73F and wet. More rain and even a TS or possible hurricane in our immediate future!
So it’s Columbus Day. Schools and many businesses are closed. I’ve got the kids at home, but my wife has to work.
All y’all white racists are celebrating the destruction of native peoples by a white man.
Or celebrating the destruction of a society of savages who sacrificed their enemies on an industrial scale and ruled over an empire of slaves, while bringing civilization to the continent.
I guess you probably can guess which side I’m on.
Maybe I’ll celebrate the diversity by dancing around naked, covered in the blood of my enemy’s still beating heart, which I’ll clutch aloft, while drinking chocolate and eating potatoes, before smoking a bowl of leaves, and then drying myself with a cotton cloth.
Or maybe I’ll use the internet to complain about all the horrible things that have happened to my ancestors since they were rescued from slavery, and living in huts, while I sit in my air-conditioned home, with my full belly, [mostly] safe from marauding savages.
Flip a coin, they’re both equally valid, doncha know.
n
About those open offices:
https://www.business2community.com/strategy/open-offices-is-it-the-end-of-an-era-02120423
Okay – what idiot thought they were a good idea in the first place?
RE: Columbus Day.
Yesterday my youngest daughter told me that Columbus didn’t discover America. Natives had lived here for thousands of years. I pointed out that Columbus discovered it for Europe, and without said discovery, we wouldn’t be here. She has to think that over. She’s seven, so I’ll make allowances.
For adults, I always have to ask: “Would you rather go live in a slum in Europe or your nice home here?” Funny looks. They seem to forget that genocide was a YEARLY occurrence in pre-European America. Yes, we were (and are) warlike. We also value peace a whole lot more than the folks we displaced. And with the American ideal of the melting pot, the noble savages are welcome to join us. They’re also welcome to sit on the res & waste away.
My daughter came home from school talking about the destruction of the native people by ‘europeans.’ The hated ‘europeans’. She was quite flummoxed when I told her that ‘europeans’ meant US! She was the descendant of the hated europeans. When her teachers say ‘european’ they mean people like her grandpa and grandma.
That was the end of that, at least until the next time.
n
Celebrate – go to a casino.
This from 3 years ago. It’s been up again since Friday.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BxLWd_RKNPevUG83aWhHMjAzVm8/view
I always worry some idiot will steal it thinking it’s some other flag.
my maternal grandparents were both Italian immigrants
I read that the guy who invented the office cubicle lived to regret what he’d done.
In truth, they are more private than the rows of desks in the big room that was the other low cost choice.
All the oil companies here were going with no assigned seating. You just got whatever cube you walked up to. NO personal effects. No paper. There weren’t any closets or storage areas either (since those waste valuable floorspace) but there were “reconfigurable” tables everywhere. Of course, they were rarely reconfigured, because the Health and Safety stazi wouldn’t let you have unsecured cords going to a table, so no network, power supplies, or AV connections….. which meant no one used them.
Huddle rooms galore! Little stinky glass boxes, you had to fight your way into and out of. No one using the Smartboards ™ because the software was a PIA and not everyone had it. No white boards ‘cuz you couldn’t capture the information discussed (except by taking a picture, duh.)
LOTS of lost productivity. Every time you moved to a different area or huddle room you lost time. Every time you had to reconnect your lappy you lost time. Every time you looked up at the passersby or disturbances you lost time…..
n
Yuuup, they sit there living on their casino payouts while the most recent immigrants do the casino work.
Columbus Day Weekend is also the traditional time for someone to make an attempt at the “Cannonball Run” record, a middle finger to the concept of the 55 MPH speed limit. More political incorrectness!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uY_7ofmgdh8
If a new record was set, we will know sometime this morning. And, yes that is WIl Wright — he held the record for a year in the 80s.
Celebrate – go to a casino.
🙂
Let’s not forget those crazy Conquistadors and their gentle way in Mexico. Oh, wait, people of color, so, yeah, let’s not mention them.
Arlo and Janis: “Good Night, Sweet Prince”
https://www.gocomics.com/arloandjanis/2018/10/08
Trumpman tshirt ! I am tempted.
https://store.keepandbear.com/products/trumpman-t-shirt
“Trump 2020?” by Erick Erickson (editorial in my Fort Bend Herald newspaper)
https://www.themaven.net/theresurgent/erick-erickson/trump-2020-o6THPVgsn0aDRZcARyWq_A/
“Frankly, Trump does not have the character or strong Christian faith I prefer in a President. But he is positively angelic compared to his political opponents and the press. Between Trump and his opposition, I would rather vote for him, despite his flaws, than his opponents who want a flawless progressive utopia. Trump is neither an ambassador for my values nor the articulate champion of my principles I would prefer. But he is a safe harbor in a progressive storm that seeks to both destroy my values and upend our constitutional republic.”
