Interesting News from TRI

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Today we are being blasted with yet another snow storm. I have lost count. In celebration of winter's last hoorah, I thought I would use a picture that I took the afternoon of December 12th, 2008. It was just after the worst ice storm I have ever encountered that left us without power for more than a week. The photo shows how beautiful disastrous weather can be and how contrary it is, beautiful sun light making trees covered with ice glisten and yet caused so many limbs to topple and fall. Our thoughts of springtime are all the more treasured after the cold and death winter brings.	In This Issue
March 2013	Chargemaster congress.org trif.com
Welcome to News from trif.com! First time readers, I am glad you're here! Returning readers, welcome back! Greetings. Welcome to our Newsletter! We wanted to share the many photos we have taken of places, people and things throughout the country and beyond. Each month, our headline photo will be something new and different. The caption will present a small explanation. We hope you enjoy. We do not want to waste your time. Articles will contain generally less than 250 words. Please have a look and give us your feedback. By all means, forward to a friend using the link at the bottom of the Newsletter. Thanks. Questions? Send me an email!	TRIF.COM Technology Resources Technology solutions are a part of doing business just like sales and marketing, It is an important component in servicing customers, managing costs and controlling operations. TRI has an uncanny ability to find affordable technology solutions for a wide variety of situations. Our capabilities bridge database design and development, Internet web-based programs, hosting and co-location services, network and computer sales and support, document imaging, bar code scanning, corporate communications, fax and email programs, mobile applications, cloud computing and help desk services. Interested in taking a step forward with technology? Looking to take advantage of the latest advances? Or just want to take advantage of your new computer? Give us a call to discuss where you want to go - 978-422-7770 or email rmj@trif.com to discuss your opportunities. The first consultation is always without charge.
Charge-master I subscribe to the Sand Diego Free Press which usually makes me angry. But I thought I would share a recent piece that really produced some steam. Every hospital has what's known as a Charge-master. A Charge master is a listing of every single procedure that a hospital can provide to its patients. Hospitals have Charge-masters because it helps to make the process of charge capture and billing move smoother. Charge-masters have more than procedures on them. Pharmaceuticals, supply charges, and even some room charges are on Charge-masters. As reported in the San Diego Free Press: "Hospitals charge their customers, er, patients, through the nose for simple products which anyone can purchase at WalMart for a fraction of the amount. Suffice it to say that for anything consumable, there will be a Charge-master billing item. The following outlandish charges are referenced in a Time article, Bitter Pill: Why Medical Bills Are Killing Us, by Steven Brill. Like, for example, gauze pads. Following a patient's diagnosis of lung cancer, he was charged $308.00 for four boxes of sterile gauze pads each containing twenty-four 4 inch by 4 inch dressings, which can be bought over the counter at Walgreen's for $3.99 a box. These were tacked onto his $348,000.00 bill. Another patient was charged $18.00 each for Accu-Chek diabetes test strips. Amazon sells boxes of 50 for about $27.00 or 55 cents each. For the price of one Lipitor pill in the US you can buy three in Argentina. One hospital charged $1.50 for one 325-mg acetaminophen tablet. You can buy 100 tablets on Amazon for $1.49. That's a 10,000% markup." All this over-charging is a perfect application for a database. Yet when unsupervised and unchecked, it becomes a serious problem that needs to be solved.
CONGRESS.ORG Communicating with your representatives is a fairly easy task when you use congress.org. Email your congressman or senator whenever you wish by using this online advocacy tool. If you subscribe to Megavote through Congress.org, you will receive the latest votes and how your representatives voted. Using these online tools you can, for example, email Elizabeth Warren using this e-mail link. Congress.org is powered by an online tool enabling advocacy groups to get their message out and create support from the masses. Capwiz is also used by libraries, PTA groups, lobbying groups like beef, dentists and the ALCU. Lookup capwiz.com on Google and will see an array of customers that use capwiz.com. I wonder how congress really reacts to email campaigns built with this kind of tool. It is quite possible that they are filtered and sorted automatically by topic. If I was a congressman, I certainly would. And what weight would you give 1000 of these as compared to a hand-written letter? It remains to be seen.
TRIF.COM Trif.com has a new face. We have finally given our web presence a new look and feel. It is softer and more organized. Easier to the eyes, easier to navigate and quite a bit more content. Because our site is content driven, we chose a new tool to publish and host. We are using Wordpress. We have used Wordpress since 2009 for our blog, but we decided to use it for our site as well. Wordpress is an Internet based content management system (CMS) which is free to use, but not free to host. One of the strongest reasons we shifted to Wordpress is because we didn't need to be in the office at a high-powered work station to edit and publish. In fact, there is an iPad App for Wordpress that has really come of age. Everything I can do on my desktop at the office can be done using my iPad. I can manage pages, adjust menus, upload media and documents and add social media. We are using more and more of our own art and photos for the web site having developed a library of more than 53,000 photos which grows continually. Using more personal content and media is very intentional and goes hand in hand with one of our core principals; business is personal. For more on our core principals, see our mission page. Or read our blog article Core Values from 2010. We hope you like the new look. Let us know. Email us at info@trif.com.	If any of the information here is of interest to you, please drop us a note. If you would like to see specific information on technology issues that affect you and your business, please let us know.
Have an Emergency? Need Support Now? Email: support@trif.com	Robert McKay Jones TRI 50 Leominster Road Suite #3 Sterling, Massachusetts 01564 978-422-7770 rmj@trif.com

