A Powerful Message from Stevie Wonder on Michael Jackson’s

This is quite touching.

……. .. ‚ ‚ .. ‚..
.. . . ‚ . . . . . .. . .. ‚. .. .. . ‚ . .
… … .. … … … …. …. …… … … … …. ….. .. .
.. . . ‚ .. . . . ..
… . …. … …. …. …
…… …. …. …. ….. ….. ….. .. . . …. ….
. .. .
. . .. . .. . …
……. … … … .. … ……. … .. …. … … ….. ….
. .. .. .
.. ….
.. . . . . . .. .. ‚ ..
.. …. .. … … ……. …… …..
Deep stuff, huh?
I nearly cried when he said, ‚. .. . . . .. .. ‚ .. … . . …. ….‚

International Toy Show – Tokyo, Japan

I went down to the International Toy Show at Tokyo Big Site in Odaiba. Tokyo Big Site is a building located in Odaiba in Tokyo, Japan. It is pretty cool because this was a huge event that had a ton of stuff. This would be like a COMIC-CON, but for toys and held in Tokyo. There was a ton of toys and some of them were really cool.

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When I was leaving the International Toy Show I snapped a few extra photos of the Fuji Television building, Aqua City, and some ships in Tokyo bay. Here are those photos.

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Which Would You Prefer?

All these clothes are currently available at Walmart.

To Be Six Again

A man was sitting on the edge of the bed, observing his wife, looking at herself in the mirror. Since her birthday was not far off he asked what she’d like to have for her Birthday.

‘I’d like to be six again’, she replied, still looking in the mirror.
On the morning of her Birthday, he arose early, made her a nice big bowl
of Lucky Charms, and then took her to Six Flags theme park. What a day!

He put her on every ride in the park; the Death Slide, the Wall of Fear, the Screaming Monster Roller
Coaster, everything there was.

Five hours later they staggered out of the theme park. Her head was reeling and her stomach felt upside down.

He then took her to a McDonald’s where he ordered her a Happy Meal with extra fries and a chocolate
shake.

Then it was off to a movie, popcorn, a soda pop, and her favorite candy, M&M’s. What a fabulous adventure!

Finally she wobbled home with her husband and collapsed into the bed exhausted. He leaned over his wife with a big smile and lovingly asked, ‘Well Dear, what was it like being six again?’

Her eyes slowly opened and her expression suddenly changed. ‘I meant my dress size, you retard!’

Yokosuka, Japan

Drove over to Yokosuka, Japan today. There is a Naval base over there. It is pretty neat to see. Here are some photos of that experience.

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Naval Base Yokosuka


Went over to Naval Base Yokosuka on the edge of Yokohama bay and while over there these were a few of the cool Navy ships to see.

Fishing and Marriage License

Cowboy in Gay Bar

A cowboy walks into a bar and two steps in, he realizes it’s a gay bar.

“What the heck,” he says to himself, “I really want a drink.”

When the gay waiter approaches, he says to the cowboy, “What’s the name of your willy?”

The cowboy says, “Look, I’m not into any of that. All I want is a drink.”

The gay waiter says, “I’m sorry bu t I can’t serve you until you tell me the name of your willy. Mine for instance is called NIKE, for the slogan ‘Just Do It.’ That guy down at the end of the bar calls his SNICKERS, because ‘It really Satisfies.’ ”

The cowboy looks dumbfounded, so the bartender tells him he will give him a second to think it over. So the cowboy asks the man sitting to his left who is sipping on a beer, “Hey bud, what’s the name of yours?”

The man looks back and says with a smile, “TIMEX.” The thirsty cowboy asks, “Why Timex?” The fella proudly replies, “‘Cause it takes a lickin’ and keeps on tickin!”

A little shaken, the cowboy turns to two fella’s on his right, who happen to be sharing a fruity Margarita and says, “So, what do you guys call yours?”

The first man turns to him and proudly exclaims, “FORD, because ‘Quality is Job One’.” Then he adds, “Have you driven a Ford lately?”

The guy next to him then says, “I call mine CHEVY…..’Like a Rock!'” And gives a wink!

Even more shaken, the Cowboy has to think for a moment before he comes up with a name for his manhood. Finally, he turns to the bartender and exclaims, “The name of my willy is SECRET.. Now give me a beer.”

The bartender begins to pour the cowboy a beer, but with a puzzled look asks, “Why Secret?”

The cowboy says, “Because it’s ‘STRONG ENOUGH FOR A MAN, BUT MADE FOR A WOMAN’!”

Wyoming Hot Tub Party

wyoming_hottub

Prevent Terrorists From Using Currency

Due to the global war on terrorism, many terrorist organizations have had their finances frozen. Consequently, they have resorted to counterfeiting. The Canadians have considered to redesign their currency to prevent the radical Muslims from even touching it. It is also hoped that this will have a positive effect on tourism.

canadaian_currency10
canadaian_currency20
canadaian_currency100

Muslim terrorists have to kill themselves if they see a naked woman, it’s a win/win for everybody.

