Archive for the Rant! Category

  • Yahoo!ed by Flickr - July 8th, 2008

    • Tonight, we removed all of our images from Flickr. Why? Because of Flickr’s complete and utter lack of diligence with regards to their API programming, and it’s inability to work as advertised with regard to correctly filtering copyright protected images. It seems that images, even those flagged by the account holder as "copyright, all [...]

  • You Have Got to be Kidding! - May 11th, 2008

    • Postal rates go up again tomorrow. I understand that part of the issue is that the cost of fuel is through the roof. But, the PO is still complaining that e-mail has eroded their business and driven up their cost per letter. This comes from the same hypocrites that gave away CD ROMS for the [...]

  • Ludicrous - March 4th, 2008

    • Maryland is considering a law that would make it illegal to send text messages while driving. Is it me, or is it ludicrous that it isn’t already against the law?
    Frankly, just outlawing text messaging doesn’t go far enough. Every day, I see people reading books, using laptops — even eating bowls of cereal — all [...]

  • Some Thoughts on Street Numbers - January 27th, 2008

    • I heard on this morning’s news that, at least in Baltimore County, homes and businesses are going to be required to display the street number on the back of the building. The idea is to make it easier for emergency crews to find an address from the alleyway. I think this is a fantastic idea.
    But, [...]

  • Ways to Get Screwed - January 3rd, 2008

    • Way #1 — Live in Maryland
    Maryland has, for years, been known as “The Fee State.” Well, now it’s January 3, 2008, and Maryland’s new sales tax is in effect — 6% now, instead of 5%, as well as a doubled cigarette tax! At least the ciggie tax doesn’t affect me. And, fortunately, we bought the [...]

  • What a Crock - December 13th, 2007

    • Whatever respect I had left for Merriam-Webster and their little book of words has evaporated with the announcement of this years word of the year:
    w00t
    What?!? It’s not even a word! It’s got two zeros in there. Words are made up of letters, not numerals. GMAFB!
    At least the Oxford folks’ word of the year makes some [...]

  • Motoring Meltdown - November 11th, 2007

    • You may recall a couple of days ago, I rambled on about the logistics of trying to get a car worked on, and relayed my hatred on automobiles. Well today, the car got the last laugh.
    I had headed over to the Eastern Shore for the day to help a friend with an open house. On [...]

  • Where Have All the Leaders Gone? - September 18th, 2007

    • via e-mail
    This came across me e-mail some time back, and I’ve finally had time to read it. It’s pretty darned good, so, I’m copying it onto the site. If you want more, go get the book.
    By Lee Iacocca with Catherine Whitney
    Had Enough?
    Am I the only guy in this country who’s fed up with what’s happening? [...]

  • more social commentary - September 12th, 2007

    • more social commentary: with 15 quakes & almost 8000 dead in Indonesia over the past not-quite-three years, how is it that Britney’s recent performance rates ANY attention at ALL??? 
    p.s. no, i DIDN’t watch it, but i did watch in disbelief as a local a.m. ’news’caster spent three minutes decrying Spears’ reported lack of enthusiasm — as [...]

  • Why? - September 12th, 2007

    • I think this guy’s right (at least until the part about the reader caring about celebrities, because I don’t give a rat’s behind about celebs).
    Anyway, Read this article, and comment on why you think our media is so messed up, our priorities are wrong, whatever you think is the root of the problem.
    Post [...]

  • Can You Find Me On The Internet? Of Course You Can! - August 3rd, 2007

    • Donna sent me a link to this article on the Time/CNN web site a little while ago. Go read the article now, and then come back to the rest of this post.

    Well, lessee, “Spock” is not officially open for business yet — still in “invitation only beta,” which means they have to come to you [...]

  • DWD — Driving While Distracted - July 5th, 2007

    • USAToday.com is running a story today on legislation that lawmakers are trying to get passed to limit the electronic gadgets that drivers can play with while driving. This is all well and good, but, frankly, doesn’t address any real problem.
    Sure, drivers are distracted. I see it all the time. People yammer away on their [...]

  • What is it With Cables? - June 15th, 2007

    • I went over to that big box store that’s all blue with the yellow price-tag-shaped sign today, with the idea of buying a DVD Recorder. What I really want is something that will record either a true DV digital signal, or at least component. However, that’ll cost me a grand or more, and that’s just [...]

