"Love is Celebration of life"

"Aug 20" is a special day in my life,It given me love of my life- "Sweety"

Here me dedicating a poem to celebrate my love:

Love is like a summers Eve
It comes and go ,
but when it comes you don't know,
what came and hit you.

Could it be Cupids arrow,
or can it just be God's angels,
interfering for just a show,
but whatever it is it is something,
that I hope to experience,

I hope that being love,
Feels like heaven,
to touch,
Because being in love
is truly a gift from God

Is Video Conferencing Finally About to Take Off?

Many folks, me included, have commented that videoconferencing is a technology that's been about to become an overnight success - for the last thirty years. It's puzzled many of us that it's been so slow to "come of age."

But we might just - finally - be at a point where the quality and cost are making videoconferencing more acceptable, and more widespread. There's an interesting story in today's San Francisco Chronicle about the fact that Marriott is about to cut a deal with Hewlett-Packard to install HP's Halo system in hotel locations around the world ("HP to deploy 'telepresence' gear at Marriotts"). Ryan Kim is the author.

This may be one of those events we look back on someday as a pivotal turning point in the history of videoconferencing. Is it a tipping point?

I've had the good fortune to participate in one Halo videoconference, and I can tell you it's not like anything else I've ever experienced. The Halo studios (all of them are identical) have three large HD screens facing a table where you sit. The screens produce life-size full color images. Just as importantly there is no delay, and the sound is just as good as if the other folks were sitting across the table from you.

I understand that HP has about 50 Halo studios around the world, and that those studios are in use 12-14 hours a day. I don't know if HP is tracking usage versus travel costs, but the HP folks I've talked to are convinced the Halo is saving the company millions of dollars - even at $300,000 per installation and $20,000 a month in operating costs.

Actually, there are plenty of good reasons for the long, lazy growth curve that has characterized videoconferencing up to now. It's traditionally been slow, less-than-broadcast quality, and high-priced at the same time. On top of that, you had to go somewhere special to use it, and there weren't that many other sites you could connect to. Sure, there's inexpensive desktop versions available, and some online VOIP and instant message services like Skype and Yahoo Instant Messenger offer it for free.

Of course, you do have to go to a Halo studio, but the experience is so good that it's worth it. I don't know how many Halo meetings are one-on-ones, but I suspect not too many. Halo is for group meetings; each studio seats about four to six people, and can be linked to as many as three other sites simultaneously.

But if the choice is between a simple phone (or VOIP) call and a 2x2 jerky, fuzzy image of the person you're speaking to, it's no wonder that the world hasn't embraced videoconferencing. And when you are communicating with people you know well, audio seems more than sufficient - at least most of the time.

I mean, Charlie Grantham and I both have webcams, and we talk by phone several times a day when we're not together (he's based in Arizona; I'm in northern California). We know what each other looks like, and we just haven't felt the need to turn on the web cams. Those 2x2 screens don't add a lot of the kinds of information (facial expression, body language, etc.) that "being there" includes.

I will say, however, that recently we participated in a long (4 hours) meeting using a web-based collaborative platform that included video. We were the only two remote participants; there were about ten people in a meeting room in Michigan. We actually had a video feed, and I have to admit that it actually did make a difference.

While we couldn't see everyone, and we certainly couldn't see their facial expressions, it did help to be able to see where people were sitting, and to see the facilitator writing on the white board or flip chart. Of course, we couldn't read what he was writing, but it helped to know that's what he was doing. In short, having that crude video image of the group helped keep my attention. If I had been purely on audio for four hours, I can guarantee I would have been checking my email, looking out the window, and doing a whole lot of daydreaming. Just being able to see through that very small "window" into that Michigan conference room actually made a huge difference in my sense of being part of the group.

Now, if and when Halo (and it's competitors, most notably Cisco Systems' Telepresence system) become a whole more ubiquitous and even less expensive, I think videoconferencing really will come of age. And given the combination of the rising cost of fuel, growing concerns about greenhouse gasses, and increasing pressure to use time productively, I do think we're finally going to see an explosion in the use of videoconferencing.

