In Approval

An ETO (Engineer-to-Order) company manufactures highly engineered boilers and capital energy equipment used by utility companies. According to Stephen Carson, Executive Vice-President with Visibility Corporation, “The business process for collaborating internally and with suppliers prior to implementing VendorServer needed improvement. A seamless process to work with engineering, buyers and suppliers to shrink the lengthy and cumbersome supply chain cycle was imperative. The need to communicate with design, engineering, sales and suppliers to quickly turn opportunities into proposals, and proposals into orders and executable plans, was critical. The opportunity for miscommunication throughout the entire supply chain was significant with countless departments and external suppliers involved in the process and extremely complex purchasing activities.”

The firm faced key challenges including:

* Reduce cycle times for proposals and products

* Uncoordinated and lengthy purchasing process

* Improve collaboration between engineering, manufacturing and suppliers

* Lower cost of purchased goods

* Tighten integration with the enterprise application

The lengthy and involved designing, buying and building process is further complicated by time based milestones and the proper timing of materials that can extend beyond a year. The previous business process had many manual and disconnected automated purchasing systems limiting the ability to effectively manage the supply chain process. There were no provisions for supplier interaction beyond telephone and fax methods.

Without adopting a more strategic approach, the client was faced with higher costs, less accuracy, long lead times, higher carrying costs and lower customer satisfaction. The client created a 360-degree view of requirements for taking its supply chain and supplier collaboration to a new level to enhance business operations in an area with substantial payback.

Visibility Corporation (www.visibility.com) is a leading developer and supplier of business software solutions designed for the unique needs of project-based, engineer-to-order and to-order manufacturers. Visibility’s Enterprise Application solutions help midsize manufacturers of complex products operate their businesses effectively.

VISIBILITY.net is an integrated ERP solution and more. Offering unparalleled functionality and integrated workflow, this browser-based solution cost effectively delivers the power of .NET-based Web services for use with either a Microsoft SQL Server or Oracle® database. Conducting business any place, any time, any where is a reality, deployable with unprecedented flexibility.

Visibility www.visibility.com Jaclyn Aldrich 978-694-8000

If you have Microsoft Great Plains and support it for your company then you need to know typical set of problems you have in Great Plains and their fixes to have Great Plains run smoothly in your company. We’ll describe techniques applicable to Microsoft SQL Server as well as to legacy platforms: Pervasive SQL.2000 (btrieve) and ctree. The last Ctree/Pervasive version is 7.5. New Microsoft Great Plains 8.0 is for SQL Server/MSDE. You should also know that Great Plains as well as Small Business Manager is written in proprietary Great Plains Software language/environment: Great Plains Dexterity, which has Dynamics.exe and Dynamics.dic files as the core of the Great Plains workstation.

How to delete the user? This is the first problem you encounter - when user shuts down the computer - Great Plains doesn’t have the command to log off the user and when user tries to login the next day - she gets error message that user is already logged on. The fix:

• Microsoft SQL Server - open SQL Query Analyzer, switch to DYNAMICS database and run the following script: DELETE ACTIVITY WHERE USERID=’KATHY’.

• Pervasive SQL/Ctree - if you have more than one user registered you can delete the user from GP: System->User Activity->Delete User. If you like to work on the file level - ask all the users to log off. On the server, where you have your Great Plains files structure - DYNAMICS is the root, in SYSTEM folder delete ACTIVITY.* files

How to unlock the batch? This happens when user posts the batch and has her computer crashed (via surfing the internet - smile - or things like this)

• General tip - Great Plains recommends to logoff and then login back with the same user id. Then Great Plains will prompt the user to recover posting batch. Unfortunately it doesn’t work in 70% of the cases

• MS SQL Server - the batch record is stored in Batch Header table: SY00500 in the company database. The fields to clear are: BCHSTTUS and MKDTOPST. In some cases you have to delete the record from SY00800 from DYNAMICS db.

