Wow! This blog has really helped me feel a lot better. I find I yammer less to friends about grievances and I feel confident that I have a place to go when I am bugged.
That said, I would like to put out there that bicyclists need to ride closer to the curb if they value their lives.
I was just in San Francisco and picked up a newspaper. There was a terrible story in it about a policeman (of all people) that fell asleep at the wheel and drove into some racing cyclists, killing two of them. The article went on to say that even though there were fewer accidents involving cyclists, more riders were being killed on the road. I think I know why.
When I returned to LA, I was driving along a one lane road and every one of the cyclists on it was pushing the limits of the bike lane. It seems to me that too many bicyclists feel they have the right of way on the road and ride almost, but not quite, in the lane with automobiles. Do they not know how dangerous that is? Even if they fall because they hit a stone in the road wrong, they go down HARD! Why tempt fate? There are plenty of opportunities to get hurt while trying to be safe: drunk drivers, speeding motorists, a squirrel on the other side of the road (driver doesn’t see bicycle), earthquakes… you get the idea. At least ride in the middle of the bike lane – not on the line next to car traffic! Even if a car doesn't hit the bike, those close calls could be the reason a cyclist goes off the road or into an immovable object. Just move over! Are you crazy? Jeez! Don’t make me kill you.
16 March 2008
20 February 2008
Honk Honk
I love it when someone honks their horn at me, you know… the tiny little toot that says “hello”, or the one that says “schools out for summer!” or even the one that you hear in tunnels; those really make me grin.
But the horns I hate are the one that say: “Get out of my way!” It doesn’t matter whether they are honking at me or someone else - it still jangles my nerves, and for a few seconds I actually think I have done something dangerously wrong. I have reviewed the matter and find that not once has the hate-horn done any good - in fact it han't even been warranted. It only makes things worse and can actually be the cause of an accident plus the bad feelings last for at least 20 minutes, setting a sour tone for the day.
Yes, friends have honked from outside, and that’s rude. It bothers everyone who hears it, there is no emergency; and besides, nobody can tell exactly where it’s coming from except that it’s near your place and they go through the jangled nerves state, too. They like it as much as I do – not much. This spreads a feeling of ill will through the neighborhood and spreads the news that you hang out with scum.
Lately, it appears to be luxury cars that honk the most. I guess those cars were so expensive the owner opted to buy a horn INSTEAD of breaks.
More than once I have been driving (well) and had a pickup truck, or some other macho vehicle come up from behind, and actually honk to make me go faster. I look at the speedometer – I’m already speeding! This is someone telling me they so don’t care about me or my wellbeing and that if I were to slow down, they may next try to drive me off the road. (Where’s a cop when you need one?) Some people say “They must be in a hurry”. Yeah… to DIE! ‘Cuz you know if they are that rude to strangers, they are probably super rude to those close to them. Trust me, those others hate that honker, too. I’ll bet those are the guys that wake up one morning without their dicks.
But the horns I hate are the one that say: “Get out of my way!” It doesn’t matter whether they are honking at me or someone else - it still jangles my nerves, and for a few seconds I actually think I have done something dangerously wrong. I have reviewed the matter and find that not once has the hate-horn done any good - in fact it han't even been warranted. It only makes things worse and can actually be the cause of an accident plus the bad feelings last for at least 20 minutes, setting a sour tone for the day.
Yes, friends have honked from outside, and that’s rude. It bothers everyone who hears it, there is no emergency; and besides, nobody can tell exactly where it’s coming from except that it’s near your place and they go through the jangled nerves state, too. They like it as much as I do – not much. This spreads a feeling of ill will through the neighborhood and spreads the news that you hang out with scum.
Lately, it appears to be luxury cars that honk the most. I guess those cars were so expensive the owner opted to buy a horn INSTEAD of breaks.
More than once I have been driving (well) and had a pickup truck, or some other macho vehicle come up from behind, and actually honk to make me go faster. I look at the speedometer – I’m already speeding! This is someone telling me they so don’t care about me or my wellbeing and that if I were to slow down, they may next try to drive me off the road. (Where’s a cop when you need one?) Some people say “They must be in a hurry”. Yeah… to DIE! ‘Cuz you know if they are that rude to strangers, they are probably super rude to those close to them. Trust me, those others hate that honker, too. I’ll bet those are the guys that wake up one morning without their dicks.
Computer attacks
Viruses, pop-up, phishing, etc: I can understand why a company or individual would try to get you to buy their product (in order to make money) so they use a pop-up ad. Even though they can be annoying, they only bug me if there are lots of them. Once in a while I’m actually interested. But what about the jerks that designs an invisible line of code that brings your computer to its knees? What good does that do anybody? The guy or gal who did it, doesn’t know me or the thousands of others that were affected.
