Shqipo's Virtual Mumblings

No, mine wasn't really that eventful. But so many things happening in the world, it's hard to comment on all of them - and hard not to comment on some of them. So I'll give it a try:

1. Lazy French

Protests and strikes have engulfed France, again, for a few days now, reaching the climax today with about 1 million people protesting around the country. The protesters, mostly (or all of them) young people are demanding that the government abolish a new law which will make it easier for employers to fire people under 26 during the first two years of their employment.

Apparently, up to now, if a French employer hired some lazy dumb ass fresh out of school, he/she is stuck with this lazy one forever! Either I have become too "Americanized," or the French have lost their logic. It looks to me that the new national motto of France should be "Lazy dudes, unite!" or "Proletars of the world, unite - in France!"

It's a major mistake to think Russia was the first communist country in the world because France, although "officially" a capitalist society, is indeed the most socialist one. From what I've heard and read, employees have an enormous amount of power and rights. A 40-hour week was too much for them, so they asked to be reduced to 35 hours, and when last year the gov't wanted to abolish that, unions went on strike. French also enjoy the most days off. Now, I'm not suggesting that the American way, where 40 hours is almost a part-time job and people give back their vacation days is right either. But c'mon Frenchies, you already enjoy all these benefits, now you want permanent job security as well? What kind of sense does that make? No wonder your unemployment rate is among the highest in Europe at over 10% and no wonder your economy is spiraling down faster than a coin tossed from the Eiffel Tour.

Pathetic crying babies.

2. "I'm working to become a new man"

Judge sentenced the infamous politician corrupter Jack Abramoff to only almost 6 years in prison, the minimum sentence for what he did. Do I think he got off too easy? Hell yeah! Look at the kind of people these @ssholes are, once they see danger, they rush to make deals. So he made a deal to collaborate with "Justice" and tell about all the politicians he's worked with.

On the other hand, I don't think he's the one who should be jailed. As I've mentioned before, he didn't twist any politicians' arm. Well, OK, with the exception of the former owner of SunCruz casinos fleet who was found dead. But, seriously, he never forced any politician to take his money. He found a market and he used it.

But, what makes me laugh is this: "Abramoff told U.S. District Judge Paul C. Huck that he had "started the process of becoming a new man. I am much chastened and profoundly remorseful. I can only hope that the Almighty and those I have wronged will forgive my trespasses."" How is it possible that he wasn't chastened when he was taking money left and right and living the good life? I can guarantee you that his prayers to the Almighty during that time were quite a bit different, such as "God, please help me make millions of dollars and cheat those stupid Indians" or something of that nature. It's just like those hippies who were atheistic all their young life, didn't see a sober day and then, as they aged and realized they need to get a job to survive, they became "born-again Christians."

Bravo judge for falling for his crocodile tears.

After a 3 or so months hiatus (brother visiting from overseas and all), I started working out again. It feels good, it feels like I have more energy and don't feel as sluggish as before. "Free time" has become almost non-existent but I have to find the time to maintain my health.

Right now I'm doing just weights 3 times a week but next week need to start the other exercises (jump rope, etc. - not disclosing them all here :)) so I can go back to my old 5 day/week routine. I even changed my weight-lifting routine so muscles don't get used to the same old exercises. For almost two years I did arms on Monday and Friday, and chest and back on Wednesday. Now I decided to do all groups on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Let's see how it goes, since I have no plans to compete in any body building contests :)

Decided to change eating routine as well. It's been a couple of years that Eda has changed meal orders to "American/Western style" but I want to go back to the "Albanian style" and looks like it's working for the past 10 days or so. Growing up in Albania, lunch would be the largest/heaviest meal of the day, while dinner, eaten around 8:30, would be light. So we're trying to do the same, with meats and such consumed during lunch, while we have salads, soups or yoghurt for dinner. Feels good.

I hope I never become a fat - er.. "overweight" lazy slob!

March 21st is supposed to be the date of the vernal equinox (or spring equinox), marking the beginning of astronomical spring. Well, it's good they've specified it what type of Spring it is cause that fancy astronomical one surely is a foreign name here in Michigan.

Saturday morning greeted me with a light blanket of snow and slippery roads. Nothing really unusual for this part of the Northern Hemisphere. Driving to teach at 7 AM proved to be a more hair-raising experience than expected, however. I was going around a curve at relatively low speed (40 mph) when I feel the back of my car sliding away. That stretch of the road is very close to a lake and looks like moisture had frozen. It sure caught me by surprise (I was dreaming about spring!) but got it under control.

