Tuesday, May 31, 2005

Why Didn't I Think Of This?

A lighthearted look at the news this morning brings us to a gentleman who has found a different way to keep himself occupied in his retirement years. 1,000 Bars in 1 Year is the blog of a retired computer geek from New York. Retirement planners have told me I need a better plan for how to keep myself occupied after retirement than going fishing every day. Maybe they were right. My new plan is fishing and blogging. How about "1,000 Honey holes in 100 Days." Better yet, I think I will name that blog "They Were Really Hitting Yesterday." "Woppers.com" is surely already taken. I think I'll just keep working on that name.

Monday, May 30, 2005

Wireless Internet Solution

As I chronicled already, I have added an iPAQ Pocket PC to my collection of gadgets. Besides adding one more tool for controlling all of my other gadgets it gives me one more portal into the internet and this blog. Now I can start a post while out on lunch and finish it later. This is at least what I am telling myself, but since I really haven't taken a lunch break in the last two weeks it a little hard to tell if this was a good plan.

Since there is no real reason to have a wireless device without a wireless connection point, I went out recently and purchased a wireless router (funny how one gadget begets the purchase of another). As I started making the rounds of various retail establishments, I quickly found that everyone carries the Belkin Wireless G Router. After visiting several, like CompUSA and Circuit City, I also found that none of these establishments are very innovative in their pricing. They have all decided that the going price for one of these gizmos is $69.95. So I decided a trip across the street to visit the Evil Empire (Walmart). Would be worth my time. Sure enough, there was the same product for $39.95. The best part of the deal (after saving over 40% on the price) was the check out experience. No arguing with the sales clerk over purchasing an extended warranty for thirty bucks.

Now I can multi-task in the evening watching one of my many old World War II movies on DVD while I scribble ideas for a post in Word. As for the router, installation was extremely easy. I did have to do a hard reboot of the device after install to get it to connect, but it has worked well since. I am occasionally getting a no connection message on my desktop computer after a prolonged period of inactivity, but a quick click of the retry button always corrects that problem.

That reference to old World War II movies reminds me of one more thing. To all those that have served, currently serve and will serve in our armed forces, and especially those that have sacrificed with their lives and their families. THANK YOU!

The Carnival of the Capitalists

This week's Carnival of the Capitalists can be found at Slacker Manager.

Thursday, May 26, 2005

Carnival Of Education - Week 16

Carnival Of Education - Week 16 is running this week at Science and Politics.

Wednesday, May 25, 2005

Filibuster Deal Thoughts

Fourteen Senators have now tried to do a power grab. It is certainly hard to try and explain or understand. After all, fourteen is not a majority, and although it is hard to tell, they can not be in the good graces of their leadership. It would seem more certain that they are not in the good graces of the base of their own parties.

Some of these ladies and gentlemen appear to have other ambitions. I am sure they know their own strategies, but I do wonder where they are going to go for support. Will they turn to the 35% on the left that so adamantly believe that these judge candidates had to be defeated? Maybe they will find their support from that other 35% on the right who wanted to see all these nominees get an up or down vote.

Of course there is the simple question that goes unanswered. What happens when these first three nominees are confirmed and the filibustering begins again. Will these fourteen pick the next two or three nominees to be voted on? Maybe we go back to changing the rules and start this whole process over again. It is always amazing how politicians can delude themselves into believing that postponing a problem is a solution.

The whole strategy of filibustering judicial nominees was pure foolishness. Maybe we have seen the last of it. At this point, we can only wonder how many careers have been ended. Yet when it comes to how voters will interpret and react to this latest soap opera is anybodies guess. I certainly have misjudged voter reactions in the past. But this time around I am fairly certain that I will have some very distinguished company.

Am I upset or disgusted by these latest events? Not really. Nothing has been won or lost. This battle has simply been moved to a different day and time. In my heart, I can't help but wonder if this fight might not be better fought over a supreme court nominee when the public is actually paying attention.

Tuesday, May 24, 2005

Carnival of the Capitalists

The Carnival of the Capitalists is up and running at http://www.ideologicllc.com/wp/2005/05/22/carnival-of-the-capitalists.

CEO-CFO Ethics

This set of survey results arrives from Business Finance Magazine and leaves you wondering what is really being accomplished by the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. While the Act is meant to alleviate the problems experienced prior to the act, we are left with more than half of CFO's reporting that they feel at least as much or more pressure to do acts that they feel are unethical. Only 12% report that they feel that they have not ever been asked to do something unethical. Thankfully, I count myself in that 12%.

The rest of this little blurb goes as follows:

In early 2004, Business Finance polled subscribers about the impacts of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act on the finance function and the CFO-CEO relationship. A couple of the results were shocking: Asked whether finance executives faced more or less pressure (from the CEO and the board) to commit unethical actions since the new law's passage, only 30 percent of respondents answered "less." Fifty-seven percent of respondents said they faced the same -- or more! -- pressure to commit unethical actions in the post-Sarbanes era; a mere 12 percent indicated that they did not, and never had, experience such pressure. That uncomfortable environment makes Rushworth Kidder's new book, "Moral Courage: Taking Action When Your Values Are Put to the Test" (Morrow, 2005), required reading. Kidder is interviewed in this Across http://nls.bfmag.com/t?ctl=AAC9:10B033> the Board article. "You can negotiate your way to the top by doing whatever you feel you ought to do, but the question is: Will you be able to live with yourself knowing you compromised your principles?" he notes. "I'd say yes, many executives could -- and likely do -- live with themselves knowing that. Don't they need a stronger argument?" If you do, read this Q&A...

