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Man Fired For Using Computer To Search For Aliens
Newsnet5.com ^
| October 8, 2004
| AP
Posted on 10/09/2004 8:00:12 AM PDT by Slings and Arrows
Man Fired For Using Computer To Search For Aliens Man Said He Used Computer During Off Hours
POSTED: 10:33 am EDT October 8, 2004
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The search for extraterrestrial life has ended at the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services.
The department on Thursday fired a computer programmer who admitted to using a state-owned computer server to process data for the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence project, run by the University of California at Berkeley.
Charles E. Smith, 63, told administrators he didn't think loading the SETI software on the server was much of a problem because he ran the program only on weekends and on weekdays between 7 p.m. and 7 a.m., when the server wasn't being used, according to a disciplinary report.
Department director Tom Hayes disagreed.
"I understand his desire to search for intelligent life in outer space, because obviously he doesn't find it in the mirror in the morning," Hayes said. "I think that people can be comfortable that security has beamed this man out of our building."
Smith, who earned $60,000 a year, didn't return a phone call seeking comment from The Plain Dealer.
There was no immediate response to messages left Friday by The Associated Press at the two phone listings in Columbus under the name Charles E. Smith.
TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; Government; News/Current Events; US: Ohio
KEYWORDS: seti; workplace
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Sheesh! When SETI@home first came out half the people in my office ran it as their screensaver.
From the supervisor's comments he obviously has no idea what the program does. Schmuck.
To: Slings and Arrows
Nice mature response from the supervisor.
2
posted on
10/09/2004 8:02:14 AM PDT
by
brothers4thID
(I have knocked on door of this man's soul- and found someone home.)
To: Slings and Arrows
he should have just told his boss that he was searching for potential democrat voters
3
posted on
10/09/2004 8:02:50 AM PDT
by
InvisibleChurch
(Good ol' Coney Island College. Go WhiteFish.)
To: Slings and Arrows
If anyone asks why government is such a mess, it is because supervisors don't particularly care that employees are happy or well motivated.
I bet this person could also have been fired for loading software on his machine, for the purpose of improving his computing skills.
4
posted on
10/09/2004 8:04:59 AM PDT
by
Tax Government
(Stop Freeploading. Become a monthly contributor to FR.)
To: Slings and Arrows
Department director Tom Hayes disagreed.
"I understand his desire to search for intelligent life in outer space, because obviously he doesn't find it in the mirror in the morning," Hayes said. "I think that people can be comfortable that security has beamed this man out of our building."
ROTFLMAO!
5
posted on
10/09/2004 8:05:32 AM PDT
by
oh8eleven
To: Slings and Arrows
He was looking for the wrong aliens:
6
posted on
10/09/2004 8:06:48 AM PDT
by
BenLurkin
(We have low inflation and and low unemployment.)
To: Slings and Arrows
There has to be something more to this story. Rarely will something like this cause a firing before the warning to stop doing it. And I would change rarely to never for government workers.
7
posted on
10/09/2004 8:07:56 AM PDT
by
KarlInOhio
(If they couldn't stand up to ...Howard Dean..., how can we expect them to stand up to Al Queda?)
Comment #8 Removed by Moderator
To: Tax Government
If anyone asks why government is such a mess, it is because supervisors don't particularly care that employees are happy or well motivated.
You want some cheese to go with that whine?
9
posted on
10/09/2004 8:10:35 AM PDT
by
oh8eleven
To: Tax Government
If anyone asks why government is such a mess, it is because supervisors don't particularly care that employees are happy or well motivated. It's not just government. It's big corporations in general.
10
posted on
10/09/2004 8:14:19 AM PDT
by
Samwise
(Give that man a wand and slap a pair of wings on his back: John Kerry is running for fairy godmother)
To: plantone
Haaaaaaaaa - I love it!
To: oh8eleven
Only a moron doesn't recognize the connection b/w well motivated employees and the performance of a department. Whips aren't very effective in the modern era.
To: Slings and Arrows
Oh man, that supervisor is just asking to be abducted and experimented on. Never challenge or ridicule the aliens.
To: Samwise; Tax Government
It's not just government. It's big corporations in general.
Hey, you guys want to share a box of Kleenex? If you need your supervisors to make you happy and/or motivated you're both in the wrong line of work.
To: Slings and Arrows
"I think that people can be comfortable that security has beamed this man out of our building." That prhase should be enshrined in granite at the HR Museum.
15
posted on
10/09/2004 8:24:10 AM PDT
by
Tribune7
To: StolarStorm
LOL - stop it, you're killing me. Most supervisors are too busy trying to find intelligent life right there in the office.
To: oh8eleven
Ahhh.... are you a screamer or a micro-manager? Supervisors don't necessarily create motivation, but bad ones certainly can destroy a department's effectiveness. Bad managers have no clue though and often end up blaming "whiny" employees for their own failures as a poor manager. Good managers need to be leaders, and one must take into account the morale of the troops to succeed.
To: oh8eleven
Yeah, poor managers tend to attract poor employees. Those are the only ones that will put up with incompentant management.
To: oh8eleven
19
posted on
10/09/2004 8:29:18 AM PDT
by
Samwise
(Give that man a wand and slap a pair of wings on his back: John Kerry is running for fairy godmother)
To: Slings and Arrows
Clearly the fired the wrong man. This "supervisor" has the IQ of a tomato.
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