• Pervasive/ctree - you have to install ODBC driver for Pervasive or Ctree and hook the tables: SY00500, SY00800 with Microsoft Access - use linked tables technique

Now we would like to stress you the need to move away from Pervasive SQL 2000/Ctree platforms - you are in trouble - Microsoft Business Solutions cuts technical support for Microsoft Great Plains 7.5 and prior on these platforms. This means not only the support, but also tax updates (especially Payroll and Federal Magnetic Media).

What is migration from Ctree/Pervasive.SQL 2000 to MS SQL/MSDE? MBS has migration tool. You need first to install Great Plains on SQL Server with exactly the same account/segments structure and then install migration tool (it is Dexterity chunk) on your ctree/Pervasive workstation - then, when you integrate the chunk - you will map it to target SQL-based Great Plains Company, select all system and company tables, click the button and it will move all your tables one-by-one. In the case when your Great Plains ctree/Pervasive has third parties - you need to check if the vendor has migration tool - otherwise you have to do manual move, use SQL Linked server to your legacy data

Do I need consultant? It is probably good idea to have consultant to do the upgrade. We strongly recommend you to use consultant in the following cases

• You have Dexterity customization

• You are doing migration from Pervasive/Ctree to Microsoft SQL Server/MSDE, especially when you have third-parties without migration tools

• You have a lot or ReportWriter Modified Great Plains Reports

• You have old version of Great Plains: Dynamics or eEnteroprise 6.0 or prior - in this case you can not appeal to Microsoft Technical Support - it is discontinued

• Your Great Plains has more than 20 users and you have to have upgrade done over the weekend - if it fails - you have business problems

• You don’t have support - in this case you have to select your Microsoft Business Solutions Partner and pay for the annual support/enhancement plan - you will get new registration key and will be ready for the upgrade

Good luck in fixing and if you have issues or concerns - we are here to help! If you want us to do the job - give us a call 1-866-528-0577! help@albaspectrum.com

About The Author

Andrew Karasev is Chief Technology Officer in Alba Spectrum Technologies - USA nationwide Great Plains, Microsoft CRM customization company, based in Chicago, California, Texas, Florida, New York, Georgia, Colorado, Oregon, Washington, Canada, UK, Australia and having locations in multiple states and internationally (www.albaspectrum.com), he is CMA, Great Plains Certified Master, Dexterity, SQL, C#.Net, Crystal Reports and Microsoft CRM SDK developer. You can contact Andrew: andrewk@albaspectrum.com

akarasev@albaspectrum.com

Change is scary, isn’t it? After all, things might not be perfect
right now, but at least we’re here and getting through it. Change
might make it worse instead of better!

But without change, there is no growth, no improvement, and in
scientific circles no life. Life is change, and if we’re to fully
appreciate the gift of life, we must adapt to change.

OK, on to something a little less important than life - Internet
Marketing! If you can’t handle change, you better get out now!

New developments happen in days and weeks on the Internet, as
opposed to months and years in regular marketing. If you don’t
stay up-to-date, you can’t compete.

I’m not suggesting you jump on every new bandwagon that comes along.
Some of them are pretty bad! But if something looks good to you;
if something looks like a real improvement, then you have to
embrace it. Use it, improve your knowledge, then get ready for
something new to come along!

Another fear of change involves the fear of how it reflects upon
you. For example, I changed some very basic facts about a couple
of my websites. It was something I felt I had to do, but like I
said, the changes were fundamental. So naturally, I start thinking
things like, “Will visitors realize what I’ve done?” “Will they
understand that the change was something I feel deeply about?”
“Will they think I’m insane?” (See how my mind works?)

But to follow my own advice - I had to be ready to change, in spite
of the natural fears.

So embrace change, learn from it, accept it. If you’re in Internet
Marketing, it’s a part of your life!

About the Author

Dennis Eppestine operates 3 websites at:
http://www.products4profits.com
http://www.1stmarketingtool.com
http://onestopguidetointernetmarketing.com

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(Montreal) January 25, 2005 - Performers from live video chat site LiveCamNetwork.com will be featured in an upcoming exhibit by Montreal photographer Mia Donovan.

