Wednesday, January 09, 2008
Things I Can't Do
I try, I really try not to focus on the things I can't do because of my MS. I'm still really capable, but it's little things that make my life tough. A few thing came up this wek that got me to thinking.
So here's a couple of things I can't do:
Type for Long Periods of Time
I love blogging. I still do, but not as much as I used to. Why? Because it takes forever. I'm typing fine with my left hand right now, but but I'm hunting and pecking with my right because I don't have full control of my right side. I still have as much to say, it's just harder to say.
Open Mics
Oh, I could, I suppose, but by myself, I can't hold a pick long enough to finish a set. I still play guitar around my apartment, but doing it in front of people scares me. I don't want to have to explain myself, particularly when I wasn't a very good guitar player to begin with
Take a Bike Ride
I can't tell you how much I used to enjoy this and how much I miss it. I've never been an overly athletic person, my rides weren't strenuous, but very relaxed. I would take long rides, not measuring the miles, but the time out. Grab a lunch, eat it on the side of the trail. So pleasurable, so missed.
Take a Long Drive
So if I can't ride my bike, maybe a ong drive would suffice. No chance. I drove down to Denver on Monday and I was so beat by the time I got to la Güera's. Long drives are hard on me. It's hard for me to drive the 5 hours to see my family.
Stand
Oh, I can stand, just not for long periods of time. And it's not the standing that I miss, it's the things I do in which I have to stand like cooking. I make a great fried rice, but it requires me to stand for the entire cooking process. Shopping, going to parties, meeting new people all require standing. And I can't do it.
Shake Hands
I was in Denver on Monday for a job interview. I think I did well but at the end I shook hands with people. My handshake was that wussy handshake that I hate in other people. I never was that guy who challenged people with a handshake, but tried to offer a firm handshake. I now hate my handshake.
Not a comprehensive list by any means, just the things I could think of right now.
BOJ
So here's a couple of things I can't do:
I love blogging. I still do, but not as much as I used to. Why? Because it takes forever. I'm typing fine with my left hand right now, but but I'm hunting and pecking with my right because I don't have full control of my right side. I still have as much to say, it's just harder to say.
Oh, I could, I suppose, but by myself, I can't hold a pick long enough to finish a set. I still play guitar around my apartment, but doing it in front of people scares me. I don't want to have to explain myself, particularly when I wasn't a very good guitar player to begin with
I can't tell you how much I used to enjoy this and how much I miss it. I've never been an overly athletic person, my rides weren't strenuous, but very relaxed. I would take long rides, not measuring the miles, but the time out. Grab a lunch, eat it on the side of the trail. So pleasurable, so missed.
So if I can't ride my bike, maybe a ong drive would suffice. No chance. I drove down to Denver on Monday and I was so beat by the time I got to la Güera's. Long drives are hard on me. It's hard for me to drive the 5 hours to see my family.
Oh, I can stand, just not for long periods of time. And it's not the standing that I miss, it's the things I do in which I have to stand like cooking. I make a great fried rice, but it requires me to stand for the entire cooking process. Shopping, going to parties, meeting new people all require standing. And I can't do it.
I was in Denver on Monday for a job interview. I think I did well but at the end I shook hands with people. My handshake was that wussy handshake that I hate in other people. I never was that guy who challenged people with a handshake, but tried to offer a firm handshake. I now hate my handshake.
Not a comprehensive list by any means, just the things I could think of right now.
BOJ
Labels: Mega-Bitch Wednesday
# posted by Blind Orange Julius @ 10:09 AM 
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
Idiots on the Phone
One program I never tire of is This American Life on NPR from WBEZ in Chicago. In truth I listen to the podcast edition, I listen to lots of podcasts of radio shows which is better than remembering when the shows are actually on the radio.
This week's This American Life was Episode #253 The Middle of Nowhere. The episode description was:
I don't know, that's pretty vague. Still, an interesting idea to do a radio show about.
The first "act" of this episode was interesting, about the Pacific island of Naru and the pluses and minuses of being as remote as it is. Interesting stories, international intrigue, I was so pleased to have listened to this very interesting report.
It was the second "act," starting at about the 34 minute mark (really,you should listen) that made an impact on me. It was the story of a woman who works at This American Life who had an issue with her phone service and spent 10 months trying to clear it up. It was a problem that would never have been rectified if This American Life didn't do a story on it. It's the story of the phone company's "Genius Silo in Iowa" that doesn't have any phones in it, phone companies that can't initiate a conference call and some guy named "Chuck Carter."
Hilarious and infuriating at the same time, more so because I've been in exactly the same place with AOL, Cigna Teldrug, Bresnan Communications and The Casper Star-Tribune/Jones Boys Telemarketing.
When these companies get you on the phone, they can tell you anything, they can lie to you and you have no recourse. They want you to just give up. They want to baffle you into dropping whatever you complaint is.
Some of us won't.
Ever.
BOJ
...currently waiting for [Nameless Company] and Cigna Teldrug to return calls to me...
This week's This American Life was Episode #253 The Middle of Nowhere. The episode description was:
Stories from faraway, hard-to-get-to places, where all rules are off, nefarious things happen because no one's looking, and there's no one to appeal to.
I don't know, that's pretty vague. Still, an interesting idea to do a radio show about.
The first "act" of this episode was interesting, about the Pacific island of Naru and the pluses and minuses of being as remote as it is. Interesting stories, international intrigue, I was so pleased to have listened to this very interesting report.
It was the second "act," starting at about the 34 minute mark (really,you should listen) that made an impact on me. It was the story of a woman who works at This American Life who had an issue with her phone service and spent 10 months trying to clear it up. It was a problem that would never have been rectified if This American Life didn't do a story on it. It's the story of the phone company's "Genius Silo in Iowa" that doesn't have any phones in it, phone companies that can't initiate a conference call and some guy named "Chuck Carter."
Hilarious and infuriating at the same time, more so because I've been in exactly the same place with AOL, Cigna Teldrug, Bresnan Communications and The Casper Star-Tribune/Jones Boys Telemarketing.
When these companies get you on the phone, they can tell you anything, they can lie to you and you have no recourse. They want you to just give up. They want to baffle you into dropping whatever you complaint is.
Some of us won't.
Ever.
BOJ
...currently waiting for [Nameless Company] and Cigna Teldrug to return calls to me...
Labels: Mega-Bitch Wednesday
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Betaseron
Every other day, I inject myself with Betaseron. It's an interferon drug designed to slow the advance of my Multiple Sclerosis.
I can handle the injections, I've never been very good with needles, but I've been able to deal with this pretty well. I rotate the injections as I've been instructed. I've very rarely had reactions at the injection sites and of nearly 200 injections now, I can count one one hand the number that have been painful or even unduly uncomfortable (I am jamming a needle into my thigh, arm, abdomen or buttock, after all...). Those are the last good things I will say about Betaseron.
Every other day, after an injection I feel like crap. I have Multiple Sclerosis, after a Betaseron, my MS symptoms are worse. I often have a bad headache. I have difficulty at writing or typing. I have to plan things around my injections. For example, I would never try to do laundry the day after an injection, it would be too hard to tramp up and down the stairs, I would be at major risk of a fall. I'd wear out way too fast to be able to do the job properly.
Luckily, my job requires sitting and using my brain. Still, days after injections are tough at work. There's always some walking involved. If I'm doing a special event, extra movement is required. I have done special events the day after an injection. It's been exhausting, but I've decided to never beg off of a job because of my condition. We do special events on a rotation, if it's my turn, even if I had an injection the night before, I take my turn.
I'm also one of the people [Nameless Company] would like to be in charge of master control on weekends. I'm given the occasional day when I'm the team leader. This duty requires a lot of walking around, a lot of monitoring what other people are doing and walking to the printer, which is ludicrously far away. I have performed this duty on the day after an injection as well. If running a special event is exhausting under these conditions, being team leader is brutal on me. I have begged off of this duty recently, and, somehow, I'm the bad guy.
