Phingers Rants

2008-07-09T11:38:00.002-04:00

Ring tones. I still do not understand why people would pay money for them in the first place. Or that people actually use them. Of course I have a special situation I suppose. I work in a corporate environment a lot of the time.

I am in meetings, or sitting around a bunch of people, whether that is starbucks, or an office environment. Having a ring tone go off lets everyone around me know I'm getting a phone call. As many phone calls as I get in a day, it would be annoying people every 5 minutes.

When the place you are at is too noisy, you can always feel your phone ringing, when you are someplace like the movies you forget to put it on vibrate and then it will get you.

So I guess I dont believe in that noise. I keep it on vibrate all of the time. It vibrates in my pocket, or on my desk. Even when I'm in the other room or something, I can still hear it vibrate. I guess I dont understand what all the hype is about these ring tones. Usually they just wind up embarrasing you dont they?

Keep your phones on vibrate people.

2007-10-31T17:44:00.001-04:00

Thanks Aunt Juli for sending it to me, very interesting. Loved it.

The Outsourced Brain
By DAVID BROOKS
The gurus seek bliss amidst mountaintop solitude and serenity in the meditative trance, but I, grasshopper, have achieved the oneness with the universe that is known as pure externalization.
I have melded my mind with the heavens, communed with the universal consciousness, and experienced the inner calm that externalization brings, and it all started because I bought a car with a G.P.S.
Like many men, I quickly established a romantic attachment to my G.P.S. I found comfort in her tranquil and slightly Anglophilic voice. I felt warm and safe following her thin blue line. More than once I experienced her mercy, for each of my transgressions would be greeted by nothing worse than a gentle, ?Make a U-turn if possible.?
After a few weeks, it occurred to me that I could no longer get anywhere without her. Any trip slightly out of the ordinary had me typing the address into her system and then blissfully following her satellite-fed commands. I found that I was quickly shedding all vestiges of geographic knowledge.
It was unnerving at first, but then a relief. Since the dawn of humanity, people have had to worry about how to get from here to there. Precious brainpower has been used storing directions, and memorizing turns. I myself have been trapped at dinner parties at which conversation was devoted exclusively to the topic of commuter routes.
My G.P.S. goddess liberated me from this drudgery. She enabled me to externalize geographic information from my own brain to a satellite brain, and you know how it felt? It felt like nirvana.
Through that experience I discovered the Sacred Order of the External Mind. I realized I could outsource those mental tasks I didn?t want to perform. Life is a math problem, and I had a calculator.
Until that moment, I had thought that the magic of the information age was that it allowed us to know more, but then I realized the magic of the information age is that it allows us to know less. It provides us with external cognitive servants ? silicon memory systems, collaborative online filters, consumer preference algorithms and networked knowledge. We can burden these servants and liberate ourselves.
Musical taste? I have externalized it. Now I just log on to iTunes and it tells me what I like.
I click on its recommendations, sample 30 seconds of each song, and download the ones that appeal. I look on my iPod playlist and realize I?ve never heard of most of the artists I listen to. I was once one of those people with developed opinions about the Ramones, but now I?ve shed all that knowledge and blindly submit to a mishmash of anonymous groups like the Reindeer Section ? a disturbing number of which seem to have had their music featured on the soundtrack of ?The O.C.?
Memory? I?ve externalized it. I am one of those baby boomers who are making this the ?It?s on the Tip of My Tongue Decade.? But now I no longer need to have a memory, for I have Google, Yahoo and Wikipedia. Now if I need to know some fact about the world, I tap a few keys and reap the blessings of the external mind.
Personal information? I?ve externalized it. I?m no longer clear on where I end and my BlackBerry begins. When I want to look up my passwords or contact my friends I just hit a name on my directory. I read in a piece by Clive Thompson in Wired that a third of the people under 30 can?t remember their own phone number. Their smartphones are smart, so they don?t need to be. Today?s young people are forgoing memory before they even have a chance to lose it.
Now, you may wonder if in the process of outsourcing my thinking I am losing my individuality. Not so. My preferences are more narrow and individualistic than ever. It?s merely my autonomy that I?m losing.
I have relinquished control over my decisions to the universal mind. I have fused with the knowledge of the cybersphere, and entered the bliss of a higher metaphysic. As John Steinbeck nearly wrote, a fella ain?t got a mind of his own, just a little piece of the big mind ? one mind that belongs to everybody. Then it don?t matter, Ma. I?ll be everywhere, around in the dark. Wherever there is a network, I?ll be there. Wherever there?s a TiVo machine making a sitcom recommendation based on past preferences, I?ll be there. Wherever there?s a Times reader selecting articles based on the most e-mailed list, I?ll be there. I?ll be in the way Amazon links purchasing Dostoyevsky to purchasing garden furniture. And when memes are spreading, and humiliation videos are shared on Facebook ? I?ll be there, too.
I am one with the external mind. Om.

