I note the words of wisdom below. My turn to chip in! I've been thinking about the wonderful situation I find myself in work-wise.
Worked hard at school. University for 6 years. 8 years of working long hours as a public servant. And my reward at the end of this? Unemployment. Uncertainty over what jobs are available. Unsure whether we can stay in our own home - bit hard to fund the mortgage with fresh air (although a spider may be an option).
The mealy mouthings from politicians about involving staff in decision making really is lip service. Until there's buy-in from senior managers, it's all just words (how rare).
No wonder contracting (in its many forms) is so popular. No one wants to pay you regularly for your skills, might as well chase the mighty dollar.
Apparently we all work because we *love* it so much.
Grump, grump. Must be a pinot noir around here somewhere!
The Rose
Friday, February 26, 2010
SOE’s and a big flaw in NZ legislature....
Right-o, this has been brewing for a bit. Why on earth are we tolerating SOE’s posting such massive profits? Seemingly every couple of days we have another major SOE in NZ posting millions of dollars profit and reporting increases in the ranges of 15% or better. When we have a wholesale interest rate below 3% and are struggling to climb out of a recession do they really think a big profit grab is actually doing anything for the average Kiwi ? Just going by what is in the paper, we have had dividends totally more than 1 billion NZD paid in the last 6 months by the state power companies and airline. For a country of 4 million people and a viable work pool of less than half that, that represents a colossal rout of funds from the average working citizen. Now you may say that the money goes back to the shareholder who is “the people”. This is true so why pay it in the first place? The culprit is the SOE act which states that an SOE should run and operate as a viable, competitive business and return the same margins as a privately run company. Guess what, it’s a recession... No one else is returning a 15% or better dividend. Most people are lucky to be in business at all at the minute. For once it’s be nice if they looked at the fundamental flaws in legislation like this and re write them into a slightly more fitting role. How about a return that mirrors the current inflation conditions? That would guard against the business becoming worthless. And before I get some ill conceived rant about this being a device of the National party, remember they want to sell the damn things and create a competitive market place with them. Which they should... Then, when they are exposed to the prevailing market conditions they will have to perform without their fluffy protective blanket of legislature. Sell the lot of them and invest in infrastructure. You never know what might happen if we have the means to do things, we might even catch Aussie!
The Dragon
The Dragon
Monday, February 22, 2010
Job Hunting...
Well today marked an interesting twist in my hunt for a new job. Something that wasn’t just a computer emailed me back and acknowledged my application. This has only taken three weeks to happen. Can’t help thinking I am close, really close....
The Dragon
The Dragon
Friday, February 19, 2010
Real sports
In the NZ vs Bangladesh test, Shakib Al Hasan was given out following a catch by Brendon McCullum that turned out to have bounced. Chaos ensues.
I think everyone is looking at this the wrong way. This is the perfect opportunity to integrate backyard cricket and so-called "real" cricket.
We all know the complex rules of backyard cricket. It occurs anywhere, preferably a sloping site, obstructed by trees, possibly with a downhill run-up or, as superbly demonstrated in my house as a kid, running round the corner of the house to give the all important delivery. Wickets do not match. Bails are optional and regularly fall off. The ball may be a piece of plant life. The bat has seen better days.
However, one of the two key rules should apply in the current situation.
1) One hand, one bounce - you're still out. Suffer.
2) Six and out - an important rule that if you're the smart bugger who hits the ball over the fence and the game has to stop for 10 minutes until it's found, you can have the score but be punished for showing off.
I reckon McCullum was working on rule 1. Bringing it to the people. Great stuff.
The Rose
I think everyone is looking at this the wrong way. This is the perfect opportunity to integrate backyard cricket and so-called "real" cricket.
We all know the complex rules of backyard cricket. It occurs anywhere, preferably a sloping site, obstructed by trees, possibly with a downhill run-up or, as superbly demonstrated in my house as a kid, running round the corner of the house to give the all important delivery. Wickets do not match. Bails are optional and regularly fall off. The ball may be a piece of plant life. The bat has seen better days.
However, one of the two key rules should apply in the current situation.
1) One hand, one bounce - you're still out. Suffer.
2) Six and out - an important rule that if you're the smart bugger who hits the ball over the fence and the game has to stop for 10 minutes until it's found, you can have the score but be punished for showing off.
I reckon McCullum was working on rule 1. Bringing it to the people. Great stuff.
The Rose
Monday, February 15, 2010
Genuine evil
The truth is no longer out there, it's in here.
