-thoughts and ideas

Tuesday, December 2, 2008

...being a student

Papers due, finals coming, I'm still a junior-college aficionado. I think the hardest part of "going back to school" is the reminder of the first failure. Though it seems that if enough time passes you're more apt to think positively about it. A few of the non-trad students I talk to are in their 40s or even later. They all too happy about being in school again, buying books, attending lectures, campus life, blah, blah, blah.

Tuesday, September 30, 2008

mobility required

Ever since I first saw "packed file corrupt" on my Dad's 386 MS-DOS machine (used for his business) I've had a strange relationship with computers and software. And now, some 20 years later, it feels like that continues to resonate with my struggle with these (this?) technological time burglars: broken monitors, sketchy disc burners, failing hard-disks, "out of memory", and numerous minutes spent "...loading"


Oh to be a Luddite.

Monday, September 22, 2008

blurb about Bank of America ATM deposits

You don't even need an envelop to deposit into a Bank of America ATM. I just used this today and it was simple as possible. You login, feed your check into the deposit slot, the machine grabs it, scans it, asks you to verify the amount (it reads the check. Hit a button or two, get a receipt with a scan of your deposits on it, and your gone. I'm probably never going into the bank again for any normal teller services. (They used to be frequently out of envelopes) Nice innovation. I don't know who came up with that, but thanks.

Tuesday, September 16, 2008

money and mouths

With all the recent blibbing and blabbing on financial news media I find something interesting: How far can you really stand behind what you say? You could think of it like a derivative from calculus, using "why" as the differentiator. From that analogy I suppose the integral would be the thoughts you say. I mean I'm always hearing about how "this will do that, and if this then the end of the world." Much of the time it's to one extreme or another. When I argue with someone (as I often do) I find myself answering why after why after why question until it ends up that I don't know after a while. A lot of the time when I give the why I'll get some damn illogical reference to some fringe "study" or "evidence". Frustrating, but I guess that's why successful people are those who can cut through bullshit like that. But even successful people don't know everything...

Monday, September 8, 2008

Socialism for the Rich

Though it may actually be a good thing, it should still be noted that the nationalisation of Fannie and Freddie means all the higher-ups of those companies are going to get off with all the money they line out to themselves via salaries and bonuses and now handing the bill to the Fed. Nice...whatever.

This country has two economic platforms: Capitalism & Corruption (read: socialism for the rich) Bailouts at the top of society and the bottom. Though I'm sure the bottom still sucks. Female, poor, and need sympathy...just get pregnant; need some paid time off...just get fired and go get your check; old and out of shape?...ah whatever...

Sunday, September 7, 2008

Work: Something you do?

Wah? Work is, of course and by very definition, something you do. However, for me and may others it's also, maybe even more so given my low-ass-class stature, a place you go...go everyday...5,6,12 or more days a week. (trust me, there are no 7 day work weeks. There's just 6, then it's at least a 12 day week.) Though I'm not inclined to work in their industry, Best Buy has implemented a plan to help some of it's employees remember that work is only worth it if you get things done. Their plan is called ROWE, Results-Only Work Environment, and is being used by about 3,000 workers at the company’s main offices in Richfield, Minn. It was tested at two divisions of Best Buy in 2003 and then spread to other units. There's no work schedules, but you'd better get things done.

Individual team managers have developed goals for each worker that are intended to serve as the sole basis for deciding whether that employee is delivering the necessary results. About 80% of Best Buy’s headquarters staff have switched to ROWE.
ROWE’s developers say a main goal is to get managers to abandon the widespread but misguided notion that “Time + Physical Presence = Results.”

I don't know, I bet there's heavy politics involved. Though, absolutely right on the concept.

Thursday, September 4, 2008

What does a VP do???

