"A champion is someone who gets up, even when he can't.” – Jack Dempsey

 

"Never Quit. "Don't ever, ever quit. Recognize that stopping now, regrouping to try a new approach isn't quitting. If you quit you'll regret it forever." – Rudy Ruettiger

 

Top Picks

To secure IT systems, prepare for accidents
“A society that runs on information technology cannot expect to run without a hitch as long as humans are involved.  The government's Information Security Policy Council has decided to beef up steps to ensure the safe utilization of information technology by assuming that accidents affecting providers and users are bound to occur.”
http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/editorial/20090108TDY04305.htm

 

A 'Just Culture' Is The Right Culture For Improving Patient Safety
“Human error occurs in the health care environment and sometimes those errors harm patients. In the December 2008 issue of Urologic Nursing, Celeste M. Mayer and Dale Cronin say that to improve patient safety, the health care industry must find ways to detect and learn from mistakes, holding the system accountable for errors, instead of focusing on the individual(s) responsible.”
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/134631.php

[Healthcare needs to focus on processes and controls – lessons learned from quality’s revolution in manufacturing following WWII.]

 

Top 2009 Resolution: Don't Be Stupid
“The most famous motto in our time has been Google's Don't Be Evil. I'm not sure what that means exactly, but here's a motto for the next four or five years: Don't Be Stupid.  It would not have occurred to me to posit Don't Be Stupid as a motto for our times had not 2008 ended with the Bernard Madoff story.”
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123137194364962579.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

 

IT Audit / Internal Audit / Compliance

Q+A-How did Satyam pull off India's biggest corporate fraud?
“India vowed to strengthen laws to prevent corporate fraud after Satyam Computer (SATY.BO), the country's fourth-largest software company, shocked investors by revealing profits had been falsely inflated for years.”
http://www.reuters.com/article/rbssTechMediaTelecomNews/idUSBOM19559220090108

 

Information security still a problem at IRS
“The Internal Revenue Service failed to address more than half of the security weaknesses identified in previous audits, according to a report released by the Government Accountability Office on Friday. Inadequate monitoring of network activity and a lack of computer access controls continues to put financial and taxpayer information at risk.”
http://www.nextgov.com/nextgov/ng_20090109_7354.php

 

IT Process Improvement / Quality Management

Spotlight on Software Quality Improvement: Three Strategies for Success
“Standards in software development are essential to efforts toward improving communication between customer and contractor, reducing software costs throughout the entire life cycle, and improving overall software quality. Organizations have a number of viable choices to consider when it comes to applying software quality process improvement methodologies. Three useful options—the V-Model, ISO9000, and Six Sigma—provide different approaches to helping ensure quality in the software development process.”
http://it.tmcnet.com/topics/it/articles/48115-spotlight-software-quality-improvement-three-strategies-success.htm

 

How to Benchmark Data Center Energy Costs
“Despite the potential for savings, however, most IT departments have not rushed to benchmark data center energy efficiency, primarily because there's no incentive to measure it, says Forrester analyst Doug Washburn. He notes that only 11 percent of IT organizations are responsible for paying their energy-related operating costs (the power bill typically goes to the facilities group).”
http://www.networkworld.com/news/2009/010709-how-to-benchmark-data-center.html

 

Will data centers transform in 2009?
“Despite the benefits of virtualization and the compact nature of blade servers, many enterprise IT shops won't be able to fully overhaul in their data centers in 2009. A recent HP commissioned survey found that some 20% of 600 technology decision makers plan to initiate a ‘complete transformation’ of their data centers. The remaining 80% intend to implement individual transformation projects including automation (64%), green IT (60%), operations management (59%), virtualization (59%) and business continuity (58%).”
http://edge.networkworld.com/newsletters/nsm/2009/010509nsm2.html

 

Security and Risk Management

How I got taken by a work-at-home scam
“Scammers are busier than ever because tough economic times are making people more desperate to make money, says Christine Durst, CEO of Staffcentrix, a company specializing in home-based careers that sifts through home-based job leads every day.”
http://www.cnn.com/2009/LIVING/worklife/01/07/home.scams/index.html

 

ITRC: Data Breaches Up Sharply In 2008
“Reports of data breaches in the U.S. rose almost 50 percent in 2008, according to a comprehensive report issued by the Identity Theft Resource Center on Monday.  The ITRC 2008 data breach report, which extracts data from several different breach disclosure sources, reckons that there were 656 compromises in the U.S. last year, up from 446 in 2007.”
http://www.darkreading.com/security/government/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=212701202&cid=nl_DR_DAILY_T
The report is at:  http://www.idtheftcenter.org/artman2/publish/lib_survey/ITRC_2008_Breach_List.shtml

