It's winter now. How do I know.... Well, it's damn cold for one, there are no more leaves on the trees, And the fish pond is frozen over. Enough reasons for you?
Don't like winter. Too cold for me. All snotty nosed, coughing, miserable. And then you in the cold, in the heated office, out into the cold, and on and on.... Crap.
No wonder we all get sick. No wonder the old people go south for the winter. It's always a couple of degrees warmer there.
Went out for 5 minutes, and now it's started raining. That makes it even more miserable and cold. A cup of hot coffee is required just about now.
Going into a branch meeting in 5 minutes. More blah, blah, blah.... To be followed by a social event (read: bring some meat and drinks, and get together after the meeting, and burn the meat, talk some crap, be nice with people you don't like......) I'll be giving this one a miss though, not in the mood to socialise, and liable to kill someone if I start to drink.
Later all
Salagatle!
LIU - Look It Up!
Friday, May 19, 2006
Thursday, May 18, 2006
To eternity
Extract from an email I sent out today. On the list of recepients were:-
My immediate manager
the manager of the division I do sales for
and their combined manager - the executive I had a meeting with some weeks ago which I reported on here.....
+++++++++++++++++++++++++
Client needs some info from me. After speaking to about 5 people, and no joy I resorted to this:-
++++++++++++++++++++++
..........
I'm running out of options here, and still don't know if the stuff has been ordered, never mind when it will get here.
I need to call the client back to give him an update......
This is part of the problem. The bigger the picture gets, the bigger the problem.
We need to have someone responsible for the delivery side of this business. We can't all be sales! And all the attention is on signings / revenue...... !!!!!!!!!!!!!
Where is the responsibility? Who's problem is this really? Do we care to actually deliver on our part of the contract? Anglo American is in the same boat right now....
What is the differance between our division, and the rest of this company? - They deliver!!!!!!!!!! Good service means a happy client means more business means.........
I am capitulating here. This can no longer be my problem. I have exhausted all my options, and have no interest in carrying on with this issue. Suffice to say that the "support" we receive / are supposed to be receiving is pathetic at best, or non existant at worst, and this has a negative impact on moral, as well as signings prospects.
It may be time to have that serious discussion with regards roles and responsibilities - targets and influences on this - renumeration - deliverables ........ and the list goes on.
Salagatle!
PS - Don't ask me to explain the heading, I have no idea of it's relevance......
My immediate manager
the manager of the division I do sales for
and their combined manager - the executive I had a meeting with some weeks ago which I reported on here.....
+++++++++++++++++++++++++
Client needs some info from me. After speaking to about 5 people, and no joy I resorted to this:-
++++++++++++++++++++++
..........
I'm running out of options here, and still don't know if the stuff has been ordered, never mind when it will get here.
I need to call the client back to give him an update......
This is part of the problem. The bigger the picture gets, the bigger the problem.
We need to have someone responsible for the delivery side of this business. We can't all be sales! And all the attention is on signings / revenue...... !!!!!!!!!!!!!
Where is the responsibility? Who's problem is this really? Do we care to actually deliver on our part of the contract? Anglo American is in the same boat right now....
What is the differance between our division, and the rest of this company? - They deliver!!!!!!!!!! Good service means a happy client means more business means.........
I am capitulating here. This can no longer be my problem. I have exhausted all my options, and have no interest in carrying on with this issue. Suffice to say that the "support" we receive / are supposed to be receiving is pathetic at best, or non existant at worst, and this has a negative impact on moral, as well as signings prospects.
It may be time to have that serious discussion with regards roles and responsibilities - targets and influences on this - renumeration - deliverables ........ and the list goes on.
Salagatle!
PS - Don't ask me to explain the heading, I have no idea of it's relevance......
The USA .... & Big Brother
http://dmdad.blogspot.com/
Above is the link to a blog site I regularly visit. I also comment a lot there. In yesterdays post I did a long piece on terrorism and the USA, as a response to some ignoramus who posted a comment anonymously, and to whom Steve had replied.
