Thank You!

Karen Gregory
Mustang Urgent Care

Summary
News is breaking about a major new high severity vulnerability, CVE-2014-6271, with widespread impact. Gnu Bourne again shell (Bash) is a UNIX like command shell that is included in most distributions of Linux and also Apple OS X. The vulnerability allows an attacker to create environment variables that include malicious code before the system calls the Bash shell. The nature of the exposure can vary depending on how Bash is used, but it can lead to arbitrary command execution on affected systems. There are reports that is has already been exploited in the wild.

Are WatchGuard products affected?
All Firebox and XTM models are not affected. The Fireware operating system is hardened to remove any unnecessary features, and does not include a Bash shell. WatchGuard Wireless Access Points, SSL 100 and 560, XCS, and  QMS also do not include or install Bash. They are not vulnerable.

The Linux distribution included in WatchGuard Dimension includes bash, but the exposure to this vulnerability is low since Dimension does not use AcceptEnv or CGI. Nevertheless Dimension automatically downloads security updates for its Linux components. Just make sure that you don’t have any upstream firewall that blocks access to security.ubuntu.com and archive.ubuntu.com.

Solution Path
Download and deploy patches from your vendors immediately.

For WatchGuard Users
The WatchGuard IPS signature team has developed a signature to identify exploits of the Bash vulnerability. It is currently in final QA and should be released shortly. If your Firebox and XTM appliances are configured to receive automatic updates, you will get the new signature.

References:

Security Blog - Redhat
Concerns over Bash vulnerability grow - Ars Technica

Potential risks of staying with Windows XP

Running Windows XP SP3 in your environment after April 8, 2104 may expose you to potential risks, such as:

Security:

Without critical Windows XP security updates, your PC may become vulnerable to harmful viruses, spyware, and other malicious software which can steal or damage your business data and information. Anti-virus software will also not be able to fully protect you once Windows XP itself is unsupported.

Compliance:

Businesses that are governed by regulatory obligations such as HIPAA may find that they are no longer able to satisfy compliance requirements. More information on HHS’s view on the security requirements for information systems that contain electronic protected health information (e-PHI) can be found here (HHS HIPAA FAQ - Security Rule).

Lack of Independent Software Vendor (ISV) Support:

Many software vendors will no longer support their products running on Windows XP as they are unable to receive Windows XP updates. For example, the new Office takes advantage of the modern Windows and will not run on Windows XP.

Hardware Manufacturer support:

Most PC hardware manufacturers will stop supporting Windows XP on existing and new hardware. This will also mean that drivers required to run Windows XP on new hardware may not be available.

What does this mean?

    What is the value in grand goals if they can't be acted on?

    A strategy to incorporate action items with every goal is critical to achieving those goals. The whole point in founding a group or organization is that the whole is greater than the sum of it's parts. Why is this the case? Is this always the case? I believe that there is a hidden factor in the value of the "whole." This hidden factor is the ability of the "whole" to simultaneously and diversely act on a common goal or set of goals. The value in grouping or organizing together is directly related to the extent to which goals are disseminated as actionable tasks.

    Here at Diverse CTI, we consult with our clients on the best information technology practices and communications methods and techniques. We constanty set strategic goals and look for ways of better organizing our efforts. It is critical to understand the value in combining action items with strategic goals! A long term goal or vision can be hard to convey to others. By breaking up long term goals into the necessary actionable items the goal will be taken care of even if it isn't fully understood!

    My personal goals are certainly no exception to this goal/action pairing. As I consider the things that I want to achieve both short and long term, I have to come up with my own action items! An important long-term goal can be easily forgotten in the heat of the day, but small tasks set up beforehand to accomplish that goal can be done simply and consistently. Yes, I am speaking this in faith to my own self!

Follow these instructions:

Chrome

Make sure you have the bookmarks bar visible. If you don't, or are unsure, click on the wrench icon in Chrome, then hover over "Bookmarks" and then make sure "Show bookmarks bar" is checked. The bookmarks bar will appear at the top of your browser under the address bar. Once you have the bookmark bar visible, simply click on the "Print Gmail Drafts" link in this blog and drag it to your bookmarks bar!

