Curious about his business, I did a quick Google search and found his story on his website. Clicking around some more on his site, I found a link to renovations, in which he describes how he spent lots of time and effort on a house in Punte del Este. Turns out, it was the same house he "chose" on the TV show. Only the house they showed him (number 2 on the episode) was the same one he highlights on his website, post renovation! They just took down some pictures that he put up after he moved in. It was a total sham!
How many of the episodes are a big fake? Was the episode before about the wine loving couple moving back to Long Island to a new home right on a vineyard too good to be true? Makes you think, doesn't it? Stupid reality TV.
]]>And I hope you'll celebrate the Christmas season by offending someone. If you're Jewish, how about a hearty "Happy Hanukkah" to a good Christian? If they're offended you've revealed a fool, not such a good Christian and someone you shouldn't waste your expression of good will upon. But get ready for a few robust "Merry Christmas" calls to be thrown your way as well.
I for one will welcome any "Happy Hanukkahs" tossed my way. Even better would be the ocassional "Happy Kwanzaa!"
]]>1) We've been waiting for an HD-capable PVR ever since we upgraded our service to include HD channels for our sweet new TV. Unfortunately, they were out of HD-capable boxes and it would be a six week wait. Six weeks later, it turned into an additional month to six month wait. "There's none in the county," we were told. Finally, a month later, today we get a letter saying the PVRs are in and we should call within seven days to make sure we're still interested. So we call the number, no one is there. After Kris hits every button to talk to someone, Tony picks up. She inquires about the letter and how we get our PVR. Without even checking his database, he immediately responds that there are none in Wisconsin. (Here's the best part.) He goes on to say how awesome his two PVRs are. "HE COULDN'T LIVE WITHOUT THEM." Um, Tony, HOW ABOUT GIVING US ONE OF YOURS, GENIUS!" Thanks for your help, jackass.
2) A co-worker of Kris' performed an experiment with the Charter customer service. To inquire about a billing error, a roommate dialed the service number, and followed the prompts for billing inquires. Soon after, the co-worker called the same service number, but followed the prompts for new service. While the roommate was still waiting for some one to take her call, the co-worker was immediately helped by a live person. She simply handed the phone to her roommate and she got her dispute resolved quickly.
]]>]]>Bush today said this country is safer today than it was prior to 9/11. Personally, I don't think he knows. Whether we like it or not, terrorist attacks on Americans are now part of the global reality. They will continue to happen. Many places around the globe have had to deal with a similar reality for years. India, Ireland, England, Spain, Russia, to name a few. In many cases, these societies have pulled together and not allowed isolated acts of violence to tear at their fiber. Like disease and the forces of nature, it's a risk that we have to rationally come to terms with. The government's responsibility is to make sure that fear and terror are not disproportionate to the reality of the situation.
Today the President said, "This nation is at war with Islamic fascists who will use any means to destroy those of us who love freedom to hurt our nation." Generalized statements like this which instill nebulous fear without specific information are exactly in line with the goals of terrorism.
The problem today is that oil companies are too short-sighted, the environmentalists too far-sighted, and politicians only concerned with being elected. As a result, there will be a gap between the end of oil and a conversion to less destructive forms of energy. In this gap, all hell may break loose.
In The End of Suburbia (website), they talk that the coversion away from oil-based energy sources will happen at a community level, not so much on a world-wide basis. Could you ban together with your neighbors to get a solar array built to provide energy for the community? Neighbor disputes about grass height turn into disputes on electricity use and how many lights are needed to landscape the front yard. A brave new world indeed.
]]>Ironically, the rise in consumerism embraced by the contemporary right has had a corrosive effect on the "family values" and issues of morality that conservatives claim to embrace. Wal-Mart recently moved to stop distributing consumerist bibles like Maxim and FHM in their stores because they may improperly expose youngsters to sexual images, but they aren't thinking twice about selling lipstick and blush to a ten-year-old.Seems to me like this is more of a comment on today's common parenting habits more than branding.]]>
Suppose this measure goes through and the directors of Berkshire Hathaway (which does not now pay a dividend) therefore decide to pay $1 billion in dividends next year. Owning 31 percent of Berkshire, I would receive $310 million in additional income, owe not another dime in federal tax, and see my tax rate plunge to 3 percent.And our receptionist? She'd still be paying about 30 percent, which means she would be contributing about 10 times the proportion of her income that I would to such government pursuits as fighting terrorism, waging wars and supporting the elderly. Let me repeat the point: Her overall federal tax rate would be 10 times what my rate would be.
When you listen to tax-cut rhetoric, remember that giving one class of taxpayer a "break" requires -- now or down the line -- that an equivalent burden be imposed on other parties. In other words, if I get a break, someone else pays. Government can't deliver a free lunch to the country as a whole. It can, however, determine who pays for lunch. And last week the Senate handed the bill to the wrong party.
I was waiting for this to happen. First I saw Zeldman's post, then Mark's, and I couldn't believe Dave wasn't retorting on his site. But Kottke directed me to Sam's carnage of a post. I always thought Winer was a bit of a whiner know-it-all-and-I-don't-hesitate-to-tell-you-I-told-you-so kind of a guy. I hesitantly put his site on my blogroll, always thinking that I could take it off later. Well, now I can, and have good reason too.
Update, 3:39 PM: Mark has added value (or lack thereof) of being flamed by Dave. It is known as The Winer Number.
2nd Update, 11:13 PM: Bryan Bell got stabbed by the vicious Dave.
]]>Yesterday, I was following a 'child-molesting' van (big with no windows) in a line of cars in the left lane averaging 75 mph. Not too bad, except that the van kept accelerating and then braking to correct themselves. That's annoying, but not annoying enough. Meanwhile, a woman keeps appearing on my right side, passing me and then slowly getting passed back. Over time, the line of cars I was in had grown substantially, and she obviously thought that she was better than everyone else in her green Neon. After the line passed a car in the right lane, she would race ahead on the right, only to get slowed by another car in and have to return to her position at the end of the line. (Which, for some time, was directly behind me.) On her next attempt, I could see the drivers in front of and behind me accelerate to fill the spacing so that she wouldn't be allowed in the line, thus sending her farther back in line. Subtle group road rage, but effective nonetheless. After about ten attempts at moving herself forward, she fell way back after we entered a construction zone, and I thankfully never saw her again.
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