Beware the Ides of March

While you may still be calculating pi from a long drawn out pi Day, the Ides of March are upon us. Beware, your closest confidant, your best friend, even your business partner may kill you today!

Receipt checking is stupid

I just submitted [on 10/20] this at www.gardenridge.com:

I recently had a very negative experience at the round rock store. I
frequent this store at least monthly, but I feel I wont ever again.
They instituted some new "door receipt checker" policy which blindly
labels every patron as a crook. Upon leaving the checkout stand, I
removed my two bags and box (with a handle) and proceeded to walk out
the store. A person asked me for my receipt.

As I just checked out,
and have my hands full, I said "no thank you". Upon walking to my
car, putting my items i just purchased away, and I notice this same
person writing something down about 30 feet from my car. Naturally,
this angered me. I asked him why he was taking down my plates, and to
get a manager. The manager was very non-challant and lackadaisical.
He was not very "there". I proceeded to tell him I'm not a crook. It
was inconvenient to put my stuff down to dig out a receipt. "Thats
just the way it is". I asked him "why do people check receipts" the
response "to make sure you got everything" "I just walked away from
the checkout, I have everything". I then asked for my information to
be removed from wherever it was written. He refused to give me the
"incident report" paper, but scratched my information off. As if no
one can go back and get the original writing back?

I will not return to this store, this is unjustified profiling because
of a stupid policy. I can understand the deterrent so that less
merchandise walks away. I have no problem w/ the door person, the
problem lies in him following me out. During the time he followed me
out, how many customers left the store w/ no receipt check? Please
call me to rectify this situation, or you will lose the patronage of
not only myself, but my friends and extended family.

UPDATE [10/24]: The GM for the store called me 2-3 days later, and we discussed my complaints. I basically told her the deterrent is the right idea, but it has to be passive, not some dork asking for a receipt and following you out. She agreed and told me the two employees involved in the incident have been reprimanded and retrained.

UPDATE2 [11/26]: We went back to show for x-mas stuff, they had a security guard spitting out pleasantries and NOT asking for receipts. Its nice to see someone listens.

I just read this post by Vanderleun, and he brings up a GREAT point:

Merchants basically have two rights covering people entering and exiting their stores. They can refuse to let you enter the premises and/or to sell you anything, and they can place you under citizens arrest for attempting to leave the premises with any property that you haven't paid for. But the second you hand over the appropriate amount of cash, they lose all rights to the items. They can't legally impair you from leaving the store with your property.

Wow, I wish I used that argument in my email!

2007 Chevy Tahoe

Traded in both cars and got an 07 Tahoe. Its a great car, and I pay less per month now! Its Black exterior, titanium leather interior, power everything. Lt3+entertainment system. yum

Oak TV stand

My task was to make a TV stand which matched an existing entertainment center. Here are some pictures. The center void will have speaker mesh covering it. The unit is on 2.5" casters, and I use aluminum L-bar's for anti-tipping measures. Its made with red oak plywood and solid red oak trim/doors. Took about 3 days.

My "No Soda" diet

I finally decided my weight gain was a little too much. Growing up I was the skinny twig type. at 18 I was 120lbs, thats a little slim for 5'8". I'm pushing 30 now, still 5'8" but 175lbs! whoa, a bit much there. My target goal is 135. The first phase of my diet is going to be to eliminate the 6-10 cokes I drink a day, and drink lemonade or water. I'd also eat salads as snacks throughout the day, and only real food for dinner. I on 7/18, I was 173.5lbs that day. One week later on 7/25, I'm 167.5. I really hope this keep up till at least 10-15lbs, because this part is easy :)

Virtual Garage Sale

Buy my stuff, maybe some of my friend's stuff (if they ever tell me wtf they wanna sell). I'm tired of this stuff laying around my house, collecting dust. BUY MY STUFF!!!! Google Checkout, Paypal, and Cash accepted.

http://www.kishk.org/store

1988 Bayliner Capri Cuddy

So I recently acquired a used boat. It hadn't been used/fired up in about 4 years. After fixing the trim switch, getting a new distributer cap, cables, a coil, and fuses.... the baby purrs nicely. Now, where shall I take this 3.0L/150hp to open her up and see how she handles it? :)

Anyone know where to find a new "live fish holding tank" for this sucker?

