[rescue] Do you remember when? Security software.....

Tue Aug 12 22:30:46 CDT 2003

On Tue, Aug 12, 2003 at 05:22:57PM -0700, Skeezics Boondoggle wrote:

> > I do my resume in LaTeX, and use a Makefile to build it. Years ago I
> > modified it so that "make -DFUNNY" would create a humorous version, and
> > I sent it to friends. You know, with an OBJECTIVE section that reads: I
> > want to chase women and drink beer for money.
> 
> Good work if you can get it! :-)

The system admin at my alma mater did that for awhile.  He basically sat
in the Carribean on his own small island, with his yacht parked beside
it.  For 8-10 hours a day he ran the boat as a charter for tourists,
and the rest of the day he chased women, finishing the evening's not
otherwise occupied sipping umbrella drinks on his private beach.

My first question: "...and so you came to Virginia to be a university
UNIX admin because..."

He said, "Really, it got old after awhile."

> Damn, there's a spare Type5 around here somewhere... :-)

Somewhere around here is an unloved Type 6...

> [...]
> > I have been hired twice with nothing but a phone interview, and 've
> > I never worn a tie to an interview, and I even fold my arms!
> 
> Exactly.  In fact, when I'm interviewing people for technical positions, 
> I'm usually highly skeptical when they _do_ wear a suit...

Same here.  

My boss once showed me a guy who, in spring 1999, had 4 years experience
with Oracle 8.  I had to explain to him why that was "probably" a lie.

Several people came in wearing suits with certs worn like badges of
honor.  I told two of them one day, "Come with me."  They followed me
like little sheep as I led them back to the front door of our office and
said goodbye.  I played innocent like I thought I was supposed to.

It felt... so evil... so good...

But damnnation, my boss ran out and got them.  You just can't save some
people from themselves.

After *he* kicked them out the door, he came to me and said, "How did
you know?"

> That's nuts.  Like you'd accept the job without even seeing the place?

For $45/hour in an area where the average is about $14, yeah, I took it
sight unseen.

I could have left if I didn't like it, and in one case I did end up
leaving.  I told them that the job was not at all what they said, and
that several points they gave me in WRITING didn't match reality.

They begged me to stay, but I couldn't stand it.

It really ticks me off when I drove for hours to an interview, only to
find out it isn't anything I can manage.

I drove 3 hours once to an interview, and it was for a Windows Help-file
position.  I made it clear to them I was a UNIX programmer/admin, and
they said that's what the position was.

> outsource/downsize/ship-all-the-real-jobs-offshore-so-they-can-jack-up-
> their-outrageous-and-unjustifiable-salaries-and-reduce-this-country-to-a-
> third-world-nation... uh, sorry, went off a little there...

Yeah, I hear you screaming.  I think its treason myself.  I understand
the economics involved, but hey, that's the price of doing business.
If you want to sell here, then hire here.

The thing is, the world cannot keep producing overseas and selling in
the US.  It can't happen indefinitely.  The world has been subsidized
on the US economy for decades, even when we had a strong economy.

Haven't they considered that if the US economy collapses, their biggest
market (their only market in many cases) is gone?

What IT services is India going to support when US companies can no
longer function?  Their people sure as hell can't afford anything.

China, with 200 million unemployed and not enough salary to buy 98% of
the products they manufacture and sell in the US... who will buy that
stuff when we can't?

I think it is going to bite them all in the long run.

I believe in a world economy, but to a large extent each nation needs to
be able to employ its people and support the locals as much as possible.

> keep you on file for 90 days," etc.  Then those stopped coming, because
> y'know, a couple of postage stamps and some form letters to maintain even
> basic civility and courtesy isn't "cost effective."  (Paying the corrupt
> and/or incompetent CEO 7 or 8 figures is, somehow?)

I have seen the same thing.  You can't tell me they don't have the time,
because they always used to do it before.

And amen to the executive salary thing.  I'm sick of CEOs with
multi-million dollar salaries and golden parachutes talking about
how they can't compete without going offshore.

I'm to the point where I want to see some hangings...

> (Anyway, she's out looking again.  InFuckus shipped another n% of their
> business offshore.)

I have heard a rumor that Motorola is going to drop 42500 jobs soon,
with much work going overseas.  Even a lot of CPU design is expected
to go ovesears.

> What a silly world.  Time to go drink and hit drums.

I can't afford to do that any more.

It's funny... a few months back I went to some old hangouts, and
couldn't help but notice how empty they were. 

-- 
UNIX/Perl/C/Pizza____________________s h a n n o n at wido !SPAM maker.com