Tony Green

Finding out things on Facebook, breaking news Facebook by Tony Green

noreply@blogger.com (Tony G.) — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 17:37:00 +0000

Facebook Image

Nowadays people are posting any insignificant occurrence of their daily lives on Facebook. Everything from how time is spent with your kids to the latest image uploaded from your smart phone. What is shocking to me are the major occurrences in people’s lives which they choose to broadcast via a Facebook update.

Within the past few months, I learned about personal events including the passing of someone’s mother due to cancer and a couple with three young children deciding to get a divorce while reviewing of my Facebook feeds.

I am aware of the Internet Age, aren’t some things still sacred? Who would believe a life altering event would be announced in the same fashion on such a public platform as what you coworkers ate for lunch the other day?

I imagine the openness is a sign of the times. What if someone did not want to world to know the most intimate details of your life? Then again with all of the monitoring both online and off is anything a person does really secret? If we assumed there was something to hide would it be possible to conceal any personal indiscretion even if you wanted to?

Think of the possibilities of having everything out on the open. Maybe a kind word might come from where an unexpected source. Perhaps could use the platform to get a beef off your chest or even to get some feedback on a problem which you are experiencing.

In my view, in the age of technology we cannot believe any privacy regardless if you want to admit the facts or not. What will the next piece of unannounced information someone will choose to share with me?

This sales engineer's project is dying out here by Tony Green

noreply@blogger.com (Tony G.) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 05:36:00 +0000

Image of Technology and Cash

Part of my job function as a sales engineer with a manufacturer’s representative in the utility industry is to provide our partners the technical information required to prepare quotes and estimates for high priced engineered gear. My long term goal is enabling our partners to provide solutions for our customers.

In many ways you are bridging the gap between what is known and what is required. Upon initial glance the concept sounds simple enough. What can stop you?

The first thing which can be challenging is neither side is clear on the information required to quote a project. That’s right the details. In the beginning stages of some projects the scope might undecided but by the time you call me asking for a budgetary cost should have a high level picture of what a project will entail.

The second situation which can cause problems is that everyone involved not playing along. For example, if a project is not viable for our partner for whatever reason why don't they inform me so I can break the news to the client so they can explore other options. What needs to be avoided is asking for more documentation regarding the project waiting until you get tied up in other activities.

Once a request is not answered then the answer for why the customer was not quoted becomes, we were not given all the details. Of course, what needs to provided is never specifically stated. On the other hand some customers would rather not fully specify a project but make a menial effort and let the vendor try to figure out the scope of the project for them at its time and expense for being in mind no money is made until an order is placed.

The next obstruction is insufficient information. The specification of these high voltage systems, if not done well, can not only result in equipment failure and major down time or an unhappy customer but an accident that may be harmful to others may occur as a due to the voltage level and power outputs involved.

Without a doubt in instances as these you cannot guess, which is exactly what you are opening yourself to when the relevant information is not communicated.

This is just another day on the life of a sales engineer. By the way, anyone reading this posting familiar with high voltage transmission cables? Until I get something clarification on this estimate I am trying to get moving in the right direction I will be on the road to dying a slow death.

Taking risks on the path to becoming greener by Tony Green

noreply@blogger.com (Tony G.) — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 16:25:00 +0000

Image of bicycle in the Netherlands

I attended a Green Drink networking event at the Eulipia in San Jose a few months ago. It had been a while since I had went to any networking events I figured now was as good a time as any to get out and mingle.

Councilman Sam Liccardo, Chairman of San Jose City Council's Transportation and Environment Committee spoke about the challenges of making transportation practices greener. Naturally in many respects the issue came down to receiving funding. Interestingly enough, he mentioned a trip he took to China to try and lure foreign investors to support these projects.

One of the more fascinating ideas involved using bikes to travel in the downtown area to reduce automobile use with the value of reducing emissions and decreasing the space required to park. This room could be used, for example, to build affordable housing. He recalled a visit to Holland he made a few months back to get some insight into how San Jose should go ahead with greening its transportation since the Dutch have installed infrastructure to permit travel by bicycle.

He mentioned the need of taking risks to begin to move forward with a growing sentiment to make the world a better place. This struck an accord with me. When you think about when the dot com boom was in its peak 20 years ago the excitement was in the “changes” all these technologies might make in people’s lives.

In short, change requires doing something other than what you have done in the past. Why should the making progress on greening our transportation practices be any different?

Author Note: Thanks to Megan Fluke who I can now put a real face with other than her Facebook page and her team for organizing this event!

A Good old fashioned Book Store by Tony Green

noreply@blogger.com (Tony G.) — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 16:22:00 +0000

Image of a book store opening its gates

I used to get promotional emails from Borders advertising discounts for members of their rewards club before they closed many their stores after filing for bankruptcy.

More often than not, I would get the coupon on my Blackberry and head to my nearest Borders and purchase my newest reading material. I read books online but sometimes I enjoy reading a book the old fashioned way.

After all of the Borders in my area had closed I was walking in downtown Pleasanton, California on a break from work. By the way, this works wonders for clearing my head and I stumbled upon this traditional book store.

I had forgotten these places existed. Many small, family operated books stores fund themselves unable to stay in business due to not being able to be competitive with the large mega book chains and on line sales.

Then I recalled while I was at Borders children and their parents were relaxing, reading or otherwise killing time in spite of the fact most people with Internet capability can purchase books online and have them shipped directly to their doorstep. I bet if you measured the amount of time to walk into a brick and mortar book store and pay for a book versus the time folks spent browsing it would be much longer. Could the act of going to the bookstore have more importance than a place to purchase your latest reading material?

