I've read through most of the posts, and the general consensus is that newer phones with more and more features are not what people want.
I couldn't agree more.
About 5 years ago, I bought a Audiovox CDM8150 as a cheap phone for sending/receiving calls, text messages, and some very light web browsing. It worked like a charm - I never had any problems with that phone. Unfortunately, I let the account lapse (it was prepaid), and it suffered to the fate of a dresser drawer.
6 months ago, I was in need of a cell phone yet again. I was faced with a choice - reactivate my old one for $75+tax (but with $75 in prepaid credits), or buy a Samsung A630 for $150 with the same amount of credits. Stupidly, I thought the A630 was a better choice.
Now, bear in mind, I bought this just before I left for basic training. What's worse was it was defective, and this wasn't apparent until about 1 week in. The A630 has an internal battery because it uses VRAM, and the internal battery was malfunctioning - causing the phone to cut off calls and randomly reboot itself even when plugged in. Bear in mind, I could not leave the base to get my phone replaced until 3 weeks later, which left me stuck to payphones until then.
I ended up getting the phone exchanged after 31 days - 1 day over the limit (thanks to the very understanding and professional staff at TELUS) - a fresh new A630 - and it too was defective. Same problem, internal battery (this one was a little better though, I could make a 15 minute call before it cut off). Another trip into the city, and alas another A630. This one has been working well so far.
Towards the end of basic training, I realized how much better I would have been with my old CDM8150. Considering I never downloaded images or ringtones, played any games, or did anything "new" that my CDM8150 couldn't do, I kicked myself for not having my CDM8150.
Win9x itself was a mistake. The GUI was an extension of the 16-bit GUI presented in Win3.x. The Operating system core was built on DOS, an 8-bit non-multitasking operating system. One can only begin to fathom how many software engineers vomit at the thought of committing such an atrosity.
The WinNT line on the other hand was done right from day one. 32-bit from the ground up, with 16-bit Windows and 8-bit DOS functions performed by emulation, not extension. I've been using the WinNT kernel since Windows 2000, and have yet to be disappointed.
I applaud microsoft for having backwards-compatibility on the X360. Sure, it's not perfect compatibility, but it does allow me to play some of my old XBox games on my X360, making for a nice transition as I acquire more X360 titles.
Certainly, it could be more compatible, but you do have to give them credit for what they have done. Sony was able to do this better as they did not change the underlying architecture (PS1 - MIPS R3000, PS2 - MIPS R5900), whereas Microsoft has (XBox - x86 P3, X360 - PPC Cell).
I can say from experience that writing programs for PPC is a whole new ball game when you're used to x86, and I can only imagine emulating x86 code on PPC being somewhere along the lines of a total nightmare.
Certainly, I do have some disappointment that it isn't 100% backwards compatible, but at least they didn't pull a Nintendo by offering absolutely no backwards compatibility.
What happened to Corporal Shepard (from HL: Opposing Forces)?
Play the game to completion - the Gman put him in an alternate dimension (or something of the like) for all eternity to prevent him from letting the world know about Black Mesa.
Where has Barney been?
He escaped at the end of Blue Shift. More than likely he blended in with the crowd - so to speak - after escaping the BMRF.
Shouldn't the Combine have known that he was at Black Mesa in HL1?
Don't forget, the BMRF turned into a smoldering crater after the Black Ops set off a Thermonuclear device. Because he escaped, his body would not have been found in the wreckage of BMRF (if any), and he was likely assumed to be Vaporized.
Where did the Antlions come from?
Could be from one of many places. Either way, resistance discovered a way to turn them against the Combine. Ah, sweet justice.
What happened to the Earth's military forces?
When you are in Eli's lab at Black Mesa East, there is a newspaper headline clipped that reads "Earth Surrenders". Most likely, the military forces of Earth were disbanded. There are remnants, as Colnel Cubbage gives you an RPG launcher to shoot down gunships.
Why aren't the resistance putting IEDs in the street?
