Blackwater - State Department

Blackwater just wants to make money with their guns. The State Department just wants to smooth things over with very little publicity. The Justice Department wants to find law breaker and prosecute them. Everyone has their own agenda from their perspective.

The drama of gun for hire in a war zone is being played out in the media, and in Washington. Has anyone considered what it may be like living and working in a war zone where their are not clear boundaries.

A century ago war was fought quit differently. There was Side A and Side B. Each side had their physical control of land. Then their was a strip of land in the middle. That was called the Battle Zone.

Today, war has no clear boundaries. The Korean Conflict, Vietnam War, along with military actions of a prolong nature find soldiers of Side B living inside land occupied by Side A.

This I believe, why so many of our soldiers act out of character. Even the suicide rate of return soldiers from Iraq has the VA concerned. Oh well, just call it "Post Tramantic Stress Syndrome".

The Internet - No Privacy

Malicious computer code is on the increase. It installs files such as Trojans, password captures, keyboard loggers and other malware on computer user's systems registered a five time increase in the first half of 2007, according to Microsoft.

Vontage the large voice of the internet firm is finding that their system is not secure for hackers. Intercepted phone calls. Making screaming across Time Square more private than using Vontage.

The homes away from home are risky place to hook you laptop. You need to take certain precautions. Hanging out in a motel with free wireless connection is a great way to read other travelers information that is on their hard drive.

I have seen so many people in denial when it comes to computer security. Then they are in shock when their credit card information is stolen. It is alway not a big thing when it happens on the outside of the United States.

Red Sox Are Hot

The Red Sox are hot. They did a sweep to win the World Series. 2007 is a very goo year for Boston. Celebrations will going on from now through and maybe after Halloween.

This is a great break from such depressing heart breaking news.

• Fires in California have got people worried about air quality.
• The death of 7 college students in a NC beach house.
• Death rate climbs in Iraq.

I have glad that there are some good things happening in the world amongest so much tragic events. All to often there is to much bad news, when in reality there is a lot of good things happening.

War Protests - Again!

I am a child of the 60's. Images of war protests are burned into my memory. So when I saw on the news anti-ware protest about Iraq, I started to flash back to the Vietnam era.

Hundreds of young adults filling the street. Some with their fists raised in the air chanting some anti-war slogan. Others were carrying sign liking President Bush to Adolf Hitler. All of them angry about our current governments actions of violence.

From San Francisco to New York, including nine other cities across the United States. A well plan group of protest of a level I have never seen. Of course that is the result of the internet. Websites, emails, and instant messaging bring together like minded people to such a massive protest.

Like every anti-war protest police were busy with crowd control. Arrest of the unruly ones are part of any respectful protest. Even rain could not dampen the resolve to yesterdays protesters.

What will the result of these leader?

California Fire - Recovery

The Santa Ana winds have gone. People are starting to return to their homes. The people of Southern California are dealing with even poorer air quality. Evacuation centers are starting to close down.

In the last few days I have observed people from all across the nation rushing to the aide. Firefighters from Idaho have gone to Southern California to give relief to local firefighters. President Bush goes to support fire fighting weary men and women. The United Way are deeply involved in helping people affected by the fire.

I am glad to see so many people pitching in to help. A disaster this massive is going to take a lot more than token efforts. I am sure some of these victims help those victims of Katina and other disasters through out the world. Now it is our time to help them.

World Series - Who Cares

This year you can watch the World Series on the Fox Network. I can't even tell you who is playing. To be honest with you I am more concern about the fires in Southern California, and other current events.

If you are a baseball fan, you are probably calling me un-American. I am not. It is just that in our fast pace world baseball is just to slow of pace for me. I started to fall asleep in the last Oakland A's game I attended. Give me something like NASCAR, football, or even basketball.

National sports attendance along with the viewership on television says I am not alone. NASCAR is the fastest growing American sport. Football and basketball each have viewership that greatly over shadows baseball.

I hope baseball doesn't go away. I think they should change the rules to make it a little more fast paced. Maybe they could give the batters a little more advantage. Instead of a 2 - 0 game have the average game score 50 - 49.

While Back In Northern California

While every bodies attention is focused on the fire storm and is destruction in Southern California, some interesting business news has been taking place in Northern California. This is one reason why it is always good to a wide perspective of what is happening around the country and the world.

