a99kitten's Musings

Was reading some news on AAPL and AMZN this morning. AMZN because I’m a huge fan (and loyal customer and shareholder) of the company. AAPL because the AMZN stories kept referring to them.

Now, I don’t hate AAPL. Not at all. I like their products. Very nifty for sure.  My iPhone is quite fun. AT&T sucks, although I have been told that is due to the hardware interaction so who knows. So as a phone, it’s quite useless but I don’t like using the phone much anyway so now I have an excuse not to. But I HATE not being able to get my texts. Or 3G where ever WiFi is not.  NEVER, ever had that issue with VRZN. But oh well.

I have always been on the MSFT side of the MSFT/AAPL battle. And living in the valley – there are PCs and there are MACs. Seriously. No joke.  My neighbor works for AAPL. He’s a great guy. I love the look of their stuff, it’s very innovative, etc. But have simply just preferred using PCs. And I really like Bill Gates as a businessman.

But I totally get why everyone loves AAPL products and goes crazy when new ones are announced. They are fun toys for sure. The level of fanboyism that exists out here in Silicon Valley borders on ridiculous but who is this Star Wars, Comic-Con attending geek to talk about that :)

What bugs me is the insistence of the AAPL fanboys to announce that the iPad is the “Kindle Killer”. And how awesome the iPad is. And how every person in the whole entire universe will buy it and won’ t be able to live without it. And without it, you are a fool. A troglodyte. Of course, this is all said when they haven’t actually seen/used one in real life yet.

Of course, I am biased. I love my Kindle. I read a fair amount. And have a fairly long attention span that can allow for hours of reading if I want/can find the time (preferably in a bikini in the sun.)  I love the e-Ink technology. I’ve read some on my iPhone using the Kindle app and it hurts my eyes after awhile. The screen is not built for long bouts of reading. I can see how if you don’t have a long attention span, you would prefer the iPad since you can read OR check your email, play games, go online, tumble, tweet, uTube, facebook, etc. Very handy for sure if that’s what you want. I do not. And I think plenty of serious readers of books would agree. As also pointed out in a MarketWatch story today:

Amazon does have a major head start here, with the Kindle now on the market for over two years. And the die-hard Kindle fans may prefer it for longer-term reading, as opposed to the flashier iPad which seems to be aimed at shorter burst reading, viewing and Web surfing.

I also find the price ridiculous for what it is offering me. But I don’t play online games or watch uTube videos for hours on end. I’m not going to watch a movie on it when I have huge TVs in my house. And when I travel, I read. Not watch movies on any device. I have an iPhone, a laptop and a Kindle so I see no need for an iPad. And would much rather spend those dollars on some killer shoes. Or a new Tiffany charm or 2 :)

But I’m not saying I won’t want to change from my current Kindle at some point when something else offers me features I want. And I’m also willing to admit that whoever comes up with the e-reader that allows me to download and read comic books will likely get my business.  But so far that is no one.

So all I ask is if I leave you alone about your short attention span and inability to do just 1 thing at a time, like say…read a book. You can stop being such a blowhard about how the iPad is going to revolutionize the world and everyone will stop using paper and pens and books – hospitals, schools, businesses, everyone will stop, put these ancient tools and buy iPads (I’m not exaggerating when I say I’ve heard this from people.) One of these fanboys actually wrote ‘This is the end of books. Who needs books anyway. I never read.’ Well…you might have just summed up what is wrong with you actually.

I really hope these guys are all shareholders so at least I could understand their extreme excitement and devotion about the thing.  I’d be excited too about the projected numbers even if I didn’t want to own one. But somehow I think they are not. They are just fan boys.

So this is all I ask is this…ssshhhh. Or in other words STFU about it already.

http://www.nypost.com/p/pagesix/kim_kardashian_demi_moore_in_twitter_ziJYQkA0fjDVkY4fZML6rJ

While I find this story rather humorous that it’s a “story” (albeit in the NY Post) or headline at all, I agree with Demi (which is also quite odd.)

I really dislike when educated/smart people use the word pimp to describe anything cool or good. Pimps are not cool or good. They are low-life scumbags. Period. Not something that you should be striving for. Or using to describe anything good.

Do rap stars use it a lot in songs? Yes. They also glorify bitches, hos (hoes?), crime, shootings and drug use as an OK thing. Awesome. So no – I don’t see it as OK to use the word in its “new sense”.

Plus it makes you sound ghetto. Why in the world would you want that? Rap stars make money to *get out* of the ghetto.

