Everyone has said it before and I’m going to say it again, the world is a strange place. To illustrate this; consider the following. Microsoft has long been rightly criticized for, among other things, flaws in Internet Explorer, particularly those related to security. Mozilla on the other hand has a reputation for being far more resistant to the hazards of the web such as spyware and dangerous viruses. The FireFox browser given away by Mozilla is used by many who regard Internet Explorer as simply not worth the hassles created by it security problems.

Now the curious part, a woman with the unlikely name of Window Snyder worked with security issues for Microsoft. Her accomplishments included an effort to bring hackers into a dialogue with Microsoft to help the company learn from the misdeeds of others. She has now been hired as the head of security for Mozilla.

Ignoring the oddity of someone named Window working for Microsoft, a coincidence no doubt, there is a certain disconnect between a person coming from a company whose security is suspect to a company noted for its safety. On the surface it has a touch of the lit match being in charge of the dynamite to it.

Of course, a fuller understanding of the issue might reveal that Ms. Snyder was a voice crying in the wilderness, trying with heroic resolve to make her bosses as Microsoft understand just how much their customers hated losing their privacy and getting pop up advertising. Mozilla might have been cruising along in an environment in which their apparent resistance to spyware and the like was merely a result of a very small market share. They weren’t having security problems because no one was bothering to try.

She has told the media that she intends operate Mozilla’s security in a more open environment by sharing improvements with whoever is interested and fix some old code problems in FireFox she believes to be potentially dangerous. She also wants a more open approach to the security research community that will improve the Internet for users everywhere. Rather an odd notion, open environment and security, but I must applaud the sentiment.

However, at least until more is known, fans of FireFox must hope that the problems with Internet Explorer security couldn’t be left at Window Snyder’s door. I like FireFox and wish it only the best so I will look forward to Ms. Snyder’s reign of open environments and trust she will keep all that junk off my computer.

I’ve been trying to follow the Hewlett Packard leak fiasco in the news and have found it rather baffling. I think I’ve got it largely sorted out now and have discovered that the root of my misunderstanding came from the peculiar use of language that has surrounded the story. It is not surprising to me that statements coming out of Patricia Dunn’s camp and from HP are couched in double speak but the media covering the story have contributed to the confusion as well.

Here in brief is what has happened. Patricia Dunn, a one time journalist and chairwoman of the hardware giant, became enraged over leaks to the media that seemed to be coming from the HP board of directors. It was ultimately revealed that board member George Keyworth had given sensitive information to the technology and news website CNET.com.

The problems for Dunn arise from the method by which the source of the leak was revealed. Dunn hired an unnamed private investigation firm to dig up the source. The PI’s used a tactic called pretexting to get ahold of the phone records of HP board members and journalists.

This term, pretexting is where the confusion begins. Pretexting is when someone contacts a phone company or other company pretending to be someone else, in order to get that person’s confidential records. Another, more common word for this activity might be lying or perhaps fraud. Dunn would later claim that she was unaware of the use of the technique and that it was undertaken by the contracted firm without her knowledge. That may be, but responsibility is still hers.

Now let’s be absolutely clear about this. Dunn’s lackeys used the social security numbers of board members, one has to wonder how they came by those, to pretend to be that person in order to obtain phone records from Vonage and other companies. You might well ask why hasn’t anybody gone to jail for this and the answer is that might yet. The California attorney general has said charges might be on the way.

Another board member, Tom Perkins, was suspected of being the source of the leak after he resigned from the company but it was revealed that he resigned in disgust over Dunn’s handling of the leak.

It was announced today that Keyworth and Dunn will both be leaving HP. In Dunn’s case by the first of next year. However don’t think this is the end of the drama, my guess is more will be revealed and more heads will roll.

If you’re the type that talks back to the news, argues with pundits thousands of miles away from you, and thinks you could do a better job compiling the news than Rueters, CNN, or the New York Times it’s time to put the clicks were your mouth is.

A friend recently pointed me at News Spider, an interactive news source offering the latest news headlines, politics, and business news from thousands of sources worldwide. The site is informative, providing a wider variety of news sources than the average person would encounter on their own, and entertaining since you can rate each story using a four star systems. You can also leave comments on the articles for other users to read.

A quick survey of some of the sources that News Spider draws from include CNN.com, the Wall Street Journal, Yahoo News, the BBC, and Sports Illustrated. There are many, many more. This is a terrific thing because, let’s face it most of us get all of our news from a fairly limited number of sources, usually ones that reflect our own political perspective. Drawing news and opinion from sources we might not generally agree with helps us develop a broader perspective and escape the narrow definitions they carry with them.

While rating news stories is an entertaining thing to do, I wonder what precisely we are supposed to rate them on. Are we rating the accuracy of the story? If so, without access to inside information how are we to judge? Are we supposed to rate how much we liked to news? For example, I saw a story discussing the falling poll numbers of Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum, a conservative Republican, would I rate this story highly if I were a Democrat because I regarded it as good news and lowly if I were a Republican?

