Thursday September 01, 2005 Reach out, help someone (or a few)
We have all seen and witnessed the tragedy that was brought by Katarina on the Gulf of Mexico's coast line, mostly around New Orleans and the Mississippi coast. We are bombarded by the media with images of terrible destruction, pain and misery.In spite of this, most of us cannot rush out to the affected areas to lend a hand personally. We still need to work, pay the bills and take care of our families. We have our obligations to our communities and our employers. Yet, we still feel that we must do something to help.
Many organizations have staff and volunteers who are either there already or on their way. Thanks to organizations such as the Red Cross, supplies, food and rescue workers are making their way to Katrina's victims. Shelters are being put together, refugees are evacuated, people are cared for and rescued.
All of this isn't free. It isn't even cheap. If you haven't done so, go to Amazon, iTunes or the Red Cross web site and give some money to help pay for the rescue efforts. See if your employer has a donation matching policy in order to amplify your donation. It doesn't need to be much to help. Even $5, $10 or $20 can make a difference and bring a little hope to a hopeless situation.
So reach out. Help a few people in great need.
-- Fred
( Sep 01 2005, 10:04:16 PM MDT ) Permalink Comments [0]
Chad Fowler's "My Job Went To India"
The Pragmatic Programmer is in the process of releasing a new book by Chad Fowler titled "My Job Went To India (And All I Got Was This Lousy Book). I had already read and heard good things through different blogs and at the Just Stuff, No Fluff conference.I have read the extracts and decided that I needed more, so I got the PDF + Book combo and have been devouring the book so far. The book contains advice to developers and programmers on how to improve their chances of staying employed. The advice would be relevant even outside of the outsourcing/offshoring context.
A key point of the book is that our jobs are changing as a result of the availability of cheap labor globally. When seen through this lense, the advices contained in the book are more about how to increase your value to your employer than how to fight a (loosing) battle against offshoring and outsourcing.
It also provides an insight on what is driving the Indian programmers. What is driving them to get in this field, what is motivating them in terms of career, why so many of them are calling themselves "senior".
So far, it has been an excellent read, and I would recommend this book to any developer who is interested in staying in this field. If anything, listen to Andy Hunt's read of the introduction.
-- Fred
( Sep 01 2005, 11:50:02 AM MDT ) Permalink Comments [0]