“Four commonly used moisturizers -- Dermabase, Dermovan, Eucerin, and Vanicream -- increased skin cancers in mice previously exposed to UV radiation.” WebMD article
Moisturizers are oil in water suspensions, and like water they enhance the UV penetration to the skin. If they include filter layers that block or reduce the UV penetration, then this would not be the case. Look for moisturizers that include UV blocking ingredients such as Titanium Dioxide or Zinc Oxide. Also watch out for citrus and alpha and beta ingredients, as these will increase the penetration of UV, negating the use of blocking materials. Although highly recommended for elderly people, such beta materials such as carrot derived materials increase the penetration of UV radiation to the skin, increasing the opportunity for free radical production. Some skin creams include high concentrations of tocopherol (vitamin E) and ascorbic acid (vitamin C), which help to remove these free radicals, but the ascorbic acid at least, increases UV penetration. For light moisturizing look for the lightest weight materials and UV blocking materials, but for nightly moisturizing look for creams that include higher levels of free radical scrubbers. Avoid synthetic chemicals and limit exposure to the sun, or use moisturizers with very high levels of UV blocking materials. There is potential issues with any UV blocking materials, but clinical trials have yet to provide conclusive data on how much is too much, and which ones are the most dangerous in concentration. It should be common sense that any type of metal or heavy mineral should be used in moderation, as our bodies are not designed to process minerals of any type in large amounts.
Look for high quality all natural skin moisturizers that include these UV blocking materials in concentrations as such to be effective, but not overt. Also look at a skin care regiment that includes the use of skin creams that include high levels of scavenger materials for night time repair of daily damage. Also seek out products that can offer bi-weekly repair of the epidermis layers of the skin, such as clay based mask, and acid based scrubs. All of these are available from many manufacturers of all natural products, including the "Love, Gaia" line of all natural personal care products.
Friday, August 15, 2008
Tuesday, October 02, 2007
Labels for Tomorrow, and tomorrow
WicInd Group is designing new labels. These labels (packaging) will be used on all products. We are currently working with a NY printing firm Greg Barber Company for the base printing of our containers labels and office use papers. We are also in conversation with Greg about paperboard conversions for our needs in that form (soap boxes, etc.).
What will be most noticeable about the new labels is that we are not going to be using the background image that was part of our early labels. Even though the background image was significant in that it was an original art piece from our founder Arleta, it no longer suits the new look of our "Love, Gaia" line of natural personal care products.
We will also be including much more information on our labels. Previously our labels effectively contained the minimum of information necessary to meet CPS, FTC and other Federal or governmental regulations. We did include some small amount of marketing information, but for the most part it was only what had to be there to comply with regulations. We still include the regulatory information at proper resolutions, but now we will be including helpful information about the products, the company and/or about general health, beauty and/or environment and/or social issues. This allows us to use our labels for more of an advertising vehicle, while at the same time providing the necessary information and additional information for our customers, thus increasing the value to the customer.
We are still working out better label technologies, such as more environmental adhesives. Currently we use a form of hot applied wheat germ paste for most containers and package labels, however we are investigating other options that will be more environmental and require less energy to use. We must also consider that the labels and packages need to be safe for the customer, so this is large part of our considerations. We always test our new technologies against standards of the industry for safety and for usability, plus we add our own internal test that are usually more stringent than the industry standards. Our objective here is to create a environmentally safe adhesive technology, that is also safe for the product and therefore provide higher value to the customer.
We are still using sealing technologies that are common in the industry. We still use shrink wrapping technologies to ensure safety to our customers. We will be using tamper proof shrink bands on all products to ensure that the product safety from the point of manufacture to the point of purchase. We cannot at this time find a qualified substitute for this process, although we are investigating several alternatives. One particular hopeful that we are currently testing is a polymer made from corn stocks, and one from other vegetable stocks. We have not had sufficient conclusive results from our test to provide further information, or to make a change in our current technology to facilitate any alternative products at this time. We will be sure to update our customers on this issue when new information becomes available.
That's all we have on the labels for now, please check with us later for more information as it becomes available from our Research and Development labs.
Thank you,
James E. Doud
----------------
Listening to: WRVO
via FoxyTunes
What will be most noticeable about the new labels is that we are not going to be using the background image that was part of our early labels. Even though the background image was significant in that it was an original art piece from our founder Arleta, it no longer suits the new look of our "Love, Gaia" line of natural personal care products.
We will also be including much more information on our labels. Previously our labels effectively contained the minimum of information necessary to meet CPS, FTC and other Federal or governmental regulations. We did include some small amount of marketing information, but for the most part it was only what had to be there to comply with regulations. We still include the regulatory information at proper resolutions, but now we will be including helpful information about the products, the company and/or about general health, beauty and/or environment and/or social issues. This allows us to use our labels for more of an advertising vehicle, while at the same time providing the necessary information and additional information for our customers, thus increasing the value to the customer.
