Puns are always intended...

Robinhood (The Site) Review

noreply@blogger.com (GJH32) — Sun, 2 Aug 2020 14:54:00 -0400

There was a time when my boss felt my ideas at work were too much for the staff. Basically he told me to sit at my desk and wait until something breaks, otherwise, don't do anything.

With almost 8 hours per day to kill, I needed something to pass the time. I dabbled in day trading. Problem was, I did not have a large investing bankroll to play with. Therefore most of my efforts were geared towards penny stocks, looking for that rare one to shoot up 500% in 5 minutes. In addition, there were fees on every transaction, so although I profited from the Buy/Sell, I rarely profited enough to cover the fees.

If only Robinhood had been around then...

Robinhood is a no fee online brokerage tailor made for the investor or investor wannabee who does not want to pay transaction fees (and does not have a huge bankroll). The interface simplifies investing. My last go round, I used a tool that made me go cross eyed. Information overload. I had no idea what I was looking at. They also offer high interest savings accounts , margin trading, and fractional shares. Fractional shares are great if you want to buy a chunk of Amazon, but can't afford $400 per "chunk." Did I mention they give you free stock just for signing up? I believe after you make your first deposit (as little as $5.00) earns you one share of a random stock.

If Robinhood had been around the last time I tried day trading, I would have been quite successful. Better late than never, I suppose. I highly recommend Robinhood for any level of investor. Good luck!

Mindless Investing for Anyone - A Coinbits review

noreply@blogger.com (GJH32) — Fri, 31 Jul 2020 13:33:00 -0400

Like 99% of the world, I was behind on capitalizing on the Bitcoin opportunity. I also missed out on Amazon, Facebook (which I owned day one), etc. etc.

One day, I came across a idea from Coinbits. They're idea is to use automated micro-investing allowing their users to purchase small amounts of Bitcoin weekly. I'm sure you've heard of Bank of America's Keep The Change program, where they round up the "change" from your purchases and add it to your Savings Account. Same concept only, Coinbits invests that amount in Bitcoin. Simple and you don't have to touch it, once setup.

I gave it a whirl. After all, it's only using spare change. Normally I collect that in a jar with some pocket fuzz.

Anyway, I took a look the other day, thinking the downturn following the Covid Pandemic would be apparent, but I was quite surprised:

I'm no financial wiz but I believe a 32% return is pretty good.

Not bad for doing nothing with little risk.

Needless to say, I highly recommend Coinbits

More than 3,700,000 people are currently using our very same investment strategy in other asset classes because it's low-risk.

By making micro-investments over time you can use one of the most successful investment strategies known to mitigate risk of loss called dollar-cost averaging.

I washed dishes, delivered pizza, and pumped gas

noreply@blogger.com (GJH32) — Fri, 31 Jul 2020 13:10:00 -0400

A long time ago (in our galaxy) I was a teenager who needed money.

Like countless other teenagers in that era, my job choices were limited. Washing dishes and pumping gas came first, because they did not require a drivers license, only a ride! One the license came, food delivery became my job of choice for several years thereafter.

Today, however, there are far more intriguing options available to ambitious teenagers.

Teenagers today can be Virtual Salespeople. What is a Virtual Salesperson? Before the Covid Pandemic, many of you likely what not have understood the term as well as today, not to mention what a Zoom Meeting is. Well there is a company hiring teenagers to do online sales presentations from home! The best part is, they are compensated for the presentation itself. No obligation to buy. It's a brilliant idea.

I decided to write this after I was asked to participate as a customer. My particular presentation was for high end Cutco cooking knives. Of course, the obvious question is why not just buy them direct from their website. The virtual salespeople have access to special pricing and promotions not available on the site.

It really is an interesting concept. To help out my presenter, I'm including a contact form. If you are interested in seeing what this is about, purchasing knives, or would like to help out a teen entrepreneur, fill out the request below.

An Invention Too Cool Not To Share

noreply@blogger.com (GJH32) — Fri, 30 May 2014 10:09:00 -0400

This video speaks for itself

MEDIPENDANT Review @American_Heart

noreply@blogger.com (GJH32) — Mon, 21 Apr 2014 10:24:00 -0400

A medical alert system should be easy to use without having to think about where you are when you need it. With other systems, you will most likely not be heard if you are in the bathroom with the door closed or if you're outside. This is because you won't be able to hear the operator from the speaker located somewhere remotely in your home. MediPendant™ is the first portable medical alert system with speak and listen technology.

“I always recommend medical alarms to my patients who need them. The MediPendant™ brings a whole new level of comfort and peace of mind to anyone living alone or concerned about having an accident or emergency at home.” Physician - Maryland

"I fell in my home and was unable to get up. Thank goodness for my MediPendant™. I hit the button and the EMT-Certified operator was able to call my neighbor to come and help me. I wasn't injured, so I didn't need an ambulance. I am so happy that I was able to avoid having ambulances and fire trucks in front of my home. Thank You MediPendant™." User - NY

“My mom lived alone for many years. I was always worried that she would have a medical emergency and wouldn’t be able to get to the telephone. Once my mom got the MediPendant™ it was like a weight off my shoulders. I felt so much more comfortable knowing that she was protected 24 hours a day.” Relative - NJ

“I am a very active woman, so when my son told me I needed a medical alert alarm, I was very insulted. But two days after he connected it, I slipped in the shower. The floor was so slippery, I couldn’t get up. Thank goodness I was wearing my MediPendant™. I pressed the button and the operator called my friend to come over and help me up. Now I keep my pendant necklace on at all times … just in case! And not only that, it’s like medical jewelry – I get compliments on it all the time.” User - FL

Get MEDIPENDANT on EBAY for only $73

Don’t make the mistake of buying the wrong medical alert system!

» Speak & listen to the operator directly through the pendant
» 24/7 monitoring
» Easy installation/User friendly
» Operates anywhere from 300 to 600 feet* in or around the home†
» Water-resistant - may be worn in bath or shower**
» Can be worn around the neck, clipped to your belt, or around your wrist.
» Worry-free lifetime battery program.

