The difference between negativity and telling the truth

A couple of years ago the IT department where I work was given a software package and told to make it work. The software was garbage. During training at the company's own facilities it would crash with only a couple of people using it. It didn't do what the salespeople said and it couldn't be made to do what the salespeople said.

So the software was garbage and I said so, several times. I was told I was being negative and was taken to task by several managers. Much to my relief I was kicked off the project. After several million dollars were spent the software was quietly canned because it couldn't be made to work.

Many of the classic management books say you must have a positive attitude and instill in your people a positive attitude. I have no real problem with this statement but some managers feel that a positive attitude is more important than recognizing reality and this I have a problem with. A positive attitude will not make garbage software better. A positive attitude will not stop a train wreck.

Keeping a positive attitude does not mean you have to ignore reality. People who say negative things may not have a negative attitude, they might just be aware that the reality of the situation is negative and are willing to point it out. Punishing people who point out reality is counterproductive. You need people who are willing to speak out and not meekly follow the crowd over the cliff.

My points here are:

• There is a difference between being negative and telling the truth.
• A positive attitude will not fix a problem.
• A negative attitude will not fix a problem.
• Recognizing reality and that a problem exists is the first step to fixing a problem.
• Punishing people who try to get you to recognize a problem is counter productive.

Running too close to the edge

I keep a large cash buffer in my bank account for emergencies. It is a practice I recommend to everyone. Having a buffer means you won't have to panic when your car breaks down or several large bills come due at once. Of course you need the income and discipline to create the buffer and maintain it, but once you have it it makes life much better.

I see lots of people living too close to the edge of their income. They don't have a buffer and one setback causes them to depend on credit cards or pay late fees which then leads into a downward spiral of more late fees. Living too close to the edge is a bad thing.

It is bad when an individual runs too close to the edge but when a group of people do it in the problem is much worse. In the last few years I have seen state and city governments, businesses, and several types co-operatives spend money without proper consideration for an unusual event. A larger than normal snowfall has caused several groups to spend more money on snow removal than they had budgeted. This level of snowfall isn't unheard of it just hasn't happened recently, and because it hasn't happened recently many groups didn't budget accordingly and will how be short on cash. The floods that will come in the spring will show other groups that have skimped on water pumps and flood prevention, dam repairs and insurance.

When a group runs out of cash because they chose to run too close to the edge the members of the group pay for it but usually the general public pays for it too. The insurance payouts after a flood cause everyones insurance costs to go up, not just those that should have maintained the dam better. The financial bailouts and no-interest loans needed to prop up businesses end up costing the general public because the money has to come from somewhere and it usually means other programs must be cut back.

If I had my way groups would be required to plan for the unusual events that don't happen often but are proven to happen. The leaders of groups that failed to plan would be held criminally accountable for failing to protect the public. But of course I won't get my way, so those that skimp by hoping for the best and demanding rescue when the best doesn't happen will continue to do as they have.

Obama on same sex marriage

The White House announced today that they won't back the Federal ban on same sex marriages any more. I have always found it ironic that a man who was produced by a mixed race marriage, something that was once outlawed for the same arguments given to outlaw same sex marriages, was against same sex marriages. Now apparently he agrees that the ban is an illegal discrimination against marriages legally recognized in various states.

My opinion of course is that all of this arguing is silliness. Discrimination based on race is illegal, we established that a long time ago. Discrimination based on sexual orientation is illegal in most circumstances, why not marriage? I haven't heard one valid argument against same sex marriage yet, just screams that the world will end. It has been fairly well proven that recognizing the existence of gays and lesbians won't cause people to suddenly switch their sexual orientation (and by fairly well proven I mean blatantly obvious).

Silliness. Our government wastes its time arguing silly things while the economy goes down the tubes. Fix the economy then worry about the color of the wallpaper.

An open door is an invitation

I have been awake for about 40 hours now and still can't sleep. I am really bad at this sleep thing.

Some time ago I watched a TV show where one of the characters shouted "An open door is an invitation" just before she did something that may or may not have been stupid. I have wondered about that line ever since. In some ways it would be nice to be that optimistic. In other ways that would be a really stupid and annoying way to live.

Simple phrases like this (aphorisms, yes I know big words even though I don't use them) sound so simple and obvious, yet when you get below the surface they aren't true at all or at least aren't true in all circumstances. When I was young I found these impressive, but as I learned more about life and looked deeper into these sayings I learned to distrust them. Simple, obvious truths that aren't true are logical traps that should be avoided.

Still, is it better in general to consider an open door an invitation to enter? Your life would probably be happier until you got shot by somebody mistaking you for a thief. Getting shot does tend to ruin your day if not your life however so it probably doesn't quite balance out.

Overall, while the phrase still fascinates me I don't believe it is a good way to live. I may have missed out on some opportunities but I haven't been shot yet. Well, lately anyway.

