Rants

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Fri 16 Jul 2010

Selective Randomness

Posted @ 2:36 pm      {Click to post comment} (2 posted) 
Category: Rants
Q & A:
Why do I always get summoned [for jury duty] but other people don’t?
Selection is random.  If you have already responded to a summons or have already served in the past 12 months, contact your local jury office and explain that you have been summoned twice in 12 months.  It is important to contact the court to resolve the problem.
 
My first pet peeve here is that they did not answer the question.  They said “not true, but here’s some other information having nothing to do with the randomness you are addressing,” which has nothing to do with randomness but everything to do with the “12 month rule”
 
My second is, IT’S NOT RANDOM.  In theory the pool of potential jurors is all registered voters.  I know factually that in the last 18 years my wife has been called once.  I, however, have been called about 8 times AND served on 2 juries and almost a third.  I know co-workers of 18+ years that have NEVER been called – who are registered voters in my county.
 
It is not random!  If it were random, over 2 decades wouldn’t everyone’s “number” have come up even once.  There are LAWS of probabilities.  Hmmmm…. if the court would just run a analysis of the randomness of their selection (vs. assuming) they might find a very interesting fact.
 
I wonder if they understand that computers DO NOT generate truly random numbers (and consequently selections) unless there are specific algorithms written to create “apparent” randomness.  I wonder if they know that simply rebooting a computer will reset it’s random number sequence.  You heard me “random number sequence.”  Without special algorithms a computer can DUPLICATE the exact sequence of “random” numbers.
 
It is my belief that once every three years my counties court system reboots it’s computers and then the sequence of selections repeats itself.  I think I will keep a log of all names of people in my jury pool and watch them “randomly” show up with me the next time I am selected.
 
Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy jury duty even if it could be pretty difficult to replace my income with $15/day.  I also consider it a serious responsibility.  I just hate non-answers to legitimate questions.
 
I guess that’s the law.
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Wed 23 Jun 2010

The Merits of Hermitage

Posted @ 10:36 am      {Click to post comment} 
Category: Rants
Recently I headed down to my local banking establishment.  I have been a loyal customer for 17 years.  I’ve been with them since they had branches on every corner.  I’ve been with them as they shut down the branches and installed more ATM’s.  I’ve been with them as they decided that they can’t “give the personal touch” in the ATM world (read this to mean “they can’t solicit more revenue”) so they will open grocery store branches where an ATM was sufficient.
 
As I head into my local grocery store (because the bank “can’t afford” a building), I wait patiently in line to see 2 handfuls of banking employees occupying the small corner of the store.  It was an efficient operation.  Tellers, teller supervisors and account managers (or whatever their fancy title is these days) were all present.  I wait patiently in line because my withdrawal will be more than the daily limit allowed by the magic machines that make money.
 
In a very courteous, talkative manner my teller dispenses the funds from my account.  At the conclusion of the transaction she informs me and her supervisor that there is time sensitive information regarding my account that I need to know about.  The supervisor whisks me off to an office in the alcove which, surprisingly, has 4 large desks comfortably situated within its confines.  I am introduced to a “personal banker” with some magnanimous title and asked to have a seat.
 
She then asks me if I am aware of the banking changes to be enacted in August.  My response is a resounding, “It’s long overdue!”  I see subtle signs of surprise on her face.  Is she surprised that I even know what she’s talking about?  Is she surprised that I diffused her awesome lead-in to tell me how the change in law means “I won’t be protected?”  (An aside: the law I refer to is the new law on overdraft protection.  A bank may not allow overdrafts, and the subsequent charges, unless a person opts in.  In my opinion this has been a huge source of revenue for banks)
 
She informs me that she also has other ways for the bank to help me have more money.  At this I tell her I am definitely not interested.  The checking account meets my needs, thank you.  It has no fees and I can transfer finds in and out of my online savings account and it provides me debit capability.  Unless she is going to give me some money there’s not much she can help me with.
 
Why does everything have to be a sales pitch?  Why can’t I even go into my bank and withdraw MY money without being told “there’s time sensitive information regarding your account you need to hear?”
 
I wonder if I fly into a remote area of Alaska, if the wildlife will come knocking at my door asking for handouts.
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Thu 17 Jun 2010

Counter-Boycott

Posted @ 8:46 am      {Click to post comment} 
Category: Rants
How does one boycott a boycott?
 
My illustrious city (I only claim this loosely because I live in an unincorporated area) has decided to join the cities across the nation in boycotting Arizona products, services and companies.
 
It seems they are unhappy with a law going into effect in that state which is simply a law to allow enforcing the law of the land, of which all 50 states are bound.  As a reminder to my fellow Americans, the issue of  federal vs. state rights was fought and argued for the 50 years leading up to the Civil War.  Four long years and much American blood was spilled as this issue was resolved about than 150 years ago.
 
Every state in this Union should either wholeheartedly support the federal laws or aggressively lobby to have them changed while following the law.  Either way, we are duty bound to follow the law.
 
Why in the world would you boycott a state which has struggled more than most states to keep ILLEGAL immigration in check.  Do you have a better idea of how to enforce the law of the land?  Hide behind “racial profiling” if you will, but the fact is, it’s not masses of Europeans or Asians illegally entering the country from the Mexican border.  Come on, exercise some common sense.  Who else should I make sure is here legally?  It is not an issue of race, IT IS an issue of nationality.  Guess what?  Most nations are composed of people of a specific race, duh!
 
I would like a list of all municipalities and states who are boycotting Arizona and begin a boycott of my own.
 
