Total U.S. travel agency air transactions processed through ARC in July were up 4.2 percent year over year,

Posted on by

August 29, 2014 - 09:40 AM ET

Total U.S. travel agency air transactions processed through ARC in July were up 4.2 percent year over year, a sixth consecutive month of growth, according to ARC data provided to BTN. As a group, the mega travel management companies (listed by ARC as American Express, BCD Travel, Carlson Wagonlit Travel, Expedia's Egencia, Hogg Robinson Group and Omega World Travel) experienced a 3.2 percent increase in transactions. Including BCD Travel's Travelocity Business but also primarily leisure-oriented sellers, the online travel agency group processed slightly more air transactions via ARC than they had in July 2013, the first such monthly increase reported this year. The "other" agency segment showed its usual relative strength with an 8.6 percent increase in July ARC transaction volume. Data excludes refunds and exchanges.

Read the original:

Total U.S. travel agency air transactions processed through ARC in July were up 4.2 percent year over year,

The Warsaw Indies

Posted on by

Crunching Koalas

"We were thinking of a name for the studio," says Tomaszewski. He's sitting in the middle of the small but sparse room Crunching Koalas uses for its office. It's the size of a large bedroom with bookshelves along one wall and a bank of floor-to-ceiling windows along the other.

When the Koalas moved into the space it was barren. Concrete walls painted battleship grey, bare floor, no bookshelves. It could resemble something out of a post-apocalypse scenario, which, in a way it is. The decaying building had been passed from hand to hand after the fall of communism, and eventually became a sort of low-rent, all-purpose space, used almost exclusively by small, young companies like Crunching Koalas. Warsaw is littered with these buildings most are scheduled for destruction and being squeezed for every possible last use before the wrecking ball swings.

Tomaszewski and his co-founders Lukasz Juszczyk and and Kris Lesiecki put in a particle board floor, built the shelves and painted the walls. Then they installed a set of lime green shades in front of the windows, which, on sunny days like this one, diffuse the room in a kind of acid trip green. The effect is at once alarming and mildly exotic.

Tomaszewski is one of a new generation of Polish game developers, raised after the fall of Communism in a country where the idea that you could grow up to do whatever you wanted had suddenly become somewhat normal. Tomaszewski learned to make games at the local technical university in an elite program for game development run by fellow indie game developers and the founders of Thing Trunk, Filip Starzynski and Konstanty Kalicki. After graduating, Tomaszewski entered a business plan competition in which the top four companies would get funding. He placed fifth.

"So I didn't get anything," he says. "We were sure we were going to get it. We already rented a flat, which was bigger. It was supposed to be our studio. When the results came and I was fifth, it was like, oh my God. How are we gonna do this?"

A few weeks later, he got a second chance. He applied again for the funding, and his business plan came in first. Now all he needed was a name.

"I know we wanted a sweet animal, a sweet creature in the name and the logo, because we're making games that are partly casual," Tomaszewski says. "We wanted to appeal to people who like sweet animals."

"Capybaras was taken. There was no studio with koalas, so we took the koalas. We didn't just want to be koalas, though. We needed something more. ... The guys who funded our studio came up with the idea to name it the Crunching Koalas."

Tomaszewski and his partners were "crunching" on games for other studios, putting in long hours and basically working themselves into exhaustion. To the company's investors, this seemed cute. The team members were not just koalas; they were "crunching" Koalas.

Link:

The Warsaw Indies

Supermicro Debuts New 2U VMware EVO: RAIL(TM), Ultra Series and SuperBlade …

Posted on by

VMware Optimized Compute, Storage and Networking Solutions Enable Rapid Deployment of Next Generation Software-Defined Data Centers

SAN FRANCISCO - Super Micro Computer, Inc. (NASDAQ: SMCI), a global leader in high-performance, high-efficiency server, storage technology and green computing will highlight its new Ultra Series high memory capacity 24x DIMM, NVMe enabled servers, 2U TwinPro(2), 4U FatTwin SuperServer, and storage optimized 6x HDD/SSD SuperBlade solutions this week at VMworld 2014 in San Francisco, CA. These advanced server and storage solutions with VMware technologies are optimized for a wide range of virtualization applications. Headlining the event will be Supermicro's 2U TwinPro(2), a VMware certified EVO: RAIL hyper-converged infrastructure appliance designed to accelerate deployment and optimize performance of virtualized environments. This scale-out solution features an optimal balance of compute, memory, storage and networking with redundant hot-swap Titanium Level, High Efficiency (96%+) Digital Power Supplies in a high-density 4-node, dual processor server appliance, simplifying virtualization across Enterprise, private/hybrid-Cloud, End-user computing and branch office environments.