Help the little guy!!!

noreply@blogger.com (GJH32) — Tue, 19 Nov 2013 13:00:00 -0500

Please take one small moment of your time to help our small town(s) football program compete the larger ones, and win an equipment grant, by clicking on the link below then voting for the Pompton Lakes Riverdale Cardinals.

Please vote for us here

Thank you so much for your support

Neighbor Bashing

noreply@blogger.com (GJH32) — Mon, 8 Jul 2013 11:06:00 -0400

Fourth of July weekend was extremely bizarre for me, to say the least. I had an unfortunate, infuriating encounter with a neighbor that I must write about.

I live in a "pet friendly" townhouse community consisting of 150 units.
We have 2 rescue dogs, a 60 lb. lab mix named Luke and a 5 lb. or so Chihuahua named Cocoa.

July 4th, 9:30 AM: Like every other day, I walk the dogs first thing in the morning. The morning walks are always one at a time. Cocoa has one of those small retractable leashes and a pink-camo collar. Like other Chihuahuas, she is a bit snippy. So when a couple walked by, doing a lap around the neighborhood, Cocoa did her growl / bark don't mess with me routine. I tell them that she's a little nasty so they will not try to pet her. Since she's so tiny, she occasionally pulls her head out of her collar. This was one of those days. She proceeds jump and nip at the couples' ankles from behind. I yell and she promptly lays on the ground with her belly exposed. I emphatically apologize and they continue on their walk.
July 4th, 9:35 AM: The guys returns to ask if Cocoa has had rabies shots. I explain that she's a rescue and the shelters do not let the dogs leave the shelter without being vaccinated, then add, "Did she get you?" "Yes" "Did she break the skin?" He shows me a small scratch on the back of his ankle, in all likelihood, from her paw nail. (I admittedly am extremely lax on getting her nails clipped) I apologize again and they continue their walk.
July 4th, 8:30 PM: The doorbell rings and the same guy is there announcing himself as the "one your dog bit". He asks for a copy of the vaccination paperwork. I explain that my wife was the one who rescued Cocoa and since she is at the shore, I do not know where the paperwork is. I say that she may be back on the 6th and I can bring it to him then. He says he's not trying to get money out of me or anything (then why'd you bring it up?), he just wants to be sure there's no health concerns. I assure him he has nothing to worry about and I'll bring the paperwork to him as soon as I can. He says he'll come get it instead. Weird.
July 4th, 11:00 PM: Doorbell rings again followed by a hard knock. There stands 2 Police officers. "We understand there was a dog bite incident this morning..." (You've got to be kidding me!!!!) Yes, I'm not sure it was a bite, but there was an incident. They explain that since Cocoa, the ferocious beast pictured above, does not have a current registration with the town, I will be contacted by Animal Control. I asked, off the record, if they saw the "bite" and what they thought. I was relieved to read from their candid reactions that this was as minor as I thought. Cocoa was standing in the doorway the entire time so they could observe the vicious terror she exhibits.
July 5th, 9:00 AM: As I'm sitting on a wall 100 yds. or so from my front door, while Cocoa does her business, a guy looking very similar to the "victim" walks toward me, but turns instead of approaching. Behind him is a friend of mine walking his Siberian Husky. As I say hello to my friend, I glance toward the other guy who seems to be walking to my front door. As I tell me friend what happened, the guy starts walking back from where he originally came. Suddenly he turns and starts approaching. My friend leaves and the guy now re-introduces himself as "the guy my dog attacked". He tells me he filed a report with the Police because I was "standoffish" about the paperwork. I correct him by explaining I truly did not know where the paperwork was, my wife really is at the shore, and I would have brought it to him when she returned. He says that he cannot believe that I wouldn't have gotten in touch with her, to which I explained I didn't think it was so urgent. I add that he's not foaming at the mouth or anything. He says I would be doing the same thing if I were in his shoes (not in a million years!) and adds that he's not trying to get thousands of dollars out of me or anything. (Now it's thousands???). He writes his phone number so I can contact him as soon as I have the paperwork. I foolishly give him my number as well. Cocoa is in my arms during this entire conversation, not an arms length from his face. She doesn't make a sound or move a muscle.
July 5th, 1:47 PM: I receive a call from Animal Control. They tell me that since Cocoa was not registered with the town, I will be issued a summons. She also will be on a 10 day quarantine.
July 5th, 3:55 PM: I stop by the Police Station to pick up a copy of the report. The documents office is closed, so I ask to speak to someone regarding this guy's behavior, while I'm there. Basically I ask if I have any obligation to give him anything. The sergeant tells me that since he CHOSE to get them involved, I only need to communicate with them and Animal Control moving forward.
July 6th, 2:46 PM: I receive a Voice Mail from the attack victim asking me to return his call. I do not.
July 6th, 7:28 PM: I receive another Voice Mail from the attack victim. This one is extremely aggressive, saying I'm not a man because I made up a story about my wife being away and I don't keep my dog on a leash. I stopped listening to the message there because my blood was boiling. The whole message is on this video link. This guy is freakin' nuts!

July 6th, 7:42 PM: Even though I considered not responding, I could not shy away from the challenge to my manhood. I call back. This nut job answers by saying, "THAT'S WHAT IT TAKES TO GET YOU TO CALL BACK YOU LITTLE BITCH..." Pardon my language but I reply, "WHO THE FUCK DO YOU THINK YOU ARE? YOU TRY TO SAY I'M NOT A MAN WITH YOUR LITTLE FUCKIN' SCRATCH ON YOUR LEG. I HAVE A LIFE. WHAT DO YOU THINK, I'M SITTING AROUND ALL DAY WAITING FOR YOUR CALL." He keeps trying to talk over me, saying I promised him paperwork today. "YOU WANT TO KNOW WHY YOU DON'T HAVE YOUR PAPERWORK? IF YOU WOULD SHUT YOUR MOUTH FOR TWO SECONDS AND OPEN YOUR EARS I'LL TELL YOU THAT BECAUSE YOU WENT TO THE POLICE, THEY TOLD ME I SHOULD NOT COMMUNICATE WITH YOU. SO THERE YOU GO. SEE YOU LATER." click.

I have not heard from him since. My wife came home on the 8th and quickly found the paperwork.

