It seems the US doesn’t have a lock on padding governmental payrolls with salaried positions that don’t really add a lot of value to the tax-paying public. The Telegraph reports that Britain’s Coalition government is going after local councils for cutting back on essential services like libraries and education while retaining such employees as “cheerleading development officer”, bouncy castle attendant & “future shape programme manager”.
(I have to say that of those three, the only one I can actually fathom in terms of duties is the bouncy castle attendant. I didn’t even know Britain had cheerleaders. Hmm. Maybe future shape program management involves a Magic 8 Ball? I could do that job!)
Local councils are the infrastructure of the UK’s government—there’s Her Majesty’s Government (Parliament, ministries & some central services like motorways, Metropolitan Police & the NHS) & then there are the borough councils, who are pretty much responsible for everything else. Including a lot of the policies affecting the NHS within their jurisdictions.
Apparently the existence of these, uh, jobs of questionable community value (unless you’re restricting “community” to those persons who hold them) is not news. The Times (London) reported on them two years ago, back when Labour were in power. Evidently Glasgow employs a “street mediator”, who “deals” with kids hanging out on street corners.
(My question is: only one street mediator? In Glasgow? S/he must be busier than a flea-infested hound dog's hind leg.)
Trade unions are of course rearing up on their hind legs to defend the jobs & I’m sure the Tories/Lib-Dems are pounding fists about the waste (but are probably silent about who’s on their own staff doing what jobs). & since the jobs have been around for a long time (in one case—a ceremonial mace-bearer for Newcastle-upon-Tyne—evidently since 1399. According to a Newcastle former Lord Mayor), I’m betting that the story will die down without much being actually, you know, done about it.
So enjoy it while you can.
& if you have any thoughts on what a future-shape program manager or cheerleading development officer might be, please share.
Friday, February 18, 2011
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Dustup
Here’s something else to spend some downtime considering: dust. Evidently, according to a report in the NY Times, the world is getting dustier.
Me—I don’t fire a lot of synapses on the subject, although looking at my TV stand I think it’s time to haul out the Pledge. But I have actually wondered what possible good a Swiffer does. In the end, you’re just pushing dust from one area to another, despite their advertising.
& even if it did “attract” dust particles—what happens to them when you clean the Swiffer or replace it?
Me—I don’t fire a lot of synapses on the subject, although looking at my TV stand I think it’s time to haul out the Pledge. But I have actually wondered what possible good a Swiffer does. In the end, you’re just pushing dust from one area to another, despite their advertising.
& even if it did “attract” dust particles—what happens to them when you clean the Swiffer or replace it?
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
News of the pedestrian
Evidently there is now an academically-studied phenomenon known as “sidewalk rage”. According to a report in the WSJ, sidewalk rage occurs when pedestrians who are walking slowly or several abreast, or who stop suddenly (to take a photo, consult a map or do something cell-phone-related), provoke the ire of fellow sidewalkers who are traveling at a faster rate.
Naturally, the focus of the story is on NYC, but the implication is that wherever there are pedestrians there’s the potential. Think the mall, or a walking trail or an airport.
I don’t know what to think of it—hard to choose between the rudeness of the self-absorbed morons who can’t be arsed to pay attention to their surroundings & show some consideration to those around them, & the ego-centric jerks who take personal affront at having to share the walkway with people who don’t get the hell out of their way. (I also don't know what to say about the fact that researchers are getting grants to study this whole thing.)
I do know, however, that if you park yourself on the left side of almost every subway escalator I’ve ever been on, you’re going to be mowed down by the people who know that the right side is for standing & the left for climbing up or down.
Naturally, the focus of the story is on NYC, but the implication is that wherever there are pedestrians there’s the potential. Think the mall, or a walking trail or an airport.
I don’t know what to think of it—hard to choose between the rudeness of the self-absorbed morons who can’t be arsed to pay attention to their surroundings & show some consideration to those around them, & the ego-centric jerks who take personal affront at having to share the walkway with people who don’t get the hell out of their way. (I also don't know what to say about the fact that researchers are getting grants to study this whole thing.)
