Slashdot Mirror


User: twiddlingbits

twiddlingbits's activity in the archive.

Stories
0
Comments
1,637
First seen
Last seen
Profile
(view on slashdot.org)

Comments · 1,637

  1. Re:A Colossus With Weak Knees on Tech Employment Drops Sharply In 2004 · · Score: 1

    I never said I was a big fan of GWB,I'm a independant I have issues with BOTH major candidates as well as Nader. That said, I lean towards the "devil you know" versus the one you don't. Plus anyone who lowers my taxes and lets me keep MY money to invest how *I* want to has to be OK. If I want to put it in by business or take a vacation I am stimulating the economy. Having the guys in DC keep it and give it away does me no good. I want to see some serious reform in DC in a number of areas, but I don't see that happening with either person/party are president. The Government in this country is almost to the point it exists for it's own agenda not that of the citizens.

  2. Re:A Colossus With Weak Knees on Tech Employment Drops Sharply In 2004 · · Score: 1

    Ummm..WHO was it that allowed the Chinese to funnel money into his re-election campaign? Who was it had Chinese lobbiest sleeping in the Licoln Bedroom. Gosh, I think it was BILL CLINTON. Yours is the first post in the entire GWB administration that even hints Bush is a friend of China. Talk about coming out of "left" field. Americans buy Saving Bonds? When they pay trivial interest since they are tied to the Fed Rate? You make just about as much with the money under the matttess. A large amount of the American debt is held in Japan and in the Middle East. It's a pretty darn safe investment as the US Government has never missed a payment, so can you blame them? Thats just got economics! I will agree that GWB is more of a moderate and NOT a conservative. I hope this changes in a second term. I'd vote for Nader before Kerry, at least you know where Nader stands on issues whereas Kerry stands on BOTH sides.

  3. Re:I wish they would have broken down the numbers on Tech Employment Drops Sharply In 2004 · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Having been in the REAL world of IT for 20 years now at every position from coder to Manager I think I can comment on this with some expertise. 1) College is valuable IF they taught you to think, analyze and judge. If all they taught you was basic programming skills with nothing to back it up, you wasted your money. When I look at hiring I look at ability and while a degree can be a plus, if you don't have ability in the areas I need it along with adapability and some degree of initiative I'm not hiring you because you have a degree. Conversely if you have all the things I need I am not holding the lack of a degree against you. 2) A lot of IT (aka Programming) has become almost a commodity type job for the developing the basic things a Business needs. That's why the work is going to the low wage countries. For something work it does take depth of skill. I mean web page design is so easy these days that grade school kids can do it so why should I pay 50K to someone to do it? 3)Clinton got the "bounce" from the GWB tax cuts, thats pretty obvious. Kerry and Vietnam - what a joke there are some many holes in that argument I don't know where to begin. Alternative energy - when someone comes up with something REALLY inventive I'll be glad to see some Gov't funding, but right now there are no new solutions and frankly no demand. If demand was there we'd see private industry going wild to make a reasonable priced alt. fuel vechicle. I don't think Ford & GM and the others are going to quit making gas powered vechicles until the market tells them to. This "alternative fuel" is just another Gov't boondoogle. And we already spend quite a bit on alternative energy research, ever heard of "fusion?, We have spend umpteen BILLIONS on it and never got a dime back. In addition how in the world do you know Kerry's principles when he is on both sides of any issue? I'd have much more respect for someone who consistently says what he thinks (even if I disagree) versus trying to play both ends against the middle. Bill Clinton was a Master at that stratgey, John Kerry is a beginner. 4) R&D work is NOT the same as real world experience. The goals,processes, funding issues, schedules, expectations are all much different. How do I know? Because I have DONT R&R and I have DONE production and have personalknowledge of the differences. That kind of atittude and the envy of others who "got it good" isn't going to get you very far in the real world. Quit complaining about those who disagree with you, figure out what you are good at and then DO it. Also, for the record I am a college grad with a BS in Comp Sci so I have an "education". Which I mostly paid for myself, I also came out of school in a economic slowdown (1980) and have lived thru several market changes in IT/Software.

  4. Re:It's time to let the Hubble go on Farewell To Eyes Above And Below · · Score: 1

    Ah you must be talking about JWST aka the James Webb Space Telescope. That is the HST replacement probably around 2010 if I recall the launch schedule right.It will be stationed at one of the LaGrange points (L-2) I think and supposedly is going to be a super-duper HST. There are also the SWIFT and GLAST missions coming up that are looking at high-energy sources such as Gamma-Ray Bursts. Of course all this could have changed since I was at NASA (6 months ago) but I doubt it. Sorry to see HST going downhill, its down to 2 solid gyros and 1 flaky one which could crap out anytime. Lose that gyro and the sceince ability is even more impedded. I worked on HST SM4 which was supposed to upgrade HST,but since the Columbia incident who knows if that will ever happen. I know there are lots of scientists who think HST has life left but it needs maitenance. And I don't know if STS (Shuttle) will ever go anywhere but ISS (Station) now.

