Thursday, November 30, 2006

Rain?

I was going to call the local radio station because, to predict the weather, I could look out my door in the morning and be more accurate.

On monday, they said it would rain lat that night. Be damned. When I left work at 5, it was pouring down. I didn't take my bumbershoot because of the radio forecast and wound up soaked to the skin.

Tuesday, they said it would rain for most of the day. I took my bumbershoot for no reason as there was no rain at all...

Yesterday, they said not rain and even some sunny periods. NOT! At no point was there any sun. In fact, it had rained just before I left for home at 5.

The weather guy needs to go back to school or something....

He is calling for a crap load more rain today. Just a minute, let me look out the front door, gotta see if I can predict more accurately...

Thoughts

Wednesday, November 29, 2006

Corporal vs capital...

News this morning has a 16 year old kid being charged with threatening his family using a gun...

Our health care institution has decided that there is zero tolerance for people to use corporal punishment on their offspring...

Is there a possibility that this kid is going to head directly to capital punishment because they spared the rod?

My personal opinion, the hands off approach is not working. Far too many of these kids could have been turned when a lot younger if there had been a good swat on the ass.

I'm not for the beating of your kids, I was one of those that was beaten so bad that the school sent me home because I looked to bad to be there, fat lip, black eye, etc. That was just one of the beatings I took when I was no more than 10 or 11 years old.

I have never beaten my kids to any extent and have never hit them hard enough to leave a mark but they definitely knew that shit would rain down if they did wrong...

I think a little more corporal will go a long way to reduce the need for capital, not eliminate it but reduce it...

Thoughts

Tuesday, November 28, 2006

I wonder...

I wonder if the people who call in and both complain about tech support out sourcing and just palin start screaming about the support policies, were forced to listen to this crap themselves, would they be so quick to start screaming the next time they phone?

I guarantee that they would hang up the first time someone started screaming...

Think about it people, you called us for help. Insulting and yelling at us is going to get you no closer to help than talking to your dog....

We had one agent who absolutely hated anyone that would yell and escalate past him. He was seen during one of his breaks, calling the local phone company and doing exactly what he hated people doing to him...

Thoughts

Monday, November 27, 2006

Happy Graffiti Monday 58...

HAPPY GRAFFITI MONDAY !!!



Thoughts

Sunday, November 26, 2006

Gun control...

Where do the politicians get the idea that they can control guns?

The government instituted a long rifle registry a few years back, did that stop anything or even decrease it at all? I think not...

In the US, it is part of their constitution that they are entitled to carry weapons. What about Canadians?

To have any hope at all of actually working, the US would have to put the same gun controls in place and then attempt to enforce them. Not likely that will ever happen...

And most of the guns used in crime are stolen or smuggled in anyway, not committed by the legal gun owners.

As a side note, my ol' man held the Canadian record for .22 target pistol for 7 years. They discontinued the competition when no one could come close to beating him. He also trained some Toronto police to shoot.

Not bad for a prick...

Thoughts

Saturday, November 25, 2006

Summary of Life

GREAT TRUTHS THAT LITTLE CHILDREN HAVE LEARNED:

1) No matter how hard you try, you can't baptize cats.
2) When your Mum is mad at your Dad, don't let her brush your hair.
3) If your sister hits you, don't hit her back. They always catch the second person.
4) Never ask your 3-year old brother to hold a tomato.
5) You can't trust dogs to watch your food.
6) Don't sneeze when someone is cutting your hair.
7) Never hold a Dust-Buster and a cat at the same time.
8) You can't hide a piece of broccoli in a glass of milk.
9) Don't wear polka-dot underwear under white shorts.
10) The best place to be when you're sad is Grandpa's lap.



GREAT TRUTHS THAT ADULTS HAVE LEARNED:

1) Raising teenagers is like nailing jelly to a tree.
2) Wrinkles don't hurt.
3) Families are like fudge...mostly sweet, with a few nuts.
4) Today's mighty oak is just yesterday's nut that held its ground.
5) Laughing is good exercise. It's like jogging on the inside.
6) Middle age is when you choose your cereal for the fibre, not the toy.


