Technology and Business - As You Like It

WhiteboardMobile Get's Personal

2011-06-29T16:18:00.003-04:00

We have heard that WhiteboardMobile would be valuable for not only your entire organization, but also you personally. We have added a new feature that allows you to post messages that will be seen by you and only you.
Send an email message to msgme@whiteboard.mobi and that message (WBit) will be marked ‘for your eyes only’.
Send an email message to msg@whiteboard.mobi and that message (WBit) will be marked ‘for your company’s eyes only’.
So your WhiteBoard becomes more than a company board, it becomes personal!
Thanks for your response. Please continue to send your comments and requests!

Introducing WhiteboardMobile℠!!!

2011-06-11T15:19:00.000-04:00

For years, we have been converting whiteboards to custom software applications. Why? Because whiteboards are inefficient, ineffective, limited, available only when on site, prone to unintended erasure and generally ugly. So it is our clients who have asked us to create software to eliminate the use of their whiteboard by creating something that is available at every workstation or remotely through a web site or remote access.

Our latest project WhiteboardMobile℠ provides our clients a custom Headline News whiteboard that is available to their intra-company subscribers (employees, salespeople, field workers, vendors, or even customers) which can be viewed on PC or mobile. It allows our clients to send alerts to the whiteboard simply by sending an email to msg@whiteboard.mobi with the headline as the subject and the message the body of the email. Based on the senders email address, the news headline (almost like a tweet on Twitter) will automatically appear for all company subscribers to read no matter where in the world they happen to be.

Each subscriber authorized to publish headlines will have an avatar (picture or icon) which will identify the source. You can set this web site as the default site in your browser. You can also schedule the loading of the WhiteboardMobile℠ periodically so that you can be assured your staff is reviewing it frequently. Need to let everyone know of an important visitor? Post it to WhiteboardMobile℠. Need to alert staff about an upcoming construction project? Post it to WhiteboardMobile℠.

When you (as a subscriber) login to WhiteboardMobile℠ with your security code WhiteboardMobile℠ remembers the headlines you have read and displays those that you have not at the top of the list so you know you won't miss out on important news.

For more information about WhiteboardMobile℠, send email to info@trif.com.

Rumblings Inside Apple

2011-01-07T09:15:00.000-05:00

Do you listen to the water-cooler chat about the latest and greatest news about our iDevices? I do. And there is some more chatter this morning. iLove my iPad!!!!

First, Apple has kept on a major portion of their Holiday staffing at their stores. In anticipation of what?
Second, Apple is restricting vacation time between the last week in January through the first half of February. In anticipation of what?
These seem indicative of something brewing.
Bloomberg, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times and Fortune all report iPhone for Verizon will be released January 2011
The release of the new iPad is expected imminently. Features such as camera-equipped, Face-Time Video Chat are expected.
What will that do to the stock price? The stock price has doubled in 4 years and is still on the climb

The Best iPad Apps of 2010

2010-12-30T09:48:00.001-05:00

I have spent hours and hours (in fact, more hours than that) with my iPad playing, creating, testing, writing, working, planning and more. Here is a list of the applications I use the most.Would I recommend you buy an iPad? Absolutely unequivocally YES! Enjoy.

Productivity (Work Related)
Logmein (Remote control)
DropBox (Setup account here: https://www.dropbox.com/referrals/NTMxNjUxODM5?src=global0)
QuickOffice (Word and Excel document viewing and editing)
iThoughts (Great mind mapping tool)
Corkulous (Post it Notes on a bulletin board)

Social Networking
LinkedIn
Facebook
YouTube
Twittelator
Facebook HD (Lets you look at all your friends picture albums)

Art
Let’s create Pottery (Awesome! Fun)
iDough (mush up a piece of clay)
Livesketch HD (Very cool drawing tool)
Sketchbook Pro (A very good almost professional drawing and design tool)
Drawing Pad (Great for the kids, has crayons and pens and pencils and markers and stickers…..)
World of Sand (4 falling streams of sand which you can block and divert. Ammuzing)

Photography
Paintmee (Turn photographs into paintings)
Photgene (Edit photos)
Phot fx Ultra (Edit Photos)
Crop Smart (Great tool for cropping pictures)

Reference
Clinometer – Very cool tool to check level and angles
Backyard Birds – If you like birds, great tool to figure out who is making that chirp
Starmap – if you like astronomy
Live Cams HD – Lets you look at a bunch of live cameras all around the world

Music
Pandora – an online radio station that builds music playlists based on the music you select and like / dislike. Very cool
BeatPad – if your kids like to create beats with drums and cymbals

Games
Scrabble
Pinball HD
10 PinShuffle
Yahtzee
Simcity DLX
RealGolf2011
Vegas Slots

Publications
Kindle Software for iPad
TED
Audible
NPR

Research
IMDB – database of the stars and cinema
WebMD
Zillow – Housing prices and for sale
Dictionary
The Weather Channel
Google Earth
Where to – Find a place to eat, drink, shop, etc close to where you are or where you are going
Stumble Upon – Just a sampling of what is on the web