David Weber used to write good books

David Weber used to write good books. The "Prince Roger" series was very good. It had lots of detail about the environment and the challenges the people faced. The "Honor Harrington" series however are just long. Vast amount of page space is spent discussing things that have already been discussed, often several times. We hear about a space battle first hand, from each of the major participants, several after battle rehashes as the battle is discussed by people who weren't there, and then several more times just to be sure. It is clear that the author is getting paid by the word and has absolutely nothing to say. This is unfortunate because he used to be a good author.

Companies with money problems

In the early part of my career I worked for small software development companies. These companies often had money problems. Several of the companies tried (unsuccessfully) to hide their money problems so the employees wouldn't get jobs elsewhere. It didn't work, IT people are quite bright and the warning signs were obvious. People resented being lied to left or stayed, depending on their whims. Almost all of these companies ultimately failed, only one survived.

One of the companies was very open about the money problems. They even went so far as providing the employees with their balance sheets each month so we could see how the company was doing. Nobody left and the company made it through that crisis. They failed later, but not for the same reasons.

It may just have been a coincidence that the company that was open about the problem survived while the majority of the others failed. But I certainly respected the management of the company that was open more the others and they retained their staff while the other companies lost the brightest of theirs. I think the main reason the company retained their staff was due to their openness.

On a related note, the companies that were trying to hide their money problems each switched from annual bonuses to profit sharing as soon as they knew their was a problem. Each announced the switch to profit sharing as being a great benefit to the employee while secretly knowing that their would be no profits to share. As a result of this any time a company I work for switches from annual bonuses to profit sharing I get an itch to move on. It doesn't always mean the company has money problems but for me it is a huge indicator.

To sum this all up - If you run a company and are having money problems tell your employees the truth. They will know the truth anyway and will resent your lying to them. Have some integrity and don't try tricks like switching to profit sharing so you can cheat your people out of the annual bonuses. Try the truth, you might be surprised.

Stupid insomnia

Another sleepless night. This post will be another bunch of miscellaneous thoughts. Sorry, but all I can do at 1AM.

Prostitution - I am not a big fan of prostitution. I have never used the service and really hate the economic realities that cause some people to go into this. On the other hand there are some people that get into it and see no problem with it. They like the money and don't mind the work. I think it is time we legalize this, although I am still not a fan.

Ignorance - I read a recent article that said many adults (including a number of seniors) don't know much about sex. I find this astounding since there are tons of books about the subject and the internet is full of information both good and bad. Given the availability of information I don't understand how people can remain ignorant on a subject they are interested in. But I have always been a reader and have learned how to find the information I wanted even before the internet. Maybe it is something these people never learned, maybe it is a mindset. It still amazes me though.

Communication - I have read a number of articles about how couples don't communicate well. We really need to educate people better. Communication is a basic part of any relationship. These people need to learn how to talk to each other. There should be no taboo subjects in a relationship.

Reading - I read a lot. On Sunday I finally started reading some of the H.P. Lovecraft horror stories. I am not a horror story reader but I have found so many references to Lovecraft's work in science fiction and other books that I felt I had to read it. So I bought a collection of the stories for the kindle and have started reading. The stories are well written and interesting. I am now starting to understand the references I have seen over the years.

Work - I feel I have hit a plateau at work. My skill level is beyond what is generally needed at the company and the work isn't challenging. Unfortunately moving elsewhere isn't easy right now and probably wouldn't make much difference anyway. There just isn't much call for advanced database design in an ordinary business and businesses like Google's massive search database is way beyond my skill (and interest).

Enough for now. Time to try sleeping again.

Miscellaneous thoughts

I am feeling better today. I don't have anything profound to say but will post some miscellaneous thoughts.

I am rereading a story where many of the characters believe in absolute knowledge. They are so certain that what they know is the only way things could be that they are doomed when they can't adapt. I have never understood how people can become convinced that what they know is all there is too know but I have met such people in the past. A very odd thing.

I was reading a (probably fictional) account of an American woman first learning that Canadian women have equal rights with men in that they are allowed to go topless. I have never understood how the laws discriminating against women in this respect have lasted this long in the US.

This years winter has been bad for areas as far south as Texas. We really should do something about winter. Maybe we should outlaw it.

Speaking of outlawing things how is that war on drugs coming? I hear you have to go two whole blocks to be able to buy drugs now. Or you could go to almost any store and buy alcohol, which is a legal drug. Another oddity I don't understand. Surely the government learned something from prohibition. You can outlaw things all you want but if people want something they will find a way to get it.

Enough for now. Maybe I will have a coherent post later.

I have been ill

I should post more but I haven't been feeling well the last few weeks. There are plenty of viruses around work. I am not sure if it has been one of those or complications of my regular health issues.

Today I felt great, the first time in weeks. This afternoon about 2:00 I started to get nauseous. I don't know if it is a virus or food poisoning. Five hours later it hasn't gotten better so I doubt if it is food poisoning. Due to my peculiar illnesses I can't throw up, but today I wish I could.

I am not horribly ill at the moment. Perhaps this will signal the end of the weeks long mild illness I have been feeling. I hope so. I haven't been able to get anything done in weeks. Hopefully soon I will post something reasonable.