TECH SERVICE: SKYPE from the ER

Friday, June 8, 2007

Just to call your attention to a neat use of Skype.

Recently Frau was in the ER. Aside from being banned, cell phones weren’t working that well. I assume the building and well as all the electronics around were part of the reason. The fact it was around the corner from an XRAY MRI lab may account for why we were all “glowing”.

Any way, Frau wanted to talk to some relatives.

(Hey what else does one do during the 7 hour wait? If this is far better than socialized medicine, you can keep Hillary care!)

So, I had the idea to Skype. I had my laptop up on the hospital wifi, so I brought up skype, plugged in the headphones, and poof she was talking to relatives.

Everyone reported the calls clear and crisp.

For fun I went up on VWBBie (Verizon Wireless Broad Band) and it worked to. I could have opened my own phone booth.

(Maybe I should have called the ER doc on the phone and asked for them to shake a leg! I could have called the aide. That’d have been a hoot!)

Any way something to keep in mind if you’re stuck for a phone.

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JOBSEARCH: METHODOLOGY kick off

Friday, June 8, 2007

METHODOLOGY kick off
STRATEGY ***
TACTICS ***
TECHNOLOGY ***
=======================

Dear fellow turkey,

OK campers, campadres, and fellow turkeys,

I shot my mouth off and said things like … “we” need more focus on the methodology of job search, the strategy in a search, the tactics to use in a search, and the technology of the tools of job search.

And this is what you get for being a big mouth.

I’m going to try to “help” you understand what I am babblling about.

Lest you think that I am just your average horse’s petute, I have been through “transition” many times. Yup many! Two voluntarily, one semi-voluntary, and two involuntarily. Others can’t even remember or categorize!

I’ll try to help you understand what I have learned. And, some of the “beliefs” that I hold.

The is all offered with the spirit of a fellow seeker. While I am “in” right now, I could be “out” in a wink. See I am one of those strange oddballs who think that “transition” can be a source of earnings.

If you are organized and prepared, then think of it as being paid not to work!

I will explain in future messages.

Please feel free to tell me I’m nuts. You won’t be the first and you won’t be the last. I promise to not be insulted. ;-)

AS ALWAYS, take everything offered with a large grain of NaCl. Your mileage can, and will vary!

And, as Frau Reinke reminds me often:

— when “OUT”, “if you’re so smart, then why are you UNEMPLOYED”!

— when “IN”, “if you’re so smart, then why aren’t you RICH”!

;-)

FWIW, all free advice is just that,
Fjohn
yet another fellow turkey
just bigger and dumber

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Posted by reinkefj

PRODUCTIVITY: Adding Value

Friday, June 8, 2007

A New Angle on Adding Value
By Dominic Dodd and Ken Favaro

Most companies fail to add value to their business units. Typically, they end up choosing between improving performance vertically, by giving their business units greater autonomy, or doing so horizontally, by increasing centralization. To achieve greater performance, managers should focus on strengthening their company’s diagonal value.

http://changethis.com/35.01.NewAngle
http://changethis.com/pdf/35.01.NewAngle.pdf

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Posted by reinkefj

GUNS: THEORY OF GUN CONTROL MEETS REALITY OF CRIME

Friday, June 8, 2007

http://www.nraila.org/Legislation/Federal/Read.aspx?id=3047

 

THEORY OF GUN CONTROL MEETS REALITY OF CRIME

*** begin quote ***

A May 15 story in The Plain Dealer (Cleveland, Ohio) serves as a good reminder of how a person’s support for gun control often changes after a personal experience with crime. State Representative Michael DeBose (D-12) of Cleveland was an opponent of Right-to-Carry, having voted against the measure twice. All that changed on the night of May 1, when he was confronted by two men, one of whom was wielding a gun. On that night, Rep. DeBose’s sense of security in his neighborhood changed, as did his view on lawful citizens being able to defend themselves.

*** end quote ***

Now it’s like the old jokes we hear. “I’m assertive; she’s pushy.”

“I can defend myself; you are a victim”.

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RANT: Socialist agendas have considerable appeal, but they produce disaster

Friday, June 8, 2007

http://www.townhall.com/columnists/WalterEWilliams/
2007/06/06/compassion_versus_reality

http://tinyurl.com/2z56ro

Compassion Versus Reality
By Walter E. Williams
Wednesday, June 6, 2007

*** begin quote ***

He pointed out that liberals succeed in duping the public because they are so clever with words that they give the appearance of compassion. Liberals talk about the need for “affordable” housing and health care. They tarnish their enemies with terms such as “price-gouging” and “corporate greed.” Uninformed and unthinking Americans fall easy prey to this demagoguery.