All those explosive barrels do a rather excellent job of functioning as IED's. If some stupid combine soldier gets too close, you peg the barrel a couple times and he gets taken out. If you have the gravity gun, you can pick them up and throw them at any number of targets.
Those "hoppers" also work nicely. Pick them up, and they reprogram to take out the combine.
Why hasn't Earth turned into an oversized model of Iraq?
In this dystopiatic Earth, there are more forces involved than those in Iraq. Human sexuality is being supressed by Combine technology, so the population is naturally dwindling. The combine also have much greater technology - accurate strafing on gunships, cruise missile launchers on APC's, giant walking armor that can vaporize buildings and people with a single beam, you name it.
Iraq vs America is still a one-to-one fight. Despite it's age, an AK-47 can still take down American soldiers with the same efficiency an M4 can take down Iraqi insurgents. In Half-Life 2, the combine soldiers have pretty decent armor, and can take several hits, even from their own weapons, while resistance can only take a limited number of hits. Unless you start throwing heavy weapons at them (RPG rockets, well-placed grenades, IED's, Combine plasma balls), a group of Combine soldiers can easily take down an equal-sized group of resistance.
Why the hell am I using a damned crossbow as a sniping weapon?
Simple, they can be built in an underground environment with improvised materials and equipment, and aren't as noisy as a rifle. Certainly, the strings releasing the tension creates some noise, but not nearly as much as a high-powered rifle. They make an excellent improvised stealth weapon.
Perhaps yes, but they can't charge you if you aren't sitting on the chair. Just have the person who owns the license sit on the chair, and crank up the speakers.
Conversely, it does allow for portable licensing, and could function as a new form of Biometric access. Imagine double-tapping a desktop shortcut to with your finger, and it will automatically recognize you and log in under your account. When you get up and leave, someone else could double-tap the same shortcut, and would be logged in under their account.
It shouldn't be something we should be dependant upon for security, as there would no doubt be situations a la Weekend at Bernie's which result in security violations*.
Windows CE may be an attractive option for you. You'll have the quintessential Windows-like interface, a ridiculously low memory interface (~400KB), and the OS itself is built into ROM - restoring the OS can be as simple as flipping a switch. Also, Windows CE is (for the most part) invulerable to viruses that plague traditional Win32 systems.
Lenovo/Neoware Thin Clients for example (not affiliated, just found them through a google search) low-end models cost >$400ea., have a 400MHz VIA processor, 64MB of RAM, 2 USB2.0 Ports, and no fans. I'm not a systems administrator, but these systems sound ideal for poorly-ventilated/cooled areas (face it, universities are full of them) where students can work on documents from their thumbdrives and browse the internet without risking network or system integrity.
I would assume the years leading up to the licensing of the Havoc engine were spent on developing other aspects of the game.
* Audio work does not require the game engine. * Modelling the objects and maps does not require the game engine per-se. * Aspects of the engine can be coded without the physics engine - AI, weapons, Player->NPC interaction, etc * Other things were going on behind the scenes at Valve besides HL2 - Steam, Creating DOD:S, CS:S, HL:S, etc
Of course, we can't deny that they probably took a day or two here or there just to duke it out in an office Counter-Strike tournament.
These phishers are getting more and more sophisticated, but it's only a matter of time before they're caught. To get more sophisticated requires better services and equipment, which requires the phishers to either: a) Give out their true information - name, address, etc, making for easier law enforcement tracking b) Give out flase information - which may buy them some time, but will only cause the bite taken out of their ass by law enforcement to be that much bigger.
Even still, Valid SSL certificates and whatnot don't mean shit against a true savvy user who knows better. Any user who actually reads the warnings by their banks/credit card companies/etc will know that said companies will never send emails asking for credit card information.
As someone who has done military training in leadership and motivation, let me tell you that I have found most traditional management "motivation" strategies to be quite flawed. Permit me to elaborate with suggestions for improvement:
Accomplishment/Completion bonuses/prizes/etc: Not a bad idea, but more designed to be coupled with something else. Continue reading for suggestions.
