"I think, therefore I am (Cogito, ergo sum.)  ” – Descartes

 

Top Picks

Wind Energy Bumps Into Power Grid’s Limits

“Expansive dreams about renewable energy, like Al Gore’s hope of replacing all fossil fuels in a decade, are bumping up against the reality of a power grid that cannot handle the new demands.  The dirty secret of clean energy is that while generating it is getting easier, moving it to market is not.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/27/business/27grid.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

 

How To Make Anything

“If all goes according to plan, then before the end of the year, Evan Malone will print a robotic fish.  Not build, he specifies. Print.”

http://www.forbes.com/personaltech/2008/08/28/diy-innovation-tools-tech-egang08-cx_ag_0829tools.html?feed=rss_technology_personaltech

 

Information Security and the Importance of Context

“So, how do the issues relating to an absence of context informing TSA screening policies relate to information security? Far too many information security professionals also lack an analogous context: they don't know what true threats are facing their organization.”

http://www.csoonline.com/article/446863/Information_Security_and_the_Importance_of_Context

[ The need for what we termed “situational awareness” is discussed in detail in our Visible Ops Security book
http://www.spaffordconsulting.com/books.html ] 

 

Book Recommendation

Globality: Competing With Everyone From Everywhere for Everything by Harold L. Sirkin, James W. Hemerling and Arindam K. Bhattacharya

This is a very interesting book that studies a number of foreign companies and identifies what they are doing different or what differs for them vs. American firms.  For example Embraer is thriving despite tough times for US airlines.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0446178292?ie=UTF8&tag=georgespaffor-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0446178292          

There is a very good review online at:  http://www.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080831/BUSINESS/808310319/1003

 

IT Audit / Internal Audit / Compliance

Building a Compliance Framework

“The most persuasive reason to institute a compliance management culture is to reduce the cost of meeting individual regulations.”

http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&taxonomyName=business_intelligence&articleId=94263&taxonomyId=9&intsrc=kc_feat

 

Unified Compliance Framework

If you haven’t checked this initiative out, now is a good time.

http://www.unifiedcompliance.com/

 

IT Process Improvement / Quality Management

The Quiet Revolution in IT Services and How It Will Affect IT Service Providers

“The way IT services are delivered is changing, and those changes will also affect the demand for other products that IT services providers offer to their customers. Some IT services that don't have much profit built in now still offer IT service providers the opportunity to engage with their clients. But that will change as IT services become productized themselves.”

http://www.channelinsider.com/c/a/News/The-Quiet-Revolution-in-IT-Services-and-How-It-Will-Affect-IT-Service-Providers/

[ Thank you for sending this Renee!! It mentions the release of the Pepperweed Process Model. ]

 

British Airways: A Case Study in ‘Lean’ IT

“A process is a process is a process, whether it is the manufacturing floor or airline passenger check-in. And what worked for manufacturing in Detroit years ago is also working for British Airways.”

http://www.cioupdate.com/insights/article.php/3767846

 

Pepperweed Process Model

Over 700 organizations seeking to improve their IT processes have downloaded the free Pepperweed Process Model since its launch in July.  Shouldn’t you?

http://www.pepperweedprocessmodel.com

 

Security and Risk Management

New Orleans IT departments brace for Gustav

“As tropical storm Gustav approaches hurricane strength and heads toward the Gulf Coast, the IT lessons learned from the devastating Hurricanes Katrina and Rita that smashed New Orleans and other areas in 2005 are on the minds of many worried IT managers.”

http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9113880&source=rss_news50

 

Best Western forced to play defense on data breach disclosure

“Best Western's experience highlights the public relations problems that can result from breach disclosures, as well as the need for companies to have comprehensive incident-response plans in place for dealing with such disclosures.”

http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9113757&source=rss_topic17

 

Ground Control To Major Tom: Check Your Laptop For Worms

“In space no one can hear you scream, but someone could steal your login name and password from a laptop. According to reports, NASA has confirmed that in July astronauts unwittingly brought laptops aboard The International Space Station that were infected with a computer worm known as W32.Gammima.AG.”

