Extreme Competition: Supertition

It is painfully obvious that America is facing what I call extreme competition from India, China, Japan, Europe and others but now seems frustrated by its success in disseminating these values. For decades the US has been preaching democracy, free markets, capitalism, and openness. The world seems to have heard and adopted many of these values which are good things but we cannot rest on our laurels anymore and we have to stop complaining. We have to move, move smart and move fast in order to maintain a competitive edge in this world of supertition. (I coined a word from super competition) As stated in a previous post entitled innovative edge, I believe that the faster we educate or re-educate our people the better our prospects become. Readily apparent you say but I say take a different look.

Just today I read a blog that promotes all the anti-Wal-Mart propaganda out there and not a day goes by that I don’t hear some complaint about Bill and Steve’s money machine taking over the world or some such nonsense. We complain about the high cost of gas while vilifying a one-stop-cheap-shop where you can get almost anything you want at extremely cheap prices.

Part of the education process I am referring to is a revised mindset that relishes super efficient companies like Wal-Mart and Microsoft while realizing they are a huge benefit for all of us living in the US. They are leaders in Supertition and we should learn from them and adopt more of their methods.

I bet Bill and Steve both know that someday, someone will replace them as the top money makers. Let’s hope it’s someone from a US company and not…well you get the message!

Spectrum 33 Business Jet

Check out this video I made on a new light jet made out of advanced composites. I made this video to see how well My Temp Dir works. It is a way to host various types of files. Although the jet is real the video is just a test to see how well this works, but it's pretty good anyway.

innovative edge

The US had better wake up if it wants to keep what is left of an innovative edge. Good article. I spoke with Dr. Horn back in 1999 regarding advanced networks specifically for sensors and I agree with him in that, “a highly innovative society can trump a lower-labor-cost society." The key is maintaining that innovation and the foundation for its maintenance is education; especially in technology fields along with math and engineering. This is the main reason I keep this blog.

Read an interesting article by Steve Hamm at Tech Beat that covers a recent interview with Dr. Horn

Humaneering Better Mouse Traps

I have been thinking how to harness more of the academic talent at National University around a cross-school project to help students ranging from high school juniors through college sophomores to start a few businesses. It seems to me that several projects could be developed in concept by the students, some of our students really know what’s hot, while faculty from the various schools within National could act as mentors to ensure the students make better decisions regarding their business development. Each student business could have an advisory board made up of faculty from business, finance, engineering, media and communication, all coaching each other toward success. It’s even possible to pull in a local law firm and venture group to help position the student business to get funded or acquired as the case needs. Techcrunch even has 10 great ideas for students to begin with and according to Om Malik, Google might be a taker. Any ideas on getting this rolling?

Barefaced Ad

Yes it’s a blatant advertisement for the School of Engineering and Technology but it is fun to play with. Check it out and send it to a friend.

Must have Java applet installed. Get Java free.

The hot new major: Petroleum engineering

With pay starting at $50,000 to $60,000 and a healthy supply of jobs -- a result of booming natural gas drilling in Wyoming and other states, as well as a wave of retirements in the profession -- enrollment in undergraduate petroleum engineering is up 46 percent nationwide since 2002.
Read

Friday’s Fact

Name the fastest birds on land, sea, and air. (Don’t jump to conclusions because you may be wrong.) I am looking for the fastest flying bird in normal flight.

Last week’s fact: -- Wernher von Braun, Director in a speech to the The Sixteenth National Conference on the Management of Research, September 18, 1962.

Correctly answered by Rudy

Threatened by Google

Wired features a good article on the adventurous forays that Google seems to be exploring and in the process threatening almost everyone from Comcast to Microsoft.

Master of Science Technology Management

Get this degree….increase your earnings.

The Master of Science in Technology Management (MSTM) degree is designed to provide the knowledge and skills required to manage successfully in today's complex, technology-oriented organizations. The MSTM is unique in emphasizing the technology tools for management and maintenance of enterprise business environment, and provides the organizational and analytical skills required for managing change in technological arenas. This degree provides a broad intellectual base upon which a modern manager can continue to build competencies over the long-term of a career and through the continuing rapid progress in technologies relevant to business and public organizations coupled with a rich foundation of academic research.

