Craigslist is full of preposterous photo equipment ads. Some examples:
Sony Cybershot DSC-F828 for $1,000
Seller claims it was "$1,500 new" which doesn't really matter when the camera is six years old... Surprisingly, the fair market value appears to be around $250, which means it's held its value quite well.
Canon EOS-1D for $1,400
Again, the price when new doesn't matter at all when the camera is this old. Fair value is under $500. It also appears that 1-series owners selling on Craigslist are mostly retarded, as the camera name is listed erroneously as things such as "Canon Mark 1D," "Canon 1D Mark," and "Canon Mark." Note that nowhere on the first-generation 1D does it say "Mark."
"Canon 1Ds EOS Mark" with the description: "Canon 1Ds EOS Mark thats what it says on the camera in gold. I really don't know much about it, just old and I got it from my Uncle for Christmas."
Uh, no it doesn't say that, you blithering idiot. The gold emblem either says "Digital" if it's the original 1Ds or "Mark II Digital" if it's a 1Ds Mark II. In white, it says "Canon" and elsewhere, it says "EOS-1." There is a separate gold emblem that says "Ds."
Canon EOS-1D Mark II for $2,000
In this listing, the seller said, "I challenge you to find one cheaper." Of which there are plenty, since they sell for about half that.
Nikon N6006 for $700
The most ridiculous one yet; KEH can provide you with one in decent condition for just $12.
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Monday, December 28, 2009
Image Blocking
I'm very annoyed that Internet Explorer 8 blocks some images on websites and as far as I can tell, there is no way of making them visible. AdBlock on Firefox only blocks ads. Internet Explorer seems to let ads pass and block random images that are part of the website.
The Future is Bleak
The comments for YouTube videos and phone apps (iTunes, Android Market, etc.) are home to the stupidest people in the world. They pop up in Facebook groups and to a lesser extent, special interest forums, but in terms of the sheer volume of ridiculous comments, video and app comments are unrivaled.
For instance, one of the comments on the "Metal Detector" app for Android reads, "the way this app works is by using the camera and looking for a reflection." Umm, right, that's why it works when it's set down on a table with the camera pointing downwards.
Why is it that people also seem to lose grasp of the English language when they comment? "...2 people told me da sam thin" is just incomprehensible.
For instance, one of the comments on the "Metal Detector" app for Android reads, "the way this app works is by using the camera and looking for a reflection." Umm, right, that's why it works when it's set down on a table with the camera pointing downwards.
Why is it that people also seem to lose grasp of the English language when they comment? "...2 people told me da sam thin" is just incomprehensible.
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Then and Now
I thought this was pretty clever.
[Just after the election] Read from top down
Democratic Party of Japan: The day we have been waiting for has finally come!
Constituents: Will you be giving voting rights to foreign nationals?
DPJ: No way!
Constituents: You have proper plans about how to fund your agenda right?
DPJ: Of course!
Constituents: Would you ever betray the people that voted for you?
DPJ: We would never do such a thing.
Constituents: You're going to improve the economy and raise employment and income levels right?
DPJ: Yes, we'll increase them by a lot!
Constituents: Are you going to be issuing debt bonds?
DPJ: Never!
Constituents: Please make this a country in which we're happy to live.
[Present day] Read from bottom up
[Just after the election] Read from top down
Democratic Party of Japan: The day we have been waiting for has finally come!
Constituents: Will you be giving voting rights to foreign nationals?
DPJ: No way!
Constituents: You have proper plans about how to fund your agenda right?
DPJ: Of course!
Constituents: Would you ever betray the people that voted for you?
DPJ: We would never do such a thing.
Constituents: You're going to improve the economy and raise employment and income levels right?
DPJ: Yes, we'll increase them by a lot!
Constituents: Are you going to be issuing debt bonds?
DPJ: Never!
Constituents: Please make this a country in which we're happy to live.
[Present day] Read from bottom up
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Indecision
See, America is becoming angry with Japan.
The Secretary of State pretty much never meets with an ambassador unless there is something to complain about, which is the case here.
Apparently part of the issue was that Hatoyama disclosed the discussions that went on between him and Clinton in Copenhagen last week, leading Clinton to have serious doubts about Hatoyama's diplomatc abilities.
Anyway, note Hatoyama's response:
"I completely understand the basic stance of the United States."
This is pretty much what he says about every issue, yet no concrete solution is ever presented. I mean, politicians are notorious for this kind of stuff but this is quite ridiculous; he only ever seems to say "I understand," "We may need to consider that," and "We will discuss that at a later time."
The Secretary of State pretty much never meets with an ambassador unless there is something to complain about, which is the case here.
Apparently part of the issue was that Hatoyama disclosed the discussions that went on between him and Clinton in Copenhagen last week, leading Clinton to have serious doubts about Hatoyama's diplomatc abilities.
Anyway, note Hatoyama's response:
"I completely understand the basic stance of the United States."
