New site

I've launched a new site for all of you who listen to Big 105.9FM (and The Gater's) morning show, The Paul and Young Ron Show.

You Can't Win.Net

It is a site I'm putting up for their game show, You Can't Win. I will try to listen every day and update the site each day (there are some days I've missed because of work).

I have a list of all of the answers for questions one though three and all of the "wrong" answers plus little hints that were deliberately (and inadvertently) by the cast, staff, and callers.

Right now, I have a feeling I know what the answer to question #4 is just by listening every day and maintaining the list.

The morning show is based out of Big 105.9FM out of Miramar, FL but is also simulcast in West Palm Beach though The Gater, 98.7 FM so their reach is from Key Largo to Stuart, Florida (rumored to be as far south as Islamorada and as far north as Yeehaw Junction). Tune each weekday morning around 7:30 (usually between 7:20 and 8:00AM) and remember, you can win!

Crazy people at the airport...

I was at the airport yesterday waiting for my wife to arrive and, as usual, there was an interesting array of people there.

First, some loud mouthed guy on his cell phone non-stop. High teens low to mid 20s age, acting all tough on his phone. He’s telling his friends that he’s pissed because they wouldn’t let him into the terminal.. He said he was there to pick up a child (with no documentation), he tried to pass off a piece of paper as a ticket, they still wouldn’t let him in. Then, he claims that he told them they’d better let him in or else he’d “kick their asses”. Uh-huh, if you even came close to that your ass would be in a back room in the airport being drilled by security and the local police department. He’s also talking down to some girl (probably his GF that he keeps her self esteem crushed so she’d stay with him).

Karma caught up to him. His mom called, they were stuck on the tarmac because someone got sick and they needed the CDC to clear the plane. HA HA! He was telling her to fake being sick. Yeah, that’ll work, that’ll just make them wait longer.

A couple came in from the terminal with a small child. The mother went to the rest room and the father was too busy on his cell phone to notice that their child was standing at the top of the down escalator playing, and blocking people from going downstairs to baggage claim. I was hoping that the father would drop his cell phone down to the first floor (I don’t want to see the kid get hurt from his own ignorance).

Of course some other bratty kid came up to me and demanded that I give him my Nintendo DS. Yeah, right. No, it’s not your turn. It’s my DS that I bought with my own money. Learn some manners. Of course he goes crying off to his mommy who told him I was being a “mean man”. Fine lady, can I have that laptop in your bag? No? You’re being mean. Like hell I’m going to give a Nintendo DS (that I was using at the time, BTW) to a completely strange kid (plus, kid’s mom, didn’t you ever teach your kids to NOT talk to strangers? If I was a pedophile I could have easily lured that kid away into my car while you were being completely ignorant of the situation and he would be GONE. Obviously chatting on your cell phone is far more important than your child).

I also love watching people argue with security. Pay attention to the rules people. No, you cannot bring that bottle of water onto the plane. You say its water but how can they know? Yes, the knives are for cutting steak but guess what, they are NOT going onto the plane (and arguing with security will NOT get you anywhere so don’t even continue arguing). Wisen up people. Also, DO NOT LEAVE YOUR BAGS UNATTENDED. Almost every time I go to the airport security is a few seconds away from closing the terminal because some moronic ass-muncher leaves a bag on the floor (like when going though the zigzag line at security). Of course, at the last second someone just picks it up and acts like nothing happened. Maybe these people should be pulled aside and fully strip searched (cavity search time!). Maybe that will teach them to just leave their bags and risk tens of thousands of travelers getting to where they need to go on time.

Don’t get me wrong, there were dozens of happy reunions (including mine). People were very happy to see each other (I couldn’t get the opening scene of “Dogma” out of my mind with Ben Affleck and Matt Damon). It gave me a warm feeling in my heart. Either that or my heartburn was acting up again. 

Of course driving in and out of the airport is a living hell, too. People who can’t figure out the self-pay lanes in the parking garage, people slamming on their breaks on the highway that goes around the airport and jumping across 3 lanes. People who drive by the terminal then slam on their breaks to pull across 4 lanes of traffic so they can drop someone off (did you not notice the pretty colors or the huge terminal numbers?). Leaving is dangerous enough. Even with police there stopping traffic to let pedestrians walk across the road people still fly though almost hitting us. Morons.

