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Day 1: Gartner Security & Risk Management Summit. It didn't ...

Posted in: Random Musings, IT Risk Management, Women in Technology, Security Talks & Webinars, IT Security & Risk Mgt. surveys and polls.
Tagged: Andrew Walls, Gartner Security and Risk Management, Michael Dell, virtual, innovate, Wagner, chigger, transformation, Rafa Nadal, Neil MacDonald.

CipherBlonde is enjoying the beautiful digs, overlooking the Potomac, at the Gaylord National Hotel here in Maryland. To wit, I?m reveling in learning from, and networking with, some of the sharpest minds in IT.

Below are some tasty tidbits from Day 1 @ the Gartner?s IT Security and Risk Management Summit:

• Andrew Walls is as impressive in front of 2500 people as he is 1:1. I?m proud that he?s SpectorSoft?s primary analyst, and his opening session remarks were as stimulating and nerve churning as the thought of carmel coated bacon is to my Tex-ican, Mexican fianc?, Sam:
  • Change is often scary- but it also brings opportunity, and the benefit of positive outcomes.
  • FOUR key areas are driving the ?stunning pace of change?in IT?, and redefining IT Security Risk: mobile, social, cloud, and the information explosion (big data).
  • Change?is only accelerating- and to succeed, organizations must adapt even faster than ever, with a continued eye on performance.
    • Business Continuity + Intelligent Risk Management = ?BUSINESS ASSURANCE?
    • Protect, Detect, Act (Fix)
  • Good Tactics are Driven from Sound Strategy; Sound Strategy is Born of Confident Innovation, combined with Resilience
• Ray Wagner, Gartner guru geek, is from the Deep South, though he ?elo-cutes? with no accent, while waxing poetic ?bout ?em ginormous Tennessee chiggers, that he compares to daily IT woes. And I thought I was non sequitur.
  • By the way, Ray, I?d pit my Southern Florida mosquito against your Tennessee chigger, any day. ?My welts are bigger than yours, ?cuz my mosquito is more vicious that yours.? (See notes towards the end of this post, re: size vs. might, from Michael Dell).
• Mark Jeffries- I?m writing this blog from the notes I took during your session. I?m envisioning you nodding at this fact, in Double Digits, per Minute. (I?m going to swap out the N.P.M. metric, vs. Likes, for my blogs, going forward).
  • Nice shout out to the ?Mentalist?, and what a head of hair he has.
• Michael Dell, what to say. Your talk was fascinating.
  • Dell is proof positive that TRANSFORMATION?is possible- only 25% of Dell?s current revenue comes from PC sales, and only 20% from consumers. Wow.
    • Dell is now a SOLUTIONS company- who is betting on services, virtualized endpoints, and securing IT.
    • Dell sees themselves as the non-proprietary, ?open guy?, and has figured out a DIFFERENT level of abstraction of the IT problem, that is more interesting and more relevant to their customers & their customers future!!! (That is an Aha moment).
      • Dell?s Enterprise sales have doubled in the past FIVE years, but much more importantly represent ? of their GROSS Margin.
        • Software, Services, and Security is more profitable, and faster growing, so Dell is focusing on it.
    • About 35 minutes into Michael Dell?s talk he first mentioned Microsoft, something about them ?being an important part of the software stack?. Wow. Wow. (He and Bill Gates used to almost jointly write the future, not so long ago, didn?t they..?)
      • Dell is betting on virtualized desktops, and workstations and will happily manage, secure, and integrate them, no matter who manufactures the hardware. (They will sell theirs, and will build, but won?t build mobile devices, per M.D.).
        • Dell sees the IT Endpoint Consumerization & Mobility opportunity as Virtualization + Integration + Management.
    • When asked about how Dell will serve larger customers when they?ve seen the most success in the SMB space, Mike said something to the effect of- Dell believes in building solutions that scale. We use modular, current technology. ?in order to take our solutions up-market or down-market. Size isn?t the determining factor. Our vicious-ness, and desire to innovate/win is.
    • When asked why companies will buy from Dell vs. from IBM or H.P., Mike said, ?Dell is not tied to legacy systems nor platforms. Dell is willing to start from ground zero, now, to meet customer needs in the best way possible. Dell will innovate, and Dell will evolve.? And how!
• Go Rafa; happy French Open victory. Seven is charm. The man with the most ?game?, the least fear, and the most heart Won. Can?t wait for the U.S. Open 2012.

