Wow... I was watching the (former) #1 UConn Huskies last night and after the game (they lost) I couldn't shake the feeling that UConn's best player, Hasheen Thabeet, is extremely overrated. In fact, one could argue that Jeff Adrien is the Huskies most reliable player.
Aside from being 7'3", I don't see anything special about Hasheem. I'm sure there are basketball purists out there that will gush over his footwork and ability to alter shots in the paint, but he seems extremely rough to me. He doesn't have any offensive game aside from dunks and put backs, and unless you are Shaq in his prime I think that makes you very limited. It amazes me that this guy can't put together a few moves in the paint. He seems utterly useless with the ball.
In fact, even on the defensive end he looks average. Last night DeJuan Blair LIT HIM UP. Not only with dunks but with in your face post play. Blair simply outplayed Hasheem, and really made him look like a guy who has only played for 3 years.
Call it a gut reaction, but I don't see this team going deep unless AJ Price and Adrien shoulder the load. Thabeet is just too raw to be an all-around impact player. I see him changing the game on the defensive end against lesser teams, but against team with solid big-men (like Blair or Haragondy from ND) I think he wilts.
Let's also call out two key players for the Huskies that have been almost invisible as of late... Stanley Robinson probably has the most talent on the team, but he never seems to put it together. He is a bundle of athleticism, but can't seem to get out of his own way. His three-point shot isn't falling, and he usually "blends in" when he's on the floor - which isn't a good thing. The other guy is Craig Austrie. He looks AWFUL last night, and he needs to be a solid contributor - especially with the three-ball - now that Dyson is out for the season. The Huskies don't have any deep threat outside of AJ Price. Austrie can be an effective shooter, but he needs to find his stroke.
On the plus side, I thought freshman Kemba Walker showed no fear while playing meaningful minutes. He needs to work on his defense, but he looked like an effective slasher on offense. I haven't seen evidence of a three-point shot, but he can definitely take the ball to the basket and finish.
Anyway - back to my main point - I don't understand the love affair with Thabeet. He may turn into a solid player down the road, but he is not one right now. On the defensive end he doesn't establish proper position, and he is in love with the blocked shot. He is overzealous in trying to swat the ball, instead of playing solid defense and letting his 7'3" frame become an obstacle. Blocked shots look nice in the highlight reel and on the stat-sheet, but I'd prefer to see him play better fundamentals. On offense, he's just a train wreck.
And one final note - I think Thabeet finished with 4 points, but his only field goal was a dunk in which he was all-alone and received a great pass from Price. He dunked so emphatically you'd think he just made an amazing move and scored his 30th point. Dunks are nice, but I need more than one a game to whet my appetite.
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Quick hit on Steroids
Ok, so I just wanted to quickly post about this whole Arod thing... I won't get into too much detail here, I'll update it later at greater length.
The reason I thought about this today is because I read that Sean Avery was assigned to Hartford's AHL team (the Wolfpack). Why did Avery bring to mind Arod? Good question... I was reading the article about Avery and I started to think about the action taken by the NHL versus the action (inaction) taken by MLB regarding steroids. Think about it:
Avery made an offhand and inappropriate comment about his ex-girlfriends to the media before a game. His comments had nothing to do with the game or his playing ability. His comments were in poor taste, but my God, who cares? Go to a movie today and you can hear much worse language (and pay for it!). So the NHL and the Stars make this big deal out of Avery's comments and "indefinitely punished (suspended) him." Wow.
And now to Arod... so I imagine that since he broke the law and used an illegal substance (while also compromising the integrity and history of the game) he will face a fine and suspension, right? Wrong. Nothing with happen to Arod. Yeah, his reputation will take a hit, although he was pretty widely despised anyway, and his ranking as one of the top players in the history of baseball will probably be in doubt. But no real punishment will come his way. He'll still make his $250 million dollars. He'll play 160 games this year for the Yankees. No punishment. Even the Yankees have come out with a statement that they support him, as he is part of the family. Amazing... he BROKE THE LAW. Nobody cares about that. All the media plays up is whether or not his numbers will legitimately stack up against the others in history.
This isn't really about Arod, but about baseball. The freakin' owners and player's unions are so morally corrupt it makes you sick. Everyone knew about the drug use, but no one cared. They still don't . They only care about limiting the damage and moving on. New alert, you won't be able to move on. Every year this will come up when another member of the 1985 - 2005 baseball seasons become eligible for the Hall of Fame. This is with us for the next 20 or 30 years.
The reason I thought about this today is because I read that Sean Avery was assigned to Hartford's AHL team (the Wolfpack). Why did Avery bring to mind Arod? Good question... I was reading the article about Avery and I started to think about the action taken by the NHL versus the action (inaction) taken by MLB regarding steroids. Think about it:
Avery made an offhand and inappropriate comment about his ex-girlfriends to the media before a game. His comments had nothing to do with the game or his playing ability. His comments were in poor taste, but my God, who cares? Go to a movie today and you can hear much worse language (and pay for it!). So the NHL and the Stars make this big deal out of Avery's comments and "indefinitely punished (suspended) him." Wow.
And now to Arod... so I imagine that since he broke the law and used an illegal substance (while also compromising the integrity and history of the game) he will face a fine and suspension, right? Wrong. Nothing with happen to Arod. Yeah, his reputation will take a hit, although he was pretty widely despised anyway, and his ranking as one of the top players in the history of baseball will probably be in doubt. But no real punishment will come his way. He'll still make his $250 million dollars. He'll play 160 games this year for the Yankees. No punishment. Even the Yankees have come out with a statement that they support him, as he is part of the family. Amazing... he BROKE THE LAW. Nobody cares about that. All the media plays up is whether or not his numbers will legitimately stack up against the others in history.
