High Tech My son in the computer business recently changed employers. On a recent visit I asked him to tell me about his new job. He began by saying, "Well, you know the article on your website about technology reducing job opportunities, I guess that's what I'm doing." He elaborated by explaining that his employer manufactures and markets "a little black box" which with its software makes it possible to bore a "secure tunnel" and send encrypted data over the Internet backbone. Formerly, a company wishing to let remote employees access its computer system had to lease phone lines and set up hubs (dial-up concentrators) with technicians to service them and support the users. Now it's being done through the Internet. ISP's need technicians of course, but far fewer because of the economies of scale. Medium Tech My oldest friend is the director of the scientific establishment maintained by the City of Toronto. The air-conditioning system in the building needed to be overhauled. The contractor sent out a technician whom my friend found to be a capable, pleasant person. The technician said he had been with his employer for 13 years. On the second day shortly before the technician had completed his work, two men showed up at my friend's workplace and identified themselves as the supervisor and lead hand of the technician. To my friend's horror they proceeded to lay off the man in his presence. When he questioned them, they said the technicians take the trucks home at night and go directly to their assignment in the morning. Therefore, they always lay them off on site. My friend told them to get out of his workplace--he is an avid Dickens reader and was quite upset by this layoff so close to Christmas. The building janitor had to crawl into the air conditioning system and finish the last few items in the job. Victor Milne FIGHT THE BASTARDS! An anti-neoconservative website at http://www3.sympatico.ca/pat-vic/pat-vic/ LONESOME ACRES RIDING STABLE at http://www3.sympatico.ca/pat-vic/
