Cloud Computing, also das Auslagern von IT-Dienstleistungen auf Provider und Rechenzentren, kann aus der Perspektive des Datenschutzes eine recht heikle Angelegenheit werden. Denn die rechtliche Verantwortlichkeit für die Korrektheit der Arbeit in der Cloud sowie die zum Teil sehr weitreichende persönliche Haftung der Verantwortlichen für damit einhergehende Risiken können nicht mit in die Cloud wegdelegiert werden.

Andererseits kann Cloud Computing gerade kleineren und mittelständischen Unternehmen dabei helfen, professionelle Abläufe im IT-Betrieb sowie hohe Standards bei IT-Sicherheit und Datenschutz einzukaufen anstatt sie selbst erst aufbauen zu müssen.

Zu diesem Schluss kommt eine Untersuchung der Europäischen Agentur für Netz- und Informationssicherheit (ENISA), die kürzlich veröffentlicht wurde (PDF, 2 MB). „Die Weitergabe der eigenen Daten in fremde Hände bedeutet für Unternehmen natürlich ein Risiko. Neben offensichtlichen Gefahren wie Datenschutz-Intransparenz, Datenverlust und unvollständiger Datenlöschung kann die fehlende Kompatibilität von Lösungen zu Problemen bei der Migration zu einem anderen Anbieter führen“, erläutert ENISA-Researcher Daniele Catteddu. Daher rät man den am Cloud Computing interessierten Unternehmen, sich in Frage kommende Anbieter genau anzusehen. Dafür sollte im Unternehmen eine geschäftsspezifische Risikoanalyse gemacht werden, wozu die ENISA in ihrer Untersuchung konkrete Handlungsanleitungen gibt.

Besonders attraktiv ist Cloud Computing dabei für neu gegründete Unternehmen, deren Alternative ansonsten darin bestünde, ihre IT auf der grünen Wiese komplett neu aufzubauen. Schließlich lassen sich viele Cloud-Leistungen modular buchen, kurzfristig erweitern und nutzungsabhängig abrechnen.

Auch der Netzwerksicherheitsdienstleister RSA kam zu der Erkenntnis, dass Cloud Computing das Sicherheitsniveau herkömmlicher IT-Infrastrukturen in KMU deutlich steigern kann. In der November-Ausgabe des „RSA Security Brief“ ist ein Leitfaden enthalten, worauf ein Unternehmen technisch, rechtlich und organisatorisch bei der Auswahl eines Cloud-Dienstleisters sowie der Einführung von Cloud Computing achten sollte. Und mit welchen technischen Ansätzen sich wertvolle Unternehmensdaten schützen und rechtliche Datenschutzanforderungen erfüllen lassen.

I am reviewing Ellen Bialystok’s 1988 article Levels of Bilingualism and Levels of Linguistic Awareness for my Sociolinguistics and Education class. It has been widely cited by proponents of bilingual education as evidence that bilingualism leads to improved metalinguistic awareness in children. Metalinguistic awareness refers to the ability to reflect upon language as a process or an object. When we talk about language, about nouns and verbs and about how concepts translate from one language to another, we are displaying metalinguistic ability. Bialystok hypothesized

that all bilingual children would perform better than monolingual children on all metalinguistic tasks requiring high levels of control of processing and that fully bilingual children would perform better than partially bilingual children on tasks requiring high levels of analysis of knowledge. (Bialystok, 1988)

Bialystok begins her article with a review of early literature on bilingualism and its effects on various kinds of achievement. The earliest literature concluded that bilingualism would harm developing minds, confusing them and retarding their academic performance (cf. Darcy, 1963). Subsequent research, however, has shown evidence for opposite conclusions.Bialystok proposes that in order to understand the relationship between metalinguistic ability and bilingualism, distinctions need to be made between levels of bilingualism and types of metalinguistic task. She distinguishes between two components of metalinguistic competence: analysis of linguistic knowledge (making explicit the structure of language) and control of linguistic processing (directing attention to forms and abstractions, ignoring meaning). In addition, bilingualism is seen not as an essential quality, but a spectrum of balance between the native language and the second language. These distinctions form the basis for her interpretation of previous literature and the formulation of her hypotheses, quoted above.

The first hypothesis makes sense when we consider that bilingual children must negotiate two different codes and map them to overlapping semantic entities. It seems natural that they develop an ability to view the codes as abstract structures. The second hypothesis predicts that balanced bilinguals who are literate in both languages will perform better on linguistic analysis tasks than bilinguals who are only literate in one language, partial bilinguals, or monolinguals. This hypothesis is in part an attempt to make sense of studies in which some bilinguals showed increased ability on language analysis problems, but others did not.

Bialystok reports on two studies that she conducted in order to test her hypotheses. In both, children were divided into monolingual, partial bilingual, and full bilingual groups. They were given a variety of problems to solve testing their analysis of linguistic knowledge and control of linguistic processing. The results largely supported her predictions, showing that degree of bilingualism influences linguistic analysis ability, and that all bilinguals perform better than monolinguals at control of linguistic processing. The exact ways in which bilinguals differ and how these differences lead to differences in metalinguistic awareness is a question that remains unanswered. Bialystok suggests that proficiency in the L2 and literacy may be important variables.

What these findings suggest is that bilingualism does not harm the cognitive functioning of children. Depending on the skill in question, bilingualism appears to either have no effect or to enhance metalinguistic awareness.

Bialystok, E. (1988). Levels of bilingualism and levels of linguistic awareness. Developmental psychology, 24, 560-567.

Darcy, N. T. (1963). Bilingualism and the measure of intelligence: Review of a decade of research. Journal of genetic psychology, 82, 259-282.

According to the most recent census data, over 18% of 5 to 17-year-olds in America speak a language other than English at home (mostly Spanish). Of these young people, at least a third can be classified as Limited English Proficient (LEP). Many of these children are living in impoverished households in linguistically isolated communities in major urban centers.

The Equal Educational Opportunities Act of 1974 promises all American children that

“No state shall deny equal educational opportunities to an individual on account of his or her race, color, sex, or national origin, by the failure by an educational agency to take appropriate action to overcome language barriers that impede equal participation by students in its instructional programs.”

The million dollar question: What constitutes appropriate action? What do LEP students need to achieve native-like proficiency in English and perform at grade level in all other academic subjects? It is a complex question, but one that has answers if policy-makers are willing to follow the recommendations of researchers in SLA, multilingualism, and cognitive development.

Eugene Garcia (2002) has written a comprehensive and persuasive summary of America’s educational crisis and the literature on bilingualism that points a direction for designing curricula that meet the needs of our LEP students. The studies she reviews justify the following conclusions about bilinguals and bilingual education:

1. The goal for LEP students should be the acquisition of “academic English” which allows them to participate fully in English-language academic and professional environments. Vernacular English is not enough.
2. The native language need not be sacrificed in order to achieve this proficiency. Additive bilingualism is possible, and it should be the goal of instruction.
3. Bilingualism/multilingualism does not harm the cognitive development of children. Indeed, some studies have suggested that it improves cognitive functioning, especially in the area of metacognitive awareness.
4. Long-term native language instruction alongside English instruction is necessary for LEP students to ensure that they remain at grade level in all academic subjects as they master English. It is unreasonable to expect LEP students to thrive in English immersion, and equally unreasonable to expect them to join all-English classes after a year of ESL instruction.
5. Even very young children will require several years to learn English as a second language. Older learners will not necessarily require more time, as they generally are more adept learners. It is important for both age groups that the curriculum be challenging.
6. Reading should be taught in the native language. Reading skills have been shown to transfer well from L1 to L2. Ultimate reading proficiency in English improves when students learn to read in their native language.
7. The negative perceptions of LEP individuals in mainstream American society harm education efforts. Social distance between L2 learners and the L2 community hinders acquisition. Bilingual programs must attempt to resolve this problem by addressing stereotypes, validating LEP students languages and cultures, and encouraging the creation of a strong, inclusive, shared identity among all students.

In addition, Garcia outlines areas for future research:

1. What methods of instruction are most successful in helping learners achieve the goal of proficiency in “academic” English?
2. What are the processes/mechanisms that facilitate additive bilingualism?
3. What is the specific cognitive/academic effect of multilingualism and SLA on the individual?
4. What is amount of native language instruction most positively influences academic outcomes in English? This question is directly related to planning bilingual programs that result in success in both English and all other academic subjects.
5. What are the special needs of younger and older LEP learners?
6. What is the connection between overall literacy in the native language and overall literacy in the target language?
7. What is the link between identity, self-concept, and academic performance?

In future posts I hope to discuss in more detail some of the work that has already been done treating the cognitive effects of SLA and the necessary conditions for additive bilingualism.

Garcia’s article:

Garcia, E. E., (2002). Bilingualism and schooling in the United States. International Journal of the Sociology of Language. Volume 2002, Issue 155-156, Pages 1–92.

I’ve posted an updated version of my earlier thoughts on the proposed name for the SLA over on the SLA Alignment Portal: Association of Strategic Knowledge Professionals is a poor choice of name.

If you are an SLA member and would like to share your opinion on the proposed name, I recommend heading over to the SLA Alignment Portal, creating an account, and posting your thoughts on the site.

MK ULTRA Zombie Expressions of Elderly Victims of the Peoples Temple

JONESTOWN: THE INCONVENIENT TRUTH IT WAS A CIA COVERT MEDICAL  EXPERIMENT

My special thanks to Bonnie Faulkner of Guns and Butter of KPFA as one of the few if any progressive radio programs airing a special program this afternoon on November 18, 2009 on the 31st anniversary of one of the nation’s most horrific mass murders in U.S. History involving some 918 people, 305 children, and 40 infants, predominately African-Americans, mass slaughtered in a remote isolated rainforest of Guyana of South America at a covert concentration camp called Jonestown.