Thinking about it last night I was wondering....
The USA is always sending troops off to exotic locations, where they get to meet new people, new cultures, and then try to kill them! And they think they are the rearguard of the civilized world, and they believe we need them to ensure the safety of mankind. What they have not had, for the longest time, it armed conflict on home soil.
What would the situation be if some country decided to invade the USA? What would their efficiency be? How would they manage such an incident?
It's a very big country, and with their so called liberal values / views, also easily penetrated. Think about it. They talk the big talk, and espouse much information and such about security, but I'm willing got bet that at any one time there are in excess of 5 million "alien" people resident there.
On who's side do you think they will be in the event of an invasion? And lets not pretend that all current "citizens" would be loyal to the cause! Reading some random bloggs I get the feeling that they are seriously unhappy with themselves.
The 911 event, although very serious, and sad and all, is proof that they are not in control. And if that could happen once, it can happen again.
Also, their "forte" is based on a force trained mainly for conventional type warfare. Including all these fancy computerized missile guidance systems and fancy, battery operated stuff. They have no chance against a radical, terrorist type fighter, with guerilla type tactics. (Vietnam refers). And even having been there, they do not have the expertise.
So, all in all, I think the reason why the USA takes it's troops off shore is to preempt a possible attack on their home soil. It's to create a perception that they are a force to be reckoned with, able to strike anywhere in the world.
It's just a front. Deep down they are really venerable.
I think.
Salagatle!
Above is the link to a blog site I regularly visit. I also comment a lot there. In yesterdays post I did a long piece on terrorism and the USA, as a response to some ignoramus who posted a comment anonymously, and to whom Steve had replied.
Thinking about it last night I was wondering....
The USA is always sending troops off to exotic locations, where they get to meet new people, new cultures, and then try to kill them! And they think they are the rearguard of the civilized world, and they believe we need them to ensure the safety of mankind. What they have not had, for the longest time, it armed conflict on home soil.
What would the situation be if some country decided to invade the USA? What would their efficiency be? How would they manage such an incident?
It's a very big country, and with their so called liberal values / views, also easily penetrated. Think about it. They talk the big talk, and espouse much information and such about security, but I'm willing got bet that at any one time there are in excess of 5 million "alien" people resident there.
On who's side do you think they will be in the event of an invasion? And lets not pretend that all current "citizens" would be loyal to the cause! Reading some random bloggs I get the feeling that they are seriously unhappy with themselves.
The 911 event, although very serious, and sad and all, is proof that they are not in control. And if that could happen once, it can happen again.
Also, their "forte" is based on a force trained mainly for conventional type warfare. Including all these fancy computerized missile guidance systems and fancy, battery operated stuff. They have no chance against a radical, terrorist type fighter, with guerilla type tactics. (Vietnam refers). And even having been there, they do not have the expertise.
So, all in all, I think the reason why the USA takes it's troops off shore is to preempt a possible attack on their home soil. It's to create a perception that they are a force to be reckoned with, able to strike anywhere in the world.
It's just a front. Deep down they are really venerable.
I think.
Salagatle!
Wednesday, May 17, 2006
Shakira.... Ohhhhhhh!!!!
This must be the sexiest lady on the airwaves today. I have never seen anyone wriggle their hips like this lady can.
Salagatle
More humour.... enjoy
"The Facts; Nothing But the Facts"
If you yelled for 8 years, 7 months and 6 days you would have produced enough sound energy to heat one cup of coffee. (Hardly seems worth it.)
If you farted consistently for 6 years and 9 months, enough gas is produced to create the energy of an atomic bomb. (Now that's more like it!)
The human heart creates enough pressure when it pumps out to the body to squirt blood 30 feet.(O.M.G.!)
A pig's orgasm lasts 30 minutes. (In my next life, I want to be a pig.)
