Showing posts with label rant. Show all posts
Showing posts with label rant. Show all posts
Monday, February 15, 2010
Attn Gmail users. Can you answer these questions?
Monday, February 15, 2010 | Original Musings by
Jen
Dear Gmail Users,
Below is a link to a form to regain access to your gmail account if it is ever hacked. I suggest looking at the form closely and writing down the answers PRIOR to your account getting hacked. Or loose your gmail account forever. Really.
I blogged earlier in the month about getting hacked ( I was hacked ). I got everything covered and back except one thing. My valued gmail account.
My gmail account was obviously somehow linked with the yahoo account that got hacked. It's not just ANY gmail account (like this blogger account), it was MINE:
MyFirstName(dot)MyLastName@gmail.com
MyFirstName(dot)MyLastName@gmail.com
I'm sure you're wondering right now why can't I email someone. I did. I have. MANY, MANY times. They refer me to this link:
I'm not sure what the d-bag hacker changed, but obviously my answers to these questions (like 5 of my contacts) is wrong. I've attempted this form 14 times. 14 times I get the following auto-response:
Thank you for your report. We've completed our investigation and cannot return your account at this time. We were unable to verify that you own this account based on the information you provided.
If you can provide additional information to verify that you own this
account, please visit:
http://www.google.com/support/accounts/bin/request.py?ara=1
and submit another report. Whether we can return access to this account depends on the strength and accuracy of your responses, so be sure to provide as much information as possible. If you're unsure about specific dates or information, provide your best guess.
To create a new account, please visit
https://www.google.com/accounts/NewAccount
We apologize for any inconvenience and appreciate your cooperation and understanding.
Regards,
The Google Team
Inconvenience? It's more than that. My daughter's school communicates to me through that, my registration for anything important (sorry gap.com, you get my throwaway yahoo), and my friends and family are linked through there.
I can't remember when I opened that account. I could probably look at my emails and see when I received the first one. Oh wait. I can't.
I can't tell you when I first starting using google docs. All I know is that I have tons of info in there, and even my houshold budget, and can't access it.
I could go on and on about how I try that form with each month of 2007, but it's pointless. If the dbag erased all my contacts like he did while in my yahoo account..... I'll never answer that bot-form correctly.
So, dear Gmail users. Take a lesson from me, and if you don't use outlook or other programs that downloads your emails (ie you do it all online) you risk losing it all and despite having 12.675 forms of ID to show it's yours, Google and Gmail don't care.
Good luck.
Sincerely,
Me.
Labels:
Wednesday, February 03, 2010
Monday was hell and everyone wants to know why I "defriended" them on facebook.
Monday was hell. Let me try and make this short.
Monday my yahoo was hacked and sent an email to over 500 contacts, including vendors and customers, friends, and family stating I was in Wales and send me money.
I could deal with that.
Then he/they got into my FB account and locked me out of there. Despite several emails exchanges, I still don't have access. In fact, I didn't hear back from the FB rep yesterday.
Then he/they went on to other sites associated with this email address (like facebook) and click "forgot password" and went on to reset my passwords. About 5 hours after the first email was sent from this d-bag, I get a noticed from ebay that my account was suspended due to suspicious activity. He/they bid on close to 15 laptops. Luckily, ebay caught it and shut my account down (but I now have it back).
Then he went into my XX@gmail account. I tried answering the questions to regain that account, but obviously I didn't answer something right. Because after 4 attemps, I have 4 emails from google stating I did not provide enough information, and I'm locked out of that account.
I was on the phone with yahoo for over 2 hours trying to regain control of THIS account, but while on the phone, I was getting notifications from facebook, gmail, ebay, etc that my passwords were being changed. I couldn't keep up with him/them. I then realized since I had this yahoo account for like 4 years, that many of my financial institutions were associated with this account, so I immediately starting changing the passwords on those accounts, then called the banks and put fraud alerts. then I called my cc companies. They ALL decided to cancel my CCs and send me new ones. I had to take a business trip yesterday with the $23 I had and a company card. I felt naked.
So, Monday all in all it took about 7 hours to clean up the chaos he/they created. This doesn't include getting calls from vendors, co-workers, and customers telling me they think I've been hacked, others who hadn't talked to me in awhile concerned I really was stuck in Wales, and the embarassment of it all.
It was truly hell.
Monday my yahoo was hacked and sent an email to over 500 contacts, including vendors and customers, friends, and family stating I was in Wales and send me money.
I could deal with that.
Then he/they got into my FB account and locked me out of there. Despite several emails exchanges, I still don't have access. In fact, I didn't hear back from the FB rep yesterday.
Then he/they went on to other sites associated with this email address (like facebook) and click "forgot password" and went on to reset my passwords. About 5 hours after the first email was sent from this d-bag, I get a noticed from ebay that my account was suspended due to suspicious activity. He/they bid on close to 15 laptops. Luckily, ebay caught it and shut my account down (but I now have it back).
Then he went into my XX@gmail account. I tried answering the questions to regain that account, but obviously I didn't answer something right. Because after 4 attemps, I have 4 emails from google stating I did not provide enough information, and I'm locked out of that account.