IPAQ Post

I have added a new IPAQ HP Pocket PC to the collection, and this is my first post. Reading the product reviews I was both excited and nervous. Some of the reviewers were ecstatic about the device, but some complained that the device simply quit after three days. Others complained that they could not manage the open programs, but that does not seem to be a problem.

The trick now will be to make the wireless feature work. If I can get that to work I will be able to communicate with the office on my Cozumel trip. That might sound stupid, but trust me its better than them trying to call me every day. Maybe I will even have a chance to blog.

Synchronizing to the computer at work is proving to be a chore, which means that I will need to figure out the correct addressing to the exchange server. I did get the internet connection to work, but not the email account. All I can say is that the MSN homepage looks mighty busy on a small screen. Overall the IPAQ has been rather simple to master. I have even programmed it so it controls the television and stereo. What a lucky man I am.

Wednesday, May 18, 2005

Let Teachers Teach and Students Learn

Over at the Rocky Mountain Alliance State Senator Joe stencil's (R - Littleton) ballot iniative "First Class Education for Colorado" is being covered. You can see Clay Calhoun's posts here and here. For more depth on the subject be sure to visit, the RMA's resident education expert Mt. Virtus.

Most baseball purist hate the designated hitter rule in baseball, but when asked why I like it I always tell people that I like to watch hitters hit and pitchers pitch. This is a rule that makes sense through a number of aspect of life, whether you are speaking of letting preachers preach, salesmen sell or teachers teach.

In my own personal experiences, I have dealt with parochial schools, public schools and now charter schools. A number of family members have chosen teaching as a career and there is one simple difference between the good schools and the bad that I have dealt with. The great schools all had high levels of discipline and parent involvement. Their money goes to the classroom. Parents take the mundane tasks off teachers, help administer the schools, run the social events, help get the kids to school, direct traffic in the parking lot, tutor the kids that need extra help...

Don't ever let a school administrator tell you that they cannot deliver 65% of their budget to the classroom. If they are truly doing their job and engaging their parents and students, they could probably deliver 100% or more.

The Carnival Of Education: Week 15

From the Education Wonks comes week 15 of the Carnival of Education.

Tuesday, May 17, 2005

Carnival of the Capitalists

Latest Carnival of the Capitalists can be found at Any Letter.

Friday, May 13, 2005

NASDAQ Coverup

Fri May 13,11:32 AM ET
Associated Press

Computer Problem Causes False Stock Quotes

NEW YORK - A computer problem at an unidentified stock trader caused erroneous, exaggerated prices to be posted to the Nasdaq Stock Market Friday morning, a spokeswoman for the Nasdaq said.

Only a handful of thinly traded stocks were affected, and the problem has been corrected, Nasdaq spokeswoman Bethany Sherman said. If any transactions were completed at those higher prices, those transactions will be broken and the sellers will get their stock back.

The problem arose when a broker linked to the all-electronic Nasdaq system inadvertently put out bids for stocks that were substantially higher than the prices in which those stocks normally trade. Shares of J.W. Mays Inc., which normally trades between $15 and $16 per share, was quoted as high as $136 on Friday.


The story above is from the Associated Press, but it seems they are simply taking the spoon fed version from the NASD. This little problem has been affecting the stock of the company that I work for, plus several others that I own or follow so, I have been getting some feedback from the brokerage community.

First, the trader involved is a very large New York brokerage with a name we would all recoginize. Secondly, these were real trades which the NASD is now breaking as if they really didn't happen. In the case of our company, I can tell you that there are some disappointed sellers out there that are having money taken out of their accounts for trades they made in good faith.

The other part of the story which isn't covered in this AP story yet is that there appears to be a fair amount of trading that was based on the original trades. Based on the stocks that I follow, there were also a number of companies whose price was impacted negatively.

I can also report that as of 4:00 PM EDT we have not had any communication from NASDAQ on this matter.

Governor Lame Duck

With this headline "Governor looks at life outside politics," I guess its official, the Governor is a lame duck. Of course with such accomplishments as allowing Amendment 23 to be passed with almost no opposition from himself, pushing the state into fiscal crisis. His allowing the state house and senate to turn over to democratic party control, because he couldn't seem to find time to come home and campaign. And his brilliant maneuver to trick the democrats into putting a holiday from Tabor spending limits onto November's ballot, he will be a great loss to his party and the state.

In many ways, he was little different from his immediate predecessor Roy Revenuer, he always got a thrill out of collecting and spending money. I can't help but believe that somewhere in all those negotiations with the democratic leadership this past legislative session was a deal for one more spending spree on one of the Governor's pet projects.

