Sunday, May 23, 2010

Good Bosses Like Carol Bartz Grow People

I used be heavily involved in local Northwest Florida business scene. I still am involved some, but in the last few years I've been traveling too much for Super Technologies, Inc., and when I say I am going to do something, I want to do it. Just read a quote from Yahoo!'s CEO, and it made me remember.

Some of my favorite work was as an ambassador for the Pensacola Bay Area Chamber of Commerce, chairman of ITGulfcoast and participating in Downtown Toastmasters and the Pensacola Bay Area Advertising Federation.

As ambassador, I got to personally meet each new member of the Chamber, usually at their business during their ribbon-cutting. As chairman of the technology group, I gained immense satisfaction by working with Maria Weisnicht, Alan Aldermann, Victor Rojas, Craig Hitpas, and Patrick Rooney in rounding up the hidden technology talent in S.E. USA to showcase at monthly meetings. The P.B.A.A.F.'s meetings were creativity-inducers. Ask my husband Michael Bowen about that.

At one of the last Downtown Toastmasters' meetings I was able to attend, I met a guy who owned a Subway franchise. What I will never forget that he said was, "We are in the business of growing people. We hire them to clean, cook, create, communicate, teamplay, and improve things at our Subway. We mold them. They mold us. We become better people. They become the best, leave, and start or get involved in something even cooler that us, or at least different. It doesn't upset me. I smile about it."

I remember the people, teachers, preachers, parents, and bosses in my life... the ones who suffocated, freed, nudged, squashed, pushed, and/or noticed me. Today, there is one I want to thank that I have not thanked publicly, Dr. Larry Morris, the oral surgeon, who brought his team to Pizza Hut every day for lunch, always asked for me to serve their table and then he hired me as an oral surgeon's assistant because as he said, "You've got people skills like no one I know. You'll brighten up our office. We'll train you. Don't worry."

Thank you, Dr. Larry Morris. I was only 17 years old and those words and your integrity throughout the time I've known you, still inspire me.

"There is a real difference between managing and leading. … Managing winds up being the allocation of resources against tasks. Leadership focuses on people. My definition of a leader is someone who helps people succeed.”

Carol Bartz, Yahoo! CEO
 
... browse some of our team's other blogs and services at http://blogs.didx.net/ and http://blog.tmcnet.com/monetizing-ip-communications/, http://www.didx.net/podcast, http://www.techistan.com/. Find out how to get your telephone company to offer phone numbers from around the world. You're welcome to comment, contribute, and collaborate any time.

Saturday, May 15, 2010

My Past Finds Me: Uravip1996 offer to help with ESOL in 1996 from my old PowerMac

Subject: Sincere offer to tutor in English
Date: Mon, 30 Sep 1996 04:53:42 -0400
From: Uravip1996@aol.com
To: synergy@home2.trevista.com

HER HOME PAGE http://www.wiredbrain.net/suzanne.htm

I, Suzanne Slay, am dedicated to assist others in achieving excellence in English, the universal language of our planet. So, let's get right to the point.

Read my qualifications as an English expert, and let's collaborate to put you on the path of English mastery!!!!

Education and Professional Experience:
- B.A. English and Social Studies at the University of West Florida
- Graduate courses in Instructional Technology and Educational Leadership in progress with GPA 3.875
- English Teacher for 8 years in Florida, USA (Also teaching /DOCUMENTS/JOURnalism, Intro. to - - - - Foreign Languages, and Internet classes) 1988- continued
- Florida Instructional Resources Network internet service contact of Escambia County, Florida slays@mail.firn.edu

1996- continued
- State of Florida, USA Florida Writing Assessment Trainer 1995 - continued
- Florida Council Teachers of English Director of Region I- Responsible for 8 northern counties in Florida

Accomplishments:
- Responsible for hosting two Japanese teaching interns in 1993- 1995
- Responsible for writing and receipt of  100s of 1000s of dollars' worth of grants that focus on English reading and writing improvement using technology 1989- 1996
- Middle School English Teacher of the Year, Escambia County, Florida 1995-1996
- References available in Japan (an English tutor and encyclopedia editor), Pakistan (a computer expert and multilinguist), and USA (Florida education administrators).