CNBC clip via YouTube: Sara Palin Qualified?
What the hell was that? The clip is from a Larry Kudlow interview with republican VP nominee Sara Palin. She can't sound much dumber, can she? "It's a pretty cool job, too." -just dumb...hell ass dumb! Listen to how Kudlow has to hold-back (amid a couple cracks) his laughter. It doesn't get much better than that. LOL.

Wednesday, September 3, 2008

Millionaires under 30

I just watched a small segment on CNBC about some of the top investors are under 30. I'm 29 and have for about 10 years been an on/off trader and market enthusiast. It just makes me wonder about ambition. Which is the main factor of those under 30 (or even 40) that allows them to be successful. It really boils down to that...along with some organizational skill. Organized ambition is what built the country, discovered the "new world", built the atom-bomb. There's a quote that often seems to embroil me rather than encourage, but "you've got the same number of hours in your day as Newton, Einstein, Dylan, Da Vinci, Magellan, Franklin, Washington, even Bush." Okay, that's not exactly the quote, but it's something like that. Anyway, use the hours.

Tuesday, September 2, 2008

Text books suck

It happened again. So many times over the course of my college endeavors in taking classes I will see one book listed in the Syllabus and another, though similar, book in the bookstore. I know, I know go to Amazon and get the book listed in the silly-bus, but I was on the short-squeeze this time, having taken a week off already and really just need the material for next class period, which would be tomorrow. Anyway the book I bought from the bookstore was 15 bucks more than listed, due to some fees and tax. Can't they just be on the same page instead of trying to screw with someone just that one inch further?

Political culture

I caught a few glimpses of the DNC and will have to watch the RNC now. After taking a compulsory class in US Constitution I've wanted to become more politically involved. Not just aware of issues and people, but actually put effort in understanding how that mess-o-machine works. Seems like it's too important to let slip by. Look what happened when not enough people cared in 2000, and then similar shit in 2004. There's a lot going on in the world, and we're in the world. If you're not paying enough attention and trying to understand things for yourself, then the world's not going to just "pass you on by", but it'll most likely just find a new way to fuck with you.

Return from the North Country

Well I'm back in Tallahassee after spending a couple weeks on my family's grain farm in Minnesota. I'm also back in school to complete a BS in engineering at FSU, though I'm currently taking the back-roads in. Minnesota is beautiful in the Summer. Cold and bitter in the Winters though. I'd like to thank all the staff at TJ's Tavern, in Oklee, for the great hospitality during the open mic sessions (every Wed. night). Excellent pizza as well.

The flight up was a standard nwa flight for me. I've never had any complaints with any of the nwa staff or procedures. I flew into Minneapolis/St. Paul int'l airport and hitched a ride with my brother 300 miles N by NW to the farm. My return trip didn't go quite as smoothly. Since my brother would be heading South before me I bought a ticket on Jefferson Lines (pretty much the only bus service in that area). I bought it a week in advance on the internet. I paid for a full one-way fare from McIntosh, MN to Minneapolis, MN, about $60. Anyway, I get a ride to McIntosh (about 15 miles from the farm) and find there's no designated bus-stop area. We went into the only gas station (located next to the major highway that is the bus-line) and asked if the bus stops here. We were told that it usually did. So we waited, thankfully my ride waited with me, be cause we found out that the bus was running an hour and 15 mins late. Turns out the damn thing starts out in Winnipeg, CANADA! And we were told, "sometimes gets hung up at the border," what the hell? Anyway, so the 1:15 turned into about 1:40 and as I saw it barreling down the highway approaching the gas station, I ran outside to make sure he could see me. That damn bus never slowed down! We jumped into the car to try and catch it in the next town and found it didn't even stop there. I can't understand that, I bought the ticket in advance, he should've known there was a stop in McIntosh. Then when I called their customer service line I was informed that since it was Sat. and Mon. was a holiday, they couldn't help me until Tues. Okay, I called the main-office in Minneapolis and got nothing but a recorded message telling me to write a letter to them if I had any trouble! Oh they'll get a letter.