Talent for those in the BIZ @RoyJWilson71

noreply@blogger.com (GJH32) — Sun, 20 Jan 2013 10:17:00 -0500

For more info:

Actors Access

Now Casting

IMDB

A Little TJ PIO!! (My Own Text Slang, I think)

noreply@blogger.com (GJH32) — Fri, 18 Jan 2013 08:51:00 -0500

This is amazing! Be sure to check out the quotes at the end.

(I am seldom one to pass along chain Emails, but I suppose today is once in a blue moon)

Thomas Jefferson was a very remarkable man who started learning very early in life and never stopped.

At 5, began studying under his cousin's tutor.
At 9, studied Latin, Greek and French.
At 14, studied classical literature and additional languages.
At 16, entered the College of William and Mary.
At 19, studied Law for 5 years starting under George Wythe.
At 23, started his own law practice.
At 25, was elected to the Virginia House of Burgesses.
At 31, wrote the widely circulated "Summary View of the Rights of British Americaâ and retired from his law practice.
At 32, was a Delegate to the Second Continental Congress.
At 33, wrote the Declaration of Independence .
At 33, took three years to revise Virginia 's legal code and wrote a Public Education bill and a statute for Religious Freedom.
At 36, was elected the second Governor of Virginia succeeding Patrick Henry.
At 40, served in Congress for two years.
At 41, was the American minister to France and negotiated commercial treaties with European nations along with Ben Franklin and John Adams.
At 46, served as the first Secretary of State under George Washington.
At 53, served as Vice President and was elected president of the American Philosophical Society.
At 55, drafted the Kentucky Resolutions and became the active
head of Republican Party.
At 57, was elected the third president of the United States .
At 60, obtained the Louisiana Purchase doubling the nation's size.
At 61, was elected to a second term as President.
At 65, retired to Monticello .
At 80, helped President Monroe shape the Monroe Doctrine.
At 81, almost single-handedly created the University of Virginia and served as its first president.
At 83, died on the 50th anniversary of the Signing of the Declaration of Independence along with John Adams.

Thomas Jefferson knew because he himself studied the previous failed attempts at government. He understood actual history, the nature of God, his laws and the nature of man. That happens to be way more than what most understand today. Jefferson really knew his stuff. A voice from the past to lead us in the future:

John F. Kennedy held a dinner in the white House for a group of the brightest minds in the nation at that time. He made this statement:"This is perhaps the assembly of the most intelligence ever to

gather at one time in the White House with the exception of when Thomas Jefferson dined alone."

---------------------------------------------------

"When we get piled upon one another in large cities, as in Europe, we shall become as corrupt as Europe ."

-- Thomas Jefferson

"The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not."

-- Thomas Jefferson

"It is incumbent on every generation to pay its own debts as it goes. A principle which if acted on would save one-half the wars of the world."

-- Thomas Jefferson

"I predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them."

-- Thomas Jefferson

"My reading of history convinces me that most bad government

results from too much government."

-- Thomas Jefferson

"No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms."

--Thomas Jefferson

"The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government."

-- Thomas Jefferson

"The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants."

-- Thomas Jefferson

"To compel a man to subsidize with his taxes the propagation of ideas which he disbelieves and abhors is sinful and

tyrannical."

-- Thomas Jefferson

Thomas Jefferson said in 1802:

"I believe that banking institutions are more dangerous to our liberties than standing armies.

If the American people ever allow private banks to control the issue of their currency, first by inflation, then by deflation, the banks and corporations that will grow up around the banks will deprive the people of all property - until their children wake-up homeless on the continent their fathers conquered."

I wish we could get this out to everyone!

I'm doing my part. Please do yours.

Jersey Hot Dogs All-The-Way or Burgers?

noreply@blogger.com (GJH32) — Thu, 27 Dec 2012 10:35:00 -0500

"Congratulations Belmont Grill, you are my 100th Burger reviewed"

Where: The Belmont Grill, North Haledon, NJ

What: Double burger, all the way.
Build: 2 Burger patties (5oz ?), 2 slices American cheese, raw onion, chili sauce, mustard, hamburger bun.

Comment: I've been wanting to try this place ever since I've seen it on my new short cut to work. I stopped in with my son while Christmas shopping to try the "famous" Texas Wiener and I have to say: "holy sh*t" - hey Hot Grill in Passaic - move over. The dogs were fried to a wonderful "snap" and were fat and juicy. The toppings were simple and fresh, raw white onion, spicy mustard and a GREAT Texas Wiener sauce, reminiscent of the that other place, only a bit better actually. They were served on super fresh rolls which is oh-so important when attempting to create a memorable hot dog. The dogs get a 10/10 hands down. Now - I don't give a damn weather the person serving me is a fat old stinky guy with dirt under his fingernails or a gorgeous blond, but I thought I'd mention the staff were very nice and helpful.

Next up, the fries with cheese and brown gravy - very good. Not a "10" but they definitely hovered around a 9/10 due to the excellent crispness of the fries and the fresh beef flavor busting out all over the gravy - it was just great. It was the cheese that left things a bit to be desired though. Let's face it, American cheese is processed, and pretty much classifies as "fake" cheese, so if you are using it, you'd better be using the best quality you can get, if, in fact, there is such a thing as "better" imitation food. (Ever try Parmesan cheese on fries w/ brown gravy? Don't turn your nose up - you'll be hooked instantly like I was).
Next up, the burger. I am embarrassed to say I ordered wrong. I scanned the menu which read: "double burger all the way or, lettuce, tomato and mayo". I didn't notice the word "or" on the chalk board so I ordered it all the way thinking I was getting it with the let and tom. What my order did in fact mean was that I had just ordered my double burger with chili sauce, onion and mustard. Now let me be clear friends, those toppings are "hot dog" toppings only and should never see the topside of a 4-inch diameter piece of ground cow. There is a reason those toppings are reserved for hot dogs... they taste good together. Like the way a burger tastes good fried on a flat grill, crisp and brown and served on a buttered roll with things like, onion, cheese and pickle. With that said, the burger was staggeringly good. It worked! - I don't know how, but all the flavors along with the quantity of each just worked. I was very pleasantly surprised, proving that it sometimes pays to take the road less traveled. Due to the slight over-doneness of the burger I'm rating it a 9/10, but I will be back to the Belmont - and soon. Well done.