Copyright 2013
All Rights Reserved
Artists Sketch byBruce Davidson
This document is provided for informational purposes only.
The information contained in this document represents the views of Robert McKay Jones and Transportation Resources, Inc.
All information provided in this document is provided "as is" without warranty of any kind, either express or implied.
The reader assumes the entire risk as to the accuracy and the use of this document.
Permission to use the words in this document for commercial purposes usually is granted. However, commercial use requires advance authorization.

Forward email This email was sent to robertmckayjones.stager52@blogger.com by rmj@trif.com |   Update Profile/Email Address | Instant removal with SafeUnsubscribe™ | Privacy Policy. Transportation Resources, Inc. | 50 Leominster Road | Suite #3 | Post Office Box 452 | Sterling | MA | 01564

Interesting News from TRI

Having trouble viewing this email? http://www.trif.com/Newsletters/2013-02.htm

I had a chance to spend July 4th with family on the Community Boating Docks on the Charles River. The docks situated behind the Esplanade and the Hatch Shell were available for a price to get a great view of the fireworks after Keith Lockhart and the Boston Pops played the 1812 Overture. It was a great time. But I remember thinking, no one does fireworks like Disney - not even Boston!	In This Issue
February 2013	The Surface Windows 8 Pro Surface vs. iPad
Welcome to News from trif.com! First time readers, I am glad you're here! Returning readers, welcome back! Greetings. Welcome to our Newsletter! We wanted to share the many photos we have taken of places, people and things throughout the country and beyond. Each month, our headline photo will be something new and different. The caption will present a small explanation. We hope you enjoy. We do not want to waste your time. Articles will contain generally less than 250 words. Please have a look and give us your feedback. By all means, forward to a friend using the link at the bottom of the Newsletter. Thanks. Questions? Send me an email! I have been waiting for the Microsoft Surface with Windows 8 Pro for months. Well it arrived this past week. This entire newsletter is devoted to 3 aspects of this new acquisition; The Surface, Windows 8 Pro and the Surface compared to the iPad.	TRIF.COM Technology Resources Technology solutions are a part of doing business just like sales and marketing, It is an important component in servicing customers, managing costs and controlling operations. TRI has an uncanny ability to find affordable technology solutions for a wide variety of situations. Our capabilities bridge database design and development, Internet web-based programs, hosting and co-location services, network and computer sales and support, document imaging, bar code scanning, corporate communications, fax and email programs, mobile applications, cloud computing and help desk services. Interested in taking a step forward with technology? Looking to take advantage of the latest advances? Or just want to take advantage of your new computer? Give us a call to discuss where you want to go - 978-422-7770 or email rmj@trif.com to discuss your opportunities. The first consultation is always without charge.
Microsoft Surface At first glance, the Surface is a sleek wide-screen (16:9) high resolution tablet with super crisp display. It has a magnesium stand (the entire device is magnesium clad) that clicks out from the back side and a sleek keyboard cover that snaps into place magnetically into place making it look more like a laptop than a tablet. It starts quickly and easily with Windows 8 Pro which I will talk about in the next section. IT has a USB port (awesome) and a Micro SD memory card slot. It also has an earphone jack and an interesting magnetic connector for power or pen. The USB port is wonderful because you can connect a mouse or normal keyboard or a USB Hub so you can connect multiple USB devices. Being able to use a mouse and full keyboard makes seem like a laptop or desktop. Mine came with 64gb of disk solid-state space (because the 128gb model was out of stock). After I installed a full version of Office 2010, I was left with a mere 20gb of space. Not a lot of space! That said, with the use of