This is pretty much what he says about every issue, yet no concrete solution is ever presented. I mean, politicians are notorious for this kind of stuff but this is quite ridiculous; he only ever seems to say "I understand," "We may need to consider that," and "We will discuss that at a later time."
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Environmentally Responsible
A study has shown that owning a dog does more harm to the environment than owning an SUV.
Okay, if someone want to own a cat or dog or gorilla or whatever, I'm fine with that. Some excerpts though:
"Everyone should work out their own environmental impact. I should be allowed to say that I walk instead of using my car and that I don't eat meat, so why shouldn't I be allowed to have a little cat to alleviate my loneliness?"
Fair enough, but that makes it seem like people that don't drive and don't eat meat are more lonely thannormal people that do those activities.
"Sylvie Comont, proud owner of seven cats and two dogs -- the environmental equivalent of a small fleet of cars -- says defiantly, 'Our animals give us so much that I don't feel like a polluter at all.'"
I take issue with this one. Environmentalists are always going on and on about how socially irresponsible it is to be driving something other than a Toyota Prius (despite the production process and the overall carbon footprint of the Prius being much dirtier than a Mercedes S-Class or a Range Rover). But by this logic, if I love my Ferrari and feel that revving it to 9,000rpm gives me utility (not necessarily in a practical sense, but in terms of enjoying the experience), then I should, by all means, be allowed to drive it around without being made to feel "like a polluter at all."
"Get a hen, which offsets its impact by laying edible eggs, or a rabbit, prepared to make the ultimate environmental sacrifice by ending up on the dinner table.
'Rabbits are good, provided you eat them,' said Robert Vale."
I would venture to say that it's a bit impractical to have a pet hen in the living room. The final line of the article is particularly epic; if aforementioned Sylvie Comont wants to be socially responsible and have pets, then she should at least be prepared to eat her seven cats and two dogs.
Okay, if someone want to own a cat or dog or gorilla or whatever, I'm fine with that. Some excerpts though:
"Everyone should work out their own environmental impact. I should be allowed to say that I walk instead of using my car and that I don't eat meat, so why shouldn't I be allowed to have a little cat to alleviate my loneliness?"
Fair enough, but that makes it seem like people that don't drive and don't eat meat are more lonely than
"Sylvie Comont, proud owner of seven cats and two dogs -- the environmental equivalent of a small fleet of cars -- says defiantly, 'Our animals give us so much that I don't feel like a polluter at all.'"
I take issue with this one. Environmentalists are always going on and on about how socially irresponsible it is to be driving something other than a Toyota Prius (despite the production process and the overall carbon footprint of the Prius being much dirtier than a Mercedes S-Class or a Range Rover). But by this logic, if I love my Ferrari and feel that revving it to 9,000rpm gives me utility (not necessarily in a practical sense, but in terms of enjoying the experience), then I should, by all means, be allowed to drive it around without being made to feel "like a polluter at all."
"Get a hen, which offsets its impact by laying edible eggs, or a rabbit, prepared to make the ultimate environmental sacrifice by ending up on the dinner table.
'Rabbits are good, provided you eat them,' said Robert Vale."
I would venture to say that it's a bit impractical to have a pet hen in the living room. The final line of the article is particularly epic; if aforementioned Sylvie Comont wants to be socially responsible and have pets, then she should at least be prepared to eat her seven cats and two dogs.
Globalization Gone Too Far
I hate websites that detect my operating system's language settings and take it upon themselves to translate into Japanese. I know how to read English, and the automatic translation makes the site utterly incomprehensible.
Besides if I wanted Japanese search results only I would have specified that.
At the bottom it says "Translation Powered by Google" but literally so: 翻訳によって電源
Besides if I wanted Japanese search results only I would have specified that.
At the bottom it says "Translation Powered by Google" but literally so: 翻訳によって電源
Monday, December 21, 2009
Trickery
There is an article about how retailers are "tricking" consumers into spending more.
The points mentioned:
-Distributing gift cards to customers who spend a certain dollar amount in their stores.
-Free shipping offers.
-Free shipping to a nearby store.
-Packaged deals.
-[Designing] their stores so that shoppers first have to walk through more expensive sections.
-Offering discounts for those who spend a certain amount of money in one visit.
The consumer is always a victim, isn't it? Having worked in retail, I absolutely loathe the "the customer is always right" attitude, and I'm sick of people being all butt-hurt because companies are supposedly taking advantage of them.
I mean, seriously, how is any of the above a "trick"? Sure, they are strategies to generate more income, but what part of them is deceiving? I mean, if your willpower is so weak that you can't walk through the expensive section of the store without being able to resist picking up things that you didn't plan on buying, then quite frankly, you have other problems you need to worry about. Does this mean you will cheat on your wife if presented with a line of twenty-somethings? Does this mean if you pass by a Mercedes dealer on the way to buying a Toyota Corolla, you will end up with an S-Class instead?
