Starting to feel like I'm feeding a troll here. I know we're not supposed to do that, but what the hell. As the hackneyed old saying on Slashdot goes, I've got Karma to burn, so why not?
I can assure you that there's a point where you'll take any job, rungs be damned. That's usually the point where you start taking things outside your chosen profession. When that happens, EE in this case has 1 less potential employee.
Here's the problem, to get to the level of good capable EE's, someone somewhere has to teach and train them. That generally happens as a novice.
OK, so you need to make up your mind. Do you want someone to explain to you how one enters the workforce after completing a degree, or are you looking for the super, secret, magic, insider trick that instantaneously propels one from "recent graduate" to "uber professional" with an "EE type job" (whatever it is you mean by that). You're switching arguments mid-stream, and as a result, missing the point.
Working as a maintenance tech is not an EE job. It also generally won't lead to an EE type job, much as emptying trashcans in a headquarters office won't generally lead to the CEO position. What your experience might lead to is managing other techs, or even that division, but that's about all. If it were otherwise, there would be little use for college degrees.
Oh where to start? First of all, you could not be more wrong, but before we get to that, let's illustrate how erratic your thinking is. You're saying "maintenance tech" as if that's the same thing as a well trained and educated engineer working on sophisticated electrical equipment like Static Switches or UPS Systems. To further illustrate your lack of understanding, in the next sentence, you use an analogy with a janitor as if it's a corollary. There is a big, big difference between a guy who changes light bulbs or empties trash cans and a skilled, specialized engineer/technician who's capable of working on complex equipment.
You then go on to say that the experience might lead to managing other techs or a division, but "that's about it", which by extraction I'm getting that for you this would not be an "EE Type Job". So, I guess I'm left wondering what it is that you think a person who gets an Electrical Engineering Degree might do professionally. Maybe you think that someone in this position gets a big office somewhere, and a big paycheck, and they just get to sit around and draw up designs on some CAD program, then send it out to other people to "do the work" and that's about it. I'm thinking this (combined with your attitude) are the reasons you're dissatisfied with your results so far.
Most Engineers I know don't have (and never had) any illusions about needing to pay their dues early in their careers, and realized that it was inevitable that they were eventually going to have to get their hands dirty a bit. For crying out loud, you're studying Electrical Engineering, it's not a crazy idea that your job might entail being involved with (and working directly on) ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT. If you're going to take issue with opportunities that might involve you working with the gear, well then you probably picked the wrong degree program for you. What you wanted to pick was the "money for nothing" degree. Good luck with that.
And back to your original point about not being able to get anywhere by being a maintenance tech, I am living proof that you're full of shit. Not only did I start my employment career as a lowly maintenance tech, I never even finished my degree. I now and a Regional Director of Data Centers for a major Fortune 100 company, overseeing all site operations, and am very deeply involved with all of the Electrical Projects we have going on in all of my Data Centers. Prior to this, I've managed Data Centers for other major Fortune 500 and 100 companies, all names you'd recognize. I am in my early 40's, I make more
Here's the problem, to get to the level of good capable EE's, someone somewhere has to teach and train them. That generally happens as a novice. Those jobs are also considered to be the first to be outsourced. So if you don't hire the novices, within a generation the good capable ones are gone. That business can't think beyond the next quarter is a huge part of the problem.
I'm not sure I'm following you here. You seem to be making the case that a recent graduate of an Electrical Engineering program has no chance of getting a job because they lack experience, and the "beginner" type jobs are the "first to be outsourced".
First of all, this isn't a new challenge, nor is it one that is exclusive to Engineering graduates. Any recent graduate in virtually any discipline is going to have to take a job where they are able to "prove themselves". Yes, this job is going to be a few rungs down the corporate ladder than you'd probably like, but suck it up, that's life. Second, you're making a sweeping generalization that all "novice" level jobs in the Engineering Field are the first to be outsourced. There are plenty of jobs one could take that would make use of an Electrical Engineering degree which could be the first steps in the climb up toward positions that are more in line with what someone studying that field might want. True, you may have to take a job that doesn't pay quite as much as you'd like at first, or you may need to move to where the job(s) are, or you may need to take a job that has more menial tasks (or even *gasp* physical work aspects to the job) to get your foot in the door, etc.
There are lots of jobs like this that simply can't be outsourced overseas because you have to have a body standing right in front of the equipment to be able to work on it. You just can't outsource a guy to come work on your Generator Paralleling Switchgear or your Automatic Transfer Switch. You need a guy in the area, with the tools and skills necessary to be able to get the job done. So yeah, you might have to start as a Preventive Maintenance tech or maybe a Project Manager or something, but if you stay the course, there is absolutely opportunity.
If you're in college now and majoring in EE, you'd have to be an idiot to not change majors. This profession is totally dead.
Utter hogwash.
Anybody working in Data Center Operations or Data Center Construction can tell you that good, capable EE's are not easy to come by at all. If you're smart, you'll stay the course, and with as many Data Centers (and for that matter any other Critical Facilities) being built each year, you will have a long and prosperous career. Opportunity abounds.
