Gordian Knots

From RFiD Journal

Developing RFID-Enabled Phones A report by ABI Research predicts that within a few years, as many as 50 percent of cell phones will incorporate RFID chips to enable near field communication. By Claire Swedberg July 9, 2004 Some major cell phone manufacturers are preparing the release communication devices incorporating RFID technology that they hope will change the way consumers buy products, services and use their credit cards. According to a new report from ABI Research, within a few years, users of cell phones and other handheld devices will use near field communication (NFC) to access services and buy products simply by holding their own device close to another one. ABI’s Michielsen NFC technology uses short-range RFID transmissions that provide easy and secure communications between various devices. That means that, for example, making a reservation could be as simple as holding your phone close (less than 20 centimeters) to a poster or advertising billboard. Without ever dialing a number or speaking to anyone on the phone, you d be able to purchase concert tickets, book hotel rooms and make other types of reservations and have these transactions charged to a credit card using account information stored in the handheld device or phone. These transactions can be done without user configuration. In other words, the RFID tag inside the device will automatically connect, via the cellular connection or through NFC-enabled Wi-Fi or Bluetooth to the appropriate Web site so you can learn about the product or service, transfer content such as audio or video files, or carry out a commercial transaction. NFC is interesting because it is a peer-to-peer

communication protocol [a communication model in which devices link directly to each other, without the intervention of any intermediary device or system], enabling two [RFID] cards to talk, while also simultaneously being an active and passive RFID solution, says Erik Michielsen, principal analyst at ABI Research, which is based in Oyster Bay, N.Y. Since all devices are equipped with built-in RFID readers, two-way communication is possible Depending on the type of NFC device, data transfer rates will be 106, 212, or 424 kbps. To make this work, an NFC chip embedded in a phone can act as an RFID reader when the phone is on and a passive smart label or RFID tag when the phone is off. NFC chips can hold 64 to 128 bits of memory Data, which would be likely to include an identification number initially, would be encrypted before it is transmitted. The lithium ion batteries within a cell phone or other device will provide power needed for the tag s active operation. Therefore, the active tag would not require its own internal power source. Rather, it would draw power from device s battery. Manufacturers of the NFC chips would include the same companies that currently make RFID tags, labels or chips, including Philips, TI, Infineon, Sony, ASK and Inside Contactless. ABI Research sees NFC-enabled cell phones as the initial driver in the market. Consumers can expect the first NFC-equipped handsets to come on the market in 2005. By 2009, ABI estimates that up to 50 percent of the cell phones is use will be NFC-enabled. Overseeing the new technology s emergence is the NFC Forum, a group comprised of communications giants Nokia, Philips and Sony. In December 2002, when the general assembly of ECMA International, an industry association dedicated to the standardization in Information technology and telecommunications, adopted the NFC Interface and Protocol-1(NFCIP-1), also known as ECMA-340. Developed by the NFC Forum, this protocol enables two devices operating at 13.56 MHz to share data on a peer-to-peer configuration when brought within close proximity of each other. One year later, ECMA published NFCIP-2 (ECMA-352) as the proposed next generation of the protocol, and has submitted it for adoption to Joint Technical Committee 1 (JTC1), the information technology standardization committee of the International Standards Organization (ISO) and International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC). According to Michielsen, Visa and Universal Music each have already done trials of NFC-enabled cell phones with Philips. In addition, Visa and Nokia recently completed a trial together involving NFC-enabled cell phones in Finland. These trials focused on payment and transaction security. ABI’s report, “Near Field Communications,” can be purchased and accessed through ABI’s Web site, www.abiresearch.com.

This article in Businessweek points out that large software companies like Siebel, BMC and Veritas are all warning that 2nd quarter results would be lower, and predicts a shakeout. According to the article, ‘Investment bankers say half of the sector’s 600 publicly traded companies are likely to be eliminated.’