2006-08-24T16:19:00.000-04:00

Why is it that customer service representatives can be so unhelpful and that technology isnt better at helping people. Here is my scenario. I ordered a product from Tiger Direct today, with next day shipping. I am having it shipped to a different address, since I travel so much.

Great. Order placed. So I run to a meeting, and get back, and log into the Tiger Direct website to double check the status. It says order pending verification. Since I'm keen to get this product soon, I figured I better call them and just see if there is anything they need me to verify.

My first call, I get a representative practically on the first ring. Great! Or so I think. I'm then transferred to the credit card dept. I wait on hold for 10 minutes. The rep then tells me that since the address is not listed with my credit card company, they cant ship to that address.

So I said lets get them on the phone, they said no, I need to call them. So I call Wells Fargo, and press ZERO a bunch of times. I get someone and its the wrong department, she gives me a different number, I call that and press Zero again a bunch of times. She says I have the wrong number, but is at least helpful to transfer me to the right place. I then wait another 3-5 minutes, and get my new shipping address added.

I then call Tiger Direct back, again a speedy response, and a transfer to the credit card department. I wait another 8 minutes, the phone rings, I then hear music. I wait another 5 minutes, and then I'm hung up on. (My guess, a rep took a call, put it on hold, went to the bathroom, then hung up)

Another call, a transfer, and again I wait another 8 minutes. I explain my situation, they call wells fargo (which they should have done in the first place) and verify that address is on there.

The rep comes back and says the address doesnt match. I insist that the address has been added, and explain perhaps it doesnt match because of the apartment number or something isnt an exact match. He says okay, and says he will call and speak to someone at Wells Fargo. Again I wait.

Wells Fargo tells the rep that their system is updating. The rep tells me there is nothing I can do but wait. It's past the 4pm eastern cutoff now, so the order wont ship till tomorrow. Even though their website says 6pm cutoff.

I asked will this all happen automatically? No, I need to call in tomorrow morning to again verify things. I said okay, this is way too complicated. Please cancel my order.

In the end I got it at a local store, and saved 22 dollars, since I didn't pay for overnight shipping. But I did waste an hour of my life messing around with Tiger Direct and Wells Fargo.

Lesson learned: Don't mess with different ship to addresses, it can be way to complicated.

2006-07-26T09:33:00.000-04:00

The World Community Grid is a simple idea. There are millions and millions of computers that are connected to the internet. People dont use them all the time. They walk away from them for lunch, or a meeting. They leave them connected overnight.

Why not harvest the computing power of these computers when their primary user is away. We have scientists researching some of the most important diseases on the planet, and they need to analize results on super computers. The largest super computer is the collective computing power of all the computers connected to the internet.

