Schwarzenegger = Laura Bush = John McCain = Rudy Guiliani

Posted by bert at 09:37 AM on September 1, 2004 in politics.

Does anyone else think that all the RNC speeches sound like the same old crap. It's all re-wrapped in nice new giftwrap and its delivered to us.

OK!!! I get it.. Bush has (and we mostly agree- check the polls) been a GREAT war-time leader. He has shown strong moral character and has followed both his faith and his convictions.

HOWEVER!! That can NOT be the only message the Republican party is sending. There are OTHER things to talk about besides Iraq. Yes.. Iraq is important, but the public, sadly enough, actually thinks things like... Jobs, Economy, Stem Cell Research, Gay marriage, Social Security, etc. are important too. Yes.. i know there are party divisions along these like (i.e. Cheney supports Gay Marriage rights because someone he cares about, his daughter is ... lesbian.) Or McCain has certain issues with defense spending, handling of iraq occupation, etc.

TALK ABOUT ALL the issues, and stop making a damn infomercial. We already know what you are good for currently.. tell us how you plan on making things better, without false promises.. And for God's sakes why do you let Michael Moore feel he's more important that his insufferable fat ass really is?

SHOW THE DIVERSITY OF YOUR PARTY. PLEASE

Currently listening to: PM Dawn - I'd Die Without You
Currently reading: The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe
Currently feeling: irritated

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ET Phones home?

Posted by bert at 10:45 AM on September 2, 2004 in ME.

Just something REALLY cool
Apparently an alien presense has made contact with us!

Currently feeling: impressed

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Ok... so you save my life and I repay you by...

Posted by bert at 11:23 PM on September 4, 2004 in ME.

Suing your ugly butt!.

Seriously... The hell is wrong">http://news.com.au/common/story_page/0,4057,10674238^421,00.html">wrong with this guy?

to recap.

Friend A takes Person on boat to enjoy some night fishing.
Both go to sleep in boat.
Crazy punk is speeding through channel when he couldn't see ANYTHING ahead of him.
This speed boat hits boat with sleepers and throws them into water.
Person gets thrown into river and is rescued by Friend A.
Person turns around and (rightfully) sues speed boat driver.
Person ALSO sues friend that rescues him from drowning.

uh....

Thanks... man..

Remind me never to help out THAT guy ever.

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... good one jackasses...

Posted by bert at 08:46 AM on September 5, 2004 in ME.

good one jackasses. Just your basic bunch of drunken rednecks with too much alcohol and too much gun powder story. But gives NCSU a huge black eye. And guess what asswipes? 1 of 4 was a state student.. two came from chicago to start a ruckus. My god.. Don't you people know yet that Drinking and Guns don't mix?

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Labor Day Weekend

Posted by bert at 06:44 AM on September 7, 2004 in ME.

I hope everyone had a great Labor Day weekend!

Fired up the grill.. sat back and relaxed.. and MISSED watching Ken Jennings go for 39 in a row. I wonder if he did it. We'll see if he's on air tonight.

Currently feeling: calm

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Stan sells out...

Posted by bert at 07:43 AM on September 7, 2004 in ME.

NO!!!! STAN!!! Say It Aint So!!!

YOU SOLD OUT!

you sell out. Then again stan lee was one of the earliest to sell out.. It's ok... He's famous.. he's allowed to sell out. I guess that's what happens when you make Spiderman / Xmen as famous as they are today.

Currently feeling: sad

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Quotes to remember this Nov. 2nd

Posted by bert at 11:11 PM on September 7, 2004 in politics.

Just another reminder about the upcoming election...

Who would you rather have lead the country that you live in?

A. Osama Bin Laden
B. Saddam Hussein
C. George W. Bush / John Kerry victor

ok.
so that's a gimme question.

now... just remember this one quote...

"Any excuse will serve a tyrant."
- Aesop (550 BC - )

Choice A will do whatever he can. use any excuse he can find to propogate his goals. He's a flipping lunatic that is power hungry.. The problem is he's opened his pandora's box and he has to keep pulling worse and worse crap or he loses the power he so desperately craves.

oh.. and to describe the current election...

"Politics, as a practice, whatever its professions, has always been the systematic organization of hatreds."
- Henry [Brooks] Adams (1838 - 1918)

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Wow.. roommates/landlords are stupid =)

Posted by bert at 07:31 AM on September 9, 2004 in Home Buying.