This isn't really about Arod, but about baseball. The freakin' owners and player's unions are so morally corrupt it makes you sick. Everyone knew about the drug use, but no one cared. They still don't . They only care about limiting the damage and moving on. New alert, you won't be able to move on. Every year this will come up when another member of the 1985 - 2005 baseball seasons become eligible for the Hall of Fame. This is with us for the next 20 or 30 years.
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Air Travel
OK my friends... I just returned from Florida and I must say that traveling has become quite a chore. I understand that we have security measures in place for our safety, but what a shame. Think about how ridiculously demeaning it is going to the airport now-a-days... we have to take off most of our clothes, we can't have any gels or liquids, and God forbid you bring a bottle of water with you through security! Man, get out the tasers!
It is truly sad that the masses have to be subject to these silly rules because of a few crazy people. think about it... one deranged lunatic tries to blow up a plane with explosives in his sneakers and now we all have to take off our shoes before we board a plane. Ok, maybe there were 3 copycats that we never heard about... and now 400 million people have to take off their shoes. Are you serious? My 3-year-old son has to take off his Sketchers before everyone plan ride. And let's face it, is a terrorist really blowing up a plane going from Tampa to Miami with 70 passengers? At what point do we realize that the terrorists aren't targeting business flights from Chicago to Dubuque?
I know, this is tongue-in-cheek, but let's take a quick look at what you have to do to take a flight now...
You have to arrive 2 hours before your flight. ANY flight. If you don't you risk getting caught up in security and missing your flight. So, that 1 hour flight to Philly just turned into 3 hours. plus the time to drive to the airport and catch the shuttle from the parking garage. Amtrack is sounding better all the time.
Ok, so you get into the airport. Now you have to check in... we do everything online now so it's just a matter of checking baggage. Hmmm, most airlines are now charging for bags... can someone direct me to the 5 vacation travelers who DON'T have baggage? Does US Airways think we buy new clothes in Phoenix and then burn them after we are done so we don't have to pay for them to come home with us? How is it that the nation isn't going crazy about these new rules? We all just shrug and move on... people, you are paying $450 to fly across the country and the airline is going to charge you for your bags!!! I guess we should just wear all our clothes on the flight. Why not...? I'm 180 pounds... I figure that if I wear 4 pairs of boxers and shorts, 8 shirts, a couple of pair of socks, two hats, my shoes (I'll drape the other pair over my shoulder) and a jacket I'll still be a slender 215 and the person sitting next to me won't mind too much. Hopefully I don't sweat too much... that could get ugly.
Honestly... I can't believe that rule - and let's hope your bags don't weigh more than 50 pounds each, otherwise its surcharge time! So, what did that rule come about, anyway? Is it the weight of the bags? The manpower to load them onto the plan? Just amazing... and what does this translate into? Some lady putting 75 pounds of clothes into a carry-on bag by using 10 of those suction bags she just got from Target.
Ok... so the bags are checked and it's time for my favorite part... security.
Rule #1, don't joke with the security people. They are actually cyborgs.
Rule #2, don't worry, it only seems like an eternity while you disrobe before using the metal detector. And yes, we all fumble with our keys and coins and feel like idiots.
Ok, so I have to show my license five times before I get to the boarding gate. Like any 15 year old can't forge a license. Give me 24 hours and I'm sure I can locate a way/person/machine to make me a fake license. I love it. All these measures only inconvenience the honest people. It is like the lock on your house. Any thief could get into your house in probably 10 minutes. The lock is there to stop that regular person who has a momentary brain-freeze and thinks he'll take your DVD player as he walks home from the bar. "Oh, it's locked... ok, I guess I'll just go home now."
Think about it... you don't even need official documents to get through security. You need a print out from your home computer - nobody is making fake documents on their computers, right? - and your license.
So you get to the conveyor belt and start loading all your crap. Take your jacket off! And your hat! And your shoes! And your belt! Load up one of those grey bins with your junk for all to see. Oh, and if you have any electronics you need to open them up and display them so any nearby thief can check out what they are going to steal from you later. So we all stand in line in our belt-less pants and shoeless feet and wait for a 57 year-old, 115 pound woman make sure we are not trying to blow up the world. Silly. Again, all this because .000009% of the world hates capitalism enough to blow themselves up to make a point.
You get through the metal detector and whoops! I guess you forgot that you can't bring shave cream and hair gel through security! Not in THOSE quantities. Listen, if you want to simply blow up 5 or 10 seats with a small amount of explosives hidden in a hair-gel container fine, but let's not go crazy and bring in 25 ounces of the stuff! Crazy American.
Ok, so now you don't have your new bottle of Canoe after-shave, but at least you got through security. On to the gate! Wait, put your shoes on first.
Great... now your are in the terminal and it is filled with... stores. Why not? You couldn't bring any luggage and what you had brought got confiscated at security, so go ahead and buy some new stuff. Hmmmm....
When it is all said and done, I find the one thing that SHOULD be monitored ISN'T. Why isn't there a process to make sure that the luggage that you pick up in baggage claim is actually YOUR luggage? How easy would it be to sit around the baggage claim and wait until 3 or 4 bags have floated by a few times with no owner and then grab them? Or what about just being that guy who stands at the opening of the conveyor belt and grab the 1st generic black bag that comes along? I guess the airlines figure that if you paid them $40 to bring the bag you'll make sure you pick it up...
It is truly sad that the masses have to be subject to these silly rules because of a few crazy people. think about it... one deranged lunatic tries to blow up a plane with explosives in his sneakers and now we all have to take off our shoes before we board a plane. Ok, maybe there were 3 copycats that we never heard about... and now 400 million people have to take off their shoes. Are you serious? My 3-year-old son has to take off his Sketchers before everyone plan ride. And let's face it, is a terrorist really blowing up a plane going from Tampa to Miami with 70 passengers? At what point do we realize that the terrorists aren't targeting business flights from Chicago to Dubuque?