Politicians exploit public demands that government ought to do something about this or that problem by taking measures giving them greater control over our lives. For the most part, whatever politicians do, whether it’s rent controls to produce “affordable” housing, or price controls to eliminate “price-gouging,” the result is a calamity worse than the original problem. For example, two of the most costly housing markets are the rent-controlled cities of San Francisco and New York. If you’re over 40, you’ll remember the chaos produced by the gasoline price controls of the 1970s. Socialist agendas have considerable appeal, but they produce disaster, and the more socialist they are, the greater the disaster.

*** end quote ***

Williams is sure on his game this week.

I’m over 40, and wow do I remember the gas lines. I was working and driving from Bayonne to Piscataway every day. My car had even plates and my brother in law had odd. Everyday we switch cars and Frau Reinke would go wait in a gas line. Argh! Remember. I remember the compete and utter chaos.

Give me the free market anytime!

No greedy corporation could inflict such pain. Only the gooferment could!

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PRODUCTIVITY: There are absolutes

Friday, June 8, 2007

FROM AN MLPF EMAIL EXCHANGE

***Begin Quote***

>What I thought was right yesterday might be wrong today. What I
>thought is wrong today would be right tomorrow. There is no
>(constant) right or wrong answer. It is all about feeling.

When I was in school, too long ago, the good sisters and brothers, beat into me, literally, that emotions, feelings, and opinions just get one into trouble. There are facts, which are usually rarely in dispute (i.e., that bomb killed those people). There are principles, which also are rarely in dispute (i.e., thou shalt not kill). And there are conclusions (i.e., that bombing was immoral).

I would gently disagree that what was “right” yesterday would be “wrong” today. We may find that our facts were in error. And, we should correct the results as best we can the results of our error ensuring that we don’t make that mistake again.

Unfortunately, like with the death penalty, it’s hard to “fix” that genre of deadly mistake.

As an injineer, I would NEVER tell a Philosopher they were “wrong”. Or, yell “barbara streisand”! I would say that we had differences in the input data, principles used, and results computed.

:-)
fjohn
the big fat old turkey hisself

***End Quote***

Unless one is mentally ill, one doesn’t deliberately make “mistakes”. Maybe it is my Catholic School upbringing, but I, like Plato, think there are absolutes. The most telling argument, I ever heard about, was from some writer, who described, a session, where he asked adversaries, to sit quietly with their eyes closed and “listen to their soul” tell them what is right and wrong.

Anyone remember that book?

So, “be still” and know.

There are absolutes.

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PRODUCTIVITY: When asking for help, be specific

Thursday, June 7, 2007

FROM A POST ON MLPF

***Begin Quote***

>Seeking Strong Webinar Presenter for “Linkedin For Beginners”
>The webinar should be on the order of 10-45 minutes in length
>If interested, please contact me ASAP.

Vincent:

Ahh, as with most “opportunities”, this interesting gem piqued my interest. I’ve never “done” a webinar. Don’t know the first thing about them, so that would make it a perfect opportunity to learn. (How’s that for the supreme egotistical over-confidence. You want qualifications? We don’t need no stinking qualifications!) If I can challenge a fellow turkey and he starts learning Japanese. I can be challenged too. At least webinar is spelled in English.

You didn’t give the key piece of info. Like most people who want help, job interviews, or other given “opportunities” to jump in quicksand, I find you never get the real scoop until you’re in up to your neck, or if you happen to ask before jumping (i.e., Is that quicksand deep?).

So, when is this “due”?

If you say December 2007, I’ll take a swing at it. If you say June 30th, I’ll politely decline. In between is negotiable, say with three “get out of moderation” cards. Or, coffee with Des Walsh. Or, round trip first class airfare to Chicago to visit my adoring Turkeys. Or, just the right to brag “I bailed VW out of jail”.

Quid pro quo!

So when does this “gem” have to shine?

fjohn
the big fat old turkey hisself
who learned in the USAF NEVER volunteer or admit you went to college

***End Quote***

He didn’t need my help. Thankfully. I still have “learning about webinars” on my 2do list.

The productivity tip is that when you do ask for help, be specific.

I think you need to let the person know what is the deadline, budget, entrance / exit criteria (how does it start, and how will someone know it’s done). And, of course, the WIIFM. All up front. Pack it in to the request. Leave people with only one decision “y/n”. Don’t make them ask for more information. The natural reaction would be to skip it or do a Nancy Regan (i.e., just say no).

You know put the WIIFM (What’s in it for me?) first; the thing that makes them spring into “Action, Jackson”. It might get you to “yessir” much quicker!

