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Comment Recent grad given full production access (Score 4, Insightful) 418

What even marginally competent IT manager would give an inexperienced person the ability to modify or delete production objects? I feel sorry for this guy, but his management is completely at fault here. We know the story. Nothing will happen to them and one or more will likely get promoted.

Comment Re:65 VW Bug (Score 1) 373

The 2013 and above Hyundai's will "call home" by themselves. For example, guys on the forums will simply yank their PCV line to generate a check engine light. Sure enough they get an e-mail requesting they bring their car in for service because there is a problem with their engine. An ODBII adapter and Torque resets the CEL in seconds. These are people NOT paying for any extra services. My wife's car e-mails me a report every month whether I want it or not. We do not pay for any additional services or even XM. Recent cars are absolutely wired back to the mothership. My 2011...nope. My Bluetooth interface only affects my entertainment system. I can mod my engine all I want. All this makes me wish I would have kept my big block 1973 Charger...

Comment It goes both ways (Score 4, Informative) 432

I work at a technology company on the opposite side of the Country and we joke that we will not even interview anybody under 35 years old. We have the opposite problem except a lot of us old timers have skills in system administration, programming and project management so with a very small staff and some long hours we implement some pretty cool stuff. Our biggest impediment is our CEO.

Comment Re:Easier headline... (Score 3, Interesting) 550

True. I used to work for a large company with a big pointless HR department. While setting up the exit interview they asked me casually why I was resigning. I matter-of-factly stated that I despised my boss because he was totally incompetent. In fact, he was...a "buddy" of the CEO who needed a job after a messy divorce. My exit interview was cancelled. They do not like to hear such things. I was not worried about burning bridges...I took two weeks vacation the day I resigned so that I would not turn anything over. I was the Unix admin. F**k them. Every job since then I networked into. Yeah, I am lucky.

Comment Re:Professional Engineer stamp is the way to go. (Score 1) 201

I had a PE stamp for 18 years. When CEU's were instituted I estimated that I would have to spend $1,500 to $2,000 annually in bogus courses or seminars. For what? Most of my employers refused to put it on my business cards let alone pay for "training" so this last September I let it expire. Basically, it was worthless. My view has been that "credentials" do more to pigeon-hole you into a specific role rather than help you get promoted. Forget the test-taking nonsense and develop you interpersonal skills. Nothing will take you farther than that. Consider the people at the top of your company. How many have master's degrees? How many have professional certification? Take a close look. Work on your soft skills. That is what I did and I have moved out of programming, system administration and project management into real management (with more money). I have let all my "credentials" (PMP, CQE, PE) expire and it has had no down side for me. Your results may vary...

Comment Seriously.... (Score 1) 173

If you want to make good money go become a plumber's apprentice. Then open-up your own company, hire some skilled plumbers to work for you and live in a mansion. I know people who leave their Ph.D off their resumes just to get hired. Other comments are correct in that you will be hired based on your specialty or real-world experience.

Comment Re:Incentives, not challenge (Score 1) 841

You are exactly right. American industry has responded by importing engineers from other countries to keep the pay down. My brother finished a Chem. Engineering program (Masters) before getting accepted to Med. School. He will be the first one to tell you that Med. School was a cake walk compared to Engineering School. Two of my closest friends from college (all U of CA graduates in engineering) went back to school and became lawyers. They work less hours, they are more respected and they earn more money. America values lawyers over engineers...plain and simple.

Comment Never going to happen... (Score 1) 1026

Once Amtrak and the unions get involved this will simply become a huge money pit until the plug is pulled. Culturally, trains are not embraced by many Americans except for commuting and even that can be a huge hassle. We prefer planes because they are faster and now we get sexually assaulted on the way. Woo hoo! Of course we prefer our cars for shorter commutes. Oh and incidentally....we are broke. Bankrupt. Kaput. Done for...... Perhaps government should let private industry determine if there is a sufficient demand and act on that demand....if it exists. Better yet, let's stop the subsidies (bail outs) to Amtrak and see how that all plays out.

Comment Build your own (Score 1) 609

My last two computers were from the Tiger Direct (new) parts bin. I have never had so much performance for so little money! If you need to run Windows buy an OEM license. For all this bloat you PAY and for the alleged technical support, which is some marginally trained (but cheap!) person overseas reading a book you also PAY.

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