We are still working out better label technologies, such as more environmental adhesives. Currently we use a form of hot applied wheat germ paste for most containers and package labels, however we are investigating other options that will be more environmental and require less energy to use. We must also consider that the labels and packages need to be safe for the customer, so this is large part of our considerations. We always test our new technologies against standards of the industry for safety and for usability, plus we add our own internal test that are usually more stringent than the industry standards. Our objective here is to create a environmentally safe adhesive technology, that is also safe for the product and therefore provide higher value to the customer.
We are still using sealing technologies that are common in the industry. We still use shrink wrapping technologies to ensure safety to our customers. We will be using tamper proof shrink bands on all products to ensure that the product safety from the point of manufacture to the point of purchase. We cannot at this time find a qualified substitute for this process, although we are investigating several alternatives. One particular hopeful that we are currently testing is a polymer made from corn stocks, and one from other vegetable stocks. We have not had sufficient conclusive results from our test to provide further information, or to make a change in our current technology to facilitate any alternative products at this time. We will be sure to update our customers on this issue when new information becomes available.
That's all we have on the labels for now, please check with us later for more information as it becomes available from our Research and Development labs.
Thank you,
James E. Doud
----------------
Listening to: WRVO
via FoxyTunes
New Bottle Designs
WicInd Group is working on new bottle designs for all our products that use bottles. We will be featuring them here. For now, we will provide the specifics of the why and what the bottles mean for our customers.
Why we chose to use new bottles.
In our effort to ensure that we are adhering to our high standards of environmental conservation, we are switching to glass materials for our bottles. WicInd Group produces the "Love, Gaia" brand of natural personal care products. In that line we have lotions and creams (as well as other products) which previously were packaged in HDPE plastic bottles and jars. Although HDPE plastics is highly recyclable and often made with high levels of recycled materials, it still is using plastic. In the use of plastic we have found that there is a small amount of transference of the material to the product over time, and therefore we have decided that our customers will be served better by the use of neutral glass materials. Glass is also 100% recyclable, or even refillable, which leads into our return of packaging program. We will be able to provide additional incentives to our customers to return the packaging to the place of purchase (even websites), for a refund on the packaging, which can be directly applied to the new packaging. We do not have a deposit on our products, but we do offer an incentive for the customer to return the package, allowing us to ensure that our packaging is recycled properly. In most cases we will be able to clean and reuse the packaging for new products.
Ugly bottles make better products.
The specifications of the bottles and jars are also important for product protection. For this we require that the bottle or container be of a dark brown, dark amber, or ruby color. We are most interested in the dark brown color as it allows the least amount of light transmission. Although WicInd Group products do include anti-oxidants (tocopherol, etc.) we do not use synthetic or even naturally derived preservatives, and therefore the dark colors of our packaging helps to protect the product from light damage. We were not able to provide this same protection in the HDPE bottles, even with using the opaque white bottles. Unfortunately this can make for a less than pretty bottle or container. We had considered other alternatives, such as metallic sleeves or impregnating the glass with metallic materials, however these operations create problems with the recycling of the containers. Although WicInd Group would like all their customers to return the packaging to the place of purchase so that we could ensure that they are properly recycled or reused, we can not expect that this will occur 100% of the time, even with the incentives we offer. This being the case we have chosen to use the darkest color of glass commonly available that will still comply with most local recycling systems. The containers may be ugly, but at least they are environmentally safe, and safer for the customer, giving them better value for their money.
Glass Breaks, doesn't it.
There are issues of safety of the containers. WicInd Group has considered the safety of the containers. We are fully aware of the dangers of glass breakage. We have had to make a compromise in this situation. In the case of the consideration of breakage versus weight in shipping. We service many of our customers via the internet, and have to ship the product to them through the common carriers. We also have to consider bulk shipments to our stores from our manufacturing facility. The cost of shipping does present a problem that we are still considering, however we are going ahead with this program, with the idea that if shipment becomes an issue, we will reconsider this program, or find another method to transport the product. Breakage is the other major consideration. How this runs into problems that in order to ensure that the container is safe from normal use breakage, we have to make it quite heavy, and that is why we have problems with the shipment. We have decided to ensure that the container is heavy enough to ensure that it will be safe for the customer under normal use conditions. WicInd Group has a concern that outside of normal usage the product is still dangerous. If the customer is to throw the container against a wall and/or it falls on a hard surface from waist hight or higher we are concerned that it will have breakage beyond what we consider acceptable. We are still testing materials and container reactions to various types of internally developed test. Yes we are throwing our containers around, but in more controlled conditions and trying to find what specifications will need to be considered in the compromise we make for both breakage safety and shipping economy. Our basic objective is to specify a safe container and then consider how we will ship it economically.
