Carmichael's Position

You're Free to Go Now...

I am a bit saddened by the news I received yesterday.  I've learned though my extensive network of former coworkers, that my previous employer (A software company in Denver CO) in an effort to refocus the business to a degree, has had to take the difficult action of sending a few fine folks on their way. 

I am not privy to the behind closed door conversations leading up to yesterday's actions, but I am sure they were numerous, painful, and probably even cantankerous.   As they should be.  The action of terminating anyone's employment should never be taken lightly!  I know most all of the execs, I consider most of them friends even, and I know that despite the dictating business reasons, a decision to reduce the labor force was not an easy one for any of them.  I am sure many lost countless hours of sleep (and probably still are), knowing the grief, anguish, and shock they have likely created in the lives of the unfortunate few for whom the bell would toll.  I even know a few who would have traded places (good people they).

I also know most of those who received word that their services were no longer needed.  I've worked closely with them, shared good times and troublesome times.  Laughed with them, yelled at them, been yelled at by them... even Photoshoped a few for my infamous "Photoshop Pfridays" and... to the person... each is a dynamite performer in their respective vocations.  

My previous employer is well known for hiring "Rock Stars" and even these who are now "Free to Go" are still rock stars, far surpassing the capabilities and competencies of 95% of the work force.  This is a Windfall for all those businesses seeking quality people and make that well know claim of "You just can't find good help anymore." 

Not true!  I know a few who you might could use!

So, I offer this prediction to each of my friends now out of immediate work, I seriously doubt your acute condition will last for any length of time.

Now to the rest of my readers, I know a number of very high quality individuals who are now unencumbered with the daily grind of a job!  Who may be able to help you in your company's pursuits.  Here's a brief list of department types I can provide you immediate access to if so needed.

• Software Technical Support
• Graphic Designer
• Software Developer
• Web Developer
• Technology Consultant
• Network Systems
• Marketing Assistant
• Content researcher, Writer, Author, Musician, Taxonomist (NOT A DEAD ANIMAL STUFFER!  Look it up knucklehead!)

I know I have a national readership, and I do not know if any of these fine folks are interested in relocating, but do not hesitate to reach out.  And as for you hiring managers here in the Denver Colorado area in need of excellent employees... If you would like more details on any of these folks, please leave me a comment and I will put you in touch.  If you have a position you need filled, you're welcomed to leave a description of it here in the comments as well. 

Let's see if this Web 2.0 social networking really works.  Click comment below, and have at it! 

Stupid... Stupid... Stupid!!!!

Oil Gushes Higher by More Than $11 to Record $139.12- AP

Oil prices have shot up more than $11 to a new record above $139 a barrel after a Morgan Stanley analyst predicted prices could hit $150 by the Fourth of July. Traders were also rattled by rising tensions in the Middle East.

So, let me get this right... Some knucklehead at Morgan Stanley, who probably has a vested interest in Oil Futures (duh you think...) and didn't like the fact that yesterday the News could have been "Oil Futures Continue Lower on Increasing Supply and Lowering Demand News" but NOOOOOOO the AP would NEVER print positive news!!!  His recommended investments were about to take a HUGE hit when he had recommended that folks buy at $130.00! and yet the market was as low as $121.80 yesterday... that's right! ... pulling WAY OFF!  But this would be bad for the super rich Morgan Stanley Analyst who has gotten away from his previous sure winner, Real Estate, and started sticking his nose in the Energy Market-- Heaven forbid he lose twice in the same year!!!

 

NOTHING folks!!!!  NOTHING has changed in supply or demand from yesterday's lows!  Just some suit, who cannot predict the future, saying the "SKY is falling!!!  And it will be before July 4th!"  This way he gets takers on his $138.00 price and can get out from under his burden!

