i posted once, a while ago and i don't have the inclination to dig it up for a link, about a company who encouraged money-saving ideas by rewarding employees who suggested them. the company bought the reward (a case of soda in most cases) at the company headquarters and shipped it overnight to the person being rewarded, even if they were on the other side of the country. that company threatened to fire anyone who pointed out that overnighting something that could be bought locally was a waste of money. today, i found out that a major financial institution (hence someplace that really should know better) buys paper in bulk at one location and ships it to all their branch offices, instead of sending an assistant manager down to officemax or officedepot to pick up some more. good news: i can barely feel any pain in my arms. bad news: it's because i feel almost nothing but the pains in my feet and back.
Goe, tired.
28 June 2006
27 June 2006
job security
got a job that isn't likely to leave me anytime soon like some have in the past. it's the closest thing locally to working in a coal mine that i know of (part-time and low paying to boot), but it's a regular paycheck, and regular paychecks are nice. had another interview this morning that went along the lines of 'we don't care if you can outwork every employee we have, you're a loser so go away!'... so since it turns out that i don't really need my brain for anything, i've been thinking of taking up a new vice, alcohol (never touched the stuff previously) being a frontrunner concept. Pesky brain cells! Take that!
Goe, using Rachmeg's link to plan his revenge on you all!
Goe, using Rachmeg's link to plan his revenge on you all!
23 June 2006
Chapter Seven
It would have been normal for them to reach Ambush Pass in the mid-afternoon, but they weren't making very good time. The dust and noise of the other traffic on the road, sparse as it was, kept them moving somewhat slower than any of them would have liked. Snarky seemed out of place on a horse, and spent a large part of the morning walking rather than ride on what was clearly a very fine mount. The Goon brothers, both better teamsters than swordsmen, kept the wagon moving as smoothly as the roadway permitted. Twice, Selfless raised his head up to check on their progress, scowling at Snarky before sinking back down into the baggage.
They stopped near mid-day to rest and water the horses near a small stand of trees near an equally small village. None of the farmers, merchants, or travellers they had seen in the morning had paid them any heed, and the villagers they saw were likewise disinterested. The village was located where it was because it was about four hours from the city, making it's small pub a convenient resting stop for those going on a long journey, as well as a convenient place for farmers to sell their crops and livestock to merchants out on day trips from the city. Larger towns, usually walled and with their own ruling noblemen, lay another four hours out on each of the roads excepting the one Snarky was taking the party down. The road before them was deemed so perilous that few dared to traverse it, leaving the town of Abandoned to overgrowth and disrepair.
Adolescent, raised in a very similar village, kept gawking at the few peasants he could see, and had to be prodded into tending his own horse by Idiot. Having grown up tending farm animals, Adolescent still took a few moments to discern the canvas feed bag from the canvas water bag. This put him in a more caring position than Snarky in terms of their horses. Snarky didn't even seem to be aware that his horse needed water. He just tied the reins to the back of the wagon and walked to the trees. As he began gathering wood, Stupid and Idiot moved his horse up with their master's and the wagon team.
Selfless sat up in the wagon, watching Snarky gather wood. He barely acknowledged Amiable or Dandy when they climbed up and sat next to him. Amiable dug into one of the bags and brought out some bread and cheese that he shared with the others. Noreach grabbed a few large pieces and went o share them with Adolescent, Idiot, and Stupid, who were discussing the merits of various horse breeds.
“You don't suppose that Snarky fellow is going to cook his lunch, do you?” asked Fop, who would obviously preferred a cooked lunch to the bread he was chewing.
“I was told by Assistant Advisor that Snarky Anachronism was well-traveled and brilliant man unaccustomed to our ways. He seems, though, to have a very slow wit.” answered Selfless. He paused a moment before turning abruptly to Amiable, “Did I miss anything this morning?”
“Nothing.”
“There were a lot of filthy peasants like the ones we dealt with last time,” volunteered Dandy, “a few messengers galloping past.”
“Toward the city or the pass?” asked Selfless.
“The city,” said Amiable, “You missed nothing important., but if I may ask the Lord Fop, what was your last excursion?”
“Oh, someone kidnapped the crown prince. We found him in the headquarters of a supposed bandit king named Scruffy Vagabond. Vagabond made the foolish claim that the prince had kidnapped himself. The prince is safe thanks to the actions of myself and Sacrifice, and Vagabond is in the prison, where his sort belongs, no offense.”
“None taken.”
Selfless spoke slowly and with greater elocution than he normally did, the while staring at Snarky who had finished his gathering and was approaching the wagon with an armful of wood, “The Advisors, both of them, for they know me well and give me some of their confidence, believe Vagabond and not the prince. They favor seeing his brother on the throne.”
