The End is Near.

Tonight is the last class for this semester. Yippiee! Unfortunately, our project is also due. Boooh! We will be giving a 30 minute oral presentation on a reorganization that occurred at the university recently. One of the colleges downsized from 11 departments down to six.

In order to understand the process the college used, we interviewed administrators, faculty, staff, students, and the employee union. Most of the information is confidential, but the bottom line is that no matter how difficult the change is, if everyone understands what the problem is (in this case, five consecutive years of funding reductions) and agree that something has to be done, the change will occur.

Flat Panels are Phun.

InfoWorld's Brian Livingston continues his series (see it here) on getting the best image out of a flat panel LCD monitor. This week he talks about a problem that Windows has with loading the drivers for a digital LCD (as opposed to an analog). Livingston notes that unless the drivers are already pre-loaded, you need to use an analog monitor, while loading the drivers. Once the drivers are installed, you can then switch to the digital source. A tip to remember should you be switching to a new digital card and or monitor.

Speaking of Browsers.

Okay, we weren't talking about browsers but it's my site and I can do what I want. Livingston also has a link to a site that has a pretty good discussion of why you would want to code to the W3C standards (see it here). Namely, regardless of the browser used by your visitors, all would/should be able to read your content. Seems like a good reason to me, which is why I write to the standard. Life can be simple if you follow standards, it's when you extend and embrace that things go bad.

Does MS IE do a good job of creating readable pages with non-standard code? Of course it does, because most of the code is created by the non-standard HTML editor FrontPage. Obviously, when FrontPage writes extended code, you better believe Microsoft modifies IE to display it. This is just another instance of how Microsoft seeks to monopolize the browser space.

For those who need additional reasons why you should code to the standard, note the following problems if you don't (from the article above):

1. It makes sites inaccessible to people with disabilities [Can you say lawsuit? I knew that you could - ed.].

2. It makes sites fail in some browsers, and stop working as browsers changed—for instance, if you coded for Netscape 4 layers, your site would not work in Netscape 6, let alone MSIE or Opera.

3. It makes sites cost more than they have to, since you spend so much of your clients’ money writing “workaround” code.

4. And by yoking presentation (design) to structure (content), it makes sites hard to transport to wireless and other alternative devices. By contrast, with valid XHTML and CSS as used at A List Apart, it is relatively easy to generate wireless markup versions on the fly.

Coding is Phun.

IF (what_he_say$=interesting$)
THEN BEGIN SET hell:=frozen_over;
SET pigs:=airborne;
SET her:=Queen_of_Sheba;
GOTO the_top_of_our_stairs; END.

Aloha!

They're Back!

The Dead Tree edition of Byte magazine, that is. You can check out their website at www.byte.com and pick any one of the three, count'em, three banner adds telling you of its revival from the dead. Note that the first issue does not ship until 1 March, 2002.

Present This.

So our presentation of our project for class was last night. It went well enough, I guess. What I learned from the experience is that working with people you have not worked with before is a difficult proposition. Especially with one woman who had problems trusting group members to do what they were assigned to do. Her constant checking, and then trying to work around people, when she should have just let them alone did not help things go smoothly. And because she had problems dealing with her anxiety, she constantly questioned decisions that should have also been left alone. It seems she was quite happy to go round and round in circles, rather than making decisions and then moving on. Oh well, as I said, a learning experience.

Senior Moments

My class for next semester will be taught by the Hawaiian Electric Senior Vice-President for Public Affairs - Robert Alm. You may remember that Mr. Alm was at First Hawaiian Bank when I did my practicum this past summer. He has since moved on to Hawaiian Electric where he is trying to guide the company into the 21st century.

Of the fifty states, Hawaii is unique in our remote isolation. This isolation makes for challenges such as how to provide reliable electrical service when you don't have the option of getting back up power from utilities from neighboring states.

