Amazing Story

I was pretty excited to find Wired Magazine in Shanghai even with the hefty pricetag. Nevertheless, there is an amazing article on an old computer hand in the Bay Area who disappeared on his sailboat one day. Although sad in itself, the amazing part of the story is the amount of time, resources, and creativity that was leveraged to figure out exactly how this sailboat disappeared without a trace.

This was probably the largest "open source" rescue mission ever and the Silicon Valley (and beyond) resources that were used are unparalleled anywhere in the world or even within our own government--as acknowledged by the Coast Guard itself. Just think if we pooled these resources to find an enemy like Osama...

Clearly this man had made an impact on many people's lives throughout his career and I think you will be equally amazed...find it here.

Chairman Gates

Great article in Wired today on how Bill Gates is the new Mao in China. He has apparently become the new idol of youths across China. I thought this was very interesting:

"During his recent tour of China, Gates predicted the next global leader might be born here: "There was a survey done in the U.S. that asked where the next Bill Gates will come from," he said. "Sixty percent of the U.S. said the next stunning success would come from Asia.""

Will report back...

The rise of Jonathan Coulton

I have been following Jonathan Coulton for a few months now after hearing about him on Merlin Mann's (43 Folders) new podcast. Impressive to see him featured in NY Times Magazine and the quasi "poster child" now for independent musicians trying to make it on their own through the use of the Internet. Coulton sells most of his music through his website and iTunes without the middleman record label.

He quit his day job as a programmer back in 2005 to pursue his online music career. His popularity rose out of his "thing a week" series where he would write a new song, some becoming very popular, each week for I believe a whole year.

Although I had heard of Coulton previously, one thing really struck a cord with me--his fan base. The article recalls countless stories of fans helping Coulton with everything from graphic design to song lyrics. He receives hundreds of emails a day and countless myspace friend requests. But why? People love a good story. His popularity is largely based on the exciting idea of a fledgling musician trying to make it on the Internet--no less with a girlfriend and kid to support. Who doesn't like the idea of someone sticking it to the man by quiting the day job and sticking it to the music industry by going out on his own. No royalties to the big labels here. And throughout history we keep falling for this same great tale.

We all love this story and cheer for Coulton because we are all living vicariously through him. Who doesn't want to quit the day job and be a musician or artist? Although Coulton will argue that it is not that simple and I could only imagine so but still, lets keep it simple, he is the underdog that we all want to see succeed. A modern day seabiscuit or the current Golden State Warriors

The Internet is clearly a major force in leveling the playing field and changing the way we can access art, music, news, and information. Call it Music 2.0, Art 2.0, or whatever, either way it changes the game. This honesty and transparency is awesome and we are seeing it more from governments to major corporations. I can only hope to have the same results as we continue to push forward with our efforts in bringing our crazy idea to the masses.

Technology and Small Businesses

As you may know the new family business, Nankeen, is making huge strides as we get set to launch the new website and product line. I have been assisting in various capacities over the past year mostly on the business and technology side.

Currently, I am up in Rhode Island and have been spending my days at the new factory with our mascot (left). Mostly I have working to get the new business applications to work on the back end of the new site. Right now the trick is to get the shopping cart to talk with our order processing center in Rhode Island. In an ideal world, the order comes in, we process it through the web interface, print out the shipping label, invoices, and send it to the packaging group (right now my mother). These web application are both remarkedably smart but also very complex. You can do almost everything from the web control panel from changing product descriptions, to cross-selling, to tracking inventory. Now once this is all up and running it will be awesome and so efficient, getting there is another story.

I find this a lot when developing business processes and applications both at Booz Allen and in this environment. The "bells and whistles" solution is only as good as the ease of use, training, and user capability. The ultimate solution may appear to solve every problem but if your employees cannot even figure out half the functions it can be a waste. That is why smooth and simple user interfaces are so important. I believe this is why Google has been so successful. They make it simple but also include advanced features hidden in shortcuts to allow the more advanced user to really dig in.

As I continue down this journey, helping get the family business off the ground, will report back. The new site will soon be up at www.nankeenstyle.com so start spreading the word.

Next Experiment - Naps

I am clearly in thesis land as I just noticed that it has been exactly a month since I posted last. While I have been inspired by a number of subjects and articles lately that I wanted to post on, I have not had the time nor the energy. I did, however, come across a great tip from my buddy Ted on power napping.

