This is what I love about TechDirt. Take a flawed or vague study, post an opinion, and then watch the flame war take off.
The conversation would get even better if we could somehow tie in abortion, gay marriage (for all the VW owners out there), creation vs evolution, and the Iraq war (oops, someone already did that one).
TechDirt: Becoming more and more like /. every day!
For the record: My big, heavy 1997 GMC Yukon gets about 17mpg city, 19 hwy. That's not much worse than most mid-sized sedans on the road today. My wife drives it for errands close to the house. I drive a 2002 Camry for the savings on gas, not to help the environment.
Since when are newspapers journalistically ethical? Newspapers and their reporting are skewed toward whatever political and/or cultural ideals the editorial staff wants to be put forth. It may not work that way on your college paper, but get into the real world and there's no longer any objectivity when it comes to the big issues.
And they don't strive to be fair and balanced. That's just ridiculous. Fair and balanced doesn't sell, hype sells.
And don't worry, as long as they keep printing the crossword, the comics and the TV guide, most people will keep at least their weekend subscription.
...when I see all of the people who never wash their hands at all. You can say that the handle on the bathroom door is cleaner than my keyboard, but after I've watched yet another person (usually old and rich) handle their wang or wipe their arse crack and walk directly out of the restroom without washing, it just feels better to open the door with a clean napkin. And, unless it's an emergency, I don't ever do number 2 at work.
Lastly on the subject of flu shots: I got one for the first time ever at the start of last winter, and I got the worst flu I've had in years, which turned into pneumonia. I'll never get it again.
Jason,
You have been brainwashed. Please go directly to your nearest therapist and try to get some help.
Plumbers don't have either the legal or mental ability to engineer these systems, engineers do. A plumber is a working grunt who does what the blueprint tells him to do, which, incidentally, is designed and authored by an engineering firm, not a plumber.
Unions are just plain bad for business.
Real-life example: In Jersey City, NJ, if you want to mount a piece of network gear that you own and operate in the network rack that you own that is in your data center within the walls of your business, you can't do it; you have to wait for the union guy to show up and do it for you, or they'll shut you down. And to add insult to injury, the union guy who turns a screwdriver and wouldn't know a router from his arse is making $40-50/hour.
Second example: When remodeling of the same office as above was being performed by the union workers, someone asked to borrow a ladder for 2 minutes to change a light bulb. The union guy says OK and goes on break, but then the foreman can't find the ladder 30 seconds later, concludes it's been stolen, and has the entire team walk off the job until someone can increase security.
If a union is your friend, who needs an enemy!
Obviously she's getting away with it. If you're that upset about it, you should report it, and if necessary, skip your direct manager and go to his/her boss.
Mike, you're right on; I thoroughly enjoyed your post.
It's all about striking the right balance. At my company, we filter the real nasties, while allowing casual surfing. Those who abuse this privilege get caught when their performance suffers, but the emphasis is on helping the employee keep their job. We don't use filtering to find the baddies and get them fired; it's enough to know that we're blocking 99.9% of the bad stuff.
Managers should be aware of their employees' activities. Too often filtering is used as a crutch and IT/IS becomes the Internet police because managers are too lazy to keep track of their employees.
So keeping the employees happy AND blocking the stuff that can get you sued is actually pretty easy if management has the right attitude and is willing to be flexible.
...for companies that employ the right safeguards.
In the past, our company had to re-image 2-5 PCs a week because of spyware infestations that could not be cleaned. That number is now 0.
First, our web content filtering won't let the user population hit the sites that install this stuff. For those PCs that are already infected, the spyware can no longer phone home to send information or download updates, so it's rendered virtually harmless.
Second, our IPS is actively dropping all spyware-related traffic where known signatures are configured to do so.
Third, we are piloting anti-virus + anti-spy for the desktops, which also provides protection from other types of unwanted programs.
Even if someone brings in a CD with malware on it, it's not going to infect any of our systems.
And, it won't matter if spyware ramps up or down out there in the slime bucket that is the Internet as long as these simple controls are updated and maintained properly.
"Just about every company I know is desperately looking for *skilled* programmers."
