The answer is 'they cannot'.
Which is why those who think through decisions and understand the consequences are anti-union.
What does that say about Teachers?
Associations are not unions. Guilds are not unions.
Key reason is that they set standards of conduct and levels of proficiency. Bad Doctors are tossed from the AMA, Lawyers from the Bar.
Most current unions do the opposite. They will fight to the death to protect the jobs of incompetent and dangerous employees. See Teacher Unions.
Good comments here. Most of the people I work with in my Tech career have NEVER been a union, DIDN'T come from a union family, and have romantic notions of what unions are for or what they actually do.
My Grandfather fought Shell Oil while trying to organize works in Southern California. My other Grandfather was a principal in a midwest Musicians Union. My dad, OCAW, other relatives in IBLW, Nursing, Retail Clerks. I worked in OACW and Retail Clerks environments before going to college.
What Unions are in Hollywood movies, and were in the 1950s is simply history. The goal of Unions mirrors the goals of politicians and lawyers. How can we extort the MAXIMUM amount of money from those who put their own money on the line? How can I, the Union Leader, maximize my personal political power on the backs of others? Represent the workers? A long gone goal.
What a Union SHOULD do is to assure that workers have a relatively safe and secure workplace. The should represent the workers to management, and assure the companies are run well to assure future jobs for the members.
What a Union DOES for the most part is to shake down management, and create crisis where there is none. Find a crack and open it wide. Why? You can get more members and raise dues. With the dues, you can buy political power. Doubt it? The US educational system is a total mess. And, the Teacher Unions are the largest campaign contributors to the Democrats, currently in power.
Unions work where there is a common goal with management. In Germany, many industrial companies have worker representative on their boards. In the US, that would never happen, as the union leaders would then be part of the solution, meaning they would have skin in the game. Better to sit on the outside and complain.
The unions are their own worst enemies now. Detroit shows what happens when the unions essentially control the company.
Are unions really needed? Are they wanted?
In Wisconsin, the law was changed so that State Workers could no longer have their union dues deducted automatically from their pay checks. When members had to physically write a check, they realize what they were paying for 'representation'. 30% quit the unions. They were lucky, some workers cannot by LAW.
Best thing we can do is to outlaw government unions. Government workers do not NEED unions. And, they didn't have them for most of the last century. FDR was against government workers unionizing. Why did it happen? Politicians saw instant votes. Get union support, give government workers a raise, get more votes.
The craziness has to stop. Reagan fired the Air Traffic Controllers. BART should fire the strikers.
The shock of the Europeans to the fact that they are being spied on is comical. Euro business and industries DEPEND on industrial espionage to compete and keep the jobs in their countries. At a conference on Internet Security, I asked the question of a panel. "Who are the biggest countries in espionage?" The answer varied, but France (chemicals) and Germany (process and electronics) were right up there with the US, China, and Russia. To think that only 'evil' countries spy is childish.
This whole affair calls into question the intelligence of the average EU citizen. So many fell in love with Obama and his 'message'. Now, they act as jilted teenage girls. The 'sophisticated' EU citizen fawned over Obama, and, indeed, a subset awarded him a Nobel Prize for accomplishing NOTHING. Hope runs eternal, so does white guilt, apparently. Of course, your politicians don't seem to care. They are too busy with their lavish lunch meetings and arguing for hours over the shape of apples and how many Kumquats can be shipped to Italy.
Memo to the citizens of Planet Earth.... stop being so childish about your objects of worship. Christianity in Europe has apparently been replaced with US politician worship. You didn't learn from the huckster Al Gore, nor the inept Jimmy Carter either. When a politician promises something too good to be true, IT IS. Are you listening France?
Austin is nice. But, the weather is awful much of the year. And, you are landlocked. But, Texas has a LOT of advantage for young families. A reasonable alternative to Silicon Valley. I, however, am staying in the Valley.
So, you are mad because the orchards of the 20s are gone. OK, so where will you go, at least in the US, that is the same as it was in the 1920? The only places that are the same are not places 99.9% of Americans would even consider living in.
I have seen much of the US, and settled in Silicon Valley. I have lived in Mt View, and it is, overall, a nice place. Schools are good, traffic is manageable, and Castro Street is hopping every weekend. New HOA developments are nicely integrated into the community. Certainly look better that the old Miltons' Lumber Yard!
