Secret video footage of the Nazi's last agile planning meeting: Hitler goes crazy when he learns that his team has not been following the tenets of the agile manifesto..
Friday, May 01, 2009
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Top 50 job interview questions answered the way they should be
With many thanks to Examiner.com (where you can find this and much, much more!)
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Welcome to the world of ambiguity.
Job interviews are often filled with unnecessary questions and ambiguity. The problem is so common that I often dream about the opportunity to apply for a job I don't want just to see how it unfolds. Based on the top 50 interview questions available at Trader's Psychology (the undisputed leader of all things Job Interview), I have provided an example of how that interview might go down:
1. Tell me about yourself:
Do you want the whole thing or just bits and pieces. I have a very 'storied' past.
2. Why did you leave your last job?
I didn't. It left me.
3. What experience do you have in this field?
I have worked in it.
4. Do you consider yourself successful?
Yes.
5. What do co-workers say about you?
I've never asked them to talk about me.
6. What do you know about this organization?
That you have a job opening.
7. What have you done to improve your knowledge in the last year?
I have read the news and I watch public television and listen to public radio.
8. Are you applying for other jobs?
Not at the moment, but I applied for tons of jobs earlier this week.
9. Why do you want to work for this organization?
I don't recall saying I did. Do you already know why you want me to work for you?
10. Do you know anyone who works for us?
No, if I did, I probably wouldn't have to sit through this BS.
You can read the rest of the questions & answers at http://www.examiner.com/examiner/x-3040-Minneapolis-Life-in-the-Cubicle-Examiner~y2009m4d1-Top-50-job-interview-questions-answered-the-way-they-should-be
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Welcome to the world of ambiguity.
Job interviews are often filled with unnecessary questions and ambiguity. The problem is so common that I often dream about the opportunity to apply for a job I don't want just to see how it unfolds. Based on the top 50 interview questions available at Trader's Psychology (the undisputed leader of all things Job Interview), I have provided an example of how that interview might go down:
1. Tell me about yourself:
Do you want the whole thing or just bits and pieces. I have a very 'storied' past.
2. Why did you leave your last job?
I didn't. It left me.
3. What experience do you have in this field?
I have worked in it.
4. Do you consider yourself successful?
Yes.
5. What do co-workers say about you?
I've never asked them to talk about me.
6. What do you know about this organization?
That you have a job opening.
7. What have you done to improve your knowledge in the last year?
I have read the news and I watch public television and listen to public radio.
8. Are you applying for other jobs?
Not at the moment, but I applied for tons of jobs earlier this week.
9. Why do you want to work for this organization?
I don't recall saying I did. Do you already know why you want me to work for you?
10. Do you know anyone who works for us?
No, if I did, I probably wouldn't have to sit through this BS.
You can read the rest of the questions & answers at http://www.examiner.com/examiner/x-3040-Minneapolis-Life-in-the-Cubicle-Examiner~y2009m4d1-Top-50-job-interview-questions-answered-the-way-they-should-be
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
It's been a long crazy month since I last posted on here. My son Andrew & his fiance Joanna visited us over the long Thanksgiving Day weekend. Great to see them again, pity the weather was lousy but that's London in November for you.
My manager at work - ugh, less said the better. She's an obsessive micro-manager/backseat driver/passive aggressive bully type who fills empty time with endless pressured make-work. I'll leave at the end of my contract (or sooner if I can). No amount of money is worth that sort of abuse.
Today is my birthday.
So starts the holiday season. I need to send emails to friends to catch up since I've gone silent lately. Need to send out Christmas cards.
I really need to get a new desk chair.
And now, good night.
My manager at work - ugh, less said the better. She's an obsessive micro-manager/backseat driver/passive aggressive bully type who fills empty time with endless pressured make-work. I'll leave at the end of my contract (or sooner if I can). No amount of money is worth that sort of abuse.
Today is my birthday.
So starts the holiday season. I need to send emails to friends to catch up since I've gone silent lately. Need to send out Christmas cards.
I really need to get a new desk chair.
And now, good night.
Wednesday, November 05, 2008
Woke up this morning to a working internet connection and the news that we have a new President. I'm hoping for the best now. Especially because Obama has majorities in both House & Senate. (One wishes the Brits would learn a lesson from the US and throw out Gordon Brown and Labour - but it would take energy and effort, putting your money where your mouth is, and Brits don't do that. Their forte is moaning, blamecasting, and bullying.)
People generally get the government they deserve. I think this political sea change in the US has brought us back to where we should be.
Saturday, October 25, 2008
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
So finally "only" three months after I applied for my new visa under their premium same day service for £950 (almost $2,000 for you in the states), the UK Border Agency admitted to my MP's office that they had made a decision on my application and would contact me with the result in due course.