So that's all we got for now. We will post more when test provide additional information. In the meantime we are continuing to use the rest of our inventory of HDPE containers for our products. We are seeking suppliers of glass materials, and are working with several of them to find the best choice based on several criteria, including environmental considerations of the suppliers. As always social considerations are a large part our decision, however we do have to continue to produce products, so we have to make some compromises, but only when we have to.
Thank you,
James E. Doud
----------------
Listening to: WRVO
via FoxyTunes
Why we chose to use new bottles.
In our effort to ensure that we are adhering to our high standards of environmental conservation, we are switching to glass materials for our bottles. WicInd Group produces the "Love, Gaia" brand of natural personal care products. In that line we have lotions and creams (as well as other products) which previously were packaged in HDPE plastic bottles and jars. Although HDPE plastics is highly recyclable and often made with high levels of recycled materials, it still is using plastic. In the use of plastic we have found that there is a small amount of transference of the material to the product over time, and therefore we have decided that our customers will be served better by the use of neutral glass materials. Glass is also 100% recyclable, or even refillable, which leads into our return of packaging program. We will be able to provide additional incentives to our customers to return the packaging to the place of purchase (even websites), for a refund on the packaging, which can be directly applied to the new packaging. We do not have a deposit on our products, but we do offer an incentive for the customer to return the package, allowing us to ensure that our packaging is recycled properly. In most cases we will be able to clean and reuse the packaging for new products.
Ugly bottles make better products.
The specifications of the bottles and jars are also important for product protection. For this we require that the bottle or container be of a dark brown, dark amber, or ruby color. We are most interested in the dark brown color as it allows the least amount of light transmission. Although WicInd Group products do include anti-oxidants (tocopherol, etc.) we do not use synthetic or even naturally derived preservatives, and therefore the dark colors of our packaging helps to protect the product from light damage. We were not able to provide this same protection in the HDPE bottles, even with using the opaque white bottles. Unfortunately this can make for a less than pretty bottle or container. We had considered other alternatives, such as metallic sleeves or impregnating the glass with metallic materials, however these operations create problems with the recycling of the containers. Although WicInd Group would like all their customers to return the packaging to the place of purchase so that we could ensure that they are properly recycled or reused, we can not expect that this will occur 100% of the time, even with the incentives we offer. This being the case we have chosen to use the darkest color of glass commonly available that will still comply with most local recycling systems. The containers may be ugly, but at least they are environmentally safe, and safer for the customer, giving them better value for their money.
Glass Breaks, doesn't it.
There are issues of safety of the containers. WicInd Group has considered the safety of the containers. We are fully aware of the dangers of glass breakage. We have had to make a compromise in this situation. In the case of the consideration of breakage versus weight in shipping. We service many of our customers via the internet, and have to ship the product to them through the common carriers. We also have to consider bulk shipments to our stores from our manufacturing facility. The cost of shipping does present a problem that we are still considering, however we are going ahead with this program, with the idea that if shipment becomes an issue, we will reconsider this program, or find another method to transport the product. Breakage is the other major consideration. How this runs into problems that in order to ensure that the container is safe from normal use breakage, we have to make it quite heavy, and that is why we have problems with the shipment. We have decided to ensure that the container is heavy enough to ensure that it will be safe for the customer under normal use conditions. WicInd Group has a concern that outside of normal usage the product is still dangerous. If the customer is to throw the container against a wall and/or it falls on a hard surface from waist hight or higher we are concerned that it will have breakage beyond what we consider acceptable. We are still testing materials and container reactions to various types of internally developed test. Yes we are throwing our containers around, but in more controlled conditions and trying to find what specifications will need to be considered in the compromise we make for both breakage safety and shipping economy. Our basic objective is to specify a safe container and then consider how we will ship it economically.
- Heavy Glass Container
- Dark Brown color
- Multiple Sizes and Shapes
- Molding to Our Designs
- Recyclable Content
- Recycled Content
- Re-usability
- Adaptation to closures specified
Basic Specifications:
So that's all we got for now. We will post more when test provide additional information. In the meantime we are continuing to use the rest of our inventory of HDPE containers for our products. We are seeking suppliers of glass materials, and are working with several of them to find the best choice based on several criteria, including environmental considerations of the suppliers. As always social considerations are a large part our decision, however we do have to continue to produce products, so we have to make some compromises, but only when we have to.
Thank you,
James E. Doud
----------------
Listening to: WRVO
via FoxyTunes
Friday, September 28, 2007
The Shelf Life pt.1
How Long is too long for Personal Care Products?
We have run many test on the shelf life of our products, and although they have yet to be completed, we feel secure in the knowledge that the shelf life of our products is comperable with most widely available products. However to be certain you will find a use by date on every "Love, Gaia" Natural Personal Care Products product. For more information on Shelf Lives of cosmetics and personal care products, see this article in the Seattle Times Living section.
We will be providing more information on Shelf Life in the near future as we receive more information from our test.
