Category Archives: Uncategorized

Rumblings Inside Apple

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

Posted in iPad, Uncategorized. Tagged with , , , .

Why Use a Web Portal?

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.

Posted in Uncategorized.

Worcester has an Airport?

Well, yes there is. If you study the history of the fledgling airport you will find that the location was not really selected by visionaries of the time. It wasn’t in good proximity to the population center. It had no major road access. It was (and is) frequently smothered in fog and bad weather. But build it they did. At 1,ooo feet, on the highest peak in Worcester, they constructed a couple of runways and began service in the 50’s.

Much money has been spent. Business has been up and down. Airlines have been courted. They have come and they have gone. Currently Direct Air services Fort Myers (Punta Gorda), Orlando(Sanford), and now West Palm Beach Florida.

Massport took over the running of Worcester Airport in June and is trying to divert some traffic away from Logan. Time will tell. Unfortunately, as the old Pepperidge Farm commercial goes, “you can’t get there from here”. Today, ORH still lacks any connection to an Interstate highway. The airport is located on the north-west corner of Worcester, perfect proximity to residents of Holden and Paxton.

However, for Metro West, here are the directions to the airport from Framingham. Drive time is approximately 24 minutes from Route 9 West (under conditions of no-traffic):

  • Take Route 9 West through Shrewsbury into Worcester.
  • Cross Lake Quinsigamond Bridge onto Belmont Street.
  • Continue straight. Belmont Street becomes Highland Street (at Lincoln Square).
  • Continue on Highland Street across Park Avenue (4th set of traffic lights).
  • Take second right at rotary (Newton Square) onto Pleasant Street.
  • Continue on Pleasant Street 2.8 miles and turn left onto Airport Drive.
  • Continue on Airport Drive. Airport entrance is on right.

What does it tell you when the official website looks like this:

Worcester Regional Airport is a great airport, if only…

Posted in Uncategorized. Tagged with , , , .

Changing Your Perspective

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.

Posted in Uncategorized.

BNI Nashoba Networking Slideshow.mp4

Posted in Uncategorized.

Split Second Judgement

Looking for an interesting book?  Have a look at BlinkBlink, 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. 

Posted in Uncategorized.