It aired a rocking alternative view of Jonestown that it was a governmental coordinated CIA MK ULTRA racial medical-agricultural experiment. This evening I checked KPFA archives on the internet to hear it again, but Bonnie Faulkner’s explosive expose on Jonestown is the only program missing at the KPFA’s 2:00 p.m. air slot. I image that it shook up a lot of Bay Area liberals and progressives sitting on the fence blind to Fascism, Racism, and Nazism that continuing rot away the moral core of this country. 

PEOPLES TEMPLE: THE UNBEKNOWN BRUSH WITH THE CIA CULT OF DEATH

 My first unbeknown brush with Rev. Jim Jones and the Peoples Temple was in Downtown Oakland at the T&D (Turner & Dahnken being the chain) Theatre at 419 11th Street. I recall it was soon after the mass development demolition of Downtown Oakland had begun in 1965-67 that there was a religious group with a number of black people carrying on daily and night services at the recently closed theatre. As manchilds, a group of young macks as we referred to ourselves were interested in checking out the new girls in town. So, we sat in on some of the services.

The Girl with the Beautiful Natural from http://jonestown.sdsu.edu/

What was puzzling and stuck out about the experience with this group was that we could not separate the girls from a group of small kids that watched and listened to everything we said and the girls’ reactions. We tried to shoo the kids away, but over and over again they just wouldn’t move or leave. One of the girls was an attractive tall light skinned young lady with a natural. All of the younger macks just asked how old she was. It was like the younger kids cried “Ohoo-ohoo, we are going to tell.”  As soon as the kids threatened to tell on them, the girls turned in complete unison with the small kids and ran away. It was so puzzling at the time. It was like something out of a movie. 

Another thing that stuck out about this religious group was that on one of the night services, the pastor claimed that he was going to perform a miracle and resurrect the dead. Being an impressionable manchild as I was, I was very much interested in seeing that incredible phenomenon and planned to attend, but for whatever reasons I missed it.  The man in the Bay Area who claimed to be able to resurrect the dead was none other than the self-proclaimed “Prophet”, Rev. Jim Jones. By 1972, Jim Jones would claimed to have done “over 40” resurrections of the dead. [1]

According to assistant prosecuting attorney of Mendocino County and Peoples Temple attorney, Tim Stoen: 

“Jim has been the means by which more than 40 persons have literally been brought back from the dead this year. When I first came into the church, I was the conventional skeptic about such things. But I must be honest: 

Following the November 18, 1978 mass murder in Jonestown, U.S. Attorney William Hunter was in charge of investigating and covering up the Peoples Temple ties to the CIA. Hunter had a close personal relationship with Temple attorney Stoen ever since they both worked as assistant district attorneys in San Francisco to cover-up a 1975 election fraud perpetrated by Jim Jones and the Peoples Temple. When Hunter was promoted to U.S. Attorney, he offered CIA asset Stoen the position of Chief Assistant U.S. Attorney. When this scandalous conflict of interest was disclosed, Hunter stepped down but appointed one of his employees, Robert Dordero, to prosecute Layton. [3] The unsuspecting Charles Alex Gregory had counted the same William (Billy) Hunter as one of his close personal friends and business confidents.

THE LAYTON FAMILY OF THE PEOPLES TEMPLE: LUCIFIER’S SERVANTS

Tim Stoen along with Deborah Layton-Blakely had been central figures in stashing Peoples Temple assets in the millions in secret bank accounts by establishing two offshore dummy Panamanian corporations: Briget, S.A. and Asociacion Evangelica de las Americas, S.A.  [4]

Deborah Layton is one of the key central figures in the Peoples Temple CIA project. Deborah is the daughter of the southern aristocratic Dr. Laurence Laird Layton of the chemical warfare division of the U.S. Agricultural Department (USDA). Plum Island Animal Disease Center and the chemical warfare division of the USDA was the brainchild of (Operation Paperclip) Dr. Erich Traub straight out of Reichsfuhrer Heinrich Himmler’s secret SS biological warfare laboratory on the island of Insel Riems on the Baltic Sea. [5] Keep that in mind, Jonestown was also an agricultural experimental camp, and Dr. Layton and Layton family were some of its major covert funders.

Deborah Layton’s mother, Annalisa Philips-Layton, was of an elite wealthy aristocratic family of Nazi’s Germany. Lisa’s father Hugo Philips of Hamburg, Germany also reportedly funneled money to Lisa for the Jonestown CIA Medical/Agricultural Experiment.

Lisa Layton’s mother was Anita Lea Heilbut, a daughter of a wealthy Hamburg stockbroker. Under the ruse of escaping from Nazi Germany claiming to be of Jewish descent, Lisa sailed for New York aboard the S.S. Manhattan on May 6, 1938. Her claim to be Jewish was patently false. Sometime in 1931, her sister Eva had entered into Himmler’s SS Lebensborn Program as a pediatric nurse. [6]

The organization Lebensborn is part of the race and settlement central bureau of the SS. It served SS leaders in the selection and adoption of qualified Aryan children as part of its secret plan for a 1000 Year Third Reich of Aryan World Supremacy. In 1935, the Lebensborn as an organization was officially placed under the personal direction of Fuhrer Adolf Hitler. Under the iron fist of SS and the Gestapo, the Lebensborn program was stringently confined only to persons of certified Aryan decent and ancestry.

On April 23, 1938, the American consulate in Hamburg issued Eva Philips of the SS a visa to the United States, like her sister, Lisa, Eva was in the service of Himmler’s SS in America. [7] Eva traveled to Texas and blended into an Old South aristocratic family of Houston were President of the Reichsbank, Dr. Hjalmar Schacht, one of the most important figures of Nazi Germany, was positioned.

After WWII, Dr. Schacht had been indicted as a Nazi war criminal. According to the Nuremberg Tribunal, Schacht was an active supporter of the Nazi Party before its accession to power on January 30, 1933, and supported the appointment of Hitler to the post of Chancellor. After that date, he played an important role in the vigorous rearmament programme which was adopted, using the facilities of the Reichsbank to the fullest extent in the German rearmament effort. The Reichsbank, in its traditional capacity as financial agent for the German Government, floated long-term Government loans, the proceeds of which were fused for rearmament. He devised a system under which five-year notes, known as M.E.F.O. bills, guaranteed by the Reichsbank and backed, in effect, by nothing more than its position as a bank of issue, were used to obtain large sums for rearmament from the short-term money market. As Minister of Economics and as Plenipotentiary General for War Economy he was active in organizing the German economy for war. He made detailed plans for industrial mobilization and the coordination of the Army with industry in the event of war. He was particularly concerned with shortages of raw materials and started a scheme of stock-piling and a system of exchange control designed to prevent Germany’s weak foreign exchange position from hindering the acquisition abroad of raw materials needed for rearmament. On May 3, 1935, he sent a memorandum to Hitler stating that “the accomplishment of the armament programme with speed and in quantity is the problem of German politics, that everything else therefore should be subordinated to this purpose.” [8]

The Peoples Temple Jonestown camp sadistic doctor was Dr. Hjalmar Schacht’s namesake, Larry Schacht. It was Dr. Schacht, the Nazi Minister of Economics, who coined the phase entering Auschwitz “Arheit Macht Frei,” or “Work Will Make You Free.” [9]

I CRY CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY: GENOCIDE

According to John Judge, in the first count of the dead at Jonestown which numbered 408 Dr. Larry Schacht wasn’t there. Allegedly, the second count of the dead amounted to 780. Miraculously, an additional 372 people supposedly appeared dead at Jonestown then it climbed to 913 or 918. After the second count an additional 133 people that escaped the initial slaughters were rounded up out of the rainforest and dragged back to Jonestown and executed. Among the second count, purportedly, Dr. Schacht body appeared, but there is still no independent evidence of his death. Dr. Hjalmar Schacht’s namesake at Jonestown is presumed to have escaped the slaughter with other special team members of the killing squads. On May 10, 1952, Deborah Layton’s grandmother and Dr. Layton’s mother-in-law, Anita Philips died from injuries suffered in a fall from from a window of a New York City apartment house. The police determined that Anita’s death was a suicide when they discovered the following note written in German: “My Friends, know that I, free and proper, am a good American. But I was a gossib and have been estangled in a network of intrigue. I no longer have the strength to free myself from it. Forget me not my beloved children and family. And you, Hugo, forgive me. Live well. All of you loved mankind so well.”  [10]

The network of intrigue that Anita referenced was that she was suspected of being part of SS Reichsfurhrer Himmler’s spy network in New York City. During this time, Dr. Erich Traub was also part of SS Reichsfurhrer Himmler’s spy network in New York. During WW I, Traub was a captain in the German army working as an expert in animal infectious diseases, particularly in horses. His veterinary corps led the germ warfare attacks on horses in the United States and Romania with a bacterium called glanders. He was also a member of the National Socialist Motorists Corps (NSKK) [11] 

The NSKK (German: Nationalsozialistisches Kraftfahrerkorps) also known as the National Socialist Drivers Corps was paramilitary organization of the Nazi Party that officially existed from  1931-1945. In April of 1930, Adolf Hitler joined the NSKK as one of its first members. In 1945, NSKK was disbanded or went underground.  The group was declared a “condemned organization” at the Nuremberg Trials. This was due to the NSKK’s orgins in Heinrich Heydrick’s SA and its doctrine of Aryan superority required  of its members.

During the 1930’s and preceding WWII, Traub worked at the Rockefeller Institute of Princeton in New Jersey on viruses and bacterium. He was an active member of the Amerika Deutscher Volksbund, a German-American club also known as Camp Sigfried. Camp Sigried was the national headquarters of the American Nazi movement. On weekends, about forty thousand people throughout New York participated in mass Nazi rallies marching in lockstep divisions, carrying swastika flags, burning Jewish U.S. congressmen in effigy, and singing Nazi songs pledging their allegiance to the Third Reich as if they were in Nuremberg Nazi Germany.