cloud computing options like Microsoft Skydrive, Yahoo Flickr, Dropbox, Vimeo, Facebook, and others, most of my data is in the cloud so the space required is really used on programs. There are two choices in keypads available. A touch and a type. The touch is a slim 3mm thick with embossed keys that are touch sensitive. The type keyboard is more like a normal keyboard. I like both very much although it takes a short time to get used to the touch version. The Microsoft Surface has a Corning Gorilla Glass 2 screen which makes it nearly impervious to scratches or cracking. All things considered, I love the design, clarity and Windows of the new Surface! I also love that it is a Windows device with all the features of my desktop. Things I use everyday like Outlook, OneNote, Excel, a Mouse and a keyboard!
Windows 8 Pro Windows 8 is the new OS from Microsoft replacing Windows 7 and giving it a new look and feel designed for touch screens and especially tablets. It might be a natural for Xbox 360 users because that is the interface that you will first see. So it takes a little getting used to begin using your new Windows 8 computer because there is no familiar desktop, no start button in the lower left hand corner. But on closer scrutiny, you will find a desktop and a task bar just like the good old days. But you will never find the start button. It is gone! However, there are now 3rd party applications which will bring it back to life in a big way. With touch screen on a tablet, you can sweep your finger from the left to change applications or see a list of running applications. Sweep from the right and you will see the date and time along with start, search and settings options. The Start option provides a 'metro' look at available programs in square or rectangle icons. The icons are dynamic, so your photos icon displays photos from your computer, Facebook, Skydrive or Flickr online accounts. The People icon displays images from your social network like Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Google Connect, etc. In summary, we will all get used to Windows 8 but Microsoft, in their infinite wisdom, continues to take two steps forward and one step back.
And the Winner is.... Advantage iPad: The iPad with Apples iOS is much more intuitive, much more fun, much more friendly and always online. It has a much nicer acceptance of your finger as a pointer and selection tool. The iPad Store has more than 300,000 Apps available compared to Microsoft Store under 20,000. The iPad is 4G compatible which means you don't need to be near a hot spot to be connected. Lastly, the iPad is just plane fun! Advantage Surface: The Surface has a wonderful wide screen display great for HD Movies and Videos. It is a Windows device, so if you are like me, a Windows user, all the software you have been using is available. It has a USB port, so you can connect a wireless mouse. It can and will replace the need for you to carry a laptop around! The Surface has a USB and Micro SD slot. The iPad requires an adapter. The entire bevy of Windows software is available for the Surface with Windows 8 Pro. Lastly, the Surface is a business tool with the familiarity and capability of your desktop at home or the office. Bottom line? Winner? No clear winner! I need both! Loser is the laptop.	If any of the information here is of interest to you, please drop us a note. If you would like to see specific information on technology issues that affect you and your business, please let us know.
Have an Emergency? Need Support Now? Email: support@trif.com Call: 747-333-8743	Robert McKay Jones TRI 50 Leominster Road Suite #3 Sterling, Massachusetts 01564 978-422-7770 rmj@trif.com

Copyright 2013
All Rights Reserved
Artists Sketch byBruce Davidson
This document is provided for informational purposes only.
The information contained in this document represents the views of Robert McKay Jones and Transportation Resources, Inc.
All information provided in this document is provided "as is" without warranty of any kind, either express or implied.
The reader assumes the entire risk as to the accuracy and the use of this document.
Permission to use the words in this document for commercial purposes usually is granted. However, commercial use requires advance authorization.

