Monday, July 27, 2020
Friday, July 24, 2020
The Fat Turtles
This band is seeking a drummer, per the Iowa City > Community > Musicians page. I'm not entirely sure I would be a right fit but, hey, any band that records original music and plays venues other than a rehearsal room is an Ideal Band...
Great Setlist
Obviously, since I play drums, I am not the right person for this role. I just wanted to point out that I know all of these tunes. The fact that Ratt's "Lay It Down" is included is super-duper awesome.
Thursday, July 23, 2020
Saturday, July 18, 2020
Few Things To Note
- This is a snapshot of the synch job between the A:\Music-Final_A folder, which is the folder to which I have copied all MP3s from L:\Music_shell but put them in a single, flat, directory and P:\Music-Final_A, which is a backup of the A:\Music-Final_A folder.
- The name of the synch job - e-jpg--e-jpg2-synch - has nothing to do with making the A:\Music-Final_A folder match the P:\Music-Final_A folder - that information is being pointed to by the red double arrows.
- The synch job began yesterday, 7/17/2020, at 9:08:22 AM - that information is in the green box.
- It's a little hard to see, but the synch job is moving 98,197 files from A:\Music-Shell_A to P:\Music-Shell_A as well as deleting 98,239 files from P:\Music-Shell_A - that information is at the bottom of the screenshot within the purple box.
- The synch job is at 63.64% complete and has 10 hours remaining, which means it should be complete around 5 PM today, based upon the current time of 7 AM.
Friday, July 17, 2020
Thursday, July 16, 2020
Who?
In a video about great power trios, Rick Beato mentioned the band called "Failure" and that their single "Stuck On You" had garnered them some success. Until Beato said that, I had never heard of this band. This is a screenshot from the video below:
With a little research, I found the tune on YouTube:
And, of course, the video in which Rick Beato mentioned them.
With a little research, I found the tune on YouTube:
And, of course, the video in which Rick Beato mentioned them.
Breaking out of Florida State Prison
I like the "Fresh Out" YouTube channel. Big Herc is a great big dude who can spin a story. He had a three part interview with a guy who was in the FL prison system for a long time.
Also, because I liked the Netflix show "Orange is the New Black," this video caught my attention:
Also, because I liked the Netflix show "Orange is the New Black," this video caught my attention:
Why I'm Glad US Cell Has No Data Overages this Month...
 |
| We have US Cellular for our cell phones and we have 5 numbers on our
plan. I guarantee you that the cell phones that used the most data and
second most data do not belong to Karen, my Favorite Mother-in-Law, or
to me. Figure it out... |
Wednesday, July 15, 2020
Flashback to the Arrest of CP
 |
| For the 2020-2021 basketball season, CP will not play for the Iowa Hawkeyes. He transferred to another college for his final year of eligibility. |
Tuesday, July 14, 2020
A Band that Released an Album Throughout My Career
In my career, I have worked at 5 major employers and during the time I worked for each employer, Sevendust released an album. The same cannot be said for Bayside - they didn't exist when I worked for NDP, for Count the Stars - they also did not exist when I worked for NDP, or even Metallica - they existed when I worked for NDP as Load was released in August 1996, when Megan was born, but then there was an extended time of no new music as Death Magnetic was released when I worked at Quintrex but its follow-up, Hardwired to Self-Destruct, was not released until I had started working for the University of Iowa - they skipped my time two employers:
- the Unnamed Hellhole in southern Iowa
- Pearson
- They released Sevendust when I worked at NDP.
- They did not release an album in 1998, when I worked at JSI for 7 months.
- They released Home, Animosity, Seasons, Next, Alpha, & Chapter VII when I worked at QDS.
- They released Cold Day Memory when I worked at the Unnamed Hellhole in southern Iowa.
- They released Black Out the Sun, Time Travelers & Bonfires, and Kill the Flaw when I worked at Pearson.
- The released All I See is War when I worked at the University of Iowa.