Dr. Traub’s detailed debriefing from 1949 under Operation Paperclip of Himmler’s secret SS biological warfare research on Insel Riems, and his activities there and during the war and for the Soviets, laid the groundwork for Fort Detrick’s offshore germ warfare animal disease lab on USAD’s Plum Island. Dr. Traub was a founding father. [13]

From 1957 to 1978, Dr. Laurence Laird Layton worked at the USDA’s Western Regional Science Laboratory in Albany, California just outside of Oakland. CIA consultant Colston Richard Westbrook was also located on the borders of WRSL during the creation and operation of the SLA (Symbionese Liberation Army), and Peoples Temple MK ULTRA project. [14]  At USAD, Dr. Layton secretly along with Dr. Traub continued the racial biological research of Himmler’s secret Biological/Chemical Warfare Program with Jonestown as its secret cohort testing grounds.

It makes absolute sense that Deborah Layton, a descent and bloodline of Himmler’s old SS espionage network, would clandestinely take legal control and ownership of the bulk of the Peoples Temple’s assets for ODESSA which by 1978 may have reach a couple of billions of dollars.  After setting up dummy corporations, Stoen then open accounts with the Swiss Banking Corporation in Panama and the Union Bank of Switzerland and Panama, respectively. White member of the Peoples Temple, Deborah Layton along with Maria Kataris, Terri Buford and Stoen traveled to Panama with several million dollars from social security, foster care, and welfare benefits of its Black members as initial deposits in the new accounts. Stoen also established a Temple branch in the country of Luxembourg that opened bank accounts in London, West Germany, Switzerland, Romania, and Venezuela. The signaturies were not Jim Jones or even Tim Stoen but Deborah, Maria and Terri.  [15]

Months later, Deborah and Terri returned to Panama on another mission. From there they flew to Paris, rented a car and drove to Zurich, Switzerland, where they opened one or more secret accounts in Deborah’s name or, more accurately, in her account number. Tim Stoen and other trusted couriers then traveled to Switzerland to deposit untold millions into Deborah’s secret bank account. [16]

Following the Jonestown mass murder in Jonestown, the known wealth of the Peoples Temple was viciously seized by Jimmy Carter’s Presidential Administration to offset the expense in returning the corpses, hundreds of black bodies, to the U.S and a small and trivial remaining portion was distributed to the surviving families, but only a small portion of the Temple’s estimated fifty million to two billion dollars was ever recovered.  Millions were missing; millions that were hoarded in secret Swiss accounts in Deborah Layton’s name. [17]

Deborah’s other responsibility in the Temple was as political liaison in Terri Buford’s   Peoples Temple Department of Diversions; the group was established to carry out the Peoples Temple most sensitive work in government. Deborah gathered data on politicians who might be coerced or blackmailed into cooperating with the Temple, hence the CIA. She also wrote forged and anonymous letters endorsing candidates, commenting on pending legislation and presumably threatening politicians who opposed Jones’ politics. Her correspondence was so incriminating that Deborah wore surgical gloves to type the letters on special “D” typewriters that had been purchased second-hand and then destroyed after fulfilling their purpose so as not to be traced to the Temple. [18]

The Girl with the Natural: Shanda Michele James Before her Murder in Jonestown Taken from Deborah Layton's book "Seductive Posion"

It was Deborah Layton-Blakely that allegedly befriended a young Black young lady in Jonestown with that beautiful natural, Shanda Michele James-Oliver, at the Oakland T&D Theatre that one of the young brothers first asked her age.. In Seductive Poison, Layton said that she had been turned into some type of sexual enslaved concubine that was left comatose with mind altering drugs in the Jonestown medical barracks until she was murdered. [19] 

MK ULTRA: THE EYES OF ROSE SHELTON

Our Fragile Brainwashed Elder, Rose Shelton, Slayed in Jonestown, Photograph taken from http://jonestown.sdsu.edu/

I had been told by Rose Shelton’s younger sister who at time was one of my beloved in-laws, who we belovedly called Nanny, that she was one of Jim Jones’ personal nurses. It was either 1974-75 that I was then married to one of Rose’s grand nieces when she visited us in Los Angeles. Nanny and Rose had traveled in the Peoples Temple bus caravan from the Bay Area. For whatever reasons, she couldn’t talk about the Peoples Temple and Rev. Jim Jones in Rose’s presence. In private, Nanny told us that the buses were crammed with people lying in the isles and even stuffed in the luggage compartments. She told us that Jim Jones and Peoples Temple was trying to pressure her to sign over her home on 44^th Street in Oakland off of Telegraph to them. She wanted out while Rose, a very fragile senior elder,  remained one of his most loyal and trusted brainwashed followers and supporters.

I, natively, really didn’t know what to make of Rev. Jim Jones and Peoples Temple. I had recently taken a class in Psychiatry and the Law at Loyola School of Law. I was in interested in race and lobotomies (psychosurgery). As a class, we visited a local mental institution. I was dumbfounded by some type of universal zombie-like blank expressions that I observed in young black mental patients. It was their expressionless and blank eyes that left me bewildered and left an everlasting impression.

During Rose and Nanny’s stay at our house, I went by Ralph’s Grocery Store near Hoover and Vernon in Southeast Los Angeles. At the store, there were a number of people circulating around the store panhandling and operating from a table in the front of the store. It was Peoples Temple members. As I approached the store, one of the sisters approached me and asked for a donation for the temple. When I looked directly in her eyes, I observed uncharacteristic excessive wrinkling of the skin around the eyes as if she has been awake for weeks. In her eyes, I saw that same universal zombie-type blank and unemotional expression that I observed in young black mental patients in the mental institution. It was almost the same expressionless eyes that had left me bewildered and mystified.

I was perplexed. I didn’t know what it meant. My wife and I and kids were invited to the Peoples Temple to join Nanny and Rose. Initiatively, I wasn’t interested. But from what Nanny said about the church, and what I had actually observed in the eyes of one its members I had become concerned or deadly curious about what was going on at the Peoples Temple.

It was on a nice and sunny Saturday in Los Angeles that my wife and I went to the Peoples Temple church. I was amazed as I approached the front of an old majestic church at 1366 South Alvarado Street in the Alvarado Terrace Historical District at Alvarado and Hoover. The Peoples Temple was a former First Church of Christ, Scientist, built in 1912. The church has a grand historic Christian Science towering edifice with a mixed Beaux Arts-Italianate-Spanish Romanesque style.

There was dozens of people bustling about the round stairs leading up to the church. The doors were wide open. It was packed with people. There was standing room only. What I saw standing at the pulpit in the church froze me in my steps. At the pulpit looking down at a predominately black congregation was a white guy with a jet-black hair wearing a black robe. He had on large black sunglasses.     

It wasn’t just that a white guy was preaching to a black congregation that initially froze me. There was something about his demeanor and the expression on his face. The image that I saw wasn’t the humble and compassionate Christian pastor that I traditional had become accustomed to. This was different. He was standing there at the pulpit with what appeared to me a mocking posturing figure with a menacing scowl about his face. What Nanny had said about the church and that sister’s empty and tired wrinkled eyes flashed and raced through my mind. My mind was screaming, “this is not right”, “there is something extremely wrong about this.” I couldn’t move. I just couldn’t cross the threshold of that church. I told my wife that I couldn’t go in under no circumstances. She understood. She had promised her grandmother Nanny that she would be there. She entered the church to be with her.    

Suddenly, my mind flashed back to Oakland. I had encountered Rose and this so-called mystic Rev. Jim Jones before. It was at the Havenscourt Jr. High Auditorium at 66^th and East 14^th Street sometime in 1970 or 1971. At the time, I was living with my mother and siblings at the 65^th Street San Antonio Village. I was surprised one evening when I discovered that my little brothers and sister, middle school students, had been invited to attend some type of religious services at their middle school across the street.

I was alarmed that religious services were taking place on school grounds. I am still not sure how they came to be invited, but they weren’t going without me. I attended the religious services as they had planned. It was Rev. Jim Jones and the Peoples Temple circulating on the grounds of the Oakland Unified School District performing religious miracles. I distinctively remembered something odd about Rev. Jones attendant. She was an elderly Black woman with deep dark folds around her eyes. It had been Rose Shelton, my wife’s grant aunt, Rev. Jim Jones’ personal nurse. It was her eyes that evening that had left a burning impression on me. Again, it was those expressionless cold blank eyes buried in a pocket of wrinkling and worn skin. As Jim Jones was performing his phony miracle curing people of cancer by having them pretend to spit out cancer that was fresh chicken livers, I distinctively recalled Rose’s eyes and zombie like appearance as she attended Rev. Jones without the sun shades in his act by hiding and pretending to clutch cancerous matter that had been casted out of the mouth in her white handkerchief hiding the chicken livers.

When I looked directly in Rose’s eyes, it had been the first time that I had observed an uncharacteristic excessive wrinkling of the skin around the eyes as if a person had been awoke for days if not weeks. That was the first time that I had been plagued by some type of universal strange blank and unemotional zombie like demeanor and expressions. The blank expression and emotionless eyes that I observed in young black mental patients in the mental institution in Los Angeles wasn’t the first time it had made an impression on me. It was on that evening in 1970 or 1971 at Havenscourt Jr. High. It had been the zombie eyes of Rose Shelton that first bewildered and mystified me.

At that time, I knew very little about Nazis, mind control or the CIA. During Huey P. Newton’s incarceration at the San Luis Obispo California Men’s Colony, the older brothers as I recalled in specific, Brother DC (Captain Dennis Cox in exile in Paris), told us that it was important to make constant contacts with Huey at the prison because they were torturing him with Chinese-Korean Brainwashing tactics like sleep deprivation. For example he said that they were dropping water just outside his cell 24 hrs. a day until it caused ringing noises in his head. I just didn’t appreciate at the time the wicked ends of Korean torture tactics and sleep deprivation.   

As a manchild, I loved to watch monster and science fiction movies. Rev. Jim Jones and the Peoples and what the system was putting Huey through at San Luis Obispo was a science fiction flick being played out in true life right before my eyes and I at that time had no way of knowing or appreciating its true danger.

Shortly after shielding my younger brothers and sister from Jim Jones and the Peoples Temple on the grounds of the OUSD under Superintendent Dr. Marcus A. Foster, two FBI agents (a black and white team) paid a visit to my mother and siblings while I was away to suggest to her that it was best for my health and safely if I got out of Oakland.