A cockroach will live nine days without its head before it starves to death! (Creepy) (I'm still not over the pig.)
Banging your head against a wall uses 150 calories a hour (Don't try this at home, maybe at work)
The male praying mantis cannot copulate while its head is attached to its body. The female initiates sex by ripping the male's head off. ("Honey, I'm home. What the....?!")
The flea can jump 350 times its body length. It's like a human jumping the length of a football field. (30 minutes..lucky pig! Can you imagine?)
The catfish has over 27,000 taste buds. (What could be so tasty on the bottom of a pond?)
Some lions mate over 50 times a day. (I still want to be a pig in my next life...quality over quantity)
Butterflies taste with their feet. (Something I always wanted to know.)
The strongest muscle in the body is the tongue. (Hmmmmmm......a pig with a tongue.....)
Right-handed people live, on average, nine years longer than left-handed people. (If you're ambidextrous, do you split the difference?)
Elephants are the only animals that cannot jump. (Okay, so that would be a good thing)
A cat's urine glows under a black light. (I wonder who was paid to figure that out?)
An ostrich's eye is bigger than its brain. (I know some people like that.)
Starfish have no brains. (I know some people like that too.)
Polar bears are left-handed. (If they switch, they'll live a lot longer)
Humans and dolphins are the only species that have sex for pleasure. (What about that pig??)
Salagatle!
If you yelled for 8 years, 7 months and 6 days you would have produced enough sound energy to heat one cup of coffee. (Hardly seems worth it.)
If you farted consistently for 6 years and 9 months, enough gas is produced to create the energy of an atomic bomb. (Now that's more like it!)
The human heart creates enough pressure when it pumps out to the body to squirt blood 30 feet.(O.M.G.!)
A pig's orgasm lasts 30 minutes. (In my next life, I want to be a pig.)
A cockroach will live nine days without its head before it starves to death! (Creepy) (I'm still not over the pig.)
Banging your head against a wall uses 150 calories a hour (Don't try this at home, maybe at work)
The male praying mantis cannot copulate while its head is attached to its body. The female initiates sex by ripping the male's head off. ("Honey, I'm home. What the....?!")
The flea can jump 350 times its body length. It's like a human jumping the length of a football field. (30 minutes..lucky pig! Can you imagine?)
The catfish has over 27,000 taste buds. (What could be so tasty on the bottom of a pond?)
Some lions mate over 50 times a day. (I still want to be a pig in my next life...quality over quantity)
Butterflies taste with their feet. (Something I always wanted to know.)
The strongest muscle in the body is the tongue. (Hmmmmmm......a pig with a tongue.....)
Right-handed people live, on average, nine years longer than left-handed people. (If you're ambidextrous, do you split the difference?)
Elephants are the only animals that cannot jump. (Okay, so that would be a good thing)
A cat's urine glows under a black light. (I wonder who was paid to figure that out?)
An ostrich's eye is bigger than its brain. (I know some people like that.)
Starfish have no brains. (I know some people like that too.)
Polar bears are left-handed. (If they switch, they'll live a lot longer)
Humans and dolphins are the only species that have sex for pleasure. (What about that pig??)
Salagatle!
More goodies.....
Kids in school think quick
TEACHER: Maria, go to the map and find North America.
MARIA: Here it is!
TEACHER: Correct. Now class, who discovered America?
CLASS: Maria!
TEACHER: Why are you late, Frank?
FRANK: Because of the sign.
TEACHER: What sign?
FRANK: The one that says, "School Ahead, Go Slow."
TEACHER: John, why are you doing your math multiplication on the floor?
JOHN: You told me to do it without using tables!
TEACHER: Glenn, how do you spell "crocodile?"
GLENN: K-R-O-K-O-D-A-I-L"
TEACHER: No, that's wrong
GL ENN: Maybe it s wrong, but you asked me how I spell it!
TEACHER: Donald, what is the chemical formula for water?
DONALD: H I J K L M N O!!