The Valley is getting a very bad rap here. Suburbs are very similar anywhere in the US. Washington DC subs are a lot less exciting than the Peninsula ones are. Much less 'diversity' if that is the current watchword. Plus, the weather near Chicago, DC, Boston, or Atlanta is intolerable at least 3 months out of the year. The Valley has VERY few days near freezing or over 100F.
Regarding SF. I have lived there also. A GREAT place to be IF you are young & rich, gay, old money, artistic, or can live on Raman noodles for the rest of your life. No one in their right mind would raise a family in SF, unless they were Asian and could handle living in the Outer Sunset. Outer Richmond and Sunset is FOG CITY much of the year, cold and dreary. Transportation sucks, parking sucks, streets suck. Marina is really fun for single people, but plan on at least an hour just to get out of SF. Two or more if you commune to The Valley. But, the Marina is wonderful if you do not need to leave often.
Oakland? A couple of really nice neighborhood, such as Rock Ridge. BUT, you are never far from the crime. Lots of gang bangers from downtown and outer Berkeley. The numbers on crime is really depressing. And, don't count on the Police to protect you. They stated publicly they will not respond to many crimes, such as car breakins, petty theft, shoplifting, etc. We use to visit Rock Ridge regularly, but have been spooked away by all the roving teens and lack of Police presence. I was in the Rock Ridge area during the big Oakland Fire about 25 years ago. The only thing that prevented mass social disorder (eg looting) was the traffic. A lot of families left after that and were replaced with young professionals (sans children) and gays. May of them have left because of crime.
Regarding innovation, forget most of the rest of the world. Innovators come to Silicon Valley. The other 'Valleys' are just PR stunts. Few will support startups, most are full of rich kids running around with MacBooks telling anyone who cares that they are doing a 'startup'.
The Valley has the usual suburban issues, just at a much lower level then the rest of the US.
Proof point? My son's public high school is only about 40% traditional 'white suburb' kids. Majority are children of immigrants, primarily Chinese, Japanese, Indian, Russian, with French, German, Swiss, and Brits thrown in. All here because of the innovation support system.
Another benefit for families living in the Valley. Really no need to pay for private schools here, public schools are great. Privates are for rich Liberals who talk diversity, but pay for exclusivity.
College educations are driven primarily by funding. This creates many distortions.
1. Funding from Alumni requires rich Alumni. You can take the Duke/Brown approach and actively recruit mediocre students with rich/famous parents. Ivys focus on a core of old East Coast money families, exchanging endowments for admissions. Most of those students stay drunk for 4 years, while getting an 'education' in the 'classics'. Or, use the approach of many schools, to graduate business and engineering students who have high income potential. Average lib arts students are only making Lattes these days, which puts the non-Ivys in a quandary.
2. Funding from Industry. You can create a research oriented University to feed from industry. Formula for most large public institutions. Works well if you pick carefully, and have partners that are growing. Tough if you do work for the auto or steel industry. Good for Defense.
3. Funding from the Federal Government. Tough, because you have to constantly show 'diversity'. Hire mediocre Profs who are 'Native American' for example, or get your money for some questionable research to meet political goals. After all, if you do not have finding that AGREE with the current politics, you will lose funding. Global Warming is the classic case. I remember one Prof writing a op-ed piece. He showed that a random event, a volcanic eruption, would negate ALL of the proposed benefits of a full Kyoto agreement. Everyone knew it, but saying it publicly would kill millions of taxpayers dollars and his job. So, the department towed the line. No retirement in Florida for telling the truth.
Agreed. If 'humanities' were taught by thinking people, Engineers and Scientists MIGHT learn learn something useful. In my experience, and that of my college age sons, most such courses are completely worthless. Generally, they are taught by Professions hired for 'diversity' reasons who can only spew out the same garbage they were taught. Socialist politics, 'all white people are evil' philosophies, or 'men are animals' theories. The students simply laugh at the classes, do what is necessary to pass, and forget it all next term.
Too bad, as a GOOD history Prof can make you THINK and understand why the world worked in any given point of time. A world class Philosophy Prof can introduce you to the basis of Western thought, an excellent English teacher can help you communicate your ideas. Unfortunately, good Profs will never be hired because the staffing decisions are made by 60s hippies who have never had a REAL job.