I was on the phone with yahoo for over 2 hours trying to regain control of THIS account, but while on the phone, I was getting notifications from facebook, gmail, ebay, etc that my passwords were being changed. I couldn't keep up with him/them. I then realized since I had this yahoo account for like 4 years, that many of my financial institutions were associated with this account, so I immediately starting changing the passwords on those accounts, then called the banks and put fraud alerts. then I called my cc companies. They ALL decided to cancel my CCs and send me new ones. I had to take a business trip yesterday with the $23 I had and a company card. I felt naked.
So, Monday all in all it took about 7 hours to clean up the chaos he/they created. This doesn't include getting calls from vendors, co-workers, and customers telling me they think I've been hacked, others who hadn't talked to me in awhile concerned I really was stuck in Wales, and the embarassment of it all.
It was truly hell.
Monday, February 01, 2010
I was hacked.
So today was a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day. One of my emails accounts were hacked. Yes, all 500-and-some contacts in my address book got an URGENT email stating I was in Wales, had been mugged, and needed $2000. An oldie but a goodie. Just to think, last week I won the UK lottery. Maybe I was mugged because someone thought I had all that cash on me? Ok, my seriously bad attempt at finding humor in this situation.It went from bad to worse, and I could go on to explain how I'm locked out of ebay (temporarily suspended), Facebook (hopefully temporary), gmail (hopefully fixed tomorrow), and a couple of other sites. But I won't. What I will explain is some common sense rules I ignored.
My IT guy in corp HQ suggested changing all my passwords every 60-90 days. I need to come up with an organizational system to do this. I realized I hadn't changed my email password in over 3 years. I'm not sure it would have prevented today's attack, but it would have been a line of defense.
I'm locked out of facebook, why? It was the same PW as my email account. How to solve that in the future seems pretty self explanatory. Again, a new organizational system needed to keep track of a unique password for every site I visit.
Bank accounts. Thank G-d I used a different PW for all my financial institutions. I went ahead and changed those passwords too, called CS and asked for a fraud alert. I'm already thinking not all my financial institutions need the same password. I'm starting to see a trend here. Following me?
Overall, I could go into it, but you've heard the warnings. No longer is it a friend of a friend that it once happened to. It happened to me.
I don't open emails from unknown senders.
I don't click on links that I'm not sure about.
Attachments to emails get run through a virus scan.
So, how did this happen? No clue.
Ebay was nice enough to provide me with the IP addy of the person who changed my ebay password. It belongs to an anonymous proxy server/service (?). I was told that means this person can't be found.
So, dear hacker who ruined by day, made me cry, has locked me out of facebook, and overall my week a hell (and it's only Monday).... I have a message for you. I even put it in a heart to show you how much I care:
Sunday, November 30, 2008
WTF is wrong with people?
When for the sake of a bargain, you are willing to step over (and on) a lifeless body... these are problems of humanity that go beyond terrorists, defaulting mortgages, and our economic crisis. Humanity in that moment lost its soul.
This man was over 250 pounds, yet people in the search of a tv that is 50% off, decided that their wallet was more important than his life.
I am appalled beyond words.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/30/nyregion/30walmart.html?em
This man was over 250 pounds, yet people in the search of a tv that is 50% off, decided that their wallet was more important than his life.
I am appalled beyond words.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/30/nyregion/30walmart.html?em
Friday, February 08, 2008
To the whiners on my favorite forum, which you have ruined:
To the whiners on my favorite forum, which you have ruined:
You know who you are.... you are that politically correct person who looks for things to whine about. You have taken one of the most interesting forums to hang out on the net and turned it into a namby-pamby-romper-room full of perma-whiners.
You know what? Put your big girl panties on and DEAL WITH IT. For pete's sake!!!!
You know .... if you don't like it don't do it. Don't look at it. Don't watch it. Don't smell it. Just don't.... and whatever you do don't sit there and whine about it. Nobody wants to hear you.
Avoid things you know are going to make you complain. If someone is handicapped they are handicapped. If someone is a midget they are a midget. If they are a different religion, they are. You need to deal with it. Sometimes people are offensive, and you can either walk away or retort wittily back.... but whining makes you appear weak and frankly foolish.
All this PC crap has been pushed to the point of making me want to just
throw up on the next PC whiner that gets near me.
Why is it that people believe that they have to be politically correct? Other than the obvious reasons, like fear of losing one's job, being accused of slander (which by the way is a tough one to prove unless you have hard and fast evidence), impressing others, vying for political office or something just as superfluous in it's needlessness!
I realize that it's the catch-phrase of the decade, but that was the past decade; you remember, the sensitive nineties? How can the 90s have produced such great music and such a group of whiners?
Now I'm not condoning being mean to people and insulting them, even though I firmly believe that there's a time and place for that, but what I am saying is, if you believe one thing but say another, you're lying to the person you're talking to and you're lying to yourself. Sometimes it should be ok to say:
So next time you think about hitting that "report" button to the mods because you whittle feelings got hurt by the mean girl in class.... maybe you should step back and ask yourself why you allow some anonymous poster in a forum get your panties in such a wad.... me thinks you have bigger issues than being politically correct.
......and in case you're wondering, I would LOVE to post this on the forum, but I'd get spanked for TOS violations.....
You know who you are.... you are that politically correct person who looks for things to whine about. You have taken one of the most interesting forums to hang out on the net and turned it into a namby-pamby-romper-room full of perma-whiners.
