Saturday, October 17, 2009

These kids are going to regret it... SOMEDAY!!

Being older with a kid, I am thankful that there is no photo or video evidence of certain periods of my past. I now see postings on youtube by people and think to myself, you better hope to hell you never have kids, because they WILL find these!! Once posted, they are there forever!

On the other hand, I really envy those that will have pictures or videos of some of the good times that they can share with their kids. I personally have over 60 gigs of pictures and short videos from when I finally "went digital." And, some of the stuff I have that my daughter recorded I will cherish forever.

Perhaps one could "walk the line," so to speak. But it can be a real bitch to even see that line, let alone walk it, after a fifth of Jim Beam...

Friday, August 14, 2009

Things aren't always what they seem...

Why does the "point system" for traffic violations unfairly put a greater burden on those of us who drive more?

Let me explain a bit. Recently, a friend told me that I must be a more reckless driver because I seem to get speeding tickets nearly every other year, and he only gets them every three years or so.

Sounds reasonable, right? Well, not so fast.

He, like many people, only drives 10,000 - 12,000 miles a year. So, if he gets a ticket every three years, that's one ticket for every 30,000 to 36,000 miles driven.

I tend to drive a bit more. I actually drive between 40,000 and 45,000 miles each year. So, getting a ticket every other year is about 80,000 - 90,000 miles driven between tickets.

So, my "safe" friend gets ticketed at nearly three times the rate that I do. In fact, if he wanted to match my true ratio of tickets to miles driven, he would only be allowed to get one ticket every eight or nine years!!! But I get to pay the price...

My insurance is higher because I carry more points on my license, and have "more frequent" violations than he does. Also, my fees to waive these violations are much higher, even though my ticket to miles driven ratio is nearly a third of his. Yes, that's right - the fines Change depending upon WHEN your last ticket was, not how much you've driven since.

So, here I am, being unfairly punished by our system on the basis that I drive more. And it sucks.

But, I suppose I should count my blessings. If our current leaders have their way, I'll be paying an "emissions fee" over and above all my other costs, merely because my job forces me to drive more.

I guess that's what I get for having a job and working my ass off trying to keep people working.

Rotten bastards.

Saturday, August 8, 2009

Stupidity


I was driving home from work, and passed a woman mowing her lawn, with her small toddler in one arm, half on her lap, half off. I couldn't help but wonder, are people REALLY that stupid?

Now, don't get me wrong - if the blades are off, and you're just cruising him down the lawn, that's one thing. Maybe not the ultimate in safety, but that's part of life. But, to drive around with your kid on your lap with the blades on? Well, that makes you a dumbass. A complete, foolish, ignorant, without-a-clue dumbass.

Excuse the pic - it was taken via cell phone while driving. And don't give me any flak about that, either. I drive 35,000+ miles a year, 90% of those miles while on a cell phone for work, and am still safer than most of the idiots I see on the road. Perhaps instead of making more laws for that, the politicians should ask the police to start enforcing the existing laws that the "bad apples" break, instead. Because, last I checked, it didn't matter if you were on a phone or not - running a red light is illlegal. As are illegal lane changes, reckless operation, failure to yield... should I go on?

But, that would cut into the politicians "face time" on television, wouldn't it? Which I suppose is important, especially with so many voters being complete and utter dumbasses and morons, such as the woman in the picture above.

Friday, July 3, 2009

Happy Independence Day!

For Independence Day, I leave you with an excerpt of Kennedy's speech in 1946.

The American character has been not only religious, idealistic, and patriotic, but because of these it has been essentially individual.

The right of the individual against the State has ever been one of our most cherished political principles.

The American Constitution has set down for all men to see the essentially Christian and American principle that there are certain rights held by every man which no government and no majority, however powerful, can deny.

Conceived in Grecian thought, strengthened by Christian morality, and stamped indelibly into American political philosophy, the right of the individual against the State is the keystone of our Constitution. Each man is free.

He is free in thought.

He is free in expression.

He is free in worship.