Stepping down from soapbox now…

I saw 2 TV ads for “Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution” last night. It’s a show by a celeb chef aimed at getting school kids healthier lunches in public schools and families to eat better at home. The ad made me sick. I applaud the effort of the show. But the fact that people have allowed themselves to be so consumed by unhealthy lifestyles and then pass it on to their kids makes me angry.

I am not saying everybody should be a Size 0, or 2 or 8. That’s fine. But what I am saying is when you are a size “tent” and you have problems finding shoes that fit your sausage feet, or can’t walk up a small flight of stairs without getting winded, or need more than 1 seat on the airplane – that is not genetics. That is not “just the way my body is and it’s ok to love it as it is.” That’s get off your ass, exercise more, eat less and eat healthier, better for you food.

Look, I love junk/fatty goodness food. I mean I **love** it. I would eat McDonald’s and Taco Bell and french fries and fried chicken and fried rice and garlic bread EVERY DAY if I could. But guess what – I can’t. Not if I want to stay healthy and thin. And honestly, after you eat that food you do feel heavier, weighed down because of how heavy the food is. So do I indulge and have junk every once in a while – of course. No big deal. But you cannot eat food like that every day.

And it’s not just a superficial, how you look in a bikini thing. If you weigh too much, you die faster. Your body cannot handle it.  You are susceptible to all sorts of ailments (I won’t get started on the effect it has on healthcare costs – whole other rant.) So when I see fat people (and yes, I am calling them fat and not some stupid PC thing – get over it) eating junk – I get grossed out. Literally. Call me mean, I don’t care.  But come on. And when I see fat parents loading up their fat kids with junk – that pisses me off.  It is your job as a parent to teach them healthy eating habits, get them outside exercising, make sure they are healthy. Not just like you. And kids are mean – when they go to school they will be ridiculed. Period. And it will effect their self-esteem. Do you really want that for them?

Do I think every person should strive to be a size 2? No. That’s unrealistic. And probably very unhealthy for people that do have bigger frames, are taller, etc.  But that is no excuse to be a size tent. You should be strong/firm, able to go up and down flights of stairs with no issue, walk a few miles with your dog every day, and yes, fit into ONE airplane seat.

I see nothing wrong with Southwest, or any other airline, charging passengers for 2 seats if they can’t fit into one. You are TAKING UP two seats. You feel embarrassed? Well too bad. Kevin Smith’s recent tirade was ridiculous. I’ve seen the guy live – he is frackin’ huge. Like…HUGE. He sweats sooo much just walking back and forth on the stage. And sounded winded half way through his show. That’s unhealthy! So yeah – pay for 2 seats pal. I don’t care if you’re rich and famous. And frankly – first class seats are bigger so maybe you should have ponied up for the United or American first class cabin. But sorry to tell you this – you are fat. And if you squeezed in next to me – I would have been annoyed. Does this make it OK for people to be mean and rude to you – no, of course not. But don’t get offended by the fact that you have to pay for 2.

Someone once said to me that she realized after years of hating how skinny I was that I was thin because I did deny myself stuff. I didn’t get to just eat whatever I wanted. Duh. I’ve been watching what I eat since I was 24. Exercising every single day since I was 20. Actresses and models over the age of 20 that say they eat whatever they want and never exercise and just stay super skinny are most likely lying. Or doing coke, or Adderall, or whatever the new speed is they can get. Are there people who are naturally, ridiculously thin with no effort. Yes. But is that a normal thing? No. Most people need self control and discipline to manage it. But it’s 100% possible. It’s also 100% up to you.

Now, do genes play into it. Sure. Body frames are different. I have teeny, tiny bones courtesy of my Mom. But thanks to my Dad’s side of the family, if I don’t pay attention to what I eat and exercise all the time, I’d probably get hippy. And anyone who knows me, knows I hate hippies :)

Yes, yes, I know women are supposed to be curvy, have hips, blah blah. I do agree. But I know what is supposed to be on me and what’s not. How my hips, butt, legs should look and how they shouldn’t. So I work to make sure they do. But no one should be so big you can’t find clothes that fit, or chairs to hold you. If you can’t ride the rides at Disney World – get a clue.

And there is not one person that can convince me that the actress from the movie Precious is actually 100% happy with how she looks. Maybe she doesn’t cry every day about it or gets depressed – which is great. But she would trade her body in for Halle Berry’s tomorrow and we all know that. Does not excuse Howard Stern being a mean ass clown to her though. But he is Howard, and we now he will be a mean ass clown so whatever. But the fact that we are supposed to applaud her confidence and that she loves her body is wrong in my opinion. She is huge. And that is simply unhealthy.

