Everyone Has A Heart
December 14, 2012
This Saturday….
December 15th
Will be our 27th year….
For the Haddon Holiday Heart Run.
We have been thru
Snow…..
Sleet…..
Rain…..
Biting Cold….
Unexpected warmth….
Yet each year
The diehard runners
Keep coming back
When we setup this race
27 years ago
That was our intention
If you are a runner
There are a slew of races
You may choose from
Beginning in April
Right on thru Thanksgiving
Christmas is where we saw our opportunity
Let’s have a Holiday Heart Run
Right before Christmas
You will only find
The truly diehard runners participating
Depending on the weather
We have had anywhere from
250 up to 400+ runners
Each year
Santa always shows up
His little elf……
Bernie Parent
Has been our
Honorary Chairman
For the last 10 years
This year we have…….
A special surprise
At the finish line.
You will have to be there to find out
I’m not tellin…..
Over the last 26 years
Our Haddon Holiday Heart Run
Has raised well over
$300,000
For the American Heart Association
Here’s a few facts you may not be aware of….
Did You Know That…..
“More than 2,200 Americans die
Of cardiovascular diseases each day
That’s one person every 39 seconds.
On average, someone in the United States
Has a stroke every 40 seconds
And a stroke-related death occurs
About every four minutes.”
Those are shocking numbers
Thru the Haddon Holiday Heart Run
We look to raise awareness
All dollars benefit
The American Heart Association’s
Research and Education Programs
Since 1949, the American Heart Association
Has spent more than $3.4 billion…..
Second only to the federal government….
On research to increase our knowledge
About cardiovascular diseases and stroke.
Would you like to join us Saturday?
I have included a link below
To sign up for the run
Register online:
If you are not able to participate
Maybe you would like to make a donation
The link also includes a tab
For you
You may donate from $10 up to $100
There is even a spot available
To write in your own amount
Everyone has a Heart
Your donation will help us
As we work to find a cure
Every Day is a Gift
10 Ways to Help VOIP Quality
December 10, 2012
The past three or four years have seen hosted VoIP application come of age. It is estimated that sometime in 2013 VoIP will outpace tradition voice services in call volume.
Choosing a VoIP provider requires a few considerations. Most important should be the quality of the service provider. You want to begin by looking at the service provider you choose today: do they know voice? Do they know data? How much experience do they have in delivering VoIP? Like choosing any vendor, if they don’t ask questions about your network be wary.
Here are the top ten problems to avoid to make your experience a better one.
1. YOUR INTERNAL NETWORK
Call quality can suffer if your network isn’t configured correctly; particularly if you’re routing both data and voice over the same internal network. The solution is to use a VLAN capable switch that is properly configured. In addition many of these VLAN capable switches also have POE (power over Ethernet) built in so each individual phones does not need to be plugged into an electrical outlet.
2. LATENCY
In a network, latency equals delay. The delay is how much time it takes for a packet of data to get from one designated point to another. It can also be the gap of time between when a call participant speaks and the time the other party hears. There are several types of latency that can affect voice quality. A high- quality VoIP router and prioritizing VoIP traffic over your network can address some latency. Many VOIP providers will also include and manage that equipment for optimum service. HBS highly recommends this practice.
3. BAD CUSTOMER EQUIPMENT
Sometimes equipment just goes bad. If your business uses its internet connection for both voice (VOIP) and data, you’ll need a router that prioritizes VoIP traffic. Without a VoIP-priority router, downloading a large file while you’re on a call can make call quality spotty. cory communications recommends this equipment be provided and managed by your VOIP provider..
4. JITTER
Jitter is the variations in the delay of packets that are received by the user. Packets are sent in a continuous stream, spaced evenly apart. Problems like network congestion, improper queuing, varied packet delays, or configuration errors, can make this steady stream choppy.