To us, who have been reared in the American tradition, these rights have become part of our very being. They have become so much a part of our being that most of us are prone to feel that they are rights universally recognized and universally exercised. But the sad fact is that this is not true. They were dearly won for us only a few short centuries ago and they were dearly preserved for us in the days just past. And there are large sections of the world today where these rights are denied as a matter of philosophy and as a matter of government.

We cannot assume that the struggle is ended. It is never-ending.

Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty. It was the price yesterday. It is the price today, and it will ever be the price.

The characteristics of the American people have ever been a deep sense of religion, a deep sense of idealism, a deep sense of patriotism, and a deep sense of individualism.

Let us not blink the fact that the days which lie ahead of us are bitter ones.

May God grant that, at some distant date, on this day, and on this platform, the orator may be able to say that these are still the great qualities of the American character and that they have prevailed.

So, what do you think? Sadly, many of these qualities seem to have been dwindling. And, I fear it's going to get worse.




Thursday, June 18, 2009

Here's a link to some of my photos...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/gimemoore/

I'll be continuously adding more to that album, so keep checking back.

Photography is something that has always appealed to me, but it just doesn't pay well enough. So, it is nothing more than a hobby - a hobby that my wife will say I spend too much money on. LOL

Friday, May 22, 2009

Twikini - Windows Mobile Twitter application out of beta

Some time ago, I got rid of my Blackberry, and switched to a Windows Mobile smartphone. Despite it's shortcomings, I do like the Windows Mobile operating system. But, the one thing I noticed is that there was no good, fast Twitter client available. I tried Pocketwit, TinyTwitter, and a few mobile web clients, but none of them were quite up to the standard of the client I used on my Blackberry (SocialScope).

Then I heard about a beta product making the rounds, Twikini, and gave it a try. At first, it was very fast, but lacked features and had some bugs that I couldn't deal with. But, being a beta, I kept trying new builds as they were released, and left feedback for the developers as to features I'd like, and problems that needed fixed. And, after trying the newest version, 1.1, it's safe to say that they listened!

The app is very fast and looks great. And, throughout it's beta stage, the developers kept adding features that people thought necessary. Some of these features include URL shortening, direct messaging within the app, viewing user profiles, notifications of new tweets, GPS location support, and the ability to view the public timeline from within the application.

The only addition I'd like to see would be for the ability to search twitter from within the app. But, even if that never comes about, I'm still very happy with Twikini, and will continue to use it.

While beta testing this app, I never could bring myself to completely uninstall either TinyTwitter or Pocketwit, due to problems or missing features in Twikini. But, if this new version keeps functioning as well for the next few days as it has been, as I fully suspect it will, Twikini will be the only one on my phone.

You can get Twikini here --> http://www.trinketsoftware.com/Twikini

The full version can be bought with one of their other apps for just $4.95, which doesn't seem like a bad deal to me.


Friday, April 17, 2009

Saturday, April 11, 2009

I am "triumphant" in my claim...

Well, our credit card company informed us yesterday that our account will be credited for the skateboard I bought after Martini Skate and Snow reneged on their stated return policy. w00t! (see this old post if you don't know what I am talking about.)

What I found interesting was the response to them from the store that reneged on their return policy, Martini Skate and Snow. Their argument was that I was too heavy and broke the board. That's funny, because I specifically asked that question in the store when I bought the board, and the owner himself said "oh, that board could hold you and your wife together." In fact, they even let me stand on it before I bought it. Funny how things change when someone needs to find an excuse.

I even had correspondence with the manufacturer that I sent in with my claim that stated I was no where near heavy enough to damage that board.

The only thing that bothers me is that the store will still get their money. See, our credit card company "misplaced" our documents and originally found in favor of the store. I called and talked to a few people, our info was found, and suddenly they said, "oops." They credited our card in full, but said that they may not be able to go after the store due to the language of the merchant agreement. It sucks that an error on their part causes the store to get away with it. But, on the other hand, I have been credited AND get to keep the board, which the manufacturer will now exchange for me free of charge. So, I effectively can sell it and double my money. Or, maybe I'll keep it - it's not the manufacturer's fault that the store wouldn't abide by what was written on my receipt, and it is a nice board. Plus, they will actually honor their warranty directly with me, regardless of the store's inability to abide by their own policies.