In my view, these smaller local family run bookstores may be making a comeback. Think about how relaxing it is reading a book occasionally over a tall latte?

A visit to my orthodontist by Tony Green

noreply@blogger.com (Tony G.) — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 04:22:00 +0000

child with braces

I dropped off my new dental insurance card for my children's braces soon after I started my new job. Braces, if you are not aware, are expensive. However, I cannot fault the children for that. Their crooked smiles are not their mistake, their mother’s smile is perfect and since I had major orthodontic work done as a child and my father had problems with his teeth I am sure my children get any trouble with their teeth from their father.

The investment, in my view, is well worth the money. Having an engaging smile and a positive image of oneself can be an enormous aid to leading a successful and productive life.

I remember hearing the statement a person can make a good first impression within five seconds to when meeting someone for the first time. For example, on most job interviews making a solid initial introduction is vital in convincing a prospective employer you are somebody they might want to hire. Throughout the course of my life I recall numerous instances where folks have looked upon me favorably as result of sporting a nice smile.

The path to a solid smile has not been easy one. I endured nearly 10 years of braces and several of my permanent teeth missing as a consequence of the major orthodontic work completed while I was a child.

Twenty years ago when I had braces orthodontics was definitely not as user friendly as they are today. In those days, the wires which adjusted the position of the teeth needed to be re-adjusted on monthly basis which made chewing anything harder than applesauce uncomfortable for a few days. Also, there were many occasions where the metal would rub up against the inside of you gums causing irritation. In the end, the discomfort was much worth the pride of being able to flash a beautiful smile.

I recalled a conversation I had with my children’s orthodontist prior to his retirement who seemed surprised I remembered my orthodontist’s name 30 years after my final checkup. For those of us with major issues what would the alternative be if trained professionals did not exist to provide beautiful smiles? If you had braces as a child and you are now an adult do you remember who my orthodontist was? I do.

Is Entrepreneurship the way for me? by Tony Green

noreply@blogger.com (Tony G.) — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 19:19:00 +0000


Does this image come to mind when you think about your job?

There are occasions after a long day at work when you sit down and think to yourself, “Is this really worth it?” I do not claim to a problem with working a job, or partnering with customers or helping to solve their problems. It is just the fact you are required to work with not only a boss, but with co-workers who on occasions require so much time and effort to manage you wonder how anything else gets done. Part of being an adult is having a job and taking care of your family. The question what is the most effective way to do accomplish this? Maybe I should inward at look some personal facts.

Fact 1) I read Inc. magazine

I have read Inc. magazine religiously since I arrived in Silicon Valley. I enjoy reading about people who built profitable businesses from nothing. Bear in mind many of the articles feature young entrepreneurs who had taken the challenge and succeeded. In many cases, these folks would have never had the opportunity to run their own shows if they focused on working to move up the ranks.

Fact 2) not to insult any bosses I ever had I believe in myself and in my abilities

I never claim to know everything yet on occasions I have wondered if I were the boss could I do the job more effectively than the next guy. I used to be a manager in the past and even though the responsibility was a painful experience at time the lessons I learned will be immensely helpful if I get the opportunity to manage again in the future. A common sense way I view things is your relation to your employees’ stops being focused about you and becomes how you are putting your staff in situations where they, and ultimately you, can be successful. Can this concept be so difficult to grasp and execute on? Honestly this easy for me to say from the view point as an employee.

Fact 3) who wouldn’t want to in charge of their own autonomy

Who would want to in charge of their own success and not depend on the politics of the workplace for your overall success? I would think the freedom of knowing your decisions will make you or break would are empowering. What excuse can you fall back on when there is no one else to pass the buck to or no one else to comprise you efforts trying to push their agenda?

Fact 4) you are not going to reach success and security working for someone else

As a result of my work experience I believe you will never reach you full potential working for someone. Employers hired employees to perform functions which are either needed or in some way undesirable. Since entrepreneurs hire people to improve the bottom lines of their companies and stand to result the most financial when you are successful where does that leave you in the long term? Perhaps I might deal with a job better if I was convinced I did not possess the ability do better on my own.

If the decision were not the matter of keeping bills paid and benefits current, and having used all of my cash reserves getting through the recession perhaps I should give a shot someday.

Now that I my 100th post has been published by Tony Green

noreply@blogger.com (Tony G.) — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 02:08:00 +0000

100 posts to this blog and going strong!

I have written this blog on a part-time basis for over four years. When I checked the amount of views via Google Analytics five posts seem to resonate more than the others as measured by the number of views and comments received.

I thought it might be interesting as this is my 100^th posting to provide bit of insight into the reason why I created the posts which wound up generating the most interest.

1. Professional Certified Marketer (PCM)

I drafted the first of these posts upon passing my PCM exam in January of 2007. After attending some marketing events it appeared some were not as impressed with the certification as I believed they would be. The reason was obvious when I examined the question thoroughly. Marketers are created by either completing some formal education in marketing with on-hand experience or bring placed in a marketing function and learning through trial and error. Would was I to think with only a certification I could call myself a marketer?

2. Sell this pen

Upon my initial sales interviews the interviewer asked me to sell the pen which he gave me. I did not know at the time this was a common sales question. Once I had the writing implement in my hand I took the bait by talking before I thought about what I would say and rambled about how pleasing it appeared to the eye, how well it wrote, etc. I failed to ask the probing questions to determine why the need for the pen existed. Who knows the prospect might have needed a mechanical pencil or maybe the best solution may not involve using a pen. Naturally, I did not get the call for another interview. After picking up some books on sales interviews I got a better sense for what the interviewer wanted to hear. Never mind the job I did not get concept of asking probing questioning would be a lesson learned which would be very helpful going forward.

