Patiently Waiting

About a month ago I thought it would only take a few days to throw my poems into a book and get it out there. Well, after weeks of editing and then another week for design and layout, it's finally done. Now, all I can do is patiently sit and wait for my proof copy of "Broken Axle Spinning Blind: Poetry from heart to mind" to come in the mail. Please, cross your fingers for me.

Providing that I don't need to change anything I will be able to go live with it. Based on preliminary reviews it should be well received. Still, the challenge will be in getting it noticed. I know there are a ton of other books out there striving for the same goal.

Time is not on my side. With a ton of other projects and having to take on full-time work, once again, I can't spare the time I need to send out review copies.

So, in the mean time I have discovered Associate Content and put up a few articles. It's slightly different from Helium in that they have to approve the content before it goes live. Still, I'm hoping it will be lucrative.

Almost there

After weeks of editing, layout and design, the files are finally out of my hands. "Broken Axle Spinning Blind" has now been loaded onto the CreateSpace.com website. The next step is the final proof and then it will finally been available for sale.

My poetry book is just about ready for mass distribution.

Stay tuned!

An Update on "Broken Axle Spinning Blind"

So, in case you are one of the people who have been following this blog, you may have noticed that the content had shifted gears over the past three or four months. It has moved away from whimsical freestyle creative posts to social commentary.

As with probably most of the other bloggers out there, you guessed it, I am trying to drive more traffic to this site and have been experimenting with what it would take for the average person to generate some interest in their writing.

Back in September I had become pretty active on Helium.com. Well, it never promised to make anybody rich but, has shown that people like reading what comes from my proverbial quill. This is encouraging. Encouraging enough to venture into the world of book publishing. In truth, this had always been a long held goal.

The plan was first formulated over 20 years ago. The trouble was, that not only did I not have enough to say, I didn't have enough life experience to make it of any interest to anybody. Now, that's not the case anymore.

The other side of the coin was a lack on confidence. Thanks to all of you, who have been checking every few days to see if there is anything new on here I have a bit more of that, as well. So, I thought I'd let you know that I've finally finished putting together the inside pages for my first book of poetry. Hopefully, you'll like it. It will be published through an arm of Amazon, and available for order online.

The book title is "Broken Axle Spinning Blind: Poetry from heart to mind". Quite the undertaking and probably took about two or three years to write, if I really think about it. Pretty much all that's left is the cover design. I'll let you know when it's available for order.

If it smells bad, don't eat it

Yuck! Last night, it was my chance to do a little Christmas shopping and get some stuff done at home. Taxes, and editing my book. Stuff like that. So, I wanted to save a little time.

The Oceans is right beside the Toys R Us. I had my reservations but, they have fresh food and I wanted something quick and easy. I'm always a bit hesitant about the sushi counter. Especially when the people making it have gone for the day.

But, hey, I figured now that Loblaw Companies Limited is supposed to own them, their food safety should be more reliable. Don't believe it. I don't think it's the sushi that got me. More like the seaweed salad. It didn't smell right as soon as I opened it. But, you know I don't eat it that often and figured it was seaweed and hey, maybe that's what it is supposed to smell like. My nose doesn't always do a great job and sometimes things kick in a bit stronger than other times.

I forced myself through half the package because I was hungry and threw out the rest. Now, I woke up at half past five in the morning wanting to throw up and wishing I could. I tried sticking my finger down my throat but, didn't have the stomach to go through with it. Don't know how bulimics do it. I suppose you could get used to anything.

Now, I'm not sure what to do. Those hepatitis commercials have pretty much freaked me out. You know the ones. They start off with a nice tropical beach scene and then point out all the hidden dangers. Then one of the people says "hmmm, this looks nice", like an unsuspecting tourist who is perfectly healthy and about to ingest some Hep A or B. So, they suggest getting Twinrix.

Then, they went even further to suggest that hidden dangers exist at home, too. So, this is where they really get you. The vaccine doesn't exactly inoculate you for an extended period of time. Only three months. So what exactly are they expecting people to do? Go get it every three months? A bit ridiculous, no?

I wish I could just throw up, now. This feeling of disgusting, pending explosion is stuck at the back of my throat. I think that if I keep sitting here with my face looking like I want to blow chunks, it will stay that way permanently.

Just imagine me sitting in front of a potential client or at a book reading with a face like that. Hey, kiddies, want to hear a bed time story? Aaaaaargh, mommy! The scary lady is talking to us!!!!

So, be careful about eating ready made food from Oceans. Even if they did remodel their store, it doesn't mean the food is any safer. Maybe the reduced price sticker should have warned me off but, I was going by the best before date.

When Are You Too Old To Have Sex?

What is the legal age limit for sex? No really? When does sex become out of the question? At 60? 70? 80? Who decides these things?

The fact of the matter is that as people get older, it becomes harder and harder to hook up. Circles of friends and acquaintances shrink because people die off and, although not impossible, finding somebody with whom to engage in a little carnal lust becomes more challenging. So, what is a octogenarian to do to scratch an itch that nobody really wants to scratch for him anymore?

In Brampton, Ontario there is a particularly bad problem related to prostitution. I didn't know this and wouldn't expect it there. I drive past it all the time and only found out from reading about it in the local paper. I guess you would have to know what to look for. To me, it wasn't obvious. Incidentally, the Brampton Guardian is an exceptional local rag.

Anyway, it turns out that Kennedy and Queen give Church Street, in Toronto, a run for its money. The reason? All the old folks homes. Older men who want sex and are not afraid to pay for it.

So, the local police force is busy slapping great grandpa wrists over patronizing a profession that is older than their own. Why?

Why is prostitution illegal, anyway? By pulling the moral high road politicians and law keepers, alike, are ignoring more serious issues, leaving the truly desperate with few alternatives, and missing out on substantial tax revenue.

As long as there is a need for sex and a willingness to pay for it, this is not an occupation that is ever going to go away? Why are we wasting so many taxpayer dollars and legal resources on attempting to quash it instead of dealing with bigger issues.

By recognizing prostitution for the valid business that it is, we as a society would all be better off. We would stop turning a blind eye to something that always has and always will exist at the same time as providing control and protection over the spread of sexually transmitted diseases and put the power in the hands of the front line staff, instead of their pimps.

Pimps, themselves, serve a powerful role as agents, managers, and protectors. Instead of targeting people who want to satisfy a perfectly human craving, and the people willing to fill that void, police and the court system should hunt down those that are unscrupulous enough to compel minors into prostitution or use drugs to secure human property.

The role of police, the courts, law makers is to serve and protect tax payers and law abiding citizens. Why should a mutually consensual exchange of service for payment exclude anybody from being considered equally entitled to their respect and protection?

Let us come back to the issue of health and taxes. How much does it cost us all in social services to finally help those that have hit rock bottom? The ones who have succumbed to the ravages of drug addiction and sexually transmitted diseases? Legalized prostitution would allow the enforcement of licenses to practice and mandatory regular testing for STDs. It would also be easier to control the spread of disease through targeted education and awareness campaigns.

As far as taxes are concerned, this is one profession where in good times, business is good, and in bad times, it is better. It probably rivals funeral parlors. So, when bankrupt municipalities are scratching their heads wondering how to stay out of bankruptcy it only makes sense to consider legalization of this most noble of professions.

Come on, people! Stop wasting money on the futility of ignoring the larger issues. Protect the downtrodden and forgotten elements of our society. Stop targeting the low hanging fruit, or more to the point, low hanging balls of "dirty old men". It's time we started using tax payer dollars more wisely and reaping the rewards of a more enlightened approach to basic human suffering.

Personal Morals are Shaped by Others

There is one thing that cannot be argued. That thing is personal beliefs. Nobody can dictate another person's individual stance on core values. However, we are social animals.

To live in a group means to agree to comply with a unified system by which to judge and be judged. The ability to permit others to determine personal values is integral to the ability to coexist with others in a community. While there may be some room for interpretation, and degree of acceptance, ultimately, the concepts of religion, education, government, and law enforcement are based on the premise that people must be open to external influence.

Even when the opinion of "the greater good" is contrary to the fiber of one's being, it is necessary to gain some support from like-minded individuals before any change can be made. When support is lacking, it must be garnered. Without it, one voice can be easily silenced.

Throughout history, there are countless examples where core values of entire nations had been drastically changed. Some, for the better, some for the worse. Take for example slavery, honor killings, female castration, minimum age requirements for child brides, marriage between siblings, gladiator fights, chivalry, acceptance of female ability to choose how and whom to live with. At some point, each of these was a contentious issue.

The very point that people are willing to go to war and fight for their ideals implies that there cannot be a complete separation between individual values and the need to influence, and be influenced by others. Without it, there is only anarchy.

When we send our children to school and teach them to think for themselves, we do it within a commonly accepted framework. Those that don't face the wrath of authority. If what is dictated as the norm doesn't seem normal, it is a question of pressure from numbers. Enough people have to stand for or against something for it to make any real difference.