Microsoft, the software giant has bought a share of Facebook. For $3 billion Microsoft gets 20% share of the company. This makes Yahoo's earlier offer for to buy the company for a mere one billion look weak. I have not seen any number for Google was offering, but I am sure it fell short to what Microsoft bid.

What would pay for a piece of Facebook? It is number #2 social networking website behind My Space. Facebook boasts of over 50 million active users. Expected profits for this year is in the $30 million range.

If you compare Facebook and MySpace, Facebook maybe leave MySpace in the dust before the end of the year.

California Fire Storm

Southern California has turned into a Firestorm. A spokesman for California's Office of Emergency Services, said the state had not seen such a large evacuation since records were kept in California. The fires have reached outskirts of the Mexican city of Tijuana, 20 miles from San Diego.

Economic losses from the only guessed at being in the hundreds of millions of dollars. We will never really know until after it is all over. The flames are still raging with no end in sight.

I am glad to see President George W. Bush and Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's working together to get resources to fight the fire. California’s first lady Maria Shriver Maria, a famous broadcast journalist has gone on television to give some direction for those who are wanting to help the victims in this massive disaster.

If you want to help the best place to start is with the Red Cross.org

Southern California Fires - What's Happening?

Fires are erupting throughout Southern California like some Black Plaque. From south of San Diego to Santa Barbara counties, California fire crews are stretched as far as they can without endangering their lives. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger declared a state of emergency in the affected areas.

At the same time the east coast will be covered with rain. Will this be relief for their drought? What is happening?

The weather has gotten crazy. Global warming is on everyones mind. Are we nearing the end of the world, as we know it?

Yes, I know a lot of heavy question to ask one's self for a Monday morning. But considering the current state of our country, not politically, but ecologically, we should spend some time thinking about what we can do.

George W. Bush and Bill Clinton

The last few months of George W. Bush presidential term and William J. Clinton is quite a contrast. President Clinton's last months was marked by an attempted impeachment, over lying about sex with a White House aide. George W. has been proven a liar about the reasons for taking us to war. Yet he stands before Congress asking for another 46 billion dollars to continue.

Two presidents from two political parties in two totally different times. In my over simplified way there is two totally different ethical point of views.

President Clinton served as president during on of the peace time periods of the United States. However his morals and ethics were questionable. One thing I have observed in my life is that during times of peace ethics are looked at under a bigger microscope.

President Bush was plunged into the largest terrorist attack on American soil in less than a year after taking office. Lying, and deceiving the American public about weapons of mass destruction is overlooked.

I guess social political climate does determine acceptable morals and ethics.

ABS, CBS, FOX, NBC - Examine the Evidence

We are already well into the mud slinging, positioning of a presidential election. We should listen to what the good ole boys at the local coffee shop are saying about the current state our economy.

The concrete contractor is down to only 2 crew member beside himself. The painting contractor has just filed chapter 11. Craigs list is filled with people selling computers dirt cheap. Wages for the blue collar worker is $1 to $3 lower than a year ago.

All we hear from NBC, CBS, ABC, FOX, and other news organizations low housing, and terrible storms. Otherwise they are painting as not so bad picture.

As the famous CSI, Gil Grissmon, says, "Examine the evidence". Look at is going on around you. The higher learning centers are reporting some interesting evidence. Take the look at the chart to the right from Fed Research. (Left click on the chart and examine the details.)

Cyber Crime Is Scarier Than Halloween

This is the season where all those scary ghost stories are told, in the movies and on television. But I can tell you an even scarier story that is no story. It is about the thief of peoples identity.

It starts by the Jeff visiting a website that is offering a great deal on a new iPhone by Apple. After the purchase information is entered on the website, and the credit card is verified, the website when to a thank you page.

That person never received their iPhone. Their credit card was maxed out in less than a couple of hours. Before Jeff realized what had happen, several days had passed. The thieves where working on from another website.

This year the FBI reported that crimes like mention above have surpass the drug trade by $40 billion dollars per year. Now that is scary!

There is many solutions, but I recommend INVISUS

Are We Adding To Britney Spears Troubles

Hours after losing child-visitation rights Thursday, the troubled pop star apparently ran over a photographer's foot with her car. Iggy may be in hiding, but the whole world has an opinion as to wheither to return Iggy or not. There is more on the news and daytime talk shows than there is about world affairs.

Britney Spears, Sandra Oh and other celebrities are hound by the C. Every turn any celebrity makes there is a lensman ready to take their picture. Good or bad their camera is poised to take a celebrities picture that we are more than will to see. Most of time the celebrities are just trying to be normal in an everyday world. It doesn't matter if it is a paper , television or internet tabloid.