This comes after they told us the day I applied that everything was in order and I should just go have a cup of coffee while they glued it into my US Passport. 15 minutes later everything changed as they admitted they had "misplaced" my file and couldn't do anythign without it. Of course the concept of looking for it never occured to them until weeks later when my MP's office demanded something be done about locating the file. Then it became a major case of CYA and try to pretend it wasn't anything to do with them, that they needed to make further inquiries to assure themselves that Alan & I were genuinely married, etc.
Do you miss the old Soviet State? Pine no more, welcome to socialist Britain.
This comes after they told us the day I applied that everything was in order and I should just go have a cup of coffee while they glued it into my US Passport. 15 minutes later everything changed as they admitted they had "misplaced" my file and couldn't do anythign without it. Of course the concept of looking for it never occured to them until weeks later when my MP's office demanded something be done about locating the file. Then it became a major case of CYA and try to pretend it wasn't anything to do with them, that they needed to make further inquiries to assure themselves that Alan & I were genuinely married, etc.
Do you miss the old Soviet State? Pine no more, welcome to socialist Britain.
Sunday, October 12, 2008
Friday, October 10, 2008
Oh my god! This is so amazing and fantastic - I found my best friend after we'd been separated and lost track of each other for 30 years. And, like real best friends, it's as if we were never apart, it's still exactly the same. Oh my god - it's Barb & Irma again! Yay!!!
I'm almost stunned with delight. She is, too. We've been looking for each other and checking the internet and finally luck was with us and we found each other again.
We've both traveled far away from our roots in the Bronx, New York. Irma ended up in Buenos Aires and I, of course in London.
We've already exchanged long middle of the night catch-up emails and plan a long phone conversation on Saturday. And yes, I'm already checking air fares to Argentina - it's the ideal trip for this winter since it will be warm and sunny there in February.
I'm too overwhelmed still to write more but had to shout it this morning.
I'm almost stunned with delight. She is, too. We've been looking for each other and checking the internet and finally luck was with us and we found each other again.
We've both traveled far away from our roots in the Bronx, New York. Irma ended up in Buenos Aires and I, of course in London.
We've already exchanged long middle of the night catch-up emails and plan a long phone conversation on Saturday. And yes, I'm already checking air fares to Argentina - it's the ideal trip for this winter since it will be warm and sunny there in February.
I'm too overwhelmed still to write more but had to shout it this morning.
Wednesday, October 01, 2008
Ugh, finally got all the crap mail downloaded, marked, and removed to the trash. The final tally is over 20,000! All returned mail from some bastard spammer who spoofed my address. You would think sysadmins would know how to check the real sender address by now. But no, lazy, slovenly mail is the rule of the internet.
What a time wasting nightmare that's been. And probably more to come.
What a time wasting nightmare that's been. And probably more to come.
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Thunderbird is currently downloading over 10,000 emails for me right now. Yes, 10,000 emails - all SPAM related. Someone spoofed my email address on some spam and voila, I'm getting 10,000 undeliverable notifications.
I really believe in the physical punishment for the people who do this. Very psinful physical punishment.
I really believe in the physical punishment for the people who do this. Very psinful physical punishment.
Sunday, September 21, 2008
OMG! I just -finally- watched Frequency. What a film, fabulous. For years friends have told me to watch it and somehow I just never thought it was my sort of film. What an idiot I was. But at least it was a perfect choice for a quiet Sunday night. If you haven't seen it, you should. Really excellent.
IMDB review: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0186151/
I've been watching a lot of films this summer since with the 2 eye surgeries my ability to read print has been severely limited. I'll be fine once it's all healed but in the interim, reading is not fun-damental. I save my eye strength for work where I must read or die- no choice if I want to keep my job. Although on that front, I have had 2 successful job interviews for a very exciting new position that I want very badly. I'll probably know on Tuesday if they are going to make a job offer. The suspense is killing me. This is a permanant job, not a contract. It's a significant upward step for my career and it's simply the most exciting opportunity. Per their HR dept both interviews produced very good impressions. They interviewed 4 people including me on the first round and then only me on the 2nd. I will be very stunned if I don't get the job. HR said the reason for the decision delay was that the woman who would do the HR paperwork for the hiring was on vacation through Monday and back Tuesday and my agent would get their decision then. Oh man, oh man, as they say, I can almost taste it.
Fingers crossed for this one, boys and girls.
