No, because AFAIK, Google & EA don't discriminate against blacks or women. What companies like Google and others do is present a culture of many hours in the office with the compensation being perks and cool toys. You can either choose to work there or not. As a 40-something I choose not, because I'd rather have a life.
Most people under 40 don't want to spend 40hours+/week at work
Yes, but under-40s are more willing to do it than over-40s. The under-40s are more willing to give up their free time in exchange for a foosball table, free pizza, the ability to wear tevas and socks to work and bragging rights to the fact that they work somewhere 'cool'.
I'm 43 and work in IT in Vancouver, Canada. Vancouver's version of Google is Electronic Arts (EA). EA has many employees in Vancouver, a 'cool' office and lots of perks, like Google. It also has a very young workforce with people like me generally not interested in working there. Why? Because there's very little life/work balance at EA. I'm married, I have a kid and another one on the way - I'm not interested in working 80 hour weeks in exchange for free breakfast and a basketball court. I'd rather go home on a summer evening and play frisbee with my kid - Not play ultimate with my co-workers, then go back to work for another 3 hours. Google builds cool stuff, but I suspect their culture just isn't skewed to provide those things that someone like me would want, i.e. a good life outside of the office. Doesn't mean they're a bad company, they're just not a good fit for people like me.
the skills required to decode something like an mp4 file are going to be far in excess of what these two guys needed
Yes and no... In 100 years it will probably go something like this:
"Hey, Computer."
"Yo."
"I found this 100 year old computer file. Can you decode it for me?"
"Sure, just a second."
"Done. It appears to be a video of a caucasian human singing a song from the year 1987."
"Really? What song?"
"Never Gonna Give You Up..."
I suspect 100 years from now reading the data off a thumb drive, CD or DVD will be a bigger challenge that actually decoding the file...
No, stop sharing their music. If you want to stop this, stop putting their stuff up on torrent sites and limewire and YouTube and wherever else. If you want a song, go buy it on Amazon or wherever. I know they don't want you to rip a CD (or your friend's CD) and put their songs on your iPod either, but really that's uneforceable and not really worth worrying about.... Just stop sharing online.
How do you know how much the infrastructure costs? Cell tower equipment, space rental, staff, monitoring on and on - And that's before they pay for the data pipe. This ain't some WAP in some kid's basement we're talking about here...
I hear you, but that doesn't really answer my question. Are you required by law to "open" your computer the same way you're required to "open" your suitcase?
Are you required by law to do this? If a United States customs agent wants to search your laptop, are you required by law to hand over your password? Or can you say "I choose not to give you my password." I realize in the parent's context it doesn't matter, but I'm just curious in general... In the same you're required to unlock your luggage so they can search it, are you required to unlock your computer?
There's not that much of a UI difference between XP and Win7.
Everyone I know who uses XP has the 'classic' start menu turned on. This option is gone in Win7, which confuses the hell out of people. Additionally, the merging of "quick launch" and "running applications" in the taskbar in Win7 is VERY confusing to people.
because of the lack of interest from the general public to eat seafood from the area, as soon as the oxygen levels stabilize sea life will prosper and the fishery replenished.
Most members of the general public don't know or care where their fish comes from - So if you buy a box of Captain Highliner fish sticks or a Filet o' Fish you won't know if they contain 'gulf fish.'
If some car ZOOMS by it's pretty easy for me to tell its speeding, radar gun or not (I'm not a police officer). If you have even a modicum of experience driving and you can't estimate whether or not a car is speeding you should probably have your driver's license taken away.
Compared to Europe, sidewalk/walkway consistency and layout in America is atrocious as it is
Are you joking? I just got back from a holiday that included a few days pushing a stroller & my toddler around the sidewalks of Paris. In no particular order you've got to struggle with cars parked on the sidewalk (and/or agressively driving up in front of you on the sidewalk), unmarked random sidewalk construction sites, odd mixtures of cobblestones, randomness of curb ramps, sidewalks that slope towards the street at such an angle that you feel you're perpetually pushing the stroller uphill and sidewalks that are so narrow two people that can barely pass. By contrast, sidewalks in a city like Chicago are a breeze...
