[Rhodes22-list] Bill Effros! Famous author

[Herb Parsons]

Actually, I thought you were kidding with the question (a little good-natured poke), but I'll go ahead and take you up on it.

I'm a "governmental employee", in that I work for a school district. I'm also paid a salary, not an hourly wage. I'm not a teacher, but a computer network engineer (I also work on their web pages, a LOT, even though it's technically not in my job description). Much of what I have to do deals somewhat with your previously mentioned intellectual property, in that they are paying me for what I know and am able to do, rather than the time I actually spend doing it. For instance, if I we are having a problem with a system, or even with some configuration issues on software, I may come up with the solution while I'm doing something else at home, even working on my own home computers and/or network. So, I'm really "working" all the time. I feel no guilt, nor would I deny, answering some emails on "company time", just as I feel not hesitation to answer company emails (or the cell phone, or pick up the pager) when I'm on "home time". I suspect I do a LOT more of the latter than the former.

Add to that, the fact that my email client (Novell's GroupWise) accesses both systems at the same time, and you really muddle the issue. So, when I'm working on work stuff at home, I'm using my personal laptop (which I also do at the office frequently), as well as my network, to access work stuff, all uncompensated (both time, and equipment). Other than the time stamp, no one knows for sure what equipment I was using when. A work email may start at the office but go through the system at home before it heads out to the net, and a home email may take the work route. Sometimes, I even hit the wrong return address (thought I'm usually pretty meticulous about that). I even remember one time talking someone from the office through a problem, on MY cell phone, while I was on vacation, on my sailboat, in the middle of the ICW last year. As a matter of fact, they would have never known I was on the boat (I don't tell people "I can't help you, I'm not at work") had I not had an unexpected wind shift, almost did a gybe, and told them I'm having boat problems, I'll have to call back.

I guess that's my roundabout way of saying, depending on circumstances, I don't see a problem with it. Reminds me of someone complaining about the number of vacations President Bush takes, as if he's ever REALLY completely on vacation.

BTW, I'm a right-wing conservative too.

Of course, if the guy works for the IRS, that changes everything. Hang 'em for it.

>>> Bill Effros<bill at effros.com> 7/28/2004 12:03:15 PM >>>
Ed,

I don't think so.  Michael was upset.  I tried to kid him out of it.  Stan tried to kid him out of it--and Michael became even more upset.

Michael's comments were obviously out of line, but I'm not going to buy a tugboat in protest, and I resent any newcomer writing a screed when he doesn't know either the history, or who he is addressing.

As a well known right wing tax payer, I am truly concerned when I see government employees spending huge amounts of time on private matters using government resources.  Whoever this guy is, he has his nerve lecturing Michael, Stan, and us, and then sending this stuff out using a government email address.

Steve is also a government employee, and he has also run up against this issue.  It will be interesting to see if he replies during the day, or waits until he is on his own time tonight.

Although it can often seem otherwise, this list was not created as a shill for Stan's company, and Stan knows it.  Anyone reading this list can be pretty sure we all say what we mean, and don't pull many punches.  Stan wouldn't have it any other way, and if he loses a sale because Michael was having a bad night, that's just fine with Stan.  Stan knows who his friends are, and what's important to him.

But I don't think Stan will lose a sale over this matter.  If this guy says he's walking away from a superior boat to get back at Michael, I don't believe him.

If he reads my message to Steve in the way it was intended he may see that maybe he was a little out of line, also.  And maybe I am, too.  And maybe I'll offend Steve.  And Steve will not sell his boat in protest.

We all know we can count on each other to say something when we are out of line and don't know it.  And that's just fine with us.  If the new guy wants to join us, he's welcome.  If not, not.

I have now said the same thing in many words I was trying to say with my little aside to Steve in a few words.

The QuoteWithoutComment book is starting to straighten itself out again, so I will be busy with it once again.  I've got to clean my boat for my wife's book club this weekend, so I'll at least get a little time on the water.

The list is great for those times when you want to be thinking about sailing, but can't be doing what you're thinking about.

Back to work,

Bill

PS -- I miss Rummy.  Kaboom!  RIP