Requirements Degree Requirements
(12 courses, 54 quarter units)

To receive a Master of Science in Technology Management, students must complete at least 54 quarter units of graduate coursework. A total of 13.5 quarter units of graduate credit may be granted for equivalent work completed at another institution, as it applies to this degree and provided the units were not used in earning another advanced degree. Refer to the section on graduate admission requirements for specific information regarding application and matriculation.

Program Requirements
(11 courses, 49.5 quarter units)

CIS 601 Information Systems, Strategies, Policies and Ethics
TMG 601 Data-Mining Tools: Managing Technology for Competitive Advantage
TMG 603 Information Security Risk Analysis
TMG 604 Competitive Intelligence Techniques and Methodologies
TMG 620 Principles of Technology Management
TMG 625 Systems Analysis and Design
TMG 635 Strategic Management of Technology and Innovation
TMG 655 Management of R&D and Innovation Processes
TMG 640 Managing Technological Change
MNS 601 Statistics for Business
TMG 650 Master's Research Project*
(Prerequisite: MNS 601 and 27 quarter units of core requirements)
Elective
(1 course, 4.5 quarter units)

One 600-level course taken from TMG, ELB, CIS, HRM, MGT, FIN, ACC, LED, or MKT

*This is a two-month, one meeting per week course with a significant research component. Grading is by "H" (for Honors, "B" or better work), "S" (for marginal, "C" level work), or "U" (unsatisfactory, "D" or below). Students are required to complete MNS 601 in addition to at least 27-quarter units of the program required courses before beginning TMG 650.

Korea Microsoft Visual Studio Music Video

Microsoft Visual Studio 2005 has a Korea site that hosts the world’s most incredible music video. Check this out

JFK

I suddenly realized that today marks the 42 year since JFK was assassinated. Even though I was only 6 at the time the memory is indelibly etched in my mind as I watched my mom, I stayed home from school that day with the flu, break into a tearful attempt to explain to me what was happening. Somehow, from my naïve perspective, I imagined JFK as the country’s protector from a successful Cuban missile crisis and now that he was dead I feared that the Russian’s would immediately invade our country. I recall that it was just a black day.

About this time of year in 1998, while having lunch in New York with my friend Robert Knight, I sat spellbound as he described that day from his perspective. Bob worked in the Treasury department at the time and had traveled to Dallas aboard the Presidents jet. He recalled watching Jack and Jackie get into the limousine for their fateful drive. Listening to Bob recall that day was surreal.

Where were you on November 22, 1963?

Spectrum's Business Jet: Smart Engineering

When elegance and engineering get together the results can be simply astounding as in the case of a new jet by Spectrum. The Spectrum 33 is an engineering marvel featuring a completely new manufacturing process using advanced composite materials that result in an ultra light, extremely high performance 9 – 10 passenger business jet. The jet is made up of three basic components; the fuselage, the wing and the tail section or empennage. Using proprietary tools and processes the fuselage is made from winding specially impregnated strands of carbon fiber material over a mandrel. Once the winding is complete, the entire fuselage, including ‘grid stiffening’ techniques, is cured in a large pressure chamber resulting in a monolithic, light, super-strong and wonderfully aerodynamically finished part. There are no rivets, bolts, nuts or other aluminum parts in the design. The fuselage weights in at a mere 306 pounds. The wings, both left and right sides are made as one unit in a similar fashion. The Spectrum 33 is powered by twin Williams FJ-33 jet engines. This engineering marvel is the way that all future aircraft will be made. After seeing for myself how Spectrum does it I agree that "Rosie the Riveter," made famous during WWII, should retire after 98 years on the job. Rivets will be a thing of the past on aircraft. Spectrum is a great example of smart engineering.