  5. Re:Are jobs coming into vogue again? on Are Job Perks Coming into Vogue Again? · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Right now there isn't a lot of slack in the market 2% less in the market means the market can't absorb current demand so the price goes up to stiffle demand. Lower supply with equal demand always means higher price. The big thing is the worry that Yukos is just the tip of the iceberg and the Russin Gov't may go after other oil companies. Privitization has increased Russian oil production about 5X in the last 15 yrs, and I think there are some fears that if things are nationalized that production will decrease. Also, this is the time of year that refineries start producing more fuel oil for winter but also have to keep gasoline stocks up for the rest of the summer which means the demand increases a bit now. Add in the fact that China has all of a sudden gotten oil hungry, that very little new domestic production is available in the USA, the North Sea is about maxed out, and any deepwater work in Africa is 5-10 yrs from market and expect the high prices to continue. Add in Iraq and terrorists and you got almost chaos. Everyone who trades oil watches all these situations 24x7 and tries to make money off negative situations, real or imagined. Russian oil companies are not listed on any American stock exchanges if that is what you mean. THe price of oil is set in dollars, what currency you pay in just has to be adjusted for it's value relative to the US dollar and that's the price in that currency. In Euros the price is less than in dollars but a Euro is worth more than a dollar conversely, oil in Canadian dollars is higher as the Canadian dollar is only worth about 60 -70% of a US dollar. If you are interested in all this, you can learn about it. /. might not be the BEST place but you do get some good stuff here. A course or two in International Business (or a book or two) would let you learn a lot and help you sort out the nonsense you hear from press and politicians from the facts.

  6. Re:Are jobs coming into vogue again? on Are Job Perks Coming into Vogue Again? · · Score: 3, Informative

    http://www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/cabs/russia.html says Russia is the Worlds Second Largest Producer. Yukos, the company that the Russian Gov't is "investigating" itself is 2% of the Worlds Supply. The company accounts for about 20 percent of Russia's total oil production of 9.26 million barrels per day in June. http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/business/ 2722653 Yukos produces about 2 percent of the world's oil, and fears that its exports could be disrupted have contributed to a spike in world oil prices. Below is a quote from http://www.ipaa.org/govtrelations/factsheets/Under standingWorldPetro.asp Russia's role has become a linchpin to the course of future crude oil supply politics. It is now the second largest oil producer in the world - trailing only Saudi Arabia. Its crude oil production has increased by more than 900,000 barrels per day since January 2000. This increase has essentially offset the reductions OPEC has made to stabilize crude oil supply. Without significant action by Russia to reduce its production, the world risks an oil price war that can result in adverse consequences to both global and national security. I also found a presentation from BP from 2001-2002 that showed a graph that Russa was supplying 10-12% at that time. Since then they have increased share, since they will sell at LOWER prices than the OPEC cartel. I think I have enough data to support my point.

  7. Re:But SW Engineering jobs dropped 15% last quarte on Are Job Perks Coming into Vogue Again? · · Score: 1

    Any hints on how many of those Jobs in the US of A are now jobs in India? I know the company I work for as a contractor (large network gear company that starts with a C) keeps moving more and more work to India in spite of a number of issues they have discovered.

  8. Re:Are jobs coming into vogue again? on Are Job Perks Coming into Vogue Again? · · Score: 1

    Stock market is being hammered by oil prices. Supply is adequate but there are concerns that drive up the price. Like the Russian Gov't basically trying to Nationalize the Russian Oil Industry. It's a little known fact that Russia is about 20% of the worlds supply right now. That is slack that OPEC can't make up even if it wanted to. So when it costs you more to do one thing (drive) you do less of another. Job market is OK for folks at my level (20+ yrs IT/software) but the pay scale is about like 1998. I'm looking around right now as my contract is up in September.