GREAT TRUTHS ABOUT GROWING OLD

1) Growing old is mandatory; growing up is optional.
2) Forget the health food. I need all the preservatives I can get.
3) When you fall down, you wonder what else you can do while you're down there.
4) You're getting old when you get the same sensation from a rocking chair that you
once got from a roller coaster.
5) It's frustrating when you know all the answers but nobody bothers to ask you the questions.
6) Time may be a great healer, but it's a lousy beautician.
7) Wisdom comes with age, but sometimes age comes alone.



THE FOUR STAGES OF LIFE:

1) You believe in Santa Claus.
2) You don't believe in Santa Claus.
3) You are Santa Claus.
4) You look like Santa Claus.


SUCCESS:

At age 4 success is . . . not piddling in your pants.
At age 12 success is . . . having friends.
At age 17 success is . . having a drivers license.
At age 35 success is . having money.
At age 50 success is . . . having money.
At age 70 success is . .. . having a drivers license.
At age 75 success is . . . having friends.
At age 80 success is . . . not piddling in your pants.


Thoughts

Friday, November 24, 2006

Wasn't so bad...

Of the dozen call ins yesterday, to the 25/30 people that were in, I got five of them and no new cases for me...

I even got to leave 4 hours early...

The only problem with that was when I got home, I got to watch the kid play a game on the ps2 for 3 1/2 hours, now that is boring...

Today should be a little busier but Monday will probably be the biggest nightmare, speaking from experience...

TGIF

Thoughts

Thursday, November 23, 2006

Short but sweet

Happy Thanksgiving to the US people!

Remember that when calling tech support...

Thoughts

Wednesday, November 22, 2006

Midweek

Here it is Wednesday again, seems to show up about once every single week...

Had an call in yesterday for someone else who was not in, possibly because he was sick...

She had called in on the 3rd of the month to reach a point where it was deemed that the unit needed to be replaced.
The order was setup to be delivered about the 23rd and as it was out of warranty, she paid a lesser price to get that replacement.
The person who setup the order made a mistake, had it going to the wrong place. Yes, he did have the correct address included but on a second line. Of course our error but then the customer became unreasonable.

She knew exactly what had happened but demanded that she receive the replacement the next day.

I am one of the people that could have done that but the only way was for no cost and I wasn't about to give this person a $500 unit for free, especially as the original was out of warranty. She decided she wanted to talk to someone else.

She got nothing but her money back for the misdirected unit.

On the hand, I had one customer call in, needed a replacement unit which I setup without question, turned out it was a forced upgrade, advised that I would look into a couple of products that she wanted to purchase and check into a couple of other items for her.

Her immediate response was to request my supervisor for a kudos. I said"No, I will not allow that , at least not yet." I told her to , at least wait until we were sure that the issue had been resolved. Another happy camper...

Just a couple of ups and downs in our queue...

Thoughts

Tuesday, November 21, 2006

Apologies....

Sorry peeps, I'm just so tired and sick, I really got nothing...

I probably do but my mind is not working right...

Need sleep......

Thoughts

Monday, November 20, 2006

Happy Graffiti Monday 57...

HAPPY GRAFFITI MONDAY!!!



Thoughts

Sunday, November 19, 2006

Some Humour...

50 top oxymoron's

50. Act naturally
49. Found missing
48. Resident alien
47. Advanced BASIC
46. Genuine imitation
45. Airline Food
44. Good grief
43. Same difference
42. Almost exactly
41. Government organization
40. Sanitary landfill
39. Alone together
38. Legally drunk
37. Silent scream
36. British fashion
35. Living dead
34. Small crowd
33. Business ethics
32. Soft rock
31. Butt Head
30. Military Intelligence
29. Software documentation
28. New York culture
27. New classic
26. Sweet sorrow
25. Childproof
24. "Now, then ..."
23. Synthetic natural gas
22. Christian Scientists
21. Passive aggression
20. Taped live
19. Clearly misunderstood
18. Peace force
17. Extinct Life
16. Temporary tax increase
15. Computer jock
14. Plastic glasses
13. Terribly pleased
12. Computer security
11. Political science
10. Tight slacks
9. Definite maybe
8. Pretty ugly
7. Twelve-ounce pound cake
6. Diet ice cream
5. Rap music
4. Working vacation
3. Exact estimate
2. Religious tolerance
And the Number one top OXYMORON:
1. Microsoft Works

Thoughts

Saturday, November 18, 2006

Thought for the day...

