From: Digestifier To: Subject: Dead-Flames Digest #620 Dead-Flames Digest #620, Volume #48 Thu, 20 Oct 05 08:00:01 PDT Contents: Re: Book 'em Dano! ("Everybody's Gonna Be Happy") Re: Any words to say about The Simpsons moving to the Arab world? ("Nick's Picks") Tom Delay arrest warrant (NDC) (John Doherty) Re: drug tests for jobs (NDC) (Brad Greer) Re: drug tests for jobs (NDC) (Brad Greer) Re: drug tests for jobs (NDC) (Brad Greer) Re: Republicans hate you and want you dead: the 10/20/05 edition (NDC) ("Infundibulum") Re: NBA Players Now Must Adhere to Dress Code (NDC) ("Schmoe") Re: Any words to say about The Simpsons moving to the Arab world? ("Schmoe") Re: A Conservative viewpoint.... ("Sparky the Wonder Dog") Re: August and September pics from Sandgate ("Sparky the Wonder Dog") 'Crony-ism' - is this a word ??? ("Don Bean") An update from college! (ndc) ("Rogues Island's finest") Re: 'Crony-ism' - is this a word ??? (joker4153@comcast.net) Derek Trucks is one lucky mofo ("Rogues Island's finest") Re: (NDC) EFF cracks printer-tracking code (joker4153@comcast.net) Re: drug tests for jobs (NDC) (the wharf rat) Re: drug tests for jobs (NDC) (Brad Greer) Re: Derek Trucks is one lucky mofo (DB) Re: Republicans hate you and want you dead: the 10/20/05 edition (NDC) (aldopignotti@yahoo.com) Re: drug tests for jobs (NDC) ("Everybody's Gonna Be Happy") Re: 'Crony-ism' - is this a word ??? ("Everybody's Gonna Be Happy") ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "Everybody's Gonna Be Happy" Subject: Re: Book 'em Dano! Date: Thu, 20 Oct 2005 04:15:17 -0700 "The Lord of Eltingville" wrote in message news:dj7qa00273k@news3.newsguy.com... > DeLay Ordered to Texas for Booking > By PAM EASTON, Associated Press Writer 1 hour, 22 minutes ago > > RICHMOND, Texas - Rep. > Tom DeLay was ordered to appear at the sheriff's office in his home > county of Fort Bend for booking on state conspiracy and money laundering > charges. > > A state court issued an arrest warrant on Wednesday for DeLay and set an > initial $10,000 bail, a routine step before the Texas Republican's first > court appearance Friday in Austin. > > DeLay could be fingerprinted and photographed, although his lawyers had > hoped to avoid this step. > > Fort Bend County Chief Deputy Craig Brady said arrangements were being > made to bring DeLay to the sheriff's office sometime Thursday for > booking and fingerprinting. > > The process was expected to take 45 minutes to an hour. > > DeLay has stepped down as U.S. House majority leader ? at least > temporarily ? under a Republican rule requiring him to relinquish the > post if charged with a felony. > > Two grand juries have charged DeLay and two political associates in an > alleged scheme to violate state election law, by funneling corporate > donations to candidates for the Texas Legislature. State law prohibits > use of corporate donations to finance state campaigns, although the > money can be used for administrative expenses. > > The indictments charge that a DeLay-founded Texas political committee > sent corporate donations to the > Republican National Committee in Washington, and the national party sent > funds back to the state for 2002 campaigns. > > DeLay has denied wrongdoing and accused Travis County District Attorney > Ronnie Earle ? a Democrat ? of having partisan motives. Earle has denied > the accusation. > > Earle did not ask for the arrest warrant for DeLay, but approved the > court's request, his office said Wednesday. > > DeLay's Republican fundraising in 2002 had major political consequences, > allowing the GOP to take control of the Texas Legislature. The > Legislature then redrew congressional boundaries according to a > DeLay-inspired plan, took command of the state's U.S. House delegation > and helped the GOP retain its House majority. If they take a sample of his DNA they may end up solving quite a few cold cases. Any chance he could be denied bail because of the imminent danger he poses to the nation? EGBH ------------------------------ From: "Nick's Picks" Subject: Re: Any words to say about The Simpsons moving to the Arab world? Date: 20 Oct 2005 04:40:37 -0700 "you are a credit to the Great Satan" ------------------------------ From: John Doherty Subject: Tom Delay arrest warrant (NDC) Date: Thu, 20 Oct 2005 09:08:48 -0400 http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/4154/557/1600/Delayarrestwarrant.jpg If you have information about the whereabouts of this individual, please alert Texas State police, ASAP! Do not, I repeat, do not, make any political contributions to him. He is considered quite