You're making a lot of assumptions to arrive at your point. First of all, you're assuming that this house will be built in some rural area, as opposed to being built more vertically (as a lot of modern homes are built) in an already established area. Lots of neighborhoods in major metropolitan areas are having their older, smaller, aging homes razed and replaced with homes that are more modern, and while having the same footprint, have more square footage).
Next, you're completely missing all of the energy efficient and environmentally friendly building designs and materials. Efficiency in almost all household products has skyrocketed in recent years. Compare the energy efficiency of a modern furnace or air conditioner to one from 30 years ago. It's a compelling difference. Once you start to factor in insulation and vapor barriers, lighting choices, HVAC, and many other factors, you can squeeze a surprising amount of "work" out of a relatively small amount of energy to run a home. Once you start going on about an owner filling his/her home with too much "stuff'" for yours (or George Carlin's) taste, you reveal what's really bugging you. It's fine if you choose a more minimalist lifestyle. No worries, dude. No one's judging that, or saying there's anything wrong with that. But stop throwing rocks if others choose not to (and on that note, nowhere does the poster claim that he/she is doing that.....again....an assumption on your part).
Look, it just seems like you're wound kinda tight on this issue, and are just ready to react to anyone who sees things differently than you. You're like a hammer looking for a nail. Just breath, dude, it'll be OK.
Oh, and the article you linked to with "proof" that Warren Buffet agrees with you, actually refers to this OP ED piece that Buffett wrote, in which he clearly is more making the case for the inequality of TAXES on people in different income brackets. At no point does he suggest that there's anything wrong with some folks making more (even if it's a LOT more) than other people. I respect that you choose to work for a non-profit, and I love that it is one that is centered on helping others who are not as fortunate. You ain't gonna get any shit from me for that. I think it's great to help others, and I often do so myself, not because I expect anything in return, but because it just feels right, and it's how I'm wired. However, if you're having these feelings that future generations are going to be somehow burdened because some folks today make too much money, I gotta tell ya that I sure don't get where that logic is coming from.
Your posts are certainly starting to sound like jealousy. Between declaring that a 4,000 square foot home is too big, implying that we're desperately running out of room for said houses, and posting links to pretty graphs that show how all the wealthy people are taking your money, you're coming across sounding pretty resentful.
Maybe a little introspection is in order. Or maybe a change in career or even some money management/goal setting is in order.
*disclaimer - I am a musician and a composer, and I am not making the argument that "robots" or anything else can ever replace live musicians
With that said:
I have yet to meet the synthesizer that can even remotely duplicate the dulcet noises of the old-fashioned dead trees and metal strings of my grand piano.
You would be surprised at how well some of the sampled, Virtual Instruments have progressed.
Now again, so be clear, I'm not supporting the position that computers will ever replace musicians or actual, real instruments, mind you. I just wanted to point out that VST's have really come a long way, particularly in the last 10 years or so. No more are you stuck with Garritan Pocket Orchestra, and sad, tinny reproductions of instruments based on the PC wavetables. If you've got the money to spend, you can get some amazing sounds, with a stunning amount of dynamics and articulations availble.
I'd argue most of those malls ALREADY have many of those things.
With respect, you're flat out incorrect in some cases, and misguided in others.
Many malls are pushing 50-75 shops, so that's a LOT of electric and telco already present
As you can see here , the electrical consumption of your average mall runs around 9 Watts/sq ft. Even a moderate Data Center load is going to be around 75 Watts/sq ft just in terms of IT load. Once you factor in Mechanical Cooling, it's just going to go up from there. Furthermore, even if a mall had say a 10 MW electrical feed, you're obviously going to want 2 or more separate, dedicated feeds for your Data Center. You don't want to share that feed with the mall. Any disturbance on that mall's feed could impact your own. So when the maintenance guys at the mall screw up and accidentally single phase a compressor on their chiller, you don't want to have the fault on your line. Thus, any way you slice it, you're putting in your own feed(s). Figure in also, you have to think whether the local electrical utility planned for an additional several Megawatts of power in this particular section of their grid. Perhaps they had planned for maybe a 10-15% growth in the mall's load, but not quite for a sudden 5-10 MW being dropped on the circuit(s).
Malls are often near highways which is where most of the fibre got laid so it's easy to add.
Again, you're missing the point. In some cases, yes, lots of fiber trunks are laid where the freeways and highways are. This isn't always the case, but I'll go with it. You still have to get comm into your facility, and I'm continuing to say that this is going to be a little more of a hassle if you're adjacent to a busy, functioning mall.
Many malls already have basic backup generators (plus natural gas and such already ran) in place for stores, not to data center standards, but in place.
Irrelevant. Yes, some malls have cute, little natural gas generators to run their Fire/Life Safety Systems (elevators, emergency lighting, security system, etc) as required by code but a) this is not even slightly close to what you'll need to run a Data Center and b) even if it were, you'll want your own dedicated generators for your Data Center. Do you really want to run the risk of not being able to power your Data Center during a utility outage because the elevator to the Cinnabon needs to run?
These shops aren't "that big" that they need major renovation into data centers, they'r plain brick boxes right now. They are more the size of a telecom CO office. t's only now that everybody is Blade servers + SAN that it would even be practical to use the space.. again because they are SMALL enough not to be a major drain on power resources like the major centers are. I understand your point, as I work for a steel melting mill and many data centers are starting to catch up with OUR power usage.