And a lot of companies will create a position just so they can grab someone with real skills from a competitor instead of having to stick with their usual gang of paper this-or-that engineers/techs who don't really have the skills that the paper says they do.
So, if anyone finds themselves flipping burgers, maybe that's what they're really qualified for if they can't find gainful employment in their chosen field.
I just don't agree that the job market is depressed. I have a great job in IT and am not looking, but I do take the occasional glance at various job sites. There are tons of good-paying IT jobs to be had. The problem is they're in Atlanta or Houston or some other place hundreds of miles from my home and family. I'm one of those who simply will not move, regardless of the payoff.
In regards to manufacturing jobs being lost, I can see why the auto makers (and others) replace people with machines as much as possible. How could they not, when the unions have driven wages through the roof for people who turn bolts and snap together plastic parts. I've always said that I will work any job that pays well, and I would jump at the chance to work a job with little responsibility and good pay and benefits. Why do you think a Ford Taurus costs $20K with a few niceties? It ain't the innovative engineering, it's the cost of labor.
I also agree with some of the other posts that executive management tends to bleed companies of money that could be used to keep jobs in the US. But as Frank told Tony in _Scarface_, "Never underestimate the other guys greed". At my last job, they eliminated Christmas bonuses the same year they gave the CEO a $6Million bonus (on top of his $2.2M salary). That company had 12,000 employees at the time, and the bonus had been $500 for each full time and $250 for part time, or a lot less than just the CEO's bonus. This doesn't count the bonuses of the CIO, CFO, COO, etc., etc. Personal greed drives a lot of people at this level; the worker bees are just a commodity, or worse, a liability to be minimized. But don't get me wrong; I'm not a socialist, but I do believe you reap what you sow in life. As an example, the CEO aforementioned died of a massive heart attack 3 years before he could retire to enjoy any of that money.
You may remember many years ago that a textile mill burned to the ground, potentially putting several hundred people out of work in a small town. The story was covered on _60 Minutes_. What did the CEO do? He paid every single employee their full salary the entire time the factory was closed. And as a result, every single employee came right back to work when the factory opened, increased efficiency and production, had fewer accidents and sick days, and were loyal and committed to their company. They also had ZERO turnover for about 5 years after re-opening. This CEO put aside his personal greed in favor of the working people who depended on him. Too many people in these type positions will simply cut and run when things go bad.
How about the FACT that the US is behind every other country in science and math, and the only people available to fill these high-level tech positions are overseas?
Have you been living in a vacuum? Industry has gone high-tech, while our educational system is turning out low-tech, illiterate broom pushers.
Also, in the US, people who have skills are likely trying to climb the corporate ladder. Good technicians become managers, who no longer do any real work. Meanwhile, the only source of good technical staff is New Dehli (pick your foreign city). You just don't find that many good technical people who want to stay in their current position.
At the other end of the scale, in the US you've got unskilled people who can't operate a computer and a phone set, so they can't displace the average offshore call center attendant, much less a skilled engineer or technician. Others think the government owes them a living, so aren't trying to get an education or learn a valuable skill. Why should they when our government will pay them to sit around on their brains, give them food stamps and free medical care.
What do we do, you ask? There is no easy answer, but trying to put a bunch of unskilled people into high-tech jobs isn't going to cut it. It's got to start with education, and since you had to bash the president in your comment, let me reiterate for you that he has spent more on public education than anyone. That's where it starts.
When I was a kid in the late 60's and early 70's, you just didn't have people getting passed on from grade to grade. Kids learned how to read, write, and do basic math. Now we've got people graduating high school who can't read! They can't count money so the cash register does it for them. Are you getting this? I hope so.
This country needs to wake up and start becoming competitive again.
You may remember Zotob from several weeks ago. Although Microsoft didn't have a patch, and anti-virus vendors didn't have a signature on day zero, our Intrusion Prevention System had the checks for the exploit 6 months in advance of the virus, resulting in ZERO infections to our company.
I've heard the stories about peak time slowdowns, and too many nodes on a POP causing problems, but I've never experienced it firsthand. I've had Time/Warner cable for years and haven't seen any of these problems--ever. Maybe they got it right in the Memphis metro area.
