06.30.07
Things to do On Vacation
1. Let people know that you are away and when you’ll be back. (I’ll be on vacation until July 9th. Look for new posts then.)
2.. Relax and enjoy yourself. Work will be there when you get back.
3. Spend time with the family.
4. Read the novels that you purchased over the past year. Stephen King look out dude, I have two of yours I need to finish.
5. Republish older, but interesting posts.
6. Hope everyone has a fun and enjoyable 4th of July.
06.29.07
Independence Day – July 4, 1776
How much do you actually know about what happened on and around July 4, 1776? We all know that July 4th is the birthday of the United States, but is it really.Events that lead up to the birth of the United States started with a Resolution by Richard Henry Lee, a representative to the Second Colonial Congress from Virginia.
The Virginia House of Burgesses on May 15, 1776 resolved that “the delegates appointed to represent this colony in General Congress be instructed to propose to that respectable body to declare the united Colonies free and independent states.”
Lee presented on June 6, 1776, a resolution to congress that read;
Resolved, That these United Colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and independent States, that they are absolved from all allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain is, and ought to be, totally dissolved.
That it is expedient forthwith to take the most effectual measures for forming foreign Alliances.
That a plan of confederation be prepared and transmitted to the respective Colonies for their consideration and approbation.
Debate began on the resolution, but it was decided to wait for three week so that the delegates could send the resolution to their home colonies and receive direction on voting. But it also appeared to those present that the resolution would pass and that there needed to be a suitable declaration for the resolution.
On June 11, 1776, a committee consisting of John Adams of Massachusetts, Benjamin Franklin of Pennsylvania, Thomas Jefferson of Virginia, Robert R. Livingston of New York, and Roger Sherman of Connecticut was formed. They were known as the Committee of Five.
The committee delegated that Jefferson would write the draft. Jefferson and the committee worked on it from June 12 until June 27. Franklin and Adams made several minor corrections and the entire committee made additional changes and additions, a total of forty-seven alterations including the insertion of three complete paragraphs from Jefferson’s original draft. Jefferson then produced another copy incorporating these changes and the committee presented this copy to the Continental Congress on Friday June 28, 1776.
On Monday July 1st, congress started debate on the Lee Resolution. On July 2, 1776 a final vote was taken. It was passed. South Carolina still wasn’t in favor of independence, but Edward Rutledge, who opposed independence and had many motions to delay the vote, convinced the delegation that for the sake of unanimity, they should vote in favor. The New York delegation abstained, since they did not have instructions from their home government.
In a letter that John Adams wrote to his wife Abigail on July 3 he said;
The second day of July, 1776, will be the most memorable epoch in the history of America. I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival. It ought to be commemorated as the day of deliverance, by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations, from one end of this continent to the other, from this time forward for evermore.
Finally at a little after 11 o’clock on Thursday morning July 4, 1776, the Declaration of Independence was approved. This was after many hours of debate during the two days leading to the vote. There were thirty-nine revisions to the committee’s draft, including the deletion of language that denounced King George III for promoting the slave trade. John Hancock, as President of Congress, and Charles Thompson, Secretary of Congress signed the document. Again the New York delegation abstained from the vote, but did approve the Declaration five days later.
It wasn’t until July 19th that congress ordered that the Declaration to be officially inscribed and signed by its members. Congressional delegates began to sign the officially inscribed copy on August 2. It was even signed by some members who had not voted for its adoption.
So to everyone have a joyous 2nd of July.