http://www.crn.com/security/210201095;jsessionid=LWCFDZCVUBJVGQSNDLPCKH0CJUNN2JVN

[ It’s an interesting article.  NASA said that a number of the laptops they use do not have malicious software protection.  That seems very odd to me. ]

 

Apple Won't Fix iPhone Passcode Hole Until September

“Apple, Inc. has admitted a passcode security vulnerability in its iPhone software, but said a patch won't be released until September. Apple called the problem "minor" and recommends resetting the settings as a workaround. The security hole in Apple's iPhone gives an attacker access, and a security expert called the risk unacceptable.”

http://www.toptechnews.com/news/Apple-Delays-Fix-for-iPhone-Flaw/story.xhtml?story_id=131004IMCUDJ

 

Healthcare / Bio-Informatics / Care Delivery Organizations (CDOs)

Lively Debate at HIPAA Summit at Harvard

“Are patient privacy rules effective? The answer is not a simple yes or no.”

http://www.digitalhcp.com/2008/08/19/patient-privacy-rules.html

 

Rules for EMR and EHR ROI from Michigan State Experience

“Nailing down ROI for electronic health records (EHRs) must be a deliberately thought-out process, says Michael H. Zaroukian, chief medical officer at Michigan State University (MSU), one of the early adopters of this technology. Zaroukian, who directed the EHR implementation at the MSU Internal Medicine Clinic, a community-based ambulatory care facility, says the 12-physician practice reaped major savings from a decline in paper chart pulls, staff costs, and transcription expenses.”

http://www.digitalhcp.com/2008/08/05/qa-michael-zaroukian-emr-michigan-state.html

 

Security Features Not Limited to Paper

“Electronic prescribers who want to print prescriptions for Medicaid patients no longer will have to spend up to 10 times the cost of plain paper to comply with new tamper-resistance regulations, the result of intense negotiations between government officials, medical societies, the pharmacy industry, paper manufacturers, and two health-IT advocacy groups.”

http://www.digitalhcp.com/2008/07/29/paper-prescribing.html

 

Human Error / Safety / Environment

Xcel to Disclose Global Warming Risks

“One of the country’s largest builders of coal-fired power plants will give investors detailed warnings about the risks that global warming poses to its business under a deal with New York’s attorney general.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/28/business/28energy.html?em

 

Serving Architects, Consultants in Everything Green Become Mainstays

“On a recent Friday, when the rest of the staff of the architecture firm Beyer Blinder Belle was out of the office enjoying a beautiful August day, about 25 people sat in a windowless room learning about the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification process.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/27/business/27green.html?em

 

Role of human error doesn’t escape new prison design

“The design, similar to that being used in other states, eliminates the human error that has led to every escape from a Nevada prison since Skolnik has been with the Corrections Department, he said.”

http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2008/aug/28/role-human-error-doesnt-escape-new-prison-design/

 

Report: Human error causes most Predator crashes

“As the U.S. military scrambles to get more robotic warplanes like the Predator drone aloft, it is confronting an unexpected adversary: human error.”

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5h3SfAwKyIcG8Dc4oKPQYKBDOZVSgD92PJ42O4

 

Global News / Business / Economics

Survey Finds Most Muslims Upbeat on Globalization

“Conducted by the U.S.-headquartered group, WorldPublicOpinion.org, the poll surveyed the opinions of more than 5,000 people in Egypt, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Iran, Indonesia, the Palestinian territories, and Muslim areas of Nigeria.”

http://www.voanews.com/english/2008-08-28-voa9.cfm

 

Beijing plans more change for telecoms

“China Telecom, the country's biggest fixed-line operator, which has acquired a mobile business as part of an industry-wide restructuring, expects Beijing to this year introduce further measures to promote competition in the world's biggest telecommunications market.”