I don't think you are getting my point. This isn't about the physical space in the building, it's about all the other things. To your point, the Blades and SAN configuration does indeed take up a smaller footprint than some of the older hardware, but it is DRAMATICALLY more energy intensive (thus my reasons for harping on things like electrical utility, generators, and cooling). A moderate Data Center with around 75,000 square feet of raised floor is probably going to draw somewhere between 5 and 10 Megawatts. I'd say that's probably very close (if not beyond) many industrial applications.
as far as security, the best security is often in plain sight. most of the abandon mall properties I see (at still used malls) are kept up on the surface pretty well. There's plenty of security already for the mall (to watch for parking lot vandals and robbers, etc)and these would not have any foot tra
I don't see what's so difficult about running power and telecom to an EMPTY building. Dig up the empty parking lot.
I assume they aren't going to do this with properties that are directly adjacent to an existing mall... or perhaps, they are going to remodel to recover space.
From TFA:
While some auto centers are attached to mall-based retail stores, more than 50 are stand-alone facilities, located on the perimeter of shopping malls
If you have an abandoned Auto Center, but it's adjacent to a large, functioning mall, it's going to be a logistical challenge to get the power lines and comm lines installed with minimal impact to the businesses adjacent to the area. Also, it could potentially be a challenge even finding enough capacity of either in that particular area. Retail areas of municipalities usually are not on a "priority one" section of the electrical grid whereas Hospitals and certain Industrial Areas tend to be. If you're planning a Data Center, you want to be on a "priority one" grid to be sure you get the first attention in the event of an extended outage.
You run your generators all the time? That kind of terrible power infrastructure would make me nervous.
??? Not sure where you got that idea. However, it is industry best practice to run your generators regularly. I recommend weekly no-load tests, and at least quarterly load tests. I'm suggesting that a big shopping mall is likely to complain when you're belching black diesel smoke weekly when you spin your gens up for a few minutes.
Datacenters are smack-dab in cities like Philadelphia. They don't have trouble maintaining security or keeping their generators or HVAC.
Indeed, my point wasn't that the Data Centers in large cities are a security problem. I was pointing out that if you put one in the middle of a parking lot, adjacent to a large retail establishment, with multiple driveways, adjacent (busy) city streets, lots of pedestrian traffic, and the other things that come with a shopping district, THOSE THINGS are going to create security challenges.
There is no way this will ever get off the ground, and is just a ridiculous idea for so many reasons, I can barely count. This is clearly some "genius" idea from some marketing person attached to the Corporate Real Estate group within Sears trying to drum up excitement to help them liquidate their properties.
There is plenty of "big empty box" real estate all over the country that's vacant. There's nothing special about these auto centers, including the 16 foot ceilings or whatever they're touting as significant. It takes much more than a big empty building to create a well designed Data Center. Here are a few items I think would be worth noting:
1) Insufficient Electrical Utility Feeds - no way these Auto Centers have 5 or 10 MW of Utility coming to them. Plus, if they're in the parking lots of shopping malls, I don't see how you could install that type of Utility in a cost effective way. 2. Insufficient Communications Infrastructure - similar to the Utility, there's no way there are OC-48's or multiple T1's coming into these sites, and the cost of putting them in through an existing parking lot is going to be miserable 3. Generators - Getting permits and permission from adjacent business owners to put in multiple Generators on the site is going to be challenging at best. Good luck getting the Mall Owner to allow you to stack your place with loud, smoke producing Generators and run them whenever you want. 4. Security - do I even need to say it? Can you imagine having to try to keep your place secure when it's regularly overwhelmed by Christmas shoppers parking next to your building, or the local skate kids practicing tricks on your curb after getting tossed from the shopping mall next door? 5. Diesel storage - no way you're getting permission to put in a UST, and the risk of having an AST that's so accessible to vandals or thieves is going to be tricky. Ditto for trying to get tanker trucks to come in an fill your tanks easily. 6. Chillers or Condensers - Either way, you need a lot of room to put your cooling infrastructure....more than is likely going to fit on the roof. That old parking lot around the Auto Center is going to get swallowed up quickly with gear.
I know it's popular for everyone to go on and on about how all CEOs are morons, and how if they'd just listen to us geeks more often, the wheels of commerce would turn so much easier, but this type of thing (for better or for worse) happens ALL THE TIME in corporate America. In my opinion, Blackberry should not have tried to expand their market to compete with other smartphones at all. They should have recognized their dominance in corporate deployments and done everything they could to cater to those customers. Sure, it's an "eggs in one basket" strategy, but you're dealing with huge, Fortune 500 companies who do not make company-wide hardware decisions lightly, and usually cringe at the idea of having to do massive deployments of completely new equipment.
How many of us have seen older, un-sexy pieces of gear get perpetually propped up by companies just because they've got way too much money/time invested in the present solution than they could justify scrapping it all? Heck, even if it's a bit predatory, RIM would have been smart to realize this edge, and if they had to build in a couple of proprietary hooks that they could have convinced a few CEO's that they "can't live without" they'd have had a client base for life.