CipherBlonde

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WCS Performing Songwriters winners announced ? Oregon Music ...

John Rankin

Saturday, June 2, was quite the night at The Buffalo Gap, where the NW Chapter Finals of the West Coast Songwriters Competition took place.

Sixteen amazing acts from Oregon and Washington performed, each giving their all to win the title of either 2011-12 WCS NW Chapter ?Best Song? or ?Best Performer.?

After almost 30 minutes of intense debates, judges Peter Vaughn Shaver, Vicki Ambinder, and Tony Ferguson finally decided on the winners.

Worth won ?Best Song? for ?Let?s Make It Last,? while John Rankin won ?Best Performance? to a standing-room-only crowd.

Chris Worth

A serious congrats to both talented winners and the other 14 acts that all shined. Way to go musical artists of the great northwest! Thanks especially to?Jacob Cochran?(for the photos of Chris Worth and John Rankin).

Also, a very special thanks to music industry judges Vicki Ambinder?(amazing performance coach), Peter Vaughn Shaver?(our true blue Portland entertainment attorney), and?Tony Ferguson?(amazing A&R guru, a la Lady Ga Ga, Bush and WCS advisor/long-term partner).

Thanks to the following special?WCS partners and sponsors: Oregon Music News (thanks for donating Ad Space, Winner Reviews, and Promotion Support); Rex Studios/Brent Rogers??(donated studio time,??playing to warm up the crowd); AUDIX USA?Mics (a new OM3 mic); SmileyNote Studios?(event producer); The Buffalo Gap?(event location); and everyone else like Chris Merrill, Chris Margolin, and Deb, my wife, for helping out and supporting this year?s events.

In case you missed my earlier post on the competition, the finalists included a who?s who of talented musical artists:

2011- 12 Best Song Finalists

David Gross?

Steven Dolbey/Justin Hart

Natasha Flynn

Chris Baron

Chris Harris

Worth?

Michele Van Kleef

Nicole Wells

2011-12 Best Performance?Finalists

Karyn Patridge

Sarah Billings

Naomi Laviolette

Chris Harris

Carlson Wells

Nicole Wells

John Rankin

Justin Jude

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Cheryl's Christian Book Connection: Guest Blogger: Three ...

Building Wealth for Building the Kingdom is a simple, practical guide to help LDS families organize their personal financial plans to meet their unique goals. The book provides simple answers to questions like:

• How much should I be saving each month for my son?s mission?
• How much should I be saving each month for my children?s college education?
• How can I save enough to be able to retire while I?m healthy enough to serve a mission?

Avoiding tips on pinching pennies, the book focuses on opportunities to save thousands or tens of thousands of dollars by making smart moves with big decisions, like home and car purchases.

Mormon families will appreciate the gospel-centered, scripture-based focus on putting tithing at the center of a financial plan. Building Wealth for Building the Kingdom will help prepare families to enjoy the benefits of their labor while simultaneously contributing to the growth of Church.

Three Surprising Ways to Start Saving Money Right Now

by Devin D. Thorpe

Do nothing!

That?s right, the first and easiest way to start saving money right now is to do absolutely nothing. Do go shopping. Don?t go out to dinner. Don?t sell your car, even to buy an older, cheaper one. Don?t sell your home and buy a new one. Don?t do anything you don?t have to do. For most of us, we?ll discover that a tremendous amount of our money goes to fund things that we don?t need to buy or do. Don?t get me wrong, I recognize that you must do some things (eating, paying the mortgage, etc.), but the first money you contribute to a savings plan may just come from doing nothing for 30 days, 60 days or 90 days while you focus on getting your savings program rolling.

