Alles wat Jan bezig houdt, interesseert en irriteert... en ook een beetje onzin...

donderdag, juni 29, 2023

6 (onzin)redenen om het salaris niet te vermelden in de vacaturetekst


https://kiqit.nl/redenen-salaris-vacaturetekst/


we willen niet dat mensen alleen bij ons komen werken voor het geld.
Snap ik. Ik werk ook voor mijn plezier. En daarmee betaal ik al mijn rekeningen: mijn hypotheek, mijn brandstof en het brood van de bakker. Vinden ze geen probleem.

zondag, juni 25, 2023

Young People Have No Idea What We Used to Do After Work. Let Me Regale You.


The year the Twin Towers fell (2001) was my last (full) year of school, so, I know I that I must have been working in 2002. The funny thing is, growing up in a world without a mobile phone or without internet at home (and certainly not in your pocket!) was like a totally different world.

How did I meet people? Make plans for the weekend? Plot trips? Mostly, being the shy nerd that I am, I just didn't. I met friends in the Kingdom Hall and we would talk about upcoming movies and make plans to drive there on Saturday nights, and maybe have a burger and a beer afterwards. That was "going out" for me. 

So, although my free time wasn't filled quite as interestingly as others knew how to, I feel very close to these comments on slate:

Rebecca (magazine writer, New York City): There were definitely no emails from bosses or internet checks before going into the office. We didn't get the internet in our apartment until 2004.

Sean: We really would just drive to someone's house and see what they were doing. You and a couple people would be in the car and you'd be like, "Let's go by Brian and Mike's."

Jordana (legal assistant, New York City): My boss gave me a PalmPilot as a bonus instead of money. I rode the subway to work and played Dope Wars on my PalmPilot. I think I only ever used that PalmPilot to play Dope Wars.


This one struck home with me as well, because my first "cellular phone" did not have a mute function. Every time I was on the platform to deliver a talk or in a meeting at work, I was afraid that a friend (some were, like me, a bit earlier and also had cellphones) would make a prank call just to have my phone go off. 

Nicole (public defender, New York City): You would not call someone's cellphone during the workday. Calling someone on their cell in that era was like how our parents thought about long-distance—only if it's very important.

Dan: If you called someone at work on their cellphone, maybe it would ring in a meeting or something. That would be terrible. Cellphones were for emergencies, or for calling people when you were drunk.

To this day I try not to take work home with me. But Teams and Outlook did find their way to my phone for some strange reason 🤔 

Nicole: I never took work home. Sometimes I had a lot to do, so I would just stay late until it was finished.

Dan: I would sometimes stay late to use the good internet at the office. They had DSL.

So, what did they do after work?

Sean: We really would just drive to someone's house and see what they were doing. You and a couple people would be in the car and you'd be like, "Let's go by Brian and Mike's."

Sally: You had to plan more ahead and hope it worked out. People didn't flake as much. There's no option to text someone 10 minutes before, because you knew they were waiting for you.

How do you cancel in a world without cell phones? You don't.

Dan: Even if you didn't feel like it, you just showed up. If you didn't show up, people would stop inviting you out. And then you would have fun! Or maybe it would suck, but next time would be fun.

Nicole: I always carried a book or the New Yorker with me, because in a time before cellphones, no one could call you to tell you they were going to be late, so you had to have something to read.

I am also old enough to have rented video cassettes, and DVD's, I think?

Sean: We rented a ton of movies at Blockbuster. Whoever was currently King of Friends got to decide—you bring them a couple of movies, and they'd decide. Or sometimes you'd just watch a movie you already owned.

For more nostalgia, you can find the whole article at Slate: https://slate.com/human-interest/2023/06/life-before-cell-phones-internet-after-work.html 

zondag, juni 18, 2023

What Would You Ask Them?

In the Watchtower study for this week there is a very interesting and faith strengthening thought experiment.


I know what I would ask David. I would ask him I've he's already spoken with his old buddy-in-arms Uriah and if he had the heart to explain to him how he cheated on him, stole his wife Bathsheba, and had him killed. It takes a great man to be able to confess to such things. 

Anyway, I am perpetually interesting in how well ChatGPT is able to hallucinate, bluff and parrot great ideas that are apparently floating around on the inter webs.

So, I asked ChatGPT the following:

I want you to come up with one or two questions for the following Biblical persons. The context of these questions is that these persons have been dead for two three four or even almost six thousand years, and the context is that they all have just been resurrected back to life here on earth. Can you make up a question about their life and times and experiences? The persons are: Abel (son of Adam, brother of Cain), Abraham (husband of Sarah) or Ur, the Daughter of judge Jefta (we don't even know her name), David (king of Israel), Jonah (the prophet who tried to flee to Spain because he feard the Assyrians).

The answer I think is really good:

Sure! Here are two questions for each of the biblical figures you mentioned:

Abel:
1. Abel, as the first recorded victim of murder in human history, could you share with us your perspective on the consequences of envy and sibling rivalry? How do you think your tragic experience has influenced human relationships throughout history?
2. In your time on earth, Abel, you offered a sacrifice that was pleasing to God. Could you shed light on the significance of sacrifice and the importance of worship in your era? How do you think these principles apply to modern-day believers?

Abraham:
1. Abraham, you are known as the father of many nations and the epitome of faith. Having witnessed significant historical events and conversed with God, what lessons or advice would you give to humanity today in navigating their relationship with the divine?
2. As a person who left your homeland and embarked on a journey of faith, what were the greatest challenges you faced during your lifetime? And what wisdom would you share with individuals today who find themselves in unfamiliar territories or going through periods of transition?

Daughter of Judge Jephthah:
1. Throughout history, your story has been overshadowed by the circumstances surrounding your father's vow. As the daughter of Judge Jephthah, can you enlighten us about your aspirations, dreams, and the impact your role played in the events of that time? 
2. Your name has been lost to history, yet your courage and obedience have been recognized. Can you share your perspective on the importance of standing up for one's beliefs, even in the face of difficult decisions or uncertain outcomes?

David:
1. King David, your reign was marked by both triumphs and tribulations. Looking back on your life, what were the key principles that guided your leadership? How do you think these principles could inspire leaders in today's world?
2. You were a man of many talents, David, known for your musical and poetic gifts. Can you reflect on the role of art and creativity in worship and expression of faith during your time? How can these artistic forms continue to inspire individuals to connect with the divine in the present day?

Jonah:
1. Jonah, your attempted escape from God's command led to a remarkable journey and an encounter with a great sea creature. How did this transformative experience change your perception of God and your role as a prophet? What message would you convey to individuals who may be struggling with their own sense of purpose or calling?
2. Your mission was to warn the Assyrians of impending judgment, and their repentance spared them from destruction. Looking back, how did this experience shape your understanding of God's mercy and the potential for transformation in the lives of others? What lessons do you believe we can learn from your story in our interactions with those whom we may perceive as adversaries?

Notice how I've misspelled Judge Jephtah but chatGPT still knew to whom I was referring? 

Thanks to the new share function I can now give you a look at the whole conversation, here: https://chat.openai.com/share/9e4334c4-18b8-48df-bc3f-85be728061c7



zaterdag, juni 10, 2023

Everything is an easy job when you know the system.


For so many years I thought that I was missing an element of secret knowledge about how actual jobs worked, and that therefore I would be stuck forever. But now that I do other work, I see it all for what it is: everything is a system. The restaurant is a system, the content management is a system, the computer is a system. Everything is so much simpler than I imagined it was.

I thought I was doing an easy job, but everything is an easy job when you know the system.

Other professions weren't magic. They were systems too.