Lifestyle
Yoga HD
Bowls HD – Tibetan singing bowls
SimplyBeing – Guided meditations
SilentIsland – Great for background sounds and nature
ZenTimer – Silent timed meditation
Whitenoise
GazeHD – Sounds combined with video to help you relax

Just for Fun
Inspiro – when you have nothing better to do than think
Jiggle Balls HD – Cool toy withlots of balls and great sound
Forge of Neon – Light show you create
Liquidmantra – like a plastic covered vat of colored oil to squish around
WindTunnel – Interesting and educational
SymmetryPro – Just fun

Utilities
NightStand – Great clock
SaiSuke – Calendar that interfaces with Google Calendar

Why Use a Web Portal?

2010-12-27T12:00:00.002-05:00

This is a complicated subject that deserves some attention. First, what is a web portal? Simply stated, a web portal presents information and software services in a unified way through a web browser. It is far different than running your own software on your own servers. A web portal application runs on one or more host computers storing data in one or more locations and the use of the portal is paid for on a recurring basis as in a monthly or annual fee. The major advantages of a web portal are:

No investment in hardware
Little or no investment in software (unless the service is customized) as the application is rented as needed
No support staff is required to maintain server or client systems
Software can be operated from anywhere in the world

So let’s look at a custom Inventory Control system to compare. If you were to purchase this and the server that it requires, it would cost upwards of $25,000 not including customization and portable data terminals / bar code scanners and the monthly support would cost roughly $225 per month. So if you amortize the cost over 5 years and add the month-to-month, it would add up to about $650 per month at which point new hardware and would probably be needed.

Compare this to the cost to of a basic Inventory Control Web Portal Application – between $420 and $600. A maintenance-free solution at a considerable savings.

So when you are looking at new software, consider Web Portal solutions.

Are you seeing more SPAM than ever?

2010-11-26T13:52:00.001-05:00

Are you getting more SPAM than ever or is it my imagination? The Federal Trade Commission enforces the Controlling the Assault of Non-Solicited Pornography And Marketing Act of 2003 (CAN-SPAM). But not really. They collect complaints and those complaints are used by law enforcement agencies all over the world. It collects the information in what they refer to as the Consumer Sentinel which gathers information along with other data contributors like the Better Business World, US Postal Service, The National Fraud Center, The Identity Theft Assistance Center and the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre.

Click here to file a complaint.

Each separate email in violation of the CAN-SPAM Act is subject to penalties of up to $16,000, so non-compliance can be costly. But following the law isn’t complicated. Here’s a rundown of CAN-SPAM’s main requirements:

Don’t use false or misleading header information. Your “From,” “To,” “Reply-To,” and routing information – including the originating domain name and email address – must be accurate and identify the person or business who initiated the message.
Don’t use deceptive subject lines. The subject line must accurately reflect the content of the message.
Identify the message as an ad. The law gives you a lot of leeway in how to do this, but you must disclose clearly and conspicuously that your message is an advertisement.
Tell recipients where you’re located. Your message must include your valid physical postal address. This can be your current street address, a post office box you’ve registered with the U.S. Postal Service, or a private mailbox you’ve registered with a commercial mail receiving agency established under Postal Service regulations.
Tell recipients how to opt out of receiving future email from you. Your message must include a clear and conspicuous explanation of how the recipient can opt out of getting email from you in the future. Craft the notice in a way that’s easy for an ordinary person to recognize, read, and understand. Creative use of type size, color, and location can improve clarity. Give a return email address or another easy Internet-based way to allow people to communicate their choice to you. You may create a menu to allow a recipient to opt out of certain types of messages, but you must include the option to stop all commercial messages from you. Make sure your spam filter doesn’t block these opt-out requests.
Honor opt-out requests promptly. Any opt-out mechanism you offer must be able to process opt-out requests for at least 30 days after you send your message. You must honor a recipient’s opt-out request within 10 business days. You can’t charge a fee, require the recipient to give you any personally identifying information beyond an email address, or make the recipient take any step other than sending a reply email or visiting a single page on an Internet website as a condition for honoring an opt-out request. Once people have told you they don’t want to receive more messages from you, you can’t sell or transfer their email addresses, even in the form of a mailing list. The only exception is that you may transfer the addresses to a company you’ve hired to help you comply with the CAN-SPAM Act.
Monitor what others are doing on your behalf. The law makes clear that even if you hire another company to handle your email marketing, you can’t contract away your legal responsibility to comply with the law. Both the company whose product is promoted in the message and the company that actually sends the message may be held legally responsible.

What is a TRIF?

