Gold was at like $635 yesterday, and is back down to like $610 today. It was at $600 last week when everyone was talking about it at passover. Man I should have bought some back then. I am following the market a bit more closely now!
Observations
Stupid People
Why are there so many stupid people that take mass transit in NYC? Today I found my breaking point (aka the point where I stop being quiet and taking all the retarded people and start talking back to or commenting at the morons). It took being forced off the train due to switching issues and waiting for 20 minutes for bus’s that I couldn’t get onto and then forced to walk 20 blocks to the 59th street station to take a different train to work.
While I was waiting for a bus there was a huge line. I was like the 4th or 5th person on line. Not bad, until you factor in bus’s that couldn’t fit 1 extra person on them let alone 5. So when a bus pulls up I was slightly ticked off when this older lady behind me blatantly cuts in front of me and a few other people to try and get on the bus. After being delayed like 30 minutes already I opened my mouth to point out there was in fact a line. The lady played dumb for a while then got back in line. I mean come on. F–king idiots. Then some old guy in front of me started telling me how I should always respect my elders and I should have let the lady in front. I told him to mind his own business. I am all for helping an older person with a walker or someone clearly in need of extra assistance. But I am not going to yield for every “older” person who thinks they are entitled to cutting people waiting for ages just because they have some years on me. I am not trying to be mean, but when dealing with a public system (like the bus) NO ONE is special. Get over it. People are just inconsiderate, and don’t realize they are not the center of the universe. If they did people wouldn’t stop and tie there shoe in a crowded subway stairs, or get off an escalator and stop to look around with 100 people behind them. Also fat people would not push in front of you to get on a crowded subway car and then push there way into the car where it is clear there is not a reasonable amount of room for them. And then the idots standing at the door of the train would actually move further into the car allowing others to get on. The moronic tendencies go on.
I am glad I now know what has to happen for me to finally speak out against stupidity. It actually felt good. A weight lifted off my chest.
I actually got to work only about an hour late, but I felt like I sat in a steam room for that hour. I would like to say the rest of the day went better, but it didn’t.
Some Catastrophy?
Is the world coming to an end or something? It sure sounds like it from my apartment today. Since like midnight I have heard at least a dozen sirens. We are not talking like one police car driving by. Most of the time it sounds like the president is driving by my building with the amount of sirens going by. Maybe this is the sleep deprived me talking, but at 3AM when no cars are out do you really need to go full lights and sirens someplace?
Just one of the observations I have made sitting in bed (or my couch) today.
Visa, MasterCard or OTHER!
I am an American Express Card holder. I am happy about that. Amex treats you right. I don’t remember any major problem (nock on wood) with them as a credit card company. I do remember all the good things they have done when I have had problems. Sometimes without me even asking. That is good service. Yes I pay allot for that service, but isn’t that the point?
Because I am so happy with my Amex I have decided long ago that I don’t need any other card. I mean I have a charge and credit card with Amex. Well since my bank has given me a Debit card allong with my ATM card I figure I can use that if I ever come accross a place that does not take Amex. I must say that I have been known to leave stores when they don’t take Amex. If you want my business you should take a credit card that huge portions of he popuation have, and the vast majority of stores take. Being cheap about the percentage point or two that Amex charges over Visa/Mastercard is just petty and looses my business. I got that attitude from my dad. He had a Visa card that he never used. I remember on a few occasions where we would leave stores if they didn’t take amex, even though he could use the visa card. I am the customer, I want to pay in a legitimate way using this card. If you won’t accomodate me, I am leaving. And leave we would. I am like my dad (even though sometimes I don’t like to admit it). We can both be stuborn. he a bit more than me, but as a customer I am right. Aren’t i?
I am here in Maine. More on that later. The inn I am staying at has WIFI. I was like cool. I have 2 hours to kill so let me get online and check my mail. Yeah, that didn’t work. Why you ask? Well the wifi company doesn’t take Amex. I was a bit miffed but then said ok, this is why I have my debit card anyway. So I broke out the debit card and punched in my digits only to get rejected. The credit card authorization company does not recognize my debit card as a valid MasterCard. So I am stuck with no WIFI. I am actually cool with that, but I am really pissed at a company that makes it so difficult for me to use there service. OK, I know everyone DOESN’T take amex, so I use my debit card, and you STILL won’t take the dam card. Come on. I am still not going to run out and get a Visa or Master Card. I will spend my money at a place that is willing to take it!!!
Maybe YOU Should Think?
I just read this article and I am very thankful that this guy took the time to write it. American consumers are (most some of the time) a bunch of little cry babies. Use some simple common sense, and curtsey and you will be ok!!!
Oh, and while I am on the subject of etiquette, if you are on the subway don’t assume the train is designed just for you. Maybe get out of the way of the door so people can get on and off. or maybe don’t sit like you do at home taking up 4 spaces on a bench that can seat allot of people if you would only move your fat ass! Now I feel a bit better.