- Communicate with me please at suzanne@rehan.com and at my students' website http://www.rehan.com/carver/
just one example of English and technological collaboration in progress, Florida 8th graders and Herman Dewitt, Syed Maroof, Rehan Ahmed, Arshi Masood, and Inge Siepmann.

I have a PowerMac 6100/60, 16 MB RAM; 288 modem ( or digital connection to replace the analog ); QuickCam Camera; and external mike with a dedicated Internet connection, along with 11 other Mac computers and laser printer which I networked myself. I am currently using Cu-SeeMe; IRC; E-mail; FTP of wavs, jpeg, and other files; and working on IPhone. I am successful in using these items with my 110 students to complement English instruction.

Thank you very much,
Suzanne Slay
  (That's me, now Suzanne Bowen. I found this on the old wiredbrain.net website.)
 
... browse some of our team's other blogs at http://blogs.didx.net/ and http://blog.tmcnet.com/monetizing-ip-communications/. Find out how to get your telephone company to offer phone numbers from around the world. You're welcome to comment, contribute, and collaborate any time.

No trust equals less inclination for software team to bond and produce

Jeff Atwood of the Coding Horror blog is my kind of geek, funny, smart, eclectic but at least a little social. I recommend you read him regularly at http://www.codinghorror.com/blog/.

Lots of valuable thoughts such as ... "People who feel untrusted have little inclination to bond together into a cooperative team." This fits all groups. I'm not saying we should bow to our children, students, staff, and teams.

... browse some of our team's other blogs at http://blogs.didx.net/ and http://blog.tmcnet.com/monetizing-ip-communications/. Find out how to get your telephone company to offer phone numbers from around the world. You're welcome to comment, contribute, and collaborate any time.

Friday, May 14, 2010

Get Extras for your IP Communications Company with the Right Woman in Charge

USA businesses, 51% owned by a woman who is the CEO, are eligible for all kinds of extras. But that CEO cannot be a place holder. She has to actually make executive decisions and involved in daily work. 


She has to be a visionary and not the Office Manager in reality. 


She must be a USA citizen. The company must have been in business for at least 6 months. A ton of documents are required including an articulate and smart business plan. Read Inc.com advice here: http://www.inc.com/guides/2010/05/women-owned-business-certification.html. 


And ... anyone, male or female can fill in an application for their company (USA incorporated) for the Inc.com 500/5000 lists at Inc.com.


Outside the USA, there are resources also.
Asia
Africa
Australia

... browse some of our team's other blogs at http://blogs.didx.net and http://blog.tmcnet.com/monetizing-ip-communications/. Find out how to get your telephone company to offer phone numbers from around the world. You're welcome to comment, contribute, and collaborate any time.

How to and How Not to Get People to Work Happily and Productively

There is such a thing. I was comparing the difference between Fring and Skype for ease of download, installation, use, ease of managing settings and de-installation. I called 6 CXOs to discuss the title of this blog post at the same time. I plan to write about both on my TMC blog some time in June.  For now...

Some videos on Youtube that focus on CXOs and human resources:

How to Motivate at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lA-ifiDuvls ... usually sitting on the front row and aware of everyone around you... are they asleep, awake or using their Blackberry. "Thank God, I am alive today. Let's go make another spreadsheet."


Funny! Advice to managers: use big words, tell your employees what they should be doing even though have never actually done what they are doing for 10 hours in a row, always find soemthing wrong with what your people are doing or else ... why are you even there? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oYtFI8hXwiA


CEO Rob Davidson on leading in a flexible work environment ... over a 90 person recruitment firm at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mmFp2mgh2WQ ...  "A Road to Damascus experience."