Sign up and join our small team today: http://www.worldcommunitygrid.org/team/viewTeamInfo.do?teamId=5XXWK8SQQ1

2006-05-23T00:15:00.000-04:00

I have to say that the Amerisuites in Glenn Allen Virginia, has to be one of the worst hotels I've ever stayed in. Now I wouldn't complain if I was just crashing here for one night, maybe two, but a whole week? And for 79.00 per night with my corporate discount? Let me walk you through the appauling things I've found so far.

1) The air conditioner at the end of the hall where I'm located hums, and I can hear it through my room.
2) The air conditioner in my own room makes a low constant hum that is loud!!! But not loud enough to drown out the one in the hallway.
3) To help put me to sleep the bathtub faucet leaks in a slow constant trickle.
4) They must have ran out of fitted sheets, and I get a non-fitted one to cover my mattress.
5) The work out gym, has a treadmill, but it requires a password, which no one seems to know, nor care that it is locked.
6) They have eco-friendly signs in three places in my room, on ways they are helping to save the environment by not washing the sheets and towels. Yet, the water leaks. The soap I took a shower and barely got the little symbol worn off of it was replaced with a fresh sealed bar, same with the shampoo.

The only plus side that I've found is that I get two free bottles of water every day. Usually most hotels just give them to you on check-in. Of course in this 5 story, probably 200+ room hotel, 2 bottles of water really helps the environment out again.

Bottom line, overall, I'm not impressed, and I hope I never have to stay in Amerisuites again. Cheers.

2006-03-23T09:41:00.000-05:00

It is weird visiting a new place, you see things you wouldn't normally think about. Things that have been done to suit the typical environment in which people live.

In England the cars are small, because the streets are narrow, and gas prices are high.

In Austin, Texas, the houses here have no basements, their furnaces are upstairs, since they mostly run air conditioning, and cold air sinks. They usually have no gutters on their roofs, unless its a fancy shaped roof, because it rains very rarely. They have sprinkler systems in their yards, because it never freezes.

I dont understand though how Texas has all this room, yet each subdivision has houses literally 10 feet away from each other. They all have fenced in back yards, and virtually no trees.

If I was going to live in Texas I'd want a nice little distance from my neighbors. Perhaps its because they dont want a huge sprinkler system.

Either way, when you travel check those things out, its interesting to see how different places affect the simple things that you may be used to at home.

2006-03-15T12:28:00.000-05:00

Bums... People that beg on the street for money. You dont really know what their situation is, why they are standing there with their little cardboard signs. We have lived in several major cities all around the USA. They are everywhere.

They do seem to multiply more though in the south. We're in Austin, TX now, and they are at every major intersection that has a little concrete path in the middle of the roads. I was sitting at a light this morning waiting, and two bums were talking to each other. One had a zima, or some drink that they would sip from when there were no cars waiting for them to haggle.

I know that people can fall on hard times, but I just picture these people sitting in high school classrooms daydreaming about their futures. Thinking they will be astronauts, or nurses, or whatever. And here they are 20 years later, in their ratty clothes, begging on the streets for money.

Why do I not give them money? Unless their sign can explain a really good reason why, or they convince me they are trying to not be able to do this anymore, I just wonder why I should waste my money, on someone who may just use it to get high, drunk, or laid.

Anyway, that is my random thought for the day. Enjoy.

2006-03-14T15:27:00.000-05:00

Austin, Texas. What is so great about Austin, Texas. It is longhorn country. It is the capital of Texas. It has as many churches as it does bars. It appears to be completely under construction. It seems a little larger than good ol' Rochester, but really just about the same. At least Atlanta had everything you could want to do. Austin seems to cater to the young college folks.

Everything is brown, except those people that water far too often. You see palm trees growing along the walk, along with cactus as well. In March it can be 85 degrees one day, and 64 the next. There always seems to be a constant small breeze though.

We're getting used to it down here, but overall, I miss the cold. So I'd rather say I like things a little smaller, I like things a little closer together. So I guess the saying is true? Go big, or go home? I'd rather be going home.

