mcjeff215

Or they're 17 and live with mom and dad... don't want to get caught and all that.

Didn't see that part. Hell no.

Reimbursed by my employer! Twice! Gotta love it when they show up on the AMEX bill as "The Electric Company", or "Office Supply Station." -Jeff

http://www.jsonline.com/news/metro/may05/3...sp?format=print Not so sure I would!

While a hell of a breakthrough, it's a drug for myelodysplastic syndrome. Good news. Cure? No, not quite.

The one that moved to Atlanta, or the VP?

Yeah, I'm a bit bothered by them, but not too much. Every time I see them on TV, hear about them on the radio, or see them mentined even here, it's with negative connotations. It's not like everyone is raving about how cool they are and how great they look. They're not gaining any further acceptance due to this. I'd think (not sure if I'm right or not) that younger girls would see all of the negativity that surrounds junk like this. Her head looks that big because her body has started chowing down on her muscle tissue, costing her any definition she had. -Jeff

While I agree with your statement that these are major leap ahead of the PS2/XB1, I think the price points are a bit high. Two lines of reasoning: 1. You're right. Top end video cards run $400-500 dollars. But a "mid-range" PC runs $500-600. The console market has generally been younger than the PC market. These things are bought with mom and dad's money. As Dad, there's no way I would drop $400+ on a console system for simply playing games when I can get a complete PC for that much. Hell, you can even buy a Macintosh for that much now. 2. The geek crowd that will realize what you're getting for the money isn't the same as the console crowd. Geeks take pride in squeezing 50Mhz out of their CPU. Their cases look cool, their drives are optimized, and they're packed full of RAM. That hardware isn't good for much more than playing games anyways due to DMCA restrictions and lack of interface specifications. These things are going to become YUPie toys. They're probably out of the "XMas present for Johnie" range for most people, and they're more than a drop in the bucket for most geeks. Hell, I've got the money to drop on one of them, but I really don't feel the need. Lastly, they don't really *do* anything special. Play music, wireless controllers, good graphics, online gaming. For $200 more I can edit documents, read email, browse the web, print homework, shop online, buy concert tickets, *AND* play games. To top it off, the PC is upgradeable down the line. Parents will realize this and geeks know this. I don't think we'll see outrageous sales numbers if these things are priced more than $400. The only remaining question that I can't answer is longevity. I'm a computer guy, and as such, replace my hardware much more often than most people do. The "cheap" XBox? Maybe. But if those PS3 prices are anything reliable, not a chance. Just my $0.02. -Jeff

http://blog.biggeststars.com/archives/cele...ohan_briefings/ Not the video, but yet another shot of her and richie.. not quite as gross though.

No, they're not. Like I said above, those are stills from a video (or that camera man was at the same location as the video I saw). There was an ET segment/other show like that. Nicole and Lindsay come out of a club and get into a car. They sign a pair of autographs, people taking pictures... As fake as they look, they're not. I'll see if I can find the video on the 'net.

I usually take the same approach. I could care less about Spears, et al. There's the whole Disney/think-about-the-children argument. It's such a shame to see such a nice piece of... er... nevermind.

But you can't poke a hole in the bottom of a bottle! (Cue "Memories")

Don't worry, the U.S. will step in and save us!

Nope, good guess, but you can go home with the consolation prize. That photo is actually a still from a video. They were playing that video on one of those fluff-ball shows my wife watches. It caught my attention because as someone else said, she want from a 9 to a 2 in about 6 months. Richie is even worse.

Bah, I submit two all of you twenty-somethings should know: 1. Mumra 2. Megatron As for real life? My Boss.

I like the fact that it's using a PPC chip. I wonder how long until Slashdot carries an article about some dude that gets it to boot Mac OS.

Where do you live? Is there a noise ordinance? A lot of towns have 10-10 residential restrictions. If I remember right, Orchard Park had that.. -Jeff

You know... some stories from those of you that HAVE done your own thing might be enough to kick the rest of us in the ass and get us moving. Please feel free to share!

