Thanks for the URL, I had no idea that site existed. Is it a joke? Because if it is for real, then it truly lifts my hair. Clearly, "FlatEarthipedia" is next...
There is the "Institute for Creation Research" which has some sort of exhibit. I've never visited but there are routinely school buses parked outside so I guess they bring the kids for a big dose of claptrap. I have heard they award a MS in "Creation Science".
My T42 is the 3rd IBM laptop for me, but it might be the last. The first two worked quite well, but my T42 required multiple service attempts to fix the same problem. I can understand having to send out for repair once, but after that I get a little irritated. Thinkpads are expensive and I *really* need mine on a daily basis.
I have had this T42 for two years (pre-Lenovo) was it was drop shipped from Hong Kong. Apparently China has been the source of ThinkPads for years.
Based on my repair experience, I will be comparison shopping for my next laptop.
P.S. The LINUX Thinkpad mailing list is another excellent reason to buy a ThinkPad.
Why send submarines when coastal missiles are cheap and plentiful?
If you were in charge of coastal defense, what would you buy?
Remember the Falklands? I think Argentina had a diesel boat which didn't hit anything (surprisingly). But exocets (which Argentina had not been fully trained on) managed to leave a lasting impression.
For surface units, most of the energy emitted by a SONAR is reflected back. To be really effective, instrumentation has to be lowered beneath certain (location dependent) thermoclines. Which of course, limits manuverability of the surface unit.
In a real open ocean fight, the only purpose SONAR would serve is as a targeting aid for the submarines. There is no way a surface ship will hear anything except other surface ships. Have you ever considered what sort of noise is generated by a aircraft carrier during launch operations? I'll give you a hint, 4 propellors going full blast and a jet catapult produce an unmistakable signature which is exploitable over vast distances.
In a real fight, the surface units would be assisted by subsurface assets. Hopefully there would also be some aviation assets to help prosecute whatever problem might emerge. But the real solution will be subsurface units doing what they do best.
My point here is that active SONAR from surface units is usually a liability, and reducing the noise signature is a good thing.
Some of you need to quit waving the flag and consider the question. Just because the Navy (or any) DoD component wants to play w/their toys doesn't make it good and useful. Be sure to catch my next lecture regarding torpedos from surface ships.
blah, blah, blah. My life is great, don't you wish you were me. blah, blah, blah.
My name is "hax4bux" and I've been contracting for 13 years. I want the money and I want it now. I hope you get rich, but I bet you don't.
I've had this conversation over multiple contracts, how I should share the vision and work for less because "we're all gonna be zillionaires". Golly, such a generous offer. I'll stick to invoicing you each week, and you don't have to worry about sharing your precious stock pool.
Oh, ya. I've contracted to a few startups (the ones w/funding) and that "dipshit CEO" is routinely a sociopath who doesn't give two hoots about you as long as he gets his way. If you do well, he will be moving and if you do poorly, he might be moving as well. But whatever gives you comfort.
No, I'm aware of the law and I'm earning a living. Along the way, I'm feeding an attorney and a CPA to pacify condescending bureaucrats who merely add friction to the system.
You seem to be taking the position that we are all employees no matter what and none of us have ever heard of the IRS rules. Of course, you are wrong about this as well.
As Dr. Pedantic IRS Weenie, you should be in the perfect position to know that a company like HP assumes all the tax liability when they engage the services of a independant. Should the courts rule that I'm actually an employee, the IRS will be assessing penalties against HP. There is plenty of precedence for this. Quit pretending that these contracts are entered in ignorance, because that is simply untrue.
Feel free to quit lecturing the small independents about our roles. Those of us who are actually small companies know the game, pay our taxes and try to stay out of the way.
I have all the sympathy in the world for your domestic situation. As I mentioned, I live only a few hundred miles from Boise, but I'm in San Jose tonight.
I've even contracted to HP twice, so I have seen them in action. (in action - get it? nothing like a hewlett slackard).
Where we differ is that I'm a contractor and I know it. If HP won't pay me an acceptable rate (and this is usually the case) then I get on the plane and work for someone who can afford me. This isn't HP's fault, this is a free market.