So my roommate who happens to be my landlord comes up to me on monday and asks.. "when do you close on your house?" I told him, "Thursday the earliest and Friday the latest. And i'll have everything moved out by the weekend."
So his response. "i need all your stuff out by thursday." and he walks away... Ok... so you purposely ask me when it's feasable for me.. and then set the deadline when its not feasible.. Some people do have work.. *ugh* so i got in at 5:30 a.m. today.

Anyway.. What really pissed me off was last night. He asks.. when do you think you'll have all your stuff out tomorrow? well.. I calculated... I have to go to work because i have a big meeting from 9 - 4. I'm going to softball because two of my friends who own trucks are going to be there and we'll be back around 8-8:30 to start moving.
our dialog..
He asks.. "why are you pushing yourself into such a corner?"
me: "I didn't really have a choice.. you said thursday right?"
Him. "well what i would do is rent a storage space if the house hasn't closed yet."
me: "what i would do is not say anything because you're the one forcing the issue."
him: "i've given you over a year to find a place.. it shouldn't even be taking this long."
me: "wow... thanks for all the help. I'll just keep organizing for tomorrow. have a good night."
him: "well remember to write me a check for half the month."
me: no response.

.... i think he gets a check for Sept 1 - Sept 9. and he definitely doesn't come for the BBQ.

And roy.. this is the same guy we caught with audiomatch. =) LOL

Currently feeling: peaved

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Ken Jennings (Jeopardy Guy)

Posted by bert at 07:49 AM on September 9, 2004 in musings.

Ding! another 2 up.. another 2 down.

Ken Jennings won his 41st episode of Jeopardy in a row. He's at an ungodly 1.38 mil or so..

Just ludicrous.. Can anyone stop the beast?

well.. apparently you must lose SOMETIME right?

Slashdot posted on this.. and I'm reluctant to even link there. Go read it if you want a semi-spoiler....

Currently feeling: aggravated

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Oprah

Posted by bert at 03:41 PM on September 13, 2004 in ME.

How cool is oprah? she gave everyone in the audience a new car... retail value of $28k each.. WOW

http://www.cnn.com/2004/SHOWBIZ/TV/09/13/people.oprahs.surprise.ap/index.html

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how to spend ring money

Posted by bert at 05:26 PM on September 15, 2004 in ME.

welp.. i had ring money left over and since I don't plan on proposing anytime soon, this money is just sitting there begging for me to use (help me get over anna and such =P)

Initially friends brought me to vegas and i actually gained about $150. Not horrible.. but still i wanted more so i waited until i finally moved into the new house (just did this past thursday).

And i bought a TV!
a new 32 inch Sony Wega! Wooo.. it's not HD ready... but who cares since it's going in my bedroom for me to play video games and watch DVD's on!

and then... yesterday...
I bought ANOTHER TV =)
a 51 inch Magnavok HD-ready Projection TV.

and i bought my cousin who just turned 18 on saturday a brand new IPOD!

ok.. yeah.. so my streak is coming to a close ( i think)...

but just maybe... I've been eying that new 3 speaker bose system....

Currently feeling: geeky

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Softball

Posted by bert at 04:05 PM on September 16, 2004 in ME.

Softball is awesome. Except when you pinch a muscle in your back due to jumping for a line drive shot over 3rd base. (like that happened to me last thursday or anything....)

It'll be sad to see this season come to an end. We just started our playoffs today, and will be playing a team we beat twice in the "regular season."

Suffice to say... we will kill them because of great hitting (not from me). Anything i Hit will be PURE GRAVY!

Anyway.. Our softball team really bonded over the past half year and it will be a shame that we won't be getting together for our thursday leagues until next season comes along (in march... *CRIES*)

look at me.. all sentimental. Anyway.. Big party next weekend at my place. the Entire Softball team is invited!.

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F/911 goes... Iraniwood?

Posted by bert at 11:37 AM on September 20, 2004 in politics.

So the Iranian government allowed a couple of movie screening halls there to show "farenheit 9/11"
This was the greatest comment yet.
link
"It sure is a great country, where someone like Moore trashes the president and gets away with it -- and makes so much money!" he laughed.