Should retailers not offer free shipping? For instance, Amazon.com has free shipping year-round if you buy $25 or more. Should they get rid of that option so you have to pay $5.95 ground shipping every time you order something? What if I'm buying an item that is $24.99? Wouldn't it be cheaper for me to tack on something really cheap? Isn't ending the price in ".99" a devious tactic to you feeble minded consumer advocacy groups?
Isn't a sale of any sort designed to get you to spend more money? Or at least, to get more people to spend money? Retailers have a job--to make money. It is their social responsibility to make money; otherwise who is going to pay the workforce? Haven't we seen enough of the grief that pops up when a retailer goes out of business because, surprise, it's not making enough money? Would you rather have higher prices and no deals, ever?
The points mentioned:
-Distributing gift cards to customers who spend a certain dollar amount in their stores.
-Free shipping offers.
-Free shipping to a nearby store.
-Packaged deals.
-[Designing] their stores so that shoppers first have to walk through more expensive sections.
-Offering discounts for those who spend a certain amount of money in one visit.
The consumer is always a victim, isn't it? Having worked in retail, I absolutely loathe the "the customer is always right" attitude, and I'm sick of people being all butt-hurt because companies are supposedly taking advantage of them.
I mean, seriously, how is any of the above a "trick"? Sure, they are strategies to generate more income, but what part of them is deceiving? I mean, if your willpower is so weak that you can't walk through the expensive section of the store without being able to resist picking up things that you didn't plan on buying, then quite frankly, you have other problems you need to worry about. Does this mean you will cheat on your wife if presented with a line of twenty-somethings? Does this mean if you pass by a Mercedes dealer on the way to buying a Toyota Corolla, you will end up with an S-Class instead?
Should retailers not offer free shipping? For instance, Amazon.com has free shipping year-round if you buy $25 or more. Should they get rid of that option so you have to pay $5.95 ground shipping every time you order something? What if I'm buying an item that is $24.99? Wouldn't it be cheaper for me to tack on something really cheap? Isn't ending the price in ".99" a devious tactic to you feeble minded consumer advocacy groups?
Isn't a sale of any sort designed to get you to spend more money? Or at least, to get more people to spend money? Retailers have a job--to make money. It is their social responsibility to make money; otherwise who is going to pay the workforce? Haven't we seen enough of the grief that pops up when a retailer goes out of business because, surprise, it's not making enough money? Would you rather have higher prices and no deals, ever?
An Appalling State
Things the Democractic Party of Japan said during the election campaign this summer, and what has happened since:
-Abolish the temporary tax on gasoline -> Said tax will be replaced by a permanent tax of roughly the same amount.
-We will make highways free of toll -> Postponed. Except in Hokkaido, which is where the prime minister's election base is located.
-We will give money to families with children and provide subsidies for high school education. We will do everything without raising taxes or issuing bonds because sufficient funding (20.5 trillion yen) can be gathered by making the government more efficient. The Liberal Democratic Party will cause problems for future generations because they issued bonds for a MASSIVE 33 trillion yen -> We couldn't find 20.5 trillion yen, so we'll have to issue bonds but we'll try to keep it under 44 trillion yen. We might have to raise the sales tax.
-We will cut carbon dioxide emissions by 25% compared to 1990 levels -> It will cost about 360,000 yen per household = new taxes.
-We will resolve the issue of whether the U.S. base in Futenma, Okinawa, should be moved -> we can't make up our minds so we'll deal with it later -> America is very unhappy.
It seems the only things the current government is capable of doing are "cancel" and "postpone." Is it ethical to claim unfeasible things to win votes in the election? And since when did the Japanese populace become so stupid that it couldn't figure out such barefaced lies wouldn't work out? Why were they so easily swindled by the media?
The government has also brought the Emperor of Japan into politics by circumventing rules to arrange a meeting between the Emperor and the vice president of China. This is unconstitutional, improper, and disrespectful.
Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama has been accused of evading taxes on more than 2.2 billion yen, but he claims he is not at fault because he was "unaware" of the money because he left that stuff to his secretary. Aside from the concept of how one can be unaware of such a large sum of money (including contributions from his own mother totalling 1.26 billion yen and illegal contributions listed as being from individuals who were later found to be already deceased), he has said in the past that such problems are the responsibilities of the politician, not the secretary. Of course, that was when he was accusing members of another party of similar issues. Now, he is claiming he will pay the taxes and everything will be fine. That's a bit like getting caught shoplifting and saying, "look, I'll give back what I took and let's forget about this."
The Secretary General of the DPJ has also been accused of laundering money received illegally through construction companies that were rewarded with contracts.
Why doesn't everyone just evade taxes until someone finds out, at which point you just apologize and pay what you owe?
-Abolish the temporary tax on gasoline -> Said tax will be replaced by a permanent tax of roughly the same amount.
