Lately I've been noticing that when checking out I definately have a formula on how to pick a checkout line. If anyone else has insight please feel free to comment. Here are my criteria in order of what I think is important.
1. The number of people in line matters more than the number of items. This is why the express line is not always better. The more people in line the more idiots there are that need price checks or something like that.
2. Look at the cashier. Not to be ageist but younger is better. Too young is bad though because they don't know what they are doing. If you can, pick the line with the manager (s/he will be dressed up, most likely wearing a tie) because they tend to be faster and can resolve all problems without having to ask someone else.
3. Look what makes up the line. Often times what looks like a long line is not because there is an entire family waiting together in which case there is really only one customer ahead of you, not 5.
4. Look at the demographics of the people ahead of you. Again, not to be ageist or sexist but younger men are the best. They tend not to ask questions and they almost always seem to pay in cash or credit card. For whatever reason the older and more female =) you get the more likely you are to write a check or need something answered. Men hate writing and hate even more admitting they don't know something.
5. This will contradict one somewhat but all else being equal, the less items the people in front of you have the better. Just don't bet that the "express" lane is any faster because it usually has 3x as many people. You need to find the right balance.
6. Don't get behind a hot girl and a male cashier or any guys and a hot female cashier (unless you want to check out the girl). I swear there is much to much flirting going on in the checkout line. Yesterday I had a male cashier practically walk out with the hot girl to put the groceries in her car.
7. Check out at an alternate location. Places like Target allow you to check out in their Garden or Electronic section even if you aren't buying anything in that department. These lines are usually much shorter.
The Brilliant Bush Tax Cut
Wednesday, June 25, 2003
So I just received the first benefit of Bush's Jobs and Growth Act of 2003. I got a whole $30 more in my paycheck. Big Deal.
Over the course of the year that means I will have saved $720. That is the keyword SAVE. This is why Bush's tax plan makes absolutely no sense to me. Do I really feel richer with my additional $30 twice a month? Not really. Do I really plan on spending this new found money on anything? Not really. The money will go nicely away somewhere in the computers of my bank.
Maybe its because I don't have a family and I have the ability to save a lot every month. I understand that most people my age aren't in the position to save very much money and would welcome the extra cash. Those with families, struggling and in my income bracket probably really do need the relief. But that being said, if those familes are really struggling how about those who earn minimum wage? How about those who struggle to get by and make 1/4 or even 1/5 of what I make. How do you think they feel? Trust me, I know. My mom raised 3 kids on her own and put me through college on 1/3 of what I make today. Why don't you just give her some more money back?
Maybe I'm more magnanimous than most but come on people. Let's forget the human part of my argument for a second. After this, it's basic economic theory. My marginal propensity to consume is MUCH lower than someone like my mother. I MIGHTspend $10 of my new found $60 a month. Someone who is poor? They WILL spend all $60. However, for a cut this small I probably won't spend ANY of that $60. So I, the "rich" (I don't consider myself wealthy but in this context I would have to be), really do just get richer. And or course this doesn't at all help the economy now since I'm not consuming any more. It doesn't help the economy later because we just put ourselves into a bigger deficit in the future.
I'm not promoting communism, quite the contrary. I'm probably the biggest Capitalist and fan of Adam Smith there is. Let's just be honest with ourselves. If you want to help the wealthy fine, but don't cloak it behind the charade of trying to stimulate the economy. Clearly there are better ways to do that than with this bogus tax cut.
Over the course of the year that means I will have saved $720. That is the keyword SAVE. This is why Bush's tax plan makes absolutely no sense to me. Do I really feel richer with my additional $30 twice a month? Not really. Do I really plan on spending this new found money on anything? Not really. The money will go nicely away somewhere in the computers of my bank.
Maybe its because I don't have a family and I have the ability to save a lot every month. I understand that most people my age aren't in the position to save very much money and would welcome the extra cash. Those with families, struggling and in my income bracket probably really do need the relief. But that being said, if those familes are really struggling how about those who earn minimum wage? How about those who struggle to get by and make 1/4 or even 1/5 of what I make. How do you think they feel? Trust me, I know. My mom raised 3 kids on her own and put me through college on 1/3 of what I make today. Why don't you just give her some more money back?
Maybe I'm more magnanimous than most but come on people. Let's forget the human part of my argument for a second. After this, it's basic economic theory. My marginal propensity to consume is MUCH lower than someone like my mother. I MIGHTspend $10 of my new found $60 a month. Someone who is poor? They WILL spend all $60. However, for a cut this small I probably won't spend ANY of that $60. So I, the "rich" (I don't consider myself wealthy but in this context I would have to be), really do just get richer. And or course this doesn't at all help the economy now since I'm not consuming any more. It doesn't help the economy later because we just put ourselves into a bigger deficit in the future.
I'm not promoting communism, quite the contrary. I'm probably the biggest Capitalist and fan of Adam Smith there is. Let's just be honest with ourselves. If you want to help the wealthy fine, but don't cloak it behind the charade of trying to stimulate the economy. Clearly there are better ways to do that than with this bogus tax cut.
Too Much To Worry About
Monday, June 16, 2003
I decided that I'm never having kids. My cat had emergency surgery on Saturday because he basically couldn't urinate all day. I watched him climb into the litter box every few minutes and sit there for about 10 minutes with only a few drops coming out. He became lethargic, wouldn't you after sitting on the toilet all day while accomplishing nothing, and started trying to go anywhere he could. After he threw up I decided that was enough and rushed him to an emergency vet.
All is ok right now. He is still at the vet and they are watching him but he seems to be ok. He's a little pissed at me (no pun intended) but otherwise doing fine. What this whole thing has taught me is that I don't want kids. It's way too much stress. I guess I'm like Marlin in "Finding Nemo" (which I saw on Sunday and highly recommend) who can't help but worry about Nemo all the time. All day Saturday and Sunday all I could think about was if my cat was going to be ok. I can't imagine how I would have felt if it was my own child.