Does that mean people should be judged by how they look? No. There are plenty of nice, funny, smart, awesome people that are over-weight. But that’s all the more reason they should be healthier – so they stay around longer. Now, I do judge you if you teach unhealthy habits to your kids. I absolutely judge the parent I see out with their fat kid and loading them up with junk.

But this ad for the TV show showed these HUGE people eating heaping plates of fried, fatty food. And little kids. Little (or I should say young) kids – probably 8-12 age range – who probably weighed more than me! GROSS! NOT RIGHT.

If you have time to watch TV, you have time to exercise. Period. If you have children, you should not let them watch TV, mess around on the computer or play video games unless they have already spent time outside running around and playing, riding their bikes, whatever.

And if you care about them, or yourself, at all – stop feeding them/eating frappucinos, junk food, sugar cereal, candy, fried foods, etc. all the time. Ok for a treat or every once in awhile but regularly? No.

And no – you do not get to blame Starbucks, McDonald’s, Kraft and Coke. They sell the stuff. They don’t point a gun to your head and tell you to buy it. It’s your job to have self control for yourself and your children if you have any.

I do not accept:
it’s genetics
I can love myself at 300 lbs
you need to accept me as I am
it’s discrimination against over weight people
there is nothing I can do

BS. It’s called self control people. Get it. Teach it to your kids. You owe that to yourself and to them.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20100319/en_afp/entertainmentuscrimepeoplesmith

Ummm…Penniless? Did she not work for a living? And make her own money?

And heirs? Surely they are just talking about her one daughter and not that scumbag lawyer Howard Stern (who is the only person from her will alive)?

She (Anna) didn’t deserve any of that money and I’m glad the judge ruled this way. That a lawsuit can stay alive in court for so long on such a baseless claim is ridiculous. The old guy’s will said what he wanted. If he told you something different to get you to marry him (eww) then you should have got it in writing first. I believe she got a house and jewelry out of the deal so she should have been happy with that. Especially if she loved him as she claimed. Although my guess is most of this was Howard Stern’s plotting.

There should be no will challenging allowed unless the person is truly not in their right mind and a change is made then (or under duress obviously.)  Actually, had he changed it to give her a huge chunk of his fortune right before he dies, his son/family would have had more of a right to question it and sue in court.

People don’t “deserve” anything. My money – if I want to leave it to my dogs, I should be allowed. If I want it all in cash and thrown out of an airplane – my right. My money. If you have minor children, then that is your only true responsibility to ensure are taken care of until they grow up. And any outstanding debt you have.  Beyond that – do what you want with it.

Pissed me off that some judge thought he had the right to change Leona Helmsley’s will when she left it to her dog. And have the nerve to dole some of it to the grand kids she specifically disinherited. Who the hell are you to question what I do with my money and my family? And then decide what charities/organizations to give it to. Who are you to make these choices with MY money? Grrrr.

The End.

“The White House emphasized the human benefits over the technical details, returning repeatedly to a letter Obama received from an Ohio cancer patient who wrote that she gave up her health insurance after the cost rose to $8,500 a year.”

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100316/ap_on_bi_ge/us_health_care_overhaul
So wait a second…this woman, who has cancer, gave up her health insurance which undoubtedly paid tens of thousands (if not much, much more) of dollars in medical bills because her portion rose to $8500 a year? And this is viewed (by her and the White House apparently) as too high of a cost for a person to pay for their health care? No – it’s actually not.

And guess what – those “technical details” are billions and billions of dollars. What money tree has been found to pay for that? Who exactly will be covering her $8500 portion now? But no – people don’t want to think about that. They’ll think about that tomorrow…when it’s too late.

WTH is wrong with people? Why shouldn’t you have to pay a portion of your own health care costs?? It is ridiculous, and frankly disgusting, that the House is trying to sneak such a huge piece of legislation through. And the reason they want to sneak it through is because they know they can’t get it done any other way.

Disgusting. Worst Congress in recent history.

My husband has some douchebag friends. I have always known this and, of course, this is probably what most girlfriends or wives think about at least 1 friend of their boyfriend or husband so it’s not news. And I don’t *really* care. But today it just set me off.

Husband went snowboarding with a few friends and apparently one asked why I never go. What do I do all day? Gee…I wonder if husband told him that I supervised the magic fairies who clean the entire house? Or do who the laundry? Or who pay all the bills? Or who take the huskies out for hours on end? Or, when back at home and not in Tahoe, run all of the errands? This is of course after work or on the weekends. After she has worked 50-60 hours a week for 2 companies? And who finally takes an hour or 2 to watch a movie or read for herself…by herself? No…I’m pretty sure that wasn’t the answer husband gave.