2006-02-08T15:15:00.000-05:00

There are many interesting problem with online dating. First and foremost, people can lie. It is so easy too, you never get to see their face to tell whether they are or not. Secondly, they cost money. Well at least the good ones probably all do now. But there are ways to let people find you for free. If they are smart enough. My username on all the dating websites was the same as my Instant Messenger address, and even my domain name. I plastered every site I could think of with hints at that, and I actually had a few smart ladies figure it out.

Another downside though is that say you find 20 cool dating websites, and create a profile on there. Then you fall completely in love, get super busy with your new bride, and work and all these other things. Guess what? Your profiles are still out there. The old single you, the one that used to spend a few hours a day chatting with random strangers from all across the globe. All you can do is try to remember those passwords and delete the account. Or once in a while someone will contact you, and try to say hi. You dont know who it is, so you chat for a moment. Then feel terrible that this person contacted you, and you dont know what to say to let them down easy. At least you can try to ask them which website they found you on, then try to remove that profile.

In the long run, these dating websites need to clean up their database. 5 years ago all these people signed up, and they've all since probably found at least a GF right?

2005-10-15T15:41:00.000-04:00

The garbage plate. Something that is entirely unique to Rochester, NY. What is a garbage plate? It is dinner, usually lunch, and always considered breakfast. Why? Because it fills you up completely. It is the best place to eat at 2 in the morning after a night of fun on the town.

What is the garbage plate? My personal favorite version is french fries, macaroni salad, with two cheese burgers laid on top of that. Smother the whole thing in hot sauce, mustard, and ketchup. (I skip the onions)

Google "garbage plate", and you'll find all sorts of great information on it. Including pictures.

I'm craving one terribly bad right now, and can't wait to get home for Christmas this year, and chow down on one.

2005-10-12T19:45:00.000-04:00

Here we are cleaning up the house a little bit to put it on the market. Since we havent been around for the past little bit, those creepy crawler spiders have moved in a little bit. Out front near the garage is a huge spider's nest. It is truely awe inspiring how big the web is, and how long it must have taken to build.

I grabbed the camera before my wife wisked the web away, and took over 100 photos. Off to the right is the best of the bunch, simply breath taking in my personal opinion. What do you think?

2005-09-21T10:07:00.000-04:00

Katrina the hurricaine has devastated a large area. It is up to us to help make society better, in every way that we can. How else are we going to get to live in a perfect society like Star Trek, if we dont take a moment out of our busy schedules to put a perfect stranger at the forefront.

One way that we can help is by donating blood. Which is exactly what I did last week. It was my first time, I was a little hesitant at first, but with the support of my wife, I made it there and it went very well.

The finger prick that was done to test my blood before hand hurt more than the actual donation. Something interesting for me was to find out what blood type I am. Here I am nearing thirty pretty darn quickly, a third of my life passed by, and I do not know what kind of blood pulses through my viens.

Well I do now. O positive.

Isnt O great? Well not as cool as you think, check out the statistics. At least I'd be able to help 38 percent or so of the population.

O+	38 percent of population
A+	34 percent of population
B+	9 percent of population
O-	7 percent of population
A-	6 percent of population
AB+	3 percent of population
B-	2 percent of population
AB-	1 percent of population

2005-08-29T14:58:00.000-04:00

Expressway's or highways, or thruways, or parkways, or whatever else you call them, all have one thing in common, they have those nice U-Turn signs every mile or two, where they have a giant sign, that says you the driver are not allowed to make a U-Turn here.

In particular is the U-Turn location on I-490 near the Tinseltown exit. There didn't used to be a turn around here, it was just a spot in the grass that the police used to sit and catch speeders. Well the town came up with a great idea. Lets pave that, and make it an extra wide turn around. So they did. Then a month or so later, they decided that it looked too much like a way for traffic to go, so they build a GIANT 8 foot high chained link fence across the turn around. And put up the biggest no U-Turn sign on the fence that I've ever seen.