"Fix the problem" isn't within your grasp, global pricing pressures will ensure this. You might get a settlement out of HP but over the long term this problem won't go away. So you get to be a HP "employee" - what security does that bring? How long do you think HP will be in Boise? Carly is gone and the great divestiture party will be starting RSN.
Where is the logic here? Just because your a contractor, you should be on a different phone PBX and on a different mail server? Why? Your contracted to HP and surprised to be doing HP tasks? Why?
I understand the labor market in Boise is limited (I live only a few hundred miles from Boise). I suck it up and fly to San Jose. You will be doing similar when HP shuts down, so list your house for sale now and beat the rush.
I guess I could litigate my way to employment, but for some odd reason I'd rather just compete on my skills.
Fascinating post. As a long term clueless contractor, it is wonderful to finally be enlightened. Contracts don't mean anything? You are free to redefine the business relationship at any time? Oh, I see: "reason to sue" - so this isn't really about giving your word and helping a customer. This is about feeding the lawyers. And we all know that litigation is all good, right? Thanks for helping.
Of course, I don't know anything about where you work.
But I've been a contractor for 15 years, and I have a short message for you:
I don't want to pretend I'm an employee. I don't want to join the club. I don't want to go to your team building functions. I don't want to go to rah-rah meetings. I don't want to go to your parties. I don't want to be employee of the quarter. I don't even want to know who employee of the quarter might be.
I want to solve the problem, ship the product and cash the check.
If I wanted a job, I'd go get a job. I don't want a job. I want what I negotiated on my contract. That is all.
While I'm here, let me say (as a long time contractor) that lawsuits like this are bad for business. I have nothing but contempt for people who attempt to redefine a contract after the fact. Those people are free to quit at any time. They weren't slaves, they won't be rounded up for leaving the plantation.
In my wasted youth I spent much time in the machine room, and wondered why people complained about the noise. Besides, I need access to the system console in those days.
25 years later, I hear a persistant whistle that never stops, diagnosed as tinitus. Doctor says that most people in the "developed" world suffer from this in one way or another from all the noise exposure. I'm pretty sure this is from all my time in the machine room, since I didn't have access to an iPod back in the day.
I took a old PII box, removed the hard drive, bought big heat sinks and use it as a X-terminal. Boot it via LTSP, works great. Keep hot, noisy servers out in the garage. Life is good.
Hehehe... Some of those craigslist postings real like personal adverts. "Must like long walks in the park, sunsets and have a passion for excellence". All this for $15/hour.
I'm color blind (at least, it says so on my medical certificate) and I fly about 200 hours/year commuting to work. In the winter it gets dark early and I fly at night. No problem for me.
What you left out of your life and death dramatic "are you man enough?" no power after dark scenario is pilot controlled lighting. Yup. If there isn't a tower, or the tower people have quit for the day, they turn the lights off. But you knew that, right?
All those fancy color coded lights will be dark.
In my case, I keep a battery powered radio in my bag right next to the flashlight. I'll still be able to turn on the lights and complete my flight, color blind or not.
Hehehe... You left out the 2 mile visibility for a precision approach.
BTW, I do several dozen IFR approaches a year into the SF Bay Area. Persistant low overcast is the reason, starts about 3000 feet, ends maybe 1000 feet AGL. This is our "summer" weather, which is worse than winter (I'm agreeing w/you).
Slashdot Mirror
Thanks for the URL, I had no idea that site existed. Is it a joke? Because if it is for real, then it truly lifts my hair. Clearly, "FlatEarthipedia" is next...
This is almost as funny as your web site.
I ask myself the same question any career topic comes up on /.
The real answer is context dependent and mostly common sense anyway.
There is the "Institute for Creation Research" which has some sort of exhibit. I've never visited but there are routinely school buses parked outside so I guess they bring the kids for a big dose of claptrap. I have heard they award a MS in "Creation Science".
Beck and Andres might have been programmers once.
Now they are cult leaders w/seminars to fill and books to sell. It is a mistake to believe this is anything more than self promotion.
When this fad passes, Beck, Andres (et al) will look just as stupid as Yourdon.
My T42 is the 3rd IBM laptop for me, but it might be the last. The first two worked quite well, but my T42 required multiple service attempts to fix the same problem. I can understand having to send out for repair once, but after that I get a little irritated. Thinkpads are expensive and I *really* need mine on a daily basis.
