Osama Bin Laden - Murdered??

I came across this interview between "Sir David" (British news reporter / interviewer?) and Benazir Bhutto after the attack on her in October.

Roughly 6:08 to 6:20 into the video, Benazir not only says that Osama Bin Laden was "murdered" but WHO killed him.

This throws many questions into my mind.

1) If Bin Laden was killed, how come no one has peeped a word of it?
2) If it's not "the" Osama Bin Laden, leader of Al-Qaida, then who else is it? I haven't been able to find another reference to another Osama Bin Laden.

I understand that the war on terror needs to continue, even if he is dead, we should know this. If Benazir knows it, and Sir David doesn't react one bit, then we can assume that this is known throughout the world.

One point that questions the credibility of this. She refers to him as "the man who murdered Osama Bin Laden". Interesting choice of words, if she's so anti-terrorism, why would she refer to him as "murdered" as opposed to killed, KIA, etc..? Limitations in English or loose translation from a native language is possible.

Thoughts?

Post note: The name she mentioned, Omar Sheikh, is the one who murdered Daniel Pearle.

Domainers - why the attitude?

WTF is it with a lot of these domainers (people who buy and sell web domains) being total arrogant, narcissistic assholes?

Seriously. It seems like no matter where I go, what forum I'm on or at a convention a lot of these people act like they're god's gift to humanity. People, you're not. Get your head out of your ass and smell reality.

I've seen some high-end domainers tell people that they are not worth their time because they didn't know an industry niche acronym. I spent the day being flamed on a forum because I asked of a domain I registered could be considered typo-squatting (registering a domain that is a common typo of a common one, say mocrosoft, and trying to make money off of it) while "private" forums in this forum PROMOTE typo-squatting and tell people how to get around it. Talk about hypocracy.

Also, a friend of mine (who is a very knowledgeable person in his field and well known in it) got .com'ed by someone who is profiting off of my friend's name and also possibly tarnishing his reputation by posting links and ads to sites he wouldn't approve from (plus illegally publishing books with stolen money).

Why the hell do we have ethics and karma? Hell, people who do things illegally or shady make it big and live a life of luxury in their homes in the Caribbean while people who try to do things the right way have a hard life living off of Ramen noodles and macaroni&cheese.

Its about that time of year again..

Nope, not Christmas. Not Thanksgiving. Not Halloween. Not back to school. It's election time.

Now is a small election but it's a warm up for the BIG one next year where the good ole' USA gets to pick their new president. Which of the lesser of all the evils will get the grand prize (curse?)?

This country has gone to hell in a hand basket due to the screwed up policies, laws, judgments, and so on. Even though it's the politicians who make all of this happen, I'm not putting the complete blame on them, maybe 50%. The other 50% will go to the general populace. Joe Average. You and I.

Why?

Well, in case you didn't know, the whole campaign process is nothing more than a long winded and expensive job interview full of deception, lies, misrepresentation, and backstabbing. Who are they interviewing with? Us. The voters. That's right people, we put them into office.

But, I'd say only 10% of the blame goes to some of the voters. Some people believe the hype, others do not. I'll put the other 40% of the blame on the people who do not vote and the people who just vote based on political party affiliation (Republican or Democrat).

First, to the non-voters. People, wake up. It is an honor to vote. It is something the vast majority of the word will never do in their life because they cannot. They're not allowed to or if they vote for the wrong person then they'll get shot. Our ancestors died for this privilege and we currently have solders fighting TWO wars to allow others this privilege. You're slapping these people in the face. Get off your lazy ass and vote. Don't give me that "I'm only one vote, it won't count" bull. But, if you decide not to vote, then I do not want to hear you complain later on. OK? If you don't vote, you lose your right to complain.

To the people who just vote down the line based on political affiliation. What the hell is wrong with you? Sure, I've seen my ballot look like that from time to time, but that was just a coincidence. I do the research and see what the candidates have done.