Performance evaluations: You have to be careful with these. Most workers hate knowing that their performace is being evaluated constantly. These are most effective when the environment is positive. Eliminate the negative focus and focus more on positivity and learning.
Take for example, if a small part of a project was scrapped 2 days in due to the worker finding it too difficult or not-feasible. Instead of wrapping your head around why they wasted 2 days of company time on something impossible, focus on what they may have learned from what they worked on, and if any of their new knowledge may further the rest of the project in any way.
Be sure that evaluations are done in a relaxing environment. Offer coffee and donuts or other light fare, keep the door open, and seat them in a comfy chair. It goes a long way - and that's experience talking. If they've had outstanding performance, then consider offering a prize/bonus (nothing too expensive/elaborate though).
Effort rewards: These are used synonymously with performance evaluations. These don't have to be anything too significant, and can be given to a team as a whole. If the team has shown some good performance for the past week or so, take them all out to dinner at some place nice but casual (optional: pool-tables, karaoke or other games may help enhance the fun). Tell them to leave their PDA's and laptops at home, and come just to relax and have a good time. This quite often raises team spirit and can also raise their respect for management. If you feel that an individual deserves a reward, give it to them privately, and make sure it isn't worth too much bragging about.
One-on-One: Much like a performance evaluation, but different. Instead of monitoring individual performance, only monitor team performance. With a One-on-One, you speak to each team member individually, and have them report to you on how they think they are doing. With this, they can set their own goals, and put plans in place that fit with them, which eases their levels of stress. As with a performance eval, keep the environment relaxed and follow the guidelines mentioned in for performance evaluations.
General tactics: Here are some general leadership and motivation tactics to help out: * Don't assign impossible tasks. As well, don't assign a task and then change it without due reason. Undue changes will cause your workers to lose confidence in your abilities. * Comfort counts. If during the summer months your workers are constantly overheating, spend the money to get each of them a desk-sized oscillating fan and offer them cold drinks periodically. During winter months, offer them coffee to warm them up from the cold. Minimal expendadures such as those can do wonders to raise productivity. * Keep yourself motivated. An unmotivated leader will demoralize everyone. * If someone is in a slump, work with them to get them back on track. Maybe they just need a talking to, in which you should remind them of their past successes. Perhaps they need a little time off. Being treated well and like a human being will garner a sense of loyalty. Nothing can be more valuable to a company than a loyal worker.
Good luck. If you need any more tips, feel free to email me.
I never charge my phone in a house/office anymore, I only charge it in my car during my commutes, and it never runs out of juice.
FYI, the electricity your car generates isn't "free-lunch" electricity, and is actually quite expensive.
When you put a strain in the alternator, the induction coils require more power to output a constant amount of electricity - which is compensated by revving up the engine. So by plugging in 3 or 4 devices to a 12V plug, you are really spending more money by burning more gasoline. At current gasoline prices, vehicle electricity costs somewhere around $0.30-$0.50 per Kilowatt-Hour whereas the US national average for utility electricity in August 2005 was $0.10 per kWh.
Sure it's convenient, but it's also far more expensive than what you pay to use 120VAC wall outlets. For maximum savings, take your 120VAC power adapters to work, and charge your devices at work.
My blackberry, I charge that off my USB port off my laptop. So no power cord for that. It helps a little knowing I can use any USB port to charge up.
The "trickle charge" you get from a USB port takes up to 10 times longer to fully recharge the device, and the charge isn't of good quality either. When I trickle charge my Palm Zire 21, I can usually only get about 2 days heavy usage out of it, whereas a plug-in charge lasts about 4 or 5 days. It's a case of preference - conveniently recharge on laptop every couple days or plug in your device every few days.
As for everything else, good luck. I still have a mess of cables on my floor, and not planning on doing anything about it.