TEACHER: What are you talking about?
DONALD: Yesterday you said it's H to O!
TEACHER: Winnie, name one important thing we have today that we didn't have ten years ago.
WINNIE: Me!
TEACHER: Goss, why do you ! always get so dirty?
GOSS: Well, I'm a lot closer to the ground than you are.
TEACHER: Millie, give me a sentence starting with "I."
MILLIE: I is...
TEACHER: No, Millie..... Always say, "I am."
MILLIE: All right... "I am the ninth letter of the alphabet."
TEACHER: Can anybody give an example of COINCIDENCE?
TINO: Sir, my Mother and Father got married on the same day, same time."
TEACHER: George Washington not only chopped down his father's cherry tree, but also admitted doing it. Now, Louie, do you know why his father didn't punish him?"
LOUIS: Because George still had the ax in his hand.
TEACHER: Now, Simon, tell me frankly, do you say prayers before eating?
SIMON: No sir, I don't have to, my Mom is a good cook.
TEACHER: Clyde, your composition on "My Dog" is exactly the same as your brother's. Did you copy his?
CLYDE: No, teacher, it's the same dog!;
TEACHER: Harold, what do you call a person who keeps on talking when people are no longer interested?
HAROLD: A teacher.
TEACHER: Maria, go to the map and find North America.
MARIA: Here it is!
TEACHER: Correct. Now class, who discovered America?
CLASS: Maria!
TEACHER: Why are you late, Frank?
FRANK: Because of the sign.
TEACHER: What sign?
FRANK: The one that says, "School Ahead, Go Slow."
TEACHER: John, why are you doing your math multiplication on the floor?
JOHN: You told me to do it without using tables!
TEACHER: Glenn, how do you spell "crocodile?"
GLENN: K-R-O-K-O-D-A-I-L"
TEACHER: No, that's wrong
GL ENN: Maybe it s wrong, but you asked me how I spell it!
TEACHER: Donald, what is the chemical formula for water?
DONALD: H I J K L M N O!!
TEACHER: What are you talking about?
DONALD: Yesterday you said it's H to O!
TEACHER: Winnie, name one important thing we have today that we didn't have ten years ago.
WINNIE: Me!
TEACHER: Goss, why do you ! always get so dirty?
GOSS: Well, I'm a lot closer to the ground than you are.
TEACHER: Millie, give me a sentence starting with "I."
MILLIE: I is...
TEACHER: No, Millie..... Always say, "I am."
MILLIE: All right... "I am the ninth letter of the alphabet."
TEACHER: Can anybody give an example of COINCIDENCE?
TINO: Sir, my Mother and Father got married on the same day, same time."
TEACHER: George Washington not only chopped down his father's cherry tree, but also admitted doing it. Now, Louie, do you know why his father didn't punish him?"
LOUIS: Because George still had the ax in his hand.
TEACHER: Now, Simon, tell me frankly, do you say prayers before eating?
SIMON: No sir, I don't have to, my Mom is a good cook.
TEACHER: Clyde, your composition on "My Dog" is exactly the same as your brother's. Did you copy his?
CLYDE: No, teacher, it's the same dog!;
TEACHER: Harold, what do you call a person who keeps on talking when people are no longer interested?
HAROLD: A teacher.
You gotta love this......
Teacher Arrested
At New York's Kennedy airport today, an individual later discovered to be a public school teacher, was arrested trying to board a flight while in possession of a ruler, a protractor, a setsquare, a slide rule, and a calculator.
At a morning press conference, Attorney General Gonzales said he believes the man is a member of the notorious al-gebra movement. He is being charged by the FBI with carrying weapons of math instruction.
Al-gebra is a fearsome cult," Gonzales said. "They desire average solutions by means and extremes, and sometimes go off on tangents in a search of absolute value. They use secret code names like 'x' and 'y' and refer to themselves as 'unknowns', but we have determined they belong to a common denominator of the axis of medieval with coordinates in every country. As the Greek philanderer Isosceles used to say, 'there are 3 sides to every triangle'."