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/c9de6c08-7561-11dd-ab30-0000779fd18c.html

 

Iraq signs $3 billion oil deal with China

“It was the first time in more than 35 years that Iraq has allowed foreign oil companies to do business inside its borders.  The contract with the China National Petroleum Corporation could be worth up to $3 billion. It would allow the CNPC to develop an oil field in southern Iraq's Wasit province for about 20 years, Oil Ministry spokesman Assim Jihad said.”

http://edition.cnn.com/2008/BUSINESS/08/30/iraq.china.oil.deal/

 

US News / Business / Economics

The Economy's Upside Surprise

“Second-quarter U.S. growth was revised upward to a surprisingly strong 3.3%, but some still see big challenges for the rest of the year”

http://www.businessweek.com/investor/content/aug2008/pi20080828_330657.htm?campaign_id=rss_daily

 

Organizations Need Structure and Flexibility

“There is certainly no shortage of management lessons to be gleaned from Michael Phelps's record-shattering performance at the Beijing Olympics—the importance of setting firm objectives and staying sharply focused perhaps chief among them.”

http://www.businessweek.com/managing/content/aug2008/ca20080829_764172.htm?campaign_id=rss_daily

 

IT workers hit hardest by offshore outsourcing, survey finds

“As many as 8% of IT workers have been displaced by offshore outsourcing, either through job loss or an involuntary transfer to a new job by their employer, which is twice the rate of workers in other occupations, according to a study based on data collected from some 10,000 people, which may be the largest survey of its kind.”

http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9113755&source=rss_topic14

 

Is America Losing At Globalization?

“Americans returning from jaunts abroad can't help but notice that the distinguishing features of modern capitalism, many of them developed in the United States, are being put to greater effect overseas. I've had better cell-phone service in Cambodia than in Connecticut.”

http://www.newsweek.com/id/156343

 

A Nightmare on Wall Street

“LIKE a Hollywood monster that is impervious to bullets, the credit crisis refuses to lie down and die. The authorities have bombarded it with interest-rate reductions, tax cuts, special liquidity schemes and bank bail-outs, but still the creature lumbers forward, threatening new victims with every step. Global stockmarkets are suffering double-digit losses this year, and credit markets are once again gummed up.”

http://www.cfo.com/article.cfm/12031159/?f=rsspage

[ Very good article.  The author points out that governments are hit with a double shock of the credit crunch and rising commodity prices and the combination has both limited the responses possible and created confusion. ]

 

Technology & Science

Wireless Power Transmission

Ever wondered about transmitting power using wireless technology?  Imagine a world without power lines.  While long distance transmission isn’t here yet and not likely any time soon unfortunately.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wireless_energy_transfer

On August 25th, 2008, Intel did demonstrate wireless power transfer at their developer forum

http://www.geek.com/intel-demonstrates-wireless-power-transmission-20080825/

 

Compressed-air storage coming to wind power

“A New Jersey company said on Tuesday it will invest $20 million over three years to develop an underground compressed-air storage system for wind turbines and other power sources, a sign of growing confidence in the technology.”

http://news.cnet.com/2300-13840_3-6242687.html

 

U.S. government giving 'green' buildings a boost

“Commercial buildings consume nearly one fifth of the nation's energy. But that could change dramatically if by 2025 all new office and retail buildings generate as much energy as they use.  That's the goal of the U.S. Department of Energy's Zero-Net Energy Commercial Building Initiative, announced earlier this month.”

http://news.cnet.com/8301-11128_3-10024756-54.html?part=rss&tag=feed&subj=GreenTech

http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/story?id=53339

http://www.doe.gov/6454.htm

 

Don't Trust The Marketing Brochures

“Before you beat up your facilities people about your high Power Utilization Effectiveness number, it's important to understand that PUE has become a competitive tool for marketing manipulation and misinformation.”

http://www.forbes.com/technology/2008/08/22/cio-green-grid-tech-cio-cx_kb_0825greengrid.html

 

End Notes

The News is brought to you by George Spafford, Principal Consultant at Pepperweed Consulting, LLC.  Pepperweed is nationally recognized as a leader in IT Management Consulting.  For more information, check out our website at www.pepperweed.com or call 888-229-0145. Please let us know if you see stories you think should be included in the next issue of The News, and feel free to forward this email on to others.

 

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