Immigration is a country's opportunity to recruit the best and the brightest from around the world to enrich one's country.
We already have many of the best and the brightest - almost too many it seems. 30% of adult Canadians have bachelor's degrees or better, the highest percent per capita in the industrialized world. The trouble is, we are having labor short-falls in less-skilled, semi-skilled, and skilled positions. Too few Canadians are seeking employment in trades, be it as journey(wo)men, apprentices, or in less-skilled positions. Curse our extensive education systems!
If we can import a few hundred thousand US citizens with skilled trade qualifications or college-level (read: non-university) education and save the hassle of giving them student loans (as the government would for a Canadian Citizen), teaching them to read/write/speak english/how to drive on the right (as some non-north american/european require), or many other extensive/expensive government endavours, so much the better.
Even better, we could boost our military by importing US soldiers who don't want to fight in Iraq, but want all the benefits the army/navy/air force has to offer. If you thought my mentioning the minimum wage pay-boost was nothing significant, get a load of this. Full-time enlisted personnel at NATO rank E-0 (Private in both countries) make around $12000USD/year in the US. Not bad, but in Canada it's $28000CDN/year (just below $24000USD/year), plus benefits and perks second to none!
Canadian legislation allows for importing of military personnel as well. Of course, the requirement is that the Minister of National Defence must extend an invitation to an individual, which is required to overcome the "Canadian Citizen" requirement to join. Still, a pretty substantial pay increase.
I can see this initiative as targeting the citizenry of the United States. It makes perfect sense to target them, and here's why:
US citizens already speak english, work with dollars and cents, drive cars on the right, etc. At the core, they're basically the same (less some cultural differences) as Canadians. Less government money spent on teaching them english or how to drive.
Right now the Canadian dollar is at $0.85USD. The minimum wage in Ontario is at $7.45CDN/hour for an adult (slightly less for people who serve food/beverages and are subject to gratuities), which is more than $6.25USD/hour. Bear in mind too, that minimum wage is typically only paid to entry level jobs, and most other jobs pay more. I've heard horror stories of US Wal-Mart workers making maybe $5/hour - come up here and get a pay raise!
So now they may be able to wiretap your VoIP conversations. Not a big deal. They can only wiretap if they have a warrant or if they suspect you of being a terrorist. I'm sure that while they were at it, they would also wiretap your traditional phone, your ISP, and would be looking through your mail. The catch is, is that they have to have a reason to wiretap you in the first place.
So unless you're committing crimes and are coordinating more crimes using VoIP, these agreements and rules typically mean nothing to the masses. If you're mostly law abiding, you shouldn't have any reason to worry.
The only 100% secure voice-to-voice transmission is the one that's made in person, and even then...
OSTG should be afraid of google. Simply put, Google can offer competitive services similar to those that OSTG offers. Google would have a marked advantage with a much larger userbase than (most) OSTG services and can come up with witty names to further their competition.
Take for example: Sourceforge and Freshmeat - - Google Codebase Thinkgeek - - Google store already exists, just rename it to ThinkGoogle or something similarly witty Slashdot and Newsforge - - Google News already exists, just add comments, which shouldn't be too difficult seeing as how they already have an accounts system in place ITMJ - - Google blog already exists, could be renamed to Blogoogle or something.
Slashdot Mirror
I was going to get a Google answer as to why Google answers was closing their doors, but alas.
I've read through most of the posts, and the general consensus is that newer phones with more and more features are not what people want.
I couldn't agree more.
About 5 years ago, I bought a Audiovox CDM8150 as a cheap phone for sending/receiving calls, text messages, and some very light web browsing. It worked like a charm - I never had any problems with that phone. Unfortunately, I let the account lapse (it was prepaid), and it suffered to the fate of a dresser drawer.
6 months ago, I was in need of a cell phone yet again. I was faced with a choice - reactivate my old one for $75+tax (but with $75 in prepaid credits), or buy a Samsung A630 for $150 with the same amount of credits. Stupidly, I thought the A630 was a better choice.