All is ok right now. He is still at the vet and they are watching him but he seems to be ok. He's a little pissed at me (no pun intended) but otherwise doing fine. What this whole thing has taught me is that I don't want kids. It's way too much stress. I guess I'm like Marlin in "Finding Nemo" (which I saw on Sunday and highly recommend) who can't help but worry about Nemo all the time. All day Saturday and Sunday all I could think about was if my cat was going to be ok. I can't imagine how I would have felt if it was my own child.
Monrovia Trolley Schedule
Wednesday, June 04, 2003
I keep getting hits about the schedule for the Monrovia Trolley even though I myself have never posted it. However, the city of Monrovia has failed to do so as well so as a service to those looking to find out here it is. I've also included approximate routes. I am in no way associated with Monrovia and in no way can I guarantee that the below hours of operation are correct or won't change.
Weekdays 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. * every 12 minutes (Goes form the Albertson Shopping center, down Huntington, to Myrtle and Foothill)
Fridays 4 p.m. to 12 a.m. * every 15 minutes (Goes from Fifth and Huntington, down Huntington, and up Myrtle. On Myrtle it turns left on Walnut, goes Up Primrose before heading back to Myrtle on Lemon)
Saturdays 4 p.m. to 12 a.m. * every 15 minutes. (Essentially same as above but without the turn on Walnut.)
Weekdays 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. * every 12 minutes (Goes form the Albertson Shopping center, down Huntington, to Myrtle and Foothill)
Fridays 4 p.m. to 12 a.m. * every 15 minutes (Goes from Fifth and Huntington, down Huntington, and up Myrtle. On Myrtle it turns left on Walnut, goes Up Primrose before heading back to Myrtle on Lemon)
Saturdays 4 p.m. to 12 a.m. * every 15 minutes. (Essentially same as above but without the turn on Walnut.)
Rich People Do Have a Heart
Tuesday, May 20, 2003
I was very impressed by a statment made by Warren Buffet. For those who don't know who he is he is the head of Berkshire Hathaway which is basically one of the most successful investment companies on the planet. He is known to be an absolute genius when it comes to picking stocks and is probably rivaled by only Bill Gates as the richest man in America.
Anyway, Buffet recently commented on the proposed tax break on dividends that recently passed through the senate. Now you would think for someone so deeply invested in the stock market that Buffet would be all over this tax break. Afterall, he stands to gain millions if this bill goes through. But he actually came out against it. I couldn't believe my eyes when I read it. A rich capitalist with a soul. (Actually, who am I to call him a rich capitalist?) Read the article. He actually makes a very cogent argument. Everyone and their brother knows this will only benefit the rich but somehow Bush and the republicans want to make it seem like they care for the poor. How many poor people do you know own stock?
Anyway, Buffet recently commented on the proposed tax break on dividends that recently passed through the senate. Now you would think for someone so deeply invested in the stock market that Buffet would be all over this tax break. Afterall, he stands to gain millions if this bill goes through. But he actually came out against it. I couldn't believe my eyes when I read it. A rich capitalist with a soul. (Actually, who am I to call him a rich capitalist?) Read the article. He actually makes a very cogent argument. Everyone and their brother knows this will only benefit the rich but somehow Bush and the republicans want to make it seem like they care for the poor. How many poor people do you know own stock?
Should College Athletes Be Paid?
Thursday, April 24, 2003
As a public service I am re-posting this which is from my original blog. Toward the end of my other blog this became one of the more popular searches to my site. Most of what you find on the net for this subject are all paid essays. Obviously this is not one of them. Feel free to use my ideas but just make sure you quote me or reference me if you use any of it in a paper. Otherwise you could get caught for plagerism :)
Someone found their way to my site by doing a search for 'Should college atheletes get paid'. Not that I've ever talked about this but in one of my blogs I did talk about athletes getting paid and how my mom put me through college. This subject is interesting to me so I figure I would touch it.
I know its not like me but I really don't have a strong opinion about this subject. I really do see both sides of this argument. I tend to lean toward no, college athletes should not get paid. Here is my reasoning. I actually have to start with the opposite view, Athletes should get paid. Basketball and Football teams bring millions of dollars to the universities. Not only do the directly bring in cash through ticket sales, merchandise, and fees for playoff appearances but they bring in money through higher alumni donations and higher enrollments. They put in grueling hours both practicing, training, and going to school (well some athletes). However NCAA rules stipulate that an athlete can not have a job that pays him/her more than $2000 during the year.
To me this is a little unfair. The reasoning behind this is you could mask paying the athlete by giving him a bogus job where he does nothing but gets paid a huge amount of money. Now I had a summer job that once paid me a lot. I also kept a job during the year where I worked 8-10 hours a week and probably collected several thousand during the year. Now under NCAA rules I wouldn't be eligible to play. I didn't do anything unscrupulous. I definitely didn't get the jobs because I'm an athlete. Why should an athlete be treated differently? Probably less than 1% of college athletes have the ability to go pro and make millions yet all athletes are governed under the same rules.
That being said, college athletes do get a full scholarship. This can be worth upwards of $120,000. A lot of athletes don't care but this is quite a deal. Further there would be terrible inequities in the system. Using my reasoning only Men's Basketball and Football players would get paid. Well how fair is that? You know that would never fly. Further, at least in Basketball, thereare other choices now. There are developmental basketball leagues out there. Athletes have other, albeit less desirable, options than to go to college. I don't buy the argument that they put in so much time training and practicing and get nothing in return. My roommate in college was a world-class rower. He probably put in more hours training than anyone else I knew yet he still found time to study and be a model student. We all have our own unique situations which take large amounts of time.
I don't have all the answers to this question but this was my 2 cents.