There was a guy in Toronto who took offence to the teaching of To Kill A Mockingbird in school because of objections against use of the n word. It isn't the first or last time that people try to white-wash history. Countless examples exist where through either small tactics, such as this, or larger efforts such as burning books in public squares and sending all the intelligencia to Siberia, people have attempted to sway public opinions of right and wrong. By saying that something simply did not happen they are attempting to control what happens in the future.

Both examples demonstrate two extremes of the same issue,. In each case it was mass agreement to accept or reject what was being served as gospel that cemented rejection of those values. Sometimes, it is enough to show indignation. Sometimes, blood is shed and lives are destroyed. In all cases, it is a fight for mass support.

There will always be those who believe so strongly in what they feel is right that they are willing to go to any lengths to influence others to their point of view. These people comprise a very small portion of the human population. The rest, whether consiously or not, need and want to be told what is right and what is wrong. This is right and good. Not everybody should be a leader. If they were, who would follow? If personal values were not meant to be guided by others, we would live in Chaos.

Ma Cheri, Choose Love

I just finished watching Cheri, with Michelle Pfeiffer. Rupert Friend, Kathy Bates, and a bunch of other perfectly cast individuals. It has got to be one of the most satisfyingly genius pieces I have ever watched.

There are few actors that never fail to deliver in much the same way as Pfeiffer. Perhaps, only surpassed by Meryl Streep.

Cheri is an adaptation of a 1920s novel by Colette and is masterfully put together. Despite being completely devoid of swearing, full frontal nudity, and any sort of violence it is more powerful and engaging than just about anything I've seen since The Deep End of the Ocean.

For a true definition of irony, watch the end of the movie. In a nut shell, two lovers are so bound by convention and desire to do right by each other that they deny themselves the one thing that will make each of them happy. So, bound by their own ideals that Leah surrenders her due to the curse of being born too early, and Cheri being bound by his obligation to live his due number of years, agrees to let go of Leah. In the end, it was all for nothing.

Love is what it is. Despite all that we read, see, and hear about it, so few are blessed with actually experiencing it. For those that do, even fewer value it as fully as they should. In a nut shell, and unless you are a nut, if you can't live without somebody, do your utmost to live life without regrets.

Gifts are to be enjoyed, not squandered. Love, like life, should not be wasted for want of lead.

Lou Dobbs Quits CNN - A Brighter Future for Journalism

For many years now, there has been a wide-spread pandemic in the media. To be perfectly frank, it had gone to the dogs so long ago that it would be more appropriate to say that it had gone to the maggots.

Being a bit out of the loop, I was shocked to find out tonight that Lou Dobbs and CNN had made a "mutual decision" to part ways. According to Dobbs, CNN had advised him that they were moving away from his style of reporting the news to a more middle ground approach.

Lou seemed to express outrage and confusion at the notion that the public should be left to their own devices to form an opinion of goes on in the news, rather than being force fed opinions. Instead of providing impartial facts of the day, Dobbs feels that the public is ill suited to think for themselves. Heavens sake, if journalism has to resort to simply reporting the news instead of using air time to brain wash the public, they might actually have to fill in the dead air with substance.

So, unable to see the rational behind such an obviously corrupt and ridiculous notion, Dobbs opted to walk away. That's too bad. It's a good thing that John Stewart will have no shortage of other bone heads to laugh at. But, Dobbs will still be around. It's just that John will have to start listening to the radio and somehow translate that to the Daily Show. Then again, many radio stations do live web casts.

What was more surprising is that Stewart seems to be convinced that it is the media's job to not only report the news but, also provide a slant. This has always struck me as being at odds with what he actually does for a living. For such a rational and intelligent man, he seems satisfied to gather facts from people who are just flying by the seat of their pants. Well, hopefully they're wearing clean underwear because you just never know when they might get thrown under a bus.

Call Your Boy Arthur

It is with love of life and all that live that I dare to suggest that the name 'Arthur' will soon enjoy a resurgence in popularity. Though one out of every 7 boys in Belgium have been given this moniker, in the States it is certainly no Jacob [1]. Still, with some of the most influential history makers bearing the name, it is only a matter of time.

Names, like clothes, are a statement. In fact, in some countries, and eras, there is more in a name than how it rings in parental ears. There are political and socioeconomic prejudices that can work for or against a person, simply based on their name. To choose the wrong name could be to welcome undesirable attention from people who feel strongly against the ideologies and philosophies of people that share that name.

When the Greeks officially turned away from multi-deity worship in favor of the Greek Orthodox Church, it actually became illegal to use certain names associated with anything that did not espouse the new ideals. To be called Eugene was to invite persecution.

Take for example the names Jesus, Adolph, Elvis, Eugene, or Ossama. No doubt, each brought up an image in the gentle reader's mind. Though each being common and popular in their own right, a couple would be wise to think twice before choosing such a name... unless, they were attempting to make a definite statement.

On the other hand, time heals all wounds and perhaps those statements would not ring so clear or true with the passage of a few generations. Perhaps on meeting a beautiful newborn Arthur, one's mind won't automatically associate his innocence with King Arthur and Knights of the Round Table, President Arthur Chester, Arthur Miller, Arthur C. Clark, the Dudley Moore movie Arthur, or Arthur the cartoon.

The origins of the name is not clearly defined. It is thought to have been first used in Britain and pre-dates Roman times. The meaning is approximated to mean either "bear" or "stone", depending on if you opt for the Celtic or Gaelic translation. It is a name that promotes an image of power and strength, and as such, is sure to see a resurgence in popularity.


Sources:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthur
http://www.yeahbaby.com/world-name-popularity.php?name=Arthur
http://babynamesworld.parentsconnect.com/meaning_of_Arthur.html

What software is needed to create an e-card

With the holidays upon us, and money being stretched thin, you may be looking at your options for sending more environmentally friendly and less costly season's greetings. One option is creating an e-card and sending it out either via email or posting it through a social networking site. There are two options and a myriad of service providers offering both paid and free alternatives.

Option 1: Send Customize Existing Templates

There is no shortage of sites offering the ability to send e-cards. In these cases, there is no need for any special software other than what is required to connect to and surf the web. For example:

Myecardsonline
123greatings
Hallmark
evite

In addition, many sites that allow you to upload and develop photos on-line will also provide this service. For example:

Costco
Shutterfly

Option 2: Create A Card On Your Own

To do this you will need some sort of software. This can be as simple as using MS Word and playing around with fonts and dropping in clip art or photos, or using some sort of image editing software such as PhotoShop, or Paint Shop Pro. In addition to applications which can be purchased there is an assortment of quality freeware applications which can be downloaded off the Internet. Consider, too, that if you have a digital camera, it probably came with some software that may be useful for this purpose.

For the most part, many of these applications work on the same premise and can be muddled through even by a novice. Many of the functions are icon driven and images are universal so selection and cropping tools look more or less the same regardless of what you are using. My taking advantage of help text and hovering over icons it is possible to teach yourself the basics of any image editing app.

It is important to remember that the size of the ecard will affect how quickly it can be sent over email, and downloaded by the recipients. The biggest culprits are photographs. Since they are not intended for printing, it is sufficient to reduce resolution to 72dpi. The size of the image can also be reduced to no larger than 800 x 600 ppi. Once complete, the card should be saved to JPG format and can be sent as a simple email attachment.

Don't Be A Martyr

If graphics software is not something that you have had a lot of experience with it may not be worth it to try doing this the hard way. Investigate e-card service providers before trying to recreate the wheel.

Butterfly Dance

The sky is filled with warm crisp air
Refreshing and bewildering
Unknown to me what the day holds
It has yet to unfold

Above my head a dance begins
Circle the clouds
Each flutter of a butterfly
The wings are full of purpose

The rustling of the leaves above
Almost removes me from my trance
Still nothing is so fully there
As the dancing butterflies

Surely they know what to do
What choices they must make
Undoubtedly there is a song
That answers all my woes

My eyes begin to fill the gaps
They glisten as they watch
The gentle gliding to and fro
Of insects and of foes

For if they do not care for me
And go about their day
They must not love me as they should
They world lives just for me

Then I blink and realize
The song and dance is through
Its time to choreograph my own
My dreams are mine to form

The Irony of Reading Blogs About How Technology Is Making Us Lazy

Of all the things I've written lately, one article that is attracting world wide attention is the one on how technology is making us lazy. I am shocked at where all the traffic is coming from. It really is the WORLD WIDE WEB. Wow!

Today I got an email from a University student in the U.K., I've removed the name to protect their privacy:

On Sat, Nov 7, 2009 at 9:20 PM, wrote:
>
> hi,
> I read your article on "Technology making us lazy"...I thought it was very good and broadly thought. I’m emailing because I’m actually choosing this subject as a final year project. I'm at university yes. My question if you have the time is "What do you think is the point of this? Why do you think it would be a good idea for an audience to be aware of it? What would be the target audience?" Can you write back on what you have on this? I’m doing multimedia, so I will be making a 30 min video of this. Haven't decided yet on whether to make it as a documentary or little movie but will after more research.
>
> Many thanks


Hello,

Thank you for your compliment on my article. I'm glad you enjoyed it. The piece was basically a rant and I was quite surprised to see that it had gotten as popular as it has had. I've had people reading the article from quite literally all over the world. So, the target audience is basically anybody who spends their time reading blogs, I suppose.