Now, bear in mind, I bought this just before I left for basic training. What's worse was it was defective, and this wasn't apparent until about 1 week in. The A630 has an internal battery because it uses VRAM, and the internal battery was malfunctioning - causing the phone to cut off calls and randomly reboot itself even when plugged in. Bear in mind, I could not leave the base to get my phone replaced until 3 weeks later, which left me stuck to payphones until then.
I ended up getting the phone exchanged after 31 days - 1 day over the limit (thanks to the very understanding and professional staff at TELUS) - a fresh new A630 - and it too was defective. Same problem, internal battery (this one was a little better though, I could make a 15 minute call before it cut off). Another trip into the city, and alas another A630. This one has been working well so far.
Towards the end of basic training, I realized how much better I would have been with my old CDM8150. Considering I never downloaded images or ringtones, played any games, or did anything "new" that my CDM8150 couldn't do, I kicked myself for not having my CDM8150.
I've got a 5100, and it's the same story. All my rubber feet are missing, so I usually use a DVD case to prop up the back end.
Win9x itself was a mistake. The GUI was an extension of the 16-bit GUI presented in Win3.x. The Operating system core was built on DOS, an 8-bit non-multitasking operating system. One can only begin to fathom how many software engineers vomit at the thought of committing such an atrosity.
The WinNT line on the other hand was done right from day one. 32-bit from the ground up, with 16-bit Windows and 8-bit DOS functions performed by emulation, not extension. I've been using the WinNT kernel since Windows 2000, and have yet to be disappointed.
I applaud microsoft for having backwards-compatibility on the X360. Sure, it's not perfect compatibility, but it does allow me to play some of my old XBox games on my X360, making for a nice transition as I acquire more X360 titles.
Certainly, it could be more compatible, but you do have to give them credit for what they have done. Sony was able to do this better as they did not change the underlying architecture (PS1 - MIPS R3000, PS2 - MIPS R5900), whereas Microsoft has (XBox - x86 P3, X360 - PPC Cell).
I can say from experience that writing programs for PPC is a whole new ball game when you're used to x86, and I can only imagine emulating x86 code on PPC being somewhere along the lines of a total nightmare.
Certainly, I do have some disappointment that it isn't 100% backwards compatible, but at least they didn't pull a Nintendo by offering absolutely no backwards compatibility.
What happened to Corporal Shepard (from HL: Opposing Forces)?
Play the game to completion - the Gman put him in an alternate dimension (or something of the like) for all eternity to prevent him from letting the world know about Black Mesa.
Where has Barney been?
He escaped at the end of Blue Shift. More than likely he blended in with the crowd - so to speak - after escaping the BMRF.
Shouldn't the Combine have known that he was at Black Mesa in HL1?
Don't forget, the BMRF turned into a smoldering crater after the Black Ops set off a Thermonuclear device. Because he escaped, his body would not have been found in the wreckage of BMRF (if any), and he was likely assumed to be Vaporized.
Where did the Antlions come from?
Could be from one of many places. Either way, resistance discovered a way to turn them against the Combine. Ah, sweet justice.
What happened to the Earth's military forces?
When you are in Eli's lab at Black Mesa East, there is a newspaper headline clipped that reads "Earth Surrenders". Most likely, the military forces of Earth were disbanded. There are remnants, as Colnel Cubbage gives you an RPG launcher to shoot down gunships.
Why aren't the resistance putting IEDs in the street?
All those explosive barrels do a rather excellent job of functioning as IED's. If some stupid combine soldier gets too close, you peg the barrel a couple times and he gets taken out. If you have the gravity gun, you can pick them up and throw them at any number of targets.
Those "hoppers" also work nicely. Pick them up, and they reprogram to take out the combine.
Why hasn't Earth turned into an oversized model of Iraq?