-We will make highways free of toll -> Postponed. Except in Hokkaido, which is where the prime minister's election base is located.
-We will give money to families with children and provide subsidies for high school education. We will do everything without raising taxes or issuing bonds because sufficient funding (20.5 trillion yen) can be gathered by making the government more efficient. The Liberal Democratic Party will cause problems for future generations because they issued bonds for a MASSIVE 33 trillion yen -> We couldn't find 20.5 trillion yen, so we'll have to issue bonds but we'll try to keep it under 44 trillion yen. We might have to raise the sales tax.
-We will cut carbon dioxide emissions by 25% compared to 1990 levels -> It will cost about 360,000 yen per household = new taxes.
-We will resolve the issue of whether the U.S. base in Futenma, Okinawa, should be moved -> we can't make up our minds so we'll deal with it later -> America is very unhappy.
It seems the only things the current government is capable of doing are "cancel" and "postpone." Is it ethical to claim unfeasible things to win votes in the election? And since when did the Japanese populace become so stupid that it couldn't figure out such barefaced lies wouldn't work out? Why were they so easily swindled by the media?
The government has also brought the Emperor of Japan into politics by circumventing rules to arrange a meeting between the Emperor and the vice president of China. This is unconstitutional, improper, and disrespectful.
Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama has been accused of evading taxes on more than 2.2 billion yen, but he claims he is not at fault because he was "unaware" of the money because he left that stuff to his secretary. Aside from the concept of how one can be unaware of such a large sum of money (including contributions from his own mother totalling 1.26 billion yen and illegal contributions listed as being from individuals who were later found to be already deceased), he has said in the past that such problems are the responsibilities of the politician, not the secretary. Of course, that was when he was accusing members of another party of similar issues. Now, he is claiming he will pay the taxes and everything will be fine. That's a bit like getting caught shoplifting and saying, "look, I'll give back what I took and let's forget about this."
The Secretary General of the DPJ has also been accused of laundering money received illegally through construction companies that were rewarded with contracts.
Why doesn't everyone just evade taxes until someone finds out, at which point you just apologize and pay what you owe?
Friday, December 18, 2009
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Naming Woes
In regards to an article about the 10 worst car names of all time.
10. The entire Lincoln lineup
I can't agree more. When you say "Mark" something, that something ought to be a number because it's typically used to denote the generation number. For instance, I have a Canon EOS 5D Mark II. The camera I currently want is the Canon EOS-1D Mark IV. Jaguar made cars like the Mark IV, Mark V, etc. MKS, MKX, MKZ don't make any sense.
9. Hyundai Equus
The article mentions something about Harry Pothead, but I couldn't really care less. What bothers me more is that the front of the car, like the Genesis, looks exactly like the W221 Mercedes-Benz S-Class.
8. Toyota Yaris
I'm not entirely sure why it's called the Yaris. In Japan the hatchback is called the Vitz and the sedan is called the Belta.
7. Kia Forte Koup
I've never even heard of this car, but the front end sure looks like a carbon copy of the Honda Civic. It also makes me cringe when Americans say "coupe" without the accent aigu over the "e." Apparently Koreans do this too? Why don't they just call it the Fort Coop?
6. Subaru B9 Tribeca
Like the author of the article, I'm not sure why it needs to be called both B9 and Tribeca. Subaru calls the Legacy sedan the B4, but I always thought that was some kind of differentiation between it and the estate car.
5. Volkswagen Touareg
Come on people, it's not that difficult.
4. Ford Probe
Uh, yeah, no.
3. Subaru Brat
Come on Subaru...
2. Isuzu VehiCROSS
The name is not as bad as the car itself.
1. Ford Aspire
The result of crushed aspirations.
I think they could have done better though. Things like "Daewoo Nubira" sound like something directly out of Star Wars. It could be a blue, three-headed slimy creature that makes unintelligible noises. Other names that come to mind include the Plymouth Reliant, Austin Princess, Austin Freeway, Toyota Succeed, Mitsubishi Starion, Mitsubishi Toppo BJ, Kia Cee'd, and so on...
However, no "bad car name" list is complete without the Mazda Bongo Friendee.
10. The entire Lincoln lineup
I can't agree more. When you say "Mark" something, that something ought to be a number because it's typically used to denote the generation number. For instance, I have a Canon EOS 5D Mark II. The camera I currently want is the Canon EOS-1D Mark IV. Jaguar made cars like the Mark IV, Mark V, etc. MKS, MKX, MKZ don't make any sense.
9. Hyundai Equus
The article mentions something about Harry Pothead, but I couldn't really care less. What bothers me more is that the front of the car, like the Genesis, looks exactly like the W221 Mercedes-Benz S-Class.
8. Toyota Yaris
I'm not entirely sure why it's called the Yaris. In Japan the hatchback is called the Vitz and the sedan is called the Belta.