I find it funny (and sad) that the people who most loudly proclaim to "support the troops" don't really give a shit about them once they're back
Many of these people only 'support the troops' when it involves zero personal sacrifice on their part (other than putting a bumper sticker on their car). The mothers stuck at home while the daddies/husbands are at war, the parents who take home a son who is now blind... These are the individuals who are 'supporting the troops.'
Agree 100% with this one. Really wish my co-workers would floss. If you're not a regular 'flosser' note that when you first start your gums may bleed for a while. This will stop after a month or so once you've killed off / cleaned out the bacteria that has weakened your gums. If you find it hard you can start with 'glide' floss which is easier to use.
This post is bang-on and highlights for me how stupid it is banning sharps from the aircraft cabin. What're you gonna do with a sharp? You can't get into a cockpit, and if you hold a sharp to the neck of a flight attendant or passenger the rest of the passengers will beat you to death with the drinks cart. Guns and explosives? Sure, check for those, just screwdrivers and jacknives? Fergit it...
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You must be some kind of pinko, to suggest a market-based solution instead of a (lightly) veiled corporate subsidy.
Incorrect. He's a capitalist fascist who has sold out to The Man, not a pinko.
Now are the [sic] a bad company?
No, because AFAIK, Google & EA don't discriminate against blacks or women. What companies like Google and others do is present a culture of many hours in the office with the compensation being perks and cool toys. You can either choose to work there or not. As a 40-something I choose not, because I'd rather have a life.
Most people under 40 don't want to spend 40hours+/week at work
Yes, but under-40s are more willing to do it than over-40s. The under-40s are more willing to give up their free time in exchange for a foosball table, free pizza, the ability to wear tevas and socks to work and bragging rights to the fact that they work somewhere 'cool'.
I'm 43 and work in IT in Vancouver, Canada. Vancouver's version of Google is Electronic Arts (EA). EA has many employees in Vancouver, a 'cool' office and lots of perks, like Google. It also has a very young workforce with people like me generally not interested in working there. Why? Because there's very little life/work balance at EA. I'm married, I have a kid and another one on the way - I'm not interested in working 80 hour weeks in exchange for free breakfast and a basketball court. I'd rather go home on a summer evening and play frisbee with my kid - Not play ultimate with my co-workers, then go back to work for another 3 hours. Google builds cool stuff, but I suspect their culture just isn't skewed to provide those things that someone like me would want, i.e. a good life outside of the office. Doesn't mean they're a bad company, they're just not a good fit for people like me.
the skills required to decode something like an mp4 file are going to be far in excess of what these two guys needed
Yes and no... In 100 years it will probably go something like this:
"Hey, Computer."
"Yo."
"I found this 100 year old computer file. Can you decode it for me?"
"Sure, just a second."
"Done. It appears to be a video of a caucasian human singing a song from the year 1987."
"Really? What song?"
"Never Gonna Give You Up..."
I suspect 100 years from now reading the data off a thumb drive, CD or DVD will be a bigger challenge that actually decoding the file...
"We're a backwards sh1thole, filled with intolerant Koran-thumping hicks. Don't even think about coming here or doing business here."
Unless you're Saudi Arabia, in which case the sign needs a "PS We have lots of oil. Want to buy it?"
Stop buying RIAA member's products
No, stop sharing their music. If you want to stop this, stop putting their stuff up on torrent sites and limewire and YouTube and wherever else. If you want a song, go buy it on Amazon or wherever. I know they don't want you to rip a CD (or your friend's CD) and put their songs on your iPod either, but really that's uneforceable and not really worth worrying about.... Just stop sharing online.
I told my dentist I'll get an implant in Mexico and he just laughed at me.
If you have sufficient vacation time, I'm told India is a popular location for Dental-Tourism, due to the prevalence of English.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dental_tourism
I have two that can't even give away.