The result is an accelerating trend. Top students take major -related courses until they figure they have learned enough. Then, they leave school and make millions. The students who stay and finish their degrees are asked in interviews 'What? You wasted your time in college taking all that social crap? If you had the drive to succeed, you would have left before your Senior year!"
And, how does Obama 'see' it? He has no experience in business, and has never had a real job. He is the front minority man for the DNC, a sock puppet to jam through a Socialist agenda on America.
Since ALL of his speeches are prepared by others and delivered to a Teleprompter, how do we know "how he sees it"?
'trickle down economics was a scam'
As was Socialism, Communism, and 99% of what your average College liberal arts Profs told you. But, hey, wanted to get laid then, so you wore the tie-dye pants and Che t-shirt in order to fit in. Now, you are not sure WHAT to believe.
Well, like most people on these lists, you simply believe that if you are rich, you did something evil. Yes! Better than admitting that someone else was smarter, better looking, cleverer, harder working, or just plain luckier than you.
After all, you are above average, right?
Like them or not, the private industry is the only source of adult decision making. Look at the recent NSA and IRS, and not so long ago actions of FannyMae and FreddyMac. If those were private companies, the CEO and CFO would be under indictment, if not already in Jail. Enron and WorldCom execs are behind bars, the FM execs are 'retired' and at least one living with his politician-friend.
Corporations need the best people they can get. And, they are generally willing to pay for those people. In the US anyway, they need good roads, power, and water to operate and contribute to the creation, unless, of course, a politician gets involved and demands campaign contributions.... called bribes everywhere else in the world.
If I am dealing with a corporation, I know what to expect and have legal recourse. Government? They just call you a 'racist' if you disagree....
"So your paycheck depends on violating your fellow citizens' Constitutional rights? How does that feel? Ever think about honoring your oath to uphold the Constitution? There are plenty of private-sector jobs that pay well enough and don't require violating anyone's rights."
How far do you want to carry this argument? Advertising, writing code for organizations you don't respect? All easy to say when you are 25 and are awaiting Daddy's trust fund. Many in Silicon Valley, East Coast. Harder when you brought yourself up from the floor, paid your own way, and now support a family and have a mortgage. Yes, it is great to have an opinion here. But, for MOST of the people in the middle of all this, it is just a job. You can listen to the OWS crowd, most of whom are either brain damaged or living in the parents' basement, or consider the rest who are just trying to have a decent life.
I am appalled by the charges and accusations. But, we have only heard one side, a side that no doubt is lining up book deals with $2M upfront royalties, as I write this. The US Government has been running open loop since 9/11, actually since the Cold War began. I tend to believe Snowden over Obama, but do not have enough info to say.... yet. We, the people, complain a bit, but still elect the same CLASS of politician, one who gives us the KoolAid.
The most appalling thing that has happened in America in the last 50 years (since the internment of Americans with Japanese heritage) was the election of Obama. He has NO qualifications to lead the country, indeed has never lead anything. He has accomplished essentially nothing in his life, other than work the system well. Much of the same could be said about Bush, but at least he successfully ran the State of Texas. My point is that the US population has completely lost it's ability to think though big decisions, complex options and situations where everything is a bit gray. We elect the smile with the nice looking family. Obama's biggest asset was his ability to wash away all that White Guilt build up in the rich white population. Bush seemed to represent a set of 'values', unclear what that meant, but it resonated with enough people to get him elected.
We WOULD allow the level of spying that Snowden says exist IF there had been a major terrorist incident last week. We would NOT if there was nothing to fear. We need to think though the middle ground. That is what we THOUGHT we were getting. Now, we need to figure out what we REALLY got. I cannot tell who is lying here. I continue to read and pay attention, unlike most of the country.
But, hey, the NBA finals are on. Nice weather for the beach. More Hollywood scandals to read about. They are simple. Spying and security are not. Don't expect the Snowden story to be on the front page for more than a week. IRS wasn't.....
I am not a software engineer, or even more than a hack programmer. I am a marketing professional with a BSEE (old school analog stuff). My run-ins with Agile -infused third party developers has always ended with the same questions. What is the schedule? Do you have a schedule? Will you even be able to give a rough schedule?
