Tuesday, May 22, 2012

Lolo Jones aka Lori Jones

Saw an article headline stating the following:
Lolo Jones talks candidly of struggle to 'stay a virgin'
Click here for story while the link lasts.
It got my interests peaked.

I Googled her and I guess this is her official website here. And for the men who like me prefer pictures more than words, I Googled images of her here, of which I've shared one (inset).

It's commendable on her sustaining her virginity.


Miley Cyrus is a train wreck waiting to happen

And I can't wait to see it. It's like when I thought Lindsay Lohan would eventually do Playboy. Was I right?

I think Miley's getting closer to doing it too. I don't get why people are all up in her bidness about the way she dresses and shit. She's an adult now. She makes her own decisions, whether they are good or bad. But in who's eyes is it decided whether it is good or bad? Haven't we all been there, done that, might be still doing it?

I say more power to her and if she continues to look like this:

Then so be it. I'm just glad she's legal and I don't have to feel all creepy like Chester

She's not a role model. She's a celebrity. If you tell your children to be just like Miley, then you shouldn't be having children. You should tell your kids that they could possibly be famous one day just like Miley (or any other number of celebs) but they don't need to be just like Miley.

My only comment with Miley's dress (sometimes) is that she doesn't have to look slutty to look sexy. Her make up in this image looks more like the whoredom of Pamela Anderson, Courtney Love, Taylor Momsen or a few female porn stars than the sexiness of Sophia Loren, Jacqueline Bissett, Linda Carter, Natalie Portman, Jessica Biel or Olivia Wilde. Just because you have it doesn't mean you have to overly flaunt it.

Laura Vandervoort

Saw these today at Hollwoodtuna.

Hopefully we'll see more of Clark Kent's cousin.

Thursday, May 17, 2012

Which laptop/notebook/ultrabook to buy?

I'm in the market for a new laptop. Not for school since I just graduated but I got all this graduation money to blow. I figured I'd replace my 3+ year old ASUS. The ASUS is still working and I'll use it until it dies but it's a big bitch to lug around. I got it as a desktop replacement and that's exactly what it did. I just am done lugging it every where especially if I just want to jog on down to the local Internet cafe. It's not conducive to jogging or even walking for that matter.

So, I've narrowed it down (sort of) to a few models...in no particular order:
  • Alienware M14x—approx. $1,800-$2,000 after my customizations
  • Dell XPS 13—approx. $1,400 after my customizations
  • Dell XPS 14z—approx. $1,200 after my customizations
  • Dell XPS 15z—approx. $1,400 after my customizations
  • Samsung 9 series ultrabook—$1,400 is the starting price without any added upgrades
I like the XPS series. The XPS 13 doesn't have a disk drive which isn't important. I already have an external CD/DVD burner from when I purchased my netbook. I like the form factor. It's very portable and sleek looking. The biggest detractor: 1366 x 768 resolution. I hate this resolution on my ASUS as well as my netbook. It requires too much up/down and side-to-side scrolling when surfing the web or working in just about any type of Office file. Now it's way worse in a smaller screen like my netbook than in my ASUS 15" notebook but it's not a resolution I'm a fan of. The Alienware has a 1600x900 resolution and the XPS 15z has the option to upgrade from 1366x768 to the 1600x900 resolution. I thought I read somewhere that the 14z has this same option but I can't seem to find it so I might have just run the two different reviews/tech specs together while researching the 14z and 15z.

The XPS 13 and 14z are more in the size range that I'm looking for and I think the M14x is too—I'm not sure as I haven't seen and touched the M14x physically like I have the XPS notebooks. My only visual size comparison for the M14x is my M11x which I gave to my wife. I liked it a lot and it was a very nice size but the issue with the 11" screen and resolution was bothersome more often than not as well as the all-level-keys keyboard. If the wife didn't need a better machine from her netbook, I would probably still have the M11x and be very happy with it. The sleep and wake-from-sleep time was phenomenal on this "older" ultrabook-type gaming system.

The XPS 15z with the 1600x900 resolution is a plus for me but the size is a tad bigger than I really want it to be. It's not as big as my ASUS notebook because it doesn't have the ridiculous and mostly useless added number pad on the right-hand side of the keyboard. I don't type enough on the number pad to justify it being on my machine and even if I did use the number pad often, I'd purchase a USB one because the layout on my ASUS is not exactly the same as a full-size keyboard. The 15z feels more like a 15" Mac Book Pro(?). It's looks like a good machine and fairly lightweight but I'm not sure it's as portable as I'd like.