dangerous with any funds given.... ------------------------------ From: Brad Greer Subject: Re: drug tests for jobs (NDC) Date: Thu, 20 Oct 2005 09:14:23 -0400 On Wed, 19 Oct 2005 19:20:04 -0500, Tom Beck wrote: >Brad Greer wrote: > > >> There are websites out there (thevault.com was mentioned, I think). >> It's probably pretty safe to bet that most companies don't conduct >> random testing unless they have to (i.e., for public safety >> requirements) but Neil's point (and one I agree with) is the issue of >> drug testing tells you something about the "character" of the company >> - do they think they own you or do they view you as a valued employee? >> Companies that test their employees are wrong, IMO, and I won't work >> for one of them. > > >I agree with everything you say, but it >is increasingly common for all "new" >employees to be tested. > I think it's a factor of what type of job you're pursuing. I work in computer software. They might test to make sure you're doing some occasional drugs, but for the most part nobody gives a fuck what you do in your off time and testing is pretty much unheard of. Some larger companies might test, but for the most part it doesn't happen in the software business. Other industries are different. ------------------------------ From: Brad Greer Subject: Re: drug tests for jobs (NDC) Date: Thu, 20 Oct 2005 09:17:54 -0400 On 19 Oct 2005 21:18:09 -0700, "Neil X." wrote: > >> Brad wrote: >> >> Neil's point (and one I agree with) is the issue of >> drug testing tells you something about the "character" of the company >> - do they think they own you or do they view you as a valued employee? >> Companies that test their employees are wrong, IMO, and I won't work >> for one of them. > > > >That's exactly what I was trying to express, Brad. Whether or not one >can pass the test is less relevant than what the requirement for the >test says about the company. One of the biotech companies I consulted >for was bought out by a big Pharmaceutical while I was working there. >The change in culture was instantaneous, and the immediate advent of >urine testing was symptomatic of the way employees were viewed by >management. (The testing was only for new hires, but nonetheless the >current staff was appalled by it, and what it said about their new >bosses.) Employee morale rapidly deteriorated, despite the raises the >staff received after the merger. The cream of the company all gave >notice while I was there--the dozen best scientists that worked there >were gone within two months. Those employees that were talented and >had many options mainly opted to work elsewhere. You'd think >management types would take notice of stuff like that. The staff there >that I am still communicate with tell amazing tales of managerial >hubris. It's a sad situation, a vital and innovative biotech company >is being systematically destroyed. > Yeah, and that's why I won't go to work for a place that tests - it has nothing to do with being able to pass a test or not, it has everything to do with making a choice to not work for a company that doesn't truly value the employees. I hope I'm never in a situation where I have to consider working for a company that tests (if it comes down to taking a job with a company that tests or not being able to provide for my family, well, preservation is the higher value). The extra pay, the extra vacation, whatever else they offer might seem nice, but the bottom line is the upper management views the employee as an "asset" or a "resource", not as a human being. ------------------------------ From: Brad Greer Subject: Re: drug tests for jobs (NDC) Date: Thu, 20 Oct 2005 09:22:44 -0400 On Wed, 19 Oct 2005 16:32:38 -0700, "Richard Morris" wrote: > >"Ben" wrote in message >news:e39bl19r5qi13j0q188s8llkp992pob4pj@4ax.com... >> On Tue, 18 Oct 2005 17:04:37 -0700, "Richard Morris" >> wrote: >> >>> >>>"Gary" wrote in message >>>news:43557bc2$0$41000$892e7fe2@authen.white.readfreenews.net... >>>> >>>>> Yeah ... and if you get caught up in a random test and get terminated, >>>>> you >>>>> have an unexplainable gap in your work history. That can dog you for a >>>>> number of years. >>>> >>>> Don't worry about crap like that till it happens. There are always ways >>>> to >>>> explain >>>> that type of thing. >>> >>>Can you name one way--just one--that would reflect positively on the >>>person >>>and make them more competitive in a hiring situation? >>> >> >> You don't have to tell them the circumstances - if you're qualified >> they may not even ask. >> >> I wasn't asked about a 6 month gap in my resume 5 years ago, even >> though the job after that resulted in a layoff. > >Come on, man. Of course you don't have to answer questions about your work >history. And they don't have to hire you. You can get away with anything >if you don't get questioned about it. The point is, do you want to take the >risk? > >Several people have assumed that by my pointing this factor out, I am >lobbying for something one way or the other. That is wrong. > >I don't give a shit one way or the other what someone does ... they can make >their own decisions about that. But failure to take all the considerations >into account is simply making a decision with partial information. And it >isn't a matter of paranoia, either, Steve-san. And the fact is, a gap in >work history can be a problem. I didn't say *will* ... I said CAN. It depends a bit on your career choice and how well you are prepared to answer the question about a gap in employment. "I took some time off to help my sick mother" is something no employer would question, for instance (not that I'm advocating lying, but it's one way to handle the question). Or, "I was laid off due to downsizing and had the luxury of taking my time to find a new position. I wanted to find a position that would help advance my career, not just another paycheck." In fact, employers tend to like that type of response. But, I work in the software industry and gaps in employment aren't necessarily all that uncommon for people (remember the dot bomb implosion?). >Now, if ya want my personal position, it is as follows: never, never work >for someone who would test for drugs if being clean is unrelated to job >performance. If they disrespect your right to privacy in that fashion, it >is likely they will disrpespect you in some other fashion as well. > Amen. ------------------------------ From: "Infundibulum" Subject: Re: Republicans hate you and want you dead: the 10/20/05 edition (NDC) Date: Thu, 20 Oct 2005 06:30:45 -0700 .. > > ``You cannot litigate personal choices and lifestyles,'' said Republican > Rep. Mike Rogers. > I agree with this 100%. What part of that don't you agree with, Band Beyond Description? Or do you live in a "it's never my fault" world? Maybe the responsibility is really with PARENTS who feed their kids happy meals 7 days a week, and the lawsuits should be children against their guardians for neglect. Let's see how the family court system likes that! ------------------------------ Reply-To: "Schmoe" From: "Schmoe" Subject: Re: NBA Players Now Must Adhere to Dress Code (NDC) Date: Thu, 20 Oct 2005 09:31:04 -0400 Steve Terry wrote: > "band beyond description" <123@456.com> wrote in message: > >> Marcus Camby of the Denver Nuggets, whose contract will pay him >> nearly $50 million over the next five years, told an interviewer >> before the code was imposed, ``I don't see it happening unless every >> NBA player is given a stipend to buy clothes.'' Camby can't stay healthy enough in any season to actually contribute. He's got plenty of time for clothes shopping. ------------------------------ Reply-To: "Schmoe" From: "Schmoe" Subject: Re: Any words to say about The Simpsons moving to the Arab world? Date: Thu, 20 Oct 2005 09:31:51 -0400 Steve Terry wrote: > "ba ba booie" wrote in message: > >> 'The Simpsons' on Arab TV, Homer's Duff beer becomes soda. While US >> foreign policy is not always a hit overseas, there is a huge audience >> for American popular culture. > > Moe's would then become a soda shop? Yeah, that's American popular > culture alright...from the 1950's. What would the Arabs do with The Cosby Show? Separate the master bedroom beds? ------------------------------ From: "Sparky the Wonder Dog" Subject: Re: A Conservative viewpoint.... Date: 20 Oct 2005 06:36:38 -0700 Seth, I never really have talked about the Patriot Act here or how I feel about it. I really was talking about this one guy to point out that Roberts has a particular point of view when he talks about the Patriot Act and is a particular type of conservative so that it isn't surprising what he says against Bush and not surprising that, unlike most conservatives, he really is making a case for a clear terrorist and, yes, "forgetting" some key details in that article--like who exactly the client was and what he did. That was it. Roberts hates and fears "neoconservatives" who he thinks are an "un-American" "treasonous" cabal--no this isn't the ZOG of old but the belief that America has been "hijacked" by a group of Israel-beholden "neoconservatives" has been taken up by the old neo-Nazis, the new-left, and angry members of the old right. See