TheRecord.com - Business - Meet IvanAnywhere
It’s the next best thing to being there; He’ll write software, attend meetings and even chat with co-workers. Just don’t expect this digital marvel to share a cup of coffee during your next break

September 01, 2007

MATT WALCOFF
RECORD STAFF
WATERLOO

Programmer Ivan Bowman spends his days at iAnywhere Solutions Inc. in much the same way his colleagues do.

He writes code, exchanges notes in other developers’ offices, attends meetings and, on occasion, hangs out in the kitchen or lounge over coffee and snacks.

About the only thing he can’t do is drink the coffee or eat the snacks — or touch anything, for that matter.

It’s not that Bowman doesn’t have hands or a mouth; they’re just in Halifax, along with the rest of his body.

In fact, it’s not really Bowman in the Waterloo office at all. It’s IvanAnywhere, a robot Bowman uses to interact with his colleagues in Waterloo from his home office 1,350 kilometres away.

“Robot” is a bit of a stretch, actually. IvanAnywhere is basically a coat rack on wheels with attached speakers, camera and touch-screen computer.

The computer screen displays a live shot of Bowman’s face from his living room in Nova Scotia.

But in the three months since IvanAnywhere first went online, he has become such a normal part of the third floor at iAnywhere that co-workers barely even notice they’re talking to a machine rather than to Bowman’s human form.

“We are all so used to Ivan, they don’t even give it a second thought,” says Glenn Paulley, Bowman’s boss and the originator of the IvanAnywhere idea.

When Bowman has a question for a colleague, he doesn’t pick up the phone; he uses his joystick to drive his doppelganger to the team member’s office.

If Paulley needs Bowman’s time on a software issue, he calls IvanAnywhere to his office, just as he would with any other employee.

Bowman uses IvanAnywhere to take part in meetings, even giving presentations with the help of a projector.

Every once in a while, he’ll motor to the floor’s lounge area to look out the window and chat with passersby, much as he would if he were in Waterloo.

Bowman has worked for the database software company since 1993. Five years ago, when his wife got a job in Halifax, his employers allowed him to follow her east and telecommute.

While Bowman could type out code as well in Halifax as he could in Waterloo, he was missing out on the personal give-and-take essential to the flow of ideas.

–

This is awesome. Is this the wave of the future, being able to work from home while having this thing be your doppleganger?

Rich Russian tries to buy U.S. bomber at air show - Yahoo! News
Fri Aug 24, 5:32 AM ET

MOSCOW (Reuters) - A wealthy Russian tried to buy a U.S. B-52 bomber from a group of shocked American pilots at an air show near Moscow, a Russian newspaper reported on Friday.

The unidentified Russian, wearing sunglasses and surrounded by bodyguards, approached the U.S. delegation and asked to buy the bomber, the Komsomolskaya Pravda newspaper said.

An astounded member of the U.S. delegation said the bomber was not for sale but that it would cost at least $500 million (249.5 million pounds) if it were to be sold on the spot.

“That is no problem. It is such a cool machine,” the Russian was quoted as saying by the newspaper, which said its reporter overheard the conversation. The bomber was not sold.

Russia’s new rich, who built fantastic fortunes trading commodities and contacts after the fall of the Soviet Union, have made a name for themselves as ostentatious purchasers of everything from British football clubs to Faberge eggs.

–

I think the Russians are getting too much money from all their oil…Communism meets Capitalism.

Slashdot | Echeria Coli Co-Opted To Make Gasoline
“Technology Review has an article about a small biotech company in the Silicon Valley that has successfully produced renewable gasoline from genetically modified bacteria, including the nefarious E.Coli bacteria. A pilot plant is slated to be constructed in California in 2008, and it is claimed that hundreds of different hydrocarbon molecules are capable of being produced. The modified bacteria make and excrete hydrocarbon molecules that are the length and molecular structure the company desires. From the article: ‘To do this, the company is employing tools from the field of synthetic biology to modify the genetic pathways that bacteria, plants, and animals use to make fatty acids, one of the main ways that organisms store energy. Fatty acids are chains of carbon and hydrogen atoms strung together in a particular arrangement, with a carboxylic acid group made of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen attached at one end. Take away the acid, and you’re left with a hydrocarbon that can be made into fuel.’”

