Someone actually looked at my website? By Tony Green

A year ago I started my personal website partly because, at the time, creating a website seemed like a neat thing to do and I had seen some other good personal websites and technology has made it easy to get a site up in a small amount of time.

The idea was to make information available about myself which may not come across during a job interview. I wrote the content in attempt to capture the highlights of my life, professional work history, and my ideas and interests.

I tried to utilize the principles of search engine optimization (SEO) to make my name appear as high as possible in the rankings. Additionally, I launched a Pay-Per-Click (PPC) program with the aim of getting the name Tony Green to the top of any searches in case building my ranking too longer than I had planned.

Unfortunately, I neglected to update the content as often as I should by neglecting to add new content which is required to keep your rankings high. In any case, since I am looking for employment I have less time to work on the original content which the Google spiders love to index. The key is to contain enough content in place at any one given time to ensure an online presence is established.

Many employers are trying to find out about their prospective employees by running their name through a Google check in attempts to try and find out more information about a candidate. I discovered one of my prospective employers found my website through Google. The recruiter I was working with reported they were impressed with what they found. It convinced them I was someone they wanted to add to their team.

As a result my new employer identified the possibility of other assets I could provide value for the company. (Other than the sales job I was trying to be hired for) I shouldn’t complain though, if no one checked your site how good is that?

Will Big Brother be monitoring your thoughts? by Tony Green

I was reading an article in Inc. magazine about a company who is producing a product which reads the emotion from sensors placed on your head under your hair and uses those signals to issue commands to perform remote activities such as moving a block across a room.

The product uses a piece of headgear with 16 electrodes pressed on your scalp and monitors the electric signals produced by your brain during its thinking and emotion processes.   Furthermore, pounds of gel like materials are required to ensure a good electrical connection is maintained between your skin and the sensors.

It could be possible in the future to convert these signals to perform such activities as surgery or cooking with the use of sophisticated software to translate the signals to commands with the intention of being executing them remotely.

I was even more surprised to read other companies were attempting to produce products utilizing the same technology. It is likely one of these companies will begin to sell a product offering this technology sometime within the next year.

The article made me think, for instance, if these signals were read and interpreted what would stop the signals are stored and used to track a person’s thoughts in real time of transmit them to storage medium for analysis later? The recent advances in wireless technology make this a real possibility. 

Who says at some point in the future your brain’s processes would not be used to evaluate your character by measuring your thoughts and not our actions? Would you want your every thought being intercept and recorded?

A long time has passed since George Orwell’s 1984; will technology make the concept of “Big Brother” move from a novel to becoming a reality?

A great deal by Tony Green

I was reading the Wall Street Journal one morning about the three CEO’s of the Automotive big three, Chrysler, General Motors, and Ford trying to get a rescue package(bailout) from the government to prevent the companies from going into bankruptcy.

As part of the package Congress requested details how the CEO’s would use the money. Two of the three mentioned they would take a salary of $1 each if the bailout was passed.

Sounds like a good deal to be able live off a dollar year. Of course, these three all have millions of dollars in the bank to cushion the loss of one year’s salary.

How does this occur? Without rehashing the past history of excessive executive compensation where even if the companies had poor results and the CEO was ultimately replaced with a large severance package after I read Jack Welch’s book “Winning” my view changed.

Normally when a position such as CEO becomes available, similar to any other job where are the most qualified applicants? In transition between positions? Certainly when times are tough executives may be available for hire, however, usually they are currently employed. Furthermore by the time someone is screening to be CEO they are already at the Vice President, EVP or C-suite level. They are like in good position with good companies with strong compensation packages.

Most times the reason a company is looking for a new Chief Executive is because of some problem with the business/results. Who would want to take on are rebuilding project which could potentially fail if they are in a stable position?

Therefore, the idea is to sweeten the pot so that taking the position is a no lose situation for the prospective CEO. This includes exit clauses that if the CEO fails. Most high caliber executive have risen to the top by succeeding not failing, however, when measured in relation to the reward most people received for losing their job the exit package it still seems like a great deal.

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A most historical election by Tony Green

It is the eve of the 2008 presidential election in the United States. In normal circumstances, I would be anticipating voting in this historic election, however, due to my permanent absentee status I have mailed in my ballot. Currently, I am in Japan to attend a business meeting convened at the last second.

In all likelihood, Barack Obama will be become the 44th President –elect of the United States. I was born at the end of the sixties and I would have never thought that this country, who I have proudly served in its Navy, would ever elect a black man to its highest office within my lifetime.

