The Web Week That Was v3

Fire Be Damned, I Want My Chico's! -El Paso Times
Sir, You May Have an Alcohol Problem -Las Cruces Sun-News
He Heard There Were No DUI Checkpoints on the Train -Dlisted (via Towleroad)
Some of Barack Obama's Congressional Accomplishments. In Brief -YouTube

At Least You Can Stand By Your Decision

Ann-Marie: Are you an Obama or Clinton supporter?

Steve: Well, I don't really care as long as one of them wins. But I think I'm more aligned with Obama.

Ann-Marie: Why?

Steve: For the most inappropriate reasons. I think he's charismatic and can inspire people. But I know he has shit for experience.

Overheard in Ann-Marie's Office.

McCain Pulls a John Edwards, Shouts "Look at Me! Look at Me!"

I've become too cynical regarding politics, I believe.

The New York Times posted a story dated February 21, 2008 regarding possible inproprieties Senator and Presidential hopeful John McCain had with lobbyist Vicki Iseman.

My take:

A) The New York Times already endorsed McCain, they don't really have that strong an interest in dragging his name through the mud.

B) The beginnings of this story started way back in December, prior to the Iowa Caucuses and New Hampshire Primaries. Very interesting that the big blow up didn't happen until after McCain was the true front-runner for the GOP's nomination.

C) Since McCain's status as front-runner has been sealed, he's been receiving a lot less press than his Democratic colleagues. And is it not fishy (if not just a little interesting) that this story breaks on the day of what could be the most important Democratic debate?

I would not think twice if I heard that McCain's camp is just a little bit more responsible for pushing the NYT into publishing this today - considering that now that it has, his face has been plastered on a lot more websites and newsprograms.

Random Ass Wednesdays v3

Location: 31° 39' 7.4154" N, -106° 16' 2.28" W

That Pie Chart Sure is Purty

On Monday, the El Paso Times ran a story with the headline "Richard Wiles preferred heavily in race for sheriff." The story led off with this graphic:


Isn't it a pretty picture?! Riddle me this - what does the fine print say? Click here if you can't read it. Here's a summary: 350 likely voters were polled with a +/- 5.5%. Here's what I have to say about that -

1. The 2006 population (estimated) of El Paso county is 736,310. Simple math shows the sample size for this poll was only 0.05% of the entire county.

2. Plus/Minus 5.5% - You've gotta be kidding me!

3. The Reuel Group (the firm responsible for administering the poll) allows users the option of creating customized voter lists, totally negating any type of "random" sample that may occur. Or at least throwing the concept of "random sampling" into a realm open to criticism. And, while I cannot confirm, it is rumored that the group themselves have publicly endorsed Wiles. That stench you smell is what I like to call "conflict of interest."

4. Does anyone else see a problem in polling likely voters as opposed to registered voters? Here's why they have to print it that way - you see, these polls are conducted via automated telephone calls (you know, the type that say "To elect a douchebag, press 1. To come to your senses, press 2.") Yeah, my 2 year old cousin can pick up a phone and press numbers. The methodology also causes one to ask, "Which candidate did they chose to be option 1?"

5. In the body of the story, the Times reports that if you removed the percentage of voters who chose "Don't Know" Wiles would have the support of 56% of the remaining people polled. Do you want to know what that math equals? 145 people which equals 0.02% of the county population. I wouldn't necessarily brag about that.

Let this be a lesson to you folks - pretty pictures don't necessarily make the best things on which to base your opinions. Unless you want to trust a second rate news source. And then you have to remember - you get what you pay for.

In Dreamland v15

i was a prince in an arranged marriage. as soon as i was crowned king a group attacked the castle. my father (not my real father), the former king would have nothing to do with it so i had to assemble a group of 14 knights to defend the castle.

"Liars Figure, Figures Lie"

A report in the El Paso Times Sunday reports that overall crime rates in El Paso are down. I'll let you read the article and discern what you wish.

I'll tell you this though (it's a little bit of logic, so turn your brain on): If the EPPD is currently down by a reported 300 officers, wouldn't it stand to prove that there are less officers to take reports resulting in less crimes being reported?

Again, the transitive property rears its ugly head.

The Web Week That Was v2

Partnership Benefits Legislation Tabled -Las Cruces Sun-News
The Potomac Has Spoken -CNN
Larry Craig Get's a Stern Talkin' To -CNN
Good-bye, Monica Seles -ESPN
Potential Presidential Pardon for Clemens? -Sports Illustrated
Priest Confirmed to be HIV+ -El Paso Times

Lesbians 2, Cops/Soldiers/Firefighters -5.5

Last night Wilson's keys got locked in his truck. While it was running. At the 7-Eleven.

The clerk called the Fire Department telling us they would jimmy the door open since the truck was running. We called and then proceeded to try to open it ourselves.

An hour, a wire hanger, two store clerks, a security guard, two random passersby, and one cop with the magic device later we managed to open the door. The cop was merely there to provide the tools as the security guard was the one who actually opened the door.