Idiot CEO? 123 of Great Teamworking ... a bit funny ... I watched this and thought ... it looks like he is doing everything for his team. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CxySwKKp-xs



... browse some of our team's other blogs at http://blogs.didx.net and http://blog.tmcnet.com/monetizing-ip-communications/. Find out how to get your telephone company to offer phone numbers from around the world. You're welcome to comment, contribute, and collaborate any time.

Thursday, May 13, 2010

To Use or Not to Use Google Voice Outside the USA

According to a VoIP list moderator about Google Voice outside the USA ...

You don't get full usefulness from GV unless you are in the USA.

You will need to register from a USA IP address.

You will need a US phone number to send calls to, in order to validate the account.

GV does not easily connect to SIP. (Addition by Suzanne Bowen: but that is why Google bought Gizmo5.)

Outside the USA you can use GV for sending and receiving SMS.

Outside the USA you can use GV as a place to get voicemail.

Outside the USA you can make free calls to the USA only if you have a USA DID or a Gizmo5 account. There may be other hacks, but I don't recommend depending on any of these. Gizmo5 is less than 100% reliable.

(Show me a voIP application or cell phone service that is. None, none at all. The fact that the person says Gizmo5 is less than 100% reliable... congratulations, Gizmo5!!!!)

.... Are you an IP communications related entrepreneur, telco of any type, wired or wireless, contact center, social or business community portal provider, conference producer and such? If not, find out how to get your telephone company to offer phone numbers from around the world.


... browse some of our team's other blogs at http://blogs.didx.net/ and http://blog.tmcnet.com/monetizing-ip-communications/. Find out how to get your telephone company to offer phone numbers from around the world. You're welcome to comment, contribute, and collaborate any time.

Tuesday, May 11, 2010

The Continuing CNAM Nightmare

We hear daily from so many companies around the world who provide voice over Internet and IP communications solutions about their trial such as credit card fraud, LNP taking forever ... but the latest popular issue is CNAM. Check a recent post on DIDX blog post called "Jimmy Buffet Wants Fruitcake, Customers Want CNAM."

For the common man or woman like you or me... Just imagine if your phone number by default said "Private," and you were told by your provider, this cannot be changed. If you don't like it, just leave the service? Hmm... you and I deserve to understand what is going on, right? And to have a voice service that shows at least the city and state of the number or even our real name.

A very interesting discussion about who is responsible for CNAM from 2008, why some offer it and others refuse to deal with it at  http://www.dslreports.com/forum/r20777865-Service-with-Free-or-Unlimited-Incoming-CNAM.

Read the discussion between a wholesale DID provider in a country outside the USA with a large and popular VoIP company in the USA starting with the first ticket and ending with the last. Suggestions on how to explain? How to move ahead and satisfy big companies who are highly respected who need CNAM.

Caller ID Out Going

2010-05-11 21:50 
We want our DID numbers to display City, State when we call via them. 
For e.g. when we call via 18504327411 the caller ID should display "PENSACOLA, FL", but currently your DIDs you sell us show "Private." 


2010-05-11 22:00 Dear Client, 
In order to show the required information, please configure your system, if it is capable, to show the information as part of your CLI when you call the DID. Our company only sends the CLI that you request from your web portal, which is configured to show CLI in E164 format. We do not send any other auxiliary information such as city and state when your DID is dialed. 
Warm regards,
Client Support 

 2010-05-11 22:05 Dear Sir, 
This is related to CNAM outbound. 

As you know there are two parts of CNAM, one inbound, one outbond. 

Normally carriers such as Global Crossing or Magrathea Telecom may even charge $1.50 extra for Cnam Inbound,  but when we call out via this number, it dips to CNAM database and whatever the Caller ID is defined on the number in CNAM, that is what will be displayed. 

The solution which you have mentioned is related to Inbound. 

I hope its clear now, apologize was not much clear before. 


2010-05-11 22:11 Dear Client, 
Our company is only an inbound provider. We do not support outgoing calls. Also, any usage of our numbers for outgoing calls is not allowed. See our Terms of Sale.

