The Integrative Stream

30,000 Feet

Just a quick check-in, as I still haven’t figured out exactly how I’m going to maintain this site during my Federal career. Although, to be fair, that’s a bit of a cop out, since I’ve been busy enough.

At the moment I’m on the way to HelsIT, the the Health IT conference in Norway. I’m giving a talk on healthcare delivery in the US, and introducing a workshop on the electronic personal health record.

The cool thing is that I’m currently at 37,000 feet (11,200 meters) according to the captain of this Airbus. We’re somewhere over New York. And, thanks to the magic of Boeing’s soon-to-be-discontinued satellite Internet system, I’m online. I haven’t tried Skype yet, but I’m going to give it a shot momentarily.

Sadly, the business model for Boeing didn’t work out – they couldn’t get enough carriers to sign up, and the service is being discontinued as of the end of this year. So I’m glad to have had a chance to try it, even though it means that I’ll spend my next intercontinental flight griping about how I don’t have Internet access.

SAS, incidentally, is a great airline. I’m up in Economy Flex, which has some extra legroom, and, more important, AC power at every seat. So my laptop is plugged in, wide open, and online. It’s like being in the office, except people come by and bring me drinks. And I can simultaneously work and watch Mission Impossible III.