Friday, August 5, 2011
Resolution
I've decided to stand firm against the winds of the times and insist upon long games in both Chess and Scrabble. I'd rather not play at all than be slave to a ticking clock that tells me to stop thinking.
Thursday, August 4, 2011
Hitler Working at Big Lots
I probably should not watch WW2 documentaries just before bedtime. I dreamed that Hitler was working outside Big Lots with a bullhorn in his hand, yelling to people in the parking lot about 5% off bubble gum, a fresh new inventory of underarm deodorant, and discount toilet paper. He seemed a bit embarrassed to be doing so. I decided I could not tolerate Hitler working at Big Lots, so I went up to him and said in a loud voice, "I'm not going to shop here anymore, because you're a monster, and I can't believe that this store hired you!" Hitler stared at his feet and did not say anything in reply. I continued, "You need to clear out this minute! I can't believe you got a job here. Is the management insane like you?"
The unlikely character of the situation dawned upon me. I thought I might be witnessing a scene in Hell, where Hitler must forever work as a two-bit promoter at Big Lots, while encountering at frequent intervals individuals that recognize and confront him due to his deeds on Earth.
The unlikely character of the situation dawned upon me. I thought I might be witnessing a scene in Hell, where Hitler must forever work as a two-bit promoter at Big Lots, while encountering at frequent intervals individuals that recognize and confront him due to his deeds on Earth.
Dresden, Hiroshima, Nagasaki
In regards to WW2, I don't find fault with the Allied actions against Dresden, Hiroshima, and Nagasaki. I think that those who do should reevaluate the nature of the Japanese and German regimes and reconsider their judgment. If the Axis powers had won, I would not be alive to write this post, and few if any of my readers would be alive to read it, and it is likely that the Internet as we know it would not exist. My uncle volunteered for WW2 and died in a bomber performing a mission over France. I have no doubt I would have volunteered if I had been alive at the time. If life is to have meaning, and if human life is better than the life of a cockroach, then to sacrifice one's life in a measured way against absolute evil can only be a positive good, and death should not be feared in all cases, but accepted in some.
A hundred Dresdens would not bother me, nor a hundred Hiroshimas. WW2 was a terrible crisis manufactured by the Axis powers, which by doing so, signed a blank check and handed it to the leaders of the Allied powers. Sometimes a patient needs harsh medicine to eliminate a cancer. Anyone who feels resentment should ask themselves whether they would prefer to live under Hitler or under the present-day Republics. If their answer is Hitler, then they should relocate to Iran and experience the closest approximation the modern world has to offer.
A hundred Dresdens would not bother me, nor a hundred Hiroshimas. WW2 was a terrible crisis manufactured by the Axis powers, which by doing so, signed a blank check and handed it to the leaders of the Allied powers. Sometimes a patient needs harsh medicine to eliminate a cancer. Anyone who feels resentment should ask themselves whether they would prefer to live under Hitler or under the present-day Republics. If their answer is Hitler, then they should relocate to Iran and experience the closest approximation the modern world has to offer.
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
Top Four Interview Mistakes
There's nothing I hate more than working my tail off to score an interview, only to feel like I didn't perform to my utmost. All the work I put into my cover letter, resume, and in some cases questionnaire and I.Q. Test goes down the drain if the interview hits a road bump. Here are some lessons I've learned the hard way.
- Decide right away whether you are a morning person or an evening person. If you're not a morning person, then do NOT schedule an interview in the morning. I was so eager to please the HR rep that I agreed to a 10 AM interview. I was so excited the night before that I didn't sleep a wink. My wits weren't what they could have been. If I had only scheduled a 3 PM interview, I'd have been better off, and the interviewers more relaxed as well, because in general I've noticed that people tend to become more relaxed as the day wears on.
