The Economist magazine has launched a series of online debates in a style they’ve dubbed “Oxford 2.0″ in which the proposition and opposition are represented by experts, and in between the rounds anyone is allowed to add input, from which the moderator can choose points of merit for consideration in the next round.
I was once [...]
They say the hard part is controlling the kite. Focus on the kite, they said, and the board will follow.
But I have wind experience (windsurfing, sailing), and not board experience (skateboarding, snowboarding), and so for me, the hard part came when I tried to get up on the board in the water.
My instructor, Gerardo [...]
Business has been booming of late at ObjectSharp. Don't know whether it's the weather or the business cycle, but our recent company barbeque had more new faces that I've seen in many years. And we haven't lost any of the old faces either.
And yet it doesn't seem to end. At the moment, we're looking to add some consultants to our team. Specifically, we have the need for someone with Windows Forms experience, either in creating commercial-grade user interfaces on their own or with the CAB application block.
If you (or someone you know) has that experience and is looking to join a fun team of top-notch developers, drop me your (or your friend's) resume. You'll get a chance to work on projects that use cutting edge technology. You'll learn about (and sometimes use) technologies that aren't yet available. And, if you have the interest, we have six MVPs on staff to help you get your own designation.
If you don't fit into this skill set, fret not. There will be others coming along in the very near future. Just keep your eye tuned to this blog.
One of the benefits of being an MVP is that occasionally you get to do really cool things. And, in this particular case, I'm using the traditional meaning of cool rather than the geeky.
This event is going on all week, but I get to spend Groundhog's Day in an ice house helping introduce Visa and Office to the community. I'm looking forward to the opportunity, although I do need to go out and get some long underwear before Friday. I've been told that the temperature inside the house is a few degrees below zero. Could be all the ice in the vicinity. ;)
I usually don’t talk about my ‘real’ life on this blog as I try to keep it more technically slanted. I probably should create a category about the trials and tribulations of raising young children, as I’m a relative expert in this process. As of this moment, I have four who range in age from 10 down to 4. I say ‘as of this moment’ not because I expect more (we’ve taken steps) but because the oldest is almost 11.
Of the four, the one that is most ‘interesting’ is number two. He has just turned 9, reads two grades above his age level and finds most of what he’s taking in class boring. This, as you might guess, is a recipe for trouble. Not bad trouble, but he’s the kid who we get regular communications from his teacher about behavioral issues.
On the up side, he will occasionally do things that give us hours of laughter. Such as the following, which is from an email that appeared in his in-box a short time ago. And yes, I do read his email. He’s 9 and I feel a responsibility to keep track of what his up to.
From: "Job Search Agents" <jagent@route.monster.com>
Reply-To: "Monster Job Search Agent" <jagent-feedback@monster.com>
To: <hisemailaddress>
Subject: Monster Jobsearch Agent - 22/12/2006
Date: Fri, 22 Dec 2006 02:30:43 -0500
Great news! We have found new jobs matching your job search agent criteria!
Here are the results that were found on December 22, 2006:
Your job search agent titled "magician" matched new jobs based on your search criteria. Listed below are the top 3 match(es)... (Just click on the job title to view a job.)
Dec 21, Seasonal Warehouse Magic!, Ellusionist.com, US-CA-Sausalito
Dec 21, Assistant to Operations Director, Ellusionist.com, US-CA-Sausalito
Dec 21, Marketing Manager UK, Aladdin Knowledge Systems (Deutschland) GmbH, UK-London-Windsor
First off, notice how he has gone to Monster.com to create a job search for himself. He’s in to an ‘I need to earn money’ phase, so this definitely fits. He even started a blog that I’ve mentioned previously (http://camsreviews.blogspot.com) as a way to make money. Second, check out the type of job he’s looking for – magician. He’s an amateur magician with an emphasis on ‘amateur. Finally, notice that indeed Monster went to great lengths to find a match.
Believe me that the finding of this email gave us much in the way of holiday cheer.