Hrm.. I wonder why they allowed F/911 to go through the screening.. =)
Maybe it's because they put the US and more importantly Bush in a bad light.

Does anyone else wonder what this presidency would have been defined by had 9/11 not happened?

Currently feeling: amused

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Dodgeball

Posted by bert at 11:38 AM on September 20, 2004 in ME.

Ok.. i bit into the new growing fad/trend. I and some friends have formed a team and have joined a League. We're still working on our Team name but we will have a Boeing-led Rec team playing weekly dodgeball games. =) I can honestly admit... "I can't wait." lets GET IT ON!

Currently feeling: anxious

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I was misled but reported with good faith.

Posted by bert at 11:42 AM on September 20, 2004 in politics.

It's like in School were we took a test and didn't study..

I answered all the questions in "good faith"
Yeah.. I Guessed and i was wrong.. But i wanted them all to be right...

Mr. Rather.... you are a rather good example of the me-first, I'm never wrong mentality. You screwed up.. just say it and move on.

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It's Time to Take the Gloves Off... Again... and again...

Posted by bert at 07:40 AM on September 21, 2004 in politics.

Kerry is taking off the gloves... again.

Really... how many pairs does he have on? I remember him saying this at least 3x...
on the 20th.. He it was time for him to "Take the Gloves off."

DUDE!.. Bush is an idiot
he's F'ed up a delicate situation in terms of international politics.
his team of people seem to be mishandling a situation in Iraq
and his penchant for defense spending is out of control (and this is coming from a defense contractor!).

KEEP on that track that got you through the primaries. Otherwise.. you deserve to lose. But alas.. I forget.. This is John "the Moment" Kerry. Drop the military service thing. In my world.. we call it a dead horse. It's dead. Stop beating it. Dan Rather screwed it up completely. Attack the swiftboat ads. Screw it.. Ignore the swiftboat ads. Talk about jobs, iraq, economy, iraq, international relations, IRAQ, environment, IRAQ.

seriously.. what overpaid, overeducated dummy is running that show over there? Karl Rove must be laughing his head off right about now.

The dems should have gone with Lieberman. At least I trust that the jew has America's best interest at heart.

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How to get a Girl. In 1 Easy Step

Posted by bert at 07:53 AM on September 21, 2004 in musings.

omg... too freaking funny.

Watch out White Women!!!

Hey Roy.. when's your B-day?

Currently feeling: awake

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Should Bush Lose this Election on Purpose?

Posted by bert at 08:35 AM on September 21, 2004 in politics.

Pretty much taken from Andrew Sullivan.

I wonder if either candidate has pondered the benefits of actually losing this election? If Kerry wins, you can see how the Republicans would then blame all the inevitable mess in Iraq on his vacillation (even if he doesn't budge an inch), and marshall a Tet offensive argument that implies that if only Washington hadn't given up, the Blessed Leader would have seen the war to victory. Kerry wouldn't be able to win, whatever he does. And because he'd be more fiscally responsible than Bush (could anyone be less fiscally responsible?) he wouldn't have much in the way of domestic goodies to keep his base happy. But if Bush wins and heads into a real, live second Vietnam in Iraq, his party will split, the country will become even more bitterly polarized than now (especially if he's re-elected because he's not Kerry) and he'll become another end-of-career Lyndon Johnson. The presidency of the U.S. is never an easy job. But it could be a brutal one these next four years. Which sane person would want the job?


Makes sense to me.
here's my current opinion.
I hope Bush wins.

here's why.
1.) he will be more strong in his course to direct the country in the fight against Iraq. In this his singlemindedness will be completely blatant. It's a fight we need to win, and can not afford to lose.

2.) it WILL polarize the republican party. And hopefully Andrew is right and that it will split the party. it will be split into two. A very conservative (religious-based) side and the new-age republican (remember the southpark republican? These guys are the fiscal conservative, yet socially progressive part that identifies less with the current Democrats so are republicans by default. And wouldn't a third MAJOR party help a lot into giving us more choice? I mean.. LOOK! I dislike Bush, and I dislike Kerry more. I could only hope that we had someone like John McCain running for president right now. Having the Republican's split would be a GOOD thing for American politics.
and then we can leave the whacko left side to play amongst themselves.

Currently feeling: accomplished

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Improving Iraq

Posted by bert at 09:40 AM on September 22, 2004 in politics.

