The Precarious Expendable Workforce - Being Under Contract for a Staffing Agency

I am sick of this. 20 years later, I find myself once again doing temp work. The Canadian economy has failed to adapt to international competition and I therefore do not blame myself for this ongoing challenge to find work related to my career. Nevertheless, having to submit to the conditions of a temp agency is not agreeable. It feels exploitative, deflating, and unfair. While I understand the nature of the business, that is a few people find clients and sell off man hours of labour, the difference in hourly wage accounts for :

• Income for workers of the staffing agency
• Overhead - rent, utilities
• Insurance and licencing

I have an advanced degree, yet the opportunities that the agency offers me labour jobs like doing janitorial work in a factory. Without providing details about an "opportunity", only a date, the agency expressed their need of a worker. I said that I would be available. It ended being a moving job which was a little too dangerous for my liking.  The kicker : I was paid $12 an hour, the staffing agency was collecting $19.

The Rise of the Permanent Temp Economy
Erin Hatton's book  : http://www.amazon.ca/Temp-Economy-Permatemps-Postwar-America-ebook/dp/B006K0E58W/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1443354832&sr=1-1&keywords=9781439900826

http://www.propublica.org/article/the-expendables-how-the-temps-who-power-corporate-giants-are-getting-crushe


http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/08/17/1120933/-Staffing-agencies-are-above-the-law

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/economy/jobs/with-temporary-workers-flexibilitys-the-name-of-the-game/article583174/

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/economy/jobs/canadas-shift-to-a-nation-of-temporary-workers/article11721139/

http://inthesetimes.com/article/15972/permatemps_in_manufacturing

http://www.thespec.com/news-story/5677195-a-dime-a-dozen-ontario-s-eye-popping-shift-to-low-wage-work/

http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2015/03/31/too-many-ontario-workers-exploited-laws-need-quick-overhaul-study-urges.html

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/08/17/1120933/-Staffing-agencies-are-above-the-law

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/01/upshot/the-changing-face-of-temporary-employment.html?_r=0

Roadblocks to finding employment - References for the periods of unemployment

For the past 19 months, I have been looking for work. A few short contracts have kept me busy, but they were positions in which I was doing unskilled manual labour.

With regard to my background, I have a university degree the applied sciences and a master's in the humanities. While the fields may not seem related, I felt is was required that I do the latter in order to round out my my knowledge and in turn allow myself to make better decisions in a variety of contexts.

Unfortunately, I have unable to secure employment. I apply to a variety of different positions, some in the technical field, some in social science research.

With regard to my job search roadblocks, I have applied to government positions. I was happy that there are at least some organisations which recognize and will verify my education. Unfortunately, my periods of unemployment have left me without references for those time frames. There was the option to provide the names of dentists, trainers or physicians. Without a source of income, getting health services was not an option. Besides, who goes to a dentist or physician unless they have a problem?

(It may be a weakness or a sign of me being cautious, but I do not use social media. Okay, I do : this blog.  Life doesn't happen on the Internet.)

The folly of technology and fidelity - Ashley Madison Users and Lie Detector Tests

Last year, I had a job interview where I was required to go through a lie detection test. I laughed at the concept knowing that a) memories change over time; b) memories can be induced; c)a simple search through Google Scholar demonstrates that the scientific community does not take the practice seriously.

Apparently suspicious spouses will be looking to book their for a lie detection test. The only way to catch someone in a lie is evidence. If a person admits to something, it doesn't mean that it is true. If a story changes over time, it is also unlikely that what is being told that a person's world can be held as truth.  Participants should not say anything that does not need to be used against them.

In a nutshell, the ones administering, or paying for the tests, are the ones being duped.

More about polygraph testing will follow in an upcoming post about lie detection. In the meantime, take a look a the following posts :

Anti-Polygraph
Pseudoscience:    List of topics :
The Art of Deception: Polygraph Lie Detection by Michael Lawrence Langan, M.D.
What polygraph interviewers are like...
Oh! Fun! A video on Bloomberg

Give me a reason to get a new phone - smart or not

I am currently back on to my BlackBerry Curve 8350 - I tried a touch screen, but got annoyed with muted phone call, erratic auto-correct and the annoying onscreen camera button, or lack of one. 