You know what? Put your big girl panties on and DEAL WITH IT. For pete's sake!!!!
You know .... if you don't like it don't do it. Don't look at it. Don't watch it. Don't smell it. Just don't.... and whatever you do don't sit there and whine about it. Nobody wants to hear you.
Avoid things you know are going to make you complain. If someone is handicapped they are handicapped. If someone is a midget they are a midget. If they are a different religion, they are. You need to deal with it. Sometimes people are offensive, and you can either walk away or retort wittily back.... but whining makes you appear weak and frankly foolish.
All this PC crap has been pushed to the point of making me want to just
throw up on the next PC whiner that gets near me.
Why is it that people believe that they have to be politically correct? Other than the obvious reasons, like fear of losing one's job, being accused of slander (which by the way is a tough one to prove unless you have hard and fast evidence), impressing others, vying for political office or something just as superfluous in it's needlessness!
I realize that it's the catch-phrase of the decade, but that was the past decade; you remember, the sensitive nineties? How can the 90s have produced such great music and such a group of whiners?
Now I'm not condoning being mean to people and insulting them, even though I firmly believe that there's a time and place for that, but what I am saying is, if you believe one thing but say another, you're lying to the person you're talking to and you're lying to yourself. Sometimes it should be ok to say:
So next time you think about hitting that "report" button to the mods because you whittle feelings got hurt by the mean girl in class.... maybe you should step back and ask yourself why you allow some anonymous poster in a forum get your panties in such a wad.... me thinks you have bigger issues than being politically correct.
......and in case you're wondering, I would LOVE to post this on the forum, but I'd get spanked for TOS violations.....
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Our Healthcare System
I got a CT scan on the 16th...... of course knowing that they are trying to exclude a tumor. Yes, I realize the chances are small, but there is still a chance.
I also realize that there was a holiday in between then and now. BUT.... I am at wits end about this.....
Yesterday, I get the bill from the hospital for the damn thing. I will be out of pocket over $850 (bye-bye- christmas gifts).
I left a message for the dr asking for results on the 21st, yesterday, and today.
No return call.
I also realize that there was a holiday in between then and now. BUT.... I am at wits end about this.....
Yesterday, I get the bill from the hospital for the damn thing. I will be out of pocket over $850 (bye-bye- christmas gifts).
I left a message for the dr asking for results on the 21st, yesterday, and today.
No return call.
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
I don't understand.
I don't understand how you can ask a person, "how do you feel about {insert some current event here}?" and they respond with, "I really don't know" or "I don't pay attention to the news" or "That doesn't really affect me."
But I guarantee if you ask that person:
"How many days did Paris stay in jail?"
THEY WILL KNOW!!!!!?!!!!!!?!!!!!
argggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(in my best charlie brown voice)
But I guarantee if you ask that person:
"How many days did Paris stay in jail?"
THEY WILL KNOW!!!!!?!!!!!!?!!!!!
argggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(in my best charlie brown voice)
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
WTF? A "Christian" telling someone else they are going to hell?
Every time I hear a variation of this story, I get angry:
I get angry at the so-called Christian who put themselves up on a pedestal above those they perceive not only as non-Christians, but lesser-Christians.
I am angry at their arrogance that they would tell a stranger, a waitress in a pub, that she is going to hell.
I am angry at their ignorance of the scope of God's love, which is obvious when they tell said waitress she also has condemned her son to hell.
I am angry that this "Christian" would dismiss and try to invalidate in front of God a marriage of love, mutual respect, and deep commitment based on some assumptions the patron has made.
I am angry that non-Christians (or nominally religious people) have more encounters with these types of "Christians" ( do I have to keep calling them that?) rather than ones who can share The Light with them.
I am angry that this "Christian" thinks they know enough to know the mind of God.
I am angry that this patron of the pub, I think, exemplifies what most non-religious people think of Christians.
I am angry.
I am embarrassed.
(maybe there is some irony in me implying the "f" word in my title and calling myself a Christian, but that is not directed at someone, and is strictly between God and myself)
- Christian finds out someone else isn't baptized.
- Christian goes on to tell the person how they will burn.
- Christian is not apologetic or explains position
- Christian is smug and walks away not even knowing what they did was very not Christian-like.
I get angry at the so-called Christian who put themselves up on a pedestal above those they perceive not only as non-Christians, but lesser-Christians.
I am angry at their arrogance that they would tell a stranger, a waitress in a pub, that she is going to hell.
I am angry at their ignorance of the scope of God's love, which is obvious when they tell said waitress she also has condemned her son to hell.
I am angry that this "Christian" would dismiss and try to invalidate in front of God a marriage of love, mutual respect, and deep commitment based on some assumptions the patron has made.
I am angry that non-Christians (or nominally religious people) have more encounters with these types of "Christians" ( do I have to keep calling them that?) rather than ones who can share The Light with them.
I am angry that this "Christian" thinks they know enough to know the mind of God.
I am angry that this patron of the pub, I think, exemplifies what most non-religious people think of Christians.
I am angry.
I am embarrassed.
(maybe there is some irony in me implying the "f" word in my title and calling myself a Christian, but that is not directed at someone, and is strictly between God and myself)
Saturday, July 07, 2007
FDA says what?
