cygnus atratus

Mon, 19 Oct 2009 04:01:51 GMT

http://www.nbcsandiego.com/around-town/shopping/No-Youre-Reading-That-Right-64173667.html

Now, these guys are known to charge fees for fees (and an annual fee), too. I guess that wasn't enough.

WTF

Sun, 26 Jul 2009 19:45:08 GMT

There's some things I don't mind, some things I do. Like anyone else. Then there are the things that I can't believe exist in real life.

http://www.latisse.com/

This would be one of those things.

For the record: I go out of my way and to extremes to avoid taking medicine of any kind, at all (if you're not actually sick, why?). I don't understand taking anything for silly cosmetic reasons. The idea of taking a pill for something you don't like about yourself...and they make millions doing this.

"Available from your friendly neighborhood plastic surgeon..."

Mon, 20 Jul 2009 00:50:59 GMT

“As through this world I rambled
I have seen lots of funny men
Some will rob you with a six gun
And some will rob you with a pen”.
Woody Guthrie

Tue, 23 Jun 2009 03:50:50 GMT

I've had it with all you (well, specifically, banks/credit cards, not anyone else).

Particularly you, Bank of America.

No, I won't let you increase my interest rate 2.5 times (to an insane 25.49%). No, I don't think I deserve my limit slashed to 13% what it was. No, I don't think it's great that you have to pay back bailout money by gouging your customers. No, I think your real motivation behind this is to keep people treading water, and they'll never pay their balance off (that's why you go after people who carry a balance, always pay on time and at least make the minimum payment).

Virtual debtor's prison is everyone's aspiration, after all.

(Not only that, but they apparently "sent out a notice in April" that I never saw, which means it was in some sort of bulk mail that no one looks at. An honorable company puts that in a statement, and not after the fact.)

Sun, 31 May 2009 14:57:26 GMT

Yeh, I've been busy. Too busy for this, too busy for any social life. That's what work expects these days....I'll explain.

USPS do not want to hire anyone (not even the usual temporary workers), pretty much like everywhere else. Regular employees do not quit the post office, they only retire (I've only seen one person quit ever). Those who retire, therefore, are not being replaced.

Also, we had what was referred to as an "overtime list", and those who were on it were given overtime first. Now all are required to work overtime. And none of us can work our scheduled days off. So what results is 10-15 routes open a day, and when you're at work you're working 10-12 hours (anything after 8 hours is overtime, anything after 10 is double time).

(As an aside, this is also why I show up late afternoon at times, late mornings at others...they will give me other peoples' businesses and that mail has to be delivered first...in addition to my own businesses...)

So I have no time even for myself, or maintain the house or whatever (I do the basic cleaning and mowing the lawn, but the house trim and garage could use a painting).

Did I mention they want to screw with the routes again, and you have no say about what is gained or lost? (I lost the apartment half of Spring last time, which I wasn't broken up about, but I have no choice this time either.)

Tue, 05 May 2009 00:19:32 GMT

So, some asshole broke into my house by taking a crowbar to the house's back door. So, I've been spending the last week or so trying to put things back together and inventory what was stolen (my nice Sharp Aquos LCD, Macbook, and various documents, my passport, social security card). So, I would like to issue a general fuck you to everyone who feels the need to do this, make a single girl living alone feel unsafe, and (on top of stealing things) try to steal my identity (won't work because I have a fraud alert on it already -- you can't even open accounts without calling me first).

None of this makes any logical sense, because I don't have many valuable items in my house, and I live on a fairly busy corner (Victoria & Palace) where people are driving/walking by all the time. They must have realized there wasn't much, so went to ID theft. Or maybe that doesn't matter when you need a drug fix.

It's insured, and I'm getting better about it, slowly. I guess it helps also that there's now a burglar alarm installed.

Update: They're forging my checks at Cub (I don't go there anymore because Kowalski's is closer). Don't take my checks, please (the credit union knows about it and I have signed an affidavit of forgery). Unless you want to be out about $180, again (what's funny is the endorsement says that a supervisor overrode the clearinghouse declining the larger check for $150...doesn't that tell you something?).

Sat, 04 Apr 2009 01:41:37 GMT

(Found on the Internet. I do not personally know these people. This is possibly the only photo that I have where I would offer this disclaimer.)

Maybe stating the obvious, but nevertheless:

This appears to be some kind of professional photograph (given the background and lighting at least), yet the photographer seems to think it's okay that she has jeans that don't fit/are intentionally pulled past her (pregnant) belly AND he has his hand on her ass.

