Geez Richard Hatch looks different...

quote:

Originally posted by Wanderer:There were a lot of dealers, offering whatever you could possibly want or imagine.

That brings back memories.

Sigh.

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Originally posted by Wanderer:
Upon arrival, we swam through the crowds - and their typical geek stench

Christ almighty. The fucking nerdstench. Sweat and Doritos and the absence of social skills. Thought I'd repressed that.

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Originally posted by lithos:

quote:

Originally posted by Wanderer:
Upon arrival, we swam through the crowds - and their typical geek stench

Christ almighty. The fucking nerdstench. Sweat and Doritos and the absence of social skills. Thought I'd repressed that.

uggh so it is universal?

I ran into the stink in Atlanta and thought maybe it was limited to USian nerds.

Yeah, edit. When you're alone in your room at your parents house, why would you need deodorant? And spending time AFK to shower just wastes precious time that could be spent Zerg rushing.

Most of them are overweight, so that adds to the sweat problem. Folds of fat provide the perfect environment for odour-causing bacteria to multiply. I can't imagine what that'd be like in Scarlett O'Hara country.

The popularity of World of Warcraft has actually had a positive effect on the amount of stench I'm exposed to. When I'm in The Bunker looking up the bus timetables at 1AM on a Sunday mornings, there's less nerds in their playing Counter-Strike and more sad-arse hipsters and jocks playing WoW, thereby reducing the prevalence of Nerdstench to near-bearable levels.

Exposure should be limited to periods of an hour or less every twenty-four hours.

quote:

Originally posted by lithos:
Yeah, edit. When you're alone in your room at your parents house, why would you need deodorant? And spending time AFK to shower just wastes precious time that could be spent Zerg rushing.

Most of them are overweight, so that adds to the sweat problem. Folds of fat provide the perfect environment for odour-causing bacteria to multiply. I can't imagine what that'd be like in Scarlett O'Hara country.

The popularity of World of Warcraft has actually had a positive effect on the amount of stench I'm exposed to. When I'm in The Bunker looking up the bus timetables at 1AM on a Sunday mornings, there's less nerds in their playing Counter-Strike and more sad-arse hipsters and jocks playing WoW, thereby reducing the prevalence of Nerdstench to near-bearable levels.

Exposure should be limited to periods of an hour or less every twenty-four hours.

Don't forget to make snow-angels in knee high piles of discarded Taco Bell wrappers.

Got my letter from Rockstar today.

Not exactly surprising content, however, the interesting part was this:

"which prevent you for a period of 6 months [...] being involved in any business which is in competition with Rockstar North..."

Now, incidentally, that clause is not in my contract, just this letter. I am no lawyer (if you know anyone, please ask them) but that reads to me that I may not work in the field, for which I make my living, for 6 months AFTER I stop working for them. Since I am already serving 3 months leave (which also protects them since I can't work for anyone else), why add another 6 months? Is this legally binding?

i have seen those types of clauses before, i'm sure the last time i saw it was more like 2 years, but i wasn't as specialised.

i would think that would need to be in the contract though, sticking it in a letter of termination doesn't sound legal.

i would suggest consulting with citizens advice, they should be able to help. at least in theory.

In a few previous jobs it was in our contract that we weren't allowed to set up a business in the same field / in competition with the employer for x amount of time.. But it was stated in contract.
There was one job that came with a HUGE list of stuff I wasn't allowed to do for varying times after leaving, that wasn't in the contract, but I had been given the information in writing when I was given the job on a permanent basis.

I'd definately get advice as that sounds pretty dodgy to me..

i guess there is also the thing if you are leaving the UK anyway - is it only applicable here or world wide?

quote:

Originally posted by Crash:
Got my letter from Rockstar today.

Not exactly surprising content, however, the interesting part was this:

"which prevent you for a period of 6 months [...] being involved in any business which is in competition with Rockstar North..."

Now, incidentally, that clause is not in my contract, just this letter. I am no lawyer (if you know anyone, please ask them) but that reads to me that I may not work in the field, for which I make my living, for 6 months AFTER I stop working for them. Since I am already serving 3 months leave (which also protects them since I can't work for anyone else), why add another 6 months? Is this legally binding?