- The HR rear ends were taught in business school to always ask the interviewee whether he has any questions, on the theory that applicants are too scared to volunteer a question without being asked for one. I seldom have had any good questions, because I research the company beforehand and can adapt to just about any situation anyway. However, this looks bad in the HR rep's eyes. Here's a great question: Do you have any questions or concerns that you haven't mentioned yet? Here's another: Can you think of any reason that I wouldn't be a great candidate for this position? The goal is to shake out the pebble in their shoe, that lingering doubt or concern that they have observed, but not revealed. That secret doubt is your enemy, and it is best to bring it out into the open, where it can be addressed head on.
- Remember that most HR questions are complete B.S. designed to trick the interviewee into badmouthing former employers or sharing unflattering things about himself. Never utter anything that does not portray you in a positive light when viewed from any possible angle, because it will then be taken out of context and magnified tenfold. Strive to be cheerfully boring.
- Faulty memory is not a valid excuse. Always have a few canned anecdotes about your past experiences to share with the interviewer. These must all portray you in a positive light.
Charity's Heart Contracted
Here's a line from the novel Summer by Edith Wharton: "Charity's heart contracted." The first thought that came to my mind was, I certainly hope so, because otherwise, she'd soon be dead.
One can count on Tolkien not to drop a howler like that in his prose. Did any of my English professors teach Tolkien? No. Tolkien is belittled in academia because he is popular and for no other reason than that.
One can count on Tolkien not to drop a howler like that in his prose. Did any of my English professors teach Tolkien? No. Tolkien is belittled in academia because he is popular and for no other reason than that.
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
Gen. Mark Clark
I don't have a favorable opinion of the military skills of WW2-era Gen. Mark Clark. If he were a chessplayer, he's the type I could defeat within twenty moves on any given night, even if I offered pawn and move.
In his latter years, he retired to a cushy job at The Citadel, the military college of Charleston, South Carolina. Some of the soldiers he commanded were not so fortunate.
In ancient times--and let us all be thankful that we are not in ancient times--his prognosis would not have been optimal. Let's just leave it at that. Sometimes understatement is best.
In his latter years, he retired to a cushy job at The Citadel, the military college of Charleston, South Carolina. Some of the soldiers he commanded were not so fortunate.
In ancient times--and let us all be thankful that we are not in ancient times--his prognosis would not have been optimal. Let's just leave it at that. Sometimes understatement is best.
Monday, August 1, 2011
New York Times Needs a Proofreader
I was surprised today to see a goof in The New York Times:
The writer meant to write "unencumbered," although that's not the best word to use. There's no need for a hyphen, either. Also, feelings in a group or an individual can be influenced, but cannot be changed by an outside entity. The entire paragraph is flawed.
Many elections that Republicans win are the result of a weak candidate or a candidate that was so far to the right, he might as well have been a Republican. I don't think the Democrats need to change anything except, in some cases, their delivery and salesmanship. The practice in which candidates are selected based upon their connections must be ended. Democratic candidates should be more combative and angry, in tune with the zeitgeist. Democrats need to move further to the left and own it. The people don't care which label is used. They will listen to any catchy tune.
End the overseas interventions, end the drug war, end foreign aid, cut out welfare for the rich, cut back outdated farm and factory subsidies, invest in America's working class, invest in American manufacturing, build new power plants, build mass transit in all American cities, slap tariffs on goods from slave nations, put America back to work, offer inexpensive health care and college education, and invest in scientific research.
This is all obvious. It isn't rocket science. The problem with some our leaders (not all) is that they have never created or fixed anything. They're not engineers. They don't understand how things work or how to make them work. And the only thing the Republicans care about is scoring political points. As far as the G.O.P. is concerned, America could burn, and that's fine as long as the G.O.P. gets to bite the ankle of Obama.
In analyzing these polls in the United States, I see clearly that voters feel ever more estranged from government — and that they associate Democrats with government. If Democrats are going to be encumbered by that link, they need to change voters’ feelings about government.
The writer meant to write "unencumbered," although that's not the best word to use. There's no need for a hyphen, either. Also, feelings in a group or an individual can be influenced, but cannot be changed by an outside entity. The entire paragraph is flawed.