  • Drug Problem - May 17th, 2007

    • [via e-mail]
    The other day, someone at a store in our town read that a Methamphetamine lab had been found in an old farmhouse in the adjoining county and he asked me a rhetorical question.
    “Why didn’t we have a drug problem when you and I were growing up?”
    I replied, “I had a drug problem when I [...]

  • Yet Another Reason I Hate Microsoft - May 15th, 2007

    • Microsoft claims patents on Linux kernel
    This is bordering on insanity. If Micro$oft is allowed by the courts to proceed in matters such as this, it will be opening the door to legalizing monopolies, and encourage stifling innovation. Micro$oft really wants to completely own the computer software market, forcing consumers to buy computers that run only [...]

  • As If the RIAA Weren’t Bad Enough … - April 17th, 2007

    • It seems that the RIAA hasn’t been able to exert enough power to control what we listen to, and how we get to listen to it. Now, the record companies have, through the “Copyright Royalty Board,” chosen to charge non-traditional broadcasters (meaning, anything other than standard over-the-air AM and FM radio stations) increased royalties — [...]

  • Why Children Are Obese… - March 20th, 2007

    • Today, on the way home from GTV, I saw something that made my jaw drop. Soccer mom pulled out of the elementary school parking lot, presumably having just picked up ankle-biter-brat from school. She then drove about 300 yards and pulled into a driveway, whereupon the whole crew spilled out of the soccer-mom-mobile. And this [...]

  • Aw, CRAP! - March 4th, 2007

    • SciFi finally gets it together, and gives us what looks like a decent Battlestar episode, and Comcast takes a shit! Frak!
    UPDATE: Just before midnight, Comcrap got their act back together enough for us to see the midnight showing. Thanks to Rob, I’ll still be able to get a DVD burn, though. Thanks, Rob!
    Post Revisions:There are [...]

  • Whatever Happened to Simple CD Players? - February 21st, 2007

    • I need a simple CD player. Nothing fancy, just play a single CD (either CD audio or MP3), with controls for play/pause, stop, skip forward, skip reverse and eject on the front of the unit. And, it needs a display that will show either count-up or count-down. Repeat play would be nice, but not essential. [...]

  • ASK FIRST, DAMMIT! - January 31st, 2007

    • While I’m flattered that Ryan Singel of Wired News Blogs liked my picture of the court house in Fall River, MA enough to use it on their blog the other day.  And, I’m happy that he attributed the photograph to me, in accordance with the Creative Commons license under which it was posted to flickr.
    However, it’s [...]

  • There Oughta Be A Law! - January 18th, 2007

    • There oughta be a law requiring manufacturers of microwave ovens develop a standard for basic commands, so that they all work the same way.
    Post Revisions:There are no revisions for this post.

  • Big, Fat, Hairy Deal - December 14th, 2006

    • The USA Today reports that unemployment claims have dropped to their lowest level in two months. And, 47 states and territories actually posted increases in the jobless rate. I say, “who cares?!?” Tell me that unemployment claims have dropped to their lowest level in two years nationwide, and maybe I’ll be interested.
    Post Revisions:There are no [...]

  • Who Had the Right of Way? - December 11th, 2006

    • This seems pretty clear-cut to me, but then, I know the intersection in question really, really well. The last I remember, the law requires the driver on the secondary roadway (in this case, an exit ramp) to yield right-of-way, and in fact, stop at an inoperative traffic light, to allow the motorist on the primary [...]

  • Is Mediocre the New Excellent? - October 31st, 2006

    • I just got off the phone with a friend of mine who owns a music production company in the DC area. This is the fellow for whom I do a lot of engineering work, and helped design is production facility. We spent a lot of time, not to mention money, putting together a small facility [...]

  • AcoustiSoundâ„¢ - October 17th, 2006

    • I mentioned recently that Donna and I went back to the Reniassance Festival to hear the Mediaeval Baebes. What I may not have mentioned is that the sound company did a great job of absolutely butchering the sound.
    I’ve heard the Mediaeval Baebes before, and have a couple of their CD’s, and they’re incredible. I also know that [...]