I watch CNN and see nothing but death and violence in Iraq. I am given a tone that this war is hopeless and that. I see that there is no light at the end of the tunnel and that the "insurgents" (why can't we call them terrorists btw??) are plentiful and above all.. hateful.

We distribute their hate propoganda by allowing them to threaten us with beheadings, but don't show the actualy beheading to infuriate us to the point where we fight. Why does media want to propogate this vileness?

The other side I see is only accessable if you take the time to look. I have found many iraqi blogs talking about the hope that they see. They tell stories of how much better the conditions in iraq are now, compared to when saddam was in power. they eat better (not that old rationed bread and water horror stories, but now is better. They show new businesses springing up in iraq where young kids can come play video games and rent movies (a la blockbuster). You can even get a game of counterstrike in if you want. Funny... most iraqis always play as anti-terrorists..

Do the iraqis still live in firght? Prolly. Is it as bad as it used to be? i doubt it. But you would NEVER know that if you watched TV all day long. In actuality i think it's turning around slowly. What is that quote? Rome wasn't built overnight. Iraq will not be built over the span of 1 year. But i think there is progress.. and I'm ok with that.

which leads me back to of course.. the current presidential race.
I used to think that the war on Iraq is the most important thing. I still think it's important.. but i really don't think congress/senate will really allow kerry to pull out troops. The war will continue and the casualties will mount. Sacrifices will be made, and will be made in the name of freedom. The good ware I believe will be fought by either man.

So my new focus is on international politics.. and this is one that i just can't make my mind up on.

Did bush alienate our allies. yes and no... I'm on belief that they alienated themselves because they all want to be re-elected as well.. Currently it is VERY popular to be a bush hater, and well... you know what level politicians will stoop to in order to garner votes.
(read.. look at john kerry's view points over popular opinion of that time.). The other alternative is you can be like that taiwanese dude who got shot the night before the election and got so many "sympathy" votes that he won a race he had no business being in. But yeah. The question i come to is that do we want to keep allies with those who aren't with us. who are not willing to be our wingmen? If so... then kerry is teh choice, because it will allow others to save face and be friends with us. If we want to be stubborn and right.. we go with Bush. But those that left us for convenient political gains will no longer have a convenient excuse to be our allies again. It's a perplexing issue and I'm really not sure where I stand on this. I'm beginning to be more and more convinced that the way to go is with Bush. But that's because i want a true political reform to happen more than anything. But 4 more years of strained international relations at this crucial juncture in our history may be the feather that broke the camels back. Is it worth the risk? That is my question come november.

Currently feeling: drained

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Customer (Dis)Service

Posted by bert at 10:56 AM on September 23, 2004 in ME.

Somewhere in the past 10 years.... the reason behind customer service has been lost.

If you are any bit like me, you have had a run in with a Customer Service Representative (CSR), Customer Care Representative (CCR), or equally possible, a Dumb Ass (DA).

They are also about equally useful.

The other night, the DVR unit from Cox (my cable provider) stopped working. It was working earlier in the day, but now the channels were not able to be displayed and was told that service was out. We tried turning the power off and then back on again to no avail. And then proceeded to call the OC Cox help line.