Thank you for stopping by... have a nice day.
Saturday, September 22, 2007
Business Plan v1.0 rough draft "Who are We"
An installment of a plan for the business.
Not being a very good planner, I am now attempting to change that by writing everything here, and hoping that it will be able to be edited down into something useful for the business plan.
Today I am tackling "Who We Are", or at least who I think we are.
Everyone should know me by now, I am James Doud, the more literary of the pair. My wife is Arleta Dix-Doud, the basis for the business in the first place. We are not complicated individuals, at least not in the sense that we are hard to see, in that what we are attempting is easy to understand. We are a bit above the average person in intellect, although many of them have more formal educations. Who we are is two individuals who together have tried to bring a vision to life. We are at odds with each other on how that vision should be, but for the most part, I think as we work towards the creation of the basic parts of the business, we will find that my grander vision is only an extension on her more earthly vision.
Arleta has experience in business management, and in health related fields, so she has the most closely related practical experience for this business. She has owned her own business, and worked as a office manager at a flooring showroom. She also has been an EMT, and phlebotomist and involved personally in the medical fields. She has also nearly completed her biology and psychology degrees.
Well more later...
Not being a very good planner, I am now attempting to change that by writing everything here, and hoping that it will be able to be edited down into something useful for the business plan.
Today I am tackling "Who We Are", or at least who I think we are.
Everyone should know me by now, I am James Doud, the more literary of the pair. My wife is Arleta Dix-Doud, the basis for the business in the first place. We are not complicated individuals, at least not in the sense that we are hard to see, in that what we are attempting is easy to understand. We are a bit above the average person in intellect, although many of them have more formal educations. Who we are is two individuals who together have tried to bring a vision to life. We are at odds with each other on how that vision should be, but for the most part, I think as we work towards the creation of the basic parts of the business, we will find that my grander vision is only an extension on her more earthly vision.
Arleta has experience in business management, and in health related fields, so she has the most closely related practical experience for this business. She has owned her own business, and worked as a office manager at a flooring showroom. She also has been an EMT, and phlebotomist and involved personally in the medical fields. She has also nearly completed her biology and psychology degrees.
Well more later...
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
Living Wage for Food at Stanford
Stanford Hunger Strike
Today I read in Mother Jones about some Stanford University students were on a hunger strike for "living wages" for the campus staff. After reading the background on the campus and the blog post by the students I am beside myself at the moment. I am writing this in a state of disbelief, that such an issue results in such direct dramatic action by the staff and students of the university.
My wife Arleta and I are trying to get our business, WicInd Group, started and one of our problems is that we are having a hard time sorting out the details on how we will implement our "living wage" program. I am probably the greatest problem, in that I want a "living wage" program that includes many features that are currently not considered in most "living wage" models. Not that I want to pay our employees less, but that I think they should get more. I believe "living wages" should be tied to certain indices that would implement certain unconventional controls over our "living wage" program that are usually not part of most "living wage" programs. One of these is the COLA (Cost Of Living Adjustment). This scale would increase or decrease our employees wages by an adjustment factor. This factor would effect our employees wages in both directions. To adjust the wages down seems counter-productive to most "living wage" programs, and to most people, but it makes it feasible for us to pay other parts of the wage at a more equitable rate for us. When the cost of living decreases, we should not just continue to pay the increase because it used to be needed. We should be able to decrease the employee cost so that we may see a cost savings at the company level as well. We also would make the adjustments on a quarterly basis, so even though the COLA may move more often it would only be adjusted as it were on the quarter. This program would make the program more affordable for the company, and fair to the employees. The employees would get an increase on the quarter that the COLA increased, or a decrease when the COLA decreased on the quarter. My wife disagrees with me, she says you can not take pay back from the employees once you have given it to them, but I continue to disagree. Look at a pay cut, many employees would rather take a small pay cut rather than lose their jobs. If we are able to keep our wages reasonable by using a variable scale percentage, we can continue to keep paying our employees even as cost decrease. Knowing this from the very beginning should satisfy most employees. Knowing that they stand just as much chance of an increase as a decrease should mean they will rather have this than strait wages.
This program does not mean that our employees do not get wage increases according to our incentives and performance bonus programs. It is a complimentary to our base "living wage" program. Each employee will receive a base "living wage", which will be increased or decreased to match the COLA index, as well as a few other indexes. We should be able to implement this program and see better performance from our employees as one of the other indexes that adjust payment is also a yearly adjustment based on performance of the operations, adjusted quarterly. These adjustments are across the entire enterprise, so that all employees, no matter what their scale will have their base rates adjusted to suit these scales.
Starting from a base rate that is applicable to the process being performed (according to a national and regional base pay rate + a premium ratio), adjusted to compute a base "living wage" (using average living cost +/- family ratios), we can compute a base "living wage" that will then be adjusted according to the then current ratio indexes. Our rates can never drop below the base "living wage" (unadjusted) rate. This should be an agreeable rate, but we still feel that there is more to understand about our employees feelings and how they would react.