I do know, however, that if you park yourself on the left side of almost every subway escalator I’ve ever been on, you’re going to be mowed down by the people who know that the right side is for standing & the left for climbing up or down.
Monday, February 14, 2011
Truth in advertising
Let’s take a break from the tensions in Egypt, Sudan, Syria, Indonesia & AIG: have a squint at this vintage EDS commercial from a Super Bowl long past.
Dunno what the ROI was on this ad, but anyone who’s ever been owned by a cat, & anyone who’s ever worked in a large corporation, will be of mixed minds. Funny, painful & all too true.
Dunno what the ROI was on this ad, but anyone who’s ever been owned by a cat, & anyone who’s ever worked in a large corporation, will be of mixed minds. Funny, painful & all too true.
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
TLP Operating Principles
As part of setting up my 2011 Life Project, I’ve come up with what I’m calling operating principles. These are personal guidelines that I need to keep in mind while carrying out the tasks that feed into my resolutions. They include:
It takes work. Every resolution, every task—it’s all effort. Exercise four times a week? Work. Job interview? Work. Meditate? Yep, you got it. I can’t expect any of this to drop into my lap, certainly not at the outset. Maybe after a few weeks, when I’ve developed some of these behaviors into habits, it won’t seem like such a burden; but when I’m in the stage where I have to think about something, think about why I’m doing it & think about what the benefit is, it’s work. I can’t let myself get discouraged by that.
Pay attention. This is a major component of my resolution to be mindful, but I’ve found that so much of my life has been kind of inattentive; & that I most always get into trouble when I’m not paying attention (to both internal & external conditions). On a molecular level, I have to resist the urge to check my smartphone for emails while at some of the stoplights (around here, you can be at a red for more than two minutes). On the higher end of the scale, I want to be a lot more aware of & responsive to the world around me. “Pay attention” is germane to everything I do—be in that moment, focus on the action, the feelings, the environment, the people.
Make mistakes & move on. This is very, very hard for me—I hate making mistakes, & when I do I spend waaay too much time on feeling like hell about it. In theory I understand that there are very few mistakes you can make that will actually kill you. However, it’s been my experience that there are plenty that can make you wish you were dead. I need to pay more attention to the former & downplay the latter. If I can get this one, it’ll be major progress.
What does that look like? This reminds me to not only pay attention, but to define what it is I’m paying attention to. Airy-fairy goals are impossible to realize. I need to be really clear about what it is I want, why I want it. How is it going to change things? What will it look like when I achieve it? Is it a picture I really like? If not, what do I have to do to get one I like?
¿Ist daß positive oder negative? (One of my favorite WWII movies is Battleground, about the Battle of the Bulge. Not so much because of its intrinsic dramatic integrity, but because it’s a good indicator of how Americans viewed WWII in the early 50s. Anyhow—there’s a line from one of the Germans tasked with taking the surrender of the 101st Airborne Division at Bastogne. When instead given General McAuliffe’s reply, “Nuts!”, one of the Germans asks “¿Ist daß positive oder negative?”) I have a tendency to put a negative slant on a lot of things; if I want to change my life for the better, I need to change that attitude. This applies to everything from getting stuck at a red light to dealing with difficult personalities at work.
Keep it clean. I grew up in an incredibly cluttered house. We used to alternate eating dinner at the kitchen & dining tables, depending on which one had more stuff piled on it. I realized some time ago that I hate clutter, it depresses me & makes me feel disorganized & uncomfortable. However, it’s also extremely hard for me to keep things ship-shape & Bristol-fashion, because it sneaks up on me & takes work to beat back into submission. Then clean-up becomes a huge project, & that really takes work. So I need to develop the habit of keeping it tidy in increments. This may seem patently obvious to all you who automatically maintain a neat environment; but it’s work to me & I need to pay attention to it.
See how these things are all fitting together?
It takes work. Every resolution, every task—it’s all effort. Exercise four times a week? Work. Job interview? Work. Meditate? Yep, you got it. I can’t expect any of this to drop into my lap, certainly not at the outset. Maybe after a few weeks, when I’ve developed some of these behaviors into habits, it won’t seem like such a burden; but when I’m in the stage where I have to think about something, think about why I’m doing it & think about what the benefit is, it’s work. I can’t let myself get discouraged by that.
