Archive
Fixed: Windows XP Logon Logoff Loop
One of my clients caught a virus on her computer this last week. In an attempt to correct the problem, she installed Norton Antivirus 2010 before doing a full system scan using the boot disk. The first time she rebooted the computer, she got into a logon logoff loop; after entering her login information and submitting it, Windows XP would automatically logoff the account. It was at this point she contacted me and I came to help her solve the problem. [See the bottom of this post for the solution]
Fixed: LN-S4095DX Overscan
I had a problem with my Samsung LN-S4095DX cutting off the edges of the image and was able to fix it with a firmware update.
A Visit to Best Buy
A recent trip to Best Buy encouraged me to Tweet about a slow line and unhappy employee. After my Tweet, a concerned Best Buy employee responded and asked me to elaborate on the problems I was having. I decided to write him an e-mail.
Dvorak Uncensored: ATMs on Craigs List
After the Vegas DEFCON ATM debacle where hackers hacked hackers by setting up a fake ATM in front of the facilities security office, I needed to see how stupid easy it was to buy an ATM and just set it up anywhere. So my search began.
I started looking on e-bay and found plenty of new and used ATMs ranging from $500-2500 but quickly determined I didn’t want to pay $300 for shipping. Next was Craigslist…
Business Plan for Lakeview Business
Over the past few weeks I have been developing a business plan for a business I would like to open in the Lakeview neighborhood of Chicago Illinois. It has been quite the learning experience, but I have a lot more to do before it is completed. As it stands, I have a rough business plan generated and a preliminary cash flow statement.
To develop the cash flow statement, I used my extraordinary Excel skills and created a tool that is quite robust. The tool has a multitude of settings including options for new or used equipment, leases, energy, Point-of-sale system, labor, and raw materials, among others. All which can be edited on a granular level, down to the cost of each raw material. Utilizing a bill-of-material, expected sales quantity, and retail price for each item, a revenue stream and cost-of-goods-sold is created to develop a net margin. Along side fixed costs, initial equity infusion, and loan payments, the tool can generate the first eight quarters of cash flow. It is quite the tool if you ask me!
Hopefully in the future I will post the plan here to get some feedback. Until then, enjoy the rest of your day!
Foreign Call Center’s Inherently High Cost
© H3C Technologies Co., Limited
Last month, I spent a significant amount of time talking with representatives at two different RCN call centers; one in the Philippines, and one in the United States. I was trying to get their new invalid URL request hijacking service, also known as PoxFire, removed from my account. The situation spurred me to analyze why call centers are located in foreign countries. I also wanted to review the factors that should be considered when making the decision to export a domestic call center. After coming up with a structure that can be used to determine if a call center could successfully be exported, I applied my theory to RCN’s business model. Finally, I determined if my interactions with RCN supported my theory.
ED HAYES 