Bill Cianci's (mostly) Burger Reviews - Real Food Photos - No Fluff and No Food Snobbery

Only honest burger reviews here folks - my goal is for you to taste exactly what you read about here when you order your food. I make a constant effort to keep my personal taste out of my reviews. All too often I've read reviews from "burger experts" praising a burger only to be disappointed come judgement day. For this reason, I don't go into a burger establishment with cameras blaring, announcing who I am and what I'm doing... maybe that's the difference, you decide...

A Ribbon of Help for Newtown

noreply@blogger.com (GJH32) — Mon, 17 Dec 2012 12:38:00 -0500

On Sunday, 12/17/12 I attended a youth wrestling tournament. Shortly after arriving, I noticed a small group wearing shirts that read: Newtown Wrestling.

Out of boundless respect and compassion to all those affected, I cannot write this post about my own grief or feelings or points of view. Only that I commend the parents, coaches, etc. for having the strength and courage to try to bring some semblance of normalcy to some of the children of their community.

I held the door for one of them as he walked out with a medal around his neck. I gave him a high five and nodded to his dad. There was another match I noticed, involving their team, in which the boy was not there.

Today, I saw a tweet referencing a relief fund

Coincidentally, the article mentions their wrestling team.

The purpose of this post is to spread the word of this fund.

Please donate and pass along.

Bed Of Nails Review

noreply@blogger.com (GJH32) — Fri, 12 Oct 2012 11:46:00 -0400

A few weeks back, I purchased something from a Woot! ad on my phone. It was an acupressure mat called Bed Of Nails.

Being I seldom do Yoga, or even regular exercise these days (bad, bad, bad!!!), the thought of better sleep, an endorphin rush, stress relief, weight loss, and all that other good stuff, just by lying on a mat for 10 minutes intrigued me.

To be honest, it sounded like hocus-pocus, so I checked out the reviews. 4-1/2 of 5 stars on Amazon. Hmmm. 5 of 5 stars on Bed Bath and Beyond. Wow!

What the heck, why not give it a shot?
So, of course, lying on non-toxic plastic nails for the first time is a strange feeling. What's interesting is that it feels different each time. The first night there was a cool, hot feeling near my shoulder blades. The second, more towards the middle of my back. The third night was more of a tingling all over. Each night I slept very well and woke up energetic and refreshed.

Amazon.com Widgets

Interestingly enough, the pamphlet said using at different times can produce different effects. So this morning, I woke up with a stiff neck. No I did not use the mat last night after staying up late only to watch the Yankees eventually lose. Anyway, I thought, why not try the mat now? So I did, and it worked! Stiff neck went away, and I only laid on it for about a minute.

I must admit, my experience thus far has made a believer out of me. My review has to be 5 of 5 stars as well.

Def Leppard / Poison Rock of Ages Review

noreply@blogger.com (GJH32) — Thu, 12 Jul 2012 15:23:00 -0400

On Wednesday, July 11th, I took the little guy to his first rock concert with a few friends. It was Def Leppard and Poison with Lita Ford as an opening act.

Lita Ford did a very short set. Maybe 5 songs? She ended with Kiss Me Deadly and obviously Ozzy was not there for Close My Eyes Forever. At one point, she tried to get the limited crowd to sing along with her. Funny to hear an awkward silence in an arena full of people. I think the people there at the time just were not paying attention. No complaints here. She sounded fine.

Next up was Poison. Nice to see them with their original lineup.
They did most of their recognizable songs and played each one well. I was slightly disappointed that they did not play Life Goes On and I Won't Forget You, but it seemed like their set was cut short since they were not the "headliner." The also did not play Something To Believe In, although I would have preferred either of the previously mentioned songs over that one.

The crowd's best reaction came with Fallen Angel with Ride The Wind not being far behind. Every Rose Has It's Thorn was done very well too.

Rikki Rockett and Bobby Dall are very low profile. Bobby Dall is cool, though, and I've always liked him for some indescribable reason. C.C. DeVille is back and despite all his past troubles, performed really well. As a guitarist, I thought the scales in his solo were ridiculous, but being an EVH fan, his finger tapping sounded too much like Eruption.

Then there is Bret Michaels. This guy is pure class. Right out of the gate he says how much he likes coming back to Jersey. He never said, New York (hint hint, Joe Elliott! Ah, it's just across the river and we'll give you a break since you're a Brit). Over the course of the show, he dedicates songs to men and women in our Armed Forces, workers from local unions, and things like that. He always speaks with respect and sincerity. If you've never watched the VH1 Behind The Music about Poison, or any of the reality shows Bret has been on, you're missing out. For someone who's been through a lot, especially health issues, it's great to see a talented yet humble regular guy in the spotlight. From my seat, I was able to see, what I'm guessing was, Bret's wife and kid just off stage for their whole set. Good stuff. He also mentioned that he'll be on the Celebrity Apprentice All Stars coming soon.

Finally, Def Leppard came on. This is the first concert I've ever been to where the band ended up playing EVERY song I hoped to hear. The ones I didn't expect them to play were Let It Go and Bringing On The Heartbreak, both from High 'N Dry, but to my delight, they did. Their set was the largest of the night and had the most effects. Joe Elliott's voice is a little aged, but he still does a good job. One thing I thought was done well, was for some of their "less knows" ballads like Two Steps Behind, When Love and Hate Collide, and Have You ever Needed Someone So Bad, Joe started alone sitting on a roadie box at the end of the catwalk with an acoustic guitar. One by one, each band member slowly joined him and sat on the box with an acoustic. Lastly, one armed Rick Allen came out and sat next to Joe with a maraca. It was done very well.

Overall, I'd say the show was outstanding. Getting to see Photograph played live was something I had never considered before. It wasn't until before the concert yesterday, that I started reflecting on the impact that one song had on my youth. Yes, I had the sleeveless Union Jack T-shirt at one time. For the little guy's first concert, I think he enjoyed it very much. He and his friend didn't touch their video game too much during the show.