I know, this is tongue-in-cheek, but let's take a quick look at what you have to do to take a flight now...
You have to arrive 2 hours before your flight. ANY flight. If you don't you risk getting caught up in security and missing your flight. So, that 1 hour flight to Philly just turned into 3 hours. plus the time to drive to the airport and catch the shuttle from the parking garage. Amtrack is sounding better all the time.
Ok, so you get into the airport. Now you have to check in... we do everything online now so it's just a matter of checking baggage. Hmmm, most airlines are now charging for bags... can someone direct me to the 5 vacation travelers who DON'T have baggage? Does US Airways think we buy new clothes in Phoenix and then burn them after we are done so we don't have to pay for them to come home with us? How is it that the nation isn't going crazy about these new rules? We all just shrug and move on... people, you are paying $450 to fly across the country and the airline is going to charge you for your bags!!! I guess we should just wear all our clothes on the flight. Why not...? I'm 180 pounds... I figure that if I wear 4 pairs of boxers and shorts, 8 shirts, a couple of pair of socks, two hats, my shoes (I'll drape the other pair over my shoulder) and a jacket I'll still be a slender 215 and the person sitting next to me won't mind too much. Hopefully I don't sweat too much... that could get ugly.
Honestly... I can't believe that rule - and let's hope your bags don't weigh more than 50 pounds each, otherwise its surcharge time! So, what did that rule come about, anyway? Is it the weight of the bags? The manpower to load them onto the plan? Just amazing... and what does this translate into? Some lady putting 75 pounds of clothes into a carry-on bag by using 10 of those suction bags she just got from Target.
Ok... so the bags are checked and it's time for my favorite part... security.
Rule #1, don't joke with the security people. They are actually cyborgs.
Rule #2, don't worry, it only seems like an eternity while you disrobe before using the metal detector. And yes, we all fumble with our keys and coins and feel like idiots.
Ok, so I have to show my license five times before I get to the boarding gate. Like any 15 year old can't forge a license. Give me 24 hours and I'm sure I can locate a way/person/machine to make me a fake license. I love it. All these measures only inconvenience the honest people. It is like the lock on your house. Any thief could get into your house in probably 10 minutes. The lock is there to stop that regular person who has a momentary brain-freeze and thinks he'll take your DVD player as he walks home from the bar. "Oh, it's locked... ok, I guess I'll just go home now."
Think about it... you don't even need official documents to get through security. You need a print out from your home computer - nobody is making fake documents on their computers, right? - and your license.
So you get to the conveyor belt and start loading all your crap. Take your jacket off! And your hat! And your shoes! And your belt! Load up one of those grey bins with your junk for all to see. Oh, and if you have any electronics you need to open them up and display them so any nearby thief can check out what they are going to steal from you later. So we all stand in line in our belt-less pants and shoeless feet and wait for a 57 year-old, 115 pound woman make sure we are not trying to blow up the world. Silly. Again, all this because .000009% of the world hates capitalism enough to blow themselves up to make a point.
You get through the metal detector and whoops! I guess you forgot that you can't bring shave cream and hair gel through security! Not in THOSE quantities. Listen, if you want to simply blow up 5 or 10 seats with a small amount of explosives hidden in a hair-gel container fine, but let's not go crazy and bring in 25 ounces of the stuff! Crazy American.
Ok, so now you don't have your new bottle of Canoe after-shave, but at least you got through security. On to the gate! Wait, put your shoes on first.
Great... now your are in the terminal and it is filled with... stores. Why not? You couldn't bring any luggage and what you had brought got confiscated at security, so go ahead and buy some new stuff. Hmmmm....
When it is all said and done, I find the one thing that SHOULD be monitored ISN'T. Why isn't there a process to make sure that the luggage that you pick up in baggage claim is actually YOUR luggage? How easy would it be to sit around the baggage claim and wait until 3 or 4 bags have floated by a few times with no owner and then grab them? Or what about just being that guy who stands at the opening of the conveyor belt and grab the 1st generic black bag that comes along? I guess the airlines figure that if you paid them $40 to bring the bag you'll make sure you pick it up...
Saturday, January 17, 2009
I hate car salesmen... (or women)
I know I've railed on this in the past, but man I REALLY hate car salesmen. I had episode recently flare my hatred recently.
You know when you get the hankerin' for a new car you can scour the Internet for pricing and availability of a car you might want to buy? You can go to a host of sites, but the main ones are Car.com and Autotrader.com. As a conscientious buyer, you might also check out Kelly Blue Book to see what your old car might be worth, so what the real value of your new car is, etc, etc...
Well, give this a try... go out to Autotrader.com and search for a car you might like... I did, and here was my experience when searching for a for a Saab 9.3 convertible. A bunch of options popped up in my general area. So I'm scrolling down the list. "No, I don't want a 1995 with 300,000 miles for $2000. . . No, I think I'll pass on the 2000 with body work and 89,000 miles for $5600. . While I'd love to, I don't think I want to spend $35,000 on a lightly used 2008. . ." But wait! Here's one... a 2004 Saab 9.3 convertible with 23,000 miles for $13,600 ! That sounds reasonable! Great!
So, the next step was to contact the dealer. Ugg. Ok, so I send an email simply asking if the vehicle is still available. I mean, of course it is available. It is January, we are covered in 5 inches of snow, the economy is AWFUL. The car manufacturers are giving away cars and financing. Who is actually looking to buy a used Saab convertible right now? So, I wait a day and get the response:
Dear Stephen,
Sorry but that vehicle has been sold. We can locate another one for you if you like. When can you come down to locate a vehicle?