In my house there's this light switch that doesn't do anything. Every so often
I would flick it on and off just to check. Yesterday, I got a call from a
woman in Madagascar. She said, "Cut it out." -- Steven Wright
Agreed. I bet you that sooner or later they'll come out with the option to pay some fee to be able to see who's been searching/looking at your profile. I know it's been claimed that there's no way to do this, but I'm having trouble believing that, and I'd be willing to bet that a lot of people would indeed pay for this.
This comes from the same mentality as people who skip vaccinating their children
I think that's stretching things a bit.
As a person who has gone to college, dropped out, and is now going back, I understand the value of the education and experience. It's not for everyone, but it really does have immense value. Very few people have the disposition and dedication to focus themselves and spend their time doing something better than college - most who drop out or don't go will spend their time doing something far less valuable.
I feel that should read "...it does have immense value sometimes." I respect that your experience is such that going back to school is a fruitful endeavor for you, and I genuinely wish you luck and prosperity in your pursuits. But, I think the important thing to keep in mind is that experience trumps education any day of the week. So, if you're a person with a clear idea of what he wants to do for a living and is able to find and afford a degree program in that field, then I can see that college might be a benefit. Just keep in mind that someone who lacks a degree, but has more experience in actually doing the type of work called for is probably going to beat you out if you guys go head-to-head in interviews.
And before anyone pops off about the usual "well you have to have a degree or HR won't even look at your resume", I assure you that has not been my experience. In fact the last 3 jobs I've held have all "required" at least a Bachelor's Degree, and I don't even have an Associates. What I do have is focus, drive, ambition, dedication, excellent communication skills, intuition, organizational skills, and initiative. As someone who suffered for years under the heavy shroud of guilt for not having completed either of my 2 attempts at a college degree, I can now say that I am genuinely glad that I did not complete my degree(s) because I feel that my hands on experience has proven far more valuable both to my employers and to myself.
Are there going to be challenges to getting a job without a degree, sure there are. You'll have to work to separate yourself from the crowd (just like a degreed candidate would have to). You'll also benefit from networking and keeping in touch with folks in the industry you want to work in, because they're the best source for leads on new jobs (just as they are for a degreed candidate). You can't afford to turn down a job that you feel you are above, everyone has to start somewhere, and it's often a more menial job done exceptionally well that results in an employee getting noticed as a Rising Star (and yes, this too is true for degreed applicants as well). In my opinion, there's nothing better or worse about choosing to go to college and get a degree than choosing to enter the career world in other ways, rather they're just different approaches and both are valid.
A very good list. These will be a little more related to the Facilities side of the house but I'd add:
Infrared Thermometer Either a sling psychrometer (cheaper) or a digital hygrometer/psychrometer to measure humidity Flashlight(s) Floor tile puller (if you are on a raised floor) Ladder Extension Cord(s)
Reminds me of a joke one of my better past bosses used to tell:
A manager is going over some loose ends with his replacement as he is gathering his remaining belongings from his office. As he leaves, he hands the new manager 3 envelopes and says "Only use these when absolutely necessary. Use them wisely in times of crisis.". And with that, the former manager leaves the premises.
Several months go by, and eventually there is an issue. A long term project was several weeks overdue and the customers are livid. Senior management was demanding answers and the new manager was panicked. In desperation, he hurries back to his office, closes the door, and opens one of the envelopes. It contains a note that says "Say that you haven't been with the team long enough to have your arms fully wrapped around all the details". So, the manager reports to the next meeting of the Department Heads, and proceeds to tell everyone just that. He assures them that he'll continue to do his best to figure out what's going on and get everything back on track. This pleases the senior managers, and the crisis passes.
About 6 months later, it becomes clear that the company is badly over budget for the year and at the current financial state, would be forced to begin layoffs before the end of the year. Again, the manager finds himself overwhelmed and has no idea how to fix things. Again, he closes himself off in his office, and opens the second envelope. It contains a note that says, "Blame the guy before you.". With renewed confidence, the manager calls a company meeting and proceeds to throw his predecessor under the bus for the current financial crisis. Assuring everyone that he will look at all possible cost containment measures and resolve the problems, he lives to see another day.
Just over a year since this manager has been with the company, things are at the breaking point. Employees have unionized and have threatened a strike in response to being overworked and having their benefit packages raided. The manager feels completely cornered and has no foreseeable way out of his predicament. Wracked with anxiety, the manager again retreats to his office, and opens the third envelope. Inside it is a note that says:
Well, I looked for your Polk Pickup Truck Usage Study (whatever that is) and couldn't find it. And as for your 27% and 78% assertions, I believe this fortune cookie might shed a little light.
So do I, however, I must strongly recommend you check out the unparalleled Hayseed Dixie. For my money, there's no better classic-rock-done-bluegrass than these guys.
I just can't help myself....this will either torture you, or amuse you (maybe some twisted combination of the two). I also am not really much of a fan of Death Metal. Every once in a while, there are a couple of bands that make some decent stuff, but I definitely can't listen to it for extended periods, and a LOT of the stuff coming out now is very trite.
There's a band called Six Feet Under that has a whole series of albums called "Graveyard Classics" and it's literally them doing Death Metal cover versions of Classic Rock songs. It is utterly ridiculous. I defy you to listen to some clips and not wince or burst out in laughter.
