions of the author.

A recent study suggests that IT people really don’t seem to like their jobs very much. Apparently, only 4% of IT people found themselves “highly engaged” with their jobs — a number that has dropped from the still low, but not as low, 12%, two years earlier. There are concerns, of course, for what this means for companies and their IT staff. It certainly raises some questions about whether or not this is a potential issue going forward, and how companies might deal with this. Are the problems caused by the way IT people are treated? Or does it have more to do with their own worries about the future of the IT profession? And given that so many people in IT aren’t particularly enthusiastic about their jobs, how can that be dealt with?

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CHICAGO — A nasty Cook County divorce case has turned into a bitter struggle over religion, and could involve jail time.

At issue?

How much influence divorced parents should have over their child’s religion.

It was photos of his baby daughter’s baptism that landed Joseph Reyes in hot water with his estranged wife, Rebecca, and could now lead to jail time, or a fine, for criminal contempt.

“It doesn’t feel good, that’s for certain,” said Reyes. “I’m really doing nothing more than being the best dad that I can to my daughter.”

Reyes grew up a Catholic then converted to Judaism before marriage. They had an agreement, his wife said, to raise their daughter in the Jewish faith.

But when the marriage fell apart, Reyes, during a visitation, had his daughter baptized, and sent the pictures to his wife.

“If he did this, what was he going to do next,” said Steven Lake, of the law firm of Lake, Toback, which represents Rebecca Reyes. “So we went to court basically to put a Band-Aid on the situation until the trial.”

Rebecca Reyes obtained a temporary court order prohibiting her estranged husband from exposing the child to any religions other than Judaism, until their upcoming divorce trial.

After the order was entered, however, she learned that Joseph Reyes had taken their daughter to a service at Holy Name Cathedral.

So she sought to have him held in criminal contempt for violating the judge’s order. He was arraigned today and pleaded not guilty.

Reyes said he hasn’t violated the judge’s order, “because I think that Christianity and moreover Catholicism is just a radicalized form of Judaism. And there are a lot of theologists that will agree with me on that point.”

Attorney Lake said, “I’m not a religious expert, but if he can convince a judge that that’s the case, God bless him.”

Read the original article from FOX Chicago News.

Distributed via Chicago Press Release Services

…with introduction of high-speed mechanical seal unions for air/hydraulic applications.

Responding to customer demand for an alternate and more flexible supplier, Rotary Systems announces its high speed, 008 series mechanical seal air/hydraulic union. This is our answer for OEM’s, distributors, remanufacturers, and end users looking for an economical, entry-level alternative to that offered by their competition.

The 008 series unions are designed as drop in replacements for competitor unions with several NPT and unified thread combinations available. Demanding applications such as clutches, stamping, machine tools, converting, core holding and plastic film production use the 008 union.

Rotary Systems prides itself in its custom design unions for nearly any purpose. Their engineering team can design a union or build-to-print specifically for any application.

About Rotary Systems:
Rotary Systems has been an industry leader in standard and custom rotary unions for over 20 years serving a broad range of industries. We will continue to expand our presence in the high speed rotary union market by offering alternatives to other manufacturers. Contact our Applications Engineering department at [email protected] or call (800) 959-0146.

There are 2 types available, VSM and VSMR.

The only difference between this 2 types is that VSM model needs to have vacuum release valve but VSMR type does not need vacuum release valve due to the VSMR has integarated automatic quick release valve option, yet the workpiece can be released very fast, thanks to the built-in inflow device which allows the inflow of atmospheric air to break the vacuum.

If you are using more than one suction cups for pick and place, VSMR model has the added advantage that in case one or more of the suction cups is/are not picking up the goods, the vacuum for the rest of the cups are not affected. Because of this added feature, the VSMR model is suitable for picking goods of different sizes.

For more detailed information, please contact: www.vmeca.com/ [email protected]

And you can see the its demo-movies at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a8qq_KMonwc

EQUINOX systems are deigned to out perform conventional X-ray diffraction instruments for speed, resolution and safety.

Equinox X-ray Diffraction Systems employ a unique patented curved detector that replaces the conventional scanning goniometers used on other commercial instruments.

This unique detector is able to measure all diffraction peaks simultaneously. It eliminates the need for mechanical scanning devices and does no require complex scanning goniometers used in most other X-ray diffraction instruments.