You can compensate for the jitter with a router or Edge devices that receive a Real-Time
5. FAULTY WIRING MAY NOT BE YOUR FAULT.
Your facility has a demarcation point where the public switched telephone network connects to on-premises wiring. Your demarcation point can usually be identified as a network interface box installed by the telephone network. Legacy telephone systems used a cabling that was called CAT 3. Most of today’s cabling uses CAT 5 or higher. Both computer networks and VOIP telephones operate using CAT 5. Using the correct equipment allows you to share one connection for each user. Proper wiring insures the best quality of service.
6. PROBLEMS WITH ETHERNET SWITCHES AND HUBS
Having a local area network which contains hubs could lead to bad call quality. It’s best if each phone has a straight home run connection to your 100 Base-T VLAN capable POE ( Power over Ethernet ) switch. If your facility has multiple Ethernet switches for sharing single wiring drops, call quality will suffer. These scenarios should be discussed as part of the discovery process when looking into Hosted VOIP. Hutchinson Business Solutions can help your organization access these potential hazards.
7. POOR QUALITY OR INADEQUATE INTERNET CONNECTION
Your internet service provider may be optimized for web surfing rather than VoIP phone service. The transportation of voice packets requires particular internet protocols that your internet service may not provide. For businesses that have up to 10 phones in use at any given time, cable high speed internet generally offer “business class” service that is configured for VoIP traffic. Please note the only true way to get guaranteed quality of service with a guarantee in writing from the service provider is to purchase your new Hosted VOIP service from a provider that can provide end to end connectivity using T-1 or higher.
8. ECHOES DURING CALLS
We’ve all had the notorious phone-echo. Believe it or not this is common. The guilty party is usually on the end of the person who does not hear the echo. In addition low-quality handsets can be the cause. The easy fix may be as easy as turning down your hand set volume.
9. CRACKLING SOUNDS DURING CALLS
Crackling is usually a wiring or hardware with either the handset or headset or the device’s cord. If this occurs see if it’s affecting all of the phones or just one. If it’s just one try the cord first. Your phone may simply not be connected properly. If not, there are more serious wiring issues at hand.
10. SILENCE AND ” ELECTRONIC ” SOUNDING VOICES
If a call participant experiences periods of silence or voices that sound “robotic,” the cause is generally packet loss. This is usually caused by insufficient internet bandwidth. You need around 100kbps in both directions to prevent packet loss and ensure good VoIP calls. Ensure that your internet connection has adequate bandwidth for your business’s calls and level of network usage. HBS highly recommends that, when you operate above 10 phones, a T-1 connection to the carrier will go a long way to insure Quality of Service.
For more information about Hosted VOIP or any other telecommunications and cloud services please contact us at george@hbsadvantage.com
Visit us on the web www.hutchinsonbusinesssolutions.com
One Step….Two Step
December 5, 2012
Does everyone know how to do….
The one step….. two step?
Tim Geithner presented the….
Democratic
Reach for the sky
Fiscal cliff solution
That landed like a lead balloon
It was the same offer from 2011
I guess it took them a long time
To come up with that?
The Republicans huddled and….
Went to their files
And pulled out their proposal
From…..
2011.
That is what I call progress
It has been 1 month since
The presidential election….
And these are my sins….
We are still back in 2011.
I have been reading a lot about this topic
Since Finance is my bag
Nobody wants to pay more taxes….
But the Government cannot
Continue to spend
33% more than they take in.
Raising the taxes from 35% to 39% for
The 2% highest earners
Is mostly symbolic
That does not mean they will actually
Be paying higher taxes
Without touching the deductions and loopholes
They will still be paying
14%
In order to increase revenue
You can’t just increase the rates
You have to close loopholes
That would bring in more revenue
Taxing the highest earning 2%
Will not solve the deficit issue
It only scratches at the surface
We are going to have to stick our heads
Into unchartered waters
When social security was started
The retirement age was 65 years old
The average life expectancy was
69 years old
The program was set up with the intention
That it had to provide benefits
On average for about 4 years
The average life expectancy today
Is 84 years old
That means that…..
Social Security is now expected
To cover
On average
A span of 19 years
Not…….4 years
Can you see why there
May be a problem
With this program
We all pay into it….