 

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

Behind the Health Spending Data
“Spending on health care in the United States grew in 2007 at the lowest rate in nine years, according to government analysts — a sliver of good news for those worried about the relentless rise in health care costs. But buried within the overall statistics was sobering evidence that health costs continue to be a pressing concern that can only be remedied through deep-seated reform in the delivery of health services.”
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/08/opinion/08thu3.html

 

COBRA Too Costly for Many Unemployed, Report Finds
“The cost of buying health insurance for unemployed Americans who try to purchase coverage through a former employer consumes 30 percent to 84 percent of standard unemployment benefits, according to a report released yesterday.  Because few people can afford that, the authors say, the result is a growing number of people being hit with the double whammy of no job and no health coverage.”
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/01/09/AR2009010903350.html

 

Group makes push to improve quality care and safety in hospitals
“As the Institute for Healthcare Improvement wraps up a two-year safety campaign that helped connect more than 4,000 hospitals, it is challenging the facilities to use a new network and adopt a World Health Organization surgical checklist.”
http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2009/01/05/prsf0108.htm

 

HL7 passes standards for EHR system for children
“Health Level Seven (HL7), a healthcare IT standards development organization, has passed the American National Standards Institute (ANSI)-approved standard that specifies basic functional requirements for child healthcare in an electronic health record system.”
http://www.healthcareitnews.com/news/hl7-passes-standards-ehr-system-children

 

U.S. health information technology falls short-report
“Efforts to use information technology to improve U.S. health care will fall short of the potential seen by health leaders and could even set back the cause, a National Research Council report said on Friday.  A committee of academic and industry experts found the information systems at eight U.S. medical centers noted for leadership in information technology failed to provide timely, efficient, safe and patient-centered care.”
http://uk.reuters.com/article/technologyNews/idUKTRE50855M20090109

 

Human Error / Safety / Environment

Despite deep chill, global warming is still a peril: Scientists
“A cold front is sweeping across Europe after gripping swathes of North America last month, but the deep freeze does not mean the threat of global warming has abated, caution scientists.”
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/Global_Warming/Despite_deep_chill_global_warming_is_still_a_peril_Scientists/articleshow/3950065.cms

Study: Climate Change to Threaten Food for Half World's Population by 2100
“The National Science Foundation study examines the severity of rapidly warming temperatures on the world's food security.  Using direct observation and climate models, the study's authors found there was a 90-percent probability that by 2100 the lowest temperatures during growing season in the tropics and subtropics will be higher than any recorded to date.”
http://www.voanews.com/english/2009-01-08-voa46.cfm

 

Hidden harm of Google searches
“Performing two Google searches from a desktop computer can generate a similar amount of carbon dioxide to boiling the kettle for a cup of tea, according to new research.  While millions of people tap into Google without a thought for the environment, a typical search generates about 7g of carbon dioxide. Boiling a kettle generates about 15g.”
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,24899323-11949,00.html

 

Global News / Business / Economics

Toyota orders 11-day factory halt
“Toyota Motor Corp. is to halt production at its Japanese plants for 11 days in February and March as a sharp slide in U.S. sales has left dealers' lots full of unsold cars.  A 37% slump in December sales in Toyota's biggest market was its sharpest fall in more than a quarter of a century and worse than declines at struggling U.S. rivals General Motors (GM, Fortune 500) and Ford Motor (F, Fortune 500).”
http://money.cnn.com/2009/01/06/news/international/toyota_factory_halt.reut/index.htm?postversion=2009010607

 

Businesses face confidence crisis
“Business confidence among Chinese enterprises is expected to remain weak untill 2010, according to a survey conducted by UK-based L.E.K. Consulting, indicating that the global financial turmoil is taking a firmer grip than previously expected on the Chinese economy.”
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/bizchina/2009-01/09/content_7381342.htm

 

Billions pulled out of China
“Royal Bank of Scotland has warned it may become the fourth big investor in just a few days to pull billions of dollars out of the Chinese banking system, fuelling fears that China's faltering economy could be hit by massive capital outflows in coming months.  Reports indicate the British bank, now controlled by the U.K. government, has been in talks with Chinese regulators for the past few days to sell down its 4.3% stake in Bank of China worth $3.7-billion.”
http://www.financialpost.com/news/story.html?id=1156102

 