I don't know about your case, but generally, such lock clause in contracts are (theoretic) legally binding. (Such a clause used to be in my old and is my current contract as well.)

Even if the clause would have been in your contract, and there might have been something in it about intellectual property that implicate such messures. To my understanding, it is almost impossible to enforce.

The first time I had one, I was consulting the 'work council' about it. The way it was written, I interpreted it that I would be prevented from working in any other company in the same field for 6 months. And yes, I had a 3 months notice as well.

So here is what the council told me.
They can not per-se stop me from starting to work for a certain company. What I would be forbidden to do is to work in a competing company doing the same thing. As this would be a violation of intellectual property.
And here is the trick, how do you prove I am doing (reproducing) exactly the same thing?
Now, that was in Austria, British law might be slightly different, but overall the interpretation throughout the EU should be somewhat similar.

It would be very hard, time and money consuming to go to court on this basis. (Apple might do that, but besides?)

It needs to be in the contract.
If you didn't sign it, it's not valid.

You should call them, and ask about it.

I had a clause like that before, but I asked and they removed it when I left.

*** Long post alert with apologies ***

The clauses that they refer to in the letter are:

You will not without prior written consent during your employment hereunder or for a period of 6 months following the lawful termination of your employment

1) Don't solicit or canvas or attempt the same whether directly or indirectly from any client or customer of the Company whom I have dealt with during 6 months PRIOR to termination date or during employment (whichever is shorter).

2) Don't deal with or accept instruction from any client or customer of the Company with whom you had dealt during the 6 months prior to date of termination or during employment (whichever is shorter)

3) Don't directly or indirectly solicit any employee of the Company employed in any executive, managerial, or creative capacity within the last 6 months of your employment to terminate his/her employment with the Company or to accept any other employment.

The top clause says 6 months following but the other clauses say 6 months before lawful termination of employment.

To me, it seems a bit ambiguous. Does the last clause apply to myself as a "creative" employee seeking employment or only trying to lure someone else away?

@ Crash,

I asked one of the UK Directors here about your situation.

According to him, it would only be binding if you signed it. He would however advice not to mention that it wasn't in the original contract. If you complain now, you might make them cross.

If you start working somewhere, and they come and complain afterwards, you can always point out that it wasn't in the contract.

He also mentioned that he wouldn't bother about it. The only scenario where he would refer to such a clause would be for example if a manager leaves and then starts hiring off the better part of his old team. Or if he would start up his own company and lure away customer base.

quote:

Originally posted by Newro:
@ Crash,

I asked one of the UK Directors here about your situation.

According to him, it would only be binding if you signed it. He would however advice not to mention that it wasn't in the original contract. If you complain now, you might make them cross.

If you start working somewhere, and they come and complain afterwards, you can always point out that it wasn't in the contract.

He also mentioned that he wouldn't bother about it. The only scenario where he would refer to such a clause would be for example if a manager leaves and then starts hiring off the better part of his old team. Or if he would start up his own company and lure away customer base.

Ok. Thanks for asking him, Newro. I will just serve out the term and leave the country. After that, all of it will be a distant memory.

quote:

Originally posted by lithos:
All I can say is happy birthday, and you're less hirsute than I was lead to believe. By you.

I am deducting a point for making me look up hirsute.

When it all starts to go grey you either find chicks that dig older guys or you take care of it.

Or you do both which is a lot more fun.

This weekend, Mrs GL won a nice handful of medals at the Ile de France Chanbara Open



Meanwhile, I was at home, ironing clothes and watching movies.

quote:

Originally posted by editengine:

quote:

Originally posted by lithos:
All I can say is happy birthday, and you're less hirsute than I was lead to believe. By you.

I am deducting a point for making me look up hirsute.

When it all starts to go grey you either find chicks that dig older guys or you take care of it.

Or you do both which is a lot more fun.

from Wiki... "Hirsutism only affects women".
uhm.

But a man can still be hirsute surely? Without it being an ism? Hmmm!!

oh i apologize.
according to Wiki, the actual article on the actual word, hirsute means hairy.
hirsutism, on the other hand, is the one that affects women.