After explaining the situation to paul, he proceeded to ask me the following questions in this order. my responses in italics
1.) Are you sure the power cable in plugged into the wall correctly sir?
The cable box is displaying the time and the channel. I've plugged electronics into the wall before you know...
2.) No need to be testy with me sir. Now do you have the cable from the wall attached to your DVR unit?
yes....
3.) Good, are you sure the cable is attached to the "cable in" post?
yes...
4.) Are you sure you connected teh TV/VCR out post to your television?
yes... the unit was working fine just 4 hours ago. I haven't done anything to change the configuration of the unit.
5.) Sir... please understand that things can happen. I am just trying to cover all the bases here. Now.. can you check to make sure that the power in the room is operating correctly?
the TV is ON....
I can't help troubleshoot your problem if you cannot answer my questions.
fine.. please continue
6.) when you have the dvr on.. does it display the time of day?
yes
7.) Then your connection is fine sir, there is something on your end that you are doing to affect our service.
huh? what do you mean it's my fault?
8.) If our box can sync the time of day, then it is recieving service. There is a problem at your end.
the service was fine. it is not working now. I have done nothign to change anything. There is obviously a problem with your box.
Would you like us to send a technician over to fix the problem?
fine.. yes. please send one over.
Ok. what credit card would you like to use to pay for the technician service.
What?!? there is a problem with your box. you guys bring over teh technician and replace my box. I should not have to pay for it.
Sir this is a problem that you caused yourself. If we were at fault then we wouldn't charge you. I have gone through my list and Cox is in no way responsible for your current problems.
how old are you kid?
18 sir
do you know anything about electronics
yes, I have completely my training at Cox.
I am an EE and work for boeing. I have troubleshot electronics for the past 7 years. There is a problem with your box, and your technician should bring a WORKING spare with him to replace the current piece of crap that is sitting in the living room.
I understand sir. but i need a creditcard number to book the technician's time.
let me speak to your supervisor
She is not around for the moment
what is your employee ID number
we are not allowed to give that out sir (this is a lie.. US law states that all customer service reps are required to give out their employee ID number if requested by a customer)
what is your first and last name son?
Paul ... smith.
ok mr. smith, please give me your supervisors name and number
I'm not allowed to give that out sir
ok.. let me talk to your supervisor
she is not around sir, she is in a meeting.
at 8 p.m. at night? what meeting could she possibly have?
She in a meeting.
well is there someone else there i can talk to?
no, it is just me.
and you have no supervision at all?
that is correct sir
ok.. can you hold for a bit?
sure.

So i take the roommate's cell phone and call customer service and then proceed to ask for a supervisor right away. They put me through to her. And explain that on my other line i was working with 'paul' and what he has told me. I tell her to please patiently wait while i talk to him and put the other cell next to my cell which now is on speaker phone.

paul, sorry about that, i had to take a step out. Is your supervisor available now?
no, she is still in a meeting.
can i have your employee ID so i can refer to someone the conversation we have?
i told you earlier, it's against company policy to give that out.


at this point i keep asking other things that CSRs are supposed to do.... and he keeps denying..
i hear the supervisor enter the work area and pick up the line.
"mr. tong, I would like to apologize for this employees behavior. We will send a technician out to replace your unit. Is there anything else we can help you with tonight? "

yes.. can you retrain some of your CSRs? they arent' very helpful at all

to which she said... "without a doubt. Have a good night mr. tong."

ugh... 45 minutes on the phone just to get HD tv at the place... is it really worth the hassle?

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Ringtone Based Breast Enhancement

Posted by bert at 01:49 PM on September 23, 2004 in musings.

Are you kidding me??

http://mdn.mainichi.co.jp/waiwai/0409/0923ringtones.html

apparently it works...?

"I listened to the tune for a week expecting all the time that I was being duped," says Chieri Nakayama, a 19-year-old pin-up model, tells Shukan Gendai. "But, incredibly, my 87-centimeter bust grew to 89 centimeters! It was awesome!"

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Current Asian Fashion... gangsta style.

Posted by bert at 11:12 AM on September 24, 2004 in ME.

really dude... who you trying to scare dressed like that? And your hoochy momma girl? Serious.. you wanna pull off some gangbangin flava'? Get out of your Bullets gear. Anyone but them.


I suggest high class criminal activity.. like a Jayson Williams jersey. that thing would strike fear in me.

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Two more things I dislike more about Kerry

Posted by bert at 11:13 AM on September 24, 2004 in politics.

Two things about John Kerry

Apparently.. He Finally has thrown down the gloves and has FINALLY given the nation an outline on what his plans to fight terror are.

"Kerry would build a better military and intelligence apparatus to go after enemies, deny terrorists weapons and financing, move against worldwide terrorist havens and recruitment centers, and promote freedom and democracy in Muslim nations."

What the FUCK kind of outline is that? I can make that outline.

here's my outline if I were to run for president.
"Tong would strive for world peace."

basically.. it was meaningless.

Does he not realize that all he has to do is say SOMETHING substantial and he would have my vote. I want a firm plan in place.. It seems currently that he does not have a plan of action and this of all presidential terms can not afford too big a transition period.

Seriously.... I favor bush because there is no transition period.

