I used to hate logic games. You know... there are 4 puppets, each is a different animal and each has a different name. Each puppet also has a chief puppeteer and an assistant puppeteer. Based on the sketchy following information, you now need to be able to know which puppet is which and is controlled by which puppeteers.
Man I hated those things. Then, during preparation for my LSAT, I discovered that I needed to learn how to do them successfully if I wanted a prayer of attending law school. So I learned how to do them. But that didn't mean I was going to LIKE them!
Flash forward 12 years. I do Sudokus almost every day. I love puzzles (well, ok, I love almost all puzzles) and solving them gives me a great deal of satisfaction.
But logic puzzles still bother me. I never really liked them then and now they bring LSAT flashbacks. But tonight, Tina decided to play an online logic puzzle. Grabbing a pen and paper, I quickly decided that I wanted to join in and see if I could still do them.
And wadda' know? I can still do them.
That one was enough to last me another 12 years.
See ya' again in 2018. :)
Monday, June 12, 2006
Saturday, June 10, 2006
MTV VH1 ... Friday Night Videos
Does anyone else remember Friday Night Videos? I believe it was on NBC... but maybe it was even a UHF channel (heck, does anyone remember UHF anymore?). In any event, FNV was pre-MTV, definitely pre-VH1 ... and it was the start of music videos.
Yeah, most of them sucked. Artists didn't know what was going to work in this medium, so they tried everything. And even as MTV came online with their first video of "Video Killed the Radio Star" by the Buggles (anyone who didn't know of FNV ever think of how that song was the first one played on MTV if MTV was the first music video offering?), artists were still trying to figure out how to get their music across to listeners in a format other than pure sound.
The result was, as I said, less than great. People who had never seen their favorite bands other than on album cover art were sometimes shocked to discover the "face behind the song". Boy George, Adam Ant and other "gender benders" enjoyed the first round of being able to be themselves on national television while pressing conservative buttons everywhere. Cyndi Lauper, with her high voice and tule skirts, also started a fashion revolution ... along with, lest we forget, Madonna... who could be counted upon to raise the lust level in young men around the world.
But faster than might be expected, bands turned the videos into something more than the song. They used the video as a way to tell a story, share related images, even attack social crises like homelessness, HIV/AIDS, missing children, etc. And they also expanded the art of the video... such as with my favorite song, A-Ha's "Take on Me", which was the first video to combine live action and animation.
However, over 20 years later, there are still good videos and bad videos. And while you would think that certain things would have become "standard" in a video, it appears that they haven't. For today, on MTV, I happened across the video for "Where'd You Go" by Fort Minor featuring Holly Brook.
Now, the song is ok... but it does contain profanity. You and I both know that MTV isn't going to let that slip through, just like the radio stations won't. And I've gotta' believe that even if the artist themselves don't understand that, their manager should.
So, when they're recording the video, why wouldn't they RECORD A VIDEO WITHOUT THE FRIGGIN' PROFANITY? Because we already know that songs played on the radio sound really stupid when they blank out the audio for a swear word. So guess how stupid it looks when they blank out the audio and YOUR LIPS KEEP MOVING?
I mean, really. Are you kidding me? If you like your song so much that you want to use profanity in it, fine... but either record a clean version, or understand that your song/video can't play. Cuz it just sounds stupid. And it looks even MORE stupid on the video.
Yeah, most of them sucked. Artists didn't know what was going to work in this medium, so they tried everything. And even as MTV came online with their first video of "Video Killed the Radio Star" by the Buggles (anyone who didn't know of FNV ever think of how that song was the first one played on MTV if MTV was the first music video offering?), artists were still trying to figure out how to get their music across to listeners in a format other than pure sound.
The result was, as I said, less than great. People who had never seen their favorite bands other than on album cover art were sometimes shocked to discover the "face behind the song". Boy George, Adam Ant and other "gender benders" enjoyed the first round of being able to be themselves on national television while pressing conservative buttons everywhere. Cyndi Lauper, with her high voice and tule skirts, also started a fashion revolution ... along with, lest we forget, Madonna... who could be counted upon to raise the lust level in young men around the world.
But faster than might be expected, bands turned the videos into something more than the song. They used the video as a way to tell a story, share related images, even attack social crises like homelessness, HIV/AIDS, missing children, etc. And they also expanded the art of the video... such as with my favorite song, A-Ha's "Take on Me", which was the first video to combine live action and animation.
However, over 20 years later, there are still good videos and bad videos. And while you would think that certain things would have become "standard" in a video, it appears that they haven't. For today, on MTV, I happened across the video for "Where'd You Go" by Fort Minor featuring Holly Brook.
Now, the song is ok... but it does contain profanity. You and I both know that MTV isn't going to let that slip through, just like the radio stations won't. And I've gotta' believe that even if the artist themselves don't understand that, their manager should.
So, when they're recording the video, why wouldn't they RECORD A VIDEO WITHOUT THE FRIGGIN' PROFANITY? Because we already know that songs played on the radio sound really stupid when they blank out the audio for a swear word. So guess how stupid it looks when they blank out the audio and YOUR LIPS KEEP MOVING?