Guess what? Now we have the cops still sitting there, and there are tire marks in the fresh grass and mud that they planted next to the brand new turn around. Where they go to turn around because they are too lazy to unlock the turn around fence, drive through and relock it. Unreal! How much did that brand new turn around cost the local tax payers. Who knows.

2005-07-05T22:52:00.000-04:00

The Rules for Being Human
1. You will receive a body.You may like it or hate it, but it will be yours for the entire period of this time around.

2. You will learn lessons.You are enrolled in a full-time informal school called Life. Each day in this school you will have the opportunity to learn lessons. You may like the lessons or think them irrelevant and stupid.

3. There are no mistakes, only lessons.Growth is a process of trial and error: Experimentation. The "failed" experiments are as much a part of the process as the experiment that ultimately "works."

4. A lesson is repeated until learned.A lesson will be presented to you in various forms until you have learned it. When you have learned it, you can then go on to the next lesson.

5. Learning lessons does not end.There is no part of life that does not contain its lessons. If you are alive, there are lessons to be learned.

6. "There" is no better than "here."When your "there" has become a "here," you will simply obtain another "there" that will again look better than "here."

7. Others are merely mirrors of you.You cannot love or hate something about another person unless it reflects something you love or hate about yourself.

8. What you make of your life is up to you.You have all the tools and resources you need. What you do with them is up to you. The choice is yours.

9. Your answers lie inside you.The answers to Life's questions lie inside you. All you need to do is look, listen and trust.

10. You will forget all this.

11. You can remember it whenever you want.

Anonymous, Published in the Book: Chicken Soup for the Soul: 101 Stories to Open the Heart and Rekindle the Spirit. Edited by: Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen.

2005-06-22T10:31:00.000-04:00

Do you appreciate your cheese, ice cream, milk, and many other dairy products? Each day you get up for coffee, you pour in some cream. You then toast your bagel with butter or cream cheese. For lunch you have a nice sandwich or salad, topped with cheese of some kind. For dinner that burger has a slice on it, or maybe its on your salad.

I'd have to guess that almost every american gets a daily dose of dairy in some fashion or another. Do you know that most farmers that raise the cows to provide us with that dairy product have a rough life?

They milk cows early in the morning, far earlier than you or I wake up. They have so many cows, that the cows are not allowed to go out into the field and eat and play. They go right back into a different stall, where they stand around all day eating some dry old hay.

When the farmer is done with all the cows in the first pen, its time to start looking after all the health problems these cows have from standing around on concrete all day.

After which it's most likely time to start milking the first set of cows again for the evening rotation.

This goes on EVERY DAY. You don't get the weekends off. Even Sunday. You need to milk the cows. Or else their utters swell up so much they hurt and leak.

All so the farmer can get paid hopefully a few pennies per gallon. So that you and I can go to the store and buy a gallon of milk for $1.49. Which we complain is EXPENSIVE.

So enjoy the dairy products you have. Most people in the world dont get too. And send a letter to thank a farmer for all his hard work.

2005-06-15T10:12:00.000-04:00

Air conditioning is quite a blessing. I think if you were to do some research over when A/C was invented, you'll see more and more people wanting to live in the south. Why? Cause the weather is nicer all year round. Of course it is hotter than blazes quite a bit more, so thankfully we can all hide out inside with our A/C cranked up so its a nice cool 72 degrees.

Flying down to Texas a few weeks back, I noticed as the airplane came in for approach just how many A/C units there really are, every big commercial building we flew over had tons of them. How much electricity do we spend every day on just A/C so we can live in the south. Boggles my mind.

I think along with the yearly campaigns to turn off TV for one week a year, we should also try out the no A/C week. Just to get back to some basics, know how hard it is to fall asleep in the heat. Remember that A/C is an amazing invention, and really has only been around for a short period of time in the modern sense.

