Randomness XVIII: Ex-Vee-Triple-Eye

[Glitterwolf]

52 minutes ago, redambrosia said:

That event was really an outlier. Most of the time she’s fine with us leaving her with her grandma. One time she even shoved us out the door and slammed it behind us.

 

But our plan is to leave in the morning, so she should already be doing better just by that. And if need be, grandma can distract her with ice cream and the paw patrol. 
 

Yes, she has discovers Paw Patrol and she’s OBSESSED with it. Pray for us, my friends.

 

WOOF denies to indoctrinate children by using Paw Patrol in order to get them to join WOOF later..

 

[kristof65]

Good morning friends.  If Monday can be good, that is!

 

On 7/29/2022 at 6:08 PM, TGP said:

Could you send the guys contact info to your competitors as a sales lead?

Ooh, great idea!
 

On 7/30/2022 at 10:43 AM, TGP said:

Google is telling me that Wallyworld or Amaxon can source the authentic stuff. 

I'll never buy it from the Big River again.  Last time I did - about a year ago - it came via USPS, the bottle was shoved into a non-sealing plastic bag in a padded paper envelope. The bottle was crushed, less than 20% of the liquid was left, and the paper on the envelope was obviously stained from the leaking chemical. 

TBH, I'm surprised the post office went ahead and delivered it, rather than making a fuss about it leaking "an unknown chemical."    

Amazon wanted me to return the bottle and send a new one.  Pointed out it was in violation of USPS policies to knowingly ship a leaking bottle of any liquid, finally got them to give me a credit. 

 

On 7/31/2022 at 8:56 AM, Chaoswolf said:

I typically only drink out of bottles at my desk. On the rare occasion that I don't, my paint water 'cup' is an old clear plastic beaker that we used for mixing various chemicals at one of my previous jobs. I figure if I drink out of a chemical beaker with weird colored liquid in it, I deserve what I get.

 

I, too, only drink from bottles or cans at my paint desk - they're a lot smaller spill hazard. 

My paint water cups are the plastic tub the frosting for Pillsbury Cinnamon rolls come in.  Too short to mistake for a drinking cup. 

[Thoramel]

I'm a bit salty this morning. Got an email early today from a former colleague asking if I was going to be at the stream conference this week. When I asked "What stream conference?" I find out that that there is a three day long conference at a lodge in the mountains of Tennessee where experts from around the country are presenting all kinds of new data on stream restoration. Looked into it and asked around and it turns out that my agency was invited to send two people to attend. All we had to do was pick up the lodging expense, something my union would have happily paid for. We have two technical staff members, me and one other person, who handle pretty much all the regulated stream restoration in the state. Instead of us going, or even being told about it, my supervisor and his wife are there. His wife doesn't work for our agency, nor does she have anything to do with water quality. My guess is they're not even attending the conference but are instead using it as a free vacation. I try to maintain an amicable working relationship with my management team, but I'm taking this to the union and filing a grievance because this is just ridiculous. May even go to the state ethics board and file a complaint (Though our ethics board is hopelessly broken, but who knows? Maybe they'll do something.).

 

Anyways, I just needed to vent for a second there. Hope your Monday is good and your bosses aren't a bunch of jerks.

[Chaoswolf]

Sorry to hear it, @Thoramel.

 

My bosses aren't jerks, in fact they just thanked me for stopping an important  project in order to fix a problem with it. 

[Pezler the Polychromatic]

Happy Saskatchewan Day, everyone. This is the day we commemorate when someone came to the realization that A) There was no holiday in August; and B) it was an election year.

