Thursday, April 28, 2011

Does Starcraft Breed Bad Manners or Should We Blame the Parents?

Since I was introduced to the StarCraft community, I've seen more than I care to. It seems the majority of the players are a hateful, insensitive, cruel and ignorant bunch. At first I attributed it to the game itself and the immaturity to the age bracket of the players. But it's frightening to think that these people are OUR future.

I defended gamers when parents were, in my opinion, being unreasonable about video games. I made excuses for players who were bad mannered.I called off lawyers, when intellectually I knew that the NASL and Uservoice should have a suit brought against them for libel.

When I saw sexism firsthand on both GameReplay and TeamLiquid forums, I ignored it. After all it was simply a few small minds with dix to match, who probably don't get any; and if they did, wouldn't know what to do with it.

GameReplay was, at first, the lesser of the two evils. It felt to me like a closer knit community; friendlier, less hateful, more accepting of women. But when a Polish girl, who goes by the name of Effka, was the first woman ever to win a CraftCup tournament in a male-dominated arena, the forums on GameReplay were inundated with smut and sexist remarks.

Initially I came to the forums, trying to learn more about the game so that I could support a man whom I care about a great deal. There were always Avilo haters and he'd always tell me I'm too sensitive. There were always remarks about women and again I was told to just ignore it.

Recently, someone on GameReplay asked if I was avilo's mother. I responded as sincerely as the question was presented. Then, came the standard, "Pictures or get out." After which another small-minded, immature poster said, "Tits or gtfo."

I decided to not take this Blob guy's post seriously or be offended by it, so I posted to be funny. "Dick or gtfo...but wait, I have to get a magnifying glass." Yeah, I sunk to their immature level. Then, was shocked (whilst I shouldn't have been considering the mentality of this group)when a gamer that goes by the name of Solhei, responded by posting, "This is why girls in general are only meant to stick ur dick in." (Wonder if he feels that way about his mother. Wonder if he even has one)

How have these people been raised? Or have they been? Do their parents, their mothers in particular, know how their sons view them? Were they taught by their fathers to disrespect women in such a way?

It's not easy to "ignore" remarks like that and I guess that's why the more professional gamers stay away from the forums. That's probably good advice for avilo. I know that I've already seen enough of forums to know that there's nothing there for me to learn.

Yesterday, I read a forum thread on TeamLiquid about the NASL commentators and how rudely they conducted themselves during a game. They probably took lessons from the immature and sans testicles, Jim Raynor from GameReplay. (Wonder if he was raised by parents)http://lifeandotherfantasies.blogspot.com/2011/02/starcraft2-and-craftcup-tournament.html

The original poster took exception to their behavior, (guess he had a proper upbringing) but every comment thereafter threw hate at him. "It was fun." "They made me laugh." "Lighten up, it was funny." And that's the mentality of gamers?

Today, I once again defended avilo in Gamereplay, because I wanted to appeal to the "mature and caring" nature of gamers, if there was any. I wanted to prove parents wrong. I wanted to prove to myself that only a few of the gamers that post are insensitive and rude, I wanted to prove avilo wrong.

The responses I received left me sad for the future. I don't envy parents nowadays. Most parents do their best to instill a strong moral and ethical belief in their kids, but when do they have the time? Both parents work, most parents are stressed, some parents don't even know what they're kids are doing or where they are doing it. For other parents, it's just too late.

If all gamers are reflective of some of those in the StarCraft community, then all I can say is, parents beware.

Wednesday, April 27, 2011

To Tip or Not To Tip - That is the Question

This was inspired by my cousin, who in no uncertain terms is against tipping. Also, because I recently read a thread on a forum that addressed this topic.

Firstly, after doing some research, I am absolutely sure that no one on the face of this earth knows exactly where this practice first originated. But I do know that it's not only customary, but obligatory. Face it, if you "stiff" a server, would you go back to that restaurant?

In the U.S. we tip everyone from servers to mechanics, most of whom make more money an hour than the person leaving the tip. Hell, there are guides that tell us exactly what percentage of a tip is the norm.

Tipping, started somewhere in Europe. Historians claim it began in 18th century English coffee houses. Of course ask any Brit and they'll tell you that they don't believe in tipping for any service rendered.

I've heard that TIP is an acronym. A container with a label that read "To Insure Promptitude" was placed in English coffee houses and those that donated coins were seated quicker than those who did not.

It's also said that it began in the 1500s when a server asked a customer for a "trinkgeld" which in German is "drink money."

Still another theory is that 400-500 years ago well-to-do folks threw coins at thieves to prevent being accosted.

After much research, the practice of tipping is still as clear as mud. What I did learn, however, is that Americans tip more than any other country. And that, too, differs according to location. Up north 15% to 20% is what someone performing a service "expects." In some southern states, one dollar per person served is the norm. The latter seems more logical to me. I mean if two people spend a hundred bucks on dinner, did the server do anymore for them than the two patrons that spent 10 bucks?

But why did we, as customers, become responsible to pay the wait staff's salary? How can government allow restaurant owners to pay sub-standard wages and then make patrons feel responsible for making up the difference? Let me tell you this, some people treat servers like sub-humans, but those servers can make anywhere from 40 to 100 plus dollars an hour. And the real kicker is that they only report 40% of their tips to the government.

I always thought if I tipped well (and trust me I tip everyone that does anything for me) that I'd be remembered as generous and would receive not only prompt, but better service. To my disappointment it's not true. What I believe now is that they just see the word SUCKER written across my forehead.

I'd also like your opinions on "Christmas" gratuities given to those who have come to expect them, such as: Trash collectors, Mail carriers, Hair Dressers/Barbers, Waiters/Waitresses (if you frequent the establishment), Housekeepers, Lawn Maintenance workers, Taxi drivers, Doormen, etc.