I mean, really. Are you kidding me? If you like your song so much that you want to use profanity in it, fine... but either record a clean version, or understand that your song/video can't play. Cuz it just sounds stupid. And it looks even MORE stupid on the video.
Monday, April 24, 2006
boxes
In general I love a good box. Well constructed, made of a sturdy material, designed to hold my crap. Simple. Elegant. Cardboard, plastic, metal. Big, small, other. Doesn't really matter. Add a cool lid (like the ones that have the interlocking tops to make them stackable) and it's even better.
Maybe I just love the organization factor. It's my anal-retentive nature, I suppose.
But then there are other boxes. Like Pandora's.
And www.pandora.com as a place to store your "music preferences" is about as cool as it gets. Now, I'm not one to just link to tell you where to visit (especially since I have a readership of like, um, nothing). But this is WAY too cool!
Put in your favorite artist... hear a song by them to start... then move onto simliar things recommended by the music genome project. I could be here for days.
I probably will.
Maybe I just love the organization factor. It's my anal-retentive nature, I suppose.
But then there are other boxes. Like Pandora's.
And www.pandora.com as a place to store your "music preferences" is about as cool as it gets. Now, I'm not one to just link to tell you where to visit (especially since I have a readership of like, um, nothing). But this is WAY too cool!
Put in your favorite artist... hear a song by them to start... then move onto simliar things recommended by the music genome project. I could be here for days.
I probably will.
Friday, April 14, 2006
nothing like a good friend to smack you upside your head
I shared my recent news with a really good friend yesterday. I was lamenting about how this was going to affect the whole family and that it was a lot to deal with. I basically said I didn't know how to handle this and what I should do.
It took her all of about 30 seconds to say "it's not about you."
Well, no kidding... I know/knew that. But the reminder was very important to hear.
Thanks, C.
It took her all of about 30 seconds to say "it's not about you."
Well, no kidding... I know/knew that. But the reminder was very important to hear.
Thanks, C.
Thursday, April 13, 2006
the aftermath
So it's T-cell+1 (sorry, bad joke, but that's about all I'm capable of at the moment). I have now had a single day to digest the facts about what might happen to my family member. I feel no closer to any kind of conclusion than I did yesterday at this time. Which really sucks.
But here's what I know. I know that HIV can kill quickly if not taken care of. And while this family member, in their heart, believes that they'll live 10-15 years with the virus, the truth is that I don't think they have the responsibility level necessary to stay on the drug therapies and do the required acts necessary to prolong your life that long.
First, they are already an addict... and additional medications will wreak havoc with their social playtime. In fact, they currently don't take the required meds for their other medical maladies because it intereferes with the high. Which means that even if they were OPEN to the idea of taking the cocktails, they simply won't do it.
Second, if they were willing to take the meds, they are also the type of person to believe they are impervious to the badness that would come with an overabundance of the meds. They would think that they are somehow super-person and that they could beat the virus simply by taking ALL of the meds all at one time. So they would, in essence, survive the virus only to be eliminated by the meds.
Third, there's always the chance that they'll get the meds (which, btw, will come through Medicaid as they don't have health insurance), and then sell them on the street because they're not the exact same meds that their friends have or that they believe will work best.
Fourth, I also believe that they will simply not want to be on the meds, or will forget to take them... or will somehow otherwise not take them.
All in all, I don't think that this person is going to make the 10-15 year lifespan they believe they will. And in talking with experts on the subject, there's a pretty good chance that they'll be dead in a year. :(
Damn.
But here's what I know. I know that HIV can kill quickly if not taken care of. And while this family member, in their heart, believes that they'll live 10-15 years with the virus, the truth is that I don't think they have the responsibility level necessary to stay on the drug therapies and do the required acts necessary to prolong your life that long.
First, they are already an addict... and additional medications will wreak havoc with their social playtime. In fact, they currently don't take the required meds for their other medical maladies because it intereferes with the high. Which means that even if they were OPEN to the idea of taking the cocktails, they simply won't do it.
Second, if they were willing to take the meds, they are also the type of person to believe they are impervious to the badness that would come with an overabundance of the meds. They would think that they are somehow super-person and that they could beat the virus simply by taking ALL of the meds all at one time. So they would, in essence, survive the virus only to be eliminated by the meds.
Third, there's always the chance that they'll get the meds (which, btw, will come through Medicaid as they don't have health insurance), and then sell them on the street because they're not the exact same meds that their friends have or that they believe will work best.
Fourth, I also believe that they will simply not want to be on the meds, or will forget to take them... or will somehow otherwise not take them.
All in all, I don't think that this person is going to make the 10-15 year lifespan they believe they will. And in talking with experts on the subject, there's a pretty good chance that they'll be dead in a year. :(
Damn.
Wednesday, April 12, 2006
afternoon phone calls
So I'm riding with Tina back to work after having lunch together and my phone beeps with a message that I need to call back a number I've never seen before.
But I'm a sucker... so I call. And it's a close family member calling.
I know, based on prior behavior, that the fact of the call means that it's bad news. And I'm right.
I am now related to someone with HIV.
To my afflicted family member: I'm really sorry. :( I love you more than you'll ever know and I wish there was something I could do to make this go away.