I don't listen to the (false) promises or the fact that every fall they tend to care about me. Please, you only care about the lobbyists who bribe, wait, I'm sorry, that's illegal, the lobbyists who make contributions (what's the difference?) to your campaign. Unless I have a six figure check to give you, you truly don't give a rats ass about me. Odd since I'm one of the people who gave you that job. Why don't I go into work tomorrow and tell my boss that I don't care about him one bit, we'll see how soon I can be in the unemployment line.

They don't care about me so I do research and find out what they have voted for, their ethics, and where they stand. Do they admit their mistakes or back pedal and "change their mind"? Does their voting style go along with my best interests or might their voting style end up screwing me? We have the internet and if you're reading this then I know you have access to. Quit reading blogs like this and go do some research. Ignore political party affiliations.

To the politicians. In case you forgot, WE PUT YOU IN THE OFFICE. Joe average. Not the lobbyist who just gave your foundation a check for $15,000. Not the lawyers who take you out to ballgames and not the other politicians who kiss your ass every day. WE DO. THE POPULATION. So why the HELL do you rarely listen to us? We put you into that position, we can easily take you out when your term is up, or if you really mess things up we can impeach your ass. We have the right and you so often forget that.

Hell, it's become so bad that I've thought about running for local offices, too bad I have a job that pays my bills that I have to worry about. Who knows, maybe I will some day. I think I'd do well in office. I'm in touch with the average American. I'm lower-middle class, I live in an urban neighborhood, I drive a cheap car and I'm very glad I get good gas mileage. I know how much a loaf of bread, a dozen eggs, and a gallon of milk cost (like most politicians don't). I pay my taxes and bills and see that my paycheck lasts a few hours, at best, in my bank account before it is spent on bills. I have credit card debt, a mortgage, car payments, utilities, and other expenses.

Maybe I should and it would start a new trend.

Where are you located?

I called a store today finding out their hours and where they're located.

I asked them what side of the street they're on (she hadn't given me instructions yet). Her response was "On the right".

OK, from WHAT DIRECTION?

That is all.

Casinos and pools with rain...

I have to admit, I'm astonished by casinos and their marketing. Casinos marketing is only beat by cigarettes and alcohol (sadly). I went to our local (native American run) casino today and it was very interesting. I only lost $24 (not a bad visit, experted to lose it anyway. Why don't they just have a donation box in the front? Oh yeah, it wouldn't have been as fun). :)

You walk in and the rooms are typically dark instantly making you think it is night and you do not want to go back out. Plus, all these bright lights, happy sounds surround you from the slot machines. You are instantly drawn in like a moth to a flame. You just walk in ten feet into the mass of slot machines and you already cannot see you way out. You're surrounded by the bleeping and clinging of machines with such names as "Double Diamond", "Lucky Aces", and "Money to Burn" plus the general copyrighted "Wheel of Fortune" and "Monopoly" (personally, I was partial to "Shake Your Booty"). It's all happy! Happy happy happy! Why would you want to leave there? You are further drawn in by the money on top of the machines. Quarter slots! Dime slots! NICKEL slots! Wow! All you need is a nickel, right?

Wrong, little do you see that after you slip your money in you notice that now you have to bet multiple coins, rarely in an amount that would make sense (for example, nine "credits" needed for a nickel slot, or $0.45 a pull?). I guess you wouldn't be drawn in if they said $0.45 slots and $1.25 slots. :) But, your money is already in so why get it out? Eh.

Luckily, I found one of my 1 credit slots ($0.25) that I like (Double Diamond) so I slid my $20 Hamilton into the machine. Sure enough, right off the bat I was on a winning streak. Nice, at one point I was up to $28 and I thought if I hit $40, I'll cash out. Wouldn't you know, I didn't get there. :) SNEAKY! I think they even plan how much you might win and how quickly you can lose it (BTW - a few years ago I did win $80 after I slipped an extra $1 into one and you NEVER saw me hit the cash out button so quickly!!). I then hovered between $20 and $25 and it trickled down into nothingness. Eh, it lasted almost an hour so I can't complain. I usually throw in an extra $5 or $10 after, but I decided not to. I used up a few more dollars here and there no nickel slots. That didn't last long.