Built as another protection option for hand-held electronics and smart phones, the 1015 Micro Case has become the seventh model in the Peli Products Micro Case Series™.
The case’s internal rubber liner doubles as a weather resistant seal and as a shock absorber with a series of curved bumpers lining the perimeter.
Its “easy-open,” yet-durable, polymer latch and stainless steel hinge ensure that the case will stay closed when dropped. For ultimate security, the 1015’s high-impact, heat and chemically resistant polymer shell will stand up to some of the harshest conditions known to man.
The case also features two loops at either end of the case for easy tie off and a carabiner to secure it to a belt loop or backpack. The 1015 Micro Case is available in clear with a black, blue, red or yellow liner or in solid black with a yellow liner.
Also available is the i1015 Case which is built to protect the iPod Touch and other smart phones. It features a clear lid that allows the user to watch videos or check the playlist while it protects their device. It also features an external head phone jack that
allows the user to listen to music or Podcasts while the case is closed.

About The Peli™ Micro Case Series™
Similar in design to Peli’s full line of equipment cases, Peli Micro Cases offer unsurpassed quality to keep valuable equipment safe and dry. Their internal rubber liners work with an incredibly tough polymer shell and latch to create a weather-resistant seal. They are also outfitted with an automatic pressure purge valve that regulates internal air pressure and prevents vacuum lock so
the case is easier to open at any altitude. Peli Micro Case Series Cases fit a wide variety of small items such as cell phones, PDA’s, pagers, small electronics, hand held instruments and other sensitive devices.

With the RMB self-thermostated heating tape, laying without wiring is now possible !

RMB self-thermostated heating tape is a ready to use heating tape ; you do not need any tool to lay it and you save 40% laying time in comparison with other heating tapes.
_______________________________________________________________

Founded in Paris in 1983 by Jacques le Bourgeois, AAA-TELEC company is now located in Saint Germain de la Grange, near Paris. At first, AAA-TELEC company was bringing out heating components for domestic appliances (freezers, plate warmers).

Then AAA-TELEC company started manufacturing heating tapes for water pipe freeze protection, snow melting in gutters and hot water pipe warming, AAA-TELEC manufacturing heating devices for body treatments (slimming, relaxing and moisturising cares).

in addition it is now manufacturing heaters for professional refrigerating and air-conditioning commercial systems (door framing heater, drain bands, de-misting showcase heaters ) and horticulture (heating cables for plant-cutting and seed propagation), and also on request heaters for peculiar applications.”

EGM Series slurry pumps are cantilevered, horizontal slurry pumps, centrifugal slurry pumps. They are designed for the handling of highly abrasive, high-density slurries. This series pump may also be installed in multistage series

The frame plate liner and impeller for EGM Series Centrifugal slurry pump are made of wear-resistant metal. The shaft seals for the EGM series may choose gland seal or expeller seal. The discharge branch can be oriented to any of the eight positions to suit installations and applications

This kind of centrifugal slurry pump mainly applies in the metallurgical, mining, coal, power generation, construction material and many other industries.

Eco•Compact – the flexible and economically priced solution for small batch series!

New Automisation System for small batches – Available from Lang Technik since June 2009!

– Favourable purchase price
– Quick + simple installation
– Only little space required
– Further loading of round table possible every time due to best accessibility
– Also larger workpieces can be automated by loading only every second position on round table

Visit our website at www.lang-technik.de

From IMS’s research to increase marble and woodworking tool-holder quality comes the TITAN tool-holder spindle: a NiCr high protection coating against corrosion with an average thickness of 30 microns.

The novelty is in the new technique of applying the coating that offers the advantage of producing a surface whose roughness is greatly reduced, facilitating the sliding of impurities and diminishing the friction on the cone and its comsuption.

This treatment allows it to reach a surface hardness of 830 HV, above the strandards adopted up to the present.

The hardness is only on the surface area give advantage of prolonging the tool-holder’s life by 60% without incurring structural fracture problems since the internal characteristics of the material is not modified.

Moreover, this treatment provides excellent protection, for which there is also an excellent application in working stone, marble and glass where it is subjected to potent oxidizing agents.

To obtain maximum performance, the product must be carefully preserved, avoiding beaing subjected to shocks that can create schratched, particullary in the angular areas which can be more breakable on impact.

The application of the flexible clamping system allows the automatic cutting all sides of rear cut grooving inserts with close tolerances. And the extremely short changeover times between clamping systems and clamping holder make the Agathon 400 PENTA highly flexible.

The new machine concept guarantees maximum freedom of movement by using 3 rotative and 2 translative axes. In addition, complex indexable insert geometries can be time-saving programmed with the Agathon’s software.

The 5-axis indexable insert grinding machine 400 PENTA is the fully-automatic grinding center of the very latest generation. As such, it is the solution to the extensive efficiency improvement in the indexable-insert production.

