Clever Old Guy, Will Do Tech for Money

Day 5.

I have been lucky enough, for most of my life, to not own new or cutting edge computers.

Since the mid-70's, I've been fiddling with whatever computers I could get my greasy little fingers on. Initially, that was a time-sharing system through the local high school. Later on, I'd have whatever the latest (programmable) calculator I could afford. And I couldn't afford much.

I did, briefly, have three new computers, back in the First Home Computer Boom. Yes, there were two. In the first, lots of companies making game machines added keyboards, put in ROM-based BASIC (which is how Microsoft got their start), and called it a "home computer." It was, sort of. Those I had were Tandy Color Computers. And the ads at the time claimed that you hadda get your kid a computer, or they'd be behind the other kids in school, and would never get a really good job. Right.

During the Second Home Computer Boom, the market was dominated by IBM PC's and Compatibles, and by Apple's Macs. I couldn't afford the "real thing," but I could occasionally get someone's old or broken computer at a rummage sale for $50 or so. And, since I was starting with nothing, I really had to learn how to squeeze as much as possible out of this very old hardware. I wrote batch files, did a bit of programming, wrote my own mailmerge program for sending out resumes en masse. I couldn't afford to be afraid of breaking stuff, and had to learn what would and wouldn't foul up the computer.

So now, even though most of the stuff I know how to do is out-dated, I know enough of the fundamentals of why things work the way they do, I can puzzle out how to use the newer hardware and software, often better than other folks. And I can tell when things are just not working, as compared to being something I don't understand. The new hardware and software is created based on habits and ideas from the old hardware and software. So it's still helpful. Just not profitable, sad to say.

Public Health Care, and why USians have been robbed nekkid.

Day 4.

And it happens again. Oh, the big issue is how Old People feel about health care and public agencies taking responsibility for public health. So we're arguing about the annoying attitudes of old people. And we are NOT discussing the fact that private companies are robbing us blind, have been robbing us blind, and will continue to rob us blind. And the Government, funded by the thieves, say "buying from thieves is a Good thing!"

When do we say, "Okay, we're capitalists. We Capitalists, as compared to those shameful Communists and Fascists, think that folks who demand money should get no more than they can earn. And We Capitalists expect that putting ourselves in the best Capitalist position is best. And our best position, as Capitalists, is us doing our buying as a group. And the best possible group to deal with buying medication and medical treatment is All Of Us. And the best way to organize that group is to get the government we have to pay for ANYWAY to do that particular job for us. They're good at demanding money and being cheap bastards."

Why aren't we using that?

Why don't us oh-so-clever-and-informed capitalists say, damnit, we're PAYING you to sort this crap out, SORT IT OUT? Why are we ALLOWING these idiot employees of ours to mangle the obvious solution for dealing with OUR needs, which are of course paramount, because we damn-well pay for it?

Because we're stupid?

At least I can be thankful that I still have my health. So far. More or less.

Griz

Lots and lots of time...

Day 3. I now officially have Lots of Time to Blog. Seems I got put on a seasonal layoff, that might well last through the end of the year.

This is fine, financially, I think. I am eligible for Unemployment, and my employers never contest unemployment when it's due to Lack Of Work. And my Unemployment eligibility is figured IIRC based on the hours and money I was getting in the six months prior to the most recent six months. Now I've been working part-time, then I was working full-time, at the same hourly rate. And I'm not required to apply for other jobs; I am, after all, supposed to be returning to my old job.

Even though they figure based on 3/4 of my net pay, I'll still be making more, best as I can figure, than I would make if I was Actually Working. This is assuming I remember correctly how alla that Unemployment stuff works.

Of course, for NaBloPoMo, this gives me ridiculous amounts of time for blogging, as well as my usual podcasting. The term of the layoff is indefinite. They will probably call me early in January to come back to work. Or, they could call tomorrow and tell me to come back to work.

So, it should be all good. What could possibly go wrong?

Griz

UPDATE: Just did the online "paperwork" for unemployment. My eligibility turns out to be $175 a week. Not near what I'd make working. Oh, well, it's temporary. I should be thankful I have some Unemployment coming in, right?

Thanks!

I have never been too hesitant to take credit for the audio quality of my podcasts. I do read well, and the "Stories" have been pretty darn good, if I do say so myself. And I do, often.

Yet much of the quality comes from the nice hardware I get to work with. My sister bought me a brand new laptop, and a Samson Zoom H2 Handy Recorder, for a late Christmas present last year. About $1000 US for alla that. And the Zoom makes me sound much better than I used to. And the laptop makes editing a whole lot easier and faster.

So I have to say "Thank you" to my sister for that. I read and speak well enough to do right by the equipment. I gather folks like listening in particular to the "Stories from the Hiber-Nation" shows. But gotta give credit where credit is due.

Griz