I FINALLY get a "release" from the FDA for containers that have been detained almost 10 weeks. They have been tested for everything but cat urine. Do you want to know what the bottom of the release says?
WTF?!?! Are you serious? Does not constitute assurance?????????????
How can you not be assured???
First customs sampled it and held it for weeks.
Then we had a 3rd party sample the container, neither us or our customer were allowed to open the container. Then we sent the samples to a 3rd party lab, approved by the US government for melamine and melamine derivative testing.
THEN almost a week after they get the negative results, they ask for a document (that ended up being 35 pages) on the procedures used to arrive at the negative results.
If it's an approved lab, don't you think they procedures used for that testing would be pre-approved?
Then a week AFTER they get the procedures we get the verbal ok. Then 24 hours finally the document with the disclaimer.
I swear I will go postal.
But, hey at least the Iraq war is going good.... [end sarcasm]
These products are released. This notice does not constitute assurance that the product released complies with all provisions of the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, or other related Acts, and does not preclude action should the product later be found violative.
WTF?!?! Are you serious? Does not constitute assurance?????????????
How can you not be assured???
First customs sampled it and held it for weeks.
Then we had a 3rd party sample the container, neither us or our customer were allowed to open the container. Then we sent the samples to a 3rd party lab, approved by the US government for melamine and melamine derivative testing.
THEN almost a week after they get the negative results, they ask for a document (that ended up being 35 pages) on the procedures used to arrive at the negative results.
If it's an approved lab, don't you think they procedures used for that testing would be pre-approved?
Then a week AFTER they get the procedures we get the verbal ok. Then 24 hours finally the document with the disclaimer.
I swear I will go postal.
But, hey at least the Iraq war is going good.... [end sarcasm]
Saturday, June 30, 2007
Thanks a lot Chuck. You define Douchebag.
Dear Chuck,
You're an asshole.
Regards,
Jen
Why is Chuck an asshole? Because he knew he could have helped and refused. I needed a battery. I wanted to run to home depot and my car wouldn't start. I had a friend come over and jump start me (but of course I asked him : Hey! Can you come jump me?? He was disappointed that I meant my car). I drove to O'Reiley's and bought a battery.
Then he handed it to me.
I asked, doesn't the price include installation? (I know I should have asked before). He replies no, but I have tools to loan you and hands me a tool box. He claims it's a liability issue.
Luckily I've done this before and am thinking, "eh, no problem." I start digging and digging through the tool box. LOTS of sockets, no ratchet. There were other tools, none the right size. I look and test tools for about 20 minutes. I'm pissed, it's after 9 and I'm tired.
I go back in.... hand it back to him and give the box back to him. He saw me the whole time and asked, "was there a problem". I explain to him the problem of sockets without a ratchet. He actually had the nerve to say, "oh yeah, I forgot to put in back in there."
Now the store is closed and I have to ask him for a jump start, I'll drive to a friends' house to get this done. When I asked him for the jump, he looked at me, rolled his eyes and said, "I guess I can help you." He changes it (with the use of proper tools) in under 2 minutes.
Time lapsed for Jen? 28 minutes.
In those 2 minutes, he managed to ask where I went to high school.... typical question for a 22 year old I think. Turns out he went to my HS. Doesn't remember me.... there is a shocker. I was 8 years older. I stopped going to HS parties in, well, about when I was 18 years old.
Chuck, assuming the name on your shirt is correct.... You are the first person in 2007 that I can call a douche bag.
Congratulations.
You're an asshole.
Regards,
Jen
Why is Chuck an asshole? Because he knew he could have helped and refused. I needed a battery. I wanted to run to home depot and my car wouldn't start. I had a friend come over and jump start me (but of course I asked him : Hey! Can you come jump me?? He was disappointed that I meant my car). I drove to O'Reiley's and bought a battery.
Then he handed it to me.
I asked, doesn't the price include installation? (I know I should have asked before). He replies no, but I have tools to loan you and hands me a tool box. He claims it's a liability issue.
Luckily I've done this before and am thinking, "eh, no problem." I start digging and digging through the tool box. LOTS of sockets, no ratchet. There were other tools, none the right size. I look and test tools for about 20 minutes. I'm pissed, it's after 9 and I'm tired.
I go back in.... hand it back to him and give the box back to him. He saw me the whole time and asked, "was there a problem". I explain to him the problem of sockets without a ratchet. He actually had the nerve to say, "oh yeah, I forgot to put in back in there."
Now the store is closed and I have to ask him for a jump start, I'll drive to a friends' house to get this done. When I asked him for the jump, he looked at me, rolled his eyes and said, "I guess I can help you." He changes it (with the use of proper tools) in under 2 minutes.
Time lapsed for Jen? 28 minutes.
In those 2 minutes, he managed to ask where I went to high school.... typical question for a 22 year old I think. Turns out he went to my HS. Doesn't remember me.... there is a shocker. I was 8 years older. I stopped going to HS parties in, well, about when I was 18 years old.
Chuck, assuming the name on your shirt is correct.... You are the first person in 2007 that I can call a douche bag.
Congratulations.
Thursday, June 21, 2007
Thank Goodness the Recalls are Over.
Our company actually received DEATH THREATS over the recalls. We don't even make the food! We're just brokers.