Even the wife agreed that this expressed her sentiments exactly. She voted for Trump so she could vote against Hillary.
Native Americans, yeah, even when I was in school there was a distinct tendency for the schools to present them as peaceful, noble savages whose homeland was stolen by the Europeans.
Of course, it’s true enough that the Europeans took over the land – that’s been the story of human history since history began, and of animal history before that. It’s relatively recent – like the last century or so – that the more successful countries have begun to frown on that practice.
Peaceful? Well, no. Noble? Also not. Like any other low-IQ tribal populations, “nasty, brutish and short” is a better description of their lives. Constant warfare whenever they came into conflict over territory, or maybe because they felt like stealing the neighbors’ women. The few “peaceful” tribes were generally the ones who had been beaten into submission by their neighbors.
Of course, these facts are not PC, and they sure don’t exist in any modern school books.
Rain flurries started.
I’m inside cleaning and doing IT support anyway. And ripping CDs… it’s part of cleaning up to get them ripped and put away.
Added a shelf to the closet, and got more stuff put up there.
Going thru my eneloop batteries and charging the open pack. They weren’t charged enough to run my TV remote. They have a low self discharge but it isn’t zero.
No rats were captured on the cam last night.
I’m currently installing AVG free on my daughter’s atom mini lappy. and trying to get rid of MS antimalware. That pig uses half of available memory, and will use up 100% of CPU when it gets in “chase your tail” mode…. what a POS.
n
“A $240 Per Gallon Gas Tax To Fight Global Warming? New UN Report Suggests Carbon Pricing”
http://dailycaller.com/2018/10/08/a-240-per-gallon-gas-tax-to-fight-global-warming-new-un-report-suggests-carbon-pricing/
Yup, a $240/gallon scam.
Any person who says that they can control the climate is a scam artist to me. There are so many variables involved that we cannot get the energy and material equations to balance.
And my cats extra long fur coat says that we are going to have a tough winter here in south Texas this year.
Hat tip to:
https://drudgereport.com/
I read that the guy who invented the office cubicle lived to regret what he’d done.
In truth, they are more private than the rows of desks in the big room that was the other low cost choice.
I have worked in cubicle farms, open bullpens, and private offices with doors on them. The private offices with doors blow everything else away. Even if there is not a window or two (I have four windows in my office). I will never put my shop into a bullpen if I can help it. Awesome commercial showing why cube farms are horrible:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vE-FRVSpRoY
Software programming requires tremendous concentration and occasional shouts of joy. And occasional screaming. And, on very bad horrible days, crying.
Junior programmer was shown the team room at G where he is competing for the Team Leader job. Totally open room with three rows of tables with computers on them. 30 programmers, the least making $120K/year. Total pandemonium.
120k / yr there is probably about 32k here. have him ask about their take home, and what they net at the end of the month…..
n
I’ve had a few folks go off at me about the horrible and murdering Columbus. Telling them “you wouldn’t exist if not for Columbus” shuts them up. Sometimes it takes a couple of minutes to soak in.
I wouldn’t be here. My Great and Great Great grandparents…. Yeah, my Grandmother’s grandparents… as far as I can tell they came over from various parts of what is now Germany and part of what is now Poland and England and Scotland. If they had stayed in Europe they would have been cannon fodder or worse.
Years ago the replicas of Columbus’ three ships were in display in Corpus Christi. Maybe 30 years ago. I think you could pay for a tour but we where there w/o a reservation so no tour for us.
Tiny ships. I’ve seen larger boats on Lake Travis and Lake Texhoma. The sailors on Christopher’s fleet /must/ have clanked when they walked.
But let us not forget the most important part of Columbus Day. A paid holiday for most government employees.
September/Oct is too long to go without a break for them….
n
I’ve had a few folks go off at me about the horrible and murdering Columbus. Telling them “you wouldn’t exist if not for Columbus” shuts them up. Sometimes it takes a couple of minutes to soak in.
If Columbus hadn’t done it, somebody would have within 50 years. The tech and incentive were there.
Junior programmer was shown the team room at G where he is competing for the Team Leader job. Totally open room with three rows of tables with computers on them. 30 programmers, the least making $120K/year. Total pandemonium.
Junior Programmer needs to read “Live Work Work Work Die” before heading out there.
I have few regrets in life, but the West Coast is four years of my life I desperately want to have back. My 40s were lost to that adventure and the rebuilding process. I’m still not sure I can recover our finances adequately in the next decade, and I wonder if I should build a career elsewhere while I still have a bit of time.
One word: Overrated.
Lazy supper tonight. Start with a roughly 7×12 Pyrex baking dish.