One final note: the end of the Chronicle article mentions that HP is about to launch a "Halo light" system called Halo Collaboration Center that will be designed for two to four people. It will retail for about $120,000. That's still a bit steep for a small business, or a home, but it does mean that before long there will be many more local Centers where you can rent time for a reasonable hourly rate. The economics of demand and supply virtually guarantee it.

Reset the Assumption Button - Please!

Buford, Maynard and Cooter are back from their little hiatus. This month they draw on their down-home wisdom and irreverent outlook on life to explainify the decline of the "American Empire." They take a look at five basic assumptions about societal functioning that together shed some light on the sometimes inexplicable events we see in our work and our lives every day. And of course, they also offer up a humble opinion about some changes in thinking about the future of work they - and we - would like to see. Enjoy!

Push the reset button - please!

The boyz be back. Too much time out in the woods gets ya to thinkin'. Maynard allows that things just seem to be toooo crazy these days. Ya jest know there was probably somebody named William of Bradforshire-on-Thames or some such back in Merry Ol' England around 1760 who had the same rev-o-lation that Buford has just now come to.

Good ol' Bill from Bradfordshire undoubtedly could see the British Navy being defeated, a little colony way over across the deep blue sea rebelling and kickin' some Red Coat butt from behind rocks and trees, and the German economy making the birthplace of the Industrial revolution irrelevant.

So back in the here and now, we've got ol' Buford cogitating on the parallels between those events and (hmmm, let's see) Afghanistan/Iraq, an assortment of banana republics, and - oh yes - China. Buford's kinda worried that the good ol' US of A is on a steep downhill slide into the hog slop pit. This ol' dog can't hunt anymore. We just ain't the big 600-pound gorilla on this planet we used to be. It feels like the US brand in the planetary marketplace is turning into a sub-prime collaterized debt obligation. Wake up America!

So, what we wanna know is, where did the train go off the track? Well, it turns out that ol' Cooter the data dog's been out sniffin' again. Now we freely admit we've been singin' this tune before, but not quite as bluntly as you're gettin' it here this time.

Remember our ol' buddies Bill Strauss and Neil (the Hook) Howe? Well, if the brain ain't quite working up to speed go check 'em out at http://www.fourthturning.com/.

Here's the bottom line: Big Things is happenin'. Tomorrow ain't going to be the same as today, let alone yesterday. Buford harkens back to his granddaddy Billy Ray tellin' him 'bout the crash of '29. And the real old stories from right after the war (the real one with Johnny Reb and the blue coats). Yep, seems like that kinda of Big Damn Change is here again. (We'll be back to the "What do you do?" in a few; give us a chance to spout a bit here, we're on a roll).

But first, back at the ranch, Buford, Maynard (as in sub-prime intellect), and Cooter have started in ponderin' and philos-o-phyzin'. Ya know, maybe some real basic stuff is just wrong. Maybe what we been thinkin' is the rules just ain't the rules anymore. Now that would make a passel of difference. Kind of like the boys down at the feed and grain playin' checkers but it's really a chess game.

Whoa boy, that's goin' to smart. Assumptions. Hmmn?? Ya know what happens when you "assume" somethin' without thinking about it? You make an **s out of "u" and me. Joke folks, gotta chuckle sometimes no matter what.

So Cooter runs across Cousin Dan out there in Preskit. He hears Dan runnin' off on how the big ego train of 'Merica is messed up. 9-11; Katrina; I-we gotta have the oil-Raq. It's all comin' together. Check out the Prescott College web site to see what we're talkin' about.

So, In Our Humble Opinion (you was wonderin' if we'd ever get to it, weren't you?), we need to push the re-set button on our assumption machine. Same-o, same-o, back to the island empire; the rules changed and they didn't see it coming.

There's five of 'em that really matter (Maynard counted 'em up). Here it is and why it ain't so.