3. The path from Ex-Navy Nuke to an engineer

The creation of this posting resulted from the fact most Navy Nukes do their stint and attend college afterwards on the Montgomery GI Bill. Naturally, many go on to earn engineering degrees. In my case, I did the opposite (why I enlisted and did not pick up an officer program is another story) and became a nuke after completing my undergraduate engineering degree. There were commonalities I thought my insight be useful to those going through the nuclear pipeline afterward.

4. Gallup Sales Personality Test

I wrote this post after I took this test as the first part of sales interview process nearly five years ago. I failed to impress them enough to be granted another interview, which would have enabled me to speak to a live body over the phone or meet someone face-to-face because my answers were not specific enough. This was for a sales position and in many instances selling is about relationships, which made this test even less logical as a tool for measuring the effectiveness of sales people. To protect the guilty I will not name the company. I will say they are in the medical equipment profession and were growing at 40% a year before the recession.

5. Looking at a green career: I should be fine right?

I wanted leverage my background into an alternative energy position for a long time. After trying to network with those in the industries and framing my past experience I felt I had met the prerequisites to be hired. This posting was my reaching out to get the feedback of the blogosphere if I had truly done the right thing. As this point no one has told me I had lost my mind, at least not yet.

I will continue to jot down my thoughts in my spare time for the entire world to see. I believe any idiot can publish on the Internet and why should be no different. I wonder what postings will create a buzz from those who will stumble across them to read them. Perhaps we will visit this topic after my 200th blog. Until then greetings to the blogosphere and thank you for taking the time out to read this, what is a blog without readers?

Geez, I am so sorry by Tony Green

noreply@blogger.com (Tony G.) — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 06:38:00 +0000

Handicapped spot

A few weeks ago I went to the Halloween store with my children to view this year’s newest costumes. I pulled into parking lot on a bright fall day in the San Francisco Bay area. After looking at ghosts and goblins until we were satisfied we returned the car to go home when I realized I had parked in handicap spot. Granted no handicapped vehicles tried to park during my time inside the store, however, that did not change what happened.

There was no real excuse, the sun shined brightly and the light blue signs painted on the wall and on the ground were clear. After my children I told me to move my car I had to admit my error to them. I should have checked before pulling my car into the parking space. The extra walking to the entrance of the store from any of the other spaces would have hardly killed me. I thought to myself, ”Geez, I am so sorry”.

The incident made me think of my time on the East Coast during large snowstorms when folks would dump the removed snow in the handicapped spaces. Everyone should take a moment to think about why these places exist. If you happened to be disabled and trying to be a productive member of society wouldn’t you want similar consideration?

In the event someone with handicap license plates came by my Camry parked in the space designated for your use please accept my sincerest apology. I promise this oversight will not happen again. This will serve as my reminder we should all be sensitive to the plight of the handicapped.

A reminder about management by Tony Green

noreply@blogger.com (Tony G.) — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 05:21:00 +0000

A young manager reviewing his numbers

Many years have gone by since I became a manager for the first time. Fortunately, the company I worked for had the insight to send me to training since I had never been a manager. Recently I was reminded about one of the most relevant takeaways resulting from my experience as a supervisor.

I remember while I was in business school reading one Jack Welch’s books where he communicated his view of when you enter management it is not about you anymore. It becomes more about your reports and he you are putting them in situations where they can flourish.

Perhaps this might be a no-brainer, since as a leader if your team is doing well you are successful. Even if you did not do any of the “work” you can bask in the credit.

This is why I have difficulty understanding people enter the management ranks they still are focused on how the position will make then look better and increase their status in the workplace. The reason manager jobs boast increased salaries are the added accountability and responsibility not less.

Management in my experience is not easy which is why some people want these benefits attached with being a manager without the burden these positions carry. Many people in non-management positions seek promotions to management because of additional money, more status and added perks, I hear very few people state they want to enter management be able to shape careers and mold talent into leaders and build effective teams. All of which is designed to ensure profit is managed, and maintained to the bottom line of the company.

I wish more folks would think about what being a manager means before seeking management opportunities. For those who can learn this concept there is definitely room for you since all employees need high-quality managers. If you chose not to maybe a non-management position would be more appropriate.

Can we give our friendly utility a break? by Tony Green

noreply@blogger.com (Tony G.) — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 04:12:00 +0000

Image of transformer at a substation

During one my visits to a substation to perform an incoming transformer inspection as part my sales engineering job I was struck by hearing how the people who work for the utilities always get a hard time in the neighborhoods who their substations provide power to. The scenario is more often than not the same; the sun has just come up, and as the newly arrived transformer is being loaded into place and the engineer/ manager in charge on site is catches an earful from an interested member of the community who are aggravated heavy machinery is at work.

I sarcastically mentioned to one of the workers that the populace living in the community at large will not appreciate the jobs these guys keeping everyone lights on until the power stays off for a significant period of time. Anyone who has traveled overseas can testify to the modern miracle the Electric Grid is.

The fact is cranes are noisy in the morning but one should keep in mind why transformers are being installed and due to their large weight which in many cases is in excess of 100,000 pounds a crane is the only way any object its size was getting inside substation. Most transformers are in due to an increase in load growth or the replacement of an older transformer near the end of its useful life.

