Another point that people forget is not only is the BB user "on call", everyone around him is too - my boss is horrible for interrupting meetings, conferences, interviews... when it buzzes, he *has* to check it. (In the "obsessive-compulsive" sense, not the "my job requires it"). What's worse, email becomes just as bad as a phone call (if there's something non-urgent, I email. Which will spur a return phone call from Mr. BB to discuss.)
I love my email, but I don't need to check it at all hours of day or night. That's what the cell phone is for. (And I'd give it back to the company if they'd take it.)
First thought that occurred to me after reading this above:
Show up at the border with an encrypted laptop. Be gracious and apologetic - the security is required for your job, that sort of thing - and unlock everything. Helpfully supply all the passwords for the multiple levels of encyption, thumbprints, etc etc etc - make it as elaborate as possible. Remember to be totally helpful. Once you've unlocked everything, let them see your innocent files (because you of course cleaned everything remotely dangerous before arrival). Once they've cleared you, make a point of locking everything back up again.
And have all your important files on a USB key or CD labeled "travelling music" tucked away somewhere.
Misdirection is a beautiful thing.
(Oh, and count me as a non-American who is avoiding travel across the border as well. Although I've found the Canadian border guards to be harsher than the Americans, oddly enough.)
The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.
I've read that. Pretty old piece of law, if I remember that. Hasn't been enforced in years.
No, I think I have a quite rational fear of firearms - mainly, that some nutjob is going to decide to shoot, shovel and shut up.
And the whole "why worry when people drive up to you loaded to the teeth?" argument is funny - you pull up on a road, with multiple firearms, and find a bunch of twenty somethings with GPSs. Shouldn't take too long to eliminate the wrongdoer hypothesis...
And for all the farmers-with-guns types out there, here's a question - if you're OK with the landowners trucking around more firearms than they can carry, what's your opinion on the next geohashing party showing up armed to the teeth? Same logic should apply (self-protection, guns aren't dangerous, etc etc)
Please, PLEASE take note that nobody said that threats were ever made, or that firearms were ever presented in a menacing way. For anyone that works with livestock, having long guns mounted in vehicles and handguns on one's person is absolutely normal, routine, and safe. Up in my neck of the woods, I'll agree with the rifles/shotguns, although they're becoming less common (most people just don't need the hassle of securing firearms while they're going into town for milk and smokes).
But handguns? What farmer, rancher, or hunter needs a handgun?
I will, however, admit to a chuckle at the thought of some "city boys" finding out that farmers aren't exactly fond of people stomping around in the fields...
Because no-one else in the world wants oil except the US. And we have to sell it right away before it goes stale...
I live in Alberta (a.k.a. Oilsands Central), and I laugh every time the oil companies threaten to move elsewhere - sure, you could move all the rigs, but the oil is under us, and it's not going anywhere. I admire the European countries that don't even drill their reserves - they know the price is only going to go up, and up, and up.
(As for the Alaska drilling plan, that does mean you'll have to add more Valdez's driving up and down the coastline, right? Might want to add some breathalysers to those tankers..)
Agreed (or at least it does where I work), however it's still along way from breaking the MS 'lock' on the corporate desktop and there doesn't seem to be any 'killer app' to drive the corporates toward a Linux desktop (unless your counting Vista).. Well, let's be realistic - Windows didn't get it's lock quickly, and they won't lose it quickly either. I figure it's going to take a generation, to be honest - you need to train the kids to be comfortable with non-Windows systems, and then they'll push that buy-in through to the future.
Look at it another way - for generic office staff, everyone learned on Windows and Office, and that's what businesses expect. Companies have a strong disincentive to switch away - they'd have to retrain all their current staff, and then suffer a smaller applicant group because people assume proficiency in Office, not OpenOffice.
(Aside: if you went into an employment agency and said you knew OpenOffice but not Office, would they even know what you were talking about?)
This needs to be tackled long-term and from both sides - start teaching your kids to be flexible in their software choices, so when they hit the job market they can use whatever they need to. And at the same time, keep picking away at the office environment. We'll get there eventually - it will just take time.
They'll sue you in a hot minute if they thought they'd get something out of it. (Maybe they're launching their own demo site?)
Lawsuits are a tactical weapon - nothing to do with right or wrong. If it's cheaper to sue you out of existence than to compete with you, they'll do it.
I'm the opposite - I prefer most of the older Disney flicks to the recent ones. Aristocats, Lady and the Tramp, Jungle Book, Fantasia... there's some fantastic animation there. The new stuff tends to be entirely too... bleh. (Emperor's New Groove, anyone?)
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I love my email, but I don't need to check it at all hours of day or night. That's what the cell phone is for. (And I'd give it back to the company if they'd take it.)
Show up at the border with an encrypted laptop. Be gracious and apologetic - the security is required for your job, that sort of thing - and unlock everything. Helpfully supply all the passwords for the multiple levels of encyption, thumbprints, etc etc etc - make it as elaborate as possible. Remember to be totally helpful. Once you've unlocked everything, let them see your innocent files (because you of course cleaned everything remotely dangerous before arrival). Once they've cleared you, make a point of locking everything back up again.
And have all your important files on a USB key or CD labeled "travelling music" tucked away somewhere.
Misdirection is a beautiful thing.
(Oh, and count me as a non-American who is avoiding travel across the border as well. Although I've found the Canadian border guards to be harsher than the Americans, oddly enough.)
The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.
I've read that. Pretty old piece of law, if I remember that. Hasn't been enforced in years... even the justice and law enforcement divisions are opposed to it. Good for Pirate Bay for finding workarounds.
No, I think I have a quite rational fear of firearms - mainly, that some nutjob is going to decide to shoot, shovel and shut up. And the whole "why worry when people drive up to you loaded to the teeth?" argument is funny - you pull up on a road, with multiple firearms, and find a bunch of twenty somethings with GPSs. Shouldn't take too long to eliminate the wrongdoer hypothesis... And for all the farmers-with-guns types out there, here's a question - if you're OK with the landowners trucking around more firearms than they can carry, what's your opinion on the next geohashing party showing up armed to the teeth? Same logic should apply (self-protection, guns aren't dangerous, etc etc)
Because no-one else in the world wants oil except the US. And we have to sell it right away before it goes stale... I live in Alberta (a.k.a. Oilsands Central), and I laugh every time the oil companies threaten to move elsewhere - sure, you could move all the rigs, but the oil is under us, and it's not going anywhere. I admire the European countries that don't even drill their reserves - they know the price is only going to go up, and up, and up. (As for the Alaska drilling plan, that does mean you'll have to add more Valdez's driving up and down the coastline, right? Might want to add some breathalysers to those tankers..)
They'll sue you in a hot minute if they thought they'd get something out of it. (Maybe they're launching their own demo site?) Lawsuits are a tactical weapon - nothing to do with right or wrong. If it's cheaper to sue you out of existence than to compete with you, they'll do it.
I'm the opposite - I prefer most of the older Disney flicks to the recent ones. Aristocats, Lady and the Tramp, Jungle Book, Fantasia... there's some fantastic animation there. The new stuff tends to be entirely too... bleh. (Emperor's New Groove, anyone?)