Sad Moment for U of I
From an email I received on Friday, July 10, 2020 - the third bullet is me! <sad face>
University of Iowa announces budget reductions to begin fiscal year 2021
University faces cuts in state funding, demographic shifts, and losses related to COVID-19
The University of Iowa is announcing additional budget cuts following a reduction in state support. The Iowa Legislature adjourned in June after approving cutting state funding for the public universities by $8 million. The Board of Regents, State of Iowa, will determine Iowa’s share of the cut during its next virtual meeting on July 29. In the meantime, the university is announcing measures to trim spending for fiscal year 2021, including:
- President Bruce Harreld requesting the Board of Regents approve a 50% reduction in base salary for the rest of the year. Pending board approval, the savings, a one-time allocation of $270,416, will be directed to the Student Emergency Fund, which is available to support students who experience an event or unforeseen circumstance, such as COVID-19, that negatively and severely impact their academic success.
- For FY 2021, the university will reduce General Education Fund (GEF) support for Hancher Auditorium, beginning a three-year process to transition Hancher to a self-sustaining unit on campus, like the Department of Intercollegiate Athletics, University Housing and Dining, or UI Health Care.
- Hiring freezes for at least 32 positions in different areas across campus.
- Salary freezes for about 4,200 employees.
“Many of our faculty and staff have worked long hours to support the university mission during the current pandemic, and we are grateful for their commitment to excellence and to providing a world-class experience for our students despite our current financial situation,” says Harreld.“I’m also confident Hancher Auditorium can maintain its standing as national leader among university performing arts centers while transitioning slowly to being self-sustaining,” says Harreld. “Hancher leadership and the entire team is first-rate, and I look forward to their continued prominence within our community, the state, and region.”Several colleges and units across campus recently announced budget reductions as a result of shortfalls created by COVID-19 or shifts in enrollment demographics, including:“We are disappointed to be in this position, facing challenges from the pandemic and a cut in state support that we could not have imagined just six months ago,” says Harreld. “Each of us must make budget decisions that protect the core mission of the university and set us up for success moving forward. These decisions directly impact the lives of members of our community, and it is a sad moment.”
- UI Athletics reducing salaries and compensation across the department.
- University Housing and Dining temporarily laying off 112 merit staff.
- UI Hospitals & Clinics requiring employees to take unpaid time off or give back vacation hours.
- The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences not renewing the contracts of 15 instructional-track faculty and assistants in instruction.
- The College of Engineering issued notices to four staff members permanently eliminating their positions.
I Don't Get to Know the Answer to That Question (x 2)
YES, I am not interested in this position with Pearson that was posted on Friday, July 10. Notice that there is a typo - the bold text in the 4th bullet below -which shows me that there is a need for an editor... <GRIN>
Would I have been able
to transition to this position instead of being laid off in January 2016, if this opening existed in January 2016? What
tools would this position be using?
Guess those answers will remain for eternity...
Editor in Iowa City, Iowa
Editor
Description
At Pearson, we’re committed to a world that’s always learning and to our talented team who makes it all possible. From bringing lectures vividly to life to turning textbooks into laptop lessons, we are always re-examining the way people learn best, whether it’s one child in our own backyard or an education community across the globe. We are bold thinkers and standout innovators who motivate each other to explore new frontiers in an environment that supports and inspires us to always be better. By pushing the boundaries of technology — and each other to surpass these boundaries — we create seeds of learning that become the catalyst for the world’s innovations, personal and global, large and small.
Pearson is an Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action Employer and a member of E-Verify. All qualified applicants, including minorities, women, protected veterans, and individuals with disabilities are encouraged to apply.
Responsibilities
Review and edit text thoroughly for correct grammar, syntax, usage, style, and consistency.
Proofread rendered copy at various stages of development with a goal of 100% accuracy.
Verify edits and ensure uniformity and consistency across components.