When asked to comment on the arrest, President Bush said, "If God had wanted us to have better weapons of math instruction, He would havegiven us more fingers and toes".
At New York's Kennedy airport today, an individual later discovered to be a public school teacher, was arrested trying to board a flight while in possession of a ruler, a protractor, a setsquare, a slide rule, and a calculator.
At a morning press conference, Attorney General Gonzales said he believes the man is a member of the notorious al-gebra movement. He is being charged by the FBI with carrying weapons of math instruction.
Al-gebra is a fearsome cult," Gonzales said. "They desire average solutions by means and extremes, and sometimes go off on tangents in a search of absolute value. They use secret code names like 'x' and 'y' and refer to themselves as 'unknowns', but we have determined they belong to a common denominator of the axis of medieval with coordinates in every country. As the Greek philanderer Isosceles used to say, 'there are 3 sides to every triangle'."
When asked to comment on the arrest, President Bush said, "If God had wanted us to have better weapons of math instruction, He would havegiven us more fingers and toes".
Tuesday, May 16, 2006
Sales monkeys?
I have had a couple of really bad days, as can be seen from my posts. And it hasn't got any better. I'm still on the hunt for new employers, or maybe going on my own. The latter is very risky, but maybe it's worth the try. Management is getting more pathetic by the day, with all sales staff having to conference call the office every afternoon from 4 to 5 pm. And this to discuss opportunities closing in the next 7 days, and what management can do to help. It's the same crap every day! Have you discussed the value add with the client? Do you know who the final decision makers / signatories are? What is their reason for moving ahead / delaying? Can we call on someone to help you / make a call / go in and sell the benefits.....?
What the hell do they think we are doing?
Oh, I know, apart from treating us as back office support / pen pushing / process following monkeys, they actually believe that is what we are! Well hello, I'm a salesman! I know all the above, and do all the above, and know when to push / back off. If you think you can do it better, maybe you should be a salesman, and I'll do your frigging job!
Salagatle!
What the hell do they think we are doing?
Oh, I know, apart from treating us as back office support / pen pushing / process following monkeys, they actually believe that is what we are! Well hello, I'm a salesman! I know all the above, and do all the above, and know when to push / back off. If you think you can do it better, maybe you should be a salesman, and I'll do your frigging job!
Salagatle!
Monday, May 15, 2006
10 years on.....
In 16 days time I will have been with this employer for 10 years. If I am lucky I may get rewarded with a blue BIC ball point pen. And maybe an email sent to my peers to congratulate me, if anyone remembers. So what?
Well, I have worked here to the best of my ability. I have come in aggressive, and done the deed. I have also been moved from accounts which I was very successful in, to accounts I don't even begin to understand. Accounts I have zero understanding of. Accounts where it is impossible to build relationships with the powers that be. Basically, I've been shafted, as I was moved into a sector I was guaranteed to fail in, and all because they thought I was making too much money before.
Not that I took it lying down. I have had some success, and have cracked some good signings, but overall it has been a dismal place to be for 2 - 3 years now.
I've seen lesser employees move up in the company, based on who they know / hang out with. And they keep moving up. I've seen poor performers sent on assignment overseas! This because the company actually does not know what to do with them, can't fire their arses out of here, so send them away. And I've seen these same misfits conme back into executive positions!!! (The theory is that now they have had international exposure, they have more to offer the company!)
10 years. It's the longest I have been with the same employer ever. Should have run when I was on top! But, as we grow older, we tend to be less daring, and maybe think we are being more responsible this way.... But it comes back to bite us.
I'm looking around, and am sure that something will come up. I will find a job I want to get up for in the mornings, and where I will be working with competent people. I will not continue to put up with the poor level of support / service I get from the so called back office support team just because they are:-
1) Previously disadvantage
2) married to the bosses sisters sons bastard son
3) Screwing the departmental head
4) or giving head to the departmental screw!