But I'm a sucker... so I call. And it's a close family member calling.
I know, based on prior behavior, that the fact of the call means that it's bad news. And I'm right.
I am now related to someone with HIV.
To my afflicted family member: I'm really sorry. :( I love you more than you'll ever know and I wish there was something I could do to make this go away.
Monday, March 27, 2006
Teaching and Learning
Regardless of where you are in the world, you've had some form of education. It could be as complex as grad school, or it could be as basic as your dad smacking your hand when you reached for the hot stove. You learned early on that someone would teach you a lesson and then you would be expected to carry that knowledge forward to the next opportunity.
If you're lucky and make it through high school (sorry, non-US readers, this is going to be somewhat biased for a moment as I don't know non-US education hierarchies, but for reference, we're talking about steady school through about age 17), you have probably experienced the spoon-feeding education theory. This is where your instructor walks you through each and every logic point. They slowly and patiently explain the itty-bitty steps from no-knowledge and knowledge. For example, if you've ever taken Speech in school, you probably had to give an instructional speech where you explained something simple but in great detail... like making a Peanutbutter and Jelly sandwitch.
By the time you reach college-level courses, the instructors/professors assume that you have a certain baseline set of information already stored in your head. So rather than spoon feeding you, they try to move faster... driving your thought process, but always doing something of the "read this, then we'll talk about it, then I'll assign something for you to practice on with your new information" type process. You see this by reading assignments, followed by class lecture/discussion, followed by a graded exam.
If you're really masochistic, you decide you want to go to grad school. And if you're REALLY hell-bent on killing yourself, you choose law school (mostly because you realize that MD's have a lot more school than law and may/may not have as much earning potential. Law school is usually taught in the Socratic Method... designed to inspireterror a greater learning curve. The method is based on a question/answer format where the professor guides the "student" to discovery of the miniscule point of law a specific case is trying to illustrate.
So, as you might have guessed by now, I survived all of this so far. But thought, what the hell, I want MORE... and enrolled in a local MBA program.
My first two courses are Stats and Marketing. Stats has its own challenges (perhaps the topic of another post on another day). Marketing is my focus today. Specifically, we have to do case studies... also individually geared towards a particular marketing point (such as defining your target market, pricing, etc). However, in each and every case, we get the lesson AFTER we have to turn in the case assignment! I've considered that I was missing something. But no, the reading still was done before class... as well as the particular case. The case is turned in first thing when we arrive... and then we are taught the lesson for the day.
Wild.
If you're lucky and make it through high school (sorry, non-US readers, this is going to be somewhat biased for a moment as I don't know non-US education hierarchies, but for reference, we're talking about steady school through about age 17), you have probably experienced the spoon-feeding education theory. This is where your instructor walks you through each and every logic point. They slowly and patiently explain the itty-bitty steps from no-knowledge and knowledge. For example, if you've ever taken Speech in school, you probably had to give an instructional speech where you explained something simple but in great detail... like making a Peanutbutter and Jelly sandwitch.
By the time you reach college-level courses, the instructors/professors assume that you have a certain baseline set of information already stored in your head. So rather than spoon feeding you, they try to move faster... driving your thought process, but always doing something of the "read this, then we'll talk about it, then I'll assign something for you to practice on with your new information" type process. You see this by reading assignments, followed by class lecture/discussion, followed by a graded exam.
If you're really masochistic, you decide you want to go to grad school. And if you're REALLY hell-bent on killing yourself, you choose law school (mostly because you realize that MD's have a lot more school than law and may/may not have as much earning potential. Law school is usually taught in the Socratic Method... designed to inspire
So, as you might have guessed by now, I survived all of this so far. But thought, what the hell, I want MORE... and enrolled in a local MBA program.
My first two courses are Stats and Marketing. Stats has its own challenges (perhaps the topic of another post on another day). Marketing is my focus today. Specifically, we have to do case studies... also individually geared towards a particular marketing point (such as defining your target market, pricing, etc). However, in each and every case, we get the lesson AFTER we have to turn in the case assignment! I've considered that I was missing something. But no, the reading still was done before class... as well as the particular case. The case is turned in first thing when we arrive... and then we are taught the lesson for the day.
Wild.
Thursday, March 23, 2006
March Madness
I'm sure that if you're reading the title, you've thought that I would write about how much I like one team or another... or how I am doing well/poor in my office bracket gambling event.
But no. I'm writing to say that I hate college and professional sports. Not because I hate the players, because I don't. I think many of them are incredible athletes and I'm glad that they have a way to do something that they love to do (and be paid well for it).
What I can't stand are the fans.
Especially now that I live in ACC country, I am simply amazed at the quantity of time people spend thinking about basketball, dreaming about basketball, watching basketball... and getting completely over-worked about their team(s). And yes, I'm probably talking about you, too.
What amazes me most, however, is the level of seriousness taken on by the fans. It's like their own personal lives hinge on the outcome of the game! Really! They take it as a personal affront if their team doesn't win... and as a personal "win" if the team does well. And what I really think annoying is when the fans get sad ON BEHALF OF the players.
Why?