Let 'er rip!

What's Your Take on Tipping?
All workers performing a service should be tipped
Waiters/Waitresses should definitely be tipped
I don't feel I should have to tip anyone
Tipping should not be obligatory
I should be tipped for using their service
I have no idea
I'm moving to England
  
pollcode.com free polls

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

We Dodged the Bullet - Guess Kendra Did Too

After last nights devastation tonight seemed mild. Yes, we're still under flash flood warnings and it did storm, but there were only three tornadoes in the state. Naturally, one had to be in my backyard, but far enough away that our town only felt the tail end.

So, lucky me, I got to watch the last 15 minutes of Dancing with the Stars. I was sorry to see Chris up there and Ralph. I wasn't sorry to see Kendra. Whilst her last two dances were pretty good, I don't know that she'll be consistent and it's only right that she is voted off. But wait! Huh? Surely there's been a mistake! Granted, I didn't see last night's competition, but to think that she was better than Chris, who has proven he can dance numerous times and Ralph, who is a real showman, is ridiculous. I mean, the end of the competition is still a month away and she's bound to suffer more "hormonal" days.

Just goes to show you that fans shouldn't be allowed a vote.

I Missed Dancing with the Stars Monday Night...

But I'm alive to tell about it. Still,this is the way I feel :( Not only because I was unable to watch Dancing with the Stars, which amounts to nothing when it boils down to it, but because I spent most of the day and night in the closet again.

Considering that seven tornadoes and flash floods threatened our state last night, our town didn't see too much damage. We experienced high winds, rising waters from torrential rains, cacophonous rumblings of thunder and "omg that's too close for comfort" lightning. We were left without internet access, no service for cell phones, and no long distance calls via landline phones. Dancing with the Stars was interrupted, just like last Tuesday, by Storm Watch.

Throughout the state there were many fatalities and people who lost their homes so, I consider myself lucky. However, later tonight, (probably just in time for Dancing with the Stars)according to the weather service, storms producing tornadoes will once again sweep this state.

It was reported the tornado that touched down in Vilonia was not a twister, but a wall cloud *shrugs* three miles wide. It took everything in its sight for 15 miles.

I'm not from this part of the country; I've never experienced anything like this before, and I'll tell ya, it's damn scary. When I'm standing in the closet feeling totally helpless; trembling, light-headed, my heart racing knowing that I have absolutely no control over what might happen, I realize that the only thing in life that's important is life itself.

If I make it through tonight, I'll see y'all tomorrow. Of course, I'll put on my red shoes like my cousin suggested so if I am blown away I can find my way home. lol If not, I'll leave you with this: Tell your loved ones just how much they mean to you, because their lives, your life can be taken in a "blink of an eye." Of this we have no control.

Saturday, April 23, 2011

Violence in America

In the morning, as always, I grab my cup of coffee and get online to check out the news. I feel safer online because I can pick and choose which stories pique my interest. When I watch the news on TV I'm subject to everything bad, good (hardly ever), and indifferent. Violence, crime, hate, government, and world issues (which includes violence, crime, and hate). Anyway, online is just better for me as in "ignorance is bliss."

Today, however, I came across an item so unbelievable that I was compelled to read the story. Rosedale, MD; McDonald's; Girl Beaten into Seizure. I cringed at the thought that this could happen; that employees, not only stood around watching, but one actually thought it would make a good viral video, so he filmed it. (Which it turns out will be great court evidence) But, my God, wtf is wrong with people? Why so much hate? Why so much violence? How can people just sit back and watch? Why didn't someone call 911?

There was one man, perhaps a McDonald's employee, I'm not sure, who did try to break it up, but the two black girls kept coming back to brutalize this white girl. Was it race related or just plain hate related?

Finally, an older woman intervened; however, she was threatened as well.

Have we become immune to violence?

The Bureau of Justice reported that violent crimes rose from 42.7% in 1992-1993, to 48.3% from 2006-2007. FBI data reflects a 6.2% decrease, nationwide, in violent crimes, during the first six months of 2010 WOW! So we're not so violent? We don't hate so much? Everything is getting better?

What causes acts of violence? There was a time when pool halls and rock and roll were blamed. Then, of course, TV, now it's video games. The lack of religion in our lives is high on the list, but according to an email I received from a friend, the University of Michigan reports that the U.S. is among the most religious nations in the world. So what really causes a person to be so angry, so hateful that he/she would strike out against a fellow human being? I wish I knew.

The two black girls, ages 18 and 14, who assaulted the white girl were more than violent; more than hateful. One will be tried as an adult, the other will get away with being tried as a juvenile. And the white girl, who could not protect herself from her two attackers, will be traumatized for the rest of her life.

Unfortunately, every time she sees a black person she'll be reminded of the incident and every black person she encounters will be hateful and violent. And whilst that isn't true, it's embedded in her subconscious forever more.

All I can say is "Why?"

Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Petra is Gone????

For the second time in less than seven days, I was locked in a closet due to severe weather, including funnel clouds and hail the size of tennis balls in places. The channel that airs Dancing with the Stars was interrupted by the emergency Weather Watch people. Just when I thought it was safe to leave the closet for much needed oxygen, the station reported another storm brewing 40 miles south of here, heading in my direction.

When everything settled down, I returned to my office to learn that Petra was eliminated. Only one of my readers guessed right. But how unfair was last night's elimination? I watched a recap today and agreed, once again, with Len, who basically said, it's outrageous to see Chris and Petra standing there waiting for the final results.

Whilst I was never a big fan of Petra, she's not the one that should have been eliminated. I actually had flashbacks of Kate Gosselin and her stint on the show.

