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Monday - 05 November 2001

SPAM This. InfoWorld's Brian Livingston has a link to an article (see it here and the various links below) that says, based on a survey of over 1000 Internet users, 82% of the respondents made a purchase online during the last year as a result of receiving an email. The article does not say whether the email was unsolicited or related to a site in which they "opted in". Personally, I would find it hard to believe that so many people would respond to SPAM, but who knows...Be aware that the survey was apparently paid for by doubleclick, which alone should give you reason to pause.

Watch This. So you've been hankering for a Linux based, Bluetooth enabled, wrist watch. Well, IBM Japan and Citizen have the watch for you (see it here).

WatchPad is based on 32-bit MPU and incorporates 8-Mbyte DRAM and 16-Mbyte Flash EEPROM. It includes QVGA (320 by 240 dots) LCD device, a voice-compatible Bluetooth and infrared data communication as standard equipment. Touch panel and input device that were developed by applying the mechanisms of buttons and watch dials are equipped as devices for inputting basic data. In addition, WatchPad comes with fingerprint sensor for user identification and accelerated sensor for researching the various angles of the watches when used and monitoring the movement of arms.

Online Journalism News Awards. If there is an industry there must be an award for it. So it shouldn't come as a surprise that there is one for online news (see the site here). Multiple award winners include Slate.com and the venerable BBC.

Aloha!

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Tuesday - 06 November 2001

Updates Down. I've recently run into a problem with accessing Hotmail and the Microsoft Update site. For Hotmail, I can type in everything, at the login screen, but when I hit enter, the screen updates, URLs change, but then I'm brought back to the login screen. No error messages. No nothing. I'm just sitting there at the login. On the MS Update side, I just get a completely blank screen. Again, no error message. Just the status box saying "Done". Looking at the source for the "blank" screen show that it's a generic error message screen, none of which either apply, or can be displayed. The problem may be related to Java and or javascript not executing, even though I temporarily enable that in IE, when needed, but who knows.

I can login fine when I'm at home and I can login fine here at work using Linux and Mozilla. So the problem is somewhere on the Windows side. I don't know if it's Windows itself or Zone Alarm, or Webwasher, or Norton, or a combination, or none of the above. Very strange. But since I can at least get to Hotmail, via Linux (which is ironic if there ever was a use for that word) I still have access.

Having a few minutes, and no insights as to where the problem is, I decide to relentlessly apply logic to the problem [a new experience, to be sure - ed.] and start to remove running programs. The first is Zone Alarm, but the problem still presents itself, taunting me all the while. Next is Web Washer, and faster than you can say Zap!, everything starts working.

So, I reload Zone Alarm and all is well. I assume there is a setting in Web Washer that is keeping the pages from displaying, and when I get around to it, I'll find out what that setting is.

Rough Waters. We had some guest speakers in class last night. The five division heads of the local Board of Water Supply came to talk about their recent efforts to reorganize. The Board is tasked with providing quality water at a reasonable rate to the citizens of this island. In order to do that, and to avoid being privatized, the Board began a recent effort to become much more efficient.

The main points that they talked about are as follows:

There needs to be a trigger event, usually external to the company, that brings the great majority (and majority is probably as much as you can hope for as there will always be minorities that will resist change no matter what) to the realization that change needs to be implemented. Otherwise, the process is made ever more difficult due to natural resistance.

Even with a trigger event, mis-communications will be the order of the day. We should expect that the "word" will not get out as fast as unfounded rumors will. So, to a certain extent, you need to use not only the official channels of communications, but also informal ones as well. Further, people must realize that just because you issue a memo, addressed to all employees, doesn't mean all employees will get it nor read it. So you must follow up written communication with meetings in which you say the same thing in person. In other words, while remembering to keep the message simple and clear, you have to repeat the message in more than one medium more than one time.

Having communicated a message, building up trust is critical for people to positively act on the message. Otherwise, they may hear it, but disregard it as mere propaganda. And the key to building trust is, over time, saying what you mean, and doing what you say.

From these points, the Division heads indicated they were able to, while working in concert with employees, create a pilot project to reduce the number of people on a work team. Typically, the teams, which are tasked with fixing broken water mains, include 10 people (one supervisor and nine workers). Working with the employees, who came up with the idea, they cut that down to three. Let me repeat that, from 10 employees, nine of which would typically be standing around watching one person work, down to three. Oh, and no supervisor. Actually, they have one person designated as supervisor but that's in name only, they all work.

It's remarkable what efficiencies can be found when people come together and focus on a common goal.

Aloha!

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Hump Day Wednesday - 07 November 2001

WTC Tourist Guy. For those two of you out there who aren't sick of seeing PhotoShop(tm) images of the tourist guy added into every disaster since the flood, feel free to follow this link here and see him at the Hindenberg, Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Band, the Challenger explosions, and others. As always, thanks to fark.com for the link.

Where the Rubber Meets the Road. If you know anything about pin-up art (which of course I do not [whack!], ducking and running too late) you know that the king of garage calendars is the Pirelli. If you are lucky enough to be on their mailing list, feel free to skip this one, otherwise read on. This site here, has a portal with links to pics from various years going back to 1964. Yes, there is nudity there so if you are offended, move on down.

What I can only describe as chutzpah, the local tour bus companies and limousine drivers announced they will be increasing their rates by eight percent come January 1st. What? In this down economy, where the industry hardest hit is the visitor industry, who had hat in hand at the legislature begging for government welfare, increasing your rates seems like the height of stupidity, if not economic suicide. What these people are thinking, I have no idea, but since they have a government sponsored monopoly, I guess they think they can charge whatever they want. The problem of course, in terms perhaps that even they should understand, is that they don't have a monopoly on the world. There's Mexico, the Bahamas, the South Seas Islands, Australia, New Zealand, Europe, Asia, North and South America. The list goes on and on, but hopefully, not these tour drivers.