In this dystopiatic Earth, there are more forces involved than those in Iraq. Human sexuality is being supressed by Combine technology, so the population is naturally dwindling. The combine also have much greater technology - accurate strafing on gunships, cruise missile launchers on APC's, giant walking armor that can vaporize buildings and people with a single beam, you name it.
Iraq vs America is still a one-to-one fight. Despite it's age, an AK-47 can still take down American soldiers with the same efficiency an M4 can take down Iraqi insurgents. In Half-Life 2, the combine soldiers have pretty decent armor, and can take several hits, even from their own weapons, while resistance can only take a limited number of hits. Unless you start throwing heavy weapons at them (RPG rockets, well-placed grenades, IED's, Combine plasma balls), a group of Combine soldiers can easily take down an equal-sized group of resistance.
Why the hell am I using a damned crossbow as a sniping weapon?
Simple, they can be built in an underground environment with improvised materials and equipment, and aren't as noisy as a rifle. Certainly, the strings releasing the tension creates some noise, but not nearly as much as a high-powered rifle. They make an excellent improvised stealth weapon.
Perhaps yes, but they can't charge you if you aren't sitting on the chair. Just have the person who owns the license sit on the chair, and crank up the speakers.
Conversely, it does allow for portable licensing, and could function as a new form of Biometric access. Imagine double-tapping a desktop shortcut to with your finger, and it will automatically recognize you and log in under your account. When you get up and leave, someone else could double-tap the same shortcut, and would be logged in under their account.
It shouldn't be something we should be dependant upon for security, as there would no doubt be situations a la Weekend at Bernie's which result in security violations*.
* With HILARIOUS RESULTS
...an Opera exec has said you can browse the internets [sic] with the wiimote.
I hear there's rumors on the uh...
Windows CE may be an attractive option for you. You'll have the quintessential Windows-like interface, a ridiculously low memory interface (~400KB), and the OS itself is built into ROM - restoring the OS can be as simple as flipping a switch. Also, Windows CE is (for the most part) invulerable to viruses that plague traditional Win32 systems.
Lenovo/Neoware Thin Clients for example (not affiliated, just found them through a google search) low-end models cost >$400ea., have a 400MHz VIA processor, 64MB of RAM, 2 USB2.0 Ports, and no fans. I'm not a systems administrator, but these systems sound ideal for poorly-ventilated/cooled areas (face it, universities are full of them) where students can work on documents from their thumbdrives and browse the internet without risking network or system integrity.
Obligatory Spaceballs Quote:
Dark Helmet: There's only one man who would dare give me the raspberry...
* Pulls down Helmet mask
Dark Helmet: LONE STAR...
I wonder...
Blue Ring Around Uranus
Do the slashdot editors even read the HEADLINE?
I would assume the years leading up to the licensing of the Havoc engine were spent on developing other aspects of the game.
* Audio work does not require the game engine.
* Modelling the objects and maps does not require the game engine per-se.
* Aspects of the engine can be coded without the physics engine - AI, weapons, Player->NPC interaction, etc
* Other things were going on behind the scenes at Valve besides HL2 - Steam, Creating DOD:S, CS:S, HL:S, etc
Of course, we can't deny that they probably took a day or two here or there just to duke it out in an office Counter-Strike tournament.
The problem was not the computers, but the electric heater. It wouldn't turn off, so was at least partially running all the time
That's what you get for putting your P4 Prescott's into Stand-By mode.
These phishers are getting more and more sophisticated, but it's only a matter of time before they're caught. To get more sophisticated requires better services and equipment, which requires the phishers to either:
a) Give out their true information - name, address, etc, making for easier law enforcement tracking
b) Give out flase information - which may buy them some time, but will only cause the bite taken out of their ass by law enforcement to be that much bigger.
Even still, Valid SSL certificates and whatnot don't mean shit against a true savvy user who knows better. Any user who actually reads the warnings by their banks/credit card companies/etc will know that said companies will never send emails asking for credit card information.
As it was the style at the time.