Do some of these celebrities act out just to get more attention from the paparazzi? After all what better way to increase ones celebrity status.

Ellen DeGeneres' Influence - Where is mine?

Ellen DeGeneres' through her emotional out break on national TV has brought a wave of phone calls and emails on the animal rescue mission. Then that story hit several of the news wires. Is that fair?

Over the past several years, I have been preaching what the average computer user can do to protect themselves from identity theft. I only get these looks that it is going to cost them money. The idea anti-spyware, and anti-virus programs is a forgein idea to many people.

There has only been slight acknowledgment from the tech community about the answer. The influence of anti-spyware and anti-virus program vendor want to sell their products.

Why can't I have Ellen DeGeneres' influence on an issue that will affects more people worldwide?

Larry Craig - Please No More

The Today Show and all over NBC not to mention comments and bits on the other news networks.

Please! I am tired of covering my daughters ears. Don't you think that enough is enough.

There is a time when a news story is cover, but this one has been ruin. Who out there still wants to listen to more of Larry Craig?

Earthquake Los Angeles

Early this morning, while the residents of Los Angels there was a 4.2 earthquake. At the writing of this blog not much is know about what was the resulting damage. So say any more about it be to spread rumors of fear or comfort.

As one who has been through numinous earthquakes, I know it can be scary. A house or apartment starting to move from one side to the other. Starting out slow gaining in intensity, then as you start to panic it stops. Then you wait for more as scenes from earthquake disaster movies flash through your conscience mind.

The one big reassuring fact is that as long as I can remember building codes required a level safe. This means any building will with stand earth damage. Dishes and other lose items maybe shaken to the floor, but massive death and destruction is prevented.

Bottomline: I don't expect any loss of life from the earthquake. If there is any real major damage, it will be from old or decaying building.

Kelly Ripa Is Human

I was in Wal Mart at the check out stand when I saw a magazine with the words Kelly Ripa, caught my eye. Next to it was a round face woman. I had to look at it real hard before I could recognize it as Kelly Ripa.

Sometimes I come overwhelmed by all the problems in my life. I see people in the public eye and wonder why do they have problems. They have money, looks, and reputation. That is why I have to take a step back and realize that they are human too.

We all have problems. We all have failure. We all difficulties. The bottomline is how we deal with them.

We can be overwhelmed by the pressure or we can rise above the pressure. The choice is ours. Ours alone.

Sin, Sefishness, and Wastefulness

A selfish, wasteful, sinful youth doesn't make for a good life when you get old. God I wish I could undo a lot of what I have done, not to mention the my influence to others.

I sit in praying to make my family's life better. Thinking about the scripture that reads, "you reap what you sow". Praying that in the last few years of my life I can make a turn around and a difference.

I had left my first wife and two children. Not spent any real time with them as they were growing up. The 40 years of my life it was all about me. Money, sex, drugs, and my way. Now I want to change that.

Here I sit at 53 with a wife and 7 year old daughter on the edge of being on the street. I want to work, but the volume of work is not there. Bills are piling up. I am praying not just for a miracle, but redemption.

I don't want my wife and daughter to suffer for what I have done. I want them to see and experience I know to be true. That truth is that God is real and He will supply all our needs.

Life Takes Faith

Yesterday, I went on a service call where I could not understand why they called me. The problem was straight forward. Even through I did not open up the laptop and dive disassemble it to the system board, I knew the problem. It was as if they wanted someone to confirm the cause of the problem.

Later that day, I posted on Craig's List my surplus printer. I didn't expect them to sell, because used printers are a dime a dozen. The most expensive one sold before 7pm.

Considering the current down turn of the economy, it is hard to maintain a good cash flow. Owning a business, requires faith. Not just faith in my skills, but faith people will come knocking on my door, for work.

Faith is the bottom line. Believing that what needs to happen will happen. It is a much part of life as eating and breathing.

Politics and Life

Standing on a soap box and shouting to the world just merely informs the world that you care about an injustice. Writing about it in a blog or book is little more than trying to motivate people to take action. Either way they are words of inward passions making an attempt to rally other to the cause.

As we close on an Presidential election words, emotions, and passions are flying like bullets in the middle of a heated battle. The one who is speaking those words is looking out of one corner of their eye to see the reactions of the masses that are watching.