The exhibit, called “Stripped”, will present a series of “lush, large-scale photographs of women who provide their body to the adult entertainment industry”. Among those featured are Laurelle and 2much.net poster girl Deja, as well as women from other facets of the sex business, from strippers to porn stars.

Donovan, whose work has been on the web as well as independant newspapers and print advertising, seeks to provide more than behind-the-scenes peeks into the trade by setting a counterpoint to the stereotyped images normally associated with the business by documenting the day-to-day reality.

The LiveCamNetwork chat hostesses were photographed over the summer of 2004 in a variety of work-oriented settings as part of a year-long project which reflects Donovan’s continued interest in notions of sexual fantasy.

The exhibit opening will take place Saturday January 29, at 2:00 pm, and will run until March 19 at Montreal’s Observatoire 4, located at 372 Ste. Catherine street west, gallery 426. Donovan herself will be present, though she will be meeting the public at the space on Saturday, March 5th, when the exposition will have had a chance to be seen.

###

About the Author

Media And Communications manager at www.2much.net, Jones provides free press releases for 2much clients as well as site optimization and listing services.

If you spend any amount of time online you’ve heard about
“privacy policies.” Privacy issues are becoming a major concern
online. Every time you visit a website, fill out a form, or purchase
an online product or service, you’re giving out personal information.
Did you ever stop and wonder what website owners are doing with
that information?

The information collected can be sold to third parties — usually ad
agencies and marketers — or kept by the site owners themselves for use
in creating a profile of your preferences and tastes.

You might think if you’ve never filled out a form or even given out
your e-mail address they have nothing on you. Think again.
Information can be gathered about you every time you log onto
the Net. Certain types of information can be learned about you
“invisibly” that you’re not even aware of such as:

1) Your IP Address (the address given to your PC
by your ISP whenever you log on).

2) The type of PC you have

3) The Browser you are using

4) Operating System you’re running

5) Domain Registered Name

With more and more sites gathering information it’s more
important than ever to implement your own privacy policy
and to be aware of others’ policies when giving them your
information.

A privacy policy is a statement or article that spells
out what you do with any personal data collected by your
website. Although not mandatory it is a good idea to
implement one on your site if you collect any kind of
personal data from visitors to your website. A privacy
policy also will make your site guests feel more
comfortable sharing their information with you, knowing
you won’t sell it to the highest bidder.

So what components make up a privacy policy?

1) Clearly state what information you are collecting
and if you share it with any third parties.

2) Give a way for site visitors to change any
information given now, at a later date.

3) Clearly state how you are storing the collected
information.

4) Information on how to opt out of any future
mailings from your company.

5) If your site uses cookies this must be disclosed.

Use simple wording in your policy instead of high tech language,
and don’t collect any information that you really don’t
need. It’s important to keep up on any new laws regarding
privacy policies in case you need to modify it later on.

If you need help creating a policy you can use Truste’s
online wizard at http://www.truste.org/wizard/
This will give you a good starting base and you can
edit the final product to fit your site’s needs.
After creating it make sure you link to it from every
page on your site.

If you think that implementing a privacy policy isn’t
important, take a look at these statistics gathered by
Forrester Research:

90% of online consumers want to control how their
personal information is being used.

67% of consumers have reservations about giving out
personal information online.

The government is trying to stay out of passing mounds
of regulations on privacy issues, preferring “self
regulation” instead. In 1998 they did pass
“The Children’s Online Privacy Act” (COPPA), making it
mandatory that sites reveal how they deal with
information received from minors without parental
consent. European countries are much more strict
when it comes to Internet Privacy Laws then the US.

If you do create a privacy policy and use the information
collected in a different manner than stated in that policy,
you may be held liable by The Federal Trade
Commission. This type of deception is a violation of the FTC Act,
and is a very serious offense. So if you implement a
policy make sure you stick to what it says.

Many of the privacy site leaders offer a privacy seal
program. If after creating your policy you think it
has what it takes to be certified, check out

http://www.truste.org/webpublishers/pub_join.htm

http://www.enonymous.com/default2.asp

http://www.secureassure.com

http://bbbonline.com/businesses/privacy/guide.html

Becoming certified is an added plus for any
commercial website and will help alleviate any fear
of sharing information on the part of your website
guests.