I wish I could be with my family to explain the historic moment in the history of the United States. As an African-American father I is my duty to ensure that the future generation understand the struggles proceeding this day. My children are both younger than 10 years old but I believe that they should at least experience enough of the occasion to be able to understand its significance.

For now, I am left to try to find an English speaking television station and give toasts the 88% of non-African-Americans who have chosen Mr. Obama their based on his ability and not his race and to the current 250 million Americans who hopefully will thrive under his leadership.
Champagne would be in order but given my current location, sake will work fine. Kampai!

Photo courtesy of http://www.Freefoto.com

Watering hole by Tony Green

From my time in the military and working in high technology, I have visited Japan many times. Recently, I visited Himeji on a business trip for the first time.

Some places in Japan are more comfortable for someone who did not speak Japanese to have drink after work without having a translator available.

Other places in the Japanese countryside might not be as amenable. In short, you would have a difficult going into a place and ordering a beer. Upon my arrival in Himeji, I was unsure where Himeji fit in.

After dinner, my colleagues were nice enough to take me to a watering hole where a foreigner could feel comfortable as the bartender and many of the patrons spoke English.

It was the quintessential Dive Bar where only after coming a few times for drinks you determined who the regulars are. In the course of an evening, you can have a conversation with a person in Japanese/English, another with some fellows from Germany, finally to a pair of girls from the Philippines.

If you are looking for a foreigner bar in Hijemi, check out the Tiger Pub. It is well worth the visit.

September Eleventh by Tony Green

The anniversary of 9/11 was quietly marked across the nation by the flags being hung at half-mast. There was some news coverage on the news. The most distinct coverage occurred on the sport radio show I normally listen to the way home.
The host of the sports radio program “JT the Brick” chose to deviate from the normal sports theme. I thought it was good to continue the nations healing. Everyone remembers where they were on that fateful morning.
That morning I had jury duty, the last time I had to report to the Alameda County courthouse, questioning as I would be assigned to a trial.
The morning stated differently when the sports radio broke in with the news on a plane hitting the world Trade Center. During the train ride people were talking on cell phones and to each other.
The moment hit home when I remember receiving a voice mail from my mother who lived near the Pentagon who called me because she was unsettled due the smoke smell in her apartment from the plane that hit the Pentagon. I called to make sure it she was alright and to comfort her on what must have been surreal day for millions of Americans.
There many conversations that people had that morning helping each other work through the emotions of that day. Moving forward I hope that tragedy shouldn’t be necessary to bring people together.

Photo courtesy of http://www.Freefoto.com

Not so Abnormal by Tony Green

The military has many jobs that require traveling. A person may be required to spend some time away from home. The circumstances vary from peace time where a mission may take only a few days to complete to a war time situation the mission continued until victory is achieved. In most cases, opportunities existed to breathe fresh air and bask in sunlight during moments of non-activity. Not in the case of the submariner.
As a submariner there are times where you are required to go a month or more without breathing fresh air and seeing sunlight. The air is generated from oxygen generators on board which produce oxygen by the distillation of the seawater the submarine travels through.

The air was regulated, however, if mission requirements called for not going to the surface to get fresh air the results were over time the oxygen levels would decrease slightly below to begin to make everyone a little drowsy.

In addition, as the cycle of the rise and setting of the sun sets your sleep patterns the effect of not seeing sunlight is mitigated by the fact the submarine operates on 18 hour days. Once you body gets used to the schedule the sun is barely missed at all. This may be a bit abnormal to most people but simply another day in the life of a submariner.

Once the submarine pulls back in port the first breath of air coupled with the experience of the first warm rays of sunlight are like a rebirth. The return to port signifies a return to normalcy on only to savor the outdoors but also a time for reuniting with loved ones who you have had no contact with. Sometimes though of your loved ones are what keeps you going during the long times while you are away.

In a sense, I guess I was not so abnormal after all.

