There's J-Pop, K-Pop, J-Rap. So what would this be called? A-Rap? Arabic rap music. Or maybe, Arap. Looks nice, but I don't know.
Amateurs. I'm going to laugh a lot about this guy. This is why the Germans lost the war. What a moron. I know that English is a difficult langauge to master, it's rated a Level-4 (1 being the easiest) language. While researching airport codes I can see how someone could mistaken SDY (Sidney, Montana Richland Municipal) for BWU (Sydney, Australia Bankstown) or whichever airport in Sydney. To add insult to injury, he was more or less dressed for summer. Ha! Stuck in Montana in winter with only summer attire. Idiot.
Now these things have happened to me, but on seperate occasions. Once, I boarded the wrong plane but got off before the doors closed. Another time I had a two-hour layover somewhere in Nova Scotia only wearing my desert uniform. It was our return trip from Iraq, we left Balad on a C-17. We made a stop in Germany and it was cold but in Canada there was snow on the ground, apparently our desert uniforms weren't designed with cold weather in mind. Huh. And there wasn't a bus and the plane can't dock like a normal plane. So we had to walk a few hundred yards from the tarmac to the terminal. OK, so we didn't walk. It was more of a sprint to save our lives.
In a story that just proves that you're not safe anywhere, don't be caught off guard in your living room. Which is one of the benefits of living on the 2nd floor of an apartment building. High enough to avoid cars, but low enough to avoid planes.
Hello? 911? Yeah, a carjacker called 911 to report a crime he had committed. So I'm not going to rag on this guy, because he did the right thing by calling it in. Instead, I'm going to focus my attention on the owner of the vehicle. So according to the interview, Ashlee, the owner, was with her three friends at an exit off the freeway when the suspect approached the vehicle and demanded they get out. Even by her own account, he didn't have a weapon. Unless you consider being black a weapon. He was kinda dark, probably at night all you could see were his eyes and teeth that's a little scary. Still, you'd have to produce a weapon of some sort to get me to relinquish my car. Otherwise I say just drive off. If you get out of your car just because some guy tells you to, you deserve to have your car stolen.
Ah, Mother Nature's technological spin on selective genocide. Or as I call it, the slow and the dumb. Intersections that take people's lives. Yeah, I feel bad when kids die but this isn't one of those times. Sorry, but slow and dumb kids that grow up eventually have slow and dumb kids of their own, thus bogging down the rest of us. Or even this story I can't feel sad about. A single car rollover accident where speed and alcohol were a factor. Where's the sadness in that? Actually, I'm grateful. Specifically at the fact that this was a single car accident. Good for them, at least they didn't involve other people in their death move.
Friday, December 29, 2006
It's so quiet...
You may have noticed there's no title for this entry. Well, there's a reason. I'm batting 0-2 today with electronics. It started even before I got in to work today. I put my iPod in my jacket pocket before exiting my car like always. As I'm getting out the iPod takes a small drop onto the ground. I haven't even gotten out of the car, my legs are just swung over. Eh, not the first time I've dropped it and it's in its case so not a big deal. While still sitting down I pick up the iPod and put it back in my jacket. When I stood up it fell out again (oh yeah) but this time from waist height.
The second instance was fixing my coworker's battery charger for his camera. Checked the coils, they're OK (took me two weeks to find the tools to do this) so I replaced the fuse. I checked it with the charger disassembled, only the plugs remained, and it worked. Light comes on, OK so it's charging. Take it off and reassemble, check it once more. Light does not come on. Crap. Disassemble and check fuse again. Nope, still good but to be on the safe side, replace it. I got a four pack of fuses. Still doesn't light up. Oh well, he needs it and he has a replacement charger anyway it just takes longer to charge. Fine, reassemble with the warning 'theortically it works' because he doesn't know if the battery is already charged and doesn't remember if the light goes out anyway when the battery's fully charged.
So back to why there's no title. I tried something different for the month of December, all of my titles were song titles that I got off of my iPod. Put iPod on shuffle and press play. Title that pops up, use as title in blog. No iPod, no title.
The hard reset of the iPod isn't working, but I'm hoping that plugging it back into my laptop (at home) will reset it. I'd hate for this thing to be broken (again). This will be my 6th iPod in less than 3 years. Granted I started out on a 20GB which broke twice. Second time it broke I bought the 60GB. That broke within a month, got a new one. That one broke 6 months later, but they were able to fix it. I also got a 1GB iPod Shuffle that I was using for when I exercised. The 4G 60GB iPod is just too big to lug around the weight room.
I'm optimist about the idea that the iPod isn't really broken and the charger that 'theortically should work' actually works. I'd hate to end 2006 in such a low electronics note.
You may have noticed there's no title for this entry. Well, there's a reason. I'm batting 0-2 today with electronics. It started even before I got in to work today. I put my iPod in my jacket pocket before exiting my car like always. As I'm getting out the iPod takes a small drop onto the ground. I haven't even gotten out of the car, my legs are just swung over. Eh, not the first time I've dropped it and it's in its case so not a big deal. While still sitting down I pick up the iPod and put it back in my jacket. When I stood up it fell out again (oh yeah) but this time from waist height.
The second instance was fixing my coworker's battery charger for his camera. Checked the coils, they're OK (took me two weeks to find the tools to do this) so I replaced the fuse. I checked it with the charger disassembled, only the plugs remained, and it worked. Light comes on, OK so it's charging. Take it off and reassemble, check it once more. Light does not come on. Crap. Disassemble and check fuse again. Nope, still good but to be on the safe side, replace it. I got a four pack of fuses. Still doesn't light up. Oh well, he needs it and he has a replacement charger anyway it just takes longer to charge. Fine, reassemble with the warning 'theortically it works' because he doesn't know if the battery is already charged and doesn't remember if the light goes out anyway when the battery's fully charged.
So back to why there's no title. I tried something different for the month of December, all of my titles were song titles that I got off of my iPod. Put iPod on shuffle and press play. Title that pops up, use as title in blog. No iPod, no title.
The hard reset of the iPod isn't working, but I'm hoping that plugging it back into my laptop (at home) will reset it. I'd hate for this thing to be broken (again). This will be my 6th iPod in less than 3 years. Granted I started out on a 20GB which broke twice. Second time it broke I bought the 60GB. That broke within a month, got a new one. That one broke 6 months later, but they were able to fix it. I also got a 1GB iPod Shuffle that I was using for when I exercised. The 4G 60GB iPod is just too big to lug around the weight room.
I'm optimist about the idea that the iPod isn't really broken and the charger that 'theortically should work' actually works. I'd hate to end 2006 in such a low electronics note.
Thursday, December 28, 2006
cool like that
I was going to post this huge political/military blog but decided instead to stick with my usual. Mainly a little advice for a running Zeb I know. Don't over do it. Training takes months, this is not like cramming for a final (from what I've heard) and be fit into an all-nighter. And yeah, 70 miles a week sounds like a lot because it is!
This falls into the hot dog category of my life. I don't want to know anything about how it's made. As far as I'm concerned, it magically appears on the shelves of supermarkets, or maybe elves put them there. What scares me when I read this article was the use of adjectives. "The FDA concluded that cloned animals are 'virtually indistinguishable' from conventional livestock..." Uh-huh. Virtually... Not as reassuring as you think huh? I've had some cooking that are virtually indistinguishable from cardboard or leather, so umm, is it cardboard or leather? Nope, it was food with all of the dietary benefits of regular food but tasted like cardboard.
OK, now its time to go eat some cloned food.
This falls into the hot dog category of my life. I don't want to know anything about how it's made. As far as I'm concerned, it magically appears on the shelves of supermarkets, or maybe elves put them there. What scares me when I read this article was the use of adjectives. "The FDA concluded that cloned animals are 'virtually indistinguishable' from conventional livestock..." Uh-huh. Virtually... Not as reassuring as you think huh? I've had some cooking that are virtually indistinguishable from cardboard or leather, so umm, is it cardboard or leather? Nope, it was food with all of the dietary benefits of regular food but tasted like cardboard.
OK, now its time to go eat some cloned food.
Wednesday, December 27, 2006
afternoon delight
"Thank you for flying Continental, your check-in luggage can be found in a dumpster outside." Hmm, not a good reason to fly Continental. Still, the chances of that happening to you is slim about as much as dying in a plane accident. Although the majority of them seem to of happen right there in Houston. You know they're going to get one or two baggage handlers, maybe a supervisor but that's as far as it goes.
Sorry, when I think plane accident I remember George Carlin's ranting about airport terminology. 'Near miss' is not an accurate term for when two planes almost collide, it's a near hit. *crash* "Look, they nearly miss." "Ah yes, but not quite."
Now the shoe is on the other foot. I don't know what that means or if it even applies. It sounds like it does. Men getting stalked by a rapist. Ha! Hmm, Texas isn't getting a lot of good PR now is it? First with dumping luggage, now a gay rapist. Thank goodness I moved to Indiana.
Now parents of slained soldiers want to go to Iraq. I say good, give them a rifle and let them serve a year there too. The fighting there is far from over, there's no way to guarantee their safety. I can't believe that US government is going to allow this, it'll be a PR nightmare when the first parent dies in a roadside bombing. 'Mother goes the same way her son did' the headlines will read. Oh well, free country and all.
When blogging goes bad.
Nuff said.
Sorry, when I think plane accident I remember George Carlin's ranting about airport terminology. 'Near miss' is not an accurate term for when two planes almost collide, it's a near hit. *crash* "Look, they nearly miss." "Ah yes, but not quite."
Now the shoe is on the other foot. I don't know what that means or if it even applies. It sounds like it does. Men getting stalked by a rapist. Ha! Hmm, Texas isn't getting a lot of good PR now is it? First with dumping luggage, now a gay rapist. Thank goodness I moved to Indiana.
Now parents of slained soldiers want to go to Iraq. I say good, give them a rifle and let them serve a year there too. The fighting there is far from over, there's no way to guarantee their safety. I can't believe that US government is going to allow this, it'll be a PR nightmare when the first parent dies in a roadside bombing. 'Mother goes the same way her son did' the headlines will read. Oh well, free country and all.
When blogging goes bad.
Nuff said.
