Ditto that. I'm far from a redneck, but my father - RIP, old man - taught me how to safely handle knives, guns, and bows and arrows before I was 10. That's not exaggeration: we used to walk about with small arms weapons and bows on my grandfather's land, and he passed on when I was 12.
Or against American veterans during the "Bonus Army" put-down.
Does this count?
www.historycooperative.org/journals/llt/51/pauwels.html
Your anecdote doesn't hold water - at least in my group. Here, at Global MegaCorp, outside of NYC, I'm American, and solidly in the minority. Most of the people walking around, here, are of Indian descent. Two of the higher level managers at this site are also Indian, so I'm not terribly surprised by the hiring preferences.
I don't know if my company competes poorly on salary or what - I'm happy with what I make, so I don't pay more attention than that. We had a couple of Americans who left for greener pastures, once the recession lifted, and they were replaced by Indians in almost no time at all.
When I was a kid, I was always outside running around with friends. Playing by the local pond catching tadpoles, frogs, fish, etc. Playing in the fields catching snakes and bugs while eating raspberries and strawberries. Playing in the woods and streams making dams. Riding our bikes _everywhere_. In the winter we were always outside sledding and having snowball fights. etc. etc. etc.
Hello..? Is this my alter ego? Um, we're not going to share the details of the "Noodles incident," are we...?
> This business model reduces their profession to amateur hour
Only if there is no other way to get the job done. If you're willing to pay more, you can still contract someone using traditional methods.
As I see it, it's perfect for those consumers and suppliers because they deserve each other. It still boils down to, "You get what you pay for."
If you want to hire Staples "tech" guys to work on your PC for cheap, and they fluff it up, or sell you something you don't need, or give you the run-around when the work isn't done correctly, you got exactly what you deserved. Where I might charge more, you'll get better quality and support. I don't object to the Staples guys or feel threatened by them; they can have the cheapo customers, who are simply more hassle than they're worth. Likewise, the customers that would expect reputable designers to work for free are better served by people that would work for free.
Be glad you don't work for my boss. I cringe every time she says, "For all intentional purposes..."
... is a place a lot like New Jersey.
Sounds like the old Asteroids game. If they're looking for volunteers, I'd be happy to put my years of experience to good use.
How about a "design for recycle" policy, coupled with - or in support of - a "cradle-to-grave" policy? I've long felt that manufacturers should be held responsible for the stuff they create, all the way to the end disposal of it. Particularly with common trash like candy wrappers. Let's say I see a Milky Way wrapper on the ground. Mars Corp. gets hit with a fine for the pollution. A junk washing machine along the side of the road, Maytag takes a hit. Yeah, there are some kinks to work out. But if mfg's were held responsible for the ultimate disposal of their products, they might design their products with that disposal in mind. It might encourage longevity, too. If washing machines don't succumb to failure, and provide reliable service for a long time, that's potentially one less washing machine alongside the road.
Amen, brother. Especially item #2. I don't quite understand how, starting with Slackware in 1995, I can have all these years of Linux experience, and not be qualified for a "Linux" position because I'm more versed in SuSE than RH.
My uncle has a country place,
No one knows about.
He says it used to be a farm,
before the Motor Law.
Perhaps more "expensive" in up-front costs, but definitely less expensive over the long run - assuming these kids aren't using the machines to pound nails into walls. Since I started using a Mac, full time - almost four years ago - I've had 0, none, zilch down-time due to system problems. I had one hardware fault, which can happen on any platform. I don't have to futz with this to get it to do what I want; I don't have to be my own sys admin. I just do my thing. The same goes for the other half-dozen people that I converted to Macs. Where they'd often call me for support, I now only hear from them when they have something else to say.
So, maybe it's a few extra dollars out of pocket, immediately. I'll take the peace of mind and ease of use over the long run.
I'm waiting for the actual cost data. I really want this phone, but I saw the "fine print" in the e-mail announcement, and now I'm not so sure.
$199 - after rebate, Ok. It's tolerable.
$69 for "Anything" basic service - which does or does not include SMS? I tend to text more than call, lately.
$30 for "wireless hub" service - ouch.
$? for a data plan -- ?
> Suicide of a person of a mainstream western culture is the ultimate act of selfishness.
On whose part: the person who wants to die, or the people who, because they would feel bad if said person were no longer around, want this individual to continue his or her suffering?
I have hardly ever known a mathematician who was capable of reasoning. -- Plato