Mozilla

Make sure you have the bookmarks toolbar visible. The bookmarks toolbar will appear under the address bar when it is visible. Show the bookmarks toolbar by clicking on the bookmarks button and checking "View Bookmarks Toolbar." Simply click on the "Print Gmail Drafts" link in this blog and drag it to your bookmarks toolbar.

Hope this helps you out!!!

Jesse

Wow that was really quick! Diverse CTI employees/techs are absolutely awesome. Everyone that I have had the pleasure of meeting or speaking to over the phone has always been pleasant and helpful! Even when I have just deleted a new voice message that was recorded by Tom ,he came back with a smile and made sure I didn’t touch the buttons again (just kiddin). He actually ran through them all for me even though I know he had a really busy schedule. I just wanted everyone (Tom,Bill,John,Janine,Ryan and Chris) to know that we really appreciate your very kind attitudes and excellent service! Other companies should take lessons!

Vanessa Knight

I ended up with a problem. Almost all of my customer-facing and immediate reference materials are accessible to me through my iPad. I had no way to open the OneNote notebook on my iPad! A search through some Apps landed me at MobileNoter. MobileNoter allows me to sync my notebooks via the web or wifi! The formatting is very decent and I can even edit my notes with text, handwriting, photos and audio clips! 

Here's a quick video from their website!

I just wanted to let you know that Eduardo did an excellent job on our trip to all our sites today. I had posted the list that you saw this morning, but he did so much more and solved many other problems than even I had not anticipated. He truly went above and beyond the call of duty.

Indeed, all of you at Diverse CTI have done a tremendous job since our switchover. I’ll be the first to admit that we as a group have ever changing needs (and wants), and are probably at times not the easiest bunch of folks to get along with. Dr. Penwell, Greg and I all come from different points of view when looking at our IT needs. And, each of us has different levels of understanding of the IT processes involved. We do all share the same common goal of having a robust system to handle our growing and ever expanding business. All of that to say this; I am so very glad that we were able to establish our partnership with your group. Thank you for taking the extra time to help us (and me) along this process. I think this is one of the best business decisions we have made since I have become involved with Immediate Care of Oklahoma. I just wanted to pass along my personal thanks.

-Mark

So for the fix!

Thanks to my good friend Leo Davidson - he has put a lot of time and energy into a simple downloadable fix - OR if you like editing your own windows registry - he gives plenty of instructions. Me - I just downloaded the fix and ran it!

Here's the link to his site - comments?

http://www.pretentiousname.com/adobe_pdf_x64_fix/index.html

Thanks to your whole team for the hard work over the past few months. We have already noticed the Diverse CTI difference and we are excited about continuing and growing the relationship with you!!

As a geek-wanna-be, I sometimes get my wife on board with me. More often than not though, I leave her in the dust... What I think is a simple two step (actually 4-5 step) process, becomes much more complicated when I actually consider each the little details that just come so naturally to me... SO - I've been able to SIMPLIFY the process of using Google Voice for my wife. This is really a very simply thing - nothing fancy - BUT a good way to use Google Voice!

I have an easy to dial speed-dial number on our phone with the pre-programmed pauses necessary to dial her Google Voice number, wait, press STAR to access the main menu and then 2 to dial a call. This way she touches two keys - the directory key and the dial key - and then is prompted to dial the number she wants to call followed by the # key.

This works great for her, because all call-backs ring BOTH her cell phone and our landline. She can use all of Google Voice's features, like call screening, free long distance, voicemail to text, etc to make her life just a little more simpler... well, I hope so, anyway...

I sometimes get lost in all the priorities of life...

-I suspect I am not alone!

I recently discovered an app for my iPad called 2DoBefore. I found it searching for a way to organize the short-ish list of things that I really want to accomplish that are not directly work or family related. Kind of like a "bucket list." I'm discovering that time passes very quickly and I sometimes find myself loosing that "spark" of life that keeps things exciting! I can easily take care of the priorities - gotta pay the bills and keep the lawn mowed, BUT - what about that motorized wagon that I've been wanting to build - and if I'm ever going to become a decent welder, I need to start practicing now!!!!!

