Useless Conversation

[RhyssaFireheart]

Girls are broken. I don't care what any of you say. Especially the girls. ESPECIALLY.

No argument.  But you know what?  Y'all keep coming back.  Y'all are just as broken.

Just.  As.  Broken.

--------------------

Pivot tables suck.  Especially ones attached to Project Server.

[NiX]

I don't know why people insist you should work for a small company when you start out. All I've learned is that you have no room to grow, work crazy hours and they still manage to have management issues even though you only have 2 people above you.

One year into my first career job and I'm already trying to jump ship. Hopefully my interview on Weds goes well.

[ghost]

I have management issues, and I'm the only one in charge 

[Yegolev]

Just back from Harry Potter Land and Universal actually did something mostly right for once.

[ghost]

Just back from Harry Potter Land and Universal actually did something mostly right for once.

I've heard varying reports on it.  Some of my friends that have gone have loved it.  Some have thought that it was pretty sterile.

[Yegolev]

Well, I am considering it is Universal when I say that.  If this was Disney I'd have a different opinion.  It's pretty much the main reason to bother going there.  That said, Olivander's shop is not in Hogsmeade, and assorted other nerdy nitpicks.  Forbidden Journey is, in my opinion, the best ride in both parks.  I'll also say that if you happen to have a kid who is into Potter, they will love it.  Hell, I thought it was great and I'm 37.

Also, Dragon Challenge, both trains in the first car is fantastic.  There is also a lot to recommend the Rock'it over in the Crap Park, however while it is technically marvelous it seems to have little soul.  Maybe that's because I stood in line for so long while it broke twice.  All three of us enjoyed Back to the Future The Simpsons ride.  Blue Man Group, as well, was good.

[Furiously]

Just back from Harry Potter Land and Universal actually did something mostly right for once.

I'll let my brother-in-law know. He was the creative director for universal Orlando in charge of it I believe.

[Yegolev]

Just back from Harry Potter Land and Universal actually did something mostly right for once.

I'll let my brother-in-law know. He was the creative director for universal Orlando in charge of it I believe.

Please do.  Also suggest to his bosses that he needs to be allowed to do more work on the rest of the park.  Besides being too small, Wizarding World is the best area they have.  Better theming than some Magic Kingdom areas.  I do get the strong feeling that no one expected that level of attendance, though, or the Universal execs love long lines.  Might want to look at doing something about the queue-line-to-payoff ratio of Olivander's, though.  I was in the second group of the day and I felt that wait was just right.

Being park enthusiasts, my wife and I have tons of unsolicited suggestions.  One being, don't funnel us through Wizarding World by closing the bridge between the Jurassic Park center and Mythos because we hate being late for lunch reservations.  Next, does Magical Neep have to be where it is, choking off that corner?  How about put that stall into the building?  Don't even get me started on Toon Lagoon.  I mean, Heathcliff?  I know Universal has to work with what it's got, but it's got FUCKING SPONGEBOB.  Bulldoze damn Witch Hazel and Beetle Bailey into a pile and replace it with a Bikini Bottom designed by your brother-in-law.  Everyone in a three mile radius would start shitting money.

[Fraeg]

Climate Controlled Buildings 

This office building is the first building I have ever worked in where there is not a single window that opens.   On the 4th floor and my office is overheated/under cooled year round.   Griped to building manager, and nada.   Got fedup and started hanging 250 ml poly bottles full of hot water in front of the sensor for my areas  Heating/AC. 

Just got a handslapping for that, dragged the powers that be into my office and said "feel how hot it is in here and it is mid November, everyone else in the office is wearing long pants and sweaters, I am wearing shorts and T-shirts and using a fan to stay cool".....  Their response was to blow smoke up my ass for a bit.   Grrrrr 

Several people retiring in December so better offices will open up.  I am still just  aghast that there is no way to open any windows short of throwing a brick.  To save $$ they turn off the AC on the weekend, which makes it pure awesome-sweaty-ball-sauce come Sundays in the summer.

[Lianka]

I have a bad feeling that if I don't get off this project soon, I'm going to say something that is going to get me fired.  The PM is so beyond incompetent that I'm no long able to even pretend to be nice.

I worked for years with a PM so bad I wanted to end every sentence to her by saying "you dumb bitch!"  On the plus side, she did most of her communication in IM, so I actually could.  :D

[Sir T]

Ho;y shit. I went today to look at a new place to move to for my new job. Its 3 times bigger than my present place, fully insulated. 2 bedrooms, full of light from skylights (which will help my depression) nice view, and is 10 minutes walk away from work and 5 from the main supermarket in town. And its only 15 euros more than what I'm paying out for the dark uninsulated fridge of a converted garage I'm living in now. AND I could probably get some money off that as the guy said people are not exactly queuing up to rent it.

I'm waiting for a piano to fall on my head or a nuclear strike. Good things happening to me???