Rev. Jim Jones and the Peoples Temple was a covert governmental coordinated racial medical-social control and pacification experiment that extensively used sleep deprivation tactics as a means of brainwashing and mind control.

Just before his death in April 1992, Charles Alex Gregory, was drawn inside an organization that from all appearances was an instinctively benign group, SIMBA Inc., from the mindset of Roland Gilbert, a former inmate of Lompoc Federal Penitentiary.  

In prison, Gilbert had gone through some type of MK ULTRA operant conditioning experimental behavior modification program. Charles didn’t understand it but SIMBA Inc. was nothing more than Lompoc’s experimental operant conditioning program covertly repackaged as SIMBA’S “The GHETTO SOLUTION” targeting Black children, particularly males that conditioned them and their adult mentors, one of which was Charles Alex Gregroy, into “altered states of consciousness” — a hypnotic state used in mind control in which the mind becomes highly susceptible to suggestion. Gilbert’s mind control paradigm program for SIMBA Inc. was straight out of the Dr. Gregory Bateson, Abraham Maslow and Aldous Huxley’s Esalen Institute; and it singled out and targeted Charles Alex Gregory’s independence and genius for obstruction. Bateson, Maslow and Huxley were some of the most important clandestine architects of the CIA’s MK ULTRA program.

The medical-military-industrial-congressional complex has clandestinely turned Oakland into some sort of far out and futurist medical scientific pacification laboratory and testing grounds because Oakland had become ground-zero and home to Black Power Nationalism and African-American Independence that Charles Alex Gregory presented;  and Liberation.

Oakland was the home of the feared Huey P. Newton and the Black Panther Party for Self Defense that was sweeping across the World like a wildfire. Oakland had become home to some of the most progressive educational and political systems in the nation and the World. 

The CIA’s MK ULTRA PROGRAM IS A CRIME AGAINST HUMANITY. The trail to Jonestown runs right through OAKLAND.

[4] Id.

[5] Carroll, Michael C., LAB 257, Harper, NYC (2004) pgs. 7-8

[6] http://www.fonebone.net/Jonestown/02.Chap.txt

[7] Id.

[8] http://avalon.law.yale.edu/imt/judschac.asp

[9] http://waronyou.com/forums/index.php?topic=3445.0

[10] Id. At footnote 6

[11] Id. At footnote 5, pg. 8

[12] Id.

[13] Id. Page 9

[14] Meier, Michael, Was Jonestown a CIA experiment? a review of the evidence, Mellen House (1988) at page 92

[15] Id. At footnote 3

[16] Id.

[17] Id.

[18] Id.

[19] Layton, Deborah, Seductive Poison, Anchor Books, NY (1999)

Processing Instruction (PI) is an input-based instructional technique proposed by Bill VanPatten. It differs from ‘traditional’ approaches to grammar instruction in that an attempt is made to influence the learner’s processing strategies at the input stage of acquisition, whereas traditional instruction (TI) intervenes with focused practice at the output stage.  In his 2008 article Processing matters in input enhancement, he presents three premises that form a basis for PI:

1. Input is a necessary condition for language acquisition.
2. The way in which learners process (or fail to process) input may be a major problem in acquisition.
3. Understanding how learners process input might allow us to devise input-enhancement or focus-on-form instructional strategies to facilitate acquisition of formal features of language.

Good things seem to come in threes. VanPatten presents three basic features of PI (from Gass & Selinker 2008):

1. Give learners information about a structure or form.
2. Inform learners about a particular processing strategy that may get in the way of selecting the form/structure during comprehension.
3. Structure input so that learners must rely on form/structure to get meaning and not rely on natural processing tendencies.

An important feature of the approach is Structured Input (SI). Structured input is input that is formulated in such a way as to force the learner to recognize the relationship between form and meaning, i.e., input that makes meaning dependent on form, thus increasing the chance that the learner will notice and acquire the form-meaning relationship. One form of SI activity is what VanPatten calls a referential activity. Referential activities are activities that force learners to produce an answer to a question that has a right and wrong answer. The learner’s ability to answer correctly will depend on his/her understanding of the mapping of meaning to form. This is distinguished from traditional activities in which the learners are simply prompted to rehearse a form either in a non-meaningful, non-communicative context or without having their consciousness raised to what pitfalls of processing may arise.

VanPatten presents the following example:

Jean fait promener le chien à Marie//John makes to walk the dog to Mary//”John Makes Mary walk the dog”

The teacher asks the student who walks the dog. Most native speakers of English will respond Jean, as they are functioning under the English processing strategy “the first noun in the sentence is the agent.” The teacher explains that this processing strategy will not work in French, and explains the structure of the French causative. Next, the teacher does a structured input activity with the learners in which they have to answer factual questions that require a correct understanding of the French causative in order to answer correctly.

VanPatten’s own data suggest that PI does indeed help learners understand and produce target structures. This seems intuitive to me, and it is something I have already done in my classroom without knowing that what I was doing. Wynne Wong has written an easy-t0-read article on Processing Instruction:

Linking Form and Meaning: Processing Instruction. The French Review, Vol. 76, No. 2 (Dec., 2002), pp. 236-264

Voting is a hot topic this month. In my prior post, I discussed the possible name change for the SLA. This name change requires that a vote be taken of the paid members. Monday, November 16, was the big day for the vote and all did not go well.

SLA made use of technology and sent email notices to all paid members that the ballot was available through e-vote. I thought it was a great example of librarians embracing technology but I soon became very disappointed. Not only couldn’t I cast my vote but when I called the information center, the customer service rep told me that they were aware that the system wasn’t working and didn’t see a need to tell anyone.

Later that day, this message was sent to the paid members:

Dear SLA Members:

If you voted between the hours of 12:01- 2:05 am EST, you must vote again; your original vote was cancelled. Please vote again. . . .

I tried again and the vote appeared to count this time. Unfortunately, this case is an example of why many people do not like technology. Not only did it not work the first time but the issue became my problem. In addition, the people involved didn’t seem to care enough to advise the membership and instead waited to send an email. The message to be learned from this issue is that technology doesn’t always work but if it fails then you need to have good people who respond quickly and appropriately in a courteous and timely manner.

(ANSA) – ROMA, 12 NOV – ”La richiesta di badanti formate ed

esperte per assistere i malati di Sla e’ giusta e stiamo

pensando di rispondere a partire dai 400 milioni di euro per la

non autosufficienza messi a disposizione nel patto per la

Lo ha detto il vice ministro della Salute Ferruccio

Fazio intervenendo a un convegno sulle cure palliative e

l’assistenza per i malati di Sclerosi laterale amiotrofica

”Ho parlato al lungo ieri e stamani con il ministro Sacconi

- ha spiegato Fazio – perche’ questa non e’ materia solo

Sacconi-Tremonti sull’utilizzo dei fondi e la strada e’ quella

di non distribuirli a pioggia ma di co-finanziare interventi

Fonte:
http://www.unita.it/notizie_flash/63153/sla_fazio_si_a_badanti_da_fondo_per_non_autosufficienza

Voting on the proposed SLA name change has now opened (and closed, and re-opened again due a problem with the e-ballot), and will be open until 9 December. I know some people have voted already, and no doubt other will be following them with alacrity.

While I don’t want to encourage anyone to miss out on their chance to vote, I’m going to suggest that you take a little time before you vote, to really think about not only how you are voting, but why. This applies equally to those who are undecided and those who are convinced about their choice. Why? Well, I don’t think anyone would deny that this is an important decision, and important decisions deserve thought. contemplation. reasoning. Even if you have, as you may well have done, given the issue a lot of thought, take the time before you vote to revisit and consolidate those thoughts.

Imagine that the voting page has, as well as ‘yes/no’ options, a text-box, with the simple question ‘why?’. Can you answer it? To your own satisfaction? In 500 words or less? If the answer is no, then I don’t think you’re ready to vote. Take some more time to explore the issues, and try to be sure of your own reasons before you hit that ‘vote’ button.

And, by that token, I don’t think I’m ready to vote yet. I’ve said before that I’m planning to vote ‘yes’, but I think I need to spend some time being sure that I have considered all angles. After all, my vote is my vote, but it doesn’t just affect me. We’re all voting for the good of all, and I think that requires rising above personal likes or dislikes.

When I’m ready to vote, I’ll try to write those 500 words, and post them here. I’d also be really pleased to hear others’ thoughts on this. And I’ll make sure I have plenty of calendar reminders about the deadline!

One of the most frustrating things about taking an introduction to SLA course is the overabundance of often contradictory theories and the lack of consensus among researchers on what the research questions of interest are, on what is to be measured, and how it is to be measured. Indeed, the very relevance of empirical data to SLA and the nature of SLA as a scientific field have been called into question by some!

Geoff Jordan has set out to put at end to this state of affairs. His book, Theory Construction in Second Language Acquisition (2004, John Benjamins), is what I’m reading at the moment, and after 4 chapters it is certainly the most entertaining and clearly written book on SLA and methodology that I have ever read.

The book begins with description of the problem in SLA as Jordan sees it. The field is divided into two camps with radically different epistemological approaches. There is a rationalist camp, of which Jordan himself is a proud member, and a relativist camp, occupied by the likes of James Lantolf and David Block. The relativists, says Jordan, have latched onto a post-structuralist, post-modern epistemology which declares the relativity of all knowledge and denies an objective outside world to be observed and measured. In this epistemology, science is nothing more than a social construction, and it’s discoveries are only “true” relative to itself. This radical subjectivity and solipsism arises, says Jordan, from a misapplication and over-interpretation of Hume’s problem of induction.

To make a long story short, Jordan is calling for a rejection of relativist approaches to the study of SLA and a renewed focus on theory building, using empirical measurement as a crucial tool.