As someone who has done military training in leadership and motivation, let me tell you that I have found most traditional management "motivation" strategies to be quite flawed. Permit me to elaborate with suggestions for improvement:
Accomplishment/Completion bonuses/prizes/etc:
Not a bad idea, but more designed to be coupled with something else. Continue reading for suggestions.
Performance evaluations:
You have to be careful with these. Most workers hate knowing that their performace is being evaluated constantly. These are most effective when the environment is positive. Eliminate the negative focus and focus more on positivity and learning.
Take for example, if a small part of a project was scrapped 2 days in due to the worker finding it too difficult or not-feasible. Instead of wrapping your head around why they wasted 2 days of company time on something impossible, focus on what they may have learned from what they worked on, and if any of their new knowledge may further the rest of the project in any way.
Be sure that evaluations are done in a relaxing environment. Offer coffee and donuts or other light fare, keep the door open, and seat them in a comfy chair. It goes a long way - and that's experience talking. If they've had outstanding performance, then consider offering a prize/bonus (nothing too expensive/elaborate though).
Effort rewards:
These are used synonymously with performance evaluations. These don't have to be anything too significant, and can be given to a team as a whole. If the team has shown some good performance for the past week or so, take them all out to dinner at some place nice but casual (optional: pool-tables, karaoke or other games may help enhance the fun). Tell them to leave their PDA's and laptops at home, and come just to relax and have a good time. This quite often raises team spirit and can also raise their respect for management. If you feel that an individual deserves a reward, give it to them privately, and make sure it isn't worth too much bragging about.
One-on-One:
Much like a performance evaluation, but different. Instead of monitoring individual performance, only monitor team performance. With a One-on-One, you speak to each team member individually, and have them report to you on how they think they are doing. With this, they can set their own goals, and put plans in place that fit with them, which eases their levels of stress. As with a performance eval, keep the environment relaxed and follow the guidelines mentioned in for performance evaluations.
General tactics:
Here are some general leadership and motivation tactics to help out:
* Don't assign impossible tasks. As well, don't assign a task and then change it without due reason. Undue changes will cause your workers to lose confidence in your abilities.
* Comfort counts. If during the summer months your workers are constantly overheating, spend the money to get each of them a desk-sized oscillating fan and offer them cold drinks periodically. During winter months, offer them coffee to warm them up from the cold. Minimal expendadures such as those can do wonders to raise productivity.
* Keep yourself motivated. An unmotivated leader will demoralize everyone.
* If someone is in a slump, work with them to get them back on track. Maybe they just need a talking to, in which you should remind them of their past successes. Perhaps they need a little time off. Being treated well and like a human being will garner a sense of loyalty. Nothing can be more valuable to a company than a loyal worker.
Good luck. If you need any more tips, feel free to email me.
You might say 60Hz really Hz the eyes.
More importantly, how do you FLY in cyberspace?
Simple. you go up to the aircraft and press your "use" key.
I never charge my phone in a house/office anymore, I only charge it in my car during my commutes, and it never runs out of juice.
FYI, the electricity your car generates isn't "free-lunch" electricity, and is actually quite expensive.
When you put a strain in the alternator, the induction coils require more power to output a constant amount of electricity - which is compensated by revving up the engine. So by plugging in 3 or 4 devices to a 12V plug, you are really spending more money by burning more gasoline. At current gasoline prices, vehicle electricity costs somewhere around $0.30-$0.50 per Kilowatt-Hour whereas the US national average for utility electricity in August 2005 was $0.10 per kWh.
Sure it's convenient, but it's also far more expensive than what you pay to use 120VAC wall outlets. For maximum savings, take your 120VAC power adapters to work, and charge your devices at work.
My blackberry, I charge that off my USB port off my laptop. So no power cord for that. It helps a little knowing I can use any USB port to charge up.