If you like this post you may like these other post:
Athletes
Overpaid
sports
Someone found their way to my site by doing a search for 'Should college atheletes get paid'. Not that I've ever talked about this but in one of my blogs I did talk about athletes getting paid and how my mom put me through college. This subject is interesting to me so I figure I would touch it.
I know its not like me but I really don't have a strong opinion about this subject. I really do see both sides of this argument. I tend to lean toward no, college athletes should not get paid. Here is my reasoning. I actually have to start with the opposite view, Athletes should get paid. Basketball and Football teams bring millions of dollars to the universities. Not only do the directly bring in cash through ticket sales, merchandise, and fees for playoff appearances but they bring in money through higher alumni donations and higher enrollments. They put in grueling hours both practicing, training, and going to school (well some athletes). However NCAA rules stipulate that an athlete can not have a job that pays him/her more than $2000 during the year.
To me this is a little unfair. The reasoning behind this is you could mask paying the athlete by giving him a bogus job where he does nothing but gets paid a huge amount of money. Now I had a summer job that once paid me a lot. I also kept a job during the year where I worked 8-10 hours a week and probably collected several thousand during the year. Now under NCAA rules I wouldn't be eligible to play. I didn't do anything unscrupulous. I definitely didn't get the jobs because I'm an athlete. Why should an athlete be treated differently? Probably less than 1% of college athletes have the ability to go pro and make millions yet all athletes are governed under the same rules.
That being said, college athletes do get a full scholarship. This can be worth upwards of $120,000. A lot of athletes don't care but this is quite a deal. Further there would be terrible inequities in the system. Using my reasoning only Men's Basketball and Football players would get paid. Well how fair is that? You know that would never fly. Further, at least in Basketball, thereare other choices now. There are developmental basketball leagues out there. Athletes have other, albeit less desirable, options than to go to college. I don't buy the argument that they put in so much time training and practicing and get nothing in return. My roommate in college was a world-class rower. He probably put in more hours training than anyone else I knew yet he still found time to study and be a model student. We all have our own unique situations which take large amounts of time.
I don't have all the answers to this question but this was my 2 cents.
If you like this post you may like these other post:
Athletes
Overpaid
sports
Diesel Jeans: Worth it?
Sunday, April 13, 2003
So I went and did it. Every year for my birthday I buy myself something kind of frivolous. One year I bought some rollerblades, another year I bought some RayBan Sunglasses. This year I topped myself, I bought a pair of Diesel Jeans.
I went to South Coast Plaza because they have a Diesel Store. You can buy Diesel Jeans in stores like Nordstroms but I figured my first trip into the world of designer jeans I would go straight to the source. I must say that I love South Coast Plaza. I know there are a lot of people who have a problem with this bastion of capitalism but people who know me know why I love this place. Its big and it has infinite choices . If you can buy it its probably somewhere in South Coast. People in OC just have too much time and money.
So are the jeans worth it? People who own them swear by them. For me the jury is still out. I like the way they look, and I like the way they feel so right off the bat I will say that they are better jeans. But are they worth 3x-4x the cost of regular jeans. Well supposedly Diesels don't wear out as fast and are really good about keeping their color so I'll have to let you know in a few months.
I went to South Coast Plaza because they have a Diesel Store. You can buy Diesel Jeans in stores like Nordstroms but I figured my first trip into the world of designer jeans I would go straight to the source. I must say that I love South Coast Plaza. I know there are a lot of people who have a problem with this bastion of capitalism but people who know me know why I love this place. Its big and it has infinite choices . If you can buy it its probably somewhere in South Coast. People in OC just have too much time and money.
So are the jeans worth it? People who own them swear by them. For me the jury is still out. I like the way they look, and I like the way they feel so right off the bat I will say that they are better jeans. But are they worth 3x-4x the cost of regular jeans. Well supposedly Diesels don't wear out as fast and are really good about keeping their color so I'll have to let you know in a few months.
New idea: An Efficient Line
Friday, March 21, 2003
I hate people who won't join the 21st century. I don't understand why so many people still pay for things with checks. Visa should have me on their commercials about their check card because I can't stand people who insist on slowing down the whole line because they insist on paying with checks. Not only do they have to write down all the information but then the cashier inevitably has to ask for ID and then write down all the information.
Why don't they just get a check card. I have one. It makes my life simpler. It cost me nothing to use and it comes directly from my bank account. In fact, it cost people money to write a check because you have to buy new checks that much sooner. I also get the added benefit that since its a Visa purchase, if I have a dispute Visa will help me out with it.
Can someone please tell me why people still pay with checks?
I think they should have an efficient line. Not an express line, an efficient line. This line would be for people who are
1. Paying by credit card only (no Cash. Cashier has to make change)
2. Have 5 or less items (10 is way too many)
3. Are not going to ask questions
4. Are not going to get a warranty
5. Know exactly what they have is what they want.
In other words the cashier is not allowed to do anything or help anyone who doesn't simply walk up to the cashier, hand over their items and credit cards, sign, and leave. Any deviation from that and that person gets booted from the line.
Why don't they just get a check card. I have one. It makes my life simpler. It cost me nothing to use and it comes directly from my bank account. In fact, it cost people money to write a check because you have to buy new checks that much sooner. I also get the added benefit that since its a Visa purchase, if I have a dispute Visa will help me out with it.
Can someone please tell me why people still pay with checks?
I think they should have an efficient line. Not an express line, an efficient line. This line would be for people who are
1. Paying by credit card only (no Cash. Cashier has to make change)
2. Have 5 or less items (10 is way too many)
3. Are not going to ask questions
4. Are not going to get a warranty
5. Know exactly what they have is what they want.
In other words the cashier is not allowed to do anything or help anyone who doesn't simply walk up to the cashier, hand over their items and credit cards, sign, and leave. Any deviation from that and that person gets booted from the line.