I find this approach refreshing. We spend a lot of time in class arguing across purposes. It is highly desirable to agree on our research questions and the methods of inquiry that are likely to be fruitful. Moreover, I think that the post-structuralist, post-modern, constructivist movements do nothing but muddy the waters of human knowledge. They wantonly and arrogantly dismiss the collective efforts of 4 centuries of science as nothing but social construction lacking any claims to objective truth. How, pray tell, did that social construction lacking any claim to objective truth accomplish the invention of the automobile? The confirmed predictions of Newtonian mechanics? The harnessing of the power of the atom? Relativism quickly disintegrates into absurdity and nihilism, ignoring the experience of everyday life and rejecting all claims to truth.

I’ve only finished 4 chapters, so I will be posting more on Jordan. Coming up: Jordan evaluates current theories in SLA for their adherence to a rationalist epistemology.

’til next time…

Una donna a Brindisi, malata di SLA, chiede con il battito delle ciglia di essere lasciata morire. I medici le vogliono praticare la tracheotomia. La medesima sorte di Luca Coscioni, morto nel 2006, e di tutti i malati di SLA. Prima della fine avviene la paralisi dei muscoli polmonari. I medici non credono che la donna stia effettivamente "parlando" con il battito delle ciglia. Quindi intendono procedere con l’intervento. I familiari invece sostengono che la donna è sempre stata contraria all’accanimento terapeutico. Un’altra storia in cui la pratica medica tende ad avere il sopravvento sul volere dell’individuo. Una prevaricazione che una legge sul testamento biologico potrebbe prevenire.
Intanto continua lo scipero della fame degli ammalati di SLA e dell’on. Maria Antonietta Farina Coscioni, deputata PD-Radicali. Lamentano un’assistenza sanitaria inadeguata e chiedono spiegazione sui finanziamenti stanziati nel 2007 e nel 2008 per i cosiddetti comunicatori, ovvero gli apparecchi che consentono al paziente di interagire con il mondo esterno. I soldi, promessi, non sono mai arrivati.

• MARIA ANTONIETTA FARINA COSCIONI: PROSEGUE SCIOPERO DELLA FAME(QUINTO GIORNO) | Maria Antonietta Farina Coscioni

  MARIA ANTONIETTA FARINA COSCIONI: PROSEGUE SCIOPERO DELLA FAME(QUINTO GIORNO) TRE GLI OBIETTIVI DELLA INIZIATIVA NONVIOLENTA E GANDHIANA, PER OTTENERE UNA RISPOSTA CHIARA ED ESAURIENTE DA UN GOVERNO E DA UN Vice-Ministro DELLA SALUTE DA TROPPO TEMPO SILENTI. OGGI SARO’ PRESENTE AI LAVORI DELLA CONSULTA DELLE MALATTIE NEUROMUSCOLARI ORE 15 VIA LUNGO TEVERE RIPA 1 SALA AUDITORIUM

  • Prosegue invece il mio sciopero della fame, un’iniziativa nonviolenta e gandhiana finalizzata a tre obiettivi precisi:

    1. rendere noto l’effettivo utilizzo dei finanziamenti stanziati nel 2007 e nel 2008 per i “comunicatori” di nuova generazione che consentono ai soggetti con gravi patologie e con compromissione della voce di interagire con il mondo esterno;

    2. rendere effettiva ed operativa l’approvazione della nuova versione dell’assistenza protesica del nuovo Nomenclatore, in modo che sia garantita la fornitura adeguata ad ogni persona con disabilità, prevista nello schema del DPCM sui nuovi LEA da un anno e mezzo al vaglio delle Autorità di governo centrali e regionali per gli aspetti di natura economico-finanziaria;

    3. adottare le linee guida cui le regioni si conformano nell’assicurare un’assistenza domiciliare adeguata per i soggetti malati di sclerosi laterale amiotrofica.

• SVELATO L’INGANNO: IL MINISTERO DELLA SALUTE E’ INADEMPIENTE | Maria Antonietta Farina Coscioni

  SVELATO L’INGANNO: NON E’ VERO CHE LA QUESTIONE SOLLEVATA DA SALVATORE USALA E DAGLI ALTRI MALATI DI SLA SIA ARENATA ALLA CONFERENZA STATO REGIONI. E’ IL MINISTERO DELLA SALUTE INADEMPIENTE, E CHE NON HA FATTO QUELLO CHE DOVEVA FARE, PUR AVENDO ASSICURATO DI AVERLO FATTO. Maria Antonietta Farina Coscioni, deputata radicale, co-presidente dell’Associazione Luca Coscioni, giunta al settimo giorno di sciopero della fame, ha rilasciato la seguente dichiarazione: Al settimo giorno della mia iniziativa nonviolenta e gandhiana – lo sciopero della fame a fianco di Salvatore Usala e degli altri malati di SLA, anche loro scesi in sciopero della fame perché sia loro riconosciuto il diritto a un’assistenza adeguata cui hanno bisogno. Devo constatare, e denunciare, l’inerzia colpevole e il silenzio pervicace del Vice-Ministro della Salute Fazio. E’ evidentemente troppo impegnato per comunicare pubblicamente l’effettivo impegno sui LEA (livelli essenziali di assistenza) alla Conferenza Stato Regioni per la questione sollevata dai malati di SLA, da me e da altri 370 cittadini che si sono uniti alla mia lotta. Ne prendo atto e questo silenzio assordante non mi fa desistere. Giovedì ha avuto luogo a Roma la Consulta per le malattie neuromuscolari dove ho appreso con sorpresa che il ministero della Salute, rispondendo a una mia precisa interrogazione, ha detto il falso: ci aveva assicurato che la questione dello DPCM sui nuovi LEA era GIA’ approdata in sede di Conferenza Stato- Regioni, e che attendeva che venissero espletati gli adempimenti che a quella Conferenza spettano. Non è vero. Il Vice Ministro Fazio giovedi in Consulta ha dichiarato: "siamo molto vicini, all’invio dei LEA alla Conferenza Stato-Regioni. Quindi il contrario di quanto scritto 15 giorni prima. Cioè il Ministero non ha in realtà fatto nulla con la promessa di investire la Conferenza Stato e Regioni nei prossimi giorni. Ora dunque la nostra lotta si “arricchisce” di un altro obiettivo: – Il ministero finalmente deve fare quello che da tempo doveva fa

• «Mamma ha la Sla, vuole morire» Una perizia sul battito di ciglia – Corriere della Sera

  • Un battito di ci­glia. Le palpebre si abbassano, quasi come parole scandite len­tamente. L’unico modo per ri­spondere, con il solo movimen­to che la malattia ancora le con­sente. M. S, 60 anni, da 15 ammala­ta di Sla, ricoverata da tre gior­ni all’ospedale di Brindisi, deve decidere se continuare a vivere grazie a un intervento di trache­otomia, oppure rinunciare, con la prospettiva di aprire gli oc­chi al massimo per altre due settimane.

  • la risposta non vale. Almeno per i medici. Che, per essere si­curi sul da farsi, segnalano il ca­so alla polizia. Così interviene la procura, che dispone una pe­rizia psichiatrica sulla donna, per accertare la sua reale capaci­tà di intendere e di volere

  • Nessun dubbio, secondo la famiglia, invece, su quello che M. avrebbe desiderato: morire, se le sue condizioni si fossero aggravate. Come avrebbe di­chiarato in tempi migliori, quando le parole le venivano spontanee e il corpo risponde­va ancora a semplici stimoli co­me tendere la mano per stringe­re quella di marito e figli.

  • Un buco nella trachea, preludio al respi­ratore meccanico, ultima tappa per i malati di Sla che incorro­no nella paralisi dei muscoli polmonari. Non per M., alme­no secondo la famiglia. Perché la donna non avrebbe mai ac­cettato la malattia, e soprattut­to, in passato, avrebbe esplicita­mente detto di voler morire. Nel 2001 la firma di M. S. com­pare sul sito dei Radicali, sotto l’appello al presidente Berlusco­ni di scienziati e ammalati per sostenere la candidatura di Lu­ca Coscioni nel comitato nazio­nale di bioetica.

  • Chissà se M. ha poi seguito l’epilogo della storia dell’economista ammala­to come lei, che nel 2006 rifiuta la tracheotomia, perché non avrebbe voluto vivere attacca­to a una macchina.

  • Coscioni muore il 20 febbraio per una crisi respiratoria. In dicembre lo segue Piergiorgio Welby, la cui storia si complica perché già attaccato al respiratore, chiede e ottiene di poterlo stac­care affinché la malattia faccia il suo corso

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

I mean, very few people (any?) are likely to read this, right?. Why add to the the already hopelessly cluttered junk drawer that is the internet? Why take up precious bytes of free storage with content that will not attract page views, thus making free web hosting even less economically viable than it already is and further jeopardizing its future? Why spend hours of the only life I will ever have blogging when I could be out… out… out doing whatever it is that people do?

One should probably have exciting answers to one’s own protracted rhetorical questions, but the reasons for my starting this blog are unashamedly quotidien:

• I need to write about what I read in order to retain it. Writing the traditional way makes my right hand sore, and the possibility, albeit remote, that someone on the interwebs will read my thoughts bolsters my motivation a smidge.
• I will be looking for a job one day, and I would like something respectable to appear when I am googled.
• Maybe I’ll be able to copy & paste my lit reviews together from old blog posts!

So those are the reasons that come to mind.

What you can expect to find here is a verbalized digestion of the articles I read, most of them dealing with Second Language Acquisition (SLA). I will also probably be posting about my experiences as a teacher and my thoughts on pedagogy and classroom practices. The blog will evolve as all things do, and if it adapts successfully it will still be around years from now, an entirely different animal with a genealogy that traces the development of my thoughts as a grad student and beyond.

If you are reading this, you are probably the only person other than me to have done so for months. This places a special burden of responsibility upon your shoulders to write a comment and encourage me to continue blogging. I know you won’t fail me.

Cheers!