By the way, before anyone mistakes me for a fan, I heard these one morning listening to Howard Stern. He has a guy on his show that is a pretty well known drummer in the Death Metal circles who brought in clips of this stuff for everyone to goof on.
the chain lock that's separate from the key card lock
Or according to Jon Stewart - "I have a chain lock on my door that says to criminals 'you're not getting in here......unless you push....kind of hard....with your hand'."
The ONLY thing they can do is to call the police. They do not have any other right
That is also the case in the US. Private security, AKA "rent-a-cops" have no rights beyond any other private citizen.
You are incorrect. While not the case for ALL private security companies, there are many that have been granted police powers. There are privately run prisons that are staffed by employees of that Security Company. Even internationally, we use private "security" companies with significantly more "police power" than your average citizen (i.e. Blackwater/Xe). I'm not saying I agree with this, just that it is indeed the case.
Slashdot Mirror
I can assure you that there's a point where you'll take any job, rungs be damned. That's usually the point where you start taking things outside your chosen profession. When that happens, EE in this case has 1 less potential employee.
Here's the problem, to get to the level of good capable EE's, someone somewhere has to teach and train them. That generally happens as a novice.
OK, so you need to make up your mind. Do you want someone to explain to you how one enters the workforce after completing a degree, or are you looking for the super, secret, magic, insider trick that instantaneously propels one from "recent graduate" to "uber professional" with an "EE type job" (whatever it is you mean by that). You're switching arguments mid-stream, and as a result, missing the point.
Working as a maintenance tech is not an EE job. It also generally won't lead to an EE type job, much as emptying trashcans in a headquarters office won't generally lead to the CEO position. What your experience might lead to is managing other techs, or even that division, but that's about all. If it were otherwise, there would be little use for college degrees.
Oh where to start? First of all, you could not be more wrong, but before we get to that, let's illustrate how erratic your thinking is. You're saying "maintenance tech" as if that's the same thing as a well trained and educated engineer working on sophisticated electrical equipment like Static Switches or UPS Systems. To further illustrate your lack of understanding, in the next sentence, you use an analogy with a janitor as if it's a corollary. There is a big, big difference between a guy who changes light bulbs or empties trash cans and a skilled, specialized engineer/technician who's capable of working on complex equipment.
You then go on to say that the experience might lead to managing other techs or a division, but "that's about it", which by extraction I'm getting that for you this would not be an "EE Type Job". So, I guess I'm left wondering what it is that you think a person who gets an Electrical Engineering Degree might do professionally. Maybe you think that someone in this position gets a big office somewhere, and a big paycheck, and they just get to sit around and draw up designs on some CAD program, then send it out to other people to "do the work" and that's about it. I'm thinking this (combined with your attitude) are the reasons you're dissatisfied with your results so far.
Most Engineers I know don't have (and never had) any illusions about needing to pay their dues early in their careers, and realized that it was inevitable that they were eventually going to have to get their hands dirty a bit. For crying out loud, you're studying Electrical Engineering, it's not a crazy idea that your job might entail being involved with (and working directly on) ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT. If you're going to take issue with opportunities that might involve you working with the gear, well then you probably picked the wrong degree program for you. What you wanted to pick was the "money for nothing" degree. Good luck with that.
And back to your original point about not being able to get anywhere by being a maintenance tech, I am living proof that you're full of shit. Not only did I start my employment career as a lowly maintenance tech, I never even finished my degree. I now and a Regional Director of Data Centers for a major Fortune 100 company, overseeing all site operations, and am very deeply involved with all of the Electrical Projects we have going on in all of my Data Centers. Prior to this, I've managed Data Centers for other major Fortune 500 and 100 companies, all names you'd recognize. I am in my early 40's, I make more
Here's the problem, to get to the level of good capable EE's, someone somewhere has to teach and train them. That generally happens as a novice. Those jobs are also considered to be the first to be outsourced. So if you don't hire the novices, within a generation the good capable ones are gone. That business can't think beyond the next quarter is a huge part of the problem.
I'm not sure I'm following you here. You seem to be making the case that a recent graduate of an Electrical Engineering program has no chance of getting a job because they lack experience, and the "beginner" type jobs are the "first to be outsourced".
First of all, this isn't a new challenge, nor is it one that is exclusive to Engineering graduates. Any recent graduate in virtually any discipline is going to have to take a job where they are able to "prove themselves". Yes, this job is going to be a few rungs down the corporate ladder than you'd probably like, but suck it up, that's life. Second, you're making a sweeping generalization that all "novice" level jobs in the Engineering Field are the first to be outsourced. There are plenty of jobs one could take that would make use of an Electrical Engineering degree which could be the first steps in the climb up toward positions that are more in line with what someone studying that field might want. True, you may have to take a job that doesn't pay quite as much as you'd like at first, or you may need to move to where the job(s) are, or you may need to take a job that has more menial tasks (or even *gasp* physical work aspects to the job) to get your foot in the door, etc.
There are lots of jobs like this that simply can't be outsourced overseas because you have to have a body standing right in front of the equipment to be able to work on it. You just can't outsource a guy to come work on your Generator Paralleling Switchgear or your Automatic Transfer Switch. You need a guy in the area, with the tools and skills necessary to be able to get the job done. So yeah, you might have to start as a Preventive Maintenance tech or maybe a Project Manager or something, but if you stay the course, there is absolutely opportunity.