  9. Re:And of course... on Disney Enters PC Market · · Score: 1

    OMG..funniest /.post in a LONG time. I hope you write comedy for a living as I know a few guys who could use your help! /.should have a contest to write the perfect post, it has to mention Linux, bash M$, slam the RIAA and the MPAA, mention Beowolf clusters, Soviet Russia, George Bush, Iraq, profit, lawyers, DRM,...Kinda like the "Perfect Country and Western Song"

  10. Re:Employment "At Will" in Alabama on Alabama IT Whistleblower Fired For Spyware · · Score: 1

    If he was a FEDERAL Employee he is protected by default under whistleblower laws even under "at-will" employment ( rare..most join the union), but I am not sure that extends to State employees. It depends on state laws. If he was a member of the Alabama State Employees Union there likely would have been a very well defined process whereby his case would have been reviewed and everything documented to make sure it was a fair termination. If he was not a member then he could pretty much be fired any time ("at-will" employment). THis one has enough grey areas in it that it will likely make it before a judge.

  11. Re:What's in a name? on Alabama IT Whistleblower Fired For Spyware · · Score: 1

    It wasn't the consent,it was WHO was doing the monitoring. Where I work there is a policy that says only the IT Security Gods can sniff the network or monitor desktops. ANYONE else caught doing either one is subject to termination. Of course since about 2/3 of the company knows the NT admin password and we are all networked I would not be surprised that it may be going on unnoticed.

  12. Re:patentable ? on DNA Pioneer Francis Crick Passes Away · · Score: 1

    worm food doing the dirt dance deep sixed gone to the great beyond knocking on Heavens door passing the Gates of Hell ..and so on..Johnny Carson (remember him.he did the Tonight show BEFORE Jay Leno) had a great skit on this about a Dead Parrot (a poke at Monthy Phython Parrot Jokes..

  13. Re:But Barbara McClintock did all the work!!!! on DNA Pioneer Francis Crick Passes Away · · Score: 1

    Wow..someone on /. has read enough to know the details on the discovery of DNA (and I assume watched the PBS series on Same). She was a pioneer in X-ray crystallography and when she saw the pattern she knew it was a double helix. In fact she point out to Crick his "tinker-toy" model was inside out and would never work. They dissed her ideas as she was female in the day when science was a male profession. Eventually W&C came to the same conclusions about structure but they said they came upon it "independantly". She published her ideas in her work papers and to some extent she was allowed in the literature. IIRC she died of cancer, most likely from exposure to the X-rays in her lab as precautions in those days were slim to none.

  14. Re:Neither, I would hope on Behind The Coolest Gadgets - Linux or Windows? · · Score: 1

    you are talking controllers and timers which don't need an OS..Some of them you don't even program in the sense of source code. ASICs/FPGAs take care of it all.

  15. Re:Neither, I would hope on Behind The Coolest Gadgets - Linux or Windows? · · Score: 1

    4K? really? If you are talking about CORE O/S functions like preemptive multi-level tasking, memory and queue management,interrupts, clocks, timers, and thats going to be hard to fit in 4K of memory. Add a file system, device interfaces for I/O like serial or USB and a user interface and you are hitting probably 32K. VxWorks Minimum Kernal Size in something like 500K, a full up OS with a Board Suppor Package can be 32MB. You can cut out what you dont use but its still going to be much bigger than 4K!

  16. Re:Mmmmm.... more like 30+ on SGI & NASA Plan 10240-Processor Altix Cluster · · Score: 1

    I agree. Massively multi-core may not happen for a while yet. There would have to be some breakthrus in photolithography and electrical engineering that allows the production of much smaller gates, so each CPU takes up much less space (say 10X less) allowing massive numbers of CPUs on a reasonable size die. IIRC, Sun now has placed 4 Sparc CPUs on a single chip. And you can get two Xeons on 1 chip now.

  17. Re:What would this be used for? on SGI & NASA Plan 10240-Processor Altix Cluster · · Score: 1

    Real-time Computational Fluid Dynamics for an entire spacecraft including modeling the interactions of the layers and behavior at boundaries. Or maybe they can actually balance the NASA checkbook now! :)