2005-04-14T12:56:00.000-04:00

What the heck is a no party policy? I booked a hotel room for Zig's bachelor party, and when I called the place to make the reservation, I was asked what were we in town for. I then stupidly said a party... not wanting to mention the word bachelor. :)

Anyway the guy who was pleasant up until this point said, we have a no party policy. I asked if we come in town for a wedding, we aren't allowed to sleep there? He said I'm sorry sir, there is a no party policy at this hotel. Basically then hung up on me.

I've still booked the room online. Where after an extensive search on their website, I see no reference to a no party policy. Of course a hotel has their right to refuse renting the room to me. Don't worry I still got my AAA discount too.

I guess we'll be testing this policy. Getting arrested at a bachelor party would be fun anyway right?

2005-01-28T09:40:00.000-05:00

Starbucks vs. Spin Cafe. Starbucks wins hands down. Even though I sit here in Spin Cafe, I'll tell you why.

Number one, it's cold in here. Starbucks in the winter time is nice and toasty, I can take my coat off, in the summer its nice and chilly.

Number two, it has at least 2 people working. This morning I ordered a hot chocolate, it took 5 minutes for the whole transaction. She took my order, made the hot chocolate, and checked me out. Starbucks would have taken 2 minutes, unless there was a line.

Number three, the atmosphere. I'm listing to the radio here, its a strange channel they chose. Starbucks, I listen to their CD, when I like it lots, I wind up buying it!

Number four, total integration, I can buy anything at starbucks, from coffee makers, to games, to the cd's, and the coffee.

Number five, stock, sure I'm a geek, but I own some stock, and I checked it this morning, its up almost 100% from when I bought it. Very impressive.

So there are a few downfalls with starbucks, cost is a smidge higher, and they charge for their internet access, or do they? Inside joke.

Overall, when I leave a starbucks with my Hot Chocolate, I feel completely satisfied. When I leave Spin Cafe, I say to myself, I wish it was a starbucks, I can't believe I waited in line that long.

2005-01-26T15:49:00.000-05:00

Time is of the essence. So how much is an hour worth to you? How much would you pay to extend your life? Or how much would you pay to have a few more hours in every day.

I read an article the other day about a man who doesn't sleep. He just cant do it, he reads boring books and other type things, warm milk, etc. Yet he just cant seem to drift off.

I love sleep, dont get me wrong, but wouldnt it be great if you could flip a switch in those stressfull times of life and not need to sleep for a few days? I mean of course you'd need to physically stop moving for a few hours every day and just relax some, you know check your email. :)

Anywho, I wonder if taking that schedule idea the super nanny is using and applying it to my life would let me have more time, yet still be able to spend quality time with my dearest wife. Of course for me its not about the schedule. Its about motivation. How does one stay motivated past a few days.

Got any good tips for incentives?

2005-01-21T13:19:00.000-05:00

American societies downfall is going to be wasting too much. I went to Eckerds this morning to get some chap stick. I had a few extra minutes to kill, so I found a pretty card to give to my wife as well. When I checked out with those two items, the lady asked me. Let me put those in a bag for you. Its a nice courtesy, and I kindly responded, no thanks. To which she seemed offended, and looked at me weird, that I would actually carry these two items out, without a bag.

But if everyone who went to Eckerds today who bought two things, didnt take a bag. Eckerds would probably not only save two or three boxes of bags today, therefor increasing their profits. But would also benefit the landfills. Because what am I going to do with that bag? Throw it out when I get home in 10 minutes.

Come on people smarten up.

2004-12-19T23:19:00.000-05:00

My grandfather passed away today. It was a peaceful passing. I was able to spend time with him yesterday at the hospital. He had his usual sarcastic sense of humor in full gear. Yet was tired and slept a lot while I was there.

Special memories I have of him are all from the Trailer. He lived in a retirement community near Akron. Very close to Darien Lake theme park. So those two places will be tied together in my mind forever. He helped me learn how to roast the perfect Marshmallow. He flew airplanes in World War II. That and many other things are incredible to me. I'm not sure what else to say at this moment.