Tuesday, December 26, 2006
get over it
Working in the intelligence community I often feel that the government is too "big brother" and imposes standards like wanting to remove a bullet from my head. Yeah, it's a real invasion of my civil rights. Uh-huh. Like going to the dentist. It sets a dangerous precendent. Again, yeah, evidence that may convict or exonorate someone lays logged in their skull and it's a bad thing. Illegal search and seizure? It's a bullet in a skull, if that doesn't scream pull me out I don't know what does. I'm sure this is exactly the situation our forefathers were thinking when they drafted the Constitution and Bill of Rights.
Hmm, a government foul up again huh? Apparently the federal assisted school aid program needs working on. So if the formula used guarantees a minimum for small (population) states, how can it be that the small states get more than the bigger states? How exactly does that work out? Look, I'm not opposed to the fact that states that spend more on education should receive more from the federal government in this case. More kids, more money needed. Very simple. I'm just saying that this aid money shouldn't be spent on someone's salary that sits in an office all day stamping paperwork. That's not the point of the program. Yeah, administration plays a necessary role in education but this poster sums up my thoughts of this sentence.
The point of the program is to help kids that otherwise can't help themselves. Yeah sure I think it's an adult issue and the parents are to blame, but just because I feel that way doesn't mean the kid has to suffer.
Gads. The robots are taking over. Next thing you know, they'll want equal rights. Well screw that, if they get that advanced it'll be Terminator all over. Ha, if the robots download that movie and create a robot in the image of Arnold Schwarzenegger designed to kill us, that'd be irony.
Hmm, a government foul up again huh? Apparently the federal assisted school aid program needs working on. So if the formula used guarantees a minimum for small (population) states, how can it be that the small states get more than the bigger states? How exactly does that work out? Look, I'm not opposed to the fact that states that spend more on education should receive more from the federal government in this case. More kids, more money needed. Very simple. I'm just saying that this aid money shouldn't be spent on someone's salary that sits in an office all day stamping paperwork. That's not the point of the program. Yeah, administration plays a necessary role in education but this poster sums up my thoughts of this sentence.
The point of the program is to help kids that otherwise can't help themselves. Yeah sure I think it's an adult issue and the parents are to blame, but just because I feel that way doesn't mean the kid has to suffer.Gads. The robots are taking over. Next thing you know, they'll want equal rights. Well screw that, if they get that advanced it'll be Terminator all over. Ha, if the robots download that movie and create a robot in the image of Arnold Schwarzenegger designed to kill us, that'd be irony.
Monday, December 25, 2006
don't go breaking my heart
That's it installed. Where are the wires you ask? Ah, that was the point of the project. It's still in progress, Bill has to come over and rewire the four adapters directly into the fusebox.
So what started out as a project has become a lot more complex. Original idea: hide the wires. Sweet, simple and easy. Right? Wrong. Wes had the idea to fiberglass a cover for it, which meant that all the wires would have to go through the back instead of sides as planned. No problem, I'll just cut off the back.
Since we were fiberglassing it, that meant that we needed to sand it down and repaint it. Sure it would've been easy to match the paint (flat black) and cover it. However, I made this complex by wanting to sand down everything and repaint everything (glossy black and gunmetal gray). So with redoing the center console I had to repaint the ebrake thingie too
The picture was taken in progress. After the first coat of paint. Yeah, that's a pizza box. Saving the environment!
OK, so back to the project. Fiberglass phase complete. Wes sanded it down, but there were still some indentions so we filled them with bondo and sanded it down. It was smooth. Meanwhile, I was sanding down the texture on the center console plastic frame and the ebrake thingie. Started with 100 grit sandpaper, working all the way up to 2000 grit. Lots of fun, sanding down that much surface area again and again and again and again... (you get the idea right?)
With the sanding complete, the painting begins. A coat of primer, wet sanding with 2000 grit, let dry, paint black, let dry, and paint black again. The center console is gunmetal but the trim is black. So to paint it two tone I had to tape it up. Now, in the back of my head, as I'm applying the tape to cover up the area I don't want painted I think to myself wouldn't it just be hilarious if the blue painter's tape I'm using peeled off the paint? Thirty minutes later, when I remove the tape. Guess what? The tape took off the paint. I had to re-cover painted areas and repaint.
Once Wes was done with the console I took a look at it. With the back cut out, the adapter would fall out (apparently the back kept it in place...) so the solution was to drill screws in to hold it in place. Good idea right? We thought so.
So all of this took four days to complete, working after our regular jobs until about midnight. So on Friday I took it upon myself to install all of this. The plugs had to go through first. I then had to run the wires to wherever they were going. Putting in the adapter was third in the order of things. Secure adapter with screws, oh, did I mention that the screws were on top right under the cd player? Yeah. So now I get to put the cd player in place, secure it with the little hooks, and plug it in. Now comes to fun part of shoving the whole unit into place, because all of the wires are back there taking up space that the car doesn't have. Grr. Holding console with one hand, put screws in to hold it.
Ah yes, just the plastic frame left. Oh wait, all of the sanding warped it! I gotta bend it back before I put it in. Whew. That only took an hour to put together, it will be darn near impossible to disassemble. Or at least just very complex.
So the project is complete right? (minus the rewiring) Wrong. I've already repainted the front speaker covers (I'm going to replace the speakers Tuesday) and the little handle thingies in the door. I've already pulled off all of the little covers, thinking I might paint them. I've noticed a leak in the back too, somehow water was running down a wire that was behind one of the panels. So there's that too.
The car is an adventure and hopefully, it will take me on a few too.
Saturday, December 23, 2006
my own worse enemy
OK. So there may be a chance that I'm slightly retarded. OK, I am slightly retarded. Wait until the end to laugh, otherwise you won't learn anything.
Last week I bought shop towels. Good idea since I'm getting my hands dirty working on my car. So we're agreed that shop towels are a good idea.
This past week I've been working on my car interior inside of my apartment. Fiberglass, plastic dust and other things are all floating around and are now sticking to surfaces. Basically I've got dirty clothes that I haven't worn yet.
I was planning on washing the shop towels separately because they're red.
Ah, yes, I see that glimmer in your eye and you know where this heading but without laughing you're waiting for me to say it.
When I got off of work, I'd change immediately from my work clothes to my 'play' clothes to work on my car. Jeans and a crappy t-shirt. I would toss my regular clothes into the washer, bypassing the laundry hamper and sadly, right on top of my shop towels. Today I washed my clothes, a full load, including the red shop towels. Now I'm drying a bunch of pink stuff.
Is that what you wanted to hear? Me admitting that I'm retarded? At least I know that I am.
Last week I bought shop towels. Good idea since I'm getting my hands dirty working on my car. So we're agreed that shop towels are a good idea.
This past week I've been working on my car interior inside of my apartment. Fiberglass, plastic dust and other things are all floating around and are now sticking to surfaces. Basically I've got dirty clothes that I haven't worn yet.
I was planning on washing the shop towels separately because they're red.
Ah, yes, I see that glimmer in your eye and you know where this heading but without laughing you're waiting for me to say it.
When I got off of work, I'd change immediately from my work clothes to my 'play' clothes to work on my car. Jeans and a crappy t-shirt. I would toss my regular clothes into the washer, bypassing the laundry hamper and sadly, right on top of my shop towels. Today I washed my clothes, a full load, including the red shop towels. Now I'm drying a bunch of pink stuff.
Is that what you wanted to hear? Me admitting that I'm retarded? At least I know that I am.
Thursday, December 21, 2006
i get weak
Some cheery news!
Not that bad parenting and other gloomy news is not on my mind, but there needs to be some good news stories like these.
From the depths of syndication and reruns, it's a Festivus pole! Seinfeld. Gotta love it! Read up on this! I never would've guessed that this is how holidays come about. Well, I guess it's the way it has to be.
It's another Safest City in the US, but there are several different categories at the bottom in which cities are dropped into, like the smartest and cheapest. I lived in one of the cheapest places, Killeen, Texas. Yup, the town adjacent to Ft. Hood, home of 13th COSCOM, 1st Calvary Division and the 4th Infantry Division.
Well, if anyone is a good judge of beauty then it's models. Or at least in my humble opinion. Here some models picked the hottest athletes. #20 in the female category. Michelle Wie. And I'm not going to ruin viewing pleasure by saying much more than that.
I just liked the first photo of this gallery, there were some interesting shots but this one lightened my mood.
The Catholic Church has entered the 21st century. Now you don't have to wait until you get to church on Sunday, you can simply download it to your iPod. Yes! Guilt on tap!
Religion and technology. If the article above didn't scare you, then maybe this will. In response, the Jews have launched their own game. I wonder if I can play them on my PS3?
The last thing I say today is about the 'last' book in the Harry Potter series. It has a name! Again, not spoiling it for others like I normally would.
Not that bad parenting and other gloomy news is not on my mind, but there needs to be some good news stories like these.
From the depths of syndication and reruns, it's a Festivus pole! Seinfeld. Gotta love it! Read up on this! I never would've guessed that this is how holidays come about. Well, I guess it's the way it has to be.
It's another Safest City in the US, but there are several different categories at the bottom in which cities are dropped into, like the smartest and cheapest. I lived in one of the cheapest places, Killeen, Texas. Yup, the town adjacent to Ft. Hood, home of 13th COSCOM, 1st Calvary Division and the 4th Infantry Division.
Well, if anyone is a good judge of beauty then it's models. Or at least in my humble opinion. Here some models picked the hottest athletes. #20 in the female category. Michelle Wie. And I'm not going to ruin viewing pleasure by saying much more than that.
I just liked the first photo of this gallery, there were some interesting shots but this one lightened my mood.
The Catholic Church has entered the 21st century. Now you don't have to wait until you get to church on Sunday, you can simply download it to your iPod. Yes! Guilt on tap!
Religion and technology. If the article above didn't scare you, then maybe this will. In response, the Jews have launched their own game. I wonder if I can play them on my PS3?
The last thing I say today is about the 'last' book in the Harry Potter series. It has a name! Again, not spoiling it for others like I normally would.
bohemian rhapsody
OK, well, my part of the project is done. All of the pieces were disassembled, cleaned, sanded (repeatedly), primered and painted. I even got the piece I pulled out yesterday after work, yup, decided to do one more part of the dash. It's up to Bill now. He's supposed to do the electrical work. The whole point of the project was to redo the electrical (and to hide the wires). It looks pretty damn good, not perfect as if it came off the assembly line but good for what it's supposed to do. After installation and cleaning the car I'll snap a few photos of the redone console. Of course it contrasts with the rest of the dash and the interior but it's only the first phase of doing the whole dang thing.
