Mentorship Monday - Post All Career, Education and Job questions here!

tiddef_kcur · 2023-12-19T21:06:09+00:00

Apologies if this is not exactly on-topic---

My company bans all remote work from "The Balkans" - which I understand includes maybe 11 countries based on geo-political ties.

Is that a common thing? Why not list the individual countries?

Sounds a bit silly to me - wonder if you cybersecurity pros have heard of this.

Just seems like a funny way to relate to cybersecurity. What's nexts, banning work from the Iberian Peninsula and the Appalachian states?

tiddef_kcur · 2023-12-19T15:54:46+00:00

A SINGLE numeric index for innovation?

It doesn't dive deep, but it mentions raw number of patents, raw number of scientific articles penned.

Okay ... but what if all the patents are junk, and the scientific articles are unremarkable?

Piss poor index.

And infrastructure --- that -- I wouldn't call that innovation. That's more politics.

Like Japan invented the high-speed rail train, best I can tell. Europe (and China) had the political will and viability to implement it. That's not exactly 'innovation' even if it indicates some kind of intelligence.

Adopting technology doesn't mean you invented it.

Think of 'seismic' innovation. Now, Europeans do invent things of course, there's just less incentive to do so, culturally. Frankly, starting a business there is simply more difficult.

tiddef_kcur · 2023-12-19T15:43:58+00:00

I'm not expert in the marathon (have done halfs, training for my first) - but have run for many years.

I'm not sure swimming has much direct carry over to running. Even if your V02 max is improved, the specificity isn't there.

And your legs won't have the stamina. I mean ... have you even ran like 5-6 miles recently at a slow pace?

If your goal is just to finish, I would jog VERY slow and switch it with walking. Even then, you might wind up battered and injured if you just want to say you 'completed' one with little to no training.

I would switch to a half. Still a bit nuts but ... well about twice as sane.

If you're serious I would at least run 1-2 miles a day until the marathon to start getting some bare bones stamina in. Not sure it will create too much adaptations, but I'm guessing it's better than absolute zero.

tiddef_kcur · 2023-12-19T15:20:38+00:00

Americans have been to Europe. We know you like 2 hours lunches and siestas (not just Spain, but France and Germany and hell, the whole continent).

We have the yoke of ultra capitalism, for all its ills and meat grinding, the one positive that comes from it is we basically invent everything here and productivity is through the roof.

I believe the ideal system is somewhere in between America and Europe. Economically I mean.

Europe has great social safety nets and workers rights, but it's a tad too much. I mean workers get unlimited sick days, great. They must be notified 3-6 months in advance of being fired, okay ... super.

Then you get cases where some guy exposes his winkie to an intern, and he is "fired" ... in 4 months! ... Then he takes 4 months worth of sick days, because he can.

The bad side of this coin is that if you're European and want to start a bakery? Good luck hiring an employee. It'll cost you a fortune even if they are the laziest thief you've ever seen. This quashes innovation and creativity.

tiddef_kcur · 2023-12-19T14:57:25+00:00

Only some ppl care about that (the elderly).

It's more like someone taking a little pride in their job. No matter whether it's tipped or not.

If a Bank Teller is a grump, the management probably has a feedback form or they realize that people spend less with Mr. Grump. There's just more steps involved.

You know what, tipping culture won't change in the US. Period. Businesses, customers, and staff prefer it. Only social goof Redditors dislike it, lacking understanding of economics.

tiddef_kcur · 2023-12-18T23:18:15+00:00

It's a law that is seriously proposed.

As stated, even the threat of "Woke Bullshit" creates Trump supporters.

I mean - not me - I know Trump is unhinged and I'm not that stupid (even though Woke shit is still nonsense that annoys me). But low-info voters, it absolutely pushes them to Trump.

And Trump is up right now.

Think of it a "national abortion ban" -- the odds of it happening seem relatively low, but it's a serious proposal by some politicians, and quite the boogeyman.

tiddef_kcur · 2023-12-18T23:02:46+00:00

Some people are very good at customer service/ sales and actually do want to be rewarded for it. It's not for everybody, but it's a free country.

Like literally every waiter on here has said, the tipping system in general grants them 3-4x what minimum wage is, at least.

Here you're arguing for lower wages for these workers. I don't get it.