Strategy – Strategy a : The science of military command, or the science of projecting campaigns and directing great military movements; generalship. – The set of decisions made to best ensure achievement of the desired objectives, based on an assessment of: … one s own current situation/position; capabilities & shortcoming; competitive position … options/alternatives — risks … timing

Tactics – Tactic a : a device for accomplishing an end; b : a method of employing forces in combat – The set of requirements for a plan to take effect Tactical vs. Strategic: – Always relative to one another – Tactics: the set of actions taken to fulfill a strategy

Joe Chung of MIT’s Tech Review writes about “… Maggie Orth, founder, president, and sole employee of International Fashion Machines…”. Orth founder of International Fashion Machines “… creates what she calls interactive textiles fabrics with technology literally woven in that can do things such as change color, broadcast and receive radio signals, or act as keyboards under one s fingertips …” Orth’s “… strong aesthetics …” has enabled her to create “… pieces …” that “… are stunningly beautiful. Her electric plaid fabrics, for instance, are intricately woven with fibers that shift colors when heated via electronic controls. The result is a sublimely animated, vividly colored wall covering that is constantly in motion …”

Nature magazine has a really cool visualisation of the causes of cancer, in which a faux subway map is dotted with cell types required for malignancy that are joined by the molecular pathways that generate these behaviours.

From Washington Post:

Two categories everybody will see on their pay stubs are FICA and OASDI.

FICA, which stands for the Federal Insurance Contributions Act, is the line for the 6.2 percent of your wages that goes to Social Security. The employer is required to make a matching contribution.

OASDI _ which stands for Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance but is better known as Medicare _ takes 1.45 percent of wages, and also gets an employer matching contribution.

The next most common categories cover taxes. These include FIT for federal income tax, sometimes listed simply as “federal” or “fed,” and SIT for state income tax, which also can be rendered as “state” or “st.” In some states, employees will also see a line for SDI, which stands for state disability insurance.

Then there are benefit and voluntary contribution categories.

For example, group term life insurance can show up as group life or GTL or life ins or other variations.

The same is true for the flexible spending accounts that employees can set up to help cover the costs of health care, child care and transportation. They can show up as FSA, flex or something like flex-CC.

The American Payroll Association’s Mezistrano said workers should check their pay stubs for possible errors: Is my overtime being paid? Is the money being taken out for health insurance? And they should also look at them for financial planning purposes.

Workers who want to change their federal income tax withholding need to file a revised IRS Form W-4 with their employers. Those unsure how many exemptions to claim on the form can use the withholding calculator at the IRS Web site, www.irs.gov.

The American Payroll Association’s site at www.nationalpayrollweek.com and Symmetry Software’s site www.paycheckcity.com also have calculators as well as payroll tips for consumers.

From *Rediff:*

The Union Budget is the single-most important event in the economic
and financial world. This year Finance Minister P Chidambaram will
present the Budget on July 8.

So what is the Budget? Why is it so important? Why does it affect
all of us? And above all, how does one interpret the budgetary lingo
flying around?

Read on for enlightenment.

*What is the Union Budget? *

The Union Budget is the annual report of India as a country. It
contains the government of India’s revenue and expenditure for the
end of a particular fiscal year, which runs from April 1 to March 31.

The Union Budget is the most extensive account of the government’s
finances, in which revenues from all sources and expenses of all
activities undertaken are aggregated. It comprises the revenue
budget and the capital budget. It also contains estimates for the
next fiscal year.

*What is a revenue budget? *

The revenue budget consists of revenue receipts of the government
(revenues from tax and other sources), and its expenditure.

Revenue receipts are divided into tax and non-tax revenue. Tax
revenues are made up of taxes such as income tax, corporate tax,
excise, customs and other duties that the government levies. In
non-tax revenue, the government’s sources are interest on loans and
dividend on investments like PSUs, fees, and other receipts for
services that it renders.

Revenue expenditure is the payment incurred for the normal
day-to-day running of government departments and various services
that it offers to its citizens.

The government also has other expenditure like servicing interest on
its borrowings, subsidies, etc.

Usually, expenditure that does not result in the creation of assets,
and grants given to state governments and other parties are revenue
expenditures.

The difference between revenue receipts and revenue expenditure is
usually negative. This means that the government spends more than it
earns. This difference is called the revenue deficit.