Wtf is wrong with people? How could they possibly choose Kendra over Chris? Even over Petra?

Needless to say, I'm extremely disappointed in the results, but happy that I wasn't blown into oblivion and have the chance to watch yet another DWTS - oops, maybe I spoke too soon.

Monday, April 18, 2011

Dancing with the Stars - The Halfway Mark

Americana Week? Of course, what could be more American than the Samba?

Poor Ralph doing the Samba to Sweet Home Alabama was challenging to say the least. Frankly, I think the judges are too hard on him. I have no idea who picks the music, but if Karina did, she was too hard on herself.

Ralph is entertaining as all get out in my opinion, but it didn't resemble a Samba to me. His 8-7-7 scores were a slap in the face though.

When Chris and Cheryl waltzed around the dance floor, I was totally impressed. Chris definitely has what it takes and never lets me down. I was thrilled with his 9-8-9 scores and feel that he's a contender. Yes, CarrieAnn, the judges have been underestimating him.

Who they haven't been underestimating and should is Petra. She stumbled a few times when she performed the Quick Step, but I feel Dimitry really challenged her with some aggressive choreography that ended up being not too spectacular. Bruno always seems to give those blonds higher than deserved scores. The sevens from Len and CarrieAnn were more appropriate than Bruno's eight.

While I wasn't (and haven't been) that impressed with Romeo, I suppose one has to take into consideration his age and the genre of music to which he's accustomed. His Foxtrot to New York, New York scored way too high for me. 9-8-9. I seldom agree with Len, but this time I do.

Now comes my man, and I do believe he's going to make it to the top three. He looked, like Bruno said, "An Officer and a Gentleman" and swept Kim around the dance floor with elegance and ease. The judges awarded him with the highest scores of the night; 9-9-9.

I couldn't wait to see what malfunction would present itself for Kirstie and Maks tonight when they danced the Foxtrot to American Woman. Watching the two of them interact just tickles me, but when John "Dance Instructor" Travolta joined them in rehearsal, I laughed out loud. "Did you tell her you love her?" Maks told John "Only in Russian." Maks and Kirstie, despite mishaps have so much fun together that it's refreshing. Of course Len had to ruin their efforts with a seven, but the other two gave them the eight they deserved.

And for the 1000th dance on DWTS, who do we get? Boohoo I can be "F**king elegant." mmmhmm. Okay, so last week she was overly sensitive because she had her "period." She and her partner danced the Foxtrot to Yankee Doodle Dandy and frankly it was her best dance to date. I didn't, however, see much more of a Foxtrot than I saw Ralph's Samba. So, one dance she performs well and basks in the glory of "You weren't that bad this week." 8-7-7 - go home.

Chelsea and Mark's Samba to Miley's "Party in the U.S.A." was fun to watch, but then the couple never let me down as far as being entertaining. I love the choreography and Chelsea pulls it off well. She'll definitely make it to the finals. 9-8-9.

So, who's going home tomorrow night? Please please please, Kendra.

Who Do You Think Should Go Home?
Ralph and Karina
Chris and Cheryl
Petra and Dimitry
Hines and Kim
Romeo and Chelsie
Kirstie and Maks
KENDRA and Louie
Chelea and Mark
  
pollcode.com free polls

Saturday, April 16, 2011

Cell Phone vs Cavegirl

Avilo jokingly calls me a cavegirl because I'm technologically challenged, but everyone I know gasps when I tell them I don't have a cell phone. They cause brain tumors, right?

Anyway, I've already locked myself out of the house and had to walk to a neighbor's, (Not around the corner) hoping they were home, in order to call a locksmith. I've broken down on the side of the road and had to wave down another car to call AAA. And if you read my post "STFU With Your Fractions" you know I could have saved myself lots of trouble had I had a cell phone. :(

Finally, the other day,I broke down and bought one of those throw away phones. It took me a day to find out what my number is. I'm a perfectionist, so I don't do anything or try anything before reading all instructions carefully. lol After which I usually forget and have to refer back to manual.

When I figured I knew what it was all about I gave avilo the number and said "call me." He tried and was told, "Number is not connected." Well, of course it was, it said "activated." So I called him only to get his voice mail. I left a message, which he said he never got. :(

Now, I was concerned that our two carriers did not want to connect to one another. I mean what do I know? So I called a "tech specialist" at Tracfone. Already I'm thinking about my "Customer Service - The All Time Great Oxymoron" post.

I explain to this sweet and patient lady from another country the problem I'm experiencing. She tells me to remove the battery. No Problem. "Now remove the Sim card." Problem. "Ummm...what's a Sim card and where is it?" Okay, I found it! Success.

After I put the phone back together she has me do a bunch of other things. Simple enough except I have to keep asking, "How do I get there?" or "What button do I press for that?" or "Sorry, I can't understand you."

She remained patient and understanding and whilst she didn't LOFL, I'm sure she was rolling her eyes on the other end.

When she finishes with all the instructions and I successfully complete the tasks, she tells me everything is working fine and I should be able to make calls and receive them. "I am going to call you now, but don't answer the phone."

The phone doesn't ring so she comes back to me and says, "Miss, do you have the phone on?" Okay, dumb blond moment I guess. "You mean the phone has to be on?" LOL

So 25 minutes later, all the tech specialist would have had to do was say, "In order to receive calls, your phone must be on." That's going to definitely be her story of the day, about "Customers...Just Plain Dumb."

Hell, I thought I was preserving battery life.

P.S. Just so y'all don't think I'm the only one in this relationship who is dumb; when avilo tried calling me again he said, "It still doesn't work." hahahaha...he transposed the first three digits. DUH!