So I finally joined ARLIS, which I know seems strange that it took me this long to join the organization devoted to arts libraries. It’s not that I didn’t want to join before, because I did. It honestly sometimes just comes down to a matter of money. I started joining professional organizations when I was a student, and I personally find them very beneficial. It’s cheap to join as a student, but the membership fees often drastically increase after graduation. I don’t fault the organizations for this, and I don’t think any of their individual fees are outrageous, but by the time you’re joining 3 or 4 organizations, it can get pretty pricey.

I’ve tried to cull the herd and cut some of my memberships, but I find it very difficult. I don’t want to leave ALA, as I feel it’s the “core” organization of the field. With ALA comes ALCTS and LITA. I’m hesitant to leave SLA (although the debate about the realignment and name change may just drive me away), not only because the specialty library focus ties in so closely with our library and what we do, but also because they invested in me when I was a student, and I still feel I owe it to the chapter and the organization to make good on that investment. I was considering dropping SAA, since I don’t currently work as closely with archival materials as I used to, but then they published my paper in their journal, and I’d feel bad leaving so soon after that. So I’ve got those three, plus their subdivisions and local counterparts, plus now ARLIS, and I still think ASIS&T would be worth the membership if I could afford it. By this point, we’re talking hundreds, if not $1,000+ per year for professional organization memberships alone.

But I finally ponied up the dough to join ARLIS, since I’ve been wanting to attend one of their conferences for a while and though 2010 might be a good year to do so. And I’m really glad I joined–it really does seem to cover the niche area I want to work in. I got several friendly and welcoming emails, including one that alluded to a local discussion group specifically for catalogers in the arts! I know must know how excited that made me–how awesome to find a group of people like me, and even better, their next meeting was coming right up, so I was chomping at the bit to attend.

I wish I hadn’t gotten so worked up. Don’t get me wrong–it was a nice meeting, with a lot of nice people, and well-educated catalogers, which was a nice step up from some meetings I’ve been to. Unfortunately, I missed the introductions, so I’m not sure exactly which and what kinds of libraries everyone was representing, which was dissapointing becuase I feel that’s so intrinsic to cataloging work–what type of library are you, who do you serve as your patrons, what types of materials do you collect? I know quite a few attendees came from art museum libraries, which are going to have very different research needs than art schools. What I didn’t understand was how no one else seemed to understand that.

I felt a very strong presumption in the room about Cataloging Rules and How Things Should Be Done, and not very much about users at all. Most of the agenda covered what I consider to be very niggly little bits of cataloging propriety: is the entry in this 1XX field correct, is “$vCatalogs” being used correctly in this record, should this piece of ephemera be described as “1 sheet, folded” or “1 folded sheet”? I know I’m probably going to get flayed for this, but really, people: who the hell cares? Software, if designed properly, makes all those issues irrelevant. Google’s search algorithms will find your folded sheet either way, and probably even if you call it “folded paper,” too.

I was shocked at the apparent prejudice–while discussing whether or not a “cheat sheet” for cataloging exhibition brochures was correct (see above re: niggly minutiae), many people were asking “why would anyone bother to collect those things anyway?” and similar narrow-minded comments. Perhaps that institution has the largest art ephemera collection in the world. Perhaps those materials are in great demand in that geographic area. Perhaps the brochures are used as examples for graphic design classes or instruction in art exhibition design. Who knows? None of those catalogers, because they didn’t even bother to ask before ripping into not just the proper application of MARC and AACR2r on the cheat sheet, but also the reason for the collection itself.

There was so much narrow focus on minutia that it seemed like the considerations of library users didn’t even exist. One woman from an art museum brought up a dispute with a classification number assigned by the Library of Congress to a book about 4 artists. LC classed it in ND237.O5, evidently specifically under Georgia O’Keeffe, but she felt LC was incorrect and a broader classification would be more appropriate. After spending a lot of time hemming and hawing and discussing why LC had classed it that way, based on the rule of three and classing on the first listed subject heading, and how it was biased for LC to class it only under O’Keeffe since she was the most famous, and how this woman had seen the exhibition herself and it was beautiful, and how the book might be classed under women artists, and why the book shouldn’t be classed under women artists because it’s not specifically feminist enough, about how the book might be classed under American painting, but the book wasn’t all painting, there was one piece of sculpture included… it was all I could do to bite my tongue to keep from shouting: “If you don’t like it, just change it!”  (Someone alert the classification police, because we do it here all the time. I changed the classification numbers on no less than 10 titles this morning alone.) Especially since the women’s primary complaint was that her museum curator would “not understand why the book was classed there” and would be unable to find it! I think books should go where your users will find them, most especially in arts libraries, where established research repeatedly shows a preference for browsing access over searching.

As if that wasn’t enough for me to bite through my tongue, another cataloger actually said that “classification is nothing more than an address” and “not to fret over the call number.” I wish I knew which library she worked for. I’m sure this is a fine model for more research-oriented libraries like perhaps the Getty or LACMA. But as a group of not just catalogers, but catalogers serving arts libraries, I was appalled at the lack of understanding of patrons’ information-seeking behavior. These people are so busy counting the knotholes in the trees, not only do they not see the forest–they’ve forgotten the forest even exists.

It was my first meeting, and as a newbie and relative unknown, I wasn’t quite ready to vocalize my thoughts and make waves. (You might not guess it from my outspoken rants on this blog, but I’m actually fairly introverted and shy.) I’m still glad I went–I saw a few more potential rogues in the woods, and the meeting really opened my eyes in a lot of ways to just how entrenched we are in our methods of cataloging, how much momentum the history of cataloging carries, how hard it just might be to switch to a user-based model of cataloging. It’s going to be an uphill struggle, that’s for sure.

And now that I know what the general tenor of the group is like, I feel better about starting to broach the idea to the group slowly, perhaps with an announcement at the next meeting in February about my forthcoming book chapter about cataloging for art school users. It also makes me wonder if maybe the time isn’t right to pitch a session on user-based arts cataloging to ARLIS…but one thing at a time. Sometimes I have the problem of seeing just a little too much forest and not enough trees!

Voting opens on this Monday, November 16, 2009, to determine if the name of the 100 year old association currently called the Special Libraries Association or SLA should be changed. This topic has been researched and debated for many years and it has become a hot topic with many people on both sides. The new name being considered is Association for Strategic Knowledge Professionals. The short version is ASKPro but this is not part of the vote.

As I understand it, the main reason for the change is to highlight all the changes that have impacted the field of librarianship and acknowledge that we are more than just librarians. It is also meant to be more inclusive since membership in SLA is open to people that work in the information management field but do not necessarily have an MLS or MLIS degree. Some people find the terms Special Libraries and Special Librarians not only limiting but also misleading.

There is so much information available about the name change that I have probably only read a fraction of the opinions but I also have one. Maybe it is because I worked in the field of information management for many years before becoming a librarian that I feel this way but the term librarian has special meaning to me. I always considered myself an information professional but it was only after getting my MLS that I could call myself a librarian. I would be very sorry if the name of the organization no longer mentioned the term libraries. Of course, there are people that do similar jobs but there are also many organizations for information professionals. This organization is primarily for librarians and that is why I joined it and what makes me proud to be a member.

For more background on SLA’s Alignment Project in general and name change in particular, please visit:
SLA Name Change Info Center: http://www.sla.org/content/SLA/governance/namechange/index.cfm
SLA Name Change Blog: http://slablogger.typepad.com/sla_blog/
SLA-NY President Michelle Dollinger’s Presentation on the Alignment Project from the 10/15 Annual Meeting: http://units.sla.org/chapter/cny/downloads.htm (abridged from SLA’s alignment portal http://www.sla.org/content/SLA/alignment/portal/index.html)

Tonight I attended a meeting of the SLA-NY Chapter, or Special Libraries Association of New York Chapter.

I reconnected with some people I usually see at these events, and got a chance to introduce myself to a few others. I always find it interesting to meet new librarians and info professionals, because the always seem to have random places of employment. Then again, it is SLA for a reason.  A lot of corporate librarians were in attendance, I recognized a librarian that gave us a tour of the Catalyst Library on Wall St. a couple of weeks ago. I also met a senior research librarian for Conde Nast, and some fellow MLIS students.

Very interesting was the discussion that night as well. A debate over the proposed name change from SLA to Association of Strategic Knowledge Professionals- ASKPRO. At least SLA sounds sexier- it rolls off the tongue. One librarian brought up an interesting point- actually, many of them did- 1) The term "strategic knowledge" "sounds like BS!" – which inspired LOLs from me and everyone else. Also, 2) Does "strategic" modify knowledge or professional?

I’m actually all for a name change- but a change to something that clearly and qualitatively expresses what we do as professionals, and the skills we can provide. ASKPRO, however, is not it.

• A word from the Special Libraries Association Chief Executive Officer, Janice R. Lachance, explaining “Why This is the Right Name” for the SLA.
• SLA NAME CHANGE INITIATIVE: A PERSONAL PERSPECTIVE by SLA member Ann Sweeney, Division Cabinet Chair-Elect; Chair, International Relations Section, Social Science Division.
• SLA Proposes Name Change to AskPro at LibraryJournal.com
• SLA –> AskPro? at Library Juice
• WHAT’S IN A NAME: SLA VS. ASKPRO at Library Attack

Lachance does a nice job of saying that special librarians are underpaid, underappreciated members of organizations, but she ends the piece with the following:

When you cast your vote on the proposed name change, I ask you to consider not whether you like the name Association for Strategic Knowledge Professionals, but whether it does a better job than SLA in conveying your value to organizations that hire people like you.

My problem is with the name “ASKPro,” and it’s a large enough issue that I’m willing to remain a squeaky wheel on the issue. Honestly, this sounds like something a marketing team of acid-wash jeans-clad thirty-somethings would come up with circa 1993. I was under the impression that we’re (I’m the Secretary for the Wayne State University SLA, btw) trying to change our name to seem more relevant to corporate and other bosses/CEOs. This name change is designed to help us keep our jobs, ascertain funding for travelling to SLA conferences, and other things. ASKPro is ridiculous, in my humble opinion.

If there was another name for SLA that would appeal to every member, I believe it would have been identified some time over the past one hundred years. 