I'm always amazed at people who love their pets so much, they are willing to (threaten to) kill a human. Irony lost on anyone?
Business is almost back to normal. Some will be forever lost.
I was able to get a unique perspective on this. On one hand, I am a pet owner and logged into petconnection.com almost daily to get updates (sometimes they broke news faster than we were hearing it) and on the other, I have a business that it is my job.
I think the most disturbing accusations from those outside the industry was that "we should have known". But in our case, we don't even see the product... as brokers, we just handle the paperwork in between the two.
I'm still frustrated about the way it was handled. I lost what little trust I had in the FDA. I no longer (knowingly) buy Chinese food products.
I continue to lose money over this. Personally. It sucks and I can't do anything to stop it either.
The government put some near-impossible restrictions on Chinese protein imports to satisfy the public, but honestly what used to take 2-5 days to clear is taking almost 10 weeks. Do I think these restrictions are long term solutions? No. But maybe it makes some people feel a little warmer and fuzzier that our government is doing something.
You know what impresses me about petconnection.com? They didn't fall for the doublespeak. They were analyzing the press conferences and picking apart the timelines. Although they never figured out 2 of our 3 buyers (thank goodness), they were darn accurate on 90% of other information they had. (The commentors made some stupid remarks). There are so many things I thought I could contribute to the "fight", but how do you do that and maintain my position? You can't.
Daily I think : What did I learn from this? There is so much.... and maybe that is a blog for another time.
I'm always amazed at people who love their pets so much, they are willing to (threaten to) kill a human. Irony lost on anyone?
Business is almost back to normal. Some will be forever lost.
I was able to get a unique perspective on this. On one hand, I am a pet owner and logged into petconnection.com almost daily to get updates (sometimes they broke news faster than we were hearing it) and on the other, I have a business that it is my job.
I think the most disturbing accusations from those outside the industry was that "we should have known". But in our case, we don't even see the product... as brokers, we just handle the paperwork in between the two.
I'm still frustrated about the way it was handled. I lost what little trust I had in the FDA. I no longer (knowingly) buy Chinese food products.
I continue to lose money over this. Personally. It sucks and I can't do anything to stop it either.
The government put some near-impossible restrictions on Chinese protein imports to satisfy the public, but honestly what used to take 2-5 days to clear is taking almost 10 weeks. Do I think these restrictions are long term solutions? No. But maybe it makes some people feel a little warmer and fuzzier that our government is doing something.
You know what impresses me about petconnection.com? They didn't fall for the doublespeak. They were analyzing the press conferences and picking apart the timelines. Although they never figured out 2 of our 3 buyers (thank goodness), they were darn accurate on 90% of other information they had. (The commentors made some stupid remarks). There are so many things I thought I could contribute to the "fight", but how do you do that and maintain my position? You can't.
Daily I think : What did I learn from this? There is so much.... and maybe that is a blog for another time.
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
Lord means "master", not mascot.
I moderate a Mormon Debate Board on beliefnet in my "free" time (which really means I sneak in/out during the day while on the phone at work holding).
It's a very active board with some interesting topics. Today, someone made the comment:
I agree with the said poster. As a Christian, I find myself CONSTANTLY embarrassed by those who I feel have hijacked the religion. Maybe some of those have never READ the Bible, they are just looking at the cliff notes they get in a 25 min sermon on Sundays or trying to remember Sunday School lessons from years ago. So, along that line.... SELFISH CHRISTIANS bother me even more. In fact, you can't be selfish AND be a Christian. (Study the New Testament, you'll see what I mean)
I have HUGE problems with heaven/hell centered preaching.
First of all, the preoccupation with salvation/afterlife I think causes some to devalue other things in THIS life. The importance of death is lifted up so high, the life before our mortal death is trivialized, causing many to forget to love thy neighbor. Remember that? One of the two GREATEST commandments?
Secondly, since when is Jesus only about personal salvation? You friendly buddy Christ? Seriously, get over yourself. In a self-centered (how am I getting to heaven) and hell-centered (I am only doing these things to prevent myself from going to hell) salvation, doesn't the teaching of Jesus just get reduced to a quick means to get to Heaven? We want to do it as painlessly as possible too.
Third, if you're so focused on self-salvation through your gospel, are you starting to lose focus that Jesus was the Savior and Lord of the world? Someone said to me once, Lord means "master", not mascot. I can't agree more. Before you argue with me, take a moment to think about that statement.
Personally, I shake my head at most Christians. We've dumbed down Jesus to Buddy Christ sitting there next to us watching tv, enjoying our golden ticket into heaven.
It's a very active board with some interesting topics. Today, someone made the comment:
"I'm always astounded by those who think the main/only point of the Gospel is to get into heaven."
I agree with the said poster. As a Christian, I find myself CONSTANTLY embarrassed by those who I feel have hijacked the religion. Maybe some of those have never READ the Bible, they are just looking at the cliff notes they get in a 25 min sermon on Sundays or trying to remember Sunday School lessons from years ago. So, along that line.... SELFISH CHRISTIANS bother me even more. In fact, you can't be selfish AND be a Christian. (Study the New Testament, you'll see what I mean)
I have HUGE problems with heaven/hell centered preaching.