I suppose it could be worse, eh? But, just remember, be careful when buying from places like this.

In my experience I have found that, just because their receipt states "refunds or exchanges within 30 days from date of purchase, After which all sales are final. GO RIDE!" doesn't necessarily mean that they intend to honor that policy.

Thursday, April 9, 2009

Pirates!! Arghhhh...

Today's post is a copy/paste from a comment I had made on Facebook regarding the sailor being held by the pirates.

They need to get that Navy ship close, and bring some sharp shooters on board. Assign two shooters per pirate, in case one screws up and doesn't make a clean kill shot. On the count of three, everyone pulls the trigger. Bam - you have a boat with a bunch of dead pirates, and one live captain who just shit himself.

Next, start hunting them down on their own turf with half the US Navy's fleet with one rule - NO live prisoners, kill on sight.

That would send a message that we're done pussy-footing around, and would immediately make the area safer.

But, our leaders would never allow us to react in such a manner, which would construe us as to having a set of balls.

Wednesday, April 1, 2009

Here we go again

A major reason that our economy is in this shape is because of the big push to get people to buy homes that previously could not afford them. I remember Barney Frank and his Democratic colleagues bragging to the media about how wonderful it was. The problem was, many buyers still couldn't afford these homes, regardless of how much meddling with Fannie and Freddie our politicians did to help these loans get approved.

So, now we know. Well, sort of. Word on the streets puts Bush to blame, and somehow it has been forgotten who started the push for these loans.

But, it seems the lesson learned may have already been forgotten, too. Now, the auto industry is telling people to go buy a car, and they will cover your car payments if you lose your job. So, if you are worried about being able to afford a car, stop worrying and go buy one???

Don't forget, these auto loans are backed by companies that our government is backing with our tax dollars. So now, I get to pay for someone's beautiful new car, which is parked in the garage of a $350,000 home, even though they may have bought both knowing full well they couldn't afford it. All the while, I work 80 to 100 hours every week for less and less money.

Ah, yes. Aren't our leaders just great?

Saturday, March 28, 2009

The Catholic Church

It goes against my better judgment to get into this here. And, I almost didn't. But then I realized that this is MY blog. These are MY thoughts. So, if you are one of the religious few that seem to be intolerant of other people's thoughts, I'd suggest that you use YOUR better judgment and not read any more of this post...

I was watching the news last night, and saw more stories about all of the Catholic churches that are going to close. It seems that those in charge somehow need to do this because they cannot afford to keep them open. Well, I've got a better idea...

Instead of closing all of these churches, why not close The Vatican? Let's face it, as much as people like to treat him like he's a god, the Pope is still just a person. And, if he really cares about the religion and not just the "benefits" he receives, then he would have no problem with this if it kept all of the neighborhood churches open. After all, in the grand scheme of things, these neighborhood churches actually help people. And, those people aren't just the members. Say what you will about the religion being a business, but at the local level, that business donates more time and assistance to those that need it than anyone. While the Pope is out cruising the streets in his $1,000,000 "Pope Mobile," spouting off his ideals to a world that should already KNOW them had they actually read the bible, the local churches are giving food drives, working in hospitals, and giving free counseling to those that need it. When is the last time you saw the Pope Mobile dropping off food to a family who's bread winner was just killed in an unexpected accident?

But, the sad reality is that too many Catholics are brainwashed into thinking that they somehow need the Vatican with it's gold chalices, marble pillars, and $1,000,000 paintings. These people think that the church somehow needs this elaborate, wealthy, sovereign country with its excessive operating costs to tell them what to do, when deep in their hearts they should already know what to do. These are the same people that, when they do see the Pope, drop down on their knees and bawl like babies, acting as if he himself is a God, which in itself is sac religious according to the actual writings of the Bible.

If the hundreds of thousands of yearly visitors to Vatican City put the five grand that their trip cost them into their local church instead,would they still have to close? How about adding that to the billions spent on keeping the Pope in his elaborate castle, on his security forces, his million dollar pope mobile, the chefs, the housekeeping, and the building maintenance costs? Keeping a sovereign nation operating isn't cheap - just ask our politicians.