Are you kidding me with this, Madame-SLA-CEO? Honestly, the organization is a century old. We’re a huge bunch of people, and it’s going to be hard to satisfy everyone. At least let’s avoid sounding like we know nothing about marketing. Let’s get over finding a “snappy” acronym while we’re at it. A more straightforward option might be the American Society for Strategic Knowledge and Information Professionals. ASSKIP - Ass kip? Ask ip? Is it the “ass” we’re avoiding? 

My proposal: American Society for Strategic Knowledge and Information Specialists: ASS-KIS[s]

###

An excerpt from Sweeny’s (the second) article:

That is the essence of “strategic knowledge”—a term demonstrated by the extensive research to resonate most effectively with our clients/patrons and employers. Our professional identities compel us to value and respect research.

To serve and sustain our profession, our association, and its individual members most effectively, we must align ourselves for the challenges of the 21st century. For many years, members have overwhelmingly indicated a desire for a new name; and now we have the research to enable us to move forward with a change. The details of the Alignment Project have been publicized for more than a year and available to members and the public.

The selection of Association for Strategic Knowledge Professionals comes directly from the research results.

Whether the association’s name is changed this year or not, we must proceed to align ourselves and our organization for the new century.

Still, I urge you to vote (November 16 – December 9) in favor of the name change. Broaden your perspective. Look to the future.

I agree that the SLA needs to look to the future, but ASKPro isn’t accomplishing this! As special librarians, we need to be marketing ourselves, and even our professional associations, to a sometimes corporate, inevitably ignorant audience. The battle we must fight is one to maintain our small departments, back closets, and cramped offices. Everyone agrees that we need to prove ourselves relevant. All kidding (and ASS-KISsing) asside, ASKPro is a bad decision.

I believe that a second vote to change the name to something other than ASKPro should occur if ASKPro receives anything less than 60% approval. More consideration needs to be given to what precisely the name will become. ASKPro is simply not the right way to go.

I have been working for a while on an event that happened yesterday at SLIS.  The CEO of the SLA, Janice Lachance, came to UW-Madison to speak about the importance of professional associations for students and young professionals.  As the current chair of the UW-Madison student chapter, my SLA experience has given me good networking, leadership, and organizational experience.   There has been some confusion this year because there are three extra student orgs this at SLIS then there were last year.  I go to meetings for the SLA-SC and the ALA-SC, but with so many associations and the average grad student only being able to take on so many things, there has been questioning of the need for seven different orgs.  This has led to a reexamination, for some, of our general purpose and where we overlap with other orgs.  

This topic came up during the visit, and I think that Ms. Lachance was able to clear it up a bit.  She stressed that associations are there for networking, community, and professional development.  Some overlap and some do certain things better than others.  You don’t have to choose just one, but the importance is to find what works for you and get involved as much as you can.

 Later in the day Ms. Lachance also spoke at an SLA Wisconsin Chapter event, and this time the topic focused on the alignment project, and the name change that will be voted on next week.  One of the most controversial aspects of the name change is the dropping of the word libraries.  This bothered some last night.  My main sticking point is that the acronym ASKPro, spells out a word, and I have a personal aversion to acronyms that spell out words.  I would be fine with ASKP. 

That brings me to one of the big arguments of the night: that the alignment project is not about the name change so much as it’s about an attitude shift for the profession and how we are going to position ourselves for future success.  Special librarians have always had identity issues because they are relegated to the other category.  As someone said last night, special librarians have to spend more time saying what they aren’t then what they are.   With the economy, there is a lot of thought about the way that work is being done, where it can be streamlined, what core values and skills need to be maintained, and where innovation is needed.

Giro questo post della Fran, sperando che qualcuno intervenga, o che almeno le vostre menti ci ragionino a fondo.

C’è questo piccolo problema che quanto pare ci sono battaglie più fighe per cui alcuni donano anche dai loro telefonini e battaglie in cui servirebbe solo far rumore e mettere a disposizione tutta la propria solidarietà e che invece non frega a nessuno. [chiedo già scusa anticipatamente se turbo la sensibilità di qualcuno, ma normalmente le mie cose nel mio cervello sono viste così, e io ve le riporto] La SLA è una malattia di merda. Non pensate la prendano solo i calciatori. Il caso che conosco bene io era quello di un idraulico, che sette anni prima aveva iniziato un po’ a inciampare sul pavimento un po’ come se al posto delle mattonelle ci fossero dei tappeti. Poi piano piano i sintomi si sono aggravati. E noi qua al locale nosocomio ce l’avevamo ricoverato (dei 3 era il caso in fase avanzata) in pneumologia, anche se era seguito da una equipe di 5 medici (cardiologo, pneumologo, neurologo, nefrologo e internista) Te entravi lì in stanza e vedevi questo signore di quarantatre anni obeso, la notte attaccato al respiratore, con gli occhiali da sole per non farti vedere come li buttava qua e là e la lingua ormai di fuori perché aveva perso il controllo dei muscoli faciali. E la moglie che continuava a parlargli e a asciugargli la saliva. E tu che non sai e neppure gli altri se ti sente o ti capisce più o meno. Tanto non può muoversi, non può più fare nulla. E te che sei ai primi anni di medicina e non vuoi arrivare in fondo solo per farti il Cayenne che ti fai tante domande, e inizi anche a capire lì che il rapporto non è solo medico-paziente. E’ come quando ti sposi: non ci hai solo il marito, ma tutta la famiglia. Anche lì devi sentire la pressione di ciò che ti dice la legge, e la pressione di quel che pensano i famigliari. Con uno che lì ha ’sti casi, con una persona che fino a qualche anno prima aggiustava tubi e ora non sai neppure dirgli come mai si è ridotto così a sua madre. Io ammiro queste famiglie, ammiro il loro coraggio, o non so, il loro attaccamento alla vita, la loro incoscienza. Io se sapessi di avere la SLA preferirei optare per il suicidio prima. Invece la moglie di quell’idraulico, che non aveva neppure 40 anni, avrebbe pagato chi di noi avesse fatto una tesi sulla SLA e sulla malattia del marito. Io non ne ho le palle, mi dispiace. Mi ci incazzo troppo con la natura e una malattia del genere. Per quello non capisco perché tutti i pretini/cattolichini dimmerda che stanno lì a fissarsi sul crocifisso e che hanno tanto sfrangiato le palle per il caso Welby non vogliano perlomeno dare una minima solidarietà a queste persone che vorrebbero essere curate e assistire a casa. Perché le cure a casa costerebbero molto di meno che in ospedale e inutile dire, il malato a casa è più a suo agio. Serve assistenza. Non possiamo lasciare queste famiglie da sole. Ok, non saranno bambini, non saranno terremotati, ma è un dramma grandissimo. Potrebbe colpire anche voi, ricordatelo. perché quanto pare se non si toccano mai queste corde la gente non si sensibilizza. Se volete farvi una vostra idea sul tutto questa è la rassegna stampa. Che ci sia solo l’associazione Luca Coscioni in Italia che si preoccupa di tutto questo a me fa girare le palle.

Мысли про Helpdesk, SLA и прочее

Цель любого helpdek – обеспечение единой точки контакта ИТ – бизнес, и, в рамках процесса управления инцидентами, с поправкой на SLA (для определения приоритетов), максиально быстрое разрешение поступающих запросов. Таким образом, скорость, с которой разрешается тот или иной конкретный запрос, зависит от текущей загрузки сотрудников ИТ, и от SLA инициатора запроса. (А SLA, в свою очередь, зависит от должностных обязнностей инициатора и от характера определяющего сервиса).

Таким образом, для реализации описанной выше модели с точки зрения ИТ, требуется в первую очередь определить  перечень сервисов, затем проранжировать этот перечень по сложности поддержки и определить минимальное и максимальное время восстановления (либо предоставления – в случае так называемого “сервиса по запросу”), после чего ввести логическое разделение не ИТ-сотрудников на группы по отношению к каждому предоставляемому сервису. После чего внедрить эту стройную картину в жизнь. Для этого разработанная модель должна быть доведена до не-ИТ подразделений, SLA согласованы с руководством этих подразделений и руководством предприятия, helpdesk обучен… По идее, именно в этот момент и должно наступить великое счастье.

Увы! Далеко не всегда, даже когда есть единая точка контакта счастье наступает быстро и безоговорочно. (Скромно молчу про остальные случаи). Жизнь вносит свои коррективы, выражающиеся порой в довольно забавных казусах. Рассмотрим типичные ситуации для внутренней поддержки:

