ICKY PEOPLE

College Grads With Engineering Degrees Start at $6,000 per year in India

2009-11-08T15:22:00.003-06:00

Everyone knows it's cheaper to outsource technology jobs to India then to pay U.S. workers, but exactly how much cheaper is is to hire a well educated college graduate with a degree in software engineering?

A U.S. college grad with a software engineering degree starts at $46,000+, on average.

An Indian college grad with the same degree begins at $6,000, on average.

No wonder so many U.S. technology companies are outsourcing jobs to India. That includes Microsoft, who is being criticized for much of Windows 7 being developed by Indian workers. (which might not be such a bad thing, since every version of Windows has sucked.)

However, the San Francisco Chronicle says that the savings associated with outsourcing is quickly gobbled up by raises.

"A recent salary study from India's Business World magazine shows the IT industry in India had average raises of 20 percent. Companies like Sify say they often give new workers annual raises of 25 to 50 percent. Outsourcing giant Satyam tells me that workers on the "leadership" track can work their way up to six figures in five years. (Thing about this: This steep salary curve means all that cost-saving that India is famous for happens almost exclusively with entry-level employees. There is virtually no difference in mid-career wages.)"

And if there is no difference in mid-career wages, then the added cost of having to manage the business from India, shuttling workers back and forth, long distance communications, etc., not to mention the negative publicity and potential loss in sales that a U.S. company gets for laying off thousands of U.S. workers, means outsourcing isn't the money printing grab-all it's presented as.

Muslims Find Puppies Offensive, Instructed to Kill Them

2009-11-02T02:00:00.007-06:00

Some days I think I could fill an entire book with odd beliefs from different religions. For example, here's something I bet you didn't know about Islam...

From the UK:

"Muslims living in UK’s Dundee area have complained over a police advertisement featuring a puppy sitting on an officer’s hat.

A police force has apologised to Islamic leaders for the “offensive” postcard advertising a new non-emergency telephone number, which shows a six-month-old trainee police dog named Rebel."

Why is a puppy offensive to Muslims?

"Traditionally, dogs have been seen as impure, and the Islamic legal tradition has developed several injunctions that warn Muslims against most contact with them.

Conservative Muslims have long-regarded dogs as unclean animals..."

Ok, unclean animals are supposedly offensive to both Muslims and Jews, which is one reason the Swine Flu was officially renamed H1N1 flu by the U.S. Centers For Disease Control (it wasn't just some religions who found the term Swine Flu offensive, the pork industry was also very interested in giving it a different name).

However, finding a puppy offensive and how Islam says to treat dogs is entirely different. From the UK article:

"According to one Hadith, a traditional story of the Prophet, Muhammad said a Muslim loses credit for one good deed each day he keeps a dog, and even said they should be killed unless used for hunting or protection."

Killed? I'm not picking on Islam, because every religion is full of nonsense, but any one that instructs you to kill innocent animals because you find them offensive is crazy.

So I did some research, hoping to find some clarification. An Islamic website called Muttaqun.com has an entire section on dogs in Islam and the Hadith.

(Hadith are instructions and sayings attributed to Muhammad that are not in the Quran. There are thousands of Hadith, all from different followers of Muhammad, and while many of them were compiled a century or more after The Prophet's death, they are used today in Islamic Law, so they're aren't just fringe or supplementary teachings. Learn more about Haddith here).

Most of the dog Hadith's point back to the angel Gabriel not entering Muhammad's house to visit him because a dog was hiding in the house, which Muhammad either did not know about or didn't remember. When Muhammad kicked the dog out of the house, Gabriel quickly arrived and said, "It was the dog in your house which prevented me (to come), for we (angels) do not enter a house in which there is a dog or a picture."

Angels are afraid of dogs? Or do Angels think dogs are unclean? Either way, it's weird, but what's more troubling is Muhammad's response to his followers the next day:

"So the very next morning he commanded the dogs to be killed. He announced that the dog kept for the orchards should also be killed, but he spared the dog used for the protection of extensive fields (or big gardens)."

Another Hadith says Muhammad ordered the killing of every pure black dog, "the black dog is a devil."

Muhammad clearly had a problem with dogs. Even cute little black puppies.

Microsoft Selling Broken Windows 7 Upgrades, Threatens to Sue Buyers

2009-10-29T22:11:00.006-05:00

While the Windows 7 launch is being hailed a the most successful OS launch in Microsoft's history, there is another side of the story that's starting to get more coverage. For every user who brags about how easy it was to upgrade their old Windows PC to Windows 7, there are other users who Microsoft has left out in the cold - selling them an expensive new OS that won't even install.

After many paying Windows 7 upgraders started to experience major problems while installing the upgrade, leaving them with unusable PC's that keep restarting and trying to complete the install, some Microsoft bloggers stepped in to try and provide a workaround after Microsoft failed to fix the problem themselves. Microsoft knew about the problem at least 3 months before Windows 7 was released, but when Windows 7 testers begged for clear information about the upgrade process from Microsoft, "but have heard nothing but crickets from Redmond."

So Microsoft bloggers posted a way to use the upgrade disc to do a fresh install of Windows 7 if the upgrade process doesn't work. Microsoft's response? The multi-billion dollar software company says anyone who uses an upgrade disc to do a full install of Windows 7 is breaking the law and could face legal action, even if the user is doing it only because the upgrade that Microsoft was all too eager to sell them won't properly install.

From ChannelWeb:

"Paul Thurrott, author of the Supersite For Windows blog, fired back at Microsoft on Thursday and said the company should have clearly documented the issue months ago."

"I'm not endorsing piracy. (Thurrott writes) Obviously. I'm just trying to support the millions of people that Microsoft fooled into pre-ordering Windows 7 by offering steep discounts, only to discover later that the Upgrade version they purchased unknowingly might not actually install properly," Thurrott posted on his Windows Supersite.

Thurrott continued, "I've gotten hundreds of emails about this. I suspect Microsoft has gotten many times that number. So you know what? I'm going to continue supporting Windows users. Even as Microsoft throws them to the wind with this kind of baloney.

What really cracks me up is that this post quotes the most relevant EULA-based part of this argument. Which is this:

"To use upgrade software, you must first be licensed for the software that is eligible for the upgrade."

Exactly. That's who I'm supporting. Millions and millions of people. Many of which are discovering that their Upgrade version of Windows 7 will not install properly on their existing, Windows-based PCs. The PCs that are supposed to support upgrades.

