« April 2008 | Main | June 2008 »
May 30, 2008
Save consumers money.. dump the "Bottle Bill"
As I was finishing a can of Mountain Dew (still waiting for it to come in an IV), I thought about the $.05 deposit on the can. Then, I looked at all the empty cans I have, and thought of all the deposits I've left. Some states (a national bill has been introduced in the House) have a "Bottle Bill", where essentially you're charged a deposit for various cans and bottles. The idea is that you then return your cans and bottles to get the deposit back, and the items are recycled. The distributer charges the deposit to merchants, which then charge you.
I'll bet most people, if they look in their trash or recycling bill, have a few bucks of deposits. And, with the summer here people will buy more beer and soda, spending more on deposits. A case of soda/beer is $1.20. With the amount of drinks with deposits purchased over the course of time, this can add up.
Why does nobody talk about a "holiday" from this? I don't think people realize how much those $.05 and $.10 deposit savings could add up.
Posted by Kevin at 12:58 PM | Comments (0)
May 28, 2008
Laptop issues
My laptop turns off on my randomly. I believe I mentioned that before. I was finally able to reproduce it by using iDVD to make a DVD, or by using BitPim to get photos off my phone. Both somewhat "intense" processes. Apple sent me a box, I packed it up, and sent it in. Yesterday, it came back. They replaced a bunch of things, from the logic board to the superdrive. First thing I did was fire it up, and open BitPim. After a minute *poof*, off. So, I called Apple again. While on hold waiting a product specialist I tried burning a DVD again, just to make sure. Yet again, *poof*, off.
After quite some time on the phone (mostly on hold, I think) we did a hardware test. It gave an error code, which the tech said was a logic board error. Seems odd to have a bad logic board to only replace it with a bad logic board. Personally, I think it's the fan, or heat sensor. I never hear the fan turn on anymore, and it should when a DVD is being made. At least, it always has before. I asked if the repair techs do a hardware test, similar to what I did, before shipping something back with hardware issues. He said they should, and in fact there is a more in-depth one they do which takes a few hours. I have a feeling that tech #31514 didn't want to bother on Saturday before Memorial Day since the simple test I can do showed an error.
So, one more try. Another box should be on it's way. If this one doesn't do it, I'll get a replacement. This is why you buy AppleCare :-)
Posted by Kevin at 8:49 AM | Comments (0)
May 22, 2008
The difference between hope and experience ...
The nuclear waste site Hanford has had billions spent on it in the effort of cleanup. McCain knew this, but Obama didn't. Although, he voted for a bill which spoke about Hanford cleanup. Maybe as he "tuned out" a lot of what Wright said, he also tuned out on reading what he was voting for. Or, he just forgot. After all, he's getting old.
Posted by Kevin at 10:26 AM | Comments (0)
May 21, 2008
Former Phish frontman Anastasio sentenced to 3 years probation in Washington County Court :: PostStar.com
Darn! If I knew he was in court here I would have gone to see!!
Posted by Kevin at 9:39 PM | Comments (0)
Barack Obama: Gaffe Machine::By Michelle Malkin
Good article on some of the various gaffe's Obama has made, which nobody likes to talk about because somehow he'd make a good President.
Posted by Kevin at 3:34 PM | Comments (0)
May 20, 2008
Iraq party: Punish U.S. soldier who shot at Quran - CNN.com
The Iraqi Islamic Party, the movement of Iraqi Vice President Tariq al-Hashimi, condemned what it said was a "blatant assault on the sanctities of Muslims all over the world."
No mention on the assault on sanctities of Muslims beheading people, or blowing eachother up. See, that's allowed since it's a Muslim doing it.
They want the "severest of punishments" imposed on the soldier. I guess that'd be stoning or something.
Posted by Kevin at 3:24 PM | Comments (0)
May 19, 2008
Obama: Iran is Just a Tiny Country::By Amanda Carpenter
Obama seemed to brush off these concerns about Iran's threats while campaigning in Oregon. "Iran, they spend 1/100th of what we spend on the military. If Iran ever tried to pose a serious threat to us, they wouldn't stand a chance," Obama said.
Obama doesn't understand the threat of Iran. The threat of Iran isn't that they will fly bombers over us and drop bombs (as the USSR was a threat of). They won't be sending their Navy here, their Army or any uniformed men. Their threat is nuclear materials which they could (and likely would) provide to people who will use them to create bombs to use on us or our allies (Israel, namely). Iran is already a threat, by arming and training people who target our soldiers and civilians in Iraq. Iran is a threat by wanting much influence in Iraq.
Obama's statement is somewhat interesting on another front. They "wouldn't stand a chance" in what way? Would he bomb them? Would he invade them? What constitutes a threat to him? I'm still amazed people think he should be president.
Posted by Kevin at 6:44 PM | Comments (0)
May 16, 2008
Patriotic Barack Obama lapel pins unveiled honoring all 57 states
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/2008/05/new-patriotic-o.html
Obama is an amazing man, and extremely smart. I thought I was smart, but I was wrong. I always though we only had 50 states. But, Obama has actually been to 57 of them, and he "has one left to go."
If/when he gets the Democratic nomination and he tries to say McCain is old, I'm sure we'll see this clip in many many commercials.