Technical specifications :

– Diameter reel : 800 mm.
– Each hose reel rotates around an axis to allow easy implementation of crowns.
– L x W x H : L 800 x l 950 x H 1900 mm.
– Weight : 120 Kg.
– Max. load per reel : 80Kg

Financial stocks are attracting massive interest from big name fund managers such as John Paulson, Carl Icahn, George Soros, and Eddie Lampert.

'Too big to fail' banks seem particularly attractive these days...

Reuters:

In the fourth quarter alone Paulson bought more than 200 million shares in Citi, raising his stake to $1.67 billion from $954 million, or about 8 percent of the fund's total value.

Large stakes in Citi and Bank of America account for about 11 percent of almost $20 billion Paulson reported.

In the quarter, Paulson's New York-based firm made fresh bets or raised existing ones on a number of financial firms, from JPMorgan Chase to Marshall & Isley, headquartered in Milwaukee.

...

Billionaire hedge fund manager George Soros also bought almost 95 million shares of Citigroup during the quarter, worth $313 million at year-end. Soros had reported no holdings in the troubled bank at the end of Q3.

Continue reading about other managers at Reuters >

Join the conversation about this story »

See Also:

• Hedge Fund King John Paulson Buys Into XTO Energy And Wells Fargo
• Carl Icahn Wants To Buy Up To 13.2 Million Of Lion's Gate Shares
• Activist Investor Carl Icahn Gives Up On Yahoo, Selling Down His Massive Stake

By Pavol Stracansky VIENNA, Feb 17 (IPS) With hundreds of thousands of girls and women believed to be at risk of female genital mutilation (FGM) in Europe, rights groups have mounted a campaign to get EU leaders to stop what they see as a barbaric and dangerous procedure.

FGM – an umbrella term for procedures involving partial or total removal of the female external genitalia or other injury to the female genital organs for non-medical reasons – has been condemned by governments, rights groups and health organisations across the world.

But while many European governments have introduced laws to ban the practice, campaigners have warned that far from dying out it continues in communities across the continent and those same governments must do more to stamp it out.

"We need action. Political commitments are encouraging but the time has come for concrete action at national and European level," Dr. Christine Loudes, who is heading an Amnesty International-led European campaign on FGM, told IPS.

As many as 140 million women and girls worldwide have been subjected to FGM, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO). It also estimates that as many as 8,000 women per day are at risk of mutilation.

The practice varies in its form according to factors such as the ethnic background of the victim and the location of her community. Girls less than a year old are victims of the procedure and it is most commonly practiced on girls up to the age of 15.

Carried out in what rights groups describe as ‘’horrific" conditions, it often involves terrified young girls being held down while traditional practitioners use a sharp object such as a knife, a razor blade or broken glass to carry out the mutilation.

There has been some evidence too that doctors and medical staff are also involved in some cases.

Four types of FGM have been classified by the WHO. Type I or clitoridectomy consists of partial or total removal of the clitoris and/or its prepuce. Type II, also known as excision, is where the clitoris and labia minora are partially or totally removed, with or without excision of the labia majora. Type III is also known as infibulation and consists of narrowing the vaginal orifice with creation of a covering seal by cutting and appositioning the labia minora and/or labia majora, with or without removal of the clitoris.

A small opening is left for urine and menstrual blood to escape. An infibulation must be opened either through penetrative sexual intercourse or surgically. Type IV consists of all other procedures to the genitalia of women for non-medical purposes, such as pricking, piercing, incising, scraping and cauterisation.

The practice is justified in communities on grounds like local tradition, religion and culture. Some argue that it is carried out to protect girls from illicit sexual desires or because female genitals are considered to be unhygienic. In some FGM-practicing societies, unmutilated women are regarded as unclean and are not allowed to handle food and water.

But health organisations say that FGM has no medical benefits and instead carries life-threatening health risks. The short-term risks of the procedure include severe bleeding, chronic pain, infection and death through shock, haemorrhaging or septicaemia. The long-term effects include infections, genital ulcers, damage to the reproductive system as well as psychological conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder.

A multi-country study by the WHO in six African countries showed that women who had undergone FGM had significantly increased risks for adverse events during childbirth, and that genital mutilation in mothers has negative effects on their newborn babies. According to the study, an additional one to two babies per 100 deliveries die as a result of FGM.

FGM has been largely documented in African and Middle Eastern states and among ethnic communities in central and south America – creating a false impression that the problem is confined to poorer, less developed parts of the world, say rights groups.

But migration has spread the practice to Europe and groups like Amnesty International as well as WHO say that up to 500,000 women in Europe are living with FGM and 180,000 are at risk of mutilation every year.

Waris Dirie, a Somalian former supermodel who is also a victim of FGM and who heads her own foundation campaigning against FGM headquartered in Vienna, Austria, said that although legislation has been passed in Europe to try and stop FGM the practice is thriving illicitly in communities.

