Recently in Vitriol Category

This one is for you Charter (and every other cable company I've ever had.) Why can't the cable companies normalize the volumes of all their channels? I know there are variations between programming and advertising volumes, but when I switch from channel to channel, I typically either can't hear the channel or get blared out. I'm not typically sensitive to these changes, but I hate when I'm watching a program at night (kids sleeping) and I change the channel only to find myself in the middle of an action sequence in a movie with the volume suddenly twice as loud.

I know some TVs had volume normalization features (including automatically turning down the volume during noisy commercials) a couple years back, but why not eliminate the problem? Why not pick a volume range or maximum peak volume and adjust channels to the standard at the cable company's end of the technology before re-broadcasting the signal down their network?

I'm sick of (so-called) experts predicting $4/gallon or $5/gallon gas. Now that prices are dropping the headlines read $3/gallon gas by end of Summer. I'll leave it up to you to determine whether or not I'm an expert, but if words have as much effect as it appears on market forces:

I predict that gas will be $1.50 or lower by December 2008.

This is my yearly report of what crime was reported on a day in Montgomery, Alabama. My original tally was for a Thursday in late June, so I'll keep with that just to minimize variables.

On Thursday, June 19, 2008, there were:

11 Vehicle Burglaries
21 Burglaries
5 Vehicle Thefts
9 Thefts
2 Robbery
1 Domestic Violence Assault
1 Assault

reported in Montgomery, Alabama (est. population 202,000).

The estimated value of goods stolen on this one day total $85,789 with an additional $3,910 worth of damage to personal property (vehicles, homes) in the commission of these crimes. Total damages/loss from crimes committed on this day: $89,699. These are just the reported crimes, for one day. Assume those numbers are a representative sample and multiply out those numbers over the course of a week (~$627,893), a month (~$2,735,820), or a year (~$32,762,560) as it pleases you. The real picture might be slightly better or slightly worse, but the picture is ugly anyway you slice it. This is simply a tally of the crimes reported in the Montgomery Advertiser Montgomery Crime Reports section.

A recent e-mail mail from a headhunter to my monster e-mail address...

Hi David,

Hope you are doing in the best of the mood!!
I came across your resume on the job site and i feel it's a good
match for your skill's. If you feel the same do send me your most
updated profile asap, so that we can have the ball rolling.

For immediate update send your resume to ahtesham32@gmail.com. (Because nothing says professionalism like using a GMail account for your corporate e-mail)

Title: Tivoli Consultant
Location: Endicott, NY (Lockeed Martin, perhaps?)
Length: 3 Months+

Description:
Our client is looking for High Level TIVOLI consultant.

Regards,
xxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxx
LMNOP Technology Inc. (changed)
" Committed to Human Excellence Through IT " (What?)
Hasbrouck Heights, New Jersey. Why are there so many two-bit headhunter outfits in NJ?

Apparently Monster is going the way of Ebay. Remember dotcoms, enough scam business on your service will turn your whole service irrelevant to your legitimate clients. Maybe headhunting has just got that scummy.

Netflix:

• Make your "online movies" available to users of all computer platforms (including Linux.) All the cool video sites are doing it. Notice that YouTube never tells me "sorry your computer platform is unsupported." Make it work, period.
• I need tool to manage moving movies from queue to queue (even if it is only from the "main" account queue to the subordinate account queues.) It's ridiculous that I'm basically reduced to jotting down notes and re-searching and re-adding to move a couple dozen movies from one queue to another.
• Allow me (as the "main" account holder) to view when the same movie is duplicated on multiple queues in my account and resolve the situation by choosing which queue I want to remove it from.
• Please allow me to provide links to individual Netflix inventory (note: as of September 2008) (a particular DVD, for instance) so I can refer people to a movie on your service directly. Ideally, tie this to a affiliate program where I might make a couple bucks to cover my subscription fees. Your current affiliate program, a "Subscribe to Netflix" button, adds no value and was worthless to me.
• Similarly, provide an affiliate button that lists popular movies that are currently low in demand in your system to help drive demand on these movies and possibly even gateway people into a subscription. This could also be done on a geographic basis to drive regional demand.
• I may never watch all 500 of the movies in my queue, but why limit me to 500? The longer my queue, the longer I'm a customer of your service...
• When I add a movie to my queue, let me pick a queue position for the movie to be inserted into. Now my only options are at the bottom (default) or at the top, why nothing in between?

