When the date is listed as "07/07/09" how the fuck am I supposed to which 7 is for what?
How hard is it for Blogger to add a real calendar when selecting a date for a post? Heck, how hard is it for them to indicate below the date format a key "DD/MM/YY" or whatever?
I'll probably be switching this blog to WordPress over the summer. Why? Because it is more intuitive. You can change the size of the editing window. Ever tried moving around images in a Blogger edit window? Not very easy. Blogger needs some serious updating. Not much has changed with the interface.
Tuesday, July 07, 2009
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Political Correctness Gone Awry
Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005
One requirement of the AODA is that anyone working in a customer service aspect must take training in how to provide customer service to people with disabilities.
My training consisted watching an online video about providing customer service to people with disabilities. Can I please have that one hour of my life back?
Yet another common sense thing has to be turned into a mandated issue. Hey, my kid has a disability. My wife worked with families that have children with disabilities. So, I probably have a little more experience dealing with people with disabilities then most of my fellow workers.
Have we become so tame, so whipped, that we need the government telling us how to deal people, disability or no disability? Whatever happened to personal responsibility?
One requirement of the AODA is that anyone working in a customer service aspect must take training in how to provide customer service to people with disabilities.
My training consisted watching an online video about providing customer service to people with disabilities. Can I please have that one hour of my life back?
Yet another common sense thing has to be turned into a mandated issue. Hey, my kid has a disability. My wife worked with families that have children with disabilities. So, I probably have a little more experience dealing with people with disabilities then most of my fellow workers.
Have we become so tame, so whipped, that we need the government telling us how to deal people, disability or no disability? Whatever happened to personal responsibility?
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Intimidation
What kind of message do you send to the public when you hold an individual for three hours at the exit of a facility?
Yes, CUPE Locals 82 and 543 were holding people for up to three hours at the Central Avenue waste and recycling transfer facility on their way out. You see, the City has an injunction that limits pickets to five minutes. Now, in the wacky world of unions, that means each person that arrives at the entrance or exit will be held for five minutes. Well, if you are the 12th vehicle waiting to leave, you may have spent 60 minutes waiting.
How CUPE does not see this as intimidation is beyond me? Holding an elderly diabetic man for three hours is not going to win over people. You are angering the wrong people.
Yes, CUPE Locals 82 and 543 were holding people for up to three hours at the Central Avenue waste and recycling transfer facility on their way out. You see, the City has an injunction that limits pickets to five minutes. Now, in the wacky world of unions, that means each person that arrives at the entrance or exit will be held for five minutes. Well, if you are the 12th vehicle waiting to leave, you may have spent 60 minutes waiting.
How CUPE does not see this as intimidation is beyond me? Holding an elderly diabetic man for three hours is not going to win over people. You are angering the wrong people.
Thursday, May 14, 2009
X-Men Origins: Wolverine (Spoiler Alert)
Saw X-Men Origins: Wolverine with my oldest son last night. Not a bad movie. Not a great movie. My son liked it, and that is all that really matters.
That said, one thing in the movie bothered me.
Before Logan's skeletal system was reinforced with adamantium, a near indestructible metal, he would grow bone claws out of hands. Yet, after the adamantium reinforcement, Logan now grows sharp blades (that were also much duller in this movie).
Shouldn't he be growing adamantium-reinforced bone claws?
That said, one thing in the movie bothered me.
Before Logan's skeletal system was reinforced with adamantium, a near indestructible metal, he would grow bone claws out of hands. Yet, after the adamantium reinforcement, Logan now grows sharp blades (that were also much duller in this movie).
Shouldn't he be growing adamantium-reinforced bone claws?
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
"Jerk"
One way of not winning support during a strike is to call people a jerk.
You want me to wait for five minutes? Ask me, politely. That is all it would take. Really.
Demanding that I wait five minutes or that you WILL hold me for five minutes is not going to win me over.