I’m not going to try and sum up collaborative selling, or even give you my viewpoints on it in this post. I only want to leave those of you who believe in collaborative selling with a thought:

How do you continue the collaborative process in the implementation of the product or service you’ve sold?

After the last local disaster we were able to utilize the phone system to give a temporary auto attendant with special options in order to allow us to deal with the huge amount to claims coming in. It was awesome! Diverse CTI set it all up and trained us how to switch it around. Can't ask for better!

Click here to listen to her compliment!

We are so happy to have our new phones! Working with the Diverse CTI team has been a great, easy, and fun experience! Getting Google Apps setup with Jesse and the consulting from Jeff was wonderful! Even the installation by Eduardo was fantastic!

Your technician did a great job getting us setup and trained! Thanks for all your help!

Do demographics dictate your sales volume directly? Are you currently marketing to Generation X? The Baby Boomers?

I can't imagine a single product that is not geared towards a certain demographical group or at least marketable in certain demographics. Many of us depend on the bulk of our sales from a specific demographic - assisted living centers, home electronics, car/truck sales, etc. You may have mastered the art of selling to your demographical group, but have you planned for the change in size of that group in the future? That is the golden question. Studing demographics can help you understand the outlook for your demographical group in the years to come. This forward-thinking book by Kenneth Gronbach will unlock a whole new outlook on the importance of planing for future demographic changes. It's a must-read!!!

This book is available from you local library, as a Kindle download or from your favorite bookstore.  

If you have a chance to read this book, or have it read to you, please let me know if it changes the way you think about any of your market strategies! You can always comment here, or send me an email at jesse@diversecti.net.

- Larry Denny

Released today, Sprint's Any Mobile Anytime coverage should make lots of happy fans!!!!!

1950’s Computer Networking is Back!

During the 1950’s in the advent of computer networks, companies were limited to dumb terminals connecting back to mainframe computers, which held all the data. Very little, if any, data was actually stored on the dumb terminals.

Computer networks as we know them have been rapidly changing ever since. While the dumb terminals still have their place, they are pretty much history by now. Modern networks are composed of multiple computers, each capable of processing and storing huge amounts of data. These individual computers are tied back to a series of servers which control permissions, security access, access to databases, etc.

The 1950's-networking model is coming back!!! The 1950's dumb terminals will be replaced with internet terminals and the mainframes will be replaced by the world wide web.  I envision a time coming very soon when the majority of our data will actually be processed and stored online - on the internet.

Think about it! No more downtime from viruses! No more lost data due to hard drive failures! No more expensive equipment that is outdated the very moment you install it! As long as you have an internet connection, you will have access to everything you need. You can work from literally anywhere.

How will this happen?  Cloud Computing. Software As a Service (SAAS).

See my newsletter article for more information on computing in "the cloud."

So, maybe this is old news, but I've recently stumbled upon widexplorer. This is a browser that allows you to scroll through 7 different websites at a time. I use it to watch 7 of my LinkedIn groups' discussions at a single glance. You can also share the link to your widexplorer with others! Try this link: http://tinyurl.com/m2xlls.

Widexplorer - the future of browser homepages!!!

Hooper’s Outdoor Center in Paducah, KY

I got hired at this specialty outdoor sporting goods shop after I put in a killer application (left my planner behind necessitating a call back to me!). The store had a mascot dog named… you guessed it, Hooper. He was a big ol' chocolate lab. I wrote on the job application my history of loving sales and my past two jobs, (the park job and restaurant job) which both had killer references, and that I would wash Hooper anytime it was needed. I had a love for the outdoors and owned some of the high-end gear that was being sold at the shop. I got hired on in general sales, but my main job was bike mechanic. I received my foundational business education here. I learned the enjoyable art of merchandizing, the grueling responsibility of fine-tuned accuracy in inventory counting and the value of product knowledge. I worked my way up in the company and began to learn the basics of day-to-day retail management in pre-season orders, pricing margins, customer service and relationships with our many vendors. I was very much affected by the managers of the store when I first started there, so I learned a lot from them. When they moved on I was able to carry on the feeling of the business and general principles that still keep Hoopers Outdoor Center the wonderful store it still is today.

LESSONS LEARNED: Retail sales success in merchandizing, pricing and product knowledge/selection.