The Carnival Of Education: Week 14

Not to be missed The Carnival Of Education: Week 14 .

Tuesday, May 10, 2005

Looks Like A Week Off From Blogging...

Except it wasn't. Sometimes I wonder why I can't just look at a calendar and just say no to something. Last Thursday I went and signed myself up for scuba lessons (there is that twenty fifth wedding anniversary trip thing coming up next month). Next weekend's two all day sessions did look pretty far away. Of course on further review, it was only eight days, and that text book with only five chapters turns out to be 250 pages long. And don't even get me started on that little 4" X 6" card. Who new you could pack so many numbers on one little piece of plastic. Oh well, I'm too old to be able to read print that small (I wonder if its important?).

Don't get me going on that stupid calendar either. Half the things I had to do weren't on it anyway. Like those three makeup little league games (those rainouts sure seemed convenient at the time). They are fitting right in with the three regularly scheduled games (maybe it will rain again). At least, the mighty Thunder are playing well (for a bunch of seven year olds). But, I don't think they really like me. Every other pitch I threw Saturday came right back at my head, and the only player I was able to strike out was a sweet little girl who either likes me or is afraid of my pitching (I'm going with "likes me", but I think she's afraid of my pitching).

Then there was that Mothers Day thing. Who put that on the calendar, and why did everyone wait until Saturday afternoon to do their gift shopping? Those other guys sure are inconsiderate. I haven't seen anything like that since Valentines Day!

Finally, there is work. Its hard to differentiate between the busy part of the year and the non-busy part, but this is the busy part. No one seems to understand that its spring time and the fish are starting to bite. Oh well, I do like eating every day so I'll keep going to work and hope the phone doesn't ring with someone needing that one last favor.

A New Carnival Of The Capitalists

This weeks roundup of business related writing can be found at A Penny For...

Wednesday, May 04, 2005

Carnival of Education

This week's adventures into the world of education can be found at Jenny D.

A Note To Ken: Stop Digging

Our glory seeking Senator from Colorado, Ken Salazar, is in over his head, but he still just keeps digging. In a meeting with the Rocky Mountain News Editorial Board, Salazar gave further insight into himself. Evidently, Ken has been to the John F. Kerry school for standing on both sides of the issue, revealing to the editorial board that he might actually vote for some of the judges if they come up for a vote. "A couple I know personally," the former state attorney general said. "I will seriously consider voting for them." Seriously? Then why won't he vote to end debate and give these folks an up or down vote?

Ken also wants to protect our freedom to worship. According to Ken, "freedom to worship...Is a cornerstone of our democracy," and it is being undermined by "the radical right that cloaks itself in religion in a way that I think is dangerous for our country." "When you start using the kind of language that's being used, that's going too far," the Senator said. I'll say! When Senators start running around labeling people as the Antichrist, I get very worried about my freedom to worship.

Ken also shared in the interview that he is trying to make his mark as a minority senator by finding points of agreement. I could almost hear the violins in the background as he tried to draw sympathy for himself.

Frankly, if we had to vote a democrat and a Salazar into the Senate, it should have been his brother. When I review how our members of congress voted each week in the paper, I sometimes forget that we actually have three democrats in the House now.

There are other insights into Ken within the story, but no where in the story is Ken ever asked why he has broken his promise to give judges an up or down vote on the floor of the Senate. The whole story from the Rocky can be found
here.

Monday, May 02, 2005

Carnival of the Capitalists

This week's Carnival of the Capitalists is up for your surfing pleasure at INCITE!

Sunday, May 01, 2005

Happy Employees are Productive Employees

Browsing through my business related links this morning I ran onto this story at Business Pundit. The story references back to an interview with David Sirota, co-author of The Enthusiastic Employee: How Companies Profit by Giving Workers What They Want (Wharton School Publishing).

Mr. Sirota shares some of his insights into what is motivating people in the workforce today, and the benefits to productivity that may be achieved. I found the comments on job security, economic security and retraining very interesting. In my own experiences we practice many of these particular principles. We try to retrain rather than layoff, and often try to balance the positive contributions of employees when they present a difficult situation. We are often told by our employees that we give people too many chances. Maybe this is true, but sometimes we succeed with these people.

You can't please all of the people all of the time, but if you are looking for some insight into how your management style may be perceived by those you manage, these stories are worth a read.

Disturbing News From the Neighborhood

This particular story comes from right in the neighborhood, and may be related to this story. News4 Colorado has been reporting on one high school student's personal investigation into whether the military would recruit him without a high school diploma and with an admitted drug problem. This honor student's experience with a couple of local recruiters is disturbing.

From the pages of the Rocky Mountain News, comes the story of shots being fired into another recruiting office in Westminster. News4 Colorado does not seem to have a lot of interest in this story, but Westminster Police do believe there is a connection.

For my part, I would hope that News4 would take more interest in the violent crime in Westminster even if their story might have inspired the crime. Afterall, in the case of our honor student, he went looking for trouble and found it, but this type of malfeasance is correctable. On the otherhand, I have driven past this recruiting center more than one hundred times. It is next to a karate school and a LePeeps restaurant. Many innocent people could have been affected by this crime.