© 2006-2007 Steven G. Atkinson – All Rights Reserved
06.28.07
Ways to Conserve Energy
6. Heating & Cooling Temperature 2° Cooler in Winter; Warmer in Summer
5. Don’t Block Vents and Thermostats
4. Turn Computer Off When Not in Use
3. Use Energy Efficient Bulbs
2. Make Saving Energy a Habit
1. Switch Off the Lights
The complete list of 10 Ways to Conserve Energy can be found at More Than Switching Off the Lights – morethanswitchingoffthelights.com
06.27.07
Famous Yogiisms – Quotes of Yogi Berra
1. It ain’t over ’til it’s over. – Actually he said. ‘You’re never out of it till you’re out of it.’
2. Ninety percent of the game is mental, the other half is physical.
3. When you get to a fork in the road, take it.
4. It’s like déjà vu all over again.
5. It gets late early out there.
6. I never said half the things I said.
06.26.07
Reasons to wait to get the Apple iPhone
1. Many Enterprise businesses use an exchange server for email, at present there is no support for exchange. There may be workarounds to this. Most are considered to be at best a nightmare for support persons who won’t be able to look at them until it’s released.
2. It does not have a removable/replaceable battery. Heavy users will need to charge the battery every day. If it goes dead while in use, you can’t replace the battery with a previously charged one and go on your way. Once the battery is dead, there’ll be no easy way to replace it.
3. It’s not available on any other carrier other than AT&T. If AT&T coverage in your area is poor than the iPhone may not be anything more than an iPod. Remember AT&T is the old Cingular. Cingular usually rated near the bottom of Consumer Reports in service in many metropolitan. They may be the biggest carrier, but that was mostly accomplished by mergers.
4. The total cost may not be appealing. AT&T is requiring a renewal to any existing plans when an iPhone is purchase. The initial 500-600 dollars is just the beginning. AT&T contract requirements could easily quadruple the price by requiring subscriptions to a data as well as a calling plan.
5. The iPhone is not equipped for AT&T 3G wireless data network.
6. The touch-screen is unproven. How soon will it be scratched? How long can it take the use? These questions won’t be answered until users have them in hand. In fact most of the technology in the new iPhone is unproven. Can you afford to throw all of your digital life into one device?
06.25.07
Reasons to get the Apple iPhone
1. The iPhone is based on Apple’s OS X operating system and uses their Safari browser, which is reported to be better than any current cellular connection to the Internet.
2. The size of the screen and the fact that it uses a touch screen makes it easier to use than current devices.
3. It can be connected to the Internet using WiFi hot spots as well as through the AT&T cellular network.
4. One device for all. Cellphone, Internet device, camera and MP3 player all in one small device.
5. You work in technical support and know that somewhere along the line you will be required to support it and put it into service in your company. Prepare for the future.
6. It’s pretty, sure to be revolutionary and you need to be the first one in the area to have one.
Check back tomorrow for the reasons to wait.
06.24.07
Tips for a Less Stressful Vacation
1. Schedule the vacation during a slow period – Nearly everyone has a period during the year when they are less busy. By scheduling a vacation during this period, the time away will be less stressful and more relaxing. For some it may even be possible to schedule a vacation and then arrange the work around it. A good time to take a vacation is after the completion of a large project and before starting a new one.
2. Let people know – Keeping your vacation secret may actually cause more stress during the vacation, or upon your return. Let clients know you you’ll be gone. Change the Voice Mail message and place an automatic reply on email to tell those trying to contact you that you are away and when you’ll be back and able to respond to their concern.
3. Delegate a contact person – Along with the letting people know you are away, let them know whom they can contact in your absence. Give that contact person enough information that they won’t be able to assist. While you know there may be emergencies that you will need to attend when you return, you’d want to keep them to a minimum,
4. Plan a contact schedule – Maybe you can’t go on vacation and completely sever ties with the office. If this is the case schedule a time when you will be contacting the office. Maybe you have a usual staff meeting for 20 minutes each morning at 9 for 20 minutes. Keep this schedule and use voice conferencing to call the office for updates and recommendations.
5. Unplug – If you take your blueberry or computer with you on the vacation and are constantly checking messages and responding to them, you aren’t on vacation. You are simply working at a vacation spot. To really enjoy the vacation you may have to turn off and unplug these devices.