Had one customer come through to me yesterday that had had 5 replacements this year for the product she owns. Three within the last month...

She has three kids, one being a year or two younger than my youngest...

She is separated and has received no support from the hubby...

I did not have to think about my next step to help out this lady, an upgraded replacement, no question in my mind...

One statement that she made had me thinking about my lot in this life...

"God gives you no more than you can handle"

I am not a religious man by any stretch but you have to stop and think.

I seem to be in line for my share and managed to collect enough for at least a half dozen other people....

Wonder who the rest of the crap I got belongs too?...

Thoughts

Friday, November 17, 2006

Almost 50...

Is there something about approaching the big "five oh" that your body starts to fall apart?

I had a lump removed from my back in late august, and no, it hasn't returned, yet...

About two weeks ago, I found another lump but this one has me more concerned...

I appear to be growing another right testicle, damn....

Guess I'll get the damn doctor to look at it when I go for my visit next month to see if my blood pressure is finally under control...

I seem to be getting really tired these days too, maybe the job, maybe just "men-opause"...

Thoughts

Thursday, November 16, 2006

How do they do it...

Is fear a management style?

The 40 plus people on my team had a threat thrown at them via email this week. Essentially, we have to attempt the same metric as the front line people or we will be moved back to frontline people and others will take our place...

Apparently, management has forgotten what kind of job we do or they are trying to make up for their lack of management skills by forcing a team like mine to do things it was never meant to do...

Maybe the company management should look at negotiating a more reasonable deal with the clients, sorry, that would require that they do their jobs...

Short rant but definitely a good one. The company almost lost the entire team due to the email...

Thoughts

Wednesday, November 15, 2006

WTF!!!...

Alright, I don't give a shit how friggin old you are or if you are computer illiterate, you better be friggin prepared to change how you do things and what you use to do it!!

Had one moron call back yesterday after an single night because the clients product did not work with the software he wanted to use.

First time I talked to him I asked if he had tried other software to see if the product functioned correctly.

He stated that it does not work with the one he wants to use so I should buy it back.

Fat chance, No hardware manufacturer guarantees that it will function with every piece of software ever created.

Do those people think that they are so special that manufacturers have to listen too and react solely to their demands?

Asses...

Thoughts

Tuesday, November 14, 2006

Hold yer horses

It's funny how some people back down when they are confronted with what they perceive as the final step...

Got one guy last week that decided he wanted to go above one of the members of my team and was given to me as the last step possible...

He did not like the answer he got from my coworker but when he reached me, I become non-technical in this capacity, I had him take one more run with a different colleague, which he agreed to fairly quickly...

It came to the point that the issue is technically unresolvable so the only offer I have for him is a buyback which I told him yesterday...

He has now decided to try using the product in a different way to see if he could get it to function...

Hhmmm....

Wonder if it will work or if he'll still want the buyback...

Gave him till the 27th to decide....

Guess we'll see...

Thoughts

Monday, November 13, 2006

Happy Graffiti Monday 55...

HAPPY GRAFFITI MONDAY!!!



And more friggin rain...

Thoughts

Sunday, November 12, 2006

That was uneventful...

Pretty much a do nothing day...

Damned rain...

Here are some interesting bikes I ran across in my net surfing...









Just when can you say they went too far?...

Thoughts

Saturday, November 11, 2006

Remember....

Remembrance Day or for you yanks, Veterans Day...



Remember your Grandfathers,

Remember your Grandmothers,

Remember your Fathers,

Remember your Mothers,

Remember your Brothers,

Remember your Sisters,

Remember your Sons,

Remember your Daughters,

Remember Freedoms fought for,

Remember Freedoms now fighting for,

Those now gone will live on, if no where else but in our hearts...


REMEMBER...

Thoughts

Friday, November 10, 2006

Offensive....

I had a customer who received a product that had a note attached saying "Here is your fucking ___, love__" Company name and product withheld so I get to keep my job for a tiny bit longer...

By all means, this is extremely offensive but just what should you be looking for?

The customer was offer some accessories for his product not to mention apologies from numerous people including the corporate office.

At this point, he has refused the offer of accessories and really has made no demands but hinted at more of the products.

Part of his "threat" is to have his father, who is this bigwig in some school system, his mother who is some bigwig in another company, friends who happen to have a lot of pull somewhere and he, himself, will discourage anyone and everyone from purchasing the company's products.