But as the boomers age
The support base diminishes
Where can we possibly look to
Save money in the budget
Let’s take a quick look at defense spending
1974
That was the last time we saw…
The defense budget under
$100 billion dollars
By the year 2000
The defense budget grew to
$372 billion dollars
That took 26 years
In a mere 12 years
2000 – 2012
The Defense Budget
Has more than doubled
And comes in at
$816 billion dollars
I think we can possibly find
Some savings there?
There has been a lot of talk about
Health Care
Currently the US spends
About 18% of GDP
On Healthcare
Other comparable nations spend
On average about 12%
A recent study by
Harvard Business Review states
“The proper goal for any health care delivery system
Is to improve the value delivered to patients.
Value in health care is measured
In terms of the patient outcomes
Achieved per dollar expended.
It is not the number of different services provided
Or the volume of services delivered that matters
But the value.
More care and more expensive care
Is not necessarily better care.”
Studies show that savings in Health Care cost
Can range from $700 billion to $1 Trillion dollars
Just by increasing the
Efficiencies of service.
These are just a couple examples
Every program should be reviewed
I believe there will be
A lot of finger pointing
While the Government works
Towards a solution
But it is in the best interest
Of all concerned
That a compromise
Is made
True saving can be found
In all programs
Without effecting
The integrity of any program
America is here for the long term
We just have to make smart decisions
To make sure we remain the
Beacon of light
That all other countries look
To emulate
House GOP makes a $2.2 trillion debt counteroffer to Obama on cliff
December 3, 2012
As reported in The Hill 12/03/12 bt=y Russell Berman
House Republican leaders on Monday made a counteroffer to President Obama in the “fiscal cliff” negotiations, proposing to cut $2.2 trillion with a combination of spending cuts, entitlement reforms and $800 billion in new tax revenue.
The leaders delivered the offer to the White House on Monday with a three-page letter signed by Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio), Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) and four other senior House Republicans, including Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.), the party’s just-defeated vice presidential nominee.
The White House rejected the offer as insufficient in a statement released about two hours after Boehner made the offer public. White House communications director Dan Pfeiffer in a statement said the GOP proposal was unbalanced on the key issue of taxes on wealthier households, and that it also lacked detail.
Republican officials said the offer was based on a proposal outlined by Erskine Bowles, who served as chief of staff to former President Clinton, in testimony last year before the congressional “supercommittee” on deficit reduction. That offer is distinct from the widely cited Simpson-Bowles deficit plan released two years ago.
The GOP offer is a response to Obama’s opening bid, which called for $1.6 trillion in tax increases and reducing the power of Congress to block an increase in the debt ceiling.
“What we are putting forward is a credible plan that deserves serious consideration by the White House,” Boehner told reporters in a brief appearance at the Capitol. He said he hoped the administration would respond in a timely manner.
He characterized it as a response to what he called the “la-la land” offer that Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner presented to congressional leaders last week.
The Speaker last spoke to Obama on Wednesday and indicated he did not plan to personally present his offer to the president. “I think the letter’s appropriate,” he said.
Boehner is scheduled to attend the White House holiday party on Monday evening. Asked if he might speak to Obama there, the Speaker smiled and replied: “I might run into him.”
The Republican counteroffer does not include an increase in the debt ceiling, but a GOP aide said the party remained open to negotiating additional borrowing authority for the Treasury before the end of the year. The nation is expected to reach its borrowing limit by mid-February at the latest.
Republican officials said their offer amounted to $4.6 trillion in deficit reduction when compared directly to the White House offer, which they emphasized was more than what the White House had put on the table.
In its own deficit plan, the White House counts legislation that has already been enacted, savings from future interest on the debt and savings from the end of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Republicans do not count those as new savings, so their offer amounts to $2.2 trillion in future deficit reduction.
The $800 billion in new tax revenue matches what Boehner offered Obama during their 2011 negotiations for a grand bargain. Republicans are keeping to their opposition to tax rate increases, and aides said Monday they believe that $800 billion can be raised from the wealthy through other means, which their offer does not specify.