If this show comes your way, I highly recommend it.

The Retail Wish List of a 9 Year Old

noreply@blogger.com (GJH32) — Tue, 15 May 2012 13:21:00 -0400

We have a little boy who has always been quite particular in his toy selection. If he’s given the green light to select something from the shelf, he usually will take 3 or so “finalists”, line them up side by side, then weigh the pros and cons until he decides upon the perfect selection. Mind you this may change from one day to the next or even hourly.

Since it's 2012 and he has his own Iphone, Ipod, Android Tablet, etc. I’ve given him access to my Amazon Wish List. In the past few days, I think he has amassed close to 200 items! Keep in mind, Amazon has a gigantic variety of items, and he may have selected inappropriate items (like a Halloween style rubber knife that appears to go through your head), some by accident, or even some things that are not toys. Good thing I didn’t show him how to finalize the checkout process!

Nevertheless, I thought I'd share his list. I found it entertaining to skim through. It's fun to observe how his mind works. When we came out of the theater, after seeing The Avengers, he said, "Can I use your phone?". He preceded to search for action figures for the characters in the movie. Yesterday, I noticed him writing what appeared to be letters. He informed me they were actually invitations to some of his friends. Invitations to join his squadron when the Airsoft Guns he "wished" arrive...

This list is a fun insight into the mind of a youngster, as well as a dynamic gift registry containing the popular items such as Beyblades, Pokemon cards, Action Figures, Army Men, and somehow recently, Air guns. Oh boy.

I'll likely use it each time he gets invited to a friend's birthday party.

Billions and Taxes

noreply@blogger.com (GJH32) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 13:29:00 -0500

This an interesting and funny, yet disheartening chain Email I received today I thought I'd share:

This is too true to be funny.

The next time you hear a politician use the
Word 'billion' in a casual manner, think about
whether you want the 'politicians' spending
YOUR tax money.

A billion is a difficult number to comprehend,
But one advertising agency did a good job of
Putting that figure into some perspective in
One of its releases.

A.
A billion seconds ago it was 1959.

B.
A billion minutes ago Jesus was alive.

C.
A billion hours ago our ancestors were
living in the Stone Age.

D.
A billion days ago no-one walked on the earth on two feet.

E.
A billion dollars ago was only
8 hours and 20 minutes,
at the rate our government
is spending it.

While this thought is still fresh in our brain...
let's take a look at New Orleans ...
It's amazing what you can learn with some simple division.

Louisiana Senator,
Mary Landrieu (D)
was asking Congress for
250 BILLION DOLLARS
To rebuild New Orleans . Interesting number...
What does it mean?

A.
Well .. If you are one of the 484,674 residents of New Orleans
(every man, woman and child)
You each get $516,528

B.
Or... If you have one of the 188,251 homes in
New Orleans , your home gets $1,329,787.

C.
Or... If you are a family of four...
Your family gets $2,066,012.

Washington , D.C

HELLO!
Are all your calculators broken??

Building Permit Tax
CDL License Tax
Cigarette Tax
Corporate Income Tax
Dog License Tax
Federal Income Tax (Fed)
Federal Unemployment Tax (FU TA)
Fishing License Tax
Food License Tax
Fuel Permit Tax
Gasoline Tax
Hunting License Tax
Inheritance Tax
Inventory Tax
IRS Interest Charges (tax on top of tax)
IRS Penalties (tax on top of tax)
Liquor Tax
Luxury Tax
Marriage License Tax
Medicare Tax
Property Tax
Real Estate Tax
Service charge Taxes
Social Security Tax
Road Usage Tax (Truckers)
Sales Taxes
Recreational Vehicle Tax
School   Tax
State   Income   Tax
State Unemployment Tax (SUTA)
Telephone Federal Excise Tax
Telephone Federal Universal Service Fee Tax
Telephone Federal, State and Local Surcharge Tax
Telephone Minimum Usage Surcharge Tax
Telephone Recurring and Non-recurringCharges   Tax
Telephone   State and Local Tax
Telephone Usage ChargeTax
Utility Tax
Vehicle License Registration Tax
Vehicle Sales Tax
Watercraft Registration Tax
Well Permit Tax
Workers Compensation Tax
(And to think, we left British Rule to avoid so many taxes)

STILL THINK THIS IS FUNNY?

Not one of these taxes existed 100 years ago...
And our nation was the most prosperous in the world.

We had absolutely no national debt...
We had the largest middle class in the world...
And Mom stayed home to raise the kids.

What happened?
Can you spell

'politicians'!

And I still have to
Press '1'
For English.

I hope this goes around the
USA
At least 100 times

What the hell happened?????

A Day Without Cliche - Reprise

noreply@blogger.com (GJH32) — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 16:24:00 -0500

As a follow up to my A Day Without Cliche post, here is something I was sent with very interesting facts about some popular phrases origins and/or meanings.

Enjoy:

There is an old Hotel/Pub in Marble Arch, London , which used to have a gallows adjacent to it. Prisoners were taken to the gallows (after a fair trial of course) to be hanged

The horse-drawn dray, carting the prisoner, was accompanied by an armed guard, who would stop the dray outside the pub and ask the prisoner if he would like ''ONE LAST DRINK''.

If he said YES, it was referred to as ONE FOR THE ROAD.

If he declined, that prisoner was ON THE WAGON.

They used to use urine to tan animal skins, so families used to all pee in a pot and then once a day it was taken and sold to the tannery. If you had to do this to survive you were "piss poor", but worse than that were the really poor folk, who couldn't even afford to buy a pot, they "Didn't have a pot to piss in" and were the lowest of the low.

Here are some facts about the 1500s:

Most people got married in June, because they took their yearly bath in May and they still smelled pretty good by June. However, since they were starting to smell, brides carried a bouquet of flowers to hide the body odour. Hence the custom today of carrying a bouquet when getting married. Baths consisted of a big tub filled with hot water. The man of the house had the privilege of the nice clean water, then all the other sons and men, then the women and finally the children. Last of all the babies. By then the water was so dirty you could actually lose someone in it. Hence the saying, "Don't throw the baby out with the bath water!"