7. Kia Forte Koup
I've never even heard of this car, but the front end sure looks like a carbon copy of the Honda Civic. It also makes me cringe when Americans say "coupe" without the accent aigu over the "e." Apparently Koreans do this too? Why don't they just call it the Fort Coop?
6. Subaru B9 Tribeca
Like the author of the article, I'm not sure why it needs to be called both B9 and Tribeca. Subaru calls the Legacy sedan the B4, but I always thought that was some kind of differentiation between it and the estate car.
5. Volkswagen Touareg
Come on people, it's not that difficult.
4. Ford Probe
Uh, yeah, no.
3. Subaru Brat
Come on Subaru...
2. Isuzu VehiCROSS
The name is not as bad as the car itself.
1. Ford Aspire
The result of crushed aspirations.
I think they could have done better though. Things like "Daewoo Nubira" sound like something directly out of Star Wars. It could be a blue, three-headed slimy creature that makes unintelligible noises. Other names that come to mind include the Plymouth Reliant, Austin Princess, Austin Freeway, Toyota Succeed, Mitsubishi Starion, Mitsubishi Toppo BJ, Kia Cee'd, and so on...
However, no "bad car name" list is complete without the Mazda Bongo Friendee.
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Dictatorship
According to Ichiro Ozawa, party members should agree with everything the party proposes (in this case, giving voting rights to foreign nationals) even if they disagree with what is being proposed.
Japan is going to turn into a totalitarian socialist regime. I am absolutely sick of this.
Japan is going to turn into a totalitarian socialist regime. I am absolutely sick of this.
Starlight
However, it is the closest national park to Orange County. Furthermore, it is remote from any large cities yet easily accessible. Not many people drive through, and it is eerily silent. At night, even fewer people are driving through. This makes it a perfect place for stargazing.
Well, almost perfect, if you discount the sub-freezing temperatures encountered at night. A bit cold for lying outside at night, but at least the temperatures keep the rattlesnakes in hibernation. Coyotes don't hibernate though...
Last week, it rained everywhere in California. People were treating it as if the end of the world was coming, but after five days it eventually cleared up.
Joshua Tree National Park cleared up one day early, and it appeared it was the only place in the area to do so. Everywhere else I looked, the forecast for Sunday night was either "rain" or "cloudy."
Why did it have to be Sunday night? Well, the Geminid meteor shower was paying a visit, so I wanted to see them somewhere with minimal light pollution. Hence, my visit to Joshua Tree.
As you can see in the photograph above, the sky was brilliant. There were hundreds of meteors to be seen per hour, and it was the most amazing meteor shower I have ever seen.
However, a clear sky in Southern California is not without a significant problem, especially for photographers such as myself.
Joshua Tree National Park's proximity to Los Angeles, Orange County, and San Diego means that the nearby Interstate is relatively well-traveled. This is fine because unless you're at the southern edge of the park, the Interstate is relatively distant. However, when it comes to air traffic, aircraft that you would normally not see become visible. This means that at any given moment in the evening, there are at least five planes visible, sometimes more. Even as I sat outside shivering at 1:30am, there were planes flying overhead.
This means disaster for astrophotography. It's relatively easy to edit out an airplane if it is flying through an area with few stars. The longer the exposure, though, the more difficult it becomes to edit out the airplane. For one thing, the trail that it leaves becomes longer. Worse, however, it the fact that when the airplane's trail overlaps the trails that the stars leave, it becomes pretty much impossible to edit it out of the photo. Next time, I need to budget more time and go somewhere more remote.
Rain, Rain, Go Away
Last week, I had a package delayed because UPS didn't feel like moving my box from Ontario for a few days.
This week, again, I had a package that was supposed to be delivered today (Friday) and again, it wasn't delivered despite being within fifty miles of my home on Thursday.
It didn't arrive.
This time though, UPS gave me a reason on its tracking site.
"Rescheduled due to weather conditions."
Now, I'm sorry, but a little bit of rain is not sufficient to warrant rescheduling delivery. People everywhere else in the world have to put up with snow, hail, hurricanes, tornadoes, etc. Just because Southern California hasn't seen water falling from the sky since March doesn't mean business has to come to a halt.
In fact, I'm sick of people in Southern California making such a big deal out of rain. I like rain and I appreciate it because it doesn't rain much and we have a water shortage just about every summer. I know about the political and legal struggles that were fought in order to supply my area with water. Rain is good.
However, most of the other people that live here don't seem to think so. Unless you live in the Sahara, rain usually doesn't make headline news unless someone's house is being washed away. In Southern California?
"TONIGHT: CRISIS IN THE SOUTHLAND. RAIN is falling everywhere, causing MILLIONS to flee. People are advised to STAY INDOORS to avoid getting WET."
Go on Facebook and everyone will have a status related to the rain or how "cold" it is. Yes, it is a bit cold to be walking around in a t-shirt, shorts, and sandals, but apparently this is all anyone has to wear.
