[geeks] How old am I and where do I come from...

[Michael A. Turner]

 > > in St. Petersburg, Florida with my cat Ophelia.  I work in my home
> > lab, head of engineering for Tampa, FL startup QYX Learning,
> > Inc. (http://www.qyx.com), doing embedded systems 
> development for the
> > K-12 education automation industry.  Single and hating it.
> 
> Woah.   What happened to the video survailence stuff.  I didn't
> realize that you current work was completely different.
> 
> Education though.  That's a pretty interesting field to be in.
> Instead of only hacking computers, one also gets to try hacking young
> minds.  I'm guessing that you are doing the hardware though.

	Education sucks as a field really. A lot of the tech "directors" are
teachers that they had to get out of the classroom 5 or 6 years ago so they
made them manage the computers. They are, for the most part, less than
clueless. Working with them is like combining the worst parts of a renegade
start-up company and a government bureaucracy. They have wild ideas that
they want input on NOW but then can't get the funding for it for months. Ug.


	BTW I am Michael A. Turner, 31 about to become 32 in 12 days. DOB
(07/28/70). I have been located in Virginia Beach VA for the last 22 years
though my heart is in the northwest corner of Montana (Kalispell, flathead
valley area). Graduated from high school with a d- average in 1988. Went to
Norfolk State University , major electrical technology, on a minority
scholarship for two years then transferred to Old Dominion University
,Electrical Engineering major, Asked to leave after one year because my GPA
was below the 1.0 mark. This was mainly due to discovering the real joys of
loose women and alcohol, especially when you mixed the two together. Came
back for a class in 94 asked to leave again after having to drop classes
because roommate, and my best friend, died. Went to local community college
in early 97 to take math then returned to ODU in fall 98, Major Computer
science, and just recently graduated. Greatest accomplishment while their
was making Deans list while on academic probation and having a cumulative
GPA of 1.32 at the time. Graduated may 11 with a 3.09 GPA despite having
worked fulltime while I was in college.
	I have worked doing dial up tech support, teaching computers to the
mentally handicapped (Volunteer), as a pizza delivery guy, as a bouncer at a
hardcore night club, delivering ad copy for the local newspaper, as a
logger, a cook, a dishwasher, door to door sales guy, and a vendor in the
stands at the local baseball park.	
	I currently work for WHRO doing just about anything they need. WHRO
is a public radio and TV station that also provides bandwidth to the 13
local school districts. We work with school, both private and public, to
help them meet their technology goals. Often we are used as a last line of
technical support when their directors get in over their head.
	Divorced with a 5 year old daughter, currently single and looking so
get it while it's hot ladies :-).

	Having said that , I must say I really should hookup with you Dave.
Your product looks like it has real possibility if coupled with our distance
learning projects using H.323 video over IP. I would not mind bouncing some
ideas with you if you got the time. 


Michael A. Turner
Systems Engineer WHRO
michael.turner at whro.org
http://www.whro.org