I have to believe that they realize that the players are going to (or already do) make more money in a single year than many do in a lifetime. I have to also believe that the players don't really care about the fans... (you wouldn't have things like a hockey strike if fans were the reason for playing). And to top it off, fans PAY MONEY to see the various teams play.
Don't fans realize that they're taken advantage of? Don't they realize that their hard-earned money is going to pay for it, too? And that when they get emotional, they're paying for that, too?
Crazy.
But no. I'm writing to say that I hate college and professional sports. Not because I hate the players, because I don't. I think many of them are incredible athletes and I'm glad that they have a way to do something that they love to do (and be paid well for it).
What I can't stand are the fans.
Especially now that I live in ACC country, I am simply amazed at the quantity of time people spend thinking about basketball, dreaming about basketball, watching basketball... and getting completely over-worked about their team(s). And yes, I'm probably talking about you, too.
What amazes me most, however, is the level of seriousness taken on by the fans. It's like their own personal lives hinge on the outcome of the game! Really! They take it as a personal affront if their team doesn't win... and as a personal "win" if the team does well. And what I really think annoying is when the fans get sad ON BEHALF OF the players.
Why?
I have to believe that they realize that the players are going to (or already do) make more money in a single year than many do in a lifetime. I have to also believe that the players don't really care about the fans... (you wouldn't have things like a hockey strike if fans were the reason for playing). And to top it off, fans PAY MONEY to see the various teams play.
Don't fans realize that they're taken advantage of? Don't they realize that their hard-earned money is going to pay for it, too? And that when they get emotional, they're paying for that, too?
Crazy.
Tuesday, March 21, 2006
politics
Jim Crow laws were wrong. They are wrong today and they were wrong 50 years ago. Arrests made under those laws were just as wrong. Rosa Parks (and the many men and women who came before and after her) are heros because they stood up and announced to the world that those laws were wrong.
Today, some folks are still looking to apologize in some way (as we should - and oh, btw, as long as we're talking about this... let's just say it all... we have to start with a very obviously missing "We're SORRY!"). And the latest attempt is pardoning those people who were wrongly arrested, starting with Parks. For those folks who are still alive and for whom the pardon would erase their "criminal" history, that's great and they should receive one. In many cases, however, the pardon comes 50+ years TOO DAMN LATE!
For example, Lillie Mae Bradford (now 75) has suffered the effects of an arrest record since 1951. Yes, she wants a pardon and should be granted one. But that's still not going to undo the injustice suffered for the last 55 years. It's not going to make her career better now (she had trouble landing government jobs because of the record). All we (and I'm speaking for the average white citizen here) are doing is trying to appease our conscience.
And if that's what "we" want to do... start with a sincere apology. Then fix the friggin' problem (which STILL exists in many parts of this country).
For an "advanced" society, we're still pretty messed up.
Today, some folks are still looking to apologize in some way (as we should - and oh, btw, as long as we're talking about this... let's just say it all... we have to start with a very obviously missing "We're SORRY!"). And the latest attempt is pardoning those people who were wrongly arrested, starting with Parks. For those folks who are still alive and for whom the pardon would erase their "criminal" history, that's great and they should receive one. In many cases, however, the pardon comes 50+ years TOO DAMN LATE!
For example, Lillie Mae Bradford (now 75) has suffered the effects of an arrest record since 1951. Yes, she wants a pardon and should be granted one. But that's still not going to undo the injustice suffered for the last 55 years. It's not going to make her career better now (she had trouble landing government jobs because of the record). All we (and I'm speaking for the average white citizen here) are doing is trying to appease our conscience.
And if that's what "we" want to do... start with a sincere apology. Then fix the friggin' problem (which STILL exists in many parts of this country).
For an "advanced" society, we're still pretty messed up.
Monday, March 20, 2006
complaining
I don't want to make a habit of complaining... it just doesn't ever seem to solve the underlying problem.
But why in the world do people think that being pissy is going to somehow be manageable, especially in the workplace?
I had a thought today at work... researched it, had a possible methodology... and then took it to the person who was responsible for maintaining the existing process (keeping in mind that this person doesn't actually own the relationship... they're merely a middleman).
This person then proceeded to rain on the parade. It won't work because... We've already looked at things similar to that... If we ever did anything different than what we are currently doing, it wouldn't be that...
I just don't get it. Why wouldn't you just listen?
But why in the world do people think that being pissy is going to somehow be manageable, especially in the workplace?
I had a thought today at work... researched it, had a possible methodology... and then took it to the person who was responsible for maintaining the existing process (keeping in mind that this person doesn't actually own the relationship... they're merely a middleman).
This person then proceeded to rain on the parade. It won't work because... We've already looked at things similar to that... If we ever did anything different than what we are currently doing, it wouldn't be that...
I just don't get it. Why wouldn't you just listen?
Friday, March 17, 2006
time to change
"Today, we celebrate the first glorious anniversary of the Information Purification Directives. We have created, for the first time in all history, a garden of pure ideology. Where each worker may bloom, secure from the pests purveying contradictory thoughts. Our Unification of Thought is more powerful a weapon than any fleet or army on earth. We are one people. With one will, one resolve, one cause. Our enemies shall talk themselves to death and we will bury them with their own confusion. We shall prevail!"