The Samsung 9 Series 13" ultrabook was a very pretty machine. I have a Samsung Netbook and have not had ANY issues with it that I didn't create myself. The netbook was the portability I wanted with more power than the "normal" netbook. I was $100 more than other netbooks with basically the same specs but it was rated better and it turned out to be just great for me...for a while. I ended up needing more speed with opening programs like a browser or any Word/Excel/Access files. The scrolling left/right/up/down in the browser window was tedious. It did it's job for what I needed it for at the time but I've increased my needs so it will no longer cut it for me. It is a Netflix playing machine which is hooked up to a projector and that's all it is used for now...it's does this quite well with only the occasional hiccup. I would be willing to take the chance on the Samsung 9 but not for a $400 difference. I went to Best Buy the other day to fondle the XPS 13, XPS 14z, and Series 9 machines and the Samsung started at $1,399 whereas the other two were $999. The specs were pretty identical give or take a few minor tweaks.

I tried to customize all the machines as close as possible to get the best comparison with power and cost. Looks is a bit secondary for me although these machines all look pretty good on the outside and under the cover. However, the XPS 13 would have to be the most eye-catching from the outside cover to the inside under the lid. The Samsung has a not-so-shiny finish on the outside and a less glossy screen which could be good in bright lights to combat glare and reflections. The Alienware look needs an update but it's flashy lights and all still make it look cool. The glossy screen helps add to the "shine" but it's very pricey for me since I don't really do gaming on my PC much anymore. Besides, I have a desktop for that. I want to use my new notebook more for Photoshop, Pinnacle Studio, Internet, Email, and the like. It's nice to have the power to play games but is it worth the additional $500 or more? Maybe. It was with the M11x but I got that for a very, very good deal. There isn't a very, very good deal right now for the M14x.

So, that's my dilemma. Thanks for listening.

Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Tricia Helfer

I recently saw a headline that had Tricia Helfer's name in it or maybe it was within the article. I can't remember which and it really has no point to the post other than it made me want to find out who this "celebrity" was. So, I Googled her.

She, like the actress Lauren Cohan in my previous post, looked familiar. Although most of the images showing at the top of the Google search reveal her long-term gig she previously had, I recognized her as playing Carla in USA Network's Burn Notice series. Briefly, she was Michael Weston's "handler" and I remember that she was kind of hot even though her character was very mean.

Her long-term gig was as Number Six in the remade Battlestar Galactica. She apparently has done a lot of voice overs for animated shows/movies.

I don't remember what the article was about. I really don't care at this point. All I can think/see is "Damn!" when I see the images that Google found.


Monday, May 14, 2012

Lauren Cohan

In my newly found down time since I'm no longer having to worry about getting class assignments done, I have been able to be more random in my daily activities. It could only get worse before it gets better, if it does at all.

Some things I have been able to do because of one of the best technologies called "Tivo" or DVR/PVR for those people who don't have an actual Tivo brand DVR/PVR. I was able to complete the past (2nd) season of The Walking Dead. There was this new character introduced named Maggie.

It's played by Lauren Cohan. There was something about her even though she played this country bumpkin. She has a natural prettiness.

Watching the each episode this season with her in it, I couldn't place it but I felt like I had seen her on some other show/movie before. After using my brain and Googling her (not the way I wanted to "google" her) and found out where I had seen her before.

She was Damon's hot vampire lover, Rose, in The Vampire Diaries!

Oh how I'd like to compel her... Ha!

Okay, so that's that!

Wednesday, May 09, 2012

Allegation of Cheating


The title of this post was in the subject line of an email I got today from my professor for my last final yesterday. Apparently, a couple of members of the the negotiation group I was in came forward to report that a few other team members had in there possession some information that they were not "technically" supposed to be privy to.