–

Wow…being able to grow gasoline in a petri dish!!!  What will they think of next?  Perhaps they can also grow meat?  I wonder if PETA would go for that?

Nissan gets testy with drunk drivers - Yahoo! News
By Dan Sloan Fri Aug 3, 3:06 AM ET

OPPAMA, Japan (Reuters) - Beer-breaths beware. A new concept car with breathalyser-like detection systems may provide even greater traction for Japanese efforts to keep impaired drivers off the road.

Nissan’s alcohol-detection sensors check odour, sweat and driver awareness, issuing a voice alert from the navigation system and locking up the ignition if necessary.

Odour sensors on the driver and passenger seats read alcohol levels, while a detector in the gear-shift knob measures the perspiration of the driver’s palm when starting the car.

Other carmakers with detection systems include Sweden’s Volvo , which has developed technology in which drivers blow into a measuring unit in the seat belt before an engine can start.

But Nissan’s car includes a mounted camera that monitors alertness by eye scan, ringing bells and issuing a voice message in Japanese or English if a driver should pull over and rest.

The car technology is still in development, but general manager Kazuhiro Doi says the combination of detection systems will ultimately keep an eye on who’s behind the wheel.

“We’ve placed odour detectors and a sweat sensor on the gear shift, but for example if the gear-shift sensor was bypassed by a passenger using it instead of the driver, the facial recognition system would be used,” said Doi.

Also keeping a short leash on drivers, car seat belts tighten if drowsiness is detected, while an on-road monitor checks if a car is keeping its lane properly.

Japan’s No. 3 carmaker has no specific timetable for marketing, but aims to yoke all technology to cut the number of fatalities involving its vehicles to half 1995 levels by 2015.

Nissan’s Doi says they still have to distil exactly what impairment means: “If you drink one beer, it’s going to register, so we need to study what’s the appropriate level for the system to activate.”

–

I just wonder if this will lower my car insurance.

Zubin J. Bomanshaw

www.iiadv.com

Have you heard of the KISS principle? This is not related to the AXE effect or Paris Hilton’s latest photo-op. It’s what I like to call a ‘common sense’ idea, and it stands for ‘Keep it Simple, Stupid’. You might have experienced it in your own life. Let me give you an example you might be able to relate to. Have you ever played on a team? Did you have that team member who always spent boatloads of money on fancy equipment with the latest technology? He probably researched all the sophisticated strategies and boasts about how he’s going to come up with awesome ideas? In other words, the big talker. When the whistle blows, and he’s on the field, all his fancy equipment and grand strategies go poof…they’re absolutely worthless, and he’s a big liability. If your team loses, he’s got a convenient excuse of how the other teammates didn’t support him, the ground was wet, or the refs were biased.

The KISS principle works with money too. You might have a friend or relative that’s bought the latest Audi or just returned from that skydiving trip to the Caribbean. Their house is awesome – it’s got an HD TV in every room, their fridge tells them when the milk is low, and the 5 car garage actually has cars, not junk in it. It’s possible they’re just fabulously wealthy, but more often than not, they’re living the high life thanks to a four letter word — “VISA”. They’ve got payments to make on everything from their living room furniture to their gazebo by the pool. They might make decent money, but their standard of living is equal to that of a celebrity. So, for all of you who are tempted to follow your friend’s wonderful lifestyle into charge card hell, here are some simple KISS rules about money:

1. Take personal responsibility – Don’t be a sissy and blame someone else for your horrendous credit charges. You weren’t thinking too much about that when you got that fancy new stereo or when you thought that your partying and gambling in Las Vegas would stay in Las Vegas, did you? If it’s a little too late, and that’s already happened, start paying down your cards and spend less. It’s as simple as that. If you have a tough time keeping within a budget, just have 5% of your paycheck automatically go to a savings account. Soon, you’ll hardly know the difference, and be on your way to building a nest egg.
2. Save wisely – If you’ve had the good fortune of building up some savings, you don’t need to stuff it in your mattress. On the other hand, don’t blow it up by being fooled by the promise of huge returns – that indie movie that your friend with Hollywood connections is making or the fancy real estate partnership you read about on the internet. Get some professional advice or stick to some basic choices like paying down your mortgage, opening a bank savings account or investing in index funds.
3. Don’t expect instant gratification – more often than not, it’s not the fancy investments you make, but the discipline of saving a little at a time and investing it wisely that will win you big rewards. If a money-making scheme sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Having a savings account and investing in an index fund might seem boring to you, but they’re low cost, effective ways to save for beginners and sophisticated investors alike.