The Dawn Keye Diet

A nurse, who has done a lot of research about dieting, has given information about the various popular diets including Atkins, Jenny Craig, Weight Watchers, and the South Beach Diet. One diet about which you haven’t heard about previously, but which I insist works for almost everyone:

the_dawn_keye_diet

Worried About Squirrels in Your Bird Feeder?

bird_feederbird_feeder1bird_feeder2

Mount Fuji Japan

Drove over to Mount Fuji today. Here are some of the photos that were snapped along the way and different views from the volcano.

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Sights Around Mount Fuji


Drove over to Mount Fuji and there were low level clouds, but there was a break in the clouds enough for me to get some photos and some different views around Mount Fuji.

Differences Based Upon the View

Mount Rushmore from the Canadian Side.

Father’s Day

This one really touched my heart. Remember Father’s Day is Sunday June 21st.

fathers_day

“Dear God, this year please send clothes for all those poor ladies in my Daddy’s computer.” “Amen.”

Asakusa – Tokyo, Japan

Went to Asakusa in Tokyo, Japan today. Here are some photos of the things I saw while I was there.
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Buddhist Temple in Asakusa, Tokyo


Took the subway train to visit the buddhist temple in Asakusa district of Tokyo.

Poignant Thoughts on the Swine Flu

swine_flu

Grilling Tip


As every Southerner knows, come spring it is time to get ready for that all-important cooking technique of the south — outdoor grilling!

I have just found out there are several stores (not just in the South) where you can get a FREE Bar-B-Q grill! You can get a free BBQ grill from any of the following stores:

A&P
Albertsons
Brookshire’s
Food Lion
Home Depot
Ingles
Big Lots
Lowes
Piggly Wiggly
Publix
Safeway
Sam’s Club
Target
Trader Joe’s
Wal-Mart
Winn-Dixie
Food Depot
K-Mart
B J’s
Walgreen’s
Rite Aid
Food World
Bruno’s
CVS
Kroger

I especially like the higher rack — which can be used for keeping things warm! Just make sure to get a metal one… the plastic ones don’t do so well. Y’all enjoy now!

Management Challenges

[Abstract]
The purpose of this document is to describe what types of management challenges can be incurred based upon a scenario of Kucera Clothier‚ introducing a collaboration system into their organization. Also included within this document are methods that can be used to manage change with expectations of other personnel. This document is intended for anybody looking to gain a basic understanding or knowledge of managing challenges within an organization and providing solutions for problems.

[Content]
Kucera Clothiers is implementing a collaboration system into their organization in order to improve communications, increase efficiency, and to improve customer relations, however they will most likely incur management challenges throughout the implementation of the new system. When managing people, products, or even projects there is a great probability that problems will occur and in order to effectively manage the challenge is important to address any issues immediately and move forward with the desired objective. Some of the challenges that can arise can come from people such as personality differences, power struggles, training issues, or even the lack of manpower. Other business challenges that can arise from a global company like Kucera Cothiers are religious, cultural, time related, and even legal issues. It is important for Kucera Clothiers to address any issues that may arise quickly and then refocus on the collaboration system project.

To better understand how Kucera Cothiers can deal with different challenges it is important to look at different management challenges that could arise and then consider possible solutions. First and foremost the most valuable asset to any organization are the employees of that organization. People management is instrumental to ensuring Kucera Clothier’s success (Frenzel, Frenzel, 2004 P.524). When managing people it is important for a manager to maintain a positive attitude and deal with any issues on a case-by-case basis. For a manager of people it is necessary to provide employees the tools that are needed to do their job and empower their employees to be creative to complete a task, however it is important for the manager to follow up on a task to ensure it has been completed according to requirements. A manager is also able to gain support and respect of their employees by being proficient in their job and by being proficient as a manager. This is important because an employee’s willingness to do a better job can come from feeling like they belong to a successful team. A manager can create and maintain a high level of morale by fostering a positive and competitive environment for which employee’s want to be a part of. One example of how a manager can foster a positive work environment is by sticking to the rule of thumb of “praising in public, punishing in private.” By following this rule of thumb a manager does not make an employee feel embarrassed or humiliated for making a mistake. In order to be an effective manager of people there are expectations that are required from others in order to effectively manage people. One of the expectations of employees is to provide feedback and effective communication in order to keep the manager aware of any challenges so that the manager can effectively manage the issues. Another expectation is to be respectful of others to aid in creating a positive work environment. Lastly another expectation of an employee is for the employee to do the best job they are able to with the resources that they have available.

Change management is another management that may be required by Kucera managers in order to deal with different challenges of implementing the collaboration system that could affect the delivery of the collaboration system service. Change management is a technique that is used to handle changes of the system such as hardware changes, software changes, environmental changes, management changes, or any other type of change to the system that can affect directly on the system or the service of the system that is being provided. In order to effectively manage changes there are five different elements that can help a manager effectively manage the change. A change request can be submitted that identifies what change is necessary to the system. After the change request has been submitted the manager can conduct a change analysis and then prioritize the change request based upon a risk assessment (Frenzel, Frenzel, 2004 P.390). The manager can then plan for the change, which may require some additional research. Then the manager can get authorization to implement the change. By following this process managers can effectively manage changes and minimize risks that could adversely affect the system. An expectation of employees is that they follow the change request procedure so that the manager can manage the change accordingly.