What is the World Coming to?
Saturday, March 01, 2003
In my trend for completely random topics I am going to talk about something that actually shocks me. I agree with Republicans. I know you are asking, "How can this be?" since I'm probably one of the most liberal people I know but I'm as dumbfounded as anyone else.
Democratic Senators are pushing through the Senate a bill which would have harsher penalties for Hate Crimes. That is, crimes committed against people because they are a specific race, gender, religion, and more controversially, sexual orientation. This bill actually has wide bi-partisan support except for one section, the evil empire known as the Conservative Right.
I'm sure my reasoning is quite different than the conservatives who oppose this bill. After all, we all know that the Conservative Right just don't like people who aren't exactly like them, that is to say white, wealthy, protestant, heterosexuals. My thinking is quite different. It make me uncomfortable legislating the way people think. What do I mean by that? Well aren't all violent crimes about hate? When someone kills someone else is there really any rational thought involved? Is it really worse to kill a person because they are Jewish than because he wears the wrong colors? To me, murder is murder. There are no degrees of how right or wrong it is to kill someone. It's all wrong. I believe trying to rationalize the irrational act of murder is both futile and dangerous.
Democratic Senators are pushing through the Senate a bill which would have harsher penalties for Hate Crimes. That is, crimes committed against people because they are a specific race, gender, religion, and more controversially, sexual orientation. This bill actually has wide bi-partisan support except for one section, the evil empire known as the Conservative Right.
I'm sure my reasoning is quite different than the conservatives who oppose this bill. After all, we all know that the Conservative Right just don't like people who aren't exactly like them, that is to say white, wealthy, protestant, heterosexuals. My thinking is quite different. It make me uncomfortable legislating the way people think. What do I mean by that? Well aren't all violent crimes about hate? When someone kills someone else is there really any rational thought involved? Is it really worse to kill a person because they are Jewish than because he wears the wrong colors? To me, murder is murder. There are no degrees of how right or wrong it is to kill someone. It's all wrong. I believe trying to rationalize the irrational act of murder is both futile and dangerous.
Size Does Matter
Friday, February 28, 2003
As a public service I am re-posting this which is from my original blog. Toward the end of my other blog this became one of the more popular searches to my site. It really upset me how hard drive companies could be so devious so hopefully this will help explain some of what is going on.
Now get your mind out of the gutter and listen to what I have to say. For those who read my blog on a regular basis know, I recently bought a new HD, a Western Digital 120GB . I'm very happy with it in terms of how much more space I have now for all my stuff but it really does bother me that they claim their hard drive is 120 GB because it is not.
Anyone who knows something about programming knows that a mb is not 1,000,000 bytes even though mega means "1,000,000". In computer terms a megabyte is actually 2^20 bytes or 1,048,576 bytes. Equivilently, a gigabyte is not 1,000 megabytes, it is 2^10 megabytes or 1024 megabytes. Doing the math you can see that 120 GB really should be 122,880 megabytes. But that's not how Hard Drive manufacturers do it. They take the traditional approach of Mega meaning 1,000,000 and Giga meaning 1,000,000,000. Therefore when they claim 120 GB they really mean 120,000,000,000 bytes. Doing the conversion you will find that this means there are 114,440 megabytes or 111.8 GB. Quite a difference.
Why do they do this? Well like I said above SIZE MATTERS!. They are technically not lying to the consumers when they tell you that their drive is 120GB because in a traditional sense they are correct. In computer terms they are dead wrong and this is why when you install a hard drive you will always get significantly less room then you think you will. However, a hard drive manufacturer has no incentive to be honest with you because everyone else is not. Therefore if he advertised a Hard Drive as 111.8 GB (the correct number) instead of 120 GB (the wrong number) the casual consumer would think that the 120GB was more than 8 GB bigger even though they are exactly the same.
Now get your mind out of the gutter and listen to what I have to say. For those who read my blog on a regular basis know, I recently bought a new HD, a Western Digital 120GB . I'm very happy with it in terms of how much more space I have now for all my stuff but it really does bother me that they claim their hard drive is 120 GB because it is not.
Anyone who knows something about programming knows that a mb is not 1,000,000 bytes even though mega means "1,000,000". In computer terms a megabyte is actually 2^20 bytes or 1,048,576 bytes. Equivilently, a gigabyte is not 1,000 megabytes, it is 2^10 megabytes or 1024 megabytes. Doing the math you can see that 120 GB really should be 122,880 megabytes. But that's not how Hard Drive manufacturers do it. They take the traditional approach of Mega meaning 1,000,000 and Giga meaning 1,000,000,000. Therefore when they claim 120 GB they really mean 120,000,000,000 bytes. Doing the conversion you will find that this means there are 114,440 megabytes or 111.8 GB. Quite a difference.
Why do they do this? Well like I said above SIZE MATTERS!. They are technically not lying to the consumers when they tell you that their drive is 120GB because in a traditional sense they are correct. In computer terms they are dead wrong and this is why when you install a hard drive you will always get significantly less room then you think you will. However, a hard drive manufacturer has no incentive to be honest with you because everyone else is not. Therefore if he advertised a Hard Drive as 111.8 GB (the correct number) instead of 120 GB (the wrong number) the casual consumer would think that the 120GB was more than 8 GB bigger even though they are exactly the same.
My Gelson's Experience
Tuesday, February 25, 2003
OK, So I haven't blogged in a week. It's not from being lazy, ok maybe just a little lazy, but I've been swamped at work. One of my coworkers is very ill but he was working on a very time sensitive project. With about a week to go I've been assigned to finish his work. Well for any of you who have ever read The Mythical Man Month can understand, this is an almost impossible situation. For those who haven't one of the basic principles is that you can't just bring in more people at the end of a project and expect them to be effective. There is too much time trying to figure out what is actually going on and then there is the added overhead of coordinating more people.