It is not a modern phone by any stretch, however, I like it. I drop it on the ground, it is just about indestructible. Actually it isn't, but it is small and light enough that its own weight isn't a problem.

As for the uses of this phone to a newer one, I fail to see what a new phone can do. Sure there are tons of apps, but really, I am not sure what I would do with a new device. I can text, e-mail, use GPS navigation, call people, stream audio etc. Browsing sometimes leaves to desire, but I have a computer, and when necessary a really good camera, should I want to take shots that I want to share or print.

I think I'll hold on to it quite a bit longer.

Slight change in tire size : not a good idea with an automatic transmission - harsh shifts, possible damage to transmission

Seeing that my front summer tires were close to reaching the wear lines, I started looking for sales for new tires. I found some at $57 a piece. Unfortunately for my size, a very common one, 185/65R14, it was a whole $13 more. That didn't seem right. If you want to improve fuel economy, it is common to get narrower tires. If you increase the aspect ratio, as I did in my case from 65 to 70, the ride may get more comfortable, but the obvious trade-off is handling as the sidewalls deform more.
Thinking that a small variation up to 185/70R14 would be suitable to save myself $26,  I looked up the size difference at http://tire-size-conversion.com/tire-size-comparison/

I thought, after some reading, : "A 3% difference in diameter isn't much at all. I am sure that there is plenty of play in the tolerances of the different parts, the gear shifting, tire inflation, etc."

After unmounting the old tires and mounting the new ones, I installed the wheels on the front. I am aware that new tires should be mounted on the back of the vehicle, as the the deeper tread improves resistance to hydroplaning and overall stability, however I wanted to be assured that I properly balanced the wheels. A shimmy, or vibration in the steering wheel would be felt if the balancing be off.
Within a minute of driving off with the new tires, the increased size was felt. The gear shifting was harsh, especially between 2nd and 3rd. I drove a little bit more with the new tires in the front, wondering if the transmission's computer would measure changes in pressure when shifting, but I could not feel that the shifting had improved.

I moved the back summer tires back to the front with the correct size, 185/65R14. Since the shifting has gone back to normal. The staggered tires look a little funny, but I spend most of my time in the car when I driving. Actually, when I am driving I spend all my time in the car, so I couldn't care less what it looks like...

Saving $26 with an end result of damaging my automatic transmission would be just plain stupid.  Were I driving a vehicle with manual transmission, I would have been able to compensate with the RPM at which I shift, and not have any problems.

UPDATE 20/8/2015 : Everything is still fine with the tires on the back. As I went to a wrecking yard to pick up a replacement for my rear view mirror which broke on a cold morning, I was somewhat worried to see so many Ford Focus sitting in that lot. Some had a lot of damage, others, I guess it could be the cylinder head. Nevertheless, I hope to never buy new tires again : tires with very little wear with excellent newish steel wheels for $27 a piece. Quite a deal...

Job search experiments

I cannot be bothered to lie on my resume. The document is not legally binding. I would not expect any amnesty from an employer if I were to be found out making false claims.

After these longs months of unemployment, or underemployment, I am considering a couple things to improve my chances of landing a job :

• A white name
• Limiting my experience and education to only a few years back - making it seem like I am fresh out of school
• Numerical figures to job experience 
• A constant work history (many consecutive years of work experience in a given field)

Below are some links that I have found about job search experiments. Should I try some out for myself? How productive will it be? 

Get A Job: The Craigslist Experiment
Are Fake Resumes Ethical for Academic Research?


Man Takes Fake "White" Name To Test Job Discrimination


Fake CVs reveal discrimination against Muslims in French job market


Companies won’t even look at resumes of the long-term unemployed

Racial Bias in Hiring Are Emily and Brendan More Employable than Lakisha and Jamal?


This woman got a lot of job offers when she pretended to be white


The Terrifying Reality of Long-Term Unemployment

It's an awful catch-22: employers won't hire you if you've been out of work for more than six months

Windows 10 is a Keeper

For the past week, I have been using Windows 10. It is an upgrade from Windows 8.1 to the Insider Preview 10240. Using the latest build, with less than 30 days before the official launch, I must say that I am impressed with the new operating system. So far, there have been no crashes nor any big surprises.

