What's Really Happening in the Oahu Real Estate Market July '09

Rated 3.6 Stars

My overall take for Hawaii Real Estate has not changed. Due to increased taxes by our State and City & County of Honolulu in their mindless and uncaring manner toward their constituents, coupled with the National Obama Mantra of more Government in our lives is better... along with absolutely ridiculous new Federal Real Estate related regulation and reckless Government spending... we have NOT seen the worst. More »

Hiring Manager Secrets

If you worry about every possible way you can blow a job interview - from mispronouncing the boss's name to babbling incessantly when you don't know what else to say - you're going to walk in there feeling like you're destined to fail. True, job interviews are rife with opportunities for you to embarrass yourself, but hiring managers are more forgiving than you might think. More »

Internet Real Estate Sites

The Internet is a great source for real estate information. In fact, it has become so popular that over 80% of all home buyers shop online for homes, before they contact an agent. Hawaii is no exception, and our home shoppers will find a wealth of available information. Online shopping saves a lot of time, of course it is not a substitute for local knowledge. More »

Data Center Must Be Cool and Secure

As a proponent of the technology age, I admit to throwing buzzwords around with the best (or worst) of us. Like my use of pidgin, however, I usually try to speak the language that's most appropriate to my audience. There are times when I slip, and use a term that I think is universal, but is not. This happened recently when I recommended to a colleague that she consider housing her computer systems in a data center. I went on and on extolling the pros and cons of doing so, until she interrupted me with "What the heck is a data center, anyway?"
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Pre-panelized Building Systems

Rated 2.0 Stars

In the past 25 years, I have been searching for the right building system and materials to build in Hawaii that would address the issues of termites, hurricane and wood rot and wet rot. Finding the perfect system is almost impossible. Every material and system has flaws. More »

How to Buy Software

A reader of this column recently inquired about software costs and the myriad of options available. If you're just buying software for your personal use, the options are quite simple. Go to the local big-box retailer, find what you're looking for, and buy it off the shelf. Or you could buy it off the Internet, but unless you will be downloading it you will pay shipping costs. Those of you lucky enough to still be in school can usually buy the same piece of software at a significant discount. For college students and faculty, this can usually be accomplished at the campus bookstore.
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Don't Let Waikiki Scare You

The recent brouhaha over Wi-Fi access in Waikiki is a clear indication that this technology is truly mature. As most of us know by know, Wi-Fi (short for wireless fidelity) networks provide data connections for computers without the need to be tethered to a network wire.
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Be Careful When Making Backups

When Grokster, one of the most popular Internet file sharing sites announced a few months ago that they were shutting down operations, many folks, including the Recording Industry Association of America and Motion Picture Association of America breathed a sigh of relief.
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Build an Effective Vision

Over the years I attended a lot of training from many sources. Whether the training was related to business or personal development, it was always clear a well developed vision can make a real difference in guiding your path and keeping you focused. Often time there was a leap between the definition, value and need for a vision straight to examples from successful companies. The examples often provided clear visions that were from a few words to short paragraph long. More »

Finding a Great Job If You're Over 50

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, about 16 percent of today's workforce is age 55 and older, and that number is expected to reach 21 percent by 2014 -- an increase of more than 11 million workers. As the American population ages, companies are realizing older Americans are a vital part of their workforce, and are starting to put programs into place to attract and retain these workers. More »

There Are Many Reasons Hackers Might Target You

I'm often asked by friends and associates why they should bother to protect their networks from intruders. The usual comment is, "Why would a hacker be interested in my network? No one is going to confuse my company with the Pentagon, General Motors or even Burger King."
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The Professionals Who Build The House

Selecting the right contractor is critical to the success or failure of your construction project. It is critical that you select a firm or someone who is reputable, honest, knowledgeable and can work with you in building your project. Get references from them, check their work out, make sure that they are bondable and that they are experienced in the work that you want done. Not all contractors can do all types of work. Not all contractors can handle a big job. More »

Real Haunted Houses: Fear Lurks Within

Picture a dark attic with exposed wiring draped with spider webs and scurrying rats. Stick your head into a slimy crawl space with dripping, moldy pipes and tilted foundation blocks. A termite-ridden cabinet under a rusty kitchen sink reveals a dozen B-52 cockroaches running for cover. Is your home haunted by the ghost of past leaks, cracks, or even perhaps the spirit of long-departed residents? More »