Thursday, April 14, 2011

Avilo Proves That VT Gaming Made a Great Choice

Tonight, Hypercrew streamed another "Clash for the Cache" only this time I took particular interest in the match. VTAvilo vs tQstate - TvP!

The TeamLiquid forums were abuzz and the poll showed 68% in favor of tQstate. But I knew, even when Zyori, from Hypercrew, posted "Poor avilo" that he would win this bo7, just didn't know how quickly.

Even the players in DC were voting against avilo. :( But avilo has a team now and it's good for his morale, they supported him and today avilo got to practice a bit with a Protoss and team member, VTdesrow.

The fact is that avilo has worked hard and long to prove himself. I, of course, always believed in him and always will. I think this is gonna be the start of something big.

Congrats VTavilo :) You done good and like I said in TL post, you left the disbelievers with they're jaw dropped to the floor. Well, hell, you left me in disbelief as well. I knew you'd take State, but 4-0?

Next week they're matching avilo up with a Zerg. @_@

If you ever get a chance to watch the Hypercrew "Clash for the Cache" it's streamed on Thursdays at 8 p.m. est. http://www.hypercrew.com/live.php (P.S. They need sponsors)

The casters are Zyori and Janitor "I know how to use my inside voice at LANs" and they do a great job. Even the chat room, moderated by Luckyfool, who also voted against avilo, was mannered. WOW! Wonders never cease.

Wednesday, April 13, 2011

VT Gaming Enlists Two New Players

The other day, the manager of VT Gaming told avilo he was in. I was with him at the time and I can't express how thrilled he was. I am happy for him, because this is what he's worked for. I'm happy too that the people at VT had the good sense to make a wise decision. Avilo will definitely be an asset to their team.

Another player they enlisted is a zerg, Mr. Bitter. I had never heard of him before now, but that's not saying much because there's a lot of players of which I haven't heard.

There will always be posters on TeamLiquid that disagree with decisions other people make, VT's decision to enlist avilo is no exception. Mostly, there were congratulatory posts. Those that either aren't familiar with avilo, or just don't like him, were kind enough to send congrats to Mr. Bitter alone. Those, who are avilo haters, of course, had to have their say. And one idiot even had the audacity to mention vote hacking, perpetuating the NASL lies. I took avilo's advise and overlooked their ignorance.

Okay, so I was rooting for avilo to make this team and was as happy as he was when he got in. I'm pretty sure that not everyone on the team liked him, but the majority did and avilo has a way of burrowing into ones heart, so because most of the team members had no problem with him, he made the team.

There have been times when avilo would do or say something on TeamLiquid or GamerReplay so outrageous that I'd tell him, "No wonder people hate you for crying out loud!" Nevertheless, I supported and defended him. Behind closed doors, however, I'd criticize his - at times - immature behavior and tell him he needed a better command of the English language. "You can actually get your point across without using the 'eff' word in every other sentence." 

I defended him when he raged about Zerg being imba and asked him not to post anymore YouTube rants before consulting me. LOL "Your damn shirt was wrinkled!" I kept telling him that Zerg is only imba because "You have that embedded in your subconscious. Get over it. Find a way around it. You're a good player, you can do it. Stop whining and start winning."

Again and again, I reminded him that in order to get what you want, you have to play the game. I'm not talking about Starcraft now, but life. Isn't life really a game we all play? We want something, we go after it. But in my opinion, he was going after it the wrong way. He kept telling me that I don't get it. I don't understand gamers.  I kept telling him, I understand what I see. I understand human nature.

Avilo gained the reputation of being bad mannered in game and on the forums, but I've always questioned that. He refused to GG (like a handshake after a tennis match) if the game wasn't played well by the opponent. Does that make him bad mannered? I don't think so! There are much worse mannered players in game and on forums. There's a whole thread in TL about it, and I didn't even see Avilo mentioned in the 28 pages of examples.Besides, most of his posts were to intentionally bait people and when they were dumb enough to bite, he'd sit back and have a good laugh.

Avilo has firm convictions and he adheres to them, despite the opinions of others. He fights for what he believes to be right and I can only hope he continues to do so and that VT is a team that respects his fighting spirit as much as he respects the team of which he is now a part.

I wish avilo, Mr. Bitter and VT Gaming much success.

Tuesday, April 12, 2011

DWTS - Elimination 4-12-11 - It's All About The Fans

Chelsea and Mark in jeopardy? Huh? When they did their dance tonight for the judges picks, I liked it better than last night. And last night they topped the leader board so I guess it's confirmed that it doesn't matter if you're good or not - it's all about the fans.

Next in jeopardy was Petra and Dimitry. I was never that fond of her, but certainly there are worse. The difference, once again, is it's all about the fans.

Honestly, I expected Sugar Ray to go home tonight. But after hearing Kendra tell the world, "I had hormone problems" (we all know what that means) I thought, omg, please make my choice wrong and vote her off.

Unfortunately,  Sugar Ray was eliminated. Sometimes I just don't like being right. Only two of my viewers voted that he'd get the ax. The others, with the exception of one comedian, who voted off Chris, thought Kendra would go. Maybe next week they'll be right. We can only hope.

However, if Kirstie doesn't step it up like 99.9% she could easily find herself keeping on the weight she hoped to drop during the show. I'm wondering now if her first performance was really that good, or if we were just all in shock that she could move as gracefully as she did.

Well, until next week, hope you're enjoying the competition as much as I.

Monday, April 11, 2011

Dancing with the Stars - More Mishaps for Kirstie :(

Maks (I decided to spell his name correctly) and Kirstie are proving that they can overcome anything. They were the last couple to dance the romantic Viennese Waltz and once again they had a mishap. Kirstie's shoe came off during a spin, but fortunately she was on her butt and able to fix it before Maks lifted her to her feet again. They continued the dance and the scores weren't bad, considering, but omg, can anything else happen to this couple? Okay, I'm chuckling at the thought that Maks is really going to build upper body strength this season.