A minor inconvenience can be painful at times but please try to keep the big picture in mind. The hard working guys do not need the abuse they routinely endure for trying to do their jobs. If there is anyone who should get mistreated perhaps the people who waste our precious electricity which is the topic for another blog posting.

Car Maintenance by Tony Green

noreply@blogger.com (Tony G.) — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 06:23:00 +0000

Car in need of reapir

On the whole most people visit their car dealerships to get maintenance done in their vehicles. The idea is to aim and be proactive about taking care of your cars and to avoid break downs on the road. In any case, a long time had elapsed since the car had been serviced. The car had been running well so today was the perfect time to catch up.

Once I arrived I sat down with my sales consultant and he pulled up my vehicle history to go over what had been done on my car in the past. Most people would assume they are checking to determine if there are any urgent recalls I needed to be informed of. In my cynical view, hopefully you are not as sarcastic, they are figuring out justifiable ways to extract as much cash out from my visit as possible.

I believe since new car sales are slow with the weak economy the car dealerships are trying to boost profits upon the revenue on service. I can understand their logic but their business model is not my problem.
For the record, I am fine with paying for needed upkeep on my automobile; however, I question what is necessary in terms of the nature of the repairs. The goal seems ensure a certain amount of money is extracted every time I enter the dealership regardless of the initial intention of my visit.

I used to hope when the charges came out I would look at the final tally and nod my head before authorizing them to do the work. I say used to because when I actually did see the bill I thought to myself, 'How do you come up with that number and what are you going do to my vehicle to warrant this expense'.

In addition, there was the gimmick of my service consultant printing out three pieces of paper with my three options. I assume the intention was to make me better about the cash I was dropping for maintenance when my cars have run well since I bought them. In the end, I was getting racked with either of the selections.
In my view, I figured if I were in the extremely high income bracket or if I were independently wealthy I wouldn't be concerned with maintenance costs and would own cars manufactured by BMW or Lexus.

As an experiment I would love to take my car to another dealership and get my automobile serviced. The most typical response should be, 'this car is in great shape', since the car would have been worked on the day before. What I would get is, 'well sir we recommend after so many miles....,' or 'our technician has informed me', or 'after so this amount of time the factory recommends...'you get the picture.

If you had not been able to tell I still suspect these guys are all out get my money. I should state I do not question my cars are in fine working condition. I just wish I could leave with a better feeling every time I drive off in my recently serviced vehicle.

Things to remember when writing a personal blog by Tony Green

noreply@blogger.com (Tony G.) — Sat, 17 Sep 2011 16:18:00 +0000

Image of men carrying a blog

I have posted entries in this blog for over four years. I did not use a manual to guide me when I started and have utilized some really helpful information from other blogs regarding requirements for blogs which could capture readership and increase its traffic.

Here are the three things I would keep in mind for the beginning if I were starting a blog all over.

The first thing would be to ensure I monitor all comments before posting. I agree Social Media should to a media open for dialog but having a professionally written blog with ridiculous spam comment does little to help its value. For example, if a potential employer checks your website and there is an advertisement about Viagra it does not promote the most professional image. Additionally, if you are hosting Google ads on your blog to get revenue the ads which are drawn can change in response to the comments are posted which not control can be detrimental to your earning. Example, if you received SPAM written in Russian, ads would eventually generated in Russian.

The second most important thing would be to insure a picture is included with every posting. It is amazing how a little image can liven up posting and entice the reader read your entry. But make sure any image you post does not violate any copyrights. The simplest way to gather images is to take your own pictures with a digital camera.

The third thing I would promote would be to make sure to track readership numbers and keyword data. What you learn may surprise you. Case in point, the posting which receives the most views and number of comments is the “Selling the Pen” which I drafted as an after though after bombing a sales interview where I was asked to sell a pen to my interviewer.

As the blogosphere evolves my blog will evolve as well. Any blogger want to provide feedback? I’d love to hear what you think.

Updating my car registration - DMV face-to-face by Tony Green

noreply@blogger.com (Tony G.) — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 03:47:00 +0000

Image of California License Plate

I received a call from my wife informing me she had been pulled over by a police officer for driving with an expired car registration.

A long time had lapsed since I mailed my paperwork off but I was not too alarmed since the new registration for my other vehicle arrived six weeks the intended renewal date. Furthermore, I mailed my paperwork well ahead of the deadline and possessed the statement from my bank stating my fee had been deposited by DMV.

Those living in California are familiar with the furlough schedule of California state organizations under Governor Schwarzenegger can understand how my paperwork had been delayed.

It turned out my registration was on hold due to the fact my smog report never arrived at DMV. I completed the check months before at my local Toyota dealership. The electronic copy of the car passing smog should have been forwarded to DMV. In this case it did not.

Once I printed the documentation I went to Toyota and asked them to send a copy of the report again. The manager on duty told me his smog paperwork did not through and presented with a statistic that 3% of the electronic forms did not get processed. I didn’t care, after thinking; he just told me their mistake had become my problem. I would think Toyota can get electronic paperwork to DMV without a glitch. Unless I missed the memo isn’t insuring paperwork gets to DMV part of the reason you pay them over 100 bucks? Without doubt my intention did not cover paying them out of the generosity of my heart.

I determined until I dealt with the issue either my wife or I would be repeatedly pulled over. I decided to head over to the local DMV and see if I could get things moving along. As I walked up to the front door a lady was walking out mumbling that her experience had been a good one. (i.e. something got accomplished without a long winded hassle). I wondered if I had arrived at the right place. Interestingly enough I was.