Another thing... Theresa Heinz Kerry...
Is she a liability or what? How many women out there identify with her? She's an heiress of a huge fortune and she shoots her mouth off like the pretentious prima donna she is. Yes.. Paris Hilton is like that too... but she's not campaigning to be first lady.

while in Arizona doing a fundraiser.. we heard this

"I wouldn't be surprised if he (Osama Bin Laden) appeared in the next month," said Heinz Kerry, alluding to a possible capture by United States and allied forces before election day.


Look.. I don't really doubt that... it would give bush a MAJOR upswing in votes... BUT!!!.. you can't go around saying that crap in public. It's a freaking conspiracy theory, and you are the first lady. You are what Trump calls a 'loaded gun.' Now get the hell out of the board room because mrs. Heinz-Kerry... Your ass is fired.

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E-mail Forward of the Week

Posted by bert at 11:14 AM on September 24, 2004 in musings.

I couldn't help but smile at this one.... Enjoy.



A wife was making a breakfast of fried eggs for her husband.

Suddenly her husband burst into the kitchen.

"Careful ... CAREFUL!" he yelled. "Put in some more butter! Oh my
GOD! You're cooking too many at once. TOO MANY! Turn them! TURN THEM
NOW! We need more butter. Oh my GOD! WHERE are we going to get MORE
BUTTER? They're going to STICK! Careful ... CAREFUL! I said be
CAREFUL! You NEVER listen to me when you're cooking! Never! Turn
them! Hurry up! Are you CRAZY? Have you LOST your mind? Don't
forget to salt them. You know you always forget to salt them. Use the
salt. USE THE SALT! THE SALT!"

The wife stared at him. "What the hell is wrong with you?" she said.
"You think I don't know how to fry a couple of eggs after all these
years?"

The husband calmly replied, "I just wanted to show you what it feels
like when I'm driving with you in the car.

Currently feeling: amused

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The heartattack that is my Wolfpak

Posted by bert at 09:42 AM on September 25, 2004 in ME.

watching my wolfpak play now two weeks in a row will singlehandedly contribute to me having a heart attack... I mean.. come on guys... how many freaking ways can you turn over teh ball?

cardiac Pack is for basketball guys...

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Future Hair Stylists Pay Attention

Posted by bert at 04:02 PM on September 25, 2004 in ME.

In the future... if you want to be an accomplished hair stylist... you should follow this one KEY piece of advice.

If your customer comes in and asks you to take just an inch off the top and clean it up..
it does not mean that you should cut 2.5 inches off his hair!

Anyway.. I'm back to looking like EVERY OTHER FREAKING Asian kid out there. I have spikey hair and it's about .5 inches long. I looked at the mess on the ground that used to be my hair and was thinking... Man... I suffered through all this summer heat and NOW when it's colder... my hair looks like it's the start of summer.. *sigh* No samurai for halloween this year fellas..

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Spoiled by Excellence

Posted by bert at 09:03 AM on September 27, 2004 in musings.

For the past couple of years.. I have been spoiled by the good performances my Tampa Bay Buccanneers have put on. They went from the most laughed at team in the league to win a Superbowl. Though I was there from the start (sort of.. well I liked them when they were bad in '91), seeing them play this poorly is really killing me here. They are bad. JUST BAD. they are pathetic on offense. So bad that I think USC's offense is better. I know they have a better offensive coordinator (Norm Chow is amazing!). *sigh* to fall so far in 2 short years. Yeah.. i know they had it coming with their salary cap in such a dire situation. The stars are getting old.. and yes.. it's time to purge. Pick up cheap veterans and purge the cap until you have room and draft picks to develop your own team. I just wonder if Malcom Glazer (owner) will stick with Chucky long enough for that to happen. *sigh* Please do not turn this team into the NFL version of 1.) the Clippers 2.) The Bullets or 3.) the Warriors. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE =(

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Tony Blair for President!

Posted by bert at 09:47 AM on September 27, 2004 in politics.

I've said this before and I'll say it again. There are pretty much 4 people that I would vote for right now no questions asked in terms of President. Coveniently... none of them are running (or can.)

1.) John McCain
2.) Rudy Guiliani
3.) Tony Blair (!!! yes...)
4.) Joe Lieberman (are you surprised? Guess what? I could care less if he were Jewish.)

OK.. anyway.. #3 on that list just demonstrated again why I like him so much.
And the reason is because I think he sees the big picture.