In conclusion, there are numerous possible challenges that could arise for Kucera Clothiers, while they are implementing the collaboration system, however by addressing the challenges effectively allows for Kucera to maintain focus on the implementation of the collaboration system, which can lead to the success of the system. When managing people it is important for a manager to create and maintain a positive environment for employees, while empowering them and challenging them to complete their tasks quickly and completely. Managers can also effectively manage any change to the system by following a process, which gives the manager necessary information to complete the process. No matter whether people, processes, or even change is being managed there are expectations of others that aid the managers in having the ability to properly managing the challenges.

References
Frenzel, Frenzel, C. W., J. C. (2004). Management of Information Technology Fourth Edition. Boston, Massachusetts: Thomas Learning Inc..

Security Concerns of a Collaboration System

[Abstract]
The purpose of this document is to analyze the collaboration system that is to be migrated into the Kucera Clothier’s company and identify security concerns with the system, as well as, identify methods to minimize the risk of an incident of unauthorized access to company information. This document is intended for anybody looking to gain a basic knowledge or understanding of security concerns with an introduction of a new technology into an organization.

[Content]
Kucera Clothiers is considering incorporating a collaboration system into their organization, however they want to ensure the collaboration system will resolve communication issues the organization is having without introducing new problems or concerns into the organization. When analyzing the security of a network system it is helpful to use the Open Source Interconnect (OSI) model by starting from the lowest layer of the model and working through each layer to the top while considering security techniques at each layer. The seven layers of the OSI model from the bottom to the top layer are the physical layer, data link layer, network layer, transport layer, session layer, presentation layer, and application layer (Teare, 1999). Using the OSI model aids as a guide to ensure a network or networked systems are secure at different levels of computer networking.

The physical layer is the most basic layer of ensuring networked devices are secured. By ensuring physical security of networked devices can ensure that unauthorized personnel do not have unauthorized access to network resources, computers, and even data that reside on the network. One way to ensure physical security of a collaboration system is by keeping the active equipment locked in a server room where only authorized personnel have access. If the ability exists it adds an additional layer of physical security by locking the equipment in an equipment rack. A method for protecting the network connectivity within the corporate headquarters and also within the satellite offices is by locking doors and offices during non business hours and by using security systems such as cameras, alarmed doors, and security personnel. Physical security enables owners of equipment and network resources to maintain control and management of their systems and equipment.

The data link layer is a layer that pertains to network devices, such as network switches, and although this layer doesn’t allow for a lot of security it does provide one additional layer of security. A technique for providing security at the data link layer for the collaboration system as well as other network resources is by using managed switches to the network. As part of the policy of the organization it should be mandated that all unused ports on a switch be disabled. This prevents unauthorized personnel to connect unauthorized devices to existing network resources in attempt to gain access to these resource and data. Another technique to providing security at the data link layer is to enable port security on a managed switch. Port security allows for a device to be connected, however if for some reason, that device is disconnected and different device is plugged in then the port will automatically disable and prevent use of this network resource (Davis, 2006). The data link layer of the OSI model does not provide many means of security, but applying security techniques that are available provide an additional level of security.

The network layer of the OSI model is where most routing takes place and there are different devices and techniques that can be used to ensure only authorized access to networks and network resources is obtained. Kucera Clothier’s will need to use network routers to ensure there are communications between the corporate headquarters in Chicago and the different satellite offices around the world. A security technique that can be applied on a router is to create access control lists (ACL) that prevent unauthorized access to a network from untrusted hosts or networks. In addition to using ACLs on routers, network firewalls can be installed and configured to inspect every packet that is either entering or exiting a network and then determine if the source of that packet is authorized to send the packet to the destination. In addition to inspecting every packet entering or leaving a network a network firewall can close all unused network service ports in order to prevent unauthorized access through an unused port. Router access control lists and network firewalls prevent unauthorized access to network resources by blocking unused ports, maintaining a list of trusted hosts or networks, and by inspecting packets to ensure it is authorized. Another method of ensuring security at the network layer is to use Internet Protocol Security, otherwise known as IPSec. IPSec provides packet encryption by encrypting the data that is contained within a packet, but leaving the source and destination information unencrypted so that the packet can be routed, but the data is secured. Because IPSec functions at the network layer of the OSI model the upper layers and data is protected. For remote satellite offices, IPSec can ensure that data transmitted from a satellite office to Kucera corporate headquarters is being transmitted securely. Network layer security can protect networks by checking access control lists, blocking ports, inspecting packets and even by providing encryption.