The most evil thing in the world is...
the common cold.
FFS, how much moisture can one person make?
The Rose
The most evil thing in the world is...
the common cold.
FFS, how much moisture can one person make?
The Rose
Work stuff.....
The calm after the storm.
Back at work today, seemed like an age since I left but the same old sagas were merrily dragging on. I share my pod with 2 others (poor bastards) and as the weeks whizz by the lot of us get more cynical. You see, we have been “restructured”. In the corporate IT sense this means that management have failed to understand your job and to a degree, the role of IT within the organisation. Pens are waved, contracts put to tender and the whole thing tries to limp along without direction until the new order gets a bit of traction. Today, I endured a meeting to discuss budget requirements that wouldn’t have totalled the hourly wage of the attendees for the time we spent talking about them. IT would be a marginally worthwhile career if we ever did any....
The Dragon
Back at work today, seemed like an age since I left but the same old sagas were merrily dragging on. I share my pod with 2 others (poor bastards) and as the weeks whizz by the lot of us get more cynical. You see, we have been “restructured”. In the corporate IT sense this means that management have failed to understand your job and to a degree, the role of IT within the organisation. Pens are waved, contracts put to tender and the whole thing tries to limp along without direction until the new order gets a bit of traction. Today, I endured a meeting to discuss budget requirements that wouldn’t have totalled the hourly wage of the attendees for the time we spent talking about them. IT would be a marginally worthwhile career if we ever did any....
The Dragon
Friday, February 12, 2010
Product review: Garmin MAP60CSx
The inaugural post!
Product review : Garmin MAP60CSx (with optional Freshmap 1:50000 Topographic map of NZ)
We picked up a GPS receiver before the latest trip away to help navigate the slightly less travelled routes around the country. It would have to easily be one of the most useful and coolest toys all in one. This particular GPS is a handheld unit that does all the usual things along with having a barometric altimeter and electronic compass. It has easy to use buttons instead of a touch screen and with the topographic map loaded can zoom into a very fine level of detail. The reception is brilliant. The only time it had a problem finding where we were was when we had 2km high peaks all around us. Even then it only took 10 seconds or so to pick up the location. The altimeter and compass work independently of the GPS so while it is finding satellites for a position, you still get a highly detailed map, heading and altitude.
On the toy side of the ledger, it will record the trail of where you have been, your highest speed (which naturally was 100 Kph... :) ), average speed and half a dozen other data streams that really don’t help but are cool to see. It also makes a good tour guide if you want to know what you are looking at from a boat trip or walking trail.
If you are actually trying to use the unit as a tool however, the detail will not leave you wanting. The map was excellent and the accuracy is frankly amazing. Giving your navigator (who is very talented by the way) the ability to tell you what is over the next crest before you can see it is worth every penny, especially when there isn’t really a road but there is about to be a river that you need to ford. Battery life was good (we got approximately 12 hrs per set) and it is happy on rechargeable AA’s.
Definitely money well spent and am well impressed with the design and finish. 10/10.
The Dragon
Product review : Garmin MAP60CSx (with optional Freshmap 1:50000 Topographic map of NZ)
We picked up a GPS receiver before the latest trip away to help navigate the slightly less travelled routes around the country. It would have to easily be one of the most useful and coolest toys all in one. This particular GPS is a handheld unit that does all the usual things along with having a barometric altimeter and electronic compass. It has easy to use buttons instead of a touch screen and with the topographic map loaded can zoom into a very fine level of detail. The reception is brilliant. The only time it had a problem finding where we were was when we had 2km high peaks all around us. Even then it only took 10 seconds or so to pick up the location. The altimeter and compass work independently of the GPS so while it is finding satellites for a position, you still get a highly detailed map, heading and altitude.
On the toy side of the ledger, it will record the trail of where you have been, your highest speed (which naturally was 100 Kph... :) ), average speed and half a dozen other data streams that really don’t help but are cool to see. It also makes a good tour guide if you want to know what you are looking at from a boat trip or walking trail.
If you are actually trying to use the unit as a tool however, the detail will not leave you wanting. The map was excellent and the accuracy is frankly amazing. Giving your navigator (who is very talented by the way) the ability to tell you what is over the next crest before you can see it is worth every penny, especially when there isn’t really a road but there is about to be a river that you need to ford. Battery life was good (we got approximately 12 hrs per set) and it is happy on rechargeable AA’s.
Definitely money well spent and am well impressed with the design and finish. 10/10.
The Dragon
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