I'm sorry, but I think the church members need to rethink a few things. Like, what is more in line with the teachings of the Bible - spending billions on the local level altruisticaly, or spending billions on a shrine and lifestyle for the Pope?

I bet I know what Jesus would do with his time and money...


Friday, March 27, 2009

What a Beautiful Morning

Clear, blue skies, temperature rising by the hour, the sun shining - I love mornings like this. It would be a great morning to be out on the lake, catching myself a dinner.

It's too bad that I have previous obligations to attend to. Although, if I didn't have these obligations, I wouldn't have a job. Therefore, I wouldn't have a boat, which would make it all a moot point anyhow, right?

Happy Friday, everyone.

Saturday, March 14, 2009

Time to clear out the cobwebs...

I suppose I should start paying more attention to this place again. I'll try to clean out some of the cobwebs, and get a few more posts out over the couple of weeks.

Until then, you can check out my Mom's page.

Sunday, March 1, 2009

Happy to be "alone"

Last night, my daughter had a friend spend the night. After seeing other people's children, I am starting to think that maybe my daughter really is an Angel.

The girl would NOT leave the dog alone, and the dog was getting close to the "I am going to bite your little finger off" point by the time we took the girl home. At first, it was mentioned to me that we could lock the dog up for the night. But I have a real problem with that. She is a good dog, and she is in her home, so I refuse to lock her up because someone else's kid's actions. If we were having a party, I would feel differently, because I know she is not good with crowds. But, for one kid? No, that's not going to happen.

Then, the girls were playing hide and seek, and she decides to hide in Kim and my closet. Uh, excuse me, but haven't you ever been taught that parents' rooms and closets are OFF LIMITS?

And, what the hell is with kids thinking that the 52 inch plasma screen is in need of their greasy fingers touching it? My kid sure as hell doesn't do that, and I expect her friends to toe the same line!

My little girl can REALLY piss me off sometimes. But, I am proud of the fact that my daughter is respectful of other people's homes and belongings. That, and she listens to her friends parents when told not to do something - I make sure of that!

Global Warming Experiment

Monday, February 23, 2009

Hey, Teacher!!

There was an incident in my daughter's class last week that prompted me to contact the principal. As part of my "bitch fest," my daughter's teacher was instructed by the principal to call me back in the morning before class starts.

Well, she was talking to my daughter today and says, "If you're Dad is as nice and polite as you, it will be a pleasure to talk to him."

My daughter says, "Uh, I think you're in for a bit of a surprise."

LMAO!!

Friday, February 20, 2009

Transportation Chief Eyes Taxing Miles Driven

http://news.mobile.msn.com/en-us/articles.aspx?aid=29298315&afid=1

So, now they want to tax miles driven, saying it is a better and more accurate way to get revenue for infrastructure. That's fine and dandy. But, only if part of the provision would ban any future gasoline taxes.
And, are they also willing to charge less for lighter weighing vehicles, or according to tire width? After all, those things can affect how damaging a vehicle can be to a road.
Then, we come to the Amish, who obviously damage the roads out here with their narrow, wooden wheels more than any other vehicle. Are they going to be forced to pay as well? They should. Our street was paved just over a year ago, and you can already see the narrow, parallel grooves forming from their wheels.
Think about it. What's fair? Perhaps the politicians should stop trying to "take care of the people," and they may find that there is a sudden surplus of funding available.

Monday, February 2, 2009

Drunk dancing at Groundhog Day 2009

Here's one of the many drunks from Groundhog Day 2009 in Punxsutawney, PA.

I suppose I'm glad I went, so that now the desire to go has been dealt with. But, I do not think that I would go again.

Saturday, January 24, 2009

I hate waiting

Here I sit at the vet, waiting patiently to go back with our bird. But, my patience is starting to wear thin.

Why can't these places schedule appointments better? It is 45 minutes past our appointment time, and we are still waiting. If it wasn't important, I would have voiced my opinion while storming out.