This should be obvious. Please stop suggesting it's not, or that I am doing something else.

And for the nth time, you could (and should) have clearly documented how this works months ago. Or allowed myself and others to do so. You chose to ignore this need. So this is a problem of your own making. It's that simple. You make it too hard. And then you complain when someone else tries to make it easy. Brilliant."

Ed Bott, who covers Microsoft for ZDNet, also was highly critical of Microsoft.

"Did you just get a retail upgrade copy of Windows 7? Do you have questions about how it works? Sorry, I probably don’t know the answers. And I can’t point you to anyone who does know how this product works.

It’s not for lack of trying. For three solid months, I have been pestering people at Microsoft and its PR agency for technical details on Windows 7 upgrade products. I got nothing but polite refusals...

And now, a week later, still no comment...

This is documentation about a product that will be sold by the tens of millions in the next year. For the many people who provide official and unofficial support for Windows users, this is essential information."

To sum up, Microsoft takes cash from customers for a Windows 7 upgrade, then the customers find out it not only won't install properly but it bricks their PC's, making them unusable and unable to revert back to the previous version of Windows. And when customers and bloggers ask for a fix and clear, easy to understand instructions about which version to purchase and how to make the upgrade so other customers don't get screwed, Microsoft is silent.

If Microsoft's Windows 7 upgrade turns your computer into a Brick House, you can at least groove to the Commodores...

Microsoft Knew Windows 7 Upgrades Could Paralyze PC's Back In July

2009-10-26T14:34:00.008-05:00

Some people who are upgrading their PC's from Windows Vista to Windows 7 are finding the upgrade paralyzes their computers, leaving them in a never ending rebooting cycle, unable to use either operating systems.

Many users started to post the problem in a forum on Microsoft's own website on Friday, one day after the highly touted new operating system was released. As of this afternoon, 3 days later, there are still people posting the same problem and no fix from Microsoft for most of the users.

There doesn't seem to be any connection to how the OS was purchased, some users purchased Windows 7 as a digital download from Microsoft or Digital River, and some purchased retail boxed versions of the OS. It is affecting every version of Vista, from Starter to Ultimate.

Microsoft is putting some of the blame on Digital River and saying anyone who bought the OS from DR needs to contact them, not Microsoft, despite the same problem occurring to users who downloaded Windows 7 directly from Microsoft. Digital River is notorious for horrible customer service, including not returning emails asking for support. (If you are having problems with contacting Digital River, try calling their phone number which they don't like to share: 952-253-1234)

Users are predictably irate...

"I have the same issue, bought my copy (a download) from the microsoft store. Only thing I feel good about is that I'm not the only one having this issue, but this is a disgrace by MSFT. Has anyone had a successful install? Been trying to make this work since Friday night. Way too much time and trouble for this." (posted by Wesss)

To make matters worse, Microsoft was aware of this exact problem back in July, when it was posted on the Microsoft support website. The article is dated July 27th, 2009, or approximately 3 months before the public release of Windows 7, yet the problem wasn't fixed.

The article is entitled: "Continual reboot after attempting to upgrade from Windows Vista to Windows 7" and includes:

"When attempting to upgrade from Windows Vista to Windows 7 the upgrade attempt may fail with the message “This version of Windows could not be installed, Your previous version of Windows has been restored, and you can continue to use it." However, the next reboot of the machine will launch the upgrade process again only to fail with the same message."

The article suggests users swap out the Windows 7 media and put a Windows Vista disc in, then select install Vista at the boot menu and follow the directions. However, many users do not have a Windows 7 disc to remove because the media is a digital download on the hard drive. Furthermore, many other users do not have a Windows Vista disc, and even if they did as one user posted, the Microsoft "solution" is useless:

"Microsoft is apparently aware of this now, but their solution does nothing for me. I don't have the Vista option in the boot entry menu as I'm sure many of you do not as well. Still waiting....No option to boot back to Vista. Endless re-booting loop." (posted by FJP57)

"Same here, I can't even boot into Vista as I have no option to." (posted by JSchnieder21)

So users who spent up to $320 to upgrade are trapped in the constant cycle of reboots, and no current solution. Thank you, Microsoft.

Apple's latest ad seems almost prescient:

Chimaera717 posted what most users dealing with this problem are probably feeling right now:

"How on earth is Windows 7 so poorly manufactured that there even NEEDS to be a solution to installation issues?"

Personally, I switched to a Mac a month ago and haven't ever been happier with an OS. I'm not going to beat you on the head screaming that you should switch, that's up to each individual person and their software needs. But if you are in the market for a new PC, why not at least go look at a Mac? The things that are blatantly different - simple things like closing a window or installing an application, you get used to after a day or two at most.

I used Windows in every different variation since the beginning. I'd even tried a Mac before, many years ago, around a G3 PowerPC, and it was slower than a snail. But since Apple switched to Intel CPU's, the hardware flies, and unlike Windows Vista or 7, OSX can run on 1gb of RAM just fine, 2gb is fantastic. Windows Vista and 7 have both touted switching to 64 bit versions to be able to use more than 4gb of RAM with the PC. OSX, like Linux, just doesn't hog resources like that. In OSX everything just runs and runs well. There's no lag, no crytic messages or software that you click on but never launches. OSX doesn't slow down because of constant scanning by malware and anti-virus software that have to protect you because the OS was poorly designed to begin with. And let's not even get into the lack of viruses or trojans on Mac's (yes, I know, they do exist, but like a Honus Wagner baseball card, they are rarely, if ever, seen - and I do have anti-virus software on my Mac and it doesn't slow things down like it does on my Vista or XP machines).

The main difference between OSX, Linux, and Windows, is that Windows is still based on very old software that uses a registry, which is like searching for one Christmas receipt in a box full of every every receipt from everything you've purchased for 30 years. It's tedious, and prone to errors. OSX and Linux do not use registries, which is another reason they have so few viruses.

I still have my Windows Vista 64 PC, but I haven't turned it on in a month since the switch to OSX. I do occasionally have to work on Windows systems for friends, family, and work, but it's so strange and even annoying having to deal with all of the built-in problems Windows presents on a daily basis to all users, from the most casual to the most advanced.

BTW, I had to attend a Microsoft training for Windows 7 last week for work and the Microsoft bigwig presenter, who was one of the designers of Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2, was having the same problems on his laptop that I and everyone I know who runs Windows has (programs crashing, not opening, and often not working properly when they do open) - and this was after he had just touted his "great" new HP laptop with 8gb of RAM and his fancy new Windows OS.

