R.I.P. Steve Jobs and thanks for all of it!

I remember my first encounter with an Apple Mac. I had just left IBM in May of 1986 after 18 years of service and deciding it was time to leave Vermont and come to the Bay area and be part of the excitement and improved weather from the harshness of Vermont winters. The last thing I bought as an employee was the IBM Personal Computer XT, as I got it with the employee discount. To my surprise, in only a few months in San Francisco, the damn thing started falling apart. Eventually everything but the metal frame didn't work. I had to replace the computer and decided to go with my first Apple Mac. Since that moment I have never been dissatisfied with my Apple products, as you see I was converted into an Apple zealot. I have never looked back at any other equipment other than a Mac since.

As one of my early consultant gigs, I was fortunate to get Apple as a client in 1987 and I remember the excitement I felt walking into Apple and seeing groups of people working with chart paper and easels and colored markers contributing to a brainstorming exercise of new product ideas. The place vibrated and I felt privileged just to see it first hand and be a small part of it. I did a number of sessions for Apple management into 1989 and I met there what was to be one of my best clients ever. He was an IT mid level Director who was smart, cared about his people a lot, had the highest integrity and was the kind of person I was proud to know. I knew he had something special going for him and I just enjoyed his way of working with people. No, it wasn't Steve, but he was the kind of person at Apple that made it be one of the best companies in America.

It was a privilege to go into a company where you felt that excitement and knew something special was happening there. I had had that feeling only once before and that was when I worked on the development of the Heat Shield for the Apollo program, but I have never had that feeling again since Apple. Steve Jobs helped change the world and the way we look at and use technology in it. He changed my world too.

Jobless Claims unexpectedly rise this week

The headline says it all. Analysts were expecting jobless claims to shrink this week and it unexpectedly rose 15,000 more jobs lost, to 576,000 jobs for the week. Continuing Claims also went higher to a total of 6.24 Million people are out of work. I don't know why they expect less job losses as I expect more to come. Last night my wife and I went to the famous North Beach area of San Francisco to see a friend open her first art show. We ate in the neighborhood and walked around. For the first time in 25 years, we saw many For Lease signs on buildings and office space. We saw eviction notices posted on businesses by the Sheriff. We also went to my old neighborhood where I lived before I was married, Union Street, and saw a number of new For Lease signs on empty shops. So the notion of less job losses while enticing to believe to increase our confidence level, is misleading. Things are not getting better for many small businesses. Restaurants are holding on with limited cash.

A friend of mine told me her beau, a senior executive specializing in IT, was let go from a well known hospital in San Francisco. No one is apparently safe from layoffs, even some execs. Things are tight and my best guess is that my prediction of a major stock market pullback is on schedule for this Fall, peaking by October Options expiration, the third Friday of October.

Hope I'm wrong and the market may stay disconnected from the reality of the economy, as it is pumped up by government money given to banks and insurance companies. But this disconnect is more troubling than the actual economy, as all it does is increase skepticism by the public of our financial systems. It's called manipulation. The stock market is just like the Casinos, it's a rigged game in favor of the House.

Bay area 5.6 Earthquake was scary and a reminder

I was relaxing on my bed about 8:05 pm PST when my bed and my house rumbled and swayed from side to side. It was truly scary as I wasn't sure whether this one was going to become the big one we all expect here in the earthquake active San Francisco Bay area. After the shaking stopped, which took about 10 seconds, I briefly thought about my earthquake supplies I had stored along with enough food and water for 2 weeks, and was very glad I took the initiative to be prepared. Luckily, no lights went out, no cracks were visible in my home and my wife and I were safe. I then went to the official web site for the U.S. Geological site and filled out their form asking if we had felt the earthquake and added my information to their database on the earthquakes in this area. The Map I have attached shows the level of activity in the area up to 7 days ago. You can link to the USGS by clicking here.

The 2 full days of Community Emergency Responsiveness Training I took a year ago seemed also to be a wise move. While I didn't need to use it with this earthquake, I am prepared if there is a larger more violent earthquake that is almost inevitable to happen in my lifetime. Are you ready for a disaster in your area? If not ask your local Firedepartment if there is any training you can take to be prepared for the type of disasters your area is most likely to have. They are most willing to assist you. Be safe and prepared.

Solar Power in California

Those that read my Blog know that I had converted my home to Solar Electric Power about 6 years ago. My county in California is active in support of more Solar in California and my State Representative has sponsored a Bill requesting support for more help in passage of the Bill. Here's some background from EnvironmentCalifornia.org you might find interesting if you are a California resident.

The Solar Water Heating and Efficiency Act of 2007 (AB 1470), authored by Assemblymember Jared Huffman (Marin), has passed two committees in the state Assembly over the past two weeks. The bill would create the nation's largest rebate program for solar water heating technologies, helping to lower energy bills, reduce global warming pollution and expand California's solar power market.

Solar hot water systems are one of most promising technologies available today. The systems can be located directly on the roof of a home or business, just like solar electric panels. They capture heat from the sun to heat water to reduce gas bills by up to 50 percent.

AB 1470 would create a statewide rebate program to grow a mainstream market for solar hot water systems, building 200,000 rooftop systems within 10 years. The typical cost of a solar hot water system is between $4,000 and $6,000. With a rebate from the state, and continuation of a federal tax credit, such systems could become cost effective from day-one if financed through a home loan or could pay for themselves within 8 to 10 years.

Despite opposition from Sempra, one of California's largest natural gas corporations, a majority of two key committees in the state Legislature voted in favor of AB 1470.

The first committee vote came on April 16th in Assembly Utilities & Commerce Committee. The assemblymembers voting in favor of the bill were: Hector De La Torre (LA), Karen Bass (LA), Mike Davis (LA), Dave Jones (Sacramento), Laura Richardson (Long Beach), Bill Author Jared Huffman (Marin) and Cameron Smyth (Santa Clarita).

The second committee vote happened on April 23rd in Assembly Natural Resources Committee. The assembly members voting in favor of the bill were: Loni Hancock (Berkeley), Patty Berg (Eureka), Julia Brownley (Santa Monica), John Laird* (Santa Cruz), Lori Saldana* (San Diego), and Lois Wolk* (Davis). The starred members are co-authors.

Please help us build support for solar power by asking a friend or family member to e-mail his or her assemblymember in support of AB 1470.

To take action, click on the link below or paste it into your Web browser:

EnvironmentCalifornia.org

I have been fortunate that with the exception of a one month period when I had my panels off, I have not had to pay for any electricity in 6 years. The only electric bill I receive is about $100-$160/year for fees the Pacific Gas & Electric charge me for being hooked up to the electric Grid so we can send our excess electricity back for all to use. It was one of our best decisions to go Solar as there are additional benefits not cited. First, your roof stays cooler in the summer because the panels block the rays of the sun. This keeps our upstairs cooler requiring less air conditioning. The roof should last longer too as the sun's rays aren't beating all day on the roof. And thirdly, they value in appreciation of your house is also a plus. The City of San Francisco, which in the summer is well known for its fog, is considering purchasing all its power from alternative energy sources that are Green, thus saving on Middle Eastern oil needs. Say what you like about San Francisco being so Left of Center politically, they are often leading the country for the betterment of society. Recently the City banned plastic bags from grocery stores as these bags will not decompose in dumps and will be around for many lifetimes.

Think Green and act Locally.