Customer shall not use the Service and shall require Endusers to not use the Service for unlawful purposes. This will include but is not limited to the transmission of information or offering of any service which is abusive, defamatory, harmful, pornographic, threatening, unlawful, or anything that can  be considered offensive in any other way. This would also include and be in regards to outbound traffic to PSTN by faking the sending address of the transmission using PROVIDER number in the caller id, also called spoofing. 

Are you saying you want to spoof the outbound CLI from your system? Please be aware that by using our DIDs for outbound calls, you are breaching the contract to which you have agreed to follow. Any other questions?

Warm Regards,
Client Support


2010-05-11 22:34 Dear Sir,
Please, do you know what is CNAM? We know you don't provide outgoing service. We are not doing anything illegal. We have offices in 7 nations, a multi-national company, and are highly respected throughout the world for in our industry and trade.

Caller ID on the number is defined by the DID provider, which is displayed when one uses DID numbers to make calls out via his server. 

In our case for example, I will configure your DID number on my server for Inbound services and use another company for outgoing. 

Now when I am calling out using your number as caller id, it should display the City, State rather then "Private" or "Unknown" like you have it now. We do not plan to spoof, never have and do not want to.

Again, caller iD is defined in DID providers database . 


2010-05-11 22:50 Dear Client, 
We are aware what CNAM is. Please be aware that CNAM is a third party service. As stated in prior postings, we do not provide that service, either for inbound or outbound calls. It may be configurable on your system if your system is capable. However as stated in prior posts, all out company provides is the CLI. Since you are spoofing our DIDs CLI to make outbound calls, we do not support the feature you are requesting. Please be aware that you are breaking the Terms of Sales clause that was mentioned in my prior post. 

As stated, if you are still pursuing the use of outbound calls with our DIDs, the feature you requested may be configurable on your end if your system supports it. Please treat the DIDs as regular extensions and add the information to your outgoing CLI. 

Because we do not support outbound calls spoofing our DID CLIs we cannot further assist you on this goal. We will be required to cancel your account.

Sincerely, 
Client Support

2010-05-11 23:39 Please understand, Sir.

You want to cancel our account because we are asking for this? Thank you for your time in explaining this but we are not making any caller id changes on our side while making the call out. Our gateways support that. 

The only thing we want is to change is the CNAM entry in your providers' Database so when people make call out and call out providers dip the CNAM database, they can know that your provider has made the changes to show "City, State" a common industry standard, Sir. 

More information related to same: 

VOIP company controlling the phone number that you have the responsibility for correcting errors, your outgoing name info. your policy might be that you won't list your name (like maybe say Lingo), but I guess you do have the responsibility of correcting errors such as an incorrect name, by erasing the old text from the databases or by asking the provider. 

I hope you can help us here as if it was not important, I would have ignored this. 

Your extremely frustrated client who is trying to find where else to go where he can get DID phone numbers from several nations for its company with a great reputation to operate effectively...

Monday, May 10, 2010

I'm not Talking About Sexuality

Inspired to talk facts! Two reasons, a Facebook update of a friend and the words in a sermon by the preacher (who says he is a conservative thinker) at East Hill church of Christ in Pensacola, FL. He said, "There is something in us that wants those who are not like us ... to fail, to die, to suffer."

The Facebook update Friday night: "What can we do to show the world that our country is not a people of violence, failure, and evil? The majority of us do not think like that, and we are not like that. We don't want a war on our soil or anywhere."

I went back today to see that wall update, and he deleted it. I wish he had not. It is an inspirational and haunting question that we can each ask about any country or homogeneous or hetergeneous group we are part of. I'm not talking about sexuality here. I'm talking about "Same" or "Mixed."

Don't give up being hopeful. Every action and word make a difference. Let me share a few observations, ideas and anecdotes.

1. My hair has been different shades of blond from day one in 1959. It has been curse at times. I am a woman. In fact, I was born a woman. I was born in the USA from parents who are/were Irish, German, Swedish, Italian and American Indian. You know the typical prejudicial comments ...