Perhaps natural selection will weed out the weak and unfit.
This week, again, I had a package that was supposed to be delivered today (Friday) and again, it wasn't delivered despite being within fifty miles of my home on Thursday.
It didn't arrive.
This time though, UPS gave me a reason on its tracking site.
"Rescheduled due to weather conditions."
Now, I'm sorry, but a little bit of rain is not sufficient to warrant rescheduling delivery. People everywhere else in the world have to put up with snow, hail, hurricanes, tornadoes, etc. Just because Southern California hasn't seen water falling from the sky since March doesn't mean business has to come to a halt.
In fact, I'm sick of people in Southern California making such a big deal out of rain. I like rain and I appreciate it because it doesn't rain much and we have a water shortage just about every summer. I know about the political and legal struggles that were fought in order to supply my area with water. Rain is good.
However, most of the other people that live here don't seem to think so. Unless you live in the Sahara, rain usually doesn't make headline news unless someone's house is being washed away. In Southern California?
"TONIGHT: CRISIS IN THE SOUTHLAND. RAIN is falling everywhere, causing MILLIONS to flee. People are advised to STAY INDOORS to avoid getting WET."
Go on Facebook and everyone will have a status related to the rain or how "cold" it is. Yes, it is a bit cold to be walking around in a t-shirt, shorts, and sandals, but apparently this is all anyone has to wear.
Perhaps natural selection will weed out the weak and unfit.
Thursday, December 10, 2009
The Only Thing in Common is Happy Gilmore
I don't care if Tiger Woods had an affair. He will always be known to me as the man that publicly dissed hockey, and for that he will never have my support.
Hockey players can be hit by an SUV and think nothing of it. Everyone's favorite golfer has not had much luck lately when it comes to SUVs.
Hockey players can be hit by an SUV and think nothing of it. Everyone's favorite golfer has not had much luck lately when it comes to SUVs.
Problem Solving
If I were to buy the part new, it would cost $450. Considering I paid $700 for the entire car, this is a ridiculous amount of money. Fortunately, I was able to source the part used for $35.
Also, some of the things that were removed by the previous owner include:
-Air conditioner compressor
-Both horns
-Fuel filter
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Going Postal
Dear man with Bluetooth headset at the the express counter at the post office,
The express line is for people buying stamps or sending one item. Please do not walk up with three items. You can draw a number instead and wait like everyone else. Furthermore, please fill out all addresses and forms before you go to the counter. That's ten minutes of my life that I'll never have back thanks to you, philistine.
Also, to the workers at the post office, if someone comes up to the express line with three items, kindly tell him to bugger off.
Thank you.
The express line is for people buying stamps or sending one item. Please do not walk up with three items. You can draw a number instead and wait like everyone else. Furthermore, please fill out all addresses and forms before you go to the counter. That's ten minutes of my life that I'll never have back thanks to you, philistine.
Also, to the workers at the post office, if someone comes up to the express line with three items, kindly tell him to bugger off.
Thank you.
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Chuck Norris was Here
Hockey players are the most badass people in the world.
"Witt was crossing Arch Street to get a cup of coffee when a gold Yukon truck made an illegal turn and hit the 34-year-old. Newsday says Witt tried to jump on the hood of the vehicle before being thrown to the ground as he was struck.
'I'm okay,' Witt told the crowd as he dusted himself off, according to Newsday. 'I've got to go play some hockey. I'm a hockey player. I'm okay. No big deal.'"
No further proof is necessary.
"Witt was crossing Arch Street to get a cup of coffee when a gold Yukon truck made an illegal turn and hit the 34-year-old. Newsday says Witt tried to jump on the hood of the vehicle before being thrown to the ground as he was struck.
'I'm okay,' Witt told the crowd as he dusted himself off, according to Newsday. 'I've got to go play some hockey. I'm a hockey player. I'm okay. No big deal.'"
No further proof is necessary.
Friday, December 4, 2009
Waste of Time
Resistance is Futile
You want a Lamborghini Gallardo. Your wife wants a Smart. You don't want a Smart at all, but since you can't actually afford a Gallardo, you suggest a Dodge Challenger as a compromise.
But it's no use. You end up buying the Smart.
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Oh Giulietta
Rumor has it that the new Alfa Romeo Giulietta will be hitting the U.S. market in 2011. I'm kind of skeptical about this, because rumors have said the same thing for the 159, the Brera, and the MiTo, but nonetheless, the Giulietta looks amazing. I want one quite badly.
"2010 Alfa Romeo Giulietta; note lack of door handle on rear door, perhaps a rear-hinged door with an internal release?"
This is a serious fail. If the writer had been paying attention to the 156 or the 147 he would know where the rear door handle is. In fact it looks like an even better integration job than the one on the older models. Then again, he is American.