I'm trying to figure out what I want to do next. The interior stuff is relatively cheap to redo, but I want to save up to do an engine swap. Research online points to a B18 VTEC, 160hp and just general badass-ness. Unfortunately a brand new VTEC engine costs a pretty penny (almost $2000) and then there's the additional costs like tools, replacement parts, and an engine crain. Plus, if I get a good engine I'll need a new transmission and I haven't even begun looking for one yet. Not like I've done any of this to any other car, but I don't know anything about transmissions except for gear ratios. I know what they are, I don't know how to change them but I know what they're supposed to do. To utilize the bigger engine I'll also need a new air intake and exhaust system. So that's a big step, the biggest for the car project.
The biggest obstacle in the whole thing is financing. I don't get paid alot and a majority of my money is tied up in food and shelter. I supposed I can just live in my car, that'll solve most of my problems but I still need a place to store my stuff. Maybe my office... there's plenty of space. At the rate I'm going, this will probably years in the making but hopefully, ultimately worth it.
I'm trying to figure out what I want to do next. The interior stuff is relatively cheap to redo, but I want to save up to do an engine swap. Research online points to a B18 VTEC, 160hp and just general badass-ness. Unfortunately a brand new VTEC engine costs a pretty penny (almost $2000) and then there's the additional costs like tools, replacement parts, and an engine crain. Plus, if I get a good engine I'll need a new transmission and I haven't even begun looking for one yet. Not like I've done any of this to any other car, but I don't know anything about transmissions except for gear ratios. I know what they are, I don't know how to change them but I know what they're supposed to do. To utilize the bigger engine I'll also need a new air intake and exhaust system. So that's a big step, the biggest for the car project.
The biggest obstacle in the whole thing is financing. I don't get paid alot and a majority of my money is tied up in food and shelter. I supposed I can just live in my car, that'll solve most of my problems but I still need a place to store my stuff. Maybe my office... there's plenty of space. At the rate I'm going, this will probably years in the making but hopefully, ultimately worth it.
Wednesday, December 20, 2006
you're the best around
Ah... The interior refinishing project is nearing completion (of this phase). The piece around the e-brake is finished, and the accessories panel is 1/3 painted (black) I just need to add the gunmetal. The console work is coming along slowly, it's been fiberglassed and cut. Need to touch up the cut area, sand it and re-install it. Then there's the wiring that needs to be hidden but that'll be a quick job. True to my nature, as I'm painting I realize it would've been great to take pictures; before, during and after shots. I wanted to do that with the heater core assembly too but we only have the during disassembly shot where we've almost completely disassembled the interior of my car. It looked pretty bad ass striped to the metal.
Let's see what's on CNN.com. China is imposing more restrictions on adoptions. Fat people can't adopt Chinese kids, neither can depressed people, or the unmarried. Wow, that pretty much describes me. Luckily I'm not looking to adopt a Chinese kid.
I just hate people like this. The scary part of this story is that the headline might actually be true. They took on 11 special needs children. Uh, I can't do the math but that's like 11 needs that are special, and not special in the 'different' sense. Because if that was true, then sleeping in cages is different. Funny thing, they're married, not depressed and mostly not fat. Guess they're qualified to adopt some Chinese kids. Just not special needs kids.
Miss USA still a role model. Uh yeah. I remember that little girl back in school that said that she wanted to grow up to be a princess or Miss USA. You don't have to use your brain in the future, just make sure you look good in a bikini and an evening gown. We'll come up with some generic answers for the Q&A section. Sure you'll life will hit its peak by age 20 but honestly, everything after that is just downhill (40-70yrs of downhill).
Aww, I was disappointed when I clicked on this link. The headline had me thinking it was like Kung Fu or something like that. Right? With a title like:7 Injured as Monks Storm Monastry. You think it's going to be some sort of action film with monks fighting in the courtyard, bouncing off the roofs and dust flying whenever someone got hit. But alas, they're Greek and they don't know kung fu.
Let's see what's on CNN.com. China is imposing more restrictions on adoptions. Fat people can't adopt Chinese kids, neither can depressed people, or the unmarried. Wow, that pretty much describes me. Luckily I'm not looking to adopt a Chinese kid.
I just hate people like this. The scary part of this story is that the headline might actually be true. They took on 11 special needs children. Uh, I can't do the math but that's like 11 needs that are special, and not special in the 'different' sense. Because if that was true, then sleeping in cages is different. Funny thing, they're married, not depressed and mostly not fat. Guess they're qualified to adopt some Chinese kids. Just not special needs kids.
Miss USA still a role model. Uh yeah. I remember that little girl back in school that said that she wanted to grow up to be a princess or Miss USA. You don't have to use your brain in the future, just make sure you look good in a bikini and an evening gown. We'll come up with some generic answers for the Q&A section. Sure you'll life will hit its peak by age 20 but honestly, everything after that is just downhill (40-70yrs of downhill).
Aww, I was disappointed when I clicked on this link. The headline had me thinking it was like Kung Fu or something like that. Right? With a title like:7 Injured as Monks Storm Monastry. You think it's going to be some sort of action film with monks fighting in the courtyard, bouncing off the roofs and dust flying whenever someone got hit. But alas, they're Greek and they don't know kung fu.
Tuesday, December 19, 2006
till i hear it from you
So it's that time of the year. For me it's not about presents, fires in the chimneys, snow on the ground, and decorations in the yard. Stupid insomnia. I guess that's why I started this recent project on my car. Sunday I pulled out my center console and began sanding it down in preparation to repaint it. With the help of some good friends I'm also rebuilding some of my slots in my console. Suffice to say there's fiberglass and hidden wiring. It's going to be, wait for it... LEGENDARY. (reference How I Met Your Mother)
There's a lot of work to be done on it, I finished one of three pieces and it looks pretty good. I hit it with about five coats of paint, sanding it down with 2000 grit sandpaper between each coat (except the last one); there's still some marks from the 100 grit sandpaper used but it's not that bad.
OK, I'm sure no one wants to know how badly my ankle is twisted when there's news in the world like this. 6 foreign medical workers have been sentenced to death in Libya on the charge of deliberately infecting 400 children with AIDS. In a country that is overrunning with AIDS the population has decided that the children got it from doctors and nurses. Which is something you usually see on HBO, but not so much in real life. What exactly would be their motive? There's two conflicting motives (for even being there!) one is that they were trying to find a cure and the other is that they were acting on behalf of foreign intelligence agencies. And evidence introduced late in the trial indicated that the children may have contracted the virus up to three years before the arrival of the workers. Huh, but I guess that kind of "evidence" is just voodoo magic in the high-tech country of Libya. Instead what's plausible is that the CIA was using the Libya as a testing ground for a genetically-engineered virus. Because with Libya's arsenal of technology and knowledge they're able to prove that a foreign intelligence agency is behind all this. Well then, shouldn't they be on trial then instead of these six people? Or perhaps the countries? Nope, these six people are it!
So what would the CIA or any other foreign intelligence agency need with a genetically-engineered HIV bug that targets children? Ah, the great conspiracy. Wipeout an entire country by killing all of their children. That makes sense, because a bunch of dead kids isn't at all suspicious. If that was the route they were going, wouldn't sterility be the better bet?
Still, I'm hopeful for these people. After all, it's not the first time they've been convicted of murder. It's going to the Libyan Supreme Court and there's pressuring coming from the EU and the US. I have confidence that the LSC will overturn the verdict, bowing to international pressure, and release the workers. However, there'll be a big deal for about a month, the workers will be banned from Libya (as if that was the worse thing in the world) and all this fuss will be made, and eventually it'll fade into the background.
There's a lot of work to be done on it, I finished one of three pieces and it looks pretty good. I hit it with about five coats of paint, sanding it down with 2000 grit sandpaper between each coat (except the last one); there's still some marks from the 100 grit sandpaper used but it's not that bad.
OK, I'm sure no one wants to know how badly my ankle is twisted when there's news in the world like this. 6 foreign medical workers have been sentenced to death in Libya on the charge of deliberately infecting 400 children with AIDS. In a country that is overrunning with AIDS the population has decided that the children got it from doctors and nurses. Which is something you usually see on HBO, but not so much in real life. What exactly would be their motive? There's two conflicting motives (for even being there!) one is that they were trying to find a cure and the other is that they were acting on behalf of foreign intelligence agencies. And evidence introduced late in the trial indicated that the children may have contracted the virus up to three years before the arrival of the workers. Huh, but I guess that kind of "evidence" is just voodoo magic in the high-tech country of Libya. Instead what's plausible is that the CIA was using the Libya as a testing ground for a genetically-engineered virus. Because with Libya's arsenal of technology and knowledge they're able to prove that a foreign intelligence agency is behind all this. Well then, shouldn't they be on trial then instead of these six people? Or perhaps the countries? Nope, these six people are it!
So what would the CIA or any other foreign intelligence agency need with a genetically-engineered HIV bug that targets children? Ah, the great conspiracy. Wipeout an entire country by killing all of their children. That makes sense, because a bunch of dead kids isn't at all suspicious. If that was the route they were going, wouldn't sterility be the better bet?
Still, I'm hopeful for these people. After all, it's not the first time they've been convicted of murder. It's going to the Libyan Supreme Court and there's pressuring coming from the EU and the US. I have confidence that the LSC will overturn the verdict, bowing to international pressure, and release the workers. However, there'll be a big deal for about a month, the workers will be banned from Libya (as if that was the worse thing in the world) and all this fuss will be made, and eventually it'll fade into the background.
Monday, December 18, 2006
turning japanese
Sweet! This is the 2nd time I've been named Person of the Year by Time Magazine! Yeah, OK, so this time I'm sharing the title with about 6 billion people, but really this is such an honor. Oh! Who to thank first? Well of course there's God, through Him all is possible. And the devil, too, gotta give him props to providing a balance to the world. There's my mom and dad, who taught me everything I know which is both a good and a bad thing. Uh, oh. My times up? Thank-you all!