I have had this T42 for two years (pre-Lenovo) was it was drop shipped from Hong Kong. Apparently China has been the source of ThinkPads for years.
Based on my repair experience, I will be comparison shopping for my next laptop.
P.S. The LINUX Thinkpad mailing list is another excellent reason to buy a ThinkPad.
Spot on, mod parent up.
Don't complain that SAP is brittle, heavy and expensive. Buy our crap or everybody else at the CIO club will mock you.
I wonder if the dinosaurs would buck each other up w/stories abouth "mature design" rather than worry about evolution (or meteorites).
You had a kewl job, I used to intensely dislike helos but now I wish I had rotory training. Maybe someday.
Real world experience will never get you modded up here. Next time, you should write as if your are speculating. You'll be 5+ in no time.
Why send submarines when coastal missiles are cheap and plentiful?
If you were in charge of coastal defense, what would you buy?
Remember the Falklands? I think Argentina had a diesel boat which didn't hit anything (surprisingly). But exocets (which Argentina had not been fully trained on) managed to leave a lasting impression.
Submarines and targets.
For surface units, most of the energy emitted by a SONAR is reflected back. To be really effective, instrumentation has to be lowered beneath certain (location dependent) thermoclines. Which of course, limits manuverability of the surface unit.
In a real open ocean fight, the only purpose SONAR would serve is as a targeting aid for the submarines. There is no way a surface ship will hear anything except other surface ships. Have you ever considered what sort of noise is generated by a aircraft carrier during launch operations? I'll give you a hint, 4 propellors going full blast and a jet catapult produce an unmistakable signature which is exploitable over vast distances.
In a real fight, the surface units would be assisted by subsurface assets. Hopefully there would also be some aviation assets to help prosecute whatever problem might emerge. But the real solution will be subsurface units doing what they do best.
My point here is that active SONAR from surface units is usually a liability, and reducing the noise signature is a good thing.
Some of you need to quit waving the flag and consider the question. Just because the Navy (or any) DoD component wants to play w/their toys doesn't make it good and useful. Be sure to catch my next lecture regarding torpedos from surface ships.
blah, blah, blah. My life is great, don't you wish you were me. blah, blah, blah.
My name is "hax4bux" and I've been contracting for 13 years. I want the money and I want it now. I hope you get rich, but I bet you don't.
I've had this conversation over multiple contracts, how I should share the vision and work for less because "we're all gonna be zillionaires". Golly, such a generous offer. I'll stick to invoicing you each week, and you don't have to worry about sharing your precious stock pool.
Oh, ya. I've contracted to a few startups (the ones w/funding) and that "dipshit CEO" is routinely a sociopath who doesn't give two hoots about you as long as he gets his way. If you do well, he will be moving and if you do poorly, he might be moving as well. But whatever gives you comfort.
No, I'm aware of the law and I'm earning a living. Along the way, I'm feeding an attorney and a CPA to pacify condescending bureaucrats who merely add friction to the system.
You seem to be taking the position that we are all employees no matter what and none of us have ever heard of the IRS rules. Of course, you are wrong about this as well.
As Dr. Pedantic IRS Weenie, you should be in the perfect position to know that a company like HP assumes all the tax liability when they engage the services of a independant. Should the courts rule that I'm actually an employee, the IRS will be assessing penalties against HP. There is plenty of precedence for this. Quit pretending that these contracts are entered in ignorance, because that is simply untrue.
Feel free to quit lecturing the small independents about our roles. Those of us who are actually small companies know the game, pay our taxes and try to stay out of the way.
As opposed to simply being IN the way.
I have all the sympathy in the world for your domestic situation. As I mentioned, I live only a few hundred miles from Boise, but I'm in San Jose tonight.
I've even contracted to HP twice, so I have seen them in action. (in action - get it? nothing like a hewlett slackard).
Where we differ is that I'm a contractor and I know it. If HP won't pay me an acceptable rate (and this is usually the case) then I get on the plane and work for someone who can afford me. This isn't HP's fault, this is a free market.
"Fix the problem" isn't within your grasp, global pricing pressures will ensure this. You might get a settlement out of HP but over the long term this problem won't go away. So you get to be a HP "employee" - what security does that bring? How long do you think HP will be in Boise? Carly is gone and the great divestiture party will be starting RSN.