Interface

While I was not one who was bothered with the Metro tile based interface, that is a start screen with icons or tiles, the return to a start menu with the tiles is tidier. It pops up with the Windows Key and you can type away to start the application that you need. As in Firefox, where you can enable 'Search for text when I start typing', Windows 10 is very friendly to minimize moving your hands from the keyboard to the touchpad or mouse. Not shown in the screen shot below, when you hit the start menu, the Settings and Power icons are immediately show. That again, isn't very different from the Windows 7 Start menu experience. 

Desktop icons are clutter to me. The idea of double clicking is irks me, however there aren't too many alternatives. The start menu is quite good about minimizing clicks. That may be designed to accommodate touch screen users.

The built in applications are orderly, but I still have a preference for Thunderbird over the Mail application. It could be that I like the simple grey bars and configuration menus, but the ongoing efforts to simplify interfaces does justify the changes. I don't understand why settings gear icon is on the lower left,  but the settings menu appears in a column on the right. 

I usually would look at my watch to know the date, but the time/date in the taskbar is nice when it opens to the calendar. It is just short from being perfect: a right click could trigger the calendar application to set appointments or other.

Performance

There isn't much to say here. I found Windows 8 to be a very snappy and lightweight operating system : boot time is a few seconds on a standard hard drive and switching applications was always very fluid. I could present a number of graphs showing a few percentage changes data exchange rates, graphic processing or other benchmarks, but to the common user, that information is not relevant. Some benchmarks are interesting if you are processing certain types on data, however one would be best to look at specific benchmarks for the applications or software packages that you are using.

Application switching is particularly crisp

The Internet Explorer browser replacement named 'Edge' is fast for the few times that was curious to check it out. I honestly cannot say much about the new browser as I went back to my routine, using my computer as I always have  : Firefox, OpenOffice Writer, Calc, Notepad++, etc.

The applications, or that is those which are downloaded or managed from the Windows Store, are now shown in windows. Somewhat of a revolutionary idea isn't it?  The whole idea of tablets, never really made any sense to me. While it good to have a single application on screen, computer users do not work that way.

If you play games, or just want to record your screenshots, there is a built in digital video recording application in the XBox package. Here are some instructions on how to perform a video screen capture.

Settings and Maintenance 

The Control Panel is still like its Windows 7 model, but you may not need to go there. The settings page is text based, making clearer to find what you are looking for.

Updates

There will be updates as the operating system continues to evolve with new software and hardware requirements. Some updates are for security purposes. Fortunately, Microsoft got it right this time and there is no insistence that the computer be rebooted immediately.

 

Conclusion

Windows 10 isn't significantly different from Windows 7 or 8, however it is fresh, easy to navigate and snappy. As a matter of fact, using computers since the early days of Windows 3.1 hasn't changed that much either : browser, spreadsheet, word processor, database, graphic design, drafting etc. The latest operating system refresh from Microsoft is well appreciated. What I like most is the fact that a flat design was maintained for icons and the use of simple text and fonts for system settings and navigation.

Sustainable Design - What a Samsung Colour Printer Taught Me Through Bad Examples

A few months back, I picked up a used Samsung CLP-320W  network printer. It has a Wi-Fi connection, prints excellent black and white, as well as colour prints. However, there are some design choices that remind me how designs could be far more sustainable.

Toner : The toner cartridges are meant to be taken out and replaced. There are chips on the cartridges that record the number of pages used and thus limits the use of the cartridge. Simply removing the cap and refilling with toner is impossible with the printer's software.

Solution : 

• Do not limit the use of the cartridges artificially. Allow consumers to decided if they wish to dispose of the cartridges. 
• Rather than a plastic cap that must be pulled out with a pair of pliers, often with much difficulty which destroys the cap, provide a screw plug.

Wiper or Doctor blade : The blade ensures that only a small amount of toner is swept from the reservoir onto a roller which is then deposited onto the page before passing on the drum and then through the fuser. In my case, the blade seemed to have been slightly bent. I tried straightening it, given it was made of stainless steel, but had no luck, just making it worse. It caused all my prints to have a vertical streak. When I looked inside my printer, I noticed that the the magenta and cyan cartridges had a mass of toner on them which had fallen from the yellow cartridge.