Security at the transport layer of the OSI model can be found in many different types of web traffic. One method of security the transport layer of the OSI model is by using transport layer security, otherwise known as TLS. TLS is a cryptographic protocol that provides data integrity and security. Another method that superseded TLS is secure sockets layer. Both TLS and SSL function by providing an end-to-end encryption between different network segment connections. Either TLS or SSL can be used in conjunction with the online collaboration system no matter if a user is using a voice over IP service, web service, e-mail service, or even an instant messaging service. The use of TLS and SSL provides transport layer security by ensuring point-to-point encryption is provided.

The presentation layer of the OSI model is less often used by most users, however there are certain ways to ensure security. The presentation layer provides the ability to connect different operating systems and different types of systems together while hiding the differences between these different systems. Arguably the presentation layer also provides the means to provide compression so that data passing along an encrypted path can be transmitted in less amount of time. Some, but not all of SSL encryption takes place at the presentation layer. The presentation layer is most likely the least used layer of the OSI model because not all of the network communications that take place at the presentation layer are needed. In many cases the options for presentation layer communications are optional as opposed to being required or better security techniques are provided at the transport layer or the application layer of the OSI model.

The application layer of the OSI model encompasses many different protocols that can be used during application development to ensure security at the application layer. When using an application there are ways to ensure data is being protected. Developers and system administrators can choose to use methods of secure communication within their applications such as secure FTP (SFTP), secure shell (SSH), lightweight directory access protocol (LDAP), time stamp protocol, simple mail transfer protocol, and the list can go on and on. Administrators can ensure a system, such as a collaboration system, maintains high levels of security by making small configurations to systems such as configuring a database server to only accept encrypted connections between trusted devices. Another method is to employ the use of a LDAP server to query a directory server to ensure a user is authorized and authenticated on a network. When transferring files a system administration can make a configuration to a system to only allow SFTP connections. This guarantees all data in transit is encrypted. Application layer security can be taken into consideration during the development of an application, application configurations can be made to maintain high levels of security, or even specific applications can be used to provide different security practices.

In conclusion, Kucera Clothier’s are considering using a collaboration system to resolve communication issues without inducing new problems into the organization, while protecting their data and by using the OSI model as a guideline Kucera Clothier’s can ensure all data and communications are being protected. Kucera can provide a layered approach to security by employing security techniques at each layer of the OSI model. Providing security techniques at each layer of the OSI model help to compliment each other so that data, network resources, and systems are safe and sound within their organization. If the layered approach is used Kucera can maintain peace of mind that all data, either in transit or residential on their networks, is safe and sound and waiting for the organization to use it at will.

References
1. Teare, D. (1999). Internetworking Basics. Internetworking Technology Handbook, Retrieved May 30th, 2009, from http://www.cisco.com/en/US/docs/internetworking/technology/handbook/Intro-to-Internet.pdf
2. Davis, D. (2006, October 5th). Lock down Cisco switch port security. Retrieved May 31, 2009, from Tech Republic Web site: http://articles.techrepublic.com.com/5100-10878_11-6123047.html

Not in the Travel Brochure

An Actual Craig’s List Personal AD

To the Guy Who Tried to Mug Me in Downtown Savannah night before last.

Date: 2009-05-27, 1 :43 a.m. E.S.T.

I was the guy wearing the black Burberry jacke t that you demanded that I hand over, shortly after you pulled the knife on me and my girlfriend, threatening our lives. You also asked for my girlfriend’s purse and earrings. I can only hope that you somehow come across this rather important message.

First, I’d like to apologize for your embarrassment; I didn’t expect you to actually crap in your pants when I drew my pistol after you took my jacket.. The evening was not that cold, and I was wearing the jacket for a reason.. My girlfriend had just bought me that Kimber Model 1911 .45 ACP pistol for my birthday, and we had picked up a shoulder holster for it that very evening. Obviously you agree that it is a very intimidating weapon when pointed at your head … Isn’t it?!

I know it probably wasn’t fun walking back to wherever you’d come from with that brown sludge in your pants. I’m sure it was even worse walking bare-footed since I made you leave your shoes, cell phone, and wallet with me. [That prevented you from calling or running to your buddies to come help mug us again].

After I called your mother or “Momma” as you had her listed in your cell, I explained the entire episode of what you’d done. Then I went and filled up my gas tank as well as those of four other people in the gas station, — on your credit card. The guy with the big motor home took 150 gallons and was extremely grateful!

I gave your shoes to a homeless guy outside Vinnie Van Go Go’s, along with all the cash in your wallet. [That made his day!]

I then threw your wallet into the big pink “pimp mobile” that was parked at the curb …. After I broke the windshield and side window and keyed the entire driver’s side of the car.

Later, I called a bunch of phone sex numbers from your cell phone. Ma Bell just now shut down the line, although I only used the phone for a little over a day now, so what ‘s going on with that? Earlier, I managed to get in two threatening phone calls to the DA’s office and one to the FBI, while mentioning President Obama as my possible target.

The FBI guy seemed really intense and we had a nice long chat (I guess while he traced your number etc..).