Please call me at 203-xxx-xxxx
What a joke. I've been down this road a million times. These crooks post an ad on the Internet that is WAY too good to be true, and then they get you into their "virtual store" (via phone or email) or their actual physical store to sell you some other, way more expensive, vehicle. My gut tells me that many of the ads are fake and that cars never existed. But, if I give them the benefit of the doubt that the original ad WAS true and that there WAS an actual car at that price at one time, the ploy is to "give away" a car to someone and never take down the original ad. Then people contact them asking about the original car (that was probably sold in a few hours) and they try to sell them something similar that costs more. You know the story... "Oh, that original car was nice, but had some body work done and was sitting on our lot for 8 months so we had to get rid of it. But we have a bunch of similar cars without any issues, yeah they are a little more but they are better vehicles..." Blah, blah, blah
The above played out about 3 days ago. I'll give you another REAL LIFE story to justify my intense hatred for people who sell cars for a living. I was searching for a fuel-efficient car about a year ago and was poking around the sites I listed above. I was really interested in a Mazda 3 or a Nissan Sentra. Something small, good on gas, and inexpensive. So I found just what I was looking for: A recent year Mazda 3 with low miles, power accessories, at a low price (I think it was about $14,500). I sent an email to the dealer (Country Nissan, an AWFUL dealership in Hadley Massachusetts) and their "Internet Sales Department" responded that they had the car and I should call for more information. I called up and talked with the "Internet Sales Department" and he listed the options on the car and provided me with basic information. The car seemed good so I figured I'd go look at it. The dealer was in Massachusetts, about 50 minutes from my workplace so I figured I'd head there after work one day.
The day to visit the dealer came and I was getting my information together and reviewing the car online again when I noticed that the pictures of the interior of the car seemed off. My research on the car indicated that certain power features of the car would be controlled on the steering wheel, yet the pictures showed nothing on the wheel. I called the "Internet Sales Department" and asked for confirmation that the car had all the features I wanted. I re-iterated that the dealership was an hour away so I didn't want to waste my time if the car didn't have all the desired equipment. He assured me that it had everything I wanted.
So I drive up and look at the car. Looks nice, but it was night-time so I couldn't REALLY see the car in good light. I took it for a test drive and it drove well. So we go in for the "BS" haggling over the price. At one point the salesperson actually asked me to "initial" this piece of scrap paper to indicate that I would buy the car if he could meet the price. Really? Seriously? So we go back and forth and come up with a price and JUST before I sign the paperwork I realized that I didn't see any power window buttons on the car (it was dark and the car & interior were black). We go check and not only did the car not have power windows, it had no power locks and no cruise control. Those were the 3 things I specifically asked about before driving down.
I ask for the manager and told him what had happened. He gave me a lame, "the information tags must have been switched" and offered to have the power windows and cruise control installed on the vehicle at his cost. I wasn't sure, but since I'd been really wanted to buy a car and waiting for so long I went along with it... it was dumb and stupid on my part. They clearly had this car that they were trying to move... I should have seen the warning signs.
The car is delivered about 5 days later and what a piece of junk. The exterior was fine, but the interior of the car was beat up, cigarette stains on the interior ceiling of the car, scratches on the dash, and the cloth seats were starting to pill. Clearly (to me) it looked like a salesperson's company car. Someone got the car, put their briefcase on the dash (scratching it up) and smoked while they drove from office to office. Just a guess. Anyway, what was worse were the power windows. When you used them it sounded like a noise a 6-year-old boy would make when flying a toy plane. Just terrible. The cruise control didn't work right... it was constantly accelerating and braking to keep a constant speed.
I called Country Nissan and told them I wasn't happy with the car (this was two days later). They told me to come back and we'd work something out. I told them I was interested in a Sentra they had... but I didn't want to drive up again if we were not going to "work something out". Of course, they said they would put something together. I drove up and - OF COURSE - there was nothing worked out. They simply wanted to trade the Mazda back to them (at a loss to men) and sell me the Sentra. What a joke. I could do that ANYWHERE. But, that is how car dealers work. They NEVER do anything that would impact THEIR ability to make money. A normal store would accommodate the customer. Car dealers rarely do anything in the best interest of customers. At least that has been my experience.
Honestly (that is a funny word to use in this blog entry, huh?), why does it have to be like this? Shouldn't it be fun to buy a car? Why is the auto industry the only major one that allows bartering and haggling? Does that make sense at all?
Ok, this went on much longer than expected. Enjoy your MLK holiday!
You know when you get the hankerin' for a new car you can scour the Internet for pricing and availability of a car you might want to buy? You can go to a host of sites, but the main ones are Car.com and Autotrader.com. As a conscientious buyer, you might also check out Kelly Blue Book to see what your old car might be worth, so what the real value of your new car is, etc, etc...
Well, give this a try... go out to Autotrader.com and search for a car you might like... I did, and here was my experience when searching for a for a Saab 9.3 convertible. A bunch of options popped up in my general area. So I'm scrolling down the list. "No, I don't want a 1995 with 300,000 miles for $2000. . . No, I think I'll pass on the 2000 with body work and 89,000 miles for $5600. . While I'd love to, I don't think I want to spend $35,000 on a lightly used 2008. . ." But wait! Here's one... a 2004 Saab 9.3 convertible with 23,000 miles for $13,600 ! That sounds reasonable! Great!
So, the next step was to contact the dealer. Ugg. Ok, so I send an email simply asking if the vehicle is still available. I mean, of course it is available. It is January, we are covered in 5 inches of snow, the economy is AWFUL. The car manufacturers are giving away cars and financing. Who is actually looking to buy a used Saab convertible right now? So, I wait a day and get the response:
Dear Stephen,
Sorry but that vehicle has been sold. We can locate another one for you if you like. When can you come down to locate a vehicle?