Perhaps we are simply supposed to judge the grammar and spelling. In any case I’m probably over thinking the ratings issue. The comments aspect of the site will provide endless amusement and argument fodder for visitors and I cannot praise the variety of sources high enough.

I know that in a free market and free society that advertising plays an important roll. I recall as a child that there were television comercials from the Ad Council that stated “Without advertsing you wouldn’t know”. All very true I’m sure, but apparently there is no limit to the places we are to be exposed to marketers. I have no real desire to constrain the free exchange of ideas but…

I came across an article that said that soon CBS will be advertising the Good Morning America program by placing ads on eggs. Yes, soon millions of Americans will see an ad first thing in the morning, without turning on their TV, listening to the radio, or opening a newspaper. Simply fixing breakfast makes you a target.

If the idea makes you feel a little queazy don’t worry just reach for an airline sickness bag. However, if that bag comes from US Airways it will have advertising on it as well. The airline has announced that they will be placing ads on their airsickness bags starting this month. The new ads are expected to raise $10 million for the airline. It is difficult to imagine what companies would want their products associated with vomiting. Perhaps PeptoBismal or Imodium should get in contact with US Airway.

“You are making a move from talking to people, to having the people talk about you,” says John Condon, of Leo Burnett USA in the article on Yahoo News. Condon’s agency is not involved with any of these unusual campaigns but he makes a good point. I’m talking about it now, you are reading about it and I suppose that is all the advertisers are after in the first place.

Something that bothers me about this, and I love technology, is that as technology expands we are sure to find ads in many other aspects of our lives. A worst case scenario is presented as a joke by the popular animated series Futurama that takes place 1,000 years in the future. In the series the characters are subjected to ads that are broadcast into their dreams. I do not look forward to the time when that recurring dream about Marilyn Monroe involves her breathlessly telling me how much whiter my teeth could be with Gleam brand toothpaste.

With the rising costs in fuel, delivery of goods ordered are perceived to be down.
Deals are said to be hindered by the additional cost of shipping.
We would like to research how domestic importers and distributors are coping with this situation.

How are wholesalers reacting to the situation and minimizing having sales offset by this.

Are there existing co-op organizations in place for distribution of goods?

Is there a network being established or developed to reach out to smaller operations who are feeling the squeeze?

We produce a wholesale event in Las Vegas for the garment & home/gift industry and wish to be proactive in providing our customers with the latest information to manage their respective businesses and overcome this increasing hurdle.

We appreciate your time and feedback.
Dell Holden
Business Development Manager
Tarsus US Group / Off Price Specialist Shows
www.offpriceshow.com

More and more Americans work on their vacations according to a study performed for a office furniture and supply company. The study said that 43% of workers performed some job related tasks on their last vacation. This was up from a similar study done in 1995 that showed only 23% of workers giving up their respite for company loyalty. The survey of 640 randomly selected full- or part-time workers was conducted last month by telephone. It was conducted by the Opinion Research Corporation.

The biggest contributor to the rise has been, not surprisingly, technology. People are taking their work with them to Cancun because they can. Almost hal of the polls particpants cited the lap top computer as the single biggest factor making it possible for them to work while resting. The 1995 study mentioned the beeper and cell phone as the most used vacation working tool, ah how innocent they seem now.

Technological advances might make it possible for workers to put in those sun soaked hours but it doesn’t explain why they do it. Most respondants told the pollsters that they worked on their vacations out of dedication to their job or due to pressing deadlines. A smaller precentage said they simply couldn’t relax without having gotten some work done.

Psychiatrist and author, Ed Hallowell, was quoted on Wired.com as saying people work on their vacations for reason both good and bad. He said, “The good way would be someone who says, ‘Look, I really want to get away with my kids, but I do have work to do… I’m going to combine work and vacation’,”

However, he went on to explain that many people simply can’t stop working or think of another way to amuse themselves. A situation that can lead to burn out and personality disorders. Incidently, the study showed that 39% of people don’t take all their alloted vacation tiome each year in any case.

One aspect that occured to me is, how many of these vacation toilers are doing so because they fear for their job or are under other pressures that little to do with their own work ethic to put in the hours. It’s a tough time for many American workers and I can’t help but think that might figure as much into the working vacation as work-aholicism, company loyalty, and the Blackberry.

Opening a wholesale business offline is difficult. First, you will have some of the top fortune 500 companies as direct rivals. There is very little chance that a new business can open competing against such huge giants. How do you expect to profit competing with high capital companies and unlimited budgets? The most profitable and sound possibility of opening a new wholesale business or discount store is through online marketing. Here are some reasons why.
First, owning a wholesale business on the internet is one of the easiest businesses to set up. If you’re already internet suavy, you could have your online business open in less than a day, while it takes months and sometimes years to open a wholesale business offline. There are also plenty of out source web designers that can help you build an online store for as little as $100. What could be better then having a low start up fee and having a business ready to make profits in a day?

