Out sick.
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Tuesday - 21 August 2001
Still out.
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Hump Day Wednesday - 22 August 2001
Almost back.
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Thursday - 23 August 2001
I'm Baaaack. So I had finished washing the car and was now wiping it down. I reached down to the driver's side lower panel. And as I was straightening up, I felt a horrible twinge in my back. I couldn't stand up straight and had to lean against the sink next to the washing machine.
Ungood®, as Tom would say. Essentially, all I've been doing since then is resting flat on my back with pillows under my legs to reduce the pressure on my back. I'm still not 100%, but this is as good as it gets [when was he ever 100%? - ed.].
Look! Up in the Sky! Yes, that object streaking across the Hawai'i skies tonight will be the International Space Station. For my Hawai'i readers [all two of you - ed.], if you missed the station the last time it flew over, here's you chance. Shortly after 8:00pm (HST), looking to the northwest going to the east-southeast, you should be able to see a bright light traveling very quickly across the sky (transit time is estimated to be between one and four minutes (cloud coverage allowing). Check out this NASA sight (here) and look for the sightings by city link.
Eliminate the Messenger. What do you do if you don't like the message the messenger is bringing? That's right, get rid of the messenger. At least, that's what you do if you are broadband provider ExciteAtHome and your auditors are ringing alarms about the long-term financial viability of your company.
One day after submitting an annual report which stated; "substantial doubt about the company's ability to continue as a going concern." ExciteAtHome fired Ernst & Young and replaced them with PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP. Such language is as strong and clear a message any auditor could send. It translates to "dump all of your stock and run for the hills!" ExciteAtHome is denying any connection between the report and their firing of Ernst & Young. But if you see ExciteAtHome offering the Brooklyn Bridge, for a really cheap price on eBay, you may want to pass on that one.
On the Home Front. The good news is that, well, there isn't any good news. Okay, the house is still standing, so that is good news. But the carpenters continue to find thousands of termites busy munching away on our house. On Tuesday, the termite guy came out and found termites in our back house also. Joy. First the front house, now the back. Oh well, it's only money.
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Aloha Friday - 24 August 2001
It's Friday!
Make Your Own E-1 Line for Only $30/Month! I know, this sounds like one of those get rich quick schemes but Robert X. Cringely (see the story here) is saying you can get a 2.048 megabits-per-second DSL circuit for about $30 per month. This does not include a hookup into the Internet, but that is a relatively small cost. How does he do it? By using what's known as a dry pair telephone line (a pair of wires with no dial tone). This costs a fraction of a T-1, yet can provide higher performance (with the requisite hardware on your end and the end where you get your Internet access).
This sounds so outrageous, if it isn't illegal in your town, you can bet your telco will make it so as soon as you try this. Until then, if you feel the need for speed, but can't otherwise get DSL or cable, then this may be an option.
Clinton, errr, Condit Curse. So did you watch the US Representative Gary Condit interview last night? Neither did I. And from what I hear on the radio, neither did 70% of the rest of the nation. I mean really, what did you expect from him? A tight shot of his face, crocodile tears rolling down his pink, pasty and puffy cheeks as he pleads; "Forgive me, for I have sinned"?
Well, get a grip. We're in the era of "I did not have sex with that woman." and "It depends on what your definition of 'is', is." The voters in his district will have to decide whether they want him as their representative, but I think he's already sealed his fate.
Urban Redevelopment. The carpenters have finished demolishing the walls and ceiling of our house. Now we have to decide what gets fixed and what gets left as is. Once that is done, we need to see what the total cost is and how much, if anything we have left of our budget.
Back to School. Graduate school cranks back up on Monday. I'm taking "Reforming Public Organizations."
Joins the national conversation about ways to substantially improve the effectiveness, accountability and quality of work experience in public organizations. Presentations, readings, discussion, journals and projects focus on the changing paradigm of organization, strategies for creating effective change, and individual strengths and weaknesses in initiating and sustaining an improvement process.
Since my concentration is in organizational change/reform, this should be a helpful class. It is scheduled for Mondays and perhaps some Saturdays so, hopefully, it will not be as hard a semester as the last.
Have a Great Weekend Everyone - Aloha!
© 2001 Daniel K. Seto. All rights reserved.