The up-until-now view: what's good for business is good for everybody. Like ol' granddaddy used to say, '"You can just suck the juice outta the lemon for so long 'till it dries up." Gotta put something back, fool. Bull hooey! Gordon Gecko, get outta here. Can you say sub-prime? Who made the buckos on that little rip-off? Oh mi-god! You mean capitalism may just not work?. What we've been thinking for the last 200 years or so just doesn't cut it any more. Huh? Feudalism was a great system - once. (Just hang on to your shorts there, Harry; we will get to the "Okay, so what?").


You'll love this one. Giving people all the facts can change their behavior. Now that's real good. If that worked how come people still smoke cigarettes, drive Hummers, eat junk food, and take drugs? We could go on and on, but hopefully you get our drift. Our whole education system is built on that basic assumption. And we've talked enough over the years about how screwed up our edgy-cayshun system is. Is anyone listening? You could probably wind up the ol' time machine and go back to Athens or somewhere back when they thought logic ruled all human behavior. No way Jose!



Time is money. Might have been true in an industrial era, but that's not where we are any more. Let's see, they should have paid Michelangelo by the hour? Right, if there was an artists' union. Creativity and innovation know not the bounds of time (say that again, with feeling: "Creativity and innovation know not the bounds of time" - that's our most elegant sentence in this whole darn rant). This assumption sort of ties back to our first one. Putting your value into minutes and hours ass-u-mes certainty. Is that what will solve problems? Erik Fromm said it best: "The quest for certainty blocks the quest for meaning."



Sustainability is a zero sum game. Not true. Just go and ask General Electric. Investing in environmental issues, goin' Green, and all that may tarnish the bottom line this quarter, but it builds future markets and improves efficiency. Even the boyz know that spreading a little manure around the corn field makes things better. Frankly (don't call me Shirley) we are at another crossroads. What did Yogi say? "When you come to a fork in the road, take it!" We're bettin' on taking the fork towards bringin' business, earth, and humanity together. Cooter found a good read on this stuff: Google Capitalism at the Crossroads by Stuart Hart and check it out yourself.



Now the biggy! What if we are not in control? What if Buford and Maynard aren't at the top of the e-vo-lutionary chain? (Okay, okay, that may not be the best example.) It takes a lot of conceit to think that we poor humans are as good as it gets (and it's actually a frightening thought). Tell you what, one of these days (hopefully soon, real soon) somethin' is going drop out of the sky and show us that there are other sentient things out there; and that, dear hearts, will shift a whole bunch of thinkin'. It's a good bet the Mayans thought they were "it" until those funny lookin' Spaniards hit the shores. Then what? Where are they today? Ponder that.


This is some heavy thinkin'. In Our Humble Opinion (second one!) hittin' that ol' Ass-ump-tion Re-set Button will give you a different view of the world and perhaps help change how Maynard and Buford get through the day. Ol' Cooter is probably already there.

Going back to those outmoded ways of thinking one more time, we might even see a world where:

Businesses would put more back into their communities and environment than they took out. Damn, being responsible. What a concept. Anyone (like our ancient ancestors) living off the land could tell you that this approach is the only way to keep going for the long haul (for you fancy pants, that's called being sustainable). Let's respect that wisdom.

How to learn: whoa, try experience. It ain't all about facts and logic. We've been tryin' that and look where we are. Living life is way more than reading a book. Want to help people do the right thing? Give them the experience - show them the way - don't just tell them what to do. Learning in the gut takes living.

Its how you spend your time, not how much you spend. It's not how long you talk to someone, it's what you talk about. The trouble is we don't know how to measure that. As they say, there's just no accounting for it. Notice how those words (spend, measure, accounting) get in the way of realizing value? We are going to have to invent a new language before this way of thinking changes.

Substitute need for equity and effort? Okay, this one smells like a whole new way of organizing (getting our stuff together). It might even mean respecting government, accepting the majority's decisions, sharing resources, and doing things for the common good that we can't do individually. That's a pretty radical view. But it's happened before, hasn't it? Just ask King George. Today we call it "global sustainability."

One of us had a professor who once pontificated, "You must show humility in the face of the data." The other heard all too often, "The data are always friendly." Perhaps the trouble is that we don't have all the data yet. But a dollar to a doughnut, we're not the only ones. Take that ego and shove it. Those whom the Gods would destroy, they first make mad. Or maybe it should be (in John F. Kennedy's words), "Those who make peaceful revolution impossible make violent revolution inevitable."

