Copyright 03-30-2007

Who dat?

One of Billions - no say!

How many galaxies are out there?
In 1999 the Hubble Space Telescope estimated that there were 125 billion galaxies in the universe, and recently with the new camera HST has actually observed 3,000 visible galaxies, which is twice as much as they observed before with the old camera. I'm emphasizing "visible" because observations with radio telescopes, infrared cameras, x-ray cameras, etc. would detect other galaxies that are not detected by Hubble. As observations keep on going and astronomers explore more of our universe, the number of galaxies detected will increase. It's safe to say - there are a lot of galaxies in the universe. Most experts agree that the count is at least in the hundreds of billions. Holy calculator! That is really a lot.

How many solar systems are in a galaxy?
The Sun is one of around 200 billion stars just in the Milky Way galaxy alone. Scientists estimate that there are many billions of solar systems in our galaxy.


So...
Our solar system has 8 or 9 planets (Pluto got demoted). Our solar system is one of about a hundred billion (nobody counted them - it's probably more) solar systems in our galaxy. Our galaxy (Milky Way - did someone pay for the naming rights? What a great idea) is one of several hundred billion in the universe (again, no official count, but the number is a chubby one).

So...
There are billions (and billions) of planets out there? Yup! Almost too many to imagine.

So...
What are the chances that our Earth is the only planet to have developed intelligent life?
What are the chances that human life on this particular planet turns out to be the most advanced and intelligent life form of all?
What are the chances that ours is the only planet to figure out how to escape its own atmosphere and do some traveling?

Some might suggest that the distance between solar systems (long way) and then between galaxies (pack a lunch) make this type of travel less imaginable. Still - even if life (intelligent life) is stuck in another solar system or galaxy (remember there are billions), can we doubt for a second that they exist. Since we may never say hello (or known about it), they may be irrelevant - but can we be silly enough to think we're it?

I'm not.

France just released its previously classified information regarding unexplained activity. It is fascinating stuff.

Michener

The master in the art of living makes little distinction between his work and his play, his labor and his leisure, his mind and his body, his information and his recreation, his love and his religion.
He hardly knows which is which.
He simply pursues his vision of excellence at what ever he does, leaving others to decide whether he is working or playing.
To him he’s always doing both.

James Michener

Technical Difficulty?

Is there a single source where a small business can find:

• Network design that includes wireless access for all Media, Internet, Voice and Data
• Phone Systems (VOIP - or not)


• Integration with proprietary systems if necessary


• Multimedia and home & business theater experience design and installation


• Hardware selection and purchase assistance


• Software selection and purchase assistance


• Installation, setup and testing with professionally installed inconspicuous wiring and racking


• Ongoing maintenance and 24/7 support


• Three levels of security protection


• Off site storage for data and media files with anytime access


• Internet access, web hosting


• Web design


• Custom database programing

Christmas Wishes

Steve Martin:

If I had one wish that I could wish this holiday season, it would be that all the children to join hands and sing together in the spirit of harmony and peace.

If I had two wishes I could make this holiday season, the first would be for all the children of the world to join hands and sing in the spirit of harmony and peace. And the second would be for 30 million dollars a month to be given to me, tax-free in a Swiss bank account.

You know, if I had three wishes I could make this holiday season, the first, of course, would be for all the children of the world to get together and sing, the second would be for the 30 million dollars every month to me, and the third would be for encompassing power over every living being in the entire universe.

And if I had four wishes that I could make this holiday season, the first would be the crap about the kids definitely, the second would be for the 30 million, the third would be for all the power, and the fourth would be to set aside one month each year to have an extended 31-day orgasm, to be brought out slowly by Rosanna Arquette and that model Paulina-somebody, I can't think of her name.

Of course my lovely wife can come too and she's behind me one hundred percent here, I guarantee it. Wait a minute, maybe the sex thing should be the first wish, so if I made that the first wish, because it could all go boom tomorrow, then what do you got, y'know?

No, no, the kids, the kids singing would be great, that would be nice. But wait a minute, who am I kidding? They're not going to be able to get all those kids together. I mean, the logistics of the thing is impossible, more trouble than it's worth! So -- we reorganize!

Here we go. First, the sex thing. We go with that. Second, the money. No, we go with the power second, then the money. And then the kids. Oh wait, oh jeez, I forgot about revenge against my enemies! Okay, I need revenge against all my enemies, they should die like pigs in hell! That would be my fourth wish. And, of course, my fifth wish would be for all the children of the world to join hands and sing together in the spirit of harmony and peace.

Thank you everybody and Merry Christmas.

Poof - You're out

Consumers fire companies quickly and decisively.

"Go ahead and disappoint me. I'll be gone in an instant. You may not even notice my departure - that's how quick it will be. I probably won't bother to complain. That would be like trying to help you. Instead, I'll just vanish into thin air."