Please call me at 203-xxx-xxxx
What a joke. I've been down this road a million times. These crooks post an ad on the Internet that is WAY too good to be true, and then they get you into their "virtual store" (via phone or email) or their actual physical store to sell you some other, way more expensive, vehicle. My gut tells me that many of the ads are fake and that cars never existed. But, if I give them the benefit of the doubt that the original ad WAS true and that there WAS an actual car at that price at one time, the ploy is to "give away" a car to someone and never take down the original ad. Then people contact them asking about the original car (that was probably sold in a few hours) and they try to sell them something similar that costs more. You know the story... "Oh, that original car was nice, but had some body work done and was sitting on our lot for 8 months so we had to get rid of it. But we have a bunch of similar cars without any issues, yeah they are a little more but they are better vehicles..." Blah, blah, blah
The above played out about 3 days ago. I'll give you another REAL LIFE story to justify my intense hatred for people who sell cars for a living. I was searching for a fuel-efficient car about a year ago and was poking around the sites I listed above. I was really interested in a Mazda 3 or a Nissan Sentra. Something small, good on gas, and inexpensive. So I found just what I was looking for: A recent year Mazda 3 with low miles, power accessories, at a low price (I think it was about $14,500). I sent an email to the dealer (Country Nissan, an AWFUL dealership in Hadley Massachusetts) and their "Internet Sales Department" responded that they had the car and I should call for more information. I called up and talked with the "Internet Sales Department" and he listed the options on the car and provided me with basic information. The car seemed good so I figured I'd go look at it. The dealer was in Massachusetts, about 50 minutes from my workplace so I figured I'd head there after work one day.
The day to visit the dealer came and I was getting my information together and reviewing the car online again when I noticed that the pictures of the interior of the car seemed off. My research on the car indicated that certain power features of the car would be controlled on the steering wheel, yet the pictures showed nothing on the wheel. I called the "Internet Sales Department" and asked for confirmation that the car had all the features I wanted. I re-iterated that the dealership was an hour away so I didn't want to waste my time if the car didn't have all the desired equipment. He assured me that it had everything I wanted.
So I drive up and look at the car. Looks nice, but it was night-time so I couldn't REALLY see the car in good light. I took it for a test drive and it drove well. So we go in for the "BS" haggling over the price. At one point the salesperson actually asked me to "initial" this piece of scrap paper to indicate that I would buy the car if he could meet the price. Really? Seriously? So we go back and forth and come up with a price and JUST before I sign the paperwork I realized that I didn't see any power window buttons on the car (it was dark and the car & interior were black). We go check and not only did the car not have power windows, it had no power locks and no cruise control. Those were the 3 things I specifically asked about before driving down.
I ask for the manager and told him what had happened. He gave me a lame, "the information tags must have been switched" and offered to have the power windows and cruise control installed on the vehicle at his cost. I wasn't sure, but since I'd been really wanted to buy a car and waiting for so long I went along with it... it was dumb and stupid on my part. They clearly had this car that they were trying to move... I should have seen the warning signs.
The car is delivered about 5 days later and what a piece of junk. The exterior was fine, but the interior of the car was beat up, cigarette stains on the interior ceiling of the car, scratches on the dash, and the cloth seats were starting to pill. Clearly (to me) it looked like a salesperson's company car. Someone got the car, put their briefcase on the dash (scratching it up) and smoked while they drove from office to office. Just a guess. Anyway, what was worse were the power windows. When you used them it sounded like a noise a 6-year-old boy would make when flying a toy plane. Just terrible. The cruise control didn't work right... it was constantly accelerating and braking to keep a constant speed.
I called Country Nissan and told them I wasn't happy with the car (this was two days later). They told me to come back and we'd work something out. I told them I was interested in a Sentra they had... but I didn't want to drive up again if we were not going to "work something out". Of course, they said they would put something together. I drove up and - OF COURSE - there was nothing worked out. They simply wanted to trade the Mazda back to them (at a loss to men) and sell me the Sentra. What a joke. I could do that ANYWHERE. But, that is how car dealers work. They NEVER do anything that would impact THEIR ability to make money. A normal store would accommodate the customer. Car dealers rarely do anything in the best interest of customers. At least that has been my experience.
Honestly (that is a funny word to use in this blog entry, huh?), why does it have to be like this? Shouldn't it be fun to buy a car? Why is the auto industry the only major one that allows bartering and haggling? Does that make sense at all?
Ok, this went on much longer than expected. Enjoy your MLK holiday!
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
So what's the deal with meteorologists?
OK, so this morning I got up and flip on the news while I was getting ready for work. Well guess what I saw? The end of the world! End of days! People, get out your Bibles because we're about to meet our maker.
War? Doom? Pestilence? No, just an ice storm.
Why is it that we have to sensationalize ordinary events? The weather is the freakin' weather people! Man, every time there is a hint of snow, ice, sleet or freezing rain the local news crews make it out to be Dick Clark's funeral. This morning every member of the local (Central Connecticut) news team talked about how dangerous it is to go outside, how travel on the roads will be tricky, and that people should stay home until at least noon when the "freezing rain" converts to "actual rain". Of course, what happens? People get freaked out and make stupid decisions. One of the worst - which is repeated in every town north of Richmond with every storm - is the delayed school openings. For REALLY bad storms we even cancel school a solid 12 hours before the storm hits!
So, as I was saying (writing?) the local news forecast this nasty ice storm for most of Connecticut. Won't change to rain until 3 or 4pm. Schools all close and parents are forced to scramble to find accommodations and supervision for their children. People put off driving in to work until later in the day, or simply work from home.