That brings me back to this Stanford University Hunger Strike issue. How Stanford University can justify not paying a "living wage", at least a base rate, is beyond my comprehension. How can they afford not to. This is the augment I make with my wife, all the time. One of the main reasons good help is hard to find is that they are under trained, and underpaid. It goes back to that same old saying, you get what you pay for. By ensuring that the people who work for you can afford to live their lives and make all their basic living expenses, as well as providing continuous and enhanced training in their lives (not just job training, but additional training), you build a loyalty that will provide higher rates of productivity and provide greater cost savings in cost of employment and operations. The cost to get a person in our operations to the point where they are highly productive would be difficult to justify if we were to pay less than a "living wage" and provide comprehensive services. Stanford University may view their "staff" employees as less than normal contract employees, and this I guess would justify their opinion on this issue, but they shouldn't judge them as less than human, which is what they are doing if they continue to pay less than a "living wage" to all employees.
Mother Jones a magazine I used to subscribe to, but now I only get the electronic feeds through my Google Reader, because I don't like to waste paper, and money, has always provided me with fuel for dissension. Having been a protester before, I know what those people are going through. Even in my days of protesting I rarely if ever signed a petition, although I have written a lot of letters to editors, and political figures. In this case I am going to write a letter to the President of Stanford University, to the Governor of California, and to my congressional representatives to take action in this matter. Perhaps something will have already been done by then, but this is the least I can do. I am not in a position at this time to do much more, or I would. I will send a note to the students and staff at Stanford University to let them know I think they are doing the right thing, and that I wish I could help them in a more active way, but that I will do at least as much as I can from where I am.
I hope everyone does as much as they can, because no one can do it for them. We all need to get out there and do more, and if we did, we wouldn't need everyone else doing so much for us, as it would already be done by us.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
Thank you,
James
Today I read in Mother Jones about some Stanford University students were on a hunger strike for "living wages" for the campus staff. After reading the background on the campus and the blog post by the students I am beside myself at the moment. I am writing this in a state of disbelief, that such an issue results in such direct dramatic action by the staff and students of the university.
My wife Arleta and I are trying to get our business, WicInd Group, started and one of our problems is that we are having a hard time sorting out the details on how we will implement our "living wage" program. I am probably the greatest problem, in that I want a "living wage" program that includes many features that are currently not considered in most "living wage" models. Not that I want to pay our employees less, but that I think they should get more. I believe "living wages" should be tied to certain indices that would implement certain unconventional controls over our "living wage" program that are usually not part of most "living wage" programs. One of these is the COLA (Cost Of Living Adjustment). This scale would increase or decrease our employees wages by an adjustment factor. This factor would effect our employees wages in both directions. To adjust the wages down seems counter-productive to most "living wage" programs, and to most people, but it makes it feasible for us to pay other parts of the wage at a more equitable rate for us. When the cost of living decreases, we should not just continue to pay the increase because it used to be needed. We should be able to decrease the employee cost so that we may see a cost savings at the company level as well. We also would make the adjustments on a quarterly basis, so even though the COLA may move more often it would only be adjusted as it were on the quarter. This program would make the program more affordable for the company, and fair to the employees. The employees would get an increase on the quarter that the COLA increased, or a decrease when the COLA decreased on the quarter. My wife disagrees with me, she says you can not take pay back from the employees once you have given it to them, but I continue to disagree. Look at a pay cut, many employees would rather take a small pay cut rather than lose their jobs. If we are able to keep our wages reasonable by using a variable scale percentage, we can continue to keep paying our employees even as cost decrease. Knowing this from the very beginning should satisfy most employees. Knowing that they stand just as much chance of an increase as a decrease should mean they will rather have this than strait wages.
This program does not mean that our employees do not get wage increases according to our incentives and performance bonus programs. It is a complimentary to our base "living wage" program. Each employee will receive a base "living wage", which will be increased or decreased to match the COLA index, as well as a few other indexes. We should be able to implement this program and see better performance from our employees as one of the other indexes that adjust payment is also a yearly adjustment based on performance of the operations, adjusted quarterly. These adjustments are across the entire enterprise, so that all employees, no matter what their scale will have their base rates adjusted to suit these scales.
Starting from a base rate that is applicable to the process being performed (according to a national and regional base pay rate + a premium ratio), adjusted to compute a base "living wage" (using average living cost +/- family ratios), we can compute a base "living wage" that will then be adjusted according to the then current ratio indexes. Our rates can never drop below the base "living wage" (unadjusted) rate. This should be an agreeable rate, but we still feel that there is more to understand about our employees feelings and how they would react.