These people are typical government civil servant type. They only come to the office so that they can qualify to collect their salaries at the end of each month! It is pathetic. And there is always some damn manager ready to cover their arses, or, worse still, accuse you of being racist and looking for a reason to complain.
So, it's fucked if you do, and fucked if you don't time! I'm really tired of this.
Salagatle!
Well, I have worked here to the best of my ability. I have come in aggressive, and done the deed. I have also been moved from accounts which I was very successful in, to accounts I don't even begin to understand. Accounts I have zero understanding of. Accounts where it is impossible to build relationships with the powers that be. Basically, I've been shafted, as I was moved into a sector I was guaranteed to fail in, and all because they thought I was making too much money before.
Not that I took it lying down. I have had some success, and have cracked some good signings, but overall it has been a dismal place to be for 2 - 3 years now.
I've seen lesser employees move up in the company, based on who they know / hang out with. And they keep moving up. I've seen poor performers sent on assignment overseas! This because the company actually does not know what to do with them, can't fire their arses out of here, so send them away. And I've seen these same misfits conme back into executive positions!!! (The theory is that now they have had international exposure, they have more to offer the company!)
10 years. It's the longest I have been with the same employer ever. Should have run when I was on top! But, as we grow older, we tend to be less daring, and maybe think we are being more responsible this way.... But it comes back to bite us.
I'm looking around, and am sure that something will come up. I will find a job I want to get up for in the mornings, and where I will be working with competent people. I will not continue to put up with the poor level of support / service I get from the so called back office support team just because they are:-
1) Previously disadvantage
2) married to the bosses sisters sons bastard son
3) Screwing the departmental head
4) or giving head to the departmental screw!
These people are typical government civil servant type. They only come to the office so that they can qualify to collect their salaries at the end of each month! It is pathetic. And there is always some damn manager ready to cover their arses, or, worse still, accuse you of being racist and looking for a reason to complain.
So, it's fucked if you do, and fucked if you don't time! I'm really tired of this.
Salagatle!
To stay or go?
Last night was interesting to say the least. Me and the Princess were sitting out on the deck having a chat when she pipes up
"Maybe you should take 2 weeks off, go to the UK and stay with Peter. Then you can look around and see if there is a job going you would want to do. If you come right, maybe you could work there for a while till we get back on our feet!"
Now the thought had crossed my mind several times in the past few weeks, but to hear it from her was a bit of a shocker. Seems that she is quite aware of how tough things have been getting, and is as worried as I am of the state of finances!
So I'm in two minds right now. If I leave this job and go, my prospects for employment in South Africa in future are slim at best. Staying in my present job does no longer pay the bills, but it's a job. Some form of security, etc!
If I leave to work in the UK, it may be for an extended period of time, and that can't be healthy for our family (being away that is)! So, right now my options are fucked up, as is my state of mind. I'm not into thinking this through anyway, as there are a mountain of other issues taking up my limited thought processing power right now. What I do know is that I have had enough.
Salagatle!
"Maybe you should take 2 weeks off, go to the UK and stay with Peter. Then you can look around and see if there is a job going you would want to do. If you come right, maybe you could work there for a while till we get back on our feet!"
Now the thought had crossed my mind several times in the past few weeks, but to hear it from her was a bit of a shocker. Seems that she is quite aware of how tough things have been getting, and is as worried as I am of the state of finances!
So I'm in two minds right now. If I leave this job and go, my prospects for employment in South Africa in future are slim at best. Staying in my present job does no longer pay the bills, but it's a job. Some form of security, etc!
If I leave to work in the UK, it may be for an extended period of time, and that can't be healthy for our family (being away that is)! So, right now my options are fucked up, as is my state of mind. I'm not into thinking this through anyway, as there are a mountain of other issues taking up my limited thought processing power right now. What I do know is that I have had enough.
Salagatle!
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