I recently contacted Charter's support chat to see if they offered a reasonable solution to recording HDTV on PVR. The Moxi Box I have now (great, Linux-based solution) only has 80GB of storage, which represents about 6 hours (give or take) of HD programming that can be stored. This past weekend I recorded both Divisional Playoffs on Sunday, then accidentally hit the record button while watching TV later and the Moxi wiped out one game completely to make room to record the current show. I'm ping on the edge of the storage space with nothing but 2 3-hour shows recorded. I've added an external 250GB drive to the Moxi and it worked fine until the drive overheated and died. I don't want to maintain my DVR infrastructure, that's why I effectively rent this solution from Charter with a monthly fee.

Here's the online discussion I had with Charter.

A representative will be with you shortly.
You have been connected to Janet .
Janet : My name is Janet. Thank you for contacting Charter Communications. How may I assist you?
Me: My Moxi box is woefully inadequate for my DVR (esp. HDTV programming) recording needs. Do you offer something with more storage?
Janet : May I please know if your DVR is hd capable?
Me: Yes, it is. I recorded 2 3-hour football games this weekend (in HD) and it wiped out all other programes on the box.. I could've kept some of the programs, but then I couldn't record the games.
Me: I really need to be able to record more than 6 hours of HD programming
Janet : HD
Janet : HD DVR only records short hours.
Janet : If you want longer hours of recording, you may add external drive to your moxi.
Me: I'd prefer not to be in the business of upgrading my infrastructure, that's why I'm paying Charter a monthly fee. Do you offer anything more than the Moxi with 80GB of storage?
Me: I understand that HD requires (drastically) more storage. Is Charter offering any practical solution to this issue?
Janet : Yes, you may add an external hard drive to your moxi.
Janet : That is to have longer hours of recording.
Me: Please take a note for Charter: I'm going to switch to satellite because they will not provide me a more adequate solution for my PVR/DVR needs. I don't want to buy and maintain extra hard drives because Charter isn't keeping up with technological demands. That is why I pay a DVR fee to Charter.

If you are looking at using Charter's cable television services (especially HDTV) beware their DVR solutions are drastically limited on space (while otherwise being a great technological solution.) Expect Charter to not upgrade their infrastructure, but to pass on storage upgrade costs onto you, the consumer, despite you renting the DVR from them in the first place.

That felt good, now I'm off to go shop for a satellite provider...

Does anyone remember when Walmart trucks all had "Made in the U.S.A." proudly displayed on their trailers? I'm hoping to catch a picture of an old, retired Walmart semi trailer somewhere. What a long way from that Walmart has come. Sam is probably spinning in his grave...

I'll keep this short:

You need to read this great article on Fast Company.com about how Walmart manipulates it's suppliers.

You need to watch the new anti-Walmart documentary Walmart: The High Cost of Low Price.

You'll probably want to keep an eye on these sites for more information on Walmart: WalmartWatch, Wake Up Walmart, Wikipedia on Walmart.

If you have any doubt, consider the effort Walmart has put into their PR site Walmart Facts. They consistently derail you from the issue at hand and present facts that support their opposite take of the criticism, hoping you'll stay off-track long enough to believe what they are telling you. For instance, they will quote reasonable (but low) numbers for their hourly rate paid to full-time Walmart workers, but do not tell you that Walmart considers "full-time" 28-29 hours a week. Here's a link to help you wade through some of the spin: How to interpret the PR spin.

Consider what you are doing as you shop this holiday season. Do you want to send your money to China by way of Bentonville, Arkansas, or would you rather support your local community by shopping local suppliers and retailers? Do you really believe that Walmart is offering you the lowest prices? Always?

Why do you still shop at Walmart?

Native drivers in Montgomery, Alabama are discourteous at best and downright dangerous at their worst.

As a whole they consistently fail to:
* stop at stop signs, preferring to roll through.
* yield right-of-way to on-coming traffic at intersections.
* signal their turns, preferring instead to slam on the brakes and turn with no warning. (Alabama Code Section 32-5A-133: http://alisdb.legislature.state.al.us/acas/CodeOfAlabama/1975/32-5A-133. htm )
Signaling your intention to turn (that's the little stick that makes the arrows come on) is the law, Alabama drivers!
* follow posted speed limits (or at least not exceed them by 20+ mph on a regular basis, where is the enforcement?)
* treat a broken traffic signal light as a stop sign during power outages.
* (I could go on and on, these are the big ones that I see almost daily.)

Where is the enforcement of the law?
What is the MPD going to do about offenders?
Some law enforcement officers out there are the worst offenders.