In other news. My weekly basketball game has gotten really crowded. That's not such a good thing since if you lose you may have to wait around 2 games before you get back on the court. We usually try to control the number of people who show up but its just that everyone is showing up on the same days. My finger still hasn't healed and its throwing off my game. Its been well over 2 months now and its still not better. Maybe it has to do with the fact that I keep playing and re-injuring it.
For those interested in my supermarket trials I think I've found my formula. From now on I think I'm going to do most of my shopping at Gelsons. It's a supermarket in the Paseo Colorado. Up until now I've avoided going there under the assumption that things were more expensive. Well I took my receipts from both Ralphs and Vons and did a price comparison. And low and behold everything I buy either cost the same or is less at Gelsons. I was dumbfounded. One thing I will concede is that while the everyday prices at Gelsons is less, you don't save the money by being a member like you do with Vons and Ralphs Club which can be very significant. Now this is just my shopping list. Maybe other people have had different experiences so don't flame me telling me I'm wrong.
One thing I didn't like at Gelsons was their selection. Its funny because Sandy likes them for their selection but not their prices. Go figure. They didn't have everything I wanted and I didn't like their choice of meats. Now they have a butcher where you can get exactly what you want but for those who know me know I don't like to be bothered with that. If I can't see it in front of me I can't make a decision about it (This is also why its dangerous for me to put food in the refrigerator crisper. I've found month old vegetables before). So I'll probably buy my meat at Vons.
In other news. My weekly basketball game has gotten really crowded. That's not such a good thing since if you lose you may have to wait around 2 games before you get back on the court. We usually try to control the number of people who show up but its just that everyone is showing up on the same days. My finger still hasn't healed and its throwing off my game. Its been well over 2 months now and its still not better. Maybe it has to do with the fact that I keep playing and re-injuring it.
For those interested in my supermarket trials I think I've found my formula. From now on I think I'm going to do most of my shopping at Gelsons. It's a supermarket in the Paseo Colorado. Up until now I've avoided going there under the assumption that things were more expensive. Well I took my receipts from both Ralphs and Vons and did a price comparison. And low and behold everything I buy either cost the same or is less at Gelsons. I was dumbfounded. One thing I will concede is that while the everyday prices at Gelsons is less, you don't save the money by being a member like you do with Vons and Ralphs Club which can be very significant. Now this is just my shopping list. Maybe other people have had different experiences so don't flame me telling me I'm wrong.
One thing I didn't like at Gelsons was their selection. Its funny because Sandy likes them for their selection but not their prices. Go figure. They didn't have everything I wanted and I didn't like their choice of meats. Now they have a butcher where you can get exactly what you want but for those who know me know I don't like to be bothered with that. If I can't see it in front of me I can't make a decision about it (This is also why its dangerous for me to put food in the refrigerator crisper. I've found month old vegetables before). So I'll probably buy my meat at Vons.
The Sexes and the Importance of Appearance
Wednesday, February 12, 2003
Before I start my blog let me state my position on dating. I think anybody should be able to date anybody for whatever reason. I don't think that dating someone because they are good looking is any shallower than dating someone because they are smart, funny, nice, etc. I tend to think that appearance is part of the whole package and who am I to say what criteria someone should look for in someone he or she dates. I know I have to be attracted to the person I am dating. But this isn't to say that I could date a girl if she was dumb, boring, or mean.
With that being said, I read an article today about how scientist have created a robot that can judge how attractive a woman would be to a man. The article goes to to say that it doesn't work in reverse. Why not? Because women tend to take other, non-physical, characteristics into account more than men. At first I agreed with this statement but when I thought about it I am not convinced.
I know LOTS of nice, smart, successful men who do not have girlfriends or have never had girlfriends. I know plenty of guys who are very attractive, but not nearly as nice, smart, etc. and they can't fight off all the women who come their way. If anything, I think my good looking guy friends do much better than my good looking girl friends. Now granted, most of my good looking guy friends are for the most part nice guys and successful in life. The same can be said for my female friends. Being a successful female can in many instances limit the guys you can go out with so this may be a factor. However, I'm not about to buy the fact that women take into consideration a man's physical appearance any less then men take a woman's appearance.
Admittedly I will say guys can be less discriminatory depending on the situation. For instance, a guy is more likely to want a one-night fling than a girl in which case he doesn't really care about her intelligence, job, etc. But the same can be said for girls looking for a one-time fling. I think in the end, when people are looking to settle down, both sexes take into consideration their potential mates appearance equally.
With that being said, I read an article today about how scientist have created a robot that can judge how attractive a woman would be to a man. The article goes to to say that it doesn't work in reverse. Why not? Because women tend to take other, non-physical, characteristics into account more than men. At first I agreed with this statement but when I thought about it I am not convinced.
I know LOTS of nice, smart, successful men who do not have girlfriends or have never had girlfriends. I know plenty of guys who are very attractive, but not nearly as nice, smart, etc. and they can't fight off all the women who come their way. If anything, I think my good looking guy friends do much better than my good looking girl friends. Now granted, most of my good looking guy friends are for the most part nice guys and successful in life. The same can be said for my female friends. Being a successful female can in many instances limit the guys you can go out with so this may be a factor. However, I'm not about to buy the fact that women take into consideration a man's physical appearance any less then men take a woman's appearance.
Admittedly I will say guys can be less discriminatory depending on the situation. For instance, a guy is more likely to want a one-night fling than a girl in which case he doesn't really care about her intelligence, job, etc. But the same can be said for girls looking for a one-time fling. I think in the end, when people are looking to settle down, both sexes take into consideration their potential mates appearance equally.
Women, Just the Way They Are
Thursday, February 06, 2003
Saw something on TV that really rubbed me the wrong way. So I'm a Smallville fan. I guess more accurately, I'm a Kristen Kreuk (Lana Lang) fan.