Friday's Fact

Who said, “If we are going to the moon and back in this decade, we must have rapid decisions. It is good to have all the facts in before you make a decision, but many times a good manager has to decide when he doesn't have all the facts at all. And he may make a better decision because he can focus on the essential information. There is such a thing as cluttering up your mind with too much trivial information.”

Last weeks fact: About 2 pounds.

Fluids Race Through Nearly Frictionless Carbon Nanotubes

Within the cells of our bodies, fluids flow rapidly through miniscule, nearly frictionless, protein channels. Until now, human-made nanoscale structures have not been able to mimic those same speeds because the fluids flow slowly along the walls of the tiny structures.

Researchers have now found that carbon nanotubes only 7 billionths of a meter in diameter can channel many fluids nearly friction free. With some fluids, the interiors of the tubes were so slippery that substances sailed through 10,000-100,000 times faster than models had predicted.

Linux Getting Better

Linus Torvalds once said that, "Linux was like a flood that rises at a rate that you don't see if you're staring at it, but will surprise you if you haven't been paying attention." Linux just keeps getting better.

Open Invention Network (OIN), a company that has and will acquire patents and offer them royalty-free to promote Linux and spur innovation globally, was launched today with financial support from IBM, Novell, Philips, Red Hat, and Sony. The company, believed to be the first of its kind, is creating a new model where patents are openly shared in a collaborative environment and used to facilitate the advancement of applications for, and components of, the Linux operating system.

"Open collaboration is critical for driving innovation, which fuels global economic growth. Impediments to collaboration on the Linux operating system seriously jeopardize innovation. A new model of intellectual property management for Linux must be established to maintain advances in software innovation - regardless of the size or type of business or organization," said Jerry Rosenthal, chief executive officer at Open Invention Network. The company will foster an open, collaborative environment that stimulates advances in Linux - helping ensure the continuation of global innovation that has benefited software vendors, customers, emerging markets and investors, among others.

Sensors

Sensors and the data management requirements to analyze the results should be a program that we develop at the university. I have been involved in sensor networks since 1998. The following is from Bill Gates.

In addition to computational modeling and clusters — groups of computers that run as unified systems — Gates addressed the transformation resulting from the availability of massive amounts of real-world data from low-cost sensors. This powerful combination creates new opportunities, but also new challenges, particularly with how to manage, search, analyze and publish that data and the resulting conclusions. Improving end-to-end workflow will be pivotal in changing the world of work for scientists, engineers and researchers.

Sony: Pulling the copy protected CDs

Sony's copy-protection scheme has been under fire since early November, when security researchers began blasting Sony for using a rootkit as the core of its protection software. That rootkit installed software unbeknownst to users, which could be exploited by attackers to install and hide malicious code on any PC playing the discs.

Spectrum's Booth at NBAA

Gulfstream G550

Gulfstream G550. List price $47.

Javelin Jet

Javelin, a high performance personal jet is currently made of aluminum but the company says it plans to attempt the move to composites soon.

NBAA: Spectrum 33

The Spectrum 33 advanced composite light jet aircraft.

NBAA: Linden Blue

From Left. Linden Blue, Vice-Chairman of General Atomics and Chairman of Spectrum Aeronautical and Jonathan Thomas (Blogbank) are pictured November 9, 2005 at the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) conference held in Orlando, Florida. Mr. Blue unveiled a new 9-10 passenger light jet aircraft made entirely out of advanced composite materials.

Friday's Fact

At sea level, how much does a cubic yard of air weigh?

Last weeks fact: For the first time in 1930 and ever since, the heart of the Montblanc Meisterstück, its nib, is engraved with the number "4810" - the elevation of the mountain Mont Blanc.