In a way, perhaps I should apologize for not killing you … But I feel this type of retribution is a far more appropriate punishment for your threatened crime. I wish you well as you try to sort through some of these rather immediate pressing issues, and can only hope that you have the opportunity to reflect upon, and perhaps reconsider, the career path you’ve chosen to pursue in life. Remember, next time you might not be so lucky.Have a good day!

Thoughtfully yours,

Alex

Problems Incurred When Implementing New Technology

[Abstract]
The purpose of this document is to describe what types of problems are most likely to be incurred while implementing a technology into an organization, such as the collaboration system into the organization for Kucera Clothiers scenario. Also included within this document are recommendations for how the problems can be resolved. This document is intended for anybody looking to gain a basic understanding or knowledge of managing challenges within an organization and providing solutions for problems.

[Content]
Kucera Clothiers is implementing a collaboration system into their organization in order to improve communications, increase efficiency, and to improve customer relations, however they will most likely incur problems throughout the implementation of the new system. When managing people, products, or even projects there is a great probability that problems will occur and in order to effectively manage it is important to address any issues and press forward with the objective at hand. Some of the issues that can arise can come from people such as personality differences, power struggles, training issues, or even the lack of manpower. Other issues that can arise from a global company like Kucera Cothiers are religious, cultural, time related, and even legal issues. It is important for Kucera Clothiers to address any issues that may arise quickly and then refocus on the collaboration system project.

To better understand how Kucera Cothiers can deal with different issues it is important to look at the different issues that could arise and then consider possible solutions. Since Kucera Clothiers has chosen to implement a new collaboration system one of the possible issues that could arise from this system is training for all employees from around the world. In order to Kucera corporate headquarters to ensure all of its employees have been trained and understand how to use the system, it would cost too much in time and money to send all employees to training or seminars that may be generic or not specific to the company’s mission or goals anyway. One possible solution is to provide a web-based training either by using websites, downloadable videos, or even through the use of the collaboration system. This solution would be cost effective and most efficient for training all 100,000 employees from around the world (Frenzel, Frenzel, 2004 P.338). Another issue that could arise from the centralized location of the collaboration system is that different regions around the world may want to manage their own data. Kucera corporate headquarters identifying specific responsibilities in organizational policies can easily resolve this issue. An example of a legal issue that could arise could be that an employee is gathering company data and selling it to competitors because the employee thinks that they are in a foreign land that the United States laws do not apply to them. This issue may need to be prevented, but also addressed on a couple different levels. The first would be that the corporate headquarters, where the collaboration system is location, should be tracking all employees to ensure they are following corporate policies and then for employees, like this one, should be held accountable by being terminated or prosecuted according to corporate policies (Frenzel, Frenzel, 2004 P.341). A management issue that could arise could be that the project is falling behind and not being implemented as planned, which leads to delays, loss of revenue, and loss of customer satisfaction. In order to resolve an issue like this, the manager of the project may have to reconsider the milestones that have been previously identified, talk with the technicians to identify issues that are causing the delays, conduct a meeting with the installation team to get everybody organized and refocused, and potentially set more realistic milestones based upon the issues that have been identified.

In conclusion, there are numerous possible issues that could arise for Kucera Clothiers, while they are implementing the collaboration system, however by addressing the issues swiftly and concisely allows for Kucera to maintain focus on the task at hand so that it can be completed in a timely manner. When addressing any of the issue that arise, it is important to ensure that the issues to not build up and lead to larger issues which in turn can lead to the loss of time, resources, and revenue. It is important that all issues are dealt with on a case-by-case basis and given an equal amount of consideration in order to ensure the issue is resolved quickly and fairly. Dealing with issues quick and concise ensures that they are resolved at the lowest possible level of the organization and that control over the issues is maintained at all times.

References
Frenzel, Frenzel, Carroll W., John C. (2004). Management of Information Technology Fourth Edition. Boston, Massachusetts: Thomas Learning Inc..

Collaboration System

[Abstract]
The purpose of this document is to provide an implementation and management plan, as part of a scenario, for implementing a collaboration system into Kucera Clothiers. Included within this document is a definition of the organizational goals or communication issues the collaboration system will resolve. Also included within this document is an explanation of some of the key players who will be part of the implementation or management of the system, as well as, an explanation of what type of input should be gathered from these key personnel. An explanation of developing a technology or purchasing the technology is best suited to benefit the company. A recommendation for which type of training should be provided and how it will be provided to either key Kucera employees or all employees. A plan explaining how the implementation of the collaboration system into the organization can be executed, as well as, a plan for system maintenance included any software upgrades or security patches that need to be applied to the system. Finally a plan describing how and when periodic audits will be conducted on the system.