"I immediately dismiss anyone who is blonde. Heard of the dumb blonde who was locked inside her car? I can't take blondes seriously. Women drivers drive me insane. You need to not work so much. Stay home more and clean your house and cook. The only reason you have accomplished anything you have is that you are a blonde American woman. You're too skinny. You need to lose weight. Don't show people how smart you are. You cannot be smart."

I still laugh at jokes against blondes, women, etc. by Carlos Mencia.

2. Every day, people, who are local or abroad, click to add me on Facebook or Linkedin for different reasons. We are friends, in the same industry, fellow runners, in complimentary industries, customers, vendors, innovators, and/or family.

Every day, people, who are local or abroad, also do not add me on any social platform ...

or delete me from any particular network because they are afraid of my current network which is full of some "group" they fear, despise, and/or  wish to ignore or erase from Earth: Atheists, Christians, Muslims, Agnostics, Hindus, Humanists, Middle Easterners, Politicians, Teachers, Inventors, Marketeers, Teen-agers, Old People, Women, Homosexuals, Heterosexuals, Pakistanis, Germans, Africans, Americans ... the list goes on and on.

 (Don't worry. I was registered Republican from ages 18 - 48 because I always believed in independence, work ethic, and rights to take of yourself and your own as an individual but also ... others when you could ... who you believed really need it. I'm not a bleeding liberal. I did vote for Obama, and I'm still happy with my decision.)

Some who are in one of my networks, may never respond on my wall or other people's walls or tweet feeds because they fear contact with anyone different from them or anyone who the stereoptype is bad, dangerous, nasty, disgusting or to be avoided. Once, a person who I thought was my friend, introduced me to others as a "terrorist-enabler." He wasn't really joking. It is one of the times in my life that I have been the most hurt.

3. Many groups of people in emerging nations, developed countries, and every place in between, outside of or inside of any of them are still hopeful. You can see they value their action and word to make a good difference locally and globally, online and offline. Like ...

A. Have you heard of Cafe Headlion? It has a marketing library that is a compilation of books donated from people all over the world. Each donated set of books is dedicated to the donor, often with a letter from the donor/s. A guy in Northwest Florida is sending a new set with the titles: Sidney Poiter, Life Beyond Measure; The Perfect Salesforce; John Lennon, the Life; and Microtrends. Someone from Cafe Headlion is sending him some local music and traditional shalwar kameez for his students to enjoy and study.

Consider donating books to a library somewhere that you want to make a difference, local yes! But also abroad. It will come back to you, your country, the world that we share. What's it called? Pay it forward?

B. Have you heard of Linking Arms, Inc.; Big Brothers, Big Sisters; Kalinga Kusum Foundation; the Kids Kulture Center and other organizations like them around the world? They promote education, self-sufficiency, goal-setting, work ethic, teamwork, and friendship both locally and globally. These are in U.S.A., India, Russia, and your country, lurking behind the scenes somewhere. Search them out. Help when you can. Start your own.

C. Use social media to help heal rifts among physical, geographical, emotional, personal, social or other areas and groups. If you are Argentinian, showcase great Argentinian people, technologies, art, and inventions, but also those of Venezuela, Mexico, and Ecuador. If you are a U.S.A. citizen, share the beauty, freedoms, entrepreneurship, movies of the US but also of Iraq and Canada. If you are Irani, introduce us to your music, poetry, and food, but also that of Israel and New Zealand.

Do something surprising and cool and good like this Pakistani guy did who explained "how to use fring" which Israeli-based in the language of Urdu (Pakistani) ... Hindi (Indian).

Or like my loving husband who often sees running from the viewpoint of a beginner runner even though he is flat out fast for a near "five decade old" guy. ;-) He actually ran/walked the last Crescent Classic 10K in New Orleans with 12 minute per milers. That is tough for someone who used to be tagged "elitist-minded" in regards to running and training for races. Do something different, a little scary, a little not like you that will help the world beginning with your area and then expand outward as you can. It is one step at a time.