Don't publish the honor roll in the local newspaper, instead send them a personal letter. Uh-huh. As if their solution isn't as bad. I guess it's the lesser of two evils. The news report said that this was prompted by a student's mother. What they don't say is that student is a D student. Look, I hate grades as much as any other C-F student but we're focused on the wrong thing. Yeah, getting an F is bad, I've gotten plenty in my time. But I got them because I failed to meet the standard. Yeah, I wished they would've gone slower and given me more time to absorb the information put out but they didn't and I failed the class. Boo-hoo. So I took it the next year and guess what? I got a B (in one particular instance). Yes, it would be great if each individual kid had their own tailored education program but the logistics of it all would astronomical. A teacher for each child for each phase of their life, teaching them in the method they learn best, and at their pace. That's just not possible, and even if it was that doesn't do anything for the kid; I think you're just hurting them in the long run and then no one benefits. School isn't just about the knowledge you receive from books, it's about social interaction, and learning about adversity and hopefully overcoming them. It's about life.
Ugh, feeling so drained from being nice. So here's a guy that summed up everything in just two words (and a gesture).
Don't publish the honor roll in the local newspaper, instead send them a personal letter. Uh-huh. As if their solution isn't as bad. I guess it's the lesser of two evils. The news report said that this was prompted by a student's mother. What they don't say is that student is a D student. Look, I hate grades as much as any other C-F student but we're focused on the wrong thing. Yeah, getting an F is bad, I've gotten plenty in my time. But I got them because I failed to meet the standard. Yeah, I wished they would've gone slower and given me more time to absorb the information put out but they didn't and I failed the class. Boo-hoo. So I took it the next year and guess what? I got a B (in one particular instance). Yes, it would be great if each individual kid had their own tailored education program but the logistics of it all would astronomical. A teacher for each child for each phase of their life, teaching them in the method they learn best, and at their pace. That's just not possible, and even if it was that doesn't do anything for the kid; I think you're just hurting them in the long run and then no one benefits. School isn't just about the knowledge you receive from books, it's about social interaction, and learning about adversity and hopefully overcoming them. It's about life.
Ugh, feeling so drained from being nice. So here's a guy that summed up everything in just two words (and a gesture).
panama
Got to love Yahoo! and their useless news. Drumroll please...
Crikey! we're not on this list. You'd think with the invention of automatic machine guns and nuclear weapons we'd be at the top of this list but we ain't even close. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised who was selected for #1.
Stupid is as stupid does. Teens aren't stupid, they're human. Just like the rest of us. We'd love the idea that kids would take our word in learning but that just isn't the way things go. They learn through experience; and experience is neither good nor bad. Sometimes we just have to reach out and touch the red-hot pot on the stove to find out that 'sh*t that's hot!' Now guess what, you'll be scared to touch stuff on the stove and when your mom tells you that stuff in the oven is like a hundred times hotter, you think I played around the oven when it was open?
I must be fricking retarded according to this study. And linking this paragraph with the previous one is this little news piece.
Crikey! we're not on this list. You'd think with the invention of automatic machine guns and nuclear weapons we'd be at the top of this list but we ain't even close. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised who was selected for #1.
Stupid is as stupid does. Teens aren't stupid, they're human. Just like the rest of us. We'd love the idea that kids would take our word in learning but that just isn't the way things go. They learn through experience; and experience is neither good nor bad. Sometimes we just have to reach out and touch the red-hot pot on the stove to find out that 'sh*t that's hot!' Now guess what, you'll be scared to touch stuff on the stove and when your mom tells you that stuff in the oven is like a hundred times hotter, you think I played around the oven when it was open?
I must be fricking retarded according to this study. And linking this paragraph with the previous one is this little news piece.
Sunday, December 17, 2006
the geek gets the girl
That's right Christy, as promised. Demystifying the hottie. Nothing better than making fun of friends, be it on Saimin, Interact or MySpace. It's all about being able to laugh at yourself and those around you. In this case, laughing at others. <3 Zebra.
Bonafide hottie.
Hard to believe that she's a nerd. In her own words, "I am low maintenance and have trekked through China for two weeks without a hairbrush..." She can read, like books with lots of words in them and no pictures. She knows that a cow goes 'moo' and teaches the future of America the sum of her knowledge.
It's been a long, arduous journey that's spanned the last twenty-eight years. Unfortunately, I only have knowledge of ten years ago but it's enough. It's time to punk this chick.
I don't even think this is the same girl.
Pearl City High School Winterball 1996
Can you say lame? Not about the chick, but about the guy. We're related. He's my cousin. Yeah, I have to rag on him for a second.
Look at the smile on that girl. OK, so it's more of a smirk but on the upper side of a smirk; not quite a smile.
Do a little more digging on this nerd, you come up with this:
Laughing yet?
That should do it.
And no, it's not stalker-esque. Researching people is my job, I do it very well. Government trained. But all of this, I did for the laughs. This is the part of my job I love.
Facets of Recommendation in Adoption: Three Stories
Bonafide hottie.
Hard to believe that she's a nerd. In her own words, "I am low maintenance and have trekked through China for two weeks without a hairbrush..." She can read, like books with lots of words in them and no pictures. She knows that a cow goes 'moo' and teaches the future of America the sum of her knowledge.
It's been a long, arduous journey that's spanned the last twenty-eight years. Unfortunately, I only have knowledge of ten years ago but it's enough. It's time to punk this chick.
I don't even think this is the same girl.
Pearl City High School Winterball 1996
Can you say lame? Not about the chick, but about the guy. We're related. He's my cousin. Yeah, I have to rag on him for a second.
Look at the smile on that girl. OK, so it's more of a smirk but on the upper side of a smirk; not quite a smile.
Do a little more digging on this nerd, you come up with this:
Laughing yet?
That should do it.
And no, it's not stalker-esque. Researching people is my job, I do it very well. Government trained. But all of this, I did for the laughs. This is the part of my job I love.
Facets of Recommendation in Adoption: Three Stories
Friday, December 15, 2006
joy to the world
Religion & Business K-I-S-S-I-N-G. First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes the impending lawsuits.
You know me, I hate when someone tries to force their religion upon me but if my boss wants to say a prayer before a meeting. Well, that's his preference. Yes, I think it's a waste of time but guess what, his signature is my on my paycheck. Do I feel discriminated? Nope. I wouldn't ask him to say an 'Our Father' or anything before for me but only because I think it IS a waste of time in a place of business. Like when I say grace before chowing down on my lunch with co-workers, I don't expect them not to start eating their unblessed heathen food. Just don't ask me questions when my head is bowed in prayer. That'll piss me off. There's a line to be drawn. I don't ask my co-workers to hold hands and bow their heads to say grace with me, I respect them enough to keep them out of my beliefs.
If I weren't Catholic and someone sent me a Christmas card that said "Merry Christmas" on the front, I don't think I'd be offended. The person sending it is Christian. Good for him/her, they're religious and that counts in my book. It may not be my religion so they don't get as many points but still get points. I wouldn't be offended if a Jew sent me a 'Happy Chanukah' card. A card isn't going to covert me to Judaism. For me it's like getting a greeting in another language from a strange guy, he's not trying to conform me. He's just saying hi. It's the intent behind the words.
I joke about religion and faith, but it is an important part of my life as it is in other people's lives too. I just don't think God cares if there's a Liturgy or not, just that you believe in Him. Yahweh, Allah or God, it's all the entity, just the way we pay our respects differs. I'd think He cares more about how we live our lives than how many times a day we pray to Him/ how much money we put in the donation basket/ or what kind of headgear we wear. If He cares about the pomp and circumstance of religion, then I don't think I want to worship Him. Even in gods (with the lower-case g) or deities too, it's the same guy up there, people just have a different name for each act He does. Big whoop.
There's a few things that I'd disagree with about religious discrimination in the work place. For example, if I had to say a prayer at work before I 'punched in'. Or if I had to end each email to my boss with "Blessed be". If my boss was Jewish (which he ain't) and he sent me a Happy Chanukah card, so I send him a Merry Christmas card and he gets angry about it. Also, if our meetings were held at church. Mandatory bible studies.
Whew. That wasn't as long as I thought it was going to be. It was going to be much longer and cover a bunch more stuff, but I get tired of typing all that. So your eyes win.
Amen!
You know me, I hate when someone tries to force their religion upon me but if my boss wants to say a prayer before a meeting. Well, that's his preference. Yes, I think it's a waste of time but guess what, his signature is my on my paycheck. Do I feel discriminated? Nope. I wouldn't ask him to say an 'Our Father' or anything before for me but only because I think it IS a waste of time in a place of business. Like when I say grace before chowing down on my lunch with co-workers, I don't expect them not to start eating their unblessed heathen food. Just don't ask me questions when my head is bowed in prayer. That'll piss me off. There's a line to be drawn. I don't ask my co-workers to hold hands and bow their heads to say grace with me, I respect them enough to keep them out of my beliefs.
If I weren't Catholic and someone sent me a Christmas card that said "Merry Christmas" on the front, I don't think I'd be offended. The person sending it is Christian. Good for him/her, they're religious and that counts in my book. It may not be my religion so they don't get as many points but still get points. I wouldn't be offended if a Jew sent me a 'Happy Chanukah' card. A card isn't going to covert me to Judaism. For me it's like getting a greeting in another language from a strange guy, he's not trying to conform me. He's just saying hi. It's the intent behind the words.
I joke about religion and faith, but it is an important part of my life as it is in other people's lives too. I just don't think God cares if there's a Liturgy or not, just that you believe in Him. Yahweh, Allah or God, it's all the entity, just the way we pay our respects differs. I'd think He cares more about how we live our lives than how many times a day we pray to Him/ how much money we put in the donation basket/ or what kind of headgear we wear. If He cares about the pomp and circumstance of religion, then I don't think I want to worship Him. Even in gods (with the lower-case g) or deities too, it's the same guy up there, people just have a different name for each act He does. Big whoop.
There's a few things that I'd disagree with about religious discrimination in the work place. For example, if I had to say a prayer at work before I 'punched in'. Or if I had to end each email to my boss with "Blessed be". If my boss was Jewish (which he ain't) and he sent me a Happy Chanukah card, so I send him a Merry Christmas card and he gets angry about it. Also, if our meetings were held at church. Mandatory bible studies.