Another couple to waltz about on stage were Mark and Chelsea. Whilst Len (I've got a stick up my butt) complained that it was too progressive for a 300 year old traditional dance, I like the fact that Mark thinks outside the box so, three cheers for the choreography, which was impeccably performed.

The most touching waltz of the night was performed by Ralph Macchio and Karina (I like my body so I'm gonna pose naked). They danced to the Theme from Romeo and Juliet and the emotional choreography could have been overly dramatic if not for the fact that Ralph pulled it off brilliantly.

Now, macho men might think Ralph was a bit too feminine, but when a man can get in touch with his feminine side like that, I think it's sexy; therefore, I'm deleting some letters from Ralph's last name. It's now Ralph MACcHiO. :D

One of my favorite dances of all time is the Paso Doble (not excluding the Argentine Tango, which is *swoons* sexy as hell) and frankly I couldn't wait to see Hines Ward perform it, and he did well, as I expected. But OMG! I really think Chris nailed it and deserved higher scores than he got. Of course, I seldom agree with the judges.

I mean, come on, Len pooh poohed Mark and Chelsea, but when Sugar Ray hopped, rather than glided in the waltz, it was "entertaining?" It was, but really it's far from what I expect in the Viennese Waltz.

Petra (giggles "this IS my angry face") Nemcova danced the Paso and the judges raved, I saw okay. Kendra (I'm the token blond ditz) danced the waltz and I thought the judges were kind with their scores. As far as Romeo, who spells classical, R A P, I agreed with the judges critiques and the scores.

Tonight's show was all classical and because I'm fond of classical music, I found it "entertaining." :D The dancers are progressing nicely and are really close on the leader board so I can only guess who might go home tomorrow night.

What are your thoughts?

Who's Going Home from DWTS on 4-12-11
Kendra Wilkenson
Chris Jericho
Romeo
Kirstie Alley
Chelsea Kane
Sugar Ray Leonard
Ralph MACcHiO
Petra Nemcova
Hines Ward
  
pollcode.com free polls

Friday, April 8, 2011

Why Are Men So Damn Happy?

So I get this email from my cousin today and I'm thinking, yeah, it makes absolute sense. Wonder if it makes sense to my viewers. Will most women agree? Will most men disagree? Of course, we women know we're flawless :D


Why men are generally happy!!


What do you expect from such simple creatures?

Our last name stays put.
The garage is all ours.
Wedding plans take care of themselves.
Chocolate is just another snack.
You can be President.
You can never be pregnant. 
(I'd venture to say if men had to give birth, the population of mankind would dwindle)
You wear a white T-shirt to a water park.
You can wear NO shirt to a water park.
Car mechanics tell you the truth.
The world is your urinal.
You never have to drive to another gas station restroom because this one is just too icky.
You don't have to stop and think of which way to turn a nut on a bolt.
Same work, more pay. 
Wrinkles add character.
Wedding dress $5000. Tux rental $100.
People never stare at your chest when you're talking to them.
New shoes don't cut, blister, or mangle your feet.  
One mood all the time.
(Hell, I have no concept of what that would be like. I go through at least three an hour) 
  Phone conversations over in 30 seconds.
A five-day vacation requires only one suitcase.
You can open all your own jars.
You get extra credit for the slightest act of thoughtfulness. 
(Yeah, women are usually in the state of shock when you guys are thoughtful)
If someone forgets to invite you, he or she can still be your friend.  
Your underwear is $8.95 for a three-pack.
Two pairs of shoes are more than enough.
You never have strap problems in public.
You are unable to see wrinkles in your clothes. 
(OMG! I know someone just like this)
The same hairstyle lasts for years until it thins out.
You only have to shave your face and neck.  
You can play with toys all your life.
(It's been said, men grow older, they don't necessarily mature)  
One wallet and one pair of shoes, one color for all seasons.
You can wear shorts no matter how your legs look.
You can 'do' your nails with a pocket knife.
You have freedom of choice concerning growing a mustache.  
 (Only if you're unattached :D)
You can do Christmas shopping for 25 relatives on December 24 in 25 minutes.
 
   
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
A married man should forget his mistakes. There's no use in two people remembering the same thing! 



Thursday, April 7, 2011

My Take on the MLG-Dallas Starcraft Competition 2011

First off, I was sorry that Avilo couldn't make it to Dallas, but he'll be in the Columbus MLG in June. And like many others will have to fight his way up to the top of the brackets, whilst others play in the pool. I was told in so many words, "Hey, blondie, it's not a swimming pool." *shrugs*

Obviously, from watching Naniwa win 24 straight games undefeated, it's feasible. Of course, let's not forget he's Protoss. lol  Okay. Okay. He played well. And even if the final match was PvP, (Toss not at all imba as one can surely tell by the number of Terrans left in the finals - three Terrans, one Zerg placed in the top eight) it was an exciting game to watch. Not all the games were viewed live thanks to technical difficulties. :(  But those that paid ten bucks for HQ were all refunded their money. Wonder how many of those people will pay $25. to watch replays of live games offered by another North American league. :D

Replays, of the games we missed, were posted promptly and Day9 and DJWheat, who commentated, along with JP, filled in the dead airtime with spontaneous improv. It's not at all easy to come up with something interesting to talk about, especially when you know there are thousands of viewers, who tuned in to watch championship gaming, raging at their screens.

The best match for me, and the funniest, was Huk v Idra. Keep in mind that Idra hasn't won that many games of late and he has to be one of the best at BM, so naturally when someone sticks it to a player like Idra, it's awesome cool to see.

