The Need for Critical Thinking
"I have never encountered a technical problem that couldn't be conquered with a little imagination, some concentrated effort, and a lot of good old-fashioned management." - Bryce's LawINTRODUCTIONA few years ago I was managing a "crunch time" project involving a staff of eight programmers. The system design was well documented and very thorough (of course, we used "PRIDE"). Nonetheless, I found it important to start the day with a brief meeting where each person reviewed their progress and what kind of technical problems and interferences they were facing. From this, I developed a punchlist of action items to be resolved, and took the necessary steps to solve them. The meetings started at 8:00am and took no more than 30 minutes. It was brief, to the point and a good way to wake the staff up and put them to work for the day. It also allowed the staff to speak their minds, brainstorm, and share ideas. From this, they developed an esprit de corps and conquered a mammoth project on time. As the manager, I also saw it as a convenient vehicle to release stress and put the programmers in the proper frame of mind.This story runs contrary to today's Theory X world of management where the opinions and ideas of subordinates are co

Dish Network Provides the TV of the Future in the Present
As with any flashy new technology, there's a lot of hype (and a lot of corresponding misinformation) surrounding high definition television. High definition television, which is also called HDTV, HD, or High Def for short, is a similar to the older standard definition television format that's been around since the middle of the twentieth century, but has many features that have been taken a step further. For example, while standard definition television has a picture that appears on a screen the high definition picture is about thirty percent wider and has a resolution that's much higher than the standard definition resolution. Both of these picture features offer substantially more detail. Sound is similarly improved. Standard definition television has sound, but high definition television has Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound as its audio standard. Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound is designed to immerse the audience in the scene by supporting two speakers behind the audience, a sub woofer to send low frequency vibrations through the floor and three speakers in front of the audience. All of these visual and audible differences provide a much richer and more detailed television experience when watching high definition television than the old fashioned standard definition television format eve

CEO's Are Great, Top CEO's Are Greater
People in leading positions are often in a dilemma: on one hand they are supposed to give great performances, make the right decisions and so forth; on the other hand, they have to fill the role of a very confident and self-assured manager. This may be considered a dilemma because CEOs are expected to be almost supernatural, and asking for assistance in what is supposed to be their core competence (leadership!) simply does not fit the picture, no matter how necessary it may be.It is interesting to draw a parallel to sports. I don't know of any world-class athletes who do not have coaches or trainers to assist them in the development of their core competency (e.g., golf, tennis, etc.). It seems that in the area of sports, it is generally accepted that top performers need top assistance, i.e., coaches. Also, nobody in sports seems to feel the necessity to hide that they employ a coach. Meanwhile, many of the top CEOs (at least in the US) have coaches, but very few want to admit or even talk about it.CEOs are usually in a situation with a unique handicap: being on top of an organization, they must demonstrate powerful and wise leadership but may not be able to share their doubts with others in the organization, as this would not fit the expected image.A trusted and competen

5 Colorado Home Mortgage Refinance Loan Tips
Anyone living in Colorado may be able to save money on their monthly mortgage payment if they are paying on a high interest rate loan. Here are 5 Colorado home mortgage refinance loan tips to help you save money if you live in Colorado.1. Do a little research online to compare what is available before contacting a lender. If you can get a free phone consultation to discuss your options as well. A no pressure phone consultation gives you the chance to get your questions answered in the comfort of your own home. You can get comfortable with a mortgage adviser before you meet with them.2. Deal with a mortgage loan specialist who has access to many different lenders. This is important because each person's situation is different. Being tied into a one size fits all mortgage plan does not work because anymore because today's customers have so many different needs.A Colorado mortgage loan specialist who does this for a living makes sense to talk to because they are going to be up to date on what is available in Colorado. They can look at your credit, your existing loan terms and rates, and customize a mortgage loan that gives you the best payment based on your current financial situation.3. Look at a wide variety of lenders to come up with the most savings on your month

Safety Tips For Auto Drivers Sharing The Road With Large Trucks
Our highways accommodate millions of passenger vehicles, buses trucks, and tractor-trailers. These extremely large semi trucks carry essential products, parts, livestock, and equipment for business and consumers. Economically we need these big trucks, but sharing the road with them can be very dangerous. When driving near a tractor trailer be alert and take extra safety precautions.Know the Risks: Most states allow extremely large trucks and tractor-trailers to travel on major highways. The following are some of the current legal standards for semi trucks, tractor-trailers, and other large trucks:A loaded tractor-trailer can be up to 8 1/2 feet wide -- 50% wider that a passenger car. (102 inches)The overall length of a truck hauling a trailer can be up to 65 feet on designated truck routes.The length of a tractor-trailer transporting logs can be up to 70 feet, or more than 4 times the length of an average automobile.There is no overall limit on the length of a semi truck, if it is pulling one trailer no longer than 50 feet or two trailers no longer than 28 ? feet each.The normal maximum load for a truck with a single trailer can be as much as 80,000 pounds. A few states, including Michigan, allow trailers wi

Finding Cheap Single Family Homes
As an investor, especially a real estate investor, you want to get property that will provide you with the highest cash flow and best ROI (return on investment) possible. Some investors go for apartment complexes whiles others go for single family dwellings. If you are the type that is new to the arena and want to get your feet wet, the best way is with single family-owned homes. Depending on your investment strategy, you may wish to invest in single family properties to either flip the property, live in it yourself, or as a source of cash flow by renting it out to someone else.The only thing with finding this type of real estate is the high prices you may find. Because real estate prices have skyrocketed in recent years, the price of a single family-owned home may be higher than you want to pay. However, there is a way out. You can actually find single family-owned properties cheap. Yes, you can practically get one that is a steal. How is this possible?There are actually many ways you can get single family-owned homes. If you do some research and careful digging, you can come up with a few resources. Here are some resources you can try that have produced leads for other real estate investors:• Fixer-uppers – One way to find a cheap single family type property is by cont