Perform editorial reviews of XML-based paper and online components at all stages of production.Tasks may include providing queries/feedback regarding style/formatting issues, coordinating with other teams/departments to produce test booklets, and/or moving materials through all phases of development with minimal oversight.
Act as a point of contact for assigned projects and provide detailed updates regarding project handling and status to teammates and managing editor.
Work proactively with managing editor to identify training issues or process inconsistencies/gaps.
Author or contribute to project style guide and/or editorial training materials.
Serve as a mentor to colleagues.
Attend project meetings, provide editorial status updates, and maintain organized and accurate records and logs as assigned.
Consistently follow established best practices and contribute to the development of new workflow processes.
Create project-specific work instructions as needed.
Review and edit assessment ancillary documents, such as educator’s guides, technical reports, parent reports, business process documentation, etc., as needed.
Collaborate with test development managers, content specialists, other content developers, psychometricians, publishing designers, and other internal and external stakeholders to produce top-quality materials.
Perform other duties as assigned.
Qualifications
Qualifications
Bachelor’s degree in English, journalism, or other related discipline or work experience equivalent to a bachelor’s degree.
At least three years of copyediting experience. Two years of experience in copyediting educational assessment development stimuli, items, and/or ancillary products preferred.
Strong knowledge and understanding of all phases of assessments, including processing, scoring, and reporting of assessments.
Experience with project leadership, resource allocation, training/mentoring, coordinating deadlines with multiple work groups, and maintaining communication required to meet objectives.
Professionally tailored and strong verbal and written communication skills required.
Strong knowledge of how to apply and/or interpret information in print or online references (e.g., The Chicago Manual of Style , The Gregg Reference Manual , Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary , etc.)
Strong knowledge about word processing and professional office applications including Microsoft Word, Outlook, Excel, Access, Project, and Adobe Acrobat Professional is required. Solid understanding of the use of HTML and XML in web publishing is desired.
Ability to maintain professionalism in challenging situations and when dealing with difficult individuals. An awareness of nonverbal communication cues and appropriate responses to those cues is also desired.
Ability to lead discussions, persuade others as needed to reach goals effectively, and articulate risks/benefits during problem-solving efforts.
Pearson is an Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action Employer and a member of E-Verify. All qualified applicants, including minorities, women, protected veterans, and individuals with disabilities are encouraged to apply.
Primary Location: US-TX-Austin
Other Locations US-IA-Iowa City, US-TX-San Antonio
Work Locations: US-TX-Austin-400 Center Ridge 400 Center Ridge Drive TechRidge Three.2 - Suite 100 Austin 78753
Job: Professional Development
Organization: Assessments School
Employee Status: Regular Employee
Job Type: Standard
Shift: Day Job
Job Posting: Jul 10, 2020
Job Unposting: Ongoing
Schedule: Full-time Regular
Req ID: 2006757
Pearson is an Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action Employer and a member of E-Verify. All qualified applicants, including minorities, women, protected veterans, and individuals with disabilities are encouraged to apply.
Saturday, July 11, 2020
Friday, July 10, 2020
Thursday, July 9, 2020
Wednesday, July 8, 2020
Great Ratt and Roll
Found this Ratt collection on Amazon Music this morning - great tunes and a great band that has been unfairly lumped in as a "hair" band. They really put out great tunes.
"Body Talk" is missing as well as "One Step Away" and a couple others; otherwise, it's a great collection.
Tuesday, July 7, 2020
FOSJ
On the second Wednesday of the month, I attend the Fathers of Saint Joseph meeting in Iowa City. I cannot embed the video so here's the link.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NW4au9xeJ_I
Monday, July 6, 2020
The media is going to start a Civil War
I worked with Van Ebert, the author of the following words, at Quintrex:
The media is going to start a Civil War.
I don't say that to grab eyeballs or to be alarmist.
I say that because it's going to happen if they don't change.
They used to be an honorable, objective entity but now they are just the propaganda wing for the Democratic Party.
They constantly try to shove this narrative down everyone's throats that if you don't vote Democrat you're a racist.