Forward email This email was sent to robertmckayjones.stager52@blogger.com by rmj@trif.com |   Update Profile/Email Address | Instant removal with SafeUnsubscribe™ | Privacy Policy. Transportation Resources, Inc. | 50 Leominster Road | Suite #3 | Post Office Box 452 | Sterling | MA | 01564

Interesting News from TRI

Having trouble viewing this email? http://www.trif.com/Newsletters/2012-12.htm

This is Monterey Bay and Fisherman's Wharf in Monterey, California. Some of the best Calimari I have ever had can be found at Albalonetti Bar & Grill (green building shown on the right in the picture). Monterey is a great destination for whale watching, sea lion watching, strolling, eating, art galleries and a great acquarium. Did I say eating? If you haven't spent time there, I recommend it highly.	In This Issue
January 2013
Welcome to News from trif.com! First time readers, I am glad you're here! Returning readers, welcome back! Greetings. Welcome to our Newsletter! We wanted to share the many photos we have taken of places, people and things throughout the country and beyond. Each month, our headline photo will be something new and different. The caption will present a small explanation. We hope you enjoy. We do not want to waste your time. Articles will contain generally less than 250 words. Please have a look and give us your feedback. By all means, forward to a friend using the link at the bottom of the Newsletter. Thanks. Questions? Send me an email!	TRIF.COM Technology Resources Technology solutions are a part of doing business just like sales and marketing, It is an important component in servicing customers, managing costs and controlling operations. TRI has an uncanny ability to find affordable technology solutions for a wide variety of situations. Our capabilities bridge database design and development, Internet web-based programs, hosting and co-location services, network and computer sales and support, document imaging, bar code scanning, corporate communications, fax and email programs, mobile applications, cloud computing and help desk services. Interested in taking a step forward with technology? Looking to take advantage of the latest advances? Or just want to take advantage of your new computer? Give us a call to discuss where you want to go - 877-253-2379 or email rmj@trif.com to discuss your opportunities. The first consultation is always without charge.
Calendar 20-20 Here is an opening for a conversation. Calendar 20-20 is the name we have given to a new calendar project we are working on at TRI this month. We have used the calendar in Outlook for more than a decade and we have used the Google calendar for almost as long. These calendars are only moderately adequate. Here is a short requirements list of things we feel are missing from our Outlook or Google calendar. We intend to fix that problem. Associate calendar entries to a project Associate calendar entries to a client, associate or contact Associate calendar entries to an employee or group member Associate calendar entries to a task Permit drag and drop editing Grouping calendar entries by task within project, within client or contact within employee Manage projects better by allowing all the tasks associated with a project to be rescheduled or cancelled as the project changes state Prioritizing calendar entries Adding comments to calendar entries Add activities or requirements to calendar entries Allow clients to see and/or manage calendar entries specific to them on the web Allow employees to see and/or manage calendar entries specific to them on the web Allow supervisors to review calendar entries for all employees and clients Although Calendar 20-20 will replace the need to use the Outlook calendar, for those who wish, Calendar 20-20 can be downloaded and overlaid on top of an Outlook calendar. Print or display calendars in special report formats Listings by task by date Listings by client and include tasks and dates Listing by employee and include clients, tasks and dates Daily task list for employees and supervisors Special Monthly or Weekly calendars with avatars depicting employees, projects, clients and tasks Interactive day view that allows a supervisor or employee to better manage a client If you agree that we need to bring calendaring into the new millennium, please drop us a note and let us know what we are missing. How can a calendar be improved to help YOU in your business? Let us know!