You may think that its hypocritical. Well, the winner is going to be the President of the United States for the next four years. It is how we elect our leaders.

The fact of life is we all make a statement. Stop! Then look for the reaction of those around us. If the reaction is positive, we continue on that course. If the reaction is negative, change and look for a new direction. Such is life.

North American Piranha

North American Piranha is related to their South American cousins in behavior only. Their physical traits come in the form of the two-legged human. North American piranha is known for their feeding frenzies on money that comes close. Food, unlike their South American cousin is a secondary motivational force. The North American Piranha is driven more for monetary gain with the promise of luxuries.

The North American Piranha run in groups with hierarchical structure. The top ones are trying to get the lower ones motivated to bring in more money and reproduce more piranhas’ to their group. This is done through meeting and phone calls to the groups weekly if not daily. Conversations always end up in a persuasive manner talking about the great good of the group and what it takes to climb the latter of success in that group.

They sell goods and/or services that are unique and top quality, so they say. The goods range and services range from flowers, soaps, to even computer security. They are always told what is being sold is what every person in the world needs.

You can bring in a lot of money if you pay this small fee to join my network. Then you can make more money if you reproduce more people selling for you. This type of behavior has been given many names. Only a good lawyer and the United States Securities and Exchange Commission can tell you the difference between Pyramid Schemes, Network Marketing, Multi-level Marketing, and Network Marketing.

South American Piranha

Piranha nicknamed the “Wolf of the Water,” is an amazing fish. It hunts in pack called shoals. They do not leave any chance of escape for their prey. The piranha’s anatomy is designed for short, sharp, bursts of speed. Their mouth is lined with razor sharp teeth. A piranha can strip most fish and animal to the bone in a very short time.

Piranha will not just eat what is front of them. They are fussy eaters. It is believed that piranha habits consist of small ducks, dogs, and small children. It has been well documented that human corpses have been dinner.

Piranhas have evidenced a strong influence use of habitat, and social structure. They go in a toforaging mode like other fish communities. The foraging mode shifts allow for flexibility to adapt to a variety of ecological conditions.

A school of piranha (or shoal) will have one or more dominant piranha, depending on the size of the shoal, i.e. the leader(s) of the pack. Even though the fish will often hang out together, in crucial moments the dominant fish will show its might. In most cases, the alpha-animal will be the largest, most aggressive and bold specimen, first at feeding sessions and owning and guarding the best spots. Any unwilling servants will be corrected instantly by aggressive behavior, chasing or even inflicting wounds.

American Piranha

In the rivers of South America is a fish that feed on flesh live or dead. They are known for their feeding frenzies of any flesh that fall into the water.

In the United States and Canada is a group of humans that are know for their feeding frenzies on money that comes close. They are looking for all the people they can find to be part of their business.

They sell goods and/or services that are unique and top quality, so they say. It is always, you can make a lot of money if you pay this small fee to join my network. Then you can make more money if you get people selling for you.

The goods range and services range from flowers, soaps, to even computer security. I have nothing against the products and services, even if some seem to be priced a bit on the high side. There are times I feel they are feeding off my time and money.

Spread Your Wings As Eagles

An eagle will sit on the edge of a cliff then spread out its wings. In the process if leaning forward it falls into the air current. The air currents lifts him. In flight the eagle uses its wings and body weight to navigate.

This is what it is like starting a business. Call it faith in the laws of physics. Call it suicidal. It can grasp and paralyze you with fear or it can lead you to fly to new heights.

I have talked to several people who wanted to go into business for themselves. The first thing that held them back was fear.

A calm attitude. Intelligent market research. Good skills in the business model. Then a fearless passion along with hard work will lead to success.

Eagles or Turkeys?

Do you know the difference between and eagle and turkey?

An eagle will fly above circumstances. While a turkey stay in the middle. I am told turkeys will when it rains will open their mouths with heads up and drown.

If I am to rise above having customers pull me down with their request and delay actions, I must find a better quality. Usually it is the customer looking for a better quality and service from a business. The reverse holds true for the business?

Sitting patiently waiting for a customer to see you is not productive. Hagging over a price after the job has been completed. Changing conditions after the bid is given, and expecting the work to be done for less. All of these are will drag a business down. Not to mention the frustration and hating working for customer.