Whew. That wasn't as long as I thought it was going to be. It was going to be much longer and cover a bunch more stuff, but I get tired of typing all that. So your eyes win.
Amen!
particle man
Oh no! Rosie offended people with her 'impression' of a Chinese newscaster. It offended Asians! No it didn't, it offended impressionists or whatever, comics that do impressions. That impression sucked!
Link to the video here.
Dumb, dumb, dumb, dumb, dumb. I was quoting South Park there. Silly Mormons, polygamy is illegal. Although this FundaMENTAList Mormon/prophet thinks otherwise. Think that I'll get in trouble, read down at the bottom of the article:
"Members lead an insular life and are prohibited from watching television, using the Internet or reading newspapers."
What kind of life is that? That's just mormonic... err, moronic. OK, TV programming is pretty non-religious (except Sunday mornings) and the Internet is filled with porn, BUT THE NEWSPAPER???? When did the newspaper become a religion no-no? So I'm guessing that magazines are also out of the question? Or do they read Playboy and Maxim for the articles and their hard hitting journalism? What's next? Books? Is this the Dark Ages? Ugh, I'm just waiting for that freak tornado to wipe all these Morons off the face of the earth.
Old person dies. New oldest person crowned leader in the game of life.
Who didn't see this story coming? I remember when I used to play Tetris against my mom and she used to pull the controller to the left or right depending on which way she wanted to make the blocks go. The Wii controller has fight with plasma TV; Wii one - TV zero. People are also slamming hands and arms into objects. Uh, yeah didn't see that one coming either. That one's user error though, nothing Nintendo can do about that.
This is like the plot to one of those cable channel movies. A pageant winner has issues and must overcome them to retain her title. Huh, beautiful people have issues too. Who'd thunk it? Pills, lots and lots of pills is the answer!
Link to the video here.
Dumb, dumb, dumb, dumb, dumb. I was quoting South Park there. Silly Mormons, polygamy is illegal. Although this FundaMENTAList Mormon/prophet thinks otherwise. Think that I'll get in trouble, read down at the bottom of the article:
"Members lead an insular life and are prohibited from watching television, using the Internet or reading newspapers."
What kind of life is that? That's just mormonic... err, moronic. OK, TV programming is pretty non-religious (except Sunday mornings) and the Internet is filled with porn, BUT THE NEWSPAPER???? When did the newspaper become a religion no-no? So I'm guessing that magazines are also out of the question? Or do they read Playboy and Maxim for the articles and their hard hitting journalism? What's next? Books? Is this the Dark Ages? Ugh, I'm just waiting for that freak tornado to wipe all these Morons off the face of the earth.
Old person dies. New oldest person crowned leader in the game of life.
Who didn't see this story coming? I remember when I used to play Tetris against my mom and she used to pull the controller to the left or right depending on which way she wanted to make the blocks go. The Wii controller has fight with plasma TV; Wii one - TV zero. People are also slamming hands and arms into objects. Uh, yeah didn't see that one coming either. That one's user error though, nothing Nintendo can do about that.
This is like the plot to one of those cable channel movies. A pageant winner has issues and must overcome them to retain her title. Huh, beautiful people have issues too. Who'd thunk it? Pills, lots and lots of pills is the answer!
Thursday, December 14, 2006
lips of an angel
I have to apologize for the graphic in my last post. So here it is, "Sorry." Amazingly I had it already stored in my computer but had yet to find a good place to use it. Either in an email to a co-worker or otherwise, it seemed like as good as time as any.
I just have a hard time believing that 190 million Americans are depressed. That's a pandemic if you ask me. Oops, read that wrong, there were 190 million prescriptions filled last year. OK, that's more reasonable. Pfft.
So why are so many prescriptions being filled for antidepressants? People are just lazy, thinking that a pill can solve their problems. Yes, in some cases it can but for years people were doing just fine without antidepressant pills. What's changed? People are working more, eating crappy food and not getting the exercise the body needs. I hate to admit it but I felt better emotionally after our morning PT sessions when I was active duty.
Yes, I exhibit signs of depression and post traumatic stress disorder but it does not affect my life. I still go out with friends, visit family, and all of things that make me normal, but that is completely separate from my private life. I don't take a pill, don't believe in it, and certainly don't need it. I use humor to mask my depression. (No, this is venting, not depression)
Pills aren't bad, but they're not a cureall. Sometimes you just need to go out and exercise. Clear your mind, forget your cell phone and PDAs. Walk, run, lift weights, or window shop but just get out and do something. Your life isn't that bad, somewhere in the world someone has a worse hand of cards dealt to them. Be grateful for what you have not what you don't.
Stupid Christmas spirit, it's infected me too.
I just have a hard time believing that 190 million Americans are depressed. That's a pandemic if you ask me. Oops, read that wrong, there were 190 million prescriptions filled last year. OK, that's more reasonable. Pfft.
So why are so many prescriptions being filled for antidepressants? People are just lazy, thinking that a pill can solve their problems. Yes, in some cases it can but for years people were doing just fine without antidepressant pills. What's changed? People are working more, eating crappy food and not getting the exercise the body needs. I hate to admit it but I felt better emotionally after our morning PT sessions when I was active duty.
Yes, I exhibit signs of depression and post traumatic stress disorder but it does not affect my life. I still go out with friends, visit family, and all of things that make me normal, but that is completely separate from my private life. I don't take a pill, don't believe in it, and certainly don't need it. I use humor to mask my depression. (No, this is venting, not depression)
Pills aren't bad, but they're not a cureall. Sometimes you just need to go out and exercise. Clear your mind, forget your cell phone and PDAs. Walk, run, lift weights, or window shop but just get out and do something. Your life isn't that bad, somewhere in the world someone has a worse hand of cards dealt to them. Be grateful for what you have not what you don't.
Stupid Christmas spirit, it's infected me too.
Wednesday, December 13, 2006
up where we belong
Am I missing something here? Look, I know I'm not very smart but this confused me. Antidepressants increase suicidal thoughts and behaviors. Maybe there's no link from depression and suicide, I kind of always thought there was but I guess I'm the retard here huh? Not exactly antidepressants if make someone think about killing themselves.
"But mental health experts are worried that additional warnings about the risk of suicides linked to antidepressants could curtail their use and ultimately do more harm than good."
"But mental health experts are worried that additional warnings about the risk of suicides linked to antidepressants could curtail their use and ultimately do more harm than good."
Uh, yeah. If all of your patients kill themselves there's no return business right? On the other hand their family members are more likely to seek your help or the help of your colleagues. So it's a win-win situation.
In summary, if you are depressed and what to take your own life, antidepressants will help you. Kill yourself that is.
you go first
OK, I've been trying to figure this out for awhile. It started about a month ago (I know, that's a long time to keep this in!) when I went with some friends to go see Superman Returns at the IMAX. Yes I'd seen it already on opening weekend but the IMAX experience is its own trip. I won't get into the physics behind how to make things appear 3D but suffice to say you have to wear the glasses at certain portions of the movie that are "enhanced" and take them off when it's not. To let the audience know when a 3D section is coming up, there's a little pair of glasses that'll flash at the bottom of the screen. Put glasses on. "Ah, nice. 3D." Then another pair of glasses will flash again when you have to take them off. The thing is, everyone did it. There was not a single person in the theatre that didn't put their glasses on. I looked around. And we had the fortune of watching it with the FFA (Future Farmers of America) so probably not the kids that'll make breakthroughs in the field of physics or chemistry.
I was amazed that this was one of the few things that everyone obeys without question. I know that a majority of this reason is because people are focused on one thing, the screen. Still, I missed one of the flashing indicators but was able to tell because everyone else was doing it.
So the glasses everyone understands and obeys, but other things that fall in the same category people don't follow. "Don't stare into the sun." Yup, I was one of those kids that liked to stare at the bright thing and did so on many occasions. Signs on the road, "Merge Left" oh well that's not for me, I'll continue on this part of the road. When everyone else around you is merging left there's still one person that'll keep going down at a faster rate of speed then brake really, really hard, and get stuck in that lane until someone let's them in which in turns screws everyone up because instead of travelling at a steady rate, they're coming in from a complete stop.
In that instance, I will purposely block them in or not let them in. I've been known to let complete strangers take out a few of those orange cones. It's not that I'm hateful (OK, maybe a little) but I'm looking out for the good of rest of the people behind me. Just because you're retarded and can't understand MERGE LEFT doesn't mean that everyone else that can has to suffer. Now what I do sometimes is just mean, but when I'm trying to block them if they want it badly enough they can accelerate and try to beat me. I just make them work for it, but if they run into the concrete barrier hey legally speaking I was in my lane and it was all their fault. I just hope that retard didn't have time to procreate.
So back on the subject, why is that one of the few things we obey? There's so many other things that are in the same category but we can't seem to follow them as religiously as put glasses on. Don't stick hand in paper shredder. Uh, why not? Oh, because it makes an ouchie! Doors that are labelled with those helpful tips like "PUSH" or "PULL" that people just can't understand. Or this one, which I'm guilty of "Dry-clean only." To be honest though, it was in my youth and I learned from it and haven't done it since.
I was amazed that this was one of the few things that everyone obeys without question. I know that a majority of this reason is because people are focused on one thing, the screen. Still, I missed one of the flashing indicators but was able to tell because everyone else was doing it.
So the glasses everyone understands and obeys, but other things that fall in the same category people don't follow. "Don't stare into the sun." Yup, I was one of those kids that liked to stare at the bright thing and did so on many occasions. Signs on the road, "Merge Left" oh well that's not for me, I'll continue on this part of the road. When everyone else around you is merging left there's still one person that'll keep going down at a faster rate of speed then brake really, really hard, and get stuck in that lane until someone let's them in which in turns screws everyone up because instead of travelling at a steady rate, they're coming in from a complete stop.
In that instance, I will purposely block them in or not let them in. I've been known to let complete strangers take out a few of those orange cones. It's not that I'm hateful (OK, maybe a little) but I'm looking out for the good of rest of the people behind me. Just because you're retarded and can't understand MERGE LEFT doesn't mean that everyone else that can has to suffer. Now what I do sometimes is just mean, but when I'm trying to block them if they want it badly enough they can accelerate and try to beat me. I just make them work for it, but if they run into the concrete barrier hey legally speaking I was in my lane and it was all their fault. I just hope that retard didn't have time to procreate.