I don't understand why any of my classmates would feel the need to have an advantage in this class. It's not that hard and not to knock the professor, who just happens to be a close friend of mine, but the class was a cinch and one of my easiest I've ever taken! We had one test over a book that was like 80 pages long and that was just to be sure we were reading the book. The rest of the work was in-class (sometimes longer or after-class) negotiations. As long as we attended class and participated in the negotiations and general class discussions, we were golden with at minimum an A-. These kids were actually worried about the final. I was shocked and amused. I got the final case information about two hours before the final. I printed it. Read it. Highlighted some things and came to a conclusion to what I thought we should look for as part of our team and where we could concede. I actually wanted to play hard ball with the other groups because this isn't real life. This classroom negotiations and the point is not to have an agreement all the time. The class room is where you can fail in the negotiation process whereas real life is not.

So, these overachievers and worry-warts, Googled and found some 14-page 'paper' that talked about our specific case and even gave the points that the other groups would be looking for. Was this cheating? In my opinion, yes. One team member found this document and forwarded it to the rest of the group. She actually read it and mentioned the specific page where the points for each group was located. I clicked on it, saw it was fourteen pages long, and immediately closed it. There was no way in hell I was going to read fourteen pages of something that may not even benefit me. Besides the fact that I really didn't give a shit if I got an A on the final. My goal was to pass, which is a D-, and that was all I needed to complete my final class/semester. Don't ever call me an overachiever in the classroom! I was done last semester in my mind so the least I could work to achieve passing was the best I wanted to do.

The Internet is a powerful tool. You can find just about anything that references part or all of your search. The kids of this generation and the past couple are used to having this information at the touch of a button. They are spoiled...in more ways than one. They feel that an A- is worse than an A. I guess in the minute sense of the grades, yes, one is better than the other. But is there really much difference between a 3.7 and a 4.0? If you round to the nearest whole number they are equal. If you see an A for one student and an A- for another, does that mean student A is smarter than student A-? Is there much of a difference between an A- and a B+ or a 3.7 versus a 3.3? Granted rounding to the nearest whole number makes the two look different. But...an A- is the bottom of the 'A' barrel whereas a B+ is the top of the 'B' barrel.

I know. I know. We can throw in the wrench that some students need to maintain a specific GPA to continue to get their grants, awards, or scholarships. Let's just keep it simple!

So, the originator of the email came forward after the professor's email. She took full responsibility. A little while later the prof sends and email and it seems that two other students were "caught." I don't know if the prof is going to really go forward with this but we'll see. Not my problem.

I just know that once again something, anything, could happen to fuck up my graduation!


Tuesday, May 08, 2012

I am done with college!

Had my last final today. Now all I have to wait for this grade to be posted...if it's passing and I don't care if it's a D-, which I know it won't be but you get my point of passing is passing for me. Graduation is this Saturday and then I'm OFFICIALLY done! I will have the graduation ceremony behind me, diploma in hand, and party to follow.

Adding to the awesomeness of finally being done is I received a Staff Recognition Award from my work. I got an awesome little plaque thingy, a certificate of some kind since I haven't actually opened it yet, but most importantly I received a check for $1,000! What to do with it who knows? Blow it on something totally frivolous and fun or put it towards something responsible? It's not like it was expected money but that's where keeping it or blowing it could make the difference. Decisions...decisions.

Then this afternoon around 3 p.m. my office threw a small congratulations party for me with just a few select employees that appreciate me and my work...at least I think they do. Okay, I really don't care but the effort is still a nice gesture on their part. :-)

Finally, I is a gradjewatt! Now what...?


Wednesday, May 02, 2012

A few Mother's Day gift suggestions from Buy.com

I'm on the email list for Buy.com's daily/weekly/specialty deal notifications. Today's specialty notification was for the upcoming Mother's Day. The subject title was "Gifts for Mom..." I don't think Buy.com is making too many friends with this particular email...at least I wouldn't if I were a mother.

The first gift is this:


Wouldn't you know that this is the top choice of your dear old mother or even your wife, mother of your children? It subtly says, "Get your ass in the kitchen where you belong and fix my dinner...bitch!"

Let's move on to exhibit number 2:


Once again, a stellar choice for Mother. It says, "After you fix my dinner, get your ass in there and clean the place up...bitch!"

And finally, if you truly want spend your days in the doghouse, exhibit number 3 will complete the task for you:


The bestest gift of them all that says, "You're fat, fucking exercise and lose some weight. You're an embarrassment!"

All loving gifts to spend your hard-earned money on.

Side note: Don't get me wrong. I shop at Buy.com often. They have many good deals and I have never had any issues with the shopping and buying experience. I'm merely commenting on the funny ways marketing is done.