“Oh, dear,” muttered Dandy under his breath. “Come now,” he said with a raised voice, “What did you bring this wood for?”
“Firewood for the barren plain, to keep the dark beasts away.”
“Good thinking, that.” said Amiable with a grin.
“We can get wood anywhere,” said Selfless, harshly.
“Yes, but this is Kindling Grove. It's the best wood to get a fire started,” replied Snarky, somewhat taken aback by Selfless' harshness.
“I fail to see the point of carrying wood with us, just as I fail to see the ponit in taking a road full of bandits just to save a few days, but the Assistants' saw fit to leave you in charge.” Selfless then climbed down from the wagon and readied his own horse.
Fop hesitated before blurting out, “Actually, as the only noble, I'm in charge here.”
“He's already foraged the wood, it'll save us time later,” offered Amiable, smiling and shrugging.
Dandy beamed at him, “Good point, that,” before turning back to Snarky. “Put it in the wagon for later.”
Snarky did as he was told, and a few minutes later the group was moving again, going further up into the hills.
Goe, sorry it's taking so long.
They stopped near mid-day to rest and water the horses near a small stand of trees near an equally small village. None of the farmers, merchants, or travellers they had seen in the morning had paid them any heed, and the villagers they saw were likewise disinterested. The village was located where it was because it was about four hours from the city, making it's small pub a convenient resting stop for those going on a long journey, as well as a convenient place for farmers to sell their crops and livestock to merchants out on day trips from the city. Larger towns, usually walled and with their own ruling noblemen, lay another four hours out on each of the roads excepting the one Snarky was taking the party down. The road before them was deemed so perilous that few dared to traverse it, leaving the town of Abandoned to overgrowth and disrepair.
Adolescent, raised in a very similar village, kept gawking at the few peasants he could see, and had to be prodded into tending his own horse by Idiot. Having grown up tending farm animals, Adolescent still took a few moments to discern the canvas feed bag from the canvas water bag. This put him in a more caring position than Snarky in terms of their horses. Snarky didn't even seem to be aware that his horse needed water. He just tied the reins to the back of the wagon and walked to the trees. As he began gathering wood, Stupid and Idiot moved his horse up with their master's and the wagon team.
Selfless sat up in the wagon, watching Snarky gather wood. He barely acknowledged Amiable or Dandy when they climbed up and sat next to him. Amiable dug into one of the bags and brought out some bread and cheese that he shared with the others. Noreach grabbed a few large pieces and went o share them with Adolescent, Idiot, and Stupid, who were discussing the merits of various horse breeds.
“You don't suppose that Snarky fellow is going to cook his lunch, do you?” asked Fop, who would obviously preferred a cooked lunch to the bread he was chewing.
“I was told by Assistant Advisor that Snarky Anachronism was well-traveled and brilliant man unaccustomed to our ways. He seems, though, to have a very slow wit.” answered Selfless. He paused a moment before turning abruptly to Amiable, “Did I miss anything this morning?”
“Nothing.”
“There were a lot of filthy peasants like the ones we dealt with last time,” volunteered Dandy, “a few messengers galloping past.”
“Toward the city or the pass?” asked Selfless.
“The city,” said Amiable, “You missed nothing important., but if I may ask the Lord Fop, what was your last excursion?”
“Oh, someone kidnapped the crown prince. We found him in the headquarters of a supposed bandit king named Scruffy Vagabond. Vagabond made the foolish claim that the prince had kidnapped himself. The prince is safe thanks to the actions of myself and Sacrifice, and Vagabond is in the prison, where his sort belongs, no offense.”
“None taken.”
Selfless spoke slowly and with greater elocution than he normally did, the while staring at Snarky who had finished his gathering and was approaching the wagon with an armful of wood, “The Advisors, both of them, for they know me well and give me some of their confidence, believe Vagabond and not the prince. They favor seeing his brother on the throne.”
“Oh, dear,” muttered Dandy under his breath. “Come now,” he said with a raised voice, “What did you bring this wood for?”
“Firewood for the barren plain, to keep the dark beasts away.”
“Good thinking, that.” said Amiable with a grin.
“We can get wood anywhere,” said Selfless, harshly.
“Yes, but this is Kindling Grove. It's the best wood to get a fire started,” replied Snarky, somewhat taken aback by Selfless' harshness.
“I fail to see the point of carrying wood with us, just as I fail to see the ponit in taking a road full of bandits just to save a few days, but the Assistants' saw fit to leave you in charge.” Selfless then climbed down from the wagon and readied his own horse.
