RSSBackseat Drivers by IBM
Here is an interesting article by Techdirt on the UAE’s attempt to correct driving with technology.
In an effort to stem a rising tide of automobile-related accident deaths, the UAE has contracted IBM to install telematics “black boxes” in tens of thousands of emergency and government vehicles. The systems will be connected to a nationwide wireless network, making it the largest telematics network in the world. In addition to tracking vehicle speed and location, the system will also vocally warn the driver if they are speeding. While this is a huge win for IBM in its big bet on becoming the world’s high-end services and business process vendor, will this system actually make the roads any safer? We’ve discussed numerous times here that speed cameras don’t work. Also, in the case of traffic light cameras, thinking that big brother is watching makes for some nervous, brake-happy drivers — which, in turn, results in a higher number of rear-end collisions at camera equipped traffic signals. With the telematics system, the UAE could end up with a nation full of enraged drivers, not paying attention to the road because they’re busy being nagged by their cars for driving too fast. Just because big brother is watching doesn’t mean it’s safer.
Nurses in Nighties; You May Want To Rethink that Strategy
The point of a protest is to accomplish 3 things:
1. Draw attention to your cause.
2. Create an adverse environment and make management’s life miserable so that they cave to your demands.
3. Accomplish 1 & 2 in a timely manner while maximizing your position.
So when nurses in South African dressed up in pj’s and nighties to protest their uniform allowance as inadequate, I had to review the above objects again and scratch my head.
I think the they NAILED #1; however, as for 2 and 3 I am not so sure. If South Africa is anything like the hospitals I deal with here in the US, the doctors and management probably brought lawn chairs to work to ready themselves for the daily nightie nurse protest.
Newspaper Circulation Dropping; Who Could Have Seen That Coming?
Say it isn’t so, the Boston Globe reporting a drop in circulation and the New York Times barely realizing an increase. Go figure? In all honesty who actually buys print newspapers anymore? The upcoming Fas-Fax report will read a grim tale for the news print.
During an earnings call with analysts Thursday morning, executives at The New York Times Co. said that the Globe’s daily circ declined by 17,000 copies, or 3.7%, and Sunday decreased by 15,000 copies, or 2.1%.
The New York Times reported daily circ increased by 2,500 copies, or .2%. Sunday circ grew 3,500 copies, also .2%. The Times’ daily circulation dropped 2% within New York, though national circulation is up 2%. Sunday circ sank 5% in the New York area while it increased roughly 5% nationally.
What is most interesting are the reasons that Print executives give for the drop in circulation. Its not so much what they say, its what they don’t.
Executives attributed the circulation decreases in Boston and in the New York area to weather problems during Q1, changing demographics — an influx of immigrants — and the shunning of traditional papers by a younger generation.
Hmm … “the shunning of traditional papers” by younger individuals. Is that code for INTERNET access to the news media? Is it possible that most people and not just young these days go on-line for their news. More to the point, young people go to certain sites and blogs to get their news. Not one mention of the blogosphere as a possible reason for a loss of circulation. One thing is for certain, it will only get worse in the years to come for printed newspaper circulation.
The Airline Industry Could Learn a lot From SouthWest
Southwest has been doing it right for some time now. Maybe the other airlines may want to steal some of their talent. Southwest just announced their first quarter numbers and they are great.
first-quarter earnings nearly tripled, thanks to successful fuel hedging and higher traffic in March.
Quarterly income rose to $76 million, or 9 cents a share, from $26 million, or 3 cents a share, last year. Revenue climbed 12 percent to $1.66 billion from $1.48 billion.
There numbers are looking incredible as compared to the rest of the industry. And a nice comparable chart. The have defied the industry trend in losing money.
They also are the “not so official” airline of BlogNashville.
Unofficial Airlines of BlogNashville
We don’t have an official airline but if we did it would be SouthWest Airlines. One of the factors that went into selecting Nashville as a host city is that there are cheap flights into Music City from a number of locations around the country.
Sgrena Lied, We were right.
Our post on the subject was pretty accurate with conclusion # 3 . The soldiers were exonerated.
Now go over to Rusty’s place and see the details. He is all over it, and I do not have time to cover this correctly.
Also, if you have time, look at Rusty’s post on being a Professor during an exam. Very interesting reading.