Answer is generally 'you don't understand how Agile works, you ignorant marketing guy!' Then you get everything BUT a schedule.
Obviously, I don't understand software or Agile...
Cheating and lying is rampant in all facets of human existence. As a society that is totally outward focused, that is we only care about what other say about us, the only harm in lying or cheating is getting caught. We have a number of convenient outs for our actions... usually involving similar acts by others.
I find some of these conversations amazing. Innovation is always messy. At each major 'stall' point in Silicon Valley, some non-STEM 'expert', usually a PhD in Gender Studies, rants about how we are greedy and should be creating useful items for 'society'.
Capitalism works just fine as it is. You waste massive resources getting to a point were there is a major breakthrough. Those breakthroughs benefit society as a whole far more than anyone could predict. It is always messy getting to that point.
The bizarre business plans being thrown out now are the floatsam of third and four rate ideas from Facebook wannabes. That is fine. 99% will fail, which maps well into the 99% of PC companies, Windows 3.1 applications, Ethernet card vendors, CD-ROM content companies, ISPs, and MP3 player companies that also failed in their day.
Social problems cannot be fixed by moving resources from Facebook for Cats. Change happens when both sides agree it is needed and work toward a common goal. Now, the only common issue is Looting'. One side wants to protect what it worked hard for, the other side wants it without working for it.
Seem to be two classes of jobs.
1. Those who do real work - The STEM workers, nurses, mechanics, roofers.
2. Those who research, investigate, comment, blog, report, and generally leach of the people in #1.
Decent incomes for #1, at least employment. Success many based on hard work and increased knowledge.
Barbell incomes for #2 (a lot or a little). Success based on (lack of) morals, family connections, physical appearance, blind-ass luck.
Obama nation is based on #2.
Of course, it is ALL BUSH'S FAULT! Should be a text macro in all Obama-approved browsers.
The Germans have the right to do anything they want, BUT, if they do not get real about energy, they will all be speaking Russian.
Isn't there enough history there for the modern Germans to get a clue? Spend gobs or solar for a country with little sun, get eco by shutting down Nukes, only to realize that their industrial might collapses. So, they build COAL fired power plants, OR by gas from Russia.
But, hey, you can trust Putin, right? Maybe you can wean Russia of their Vodka happen and hook them on German beer. 2000's version of the Opium Wars.
Step back a second. Where does it say that the News Media has an obligation to the 'truth'?
Their only concern is simple.... sell ads. Everything else is in a distraction. NPR? They 'sell' for contributions, lobby for taxpayer money.
Fox? MSNBC? Two sides of the same coin.
OK, the news media is simply entertainment. At least Fox had decent looking entertainers. MSNBC is so depression, looking at all those old, burnt out 60s liberals spitting and sputtering at the camera.
Part of the issue is that consumer have become addicted to the 'free phone'. The carriers do not get the phones from the manufacturers for 'free'. They charge you a bit, then take the rest out in monthly charges.
Easiest answer is to ban 'free' phones, unless they are really free. That would allow you to take your phone business to whichever carrier you wish at any time. Imagine what that would do for the consumer!
But, look around. How many consumers can cough up the $600 for that iPhone? Especially since they are spending everything they make and more on other toys.
' either need to jump into something like management, '
Got to comment here. Many technical people see a move to a management role as 'jumping ship'. We have been confusing Dilbert view of a 'manager' with really being a manager. You don't just 'move into management'. It requires a new set of skills, and those are VERY difficult to learn from scratch. They are especially difficult if you enjoy snarky responses in slashdot! In my experience, few people successfully move from a technical role to a manager role, as they do not have, nor do they want to learn, skills in setting priorities and in conflict resolution. Management is all about priorities and resolutions. If you HAVE to win debates, arguments, or technical discussions, you will fail in 'management'. The only tougher job going from engineer/programmer to a technical manager is going from a salesperson to a sales manager. But, at least with salespeople, the egos are out in the open. Having made both transitions, I feel some level of knowledge here.
I do not disagree with the poster, (s)he made good points that are worthy of discussion. I just had to jump in, what with all the 'go into management' comments....