Sorry I cannot be more cheerfull.
Where is the logic here? Just because your a contractor, you should be on a different phone PBX and on a different mail server? Why? Your contracted to HP and surprised to be doing HP tasks? Why?
I understand the labor market in Boise is limited (I live only a few hundred miles from Boise). I suck it up and fly to San Jose. You will be doing similar when HP shuts down, so list your house for sale now and beat the rush.
I guess I could litigate my way to employment, but for some odd reason I'd rather just compete on my skills.
Fascinating post. As a long term clueless contractor, it is wonderful to finally be enlightened. Contracts don't mean anything? You are free to redefine the business relationship at any time? Oh, I see: "reason to sue" - so this isn't really about giving your word and helping a customer. This is about feeding the lawyers. And we all know that litigation is all good, right? Thanks for helping.
Of course, I don't know anything about where you work.
But I've been a contractor for 15 years, and I have a short message for you:
I don't want to pretend I'm an employee. I don't want to join the club. I don't want to go to your team building functions. I don't want to go to rah-rah meetings. I don't want to go to your parties. I don't want to be employee of the quarter. I don't even want to know who employee of the quarter might be.
I want to solve the problem, ship the product and cash the check.
If I wanted a job, I'd go get a job. I don't want a job. I want what I negotiated on my contract. That is all.
While I'm here, let me say (as a long time contractor) that lawsuits like this are bad for business. I have nothing but contempt for people who attempt to redefine a contract after the fact. Those people are free to quit at any time. They weren't slaves, they won't be rounded up for leaving the plantation.
In my wasted youth I spent much time in the machine room, and wondered why people complained about the noise. Besides, I need access to the system console in those days.
25 years later, I hear a persistant whistle that never stops, diagnosed as tinitus. Doctor says that most people in the "developed" world suffer from this in one way or another from all the noise exposure. I'm pretty sure this is from all my time in the machine room, since I didn't have access to an iPod back in the day.
I took a old PII box, removed the hard drive, bought big heat sinks and use it as a X-terminal. Boot it via LTSP, works great. Keep hot, noisy servers out in the garage. Life is good.
We'll see how you feel when your neighbor turns his property into a feedlot and the other neighbor decides to become a auto junkyard.
OTOH, my neighbors will have to put up w/a new runway. I'm turning my back 40 into an airport.
Oh, ya... I feel a seminar coming on. Hmmm... How about "The Second Coming Of The American Programmer"?
I'm sure Ed can fit that in after his next appearance on Art Bell.
Damn right.
I just love it when CEO's start whining because people want to be treated better than slaves.
Who is surprised that two weeks after the election the H1B cap would return as a "issue"?
If you think work is getting better, get ready to have your expectations lowered again.
Hehehe... Some of those craigslist postings real like personal adverts. "Must like long walks in the park, sunsets and have a passion for excellence". All this for $15/hour.
I'm color blind and you apparently are not. Who has firsthand knowledge of the situation?
If I felt threatened I wouldn't have bought two airplanes and finished my IFR. I wouldn't continue to pour USD 130 down my tanks every week.
So let me be direct: your no judge of my capabilities and I'm pretty sure your not even a very experienced pilot.
But please DO feel free to rant on about the perils of flight. That is exactly what the community needs is more "there I was" FUD.
This is all very dramatic.
I'm color blind (at least, it says so on my medical certificate) and I fly about 200 hours/year commuting to work. In the winter it gets dark early and I fly at night. No problem for me.
What you left out of your life and death dramatic "are you man enough?" no power after dark scenario is pilot controlled lighting. Yup. If there isn't a tower, or the tower people have quit for the day, they turn the lights off. But you knew that, right?
All those fancy color coded lights will be dark.
In my case, I keep a battery powered radio in my bag right next to the flashlight. I'll still be able to turn on the lights and complete my flight, color blind or not.
How about you?
Hehehe... You left out the 2 mile visibility for a precision approach.
BTW, I do several dozen IFR approaches a year into the SF Bay Area. Persistant low overcast is the reason, starts about 3000 feet, ends maybe 1000 feet AGL. This is our "summer" weather, which is worse than winter (I'm agreeing w/you).