Automated Answering

For many companies, automated phone reception makes sense. It can be nicely efficient and useful for the caller. However, you have to do this well. If you don't, you come across as incompetent.

Five Rules:

1. One layer is best. Two if you must. Try to avoid a series of menus. Don't try to do too much.

2. Make sure there is a way for the caller to opt out of the menu system and get to a person immediately. Train that person well. It's not that hard.

3. Make sure the instructions are clearly spoken and accurate.

4. Set up an appropriate alternate menu for after hours (if applicable)

5. Periodically test your own system by calling and trying all transfers.

Voting

Many people vote for the candidate who's victory and subsequent policies they believe will help them financially. Still others try to pick the winner.

I think you should pick someone you believe is wise and sees the world the way you do. Pick the person you trust the most. The problem is - it takes work to pay that much attention and it's hard to see the real person through the media. Still, we should try.

What's in the Bag?

This is Jack - not me (easily mistaken)

Driver: Nike Sasquatch Tour 8.5 degrees, Mitsubishi Rayon Diamana

3-Wood: Nike SQ 15 degree - Graphite

Hybrid: Taylor Rescue 19 degree - Graphite
Irons: 4-PW Ping i3 Blade - Gold s300
Wedges: 52 & 60 Ping Tour, 56 Tommy Armour 845ss
Putter: 48" Bettinardi Baby Ben
Ball: Titleist Pro-V1x
Grips: New Decade Multicompound midsize
Bag: Sun Mountain Superlight 3.5
Tees: 2.5 - 3" wood (white or natural)
Pencil: Graphite #2 with eraser
Ball Marker: Quarter a.k.a. $.25
Green Repair Tool: Green Fix
Current Handicap Index: 4.7
Lowest Score: 66 (-4)
Worst Hole: 12 (twice)
Holes in One: zero
My Bad Shot Phrase (outloud): "Darn"

My Bad Shot Phrase (silently uttered): "F*ck me"
Opponent's Complimentary Phrase (outloud): "Well Done"
Opponent's Complimentary Phrase (silently uttered): "F*ck you"

Chemtrails? Contrails? Conspiracy?

A friend brought this subject up while we were playing golf in Phoenix. It was interesting enough to take another look - just to consider. Here's a brief tour of the issue.


The chemtrail theory is a group of conspiracy theories regarding unnatural vapor trails in the sky which allegedly hold "chemicals." Chemtrails form when certain aircraft (in certain places and at certain times), leave behind contrails thought to be laden with "chemicals." Contrails are formed by condensation of water vapor in the aircraft's exhausts.

Proponents of the theories maintain that some trails have an appearance and quality different from those of normal water-based contrails, i.e. that chemtrails are not consistent with the known properties of contrails. The general unifying factor is the generally conspiratorial belief that some kind of chemical or biological agent is being secretly released. The term "chemtrail" should not be confused with other forms of aerial dumping (e.g. crop dusting, cloud seeding or aerial firefighting). It specifically refers to systematic, high-altitude dumping of unknown substances for some undisclosed purpose resulting in the appearance of these supposed chemtrails.

Among the theories proposed for the purpose of the alleged "chemtrails" are: atmospheric and weather modification, biological warfare, mind control or occult purposes. They are also theorized to be part of a system to counter the effects of global warming, to create a cheap wireless communications network for the military, or to create a more sophisticated radar system ...(for both defensive and scientific application).

General Description

The chemtrail theory apparently first achieved prominence in mid-to-late 1990s. Chemtrails have been discussed on radio programs hosted by Art Bell and Jeff Rense with investigative journalist William Thomas who first reported on Chemtrails . According to a FAQ posted at Jeff Rense's website, "chemtrails (CTs) look like contrails initially, but are much thicker, extend across the sky and are often laid down in varying patterns of X's, tic-tac-toe grids, cross-hatched and parallel lines. Instead of quickly dissipating, chemtrails expand and drip feathers and mares' tails. In 30 minutes or less, they open into wispy formations which join together, forming a thin white veil or a 'fake cirrus-type cloud' that persists for hours."

Lacking proper scientific equipment, most chemtrail theorists can only speculate about the composition of the alleged chemtrail. However, one chemtrail theorist, Clifford E. Carnicom, operator of a website entitled "Aerosol Crimes and Cover-ups", claims to have analyzed ground-level air samples following chemtrail events. It is not clear what his experience or expertise in chemical analysis is, but he carefully detailed the methods and procedures he used. He claims to have found airborne aluminum, barium, calcium, magnesium and titanium, and "microscopic fibers" in areas supposedly exposed to chemtrails.

Dr. Leonard Horowitz, a graduate of Tufts University and former faculty member at Tufts and Harvard University, discusses chemtrails in his 2001 book Death in the Air: Globalism, Terrorism & Toxic Warfare.

