Headhunter

Actually, Bowman suggested that he would take the job, just not under the current ownership/team realtionship currently in place. Bowman's a great coach, can't argue that... but as a GM, he's failed... just look at Buffalo. HH

Unfortunately, IMHO this will solve nothing. The wrong people have again, been fired. HH

Is there such thing as a "good employment agency"? LOL People are funny! They really are so entrenched in their own world, they just don't get it when they are forced to enter the "real world". I think I need a bigger candle! HH

Thanks everyone for your input and humour! I have been documenting this guy for three months. I am fully aware of government legislation with respect to wrongful dismissal etc... . On a personal level, I find his actions to be insulting, de-motivating to my other staff and just down right rude. The circumstances revolving around our office don't put me in a position to let him go at this time, however, I am on that path and expect it to happen sooner than later. I appreciate all the advice given here, most of it very sound. The reason I posted it in the first place was because his latest excuse bordered on the absurd! I just had to pass it along to you folks! UPDATE: I arrived at work 15 minutes early, as usual. No message that said employee was going to be late. At five to nine, I found a candle, light it up and put it on his desk, hoping that it would "burn off my negativity" toward his tardiness... waste of wax! He showed up 10 minutes late! I asked him why late today? His answer... wait for it... he fell twice on black ice on the way to work! Here's the bonus... he only lives two blocks from the office! I'll update you guys if we verge on the absurd again! HH

Sorry to read about your pain Charlied... what ever you do, don't lose that work ethic... I know it doesn't seem like it right now, but it will serve you very well throughout your working career. Keep positive and the right opportunity will present itself. HH PS... I just got a subliminal message from Elvis... something about peanut butter and a tiller... no my mistake, he meant CONSOLE! HH

Thanks Roy... I was receiving some subliminal messages from across the universe and I was about to blame TJ... changing my thought process as I type.... HH

Well, I just got a phone call from Kreskin... he obviously has heard of my incredible skills! I have been documenting the guy for a while, trying to make a decision soon... oh, I gotta go, Steven Hawking is on the phone asking for advice! HH

Ok, here's the background on this semi- rant! I have an employee who is constantly late, actually, it's easier to count the number of times he's on time vs late! Sometimes it's 5 minutes, some times it's 1/2 hour. Needless to say, his tardiness is really gettin to me. So this morning he arrives at work 35 minutes late... I've been fuming the whole time waiting for him. I suggested that it's easier to count the times he's on time, then late. Here's his response; "I think that your negative feeling about my arrival at work on time, has put me in a position to be late all the time". You should be thinking positively about me and I'm sure that this will help me to arrive to work on time or early"! Now, I know that I have one of the most powerful minds in the world, but I thought that even I had some limitations. Spock has been calling all morning asking for some up-grade psycho training! I went out for a smoke and the entire time, I envisioned him running full force into the office window and plummeting down the 25 floors into the Eaton Centre. I guess I need some more coffee as my mental conditioning was not powerful enough to induce such action!LOL I've had dozens of folks reporting to me over the years... but this is a first for me! Anyone have any similar stories they could pass along for some Monday morning humour? HH

Does this sound like a simple money grab or what? What could they possibly say that would justify this? HH

Lunate... Glad you found the humour in it all! HH

I'd heard a rumour that Wayne is going to fill in the lake as there are no fish in it anyway! Strap some wheels on the Lund and your good to go! Sure would make the ice road un-necessary! HH

Wow, congrats Emil! Seems like OFC is getting bigger every day! HH

AWESOME! Congrats! HH

Well, I'll chime in here... I have been working with VOIP here at the office for the better part of a year. As a person who's lively-hood relies on the phone, I can say that this technology is still in it's infancy and is not nearly as reliable as the good old fashioned land line. Here are just a few of my beefs; - echo's echo's echo's - Many times I can hear my own voice, far more than that of the person I'm TRYING to talk to -dead calls - I dial out the number and NOTHING happens... I hang up, dial the same number and the person at the other end asks me why I didn't answer them the first time I called... they got the call on their end, I got static -the net goes down - virus etc... the phone doesn't work! -if your ISP is having problems, then you are hit and miss as to whether or not you have a functional phone -you require a technical person to administer the system - read Geek here! The pluses - nice fancy lookin phone on my desk... make a good anchor for a canoe -yes it is more cost effective... if it allows you to do your work... I really haven't sat down to try and figure out exactly how much it's problems have cost me! I have no love lost for Ma Bell/Emily... but I also refuse to jump on an un-proven technology platform... sorry Ted! The phone is my main tool at work, and I can't afford to have it not available to me 100% of the time. HH

Happy B-Day Bernie! I'm really lookin forward to meeting you in a few weeks! Have a great day! HH

Black Cat gum... I remember as a kid, blowing bubbles and having it blow up all over my face and sticking like a trailer hook! Mom would just shake her head! -concert tickets for a big show, $6.95 -stuff yourself at "Rotten Ronnies" and have change from $5.00 -taping a penny to the arm of the turntable so it tracks correctly -8 track tapes! thanks for the memories! HH