First of all, the preoccupation with salvation/afterlife I think causes some to devalue other things in THIS life. The importance of death is lifted up so high, the life before our mortal death is trivialized, causing many to forget to love thy neighbor. Remember that? One of the two GREATEST commandments?
Secondly, since when is Jesus only about personal salvation? You friendly buddy Christ? Seriously, get over yourself. In a self-centered (how am I getting to heaven) and hell-centered (I am only doing these things to prevent myself from going to hell) salvation, doesn't the teaching of Jesus just get reduced to a quick means to get to Heaven? We want to do it as painlessly as possible too.
Third, if you're so focused on self-salvation through your gospel, are you starting to lose focus that Jesus was the Savior and Lord of the world? Someone said to me once, Lord means "master", not mascot. I can't agree more. Before you argue with me, take a moment to think about that statement.
Personally, I shake my head at most Christians. We've dumbed down Jesus to Buddy Christ sitting there next to us watching tv, enjoying our golden ticket into heaven.
Friday, December 29, 2006
Bratz are Whorez
I think part of being a parent is denying your kid things you think are bad for them. Parents have no problem telling their kid they can not have a Coke for breakfast, so why when it comes to toys parents are willing to throw just about anything under the tree?
Advertisers want children to beg and cry for what they want until their parents finally concede. Neglect is sometimes giving a child exactly what they want.
This Christmas, my beef is with :
Also known as Bratz.
They look like pole-dancers on the way to a strip club ( no offense to the pole-dancers I know, but come on...... there's a reason those clubs are over 21...).
No child really needs a slutty looking doll. Seriously.
I think the original commercial for these doll-shaped hellspawn sums up their message well: "Don't theorize! Accessorize!"
Are these dolls creating immature sexuality or simply reflecting what is already there? To find out, let's not forget your phallic accessories that every 6 year old needs:
"The sweet and sassy Bratz Babyz™ flaunt it on the most funked out furniture! Take a sweet seat on a donut chair or banana split lounge, and hang out in Bratz Babyz™ style!
Features:
* Beautiful Bratz Babyz™ Design
* Fits 1 Bratz Babyz™
Donut Chair
* Spins around and around!
Banana Spilt Chair
* Moves up and down!
*Features and Accessories May Vary"
Features:
* Beautiful Bratz Babyz™ Design
* Fits 1 Bratz Babyz™
Donut Chair
* Spins around and around!
Banana Spilt Chair
* Moves up and down!
*Features and Accessories May Vary"
WTF?!? "Flaunt it on funked out furniture?" Who in the hell would want their young daughter flaunting "it" (Whatever "it" is since these are marketed to pre-teen kids) on anything? And these "baby bratz" are being marketed to the under-7 crowd.
So don't give me flack when I ask for the gift receipt for the fugly little Bratz doll you bought my 4year old for Christmas and tell me to "loosen up" when I tell you it's not coming into my house.
You want to know why? Because in 7 or 8 years from now you'll be saying "I just don't know how little Tanqueray became a fugly little slut..."
Right now you think your daughter dressing like their favorite dollz is cute.....Yeah, you're daughters aren't Slutz, they're Bratz.
Trash in, Trash out.
Tuesday, October 10, 2006
When the Doorbell Rings, God, I hope it's the Mormons
Tonight is PTO (or PTA in some schools) meeting #2. We're going to be making the final decisions on fund raising for the preschool. Yes, the preschool, which is a completely different financial entity than the k-8 attached to it. So, as I'm sitting in this meeting, the following will be running through my mind....
Last night, my doorbell rings, which causes havoc on the whole house. The cat runs, the dog barks and my daughter starts screeming. It's a lil cub scout selling popcorn tins. Calls me Ma'am. Strike one.
Strike two, little kid (8ish?) walking door to door without a parent at almost-dark. While I realize that is how I sold Girl Scout cookies (like 20 years ago! god I'm old) and we live in the 'burbs, I still hate the idea of this.
I tell him that if he buys the trash bags that our school is selling, I'll buy his over priced popcorn tin. The reply was, "but lady, I don't have any money." Pathetic, but adorable.
I bought it anyway.
Why did I want the Mormon Missionaries instead? They're easier to say no to.
About once a week it seems for the last 2 months, I'm getting hit up for something. Wrapping paper, trash bags, cookies, popcorn, and life insurance. But that was a guy who had a 5o'clock shadow at 11 am on a Saturday. I was less indulging to him than the little cub last night.
Private organization like the cub scouts don't bother me to the same degree as school fund-raising. What's the deal with the schools turning this into a requirement? If you don't sell, they not so subtly let you know they noticed.
What is wrong with the funding to our schools that we HAVE to do this so the teachers can have a microwave in their break room or the teachers can have supplemental supplies?
What if we spent 90 minutes tonight talking about which legislators we could lobby for education reform instead of which fund raiser is next?
What if we went door to door with a petition instead of Catalogs of crapola made by child slave labor in a foreign country?
What if we had the whole meeting at TKs Grill instead of the "after meeting"? Ok, I have no idea how that is socially responsible, but A LOT more fun).
You get the idea.
Last night, my doorbell rings, which causes havoc on the whole house. The cat runs, the dog barks and my daughter starts screeming. It's a lil cub scout selling popcorn tins. Calls me Ma'am. Strike one.