I personally think he is a little full of himself and over estimates his ability to screw the company...

As a side note, he did indicate that this has happened before with another company, college student trying to make his fortune the easy way, possibly...

Thoughts

Thursday, November 09, 2006

Do you believe this?

On my walks to work, I think of at least fifteen thousand things to post about but do you think I can remember even one right now?...

Crap...

I'm going to have to write some stuff in advance....

Have a reasonably good Thursday, it's raining here, again...

Thoughts

Wednesday, November 08, 2006

Mayor?

Just what does the mayor do, note the non-important lower case "m" on mayor?...

From everything I've seen so far, they do a lot of glad-handing, store opening, ribbon cutting, and take credit for a lot of things they really had no hand in...

The current one pushed a crap load of people, with assistance from a good number of other councilors, into financing a new library. They built it downtown in a hope of bringing more people to the core of the city. No consideration was given to parking which has been ignored by all of the
politicians in this city.

Seems that as long as they have a reserved place, all is rosy...

In my opinion, they are just rich asses in it to acquire more money and property...

Thoughts

Tuesday, November 07, 2006

Quite nasty...

This bug is really quite a nasty little critter...


Got to bed at about 11:00 last night but around 1:00 I started into this coughing jag that just would not stop. About an hour and a half later I get up, pop a halls and crawl back into the sack.

Be damned if I don't wake up almost an hour later than usual...

I can only hope this damn thing ends in a short time...

Thoughts

Monday, November 06, 2006

Graffiti Monday 55...

HAPPY GRAFFITI MONDAY!!!



Thoughts

Sunday, November 05, 2006

Support...

My daughter purchased a cell phone for me in June of this year, first one I have ever had.

In July, I went shopping for something a little more advanced than merely a phone and having the texting capability and passed this one along to my son so that he could keep in touch too. Last week, he was looking to find out how to add money and features as this thing is a pay as you go. He did actually try the pin that I had set it up with but it would not let us in to the system to even add money.

I checked with the store where my daughter purchased it and the said that all we had to do was hit *611 and provide the correct personal details.

When we called in, we found ourselves talking to someone in India. This was one very efficient, capable person who had the issue resolved in less time than it took to get through the prompts.

I really don't see what issues these people have with talking to support in India.

Stop and think for just a second... Would you sit in a cube for 8 hours a day and listen to you whine, bitch and complain? Would you take the abuse that these supposed civilized people throw at support staff?

Think about how much it would cost to purchase the items you scream about if they were made by and supported by the people on this continent, you wouldn't be so damn quick to condemn the companies and people you encounter when calling for technical support...

So, I seem to have gone off on a mild rant...

Thoughts

Saturday, November 04, 2006

Productive...right...

With my first meeting, they seemed to trying to kiss my ass. Maybe they don't want one of the most tenacious people leaving because of the impression it will leave on a lot of the other people...

Maybe I'm reading more into it or thinking to much of my importance, either way, they haven't fired my ass yet...

Most of my sick feeling is gone. The only bit left is a nasty cough and stuffy nose.That coughing is putting my head in danger of exploding... mmm...Halls good....

Thoughts

Friday, November 03, 2006

Dead...

I have died and this is merely my spirit posting this particular entry...

That is the way it has to be. Can't feel this bad and be alive...

By the way, I have been ordained as a minister of the Universal Life Church Monastery...

And the date of the ordainment was October 31st, how fitting?

Gotta give my dog his morning pill, have a great day...

Thoughts

Thursday, November 02, 2006

Halls...

Candy or medicine?

Without them I would be coughing up a lung but I seem to be chewing down enough to choke a horse....

Looks like I may finally be getting somewhere with the management team at work. I have a meeting with a senior manager tomorrow and then with the site manager next week.

When I say getting somewhere, I mean at least talking. It may mean a firing but so be it. My sanity seems to be suffering at this point...

Anyway, have a great Thursday...

Thoughts

Wednesday, November 01, 2006

Can I go home now?...

Shit!, I haven't even left yet...

Yea still have it...

I asked my 17 year old if he could pick up some neocitran on the way home from school yesterday and all I got was a resounding "NO!"

He didn't actually say no, it was more like "I was going up to the Mall after school."

Still sounded like a big ass "NO!"

Thoughts