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Mobile Carriers and Dishwashers
I hate my wireless provider, Verizon. I am constantly in a state where I have little to no reception, and my friends and I are getting fed up with the amount of dropped calls. One time, my call dropped ten times in fifteen minutes. I have reason to believe my house is a dead spot and it's one of the areas on that map in the ads that isn't covered in red.
I also hate Consumer Reports. My problem with them is that they publish scores based on what the "average Joe" thinks. Unfortunately, I have found that average Joe is an idiot. Consumer Reports also has no idea what it's doing when it comes to categorization, as I've noticed in their camera ratings. Sometimes, two models that are identical in every way except megapixel count will be in different size categories. Sometimes, a within the same manufacturer, a smaller model will be in the bigger category. But more on that later.
An average person can only tell you average things. I am an average person in many ways. It is therefore wise that you not ask me to rate a dishwasher. I can't tell you much about it, or whether it's better or worse than other models in the range.
One time, the Lotus Elise was rated very poorly because the interior was cramped, the suspension was stiff, and the boot was small. I'm not sure if average Joe was expecting a sports car or a Crown Victoria.
Anyway, the lastest survey from Consumer Reports has concluded that Verizon is the best wireless carrier in the U.S. by ranking first in all 26 cities surveyed. AT&T, which Verizon has claimed on its ads to have spotty coverage, finished last in 19 of 26 cities.
As much as I don't like Consumer Reports, when the sample across 26 cities and they all say the same thing, there must be some truth to it. Cell phone providers are rather easy to rate, so hopefully average Joe hasn't made a hash of it. Can I hear you? Can you hear me? Good. I'm not so sure about the customer service categories, because I've never contacted them.
Likewise, I'm not sure how you can rate messaging to be significantly better than average, which is what average Joe has done here. The other day in Washington, D.C., I was able to place calls without issue but I everything incoming didn't get through for some reason. I missed a text message, a phone call, and the subsequent voice mail. When I finally got the voice mail, I had flown to New York, having been unable to meet up with a friend in Washington that day because I was unaware that she had called me to tell me she had some free time.
For that, I'd probably dock off a point but on average, I expect all of my messages to be delivered, whether incoming or outgoing. Therefore, I will never rate that service to be above average.
Anyway, there has been lots of press lately about how Verizon's ad campaign has been targeting how much AT&T sucks. The sad truth is, bad though Verizon may be, it's not as bad as the other choices. This is why I shouldn't rate a dishwasher; I may hate it with all my heart but maybe it's still better than everything else out there.
I don't hate my dishwasher; I find it distinctly average.
"Without question the surest indication of customer satisfaction is churn, or turnover. For the last quarter, our postpaid churn was just 1.17 percent.”
Let's evaluate this statement. If I have a contract with AT&T, no matter how terrible it is, I am unlikely to switch because they will slam me with a hefty early termination fee. When the contract is up, I may want out. Because I am not an iPhone user, I would be able to leave without hesitation. But if I were an iPhone user, I wouldn't have a choice. This is one factor for a low churn rate; the fact that I don't like the iPhone isn't going to change the fact that the general public perceives it to be in style.
Now, I'm not sure if they mean to say that the 1.17% of customers that do leave AT&T are replaced by an equal, if not greater, number of new customers. Given the expanding market, I would assume the answer to that is yes.
I also hate Consumer Reports. My problem with them is that they publish scores based on what the "average Joe" thinks. Unfortunately, I have found that average Joe is an idiot. Consumer Reports also has no idea what it's doing when it comes to categorization, as I've noticed in their camera ratings. Sometimes, two models that are identical in every way except megapixel count will be in different size categories. Sometimes, a within the same manufacturer, a smaller model will be in the bigger category. But more on that later.
An average person can only tell you average things. I am an average person in many ways. It is therefore wise that you not ask me to rate a dishwasher. I can't tell you much about it, or whether it's better or worse than other models in the range.
One time, the Lotus Elise was rated very poorly because the interior was cramped, the suspension was stiff, and the boot was small. I'm not sure if average Joe was expecting a sports car or a Crown Victoria.
Anyway, the lastest survey from Consumer Reports has concluded that Verizon is the best wireless carrier in the U.S. by ranking first in all 26 cities surveyed. AT&T, which Verizon has claimed on its ads to have spotty coverage, finished last in 19 of 26 cities.
As much as I don't like Consumer Reports, when the sample across 26 cities and they all say the same thing, there must be some truth to it. Cell phone providers are rather easy to rate, so hopefully average Joe hasn't made a hash of it. Can I hear you? Can you hear me? Good. I'm not so sure about the customer service categories, because I've never contacted them.
Likewise, I'm not sure how you can rate messaging to be significantly better than average, which is what average Joe has done here. The other day in Washington, D.C., I was able to place calls without issue but I everything incoming didn't get through for some reason. I missed a text message, a phone call, and the subsequent voice mail. When I finally got the voice mail, I had flown to New York, having been unable to meet up with a friend in Washington that day because I was unaware that she had called me to tell me she had some free time.