So I've moved my domain to just be a blog. About time, I know. And to mark the occasion, I'm going to try to attach a photo for the first time, too.
So I've moved my domain to just be a blog. About time, I know. And to mark the occasion, I'm going to try to attach a photo for the first time, too.
Thursday, March 16, 2006
HomeOwner
Well... we did it! We finally bought a house. And in the last few weeks, I have actually cataloged ALL of my books.
This might seem trivial to most people, but I needed library-quality software to accomplish the task... and Delicious Monster did the trick. Granted, I'm still waiting to get the barcode scanner (which would've made the initial upload faster), but overall it's a really cool tool.
Boxing 20 boxes of books and hauling these heavy suckers up into the attic, however, was no easy task. My back hurts, I have trouble breathing from the stuff in the attic, and Tina's afraid that the stuff is going to tumble down on top of us. But it's all up there. And anytime I need to go get one, the boxes (thanks to my extreme anal retentiveness) are numbered so I can go right to the box that contains the book I'm seeking.
Then we had the toilet in our bathroom decide to not really flush. And the toilet downstairs run constantly. Oh, and the heating system had a bad blower wheel which wasn't covered under the home warranty purchased at the time of sale because it was improperly maintained. But hey... the joys of homeownership.
Next up? Fixing the automated sprinkler system that the prior owners said didn't work (but we're pretty sure they are idiots)... reseeding the lawn (cuz' they didn't do any yardwork either)... and cleaning the carpets (because they let their two full-sized goldens run rampant through the house).
God I love my house.
This might seem trivial to most people, but I needed library-quality software to accomplish the task... and Delicious Monster did the trick. Granted, I'm still waiting to get the barcode scanner (which would've made the initial upload faster), but overall it's a really cool tool.
Boxing 20 boxes of books and hauling these heavy suckers up into the attic, however, was no easy task. My back hurts, I have trouble breathing from the stuff in the attic, and Tina's afraid that the stuff is going to tumble down on top of us. But it's all up there. And anytime I need to go get one, the boxes (thanks to my extreme anal retentiveness) are numbered so I can go right to the box that contains the book I'm seeking.
Then we had the toilet in our bathroom decide to not really flush. And the toilet downstairs run constantly. Oh, and the heating system had a bad blower wheel which wasn't covered under the home warranty purchased at the time of sale because it was improperly maintained. But hey... the joys of homeownership.
Next up? Fixing the automated sprinkler system that the prior owners said didn't work (but we're pretty sure they are idiots)... reseeding the lawn (cuz' they didn't do any yardwork either)... and cleaning the carpets (because they let their two full-sized goldens run rampant through the house).
God I love my house.
Wednesday, November 02, 2005
Building Nicknames
The Raleigh, North Carolina city council approved the building of a brand-new 480 foot tower building near Crabtree Valley Mall, to be named Glen-Tree Tower (Glenwood is the road it's on). This mall, however, is about 3 miles from the center of town (where all the tall buildings are). Of course, this new building is going to be the tallest building in the city.
Now, this happens to not be the first time that a city in this area has tried such a thing. In fact, if you've ever visited the Durham area (especially near Duke's campus), you might have seen a tall, out-of-place building with a large spire on top. Technically, this is the University Tower. It's more affectionately known, however, due to its size and shape as the Durham Dick.
In the last 24 hours, however, just since the announcement of the new Glen-Tree Tower, I've heard THREE other nicknames for the Durham Dick... none of which I (or my NC-native wife) have EVER heard before. First was the Green Pickle. Now, this was uttered by a City Councilman. So I initially thought that perhaps he was going to say Durham Dick and then realized at the last second that he was being recorded for radio and TV and that Green Pickle was the first thing that came to mind as the building does have a sort of green hue to it given it's mirrored facade. But overall, I dismissed this name as just stupid.
Tonight I get home and my wife tells me that she heard two other names.... Duke Kook (insert REALLY puzzled look here), and Green Weenie (which, again, I think I can understand).
So... I was sitting here trying to think of a name for the new Glen-Tree Tower. Something catchy... something alliterative. And I stumbled on it pretty quickly. The Captial Cock.
I just wanted to be the first to publish it. Cafe Press logo items will be for sale shortly. :)
Now, this happens to not be the first time that a city in this area has tried such a thing. In fact, if you've ever visited the Durham area (especially near Duke's campus), you might have seen a tall, out-of-place building with a large spire on top. Technically, this is the University Tower. It's more affectionately known, however, due to its size and shape as the Durham Dick.
In the last 24 hours, however, just since the announcement of the new Glen-Tree Tower, I've heard THREE other nicknames for the Durham Dick... none of which I (or my NC-native wife) have EVER heard before. First was the Green Pickle. Now, this was uttered by a City Councilman. So I initially thought that perhaps he was going to say Durham Dick and then realized at the last second that he was being recorded for radio and TV and that Green Pickle was the first thing that came to mind as the building does have a sort of green hue to it given it's mirrored facade. But overall, I dismissed this name as just stupid.
