They Call This FOOTBALL?!?!?

Time for a little babble about week 1 of the NFL season - or should I say "WEAK" 1???

Denver is such a football-mad town, it's unbelievable. When I first moved to the area 15 years ago I couldn't believe how they would lead off the evening newscasts... hell - even in the off-season they'll lead off if something is happening (like someone tripped over his friggin' dog walking down the stairs like Brian Griese did when he was with the team)...

Anyway, the games I watched over the weekend were sloppy, mistake-riddled and just plain sad. Everyone (or most everyone) in this area is happy that the Broncos won, but they should be GREATFUL because they stunk up the place in Buffalo. They sucked - plain and simple. Offense, defense and special teams were all horriffic and the only reason they came away with the win is because Elam was able to hit that last second field goal (after missing 2 others in the game).

Other games I saw were equally awful. Giants/Dallas? Please... The NFC East used to be such a powerhouse but now they're as mediocre as the rest of the league.

No wonder the owners push (read that as hijack) the season ticket holders into buying the pre-season tix as part of the package each season now...

NFL football is going downhill and that's a shame... let's hope that Weak 2 is a little bit better.

The Crumbling Empire?

Got a call this morning from one of the people who used to work for me... she was calling to say that she has resigned and will be starting a new job in the near future.

By my count there are 5 (out of 12) openings in the group I used to have and at least 7 others in the entire department that used to have 100+ headcount.

That's over 10% understaffed with a 41% understaffing in my old group... and the department was understaffed to begin with...

Seems like the empire is crumbling a bit. It's unfortunate too, but I'm not surprised.

When the resignation was given, my guess is that my former boss was happy on the inside but is shitting his pants as well. He wasn't fond of this person and was very open about it with certain individuals. But inside I know that he's thinking that he's lost another warm body - oh shit - another person gone, more overtime, what's happening???? He needs those warm bodies now. Who the hell is going to answer the phones? Since the company doesn't like paying OT, there's some big shit gonna hit the fan here pretty soon...

These people aren't leaving because I left - no - they are leaving because they are over-worked, under paid and under a hell of a lot of stress trying to live up to the unachievable goals set for them. Again - unfortunate. Signs were there that the goals were unachievable, but were ignored. Gotta push ahead and deliver the undeliverable... Yeah - right. At who's expense?

The saddest thing is that the upper management that is trying to run the company will see little to no repercussions mainly because they will just replace the previously under paid (yet talented) people who left with equally under paid "warm bodies".

The exit interviews are all the same - "the company is broken, the department is broken and upper management doesn't give a rats ass..."

The spiral continues... and it's about to hit critical mass because a lot of the knowledge that is walking out the door does so without anything documented behind them.

If a couple more key people leave then there's a major implosion about to take place - there won't be enough people to man the phones and train all the new suckers - I mean employees - who walk into the slaughterhouse.

As for me - meeting with a number of recruiters next week and have contacted a number of companies this week... the search continues for a company that really cares. One of these recruiters is actually trying to find my replacement... Now THAT should be an interesting conversation!!!

NJ Officials in Corruption Sting

So 11 public officials and one private citizen were arrested new NJ on corruption charges today.

See article in Bergen Record for details.

Surprised?

Shouldn't be... the state's riddled with corruption. Why the hell would there be any other reason for people paying $14000/year in property taxes? Shit - you can't tell me these people are getting that much in services and that it costs that much to haul the frigging trash!

Somebody's getting paid off and someone's getting screwed - guess which is which.

Did He Really Say What I Think He Said?!?!?

Watching PBS this afternoon (Lou Dobbs, business report) and he was talking about Mexican President Calderon's weekend comments that essentially encouraged illegal immigration and sloughed off any responsibility or accountability for what's happening in his own country - the one that HE was elected President of in order to help fix things...

I almost fell out of my chair when I heard the comments and I agreed with Lou Dobbs on his response - Fix your stuff Calderon and we'll gladly accept LEGAL immigrants from your country; those that want to contribute to our economy in the correct sense - pay their taxes, work the jobs, and NOT sponge off the rest of the American taxpayers and the liberal scum in office who want to GIVE away our money to support them and their kids with our healthcare and school systems.

Lots of chatter on this one.

Check out wakeupamericans

Can You Live a Fantasy Life?

(Anyone remember that old Aldo Nova song?!?!)

Fantasy football is back... my 2nd season playing and we went through the draft on Sunday...

Could have been better - got stuck with the 10th pick overall (out of a 12 player league) and all the best running backs and some of the QBs went before my first pick...

Such is life...

As we were going through the draft, there was a lot of chatting going on with the people I used to work with (those that are left anyway)... people wondering if I've landed anywhere yet, wondering what the hell's happening over there and why they're still hanging on...

For some of them, I just don't know why they are still there - the hours suck, management sucks, the pay isn't that great... when I land somewhere, I will certainly be keeping these people in mind as I hear of other positions open ...

It's the least I could do for them...

Some of these people would even make my "dream team" of people to work with - maybe not the most technically sound in the world, but some big hearts and sincere people who work hard...

Where the Fluff is Fluff??

So Fluff?

Where you going? When's the last day?

What's the plan?

Be sure to keep in touch!

Why Do People...

have to insist on rubbing shit in your face when you're down?

Why can't you just sit back, shut up and listen every now and then without turning the subject back to yourself?

In my situation do you really give a rat's ass if you were able to go to the game on Thursday night? Hell - I haven't bought myself a beer in over a month! Don't get me wrong, I want you to be happy, but it seems that whenever I need to talk and vent, the subject always switches back to you...

And then YOU get pissed at me when I try to tell you that I called someone that did listen??

I know - we're both going through a tough time again right now. It's harder since we can't see each other and the phone calls just don't cut it anymore... we both need a hug (from each other) and we both need to step back and remember why we're friends.

I do love you ... never forget that...