Browsing "Rants"
Apr 11, 2008 - DFW, Lubbock, Rants    2 Comments

Gassy Annoyance

You may or may not know, but I’m moving back to Dallas this summer. I’ve lived in Lubbock for almost eleven years now, and a few things have come to annoy me about Lubbock. This is the first of what will probably be a series of my “Lubbock annoyances”..

For some idiotic reason, Lubbock gas stations carry 86 octane as their low grade even though most (all?) modern vehicles require a minimum of 87 octane. The lone holdout to that has been 7-11/Fina stations; they carried 87 octane and charged a few cents more per gallon than other stations.

This past weekend I discovered 7-11/Fina changed to 86 octane – but it still charging a few cents more. While I’m sure that one octane difference wouldn’t cause too big of a problem, the fact that the stations carry 86 octane is annoying.

</rant>

Aug 19, 2007 - Rants, Technology    2 Comments

Bluetooth Schmutooth

There’s no mistake that I’m a self-proclaimed gadgeteer. A popular trend these days are the bluetooth headsets that allow you to have a conversation on your mobile phone wirelessly. For the most part, these headsets are a great idea.

For the most part.

I am a proponent for banning mobile phone calls while driving if not using a hands-free adapter. Mobile phones are quickly becoming the number one distraction while driving, and these bluetooth headsets can help combat that.

However, if you’re shopping at Target, take the damn headset off. You look like a fool walking around with this stupid little piece of plastic hanging over your ear. No one is important enough to necessitate wearing a headset in a store – with the exception of the Secret Service naturally. If you get a call, take your lazy ass hand out of your pocket and hold your phone up to your ear.

Which leads me to my next rant..

If you’re in a store checkout line, get off the damn phone. The checkout employee is due the respect of not overhearing your unimportant conversation. The employee is there to serve you; have the decency of allowing them to do that properly. The same goes for drive-thrus, restaurants, and any other similar situation.

Whew.. I feel better now.

Aug 11, 2007 - Rants    Comments Off

67% of Americans Are Unhappy

A rant according to Jay Leno.

The other day I was reading Newsweek magazine and came across some poll data I found rather hard to believe. It must be true given the source, right?The Newsweek poll alleges that 67 percent of Americans are unhappy with the direction the country is headed and 69 percent of the country is unhappy with the performance of the president. In essence two-thirds of the citizenry just ain’t happy and want a change.

So being the knuckle dragger I am, I started thinking, “What we are so unhappy about?”

Is it that we have electricity and running water 24 hours a day,7 days a week? Is our unhappiness the result of having air conditioning in the summer and heating in the winter? Could it be that 95.4 percent of these unhappy folks have a job? Maybe it is the ability to walk into a grocery store at any time and see more food in moments than Darfur has seen in the last year?

Maybe it is the ability to drive from the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic Ocean without having to present identification papers as we move through each state? Or possibly the hundreds of clean and safe motels we would find along the way that can provide temporary shelter? I guess having thousands of restaurants with varying cuisine from around the world is just not good enough. Or could it be that when we wreck our car, emergency workers show up and provide services to help all and even send a helicopter to take you to the hospital.

Perhaps you are one of the 70 percent of Americans who own a home. You may be upset with knowing that in the unfortunate case of a fire, a group of trained firefighters will appear in moments and use top notch equipment to extinguish the flames thus saving you, your family and your belongings. Or if, while at home watching one of your many flat screen TVs, a burglar or prowler intrudes , an officer equipped with a gun and a bullet-proof vest will come to defend you and your family against attack or loss. This all in the backdrop of a neighborhood free of bombs or militias raping and pillaging the residents. Neighborhoods where 90 percent of teenagers own cell phones and computers.

How about the complete religious, social and political freedoms we enjoy that are the envy of everyone in the world? Maybe that is what has 67 percent of you folks unhappy.

Fact is, we are the largest group of ungrateful, spoiled brats the world has ever seen. No wonder the world loves the U.S. yet has a great disdain for its citizens. They see us for what we are. The most blessed people in the world who do nothing but complain about what we don’t have , and what we hate about the country instead of thanking the good Lord we live here.

I know, I know. What about the president who took us into war and has no plan to get us out? The president who has a measly 31 percent approval rating? Is this the same president who guided the nation in the dark days after 9/11? The president that cut taxes to bring an economy out of recession? Could this be the same guy who has been called every name in the book for succeeding in keeping all the spoiled ungrateful brats safe from terrorist attacks?