Yup, I want to do this. I have a series of ideas, yet I'm not sure if any of them are realy viable. Honestly, all of them probably are, it's just my excuse to not go ahead with the risk! -Jeff

Glad to hear it!! My little one was a Buffalo Jill for halloween her first year! She looks forward to watching the Bills play on Sunday just as much as I do, it's really become daddy-daughter time. A very sincere congratulations! -Jeff

I do appreciate the feedback =) This is the #1 thing to keep in mind, you're right. I realize that their forte isn't packets, pointers, or pipes just as I realize my strong points aren't amortization, sales forcasting, P&L, or market segment identification. All are topics I understand, but they're not topics I'm familiar with. I had the same thought. Perhaps I'm talking down to people? I make it a point to draw as many analogies and examples as possible. I use non-technical explainations to describe even the most technical of problems. I'm careful not to display the elitism many computer professionals ooze. You know, "What? He forgot to beeble flooper the waber weeber? What an idiot!" I know it sounds completley corny and cliche, but I don't look at myself as a "techie"; I look at myself as an asset to my employer. As such, I find it strange that they won't take full advantage of that. I look for ways to trim back on development costs, decrease support overhead, improve development proceedures, improve products, and so on. Time after time, it's someone else taking the credit. I'd be quite happy if it is something I am doing wrong, at least it's under my control if that's the case. -Jeff

Ok, rant coming... feel free to ignore =) That about sums it up. I've been at the place I'm at for 7 now. I love my coworkers and I really enjoy what I do. I make a great salary, and I'm accruing vacation at the rate of 6.93 hours a week. That's two months a year. If they'd let me, I could take four day weeks... every week, I'll just stay an hour late on Thursday. I'm very well respected by my peers. I hold what could be considered the highest technical position (there is one higher, my boss has it... but it's 75% management). The problem? The general culture. The position is all figurehead. No one listens to anything I say. I'm responsible - literally - for building all of the infrastructure and product at what is now a public company. I've had - and I've counted them - more than 20 bosses over the past 7 years. I've recently had my lead architect title removed without being told why. It was given to a guy with less experience, less technical knowledge, and less schooling. Everyone thinks all of our projects are "too far below me", so I don't get assigned ANYTHING. I sit there learning new technologies so I'll be worth more to my next shop. Half of the bosses I've had came in under me and were promoted over me, only to get canned within three months. Of course, during that three month tenure they brought in 30% bonuses and employment contracts because they were "management." Couple years back a guy I hired took home 35k in bonus money, I took home $1,200. From my point of view, I've worked my ass off. I don't deserve that. They took my paid parking away, they took some of my access away, they haven't paid me bonuses (but some of my "peers" who happened to have taken the management route have gotten them... as part of the "leadership team."). Yet, they keep promoting the weasels that have it all figured out. Interestingly enough, none of them have had it right. Just last week... I explained to a VP what needed to happen, on a project I lead up, on software I had personally authored. I was ignored. The VP needed operations input, not mine. Fine. A week later, a director of operations called me, asked me what needed to happen... the relayed it onto that same VP... who praised him for saving the day! Of course, the VP then told someone to tell me to make the changes said director had requested. Bah Bah.. I'm not trying to complain, but this thread is starting to bring out the dirt! -Jeff

It went well. They've told me they're going to give me an offer, salary/benefits are inline with what I want. It's a bit less than I've got here, but I was expecting that... it's a different type of position. They told me they can't make the 'official offer' yet because they're making some "changes" and don't want me to get caught up in the mess. I thought it was just a bit of BS, but their recruiter (in house) wants to go have lunch next week and has been making it a point to stay in touch. A bit unorthodox, but believable. The place looks to be a great place to work. I've talked with some of their other employees - they all love the shop. I'm just waiting on that official letter to dump this hell hole (yes, it's really that bad!!) -Jeff

Right there with you! I had an old Shep/Husky mix die a year ago. I got that dog when I was in the fourth grade. Someone hit him and left him lying on the side of the road. Drive me crazy... I took that dog everywhere and some idiot didn't have the decency to stop. It's more difficult than most realize, I know. Advice? Don't try and replace yet. If you want a new dog, wait a while. -Jeff

Yup, the 90+ degree southern humidity-fests they call summers around here. THAT is worse. I can't walk to the freakin' mailbox without cracking a sweat.