Betaseron recently went up in price to over $1800 per month. I'm responsible for 20% of that total. [Nameless Company] pays their employees shit. My medication (not physicians or physical therapy, just medication) eats up 14% of my salary. Including everything, I figure about 1 hour and 40 minutes of every work day is spent paying for having MS.
The worst thing about Betaseron, though, isn't the way it makes me feel, or even the price. The worst thing is actually buying it. I get my medication through Cigna Teldrug. They have screwed up about half of my orders, their customer service representatives have been rude, they have threatened to ban me from purchasing medication from them because I have complained. Talking on the phone with them is a baffling ordeal. Hold times have been measured in hours.
Unable to get through on their 800 number to make an order, I was given a number I could call. It was a number that incurred long distance charges. I requested some sort of monetary reimbursement for this. I was told I would receive $20 for Teldrug.
I waited. I didn't expect to receive $20 immediately from Teldrug, their are hoops to jump through, I've worked in large corporations before, I know how they are abou money going out. Still, this company is receiving over $1800 from me monthly. Before I am off the phone with them that $1800 is out of my account and into their possession.
When I asked where my $20 was after 30 days I was that they had up to 30 days to make refunds. When I told them it had been over 30 days, I was told that they meant 60 days. When I called approaching 90 days, I was told that they had 90 days to refund me.
At this point I called my corporate benefits office. They told me the person they dealt with at Teldrug wasn't in but they'd get me an answer as soon as possible. Three days later I received an answer, I would be sent a check. I called Teldrug, they told me my account would be credited, that I would receive no check.
I was upset. It cost me. I have been written up at my place of employment, I cannot receive a raise, cannot be promoted or transfered for six months. The team leader duties I'm doing? I was told I would get a promotion and raise to do that. Now? Nope.
I was told by my manager that if I didn't take on these extra duties that it would reflect poorly on me. So I'm doing a job that I was told I'd get a promotion to do, without the promotion, and if I don't, that it's bad for me.
[Nameless Company] is in the business providing television programming to customers via satellite. It breaks down to people in dark rooms pushing buttons, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. That's what I do. Every other job at [Nameless Company] is in place to support what I do.
If I have a problem with my benefits, our corporate benefits office, our Human Resources, WHO WORK FOR ME, should do their jobs and support me. If it takes over 90 days for Teldrug to refund me $20, the corporate benefits office shouldn't agree with Teldrug and say that 90 days is a reasonable amount of time. That is not reasonable! If I receive poor customer service from a company that gets $1800 a month from me, benefits should be all over Teldrug, forcing them to clean up their act. Corporate benefits shouldn't suggest that I find another pharmacy:
Teldrug is in-network. Tedrug is owned by my insurance company. If Teldrug is broken, it needs to be fixed. You don't fix things by walking away from them and hoping they get better, you confront the problem. Benefits should be doing that, at the very least, they should support me in that.
Being on Betaseron costs me a ridiculous amount of money, causes me physical pain, has effect my opportunity for advancement in my job, has caused me emotional distress by having to deal with Teldrug, has caused me emotional distress by having to deal with [Nameless Company] corporate benefits and Human Resources. Worse, I have had to fight against Teldrug to get service, and have been hampered in that fight by corporate benefits and Human Resources.
BOJ
In clinical trials of Betaseron, one subject commited suicide and there were four other attempts...
I can handle the injections, I've never been very good with needles, but I've been able to deal with this pretty well. I rotate the injections as I've been instructed. I've very rarely had reactions at the injection sites and of nearly 200 injections now, I can count one one hand the number that have been painful or even unduly uncomfortable (I am jamming a needle into my thigh, arm, abdomen or buttock, after all...). Those are the last good things I will say about Betaseron.
Every other day, after an injection I feel like crap. I have Multiple Sclerosis, after a Betaseron, my MS symptoms are worse. I often have a bad headache. I have difficulty at writing or typing. I have to plan things around my injections. For example, I would never try to do laundry the day after an injection, it would be too hard to tramp up and down the stairs, I would be at major risk of a fall. I'd wear out way too fast to be able to do the job properly.
Luckily, my job requires sitting and using my brain. Still, days after injections are tough at work. There's always some walking involved. If I'm doing a special event, extra movement is required. I have done special events the day after an injection. It's been exhausting, but I've decided to never beg off of a job because of my condition. We do special events on a rotation, if it's my turn, even if I had an injection the night before, I take my turn.
I'm also one of the people [Nameless Company] would like to be in charge of master control on weekends. I'm given the occasional day when I'm the team leader. This duty requires a lot of walking around, a lot of monitoring what other people are doing and walking to the printer, which is ludicrously far away. I have performed this duty on the day after an injection as well. If running a special event is exhausting under these conditions, being team leader is brutal on me. I have begged off of this duty recently, and, somehow, I'm the bad guy.
Betaseron recently went up in price to over $1800 per month. I'm responsible for 20% of that total. [Nameless Company] pays their employees shit. My medication (not physicians or physical therapy, just medication) eats up 14% of my salary. Including everything, I figure about 1 hour and 40 minutes of every work day is spent paying for having MS.
The worst thing about Betaseron, though, isn't the way it makes me feel, or even the price. The worst thing is actually buying it. I get my medication through Cigna Teldrug. They have screwed up about half of my orders, their customer service representatives have been rude, they have threatened to ban me from purchasing medication from them because I have complained. Talking on the phone with them is a baffling ordeal. Hold times have been measured in hours.
Unable to get through on their 800 number to make an order, I was given a number I could call. It was a number that incurred long distance charges. I requested some sort of monetary reimbursement for this. I was told I would receive $20 for Teldrug.
I waited. I didn't expect to receive $20 immediately from Teldrug, their are hoops to jump through, I've worked in large corporations before, I know how they are abou money going out. Still, this company is receiving over $1800 from me monthly. Before I am off the phone with them that $1800 is out of my account and into their possession.
When I asked where my $20 was after 30 days I was that they had up to 30 days to make refunds. When I told them it had been over 30 days, I was told that they meant 60 days. When I called approaching 90 days, I was told that they had 90 days to refund me.
At this point I called my corporate benefits office. They told me the person they dealt with at Teldrug wasn't in but they'd get me an answer as soon as possible. Three days later I received an answer, I would be sent a check. I called Teldrug, they told me my account would be credited, that I would receive no check.
I was upset. It cost me. I have been written up at my place of employment, I cannot receive a raise, cannot be promoted or transfered for six months. The team leader duties I'm doing? I was told I would get a promotion and raise to do that. Now? Nope.
I was told by my manager that if I didn't take on these extra duties that it would reflect poorly on me. So I'm doing a job that I was told I'd get a promotion to do, without the promotion, and if I don't, that it's bad for me.
[Nameless Company] is in the business providing television programming to customers via satellite. It breaks down to people in dark rooms pushing buttons, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. That's what I do. Every other job at [Nameless Company] is in place to support what I do.
If I have a problem with my benefits, our corporate benefits office, our Human Resources, WHO WORK FOR ME, should do their jobs and support me. If it takes over 90 days for Teldrug to refund me $20, the corporate benefits office shouldn't agree with Teldrug and say that 90 days is a reasonable amount of time. That is not reasonable! If I receive poor customer service from a company that gets $1800 a month from me, benefits should be all over Teldrug, forcing them to clean up their act. Corporate benefits shouldn't suggest that I find another pharmacy:
As a consumer, you have the right to choose to continue to spend your money with a service you find satisfactory; perhaps one of the in-network pharmacies will service you better.
Teldrug is in-network. Tedrug is owned by my insurance company. If Teldrug is broken, it needs to be fixed. You don't fix things by walking away from them and hoping they get better, you confront the problem. Benefits should be doing that, at the very least, they should support me in that.
Being on Betaseron costs me a ridiculous amount of money, causes me physical pain, has effect my opportunity for advancement in my job, has caused me emotional distress by having to deal with Teldrug, has caused me emotional distress by having to deal with [Nameless Company] corporate benefits and Human Resources. Worse, I have had to fight against Teldrug to get service, and have been hampered in that fight by corporate benefits and Human Resources.