A big Dodge truck (4x4...) wasn't that lucky, however. A couple of miles later, as I was taking merging into another street (Telegraph Rd.), this truck in front of me decided to speed up and...guess what? Yes, he slid out of control. The moron was on the phone and cut his steering wheel too sharp to correct his sliding (which you should never do) and continued to slide from one slide to another in front of other cars until finally made a 160° turn and ended up in the ditch. Good thing it was early Saturday morning and there weren't that many cars on the road. I had to be careful to avoid him.

10 minutes later, I think it was the same truck who got behind me... the guy still on his cell phone.

Can't wait for spring!

A couple of days ago, my trusted Gillette Sensor razor finally gave up - not the blade cause I've gone through several those, but the "system" (in simpler words: the handle). It served me well for a few years but I guess they don't make them to last. Now that I think about it, what if Toyota built razors?

Anyway. So I went to the store to get a new one. I didn't want a Mach3 Turbo or any of the "fancy" vibrating ones, just another Sensor Excel. As I was looking for it, I noticed this new one from Gillette called Fusion. Yes, it did have 5 (five) blades!

I guess Gillette, being the first one to start adding blades as a marketing ploy, was caught by surprise when it's rival, Schick, was the first one to introduce 4 blades. So Gillette jumped from 3 to 5 blades. Actually 6 blades, because this new one has an extra blade on the back to level sideburns, etc. That's the only useful feature I find in this Fusion.

Gillette claims that by moving their blades 30% closer than Mach3 Turbo, Fusion can shave better. Well, maybe. I see that narrower gap as a problematic one because it can get clogged much faster, harder to clean. But that's just my opinion.

Is it just me or has this "razor war" gone a little too far? When will it stop? I'm not going to buy this Fusion one... I'll wait till they come out with a 14 blade razor so I can shave my (non-existent) fur!

Just kidding. I'll stick to my Sensor Excel, it does it's job just fine.

I need a vacation. I'm not talking a 3-day business trip or one that is supposedly "vacation" but ends up more frustrating than a regular day at home/work.

I just need to get away, far far away from everything that I know or knows me. Somewhere warm, beautiful and peaceful where nothing will remind me of reality, where there are no electronics, no nagging, and no stress of any kind, a place where I'd be able to just relax and clear my exploding head from all this pressure.

I really need a vacation. Then reality punches me in the face.

I have to admit: I do not look at the glass as half full. I try, however, not to look at it as half empty either.

Now that I think about it, using this glass example to determine people's view of life, is an idiotic way. I'm not a trained psychologist, but sounds to me like this "measurement tool" was invented by an alcoholic Ph.D. What about people who try to view life as it is, with its happy and sad moments and not just all optimistic or all pessimistic? Where do they fit? Or they're just mutant species?

There's this co-worker (and former student of mine - although about 10 years or so older than me) who tries to "radiate" his positive attitude everywhere he goes. Whenever people ask him (to be polite, I'm sure) how he is, his cliche response is "I am just great! Is there any other way to be?" Sometimes I just fake a smile and say something "nice" in response. Sometimes I just want to yell at him "stop your fokin' fake shit!"

To make matters more pathetic, during one of our boring meetings, this man held a presentation of how to be successful and was trying to convince us how, when someone really loves his/her work, then it's not work anymore, it's fun and one can go on and on working many hours a day. His idea of studying to be successful was 16-18 hours a day, every day! And (here comes the funny part) is being told by someone like him who took 10 years to finish college!

All he talks about (those times I'm stuck at my desk with him nearby) is some leadership/motivational/Amway crap. He's even opening a business to do "leadership" seminars! How can I warn those poor souls who will spend money to listen to his bullshit?

Another co-worker of mine and I are convinced that he is trying to cover up some serious issues with his fake happy mask. He probably has had a rough past and issues with self-esteem and probably went to one (or more) of those "motivational" seminars and got this mask. I really feel bad for him. I've never experienced it myself but I've heard that those who use Cocaine, feel pretty damn high and good, but then suffer from a major crash of depression. I'm not suggesting this person sniffs, just an analogy what may happen if one day his mask just falls apart.