"Chemtrails" are mentioned in House Bill HR 2977, the Space Preservation Act of 2001, introduced by Congressman Dennis Kucinich, where it appears as one of a list of "exotic weapons system[s]" to be banned under the bill. Proponents of the reality of chemtrails point to this as official acknowledgment of the possibility, at least, of such weapons systems. The reference to Chemtrails was omitted from the version of the bill re-introduced by Kucinich in 2002 as HR 3616 or in 2003 as HR 3657.

An article entitled "The Chemtrail Smoking Gun" by Bruce Conway, suggested that chemtrails represent the implementation of technologies suggested in a 1992 National Academy of Science study, Policy Implications of Greenhouse Warming; specifically, that chemtrails are part of a secret project intended to mitigate global warming. Some science has corroborated this phenomenon as global dimming.

The Las Vegas Tribune, a free weekly broadsheet, ran an article on September 9, 2005, entitled "Chemtrails - Coming Out Of The Closet?", wherein that publication's managing editor, Marcus K. Dalton, stated that United States Air Force scientists working at Wright-Patterson Air Force base in Dayton, told Columbus Alive - a weekly entertainment magazine - that they had been conducting two aerial spraying experiments: "one involved aluminum oxide spraying related to global warming and the other involved barium stearate and had to do with high-tech military communications." Dalton basically rehashes William Thomas's article in Convergence Weekly, though some new information is presented.

Skeptical groups, including the Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal, assert that contrails normally exhibit a wide variation in appearance and that the descriptions and photographs of "chemtrails" are perfectly consistent with those of ordinary contrails. They also voice various objections to the idea of chemtrails:

Depending on what the alleged purpose of the chemtrail spraying would be, spray released above 30,000 feet is likely to be highly unpredictably dispersed due to high-altitude winds.

How do aircraft accused of depositing "chemtrails" manage to pass inspection without the deception being discovered? Assuming drugging the population is the purpose, the people behind the conspiracy would breathe the same air the population breathes, so any harm inflicted on the population would also be inflicted on those in charge of the conspiracy, unless they were made immune through vaccination.

Official and governmental bodies have consistently denied the existence of such spraying.

In addition, condensation trails behind aircraft have displayed characteristics attributed to "chemtrails" since the 1930s development of high-altitude planes. As these vapor trails are created in the exhausts from engines, they contain not only hot gases but also microscopic droplets of oil and every other component of the fuel, including traces of lead (in fuel used by piston engines), which can break light into various colors. This phenomenon is observed in sundogs, which have been seen throughout recorded history.

ROI / ROR

In finance, rate of return (ROR) or return on investment (ROI), or sometimes just return, is the ratio of money gained or lost on an investment relative to the amount of money invested. The amount of money gained or lost may be referred to as interest, profit/loss, gain/loss, or net income/loss. The money invested may be referred to as the asset, capital, principal, or the cost basis of the investment.

ROI is also known as rate of profit, rate of return or return. Return can also refer to the monetary amount of gain or loss. ROI is the return on a past or current investment, or the estimated return on a future investment. ROI is usually given as a percent rather than decimal value.

ROI does not indicate how long an investment is held. However, ROI is most often stated as an annual or annualized rate of return, and it is most often stated for a calendar or fiscal year. In this article, “ROI” indicates an annual or yearly rate of return, unless otherwise noted.

ROI is used to compare returns on investments where the money gained or lost -- or the money invested – are not easily compared using monetary values. For instance, a $1,000 investment that earns $50 in interest obviously generates more cash than a $100 investment that earns $20 in interest, but the $100 investment earns a higher return on investment.

$50/$1,000 = 5% ROI
$20/$100 = 20% ROI
Since rates of return are percentages, negative rates cannot be averaged with positive rates for purposes of calculating monetary returns. However, it is common practice in finance to estimate monetary returns by averaging periodic rates of return; these estimations are most useful when the averaged periodic returns are all positive, all negative, or have low variances.

Point of First Contact

There is little debate that the point of first contact with a customer is an important "moment of truth". It's possible that we can destroy our chances right on the spot. In fact, it happens more often than you can imagine.

One of the reasons businesses have trouble seeing this issue clearly is that they don't know when and where that contact happens. Contact isn't just face-to-face, "Hello, I'm here" contact. It happens whenever a potential customer knocks on any one of your doors looking for answers that will allow them to continue on the path (our path) - Call, Click or Visit.

Give it up. Do all you can to share everything you can at the point of first contact. This is your best and most likely only opportunity to keep this potential transaction alive. This fruit is hanging low. If you don't recognize what's happening here, you're burning cash.

Dialecticulousness

Idea and practice - Thesis

Experience, criticism and lesson - Antithesis

A useful position - Synthesis