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INTERESTING: No LEGISLATION without representation

Thursday, June 7, 2007

http://www.downsizedc.org/read_the_laws.shtml

Help us pass the “Read the Bills Act” (RTBA)

***Begin Quote***

There’s a basic principle at stake here. America was founded on the slogan, “No taxation without representation.” A similar slogan applies to this situation:

“No LEGISLATION without representation.”

We hold this truth to be self-evident, that those in Congress who vote on legislation they have not read, have not represented their constituents. They have misrepresented them.

And since Congress has repeatedly committed “legislation without representation,” strong measures to prohibit these Congressional misrepresentations are both justified and required.

To this end we have created the “Read the Bills Act (RTBA).” RTBA requires that . . .

* Each bill, and every amendment, must be read in its entirety before a quorum in both the House and Senate.

* Every member of the House and Senate must sign a sworn affidavit, under penalty of perjury, that he or she has attentively either personally read, or heard read, the complete bill to be voted on.

* Every old law coming up for renewal under the sunset provisions must also be read according to the same rules that apply to new bills.

* Every bill to be voted on must be published on the Internet at least 7 days before a vote, and Congress must give public notice of the date when a vote will be held on that bill.

* Passage of a bill that does not abide by these provisions will render the measure null and void, and establish grounds for the law to be challenged in court.

* Congress cannot waive these requirements.

***End Quote***

Hey, if we have to “obey” them, then they should have to read them.

If they read them, maybe, just maybe, they’d realize how stupid some of these are?

In the immigration bill, where does an immigrant get 5k$?

H.R. 634 requires the Secretary of the Treasury to mint coins in commemoration of veterans who became disabled for life while serving in the Armed Forces of the United States. Why?

H.R. 1495 Water Resources Development Act provides for the conservation and development of water and related resources, to authorize the Secretary of the Army to construct various projects for improvements to rivers and harbors of the United States. Isn’t the Army for killing people and breaking things?

Make them read this trash!

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LIBERTY: Social order … through … regulatory systems. Not!

Thursday, June 7, 2007

http://www.lewrockwell.com/shaffer/shaffer157.html

Whither the Remnant?
by Butler Shaffer

***Begin Quote***

Our modern world is grounded in the illusion that social order can only be maintained through institutionally-structured, vertically-imposed regulatory systems. But the pyramidal hierarchies to which we have been trained to look for such management are in a state of decline. The vertical is collapsing into the horizontal, and the political establishment is fighting for its very existence by intensifying the use of the methodology that defines its nature: the use of violence.

***End Quote***

I think this is a very astute observation.

Command and control always loses to peer to peer. The internet is a great model for the future of America. It’s why the USA “Third Generation Army” is getting its collective butt kicked by a “Fifth Generation” militia in Iraq. (Actually, it’s gobs of little militias in Iraq. They don’t have a unified leadership, just unity of purpose, which is their strength.) If we, the foreign invader weren’t there, they could go back to fighting with each other.

America was a grand experiment in Liberty until derailed by Lincoln with the Civil War. Our way out of the current muck is to recognize that Big Government causes Big Problems. Everyone wants something for nothing and the politicians are willing to pander to get power.

The Dead Old White Guys were really on to something when they wanted an army to exist for only two years. (Check your Constitution!) Armies begged to be used. We need to get back to Original Intent.

The Communists tried and failed. The Socialists, here and abroad, are form the same ilk. So we have to: end the dole, go back to honest money, stop gooferment education, and pull all our troops home. Be more like Switzerland and less like the Roman Empire.

Take the plastic bag off the Statue of Liberty. It’s the immigrants that made this country great. Besides (border) walls are what characterizes a prison; not a free country.

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GUNS: To prevent confiscating firearms

Thursday, June 7, 2007

http://www.nraila.org/Legislation/Read.aspx?id=3061

Nevada Governor Jim Gibbons Signs NRA-Backed “Emergency Powers Protection Act”

***Begin Quote***

This week, Nevada Governor Jim Gibbons (R) signed into law NRA-backed Assembly Bill 95 (AB95)–the “Emergency Powers Firearms Protection Act.” This new law will prevent a governmental entity or law enforcement agency from confiscating firearms from law-abiding citizens during a declared state of emergency.

***End Quote***

Laws prevent nothing. They mere indicate what the legislators hope will happen. Only law abiding people obey laws.

Wonder if the BATF is reading Nevada laws?

Silly state, the USA doesn’t have to obey your laws. Look at the medical Marijuana stores in California. States’ Rights … what rights. We’ll give you your rites. Last rites!

A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.

What part of “… shall not be infringed.” does the gooferment NOT understand?

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