In the price range you are lookin at, consider Rotel. You can probably pick up a pre-amp and power amp for the price you are budgeted for, http://www.audioreview.com/cat/amplificati...33_1583crx.aspx You won't be able to stay in the same room as those Vega's with this amp. Vegas are extremely efficient speakers, meaning, you don't need a ton of power to drive them. Without going into the Bryston line (out of your budget) or tube amps, for the same reason, check out Rotel, you'll like what you hear! HH

I have an old copy of National Lampoon that has an article about dog fishing in America... absolutely hysterical! HH

I've always had good service at BBPS... I only go when Roger is working! HH

The Holy Grail of Spam! Man: You sit here, dear. Wife: All right. Man: Morning! Waitress: Morning! Man: Well, what've you got? Waitress: Well, there's egg and bacon; egg sausage and bacon; egg and spam; egg bacon and spam; egg bacon sausage and spam; spam bacon sausage and spam; spam egg spam spam bacon and spam; spam sausage spam spam bacon spam tomato and spam; Vikings: Spam spam spam spam... Waitress: ...spam spam spam egg and spam; spam spam spam spam spam spam baked beans spam spam spam... Vikings: Spam! Lovely spam! Lovely spam! Waitress: ...or Lobster Thermidor a Crevette with a mornay sauce served in a Provencale manner with shallots and aubergines garnished with truffle pate, brandy and with a fried egg on top and spam. Wife: Have you got anything without spam? Waitress: Well, there's spam egg sausage and spam, that's not got much spam in it. Wife: I don't want ANY spam! Man: Why can't she have egg bacon spam and sausage? Wife: THAT'S got spam in it! Man: Hasn't got as much spam in it as spam egg sausage and spam, has it? Vikings: Spam spam spam spam... (Crescendo through next few lines...) Wife: Could you do the egg bacon spam and sausage without the spam then? Waitress: Urgghh! Wife: What do you mean 'Urgghh'? I don't like spam! Vikings: Lovely spam! Wonderful spam! Waitress: Shut up! Vikings: Lovely spam! Wonderful spam! Waitress: Shut up! (Vikings stop) Bloody Vikings! You can't have egg bacon spam and sausage without the spam. Wife: I don't like spam! Man: Sshh, dear, don't cause a fuss. I'll have your spam. I love it. I'm having spam spam spam spam spam spam spam beaked beans spam spam spam and spam! Vikings: Spam spam spam spam. Lovely spam! Wonderful spam! Waitress: Shut up!! Baked beans are off. Man: Well could I have her spam instead of the baked beans then? Waitress: You mean spam spam spam spam spam spam... (but it is too late and the Vikings drown her words) Vikings: (Singing elaborately...) Spam spam spam spam. Lovely spam! Wonderful spam! Spam spa-a-a-a-a-am spam spa-a-a-a-a-am spam. Lovely spam! Lovely spam! Lovely spam! Lovely spam! Lovely spam! Spam spam spam spam! HH

Last year the sausages were awesome... so I 2nd the sausage thing! HH

Don't forget the 1% drop in GST! Adds up pretty quick when you start talkin in the thousands! HH

Pikehunter... he suggested that the number of people that attended the show was down, but also that the people he met and spoke with were kicking tires and had not really putting themselves in a buying frame of mind. He also suggested that the economy at that time had many folks seriously considering all of the costs associated with buying a new boat, fuel, insurance etc. and could they justify the expense with an un-certain economic future. I'll see if I can garner more info from him and update you when I learn more. HH

The Toronto Maple Leafs hockey club is only a small part of the entire MLSE conglomerate... a very profitable part, but still a small percentage. MLSE has been valued at 1.3 billion dollars, in the big picture the team is only the public face of the corporation. Unless and until that changes, nothing will change for the team's fortunes. Sadly, this discussion has been going on now for the last three groups of owners, Ballard, Stavros and now Teachers Pension Plan, TD and the other share holders. Each of these ownership groups have reaped the financial benefits that the Maple Leaf logo commands, with little or no concern for the team's performance or it's fans. Want an example; 20 games this season being broadcast on their Leaf TV channel, all in the name of money. I wonder how many games will be broadcast free next year and so on? The "body" that is the Toronto Maple Leafs is diseased. It has only one focus, huge profits and returns on investment. I'm not suggesting that they should be a money losing entity, but I am suggesting that there is no will to win, as winning is not a determining factor with regard to profits. To put a fishing spin on this: if you were fishing a lake and catching all the fish you desired and someone came up to you and said, try using this bait, you'll catch as many as you already are catching, where's the motivation to change? I have nothing but highest respect for Sundin and what he has accomplished playing for this group of sports misfits. Actually I feel badly for the guy... that being said, there is no one on the team that I would keep and there is no one that I would hesitate to trade. That includes the suits up stairs. HH

i have a good buddy who has worked the boat show, as a sales man, for the last 4 years. Last year, sales of new boats was down at least 75% at the show. He won't be there this year as the expectation for this years sales is again, very low. I suspect that this show could be in some trouble if this trend continues. If you are going, have fun, drool away and good luck. HH