Thaw a couple of chicken breasts. Boneless this time. Pound even if needed.
Melt a couple of tablespoons of bacon grease in the pan. More or less, I go for more.
A can of whole potatoes. HEB’s are better than Wal-Mart’s. Rinse and drain. I cut into halves and quarters. Into the pan and get the potatoes covered with bacon grease. Salt and pepper, push to one end, tip the pan to drain the grease from the potatoes.
Pat the chicken dry and slop it in the grease. Salt and pepper and whatever else. A few pinches of thyme works.
Chicken into pan, spread the potatoes around and into a 350F oven for half hour, 45 minutes. Until the chicken is cooked. Turning and stirring after 20 minutes or so is good.
The plan is to have “roasted” chicken and fried potatoes.
I might open a random can of vegetables.
Not much to wash. The bowl for thawing the chicken. The cooking pan. A knife, a spoon, a spatula. Plus whatever for the veggies and the dinner plates.
Like I said, lazy supper.
Likewise, on how we were taught about them in school (mainly by ignorant teachers who had their B.Ed. and nothing else going for them).
The “nasty, brutish, short” characterization is true, but not necessarily a consequence of low IQ. Hunter-gatherers in general live a marginal existence — uncultivated land typically supports about 1% the population of farmland. Tribes have to jealously guard their hunting grounds and prize berry patches because otherwise they’ll die in the winter. The torture and death inflicted on transgressors is a natural consequence, as is the pattern of vicious and deadly raids. And as is cannibalism, which is practiced at least in hard times by almost all hunter-gatherer societies.
Quoted for truth. My only major gripe about my current job is that it’s an open area with all 14 of us sitting at five tables. And listening to everyone else’s phone calls and chatting about whatever televised sport was on last night. The reason told to me is that this fosters communication and collaboration — which is true, to some extent; I’ve picked up things I wouldn’t have learned otherwise — but I’m sure money has more to do with it. Penny wise, pound foolish; just my loss of productivity over the six weeks I’ve been there would have paid for a row of 7-foot-high cubicles.
In other news, Nick’s favorite news source comes through again. There was a terrible car crash 20 miles from here, killing 20. The government, specifically the FBI, would be found at least partially responsible in any fair trial.
Junior programmer was shown the team room at G where he is competing for the Team Leader job. Totally open room with three rows of tables with computers on them. 30 programmers, the least making $120K/year. Total pandemonium.
Junior Programmer needs to read “Live Work Work Work Die” before heading out there.
I have few regrets in life, but the West Coast is four years of my life I desperately want to have back. My 40s were lost to that adventure and the rebuilding process. I’m still not sure I can recover our finances adequately in the next decade, and I wonder if I should build a career elsewhere while I still have a bit of time.
The team leader job is $160K/year. Even at Kalifornia + feddie income tax rate of 40% ???, he should be able to save a few bucks.
I’m pretty sure that’s becoming well known in law enforcement circles too, and there aren’t THAT many routes from NY to LA.
By any chance have you bought the DVD? I’ve been checking the 32hours 7mins website for several weeks and it looks like the site to order the DVD’s been gone for a pretty good while.
Good summary and connect the dot on the Kav character assasination–
https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2018-10-08/kunstler-civil-war-two-looms-deep-state-circles-wagons
No way we survive this unchanged.
n
Got my new enterprise class switch configured. Enterasys B5G124-48-2B. I’ll swap it in tomorrow. Then I’ll have gigE on all segments, get all the cams on the same switch (it’s PoE on every port), and have enough aggregate throughput to take advantage of the 300mbps symmetrical we’re supposed to be getting from ATT fiber.
If I knew anything about VLANs I could set one up for the cams, but I don’t, and it shouldn’t be necessary.
LOTS of config options on the switch that I know nothing about, so I just reset to default and did the stuff I know how to do.
Next step is to get the NVR software OFF my desktop and onto its own machine. All the parts are here, just lack the time. The enforced downtime from the antibiotics making me goofy and sick is helping with the ‘clean the office and do IT work’ parts of my list. Albeit they are getting done slowly.
n
Yesterday my youngest daughter told me that Columbus didn’t discover America. Natives had lived here for thousands of years. I pointed out that Columbus discovered it for Europe, and without said discovery, we wouldn’t be here. She has to think that over. She’s seven, so I’ll make allowances.
Columbus was an immigrant who brought much-needed diversity
I have worked in cubicle farms, open bullpens, and private offices with doors on them. The private offices with doors blow everything else away.
At my first programming job my office was so small I could touch the opposite walls with my outstretched arms–but it had a door! They almost had to pry me out of it when the next-larger office–also with a door–became available.
