I've gone back to using a UNIX tool to read e-mail, the Mutt e-mail program. Mutt has been fun to learn so far, and I'm enjoying its sparseness.
I was using Microsoft Outlook 97, but for a number of reasons, it's just too bulky. While I was learning a lot cool features, I wasn't using it nearly to its potential. Plus, I was getting scared of viruses, and becoming annoyed that my e-mail was downloaded to my home machine, and not on my ISP, which I can access from work.
Thursday, February 21, 2002
Tuesday, February 19, 2002
Tweet
A few weeks ago, in some freshly done laundry, I found sock that was missing its pair. Nothing unusual: a dark blue sock. I kept it on the top of my sock drawer.
Today, when I put on my dark blue shirt, I felt something in the sleeve: the missing sock! I love little miracles like this. I think I'll wear this pair of socks tomorrow.
Today, when I put on my dark blue shirt, I felt something in the sleeve: the missing sock! I love little miracles like this. I think I'll wear this pair of socks tomorrow.
Monday, February 18, 2002
Layoffs
The article on job loss I last posted a few days ago was obtained from SlashDot, the famous collaborative BLOG for techies. A wide-ranging discussion ensued about the article, basically veering between two extreme thoughts: "it's terrible that good people are out of work" and "it's good that bad people (i.e. incompetent) are not in the work force".
Layoffs do not "slash incompetents from the payroll" nor does it "resurrect a company's competitiveness". Layoffs are a 'tool' used by management to minimize cost in the face of reduced earnings. It's the cruelest tool that a company can use, because the resources being reduced are people.
As such, good workers and bad workers stay and leave during tough times. I'm one of those 'good workers' who happened to volunteer to be laid off. But as a former manager, I've also looked at a list of employees, and announced to a cabal of managers who I thought was 'worth keeping', and who was not.
Good and bad workers do co-exist, even in these recessionary times. However, before the onslaught of layoffs, both of these workers were safe in their jobs. Maybe bad workers were not as productive as good workers, but they provided some contribution, some value, even if it was only to perform some specialized task. Before the popularity of layoffs, there were places in most companies for people like this. Just as there are always places in most companies for the tireless over-achiever.
The bigger a company gets, the more work it has to do, and the more workers it needs. Clearly, not everyone in the world is an over-achiever. Managers have to hire some 'middle-of-the-road' talent to get the work done. These people punch their clock, doing just what is expected, no more, no less. There's a quiet honor about that. Their style balances a company out. In my experience, these people often take on the grunt work; they implement the procedures, and take instruction well. Bad workers? Not necessarily. Incompetent? To whom?
I don't doubt that the recession has startled people into a heightened sense of motivation. And clearly job losses throughout the industry have forced people to take on more work. Are the people who remain going to be thought of as incompetent when they can't be as productive as they used to be, because they are doing more? And just how often does a company have to contract before those who remain fall below the 'worth keeping' line?
I'm pining for a time that probably doesn't exist anymore, but that everyone wishes would return: the time of the safe job. A time when workers were given an opportunity to add value. A time when workers were united by common company goals, and not fear of being slashed.
Layoffs do not "slash incompetents from the payroll" nor does it "resurrect a company's competitiveness". Layoffs are a 'tool' used by management to minimize cost in the face of reduced earnings. It's the cruelest tool that a company can use, because the resources being reduced are people.
As such, good workers and bad workers stay and leave during tough times. I'm one of those 'good workers' who happened to volunteer to be laid off. But as a former manager, I've also looked at a list of employees, and announced to a cabal of managers who I thought was 'worth keeping', and who was not.
Good and bad workers do co-exist, even in these recessionary times. However, before the onslaught of layoffs, both of these workers were safe in their jobs. Maybe bad workers were not as productive as good workers, but they provided some contribution, some value, even if it was only to perform some specialized task. Before the popularity of layoffs, there were places in most companies for people like this. Just as there are always places in most companies for the tireless over-achiever.
The bigger a company gets, the more work it has to do, and the more workers it needs. Clearly, not everyone in the world is an over-achiever. Managers have to hire some 'middle-of-the-road' talent to get the work done. These people punch their clock, doing just what is expected, no more, no less. There's a quiet honor about that. Their style balances a company out. In my experience, these people often take on the grunt work; they implement the procedures, and take instruction well. Bad workers? Not necessarily. Incompetent? To whom?
