HD Loader - Play PS2 Games From Your Playstation 2 Hard Drive

Any serious Playstation 2 (PS2) gamer knows the frustrations when it comes to playing the most graphically intense games. There is often a tremendous load time associated with getting from the point of putting the PS2 game disc into the console, and having it load the game. Not to mention the time it takes to load between levels. Or how about those times when you're on a mission to thwart he bad guys, but you see the rendering getting choppy or freezing up for a second or two. We used to blame it all on game glitches or bugs. You know, those little "mistakes" that were just never fixed, because the game itself was working as it should. I know I thought that was the issue. Until I got my hands on the Playstation 2 HD Loader disc, and all of a sudden, my games were "glitch" free, and load times were a thing of the past. Let me start by explaining just what the HD Loader actually is.

Utilizing exciting new technology, The HD Loader allows you to install and run your Playstation 2™ games directly from a hard disk drive connected to your console (Sony PS2 Network adapter™ and compatible hard disk drive required). The HD Loader is a revolutionary piece of software which allows you to store games on any modern high capacity IDE Hard Drive connected to your PS2 (Sony Network adapter required ). Now you can install, delete and manage your games and files on your HDD with just a click of a button. The simple and intuitive multi lingual user interface allows easy navigation and selection of files stored on your Hard drive. Games are executed at lightning speed and accessed directly from the HDD, no need to insert your game disc. Just launch HD Loader and select the game you wish to play.

The HD Loader essentially turns your Playstation 2 console into what could be called a portable hard drive. Except that it not only allows you to store the games and the game data on the hard drive, but it also lets you LOAD those games directly from the hard drive too. And just what does all of this mean for you and me, the gamers? It means that once we've copied the game from the disc, onto any old IDE hard drive plugged into the Playstation 2, we're able to put in the HD Loader disc, and select whichever game we want to play, a game we've already put on the Hard Drive.

You see, the Playstation 2™ is capable of reading data from a hard disk drive much faster than it can read from a CD or DVD. Using The HD Loader to run your games from a hard disk drive leads to significantly reduced game loading times. And updating as your on a level or load times between a level become things of the past. Never again will you need to endure painfully slow loading times which sadly plague so many Playstation 2 games. This applies for old and new games alike. One of the things that either Sony or game developers never really "worked on" was game loading time on the PS2. Take for example the same game title on either an Xbox or a PS2 console, and if you sat and times load times, you would notice a very big difference between how quickly a game loads on an Xbox (especially between levels) and how much faster the load times are than that same game on the Playstation 2. The reason for this is actually quite simple. The Xbox loads parts of the game data onto the built in, internal hard drive. Because the game data is already on the hard drive, it is essentially ready to "go" when the next level is loading, and it loads at lightning speeds.

Until the HD Loader was released, Playstation 2 gamers were envious of their Xbox counterparts. What the HD Loader does though, goes even beyond the simplistic level loading or reducing load times. It actually allows you to put the ENTIRE game, on the hard drive. And not just one game, as many games that will fit on to the hard drive you have installed into your PS2. So you'll not only be able to have faster load times, but you'll also be able to store the actual games, digitally, on your Playstation 2 hard drive, without having to damage your game discs in the process. There is no need for the discs to be used, so you can put them away for safe keeping. In fact, you can keep them as good as new because you'll be loading the entire game from your hard drive, and not the disc itself.

I keep making mention of the fact that a PS2 Network adapter is required, if you want to use the HD Loader. This is in fact true, but the reality is, the Playstation 2 can NOT have a hard drive connected without a Network adapter. You see, the Network adapter acts as your IDE converter. While it is designed to let you get online, and play online games, it also has a plug on the inside, which allows you to connect a Hard Drive to the game console. This was developed mainly for the Final Fantasy game, which actually required a Hard Drive to play, to store and load content from the hard drive. Now before you go thinking that you'll be stuck with a 40 gigabyte hard drive, the one that comes with the Final Fantasy game. It's important for me to state that while you could use that 40 gigabyte hard drive, the HD Loader is compatible with both standard IDE hard disk drives and the official Playstation 2™ hard disk drive.. So you won't be stuck with just 40 gigabytes, you can go right up to 120 gigabytes or 250 gigabytes of space. Any standard IDE Hard Drive will work, something that was also impossible before the HD Loader.