Well about two weeks ago there was this episode where Lana's old boyfriend ends up being killed. At the very end of the episode she finds Clark. She is crying. Clark tries to comfort her and she ends up telling her how all the important people in her life have left, her parents, her aunt, and now her ex-boyfriend. But Clark, wonderful Clark, has always been there despite the fact that she has accused him of things, she ALWAYS doubts him, and he keeps secrets (namely he's Superman) away from her. She doesn't care if he has secrets and just wants to make sure Clark is always in her life. So to me this should be some turning point where Lana finally stops all that crap and learns to just trust Clark.
Well this week Clark becomes "bad Clark" when exposed to Red Kryptonite. Lana sees Clark kissing her friend Chloe (who also is acting strangely) and Lana just loses it. In the end she finds out her friend had an illness but she knows Clark did not. She is still mad and asks Clark why he kissed Chloe. Clark tries to apologize and says its just one of those things he can't explain. Does Lana remember what she said two weeks ago? Does she just let it go because she realizes Clark always has her best interest at heart? OF COURSE NOT!
THE POINT OF THIS BLOG.
So when I pointed this out to Jenny the other day she summed it all very nicely, "So what?" Jenny pointed out to me that this is what girls do. She's right, and it is pointless to try and make any sense of it.
Well about two weeks ago there was this episode where Lana's old boyfriend ends up being killed. At the very end of the episode she finds Clark. She is crying. Clark tries to comfort her and she ends up telling her how all the important people in her life have left, her parents, her aunt, and now her ex-boyfriend. But Clark, wonderful Clark, has always been there despite the fact that she has accused him of things, she ALWAYS doubts him, and he keeps secrets (namely he's Superman) away from her. She doesn't care if he has secrets and just wants to make sure Clark is always in her life. So to me this should be some turning point where Lana finally stops all that crap and learns to just trust Clark.
Well this week Clark becomes "bad Clark" when exposed to Red Kryptonite. Lana sees Clark kissing her friend Chloe (who also is acting strangely) and Lana just loses it. In the end she finds out her friend had an illness but she knows Clark did not. She is still mad and asks Clark why he kissed Chloe. Clark tries to apologize and says its just one of those things he can't explain. Does Lana remember what she said two weeks ago? Does she just let it go because she realizes Clark always has her best interest at heart? OF COURSE NOT!
THE POINT OF THIS BLOG.
So when I pointed this out to Jenny the other day she summed it all very nicely, "So what?" Jenny pointed out to me that this is what girls do. She's right, and it is pointless to try and make any sense of it.
Pets and Moving
Monday, January 27, 2003
So I moved this weekend. It was very tiring. Basically Sergio and I moved all my furniture with Sandy helping out as best she could (she has a bum knee) and Jenny also "helping". Jenny's definition of helping is showing up 2 minutes before we were done, both loading and unloading the truck, and then moving a box or two. But she did a really good job moving those 2 boxes.
After moving all my crap into the new place I couldn't really rest because I had people over for the Superbowl. So I spent all day Saturday and Sunday cleaning and organizing my new place. By the time the Superbowl started I was wiped out. I fell asleep in the 3rd quarter. I didn't really miss anything, except for maybe a couple of ads. However, much like the game, I thought most of the adds were disappointing.
Bandit did not handle the move all that well. Friday night I took him to the apartment so he could preview the place before the big move. I went out to eat dinner with a few friends of mine from work, only to get a call from Sandy telling me she couldn't find him anywhere in the apartment. So rushing back like the crazed parent that I am, I went hunting for Bandit all over the place. I was especially worried because he doesn't know the area and I'm right next to a major street. Well after about 20 minutes of frantic searching, both outside in the bushes and underneath the house in the cellar, I finally found the little bugger hiding underneath the fridge. Not behind, underneath. I didn't even know there was a hole there. For most of the day Saturday and Sunday, he would just hide under things. He even went so far as hiding in his cage, which he hates. It was perhaps the saddest thing I have ever seen. I think he is still trying get used to the whole idea and moving and I think he thinks eventually we are going back to the old home.
After moving all my crap into the new place I couldn't really rest because I had people over for the Superbowl. So I spent all day Saturday and Sunday cleaning and organizing my new place. By the time the Superbowl started I was wiped out. I fell asleep in the 3rd quarter. I didn't really miss anything, except for maybe a couple of ads. However, much like the game, I thought most of the adds were disappointing.
Bandit did not handle the move all that well. Friday night I took him to the apartment so he could preview the place before the big move. I went out to eat dinner with a few friends of mine from work, only to get a call from Sandy telling me she couldn't find him anywhere in the apartment. So rushing back like the crazed parent that I am, I went hunting for Bandit all over the place. I was especially worried because he doesn't know the area and I'm right next to a major street. Well after about 20 minutes of frantic searching, both outside in the bushes and underneath the house in the cellar, I finally found the little bugger hiding underneath the fridge. Not behind, underneath. I didn't even know there was a hole there. For most of the day Saturday and Sunday, he would just hide under things. He even went so far as hiding in his cage, which he hates. It was perhaps the saddest thing I have ever seen. I think he is still trying get used to the whole idea and moving and I think he thinks eventually we are going back to the old home.
Customer Service
Friday, January 24, 2003
I finally got my new lens from B&H photo. They didn't give me any problem with returning my own lens and I recieved my new one in a somewhat timely manner. I've bought other things from them in the past and been very satisfied with their prices and service before. I would definately reccommend them to anyone looking for photo equipment.
Speaking of customer service I've realized how important this has become to me. When I was younger, I didn't really care about customer service. As long as the store had the best price I would probably just go there. However I'll now pretty much refuse to shop anywhere where I've had a really bad customer service experience. I guess now my time is worth a lot more to me so spending 30 minutes arguing with someone over something just isn't worth my time. I think that's why I bought my car on Cars Direct . I really just hate being bothered. Sales people can just be annoying.