I don't doubt that the recession has startled people into a heightened sense of motivation. And clearly job losses throughout the industry have forced people to take on more work. Are the people who remain going to be thought of as incompetent when they can't be as productive as they used to be, because they are doing more? And just how often does a company have to contract before those who remain fall below the 'worth keeping' line?
I'm pining for a time that probably doesn't exist anymore, but that everyone wishes would return: the time of the safe job. A time when workers were given an opportunity to add value. A time when workers were united by common company goals, and not fear of being slashed.
Sunday, February 17, 2002
Collecting Bodies
I read an incredibly gruesome story in today's New York Times. Seems that a crematory in Noble, Georgia wasn't actually cremating bodies. Instead, it was simply collecting and piling up the bodies next to the buiding, and potentially the adjoining lake. Dead people were strewn around in the most casual manner, in work sheds, often piled one on top of the other. Authorities say there could be as many as 200 bodies.
Georgia's medical examiner, a person who's been around dead people, has said "I wish we had a good explanation for this, but we don't." The crematory worked primarily with funeral homes, so end-customers didn't deal with this facility.
Apparently, the owners of the crematory couldn't/didn't fix their incinerator. It makes you scratch your head, that's for sure. I know there's dark humor at work in this situation, and Stephen King must be absorbing this news with great interest. It's the most stunning news item I've read in quite some time.
Georgia's medical examiner, a person who's been around dead people, has said "I wish we had a good explanation for this, but we don't." The crematory worked primarily with funeral homes, so end-customers didn't deal with this facility.
Apparently, the owners of the crematory couldn't/didn't fix their incinerator. It makes you scratch your head, that's for sure. I know there's dark humor at work in this situation, and Stephen King must be absorbing this news with great interest. It's the most stunning news item I've read in quite some time.
Tuesday, February 12, 2002
Monday, February 11, 2002
The Unemployed
I continue to count myself among the fortunately employed, especially after articles like this one, reporting on former high-powered, high-tech employees working in the Post Office, or at a coffee shop. I know of at least four people who haven't been employed for practically months. It's discouraging.
I've been trying to help where I can, posting my company's open job reqs to alumni e-mail lists. But so far, no bites from my company on the many good people that I know. For those folks still looking to get hired back into high-tech, I suppose it's just a matter of hunkering down. But it's an overall discouraging feeling.
I've been trying to help where I can, posting my company's open job reqs to alumni e-mail lists. But so far, no bites from my company on the many good people that I know. For those folks still looking to get hired back into high-tech, I suppose it's just a matter of hunkering down. But it's an overall discouraging feeling.
Sunday, February 10, 2002
I'm Not Tiger
My e-mail receives its share of SPAM. I suppose it's no more than the average e-mail user. However, because I created and update the sparse Unofficial Tiger Woods Home Page, I get my share of strange requests.
First, I am not Tiger Woods. If I were, would I even have time to write an FAQ on Tiger? As it is, I barely have enough time to update the FAQ. Still, it's amusing receiving e-mail from people who think they are corresponding with Tiger Woods. I can't imagine the mail the real Tiger gets, but I think I add to it because I often redirect these people to Tiger's agent, the International Management Group (in Ohio).
Second, I'm not Tiger's agent. Nor can I fulfill any requests for Tiger's autograph, time, books, or videos. Again, a canned e-mail reply sends them to Tiger's agent. I did save the old correspondence I had with someone who needed autographed Tiger Woods photos. I sent her to IMG. Two months later, she wrote thanking me for the accurate address.
Finally: I don't know everything about Tiger Woods. Just last month, someone asked me if Tiger could bench 300 pounds (I believe he could, based on what a few uncorroborated statements from a columnist at CNN/SI's Golfonline). I have been asked what kind of Nike shoes does he wear, what kind of golf balls does he use, what kind of irons, and does he have a girl friend. A lot of these questions can be answered by carefully reading articles about Tiger in the mainstream press (Sports Illustrated, New York Times) and golf publications (Tiger 'writes' for Golf Digest).