Yeah, I’ve thought that maybe they are working for virus scan companies…you know, creating customers. I guess that explains why those people might do that but it still bugs me – a lot!
It just so happens that computers can ‘create’ their own ‘viruses’ simply by operating. Bits of code get cut off by electrical surges, gamma rays, multiple alterations like loading and unloading or sharing code… stuff like that. These bits slow computers down and sometimes cause them to stop working properly. Virus scans and reloading operating systems can fix most of those problems. The more computers that are being used, the more we will need those programs and techies to help us get back online – like doctors do for our bodies.
But what about those evil code writers? What do they want? Is one of their buddies watching and waiting for my computer to malfunction then give the evildoer some kudos? Is the turkey that is waiting for that kudo so desperate for it that he / she would be willing to hurt strangers businesses or cut communications off from a paraplegic? We have gotten to a place where computers are truly important to our way of life. If we have to give them up because our bank account was empties and our weekend work project due on Monday was wiped clean then our modern world will crumble. How’s that good for that one troublemaker?
If I can’t use my computer, neither can he /she. Explain to me how that is a good thing.
Yeah, I’ve thought that maybe they are working for virus scan companies…you know, creating customers. I guess that explains why those people might do that but it still bugs me – a lot!
It just so happens that computers can ‘create’ their own ‘viruses’ simply by operating. Bits of code get cut off by electrical surges, gamma rays, multiple alterations like loading and unloading or sharing code… stuff like that. These bits slow computers down and sometimes cause them to stop working properly. Virus scans and reloading operating systems can fix most of those problems. The more computers that are being used, the more we will need those programs and techies to help us get back online – like doctors do for our bodies.
But what about those evil code writers? What do they want? Is one of their buddies watching and waiting for my computer to malfunction then give the evildoer some kudos? Is the turkey that is waiting for that kudo so desperate for it that he / she would be willing to hurt strangers businesses or cut communications off from a paraplegic? We have gotten to a place where computers are truly important to our way of life. If we have to give them up because our bank account was empties and our weekend work project due on Monday was wiped clean then our modern world will crumble. How’s that good for that one troublemaker?
If I can’t use my computer, neither can he /she. Explain to me how that is a good thing.
Do Not Call Registry
What part of “Do Not Call” is so hard to understand?
I was bugged by the plethora of unsolicited calls I was getting, so I signed up to be on the “Do Not Call List”. Do I get golden silence? Do I receive calls only from friends and family? You guessed it – NO!
In fact, I swear I get more. What’s worse is they are mechanized. There is no one to talk to so I can tell them I am on the ‘list’ and not to call anymore.
The Do Not Call Registry mandates that if someone does call, you must report their phone number. These calls are from companies that block their number so you cannot see it nor can your caller ID see it. So what good is the list? Supposedly, they will back you if you can get the number. I have a friend that finally signed up to get their rugs cleaned just to get the number from the guy that came to the house to do the work.
What did Do Not Call do? Nothing. If you wanted them to act, you must take the company that is in the wrong – to court!
That crap really bugs me!
I was bugged by the plethora of unsolicited calls I was getting, so I signed up to be on the “Do Not Call List”. Do I get golden silence? Do I receive calls only from friends and family? You guessed it – NO!
In fact, I swear I get more. What’s worse is they are mechanized. There is no one to talk to so I can tell them I am on the ‘list’ and not to call anymore.
The Do Not Call Registry mandates that if someone does call, you must report their phone number. These calls are from companies that block their number so you cannot see it nor can your caller ID see it. So what good is the list? Supposedly, they will back you if you can get the number. I have a friend that finally signed up to get their rugs cleaned just to get the number from the guy that came to the house to do the work.
What did Do Not Call do? Nothing. If you wanted them to act, you must take the company that is in the wrong – to court!
That crap really bugs me!
19 February 2008
Wastefulness
Junk Ads in Newspapers: Newspapers are hard enough to read cover to cover so you know you’re going to have unread newsprint left over. You also know you’re gonna have read newsprint left over, so, you pile it up for recycling. So far, so good.
But what about the ‘junk’ ads? You know, the classified and the multiple pages of apples, meat or diapers for $2.00? The tennis shoes that you couldn’t possibly buy every week are advertised every week. How about advertising them every other week and save on everything. We know you’re there, shoe store.