2010-11-05T09:21:00.000-04:00

TRIF; trĭf, -noun (origin: 1175–1225; (n.) ME tru(f)fle idle talk, deceit < OF, var. of truf(f)e mocker)

1) A mammal like creature which would fly if it could. But can only fly a few feet at a time – basically jumping from point to point. Usually hides in cave-like dwellings for much of the day. Feeds on sweet objects that present themselves without hunt or chase. 2) A simulator, one who sets forth a claim, especially a claimant to a throne.

But really, it represents the three aspects of TRI, design, build and support. Just like constructing a building, you have a design-build team that takes your ideas, hopes, wishes and dreams and brings them into reality. Then a support team takes over to make sure the building stands tall and strong. Our team of experts works in the same way to create an application that fulfills your desires, performs as expected and we stand behind that application with dedicated support. That’s what TRIF stands for. Send an email to info@trif.com if you would like more information.

Virtual Art - Is It Real?

2010-11-02T15:28:00.000-04:00

Is it really art if it wasn’t created in 3-dimensions? Is it any the less creative? Creating art virtually or otherwise is all about what the minds eye can do with the tools and canvas provided.

The inset pictures a creation of pottery which I suspect many would purchase at Pier One given the opportunity. Alas, it was created virtually with an amazing pottery creation tool on an iPad. This Halloween surprise was created by an esteemed artist using an iPad application called let’s create Pottery written by company based in Poland called Infinite Dreams. The application is a clever combination of tools for artistically creating pottery and a community web portal that allows the sharing of the creations so that members of the community can review the works of others.

So click on the pumpkin and take a look at the 200+ original works of art brought to us by the artist who created this piece and feel free to scan the gallery of the 16,875+ creations from other artists around the world.

So is it art if it wasn’t created in 3-dimensions? Of course it is. Is it any less creative? Absolutely not. It requires the same instinct, eye, talent, dedication, expertise and mastering the available materials and tools. See for yourself.

Changing Your Perspective

2010-10-06T10:07:00.001-04:00

The Path Less Traveled

When was the last time you visited with nature, all by yourself. To walk, sit, watch, hear and most of all empty your mind of the clutter. I know, it’s harder than cleaning the basement. But it’s a powerful and rewarding experience. This time of year especially. Sounds seem to travel farther. Colors are more brilliant. Air seems fresh and clean.

The birds are transients this time of year, gathering, singing and nervously flittering as if something was beckoning them. Leaves rustle from the footsteps of chipmunks or squirrels or maybe some larger creatures. Ponds are full of ducks and geese catching their breath before they once again begin the arduous journey south.

So why wouldn’t you spend some time pondering. Calm yourself. Take a moment to consider….. nothing. And if you do it once, why wouldn’t you do it again and again? Think about making a change in your schedule. Think about calendaring an hour to have a meeting with nature. Combine it with a walk or a jog. Breathe the air deeply. Look past the trees in front of you. Find water. Puddles, ponds, lakes or oceans. Look for small creatures moving in the water. Consider how nature works. How water flows. How the wind blows. How the trees sway. How the clouds move. How the rain falls. How the leaves fall. Just spend some time contemplating the things you don’t spend time contemplating every other day. It does change your perspective

Freight Rate Discounting

2010-08-11T11:37:00.000-04:00

Earn an extra penny with Net Rate Tariffs.

Discounting the rate prior to rating versus discounting the extension results in differing amounts. Which works out better for the carrier? Here are 3 examples. In ALL cases, it works out better for the carrier to discount the rate first. It is pennies on every transaction, but might result in hundreds or thousands of dollars over time. The example shows 3 shipments of different weights and different rates. The discount applying to the shipments is 66%. Discounting the extension versus discounting the rate always results in a lesser amount.

It is because applying a discount to a lessor amount (the rate) results in smaller discount than applying the discount to the larger amount (the extension).

For more information, please contact rmj@trif.com

BNI Nashoba Networking Slideshow.mp4

2010-07-27T14:50:00.000-04:00

Why Us?

2010-07-20T13:24:00.001-04:00

Starting in 2012, all business payments or purchases that exceed $600 in a calendar year will need to be accompanied by a 1099 filing. That mean all. Not just contract labor or sole proprietor vendors. It means restaurants, car rental companies, conference centers. It means obtaining the taxpayer ID number of the individual or corporation you're making the payment to -- even if it's a giant distributors like CDW or Newegg -- at the time of the transaction, or else facing IRS penalties. In essence, the 1099-Misc is having its role changed from a form for tracking off-payroll employment to one that must accompany virtually any sizeable business transaction.

The 1099 changes were attached to the health care reform bill. They change the requirements for filing the "1099-Misc" form. Until now, payments to corporations have been exempt from 1099 rules, as have payments for the purchase of goods. Eliminating the 1099 exceptions for corporations and goods was seen as an easy way to bring in more cash without raising tax rates.

Our politicians at work! Next year, we need to take a close look at how 1099's are prepared.