Saving the global economy
“The Bank of England has cut interest rates to 1.5%, their lowest ever. Congress's budget office this week forecast a US budget of $1.1 trillion this year, easily the biggest ever, and equal to 8.3% of national income. The IMF reckons the global economy needs a gigantic boost of $1.2 trillion this year to avoid losing altitude, but no-one has a clear idea where the cash will actually come from or exactly what will happen if it doesn't appear.”
http://money.uk.msn.com/investing/articles/nicklouth/article.aspx?cp-documentid=12584598

 

Satyam's U.S. Clients Face Tough Choices
“Details of the stunning fraud at Indian outsourcing giant Satyam are still trickling out. On Friday, Jan. 9, former Chairman Ramalinga Raju was arrested, the company's stock was delisted, and its board of directors was liquidated. It's unclear whether the $2.1 billion-a-year company will survive. But worried as they are, Satyam's current customers cannot abandon the company overnight; in the tech-services business, the operations of the client and service provider can be deeply intertwined.”
http://www.businessweek.com/bwdaily/dnflash/content/jan2009/db2009019_127597.htm?campaign_id=rss_daily
[This highlights the need to carefully scrutinize partners.  I’m sure many firms did their due diligence and still will be burned by this.  Satyam serves to demonstrate that unscrupulous firms are out there.]

 

US News / Business / Economics

The economics of solar power
“By 2020, global installed solar capacity could be 20 to 40 times its level today.  But make no mistake, the sector is still in its infancy. Even if all of the forecast growth occurs, solar energy will represent only about 3 to 6 percent of installed electricity generation capacity, or 1.5 to 3 percent of output in 2020.”
http://www.mckinseyquarterly.com/Energy_Resources_Materials/Strategy_Analysis/The_economics_of_solar_power_2161

[This is a very interesting article and has an audio podcast that accompanies it.]

 

Fed predicts economy will get worse
“The U.S. economy is likely to deteriorate further this year and unemployment will rise into 2010, according to the latest forecasts from the staff of the Federal Reserve.  This bleak forecast was presented to Fed policymakers when they met last month and lowered interest rates to near zero. Low interest rates are one key tool the central bank uses to try to spur economic activity.”
http://money.cnn.com/2009/01/06/news/economy/fed_minutes/index.htm

 

TARP Oversight Panel Urges Transparency, Accountability
“The Obama administration is already looking at a broad revamp of the program, which has faced criticism from Democrats and Republicans over its implementation. Obama's team is expected to launch a major program to prevent foreclosures. House Financial Services Committee Chairman Barney Frank (D., Mass.) said he is working with the Obama administration to try and come up with restrictions on how the second installment of the fund is used, including aid to cities.”
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123151863031268319.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

 

Technology & Science

Some like it hot: Why waste dough cooling down a data center?
“Monroe says more businesses are starting to challenge the theory that data centers must resemble meat lockers. Not only are they more readily adopting and pushing the envelope with free cooling (the practice of using outside air to keep things comfy for those servers), they’re pushing the upper limits on how hot systems can run over an extended period of time.”
http://blogs.zdnet.com/green/?p=1627

 

Enterprise technologies to watch this year
“Asian enterprises will look to technologies that can help stretch their IT dollar in the year of the Ox, according to a BizIT poll of more than 50 regional tech chiefs.  And with the spirit of prudent spending expected to keep the lid on enterprise's propensity to try out new and higher-risk technologies, it is no surprise that many vendors gave familiar-sounding names when asked which technologies will dominate in 2009.”
http://business.asiaone.com/Business/SME%2BCentral/Tete-A-Tech/Story/A1Story20090106-112720.html

 

Green tech expert clarifies data center heat discussion
This is an interesting commentary on the Arrhenius equation and what it means in data centers from Peter Hopton of Very PC in the UK.
http://blogs.zdnet.com/green/?p=1634

 

Data centre of the future? Bigger, greener, ‘cloudier’
“Feast your eyes on what may well be the data centre of the future: a purpose-built, campus-style data centre that is not only greener than its forerunners, but will help to support the rise in data centre outsourcing in general and cloud computing specifically.”
http://www.businessreviewonline.com/blog/archives/2008/12/data_centre_of.html

 

'Cancer-free' baby born in London
“The first child in Britain known to have been screened as an embryo to ensure she did not carry a cancer gene was born Friday, a spokesman for University College London told CNN.  Her embryo was screened in a lab days after conception to check for the BRCA-1 gene, linked to breast and ovarian cancer.”
http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/01/09/uk.cancerfree.baby/index.html

 

Robotic suit helps paralyzed walk
“A new robotic suit could transform the lives of paralyzed people, giving them the ability to walk again.  The invention, known as ReWalk, acts like a kind of exoskeleton. It consists of lightweight, motorized leg supports and an assortment of intricate motion sensors.”
http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/01/09/robotic.suit/index.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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