Someone sent me a Youtube Video Cip in the office that caught my attention. It featured a real-life crime fighter. A man who walks the street in a mask and cape trying to help others....

Cincinnati's Masked Super Hero

With the recent release of the  X-Men Origins: Wolverine Movie launch the timing of this was just too good to pass up.

As I did some more research the story kept getting better and better. I always knew if there were real superheros they would come in many shapes and sizes. Well this is a registry on the Internet where they can register themself. Its also a place were you can request help from a real superhero.

World Superhero Registry

Next time your database is down I would suggest you call the Hero's at Ntirety. Next Time you need a man/woman who walks the street in a mask and cape trying to help others put your request in at the World Superhero Registry

Founder & CEO, Ntirety

www.ntirety.com

My Personal Twitter Account: Michael_Corey

Ntirety Corporate Twitter Account: Ntirety

In February 08 I  saw an article on Yahoo News Titled “Bird Flu Continues March 4 Years Later” by Margie Mason. The Article started like this….

HANOI, VIETNAM -
Fears of a global bird flu pandemic that once dominated headlines have largely vanished in the West, but four years after the virus began ravaging Asian poultry, it continues to quietly spread.
Most global health officials continue to warn that the virus could morph into a disease as threatening to people as it is to chickens. Although a few are now calling the risk "overestimated," recent developments raise new concerns:
_Four people died this week in Indonesia - where the virus was first reported in humans in 2005 - bringing the country's toll beyond the 100 mark.
_India is battling its worst-ever poultry outbreak. No human cases have been reported, but experts are scrambling to keep the disease from reaching crowded Calcutta and its 14 million people.
_Pakistan and Myanmar both reported their first human infections in December. That brings to 14 the number of countries where the virus has jumped from poultry to people.

To Read More Of This Article....

“Most global health officials continue to warn that the virus could morph into a disease as threatening to people as it is to chickens.”

This thought get even scarier when you think that there are man made viruses out there also. What is clear is this is a risk factor that companies should be thinking about.

Is your Oracle or Microsoft SQL Server database ready if a Pandemic Flu hits.

My last blog January 31, 2008 Titled “Internet Outage That Hit India, Middle East” drives the point home that In this global world we live in, events around the world will effect us is ways they never have before.
People in the health care profession feels it’s just a matter of time before a Pandemic Flu hits us.

We have a number of clients that use Ntirety remote DBA service as part of an overall plan to help them support their databases in the event of a Pandemic Virus outbreak.

It’s a risk factor that companies should be thinking about. The fact this bird flu could morph into a disease as threatening to people as it is to chickens just brings this point home again.

Well it's April 2009 and the Swine Flu has hit the United States. Its Airborne. The Worst Case for something like this. 

For more information about seasonal flu, pandemic flu, avian flu and swine flu, please visit the websites listed below or contact the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Division of Epidemiology and Immunization at 617-983-6800.
    
•    Massachusetts Department of Public Health website on influenza
            http://www.mass.gov/dph/flu
•    Center for Disease Control (CDC) websites on swine flu
            http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu

I have posted a copy of the Massachusetts Public Health Sheet on Swine Flu. Also at the end of this posting will be a link to web sites where you can get the latest most accurate information. 

PUBLIC HEALTH FACT SHEET   
Swine Flu
Massachusetts Department of Public Health, 250 Washington Street, Boston, MA 02108
 

What is swine influenza?

Swine influenza (swine flu) is a respiratory disease of pigs caused by a type of influenza virus. Outbreaks of swine flu happen regularly in pigs. People do not normally get swine flu, but human infections can and do happen. Most commonly, human cases of swine flu happen in people who are around pigs but it’s possible for swine flu viruses to spread from one person to another. In the United States there were 12 cases of swine flu in people from 2006 through 2008. In March and April 2009 there have been many more cases of swine flu than usual in both Mexico and the U.S. and the infections have spread from one person to another.

What are the symptoms of swine flu in people?

Swine flu causes symptoms very similar to seasonal (or human) flu. The most common symptoms of swine flu, like seasonal flu, are fever, cough, and sore throat and can include body aches, headache, chills and fatigue. Some people also have diarrhea and vomiting. There have been some people with swine flu who have been sicker and have even died.

Is swine flu treatable in people?