Mike

In this series of posts, I am going to provide a brief history of the significant places I worked before I turned 20 (I will leave some of my work history out) and the life lessons I learned at each place.

Sirloin Stockade in Murray, KY

Soon after high school I worked my first (and last) restaurant job. I wanted to work there because I had some friends already working there. During my interview, the owner of the restaurant told me how he worked his way up from a disher back in the day to eventually own his own restaurant. I actually sat there listening in awe, thinking “Man, this is what I could do!” I loved the idea of working my way up, finding out all there was to know about every position and then having the place as my own (by this time in my life I had business in my blood). I got the job and started dishing and bussing tables. The pay was decent for a high-school age kid and I earned some tips. I lasted all of a few months. I ended up hating the job because I wasn’t in constant contact with people I enjoyed being with. Initially, I thought the job would be great – working with friends…but it didn’t happen that way. I rarely saw my friends and I was stuck in the dish room with vulgar rap musing playing. Since the music wasn’t going anywhere (believe me…I tried!!!) I figured it would have to be me moving on.

LESSON LEARNED: Not enjoyable co-workers = not enjoyable job no matter the future opportunity or pay.

Let me know if you've had a similar experience!!!! I'll post all comments below!

You guys are the best!

Tracy

 Janice

 MURRAY-CALLOWAY COUNTY PARKS AND RECREATION

This was my first real hourly scheduled job. I got the job because I knew the person in charge and he got me and my best friend Adam hired. Adam and I mowed the grass, worked with tractors, performed general maintenance, got gas in the trucks that never wanted to start back up, mowed grass even more, and of course—cleaned the public restrooms. If you think your bathroom has ever been a mess, I can assure you it was nothing like this...  However, the bathroom cleanup never really bothered me because Adam and I were there together. How cool is that? We took lunch together every day and always got everything done that was needed. I even found the time to pack every single tractor and truck the park had into a 3 bay garage that took the morning crew hours to get out (I guess we should have worked a little slower during the day).I got to drive tractors and be a trash man so I checked the first two items off the list of childhood dreams.

LESSONS LEARNED: Enjoyable co-workers = enjoyable job no matter the mess.

So, who is Jesse Spencer, anyway?

I've been infatuated with business for my whole life. As far back as I can remember, I was always scheming up ways to make money. I suppose it's in my blood - my dad is a schemer and his dad takes the cake! My grandpa always had some business going - selling graveyard plots, working in his grocery store, opening up and running his own fresh Florida produce fruit stand…now that he's "retired" he's always got some new scheme he's putting his energy into. Well, all of that has certainly trickled down the family tree. I remember making zero profits painting my neighbor's sparkly white rocks for resale when I was just a child. However, I had a much more profitable experience in my pre-10's with door to door sales; I acquired a large quantity of nice fresh tomatoes for resale - and who wouldn't buy from a sweet little kid knocking at the door? I suppose my "supplier" gave me a recommended retail price, because I sure didn't know what a tomato was worth, but I sold the whole lot! I came home euphoric - "Look at all the money I made selling tomatoes!" My world was soon to come crashing down. My supplier actually demanded that I turn over a large portion of the profits! I had to give back some of my hard earned cash! That's when I learned my first lesson in business economics. After a quick count of my cash on hand, I realized that my supplier hadn't demanded the whole sum of what I'd made, so figured I came out ahead in the end. And I suppose I did - that lesson stuck with me and I was hopelessly hooked on "business." By high school I had come up with a few notebooks full of my greatest and best-schemed business ideas. I would analyze all the costs and figure up all the profits. The ones that worked on paper I pursued in real life - and I think one of those ventures may have actually worked, or maybe that was just on paper… I found the scheming and dreaming almost as enjoyable as the real thing.

Blair

Diverse CTI went above and beyond to solve any problems... and solved them all! They worked well with us and even other vendors that they had to interface with. They are a pleasure to work with and we need more like them. Eduardo deserves a day off and a raise! Thanks for sending him. I would request him in the future... but he already solved all of my problems!

Jeremy made sure that our questions and answers were taken care of, and that we were completley satisfied and comfortable with the system before he left the building. Wonderful!

Angela

Catherine