When there is nearly no enforcement of the rules, whose fault is it that people assume they can break the laws? Who is at fault (let's say morally, if not legally) when someone loses a life because a driver exhibits illegal behaviors that are generally "allowed" or at least not enforced by the authorities in any sort of regular fashion. The offender likely will take the legal blame, who wants to stand up and accept the moral blame?

Alabama drivers: Driving is a communal activity. We all have to cooperate in order to all be safe. Take a second to be courteous, let someone in, use the turn signal, come to a complete stop (behind the white line or stop sign!) Slow down and realize you are piloting a potentially deadly weapon. This isn't NASCAR, they do that in a controlled environment with emergency crews on-site.

corruption automotive law driving police suv legal policy transportation control culture autos south traffic alabama car enforcement auto vehicle security current affairs automobile

Until today I've only been peripherally aware of how bad crime was here in Montgomery. I heard that the FBI announced that Montgomery was the highest-crime mid-sized city a year or two back, but I live in a gated community (no guarantee of safety) and work on federal installation, so I haven't had crime affect me directly. Anyone have the tally of where we fall on the FBI's list this year?

Last night a person who works where I do was robbed at gun point and pistol whipped upon arrival at the Marriott Courtyard on Carmichael and East Boulevard; yes, on the East side of town. The thief got away with only a watch, and the innocent citizen was lucky to get away with their life and some minor injuries. For the record the Marriott Courtyard has no security cameras.

This particular citizen happens to be traveling to Montgomery to do their job. Their employer pays for them to travel to Montgomery, do their job, eat, drink, lodge, and shop here (I doubt he'll be buying a replacement watch in this city.) Is this how we welcome businesspeople and the money and business they bring to our local economy? Is this what Montgomery has come to? Do the thieves think they can fleece businesspeople and they will keep coming to this town?

The Montgomery Advertiser posts Crime Statistics right on their web site at http://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/section?category=crimereports. Until now I'd never took a moment to read the reports. If you haven't, take a couple minutes and absorb what you read. By my count, on June 22, 2006, in our fine city, there were:

13 Vehicle Burglaries
8 Burglaries
4 Vehicle Thefts
3 Thefts
1 Robbery
1 Domestic Violence Assault

The estimated value of goods stolen on this one day total $61,801 with an additional $2,700 worth of damage to personal property (vehicles, homes) in the commission of these crimes. These are just the reported ones, for one day. Assume those numbers are a representative sample and multiply out those numbers over the course of a week (~$451,507), a month (~$2,000,000), or a year (~$23,558,990) as it pleases you. Not a pretty picture. Is it any wonder people are fleeing East and North out of town?

What are you doing to protect yourself? What can citizens do to reduce crime in Montgomery? Shall we all obtain personal firearms and learn to use them properly as the Mayor has publically suggested? What responsibility should the police be takng to reduce the crime in Montgomery?

I won't be recommending hotels on Carmichael Road for out-of-town guests and co-workers any more. I wouldn't have them risk their lives. I'd start recommending the hotels around East Chase, but it is only a matter of time until the crime migrates there too.

Anyone have a recommendation for a gun shop?

Dismal in Montgomery,

--speedeep

I just received a notice of a Tivoli job opportunity (6 months, temp-to-hire, reasonable rate, possibly low for Rancho Cordova, California) from a random recruiter. At the bottom of the e-mail was:

    If you are not interested due to low rates and location constraints please ignore this mail.

Guess he got tired of negotiating. I suppose I'm going to believe he put his best offer forward right away. Kinda like those "No Dicker Sticker" car dealerships. Well, just like the car dealerships, I will ignore this e-mail (other than this blog post) and won't consider your offer or any possibility of working with you. It's not a recruiter's market just yet, don't get too far ahead of yourself...

To break through the fog for IT workers who don't know the details: Most recruiters get 10-20% of your annual salary as a fee for "finding" you. This is money on the table from the customer that you won't see because they spent it on the recruiter. Most contractors pay you 50% (or less!) of what they are actually billing the customer. Be aware, be knowledgeable. If you don't have strong negotiation skills (IT workers and recruiters), I strongly recommend Getting To Yes: Negotiating Without Giving In an excellent book on the art of negotiating, by Roger Fisher and William Ury.

If anyone is interested in pitching a mutually-agreeable job opportunity for a high-end Tivoli Architect, Unix Guru, and Security Specialist, please feel free to browse my resume and drop me a line.