Memorial Day 2011

Dysfunctional

Dysfunctional

Here is a job the US Government seems to think I would be interested in (based upon an application I put in more than 6 months ago when looking for a job)

Job Title: IT Specialist (Information Security)

SALARY RANGE: $81,225.00 - $182,790.00 /year

This is a Direct Hire action. Direct Hire Authority (section 1312 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002) allows agencies to appoint candidates directly to occupations for which the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) has determined that there is a severe shortage of candidates or a critical hiring need for certain occupations, grades, and/or geographic locations. Agencies may appoint without regard to Veteran's Preference.

OK, so I am interested in the skills they are looking for, that justify such a salary…

(These are what are listed- and what made me think, something’s wrong here)

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities: You will be required to complete narratives for the below listed KSAs in the occupational questionnaire for this announcement.

·         Ability to communicate effectively other than in writing.

·         Knowledge of information systems security operations, techniques, and standards.

·         Knowledge of information systems security operations, techniques, and standards.

·         Ability to communicate in writing.

·         Ability to plan and execute work.

·         Knowledge of computer languages, security utilities, and penetration testing methods.

·         Ability to plan, develop, and implement information technology guidelines an policies.

·         Ability to research and analyze technology problems, issues, and program requirements

OK, so first off, what exactly does “Ability to communicate effectively other than in writing” mean? Body language? Talking?

Second, does living in NYC or Washington DC really warrant paying between $39 to $87 an hour?

 Really...?

Modern Economic theory, Obamanomics

Liberal, progressives, (e.g. Chris Mathews and that scum Ed Schultz to name a couple) have a  perspective about national economics ( i.e Obamanomics) that "we didn't spend enough"...to expalin the persistant economic malaise.

Well, I know if I go to the casino and hope to win and lose my paycheck, I screwed up.

If I happen to win, I think "Goody, now I will spend more AND win more " which is based on experience (winning) but not sound logic. Knowing that statistical probability has more to do with winning is why Las Vegas casinos clear billions each year. The way Obama is spending in my view is no different. He is betting that eventually he will win economically, and therefore win reelection. Yet nearly three years of squandered money has only resulted in our country looking like a bunch of drunks at the bar spending every penny and then asking for a tab...think about it.

Remember:

You can be ignorant, learn about something and then no longer be ignorant or

You can be ignorant, learn about something and then say "fuck it" and go back to being a dumbass.

Your choice. 

Speaking about dumbass, here are some Ed Schultz quotes:

"...I think [Obama] is on the footstep of greatness." "Obama Should Act Like A "Dictator"

Seriously Ed, seek help, now!

What I have been doing, in case you wondered

Hello again

I have not written anything for a while, not really interested discussions about current affairs. Point of fact, I have gotten tired of being in discussions where no matter how rational the discussion is to start, emotions usually flare up. This is usually where the name calling starts.  this is where I am usually accused of either being too soft on the liberal commie bastards, or I am a racist capitalist (these words seem now to be part of the left language as a pejorative conjunction, as in racist capitalist elitist)

So other than a missive about bin Laden’s demise, I have not been here for a while.

Finally, something good to talk about  - My work

Finding myself hired as a manager, I knew I would have people actually reporting to me. What I had forgotten these last 15 years is when I said for them to do something, unlike being a project manager (which was more akin to being a lead worker) my words actually cause things to happen.

What I really am surprised by are a couple of things.

First, I had no idea the management benefits differed so much from the employees. My last job I was a Project Manager, which really was more a consultant/analyst job, and as such was not considered management. And the managers there got treated pretty poorly, so who wants to be one, right?

My new job, a national firm, apparently is one of the companies you never hear about, and won’t from me either. Our disclosure policies are pretty tight, due to the amount of proprietary knowledge our people are given access to. Sufficed to say, aside from a nice office high up near the top of the building, there are other things they do for management…no bonuses, but other things that help. Like 401 matching, or taking out the health insurance cost before taxes…stuff I was unaware they did. Which last payday made me smile for the first pay day in about 3 years…seriously

The other thing is my actual work. My staff is all pretty self-directed, only come to me when they have issues. So I get to go to a lot of meetings. A LOT.

All these meetings are about a big project to update the database system….

I was discussing w my boss the amount of discussion and explaining I was doing in these meetings with others in the group. About my utter disbelief at how either unaware or not current some of the people are with current technologies. He smiled, and said “That’s why we hired you”

Suddenly it clicked…how I had apparently been selected over dozens of other applicants. …all my work experience had fit together in a mosaic they thought gave a good background to someone who could voice concerns about development of a new project that otherwise would be obsolete before it was built. 

Not like I am some IT guru. But I know the technologies are out there to do a lot of what many of these people are terming impossible…simply because they don’t know. And so its my job to educate them, to get them to see beyond what they know to what they would rather have, and let the vendors see if it can be done...

My boss told me some of the big shots have heard of this impertinent woman stirring up things…he seemed to think it was a good

US FORCES KILL BIN LADEN

Americans celebrate in the streets this evening upon news Bin Laden was killed in Pakistan by US Forces...'Justice has been done' - Osama bin Laden dead, Obama announces

http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/nationworld/report/050111_bin_laden/justice-has-been-done-osama-bin-laden-dead-obama-announces