If the real issue is immigration, please change the law – then we all have to follow that.  Yes, then if Arizona, or any others, try to resist the law of the land I’ll be there with you putting pressure on them.
 
Please don’t support only laws you support.  Support all laws.  The beauty of our democratic republic is that we, unlike most people in most times, can effect a change.  Use the system if you expect others to do the same.
 
Cool down time….
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Thu 1 Apr 2010

Finally the Day Has Arrived!

Posted @ 9:27 am      {Click to post comment} 
Category: Rants
I work up this morn and like a good citizen counted all those asleep in my house.  Sealed my census envelope and put in the post.  Now I can be counted as the .01% that followed directions.
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Tue 30 Mar 2010

The Census, Again!

Posted @ 7:02 am      {Click to post comment} 
Category: Rants
I am just dumbfounded.  Read the following excerpt:
 

April 1 confusion

[...]
 
Many Houstonians, meanwhile, say they haven’t returned their forms yet because of the first question:
 
“How many people were living or staying in this house, apartment or mobile home on April 1, 2010?”
 
In e-mails to the Houston Chronicle responding to a census story last week, about two dozen Houston area residents said this question had caused them to wait before mailing back their forms.
Some said they weren’t certain of the answer, since an elderly family member might die or a woman was expecting a baby any day. Others simply felt uncomfortable answering a question posed in the past tense about a future date.
 
Judy Ruhlin of Houston said she was surprised the return rate so far wasn’t zero percent.
“I’m not expecting anyone in my household to die or move out by April 1, and I’m not expecting any births or new members, but I won’t really know until April 1,” Ruhlin wrote. “My form will be mailed out April 1.”
 
I don’t live in Houston.  I take the census seriously.  I feel uncomfortable answering a question posed in the past tense for a future date.  I will return my census after I do my count on April 1st.
 
It’s good not to be alone.
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Thu 25 Mar 2010

Told You!

Posted @ 11:23 am      {Click to post comment} 
Category: Rants
Yesterday I poked fun at myself for my inability to deviate from directions.  Well, to be honest I poked fun at you all who say what difference does it make anyway – but that was really my pointing a finger at you because of MY own “Monk” moment.
 
Today it’s your turn.  I posted a summarized sentence or two on my FaceBook account and received the most comments I’ve every received on a FB post.  Guess what.  More than half responded on whatever topic they felt was relevant without actually getting my point.  Or maybe they did but chose to ignore what I had to say and post their thoughts on my FB anyway.
 
Regardless of cause – looks like I got a better percentage of return than the Census Bureau got early returns.
 
I’ll laugh when on April 2nd & 3rd & 4th a rash of “rule followers’” surveys are received.  Vindicated at last.  And then there’s the 20% that threw the thing away.

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Wed 24 Mar 2010

Stuck! What Should I Do?

Posted @ 11:09 am      {Click to post comment} 
Category: Rants
I recently received my decennial census survey.  Me, being the patriotic, constitutional honoring citizen that I am, immediately proceed to complete the survey.  I’m not too sure whether the information gathered goes beyond the intent of the founding fathers in requiring a simple count, but that’s for another day.
 
OK, so I begin to fill out the form and it asks me for a count of people living in my home on April 1, 2010.  Believe it or not I have a pretty good guess of who will be living in my home on that date.  I understand the intent of the question as it pertains to NOT double-counting someone who may move out on March 31st and be counted and move into a new residence on April 1s and be counted.  It all makes sense.
 
BUT I am unable to comply with completing the form.  Why?  For one I cannot foretell the future.  Sure am 99.99999% sure I know.  But will the house even be standing on April 1st?  Things completely unforeseen may occur before that date.  My brain is unable to move forward until April 1st arrives.  A little “Monk?” definitely!  But not without valid reasoning as I explained.
 
My guess is the form was created by a committee of right-brained people who said, “hmmm… how do we make sure someone is not counted twice?”  In their tunnel vision they put me in a quandary.
 
Last week I decided to put the form aside to be completed on April 1st.  That is, after all, what any compliant citizen would do, right?  Now today I find out that 16% of the surveys have already been returned.  16%!!!  Didn’t they read the directions?  What does this make me look like?  I say mail those surveys right back with a big red stamp that says, “We’re sorry but it is not April 1st, therefore you could not have possibly read the directions.  Please fill out for BB-1984 to request a pardon and request a new survey on form CENSUS-2010(2nd try)”
 
Should I immediately go home and complete the form?  Now what do I do?
 
Wouldn’t life have been easier if the surveys arrived in my home on April 1st (or shorter THEREAFTER) and asked me to specify the count on April 1st?  Wouldn’t everyone be happy and no one forced to become a fortune teller?  Would the count be as accurate?  Wouldn’t we reinforce the concept of following directions?
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Mon 1 Jun 2009

Additional Security?

Posted @ 7:28 am      {Click to post comment} (1 posted) 
Category: Rants

Does no one but see the problem with those “for your additional security questions?”

Ding! Ding! Red flags, bells, alarms and sirens are going off!

What is your mothers maiden name? What is the name of your firstborn? How much did you make in your first year of work?

Very soon there will be a VAST array of personal data collected for each and everyone of us. And all this is so we’ll be protected? Tell me how putting every personal detail of my life in database after database will protect me? We these companies arrogant enough to imply that they’ll never have their security breached? We all know there’s a chance. Where there’s a lock, there’s a locksmith.

I can’t believe the security heads can’t get together and find another way that ensures I am me that will no further risk even greater damage to my personal information should their security be breached.

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