Posted by Kevin at 9:56 AM | Comments (0)
May 14, 2008
Gas prices baffle me
Last week, I filled my tank at $3.99/gallon (I use premium). Over the weekend, I saw the price was up to $4.05, and today I went and filled up at $4.11. I went in and asked when they last got a gas delivery, and they said on Saturday they got more premium. So, the gas I purchased today at $4.11 was delivered Saturday when the cost was $4.05. And, I'm assuming the refining process takes at least a few weeks to go from oil to gas. So, the gas being delivered had to of been made of oil purchased at prices from at least 3-4 weeks ago.
So, I'm not exactly sure a) why the gas I'm paying for doesn't reflect the price of oil it was made from, and b) how the price of gas in the ground went up. I simply don't get it. Honestly, for all I know, the oil used to make the gas I filled up with today cost $80/barrel. But, the price is up because of the market instead of the actual material.
I'm happy that some politicians want to stop putting oil in the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (which I heard was about 98% full as it is). This would allow about 70,000 barrel barrels of oil a day be put on the market, instead of the gov't buying it and storing it. Some people oppose this, saying the pennies we'd get off a gallon of gas don't matter much. You also have Obama, who doesn't like the tax holiday idea, for the same reason. And, here in NY they want to do a tax holiday for state taxes, and of course some people oppose that.
The way I see it, is if not putting oil in the SPR saved $.05/gallon (a figure I heard on the news, not sure what it would really be), the Federal tax holiday saved $.30 and the state one saved $.18 then that's $.53 per gallon. That's a lot. If you had to fill up, say 10 gallons a week that'd save you $5.30 a week. And, that's a conservative 10 gallons a week. Being summer, people would drive more anyways, so the savings would be greater. If you're a family of two drivers we're up to $10.60 a week. If you also have a kid who drives, then it's $15.90/week. Plus, the psychological effect of saving any money is probably greater than the actual money. In any case, any saving is good savings.
I'm just simply baffled.
UPDATE: I happened to drive by the gas station just a few moments ago, the price is now $4.13. So, even yet another $.02 for gas put in the ground 5 days ago.
Posted by Kevin at 8:52 AM | Comments (0)
May 9, 2008
FOXNews.com - Spells Cast at Anti-Marine Rally in California
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,354689,00.html
"Women are coming to cast spells and do rituals and to impart wisdom to figure out how we're going to end war," Zanne Sam Joi of Bay Area Code Pink told FOXNews.com.
Sounds like Code Pink has jumped the shark.
A few women stood outside the recruiting center Friday with signs that read "Peace" and "Warmongers -- Eating Our Children for Profit."
mmmmmmm.... children. It is BBQ season, after all.
Posted by Kevin at 4:27 PM | Comments (0)
'Speed Racer': Take a Detour - washingtonpost.com
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/05/08/AR2008050801047.html
I was a HUGE Speed Racer fan as a kid. Even today I still say "Go Speed Racer, Go Speed Racer, go Speed Racer goooooooooo" for no good reason at all (you can ask Suzy to confirm this). I was initially excited that this was going to be made into a movie. I'm always weary about live-action adaptations of anime, but I thought this could be good. Good anime, cars, a monkey.. how could you go wrong?
But, then I saw the first trailer. Frankly, it didn't impress me. It seemed like a Tron meets Fast and Furious: Tokyo Drift, meets a pinball machine. I got a feeling it would disapoint people who actually grew up enjoying the show. Based on the reviews I've read, I'm right.
Posted by Kevin at 4:17 PM | Comments (0)
U.N. 'furious' as Myanmar aid 'seized' - CNN.com
http://edition.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/asiapcf/05/09/myanmar/index.html
I think we should just drop the food, without the permission of the ruling military junta. Just drop some crates. Hopefully, it'd then reach people before the military gets there to take it away. Of course, if the military then killed anyone, the USA would be blamed.. and somehow it'd be a Zionist conspiracy against Islam. But, maybe it'd help some people.
And another thing, let's stop calling it Myanmar. Because, whenever someone is talking about it, they just say "Myanmar, formerly known as Burma". Well, let's just call it Burma again (making pythons happy everywhere). Or, maybe "Myanmar, the country that killed Buddhist monks", maybe "Juntadia", or "Who?".
Posted by Kevin at 4:07 PM | Comments (0)
May 8, 2008
Up Yours (again) 1st National Bank of Scotia
Back in March these people sent me a letter saying my payment is past due. Well, I get another one today. I do the same as last time, and look up the payment at my bank. And, yet again, it was posted 4 days before it was due. Yet again, they send me one of these letters. I call, and of course they got the payment. I can understand 1 mistake, but 2 in the course of 3 months, up yours.
Get your shit straight. Nobody likes these letters, especially when the make sure you're paid, every month, BEFORE the due date. I will never, ever, ever use 1st National Bank of Scotia again.
Posted by Kevin at 4:32 PM | Comments (0)
May 1, 2008
Lesbos islanders dispute gay name
Lesbians don't want a gay group to use the word lesbian, because they don't like people thinking they are lesbian Lesbians, when they have been Lesbians for eons already.
There once was a lesbian from Lesbos
Who wanted her name changed to be Heteros
Her face is the same,
The Island's quite tame,
And the lesbos in Lesbos ain't lesbos!
Posted by Kevin at 4:42 PM | Comments (0)
It's Spring?
Frosts the last 2 days (killed my veggies), pretty cold since the weekend in general. Where's this "Global Warming" I've heard so much about?
Posted by Kevin at 11:10 AM | Comments (0)