Stop passing up free money!

Having worked as a finance executive in several large companies, I?ve seen the data. Many employees don?t contribute to their 401k retirement plan at work and as a result, don?t get the free match offered by most employers. You?re going to do the work no matter what, right? If you?re not contributing anything to your 401k, you could be missing out on a 5% raise. So be sure to check with your human resources department to find out how to sign up for at least the minimum contribution to the 401k plan required to get the company match!

Pay a generous tithe to your church!

Yes, you heard me right. If you really want a successful savings program in your home, start by giving generously to your church. God said through the prophet Malachi, ?Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.? (Malachi 3:10) Get God on your side by paying a tithe, and prepare to have help you never thought possible.

Devin D. Thorpe brings a broad perspective to financial planning, having owned and operated an investment-banking firm?which included an investment advisory business?a mortgage brokerage and having served in a variety of corporate finance positions.

Presently, Devin serves as a business professor at South China University of Technology in Guangzhou, China on behalf of Brigham Young University?s Kennedy Center China Teachers program. Previously, he served as the Chief Financial Officer for the multinational company MonaVie, listed in Inc. Magazine?s 2009 Inc. 500 as the 18th fastest growing company in America and, at $834 million in revenue, the third largest company on the list. Prior experience includes two years working on the staff of the U.S. Senate Banking Committee during Utah Senator Jake Garn?s tenure. He also served briefly in Utah State Government, working at USTAR under Governor Jon Huntsman.

He earned an MBA with focus in Finance and Accounting from Cornell University?s Johnson Graduate School of Management. He completed his undergraduate degree in finance at the University of Utah, where he later worked as an adjunct professor of finance. In 2006, Devin was recognized by the David Eccles School of Business at the University of Utah as a Distinguished Alum.

In the Church, Devin presently serves as a seminary and institute teacher along with his wife, Gail. Previously, he served as a counselor in a stake presidency, a counselor in a bishopric, ward executive secretary, young men?s president, assistant scout master, three times as an assistant ward clerk, and in more elders quorum presidencies than he can count.

Devin ran his first marathon in 2011, finishing in 4:35.

You can reach Devin via email at bw4bk.tumblr.com.

Building Wealth for Building the Kingdom is available for Kindle and Nook. Purchase the book at Devin?s website, www.bw4bk.tumblr.com

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FACT CHECK: Looming tax hike not the biggest ever

WASHINGTON (AP) ? Republicans are calling it "Taxmageddon," the big tax increase awaiting nearly every American family at the end of the year, when a long list of tax cuts is scheduled to expire unless Congress acts.

It would be, GOP leaders in Congress say again and again, "the largest tax increase in American history."

Except it wouldn't be, not when you take into account population growth, rising wages, and most importantly, the size of the U.S. economy. When those factors are taken into account, the largest tax increases were those imposed to help pay for World War II ? back when the U.S. raised additional revenue to pay for wars instead of simply borrowing.

Nevertheless, it is an exaggeration that has proved too tempting for top Republicans in Congress:

? "Any sudden tax hike would hurt our economy, so this fall ? before the election ? the House of Representatives will vote to stop the largest tax increase in American history," House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, said in a May 15 speech in Washington.

? "Before we leave for August, I expect to schedule a vote on legislation preventing the largest tax increase in history," House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, R-Va., wrote in a recent memo to fellow House Republicans.

? "Millions are unemployed and millions more are underemployed and the country is facing the largest tax hike in history at the end of the year," Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell said Thursday in a speech on the Senate floor.

? "This would be, without any exaggeration, the largest tax increase in American history," said a May 17 letter from 41 Republican senators to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid.

Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney gives the claim a different twist, applying it to President Barack Obama's budget proposal for next year. That's an even bigger exaggeration.

THE FACTS: A huge collection of tax cuts is scheduled to expire at the end of the year, affecting families at every income level and businesses of many stripes. Many of the tax cuts were first enacted under former President George W. Bush and extended under Obama.