[Content]
Kucera Clothiers is a large business with 100,000 employees spread out over 3,500 locations around the world with their corporate headquarters in Chicago, Illinois who is looking to invest in a collaboration system to align with their business strategy and resolve some communication issues they are incurring. The collaboration system that Kucera is looking at investing in provides the ability to communicate either by using a web-based or network-based interface. The collaboration system provides the ability to improve communications between the corporate headquarters and the satellite offices throughout the world and it also provides travelling employees the ability to communicate by using either synchronous or asynchronous communication methods. The benefits of the collaboration system falls directly in line with Kucera’s corporate strategy as they wish to improve communications between their corporate and satellite offices, as well as, reducing the time it takes for inventories to get to the distribution centers so that the products can get from the distribution centers to the customers in a shorter amount of time while travelling employees can still have access to customer and company information.

When introducing a new system into an organization, such as the collaboration system into Kucera Clothier’s, there are key players who help to make the system successful for implementing and managing the system. Due to the collaboration system being installed into the corporate headquarters communications room the IT staff is responsible for installing all of the equipment, testing it, and maintaining it once the system is up and running. This makes the IT staff key players for the implementation of the project. Once the system is installed the corporate headquarters staff will most be likely to be the initial users of the system to ensure user to smooth rollout and implementation of the system. Key players who work in the corporate headquarters are the managers of the different departments such as accounting, shipping, billing, personnel, and support. It is important to have the managers ensure the collaboration system is being populated with current business data so that when the system is being used by all locations then all employees will have access to current and correct information. Additional key players are the managers or even site leads for the different satellite locations. The satellite location managers are key players because they need to be initially trained on the system so that they can ensure all employees at their location know how to use the system according to company protocol and policies. The key players are the staff that is directly or indirectly responsible for ensuring the system is installed, operating, being maintained, and then being used according to company policy. The key players are instrumental in ensuring the collaboration system is successful within the organization by providing valuable input to ensure the system meets each of their specific requirements or needs based upon their specific areas of expertise. Input that can be gathered from the IT staff is the technical information pertaining to the system such as network connectivity and configuration information, IT security information, network policy information, data migration information, and even user account management information. The input that can be gathered from each of the department managers is the specific information that pertains to the respective department. For example accounting may need to ensure that only accounting personnel have access to accounting specific data whereas personnel data may need to be accessed by each manager, but also by accounting, corporate, and the IT staff. Input that may be gathered from each satellite location manager may pertain to site-specific information such as which network connectivity method best suites the needs of their specific site.

When Kucera Clothier’s is trying to make an initial determination whether to purchase and existing technology or develop their own there are some different factors that they need to predetermine. One question that can be asked is, “when is the system needed?” If the system is needed on a short timetable then there may not be an option to develop the technology if a similar technology like already exists (Frenzel, Frenzel, 2004 P.305). Another factor that may come into play is the size of the IT team and what level of experience they have developing the needed technology. Since Kucera is a clothing company they may not have the IT staff to develop IT products, their IT staff may only be experienced in maintaining and administering systems. Another consideration may be that if the company is looking to get into other markets by selling the technology they are considering developing. There are numerous collaboration systems on the current market so Kucera Clothier’s may want to consider purchasing one of the existing technologies to benefit their needs and that their own IT staff can support. There are different considerations to take into account when making a determination whether to develop a technology or purchase an existing technology and since Kucera is in the retail business it may best suite their business model to purchase an existing technology and allow their own IT staff to support it.

With the implementation of the new system Kucera Clothier’s needs to plan the who, what, why, when, where, and how of training for its personnel so that they will be familiar and comfortable with the new system. Initially after the system has been installed, tested, and all relevant data has been migrated over to the system it would be beneficial to the organization for all of the department leads to learn the system first. That way if any subordinate personnel, offices, or organizations have questions about the system they can contact their department head to try to initially resolve any issues they have. If the division lead has identified a system training or support person or persons for their division, it may be more beneficial to have them attend the initial training that can be conducted onsite at the corporate office in Chicago. Each division lead should determine which is a better method, either the division head or division support team, for their division respectively. The training rollout for the collaboration system should initially begin with the corporate headquarters, since that is where the division heads and or the division support personnel are located. Upon training of the Kucera headquarters, the department heads should set a schedule a time for the training of each satellite lead personnel to be able to utilize the collaboration system in order to receive training. The schedules of this remote training method should be scheduled to best suite the business hours of the satellite offices in a particular region. All training should be conducted during normal business hours and the initial remote training method may take a bit longer than on site training due to remotely training personnel. Once the satellite office leads feel comfortable with the system they can schedule training times for their employees at their respective satellite office. The method of starting from the top of the organization and working to the bottom, until all personnel have been trained should satisfy any system training requirements for the entire organization. Also, due to the nature of the online collaboration system, refresher videos may be posted on the system so any employees who feel they need either a annual training or just a refresher training, can be accessed at their leisure.