Document Imaging - Legalities

2010-06-09T18:41:00.000-04:00

I am not a lawyer. I don't pretend to be a lawyer. And therefore I take no responsibility for the legal validity of this blog entry. If you need a legal and absolute opinion, please consult with an attorney. That said, the question has come up, can original paper documents be shredded if they were optically scanned and saved as document images during the normal course of doing business. The answer is probably, or better yet, maybe. Actually it depends. What state do you live in? How were the documents stored? When was the image taken? How was the image archived?

Is that clear? No? I understand. Let me clarify. Document images have been accepted in courts for many years. For example, microfilm has been accepted in courts as a substitute for the original document certainly since the 1950’s. Laws exist in nearly all 50 states covering the use of electronic, optical or magnetic media as a substitute for original documents. The basic question generally comes down to, are they accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Well, are they?

So here are some of things you should consider BEFORE you shred your originals. Your documents should be regularly and consistently scanned as a normal course of day-to-day operations. The document images are verified prior to destruction of originals – that is, they are viewed on screen as they are scanned to verify the image exists. They have been stored on media which is read-only. This adds to the trustworthiness of a document image. Images stored on magnetic media, like disk drives can be modified and overwritten with ease. Document images archived on read-only optical disks are very difficult to modify and then re-save in place.

The final answer is check your local state laws and check with your attorney. Then give us a call for a solution.

The Infrequent Traveler

2010-05-11T07:06:00.003-04:00

Is it right that managing a big chunk of time - off - requires a Herculean effort in planning, preparation, notification, organization and contingencies? No matter how organized you are, you need to plan for not being around. So this trip was no different. But it was. It was going to last for more than two weeks. A feat not experienced in more than 35 years.

The nervous stomach was just beginning to wane after the planning, packing, repacking, and the struggle with security at the airport. Which is always tense. It would be different if you travelled all the time. You get accustomed to tense situations when they occur regularly. But this is not a regular situation. We aren't commuting to work, we are flying in an iron tube designed for falling from the sky. Add to his the desire some extremists have to see this tube driven into very large buildings and all that causes and we have a pretty abnormal circumstance.

But off we go, rallied into our quarters like cows to their milking machines. Why do we do this to ourselves. Are we not in charge of our own lives? Do we not control our own destiny? Why does man put such constraints on other men? Why do we not provide ourselves with the same freedoms as say an eagle. Why don't we deserve the same majesty and freedom? Oh, I know you'll say because we can't fly. We weren't designed to soar freely from place to place. We were created for other great things. So we suffer these indignations so that we might achieve things more important.

Warning: Copiers Contain Data

2010-04-30T13:54:00.000-04:00

Think twice before you turn in your copier for a new one. Did you know that many copiers, especially the ones that can connect to your network, contain hard drives and copies of the documents are stored on that hard disk? When you turn in your copier, it generally get's refurbished and sold to another user or even another country. Frequently, the data on the disk is not removed creating a security breach for those in your organization and your contact sphere. Watch this video and see if you don't consider a new policy for discarding your old copier.

Uncommon Application of Common Knowledge

2010-04-17T12:10:00.000-04:00

This week at a regional BNI networking event held in Natick, MA, I had an opportunity to meet Dr. Ivan Misner, CEO and Founder of BNI, the world’s largest networking organization (http://www.bni.com/). As many of you know, I am the President of one of the 5,600 worldwide BNI Chapters, BNI Nashoba (http://www.bninashoba.com/). Dr. Misner spoke about many things including the weekend he spent on Sir Richard Branson’s Necker Island in the Caribbean and the “butterfly networking principle” which was the circle of events that caused him to be there. Very interesting the cards life deals out when you are open to receiving them. One thing that really rang a chord was his statement that success is the uncommon application of common knowledge. He wrote about it in his book The 29% Solution. Just think about these simple words and what they mean in your business. You need to think long and hard to see if there is some way to apply this principle when you can’t see the forest for the trees. Our businesses are built on some pretty basic concepts but it’s very difficult to think outside the box and come up with a new angle, a new approach. Take a half-hour and consider what you do and how you do it -- as if you were your customer. Become an empath. What can you come up with. I'd be interested to hear.

Mapping Time

2010-04-14T13:18:00.004-04:00

Maps are fun, informative and sometimes great for making a point. Add data to maps and you have information squared. Here is a map of Eastern Massachusetts and surrounding areas broken out into 3-digit zip code areas.

The map details where we have spent our time over the last 10 years. Other areas of the country have been omitted, but this gives you an idea of where our clients are based. The very bright red areas represent more than 20,000 man-hours, the bright pink is 1,000+ man-hours and the light pink less than 1,000.

It's interesting to see a long history of data painted onto a map and even more interesting if you look at the maps from year to year.

Think about your data and how you might evaluate your business on a map of the State, region or Country.

Creating this map took less than 10 minutes. Creating the data for this map took more than 10 years. Maps can be helpful looking at a decade, year, month or even a day worth of data.
A word about zip codes, zip codes make mapping easy. If you are not capturing zip codes in your business, think again.

TRI Contact Information

2010-04-01T09:38:00.003-04:00

Please note that along with our new offices we also have a new phone system.

