Recently, I came across an item of interest and took the usual first step in contacting the seller to inquire if the item was still for sale, to get some details of the items and also any pictures that might be available. After waiting for a day or so, I received a reply from the seller and what I received was lacking any answers to my question. I was greeted with the response..

I dont sell to muscleheads

Needless to say, I was quite confused by the response and so I tried to clarify what exactly I’d asked to illicit such a crass response. The response to my second inquiry was even more puzzling.

I sold it already, what are you doing for work now? the supplement shop closed down huh?

This second response irritated me, the seller obviously assumed that he knew me. I responded that he did not, in fact, know me and was coming off as a complete and utter jerk while attempting to sell something. This third and final response was the most annoying response.

oh you have the same name, as my buddy, so take it easy, go design some software and buy this piece of shit somewhere else

It is true that there are many people who have the same first name as me, and many may have my last name, but the combination of my first and last is a little unique because of the origins of it. So it is entirely unlikely that this seller has a buddy with the same name as me, as I definitely do not know this person. Being the geek that I am, I promptly entered the seller’s name into Google to find his Facebook and MySpace pages and after seeing his pictures I guess I’m not totally shocked by the responses I got.

All of this brings me to the crux of this post, is it too much to ask for people to display some civility in business dealings? As informal as Craigslist might be, as a seller you are still engaging in a business proposition and countless buyers might contact you with interest and to make such ignorant and asinine remarks is just ridiculous.

Cheers

She’s spending just over a month in jail for violating her probation for DUI and people can’t stop talking about how she is doing in there? Jeez, maybe the time in jail might actually be good for her and the rest of the world!

But what is absolutely confounding to me is that NBC is offering her $1 million USD for a post-jail interview. Yeah, like she really needs that $1 million and what kind of message is this sending to the public? Become famous, break the law, go to jail for it and become even richer when you get out?

Just pathetic!

Turns out that NBC is now denying the “rumor” of the $1 million for the Paris Hilton interview.

Now was this always a rumor or did some buffoon actually make the offer and now the network is rescinding the whole thing based on what people must be saying on the ‘Net??

Cheers

As a new father of a very young baby, there is not a thing that I wouldn’t do to ensure her safety. No amount of stress from work or any other source would cause me to neglect her needs even for a moment.

The word “unfit” might be broad, but then it’s all about perspective isn’t it? Becoming a parent is a choice and with it comes added responsibilities. If you are incapable or unwilling to deal with any of this, then please don’t have children.

Then there are these psychopaths that handle stress of their lives by taking it out on their young helpless babies. These kinds of stories absolutely rile me up.

Nothing in life can be bad enough to make a parent willfully cause harm to a baby. I agree that this father is ’scum’ and should rot in jail. No sympathies here!

Cheers

The only show I watched through to it’s eventual end was West Wing and I saw it move from it’s prominent Wednesday prime-time spot to the “sent-to-the-pasture” Sunday night spot. The show did lose some of it’s charm toward the end, but seven years is a good run for any show.

When NBC announced a new show by Aaron Sorkin called Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip was coming, I was naturally curious. The pilot was intriguing and brought about the same witty fast-paced dialog that is Sorkin’s style.

However, it turns out that America is not very interested in a cerebral drama with bouts of comedy. Viewers don’t want to think when they’re watching a show, they’d rather shut their brains off and be fed the utter crap that shows like The Office have to offer.

Well, NBC sealed Studio 60’s fate today by announcing their fall schedule and officially canceling it and putting a stake through all the fans hopes that somehow this show would survive. I just don’t understand NBCs tactics here. They let Crossing Jordan (you haven’t heard of that show? Shocked, I am!) for 6 season and they wouldn’t even bother with giving Studio 60 a full season?

This, eerily, reminds me how badly ABC handled Sports Night, another favorite of mine that somehow only managed to eek out one season.

So, I guess in the end I was barely watching NBC to begin with, and now there really is no reason to watch at all. Sad indeed.

Cheers

U.S. forces had no role in Saddam Hussein’s hanging, but would have handled it differently, a U.S. general said

If U.S forces where in charge of the execution of Saddam Hussein, there might have been less taunting and so on. But are we truly to believe that not even a single U.S. soldier would take a cheap shot at Saddam in his waning moments?

Need we remember the Abu Ghraib fiasco, the Haditha killings, or the countless videos I’ve seen portraying the random “justice” that frustrated U.S. soldiers are taking out on unarmed civilians?

Even if the U.S. would have handled the Hussein execution with a lot of civility, what purpose does it serve to criticize the way the Iraqis handled it? Especially when we’ve been involved in some questionable offenses ourselves?

Cheers

[Via Reuters]

I know that the constitution says that we must avoid cruel and unusual punishment, but what about appropriate punishment? What is appropriate for a serial killer that not only ended the lives of his/her victims but also impacted those of their families?

Do I prefer that we return to the days of electrocution or hanging? No. But let’s not forget upon who the punishment is being exacted and not go overboard just because one of them took 30 minutes and double the lethal dose of chemicals.

Cheers

Imagine my surprise when my beloved Discover card denied my purchase today. I immediately called them to find out what happened and was informed of some charges that, in the hustle of bustle of the mall’s throng, seemed OK. So I had them reactivate my card, but the charges that gentleman from Discover was speaking of seemed a little odd.

I got home and immediately logged in to check my online statements and was shocked to find a $6,000+ balance on my card. I use this card a lot because it has a nice high credit limit and the 5% cashback each month. The fraudulent charges that showed up, strangely, were USPS Global Express that varied in amounts but were mostly in the $400 range.

The culprit also has a nice Paypal payment and a Nordstrom shopping spree. The card, needless to say, has been canceled and a new one issued, but I’m very curious as to how anyone would get access to my card info as I’ve always been very careful with it.

The charges varied in location from California, British Columbia and Washington. I hope Discover can track down the culprit(s) and nail them to a wall with some rusty nails.

This is a good wakeup call for myself and others to be very careful about how you dispense your credit information. Thankfully this rampage was found just in time, disputed and stopped. Also, this will not adversely affect my credit, but if that weren’t the case and I had to try to clear my credit. That would have been a long and painful ordeal that I’m glad to have missed out on!

Cheers