If this is a taste of a celebrity, then maybe I'll just remain anonymous for now.
First, I am not Tiger Woods. If I were, would I even have time to write an FAQ on Tiger? As it is, I barely have enough time to update the FAQ. Still, it's amusing receiving e-mail from people who think they are corresponding with Tiger Woods. I can't imagine the mail the real Tiger gets, but I think I add to it because I often redirect these people to Tiger's agent, the International Management Group (in Ohio).
Second, I'm not Tiger's agent. Nor can I fulfill any requests for Tiger's autograph, time, books, or videos. Again, a canned e-mail reply sends them to Tiger's agent. I did save the old correspondence I had with someone who needed autographed Tiger Woods photos. I sent her to IMG. Two months later, she wrote thanking me for the accurate address.
Finally: I don't know everything about Tiger Woods. Just last month, someone asked me if Tiger could bench 300 pounds (I believe he could, based on what a few uncorroborated statements from a columnist at CNN/SI's Golfonline). I have been asked what kind of Nike shoes does he wear, what kind of golf balls does he use, what kind of irons, and does he have a girl friend. A lot of these questions can be answered by carefully reading articles about Tiger in the mainstream press (Sports Illustrated, New York Times) and golf publications (Tiger 'writes' for Golf Digest).
If this is a taste of a celebrity, then maybe I'll just remain anonymous for now.
Thursday, February 7, 2002
Sports Topics
So many topics swirling in my head, and they all seem to have to do with sports: John Valentin, with Jersey City origins, is "sort of" reunited with Mo Vaughn when Valentin signed a minor-league contract with the Mets. The Sacramento Kings are the best team I've seen play against the Celtics. Joe Thornton should really be on Canada's Olympic ice hockey team. Tiger Woods is playing at Torrey Pines this week, home to the Buick Invitational. I scored my first birdie at Torrey Pines. I'll be rooting for Michelle Kwan to win a figure skating gold medal. Magic Johnson said he saw a tremendous goal by soccer great Zinedine Zidane (who plays for Real Madrid), and Magic is quoted as saying "He's just as good as me and Michael Jordan put together." I'm still looking for this goal myself.
Monday, February 4, 2002
Patriots Win Superbowl
I was originally going to write that trying to win a Super Bowl with defense has to be the hardest thing to do. It demands concentration, dedication, a commitment to the play, to the position, to the coverage. I felt that the Patriots were starting to lose the defensive edge, especially when the vaunted Rams tied up the score 17-17 with less than two minutes to play. I was going to write that you win by the sword, you die by the sword: all the Patriots had was defense. They needed offense.
And then Tom Brady strings together a bunch of passes starting from the Patriots' 17-yard line, driving forward to allow Adam Vinatieri to kick in the winning field goal. Pure hurry-up offense. And the result is a pure feeling: a home-town champion! Reset the clock, New England! We are the champions! We are the Super Bowl champs!
Oh what a feeling...!
And then Tom Brady strings together a bunch of passes starting from the Patriots' 17-yard line, driving forward to allow Adam Vinatieri to kick in the winning field goal. Pure hurry-up offense. And the result is a pure feeling: a home-town champion! Reset the clock, New England! We are the champions! We are the Super Bowl champs!
Oh what a feeling...!
Saturday, February 2, 2002
Friday, February 1, 2002
Nervous Sports Fever
Only a few more days until the Super Bowl. I'm nervous.
Since I moved to Boston in 1991, I have only celebrated a few national championships won by home teams (mostly in college ice hockey, Boston University being a perennial favorite). The Red Sox are a source of constant frustration. The Celtics are continually rebuilding (although I'm enjoying Paul Pierce/Antoine Walker/Kenny Anderson). The Bruins keep getting eliminated by stronger rivals in the playoffs. This leaves the Patriots. I already mentioned their last losing appearance in the Super Bowl (1996).
Who were my teams before Boston? In truth, I rooted for "no teams". As a kid growing up in Jersey City, New Jersey, I had plenty of opportunity to become a fan of the Yankees, Mets, Jets, Giants, Nets, Knicks, Rangers, Devils or Islanders. But I was quite ignorant of pro sports growing up. I played sports with the kids around the block, but I didn't know players, or teams, or standings. At college, I started becoming more attuned to following sports. Maybe because I had more time. Maybe because my college friends came from such different places, I could see their passion when, say, the Minnesota Twins won the World Series. Maybe because I slowly lost the interest and/or the physical ability to play sports that I started to enjoy watching them.
