Getting ripped off sucks

May is going to be remembered for me as the month people ripped us off. I hope it's not a trend. If I sit and dwell on it, I get really ticked, mainly at my own stupid self cause I'm smart enough to know better, but also with people. How can some people purposely commit such blatant fraud and live with themselves? Honestly. We're talking 4 instances. The first is the one I'm most pissy about. I got conned, in the parking lot of Costco of all places, for a "We'll fix that dent and make it good as new for $200". Sure ya will. It looks like crap, worse than before, and they even cracked the paint. I fell for the "Ya need to let that white stuff (hiding their crappy work) sit for a few hours before you wipe it off". Yeah, I'm an idiot, and $200 poorer. What makes me doubly mad is that this dent is one I caused due to my own action, while getting fold up tables for a garage sale. The garage sale didn't pay for my dent so far!

The 2nd and 3rd are identical, I ordered two magazine subscriptions via eBay. Months later when I've gotten nothing, I see that neither did anyone else, and both accounts are closed. Here's how they get ya, their disclaimer is it can take 2 months for the magazines to start arriving, and you only have 45 days to file a PayPal claim or it's too late. These people did this on purpose, they set out to steal. That's pure fraud. And maybe it's not over, I was able to file claims anyway, we'll see. I'm also going to write a letter to Consumer Reports, cause ironically one of the three year $34.95 subscriptions I paid for was for them. I don't expect them to do anything about it, but maybe they'll warn others.

The last is "OUCH, I HURT MY NECK!". The insurance adjusters were out today to take pictures of the "damage" to the Ford when Tracy bumped another lady in rush hour traffic a week or so ago. Being third party, I only know it was a bumper to bumper hit and the license plate frame came off, and supposedly dented her bumper with my tow rings. If you look at the Ford, you can't tell anything was damaged. Here's the thing. It was a bump and Tracy got a little upset, enough so that the lady she hit and swapped info with actually hugged. The police didn't see that it was enough to warrant a report or ticket, and everyone went on their merry way. Right? No. Our insurance company says: "she has sought medical care and is now claiming an injury from what appears to be a very minor accident". Yup, let's con the insurance company!! The good news is of course we were insured and USAA has got a spine. The insurance adjuster was out today and wrote up a claim for $12.83 worth of damage, that's the retail price of a license plate frame. He says false claims are up. Maybe, just maybe she just went to the doctor, and she should, she wasn't at fault, but somehow I smell something a LOT different, and I checked my shoes.

Yeah Yahoo, have you got your balls out of your wife's purse?

Wow. They even used verbatim the Wikipedia description I posted previously.

What will Yahoo bring for Memorial Day?

Mother's Day had their ducky for about three days. Here it is Friday and nothing yet on Yahoo. Will we see anything? Are American Flags offensive? Some would say war is. But is honoring our dead soldiers? Patiently waiting....

Memorial Day is a United States Federal Holiday that is observed on the last Monday of May (observed in 2008 on May 26). It was formerly known as Decoration Day. This holiday commemorates U.S. men and women who have died in military service to their country. It began first to honor Union soldiers who died during the American Civil War. After World War I, it was expanded to include those who died in any war or military action.

The twins come home

I had to do it:

The best part about this? In today's corporate world, which thankfully I'm not a part of, there is no doubt this is "sexual harassment". Certainly not "politically correct". I wouldn't have done it if I didn't think she'd be OK with it, and she of course was, and had a good laugh. Lighten up world, it's funny. SO glad I'm not a part of that two faced crap any more.

What's Shakin'?

All this free time on my hands and I've not mentioned the earthquakes!! It's been almost a month, but we did feel "The Big One" that happened on April 25th at nearly midnight. It was a 4.7 magnitude and we were both up and the house shook, like an egg in a frying pan. Amber stood straight up, don't think she liked it at all. The other pups I didn't notice. It was a very weird feeling. At first I didn't know what it was, and it happened so fast I didn't have time to think. No damage at all, not here anyway. 15 miles away where a friend of mine lives in Mogul, he's literally on top of the activity, and he's had cracked walls, broken dishes, computers knocked over, etc. He works for the Reno police, amusingly enough the DEA and they are calling their home "the crack house". That's taking it well.

For a map of Mogul and the quakes: http://www.seismo.unr.edu/feature/2008/mogul.html

and a list of recent quakes: http://earthquake.usgs.gov/eqcenter/recenteqsus/Maps/US2/38.40.-121.-119_eqs.php

Isn't it amazing how many there are? We might have beach front property yet!

Da Pepper Garden

Using leftover concrete blocks from last year's temporary garden, we have this:

Four types, Yellow Banana, Red Bell, Jalapeno and Italian Roaster. Some creature already plucked one overnight, hopefully that taste was good enough. Pups are there sniffing for bunnies, there were six babies there along the fence line.

