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Haestad Methods Unveils SewerCAD v5

Haestad Methods announced the release of SewerCAD v5, the latest version of their innovative modelling software for sanitary sewer analysis and design. SewerCAD has been updated to include hydrographic loading, extended period simulation, enhanced profiling views, and animation. Due to strict regulations, cities with combined sanitary and storm sewer systems will benefit considerably from the new extended period simulation feature. In addition to sophisticated calculation enhancements, SewerCAD's new animation feature brings the data to life. The extensive animation and color-coding capabilities in plan and profile views highlight the system's simulated reaction to various conditions, including overflow trouble spots.

Visit : www.haestad.com

NovaLIS Technologies implements land records solution in Fairfax County, VA

Maintaining accurate land records is faster, easier, and more economical now that Fairfax County is using NovaLIS' Parcel Editor and GATE software to update their maps. "Before we had NovaLIS' products in place, we had to update our maps on paper," says Fairfax County GIS Spatial Analyst Rob Shankman. "Now everything is digital." Fairfax County began using NovaLIS Parcel Editor, a desktop map maintenance tool based on ESRI's ArcInfo software, roughly one year ago. Parcel Editor enables the county to update the 330,000 land records, such as parcels, easements and zones, they have stored in digital format. NovaLIS' GATE, or geographic attribute transition engine, is in the final implementation stages. This piece of software will further aid the county in keeping the most accurate and up-to-date maps.

Visit : www.novalistech.com

Haestad Methods releases Water Distribution Modelling book

Haestad Methods today announced the release of Water Distribution Modeling ($95 USD), a new book on the analysis and design of pressurized water systems. This 480-page book is intended for both students and professionals worldwide, and focuses on bridging the gap between modelling theory and practical application. It takes a unique, hands-on approach that reinforces the concepts presented with modelling exercises that can be completed with the included WaterCAD software by Haestad Methods (or a comparable software package). The new text is a comprehensive work that follows the model development process from start to finish, from data collection and field-testing to using a model for system design and complex operational tasks. It contains information needed to help build a model quickly, and to extract value from a model once it has been built. It also includes a thorough discussion of calibration and data collection for calibration, often the weak link in modelling studies.

Visit : http://www.haestad.com.

AirIQ to merge with eDispatch

AirIQ Inc., a wireless application service provider specializing in mobile asset management solutions, today announced an agreement to merge with eDispatch.com Wireless Data Inc. (TSE: EWD), a wireless application service provider specializing in mobile workforce management solutions. Pickering, Ontario based AirIQ developed and markets a technologically advanced location information service for the efficient management of mobile assets, including the location and tracking of commercial transport fleets and rental vehicles. Vancouver, B.C.-based eDispatch developed and markets a technologically advanced dispatch product for the efficient management of mobile workforces. Together, the companies will offer a broader range of complementary solutions and linked services with the goal of becoming a world leader in mobile resource management.

Visit : http://www.airiq.com/

Asia News

First virtual university to focus on agriculture

HYDERABAD, Aug. 17- A `VIRTUAL' university that will focus on providing inputs for continuing education in the fields of agriculture and food is all set to begin operations soon.

To be called the Norman Borlaug Centre for distance learning, the virtual university is expected to cater to the needs of India as well as other countries of the South Asian region, according to Mr K. Vijayaraghavan of Satguru Management Consultants (SMC).

The initiative is being jointly promoted by Satguru and Cornell University. These two will collaborate with the Norman Borlaug University (NBU), USA which has been providing e-learning packages through the Internet. The offices of the Centre to be called NBU-I would be located in Hyderabad. It will incorporate the regional necessities for developing the content and mode of delivery, Mr Vijayaraghavan told Business Line.

He said for the development of content, collaborations with several corporates is sought to be established. The idea is to make available this content to the farming community through the extension mechanism of the corporate sector and their interactive portals. In the initial phase the emphasis would be on imparting continuing education and learning opportunities in the areas of crop sciences, post-harvest technologies, financing, argi and food market mechanisms, grades and standards, he said.

The target groups for the programmes would be the entry, middle and upper management levels of corporates, faculty in universities and the farming community, which have limited access to the emerging knowledge in agriculture and food sciences. The mode of learning would be through distance learning with the use of the Internet. The NBU with its expertise in this area along with its large expert resource base will play an instrumental role in shaping the content.

The resources at the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences of Cornell University would also be utilised in the project, Mr Vijayaraghavan said.

Renowned agriculture scientist and Nobel laureate, Dr Norman Borlaug is the Chairman of the NBU, US. It also has several global experts drawn from agriculture and food sciences on its Advisory Board.

Source: The Hindu Business Line.

Just How Old Is The Tibetan Plateau

A study of the world's highest geological feature, the Tibetan Plateau, sometimes called the "roof of the world," has determined that the plateau rose to its current height much earlier than previously thought, according to a paper in the August 9th issue of the journal Nature, and it cannot go higher than it is now. Bradley Hacker, a professor of geological sciences at the University of California, Santa Barbara, spent five weeks in central Tibet, with his U.S. European and Chinese colleagues, deriving the measurements that indicate this result.

According to the study, the plateau dates back 13.5 million years and has reached a maximum average height of five kilometers. Mountainous areas such as the Tibetan Plateau affect weather world-wide, explained Hacker, and "that is one reason for the great interest in the history of the area." The monsoons of India and Asia are caused by the plateau, for example.

He describes the area as a sort of top-hat shape, with India and Central Asia as the brim of the hat, and the flat top of the hat as the high ground of the Tibetan Plateau.

The Tibetan Plateau, including the Himalayan Mountains, is the result of the collision between two tectonic plates, that of India and Asia. In the area of the collision, known as a reverse fault, the crust thickens, but after a certain amount of thickening it weakens and spreads apart.

Source: www.spacedaily.com

Korean E-commerce market to hit W11 trillion by 2005

Despite the clouds over the world's dot-com industry, Korea's e-retailing market is poised to jump to 11 trillion won by 2005.

This was the conclusion reached by a survey by the LG Economic Research Institute on Wednesday, which predicted a growth rate of 48 percent per year with the current market value at W1.5 trillion (US$1.1 billion).

The local research institute also said the portion of online sales in the total retail market will widen to 17.5 percent by 2005 from the current 4.2 percent.

Korea's e-retailers are not out of the woods yet. LG adds they will struggle with poor profitability unless they effectively deal with low entry barriers and intensifying competition.

To battle with cable TV home shopping networks and other offline retail markets, online businesses will have to maintain their lower profit margin compared to department stores and discounts outlets. LG, however, is still banking on online retailers due to the growing demand from consumers who favor the lower prices and convenience of internet shopping.

Source: Digital Chosun Online Newspaper