6. Plan some time for yourself - At times a vacation may be more stressful then being at work. You may be rushing trying to see many sights in a short period of time. Maybe it’s a family vacation and you are being pulled in many direction. It’s good to schedule some time for yourself during the vacation so you can simply get away from it all.
A Note: During the first week of July there will not be any new posts, but I will repost some older post from the first 6 months of 6 Things to Consider. For those who have just discovered this, Welcome. For those who have been reading for awhile, Thank You.
06.23.07
Bob Fosse
1. Robert Louis Fosse was born on June 23, 1927 in Chicago. He was the youngest of six children.
2. Fosse moved to Hollywood with the ambition of being a dancer in movie musicals. In 1953 he found himself choreographing a sequence in Kiss Me Kate. Because of premature balding he was limited in the roles he was offered and with an offer from broadway producers he moved to New York.
3. In 1954 he choreographed his first Broadway musical, The Pajama Game. His style was a jazz dance style that exuded a stylized, cynical sexuality. Other notable distinctions of his style included the use of inward knees, rounded shoulders and body isolations.
4. 1972/73 was a very good period for him. He was the director of the movie Cabaret and the television special Liza with a Z. With Cabaret he won the Academy Award for Best Director and won an Emmy for Liza with a Z.
5. In 1979, Fosse co-wrote and directed the semi-autobiographical “All That Jazz,”. The movie won four Academy Awards and earned Fosse his third Oscar nomination for Best Director. The film was also nominated for Best Picture,
6. Fosse was in Washington DC with the revival he died of a heart attack on September 23, 1987. He was a heavy smoker, at times 4 packs a day, and had had a history of heart problems. He was only 60 years old
06.22.07
Most Consecutive Games Played in Baseball
1. Cal Ripken, Jr. – Baltimore Orioles – 2632 games – May 30, 1982 to September 1998.
2. Lou Gehrig – New York Yankees – 2130 – June 1, 1925 to April 30, 1939
3. Everett Scott – Boston/New York – 1307 – June 20, 1916 to May 5, 1925
4. Steve Garvey – Los Angles/San Diego – 1207 – June 3, 1975 to June 29, 1983
5. Miguel Tejada – Oakland/Baltimore – 1152 – June 2, 2000 to June 21, 2007 (The streak ended when the Orioles placed him on the disabled list on June 22 with a nondisplaced fracture)
6. Billy Williams – Chicago Cubs – 1117 September 22, 1963 to September 2, 1970
06.21.07
Tips on Selling a House in a Buyers Market
1. Price it right – When selling a home you needs to do research on how much the home is worth. Look at the sold price of the homes like yours near you area. A house like your may have sold for one price across town, but will it sell for the same or greater in your neighborhood?
2. Give a good first impression – When a person arrives at the hose the first time, the first thing they will see is the entrance and front of your house. This first impression is key. Does it look neat and clean or do you have leaves over the front year, are the shrubs and bushes pruned, are bikes and toys are out of sight. Simple things mean a lot when dealing with curb-appeal.
3. Have a professional home inspection performed – Is there a major issue that should be addressed before placing it on the market? Knowing this ahead of time, you can deal with it at the onset. Even if you don’t do the repair before the buyer discovers it, you can be prepared. But taking care of problems will make the house easier to sell.
4. Have it in Move-In condition – By agreeing to paint the walls, replace the carpets and other items that the buyer wants to have done prior to purchase so that the house is ready to be moved in on closing day could be the item to close the deal.
5. Consider offering incentives – Incentives for buyers include paying discount points to lower the mortgage rate and paying closing costs. Other items to consider paying buyers costs could be the loan appraisal, loan points, credit report and title insurance. Lowering the cost for the buyer could convince them to purchase your house instead of the one down the street.
6. Be prepared to negotiate. When it’s a seller market you may be able to place the house on the market and get your selling price, but in a buyers market you need to be prepared to negotiate. It could be as simple as agreeing to allowing the purchase and move in to be soon than you’ll want to a bigger reduction on the price than you planned.
