iPad Becomes Central Part of Many Business Operations

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How Apple iPad is changing the way many West Michigan businesses operate. (Grand Rapids Press, 3/13/2011)

Excerpt:      As customers buy roasted beans at Rowster New American Coffee, an Apple iPad takes care of everything from a credit-card swipe to electronic proof of payment.

There’s no cash register, no computer and no paper receipts.

The eight-month-old roaster/cafe at 632 Wealthy St. SE is among the many businesses which have made iPad a central part of their operation. That is perhaps most remarkable because the iPad has been available for less than a year.

With this month’s debut of the iPad 2, along with a slew of similar tablet computers expected to hit shelves this year, the integration of these high-tech slabs into business is only expected to continue.

“It’s nice because it’s really flexible,” said co-owner Stephen Kurtis, who learned the method from a coffee shop in San Francisco. “It’s more interactive than the traditional point-of-sale system.”

Will the Real Luther Olsen Please Stand Up

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Recall mounted against Olsen. (Waupaca Now, 3/9/2011)

Excerpt:     Olsen said he was not surprised by the angry backlash against Gov. Scott Walker’s bill that would effectively end collective bargaining for public sector unions.

"The minute the governor walked out of the room, I told the other members of our caucus that this would be huge and that there would be repercussions," Olsen said, recalling Walker’s announcement of his budget repair bill to Senate Republicans.  [Emphasis added.]

Olsen said his office has been receiving an average of 89 e-mails an hour for the past several weeks.

"My voice mail fills up faster than my staff can listen to the messages," Olsen said.

He said the state of Wisconsin is in a tough economic situation that requires action. He noted that spending has grown faster than revenues over the past 10 years and there are no more one-time funding sources left to top.

City of Oshkosh Perspective on Budget Repair Bill (SS SB 11)

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Has your municipality done such an analysis?