She told IPS: "FGM is a social taboo in many countries. In Europe it is practiced by different immigrant communities from African or Asian countries where FGM is practiced. It is estimated that 500,000 victims of FGM live in Europe, but most estimates are based only on the number of women from African countries although FGM is also practiced in many Asian countries, as well as in Iraq and Iran (by the Kurds) where many refugees in Europe come from.’’

"We know that many girls in Europe are taken abroad during school holidays to be mutilated in their parents’ home countries. But there are also cases of FGM being performed here in Europe.’’

"Since this happens in secret and illegally, it is impossible to say precisely how it is done. There have been cases where doctors have illegally performed FGM, but usually it is done by African circumcisers who sometimes come especially to perform FGM."

The WHO has said that the true scale of the problem in Europe could be much larger than current estimates suggest.

Elise Johansen, WHO spokeswoman on FGM issues, told IPS: "There have only been small-scale studies carried out in Europe on FGM so a lot of what we know of the problem in Europe is guesswork and estimates. As it is illegal it is very hard to find out the scale of the problem because so few people would admit to planning to have it carried out. The situation could be much worse than we think."

Legislation specifically banning FGM has been passed by some European states, including Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Denmark, Italy, Norway, Spain, Sweden, and Britain. It is also illegal under existing criminal legislation in countries such as France where prison sentences have been handed down in more than 30 court cases involving FGM practices.

Rights groups claim the legislation is only partially effective. They warn that problems in detection and reporting of cases, as well as frequent lack of sufficient evidence to take a case to court prevents effective protection of girls at risk.

"Some European states have included the term FGM explicitly in their legal code. Enforcement is very difficult, however, and rarely happens," Dirie told IPS.

Groups also point to unclear asylum rules in cases of female refugees who have fled their home countries for fear of becoming victims of FGM.

"FGM is grounds for asylum under EU directives, but not all EU countries have implemented the directives properly into their laws and some women refugees are not getting the protection they should," Prerna Humpel, spokeswoman for Amnesty’s campaign against FGM, told IPS.

Amnesty International has now launched a campaign with 12 partner organisations across Europe calling on European politicians to do more to stop the practice.

The ‘END FGM’ campaign involves events in Lisbon, Vienna, Nicosia, Brussels and London this month and next, aimed at raising awareness of the issue and also to press EU officials into creating a definitive strategy on FGM.

The campaign is urging EU officials to adopt measures to protect women and children from FGM, including access to healthcare for women living with FGM in Europe, better protection mechanisms for women and children against violence, clear asylum guidelines for those threatened by FGM, as well as data collection on FGM prevalence in Europe and mainstreaming of FGM in EU dialogues with third countries where FGM is prevalent.

"Women and girls need protection from FGM. Governments have a responsibility to inform immigrant communities about FGM and its effects on women and girls.

"EU governments also have a duty to put in place measures to protect women and girls against FGM, to prosecute those who carry it out and to prevent and stop the practice. Awareness has to be raised at a community level," said Loudes.

Meanwhile, other groups are also urging governments to act, arguing that only comprehensive information campaigns can help stop the practice.

Johansen of WHO said: "Systematic and repeated discussion of FGM is needed in communities where it is practiced. This has been shown to be the most effective method of reducing it. People involved in it need to be educated and fully informed about it. This is happening in Africa but something like this is lacking in Europe’’.

"It is down to governments to put this in place. It is their responsibility."

United Arab Emirates, Asia | Astounding Timepieces

Built over five months to exacting diagrams in an original 13th century manuscript, the elaborate elephant-shaped water clock at the Ibn Battuta mall in Dubai is a tribute to 800 year old engineering brilliance.

The Elephant clock was only one of many ingenious devices designed by the polymath inventor Al-Jazari (full name: Badi Al-Zaman Abu Al-Izz Ismail Bin Al-Razzaz Al-Jazari), who worked as chief engineer for the Artuklu Palace, now in Turkey, in the middle-ages. In his famous manuscript, known in English as the Book of Knowledge of Ingenious Mechanical Devices, published in 1206, Al-Jazari described in detail 50 machines of varying complexity, illustrated with beautiful color miniatures. His work and book are different from a lot or early treatises on mechanical contraptions in that he was a gifted mechanic, and the book is more of a practical guide than merely a theoretical book of engineering concepts. His instructions included devices like automatic gates and doors, animal and humanoid automata, and clocks. It was the clocks for which he would become most famous. These were more than just mechanical toys. The complexity of his 11 foot Castle astronomical clock is so complex, it is considered to be an example of an early programmable analog computer.