I find it interesting and they must have done decades of psychological research to find out how much people need to have to want to cash out and have some crazy math equation that would make Albert Einstein jealous to figure out exactly what point will it tease me with some level of winnings only to quickly grab it all back without me noticing. Sneaky sneaky!!

I spent the next few minutes wandering around noticing the people, the sad state people get in while in these casinos. I don't know their situations, but with the desperation in their eyes you can tell that they need to win. Sorry, if you NEED To win, you shouldn't be there. They take a drink, the push a button. Take another drink, then push a button (no wonder the drinks are free there). It's sad that the casino management allows these people in but, they are paying patrons so why kick out the people who support your business?

My advice to people going to a casino is first, and most important, know exactly how much you can afford to lose and if possible, don't bring any more. Don't bring any credit cards or ATM cards. Do not get cash in the casino. First, it shows how easy you can get it and two their fees are though the roof. :) Third, don't drink the alcohol. The FIRST thing that goes with alcohol is your judgment. That $20 limit quickly becomes $150 out of your checking account. Sure, spending a LITTLE extra is OK (I expected to lose $20, I spent $24) but don't go overboard. Know how long you've been there and where you are. Know where the exits are so if you need a cool down time, you quickly can get outside.

After the casino I went back to my parent's time share and went swimming in the ocean (yes, all of you stuck above the Mason-Dixon line, while you're freezing your asses off I'm swimming at the beach in water that is around 80 degrees. :p I left and went up on their balcony to just relax. It started to rain. Nothing big, just your typical afternoon sun shower. Sure enough, everyone in the pool went running out of the pool and inside. WTF? You're IN WATER. What is rain going to do?

Sometimes I just wonder about people (well, all the time that is).

America Wants Crap!!

Years of experience in retail gives you a real perspective on what America (well, the general populace) wants. As much as people post bad reviews, complain about performance, reliability, and price, in the end people end up buying CRAP. So, Americans must want crap.

Yes, you heard me, America's general populace wants to not only buy but rely on crap, and them complain about it. If you don't believe me, look at the areas of the world who are the masters of the same type of products. Electronics? Look at Japan and South Korea. Cars? Look at Germany. Chocolate? Look at Belgium and Switzerland. Dogs? Look at France, Belgium, and Germany. No, don't look at products that have headquarters based in these areas, like your fancy Samsung phone. Don't look at what's here, look at what Samsung has in South Korea.

America is getting it's ass kicked in good quality products, and we have Joe Average to blame. We want cheap, we pay for cheap, but cheap is cheap. Why do you think it is cheap? The manufacturers cut back on higher quality components, using less reliable components that aren't as consistent as the more expensive counterparts (just like the finished product). So, people think that a free cell phone should perform just as well as the $500 cell phone. Uh-huh, I hear that every day, yet I have never heard anyone make the same comparison to a cheap car to a high end luxury car (for example, no one has ever expected a Kia to perform like a Mercedes or BMW).

We also have a much higher tendency to complain about something than compliment, we're a negative nation. You don't believe me? Look at the news. We're spoon fed war, death, destruction, kidnappings, disease, accidents. When was the last time you saw more than a 5 second blurb on a new school that was built on the national news? How about a mayor who gave a million dollars to help a struggling community? We hear about layoffs, but rarely about mass hirings. We see war and death, but rarely peace and life. Currently, we're almost non-stop hearing about terrorist attacks in Iraq killing hundreds of civilians every day, but how many people have heard of the number of jobs that were created, the number of schools and hospitals that were opened, or the countless opportunities given to people every day? I haven't.

So, Draggar, you're acting like you know it all, but what can we do about it?