Many elections that Republicans win are the result of a weak candidate or a candidate that was so far to the right, he might as well have been a Republican. I don't think the Democrats need to change anything except, in some cases, their delivery and salesmanship. The practice in which candidates are selected based upon their connections must be ended. Democratic candidates should be more combative and angry, in tune with the zeitgeist. Democrats need to move further to the left and own it. The people don't care which label is used. They will listen to any catchy tune.
End the overseas interventions, end the drug war, end foreign aid, cut out welfare for the rich, cut back outdated farm and factory subsidies, invest in America's working class, invest in American manufacturing, build new power plants, build mass transit in all American cities, slap tariffs on goods from slave nations, put America back to work, offer inexpensive health care and college education, and invest in scientific research.
This is all obvious. It isn't rocket science. The problem with some our leaders (not all) is that they have never created or fixed anything. They're not engineers. They don't understand how things work or how to make them work. And the only thing the Republicans care about is scoring political points. As far as the G.O.P. is concerned, America could burn, and that's fine as long as the G.O.P. gets to bite the ankle of Obama.
Sunday, July 31, 2011
Saturday, July 30, 2011
Iran, a Force for Evil
Iran is a real force for evil in the world. They are the real enemy of freedom. Forget about Afghanistan. Why the U.S. elected to invade a country with no real power or influence, Afghanistan, is a question that tempts me to doubt the intelligence of our leaders. We go in there with our bombs and our bullets, but there is nothing to destroy in that undeveloped cesspool, and the enemy is easily replaceable due to widespread ignorance, lack of birth control, and financial support from the U.S. and from the drug trade. I do not understand why our leaders learned nothing from Viet Nam.
Friday, July 29, 2011
Obama and the Environment
When the Obama Administration encounters science it doesn't like, it has a simple solution: punish the scientist. In that respect, it is similar to the Bush Administration. Both Presidents are the same on marijuana, too. Even though science is quite clear that alcohol is more harmful than marijuana, it is marijuana, not alcohol, that the Federal government goes to great lengths to eradicate. Our leaders are indifferent to science and uninterested in learning. That is why the country is in the situation it is in today. If the country were a restaurant, it would have been shut down already either for health code violations or lack of business. Imagine a restaurant that sends all its customers to other restaurants to eat and refuses to serve food at all. That is the U.S. today, shipping jobs and resources overseas and letting the people and the infrastructure rot.
The Ratio
The time that a serious job seeker spends applying for a single job compared to the amount of time an employer spends evaluating the applicant is 100:1. Employers are cherry-picking among applicants, wasting the time of 99% in order to get at the most desirable 1%. Few companies want to work with a resume anymore. Instead, a job seeker must become a volunteer data entry clerk, filling out an application that duplicates pretty much everything that is on the resume, so that the data becomes searchable.
One company requested that I fill out a lengthy questionnaire. I spent an entire day preparing that, and the result was so good that they decided to interview me over the phone. Preparation for an interview always costs me more time than the actual interview itself. I want to know as much as I can going into the interview. Whether that impresses anyone these days, I don't know. I think people automatically assume that one has a mobile device in his hand and is using it for crib notes.
A video interview followed, and I got the impression that I'm disqualified because I'm overqualified. Rather than nip that bud early in the process by using a technique known as "reading comprehension," they chose to read comic books in the office or whatever it is they do on a working day. The hiring manager had not read my application, had not read my resume, and had not even read the questionnaire, but waited until the second interview to evaluate the weight of my experience, which is heavy. The desired candidate, I gather, will be fifteen years younger, untested and unsure of how to handle the situation when the septic tank discharges into the air conditioning unit. That will be their problem, not mine. My problem is how to reduce the amount of time that companies demand that I waste. I'm not sure it is possible to avoid the questionnaires, I.Q. tests, and other time-wasting hurdles that one jumps through only to be smacked down at the end.
One company requested that I fill out a lengthy questionnaire. I spent an entire day preparing that, and the result was so good that they decided to interview me over the phone. Preparation for an interview always costs me more time than the actual interview itself. I want to know as much as I can going into the interview. Whether that impresses anyone these days, I don't know. I think people automatically assume that one has a mobile device in his hand and is using it for crib notes.