That brings me back to this Stanford University Hunger Strike issue. How Stanford University can justify not paying a "living wage", at least a base rate, is beyond my comprehension. How can they afford not to. This is the augment I make with my wife, all the time. One of the main reasons good help is hard to find is that they are under trained, and underpaid. It goes back to that same old saying, you get what you pay for. By ensuring that the people who work for you can afford to live their lives and make all their basic living expenses, as well as providing continuous and enhanced training in their lives (not just job training, but additional training), you build a loyalty that will provide higher rates of productivity and provide greater cost savings in cost of employment and operations. The cost to get a person in our operations to the point where they are highly productive would be difficult to justify if we were to pay less than a "living wage" and provide comprehensive services. Stanford University may view their "staff" employees as less than normal contract employees, and this I guess would justify their opinion on this issue, but they shouldn't judge them as less than human, which is what they are doing if they continue to pay less than a "living wage" to all employees.
Mother Jones a magazine I used to subscribe to, but now I only get the electronic feeds through my Google Reader, because I don't like to waste paper, and money, has always provided me with fuel for dissension. Having been a protester before, I know what those people are going through. Even in my days of protesting I rarely if ever signed a petition, although I have written a lot of letters to editors, and political figures. In this case I am going to write a letter to the President of Stanford University, to the Governor of California, and to my congressional representatives to take action in this matter. Perhaps something will have already been done by then, but this is the least I can do. I am not in a position at this time to do much more, or I would. I will send a note to the students and staff at Stanford University to let them know I think they are doing the right thing, and that I wish I could help them in a more active way, but that I will do at least as much as I can from where I am.
I hope everyone does as much as they can, because no one can do it for them. We all need to get out there and do more, and if we did, we wouldn't need everyone else doing so much for us, as it would already be done by us.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
- Department of Labor
- EPIonline
- Mother Jones
- Stanford University
- Governor of California
- Google News Search: Stanford University Hunger Strike
Thank you,
James
Wednesday, January 31, 2007
New Developments: WicInd Group Space
This is a WicInd Group draft document
January 31, 2007
We are currently seeking a new space top work in. Although we have looked at many of them, what we are looking for is determined by the space itself. We are considering a telework cafe, as part of the new space. This would allow teleworkers to lease space, equipment, and services from WicInd Group, with all the necessary services to perform their work remotely, yet in a secure location. This will also be a cafe, providing community space, to both the teleworkers, and partial access to the community. Other than public access times (daytimes 9am-5pm) the cafe is accessible only to the teleworkers (24/7). The Tele-offices are accessible 24/7 by members using their access cards and biometric devices. Extensive use of biometrics will prevent theft of the WicInd Group equipment. WicInd Group equipment will be accessed by use of biometric print scan. They will also be given a USB biometric scanner that will give them access to the WicInd Group network. This USB key can be used at any location to gain access to the WicInd Group network. This level of security ensures that WicInd Group services and WicInd Group equipment are protected from theft and intrusion.
The WicInd Group network will be a high security system. We will use a proxy server at the gateway to ensure that connections are secure from detection. We will also employ a IDS at the gateway with remote access to the network administrator (via remote STMP or SMS) on call. We will also use port forwarding to ensure that each user receives full potential of the network. Our network will use load balancing to make the most of the network, and provide exceptional performance for users. Because the network will be used both locally and through remote VPN access, we will go extra steps to ensure network security.
Our primary goals will be to provide access to our members, and to ensure high security. We are also highly concerned with integrity of the data that is stored on the servers. We will be utilizing an off-site data store to ensure that we have protected storage of network data backups. Our data will be backed up daily through high speed data connection (encrypted) to the off-site data store, using redundant update to ensure that they are synchronized properly. We will also utilize redundant data stores in the form of Network Attached Storage (NAS/SAN) using RAID level 5 or above to endure local integrity of the data stored on th servers.
This highly complex system will ensure security, integrity, and performance for the users. This will increase our value in the market. Our services will be trusted as will our security, as we continue to investigate such areas as type printing, retina scans, voice print, and other biometric and high security systems for user and network security.
Our users will be able to rely on 99.999% up time and performance, due to our use of high availability servers operating in a high security network designed to produce maximum performance across the channels, including VPN/ATM remote access.
A member can chose to work at the work space or from their own homes having secure access to the same data and network services in either space. Remote access will be determined by their services, as WicInd Group can only provide high speed access to the servers, and cannot guarantee the same type of access at the users location.
We are currently looking to install T1 lines at the proposed location. We will be setting our services up to utilize high speed optical fiber (DS3 and above) with plans for new technologies as they are made available. All our service stations are copper wired with Gigabyte Cat6 copper wires to the servers, with the capability to add duplex fiber when that is made available. We also offer WIFI (802.11n) and Bluetooth access secured by strong encryption. Our location in NY is designed to accommodate outside access points, with the same level of strong encryption.