Timekeeping had special role in the Muslim faith, allowing followers to more accurately know the five times for prayer in the absence of a call to prayer. In Al-Jazari’s time, the Islamic empire had reached new heights, covering most of North Africa, Europe, and Asia. The technology of simple water clocks dates back to Babylonia, Ancient Egypt, and Greece, and less complicated examples of water clocks were used throughout the Muslim world to help keep time.

The Elephant clock is different from these, both in its elaborate form and function. The physical details of his clock represent different cultures: The elephant is an Asian elephant which represents India, the dragon-like serpent represents China, the phoenix at the top represents ancient Egypt, and the turbaned figure represents Muslim cultures. The internal mechanisms of the clock, driven by floats in water tanks hidden in the belly of the elephant, activate the various components into mechanical motion every half hour.

The 3.5 million square foot mall, in which the elephant clock can be found is named for the 14th century explorer Ibn Battuta. The mall is divided into themed sections, each taking visual inspiration from various lands visited by Battuta. The Elephant clock is located in the India Court portion.

The full-size working reproduction was commissioned for the 2005 opening of the mall, and carried out by the UK based Foundation for Science, Technology and Civilization (FSTC), who consulted on the design of the decor. The FSTC is dedicated to disseminating information about Muslim history and culture. According to mall publications, there are plans to re-create his famous Castle Clock as well.

There are at least three other examples of reconstructions of the Elephant Clock, including one outside the Musee d’Horlogerie du Locle, Chateau des Monts, in Le Locle, Switzerland, and one at the Institute for the History of Arab-Islamic Science in Frankfurt, Germany. The newest, 20 foot tall, Elephant clock is on display at the London Science Museum through April 2010 as part of the exhibit 1001 Inventions, dedicated to the history of Muslim science and technology.

By Kara Rowland

(The Washington Times, February 2, 2010) Continuing his focus on jobs, President Obama on Tuesday will introduce a plan to take $30 billion from the Wall Street bailout fund to create a new program encouraging community banks to lend to cash-strapped small businesses.  The proposal, which Mr. Obama is set to unveil at a town hall event in Nashua, N.H., is the latest in a series of policies aiming to spur job growth by easing the burden of the recession on start-ups and smaller firms. It is sure to draw fire from Republicans on Capitol Hill, who have argued that any leftover money from the Troubled Asset Relief Program should be used to pay down the deficit. Click here to read more…

Wheaton, Ill. — Concerns about coyotes have residents of Wheaton calling on the city council to take action.

At a council meeting Tuesday night residents argued for a plan to trap and kill the animals.

“It’s not just a mere nuisance, we have a reasonable fear for our beloved pets and our children,” said Annette Corrigan.

The problem, people say, is that the number of coyotes seems to have grown tremendously in the past year, and the carnivores, which are indigenous to the area, are getting more and more comfortable being around people.

Tony Parla saw two run across his backyard Tuesday afternoon. He worries about his two small dogs, and his son being out in the backyard alone.

“They don’t back away, that’s the biggest concern. In the past if you saw a coyote and clapped your hands whatever, it would take off. They don’t any more. They keep coming closer and closer,” Parla said.

Rebecca Barnett’s cat Jinx was mauled and killed by a coyote last September. Another time two threatened her daughter.

“She was running on our back road and was stopped at the bridge by two adult coyotes and they would not let her go past,” Barnett said.

The city council had given preliminary approval to a plan to trap and remove coyotes.

One resident raised concerns about tax dollars, and the danger of trapping.

“Leg hold traps can maim and or kill humans, companion animals or non-targeted wildlife, some of which are protected by law,” said Gloria DeLuca

Councilman John Prendiville wants the trapping plan halted before it comes to a vote.

“If a particular animal attacks or actively threatens humans I will take action against that animal,” he said, “but I can’t support the preemptive killing of wild animals to protect pets. Revenge for the death of a pet is not sufficient reasons for killing coyotes.”

Read the original article from FOX Chicago News.

Distributed via Chicago Press Release Services

No. 103-10 February 10, 2010

NAVY

Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding, Pascagoula, Miss., is being awarded an $8,362,542 modification to previously awarded contract (N00024-07-C-2302) to exercise options for the accomplishment of the follow yard class services for the DDG 51 class AEGIS destroyer Program.  Northrop Grumman shipbuilding will provide expert design, planning, and material support services for both DDG 51 ship construction and modernization.  Work will be performed in Pascagoula, Miss., and is expected to be completed by August 2010.  Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year.  The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington D.C., is the contracting activity.

