IT Insights Blog — certification

Once upon a time many years ago (it was 1998), a movie about a death comet on a collision course with Earth stirred up some excitement at the box office just a few weeks prior to the release of a highly similar movie about a planet-killing asteroid pursuing an identically destructive bent. In the comet movie, the extraterrestrial menace actually slams into our Mother Earth unleashing a tidal wave (among other spectacular CGI havoc) that is just barely not fast enough to catch Elijah Wood and Leelee Sobieski on a dirtbike.

The NCAA tournament bracket is out, colleges across the country are buzzing with excitement, and office conversations have turned to the price of admission to this year’s bracket challenge. The true madness of March is about to begin.

For all my loyal followers (Hi, Mom!) who faithfully read these posts, you know that last week I wrote about how I shamelessly pulled the wool over the eyes of a former boss. I still think it was foolish, but clever of me. In any event, I was telling that story to a colleague who happens to be a big supporter of the Boy Scouts of America (BSA). He smiled condescendingly, like most people do when I talk, and said that I had used the “EDGE” method of training, a method developed and used extensively by the BSA.

There are three things I wish I would have known in high School. First, that you need to turn in every assignment to get good grades (oops). Second, that it’s OK to ask out the head cheerleader that you’ve been crushing on for years (give me courage). Third, that IT certification is very important to future employment.

In Hollywood, stars who have a big movie coming out often tour through various print, broadcast, and online media outlets, making headlines — and occasionally making waves — to generate interest among moviegoers. Emma Watson, star of the soon-to-open Walt Disney Studios live action remake of Beauty and the Beast, got her name in the news this morning following the release of an interview and cover shoot for Vanity Fair magazine that includes a few mildly provocative photos.