  • Fuel To The Fire - October 7th, 2006

    • Oil prices have fallen lately. We include this news for the benefit of gas stations, which otherwise wouldn’t learn of it for six months.
    - Bill Tammeus
    So, if it takes gas stations 6 months to figure out that oil prices have dropped, how come they learn about increases over night?
    Post Revisions:There are no revisions for this [...]

  • An Open Comment to Events Coordinators - October 6th, 2006

    • If you’re planning to hold some sort of event that involves bringing in guest speakers from outside your own organization, please take the following hints:

    When your guest speaker(s) leave voice mail messages requesting a call back, call them back.
    When your guest speaker(s) send e-mail messages requesting a call or reply, call them back or reply [...]

  • Not “Alleged” - October 4th, 2006

    • While I’m on the topic of a news media that does a fantastic job of distorting the news, let me just say that Charles Carl Roberts IV is not an “alleged gunman.”
    al·leged (É™-lÄ•jd’, É™-lÄ•j’Ä­d) adj. Represented as existing or as being as described but not so proved; supposed.
    alleged. (n.d.). The American Heritage® Dictionary of the [...]

  • Misled - October 4th, 2006

    • And, no. I’m not talking about the song by Cool and the Gang.
    The various industry associations like the BSA, RIAA and MPAA really enjoy publishing bogus stats about piracy as if they’re factual, but that’s their job as industry associations/lobbying groups. What’s worse is when those bogus numbers are cited as being factual by the [...]

  • More RIAA Hoopla - September 4th, 2006

    • Ever since the RIAA started taking on file sharing, it’s always acted as if it were entitled to all sorts of things it isn’t: access to the names associated with IP addresses without filing lawsuits, private info on the people they’re suing and even the aid of the FBI in what’s clearly a civil, not [...]

  • Cambridge Council Moves Despite Lawsuit - August 8th, 2006

    • This message was received via e-mail, and references opposed development adjacent to and upstream from the Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge, near Cambridge, Maryland — development that is potentially devastating to the surrounding, protected wetlands area.
    Last Friday night, we recieved news that despite the pending lawsuits that CBF has filed, despite the pending decision of the [...]

  • The Bad Apples - July 26th, 2006

    • The following three images and message came to me in an e-mail this evening. They are, at best, disturbing.
    These Pictures tell it all!
    Muslims have stated that England will be the first country they take over!
    These are pictures not shown on American TV or in American Newspapers (as they might help Bush’s war on terror), but [...]

  • Banks Suck - July 7th, 2006

    • It never ceases to amaze me how quickly banks can remove money from your account, but how slowly they put it in…
    Post Revisions:There are no revisions for this post.

  • The Bad Apple - July 5th, 2006

    • The “Check Engine Soon” light illuminated on my van some years ago — before it was my van — when it was still my father’s van. I’ve taken over the vehicle, and am slowly chipping away at getting it into top running form again. Anyway, back when the light came on, my Dad took the [...]

  • More Bullshit from our Federal Government - June 19th, 2006

    • [via Taking your Camera on the Road]
    It seems that our National Parks want to charge wedding photographers hefty fees and permit charges to use certain parks for group and portrait work. It also seems that this would include nature and wildlife photographers who use certain “props” in their work. One item considered to be a [...]

  • Legislate my Soda?!? - June 13th, 2006

    • This really takes it:
    The most recent battle against soda was a bill (SB 1520) penned by California Sen. Deborah Ortiz, D-Sacramento. Originally, the bill would have taxed soda (excluding diet versions) 2 cents a can…
    How dare the Senate tax me because I think that diet sodas taste vile. How dare the Senate tax people who [...]

  • And, In The Utter Bullshit Department - June 7th, 2006

    • What a crock. Why shouldn’t parents be responsible for deciding what their kids can watch on television. That’s what the [now required in all television sets and cable tuners] v-chip is for. But, no. That would require that parents actually give enough of a shit to take part in the life of their spawn, aside [...]

  • Really, Really Bad News - June 7th, 2006

    • This is important. Read this entire article. Then, do something about it and follow the instructions at the end of the article.
    Cambridge Planning Commission Votes to Allow Blackwater Development
    Last night, the Cambridge Planning and Zoning (P & Z) Commission voted to allow the Blackwater Resort Communities development to go forward.
    This is not over. The [...]

  • Homeless in America - April 10th, 2006

    • Homeless in America
    Uploaded by tperry111.