So how do you protect yourself while you’re online? First, by being aware
that every move you make may be recorded.
Second, always read a site’s privacy policy so you
know what’s being done with the information you do
provide, if any. If you’d like to keep sites from
gathering “invisible information” about you such as
your IP address, operating system, etc., you may
want to look into an anonymous browsing service
which conceals your identity while surfing. Check out;

http://www.anonymizer.com/
http://www.privada.net/
http://www.freedom.net/

If you’d like to find out if a certain site has a
privacy policy in place surf over to

http://www.enonymous.com
http://www.privacyratings.org

Remember, the temptation for website owners to sell
personal information to third parties is high online
due to the demand for that information by advertisers.
Make sure you’re doing your part by being aware of
who you’re giving your information to, and knowing
what they are doing with it.

About the Author

Merle’s Cyber Promotions (M.C.)
http://www.mcpromotions.com
Creating Visibility Online for Small Business…because just having
a site isn’t enough. Visit the site to receive FREE e-books packed
with marketing & promotional tips that will help your site get traffic.
Also subscribe to MC Promotions Press Newsletter to subscribe
mailto:subscribe@mcpromotions.com

Anatomy of a Business Letter
©2002 By Linda Elizabeth Alexander

This article may be freely published in your print or
online newsletter or on your website provided
1. You include the byline and the resource box;
2. You print the article in its entirety, unchanged; and
3. You notify the author when and where it’s printed with a
courtesy copy or a link.
Subject: Business, Writing
Number of Words: 720
Website: http://www.write2thepointcom.com

Business letters have many purposes and recipients. Despite
variations in tone and style, the basic parts of a business
letter remain standard throughout most business
correspondence. This article outlines the elements found in
standard business letters today, in order, as well as their
modern format.

1. Heading.
Assuming you are using company letterhead, your full
address will already be on the page. Add the date two
spaces below the last line of printed copy. If you are
using blank paper, add your full address and the date in
the heading. Align the heading, and all paragraphs, with
the left margin(which should be at least one inch wide).

Example:
21 Carson Parkway
Boulder, CO 80111
December 3, 2006

2. Inside address.
Include the recipient’s full name, title, and address
two spaces below the date. Align it with the left
margin.

Example:
Conner T. Walker
2345 Sunrise Avenue
Denver, CO 80555

3. Salutation.
Two spaces below the inside address, and also aligned
with the left margin, place your salutation, or
greeting. If you are on a first name basis with the
recipient, use her/his first name followed by a colon.
If you are writing a more formal letter, use a personal
title (Ms., Mr., or Dr.) followed by the person’s last
name and a colon. Use Mr. for men, and Ms. for women.
Never use Mrs. or Miss unless a woman has specifically
expressed a preference. If you are not sure if the
recipient is male or female, use a salutation that is
appropriate to the letter context.

Examples:
Mr. Yates:
Ms. Dickinson:
Dear Customer:
Dear Publishing Manager:

4. Body
The body of the letter should begin two spaces below the
salutation; all paragraphs should be aligned to the left
margin. Single space within paragraphs and double space
between them.

If your letter continues onto a second (or higher) page,
leave at least two lines of text on the next page before
the closing. Do not go onto another page just for the
closing; this is bad form. If necessary, change the font
size or margin width to make it fit onto one page.

5. Closing
Place the closing two spaces below the last line of the
body. Use a standard closing such as Sincerely or Best
regards. Capitalize only the first word, and follow the
closing with a comma. Four spaces below, type your full
name, also aligned with the closing at the left margin.
Finally, sign your name in the space between the closing
expression and your typed name.

6. Additional Information
Sometimes a business letter requires you to add the
typist’s initials, an enclosure notification, or a note
that other people are receiving the same letter. Any of
this information goes two spaces below the last line of
the closing in a long letter, four spaces below in a
very short letter.

The typist’s initials follow the writer’s initials,
separated by a slash. The writer’s initials go in
capital letters, while the typist’s are lowercase.