BOJ
In clinical trials of Betaseron, one subject commited suicide and there were four other attempts...
Labels: Mega-Bitch Wednesday
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Out of Town
In my least mean-spirited MBW ever, here's what's annoying me today:
Girlfriends who aren't in town.
Hey, [someone] can be out of town, but I'm allowed to miss her. I'm also allowed to be jealous of the fact that she's in Hawaii. I'm still in Wyoming. It was 72 degrees here today, but let's get real, it's October and the weather is going to get nasty sometime soon.
That's today's bitch and I'm stickin' to it...
BOJ
Girlfriends who aren't in town.
Hey, [someone] can be out of town, but I'm allowed to miss her. I'm also allowed to be jealous of the fact that she's in Hawaii. I'm still in Wyoming. It was 72 degrees here today, but let's get real, it's October and the weather is going to get nasty sometime soon.
That's today's bitch and I'm stickin' to it...
BOJ
Labels: Mega-Bitch Wednesday
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
I'm watching Feasting on Asphalt 2 on Food TV. It's Alton Brown at his best, among the people, exploring small town America and looking at cuisine of the country.
Tonight's episode took place along the Mississippi River in Iowa and Illinois. It's not what you'd call haut cuisine (assuming I've spelled that anywhere close to correctly). The mentioned the Pork Tenderloin Sandwich (state sandwich of Iowa). I lived in Iowa for a scant 14 months, and let me tell you, there are few things better than this sandwich.
I respect well made food, food that people attend culinary food to be able to create. I understand French and Italian cuisine, I love Thai food. Tonight's show had pork tenderloin, rhubarb pie and smoked carp. It's cuisine of small town America, good food that is made in the heartland of this country, food that is every bit as valid as anything taught in the most excellent culinary institions in the world. Stuff made by farm wives and in small town diners.
Let's give real American food a chance, food from truck stops or served to combining crews as they harvest wheat in the heartland of this country. There's nothing wrong with learning to create fine cuisine, there's nothing wrong with enjoying it. Give good old American food the same chance.
BOJ
...had hot dogs and a locally produced ale for supper...
Tonight's episode took place along the Mississippi River in Iowa and Illinois. It's not what you'd call haut cuisine (assuming I've spelled that anywhere close to correctly). The mentioned the Pork Tenderloin Sandwich (state sandwich of Iowa). I lived in Iowa for a scant 14 months, and let me tell you, there are few things better than this sandwich.
I respect well made food, food that people attend culinary food to be able to create. I understand French and Italian cuisine, I love Thai food. Tonight's show had pork tenderloin, rhubarb pie and smoked carp. It's cuisine of small town America, good food that is made in the heartland of this country, food that is every bit as valid as anything taught in the most excellent culinary institions in the world. Stuff made by farm wives and in small town diners.
Let's give real American food a chance, food from truck stops or served to combining crews as they harvest wheat in the heartland of this country. There's nothing wrong with learning to create fine cuisine, there's nothing wrong with enjoying it. Give good old American food the same chance.
BOJ
...had hot dogs and a locally produced ale for supper...
Labels: Mega-Bitch Wednesday
Wednesday, October 03, 2007
You know what I hate?
Not being treated fairly. Not being treated like everyone else is treated. Being involved in similar situation as someone else and watching them fucking skate through it while I have to wait shit out for six months.
Oh well. Life isn't fair.
Never bitch at Human Resources. They have all the power. If you want to be rude to someone, do it to someone at my level or below. Nobody will care.
Not being treated fairly. Not being treated like everyone else is treated. Being involved in similar situation as someone else and watching them fucking skate through it while I have to wait shit out for six months.
Oh well. Life isn't fair.
Never bitch at Human Resources. They have all the power. If you want to be rude to someone, do it to someone at my level or below. Nobody will care.
Labels: Mega-Bitch Wednesday
Wednesday, September 05, 2007
I Hate the MBW
Yesterday I wrote about why I like Positive Tuesday. Today I'm writing about how much I hate the MBW.
I hate the MBW. I wish I didn't have anything in my life to bitch about, but I do. I like that I have a forum that nobody reads, a place where I can vent but I hate that I have the need.
I hate that I fucking receive email from someone I'm not allowed to write about here while I'm on the phone with mi guera. I hate that I can't write about it here. I hate that I was adult enough to not answer the fucking email with the last words I ever said to the cunt, the last words that I'll ever say to the cunt.
I hate that I have to write this, or any other MBW. But I do. Every week.
BOJ
I hate the MBW. I wish I didn't have anything in my life to bitch about, but I do. I like that I have a forum that nobody reads, a place where I can vent but I hate that I have the need.
I hate that I fucking receive email from someone I'm not allowed to write about here while I'm on the phone with mi guera. I hate that I can't write about it here. I hate that I was adult enough to not answer the fucking email with the last words I ever said to the cunt, the last words that I'll ever say to the cunt.
I hate that I have to write this, or any other MBW. But I do. Every week.
BOJ
Labels: Mega-Bitch Wednesday
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
HR
God I fucking hate my job.
Not the job I do, not the people I work with, but the fucking company, the [Nameless Company] that's decided they can treat their employees, that they can treat me like shit.
Because I spend $365.58 on medication, medication I have to pay that much for because [Nameless Company] decided that sponsoring a NASCAR team was more important than providing their employees with reasonably priced health insurance. because the company I'm buying this medication from can't fucking get their shit right and takes two and a half months to give me a $20 refund for continually fucking up, because that company complained that I was more than a little upset when they got shit wrong for SIX FUCKING MONTHS, because HR sided with them instead of me, because HR gave me inaccurate information when I asked them to find out what was up with my $20 refund (and I was instructed to do that by some spineless, worthless piece of human shit who's in charge of [Nameless Company] HR), because of all of this, I'm in trouble at my job. I am on notice. If I deliberately make a mistake I can be terminated immediately. Of course, if anyone else deliberately makes a mistake they can be terminated immediately. The difference? I have a write up in my file saying that this will happen if I make a mistake. We're all operating under the same rules, I suppose, but it's noted in my file.
I have asked that that shit be taken out of my file. I asked that ELEVEN FUCKING DAYS AGO, and HR has not gotten back to me yet, has failed to respond in any way. We don't have an HR person in our building. [Nameless Company] decided to hire new employees at a higher pay grade than current employees, and we don't have HR representation in our building to complain about that to.
I'm sure HR in any corporation is fucking useless, but [Nameless Company] has taken that fucking pointlessness to new and exciting levels of absolute uselessness. My hiring process was completely fucked up. I work in a department where an employee would come into work drunk and it was HR who wouldn't do anything about it. My pay was fucked up for the first couple of months of my employment. The fact that we don't have HR representation in our building, that someone has to come up from Denver when I'm a fucking problem for the company isn't really much of a drop off from the service that we received when we had a person in the building.
HR is the problem. There's plenty wrong at [Nameless Company], but HR doesn't have a fucking clue. They have no idea what they're doing, and I'm fucking sure everyone with HR attached to their title makes more money than me. The whole department is criminally mismanaged.
Bitchy enough for ya?
BOJ
Not the job I do, not the people I work with, but the fucking company, the [Nameless Company] that's decided they can treat their employees, that they can treat me like shit.
Because I spend $365.58 on medication, medication I have to pay that much for because [Nameless Company] decided that sponsoring a NASCAR team was more important than providing their employees with reasonably priced health insurance. because the company I'm buying this medication from can't fucking get their shit right and takes two and a half months to give me a $20 refund for continually fucking up, because that company complained that I was more than a little upset when they got shit wrong for SIX FUCKING MONTHS, because HR sided with them instead of me, because HR gave me inaccurate information when I asked them to find out what was up with my $20 refund (and I was instructed to do that by some spineless, worthless piece of human shit who's in charge of [Nameless Company] HR), because of all of this, I'm in trouble at my job. I am on notice. If I deliberately make a mistake I can be terminated immediately. Of course, if anyone else deliberately makes a mistake they can be terminated immediately. The difference? I have a write up in my file saying that this will happen if I make a mistake. We're all operating under the same rules, I suppose, but it's noted in my file.