So back on the subject, why is that one of the few things we obey? There's so many other things that are in the same category but we can't seem to follow them as religiously as put glasses on. Don't stick hand in paper shredder. Uh, why not? Oh, because it makes an ouchie! Doors that are labelled with those helpful tips like "PUSH" or "PULL" that people just can't understand. Or this one, which I'm guilty of "Dry-clean only." To be honest though, it was in my youth and I learned from it and haven't done it since.
Tuesday, December 12, 2006
the logical song
Finally, CNN is reporting on some news I like. First off, on the side there's the article about racism and how the fact that only one in eight Americans consider themselves racist. OK, I'll believe that statement, but I think that everyone is racist. To what extent and how much you're willing to admit to is another segment. Me, I'm the one in eight that considers themselves racist. Not to the extent of wearing a white sheet and burning crucifixes in yards but a racist nonetheless. If a car pulls up next to you bumping loud hip-hop music, I think black guy. When I look over *gasp* it is a black guy! The asian guy in the office, probably good at math. Huh, that's me. Yup. Good with electronics too, currently I have a camera charger disassembled on my desk, earlier I fixed a mouse and someone's laptop. Racism plays a huge factor in our lives whether we like to believe it or not.
On to lighter news. A kid protects his puppy by kicking a hawk away. It helps to have friends now doesn't it? That hawk will think twice when it attacks another puppy. Stupid puppy-killing hawk, I hope it's an endangered species.
Ah, the Christmas spirit. Can't get enough of it around this time of year. Especially with menu items such as reindeer hotdogs. "I'll take 9 please." I bet some kids are freaking out, wondering if some fat guy is biting into Rudolph or not.
She goes for the free food, not because she has a problem. So that's why she's been branded a wild girl and has notes written about her about her attitude on the sets of movies. OK. I believe it, just like racism doesn't exist.
Proof that sometimes, no matter how smart you think you are, Mother Nature still figures out a way to weed out the retards in the gene pool. Smaller experiences has taught me things that apply to the big things.
And me-OW.
On a good note, the second of two teens was convicted yesterday down in Texas. Here's an earlier article about the whole thing. It's hard to read because of an ad but it says that the Justice Department opened an investigation to see if the victim's civil rights were violated. Umm, let's see here, I know it's not written in the Constitution or anything but getting sodomized by a PVC pipe is pretty much a VIOLATION in any human standard. There's still humor in any story, especially when written by morons. "Officials say the attackers also used ethnic slurs." OH! Well that just makes it wrong, because the PVC, cigarette burns and bleach wasn't enough. Ethnic slurs just push this thing over the edge. It's a hate crime. Pfft, crimes like this is rooted in hate. You don't do those things to people you like.
On to lighter news. A kid protects his puppy by kicking a hawk away. It helps to have friends now doesn't it? That hawk will think twice when it attacks another puppy. Stupid puppy-killing hawk, I hope it's an endangered species.
Ah, the Christmas spirit. Can't get enough of it around this time of year. Especially with menu items such as reindeer hotdogs. "I'll take 9 please." I bet some kids are freaking out, wondering if some fat guy is biting into Rudolph or not.
She goes for the free food, not because she has a problem. So that's why she's been branded a wild girl and has notes written about her about her attitude on the sets of movies. OK. I believe it, just like racism doesn't exist.
Proof that sometimes, no matter how smart you think you are, Mother Nature still figures out a way to weed out the retards in the gene pool. Smaller experiences has taught me things that apply to the big things.
And me-OW.
On a good note, the second of two teens was convicted yesterday down in Texas. Here's an earlier article about the whole thing. It's hard to read because of an ad but it says that the Justice Department opened an investigation to see if the victim's civil rights were violated. Umm, let's see here, I know it's not written in the Constitution or anything but getting sodomized by a PVC pipe is pretty much a VIOLATION in any human standard. There's still humor in any story, especially when written by morons. "Officials say the attackers also used ethnic slurs." OH! Well that just makes it wrong, because the PVC, cigarette burns and bleach wasn't enough. Ethnic slurs just push this thing over the edge. It's a hate crime. Pfft, crimes like this is rooted in hate. You don't do those things to people you like.
headstrong
These last few weeks I've been waking up at 3am on the dot. This morning was particularly tough because I couldn't get back to sleep. I'd close my eyes and open them again and only a minute had passed. That shouldn't surprise me, but it felt like I fell asleep and that's what surprised me. I expect as much because it is December and all, been having trouble this time of year since 2003. Sparing the pictures and details, I didn't like December 2003 very much. It surfaces as insomnia and being my usual non-productive self have yet to convert all this extra time into something useful. I think if it happens again tonight I'll get some cleaning done. That always works to tire me out.
It's raining today. The Rain-Ex on my windows isn't working so well, I've neglected it for the last couple of weeks (it being freezing cold and all) and it showed this morning. Hopefully I'll have some time tomorrow to rectify that problem. Stacy is in desperate need of a good washing, although in small parts been cleaned.
Last night Bill and I wanted to go go-karting, but arrived at the place to find out that it was closed for a private party. So instead, we ended up having dinner with his girlfriend at Cheesecake Factory. *drool* It's not often that I meet my match, but the factory seems to have done just that. I barely walked out of there, I felt like the fat guy from Monty Python's "The Meaning of Life" and on the verge of exploding. And without sounding too feminine, I have to say this about the Godiva Chocolate Cheesecake. I'm pretty sure I'm diabetic now but it was worth it.
It's raining today. The Rain-Ex on my windows isn't working so well, I've neglected it for the last couple of weeks (it being freezing cold and all) and it showed this morning. Hopefully I'll have some time tomorrow to rectify that problem. Stacy is in desperate need of a good washing, although in small parts been cleaned.
Last night Bill and I wanted to go go-karting, but arrived at the place to find out that it was closed for a private party. So instead, we ended up having dinner with his girlfriend at Cheesecake Factory. *drool* It's not often that I meet my match, but the factory seems to have done just that. I barely walked out of there, I felt like the fat guy from Monty Python's "The Meaning of Life" and on the verge of exploding. And without sounding too feminine, I have to say this about the Godiva Chocolate Cheesecake. I'm pretty sure I'm diabetic now but it was worth it.
Monday, December 11, 2006
she will have her way
A discussion at lunch sparked my ranting to my friends about the movie 'Million Dollar Baby' which I heard was a good film. I probably would've seen it, not opening weekend but seen it eventually in the theatres. It was just this simple fact alone that pissed me off more than anything which prompted me not to go see the film. The trailers for this movie was ridiculous! I watch a lot of TV so I see hundreds of trailers for movies, but this movie just pissed me off. I didn't see any other trailers for 'Million Dollar Baby' other than the one goes:
In white letters across the screen
"Academy Award winner Hilary Swank"
...
"Academy Award nominee Morgan Freeman"
...
"Two-time Academy Award winner Clint Eastwood"
...
"Million Dollar Baby, now in theatres."
WHAT? What kind of trailer for a movie is that? Sure there's a few black/white screen shots of the movie cut into the trailer but it doesn't help me figure out what the hell the movie is about. Like I'm just going to go see a movie based solely on the strength of the cast. So apparently there's so sort of boxing or something, and I haven't figured out who the million dollar baby is. Is it an actual baby? Like waa-waa? Or a metaphorical baby? What? Is it a million dollars after taxes? Is it too much to ask for a little plot?
I guess I took the whole thing too personally, I mean I didn't watch late night shows featuring the cast or paid attention to any of the other shows about the movie. Still, it just rubbed me the wrong way.
In white letters across the screen
"Academy Award winner Hilary Swank"
...
"Academy Award nominee Morgan Freeman"
...
"Two-time Academy Award winner Clint Eastwood"
...
"Million Dollar Baby, now in theatres."
WHAT? What kind of trailer for a movie is that? Sure there's a few black/white screen shots of the movie cut into the trailer but it doesn't help me figure out what the hell the movie is about. Like I'm just going to go see a movie based solely on the strength of the cast. So apparently there's so sort of boxing or something, and I haven't figured out who the million dollar baby is. Is it an actual baby? Like waa-waa? Or a metaphorical baby? What? Is it a million dollars after taxes? Is it too much to ask for a little plot?
I guess I took the whole thing too personally, I mean I didn't watch late night shows featuring the cast or paid attention to any of the other shows about the movie. Still, it just rubbed me the wrong way.
Sunday, December 10, 2006
proudest monkey
There's entirely too many awards shows now. When did it all happen? I saw a commercial for the Family Television Awards today which sparked my ranting. The Emmys, Oscars, People's Choice, Teen Choice, Black Film, White Film, Independent and whatever. Plus, all of the categories within each show. That's fine, I understand that. You gotta give props to the props department. What's not cool is all these awards shows. You're giving an award to recognize that it was the best for that year. There's no second chance, "Well, next week we've got the Family Television Awards so maybe we'll win that!" And how would it feel to lose all of those awards to the better show (or film)?
What really pisses me off is the Black Movie Awards. How are we supposed to bridge the racial gap if we keep putting up stupid barriers like this one? Don't give me crap about the fact that black movies are under-represented at award shows. Uh... there's a reason. THEY SUCK! It's not about the amount of money you can spend on your feature film, it's the quality. There's only so many ways to tell the same "growing up in the hood" story. Get a new hook, we understand life sucks in the hood; and if you grow up, you grow up to make a crappy movie about growing up. Boo-hoo. Cry me a river!
If we accept the Black Movie Awards then next will be the Asian Film Awards, which will branch off the Small Filipino Film Awards and the world will spin into chaos. Stop separating us award shows! Unite us!
Or at least complain about it. It takes a lot of work to protest.
What really pisses me off is the Black Movie Awards. How are we supposed to bridge the racial gap if we keep putting up stupid barriers like this one? Don't give me crap about the fact that black movies are under-represented at award shows. Uh... there's a reason. THEY SUCK! It's not about the amount of money you can spend on your feature film, it's the quality. There's only so many ways to tell the same "growing up in the hood" story. Get a new hook, we understand life sucks in the hood; and if you grow up, you grow up to make a crappy movie about growing up. Boo-hoo. Cry me a river!