Oooooh and as for the "Traders...rattled by rising tensions in the Middle East."... I call "BULLSH!T"  Again, NOTHING HAS CHANGED IN THE MIDDLE EAST!  It is the same "Nut Job" leaders rattling their saifs and continuing their 60 year claim that they are going to blow the tits off of Israel!   Oh heaven forbid not that... Oooh now the world is Unstable!!!!!  These are the same traders that ditched History class in college because it was boring... besides the Frat had just tapped the Keg!  Supply is identical today as yesterday ... and will be next week!  See if that prediction comes true!  I'm pretty sure I have a 98% chance of being correct!  Seriously how often do these wild fears materialize into physical reductions in supply?  Huh?  Answer: Friggn' RARELY!!!!

God I'm sick of the Media Bad News Criers, the Narcissistic Politicians that hope for these sky rocketing prices in a "BUSH" administration and the Wall Street Ass Clowns who have a herd of hebetudinous news groupies hanging on every Bovine Scatological statement being proffered! 

It's not Exxon-Mobile profiteering folks... its the energy futures traders!  Need to point a finger?  There you go!  Follow the money!  Watch to see who at Morgan Stanley profits from this fear tactic... hmm and maybe take a look at a certain analyst's martini buddies.   Focus on those who bought yesterday and sold today!

American Airlines Checked Bag Policy is Astonishingly Stupid! And Short Sighted!

Once again, a leader in the Airline industry makes a policy under the guise of "Money Saving" efforts, or "Offsetting High fuel Costs" that will cascade into systematic failures in efficiency and customer experience on the airline.

From AP...

American Airlines to charge $15 for first checked bag, slash flights to offset high fuel costs...

FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) -- American Airlines will start charging $15 for the first checked bag, cut domestic flights and lay off workers as it grapples with record-high fuel prices...

American, the nation's largest carrier, said Wednesday the fee for the first checked bag starts June 15 and that it would raise other fees for services ranging from reservation help to oversized bags. The other fees will mostly range from $5 to $50 per service, the airline said.

Last month American announced it would join other carriers in charging $25 for second bags checked for some passengers, but it wasn't immediately clear how Wednesday's announcement would affect that.

This direction is astounding!  Especially in light of continued lack of Customer Performance in the industry reported just yesterday!  [link]

Survey: Passengers call airline service 'dismal'

By DAVE CARPENTER – 1 day ago

CHICAGO (AP) — Passengers are more dissatisfied with airlines' customer service than they have been in years at a time when carriers are charging more and more for tickets and services.

An annual survey being released Tuesday by the University of Michigan found customers giving airlines the worst grades since 2001, with the industry's overall scores dropping for the third straight year.

I travel quite often throughout any given year... Seldom on American thankfully... however I do travel on the other "Hind Tit" airline, United.  Here's what's about to happen... you myopic management twits!

People are NOT going to check as many bags...The ARE going to now push the edge of the envelope of carry on luggage!... Hmm good thing there's not already a problem with idiots constantly trying to get through security lines with an oversized carry on!  Or if they  manage to clear security with all of their forgotten about "more than 3 oz." liquids resting comfortably in the airport trash can!...  They now board - as last passenger- an over booked airplane and try to stuff their carry-ons into the all to spacious overhead bins.  Adding to the constant delays we travelers already face! 

If I'm an airline exec, I immediately begin advertisements about my airline not charging for every little service detail!!!  Because it is what should be expected of a business who's JOB it is to provide transportation SERVICE to PAYING customers!

Really amazing when American Airlines own Customer Service Plan states (emphasis mine):

"Every customer is important to American Airlines and American Eagle, and we are dedicated to making every flight you take with us something special. Your safety, comfort, and convenience are our most important concerns."

Hmmm so Politicians ain't the only lyin' sumbitches! 

Where have I been?

This was the question posed by a friend of mine this morning, as he saw my IM show up on his computer.

In answer... Here... On Business.

 

 

So, You're Telling Me They Call You "Mariah?"

Cool commercial...  Hat tip to my fiend Tommy for calling attention to it via his Blog "Driving Fast, Taking Chances."  Yeah, I figured out the metaphor about 10 seconds into it, creative though.

Especially relevant considering who I work for now... yes I can help your company explore alternative energy options... Ping me at jcarmichael@nuenergen.com and visit us at www.NuEnergen.com .