The solution isn't an easy one, nor will it happen overnight. First, we need to look at the products that we're about to buy. Look into unbiased reviews on sites such as Epinions.com, Amazon.com, CNET, and countless other sites that allow Joe average to review the products that they're purchased and used. Feel free to share your opinions with your own products, too. Talk to your friends and/or family who might have used these products and see what they say, and don't be afraid to spend an extra few dollars on a good quality product. Then, let other people know about your experiences with the product, the good and the bad. My friends know I can't shut up about my two printers, I think they are excellent printers. Be open and honest, and try to support your opinions with facts and also feel free to share them on the before mentioned sites.

Dogs are a different story. I see puppy stores, and I'm despised at this. The vast majority of puppy store puppies come from puppy mills, places where dogs are bred and bred until death, think of mass producing dogs without a care for the dogs' health. People seem to rather pay $500 for a puppy store puppy than $1000 for a "pet quality" dog from a reputable breeder, because it is too expensive. Sure, you save $500 up front, but it may up end up costing you thousands more in vet bills in as little as a few months later. Feel free to read A pet store puppy on a view on what it is like for a puppy store puppy to live, and what an over has a higher chance of going though. Don't be afraid to go to dog shows and talk to people, if a good breeder thinks you're going to be a good owner, a lot of them will allow you to adopt a "pet quality" dog, meaning a dog that isn't show or working quality, but will still come with the same genetic guarantees, for the price of a spay or neuter. We got one of our dogs though that process, and not only did we get an over-excellent dog, we also know that if, for some catastrophic reason, we cannot care for her, the breeder will without hesitation take the dog back and re-home her (but it would be a very serious situation if we did do that). If you don't know a breeder, contact a local rescue organization, they'll temperament test the dogs and do home checks, even if that is not available, visit your local shelter. Many are overcrowded and would love to have someone pull out a dog or two (or any animal for that matter).

So, don't be afraid to spend an extra few bucks for something good, it can be worth it in the long run and maybe, just maybe, other countries will look at America and say "hey, they know their stuff!".

Smart Devices, Stupid People!

A lot of people who buy “smart devices” are generally too stupid to lean how to use them. Why is this? Do they think it’s a status symbol of intelligence that they lack? A thing to look cool amongst their friends? Really now, people, if you’re going to buy one of these, at least take the time to learn how to use it. (Or are you too stupid to read?).

Seriously. Every day I get people in with these devices who think they know it all, but never once connected it to their computer to sync the data, back it up. It is a personal data ASSISSTANT. It is meant to go along with your PC so you can carry important documents, emails, contacts, etc with you while you’re ignorantly off in the world not paying attention to the vulnerability of what you have.

First, read the damn manual or at least search online for some basic trainings on how to use the device. I really do not enjoy spending hours each day walking though someone over the phone how to connect the device to their computer (oh, and if you don’t know how to use a computer, then don’t bother with the “smart device”). RTFM – it’s gospel to me (That stands for Read The F-ing Manual. It’s quite simple. There are web sites and forums that will teach even a first grader how to use these devices. Go there and learn, it’s not m job to teach you how to use it. When you buy a car, the dealership doesn’t give you a driver’s education course.

Don’t get pissed at me because you were stupid enough not to back up the device before bringing it in for service. Most likely it’s the crap you put on it that’s causing the issues to begin with (which is why most people bring it back the next day “It worked fine until I brought it home and sync’ed it, but I didn’t put anything on it” (then why would you sync it?)). Back up the damn thing!

Second, learn how to use the damn thing including basic features, like the BACKUP feature (if it’s installed) and how to change your settings. Every day I get people in because “this piece of garbage never rings” uh-huh, it tends to do that when you put it in silent mode. Yes, your screen is dark because the contrast is set to the lowest setting. Yes, the ringers sound like crap because your installed crap ringers on it. Don’t come crying to me because you played around with the device and messed something up and realized you didn’t know how to fix it. Again, I am not here to teach you how to use it.