Tonight I get home and my wife tells me that she heard two other names.... Duke Kook (insert REALLY puzzled look here), and Green Weenie (which, again, I think I can understand).
So... I was sitting here trying to think of a name for the new Glen-Tree Tower. Something catchy... something alliterative. And I stumbled on it pretty quickly. The Captial Cock.
I just wanted to be the first to publish it. Cafe Press logo items will be for sale shortly. :)
Saturday, September 17, 2005
Birthdays
Uh-oh. I'm in trouble. I was going to write about something else... then all of the sudden, I'm asked if I read a book from the library.
"No", I responded.
"Well, what about the Disney book?" my wife asks.
"No..." I say.
And then came the crux question... the one that changed the outcome of this entry.
"Did you send the thank you note?"
Oh crap. I KNEW I had to do it... remember even being REMINDED to do it. But didn't do it.
I feign horror.
"No." Thinking fast, I add "Can I send one from Disney?"
"No!"
Hmmm... guess I can't blog about random stuff today because I have something I actually have to go write in the physical universe.
A thank you note for a beautiful birthday gift. And in case she reads it here first: "Thank you, GrandMa (on the Albright side)!"
"No", I responded.
"Well, what about the Disney book?" my wife asks.
"No..." I say.
And then came the crux question... the one that changed the outcome of this entry.
"Did you send the thank you note?"
Oh crap. I KNEW I had to do it... remember even being REMINDED to do it. But didn't do it.
I feign horror.
"No." Thinking fast, I add "Can I send one from Disney?"
"No!"
Hmmm... guess I can't blog about random stuff today because I have something I actually have to go write in the physical universe.
A thank you note for a beautiful birthday gift. And in case she reads it here first: "Thank you, GrandMa (on the Albright side)!"
Wednesday, April 20, 2005
long hours at work
When I was a teenager, my folks didn't want me working. They thought that my attention should be spent on homework and they did a really good job of always providing me with whatever I needed from a material perspective.
But when I was 16, I finally got a job working for the local Burger King. My parents were NOT happy with me - they even refused to TAKE me to work - even when the weather was incredibly bad... and I remember one particularly nasty day of walking through the snow, slush and blowing wind just to get to work.
Of course, the job was not exactly easy - food service isn't a cakewalk (don't let anyone tell you any different). I didn't like touching raw food (still don't), especially condiments that I would NEVER even eat. And the pay is even worse.
Federal Minimum Wage when I first got a job had just been raised to $3.15. I remember this clearly from the big poster that was required to be placed in the BK breakroom. Even if I worked EVERY available hour between when I got out of school at 3pm, until I went to bed around 11pm (8 hours), I would still only be able to make $25.20/day.
Flash forward to now. I make well more per hour than I did per day back then. This is a good thing (and would be even better if inflation didn't exist). But now that I'm no longer an hourly employee, I have to work until the job is done. I don't get to stop when the clock strikes 5pm every day. And on most days, I have several hours of work to do each evening.
And it appears that these days, it's even longer. With one negotiation, I've been working until 7-8pm every night for months. Which dilutes my "per hour" equivalent rate.
So these are the days where I long to be an hourly employee again.... and let's not even start the conversation if I feel like all my time is well spent. ;)
But when I was 16, I finally got a job working for the local Burger King. My parents were NOT happy with me - they even refused to TAKE me to work - even when the weather was incredibly bad... and I remember one particularly nasty day of walking through the snow, slush and blowing wind just to get to work.
Of course, the job was not exactly easy - food service isn't a cakewalk (don't let anyone tell you any different). I didn't like touching raw food (still don't), especially condiments that I would NEVER even eat. And the pay is even worse.
Federal Minimum Wage when I first got a job had just been raised to $3.15. I remember this clearly from the big poster that was required to be placed in the BK breakroom. Even if I worked EVERY available hour between when I got out of school at 3pm, until I went to bed around 11pm (8 hours), I would still only be able to make $25.20/day.
Flash forward to now. I make well more per hour than I did per day back then. This is a good thing (and would be even better if inflation didn't exist). But now that I'm no longer an hourly employee, I have to work until the job is done. I don't get to stop when the clock strikes 5pm every day. And on most days, I have several hours of work to do each evening.
And it appears that these days, it's even longer. With one negotiation, I've been working until 7-8pm every night for months. Which dilutes my "per hour" equivalent rate.
So these are the days where I long to be an hourly employee again.... and let's not even start the conversation if I feel like all my time is well spent. ;)
Wednesday, March 30, 2005
I love Bloop!
OK... time to coin a term.
"Bloop"... as in "Bloop, Bloop, Bloop"... the sound a TiVo makes when it's fast forwarding through all of those crappy commercials.
I loving having Bloop. And I'm very sad when I have no Bloop but have a commercial staring me in the face.
I'm even more sad when I'm in real life and I have no Bloop.
Bloop.
hehe
~J
"Bloop"... as in "Bloop, Bloop, Bloop"... the sound a TiVo makes when it's fast forwarding through all of those crappy commercials.
I loving having Bloop. And I'm very sad when I have no Bloop but have a commercial staring me in the face.
I'm even more sad when I'm in real life and I have no Bloop.