Trivia: Which Solo Artist Has Sold The Most Records?

2009-10-15T15:26:00.016-05:00

Which solo artist has sold the most records in the U.S.? (album sales, not singles)

A) Elvis Presley
B) Michael Jackson
C) Madonna
D) George Strait
E) Barbra Streisand
F) Elton John
G) Billy Joel
H) Bruce Springsteen
I) Garth Brooks
J) Mariah Carey

Answer below...

A) Elvis Presley - 120 million albums sold in the U.S.
B) Michael Jackson - 61.5 million
C) Madonna - 63.5 million
D) George Strait - 68.5 million
E) Barbra Streisand - 71 million
F) Elton John - 70 million
G) Billy Joel - 79.5 million
H) Bruce Springsteen - 64 million
I) Garth Brooks - 128 million
J) Mariah Carey - 62.5 million

According to RIAA certified sales figures, Michael Jackson has sold the fewest number of albums among these 10 solo artists. Garth Brooks has sold the most.

This Rock n' Roll Band of 14 Year Olds Kick Ass!

2009-10-14T22:49:00.008-05:00

Here are three 14-year-old boys who haven't played together very long. They're called Street Legal, and they're already damn good.

Here are a few songs they performed a month ago at a block party in a Chicago suburb. And oh, yeah, this is their first live concert.

Disclaimer: my nephew Mike is the drummer. And although I wasn't at the block party, I heard good things about them and finally got a hold of the video. I was surprised. I've seen professional bands play live that weren't half this good, and I'm not just saying that because of my nephew, check them out.

(the camera moves around a bit on the first song until whoever was filming found a better position)

Street Legal:
Guitar/Lead Vocals: Derek Vaden
Bass Guitar: Andy Modaff
Drums: Mike Dooley

Cover of Fire by Jimmie Hendrix:

Hey Little Mama:

Drum Solo by Mike:

Does Crazy Ad Copy Move Product?

2009-10-13T23:09:00.003-05:00

I'm posting a lot of items on eBay this week. One of the items is an MP3 player, an iPod knockoff. It works fine, but those Chinese vendors somehow list these things starting at .99 cents with free shipping. It doesn't leave room to realistically make even five bucks selling a no-name MP3 player.

So I wrote up some goofy ad copy and threw in a freebie to hopefully drive some traffic and maybe get bids on other items I'm selling this week.

Will it work? Take a look for yourself. You could become the proud owner of The World's WORST Hair and Beard Trimmer.

Am I simply deranged, or would you throw .98 cents my way after reading that?

What could I have done differently? Is it hoping for too much to think I could sell a cheap item and maybe get traffic to my other auctions?

It will be fun to watch how this plays out.

Btw, I do have a lot of interesting items for sale this week at reasonable prices, especially if you're a Pearl Jam fan, so take a peek if you have time. More items are going up daily.

Thanks.

I look forward to your comments.

Jesus Christ vs. Magneto in AMC's The Prisoner

2009-10-12T23:59:00.002-05:00

This November, AMC TV has a new mini-series of The Prisoner, based on the 1960's BBC TV show of the same name.

Jim Caviezel, best known as Jesus Christ in nutbag Mel Gibson's The Passion Of The Christ, faces off against Ian McKellan, best known as Magneto in the X-Men movies.

This looks like an intriguing premise. There's a lot of Orwellian brainwashing at work. Watch an in depth preview below.

Ulta Beauty Doesn't Let Mac Owners Apply For Jobs

2009-10-08T20:44:00.005-05:00

This is silly and stupid. I was browsing help wanted ads on Craigslist and found Ulta Beauty was looking for seasonal warehouse help. I was redirected to the Ulta website to apply.

When I clicked on the "Apply Now" link I was greeted with a message that I was using an unsupported operating system (Mac OS X) and would not be able to apply for the position online. It gave no further details on how to apply for the position.

When I went back and looked at the Craigslist ad, it says, "Do not e-mail resumes," and "Please, no phone calls about this job!"

Mac users are just left in the void. So are Linux users, and if you believe the technical requirements listed, anyone using Windows Vista or Windows 7, or any browser created in the last 8 years - IE 7, IE 8, Firefox, Opera, Safari, etc., etc.

Click on the picture below for a larger image.

Adolf Hitler Appears In Advertisements Around The World

2009-10-01T17:42:00.004-05:00

Adolf Hitler is fast becoming the "hip" ad spokesperson for a new generation. Companies and countries around the world are using Hitler's image to hawk books, DVD's, condoms, and increase AIDS awareness.

Click on a picture for a larger image. The first image is NSFW at full-size.

Germany of all places is using Hitler's image in their AIDS prevention campaign. Hitler appears naked in the throws of sex with a naked woman. Russian mass murderer Joseph Stalin and Iraq president Saddam Hussein also appear in the ad campaign.

A German condom company is also using Hitler's likeness to scare customers into buying and using their products. Somehow I think Doc Morris Pharmacies telling customers to "use a condom and don't have a baby Hitler" doesn't say much about how the company views their customers. (Osama bin Laden and Mao Zedong appear in similar ads)

It's also interesting that some of these ads are coming from Germany, where besides the lasting stigma Hitler left on the country, most Hitler related items, including the display of a swastika, are illegal in Germany. But someone it's OK if he's used in ads.

And last but not least, CNA, a South African retailer who sells books, movies, games, and music, has launched a new campaign melding the faces of Hitler and James Dean. Does seeing Hitler in an ad make you want to buy the new Coldplay CD more?

Does this backfire on the advertisers, or do you find it acceptable? Would you have a different opinion if the companies used a more recent murderer, like David Koresh of Mohamed Atta?

Start a discussion in the comments.

Antique Cola Collectibles

2009-09-20T03:56:00.003-05:00

If you collect old cola items, or know anyone that does, please pay a visit to A ntiquesCola.com, one of our sponsors.

Antiques Cola offers a huge selection of antique cola items from Coca-Cola, Pepsi, and other brands of cola. Soda machines, serving trays, clothing, advertising, clocks, toys, ornaments, and much more, old and new, they have it all.

List of Secret Menu Items at Restaurants

2009-09-14T17:31:00.018-05:00

We've all been there. That new menu item comes out that fills you full of greasy fat and hugs your endorphins. Months later it disappears from your life without so much as even a 'Dear John' letter, never to be heard from again.