It is quite ironic that people sit at all hours in front of some sort of technological device and spend time reading rants about how technology helps them waste time. It's kind of like watching a cat chase its own tail just because it's behind them. There has really been so much said and done about this already that if you are going to do a final year university project about it I really think you should incorporate the following things:

- humour: the irony of a multimedia project that ridicules its own essence despite taking itself so seriously
- history: the first computer ever created was the calculator. This was a marked improvement over the abacus. Now, most kids can't multiply 7 x7 without using one and have full professorial support to bring calcs. into exam rooms.
- doomsayers: incorporate sci-fi commentary from genres such as cyberpunk. You should be able to find clips from movies based on the works of William Gibson, and of course he isn't the only one.
- current state: there have been many studies in recent months about the detriment of multi-tasking. That it is actually reducing the average person's ability to be effective at individual tasks because when they are doing many things at once, they are not doing any of them all that well. Also, that there is a proportional link between the level of technology available and the level of stress being suffered.
- forecast for the future: are people likely to scale back? Revolt? force a revolution where users are able to focus more on actually doing what they need to do rather than becoming too distracted by the tools they are using?
- it may also add credibility to your argument if you pump in some facts and figures regarding how much of a typical corporate budget is spent these days on sustaining its IS/IT resources and interview some CFOs/CEOs regarding their perceived value of this investment as compared to how they were doing business 25 to 30 years ago. Ask them if they feel the trade off is worth it.

And above all, remember Homer Simpson at work in the power plant. As I said, there has already been a lot of thought behind this issue so there is a rich amount of resources to draw on. Good luck with your project.

On Sat, Nov 7, 2009 at 11:41 PM, <> wrote:

> Hey,
>
> Thank you very much for your advice. It is great. It is actually in parallel to >some of my ideas towards it. Especially the humur and history.....
> I never knew about the dilemas people have on this subject. I wanted to do >something to do with technology and I thought of its drawbacks. So I asked the >question if it making us lazy? Now that Im researching on it I found your article >quite interesting. I took its frame under consideration because I think it is >right. Obviously I have a target audience different to that of yours. I asked you >the question because yesterday my project supervizor analyzed my idea and said that >it is solid but find out "what is the point?" find the question "Why are you basing >your final year project on this?" .....
>
> I have quite a simple answer.
>
> " Well, the point is that some people aren’t aware of this. They aren’t aware >that technology with all its rewards by making our lives easier, can actually give >us the option to be lazy. It is making things easier, but through that it can lead >to you eliminating activity. Nobody should be inactive because there are great >disadvantages that come with that. You lose your sharpness, creativity, may become >obese and so on. So choosing to actually go shopping rather than transacting it >over the internet is a better idea. This is what I’m arguing and trying to make >you aware of the subject. But it is your choice. "
> So my target is towards people that aren't aware of their behaviours. To make >them think and make better choices on this case.

> What do you think of that?


> Appriciated.
> Thanks a lot

> Take care.

I think that there is a far bigger consequence to society, as a whole, than the harm to the individual. Actually, online shopping is a positive because it enables the shopper to make better decisions and force vendors to improve the quality of their products and be more price competitive.

Instead I would focus on things like gaming, gambling, social networking sites where people engage in chatting with people that they don't count among their inner circle, anything to do with basically time wasting tasks. Things people would not do in a different way.

The detriment to becoming technology sloths is the quality of output. For instance, search engines have their own agenda as to what results are returned and the information found online may or may not be reliable. However, too many students rely on the Internet as their only source of information. This is raising a lazy generation of students who will enter the workforce and be unable to do true due diligence. These will be the doctors, lawyers, leaders, and educators of tomorrow.

Ultimately, a lazy society is one that has lost the taste for a good fight and will become unable to face true adversity. It is, in effect another symptom of the decline of the Western Civilization.

Your target audience should be high school and university students, as well as those responsible for educating and guiding them. There is a very real threat to our way of life and our ability to advance and thrive as a society if those that are responsible for driving us forward are not equipped with the skills to do so.

Levi Johnston is an idiot

My apologies for having to be so blunt. But, the thing is the guy doesn't know who William Shatner is. How can you not know that? Okay, so the guy is only 18 but, how can you not know about Captain James T. Kirk?

Levi not only knows how to make the most out of knocking up and then breaking up with a teenage girl but, he knows how to keep his notoriety going much longer than his fifteen minutes should have lasted. Actually, the only reason anybody is still talking to him is because the jury is still out on if Sarah Palin is a train wreck or a phoenix getting set to rise from her own ashes.

Johnston is The Coattail Kid. He is riding on the coattail of his looks, his drunken slur manner of speaking, and his association with the maiden of the North. It would be fantastic if this kid managed to transcend his slimy exterior. But, so far he is too self assured and stupid to realize that if he actually succeeds in destroying Palin's career nobody will be all that interested in speaking with him anymore. He isn't all that interesting and leaves viewers in need of a shower with a Brillo pad.

Rumor has it that the guy is an aspiring actor but, the only roles he is likely to bag are all painted blue. Really, it would be good for him to lower his profile, get rid of the lazy drawl, and grow up a bit. By then, he'll still have his looks but, might be a bit less slimy, so a bit more engaging.

By the way, Levi, grow a funny bone. It is kind of ironic that the man reading fake Twitter posts has made a fine art out of mocking himself. Shatner is not only a legend and a cultural icon, in his youth he was known for being a bit of an ass. It would do you good to learn a bit more about him.

How Technology Helps Waste Time

Some people are blessed with an unwavering commitment to running their lives like clockwork. They have an agenda and go through their day according to a well defined plan. They wake up at the same time each day, go through the exact same routine and have each hour earmarked for a specific task. The rest of us are suffocating under an unforgiving tide of information overload.

Technology has made it a little too easy to get side tracked. We may start each day off with great intentions but, before we know it the day is done and our energy is sapped. When we finally slump down at the end of the day and wonder where the time went we scratch our heads wondering how checking a couple of emails ended up taking five hours. How did checking the weather turn into a marathon gaming session?

Even if gaming wasn't what ate up your time there is all that multitasking. Technology has made it extremely difficult to focus on one thing at at time. The time savings realized by automating redundant processes is stolen back by multiplying the number of possible processes we are now capable of taking on.

Aside from a very few individuals, most people are not quite as good at multitasking as they would like to think. This means that the majority of people continually overload on the amount of things they think they will be able to accomplish in a day, an afternoon, an hour. That's why so many things are left undone. The bucket list of today's generation is going to be much larger than that of our grandparents. I say grandparents because many of our parents have gotten caught up in the same conundrum.

Most people are simply not content enough to relax and take it easy because the washing machine is taking care of the laundry. So, they either fill the void by taking it easier or not taking it easy enough. What we have lost is the ability to stop and really smell the roses because we are so busy doing online research on which soil options are most appropriate for the local climate and looking for the best deal on rose bulbs. Technology has taken so much of the routine out of our routine that we are desperately looking for a way to fill the void.

We no longer have to prowl the produce aisle looking for a date or join book clubs and walking groups because we can spend hours on hours reviewing online profiles. Times certainly have changed quickly and most people have yet to realize just how much time has been wasting through technological. pursuits.

Gaydar

Gaydar, a term used for some people's intuitive ability to detect other people's propensity for being attracted to the same sex, is nothing more than a best guess. The term is meant to sound mechanical, like radar. But, radar is much more fool proof.

In actuality, if a person is gay and has not sworn themselves to a life of celibacy, they have to be willing to put out some clues. Those individuals that gift themselves with the power of "gaydar" are simply trying to say that they are better at pin pointing subtle hints than most of the other people they know.

Due to the delicate nature of sexuality, and society's sometimes complete aversion to homosexuality, some people are much more shy about the clues they make available. Subtlety is their best defence against prejudice and adverse reactions from their peers. After all, letting the wrong people know of a person's sexual orientation could impact their ability to not only earn a living but, also stay away from physical harm. Just look at what happened on Jenny Jones.

Some people are fearless, and some are defiant. Those that are really out there, or flaming, have gay written all over them and no amount of metro sexuality will cover it up. They are the ones that were assless chaps on top of the gay pride floats. Others, wear suits and ties to their jobs as CEO's of Fortune 500 companies and work toward curing childhood diabetes. Others still work as education professionals helping sculpt young minds. For those people, it would be career suicide to be so open about their personal choices. Still, everybody wants to be loved and has certain physical needs.

The other side of the coin is that it really does take one to know one. If we, ourselves, possess certain qualities, these are easier to detect in others. We know what to look for. A Polish person can spot another Pole from across a crowded room while staring at the back of their head. This is true for any group that is closely linked into their personal identity. This is no more a function of any sort of radar than an ability to be at peace with oneself and see in others mutually shared qualities. Those that profess to have "gaydar" are just looking for bragging rights and false attention. They are also the ones most likely to get beat to a pulp in a dark alley when their "gaydar" malfunctions at the wrong time, and in the wrong place.