http://www.antiwar.com/roberts/?articleid=3436 for where Roberts is coming from. If you believe in what he is saying I can only say there are many problems with their arguments. I believe myself that Bush has been a lame duck from about two months after the elections. ------------------------------ From: "Sparky the Wonder Dog" Subject: Re: August and September pics from Sandgate Date: 20 Oct 2005 06:45:25 -0700 A half-hour commute is not too bad. I am the world's worst driver and rely on public transportation. When I had to go from Falls Church, VA to Silver Spring, MD to work it took me about 1 1/2 hours by metro. It looks idyllic out your way. The pictures are beautiful. ------------------------------ From: "Don Bean" Subject: 'Crony-ism' - is this a word ??? Date: Thu, 20 Oct 2005 09:47:12 -0400 We all know what this means by now. You promote your friends regardless of if they are qualified for the job... Example 1 - 'Brownie has it under control in New Orleans'.... Is this a new word that has come into the world now or has it been around for a while ???? Either way.... it fits the current leadership on top quite well... Bean ------------------------------ From: "Rogues Island's finest" Subject: An update from college! (ndc) Date: 20 Oct 2005 06:49:01 -0700 My daughter sent me this short video, it looks like things are going very well so far! Check is in the mail, honey. http://www.collegehumor.com/movies/1616564 Mark ------------------------------ From: joker4153@comcast.net Subject: Re: 'Crony-ism' - is this a word ??? Date: 20 Oct 2005 06:51:46 -0700 Been around for a while as a word. And of course the concept is as old as politics itself. It's a great non-partisan pastime. Larry ------------------------------ From: "Rogues Island's finest" Subject: Derek Trucks is one lucky mofo Date: 20 Oct 2005 06:57:22 -0700 I dragged my buddy, who also happens to be my boss, to see Susan Tedeschi last night at Lupos in Providence. Very small crowd, but her Dad and uncle were standing next to me all night and she put on one hell of a show. Not much of a guitar player but that girl can sing, and her stage presence is sexy as hell. Go see her if you have the chance, highly recommended. ------------------------------ From: joker4153@comcast.net Subject: Re: (NDC) EFF cracks printer-tracking code Date: 20 Oct 2005 07:01:27 -0700 If this was soley to foil counterfeiters, why wouldn't it have been made public before? The fact is, if EFF has cracked the code, others (such as your employer, your ex, etc.) will either crack it or buy it from someone who has. It's a huge privacy issue, potentially. Gotta be a better way to hinder counterfeiters. Has this secret coding ever caught a counterfeiter? Larry ------------------------------ From: wrat@panix.com (the wharf rat) Subject: Re: drug tests for jobs (NDC) Date: Thu, 20 Oct 2005 14:06:30 +0000 (UTC) In article <736fl19o7m8h00tsbs25g15aap5o2k747o@4ax.com>, Brad Greer wrote: >Yeah, and that's why I won't go to work for a place that tests - it >has nothing to do with being able to pass a test or not, it has >everything to do with making a choice to not work for a company that >doesn't truly value the employees. **MY** company truly values its employees. They're great. But they drug test, because government regulation requires it. Oh well. I still feel lucky to work there. ------------------------------ From: Brad Greer Subject: Re: drug tests for jobs (NDC) Date: Thu, 20 Oct 2005 10:29:24 -0400 On Thu, 20 Oct 2005 14:06:30 +0000 (UTC), wrat@panix.com (the wharf rat) wrote: >In article <736fl19o7m8h00tsbs25g15aap5o2k747o@4ax.com>, >Brad Greer wrote: >>Yeah, and that's why I won't go to work for a place that tests - it >>has nothing to do with being able to pass a test or not, it has >>everything to do with making a choice to not work for a company that >>doesn't truly value the employees. > > **MY** company truly values its employees. They're great. >But they drug test, because government regulation requires it. Oh well. >I still feel lucky to work there. I can make an exception for companies that test because the government requires it. They have no choice, therefore they can't be held accountable for testing. It's the vast majority of companies that have no government regulations forcing them to test that I take issue with. ------------------------------ From: DB Subject: Re: Derek Trucks is one lucky mofo Date: Thu, 20 Oct 2005 10:28:36 -0400 Rogues Island's finest wrote: > I dragged my buddy, who also happens to be my boss, to see Susan > Tedeschi last night at Lupos in Providence. Very small crowd, but her > Dad and uncle