In a very old blog post (May, 2008) I wrote of offering an item for sale on eBay that was rejected as unsuitable, according to that online auction site's standards. You can read about it all here:
http://cherishauthor.blogspot.com/2008/05/meet-hatefuldiscriminatory-nazi-porn.html#comments
Frankly I'd nearly forgotten the post and the item in question, until Blogger sent me an email a couple of weeks ago that a new comment had been written. You can see it on the link above -- it's the next-to-last comment and it's from "anonymous."
He (maybe she?) asks if I still have the inappropriate item, as he collects such things and would love to have it. Gee, sure! Sounds great. Let's talk.
But wait. How do I communicate with Anonymous? I have no identity, no email address, no number to send a text to, NOTHING. I did the only thing I could think of to do, and that was to place another comment below his saying yes, I had the item, and please contact me here's my email. That was two weeks ago, and do you think I've received an email? Nope.
My conclusion is that Anonymous either: A) is an idiot, B) was drunk when he wrote the comment and has forgotten about it, C) either/both A and B (a drunk idiot) who doesn't realize that Blogger does not send me his contact information when he posts a comment and is disappointed that I've ignored him. Another possibility is that he's a tease, knows that I'll want to contact him but can't, and enjoys creating frustration in others.
I expect that everyone who reads this (if anyone does) will leave an anonymous comment begging me to sell them the item for BIG $$ if I'll just contact them ASAP. Go for it, if that floats your boat. But be careful; Blogger just MIGHT keep track of your IP address and send it to me -- you never know!
Monday, December 03, 2012
Sunday, December 02, 2012
New Computer!
This will probably resonate with everyone who reads it. Why? Because you're probably reading it on a computer. Okay, I know, you can read blogs on a "mobile device" as well as a computer, but still. . . You remember the last time you bought a new computer, right? Exciting? For some it's just a tool or an appliance and thus no big deal. For me, a closet geek, it's cool!
Why am I getting a new computer? Best reason ever: The old one died. It was 5 years old (almost 6), and had been close to state of the art when I bought it (dual-core processor, 4GB of ram, and a 250GB hard drive -- and it boasted the brand new operating system, Windows Vista! Wow!) And frankly, even last week (before its untimely demise) it was fast and powerful enough for most of what I used it for. Some software seemed to take a long time to load; Photoshop was the worst, and it had started to freeze on me occasionally. But I had no plans to upgrade in the near future.
How did it die? I don't know exactly. I left the house with the computer on, everything normal. I returned about an hour later and found it powered down. That was unusual. I pressed the power button. The fan started and ran for maybe one second, then stopped. I tried again; same result.
Without boring you with the details of my diagnostic efforts, nothing I tried helped. I took it to a local repair shop, waited 4 days, and learned that the motherboard was shot (some bulging, leaking capacitors and other failed electronics, the power supply was suspect, and my video card had problems. All of this could be fixed (parts replaced), but then I'd still have a 6-year-old machine. The technician suggested my money would be better spent toward a replacement.
So . . . I have now ordered a Dell machine with an Intel core i7 processor, 12GB of ram, Windows 8 OS, and lots more. I figure it's 3-5 times more powerful than my old box, and it cost 1/3 less! Ah, progress!
It is supposed to ship from Dell in about a week, and should be here a few days later. Meanwhile I'm subsisting with an iPad and smart phone -- life is tough, right?
I'm looking forward to Christmas coming early this year!
(OH! I wanted to be sure to include this . . . Last time I ordered from Dell I learned that if you ask for some price help (a discount), they'll give you one! But if you don't ask, they won't offer! When I told the telephone sales rep I would buy if I could get the price down about $200, she put me on hold while she "spoke to her supervisor," then came back and offered me interest-free financing instead. I declined that offer, and again asked for a price reduction. Without even going through the act of asking anyone, she agreed! Remember this -- it works!)
Why am I getting a new computer? Best reason ever: The old one died. It was 5 years old (almost 6), and had been close to state of the art when I bought it (dual-core processor, 4GB of ram, and a 250GB hard drive -- and it boasted the brand new operating system, Windows Vista! Wow!) And frankly, even last week (before its untimely demise) it was fast and powerful enough for most of what I used it for. Some software seemed to take a long time to load; Photoshop was the worst, and it had started to freeze on me occasionally. But I had no plans to upgrade in the near future.
How did it die? I don't know exactly. I left the house with the computer on, everything normal. I returned about an hour later and found it powered down. That was unusual. I pressed the power button. The fan started and ran for maybe one second, then stopped. I tried again; same result.
