A funny thing happened at the range yesterday

[Paddy]

You remember a month ago I got fired for 'excessive internet use'?  Well, two of the IT guys were at the range yesterday.  I walked up to them and started a conversation.  It was clear the first guy didn't know I was no longer with the company.  But the second guy was apparently the one who 'tracked' my internet use for 2 months.  He was nervously explaining to the first guy what happened and tried to make it clear that my boss was the one who ordered the surveillance.

So I was banging away @100yds with the .308, and bouncing some golfballs @75 yds with the 10/22.  They were shooting @50yds.  Time to check the targets.  I had nice tight 1"-2" groups, their groups were, shall we say, a little larger at half the distance.  The second guy nervously remarked 'we're outta here'.

On over to the pistol range.  I'm bouncing golfballs with the MKII and hitting metal plates @20yds with the CZ75B.  They're managing to keep most shots on the paper with a .22 auto and a 9mm.

By the end of the day, the second guy was a little more at ease, due to my non-threatening, friendly behavior.

It was fun, though.

[The Rabbi]

You should have told them,

"I'm going to work for the Post Office.  BWAHAHAHAHHAHAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

[client32]

I am glad that they were becoming more at ease.  Maybe the sites you visited influenced the guy to take up shooting.

I hadn't read about your "excessive internet use" until now, but I would be willing to bet that the IT guy that did the "tracking" didn't know the full story.  And you never know who is going to blame you for getting them fired.

It is a bad situation when someone comes to IT for something like this.  Normally, it is one of two things.  The boss doesn't like the employee and can't find any other way to get rid of him/her (sounds like what you went through), or can't take the responsibility of being a boss and have to blame the pink slip on IT policies rather than telling the person the truth.  Both situations are bad and I don't like either one.

[S. Williamson]

Rabbi, you owe me a new can of Pepsi and some nasal spray.  *sniff* :/

[The Rabbi]

Rabbi, you owe me a new can of Pepsi and some nasal spray.  *sniff* :/

Happy to pay off next time you're in Nashville.

[Paddy]

It is a bad situation when someone comes to IT for something like this.  Normally, it is one of two things.  The boss doesn't like the employee and can't find any other way to get rid of him/her (sounds like what you went through), or can't take the responsibility of being a boss and have to blame the pink slip on IT policies rather than telling the person the truth.  Both situations are bad and I don't like either one.

Exactly.  My boss had them track my internet usage for two months until he felt he had enough to justify 'excessive'.

As a friend of mine said, they fired the wrong guy.

[Azrael256]

Happy to pay off next time you're in Nashville.

Dude, don't say that.  He'll do it.

I'm the guy who "tracks" things on the network.  If somebody is downloading an inordinate amount of pornography, or is obviously making deals to sell weapons to Saudi terrorists, we'll do something about that.  Otherwise, the "watch this guy" memos I get are tossed right in the trash.  I don't have time to deal with petty BS like that.

[Declaration Day]

If I thought one of my employees was using the internet too much instead fo working, I'd nip that one in the bud early and try to solve the problem.  I wouldn't wait two months and simply hand him a pink slip.

[Paddy]

Yeah, DD, but you're probably running a real business where you have to actually compete.  You probably don't have money coming in so fast every day you can't keep track of it.  Nor is your billing 3 months behind.  Nor do have legions of overpaid incompetent management people whose only job is to wipe & kiss the butts of their superiors.  Nor are you doing any of this while hiding behind a 'non-profit' status.

[grampster]

Say, Riley...did you work the same company that I do?  heh.