Senior Republican aides argued that their offer represented a “fair middle ground” because, unlike the White House, they did not use their budget proposal as their opening bid. The House budget contains no revenue increases and included far-reaching changes to Medicare and Medicaid that Democrats consider non-starters.
“We’re not doing that today, because we don’t have time,” one top GOP aide said, speaking during a background briefing on the condition of anonymity.
Republicans have complained that the White House waited three weeks to present its offer to avoid the fiscal cliff at year’s end, which they panned as “not serious.”
In addition to the $800 billion in revenue, the Republicans are proposing $600 billion in health savings, $300 billion in savings from other mandatory spending and $300 billion in further cuts to discretionary spending.
The GOP is also proposing to raise $200 billion through changes to the way inflation is calculated for the purpose of determining benefits and tax policy across a range of programs, including $200 billion. The offer is consistent with a framework that leaders in both parties have agreed to: averting the looming tax hikes and spending cuts with a “down payment” of deficit reduction while settling on targets for tax and entitlement reform in 2013.
The Republican proposal does not specify what would be immediately enacted as a down payment, and aides said it could replace the $1.2 trillion in automatic spending cuts that are set to begin taking effect next year, although it does not explicitly eliminate them.
While the offer only specifies targets for entitlement reform, aides said they would likely include means testing of Medicare and raising the age of eligibility, which they noted have been at the center of deficit reduction talks for years.
“It’s not as if we have had no conversations over the past few years,” an aide said.
Pfeiffer faulted the GOP for raising rates on the wealthy and sticking the middle class with the bill.
“Their plan includes nothing new and provides no details on which deductions they would eliminate, which loopholes they will close or which Medicare savings they would achieve,” Pfeiffer said.” While the President is willing to compromise to get a significant, balanced deal and believes that compromise is readily available to Congress, he is not willing to compromise on the principles of fairness and balance that include asking the wealthiest to pay higher rates.”
The House counteroffer drew immediate praise from Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.), who issued a statement calling it a “good-faith effort to find common ground.”
“While the president hasn’t moved an inch away from his efforts to please his radical left-wing base, the Speaker has consistently shown a good-faith effort to find common ground and a realistic approach to solving the very real economic problems facing our country,” McConnell said. “If the president is serious about joining us in an effort to reduce the deficit and protect the economy, he’ll get off the campaign trail, drop the left-wing talking points, and instruct his staff to negotiate a solution in good faith based on actual written proposals. In short, he’ll begin doing what leaders do: Lead.”
The letter, sent by the full House leadership, along with Ryan, indicates Boehner has the full support of key players in his conference.
“This is by no means an adequate long-term solution, as resolving our long-term fiscal crisis will require fundamental entitlement reform,” the leaders wrote in their letter to Obama. “Indeed, the Bowles plan is exactly the kind of imperfect, but fair middle ground that allows us to avert the fiscal cliff without hurting our economy and destroying jobs. We believe it warrants immediate consideration.
“If you are agreeable to this framework,” they continue, “we are ready and eager to begin discussions about how to structure these reforms so that the American people can be confident that these targets will be reached.”
—This story was posted at 3 p.m. and last updated at 5:01 p.m.
Here is the full text of the GOP letter to Obama:
December 3, 2012 The President The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, Northwest Washington, DC 20500
Dear Mr. President,
After a status quo election in which both you and the Republican majority in the House were re-elected, the American people rightly expect both parties to come together on a fair middle ground and address the nation’s most pressing challenges.
To that end, shortly after the election, we presented you with a balanced framework for averting the fiscal cliff by coupling spending cuts and reforms with new tax revenue. We then welcomed Secretary Geithner to the Capitol on November 29 with every expectation that he would lay out a similarly reasonable path.