Pay attention. This is a major component of my resolution to be mindful, but I’ve found that so much of my life has been kind of inattentive; & that I most always get into trouble when I’m not paying attention (to both internal & external conditions). On a molecular level, I have to resist the urge to check my smartphone for emails while at some of the stoplights (around here, you can be at a red for more than two minutes). On the higher end of the scale, I want to be a lot more aware of & responsive to the world around me. “Pay attention” is germane to everything I do—be in that moment, focus on the action, the feelings, the environment, the people.
Make mistakes & move on. This is very, very hard for me—I hate making mistakes, & when I do I spend waaay too much time on feeling like hell about it. In theory I understand that there are very few mistakes you can make that will actually kill you. However, it’s been my experience that there are plenty that can make you wish you were dead. I need to pay more attention to the former & downplay the latter. If I can get this one, it’ll be major progress.
What does that look like? This reminds me to not only pay attention, but to define what it is I’m paying attention to. Airy-fairy goals are impossible to realize. I need to be really clear about what it is I want, why I want it. How is it going to change things? What will it look like when I achieve it? Is it a picture I really like? If not, what do I have to do to get one I like?
¿Ist daß positive oder negative? (One of my favorite WWII movies is Battleground, about the Battle of the Bulge. Not so much because of its intrinsic dramatic integrity, but because it’s a good indicator of how Americans viewed WWII in the early 50s. Anyhow—there’s a line from one of the Germans tasked with taking the surrender of the 101st Airborne Division at Bastogne. When instead given General McAuliffe’s reply, “Nuts!”, one of the Germans asks “¿Ist daß positive oder negative?”) I have a tendency to put a negative slant on a lot of things; if I want to change my life for the better, I need to change that attitude. This applies to everything from getting stuck at a red light to dealing with difficult personalities at work.
Keep it clean. I grew up in an incredibly cluttered house. We used to alternate eating dinner at the kitchen & dining tables, depending on which one had more stuff piled on it. I realized some time ago that I hate clutter, it depresses me & makes me feel disorganized & uncomfortable. However, it’s also extremely hard for me to keep things ship-shape & Bristol-fashion, because it sneaks up on me & takes work to beat back into submission. Then clean-up becomes a huge project, & that really takes work. So I need to develop the habit of keeping it tidy in increments. This may seem patently obvious to all you who automatically maintain a neat environment; but it’s work to me & I need to pay attention to it.
See how these things are all fitting together?
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Recruiters (sort of)
I was going to say that this isn’t strictly part of my current experience; then I realized I’d be lying. At one time or another within the past three years I’ve been asked all these inane questions at interviews…and more.
Well, the “where do you see yourself in five years” one has evidently gone out of fashion, since it has to be patently obvious to even the most fatuous interviewers that a five-year outlook with reference to a particular employer is in the realm of fiction.
&, while they’re all ridiculous & clear evidence of an organization in which someone has Taken A Course on interviewing, you know that anyone who asks about your greatest weakness is sadly behind the times. They really need to check out the latest edition of the handbook from the public library.
As for the hypothetical brain teaser questions: they’re huge in the largest software companies. I once spent an hour being asked a series of these by a guy sporting a pudding bowl haircut sitting on a balance ball in his office.
I can’t believe I still accepted the job offer.
Well, the “where do you see yourself in five years” one has evidently gone out of fashion, since it has to be patently obvious to even the most fatuous interviewers that a five-year outlook with reference to a particular employer is in the realm of fiction.
&, while they’re all ridiculous & clear evidence of an organization in which someone has Taken A Course on interviewing, you know that anyone who asks about your greatest weakness is sadly behind the times. They really need to check out the latest edition of the handbook from the public library.
As for the hypothetical brain teaser questions: they’re huge in the largest software companies. I once spent an hour being asked a series of these by a guy sporting a pudding bowl haircut sitting on a balance ball in his office.
I can’t believe I still accepted the job offer.