"Supermicro Green Computing solutions deliver the performance, efficiency and reliability needed in highly dynamic, virtualized environments," said Charles Liang, President and CEO of Supermicro. "From higher memory capacity and flexible expansion in our Ultra Series to maximized compute and storage density in our TwinPro, FatTwin SuperServer and SuperBlade product lines, Supermicro offers the most versatile platforms for building sophisticated hyper-converged solutions. With our new EVO: RAIL appliance, customers have the advantage of Supermicro's architecture and service advantages combined with VMware's virtualization expertise to significantly accelerate deployment of virtual machines and increase their overall productivity and performance per watt, per dollar, per square foot."

"VMware EVO: RAIL is poised to significantly transform the Software-Defined Datacenter with simplified procurement, deployment, management and support in an all-in-one hyper-converged infrastructure appliance," said Mornay Van Der Walt, vice president, Emerging Solutions Group, VMware. "Supermicro's 2U TwinPro architecture is an excellent example of the high levels of technology integration offered in our new EVO: RAIL building blocks. Working closely with our EVO: RAIL partners, VMware is removing the complexities of system ownership and accelerating business growth with time to value to first virtual machine in minutes, all covered by world-class support services."

-- Supermicro EVO: RAIL Appliance (SYS-2027TR-VRL001/002) (www.supermicro.com/EVO_RAIL) -- 2U TwinPro, 4 nodes, redundant hot-swap Titanium Level, High Efficiency (96%+) Digital Power Supplies -- 14.4TB raw capacity with 10K RPM drives and built in caching with SSD -- RJ45 (VRL001 model) or SFP+ (VRL002 model) networking connectivity -- Software Bundle includes vSphere, Virtual SAN and vCenter components -- Supports up to 100 general purpose server virtual machines or 250 virtual desktop machines per appliance -- 2U TwinPro architecture supports next generation processor and advanced I/O technologies to maximize performance and number of virtual machines in the 2U, 4 node footprint

Additional highlights at VMworld include:

-- Supermicro Virtual SAN Ready Nodes (SYS-F627R3-VDN001L/VDN002L) (www.supermicro.com/VSAN) - Ready to deploy VDI nodes in 4U 4-node FatTwin supporting up to 400 VMs, 8x 3.5" hot-swap HDD bays per U and redundant, hot-swap Titanium Level, High Efficiency (96%+) Digital Power Supplies -- Supermicro 1U/2U Ultra Series Servers - supports next generation processors and flexible, integrated I/O options with max memory capacity up to 1.5TB in 24x DIMMs, up to 8x add-on-cards in 2U and redundant, hot-swap Titanium Level, High Efficiency (96%+) Digital Power Supplies -- Supermicro 7U SuperBlade - StorageBlade (SBI-7127R-S6) supporting 6x hot-swap HDD/SSD and 10GbE Blade Switch -- Supermicro 1U SuperServer for EVP - Enterprise-class, scalable SDDC compute platform

Visit Supermicro at VMworld 2014 in San Francisco, California, through August 28(th) in the Moscone Center, Booth #2217. For more information on Supermicro's complete range of high performance, high-efficiency Server, Storage and Networking solutions, visit http://www.supermicro.com.

Follow Supermicro on Facebook and Twitter to receive their latest news and announcements.

About Super Micro Computer, Inc.

Continue reading here:

Supermicro Debuts New 2U VMware EVO: RAIL(TM), Ultra Series and SuperBlade ...

ZADZOOKS: Infamous: First Light review

Posted on by

Fans of a free-roaming, super-powered gaming franchise get another shot at fame or infamy in the third-person adventure Infamous: First Light (Sucker Punch Productions and Sony Computer Entertainment, for PlayStation 4, Rated Teen, $14.99).

Starring Abigail Fetch Walker, this multi-gigabyte download offers her origin story as a stand-alone game exclusively for Sonys latest entertainment console. Abigail was last seen in the full-length Infamous: Second Son, released earlier this year, assisting her best bioterrorist buddy Delsin Rowe.

SEE ALSO: ZADZOOKS: Oddworld: New n Tasty review

Encompassing Abigails hard life on the streets of Seattle as a Conduit (think one of the X-Mens mutants) and set two years prior to her first meeting with Delsin, we learn about her tragic relationship with brother Brent and subsequent attempted transformation into an assassin for the Department of Unified Protections.

Once again, Abigail harnesses the powers of neon gas to run at super speeds, glide, leap to rooftops, run up walls and shoot laser beams and concussive blasts at enemies. Of course, being a mutant, our misunderstood heroine can also take and dish out much more damage than the average human.

