Moving

Over the next week, I’ll be moving this blog – the slow load times and CPU bandwidth exceeded errors have been very irritating to my readers.

Since I’m not getting the help I want or need from my hosting service in solving the issue, I’m moving to the competition. I hope this process will be complete within 72 hours. In the mean time, I’d like to thank everyone who has stopped by in the last four years. I’ve really enjoyed your company.

See you in a bit. Expect the site to look and feel a little different.

New made up phenomenon: desk rage

In the made up fear mongering crisis department, 2008, we have the following tabloid crap journalism about how we’re on the cusp of impending world disaster due to “desk rage.”

Other research showed one-sixth of workers reported anger at work has led to property damage, while a tenth reported physical violence and fear their workplace might not be safe.

“It’s a total disaster,” said Anna Maravelas, author of “How to Reduce Workplace Conflict and Stress.” “Rudeness, impatience, people being angry — we used to do that kind of stuff at home but at work, we were professional. Now it’s almost becoming trendy to do it at work.

“It was something we did behind closed doors,” she said. “Now people are losing their sense of embarrassment over it.”

I really think these behaviorists are making up crap to sell books. Has our culture changed in the last few decades. Hell yes. Are we more violent? Not in my experience. “It’s almost become trendy” to be violent at work? Bullshit. That’s a pretty broad and useless statement.

I think if we really examined workplace violence we’d find that when incidents do occur that they are often the product of untreated mental illness. I would also speculate that much of the mental illness can be directly correlated with the way society treated the individual who finally snapped. Treating adults like children over a few decades can have long-term undesirable consequences.

I’m sure people become enraged at their desks. Writing an article that describes this problem as some sort of uncontrollable phenomenon is alarmist and unhelpful. Let’s expect desk jockeys to act civil and find constructive outlets for their feelings. Let’s demand that we all treat one another civilly at all times. Let’s not pretend that we’re all a bunch of lemmings cowering in the corner hoping someone doesn’t “spoil the workplace” for them. Folks, if you have a crappy workplace you have two choices: 1) improve it or 2) find a new workplace. Personally, if someone around me was have an episode of uncontrollable desk rage I would help them calm down, one way or another. Frankly, I doubt many of us are suffering from the effects of “desk rage.” Bad things can happen anywhere, including the workplace. It’s up to you as an individual to control your own temper. If you can’t someone else will help you out.

Employers and guns

As far as I’m concerned, a private employer can make any rules it wants to. I will follow the ones that make sense, and maybe even follow the ones that don’t make sense if I want the job. And I’ll violate the ones that represent a threat to my own well being. I’m not likely to follow any rules or laws that limit my ability to defend myself to my satisfaction. I guess it is a good thing I don’t work for Disney.

”Disney’s the safest place on Earth. It’s awesome,” said Fiore, of St. Cloud. “But late at night in the parking lot, and driving the 35 miles to and from home, I don’t always feel safe armed with just a cellphone.”

But theme-park guests might not feel safe knowing that some of the 62,000 Disney employees have weapons in their cars, said company spokeswoman Zoraya Suarez. She said that having armed people on the property violates the company’s zero-tolerance policy concerning workplace violence. Disney has its own security force as well as 50 Orange County Sheriff’s Office employees.

It’s great that Disney has its own security force, but they can take that zero tolerance policy and shove it as far as I am concerned. I’ll use violence to protect myself when and where I deem appropriate. I don’t have any interest in the idea that I should be punished for the indiscretions of others, and I will ignore laws that may endanger my own well being. So should you.

Many people who come across this blog entry may think to themselves that I am paranoid. I prefer to think of myself as prepared. I may one day need a first aid kit. I may one day need a survival blanket. I may one day need a fire extinguisher. And one day, I may need a gun. I keep all of them handy. So should you. That is not paranoia. It’s prudent. Ask anyone who has ever had to defend his or her own life in an emergency.

I value my job, but I value my life more. I may grudgingly pee in a cup for you, but I’m not giving up my survival toolkit. And you shouldn’t ask me to. It is insulting that you think so little of my rationality, my decision making ability and my aim. How can an employee be trusted to operate a ride with hundreds of people on it – their lives are in that employee’s hands. Yet give that same employee a gun and suddenly everyone is in a panic, running around screaming about zero tolerance. This is foolishness.

Washington, D.C.: teaching Americans bad decisions have no consequences

The most irresponsible and childish group of senior decision makers in America is once again pandering to voters. This time, they’re sending a strong message – yes, you can do whatever you want without any consequences.

WASHINGTON – Hundreds of thousands of homeowners could get safe, cheaper loans rather than losing their homes under a massive election-year mortgage rescue that’s drawing bipartisan support.

Make no mistake about what this “bailout” is. It is theft. When Congress decides to bailout the airline industry, or Bear Sterns or the savings and loan industry they have to steal money from taxpayers to do so. Now that Congress has decided to bail out people who took out loans they couldn’t afford what they are really saying is “hey, it’s OK to be irresponsible.” The responsible people will pay for it. Yes, I realize that a few Americans go into foreclosure because of circumstances beyond their control. They are the exception. The vast majority of foreclosures happening right now are people who bit off way more than they could chew. Congress can continue to send the message and steal the money for as long as it wants to.

A tipping point has already been reached – the one where the parasites outnumber the productive. That is why we are $52 trillion in debt. Don’t believe me though – go read what the Peter G. Peterson Foundation has to say about the state of our economic state. When every American owes $175,000 we’re in trouble. If the man who used to be in charge of the Federal Reserve Bank thinks we are in trouble we ARE IN TROUBLE.

Less than nine percent of Americans trust Congress

A nine percent approval rating and these are the people we’re expecting will fix our health care problems? Give me a break.

This month’s release of Rasmussen Reports’ survey of congressional approval ratings serves a scathing reproach of politicians on Capitol Hill. For the first time since Rasmussen has been tracking congressional approval ratings, less than 10 percent of Americans say Congress is doing a good or excellent job.

Against President Bush’s much-publicized poor approval ratings, today’s poll shows Congress’ numbers have plunged to less than a third of the president’s.

The most recent report calculates a mere 9 percent approve of congressional performance, while a majority of Americans, 52 percent, say Congress is doing a poor job, which also ties a record high.

I cannot understand how we think these criminals are going to make anything better. They’re the least trusted group of decision makers in the country. We could throw them all out and start over, but how? These people control our lives and they aren’t going to gracefully bow out just because a few hundred million serfs are feeling unhappy.

Servants don’t tell masters what to do.