I really think that they just don't give a damn. Just like most family doctors nowadays, vets seem to know that you need them, and know that you have no choice but to wait. They can schedule multiple people at the same time, maximizIng their profits.

Many of these same doctors are now charging you if you cancel your appointment with less than 24 hours notice. Many are also making you reschedule if you are five minutes late. But, they seem to think it's okay to make you wait all day for them.

Ah, screw it. I'm going to stop thinking about it before my blood pressure gets any higher. Then, instead of paying their bill, maybe I'll send them a bill for my time instead. LOL

Thursday, January 22, 2009

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Out with the old, in with the new...


Well, the board I mentioned below had some issues with delamination. It was like that within 15 minutes of riding, so I called the place I got it from. They said to keep riding it, and if it got worse, bring it back.

It got worse. So, I took it back. The guy tells me to keep riding it, and I said that we've already gone that route and it got worse. I explained that, sure, it may be okay, but I don't want to have a problem with it six months from now and risk being out of luck. So, he blows me off and goes to help another customer.

That evening, I got ahold of the owner/manager. His attitude was pretty much the same. I explained that his receipt said I could return for refund or exchange, and he said that didn't apply now since it was used. I reminded him that he and his staff told me to keep riding it, and he said too bad.

So much for "doing the right thing" and buying from a local shop, eh?

So, I called my credit card company and filed a dispute. Then, I bought another board elsewhere - that "elsewhere" being online. I bought it from a skate shop in Myrtle Beach that sells online - longboardskater.com.

The board is actually made by a guy in New York City - Brian Petrie of Earthwing Skates. Brian is a guy that is in it because he loves it, and it shows. The board and wheels are by him, and the quality and craftsmanship is heads and shoulders above the board I had before.

If anyone is in need of a new skateboard, look them up. You won't be disappointed.

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Man, I love this thing!!


I know that many people think 39 is too old to get back into skateboards. So, I didn't. I got a new longboard, instead. You know, the whole, "Same thing only different" escape clause.

That said, I started off by buying some components and making the deck myself. I got everything figured out and put together, rode it for a week, and my daughter sort of "took it over." She absolutely loves the one I had built, and has been riding it in the basement every single day. So, we went to buy a new set of trucks, wheels, and bearings so that we could duplicate my board for her.

But, while browsing the skate shop, a board made by "Sector 9" out of California caught my eye. That's when I gave my daughter a choice - we could do as planned, and buy some components to build her one like mine. Or, she could have the one that I had just built that she wanted so badly. She jumped at the offer, and was absolutely thrilled with the idea of having my board.

I bought the new board and took it home. Wow, what a cool board. It's 46 inches long, 10 inches at it's widest point, and made out of bamboo. Yes, I said bamboo. It's strong with good flex, light weight, and tough as nails. And, yeah, it's cool looking, too! HA!!

And, the graphics on the back really top it off. They portray a cool-looking monkey, staring out over the surf. I originally planned on upgrading the trucks later this year, as those that came on it get mixed reviews. But after riding them, I really like them, so I'll spend ten bucks on a better set of bushings and save a bit of money.

As for my daughter, I let her try my new board, but she still likes my old board better. And, for her, it probably is easier to learn on. It was set up to ride low to the ground on a set of what I feel are the most stable trucks you can buy for a board - Independent 169's. (Not that many of you will know what those are, but it's my blog, so either google it or deal with it. HA!) I have some softer bushings on it that match her weight a bit better than the ones I rode on, and wedged the bases a bit to make the board turn better without sacrificing stability.

So, here I am, 39 years old, and getting back into a sport that I used to love when I was younger. Actually, I used to do a lot of things that I don't do anymore - skateboard, dirt bikes, skiing, snowboarding. I stopped because, if I were to get hurt, there was a good chance that I couldn't do my job - a consequence I simply could not afford.

But, now that I am out of the field and in the office, things are different. Even if I broke my leg, I could still do my job. So, I got back into something that interests my daughter as well as well as me, so that we can do it together.

Considering the great time we've been having, I made the right choice. Now, if only I could get my wife back on a pair of roller skates... hehehe

Oh, and you can click on the above pictures to see them full size.

Tuesday, January 13, 2009