The software, created by Pzizz, essentially generates MP3 files that you can listen to for either taking an energizing nap or putting yourself into a deep sleep. You can download a free sample but the benefits of purchasing the software enables youto create a new nap each time with different durations, sounds, etc.

Since I am currently getting about 4-5 hours of sleep per day trying to finish my first thesis draft, I have decided to give this a try. I took an "energizing nap" last night and definetly fell asleep. The track claims it will wake you up after 15 minutes but I only woke up when the next track, a Jurassic 5 tune, jolted me back into the real world. I must say for not using headphones the first time, which is highly recommended, it seemed to have some stimulating effects and I worked until 2 am.

Will continue to test this and keep you all updated. Check it out and report back.

Thesis Topic, Finally

As many of you know, I am currently entering my last semester at John Hopkins University where I am attempting to obtain my Masters in Government. I am now in the middle of writing it as I must defend at the end of April. I decided to go down the path of researching something that relates to work, cyber security, in the hopes of maybe furthering my career or thoroughly confusing/boring the thesis panel enough to just pass me.

Wait, cyber security, you? I know all of you back home on the left coast are probably thinking I have sold out to big brother evil Department of Homeland Security, who is watching your every move on the Internet...ah, if only the government were that capable. I could never believe in any conspiracy theories having to do with the government because no one can keep a secret and there are far too many leaks in this town.

So what have I been doing and how does this relate to anything I am talking about? For the past year, I have been supporting the government in the area of cyber security and critical infrastructure protection. Now how did a liberal arts major in international relations with a minor in German get involved with this you may ask, well great question! I have been "consulting" on many issues during my tenure at Booz Allen, including the threat to our Nation from a cyber attack. Since 1991 and especially after 9-11, there have been repeated calls that our "enemies" will soon have the power to conduct another major attack through the click of a button. Former counter-terrorism official, Richard Clarke, repeatedly warned of a "digital Pearl Harbor" and a lot of money has been spent on building up our cyber defense. This all seems to make sense except for one major issue-- there has never been an act of cyber terrorism. Hey, this is a good thing, our government is actually doing something to protect us, right? Well I would like to think so but that is not a conclusion I want to jump to right away. Instead, I am guessing that while many firms and government agencies have been profiting off of the fear from a very unknown and technical issue, terrorist groups have never been happier about the proliferation of information technology.

How great is it that IT has allowed us to work virtually, share photos and videos, network, and find unprecedented amounts of information. Now, how great is it that terrorists can interact virtually without the reliance on a nation state, share best practices on roadside bombs, spread propaganda videos of U.S. soldiers being ambushed, and raise money? Great for them, bad for us. Recruitment, training, fundraising, and communication have never been easier for terrorists and non-state actors. Why would they ever want to jeopardize this by launching an attack on the Internet or even both developing advanced capabilities when IT is actually making physical attacks easier?

I believe that while we have been building up our cyber defenses at home, we have missed the boat on the proliferation of web site and online forums where vital intelligence could be gained. We need Arabic speakers by the 100s as only a few groups are translating and tracking these sites but there is a wealth of information on these sites that would probably lead to some indications and warnings. I do not believe terrorist have the intent to launch cyber attacks as long as information technology continues to make physical attacks easier. At some point this may change and I hope to identify some circumstances that would have to be in place to change their intent. The intent of terrorist to attack our cyber infrastructure is the focal point of my thesis.

Have I completely lost you all? Let me know if you have any thoughts. A good article just came out that deals exactly with this topic, titled The Real Online Terrorist Threat.

You can also check out some of my bookmarked sources here on my del.icio.us page.

Books Via Email

Happy new year to all, a quick post here on a cool site I found through the Diggnation podcast: http://www.dailylit.com/

This site allows you to receive a daily email with an excerpt from a book of your choosing until you have finished the book. I have Moby Dick set to arrive each morning and will we will see if I can actually keep up.

Interesting concept if you need to look like you are emailing while catching up on classic novels. I am already sick of all the email I currently receive but maybe this will work.

Worth a try and it is free!

The Year that Was 2006, according to Google

What did we ever do without Google for search engine entertainment and taking our cultural pulse?

I was checking out Google's annual Zeitgeist for the past year and I couldn't help but opine on the results. Google Zeitgeist aggregates user searches over the past year in various categories displaying our collective consciousness and online activity. With roughly 70% of the U.S. now on the Internet and with Google now controlling over 50% of the search engine market I think it is safe to safe that Google Zeitgeist captures the "pulse" of our society.