A video interview followed, and I got the impression that I'm disqualified because I'm overqualified. Rather than nip that bud early in the process by using a technique known as "reading comprehension," they chose to read comic books in the office or whatever it is they do on a working day. The hiring manager had not read my application, had not read my resume, and had not even read the questionnaire, but waited until the second interview to evaluate the weight of my experience, which is heavy. The desired candidate, I gather, will be fifteen years younger, untested and unsure of how to handle the situation when the septic tank discharges into the air conditioning unit. That will be their problem, not mine. My problem is how to reduce the amount of time that companies demand that I waste. I'm not sure it is possible to avoid the questionnaires, I.Q. tests, and other time-wasting hurdles that one jumps through only to be smacked down at the end.
Thursday, July 28, 2011
"The Beginners" *****
I saw "The Beginners" at a cinema tonight and was quite pleased by the excellent writing and superb acting. A truly flawless movie, it is the best of 2011.
I had not been out to a cinema in years. I must say the movie-going experience has gotten worse, not better. There were almost a dozen shrill, jarring commercials for products like insurance and luxury cars that made me sorry I was there. Why should I have to watch commercials after I paid for a ticket? I felt like the theater was punishing me for visiting. If I had waited for the movie to arrive via NetFlix, presto, no commercials. One of the stupid commercials played in reverse (including the soundtrack) after it had played. I do not know whether that was a technical malfunction or an intentional device. Another annoyance was that sound effects from another movie in an adjoining screen could be overheard--explosions, shots and cursing. The sound is turned up too loud.
Despite my favorable impression of the movie itself, I do not intend to go out to the cinemas again for a long time, because it is clear to me the cinema owner has zero respect for the audience. But what else is new? This has long been the case. Besides the high ticket price and the lousy and expensive food, now the audience must contend with loud, obnoxious commercials with no relation to movies. Small wonder, then, that there were plenty of empty seats. In a theater with a seating capacity of 200, fewer than twelve seats were occupied, even though the movie itself was outstanding.
The museum was little better. Among the masterpieces of artwork and sculpture, in the lobby below, a rapper was permitted to scream his tirade or whatever he calls it at a very loud volume, so that it was impossible to think about anything except for the stupid thoughts originating from his empty head concerning murder or mayhem or whatever nonsense it is that he thinks is so interesting that everyone must listen to it, whether they want to or not. It may come as a surprise, but people visit an art museum to look at the art, not listen to rap or any other type of music played at a high volume. One thing is decided. I do not plan on buying a membership to the museum in this lifetime.
I had not been out to a cinema in years. I must say the movie-going experience has gotten worse, not better. There were almost a dozen shrill, jarring commercials for products like insurance and luxury cars that made me sorry I was there. Why should I have to watch commercials after I paid for a ticket? I felt like the theater was punishing me for visiting. If I had waited for the movie to arrive via NetFlix, presto, no commercials. One of the stupid commercials played in reverse (including the soundtrack) after it had played. I do not know whether that was a technical malfunction or an intentional device. Another annoyance was that sound effects from another movie in an adjoining screen could be overheard--explosions, shots and cursing. The sound is turned up too loud.
Despite my favorable impression of the movie itself, I do not intend to go out to the cinemas again for a long time, because it is clear to me the cinema owner has zero respect for the audience. But what else is new? This has long been the case. Besides the high ticket price and the lousy and expensive food, now the audience must contend with loud, obnoxious commercials with no relation to movies. Small wonder, then, that there were plenty of empty seats. In a theater with a seating capacity of 200, fewer than twelve seats were occupied, even though the movie itself was outstanding.
The museum was little better. Among the masterpieces of artwork and sculpture, in the lobby below, a rapper was permitted to scream his tirade or whatever he calls it at a very loud volume, so that it was impossible to think about anything except for the stupid thoughts originating from his empty head concerning murder or mayhem or whatever nonsense it is that he thinks is so interesting that everyone must listen to it, whether they want to or not. It may come as a surprise, but people visit an art museum to look at the art, not listen to rap or any other type of music played at a high volume. One thing is decided. I do not plan on buying a membership to the museum in this lifetime.