Strike two, little kid (8ish?) walking door to door without a parent at almost-dark. While I realize that is how I sold Girl Scout cookies (like 20 years ago! god I'm old) and we live in the 'burbs, I still hate the idea of this.
I tell him that if he buys the trash bags that our school is selling, I'll buy his over priced popcorn tin. The reply was, "but lady, I don't have any money." Pathetic, but adorable.
I bought it anyway.
Why did I want the Mormon Missionaries instead? They're easier to say no to.
About once a week it seems for the last 2 months, I'm getting hit up for something. Wrapping paper, trash bags, cookies, popcorn, and life insurance. But that was a guy who had a 5o'clock shadow at 11 am on a Saturday. I was less indulging to him than the little cub last night.
Private organization like the cub scouts don't bother me to the same degree as school fund-raising. What's the deal with the schools turning this into a requirement? If you don't sell, they not so subtly let you know they noticed.
What is wrong with the funding to our schools that we HAVE to do this so the teachers can have a microwave in their break room or the teachers can have supplemental supplies?
What if we spent 90 minutes tonight talking about which legislators we could lobby for education reform instead of which fund raiser is next?
What if we went door to door with a petition instead of Catalogs of crapola made by child slave labor in a foreign country?
What if we had the whole meeting at TKs Grill instead of the "after meeting"? Ok, I have no idea how that is socially responsible, but A LOT more fun).
You get the idea.
Friday, July 21, 2006
A simple lesson in supply and demand
originally posted on July 27, 2006 on myspace.com
Ok, let me tell you.... somedays I have the best job (great for flexility) and some days the worst (when you shut down the plant of the world's largest poultry processor for 3 hours and it's 100% on you).
Let me explain to you, one of those days that fall between the extremes. Apparently, very few people (including my own customers) understand the huge world of agriculture (how we get bread on your table and food to Fido). As we are sitting in the middle of an apparent "drought", everyone wants to tell me the best course of action I could have taken to avoid the current shortages of certain commodities.
It is VERY imperative to understand that hindsight is 20/20 and your monday-morning-quarterbacking isn't getting your product to you any quicker. Get it???? When was the last time a monday-morning-quarterback won the superbowl? Yeah, that's what I thought.
A few customers have offered several solutions to the current supply problem, but unforunately are not grounded in reality. While I appreciate the "help", your quarterbacking and advice does not make it happen. If NO product is available, then how do you suggest I pull more supply out of my *ahem* ear???
Also, offering me more money for a product I do not have, and frankly may not be in existence (think : drought), also does not increase supply or your chances of having more product by next Wednesday. If you're pissed, sorry. I've kissed your ass, offered you substitutes (when applicable), but if it is the lowest supply we've seen in 17 years, then take my word for it.... you're not the only one going without.
I've been doing this 9 years. Not always well, and sometimes really well, but I know what the hell I'm doing. Back off. I don't have a secret supply, and I'm not giving it to your competitor because I'm trying to make your life miserable. IT DOESN'T EXIST!!! And as the year goes on, the problem will get worse.
It's a lot like the current situation with gas. Yeah, the price sucks and we're pissed, but why complaint to the QT cashier? I'm the cashier in the Ag world, but I have no control over supply, just like the QT-dude can't set the price of gas.
I'm not getting rich with the said venture. I make enough to pay my bills and give Abigail little adventures here and there (ballet lessons, swim lessons, trip to the zoo, and the occassional trip on a plane).
Quess what??? I also work commission, so if I can't ship you a product, I don't get paid. So trust me when I say, I'm working hard to find it for you.
So, when you decide to take it out on my about the drought and the lack of product you need, really, please, yell at God or some other person that you find is a little more directly responsible for the current situation than I am.
Ok, let me tell you.... somedays I have the best job (great for flexility) and some days the worst (when you shut down the plant of the world's largest poultry processor for 3 hours and it's 100% on you).
Let me explain to you, one of those days that fall between the extremes. Apparently, very few people (including my own customers) understand the huge world of agriculture (how we get bread on your table and food to Fido). As we are sitting in the middle of an apparent "drought", everyone wants to tell me the best course of action I could have taken to avoid the current shortages of certain commodities.
It is VERY imperative to understand that hindsight is 20/20 and your monday-morning-quarterbacking isn't getting your product to you any quicker. Get it???? When was the last time a monday-morning-quarterback won the superbowl? Yeah, that's what I thought.
A few customers have offered several solutions to the current supply problem, but unforunately are not grounded in reality. While I appreciate the "help", your quarterbacking and advice does not make it happen. If NO product is available, then how do you suggest I pull more supply out of my *ahem* ear???
Also, offering me more money for a product I do not have, and frankly may not be in existence (think : drought), also does not increase supply or your chances of having more product by next Wednesday. If you're pissed, sorry. I've kissed your ass, offered you substitutes (when applicable), but if it is the lowest supply we've seen in 17 years, then take my word for it.... you're not the only one going without.
I've been doing this 9 years. Not always well, and sometimes really well, but I know what the hell I'm doing. Back off. I don't have a secret supply, and I'm not giving it to your competitor because I'm trying to make your life miserable. IT DOESN'T EXIST!!! And as the year goes on, the problem will get worse.