*What is a capital budget? *

The capital budget is different from the revenue budget as its
components are of a long-term nature.

The capital budget consists of capital receipts and payments.

Capital receipts are government loans raised from the public,
government borrowings from the Reserve Bank and treasury bills,
loans received from foreign bodies and governments, divestment of
equity holding in public sector enterprises, securities against
small savings, state provident funds, and special deposits.

Capital payments are capital expenditures on acquisition of assets
like land, buildings, machinery, and equipment. Investments in
shares, loans and advances granted by the central government to
state and union territory governments, government companies,
corporations and other parties.

*What are direct taxes? *

These are the taxes that are levied on the income of individuals or
organisations. Income tax, corporate tax, inheritance tax are some
instances of direct taxation.

Income tax is the tax levied on individual income from various
sources like salaries, investments, interest etc.

Corporate tax is the tax paid by companies or firms on the incomes
they earn.

*What are indirect taxes?*

These are the taxes paid by consumers when they buy goods and
services. These include excise and customs duties.

Customs duty is the charge levied when goods are imported into the
country, and is paid by the importer or exporter.

Excise duty is a levy paid by the manufacturer on items manufactured
within the country.

Usually, these charges are passed on to the consumer.

*What is plan and non-plan expenditure? *

There are two components of expenditure – plan and non-plan.

Of these, plan expenditures are estimated after discussions between
each of the ministries concerned and the Planning Commission.

Non-plan revenue expenditure is accounted for by interest payments,
subsidies (mainly on food and fertilisers), wage and salary payments
to government employees, grants to States and Union Territories
governments, pensions, police, economic services in various sectors,
other general services such as tax collection, social services, and
grants to foreign governments.

Non-plan capital expenditure mainly includes defence, loans to
public enterprises, loans to States, Union Territories and foreign
governments.

*What is the Central Plan Outlay? *

It is the division of monetary resources among the different sectors
in the economy and the ministries of the government.

*What is fiscal policy? *

Fiscal policy is a change in government spending or taxing designed
to influence economic activity. These changes are designed to
control the level of aggregate demand in the economy. Governments
usually bring about changes in taxation, volume of spending, and
size of the budget deficit or surplus to affect public expenditure.

*What is a fiscal deficit? *

This is the gap between the government’s total spending and the sum
of its revenue receipts and non-debt capital receipts. It represents
the total amount of borrowed funds required by the government to
completely meet its expenditure.

*What is the Finance Bill? *

The government proposals for the levy of new taxes, alterations in
the present tax structure or continuance of the current tax
structure beyond the period approved by the Parliament, are laid
down before the Parliament in this bill.

The Parliament approves the Finance Bill for a period of one year at
a time, which becomes the Finance Act.

*What impact does the Budget have on the market and economy?*

The Budget impacts the economy, the interest rate and the stock
markets. How the finance minister spends and invests money affects
the fiscal deficit. The extent of the deficit and the means of
financing it influence the money supply and the interest rate in the
economy. High interest rates mean higher cost of capital for the
industry, lower profits and hence lower stock prices.

The fiscal measures undertaken by the government affect public
expenditure. For instance, an increase in direct taxes would
decrease disposable income, thus reducing demand for goods. This
decrease in demand will translate into a decrease in production,
therefore affecting economic growth.

Similarly, an increase in indirect taxes would also decrease demand.
This is because indirect taxes are often partially or completely
passed on to consumers in the form of higher prices. Higher prices
imply a reduction in demand and this in turn would reduce profit
margins of companies, thus slowing down production and growth.

Non-plan expenditure like subsidies and defence also affect the
economy as limited government resources are used for non-productive
purposes.