For those of you already yawning, this should be enough to get you started. Too bad if the 30-day money back return period on your new TV just expired.

by: Zubin J. Bomanshaw

www.iiadv.com

“Say hello to my little friends”. Sounds familiar? Does your mind picture guns blazing and bullets flying? Well, I have a new arsenal of friends too, but they’re virtual. Kind of.

If you’re new to this country, you wouldn’t be chastised for thinking that my friends might be characters in the same league as C-3PO and R2D2. But, they’re the best kind of friends – they make you rich! What’s better than a generous friend? They have varied names such as 412i, 529, 403b, and top dog 401k, who you might have heard about. Call me suspicious, but maybe someone at the IRS is an RPG geek.

We’re now around the corner for the next Prez election. Among the myriad promises for Universal health care and a new pool in your back yard, I’m still not quite clear where all this money is going to come from. And the best part is, the powers that be don’t even ask nicely for your money. They take it out even BEFORE you get a hold of your paycheck! You’ve probably noticed the legal mumbo jumbo – the small print that takes out big dollars before the measly portion that you can actually call yours is given to you. They call them “withholdings”. They should call it “taxes that cost an arm and a leg”. Where the hell does all that money go anyways? And what the hell is it spent on? Better roads, less traffic, more parks, better schools? The only thing I’ve noticed are those new cameras at traffic lights, that nonchalantly take your picture as you desperately put pedal to the metal.

Do you have that suspicious nagging feeling that the rich pay less in taxes? If you’ve formed your own corporation, you get all sorts of little and big perks. But, if you’re an employee, suck your thumb. At least that might give you some comfort. There might be a way to lessen the pain, however. If your company offers any type of retirement plan, go bow down and kiss the feet of your HR admin person, even if she’s as old as your grandma. If it’s a guy, well, use your imagination. Then, ask her (or him) to explain in ‘simple English’ what your options for the plan are. Keep an ear out for the word “matching”. In HR speak, “matching” = free money for you. Unless you’re absolutely drowning in debt because of that new condo you just bought or that Lexus that parks itself, it’s a good idea to contribute to your company’s plan. Make sure you’re well diversified. That’s more HR speak that translates into “Don’t put all your eggs in one basket”.

So, the next time you’re on a date and you’re being quizzed about the economy, you can toss in comments like, “Short term economic variables have a disproportionately magnified effect on stock market prices, but I’m a disciplined long-term investor with a diversified global portfolio”. Even if you have no idea what you just said, it sure sounded cool.

Time Breakdown Of Modern Web Design

Oops - did I do that?

Fat computer workers to get treadmills
Save power, save the planet, shed pounds

By Nick Farrell: Wednesday 16 May 2007, 08:17
BOFFINS have developed a stand-up work cubical which will allow workers to use a computer while operating a treadmill.

The Mayo Clinic in Rochester, has designed the standup “walk-and-work” desk, to help lardy workers shed pounds as they perform what are traditionally sit-down tasks.

It suggests that along with obesity, the sedentary nature of work is increasing because of the common use of desktop computers and by 2010, more than half of the workforce from developed countries will be working at computers.

The boffins had 15 obese volunteers use the treadmill-cum-desk and measured how many calories they burned compared to sitting at a conventional desk.

They burned an average of 191 kilocalories an hour while at the vertical workstation, walking the equivalent of 1.6 kilometres an hour, compared to 72 kilocalories per hour while working sitting down. The vertical workstation will cost $1,600 US and will be on the shelves soon.

Of course they are missing the chance of wiring the treadmill into the power grid and cutting the cost of electricity, thus saving the planet from green house gases.

–

Its volunteers NOW, but how soon will they require it?  Man, I wish alli’ didn’t make you crap your pants.

Works this well…must be really good.