My Blogging Experience

When I enrolled in a course titled Management Information Systems, as part of my MBA curriculum at Universite of Moncton, the word "blog" had absolutely no meaning to me whatsoever...along with many IT terms which have now become familiar to me... RSS, Technorati, and ten articles!

Thank God for the "Help" feature - I'm female so I don't mind asking for directions! After a Sunday afternoon of reading many help features on blogspot, I had a constructed a blog. Lo and behold the RSS feed worked and the Technorati Profile was there as well. Now I only had to write ten articles!

As time went on, and I do mean hours of time, the articles came easier. I do enjoy story telling, reading and researching, and I don't mind expressing myself, so I have to admit I did enjoy the creativity of writing those blogs.

It was a great learning experience, as was the course taught by Louis-Philipe Gauthier and now that I have completed my ten blogs I hope to have time to finish reading more of my classmates blogs, and also to share my blogging experience with friends - brag a little!

Shopping for a GPS...

My husband and I are a long way from buying our "retirement"motorcycle, which will hopefully have all available bells, whistles, and comforts, to take us on many never ending journeys. However, we have been thinking of acquiring a GPS to assist with our current travels on our Honda ST1300.

I first wanted to know exactly what a Global Positioning System will do and how it works. How do we determine what features we need to tell us exactly where we are and how to get where we want to be...even on those rural Maritime Roads?

I learned via the Global Positioning Systems Wing of the Los Angeles Air Force Base that "GPS is a space-based radio-positioning system nominally consisting of a minimum of 24-satellite constellation that provides navigation and timing information to military and civilian users worldwide". GPS systems were initially designed to aid US and Allied Military Forces, but have since evolved to uses by military, civil, commercial and scientific markets.

I found a great GPS information site which lead us to questions to consider prior to making our purchase. Analyzing our needs with these questions will certainly help us fine tune our search.

I also found a Consumer Guide to compare features and costs of various brands and models.

I think we are now equipped with the knowledge to make our purchase...but if you have any tips, personal experiences are always welcome!

Identity Theft - Be Cautious!

Our most unique feature in life is our personal identity. Wikipedia defines personal identity as "an individual's comprehension of him or herself as a discrete, separate entity". Many things we loose in life can be easily replaced, but how does one repair the loss of their own personal identity?

Advances in technology affect different product, services and industries in different ways. The information highway has revolutionized the financial services industry. Unfortunately, with unlimited options for exchanging information electronically, criminal minds have tapped into this, resulting in a huge increase in identity theft.

In Canada in 2006, 7778 cases of identity theft were reported to the RCMP totalling losses of $16,283,776.91. The RCMP define identity theft as - "involves stealing, misrepresenting or hijacking the identity of another person or business and provides an effective means to commit other crimes". Most often these crimes are typically for financial gain. The RCMP are attempting to educate the public with an informative video. The Federal Government of Canada also provides numerous resources for consumers on identity theft.

Phonebusters, the Canadian Anit-Fraud Call Centre gives us the following advice on identity theft; recognize it, report it and stop it. If something seems to good to be true, it probably is! Be wary of scams and if in doubt, report your doubts to phonebusters!

Some financial tools used for identity theft can be via credit card fraud or mortgage fraud. A recent article in the Halifax Daily News tells us about Don Currie, a Bedford based manufacturer of credit cards, and his recent proposition by a Hong Kong based company to participate in credit card fraud.

The Alberta Government joint with the Real Estate Council of Alberta offers tips on mortgage fraud. Know who you are dealing with when obtaining your mortgage and if you do not have a mortgage, periodic title searches at your local appropriate Government office can confirm that no unknown liens have been placed fraudulently against your property.

Another safeguard for piece of mind is the fact that identity theft insurance can be added to your home insurance by most major insurance companies for a small fee.

The most important advice all parties seem to agree on is to take time and educate yourself via the available resources so you are able to recognize, report, and stop identity theft!

Lassie Come Home!

Talk to your dogs, anytime, anywhere! Pet Mobility has just introduced a cell phone for dogs. The device attaches to your dog's collar and you have the ability to call the assigned number and speak to your dog. The device has a built in GPS to locate your pet as well as the ability to assign perimeters for your pet, so the device can signal you if your pet strays outside the assigned perimeters. At $350 to $400 per cell phone, I think it will be a while before my dogs, Buddy and Duke have their own private lines!

However, most of us do spoil our pets. The American Pet Products Manufacturers Association says U.S. pet owners spent an estimated $35.9 billion on their furry friends in 2005. We reward the love and affection of our pets with endless luxuries.

When my husband and I vacation, our pets also head to the luxury of a resort. Our resort of choice, 4 Paws Pet Resort uses up to date information technology. Upon checking into the resort your pets name is entered into the system and up comes his file, complete with photo, owners information, vaccination records as well as feeding habits and grooming needs. Monitors throughout the kennel keep a watchful eye on every resident, and heated floors and comfy beds make their stay a spa experience. On the occasion that Buddy & Duke join us, many hotels are now pet friendly and offer dog walking services and special treats.

