A waste of bits and bandwidth

Well this has been a fantastic day. If fantastic can be described as being thwarted at every turn. I start out by attempting to open an account with a credit union. Should be simple enough; I’ve done my research but I have a few questions.

I call in at my local branch and don’t really learn anything that I didn’t know before arriving there. Me: “Hmmm… this hasn’t been very helpful but OK.” Her: “Would you you like to open an account?” Me: “Um, I guess…” Her: “Here’s my card, call back later to see if we can set up and appointment for you.” Me: *blank stare* “I need an appointment? Is this really involved or something? I already know what I want” Her: “Saturday is really busy, Monday would be better.” Better for who?

Not what I expected from an organization that freely promotes tree-hugging, the benfits of tofu and granola as well as generally sticking it to the man. I leave, noting that my jaw is slightly tight.

Next stop, the mental deficients of a well known electronics retailer. I saw there was a sale on RAM and thought what the hell… OS X loves RAM why not grab another stick? Now my plan is to go in, hopefully grab the RAM and slip away to the main checkout, unnoticed. The last time I was there I was told that “You’re not allowed to wander around the store with unpurchased merchandise.” “I’ll take my chances…”

Having fallen victim to said mental deficients at this well known electronics retailer, I was careful to check the website to ensure that they actually had the RAM in stock. Yep, we’re go for liftoff. Great. Arriving there I can’t find the RAM in the rack. “Shit, I’m going to have to engage one of these idiots”

I tell Buddy what I’m looking for and he procedes to look through the same display that I had just combed over. Me: “The website said you had this in stock” Him: “The website isn’t always that accurate” Me: “Apparently” Him: “I’ll check in the back” Me: *jaw tightening*

He returns and says that there’s nothing in the back but decides to check his inventory… Him: “That’s funny, it shows I have 2 in stock…” Me: *jaw fully locked* “Yeah that’s really *#^%@ funny, particularly when I went out of my way to come here after checking that you had it in stock (a bald face lie but really, who cares?).”

At this point he started to well-up a little and I realized that I shouldn’t be taking out past, poor experiences on a mentally deficient retail clerk. I offered him a tissue and requested a rain check.

Defeated, I stopped off at an office supply store for, well, office supplies. That went reasonably well. The only negative was a middle aged security guard that was obviously suspicious of me. I could understand that; I was just wandering around and maybe it seemed that I was up to something. The problem was his BO. Which followed him and therefore me, everywhere.

On my way out I decide that some lunch might be in order. After placing my order, I stand there waiting for my beverage. The girl looks at me like this is my first time ordering lunch and tells me that I pick it up at the end of the counter.

I think it odd that everyone else got their beverage but that mine will be delivered with my meal. Sure enough, no beverage. I return to the clerk and point out the error of her ways and she gives me the once over. “Yeah, I already drank it but it makes me feel better about myself if I can screw you out of 79 cents…”

Well, that’s my Saturday. How’s yours?

Poor Biff. Hot summer days in a land far away, with nothing to do but get corked and idly gamble. Life is hard for dear Biff.

I’m miffed as I left a comment, suitably cutting and sarcastic, on this post. Slowly, I crafted my comment. Editing it over again to include yet another witty, though fairly obvious observation on his ‘plight’.

Satisfied with my work, I moved my cursor to the Submit button… “Oh this is gonna be good… He totally left himself open! You fool!!”

*snicker* *click* *giggle*

WTF? Where is my comment? *F5* What the hell? I spent so much time… So many shots per line, the sarcasm, how can this be?

Gone. My wonderful comment was to be enjoyed by me and me alone. Such a shame. Sheepishly I closed my browser and crawled under the bed to rue what might have been…

New, alternative browser Flock has finally been released. My attempts to get an earlier beta version were firmly rebuffed despite my best efforts.

If you haven’t heard of Flock, there are a few articles that will bring you up to speed: Wired, Business Week, Paul Stamatiou.com and Solution Watch.

It’s based on the Firefox 1.5 beta but offers a much more friendly, Web 2.0 view of the net. I fooled around with the mac version before work and continued at work with the Windows version. I found it mildly amusing that the Windows version only offered to import Internet Explorer favorites. Any one who is still using that POS has no intention of switching to a new browser. Certainly not one as new and untried as this one.

From what I’ve been reading it’s not too stable and they have labeled it a ‘developer version 0.4.9′ so crashes should be expected. Still it looks really cool and integrates nicely with a number of web services like del.icio.us, Flickr and the world of blogs.

It’s not ready for prime time just yet but it looks promising. I think I’ll start to test the nightly builds much as I did in the early days of what was to become Firefox. It’s been a long time since I’ve done that but I still have my Bugzilla account. I think.

A weekend of geeking out is afoot…

Working downtown is always fun. Lots of things to see and do and all right outside your office door.

So today I was out for my usual afternoon Spanky break, when I came across an actual take down. Two cops came screaming down Granville and onto Nelson. They turned off their sirens as they made the turn making me think they were simply avoiding traffic.

The light turns green at Howe and they put their lights on but they don’t move and neither do any of the other cars. “Hmmm… maybe something’s afoot” The light goes red and they lurch across the intersection, nearly running over some guy. He seemed very determined to cross the intersection now that the little white man was flashing despite the fact there was a Crown Victoria bearing down on him.

Having blocked a car, they hop out and draw their guns “Let me see your hands! Don’t move!” which must be an interesting statement to hear from someone pointing a gun at you. All I was thinking was ‘Ooh, how cool; an actual take down and me without my camera’. A crowd quickly gathered and we talked amongst ourselves while buddy cuffed and frisked.

He didn’t look like a skid; I imagine he fancied himself something of a player given how he was dressed but whatever. No matter what he did, you know he’s walking the streets tonight…

Well, not really but the effect is the same. I get to work Friday morning and there’s no power on the lower 15 floors. “Oh well, I guess I could have slept a bit longer…”

Once upstairs, those who were in decide to go to White Spot on Georgia for some breakfast. I mention the name and location because I was served a large, black hair with a waffle underneath it. Nice. Very appetizing…

We got a call and were told to go home as they weren’t going to have power until the end of the day. “It’s just like a snow day!” I promptly went home and had a nap.

This morning I was in the area of the office and dropped in as it seemed pretty dark in the lobby. Still no power and notices everywhere saying that it won’t be back on Monday either. “Holy… whatta storm!”

I imagine that someone’s head is gonna roll over this. For now, I don’t plan to go in until I hear that there is power. So I relax. Until Tuesday. When I realize I have to do 6 days work in 4 days.

Freakin’ snow…