What About Me? How to find time for yourself when you have kids

Toddlers are beautiful, energetic, needy, demanding, selfish little creatures that make it easy to forget what alone time really feels like. In fact, they are so good at monopolizing every free second that when you actually manage to get one, you probably sit down in stunned silence wondering what to do with yourself. Figuring out a way to steal back some "me" time is essential to regaining just a little bit of the sanity that you lost before baby brain took over.

Take Vitamins

Chances are that while you were pregnant and breastfeeding, you were taking pre/post natal vitamins. But maybe you stopped now that life has sort of gone back to normal. Making sure to eat right and supplement with multivitamins, as well as getting adequate exercise, are essential to being able to manage your day.

The key to alone time is being able to ease kids into some sort of routine. If you don't get them to bed at a reasonable time, then you won't have any time at the end of the night or in the morning. Kids wake up early and you'll still be tired from the night before. This means that you will be going through a perpetual cycle of catch-up.

However, routines take commitment and energy. It is all too easy to just throw in the towel and hope they'll wear themselves out if you are too wiped to force the issue. Staying alert and physically fit to kick them into gear requires putting your own physical needs a lot further ahead than last.

Get To Sleep

Many parents tend to stay up late to make up for a lack of adult time. However, kids are not the only ones that need a bed time. Routines are just as important for parents. Believe it or not, minimizing the amount of awake time improves your ability to wear them out. Let's face it, wearing kids out is an important aspect to finding "me" time.

Piggy Back Daycare

"Me" time doesn't have to mean alone and away time. It just has to be time where you can let down your guard a little bit. By arranging play dates you are doubling the number of eyes. Depending on where you go, you find yourself sitting back and enjoying conversation and coffee while the kids go wild in a bouncy castle.

If you are lucky enough to have friends or family with kids in the same age group, take turns watching each other's kids once in a while. Trading babysitting is a great way to get an hour or two off.

Register For Preschool Programs

Although many parents tend to shelter their kids, delaying exposure to peers until they are closer to three or four, kids as young as two can be placed in "on their own" programs where they can engage in play and you can leave the room. This will not only make it possible to get an hour or two alone, it will make things a lot easier come kindergarten. You can always tell which kids are a bit too attached to their caregivers because they waited too long to explore their independence.

Take Advantage Of Family

If you can, ask relatives or friends to babysit. As long as you don't do it all the time, most people will understand your need for a sanity break. Don't be shy about taking people up on their offer to give you a break once in a while.

Skirt Lengths and The Economy

The Skirt Length Theory goes something like this: When the stock market plunges, so do skirt lengths. Fashion is often dictated by peripheral circumstances such as the state of the economy and if the world is going through a peaceful stage or embroiled in wartime activities. In the 1940s people were just starting to recover from The Great Depression and were in the midst of World War II.

The parallels that can be drawn from the events of the past few years are uncanny. The entire world is desperately trying to hang on to tenuous glimmers of hope that the current economic crisis is coming to an end and President Obama has just committed to sending more troops to Afghanistan. Sure, World Wars I and II had Hitler, who was hell bent on ridding the World of the pestilence of anybody that did not fit into the Arian ideal. But, we've got Islamic extremism. Again, the parallels which can be drawn are mind boggling. It just goes to show you that given enough time the most significant lesson of the Holocaust must be revisited: Lest we forget, we are destined to repeat.

Just prior to the recent world-wide economic collapse, a common lament amongst many women was the revealing nature of modern clothes. First, it was the crop tops. It was difficult to find a store that sold shirts which were long enough to be considered decent attire. Fortunately, the tides turned but, not for the better. Although the tops got longer, the change was offset by the rise of the low cut pants. Plumber butts became the norm.

When the stock markets crashed in the fall of 2008, many retailers suddenly started providing more conservative waist heights. People began focusing much more on how to put food on the table than how to be inappropriately sexy. It appears that the shock to the economic system has also had a drastic impact on a return to a certain level of propriety that would probably even be passable back in the 1940s.

The 1940s were marked by refinement and understated elegance. Skirt lengths were typically just below the knew and were not overly full or flowing. Clothes and footwear were rationed and people often struggled with being able to have enough to put on the dinner table. Rather than running out each season and buying the latest trends, women were encouraged to make and mend. This meant that clothes were often repurposed. When a scarf got torn it might have been used as a trim for an evening dress. With so many people affected by war, patriotism was at an all-time high so fashions often reflected military styles.

In modern day fashion, the military look is not back quite yet but, there does appear to be a resurgence of formality and return to decency. There is a push back against all the skin of recent years. More and more people are going back to what they have in the back of the closet than running out to the stores. While it is unlikely that the 1940s fashion will ever fully come back, it can be viewed as the haute couture edition of what is actually being seen on the streets.

What to do if your baby has colick

There are few things that are harder for a parent to have to deal with than being unable to help their child stop screaming. It is heart wrenching. When your sweetheart starts wailing you usually know exactly what to do. You know if they need a new diaper, are hungry, thirsty, too cold, or too hot. You know if their are just tired and need a hug. When it comes to colic many people don't know what more they can do.

The leading literature on the subject leaves parents feeling even more helpless than before they started reading. It is said that nobody really understands colic or what causes it. This is a fallacy. There really are a few things that can be done. This isn't to say that there won't be those tough nights, when nobody will get much sleep. But, with following a few simple tips will make these few and far between.

Colic In A Nut Shell

It may be hard to crack the code of a baby's crying. The thing is, that if you've tried everything you could think of and have investigated with your health care practitioner to rule out any serious issues, then there are two possible causes: It is either the result of painful gas buildup in their tiny little tummy or early teething pains.

Preventing Cramping Due To Gas

Typically, parents feel that it is important to burp their baby after each feeding. The reason for this is that air bubbles typically form during the feeding and must be released. However, not every baby is easy to burp. The good news is that patting the baby on the back to get a burp is not the only way to release that bubble. In fact, a burp is not always necessary. The same effect can be achieved by simply rubbing the baby's back to help with digestion and making sure any air is disbursed.

What is more important than the burp is avoiding putting the baby down in a horizontal position too soon after the meal. Keeping the baby upright allows the milk to flow through without settling uncomfortably. This is possible to do even if they have fallen asleep.

Another thing that helps move the fluids and air around are regular baby massages. These are not elaborate, complicated, or difficult. It simply involves firmly but, gently moving the hand in circular motions from the center outwards. There are many websites that explore how to give a proper massage, as well as numerous classes that talk to the matter.

A Little Water

For a baby, a meal of milk is the same as a full four course steak dinner for an adult. Imagine eating that without having anything to drink after. A little bit of water will go a long way to help ease digestion and alleviate painful gas.

When Prevention Was Not Enough

Some babies are more colicky than others. This is because some people are more prone to gas build up than others. It could be the result of an intolerance milk products. If a drop or two of water has not helped, consider good old Gripe Water. It is made of fennel and is completely natural and safe to give the baby. A dose of Gripe Water is often all it takes to calm them right down.

Early Teething

Most people are not aware that teething can begin many months before you ever see a tooth. Considering that some babies are born with teeth, it is never too early for them to start experiencing discomfort and pain. Consequently, no remedy related to gas build up will be effective.

When it gets really tough, the baby may become so inconsolable that they don't know what they want. They'll ask to be picked up but, won't want to stay there. They'll be kicking and screaming and throwing themselves on the floor. They won't want a drink or food and it will even be a challenge to just keep them from hurting themselves because of all the thrashing about.

Fortunately, there is something on the market called Camilia. It is all natural and does not have any side effects aside from virtually instantly causing the baby to calm down. Even if the baby is not exhibiting any symptoms other than being obviously bothered, it could still be the teeth and there is no need to have anybody just grin and bear it.

There absolutely is something that can be done about a colicky baby. If they are still screaming after you have tried everything, go try something a little different. Babies never cry for no reason at all. The tricky part is finding the reason, and brushing it off as 'colic' is not a reason.

Don't Read My Blog

No really, don't read any further. The opinions expressed might make you come up with your own. They may stimulate and confuse you. Don't keep reading.

No matter what you do, don't go through the archives and look at anything written beyond the next line.
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Why Parents Can't Let Children Play Outside Alone Anymore

We hear a lot, these days, about how children's lives are over scheduled and over protected. How they are becoming unable to empathize with real life and lack the street smarts that they can only gain by getting to play on the street, unsupervised by the ever watchful eye of a parent or caregiver. The problem is that today's parents have been left with little choice.

We live in a different world. Communities are more congested and, at the same time, people are more remote from one another. The truth is that when kids played outside alone, entire neighborhoods were looking out for each other's kids. Everything was more or less within walking distance and everybody knew each other.

People did not really fear strangers because if a stranger came to town they got noticed. Fast. Kids knew whom to stay away from. Today, kids need to stay away from everybody, because there are more strangers than friends. There are more places to hide and much further that they can get taken before anybody notices.

They are also more curious, more willing to take risks because they are more desensitized to reality. There are more movies, more things on television that confuse the atrocities of mankind with the atrocities of imagination for the sake of pure entertainment. Reality television, mixed with the evening news, mixed with movies and prime time shows based on true stories, mixed with true stories inspired by stuff they saw on television. It's all too confusing for young minds. How can they be expected to cope? Most adults can't tell the difference anymore.

