#train rambling

[iliketrainmen]

My favorite part of writing for whumptober is when I'm horribly sick for two consecutive months (Can I trade in my immune system for a better one? Do I still have warranty?)

[rafaeltheraven]

I've discovered today that the software company I've recently started working at has a division that is "contracted by the department of defense". Most of the stuff they seem to be working on appears relatively benign to me (not "benign" in like, "benign propulsion systems", but for obvious reasons I can't go into detail), but not everything they do is that way. I did not know this when I joined and they don't really promote it (me talking this vaguely is already kinda iffy).

Anyway, this leads to an interesting moral quandry. The product I work on is generally a net-good for society (not especially common in software) and a lot of the stuff they make is like that (traffic/water management systems, public transport software etc.), but then they also do the "bad" stuff. Most of the revenue I generate for the company probably goes to either my own team, or the bosses, but of course the actual way this money is spread out is pretty opaque. I do not know for certain my work does not finance the defense contracts.

I'd certainly decline being transferred to any of those teams, but my own work still leaves me stuff to think about.

[smalltownatlantis]

A couple years ago I took the train to Toronto with a friend of mine and we came back the next night on the last train home. We were almost totally alone in the car except for this middle aged man who was drinking his seven dollar wine from a plastic cup. I suddenly felt very sad that he has no idea what it's like to be a really cool 20 year old girl.