obstinate.org

Okay So I attended a training course for PostgreSQL a few months ago. IT WAS AWFUL!!!!!! It is difficult for me to put into words how bad this course was. So in an attempt, I wrote up a play-by-play of the action here:

http://obstinate.org/computing/full-review-of-postgresql-certfirst-training-course/

SUMMARY

Certfirst used bait and switch tactics during the sales process, and failed to deliver a meaningful training course. I left with no useful information other than using Google and reading through the provided “PostgreSQL” book that is a $40 amazon.com buy. Whatever you do, DO NOT ENGAGE THIS COMPANY ANY ANYTHING! You will be wasting 5 days of time, and thousands of dollars would of learned more about PostgreSQL trapped in a hot cave in southeast Asia filled with native cannibals. At least I wouldn’t of been as bored in the cave.

I would be surprised to learn that they had run this course before, and that the instructor / company knows anything about PostgreSQL or anything else that they are teaching for that matter. Let this serve as an official warning to never do business with Cert First or SaiFirst companies. You have been warned!

I was recently speaking with someone, specifically giving them feedback / advice on a particular topic. Now, let me be clear that the item in particular didn’t strike me as particularly sensitive.  I gave my constructive feedback and the person got quite defensive about the matter, to the point where it was obvious that they thought I was being judgmental. 

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I like love Top Gear. No really, it is very very difficult for me to describe my child-like fascination with this television show from the UK. It is truly one of the best produced TV shows in the world, that happens to be about one of the greatest topics in the world (cars) with some of the funniest hooligans on the planet (Clarkson, Hamster, Captain Slow). 

They are back on November 2nd, with a new series of episodes that I will be forced to torrent / youtube to watch. Although BBC has released season 10 on iTunes for $14.99 (I would be more than happy to pay that!)

Additionally, Clarkson has a new DVD “Thriller” that is released on November 3rd. Rad!

Today the BBC released a trailer that shows whats coming up in the new series. Watching it gives me goosebumps with anticipation.  Lots of road tests, lots of challenges, max hilarity activate!

The Joy, oh the Joy of things in live. But today I am talking about one of the supreme constant joys of my life. Driving, the pursuit of the drive, the drive itself, or the lack of driving. All of it, its almost like I had forgotten. 

Recently when driving to work through my neighborhood, I passed under a enormous trees that engulfed the road in that long, majestic sort of way. And of course it being autumn, there was a rustling of leaves that were cascading down from the trees due to the breeze, and then there was the eddies of leaves that followed the wake of my passing. The sound of the engine echoing off of the cave of tree as I barreled through them.

Passion, art, science, soul, character, beauty – lump all of these things together and you get someplace close to describing that moment. 

This is the sort of thing that I live for, experiences like that are what make life worth living. I might call it Love, love of the intangible, love for life. 

I am not the only one who shares this passion. There is a new movie (documentary) that will be coming out next year about a guy they call Eric Bana. Actor and one with the passion like I describe. Enjoy the trailer.

Do you ever feel like your life is a soap opera, and you are an innocent bystander as you spun like a top? I do. I don’t like that. 

I think there is a fundamental concept of free will that people don’t realise. You are not a victim of circumstance, you are what you make of it. Really. 

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So yesterday when driving around for no particular reason (I will get to that soon). I was listening to the radio and an ad comes on that says something to the effect of “Life is too short, have an affair”. At first I thought this was a joke, this kind of blatent discard of ethics could not be displayed on public radio. I forgot about it as I burninated the countryside all over OC. 

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