After graduating, and moving to Boston, I decided that I would be a Boston sports fan. I learned teams. I learned players and coaches names. I learned standings. I learned some history. I have attended Celtics, Bruins, and Red Sox games (alas, no Patriots games). As the years have gone by, I slowly realized how tough the road is that I've chosen. I actually pegged the Bruins to be the team most likely to win a championship in my lifetime. My old childhood friends, fans of the Jets, the Yankees, the Mets have heaped the usual derision on me.
But here are the New England Patriots, giving me new life, new hope, new excitement, in the biggest of all sports championships. And I'm nervous.
Since I moved to Boston in 1991, I have only celebrated a few national championships won by home teams (mostly in college ice hockey, Boston University being a perennial favorite). The Red Sox are a source of constant frustration. The Celtics are continually rebuilding (although I'm enjoying Paul Pierce/Antoine Walker/Kenny Anderson). The Bruins keep getting eliminated by stronger rivals in the playoffs. This leaves the Patriots. I already mentioned their last losing appearance in the Super Bowl (1996).
Who were my teams before Boston? In truth, I rooted for "no teams". As a kid growing up in Jersey City, New Jersey, I had plenty of opportunity to become a fan of the Yankees, Mets, Jets, Giants, Nets, Knicks, Rangers, Devils or Islanders. But I was quite ignorant of pro sports growing up. I played sports with the kids around the block, but I didn't know players, or teams, or standings. At college, I started becoming more attuned to following sports. Maybe because I had more time. Maybe because my college friends came from such different places, I could see their passion when, say, the Minnesota Twins won the World Series. Maybe because I slowly lost the interest and/or the physical ability to play sports that I started to enjoy watching them.
After graduating, and moving to Boston, I decided that I would be a Boston sports fan. I learned teams. I learned players and coaches names. I learned standings. I learned some history. I have attended Celtics, Bruins, and Red Sox games (alas, no Patriots games). As the years have gone by, I slowly realized how tough the road is that I've chosen. I actually pegged the Bruins to be the team most likely to win a championship in my lifetime. My old childhood friends, fans of the Jets, the Yankees, the Mets have heaped the usual derision on me.
But here are the New England Patriots, giving me new life, new hope, new excitement, in the biggest of all sports championships. And I'm nervous.
Thursday, January 31, 2002
Blogger
The Guardian Unlimited has written a terrific article about Blogger, the system I use to publish this BLOG you're reading. Whenever I make an entry, I'm obliged to visit Blogger's home page, and I always enjoy reading Evan's notes to us Bloggers.
It's astonishing to me that he is the only person running this show, and I think I'll support him by signing up for his fee-based service. Rock on, Evan!
It's astonishing to me that he is the only person running this show, and I think I'll support him by signing up for his fee-based service. Rock on, Evan!
Monday, January 28, 2002
Tweet
I hope it was clear in my last post: I'm will be rooting for the New England Patriots in this weekend's Super Bowl.
Sunday, January 27, 2002
Patriots to the Superbowl
Big sports day: The New England Patriots have won the AFC Championship, and are on their way to the Super Bowl XXXVI against the St. Louis Rams.
Today's game was extremely gratifying. The Pittsburgh Steelers were nine-point favorites against the Patriots. But destiny would not be denied. Some terrific special teams play, a special appearance by Drew Bledsoe (who missed most of the season with an injury then the coach's decision to use Tom Brady as quarterback), and key interceptions down the stretch made this game very memorable.
Jenn and I are going into Superbowl weekend fearful: The last time New England made it to the Superbowl in New Orleans, we lost to Brett Favre and the Green Bay Packers. Jenn made jambalaya for dinner. This weekend, she's planning sausage and peppers. Good move.
Today's game was extremely gratifying. The Pittsburgh Steelers were nine-point favorites against the Patriots. But destiny would not be denied. Some terrific special teams play, a special appearance by Drew Bledsoe (who missed most of the season with an injury then the coach's decision to use Tom Brady as quarterback), and key interceptions down the stretch made this game very memorable.