The best part about the whole situation was after we were done we thanked the security guard (who was off duty and just wanted a coke from the store). She replied, "I always stop to help family."

Oh, and as we were pulling out, the fire department showed up.

I heard this song on my way home and had a major 80s flashback. It has nothing to do with anything that happened but made me happy:

Random Ass Wednesdays v2

random glove

Location: 43 42'12" N 72 17'19" W

42 Examples of How My Dog Doesn't Care That I Have a Sore Throat

42 cough drops

Yes, those are cough drops. Cough drops that were wrapped in their little paper wrappers. Wrapped in their little paper wrappers sealed in their ziploc bag.

The ziploc bag and the little paper wrappers were no match for my dog and his determination to eat their yummy menthol sugary goodness.

The Web Week That Was

This week I enjoyed:

Love is The Best Celebration -Gawker
Super Fat Tuesday -CNN
Welcome Home, Soldiers -El Paso Times
TVs and Dishes and Scratched Testicles, Oh My! -Las Cruces Sun-News
Bait & Tackle Got the Ol' Bait & Switch -The Round Up
A New Med School -El Paso Times
No Gays, No Blood -The Daily Free Press (via Towleroad.)
The Rebates are Coming, The Rebates are Coming! -CNN Money

Not Before He Kicks Your Ass

Alfredo: Where is my mentor today?

Ann-Marie: Daniel?

Alfredo: Yeah.

Ann-Marie: He's out sick.

Alfredo: [deadpan] Is he going to die?

Overheard in Ann-Marie's Office

Random Ass Wednesdays v1

random glove

A new feature. Every once and a while I run into the most random objects. I used to just focus on gloves, as did Brian over at Lost Glove Chronicles. Then I decided to just focus on random items.

Here's the first glove I ran into a few years back.

Location: 43 42'12" N 72 17'19" W

In Dreamland v14

wilson and i were running an organization geared toward getting non u.s. citizens prepared for citizenship. we billed it as one stop shopping - we provided language tutoring, driving tests, study guides for the entrance exams and general tutorials on the american culture.

Minor Surgery!

In an earlier post I talked about having to go to the doctor. I went to the dermatologist yesterday to get this bump on my arm looked at.

This bump has been with me for a little over a year, close to two. At first I thought it was an ingrown hair - the skin around it was sore like an ingrown hair - only when I tried to dig it out I just bled. So I let it be and, eventually, it became painless and I kind of forgot about it.

That is, until about a month ago it became a little discolored. So I figured I would have a professional look at it instead of my friends and co-workers whose only comments on it were, "Huh. You should get that checked out."

So I went in today and had the doc take a look at it. She felt around and irony of all ironies guess what she said ... "huh."

Yeah, never the exact phrase you want to hear from a doctor. The befuddled, puzzled sound of "huh." She even said, "I kind of thought I knew what I was going to be dealing with, but this isn't it." She then tells me I could schedule an appointment for "a little surgery" or we could cut it out today. I was thinking, "a little surgery?" This isn't like the parmesan cheese guy at Olive Garden - "Would you like some cheese?" "A little." No, this is surgery. So I opted for the "cut it out today" option. I didn't want to take the chance that I would convince myself not to go back.

So she gives me a local and proceeds to hack into my arm to retrieve the aforementioned "huh" foreign object. After she took it out she told me it may be a foreign body granuloma. Sounds scarier than it is. Basically some type of foreign body (a piece of glass, a grain of sand) entered my body and in response my body formed this "cyst" around it. I guess I'm pretty thankful for that part as I don't think I would be too fond of a shard of glass floating around my body. Anyway, we're both befuddled as to how it got in there, but it's out now. (To be honest I have some theories, as does Wilson, but we won't get into that now.)

I find out in a week what it actually is. In the meantime I have three stitches to tend to and a what I'm hoping will be a boss scar in the making.

Oh and regarding the discoloration, it was more than likely scar tissue due to the size of the cyst.

My biggest trepidation/stressor at this point, however: pulling the band aid - and my arm hair - off every night.

In Dreamland v13

in real life i have a bump on my arm i'm getting checked out at the doctor.

in my dream i was sitting in the doctor's office waiting to be seen. only it wasn't an office, it my grandmother's back porch. and for some reason she was massaging my legs and found four more of those bumps.

Lurkers, Peepers and Show Offs

One of the things I find most amusing about pointless blogs like mine is that I'm obsessed with knowing whether or not people actually read it.

So, if you read it - leave a comment!

Think of it this way - if I were an exhibitionist and you were a peeping Tom, I, as the exhibitionist would want to know. By me knowing that you were watching I would be spurned to perform better, therefore you, the peeping Tom, would get a better show.

It's all about motivation really.

Current music: Gregoria talking and laughing in her cubicle across the way.
Music that got me through traffic this morning: Talk To Me, Dance With Me by Hot Hot Heat