If Congress does nothing, income tax rates would go up, estate taxes and investment taxes would increase and the alternative minimum tax would hit millions of middle-income people. A temporary payroll tax cut that has been of benefit to nearly every wage earner in 2011 and 2012 would expire, costing the average family an additional $1,000 a year.

In addition, dozens of other tax breaks for businesses and individuals that are routinely renewed each year already expired at the end of 2011. Congress was expected to renew many of them by January, so taxpayers could still claim them on their 2012 tax returns.

If Congress fails to act, businesses would lose a popular tax credit for research and development as well as generous tax breaks for investing in new plants and equipment. Individuals would lose federal tax breaks for paying local sales taxes, buying energy efficient appliances and using mass transit.

In all, federal taxes would increase by about $423 billion next year, according to figures from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office and the Joint Committee on Taxation, the official scorekeepers for Congress.

Combined with federal spending cuts scheduled to take effect next year, the one-two punch would probably send the U.S. economy back into recession, according to a recent CBO study.

Still, the tax increases would pale in comparison to those imposed to help finance World War II.

Before the 1940s, the individual income tax applied to only a small percentage of the population. By the end of war, the income tax was levied on most working people, with a top tax rate of 94 percent on income above $200,000.

By comparison, the current top rate is 35 percent, on taxable income above $388,350. If Congress does nothing, the top rate would return to 39.6 percent next year ? the same rate that was in place for most of the 1990s.

In dollars, next year's tax hikes would be the biggest. But the population is more than twice as big as it was in the 1940s and the size of the U.S. economy is 80 times bigger. That's why economists usually measure taxes and government spending as a share of the economy.

The 1942 tax increase represented more than 5 percent of the U.S. economy, as measured by the gross domestic product, or GDP. The 1941 tax increase was 2.2 percent of GDP, according to a Treasury Department paper published in 2006.

Next year's looming tax increase would represent 2.6 percent of GDP ? a huge tax hike but not the biggest.

Measured another way, the 1942 tax hike increased federal revenue by a whopping 71 percent, according to the Treasury Department paper. The 1941 tax hike increased federal revenue by 32 percent.

By comparison, next year's potential tax hike would increase federal revenues by 16 percent, according to CBO.

___

ROMNEY: "President Obama has failed to even pass a budget. In February, he put forward a proposal that included the largest tax increase in history, and still left our national debt spiraling out of control, and the House rejected it unanimously," Romney said in an April 4 speech to newspaper executives and editors.

ROMNEY AGAIN: "Rapidly rising federal spending and debt threatens our economic future, and the president has responded by proposing the largest tax increase in history," Romney said in a Feb. 22 release.

THE FACTS: Obama's budget proposal would represent one of the largest tax increases since World War II, if you count letting the payroll tax cut expire as a tax increase. But again, it wouldn't be the largest ever. Obama's 2013 budget proposal mixes tax cuts designed to improve the economy with long-term tax increases aimed at reducing the federal budget deficit.

Obama has proposed extending Bush-era tax cuts for families making less than $250,000 and ending them for families that make more. He would end tax breaks for oil and gas companies but make permanent the research and development tax credit.

In 2013, Obama's budget proposal would increase tax revenue by $195 billion over current policy ? if you include the tax increase from letting the payroll tax cut expire. The tax increase would represent 1.2 percent of GDP. Or, measured a different way, it would increase tax revenue by 7 percent.

That would rank as the fourth-largest tax increase since World War II, behind tax hikes enacted in 1950, 1951 and 1968, according to the Treasury Department paper.

Further dousing Romney's claim, House Republicans have passed a budget for next year ? which Romney has embraced ? that would raise just $7 billion less in taxes than Obama's budget in 2013. That's the equivalent of a rounding error, when you're talking about revenues of $2.7 trillion.

___

Online:

Treasury paper on major tax bills since 1940: http://tinyurl.com/65r8f84

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iXoost: Exhaust Speaker Docking System For iPhone and iPod Touch (Funky Space Monkey)

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