But much more than just playing games from your hard drive, you can also load MP3 music, your digital pictures, and a wide variety of other "data" on to the hard disc, and have access to it on the fly.

If you're thinking "That's great, I've got games on my Hard Drive, but how the heck to do I load them, or even see what's there" then you're in luck. The HD Loader user interface is designed with simplicity in mind – just boot up the HD Loader and begin playing your games without wasting any time navigating through a complex user interface. The interface lists all of your games and options, in an very easy to use and easy to navigate manner. The intuitive user interface allows easy management of games currently installed on your hard disk drive. Adding or removing games is as easy as pushing one of the buttons on your controller.

In short, the HD Loader is the ultimate Hard drive storage and management solution for your PS2 game console. Not only will it get rid of those awful load times, but it also offer you a chance to protect your expensive PS2 game collection, but storing the games on the Hard Drive while you're playing them, and keeping the original games safe from scratches, dirt, or dust. So if you're tired of long load times, and want to get into the action right away, then the HD Loader is probably THE must have item on your list for the holidays.

Steven Fields is an avid gamer and has written numerous articles and help guides for all the major video game systems. His specialty is rare and hard to find games and game accessories as well as do-it-yourself modding of your game consoles.

To find out more about the HD Loader for the Playstation 2, make sure to visit www.ps2cover.com/hdloader.shtml

Air Force Ammo Troops And Weapons Loader

Ammo troops are the grunts of the Air Force, bottom of the barrel right above security forces and right below Armament. I'm Armament, so I can't really say much. Just like to take my chance to rag on my rivals! Ammo is the greatest job in the Air Force. My best years were working on munitions, and I have done it all. Yet, with out the ammo, the planes would be flying around a desert with nothing (no one even mentions kamikaze...), and the marines that called in the Arial support would be screwed. They may be grunts, but id say pretty important grunts.

You see those planes would still be flying around without bombs and bullets even if ammo delivered the munitions if Weapons were not there to load them on the A/C.

By the way if you aren't ammo You are waiting on them. I have been in this game longer than you and I have done your job. I have processed 30mm ammo and built bombs from the ground up. Weapons train to do parts of your job too! During DS 1 when our MK82's were delivered with the arming loops in the wrong configuration do you think we called ammo to fix them? We are trained to install fuses, wire, install F.Z.U.'s, fin assemblies, the list goes on. I was an ammo aggie.

However you will never load an aircraft. I have waited on ammo some and they have waited on me. If you think about it everyone still has to wait for someone or other. You can't get a aircraft up without clearance and so forth and so forth. So like I said waiting is what everyone dose. No matter what job you got!

Both sides show a little ignorance as to each others jobs. I've been in loading for almost 20 years and can honestly say it takes both jobs. We (weapons load) need ammo to build our bombs and deliver them and they need us to load them and on occasion reconfigure them (move swivels and loops, change fuse settings, and even frequencies on G.C.U.'s).

With out them we'd have nothing to load and with out us they'd have a flight line full of 110 and 141 trailers full of bombs. If the Air Force wanted us to do each others job we'd be one career field you'd build your own bombs crave them to the flight line, prep your jet, load your jest and then wait for O.P.'s to change the frag. That my friends would make for a very long day.

Loaders can't load with out munitions and munitions weapons sit on the trailers without loaders. It takes both sides. Actually I don't know why the Air Force doesn't do it like the Navy and have both career fields as one (Aviation Ordinance) they build and load.

Everyone has something to complain about when it comes to other unites that I know for a fact it is just how it goes and no one can do a thing to change it. Every unit thinks that they are better then someone else , but what they don't know is that when the time come to it they can be the best thing that happens to you weather you know it or not.

Victor Epand is an expert consultant for http://www.WarGear.info. WarGear.info carries the best selection of military clothing, war gear, and combat accessories on the market.