For that, I'd probably dock off a point but on average, I expect all of my messages to be delivered, whether incoming or outgoing. Therefore, I will never rate that service to be above average.
Anyway, there has been lots of press lately about how Verizon's ad campaign has been targeting how much AT&T sucks. The sad truth is, bad though Verizon may be, it's not as bad as the other choices. This is why I shouldn't rate a dishwasher; I may hate it with all my heart but maybe it's still better than everything else out there.
I don't hate my dishwasher; I find it distinctly average.
"Without question the surest indication of customer satisfaction is churn, or turnover. For the last quarter, our postpaid churn was just 1.17 percent.”
Let's evaluate this statement. If I have a contract with AT&T, no matter how terrible it is, I am unlikely to switch because they will slam me with a hefty early termination fee. When the contract is up, I may want out. Because I am not an iPhone user, I would be able to leave without hesitation. But if I were an iPhone user, I wouldn't have a choice. This is one factor for a low churn rate; the fact that I don't like the iPhone isn't going to change the fact that the general public perceives it to be in style.
Now, I'm not sure if they mean to say that the 1.17% of customers that do leave AT&T are replaced by an equal, if not greater, number of new customers. Given the expanding market, I would assume the answer to that is yes.
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Peace at Gunpoint
I won a Nobel Peace Prize, so let's celebrate by sending 30,000 troops to Afghanistan!
What a joke. WHAT. A. JOKE.
What a joke. WHAT. A. JOKE.
On Shoe-Throwing
Shoe-throwing is quickly turning into a slapstick comedy act, as someone threw a shoe at the man who threw a shoe at George Bush last year.
"Al-Zeidi's brother, Maithan, chased the attacker in the audience and — what else? — pelted him with a shoe as he left the room."
War is silly. Why don't we just resolve conflicts with a pillow fight instead?
"Al-Zeidi's brother, Maithan, chased the attacker in the audience and — what else? — pelted him with a shoe as he left the room."
War is silly. Why don't we just resolve conflicts with a pillow fight instead?
Rail Fares
The PATH train from World Trade Center to Newark Penn Station costs $1.75. It's roughly a ten-mile trip and it takes 22 minutes. At 27.3mph, this is rather slow, but the cost per mile is rather cheap 17.5 cents.
The NJ Transit train from Newark Penn Station to Newark Airport Railroad station costs $7.75. It's roughly a three-mile trip and it takes six minutes. At 30mph this is about the same as the PATH train, and the cost per mile is a ridiculous $2.58.
You could take the Shinkansen from Tokyo to Shinagawa, one station away, and it would cost you about $8.50 for a five-mile trip. It takes about six minutes because the train can't accelerate to 180mph and then stop in a five-mile span. This is still only $1.70 per mile. In fact, for the Shinkansen trip to cost more, you'd have to take the green car, which is like the equivalent of first class on an airplane. Incidentally, the NJ Transit train doesn't have such accomodations.
I bet a ferry between Lower Manhattan and Newark-Liberty International Airport would be cheaper and faster than the train if such a thing existed.
The NJ Transit train from Newark Penn Station to Newark Airport Railroad station costs $7.75. It's roughly a three-mile trip and it takes six minutes. At 30mph this is about the same as the PATH train, and the cost per mile is a ridiculous $2.58.
You could take the Shinkansen from Tokyo to Shinagawa, one station away, and it would cost you about $8.50 for a five-mile trip. It takes about six minutes because the train can't accelerate to 180mph and then stop in a five-mile span. This is still only $1.70 per mile. In fact, for the Shinkansen trip to cost more, you'd have to take the green car, which is like the equivalent of first class on an airplane. Incidentally, the NJ Transit train doesn't have such accomodations.
I bet a ferry between Lower Manhattan and Newark-Liberty International Airport would be cheaper and faster than the train if such a thing existed.
On Auto Mechanics
It's a relatively well-known fact that auto mechanics try to sell you on services you don't need. In fact I was surprised when I took my car in to get an oil change and new tires mounted, because the guy that called me up said, "the brake pads will probably need to be replaced after another two or three oil changes (read: 6,000-9,000 miles, given that they want you to come in for an oil change every 3,000 miles)" and not, "your brakes are dangerously low and they should be replaced right now." This is especially true because that's what they said when I took the car in for an oil change 6,000 miles ago. Apparently my brake pads have grown in thickness. At this rate I might have to shave them down by hand.
They also seem to always indicate a need for new coolant. Now, a week before this, my car was at another shop having repairs done to fix a misfire issue. They had replaced the coolant at that time, so you can imagine it was rather difficult to not break out laughing.
They also seem to always indicate a need for new coolant. Now, a week before this, my car was at another shop having repairs done to fix a misfire issue. They had replaced the coolant at that time, so you can imagine it was rather difficult to not break out laughing.
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