In the second match, Idra, in the lead, raged and left the game when he spotted the number of voidrays (I think nine) Huk amassed. But when the third game commenced, Huk politely typed something like, you know the voids were hallucinations, to which Idra in his own inimitable bad style replied FU (except spelled out).

Wow! I laughed so hard and was greatly pleased that Idra's temper, not his play, lost him a game. Then, again, he's just a kid at 20 and maybe hasn't had the proper up-bringing as far as good sportsmanship.  Huk went on to win two of the bo3 v Idra, but lost to him later in a rematch bo7. :(

Another interesting turn of events was the match between Incontrol and TLO. Incontrol won, admittedly using cheese, which "I feel so bad about." Yeah, right! Anyway, it's about time he wins something. He actually finished 4th at MLG. I wonder, though, where he might have finished if he hadn't started at the top. He impressed everyone with his "good manners." mmhmm. A certain someone knows how well mannered he really is, having, from the corner of his eye, caught some really nasty gestures executed by Incontrol in another MLG tournament. I'm sure inside he was raging, because he really needed a big win to prove himself. Guess 4th isn't too bad though even if he is Protoss.*rolls eyes*

Luckyfool, someone Avilo's played against in the DC LANs was there and both avilo and I wished him well; unfortunately, he lost in round 2 to Naama. :(   You always like to see those you feel you know more personally win big.

In most of the matches I've seen, as the commentators shouted out what each player was doing, I've wondered if the players can't hear them. Apparently, they can. At least Idra reported that he could. These casters really have to learn to speak in golfer commentators voices. Janitor is a good example of someone that can do that. He's capable of making the games just as exciting in what's called a "stage whisper." Maybe he can give lessons to the others.

The final exhausting day came and went, with some exciting and unexpected results - except for one that's pretty obvious. Wonder if you can pick it out. Here's the results:


[image loading](Wiki2)NaNiwa$5000  PROTOSS
[image loading](Wiki2)KiWiKaKi$3000  PROTOSS
[image loading](Wiki2)Select$2000  TERRAN
[image loading](Wiki2)iNcontroL$1400  PROTOSS
[image loading](Wiki2)TLO$1000  TERRAN ?
[image loading](Wiki2)Socke$700    PROTOSS
[image loading](Wiki2)IdrA$500    ZERG
[image loading](Wiki2)mOoNan$400    TERRAN

Tuesday, April 5, 2011

Dancing with the Stars Elimination #2

The right star went home! Nevertheless, I always feel sad when someone is eliminated. But at least Wendy won't have to put up with drag queen comparisons anymore. lol

What I didn't understand was Chris being in jeopardy. He's put on a pretty good show thus far, even if last's nights performance wasn't top rate. Kendra, I wouldn't miss too badly, only I don't think she'd be able to take that rejection emotionally.

Let's face it, these "stars" are putting their egos on the line. Having done live performances I can relate. You want the acceptance of the audience. Having had to endure auditions and hearing the gods of the theatre say, "Thanks. Next" is like a slap in the face. So, having to stand there and listen to someone tell you in so many words, you suck...wow, I just give anyone who can take it, without breaking down into Kendra tears, credit.

Kirstie and Max get my vote for favorite couple on the dance floor. I've actually seen a side of Max that I've never seen before, yet knew was there. Guess older women just know how to handle those younger egos. They're interaction is a joy to watch both offstage and on. But yeah, Kirstie, we all know why Max's hip gave out.
 
From the beginning I've said that most of the dancers are on an even "footing." But equally important is the connection between the couple and how they look together on the dance floor. I think, with the exception of Wendy, who would need Godzilla or King Kong to make her look petite and feminine, the couples are well matched. What say you?

CORRECTION:  Guess I wasn't listening. When Max went down, it looked to me like he grabbed his hip. I've learned it was merely a muscle cramp. Well, hell, that's not Kirstie's fault. My apologies.

Customer Service - The All Time Great Oxymoron

Certainly, I'm not the first, nor will I be the last to complain about customer *coughs* service. But OMG it just gets worse with each passing day. Before I even pick up the phone, I go into panic attack mode. Today was no different.

Before dialing, I did everything within my expertise to troubleshoot the problem I was having with local network connection. After all, DWTS was on tonight and I couldn't miss it. But last night as well as this morning, the picture would go on and off and on again every five minutes.

After several deep breaths to center myself, I dialed.

"Good morning, this is your friendly computer. How may I help you?"

"You can connect me to a real person."

"I'm sorry, I did not understand your selection. You may say blah blah blah."

"Okay."

"I'm sorry, I did not understand your selection."

After several more times of the computer not understanding that I wanted to talk to a human, I blew up. "YOU'RE AN EFFING COMPUTER THAT'S WHY YOU CAN'T UNDERSTAND ME!"

"I'm sorry, let me connect you with customer service. Please hold."

DUH!

"Good morning. How may I help you?"

As calmly as possible, I explained the problem to the dude from India, only he seemed to understand me less than the computer. *rolls eyes*

"Please crawl in back of huge entertainment unit and unplug satellite cable."

*groans and grunts* "There are two cables and neither can be unplugged. They have to be screwed out."

"No no, Ma'am, unplug one."

"Which one?"

"The cable one."

"There's two cable ones."

"The one that connects to satellite."

"They both connect to satellite."

"Okay, okay, Miss Bullock, do this instead..."

"Wait! What? That's not my name."

"Yes, Ma'am it is. That is name on account."

"Do me a favor then, send the frickin bills to Miss Bullock."

"You are not Miss Bullock?"

"Ummmmm. Hold on and I'll go check my ID."

"Yes, Ma'am."