Seed Money There is a very nice wooden box on my desk that contains hundreds of pennies, nickels, dimes and quarters. The coins look like money but are really made of paper. These coins were my gift for being one of the 1,100 backers of this project on Kickstarter.com. The paper coins can be planted. Each coin contains seeds to grow a colorful flower or herb or vegetable. Yes, these coins are called "Seed Money". The Seed Money is hand-illustrated and engraved on thick custom papers and each is embedded with seeds. Buy them in rolls just like real coins. You can secretly plant them in different places you travel or give them away as tokens of appreciation or give an entire roll of Seed Money away as a gift for someone special. Here is what you can get: Pennies: flower mix (Don't worry, nothing invasive!) Nickels: hearty greens mix (such as kale, chard & spinach) Dimes: herb mix (such as thyme, dill, oregano, parsley & basil) Quarters: salad mix (lettuce, carrot & tomato) If you are really taken with the concept, you can design your own Seed Money (Minimum order is 10,000 coins)! You can visit our office to receive your own Seed Money coin or reach out to Leafcutter Designs. They are located in Berkeley, California. Find them on the web at http://leafcutterdesigns.com.
People Tracking with RFID RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) was thought to be a transportation and logistics tool for managing inventory of packages, especially high value products like Gillette razor blades or Pfizer packages of Viagra. Although not in every store just yet, RFID is hitting it big when it comes to tracking people. Sometimes called spy chips, these tiny devices are connected to a particular package or person. They might be thought of as electronic bar codes. A court just upheld the legality of using RFID tags as an electronic badge for students of a Texas High School that wants to use RFID tags to manage the security of students. Disney World plans to begin using RFID tags installed in bracelets this spring. These wrist bands (MyMagic+ bracelets) will be used for park admission, room keys, charge cards and FastPass's (used to make reservations on popular attractions). This will replace the plastic "Card to the Kingdom" which resort guests use today as park access, room access and charge cards. The RFID scanners (pictured here) will be located everywhere and will track each individual as we move through the parks. All information gathered will feed a comprehensive logistics application to better monitor crowd levels, queue lines, and store activity. Although not specifically disclosed, the RFID bracelets will also be able to track the use of restrooms, front desks, concierge, buses, boats, monorail, automobile, room use, resort amenities such as spas, exercise facilities, lobby's, bars, restaurants and walkways. Fortunately, Disney guests will of course be able to accessorize the MyMagic+ Bracelets with charms and Mouse paraphernalia. Thank Goodness! So Mickey Mouse has become our Big Brother.	If any of the information here is of interest to you, please drop us a note. If you would like to see specific information on technology issues that affect you and your business, please let us know.
Have an Emergency? Need Support Now? Email: support@trif.com Call: 747-333-8743	Robert McKay Jones TRI 50 Leominster Road Suite #3 Sterling, Massachusetts 01564 877-253-2379 rmj@trif.com