Troubleshooting by Tony Green

The scenario is along these lines. A complex mechanical electro system is not functioning. As this system is producing revenue creating its designed product there is a lot of money at stake if the system is not brought back to normal operation quickly. Your job is to repair the equipment and return it to operation.
Where do you start? There could be an infinite amount of things that may have caused the problem. You realize that the pressure cooker is about to begin unless progress is made.
Suddenly you remember the seven step troubleshooting procedure you learned while you were in the Navy as a nuke.
You identify and elaborate on the symptoms, identify the list possible faulty components, and narrow down that list to the one that you suspect is causing your problem and finally create a possible retest procedure after performing a root cause analysis.
Yet, the system is still not working. You relax and try a few more things. As this process occurs you ensure that you are thinking positive thoughts as you have initially been stumped yet were eventually successful. After a few additional adjustments to your list of what may be causing the problem you find your culprit and the system is brought back into operation.
After breathing a sigh of relief that the crisis has been averted and receiving kudos from management you reflect on how you got the job done once more.
In the end you used two things: a process of determining the problem and a true belief that you would figure out the solution. Yes, with that you can fix anything…

The future of Nuclear Power by Tony Green

As an Ex-Navy Nuke I observed first-hand the efficiency of nuclear power. Prior to advent of nuclear power ships and submarines were powered by diesel generators and batteries. The maneuverability of the ship was affected by limited battery power and by having to use the diesel generator while the batteries charged. The nuclear reactor, which provides electricity and propulsion, gave ship the ability to have an unlimited source of power. This enables the time a ship can be at sea to be limited only by the food it had the ability to carry or have access to.
During the early 1970’s the nuclear option was examined for civilian’s plants. Hundreds of nuclear power plants constructed around the country and around the world. The benefits were nuclear energy plants produce electricity through the fission of uranium, not the burning of fuels. This reduced the use of fossil fuels. In addition, the use of nuclear power reduced the amount of harmful emissions to the air.
As a result the general public had no problem with the construction of nuclear power plants. However, public opinion has changed drastically after the accidents at Chernobyl, in the Soviet Union and Three Mile Island, near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.
At Three Mile Island a meltdown almost occurred due a failure of to the plant's main feed-water pumps and other numerous operator errors. At Chernobyl, the workers were performing an experiment with the reactor's safety systems during which the computer-controlled safety systems were disabled which resulted in a large explosion of the reactor spreading radioactivity all across Europe.

In the time since these accidents many people have begun to forget these incidents that together successfully clouded the public view of Nuclear Power. With the absence of other alternative power sources, lowering gas reserves, and the commercialization of green solutions may be years off the public may be ready examine other options as there are overwhelming power needs that will need to be filled. Nuclear Power can be that option. It can be operated safety and efficiently as the United States Navy has shown. Clearly Nuclear Power will emerge as a viable option to solve the power needs of an industrial society. America and the world will not only observe that utilizing Nuclear Power makes too much sense not to but there may not be other viable alternatives.

Photo courtesy of http://www.freefoto.com/

Tea with my failure(By Tony Green)

Recently I had yet another sales interview on my quest to enter technical sales. Why at this point of my career? Quite simply, I am a people person and most sales positions can pay the money I want.
During this quest I have interviewed with some people who told me that I had no previous sales experience. Sales are about overcoming objections and in my estimation, if I could not overcome the interviews objection then I did not deserve to be in sales.
When the interviewer pointed to my lack of sales experience I tried to sell him about some of my pre and post application support and account manager experience. After a good dialog we agreed these were sales related but not exactly sales.
I told him I dabbled in sales and was looking for the opportunity to fully immerse myself. In an attempt to persuade him I told him I was ready to take the plunge.
Unfortunately, he not looking for a dabbler, he was looking for tea, in other words an experienced sales person whom we agreed I was not. In the end, even though, I made a good accounting of myself I was not what this company was looking for. Therefore the question was since I have been identified as dabbling in sales, and the goal was to fully enter the sales profession did I want sugar or lemon with my tea (failure)?
As I thought about it I was temporary glum but I could only be sad for a short time. In true sales fashion toward my quest to get into sales I had get mentally ready for the next interview. Tea anyone?

No thank you (by Tony Green)

Occasionally while I am working the topic of military service comes up. Generally, once you tell someone your served in the military you get the comment “interesting” or “Wow” or ”Where were you stationed?”
But once in a while I get heartfelt “Thank you for your service”. Every time I hear it I am slightly surprised as most people, in my opinion, forget those who sacrifice either their time during times of peace or their lives in times of war for their security.
On any given holiday, there are always some military personnel on patrol somewhere in the world. Of course, on a few holidays it was me.
Although being away from loved ones came with the job being away from loved ones is always difficult on the service members and their families. However, if you know that thanks to your effort that your loved ones will be safe from oppression it makes it easier to live with. Even still, I remembered that it was sometimes difficult to see the appreciation and worth of what you were doing.
Therefore, the acknowledgment that a person is even thoughtful enough to realize the price servicemen and servicewomen pay for their freedom makes a big difference in making me realize why I was out there.
So in that case, my reply for thanking me for my military service is thank you for making feel my service was worthwhile is they are the reminder of what and who my military service was all about.