Basics of the Skid Loader: Heavy Agricultural Machinery

What is a skid loader?

A skid loader is a stiff frame machine with mechanical arms that can be fitted with attachments for a wide variety of different tools, including a backhoe, hydraulic breaker, pallet forks, angle broom, sweeper, auger, mower, snow blower, stump grinder, tree spade, trencher, and a wheel saw.

Modern skid loaders come in two varieties, a four wheeled system and a rubber track version. Wheeled skid loaders are typically are four-wheel drive and for additional maneuverability, the left and right wheels systems are independent. The track version also referred to as a track loader provides for better digging and pushes performance in higher end models due to less ground disturbance and better traction in un-ideal environments like mud and sand.

History of the skid loader machine

The first three-wheeled front-end loader was invented in 1957 by two brothers, Cyril and Louis Keller, in a small machinist shop in Rothsay Minnesota. The brothers conceived the idea to help a nearby farmer with the ignoble task of cleaning up manure for a pole barn. They wanted to help him, and out of this collaboration the first skidder was born.

This early machine was eventually purchased by Melrose Manufacturing Company and the Kellers brought on to continue development. Since then it has spread to become a highly valued piece of heavy machinery at construction and engineering site around the globe.

What are these machines used for?

Due to the wide array of attachments available for these vehicles , they have many uses, but mostly are employed for scrape material from one place to another, carry materials in a bucket and proceed to load them into a truck or trailer.

Skid loaders can also be used in tight digging situations where factors limit the practically of using a large excavator, like digging a basement under an existing house. In this situation a skid loader would make use of a ramp at the edge of the site. The loader would proceed to use the ramp to carry materials out of the hole. The skid loader would reshape the ramp by making it steeper and longer as the excavation deepened.

Differences between a front loader machine and a skid loader machine

The pivot arms on a skid loader lay behind the driver, alongside the side of the vehicle.

Major machine manufacturers

Major manufacturers for skid loaders include the Bobcat Company, Mustang, Case, New Holland, Komatsu, and Caterpillar www.dunkelbros.com

http://www.dunkelbros.com

Thomas Skid Steer Loader

If you are looking for a good quality well built skid steer then it might be worth looking at a Thomas skid steer loader. It is a very well built piece of equipment and it is always worth considering the build quality when buying a piece of heavy equipment. The metal that is used in their construction is up to 50% better quality than some other makes. It also has thicker hinges that should last longer when used on a site.

Another area where build quality is important is in the boom arms. This is one of the most important parts of the machine, as it is where all of the weight of the lifting and digging is supported. The Thomas skid steer loader uses a thick high tensile tubing that is a great deal stronger than most other skid steers. The stronger the lifting gear is, then the less likely it is to break and the less you have to worry about it. The Thomas skid steer loader has a very good construction that should give you a lot good work with no worry. It also has a good choice of hand or foot controls that mean that you can choose which you would like on your machine.

The Thomas skid steer loader also has a lot of very good safety features. This is very necessary when you are working on site and than safer you are the better. The Thomas skid steer loader has a feature that means that the hydraulic controls can not be used unless that driver is in his seat. When the driver is not in his seat then the parking brake stays on. This helps to keep you safe when you are working and makes for a much safer working environment. It is also very cheap to maintain as it has maintenance free drive system. It also has a dual cylinder bucket design that gives it a lot of strength and it also means it is much less likely to get jammed.

The Thomas skid steer loader is a very high quality machine that will usually give a lot of good service it is cheap to run and very well built. It also has very good safety features and a thicker boom arm. The build quality of the Thomas skid steer loader is generally very good and it is a good strong machine to work with and also has a good range of tools available.

Skid Steer Sale - Your online resource for skidsteers including Thomas Skid Steer Loader, and Caterpillar Skid Steer.

 

The World's Best Ditch Digger! An Inspiration for Leadership Training

I would like to depart from my traditional articles to describe a great leader who was also a great friend. This departure is partly selfish, but I welcome an opportunity to describe a person from whom I learned many management and leadership lessons.