I decide to check out the driveway... ice, to be sure, but what I like to call "grippy" ice. You know, the ice that isn't actually slippery? It is ice with a bunch of snow/ice attached to the top which gives your vehicle something to grab on to... kinda like the ice they play hockey on in Central Florida. Anyway, we pile up in the AWD van and head out. Roads are fine! A little slick, a little slushy, but perfectly drivable. In fact, we were going 50 mph on Route 2.
How can these meteorologists be so wrong so often? I'm not talking about "it will be cold today" or " watch out, because it's gonna hit 90!" I'm talking about "watch out for 12 inches of snow" when we only get 4. People rely on these forecasts to make decisions about their day, about the safety of their children. These talking suits on TV just throw unsubstantiated data out on the airwaves and (to my knowledge) suffer no consequences. There was a cool marketing but done by a local channel a few years back in which they gauged the accuracy of their temperature predictions +/- 5 degrees. The station had a running average of hitting the mark. I thought it was a pretty cool idea, but then again, how hard is it to be within 10 degrees when you'd got the Doppler 1000 working for you?
Anyway, my big issue is the hysteria caused by these weather people, and the resulting actions taken by school and government entities. My God, my local golf course has radar for the weather and they don't close the course until they see physical lightening. I've played 18 holes through monsoons and rumbling thunder and the course remained open. Why? $$$$ ok, I'm totally rambling now. ( I just used "rumbling" and "rambling" in consecutive sentences)
While I'm sort of on the topic, what's up with the "traffic" reporters in the morning? Are you serious? We need Mark the Shark to tell me that traffic is slow on I-84 going into Hartford at 7:45 AM? Really? What purpose do these people serve? At least the meteorologists is CREATING A FORECAST before they give it to you. What is the traffic person doing? Talking on the phone and then telling you what they heard? And those "traffic cameras" they have set up showing you the roads... how do we know they didn't film 20 days of footage and just randomly show it to us each morning? These stations really went through the expense of setting up a camera to show people the traffic? Half the time the traffic people just tell you what the weather people just said anyway! "Well, as Mitch just explained, it is a little icy out there, so you'll want to make sure you take it slow on the roads. No major delays to report, but keep it slow because there is some ice in the forecast. Here is a live look at our New Haven camera. As you can see traffic is moving slowly, probably from that ice that may be on the road. Ok, back in a few."
Plus, in Connecticut there are no alternative routs ANYWHERE. You could tell me that Satan himself is sitting in the middle of Route 2 knocking every other car off the road and I be forced to take my chances if I wanted to get to work.
Ok, well I might need to leave early since I just heard that there might be rain coming this evening, and there is a possibility that it could be snow or ice if the temperature drop s below freezing, although that isn't forecasted, but it is always a possibility.
War? Doom? Pestilence? No, just an ice storm.
Why is it that we have to sensationalize ordinary events? The weather is the freakin' weather people! Man, every time there is a hint of snow, ice, sleet or freezing rain the local news crews make it out to be Dick Clark's funeral. This morning every member of the local (Central Connecticut) news team talked about how dangerous it is to go outside, how travel on the roads will be tricky, and that people should stay home until at least noon when the "freezing rain" converts to "actual rain". Of course, what happens? People get freaked out and make stupid decisions. One of the worst - which is repeated in every town north of Richmond with every storm - is the delayed school openings. For REALLY bad storms we even cancel school a solid 12 hours before the storm hits!
So, as I was saying (writing?) the local news forecast this nasty ice storm for most of Connecticut. Won't change to rain until 3 or 4pm. Schools all close and parents are forced to scramble to find accommodations and supervision for their children. People put off driving in to work until later in the day, or simply work from home.
I decide to check out the driveway... ice, to be sure, but what I like to call "grippy" ice. You know, the ice that isn't actually slippery? It is ice with a bunch of snow/ice attached to the top which gives your vehicle something to grab on to... kinda like the ice they play hockey on in Central Florida. Anyway, we pile up in the AWD van and head out. Roads are fine! A little slick, a little slushy, but perfectly drivable. In fact, we were going 50 mph on Route 2.
How can these meteorologists be so wrong so often? I'm not talking about "it will be cold today" or " watch out, because it's gonna hit 90!" I'm talking about "watch out for 12 inches of snow" when we only get 4. People rely on these forecasts to make decisions about their day, about the safety of their children. These talking suits on TV just throw unsubstantiated data out on the airwaves and (to my knowledge) suffer no consequences. There was a cool marketing but done by a local channel a few years back in which they gauged the accuracy of their temperature predictions +/- 5 degrees. The station had a running average of hitting the mark. I thought it was a pretty cool idea, but then again, how hard is it to be within 10 degrees when you'd got the Doppler 1000 working for you?
Anyway, my big issue is the hysteria caused by these weather people, and the resulting actions taken by school and government entities. My God, my local golf course has radar for the weather and they don't close the course until they see physical lightening. I've played 18 holes through monsoons and rumbling thunder and the course remained open. Why? $$$$ ok, I'm totally rambling now. ( I just used "rumbling" and "rambling" in consecutive sentences)
While I'm sort of on the topic, what's up with the "traffic" reporters in the morning? Are you serious? We need Mark the Shark to tell me that traffic is slow on I-84 going into Hartford at 7:45 AM? Really? What purpose do these people serve? At least the meteorologists is CREATING A FORECAST before they give it to you. What is the traffic person doing? Talking on the phone and then telling you what they heard? And those "traffic cameras" they have set up showing you the roads... how do we know they didn't film 20 days of footage and just randomly show it to us each morning? These stations really went through the expense of setting up a camera to show people the traffic? Half the time the traffic people just tell you what the weather people just said anyway! "Well, as Mitch just explained, it is a little icy out there, so you'll want to make sure you take it slow on the roads. No major delays to report, but keep it slow because there is some ice in the forecast. Here is a live look at our New Haven camera. As you can see traffic is moving slowly, probably from that ice that may be on the road. Ok, back in a few."