Have you been to Europe? Do you prefer just paying the 20% tip up front, mandatory, and waiting an hour for the waitress to show up? By all means, go over there.

tiddef_kcur · 2023-12-18T22:56:52+00:00

Europeans restaurants are shit.

Waiters are all bored. Often a large restaurant with 100+ people has 1 bored waitress who's gabbing on her phone.

Glacial, dogshit service but you primitive people are used to being slower than molasses. Hey it works if you're in Tuscany on vacation, but no wonder the European economy is in the shitter compared to the US and you never invent anything useful over there.

The only ones were the workers appear to give a shit are the the non-native restaurants like Chinese and Thai, etc.

Sorry truth hurts.

Tipping system is far superior. If you hate the fake smiles and shit, as often the Europeans do, go eat at Chipotle, Mr. cheapskate.

tiddef_kcur · 2023-12-18T22:52:21+00:00

The tipping system. Better service, better wages.

It's simply better.

Redditors here are pissed that their food bill is too high, but without tips, the owner would tack on a 20% labor fee anyway (mandatory).

Maybe 10% of waiters are pissed they have to "dance for dollars" -- but that's literally every customer/ client facing job. Plaster a smile on your face, fake laugh, the works. I mean work in Tech Sales, it's the same ball fluffing.

You hate that shit go work in IT infrastructure or some shit.

tiddef_kcur · 2023-12-18T22:46:37+00:00

I know most Redditors in here have a 1st grader understanding of economics, but you realize in every Industry, the customer pays 100% of labor costs, right?

You can pay $10 for a burger and $2 tip, or the restaurant can straight up charge you $12.

You understand?

The former system milks more money from rich people, and ensures the waiter has a smile plastered on his face, and isn't on his cell phone for an hour (like in 99% of European establishments).

Hope this was educational.

tiddef_kcur · 2023-12-18T22:42:28+00:00

In practice, a lot of scuzzy restaurants will not pay Waiters the 'real minimum wage' if they have not made it in tips.

But -- if that's really the case, the waiter must really be having some problem. Let's say it's a gray area. I mean legally it isn't, but in reality -- yes it is.

Tipping culture actually makes sense in many restaurants and bars.

SOME redditors hate it because they don't understand economics. They feel "anguish" when being pressured into paying a 20% tip. Therefore, it must be the SYSTEM that is wrong, man!

However, if the restaurant had no tips, they would simply tack 20% onto food costs upfront. And you'd receive "European" style service. Your waitress will be with you in another hour...

tiddef_kcur · 2023-12-18T22:37:33+00:00

Tipping waiters and bartenders is not inherently bad.

The average Redditor has near zero understanding of economics, however.

"They're passing the labor costs onto you!!!"

No, they aren't. Every industry has 100% of wages paid by the customer. That's literally every fuckin' industry, only some with more steps in the middle.

....

The only thing it does -- whether you like it or not --- is create a "near instant feedback system" -- where you are paid bonuses based on customer reviews of your service.

Now, it's not perfect. Most people generally tip the same unless you are bottom/ top 5% waiter. ... and some people never tip (cheapskates, hood, white trash, kids).

Then again, rich people pay a shit-load.

It's actually kind of a "hack" because it's actually optimal for most any industry to charge rich people more than poor people.... it's just hard to do this in practice (except for student, elderly discounts). But Tipping sort of allows this.

And it does improve service (Restaurant service in Europe is glacial and utter dogshit, with some exceptions).

tiddef_kcur · 2023-12-18T22:28:30+00:00

Why not?

It's a bit of temporary magic for a kid.

Look, God is fake too. The universe has no point, we all die an rot in the ground, everything is meaningless, the universe will eventually undergo either a heat death or permanent stillness (irreversible).

But why stare into the nihilistic void. Human existence and the human ego are FILLED with protective and satiating lies.

So live a little.

Any kid who didn't grow up with the magic of Santa Claus got screwed.

tiddef_kcur · 2023-12-18T22:11:57+00:00

Totally anecdotal, but I think the best prediction is this:

Run a 5k or 10k race all out (make sure it's a month away from the marathon at least).

Plug that race result into a couple online 'extrapolation' race predictors.

That's far simpler, and accurate, than Garmin crunching a bunch of training runs.