Our main number is still functional, however, we all have direct voice and fax lines as well.

Here is our new contact information.

We hope you find these changes helpful.

Transportation Resources, Inc.

50 Leominster Road, Suite #3

Post Office Box 452

Sterling, Massachusetts 01564

Office: 800-414-3515 or 978 422-7770

Robert McKay Jones Sr.

978 422-7770 x1004

Direct Line: 978-422-4324

Private Fax: 978-422-4325

Mobile: 978-870-2706

Robert Jones Jr.

978 422-7770 x1005

Direct: 978-401-4484

Fax: 978-401-4810

Mobile: 978-660-1529

Joseph Brochu

978 422-7770 x1006

Direct Line: 978-401-4488

Direct Fax: 978-401-4490

Cell: 508-769-3945

Increasing International Business

2010-03-06T09:45:00.001-05:00

Do you conduct business with consumers or companies beyond our borders? Are you interested in reaching out to foreign lands. You might consider attending Leveraging Your Website To Increase International Sales, More than a half-dozen speakers will team up to present this 2-day seminar on today's business environment. Scheduled for June 9 and 10 at the Hotel Marlowe in Cambridge.

Bill of Lading

2010-03-04T22:52:00.003-05:00

A few weeks back when I was in an office of a client, I found an IBM Selectric typewriter on someone's desk. When I inquired what they used that for, I was told they used it for Bill of Ladings . I was aghast. People actually use these things to produce documents? Apparently they do. So I headed back to the office and dug out my Bill of Lading PDF and posted it on my web site. There it shall remain for all to use. Please, I beg you, let's ban the typewriter from day-to-day production use. They are for young children to play with and eventually break.

Trojan Warning

2010-02-09T11:12:00.000-05:00

Please be aware of a Trojan that is spreading itself by an email being sent from resume-thanks@google.com with a subject Thank you from Google! There is an attachment to this email that should not be opened under any circumstance. The attached file contains a Trojan that will infect your computer.

On-Line Collaboration

2010-02-04T15:51:00.000-05:00

Have you been looking for a way to collaborate with many people in your group, organization or family? I stumbled on a very simple to use on-line service that allows you to do just that. It is intuitive and versatile. It provides a shared workspace for files and discussions, tasks, calendar, database, reports or a blog. More utility than Google Docs and Google Groups combined. Check it out and sign up for a free trial. http://signup.centraldesktop.com/tresource

Compliance with Massachusetts 201 CMR 17.00

2010-02-02T16:06:00.002-05:00

The Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation, pursuant to the authority granted to it by G.L. c. 93H, in November 2009 promulgated 201 CMR 17:00, a regulation setting standards for the protection of personal information of Massachusetts residents. The Division of Insurance reminds all of its licensees about their obligations under this regulation and the March 1, 2010 deadline for full compliance.

Any person that receives, stores, maintains, processes or otherwise has access to personal information acquired in connection with employment or with the provision of goods or services to a Massachusetts resident has a duty to protect that information. A “person,” for purposes of the regulation, may be an individual, corporation, association, partnership or other legal entity. Personal information includes a surname, together with a first name or initial, in combination with one or more of the following three data elements pertaining to that person: Social Security Number; driver’s license or state-issued identification card number; or financial account or credit or debit card number, with or without any other data element, such as a code, password, or PIN, that would permit access to the person’s financial account.
The duty includes the requirement that the person develops and maintain a comprehensive written information security program (“WISP”) to safeguard such information. If the person electronically stores or transmits personal information, the WISP must include a security system covering the person’s computers and any portable and/or wireless devices. Safeguards should be appropriate to the size, scope and type of the person’s business, to the person’s available resources, to the amount of stored data and to the need for security and confidentiality of consumer and employee information. They must be consistent with safeguards for the protection of personal information, and information of a similar character, that are set out in any state or federal regulations that apply to the person.
A WISP must provide administrative, technical and physical safeguards for personal information under 201 CMR 17.00. It must address a wide range of matters that include, but are not limited to:

Designation of the individuals who will oversee and maintain the WISP;
Analysis of the reasonably foreseeable risks to the security, confidentiality and integrity of records, in any form, that contain personal information, of the effectiveness of any current safeguards for limiting those risks, and of the need to develop improved safeguards;
Policies and procedures relating to employee training on the importance of the WISP, its specific requirements, the consequences of failure to comply with those requirements, and prevention of access by former employees
For paper records, provisions for secure storage of materials containing personal information, including restrictions on physical access to such records and, for electronic records, control measures that restrict access and include secure user authentication protocols;
Encryption of personal information that is stored on computers, laptops or other portable devices or is transmitted across public networks or transmitted wirelessly;
Provisions to ensure that any electronic records system that is connected to the internet includes firewall protection and operating system security patches, that security software includes malware protections and virus definitions, and that all these programs are reasonably current as of March 1, 2010 and will be updated on a regular basis thereafter;
Oversight of third-party service providers who have access to personal information, including a process to select and retain service providers that are able to maintain appropriate security measures consistent with 201 CMR 17.00;
Regular monitoring to ensure that the WISP operates effectively to protect both paper and electronic records, to detect any unauthorized use of or access to personal information, and to identify any areas where upgraded safeguards are needed;
Review of the WISP’s scope at least annually, and whenever there is a material change in business practices that may reasonably implicate the protection of personal information; and
Documentation of responses to any breach of security and of any actions taken thereafter to change practices relating to the protection of personal information.