Slashdot Mirror
If you believe in Jesus, then, hey, a union membership makes sense. Let someone else do your thinking. Why bother? Works for UAW, Teachers Unions
The answer is 'they cannot'. Which is why those who think through decisions and understand the consequences are anti-union. What does that say about Teachers?
Associations are not unions. Guilds are not unions. Key reason is that they set standards of conduct and levels of proficiency. Bad Doctors are tossed from the AMA, Lawyers from the Bar. Most current unions do the opposite. They will fight to the death to protect the jobs of incompetent and dangerous employees. See Teacher Unions.
Good comments here. Most of the people I work with in my Tech career have NEVER been a union, DIDN'T come from a union family, and have romantic notions of what unions are for or what they actually do. My Grandfather fought Shell Oil while trying to organize works in Southern California. My other Grandfather was a principal in a midwest Musicians Union. My dad, OCAW, other relatives in IBLW, Nursing, Retail Clerks. I worked in OACW and Retail Clerks environments before going to college. What Unions are in Hollywood movies, and were in the 1950s is simply history. The goal of Unions mirrors the goals of politicians and lawyers. How can we extort the MAXIMUM amount of money from those who put their own money on the line? How can I, the Union Leader, maximize my personal political power on the backs of others? Represent the workers? A long gone goal. What a Union SHOULD do is to assure that workers have a relatively safe and secure workplace. The should represent the workers to management, and assure the companies are run well to assure future jobs for the members. What a Union DOES for the most part is to shake down management, and create crisis where there is none. Find a crack and open it wide. Why? You can get more members and raise dues. With the dues, you can buy political power. Doubt it? The US educational system is a total mess. And, the Teacher Unions are the largest campaign contributors to the Democrats, currently in power. Unions work where there is a common goal with management. In Germany, many industrial companies have worker representative on their boards. In the US, that would never happen, as the union leaders would then be part of the solution, meaning they would have skin in the game. Better to sit on the outside and complain. The unions are their own worst enemies now. Detroit shows what happens when the unions essentially control the company. Are unions really needed? Are they wanted? In Wisconsin, the law was changed so that State Workers could no longer have their union dues deducted automatically from their pay checks. When members had to physically write a check, they realize what they were paying for 'representation'. 30% quit the unions. They were lucky, some workers cannot by LAW. Best thing we can do is to outlaw government unions. Government workers do not NEED unions. And, they didn't have them for most of the last century. FDR was against government workers unionizing. Why did it happen? Politicians saw instant votes. Get union support, give government workers a raise, get more votes. The craziness has to stop. Reagan fired the Air Traffic Controllers. BART should fire the strikers.
The shock of the Europeans to the fact that they are being spied on is comical. Euro business and industries DEPEND on industrial espionage to compete and keep the jobs in their countries. At a conference on Internet Security, I asked the question of a panel. "Who are the biggest countries in espionage?" The answer varied, but France (chemicals) and Germany (process and electronics) were right up there with the US, China, and Russia. To think that only 'evil' countries spy is childish. This whole affair calls into question the intelligence of the average EU citizen. So many fell in love with Obama and his 'message'. Now, they act as jilted teenage girls. The 'sophisticated' EU citizen fawned over Obama, and, indeed, a subset awarded him a Nobel Prize for accomplishing NOTHING. Hope runs eternal, so does white guilt, apparently. Of course, your politicians don't seem to care. They are too busy with their lavish lunch meetings and arguing for hours over the shape of apples and how many Kumquats can be shipped to Italy. Memo to the citizens of Planet Earth.... stop being so childish about your objects of worship. Christianity in Europe has apparently been replaced with US politician worship. You didn't learn from the huckster Al Gore, nor the inept Jimmy Carter either. When a politician promises something too good to be true, IT IS. Are you listening France?
small minded East Coast Lib, no doubt. Probably believes that Obama is competent....
Oakland is a pit, and a dangerous one at that.
Austin is nice. But, the weather is awful much of the year. And, you are landlocked. But, Texas has a LOT of advantage for young families. A reasonable alternative to Silicon Valley. I, however, am staying in the Valley.