An even greater challenge is breaking away from our dependence on oil for our energy needs. There does not seem to be, in the near term anyway, one specific technology that can replace oil. So Hawai'i is looking at various renewable energy sources and how they can be integrated into the power grid.

It should be an interesting class since Mr. Alm has experience instituting change not only in the private sector, but also in the public where he was the former Director of the Hawai'i Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs.

Personnel Leavings

As usual for this time of year, one of our analysts will be on loan to the state legislature's Senate Committee on Ways and Means. Thank goodness it's not me (I served my time already), but it does mean we will be short handed while the person is gone (now through June). Unfortunately, the rumor is that one of our planners is leaving to work in the private sector. If this true, the remaining two of us will be especially busy...Sigh.

Deep Cleaning

Since strange things are occurring with Windows, I will be doing a deep cleaning and reinstalling everything over the next couple of days. That means I will be offline and unable to receive or respond to email or to do any surfing. I will try to be back online, at least partially, by this afternoon or early tomorrow morning but an update may be a little later than usual. See you on the flip side, good buddy. Over and out.[f/x: insert sound of Kenworth diesel engine]

Aloha!

Alligators? What Alligators?

I'm up to my ears in reinstalling everything on my newly wiped clean hard drive. Unfortunately, I've had to start over once already because of a problem with Microsoft's "Windows Update" site. I started downloading patches when IE locked up (yes, I know, a shocking event. Not.). This caused MS to think I had not downloaded some of the patches when in fact I had, so it wouldn't let me install any more patches. Sigh. Sometimes MS is so helpful and smart that it's incredibly stupid and frustrating. Oh well, it's only time. Speaking of which, I gotta' get back to rebuilding.

Aloha!

Back at'cha

So the great deep cleaning is done for this year. I have most of what I need to operate installed so I can now get to work. Speaking of which, there is a bunch to do so I gotta' go.

If Santa Had Gone to the London School of Economics

The recent announcement that Donner and Blitzen have elected to take the early reindeer retirement package has triggered a good deal of concern about whether they will be replaced and about other restructuring decisions at the North Pole. Streamlining was appropriate in view of the reality that the North Pole no longer dominates the season's gift distribution business. Home shopping channels and mail order catalogues have diminished Santa's market share, and he could not sit idly by and permit further erosion of the profit picture.

The reindeer downsizing was made possible through the purchase of a late model Japanese sled for the CEO's annual trip. Improved productivity from Dasher and Dancer, who summered at the Harvard Business School, is anticipated and should take up the slack with no discernible loss of service. Reduction in reindeer will also lessen airborne environmental emissions for which the North Pole has been cited and received unfavorable press.

I am pleased to inform you and yours that Rudolph's role will not be disturbed. Tradition still counts for something at the North Pole. Management denies, in the strongest possible language, the earlier leak that Rudolph's nose got that way not from the cold, but from substance abuse. Calling Rudolph "a lush who was into the sauce and never did pull his share of the load" was an unfortunate comment, made by one of Santa's helpers and taken out of context at a time of year when he is known to be under executive stress.

As a further restructuring, today's global challenges require the North Pole to continue to look for better, more competitive steps. Effective immediately, the following economy measures are to take place in the "Twelve Days of Christmas" subsidiary:

The partridge will be retained, but the pear tree never turned out to be the cash crop forecasted. It will be replaced by a plastic hanging plant, providing considerable savings in maintenance.

The two turtle doves represent a redundancy that is simply not cost effective. In addition, their romance during working hours could not be condoned. The positions are therefore eliminated.

The three French hens will remain intact. After all, everyone loves the French.

The four calling birds were replaced by an automated voice mail system, with a call waiting option. An analysis is underway to determine who the birds have been calling, how often and how long they talked.

The five golden rings have been put on hold by the Board of Directors. Maintaining a portfolio based on one commodity could have negative implications for institutional investors. Diversification into other precious metals as well as a mix of T-Bills and high technology stocks appears to be in order.