The collaboration system can start to be implemented as soon as all of the equipment has arrived at the corporate headquarters and has been inventoried and tested for any hardware failure issues that may have been caused during shipping. Due to the collaboration system not replacing another system, it can be implemented immediately without being intrusive to the organization. The implementation should be broken down into a three-part implementation process. The initial phase of the process will be receiving the equipment, testing the equipment, installing the equipment, and then testing the physical hardware of the system again. The second phase of the implementation plan should be where the configuration of the system takes place. This includes configuring the system to support all network services that the system will support. The last part of the second, or configuration, phase should be to apply any security to the system that is necessary. The last part of the second phase is to test the system to ensure that everything is functioning properly and locked down according to any security policies. The final phase of the implementation of the system should be to start creating user accounts for the initial personnel who will be responsible for training and being trained on the system. The second part of the third phase is complete the rest of the user accounts based on the hierarchical structure of the organization, starting from the top and working down until all user accounts have been completed. The last step of the third phase is to provide any user support for users who are having issues with the system and completing documentation. Completing the implementation of the system in a three-part process can assist with setting milestones for the project so that the implementation of the system can be a success.

Once the collaboration system has been completely implemented and personnel have been trained, system hardware and software maintenance schedules will need to be completed. Due to Kucera Clothiers being a global organization, it is virtually impossible to complete maintenance during a time when nobody is using the system, however system maintenance can be completed during non-peak hours of use. The most ideal time for system maintenance should be during a Saturday morning between the hours of 8 AM and 2 PM. This means that for 12 hours ahead of Chicago time zone is either late Saturday night or early Sunday morning and 12 hours behind Chicago time zone is late Friday night and therefore Saturday morning until mid day should be the most ideal time to conduct system maintenance. Prior to any system maintenance, either hardware or software, system audits should be completed so that the exact state of the system prior to any maintenance, can be identified so that in the event of a software maintenance causing a problem on the system the system can be restored to its previous condition (Frenzel, Frenzel, 2004 P.492). System maintenance should include once a month hardware preventative maintenance such as cleaning any dust from the internal chassis of the servers. Weekly checks of security or software patches should be conducted and applied to the system as necessary. Finally weekly complete backups of the system should be conducted and then the backups should be stored off-site so that in the event of a natural disaster the system can be recovered with no data loss.

References
Frenzel, Frenzel, C. W., J. C. (2004). Management of Information Technology Fourth Edition. Boston, Massachusetts: Thomas Learning Inc..

Obama was tricked

He did not intend to bow to the Saudi King.

IRS Audit

At the end of the tax year the IRS sent an inspector to audit the books of a synagogue.

While he was checking the books, he turned to the Rabbi and said, “I notice you buy a lot of candles. What do you do with the candle drippings?”

“Good question,” noted the Rabbi. “We save them up and send them back to the candle makers, and every now and then they send us a free box of candles”

“Oh,” replied the auditor, somewhat disappointed that his unusual question had a practical answer. But on he went, in his obnoxious way:

“What about all these matzo (bread) purchases? What do you do with the
crumbs?”

“Ah, yes,” replied the Rabbi, realizing that the inspector was trying to
trap him with an unanswerable question. “We collect them and send back to the manufacturers, and every now and then they send a free box of matzo balls.”

“I see,” replied the auditor, thinking hard about how he could fluster the
know-it-all Rabbi. “Well, Rabbi,” he went on, “What do you do with all the
leftover foreskins from the circumcisions you perform?”

“Here, too, we do not waste,” answered the Rabbi. “What we do is save up all the foreskins and send them to the Internal Revenue Service, and about once a year they send us a complete dick.”

Project “Phasing In”

[Abstract]
The purpose of this document is to explain the term “phase in” and how it relates to phasing in a server cluster. Also included within this document is an explanation of what type of risk analysis needs to be conducted in order to phase in the cluster. This document is intended for anybody looking to gain a basic understanding or knowledge of risk analysis and how to merge a new system with an existing system and how it impacts operations.

[Content]
In order for Kucera Clothiers to integrate a server cluster into their organization, it should be a goal to decide how to integrate the new system with any current systems while minimizing any interruptions of operations. It is important for Kucera to “phase in” the new system by using a three-step plan in order to reduce any interference with company operations (Microsoft, 2008). Trying to incorporate an entire system all at one time without impacting operations can be rather cumbersome, therefore it is recommended to phase in the system in a few different steps. The initial step of the phase in plan is to physically install all of the hardware and test it to ensure everything is functioning correctly. The second step of the phase in plan is to migrate network services, one by one, onto the server cluster and test each service to ensure it is functioning correctly. The final step of the phase in plan is to migrate user data in small groups until all users have been migrated to the new system and then test to ensure there is no data lost and everything is functioning correctly. Once the new system has been completely phased in Kucera Clothiers can power down and reallocate the legacy system as necessary.

Prior to phasing in any new system into current operations it is important for Kucera Clothiers to conduct a risk analysis to determine how operations can be affected in the event something does not go as planned. When conducting a risk analysis, it is important to identify what types of risks are involved whether the risk is a human risk, operational risk, procedural risk, technical risk, natural risk, or even a political risk (Mind Tools Ltd, 2009). The risk analysis should determine how the phase in plan has the largest impact on the organization and then try to manage that risk. Due to network services affecting the majority of users at one time, it is recommended to migrate the network services one at a time in order to minimize the potential for an issue to affect the vast majority of users. Also, because network services affect the vast majority of users within the organization it is recommended to migrate the services, either during non-business hours or during hours of minimal network traffic. Once the risk analysis has been conducted and a plan has been devised in order to deal with the majority of users, then the risk analysis can be conducted in order to devise a plan how to migrate uses with minimal impact. Due to Kucera being a global company, it is recommended to migrate user data during non-business hours starting with users in the Greenwich Median Time (GMT) zone and progressing through the rest of the time zones moving groups of users and then testing the migration of user data prior to the start of the business day for those users.