I explained my dilemma to the worker and after she verified the legitimacy of my smog certification the lady printed by my registration with a sticker. Why hadn’t I just taken the smog paperwork taken over to DMV by hand? (in accordance with the “requirement” to hand hold the process)

I doubted this seemingly increased efficiency has anything to do with Jerry Brown now being governor of the State of California. Maybe hope exists for this state I have decided to live in after all.

The next natural disaster to think about by Tony Green

noreply@blogger.com (Tony G.) — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 05:50:00 +0000

Image of exploding Sun

Before Hurricane struck Katrina five years ago, the possibility of a direct hit from a Category 4 hurricane was overlooked as a doomsday scenario as experts pleaded with government officials to make the proper preparations. Unfortunately, the experts were right.

Another theory which is not getting much attention is the impact a massive solar flare might cause on the electric grid. From time to time the sun produces flares which are a large energy release of electrons, ions, and atoms through the corona into space. By the way, next year solar activity is expected to reach peak intensity.

I used to belong to the group that paid no attention to this possibility until I received training on power transformers as part of my position as a sales engineer in the utility industry.

In short, a large flare would cause extreme currents to be induced within the transformer. A flare could case enough internal damage to either ruin mechanically or deteriorate the insulation and or oil causing an immediate failure. The lead time is over a year for many power transformers so if a large number of transformers used to transport our electricity failed at the same time we might be in the dark for a long time.

Think about it, what if the grid was non-existent for four to six months before the power returned? How would people survive? The answer is they would survive in the same fashion as they did before the modern era. We‘d survive but I’m sure the event would involve some major change in all of our lifestyles as a result of the unexpected return to a time before universal access to electricity.

Does this sound impossible? Maybe you should think again on the next bright sunny day.

Women’s World Cup Final 2011 in the family by Tony Green

noreply@blogger.com (Tony G.) — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 14:53:00 +0000

I had finished watching the drama of the penalty kicks at this year’s World Cup final between Japan and the United States. Prior to the match my daughter mentioned she wanted to view the final so she could see her two favorite countries play against each other.

On the surface this would seem contradictive to idea of pulling for your country in a championship game which is designed to determine a winner and a loser. However, since our children have citizenship in both nations and can speak Japanese and English at a fluent level why shouldn’t she be able to support both teams?

As the family watched the match we all felt the ebb and flow as momentum shifted back and forth from the United States seeming to have the World Cup won on several occasions and fulfilling its dream versus the rejoicing at the final penalty kick after battling back from multiple deficits to give Japan a bit of hope in light of the disaster than occurred last March and the on-going support and prayer which will be needed in spite of the daily updates on the calamity are no longer being in the news.

At the end there was a winner, a loser and the supporters of each side. The final was one for the ages, filled with action and drama played by two proud teams representing their countries. The winners and losers showed grace and class on both sides.

Admittedly, my daughter did not chose her nationalities, her mother and I determined that however, after today’s game the dignity of the two teams made both sides wonderful choices of countries to root for.

Chemical Engineers in California by Tony Green

noreply@blogger.com (Tony G.) — Fri, 15 Apr 2011 15:26:00 +0000

"Keep Us" logo

As a result of life circumstances after I completed my Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering I have never worked as a licensed engineer. Therefore, laws pertaining to professional engineers should not affect my livelihood. Yet after reading one of the American Institute of Chemical Engineer (AICHE) newsletters I was amazed to read Professional Engineers (PE) would be precluded from practicing their craft on the merit on their training.

More specifically, I discovered Chemical Engineers are not licensed to practice in California without the supervision of a Civil engineer. Based on the current words in the California State Engineers' Act, performing chemical engineer duties unsupervised may be in violation of California State Law.

The inconsistency of this law is made clearer when the Chemical Engineering and Civil Engineering are examined in further detail. Civil Engineers build buildings. On the other hand Chemical Engineers produce materials through chemical and engineering principles in a variety of disciplines, ranging from biotechnology, Petroleum, food & beverage, and alternative energy just to name a few.

How has this occurred? In 2001 AB9002, better known as the State Engineers Act, stated only Civil Engineers could practice Civil Engineering. The stipulation which prevents Chemical Engineers from practicing without Civil Engineering supervision problem resulted when the definition of Civil Engineering was defined as including writing reports, managing staffs, mass construction, and doing work on a site which is geographically fixed. Therefore, lawmakers saw fit to include Chemical Engineering under that umbrella. With this definition, wouldn't all the engineers be covered regardless of specialty? We can assume our law makers did not study engineering during their college days.

Realistically, engineering training should not be a prerequisite for public office but shouldn’t someone knowledgeable about the profession been consulting before passing legislation which would prove to have profound effect on the livelihood of such highly trained personnel?

The bottom line is licensed PE are precluded from practicing in California unless supervised by someone outside their area of expertise.

The adoption of alternative energies in relation to Chemical Engineer related disciplines cannot be denied. Among the applicable technologies include lithium batteries, composite materials used in wind turbine blades, converting the silicon for use to produce solar power panel, and bio-fuels. The need for trained professional created by the rigorous Chemical Engineer curriculum is clear. What needs to done is to correct this obvious oversight.

Granted California’s budget deficit and other woes should take are higher priority with our lawmakers than this issue which affects a small percentage of its citizens. What if it was your livelihood which was being jeopardized due to the antiquated law? California is a great to live but there are some common sense things which can be done to make lives better for everyone...