Example: LEA/lak or LEA/ald

If the writer and the typist are the same person, no
initials are needed.

If you are sending material along with the letter, such
as an invoice or report, indicate this with an enclosure
notification. When you use this, you must refer to the
enclosures in your letter. Abbreviate or describe the
enclosure(s).

Examples:
Enc.
Encs.
Enclosure: Report findings

Lastly, if you are sending the same letter to more than
one person, notify your recipients with a copy notation.
This is abbreviated “cc:” and followed by the
recipients’ names.

Example:

cc: Linda Alexander
Janna Bree Smith
Emily Lane

7. Formatting.
Finally, format your letter so it is easy to scan.
Center the letter on the page both vertically and
horizontally so that plenty of white space surrounds
your text. When using your company’s letterhead,
remember to format your margins inside the printed
material.

If a letter is very short, consider double spacing the
entire letter. Also, you may add spaces between
paragraphs, the salutation, etc., if it provides for a
fuller appearance and enhances the overall “look” of the
letter.

About the Author

Linda Elizabeth Alexander writes marketing copy for
nonprofits and other businesses. Contact her today to get
your free consultation!
http://www.write2thepointcom.com
mailto:lalexander@write2thepointcom.com

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It was originally called The Big Heart. Daryl Zanuck the shrewd head of Twentieth Century Fox couldn’t buy the image of Santa Claus in a court room. But like so many ventures Miracle On 34th Street (1947) came about because of passion, in this case that of Director George Seaton who had gone to New York on his own and made arrangements with the real Mr. Macy and Mr. Gimbel to film inside their department stores. Impressed by Seaton’s commitment Zanuck gave the show a green light.
Who would play the little girl who didn’t believe in Santa Claus? Seaton agonized over it, until the assistant director remembered an amazing child prodigy from Santa Rosa, California who could cry on cue. Her name was Natasha Nikolaevna Gurdin renamed Natalie Wood after director Sam Wood . The same Natalie Wood who would later go out on a hotel room ledge and threaten to jump when her boyfriend Elvis Presley ignored her to play poker with Memphis Mafia. The same girl who would infuriate fellow cast members of West Side Story (1961) with her tardiness, her refusal to learn simple dance steps and her insistence on long lunch breaks to visit with her analyst. But the seven-year-old Natalie had none of the typical child star precocious behavior, she gained the respect of her co-stars on the Miracle set with her professional demeanor, earning the nickname One-Take-Natalie.

Like all filmed on location movies there were logistical problems. The sequence where Santa was taken to Bellevue was done without permission. The famous hospital would not cooperate with Hollywood because they had been portrayed badly in earlier films, they were not swayed by the sight of a sickly, freezing cold Santa Claus (Edmund Gwenn) bundled up under blankets in a car, waiting to shoot his scenes. The filmmakers were forced to shoot only the car approaching the building’s entrance and edit the rest later. Another difficulty was getting permission to shoot the Macy’s parade from the apartment dwellers on 34th street which had to be done right the first time, there could be no retakes. The film crew paid the ladies of the house to place the cameras in their windows. Then their husbands came home, complained about the inconvenience and demanded their own equal share. Most difficult to film was the sickly but determined Edmund Gwenn who would win an Oscar for playing Kris Kringle. He suffered from a bladder control problem but couldn’t stand the thought of someone taking his place in the parade. The children who stood on the sidewalk waving at Santa never saw the long tube under his cloak.

Overcoming his initial reluctance Daryl Zanuck who was famous for his memos, made suggestions to improve the film’s story. The mother Doris, played by Maureen O’Hara was too cold, she would scare a man like Fred (John Payne) off, she had to be made warmer to the audience by explaining that she had been burned by an earlier relationship and that’s why she didn’t want her daughter believing in Santa Claus. Zanuck also felt that they shouldn’t overdo the scenes where Macy’s employees recommend that their customers go shopping at Gimbels, just some simple dialogue was enough to get the point across. But despite the loud cheering by preview audiences when Santa Claus was declared sane in the courtroom scene, Zanuck never had full confidence in the film. He put it in theaters in July, the busiest time of year for moviegoers, and told his marketing staff to hide from the public that the film was about Christmas.