The commander in chief of an all-volunteer army that is out there defending you and me? Did you hear how bad the President is on the news or talk show? Did this news affect you so much, make you so unhappy you couldn’t take a look around for yourself and see all the good things and be glad?

Think about it.. are you upset at the President because he actually caused you personal pain OR is it because the “Media” told you he was failing to kiss your sorry ungrateful behind every day.

Make no mistake about it. The troops in Iraq and Afghanistan have volunteered to serve, and in many cases may have died for your freedom. There is currently no draft in this country. They didn’t have to go.

They are able to refuse to go and end up with either a ”general” discharge, an “other than honorable” discharge or, worst case scenario, a “dishonorable” discharge after a few days in the brig.

So why then the flat-out discontentment in the minds of 69 percent of Americans? Say what you want but I blame it on the media. If it bleeds it leads and they specialize in bad news. Everybody will watch a car crash with blood and guts. How many will watch kids selling lemonade at the corner? The media knows this and media outlets are for-profit corporations. They offer what sells , and when criticized, try to defend their actions by “justifying” them in one way or another. Just ask why they tried to allow a murderer like O.J. Simpson to write a book about how he didn’t kill his wife, but if he did he would have done it this way.. Insane!

Stop buying the negativism you are fed everyday by the media. Shut off the TV, burn Newsweek, and use the New York Times for the bottom of your bird cage. Then start being grateful for all we have as a country. There is exponentially more good than bad.

We are among the most blessed peoples on Earth and should thank God several times a day, or at least be thankful and appreciative.”

With hurricanes, tornados, fires out of control, mud slides, flooding, severe thunderstorms tearing up the country from one end to another, and with the threat of bird flu and terrorist attacks, are we sure this is a good time to take God out of the Pledge of Allegiance?

Jul 25, 2007 - Politics, Rants, Technology    Comments Off

Department of Defense?

I just received an eBay spoof email requesting I verify my user information by clicking on the link. Being the geek that I am, I proceed to view the email’s headers to see where it came from. I perform a whois lookup on the IP address..

OrgName: DoD Network Information Center
OrgID: DNIC
Address: 3990 E. Broad Street
City: Columbus
StateProv: OH
PostalCode: 43218
Country: US

NetRange: 33.0.0.0 – 33.255.255.255
CIDR: 33.0.0.0/8
NetName: NIPR-CONUS
NetHandle: NET-33-0-0-0-1
Parent:
NetType: Direct Allocation
NameServer: CON1R.NIPR.MIL
NameServer: CON2R.NIPR.MIL
NameServer: EUR1R.NIPR.MIL
NameServer: EUR2R.NIPR.MIL
NameServer: PAC1R.NIPR.MIL
NameServer: PAC2R.NIPR.MIL

So what does that mean you ask? That means one of two options:

  • The US Department of Defense has a spammer working from within their network.
  • More likely, there’s a US Department of Defense workstation that has malware and/or viruses on it that’s allowing the real spammers access to their computer to exploit.

I’m not one to really get involved in bashing politics and the military, but it isn’t very comforting know that the US Department of Defense cannot protect its network yet is charged with protecting the United States and everything for which we stand.

Jun 19, 2007 - Lubbock, Rants    3 Comments

Lubbock’s So-Called Media

To put it bluntly: Lubbock media sucks.

Don’t get me wrong – Lubbock is a wonderful place to live and I love living here. But there are a few things about Lubbock that annoy me and its media is high on that list. Lubbock has a skewed idea of what news is.

First of all – the newspaper. It’s called the Lubbock Avalanche Journal. I haven’t subscribed to it since my third year in college. Why? Because there is absolutely no point in subscribing as most articles are horribly written. The online edition is worse. It’s difficult to even find the crappy articles between all of the advertisements. Its layout is horrendous and not user friendly. If anyone from the AJ comes across this entry, I highly suggest reading Jakob Nielson’s book, “Designing Web Usability : The Practice of Simplicity” as well as “The Humane Interface: New Directions for Designing Interactive Systems” by Jef Raskin.

The local affiliate television stations are interesting to say the least.

KCBD (NBC)
This is the station we watch. Unfortunately, I don’t know whether it’s because we like it the most or if it’s the lesser of four evils. The news anchors are pretty good and have a great vibe. The meteorologist is also very good at what he does. The sports guy is okay though. Even though I thought I didn’t like her, I miss Emily Jones who left KCBD for FoxSports in Dallas. She was actually very very good looking back on her time at KCBD. KCBD’s website is decent; it’s not too over-the-top with ads and organized decently.