WicInd Group wants to provide the best in service, equipment and space. To this end we have focused on ensuring that the space is unique and comfortable. It includes a conference room that features a 54" HDTV connected to the server network through a dual output media server. It also features a conference table that can be easily moved into different configurations for multiple uses. Further the conference room will be designed to be upgraded to make use of aware space technologies that are currently under development by WicInd Group in conjunction with various universities.
Each cube space is designed for both privacy and for open formats. It allows either the user to collaborate (connect several spaces) with other users or to work privately (space can be completely enclosed) in their own design. This highly flexible space design allows users to have many design configurations with complete access to all the services of the servers.
Of course what would a telecommute space be worth without the telecommunications. WicInd Group will be building a IP-PBX with the network server system. This will provide multiple line capability to each member user based on lease agreements. Line agreements are high customizable, and allow for remote authorization of additional capacity through IM request and remote Administrator authorization. However the telephony access is only IP access, and all land-line (POTS) access is through the network server. We have only one land-line number available to the members use. This is the number they will use to call in for service from remote. This single number is run through the IP-PBX and routed to the IP lines the user has leased. We will use an IVR sub-network to negotiate access from the land-line to members leased lines, through the IP-PBX server.
We will also be operating a call center (mostly help desk services) that will use a single point access POTS number that will be patched through the IP-PBX server using the IVR to route calls to knowledge base attendants using remote access or local access (in the case of agents that are local at the time of call). This knowledge base system will pool knowledge agents according to their level of knowledge on a particular area, and route through the knowledge base including elevation of user to other agents based on call transcription and monitoring. The IVR will monitor calls and will try to detect when elevation is necessary to best serve the customer. This system will be designed around the AI agent being implemented as soon as it can be developed to handle the calls from the IVR.
Last but certainly not least is the cafe. WicInd Group Cyber Cafe is for the use by the members and also by the community. Open from 9am until 5pm for the community, the cyber cafe allows community members to partake in the high quality coffee and other products of the WicInd Group Cyber Cafe. It also allows potential members to view the office setting by making an appoint with the Cyber Cafe staff to view the rest of the facility.
Members have 24/7 access to the Cyber Cafe through their access verification pass. After hours access provides basic access to coffee and other products, although after 5pm the service will be not be via a live attendant (self-service only). The cafe will also provide community meal services at predetermined times (see: WicInd Group Community food services).
This is the draft of the plan for the WicInd Group Telework Community Services. Specific details are currently being completed including cost and facility location cost. At such time as this becomes final we will be posting an update to this document disclosing the description of the services. WicInd Group makes no promise or guarantee of service based on this document as it is still exploring the potential of this proposal.
This is posted by James E. Doud, Chief Technology Officer and General Operations Manager for WicInd Group.
January 31, 2007
We are currently seeking a new space top work in. Although we have looked at many of them, what we are looking for is determined by the space itself. We are considering a telework cafe, as part of the new space. This would allow teleworkers to lease space, equipment, and services from WicInd Group, with all the necessary services to perform their work remotely, yet in a secure location. This will also be a cafe, providing community space, to both the teleworkers, and partial access to the community. Other than public access times (daytimes 9am-5pm) the cafe is accessible only to the teleworkers (24/7). The Tele-offices are accessible 24/7 by members using their access cards and biometric devices. Extensive use of biometrics will prevent theft of the WicInd Group equipment. WicInd Group equipment will be accessed by use of biometric print scan. They will also be given a USB biometric scanner that will give them access to the WicInd Group network. This USB key can be used at any location to gain access to the WicInd Group network. This level of security ensures that WicInd Group services and WicInd Group equipment are protected from theft and intrusion.
The WicInd Group network will be a high security system. We will use a proxy server at the gateway to ensure that connections are secure from detection. We will also employ a IDS at the gateway with remote access to the network administrator (via remote STMP or SMS) on call. We will also use port forwarding to ensure that each user receives full potential of the network. Our network will use load balancing to make the most of the network, and provide exceptional performance for users. Because the network will be used both locally and through remote VPN access, we will go extra steps to ensure network security.
Our primary goals will be to provide access to our members, and to ensure high security. We are also highly concerned with integrity of the data that is stored on the servers. We will be utilizing an off-site data store to ensure that we have protected storage of network data backups. Our data will be backed up daily through high speed data connection (encrypted) to the off-site data store, using redundant update to ensure that they are synchronized properly. We will also utilize redundant data stores in the form of Network Attached Storage (NAS/SAN) using RAID level 5 or above to endure local integrity of the data stored on th servers.
This highly complex system will ensure security, integrity, and performance for the users. This will increase our value in the market. Our services will be trusted as will our security, as we continue to investigate such areas as type printing, retina scans, voice print, and other biometric and high security systems for user and network security.
Our users will be able to rely on 99.999% up time and performance, due to our use of high availability servers operating in a high security network designed to produce maximum performance across the channels, including VPN/ATM remote access.
