by Matt | Aug 4, 2005 | Aggravation, Personal, Travel
Ooooh. I get to use the “travel” category for the first time.
If anyone ever wants to feel like cattle, you can visit terminal C at the Atlanta airport for an accurate recreation. I’m litteraly sitting on the floor, eating a cookie, wanting for the flight from Atlanta to Boston to board.
The flight from Houston was uneventful, if you don’t count the 300lbs angry redneck women filming themselves with a camcorder. Or the black kid behind me smacking his head into the back of my seat. Besides that it was absolutely peachy.
I don’t understand fat, angry redneck women. Not that I’ve had tons of exposure to that demographic, but it puzzles me just the same. Why do people feel the need to explain everything they do to everyone around them.
“Where’s my coke, I’m going to take a sip of my coke.”
“Do you have your bag, you’re going to need it?” … “Yes, its right here” … “Good, cause you’ll be needing to have it”
Huh?
Oi. Well, as I sit here they announce that the plane is pulling up to the gate.
Later.
by Matt | Aug 1, 2005 | Aggravation, Personal
Well, its a good thing I’m moving out because my apartment office just pissed me off. Now, I understand the concept of a moving out notice. They’re 60 days sort of things. I get that I’m culpable for 60 days worth of rent from the day I drop off said notice. Now, what I can’t understand, is a 80% of your rent FEE for breaking a contract that I’m not under. I’m month-to-month in terms of living there. There is no lease I’m breaking. You can’t make me pay a fee for breaking something that doesn’t exist. So, instead of paying only August and a month-to-month fee, I’m having to pay August, September, part of October PLUS September and August in the new place. Yeah. I’m a happy camper.
So, in effort to relieve my fustrations I played some BF2 and now I’m on my way to get a tasty cigar. I hate apartments.
by Matt | Jul 16, 2005 | Aggravation, Personal
Better find the bodies bags or grab a shovel, cause when I find them, there’s going to be a few lifeless bodies that will need tending to. Some spineless prick sucking, mexican Yankees fan no doubt, decided it would be of amusement to scratch “suck” into my bumper across my Red Sox sticker. Fucking mouth breathing, inbred, red neck assholes, or maybe some mini-wang, ghetto thumping black ass raping cock pirate, or maybe, just maybe, some jelous no-sacked Yankee loving New York fuckbag. I really don’t care who it was, but by God, heads will roll and I’m going to start swinging for the fences. If I ever see someone LOOK at my car funny, I’m going to get up in their face. If you want to be part of Satans army and like the Yankees, that’s one thing, they have this insain asylum called NYC for you fuckers, but to touch another mans car. That’s low. I hope you burn asshole. Hell. 6th ring and hang a left.
by Matt | Jun 26, 2005 | Aggravation, Personal, Travel, Work
All week the security nazis here at the Laredo Entertainment Center have been hastling me and Paul. Yesterday was the worst. What I can’t understand is that we’re catching shit while we’re wearing full access badges. People not wearing badges aren’t getting second looks. This was my conversation with two security asshats yesterday…
Tard – Can I help you?
Me – I’m the photographer, excuse me (starts walking past)
Tard – but can I help you with something, who are you with?
Me – I’m the official photographer. See the badge?
Tard – Well, you’ll need to be escourted.
Me – I don’t think so. I’m the OFFICIAL photographer. This is an all access pass, now excuse me I have to get in there.
Tard2 – Excuse me sir, is there a problem?
Me – Yeah, let me through, I’m the photographer, see the badge?
Tard2 – Yes sir, but you’ll have to check in with Guest Services.
Me – I don’t have time for this, excuse me (walks away as the call for the security guard)
It went downhill from there. I won’t bore you with the explatives. Retards.
So, with one night left here in town, let me send a big warm fuzzy “fuck off” to the security morons here at the Laredo Entertainment Center.
by Matt | May 9, 2005 | Aggravation
Yeah. I am one, but you know what, when I get shit like this it really pisses me off. If there’s one thing I can’t stand is an uninformed activist. Be for a cause. Be against something. Thats cool with me. But you’d better know what the hell it is your against before you send out a mass email railing on it.
I got an email from an old friend that worked at EB with me. I’ll paste the interesing bits to save time…
“Last week, The U.S. House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed by a 261-161 vote, the Real ID Act. This far reaching bill, which will now go to the Senate where it will pass due to Republican majority, will come in the next decade to impact our lives more than any bill or measure that has gone through congress in ages. The Real ID act, cunningly attached to last week’s vote to further fund the Iraq war, passed with flying colors and little to no public or media protest because as we all know with today’s state of affairs, to vote against funding our troops when they “need us most” would be political suicide.
…
The Real ID Act calls for the adoption of a nationwide, electronic identification card which must be carried on your person at all times, otherwise facing penalty of temporary and immediate imprisonment until you can be re-identified.
…
To start, your U.S. Real ID card will have encrypted on it your social security number, a digital photograph of you, your immigration status and your birth certificate. The bill further states that all states of the union must link their Department of Motor Vehicle databases to the Department of Homeland Security to supplement information to be carried on your Real ID, including your complete driver history, motor vehicle violations, suspensions and any points you have. Any state that does not comply with this linking of their DMV will no longer be eligible for federal funding.
