Category Archives: Uncategorized

                Today, I passed my PCI QIR (Qualified Installer & Reseller) training and test for their certification/qualification for point-of-sale and payment processing application installation.  More on their program is here:  https://www.pcisecuritystandards.org/program_training_and_qualification/qualified_integrator_and_reseller_certification

                In IT operations as well as incident response, I have found that understanding and implementing Scrum is extremely useful.                 In October 2020, I took the Certified ScrumMaster (CSM®) training through Brett Palmer & Associates (https://brettpalmer.com/) as an online, 2-day workshop.  Training was very participative and intensive, but by the end of the training,Continue reading “ScrumAlliance Certified ScrumMaster and Certified Scrum Product Owner”

                On Saturday 4/24/2021, I took the AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner.  For study materials, I used both the Prepare for the AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner Exam learning path on LinkedIn Learning by Hiroko Nishimura as well as David Tucker’s 3-course AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner learning path on Pluralsight.  Between those two resources, I was plentyContinue reading “AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner”

                Companies have a substantially higher obligation to act ethically to its customers, employees, suppliers, communities, and environments than they currently act.                 Milton Friedman, famous economist in the 1970s, said that the sole purpose of a business is to make profit for its shareholders and that corporate social responsibility (CSR) and ethics were notContinue reading “Quality as an Ethical Obligation”

                Any organization can benefit from organizational learning because it increases systems thinking skills, innovation, and adaptation of a company.  Traditionally, people go to grade school, high school, and college or trade school.  When they enter the workforce, there is a learning curve, in which they have to be trained in the processes, policies, software,Continue reading “Implementing Organizational Learning”

                Some people say that organizational learning is a threat to the free will of individuals.  I believe that there are ways to apply rigorous organizational learning processes, individual continuing education requirements, and evolve as a company with systems thinking while still allowing people to be creative and have free will.  Organizational learning has toContinue reading “Organizational Learning”

                Samir Moussa, a musician in Sandfly, is a perfect specimen of globalization.  With Lebanese and Columbian roots and ties to both cultures while living in Washington, DC, traveling to both countries, and getting exposure in different cultures with different religions and different ideologies sculpted him.  Other international friends grew closer to him and formedContinue reading “Globalization and Proliferation of U.S. Culture”

            Lack of women’s rights are statistically linked to poverty.  In fact, in many countries without gender inequality, women are not able to get education or legal representation, in addition to employment, creating a situation where women are significantly poorer than men, often while having to support children (Globalization101, n.d., p.17).  Jordan is a countryContinue reading “Womenomics and Jordan”

            Nearly equal in power, nearby in proximity, and separated only by Mediterranean Sea, Carthage and Rome were two growing Empires in one small region.  Syria and Macedonia were also growing powers in the region, making the Mediterranean a stew of conflict (Morey, 1901, Ch.14).  Carthage and Rome had different focuses:  Carthage on trade andContinue reading “Carthage and Rome”

                According to the dated 2001 Fortune Magazine article on Six Sigma, there is little shareholder value in Six Sigma and it has little effect on stock price.  Lee Clifford argues that Six Sigma is hokey and may improve quality, but has negligible upside to the investor (Clifford, 2001).  It is important to note that,Continue reading “Six Sigma’s Effect on Shareholder Value”