At my next employer I had a series of five foot tall cubes. Thankfully, I totally missed bullpens and the open-office mania.
I’m pretty sure that’s becoming well known in law enforcement circles too, and there aren’t THAT many routes from NY to LA.
I drove a vehicle to the West Coast on Columbus Day weekend in 2010. West of St. Louis, I didn’t see a cop outside major cities.
Law enforcement’s reaction to the recent record (2013) has been to push for the new laws prohibiting touching of handheld electronics while driving.
I’d say constant road construction out West does more to limit Cannonball attempts than anything law enforcement dreams up.
By any chance have you bought the DVD? I’ve been checking the 32hours 7mins website for several weeks and it looks like the site to order the DVD’s been gone for a pretty good while.
The two principals of the documentary sued each other IIRC. I don’t think it is possible to own a “legal” copy.
I have seen the documentary, however. It is uneven but tells the story.
Software programming requires tremendous concentration and occasional shouts of joy. And occasional screaming. And, on very bad horrible days, crying.
Preach it!
Junior programmer was shown the team room at G where he is competing for the Team Leader job. Totally open room with three rows of tables with computers on them. 30 programmers, the least making $120K/year. Total pandemonium.
@Lynn: Eventually you’ll want to retire, at which time I assume that Junior Programmer will be in line to take over the business. What sort of leadership experience will he gain at G that he couldn’t get while working for you and slowly taking over day-to-day operations of the company? Money-wise, what lifestyle will he have in CA that can’t be duplicated more cheaply in Houston?
Does he really want to be a middle-manager/supervisor? The bad thing about such positions is that not only does the sh1t rain down on you from above, it splashes up on you from below.
The team leader job is $160K/year. Even at Kalifornia + feddie income tax rate of 40% ???, he should be able to save a few bucks.
Maximize the 401(k), and make sure he has every ‘i’ dotted/’t’ crossed when it comes to Kalifornia taxes.
We keep an eye on the income tax theatrics in WA State. My wife’s former employer cashed her out of partnership but dribble the money back to us in $1200 increments every year.
Good summary and connect the dot on the Kav character assasination–
https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2018-10-08/kunstler-civil-war-two-looms-deep-state-circles-wagons
No way we survive this unchanged.
Naw. Nothing to see here. Move along. 🙁
I’m in the midst of working down my overtime from the past two years, plus taking accumulated vacation that I never had time for. Ought to be a low-stress time, but younger son is making sure that doesn’t happen. Someday, I will retroactively strangle him, but for now it’s time for some unexpectedly intense parenting…
One thing that’s unexpected: I haven’t written a single line of code in at least two months. That may be the longest I’ve gone without programming since my early 20’s. I figured I would get an “itch” and start some private project, but – what with all the time off and stuff – we’ve been far too busy.
At my last industry job, we also had the situation of open offices, because the little company was busily outgrowing the space it had rented. The programmers I supervised were 4-5 in the same room. They had, and enforced, a strict rule of no talking in their office. Even so, short conversations happened, because they do, so they often wore headphones or earbuds as well.
Non-programmers really have no clue how important it is to be able to program uninterrupted and undisturbed. The cost of wasted time is far, far higher than the cost of private offices, or at least decent cubicles.
Y’alls Kavanaugh adventure, what a mess. But it’s really not that much different than Judge Thomas and Anita Hill. Remember the “pubic hair on a coke can”? When black people have tightly curled hair on their heads? That was no less absurd, time has just mellowed the memory.
I just wish y’all had a federal law enforcement agency worth the name. The Kavanaugh hearings certainly involved conspiracy and perjury, and these need to be prosecuted. Not just the pawns, but the people orchestrating everything behind the scenes. That link by mediumwave hints at how clearly coordinated everything was.
That link by mediumwave …
Original link by Nick
@Lynn: Eventually you’ll want to retire, at which time I assume that Junior Programmer will be in line to take over the business. What sort of leadership experience will he gain at G that he couldn’t get while working for you and slowly taking over day-to-day operations of the company? Money-wise, what lifestyle will he have in CA that can’t be duplicated more cheaply in Houston?
Nope, I am going to die at my keyboard.
BTW, I am not the majority owner of the business. I have three fellow shareholders and they make the rules.
Besides that, junior programmer needs to spread his wings some more. The Marine Corps was both good and bad experience in that regard as he both saw people at their best and at their worst. BTW, he lived in Kalifornia for four years from 2005 to 2009. Except those two all expense paid trips to Iraq via Uncle. So he knows how crazy it is.
“Of course, these facts are not PC, and they sure don’t exist in any modern school books.” Have her read Allan Eckert’s book, The Frontiersmen, for a more detailed and balanced view of early American history.