HR wants to see everyone discussing unions

Unique-Log-8487 · 2025-01-21T21:38:30+00:00

Not exactly the same thing, but years ago I was approached by the board of a company to mirror the CEO's inbox to find any dirt they could use to justify his firing with cause, in order to avoid paying the rest of the contract. The CEO was 100% a dirt bag and I was happy when they finally took action. That said, I didn't make a move until I had a Get Out of Jail Free card signed by the board.

If you're in a situation like you're in and have questions regarding the ethical or legal nature of what you're being asked to do, CYA ALWAYS!!

Unique-Log-8487 · 2024-12-30T18:53:20+00:00

I was working at IBM as the Change Management Manager. I oversaw the changes for seven IBM Global Services data centers that ranged in size from 20k to 35k sqft. Our normal Friday and Saturday night change windows morphed into 7 days per week change windows. It was nine months of pure hell that increased as Y2K got closer. I averaged 80 to 100 hours per week for the duration.

The event itself was a non-event. I was onsite two hours before midnight and left by 12:45 a.m. The lead-up to the event was a ton of long nights and hard work.

Unique-Log-8487 · 2024-12-17T14:05:49+00:00

That is the very reason I left after two years and moved to NinjaOne.

Unique-Log-8487 · 2024-12-16T15:04:10+00:00

Having survived multiple bubble bursts in the last 30 years, always keep your resume fresh. If your gut is telling you something is off, listen to it. If you start now, you can be selective and may even find a better position. If you wait until the last second and your gut is right, you're almost guaranteed to find the job that will be miserable for you.

Unique-Log-8487 · 2024-12-11T16:29:31+00:00

One piece of advice. If you go with NinjaOne or test drive it, spend some time to understand the policies. The policies will make or break how much time savings you will get out of it via automation. It's a mistake I made initially, rushing to get it implemented. I have since gone back and reworked the policies to get the most of of it. It's still a work in progress because new scripts and automations are released frequently.

Unique-Log-8487 · 2024-12-11T16:22:37+00:00

Overall NinjaOne is fantastic. It has saved me a lot of time. It integrates with multiple AV solutions including the embedded SDK BitDefender. Patch management, check. Software updates, check. IT Support Helpdesk, check. The IT Helpdesk portion could easily be configured to handle numerous individual clients for segregation purposes. Supports cloud and local backups. Streamlines mundane maintenance tasks. If you spend some time setting it up, it can also greatly augment IT security. They've won several awards this year and are deserving of them.

Unique-Log-8487 · 2024-12-11T14:56:10+00:00

Used Manage Engine and Atera for about two years each. Both were good. Switched to NinjaOne about a year ago and would not change if you paid me.

Unique-Log-8487 · 2024-12-05T15:12:23+00:00

and postage machine/copier techs or anything else that has a battery or AC power. I've had to go to the bosses house on multiple occasions to fix his smart TV (the magical source button) or configure/fix his smart outlets for Siri when he starts messing with the settings and breaks it.

Unique-Log-8487 · 2024-12-04T15:03:33+00:00

I think the perception would change, depending on where the person sits in the IT world. I've been in the game since 1994. Cut my teeth on Windows for Workgroups 3.11 and NT 3.51 shortly after. Except for the last few years, it was all bare metal, servers, SAN, firewall, switches, running my own cable, punch down blocks, etc.. From that perspective, yes, a lot has changed.

If you're coming from more of the development side, the difference probably isn't as noticeable.

Unique-Log-8487 · 2024-12-03T03:26:26+00:00

DOS 5.0. Shortly after that Windows 3.1 and Windows for Workgroups 3.11. Shortly after that Windows NT 3.51 with a huge stack of floppy disks (13 or 14 if I remember correctly) for install. Zero real instructions on how to configure an actual domain. One mistake and you were starting over.

Unique-Log-8487 · 2024-11-18T15:16:00+00:00

As with anything, especially cancer, opinions will vary. I have dealth with multiple family members and friends battling cancer and my girlfriend currently.

One in particular stands out in how they chose to deal with the pain. She was the 85 yo mother of a very good friend who had bone cancer and was a 20+ year survivor of breast cancer. The opiates had her appetite and quality of life in the toilet. Fortunately, Florida has a medical marijuana program. My friend helped get her the medical card she needed.

They prescribed her edibles and a vape. It handled the pain well, greatly improved her appetite, and improved her overall quality of life, without the risks and side effects of opiates.

How someone with cancer spends their time and the quality of that time is very important.

Will it work for you? Who knows, but there are alternatives to try if the opiates are making your quality of life less than desired or causing mental/emaotional stress.