So, you are mad because the orchards of the 20s are gone. OK, so where will you go, at least in the US, that is the same as it was in the 1920? The only places that are the same are not places 99.9% of Americans would even consider living in. I have seen much of the US, and settled in Silicon Valley. I have lived in Mt View, and it is, overall, a nice place. Schools are good, traffic is manageable, and Castro Street is hopping every weekend. New HOA developments are nicely integrated into the community. Certainly look better that the old Miltons' Lumber Yard! The Valley is getting a very bad rap here. Suburbs are very similar anywhere in the US. Washington DC subs are a lot less exciting than the Peninsula ones are. Much less 'diversity' if that is the current watchword. Plus, the weather near Chicago, DC, Boston, or Atlanta is intolerable at least 3 months out of the year. The Valley has VERY few days near freezing or over 100F. Regarding SF. I have lived there also. A GREAT place to be IF you are young & rich, gay, old money, artistic, or can live on Raman noodles for the rest of your life. No one in their right mind would raise a family in SF, unless they were Asian and could handle living in the Outer Sunset. Outer Richmond and Sunset is FOG CITY much of the year, cold and dreary. Transportation sucks, parking sucks, streets suck. Marina is really fun for single people, but plan on at least an hour just to get out of SF. Two or more if you commune to The Valley. But, the Marina is wonderful if you do not need to leave often. Oakland? A couple of really nice neighborhood, such as Rock Ridge. BUT, you are never far from the crime. Lots of gang bangers from downtown and outer Berkeley. The numbers on crime is really depressing. And, don't count on the Police to protect you. They stated publicly they will not respond to many crimes, such as car breakins, petty theft, shoplifting, etc. We use to visit Rock Ridge regularly, but have been spooked away by all the roving teens and lack of Police presence. I was in the Rock Ridge area during the big Oakland Fire about 25 years ago. The only thing that prevented mass social disorder (eg looting) was the traffic. A lot of families left after that and were replaced with young professionals (sans children) and gays. May of them have left because of crime. Regarding innovation, forget most of the rest of the world. Innovators come to Silicon Valley. The other 'Valleys' are just PR stunts. Few will support startups, most are full of rich kids running around with MacBooks telling anyone who cares that they are doing a 'startup'. The Valley has the usual suburban issues, just at a much lower level then the rest of the US. Proof point? My son's public high school is only about 40% traditional 'white suburb' kids. Majority are children of immigrants, primarily Chinese, Japanese, Indian, Russian, with French, German, Swiss, and Brits thrown in. All here because of the innovation support system. Another benefit for families living in the Valley. Really no need to pay for private schools here, public schools are great. Privates are for rich Liberals who talk diversity, but pay for exclusivity.
College educations are driven primarily by funding. This creates many distortions. 1. Funding from Alumni requires rich Alumni. You can take the Duke/Brown approach and actively recruit mediocre students with rich/famous parents. Ivys focus on a core of old East Coast money families, exchanging endowments for admissions. Most of those students stay drunk for 4 years, while getting an 'education' in the 'classics'. Or, use the approach of many schools, to graduate business and engineering students who have high income potential. Average lib arts students are only making Lattes these days, which puts the non-Ivys in a quandary. 2. Funding from Industry. You can create a research oriented University to feed from industry. Formula for most large public institutions. Works well if you pick carefully, and have partners that are growing. Tough if you do work for the auto or steel industry. Good for Defense. 3. Funding from the Federal Government. Tough, because you have to constantly show 'diversity'. Hire mediocre Profs who are 'Native American' for example, or get your money for some questionable research to meet political goals. After all, if you do not have finding that AGREE with the current politics, you will lose funding. Global Warming is the classic case. I remember one Prof writing a op-ed piece. He showed that a random event, a volcanic eruption, would negate ALL of the proposed benefits of a full Kyoto agreement. Everyone knew it, but saying it publicly would kill millions of taxpayers dollars and his job. So, the department towed the line. No retirement in Florida for telling the truth.