Unfortunately, the reality of the day is that it is a different world than the one we grew up in. Today's world is one where kids have to practice lock down drills the same way that they practice fire drills. Bullying has escalated to the point of viral proportions, taking advantage of ever advancing technology, making it harder and harder to control. Adults are able to mascaraed as kids and lure them in ways never possible, in the past.

Perhaps one day there will be a revolt, a return of sorts, to a time where reality and fiction are not so inter-woven. Maybe it will be easier to guard our children and our streets from those who wish to do them harm. Perhaps children will grow up in neighborhoods and schools where fellow kids are not completely devoid of respect for others, and life itself. Maybe things will change.

It would be nice if we lived in somewhat simpler times but, the reality of the day makes it impossible for most parents to forget, forgive and move on. We have to be more vigilant. We have to be more watchful. These days, we really can't be too careful.

The Men Who Stare At Goats

Just to be clear, I have not seen this movie yet. I want to though. Fact is that with tiny tots under foot, it's tough to get out.

Still, how funny is this title? "The Men Who Stare At Goats." As my local couch potato put it, they obviously aren't doing it for the money anymore. I almost split my side laughing, which was even more challenging given that I had just taken a gulp of tea and had not had time to swallow yet.

Clooney is awesome on a bad day but, and Ewan in no slouch either. So, this does look good. But, what really sells it is the guy from 24 (Glenn Morshower). I've never seen him in anything before his repeated stints as the secret service dude and now it looks like he's getting himself typecast as the guy in uniform. What he needs is a good Judd Apatow flick to rescue his ass from that terrible fate.

Again, I haven't seen the movie yet but, why is it that Jeff Bridges always picks roles where he looks like he's in on a bigger joke than everybody else? Is he the only guy in the entire Universe that really, truly understands the randomness that is 42?

With Each Death A Little More Forgotten

My grandmother is long since gone
With her, all of life's lessons

I've tried so hard
Over the years
To make it all for something

She sacrificed and made mistakes
She took a helping hand
Some strength through love she did afford
The rest she simply followed

For all these years
I've always sworn
To write a simple novel

Of love and things we've left behind
Her history
Her passion
Without the glue she used on us
Her absence still a void

I've tried so hard
Perhaps one day
I'll put the work on paper

Beyond her now
There's little left
Except two shiny stars

So much unknown
So much unseen
So scared to live tomorrow

Can't Get a H1N1 Flu Shot? Blame David Miller

Had this been a few centuries back, I could see how garbage removal could not be considered an essential service. These days, however, people are armed with more scientific data and medical evidence than that.

The truth is that while Mr. David Miller was sitting on his hands, unwilling to mandate the unions to collect the garbage valuable time was being lost. Nobody can deny the magnitude of the immunization initiative. But, instead of figuring out all of the logistics involved they were walking the streets holding placards.

Now, the entire country is scrambling to figure out which way is up. They are guaranteeing that anybody wishing to be immunized will be able to do so by Christmas. That is just about as good as saying "don't worry we'll give it to you sometime before the end of the flu season."

Staying happy while dying

Grumpy old man. Bitter old hag. These are images familiar to anybody that was once young. But, as we age and find ourselves coming closer to the twilight years, hitting the better side of 40, 50, 60, and so on, it is important to step back and do a double check. Just how far are we from being described in just those terms?

While some people have a higher propensity for being happy, others have a greater tendency toward seeing the down side of things. However, modern research indicates a direct correlation between a person's ability to be happy and their longevity. So, staying happy is not just a personal choice. It is an obligation that we have to ourselves, those we care about, and society as a whole.

The key to becoming and staying happy as we age is in understanding that the mind and body work together in a delicate balance. Neither can be trusted to function properly if the other is not cared for. Taking care of the most basic of physical needs is just as important to being happy as being surrounded by those we love and being permitted to do what we enjoy.

Sleep, Food, and Wine

A lack of sleep has significant implications on mood. In the long term, a lack of sufficient hours in a rested state saps the body's ability to replenish itself. It is pushed to limits it was not meant to endure. When the body is concentrating so hard on basic functions such as walking and blinking it cannot be expected to have much of a sense of humor.

Likewise, a lack of proper nutrition starves the mind's ability to appreciate the beauty of life and find joy in it. Certain foods have the ability to sap the mind and body of life while others have anti-oxidant properties. Indulging in foods, on a regular basis, that harm the mind's and body's ability to stay healthy.

On the other hand, life really is too short to live in a constant state of denial. Stringently depriving yourself of that which brings pleasure just leads to depravity. An occasional glass of red wine is not the only medically approved indulgence. A little bit of chocolate and anything else that makes you smile is well worth it.

Physically Fit, It Takes Strength To Smile

Regular exercise of any kind is still physical activity. Hanky-panky is just as valid as a brisk walk with the dog. The point is that when the body is not in shape it is far easier to fall into depression. Receding hairlines and sagging body parts don't need additional help in chipping away at self-confidence. None of us look like we did the day we caught a view in the reflection of a store window as we rushed off to a mid-term exam. Physical activity releases positive endorphins, making it impossible not to feel good.

Be Selfish

Living for others is admirable but, only really worth it if driven by some perceived personal gain. It's true what they say, no good deed goes unpunished. If living for others is all that it is cut out to be then, there must obviously be two classes of people: Them for who we live and us who only give. Sometimes, receiving is better than giving. Take what is yours and enjoy it. Life only has so many sun rises.

At the end of the day, happiness really is a choice. Viewing life through rose colored glasses has its perks. Being a realist certainly has its place but, must be tempered. Is every battle worth waging or just the ones that threaten your ability to be happy? My vote is for the latter.

When It Comes To Kids, You Can't Be Too Safe Online

Children are ideal victims for online crime. Since most criminals do not want to be caught, they seek out those who are unlikely to do what it takes to defend themselves and will be slow to catch on when something isn't as it should be.

There are two major areas of opportunity for the criminal mind when it comes to kids: First, although many kids have an online presence, they are unlikely to carry any significant debt or own any high ticket items. They are pretty much a clean slate and in many cases may not find out that their identity had been stolen until they try to apply for a student loan, get an apartment, or apply for a car loan. Since this could mean a gap of over ten or twenty years (yes, even babies can get their identity stolen), there is an awful lot of damage that can be inflicted before anybody is the wiser.

Second, since kids are often immature enough to fully appreciate the full implications of not adequately guarding their privacy, they are more likely to divulge too many personal details to unseen strangers. This makes them easy targets. There is far less work to be done in order to defraud them.

Its Never Too Early To Talk To Your Kids

Considering that even preschoolers and junior kindergartners are now going online, it is never too early to start the safe surfing discussion. If kids can learn the basics of not speaking with strangers, they can be taught the extended principle of not speaking with strangers online.

Many of their favorite television shows and channels have correlating websites. Each site asks for your child's name, age, address, and a slew of personal like and dislike questions. They track their online habits, and if you are lucky, all they do with that information is determine the best advertising, marketing and program structure to present to them. Remember that you are never obligated to provide accurate or true information and are free to enter pseudonyms and false details.

Watch Those Social Networks

Too many parents are a little too giving with the sharing of photos and details about their newborns on social networks such as Facebook and Twitter. Information gets around far faster and wider than many people may be aware. A newborn baby is an ideal target. It isn't all that difficult to intercept an envelope containing their social security number or SIN card. Thanks to modern child labor laws, they aren't likely to be put to work all that soon and in the mean time some illegal immigrant can be happily avoiding paying income tax on their tab.

When it comes to key pieces of identification, parents should be very careful about how they store them and whom they divulge this information to. Often times, institutions ask for very personal data just to provide quotations on things like RESPs. Also, many companies use web based forms to collect personal information. You can never be too safe and should always insist on providing only the minimum and not over the Internet.

Also, many companies like to collect details about their target markets. They will send out surveys asking how many children you have, and what their ages and genders are. Remember that you are not obligated to anybody to share this information and that every small bit of detail that you let slip about your family is like a piece of a puzzle floating around in cyberspace. It is easier than you may think to collect all the fragmented information you may have let slip and piece together a pretty accurate picture of your entire family.

Guard Access To Photos

One of the biggest gaps when it comes to protecting personal information is online photo and video sharing. This is especially true on sites like Facebook and YouTube. While it is natural to want to let the world see home movies and cute photos of your precious darlings, keep in mind that you are letting the whole world see home movies and cute photos of your precious darlings. Once something has been posted, online caching makes it virtually impossible to fully control who sees it even after you may decide to delete it.

Forget About Your Child's Right To Privacy

Many parents are overly concerned with ensuring that their kids feel like they are trusted and need to have some degree of privacy. When it comes to the Internet, this is a very wrong premise. The fact of the matter is that allowing your child to feel that nobody is watching what they do over their shoulder only lets them feel like they can do anything they want. As a result, the only person that will be giving your child their privacy is you. The rest of the world can see exactly what they are doing. How much sense does that make?