Read and interpret it as you would like but this is what I learned:

- According to the top search results, social networking is here to stay and we are only going to spend more countless hours on Myspace, Bebo, and Wikipedia.

- A review of Google News searches reveals that we wanted the latest information on Paris Hilton and Orlando Bloom over both cancer and Hurricane Katrina. Last year Janet Jackson beat out Hurricane Katrina.

- The item we wanted defined most was "promiscuous" and we really wanted to learn how to "refinance."

- The Duke Lacrosse scandal received three of the top five spots for "US Scandals"

- Suri beat out Shiloh in searches and Nicole Kidman and Tom Cruise came in #1 and #2 for wedding searches

- The most coveted ticket this year was for the Cheetah Girls

- The World Cup killed the Olympics this year and Bob Baker's retirement beat out Tiki Barber, Samy Sosa and Bill Gates.

Interesting year, 2007 predictions? Check out the 2005 results here.

Digging Iraq

It is Christmas eve and you would think I had something better to do than post to Digg but I was reading the New Yorker and there was a great article. The article is on Iraq and I would highly recommend it. Really gets to the heart of the issue and has some ties with what I am going to write my thesis on. I am going to write about it more but first I posted it to Digg--social networking site where articles are posted and based on how many people "digg" your story it gets a higher ranking.

Cool to get hits on your stories and people still care about this issue.

Check it out here

My Sister, 1000 Chinese Students and Christmas

As many of you know my rock star sister, Natalie, is in rural China (Hunan Province) teaching English. She has been blogging on her trials and tribulations since September and the stories have been amazing. I just read her latest post and it is a must read as it is so indicative of how great of a job she is doing over there. It blows my mind that this little white girl has such confidence, charisma, and creativity in a foreign communist land. I really hope she took pictures as I can only imagine the scene.

Nat, I really hope you turn all your writings into a book someday!

Check out her blog here and the latest post here.

Nerdy Water Bottles

I was reading Wired magazine last night and aside from staying in on a Friday night, reading Wired magazine, I came across an incredible yet nerdy device--the HydraCoach. Basically, the device monitors how much water you are drinking out of this high tech water bottle and makes sure you drink the "recommended" amount. I know what you are thinking, are you kidding me, who needs an electronic water bottle to monitor how much you drink??

I , however, see this as an inredible idea not just because it is a new toy to play with but it does all the work for you. We all know that drinking water is supposed to be good for us and most people do not drink nearly enough. This gadget beeps and hollers whenever you are not drinking enough. How cool is that!? Just keep in next to you during the day in your cage/cubicle and piss off your co-workers with the beeping bottle of water that is keeping you hydrated. Especially in this world of high coffee and booze intake, this is a great thing. It is only $30 as well.

Ok, someone buy me one for Christmas, please!

No Google = Threat to National Security?

While attempting to write my thesis proposal tonight, I got distracted by a very disturbing article. The article was in the Washington Post today and titled "Seeking Iran Intelligence, U.S. Tries Google." It begins:

When the State Department recently asked the CIA for names of Iranians who could be sanctioned for their involvement in a clandestine nuclear weapons program, the agency refused, citing a large workload and a desire to protect its sources and tradecraft.

Frustrated, the State Department assigned a junior Foreign Service officer to find the names another way -- by using Google. Those with the most hits under search terms such as "Iran and nuclear," three officials said, became targets for international rebuke Friday when a sanctions resolution circulated at the United Nations.

This article begs the question: How much does our national security apparatus rely on Google? Personally, at my government client site, we depend on the use of search engines, such as Google, to conduct open source research all the time. When I worked at USAID in the Office of Iraq Reconstruction, we did not turn to the Department of Defense or State Department for statistics on reconstruction costs, the Iraq population, or foreign development projects--we turned to Google. With our information sharing mechanisms within the government in such disarray, I wonder whether it would be a bigger national security risk if one of the U.S. classified computer networks went down or Google? This might seem like a ridiculous claim but it would not surprise me to find that Google would cause a greater risk. I am not going to go into the tiresome debate about how miserably the U.S. Government adopts new technology but it does bring up an interesting issue about whether the government has a responsibility to help protect private information technology, such as Google.