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Online Anonymity
I do agree with this perceptive article in PC World.
The crusaders against anonymity really need to think things through a bit more than they have. I think the CEO's are only concerned about maximizing profit. From their point of view, anonymity is not helpful. From the point of view of anyone else, anonymity can be an essential tool. It has its place. One cedes credibility by going anonymous, but gains a huge measure of protection from everyone except Johnny Law.
I can see both sides of the argument, though. A solid case has been made in The Guardian that anonymity tempts weak-minded people to misbehave, to indulge their Id, regressing to childish behavior patterns. On a web site that I admin, that was exactly what happened. The posters behaved as though they were in grade school, despite being senior citizens in many cases. They complained to the "teacher," bullied, insulted, threatened, and generally played the fool until we pulled the plug. Perhaps the hotheads will attempt to run their own forum somewhere. Good riddance. Karma will school them. I don't ever want to host another tribe of truculent trolls. When I think about how much time I spent customizing and improving the forum, I'm embarrassed by my generosity.
The crusaders against anonymity really need to think things through a bit more than they have. I think the CEO's are only concerned about maximizing profit. From their point of view, anonymity is not helpful. From the point of view of anyone else, anonymity can be an essential tool. It has its place. One cedes credibility by going anonymous, but gains a huge measure of protection from everyone except Johnny Law.
I can see both sides of the argument, though. A solid case has been made in The Guardian that anonymity tempts weak-minded people to misbehave, to indulge their Id, regressing to childish behavior patterns. On a web site that I admin, that was exactly what happened. The posters behaved as though they were in grade school, despite being senior citizens in many cases. They complained to the "teacher," bullied, insulted, threatened, and generally played the fool until we pulled the plug. Perhaps the hotheads will attempt to run their own forum somewhere. Good riddance. Karma will school them. I don't ever want to host another tribe of truculent trolls. When I think about how much time I spent customizing and improving the forum, I'm embarrassed by my generosity.
Why I Stopped Eating Fast Food
My favorite fast food joint was Taco Bell. I used to pick up a meal there after work about once a week. The food tasted all right. However, I began to notice side effects. The cheap food seemed to put the pounds on, and it seemed to be causing acne. I wasn't sure, so I attempted an experiment. I quit eating at Taco Bell. Presto, no more zits. I felt better and slept better at night. I recollect similar experiences with other fast food chains. I have not performed a chemical analysis of fast food, but my hunch is that the low prices mean not much care is taken in procuring healthy food.
I discovered that there is food even faster than fast food chains. It's called getting up and making it yourself. The best part about making food is the leftovers. They can be warmed up later in the microwave, which is even faster than cooking.
I discovered that there is food even faster than fast food chains. It's called getting up and making it yourself. The best part about making food is the leftovers. They can be warmed up later in the microwave, which is even faster than cooking.
Monday, July 25, 2011
Hail the Hero
There was a hero in the recent Norwegian massacre, a German man, Marcel Gleffe, who risked his life to save others.
The villain, whose name is not worthy of any mention, had the mindset of an insect, with retarded social, if adequate operational intelligence. The net outcome of his dark deed is that his ilk will continue to be despised throughout the world. It was a miserable failure in public relations, an atrocity that will provide grist for myriad conversations and publications. An insect such as he that conceives of human society as consisting only of cold numbers cannot be expected to grasp the full magnitude of his error.
The way that gays went from being persecuted to becoming members of the Establishment was not by killing, not by harming, and not by doing evil unto anyone, but by speaking out, listening, sharing, befriending, and forming alliances with others. It is through cooperation and hard work, not bloody violence, that an idea or a group earns acceptance. Those who commit violence receive the opposite of their goal.