If you're in college now and majoring in EE, you'd have to be an idiot to not change majors. This profession is totally dead.
Utter hogwash.
Anybody working in Data Center Operations or Data Center Construction can tell you that good, capable EE's are not easy to come by at all. If you're smart, you'll stay the course, and with as many Data Centers (and for that matter any other Critical Facilities) being built each year, you will have a long and prosperous career. Opportunity abounds.
Jealousy or taking a realistic long view?
Skewed view? Yes. Realistic view? Not so much.
You're making a lot of assumptions to arrive at your point. First of all, you're assuming that this house will be built in some rural area, as opposed to being built more vertically (as a lot of modern homes are built) in an already established area. Lots of neighborhoods in major metropolitan areas are having their older, smaller, aging homes razed and replaced with homes that are more modern, and while having the same footprint, have more square footage).
Next, you're completely missing all of the energy efficient and environmentally friendly building designs and materials. Efficiency in almost all household products has skyrocketed in recent years. Compare the energy efficiency of a modern furnace or air conditioner to one from 30 years ago. It's a compelling difference. Once you start to factor in insulation and vapor barriers, lighting choices, HVAC, and many other factors, you can squeeze a surprising amount of "work" out of a relatively small amount of energy to run a home. Once you start going on about an owner filling his/her home with too much "stuff'" for yours (or George Carlin's) taste, you reveal what's really bugging you. It's fine if you choose a more minimalist lifestyle. No worries, dude. No one's judging that, or saying there's anything wrong with that. But stop throwing rocks if others choose not to (and on that note, nowhere does the poster claim that he/she is doing that.....again....an assumption on your part).
Look, it just seems like you're wound kinda tight on this issue, and are just ready to react to anyone who sees things differently than you. You're like a hammer looking for a nail. Just breath, dude, it'll be OK.
Oh, and the article you linked to with "proof" that Warren Buffet agrees with you, actually refers to this OP ED piece that Buffett wrote, in which he clearly is more making the case for the inequality of TAXES on people in different income brackets. At no point does he suggest that there's anything wrong with some folks making more (even if it's a LOT more) than other people. I respect that you choose to work for a non-profit, and I love that it is one that is centered on helping others who are not as fortunate. You ain't gonna get any shit from me for that. I think it's great to help others, and I often do so myself, not because I expect anything in return, but because it just feels right, and it's how I'm wired. However, if you're having these feelings that future generations are going to be somehow burdened because some folks today make too much money, I gotta tell ya that I sure don't get where that logic is coming from.
Your posts are certainly starting to sound like jealousy. Between declaring that a 4,000 square foot home is too big, implying that we're desperately running out of room for said houses, and posting links to pretty graphs that show how all the wealthy people are taking your money, you're coming across sounding pretty resentful.
Maybe a little introspection is in order. Or maybe a change in career or even some money management/goal setting is in order.
With that said:
I have yet to meet the synthesizer that can even remotely duplicate the dulcet noises of the old-fashioned dead trees and metal strings of my grand piano.
You would be surprised at how well some of the sampled, Virtual Instruments have progressed.
East West Quantum Leap Pianos
Native Instruments Piano Collection
8dio 1928 Steinway
Now again, so be clear, I'm not supporting the position that computers will ever replace musicians or actual, real instruments, mind you. I just wanted to point out that VST's have really come a long way, particularly in the last 10 years or so. No more are you stuck with Garritan Pocket Orchestra, and sad, tinny reproductions of instruments based on the PC wavetables. If you've got the money to spend, you can get some amazing sounds, with a stunning amount of dynamics and articulations availble.
I'd argue most of those malls ALREADY have many of those things.
With respect, you're flat out incorrect in some cases, and misguided in others.
Many malls are pushing 50-75 shops, so that's a LOT of electric and telco already present
As you can see here , the electrical consumption of your average mall runs around 9 Watts/sq ft. Even a moderate Data Center load is going to be around 75 Watts/sq ft just in terms of IT load. Once you factor in Mechanical Cooling, it's just going to go up from there. Furthermore, even if a mall had say a 10 MW electrical feed, you're obviously going to want 2 or more separate, dedicated feeds for your Data Center. You don't want to share that feed with the mall. Any disturbance on that mall's feed could impact your own. So when the maintenance guys at the mall screw up and accidentally single phase a compressor on their chiller, you don't want to have the fault on your line. Thus, any way you slice it, you're putting in your own feed(s). Figure in also, you have to think whether the local electrical utility planned for an additional several Megawatts of power in this particular section of their grid. Perhaps they had planned for maybe a 10-15% growth in the mall's load, but not quite for a sudden 5-10 MW being dropped on the circuit(s).
Malls are often near highways which is where most of the fibre got laid so it's easy to add.
Again, you're missing the point. In some cases, yes, lots of fiber trunks are laid where the freeways and highways are. This isn't always the case, but I'll go with it. You still have to get comm into your facility, and I'm continuing to say that this is going to be a little more of a hassle if you're adjacent to a busy, functioning mall.
Many malls already have basic backup generators (plus natural gas and such already ran) in place for stores, not to data center standards, but in place.