If we accept the Black Movie Awards then next will be the Asian Film Awards, which will branch off the Small Filipino Film Awards and the world will spin into chaos. Stop separating us award shows! Unite us!
Or at least complain about it. It takes a lot of work to protest.
Friday, December 08, 2006
barracuda
It's called greasing the squeaky wheel. The guy got caught, but he was teaching a valuable lesson. Like an extra credit assignment, this guy gave his students a way to raise their grades. Fine, so technically what he did was "illegal" but that's a life lesson. What shocks me is the fact that none of the students were brought up on charges. Why not? Sure what they did was not illegal but it was immoral and that's just as bad in my book. They didn't have to pay the guy to fix their grades. It's not like he gave everyone D's or F's, and then told them for $200 he'd raise it to a C and for $1000 he'd give them an A. Right? That'd be way wrong. So like buying drugs from a drug dealer, those students had a choice. They should get punished alongside of the instructor.
I think I've stumbled across the foundation. Hunger. Free food baby! Give'em to the kids, I'm all about that. In the article they refer to 'an anti-hunger group' which I think is one of the weirdest things to be anti about. I'm guessing they're anti-poverty hunger right? Not hungry for a better job, sports title or between breakfast and lunch hunger right? It's like being anti-staples, it needs to be specific. I'm anti-hunger too, which could explain my weight problem... At my job, searching the web, I came across this site with a health calculator.
OK, well I have to finish up my work from this week. Then I'm off to play soldier for the weekend. Yay!
I think I've stumbled across the foundation. Hunger. Free food baby! Give'em to the kids, I'm all about that. In the article they refer to 'an anti-hunger group' which I think is one of the weirdest things to be anti about. I'm guessing they're anti-poverty hunger right? Not hungry for a better job, sports title or between breakfast and lunch hunger right? It's like being anti-staples, it needs to be specific. I'm anti-hunger too, which could explain my weight problem... At my job, searching the web, I came across this site with a health calculator.
OK, well I have to finish up my work from this week. Then I'm off to play soldier for the weekend. Yay!
Thursday, December 07, 2006
janie's got a gun
c = 299,792,458 meters per second
I think what draws me to astrophysics is the look into the past. When you look up you see the stars twinkling in the night sky. It might be December 7, 2006 when you look up, but that piece of light your seeing has been moving for a million years! It's been moving long before we were walking upright.
So when I read this article, I thought Wow. This event that happened 4 billion light years away also happened 4 billion years ago. We're just now observing it. It's ancient history. By now it's probably all gone but we won't know for another 4 billion years, that's a long term project.
The physics of it all is in our every day lives. It's a 4.2 mile drive from my apartment to work, but what makes it 4.2 miles? How exact is that measurement anyway? What if I'm really driving 4.21 miles? Or if some crackhead did the work in my odometer and I'm really driving 50 miles? Well, it's used to gauge distance, 1 meter is 1/299,792,458 of a second that light travels in a vacuum. When you call your friend with a cell phone there's a 0.01 second or more delay from when you speak and when your friend hears your voice. You can tell when you're both in the same room, that's physics being imposed upon you.
I think what draws me to astrophysics is the look into the past. When you look up you see the stars twinkling in the night sky. It might be December 7, 2006 when you look up, but that piece of light your seeing has been moving for a million years! It's been moving long before we were walking upright.
So when I read this article, I thought Wow. This event that happened 4 billion light years away also happened 4 billion years ago. We're just now observing it. It's ancient history. By now it's probably all gone but we won't know for another 4 billion years, that's a long term project.
The physics of it all is in our every day lives. It's a 4.2 mile drive from my apartment to work, but what makes it 4.2 miles? How exact is that measurement anyway? What if I'm really driving 4.21 miles? Or if some crackhead did the work in my odometer and I'm really driving 50 miles? Well, it's used to gauge distance, 1 meter is 1/299,792,458 of a second that light travels in a vacuum. When you call your friend with a cell phone there's a 0.01 second or more delay from when you speak and when your friend hears your voice. You can tell when you're both in the same room, that's physics being imposed upon you.
Wednesday, December 06, 2006
swing swing
First off, I want to start on a personal note. Since this weekend my car has been sounding beefy. I can't explain it better than that. She sounds like she's a souped up little rice burner. She's not. She's still stock under the hood. The only difference is that Bill pulled off my muffler. To be honest though, it was going to fall off so I can't complain. Either it was now or somewhere on the road. This is better. Of course now the problem is that Stacy sounds like she's racing everywhere, and I'm surrounded by porsches, corvettes and magnums. All of them think I'm racing them when we pull off the line at the stoplight. So when I'm driving normally (a little on the fast side) all these other people with hundreds of horsepower are just blowing me away.
Last night I did a search of odd news from Yahoo!. The rest of the world hates us because we live in a bubble. A coup in Fiji, Iran is still continuing its nuclear program and Iraq is still a mess. What are we concerned about? The Vaughn/Aniston split, Murphy/Brown split and the Longoria/Parker engagement. Umm, yeah.
Nothing brings a family together like the holidays, so nothing says Happy Thanksgiving like trying to stuff a spouse in an oven. Seriously? In front of the kids too, that must be one happy household to do something like that. Couldn't he just be like the rest of us and smack her around?
Kid violence is not a laughing matter. OK, so I make it a laughing matter but not by making fun of anything serious. Like this study conducted by the government on school killings. Really? It's up from last year? Wow. But what's really amazing is that the government had to do a study to state the obvious. What's next? Oxygen deemed a good thing for survival. Thanks government, glad to hear my tax dollars are being well spent.
I just liked the headline of this article.
Now there's another hazard when we're flying. It's not just shoe bombs, guns, knives or liquid. Yes, I'm talking about farts, the silent but deadly killer. Paranoid people are funny.
Irony: Auschwitz, the place made infamous in WWII as a death camp is getting renovated. So we're keeping this place that has caused so much death and destruction of families... because? Well, I guess if the South can keep the Confederate flag then the Poles can keep Auschwitz. At this point I was going to make a bad joke about the Holocaust but instead I'll just leave you this link.
There's a ton of odd news out there and I wish I had the time to post them all. Oh well, I can do that later. The world is a hilarious place.
Last night I did a search of odd news from Yahoo!. The rest of the world hates us because we live in a bubble. A coup in Fiji, Iran is still continuing its nuclear program and Iraq is still a mess. What are we concerned about? The Vaughn/Aniston split, Murphy/Brown split and the Longoria/Parker engagement. Umm, yeah.
Nothing brings a family together like the holidays, so nothing says Happy Thanksgiving like trying to stuff a spouse in an oven. Seriously? In front of the kids too, that must be one happy household to do something like that. Couldn't he just be like the rest of us and smack her around?
Kid violence is not a laughing matter. OK, so I make it a laughing matter but not by making fun of anything serious. Like this study conducted by the government on school killings. Really? It's up from last year? Wow. But what's really amazing is that the government had to do a study to state the obvious. What's next? Oxygen deemed a good thing for survival. Thanks government, glad to hear my tax dollars are being well spent.
I just liked the headline of this article.
Now there's another hazard when we're flying. It's not just shoe bombs, guns, knives or liquid. Yes, I'm talking about farts, the silent but deadly killer. Paranoid people are funny.
Irony: Auschwitz, the place made infamous in WWII as a death camp is getting renovated. So we're keeping this place that has caused so much death and destruction of families... because? Well, I guess if the South can keep the Confederate flag then the Poles can keep Auschwitz. At this point I was going to make a bad joke about the Holocaust but instead I'll just leave you this link.
There's a ton of odd news out there and I wish I had the time to post them all. Oh well, I can do that later. The world is a hilarious place.
Tuesday, December 05, 2006
wouldn't it be loverly?
The Queen has lost her edge. Why can't the English teach their children how to speak?
Tonight on CBS is the Victoria Secret Fashion Show. I'm looking forward to that... for research purposes of course. You know, the latest trends and innovations in fashion technology. Wait, why do I have to justify that? I'm a guy.
If you were wondering what the Top 10 searches for 2006 are, you might be surprised. Maybe not. The overall winner is: Britney Spears. I'm just waiting for there to be an awards show on a cable channel. OK, before I open that can of worms I'm going to stop. I'll just say this, there are too many award shows nowadays. It takes away from the whole meaning of awards.
Moving on. Stacy still needs electrical work done. Wires need to be run, hooked up and devices need power. All of the standard features work, it's just all of my extras need power. The radar detector, power converter, iPod, phone charger and CB radio.
Tonight on CBS is the Victoria Secret Fashion Show. I'm looking forward to that... for research purposes of course. You know, the latest trends and innovations in fashion technology. Wait, why do I have to justify that? I'm a guy.
If you were wondering what the Top 10 searches for 2006 are, you might be surprised. Maybe not. The overall winner is: Britney Spears. I'm just waiting for there to be an awards show on a cable channel. OK, before I open that can of worms I'm going to stop. I'll just say this, there are too many award shows nowadays. It takes away from the whole meaning of awards.
Moving on. Stacy still needs electrical work done. Wires need to be run, hooked up and devices need power. All of the standard features work, it's just all of my extras need power. The radar detector, power converter, iPod, phone charger and CB radio.
Monday, December 04, 2006
flavor of the week
Perusing through the online news services I stumbled across some diamonds in the rough. Across the world people are worried about famine, disease, civil war and genocide. Here in the grand ol' United States we have these top the US News section at CNN.
1. Indiana puts price on profanity. The only good thing about this article is the use of alliteration in the title. Nothing good has come from Indiana.
2. Molester blames wife's bingo habit. Bingo huh? Yeah, the judge didn't buy that either. He wasn't a perv, but someone else's "habit" made him that way. Can bingo really be a habit?
3. Frigid Midwest could lose power for days. Ah, finally, some hard hitting news! Something I can sink my teeth into. Yet, when I look at the article, I'm instantly drawn to the guy in the photo, smoking a cigarette while handling high-voltage lines. Yes! He rocks!
The US can't be all that bad right? I mean, there's always college basketball to cheer you up from all of this depressing news. Lincoln totally wailed on Ohio State-Marion. 201-78. You might think that was a blow out, but again you're focusing on the wrong part of this story. A bunch of 6th graders with Down syndrome and CP scored 78 points! That's a victory in my book.