People sick with any type of flu should make sure to drink enough fluids, get plenty of rest, eat healthy foods, wash hands frequently and stay home to avoid spreading the flu to other people. The kinds of drugs used to treat seasonal flu, called antivirals, can also be used to treat swine flu. There have been a few influenza viruses, including the most recent swine flu, that are resistant to some, but not all, of these drugs.  Healthcare providers may recommend that people who are sick or appear to be sick with swine flu receive an antiviral medication.

How would I know if I have swine flu?

If you have symptoms of influenza as described above, and especially if you have recently traveled to an area where there have been human cases of swine flu, contact your healthcare provider who will decide what type of testing and treatment is right for you. To diagnose any kind of flu virus, a swab of the inside of your nose needs to be collected by a doctor. Identification of a swine flu virus requires special laboratory testing.

If you think you might have swine flu and you need to see your health care provider, you should call ahead and let them know you might have the flu.  That way, precautions can be taken to avoid the spread of flu to others.

What if I recently traveled to a region where swine flu in humans has been found?

If you have recently traveled to an area affected by swine flu, be watchful for any flu-like symptoms. If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, stay home to avoid exposing others and contact your healthcare provider; your healthcare provider will decide what type of testing and treatment is right for you. To diagnose any kind of flu virus, a swab of the inside of your nose needs to be collected by a doctor. Identification of a swine flu virus requires special laboratory testing.

How can I protect myself and others from swine flu?

You can protect yourself and others from swine flu the same way that you can protect yourself from seasonal flu. Avoid holding, hugging, kissing, or shaking hands with anyone who has a cold or the flu. Wash your hands often with soap and warm water, or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.   Avoid touching your nose, mouth or eyes.  Clean things that are touched often like door handles, telephones, etc.  If you get sick with a flu-like illness say home from work and school and avoid contact with others so the virus does not spread.
 

All people with swine flu who are not hospitalized, and their household and other close contacts, will need to stay at home to prevent spread of illness to other people.

 If I have swine flu, can I stay at home?

People with mild or moderate illness can and should be cared for at home to prevent spread.  Things people who have swine flu who are cared for at home should do include:
•    check with their health care provider about any special care they might need if they are pregnant or have a health condition such as diabetes, heart disease, asthma, or emphysema
•    check with their health care provider about whether they should take antiviral medications
•    stay home for at least 7 days after onset of illness; or until free of symptoms (including fever) for 24 hours, which ever is longer
•    get plenty of rest
•    drink clear fluids (such as water, broth, sports drinks, electrolyte beverages for infants) to keep from being dehydrated
•    cover coughs and sneezes. Clean hands with soap and water or an alcohol-based hand rub often and especially after using tissues and after coughing or sneezing into hands.
•    Never cough in the direction of someone else.
•    avoid close contact with others – do not go to work or school while ill
•    be watchful for emergency warning signs (see below) that might indicate you need to seek medical attention

Get medical care right away if the sick person at home:
•    has difficulty breathing or chest pain
•    has purple or blue discoloration of the lips
•    is vomiting and unable to keep liquids down
•    has signs of dehydration such as dizziness when standing, absence of urination, or in infants, a lack of tears when they cry
•    has seizures (for example, uncontrolled convulsions) is less responsive than normal or becomes confused

Is there a vaccine for swine flu?

No. Right now there is no vaccine for swine flu. According to CDC, it is unlikely that the vaccine for seasonal flu will prevent swine flu.

Is it safe to cook and eat pork and pork products? 

Yes. It is safe to eat properly handled and cooked pork and pork products. Swine flu viruses are not spread by food. You cannot get swine flu from eating pork or pork products.

Why is swine flu important?

Approximately every 20-40 years, a new strain of the flu virus appears which is very different from the ordinary seasonal flu virus.  When this happens most people do not have immunity to this new strain of flu virus and it can spread to many people, across the world, over a short period of time. This is called an influenza pandemic. Some people think that swine flu viruses might play a role in the start of the next pandemic.

For more information about seasonal flu, pandemic flu, avian flu and swine flu, please visit the websites listed below or contact the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Division of Epidemiology and Immunization at 617-983-6800.
    
•    Massachusetts Department of Public Health website on influenza
            http://www.mass.gov/dph/flu
•    Center for Disease Control (CDC) websites on swine flu
            http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu

I was using my twitter account Michael_Corey when I saw a post from Jerell that really caught my attention. Nearly 25% of companies may not be going concerns. Being a graduate of Bentley University (Bentley College when I attended) you came out of there with a strong understanding of accounting even if you were not an accounting major. This twitter post immediately caught my attention. 