Probably also wonders why I don’t want to spend time with his lame ass friends…

Dear visiting tourist jerkfaces driving down my 25mph zone residential, hilly, icy street going around 50mph and almost taking a girl and her huskies out – next time I see you, I am throwing a giant bag of steaming dog poo at your window.

Oh…and that white sport BMW you are driving up here in the snowy mountains, you look *awesome* in it. Really. Not one bit like a San Francisco-living douchebag tool…not one bit…

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ynews/ynews_pl1101

Well, while I do not like Rahm, what he said was said in a closed session. If I say something in my living room, or Board Room, it should stay there. I’m sure you can argue he is a politician, he shouldn’t be using derogatory terms, saying that to others, blah, blah…

BUT has anyone looked up the definition of retarded in the dictionary? I guess you could argue derogatory but it really is the definition. And no – I don’t think that is a reason that it should be changed in the dictionary. Per the American Heritage Dictionary – Second College edition:

Retarded: adj Slow or backward in mental or emotional development.

Retard: v To slow the progress of; impede or delay.

I’m not going to defend the guy too much since I don’t like him anyway. And he was speaking about a plan put forth by liberal special interest groups that does sound like it fits the definition but for such an “outrage” to occur? Give me a break….latch on to a cause to fight for that really needs fighting. Not word play. If someone gets offended by a word, any word, grow a thicker skin and get over it. Bigger fish to fry in this world…

You know…if you read this speech…if you truly listen to what he is saying…he is right. Look past the trendy “hate Wall Street” rhetoric being bandied about by our current President and media. Look at what is being said here and think about what is *truly* being said….

Gekko: Well, I appreciate the opportunity you’re giving me, Mr. Cromwell, as the single largest shareholder in Teldar Paper, to speak.

Well, ladies and gentlemen, we’re not here to indulge in fantasy, but in political and economic reality. America, America has become a second-rate power. Its trade deficit and its fiscal deficit are at nightmare proportions. Now, in the days of the free market, when our country was a top industrial power, there was accountability to the stockholder. The Carnegies, the Mellons, the men that built this great industrial empire, made sure of it because it was their money at stake. Today, management has no stake in the company!

All together, these men sitting up here [Teldar management] own less than 3 percent of the company. And where does Mr. Cromwell put his million-dollar salary? Not in Teldar stock; he owns less than 1 percent.

You own the company. That’s right — you, the stockholder.

And you are all being royally screwed over by these, these bureaucrats, with their steak lunches, their hunting and fishing trips, their corporate jets and golden parachutes.

Cromwell: This is an outrage! You’re out of line, Gekko!

Gekko: Teldar Paper, Mr. Cromwell, Teldar Paper has 33 different vice presidents, each earning over 200 thousand dollars a year. Now, I have spent the last two months analyzing what all these guys do, and I still can’t figure it out. One thing I do know is that our paper company lost 110 million dollars last year, and I’ll bet that half of that was spent in all the paperwork going back and forth between all these vice presidents.

The new law of evolution in corporate America seems to be survival of the unfittest. Well, in my book you either do it right or you get eliminated. In the last seven deals that I’ve been involved with, there were 2.5 million stockholders who have made a pretax profit of 12 billion dollars. (applause) Thank you.

I am not a destroyer of companies. I am a liberator of them!

The point is, ladies and gentleman, that greed — for lack of a better word — is good. Greed is right. Greed works. Greed clarifies, cuts through, and captures the essence of the evolutionary spirit. Greed, in all of its forms — greed for life, for money, for love, knowledge — has marked the upward surge of mankind. And greed — you mark my words — will not only save Teldar Paper, but that other malfunctioning corporation called the USA.

Thank you very much.”

This movie was done in 1985. Still holds true today. One could argue that you can apply this to all of the life-long politicians that have never held a real job, a job where they have been responsible for creating anything, for making sure payroll is met, making sure that shareholders receive a return on their investment. They collect their giant salaries (look it up) and benefits that our paid by us…the taxpayers. Do you really think they are any better than the purported “criminals” of Wall Street or the banks? Really? If you do, than you are truly naive…

Are there criminals on Wall Street? Of course. Are there criminals in every single line of work? Yes. Are there criminals serving as your Congressman, Senator? Yes. If you don’t think so…you are truly naive…

This country was created, built on and made into the greatest country on earth because of the entrepreneurial drive to be successful. And our current government wants to destroy that. Put everyone on a level playing field. Everyone doesn’t belong on a level playing field. Face facts – there are smarter people, harder-working people…not everyone “deserves” the same thing. Period.

One of my most favorite movies ever…