With such a low start up fee, you’ll have more of a budget to engage towards marketing. With an offline business, you’ll need thousands of dollars to market towards successful leads and buyers. It is very inexpensive to market your company online and there are numerous ways to do so. The key is to get targeted traffic to your site and keep them coming back. You can market your online business through ebay, search engines, free link exchange programs and much more. Once you get the traffic and keep the buyers coming back, you’ll be more then excited when you wake up in the morning with an email that says “Notification of payment received.”
In conclusion, start your online wholesale business. Start off slow on ebay and other search engines. In the long term, you’ll see the rewards that come to you provided you have the right niche and services for online consumers.

-Jonathan Prescott

There is so much to do in San Diego, CA! My family has been up for the last week, and trust me, we are in no way short on things to do. Here is a run down of the Top Ten attractions and events we’ve done so far:
1) The San Diego Harbor.
What a beautiful place to explore! We went aboard the USS Midway and toured this magical maritime masterpiece. The Midway served our country for 47 years and was our first carrier ever home ported in a foreign country. It’s easy to spend all day in the harbor and look at all the incredible sail ships, yachts and cruise ships.

2) Gas Lamp District
The Gas Lamp is the energy of San Diego. Known for its fine dining, shopping, and hotels. We decided to eat at the San Diego Hard Rock Cafe and just tour the mall.

3) The Beaches!
Obvious, I know. From PB to Solana Beach to the upscale boutiques in Del Mar; The beaches in San Diego are among the best in the country. We hit up the beaches in Carlsbad and enjoyed a wonderful evening of aloe-vera courtesy of our sun burns. PS– Wear sun block!

4) The San Diego Padres
We saw the Padres play the Giants in a double header. The Padres fans sure don’t like Barry! Great game. Beautiful fireworks display.
5) The Beach House at Cardiff by the Sea
Great place for Sunday brunch. Sit on top of a balcony and enjoy the sounds of waves breaking 100 ft away from you and watch surfers get some early morning rips.

6) Mexican Food
The best! All I can say is find yourself a dirty old kitchen and enjoy some of the best Mexican cuisine this side of the border.
7) Sea World
Speaks for itself.

La Jolla Cliffs
Kayaking through caves, incredible sun sets, very fine dining. Take a date..Not your family.
9) Tommy V’s in La Costa
The best Steak house in the USA. Try their ragging rib-eye.
10) Coastal Highway / 101
This is a must do drive. You can see the entire SD coast and choose from dozens of beaches or restaurants to stop bye for quickie.

It’s coming! Can you wait? I can’t!

We have been working around the clock on this project for 8 months. Some of you have the inside scoop on Wholezilla.com

For those of you wondering…This is the first ever B2B shopping cart search engine. That’s right! It’s been done for consumers by a few ( Pricegrabber, Shopzilla and Froogle.) This is the first crack at the wholesale industry.

Let’s face it..There are 1000’s of wholesalers, manufacturers, importers, drop shippers and distributors out there. Many of these small businesses have little means to market their products, and the landscape for reputable companies, like JP Communications, developing communication platforms that effectively bring together retailers and wholesalers, is far and few. We are here to provide what these thousands of suppliers are seeking – a robust platform with features unlike any other search engine!

We are going to debut with 100’s of thousands of awesome products from premier names in the industry. All you SEO’s get ready. JP Communication’s innovations will inevitably take this industry a bit further….Let’s get ready to rock!

Happy Selling.

-Jason

I was scheduled to attend ASD’s San Antonio Show this weekend, but due to a category 5 hurricane (Rita) the show has been postponed. Postponing the show was the right move to make. There are hundreds of thousands of people evacuting the coast line areas of Texas right now for higher and safer ground. We witnessed just a few weeks ago, with Hurricane Katrina, the amount of devastation and chaos that natural disaster can wreak upon us. Every hotel in San Antonio is booked, and there is no question that the city of San Antonio will be donating its resources to the potential victims of Hurricane Rita.

Well, I just got off the phone with Southwest Airlines to cancel my flight and request a refund of the tickets that I had purchased. I first spoke with a representative in the refund department who told me that they were only refunding customers from Houston and Corpus Christi. After expalinging to him that Rita is a category 5, every hotel in San Antonio is being used by evacuees, and the city will be a resource for hurricane victims, he still refussed my refund and only offered me a credit. I demanded to speak with a supervisior. He put Bob on the phone for me. Bob is the supervisior of the refunds division. Bob told me that I’m under a contractual obligation to fly into SanAntonio. I told Bob that I too have many customers that are contractually obligated to advertise with me, but I make excpetions for my customers when they are faced with events out of their control. Bob also told me that Southwest has already lost millions of dollars from Katrina and they will probably lose millions from Rita. To sum it up, Bob refused a refund to me as well. Bob and Southwest expect me to fly into a city being used as a resource for evacuees. This is a shame.

Southwest should not be a proponent of travel into San Antonio at a time when it is more that obvious that the only people that need to be around that area are those that already live there, or those helping the thousands of people that are more than likely going to lose everything they have.

Southwest needs to recognize that they are contibuting to the chaos and devastion of a catastrophe and sacrificing humanity for the sake of a few dollars. Shame on them.

Jason