I have asked that that shit be taken out of my file. I asked that ELEVEN FUCKING DAYS AGO, and HR has not gotten back to me yet, has failed to respond in any way. We don't have an HR person in our building. [Nameless Company] decided to hire new employees at a higher pay grade than current employees, and we don't have HR representation in our building to complain about that to.
I'm sure HR in any corporation is fucking useless, but [Nameless Company] has taken that fucking pointlessness to new and exciting levels of absolute uselessness. My hiring process was completely fucked up. I work in a department where an employee would come into work drunk and it was HR who wouldn't do anything about it. My pay was fucked up for the first couple of months of my employment. The fact that we don't have HR representation in our building, that someone has to come up from Denver when I'm a fucking problem for the company isn't really much of a drop off from the service that we received when we had a person in the building.
HR is the problem. There's plenty wrong at [Nameless Company], but HR doesn't have a fucking clue. They have no idea what they're doing, and I'm fucking sure everyone with HR attached to their title makes more money than me. The whole department is criminally mismanaged.
Bitchy enough for ya?
BOJ
Labels: [Nameless Company], Mega-Bitch Wednesday
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
[Nameless Company] Can Kiss My Ass
I wrote this in December of 2005. I didn't work for [Nameless Company] at the time. They wanted me to, I wasn't so sure. A few days after writing this, I was offered a job. I wish I had read it one more time before I agreed to work for [Nameless Company].
If I had not taken that job a few days later, well, there would be lots of openings right now, I could have applied for one of them, more than likely received it and had I done so I would be making more money than I am now.
How can I be so sure? To get new employees to move to Cheyenne, Wyoming, [Nameless Company] has taken to hiring new employees in master control at the highest grade level available. This would not upset me so much except that the emlpoyees who have worked here (most much longer than me) are given raises that barely cover the cost of living or are denied promotions (often ones that were promised) without explanation.
The overnight shift lost 4 of their 7 employees this week over this and a combination of other factors like really shitty health insurance. My shift is losing a person, two others are putting in for transfers. There are rumors of others in the department with other employment in hand or who are just fed up and are going to walk out the door.
This while our facility, where the bulk of [Nameless Company]'s traffic is uplinked to satellites, the very thing this company is in business to do, does not have Human Resources representation.
Human Resources at [Nameless Company] is generally worthless. They've beem unwilling to get rid of an employee who came to work drunk, who would not come to work when scheduled and who was in a physical altercation with another employee. But Human Resources isn't completely worthless, they've told me that the medication I take may violate [Nameless Company]'s "drug-free workplace" policy. They actually sent someone up from Denver last week to inform me that I may be terminated if I make mistakes on purpose. Odd as I haven't had any outages since I've worked for [Nameless Company]. Yes, there's more to it than that, but I ruffled the feathers of someone at Human Resources when they gave me incorrect information regarding $20 that Tel-Drug of Pennsylvania was taking there sweet time (two months longer than their policy allows, depending on who you talk to) in refunding to me.
Important lesson, don't piss off Human Resources.
They can fire me. I don't fuckig care. They can hire someone for more than they're paying me and fuck up their salary structure even more.
BOJ
If I had not taken that job a few days later, well, there would be lots of openings right now, I could have applied for one of them, more than likely received it and had I done so I would be making more money than I am now.
How can I be so sure? To get new employees to move to Cheyenne, Wyoming, [Nameless Company] has taken to hiring new employees in master control at the highest grade level available. This would not upset me so much except that the emlpoyees who have worked here (most much longer than me) are given raises that barely cover the cost of living or are denied promotions (often ones that were promised) without explanation.
The overnight shift lost 4 of their 7 employees this week over this and a combination of other factors like really shitty health insurance. My shift is losing a person, two others are putting in for transfers. There are rumors of others in the department with other employment in hand or who are just fed up and are going to walk out the door.
This while our facility, where the bulk of [Nameless Company]'s traffic is uplinked to satellites, the very thing this company is in business to do, does not have Human Resources representation.
Human Resources at [Nameless Company] is generally worthless. They've beem unwilling to get rid of an employee who came to work drunk, who would not come to work when scheduled and who was in a physical altercation with another employee. But Human Resources isn't completely worthless, they've told me that the medication I take may violate [Nameless Company]'s "drug-free workplace" policy. They actually sent someone up from Denver last week to inform me that I may be terminated if I make mistakes on purpose. Odd as I haven't had any outages since I've worked for [Nameless Company]. Yes, there's more to it than that, but I ruffled the feathers of someone at Human Resources when they gave me incorrect information regarding $20 that Tel-Drug of Pennsylvania was taking there sweet time (two months longer than their policy allows, depending on who you talk to) in refunding to me.
Important lesson, don't piss off Human Resources.
They can fire me. I don't fuckig care. They can hire someone for more than they're paying me and fuck up their salary structure even more.
BOJ
Labels: [Nameless Company], Mega-Bitch Wednesday
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
[Namesless Company] Net Income Rises 33%; Some of TiVo Patent Claims Tossed
From The Wall Street Journal:
A 33% increase in net income? Good lord, you'd think I'd be really happy. The company I work for is doing great financially.
Well, not doing as well numbers wise, but revenue is up and [Nameless Company] is doing better than their satellite TV competitor. Yup, things are moving along quite swimmingly for [Nameless Company]. The company (nameless though it may be) is doing fine, investors are making money, executives are making money, everyone is happy.
Except for the employees.
[Nameless Company] pays shit and treats their employees like the same excrement. There have been two new hires in master control this week. To hire new employees to work at [Nameless Company], management has to pay new employees more than current employees, this while denying raises to current employees.
We have a grade system of 4 tech levels. On my shift, for example, there are three tech 4's, six tech 3's and one tech 2 (which is another fucked up situation which pisses me off to no end). Two of the tech 4's are shift team leaders, the other works (exceptionally well) in the library. Tech 4 is something that is earned, a position in which more is expected of the employee, a leadership position.
An aside, 19 months ago (and I usually only stay places, on average, 18 months) to hire me, [Nameless Company] had to offer me more money than most other operators. I came in on the high end, pay wise, for a tech 3. On the other hand, I had television experience, more specifically, I had DBS satellite experience. I had worked for [Nameless Company]'s competitor in a nearly identical position, had worked with another DBS company before that where I was responsible for much more than a [Nameless Company] or DirecTV operator would ever dream of being responsible for. I benefited from [Nameless Company]'s totally fucked up pay structure. I feel like shit when I think about that.
To hire new people, [Nameless Company] has made the two new hires in master control tech 4's. While I was brought in at a higher pay rate than many other operators, nobody knew that. The new hires were brought at a higher grade. Everybody knows that, it's public knowledge (though my supervisor wondered how I knew that).
I am completely in favor of paying every new hire more money. We work in Cheyenne fucking Wyoming, you have to do something to attract people to come here. Pay them more, hell yes, you have to get them here somehow.
BUT DON'T COMPLETELY FUCK OVER EVERY OTHER EMPLOYEE IN THE DEPARTMENT!!!
This was bitched about all weekend long. Operators from every shift expressed their displeasure. While I can't speak for everyone, everyone I spoke to about this is pissed off, maybe not as much as I am (I piss off kind of easily), but you have a department that is, on the whole, angry.
My supervisor, who is a good supervisor, who is an excellent human being, who I personally like very much, had to listen to me bitch at him for half an hour on Monday. Then everyone else took turns bitching at him. He didn't make this policy, but he's had to suffer the ramifications like the rest of us.
[Nameless Company] isn't doing this to piss off its operators, but you can't tell me that they didn't see this coming. Their pay structure is totally fucked but, rather than fix it for everyone, the fuck up the structure more, they make the whole process meaningless by making new hires among the highest paid in the department. Myself included.