…
This same RFID technology, although with a different federal level of encryption technology, will soon be built into all U.S. Passports. After that is achieved and the Real ID roll-out has begun, your Passport and your Real ID will merge, thereby your Real ID will gain RFID technology. Your Real ID will then be tracked by radio signal, recording where and when you go near federal and state establishments – But now, without the need for electronic scanners. As you walk, your Real ID’s RFID chip will be communicating with structures around you that will be required by law to report your movements into the national database. “
After that it goes on about how we’re all doomed, how we’ll be implanted with chips, hurded like cattle and the US will fall under a Nazi-like despotism and we’ll all be royally fucked. Listen, and listen good. I INVENTED THIS PARANOID SHIT! If anyone is going to rail against RFID, National ID systems and the like, it’s me!
But, that’s not what THIS perticular fight it about. This is about House bill 418 (H.R 418), aka “The Real ID” act. This is a very small bill that was quietly added onto a defense spending bill. It’s already passed. You can’t do anything about it. But thats ok. Why? Because anyone who actually read the bill itself would see that it’s really not a threat. Let me go back and forth from this email I got and to my responses. We’ll talk about the bill itself more indepth in a minute.
“The Real ID Act calls for the adoption of a nationwide, electronic identification card which must be carried on your person at all times, otherwise facing penalty of temporary and immediate imprisonment until you can be re-identified. “
I’ve already got one. It’s called my drivers license. You don’t think that magnetic strip on the back is there for looks do you? Any person with out a drivers license is already suspect to “temporary and immediate imprisonment”. Ever get caught speeding without your license? Trust me, you sit in the back of the police cruiser for quite some time.
“To start, your U.S. Real ID card will have encrypted on it your social security number, a digital photograph of you, your immigration status and your birth certificate. The bill further states that all states of the union must link their Department of Motor Vehicle databases to the Department of Homeland Security”
You’re drivers license already has both your social security number as well as a photo. If you’re an alien, you drivers license has that too. In addition, aliens are required to carry green cards, student visas or work papers with them already. Also, the bill itself, if you read it says NOTHING about a birth certificate being part of the card. The link between the DMV and DHS is never mentioned once and the DHS already has all your drivers records anyway. Honestly though, if they didn’t (which they do), would it really be hard for them to get a copy?
What the bill DOES say is that STATES must improve their drivers license and license systems to meet basic requirements to help prevent fakes. Thats it. There’s a whopping 3 sections to this bill. The first is about boarder patrols, the second is about people asking for politcal asylum and the last is about how states should meet some pretty basic requirements for drivers licenses.
Directly from the bill…
Sec 202. Minimum Document Requirements and Issuance Standards for Federal Recognition
1. Beginning 3 years after the date of the enactment of this Act, a Federal agency may not accept, for any official purpose, a driver’s license or identification card issued by a State to any person unless the State is meeting the requirements of this section.
Translation: You’ll need to get a new drivers license because the old ones suck
B) Minimum Document Requirements- To meet the requirements of this section, a State shall include, at a minimum, the following information and features on each driver’s license and identification card issued to a person by the State:
(1) The person’s full legal name
(2) The person’s date of birth
(3) The person’s gender.
(4) The person’s driver’s license or identification card number.
(5) A digital photograph of the person.
(6) The person’s address of principle residence.
(7) The person’s signature.
(8) Physical security features designed to prevent tampering, counterfeiting, or duplication of the document for fraudulent purposes
(9) A common machine-readable technology, with defined minimum data elements.
Wow. That list seems like a real threat to my personal freedoms….
Now, you’re probably curious over #9, but all that means is the magnetic strip. Read it again. Common machine readable… RFID tags are not common and are not globally readable by different readers from different manufactures. Trust me, I’ve read more about them than anyone. Next, “with defined minimum data elements”. That would be #1-7. That information is already on the magnetic strips on your drivers licenses. I know because if you’re ever been to Avalon in Boston and had you ID scanned by their magical “detect a fake” machine, all that junk is exactly what comes up. They check to see if it matches whats on the front of the card. I also know for a fact that the New Hampshire drivers licenses are SIMPLE to fake. Why, because I’ve seen a fake one. I also seen a New York, Virgina and a Oregon as well (it was art school, people were bored). My current drivers license in Texas has more holograms and security crap than I’ve ever seen before in my life. It’s crazy. But relax, cause thats all they’re talking about in this bill. An upgrade to your easily fakeable drivers licenses.
If you actually take the time to read the bill, none of the things mentioned (RFID, DHS, databases, etc) are even remotely hinted at, let alone mentioned. Literally, all the bill says is that there should be country wide improvements in drivers licenses to help prevent fakes. I, for one, don’t have a problem with that. Now, if they stick an RF chip (that I can’t easily remove) in there, or make everyone get bar codes on their arms, I’ll be the first one signing up for the revolution. But until then, I don’t really see the problem with adding a couple holograms to Kentucky’s drivers licenses if it’ll help Ackmed not to be able to board a plane.