Bloop.
hehe
~J
Sunday, March 06, 2005
Tracking me...
More and more people are worried that governments and private corporations will soon have the ability to electronically track you for every moment you're breathing. Satellites already have the ability to read newspapers from space... all it takes now is the ability to quickly locate a specific person.
Are you going to knowingly agree, then, to have something on you that will make that location possible?
No?
Are you sure?
Well... let's check, shall we?
Do you have credit cards? Do you use them? I'm guessing that folks do so at least once per day on average. That card can give an exact street address the moment you use it. (Whether you're talking about a generic Visa or MC, or whether you are using store-specific cards like a JCPenny card or a Sears card, it's all the same.)
No credit cards you say? OK, how about an ATM card? Same situation there.
OK, so somehow you live "off the grid" (as was most recently stated on the TV show "Committed") and pay for everything in cash? You think you're clean then?
Hmmm... what about loyalty cards? You know what I'm talking about. The Kroger Plus Card, the Food Lion MVP card, the Suncoast Replay card, the Eddie Bauer "explorer" card... again, every time you use it, someone, somewhere, knows where you are and what you're up to.
Alright... so let's just assume you don't have any credit cards or loyalty cards at all...
Do you have a car? Have you taken it for service recently? Did you notice that JiffyLube knows your car and you... and the last time you came around for an oil change?
You didn't? OK, what about calling for pizza? Didn't Dominos or Pizza Hut call you by name when you spoke with them? Didn't they already know where you lived?
No? Really? Wow... I'm impressed.
Alrighty. What about a phone? Do you have a cell phone? You DO? Game over. And here we reach what I really wanted to talk about... my new PHONE! :)
Yeah, I finally got the v710. It's cooler than I thought. But it has a pretty scary feature. It allows you to enable its own internal GPS system. If it's so enabled, and you call 911, they can remotely flip on the system and instantly know where you are (even if they didn't have the time to triangulate your signal - which is already a possibility for non GPS phones).
But hey... I already have credit cards, loyalty cards, my car, and I order enough pizza to support a small country. So this feature shouldn't scare me too much.
Are you going to knowingly agree, then, to have something on you that will make that location possible?
No?
Are you sure?
Well... let's check, shall we?
Do you have credit cards? Do you use them? I'm guessing that folks do so at least once per day on average. That card can give an exact street address the moment you use it. (Whether you're talking about a generic Visa or MC, or whether you are using store-specific cards like a JCPenny card or a Sears card, it's all the same.)
No credit cards you say? OK, how about an ATM card? Same situation there.
OK, so somehow you live "off the grid" (as was most recently stated on the TV show "Committed") and pay for everything in cash? You think you're clean then?
Hmmm... what about loyalty cards? You know what I'm talking about. The Kroger Plus Card, the Food Lion MVP card, the Suncoast Replay card, the Eddie Bauer "explorer" card... again, every time you use it, someone, somewhere, knows where you are and what you're up to.
Alright... so let's just assume you don't have any credit cards or loyalty cards at all...
Do you have a car? Have you taken it for service recently? Did you notice that JiffyLube knows your car and you... and the last time you came around for an oil change?
You didn't? OK, what about calling for pizza? Didn't Dominos or Pizza Hut call you by name when you spoke with them? Didn't they already know where you lived?
No? Really? Wow... I'm impressed.
Alrighty. What about a phone? Do you have a cell phone? You DO? Game over. And here we reach what I really wanted to talk about... my new PHONE! :)
Yeah, I finally got the v710. It's cooler than I thought. But it has a pretty scary feature. It allows you to enable its own internal GPS system. If it's so enabled, and you call 911, they can remotely flip on the system and instantly know where you are (even if they didn't have the time to triangulate your signal - which is already a possibility for non GPS phones).
But hey... I already have credit cards, loyalty cards, my car, and I order enough pizza to support a small country. So this feature shouldn't scare me too much.
Wednesday, January 26, 2005
Promises, Promises isn't just the name of a Naked Eyes tune
Man I really hate when someone tells me that they're going to do something and then fails to live up to their promise. I hate it even more when it's something that's created excitement and a bit of longing.
Ok, so I was at the mall on Saturday. I talked with this manager of a cellphone store who told me that he could get me a new cell phone that I wanted... but that he had to work his connections with the distributor to get it. I was supposed to call him on Monday to make it happen.
I called on Monday... and he told me that the phone would be there on Wednesday. I am now excited and I work on convincing Tina that I really need the phone (not that there was much convincing to do as my current phone has been on a Peruvian Death March for several months now). But all in all, I'm excited that I'm going to get this new phone.
So I call on Wednesday. Phone's not there (I had asked for 2 of them so that Tina could get one, too, so when the distributor told the manager that he only had one, the manager didn't get the one). But the manager tells me that he'll get in touch with the distributor and call me back in an hour.
Three hours later, no calls. I call the store. Manager's gone home for the day. Store personnel have no clue what I'm talking about, but they give me the manager's cell number. I call it. He's not there and I leave a message.
But by this point, it's now 3.5 hours after I was supposed to get a call back, I'm probably not going to get the phone today... and since I'm going out of town for the weekend, I won't see it until Monday.