After my Professional Certified Marketer Certification by Tony Green

It has been a year since I passed my Professional Certified Marketer (P.C.M.) exam, therefore being certified to call myself a marketer. In the context of marketing what does the designation of a Professional Certified Marketer mean? If the words were to be dissected into their individual words you would have the words Professional, Certified, and Marketing. As for the meaning of professional and certified the definitions are straight forward. The definition of marketing is another matter. There are a plethora of definitions for marketing varying in their complexity and length.
The latest American Marketing Association definition of marketing reads “Marketing is the activity, conducted by organizations and individuals, that operates through a set of institutions for processes of creating , communicating, delivering, and exchanging marketing offering that have value to customers, clients, marketers and society at large”.
Internet Marketer Ben Hart defines marketing in his e-book Automatic Marketing as “Marketing is the process of putting bait in the water to attract leads and then putting these leads into a sifting and sorting system that will allow you to identify your most likely customers”.
Cynthia Holliday of Upright Marketing defines marketing as, “Getting the right product to the right customer at a profit to the business”.
In my view, the definition of marketing is a realization selling anything does not just happen on its own but needs a process to enable success for both parties involved. On one side is the seller your company or your employer and on the other side is the buyer who is your client or your customer. Marketing in my view is about that process on how the supply of one meets with the demand of the other. My certification has helped me to polish my tools to achieve a smooth process which in the long term ensures success for both parties. Who could argue with a win-win situation for both parties? It seems to me that one should not need to be certified to come to that common sense conclusion. In hindsight if that is what being certified means to me then perhaps I have been a marketer all along.

The path from Ex-Navy Nuke to an engineer by Tony Green

I have viewed a few blogs, on MySpace.com among other places that discusses the preparation that being an Ex-Nuke gives you before attempting to make it through an undergraduate engineering curriculum.
I think I have an interesting background to speak on this topic as I completed an engineering degree prior to participating in the Navy Nuclear program. If you are wondering why the hell I did the Nuke thing as an enlisted person after college you have a legitimate question. However, that will be the topic of another blog at some point in the future. What will say is that going through nuclear pipeline gives a wonderful background to aid any potential engineering student.
Normally most professional engineers have a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree and years of practical on-hands experience. The classroom training gives you the tools to enable you to begin learning your engineering craft while you’re on hands experience actually allows to become the trusted engineer capable of analyzing and solving real world problems.
Most of the engineering curriculum is theoretical as engineers are the ones who are trusted to designing equipment. The folks who designed many of the reactor systems that a nuke stands watch on were engineers. It is difficult to make the best design if there is not a decent level of understanding of the meaning of the theory. Nuclear training allows obtaining the on hands experience to attain that understanding. And as we all know the operators are the ones who ran the plant under the guidance of their nuclear-trained chiefs and officers.
Going aft in any nuclear powered vessel in the engine room will yield many on hand applications of these engineering principles. For example, reactor plant fresh water heat exchanger (RFPW) cools the coolant purification loop, the reactor coolant pumps and other loads. Essentially this is a shell and tube heat exchanger covered in heat transfer classes. The operator on watch is concerns that temperature that the RPFW remain within spec while the heat loads fluctuate. Another example is the process from where steam leaves the Steam Generator and goes through the Main Steam stops to the motor generators and turbine generators and exhausted steam that is created is condensed and sent back to the condensate pumps and the main feed pumps before returning the Steam Generator to start the process again. This process is covered as the Carnot cycle which covered thermodynamics courses.
Most Navy ships use an evaporator to distill sea water into drinking and potable water. The underlying principles that govern the process, distillation are covered in classes on mass transfer. The operator on watch is concerned that the water that is created is clean and the concentrated salt, the brine, goes back to the sea.
In my view, regardless of which came first, being nuclear trained or getting an engineering degree success comes down to on how you use all of your engineering training to make the best future for yourself. After going through all the rigors that are associated with being a nuke, all while serving our country; you certainly deserve it regardless of the choice you make for your college studies after leaving the Nuclear Navy.