Offtopic

What bad ecconomy?

So I keep hearing about this bad ecconomy and keep looking around wondering if it’s not just a bad housing market and the rest of the ecconomy is fine. Sure there are some bad signs out there that point to “doom & gloom” but I was out in Charlotte last weekend and the malls were all packed, the shops were full, people were out driving, and it was a mess to be honest.

I saw this in the paper and have to wonder if the media has not created some of these ecconomic problems, and while the “bail-outs” don’t seem to be helping we keep seeing record sales and such from other sectors?

Link :: Worker dies at Long Island Wal-Mart after being trampled in Black Friday stampede

It is sad when anyone dies, but the mad rush of people to go shopping is nuts. I think people who lived through the great depression are thinking the same thing, no one stood in line for toys and electronics during the depression, and I would submit we are not in one right now either.

Running a Users Group - Jim Grisanzio

Jim writes an blog post that I found is not just for OpenSolaris User Groups, but could be used for all User Groups. Thanks Jim for the great post and sharing you thoughts on the matter.

LINK :: Jim Grisanzio -  Running Successful OpenSolaris User Groups

I tried at one time to get the Colorado Lotus Users Group back up and running and kind of hit a brick wall after the first year. In Charlotte by accident I kind of started a group of users we call, Lunch Time Geeks or LTG, and we just meet for lunch. No agenda, no meeting, just hanging out and eating. Maybe I can grow it from there? Maybe not?

My other blog - I have turned it off - SystemiAddict.com

If you have come here looking for me and my current situation then I am here to tell you to fear not. I am still around. I have turned off my other blog, SystemiAddict.com, and am going to focus my attention on this blog and working on another project I have brewing called Addict Army. In the next few days and weeks I am going to see if I can pull my hits from my old site to this site and keep up the content. Thanks for stopping by.  - David Vasta

I could do that better, I really could! Can you?

I have my days, where I am reading or thinking,  I see something that looks nice, and you think for just a second . . . I could do that better!

In most cases you probably could fine something that needs improving, and while my wife would tell me, no, my brain and maybe some ego tell me, go for it. I see lots of stuff that inspire me to do it better. I see software that is good, but it could be better. I see an OS, Linux, that is good and remarkable in its own right, but it could be better. Now this not a post for me to complain that the world is not perfect, and I am well aware that it may seem like I am picking on Linux and I am not. I love Linux, and was just using it as an example. The same example could be used for anything, Windows, MacOSX, UNIX, IBM i, AIX, BeOS, and the list keeps going. They all have things that need work or a bit of polish.

There are other things other than computers that I think can be improved, I was reading an article last night. Quentin Haines (I wished I had a link to his article or his site, but I don’t) or the National Karting New Magazine, wrote a piece about someone building a $500 Racing Kart. Wow what a concept and for you out there thinking that is expensive then let me blow you away. Your average full on racing Kart will run you from $3000 - $10,000. So a $500 kart would be a nice thing to have, and it all got me to thinking again….what else is out there that you want to make better?

IBM while a large company has many things we all would like to change. I would love to hear things that you all out there see in your day to day life, be it tech related or non-tech, that you would like to improve.

-David

Long Weeks on the road - Sometimes Travel is good

It’s hard to be on the road weeks at a time. This week has been one of those weeks. It’s been a good hard working week. I can tell you I got lots done, but not much blogging. Sorry about that.

It’s hard to hand shake over Sametime Web meetings, so sometimes you have to pack the bags and get on the road.

More is coming this week, I promise.

I am going to be out for a bit - See y’all later

I have a bit of a family issue and this should explain it :: LINK

Obama changes stance on Technology

Seems someone has more free time than most and has figured out that Obama, since taking on Biden, has changed his stance on technology. While you will never hear me complain that someone has changed their opinion about a certain thing, seeing as how we are not robots I do find some of the changes a bit disheartening. It could just be that Biden has forced him to make these changes seeing as how he has been against or not to pro-technology for the past 30 years.

Link :: http://barackobama.com/issues/technology/ Comparison

Slashgear - Chevy VOLT is coming and it’s HOT!

There is no word play, it’s not on fire or anything. The new Chevy VOLT, the electric car, is coming and there are some really good pictures of it on SlashGear. I am no fan of American Cars, they have been lacking for some time and all feel very cheap, but the VOLT looks sporty and the interior is neat too. I might just have to get one of those and trade in my Volvo. Nothing says bleeding edge geek like the first all electric car from Chevy.

Link:: Slashgear - Chevy Volt

Cutting back IT fro the TOP

I ran across an article that points out the following premises: If you trying to cut cost start at the TOP of IT instead of the bottom.

“If you are managing an IT shop and can’t write the code to render “hello world” in C, html, php, and pull “hello world” from a MySQL database using a perl script, then YOU are in the wrong job.”

While I agree with this observation I don’t think anyone will implement this plan. Most companies think that getting rid of the workers at the bottom are a better bet. Case and Point. I worked for a Software company once as a Sales Engineer. While they kept on an aged IT manager and moved him from California to Georgia and his salary they let all kinds of people go at the bottom. I am sure he made well over $130K, while I was not pulling down that much. So they could have let him go and kept some people who worked for a living. I am not bitter about it, everything has really worked out well from then, but I got a chance to go back and work for the aged CIO and I can tell you he lacked the ability to do much of anything and should have been let go before anyone esle was.

“As I have written before, one of the great problems in IT management is that the big bosses typically haven’t a clue what is happening, what is needed to happen, and what it all should cost. There is a role for trust here, but if the Big Guy is signing off on a budget he can’t even read, much less understand, well something is wrong. Some IT departments like this, of course, just like my students liked it when class had to be cancelled (they liked getting LESS for their money), but in tough times, facing reality and speaking the truth is usually the best course.”

LINK:: Fire Your Boss: The best place to cut IT organizations is generally at the top.

Thanks for coming here

I do see all you i people coming here and I do thank you. While this may not be the most popular blog on ITKE, it has some passion behind it and make sure you tell your friends I am here and blogging my little heart out.

Again THANKS!