Out of the Blue

Linden Blue, Vice-Chairman of General Atomics and a strong supporter of National University’s School of Engineering and Technology will be holding a press conference this Wednesday to announce something very exciting for the field of aviation. After attending Yale in the 50’s, Linden and his brother Neil set off on a flying adventure through South America looking for business opportunities. The journey of 22,000 miles ended up as a cover story in Life magazine. From growing cocoa and banana in Nicaragua, being forced to land in Cuba and subsequently held in a prison for 12 day’s just prior to the Bay of Pigs invasion, to purchasing, with his brother Neil, General Atomics in 1985, Linden has lived an extraordinary life and had a love of aviation since he was eight years old. During his time as an executive with Lear Jet and CEO of Beech Aircraft Linden pioneered new manufacturing techniques using advanced composite materials for aircraft. General Atomics supplies the U.S. Government with the Predator drone, an un-manned plane used heavily in Iraq and elsewhere to save lives. Linden has devoted much of the last twenty years to the development of a superior aircraft. This week’s announcement should be very interesting so stay tuned.

It will be particularly exciting for me because Linden graciously invited me to attend the conference in Florida this week. Thank you Linden!

National Business Aviation, Inc.

NBAA will hold its 58th Annual Meeting & Convention (NBAA2005) next week from November 9 through 11 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, FL. Compared to last year's Convention, which featured 1,084 Exhibitors and 87 aircraft on Static Display, this year 1,113 Exhibiting Companies are registered for NBAA2005 with 4,817 booth spaces, including those appearing only at the Static Display of Aircraft, where 110 aircraft will be shown.

Friday's Fact

All writing is enjoyable but writing with a Montblanc fountain pen approaches perfect writing bliss. The nib of all LeGrand Meisterstuck fountain pens is engraved with the number 4810. What does 4810 stand for?

Last weeks fact Who coined the phrase “Knowledge is Power?” Sir Francis Bacon

Gif Problem

Just out of curiosity does anyone know why a Gif image works here http://stemce11.blogspot.com/2005/08/fun-in-sun-education.html
in the same blog but will not work on a current post?

Mark's Sysinternals Blog: Sony, Rootkits and Digital Rights Management Gone Too Far

Good article on Rootkits and Digital Rights.

Mark's Sysinternals Blog: Sony, Rootkits and Digital Rights Management Gone Too Far

Guardian Unlimited | The Guardian | Microsoft boosts stake in internet telephony

Guardian Unlimited | The Guardian | Microsoft boosts stake in internet telephony

Chic Engineering

The School of Engineering and Technology (SOET) at National University is well informed about the requirements that hiring businesses have and integrates them into its various programs so that graduating students are well prepared for a career change, advancement, or a new job. Dr. Evans, Dean of SOET likens the school to a four wheel, independent drive, rover type vehicle. The wheels represent the four main drivers of a successful school; students, the businesses that hire them, talented faculty, and administration. Although, in this case, each wheel is independently driven a great deal of care, planning, consideration, and timing must be in effect in order to ‘drive’ in a coordinated fashion. It is easy to see from this analogy that if one or more of the wheels is not working in concert with the others the vehicle becomes unstable and will eventually get stuck in its tracks. When the vehicle develops a problem SOET quickly addresses the issue looking at each driver independently to see where the best correction can be applied.

SOET takes great care in maintaining strong relationships with businesses so that when changes in the market occur they get immediate feedback so the relevance is reflected in the courses offered to students as rapidly as possible. The goal of SOET is to provide a winning solution to each of the four drivers so students get great paying jobs, businesses get state-of-the-art engineering talent, while the faculty and administration manage the process. SOET is a great place to get a degree.

The Forgotten Half of Change

In his book, “The Forgotten Half of Change,” Luc De Brabandere makes the case that in order to effect real change we have to change twice. One change has to do with reality or a change within a given system. The other is a change in perception. For this type of change to occur something has to be ‘broken’ like a preconceived judgment, hypothesis or stereotype. The first type is continuous while the second is discontinuous.

Either change is possible independent of the other but for real change to occur you have to change both. “If you want to change, you have to change twice. You not only need to change the reality of your situation, you also need to change your perception of this reality: That is the essence of the book.”

What do you see? Do you see a little box in the corner of a larger box or do you see something else?