Since when do you get to decide what I can and cannot do? I always find it amusing how the 'right to strike' and the 'right to picket' trumps my 'right to work' and my 'right to enter a building'.
Also, standing off to the side and yelling out demands doesn't sit well with me. Since when did sitting and/or standing around a picnic table equal picketing?
CUPE locals 82 and 543, you are losing the public. Do yourself a favour. Face reality and get back to the negotiating table. The majority of Canadians do not get post-retirement benefits for life. Heck, the majority of Canadians don't get post-retirement benefits period. What makes you so special?
You want me to wait for five minutes? Ask me, politely. That is all it would take. Really.
Demanding that I wait five minutes or that you WILL hold me for five minutes is not going to win me over.
Since when do you get to decide what I can and cannot do? I always find it amusing how the 'right to strike' and the 'right to picket' trumps my 'right to work' and my 'right to enter a building'.
Also, standing off to the side and yelling out demands doesn't sit well with me. Since when did sitting and/or standing around a picnic table equal picketing?
CUPE locals 82 and 543, you are losing the public. Do yourself a favour. Face reality and get back to the negotiating table. The majority of Canadians do not get post-retirement benefits for life. Heck, the majority of Canadians don't get post-retirement benefits period. What makes you so special?
Friday, May 08, 2009
Monday, May 04, 2009
The Mayor's Arrogance
Make sure you watch the video, email a link to your friends and family, post it on your Facebook page and if you have a blog, embed a copy for everyone to see.
This is what Windsor City Council has become. Last minute meetings. The Mayor not providing information to Councillors to make an informed decision. The sad part: Only one Councillor has the guts to stand up to King Francis.
To MP Jeff Watson: How can your government support the funding of a canal while City streets, sidewalks, sewers and water mains crumble?
This is what Windsor City Council has become. Last minute meetings. The Mayor not providing information to Councillors to make an informed decision. The sad part: Only one Councillor has the guts to stand up to King Francis.
To MP Jeff Watson: How can your government support the funding of a canal while City streets, sidewalks, sewers and water mains crumble?
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Strike Update - Week 2
The inside workers have been on the strike for a measly 10 calendar days and the snide comments are already being made. Nice. I guess you really don't want my support?
Hey CUPE, go talk to your CAW brothers and sisters who are losing their jobs and giving concessions to keep the possibility of employment alive. Time for a reality check. Let me reiterate that once more: People are losing their jobs and you don't think you should have to give up anything? Even Ken Lewenza had to face reality.
Hey CUPE, go talk to your CAW brothers and sisters who are losing their jobs and giving concessions to keep the possibility of employment alive. Time for a reality check. Let me reiterate that once more: People are losing their jobs and you don't think you should have to give up anything? Even Ken Lewenza had to face reality.
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Honeywell 7-Day Programmable Thermostate RTH8500D - Initial Impression
Last Saturday, I purchased a new Honeywell 7-Day Touchscreen Universal Programmable Low Volt Thermostat at Canadian Tire. It was on sale for CDN$95.99. This replaced an existing Honeywell 5-2-Day programmable thermostat that my wife and I found had too high of a temperature swing - some people like that, but we found it annoying.
The box says it takes 15 minutes or less to install. My experience confirms that. I labelled the wires, removed the old thermostat and bracket, marked the holes with the new bracket, drilled the holes, installed the anchors, attached the bracket and attached the wires to the connectors on the bracket - a nice feature since the old thermostat had the wire directly connected to the thermostat. That took about 5 or so minutes.
I inserted the batteries. One thing: the packaging says 2 AAA batteries are required and not included. You need 3 AAA batteries. The system came to life.
Programming was straightforward. The touch screen is easy to use. One thing I like about the schedule mode is that you can select multiple days and you program from the cool and heat schedules at the same times.
If you touch the corners the backlight comes on. The thermostat has a filter reminder and even a button that freezes the screen so that it can be cleaned. Not a bad investment.