One reference in the Miracle script that’s now dated was when Kris Kringle’s psychiatrist mentioned a man in Hollywood who passed himself off as Russian Prince and owned a restaurant. It was a dig at Mike Romanoff, a colorful fraud whose Rodeo Drive eatery was a fun sanctuary for Hollywood’s most notorious figures. One night FBI head J. Edgar Hoover was dining at Romanoffs when he was approached by an actual jewel thief named Swifty Morgan. “Like to buy these gold cuff links?” Amused, Hoover offered $200. “Oh come on John the reward is more than that!”

About the Author

Author/Narrator Stephen Schochet researched Hollywood and Disney stories and lore for 10 years while giving tours of Hollywood. He had the unique idea the stories could be told anywhere and that’s what led him to create the audiobooks “Fascinating Walt Disney” and “Tales Of Hollywood”. The Saint Louis Post Dispatch says,” These two elaborate productions are exceptionally entertaining.” Realaudio samples can be heard at his website www.hollywoodstories.com.

You’re looking around to join your first online program or just looking to diversify your existing revenue streams.

There are many programs on the net, all claiming to be the best. Some will take you forward and some will take your money. How do you decide which is the best online program for you?

Here are 12 tips to finding the right one:

1. Longevity. Just like the offline world, programs come and go. You will invest a lot to promote your new online program. You need to be sure they will be still be in business in the years to come. Some of the best have been around 20 years or more. There is a reason why they are still there. Look for a program, which has been in business for at least 2 years.

2. Safety in numbers. If many other people have joined of this program, it means a good cross section of the community feels there is something there for them. The larger the member base, the better the chance that you too will be successful.

3. Product Line: A broad product line is very important. Partly because the larger the product range the more people you will be able to sell something to. Secondly, because you will want to grow the number of products you sell over time. Having a broad product range means you don’t have to join another program to add a product to your line.

4. Pricing: The pricing of the program’s products must be in line with its competitors. It is easy to check pricing on the net. Potential customers will do the same before buying your product.

5. Training. The Internet is constantly evolving and we must all constantly retrain to survive. A program with a comprehensive training program will ensure you keep up with the play with a minimum of effort.

6. Induction program. When starting with a new program you have lots of questions about the products, the compensation plan and marketing support. Its important the program has a good induction system to get you up to speed as quickly as possible. It’s also very important that the people you introduce to the organisation are trained quickly and with minimal effort from you. This allows you to focus on growing your downline.

7. Marketing tools. If the program provides you with tools like web pages, auto responders, hit tracking counters, banners, sample promotional copy, downline management systems etc you obviously don’t need to provide your own. This means two things. Firstly it minimises your costs and secondly saves you a lot of time setting them up.

8. Reputation. It’s more profitable to promote a program with a good reputation. Make sure the program is viewed as reputable in the marketplace. One way to do this is to conduct a search using the program’s name and the word “scam”. Do the same for a number of programs and you’ll soon get a feel for their reputation.

9. Profitability. The best online programs make money for their owners and for the people who work in them. Satisfy yourself that the program provides a profit for all.

10. Sales commission. Beware programs that pay very high affiliate commissions. If a program pays very high commissions the product may be over priced (a problem) or the program may not have a viable business model (also a problem)

11. Compensation plan. Ensure there is provision in the compensation plan for you to benefit from your direct sales and from the efforts of those you introduce to the business. Also look for a program, which pays residual income (sell it once, get paid forever) as well some up front payment.

12. Free look. The best online programs will allow you to join for free before signing up. These programs have nothing to hide.

With these 12 tips you can now determine the best online program for you.

Good hunting and here’s to your success!

