Nothing profound comes to mind as we enjoy the last day and week of this month and this year. But you may have thoughts and you might want to record them for later reviewing. Quick Online Tips provides a list of resources for sending emails to yourself or someone else in the future. In 9th grade, my classmates opened letters they wrote to themselves a few years earlier (I wasn’t in the school at the time).

When I was in a leadership program, we wrote our goals for the two-year program and opened the goals at the end of the program. It’s fascinating to review earlier thoughts.

What are your hopes and goals for 2006? My first priority is to cherish my family and do what I can to surprise and delight my clients.

Well, actually, I’d like to get well first. I’ve been battling what I thought was a cold for the past two weeks and then I started having vertigo and knew it was a sinus infection. Got antibiotics, but still fatigued and dealing with vertigo. It’s frustrating not being 100% for the kids and my clients. So first order of 2006, get well!

Happy New Year!

When I use someone else’s computer or sit at a different desk, I can immediately feel the difference and the benefits I’m getting from my ergonomics set up. As I mentioned, my mouse isn’t working well and it’s driving me nuts. I loaded the one that came with my computer and immediately unloaded it as my hand and arm went numb within seconds.

Went to the store and got the Microsoft Comfort Mouse 3000, Microsoft’s ergonomical mouse, and it was almost as bad as the one that came with the computer. Plus, its sides are plastic. I love the rubbery feel of the one I use and gives me a better grip. So I’m hoping the corded version is identical to the cordless one I have. If not, I guess I’ll order another wireless version and hope it works.

I also use a foot rest. It feels weird whenever I sit at a desk without one. In spit of the ribbing it’s gotten, I have an Aeron chair and have yet to find anything better. So it was money well spent (got a discount, of course).

Having an ergonomical set up does make a difference. I quickly learn this every time I use someone else’s computer.

This one took a while to pull together because I found too many things. It’s probably because I’m easily in awe when it comes to geeky things and gadgets. I think the biggest thing I’d like to have is the JVC Everio GZ-MG70 2.12 MP 30 GB Microdrive Camcorder w/10x Optical Zoom. It comes with a built-in hard drive so it would make it easy and effortless to transfer it to the computer and burn to a CD. I could do it with my current camcorder, but I’d have to play the tape and capture it with another device. Too much time and set up.

I didn’t use my first couple of digital cameras very much because of the effort it took to get the photos to the computer. It was easy, but when you’re busy… you can’t get around to it. Now, I have a card reader and use that instead. I don’t wait weeks to get around to downloading the photos. Sometimes I even do it as soon as I get home with the camera.

On to the good stuff!
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Just when you thought Chip and Elisa were no more, we sneak in one more article. Some of you wrote, “Nice story, but what’s the point?” The epilogue gives you the security tips for each episode. You can find the complete story here.

With all the natural and man-made disasters happening in recent years, planning for disasters has become fashionable. Unlike fashion, however, crisis plans are very important and must be tailored for your company. Has your organization created a disaster recovery plan? Have you already had to put it to work? We hope not, but if you have — it’d be a great learning tool for others if you share your experiences, since such situations are (we hope) rare. Again, we value your privacy, so you don’t have to disclose your name, company’s name or any proprietary information.

Read it all in the latest issue of The Remediator Security Digest.

Connected, a quarterly newsletter, untangles the major obstacles that IT professionals face. It attempts to clear the piles of information to get to the heart of the world of technology, which changes too danged fast. Also, the newsletter comes with insights on how to better lead staff (and pointy-haired boss), balance life (What life? Definitely need to do some balancing there, pal.) with your career and make customers happy in spite of all the challenges at hand.

The feature gets the first issue off to a running start with a hot topic: outsourcing. Why would the TV show Dallas appear in an article on IT outsourcing? Find out and get a reality check on outsourcing.

The first challenge posed to readers comes from a CIO who can’t decide which of two teams to put on a project as each has its strengths and weaknesses. Even C-level executives can get stuck on a problem.