Round Rock/Austin Metro gutters

So after years of dealing with splashing rain from my roof, I finally decided to get some quotes on gutters. I called about 11 companies, and only 6 kept their appointments. I even rescheduled the other ones. If they dont want my business, fine. I asked for 2 quotes, full wrap vs over the garage and just the back. Here's a table of what I ended up with. All are 5" gutters w/ 3"x4" downspouts.

*AFTER 10% discount.
** provided color match samples
*** provided occupational/liability insurance documentation

I'm leaning on Freeman Company because of the high warranties, and the estimator guy was very professional. all the other guys just seemed like sales slime. We'll see how things so, I have to sleep on it.

UPDATE: So I ended up getting the gutters from the Freeman Company. They guy installed them perfectly, even asked where I'd like each downsout to end up. It took him about two hours and they look great.

Vince Young going pro

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) - Vince Young is headed to the NFL.

The quarterback who led Texas to its first national championship in 36 years announced Sunday he would make himself eligible for the NFL draft.

"I thank God for the opportunity to be in this position," Young said at a news conference. "Hard work has paid off a whole lot."

Young, who led the Longhorns to a 41-38 Rose Bowl win over top-ranked Southern California on Wednesday, could have returned to Texas for his senior season and would have been a favorite to win the Heisman Trophy.

The versatile quarterback accounted for 467 yards against USC - 200 running and 267 passing - and ran 8 yards for the winning touchdown with 19 seconds left.

Young thanked many people, including his family and coach Mack Brown, who could not attend Sunday's news conference. He specifically thanked Brown for "helping me become a better man."

In a statement, Brown said he met with Young and his family Sunday morning and fully supports Young's decision.

"We love Vince and appreciate all the great things he's done for the University of Texas on and off the field," Brown said. "We'll miss him, but want him to do as well in the NFL as he did in college."

In his eight seasons at Texas, Brown never before has had a player leave early for the NFL.

Young ends his career at Texas with a 30-2 record - the best in school history.

His stellar performance in the Rose Bowl increased speculation that he would leave school early and also started a debate about whether he would be the No. 1 pick in April's draft.

Young is Texas' all-time leader in total offense (9,167 yards), career touchdowns (81) and career rushing touchdowns by a quarterback (37).

This season, Young became the only player in NCAA history to pass for 3,000 yards (3,036) and rush for 1,000 (1,050) in one season. His 4,086 total yards set a school single-season record.

Young won the Davey O'Brien Award for the nation's best quarterback and the Maxwell Award for the top college football player, but came in second behind USC running back Reggie Bush in the Heisman voting.

Though he's leaving a year early, Young emphasized his bond with Texas, saying, "I'll forever be a Longhorn."

Texas wins the Rose Bowl

"With the national championship down to a final play, Young scrambled for an 8-yard touchdown on fourth down with 19 seconds left and the No. 2 Longhorns stunned the top-ranked Trojans 41-38 in the Rose Bowl on Wednesday night."

http://msn.foxsports.com/cfb/story/5219984

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2006/football/ncaa/specials/bowls/2005/01/04/rose.bowl/index.html

http://msn.foxsports.com/cfb/gameTrax?gameId=200601040083

Now thats a cake topper!

Gotta love this. A wife who allows the husband to know she's in charge, hehe!

Safest and most dangerous cities this year

So Camden NJ get sthe worst city honor again this year. Looking at the worst overall list, I cant understand how New Orleans only got #8 after what we saw unfold. Thats gotta be in a category of its own. Well, At least its good to know the city I live in, Round Rock, TX (home of Dell), is #8 of the best! yey. anyways, heres the articles:

http://www.foxnews.com/printer_friendly_story/0,3566,176206,00.html
http://www.morganquitno.com/xcit06pop.htm#25