But don't fret, little darling, there's a good chance your forbidden love is hiding in the back room of your favorite food joint, just waiting for you to say the magic words.

The Secret Menu, a mixture of forgotten foods and crazed Frankenstein mash-ups can be found at just about any fast food restaurant, you just need to know the lingo, baby. Some places will even make anything you can dream of, no questions asked, although not all employees will know what some of these are.

Tip: restaurants are less likely to make you a custom item if they are swamped. Try and only order these during a slow time of the day, you're more likely to get what you want and not have a "surprise" in it.

(Your favorite not on the list? Post it in the comments and I'll add it, or snap a picture and email it to Editor AT Ickypeople.com)

McDonald's Secret Menu:

McGangBang (a double cheeseburger with a McChicken in the middle, some McD's will include the McChicken bun as well for 4 buns total)

Land, Sea, and Air Burger (a hamburger plus Filet O'Fish and McChicken patties)

McKinley Mac (aka Big Mac with Quarter Pounder patties instead)

Big MacChicken (A Big Mac with McChicken patties instead of the bun)

Grilled Cheese (cheeseburger minus the meat and toppings)

Mini Mac, aka Poor-Man's Big Mac (order a double cheeseburger with Big Mac sauce and lettuce, plus diced onions on the side. It's less than half the cost of a Big Mac and you're only missing the sesame seeds on the bun)

Mega Mac, aka Double Big Mac (a Big Mac with four patties and extra cheese)

Monster Mac (a Big Mac with eight patties and extra cheese)

The All-American (a hamburger with only pickles and ketchup)

Fries with Big Mac sauce (order Big Mac sauce on the side for dipping, great for McNuggets, too)

Biscuits and Gravy (and old breakfast menu item from the 80's, most McD's will make it if asked)

Apple Pie McFlurry

Apple Pie Fudge Sundae (a warm apple pie with a fudge sundae on top)

Neapolitan Milkshake (chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry shakes layered in a cup)

Mint-Chocolate Milkshake *seasonal (chocolate and shamrock shakes layered in a cup)

Creamsicle Milkshake *seasonal (vanilla and orange milkshakes layered in cup)

Burger King Secret Menu:

Ham and Cheese sandwich (comes on long bun with lettuce and tomato)

Mustard Whopper (mustard instead of mayo)

Veggie Whopper (Whopper without meat - NOT to be confused with the BK Veggie Burger, which has a Morningstar Farms veggie patty)

Frings (half fries, half onion rings)

Rodeo Burger (cheeseburger with onion rings and bbq sauce)

Big King (BK's version of the Big Mac, no longer offered. Make your own by ordering a BK Stacker minus the bacon, then add lettuce, onion and pickles)

Wendy's Secret Menu:

Grand Slam (aka Classic Quadruple, aka Meat Cube)

Value Crispy Chicken Club (value menu Crispy Chicken with bacon, lettuce, tomato and mayo)

Jr. Cheeseburger Deluxe (adds lettuce, tomato, and onions to the pickles and ketchup on a regular Jr. Cheeseburger)

Taco Bell Secret Menu:

TB is the holy grail of secret menu's and will make just about anything you can dream up.

Fresco alternatives: order anything Fresco and they'll replace the cheese with pico de gallo (fiesta salsa) and omit the sour cream or other sauces for a healthier version

Spicy Green ______ (say "Spicy Green" before any menu name and you'll get the much sought after Taco Bell secret Green Chili sauce on your food, Green Sauce only found at some TB's)

Lava _____ (like it hot? TB will gladly add Lava sauce to any item)
Cheesy Gordita Crunch (no longer on the menu but they'll still make it)

Enchirito (beef, beans, cheese, diced onions and red sauce make up TB's version of the enchilada)

You can also substitute Chicken for Beef in any item.

Jack in the Box Secret Menu:
Jack will make any monstrosity out of their ingredients that you can think of.

In and Out Secret Menu:
3x3 burger (3 beef patties and 3 slices of American cheese)
4x4 burger
Animal burger (beef patty fried in mustard, plus cheese, onions, and sauce)
Animal fries (with onions, cheese, and sauce)
Neapolitan Milkshake (chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry shakes layered in a cup)

Red Robin Secret Menu:
Petite Burgers (mini burgers)
Anything you can create on their website using The Customizer, you can get in a restaurant. Want a Natural Burger with Battered Cod, bacon and avocado on Texas toast? They'll make it.

Fatburger Secret Menu:
The Hypocrite (a veggie burger topped with bacon strips)

Sonic Secret Menu:
Frito Pie (order a Frito Chili Cheese Wrap, minus the wrap and the lettuce and tomato)
Grilled Ham and Cheese sandwich

Potbelly's Secret Menu:
Cheeseburger (meatball sandwich, no marinara, with ketchup, mustard, cheese, pickle)
Fireball (meatball sandwich with chili on top)
Wrecking Ball (combo of two sandwiches - the meatball and the wreck)

Dairy Queen Secret Menu:
DQ will make you anything they have ingredients for.
Peanut Buster Parfait (DQ has a big book of instructions on how to make old menu items)

Jamba Juice Secret Menu:
White Gummi Bear
Red Gummi Bear
Blue Gummi Bear
Green Gummi Bear
Chocolate Gummi Bear
Bluetopia
Raspberry Dreamin'
Pineapple Dreamin'
Sourpatch Kid
Tropical Tango
Pacific Passion
Berry Depressing
Now and Later
Peanut Butter and Jelly
Apple Pie
Fruity Pebbles
Rainbow Sherbet
Strawberry Shortcake
Push Pop
Skittles
Andres' Surprise
Lemonade Lightnin'

Arby's Secret Menu:
French Dip (they'll make an old school, non-toasted FD anytime, just ask)
Wet Fries (fries with cheddar cheese sauce)

Chipotle Secret Menu:
Quesorito (a quesadilla with burrito fillings, rolled like a burrito)

Subway Secret Menu:
Pizza sub (not on the menu at all Subways, but they'll all make it)

Chili's Secret Menu:
Chili (yep, it's no longer on the menu but they still make it)

TGI Friday's Secret Menu:
They'll make anything they have ingredients for.

Starbucks Secret Menu:
Starbucks will make you anything they have ingredients for, like blending items into drinks. If a barista refuses, ask to see a manager and they'll relent.