Solution :

• Replacing the wiper blade was not cost effective, nor widely available. I considered just getting a new set of cartridge - barely a sustainable solution. 
• Increase the number of fastening points to ensure equal distribution of the wiper blade. A standard wiper blade, e.g. for all A4 /  Letter size printers, would make the industry far less wasteful.

Note : I made an earlier post on my muddled efforts in resetting the Samsung CLP-310 page count. I eventually moved, and left that printer with a colleague from work. She indirectly reminded me once again, that people don't appreciate something unless they pay for it, or build it themselves : she complained about the pale printing after I had just refilled the toner cartridges. Issues about that printer didn't take more than a few lines in an e-mail, but I doubt she even tried to shake the cartridges even out the toner levels.

Links:

Right to Repair
Toner Reset

Stop wasting job seekers' time - Obligation to communicate that a position's compensation is commission based

Twice in the last week, I have been called in for an interview. Both interviews were a total waste of my time.

The first recruiter contacted me by e-mail describing the position in portfolio management. Once I met the recruiter in person, I learnt it was a sales "opportunity" where the compensation is commission based.

The second experience wasn't very different, however the company communicated that the position would be in a call centre for customer service. When I got there, it was something quite different : sales. Again, the compensation is commission based.

These recruiters wasted my time and money. Putting on a shirt and tie doesn't bother me in the least, however I was nonetheless upset that I had to pay for the bus fare to and back.

I am not sure what are the labour laws, but there should be some rules and regulations to prevent misleading recruiting practices.

If companies and agencies would like to avoid receiving resumes with falsified degrees, credentials etc., a database which links employers, educational institutions and others would make the recruiting and job search activities far more efficient.



Links:

http://www.asktheheadhunter.com/newsletter/OE20050823.htm

7 Habits of Highly Effective Sales Recruiters

Job Scam - Employment scam through Monster - privacy

Here is a letter that I received from a recruiter.

Good morning

We are sending you this email because we reviewed the résumé you sent posted on Monster.    We have commercial sales openings at our City location, which seems like a good fit with your skill set. There is training provided, we are also looking at fast tracking individuals into Leadership roles. My Manager would like to schedule a time to  meet with you in his office for an interview this Wednesday to discuss the position details.

Please let me know what time:

Weekday, Month 34^th  : 8:00AM or  3:30PM

will work for you. I am available until 4 pm today, please try and get back to me before then. I will send over the full address and directions upon your reply.

-It should also be noted that a successful applicant would need to be available to start work within 1-2 weeks.

All the best,

Joe Slick Sleaze

Centralized Recruiting

Recruiting Specialist

I believe it is a scam :

• Commission only
• No phone or computer provided
• No compensation for fuel costs

 Other recruitment e-mail:

 

Hi Witdim, 

Thank you for applying( WAIT! I never applied !?!?!) to our full-time opening that we have available with Telecom Canaduh! We came across your resume and felt you may be a great fit for the Customer Service/ Sales role. We have taken your previous skills and experience into consideration and we're interested in learning how you may be an asset to the companies long term goals and expansion plans.  

This is an immediate entry level opportunity with the potential of developing into a management role. The selected candidate must be available Monday – Friday from the hours of 7:00 am to 8:30 pm.

We will be conducting interviews with qualified candidates at our new downtown location. We would like to invite you in to discuss the opportunity in more detail with one of our hiring managers on April 19th, 2015 at 9:20 am or at 10:00 am. 

Please confirm which time works best for your schedule. If these times do not work for you let us know how we can accommodate you better. 

We're looking forward to hearing from you soon!

 

Regards,

Game Testers : bugs/design flaws to pick up - Dragon Age Inquisition

For the most part, I play video games for the stories. In particular to BioWare titles, there is a lot more than the storyline. I enjoy the dialogues, relationships, humour, artwork, social commentary or the reflections upon society's challenges regarding politics, sexism, sexuality, treatment of minorities, fear of death, etc. However, it doesn't mean that details, which make the difference between a good and a poor product, can be ignored.