"No. I'm not Miss Bullock."

"Do you know your phone number."

"Let me go check."

"Yes, Ma'am, I will hold. " *rolls eyes*

After I give the dude my phone number he says, "Yes, Ma'am. You are Miss Bullock."

"Fine. Now can we fix the problem?"

He has me do all this stuff that could have been done without me crawling in back of the entertainment center. Then asks, "What's it doing now?" To which I reply, "Nothing. Does the TV have to be on first?"

Now mind you, he prefaced these instructions with "Do exactly what I say." He never told me to turn on the TV. lol

Okay, so the TV is on and as we wait for it to acquire satellite, he says, "I am connecting you with supervisor."

Hold hold hold hold...disconnect. GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

"Good morning. This is your friendly computer. How may I help you."

To find out what happened next, just reread the beginning. lol.

Eventually, I'm connected with a human. "Good morning. How may I help you?" What? It's still morning?

I repeat ver batim what I told dude from India. "Please pull out the cable that connects...."

"Excuuuuuuuuuuuuse me????? We've been through all this already. All I was doing when disconnected was waiting for the supervisor."

"I'm sorry, Miss Bullock, if you'll just be patient. I'm trying to help you."

"First of all, I'm not Miss Bullock."

"Then why are you calling on her account?"

*heavy sighs*

She gives me my phone number. I give her my address and account number. "You're not Miss Bullock. We'll have to change that." OMG! Just laughs so hard.

Obviously, I'm not going to get to a supervisor without going through all this again, so I decide to cooperate. So now she's telling me to do something with my remote. "Wait, the remote isn't working now."

"Let me connect you with a tech specialist."

"Do you think you can do that without disconnecting me, please."

"Good morning. My name is tech specialist and my number is zero for brains. How may I help you?"

For the third time I repeat what happened, adding "Now my remote doesn't work either."

"One has nothing to do with the other. You need batteries."

"They're relatively new batteries."

"You need a new remote then."

"My remote was fine until Mr. India Guy 'helped' me."

"It's just a coincidence. Now, if you'll unplug the cable..." 

Of course you know what's coming next, right? lol

After finally realizing that he would not be able to help me, he addressed me by my proper name, which sent me into utter shock and disbelief. "We're going to send a technician out there and..."

"Wait a minute. How much is this gonna cost me?"

"If you want to subscribe to..."

"Wait! How much is that gonna cost me?"

"Only six dollars a month."

"I'm already paying 70 for a TV I rarely watch. It would be cheaper for me to switch to Direct TV."

"Let me see if I can waive that cost."

WOW! I'm getting a break here? How about the hour I just spent on the phone with you guys? Can I send you a bill?

He returns to tell me that because I've been a customer in good standing for so long, they will do me a ginormous favor and waive this fee, but "One time only." He goes on to tell me when the technician will arrive and "He'll look at your broken remote as well."

"It wasn't broken before Mr. India Guy helped me though."

Okay, I know this tech specialist is thinking, OMG! It's gonna be one of those days, because I'm thinking the same thing.

"Is there anything else I can help you with?"

"Well, considering you didn't help me with the problem I called about in the first place, guess not."

So much for Customer Service. Now mind you, I know they have their problems and they really do try to help. Only the manual that reads, If customer says this, do this, doesn't always have all the answers - and apparently either do the tech specialists.

And how is your day going? :D Please do tell me about your experiences with CS Reps. I need a good laugh.

Monday, April 4, 2011

Wendy, Dancing with the Stars Is Gonna Miss You

Wonder how poor Wendy feels being compared to a drag queen? Hey! There's some drag queens out there more beautiful than real women. The thing is they can move like a real woman too. *sighs* I'd venture to say, unless lots of Wendy fans get on their phones tonight, Miss I Can Impersonate a Drag Queen Better Than Any Man, is going home tomorrow night. :(

Someone asked me who I thought would make it to the end and I have to tell you, for two consecutive weeks, Hines Ward, looked good. He's got the moves and if he's got the fans, he's in contention.  And any man who credits his mom for everything good in his life, is a man with a tender heart. I credit her for his nice butt cheeks. :D

Now, what happened to Max and Kirstie was just unfortunate. I'm guessing she was leaning on him a bit too much and that's what caused his hip to collapse. PLOP! Down they went. But what troopers! In the spirit of true performers, the dance went on and I must say they ended up doing an excellent samba. I'd like to see it without the mishap, but I'm afraid Max will be a little gun shy of dragging Kirstie's 200+ lbs anywhere from now on. Hey, Max? Whatcha gonna do in the freestyle when everyone else is throwing their partners around?

Petra, I got legs, got dance as well. She performed like "an angel" according to Bruno.

Okay, I have to throw Army Wives in here, because certainly one of them will be on next season's Dancing with the Stars. lol

So many people keep saying, "Why did Jeremy have to die?" Listen up, this is how it works. One of two things happened. He demanded more money and they didn't think he was worth it. Or he got a better deal somewhere else. The end.

Death brings so many emotions, conflicts, confusion, but omg Denise all you ever do is run away from situations. *just shakes my head. Get your butt home with your husband, who took you back after you cheated on him. And OMG! I hope she didn't leave her baby behind when she flew the coop.

The most heart wrenching sound in the world to me is a grown man that bursts into soulful sobs. Joan and the audience hear the cries simultaneously. When she enters the bedroom, sitting on the floor is her hubby, Roland. The camera flashes to their baby girl, who is wearing mom's beret. It was excruciatingly painful for me to watch and yes I cried. But then every actor hopes to evoke those emotions in their audience. Hats off to Sterling K. Brown, who did a stand up job...I mean a sit down job. Hell, you know what I mean.
 