We know those are fighting words, but that's Our Humble Opinion, and we're sticking to it.

Now we're not saying we have all the answers. But we do have some darn good - and important - questions. We think it was Einstein who suggested that you can't solve problems with the same kind of assumptions that caused the problems in the first place. And that, dear hearts, is just where we are today. It's time to hit the re-set button on the Assumption Machine.

Actually we think it's already re-set. The new rule book is out but most folks are still playing with the old one. The boyz will have more to say about this new world we're all living in today in the coming months. Buford, Maynard, and Cooter are waiting patiently for your thoughts.

What's More Important Than An Interview?

The other day I applied for an HR Generalist job with a very well known online portal. When I say very well known, I mean to the tune of having 17 million + unique visitors per month this year.

So, here's how things went:

An assistant to a non-HR big-wig called me for a phone screen. It was the best kind of phone screen: short but thorough. The assistant said she would "walk" my resume and her notes over to the hiring manager so I could be contacted by her to set up an interview.

Great! Sounds good.

Later that day, someone from the Recruiting Department (halfway across the country) called me to schedule an interview with the hiring manager. Ok, whatevs. Sounds fine to me.

The interview was scheduled for the next day. Good! I hate waiting a week or week and a half for an interview. Let's get it over with as soon as we can.

I arrive for the interview. The assistant that originally phone screened me came out to say hello and offer me water, coffee, tea, Jack Daniels. You know, the usual.

Then the hiring manager came out to greet me. We went to her office where the first thing she told me was, unfortunately, someone had rescheduled a meeting in the middle of our interview time slot, so our time would be cut short.

Wait. What?

She apologized, but didn't seem mortified. I attempted to be gracious about it. Inside my head I was thinking,


What is more important than an interview? Have I ever allowed anything short of a medical emergency infringe upon an interview with a candidate? No...I don't think I have. Well, maybe there was some sort of emergency and they are handling damage control at the meeting...
Thus, the interview began.

We chit-chatted about the company. I told her I had read x, y and z about the organization and blah blah blah. We walked through my resume, which went well besides the fact I was 98% sure she hadn't even read it before I walked through the door.

She then asked me what I felt my three best skills were. I listed them and gave one to two sentences of "supporting evidence" for each. Two of the skills I listed were essential functions of the position I was applying for, and the third was "gravy".

Well, not literally gravy. But you know what I mean.

She then went on to tell me x, y and z about the organization. I thought this was a little weird as I had just told her I had read about those exact things, and she didn't give me any new information or insight in her description. However, she did go on for a solid five minutes, at least.

Then, this is the best part, she said, "Well, do you have any questions?"

I think I jumped a little in my seat. She had asked me one question (well, besides the "let's walk through your resume, ok?" part). We were just getting started, yo!

So I said, "Yes. What is HR's main role in the organization?"

She then went on another five minute rant. I learned how many people work in HR and where they are located; who she reports to; who reports to her and that their turnover is usually comprised of employees that have been with the company one year or less.

What I did not learn was what HR's main role in the organization was.

Then, she squinted at her computer screen and said, "Oh, I have to go to that meeting now". She walked me to the lobby and shook my hand.

------

A few days later, I received a "thanks but no thanks" email from the Recruiter that set up the interview.

Just for kicks, I called the hiring manager and left her a message requesting feedback on my resume and interview so I can, you know, better tailor my search.

I have $5 that says I never hear from her again.

Protecting (or Retrieving) Your Laptop

One of the real downsides of this "Age of Mobility" is the risk of losing your laptop - or, more likely, having it stolen from a coffee shop or even an office. It's especially a problem as these devices get smaller and smaller, and we become more and more dependent on them

Well, today's San Francisco Chronicle included a short note about a new, free software package that you can install on your laptop to help you find it when it's gone missing ("One Way to Keep Track of your Lost Laptop").