    Wow!
    My friend Tom Perry took this picture. In order to see the important detail, you’ll need to click on it to see the full sized image.
    “Even though we are the most powerfull nation in the world…….there is still room for improvement.”

    Tom’s absolutely right — we’ve got [...]

  • Seller Beware … - March 17th, 2006

    • So, I mentioned that I had someone interested in the camera. Turned out to be a scammer and a thief. Fortunately, I had the brains to check things out first.
    Sellers on the internet should beware of people who offer to pay using a money order, and then send an e-mail “confirmation” requiring that seller ship [...]

  • You can fight the Ehrlich Electric Rate Hike - March 17th, 2006

    • via e-mail
    Dear Geren,
    Tell Governor Ehrlich to do the right thing.
    If you are angry about the coming 72% increase in your electric bill, now you can do something to show your outrage. Help us raise the funds necessary to keep our radio advertisement on the air and pressure Governor Ehrlich to act now and stop [...]

  • Hypocrisy in South Park? - March 14th, 2006

    • Isaac ‘Black Moses’ Hayes
    Uploaded by < satta >.

    Isaac Hayes is leaving South Park. Frankly, I was surprised that he’d do the show to begin with. But, that’s not the point of this entry.
    Mr. Hayes is leaving South Park, reportedly, because of the show’s increasing insensitivity towards religious groups. I ask, [...]

  • Phuck Phelps - March 10th, 2006

    • Where did this ass-clown Phelps come from, anyway? In my opinion, he needs to have someone in his family be shot, and the have some people demonstrate at the funeral and see how it feels. Sick fuck.
    [Update]
    Even his official “church” web site is alarming: http://www.godhatesfags.com
    Post Revisions:There are no revisions for this post.

  • Little Storm - February 12th, 2006

    • We had a little snow over night — if you count 22 inches a little.
    I got up this morning, and dug us out, with some help from Donna. By the time we’d done that, and finished eating lunch, the world that is Columbia had pretty much returned to normal. Streets are cleared, stores open, and [...]

  • A New Public Service … - January 5th, 2006

    • As a public service, Blather de la Semaine now brings you a new feed in Aggregations: Wakeup WalMart. Enjoy!
    Wakeup Walmart!

    Wake Up Wal-Mart’s First Holiday Ad of 2008
    More Wal-Mart Legal News
    Wal-Mart Pays $1.4 Million to California for Overcharging
    Hope for the Holidays 2008
    WAKEUPWALMART.COM WELCOMES MICHAEL DUKE AS THE NEW CEO OF WAL-MART, INVITES HIM TO MAKE POSITIVE [...]

  • Where’s My Damned Magazine?!? - January 5th, 2006

    • Okay, here’s some more to be annoyed about. Yeah, I’m just full of that today, ain’t I?
    In November, I noticed that the December Peterson’s Photographic would be the last ever. I was later assured by the publisher that I would receive Shutterbug to cover the remainder of my subscription.
    The last issue of Peterson’s was December. [...]

  • More Reasons to Hate WalMart - January 5th, 2006

    • As if you needed any more ….
    Read This.
    Post Revisions:There are no revisions for this post.

  • That’s It! I’ve Had Enough! - December 19th, 2005

    • WARNING: The following entry is intended for adult readers only. There strong language. I’m pissed off.
    Soccer-moms, you can breath a sigh of relief. You’re off my list. So, who’s on it, you ask. Believe me, I’m going to tell you.
    My blood pressure is a good 20 point higher as I write this than it was [...]

  • Juicy - December 15th, 2005

    • So, we were in the Mall tonight, shopping. And, I saw this chick in pair of pink, fleece sweatpants. And, appliqued across her ass was the word, “JUICY.” Now, I don’t know about you, but I certainly wouldn’t want to walk around in a mall, advertising that my ass was juicy. Think about it.
    Post Revisions:There [...]

  • How to Destroy a Transit System - December 11th, 2005

    • DC Metro has come up with a really unique way to shoot their system in its collective foot, to rip off customers, to fire all the cashiers at the parking lots — and to discourage ridership to boot!
    It’s called SmarTrip, and it’s incredibly stupid.
    If you want to park on a Metro lot, you have to [...]

