I knew this day would come. Steve Jobs is no longer at the head of Apple.
No doubt he has put together a competent team and Apple will continue to do OK for some time but there is only one Steve Jobs. It takes a visionary to produce the types of game changing products that Apple consistently produced under his leadership.
It is likely that Apple will eventually become just another big corporate blob. Once a founder leaves active management of a company the company is never the same. Few successors have the vision to lead a company the way the founder does and this founder is one of a kind.
Thank you Steve for all you have done for me and millions of other users of Apple products. The world will be less without you in your black shirt announcing another product that we didn't know we had to have.
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
The Audit Process
In another life, I worked as an auditor. I learned a great deal but am glad to no longer be auditing. For any of you sadistic people who think you might want to be an auditor, here is an old post from another blog that I had misspellings and all.
Manager: “Here is your audit budget. Go do the audit. How long will it take.”
Auditor: “Hello, I’m here to do the audit.”
Fiscal Officer: “We are glad to see you (lie). Here is the broom closet you can work in. Please don’t get too comfortable so you will leave quickly.”
Some time later... Business/Agency staff: "So, when will you be done?"
Manager: “Are you done yet? When will you be done?”
“Why are you looking at that? Keep your focus on what is important.”
“Are you done yet? When will you be done?”
“You need to be done by Friday.”
“Why are you looking at that? We need to keep focus on what is important.”
“I called and you were not at the desk.”
“I sent you an email and you did not respond within 10 milliseconds.”
“You must not make up any hours you missed because your child was in the ER. We must stick to a strict schedule here.”
“Are you done yet? When will you be done?”
Manager: “You can finish that in the office.” (Or.. you’ve been there too long. It makes me look bad. Get back here so we can keep an eye on you sorry, incompetent, dishonest self. Why are you not like Mr political, jock, wonder boy?)
Fiscal Officer: “Thanks for coming. Glad you are going. Don’t hurry to get back. Thanks for what you found (lie).”
Auditor arrives in the office with a mess of audit work papers.
Manager: “Are you done yet? When will you be done?”
Finish jumping through the audit useless workpaper format hoops.
Turn in to manager:
A few days, weeks, or months later...
Manager: Here are your review notes:
You did not underline in red.
This index does not match.
Your work is not easy to follow.
This heading is missing.
Why did you not look at that?
This does not add up.
You did not inital this page?
Does this page really need to be here?
You did not write the purpose and source on this page.
Where is the support for these numbers?
Is this really worthy of a finding?
Can we water it down a little more?
Did you write the update letter?
When will you be done with the review notes?
Auditor: Calls Fiscal Officer, “I need to get this, this, and that.” (because I was rushed out because I had to be done by Friday).
Auditor: Turns in the revised work and the update letter.
Manager: “This, that, and this are still wrong.”
“Is this really an issue? Can we water down the issue some more?”
“You need to rewrite the update letter.”
Manager approves the update letter.
Auditor takes update letter to Fiscal Officer.
Fiscal Officer: “Thanks” (Lie)
Manager: “You took too long. You need to stay focused.”
“Here is your next audit assignment. When will you be done?”
The workpapers go on the shelf for one to three years.
Subsequent auditor on the next audit of the same place: “Why did that idiot do it this way?”
Workpapers go back on the shelf never to be looked at again unless a major issue blows up. In that case the workpapers are thoroughly reviewed to see why the stupid auditor was not focused on the problem at hand? Where were the auditors? Why was this not in the audit report? Can we sue them?
Manager: “Here is your audit budget. Go do the audit. How long will it take.”
Auditor: “Hello, I’m here to do the audit.”
Fiscal Officer: “We are glad to see you (lie). Here is the broom closet you can work in. Please don’t get too comfortable so you will leave quickly.”
Some time later... Business/Agency staff: "So, when will you be done?"
Manager: “Are you done yet? When will you be done?”
“Why are you looking at that? Keep your focus on what is important.”
“Are you done yet? When will you be done?”
“You need to be done by Friday.”
“Why are you looking at that? We need to keep focus on what is important.”
“I called and you were not at the desk.”
“I sent you an email and you did not respond within 10 milliseconds.”
“You must not make up any hours you missed because your child was in the ER. We must stick to a strict schedule here.”
“Are you done yet? When will you be done?”
Manager: “You can finish that in the office.” (Or.. you’ve been there too long. It makes me look bad. Get back here so we can keep an eye on you sorry, incompetent, dishonest self. Why are you not like Mr political, jock, wonder boy?)
Fiscal Officer: “Thanks for coming. Glad you are going. Don’t hurry to get back. Thanks for what you found (lie).”
Auditor arrives in the office with a mess of audit work papers.
Manager: “Are you done yet? When will you be done?”
Finish jumping through the audit useless workpaper format hoops.
Turn in to manager:
A few days, weeks, or months later...
Manager: Here are your review notes:
You did not underline in red.
This index does not match.
Your work is not easy to follow.
This heading is missing.
Why did you not look at that?
This does not add up.
You did not inital this page?
Does this page really need to be here?
You did not write the purpose and source on this page.
Where is the support for these numbers?
Is this really worthy of a finding?
Can we water it down a little more?
Did you write the update letter?
When will you be done with the review notes?
Auditor: Calls Fiscal Officer, “I need to get this, this, and that.” (because I was rushed out because I had to be done by Friday).
Auditor: Turns in the revised work and the update letter.
Manager: “This, that, and this are still wrong.”
“Is this really an issue? Can we water down the issue some more?”
“You need to rewrite the update letter.”
Manager approves the update letter.
Auditor takes update letter to Fiscal Officer.
Fiscal Officer: “Thanks” (Lie)
Manager: “You took too long. You need to stay focused.”
“Here is your next audit assignment. When will you be done?”
The workpapers go on the shelf for one to three years.
Subsequent auditor on the next audit of the same place: “Why did that idiot do it this way?”
Workpapers go back on the shelf never to be looked at again unless a major issue blows up. In that case the workpapers are thoroughly reviewed to see why the stupid auditor was not focused on the problem at hand? Where were the auditors? Why was this not in the audit report? Can we sue them?
Saturday, August 20, 2011
Backpack Update
Since my review of the Targus backpack, the main zipper on my backpack finally gave out completely. While I was researching to find a new backpack, I found something about Targus having a lifetime warranty. I investigated this at the Targus website and discovered they indeed do have a lifetime warranty.
I submitted a customer service request via the Targus website and they sent me a brand-new backpack.
This is customer service and a warranty that one simply cannot argue with.
The new backpack is made from a somewhat different material than the old one. It seems to have more nylon and is not quite as soft. It also seems that the zippers are not quite as rugged as the old one. That said, it is still a well-built backpack and may be as good as the old one. Without the old one to compare I with it is hard to say for sure.
My old backpack was at least five years old and it may have been quite a few years older than that. To get a complete replacement for a pack that old is incredible.
Way to go Targus!
I submitted a customer service request via the Targus website and they sent me a brand-new backpack.
This is customer service and a warranty that one simply cannot argue with.
The new backpack is made from a somewhat different material than the old one. It seems to have more nylon and is not quite as soft. It also seems that the zippers are not quite as rugged as the old one. That said, it is still a well-built backpack and may be as good as the old one. Without the old one to compare I with it is hard to say for sure.
My old backpack was at least five years old and it may have been quite a few years older than that. To get a complete replacement for a pack that old is incredible.
Way to go Targus!
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