[Glitterwolf]

1 hour ago, Thoramel said:

I'm a bit salty this morning. Got an email early today from a former colleague asking if I was going to be at the stream conference this week. When I asked "What stream conference?" I find out that that there is a three day long conference at a lodge in the mountains of Tennessee where experts from around the country are presenting all kinds of new data on stream restoration. Looked into it and asked around and it turns out that my agency was invited to send two people to attend. All we had to do was pick up the lodging expense, something my union would have happily paid for. We have two technical staff members, me and one other person, who handle pretty much all the regulated stream restoration in the state. Instead of us going, or even being told about it, my supervisor and his wife are there. His wife doesn't work for our agency, nor does she have anything to do with water quality. My guess is they're not even attending the conference but are instead using it as a free vacation. I try to maintain an amicable working relationship with my management team, but I'm taking this to the union and filing a grievance because this is just ridiculous. May even go to the state ethics board and file a complaint (Though our ethics board is hopelessly broken, but who knows? Maybe they'll do something.).

 

Anyways, I just needed to vent for a second there. Hope your Monday is good and your bosses aren't a bunch of jerks.

 

Management showing their true colours.

Blergh..

 

Be careful that it won't backfire though,

[Serenity]

RTB Pro-Tips! SKU#04051 Catfolk Paladin! 8-1-22.  Started at 11:34 AM. 

 

ETA: Then was delayed while Anne fixed her microphone issue.  Now working.

 

https://www.twitch.tv/reaperminiatures

Edited August 1, 2022 by Serenity

[kristof65]

1 hour ago, Thoramel said:

I'm a bit salty this morning. Got an email early today from a former colleague asking if I was going to be at the stream conference this week. When I asked "What stream conference?" I find out that that there is a three day long conference at a lodge in the mountains of Tennessee where experts from around the country are presenting all kinds of new data on stream restoration. Looked into it and asked around and it turns out that my agency was invited to send two people to attend. All we had to do was pick up the lodging expense, something my union would have happily paid for. We have two technical staff members, me and one other person, who handle pretty much all the regulated stream restoration in the state. Instead of us going, or even being told about it, my supervisor and his wife are there. His wife doesn't work for our agency, nor does she have anything to do with water quality. My guess is they're not even attending the conference but are instead using it as a free vacation. I try to maintain an amicable working relationship with my management team, but I'm taking this to the union and filing a grievance because this is just ridiculous. May even go to the state ethics board and file a complaint (Though our ethics board is hopelessly broken, but who knows? Maybe they'll do something.).

 

Anyways, I just needed to vent for a second there. Hope your Monday is good and your bosses aren't a bunch of jerks.

I got curious as to what kind of stuff would be at a Stream Conference, and found the page for it.  Looks boring to me, but I'm sure it's right up your alley.  Anywho, this caught my eye:

11:45 am Cash Drawing for $500
(Must be Present to Win)
->Sponsored by Wildlands Engineering

 

Ya think your manager and his wife will attend that part? 

[Cranky Dog]

1 hour ago, Pezler the Polychromatic said:

Happy Saskatchewan Day, everyone. This is the day we commemorate when someone came to the realization that A) There was no holiday in August; and B) it was an election year.

Bah!

 

My province still hasn't realized it. Then again, this is the time of year where most construction industry take their vacations for 2 weeks, so it'd be redundant for most.

 

And it *is* and election year for us!

[Serenity]

Beyond the Kit with Rhonda Bender! #053.  Start screen up at 1:51 PM.

 

https://www.twitch.tv/reaperminiatures

 

Notice: Anne said she'll be away tomorrow due to a doctor appointment, so no stream.

[Green Eyed Monsty]

3 hours ago, Thoramel said:

I'm a bit salty this morning. Got an email early today from a former colleague asking if I was going to be at the stream conference this week. When I asked "What stream conference?" I find out that that there is a three day long conference at a lodge in the mountains of Tennessee where experts from around the country are presenting all kinds of new data on stream restoration. Looked into it and asked around and it turns out that my agency was invited to send two people to attend. All we had to do was pick up the lodging expense, something my union would have happily paid for. We have two technical staff members, me and one other person, who handle pretty much all the regulated stream restoration in the state. Instead of us going, or even being told about it, my supervisor and his wife are there. His wife doesn't work for our agency, nor does she have anything to do with water quality. My guess is they're not even attending the conference but are instead using it as a free vacation. I try to maintain an amicable working relationship with my management team, but I'm taking this to the union and filing a grievance because this is just ridiculous. May even go to the state ethics board and file a complaint (Though our ethics board is hopelessly broken, but who knows? Maybe they'll do something.).