Here are some of the obvious flaws with Dragon Age Inquisition that the developer should have corrected before launch:

Dialogues

1. After an intimate or antagonistic conversation, the inquisitor and the party member do not change tone or script to say "Speak with you later". There are no grudges, threats to leave, repeated romantic encounters, ( it was good last time, let's try again...) etc.
2. Matching characters in the party with diametrically opposing views doesn't initiate the banter. Having party members fight, with respective cut scenes, would be nice. Why not even have party members telling you that they would like work with another companion?
3. Environments or battles with party members who have a history or link with the enemy should trigger more dialogue. 
4. Newly acquired weapons, armor or accessories, could prompt character to say,"That would suit me really well" old inventory suggestions such as "I am using something much better, let's scrap this" etc. 
5. Intimate relationships between NPC characters or companions. They are human/elf/dwarf/Qunari after all. 
6. My party sometimes consisted of no humans, or males, whatsoever. No talk about the particular nature of the group. 

Race
What I found interesting with the first Dragon Age was the Chantry. The institution presented an alternative to the male dominated religious institutions that we know today. In DA:I, there was a strange twist that is a clear projection of our world : a female religious leader of African origin.
Oddly enough, there were few Black, Asian, Polynesian, Maya, Inca, Aztech or Middle-Eastern looking characters in the elves, dwarfs or humans. I know it isn't any more difficult to make such models. Perhaps it is just easier to make them

Game play

1. The Jump/Take/Climb/Talk button. The main button is right there, placed for the right thumb to hit whenever convenient, however it has been rather frustrating. A conversation starts with the Inquisitor not even facing the NPC; the Inquisitor in the middle of a jump facing the NPC - almost like a marionette. In combat, the main "A" button has been even more frustrating, when I find myself looting a corpse rather than jumping out of the way of an attacking the enemy. 

Graphics and animation

1. Interference - when building models, padding can be added to prevent other objects to intercept or cut through. When visiting the Winter Palace, I was upset to see the lovely hands cut through the wonderful dresses of the ball's guests. 
   
2. Hair. Need I say more? ( Lara Croft from Tomb Raider 2013 vs DA:I - something somewhere went terribly wrong.)

AMD Mantle, although being replaced with DirectX 12, makes a huge difference my gaming performance in Dragon Age Inquisiton

I thought my system was good enough. In reality it was, but I wanted the graphics to be that much clearer. This article on Cinemablend prompted me to upgrade my video card. Okay, upgrade from using the 7660D iGPU to a discrete R9 290X.

Using the in-game benchmark, I found the following difference in performance between Mantle and DirectX 11. All the settings were "Ultra" with the exception of Tessellation and Post Processing which were set to "High". Please note that I did not average the lowest number of frames per second. The lowest number shows the worst case scenario for system performance.

Mantle
Test	1	2	3	Average
Minimum	51.3	43.2	47.4
Average	56.1	55.2	55.4	55.6
DirectX 11
Test	1	2	3	Average
Minimum	14.2	14.7	17.4
Average	38.4	38	35.9	37.4

I am under the impression that I have little to gain in getting a new motherboard and CPU. A few FPS would just be bragging rights when the game is already very playable. This example of frequency scaling suggest that I could further overclock my system, however, I want to avoid stressing my 500W power supply. I am probably already drawing close to 400W !

Looking at the modest improvements that I would have using a Intel i7-4770k, make me think I made a good decision with my 120$ APU back in 2012. In the end, I can attest that Mantle does make a CPU last a lot longer with one of the most demanding titles around.

System Components:

Windows 8.1

A10-5800k@4.6GHz (AMD) CPU

R9-290X (Powercolor) GPU

8GB DDR3 2133 (G.Skill) RAM

5900RPM 1.5TB (Western Digital) HDD


1920x1080  60Hz (LG) Monitor

Black box around image and blurry text on HDMI - Fix

I am not sure why, but there is a default setting when I connect my PC to and HDMI TV or monitor. I would get something like this :

It was somewhat frustrating not knowing why my new screen doesn't look as amazing as I would like it to. Actually, I just wanted text to look crisp on a big screen.

Going into the settings panel, I found this :
AMD Catalyst Control Center -> My Digital Flat-Panels-> Scaling Options:

The correction is setting the underscan to 0%. Move the slider all the way to the right to the 0%.