[Merusk]

I don't know why people insist you should work for a small company when you start out. All I've learned is that you have no room to grow, work crazy hours and they still manage to have management issues even though you only have 2 people above you.

One year into my first career job and I'm already trying to jump ship. Hopefully my interview on Weds goes well.

Because in a larger company you'd still have no room to grow*, work crazy hours, have management issues AND learn only 1/3 of what you are in your position because there'd be 4-5 other entry level employees divvying up the work of the 4 bosses above you.  Smaller companies rely on you to 'wear more hats' so you learn more of the bigger picture, That also helps you to gain other skills so that when you're inevitably cut you aren't looking for the very specific pigenhole that company had you in.

* It's been my experience that it's rare to work your way up from the bottom these days.  Your growth happens when you switch to another company and take on a position of higher responsibility; until a certain point (which varies profession to profession.)   At that point it's easier to work up through the company, but advancement is also much, much slower.

Welcome to the world of people going cheap on the HVAC.  I recommend investing in a good fan or Freestanding a/c unit and a space heater.I have one of each that cost me between $45 and $90 and they've proved invaluable over the years because nobody can balance a one system HVAC setup that covers both the north face and the west face of a building AND maintain a decent temp at the all-glass offices and the open-air cubicles.  The offices should all have their own little heating/ cooling supplements, but that costs money that isn't finish.. so it never gets done.  Americans love their stupidly expensive finishes but won't spring that same $500 on comfort & structure.
Climate Controlled Buildings  

This office building is the first building I have ever worked in where there is not a single window that opens.   On the 4th floor and my office is overheated/under cooled year round.   Griped to building manager, and nada.   Got fedup and started hanging 250 ml poly bottles full of hot water in front of the sensor for my areas  Heating/AC.  

Just got a handslapping for that, dragged the powers that be into my office and said "feel how hot it is in here and it is mid November, everyone else in the office is wearing long pants and sweaters, I am wearing shorts and T-shirts and using a fan to stay cool".....  Their response was to blow smoke up my ass for a bit.   Grrrrr  

Several people retiring in December so better offices will open up.  I am still just   aghast that there is no way to open any windows short of throwing a brick.  To save $$ they turn off the AC on the weekend, which makes it pure awesome-sweaty-ball-sauce come Sundays in the summer.

[Furiously]

That said, Olivander's shop is not in Hogsmeade, and assorted other nerdy nitpicks.

  The Hogsmeade shop got blown up. This is a branch.

Err I meant the Dagon's alley shop got blowed up.

[Rasix]

*twitches*

I wish I didn't have the urge to correct you.

[Sir T]

*Watches the nerdbomb explode*

[Furiously]

*twitches*

I wish I didn't have the urge to correct you.

Oops I guess I should have spoilered that.

[Furiously]

*twitches*

I wish I didn't have the urge to correct you.

Oops I guess I should have spoilered that.

[Bunk]

Climate Controlled Buildings 

This office building is the first building I have ever worked in where there is not a single window that opens.   On the 4th floor and my office is overheated/under cooled year round. 

I've been at the same job in the same climate controlled building for nine years. Seniority gives you first pick of desks when you change offices - people thought it was odd that myself and the other long time vet insisted on giving the window seats to newer employees.

You guys go ahead and enjoy that parking lot view along with your 20 degree temperature fluctuations.

[Paelos]

Our offices are freezing. During the summer, we must have a bunch of fat people in the other offices because it's like a freaking icebox in here. I would wander outside for lunches to defrost. I keep a fleece in the office on the back of my door in June.

And just so it doesn't sound like "Pffft, pussy," the guy in the office next to met from Buffalo has a heated blanket. He thinks the temp is ridiculous.

[murdoc]

First big snowfall of the year, hilarity has ensued on the streets.

<3 Quattro.

[Chimpy]

Just scheduled a job interview (phone interview WOO, I am better at those than face to face) for an IT support job at the University on Friday.

2 in one week (and this one I actually would like the job compared to the one tomorrow) yay.

[Paelos]

Just scheduled a job interview (phone interview WOO, I am better at those than face to face) for an IT support job at the University on Friday.

2 in one week (and this one I actually would like the job compared to the one tomorrow) yay.

Good luck!

[RhyssaFireheart]

Good luck, Chimpy!

Ofice temps - the building I'm in now is dealing with major climate issues because in the section when I sit, some genius decided it would be awesome to place the thermostat by an outside wall.  Which might not matter, except for the sun beating through the windows on it.  Even if it's cold out, the sun still affects things enough that the AC turns on to cool down the supposedly 78 degree office.  Except it's not.  The maintenance guys have temperature readers scattered around this section to record the fluxuations and it's crazy.  Thermostat reads 78 while the offices are in the 60s.  One guy actually taped his ceiling vents shut because he got tired of his hands turning blue.