About the Author

Brian Pratt is a 46 year old New Zealander with over 10 years internet experience. He owns and operates a Plug-In Profit Site at http://www.bestrealincome.com. You can contact Brian at brian@sfigold.com

This article has an accompanying comic strip that can be viewed at: http://m6.net/articles/images/supermobile.gif

The world of technology is racing ahead at such an unprecedented pace that it really is starting to become hard to believe what we human beings are creating with our minds and hands. A long time ago we were ecstatic about inventions like the telephone, stereo, and computer. These devices have added dimensions to our reality that once was only dreamed of in science-fiction films-film, another great invention unto itself. Communication, the sharing of information, and the pleasures of sonic enjoyment (We sure do love music!) have increased the quality of life for those who have been privileged to access it, and these days it’s spreading to countries that once were locked into primitive ways of existence. Is this story 100% true? Not many stories are, and I would like to try and see some of the pros and cons of both a life of pure technology, as well as of a life that is attuned perfectly with the natural world around us. Everything is not black and white, and I am hoping that there could be a focus that integrates both ‘realities’ into one healthy future for our species.

I was just reading an article in an Information Technology magazine about the new demand for mobile/cellular phones that also act as MP3 music players. Hey, I’m still blown away by phones that act as palm computers which access the Internet wirelessly! People now want a phone that can switch easily from communication device to music player. An unbelievable gadget if you really think about it. They want it to be able to store up to 1,000 songs, be able to sync up with a computer, and be able to download music wirelessly from the Internet straight into the phone. However, at the time being-and I know it won’t last-there’s been some trouble making this ‘perfect’ phone become a reality because everyone wants a piece of the monetary pie that comes with any incredible new invention. Music labels, wireless carriers, handset makers, and companies like Apple (iTunes) want control over various aspects of this new venture. In the end I’m sure everyone in the developed, and many in the undeveloped world will have these devices. The question that always seems to remain for me is: Are we focusing our great collective consciousness on the right things?

I’ve said it before and I’m sure I’ll have to say it again, ‘We need to put our energies into an outlook that encompasses both technology and nature, not to mention spirituality’. If you watch or read the News (I try not to do it too much) you will know that a huge number of stories are about problems with the world. Degradation of the environment, conflict between nations and cultures…we are not unaware of what’s happening around us. With the advent of the Internet we now share knowledge like never before. Fear and suspicion due to ignorance of other nations and cultures is decreasing rapidly as boundaries are now crossed freely and easily. I’m just wondering if we might need to put a little bit more of our technical focus and genius (a general focus that currently is a tunnel-vision based around personal gadgetry) into these bigger issues that seem so much more relevant and important when it comes to reaching a level of planetary sustainability and happiness that we can feel secure with. It’s no fun listening to cool songs on your ’super-phone’ if the bus you are riding on is attacked by frustrated people, is it? How about those awesome UV light rays that burnt your skin through the window on your way to the beach in your car that helped deplete the Ozone, as well as your wallet, because of the effects and costs of oil and other

It’s easy for me to say that we could change our focus, but the next question that arises is, ‘What do we get the techno-people to focus on to achieve this more sustainable, happy future? I think the key is probably taking a more spiritual, altruistic, community approach to things. Someone I just spoke to on my lunch break mentioned that if we took all the money that we spend on guns and bombs and put it into the ‘world society’, there wouldn’t be many homeless, hungry people in the world. Why have we become such an aggressive, angry species anyway?

Many of us believe that money is the key to happiness in life. We build things that we think will make us happy (super-phones), and we buy those things for the same reason. Society and marketing tells us that if we own them we will become happy. We are dedicating our huge brains to this pursuit of self-gratification, to the detriment of the world and people around us. By no means am I saying that it’s all bad. The power of information and communication shared in this new age has brought about massive changes for the good of the world. But, how do we take the next necessary step?

It seems like we will have to make it monetarily worthwhile for the geniuses to take the spiritual path of creating technologies for the collective as well as for our future generations. How do we do it? What are some of the paths that we could get them to put their masterful tunnel-vision focus on when in search of answers? How do we make it viable and worth their efforts in the immediate ‘pay-off’ sense? Please send me your ideas in a comment box at blog.m6.net. I want to tap into your individual skills and gifts. You’ve already helped make such progress in the world. I’m interested in what you think about how we can make our future a better one for everyone in our ‘neighborhood’.