Professional photographers of the world, please (for all that is good and holy) revolt against such things.

Sat, 28 Mar 2009 11:55:48 GMT

Happy birthday to you, I love you

To mine (and yours)

Thu, 26 Mar 2009 01:29:21 GMT

(Hey, I have an adoptive stepmother, so it's not all snark.)

Eh...

Tue, 03 Mar 2009 00:25:09 GMT

Mon, 23 Feb 2009 01:39:05 GMT

Euro style high speed rail. Lovely (much prefer it to the hassle and discomfort of flying, though I put up with it to Europe). Hassle free to Chicago. Soonish, then?

Thu, 12 Feb 2009 18:15:52 GMT

[on Republicans]

"This is exactly why they suck so goddamn hard. In order to win elections, they have to pander and cater to ignorance, hatred of minorities, hatred of homosexuals and religious fundamentalism. Just to exist, they need to embrace some of the ugliest parts of our culture."

You forgot sucking up to multinationals...

Tue, 27 Jan 2009 02:49:38 GMT

I love you...

Please keep me warm? (No, no antifreeze veins, I actually run about 97
body temp, it's a family thing. Don't ask me why I tolerate cold well.)

I'll hold you, calm you..

So you say you want to live in Minnesota?

Fri, 16 Jan 2009 01:38:31 GMT

(Yes, it started)

(Apologies for shitty camera phone)

haha

Thu, 01 Jan 2009 21:49:27 GMT

http://staging.hooterscard.com/menu/home.aspx

I'm a pig!!!

Sun, 21 Dec 2008 13:06:44 GMT

Tue, 02 Dec 2008 19:17:43 GMT

I'm no fan of Christmas really, but this is great. Handmade ornaments, blown glass ornaments, and the smell of roasted nuts and warmed up wine (glühwein). Truly charming, even without as many street musicians and mimes (as there is in warmer months, anyway). I'll probably be back another year, as there's more here than I'm able to buy (and the hostels are slower than slow, which means I get a room to myself to sleep off the jet lag).

Unitarian Jihad

Sun, 23 Nov 2008 20:07:47 GMT

As the phrase "Unitarian Jihad" sends me into a fit of giggles as it is (you know Unitarians can't be riled up about much of anything).

http://whump.com/dropbox/other/ujname.html

Inspired by Jon Carroll's column in the Chronicle, and after reasoned and lengthy discussion, the committee reached a consensus that you should be called:

Sister Jackhammer of Patience

Pastamania!

Thu, 20 Nov 2008 02:28:45 GMT

(Yes, I have a good collection of silly pictures.)

Mon, 17 Nov 2008 00:02:05 GMT

http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=186831,00.html

FTW. Even if it has to be repaid. Rock on.

Fri, 07 Nov 2008 05:56:07 GMT

See what happens when you put up real candidates who are genuine and honest people? The public will be involved and interested, and maybe even passionate (and passionate enough to forget their racist past, even).

...though he might have to spend the rest of his life behind bulletproof glass...

Yes, we can

Fri, 07 Nov 2008 05:43:01 GMT

While a guest on "Face the Nation" this past Sunday, Senator Lindsey Graham told Bob Schieffer, "I will beat Michael Phelps at swimming before North Carolina goes for the Democrats, and I can't swim."

Swimmers, take your mark...

Mon, 03 Nov 2008 01:50:49 GMT

The elephants are deserting.

Sun, 26 Oct 2008 23:03:11 GMT

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/10/25/AR2008102501998.html

Right. So why did you gloat to hell and abuse your power over the 6 years you had domination of all corners of government?

Guess what, you went too far. Now, go to sit in the corner and think about it.

BTW...real conservatives, please take your party back from the extremists. It will be better for all of us if you succeed.

Germany bound

Mon, 13 Oct 2008 19:03:35 GMT

...again. 1 December - 14 December, for Christmas Market, pretty much exclusively in Munich (even without Christmas Market, Munich is an awesome city to visit, highly recommended, lots of fun).

Pictures from all previous trips (except my 2000 England trip) are here

My coworker that I sometimes travel with is in some of them; hopefully I will not eventually kill him -- he does not grow on you. There are few of me (one in Helsinki, because these people from California wanted me to take pictures of them, and reciprocated; one on top of the Arc d'Triomphe in Paris -- many twisty stairs).

Scandinavia probably has too many pictures, but my compact flash is large. They are not labelled, because I'm not hospitable. So there. All trips will be dumped to that location in future, though.