I was continually dazzled every time Fetch dissipated into a stream of florescent pink particles to zip around the city, leaving colorful gaseous trails in her wake and then quickly reforming as her gothy self.

She can also use pockets of neon gas scattered around Seattle to add extra acceleration to her frenetic shenanigans making it a dizzying thrill ride for the player during many of the missions.

Although not as multipowered of a Conduit as Delsin, Abigail is still potent as she drains neon lights and other sources for power to beat on bad guys. She can suspend enemies in the air to methodically eliminate them and occasionally unleash a massive singularity on opponents and large objects where they get sucked into a glowing vortex and smacked into the ground.

Between escaping police and agents, riding shotgun on top of a trucks as an enforcer, stopping drive-by shootings, attacking DUP drones, sniping Russian mobsters and hunting down drug thugs, expect about four hours of action. Futhermore, the mission-based story, set within the confines of a beautifully recreated Seattle (complete with plenty of rainy landscapes), keeps the player busy with plenty of optional side projects.

These include capturing lumens (glowing energy masses collected and allocated to skill trees to increase powers) in high-speed races (like chasing a Golden Snitch), saving hostages, creating gorgeous graffiti or taking part in training exercises at the Curdun Cay Station detention facility.

Original post:

ZADZOOKS: Infamous: First Light review

Stem Cell Activation Phuket, Thailand: How is your stem cell therapy different – Video

Posted on by


Stem Cell Activation Phuket, Thailand: How is your stem cell therapy different
http://www.thanyapurahealth.com/health-services/natural-stem-cell-activationregenerative-therapy/how-is-your-stem-cell-therapy-different/ Thanyapura Health offers natural stem cell activation,...

By: Thanyapura Health Centre

Here is the original post:

Stem Cell Activation Phuket, Thailand: How is your stem cell therapy different - Video

Stem Cell Activation Phuket, Thailand: How have the stem cell therapy results been so far – Video

Posted on by


Stem Cell Activation Phuket, Thailand: How have the stem cell therapy results been so far
http://www.thanyapurahealth.com/health-services/natural-stem-cell-activationregenerative-therapy/stem-cell-activation-phuket-thailand-how-have-the-stem-cell-therapy-results-been-so-far/ Client...

By: Thanyapura Health Centre

See the original post:

Stem Cell Activation Phuket, Thailand: How have the stem cell therapy results been so far - Video

Stem Cell Activation Phuket, Thailand: How have athletes been using stem cell therapy – Video

Posted on by


Stem Cell Activation Phuket, Thailand: How have athletes been using stem cell therapy
http://www.thanyapurahealth.com/health-services/natural-stem-cell-activationregenerative-therapy/how-have-athletes-been-using-stem-cell-therapy/ Using stem cell therapy treats body issue e.g....

By: Thanyapura Health Centre

Go here to see the original:

Stem Cell Activation Phuket, Thailand: How have athletes been using stem cell therapy - Video

Stem Cell Activation Phuket: What type of clients have you been seeing for stem cell therapy – Video

Posted on by


Stem Cell Activation Phuket: What type of clients have you been seeing for stem cell therapy
http://www.thanyapurahealth.com/health-services/natural-stem-cell-activationregenerative-therapy/what-type-of-clients-have-you-been-seeing-for-stem-cell-therapy/ Wide range of client who has...

By: Thanyapura Health Centre

See the original post here:

Stem Cell Activation Phuket: What type of clients have you been seeing for stem cell therapy - Video

Boy Scout Troop 286 Icebucket Challenge for the Scoutmaster – Video

Posted on by


Boy Scout Troop 286 Icebucket Challenge for the Scoutmaster
Ice Bucket Challenge Completed! With a whole lot of help from my Scouts! Donation went to the Midwest Stem Cell Therapy Center at KU Med in Kansas City. They do some terrific work there and...

By: Scott Medlock

Read more from the original source:

Boy Scout Troop 286 Icebucket Challenge for the Scoutmaster - Video

Dr. Andrew Aiken on Stem Cell Banking – Oral Surgery Specialists of Atlanta | Atlanta, GA – Video

Posted on by


Dr. Andrew Aiken on Stem Cell Banking - Oral Surgery Specialists of Atlanta | Atlanta, GA
http://www.oralsurgeryspecialistsatlanta.com Oral Surgery Specialists of Atlanta 3280 Howell Mill Road Suite 240 West Wing Atlanta, GA 30327 Phone: (404) 351-5335 Fax: (404) 351-1339 Services...