[Chimpy]

At my old job, the HVAC installation was really done poorly. Was the second floor of a converted department store downtown. The thermostat was in one of the offices with windows, which all of the sales ladies (who were always cold) worked. They kept their door closed so air would not mix, and since they were on the north wall, it was colder in the winter in there by nature of being half windows. In the summer, they would open the windows because it was "a nice day" all the time which kept their office warmer.

The net effect for the middle of the office where my desk was: 80 degrees in the middle of winter, 55 degrees in the middle of summer.

The basic problem with any office building is that proper HVAC is one of the places that are almost always skimped on. It is possible (and actually a lot more energy efficient) to separate everything into zones instead of just pumping a lot of cold/hot air through the whole place and relying on mixing. But it costs more to install.

[ghost]

It's amazing.  After a year and a half of wrangling with A T and T over my shitty internet service at one of my offices I finally was able to get Time Warner installed.  A T and T insisted that was "as good as it gets" yet my large size files that I transfer from another office are now loading almost instantaneously whereas before they would take 10-15 seconds per picture. 

[Yegolev]

Err I meant the Dagon's alley shop got blowed up.

[Ingmar]

I think if it really was Dagon's Alley the franchise might be much improved. 

[Merusk]

Where the hell did my reply to Fraeg go? Damnit.

Anywho, what I said was it's a bitch trying to load balance HVAC systems that involve north and east/west faces, never mind those that involve glass offices and interior spaces on the same system.    HVAC 101 fail right there, but it's cheaper than what you SHOULD be doing, which is having a central system and individual supplemental heat/coolunits for the offices. 

Invest in a portable fan or freestanding AC unit and a portable heater.  I have one of each that I've taken from job to job over the last 5 years and they've proven invaluable.  Yes, you get odd looks the first time someone notices them, but it's worth it when you're actually comfortable while they're sweating or complaining the place is stifling because the guy with the thermostat control 60 feet away and in the shade is just fine.

[Ingmar]

Must resist urge to plug company's control networking platform...

[Sjofn]

Must resist urge to plug company's control networking platform...

You're a terrible employee.

[MisterNoisy]

Just scheduled a job interview (phone interview WOO, I am better at those than face to face) for an IT support job at the University on Friday.

2 in one week (and this one I actually would like the job compared to the one tomorrow) yay.

Sweet - good luck!  :)

[ghost]

Taken from Eddie Izzard Facebook:  

What would the conversations be like between Luke Skywalker's brother Steve Skywalker and Jeff Vader (Darth's brother)?

Conversations between Steve Skywalker, Obi Two Kenobi and Brian Solo?

The guy that took over at principal at my high school had the last name Vader.  That was awesome.

[Furiously]

Err I meant the Dagon's alley shop got blowed up.

Diagon Alley? Hell - I've never read the books! Chuthlu, Muggles, All the same to me!

[Sky]

Climate Controlled Buildings 

We used to have windows that opened. Now we have a glass wall that I had to make a pointed display over a month to point out YOU COULD SEE IN THE WINDOWS. The maintenance guy said the engineers said you could see out, but not in. So I waved at him every day he mowed the lawn until he finally waved back. Then we got blinds. We get in fresh air, too! I'm not exactly sure where since it uses plumbing and there's no external venting/intake. Just a unit in the drop ceiling sucking in that dusty shitty air, I don't think a filter has been replaced in years. This 'cost saving' system will run heat downstairs and ac upstairs...in the winter. Nice fall day, it's working away trying to make it the perfect temperature, when we just want to open the windows and enjoy the day.

Instead of thermostats, we have a variable control system. The room is set to a certain temp, and the control gives you a +/- spread on a little lever. This was initially set at 0. Being all computery and whatnot, tired of hearing complaints of co-workers, I went over to the maintenance office and set it to a +/- 2º spread, just to get people used to using it. I was then password-protected out of the system (we're super passive aggressive here), and the bias was reset to 0. Three years later I finally managed to convince the maintenance guy to set the bias...to +/- 2º.

And it still gets hot as hell any day the sun is shining through our magically UV-impervious bank of southern windows, summer or winter.

I still remember being in my old office in the historic building when the system was being installed, the engineer was doing checks, and I had removed the cover of my unit and turned it off (they didn't pipe out any external switches to any units). I had the window open to the balcony, it was a nice late spring morning. He got very concerned and asked me what the temperature should be in the room, he would make whatever adjustments to the system to make sure it was working perfectly! I told him to pull out a thermometer, because I had already made adjustments and it was perfect. He said that opening a window threw off the system, I replied that obviously his system was broken when having the window open and free heat/cooling and fresh air was not an option. He got red-faced and quiet, last time he talked to me.

I really, really dislike most engineers I've dealt with. Maybe we can talk about the state of parking lots today some other time.

[Sky]

Also, beware when the administrator and the hvac operator keep their houses at 60º in the winter. Or when complaining to the hvac guy that everyone is freezing when he comes inside from shoveling the walks.