Working with Portlight.org to support tornado damaged areas

After the unprecedented tornado damage in the Southeast, I haven't been able to function well because I want to do something, somewhere, to help someone. So, I found a connection with portlight.org. Portlight is an organization fairly local to me, and has helped with disaster recovery efforts with Hurricane Ike and Haiti. We are putting together a list of needs, and a place. We are planning to fill a trailer that I will pull somewhere (likely Arab, AL). If you want to donate supplies (like baby items or cleaning supplies), then let me know. We are in Summerville, SC and hope to make a run west by the end of this week.

Twitter and Tweating

I work with collaboration and creating applications to connect people from different specialties with data from other people's specialties and making the view make sense for each group. But, I haven't really figured out a business purpose for everyone knowing what I am writing that I am doing.

Right now, I text and call my wife and others when I am traveling and I am about to takeoff or land. Maybe, Twitter can now help keep up with that and let everyone check my status from one place. So, we can be even less personal. But, the world is moving quickly with connections. Learn the proper business etiquette. We will see about the novelty of texting quick random status and who is listening.

For online news, I think that Twitter will be great, because it is shorter/faster for phones than RSS and you can scan quickly. But, how will Twitter make money. Maybe they get some kickback from all of the SMS traffic.

Follow me at jasongamble. I have TwitterBerry and another app on my desktop. Plus, you can SMS your status at will. Should I update my status to let everyone know when I go to sleep and wake up? Give me a few minutes and check back...

Earth Hour 2009

Earth Hour 2009 is this weekend. Can you be in the dark for one hour? Could you go a step further than just turning out the lights? Could you turn off your electronics for an hour? Could you survive on batteries for an hour?

We are getting to a point of being so interconnected and always connected that being dark for an hour will cause some people serious pain. But, I am looking forward to it.

Our family will be near York, SC at Bethelwoods Conference Center for a retreat this weekend. On Saturday night, at 8:30 PM we should be out in the woods around a campfire - probably not good for global warming - but better than the 8 families use of electricity for that hour.

Enjoy the darkness - and the buzz of electricity - if only for the hour

Inauguration 2009

History is unfolding. We thought about going, but too much trouble to get there and be there, plus I am supposed to be working today. Our kids may not quite understand the history yet, but in many years they may remember what they were doing today. Our kids happen to have a school vacation today for a teacher workday.

What Obama's presidency shows that America is making it to the promised land dreamed by MLK. Obama shows that you can achieve the top and not let "the man" keep you down. No more excuses; the obstacles may still be there, but they can be overcome.

The excitement now is the hope that he brings to turn the country in a different direction that leads to more peace and more justice and more prosperity.

Joined SBS

I have joined Strategic Business Solutions, Inc. as Director of Product Development. I am responsible for the business and technical aspects of the Aerospace and Defense accelerator application product that SBS develops for the Enovia MatrixOne product line. Since I helped with the original development as a MatrixOne employee, and I have been consulting on client projects with the latest Matrix10.8 product, I will have an easy fit back into the fold of MatrixOne products.
I wasn't ready to leave UTS, but when an opportunity comes calling you need to take the chance. You make the paths happen in the right way and never know when different paths come calling.

UTS Global Program Manager

I have joined United Technology Solutions as a Global Program Manager. I started at the same time as Gerard. We now work again for Fred Guild as we did at MatrixOne until more than a year ago.

At UTS, we have lots of resources and options to help develop collaborative solutions with PLM in MatrixOne or other solutions not related to MatrixOne or PLM.

Let Gerard, Fred, Tom, or I help you develop the collaborative solution that you need. Leave a comment or use the Contact Us links available from the web site.

Delta Sightseer Challenge ?!?

This blog isn't supposed to be about Delta. My last 2 posts mentioned what bad times that I have had lately. I was theorizing that part of the problem is the reduction in staff and full airplanes. Never mind that it is now highly publicized that 1/3 of flights were delayed in June.

My problem is this: instead of Delta spending money in ways to improve the customer experience with more staff or better baggage handling automation, Delta decides to spend money to market a silly Sightseer Challenge with American Express. We don't need another Amazing Race; we need to get where we are paying to go in a reasonable amount of time with our bags.

Please Delta - make sense with what you are doing.