Welcome to the moonscape

Last weekend we started landscaping the back yard, and literally worked on it every day this week (except Monday, I was sunburned). I gotta admit: it's fun. Tracy and I have always liked working our butts off outside and getting dirty and feeling exhausted, and with the back yard a blank slate, we've got plenty to do! No, I don't like the rocks, and digging is a BEYOTCH, and when it's windy the dirt in your eyes suck big time, but it's a good creative outlet and so far so good. Our focus right now is to get areas to PLANT things, tomatoes, peppers, flowers etc, but mainly the toms. Gotta have my toms. So the first project should be an easy one:

Here's my fatness contemplating a circle (actually I broke the damn rake)

Only a few hours later, complete!! Five different tomato plants, Early Girl, Better Boy, Super Sweet 100, Ace (new one on me) and Beef Master.

Stones says: "Where the 'maters!?"

Full view, next project under way. Bigger, better, MORE PLANTS!!!!

Hmmmm.... How's this look... Nah....

Oh, what to do, what to do......

Here's what I settled with. Kinda weaving around and mindless, like me! I wanted to come out further like in the first picture, but I would have had to dig too much and this was going to have to do. The back row of concrete blocks (I REPURPOSED THEM!) should be hidden by the time I'm done (dirt and decorative rock). The next step is to rake out the rocks, the big ones anyway, fill it full of dirt & nature's goodness, till it all together and plant!

Fortunately we're going to a pinball show tomorrow so my hands and back will get a break.

Yahoo follow up

I didn't grab a screen shot, but for Mother's Day weekend, we had baby ducks! How cute. Santa however, is NOT cute and is banned.

Yahoo is scared of Jesus

This has been bugging me for awhile, but I've kept it to myself. But no more. Today, with Cinco de Mayo on the calendar, Yahoo changed their splash screen. The wording in the tab is even "Yahoo! Celebrates Cinco De Mayo 2008". Check it out, tribute to millions of illegal immigrants in the United States:

And earlier this year, get this! We changed it for Chinese New Year! Oh yeah baby:

And you bet, Saint Patty's Day? Damn right, Pot O' Gold and everything. We're not offending anyone? Right?

I think we MIGHT have had a pumpkin on Halloween (no witches, that's baaaaaaaaaaddddd!) , and a cornucopia on Thanksgiving, but certainly not Pilgrims, that's offensive. Valentines Day was hearts (no blood). Groundhog day was certainly a fucking gopher, but I didn't take a screen shot. New Years Eve? Oh, you bet. Party whistles and fireworks, what else? The holiday Yahoo change has has been going on for years, and it wouldn't bother me if I hadn't noticed one thing last year. Christmas. Here it is:

That's right. Nothing. Zip. Zero. No tree, no presents, no baby in the manger, no nothing. No Santa Claus, no elves, no candy canes, no notta. No snowflakes, no stockings, no ANYTHING that would offend anyone for it being what it is. Pisses me off.

I've got my own religious beliefs and I don't pawn them on anyone, but give me a break. Christmas is, and always will be, December 25th and recognized because of Christianity. But whether it's Jesus Christ, Santa Claus or snow, it's going to happen the day after the 24th. We stopped recognizing Lincolns Birthday and Washington's birthday and merged them in to Presidents day. Why? Why is it at the same time to we still have Martin Luther Kings day as a Federal holiday? Columbus Day is on the chopping block, you just watch.

As always; Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!

Having a baby is a glorious thing....

Ever have one of those situations where the outcome is CERTAINLY not what you expected, but it sure makes sense now that the truth is known. Usually it means a happier outcome than it coulda been. Well, I got a story.....

I was outside watering plants, yeah, I do it. I spot the mail truck down at the cluster o' mailboxes 4 houses down, figured I'd hang around and carry my buckets to Amy or the other dude that fills in when they stop. I'm not paying close attention, when I catch him driving by and not stopping, whoever HE is, he doesn't look familiar. Crap.

So I grab the buckets and proceed to walk down to where he's unloading, and it's a guy I've never seen before. "Hey there!" (I pleasantly say), "These are for you!". He looks at me and says "3813?" meaning of course my address. "I was going to come back" and he points to a laminated, LAMINATED I TELL YOU, little card that says "Pick Up Daily at 3813 Desert Fox Drive!"

I'm thinking, Dude, you SO rate!

"Oh cool", I say. "Where's Amy? She sick?"

He shrugs and says no, but strangely, I sense a smile on his face.

"Wassup? She's not on vacation". I'm more stating a fact here. She was just gone for a few days to Napa, and she almost always tells me when she's going to be gone.

Another head nod and "Nope.... you'll find out in two weeks"

Two weeks? WTF is that about? Huh? "Two weeks? Not sick, not on vacation... She all right? What? Get in trouble or something?"

Another smirk and "You'll find out in two weeks"

Weird. And confusing. I go home. I have her number, I'll call.

I do, I get her voicemail and leave a short message just asking if she's OK.

Tick tock.... hours pass. It's later, and my phone ringy-dings. 775 number (local), unrecognized, and it's not Amy, at least not Amy's cell.

"Hello?"

"Hey Todd itCRRRRsssassa-ME!" Conenction is not great.

"Huh? Hello?"

"Hey Todd it's Amy!"

"Oh! Hey! How are ya!??"

"I got a neccrwCCRRRb job"

Oh great. My fav mail lady is moving on with a new job. Peachy.

"You got a new job?"


Scroll please







A little more......

"No! I got a BOOB job!"

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.

Now it all makes sense!! So the world welcomes in a new set of twins. Life is good :)