Blog Comments

  1. Mott the Hoople's Avatar
    What is driving me nuts is that corporate American is doing great. The company I work for....or rather used to work for (I'll get back to that) has showed very strong growth through the first 3 qtr's of the fiscal year and my semi-annual bonus check was larger then usual. This has been the 10th quarter in a row they have showed continued growth but have they hired? No, in fact they are laying off. The only places they are hiring are in plants that they are building in China and South America.

    So what happened? Well earlier this year they sold off the division of the company I work for to a Texas based venture capital group. They are known for buying companies with growth potential, injecting them with capital and then selling them at a profit. They don't chop companies up and sell the assets as what often happens in mergers and aquisitions but that doesn't mean whomever they eventually sell us off to won't do that or that redundant positions won't be created.

    Speaking of redundant, and this is how I avoided being laid off. My former company used the assets from the sale of our division to purchase another company more alligned with their current market strategy. This however did create redundant positions. They announced last week that their will be 1500 permanent lay offs. Considering they have only 4000 employees....that's steep man! So, dodged a bullet there. That don't make me feel any better, lots of good people are going to lose their jobs and the market is particularly tough out there. Particularly if you can't relocate.

    So I'm taking this as a wake up call. It's time to update my skills and to focus on networking. I may even consider jumping ship even though that means sacrificing my seniority and the associated benefits (which are substantial) but may be necessary to stay ahead of the employment curve (or should I say unemployment?). On the upside I've been working on my professional development. The organization that certifies the professional credential I hold recently offered me the significant honor of chairing their examination committee. Considering the qualifications, experience and caliber or the other committee members I was very flattered with the offer and accepted. On the skill side I'm working on updating my computer skills by becoming proficient with SAP and SalesForce.Com. I am NOT the biggest fan in the world of SAP. I think their are quite a few relational databases that are superior. I think Oracles web based platform comes to mind. Be that as it may, it's becoming an industry standard in manufacturing. Since I work a lot in project management learning SFDC has proved quite a surprise. For once we have a real process generating real data and feedback where by process control can be implemented in the sales and marketing process. Sales Reps hate it but everyone else loves it because giving sales people authority over process control is like giving a machine gun to a monkey.

    The good think about having professional credentials is that if the worst should happen and a lay off occur, I don't have to go to work for someone else. I can be self employed and that's where working in networking comes in. To that affect I've become more active in my professional association and have taken a leadership position and I have been active on "linkedin.com" focusing on building relationships with people in my field.

    I may go that way anyways as I find myself rather unsuited for corporate life where mediocrity is the norm.
  2. Minister of Truth's Avatar
    Make sure the icon you are clicking on is 2010 and not 2007, as that is the only thing I understand enough about to mention. It was happening to me in the library at my college, because the network is upgraded to 2010, but the 2007 icons still remain...
  3. yangy's Avatar
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  4. yangy's Avatar
    <a href="http://www.as.com">adfa</a> adf sadf
  5. Cheatos's Avatar
    [Hi everyone, I'm a Newbie. I just wanted to see what KIND of politics was on this site. -Later!QUOTE][/QUOTE]
  6. Annie's Avatar
    She has your sense of humor! Good thing!
  7. Damocles's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Annie
    Your 5 year old takes much better pics than myself. I'm so excited for you! Honey, honey, honey!
    I wish she did... I had to go through myriad photos to get the ones I used. There were about 50 photos of my butt, she kept saying, "I'm taking a picture of beekeeper butt!"

    She took some of the bees flying through the air, but all those turned out to be was pictures of blurry dots and sky...

    She did great though, and she's fearless. She makes me proud.
  8. Annie's Avatar
    Your 5 year old takes much better pics than myself. I'm so excited for you! Honey, honey, honey!
  9. Damocles's Avatar
    They are photographs, not live. Maybe next time, Grind.
  10. BRUTALITOPS's Avatar
    can you flash some gang signs with the bee suit on? i think that'd be rad.
  11. Damocles's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by charver
    Mmmmm....candied bees.

    Thems is good eatin'.
    Sometimes the stinger gets stuck between your teeth.
  12. Damocles's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Whomever
    Killer Bees?
    Not likely. Those don't produce enough honey to survive our winters.
  13. charver's Avatar
    Mmmmm....candied bees.

    Thems is good eatin'.
  14. Whomever's Avatar
    Killer Bees?
  15. Damocles's Avatar
    That is a problem, my wife is having problems knitting the hats for the second hive. Can't have the girls dressed the same, you know how they hate that.
  16. charver's Avatar
    Who are you kidding, Damo?

    I bet you're loving it. Running around the garden amongst your apian concubines, safe in the knowledge that you're the only male for miles around.

    Anyway, i only hope you have enough hats to attire a second hive.
    Updated 04-28-2009 at 11:54 AM by charver (avian apian turmoil.)