A member can chose to work at the work space or from their own homes having secure access to the same data and network services in either space. Remote access will be determined by their services, as WicInd Group can only provide high speed access to the servers, and cannot guarantee the same type of access at the users location.
We are currently looking to install T1 lines at the proposed location. We will be setting our services up to utilize high speed optical fiber (DS3 and above) with plans for new technologies as they are made available. All our service stations are copper wired with Gigabyte Cat6 copper wires to the servers, with the capability to add duplex fiber when that is made available. We also offer WIFI (802.11n) and Bluetooth access secured by strong encryption. Our location in NY is designed to accommodate outside access points, with the same level of strong encryption.
WicInd Group wants to provide the best in service, equipment and space. To this end we have focused on ensuring that the space is unique and comfortable. It includes a conference room that features a 54" HDTV connected to the server network through a dual output media server. It also features a conference table that can be easily moved into different configurations for multiple uses. Further the conference room will be designed to be upgraded to make use of aware space technologies that are currently under development by WicInd Group in conjunction with various universities.
Each cube space is designed for both privacy and for open formats. It allows either the user to collaborate (connect several spaces) with other users or to work privately (space can be completely enclosed) in their own design. This highly flexible space design allows users to have many design configurations with complete access to all the services of the servers.
Of course what would a telecommute space be worth without the telecommunications. WicInd Group will be building a IP-PBX with the network server system. This will provide multiple line capability to each member user based on lease agreements. Line agreements are high customizable, and allow for remote authorization of additional capacity through IM request and remote Administrator authorization. However the telephony access is only IP access, and all land-line (POTS) access is through the network server. We have only one land-line number available to the members use. This is the number they will use to call in for service from remote. This single number is run through the IP-PBX and routed to the IP lines the user has leased. We will use an IVR sub-network to negotiate access from the land-line to members leased lines, through the IP-PBX server.
We will also be operating a call center (mostly help desk services) that will use a single point access POTS number that will be patched through the IP-PBX server using the IVR to route calls to knowledge base attendants using remote access or local access (in the case of agents that are local at the time of call). This knowledge base system will pool knowledge agents according to their level of knowledge on a particular area, and route through the knowledge base including elevation of user to other agents based on call transcription and monitoring. The IVR will monitor calls and will try to detect when elevation is necessary to best serve the customer. This system will be designed around the AI agent being implemented as soon as it can be developed to handle the calls from the IVR.
Last but certainly not least is the cafe. WicInd Group Cyber Cafe is for the use by the members and also by the community. Open from 9am until 5pm for the community, the cyber cafe allows community members to partake in the high quality coffee and other products of the WicInd Group Cyber Cafe. It also allows potential members to view the office setting by making an appoint with the Cyber Cafe staff to view the rest of the facility.
Members have 24/7 access to the Cyber Cafe through their access verification pass. After hours access provides basic access to coffee and other products, although after 5pm the service will be not be via a live attendant (self-service only). The cafe will also provide community meal services at predetermined times (see: WicInd Group Community food services).
This is the draft of the plan for the WicInd Group Telework Community Services. Specific details are currently being completed including cost and facility location cost. At such time as this becomes final we will be posting an update to this document disclosing the description of the services. WicInd Group makes no promise or guarantee of service based on this document as it is still exploring the potential of this proposal.
This is posted by James E. Doud, Chief Technology Officer and General Operations Manager for WicInd Group.
A shift in the WicInd
We have been, for the most part not doing any business for the past two years. This has as you might expect devastated our business. It has not however broken it. We are now working out the details of how to bring about a new WicInd Group. So look for WicInd Group products and services soon.
Saturday, September 18, 2004
What’s up with WicInd Group
What’s up with WicInd Group
JEDoud-Web Log (BLOG)
We’ve been busy putting together new retailer campaigns, while at the same time trying to expand our line of products to enhance the offerings to customers. My research so far has provided me with valuable information on the viability of product awareness. I have found nearly too much information, and therefore it has been difficult to put the web site together in view of my desire to provide our customers with valuable information. We have also had some difficulty with the development of a secure form for ordering and order processing. We have considered working with PayPal on the site, but so far their customer service has not imp[ressed me. They seem okay for their transaction purposes, but I prefer to have better access to humans when I want specific answers. Even a better response from their email would be appreciated. Our next choice was to move to DirectPay from Yahoo, but there seems to be a problem with authorizing the account. My biggest complaint with the security troubles is authentication. I know that SSL will provide a secure layer, and that transaction databases can record those transactions, but payment processing is still a difficult process. Furthermore the process of remembering passwords and security keys or secrecy questions is a hassle I need to find a solution to. I am looking at alternatives, but for now standard procedures are being implemented to facilitate secure transaction through the web-site. Expect that we will be able to accept payments by the end of September.
That’s all for now—end of transmission—
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