Monday, February 7, 2011
Another day in paradise
It hardly seems fair, given the weather that's visited most of the nation over the past week, but it hit 76 degrees Fahrenheit in the Silicon Valley Sunday under a cloudless sky.
I had my windows open, took a walk in short sleeves & drank iced tea.
In February.
I had my windows open, took a walk in short sleeves & drank iced tea.
In February.
Thursday, February 3, 2011
New year redux
Wishing you a very happy new year. Year of the Rabbit, that is.
Apparently this will be a year for rest & recuperation after the Year of the Tiger, which we’ve just passed through. There’s danger of indulgence & stagnation if you let yourself go rabbit-wild. Also, on the international front, greater insularity & national protectionism, or so I hear.
(According to Punxsutawney Phil, we're getting an early spring; but that's a rodent of a different disposition entirely.)
Still—I’m in the mood for something new & for something to celebrate. So, dunno about you, but I’ve cleaned my house & paid my bills & I’m going to have some spicy Chinese food to mark the changeover.
Gung hay fat choi.
Apparently this will be a year for rest & recuperation after the Year of the Tiger, which we’ve just passed through. There’s danger of indulgence & stagnation if you let yourself go rabbit-wild. Also, on the international front, greater insularity & national protectionism, or so I hear.
(According to Punxsutawney Phil, we're getting an early spring; but that's a rodent of a different disposition entirely.)
Still—I’m in the mood for something new & for something to celebrate. So, dunno about you, but I’ve cleaned my house & paid my bills & I’m going to have some spicy Chinese food to mark the changeover.
Gung hay fat choi.
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Corporate fish tail
The WSJ reports that a medievalist at Yale has debunked the official Starbucks corporate “history” of the origin of their mermaid logo. ’Bucks’ leadership claims to have both “pored” and “poured” over various (undefined) “marine books” before finding inspiration in a 16th-century “old Norse woodcut”.
According to the Yale blogger, the whole idea of 16th-century Norse woodcuts is on the crocky side,and the source was more likely some version of a book called The Dictionary of Symbols, which was originally published in the 15th century, but isn’t marine related.
Here are my thoughts on the matter:
1. Who cares?
2. Is anyone really surprised that any corporation would fetch up a load of old cobbers about any part of their operation?
3. Who cares?
However, I pass it on to you in the interests of intellectual inquiry.
According to the Yale blogger, the whole idea of 16th-century Norse woodcuts is on the crocky side,and the source was more likely some version of a book called The Dictionary of Symbols, which was originally published in the 15th century, but isn’t marine related.
Here are my thoughts on the matter:
1. Who cares?
2. Is anyone really surprised that any corporation would fetch up a load of old cobbers about any part of their operation?
3. Who cares?
However, I pass it on to you in the interests of intellectual inquiry.
Monday, January 31, 2011
Rooms at the inns
Dunno whether you were contemplating a trip to Pigeon Forge, Tenn., or Daytona Beach, Fla., but if so you may wish to consult Trip Advisor’s list of the Ten Dirtiest Hotels in the US beforehand.
If you’re headed out to Europe, Asia or India (don’t know whether Trip Advisor doesn’t know or doesn’t care that India is part of Asia), there are the ten dirtiest in each of those locations, too. (Actually, two of the Asian names-of-shame are in India, so perhaps there’s something wrong with TA’s algorithm & they can’t afford human editors.)
What surprises me about the Asian list is that two of the top three are in Singapore. Evidently that country’s government focus on societal niceties like shaggy hair & spitting on the sidewalks doesn’t apply to cleanliness in tourist accommodation.
If you’re headed out to Europe, Asia or India (don’t know whether Trip Advisor doesn’t know or doesn’t care that India is part of Asia), there are the ten dirtiest in each of those locations, too. (Actually, two of the Asian names-of-shame are in India, so perhaps there’s something wrong with TA’s algorithm & they can’t afford human editors.)
What surprises me about the Asian list is that two of the top three are in Singapore. Evidently that country’s government focus on societal niceties like shaggy hair & spitting on the sidewalks doesn’t apply to cleanliness in tourist accommodation.
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