Houses had thatched roofs, thick straw piled high, with no wood underneath. It was the only place for animals to get warm, so all the cats and other small animals (mice, bugs) lived in the roof. When it rained it became slippery and sometimes the animals would slip and fall off the roof. Hence the saying "It's raining cats and dogs."
There was nothing to stop things from falling into the house. This posed a real problem in the bedroom, where bugs and other droppings could mess up your nice clean bed. Hence, a bed with big posts and a sheet hung over the top afforded some protection. That's how canopy beds came into existence.

The floor was dirt. Only the wealthy had something other than dirt. Hence the saying, "dirt poor." The wealthy had slate floors that would get slippery in the winter when wet, so they spread thresh (straw) on floor to help keep their footing. As the winter wore on they added more thresh until, when you opened the door, it would all start slipping outside. A piece of wood was placed in the entrance-way. Hence: a thresh hold.

In those old days, they cooked in the kitchen with a big kettle that always hung over the fire. Every day they lit the fire and added things to the pot. They ate mostly vegetables and did not get much meat. They would eat the stew for dinner, leaving leftovers in the pot to get cold overnight, then start over the next day. Sometimes stew had food in it that had been there for quite a while. Hence the rhyme: ''Peas porridge hot, peas porridge cold, peas porridge in the pot, nine days old''.

Sometimes they could obtain pork, which made them feel quite special. When visitors came over they would hang up their bacon, to show off. It was a sign of wealth that a man could, "Bring home the bacon." They would cut off a little to share with guests and would all sit around talking and ''chew the fat''.

Those with money had plates made of pewter. Food with high acid content caused some of the lead to leach onto the food, causing lead poisoning and death. This happened most often with tomatoes, so for the next 400 years or so, tomatoes were considered poisonous.

Bread was divided according to status. Workers got the burnt bottom of the loaf, the family got the middle, and guests got the top, or ''The Upper Crust''.

Lead cups were used to drink ale or whisky. The combination would sometimes knock the imbibers out for a couple of days. Someone walking along the road would take them for dead and prepare them for burial. They were laid out on the kitchen table for a couple of days and the family would gather around and eat and drink and wait and see if they would wake up. Hence the custom of ''Holding a Wake''.

England is old and small and the local folks started running out of places to bury people, so they would dig up coffins and would take the bones to a bone-house and reuse the grave. When reopening these coffins, 1 out of 25 coffins were found to have scratch marks on the inside and they realized they had been burying people alive. So they would tie a string on the wrist of the corpse, thread it through the coffin and up through the ground and tie it to a bell.

Someone would have to sit out in the graveyard all night (the graveyard shift) to listen for the bell; thus someone could be, ''Saved by the Bell ''or was considered a ''Dead Ringer''

      And that's the truth.

      Now, whoever said history was boring ! ! !

My Top 5 Video Girls

noreply@blogger.com (GJH32) — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 09:13:00 -0500

Growing up as a member of the M-TV Generation, the effect music videos had on my childhood is enormous. In its infancy, M-TV actually aired mostly nothing but actual music videos. I spent countless hours watching and was annoyed by any break. As a matter of fact, the only programming break I can remember back then, was Music News which lasted only a minute or two.

Being an adolescent male, it's rather needless to say that much of my attention was focused on the girls in the videos. I decided to list in ascending order my top 5. Mind you this is a list of extras or little known actresses only. The list would have been too large if I included the likes of Madonna, Janet Jackson, Beyonce, Shakira, etc. I'll reserve that discussion for a later date.

#5 Tesla - Love Song

I've been pondering this one for quite a while. The top 4 was pretty easy, but I could not get a solid 5th. A week or so ago, this song debuted on my Vlog and the wheels started turning. The girl appears in the video twice and embodies the 80's look. She's not my type at all, mind you, but nevertheless, there's something captivating about her.

#4 Billy Idol - Cradle of Love

To quote Kevin James character in Hitch, Albert Brenneman, "This whole thing, it just works." As above, this girl is night my type at all. I prefer more brunette and the "younger" thing has never really appealed to me. However, the overall product is excellent.

#3 Motley Crue - Home Sweet Home

This one is more implied than anything. Actually, implied may be a bad choice of words. Potential? Better yet, unattainable. She is only on screen for seconds and nothing but a silhouette in darkness singing with Vince Neil. Otherwise, she may have been #1. Hey, we'll never know... Note: this video is mirrored and it takes away from it a bit. Can't explain why...

#2 Winger - Miles Away

Great song, great video. The black and white adds character. This one IS my type. Being shitty to the guy keeps her out of the top spot.

#1 White Lion - Wait

Put a pretty, girl next door, long haired brunette in jeans and a denim jacket and I'm done! Put a fork in me! Perfect, perfect, perfect. I'll say no more. She wins.

Everyone Loves A Good Hummer

noreply@blogger.com (GJH32) — Fri, 9 Dec 2011 12:04:00 -0500

Hold on, hold on, don't get the wrong idea! I know the title of this post sounds a little risqué...

...but I'm referring to my old car, my Hummer H3.

Out of all the other cars I've had, I have to say it was and still is my all time favorite. It just felt right. I liked the feeling of being inside something that felt like a tank! The ride was extremely smooth, even for a tank.

There were some minor problems. Gas mileage isn't the greatest but not bad as SUV's go. A taillight bulb went out and my driver's side door release cable snapped. GM service was poor and expensive, but these negatives barely diminish my overall love of this vehicle.

Unfortunately, for most of the lease, I let my wife use the Hummer while I drove a Saturn. I don't regret that decision at all, only the time lost driving my favorite car. After all, there's no better feeling of security than knowing your loved ones are in a tank! Believe it or not, a streetlight post fell on them and they came away unscathed! She now drives a Toyota FJ Cruiser, which is a very poor attempt to mimic the H3.

I loved it so much I wore a Hummer hat and even still wear the cologne! I also almost bought the sneakers.