To view the rest of the defense contracts click here >>>

AIR FORCE

Harris Corp. of Palm Bay, Fla., was awarded a $5,882,429 contract which will exercise an option for continued sustainment services under the space control depot support sustainment contract.  At this time, the entire amount has been obligated.  SYSW/PK, El Segundo, Calif., is the contracting activity (FA8819-08-C-0001, P00047).

No. 109-10 February 16, 2010

NAVY

Navistar Defense, LLC, Warrenville, Ill., was awarded on Feb. 12 a $751,514,198 firm-fixed-priced delivery order #0014 for the procurement of Category I Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) low rate initial production vehicles with engineering change proposal upgrades for enhanced maneuverability.  This order will also be used for the procurement of Category I MRAP vehicles which provide protection of U.S. military personnel supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.  Work will be performed in WestPoint, Miss. and the period of performance is expected to be completed by the end of August 2010. Procurement funds in the amount of $751,514,198 will expire on Sept. 30, 2012.  This contract was competitively procured.  The Marine Corps Systems Command, Quantico, Va., is the contracting activity (M67854-07-D-5032 / D.O.0009).

CACI, Inc., Chantilly, Va. (N00039-10-D-0005); Computer Sciences Corp., San Diego (N00039-10-D-0006); G2 Software Systems, Inc.*, San Diego, Calif. (N00039-10-D-0007); Northrop Grumman, Herndon, Va. (N00039-10-D-0008); and Science Applications International Corp., San Diego, Calif. (N00039-10-D-0009), were each awarded on Feb. 11, 2010, an indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity multiple award contract for Department of Defense command and control (C2) software development, as well as modification and enhancement of existing C2 systems. Services that may be ordered under these contracts include software design, development, and modification; software integration at the unit- and system-level; related test and evaluation support; software systems engineering support; and support functions including integrated logistics support, configuration and program management support. Each contractor will be awarded a $5,000 task order at the time of contract award. These contracts include a three-year base period and two one-year award terms, making the potential period of performance five years. The five-year estimated amounts of each of these contracts range from $493 million to $648 million. These five contractors may compete for task orders under the terms and conditions of the awarded contracts. Work will be performed in the contractors’ facilities and is expected to be completed by January 2015. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This requirement was solicited using full and open competition via the Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command e-commerce Web site and the Federal Business Opportunities Web site, with 13 offers received. The Space and Naval Warfare System Command, San Diego, Calif., awarded the contracts on behalf of its organizational partner, the Navy’s Program Executive Office for Command, Control, Communication, Computers and Intelligence.

General Dynamics Land Systems-Canada, London, Ontario, was awarded on Feb. 12, 2010, a $227,380,750 firm-fixed-priced delivery order #0007.  The procurement is for 250 MRAP RG-31A2 vehicles and associated engineering change proposal upgrades to include an independent suspension system.  The work is expected to be completed no later than Oct. 30, 2010. The major production and assembly work will be performed in South Africa. Major subassemblies will be purchased from companies in Fairfield, Ohio; Buffalo, N.Y.; and Ogdensburg, N.Y.  This contract delivery order was sole source procurement.  Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year.  Marine Corps Systems Command, Quantico, Va., is the contracting activity (M67854-07-D-5028).

Raytheon Co., Tucson, Ariz., was awarded on Feb. 9 a $143,882,042 modification to previously awarded contract for the FY10 STANDARD Missile II option for production of all-up-round missiles, missiles serviced under the service life extension program, section level spares, post production spares, shipping containers, and associated data. Work will be performed in Tucson, Ariz. (74 percent); Andover, Mass. (18 percent); Camden, Ark. (5 percent); and Farmington, N.M. (3 percent). Work is expected to be completed by December 2012. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity (N00024-09-C-5301).

BAE Systems Land & Armaments, Ground Systems Division, York, Pa., was awarded on Feb. 12 a $90,561,200.00 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity delivery order #0012 for the purchase of 58 U.S. Special Operations Command Mine Resistant Ambush Protected Category I vehicles including independent suspension systems, engineering change proposals and integrated logistics support sustainment.  Work will be performed in York, Pa., and is expected to be completed by March 2011. Contract funds of $44,820,000 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year.  The Marine Corps Systems Command, Quantico, Va., is the contracting activity (M67854-07-D-5025).

ITT Electronic Systems, Clifton, N.J., is being awarded a $44,703,060 modification to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract to exercise an option for the full rate production Lot 7 of 17 AN/ALQ-214(V)2 on-board jammers, a component of the F/A-18 E/F Integrated Defensive Electronic Countermeasure for the Navy and the government of Australia. In addition, this option provides for spare AN/ALQ-214(V)3 weapons replacement assemblies for installation on F/A-18E/F aircraft. Work will be performed in Clifton, N.J. (34.4 percent); East Syracuse, N.Y. (8.8 percent); San Diego, Calif. (8.3 percent); Rancho Cordova, Calif. (5 percent); and at various locations throughout the United States (43.5 percent). Work is expected to be completed in October 2012. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This modification combines purchases for the U.S. Navy ($35,566,060; 79.57 percent) and the government of Australia ($9,137,000; 20.43 percent) under the Foreign Military Sales program. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity (N00019-05-C-0054).

Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding, Inc., Pascagoula, Miss., was awarded on Feb. 10 a $41,288,005 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for life cycle engineering and support services on the LPD 17 class amphibious transport dock ship program. Work will be performed in Pascagoula, Miss., and is expected to be completed by December 2010. Contract funds in the amount of $186,963 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity (N00024-10-C-2203).

BAE Systems, Information and Electronics Systems Integration, Nashua, N.H., was awarded on Feb. 9 a firm-fixed-price requirements performance-based logistics contract in the amount of $31,215,444 for support of the AN/ALQ-12B electronic countermeasures system used in support of the F/A-18A-D and AV-8B aircraft.  Work will be performed in Jacksonville, Fla. (55 percent), Nashua, N.H. (33 percent), and Crane, Ind. (12 percent).  Work is to be completed by February 2015.  Funding is provided by Navy Working Capital Fund.  Contract funds will not expire before the end of the fiscal year.  This announcement does not include foreign military sales.  This contract was not competitively awarded. One company was solicited and one offer was received.  The Naval Inventory Control Point, Philadelphia, Pa., is the contracting activity (N00383-10-D-027G).

Electric Boat Corp., Groton, Conn., is being awarded a $26,310,047 modification to previously awarded contract for continued procurement of common missile compartment prototype material, manufacturing and test. Work will be performed in Groton, Conn., and is expected to be completed by January 2012. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity (N00024-09-C-2100).

Pacific Science and Engineering Group, San Diego, Calif., is being awarded a $23,674,727, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for command and control (C2) technologies and capabilities and C2-related capabilities in the areas of research, systems engineering, architecture, design, development, integration, test, experimentation and implementation.  Work will support C2 net-centric operations, information management and decision support operations dealing with joint, Navy, Marine Corps, Army, and the Air Force, and their interfacing with civil and non-government components and capabilities.  This contract is one of five total contracts awarded; all awardees will compete for task orders during the ordering period.  This five-year contract does not include any options.  Work will be performed at government and contractor sites in the San Diego area.  The period of performance of the contract is from Feb. 16, 2010, through Feb. 15, 2015.  Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year.  This contract was competitively procured via publication on the Federal Business Opportunities Web site and posting to the SPAWAR e-Commerce Central Web site.  Five viable offers were received.  The Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center Pacific, San Diego, Calif., is the contracting activity (N66001-10-D-0018).

BAE Systems Norfolk Ship Repair, Norfolk, Va., is being awarded a $21,853,550 modification to previously awarded contract for the USS Bataan (LHD-5) FY10 phased maintenance availability. Work will be performed in Portsmouth, Va., and is expected to be completed by August 2010. Contract funds in the amount of $20,454,853 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Norfolk Ship Support Activity, Norfolk, Va., is the contracting activity (N00024-05-C-4403).

ISPA Technology, LLC, Alexandria, Va., is being awarded a $17,681,498 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for command and control (C2) technologies and capabilities and C2-related capabilities in the areas of research, systems engineering, architecture, design, development, integration, test, experimentation and implementation.  Work will support C2 net-centric operations, information management and decision support operations dealing with joint, Navy, Marine Corps, Army and the Air Force, and their interfacing with civil and non-government components and capabilities.  This contract is one of five total contracts awarded; all awardees will compete for task orders during the ordering period.  This five-year contract does not include any options.  Work will be performed at government and contractor sites in the San Diego area.  The period of performance of the contract is from Feb. 16, 2010, through Feb. 15, 2015.  Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year.  This contract was competitively procured via publication on the Federal Business Opportunities Web site and posting to the SPAWAR e-Commerce Central Web site.  Five viable offers were received.  The Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center Pacific, San Diego, Calif., is the contracting activity (N66001-10-D-0017).

The Boeing Co., St. Louis, Mo, was awarded an $11,392,787 firm-fixed-price contract for the production acceptance test and evaluation of the direct attack moving target capability. Work will be performed in St. Louis, Mo., and is expected to be completed in February 2012. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via electronic request for proposal and one offer was received. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity (N00019-10-C-0030).