Anyway, is that the best we can do, shit, is that WHAT we're doing? Isn't it 2008?!? We should be transported anywhere in the US by some sort of Jetson-mobile by now. What the hell is wrong with this place?

Monday, July 14, 2008

blogs suck

i just realized that blogs suck...well this one does anyway. Seems like there is plenty to write about, I just don't take the time. Or it actually could be that transplanting to the south really has taken its toll on me and now "I's be hell-as-dumb! Yee-haw!"

Monday, May 26, 2008

More Ideas on New leaves and turning them.

It's probably a noble idea to want to make a change for the better. Or even to just make a change at all. The more and more I think about trying to change things I don't like about my life or situation, it seems it becomes that much harder to do. The more I focus on what I think a problem might be, it seems that I've got less time to do anything about it! --Especially when it is in regard to new activity. The amount of time doesn't change of course, but my interpretation of it does.

Tuesday, May 20, 2008

Does it Pay?

Well, I'm back to my regular job and my daily routine. I don't like my job that much. It really seems to rob me of so much time. But rejection letter after rejection letter has gotten on to be kind of depressing at this point. I've even gotten to where I don't even look at the job listings regularly. (It used to be a daily occurrence.) I suppose I could get a less "hourly-demanding" job, but here's another stinker --I need the damn money and without too much paper behind me (i.e. a Bachelor's D.) I feel I should hang on to the current carrot-on-a-stick that's already been hanging out in front of my face for the last year. I'm heading back to school, most likely for engineering. Still not entirely sure. Florida is making it a bit of a bugger to get back into school too. How much is a person's time worth...

For bums, you know, there time is worth the most. They don't have to work at all.

Sunday, May 18, 2008

Recent travels and endeavors

I came back this weekend from a 3-week farming trip in NW Minnesota. Planted oats, wheat, and barley. Should be able to have soybeans in by the first of June. It's a great experience to breathe the air and drink the water from that part of the country. It just seems to be cleaner and easier to take in.

Tuesday, April 8, 2008

Just Haven't Cared

Well, it's been another month without a post. I regularly get backed up about a week on my blog-reading and commenting. And it all boils down to the fact that I'm just so tired and unmotivated. Barely enough so to just post this.

Sunday, March 9, 2008

Watch This!

Available to view online are certain programs from PBS. Nova is one of my favorite programs. Even as a kid I enjoyed this stuff immensely. It's just a suggestion, but perhaps you might be entertained (and possibly informed) by this stuff. Everything from 4 winged dinosaurs to Astro-spies and that's just from Feb '08. Anyway go here: www.pbs.org and then click the watch online. It should be sponsored by your local affiliate.

Tuesday, February 19, 2008

Blog More Often

Not completely an effort to put quantity before quality, but I haven't been very consistent in either. So, yeah.

Monday, February 18, 2008

Presidential Crapola

You know, I'm not too confident in the next elected leader of this country. Mainly for one reason only: This is still the country that voted in 8 years of BushCo. Bleh, I'm reeling still I know. But I've never mentioned it here.

Sunday, February 17, 2008

Tallahasse Beer

Ol' Tally Brew. I made my latest batch of wonderful, delicious beer using a slightly unorthodox main ingredient: Joe Anderson's Old Fashioned Cane Syrup. It made for an obviously sweeter tasting ale. Though a word of advice is still keep as many potential variables constant. I've had some mixed results with this batch and I believe it comes down to some inconsistencies during the bottling. I'm not going to get into meaningless details, because it all comes down to being as consistent as possible to be able to pinpoint actual problems to work out before the next go around.

A word

I found a word I don't like. At least, not used in the present tense. I suppose it is actually as good a word as any at describing the way something had been or had been perceived to be. I can't stand the word crisis. Damn fool-ass word really. What the hell does a word like crisis do for you in the present tense, other than make you out to be a "sky-is-falling" chicken-little-bastard. --"We're in a crisis."--How the hell do you know? Maybe there's going to be...but that's still a stretch...a hell of a stretch. We can generally surmise that "there had been a crisis", but I can't understand anything about crisis. Catastrophe? Ab-sol-utely. But crisis...f--- off

This thought came to me after looking at this article in the NY Times.