As parents, at some point we all need to pull back and let our kids make their own mistakes. However, the scale and magnitude of the mistakes that they can make by not doing enough to protect themselves online is not worth the learning experience. Some mistakes are too costly to be permitted and the steps taken to protect them are the same steps that would be taken for a person of any age.

With so many social networking sites already on the Internet, why do we need twitter?

Twitter has cashed in on the essence what draws people to the internet. So few other networks have even begun to try to grasp what they have pretty much perfected. Twitter provides the ability to connect and share without getting sucked in. It acts as a peripheral, a side view.

You can pretty much keep doing anything from drive your car to take a shower and still keep on top of what is happening in the world and let the world know what you are up to. Because of the huge amount of traffic on the site, there is even a certain amount of anonymity to individual posts. Sure, people can opt to follow specific Tweeters but, they can also decide to block anybody they don't want reading their posts.

Technology, as a whole, has become all absorbing. All engulfing. It is all too easy to sit down for a few seconds to check email and end up spending far too long in front of the screen. Other tasks and obligations fall by the wayside as widgets and posts vie for our time. With Twitter, the information comes in bursts. Short, random bursts. It gives us back autonomy over our own lives.

Social networking sites work on the premise of creating networks of friends. With security and privacy on top of everybody's mind, the information shared is becoming ever more cloistered to the allowed few. How Twitter differs is it permits the thoughts to cross the shelter and safety of the friends people have made. It is, therefore, much better suited to spread messages to individuals and groups we hope to reach but, do not have access to.

There is a place for social networking, just as there is a place for websites and blogs. There is also a niche for Twitter. Perhaps the only drawback is its inability to stay on top of capacity demand. One year ago there was a post on their website:

"As reflected in the sidebar of this blog, we’re seeing a lot of over capacity errors and long load times. We’re working on this problem.
Update: We’re still investigating this issue. We are temporarily reducing the API rate limit to 20 requests per hour in order to help address the latency issues we’re seeing. "

So far, there is little competition but, with the introduction of Google Wave, Twitter better stay on the tip of its claws. Due to the open platform architecture and its open source approach, coupled with its heavy involvement with Cloud Computing, Google is well poised to address where Twitter falls apart. Then again, maybe Google will just buy Twitter and see what they can make of it. In case you haven't seen the rumors, this is not such a far fetched notion.

How the SME can gain competitive advantage through technology

Imagine yourself in possession of a computing device that is powered by air and able to use elastics to provide real-time meaningful insight into every aspect of your business. What if this device could ensure that the products and services you deliver surpass those of your competition? How much is that worth?

The U.S. Census Bureau reports that over 98% of all businesses in America have receipts of under $5 million per year, with three quarters of those companies being self-employed individuals. According to Statistics Canada, 58% of employer firms are considered to be small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs), with one to four employees. This means that a significant portion of the diverse and dynamic North American economy is comprised of companies with very limited resources.

Unless a company is able to boast an imbedded customer base, things like service, quality, and location are often overshadowed by the need to be price competitive. However, competing on price alone is not good for anybody. In lean times, these are the first companies to go under, dragging down the entire economy with them. In boom times, it stifles innovation and advancements. Still, while there are many ways for companies to differentiate themselves from their competition, they can only do what is within their means.

The idea that effective use of available and emerging technologies can turn the tables on their competition is a bit of a pie in the sky for most SMEs. Many regard tools like fully integrated equipment resource planning software (ERP), that can be accessed securely and remotely, to be unattainable and something that only large companies with deep pockets can do. Until recently, this was very true since it required access to round-the-clock, dedicated and often expensive expert skill sets, and costly computer hardware and software. This is no longer the case.

The concept of ERP has been around for over 40 years. It was initially developed to improve inventory control and management at manufacturing firms. As its popularity grew, so did its scope. About 20 years ago, other business sectors began to notice the benefits associated with implementing one of these systems. Companies from various industries started coming to the conclusion that a company would be most productive if it was able to achieve organizational efficiency. This could only be done by linking all of its internal business processes into a single interrelated and synchronized organism. The resulting connection between front and back office operations enabled companies to be more proactive, enabling them to better identify areas of concern and address them before they escalated.

Modern ERP systems incorporate best practices, typically from a company’s quality manual, with software and hardware to automate mission critical back office operations. The systems are made up of a series of modules which all feed information into a common relational database. Unique information, such as a product code or a client name is entered only once and then used by various departments. This way, any information related to that product or that customer is always easily located, up to date, and linked throughout the database to all modules that may be affected by it.

In addition to reducing the possibility of human error and redundant data entry, the system enables departments that previously tended to act as silos, such as Accounting, Human Resources, Operations, and Shipping, to adapt a more collaborative approach. Coordination of departmental priorities and their alignment with the organization as a whole enhances all aspects of key operations. It effectively forces everybody to speak the same language.

The reduction of redundant activities, enforcement of standardized methodologies and elimination of data silos improves not only the speed with which information is gathered but, also its quality and accuracy. Thus, strategic planning can be based much more on empirical data rather than the SWAG approach. The information output from an ERP takes the focus away from the onerous task of gathering and assessing outcomes and allows management to focus on quantifying goals and determining how to realize them.

Because an ERP is modular in nature, it is scaleable. This means that any company of any size can benefit from a system which summarizes all of its operational areas and allows them to have a real-time bird’s eye view of any one aspect, at any given time. Reporting generated through the system will easily identify and highlight any gaps that may have been easily otherwise overlooked.

The systems typically incorporate user-level security settings so that while every department is able to input information that other departments need to use, individual employees are only able to see what is within their scope of work. Most ERPs on the market include modules related to quality, sales, manufacturing, and supply chain management.

The Quality system contains any quality standards to which the company has committed itself as well as organizational charts and process flow charts. Sales modules typically include order entry, tracking and client details. The Manufacturing module contains things like scheduling, production job specifications, material requirements, inventory control and job tracking. Supply Chain Management will usually contain information related to not only tracking current orders but, also provide management with an opportunity to monitor supplier performance.

For the past three decades people viewed the Internet and the personal computer as two separate entities that sometimes needed to connect to each other. They knew exactly who owned what files and exactly where there were stored. Often, a company’s ability to provide certain products, services, or quality guarantees was hampered by their inability to afford the supporting software and training. The concept of Cloud Computing, formerly known as Web 2.0, is rapidly changing all that.

The forces behind the latest incarnation of the web are pushing the notion that end-users should embrace outsourcing all the complicated and costly aspects of getting it done and only focus on firmly identifying their requirements and deliverables. The technical stuff should be outsourced for minimal pay-per-use expense. By taking advantage of hosted and managed services organizations would be able to focus on what they know best and leave the rest to the experts.

The impact of this on the SME’s bottom line can be significant. If a company hires an IS/IT department, purchases software licenses, and installs hardware they have to deal with all the costs associated with financing, installation, training, management, service interruptions, malfunctions, and support. They will pay for these things when they will use them, and they will pay for them when they will not be using them. In addition to providing access to limitless resources, Cloud Computing acts as a virtual time-sharing program. During peak times clients are able to instantly access infinite computer and software resources. When the requirement is met, they are released back into the Cloud. It’s as simple as flicking a switch and takes place seamlessly and instantly.

The idea is not all that different from the model used by utility companies. For instance, when there is high demand on the electricity grid the utility company feeds more power into the grid. When demand is low they scale back the amount provided. If demand surpasses available supply they outsource what is needed.

Similarly, billing is based on consumption. Businesses pay for what they actually use, which is just a fraction of the overall capacity. Effectively, they are buying milk whenever they are thirsty instead of the whole cow, the farm it lives on, and all the farmhands that make sure it is properly taken care of. Amazon calls this concept the Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2) where customers buy computer time so that they can load and run their own applications. Users are able to set up server instances in insulated zones to allow for backup and server redundancy, minimizing any downtime.

By taking advantage of the scalability offered by elastic networking, companies could stop worrying about losing market share because they were unable to keep up with the demand placed on their servers. Server crashes and lack of storage space have become non-issues because of the virtually unlimited ability to get more whenever it is necessary and not be burdened with anything that is not actively being utilized. For an SME, the ability to scale its technological requirements up or down, on demand, allows for cost allocation where it is needed most and a drastic reduction in overhead expenses.

In addition to hosting services such as the company website, and managed services such as email, on-the-cloud-computing allows companies to lease software instead of purchasing costly software licenses. This is known as software as a service (SaaS). Early adopters of SaaS were companies within industries for whom personal computing developments meant not just the decline of their industries but, a steady free-fall into the depths of oblivion. One such example is the professional photofinishing industry. Digital cameras and the ability to manipulate and cherry pick which images to print posed a serious risk to their business.

So, the industry migrated to the web, successfully convincing millions of people to let them handle all of the issues related to storing and managing their photo archives and providing software solutions that enabled users to customize their prints for optimal output on almost limitless media, from paper to blankets. The services were fully integrated with file uploading, storage, archival, retrieval, production, and distribution systems. The only thing the customer cared about was the ability to get a 12 or 18-month calendar customized with their family’s most favorite moments and special dates, delivered either to any store of their choosing or right to their home.