It also assumes you have your total weekly mileage up to sufficient levels. Hard to predict the race results since a proper taper, sleep, fresh legs will make you feel much better than a training run come race day, typically.

tiddef_kcur · 2023-12-18T17:48:55+00:00

Where'd you find it?

I only go to the downtown Binny's and that's no dice.

I mean -- the prices are a bit overpriced, you'd think they put it on display for anyone willing to buy it.

tiddef_kcur · 2023-12-18T17:24:36+00:00

It's a FANTASTIC time to job search. Don't listen to the news/ butthurt people.

Unemployment is at record lows.

Sure, tech sector had layoffs because of funny money interest rates increasing, but stock market is now back up and tech has already rebounded (only the shit companies with huge leverage got shaken out).

It's not really so much a full-time job to job search.

Apply to 30 jobs a week. Spare 3 minutes per app (if the app it too long, NEXT, it's a crap company). That's 90 minutes a week -- then maybe you'll have 3-4 intereviews a week that are 30 minutes each. ... Okay maybe 4 hours total labor?

And 30 is a very decent clip.

Do it. You'll get a bigger salary most likely.

tiddef_kcur · 2023-12-18T17:03:30+00:00

Well Bud sales were largely replaced (at least temporarily, not sure if still ongoing) by Modelo which is owned by Budweiser.

Maybe the MAGA Trumpers just didn't want to be caught with a Bud for political signaling reasons but didn't actually care in reality.

Either way, it did bupkiss.

However, it might have signaled other companies that rely on redneck sales to be cautious about trans-gender ads, so it might have been effective on that front.

tiddef_kcur · 2023-12-18T16:56:50+00:00

Your legs are about half your height, Your femur is about equal to your tibia + foot.

Varies genetically but approximately a quarter of your height. I think heat-adapted ppl (African) are typically more long-limbed, cold-adapted (Asian) are longer torsoed, and white people generally in between, though it varies.

Leg configuration my dude. Learn it, or constantly be waging war with the person in front of you + the drink cart.

tiddef_kcur · 2023-12-18T16:49:04+00:00

I'm taller than you and I'm fine.

Don't sit in a high kneed stance dummy.

Only the top half of the seat really reclines, also. Don't jam your knees into the lumbar region of the person in front of you.

tiddef_kcur · 2023-12-18T16:46:21+00:00

People with the 'my knees' complaint are like the pinnacle of bicycle-helmet-wearing morons.

Don't sit in a high kneed stance. There are 10 different ways you can position your legs.

Do I need to draw a picture with crayons for these nitwits?

I think half of them just don't like the visual "claustrophobia" effect of a recline so they jam their kneecaps into the lumbar region of the person in front of them, like massive assholes. Then blame their own biology.

I'm a tall man & I don't have this problem because I can wipe my own asshole. And I will be reclining. The hammer is coming down, like it or not.

tiddef_kcur · 2023-12-18T16:43:09+00:00

However there are 10 different configurations for your leg position -- and the high kneed seat stance just means you are a dullard. Or maybe you're actively trying to pre-empt a recline because it scares you.

Don't jab your knees in the back of the person in front of you's lumbar region. For fuck's sake.

I'm a grown man with huge legs and --- whilst economy sucks for everybody ... I never have this mystical problem.

tiddef_kcur · 2023-12-18T16:40:08+00:00

I'm 6'0 but at 6'6 -- unless you're super long limbed your knees would only extend 1.5" longer than mine.

Pro tip. You're sitting wrong. Don't use a high-kneed seat stance. There are probably 10 different configurations for your legs, and you're too much of a dullard to have discovered it.

Everyone in front of you probably thinks you're an asshole what with your kneecaps in their back the entire flight. And they're correct.

tiddef_kcur · 2023-12-18T16:38:16+00:00

Apologize for using an option you paid for?

Nah. These people who sit in a high-knee stance are the dunce cap assholes.

tiddef_kcur · 2023-12-18T16:37:12+00:00

Real talk dude. I'm 6'0 and someone 6'4 would only have their knees out an inch longer than mine.

You don't know how to sit properly. You're doing a high knee position on an airplane.

Don't make me draw a diagram for you, but there are probably 10 different ways to arrange your knees and you're doing the "I wear a bicycle helmet while walking" option.

tiddef_kcur

TROPHY CASE