In conclusion, Kucera Clothiers can minimize operational impact by first conducting a risk analysis in order to identify how the organization can be impacted and devising a plan to minimize that risk. Kucera can also “phase in” the server cluster into their organization by using a three-step plan. Step one ensures the hardware is installed, configured, and tested. Step two involves migrating network services from the old system to the server cluster and testing it. Step three involves migrating user data in increments of users during non-business hours and testing to ensure no data has been lost. By conducting a risk analysis and using a phase in plan, Kucera Clothiers can successfully implement the use of a network server cluster to support their IT goals.

References
1. (2008, November). Configuring Integration Services in a Clustered Environment. Retrieved May 17, 2009, from Configuring Integration Services in a Clustered Environment Web site: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms345193(SQL.90).aspx

2. (2009). Risk Analysis & Risk Management. Retrieved May 17, 2009, from Project Risk Analysis Techniques – Risk Management from Mind Tools Web site: http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newTMC_07.htm

Motivational Posters #3

Problems a Business Can Incur

[Abstract]
The purpose of this document is to describe what types of problems are most likely to be incurred while implementing a technology into an organization, such as the collaboration system into the organization for Kucera Clothiers scenario. Also included within this document are recommendations for how the problems can be resolved. This document is intended for anybody looking to gain a basic understanding or knowledge of managing challenges within an organization and providing solutions for problems.

[Content]
Kucera Clothiers is implementing a collaboration system into their organization in order to improve communications, increase efficiency, and to improve customer relations, however they will most likely incur problems throughout the implementation of the new system. When managing people, products, or even projects there is a great probability that problems will occur and in order to effectively manage it is important to address any issues and press forward with the objective at hand. Some of the issues that can arise can come from people such as personality differences, power struggles, training issues, or even the lack of manpower. Other issues that can arise from a global company like Kucera Cothiers are religious, cultural, time related, and even legal issues. It is important for Kucera Clothiers to address any issues that may arise quickly and then refocus on the collaboration system project.

To better understand how Kucera Cothiers can deal with different issues it is important to look at the different issues that could arise and then consider possible solutions. Since Kucera Clothiers has chosen to implement a new collaboration system one of the possible issues that could arise from this system is training for all employees from around the world. In order to Kucera corporate headquarters to ensure all of its employees have been trained and understand how to use the system, it would cost too much in time and money to send all employees to training or seminars that may be generic or not specific to the company’s mission or goals anyway. One possible solution is to provide a web-based training either by using websites, downloadable videos, or even through the use of the collaboration system. This solution would be cost effective and most efficient for training all 100,000 employees from around the world (Frenzel, Frenzel, 2004 P.338). Another issue that could arise from the centralized location of the collaboration system is that different regions around the world may want to manage their own data. Kucera corporate headquarters identifying specific responsibilities in organizational policies can easily resolve this issue. An example of a legal issue that could arise could be that an employee is gathering company data and selling it to competitors because the employee thinks that they are in a foreign land that the United States laws do not apply to them. This issue may need to be prevented, but also addressed on a couple different levels. The first would be that the corporate headquarters, where the collaboration system is location, should be tracking all employees to ensure they are following corporate policies and then for employees, like this one, should be held accountable by being terminated or prosecuted according to corporate policies (Frenzel, Frenzel, 2004 P.341). A management issue that could arise could be that the project is falling behind and not being implemented as planned, which leads to delays, loss of revenue, and loss of customer satisfaction. In order to resolve an issue like this, the manager of the project may have to reconsider the milestones that have been previously identified, talk with the technicians to identify issues that are causing the delays, conduct a meeting with the installation team to get everybody organized and refocused, and potentially set more realistic milestones based upon the issues that have been identified.

In conclusion, there are numerous possible issues that could arise for Kucera Clothiers, while they are implementing the collaboration system, however by addressing the issues swiftly and concisely allows for Kucera to maintain focus on the task at hand so that it can be completed in a timely manner. When addressing any of the issue that arise, it is important to ensure that the issues to not build up and lead to larger issues which in turn can lead to the loss of time, resources, and revenue. It is important that all issues are dealt with on a case-by-case basis and given an equal amount of consideration in order to ensure the issue is resolved quickly and fairly. Dealing with issues quick and concise ensures that they are resolved at the lowest possible level of the organization and that control over the issues is maintained at all times.

References
Frenzel, Frenzel, Carroll W., John C. (2004). Management of Information Technology Fourth Edition. Boston, Massachusetts: Thomas Learning Inc..