Opinion
Cities and community development organizations across the country have embraced free WiFi to boost economic development and attract visitors to downtown areas. A handful of small airports in the shadow of large hubs offer free WiFi to attract travelers.
One free WiFi pioneer is John Woolsey. He is the chairman, CEO and president of the restaurant chain, Schlotzsky’s Inc. in Austin, TX. Woolsey is not shy about sharing details of what he calls the "strong ROI" from the company’s free WiFi service. According to him, the free WiFi results in an additional 15,000 visits per restaurant per year by customers who spend an average of $7 per visit.
Keep in mind this was data from back in 2003, back when Schlotsky’s had only 30 company-owned or franchised Schlotsky’s Delis WiFi enabled. Nevertheless, back then WiFi service brought in more than $100,000 per year per outlet in return for an investment of about $8,000 per restaurant. The wireless infrastructure also required T1 connectivity.
Woolsey also uses the free WiFi as a high tech marketing tool. When wireless users first connect to Schlotsky’s WiFi Network, they are shown an in-house "splash" Web page the the chain uses to promote itself and its bill of fare. Schlotsky’s has even brought high-gain WiFi antennas into the process. These antennas are designed to transmit the splash page as far outside its deli restaurant as possible.
One Austin outlet beams its signal into dorm rooms at the University of Texas, and another beams it into a competing Starbucks. According to Woolsey, this high-tech guerrilla marketing campaign to grab the eyeballs of potential customers is less expensive and potentially more targeted than buying a 30-second TV commercial.
Today, a good and secure WiFi connection is a lot more affordable than it was back in 2003. The wireless service can also be achieved with either a cable or DSL connection rather than an expensive T1 line. Thanks to WiFi service companies like The Wifi Company of Denver, CO, creating a secure WiFi hot spot is both easy and cost-effective. The installation of the pre-flashed wireless router is simply plug-and-play.
While it is possible to have a WiFi hot spot by just connecting a wireless router to a cable or DSL modem, that connection will not be secure. And, that could result in serious problems for the wifi hot spot owner should the hot spot get hacked or exposed to viruses.
A good, secure WiFi hot spot is one that is connected to Virtual Private Network and monitored remotely 24/7 to make sure everything works properly and remains secure. The WiFi Company of Denver, CO provides all of it customers throughout the nation with that kind of protection.
These days, free WiFi can be found almost anywhere people congregate - not just in restaurants, coffee shops and book stores. For that reason, do not be surprised if you see free WiFi offerred in parks, marinas, automotive repair shops, schools and government offices. In fact, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is being asked to creatively use wifi hot spot advertising as a means to help lower California's $10 billion deficit rather than to seek closure of state parks.
Some small businesses have no desire to be a WiFi hot spot. They only want the cost-effective, targeted audience exposure provided by a splash page advertisement. This advertisement can take the form of an audio message (think radio commercial), video message (think Youtube) or HTML (display ad) in high traffic areas. CDMM, a small marketing company, is working with The WiFi Company to help make that possible.
Lamar Morgan lives in Hidden Valley Lake.
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The draft report looked at economic and environmental problems associated with well drilling, including pipeline and road construction, river diversions, deforestation, large scale infrastructure changes, interruption of historical wildlife migration patterns and other elements. It was comprehensive in nature and was well-based on the engineering, biology, and geology of the North Slope.
The subsequent red-lined report was the product of one individual,or maybe several in concert, certainly not acting alone but assuredly acting at the behest of those entrepreneurs from our economy whose interests lie in oil well drilling and the many ancillary side-lines this produces.
Taking this story to my point, the political arm of the California Department of Fish and Game (DFG), masquerading as scientists, have, entirely without scientific justification, put forth a whole "New Detection and Enforcement Arm," the "quagga-sniffing dogs."
In an effort to trigger a response from somebody (ANYBODY!) from the scientific community in Lake County, I have, as someone with a doctorate in aquatic biology, offered arguments against "quagga-sniffing" dogs, both through the mail, in person before the Board of Supervisors and face-to-face with citizens who I'd hoped would distinguish between the fallacy, "Gee, wouldn't it be neat if my dog (cross-trained in smelling bear-gall bladder and cadavers) could sniff out quagga mussels?”
Does that “cross-training” suggest the “real” reason that cops (DFG wardens, by the way, are cops, with guns on their hips, a badge on their chest and the rule of law as their umbrella) would also pretend quagga detection, and push this, in order to pull in that miscreant with one too many abalone? Do your cynical best and think about it.
Any of you good folks who'd wish to challenge me on the duplicity of the "quagga sniffers" (and sure, toss in the Willits training if you'd like, and the frozen mussels, and their "latent vapors," or any parts of this cockamamie fiction and I'll be pleased to respond.
In the same way the EPA subordinate caved in to his political superiors, a local DFG warden saw her future unfolding before her: "... The route to my guard dog [the real reason] is through quaggas, and nobody knows any better.” This officer brags about California being "cutting edge" in the quagga detection dog industry. Does she, or do any of you, really believe that she was the first and only "investigator" to flash on any animal with a better sense of smell than, say, guinea pigs to toss into the lake or drop into the bait tank, and get the "Ah, ha, quaggas!" sign?
So politics being what it is, the DFG lieutenant warden got her silver bars a dog, and so much media bulk that unless there's just a huge up-cry from the media and the scientific community the lieutenant will just keep plugging onward and upward until she's a major.
John Brookes lives in Kelseyville.
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- Written by: John Brookes
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