I will miss him very much. I love you Grandpa.

2004-11-25T11:07:00.000-05:00

HAPPY THANKSGIVING. Not sure how many of you subscribe to my rantings, but I wanted to wish that limited bunch a good one. Today is about giving thanks to god for all the blessings that he has given us. I read an article in the D&C this morning that touched me. It talked about a person who drove downtown for an awards ceremony. In fact an awards ceremony for volunteering to help people. Better yet, a volunteer who couldn't get the award themselves, so she went to accept it on his behalf. She recieved the award.

Went out to find her car, and it was stolen. This is what separates me from this person, and its something that I will strive to work on. Instead of cursing the evil doer, she said "I hope he likes christian music." That is all she had in her car, and then she continued telling a friend how proud she was of the volunteer she accepted the award for.

It was the fact that although it disrupted her day, and was disappointing to find her car missing, her christian values helped her think of good out of the situation. A stolen car isnt the end of the world. We have insurance, we have friends and family that will gladly help us out with whatever. She wound up getting her car back a few days later, a few things missing and broken. Friends and family stepped in to help her replace her radio, car seat and other items.

I hope when misfortune strikes me in the future, as Murphy says it will, that I can look at it from a positive point of view. As long as I have my health and loved ones near. Everything else can be replaced.

Again happy thanksgiving everyone.

2004-11-14T09:41:00.000-05:00

Well we're back from Milan. Feels good to be home where I think people drive a little more cautiously. Some of those drivers were pretty scary. I've finally had a moment to upload the pictures. New format this time, I scaled back the photos to about a 100 or so of the best. Then took time to add in a small caption to each of them to help give them a little more definition. My new camera is amazing, I took over 1000 photos while we were there, so scaling them down is probably the best idea.

Does anyone know where you can get amazing gelato in Rochester?

Back to the daily grind, someone in my immediate family should win the lotto so I can just vacation the rest of my life. Wouldn't that be amazing?

Anywho, just wanted to make sure everyone gets a second to check out the Milano photos.

2004-11-08T14:24:00.000-05:00

Italians love their smoke. I think perhaps taking all the people that smoke and throwing them in one country is a great idea. How about Italy? They already all smoke. We check into our hotel, arrive in our room, which is a little larger than a cruise ship cabin, and find 4 count them, FOUR ashtrays. A friend of ours did the same thing and called down to the front desk. She told them, I asked for a NON smoking room. To which the front desk said, so don't smoke in your room!

There are ash tray holders in the hotel hallways, and many people have that morning cigarette in just that place, so while we are on our way to breakfast, get to walk through that smoky hallway.

How about all restaurants, smoking. Night clubs, of course smoking. People just love their cancer sticks here so much, they do it everywhere. So its no wonder every day we get home, our clothes smell like smoke, and my nose is stuffed up in the morning.

Ugh. Love many things Italian. HATE the smoking aspect. HI highly recommend smokers to vacation here, they'd remember those days in America where they could do the same. Bravo to Americans to outlaw this disgusting smoke in almost everywhere. Do more though, triple the taxes on them too.

2004-11-02T19:27:00.000-05:00

I voted today, did you? I hope so, well if you are an American at least. Who do you think will win? In four years if we look back on this election do you think we'll be able to say it made a difference who I voted for?

It's a neat thing to wear that sticker around today that says I voted today. I wonder how much it costs the taxpayers to make and distribute those stickers.

Everyone probably knew before going to the polls which president they were going to vote for. But on my ballot there was tons more choices. Were you prepared and knew who else you wanted to vote for? I did a little leg work and tried to remember from reading the newspaper, but still it was hard. Trying to remember the face to the name. Those offices are even more important, since they affect my property taxes, school taxes, and how many ferry's we can buy.

Anywho, I took my vote seriously, I hope you did as well. Cheers.