The six geese-a-laying constitute a luxury which can no longer be afforded. It has long been felt that the production rate of one egg per goose per day is an example of the decline in productivity. Three geese will be let go, and an upgrading in the selection procedure by personnel will assure management that from now on every goose it gets will be a good one.

The seven swans-a-swimming is obviously a number chosen in better times. Their function is primarily decorative. Mechanical swans are on order. The current swans will be retrained to learn some new strokes and therefore enhance their outplacement.

As you know, the eight maids-a-milking concept has been under heavy scrutiny by the EEOC. A male/female balance in the workforce is being sought. The more militant maids consider this a dead-end job with no upward mobility. Automation of the process may permit the maids to try a-mending, a-mentoring or a-mulching.

Nine ladies dancing has always been an odd number. This function will be phased out as these individuals grow older and can no longer do the steps.

Ten lords-a-leaping is overkill. The high cost of lords plus the expense of international air travel prompted the compensation committee to suggest replacing this group with ten out-of-work congressmen. While leaping ability may be somewhat sacrificed, the savings are significant because we expect an oversupply of unemployed congressmen this year.

Eleven pipers piping and twelve drummers drumming is a simple case of the band getting too big. A substitution with a string quartet, a cutback on new music, and no uniforms will produce savings which will drop right down to the bottom line.

We can expect a substantial reduction in assorted people, fowl, animals, and other expenses. Though incomplete, studies indicate that stretching deliveries over twelve days is inefficient. If we can drop ship in one day, service levels will be improved.

Action is pending regarding the lawsuit filed by the attorneys' association seeking expansion to include the legal profession ("thirteen lawyers-a-suing").

Lastly, it is not beyond consideration that deeper cuts may be necessary in the future to stay competitive. Should that happen, the Board will request management to scrutinize the Snow White Division to see if seven dwarfs is the right number.

Aloha!

Mr. Clean

Maybe it's just a bit of fortuitous luck, but it could be the deep clean helped to clear out the problem I was having in reaching fellow Daynoter Phil Hough's site (see it here) because all seems well now. Of course, once I got to his site I notice that, ahem, he hasn't done any updates since Sunday past...

A Taxing Day

I got my December paystub yesterday and took a look at all the taxes that had been stolen deducted from my pay. Wait a second while my blood pressure comes down. I guess I should be thankful that I have a job. And I should be thankful that it pays me well enough that I can pay all those taxes and to still have something left over to donate to my school, church, United Way, various other charities and to live on. Yes, it's a wonderful life, if you can handle the stress.

Beginning of the End

Of winter, that is. Yes, I know, most mortals call the solstice the beginning of winter. But get a grip, logically speaking, if today is the shortest day of the year, then tomorrow will be a little longer. And so on. And so on. So why say this is the beginning of winter when actually, if anything, it is the beginning of the end of winter. Oh well, maybe it's just me.

Brian and Marcia, Thank You

Thank you so much for the Christmas card! I'm sorry that we [whack], I mean I have not sent any cards out this [thumpfff], I mean any year for the last 10 years so we [ducking quickly, ooooff, but not quickly enough], I mean I must apologize for our [waiting for the inevitable] bad manners. Veronica and I wish you and yours a very merry Mele Kalikimaka and Hau'oli Makahiki hou! [http://www.hawaii.com/christmas/words.html]

ps. I promise I will send out cards next year
I promise I will send out cards next year
I promise I will send out cards next year
I promise I will send out cards next year
I promise I will send out cards next year
I promise I will send out cards next year
I promise I will send out cards next year
I promise I will send out cards next year
I promise I will send out cards next year
I promise I will send out cards next year
I promise I will send out cards next year
I promise I will send out cards next year
I promise I will send out cards next year
I promise I will send out cards next year
I promise I will send out cards next year
I promise I will send out cards next year
I promise I will send out cards next year

Have a Great Weekend Everyone - Aloha!