Bummer.
But I really hate it when people lie to me.
Ok, so I was at the mall on Saturday. I talked with this manager of a cellphone store who told me that he could get me a new cell phone that I wanted... but that he had to work his connections with the distributor to get it. I was supposed to call him on Monday to make it happen.
I called on Monday... and he told me that the phone would be there on Wednesday. I am now excited and I work on convincing Tina that I really need the phone (not that there was much convincing to do as my current phone has been on a Peruvian Death March for several months now). But all in all, I'm excited that I'm going to get this new phone.
So I call on Wednesday. Phone's not there (I had asked for 2 of them so that Tina could get one, too, so when the distributor told the manager that he only had one, the manager didn't get the one). But the manager tells me that he'll get in touch with the distributor and call me back in an hour.
Three hours later, no calls. I call the store. Manager's gone home for the day. Store personnel have no clue what I'm talking about, but they give me the manager's cell number. I call it. He's not there and I leave a message.
But by this point, it's now 3.5 hours after I was supposed to get a call back, I'm probably not going to get the phone today... and since I'm going out of town for the weekend, I won't see it until Monday.
Bummer.
But I really hate it when people lie to me.
Monday, January 24, 2005
Um, I said 81, not 18!
It's friggin' cold out there!
When I moved to NC from Indiana about 6 years ago, one of the reasons for the move (besides being bored with the midwest) was the fact that each winter became a trial of how to survive in the great white north. It's friggin' cold, eh? Hozer.
So I moved somewhere that I was told you could play golf 11 months out of the year... where I would probably never need my ski jacket again... a place where, when people refer to toboggans, they're talking about hats, not sleds... a place where I would have to DRIVE to see snow.
Riiiiiiiiight.
In the last several years, there's been an uncanny cold snap down here. Not to sound arrogant, but I think the cold followed me as I moved. Because I've needed my ski jacket (the one rated well enough to keep sherpas warm while they scale Everest) every year I've been here! And yes, it really is only 18 degrees (F) outside.
So, if anyone has a direct line to the weather folks, please get them to turn up the thermostat. Thanks. :)
When I moved to NC from Indiana about 6 years ago, one of the reasons for the move (besides being bored with the midwest) was the fact that each winter became a trial of how to survive in the great white north. It's friggin' cold, eh? Hozer.
So I moved somewhere that I was told you could play golf 11 months out of the year... where I would probably never need my ski jacket again... a place where, when people refer to toboggans, they're talking about hats, not sleds... a place where I would have to DRIVE to see snow.
Riiiiiiiiight.
In the last several years, there's been an uncanny cold snap down here. Not to sound arrogant, but I think the cold followed me as I moved. Because I've needed my ski jacket (the one rated well enough to keep sherpas warm while they scale Everest) every year I've been here! And yes, it really is only 18 degrees (F) outside.
So, if anyone has a direct line to the weather folks, please get them to turn up the thermostat. Thanks. :)
Saturday, January 22, 2005
Convincing someone that I'm going to write...
So I told you that I was going to write. But I didn't. If you know me, you can harp at me.
But such is life.
My life is consumed with work... and TiVo. Someone should've invented this YEARS ago. I've wasted a lot of time over the years trying to record shows that were of interest. Now, I just say whether I like certain types of shows and BAM, it automatically records them.
OK, so anyone remember that "as seen on TV" remote control with the dials that would supposedly work with any VCR? You just dialed in the time to turn on and off the recorder and wow... no more manuals and blinking 12's. Sayonara, suckers!
Hehe... god, I love this device. You can ignore all of the crap you never wanted to watch anyways and simply focus on the stuff you did. And my god, if you need to walk the dog, tinkle, or even get some work done in the middle of your show, all ya' gotta' do is hit the big yellow pause button.
But hey, if that wasn't good enough, now there's TiVoToGo. Simply transfer what you've recorded on your TiVo to your computer and play it whenever. The only limitation is the size of the harddrive on your laptop.
Now all we need to do is wait another few months until someone develops an iPod-based media player. Then you can transfer your shows to your iPod and watch them there. If I could develop software, I'd be rich. :)
But such is life.
My life is consumed with work... and TiVo. Someone should've invented this YEARS ago. I've wasted a lot of time over the years trying to record shows that were of interest. Now, I just say whether I like certain types of shows and BAM, it automatically records them.
OK, so anyone remember that "as seen on TV" remote control with the dials that would supposedly work with any VCR? You just dialed in the time to turn on and off the recorder and wow... no more manuals and blinking 12's. Sayonara, suckers!
Hehe... god, I love this device. You can ignore all of the crap you never wanted to watch anyways and simply focus on the stuff you did. And my god, if you need to walk the dog, tinkle, or even get some work done in the middle of your show, all ya' gotta' do is hit the big yellow pause button.
But hey, if that wasn't good enough, now there's TiVoToGo. Simply transfer what you've recorded on your TiVo to your computer and play it whenever. The only limitation is the size of the harddrive on your laptop.
Now all we need to do is wait another few months until someone develops an iPod-based media player. Then you can transfer your shows to your iPod and watch them there. If I could develop software, I'd be rich. :)
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