Wait, I'm sorry, Ohio State-Marion doesn't have a CP basketball squad. So I guess they suck, how the hell do you score 200 points in 45 minutes? Did someone explain to OS-M that college basketball is played on a full court? None of this schoolyard half-court stuff, take it out to the line and then shoot.
1. Indiana puts price on profanity. The only good thing about this article is the use of alliteration in the title. Nothing good has come from Indiana.
2. Molester blames wife's bingo habit. Bingo huh? Yeah, the judge didn't buy that either. He wasn't a perv, but someone else's "habit" made him that way. Can bingo really be a habit?
3. Frigid Midwest could lose power for days. Ah, finally, some hard hitting news! Something I can sink my teeth into. Yet, when I look at the article, I'm instantly drawn to the guy in the photo, smoking a cigarette while handling high-voltage lines. Yes! He rocks!
The US can't be all that bad right? I mean, there's always college basketball to cheer you up from all of this depressing news. Lincoln totally wailed on Ohio State-Marion. 201-78. You might think that was a blow out, but again you're focusing on the wrong part of this story. A bunch of 6th graders with Down syndrome and CP scored 78 points! That's a victory in my book.
Wait, I'm sorry, Ohio State-Marion doesn't have a CP basketball squad. So I guess they suck, how the hell do you score 200 points in 45 minutes? Did someone explain to OS-M that college basketball is played on a full court? None of this schoolyard half-court stuff, take it out to the line and then shoot.
cars
My love for my car knows no bounds. Here's the tale of the heater core...
It all started last Monday when I purchased a heater core and picked it up this Saturday, because this was the day that I was going to install it. No sense driving around with a heater core that wasn't installed. Sure. I had my trusty Haynes manual for all Civic models from like '87-'91. I get to my friend's house at about 10:30am on Saturday. In a genius move, I open the Haynes book to the heater core disassembly page. Nice! Only like eight steps, this will take a few hours top!
Step One: Disconnect negative battery cable.
CHECK.
Step Two: Drain coolant. (See Chapter 1)
Umm, Chapter 1 wasn't that much more of help, but it gets done.
Step Three: From inside the engine compartment remove the two hoses attached from to the firewall.
Crap, 16 year old hoses and clamps. Can't reach clamps. Need to disassemble air filter and attached hoses. Still can't reach clamps. Unbolt fuel filter. Ah. CHECK.
Step Four: Remove screws and bolts in center console and pull out console.
CHECK. Wait, there's additional stuff back there. Like the whole dash! Crap. OK, no problem, simply remove bolts securing the dash. Well, the display console needs to come out before that. Some issues, OK, here we go. Oh the steering column frame is in the way. Disassemble steering column. Fine. That only took a few hours to figure out.
Step Five: Disconnect AC/heater controllers.
CHECK.
Step Six: Remove screws and bolts securing heater core.
Look, there's only three bolts! This is easy! Four hours later... we find out that the old heater core pipes have melted into the insulation. Oh, the two pipes are also melted into their rubber fittings. RIPPPPPP. CRACK. Huh, there's a fourth bolt and hook attached to the back of the heater core case. CHECK.
Step Seven: Reinstall heater core.
CHECK.
Step Eight: Reverse removal procedures to install.
CHECK.
The part cost $32 with a deposit (that I get back) of $17. So really it's like $15. I feel like one of those Mastercard commercials.
Heater (minus deposit): $15
Oil drip pan: $6
Creeper: $29
Coolant: $5
8' rubber hose: $2
4 Clamps: $2
Additional tools needed to disassemble car: $149
3 packs of cigarettes: $12
Food: $29
Halogen lamps to work at night: $34
Working with two good buddies for 24 hours when a mechanic would've had this done in eight: PRICELESS.
For everything else, there's Mastercard.
Except that I used my Visa. Ha! Take that!
We had Stacy reassembled by 1:30am Monday. I have to go back to my friend's house to pick out my tools, plus the electrical isn't done. We have a plan, all of the accessories will have their own fuses and actually be ran properly, hidden from sight. May also install an external speaker to my CB radio to use it as a PA. Which will be a nice offensive weapon system.
So the story continues...
It all started last Monday when I purchased a heater core and picked it up this Saturday, because this was the day that I was going to install it. No sense driving around with a heater core that wasn't installed. Sure. I had my trusty Haynes manual for all Civic models from like '87-'91. I get to my friend's house at about 10:30am on Saturday. In a genius move, I open the Haynes book to the heater core disassembly page. Nice! Only like eight steps, this will take a few hours top!
Step One: Disconnect negative battery cable.
CHECK.
Step Two: Drain coolant. (See Chapter 1)
Umm, Chapter 1 wasn't that much more of help, but it gets done.
Step Three: From inside the engine compartment remove the two hoses attached from to the firewall.
Crap, 16 year old hoses and clamps. Can't reach clamps. Need to disassemble air filter and attached hoses. Still can't reach clamps. Unbolt fuel filter. Ah. CHECK.
Step Four: Remove screws and bolts in center console and pull out console.
CHECK. Wait, there's additional stuff back there. Like the whole dash! Crap. OK, no problem, simply remove bolts securing the dash. Well, the display console needs to come out before that. Some issues, OK, here we go. Oh the steering column frame is in the way. Disassemble steering column. Fine. That only took a few hours to figure out.
Step Five: Disconnect AC/heater controllers.
CHECK.
Step Six: Remove screws and bolts securing heater core.
Look, there's only three bolts! This is easy! Four hours later... we find out that the old heater core pipes have melted into the insulation. Oh, the two pipes are also melted into their rubber fittings. RIPPPPPP. CRACK. Huh, there's a fourth bolt and hook attached to the back of the heater core case. CHECK.
Step Seven: Reinstall heater core.
CHECK.
Step Eight: Reverse removal procedures to install.
CHECK.
The part cost $32 with a deposit (that I get back) of $17. So really it's like $15. I feel like one of those Mastercard commercials.
Heater (minus deposit): $15
Oil drip pan: $6
Creeper: $29
Coolant: $5
8' rubber hose: $2
4 Clamps: $2
Additional tools needed to disassemble car: $149
3 packs of cigarettes: $12
Food: $29
Halogen lamps to work at night: $34
Working with two good buddies for 24 hours when a mechanic would've had this done in eight: PRICELESS.
For everything else, there's Mastercard.
Except that I used my Visa. Ha! Take that!
We had Stacy reassembled by 1:30am Monday. I have to go back to my friend's house to pick out my tools, plus the electrical isn't done. We have a plan, all of the accessories will have their own fuses and actually be ran properly, hidden from sight. May also install an external speaker to my CB radio to use it as a PA. Which will be a nice offensive weapon system.
So the story continues...
Friday, December 01, 2006
first of the month
Well, it's the start of a new month. Work is moving to new office space, I don't know if it is closer to home or not. It's probably about the same distance which is fine by me. What's been pissing me off lately (as if I needed an excuse) is my boss. Before I joined the company I worked as a furniture mover at United Van Lines for a year. I've done household, spec com and commercial moves. I'm not stellar in any of those fields but I have an understanding of what needs to be done and how to do it. So in this move I thought I'd be a logical choice to be on the team. Right? Nope, I didn't even get asked. Instead, I did what I do and forced my way in on the issue. Then my boss tells me, "Oh, you *don't* have to help if you don't want to." ???? What kind of statement is that? Then he tells me that he thought I was better than that. Bahahahahaha. No. Obviously I'm not. I work on my own car, wash my own clothes, iron my uniforms and shine my boots. He might think that he's better than that, but I know he's not. It's not the fact that he has a personal assistant and before that had a maid service, it's the fact he hasn't done a day of manual labor and doesn't understand its value in society. Example: He will bring in something from his home that is maybe ten-fifteen pounds, so he'll come into the office empty handed and then ask me to retreive it for him. I find out too, that his personal assistant put it in his car too. So basically he drove it here. Wow, that's hard! Or how about this feat of redundancy? He has magazines that I have to sort. After coming from the post office, he goes straight into his office and puts all of the magazines into a pile, comes out and puts them on my desk because it's part of my job to organize them. Here's the catch though, all of the magazines are in his office. So I have to go back to where they were just a few seconds ago and follow him back to his office to sort them. I understand that if it's my job to pick up shit, it's my job. That's fine, I can live with that but if you pick up the shit and walk past a trash can just to give it to me to throw away then I think that's stupid.
My boss claims to be a smart man, OK, he graduated college. Yay! Here's the runner-up story of all time. He was telling us a story, near the end said, "...yeah, so he'd buy cigarettes and then turn around and sell them for a profit to others, it was LIKE racketeering." Uhh, no, sorry it is racketeering.
This one takes the cake though. Bill was talking about his recent trip to St. Louis and all of the stuff he had to pick up at home; how full his car was with his stuff and his girlfriend's stuff. Bill says, "Oh, I picked up an oil filter and oil filter wrench for the bike down there too." Now my boss has been in this discussion the entire time so he didn't just walk-in on the conversation. So my boss replies with, "Why didn't you just get it changed down there?" We all just looked at him, dumbfounded. We put the pieces together quickly, but he hadn't yet. Breaking the silence, I think Bill said, "Because the bike was up here." There was a pause and then you could see the light go off in his mind. Oh...
Ah, I feel better. Now I can go work.
My boss claims to be a smart man, OK, he graduated college. Yay! Here's the runner-up story of all time. He was telling us a story, near the end said, "...yeah, so he'd buy cigarettes and then turn around and sell them for a profit to others, it was LIKE racketeering." Uhh, no, sorry it is racketeering.
This one takes the cake though. Bill was talking about his recent trip to St. Louis and all of the stuff he had to pick up at home; how full his car was with his stuff and his girlfriend's stuff. Bill says, "Oh, I picked up an oil filter and oil filter wrench for the bike down there too." Now my boss has been in this discussion the entire time so he didn't just walk-in on the conversation. So my boss replies with, "Why didn't you just get it changed down there?" We all just looked at him, dumbfounded. We put the pieces together quickly, but he hadn't yet. Breaking the silence, I think Bill said, "Because the bike was up here." There was a pause and then you could see the light go off in his mind. Oh...
Ah, I feel better. Now I can go work.
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