Third, these devices are not meant to replace your computer. Do not go installing regular computer software on it and don’t expect every piece of software to work perfectly. If you installed “Bob’s Office’ and it doesn’t work perfectly, complain to Bob, not me. If Bob’s office doesn’t display the document the way you want, again, complain to Bob, not me.

Email. Some of these devices allow you to check your email, but look out! Some providers won’t let you check email from the competition and vice versa. In other words, if your smart device is form wireless provider A, chances are ISP owned by provider B won’t allow you to check your email. No one will admit it, but it’s an evil part of competition.

Internet. WEB SITES WILL LOOK DIFFERENTLY. This does not mean your device is broken, defective, or a piece of garbage. They have a limited display and will not show many sites properly. GET OVER IT.

Seriously people, if you’re going to purchase a smart device, at least be smart enough to use it (or at least wise enough to read the manual and/or learn how to use it).

Hello all!

Yeah, as the title says, hello all, or should I say hell-o all? Eh, whatever.

Hi, I'm Draggar, nice to meet you. Some friends of mine at work turned me onto this blog thing which is really odd since I have a few blogging sites up for other people and also I have Hurricane Web Logs but that site needs a hell of a lot of work (it looks very generic right now) and isn't really bloggish, but still a cool place to throw up pics and whatnot.

What do I do? I work in the IT department of a rather large company fixing their computers and managing the inventory in the tech room to make sure we have what we need and if we don't have it, we get it in. It's quite a mess now because the other techs aren't inventory geeks like I am and they've been short handed for almost a year now so I had quite the mess to clean up. But hey, I've spent about 10 hours on it the past two weeks and it's getting better (believe it or not).

On the side, I do some basic web programming. I have a few sites up, feel free to check them out:
DOTE Club - A local dog club.
Draggar's Universe which I hope to integrate this blog into in the near future. (Yes, this site needs some work)
South Florida K9 Services a local dog trainer.
German Shepherd Dog Directory (self explanatory) and so on.

I do this for fun, not to make money, but if I do make money with it then hey, more power to me. :) I'm also trying to learn Adobe Creative Suite (Dreamweaver, Flash, Acrobat, Illustrator and Photoshop) plus on the site I also dabble with Adobe Premier Elements (very cool program). Throw in some web programming languages like CSS, XHTML, XML, DHTML, Ajax, JavaScript, PHP, and MySql so my hands are a little full outside of work but I won't have any shame bragging about any little tricks I've learned recently. :D

I also like to do some digital imaging, photography, creative stuff, video editing, and so on. I have a digital camera and a camcorder that came with a docking station so I can easily entertain myself for hours on end, if needed.

Not much else to say other than I am a complete geek. I have 3 PCs at my desk plus a docking station for my work laptop. Yeah, I'm a computer geek, I also have computers in my closet (don't tell my wife) and parts up the wazoo all over including 3 hard drives on my desk (all internal and not attached).

Other hobbies include GOOD music, not the shit that is out today, I'm talking real good music. Most of the stuff is older than your average blogger, stuff like Styx, Led Zeppelin, Queen, Elton John, and other typical classic rock stuff, plus 80s and some 90s. I also like medieval artillery and I do have not one, but two working trebuchets (take that word, spell checker!) on my desk I don't fire them often since it could break something but they look cool next to my Star Wars Lego sets. Did I say I was a geek? Also, living in south Florida you need to keep an eye on the weather so I have a weather station. I am getting th FTP settings set up with the software so I can upload my data to my web site (when that is up and running I'll post the link) plus I can record data as hurricanes and other tropical disturbances go though. Fun fun fun!!!

I am also on MySpace. I don't keep up with it that often but sometimes I do. You'll also see me posting on Customers Suck. The site is hilarious and helps me keep my sanity.

Well, time to go, I think I've babbled on long enough and I'll see you all on the flip side.

Edit: I noticed I don't like the way this template looks so I'll be playing with the CSS part of the page but if you have any suggestions, feel free to throw them my way. :)