Much government focus is on protecting national security systems but when does a non-classified and open system become such a powerful aggregator that it itself becomes a national security system?

A Whole New Mind

I just finished Daniel Pink’s book titled A Whole New Mind: Why Right-Brainers Will Rule the Future. In short, the author states that due to “Asia, Abundance, and Automation” we are moving from the Information Age to the Conceptual Age and therefore we must refocus our current mental and professional state. He contends that our past expertise in knowledge work, such as computer programming, accounting, and banking, can now easily be done on the cheap in China or India. What we now need to focus on perfecting is the more right brain aspects of the creator and the empathizer. He argues that we need to move from high tech to high concept and high touch. Once we develop this whole new mind, we can have an economy and society that are built on the inventive, empathic, and big-picture capabilities.

I found this book very thought provoking as someone who is questioning the value of an MBA at this point in my career. While I do not think it is time to toss all application in the trash and become an artist, I think he makes some good points on what we need to focus on to be competitive in the future. In the end, however, I believe that market favors the most unique and talented of a class and not one whole class of worker.

Worth the read and you can also get a glimpse based on his article in Wired.

Production by the Masses

Daniel Pink, who I have mentioned previously on this site as I recently finished his book, A Whole New Mind, posted a very interesting post on his site:

"A group of folks at Wharton, Pearson, MIT, and Shared Insights have launched what aims to be the world's first networked business book. The venture, chirpily called We Are Smarter Than Me, will combine wiki technology and thousands of people around the world to create a management guide for a Web 2.0 world."

I think the premise is interesting as it leverages a very "hot" concept right now--the use of technology to create virtual communities and networks to organize or to collaborate on projects. We have seen this through open source software development, wikipedia, and blogging. Intelligence Organizations are even beginning to use this technology to collaborate across organizations as noted in this Washington Post article. I recently had dinner with a New York business consultant and he was discussing the idea of social networking design sites, aka wikipedia meets the fashion world. Interesting, do I trust the masses to develop software, design clothes, and catch terrorists? I am not that old but I have come across a lot of poor writing, horrendous design, and stove-piped bureaucracies!

While I do believe this collaboration is very intriguing and mass participation will lead to some very interesting ideas and concepts, I do not believe it will work in a completely open form. Ultimately, there will have to be trusted community where self-policing is the norm and not the exception. In an open form, there is no guarantee for self-policing. Wikipedia is great because it enables global collaboration and I would argue partial self-policing. I do, however, view each post with skepticism as I do not believe the proper experts in each field are vetting the information. I like these open forums for the initial facts, brainstorming, and concept development phases but ultimately you need a trusted network before reaching a final product. If I want to learn about Islam, I will check out Wikipedia first to get a sense of someone of the issues and then dive deeper into some reputable sources.

The concept of mass participation to build communities, products, and software needs to evolve past a purely open system and this is already happening. After reviewing the book web site referenced above, it appears that they have thought through a number of these issues and have developed an “Advisory Board” that will ultimately make the final decisions on which community input to accept. This is the next iteration of the open source revolution and if leveraged properly will create better products. Larry Sanger, the former co-founder of Wikipedia, is taking this concept live with his new project Citizendium. He is taking all the information from Wikipedia and having it reviewed by "experts” in the various topic areas. He states on his site, "Citizendium will be an experimental new wiki project that combines public participation with gentle expert guidance." It will be interesting to see if people still want to participate in content development if it will ultimately be filtered by others. The story behind Sanger's departure from Wikipedia is even more interesting and is chronicled in this Atlantic Monthly article. It is clear that Sanger believes the Wikiepedia concept must include expert reviewers and this is part of the reason he was ultimately "forced" out of the community.

In the end, success with "open source" production will depend on fostering the trusted community. If I am designing a building, writing a book, or developing software, I would be happy to receive the opinions of others for the purposes of diversity but I will also build a network of designers, authors, and programmers that I trust with the final product. Maybe I have not fully grasped this “open-source” revolution but we need to balance a diverse set of ideas with those that have the experience and expertise to produce. Thoughts?

Update: There was a piece in the NY Times magazine on this issue recently as it relates to the intelligence community.

Life Upgrade

I am sure a lot of you have found the awesome site LifeHacker, their goal is to focus on "a tech-centric approach to solving common every day problems." For the 100th installment of their "Geek to Live" series they provide an overview of past popular articles, a must for anyone interested in making their life a little more efficient.

Check it out here.