Without boring you with the details of my diagnostic efforts, nothing I tried helped. I took it to a local repair shop, waited 4 days, and learned that the motherboard was shot (some bulging, leaking capacitors and other failed electronics, the power supply was suspect, and my video card had problems. All of this could be fixed (parts replaced), but then I'd still have a 6-year-old machine. The technician suggested my money would be better spent toward a replacement.
So . . . I have now ordered a Dell machine with an Intel core i7 processor, 12GB of ram, Windows 8 OS, and lots more. I figure it's 3-5 times more powerful than my old box, and it cost 1/3 less! Ah, progress!
It is supposed to ship from Dell in about a week, and should be here a few days later. Meanwhile I'm subsisting with an iPad and smart phone -- life is tough, right?
I'm looking forward to Christmas coming early this year!
(OH! I wanted to be sure to include this . . . Last time I ordered from Dell I learned that if you ask for some price help (a discount), they'll give you one! But if you don't ask, they won't offer! When I told the telephone sales rep I would buy if I could get the price down about $200, she put me on hold while she "spoke to her supervisor," then came back and offered me interest-free financing instead. I declined that offer, and again asked for a price reduction. Without even going through the act of asking anyone, she agreed! Remember this -- it works!)
Saturday, December 01, 2012
My increasing cynicism
I am an optimist by nature. My glass is usually at least 3/4 full. Frankly, I dislike negativity and negative people. I try to see the good side of things, and point it out when others around are gripy. Is "gripy" a word?
Anyway, I'm disturbed to find that with increasing frequency I am disappointed by people, both individuals and groups or organizations. The stridency, hype, and blatant lies of the recent political campaign is one example, but more and more I see people circumventing laws and rules, twisting the truth until it's no longer recognizable as such, to further their own agenda.
But I wonder: what, if anything, has changed?
Maybe it's me. Maybe I've finally grown up enough to lose the innocence of youth and see things as they really are. There has always been a percentage of the population with little or no moral compass or much of a conscience. This is the group who will play the suckers, work the angles, con the unsuspecting and take, take, take. But was the percentage always this large?
Remember the 80s? Jerry Falwell popularized the term "moral majority." The concept was that most people in the US were moral, honest and upright (and in Jerry's realm, this meant "Christian"). It sounded good, and I accepted the theory that most people were moral, honest and upright. It was the vocal minority who were trying to ruin things for the rest of us.
Well now, 30 years later, I get the feeling that majority has slid over into the other camp. There are few people, or statements made by people, that I trust anymore. I tend to analyze actions and comments in a way I never used to. "Why did he do/say that? Did he meant it? Has he got something to gain, or is he trying to pull something on me? What's his real motive?"
Of course, there are lots of possible reasons for the apparent spinning of the moral compass needle. My inclination is to list as chief among them the decline in religious faith I believe has occurred. And not just Christian faith. Most major faiths honor honesty, fair dealing, and compassion.
I dunno. Maybe I'm just in a funk. Whatever it is, my glass seems to be slowly leaking.
Anybody else feeling this?
Anyway, I'm disturbed to find that with increasing frequency I am disappointed by people, both individuals and groups or organizations. The stridency, hype, and blatant lies of the recent political campaign is one example, but more and more I see people circumventing laws and rules, twisting the truth until it's no longer recognizable as such, to further their own agenda.
But I wonder: what, if anything, has changed?
Maybe it's me. Maybe I've finally grown up enough to lose the innocence of youth and see things as they really are. There has always been a percentage of the population with little or no moral compass or much of a conscience. This is the group who will play the suckers, work the angles, con the unsuspecting and take, take, take. But was the percentage always this large?
Remember the 80s? Jerry Falwell popularized the term "moral majority." The concept was that most people in the US were moral, honest and upright (and in Jerry's realm, this meant "Christian"). It sounded good, and I accepted the theory that most people were moral, honest and upright. It was the vocal minority who were trying to ruin things for the rest of us.
Well now, 30 years later, I get the feeling that majority has slid over into the other camp. There are few people, or statements made by people, that I trust anymore. I tend to analyze actions and comments in a way I never used to. "Why did he do/say that? Did he meant it? Has he got something to gain, or is he trying to pull something on me? What's his real motive?"
Of course, there are lots of possible reasons for the apparent spinning of the moral compass needle. My inclination is to list as chief among them the decline in religious faith I believe has occurred. And not just Christian faith. Most major faiths honor honesty, fair dealing, and compassion.
I dunno. Maybe I'm just in a funk. Whatever it is, my glass seems to be slowly leaking.
Anybody else feeling this?
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