Republicans Shout Lies and Heckle Obama During Healthcare Speech

2009-09-10T00:00:00.005-05:00

From Huffington Post, with commentary, pictures and links added:

"Fresh from a month of acrimonious town halls, House Republicans arrived for President Obama's address to a joint session of Congress on Wednesday night with signs, props, and a lot of attitude.

But at least one congressman went way too far. Rep. Joe Wilson shouted "You lie!" after Obama denied that his health care proposal would cover illegal immigrants.

All eyes turned in the South Carolina Republican's direction -- including Obama's, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's and Vice President Joe Biden's.

Wilson, looking agitated, leaned forward and began tapping away at his BlackBerry, as if he were Googling up proof that the president had, in fact, lied.

"Shame on you!" shouted someone from the Democratic side. "Throw him out!" shouted someone else. First Lady Michelle Obama, seated behind and above Wilson, seemed to mouth a drawn-out "damn" at the scene unfolding before her.

Not long after the speech ended, Wilson issued an apology. "This evening I let my emotions get the best of me when listening to the President's remarks regarding the coverage of illegal immigrants in the health care bill," he said. "While I disagree with the President's statement, my comments were inappropriate and regrettable. I extend sincere apologies to the President for this lack of civility." Wilson also called the White House to apologize.

(FactCheck.org, an non-partisan group confirmed the Obama plan does not include coverage for illegal immigrants, despite lies by Wilson and other Republicans. From their website: "Not true. In fact, the House bill (the only bill to be formally introduced in its entirety) specifically says that no federal money would be spent on giving illegal immigrants health coverage - So not only would mandated coverage of illegals not be in the bill, not one penny can be spent on illegals, period.)

(It's amazing how everything the Republicans say is consistently the opposite of the truth. Where I come from that means you're either an idiot or a liar. Take your pick, neither is a complement.)

Wilson's wasn't the only disruption, though it was the most extreme. Throughout the speech, Republican members of Congress repeatedly held up stacks of papers that appeared to represent ideas they had for the bill.

Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-Texas) held signs that read "What Bill?" and "What Plan?"

When Obama told the chamber that the "death panel" lie was, in fact, a lie, a Republican member said loudly enough to be heard in the press gallery, "Read the bill" -- a common refrain at August's angry town hall meetings.

(This is despite FactCheck.org, the non-partisan group that sorts lies from facts on both sides, and who has read the bill, stating that the Death Panel's claimed by Republicans are not real. FactCheck.org: "The claim that the bill would "push suicide" is a falsehood.")

When Obama told the chamber that he had "no interest in putting insurance companies out of business," a Republican member responded with a loud, "Ha!"

"Nineteen years, never, never have I seen anything like this," said a furious Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.) after the speech.

"I thought it was very inappropriate behavior, to hold up signs. None of us ever would have done that," said Rep. Henry Waxman (D-Calif.). "I don't think in the Congress of the United States there ought to be catcalls, or people standing up and yelling comments or holding up signs."

Rep. John Dingell (D-Mich.), the longest serving member in House history, said he was not impressed by the GOP antics. "Well, you've got to understand: They're Republicans. They're just doing what comes natural," he told HuffPost.

Obama, in his speech, referenced Dingell's father for first introducing universal health care legislation in 1943. Dingell has introduced such a bill every year he's been in Congress and today's House bill bears his name.

"I am not the first President to take up this cause, but I am determined to be the last," Obama said of the long history of failed efforts. It struck a chord with Dingell. "The best speech I've ever heard on the floor of the House," he said."

Americans Have Drastically Changed Their Spending Habits

2009-09-09T22:47:00.005-05:00

Economists and rich people everywhere are on edge because the recession has prompted a change in spending habits by Americans.

"The Los Angeles Times and others are reporting that we collectively cut our debt by a record $21.6 billion in July—the biggest monthly drop since the government started keeping records in 1943."

How are companies and cutthroat lenders supposed to survive if we pay off our debt quickly instead of paying 21% interest on everything? Won't the country fail if we actually start keeping money in the bank and earning interest on it instead of blowing it every month on junk we don't need?

Hardly. The country will be fine. It will adapt. Consumerism has been out of control. We don't need a shiny new $40,000 car every three years, or the latest new phone every year. Life goes on, with our without our money. The rich will have to rough it short a few billion.

Bravo, America. That's one small step for sanity, and one giant leap for fiscal responsibility. Don't blow it.

Build an emergency fund, pay off your debt, and start saving. You can get higher interest rates from online banks, shop around for the best rates at places like Emmigrant Direct and ING, among others.

Rolling Stone Guitarist's Death Treated As A Murder

2009-08-30T12:31:00.002-05:00

Rolling Stone guitarist Brian Jones, who died 40 years ago, is the subject of a new police investigation into his death, with the belief he was murdered and did not drown accidentally.

The Daily Mail has the full story:

"Police are reviewing the death of Rolling Stone Brian Jones – 40 years after his body was found at the bottom of a swimming pool.

The dramatic move by Sussex Police follows new evidence unearthed by The Mail on Sunday about the mysterious death of the rock legend which suggests he was murdered by his minder.

Officially, Jones drowned, aged 27, in his pool at Cotchford Farm, Hartfield, East Sussex, on July 2, 1969, while under the influence of drink and drugs.

An inquest recorded a verdict of death by misadventure, even though the post-mortem report said there were no illegal drugs in the star’s body, just the equivalent of three-and-a-half pints of beer.

But now, a review officer based at Sussex Police CID headquarters has been assigned to trawl through 600 documents handed over by investigative journalist Scott Jones, who undertook a four-year probe into the guitarist’s death.

The new evidence was compiled by Mr Jones – no relation to the dead Stone – and disclosed by this newspaper last November.

The move follows a three-and-a-half-hour meeting Mr Jones had with senior Sussex police officers last month when they discussed testimony from witnesses at the house on the night Jones died.

Detectives are studying previously unseen files released by the Public Records Office and may launch a new investigation if they believe there is enough new evidence.

This marks a U-turn by Sussex Police, who until now have rejected requests to reopen the case.

Scott Jones said last night: ‘There is no time limit on the review. But after 40 years of mystery, anyone who values Brian’s reputation will be happy to wait for the outcome.’

Last November, we revealed fresh evidence from nurse Janet Lawson, who found Jones’s body. She said she saw his minder, Frank Thorogood, jump into the pool and ‘do something to Brian’. She was convinced he had killed Jones.