Saturday, February 16, 2008

Manchines

14 "challenges" were announced at the AAAS convention in Boston, Mass. Here they are:
Make solar energy affordable
Provide energy from fusion
Develop carbon sequestration
Manage the nitrogen cycle
Provide access to clean water
Reverse engineer the brain
Prevent nuclear terror
Secure cyberspace
Enhance virtual reality
Improve urban infrastructure
Advance health informatics
Engineer better medicines
Advance personalised learning
Explore natural frontiers

Ray Kurzweil says that humans and nanobots will merge, get this, by 2029. What a load of post-compost. Secure cyberspace??? What the hell is that? I thought we quit using that proto-computer networking-term in the late 90s. Explore natural frontiers??? When the hell haven't we? Prevent Nuclear Terror...I want to know who put that one on the list. You know it's got to be a solo act. Any way I learned of this from the BBC.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7248875.stm

Tuesday, January 29, 2008

Politics

I think we need, if not a new political system, more real (organized) political parties in this country. I don't know...just a shot from the hip.

Trying to Turn a New Leaf

It seems that during my existance, as far as I can recall, I've always been trying to rework myself. My persona, my mindset, outlook on life, and what not. As I reflect on my progress in any of those areas it seems on the contrary they have a very subtle ring of static to them. But now of course I feel like "this time" I really am turning a new page and it seems like it maybe in a new book. I'm not sure that even holds much logic, but whatever.

I'm starting to really become aware of my appearance and style of being...manners, maneurisms and the like. Don't get me wrong, I think ABC Family (and Disney, and Bushpublicans, and Robertson's & Falwell's Uni) sucks and is a drain on humanity leading to a sour mash of rotting human sewage, but it's apart of one's character and that in itself is apart of one's being.

So far I've started smoking a pipe; I drink gin and bourbon (no mixer); I build fires in my backyard; I built a doghouse; I take long epsom-salts baths; I read a lot more; still brewing beer; learning to fly an airplane; learning to code a decent website; re-learning French & German; learning Farsi & Chinese; drafting a business plan; revitalizing my musicianship and artistry; and trying to write more.

I'm not sure those first two on the list are really all that good for me, but they help to relax and are enjoyable on several levels for me at this time, or so it seems like that anyway.

Tuesday, January 22, 2008

Statistical Indicators

How far out do statistical indicators have to be before they become 100% worthless? An example would be:

The Index of Leading Economic Indicators fell 0.2% in Dec., the 3rd straight monthly drop. Year over year, the LEI sank 1.4%, the worst drop since the ’01 recession. Also, ECRI’s leading U.S. index rose for a 2nd week. The annualized growth rate edged off a 6-year low to -6.7%, but is still at recessionary levels.

-From the Jan 22nd IBD

Leading Economic Indicators? I gotta look into that.

Thursday, January 17, 2008

Cost vs. Value

What is the real cost of something? Then what is its value...its real value as it is to you? I've been watching the decline of the dollar and the ascent of gold. I think it was in 2001 gold was less than $300 per ounce. Now as of Monday it was $900 per ounce. I only think that the dollar weighs less mostly because that is what I'm told by newspapers and financial columns. Now that I'm looking to buy a house I'm really starting to grasp what the value of things really is. Will the house be worth more in a few years? Next year? How long do I want to live in the thing? Do I want to live there at all? Is it really worth parting with $100,000 or should I look for something much nicer, but one that'll put me close to broke on a monthly basis? I don't know, I've heard that renting may still be the right thing to do for a little while longer.

But still, how does the value of $1.05 for a coke compare to $105,000 for the house? Could I buy it using cokes? I might like to try that, but I think ringtones are a better currency for now.