The Mariah reference, for those of you born in the MTV generation, is in regard to a song from the musical "Paint Your Wagon."  One of the only Musicals a Heterosexual male can publicly claim to enjoy!  Hell, It starred Clint Eastwood and Lee Marvin for God's Sake!  (Who both sang in the Movie!!!! No Seriously!!! They Did!!)

Taking Donations!

I'm making it official, to anyone who would like to contribute, I will be glad to accept your donations to the "Let's Send John Into Space" fund!  The "Let's Make Sure He Stays There" fund is different!  We have about a year and a half to raise the funds! 

All I need is $200,000 +/- not sure what £100,000 currently converts to... I'm only about $200,000 short right now.

Hell, I promise to even write about my trip! It's sure to thrill my dozens of readers!   If you're really nice I might even publish pictures!!!

Here's the story from "This is London"

"The Virgin Galactic spacecraft, which was being unveiled in New York today, is already under construction. Test flights are expected to begin in June, with commercial flights starting 12 months later."

...Once the mother ship reaches 50,000 feet, which was the cruising altitude of Concorde, the spaceship is released and its rocket is fired, accelerating the craft up to 2,500mph, and taking it to 110km, officially making its passengers astronauts.

If you would like to find an address to contribute to or if the fine folks at Virgin Galactic would like to offer up a trip for a "Regular Joe" or "Regular John" in this case(coffee and Raisin Bran will help with being defined as 'Regular') just leave your interest in contributing in the comments section.  I'll reply in private.  Or maybe in public... we'll see!

Continuing Education

I'm pretty much a generalist.  I kind of wade knee deep through the kiddie-pool of knowledge that exists on this earth.

Do I consider myself a smart man?  Yeah I guess so... Knowledgeable???  Well, depends on the topic.  Knowing that the times I've considered myself an idiot can fill an encyclopedic volume!  So one of my goals this year is to expand my knowledge in a number of arenas.  Now,  "expand"  means exploring ideas and experiences I have little prior knowledge of, as well as dig a bit deeper into those areas I do.  Hopefully in this pursuit, I will become a better person.  For myself and those whom I interact with.

I am looking this way due to a number of recent changes in my world where I am feeling more and more behind the curve.

Some changes in the last year:

• New House (first time ever purchasing a house for me)
• New Wife (same chick for the past 10 years...formalized it!)
• New Job (Working for a previous boss, in a new industry!)
• Became Editor and continue to write for a Blog for a fairly well known Naval Aviation Association

On top of this I still want to remain proficient in:

• Racquetball (Less whelts more aces!)
• Golf (it can wait until the temperature outside reaches par at least!)
• Pool (Our team is in the running to go to Nationals if we can get through a couple of qualifier rounds)
• Photography (I now have a copy of Photoshop CS3 on my computer!)
• Writing (The three blogs I work with - soon to be four-- ought to suffice)
• Aviation History (add to that getting back model building)
• Now (frigg'n) HALO!  Damn Tommy!

And now adding to those: 

• I need to read more
• History
• Management
• Leadership (NOT synonymous with the previous term)
• Entertainment (heheh not just Clancy!)
• Philosophy (Covered the works of Epictetus)
• Need to DO more around the house! Projects include:
• Finish my basement
• Media room
• Pool Table
• Bedroom
• Bathroom
• Learn more about wood working and other construction stuff (would probably help with the basement stuff!)
• Back to the GYM!  Gett'n flabby!  Well for me anyway!  And I have no plans on cutting back on my eating!

So what's the problem?  Outside of time and money?... NO GOALS SET!

I have strayed too far away from my Goal and task lists!  When I detail what I need to do (by when!-- that makes it a goal!) I usually am much more productive and efficient!  Proved today when I felt a bit overwhelmed by my workload and the number of projects that I am juggling, kind of lost the bubble on the status of each.  I took the time to write down... that's right the old fashion way... with pencil and legal pad!... the tasks I needed to accomplish today.  It was 20+ entries long.   All are complete as of now!  That is not to say more tasks were not created for tomorrow and future dates, there are now more due to today's business operations and unexpected surprises.  But writing them down helps!