Since I have less than a year remaining on my current lease, I'm deeply saddened that Hummers are no longer produced. So this is somewhat of a desperate plea for GM or another auto manufacturer to resume production of Hummers fast. This is really the only public forum I have access to, and hopefully this will get noticed. Please, please, please pass this on, share it, comment, like it (maybe I'll make yet another Facebook page), tweet it, Stumble it, talk about it, anything. If not for yourself, in the spirit of the holiday season, for ME!!! I rarely ask for any gifts, but I'm desperate. I miss my Hummer!

Hardware Bugs

noreply@blogger.com (GJH32) — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 10:21:00 -0500

A few days ago I strolled into work, like any other day, but this time I bumped into the owner. Rather than his usual, "Good morning," he said, "I need you..." Always a bad thing.

Apparently his desktop printer wasn't printing. Getting technical feedback from someone in their mid 70's is more difficult than fixing the issue itself, so I just said, "No problem." Unfortunately, it was followed by, "Betty (his secretary, uh, administrative assistant) and John (former IT guy) couldn't get it to work either."

Great, so now I have to fix what they made worse.

There are two things I've learned when troubleshooting issues:

Start basic - loose cords, on / off buttons, out of paper, caps lock, etc.
Don't reinvent the wheel - search the net, someone, somewhere has had the same issue

Before I entered his office, I was already jumping to step 2 on my phone. He has an ink based photo printer. Nothing fancy and few removable parts. The error continually said there was a paper jam. John, always having to provide useless advice, brought in some troubleshooting steps he had printed, which didn't apply to this particular model at all. Perhaps they could be used in a severe toilet paper emergency...

Anyway, these phantom paper jams are caused by "something" blocking the paper path. Through my searches, I found others had success removing the cartridges, turning it upside down, and shaking. So I did.

So what fell out? Not an itty-bitty piece of paper nor a staple, a fly. Yes, a fly, a "bug". A real bug. The term bug came from a moth that had flown into a large IBM machine way back in the day. Here was my first, real bug. A few more shakes and a gnat fell out too.

When I told him what was wrong, he showed me a sticky fly trap on the window sill directly above the printer. So not only were the bugs falling in, they were coated with some sticky substance.

Nevertheless, the printer worked fine since.

We moved it away from the window, of course.

Name That Movie

noreply@blogger.com (GJH32) — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 10:52:00 -0400

For as long as I can remember, my brothers and friends and I have loved quoting movie lines. Caddyshack has always been one of the most frequent, but there are several.

Rodney in Back To School...

A Few Good Men is one on the serious side. As Good As It Gets is another of Nicholson's.

In addition to the obvious ones, we've always had a blast using more obscure lines from lesser known movies. A good example is Can't Buy Me Love starring a young Patrick Dempsey. There's one particular character in the movie, Quint, who says some ridiculously funny lines.

Speaking of Quints, how many memorable lines does Robert Shaw as Quint in Jaws have???

The Best of Times with Kurt Russel and Robin Williams is another.

This post is actually tied to a few of my other posts. Movie quotes are not always witty, but some people get them, some people don't. And like my Paradox of Wit post explains, if those listening do not get it, you may look pretty foolish. I've also tried using Twitter hashtags to turn things into a game. 3 On A Beach and Cliche Quote have not been as successful as I'd like. Let's try one more. #NTM for Name That Movie.

Oh, and don't cheat! We all know how easy it is to look up a line on the internet...

WYSE Pocket Cloud app for Android

noreply@blogger.com (GJH32) — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 11:37:00 -0400

This is not a shameless plug because I have no affiliation with this product...

I just have to rave about WYSE's Pocket Cloud Pro that I use on my EVO 4G running Android.

There are dozens of remote control apps out there, most of which are not free. WYSE's app is definitely well worth the money.

I primarily use it to RDP to a Windows 2003 server. From there (and this has never worked with other remote control apps) I remote control any device on our LAN. A remote control session within a remote control session. I've used RDP, PCanywhere, and VNC. In the past, switching between sessions gets pretty messy. Not with PocketCloud.

Since I have been unable to find any terminal emulation apps for UNIX, Pocket Cloud allows me to run one from a desktop instead. If you know of any, especially one with wyse60 emulation, please let me know.

Unlike most others, the user interface is flawless. Panning is easy and smooth, but that's just the beginning. The keyboard controls are intuitive and complete. CTRL, ALT, and functions keys are simple to access as are combinations.

Perhaps the best feature is their Touch Pointer. It's a transparent circular set of buttons with a traditional pointer arrow emulating a mouse. The buttons allow you to click, right-click, or bring up the keyboard with ease. Most importantly, your pointer is in a precise location, rather than have to rely on the touch screen. With fat fingers like mine, that is a Godsend!

Just this morning, I used it to free up my boss's secretary's "locked" PC. It wasn't really locked, but if you read my posts, you know how end users can be! Regardless, while stuck in traffic, I was able to remote control her UNIX session and free up the so called "lock". Right from my car! Please do not tell any law enforcement officials as I've already received 2 tickets for having my phone in hand while driving. One for plugging in the charger, the other while stopped at a red light!

Last summer, I also was able to push along our paused nightly UNIX backup, which would have prevented the morning crew from working. It was 6 AM and we were on I-95 in South Carolina on our way to Florida. They never even knew there was a problem.

Needless to say, I highly, highly, recommend this app.

My Top 5 Video Girls

noreply@blogger.com (GJH32) — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 12:08:00 -0400

Growing up as a member of the M-TV Generation, the effect music videos had on my childhood is enormous. In it's infancy, M-TV actually aired mostly nothing but actual music videos. I spent countless hours watching and was annoyed by any break. As a matter of fact, the only programming break I can remember back then, was Music News which lasted only a minute or two.

#2 Winger - Miles Away

Great song, great video. The black and white adds character. This one IS my type. Being shitty to the guy keeps her out of the top spot.

#1 White Lion - Wait

Put a pretty, girl next door, long haired brunette in jeans and a denim jacket and I'm done! Put a fork in me! Perfect, perfect, perfect. I'll say no more. She wins.

My X Factor "Top 16"

noreply@blogger.com (GJH32) — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 12:55:00 -0400

Let me start off by saying I have become quite of fan of the popular television singing competitions. I've diligently watched recent seasons of American Idol, The Voice, and The X Factor. Lately it seems when the judges make their "final cuts", before the voting gets turned over to the public, they make their choices for ratings as opposed to talent or performance.