Never Give Up Never Give In

"Never Give Up, Never Give In," is the inspiring phrase that Tim Allen would say in a Star Trek parody like movie. The movie was about Tim Allen playing a character like William Shatner. In the movie a group of space aliens saw the transmission of a TV show, and believed what they saw. Tim Allen ended up helping the space aliens defeat the evil space empire.

There are times, I feel, helplessly trapped in a situation where I do not have the training, skills, or ability to accomplish what is required of me. Within in myself I want to run and hide within a safe zone.

But there is something within me that says, "Never Give Up, Never Give In".

Each time I go forward, I find I have the ability to do more than I think I could. It is just a matter of pressing forward pass all the doubts, and insecurities.

Business is Business

I am soft heart. I want to have my customers/client have the most efficient computer. I want them to be able use their computer's resources to the best of their ability. But their are times where money and their wishes must take first place.

I have a client whose computers and network is in bad shape. They have ignored the basics for quite some time. I want to go in and get it running top at peak performance, but they don't want to spend the money. It is going to a couple three thousand dollars just get it up to an acceptable standard.

I can give them only so much extra time. Any more will be cheating my business. It is like the old Biblical say, "casting pearls before swine". I am afraid what improvement that I do will not be kept up. The same condition of poor performance and spyware will exist in a few months.

Years ago when I work on commercial gas appliances, I spent half the night working a commercial gas stove. That range was used through breakfast, and lunch the following day. I showed about 2pm to present the bill for my work. That stove was in near the same condition as it was 24 hours before.

Bottomline their cooks were not taking care of that stove. I wasted my time for the extra energy I put into cleaning it. A couple month later, that restaurant had a fire. You guess it. The source of the fire was that grease laden stove.

Taking it on the road

I have never been one to sit still in a comfort zone. Even at the age of 16, I was hitchhiking through out north California. The first half of my Junior year in high school was at a school 60+ plus miles away.

Looking at some business networking possibilities, the idea of reaching out beyond the borders of Boise Idaho can be a reality. I remember a saying, "An expert is someone that lives more than 50 miles away".

I have the skills, the knowledge, and the passion. Why not? Why not help people with their computers, and small businesses? It would definitely increase my families income potential. When I mentioned it to my wife, she seemed to like the idea.

Now to put it out there to some national contacts and see what happens?

Have We Lost Wisdom?

It has been said that knowledge is power. Along with knowledge come responsibility. Some even believe that it is better to be ignorant. I disagree.

The world we live in is so big and complex it is impossible to know everything. So people have specialized their knowledge to their interests. Then they depend upon trusted sources to fill the gaps in area they know very little.

A level of knowledge is something we all need to have. That is known as wisdom. Wisdom is knowing how to use the knowledge we have. The old timers called it Horse Sense.

When I was young, everyone was expect to have a certain level of this wisdom. Today, people are taught it. These are classes given under the title, "In service training". Below is list of some of these classes.

1. Conflict Resolution (how to dealing with difficult people)
2. Sexual Harassment (how to act around the opposite sex)
3. Financial Management (how to save or spend money)
4. Safety Training (how not to get an physical injury)
5. Interpersonal Skills (how to interact around other people)

Have we spend so much time in from the our computers, televisions, and game consoles that we have lost the most basic of knowledge?

Not Just Overnight

No success happen overnight, or in a week, or in a month. It takes time, planning, and hard work. The distant observer may see an overnight success, that is only from their perspective.

A lot of life is learning what does not work, before what does work. Think about Thomas Edison, the inventor of the light bulb. Mr. Edison had more failures before he found what would work.

Moses, the most memorable individual in the Old Testament was in his 60's before leading the children of Israel over the Red Sea. He spent a lot of time in the desert, learning what works and what does not work.

In this age of information, learning can be done a lot faster. But it still does not happen overnight. The 20, or 30 something individual with a successful career, starts in their teens, if not younger.

Look, Listen, and Learn

Before any major change can be made in either marketing or structure of a business, there must be some level of research. The degree of changes must be exceeded by the degree/level of research done before those changes can take place.

Last night I was watching on a PBS television station about WWII. Some of the greatest blunder done by U.S. and British generals happen when they acted on what seem like the right thing to do. The result was the lost of hundreds of lives and thousand of wounded men.

Yes, starting, operating, and directing any business is a risk. The risk level can be greatly reduced by research and testing. Before any major action or direction is committed. That is why I have titled today's blog post; Look, Listen and Learn.

Anyone who looks and listens must learn from what is observed and heard. Then a course of action can be planned. Then that planned can be implemented with some surety of success.