Search the web and find what inspires you and what you have in common with those you never thought such would be true. I've only mentioned a few specific areas as a start.

Regarding our religion, our actions, our country, our lifestyle, our work ... I think we need to tell the truth, face the facts, not pretend we are never guilty, reach out a hand, and encourage productivity, hope, integrity, and compassion among ourselves and others who we think are not like us.

There's a great Chinese proverb in English here: The best way to get rid of an enemy is to make him a friend."

No matter where we are in time and space, let's not waste a second or iota of either or both.

... browse some of our team's other blogs at http://blogs.didx.net/ and http://blog.tmcnet.com/monetizing-ip-communications/. Find out how to get your telephone company to offer phone numbers from around the world. You're welcome to comment, contribute, and collaborate any time.

Scott Hobin of Hula Networks Break Dancing at SuperComm 2005

Word out is that there will be no more NXTCOMM or SUPERCOMM but the memories are still here. The ones that inform, inspire and entertain. Watch Scott Hobin of Hula Network, Inc. in Mountain View, CA (Google's HQ) break dancing during SUPERCOMM 2005.



... browse some of our team's other blogs at http://blogs.didx.net/ and http://blog.tmcnet.com/monetizing-ip-communications/. Find out how to get your telephone company to offer phone numbers from around the world. Follow us on suzannebowen, didx, rehan33, and justmuneeb. You're welcome to comment, contribute, and collaborate any time.

Friday, May 07, 2010

BBB® warns of scammers exploiting oil spill

Copied from Better Business Bureau email to me in order to share with my neighbors from Key West, Florida, to Tampa, to Pensacola, Mobile, Gulfport, New Orleans to Houston...

BBB® warns of scammers exploiting oil spill


As the Gulf Coast prepares for the potential impact of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, your Better Business Bureau Serving Northwest Florida is warning consumers to be on the lookout for scammers looking to take advantage of the situation.

Already, scammers have been reported trying to convince consumers to pay for “volunteer training;” local officials are offering training for those who want to volunteer to help with cleanup efforts at no charge.

One local law enforcement office is reporting rumors of contractors trying to sell some type of chemically-treated beds to cover beaches and other at-risk property to absorb oil. As with any purchase or contract, BBB urges consumers to do their homework before signing a contract or making a purchase.

Get a free BBB Reliability Report (start with bbb.org) to check a business’ history and complaint activity.

Be wary of out-of-state contractors who only provide a cell phone number or don’t provide any local contact information.

Verify the contractor has any and all appropriate licensing, bonding, registration and insurance. BBB verifies this information before accrediting any of its BBB Accredited Businesses so consumers can request a list of all Accredited Businesses within a particular industry free-of-charge. Consumers can also check a business’ history through Florida’s Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (www.800helpfla.com) or the Department of Business and Professional Regulation (www.myfloridalicense.com).

Don’t take the first offer that comes along. Get several quotes from reliable businesses and make sure the quotes are for the same work. It’s easy to get caught up in the rush to repair your property as soon as possible, but taking the time to do research and make a wise buying decision can save consumers a great deal of hassle later on.

If consumers think they’ve been approached by a scammer, they can report the fraudulent activity to the FBI’s National Center for Disaster Fraud at 866.720.5712 or disaster@leo.gov. Fraudulent activity may take many forms beyond those mentioned above. For example, individuals may claim to be raising money for environmental causes or offer fraudulent services pertaining to the oil spill, such as remediation services. Others may submit false insurance claims for property damage.

For additional information and advice you can trust to make wise buying decisions, start with bbb.org. Super Technologies, Inc. and our DIDXchange is a member of the Better Business Bureau with an A+ rating since 2002.
 

... browse some of our team's other blogs at http://blogs.didx.net/ and http://blog.tmcnet.com/monetizing-ip-communications/. Find out how to get your telephone company to offer phone numbers from around the world. You're welcome to comment, contribute, and collaborate any time. Connect with the poster on Linkedin!