My new job: UN swindle victim!

I was all set to work for this local network storage company when I got this in my inbox! I’m moving to Geneva to work for the United Nations!!!11!!1oneone!!!

There is one aspect of the job (highlighted below), which might, um, be a little fishy. But its the UN, right? So they’ve got to be trustworthy!

Reply-To: unaidjobs@gmail.com
From: “United Nations” metogiles@unitedkingdomonlinenet.com
Subject: Part-time job offer from the UNITED NATIONS
Date: Wed, 24 Dec 2008 07:14:13 -0800

UNITED NATIONS PROGRAMME ON HIV/AIDS [UNAID]
www.unaids.org

20, Avenue Appia
CH-1211 Geneva 27
Switzerland

JOB VACANCIES

The United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS [UNAIDS], in conjunction with UN AFFILIATES, has very limited vacancies and is recruiting Representatives for a two year General Service employment [2 years] with the United Nations to assist the Organization in the funding of its projects in the USA and other parts of the world which includes humanitarian assistance to victims of HIV/AIDS, research and training, grants, medical teams and equipment, medicines, tents, food, various kinds of emergency equipment, etc.

Job location is in all States of the USA, Canada, UK and Europe.
Continue reading →

Interview recap

So I had my interview at 2PM today. Got there 5 minutes early, met the team, and spent the next two hours running the gauntlet of technical interview questions. I think I escaped relatively unscathed. I’m expecting a call tomorrow with official word, but my feeling is that I’m the guy they want.

Some details need to be worked out (my pay, which recruiter firm will be involved, etc.), but I expect this will be a a good place to hang around for the next six months, and hopefully longer. On the last front, the boss couldn’t make any promises there would be something at the end of this six-month rainbow, but though this company currently has a hiring freeze it is certainly not standing still – building a massive datacenter that will be my playground. I think this bodes well for my chances.

Christmas might come a day early tomorrow. Wish me luck!

Time Warner Cable raising rates

To get a head start in losing customers before the February DTV changeover, Time Warner Cable is raising its basic cable rates 20% next month. The cost of doing business continues to increase, according to a spokesperson.

Uh-huh. What about the cost of losing business? I am so glad I’ve got our TVs ready for digital broadcast TV, and that we use Earthlink’s high-speed cable modem service rather than Time Warner RoadRunner.

If in the future I decide we need premium channels, I’ll be giving the Dish Network a call, but Time Warner won’t get a penny more from me if I can help it. Cable service has never been more irrelevant than it is today.

In fact, I should become more aggressive in setting up my neighborhood wireless Internet service. Let’s see how Time Warner’s rate increases look when compared to free (or close to it).

Luxury

Man, I could get used to 8 AM wakeups. It will be bittersweet when I have to give them up for a commute again.

Porch plastic

When my grandmother wanted to protect her screened back porch from the wind, she put up a sheet of plastic around it. I’d like to do something similar for our porch, but a bit fancier.

What I’d like is to have zippered plastic panels I could install on the inside of our porch screen between my porch posts. In the winter I could zip in a thick, clear poly panel and remove it when spring came around. It would become a quick and dirty greenhouse, which would be a much better place to put my sensitive plants than our garage.

Seems no one makes such a product, as far as I can tell. There is mention here of using greenhouse poly for it, but nothing specific.

Anyone seen such a product, or should I scare up some venture capital and start a company?

Phone interview!

I just got off the phone with a large storage area network company in the area for a short-term contract. It went really well! They want me to come in for an in-person interview tomorrow afternoon.

There are still lots of details to be worked out and there’s no promises at the end but I’m certainly encouraged. This is a top-notch company that would be great to join.

Wish me luck!

No lack of rain this year

What a difference a year makes. Today our back yard is saturated – the steady rains we’ve had recently have dumped so much water on us that it has nowhere to go. We had a small stream in our backyard after last night’s rain.

Contrast this with how things looked last year, when we were in the midst of a serious drought and Falls Lake stood ten feet below normal. It was Christmas 2007 when Falls Lake fell to its lowest point ever.

The big difference was the month of September [PDF], when we got almost five inches more of rain than normal! That actually turned our rain deficit from Jan 2007 into a surplus of almost 2 inches! November and December should push the totals up even more.

There are still other parts of the state still suffering from drought, particularly the mountain areas. I hope they get some good snow in the coming winter months.

Dear recruiters

Dear recruiters,

If your job description has any cliches like “proven track record,” “best of breed,” “arena,” “seamlessly,” or any of the other idiotic business cliches, don’t waste your time contacting me.

Love,
Mark