All Rights Reserved
Artists Sketches byBruce Davidson
This document is provided for informational purposes only.
The information contained in this document represents the views of Robert McKay Jones and Transportation Resources, Inc.
All information provided in this document is provided "as is" without warranty of any kind, either express or implied.
The reader assumes the entire risk as to the accuracy and the use of this document.
Permission to use the words in this document for commercial purposes usually is granted. However, commercial use requires advance authorization.

Forward email This email was sent to robertmckayjones.stager52@blogger.com by rmj@trif.com |   Update Profile/Email Address | Instant removal with SafeUnsubscribe™ | Privacy Policy. Transportation Resources, Inc. | 50 Leominster Road | Suite #3 | Post Office Box 452 | Sterling | MA | 01564

News and Happy Holidays from TRI

Having trouble viewing this email? http://www.trif.com/Newsletters/2012-12.htm

As we close out another year, I reflect on the year gone by and dream of the year ahead. Optimism is returning and business is improving and that bodes well for the year to come. And it is those dreams that prompted this months photo. This was taken at a showing of Fantasmic in Disney's Hollywood Studios when our hero, Mickey Mouse, recovered from his nightmares to find nearly 7,000 people, young and old alike, routing and cheering for him. It is a show I look forward to seeing again and again. See you all when I get back!	In This Issue
December 2012	Captcha The Cloud Happy Holidays
Welcome to News from trif.com! First time readers, I am glad you're here! Returning readers, welcome back! Greetings. Welcome to our Newsletter! We wanted to share the many photos we have taken of places, people and things throughout the country and beyond. Each month, our headline photo will be something new and different. The caption will present a small explanation. We hope you enjoy. We do not want to waste your time. Articles will contain generally less than 250 words. Please have a look and give us your feedback. By all means, forward to a friend using the link at the bottom of the Newsletter. Thanks. Questions? Send me an email!	TRIF.COM Technology Resources Technology solutions are a part of doing business just like sales and marketing, It is an important component in servicing customers, managing costs and controlling operations. TRI has an uncanny ability to find affordable technology solutions for a wide variety of situations. Our capabilities bridge database design and development, Internet web-based programs, hosting and co-location services, network and computer sales and support, document imaging, bar code scanning, corporate communications, fax and email programs, mobile applications, cloud computing and help desk services. Interested in taking a step forward with technology? Looking to take advantage of the latest advances? Or just want to take advantage of your new computer? Give us a call to discuss where you want to go - 877-253-2379 or email rmj@trif.com to discuss your opportunities. The first consultation is always without charge.
The Last Captcha One can only hope. A CAPTCHA is a type of challenge-response test used in computing as an attempt to ensure that the response is generated by a human being. I don't know about you, but Captcha's make me angry. I am expected to type something I can't really make out. Ridiculous. I vehemently despise it. A company called Minteye may be putting an end to all that hostility. They have a product that will put an end to my anger. They have created a graphic way of preventing automation, or verifying you are a human. Have a try here to see what it is like. If you have a web site that requires validation through a captcha, I strongly urge you to change your ways. According to the company, a conversion rate of 94% vs 76% can be achieved. That's a 24% gain. A huge improvement. Why? Because it is actually a game. Slide the slider on the bottom of the image until the image becomes clear. It's easy, it's fun and it works! That is just the start. You can also use the technology to advertise. Like Google Adwords, you say how much you are willing to pay each day and with each click and you provide your own graphic and your graphic becomes the image that is behind the slider. The company says it insures your consumer's mind and eyes are on your mark, it is a clickable, measured ad unit and it works on any modern web browser including mobile and tablet devices. Very clever! I love it.
2013: The Year of the Cloud? I have never been much for predictions, but this one is a sure bet. People are outsourcing server technology to the cloud and to data-centers world wide. They are also outsourcing computing power to the cloud. Both capabilities have never been more powerful and easier to arrange. Futurists believe that the Cloud will become more intelligent because we are beginning to harness the power of the data. All this points to an ever-increasing reliance on Cloud technology. What will all this mean? Here are some things to consider as reported in Yahoo News: - Cloud adoption will move from an option to a "must have." - Custom software will hit the cloud in a big way! - Integration will become the pièce de résistance! - India and other outsourcing countries will continue to thrive! - Innovation and entrepreneurship will hit overdrive! All this points to a very busy year for all of us at TRI. Software development, data integration and harnessing different technologies will require diligence, clarity of purpose and a great deal of thought and patience. We have always been attracted to all things new and the cloud and all that it offers is no exception. We welcome the opportunities with open minds and excitement. If you are interested in learning more about the Cloud, please email us at info@trif.com.
Have Yourself a Merry-Merry Christmas From all of us at TRI, may your Holidays be filled with family, friends and much happiness.	If any of the information here is of interest to you, please drop us a note. If you would like to see specific information on technology issues that affect you and your business, please let us know.
Have an Emergency? Need Support Now? Email: support@trif.com Call: 747-333-8743	Robert McKay Jones TRI 50 Leominster Road Suite #3 Sterling, Massachusetts 01564 877-253-2379 rmj@trif.com

All Rights Reserved
Artists Sketches byBruce Davidson
This document is provided for informational purposes only.
The information contained in this document represents the views of Robert McKay Jones and Transportation Resources, Inc.
All information provided in this document is provided "as is" without warranty of any kind, either express or implied.
The reader assumes the entire risk as to the accuracy and the use of this document.
Permission to use the words in this document for commercial purposes usually is granted. However, commercial use requires advance authorization.

Forward email This email was sent to robertmckayjones.stager52@blogger.com by rmj@trif.com |   Update Profile/Email Address | Instant removal with SafeUnsubscribe™ | Privacy Policy. Transportation Resources, Inc. | 50 Leominster Road | Suite #3 | Post Office Box 452 | Sterling | MA | 01564