Start up an office sports team. I am on two after work teams during the week where we get together and play indoor soccer. Its fun and a great work out. I think businesses ought to consider extending lunch hours to allow employees to go work out - lift weights, run, etc. This would be another alterntative and an ideal way to stay in shape. Plus just a chance to stop staring at the computer screen for awhile.

You'd think the DOD would be interested in hiring more people with a background in IT ..

When you say "managers start implementing policies.." are you talking about Congress, Treasury, OSD, etc . ? There are a number of entities that enact policies that must be followed by the Federal government and its employees. Having to go through this type of training regularly myself - as a contractor - I'll tell you that I keep my opinion to myself and click "Next" as fast as I can. This a course in ethics someone from HR will read to you from a binder (see "The Office" American TV show).

Hilarious.

You're right, if you are talking the high end, "platinum" level, consultant. This person may be billing at those types of rates. However in general rates have come down from the 90s, I believe. And depending on the length of project ,type of customer (private vs public), rates can be negotiated lower. I do concede that the functional from SAP will cost more to the project than from another firm. But that's usually why the SAP functional will be rolled-off from a project first.

Actually most of the revenue comes from license sales, not services. And when you say services, do you mean: custom development, solutions, maintenance, etc ? It would be a nice idea to give it away and just live on services. Nice idea in the sense that this = the future in my mind.

I think the whole point is that the way IP is controlled would prevent the crazy, chaotic, and completely awesome music and video kutiman has created. If this type of individualistic creativity is repressed via legal controls, then we miss out as a culture. So even if you don't like the music, its a bit of an analogy. I agree, this type of mashup music is not new, but I think where its source of origin comes from - the very public itself - is the truly awe inspiring part. Mass media created by the masses.. .sounds like I've heard this talked about before...

Hah. Do a youtube search for songsmith radiohead creep for a REAL scare.

Yes, but do you exist while Lauren is gone ?

Physically you could do far worse but I would rather have someone who looks less like Spike and can act better. Not many actors come to mind who could pull off looking like a kung fu expert, while keeping that infamous sense of humor and sense of cool. To bad Toshiro Mifune is way old, maybe deceased.

Obviously you are going for humor. But let's talk with some seriousness for a second...the alternative in some cases is the cost of maintaining and supporting systems that were coded 5, 10, 15+ years ago. The resources who are able to support those applications are in shorter supply each year, therefore, the cost of hiring and retaining them increases. And enterprise software does have something to offer, of which I recommend going to read up on a little. Integrating sales, logistics, financials, adding a consistent platform for new functionality, including some type of on-going support solution, etc. Some worthwhile capabilities if you look into it.