By: Paces Ferry Oral Surgery

Follow this link:

Dr. Andrew Aiken on Stem Cell Banking - Oral Surgery Specialists of Atlanta | Atlanta, GA - Video

The Adult Stem Cell Technology Center, LLC Declines ALS Ice Bucket Challenge Donors Wishing to Support Ethical …

Posted on by

Boston, MA (PRWEB) August 29, 2014

Due to a misstatement posted by the Family Resource Council (FRC) last week, the Adult Stem Cell Technology Center, LLC (ASCTC) was reported as an entity accepting donations to support stem cell therapy research that might benefit ALS patients. Because of ASCTC's exclusive focus on developing adult stem cells for new stem cell technologies and therapeutic applications, FRC listed ASCTC as one of several alternatives for ALS Ice Bucket Challenge donors who wish not to support research that requires the death of human embryos or fetal abortions.

After authorizing the listing by FRC, ASCTC's Director James Sherley states that he was surprised by suddenly receiving a number of communications from individuals inquiring how to donate to ASCTC. A look at the FRC posting explained the contacts. Inadvertently, ASCTC had been indicated as an agency that received donations for stem cell research. After ASCTC notified FRC staff of the mistake, the posting was immediately corrected. Since the correction, Director Sherley reports that the number of donation contacts has decreased, but not stopped completely.

In addition to the FRC correction, the ASCTC now responds to donation inquiries with the following statement:

Thank you for your interest in donating to ASCTC to support its development efforts in adult stem cell technologies. If your query was motivated by a recent Family Resource Council (FRC) notice, unfortunately, the notice posted by FRC was mistaken in its 'donate' message and did not adequately indicate that ASCTC is a for-profit company. Therefore, there is no means by which to 'donate' to the company. At my request, FRC has now corrected the posting. It is possible to invest in ASCTC commercial development of technologies for producing and quantifying human adult stem cells for drug development and therapeutics. However, this was not the intent of the FRC notice. Its purpose was to make the public aware of all the entities, not-for-profit or for-profit, engaged in developing stem cell technologies, potentially relevant to finding a cure for ALS, that do not use human embryonic stem cells. Please, accept my apologies for the miscommunication; and thank you for your good will in supporting ethical research to help others suffering from devastating illnesses like ALS.

Sincerely,

James L. Sherley Director ASCTC, LLC

Director Sherley observed, The best thing about this unfortunate situation is that I have had the pleasure of communicating with some very caring peopleand that is quite inspiring! ************************************************************************************************************* The Adult Stem Cell Technology Center, LLC (ASCTC) is a Massachusetts life sciences company established in September 2013. ASCTC Director and founder, James L. Sherley, M.D., Ph.D. is the foremost authority on the unique properties of adult stem cells. The companys patent portfolio contains biotechnologies that solve the two main technical problems production and quantification that have stood in the way of successful commercialization of human adult tissue stem cells for regenerative medicine and drug development. In addition, the portfolio includes novel technologies for isolating cancer stem cells and producing iPSCs. Currently, ASCTC is employing its technological advantages to pursue commercialization of mass-produced therapeutic human liver cells and facile assays that are early warning systems for drug candidates with catastrophic toxicity due to adverse effects against adult tissue stem cells.

Excerpt from:

The Adult Stem Cell Technology Center, LLC Declines ALS Ice Bucket Challenge Donors Wishing to Support Ethical ...

Rogue stem cell therapy operators charging thousands for ineffective treatments, researchers say

Posted on by

ABC Kellie van Meurs (3rd from R) died of a heart attack last month while receiving stem cell treatment in Moscow.

Rogue operators in Australia and overseas are charging thousands of dollars for ineffectual stem cell treatments, a leading stem cell research group has warned.

And Stem Cells Australia says there is a growing number of patients going overseas for stem cell treatments which are limited in Australia.

A loophole in the therapeutic goods legislation means that doctors are legally allowed to treat patients, both here and overseas, with their own stem cells even if that treatment is unsafe or has not been proven effective through clinical trials.

Stem Cells Australia believes that dozens of doctors in Australia offer the questionable treatments.

"They're selling treatment without any proof of benefit, and without any proof of safety," Associate Professor Megan Munsie, a stem cell biologist at the University of Melbourne, told 7.30.

Annie Leverington was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2007.

She was once a talented flamenco dancer and worked as a court stenographer.

But in 2002 she noticed something was wrong when her fingers started to "drop" during long trials.

Then her feet started to go.

Read more:

Rogue stem cell therapy operators charging thousands for ineffective treatments, researchers say