Thorogood died in 1994. Her claims are supported by PC Albert Evans, the first officer on the scene, who spoke to all the witnesses in the hours after Jones’s death and concluded he had died as a result of a fight with Thorogood.

New evidence also emerged about the original investigation by Detective Chief Inspector Bob Marshall, which shows that three unidentified witnesses were allowed to leave the scene without being interviewed.

Finally, police files have revealed how taxi driver Joan Fitzsimons, a former girlfriend of Thorogood, was attacked and left for dead three weeks after Brian Jones died. According to the official records, Ms Fitzsimons was planning to speak to the media about Jones’s death.

Thorogood was said to have been desperately searching for Ms Fitzsimons in the weeks before the attack because, the files reveal, she knew too much about the band. She died in 2002."

Barack Obama's Birth Certificate - See For Yourself

2009-08-17T13:29:00.006-05:00

The GOP allegation that Barack Obama was not born in the U.S. will not go away, thanks to Fox News, Republicans who can't tolerate not running the country, and of all people, Lou Dobbs. Those groups like to pick apart a copy of Obama's Hawaii birth certificate that Obama had scanned and posted online last June when he was running for President. The two main charges are that there is no official seal of the state of Hawaii, and the certificate number has been blacked out.

You can see the scanned version below, and those complaints are valid points: (click on any photo for a larger view)

For comparison, the birth certificate from another person born in Hawaii below, and it has the official seal and the certificate number:

However, on November 1st of last year, the Obama campaign met with Factcheck.org and made his Hawaii birth certificate available for the press to see, inspect, and even touch. The photographs posted below are from that day, and show the certificate number, the official seal of the state of Hawaii, and was photographed front and back.

In the first photo the embossed state seal is almost impossible to see, just as it is not viewable in the earlier scanned photo:

The embossed state seal is viewable at the bottom center of the document:
A closeup view of the embossed state seal:
The stamp from the Hawaii state registrar's office on the reverse of the document:

The problem could have been put to rest initially if the Obama camp had released better photos and not blacked out the certificate number. Why someone blacked out certificate number we can only guess. Perhaps they thought they were protecting his privacy, which is ridiculous, he was a candidate for president, there is no such thing as privacy in that situation. Many Americans are quick to jump to conclusions when they see censored documents. We're used to highly censored government documents with black lines through complete sections that are deemed not for public release. It's completely understandable some people reacted the way they did about Obama's initial release of his birth certificate.

However, the second press conference should have put an end to this nonsense. And to those who demand Obama release his birth certificate and address the issue publicly? He's already released the birth certificate twice.

Fox News and the GOP do not show the second set of photo's when claiming Obama was not born in the U.S. because it destroys their argument. And if we learned one thing from 8 years of GOP rule under George W. Bush: Republicans are not interested in the truth, only perception.

Marriott Hotel Says It's Victims Fault She Was Raped

2009-08-14T11:55:00.005-05:00

Well we all know not to stay at Marriott Hotels anymore, especially the Stamford, Connecticut Marriott. That's where a woman was raped at gunpoint in front of her 3 and 5 year old children, and despite it happening in the Marriott parking garage and the rapist walking around for days on Marriott property, Marriott says it's the victims fault.

Marriott claims the victim was careless, negligent, and "failed to exercise due care for her own safety and the safety of her children and proper use of her senses and facilities," according to court documents.

The offense occurred in 2008 and the victim is suing Marriott after the perpetrator, Gary Fricker, was sentenced to 20 years in prison for the attack. But Marriott claims they are not at fault, even if "Fricker had been in the hotel and garage acting suspiciously days before the attack, as well as the afternoon of the attack, and the hotel failed to notice him, apprehend him or make him leave." The real blame lies with the victim, who made the mistake of staying at a Marriott hotel and believing it was safe to use the Marriott hotel parking garage.

Let that be a lesson to anyone who is thinking of staying at a Marriott hotel.

Marriott's offensive behavior doesn't stop there. The victim, for obvious reasons, wants to remain anonymous. Marriott has in turn "subpoenaed several people involved with the family, including a Pilates instructor, friends, tennis partners and the children's baby sitter. The woman's attorneys argue the individuals subpoenaed do not know anything about the attack, that the subpoenas inadvertently identified her to those people and that it was merely an effort by the hotel's attorneys to intimidate her."

Classy.

Daily Kos gives us a list of other hotel chains Marriott owns, in case you want to add them to the list of companies to avoid doing business with:

Fairfield Inn
Renaissance Hotels & Resorts
Ritz-Carlton
Bulgari Hotels & Resorts
Residence Inn
Courtyard
SpringHill Suites
TownePlace Suites

And if you want to contact Marriott you can email them here.

You can also sign a petition at MomsRising.org.

Is Will Smith Brainwashing Children For Scientology?

2009-08-09T13:00:00.006-05:00

Will Smith and wife Jada Pinkett-Smith have fired the director of a private school they own and run in California and replaced her with a woman with ties to Scientology, according to the New York Post.

An article in the LA Times in June said, "Some of its teachers are members of the Church of Scientology, and it will use teaching methods developed by Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard."

The former director of the school supposedly quarreled with Smith over the use of Study Tech being used to teach the children. Study Tech was devised by Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard.

So they replaced the director, a Ms. Oliver, with Ms. Foster who studied Scientology in 2005 and presumably will not have a problem with Study Tech.

It all points to Smith and his wife being Scientologists. And not just being active Scientologists, but recruiting children to the "religion" in a sly manner, as the Post reports:

"One of Study Tech's harshest critics, Dr. David S. Touretsky of Carnegie Mellon University, said, "Children are inculcated with Scientology jargon and are led to regard L.R. Hubbard as an authority figure. They are laying the groundwork for later bringing people into Scientology."

So what is Study Tech? First, Studytech.org tells us the Study Tech textbooks "are published by Bridge Publications, the in-house publishing arm of the Church of Scientology."

From the Studytech.org website:

"Study Tech is founded on three principles: (1) use pictures and diagrams to illustrate the concepts being taught, (2) break down complex concepts so they can be mastered in a series of simple steps, and (3) always seek definitions for unfamiliar terms. These rules make sense and are harmless enough when phrased in plain English. But the Study Tech books present them in a different manner. The three principles are called "mass", "gradients", and "misunderstoods": terms that were invented or redefined by Hubbard and loaded with significance in the Scientology religion. These concepts are presented in a doctrinaire manner that is also characteristic of Scientology religious instruction. Study Tech actually helps lay the groundwork for introducing Scientology doctrines into secular education."