Irrelevant. Yes, some malls have cute, little natural gas generators to run their Fire/Life Safety Systems (elevators, emergency lighting, security system, etc) as required by code but a) this is not even slightly close to what you'll need to run a Data Center and b) even if it were, you'll want your own dedicated generators for your Data Center. Do you really want to run the risk of not being able to power your Data Center during a utility outage because the elevator to the Cinnabon needs to run?
These shops aren't "that big" that they need major renovation into data centers, they'r plain brick boxes right now. They are more the size of a telecom CO office. t's only now that everybody is Blade servers + SAN that it would even be practical to use the space.. again because they are SMALL enough not to be a major drain on power resources like the major centers are. I understand your point, as I work for a steel melting mill and many data centers are starting to catch up with OUR power usage.
I don't think you are getting my point. This isn't about the physical space in the building, it's about all the other things. To your point, the Blades and SAN configuration does indeed take up a smaller footprint than some of the older hardware, but it is DRAMATICALLY more energy intensive (thus my reasons for harping on things like electrical utility, generators, and cooling). A moderate Data Center with around 75,000 square feet of raised floor is probably going to draw somewhere between 5 and 10 Megawatts. I'd say that's probably very close (if not beyond) many industrial applications.
as far as security, the best security is often in plain sight. most of the abandon mall properties I see (at still used malls) are kept up on the surface pretty well. There's plenty of security already for the mall (to watch for parking lot vandals and robbers, etc)and these would not have any foot tra
From TFA:
If you have an abandoned Auto Center, but it's adjacent to a large, functioning mall, it's going to be a logistical challenge to get the power lines and comm lines installed with minimal impact to the businesses adjacent to the area. Also, it could potentially be a challenge even finding enough capacity of either in that particular area. Retail areas of municipalities usually are not on a "priority one" section of the electrical grid whereas Hospitals and certain Industrial Areas tend to be. If you're planning a Data Center, you want to be on a "priority one" grid to be sure you get the first attention in the event of an extended outage.
You run your generators all the time? That kind of terrible power infrastructure would make me nervous.
??? Not sure where you got that idea. However, it is industry best practice to run your generators regularly. I recommend weekly no-load tests, and at least quarterly load tests. I'm suggesting that a big shopping mall is likely to complain when you're belching black diesel smoke weekly when you spin your gens up for a few minutes.
Datacenters are smack-dab in cities like Philadelphia. They don't have trouble maintaining security or keeping their generators or HVAC.
Indeed, my point wasn't that the Data Centers in large cities are a security problem. I was pointing out that if you put one in the middle of a parking lot, adjacent to a large retail establishment, with multiple driveways, adjacent (busy) city streets, lots of pedestrian traffic, and the other things that come with a shopping district, THOSE THINGS are going to create security challenges.
I don't think you're following me.
Disclaimer: I work managing Data Centers.
There is no way this will ever get off the ground, and is just a ridiculous idea for so many reasons, I can barely count. This is clearly some "genius" idea from some marketing person attached to the Corporate Real Estate group within Sears trying to drum up excitement to help them liquidate their properties.
There is plenty of "big empty box" real estate all over the country that's vacant. There's nothing special about these auto centers, including the 16 foot ceilings or whatever they're touting as significant. It takes much more than a big empty building to create a well designed Data Center. Here are a few items I think would be worth noting:
1) Insufficient Electrical Utility Feeds - no way these Auto Centers have 5 or 10 MW of Utility coming to them. Plus, if they're in the parking lots of shopping malls, I don't see how you could install that type of Utility in a cost effective way.
2. Insufficient Communications Infrastructure - similar to the Utility, there's no way there are OC-48's or multiple T1's coming into these sites, and the cost of putting them in through an existing parking lot is going to be miserable
3. Generators - Getting permits and permission from adjacent business owners to put in multiple Generators on the site is going to be challenging at best. Good luck getting the Mall Owner to allow you to stack your place with loud, smoke producing Generators and run them whenever you want.
4. Security - do I even need to say it? Can you imagine having to try to keep your place secure when it's regularly overwhelmed by Christmas shoppers parking next to your building, or the local skate kids practicing tricks on your curb after getting tossed from the shopping mall next door?
5. Diesel storage - no way you're getting permission to put in a UST, and the risk of having an AST that's so accessible to vandals or thieves is going to be tricky. Ditto for trying to get tanker trucks to come in an fill your tanks easily.
6. Chillers or Condensers - Either way, you need a lot of room to put your cooling infrastructure....more than is likely going to fit on the roof. That old parking lot around the Auto Center is going to get swallowed up quickly with gear.
and on and on and on...
This. Exactly this.
I know it's popular for everyone to go on and on about how all CEOs are morons, and how if they'd just listen to us geeks more often, the wheels of commerce would turn so much easier, but this type of thing (for better or for worse) happens ALL THE TIME in corporate America. In my opinion, Blackberry should not have tried to expand their market to compete with other smartphones at all. They should have recognized their dominance in corporate deployments and done everything they could to cater to those customers. Sure, it's an "eggs in one basket" strategy, but you're dealing with huge, Fortune 500 companies who do not make company-wide hardware decisions lightly, and usually cringe at the idea of having to do massive deployments of completely new equipment.