This from a company that had their net income rise 33% last quarter.
BOJ
[Nameless Company]'s second-quarter net income rose 33% as the firm announced the federal patent office tossed some patent-related claims made by TiVo Inc.
The Englewood, Colo., satellite-television company posted net income of $224.2 million, or 50 cents a share, from $168.8 million, or 38 cents a share, a year earlier. Revenue climbed 12% to $2.76 billion.
A 33% increase in net income? Good lord, you'd think I'd be really happy. The company I work for is doing great financially.
[Nameless Company]'s [Nameless Consumer Home Satellite] Network added 170,000 net new subscribers in the second quarter, down from 195,000 a year earlier earlier, ending the quarter with 13.6 million subscribers, up 9%. Average monthly revenue per subscriber increased 5% to $66.06 while the monthly churn, or cancellation, rate dipped to 1.68% from 1.7%.
On Thursday, rival DirecTV Group Inc. reported its net income fell amid a sharp rise in operating costs and a squeeze in subscriber growth. DirecTV added 128,000 net subscribers in the quarter, bringing its total customer base to 16.3 million.
Well, not doing as well numbers wise, but revenue is up and [Nameless Company] is doing better than their satellite TV competitor. Yup, things are moving along quite swimmingly for [Nameless Company]. The company (nameless though it may be) is doing fine, investors are making money, executives are making money, everyone is happy.
Except for the employees.
[Nameless Company] pays shit and treats their employees like the same excrement. There have been two new hires in master control this week. To hire new employees to work at [Nameless Company], management has to pay new employees more than current employees, this while denying raises to current employees.
We have a grade system of 4 tech levels. On my shift, for example, there are three tech 4's, six tech 3's and one tech 2 (which is another fucked up situation which pisses me off to no end). Two of the tech 4's are shift team leaders, the other works (exceptionally well) in the library. Tech 4 is something that is earned, a position in which more is expected of the employee, a leadership position.
An aside, 19 months ago (and I usually only stay places, on average, 18 months) to hire me, [Nameless Company] had to offer me more money than most other operators. I came in on the high end, pay wise, for a tech 3. On the other hand, I had television experience, more specifically, I had DBS satellite experience. I had worked for [Nameless Company]'s competitor in a nearly identical position, had worked with another DBS company before that where I was responsible for much more than a [Nameless Company] or DirecTV operator would ever dream of being responsible for. I benefited from [Nameless Company]'s totally fucked up pay structure. I feel like shit when I think about that.
To hire new people, [Nameless Company] has made the two new hires in master control tech 4's. While I was brought in at a higher pay rate than many other operators, nobody knew that. The new hires were brought at a higher grade. Everybody knows that, it's public knowledge (though my supervisor wondered how I knew that).
I am completely in favor of paying every new hire more money. We work in Cheyenne fucking Wyoming, you have to do something to attract people to come here. Pay them more, hell yes, you have to get them here somehow.
BUT DON'T COMPLETELY FUCK OVER EVERY OTHER EMPLOYEE IN THE DEPARTMENT!!!
This was bitched about all weekend long. Operators from every shift expressed their displeasure. While I can't speak for everyone, everyone I spoke to about this is pissed off, maybe not as much as I am (I piss off kind of easily), but you have a department that is, on the whole, angry.
My supervisor, who is a good supervisor, who is an excellent human being, who I personally like very much, had to listen to me bitch at him for half an hour on Monday. Then everyone else took turns bitching at him. He didn't make this policy, but he's had to suffer the ramifications like the rest of us.
[Nameless Company] isn't doing this to piss off its operators, but you can't tell me that they didn't see this coming. Their pay structure is totally fucked but, rather than fix it for everyone, the fuck up the structure more, they make the whole process meaningless by making new hires among the highest paid in the department. Myself included.
This from a company that had their net income rise 33% last quarter.
BOJ
Labels: [Nameless Company], Mega-Bitch Wednesday
Wednesday, August 08, 2007
Cheating
As of this moment, Barry Bonds has hit 756 career home runs, making him the major league baseball home run king, passing Hank Aaron. He's done it, he's actually hit 756 home runs in regular season competition. That can't be disputed, it's how he got there that's the problem.
Taking steroids and human growth hormone (HGH) is illegal within the rules of major league baseball. Bonds have never tested positive of steroids. The testing procedure, neutered by the the players association, is pretty much incapable of catching all of the stupidest of baseball players (I'm talking about you, Rafael Palmiero). There is no testing for HGH as there is no way to test for this substance.
My bitch today is the people talking about Bonds this morning. I head a commentator this morning that if Barry Bonds took steroids, if he took HGH, that he is not guilty if cheating. If he broke the rules, but didn't get caught, he's not guilty of cheating.
What the hell is up with that? Isn't cheating still cheating even if you don't get caught? The fact that some believe this is so wrong, that people are arguing this point is so much a part of the problem.
Two performance enhancing substances are banned by major league baseball. One can't be tested for, the other is tested for, but the players are told when they will be tested far enough in advance to rid the substance from their bodies.
While Barry Bonds is the one alledgedly taking these substances, it's major league baseball who is allowing this to happen. If Bonds is taking these things, he's guilty of cheating, but it is baseball's fault for allowing this to happen.
I'm not letting Bonds off the hook here, he's wrong, but the league looked the other way when it was to their advantage to do so. An explosion of home runs put butts in the seats after a strike canceled the 1994 world series. Baseball allowed this to happen. Bonds cheated and he's wrong. Baseball looked the other way and that's wrong.
BOJ
Taking steroids and human growth hormone (HGH) is illegal within the rules of major league baseball. Bonds have never tested positive of steroids. The testing procedure, neutered by the the players association, is pretty much incapable of catching all of the stupidest of baseball players (I'm talking about you, Rafael Palmiero). There is no testing for HGH as there is no way to test for this substance.
My bitch today is the people talking about Bonds this morning. I head a commentator this morning that if Barry Bonds took steroids, if he took HGH, that he is not guilty if cheating. If he broke the rules, but didn't get caught, he's not guilty of cheating.
What the hell is up with that? Isn't cheating still cheating even if you don't get caught? The fact that some believe this is so wrong, that people are arguing this point is so much a part of the problem.
Two performance enhancing substances are banned by major league baseball. One can't be tested for, the other is tested for, but the players are told when they will be tested far enough in advance to rid the substance from their bodies.
While Barry Bonds is the one alledgedly taking these substances, it's major league baseball who is allowing this to happen. If Bonds is taking these things, he's guilty of cheating, but it is baseball's fault for allowing this to happen.
I'm not letting Bonds off the hook here, he's wrong, but the league looked the other way when it was to their advantage to do so. An explosion of home runs put butts in the seats after a strike canceled the 1994 world series. Baseball allowed this to happen. Bonds cheated and he's wrong. Baseball looked the other way and that's wrong.
BOJ
Labels: Mega-Bitch Wednesday
Wednesday, August 01, 2007
Anticipation
One of my favorite things is waiting. Well, not the waiting so much, but the knowing that there's a payoff at the end. The anxious feeling of knowing something good is coming, even if you don't know exactly what it is.
I'll go out of my way in situations like this not to know exactly what's coming. I have a niece who's having a baby. I have no desire to know the baby's sex. If I know, I can't wonder about it, I can't imagine, I just know and then my brain has nothing to do with the subject.
Christmas as a kid was always great because I had something to look forward to. I can't say that I never did, but I rarely looked for my presents. Why would I want to know what I was getting? That would ruin the surprise.
Anticipation is one of the reasons I like cooking. You mix ingredients, put something in the oven and in prescribed amount of time, which involves waiting, and hopefully you are rewarded with something delicious. Delicious food is great. Waiting for delicious food, while knowing you will soon be receiving delicious food heightens the degree of deliciousness exponentially.
I can hear you all saying this though:
Well, fine readers, you make valid points (especially about smelling bad...). You need to show a little more patience. I'm getting to the MBW.