  • Utter Farce! - November 23rd, 2005

    • In case you needed any more proof that the UPS package tracking system is an utter farce, here’s the tracking on a package I received today. A couple of things to notice:
    First, the package never went “out for delivery” today. Yet, I received it. How’d that happen?
    Second, the delivery destination shown is in Laurel. I’m [...]

  • Model Railroaders are Perverts … - November 9th, 2005

    • … At least, it seems that’s what the authors of porn sites seem to think.
    I did a Google search tonight to try to find some information on making realistic water effects for model railroads. Making a still pond is easy. But, I want some wave action going on.
    So, I went to Google, and, in the [...]

  • Crab Shanty = Crap Shanty - September 27th, 2005

    • Yesterday, I went to a luncheon at the Crab Shanty in Ellicott City, MD. The Crab Shanty is, allegedly, one of the better seafood restaurants in town. I will not be going back.
    As we went as a group, and had limited time because of working schedules, we pre-ordered our food last week. Still, nothing had [...]

  • Keeping the Peace? - September 19th, 2005

    • via the web
    /random/keepingthepeace.jpg
    This is the result of a high-speed police chase that got out of hand. The car (Honda) hit by the cruiser was not the suspects’ car. Fortunately, nobody died, although two of the three occupants of the car received numerous cuts and bruises requiring stitches, and one has a back and neck injuries. [...]

  • Over-reliance on Computers - September 16th, 2005

    • The fact of the matter is that, as a society, we’ve become far to reliant upon computers to handle our daily business.

  • What’s Wrong with This Picture? - August 29th, 2005

    • Go here and look at this picture. Then, come back and tell me what’s wrong with the picture.

    It makes a definite statement on our society today. It seems that an awful lot of people these days don’t give a damn about how their actions may affect somebody else. I mean, after all, what’s more important [...]

  • One earth - August 27th, 2005

    • Don’t just drink responsibly, DISPOSE OF responsibly.
    The Patapsco River is neither a trash can nor a recycling bin.
    We only get 1 earth, people.
    Trash tossed in upstream will eventually make its way into the Chesapeake Bay, which faces enough challenges already.
    It’s time to BE RESPONSIBLE.
    (and, in case you’re wondering, yes, I am standing [...]

  • Referrer Spam Special - August 20th, 2005

    • Today, as usual, I checked my referrer log, to see how folks are getting here. This morning’s list included a couple of blo.gs hits and another usual suspect. The rest of the log was filled with entries from a single site — a rock band, called Visqueen, out of Portland, Oregon. Now, I’ve come to [...]

  • Puncture Wound - August 10th, 2005

    • I am not a happy camper.
    This morning, Donna be-bopped out the door to leave for the first day of her new job. She asked if there was plenty of gas in “The Mouse,” and I assured her that there was, but that I’d rather she take “Cavvie” until we got the brakes on “The Mouse” [...]

  • What’s Wrong with a National ID? - August 9th, 2005

    • Oh, boy. Here it comes…
    So, what’s wrong with the idea of a single, national ID/drivers’ license system? Frankly, nothing. Nothing at all. At least in theory.
    A single ID ensures some level of standards of driver education and motor vehicle law, and makes it easier to keep track of your citizens at a basic level. Information [...]

  • Rhetorical Cliche - August 9th, 2005

    • Okay, so, the shuttle landed safely this morning. That’s a good thing. But my goodness, I’ve never heard (or read) such cliche and rhetoric in my life!
    NASA officials and politicians spoke of things like “passing the torch” and a “broken safety culture,” as well as “the start of a new era” and a “proud day [...]

  • A Bazillion Dollars on What? - July 28th, 2005

    • Well, after two-and-one-half years, and a bazillion dollars, NASA’s no closer to solving its launch problems. Once again, bits of foam insulation fell off the Space Shuttle’s external fuel tank during the initial phases of launch. Subsequently, the shuttle program is again grounded indefinately.
    Quite frankly, even though the thing is as impressive as hell, it’s [...]

  • Insurance — Screwing the Public Once Again - July 8th, 2005

    • I found out today that it is again legal for auto insurance companies to use your credit score as part of their rating process. They seem to believe that if your credit score is low, you have a higher chance of getting into an accident, speeding, or otherwise needing to file a claim.
    B-U-L-L-S-H-I-T
    Plain and simple.

    For [...]

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