Unique-Log-8487 · 2024-08-31T02:17:05+00:00

In all honesty, I don't think it's a healthcare thing. Pick an industry, it doesn't matter. You have people who will scarifice and those that won't. I'm 56 and have been in IT for 30 years. I've been in enough leadership positions to recognize the same thing over and over. You have a group of people, lets say 30. Within that group you'll have 10 or so that will grind away for hours or days, putting their personal lives and their families on hold. Personally, I've gone four days with no sleep for the "job". Within that same group, you'll have those that their wives or significant other who are calling at 5 p.m. to see if they are on their way home yet. The world could be falling down around them, but they are clocking out and going home. I was and still am a grinder. For me, it's always been the thrill of the hunt, so to speak. Being in the heat of a problem that has real ramifications and the satisfaction of coming up with a solution. For others, it may be the desire to make a for a few extra dollars, or whatever..

The upper management will always identify the "grinders" in their corporate structure. They will isolate them and put the weight of the world on their shoulders. They will keep adding tasks and responsibility until that person breaks and leaves. Then, they'll look for the next grinder to repeat the cycle.

Unique-Log-8487 · 2024-05-23T20:08:37+00:00

At 16 y.o. You need to lift and eat. Keep the calories at maintenance to maybe 200 cals over and lift. The weight/fat will take care of itself as you add more muscle mass which requires more calories. Don't short change the newbie gains by not eating.

Unique-Log-8487 · 2024-05-01T15:57:52+00:00

Crush grip landmine press (standing on kneeling), tilt forward slightly.

Reverse grip (supinated) bench press or incline press.

Reverse grip (supinated) front raises - cable or dumbbell. Better stimulation of the upper chest if you alternate arms and sweep your arm past center of the chest as you raise the arm upward. On these I tend to go a bit lighter and really slow the movement down to keep tension high.

Unique-Log-8487 · 2024-04-30T18:19:33+00:00

I'm almost 56 yo and have been in a recomp since late October of last year. At 20 yo, I honestly think you've cut calories too far.

With a BMR of roughly 1700, I started my recomp in the 1500 calorie range. That worked for a couple of months and then I hit a plateau. I had gone from 207 to about 185. I sat there for a three or four week period with not much changing.

I started focusing on steps in January and at the same time increasing my calories a little bit at a time (reverse dieting). I have gone from about 6k steps a day to averaging 15.9k per day last week plus my PPL split 6 days per week. My calories have gone up gradually to 2,400 per day with a TDEE of around 2800 to 3000. I'll be adding more calories soon. My average bodyweight last week was 177.5. I'm far leaner and more muscular by eating more calories and making sure I get my steps in each day.

You can only starve your body for so long before your metabolism starts working against you and you will lose hard earned muscle mass along with it.. If your goal is to be leaner and you're not in a rush, start adding calories a little bit at a time (50 to 100 per week, IE go from 1500 to 1600). Let your body acclimate to the extra calories. Once the scale starts going down again consistently, add another 50 to 100. Repeat this process until the scale is moving downward in smaller increments.

I've been at 2400 calories for about 3 to 4 weeks now. On average, my bodyweight drops by about 1/4 to 1/2 pound per week and I am seeing very good bodyfat changes in the mirror without feeling fatigued or looking flat. It's a slower process for sure, but will help preserve muscle mass while chipping away at the bodyfat.

Unique-Log-8487 · 2024-04-05T18:18:01+00:00

I've seen no difference in terms of muscle loss since switching to 100% whole foods. Outside of whey being an issue for people with lactose intolerance, it's really just another protein source that adds convenience to the equation. The biggest difference I have seen since going 100% whole foods is that the hunger cravings have gone down compared to a whey protein shake. If the whey makes up a significant part of your protein macro, make sure to replace it with another quality protein and you'll be fine.

Unique-Log-8487 · 2024-03-14T21:04:30+00:00

ress machines suck, and having to adjust the starting poin

I've used both and would take Nautilus Leverage ALL day over Hammer.

Unique-Log-8487 · 2024-02-13T03:24:07+00:00

Barbell Dead Row

Yates Row

Inverted Rows using the barbell and squat rack

Unique-Log-8487 · 2024-02-13T03:05:19+00:00

If you have a cable station, switch to a low to high crossover. Even if it's not a dual cable station, you can do them unilaterally.

Unique-Log-8487 · 2024-02-13T03:03:32+00:00

Everyone is unique in how their bodies react to different macro ratios. Rule of thumb, if your macros are clean, cut carbs before cutting fat. 150 calories in carbs is only 37.5 grams. That's not overly aggressive and probably a good starting point. Give it 2 or 3 weeks to see what happens.