The "trickle charge" you get from a USB port takes up to 10 times longer to fully recharge the device, and the charge isn't of good quality either. When I trickle charge my Palm Zire 21, I can usually only get about 2 days heavy usage out of it, whereas a plug-in charge lasts about 4 or 5 days. It's a case of preference - conveniently recharge on laptop every couple days or plug in your device every few days.
As for everything else, good luck. I still have a mess of cables on my floor, and not planning on doing anything about it.
Amen, brother.
Immigration is a country's opportunity to recruit the best and the brightest from around the world to enrich one's country.
We already have many of the best and the brightest - almost too many it seems. 30% of adult Canadians have bachelor's degrees or better, the highest percent per capita in the industrialized world. The trouble is, we are having labor short-falls in less-skilled, semi-skilled, and skilled positions. Too few Canadians are seeking employment in trades, be it as journey(wo)men, apprentices, or in less-skilled positions. Curse our extensive education systems!
If we can import a few hundred thousand US citizens with skilled trade qualifications or college-level (read: non-university) education and save the hassle of giving them student loans (as the government would for a Canadian Citizen), teaching them to read/write/speak english/how to drive on the right (as some non-north american/european require), or many other extensive/expensive government endavours, so much the better.
Even better, we could boost our military by importing US soldiers who don't want to fight in Iraq, but want all the benefits the army/navy/air force has to offer. If you thought my mentioning the minimum wage pay-boost was nothing significant, get a load of this. Full-time enlisted personnel at NATO rank E-0 (Private in both countries) make around $12000USD/year in the US. Not bad, but in Canada it's $28000CDN/year (just below $24000USD/year), plus benefits and perks second to none!
Canadian legislation allows for importing of military personnel as well. Of course, the requirement is that the Minister of National Defence must extend an invitation to an individual, which is required to overcome the "Canadian Citizen" requirement to join. Still, a pretty substantial pay increase.
I can see this initiative as targeting the citizenry of the United States. It makes perfect sense to target them, and here's why:
US citizens already speak english, work with dollars and cents, drive cars on the right, etc. At the core, they're basically the same (less some cultural differences) as Canadians. Less government money spent on teaching them english or how to drive.
Right now the Canadian dollar is at $0.85USD. The minimum wage in Ontario is at $7.45CDN/hour for an adult (slightly less for people who serve food/beverages and are subject to gratuities), which is more than $6.25USD/hour. Bear in mind too, that minimum wage is typically only paid to entry level jobs, and most other jobs pay more. I've heard horror stories of US Wal-Mart workers making maybe $5/hour - come up here and get a pay raise!
Come on up boys, We've got plenty of room!
You gotta be careful with those extra-terrestrial jobs. Some companies may decide to throw you out the airlock when you get the boot.
So now they may be able to wiretap your VoIP conversations. Not a big deal. They can only wiretap if they have a warrant or if they suspect you of being a terrorist. I'm sure that while they were at it, they would also wiretap your traditional phone, your ISP, and would be looking through your mail. The catch is, is that they have to have a reason to wiretap you in the first place.
So unless you're committing crimes and are coordinating more crimes using VoIP, these agreements and rules typically mean nothing to the masses. If you're mostly law abiding, you shouldn't have any reason to worry.
The only 100% secure voice-to-voice transmission is the one that's made in person, and even then...
OSTG should be afraid of google. Simply put, Google can offer competitive services similar to those that OSTG offers. Google would have a marked advantage with a much larger userbase than (most) OSTG services and can come up with witty names to further their competition.
Take for example:
Sourceforge and Freshmeat - - Google Codebase
Thinkgeek - - Google store already exists, just rename it to ThinkGoogle or something similarly witty
Slashdot and Newsforge - - Google News already exists, just add comments, which shouldn't be too difficult seeing as how they already have an accounts system in place
ITMJ - - Google blog already exists, could be renamed to Blogoogle or something.
What inspired you two to switch from behind-the-scenes special-effects stuntmen to frontline TV personalities with your own show?
BTW, love the show - myths meeting the reality of science has never been more entertaining to watch!