Agreed. If 'humanities' were taught by thinking people, Engineers and Scientists MIGHT learn learn something useful. In my experience, and that of my college age sons, most such courses are completely worthless. Generally, they are taught by Professions hired for 'diversity' reasons who can only spew out the same garbage they were taught. Socialist politics, 'all white people are evil' philosophies, or 'men are animals' theories. The students simply laugh at the classes, do what is necessary to pass, and forget it all next term. Too bad, as a GOOD history Prof can make you THINK and understand why the world worked in any given point of time. A world class Philosophy Prof can introduce you to the basis of Western thought, an excellent English teacher can help you communicate your ideas. Unfortunately, good Profs will never be hired because the staffing decisions are made by 60s hippies who have never had a REAL job. The result is an accelerating trend. Top students take major -related courses until they figure they have learned enough. Then, they leave school and make millions. The students who stay and finish their degrees are asked in interviews 'What? You wasted your time in college taking all that social crap? If you had the drive to succeed, you would have left before your Senior year!"
And, how does Obama 'see' it? He has no experience in business, and has never had a real job. He is the front minority man for the DNC, a sock puppet to jam through a Socialist agenda on America. Since ALL of his speeches are prepared by others and delivered to a Teleprompter, how do we know "how he sees it"?
'trickle down economics was a scam' As was Socialism, Communism, and 99% of what your average College liberal arts Profs told you. But, hey, wanted to get laid then, so you wore the tie-dye pants and Che t-shirt in order to fit in. Now, you are not sure WHAT to believe. Well, like most people on these lists, you simply believe that if you are rich, you did something evil. Yes! Better than admitting that someone else was smarter, better looking, cleverer, harder working, or just plain luckier than you. After all, you are above average, right?
Like them or not, the private industry is the only source of adult decision making. Look at the recent NSA and IRS, and not so long ago actions of FannyMae and FreddyMac. If those were private companies, the CEO and CFO would be under indictment, if not already in Jail. Enron and WorldCom execs are behind bars, the FM execs are 'retired' and at least one living with his politician-friend. Corporations need the best people they can get. And, they are generally willing to pay for those people. In the US anyway, they need good roads, power, and water to operate and contribute to the creation, unless, of course, a politician gets involved and demands campaign contributions.... called bribes everywhere else in the world. If I am dealing with a corporation, I know what to expect and have legal recourse. Government? They just call you a 'racist' if you disagree....
"So your paycheck depends on violating your fellow citizens' Constitutional rights? How does that feel? Ever think about honoring your oath to uphold the Constitution? There are plenty of private-sector jobs that pay well enough and don't require violating anyone's rights." How far do you want to carry this argument? Advertising, writing code for organizations you don't respect? All easy to say when you are 25 and are awaiting Daddy's trust fund. Many in Silicon Valley, East Coast. Harder when you brought yourself up from the floor, paid your own way, and now support a family and have a mortgage. Yes, it is great to have an opinion here. But, for MOST of the people in the middle of all this, it is just a job. You can listen to the OWS crowd, most of whom are either brain damaged or living in the parents' basement, or consider the rest who are just trying to have a decent life. I am appalled by the charges and accusations. But, we have only heard one side, a side that no doubt is lining up book deals with $2M upfront royalties, as I write this. The US Government has been running open loop since 9/11, actually since the Cold War began. I tend to believe Snowden over Obama, but do not have enough info to say.... yet. We, the people, complain a bit, but still elect the same CLASS of politician, one who gives us the KoolAid. The most appalling thing that has happened in America in the last 50 years (since the internment of Americans with Japanese heritage) was the election of Obama. He has NO qualifications to lead the country, indeed has never lead anything. He has accomplished essentially nothing in his life, other than work the system well. Much of the same could be said about Bush, but at least he successfully ran the State of Texas. My point is that the US population has completely lost it's ability to think though big decisions, complex options and situations where everything is a bit gray. We elect the smile with the nice looking family. Obama's biggest asset was his ability to wash away all that White Guilt build up in the rich white population. Bush seemed to represent a set of 'values', unclear what that meant, but it resonated with enough people to get him elected. We WOULD allow the level of spying that Snowden says exist IF there had been a major terrorist incident last week. We would NOT if there was nothing to fear. We need to think though the middle ground. That is what we THOUGHT we were getting. Now, we need to figure out what we REALLY got. I cannot tell who is lying here. I continue to read and pay attention, unlike most of the country. But, hey, the NBA finals are on. Nice weather for the beach. More Hollywood scandals to read about. They are simple. Spying and security are not. Don't expect the Snowden story to be on the front page for more than a week. IRS wasn't.....