Stauder Technologies*, St. Peters, Mo., is being awarded a $9,256,117 modification to a previously awarded cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for nine lab prototype and engineering development StrikeLink/airborne units and the associated data package, to provide a prototype communications capability for use in the U.S. Marine Corps AV-8B Harrier aircraft.  Work will be performed in St. Peters, Mo. (95 percent), and China Lake, Calif. (5 percent), and is expected to be completed in July 2012. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division, China Lake, Calif., is the contracting activity (N68936-07-C-0004).

General Electric Aircraft Engines, Lynn, Mass., is being awarded a $7,340,382 modification to a previously issued order under basic ordering agreement. This contract action provides additional funding for the demonstration of new technologies, with the goal of reducing the specific fuel consumption of the F414-GE-400 engine by three percent. The F414-GE-400 engine powers the F/A-18E/F and E/A-18G Navy aircraft. This effort is in support of the Near Term Energy Efficiency Technology Demonstration and Research Project, under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. Work will be performed in Lynn, Mass. (89 percent), and Evendale, Ohio (11 percent), and is expected to be completed in December 2010. Contract funds in the amount of $7,340,382 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity (N00019-09-G-0009).

Rockwell Collins, Inc., Cedar Rapids, Iowa, is being awarded a $7,323,056 modification to a previously awarded firm-fixed-priced contract to exercise an option for the procurement of 208 ARC-210 radio high power amplifiers and LNA diplexers for the Air Force F-16 Block 40/50 aircraft. Work will be performed in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and is expected to be completed in July 2011. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity (N00019-09-C-0069).

AMEC Earth and Environmental, Inc.*, San Diego, Calif., was awarded on Feb. 11 a firm-fixed-price task order 0002 modification at $6,930,966 for the pre-design sampling and analysis plan and expansion of Area 1a; remedial action for Area 6; and full time radiological health and safety support to increase the maximum dollar value of an indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract task order for the remedial design and remedial action installation Restoration Site 1, 1943-1956 disposal area at Alameda Point. After award of this modification, the total cumulative contract value will be $21,563,531. Work will be performed in Alameda, Calif., and is expected to be completed by March 2012. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Southwest, San Diego, Calif., is the contracting activity (N62473-08-D-8816).

Sierra Nevada Corp., Sparks, Nev., is being awarded a $5,698,440 modification to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract to exercise an option for the procurement of 60 AN/APN-245 radio beacon sets in support of the AN/SON46 automatic carrier landing system capability and the F/A-18-E/F/G series aircraft. Work will be performed in Sparks, Nev., and is expected to be completed in February 2011. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity (N00421-08-D-0032).

DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY

Thermo Pac, LLC, Stone Mountain, Ga., is being awarded a maximum $22,735,230 firm-fixed-price contract for various food items.  There are no other locations of performance.  Using services are Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and federal civilian agencies.  There were originally 30 proposals solicited with three responses.  Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year.  The date of performance completion is Feb. 13, 2011.  The Defense Supply Center Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pa., is the contracting activity (SPM3S1-06-D-Z135).

AIR FORCE

Boeing Co., Newark, Ohio, was awarded a $15,533,727 contract which will provide incremental funding for the ICBM Minuteman III missile system guidance repair. At this time, the entire amount has been obligated. 526 ICBMSG/PKE, Hill Air Force Base, Utah, is the contracting activity (F42610-99-D-0006).

*Small business

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It’s becoming increasingly obvious that Greece is no victim of speculative investors, but rather a victim of its own financial mismanagement.

Bloomberg:

“There’s no taboo about this,” the 23-year-old student said in a Feb. 2 interview. “Tax evasion helps support families, but it’s not good for the Greek state.”

…

Greece’s revenue from income tax was 4.7 percent of GDP in 2007, compared with an EU average of 8 percent, EU statistics show. Tax revenue fell by 2.5 percentage points of GDP between 2000 and 2007 to a euro region-low of 32 percent even as economic growth averaged 4.1 percent a year.

…

That anger taps into a tradition of tax evasion-as-protest against nearly four centuries of rule by the Ottoman Turks that ended with Greek independence in 1829, Massourakis said. Even for those who pay, colluding with tax-dodging of taxi drivers and bar-owners is still considered a form of solidarity.

“If this was a friend of mine he wouldn’t give me a receipt and I wouldn’t ask,” Rigas said. “I’m not so sure they’ll succeed.”

At the risk of being horribly general, from 30,000 feet up, it sounds like Greek citizens want services, protected jobs, and retirement benefits; all without anyone paying a dime. Read more here >

Join the conversation about this story »

See Also:

• Spain Begs Markets To Stop Comparing It To Greece
• Greek Polls Show Massive Resistance To Any Form Of Financial Discipline
• Greek Socialists To Probe Conservatives’ Faulty EU Stats