You see, anticipation is great if there's a payoff. When there's not it's nothing but a monumental waste of time. If you find yourself longing for something, hoping for it, thinking about it constantly and it turns out to turn your life into a living hell, then that anticipation was completely worthless. You've wasted valuable time, first having to wait for what you thought you wanted, then realizing that what you wanted was nothing but a bunch of shit.
I'm thinking of something in my life, of course, but blog policy prevents me from going any further. I'll just say that I've wasted a good chunk of the last year letting this shit get to me, wasting my time with this situation.
The sad part is that I'm really just bitching at myself. It's my fault that I've wasted my life. I can't blame anyone else.
But anticipating something that turns out to suck is a really bad thing. That's what I'm bitching about.
I'd like to make a special MBW shout out to 24.155.199.149! Thanks for giving me something to write about...
BOJ
I'll go out of my way in situations like this not to know exactly what's coming. I have a niece who's having a baby. I have no desire to know the baby's sex. If I know, I can't wonder about it, I can't imagine, I just know and then my brain has nothing to do with the subject.
Christmas as a kid was always great because I had something to look forward to. I can't say that I never did, but I rarely looked for my presents. Why would I want to know what I was getting? That would ruin the surprise.
Anticipation is one of the reasons I like cooking. You mix ingredients, put something in the oven and in prescribed amount of time, which involves waiting, and hopefully you are rewarded with something delicious. Delicious food is great. Waiting for delicious food, while knowing you will soon be receiving delicious food heightens the degree of deliciousness exponentially.
I can hear you all saying this though:
"Hey, BOJ, what's the deal? I thought this was the MBW. All you're doing is talking about how awesome it is to wait for stuff. You're an ass and I'm never reading The Globex Corporation Newsletter again. Also, you're ugly and you smell bad."
Well, fine readers, you make valid points (especially about smelling bad...). You need to show a little more patience. I'm getting to the MBW.
You see, anticipation is great if there's a payoff. When there's not it's nothing but a monumental waste of time. If you find yourself longing for something, hoping for it, thinking about it constantly and it turns out to turn your life into a living hell, then that anticipation was completely worthless. You've wasted valuable time, first having to wait for what you thought you wanted, then realizing that what you wanted was nothing but a bunch of shit.
I'm thinking of something in my life, of course, but blog policy prevents me from going any further. I'll just say that I've wasted a good chunk of the last year letting this shit get to me, wasting my time with this situation.
The sad part is that I'm really just bitching at myself. It's my fault that I've wasted my life. I can't blame anyone else.
But anticipating something that turns out to suck is a really bad thing. That's what I'm bitching about.
I'd like to make a special MBW shout out to 24.155.199.149! Thanks for giving me something to write about...
BOJ
Labels: Mega-Bitch Wednesday
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
MBW
Don't really have anything to bitch about today. Things are OK with me.
BOJ
Labels: Mega-Bitch Wednesday
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
Is This Mega-Bitch Wednesday
or Poinless Shit Thursday?
It's pretty well documented on this blog that I am a first-class complainer. I sort of enjoy getting call from telemarketers so that I can berate them. Fun for me anyway.
I also have outstanding issues with organizations I have to talk to on the phone. I had a bunch of them yesterday.
First, I had to order my medication. This has gone so poorly in the past that I sort of have to psyche myself up for it. This was my ninth order. The first six were screwed up the online paharmacy in some way or another. I had words, numerous words with officials for this worthless company. We came to the conclusion that they, as a company, suck ass and that I would need to call a person in Sioux Falls, SD to get my medication in a timely manner.
So I call directly into someone's office, eschewing the normal 800 number that customers normally call. I argued that they're treating me different than other customers and that they really need to fix their shit. I have to make a long distance call, on my dime (true, but since I have VoIP phone service, it doesn't actually cost me anything extra), and I argued that I should be reimbursed for that. I was told that I would receive a $20 credit for having to do that. I was told that in May. It still hasn't happened.
So when I made my order I inquired about that. There was no record of it. There was record of them refusing me service and their retraction of the breaking of a contract with my place of business, but no record of them owing me $20. And, of course, no one was there who could help me.
I was told that I'd receive a phone call from someone today, but, of course, I haven't received a call and doubt I ever will. I'll call them when I'm done here.
Then, I had noticed that I no longer get NFL Network on my cable system. I actually knew what this was about as I work in the TV industry, but after talking to my online pharmacy, I was in a bad mood and tough I would take it out on the cable company.
So I called and complained. I was told that NFL network had been placed in a "Sports Package" that I had to pay extra for. I have a contract through February and argued that his violates said contract. I also pointed out that the company website makes no mention of a "Sports Package" and indicates that I am to receive NFL Network.
They immediately gave me the "Spots Package" but I demanded that their website be immediately be changed to reflect their changes, and also that every one be given the "Sports Package" until the end of their contracts. I was told that wouldn't happen. I got mine, at least.
I asked who I could complain to, and after a long discussion about THE EXISTENCE OF TELEPHONES IN NEW YORK I was given a number which I could call to have my complaint heard.
All of this makes me wants to call AOL again, but I've been instructed to never call them again. That one works both ways, though.
BOJ
I also have outstanding issues with organizations I have to talk to on the phone. I had a bunch of them yesterday.
First, I had to order my medication. This has gone so poorly in the past that I sort of have to psyche myself up for it. This was my ninth order. The first six were screwed up the online paharmacy in some way or another. I had words, numerous words with officials for this worthless company. We came to the conclusion that they, as a company, suck ass and that I would need to call a person in Sioux Falls, SD to get my medication in a timely manner.
So I call directly into someone's office, eschewing the normal 800 number that customers normally call. I argued that they're treating me different than other customers and that they really need to fix their shit. I have to make a long distance call, on my dime (true, but since I have VoIP phone service, it doesn't actually cost me anything extra), and I argued that I should be reimbursed for that. I was told that I would receive a $20 credit for having to do that. I was told that in May. It still hasn't happened.
So when I made my order I inquired about that. There was no record of it. There was record of them refusing me service and their retraction of the breaking of a contract with my place of business, but no record of them owing me $20. And, of course, no one was there who could help me.
I was told that I'd receive a phone call from someone today, but, of course, I haven't received a call and doubt I ever will. I'll call them when I'm done here.
Then, I had noticed that I no longer get NFL Network on my cable system. I actually knew what this was about as I work in the TV industry, but after talking to my online pharmacy, I was in a bad mood and tough I would take it out on the cable company.
So I called and complained. I was told that NFL network had been placed in a "Sports Package" that I had to pay extra for. I have a contract through February and argued that his violates said contract. I also pointed out that the company website makes no mention of a "Sports Package" and indicates that I am to receive NFL Network.
They immediately gave me the "Spots Package" but I demanded that their website be immediately be changed to reflect their changes, and also that every one be given the "Sports Package" until the end of their contracts. I was told that wouldn't happen. I got mine, at least.
I asked who I could complain to, and after a long discussion about THE EXISTENCE OF TELEPHONES IN NEW YORK I was given a number which I could call to have my complaint heard.
All of this makes me wants to call AOL again, but I've been instructed to never call them again. That one works both ways, though.
BOJ
Labels: Mega-Bitch Wednesday
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
I'm So Damn Important
On Friday, June 29th, I went to work like every other Friday. Friday is the start of my work week, and I noticed many less cars in the parking lot than most other Fridays. Let me say that I really don't mind, since I get to work at 3pm, it was nice to have a much better parking spot than I normally do on Fridays.
I had asked my supervisor if I could have the next Monday (July 2nd) off. Being as the 4th of July holiday was on Wednesday, I asked if I could take my holiday on Monday, giving me a 4 day weekend which would allow me to head back to the RC. Jason was good about it and allowed me to, but had someone cover for me on Monday.
I worked Saturday and Sunday as usual, about as many cars in the parking lot, and took off for the RC on Monday morning. I had a nice time but had to make it back to work on Friday.
When I pulled into the parking lot on Friday, July 6th, there were hardly any cars there. Once again, I was happy to have a good parking spot, but couldn't help but wonder how the hell most emloyees at [Nameless Company] managed to turn one day off in the middle of the week into 10 days off in a row.