Networking is not about finding
somebody who is going to take time and interest to promote your career.
That’s a friend or a mentor, but you come across those few and far between.
Networking is about serendipity: making your own luck. We’ve all heard of
some guy who just happened to have a friend starting a business and brought
them in — only to make a million dollars later. The reason the story is not
uncommon is because that’s how most positions are filled. I once saw a
statistic that over 92% of positions are filled through extended networks
rather than traditional means (classifieds, resume sites, recruiters).
This doesn’t happen when you find one person and are persistent with them,
however. Networking is more about finding the person who already needs your
skills, or your company, or your money. It’s about being in the right place
at the right time. The more places and times you are meeting people, the
more likely it is that you’ll find what you’re looking for. It’s about
making your interests and needs widely known (a new job, companies to invest
in, people to hire, money to raise) and listening to the interests and needs
of others. Because of the FOAF concept (”friend-of-a-friend”), you are
likely to run across somebody who needs what somebody else you know is
offering. Eventually, that person will be you. My friend should be looking
for the right person who is already seeking his skills rather than expecting
somebody he met will work to help him.

It is a process, not a goal, and should be done constantly rather than only
when you have a specific need. Eventually, you will be surprised at the
opportunities that appear when you least expect them.

There are some very practical aspects to networking that some people do by
second nature and others (like myself) need to constantly relearn.
Just Do It. With all due respect to Nike, their slogan applies to
networking. How often have you been to an event where people are chatting
with each other and you feel that you really don’t have much to say? Find
somebody else who looks a little uncomfortable and talk to them — they’ll
feel so grateful you approached them that the conversation becomes easy.
“What brings you here?” is often a good icebreaker. Whatever you do, don’t
waste the opportunity by seeking out the people you already know well or
spending your time at the drink counter.

Card anyone over 21 (or under for that matter). Carry your business
card with you wherever you go. If you are a student or “between positions”,
then carry a card that just has your contact info or your school’s
information on it. When I first started in this business, it seemed crass to
always include a card with every introduction. Since then, however, I’ve
learned the value of business cards the hard way. Several weeks after an
event, I come across a good connection to make, but don’t have enough
information to track the contact down. Forgetting cards is a cardinal sin.

Be brief. People at networking events are often there to meet
others, plural, not just one person. They want to pay attention to you
briefly then move on to meeting somebody else. In venture capital, we often
use the term “elevator pitch” to explain how every entrepreneur should
describe their company. The saying comes from the idea that you may find
yourself in an elevator with a potential investor. You should be able to
introduce yourself and what your company does in a memorable, concise way
before the end of the elevator ride.

Be specific. When you are in the position of needing something, be
very specific about what it is. I often meet people at functions who are
between jobs and are looking for a position. “What do you do?” I ask. Most
smart people answer with some form of “well, I’ve done a variety of things
and am pretty flexible”. Well, good — next time I hear of a position where
somebody says “well, I don’t really care what the person I hire does, we’ll
figure it out when they arrive” I’ll put them in touch. Others you meet are
looking for something specific, and it is more likely to come up. A young
woman I met at one event was finishing a marketing program and really wanted
an entry level job in the area. That stuck in my head next time one of our
companies needed to fill out its marketing department. She’s now working
full time there.

Don’t ask for anything but advice. There’s an old truism in this
business: if you want advice, ask for money; if you want money, ask for
advice. This applies to job seekers as well. When you ask somebody to help
you find funding or find a job, it’s very blunt and implies a lot of
invested time. Try a much softer method: “I’m looking to move from
engineering into product management and would love to get your opinion
sometime on how I should approach that”. People love to hear themselves
talk, and in the course of the discussion, they may think of a few people
that need product managers (plus the advice may actually be good, though
it’ll get repetitive after awhile…). The same applies to financing, and
the softer approach changes the nature of the conversation.

Follow up…selectively. You won’t be able to follow up with
everybody at an event, but there will be a few that you feel a particular
connection with (or that may have what you need at the time). You can follow
up with an individual “nice to meet you” email to a few contacts. The
follow-up can be as simple as the email itself, or perhaps a suggested
meeting for coffee. Some people won’t respond at all, but that’s just the
nature of networking — until you know them better, you will always be their
lowest priority. Don’t get overly hung up on any particular contact.

Remember, networking is about serendipity not persistence.
As with any soft skills, there are exceptions to every rule and the rules
change as you get more senior. However, these principles of basic networking
will help you make your own luck.