Letter from the CEO

Trying Times

By Robert L Pritchett

In anticipation of obtaining a new "Day Job"™, a headhunter interviewed me for what I thought was one of the sweetest Mac job positions in the Pacific Northwest. It had been previously filled, but apparently the person didn't work out, so I was contacted and interviewed no less than 4 times (3 by the headhunter) after being considered earlier, but passed over. The job was a help desk position as support for around 400 or so Macs in a decidedly PC-centric environment. Many of our current and former macCompanion staff have been down this road before – providing support and maintenance services in a PC world. We comment on this topic all the time. After all, our stated mission at macCompanion is in providing knowledge about Macs and software apps used in businesses – and we have been doing it for nearly 9 years, so this should have been a "shoe-in" job for me.

A lot has happened since I took jobs as computer and network tech support, getting my MCSE certifications from Microsoft and obtaining my Apple Product Professional status from Apple. So I read up on what I have been missing via the Apple Certified Training Manuals, published by Peachpit. I found they are rather wanting in certain areas, since the books are designed as helps in obtaining Apple Certifications and focus their attention that direction. Even those certifications have been streamlined, since some of the books were published.

Gene Steinberg has been busy discussing talking points regarding Apple hardware and its impact on Microsoft over on the MacNightOwl lately.

Dennis Sellers has enlisted Dave Merten over on Macsimum News to discuss Support with his MacOSG Support Center.

Over on MacWorld, even Christopher Breen got into the act with his recent Mac911 article on Mac upgrades and gotchas.

I gathered a few websites that might be of interest to you:

Apple Computer Maintenance and Support

AFP548 - Server Support Site for Mac OS X Professionals

AppleCare - Products and Services

Apple Consultants Network - Apple's Preferred Consultants

Apple Remote Desktop - Apple's preferred system for Remote Desktop support

Apple Support - Apple's own support page

Mac Admin Corner - Random tips and tricks for administering Mac OS X clients

MacEnterprise - IT Professional Support for Macs in the Enterprise

Mac Help Desk - Support Site for Mac OS X Professionals

Tech Support Forum - Macintosh Tech Support Forum

Mac Automation Made Simple - Podcasts

Mac OS X Support Essentials - Google Books

MacTech magazine - The Journal of Macintosh Technology

Macintosh Reference Guide - Peachpit

Training & Certification – Apple's Training And Certification Program

Meanwhile, just to show you how tough things have become, the company that posted the position decided to combine UNIX, PC and Mac Help Desk responsibilities ("internal reorg") instead of seeking to fill the Mac Help Desk position with a temporary part timer (that would have been me). The headhunter was blindsided on this one (who politely listened in on the conference call) and it was rather telling that the company had 3 managers asking me questions and none - repeat – none, knew anything about Macs (or claimed not to)! It had been so long since I had remapped a network drive, I think I stumbled a little on that question. And do you know what to do on a PC when MS Word is totally hosed? (You can't just plist your way out of that one like we can on a Mac.) Oh, and do you know how to provide support Macs in an MS SharePoint environment?

My original premise to the headhunter was that a Mac support person needs to know a whole lot more about "cross-dressing" PC/Macs than a PC person (who knows how to perhaps navigate the esoteric menu list in XP Pro and can hurt him or herself in the DLL registry) and should be paid proportionally to the knowledge garnered from years of experience in both camps. No way should the Mac tech support person be treated as a lower-paid stepchild in the Enterprise. Don’t you agree? By definition, a Mac Support person knows both camps.

Anyone want to work as a 3-in-1 "computer oil capacity" for slave wages? {The job apparently was reposted recently as a MAC Help Desk Technician position (as in Moves, Adds and Changes) and has the exact same job description as the Mac Help Desk position…I was told I was not a "good fit". I know when I am not wanted!} ;^0

Other News

Former Day Job

My former day job employer took me to court (2-hour teleconference session) about how I had been ruining his company as the only full-time employee (besides himself). He even had witnesses testifying against me to claim I should have been fired months earlier, instead of being let go. And he put the issue in the Salt Lake Tribune in June in an article entitled "Job Loss". I look back now on that previous job experience that ended in March and realize just how toxic and time-consuming that was. So before being accepted into a job, walk in with eyes wide open, ask solid questions and get official documentation. (By the way, the judge finally ruled in my favor.)

Also, by the time you read this, I understand that a former company I worked for (InStar) will also have removed all of the remaining employees from its payroll. They are all currently looking for new jobs.

Sonofusion Reactor

The Alternative Energy User Group, of which I am currently president, has been given permission and authorization to build the 14-gram-sized Sonofusion Reactor by Roger Stringham, over in Hawaii. We also have a local person who developed a cold fusion reactor we still need to touch bases with, to see if we can mix his technology with Roger's, to see if we can come up with an alternative energy Reeses Pieces ™ that would become a cool (pun intended) "gotta have". http://maccompanion.com/RenewableEnergy/PresentationsPage.html#18

Many of the prototype pieces for the Sonofusion Reactor arrived on my birthday.

US Debt Clock and Unemployment Index

http://www.usdebtclock.org/

Missing from the clock is the Official Unemployment Index, which also conveniently omits all who are self-employed, who cannot find work. Many states are taking loans from the Federal Government in order to meet their unemployment claims, since those funds have been drained. After discussion with many (formerly) self-employed, who are not allowed to be on the unemployment rolls because they own their own businesses, I believe the unofficial "rate" is much closer to 50% than the official 10%.

There were well over 20 million "Lone Wolves" (non-employer businesses) in 2007

http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/economic_census/010314.html

Regarding averages, if you have one foot in an ice-bucket and the other in boiling water, you should not be feeling any pain from frostbite or 3^rd-degree burns, because "on average", you would be standing in buckets at normal air temperature for water. We are supposed to believe everything is fine and to obey the Seth Lords without question.

When the unemployment cheques and government jobs run out, expect to see a revolution. Too many states are on the verge of bankruptcy now.

http://freedomarizona.org/2009/01/30/46-of-50-states-could-file-bankruptcy-in-2009-2010/

http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=711

Indeed, these are trying times. Perhaps this will help in your job search - http://www.maccompanion.com/macc/companions/macjobs.html

The American Grand Jury

I was chosen to be on the American Grand Jury and I voted July 8, regarding presentments related to the birth certificate and other documents that should be readily available to the citizens of the USA from the POTUS. The presentments also claim treason of the person who currently occupies the White House against the citizens of the USA. The votes were unanimous from 38 members and is one of 10 juries so far.

Read the 44-page Citizens' Rule Book and discover your other two votes - http://www.patriotnetwork.info/Citizens_rule_book.htm

May the force be with you!

Robert L. Pritchett, Constitutionalist

Interesting Links

Birthers

So you probably never realized you are

worth more dead to our current “legal guardians” than alive.

6 Good Reasons to Avoid the Flu Shots

(the vaccine song) SAY NO TO THE VACCINE

Swine Flu - H1N1

Swine Flu Media Central, 2009

Swine Flu Propaganda – Redux