/rant

Now, just gotta wait to come out of the tunnel so I can hit the post button . . .

bart, hip hop, public annoyances, rap, technology gone bad, ring tones

Now come on . . . what’s this “hoax device” b^llsh!t that you’re spreading? Can’t find a real law to enforce to justify this screwup?

There’s a problem with your charges of placing a hoax device . . . it’s called intent.  Were the devices intended to be a fake bomb, or were you just over excited by your recent anti-terror training?  Who’s the terrorist now?

insanity, homeland insecurity

The Good:

• Great Interface . . . one that only Apple could envision and execute!
• Well Rounded Feature Set!
• Marvelous Design!
• It’s Gorgeous!

But I’ve got a few issues that will need to be resolved before I will buy one:

1. EDGE?!?!? Apple, are you serious? Have you tried an EDGE data connection on Cingular? Calling it painful is generous . . . at best! A couple of facts about EDGE:
• It’s inadequate for video streaming and/or near real time media downloads. Less than 80k of throughput . . . in real world use, much less!
• Cingular is in the process of deploying UTMS/HSDPA 3G networking, and there should be a fair amount of coverage in metro areas within the year.
• There are many phones on the market with combined GPRS/EDGE/UTMS data support, why limit the iPhone?
• This handset has to be usable for at least as long as the carrier commitment (2 years minimum for this deal). Launching a “revolutionary” phone with yesterdays data access is inexcusable.
• The cellular ecosystem does not allow for the same upgrade cycle that Apple has enjoyed previously with the iPod. The cost of upgrading hardware mid-contract is prohibitively expensive. Who here has experienced the sticker shock of replacing a lost or damaged handset? What’s the price of this phone without a “carrier subsidy”? Enough said.
• I really hope the hardware is capable of 3G/UTMS/HSDPA out of the box . . . just waiting for a code to activate, like the recent stealth roll out of the Pre-N WiFi cards in recent Apple hardware?
2. 4/8Gb Storage? Not enough to use it for a video media player
• I hope the slot below the camera lens (on the left side of the phone) is a removable media bay (CompactFlash I Hope, but I’ll settle for SD).
3. WiFi Access:
• Where is the seamless VoIP integration that can roam between the Cingular and WiFi network?
• Open WiFi is not ubiquitous in the US, and most public access is fee based.
• Cingular, your signal sucks in my house but I have great WiFi coverage.
4. And now no user installable applications . . . according to The Unofficial Apple Weblog.

apple, cellular, cingular, wifi, iphone

Looks like GM (of all companies) may have the first working, commercially available, electric vehicle on the market.  Dubbed the “Volt” . . .  expect the name to change before it is released.  The new EV is expected to have a 40 mile battery only range, with a small fuel powered engine that exists solely to charge the battery . . . that’s right, this car has no direct drive linkage to the fuel powered motor making it an EV rather than a hybrid!  The EV batteries are expected to be fully charged by the fuel motor within 30 minutes . . . even as the car cruises at 70MPH!

Concept and marketing photos of the Volt are available at AutoBlogGreen.
It appears that the new EV will have a modular architecture that allows for different charging motor technologies to be installed based on local markets for alternate fuels . . . such as E85, E100, Hydrogen and Biodiesel.

I want one . . . with my current driving commute of less than 3 miles a day . . . I’ve already been looking at a long available EV . . . the Segway to fully eliminate all fossil fuel burning from my commute . . . after all, I can’t force BART to use solar, hydro or wind power for the trains . . . at least not yet
This could actually be considered for my next car.  I refuse to buy another gasoline driven vehicle.  Yes, this even means a hybrid is out of the question.  World events and true national security requirements dictates that we remove ourselves from the global oil economy sooner rather than latter.  I don’t think that the current generation of cars being sold today will have a useful life span beyond 5-7 years due to the expected high price (in dollars and lives) or crude oil.  Those in the oil business in the US better get in gear and figure out what their business continuity plans are post Oil . . . or they go the way of the dinosaurs.  Come to think of it . . . maybe they will be THE next energy source, quite literally

ev, alternative energy, crude oil, energy independence, hybrid, oil, real national security, electric vehicle

By all accounts the paper look fine; it’s clear and complete and would appear to fulfill all of the requirements of the assigned project . . . except for the minimum page count. I recommended that she fill the remaining pages with a case study on the effects of requiring minimum page lengths for papers in an MBA program; I recommended she title the essay “Indoctrinated Waste”.