Actually, I did plan on talking about this weekend's events at the MLG (Major League Gaming) Starcraft Tournament in Dallas, but guess I'll have to throw in my two cents on that tomorrow.

Sunday, April 3, 2011

What Would You Do?

We would all like to think we'd do the right thing, but when it comes right down to it, would we?

This morning, I poured myself a cuppa coffee and for some reason turned on the TV. There was a program on entitled "What Would You Do?" I remembered seeing this one time on a Friday night and thought it was pretty interesting, but never watched it again.

The psychology of human nature has always amazed me. Similar to dogs alone, who are mostly harmless if you don't bother them, but could very well present a threat if they're in a pack. Unless, of course, you're in a cartoon like Lady and the Tramp or 101 Dalmatians.

So today I watched as a pack of white kids vandalized a car in a mostly Caucasian park. Maybe one, two people stopped. Okay, three rough looking kids, I might walk by without saying anything, but the least I would do is call 911 and report it. One call was made to the police.

However, there was another car in the same park at the same time with two black kids sleeping. Several calls to 911 were reported. "Suspicious behavior." Huh? They were sleeping for crying out loud!

The show replaced the white vandals with a pack of black kids. WOW! Lots more calls were reported, but people were hesitant to say anything to the kids. Was it because they were black? Are blacks more of a threat? Wtf is that saying to the black youth of today? Are we still very much a racist society?

Frankly, I'd like to think that I would throw caution to the wind. Like when the Latinos - actors - were in a coffee shop and tried to order food; they were told by the shop owner - an actor - to go back to their country and stop trying to steal jobs from people here. He refused to serve them.

Some people actually agreed with the shop owner. My jaw dropped in disbelief. There were, however, many more that told the shop owner off and said, "You won't get anymore of my business." That was refreshing. I mean, come on! America is and always has been a melting pot.Granted, people that came over from other countries in an earlier era, were proud to be Americans - not so much anymore, but still.

I have friends from Poland, who wanted a voice in America so they became citizens. I know a little Mexican girl from a restaurant I frequent, who wanted to get aid for a college education, but not badly enough to become a citizen. It doesn't make my Polish friends any better than my Mexican friend. They're actually both human - believe it or not.

I have a difficult time dealing with injustice and in most cases, I'm fearless and in lots of cases just plain dumb, yeah. But I'd like to think that no matter what the situation, I'd get involved. I'd do the right thing. I'd do something.

How about you?

What would you do?
Get personally involved
Get involved if others joined me
Let someone else get involved
Hell, it's none of my business
Call 911

  
pollcode.com free polls

P.S. Thank you avilo for helping me with the HTML that set up the poll. It sceered the bijeebies outta me. You Rock, Mister! Wait! What? I keeeeeel you. I just saw your poll *glares* Yeah, when y'all are finished voting here go to:

http://avilosc2.blogspot.com/2011/04/will-my-gf-be-able-to-make-poll.html

Friday, April 1, 2011

The End of the North American Starcraft League

How dumb can ya get? Well, pretty damn dumb in my case, because I believe justice should be served using legal methods. Okay, I grew up in a home where the patriarch, a prominent business owner, tried to instill in me that the only time you turn to the law is when they're in your back pocket. Wow! Are you talkin' 'bout making offers they can't refuse? No! That's just wrong and I won't abide by that mentality - ever; although sometimes, I admit, the temptation was great. I mean you dial a number - problem solved.

As a person who prides herself on not taking life too seriously, avilo kept telling me, "You're taking this defamation of character thing too seriously. You're dealing with idiots."  OMG! He was right! I had already contacted my Chicago lawyers and they turned to their California contacts. Yep, I would not hesitate to bring suit against everyone involved.. On the other hand, it was enough for avilo to know he was innocent and that I and those who know him believed in his innocence. 

Okay, so I called off the lawyers and said, "It's apparent that the people who are running the NASL have little business acumen. Maybe they're idiots, but surely the people at Uservoice aren't." Even though he gave me the go-ahead to contact them, he told me I was wasting my time. "Are you kidding? They're business people. Of course not. They're not going to get involved in harboring a criminal, or be responsible for false accusations." Avilo just laughed.

With everything that the NASL did to ruin Avilo's reputation (which, I believe was intentional) we both still wished them luck in their endeavors. The league (mostly hand-picked despite Xeris' explanation on how the 50 made the team. I mean InControl? *rolls eyes) in North America is the biggest and best thing to happen to e-sports ever. And while the organization of the NASL lacked miserably and was peppered with lies, hype, contradictions, etc. at least they were giving it the ol' college try.

I hate to admit I'm wrong, especially when it comes to avilo being right. (Don't tell him that, his ego is big enough already lol). But he was right. Uservoice could have cared less. In essence I was told by the real CEO, Richard White, that they have to protect their clients. Hmmmm? So is Athene a client of  Uservoice? He is the one, after all that hacked votes, not avilo - or anyone avilo knows. And if Athene is a client and their client is the NASL, does that mean that Athene is part of the NASL? Now I was really determined to get to the bottom of this.

Once again, I contacted Uservoice informing them that I would advise avilo to contact the Internet Crime Complaint Center, a branch of the government that handles cyber crime. His response, "Thanks for the update." lol
Avilo and I had a good laugh over that one. "And this is a CEO of a business?" That's when I realized that avilo was right. And whilst I still believe that justice is on the side of the innocent, it's the end of the NASL as far as I'm concerned. When you're dealing with people that could care less how they achieve success, there's bound to be failure in the future.

By the way, today in San Fran, not unreasonably far from the NASL and Uservoice headquarters, there's a St. Stupid Day's Parade. If you're in the area, you're bound to see some some familiar faces :D