More information came be found in these PDF's:

http://www.mass.gov/Eoca/docs/idtheft/201CMR1700reg.pdf

http://www.mass.gov/Eoca/docs/idtheft/201CMR17faqs.pdf

Are you a WINNER or a LOSER?

2010-01-28T09:51:00.000-05:00

A list of 31 characteristics are listed for winners and losers. Below are the top 12. The gift here is that you can move things from one side to another.

For the complete list, click here: http://www.healthmoneysuccess.com/1795/33-differences-between-winners-and-losers/

Our Core Values

2010-01-05T18:22:00.000-05:00

Welcome 2010. In this new year, this new decade, we believe it is our values, more than any other attribute that will move us towards the goals we have for our company, our people and our clients. Our talents, capabilities and range of services are all important aspects of our differentiation, but at our core are these values. They lay the foundation for our business; the byproduct of which is our success, reputation and legacy. Without the dedication to these principles we cannot flourish, we cannot prosper.

We would hope that all companies, large and small, rededicate themselves to the basic principles of humanity and fair play. It is right. It is proper.

The Browser War

2009-12-22T05:21:00.001-05:00

Are you curious who is winning the browser war? Check out the graphic at http://www.axiis.org/. It will show you in no uncertain terms. Microsoft may be winning but Firefox is close behind. Take a look. Microsoft IE versions are shades of blue. Firefox is orange and gaining ground. See it here.

Stumble Upon

2009-12-22T04:51:00.000-05:00

Found some interesting art work at http://www.stumbleupon.com/. A site devoted to what people find interesting. And it is interesting. This for example was in the photography section as a popular link. This is a picture of a bridge built in Norway in 2005. It was posted as picture of the day for December 10, 2009. Photographed by by Giorgio Ghezzi.

Kindle for your PC

2009-11-26T12:56:00.001-05:00

Amazon has just released Kindle software for your PC. If you already had a Kindle, all your books and publications will be immediately available. Download here: http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html/ref=kcp_pc_mkt_lnd?docId=1000426311

So what is so great about this? For one thing, you don't always have your Kindle with you. The best thing is your PC monitor is in color and the Kindle is gray scale. Books you purchase in color are in color on your PC. This is especially important for childrens books.

Another Kindle note - Amazon has just released a firmware update for your Kindle. A great new feature is screen orientation. You can switch display view to landscape as well as portrait. It is kind of a nice feature.

Business Video? Really? Yes!

2009-11-17T19:44:00.000-05:00

I started playing with video editing this past week. It’s not easy. But it is fun. Have a look at my first attempt. http://trif.com/video.htm. Combining video, text and sound can be daunting. It is easy to overdue because it’s hard to know when to stop. I have watched and learned a bit from Ross Jones, owner of Harvard Video in Harvard, MA. Ross produces business videos and has created some memorable moments for some people I know. Here are some examples:

• http://www.jsclassicwoodworking.com/
• http://www.selinamaitreya.com/video.html
• http://www.progressiveenergyservices.com/video.htm

Have a look at these and check out http://harvardvideo.com/ and consider what a business video might do for your business.

Jay Leno's Garage

2009-11-03T18:09:00.000-05:00

Were you ever curious how Jay Leno gets all those great cars? Jay Leno has more than 160 cars in his garage and half of them were delivered by our client Intercity Lines, Inc. based in Warren, Massachusetts. Jay Leno posted a video describing the process when he recieved his 1963 Chrysler Turbine in a 53' fully enclosed air ride trailer fitted with complete hydraulics to transport cars safely. Only 50 of these cars were produced. It's claim to fame? Engine was capable of 60,000 rpms and it could run on diesel, unleaded gas, jet fuel, kerosene or vegetable oil. Also capable of running on tequila.

Check out the video http://www.trif.com/ICL/JayLeno.wmv and if you ever need a car transported from north to south, east to west or back again, check out the Intercity Lines web site: http://www.intercitylines.com/ or call them at 800-221-3936. You can also find the video on Jay's website http://www.jaylenosgarage.com/video/.

Where is the Outrage?