IMDB review: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0186151/
I've been watching a lot of films this summer since with the 2 eye surgeries my ability to read print has been severely limited. I'll be fine once it's all healed but in the interim, reading is not fun-damental. I save my eye strength for work where I must read or die- no choice if I want to keep my job. Although on that front, I have had 2 successful job interviews for a very exciting new position that I want very badly. I'll probably know on Tuesday if they are going to make a job offer. The suspense is killing me. This is a permanant job, not a contract. It's a significant upward step for my career and it's simply the most exciting opportunity. Per their HR dept both interviews produced very good impressions. They interviewed 4 people including me on the first round and then only me on the 2nd. I will be very stunned if I don't get the job. HR said the reason for the decision delay was that the woman who would do the HR paperwork for the hiring was on vacation through Monday and back Tuesday and my agent would get their decision then. Oh man, oh man, as they say, I can almost taste it.
Fingers crossed for this one, boys and girls.
Saturday, September 13, 2008
City of Memory
http://www.cityofmemory.org/
City of Memory is an online community map of personal stories and memories organized on a physical geographical map of New York City.
It's a great deal more but it needs a lot more people to add their stories. Please add yours!
Thursday, September 11, 2008
LHC Compact Muon Solenoid Experiment Webcams
There are currently two webcams online
Camera 7: looking at the Underground Experimental Cavern from the Saleve side.
Camera 8: looking out of the window of the 1st Floor of the SCX building that houses the CMS Control room.
http://www.cyriak.co.uk/lhc/lhc-webcams.html
There are currently two webcams online
Camera 7: looking at the Underground Experimental Cavern from the Saleve side.
Camera 8: looking out of the window of the 1st Floor of the SCX building that houses the CMS Control room.
http://www.cyriak.co.uk/lhc/lhc-webcams.html
Just when you thought life was settling down it rises up and smacks you upside the head.
I came home from work today and noticed a few black specks in my right eye's vision. This is a bit frightening for me because that's the eye that just had a detached retina and I just had surgery to correct in July. At 2 follow up visits the doctors assured me it was healing beautifully, perfectly, I was the one who beat the odds and was going to get a full recovery.
Until tonight when I saw those specks. An hour later I suddenly saw a familiar shadow in my right eye's vision - that was it, game over. I knew that shape - it's the retina detaching again.
I did all the sensible things. Called the eye hospital A&E (emergency room for us Yanks). They said come down right now. So I grabbed a cab and went. Two hours and a lot of bright lights and eye drops, etc later, the eye doctor confirmed the retina was starting to detach again. So being a UK hospital they sent me home at 1 am. I have to be back at the hospital at 8 am in the morning when I'll find out if and when they'll re-operate. It's a queue here - who knows if they will take me right into surgery or make me wait days (while the eye gets worse).
I just can't believe this bad luck.
And just when I was going to post how life had settled down. Life was starting to go well. Work was going well, contract was going to be renewed. Who knows what will happen now.
Damn.
I came home from work today and noticed a few black specks in my right eye's vision. This is a bit frightening for me because that's the eye that just had a detached retina and I just had surgery to correct in July. At 2 follow up visits the doctors assured me it was healing beautifully, perfectly, I was the one who beat the odds and was going to get a full recovery.
Until tonight when I saw those specks. An hour later I suddenly saw a familiar shadow in my right eye's vision - that was it, game over. I knew that shape - it's the retina detaching again.
I did all the sensible things. Called the eye hospital A&E (emergency room for us Yanks). They said come down right now. So I grabbed a cab and went. Two hours and a lot of bright lights and eye drops, etc later, the eye doctor confirmed the retina was starting to detach again. So being a UK hospital they sent me home at 1 am. I have to be back at the hospital at 8 am in the morning when I'll find out if and when they'll re-operate. It's a queue here - who knows if they will take me right into surgery or make me wait days (while the eye gets worse).
I just can't believe this bad luck.
And just when I was going to post how life had settled down. Life was starting to go well. Work was going well, contract was going to be renewed. Who knows what will happen now.
Damn.
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
So it seems the world didn't end today ;)
Scientists fire up giant atom smasher
Deep beneath the border of France and Switzerland, scientists Wednesday fired up one of the most ambitious experiments ever conceived, firing protons around a 27-kilometer (17-mile) tunnel to try to unlock the secrets of the universe.
http://edition.cnn.com/2008/TECH/09/10/lhc.collider/index.html
Go Science! CERN rocks!
So much for the idiot-brigade doomsayers. The sky is not yet falling.
Deep beneath the border of France and Switzerland, scientists Wednesday fired up one of the most ambitious experiments ever conceived, firing protons around a 27-kilometer (17-mile) tunnel to try to unlock the secrets of the universe.
http://edition.cnn.com/2008/TECH/09/10/lhc.collider/index.html
Go Science! CERN rocks!
So much for the idiot-brigade doomsayers. The sky is not yet falling.
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