It's a lot like the current situation with gas. Yeah, the price sucks and we're pissed, but why complaint to the QT cashier? I'm the cashier in the Ag world, but I have no control over supply, just like the QT-dude can't set the price of gas.
I'm not getting rich with the said venture. I make enough to pay my bills and give Abigail little adventures here and there (ballet lessons, swim lessons, trip to the zoo, and the occassional trip on a plane).
Quess what??? I also work commission, so if I can't ship you a product, I don't get paid. So trust me when I say, I'm working hard to find it for you.
So, when you decide to take it out on my about the drought and the lack of product you need, really, please, yell at God or some other person that you find is a little more directly responsible for the current situation than I am.
Monday, July 10, 2006
I wanna Be a Part-Time Mommy!
Yes. This is directed at a friend of a friend.. and it's on the verge of being catty..... no apologies here.
I'll be the first to admit I'm not the best parent in the world. Once in awhile I wish Abby was at her dads so I can have a moment of peace (4yos can ask a LOT of questions). I have a bad habit of saying damn in front of her (I'm trying to quit). I don't always cook her vegetables for every meal. Sometimes I absolutely dread having one more tea party. There are occasions where I find parenting mundane, boring, and tedious.
Don't get me wrong, it's the best thing in my life and the good moments (so far) have outnumbered the bad, but to say every moment is joyous is a crock.
What I don't get.... parents who think their right to happiness supersedes their obligation to parenting. A few examples:
** Weekend warrior dads (granted, sometimes that isn't their fault).
** Single moms who have various guys stay over randomly when their kids are at home (:::cough, cough :::: Elizabeth)
** Deadbeat dads (putting up with the mom, payments, and a kid just cramp their lifestyle I guess)
** Women who will move to pursue a better job/life/husband/etc and leave their kids in care of the father several states away.
The last example, I am not saying dads are not capable of taking care of their daughters..... not it at all. But to claim that there is no opportunity (job / school/ love life / etc) and to move hours away from your little kid(s) just so you can pursue a new job and a new life I don't get.
Do you think your kids only need you on the occasional weekend? the occasional good night call? only on summer and holiday breaks?
Being a parent is more than making sure they have a roof and food, it's about nurturing and fostering development. I don't see how than can be done long distance. Selfishness is rampant today in all aspects of our society, but especially evident in parenting. Where did you get the idea you have a right to be happy while sacrificing your obligation to parent your child?
Just because I gave up a lot with respect to some personal decisions (** sigh **) and my job, doesn't mean everyone should. It amazes me how flippant of a decision it is for some women (and to an extent, men).
Did you think when you got pregnant that this would be a part-time job?
Tuesday, April 18, 2006
I have enough connectivity to make me want to kill myself
originally posted on myspace.com on April 18, 2006
I have enough connectivity to make my want to kill myself
As I received a call last night at 9:30 from someone needing information for a container that was being held up in customs...... I realized I have just enough connectivity to make me want to kill myself
Honestly. I have:
Honestly. I have:
- two desks
- laptop computer
- two desktop computers
- a scanner
- a printer/fax/copier
- a cell phone
- A PDA
- a headset
- ten zillion loose CDs/DVDs and miscellaneous documentation packets scattered about
- not to mention all the personal pieces of technology, digital camera, video camera, etc.
The ones I need to do my job. Yup. Somebody please shoot me. If i can't connect to the network while someone is calling me with a problem, what good is all that technology?
My cell phone, the one all my business calls forward to? Well, it dials nicely, and people can hear me loud and clear, but I can't hear a thing. If I hunch over with my hands clamped over my ears and around the phone, squeeze my eyes shut and do Kegels, I can just barely hear a gnat-like buzzing instead of my voice mail, my coworker, Mom, Mr. President, whomever.
Also? My laptop broke up with the wireless network last Thursday and won't even recognize it now. The IT guy and I have been over every byte of the damn thing and can't figure it out, so it's now all packaged up and waiting for the FedEx man (at least he's cute and it's an excuse to talk to a cute guy during the day - lol).
And I gotta tell you, there's nothing quite like realizing mid-installation that the serial codes are written on the CD. Mmm-mm.
*load*
*wait*
*click*
*click*
*click*
*click*
*type*
*type*
*type*
*click*
"Fuck!"
*eject*
*read*
*load again*
*click again*
*click again*
*click again*
*click again*
*type again*
*type again*
*type again*
*click again*
"Fuck a duck!"
*eject again*
*enter zeroes in place of the letter "o"*
*read yet again*
*load yet again*
*click yet again*
*click yet again*
*click yet again*
*click yet again*
*type yet again*
*type yet again*
*type yet again*
*click yet again*
*"Yessss!"
Well, you know where I'll be. I figure I'll be up and running just as the Chicago office empties for the night. But I'll be ready *just in case* I'm needed at 9:30pm again while watching a new episode of Medium (yes, I'm a 1hour drama junkie).
So, if you can't reach me on our 800#, my direct line, texting me, calling me on my cell or my home number, Im'ing me on yahoo, msn, or aol , or by any of my 3 email addresses...... chances are I'm just ignoring you. I have just enough connectivity to make me want to kill myself.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Subscribe To
Posts
All Comments
Post-Tri Hug
You did it Mommy!
Me!
Hood To Coast Relay 2007