So Scientologists want to get their "religion" into our schools. An understandable motive for any religion, except this is the 21st century and Scientology is completely batshit-crazy.

Not familiar with Scientology? Xenu.net gives a better description than I ever could:

"The Church of Scientology is a vicious and dangerous cult that masquerades as a religion. Its purpose is to make money. It practices a variety of mind-control techniques on people lured into its midst to gain control over their money and their lives. Its aim is to take from them every penny that they have and can ever borrow and to also enslave them to further its wicked ends.

"It was started in the 1950s by a science fiction writer named L. Ron Hubbard in fulfilment to his declared aim to start a religion to make money. It is an offshoot to a method of psychotherapy he concocted from various sources which he named "Dianetics". Dianetics is a form of regression therapy. It was then further expanded to appear more like a religion in order to enjoy tax benefits. He called it "Scientology"."

So what did Hubbard teach that Tom Cruise, John Travolta, and apparently Will Smith, among other Hollywood notables believe so dearly? The believe there was this bad guy named Xenu who caused all of our problems, although Scientology tries to deny any belief in Xenu because anyone with a brain will instantly call bullshit.

From Wikipedia:

"Xenu was, according to Scientology founder and science fiction writer L. Ron Hubbard, the dictator of the "Galactic Confederacy" who, 75 million years ago, brought billions of his people to Earth in DC-8-like spacecraft, stacked them around volcanoes and killed them using hydrogen bombs. Scientology holds that the essences of these many people remained, and that they form around people in modern times, causing them spiritual harm."

These bad spirits are called Thetans and Scientology, for a fee, will teach you how to get rid of the nasty critters. Although there's a whole other story about how celebrities do not pay a dime while working class stiffs pay hundreds of thousands of dollars - tax exempt - to Scientology to get rid of the invisible bad spirits that do so much damage. That's what Smith's school is laying the groundwork for by teaching Study Tech.

It's complete crap.

Want more proof? Check out the official story of what a Thetan really is:

"According to Scientology, when a person dies — or, in Scientology terms, when a thetan abandons its physical body — they go to a "landing station" on the planet Venus, where the thetan is re-implanted and told lies about its past life and its next life. The Venusians take the thetan, "capsule" it, and send it back to Earth to be dumped into the ocean off the coast of California."

I'm not making this shit up.

So what have we learned today? First we learned that Will Smith has some serious mental problems. And if he's going to insist on pushing his idiotic and harmful beliefs on others I'm not going to watch his movies anymore. I haven't watched a Tom Cruise film in years, or John Travolta, for the same reasons.

2 Police Chiefs Charged in Matthew Broderick Babygate

2009-07-31T12:43:00.003-05:00

Strange story, two Ohio police chiefs broke into a woman's house and stole her property, intending to sell it to paparazzi.

The woman was the surrogate mother for Matthew Broderick and Sarah Jessica Parker's baby. The paparazzi had been trying to identify her and the police chiefs saw a chance to make some quick cash, willing to commit several felonies to do so.

One cop was charged with 6 felonies and faces up to 21 1/2 years in prison. The other cop got 3 felonies and faces 15 1/2 years in prison.

Full story is here.

Manny and Big Papi on Steroid List? We Had it First

2009-07-30T11:51:00.005-05:00

ESPN is reporting that Manny Ramirez and David Ortiz failed MLB's supposedly anonymous steroid test in 2003.

We broke the full 2003 MLB players steroid list on June 30th, a full month ago, and Ramirez and Ortiz were both on that list, which once again gives credence that the list is accurate.

Fast Food Restaurants Replacing Human Employees With Robots

2009-07-23T19:11:00.005-05:00

Placing an order at your favorite fast food restaurant is about to change forever. Instead of trying to get the attention of that pimple faced teenager who chews gum and talks on their iPhone, we will soon be able to place our orders with a touch screen robot, avoiding human interaction all together.

Jack-In-The-Box has rolled out the first of such machines in a Washington state restaurant. Customers can order and pay from a machine, pictured at right.

Coca Cola is doing their part to automate the fountain drink side of restaurants by introducing touch screen Coca Cola Freestyle machines. Instead of offering less than 10 flavors of beverages like a traditional fountain dispenser, Freestyle can offer over 150 flavors on the spot using similar sized machines featuring new technology. The new technology uses small cartridges instead of heavy and messy boxes of syrup that have been the nightmare of employees for years.

Coca Cola promises the new Freestyle machines will lead to flavors never before released in the U.S., like Raspberry Coca Cola, Peach Fanta, plus flavored waters, teas, and sparkling beverages. Video is below.

If they can get the hamburger cooking robots straightened out, plus iron out the kinks in the robotic chicken farmers and slaughterhouse droids, we won't need any dirty human hands touching our food from conception to mouth.

Is this a good thing, replacing humans with robots? Or is it just another step towards our Skynet masters vaporizing us?

Ben Roethlisberger Accused of Sexual Assault

2009-07-21T21:32:00.005-05:00

Pittsburgh Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger has been accused of sexually assaulting a woman from Nevada. Andrea McNulty is named as the plaintiff in a civil lawsuit filed in Washoe County, Nevada.

The QB's attorney confirmed the pending civil case. There have been no criminal charges or investigation.

The AP has a statement issued by Roethlisberger's lawyer:

"This weekend Andrea McNulty served Ben Roethlisberger with a civil complaint accusing him of sexually assaulting her in July 2008. Ben has never sexually assaulted anyone; especially Andrea McNulty. The timing of the lawsuit and the absence of a criminal complaint and a criminal investigation are the most compelling evidence of the absence of any criminal conduct. If an investigation is commenced, Ben will cooperate fully and Ben will be fully exonerated," Cornwell said."

Photo of Andrea McNulty courtesy of Lalate.com.

Muslim Woman Sentenced To Public Beating For Drinking Beer

2009-07-21T21:26:00.003-05:00

From Huffington Post:

"An Islamic court in Malaysia has sentenced a Muslim woman to be flogged with a rattan cane for having a beer in a nightclub, a court official said Tuesday.

It is rare for a woman in Malaysia to be sentenced to caning – a punishment usually reserved for men in various crimes ranging from rape to bribery.