Jenn and I are going into Superbowl weekend fearful: The last time New England made it to the Superbowl in New Orleans, we lost to Brett Favre and the Green Bay Packers. Jenn made jambalaya for dinner. This weekend, she's planning sausage and peppers. Good move.
Saturday, January 26, 2002
Debt of Honor
I just finished my first book of the year 2002, and it was Debt of Honor, by Tom Clancy. I bought this book used from an Amazon Marketplace vendor last June for ninety-seven cents. Yes, less than a dollar. I paid $3.50 in shipping, and it took almost three weeks to get to me. I didn't mind.
When I was growing up in Jersey City, one of the great things I used to do was visit the Barnes & Noble Annex on Fifth Avenue. In that used book store, I'd buy several books, each between a dollar and two dollars. I'll probably dip into the Amazon Marketplace again, or half.com to buy the next book in the Jack Ryan series.
Tom Clancy published Debt of Honor in 1994, but the events ring awfully close to those of September 11. Needless to say, I found DoH (the abbreviation for Debt of Honor in alt.books.tom-clancy) compelling in the usual Clancy way. A fast paced page-turner is a good way to start the reading year.
When I was growing up in Jersey City, one of the great things I used to do was visit the Barnes & Noble Annex on Fifth Avenue. In that used book store, I'd buy several books, each between a dollar and two dollars. I'll probably dip into the Amazon Marketplace again, or half.com to buy the next book in the Jack Ryan series.
Tom Clancy published Debt of Honor in 1994, but the events ring awfully close to those of September 11. Needless to say, I found DoH (the abbreviation for Debt of Honor in alt.books.tom-clancy) compelling in the usual Clancy way. A fast paced page-turner is a good way to start the reading year.
Friday, January 25, 2002
New CPU Fan
I installed a new CPU fan on my old PC. It was hard going. The clips that attached to the CPU had to be bent into its position with greater force than I expected. I got it installed, eventually. I'm going to compose a web page on this exercise, as I took plenty of pictures (again).
Monday, January 21, 2002
Friday, January 18, 2002
Peter Andrews
In a lengthy article on Cinematographer.com, it's revealed that Steven Soderbergh was not only the director of Traffic, but its director of photography as well (under the pseudonym Peter Andrews).
The article explains that this is a rarity in modern feature films, and I admire Mr. Soderbergh for it. He turned 39 last Monday, January 14. During the director's commentary on Out of Sight, he explained that he operated the film camera during certain scenes, and you could tell in his voice the enjoyment he derived from it.
Do we enjoy what we're doing? Are we doing what we enjoy doing? I like reading and knowing about people who do.
The article explains that this is a rarity in modern feature films, and I admire Mr. Soderbergh for it. He turned 39 last Monday, January 14. During the director's commentary on Out of Sight, he explained that he operated the film camera during certain scenes, and you could tell in his voice the enjoyment he derived from it.
Do we enjoy what we're doing? Are we doing what we enjoy doing? I like reading and knowing about people who do.
Monday, January 14, 2002
Glengarry Glen Ross
Did you like the movie Glengarry Glen Ross? I loved it. Al Pacino. Ed Harris. Kevin Spacey. Jack Lemmon. Not to mention Alan Arkin, Alec Baldwin ("third prize is you're fired"), and Richard Pryce.
So while reading alt.fan.howard-stern (lately I've stopped listening to Stern, but reading the newsgroup gives me the buzz), I chanced upon a reader who mentioned the Unofficial Glengarry Glen Ross Website. Audioclips. Act summaries (the movie was originally a play by David Mamet; he would end up writing the screenplay). Press kit. Wonderful stuff.
Sometimes you find stuff you've always been looking for when you're not looking for it.
So while reading alt.fan.howard-stern (lately I've stopped listening to Stern, but reading the newsgroup gives me the buzz), I chanced upon a reader who mentioned the Unofficial Glengarry Glen Ross Website. Audioclips. Act summaries (the movie was originally a play by David Mamet; he would end up writing the screenplay). Press kit. Wonderful stuff.
Sometimes you find stuff you've always been looking for when you're not looking for it.
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