In accounting "going concern" refers to a company's ability to continue functioning as a business entity

To think that 25% of companies auditors were concerned really caught my attention. To quote the article in CFO.com...

The auditors of nearly one-quarter of publicly traded companies feel that the companies may not live out the year.

Here is a link to the article...

Auditors: Nearly 25% of Companies May Not Be Going Concerns

A research firm predicts 3,589 public companies will report that their auditors doubt they will continue as going concerns. Sarah Johnson - CFO.com | US

April 22, 2009

Here is a link to the article...

Auditors: Nearly 25% of Companies May Not Be Going Concerns

Founder & CEO, Ntirety

www.ntirety.com

My Personal Twitter Account: Michael_Corey

Ntirety Corporate Twitter Account: Ntirety

I found a great article on The Register website from the UK. It had some great quotes from Steve Ballmer concerning the Oracle Sun deal.   Here is a small portion of the article.

Microsoft's DNA won't permit Oracle-Sun deal

Ballmer knows his knitting

By Gavin Clarke in San Francisco

Posted in Software, 22nd April 2009 21:53 GMT

Comment When Steve Ballmer tackled the inevitable question on a Microsoft hardware acquisition, in the wake or Oracle's planned purchase of Sun Microsystems, he was "sticking to the knitting."

"I have no idea why a software company would buy a hardware company," Microsoft's chief executive is reported to have said.

That's not to say Microsoft is impervious to one big trend working its way through the market for storing, serving, and understanding information that Oracle occupies: the trend for getting fast access to huge quantities of data on massive networks and making sense of it. Far from it.

Increasingly, a hardware and software stack tuned to the needs of a combined database, storage system, and processing unit - an appliance - is seen as the way to tackle this.

Oracle last year announced the HP Oracle Exadata Storage Server and HP Oracle Database Machine, a box from Hewlett-Packard featuring a stack of pre-configured Exadata Storage Servers all running Oracle's database and its Enterprise Linux.

It's possible that Oracle's purchase of Sun could help it turn out more such boxes. The only question is why Oracle would want to bother taking on the burden of running a global, hardware design and manufacturing operation when its core competence is software.

To read the entire article...

Microsoft's DNA won't permit Oracle-Sun deal 

I think this has a lot to do with Larry Ellison. He has tried on a number of occasions to get into the Hardware Business. I wonder what will happen with the HP relationship now that Oracle does not need them ?

I think Oracle getting access to MySql was a very smart move. They will very quicky develope a migration path from MySql to Oracle if they are smart. There is good reason Microsoft SQL Server is the fastest growing database in the Market. When you look at the total suite of develppment tools all built by one vendor, the Buisness Intelligence Capabilities, the tight integration, the price points. There is good reason people are choosing SQL Server now. 

Also getting there hands on JAVA was very good for Oracle. I think Microsoft is smart to stick to there knitting. 

Founder & CEO, Ntirety

www.ntirety.com

My Personal Twitter Account: Michael_Corey

Ntirety Corporate Twitter Account: Ntirety

The more I work with Microsoft the I am in awe of the many resources that are available if you just know where to look.  My company Ntirety is very lucky to have a wonderful relationship with the Northeast Microsoft office. When we are not sure what is availble to us, we have a team of people who can help us. Not everyone is so lucky. 

This latest white paper is a great example. Here is a white paper on how to troubleshoot Performance problems in SQL Server 2008. Its a great database and this paper will go a long way to help you better understand how to make it perform toits full capabilites.

Say good bye to performance issues in SQL Server 2008 with the aid of this whitepaper…

Well I just got back in the country yesterday. I was in search for the perfect margarita and took cruise that stopped in Key West and Cozumel Mexico. Even thought the ship I was on had WI-Fi, I decided not to check in. As I was catching up on my many emails and twitters I saw a twitter on Craig Mullins latest article.

I am a big fan of Craig’s. He is a hands-on DBA that has that ability to see the bigger picture. He has written numerous articles that provide excellent insight into the world of DBA’s.  He specializes on what I call the Dark Side, Ie: DB2. Even though he works for the dark side, his many writings carry through the other world of databases.  Here is a sample of his latest article:

Data Management Today by Craig Mullins

I just saw this on Computerworld....