There are several theories behind this, aside from ratings. They quite possibly may wish to spread the demographics or genres. Why else would they select even numbers of boys and girls (in Idol and Voice) or boys, girls, over 30, and groups (X factor)? If you were looking for the best, you would take the best regardless of sex, race, financial background, geographic location, and so on.

This became suspicious when Idol changed their format but almost obvious recently with X Factor. Having live audience auditions is brilliant. You already know who is popular, and thus, may get votes. Why then, the judges' homes, round? This is where the controversy occurs. From my standpoint, some very strange choices, without the weight of an audience. Can two groups of teenagers thrown together really be better than groups who have been performing together for years?

Regardless, I did not intend to make my intro this wordy. Instead, I was aiming to share my own list of who should have made those final cuts. Here goes:

Groups:
Honestly, I think there should be a separate group competition. It's far too hard to compare groups with soloists. For me, this is more of who not should have made it. But if I have to....

The Stereo Hogzz
4 Shore
The Anser
Illusion Confusion

Notes: I already mentioned my thoughts regarding the groups the judges "created". As for the Brewer Boys, it seemed the younger brother lacked personality, confidence, and stage presence.

Over 30's:

The best category. Hard to really cut most. I would've expanded the numbers coming from here.

Josh Krajcik
LeRoy Bell
Stacy Francis
Elaine Gibbs
James Kenney
Tiger Budbill

Notes: Any 4 of these 6 would've been fine. It's unfortunate that Dexter Haygood is homeless, but that is not reason enough to bump out one of the others. He's just not that good of a singer. As for James and Tiger, they were probably too ordinary. Just regular guys. Elaine was not as publicly emotional as Stacy, to the say the least, and that likely made them go with Stacy.

Boys:

Marcus Canty
Brennin Hunt
Tim Cifers

Notes: That's all I got! I'm not about to re-hash the bootcamp round. I don't have a theory as to why Brennin got axed. Tim was a result of an all country Idol finale. It would be nice to have a good hip/hop rapper. Problem is Astro is not good. He should've been kicked off when he refused to dance. I'm sure he could dance better on his hands then some of the others that were out there trying! Chris Rene was a judges favorite from the start and they were putting him through no matter what. Phillip Lomax, I don't think a modern day crooner will sell mp3s. Skyelor Anderson was not as good as Tim.

Girls:

Caitlin Koch
Rachel Crow
Melanie Amaro
Tora Woloshin
Jazzlyn Little

Notes: Oh my God! Did Caitlin have any bad performances? Did she forget any lyrics (hint, hint, hint!) My only guess is that she was too humble, if there is such a thing. Travesty. Tora is spunky, unique, entertaining, and sings very well. Jazzlyn lacks confidence when she's not singing but it does not affect her performances. Simone, really? Tiah was getting through 'cause Simon fought for her, but she's pretty good. Drew is the every season folk singer addition who always seems to get far flying under the radar. Her first audition was the only decent one, 'cause of the arrangement. She's no where near the other girls who were cut.

Guest Post: How IT Can Gain Control of Consumerization Trends

noreply@blogger.com (GJH32) — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 11:16:00 -0400

This morning I joined a webinar titled “Consumerization: How IT Can Gain Control”. While I was expecting to hear about how companies are dealing with the exponential growth of consumer data to help grow market share, I was educated with how the “enterprise” is managing the explosion of employee owed devices such as tablets and smart phones and growing traction of the virtual workplace.

Fueling these trends are low cost devices and blurred lines between personal and business lives, especially here is the US. While these interesting developments are without questions, companies are learning to deal with greater security, more complex compliance and rising cost issues. CIOs and CTOs in public and private businesses are adopting a Bring Your Own (BYO) device policy in order to improve employee satisfaction and mobility, attract a new tech savvy workforce, and increase staff productivity.

The current corporate model has IT at the center of devices, data, employees and applications. But, will this trend have Echo Boomers or Millennials elbowing their way to center stage and IT adopting more of a service delivery and governance role? With PCs and laptops accounting for less and less of hardware purchases, will virtual or cloud computing emerge as the new norm?

I would like to know what you think!

http://gmconsultingllc.wordpress.com/2011/10/13/how-it-can-gain-control-of-consumerization-trends/

http://twitter.com/#!/georgemarmo

The Paradox of Wit

noreply@blogger.com (GJH32) — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 12:42:00 -0400

Throughout my life, I have been impressed by, and to some extent, crave witty remarks. I admire and envy envy those quick witted individuals can fire some off while grasping others'. Needless to say, I try to be one of these people.

The contradiction I've found, however, is that wit is in the eye of the beholder.

What I mean is, that regardless of how clever a statement may be, if no one understands it, does it matter?

I suppose it depends on what you're trying to accomplish. If your goal is to impress those you are speaking to, saying something over their heads will not suit you. If you are the type of person who amuses themselves, maybe that is exactly your plan. Maybe you enjoy the confusion.

Generally speaking, perception is everything. I doubt most people regularly surround themselves with others who do not understand them, or what they are saying. Consider the following statement I found on a website:

I drive way too fast to worry about cholesterol

You can interpret this is as "I'm a risky person, so why be cautious with food" or "you're going to die someday" or somewhat more profound, "live life to the fullest".

But what if you take it literally? What if you miss the subtle analogy? Cholesterol obviously has nothing to do with driving fast. The person saying this would appear moronic, or worse, insane!

In my opinion, witty remarks are said to demonstrate wisdom or intelligence. The contradiction is that in using them, you run the risk of appearing the opposite.

Apparently there is a fine line between wittiness and stupidity.

Puns are always intended...

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Bed Of Nails Review

Def Leppard / Poison Rock of Ages Review

The Retail Wish List of a 9 Year Old

Billions and Taxes

A Day Without Cliche - Reprise

My Top 5 Video Girls

Everyone Loves A Good Hummer

Hardware Bugs

Name That Movie

WYSE Pocket Cloud app for Android

My Top 5 Video Girls

My X Factor "Top 16"

Guest Post: How IT Can Gain Control of Consumerization Trends

The Paradox of Wit