A few weeks ago Jenny and I went into Sears to look at Fridges. I was thinking I was going to have to buy one if I moved to the place that I was considering. All I wanted to do was look at the models and figure out my price range. I was not going to buy that day. Well a salesman came up to me and asked, "Can I help you?". I of course replied, "No, I'm just looking." Now isn't this the universal sign for, "Just leave me alone, I'm not buying"? Well sure enough, the creepy little sales guy continues to follow me around the store like we are going to try and steal something (he was right, I was planning to shove that Maytag Fridge right into my pants). To make matters worse he bothered me again by asking, "So, what price range are you looking for?" I told him I wasn't sure and then just left the store. On the grand scheme of things I know that this is pretty trivial stuff but then again .... so is this blog.
Speaking of customer service I've realized how important this has become to me. When I was younger, I didn't really care about customer service. As long as the store had the best price I would probably just go there. However I'll now pretty much refuse to shop anywhere where I've had a really bad customer service experience. I guess now my time is worth a lot more to me so spending 30 minutes arguing with someone over something just isn't worth my time. I think that's why I bought my car on Cars Direct . I really just hate being bothered. Sales people can just be annoying.
A few weeks ago Jenny and I went into Sears to look at Fridges. I was thinking I was going to have to buy one if I moved to the place that I was considering. All I wanted to do was look at the models and figure out my price range. I was not going to buy that day. Well a salesman came up to me and asked, "Can I help you?". I of course replied, "No, I'm just looking." Now isn't this the universal sign for, "Just leave me alone, I'm not buying"? Well sure enough, the creepy little sales guy continues to follow me around the store like we are going to try and steal something (he was right, I was planning to shove that Maytag Fridge right into my pants). To make matters worse he bothered me again by asking, "So, what price range are you looking for?" I told him I wasn't sure and then just left the store. On the grand scheme of things I know that this is pretty trivial stuff but then again .... so is this blog.
Eliminate the Dollar Bill
Wednesday, January 22, 2003
So It's my feeling that they should get rid of the $1 bill. And while they are at it they should get rid of the penny.
All this started with a conversation I had with Jenny and Sergio over the Sacagawea $1 coin. I think they should eliminate the dollar bill and move to strictly the Sacagawea or its equivalent. Why? According to the Federal Reserve a $1 bill last only 18months. This compared to a coin which can last in excess of over 25 years. Further I'm sick of my dollars not working in vending machines. As far as I know, a coin is never not straight enough to be accepted in a vending machine.
I think the ultimate reason that we should switch though is because Jenny has pledged to leave the country if we switch because her pockets would be so heavily weighed down. Is she serious? I mean, do you see the British with big, full, heavy pockets. Their bills don't even start until you get to 5 pound notes (About $8 U.S.). Canadian currency also does not start until their $5 denomination. You don't see Canadians with lugging around bags of coins hey?
As for the penny? Its a complete waste of materials and money. You can't buy anything anymore for less than a nickel so why should you mint a penny. Over 14 billion pennies are minted every year. This is over 1/2 the coins produced every year. That's over 30,000 metric tons of material. How much does it cost to produce this pile of waste, over $100 million. And for what? So people can collect truckloads of pennies? So we can all throw pennies into a well and make a wish? I've made plenty of wishes in my day, not too many of which have come true. I guess with the rate of inflation, even a wish cost more than a penny these days.
We live in such a static culture sometimes. People hold on to things like their dollar bills, the penny, old High school buildings, and refuse to enter the new world (like the Metric system, but don't even get me started on that).
All this started with a conversation I had with Jenny and Sergio over the Sacagawea $1 coin. I think they should eliminate the dollar bill and move to strictly the Sacagawea or its equivalent. Why? According to the Federal Reserve a $1 bill last only 18months. This compared to a coin which can last in excess of over 25 years. Further I'm sick of my dollars not working in vending machines. As far as I know, a coin is never not straight enough to be accepted in a vending machine.
I think the ultimate reason that we should switch though is because Jenny has pledged to leave the country if we switch because her pockets would be so heavily weighed down. Is she serious? I mean, do you see the British with big, full, heavy pockets. Their bills don't even start until you get to 5 pound notes (About $8 U.S.). Canadian currency also does not start until their $5 denomination. You don't see Canadians with lugging around bags of coins hey?
As for the penny? Its a complete waste of materials and money. You can't buy anything anymore for less than a nickel so why should you mint a penny. Over 14 billion pennies are minted every year. This is over 1/2 the coins produced every year. That's over 30,000 metric tons of material. How much does it cost to produce this pile of waste, over $100 million. And for what? So people can collect truckloads of pennies? So we can all throw pennies into a well and make a wish? I've made plenty of wishes in my day, not too many of which have come true. I guess with the rate of inflation, even a wish cost more than a penny these days.
We live in such a static culture sometimes. People hold on to things like their dollar bills, the penny, old High school buildings, and refuse to enter the new world (like the Metric system, but don't even get me started on that).
Aureal Vortex and Linux
Wednesday, January 15, 2003
What I'm about to write is going to reveal me as a big nerd. However since most of you who know me well have seen through my cool exterior and unbelievably good looks I think I'll do it anyway.
As my last blog yesterday stated I have switched almost completely to Linux computers. This was not without much pain on my part though. For about the last week I've been trying to get Linux installed on my home PC correctly. So I installed Redhat 8.0 on that machine and everything was OK except one thing ... there was no friggin sound! I have a piece of crap Aureal Vortex 2. Aureal has gone out of business so there is no driver available from them. Fortunately there was a driver available at SourceForge. However it wouldn't compile. Even though I'm a fair programmer I didn't really feel like going into the source code and trying to figure it all out so I gave up on Redhat 8.0 to see if I would have more luck with Mandrake. This was fortunate anyway because I prefer KDE over Gnome (For all you non-geeks just ignore me).