I am not a software engineer, or even more than a hack programmer. I am a marketing professional with a BSEE (old school analog stuff). My run-ins with Agile -infused third party developers has always ended with the same questions. What is the schedule? Do you have a schedule? Will you even be able to give a rough schedule? Answer is generally 'you don't understand how Agile works, you ignorant marketing guy!' Then you get everything BUT a schedule. Obviously, I don't understand software or Agile...
Cheating and lying is rampant in all facets of human existence. As a society that is totally outward focused, that is we only care about what other say about us, the only harm in lying or cheating is getting caught. We have a number of convenient outs for our actions... usually involving similar acts by others.
I find some of these conversations amazing. Innovation is always messy. At each major 'stall' point in Silicon Valley, some non-STEM 'expert', usually a PhD in Gender Studies, rants about how we are greedy and should be creating useful items for 'society'. Capitalism works just fine as it is. You waste massive resources getting to a point were there is a major breakthrough. Those breakthroughs benefit society as a whole far more than anyone could predict. It is always messy getting to that point. The bizarre business plans being thrown out now are the floatsam of third and four rate ideas from Facebook wannabes. That is fine. 99% will fail, which maps well into the 99% of PC companies, Windows 3.1 applications, Ethernet card vendors, CD-ROM content companies, ISPs, and MP3 player companies that also failed in their day. Social problems cannot be fixed by moving resources from Facebook for Cats. Change happens when both sides agree it is needed and work toward a common goal. Now, the only common issue is Looting'. One side wants to protect what it worked hard for, the other side wants it without working for it.
Seem to be two classes of jobs. 1. Those who do real work - The STEM workers, nurses, mechanics, roofers. 2. Those who research, investigate, comment, blog, report, and generally leach of the people in #1. Decent incomes for #1, at least employment. Success many based on hard work and increased knowledge. Barbell incomes for #2 (a lot or a little). Success based on (lack of) morals, family connections, physical appearance, blind-ass luck. Obama nation is based on #2.
Of course, it is ALL BUSH'S FAULT! Should be a text macro in all Obama-approved browsers. The Germans have the right to do anything they want, BUT, if they do not get real about energy, they will all be speaking Russian. Isn't there enough history there for the modern Germans to get a clue? Spend gobs or solar for a country with little sun, get eco by shutting down Nukes, only to realize that their industrial might collapses. So, they build COAL fired power plants, OR by gas from Russia. But, hey, you can trust Putin, right? Maybe you can wean Russia of their Vodka happen and hook them on German beer. 2000's version of the Opium Wars.
Step back a second. Where does it say that the News Media has an obligation to the 'truth'? Their only concern is simple.... sell ads. Everything else is in a distraction. NPR? They 'sell' for contributions, lobby for taxpayer money. Fox? MSNBC? Two sides of the same coin. OK, the news media is simply entertainment. At least Fox had decent looking entertainers. MSNBC is so depression, looking at all those old, burnt out 60s liberals spitting and sputtering at the camera.
Part of the issue is that consumer have become addicted to the 'free phone'. The carriers do not get the phones from the manufacturers for 'free'. They charge you a bit, then take the rest out in monthly charges. Easiest answer is to ban 'free' phones, unless they are really free. That would allow you to take your phone business to whichever carrier you wish at any time. Imagine what that would do for the consumer! But, look around. How many consumers can cough up the $600 for that iPhone? Especially since they are spending everything they make and more on other toys.
' either need to jump into something like management, ' Got to comment here. Many technical people see a move to a management role as 'jumping ship'. We have been confusing Dilbert view of a 'manager' with really being a manager. You don't just 'move into management'. It requires a new set of skills, and those are VERY difficult to learn from scratch. They are especially difficult if you enjoy snarky responses in slashdot! In my experience, few people successfully move from a technical role to a manager role, as they do not have, nor do they want to learn, skills in setting priorities and in conflict resolution. Management is all about priorities and resolutions. If you HAVE to win debates, arguments, or technical discussions, you will fail in 'management'. The only tougher job going from engineer/programmer to a technical manager is going from a salesperson to a sales manager. But, at least with salespeople, the egos are out in the open. Having made both transitions, I feel some level of knowledge here. I do not disagree with the poster, (s)he made good points that are worthy of discussion. I just had to jump in, what with all the 'go into management' comments....