In the early 1990’s I met with the owner of the Fishel Company so that he and several of his executives from around the country could evaluate a system I had developed for process improvement. The meeting took place in Phoenix because The Fishel Company has a large presence in Arizona.

The Fishel Company has about 30 branch offices around the U.S. with most of its operations focused on either underground or overhead utility construction. The company motto says it all, “The World’s Best Ditch Diggers.” That is what they do – dig ditches and install pipes and cables. As you might expect, the majority of the workers in The Fishel Company are blue collar, hard working outdoor types, or as John Phillips the current company president once described them, “These people are absolutely the salt of the earth! There isn’t one of them you wouldn’t enjoy having as a relative or next-door neighbor.”

The meeting must have gone well, because I received a contract to implement a system of process analysis, teambuilding, leadership training, and process improvement in their many locations around the country. For several years I visited each branch office many times, which enabled me to learn a lot about the company history and some very unique corporate philosophies. It’s about the uniqueness of this company and its owner that I would like to describe in this article.

Ken Fishel, who built the company through old fashioned hard work and a commitment to providing the customer high quality at a fair price, founded the Fishel Company 66 years ago. Ken’s son-in-law, Jeff Keeler, joined the company in 1976 as part of a field crew. Later he moved to the office as an assistant to the Vice President. The combination of field and office experience enabled Jeff to learn the underground utility construction business from the underground up. Jeff was named president in 1977 and served in that capacity until 1998 when he became Chairman and CEO.

It is about J.F. (Jeff) Keeler, Jr. that I pay tribute. From the moment I first met him and later in dozens of meetings and leadership training workshops that he attended, I became his fan. He preached a concept called “Fishelosophy,” which distinguished his company form the competition. I had never seen a company like this before. At first I was amazed that “Fishelosophy” actually worked. But I soon realized that it was a different way of treating people. And because the people (employees, customers and vendors) were treated differently, they in turn responded in like manner.

Let me give a few examples of “Fishelosophy.” There are no “employees” in the company; they are called Teammates. If you inadvertently use the “employee” word, someone will quickly correct you. It took me some time to break the “employee” habit; but when I did, it was obvious to my Teammates that I had embraced their passion for teamwork.

Jeff believed in sharing company profits. Each quarter eligible, Teammates shared a significant portion of the company’s profits. This sharing of profits helped each person think like an owner, because in effect, each person is. Profit sharing checks were typically distributed in meetings that would best be described as a pep rally. I’ll never forget the first one I attended in Phoenix; it was an exciting and fun event.

At the meetings Jeff would lead his Teammates in a company cheer! That’s right, I said company cheers. If you had told me that company cheers were possible in today’s sophisticated marketplace, I would have disagreed. But with Jeff’s enthusiastic leadership style, it worked exceptionally well. The cheers fostered a camaraderie among his Teammates that is without equal in my 34 years of business experience.

The Fishel Company believes in posters. There are posters espousing every corporate belief, value and initiative. At meetings, the posters are prominently displayed as a reinforcement of what they stand for. It was common to see half-dozen posters on easels for a leadership training workshop.

As I traveled with Jeff and saw him interact with his Teammates, many things impressed me. But one of the most amazing was that he knew not only the names of his Teammates, but he also remembered who they were as human beings. This attribute endeared his people with unparalleled loyalty and honesty.

Jeff Keeler lived teamwork, he had vibrant passion for life, he loved competition, he cherished friendships, and he made life more fun for his family, Teammates, and everyone he met. Unfortunately, Jeff recently passed away, a cancer victim. He may be gone, but I’ll never forget the lessons I learned from the “World’s Best Ditch Digger.” Leadership training makes a difference.

To learn about how Dr. Williams or CMOE (Center for Management and Organization Effectiveness) can assist your organization with leadership training initiatives, please contact a CMOE Representative toll free (888)262-2499.

Dr. Richard L. Williams is a retail consultant where he specializes in quality improvement, feedback, and leadership training.

In his 30 plus years of experience, Dr. Williams has conducted more than 3,800 workshops to more than 100,000 managers and executives around the world.