  18. Re:AIDS = Churn on Africa Enters Global Market For IT Outsourcing · · Score: 1

    I didn't say AIDS was non-existant..I said it was overblown as a way to grab money from the UN, WHO, etc. by calling all other types of death AIDS or AIDS related. Think about the measles, smallpox,and plague,those were epidemics where almost everyone who contracted the disease passed it on, and 99% of everyone who got the disease died. If 25% of the population really had active AIDS then why is the overall death rate in Africa (from non-violent) not rising like a rocket since the treatments are limited in Africa? AIDs seems to be a virus that is opportunistic and when the defenses are down due to other diseases, malnutrition it attacks. HIV/AIDS is actually quite hard to get (studies done in Africa shows about a 1 in 544 chance with an "infected" partner and w/o condoms) and does NOT kill everyone it infects. In fact the treatment is probably more deadly than the disease. AZT is a very nasty drug, it essentially stops DNA replication which means the body cannot make new cells to repair damage just from being alive, much less fight off infections. There has recently been some work done tracking over 350 "HIV positive" folks who have never taken AZT and the vast majority of them are still alive up to 15 years later with no deaths from HIV. One very well known case in this group is former NBA star Magic Johnson. The fact is, there have always been people questioning or disagreeing with the official theory and treatment approach, but they have been silenced. Early on, the theory was challenged by a world-renowned retrovirologist, Peter Duesberg, professor of biochemistry and molecular biology at the University of California at Berkeley; and by Nobel Prize-winning scientist Walter Gilbert. But instead of being urged on in their attempt to help manki nd, they were ridiculed and their funding was stopped...Check out some of these references: http://www.shirleys-wellness-cafe.com/aids.htm http://www.harmonikireland.com/print.php?topic=HIV http://bmj.bmjjournals.com/cgi/eletters/324/7335/4 46/a#20389 I'm not a conspiracy freak, but to the person who understands a bit about statistics, medicine and diseases the way AIDs is "popularized" is political and financial more than anything else.

  19. Re:You gotta love Gartner on Africa Enters Global Market For IT Outsourcing · · Score: 1

    Gartner obviously does not know much about call centers. This analysis is very incomplete and is much lower quality than I would expect of them. I found many flaws in the idea, such as....... FIRST of all you have to get the call TO the Call Center, which means stable, reliable telecommunications infrastructure and stable reliable Electricity infrastructure. These two items are NOT common in Africa excepting in places like South Africa, The Middle East and a few others. In the other countries, these only exist in the big cities and are still not very reliable. Also, how do these workers get to work? Afican's don't own cars, and public transportation does not really exist. And how in the world do you find the workers who have or can be given the computer skills for call center workers much less managers? India has an excellent public school system, Africa has few schools except in the "developed" countries where wages would not be a bargin. Don't forget the ethnic hatred and the "cleansing" that seems to bubble up again and again, and of course as many others have said there are very very few honest elected officials. IMHSHO, To get the "under-developed" countries of Africa ready to handle technology businesses would take a massive fundamental change in the culture which takes several generations and by that time we may have no need for call centers. Gartner Got it wrong.

  20. Re:AIDS = Churn on Africa Enters Global Market For IT Outsourcing · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Yea all those deaths of AIDS in Africa..those deaths used to be counted as starvation, diseases brought on by Malnutrition, parasites, dysentery, diseases and the like. If AIDs was truly an "epidemic" as they say such as other diseases then 3/4 of the entire African continent would be dead by now after 25 yrs of HIV/AIDS infection. Deaths (such as from TB) that used to be counted as due to a specific disease or the horrid living conditions are now classified as AIDS "related" so the countries can get UN money which the corrupt governments promptly siphon away. There are many studies that show that a lot of what we hear about HIV/AIDS are myths, and are not supported by sound science. But these voices have been silenced by the drugs companies and the researchers who live off of them as well as the companies live off Gov't funding for AIDS.

  21. Re:Not likely a punishment on Microsoft Looking to Sell Slate Magazine · · Score: 1

    In months past there have been some rumors of a MS - Disney partnership. After all Mickey Mouse software would fit well with Disney ;)

  22. Re:We got the Enron Aerons on Pick Up A Piece of Enron · · Score: 1

    So it's OK to have bad ethics or commit crimes as long as you are smart enough to avoid getting caught? Thats certainly NOT a lesson I would teach MY kid or my students. You should apply the intelligence and creativity to understanding how to make money within the rules!!

  23. Re:We got the Enron Aerons on Pick Up A Piece of Enron · · Score: 1

    Let's hope students get to learn ETHICS lessons from the collapse,not just get some kewl chairs for the lab.

  24. Re:Easy one. on Does Your Company Pay For Broadband? · · Score: 1

    That is correct, several cases in Tax Court have upheld this rule recently. I recall that the case was a horse farm, and they never made a profit due to various reasons. The IRS sued, they took it to court and the defendant won. Since then the IRS has backed off on small businesses. Just keep good records, make sure it is NOT simply a tax shelter, and try to make a profit by spending time building and running the business.

  25. Re:Medical devices on U.S. Government Sometimes Jams Keyless Car Locks? · · Score: 1

    WFAA and WBAP both had "w" call signs before they split the country into K's and W's. At one time WBAP was the strongest AM station West of the Mississippi at 100K Watts. Interestingly enough,last winter one night in WV I was able to pick up a Dallas Stars game on WBAP between Charleston WV and Lexington KY on the way back to Dallas.