The loss of a submariner by Tony Green

noreply@blogger.com (Tony G.) — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 15:19:00 +0000

Image of a Royal Navy submarine

By habit when I turn on my computer the first thing in the morning and access the Internet I check the news. By and large the stories are pretty ordinary. On this day, I was shocked to read the story of a shooting on the British nuclear submarine, the H.M.S. Astute, by one of its crew members.

From my time aboard a nuclear submarine I learned, even though, submariners represent the navies of various countries each of us are bonded by the fact we chose to serve our countries in a fashion others are not either willing or able to.

A few years back when I heard about the Russian submarine Kursk getting stranded at the bottom of the North Sea many prayers went out to our Russian comrades. Most of us would have gladly left port to participate in a rescue mission if it offered an opportunity to increase the chances of bringing the Russian sailors home.

While meeting other submariners in port typically an exchange of submarine qualification pins referred as dolphins occurs as a show of brotherhood. Even though we may not all be countrymen every submariner is part of a larger community.

In my view, a brother has been lost who will never return to serve his country or come back to his family. The tragedy on the incident is losing a sailor in senseless fashion. Submarines are inherently dangerous due to the nature of the job but when the boat is on port the crew should be safe.

I am sure an investigation will take place and determine the root cause for this tragedy, however, upon initial glance I cannot think of any reason for submariners to want to shoot a shipmate on their boat. Like your siblings growing up on occasions you may not see eye to eye but in the end you are still family.

The submariner community is special. Many do not choose to silently serve their country under the planet oceans, seas, and lakes. The life of submariner is not easy, exciting nor glamorous all the time. Long stretches can go by with minimum activity while in critical situations periods of little and high stress can stretch men to the breaking point. Which leads me to wonder what kind of circumstances could drive a submariner to bring a gun aboard a submarine with ill intentions?

Nuclear Power – alternative energy solution under fire by Tony Green

noreply@blogger.com (Tony G.) — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 06:08:00 +0000

Nuclear power plant

Prior to the problems with the Fukushima nuclear reactor in the aftermath of the earthquake and tsunami nuclear power had gained traction as a whole. The expansion of nuclear power as a renewable source of power has been included in the Obama administration’s energy plan. Recently inroads had been made in commissioning nuclear power plants of come on line by the middle of the next decade.

According to the Energy Information Administration (EIA) 104 commercial nuclear power reactors (65 nuclear power plants) in 31 states are currently in operation. These plants supply more nuclear capacity than any nation on earth accounting for 20% of our country’s total power output.

Yet in light of the negative publicity which has been generated calling to curtail our nations plans to expand the use of nuclear power due to concerns about radiation exposure there are some points I feel Americans as a whole are overlooking.

Case in point, with the recent tsunami in Japan the near meltdown has galvanized the anti-nuclear community. I was hoping people had forgiven the nuclear industry in the 30 years since Three Mile Island and Chernobyl accidents. Bear in mind, the reason for the leak at the Fukashima plant was not a procedure violation or a mechanical failure following by operator confusion of his plants indications which lead to less than optimal response. In short, the reactor breach resulted from an earth quake of unprecedented magnitude, i.e. an act of nature or Force de Majore.

Here’s a thought, when the Chilean miners got stuck in a mine shaft while procuring coal did the masses request all Americans not to use coal to meet our power needs? Coal, interestingly enough, accounts for nearly half of our generating capacity.

Last September a faulty gas line ruptured in San Mateo, California killing four people and destroying an entire neighborhood. The root cause was likely a pressurized valve which was not maintained properly and over time failed. Was there a public outcry to not use natural gas as a source of power? In the event you were wondering natural gas counts another 20% of our power that is generated in the United States. Why is when these accidents occur no one questions our use of coal and natural gas? Yet, when the same sorts of mishaps occurs in nuclear plants people cite this occurrences as evidence for shutting down our current nuclear plants and scuttling our plans to build new plants.

I was hopeful nuclear power, which is renewable energy source since splitting atoms emits no carbon dioxide, could be part of long term plan to wean our country off of foreign oil and contribute to reduce the green house gas emission.

At this point, I am convinced people in general will never view nuclear power as a viable option in spite of its proven safety record. I might as well get use to this fact although I still do not understand why…

P.C.M. Should you bother becoming certified? I’m game for discussion by Tony Green

noreply@blogger.com (Tony G.) — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 18:36:00 +0000

Miller Lite Logo

I was reading some postings and discussions on the merit of becoming a Professional Certified Marketer. I wrote a number of these entries myself. Some state the certification being a worthwhile investment of time. Others find it silly to be certified as a marketer by passing a multiple choice test. Regardless of your standing on the topic the question always generates a response.

I remember as child growing up watching Miller Lite commercials on television. One version of these used retired football and baseball stars to argue in a 45 second spot over whether Miller Lite should be purchased and consumed because Lite had less filling or superior flavor.

If you wondering what this has to do with being a marketer the point of this commercial is while you and your drinking buddies were argued over the merits of Miller Lite you were focused on Miller and not any of the beers its competitors offered. Who cared which side you were on as long you went to your alcohol supplier and bought a 12-pack to sample so you could make the call for yourself?

Similarly with the P.C.M. question debate does make for thought provoking postings in the blogosphere.

What is the harm of talking? I thought marketers had the job of engaging discussion among its prospects and customers. An interesting quote by Tom Hespos of Underscore Marketing comes to mind which states,”… What they don’t realize is that for communication to have credibility…, it needs to be a two-way dialogue between human beings, not a one-way message from a marketing department to a “target audience.” I think I my thinking should be finished for now, and a cold beer would be excellent at this point.