Geez, hippy liberal fucks. Read the shit you’re protesting against before your get your panties in a bunch. Ok? Also, in case anyone else would like to read that bill, the Library of Congress just so happens to have a copy. Enjoy.
HR 418
Oh, and incase you’re still worried… better find the tin-foil hats, because you never know when the aliens will be coming back for whats left of your brain.
Matt out.
by Matt | Apr 11, 2005 | Aggravation, Games, Movies, Personal
Now theres a combo.
We’ll take these one at a time since they each deserve equal bantering.
Saturday night Lauren and I hung out with Ashley and went to see Fever Pitch, the new movie about a guy who loves the RedSox. I actually enjoyed it quite a bit. The story was mediocre and I really dislike Drew Barrymore as an actress, but the subject matter was there and it was good to feel a little Boston pride. The reviews are split right down the middle. Most are calling it a mildly interesting movie about baseball and fanaticism and the rest are calling it the date movie of the year. I thought it was probably about a 70%. Like I said, the subject matter is there, Jimmy Fallon doesn’t completely suck and there are quite a few moment where I laughed out loud. The rest was your average date movie. I can’t see it doing well at the box office though. It’s a movie about Boston, Boston Fans and the RedSox. People actually IN Boston will think it’s cheesy and people outside of Boston won’t get it. It was pretty much made for people like me, a fan, who wasn’t actually in Boston when they won. It brings that feel good hometown thing to the big screen for everybody that didn’t get to experience it first hand. Unfortunately for the box office numbers, that not a lot of people. We were 3 of about 30 people in the theater… and the movie just opened on Friday. Not a bad flick. Folks like me and Nagle should drag their girls to it so they can begin to understand about RedSox fans… everybody else can wait for DVD.
Taxes. Why me? After doing our taxes last night with the help of Turbo Tax, it appears that we owe the government $850. Wonderful. Just wonderful. It seems that Lauren and I both put “Married 2” on our W4’s, which means the government takes less each paycheck but you get less back, if anything, at the end of the year. Well, the places Lauren worked for last year took that to an extreme and took out next to nothing. Out of $5000 she made at one place, they only took out $120. That’s just not right. Although, maybe it is. Our W2s match our pay stubs, so, it could be right. If it is, we’re really getting the short of end the stick this year. It also doesn’t help that we’re into the next tax bracket by about $1000. Huzah. So, instead of a few hundred back, we’ve got to shell out $850 in the next few days. Isn’t that just awesome. I’m so happy the government is working for us and doing so many wonderful things, aren’t you?
Sigh.
Ok, we’ll end this on an up note of sorts. Video Games. I’ve got 3 to drop on you and only one of them was playable. That’s right. One. Last week I took a look at Prince of Persia 2, Star Wars Battlefront and Acts of War.
Prince of Persia 2 wasn’t even remotely playable. It didn’t pass my 15 minute test, mostly due to technical issues. When I loaded it up, the Bink movies that are the intro kept crashing the game. I wrote to UbiSoft tech support about it and got the canned “update your video drivers” answer. Well, considering Brothers in Arms as well as BF (something I play everyday) use Bink movies, I hardly think video card drivers are the issue. So, I found a save game and loaded past the intro movies to actual game play. It was canned, repetitive and completely uninteresting. They seriously toned down the one thing that made PoP good, the jumping/puzzle solving. Instead they focused on a combat system, which while interesting could be found in every run of the mill fighting game. Nothing innovative about being able to make a hit combo, sorry guys. Final Grade: D+ / C- (if you can get it to work).
Acts of War was at least playable. The concept was different: a RTS based (loosely) on current world events. I think the real problem here is that whoever was developing this had never made a RTS before. Reinventing the wheel didn’t really work out of them. Also, they really stripped down the standard RTS model and tried to replace it with “nifty” things. Resource gathering doesn’t really exist, neither does building anything more than troops. It’s a lot like C&C. You have a base, the base creates an army, you go blow stuff up. End of story. It also doesn’t help that the story itself is super weak. US soldiers protecting Paris during a UN converence? Come on. There are so many better RTS games out there, this one just isn’t worth the time. Passed the 15 minute test, but only for about a half-hour. Final Grade: C+
StarWars Battlefront was both playable and enjoyable. It’s actually fun AND interesting AND capable of being played for more than 15 minutes without wanting to rip out your eyes. The premise is simple: a FPS based on the StarWars universe and played in a Battlefield model. You have conquest spawn points that need capturing, you can hop in vehicles, be different classes and recreate any of the major battles from any of the 6 movies. The geek level from being able to grab a Tom-Tom on Hoth and go after Imperial walkers is unreal. The game also looks nice graphically. The interface is easy, it’s got some pretty decent bots if you’re playing Single player (campaign or instant battle) and of course the real meat is the multiplayer. Servers are a little sparse but once you find a couple that are actually populated the game becomes very enjoyable. I’ll stick with Battlefield but it I ever need a StarWars fix, this will do the trick. My only real complaint is some of the mechanics and weapon issues, but if the game were to get any sort of a following, those would be things that could be fixable in patches. Final Grade: B+/A-
Matt out.
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