Where do you live? I listed mine on Craigslist-Free and they were both gone within 45 minutes...
it doesn't cost you nearly that much to carry it
How do you know how much the infrastructure costs? Cell tower equipment, space rental, staff, monitoring on and on - And that's before they pay for the data pipe. This ain't some WAP in some kid's basement we're talking about here...
I hear you, but that doesn't really answer my question. Are you required by law to "open" your computer the same way you're required to "open" your suitcase?
hand them over the password
Are you required by law to do this? If a United States customs agent wants to search your laptop, are you required by law to hand over your password? Or can you say "I choose not to give you my password." I realize in the parent's context it doesn't matter, but I'm just curious in general... In the same you're required to unlock your luggage so they can search it, are you required to unlock your computer?
or even measure blood alcohol levels
While one might immediately see value in a product like this for Lindsay Lohan, keep in mind she rarely wears underpants.
am i the only person that hasn't signed up for facebook?
I had resisted Facebook for years, but on "Quit Facebook Day" (last May 31st) I bit the bullet and signed up.
There's not that much of a UI difference between XP and Win7.
Everyone I know who uses XP has the 'classic' start menu turned on. This option is gone in Win7, which confuses the hell out of people. Additionally, the merging of "quick launch" and "running applications" in the taskbar in Win7 is VERY confusing to people.
These people shouldn't really be employed to use a computer
Is it the user's fault, or is it the fault of a 'bad' user-interface? Why is it a user can operate a car but not operate an email application?
because of the lack of interest from the general public to eat seafood from the area, as soon as the oxygen levels stabilize sea life will prosper and the fishery replenished.
Most members of the general public don't know or care where their fish comes from - So if you buy a box of Captain Highliner fish sticks or a Filet o' Fish you won't know if they contain 'gulf fish.'
Macs are PCs too you know
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C5z0Ia5jDt4
If some car ZOOMS by it's pretty easy for me to tell its speeding, radar gun or not (I'm not a police officer). If you have even a modicum of experience driving and you can't estimate whether or not a car is speeding you should probably have your driver's license taken away.
Exactly my point. To say "Europe has great sidewalks and the USA doesn't" is a gross generalization bordering on ridiculous...
Compared to Europe, sidewalk/walkway consistency and layout in America is atrocious as it is
Are you joking? I just got back from a holiday that included a few days pushing a stroller & my toddler around the sidewalks of Paris. In no particular order you've got to struggle with cars parked on the sidewalk (and/or agressively driving up in front of you on the sidewalk), unmarked random sidewalk construction sites, odd mixtures of cobblestones, randomness of curb ramps, sidewalks that slope towards the street at such an angle that you feel you're perpetually pushing the stroller uphill and sidewalks that are so narrow two people that can barely pass. By contrast, sidewalks in a city like Chicago are a breeze...
In Communist North Korea, hydrogen and helium fuse you!
I find it funny (and sad) that the people who most loudly proclaim to "support the troops" don't really give a shit about them once they're back
Many of these people only 'support the troops' when it involves zero personal sacrifice on their part (other than putting a bumper sticker on their car). The mothers stuck at home while the daddies/husbands are at war, the parents who take home a son who is now blind... These are the individuals who are 'supporting the troops.'
Floss at least once per day
Agree 100% with this one. Really wish my co-workers would floss. If you're not a regular 'flosser' note that when you first start your gums may bleed for a while. This will stop after a month or so once you've killed off / cleaned out the bacteria that has weakened your gums. If you find it hard you can start with 'glide' floss which is easier to use.
This post is bang-on and highlights for me how stupid it is banning sharps from the aircraft cabin. What're you gonna do with a sharp? You can't get into a cockpit, and if you hold a sharp to the neck of a flight attendant or passenger the rest of the passengers will beat you to death with the drinks cart. Guns and explosives? Sure, check for those, just screwdrivers and jacknives? Fergit it...