( I don't know why it is labeled "Overscan". )

Raptr - Replay and Record Disabled - fix to re-enable recording/DVR features

I had been using Raptr for some time. After one update, the recording features were lost. I was wondering if there was something up with only enabling on video cards which are on the highest tier to prevent losses of performance. Doing so would make Raptr appear to have less an impact on the performance of your PC.

It was not the case. A bug in the update caused the previous settings of Raptr to misread the configuration file.

Solution #1 : Correct the configuration file "raptr.cfg" - It is found in %appdata%\Raptr
Change the line
'gamedvr_use_software_encoder = false'
to
'gamedvr_use_software_encoder = true'

Solution #2 : Delete the configuration file "raptr.cfg" -  It is found in %appdata%\Raptr
You will have to log in again to restore your account settings.

Enjoy:

Higher octane fuel (91, 92) caused my engine to hesitate and have poor fuel economy

For some time, I have had a P0460 Check Engine light on my dash. It was first noted that it took a few seconds for my telemetry to register the engine temperature as well as the fuel level.
The P0460 code referred to the Fuel Level Sensor. Based on some research from online forums, it was due to the pump level sensor sticking, so I tried a number of different fuel injection cleaners and lastly this 91 octane fuel.

My engine was designed to operate with 87 octane fuel. Using a higher octane fuel had the following consequences :

• Hesitation in cold weather - this was not only worrying for the state of the engine but also the transmission, At higher RPM, there would be an occasional hesitation. If the automatic transmission is changing gears and there is a hesitation, it may have damaged the transmission. 
• Poor fuel economy - this was evident seeing the amount of fuel consumed for the few kilometers that I had driven - I only got about 10km/L where as I usually would get between 13 and 16km/L
• Contamination of my catalytic converter - Higher octane means reduced knocking for engines running at higher pressures and temperatures. The result in an engine designed to operate at 87octane means unburnt fuel being sent through the manifold and contaminating the catalytic converter. This also means the exhaust contained volatile organic compounds being sent into the atmosphere.

Bottom line : higher octane fuel did not resolve my check engine light code P0460 fuel level circuit. The higher octane fuel made my vehicle run poorly.

New iPhone exactly the same as the previous version but has different specs

An orderly queue of Apple fans are outside the store eagerly waiting to get their hands on the new iPhone. While all of them are aware that the new phone is pretty much the same as the older incarnation, there is something to brag about : I frivolously spent hundreds of dollars on a piece of technology - one for which you were not daring enough to consider putting yourself in debt.

I am applying for jobs - a quick blurb - an outlet for my frustration

I am nothing short of being completely discouraged. I have a sense of nausea thinking about networking, on or offline, and having to search for work once again. More than 6 months after having applied to "desperate for staff" government agencies, which were considered pretty good bets, tell me that they have fallen through.

As I look at my resume, I try to think what is it that I want to do? Is there something that I am able of doing? Realistically, there isn't anything that anyone can't do. I know I have no interest in finance, marketing or the design or development of consumer junk goods. Would I be good in the health field? I don't know as I would be uncomfortable with the fact that I may tend to judge people. Work in a day care? Well no, but I could learn how to.

Another thing that I am considering is not whether or not someone would be willing to hire me.

Self-criticism is necessary here. As I look through my blog posts, I acknowledge that there are grammatical errors, incomplete sequences of ideas, and even an exposure of my interests which might fail to interest a prospective employer. Then again, this blog is semi-anonymous.

I am going for a walk. 

Job hunting just doesn't make sense

We live in a world where evidence based science has improved our housing, transportation, communications, medical practices, etc.
However, looking for work has nothing with science or methodology. Although there are thousands of books and articles on the internet on the creation of the perfect resume, job search strategy, personal profile etc, they always reflect the trends of the times and are subjective pieces of advice.

The use of sites like Linked In does add a certain degree of standardization.  An prospective employee can be checked for references, work experience etc. There is no reason to assume that everybody will get on the social networking bandwagon. Who wants to spend time online more than they have to?

How true is it that the job seekers qualifications fail to meet the requirement of the market? Has there been any studies of what information educational institutions share with government and industry? Would a centralized database to match job seekers and employers be of any use? Would people be willing to give up some of their privacy to improve their chances of gaining employment?
What have journalists found when a name is changed from an African, Middle Eastern, South, or East Asian, to a "Western European" name?