• “Уход от ответственности”. Ситуация встречается, когда служба helpdesk, в силу тех или иных причин (ограниченность бюджета, времени, денег, ресурсов, компетенции) не имеет возможности выполнить SLA. При этом не секрет, что часто мотивация сотрудников helpdesk зависит от скорости выполнения заявок, и прочих количественных факторов (Как это ни странно, но на качественные факторы мало когда обращают внимание). Таким образом, в особо (технологически) сложных случаях, для того, чтобы не портить статистику, сотруднику helpdesk проще закрыть заявку с приемлемой причиной (например, “не предоставлены все требуемые данные”), чем разбираться с конкретной проблемой. И это явление порождает следующую ситуацию:
• “Излишняя формализация”. Helpdesk, как инструмент поддержки пользователя, при фиксации и первичной классификации обращения, основывается на информации, предоставленной пользователем. Часто для сбора информации применяют автоматизированный механизм “опросных листов” или самостоятельного заполнения форм пользователем. Чрезмерная формализация этой процедуры позволяет (на вполне законных основаниях) закрыть обращение в случае малейшей ошибки в данных, предоставленных пользователем.
• “SLA в голове”. Ситуация, при которой формально SLA есть, но фактически в качестве SLA используются произвольные величины, находящиеся в умах одного-двух сотрудников Helpdesk’a. Вариант: SLA вообще не прописаны, а служба поддержки работает “по понятиям”, то есть SLA изменяется от обращения к обращению, или вообще может зависеть от отношения конкретного сотрудника Helpdesk к конкретному пользователю.
• “Размывание зоны ответственности”. В этом случае в SLA фиксируются наиболее типовые сервисы, а обращения по нетиповым сервисам игнорируются либо “запускаются по кругу”, превращая процесс в классический “футбол заявки”. Как вариант, SLA по нетиповым сервисам составляется таким образом, чтобы сотрудник Helpdesk всегда имел возможность закрыть его на основании какой-либо формальной причины. (см. пункт “излишняя формализация”)
• Helpdesk представляет собой одновременно первую, вторую, третью и т.д. линии поддержки. Подобная организация сводит на нет преимущества организации многоуровневой поддержки, так как в рамках подобного универсального подразделения будут находиться специалисты разного уровня, и, как следствие, запросы по одному и тому же сервису, в рамках одного SLA, будут выполняться с разной скоростью и различным качеством.
  Можно возразить, что в любом Helpdesk’e на одной линии работают специалисты разного уровня. Так-то, оно, конечно, так, но уровень их компетенции колеблется у некого среднего уровня, и вряд ли на Helpdesk пойдет работать человек с компетенцией сетевого администратора…
• Helpdesk представляет собой “центр защиты специалистов”, то есть низкоквалифицированных сотрудников, которые всеми возможным средствами пытаются не допустить общение пользователя со второй линией поддержки, и, в меру своей квалификации, решать все поступающие к ним инциденты. Обычно подобная картина перерождается в излишнюю формализацию, поскольку задача первой линии в этом случае – найти формальный повод не выполнять требуемых работ. На практике такая картина часто возникает из-за того, что неверно трактуется описанная в ITIL организация службы поддержки.
• “Полный бардак”. Helpdesk не организован, но декларируется “жизнь по ITIL”. Учет заявок не ведется, или половина заявок проходит вне системы учета. Формально SLA определены, но фактически об этом никто не знает. И все счастливы… (Клинический случай?)

К чему это я? Да к тому, что формально внедрив “что-то из ITIL”, организовав Helpdesk, радоваться и расслабляться рано – проблемы будут, только другого порядка, возможно, решаемые более просто – по отношению к тем, которые присутствуют в ситуации, когда Helpdesk’a нет, как класса, а ITIL является магической аббревиатурой…

© Alexander Bashkirov

In this transformative economy, the search is on for new ways to create efficiency… as cliche as it sounds, to do more with less.  Looking at your data center during a move and evaluating the way the data center could be improved is one easy way realize that efficiency, right now.  The best part?  These improvements might not even cost anything!

Commonly, businesses retain the services of a single contractor to build out their space.  Call it what you like – the network closet, computer room, telephone room, or data center.  The contractor is certainly proficient in creating efficient use of space and they have, no doubt, delivered their fair share of these closets.  Let’s keep it simple, efficient, and low cost, right?

• How much space do we need in square feet?
• What type of power do we need to run to this space?
• Do we need an air conditioner in there?

As far as small businesses are concerned, those are some of the key questions that we can expect the contractor to respond to effectively.  Add the services of an outside IT contractor like ANALYSYS if you don’t have an IT department, and the job gets done.

An alternative is to retain the services of a company that specializes in building out data centers.  This is a niche within the technology business.  Here’s a story by Processor Magainze that talks about this concept of using a specialist.  In summary, what can you expect for the additional investment? 

• Confidence that your data center environment will conform to modern security, electrical, and environmental best practices.
• An environment that’s right-sized for you now, but is also scalable to what you might need in the future.
• Assistance in making your data redundant before the move, and completion of the actual transition to the new site within the timeframes necessary to minimize impact.
• A seasoned advocate before the many third parties involved with such an engagement.

What’s the problem with all this, you say?  Well, regardless of how you define the project, there’s downtime, risk involved with moving the technology, and with all these contractors and outside support personnel, it’s just downright expensive.  Who cares, it has to be done anyway, right?  Not necessarily.

Before you dig in, double check whether a buildout is necessary at all.  This is one of the first tests that should come up during the initial planning phases of your move.  You may want to consider hosting your systems in a data center facility.  Commonly called “colocation”, this concept is not a new one, however, recent innovations have made the hosted data center option affordable, much more relevant, and accessible to small businesses.

What Is A Hosted Data Center & What Goes In One?

A hosted data center is a facility designed to house computer systems for many businesses. The company that owns the data center makes money by renting physical space for computer systems, and sometimes charges for certain extras such as the amount of power or bandwidth (internet usage) consumed.

In the past, small businesses frequently used hosted data centers only for the things that were meant to be on the internet. This included systems like electronic mail servers, eCommerce sites and other web servers, and web based applications. This concept commonly known as “rack space”, worked well primarily because of the high cost of reliable internet connectivity.

That’s still true today, but the 2008/2009 economic downturn has brought new innovation to this area of the high technology industry. Server “virtualization”, the concept of running many ‘virtual’ servers on one physical server computer, substantially reduces the amount of actual space required. This reduction in space requirement is one of the biggest enablers of entirely colocated networks, and the term that has emerged to describe this practice of networking over the internet? Cloud computing.

Is Data Center Colocation Right For Me?

Using a third party data center to host your systems substantially reduces the investment you need to make into your own data center build out, or even eliminates it all together. Because you are moving your systems into a failicity that was designed from the ground up to be a professional service provider for other companies information systems, you can expect that you are moving into an environment that is highly reliable where downtime, security breaches, and other violations of industry accepted standards are unacceptable and potentially compromise accreditation.  Finally, the colocation model, practically speaking, is infinitely scalable. You have enough space, bandwidth out to the internet, battery backup power, generators, and environmental conditioning to expand to essentially whatever level of growth you need. In summary…

1. Lower up front investment
2. Highly reliable environment
3. Access to better infrastructure
4. Predictable physical security

Keep in mind however, that you are giving up complete physical control of your systems to a company that will ask for a term commitment. If you are uncomfortable with, or simply cannot have someone else manage certain elements of your network security on your behalf, the concept of a hosted data center is probably not right for you. Another major consideration is how the physical separation from these systems will impact the operation. Amongst other things this means that you need to establish an acceptable level of reliable, redundant connectivity between your premises and the data center. Also, bear in mind that as you scale your presence in the hosted data center upward or downward, you can expect a corresponding increase or decrease in monthly recurring costs. Finally, and arguably most important, you must evaluate the present and expected future financial health of the hosted data center you are partnering with, but ultimately understand that data center facilities, albeit rarely, sometimes go out of business. So let’s consider the drawbacks…

1. Monthly recurring costs
2. Physical separation from systems
3. Dependence upon a third party
4. Term commitment

Setting The Right Expectations Through Service Level Agreements (SLAs)

A small business that is looking to a move to the hosted data center as a way to save money will most likely end up with their systems in only one data center, whereas larger businesses may have redundant systems, also known as “hot sites”. If you are the former, take time to understand this single point of failure.  One good test is to evaluate the Service Level Agreement (SLA) the data center operator offers as part of their standard terms and conditions.  An SLA is the maximum amount of downtime the data center operator promises not to exceed within a certain amount of time. Data center providers normally offer a Service Level Agreement with at least “five-nines” of reliability. This means 99.999% uptime, or no more than about five minute and fifteen seconds of down time per year. If the downtime exceeds this amount, the service provider credits service fees back based upon a certain formula. Some SLAs offer a credit back one hour for each hour down. Expect more. You want something like one day’s credit for every hour down. This seems like a modest change, but the difference is substantial.

This may not approach the costs that your business will have sustained because of the outage, yet, consider this as one visible way the data center operator demonstrates their commitment to the customer. If all customers at the data center receive the same credit for this one day outage, that’s a loss of about 6.5% of the data center’s total annual revenue… that’s an incentive to keep reliability high.

How To Succeed In A Move To Data Center Colocation

Remeber, this story is about doing more with less, so we are going to need to ultimately save money if we are going to succeed. The best way of inventorying your costs is to do so months in advance of your move.

First, what’s the cost of building your own new data center?  Have you been able to elminate or substantially reduce these costs by going to a hosted data center?

What are the present costs of internet access? What would you need when you move your systems into a hosted data center? There is an upside and a downside to internet connectivity. Obviously, the internet access will be required less because the access from the rest of the world to your servers for services like email and websites will be eliminated – that’s going straight to the data center. However, there’s now the cost of connectivity from your office into the data center which should be redundant. Find out what the impact is going to be, positive or negative.

Do you pay for your own power? What is the present level of power consumption, and how much could be saved if the technology in your office was no longer there? Power consumption represents an often surprising cost to the business, and is frequently right behing HVAC and lighting.  ANALYSYS was able to reduce our IT related power costs by 52%, representing an annual savings of $13,000.  Here’s the press release if you would like to learn more. 

How much support does your existing network require? If the systems were no longer located on premises, could certain members on the support team be repurposed, or if you use outside IT help, would you be able to right-size the relationship? Remember, your small business still needs to maintain the systems that go into the data center, but managing complex switches, routers, and firewalls may be a thing of the past.

Can you actually eliminate certain systems entirely? For example, if you own and manage your own email server, consider hosting your email as a service with a third party. This eliminates the requirement to maintain the system yourself, reduces the complexity of the network, and normalizes costs.  Some companies are bringing

Putting It All Together

There are some best practices that, when followed, will yield a highly positive experience. Consider that any ‘improvement’ made is not an improvement if it negatively impacts efficiency of the user base. Now that your company has moved to a hosted data center, does, for example, the technical writer for your company work about half as fast as they used to because of the ten step program involved with opening or saving documents? Because the technology that empowers small business to go to the hosted data center is still somewhat new, the best practices and processes used to set up such an environment are not broadly understood. If your business has an IT department, consider encouraging that the stakeholders call for outside support and guidance at the strategy and design phases of this engagement. If your company customarily outsources its support to an IT consulting firm, ask them to demonstrate their successes with prior clients. Moving to the data center represents systemic change to the way that your business uses its technology, and qualified consultants like ANALYSYS can help this experience yield a reliable solution that costs considerably less.