Plus, in Connecticut there are no alternative routs ANYWHERE. You could tell me that Satan himself is sitting in the middle of Route 2 knocking every other car off the road and I be forced to take my chances if I wanted to get to work.
Ok, well I might need to leave early since I just heard that there might be rain coming this evening, and there is a possibility that it could be snow or ice if the temperature drop s below freezing, although that isn't forecasted, but it is always a possibility.
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Cars and others...
So I'm driving in to work this morning and I was inundated with drivers who "forgot" which lane they wanted to be in and decided to "dive" into my lane at the last moment to hit an exit. This highway branches off into 4 different roads at the same time, so you need to be in the correct lane otherwise you are stuck on the wrong road. It is pretty simple, though. Just get into your correct lane and then drive, drink your coffee, listen to music, chill out, live the good life.
Of course, the main "exit" is in the center and that is the exit that most people take. Since most people have to take that exit, the lane gets crowded, backed up, and moves slowly. So, many of my fellow drivers use the faster lanes and the "dart" into the main lane at the last minute. It really drives me nuts, but then again, who cares?
Ok, so while I'm watching the cars dart in and out of lanes like hummingbirds I noticed how many cars have the name of the dealership emblazoned on the back of the car. Some had the license-plate cover, others had stickers. I wonder, what gives the dealership the gumption to think they can use our cars as advertisements for their crappy car dealership?? I'll be honest, I hate ( hate ) car salesmen, dealership general managers, the car dealership accountants, the finance guys, I even hate the people who just empty the trash cans at car dealerships. They are the lowest form of life. They will screw you at all costs. But, in addition to just being lousy people, why do they think they can CONTINUE to screw you by making you drive around with the dealership's name on your car?? When I go to Macy's for a shirt and a pair of pants I don't get a MACY's nametag that I have to wear. My Red Sox hat doesn't say "Bob's Stores" on the back of it. I don't get it. I'm thinking of printing up bumper stickers that say "I was ripped off buying this car at _________________" and then the buyer could write in the name of the dealership with a Sharpie.
Have any of you had terrible experiences buying cars? If so, send me an email at thedalilima@gmail.com. I'll post some of the funniest.
While we are on the subject of cars... what's the deal with gas prices (to rip off Seinfeld)?? How do we go from $3.90 in the summer to $1.65?? Talk about getting ripped off... I don't get it... I know it is a traded commodity so the price fluctuates, but that is crazy. Also, who could have foreseen the "big 3" auto manufacturers going under? I mean, Ford currently sells 6 different SUV models. Why wouldn't that business model work? General Motors sells the same cars under 3 different brands... of course that would be successful. Chrysler has 10 cars that feature the gas-guzzling "HEMI" motor and they proudly use that in their marketing. I know the foreign manufacturers have some advantage when it comes to the costs of labor and materials, but if you ask me Honda is the best of the best. They sell 10 cars TOTAL. Ford sells 6 SUVs!!! Get your niche and do it well. Unbelievable. Plus, what they heck does Ford need to also have the EXACT same cars being sold as MERCURY? What sense does that make? The entire auto industry is whacked, from the production of the vehicles, to the dealers, to the crazy gas prices. Just whacked.
-=-=-=-=-
Ok, if any of you want to get notified of updated blog entries, send me your email address and I'll get you on my mailing list. Peace.
Of course, the main "exit" is in the center and that is the exit that most people take. Since most people have to take that exit, the lane gets crowded, backed up, and moves slowly. So, many of my fellow drivers use the faster lanes and the "dart" into the main lane at the last minute. It really drives me nuts, but then again, who cares?
Ok, so while I'm watching the cars dart in and out of lanes like hummingbirds I noticed how many cars have the name of the dealership emblazoned on the back of the car. Some had the license-plate cover, others had stickers. I wonder, what gives the dealership the gumption to think they can use our cars as advertisements for their crappy car dealership?? I'll be honest, I hate ( hate ) car salesmen, dealership general managers, the car dealership accountants, the finance guys, I even hate the people who just empty the trash cans at car dealerships. They are the lowest form of life. They will screw you at all costs. But, in addition to just being lousy people, why do they think they can CONTINUE to screw you by making you drive around with the dealership's name on your car?? When I go to Macy's for a shirt and a pair of pants I don't get a MACY's nametag that I have to wear. My Red Sox hat doesn't say "Bob's Stores" on the back of it. I don't get it. I'm thinking of printing up bumper stickers that say "I was ripped off buying this car at _________________" and then the buyer could write in the name of the dealership with a Sharpie.
Have any of you had terrible experiences buying cars? If so, send me an email at thedalilima@gmail.com. I'll post some of the funniest.
While we are on the subject of cars... what's the deal with gas prices (to rip off Seinfeld)?? How do we go from $3.90 in the summer to $1.65?? Talk about getting ripped off... I don't get it... I know it is a traded commodity so the price fluctuates, but that is crazy. Also, who could have foreseen the "big 3" auto manufacturers going under? I mean, Ford currently sells 6 different SUV models. Why wouldn't that business model work? General Motors sells the same cars under 3 different brands... of course that would be successful. Chrysler has 10 cars that feature the gas-guzzling "HEMI" motor and they proudly use that in their marketing. I know the foreign manufacturers have some advantage when it comes to the costs of labor and materials, but if you ask me Honda is the best of the best. They sell 10 cars TOTAL. Ford sells 6 SUVs!!! Get your niche and do it well. Unbelievable. Plus, what they heck does Ford need to also have the EXACT same cars being sold as MERCURY? What sense does that make? The entire auto industry is whacked, from the production of the vehicles, to the dealers, to the crazy gas prices. Just whacked.