In the words of the commercial, “Tastes great, less filling”. Earning your PCM certification or not. I would think the reader would not decide on the basis of my blog posting. Maybe the marketing knowledge I learned studying for my P.C.M. exam was of some use. Does this allow me to call myself a marketer? That is the topic for another blog entry, which I hope would lead to further dialogue. Conversation in the long term cannot be a bad thing for the marketing profession.

A lot of money, for Wind - a free resource by Tony Green

noreply@blogger.com (Tony G.) — Tue, 01 Mar 2011 19:00:00 +0000

Wind power - A truly free resource?

The wind blows as a result the uneven heating of the surface of the earth and its rotation. Since air currents are a natural resource the question becomes why is the cost such a pressing issue for installing wind turbines which can be a part of the solution to reduce our dependency on foreign oil?

The energy created by wind does not take place spontaneously. A large number of complex electro-mechanical equipment is required to capture the power of this resource. Some of these components include towers, gears, and blades. Making this all happen requires engineering process and design which, in turn, costs money.

More ever, in many wind projects feasibility studies are completed to assess the impact a wind project in question will have on the environment and on the people who would become neighbors of the proposed wind project.

Another obstacle which must be addressed is the siting of the project which involves ensuring the piece of land which satisfies the required wind resources requirement does not encounter any other major issue, for example, if any endangered species would be affected the project may not be allowed to go forward.

Wind turbines offer cheap electricity, lower CO2 emissions, reduce our dependency on foreign oil, and could help in building a “new” economy based on being “green”.

Regardless of whether the value wind turbines provide is free or not clearly unlocking its potential would benefit everyone. Wouldn’t that be worthy of investment?

For more about wind power Click Here.

Can I really Learn Japanese? by Tony Green

noreply@blogger.com (Tony G.) — Sun, 20 Feb 2011 17:01:00 +0000

Written Kanji Characters

This adventure started in December of 1996. I had just begun my initial western deployment as third class petty officer aboard the U.S.S. Topeka based out of Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. My first stop would be the naval base in Yokosuka, Japan. Our port call would be my first trip to a foreign country and I thought there would be a benefit to knowing a little Japanese by the time I arrived.

I bought a book titled “Speaking Japanese” at the Navy Exchange on base and begin to read. During deployment while you are on station plenty of time is available to study due to our rotation of six hours on watch and 12 hours off. After a few days it was good to get you mind into something else other than engineering and submarine qualifications.

Over time I was able to learn a enough to converse on a basic level. Once I left the Navy I had placed the action item on my list of life objectives was to take a formal Japanese class. I realized only so much knowledge could be absorbed without proper coaching. Hasn’t every native English speaker had some instruction in grammar while they were in school?

Typically my family visits my in-laws once a year in addition I have had to go to Japan for business purposes. It seemed logical to try and improve on my skill set. When I mention my wife and children are able to converse people in general expect I should be able to comprehend the language in some capacity.

I have encountered many people who assume that since my spouse is a native speaker she should be able to teach you. In theory this is true but in reality some level of understanding of the language needs to be n place before a native speaker would be able to help you. For instance, if I met a person who wanted to learn English but not able to not speak more than one or two word snippets then my native speaking skills are useless until a command of some basic grammar was in place.

When I looked at classes taught by surrounding community colleges and universities I found they were rather expensive. I was at a networking meeting a few months ago and someone mentioned the Japan Society of Northern California as a place where I might attend classes from a beginner level. I had picked enough a good deal knowledge on an ad hoc basis, where might studying in a structured environment lead me?

As an update I started a formal class with the Japan society of Northern California for the first time. Grammar is a good thing to understand to get a feel for a language. Day by day I am able to comprehend an increasing amount of my wife’s conversations with my daughter.

I admit I will probably never become fluent but how far can I go? Can I ever engage in dialogue in Japanese? Have a conversation with my in laws? Only time will tell.

Photo courtesy of IStock.com

A submarine tragedy: 10 years since the sinking of the Emine Maru by Tony Green

noreply@blogger.com (Tony G.) — Thu, 10 Feb 2011 00:56:00 +0000

USS Greeneville pulling into Pearl Harbor

I am proud of being a submariner. Even though there were long hours, stressful times and many nights spent away from home when I reflect on my experience I feel very privileged to have served my country. I am especially honored to be part of the “dolphin” wearing submariner community past and present.

I remember one occasion where I did not have the inclination to mention while I was in the Navy I served on submarines. The instance was after the sinking of the Emine Maru off the coast of Pearl Harbor ten years ago by the U.S.S. Greeneville. I was in Pearl Harbor at the time serving out the final two months of my enlistment before leaving the service and moving to California.

Ten years later I still cannot believe the sinking happened. Submariners take pride in being the best and the reason for this is its disciplined approach to following procedures. In all honesty if a submarine tried to intentionally hit a small boat on the surface after performing an emergency blow I am not sure it could be accomplished. On many occasions submarine skippers and crews entertain civilian guests. During these events the visitors are shown the capabilities of the submarines. Two of the favorite activities are, “angles and dangles” which are high speed turns and an emergency blow.

An emergency blow is a maneuver a submarine uses to propel to the surface in the event of an emergency. The process involves blowing high pressure air into the submarines ballast tanks providing buoyancy for an ascent to the surface. Procedures are in place to prevent hitting any objects that may be on the surface. A visual look at the surface, in addition, to monitoring potential contacts through sonar and fire control should ensure no vessels in the area before any proposed surfacing.