Internet sites such as Petco, and Pets Unlimited help us find all those accessories our pets need...and if you don't have a pet, at Snookumspets you can virtually browse through photos online and have your new pet delivered to you anywhere in Atlantic Canada.

If all of the above sounds like far too much invest for you...virtual pets are always available!

Drive Safely With Your Cell Phone

Have you ever had a near miss while driving, and looked to find the other driver oblivious and talking on a cell phone while driving?

"Transport Canada is concerned that in-vehicle telematics devices are a threat to road safety because they can increase driver distraction and cause an increase in distraction-related crashes. This concern is based on a substantial and mounting body of evidence indicating that using these devices impairs driving performance. " In studies done by Transport Canada, "public awareness and education campaigns regarding reducing distracted driving were strongly supported by all, and most were in agreement that a non-regulatory approach to limit driver distraction caused by in-vehicle telematics by Transport Canada should also be initiated". Transport Canada is currently negotiating an agreement known as a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with automotive manufacturers. The basics of this agreement would be to ensure that a driver's performance is considered during product design, development, and testing of in-vehicle telematics devices to ensure proper safety.

Transport Canada's "Road Safety Vision 2010" is targeting a decrease of 30% in the average annual number of road users killed or seriously injured during the 2008–2010 period compared with 1996–2001. Research for this vision studied Rural Canada Cell Phone Use by Province or Territory as well as rural seatbelt use.

While most technology users, manufacturers, and government regulators all agree that devices such as cell phones, GPS systems and wireless internet all contribute to driver distraction, all parties generally agree that these items have become such a fixture in our lives that - Cell Phone Bans: A Good Idea That Can't Be Done . Drivers must ultimately take responsibility to use their technology safely.

Marc Choma, director of communications for the Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association, explained that the industry has long maintained a strict but simple policy in regard to promoting safe driving and the use of wireless products."It is up to the driver to make safety their first priority," he said. "Wireless carriers and manufacturers take the responsibility to educate drivers about the safe and responsible use of their products and services very seriously".

Reed Berry "The Traffic Guy" sums up driver responsibility and gives us cell phone safety tips to drive by. Take a moment, read his tips, and practise cell phone safety!

Bright Idea...Go Green!

Our advances in technology have definitely increased our energy consumption. Computer technology and communication devices use a tremendous amount of electricity... to operate, as well as constant recharging of everything from cell phones, laptops to MP3 players

Canadians currently produce 700 megatonnes of greenhouse gases per year. The biggest contributors to greenhouse gases are coal for electricity and oil for transportation and heating fuel.

The main causes behind climate change are greenhouse gases, deforestation, farming, tar sands, electricity production and heating. FLICK OFF is a movement to fight climate change by getting people to use less energy. Flick Off want us to think about our lifestyles, our habits and save our planet by making changes in our everday habits to fight global warming.

Turn off those old lightbulbs! Go green with energy efficient compact fluorescent light bulbs. Depending on the size of lightbulb you can save from $35 to $45 per year per bulb. Energy efficient lighting uses 50 - 80% less energy than incadenscents. Replacing a single incandescent bulb with a CFL will keep a half-ton of CO2 out of the atmosphere over the life of the bulb.

Rethink your transportation methods and make "green" choices where you can.

Recycle!

Treasure our natural resources!

Save our environment take the pledge!

Join the Flick Off Movement!

Hi-Tech Seniors...dedicated to Mum & Dad

Quite often a visit to my parents home involves seeing the latest DVD they have burned, or a DVD they have transferred from an older video via their interconnected components of technology, listening to a recently burned CD, or viewing an email with a recently acquired picture attached. Yes, my parents are "Hi-Tech Seniors".

In their retirement years they have taken on the hobby of learning the latest technology and done very well at it! For my Dad, spending 37 years working in the television industry...from the first sign on of live television in Moncton, to film, video tape, cable television, satellite, all those years in his career of technological change, the hobby came natural. For my Mum, the retired math teacher, like a challenging math problem, she dove into learning the ins and outs of technology as well. Emails became a daily joy of keeping in touch with friends both near and far, whether sharing news or a joke.

Many studies show that one of the fastest growing groups of internet users are seniors.

The top Internet activities among seniors who go online: 93% of wired seniors have used email; 58% have gotten hobby information online; 55% have read the news online; 53% have searched for health and medical information online; 53% have browsed the Web "just for fun"; and 53% have checked weather updates, according to Whotspot WiFi Solutions, an American Wi-Fi service provider.

Our Federal Government Public Health Agency of Canada provides seniors with Fact Sheets on Technology with information on such topics as; telecommunications, banking, computing, health care and technology safety. These resources provide a wealth of information to educate seniors with questions on technology.

Now if there was only a technological means for my mother to email me one of her home made donuts to have with my coffee as I work on my computer!