So I asked. People took their vacation time for that extended period. I guess it makes sense, take a week's vacation and it turns into almost two weeks. That's a good use of PDO.
Nobody in Master Control pulled that though. I can't speak for everyone, but I was quite pleased with the situation. We were able to do our jobs without being bothered by people who make our lives multple living hells most weeks. We didn't have to deal with lots of people who frankly aren't necessary for the day to day operations of [Nameless Company].
Somebody had to cover for me for the ONE day during that period that I took off. It makes me wonder, who covered for all of those people who took an entire week off.
Nobody.
I guess I'm more important than any of them to the day to day operations of [Nameless Company].
It wouldn't bother me so much except that none of those people who got 10 days off have to work weekends. They all go home at 5 o'clock. When a holiday happens on a day that they work, they don't come to work, no questions asked. They bitch and moan if they have to come in when I'm at work because didn't do part of their job properly. Nobody has to cover for them if they take a day or 10 off.
And they undoubtedly all make more money than me.
BOJ
I had asked my supervisor if I could have the next Monday (July 2nd) off. Being as the 4th of July holiday was on Wednesday, I asked if I could take my holiday on Monday, giving me a 4 day weekend which would allow me to head back to the RC. Jason was good about it and allowed me to, but had someone cover for me on Monday.
I worked Saturday and Sunday as usual, about as many cars in the parking lot, and took off for the RC on Monday morning. I had a nice time but had to make it back to work on Friday.
When I pulled into the parking lot on Friday, July 6th, there were hardly any cars there. Once again, I was happy to have a good parking spot, but couldn't help but wonder how the hell most emloyees at [Nameless Company] managed to turn one day off in the middle of the week into 10 days off in a row.
So I asked. People took their vacation time for that extended period. I guess it makes sense, take a week's vacation and it turns into almost two weeks. That's a good use of PDO.
Nobody in Master Control pulled that though. I can't speak for everyone, but I was quite pleased with the situation. We were able to do our jobs without being bothered by people who make our lives multple living hells most weeks. We didn't have to deal with lots of people who frankly aren't necessary for the day to day operations of [Nameless Company].
Somebody had to cover for me for the ONE day during that period that I took off. It makes me wonder, who covered for all of those people who took an entire week off.
Nobody.
I guess I'm more important than any of them to the day to day operations of [Nameless Company].
Two technicans were installing a monitor in an NBC executives office when the saw a photo of the executive running camera for an NBC TV show.
"You ran camera during the NABET strike?" One of the technicans asked.
NABET had gone on strike against NBC in the late 1980's, forcing other non-union members to run camera and perform other duties for telecasts like David Letterman and Johnny Carson.
"Yes I did." The executive replied.
"So," the technician asked, "while you were running camera, who was doing your job?"
"Um... Nobody..."
"Exactly."
It wouldn't bother me so much except that none of those people who got 10 days off have to work weekends. They all go home at 5 o'clock. When a holiday happens on a day that they work, they don't come to work, no questions asked. They bitch and moan if they have to come in when I'm at work because didn't do part of their job properly. Nobody has to cover for them if they take a day or 10 off.
And they undoubtedly all make more money than me.
BOJ
Labels: [Nameless Company], Mega-Bitch Wednesday
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
Odin/Durrant
Bowie/Jordan
I listen to a lot of sports talk radio. I download podcasts for a couple of my favorite sports talk radio shows so I don't miss a minute of the discussion. I listen because it's fun. I listen because I'm a correct as any of the so called experts that I hear daily on the radio. It's just opinion.
The NBA Draft is tomorrow night. This year there are two great players coming out, Kevin Durrant of Texas and the man most expect to be number one, center Greg Odin of Ohio State. Both young men are freshmen and had the NBA not changed their draft elegibility rules this past year, most likely would have been in last years draft.
While no one of that age, no one coming into the draft in any sport can possibly be a "can't miss," these two guys are as close as it comes. Durrant may actually be the more polished player with more basketball skill, but Odin will likely be the first pick based on his height and athleticism.
Porltand has the first pick, Seattle the second. Jay Bilas of ESPN has called Seattle's pick the easiest in NBA draft history, they'll simply pick the player who the Portland Trailblazers don't pick. He's right, and that'd be great if after the pick everybody just remembered that.
But they won't. Like every player, these two young men have weaknesses, they have holes in their games. I question Odin's skill on the offensive end, Durrant couldn't bench press 185 lbs. even once in workouts. If Odin turns out to be completely one dimensional, if Durrant, who plays in the paint a lot proves unable to do so a pro, they will be be considered failures.
Worse, if one of them is a failure, the team that selected him will have their pick scrutinized for decades. In 1984, the Houston Rockets had the first pick, the Portland Trailblazers had the second pick. The Rockets selected Hakeem Olajuwon, a great player, who lead the team to a couple of NBA championships. Olajuwon became an all time great. In college he was a great defender who allowed others on his team, like the great Clyde Drexler, to do the bulk of the scoring. While I liked Olajuwon and thought he was the logical first choice, I had reservations. Could he score in the NBA? He was actually short for an NBA center (listed at 7 feet, but some say he was as "short" as 6'8"). As great as Olojuwon was in college, as great as he turned out being as a pro, there were questions, legitimate questions about his abilities at the next level in 1984.
The number two slection that year was Kentucky center, Sam Bowie. Sam was the centerpiece of some fine Kentucky teams, a good scorer and defender in college,
though hampered by injuries. Still this was 1984, the Trailblazers played in the Western Conference, if they wanted to be successful,they had to get past the LA Lakers and their all time great at center, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Short of Olajuwon, the best player available for the 'Blazers in their situation was Sam Bowie.
The complication in 1984 came with the third pick. The Chicago Bulls, also in need of a center, but with the top two gone "settled" for swing man Michael Jordan from North Carolina who many (I am not among them) consider the greatest player in NBA history.
The Portland Trailblazers had the opportunity to draft Jordan, but chose Sam Bowie, an oft-injured player who never made a real impact in the NBA. People bitch about it to this day, but it was the right choice given the circumstances at the time.
Jordan had potential in 1984, you could see it when you watched him play. He was on a team of stars at North Carolina so he didn't really shine. There's a joke about Jordan which asks who was the only person to hold Michael Jordan to under 20 points per game? The answer is his college coach Dean Smith. They played a team game at Carolina, Jordan was one of many interchangeable parts, a great piece, but one the Tarheels could have been successful without.
The Trailblazers had no need for a player like Jordan. They had drafter a similar type of player the year before, Clyde Drexler, and already had an All-Star at that position in Jim Paxson. Selecting another guard, even one as great as Jordan, would have been stupid. My guess is that Drexler and Jordan could not have co-existed in the same backcourt. You don't waste the second pick in the draft on a player likely to spend a good amount of time on the bench.
Sam Bowie was the correct choice in 1984 for the Portland Trailblazers. It was over twenty years ago, it's over. Yes, Jordan won 6 titles with the Bulls, but the 'Blazers got to the finals, an impressive feat on it's own, with the pieces they had on hand. Had Bowie been healthy (he never was with Portland), they may have won a title or two. But he wasn't. Thems the breaks.
On Friday they'll be discussing Portland's first pick in the 2007 draft. It will most likely be Greg Odin, a great big man who played through injury in college. Some people will be calling the selection a mistake. They'll be calling it a mistake before Greg Odin plays a minute of NBA action.
If Durrant turns out to be an all time great like Jordan (and I do buy that), and Odin doesn't develope or is injured, Portland will never hear the end of it.
And I'll be writing a similar post in 2030.
BOJ
The NBA Draft is tomorrow night. This year there are two great players coming out, Kevin Durrant of Texas and the man most expect to be number one, center Greg Odin of Ohio State. Both young men are freshmen and had the NBA not changed their draft elegibility rules this past year, most likely would have been in last years draft.
