Buck it up - No one owes you anything
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Dial U for Union
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· Score: 1
I have many relatives who are in unions. I grew up with it. My wife used to be in a union. These stories are one reason that I do not want to be in a union. Too many stories of lazy people continuing to be lazy on the job because the union backs them. Too many stories of paying union dues for nothing. Too many stories of union intervention making the work place of good people difficult.
If I understand correctly, one of the main purposes of the union is to give the worker a voice when dealing with employers. Say a co-worker is a real lazy bum. Should that bum continue to work there if s/he is not producing? I say no. The union says that the employer has unrealistic expectations and to stop bothering that fine union member.
It would appear that the union's duty is to give every worker a fair deal. Well, guess what. Life isn't fair. Something else that may have come as a surprise but we are not all created equal. Open your eyes and look around. Does that person over there know the same things as you do? Does s/he have the same physical skills? No.
The stories I've heard remind me all too much of Kurt Vonnegut's "Harrison Bereron" in which people wear devices so as to remove competition. Instead of working to improve the skills/abilities of those lacking, the people with skills are reduced in some way. The ballerinas wear weights so that they cannot dance any better than anyone else. People wear devices on their heads that periodically create loud noises so that no one can think any better than anyone else.
This may sound harsh but if you don't like where you are, leave and go somewhere else. Only you are responsible for where you are and what you do. No one owes you a job. If you can't hack it, leave and go do something else.
I live in Tempe, AZ. I got a telecommute position in the middle of Feb 2000. At that time, Cox had not seen fit (and still doesn't) to provide cable service to my area. USWest was the only choice for high speed access.
I placed my order for 256 connection on 2/14/2000. At that time, they said that my 'due date' (the date I'd be connected) was 2/28/2000. I had mentioned that I'd prefer the 512 service. The next day, the cust serv rep called and said they could do 512. On 2/28/2000 I was connected @ 512.
Getting up and going was quick and easy. They provide a couple of manuals about the Cisco 675 modem. You can telnet into the box or get in via serial cable and boom you're talking directly to the system. You can set up filters, block ports, etc.
When it's up it's fast - I am doing 512 down and 544 up (coming from a 33.6 modem lifestyle that's fast ~8^).
For what I need, I also like the added security of using a Cisco modem. While it's not totally secure, there are fewer security concerns than when directly connected as you are with cable.
My complaints all have to do with technical support/customer service. Luckily I'm technically able and can figure out some issues on my own. I really pitty those who have to rely hevily on the tech support.
Getting through to the technical support is time consuming. I would estimate that the average wait time is about 15 minutes.
Unexpected down time. When it goes down who knows the duration - the tech support never have an est. time.
The tech support people with whom I've talked know very little. You either get a run around (yes, I tried that and that and that) or "Could you hold on while I check with someone else?".
They don't offer individual static IPs. The modem gets its IP via DHCP. Then the internal machines get their IPs from the modem's DHCP so the internal IPs could possibly change too (I'm a big fan of ip-masq/chains). You have the option of getting a block of 8 static IPs for an additional $14/month (I don't know how many off-hand but not all of those 8 are usable by you - one is for the modem another is for ?? and so on).
The ISP and the modem people are two separate entities. So you constantly get the finger pointing ("It's not us it's them").
Well, I've gone on long enough. I hope this has been helpful.
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If I understand correctly, one of the main purposes of the union is to give the worker a voice when dealing with employers. Say a co-worker is a real lazy bum. Should that bum continue to work there if s/he is not producing? I say no. The union says that the employer has unrealistic expectations and to stop bothering that fine union member.
It would appear that the union's duty is to give every worker a fair deal. Well, guess what. Life isn't fair. Something else that may have come as a surprise but we are not all created equal. Open your eyes and look around. Does that person over there know the same things as you do? Does s/he have the same physical skills? No.
The stories I've heard remind me all too much of Kurt Vonnegut's "Harrison Bereron" in which people wear devices so as to remove competition. Instead of working to improve the skills/abilities of those lacking, the people with skills are reduced in some way. The ballerinas wear weights so that they cannot dance any better than anyone else. People wear devices on their heads that periodically create loud noises so that no one can think any better than anyone else.
This may sound harsh but if you don't like where you are, leave and go somewhere else. Only you are responsible for where you are and what you do. No one owes you a job. If you can't hack it, leave and go do something else.
I placed my order for 256 connection on 2/14/2000. At that time, they said that my 'due date' (the date I'd be connected) was 2/28/2000. I had mentioned that I'd prefer the 512 service. The next day, the cust serv rep called and said they could do 512. On 2/28/2000 I was connected @ 512.
Since then this is my down time log:
3/21/2000 - 6 hours
3/28/2000 - 12 hours
4/7/2000 - 10 minutes
7/23/2000 - ~60 minutes
7/24/2000 - 7 hours
9/12/2000 - 90 minutes
Good things:
My complaints all have to do with technical support/customer service. Luckily I'm technically able and can figure out some issues on my own. I really pitty those who have to rely hevily on the tech support.
Well, I've gone on long enough. I hope this has been helpful.
Another option I've been considering is Sprint Broadband