No Cell Phones On The Subway
i decided that I don’t want cell phones to work on the subway. I live off of my phone. I like having it working everywhere, but I came to a dangerous conclusion recently. Other people are not considerate. The dumb-ass who plays with his ring tones, plays games with the sound on, etc. will not have any problems having a loud conversation the entire 20 minutes that I am on the train. That would be 10 times worse than me not getting a call. Being underground with (lets face it sometimes some people with no etiquette) people who can use a phone would be bad. it is the same reason why I don’t want cell phones to work on airplanes. I think the idea is great, but I don’t trust other people to use the “privilege” properly. It is bad enough that I go onto Amtrak or the LIRR and have to sit next to chatty kathy.
My two cents from a technology enthusiast. I can stick to my ipod and reading the news while on the subway!
Firemen Climbing, and Me Watching
The other night on my way home from work I decided to get off at the stop before my apartment and get some takeout and walk home. On the way back to my place there was a bunch of fire trucks and ambulances. I noticed people standing around and watching. I had no idea what they were looking at. Then I noticed firemen climbing up ladders and scaffolding into a building. I stopped for a minute and though, weird. then I continued on my trek home. What was really weird about the situation was that allot of people were standing around watching this happen long before I got there, and probably long after I left. Is it that you don’t have much else to do, or do people really like to watch guys climb buildings? I think it is the flashing red lights. it attracts people.
Handouts
Why is it that there are so many people giving away “free” stuff near the subway entrances in NYC? As of today I am offered a free Metro, & AM NY. Also I get people giving me information about saving some (fill in name of oppressed, abused or unjustly treated foreigners here) group in some foreign country. There is another group handing out stuff, but I don’t know what it is for. I haven’t stopped long enough to find out.
At first I thought this was a problem near Penn station when I got off the LIRR. Then it started happening in Union Square. Now for months I have getting pestered up by my apartment.
Whose idea was it to place annoying low paid people at the bottleneck point of an exit/entrance to subway stations? I know it is a high traffic area, but come on. I am barely making it to work on auto-pilot half awake as it is. Having people mess up the routine is not good.
This is a down side of living in a crowded city I guess. To me is just annoying.
Some People Need To Learn To Drive
Getting ready to cross the street across from my building tonight I was standing 2 feet from the curb in the cross walk. I was minding my own business when some asshole backed his car into me. Thankfully (for him and me) the dumb-ass wasn’t going very fast. This &*%$^&* in his wanna be punked out ride didn’t even see me. He got out of his car when I kicked his bumper. He is luck I didn’t put a whole in his window. Granted I got lightly shoved, but this idiot could have been moving faster. You have to look.
This is the second time I have almost gotten run over on (or near) the curb in NYC. The last time was New Years back in 95, 96. I would recount that in more detail but I was very drunk and all I remember is the guy in the car was also. The difference was he was driving and I was walking.
That was my moron story for the day. I am taking the day off tomorrow. Hopefully I will get some extra sleep, a hair cut, some shopping and general laziness done. I may even study for my class. The day off won’t be complete since I will have class later at night. This is the first real skills session. Yes I had CPR but that is different. This is the first patient assessment skills. I haven’t taken an EMT class in years and I am amazed at how much some of it comes back to me right away, and how other things have changed…
People
On a good day I am not a huge people person. If you know me you know what I am talking about. I don’t like large crowds. The problem is that I take mass transportation to go almost everywhere. I am currently on Amtrak coming back from my 2 days in Kingston. Well travel can be fun, and it can suck. It usually sucks more than it is fun. Why you may be asking I think that. Well the answer is people.
Not everyone sucks, I am not that much of a cynic. But lets take the people sitting by me on the train today. We got the loud guy with his friend sitting behind me. He is one of those guys who has to talk on a cell phone with his outside voice. he is retarded into thinking that if you have a bad cell signal yelling will make people understand you. When off the phone him and his friend just wont shut up and are really load.
Up one row from me I have teenage / college girl who won’t get off the cell phone. Thankfully it looks like she has bad cell service since she is spending half the time trying to make a call.
Then there is Jr HS girl in front of me that keeps getting up out of the seat and going someplace and then returning. Thankfully the seat has not yet hit my powerbook when she is getting up all the time.
Not all is bad. Others who are quiet and trying to peacefully spend the time are the 2 college guys on the other side of the isle from me, and the guy sitting next to me. We are all suffering in silence together.
Why is it people have no understanding that anything they do affects the people around them?
Not all is bad when traveling. On the way up yesterday I didn’t have much of a problem. The big deal is when goes bad, it goes bad in a big way!
I spoke too soon. Cell phone talking college girl just moved into the seat across from me since the two other guys got off at the last stop. Lets hope her service sucks the rest of the way back to NYC.
I am a hypocrite right now since I had a problem at work and Keith just called me. I need to call him back. But at least I had a legitimate reason to use the phone.
It is weird that I talk about this topic every time I am on the train home from kingston.