And while DSL is cheaper in this market (about $18/month less), it should be since it has a maximum of 1.5Mbps download for their top level service, where cable is now at 5Mbps for all customers.
I started seeing hard-wired Internet kiosks in gas stations and grocery stores a couple of years ago, and I have actually witnessed one in use (just that once, though). I wonder how much those cost and whether the purchaser will ever see his cost repaid?
On the post: SUV Drivers Really Are Bastards
Jettas are gay
The conversation would get even better if we could somehow tie in abortion, gay marriage (for all the VW owners out there), creation vs evolution, and the Iraq war (oops, someone already did that one).
TechDirt: Becoming more and more like /. every day!
For the record: My big, heavy 1997 GMC Yukon gets about 17mpg city, 19 hwy. That's not much worse than most mid-sized sedans on the road today. My wife drives it for errands close to the house. I drive a 2002 Camry for the savings on gas, not to help the environment.
On the post: The Separation Of News From The Newspaper
Re: Joby
And they don't strive to be fair and balanced. That's just ridiculous. Fair and balanced doesn't sell, hype sells.
And don't worry, as long as they keep printing the crossword, the comics and the TV guide, most people will keep at least their weekend subscription.
On the post: Blizzard Relents: Admits That It's Okay To Sell A Book About World Of Warcraft
Blizzard
Free market economy--ain't it a b!+ch!!
On the post: Why A Toilet Is a Better Desk Than Your Desk
At least I feel better...
Lastly on the subject of flu shots: I got one for the first time ever at the start of last winter, and I got the worst flu I've had in years, which turned into pneumonia. I'll never get it again.
On the post: Plumbers Union Fighting The Big Job Threat: Waterless Urinals!
Re: $46 an hour
You forgot overtime and double time for holidays. Cry me an ocean!
Bmac
On the post: Plumbers Union Fighting The Big Job Threat: Waterless Urinals!
Re: Jason
On the post: Once Again, Company With Obvious Bias Warns Of The Horrors Of Personal Surfing
Re: No Subject Given
Obviously she's getting away with it. If you're that upset about it, you should report it, and if necessary, skip your direct manager and go to his/her boss.
On the post: Once Again, Company With Obvious Bias Warns Of The Horrors Of Personal Surfing
Great post!
It's all about striking the right balance. At my company, we filter the real nasties, while allowing casual surfing. Those who abuse this privilege get caught when their performance suffers, but the emphasis is on helping the employee keep their job. We don't use filtering to find the baddies and get them fired; it's enough to know that we're blocking 99.9% of the bad stuff.
Managers should be aware of their employees' activities. Too often filtering is used as a crutch and IT/IS becomes the Internet police because managers are too lazy to keep track of their employees.
So keeping the employees happy AND blocking the stuff that can get you sued is actually pretty easy if management has the right attitude and is willing to be flexible.
Keep up the great work.
On the post: Researchers Say, Just Trust Us On This One -- Phones and Planes Don't Mix
Idiot
SOMEONE ELSE ON THE PLANE RATTED YOU OUT!!
Ever heard of Occam's razor? Simple as that.
On the post: Is Spyware Advancing Or Retreating?
Spyware is decreasing...
In the past, our company had to re-image 2-5 PCs a week because of spyware infestations that could not be cleaned. That number is now 0.
First, our web content filtering won't let the user population hit the sites that install this stuff. For those PCs that are already infected, the spyware can no longer phone home to send information or download updates, so it's rendered virtually harmless.
Second, our IPS is actively dropping all spyware-related traffic where known signatures are configured to do so.
Third, we are piloting anti-virus + anti-spy for the desktops, which also provides protection from other types of unwanted programs.
Even if someone brings in a CD with malware on it, it's not going to infect any of our systems.
And, it won't matter if spyware ramps up or down out there in the slime bucket that is the Internet as long as these simple controls are updated and maintained properly.
On the post: Market Corrections: Offshoring To India Getting Expensive
Re: Can't agree
And a lot of companies will create a position just so they can grab someone with real skills from a competitor instead of having to stick with their usual gang of paper this-or-that engineers/techs who don't really have the skills that the paper says they do.