There are two types of SaaS and both have to do with who manages the end-user’s data. Social networking sites upload members’ information and store it in the Clouds to populate SaaS applications. For an SME, relinquishing control of their company’s proprietary information can be a deal breaker. This is where the Clouds start to float on AIR. Adobe Integrated Runtime (AIR) is a cross-platform runtime environment for building rich Internet applications. In plain English this translates to not having to purchase and install software. Instead, it is possible to lease the software on a pay-per-use basis. The software resides on a Cloud server while the data remains with the end-user.

Large Fortune 500 companies routinely utilize ERP software as a significant competitive advantage over the little guys. A robust ERP application is the most effective way for an enterprise to grasp its total cost of ownership (TCO) by delivering a 360-degree view of all of its attributes including its customers, products, and operations. This information fosters the right environment for effective strategic planning and development activities. It promotes best practice implementation for management and quality processes. The net results are lowered costs that can be passed along to the customer, and an improved ability to deliver superior service and quality.

The use of on-the-cloud tools levels the playing field by substantially reducing capital expenditures while providing a gateway to leading-edge technology. A SaaS ERP application offers even the smallest of SMEs the ability to offer their clients the exact same deliverables as their largest competitor. Since no two companies are exactly the same, the Cloud enables SMEs to multiply their ability to identify not only a strong competitive advantage but, also a sustainable one.

The list of organizations championing Cloud technology is impressive. Some interested parties include: Cisco, Intel, Thomson Reuters, orange, Sun Microsystems, enomaly, Adaptivity, Appistry, SOASTA Testing in the Cloud, Zero Nines, CloudCamp, SIMtone Corporation, IBM, RSA, Google, Yahoo, and Microsoft. With so much invested in its success the biggest question is: “Who Owns Cloud Computing?” The answer is that nobody knows. It isn’t even certain who owns an end user’s meta-data. The technology is so exciting and emerging at such a rapid pace that the logistics have yet to be ironed out. What is certain is that this is the single most significant technological advancement since the advent of the Internet and is not going to go away.

The Cloud Computing Interoperability Forum is hoping to ensure that the communication between interested parties is open and that all are working toward a common goal. According to their disclaimer, it “is a group of industry stakeholders that are active in cloud computing. The groups’ goal is to define an organization that would enable interoperable enterprise-class cloud computing platforms through application integration and stakeholder cooperation.” Setting and implementing compliance standards will be a large task with a long road ahead of it.

The other major stumbling block is concerns over security. Even after the issue will be addressed it will still be a fantastic chore to convince the average SME stakeholder that risks involved are being adequately mitigated. Many are still holding on to physical filing cabinets because they are weary of the rapid and volatile nature of software development and the related backward compatibility issues. The smaller the enterprise, the more it is averse to risk. Asking them to surrender their critical data to a consortium of unknown providers in the sky may be a bit of a tough sell.

The most interesting factor is that the choice may not be up to the user. In one way or another anybody who is using the Internet is already taking advantage of somebody else’s decision to utilize hosted and managed services. If you access the Internet for email, banking, education or library resources, use an online service for photo developing, shop, view streamed episodes of your favorite shows, and any number of other things you have already taken advantage of Cloud computing in some way.

Smart mobile devices such as the iPhone, Blackberry, or a connected GPS are all examples of popularly adopted computing hardware that work with Cloud Computing to deliver their cornucopia of digital delights. Using smart mobile devices loaded with a SaaS ERP application can provide an organization with anywhere, anytime access to any data that has been defined by the user as critical.

For an SME, where just about everybody wears many hats, the right tools can make all the difference. The ability to be notified and respond in a timely manner to urgent developments enable the provision of the highest quality of service and response to customer requirements, ensuring elevated customer satisfaction and service levels that significantly exceed those of their competitors.


Sources:
http://www.sme-fdi.gc.ca/eic/site/sme_fdi-prf_pme.nsf/eng/00647.html
http://www.census.gov/epcd/www/smallbus.html
http://www.business-software.com/top-10-erp-software-vendors-confirmation.php
http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=6PNuQHUiV3Q#t=20
http://www.cloudcamp.com/
http://groups.google.com/group/cloudforum

Balloon Boys and Silver UFOs

Let's face it. Falcon Heene's little slip up about dear mommy and daddy telling him to stay hidden while the entire continent was having a collective heart attack looking for him was a cry for help. Pure and simple.

Children, despite their parents, often have an innate self preservation mechanism. Perhaps after all this stuff that their parents have allowed them to experience this was the straw that broke him down. Perhaps, even at six years old little Falcon must have realize that maybe his parents needed somebody to reign them in.

Children need structure and discipline. They need stability. They need to be taught that there are limits and which lines not to cross. They need to know what would happen if the wrong buttons are pushed, too hard.

Falcon had a long time to sit up in the attic of his folks' garage and think. But, perhaps it didn't come from the front of his mind. Most likely it was something within him that snapped. At six, he should have known better and realized how serious this was.

Well, even if he didn't know it. It doesn't matter. The point is that this was a serious prank. In these tough economic times it was a huge waste of tax payers' money. These people still think they are playing in a sandbox and somebody will come and sweep up when they are done. Well, the clean-up crew has arrived and it probably isn't exactly what the Heene's had banked on.

Stephen Harper - The Pheonix Has Risen

The really scary part about Michael Ignatieff is that he doesn't get the difference between stuff that looks good on paper and real life. Now that the economy is on the mend it looks like most Canadians have come to their senses and see the danger posed by having an academic for a Prime Minister.

The latest polls show that he stands to do worse than Stephan Dion. Just goes to show you that idealism is still better than a lack of street smarts.

What most people have stopped talking about is that Canada was not in as bad shape as many other countries that succumbed to the global economic crisis. There were many measures put in place to ensure that this was the case. Really, Harper didn't have to do anything but wait, and he might have if he'd had a majority.

For the most part, this was a good thing. That's the beauty of living in a multi-party democracy. Every once in a while Harper's right wing notions do have to be reigned in. For a while there, he was running scared. He prostituted himself at every turn. At one point he even tried to talk to Layton.

But, his crimes of treason against his own ideals are nothing compared to Jack and Bob. Thank goodness that Bob Rae didn't get the chance to do to the country what he did to Ontario and God help us if Layton ever actually figured out just how much greed kills and learned to reign himself in. He got so close to power last December that he could taste the blood on his lips. It is no secret that he was the one pulling the strings of the Coalition.

Layton's rise to power was truly impressive. His biggest personal problem is that he started off truly believing that he could do some good and then realized that he'd love to be the top dog in Parliament. It isn't even clear just how much he still believes in his party's position. The more he loses focus, the louder he bangs the NDP drum. You know what they say about absolute power.

The most frightening, and as seen in recent history, not unrealistic potential is that Layton will try to walk across the floor and take over from Ignatieff. There is no honor in politics and no matter what he has said in the past he might just do it. If that were to happen, there are not too many people that would be strong enough to beat him out. Not bad for an ex-Ryerson professor.

Well, he hasn't properly set the ground work just yet. If he tried to do it before the next election he'd basically spell the end of his own carrier. He would need time to prepare to transpose his credibility to a more tempered approach. He has gone too far down the the Union path to be able to survive and elastic lurch toward the center.

In the mean time Harper is finally within site of a majority. Under his leadership Canada did not come anywhere close to the devastation experienced in the United States. So, the proof is in the pudding. Plus, it doesn't hurt that he can do justice to a Beetles classic.

The past year must have taught Harper quite a bit. He has come a long way from sending his son off to school with a firm handshake. His calm nature and do-what-it-takes-to-ride-out-the-storm approach has worked and now the country is ready for the very thing that just a week or two ago he was the first to say was against popular inclination.

Should drug companies be allowed to advertise?

How wonderful it would be to go to a doctor and feel that they take the Hippocratic Oath seriously. That they're first priority is the health of their patients. That they have no allegiances to drug companies. How idyllic it would be to think that the prescriptions they write are for drugs that are most suitable to the condition rather than a SWAG as to the chances that it is likely to do the trick.

Drug companies are businesses such as any other and some very beneficial drugs would never be made available to the people that would benefit from them most if they were to be unable to advertise. However, the medium and means by which drugs are advertised should really be debated. Further, whom is it appropriate to advertise to?

Since when are patients knowledgeable enough about drugs to be hassling their doctors to prescribe specific drugs? Many doctors face extreme pressure at the hands of overly zealous early adopters and feel unable to deny their pleadings for drugs which many not be all that beneficial.

The other areas of concern revolve around product samples provided to doctor's offices, as well as commission payments offered to doctors for their products' prescriptions. In effect, rather than trying to focus on the business of healing, or at least doing no harm, doctors are trying to meet sales quotas.

The natural greed and competitive nature of individuals who obviously had to be good enough to get into and succeed at medical school must be tempered. How can we trust that the drugs being prescribed are best able to address our needs and that they will not contradict with anything else being taken if the doctor is more concerned with his personal payoff rather than the contents of the medical chart they are holding?