Fop hesitated before blurting out, “Actually, as the only noble, I'm in charge here.”
“He's already foraged the wood, it'll save us time later,” offered Amiable, smiling and shrugging.
Dandy beamed at him, “Good point, that,” before turning back to Snarky. “Put it in the wagon for later.”
Snarky did as he was told, and a few minutes later the group was moving again, going further up into the hills.
Goe, sorry it's taking so long.
16 June 2006
Volcano Lancing
You may think it's not important. You may think you live many miles from anything even looking like a volcano. Geology says you're wrong. They're coming to get you!
Goe, not so worried about the jacobin squirrels.
Goe, not so worried about the jacobin squirrels.
14 June 2006
A Person charged in any State with Treason, Felony, or other Crime, who shall flee from Justice, and be found in another State, shall on demand of the executive Authority of the State from which he fled, be delivered up, to be removed to the State having Jurisdiction of the Crime.
excerpt of Article 4, section 2, U.S. Constitution
Yesterday evening, someone who frequently wants to argue about nothing claimed that the above 'flee' means that if a person is involuntarily removed from a state, that state couldn't extradite them back until Earl Stanley Gardner told some friends of his and had the extradition laws of california changed to permit it.
UGH!
Goe, oh yeah...
13 June 2006
12 June 2006
writing
one more chapter of the generic adventure up tonight, probably another before the week's over.
Goe, doesn't know if anyone's been reading it.
Goe, doesn't know if anyone's been reading it.
08 June 2006
SciFi Channel Movies
Important Rules for any movie made for showing on Sci-Fi Network.
1. There must be a conspiracy, either corporate or governmental, which intereferes with the heroes saving the world.
2. The two main heroes can't get along at the start, but must grudgingly accept working together.
3. Any plan devised by experts allied with the heros to save the world will have a fatal flaw, (usually not a big enough explosion) that will require the sacrifice of said expert or minor hero. The flaw will be revealed not before 30 minutes before the end of the film. - Moonwhisper
4. At least one of the heroes must have pre-existing knowledge of the conspiracy.
5. Among the heroes, at least one man must claim at least one woman isn't up to the job of saving the world.
6. Any available experts will have unparalleled knowledge and skills in a tremendous number of different, nominally unrelated fields.
7. If the heroes say a nuclear explosion is the only way to save the world, it is but the military will be reluctant. If they oppose nuclear weapons as unnecessary, the military will want to use one anyway.
8. Any indigenous superstitions will turn out to be correct.
9. The conspiracy will want to kill the heroes after the world is saved, if the shown conspirators live that long.
10. At least one scientific expert will have been outcast for their claims. The things they claim will be used by the heroes to save the world.
11. If the press attacks a character as being evil, it'll be one of the good guys.
Goe, only came up with 10, will add more or any from comments to the list later.
Rumsfeld is still an idiot.
I'm very much in favor of securing our borders, winning the current war,
and having a kick-ass military, which is why I still think Rumsfeld is
still an idiot. One of the motives for the pentagon's 'transformation'
is to reduce the ratio of tail to teeth so that more of our soldiers are
in combat roles instead of support roles. This leaves us with the
question that if reducing the tail is so beneficial, why are we using href="http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,198097,00.html">soldiers to be
the tail for non-military agencies. The real reason is that the
tail is needed and can't be done away with no matter what
probably be shrunk a bit, there is always some waste, but not enough to
drastically alter the structure of our military. The ratio remains
about the same in 'transformation', but the tooth part is shrunk as
well, and as soldiers are removed from the tail, they're replaced by
civilian's on the pentagon's payroll. The real savings doesn't come
from shrinking the tail, it comes from shrinking the teeth, something
done with trickery to make the teeth seem to grow instead.
Goe, against it.
05 June 2006
03 June 2006
EU spyplanes
"robot spyplanes to guard Europe's borders"
From what, exactly?
The people-smuggling, illegal immigration, and terrorism of which they knowingly let active participants enter and exit freely. If it's policy to let them all in anyways, on the pretense of refuge or diversity, what is the point of buying robot spyplanes to watch people come if you already know they're coming and don't care?
Goe, confused by the wishy-washy.
From what, exactly?
Fleets of unmanned "drone" aircraft fitted with powerful cameras are to be used to patrol Europe's borders in a dramatic move to combat people-smuggling, illegal immigration and terrorism.
The people-smuggling, illegal immigration, and terrorism of which they knowingly let active participants enter and exit freely. If it's policy to let them all in anyways, on the pretense of refuge or diversity, what is the point of buying robot spyplanes to watch people come if you already know they're coming and don't care?
Goe, confused by the wishy-washy.
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