I guess it works sort of like LoJack for cars - it reports the laptop's Internet Protocol address and other locational information. And if your laptop is a Mac the software (called Adeona, after the Greek goddess who protected travelers and children and ensured their safe return) will even take a picture of the person using it. Makes that little built-in webcam really useful!

Anyway, I just downloaded the software and installed it on my MacBook. It's a small package, doesn't take up much room on the hard disk and seems like a great idea. Of course, it's one of those things I hope I never have to use.

I believe there are also plans to develop similar kinds of security products for smaller mobile devices like cell phones and pda's too.

Seems like an essential component of the future of work to me.

More dads want to stay home

When I write about work-family issues, I deliberately try to avoid assigning them only to women. That's because I know too many men among my peers who struggle with the same things: spending more time with their kids; arranging flexible work options; doing quality work while raising kids who don't set fire to the guidance couselor's car.

It's one reason why I coerced my colleague Lev Grossman into cowriting a magazine article with me last year about this new generation of dads. It's also the reason I'm not surprised by the results of this new survey from CareerBuilder.com that finds 37% of dads with jobs say they'd gladly stay home if the spouse could support the family on her own. Other findings:

• 37% of working dads said they are willing to take a pay cut to spend more time with their children.
• 42% would take a pay cut of 10% or more.

Office time cuts into family time:
• 22% of working dads said their jobs have had a negative impact on their relationships with their children, with time management playing a role in the disruption of precious family time;
• 46% of working dads said they have missed a significant event in their child's life in the last year due to work;
• 26% said they have missed more than three.

It's harder than ever to leave the office at the office:
• 25% of working dads stated that they work more than 50 hours a week;
• 24% said they bring work home at least once, if not more, a week.

How much time are dads spending with the tots?
• 47% of working dads said they spend fewer than three hours a day with their children during the work week;
• 22% said they spend less than two hours;
• 6% are only able to spend an hour.

Are you a working dad who wants to stay home, or are you married to one?

Away from shinning India

Is good economy all about Number crunching in the form of some indicators though their pertinence in the context of India’s complex, multi layered and grossly un (under) reported economy is questionable. On top of that, We have fancied to fashion our National Polices with some grand statements like Green Revolution, Garibi Hatoo or current talks of “ Inclusive Growth”. Where are the touchstones for these big promises and faltering performances of our Leaders, leave alone any specific time line for their execution. They say that good economics can be bad politics so we always have our Finance Minister playing the role of “Mr Right” with his all seemingly “Politically correct to populace” and “Equivocal to Industries” statements. Enigma runs deeper as every crisis crosses over its tipping point and becomes chicken egg problem-like the recent announcement of government coming up with more humane rehabilitation policy along with the liberalized regime for Industrial growth. Catastrophically, our Share Indexes run from bull to bear every trading session with the modulation of optimism quotients of the speeches of our PM and FM. Some experts say that we have been entwined with the global economy like never before with the ushering in of LPG. ( though another LPG is in severe short supply this winter with Government more focused on Nuclear energy for our requirements). “Inflation is a cause of concern for us.” This is the latest fad of our FM in every forum and RBI has become a worried lot of economy “Overheating”. We are yet to see any concrete corrective measures. May be because, this is such a issue where they are not able to see any kind of “Saffronisation” of economy by fascist element at this crucial juncture of elections in UP post Sachhar Committee - their bastion to proof their secular credentials. Last year, we have seen wheat buffer stocks plummeting as wheat was disappeared from the markets and this year Sugarcane will see its price crushing down heavily because of global over production. Where is our Agriculture Minister- Is he learning Demand- Supply Equations at Shastri Bhavan? He is busy in bidding for his candidature for ICC chairmanship, challenging at least the Western hegemony in control of Cricket administration, what if we shamelessly perform in playgrounds. May be, even the suicide spree of farmers of his own state is not enough for any serious reflections for their plights from their avowed Leader. Our Prime Minister is on Jaunt to promote his Government’s “ Look East Policy” and Foreign Minister was last seen crossing our Western border to invite the “Mr. President” across the line of fire. In between, India is bleeding in million small hemorrhages to its farmers, labors, small traders and unemployed youths. Just thing about it.