-=-=-=-=-
Ok, if any of you want to get notified of updated blog entries, send me your email address and I'll get you on my mailing list. Peace.
Friday, December 12, 2008
A few random thoughts...
A few things that have been rattling around in my head...
- CC Sabathia... great pitcher, but I don't get the sense that he REALLY wants to pitch for the Yankees. I think he REALLY wants to pitch for 160 million. Could work out ok for the Yanks, but will be brutal if he struggles early. I think the Yanks appears ready to bring in every high-priced free-agent pitcher this year. Well, Phil Hughes, thanks for the memories.
- I get too many things to read in the mail. Honestly, why can't BusinessWeek be published monthly? It would really simplify my life.
- Why is it that sometimes I write a word and it looks misspelled on the screen, but I know it is totally correct? Has that happened to you? Why does that happen? Is it because I'm getting old?
- Why were we told as kids not to sit close to the TV, yet I sit 1 foot from my computer monitor for 6 hours a day?
- I don't understand this "green" movement... Well, I actually understand the premise, but I keep seeing things like "cut down on paper use" and "go electronic, be green". Everything I see at work is related to reducing our printing and paper production and delivering information electronically. From a cost perspective it makes great sense, but environmentally? Isn't paper the most recyclable thing on the planet this side of water? How is building more computers and hand-held devices "green" but printing newspapers (with soy ink, of course) not "green"? I'm being facetious here (there's one of those words that doesn't look correct on the screen!) but I look at my closet full of CD-Roms and wonder what they heck I can do with those and people are worrying about paper...
- Why do I always misspell "great" (greta)?
- At what point do we all agree that every song has been written? We've been churning out "popular" music for 70 years now and at some point we MUST have exploited every chord progression and harmony, right? Case and point - Joe Satriani and Coldplay. Satriani is claiming that Coldplay stole his song "If I Could Fly" in their acclaimed "Viva La Vida". YouTube has the evidence, and it doesn't sound too good for Coldplay. I listen to it and can definitely see Satriani's point, but honestly, at this point in history I think we've exhausted all the musical combinations. Do any of you think about that? Everytime I hear a new song on the radio I think... wow, is that REALLY something I like that is NEW, or is it reminding me of another song that I like that was made 20 years ago? I dunno... maybe I shouldn't think so much...
- The Red Sox released new uniforms yesterday. They are fine to me, I don't really care one way or another, but you should see the negative responses by fans! You'd think the Sox were mandating a dress code for fans to gain entry into Fenway! Unreal. Check it out here.
- And lastly, I just read the Hartford Courant in 6 minutes. Really. I don't think it can even be classified as a "newspaper" anymore. It is more of a periodical, or maybe a thick pamphlet. It is so small now the classifieds are crammed together with the sports pages. I almost called up to buy a box score I thought was for sale.
Have a great weekend.
- CC Sabathia... great pitcher, but I don't get the sense that he REALLY wants to pitch for the Yankees. I think he REALLY wants to pitch for 160 million. Could work out ok for the Yanks, but will be brutal if he struggles early. I think the Yanks appears ready to bring in every high-priced free-agent pitcher this year. Well, Phil Hughes, thanks for the memories.
- I get too many things to read in the mail. Honestly, why can't BusinessWeek be published monthly? It would really simplify my life.
- Why is it that sometimes I write a word and it looks misspelled on the screen, but I know it is totally correct? Has that happened to you? Why does that happen? Is it because I'm getting old?
- Why were we told as kids not to sit close to the TV, yet I sit 1 foot from my computer monitor for 6 hours a day?
- I don't understand this "green" movement... Well, I actually understand the premise, but I keep seeing things like "cut down on paper use" and "go electronic, be green". Everything I see at work is related to reducing our printing and paper production and delivering information electronically. From a cost perspective it makes great sense, but environmentally? Isn't paper the most recyclable thing on the planet this side of water? How is building more computers and hand-held devices "green" but printing newspapers (with soy ink, of course) not "green"? I'm being facetious here (there's one of those words that doesn't look correct on the screen!) but I look at my closet full of CD-Roms and wonder what they heck I can do with those and people are worrying about paper...
- Why do I always misspell "great" (greta)?
- At what point do we all agree that every song has been written? We've been churning out "popular" music for 70 years now and at some point we MUST have exploited every chord progression and harmony, right? Case and point - Joe Satriani and Coldplay. Satriani is claiming that Coldplay stole his song "If I Could Fly" in their acclaimed "Viva La Vida". YouTube has the evidence, and it doesn't sound too good for Coldplay. I listen to it and can definitely see Satriani's point, but honestly, at this point in history I think we've exhausted all the musical combinations. Do any of you think about that? Everytime I hear a new song on the radio I think... wow, is that REALLY something I like that is NEW, or is it reminding me of another song that I like that was made 20 years ago? I dunno... maybe I shouldn't think so much...
- The Red Sox released new uniforms yesterday. They are fine to me, I don't really care one way or another, but you should see the negative responses by fans! You'd think the Sox were mandating a dress code for fans to gain entry into Fenway! Unreal. Check it out here.
- And lastly, I just read the Hartford Courant in 6 minutes. Really. I don't think it can even be classified as a "newspaper" anymore. It is more of a periodical, or maybe a thick pamphlet. It is so small now the classifieds are crammed together with the sports pages. I almost called up to buy a box score I thought was for sale.
Have a great weekend.
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