Wouldn’t it be nice to get the ads separately (or not at all)? Let’s say, you’re looking for a job or a used car and you want to look at the classifieds while you have a coffee. There’s the news and over there are the classifieds. You could get just what you wanted instead of filling the trashcan with the rest of the paper because you just wanted the car ads?
Frankly, if I could do that, I would buy the classifieds more often than I look at them when they come with my Sunday Times. See, having them forced on me just makes me mad because it makes me feel guilty because it’s wasted natural resources and all I wanted was the news. It makes me feel guilty because I didn’t even try to read through them – kinda like when your mom puts food on your plate that you don’t want and you leave it and then the grown ups say there are starving kids in the world. I hate that ploy. Why can’t I just buy the part I want? It would save resources and create less garbage and less recycling for my garbage men to haul. The department of the newspaper that created the classifieds could get paid for their portion rather than mooching off the mother lode of the daily newspaper and maybe it would be even become a better product because it would was loved – you know, it would be there because people really wanted it.
Besides, why do the stores in our neighborhoods feel they have to get their ads to us in the paper, anyway? They have the same papers at their front door. Are they really so desperate for us to pay them less for some eggs? Just reduce the price of the freaking eggs. Jeeez.
But what about the ‘junk’ ads? You know, the classified and the multiple pages of apples, meat or diapers for $2.00? The tennis shoes that you couldn’t possibly buy every week are advertised every week. How about advertising them every other week and save on everything. We know you’re there, shoe store.
Wouldn’t it be nice to get the ads separately (or not at all)? Let’s say, you’re looking for a job or a used car and you want to look at the classifieds while you have a coffee. There’s the news and over there are the classifieds. You could get just what you wanted instead of filling the trashcan with the rest of the paper because you just wanted the car ads?
Frankly, if I could do that, I would buy the classifieds more often than I look at them when they come with my Sunday Times. See, having them forced on me just makes me mad because it makes me feel guilty because it’s wasted natural resources and all I wanted was the news. It makes me feel guilty because I didn’t even try to read through them – kinda like when your mom puts food on your plate that you don’t want and you leave it and then the grown ups say there are starving kids in the world. I hate that ploy. Why can’t I just buy the part I want? It would save resources and create less garbage and less recycling for my garbage men to haul. The department of the newspaper that created the classifieds could get paid for their portion rather than mooching off the mother lode of the daily newspaper and maybe it would be even become a better product because it would was loved – you know, it would be there because people really wanted it.
Besides, why do the stores in our neighborhoods feel they have to get their ads to us in the paper, anyway? They have the same papers at their front door. Are they really so desperate for us to pay them less for some eggs? Just reduce the price of the freaking eggs. Jeeez.
Phones
Spam Callers & the Phone Company: You tell Ma Bell you want to know who is calling so you can decide if you want to answer your phone or not. They give you Caller ID, but you have to pay extra for it.
Then what do they do? They give phone spammers a way around that. Announcments of “Out of area”, “Unavailable” and “Private caller” are among my most hated.
The thing that really bugs me is it’s always some recording that wants you to agree to have your rugs cleaned. I have hardwood floors. And they call an average of 7 times a night! What's with that?
If the call is from out of the area then they are calling long distance. This means they are using a phone and they have a number. Caller ID can announce that number just like any other – so announce it already! Then, at least, I would have the number to call back in case I suddenly realized 'Oh, shit! - I have a rug in the bathroom!'
If I am not going to answer my phone because the Spammers are announced as "Out of area" or "Unavailable" because I know they are not family of friends, then what was the purpose of getting a 'nothing' name? And why should I pay for a service that is letting through the very assholes I didn’t want to answer in the first place? I don't know which one pisses me off more - the spammers or the phone company. Argh!
Then what do they do? They give phone spammers a way around that. Announcments of “Out of area”, “Unavailable” and “Private caller” are among my most hated.
The thing that really bugs me is it’s always some recording that wants you to agree to have your rugs cleaned. I have hardwood floors. And they call an average of 7 times a night! What's with that?
If the call is from out of the area then they are calling long distance. This means they are using a phone and they have a number. Caller ID can announce that number just like any other – so announce it already! Then, at least, I would have the number to call back in case I suddenly realized 'Oh, shit! - I have a rug in the bathroom!'
If I am not going to answer my phone because the Spammers are announced as "Out of area" or "Unavailable" because I know they are not family of friends, then what was the purpose of getting a 'nothing' name? And why should I pay for a service that is letting through the very assholes I didn’t want to answer in the first place? I don't know which one pisses me off more - the spammers or the phone company. Argh!
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