We go through the process of logging into a network through the use of the SBS 2003 web interface. By using this built in website, we’re able to connect to any desktop on the network as well as the server to get some work done remotely. The only things necessary are a web browser, the IP address of the network and a login. Send requests for screencasts to share@localwisdom.com and follow us at twitter.com/localwisdom
Ran into this article about rating doctors and if it should be done. My thought is that being a doctor, like any other small company owned by 4 people(such as Local Wisdom), is a representation of yourself. If Local Wisdom does bad work, and people rate it as such, it’s a direct representation of the owners and I have no problems with people speaking their minds about bad experiences. All it does is allow me a way to open up dialog with the user to try to rectify the situation. I’d rather know what people are saying to others in an open forum that I can search and see for myself. Its a much better situation for the company when compared to people complaining about you and your company to others and you never get to hear about it. That situation will just destroy your credibility without giving you a chance to change people’s opinions.
At the end of the day, being a doctor is a business and as such, rating it should not be a problem at is pushed away by doctors, but rather embraced. They need to step up and be represented by their work just like any other business (plus with the money they’re making, why not!!!). Plus bad doctors need to be weeded out of the system, they can’t just keep treating people badly and getting paid ridiculous amounts of money by the insurance companies.
Here’s some of the article:
Forty plus sites offer rating systems for physicians and hospitals. Representative examples include: AngiesList.com; HealthGrades.com; RateMDs.com; Vimo.com and Qualitycheck.org (a site run by The Joint Commission). State medical societies also provide consumers information about physicians’ malpractice and disciplinary action history. In addition to rating things like bedside manner, ability to make a timely appointment, staff courtesy, some sites also allow patients to provide their own commentary about their experience with the physician or hospital, much like a book or restaurant review. This comment feature is perhaps the most controversial.
LONDON (AFP) – Angry residents of an English village blocked the driver of a Google Street View car who was filming the neighbourhood, saying they feared he would encourage burglaries, a report said Friday.
One resident, Paul Jacobs, told the BBC he had alerted his neighbours after spotting the car from his window in Broughton, Buckinghamshire, southern England, on Wednesday.
“I don’t have a problem with Google wanting to promote villages. What I have a problem with is the invasion of privacy, taking pictures directly into the home,” Jacobs said.
“We’ve already had three burglaries locally in the past six weeks. If our houses are plastered all over Google it’s an invitation for more criminals to strike. I was determined to make a stand, so I called the police.”
After his call, a police car arrived in Broughton to reports of a dispute between a crowd of people and a Google Street View contractor.
“They felt his presence was an intrusion of their privacy. When police arrived at the scene, the car had moved on,” explained a spokeswoman for Thames Valley Police.
The Google Street View project, set up last month in Britain, aims to provide detailed 360-degree views online of streets all over Britain.
The project has already been strongly criticised by associations like Privacy International, a pressure group which has launched legal action against the IT company.
Google is confident their new mapping project is within the law.
“Before launching Street View we sought the guidance and approval of the Information Commissioner’s Office. The ICO has repeatedly made clear that it believes that Street View includes the safeguards necessary to protect people’s privacy,” a Google spokesman said.
“The Metropolitan Police (in London) told us they saw no appreciable security risk, that burglars are opportunistic, and that mapping products can be useful in solving and mapping crime in an area.”
He added: “Embarking on new projects, we sometimes encounter unexpected challenges, and Street View has been no exception.”
We go through the process of using the Google Keyword Tool to optimize the keywords used on a client site. You’ll learn the proper way to use the tool and what it can do for your site from a SEO/ Keyword perspective. Send requests for screencasts to share@localwisdom.com and follow us at twitter.com/localwisdom
So I’ve got a story to tell. In December I went to ebay to order some ink cartridges for our Epson 1400 whose ink is $20 per cartridge and it requires 6 different color cartridges so for a full refill its $120. The printer itself only costs $250 as shown here . So being a shrewd (cheap…) business owner realizing that the ink costs more per volume then blood or oil, I decided to look online and see what kind of deal I could find so I wouldn’t have to give my whole wallet over to Epson. Now don’t get me wrong, the printer is great (if you use the epson presentation matte paper especially) and we use it for large 11X17 prints for our presentations. We love the quality and it gives our presentations a great canvas to lay on, but at $20 a cartridge, you’ve got to be kidding me!
Anyway, I found a vendor on ebay and placed the order as I’ve done in the past in my search for reasonablly priced ink and toner, not thinking anything of the fact that the vendor I ordered from is in Canada. We’re allies with Canada so it should be safe to order from there right? Well I finally realize it’s been over 2 weeks and I haven’t recieved my ink, so I inquire through email what is going on and here’s what I got back from the vendor: Message from merchant:
Hi there, Finally I spoke to a customs officer in Seattle— Epson complained about the cartridges that they are a copyright violation and customs is deciding whether to let them in or not. I’m so sorry for your order delay. and full refund was sent.
So the snag is hit and Epson doesn’t allow it to come over the border. Fine, not a big deal, I’ll just reorder from another vendor that is out in Cali and I don’t run into the issue again. BTW, I was able to get 14 cartridges for $65 with shipping included, BAM take that Epson, IN YOUR FACE!
What I don’t understand is that this vendor has shipped a bunch of these ink cartridges to the US (I know this because of the comments left by past clients), but I’m the one that get my shipment stopped by Epson and the US Customs and Border Protection. Later on I did get a letter from the Customs people stating what happened and that they wouldn’t allow it over due to a complaint from Epson, which I read and promptly threw away. Now 4 months later, I just received the letter I scanned in below that shows a Seizure and Forfeiture Order that states “that seizure and forfeiture would result from any further attempt to import the article into the United States”, AKA we’re going to seize any ink you try to import into the US, MICHAEL ALFARO!!!
Overall, I find it funny that all this was caused just because I’m trying to get some cheap ink and not get ripped off by a big corporation. I feel like I’ve wasted a lot of people’s time from the Customs guy that originally stopped and checked the original shipment to the person at the US International Trade Commissionn who printed and signed this letter, to the Fed Ex guy who had to deliver it. I would like to apologize to all those people for the original domino I pushed over that started this whole process. This has further confirmed my belief that the governnment and all it’s departments have alot of people doing alot of unimportant things that could be reduced if Steve Jobs was brought in as a consultant and made it a lean, minimalistic, and over priced running machine :) Enjoy the letter, it’s quite funny.
Lastly if you work for the government congrats and I hope your job actually does something useful, and if it doesn’t congrats even more on getting lost in the shuffle…
I have to admit, they got me! I didn’t know what was happening at first…. They’re flipping about 90% of the content upside down, pretty cool, want to check out the CSS to see how :) At least the video wasn’t played backwards!