In this case, though, other factors in play allowed the standard procedures to be bypassed. What followed was after the U.S.S. Greeneville ascended from 400 feet as part of the emergency blow the submarines’ hull comprised on HY-100 steel is designed to slide through the Arctic ice tore clean through the Emine Maru and the trawler sank in five minutes nine miles from Diamond Head beach. Nine people lost their lives including four teenagers.

In the civilian sector there are occasions where no consequences result from deviating from an established procedure. However, in the military world failure to follow protocols can cost you or other people their lives. Unfortunately, not only are the lives of the families affected but the entire submarine community from the skipper who ultimately was held responsible to everyone who has worn dolphins. Perhaps we can all learn from this and the senseless loss of life will not happen again.

Professional Certified Marketer (P.C.M.) Recertification by Tony Green

noreply@blogger.com (Tony G.) — Wed, 02 Feb 2011 21:07:00 +0000

Professional Certified Marketer Logo

The decision to take the test to become a P.C.M. has been made. After completing an application, paying a fee, and passing the five hour 200-question multiple choice examination you are now a Professional Certified Marketer. Now what?

The certification from the initial test lasts three years. During the first certification period 36 hours of credits including training, classes, or articles related to marketing are required to maintain your certification.

A marketer you should always be improving their skill set and keeping up to date with the latest trends. But let’s be honest with jobs and families picking up training may be challenging especially if prospective events are scheduled after working hours.

My first piece of advice: Take gathering your credits piece by piece by using the different delivery methods a few hours every quarter. Some the available methods include online webinars. The American Marketing Association (AMA) offers periodic webinars on a variety of marketing topics. Other methods comprise physical attendance at events related to marketing. In my case, the Silicon Valley Marketing Association (SVAMA) conducts many high quality events which allow you to keep up with the latest trends in marking while getting a chance to network with other marketing professionals. Also, any work related training in marketing you participated in would count as well.

My last piece of advice is to be organized and make sure you document all the events you attended. Even if the event in only an hour in length you will be surprised on how quickly that can add up. You have worked hard preparing for the test and passing the exam. Furthermore your certification now functions as a calling card to your professionalism. Why should you let the P.C.M. certification lapse? You earned it. Why lose it?

Why should you Re-tweet my content by Tony Green

noreply@blogger.com (Tony G.) — Thu, 27 Jan 2011 05:51:00 +0000

Should I Re-tweet this post?

I normally use my Google Reader to read the latest postings from the blogs I subscribe to. The newest postings show the title and the first sentence with a TweetMeMe icon referring to how many times a blog had been re-tweeted.

Many of the people I follow receive many re-tweets. This is in stark contrast to my posts which hardly get re-tweeted. The fact led me to inquire as to what makes a posting or tweet worthy of being chosen to be passed along to their followers.

I reached out to a few of the people who maintain some high quality blogs and posed the question of what made some posts worthy of re-tweeting. To my surprise, they were kind enough to provide feedback to my question.

In short, it comes down to remarkable content and an audience who appreciates the content enough to take action. Remarkable content meaning the message provides value to your audience and someone feels what you wrote is of high enough quality to endorse it with their followers as materials worthy of reading. A receptive audience is one who is open to posting interesting and thought provoking content. Finally, reading and approving is not enough but next step, clicking the re-tweet button must occur. Now things were beginning to get clearer.

Perhaps if I learn my audience, and write content that resonates with them I will have a better chance to get my content re-tweeted. Maybe I should for the moment stop reading my feeds and open up my Microsoft Word program. I have a lot of work to do. Remarkable content does not create itself.

Photo: Courtesy of http://www.wpbeginner.com/wp-tutorials/how-to-add-a-retweet-button-on-your-blog/

Softwarear.com, how dare you hijack my computer! by Tony Green

noreply@blogger.com (Tony G.) — Sun, 02 Jan 2011 05:28:00 +0000

Anyone who uses a computer or laptop with any kind of regularity is familiar with the annoying pop-ups can be quite annoying. Moreover, it seems like there is always someone attempting to scare you to purchase anti-virus protection even if a reputable provider is in place and your machine is clean. In those cases at least an option exists to ignore the ads.

A few days ago I came across a program which downloads and installs itself on your PC without your knowledge the proceeds to block access to the Internet and every other application leaving you with the solitary option of purchasing their software in order to “protect” your computer. More ever the malware prohibits from using the anti-virus software you may have purchased to eliminate any rogue software.

Now I was annoyed. After checking the website I found a customer service phone number which I called to see if I could get some answer as to who had trying to extort money from me. Not surprisingly the number transferred you to one of those 1 800 singles chat rooms. Now my curiosity was peaked in addition to being annoyed. I checked the website which generated the software which turned out to be softwarear.com. The first three pages of Google search results verified the existence of many annoyed folks like me who were dealing with the malicious code.

The easiest solution, in the short term other, than paying something else to provide software to remove the particular code so is to restore the configuration of your system to a time before the application installed itself.

More research yielded the program works through the Internet Explorer browser. Therefore in order to save yourself the aggravation of re-infecting your system after you removing this malware I recommend the use of another browser for example Apple’s Safari, Mozilla’s Firefox or Google’s Chrome.

At this point with any luck the PC or laptop in question should be functioning properly. But the does not address what I think should be the real question: Isn’t against to the law to take control of someone property without their permission. One example which comes to mind is the CAN-SPAM law which prevents people from sending unsolicited messages. Think of it this way, if you were driving you car what would you thinking if someone remotely took control of your vehicle and directed to toward the nearest auto mechanic for bogus repairs?

Can anyone tell me who provides the function of the Better Business Bureau for the Internet? The time has arrived to give them a call……