2009-11-01T21:11:00.003-05:00

The Implosion of Credit in America - A New Paradigm

In 2008, as we moved into the financial crisis, Americans were saddled with more credit card debt than ever before. The cycle began with decreasing home values which reduced equity. Credit card companies, despite getting bail outs from the US government were reevaluating their portfolios. Americans on the cusp were notified that credit lines were being reduced or closed. The reduction in credit lines impacted the ratio of available credit to outstanding debt which caused the credit scores to fall. Falling credit scores caused yet another round of credit line decreases plus an increase in interest rates. The US Treasury is handing out money for close to zero percent but the credit card companies are now charging Americans as much as 30 percent interest or more. The rise in interest rates is making it near impossible to make more than the minimum payments each month and late payments are becoming inevitable. Decreasing credit lines, increased debt to credit ratios, paying minimum payments causes further decline in credit scores creating yet another round of credit line reductions. Where does all this end. How do Americans dig themselves out of this loan shark driven credit market? Eliminate debt? Tough to do when assets are dwindling, jobs are scarce and wages are falling.
However, that is the answer. Eliminate debt. Convert remaining assets into cash and reduce debt. Deplete savings and reduce debt. Cancel any hopes of retirement and reduce debt.
Or?
There is one other option Default. Here is a logical argument for defaulting:
• Americans are supplementing the income of credit card companies through bail outs with their tax dollars anyway.
• The cyclical decline of credit scores is self induced by the credit card companies making the value of those scores virtually worthless. A clever scam to make more absurd profits by increasing interest and fees to the point of strangulation.
• There is obviously no end to the greed of the credit card companies as they maneuver around the intent of the law discovering loophole after loophole, political and geographic asylum. Out of state or off shore solutions are well within their bag of tricks to suck America out of America.
• The United States government does not have the stomach to call it like it is. Greed gone wild and the bankruptcy of America. And as goes America, so goes the world.
• The Credit Card Reform law going into effect in February 2010 doesn't go far enough. So what is safe? If the greed continues, what kind of anarchy will result. Is your home safe? Your car? Your services like telephone, electricity, fuel? Groceries?

Where is the outrage? Why do Americans accept this kind of self indulgent behavior by the leaders of our largest publicly held financial companies. We wouldn't permit our children to behave like this.

Here is some further reading:

http://money.blogs.time.com/2009/10/29/guess-how-many-credit-card-companies-engage-in-unfair-and-deceptive-practices/

http://www.dailyreckoning.com.au/bankers-pull-another-fast-one/2009/02/16/

http://money.blogs.time.com/2009/10/30/ten-signs-that-the-economy-is-still-in-awful-shape/

http://www.usatoday.com/money/perfi/credit/2009-05-21-obama-credit-card-reform-law_N.htm

Ideas

2009-10-29T15:20:00.000-04:00

I am always looking for new ideas, new concepts and upcoming technology. TED (http://www.ted.com/) is a great source of new ideas on an international level and I have written about TED in my Newsletter.

Locally, you might consider looking at Ideas Boston (http://www.ideasboston.com/). Ideas Boston sponsored by a variety of influential partners such as The Boston Globe, WBUR, Comcast, State Street Bank, IBM, etc. was created by The Boston Globe in 2004. As a non-profit organization, it promotes innovation, diseminates new ideas and hosts an annual conference of cutting-edge thinkers. Have a look and a listen.

Split Second Judgement

2009-10-18T17:06:00.000-04:00

Looking for an interesting book? Have a look at Blink. Blink, The Power of Thinking Without Thinking by Malcolm Gladwell. It is a study of the impact our instantaneous unconscious thought process has on our decisions, judgments and reactions. The evidence is uncanny how our unconscious mind does not communicate with our conscious mind, but does communicate with our emotions and judgments. It explains why we might react in a certain way without understanding why, it is our unconscious brain affecting our emotions.

It is used by marketers to manipulate our first impressions. And it can be seen in our faces when we instantly react to a statement or situation. It makes you ponder how you think in the moment vs. with sense and sensibility. Your first reactions can be tested by looking at your pulse, sweat and breathing. You can't help your instantaneous immediate reaction. It is part of you. You don't think about it because it arrives in a blink of an eye. Some might call it intuition. Whatever it is, it is powerful and commanding.

The Vision of a Child

2009-10-01T08:42:00.001-04:00

In 1982, when I started my company I create an Image Book. You ask, "what is an Image Book"? Search the Internet and you will be hard pressed to locate a description. Scan Wikipedia and you will find no explanation. So here it is for all to see. An Image Book is a very personal record of the images, both words and objects, that will be in your life many years in the future - as if they were part of your life today. Images of your success, health, wealth and happiness. It contains the words and phrases that will hold true meaning for you as you chart your course. It is meant to be reviewed and pondered every day.

Well, I just wiped the dust off my Image Book and leafed through the plastic sheathed pages. It was very interesting. Many of the images have come and gone - like that Sony Betamax I had my heart set on. But many have come into my life like the travel and the technology, cars and buildings.