So Mandrake installed and guess what ... still no sound! However during the install it did tell me exactly where I could download a driver, at SourceForge. So I downloaded it again and tried to compile. Same stupid error messages. Well after some digging I discovered that the source code relies on the fact that you have the kernel source code installed. Of course I didn't read that anywhere in the documentation (not that I ever read documentation). So I finally got sound installed and everything worked! But after all that work I wiped it out because Mandrake still has some bugs in it or something. Every time I set something in the control panel sooner or later it just gets reset without me changing anything. I got so frustrated I decided to go back to redhat. This time, since I made sure to install the Kernel source code everything went smoother ... except Redhat doesn't ship with Xine, which is the best video player ever (kicks the crap out of Windows Media Player). So I had to download that as well. Of course that was a chore in itself and it is still full of bugs... But I won't get into that since i've already lost about half my audience.
As my last blog yesterday stated I have switched almost completely to Linux computers. This was not without much pain on my part though. For about the last week I've been trying to get Linux installed on my home PC correctly. So I installed Redhat 8.0 on that machine and everything was OK except one thing ... there was no friggin sound! I have a piece of crap Aureal Vortex 2. Aureal has gone out of business so there is no driver available from them. Fortunately there was a driver available at SourceForge. However it wouldn't compile. Even though I'm a fair programmer I didn't really feel like going into the source code and trying to figure it all out so I gave up on Redhat 8.0 to see if I would have more luck with Mandrake. This was fortunate anyway because I prefer KDE over Gnome (For all you non-geeks just ignore me).
So Mandrake installed and guess what ... still no sound! However during the install it did tell me exactly where I could download a driver, at SourceForge. So I downloaded it again and tried to compile. Same stupid error messages. Well after some digging I discovered that the source code relies on the fact that you have the kernel source code installed. Of course I didn't read that anywhere in the documentation (not that I ever read documentation). So I finally got sound installed and everything worked! But after all that work I wiped it out because Mandrake still has some bugs in it or something. Every time I set something in the control panel sooner or later it just gets reset without me changing anything. I got so frustrated I decided to go back to redhat. This time, since I made sure to install the Kernel source code everything went smoother ... except Redhat doesn't ship with Xine, which is the best video player ever (kicks the crap out of Windows Media Player). So I had to download that as well. Of course that was a chore in itself and it is still full of bugs... But I won't get into that since i've already lost about half my audience.
I Hate the Post Office
Friday, January 10, 2003
My blogs have turned into my ranting page but please bear with me ....
I hate the post office. Actually I don' t hate the post office as much as I do the customers that go into the post office. I went to the Monrovia post office to mail a package. Now the Monrovia post office isn't as bad as the Princeton one but it runs a close second. Every time I go there it takes me about 10-15 minutes to get out. I just can't stand people who go unprepared. They don't have their item packaged, they haven't written down the address, they need to find the address, they haven't decided in the 10 minutes before they got to the counter if they need $100 or $110 in insurance or if they really need that return receipt. How hard is it to do before you get to the counter? I think the maximum amount of time I've been at the counter is about 1.5 minutes. I ask for postage, I give my package, I'm out of the door. Its very easy.
This is not only a problem I find at the post office, it just seems much more rampant there. Other offenders are people who write check and don't fill in any information before their turn or worse don't have their ID ready to go. People who don't make up their mind at fast food restaurants while in line. People willing to wait 5 minutes on a price check to save $0.10 (I can understand if its a few dollars but $0.10?). People who insist on organizing their wallets & pockets after they paid while still in front of the register even though there are 10 people behind them thus preventing the line from moving. However the prize I think goes to people who insist on having conversations with the register person about things that have absolutely nothing to do with their purchase for at least 3 minutes after they have paid. This happened at the post office today. They were on #20. The last ticket out was probably about #40 so there were 20 people waiting in line. The guy right in front of me had about a 5 minute conversation with the lady about different wines even though all he did was mail a single envelope. So 20 people had to miss their lunches so this guy could expound on the wonders of the '93 Bordeaux or something equally inane.
I hate the post office. Actually I don' t hate the post office as much as I do the customers that go into the post office. I went to the Monrovia post office to mail a package. Now the Monrovia post office isn't as bad as the Princeton one but it runs a close second. Every time I go there it takes me about 10-15 minutes to get out. I just can't stand people who go unprepared. They don't have their item packaged, they haven't written down the address, they need to find the address, they haven't decided in the 10 minutes before they got to the counter if they need $100 or $110 in insurance or if they really need that return receipt. How hard is it to do before you get to the counter? I think the maximum amount of time I've been at the counter is about 1.5 minutes. I ask for postage, I give my package, I'm out of the door. Its very easy.
This is not only a problem I find at the post office, it just seems much more rampant there. Other offenders are people who write check and don't fill in any information before their turn or worse don't have their ID ready to go. People who don't make up their mind at fast food restaurants while in line. People willing to wait 5 minutes on a price check to save $0.10 (I can understand if its a few dollars but $0.10?). People who insist on organizing their wallets & pockets after they paid while still in front of the register even though there are 10 people behind them thus preventing the line from moving. However the prize I think goes to people who insist on having conversations with the register person about things that have absolutely nothing to do with their purchase for at least 3 minutes after they have paid. This happened at the post office today. They were on #20. The last ticket out was probably about #40 so there were 20 people waiting in line. The guy right in front of me had about a 5 minute conversation with the lady about different wines even though all he did was mail a single envelope. So 20 people had to miss their lunches so this guy could expound on the wonders of the '93 Bordeaux or something equally inane.
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