Ride With Your PC!

Hitting the road for a relaxing drive after a hard day's work is the dream for many motorcycle enthusiasts. Once the snow is off the roads, many maximize those miles they can spend on their bike by driving it to and from work.

Intel has recently showcased a motorcycle where your transportation and work can become one. Imagine driving your bike to work ...detaching a portion of your dash because it is your own personal computer and continuing your days work.

Intel recently went over the top to commemorate 30 years of introducing new technology. Intel unveiled the Quad-Core Intel® Xeon® processor 5300 series at a recent trade show. To showcase this product Intel joined forces with Orange County Chopper and produced a custom built motorcycle. Doug Davis, vice president and general manager of Intel's Embedded and Communications Group described the motorcycle as " This 250-horsepower chopper – designed using quad-core Intel computers – is more than just a mechanical powerhouse; it's also a marvel of embedded technology with an ultra-mobile PC powering fingerprint recognition for security and a digital dashboard with ignition control, digital gauges, cameras that replace rear-view mirrors, integrated audio and video systems, GPS navigation and wireless connectivity."

Intel has also created a virtual version of their showcase motorcycle which resides in the virtual world of Second Life, which is an online digital world.

Technology has definitely hit the motorcycle industry with many late model bikes having computerized dashboards, ignitions, GPS systems as well as hi-tech audio and communication systems...but really, isn't true relaxation jumping on that bike, turning off that GPS, throwing away that cell phone and getting lost on those country roads for the day!

Privacy...we are all exposed now!

The class blog roll has been posted ...we are all exposed now!

I'll have to admit, when creating my blog, privacy concerns were playing on my mind. Who was going to read my blog? How much information was I willing to share? What could become of this information? My 25 years of working in the financial sector where privacy issues, fraud and identity theft are of increasing concerns, was making me feel a bit paranoid of what and what not to share.

Technology and the ease of sharing information has made "privacy" legislation an important compliance issue for any organization.

The Federal Government of Canada has a Privacy Commissioner to oversee privacy concerns. The mandate of the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada (OPC) is responsible for overseeing compliance with both the Privacy Act, which covers the personal information-handling practices of federal government departments and agencies, and the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA), Canada’s private sector privacy law.

As individuals, our utmost concern for personal privacy used to be mainly in the areas of personal finances and personal medical information. Now, information system technology used by major retailers is raising concerns about privacy and security. Walmart has mandated the use of RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) Technology by their business partners causing enough concern to be addressed by the Privacy Commissioner. RFID Technology consists of small tags, a reader and supporting hardware and software. Embedding these "tags" in consumer goods enables the retailer to track the product through the various information systems within the organization and finally at the TPS (transaction processing system) where purchaser identity/information could be obtained. The concerns expressed by the privacy commission are "notably the small size of the tags and the ability to uniquely identify an object - pose potential threats to individual privacy". Therefore specific CSA standards are being applied by the commission with respect to RFID use. This legislation will definitely have impact on implementation and use of RFID use.

The American public was asked "Is Walmart spying on you? after reports by the Associated Press confirmed that Walmart is recruiting former military and government intelligence officers to join a branch of its global security office. Public questions were raised as to why a retailer would need individuals with such in depth investigative knowledge. Walmart argues that by tracking individuals or organizations buying suspect goods or bulk purchases will protect the retailer from suspect individuals and groups.

So, who is following us around in that next pair of slippers from the retailers shelf?

Navagating the MBA - Information Systems Help!

Technological changes are second nature to most of us who have been in the workforce over the past ten to twenty years. We arrive at our places of work, become aquainted with the latest form of technology, learn the necessary skills to adapt to our new friend, and go on with our vocation. We watch the youth of today learn computer skills as quick as they learn to walk and talk. Every once in a while something makes us stop and think how far we have come...

...In October I decided to persue my MBA. Unlike 20 odd years ago when I completed my BComm at U de M, I did not have to drive to the campus and stand in line to apply. Learning about the program online at the U de M website with today's technology, I was able to simply request forms, apply by fax and I was on my way. Reference letters were requested by email and returned by email or fax. I thought alot about the work I was taking on, and yes it has been work, however projects are now researced online. Gone are the days when hours were spent at libraries, of course working around the time it was open, and searching for and checking out endless books. Now we simply search a topic with an online encyclopedia such as http://www.wikipedia.org/ or go to www.Google.com and hundreds of sites of information are before us. Projects are typed on computers...not non-correctable typewriters requiring fine tuned artistic skills to cover mistakes, and presentations are saved on power point on laptops...no more bristol board, and no more overhead projectors balanced on a stack of texbooks to get exactly the right image on the pull down screen covering the chalk board. Presentations can be altered minutes before deadlines with no more than a few keystrokes. Meeting and ideas are co-ordinated with classmates via cell phones, text messages and email.

Information systems have definitely made university education alot more user friendly!

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