Right now, I am beginning to expand my horizons by reading a number of books,

• Entertainment = Act of Treason by Vince Flynn
• Leadership= It's Your Ship by Captain Michael Abrashoff (I Highly Recommend this one!)
• And finally an author requested I review a book of his on the Battle of Midway, which I'll identify in another article, probably over on
The Tailhook Daily Briefing.

So excuse me while I write some more stuff down! 

The Future of Screen Interaction Technology

Computer,TV, HDDVD, what ever your poison, this is the next technological step in the process.

http://www.perceptivepixel.com/

Video:

We are already seeing advanced touch screen technology in Apple iPhones and iPods and Microsoft's Surface.  But expect the explosion over the next coupla!  Find your investments where you can!

JungleGrub is Now in Costco!

Now there is something to cheer about!

Many of you know I have been assisting Steve and Teresa Brandt, the founders of Organic Nutrition mostly in the form of some gentle business cheerleading and encouragement as well as building the JungleGrub News Blog for them. 

Well through Steve's dedication and perseverance JungleGrub Snack Bars are now available a select COSTCO stores in Southern California (sorry to the rest of my national readership... although I'm sure Steve and "T" won't mind if you go to your local COSTCO manager and request they too begin to stock JungleGrub... just say'n).

 

For those of you who do not know...

JungleGrub Snack Bars are the brain child of Steve and Teresa Brandt, two exceptionally brilliant and determined people!  And these bars are AWESOME!

           

What's so special about JungleGrub? 

Well, for starters... these bars were from the ground up created with kids in mind! That's why they are certified USDA organic.

That means nothing has been genetically altered or fed growth hormones and of course grown without the use of pesticides.  Bottom line - its straight forward food. When you see the USDA logo it should put you at ease that you won’t find things like High Fructose Corn Syrup in the ingredients.

And unlike other nutritional snack bars these do not taste like the bottom of your Gym Shoe with the texture of a Roofing Shingle!  No!  JungleGrub is sweet, fruity, appetizing and best of all easy to eat!  When you bite into a JungleGrub you can actually sink your teeth into one... you don't have to take out insurance on your teeth as you try to visegrip your way through them!

The other cool thing about JungleGrub is that each bar is currently only 100 calories!  That equates to just 15 minutes bowling, 30 minutes playing Frisbee, 18 minutes golfing or playing 13 hands of cards.  More importantly these bars help you accomplish these types of activities rather than require these types of activities!

For example, here's the nutritional label for Berry Bamboozle (my favorite)

More details can be found here: Link

So if you happen to live in So Cal and want to try some of these outstanding bars for yourself, or get some for your kids... BTW... They are great Lunchbox stuffers and Gym Bag stuffers for those of you pursuing your New Year's Resolutions!... Just head on down to your closest Costco on the date listed below and visit the JungleGrub Endcap!  You could even meet Steve and "T"!

PLEASE COME AND INVITE YOUR FRIENDS TO BUY PRODUCT AND SUPPORT THE EVENTS!

• Week 1 January 3rd – 6^th
• Location: San Juan Capistrano
• Address: 33961 Doheny Park Rd,
• San Juan Capistrano, CA 92675
• http://www.priceviewer.com/costco_locations/429-California.html
• Week 2 January 10th – 13th
• Location: Tustin 2 (there are 2 stores in Tustin)
• Address: 2700 Park Ave,
• Tustin, CA 92782
• [no link available for this new store]
• Week 3 January 17th-20th
• Location: Laguna Market Place
• Address: 27220 Heather Ridge Rd.,
• Laguna Niguel, CA 92677
• http://www.priceviewer.com/costco_locations/690-California.html
• Week 4 January 24th-27th
• Location: Irvine
• Address: 115 Technology Dr,
• Irvine, CA 92618
• http://www.priceviewer.com/costco_locations/454-California.html

For those of you not in SoCal, JungleGub is also available on Amazon.com [LINK].

Well... That was FUN!

Or maybe not so much...