While no one of that age, no one coming into the draft in any sport can possibly be a "can't miss," these two guys are as close as it comes. Durrant may actually be the more polished player with more basketball skill, but Odin will likely be the first pick based on his height and athleticism.
Porltand has the first pick, Seattle the second. Jay Bilas of ESPN has called Seattle's pick the easiest in NBA draft history, they'll simply pick the player who the Portland Trailblazers don't pick. He's right, and that'd be great if after the pick everybody just remembered that.
But they won't. Like every player, these two young men have weaknesses, they have holes in their games. I question Odin's skill on the offensive end, Durrant couldn't bench press 185 lbs. even once in workouts. If Odin turns out to be completely one dimensional, if Durrant, who plays in the paint a lot proves unable to do so a pro, they will be be considered failures.
Worse, if one of them is a failure, the team that selected him will have their pick scrutinized for decades. In 1984, the Houston Rockets had the first pick, the Portland Trailblazers had the second pick. The Rockets selected Hakeem Olajuwon, a great player, who lead the team to a couple of NBA championships. Olajuwon became an all time great. In college he was a great defender who allowed others on his team, like the great Clyde Drexler, to do the bulk of the scoring. While I liked Olajuwon and thought he was the logical first choice, I had reservations. Could he score in the NBA? He was actually short for an NBA center (listed at 7 feet, but some say he was as "short" as 6'8"). As great as Olojuwon was in college, as great as he turned out being as a pro, there were questions, legitimate questions about his abilities at the next level in 1984.
The number two slection that year was Kentucky center, Sam Bowie. Sam was the centerpiece of some fine Kentucky teams, a good scorer and defender in college,
The complication in 1984 came with the third pick. The Chicago Bulls, also in need of a center, but with the top two gone "settled" for swing man Michael Jordan from North Carolina who many (I am not among them) consider the greatest player in NBA history.
The Portland Trailblazers had the opportunity to draft Jordan, but chose Sam Bowie, an oft-injured player who never made a real impact in the NBA. People bitch about it to this day, but it was the right choice given the circumstances at the time.
Jordan had potential in 1984, you could see it when you watched him play. He was on a team of stars at North Carolina so he didn't really shine. There's a joke about Jordan which asks who was the only person to hold Michael Jordan to under 20 points per game? The answer is his college coach Dean Smith. They played a team game at Carolina, Jordan was one of many interchangeable parts, a great piece, but one the Tarheels could have been successful without.
The Trailblazers had no need for a player like Jordan. They had drafter a similar type of player the year before, Clyde Drexler, and already had an All-Star at that position in Jim Paxson. Selecting another guard, even one as great as Jordan, would have been stupid. My guess is that Drexler and Jordan could not have co-existed in the same backcourt. You don't waste the second pick in the draft on a player likely to spend a good amount of time on the bench.
Sam Bowie was the correct choice in 1984 for the Portland Trailblazers. It was over twenty years ago, it's over. Yes, Jordan won 6 titles with the Bulls, but the 'Blazers got to the finals, an impressive feat on it's own, with the pieces they had on hand. Had Bowie been healthy (he never was with Portland), they may have won a title or two. But he wasn't. Thems the breaks.
On Friday they'll be discussing Portland's first pick in the 2007 draft. It will most likely be Greg Odin, a great big man who played through injury in college. Some people will be calling the selection a mistake. They'll be calling it a mistake before Greg Odin plays a minute of NBA action.
If Durrant turns out to be an all time great like Jordan (and I do buy that), and Odin doesn't develope or is injured, Portland will never hear the end of it.
And I'll be writing a similar post in 2030.
BOJ
Labels: Mega-Bitch Wednesday
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
A little insight into how decisions are made here at The Globex Corporation
BOJ
Labels: Mega-Bitch Wednesday
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
Working My Way Back to the MBW
Ya know what really torques me off? People who say they'll give you a positive post on Tuesdays but then give you some stupid graphic comparing Nelson Mandela to Paris Hilton...
So no Positive Tuesday Post yesterday. Chalk it up to a mild case of writer's block that will undoubtedly rear it's head in this MBW.
Here's the deal, the San Antonio Spurs are one game away from winning the NBA championship. They're a great team, they play basketball the way most it's supposed to be played. They play great team ball, while Tim Duncan is a superstar, he doesn't dominate or put up numbers that awe you. They play defense, they rebound, they do all the things that you have to do to win championships. They are one of the great teams of my lifetime, they're about to win a fourth NBA title in seven years, an unbelievable feat in the era of free agency.
And nobody's watching.
People don't find this brand of basketball entertaining. Worse, sports media insist on telling us that it's not entertaining, and that's my beef. I listen to a lot of sports talk radio both live and on podcasts. I watch the sports discussion show PTI (maybe my favorite show on TV) everyday.
If you don't find fundamental basketball entertaining, I don't have a problem with that. That's your choice, provided that it's actually your choice. But I hear hours of discussion daily about how boring San Antonio is and what the NBA has to do to insure that this doesn't happen again. I hear that the course the US Open is being played on is too difficult, that scores are likely to be over par for the leaders.
I understand that sports is entertainment, that it's a money making enterprise, that TV ratings are involved. Fine. But don't put down a great team because they, totally within the current rules, play a in a style that doesn't put butts in the seats.
If there aren't butts in the seats, if there aren't eyes on the TV, that IS NOT the fault of the San Antonio Spurs, the fault lies completely with the NBA. If the system allows this team to win, if Greg Popovich is smart enough to see that he can win under this system with the talent on hand, then he's a genius.
Would other match-ups have been more entertain? Would they have put more butts in the seats? Maybe, but the last time I checked, the NBA championship goes to the best team on the court, not the one with the highest attendence or best TV rating.
BOJ
So no Positive Tuesday Post yesterday. Chalk it up to a mild case of writer's block that will undoubtedly rear it's head in this MBW.
Here's the deal, the San Antonio Spurs are one game away from winning the NBA championship. They're a great team, they play basketball the way most it's supposed to be played. They play great team ball, while Tim Duncan is a superstar, he doesn't dominate or put up numbers that awe you. They play defense, they rebound, they do all the things that you have to do to win championships. They are one of the great teams of my lifetime, they're about to win a fourth NBA title in seven years, an unbelievable feat in the era of free agency.
And nobody's watching.
People don't find this brand of basketball entertaining. Worse, sports media insist on telling us that it's not entertaining, and that's my beef. I listen to a lot of sports talk radio both live and on podcasts. I watch the sports discussion show PTI (maybe my favorite show on TV) everyday.
If you don't find fundamental basketball entertaining, I don't have a problem with that. That's your choice, provided that it's actually your choice. But I hear hours of discussion daily about how boring San Antonio is and what the NBA has to do to insure that this doesn't happen again. I hear that the course the US Open is being played on is too difficult, that scores are likely to be over par for the leaders.
I understand that sports is entertainment, that it's a money making enterprise, that TV ratings are involved. Fine. But don't put down a great team because they, totally within the current rules, play a in a style that doesn't put butts in the seats.
If there aren't butts in the seats, if there aren't eyes on the TV, that IS NOT the fault of the San Antonio Spurs, the fault lies completely with the NBA. If the system allows this team to win, if Greg Popovich is smart enough to see that he can win under this system with the talent on hand, then he's a genius.
Would other match-ups have been more entertain? Would they have put more butts in the seats? Maybe, but the last time I checked, the NBA championship goes to the best team on the court, not the one with the highest attendence or best TV rating.
BOJ
Labels: Mega-Bitch Wednesday
Wednesday, June 06, 2007
A Reality MBW
My bitch, my Mega-Bitch, if you will, had to do with the guide description. I've seen this before and it always bothered me. Today being the MBW gives me an excuse to bitch about it.
The show was listed under the category of reality. If I had never seen the show before, that alone would have caused me to move on. Mythbusters is not a piece of crap reality TV show, like Survivor, it's actual, useful Tv.
Who decided to label it as such and how do I reach them to complain?
BOJ
Labels: Mega-Bitch Wednesday