Kartika Sari Dewi Shukarno was sentenced Monday to six lashes and a fine of 5,000 ringgit ($1,400) for consuming alcohol, said a Shariah High Court official who declined to be identified because he was not authorized to make public statements."

The photo above is of a different caning and shows what the woman is facing just for drinking beer.

Read the full article here.

Bankrupt Murderer Michael Vick is Free, Moving into New $2 Million Home

2009-07-20T13:43:00.005-05:00

Michael Vick has completed his home confinement on Monday morning and is now free on probation. Vick had served a 23 month federal prison term for running an illegal dogfighting ring and murdering dogs. He was also given a 3 year suspended prison term from the state of Virginia as long as he stays on good behavior.

Vick is also in the midst of filing bankruptcy. In an April court filing, Vick claimed he was down to $210,000 in cash, along with legal bills of $4.7 million, plus another $12.8 million he owes to 7 different debtors. Vick's bankruptcy court visit in April also revealed that he is living in a home in Hampton, Virginia valued at $748,000, while he is also have a new $2 million home built in Suffolk, Virginia.

How does a person with no job, several felony convictions, and who is -$4.5 million in debt AND filing bankruptcy have a $2 million house built?

Vick is also being sued by the federal government for allegedly stealing $1.35 million from an employee pension fund of a company he owns.

As I've said before, the scumbag has the right to earn a living, but doing so in the NFL should be out of question. He can get a blue collar job and find out what it's like to actually work for a living. Playing a professional sport and being rewarded with a multi-million dollar salary is a privilege, not a right. The fans will ultimately decide if he is accepted if he is reinstated and signs with another team. Hopefully it never gets that far. Any team thinking of signing him has to be fearful of the backlash such a move would create. Animal lovers across the country will boycott that team, no matter where he signs, and bloggers such as myself will join them.

One thing I do know: Vick can't afford two houses worth almost $3 million with his $10 an hour construction job, or a boys and girls club job he is reportedly working now.

MLB Home Run Derby is Steroid and HGH Playground

2009-07-13T15:32:00.006-05:00

Major League Baseball stages another Home Run Derby tonight. It's another chance to see artificial muscles crush meaningless 60mph lobs into the stands. And millions of fans will tune in on TV while thousands more will pay to watch the fraud in person.

Since the Home Run Derby became a part of All Star Game festivities in 1985, far too many of the Champions and other sluggers who have participated have either tested positive for using performance enhancing drugs, confessed to using PED's, or have been suspected of cheating because of their sudden Hulk-like change in body and performance.

Sosa, McGwire, Abreu, Tejada, Giambi, Juan Gonzalez, Luis Gonzalez. Those players are all confessed, caught, or alleged steroid users. And they are Home Run Derby Champions. Almost every player who has participated in Home Run Derby since the late 1990's are also on a leaked list of players who allegedly failed a secret 2003 MLB steroid test. Manny Ramirez, Bret Boone, Carl Everett, Carlos Delgado, Jeromy Burnitz, Richie Sexson, Nomar Garciaparra, Ivan Rodriguez, Todd Helton, Troy Glaus, Alex Rodriguez, Barry Bonds, David Ortiz, Magglio Ordonez, Brady Anderson, Gary Sheffield, the list goes on and on.

And because MLB does not test for Human Growth Hormone, it is suspected that many players have simply switched to something they can't currently get busted for. Does anyone really believe Albert Pujols' body is natural? Or Josh Hamilton's 32 home runs in one round last year was just old time baseball?

After the Sosa/McGwire/Bonds era closed, may sportswriters looked back and said we should have known that those freakish bodies weren't natural. Just a few years later we have a new group of Gigantor-sized monsters and I am the only person noticing?

After Rafael Palmeiro, who wasn't built like a Roman god yet was still outed as a cheater, we can't trust any player anymore, especially when baseball hides the results of failed tests and doesn't test at all for HGH.

Home Run Derby champions by year, with total home runs hit and venue:

Year Player Team Home runs Venue
2009 Busch Stadium, St. Louis
2008 Justin Morneau Minnesota Twins 22 Yankee Stadium, New York
2007 Vladimir Guerrero Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim 17 AT&T Park, San Francisco
2006 Ryan Howard Philadelphia Phillies 23 PNC Park, Pittsburgh
2005 Bobby Abreu Philadelphia Phillies 41 Comerica Park, Detroit
2004 Miguel Tejada Baltimore Orioles 27 Minute Maid Park, Houston
2003 Garret Anderson Anaheim Angels 22 U.S. Cellular Field, Chicago
2002 Jason Giambi New York Yankees 24 Miller Park, Milwaukee
2001 Luis Gonzalez Arizona Diamondbacks 16 Safeco Field, Seattle
2000 Sammy Sosa Chicago Cubs 26 Turner Field, Atlanta
1999 Ken Griffey, Jr. Seattle Mariners 16 Fenway Park, Boston
1998 Ken Griffey, Jr. Seattle Mariners 19 Coors Field, Denver
1997 Tino Martinez New York Yankees 16 Jacobs Field, Cleveland
1996 Barry Bonds San Francisco Giants 17 Veterans Stadium, Philadelphia
1995 Frank Thomas Chicago White Sox 15 The Ballpark in Arlington, Arlington, Texas
1994 Ken Griffey, Jr. Seattle Mariners 7 Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh
1993 Juan González Texas Rangers 7 Oriole Park at Camden Yards, Baltimore
1992 Mark McGwire Oakland Athletics 12 Jack Murphy Stadium, San Diego
1991 Cal Ripken, Jr. Baltimore Orioles 12 SkyDome, Toronto
1990 Ryne Sandberg Chicago Cubs 3 Wrigley Field, Chicago
1989 Eric Davis Cincinnati Reds 3 Anaheim Stadium, Anaheim
1988 Canceled due to rain Riverfront Stadium, Cincinnati
1987 Andre Dawson Chicago Cubs 4 Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum, Oakland
1986 Wally Joyner California Angels 4 Astrodome, Houston
Darryl Strawberry New York Mets
1985 Dave Parker Cincinnati Reds 6 Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome, Minneapolis

From 1985-1999 Home Run Derby consisted of only 1 round. From 2000-present it has had 3 rounds. Totals listed above are total hr's hit during that contest.

If you plan on watching tonight's Home Run Derby, can you enjoy it without questioning if it's real?