Sneaky Bastard » Rants

Not the One You’re Looking For

joseph — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 11:14:58 +0000

I bought a BernzOMatic Micro Torch (ST200T) yesterday to make heating shrink tube easier. It was about eight bucks. I figured it had a quartz igniter, but no. They recommend lighting it with a match. You’ve got to be kidding me.

They do make one (ST2200T) with an igniter, but it’s less convenient and more expensive. Awesome.

Not exactly the Open Source spirit.

joseph — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 06:35:39 +0000

I was looking around for a good Open Source XML editor for Mac OS X (native or Java). I just want element and attribute auto-complete based on the document schema, and rational cursor control. I like the XML Editor, but my license ran out at version 8.2, and I don’t have the cash to drop on the current version.

I saw a few WYSIWYG editors, which isn’t at all what I’m looking for. This product called Serna Visual XML Editor is interesting, but on the download page for the Open Source version, they have a bit of disclaimer text. That makes me feel all warm and fuzzy.

Made in USA!*

joseph — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 03:37:50 +0000

This sort of packaging makes my stabbing arm very twitchy. On the front is a very patriotic icon, leading a person to believe that the product was made in the USA by an American company. On the back, they clarify that it was made in China. I don’t know why it matters to me, but it seems deceptive. I assume everything is made in China, so when I see packaging that leads me to believe otherwise, I get a little excited. Don’t know why, I just do.

I don’t mean to single out VDC Electronics. Apple does the same thing with their “Designed in California” package labeling. That’s supposed to be more hip than a tacky patriotic symbol, I guess.

Obviously, I just unpacked the BatteryMINDer lead-acid (AGM, Gel, Flooded) 2/4/8 amp battery charger. I’ve charged up two 7 amp-hour batters in a few minutes. I wish it had a built-in LCD with voltage and amperage displays. Oh, and an iPhone dock, and…

Facebook Apps

joseph — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 00:30:51 +0000

Wanna guess how likely it is that I’m gonna grant this application access to my data?

Good guess! Facebook has done a pretty good job preventing the site from becoming a cesspool like MySpace, but some of these apps are (almost) as bad as spam.

Business Reply Mail

joseph — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 20:59:36 +0000

I’ve posted ranted before about my hatred of junk mail. While watching an episode of Penn & Teller: Bullshit!, I opened up a stack of them that had been piling up. I didn’t put anything inside the envelopes (such as coffee grounds or used dental floss) this time. I wasn’t feeling that energetic. I sure hope the USPS appreciates the postage. Why, it must be a couple dollars by now! Heh.

Please call during business hours.

joseph — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 05:55:26 +0000

The way that some companies keep customers by requiring a phone call during business hours is just infuriating. Two examples: Real and Stamps.com. It doesn’t matter how politely the message is worded, it still pisses me off. Signing up is so easy, it’s hard not to do it by accident sometimes. But canceling, that’s another story. They should put a message on the account summary page, “Before you go any further, you should know that you can’t cancel your account unless you jump through our burning hoops of fire.”

The Hunger Myth

joseph — Tue, 27 Nov 2007 18:06:58 +0000

I was listening to the Tavis Smiley Show a couple days ago. He had a segment regarding hunger in America. His guests were Maura Daly of America’s Second Harvest and conservative analyst Robert Rector of The Heritage Foundation. I’ve gleaned the audio of the segment.

So, let me see if understand Mr. Rector’s argument correctly: Many Americans are overweight, including those with incomes lower than the federal poverty level. Families with very low annual income are at risk of going hungry. Therefore, hunger does not exist because many poor people are also overweight. Government should not fund programs for a problem that doesn’t exist. I don’t think that’s an unfair assessment of his crack research.

What a jackass.

Sys-Con Media is a Joke

joseph — Tue, 09 Oct 2007 18:16:01 +0000

I received some spam from Sys-Con Media today, 9 October 2007. The publication associated with the e-mail is ColdFusion Developer's Journal, which is now defunct. The date on the “news” is 8 August 2007, and the lead story is “It's Here! Adobe Ships ColdFusion 8”.

Really? They're just now floating this gem on the 'net? Imagine if the headline in today's paper was “Iraq War: Not Going Very Well”. I imagine that someone at Sys-Con made a data entry error, creating an e-mail blast scheduled for 10/8/07 instead of 8/10/07. Or maybe their spam server doesn't parse dates quite right. In any case, I would be embarrassed to be associated with Sys-Con.

Customer Tracking Code, My Ass

joseph — Sun, 18 Feb 2007 05:36:15 +0000

I get a lot of credit card applications in the post — probably 15 in an average week. I like to open them up, shred the parts with the actual application, and send everything else back in the Business Reply Mail (BRM) envelope. I try to give the USPS all the business I can. Also, I hate credit card marketers so very, very much.

Anyway, I noticed that these direct mail weasels have been printing envelopes with a barcode that is supposed to represent a “Customer Tracking Code” and the text “Attention: It is illegal to tamper with this envelope or its contents.” Um, yeah. Just like any other piece of mail. I assume they placed that there to grant more authority to the barcode nonsense.

So, if this customer code is so official and important, how is it that they send me the same envelope a couple times a week. Can’t they track the fact that I don’t apply for one of their credit cards? Even worse, they should already know that I’m going to send their BRM envelope back with assorted pizza coupons and used Kleenex® facial tissues. Also, I did some searching online to find that several other people have received the same envelopes with the same tracking code. Really? They got one of MY envelopes? Interesting.

The only reasonable explanation for this nonsense I can come up with is this: some marketing jerkoff thought it would be hilarious. I’m sure it was a big hit at the annual Marketing Jerkoff Conference.

I’ve had experience with barcodes in the past, unfortunately. So I know the difference between an ISBN and a UPC. The use of barcodes is pretty interesting from a manufacturing perspective. There are lots of specifications and creative implementations. However, this credit card customer tracking barcode does not comply with any specification I could find. There aren’t any popular symbologies that come close.

Take a look at the printing too. What kind of ‘tard would print a barcode with a halftone screen of gray spot color? Why not go all the way and print it with wavy lines that vary in thickness?

DialAmerica Marketing. Nicely done.

joseph — Wed, 07 Feb 2007 19:44:27 +0000

I’ve been getting phone calls from DialAmerica Marketing several times a day recently. I decided to answer the phone this time, just to see what they were shilling. So, I hit speakerphone and just listened. I didn’t say anything, I was just quiet. My throat is killing me right now, and I didn’t feel like talking. I just wanted to hear the telemarketing weasel run through his script.

Well, interestingly, the caller said only “Hello, I’m calling for Joseph Lamoree.” and then waited for about twenty seconds. It was quiet on my end of the line. Finally he spoke again:

So, you’re just going to be quiet and pretend that you’re not there. That’s okay. We’ll just call back tonight, and tomorrow, and the next day. And I won’t tell anybody that you’re a rapist who likes to listen.

What a lovely young man. I sure hope he calls back.