How many of us have seen older, un-sexy pieces of gear get perpetually propped up by companies just because they've got way too much money/time invested in the present solution than they could justify scrapping it all? Heck, even if it's a bit predatory, RIM would have been smart to realize this edge, and if they had to build in a couple of proprietary hooks that they could have convinced a few CEO's that they "can't live without" they'd have had a client base for life.
In my house there's this light switch that doesn't do anything. Every so often I would flick it on and off just to check. Yesterday, I got a call from a woman in Madagascar. She said, "Cut it out." -- Steven Wright
Agreed. I bet you that sooner or later they'll come out with the option to pay some fee to be able to see who's been searching/looking at your profile. I know it's been claimed that there's no way to do this, but I'm having trouble believing that, and I'd be willing to bet that a lot of people would indeed pay for this.
This comes from the same mentality as people who skip vaccinating their children
I think that's stretching things a bit.
As a person who has gone to college, dropped out, and is now going back, I understand the value of the education and experience. It's not for everyone, but it really does have immense value. Very few people have the disposition and dedication to focus themselves and spend their time doing something better than college - most who drop out or don't go will spend their time doing something far less valuable.
I feel that should read "...it does have immense value sometimes." I respect that your experience is such that going back to school is a fruitful endeavor for you, and I genuinely wish you luck and prosperity in your pursuits. But, I think the important thing to keep in mind is that experience trumps education any day of the week. So, if you're a person with a clear idea of what he wants to do for a living and is able to find and afford a degree program in that field, then I can see that college might be a benefit. Just keep in mind that someone who lacks a degree, but has more experience in actually doing the type of work called for is probably going to beat you out if you guys go head-to-head in interviews.
And before anyone pops off about the usual "well you have to have a degree or HR won't even look at your resume", I assure you that has not been my experience. In fact the last 3 jobs I've held have all "required" at least a Bachelor's Degree, and I don't even have an Associates. What I do have is focus, drive, ambition, dedication, excellent communication skills, intuition, organizational skills, and initiative. As someone who suffered for years under the heavy shroud of guilt for not having completed either of my 2 attempts at a college degree, I can now say that I am genuinely glad that I did not complete my degree(s) because I feel that my hands on experience has proven far more valuable both to my employers and to myself.
Are there going to be challenges to getting a job without a degree, sure there are. You'll have to work to separate yourself from the crowd (just like a degreed candidate would have to). You'll also benefit from networking and keeping in touch with folks in the industry you want to work in, because they're the best source for leads on new jobs (just as they are for a degreed candidate). You can't afford to turn down a job that you feel you are above, everyone has to start somewhere, and it's often a more menial job done exceptionally well that results in an employee getting noticed as a Rising Star (and yes, this too is true for degreed applicants as well). In my opinion, there's nothing better or worse about choosing to go to college and get a degree than choosing to enter the career world in other ways, rather they're just different approaches and both are valid.
A very good list. These will be a little more related to the Facilities side of the house but I'd add:
Infrared Thermometer
Either a sling psychrometer (cheaper) or a digital hygrometer/psychrometer to measure humidity
Flashlight(s)
Floor tile puller (if you are on a raised floor)
Ladder
Extension Cord(s)
10001110101
Well, I looked for your Polk Pickup Truck Usage Study (whatever that is) and couldn't find it. And as for your 27% and 78% assertions, I believe this fortune cookie might shed a little light.
Man, that's bad. Bad. Really, really bad.
Can anyone recommend something like this that is suitable for a home automation system but NOT cloud based?
Admit it, you just want to be able to say "Tea, Earl Grey Tea, hot!" and have your kettle start warming, don't you?
So do I, however, I must strongly recommend you check out the unparalleled Hayseed Dixie. For my money, there's no better classic-rock-done-bluegrass than these guys.
I just can't help myself....this will either torture you, or amuse you (maybe some twisted combination of the two). I also am not really much of a fan of Death Metal. Every once in a while, there are a couple of bands that make some decent stuff, but I definitely can't listen to it for extended periods, and a LOT of the stuff coming out now is very trite.
There's a band called Six Feet Under that has a whole series of albums called "Graveyard Classics" and it's literally them doing Death Metal cover versions of Classic Rock songs. It is utterly ridiculous. I defy you to listen to some clips and not wince or burst out in laughter.
Smoke on the Water
Purple Haze
Back in Black
By the way, before anyone mistakes me for a fan, I heard these one morning listening to Howard Stern. He has a guy on his show that is a pretty well known drummer in the Death Metal circles who brought in clips of this stuff for everyone to goof on.
Bloody peasant.
Well done, sir.
the chain lock that's separate from the key card lock
Or according to Jon Stewart - "I have a chain lock on my door that says to criminals 'you're not getting in here......unless you push....kind of hard....with your hand'."
The ONLY thing they can do is to call the police. They do not have any other right
That is also the case in the US. Private security, AKA "rent-a-cops" have no rights beyond any other private citizen.
You are incorrect. While not the case for ALL private security companies, there are many that have been granted police powers. There are privately run prisons that are staffed by employees of that Security Company. Even internationally, we use private "security" companies with significantly more "police power" than your average citizen (i.e. Blackwater/Xe). I'm not saying I agree with this, just that it is indeed the case.