The box says it takes 15 minutes or less to install. My experience confirms that. I labelled the wires, removed the old thermostat and bracket, marked the holes with the new bracket, drilled the holes, installed the anchors, attached the bracket and attached the wires to the connectors on the bracket - a nice feature since the old thermostat had the wire directly connected to the thermostat. That took about 5 or so minutes.
I inserted the batteries. One thing: the packaging says 2 AAA batteries are required and not included. You need 3 AAA batteries. The system came to life.
Programming was straightforward. The touch screen is easy to use. One thing I like about the schedule mode is that you can select multiple days and you program from the cool and heat schedules at the same times.
If you touch the corners the backlight comes on. The thermostat has a filter reminder and even a button that freezes the screen so that it can be cleaned. Not a bad investment.
Monday, April 20, 2009
City Hall On Strike
No, I'm not on strike. I'm a non-union professional employee, so I get to come into work, but not before crossing a picket line or two.
Striking in this current economic climate is not the logical thing to do. People are losing their jobs, and those that still have them have received no increases, or worse, had to take pay cuts.
A major issue in this strike is post-retirement benefits. I'm not talking about pensions - those are handled separately and are not an issue. Post-retirement benefits are the benefits (medical, dental, drugs) that you received while working and will keep receiving when you retire. The cost of such benefits is borne by the employer.
Most municipalities in Ontario limit post-retirement benefits till age 65. Others have a 10-year limit. Some do not provide post-retirement benefits at all. Windsor is the exception. The municipality provides lifetime post-retirement benefits. That is an expensive proposition.
The City is willing to keep lifetime post-retirement benefits for existing employees. For new hires, the City wants post-retirement benefits to be limited to 65 at which point the provincial plan kicks (it is not as generous as the municipal plan). Non-union employees are already subject to a similar arrangement.
The union argues that in the future, the new employees will have minimal interest in keeping lifetime post-retirement benefits and may be willing to scrap it in favour of wage increases or other negotiated items. Now, this could be true, but with over 1,600 employees, it will take some time for new hires to dominate the union. One would think that over this time, union officers could indoctrinate the new hires.
Then again, unions are supposed to be democratic institutions. If the majority of employees want to scrap lifetime post-retirement benefits, then so be it.
Right now, I'm still working at my usual job. That could change in the coming weeks. I'm sure that certain people will be 'protected' because they are better at kissing ass than I am. Oh well. Time will tell.
Striking in this current economic climate is not the logical thing to do. People are losing their jobs, and those that still have them have received no increases, or worse, had to take pay cuts.
A major issue in this strike is post-retirement benefits. I'm not talking about pensions - those are handled separately and are not an issue. Post-retirement benefits are the benefits (medical, dental, drugs) that you received while working and will keep receiving when you retire. The cost of such benefits is borne by the employer.
Most municipalities in Ontario limit post-retirement benefits till age 65. Others have a 10-year limit. Some do not provide post-retirement benefits at all. Windsor is the exception. The municipality provides lifetime post-retirement benefits. That is an expensive proposition.
The City is willing to keep lifetime post-retirement benefits for existing employees. For new hires, the City wants post-retirement benefits to be limited to 65 at which point the provincial plan kicks (it is not as generous as the municipal plan). Non-union employees are already subject to a similar arrangement.
The union argues that in the future, the new employees will have minimal interest in keeping lifetime post-retirement benefits and may be willing to scrap it in favour of wage increases or other negotiated items. Now, this could be true, but with over 1,600 employees, it will take some time for new hires to dominate the union. One would think that over this time, union officers could indoctrinate the new hires.
Then again, unions are supposed to be democratic institutions. If the majority of employees want to scrap lifetime post-retirement benefits, then so be it.
Right now, I'm still working at my usual job. That could change in the coming weeks. I'm sure that certain people will be 'protected' because they are better at kissing ass than I am. Oh well. Time will tell.
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