Oracle buying Sun in $7.4B deal

The move follows efforts by IBM to buy the company last month

Overview

For more information about SQL Server 2008 Service Pack 1, please review the Release Notes.

System Requirements

• Supported Operating Systems: Windows Server 2003; Windows Server 2008; Windows Vista

• 32-bit systems (x86)
• PC with Intel or compatible Pentium III 600 MHz or higher processor (1 GHz or faster recommended)
• 64-bit systems (x64, ia64)
• 1GHz or faster processor
• Minimum of 512 MB of RAM (1 GB or more recommended)
• 675 MB of available hard disk space
• 
  

Instructions

Additional Information

- If you have questions about SQL Server 2008 SP1, visit the SQL Server 2008 forums on MSDN.

- Get system and sample database information from MSDN.

- Help improve SQL Server 2008 by submitting bugs to the Connect Feedback Center.

To view the SQL Server 2008 SP1 Setup documentation on the local computer, do the following:
1. Download and run SqlSP1_setuphelp.exe.
2. Follow the instructions to extract the Help file.
3. Find the location on the local computer where you saved the SqlSP1_setuphelp.chm file.
4. Double-click SqlSP1_setuphelp.chm to open the Help file.


Step 2: Download the appropriate package by clicking one of the links below.

To start the installation immediately, click Run.
To install SP1 at a later time, click Save.

Here is a link to the the orginal source at Microsoft where you can obtain the service pack......

 SQL Server 2008 Service Pack 1

Founder & CEO, Ntirety

www.ntirety.com

My Personal Twitter Account: Michael_Corey

Ntirety Corporate Twitter Account: Ntirety

Lets face it, when you need to go the bathroom and can't find a toilet its a big problem. I was in London last week near Primark. Primark in London is the busiest clothing store I have ever seen. I felt like I had run the gauntlet when I went in the door to see if they had a bathroom or should I say Water Closet. Well I could have really used this next website.

A place to find and record bathrooms anywhere in the world.

Sitorsquat

This could go down as one of the greatest uses of a database anywhere. Next to the Speed Trap Database I wrote about on my blog.

Founder & CEO, Ntirety

www.ntirety.com

My Personal Twitter Account: Michael_Corey

Ntirety Corporate Twitter Account: Ntirety

I am a big fan of SQL Server. I feel it’s a great Database to run a business on. I love the tight integration with the tools and especially the Data Warehouse capabilities.  SQL Server 2008 Express is free and quite powerful.  At the end of this Blog entry is a link to get a free download.

Here are some of the key things about it:

Simple

• Support for LINQ, Entity Data Model and ADO.NET Entity Framework make it easy to create next generation data-enabled applications
• New Date and Time data types with time zone support and .NET compatibility provides full control over temporal data
• New T-SQL IntelliSense support in SQL Server Management Studio makes it easy to write accurate T-SQL code
• Access a vast community of other SQL Server enthusiasts from beginners to experts via the SQL Server Express forum

Powerful

Tight integration with Visual Studio 2008 with SP1
SQL Server 2008 Express provides high-end database features

• Support for new data types and features like spatial data, HierarchyID, and FileStream makes it easier to model complex data
  

• Support for MERGE, GROUPING SETS, sparse columns and table-valued parameters makes it easier to write T-SQL code
• New Import/Export wizard makes it easy to migrate data

SQL Server Compact makes it easy to create database applications

• Small 2MB footprint allows for easy distribution of Windows applications
• No database administration required or Windows services
• Support of a rich subset of T-SQL syntax and commands  

Easy to Learn

SQL Server Compact Edition and SQL Server Express were designed to be easy to learn so you can get up and running quickly

Deep integration with Visual Studio Express makes it easy to create database applications

Short learning curve means you can start creating applications today

A webcast tutorial is available for beginners title Understanding a Database Schema. 

Downloading SQL Server 2008 Express for Free

Please take the time to register with us. You'll receive:

• product update and release notifications specific to SQL Server Express
• access to developer resources, how-to articles and community forums and team blogs
• discounts on SQL Server e-learning courses 

Founder & CEO, Ntirety

www.ntirety.com

My Personal Twitter Account: Michael_Corey

Ntirety Corporate Twitter Account: Ntirety