The most powerful impression from this, almost 30 year old document, were the words I selected. They still hold true today as they did when I was half as old. Such as,

When our childhood ended, did we cease to dream? Hardly. Yet after quiet moments looking beyond the horizon, we hesitate to speak. We pull back, rationalize into insignificance. Are we embarrassed by the "childishness" of it all? What a loss. For, surely to benefit from seeing things anew, we must acknowledge the sense of wonder that remains with us. And grant that child freedom. So, share your vision, your big ideas. And just perhaps it will fly.

Sorry but the author is unknown. Think about what you want in your life. Make yourself an Image Book. You will be surprised ten years from now at how capable you were at predicting the future.

A Good Book With a Good Message

2009-09-20T18:08:00.002-04:00

Like those you work with.

Jay Goltz, author of The Street Smart Entrepreneur and owner of a few sips in Chicago that employs more than a hundred people discovered the need to like and respect the people you work with.

He also has a few points for you to always keep in mind.

Respect the mission
Go the extra mile
Treat one another well
Rock from the top.

A short list of commandments for any organization.

How Many Domains are in Use

2009-09-20T17:53:00.000-04:00

I was curious how many domains were registered - especially 4 character domains like trif.com. Well there are a bit more than 1.5 million possible 4 character/digit possibilities and most are taken. In actuality, only about 450 names remain.

There are 83 million .com's registered and another 300 million deleted domains. There are 12 million registered .net's and 8 million registered .orgs.

You'll find it interesting to note that more than 400,000 domains are added every day and more than 450,000 domains are expired every day. So it would seem the .com is stabilizing.

One of the oldest domain names registered? think.com was registered May of 1985. 1985 and 1986 saw registrations of dec.com, hp.com, and xerox.com.

Walk on Video for Your Web Site

2009-09-10T22:48:00.003-04:00

We Just finished working with a client, Bulk Connection, Inc., to add content sensitive video overlay to web pages. We put together the web site, but the videos were inserted as a simple overlay after the fact.

Check it out at http://www.bulkconnection.com/Services_Liquid_Video.htm. Another example can be seen at http://www.whatsinyourcity.net/. The technology is a standard scripted video shot against a green screen and then overlaid onto your web page. You can do your own script or you can use an actor. It is very cool technology with a lot of possibilities.

The company that makes all this possible is OnSite Video, http://www.onsitevideos.com/ located in Boston.

What Makes Customer Service Work

2009-09-10T00:16:00.000-04:00

For the past couple of years we have been defining and redefining our vision and mission for our Company. It isn't an easy thing. In all our thought and brainstorming, we have found a few basic principles that explain why we have been around for more than 27 years. It all comes down to a few basic attributes which you can find in our people and by association in our Company. These attributes should apply to all service organizations. Look for them.

The first is honesty. Without honesty there can be no trust and without trust, you cannot keep a customer. A good sales person can sell anything once. Trust will keep that customer coming back. Next is loyalty. Loyalty to a customer is no different than the loyalty you have to your own company. Loyalty signifies your dedication and sense of involvement. It makes you one of the team. Third is listening. Listening can't be accomplished while talking, selling, pitching or arguing. Listening is the first step in problem solving.

Lastly, it's PERSONAL. Those who say, "it's just business" really don't get it. It is never just business. It is about relationships, friendship, pride and the ability to communicate. If you see these attributes in your vendor, hang on tight.

What’s New

2009-09-02T13:54:00.000-04:00

We humans are amazingly creative and inspiring. Don’t believe it? As you may have seen in the previous article, the presentation was given at the 2009 TED conference held this past July in Oxford, England. You can view other inspirational and moving presentations at http://www.ted.com. The service is also available as an App for your iPhone, search the App store for TED. It’s free and remarkable.

Are you interested in how some new ventures are looking to mimic nature, have a look at biomimicry in action http://www.ted.com/talks/janine_benyus_biomimicry_in_action.html. Would you like to know how schools kill creativity? http://www.ted.com/talks/ken_robinson_says_schools_kill_creativity.html Looking to see how kids can be transformed by music? http://www.ted.com/talks/jose_abreu_on_kids_transformed_by_music.html.

See you in India in 2010?

Wires, we all hate them

2009-09-02T13:22:00.000-04:00

Have a look at what is coming. You may have already gotten a glimpse with your wirelessly recharging emergency lights or your wireless electric toothbrush, wireless electricity is just around the corner. Eric Giler, CEO of WiTricity, talks about how electricity can be harmlessly transferred from one object to another using a frequency transmitter and receiver. What this 10 minute video and demonstration. It is near-to-market technology that may soon charge your iPhone, pacemaker or electric car. I can’t wait.

Where do you look for Transportation News?

2009-09-02T12:57:00.000-04:00

Have a look at topix. Specifically, look at http://www.topix.com/business/transportation for current news stories in transportation. TOPIX doesn’t source the news, they collect it. They follow other news organizations and post excerpts of the news article and provide a link to the source article for you to read the entire story. At any given time, you will find 8,000 headlines available for quick viewing 100 at a time. Interested in other subjects? Topix has 360,000 forums for you to review. Enjoy.