So, should drug companies be banned from advertising their products? No. It is a necessary evil. Should it be banned from the public? Maybe. The trouble is that most people do not do enough due diligence. They trust the opinion of experts just a little bit too much. They rely on advertising as being truthful. Not enough people are willing to actually research and seek second and third opinions. When it comes to serious illness, the right drugs can make the difference between the ability to recover and the inability to do so.

At the end of the day, a company cannot be limited in its ability to attempt to attain profitability, providing that it has met requirements set out by government and other regulatory bodies. The onus must be on the patient to not take their doctor's words as gospel. It is possible that their opinion is not entirely driven by altruism and that they overlooked some key element in your care.

Something Smells in Colorado

This afternoon my face flushed as I drove to pick up my child from school. The thought of a six year old boy potentially plummeting from a wildly out of control quickly rising balloon made my blood run cold. Well, the best of all possible outcomes was exactly how it all ended.

The thing is, Mr. Heene dost protest too much. He appeared deeply outrage at being accused of orchestrating the entire incident for some sort of publicity. Well, what would you expect him to say? Yup, it's been a while since anybody paid any attention to us and check out this cool floating shroom I just built.

Evidence of this guys excellent parenting skills is all over the internet. It didn't take long to come up with some golden nuggets. All they said this afternoon is that Mr. Heene has a passion for chasing weather. Perhaps he's more of a glory hound than a storm chaser.

I have often wondered what sort of people would actually agree to doing the "Wife Swap" experiment. It's an interesting notion but, what sort of people would be that open to not only letting the world watch the inner workings of their particular brand of dysfunction but, also encourage their spouse to live with somebody else.

These are not exactly the type of people that sit down and fully think things through. For them consequences are defined by regrets of things undone. Nothing seems to be off-limits.

Well, fortunately for all the people who's hearts collectively stopped this afternoon, I don't believe that this incident will just blow over. There are guidelines and regulations that he would have been bound by so an investigation will follow.

Richard, if you read this, I really am glad that Falcon was found safe and sound. But, it's really tough to believe the story about him hiding in a box in the attic for such a long time considering that from what I can see on the Web he doesn't strike me as the type to run and hide just because you yelled at him.

Some guy on a farm

I sit here and type
Hope to be read
Say something at night
While the kids are in bed

Some guy on a farm
Plowing his field
Sits on a tractor
PDA in hand

He's taking a break
From a hard morning's work
Checks the latest blurbs
From blogs around the world
That's where he finds me
Reads my two cents

Thank you dear farmer
For reading my work
If you have a comment
Let it be heard

How to protect against online identity theft

The Internet is a wonderful thing. At the touch of a button you can find anything you need to know or buy. You can communicate with just about anybody. It keeps people in touch and saves oodles of time. You don't have to stand in line at the bank or go to the library to find out if the book you want is available. In fact, you don't have to go to the library, at all. You don't even have to fly over to Siberia to talk to your cousin. You can just Skype them. But, now we know that the price for all this convenience is a risk of identity theft.

Although surfing on-line may seem innocent enough, there are tools and applications that allow just about anybody to know a little too much about you, based on a site might have visited even by accident. You might have read a cool blog entry and moved on but, the owner of that blog is now able to see the roof of your house by using something like StatCounter. With ever emerging technology, it's only a hop skip and a jump until they can link that information to a picture of your face and your favorite flavor of ice cream, and this is before we even start thinking about phishing and on-line hackers.

Fortunately, there are some things that can be done to protect ourselves from identity theft. Luckily, they are not difficult or expensive. Well, unless you don't do them. Then, they become very expensive.

Choose Passwords Wisely

If you have done any amount of surfing on-line you will know that just about everybody wants you to create a login and password, even if you only ever plan on visiting the site once and don't need to buy anything. Many people enter something memorable for themselves. This makes it pretty easy to crack. A much better option is selecting a random phrase and throwing in a number or two to make it interesting. It will make it next to impossible to guess.

Protect Passwords

It doesn't matter who is asking, don't share passwords. Identity theft is accomplished by stringing together clues related to who you and your electronic footprint. If they watch your activities long enough they can find the right gap to step through. All it takes is one vendor that is not diligent enough at verifying consumer identity and then go from there.

If you did find yourself in an unavoidable situation and had to provide somebody with your password, be sure to change it at the first opportunity. Also, avoid using the same password multiple times. This adds a layer of complexity for them to muddle through. Even if they access one site they will not be able to access anything else. It is also highly recommended to modify passwords every few months.

Get Rid of Baggage

Sites love to leave cookies on your computer. Tracking cookies do just that. They track your activity and send the information back whomever is monitoring it. Depending on which browser you are using there are slightly different ways to clear browser history, or cache. Figure out how to do it, and get in the habit of doing it after every session. That way even if somebody is tracking your activities, you are limiting how much information they are able to get. However, cleaning the history through the browser will only do so much. There will still be some residual data and any email traffic will not have been affected. To clean up loose ends a software like Privacy Control by Pareto Logic is a good bet.

Protect Against Spyware

There is a difference between viruses and spyware. Spyware is not necessarily bad but, it does spy on you. Viruses actually do something harmful. Having an anti-virus software is not enough. If you notice your computer start dragging after visiting a particular site run a spyware scan. You will likely discover a file or two that needs to be removed. The key to remember is that spyware is developed by programmers and programmers are fallible and not all knowing. In other words, it is a good idea to run more than one just to make that in case the first scan missed something the backup one will catch the threat.

Encrypt Your Keystrokes

Perhaps the biggest gap when it comes to identity theft is that the hackers don't have to rely on guessing passwords. Instead, they are perfectly happy to sit back and remotely capture all your keystrokes. There will not be one single thing that can be typed without them figuring out exactly which keys were pressed and in which sequence.

Most malware, or harmful software, evolves faster than antivirus software is able to keep up with. "A recent report from the organization for economic co-operation and development (OECD) claims that 59 million (one in four) personal computers in the US are already infected with malware. According to this report, malware has evolved from occasional 'exploits' to global multi-million-dollar criminal industry." [1]

The best way to deal with this is to encrypt anything and everything you type in such a way that even if the keystrokes are captured it would be impossible to decrypt because the code would be partially stored locally and partially elsewhere. Many financial institutions have partnered with a company called Trusteer who provide a software solution called Raport. The beauty of Raport is that once installed on your machine it allows you to select particular websites to protect. As with anything, Rapport does not support every browser but, they are looking to expand to include others.

Credit Reports

At the end of the day, the best way to ensure that your identity has not been stolen is to request annual credit reports. These are mandated to be free by the government because nobody should have to pay to see their own information. In the U.S. this can be done through http://www.ftc.gov/freereports. In Canada, there are three companies who collect credit information (Equifax Canada, Trans Union Canada and Experian Canada)[3]. It is important to contact all three because where one can show nothing the other will not be so clean. If all depends on whom a company may have contacted.

Staying on top of not only who may be able to see your private information, as well as ensuring that your identity is still safely yours, can be time consuming and cumbersome. But, it is nothing compared to what is involved in clearing your good name. Taking the proper preventative measures can make surfing a much better and safer experience.

Too scared to let turkeys roam outside

Well, score one more point toward idiotic bureaucracy and over-the-top paranoia. H1N1, formerly known as swine flu is nothing to sneeze about. Sure, you'll find nurses and doctors all over the place trying to assure their patients that the media is creating a mountain out of a mole hill but, the reality is that it is scary.

Still, very few people function well in panic mode and that is what we have here. Full blown panic mode. To be a little more clear on the topic it's panic mode coupled with greed and the fear of not being able to put a turkey on the table for next Thanksgiving. In response to fear of domestic stock being adversely affected by avian flu, "The Turkey Farmers of Ontario – an industry marketing board of 192 Ontario producers who control nearly half of Canada’s annual quota production – introduced a rule last year that forces all quota holders to confine turkeys indoors, under a solid roof." [1]

The crazy thing is that in order to keep these turkey's from getting sick through the means used to prevent them from getting sick (yes, I get dizzy reading that, too) the farmers are forced to feed them all sorts of drugs. It is quickly becoming a little known fact that any living creature is stronger when it is permitted to go outside and get proper exercise. By confining them indoors, they are actually making the birds sick. To offset this, they are shooting them up with antibiotics, which assists the proliferation of drug resistant organisms.

In a nut shell, the more people attempt to control nature, the more we all stand to lose. But, as chair of the board, Ingrid DeVisser, said: "We are doing what we can to protect the industry."[2] Who cares how this will affect humanity as a whole?

You don't have to eat turkey to be affected by it. You just have to live on the same planet as a large group of people that will continue to buy and consume meat infused with antibiotics and growth hormones. Nobody knows why so many people are dying of cancer and early onset of puberty is become so prevalent. But, boy do we all love our turkeys.

As put so eloquently in the Toronto Star, next year it will be easier to purchase crack cocaine on the street than to buy an organic bird. The only way to fight this madness is to make a statement comprised of dollars and cents. If the driving force is to protect their industry, perhaps human revolt against being drugged into drug resistance would be enough of a threat for them to back down from this lunacy.

The trouble is that most people are just too short sighted to see the forest through the trees. For too many people this is not a fight worth waging, and that's too bad. For all of us.