Regrettably, the proposal he outlined on behalf of your Administration contains very little in the way of common ground. The proposal calls for $1.6 trillion in new tax revenue, twice the amount you supported during the campaign. The proposal also includes four times as much tax revenue as spending cuts, in stark contrast to the “balanced approach” on which you campaigned. While administration officials are claiming that this proposal contains 2.5 dollars of spending cuts for each dollar in new revenue, counting as part of this ratio previously enacted savings – as if these were new spending reductions – only confuses the public debate. What’s worse, the modest spending cuts in this offer are cancelled out by the additional ‘stimulus’ measures the Administration is requesting. And, this proposal would remove any and all limits on federal borrowing.
We cannot in good conscience agree to this approach, which is neither balanced nor realistic. If we were to take your Administration’s proposal at face value, then we would counter with the House-passed Budget Resolution. It assumes an overhaul of our tax code with revenue remaining at historically normal levels and proposes structural reforms to preserve and protect the Nation’s entitlement programs, ensuring they are sustainable for the long-term rather than continuing to grow out of control. Some of its key reforms include:
The House-passed Budget Resolution assumes enactment of structural Medicare reform that offers future beneficiaries guaranteed coverage options, including a traditional fee-for-service Medicare plan. This proposal is based on recent bipartisan efforts and would provide greater support for the poor and the sick and less support for the wealthy. We achieve these reforms in Medicare without affecting current seniors or those nearing retirement. This would slow the projected explosive spending growth in this program and eventually maintain Medicare spending as a share of the economy at 4.75 percent, thus saving the program for future generations.
The House-passed Budget Resolution reforms Medicaid and provides states with greater flexibility to better deliver health security to beneficiaries, saving the federal government nearly $800 billion over 10 years.
Separate from savings in our proposal for the 2010 health care law, the House-passed Budget Resolution envisions hundreds of billions in savings in other mandatory spending, including reforms to Federal employee compensation and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. These reforms are, in our view, absolutely essential to addressing the true drivers of our debt, and we will continue to support and advance them. At the same time, mindful of the status quo election and past exchanges on these questions, we recognize it would be counterproductive to publicly or privately propose entitlement reforms that you and the leaders of your party appear unwilling to support in the near-term.
With the fiscal cliff nearing, our priority remains finding a reasonable solution that can pass both the House and the Senate, and be signed into law in the next couple of weeks. The best way to do this is by learning from and building on the bipartisan discussions that have occurred during this Congress, including the Biden Group, the Joint Select Committee, and our negotiations leading up to the Budget Control Act.
For instance, on November 1 of last year, Erskine Bowles, the co-chair of your debt commission, presented the Joint Select Committee with a middle ground approach that garnered praise from many fiscal watchdogs and nonpartisan experts. He recommended that both parties agree to a balanced package that includes significant spending cuts as well as $800 billion in new revenue.
Notably, the new revenue in the Bowles plan would not be achieved through higher tax rates, which we continue to oppose and will not agree to in order to protect small businesses and our economy. Instead, new revenue would be generated through pro-growth tax reform that closes special-interest loopholes and deductions while lowering rates. On the spending side, the Bowles recommendation would cut more than $900 billion in mandatory spending and another $300 billion in discretionary spending. These cuts would be over and above the spending reductions enacted in the Budget Control Act.
This is by no means an adequate long-term solution, as resolving our long-term fiscal crisis will require fundamental entitlement reform. Indeed, the Bowles plan is exactly the kind of imperfect, but fair middle ground that allows us to avert the fiscal cliff without hurting our economy and destroying jobs. We believe it warrants immediate consideration.
If you are agreeable to this framework, we are ready and eager to begin discussions about how to structure these reforms so that the American people can be confident that these targets will be reached.
Again, the American people expect their leaders to find fair middle ground to address the nation’s most pressing challenges. To achieve that outcome, we respectfully request that you respond to this letter in a timely fashion and hope that you will refrain from any further action that would undermine good-faith efforts to reach a reasonable and equitable agreement in this critical matter.
Sincerely,
John Boehner, Speaker Eric Cantor, Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, Majority Whip Cathy McMorris Rodgers, Republican Conference Chairman Dave Camp, Chairman, Committee on Ways and Means Paul Ryan, Committee on the Budget Fred Upton, Committee on Energy & Commerce
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