So, if anyone finds themselves flipping burgers, maybe that's what they're really qualified for if they can't find gainful employment in their chosen field.
On the post: Market Corrections: Offshoring To India Getting Expensive
Re: Yeah, offshoring makes companies competative,
I just don't agree that the job market is depressed. I have a great job in IT and am not looking, but I do take the occasional glance at various job sites. There are tons of good-paying IT jobs to be had. The problem is they're in Atlanta or Houston or some other place hundreds of miles from my home and family. I'm one of those who simply will not move, regardless of the payoff.
In regards to manufacturing jobs being lost, I can see why the auto makers (and others) replace people with machines as much as possible. How could they not, when the unions have driven wages through the roof for people who turn bolts and snap together plastic parts. I've always said that I will work any job that pays well, and I would jump at the chance to work a job with little responsibility and good pay and benefits. Why do you think a Ford Taurus costs $20K with a few niceties? It ain't the innovative engineering, it's the cost of labor.
I also agree with some of the other posts that executive management tends to bleed companies of money that could be used to keep jobs in the US. But as Frank told Tony in _Scarface_, "Never underestimate the other guys greed". At my last job, they eliminated Christmas bonuses the same year they gave the CEO a $6Million bonus (on top of his $2.2M salary). That company had 12,000 employees at the time, and the bonus had been $500 for each full time and $250 for part time, or a lot less than just the CEO's bonus. This doesn't count the bonuses of the CIO, CFO, COO, etc., etc. Personal greed drives a lot of people at this level; the worker bees are just a commodity, or worse, a liability to be minimized. But don't get me wrong; I'm not a socialist, but I do believe you reap what you sow in life. As an example, the CEO aforementioned died of a massive heart attack 3 years before he could retire to enjoy any of that money.
You may remember many years ago that a textile mill burned to the ground, potentially putting several hundred people out of work in a small town. The story was covered on _60 Minutes_. What did the CEO do? He paid every single employee their full salary the entire time the factory was closed. And as a result, every single employee came right back to work when the factory opened, increased efficiency and production, had fewer accidents and sick days, and were loyal and committed to their company. They also had ZERO turnover for about 5 years after re-opening. This CEO put aside his personal greed in favor of the working people who depended on him. Too many people in these type positions will simply cut and run when things go bad.
On the post: Market Corrections: Offshoring To India Getting Expensive
Re: Yeah, offshoring makes companies competative,
Have you been living in a vacuum? Industry has gone high-tech, while our educational system is turning out low-tech, illiterate broom pushers.
Also, in the US, people who have skills are likely trying to climb the corporate ladder. Good technicians become managers, who no longer do any real work. Meanwhile, the only source of good technical staff is New Dehli (pick your foreign city). You just don't find that many good technical people who want to stay in their current position.
At the other end of the scale, in the US you've got unskilled people who can't operate a computer and a phone set, so they can't displace the average offshore call center attendant, much less a skilled engineer or technician. Others think the government owes them a living, so aren't trying to get an education or learn a valuable skill. Why should they when our government will pay them to sit around on their brains, give them food stamps and free medical care.
What do we do, you ask? There is no easy answer, but trying to put a bunch of unskilled people into high-tech jobs isn't going to cut it. It's got to start with education, and since you had to bash the president in your comment, let me reiterate for you that he has spent more on public education than anyone. That's where it starts.
When I was a kid in the late 60's and early 70's, you just didn't have people getting passed on from grade to grade. Kids learned how to read, write, and do basic math. Now we've got people graduating high school who can't read! They can't count money so the cash register does it for them. Are you getting this? I hope so.
This country needs to wake up and start becoming competitive again.
On the post: An Immune System For The Internet?
Anyone ever heard of IPS?
On the post: Who Gets To Define What Spyware Is?
I'll decide
On the post: Cable Operators Will Sell Slow Broadband, Just Not Openly
Re: Reliability Issues
And while DSL is cheaper in this market (about $18/month less), it should be since it has a maximum of 1.5Mbps download for their top level service, where cable is now at 5Mbps for all customers.
On the post: Super Expensive Internet Kiosk Business Not Just Stupid, But A Scam
Internet Kiosk
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