A job - looking for that thing at which I don't suck

I am still at it. Looking for work. There is no time in the past 10 years that I can remember where more than a month has passed by without having thought about my search for employment.

While I do have a lot of education and varied work experience, I have yet to find something that is reasonably satisfying. Either, I could not be inspired enough to seek new challenges within the field, or that the amount of effort I put in relative to others for a quality of work which was significantly inferior, told me that I should consider something else. Hard work is very important, but I recognize there is a point of diminishing returns, or the fallacy of sunk cost, which means a new path must be taken.

This may be a chicken and the egg problem. I have been single about my whole life. The time that I wasn't did not forecast me being in a couple for much longer. Doing things alone makes it more difficult for me to plan, dream or even dedicate myself to a given objective.

Should my life be easier because I am not motivated by money?

Being unemployed for some time now, I have volunteered at different locations in order to be part of the community as well as improve my chances of networking to find employment. Discussing my experiences and objectives, one person told me that I am lucky by the fact that I am not motivated by money. Although I am well aware of the freedom that money can bring in certain circumstances, there is a trade-off when money and resources are plentiful : stifled creativity and innovation. I have no plans to own a sailboat, a house on the seaside or even a nice car. In fact, ownership is a fleeting experience. That latter statement is contradictory : the only things we can own, that is that no one can take away from us are experiences.

Ironically, since I have been unemployed, my spending has gone out of control. While the use of old or discarded objects will be used for repairs or new construction, I am also acquiring new tools to keep myself busy. There is some enthusiasm with regard to appreciating the tools, as I like the experience of using a tool, modifying it (ie. add a hour counter on my compressor, changing the wiring for a bench grinder).
Unfortunately, there is a solitary aspect to my learning how to use different tools or construction projects. To make things worthwhile, a sharing of the knowledge and experience would make it all more sensible.

Dragon Age Inquisition - DirectX function GetDeviceRemovedReason failed with dxgi_error_device_hung

If you are experiencing random crashed in Dragon Age Inquisition, please try the following. They have worked for me :

1. Disable 'Origin in game'
2. Close background programs.
3. Graphic settings :
• Reduce Texture Quality - this frees VRAM
• Tessellation  : Disabled
• Ambient Occlusion : Disabled
• MSAA : Disabled

Avoid

• Switching applications to the desktop
• Opening new applications which may make specific hardware instructions that could cause conflicts. When using Firefox or OpenOffice, I had some strange window behaviour such as a title bar with a blank window, artifacts in Inquisition and of course this crash. 

Links (updated 07-MAR-2015)

http://www.princessstabbity.com/dragon-age-inquisition-bugs-issues

Really, can computers do anything at all?

Going online to get the news is a different experience from picking up a newspaper, turning on the radio or the television, or heading out the local bar(or church) to take part in the gossip. Yet, computers permeate our lives in so many ways without doing much or anything at all. I would not discredit the conveniences achieved with energy generation, automation of flights, telecommunications, and certainly the Google self-driven vehicle, etc. however, it is difficult to pin point what computers can do.

A computer cannot repair the handle on my cooking pot, prepare a meal, make my bed, do my laundry, rake the leaves etc. It could be argued that computers are just tools to assist in the completion of the tasks above, making them more efficient, or less labour intensive.
While I could praise the work of coders who made the Auto Awesome, it still comes down to people having made a piece of software for a function that would have been done by hand. As I try to think of what app could be of any use to me, it comes to no surprise that just about all the apps that I have installed on my phone are web site equivalents.

ZeroWater Filter - not as illustrated - no validated claims

Yesterday, I was curious to see what was inside my ZeroWater filter cartridge. ZeroWater claims to have a 5 step filtration system. There has been some debate online, so I decided to investigate for myself.
Here is the illustration on the ZeroWater website:

 The table below illustrates what I found inside. 