The villain, whose name is not worthy of any mention, had the mindset of an insect, with retarded social, if adequate operational intelligence. The net outcome of his dark deed is that his ilk will continue to be despised throughout the world. It was a miserable failure in public relations, an atrocity that will provide grist for myriad conversations and publications. An insect such as he that conceives of human society as consisting only of cold numbers cannot be expected to grasp the full magnitude of his error.
The way that gays went from being persecuted to becoming members of the Establishment was not by killing, not by harming, and not by doing evil unto anyone, but by speaking out, listening, sharing, befriending, and forming alliances with others. It is through cooperation and hard work, not bloody violence, that an idea or a group earns acceptance. Those who commit violence receive the opposite of their goal.
Friday, July 22, 2011
Other Issues Besides Sexuality
I'd still be interested in politics and doing my part, even if sexuality became a non-issue, as it may very well become in the future.
Let's say gays get the right to marry across the U.S. What next? I think that marriage covers all the bases as far as sexuality goes. Maybe I'm missing a part of the puzzle, I don't know, but that's how it seems to me.
For me, manufacturing would be the #1 issue. I believe goods imported from China should be taxed to reflect the long-term costs of doing business with a slave state that is the sworn enemy of our ally, Taiwan. I believe that Congress should heed American manufacturers whenever they complain about the issue of China selling products below cost. Every American job that is lost as a result of Chinese competition is a cause for profound concern. I think that Congress does not have the correct priorities today. The correct priority is to reinvigorate the manufacturing sector in the minimum amount of time. Afghanistan and Iraq are not appropriate matters for our leaders to spend time or money upon. The appropriate focus should be upon revitalizing the U.S. economy for the long-term.
The environment would remain an important issue to me, that and fair treatment of the poor, the sick, and people in prison, especially non-violent offenders. I'd remain interested in ending the drug war and treating drug offenders in a medical, rather than a legal framework. I'd still vote for Democrats, because they seem less crazy than the Republicans on just about every issue under the sun, more in touch with science and more concerned with working-class folks. My father and mother are both Democrats, and I'd probably be a Democrat even if I had been born straight.
Let's say gays get the right to marry across the U.S. What next? I think that marriage covers all the bases as far as sexuality goes. Maybe I'm missing a part of the puzzle, I don't know, but that's how it seems to me.
For me, manufacturing would be the #1 issue. I believe goods imported from China should be taxed to reflect the long-term costs of doing business with a slave state that is the sworn enemy of our ally, Taiwan. I believe that Congress should heed American manufacturers whenever they complain about the issue of China selling products below cost. Every American job that is lost as a result of Chinese competition is a cause for profound concern. I think that Congress does not have the correct priorities today. The correct priority is to reinvigorate the manufacturing sector in the minimum amount of time. Afghanistan and Iraq are not appropriate matters for our leaders to spend time or money upon. The appropriate focus should be upon revitalizing the U.S. economy for the long-term.
The environment would remain an important issue to me, that and fair treatment of the poor, the sick, and people in prison, especially non-violent offenders. I'd remain interested in ending the drug war and treating drug offenders in a medical, rather than a legal framework. I'd still vote for Democrats, because they seem less crazy than the Republicans on just about every issue under the sun, more in touch with science and more concerned with working-class folks. My father and mother are both Democrats, and I'd probably be a Democrat even if I had been born straight.
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Two Good Shows from the UK
Two recent excellent shows from the UK are Upstairs, Downstairs (2010) and Downton Abbey. These two shows are destined to become classics. I find them equal in quality. While they are comparable, each has elements that make it unique. The writing, I think, is slightly superior in Upstairs, because it deals with real social and historical issues rather than trivialities, while the camera work, set and costumes are better in Downton, a show with a much higher budget. Downton seems to dwell upon apolitical themes, whereas Upstairs doesn't mind getting into things with meaning. I think I find more kinship generally with Upstairs, but admire Downton because it is excellent and luxurious pure escapism. To be honest, I'm not altogether sure. It may be that I am mistaken about things, and Downton is better written. I think I'll just have to watch Downton again in order to make up my mind.
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