I know people are all pissed and think we are fighting this war to pad the pockets of certain Haliburton executives. And while that is true... we can no longer afford not to fight this war. And if a few people get rich off of that... really.. so what? You are safer for it. The money HAS to be spent somewhere, and it's not like they're doing a shady job of it.

The point is this.. as quoted from Blair.

'I hope people understand,' he [Blair] says. What he most wants people to understand is this: 'The reason why these foreign terrorists are there in Iraq is to try to stop the country getting better, to murder anybody who tries to help its reconstruction or its democratic process. And our response, surely, has got to be to stand firm against that.'

and to those of your anti-war junkies out there..

'Obviously there will be people who have never been convinced about the original decision. But the fundamentals of the situation in Iraq are absolutely clear. You have a government supported by the United Nations. You have got massive reconstruction. You've got an attempt to bring democracy to the country and you've got these people trying to stop it. I can understand why people still have a powerful disagreement about the original decision to go to war, but what ever that disagreement, surely now it is absolutely clear we have to stay and see it through. Because the consequences of not doing so is that global terrorism will get a tremendous boost. By contrast, if we succeed and defeat these people and help the Iraqis to get what the Iraqis want, then global terrorism will suffer a defeat.'

'If the violence and terror stopped, Iraq would very swiftly - because it's rich in resources, it's people are intelligent - would make progress. So my point to people is: which side should we be on now? You might have disagreed about the conflict, but there is only one side to be on now, and that's the side of people who are trying to bring democracy and hope to the country, not trying to plunge it into terror and chaos.'

so in the end.. the one issue that i think is most important will be the one I am voting on. Sorry folks.. The environment, economy, abortion, and whatever else do not hold a candle to winning the war against terror.
This by no means displays support for Bush. I will sit that out.. But man.. if Kerry keeps shooting himself in the foot....

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Funniest. Comment. Ever.

Posted by bert at 02:42 PM on September 27, 2004 in ME.

For those of you who have never seen the Simpsons... the rest of this post is not worth your time.

Me and my buddy Eric were talking about the Simpsons yesterday while we were watching the shootout that was the colts/packers game.

When Favre reared up and hucked a 74 yard bomb to a wide open Javon Walker.

Eric busts out with. "Best. Quarterback. Ever."

and i bust out of control.

We proceed to be absolute retards the rest of the day doing our best comicbook man impressions based on any decent play that is occuring.

It was a lot of fun and frankly.. quite sad and rather disturbing.

So i'm at work today and we're eating cake (my program just celebrated it's 2nd B-day, so we got cake. I know.. quite sad...). One of the guys on the team (Mike) and I were talking about our weekends.. Just a bunch of small talk and he chimes in about not getting enough sleep since his son went on a camping trip at 6 a.m. Sat morning. I encourage him and say at least he's in boyscouts and soon will be driving himself. His face drops into depression as he tells me his oldest daughter is now learning how to operate a vehicle. and follows that with.

"Scariest Driver Ever."

I couldn't help laughing all over the place, because this guy is pretty much a play it by the book, no sense of humor type of guy.
Oh.. just too much.. My stomach is still hurting from all my laughing.

Currently feeling: mischievous

speak it

Moving on

Posted by bert at 09:51 PM on September 28, 2004 in ME.

so.. i've been working out at the local 24 Hr. Fitness. And today i ran into this amazing girl. (one of the side benefits of working out in Cali is that the girls tend to be very attractive)
Anyway. I'm on the eliptical running my head off when this girl comes to the machine next to me and starts to run. She smiles and says hi. And we talk while working out. I actually decided to run another 10 minutes after i finished my 30 minute run, just to keep chatting. (i think she noticed that I was supposed to cool down). But it was a good chat and then we both went to do crunches followed by some stretching.. All in all it was a good way to run into a great girl. (it seems). I got her number and everything. Now I have only 1 major problem me thinks..

Her name is Anna.

well.. Updates this weekend.

3 spoke it

Pop Up Ads Suck

Posted by bert at 04:00 PM on September 29, 2004 in ME.

well.. not all of them.

I'm addicted to those Orbitz Pop-unders that have the crazy little games. I've found myself at work today opening ESPN.com over and over hoping to play their new game (where you direct the paths of the tourists to teh airport. It's a nifty little puzzle "think" game and well.. yeah.. lots of hours of fun should i manage to find it again.

Currently feeling: aggravated

1 spoke it