But, he's not the only one with this fake positive attitude. We have it all around, and here in the US is the only way to be if you want to be successful and liked. You hear it everywhere how one needs to be positive and super-nice, not just for ourselves, but because people we interact with need not be disturbed. I don't think it's so outrageous when we find grocery store employees not throwing smiles your way: they're actually doing something good for their health.
According to this new research, people who fake happiness are at a serious risk of harming their health. I guess I've said enough.

Two days ago I tried this new place to get a haircut, called Lady Jane's. A friend of mine I work with recommended it so I thought I'd give it a try. For some reasons, I just can't seem to find a good hair dresser at a reasonable price. Yes, I'm a bit paranoid about my look (am I shallow?), especially my hair. C'mon, is it too much to ask for a decent cut at less than $10? OK, I'm exaggerating it a little - how about $15?

So this place is pretty much a barber shop that offers $15 haircuts for men. Except that... the "barbers" are actually women... . It looks like some investors have opened up several of these shops around Metro Detroit. And they sure tried to make them as men-friendly as possible: the "barbers" are young women, bleached hair, push-up bras and showing some skin. When I entered the shop, I was confused cause I thought I had accidentally entered a Discount Tire or something similar. There were tires (yes, real ones) everywhere on the waiting area, with big Laz-y-Boys and big screen TVs. It looked like a NASCAR stop -pit. When you sit down, there are two smaller TVs on each side (front) showing different trashy Jerry Springer like shows or/and sports.

I have to say whoever came up with this concept is quite smart. What I mentioned above, combined with a dim light, not only appeal to a certain group of men, but it also distracts customers to see the quality of haircut they're getting.

My haircut was OK, not too bad, although, since I'm picky, I had a couple of complaints. BUT, because of the stupid lighting, I couldn't see them when I was there but discovered them when I got home. Arrgh! I'll give it another try though.

Yesterday was a more than full day - not that the others aren't, but this meant that I was at "other locations" all day long.

Spent most of the day (8:30 AM - 4:30 PM) at a Photoshop seminar. It was OK, Most of the stuff wasn't new to me, but there were a few interesting tricks which looked like the "instructor" had "lifted" from a couple of PS Books. The hotel where it was held was OK - but cold! What really pissed me off is that I took my laptop with me thinking that I would be able to follow the instructor and those morons didn't provide any files he was working with. How the hell were we supposed to follow? Was that a workshop or a demonstration of what PS can do?! I'm sure glad I didn't pay for this workshop myself cause I'd be really pissed and protesting.

After that, had to go to a meeting at my teaching job, then get ready for class (first one for this quarter) and teach till after 10 PM. Needless to say, when I got home close to 11 PM, I was quite beat. What I'm trying to figure out is why did I get so tired, cause I do two jobs anyway. Hm... .

No, I'm not worried about these two, not-so-bad looking girls sharing a drink. Look closer, right by the Coke Light can is standing her cell phone, all covered in this stupid furry cover! What the hell is that? I thought people are trying to find the smalles cell phones, and covers it in thick fur? Geez! I guess she needs something to squeeze and pet in her pocket... .

For those who know me, it shouldn't come as a surprise that I love cars! I normally visit two auto shows a year: the Detroit one (duh!) and the one students of my alma matter, Northwood U. organize every October.

I've never been to the Geneva Auto Show but I sure would love to! It's the one where auto manufacturers display their concept cars, or the cars they plan to bring into production in the future.

Here are some cool concepts: http://autos.msn.com/as/minishow/article.aspx?contentID=4023831&s=geneva2006

I decided to create a separate Flickr account for all my attempts at artistic photography. I posted a few photos I took in Florida and I'll move some from my main account here. I hope to be able to post once in a while, as it's my hobby - but work (and blogging, of course:)) and such don't leave me much free time.

All photos are taken with a point-and-shoot digital Canon PowerShot (Digital Elph).

OK, so I created this account - now, if I could only have a digital SLR camera, that would be really nice .

Here's the link: http://www.flickr.com/photos/shqipo/

OK, I just posted a short blog on my TechieSpot (http://techiespot.blogspot.com/2006/03/google-yahoo.html) and, while I ran the spell check, it flagged Google, AdSense and Yahoo as spelling errors. Normally, I wouldn't care about it, but knowing that Blogger is owned by Google, I thought it's pathetic and embarrassing that this company's spell checker doesn't recognize their own name!

Addition: I ran spell check on this post and guess what? Now "Blogger" and "blog" are being flagged as incorrect! Hilarious!