Today I had a brief telephone interview with a company that makes software. I think it went well. It turns out that the shit I learned on how to conduct an interview is also helpful while being interviewed. Go figure. I have not much to say about the interview except I was asked about experience I have training people, which I do a lot (how well is, of course, another question).
Actually getting any sort of interview is relieving. It makes me feel like I may eventually be able to leave this place. I’m afraid this place is becoming a baby seal clubbing machine and, yes, I am turning into a baby seal.
It’s chili time! As a reward for making it through half of today (really more than half as I need to leave by 4 to get my hair cut) I am going to write a post. I was looking into some AJAX stuff this morning and I found a link to some widgets you can put on you google personal page: http://www.google.com/ig/directory. Pretty neat though I hope that google is still working to improve the google personal experience because if they don’t people will probably switch to/start using Microsoft’s live. The user interface is a little nicer than google’s and it just seems easier to use. For another example of Microsoft’s originality check out their search. It also looks quite similar to google’s.
Things of note:
- Finish Part II of Combray so I should do a write up soon. It didn’t captivate me like the last section, but I think I am starting to understand why the series is call, ‘In search of lost time’.
- Started reading The 13½ Lives of Captain Bluebear. It is interesting… I’ll let you know more later.
- Playing hockey tonight (woo!)
- Watched West Side Story last night. As Heidi pointed out, it is sad that the same themes are prevalent in the best picture of 1961 and 2006. Some things will never change it seems.
I am currently typing this up in text editor because (beware of horror) eponym is doing maintenance! The horror.
Right, so the dailykos has an interview with one of the expert witnesses from the trail in Dover, PA. She also wrote a book attacking the religious right and its attack on secular culture and science specifically. I recommend reading through it.
ID creationists are culture warriors of the Religious Right, and the
Religious Right isn’t going away. They will be a problem until enough
Americans realize the danger in their agenda and refuse to support
politicians who are helping them carry it out.
On a similar note, here is an article entitled, “In My Opinion: Quoting Bible to attack gays is hypocritical”.
Bolivian Pres says to Rice, “Here pose with this ‘illegal’ guitar.” I find this amusing.
Hockey is cool. Just ask Lil’ Jon.
It is possible to survive on only coffee and donuts for at least 8 hours. 
Right. So I’m going to try and be brief with this one. The day was divided into three different topics: multigenerational differences, what makes a good team, and how to be crazy create work culture.
The multigenerational stuff was amusing, mostly because it seemed like it was espousing stereotypes. Apparently, there are values and experiences shared by everyone in each generation (!). This is what I got out of it:
Matures (WWII generation): Are stubborn and expect respect for their experience.
Boomers: Workaholic, ambitious and optimistic. They think they can change the world.
Generation X: Pessimistic. Expect to have several jobs because employers only look at the bottom dollar. Work funds my other job… not working.
Generation Y: Short attention span. Want other people to tell them what to do. No desire to work and will never leave home if you let them. Do minimum to get by.
This is the closest I could come to a good link about this stuff. How to handle and work with people from different generations was not covered. Just, “keep this information in mind and know you will make mistakes”. In case you are wondering I am of Generation Y with almost all the characteristics of a Generation Xer.
How to make an effective team. First, know the stages a team can be in (
Forming, Storming, Norming, Performing). Second, learn how to access a team and determine what stage it is in (what lots of clips from sports movies). Third, know how to balance directing and supporting to move the team to the next stage. Basically this picture sums it up.
For some reason it goes right to left. That scares me for some reason.
The words “Team” and “Group” also scare me, at least when they are related to work. Probably because this is what I deal with daily.
Creating a work culture. Have you seen ‘
Office Space‘? Think flare! If you buy into it you are sure going to be happy but if you don’t flee, flee, flee. I did not like this section. I think it is crap. You can have a positive working environment without expecting everyone to act like they are on Prozac.
Anyone what to go in with me to purchase a 30 rack? It seems that Texas may, just may, still eat balls.
Maletas can probably correct me if I am wrong but I believe that if you check ‘Post anonymously’ in the comment section you do not have to login (just do people validator).
I will hopefully post something about the supervising thing tonight but for now Fish!.
Heidi and I watched Crash last night. I’d review it but it’s only 113 minutes long… you probably spend that much time everyday reading that Internet at work.
No! I refused to believe that humanity is still evolving. God is not wrong! He would never make something that changes to fit its environment. Look here… this is how it happened. Wait, Jesus came back in 2000. Crap, I missed it.
[Update]
What does this have to do with Homeland Security?! Maybe there are protecting us from the moral corruption prevalent in the GOP our country. In case you are wondering the official White House press release is here.
Alright, I told myself I wasn’t going to post again today but I had to point this out. I hope that at least Al will appreciate it.
As I have stuff to get done (God do I hate coming here). First off it looks like I dodged a bullet: College Students’ Financial Burden Is About to Get Worse. I would like to take the time to thank my parents for limiting my college debt. Hopefully, you will be able to retire.
I found a book that I think might be interesting… If I read it I’ll let you know.
A link with some interesting information on the cost of power.
Tomorrow I have another supervising class, so expect another post tomorrow night or Wednesday morning.
A couple of things. First off:: Good Golly, Miss Molly! Is it really the end of the world? Apparently it is. I personally find it hard to believe that people are worried about this when we have a president who has total disregard for the law and who is slowly striping away our personal freedoms. If anything RFID would used as tools to improve the illegal domestic spy program… Like the T-Shirts say, ‘Guns don’t kill people, I kill people.’
Secondly, I am glad I do not have a giant toothbrush or this might be me!
Thirdly, while I do not believe in most of the tripe on this site (just because it is written down does not mean you should believe it, especially if someone says it was written by an omnipotent being with split a personality) this commentary is quite informative (not being sarcastic). I’ve long had a thing against televangelists once I figured out they are scam artists, but apparently they also make people complacent in their faith (is that good or bad?). Sort of like modern day indulgences. Instead of paying so crazy TV personality for salvation or whatnot just print out the following and your are good to go.
The text reads: “By the authority of all the saints, and in mercy towards you, I absolve you from all sins and misdeeds and remit all punishments for ten days.” Shamelessly pilfered from Wikipedia.
Fourthly, Steve might find this amusing.
This turned out to be longer than I thought… damn you Internet! Also, I think that the language of religion makes me cringe more than religion itself. I think I dislike it because people believe in anything spoken using that language (Bush & Bin Laden are good examples). The language pretty much allows people to accept or reject things without actually thinking about them.
Fifthly, a little something extra on the use of language.