CNN - you are diusgusting

Not only does your latest ploy prove that you are selling out it shows your lack of sensitivity towards people.

In case you don't know what I'm talking about, take a look at this picture:



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Yes, that is a t-shirt you can buy with CNN's headlines on it. Not only are they profiting off of the news, they are merchandising other people's misery, a luxury previously only enjoyed by our insurance agencies.

This one (in the picture) is "Hit and run cop nailed by own dash cam". OK, this one isn't too bad but I actually saw one earlier today that said "hundreds feared dead from Myanmar typhoon". Um, you want to sell t-shirts that promote a natural disaster that hundreds of people have died in and get 100% of the proceeds from it?

I honestly can't think of anything lower, more evil, and selfish than any company has done in a very long time. Just when I thought things couldn't get more thoughtless, they come out with this.

I guess it is time to find another news site.

Tips for auction site buyers

Online auctions part two: For the buyers

Auctions wouldn’t work without the buyers (hell, any kind of selling won’t work without buyers). Buyers work with sellers to reach a price that is mutually beneficial for both parties. Yesterday I posted advice and hints on how people should post their items for sale in auctions, today I’ll visit the other side.

Buyers also need to be aware of inadvertent practices that can be rude and annoy sellers. Follow a few tips and you’ll be sure not only get good buyer ratings but also respect from a seller which may give you better prices down the road.

First, low-ballers.

I’m talking about the people who see an item and bid ridiculously low prices for the item. Someone posts a new car for sale and someone bids $1. Not only will you most likely not even be considered for the auction, but sometimes it can be a slap in the face to the seller or may be a target of ridicule from the rest of the community. Be reasonable; bid the lowest you think you’ll be able to buy the item for.

Mind open reserve prices and opening bids.

If someone posts that an opening bid is $500, don’t go in and bid $200, it just shows that you’re not paying attention to the auction. This will hurt your credibility.

Ask questions!

It is a buyer beware world out there. If at any point you are unsure about an item, the quality, etc.. ask. An honest seller will answer your question truthfully. If you bid on something and it turns out to not be what you thought it was (other than false advertising and misrepresentation) you only have yourself to blame. You will lose any protest because you should always ask questions before you commit to buying the item. Ask ask ask! (And sellers, respond to questions!).

Complete your sales.

This goes for buyers and sellers. Nothing is more annoying to one side than the other side backing out after an agreement is reached. It doesn’t matter the reason, it is still annoying to the side stuck with an incomplete sale.

Don’t be a crybaby.

Don’t post on forums complaining about a price or the product. You’re not the one selling it. If you don’t like the price, then don’t bid on it. If you don’t like the quality, then don’t bid on it. Nothing annoys a whole community more than a crybaby complaining that something is too expensive or not what they want. If it is set up to be too expensive, if the demand isn’t there then the seller won’t sell it.

Payment plans are not an option.

Unless you arranged this with the seller before you started to bid on an item, do not think you’ll be able to have a monthly payment plan to buy something. Have the cash on hand to buy what you want.

Leave honest feedback.

(This also goes for buyers and sellers) After all is said and done, you paid and you got your item and it is to your satisfaction, leave appropriate feedback to the other party involved. This helps them build a reputation and chances are they’ll leave feedback for you if you leave them feedback.

Disagreements and issues

(Another item that is for both parties). Do not air disagreements out in the open. Start with private messages. Things happen, that’s part of life. You could have agreed to a sale but in the time between then and when you send your payment something could have happened, they could have gotten busy, they could be sick or injured, or worst. Starting right off the bat flaming them publicly will not produce any good results. If private messages don’t work then take it to a public forum. Be respectful and honest but do not include personal information (other than a username). Stay away from personal attacks. Again, stick with the facts, “I paid on this day and never got it”, “I sent them a private message and they didn’t respond in several days” etc..

I doubt that my little blog here will drastically improve the auction process on many sites but hopefully people read these and did learn something. 