KJTV (Fox)
KJTV has the only hour-long newscast in Lubbock, but it broadcasts at 9pm. That’s too early for me. I would consider watching them if they were on at 10. KJTV is so much better without that idiot weatherguy (Bryan Hughes). KJTV’s website is really bad however.

KAMC (ABC) & KLBK (CBS)
I really don’t know what to say about these two stations other than they’re apparently still owned by the same organization. They’re both horrible enough that I’d rather read the AJ than watch one of their newscasts. Their joint website is a mess of unorganized crap.

Am I being too harsh? I don’t think so. Lubbock as a city is sheltered and needs to wake up – starting with the media. How you ask? For starters, join the 20th century by redesigning user-friendly websites, implement RSS feeds, and realize there’s much more to news than weather and local high school sports.

May 22, 2007 - Music, Rants, Television    2 Comments

Classic American Idol

American Idol did it again.

Towards the end of the broadcast, the traditional recap of performances was shown. The funny thing is that the recap of Jordin’s last performance wasn’t really a replay of her last performance.

Got that? American Idol must have pre-recorded the recaps or something.

It was obvious since Jordin was in tears at the end of the televised final performance but yet during the recap there was nary a tear.

Maybe I’m just upset because I think Blake should win and that all Jordin can do is screech..

May 2, 2007 - Music, Rants, Television    Comments Off

Bon Jovi – A Hypocrite?

While watching American Idol last night, Jon Bon Jovi said something about Blake Lewis’ upcoming performance that really irked me. He said something to the effect that “people don’t want to hear a remade You Give Love A Bad Name.

Now, as a caveat – Blake Lewis is who I believe will win American Idol.

What caught me funny about Bon Jovi’s comment was that the band themselves – rock legends Bon Jovi – did exactly what Jon stated people wouldn’t want. In 2003, Bon Jovi released a CD entitled This Left Feels Right. What’s ironic about this album is that all of the songs were redone and reworked.

That’s right ladies and gentlemen.. Bon Jovi released a full album of twelve tracks remade from their originals.. just as Blake Lewis did last night.

Don’t get me wrong; I’m a Bon Jovi fan and always will be. But this situation does lend itself to being hypocrisy at its highest.

Mar 30, 2007 - Humor, Rants    Comments Off

Why Education Is Vital

These are real notes written by parents in an Alabama school district. Spellings have been left intact.

  1. My son is under a doctor’s care and should not take PE today. Please execute him.
  2. Please exkuce lisa for being absent she was sick and i had her shot.
  3. Dear school: please ecsc’s john being absent on jan. 28, 29, 30, 31, 32 and also 33.
  4. Please excuse gloria from jim today. She is administrating.
  5. Please excuse roland from p.e for a few days. Yesterday he fell out of a tree and misplaced his hip.
  6. John has been absent because he had two teeth taken out of his face.
  7. Carlos was absent yesterday because he was playing football He was hurt in the growing part.
  8. Megan could not come to school today because she has been bothered byvery close veins.
  9. Chris will not be in school cus he has an acre in his side.
  10. Please excuse ray friday from school He has very loose vowels.
  11. Please excuse Lesli from being absent yesterday. She had diahre dyrea direathe the shits.
  12. Please excuse tommy for being absent yesterday. He had diarrhea, and his boots leak.
  13. Irving was absent yesterday because he missed his bust.
  14. Please excuse jimmy for being. It was his father’s fault.
  15. I kept Billie home because she had to go Christmas shopping because i don’t know what size she wear.
  16. Please excuse jennifer for missing school yesterday. We forgot to get the sunday paper off the porch, and when we found it monday. We thought it was sunday.
  17. Sally won’t be in school a week from friday. We have to attend her funeral.
  18. My daughter was absent yesterday because she was tired. She spent a weekend with the marines.
  19. Please excuse Jason for being absent yesterday. He had a cold and could not breed well.
  20. Please excuse mary for being absent yesterday. She was in bed with gramps.
  21. Gloria was absent yesterday as she was having a gangover.
  22. Please excuse brenda. She has been sick and under the doctor.
  23. Maryann was absent december 11-16, because she had a fever, sorethroat, headache and upset stomach. Her sister was also sick, fever an sore throat, her brother had a low grade fever and ached all over. I wasn’t the best either, sore throat and fever. There must be something going around, her father even got hot last night.

Now we know why parents are screaming for better education for our kids.

Pages:«1234»