I'll leave it to others to comment in length about the Microsoft trial. But I want to make two brief points. First, the process will continue on. Talks of a proposed settlement will not get all of the states to agree to it. Yet.

Second, it is not a surprise that the proposal gives everything away to Microsoft. It was widely predicted, prior to the presidential campaign, that if the Republican won, the suit would be quickly settled in favor of Microsoft because of the pro-business stance of that party. And if that was all there was, I would have no problem with that. Being pro-business is not a problem in and of itself, and if the people want to vote for that, fine.

The problem is being pro-monopoly. Please remember, dear readers, that that the reason most monopolies are bad is because they stifle competition, and therefore artificially lower creativity and increase prices. As a former President, also named Bush said, "This is baaad. Baaad." If I remember correctly, Microsoft has legally been found to be exhibiting monopolistic practices. So, where are the penalties and remedies?

Speaking of Republicans. I see that New Yorkers have elected another Republican for mayor. I'll be the first to admit I know nothing about the mayor elect. I know a little about his Democratic challenger and so I think New Yorkers probably made the right choice. In either case, I pray that the new mayor is up to the horrible task that awaits him. Good Luck to you mayor and the people of New York city.

Aloha!

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Thursday - 08 November 2001

Lessons Learned. There are many lessons to be learned from the WTC/Pentagon incidents. To me, the most important is self-reliance. In these kinds of situations, we have only ourselves as resources. The police won't be there, the FBI won't be there, even the Marines won't be there. Your fate will rest almost entirely in you hands.

Now don't get me wrong, I'm not advocating "survivalism" nor a return to vigilantism. We still live in communities, and there is strength in our numbers. But there are situations in which you must rely on your own experience and presence of mind.

Faced with this kind of situation, it is easy for some people to freeze up and do nothing. This is caused by the anxiety level getting so high that they become immobilized. The way to reduce the stress level is to have prepared before hand. Well, you ask, how can you prepare for everything? The short answer is, you can't. All you can do hope for the best, but plan for the worst.

One way of doing so is to take a look at the worstcasescenarios.com site. Here you will find everything from how to fend off a shark attack to how to jump into a dumpster from atop a five story building. Yes, just thinking about this kind of circumstances may actually increase the stress level of some people, but it is better to work through your anxiety now, when you have the chance, then to wait when a life threatening situation occurs.

If it helps, think of it like learning to provide CPR. Some people get a little queasy about learning this kind of procedure, but if the time comes where it could save a life, having the training and skills could make all the difference.

Remember, we live in a new era (or perhaps we have returned to our country's pre-big government days), an era in which you must take responsibility for your well being.

So take stock in your surroundings, your threat environment if you will, and determine what are the likely vectors of attack, then plan your response (it's usually fight or flight but each situation is unique). The life you save may be your own.

We will be moving some of our furniture tomorrow so I will be off-line this afternoon and tomorrow. So as an added bonus to all the value you get at this site, I am putting up my Friday post today [aren't we lucky - ed.].

Aloha!

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Aloha Friday - 09 November 2001

It's Friday!

If you think you're having a hard time, talk to Tanja Nikolic. Who? University of Hawai'i Wahine volleyball player Tanja Nikolic, that's who. She's a senior working on her degree in psychology. She was born and grew up in Yugoslavia on the coast of what is now called Croatia. Yes, that Croatia (usually referred to as "war torn Croatia" see a précis here from the CIA).

How does someone from Croatia end up playing volleyball in Hawai'i? By way of Oregon, of course. Let me explain. It seems Tanja, and her parents Zoran and Neda, wanted more for her life than the meager opportunities available in her homeland. So she, like so many before, decided to come to America.

After a lot of thought, Tanja decided that Oregon would be the best place for her. But after a year of living under cloudy, both figuratively and literally, Oregonian skies with a roommate who was from Hawai'i, decided that even farther off Hawai'i was the place to be.

So she made her second life changing decision and came here. It must have been a difficult transition for her but she plugged away, getting her education and playing any position that the coach asked her to. I'm sure she must have had dreams of being the star of the nationally ranked Wahine volleyball team but that was not to be her role.

But still, she plugged away, doing the best she could, and yes, sometimes being the star of the 12th-ranked Hawai'i team. In fact, as a sign of respect for her work and play, she was chosen, by her teammates, to be captain of the team. A leadership role she has carried very well.

But then, her parents always knew she would be a leader and would do well wherever she went. So it should come as no surprise that they have traveled half-way around the world to visit Hawai'i for a month and to see, first hand, what their daughter has been describing for the past three years. This trip is the first to the U.S. for the Nikolics, and they were unsure whether to come after the September 11th attacks. But in the words of Zoran, "If America is a dangerous place to be, then the rest of the world is too." And perhaps less dangerous than Croatia.

Tomorrow night, Tanja will be honored, after the final regular season game against Fresno, with what is known as Senior Night. Thousands of people bring lei and present them to the seniors as they slowly make their way around the auditorium after the game. It is the island way of saying thank you and to honor the seniors for their excellent play and dedication to their chosen sport.

The Wahine, who can finish no lower than first, in the Western Athletic Conference, will be going to the WAC tournament later this month. But not before the girl from far off Croatia is honored by her adopted state. Aloha Tanja, and mahalo.

Have a great weekend everyone - Aloha!

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