Monthly Archives: January 2006

I can relate

Posted on January 16, 2006 by |

So I read this Blog entry today, and man do I know how this guy feels. If you work in the technology field, check this article out!

While I invariably have to solve desktop problems at some client sites, I am primarily a server guy. Most of the servers I supervise don’t even have a mouse attached to them, so you can pretty much guess that I’m not the best guy to help you fix the red-eye in your wedding photos.

Now that isn’t to say that I won’t try to lend a hand, if I can. I’m a generally nice person. The other day I had an opportunity to drive through a gigantic puddle and splash some teenagers, and I didn’t take it. That’s just me. So, if I have time, I’ll help you try to get rid of some spam or clean up some space on your C: drive. It’s important to remember, however, that the receptionist at your company is probably better than I am with excel and word, and your average 14 year old can whip up a nice looking business card.

Bearing that in mind, you’ve asked me for some help, so here’s how to keep from being blacklisted from Derek tech support. First off, people seem to think that computer favors are somehow different from other favors. You wouldn’t invite your mechanic friend over to change your oil or rotate your tires without offering him something in return. Money isn’t required, but a nice bottle of wine or dinner will not only make me happy, but will also make me want to return your phone calls in the future.

Secondly, pay attention. As mentioned earlier, I often don’t know why your outlook express is acting weird. So when I figure it out and explain it to you, at least pretend to be paying attention. DO NOT just go “oh man i never get this computer stuff, if it happens again I’ll just call you..” I’m not going to ramble on about some techno-geek-gobbetly-gook to an obvious novice. I’m giving you tips so that you have the means to solve your own problems, which should be the objective here. If I’m mistaken, and you just want to be able to call me when something goes wrong, then we can draw up some paperwork, my rates start at $80/hr.

Thirdly, everyone has something to offer. So if you’re a tax attorney or vacation planner, or just someone with a pickup truck, feel free to offer your services in return.

Too often people think that since we’re in the computer field, we’d just love to come over and install your new DSL modem. We don’t, but if you’re willing to scratch my back…..

Posted in All, Tech

Affligem Dubbel Abbey Ale

Posted on January 10, 2006 by |

AffligemFurther justification that purchasing beer you can’t pronounce is a good idea! Alyssa and I randomly stopped at a swanky grocery store on the way back from SFSU today. The place had a decent beer selection, so I picked up a few bottles.

I’ve had good experience with abbey ales in the past (Chimay is excellent), and they had several bottles to choose from. I picked this stuff because I hadn’t heard of it before, and also it was noticibly opaque. The first thing I noticed after uncorking and pouring it was it’s thick head. Always a good sign. I found the first sip to be surprisingly sweet and very malty. After a few more sips you get a real sense of how smooth this beer is, very akin to nitrogenated beers.

Also exciting was that this beer gets better as you drink it, imho. The yeast tends to settle towards the bottom of the rather large bottle, so as you work your way down the taste gets more and more intense.

I only post about beers that I really enjoy, so if you come across a bottle of this stuff make sure you pick it up.

Posted in All, Spirits

Horray for Rabid Teachers

Posted on January 4, 2006 by |

This is a response to a blog post located here. I randomly came across this article, which includes a rather bad recording of one of my teachers at SFSU this next semester.

I must say, it’s rather discouraging. The guy seems to be a rather rabidly liberal, believing that the sole reason why U.S. government was concerned about Iran’s nuclear program is so that they can invade and userp control of Iran’s oil. He also, rather pompously, brags that his conversations with his ‘contacts’ in Israel are worthey of being recorded by the FBI, and that said contracts were reporting that Israel was mobalizing it’s forces to invade Iran. He then goes on to say that this is inevitable, because without such a war Israel’s economic situation would deteriorate. Since this was recorded prior to Jan 27th, 2005, obviously not.

Wow. Where do I begin? I am by no means a supporter of Bush or his war on Iraq, but this professor is completely ignoring basic IR principles with his statements. The interview seems to be with the “voice of the Islamic Republic of Iran”, which (with such a title) is understandably biased against the US and Israel. But the Professor goes out of his way to promote propagandist ideas which seem to me to be just as bad as the ones promoted by Bush or Rice.

I heard that this guy was a bit off, but man, it’s going to be a long semester… Here’s a response someone else had on Rob’s Blog

Cheers for the blog. I went to SFSU and I took this guys class. It might not suprise you that this is one of his lectures. He espouses this stuff all the time, and if you disagree then you get an F…no foolin’. I took issue with a comment of his once and he stared me down in front of 35 students and a guest speaker. Cant believe he’s on international radio…..

Oh boy…

Posted in All, Int'l Relations

Christmas ‘n Stuff

Posted on January 4, 2006 by |

So over the holiday break there was some major drama at my place. I don’t really want to publicize it online, but let’s just say it was a big scare for me and I didn’t really get a lot of time to digest it.

Anyhow, I’m doing much better now, and I just kinda wish there was more things to do to take my mind off the whole deal. School doesn’t start until the end of the month, and my work was supposed to have a lot of stuff lined up for me, but it doesn’t seem like that’s the case.

On the upside, I’ve gotten a lot of reading done, and am starting to make some progress (or is it catching up?) on the furiousnetworks front.

Catch ya later.

Posted in All, Journal, Main

The IKEA Welfare State

Posted on January 3, 2006 by |

I found this article today, which talks about how the relatively poor in European countries use IKEA stores as an alternative to welfare.

Obviously some are blatantly exploiting the free services of IKEA, such as parents who drop off their children at the store’s day care facility, and then take off to run errands elsewhere. The part that I found intriguing, though, was how IKEA’s relatively inexpensive food made it a meeting place for the working poor, truckers, and elderly.

A lot of poorer individuals have some money, but find the experience of going to a soup kitchen rather humiliating. For just a couple euros, they can grab baked salmon or something rather tasty at IKEA, while being surrounded by middle-class and well-to-do shoppers. Thus, the damage to ones self image is averted.

This makes me wonder how the economics of the IKEA cafeteria work out. Obviously providing good and cheap food to it’s shoppers is something that encourages people to spend more hours shopping, but does the cafeteria actually make a profit? Or instead, does the income of futon, sofa, and light fixtures simply offset the costs of the restaurant? Clearly there’s a demand for good, cheap food in a friendly cafeteria-style environment, so why hasn’t this niche been filled before?

If the IKEA restaurant does indeed have positive cash flow, but the economics are such that it could never be a standalone store, then it’s possible that the mega-giant has found a way to semi-privatize feeding the poor while also accomplishing their other goals (selling funny-looking furniture). The article tends to support this idea, since it seems IKEA is feeding so many people in Europe that it would be insane to take a loss on the food.

It’s difficult for me to imagine other stores adopting this same model, but I’m sure if there were $4 or $5 salmon plates at Wal-Mart, shoppers may be more inclined to eat there than at the in-store McDonalds.

Maybe that’s hoping for too much though. After all, IKEA is from the rather socialist Sweden, and Wal-Mart has much different origins…

Posted in All, Economics, Int'l Relations