were standing next to me all night and she put on one > hell of a show. Not much of a guitar player but that girl can sing, > and her stage presence is sexy as hell. Go see her if you have the > chance, highly recommended. > She was great when the Other Ones reformed in the fall of 2002. She is playing Irving Plaza in NYC on Friday. I wish I could go. DB ------------------------------ From: aldopignotti@yahoo.com Subject: Re: Republicans hate you and want you dead: the 10/20/05 edition (NDC) Date: 20 Oct 2005 07:35:01 -0700 and Liberals think you are too stupid to decide on your own what you should eat. ------------------------------ From: "Everybody's Gonna Be Happy" Subject: Re: drug tests for jobs (NDC) Date: Thu, 20 Oct 2005 07:47:13 -0700 "Brad Greer" wrote in message news:fb6fl15mm64k3rvoddne0vojb7jgo86jqu@4ax.com... > It depends a bit on your career choice and how well you are prepared > to answer the question about a gap in employment. "I took some time > off to help my sick mother" is something no employer would question, > for instance (not that I'm advocating lying, but it's one way to > handle the question). On the contrary, telling a potential employer you took time off to help your sick mother is a red flag for future FMLA use or abuse. FMLA is tremendously costly to some companies. Where I used to work we had 60% of the staff with an approved FMLA leave of one kind or another. Most of the abuse centered around employee medical issues like migraines and "stress", but I can say that our HR department, while publicly proclaiming that they would never take FMLA leaves into consideration when hiring, evaluating, or promoting employees, they in fact *did* and discussed these things in private with management prior to making decisions. Since one never knows what's going on behind closed doors at a potential employer, never ever admit to any personal or family medical problems. > Or, "I was laid off due to downsizing and had > the luxury of taking my time to find a new position. I wanted to find > a position that would help advance my career, not just another > paycheck." In fact, employers tend to like that type of response. > But, I work in the software industry and gaps in employment aren't > necessarily all that uncommon for people (remember the dot bomb > implosion?). I remember a guy we interviewed who when asked about his 12 year gap in employment history declared he was in San Quentin serving time for vehicular manslaughter. He ran a red light and killed a teenage pedestrian. He was applying for a *driving* job. >>Now, if ya want my personal position, it is as follows: never, never work >>for someone who would test for drugs if being clean is unrelated to job >>performance. If they disrespect your right to privacy in that fashion, it >>is likely they will disrpespect you in some other fashion as well. > Amen. My old outfit, the one who used FMLA leaves against their staff, hair tested all new hires. Last I heard they were eliminating 40% of all applicants because of failed tests. And yes, they respected no one. EGBH ------------------------------ From: "Everybody's Gonna Be Happy" Subject: Re: 'Crony-ism' - is this a word ??? Date: Thu, 20 Oct 2005 07:50:08 -0700 "Don Bean" wrote in message news:AdN5f.16295$Hm3.15523@fe09.lga... > We all know what this means by now. You promote your friends regardless of > if they are qualified for the job... Example 1 - 'Brownie has it under > control in New Orleans'.... > Is this a new word that has come into the world now or has it been around > for a while ???? > Either way.... it fits the current leadership on top quite well... > Bean Thomas Jeferson and James Madison, among others, regularly bashed Alexander Hamilton for cronyism related to his running of the Treasury Department and his setting up of the Bank of the United States and the treasury security markets. Don't know if they used this exact word, but they sure knew its meaning. EGBH ------------------------------ ** FOR YOUR REFERENCE ** The service addresses, to which questions about the list itself and requests to be added to or deleted from it should be directed, are as follows: Internet: dead-flames-request@gdead.berkeley.edu Bitnet: dead-flames-request%gdead.berkeley.edu@ucbcmsa Uucp: ...!{ucbvax,uunet}!gdead.berkeley.edu!dead-flames-request You can send mail to the entire list (and rec.music.gdead) via one of these addresses: Internet: dead-flames@gdead.berkeley.edu Bitnet: dead-flames%gdead.berkeley.edu@ucbcmsa Uucp: ...!{ucbvax,uunet}!gdead.berkeley.edu!dead-flames End of Dead-Flames Digest ****************************** .