After she stopped laughing at me, she declined my advise citing her impending failure on the final project . . . we agree to disagree

Seriously, why would an MBA program worth anything require minimum document lengths for a final project (or any project for that matter)?  It’s like rewarding a project lead for coming in at or over budget, while penalizing a project lead that delivers a project under budget. This lesson reinforces the wrong goals for an effective business person . . . efficiency should be the goal of any project.

Scores are not calculated (in a properly run business) by the length of your documentation, rather you’re measured on speed of delivery, completeness and accuracy of the final product. Business communications should be made as clearly and succinctly as possible . . . any more is waste and is a distraction to the business goal.

Business reality dictates that this MBA project should be scored based on the minimum number of pages required to effectively and accurately communicate the intended message. Additional scoring should be based on the speed at which the project is completed, with the lowest positive score for speed being assigned to a project turned in on the actual due date.  Alas, this would require the faculty to think critically about the project scoring process, and spend time actually grading the project objectively based on real world business goals.

One more illustration of what is wrong with higher education today; the collective “Institution” continues to turn out college grads that are ill equipped to handle today’s business world . . . and in a large number of cases, actually present a liability to the company that hires them.

business, efficiency, mba, higher education

While I can understand the checking of ID to verify you are the actual recipient of a package you are picking up, someone with ill intent attempting to ship a dangerous package is unlikely to provide their real ID . . . they’ll just use a fake.

So, who does this policy actually protect? UPS . . . you want to weigh in? Your website does not seem to disclose any information explaining this change.

false security, identification required, security theater, united parcel service, ups

Kind of makes sense in the age of TiVo and Pop-up blockers, the audience is rebelling against the marketers’ message. I’ve long thought (and vocalized) that product placement is the way for this issue to sort itself out. Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not for commercials embedded in, and/or thinly disguised as programming; rather honest to goodness use and placement of products in everyday TV shows. If anything, it adds to the realism and believability of the storyline when you see products you use everyday in use by your favorite stars. It can actually create a bond between the audience and the character using the product.
How many people have noticed the huge number of Apple products that have found there way into mainstream TV shows? Apple products have cropped up on hit shows such as “24″, “House”, “Las Vegas”, “The Office” and “CSI: NY” . . . sure they look cool, but do you think they are there by accident? The Washington Post had an interesting article earlier this year on product placement.

Of course, no one wants to go back to the days of blatant Colgate and Geritol pitches worked into the evening news copy . . . but product placement could be good for the viewing public . . . recovering the 15-20 minutes of every programming hour currently dedicated to commercial advertising could allow for more in-depth, compelling and entertaining content for the viewing public (though it may expose reality TV for what it is . . . garbage).

tivo, advertising, television, product placement

• PT = Normal Coffee Intake
• MT = Depends on the Season
• CT = +1 Shot
• ET = +2 Shots

Needless to say, I’ve been consuming triple shots all week long Though oddly enough, I seem to have less of a problem adapting my internal schedule to Eastern Time than I do to Central or Mountain Time. Guess I need to skip over the middle stuff a bit more

travel, coffee

First, United is awesome! When I was checking my bags in San Antonio, the ticket agent looked up my flight status and realized that my flight to Denver was delayed and would not likely make my connection in Denver . . . with a high probability of an overnight stay in my future. So instead of sending me on my way, he booked me on an earlier flight to Denver, handed me a boarding pass . . . and then thanked ME for flying with them!!!! It’s rare for me to be speechless, but I found myself without a response . . . other than “awesome”.

Second, on the plane ride out to Denver I pulled my headphones out of their carry case, only to discover that they were developing stress cracks in the plastic where the headband attached to the ear cups. Having purchased them in Denver Airport a couple of years ago, I thought I would drop in at the Bose booth to see what they could do for me. I showed them to the Bose rep, and she recognized the problem right away, you see, it seems this was a design flaw in the first model of their QuietComfort 2 headsets. Instead of arguing about the warranty status and age of my headset, they looked me up in their computer, verified I did buy them from them, and then swapped them out for the new, upgraded model! No questions asked! Again, all I could muster was an “awesome, thank you!”

Third, have I mentioned how much I hate the cigar tube with wings they call the Canadair Regional Jet? Seriously, these things are awful to travel on (but would make a nice private jet!). The only saving grace was not being in coach. Coach on a CRJ makes Soutwest seats look like first class by comparison!

So, I’ve got a few more hours before my next flight, hopefully it will be uneventful. I’ll enjoy listening to my new headphone on the ride home!

bose, crj, canadair, quietcomfort 2, regional jet, united airlines, air travel, coach, customer service, awesome