 

Anyways, I just needed to vent for a second there. Hope your Monday is good and your bosses aren't a bunch of jerks.

I would suggest that you request your union file the complaint with the Ethics Board. Coming from the union it will have more weight than just you filing the complaint.

You might also make inquiries as to whether or not the conference is keeping records of who attends what sessions.  Such information could prove valuable in any internal investigation of your boss and his actions.

GEM

[Inarah]

12 minutes ago, Green Eyed Monsty said:

I would suggest that you request your union file the complaint with the Ethics Board. Coming from the union it will have more weight than just you filing the complaint.

You might also make inquiries as to whether or not the conference is keeping records of who attends what sessions.  Such information could prove valuable in any internal investigation of your boss and his actions.

GEM

 

I've never been to a conference where they kept attendance records.  I've been to quite a few because it's not unusual in the business world for the company to pay for the conference badges, airfare and hotel rooms for a couple of key employees like the department head or senior managers.  DH often got picked to go with a VP or the head of IT.  And yes, they are perks for senior employees who often take their wives (like me) and make a little vacation out of it.  Last time we were in Orlando we went to the space center, and in Seattle we did some sightseeing both times.   I'm sorry Thoramel didn't get to go, because it sounds really cool and like something he'd really enjoy (not to mention valuable work experience), but no one is going to investigate his boss for taking the opportunity instead of him. 

 

 

 

[Thoramel]

2 hours ago, Glitterwolf said:

 

Management showing their true colours.

Blergh..

 

Be careful that it won't backfire though,

 

Thanks for the warning. Not the first time I've had to go through something similar though. It's all handled anonymously through my union. And even if he suspects it's me that complained, literally the only thing he could do is prevent me from getting a management position in the future. And that is a career path I'm never pursuing. Too much politics and you lose your union protection.

 

2 hours ago, kristof65 said:

I got curious as to what kind of stuff would be at a Stream Conference, and found the page for it.  Looks boring to me, but I'm sure it's right up your alley.  Anywho, this caught my eye:

11:45 am Cash Drawing for $500
(Must be Present to Win)
->Sponsored by Wildlands Engineering

 

Ya think your manager and his wife will attend that part? 

 

Boring!?! How could a several hour breakout session about reconnecting flood plains be boring to anyone?! Unless we are talking about hydraulic directional drilling under streams, in which case we would literally be discussing boring. 

 

I didn't see the door prize thing. He might attend that. As state employees we aren't allowed to win door prizes if we are attending as government representatives (ethics rule). But his wife could. 

 

32 minutes ago, Green Eyed Monsty said:

I would suggest that you request your union file the complaint with the Ethics Board. Coming from the union it will have more weight than just you filing the complaint.

You might also make inquiries as to whether or not the conference is keeping records of who attends what sessions.  Such information could prove valuable in any internal investigation of your boss and his actions.

GEM

 

Yep, as said above, this is all being handled anonymously through the union now. Some administrations are worse than others and the union has a very long history of protecting it's members from retribution. 

6 minutes ago, Inarah said:

 I'm sorry Thoramel didn't get to go, because it sounds really cool and like something he'd really enjoy (not to mention valuable work experience), but no one is going to investigate his boss for taking the opportunity instead of him. 

 

Believe it or not, yes they will. Well, the union will, the rest of our upper management won't. We have a contract where management staff are strictly prohibited from working on technical issues and that generally includes going to technical conferences in place of staff. 

[SparrowMarie]

Kinda bummed. This language learning game we backed on KS is apparently mobile and not desktop like we previously thought. I mean it's fine I guess just would have been a little easier on a desktop.

[redambrosia]

Does @Cyradis still hang out here? I found a coat for her!