Today Palm has introduced Palm Z22 and Palm T|X. The Z22 is its small and cheap model that retails for $99. It has less features as it targets those who are late technology adopters and those who still use paper planners. The device weighs in at a light three ounces, the size as a deck of playing cards. Unlike its predecessor, the original Zire, this one is in color.

TX is the powerhouse of the two and appropriately named as Texas is a state that does everything big Technically, its name is T|X. Palm finally gets it right — this comes with wi-fi and Bluetooth instead of just Bluetooth. TX is unfortunately missing one thing, a built-in camera. I’d get the Treo 650, but the monthly charge for a service provider is $10 more than my Sidekick II’s service. Plus, I have another year left on it.

TX as 128MB of storage, more than all of Palm’s other devices except for the Tungsten T5. Its processor is 312MHz Intel, which is in the middle of its line. However, it’s the leader in color resolutions with the 320×480 color screen. TX doesn’t come with voice memo or a built-in keyboard.

Here are the TX and Z22 news releases.

Since Palm has announced it will use Windows Mobile in an upcoming Treo, I’ve been trying to figure out what is going to happen to PalmOS. I’ve been having problems with my Tungsten, but I am not about to give up on PalmOS as I prefer it to Windows Mobile (I have a Dell Axim, which I use to write my PC Magazine column). I’d like to replace the Tungsten, but is Palm going to come out with a newer version of its OS? I am not impressed with the devices that have come out since buying the Tungsten T3.

But I can’t see where Palm is going for the long-term. I don’t want to buy another PalmOS device until I know something more. It has not been that long since I bought the Dell Axim and yet I can’t upgrade its OS to Windows Mobile 5 (only the x50 can be upgraded and I have x30). I don’t want that to happen when buying the next PalmOS device.

BusinessWeek (free registration required) believes Palm is not likely to dump its own OS. Computing Unplugged has a long article sharing the history and speculates the future. I vote PalmOS to stay. The OS is very different from Windows Mobile and replacing it is like replacing apples with oranges instead of Granny Smiths with Galas.

Recent events, such as Hurricane Katrina and the tsunami, are strong motivators that businesses need to be on the ball by having backup plans in place. It’s tempting to think that such disasters will never happen to your company because you’re located on some land-locked oasis in the middle of nowhere, but not all disasters are caused by Mother Nature and tornadoes tend to go for land not water. Earthquakes can poke a chip out of a computer.

Creating a crisis management plan may sound time-consuming, especially if your shop is already overloaded. But how much time and money will it take if you don’t have one in place? New Orleans never thought it would be in the situation it is in today (sending thoughts and prayers to the residents of the city).

Over at InformIT’s Web Design Guide, I’ve posted tips on how to create a crisis management plan for Web sites, which also includes a list of sites that offer cheap, online storage for easy and cost-effective data back-ups.

In case you missed it, here’s a past meryl.net article on crisis management from a public relations and marketing perspective.

What’s the difference between meryl’s notes and meryl.net articles? I put keepers and longer entries (qualified as articles or essays) there for easier finding. They may have been posted in these notes and are copied over there since the notes have over one thousand entries.

Did you hear that? That was feminism acting out as it takes a step backward with Tom’s Hardware Guide Columns: Why Women Aren’t Gamers – Yet – Hands Up Who really Wants Women In Videogaming? Yeah, he’s got some, eh? But really, I understand his point and he is right about everything he said regarding Grand Theft Auto.

I played a lot of games growing up and even after college. I didn’t slow down until I had a kid. Same goes for Paul. My priorities changed. I still love a good game, but I don’t have time for it and I can’t make time for it because I have to do that for other things. [ Read more... ]

Join the party celebrating Opera’s 10th anniversary and get free registration codes while the party lasts. It’s a nice browser and operates smoothly. The only quirk is that my mouse pointer moves around too fast and I haven’t been able to fix that (it works fine in all other programs).

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