Keeping Our Sanity

There are times when we have to take it easy. Take off to some quiet place like a beach, a park or any place we can spend some peace and let off our mind to the stresses of our work. Not to be burdened with so many serious stuff else we burn ourselves out.

But there are also times that constrains us not to be able to take off. So what do we do?

I received this story sometime ago. I find it amusing and would like to share it with you. At least to keep our sanity.

The spoon: 
A lesson on how consultants can make a difference in an organization.


Last week, we took some friends to a new Indian restaurant, 'Muthu's Place,' and noticed that the Indian waiter who took our order carried a spoon in his shirt pocket.  It seemed a little strange. When the busboy brought our water and utensils, I observed that he also had a spoon in his shirt pocket. Then I looked around and saw that all the Indian staff had spoons in their pockets. When the waiter came back to serve our soup I inquired, 'Why the spoon?' 

'Well, 'he explained, 'the restaurant's owner hired Andersen Consulting to revamp all of our processes. After several months of analysis, they concluded that the spoon was the most frequently  dropped utensil It represents a drop frequency of approximately 3 spoons per table per hour. If our personnel are better prepared, we can reduce the number of trips back to the kitchen and save 15 man-hours per shift.' 

As luck would have it, I dropped my spoon and he replaced it with his spare. 'I'll get another spoon next time I go to the kitchen instead of making an extra trip to get it right now..' I was impressed.


I also noticed that there was a string hanging out of the Indian waiter's fly.


Looking around, I saw that all of the Indian waiters had the same string hanging from their flies. So, before he walked off, I asked the waiter, 'Excuse me, but can you tell me why you have that string right there?'


 'Oh, certainly!' Then the Indian waiter lowered his voice. 'Not everyone is so observant. That consulting firm I mentioned also learned that we can save time in the restroom. By tying this string to the tip of our you-know-what, we can pull it out without touching it and eliminate the need to wash our hands, shortening the time spent in the restroom by 76.39%.'


I asked quietly, 'After you get it out, how do you put it back?'
'Well,' he whispered, 'I don't know about the others, but I use the spoon.'

Haha! Ok, back to work!


Reference:
Image: FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Database Threats 101: SQL Injection

Here I will treat you to a visual tour on the largest source of hacking methodology: SQL Injection attacks. What is SQL Injection and how is it done?
 




Or by Using a Hacking Tool

   

How to get the Havij tool? You can either buy a licensed copy here:

IT Security Research and Penetration Testing Team Web Site

or download the cracked copy here: Cracked version of HaviJ


How to create your defenses

Is Cloud Computing For You?

Wondering what cloud computing is or what it can do for you?


Cloud computing has been with us for quite a time. When the internet was first becoming popular, it was very trendy for companies to make their presence in cyber space by having or developing their own web sites. However, most of these are of the static (HTML) type.


As the development of more sophisticated script languages came, the more interactive the internet became. Thus came the more engaging social messaging and  photo sharing on the internet. Web sites that offer these services sprouted like mushrooms: Photobucket, Picasa, flickr for photo storage and photo album sharing; MySpace, Friendster and the most popular these days: Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter for networking and virtual interaction  with your friends, whether just around the corner or as far as anywhere in the world. This new trend evolve into what is now popularly known as social media or social networking. Whatever interest or profession you may have, you will surely find a social site where you can join in.


The era of cloud experimentation is now over. Cloud computing is a success and has now become a part of our lives - as a person and as a consumer.


Today's consumer trend is to engage socially

The phenomenal success of the social media trend brought new mobile devices, most notably the smartphones and the tablet, which made it easier for consumers to engage in their social activities when or where ever they want to. Even at work.


Some companies even allow their employees to cyberloaf. Human Resource Executive Online recently issued a report on its study about the effect of internet surfing and employees engaging on social media while at work. According to the report it can be a restorative function for employees to cyberloaf and could thus lead to more productivity. Though this finding is still debatable, there is no reason for enterprises not to grab the opportunity to be where the action is. Wherever a large number of consumers congregate, there is a market present. And in this virtual world, there is no other way to make your presence felt than to have a 24/7 interaction with your customers.

Business and social interaction

For enterprises, cloud computing has also progressed from a simple pumping out of information to a more engaging inter-active experience with its customers.

Having a presence in the virtual interaction with the market is called social media marketing. According to Wikipedia, the term Social Media refers to the use of web-based and mobile technologies to turn communication into an interactive dialogue.


Social media marketing is on the rise according to a survey conducted by Burson Marsteller, a leading global public relations firm. This is just to prove how companies are responding to this new business/marketing trend. However, the report also shows that firms going the way of the cloud lack a real perspective and long term strategy to conduct its presence.


As in any social interaction within a community, building a trusted relationship is the key to building or sustaining relationships. This is the long standing norm, even in the non-virtual world. Leadership is built upon trust.

The way to do it in the cyberworld is by content management which could revolve around the emotional impact of the product and services. This strategy is nothing new as this is done ever since marketing has been invented. Though its presentation has improved.

Enterprise trends for the next 5 years
Consumer cloud trend is on the positive note and still growing. How about enterprise cloud trends?

For the last two decades, all technological innovations and efforts centered on the automation and improvements of efficiency within the confines of the corporate organizations. It was epitomized by a server-client or mainframe environment. The era of computing somehow distributed the work processes to the different business units which the Enterprise Resource Planning or ERP applications provided. It enabled information or data sharing within the corporation.

As cloud computing progresses, so is collaborative efforts among business partners, this is referred to as B2B. Supply chain management is a critical function in decision making. This involves the buying, making, moving and selling processes. If any of the links involve breaks down then a big problem arises which may be costly to repair.

With the web and internet facility this collaboration expedites the sharing of information and workflow process - from quotes/proposal submission, purchase orders issuance, shipment notifications and remittance of payments - among business partners.

Cost effective cloud services
If you are just starting or planning for the cloud, the question might be "should we go on public cloud or have a private cloud?"


It will really depend on the organization, but having a private cloud might be a very expensive venture, especially if one is just starting up to bring their business into the cloud. There are a lot of things to consider: hardware, software and personnel are just some of the most important.


On the other hand, there are already a lot of distinguishable companies offering the right cloud solution for any size of business. This is easier to deploy and you can rely on the support of the business partner you have selected.


If security is the main concern, well, a private cloud does not guarantee a more secured infrastructure but on how defense parameters are established. 



Is Cloud Computing for you?
For consumers, definitely.

For enterprises, a mere ERP is outdated - from a structured data mining to a more algorithmic search for a more robust information, as well as collaboration.


Collaborating not only with your customers but your business partners will ensure your leadership in whatever industry you are involved.

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Further Reading:
Networkworld article on cloud computing
Business Insider Article on Social Media
Building strategic relationship through social media (content management strategies)
Social Media Examiner: Small Business and Facebook
Social Media Examiner: How Content Marketing Build Trusted Relationship

Enterprise Computing Trends

Social CRM services

Social Media trends

TNW report on social media trends

Gartner Report: Private Clouds are a last resort

Gartner Report: Trends in IT

A Chance Each Day

Each morning when we wake up, a CHANCE is given to us...

a "CHANCE" to enjoy life to its fullest...

a "CHANCE" to correct the mistake of yesterdays...

a "CHANCE" to forgive...

a "CHANCE" to ask for forgiveness...

and a "CHANCE" to love and to be loved.

Don't miss every chance that we receive every morning as we wake up. It's God's way of loving us.

The Power of Words

Words are our God-given tools with which we have the power either to hurt or to heal; to destroy or to build.