Now I don't think they do this to start a Civil War intentionally because they have to know they'd be the first ones to be eliminated if it got to that point.
If you're fighting a Civil War based on a poisoned message, you of course have to eliminate the poisoned message that started it all.
I think they just do it because they want people to hear their narrative and, out of fear of being deemed racist, votes Democrat.
More to the most important point to them, votes for Biden instead of Trump.
Now in doing this you have millions of conservatives that know they're not racist, and who likes to get labeled as something they're not?
Nobody.
People just want to be able to have the political opinion they have and vote for who they want to based on their personal interests and political beliefs as you should be able to in a Republic.
This won't be a Civil War between black and white.
It'll be one between those who want to preserve the America (warts and all) everyone benefits from, as much as they gripe about it, and those who just want to watch it burn down with no idea what to do after the embers burn out.
Saturday, July 4, 2020
Friday, July 3, 2020
Thursday, July 2, 2020
Wednesday, July 1, 2020
Start the 2nd Half with Self-Congratulatory Prose
The only parts of this class I would possibly "need" are "Lesson 6" & "Lesson 7" which is a pretty powerful statement about my level of MS Word expertise. I have worked with MS Word since when I used version 2.0 on a crappy 386 computer in the basement of our first house in 1994. I copied the .exe file to a 3.5" floppy disk and copied it to my computer. It barely fit on the drive. For a number of years, I had an entire set of Office 95 3.5" floppy disks that I used to install on a different computer that I think was a step up from the crappy 386 computer I just mentioned - it was a 486!
I imagine MS Word and I will be a thing until I retire.
Word Advanced Course Outline (1 day) Version 365/2019/2016 Overview Microsoft Word enables you to do far more than simple word processing. Word includes advanced image manipulation tools, collaboration features, cross-referencing and linking tools, entry forms and data collection, security features, and tools to automate document production. *** Version Note *** This course is for individuals using Word 365, 2019 or 2016 and is taught using Word 2019 software. However, there are very few differences between the 365 and the 2016 versions from an end-user's perspective. Our instructors have used all versions and will be able to quickly highlight the several small changes to the user interface. Users of any of the versions of Word will have no problem learning in the 2019 software environment. Target Student This course is intended for students who want to use advanced capabilities in Word, including image manipulation, collaboration and revision tracking, cross-referencing and linking, document security, forms, and process automation through macros. Prerequisites To ensure success, you should be comfortable in the Windows environment, and be able to use Windows to manage information on your computer. specific tasks you should be able to perform include opening and closing applications, navigating basic file structures, and managing files and folders. The following courses would prepare you for this course: Word Introduction Course Word Intermediate Course Course Content Lesson 1: Manipulating Images Topic A: Integrate Pictures and Text Topic B: Adjust Image Appearance Topic C: Insert Other Media Elements Lesson 2: Using Custom Graphic Elements Topic A: Create Text Boxes and Pull Quotes Topic B: Add WordArt and Other Text Effects Topic C: Draw Shapes Topic D: Create Complex Illustrations with SmartArt Lesson 3: Collaborating on Documents Topic A: Share a Document Topic B: Review a Document Topic C: Review Tracked Changes Topic D: Merge Changes from Other Documents Lesson 4: Adding Document References and Links Topic A: Add Captions Topic B: Add Cross-References Topic C: Add Bookmarks Topic D: Add Hyperlinks Topic E: Insert Footnotes and Endnotes Topic F: Add Citations and a Bibliography Lesson 5: Securing a Document Topic A: Suppress Information Topic B: Add a Digital Signature to a Document Topic C: Set Formatting and Editing Restrictions Topic D: Restrict Document Access Lesson 6: Using Forms to Manage Content Topic A: Create Forms Topic B: Manipulate Forms Lesson 7: Automating Repetitive Tasks with Macros Topic A: Automate Tasks Using Macros Topic B: Create a Macro
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)