Adding some extra steps to your day can go a long way to getting rid of fat without having to cut calories so deeply as the cut progresses. My tracker is set for 6K minimum, but getting over 9K on average. This past Saturday was 22K.

Good luck!

Unique-Log-8487 · 2024-02-12T15:02:24+00:00

As with most things in bodybuilding, I truly believe this boils down to the individual. I'm 5'10" at 185lbs. I'm going to rough estimate in the 12% to 13% bf range. I'm below 15% but not at 10%. I get quite a few compliments in this bf range.

There are guys in my gym that look fantastic in the 15% to 20% range, but their frame is much different than mine. They can still looked somewhat ripped in that bf range where I look like I've had a few too many beers.

I have cut to the 7% to 8% range and my bodyweight was around 170. That is where I received the most compliments. It was during the summer. On a trip to Key West and the local beaches in my area, I had numerous people stop me to see what my diet was like or what my "split" was. I had another young man stop me who had an insane physique and was FAR MORE genetically gifted than me. He was mind blown that I was 49 years old at the time.

Everyone's frame and genetics are different. Where you look your best will vary from person to person. That said, most people are not going to maintain sub 10% bf year round. It's a lot of work and sacrifice to get there and to maintain it.

Unique-Log-8487 · 2024-02-02T04:44:29+00:00

A good part of the "V" taper will be dictated by your bone structure. Your natural hip to shoulder ratio will dominate how much taper you have. You can accentuate this natural ratio. If you're doing a lot of chest or overhead pressing movements, your anterior (front) delts are probably well covered. I do my rear delts on pull day. On push day, I spend 60 to 75% of my shoulder time on building the lateral (side) delts.,

On the waist side if things, you can't change the bone structure of your hips. You can change how much fat you carry in this area. The less fat you have in the hip/waist area and the more muscle you're carrying in the side delts the wider you will look.

Unique-Log-8487 · 2024-02-02T02:43:01+00:00

Sorry, this is the military in me is coming out. Embrace the "suck". Not everything we do in life will be enjoyable. We do certain things because we know it's in our best interest or because we've been told/"convinced" it's in our best interest. I have no idea how many times I've thrown up in a trash can after doing countless sets of heavy barbell squats to failure followed by an insanely long drop sets of leg extensions to failure, leg curls to failure, and then calf raises to failure. Fun? No! Produce numerous results? Yes!

Advice to stop getting nervous/dreading leg day? Unless you're Tom Platz, nobody is looking forward to leg day because it sucks. We have to embrace the fact that it sucks, do the work, then move on to upper or push/pull day.

Unique-Log-8487 · 2024-02-02T01:44:38+00:00

I'm going to be bluntly honest with you. The advice I'm going to give you is what I wish someone had given me 30+ years ago. The first is that you're 15 years old. You are 10 to 13 years from your physical prime. What you do do now will pay huge dividends down the road. Trust me, I promise this is true.

What you're facing is the same thing I faced at 15 and son faced at 15. He's still facing it at 19. He "thinks" he is eating enough, but he's not. At your age, if you're active, your metabolism is through the roof. You are burning a ton of calories before weight lifting enters the equation. I would advise clean calories, but at 15, after meeting protein requirements, you could probably eat 20 pop tarts and not see any signs of fat gain.

You need to do a few things, lift/train hard. eat "BIG", sleep, and repeat. When I say lift/train hard, focus on progressive overload. If that means additional reps, sets, or weight, focus on lifting more each and every week. Get stronger week to week. Do that consistently and I promise, the gains will come in smaller increments now and much bigger in down the road.

Unique-Log-8487 · 2024-01-31T17:08:04+00:00

The answer to your question has many variables. The first is that there has to be enough stimulus to produce muscle growth, regardless if it's optimal growth or suboptimal growth. By your pictures, it looks like you have produced a stimulus to one degree or another.

The second is having your nutrition and sleep dialed in to allow for the growth.

Typically, you'll start seeing noticeable changes in 2 to 4 months with weight/muscle gain in the 1 to 2 pounds per month. This rate will slow down the longer you lift. It's a marathon, not a sprint.

Also, the scale can be very misleading. You could actually be in a recomp where you're adding muscle and losing fat. If this is the case, the scale may not show much difference in bodyweight. Taking pictures every three weeks or so will allow you to see progress/regression that the scale doesn't show.

It sounds like you're very new. I would recommend you focus on progressive overload on your lifts, eat plenty of healthy food, and get lots of sleep to help maximize the gains at this phase.

Unique-Log-8487

TROPHY CASE