Zero Water Claim	What's inside
001 Activated carbon infused micro cloth	At the very top of the filter there is a fine plastic cloth(Right - broken pieces of the grill are in bottom of the picture). It can stop large sediments, but if it is carbon infused, it will become saturated from the first use. An adhesive is used to glue the mesh grill to the cartridge wall. What kind of glue is it? Is it safe?
002 Multi-layer system using carbon and oxidation reduction alloy	There are no metals in the filter thus there is no alloy to be found. What is "Oxidation reduction" ? There is a piece of black foam often found in air or water filtration systems to remove large particles. While there is no information from the manufacturer, it appears that the foam is to prevent the charcoal and silica gel (described below) from coming to the surface of the filter. This type of material is found in a shop vac when using it for picking up water. It may be used in the water filter for assembly  purposes.
003 Distributor that maximizes contact time	A round plastic disc with 4 large holes (centre). It cannot do that much to distribute the flow of water down the filter.
004 Comprehensive ION EXCHANGE array	Under the black foam, the distributor tops the mass of small particles. I dumped the contents of the filter in a bag. They seemed oddly familiar. Upon drying on my wood stove, it was clear that the clear beads are silica gel. This is the only section of the filter that may actually do something to filter the water. There is a layer of activated charcoal and then a large amount of silica gel. As seen in the photos, the reddish or orange colour may be from the iron in the water, or a dye added to the silica gel to indicate it has adsorbed water and must be replaced. In any case, "ION EXCHANGE" is not scientific and  marketing language.
005 Activated membrane to remove fine particles	Below the silica gel, here is a fine mesh with a grill. A plastic filter. At the very bottom of the filter there is a synthetic non-woven fabric, like those found in packaging or the liner of running shoes. It would make as much sense putting this fine particle filter at the top of the cartridge as well. The logic of having the filter at bottom to prevent the silica gel or charcoal from plugging the outlet at the very bottom.

"NSF Independently Certified to Reduce Lead and Chromium". I searched the NSF database and found the listing about ZeroWater. Reduction can also occur from pouring water through a coffee filter or an unglazed ceramic pot.

Is it worth your money? If you feel that your water tastes better, maybe. Will it make your water safer? No. There are no studies that demonstrate the claims of the manufacturer. A regular filter which costs less than a dollar a piece will most likely have the same effect to remove the taste of chlorine or sulfur. Crushing a block of charcoal and putting it in a non woven pouch in the filter would be just as effective. One thing must be considered when going for a water filtration system: thousands of cups of super filtered water won't make much difference to your health when you may be breathing the exhaust of a gasoline powered lawn mower, the dyes for clothing or hair or sitting in your vehicle in heavy traffic.

(Note : Why did I put this on my blog? I was inspired by Stephen Lower on his article about alkaline water. It frustrates me that people are spending their hard earned money on pseudo-scientific claims. Regulations must be in place and enforced to prevent the wasteful practices of a wide array of designers and marketing firms.)

2015 en route - Lessons learned

Great! A new year, and at this time, like at any other, it is necessary to reflect on past experiences. I hate reading lists of rules or advice for life, but here are my most recent bits of wisdom :

1. Be positive. First impressions are important.
2. Smaller expectations lead to less disappointment should things not turn out as planned. 
3. Ambition is not for me. At the time being, I am as ambitious as a porcupine.
4. Never offer unsolicited assistance.
5. Never provide unsolicited criticism for others about something that doesn't affect you or others. Unless of course, the actions are causing harm. Tact and diplomacy are necessary.
6. Never respond or react to personal attacks or criticism. It can be an entertaining challenge to respond with snarky comments, however restraint is more important. An assessment of the power dynamic may mean curling up in a little ball in the corner. Staying out of harm's way is part of life.
7. Never go on the defensive. If a fault of your own doing is indeed the case, fessing up is acceptable. There is no need to cry and make a dramatic apology. Detailing the reasons why a given action was taken allows for yourself and others to learn from the mistake. 
8. Don't apologize if you don't mean it. Apologies used to be polite are often insincere.
9. Being human means being expendable. Giving your heart to somebody may feel like the right thing at the time, but I have learnt that I should be prepared to be hurt. 
10. Screaming is never appropriate. Feeling upset, getting angry, or mad, is fine. An expressions in a controlled and calm fashion is better. Loud sounds, making oneself appear bigger is part of our evolution to improve our chances of survival. In western culture, like most societies, a public display of anger is a sign of a lack of restraint. 
11. Holding a grudge just makes things worse. 
12. Live and let live. Looking down at people is a way to miss out on the world. There is only one true democracy that no one escapes.