I am finally holed up in a warm comfy hotel room in the lovely town of Waterbury CT after spending almost my entire day on the freeways of Massachusetts and Connecticut... well 8 hours! anyway! (I say almost, because the first 3.5 hours of my morning were spent finalizing plans for my company's next coolest release for our customers...)

You:  "Wow John you must have traveled from one end of one state to the other..."

Me:  "Nope,... went 94 miles..."

You:  "huh?"

Me:  Allow me to illustrate...

Today after completing a software improvement  project with our developer, I needed to traverse some 140 miles from Marlborough MA to Danbury CT.  I didn't make it...

After 8 hours on my butt, no food, and one very impromptu pit stop on the not so side of the freeway, I had had enough...  Ya see, there was this Snow Storm I drove right smack into...  weird actually went from East Coast gray overcast, to... well...  A curtain of SNOW... A lot of SNOW!  In very short order! Some 9 inches in 4 hours! Here's a taste:

At 11:45 I took a photo as I was approaching the toll booth at the end of I-90 transitioning onto I-84, it had literally just begun no more than 2 minutes earlier.

This next shot was 12 minutes later:

26 minutes later...

2 hours and 11.3 miles later... seriously...

Then a few hours after sitting parked, well not really parked... every couple of minutes or so we advanced a car length or two... sometimes only a Mini Cooper length or two, I decided that my back teeth had been floating LONG ENOUGH!  And without a Gatorade bottle to spare, decided to mark some Connecticut territory and melt some ice right there on the freeway.  After all, we weren't going anywhere anytime soon.  No one blamed me!  And through the rest of my winter wonderland odyssey, I observed that I was not the only one who's bladder could be leased out as a Workout Ball!  Seven.... count 'em Seven others applied de-icing to I-84 in the course of the next hour or two.  Nope, don't know how you ladies do it!

This next photo I took looking back behind me... it was quite eerie in that I was actually the LAST person in the traffic line on the freeway... I had just cleared an icy hill that many semi's had jack-knifed on, and where many others' velocity vector was not pointing the same direction as their headlights!Somehow I finagled my way through... never once hitting the brakes or in reality nudging the gas more than the amount it would take to advance yourself in the drive-through window at McDonalds!  Oh... Did I happen to mention my Hertz rental car for this week's festivities was non other than an '07 Mustang!  Gotta just love rear wheel drive... with lotsa torque... in SNOW!  Anyway back to the pic...   after pulling up to the all too familiar eternal line of cars on the I-84 parking lot, it was some 5 minutes before I realized that I was LAST IN LINE!  I mean no one was behind me for over a 1/4 a mile (that was as far as I could see!)  That can't be good!

It was at that time... or in the next 20 minutes that I sat parked there... I made the decision to cut my trip shorter (distance-wise... it was already 6 hours longer) than planned, call the nearest Marriott and see if they had a room for yon weary traveler.

They did!  Now if my 1/4 tank of gas holds out for another 20 miles (and maybe 3 hours!)

Miracle!  About 10 more minutes passed and we the intrepid, began once again our snow laden mosey.  We cleared through another "Charlie Foxtrot" of Semi's and "See Dumbass!!! Four Wheel drive does not make you 'Captain Invincible's!" ("Captain Imbeciles" maybe...) and the plowed road lay presented before us... now mind you 20 miles per hour may not seem like much to you all sitting back reading this in Sunny San Diego... but let me tell you it was good to get the wind blow'n through my hair again... did I mention that my windshield wipers froze up on me?  So my head was out said window a couple of times knocking the frozen crap of the ol' vinyl "flick-fluncks" (can't really call then windshield wipers at that there particular moment) with the extended ice scraper/broom so thoughtfully supplied by Hertz!  Good people those Hertz guys... except for the ol' Mustang thing in the first BIG ASS Winter Storm of the season!  At least it wasn't a convertible!  Small blessings doncha know.

Alas I arrived at my recently altered hotel... and you know... the winter scene out my 6th floor, quite warm, Internet, and TV equipped room takes on a whole new peace about it once spectate'n  instead of participate'n...

Peace on Earth to all of you... I'm just happy having a little peace here in Waterbury Connecticut.

Sleep well... I know I will...