February 25, 2010 by vortmax.

We always hear about colloquialisms that enter everyday conversations.  Back in the 80’s, it was “valley girl speak” of “like… you know” and “Oh… my gawd!”   We then heard the over-use of “essentially.”

That has now evolved into my new pet peeve: “Basically.”

That is the new overused word in the American conversation.  While the speaker may intend to use it as a simplification of a point, it is often used as a “filler” to make the speaker seem smarter than they actually are.  More often than not, it makes the listener feel more inadequate, or it makes the speaker appear arrogant about their own intelligence.

So, I beg of each and every one of you:  do not use “basically” when you are trying to describe something.  Use “I believe” instead, because that’s what you are… basically… expressing.

GAH!

Posted in Whatever, Uncategorized | 1 Comment »

February 24, 2010 by vortmax.

See the photos here.

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February 15, 2010 by vortmax.

It appears that Kevin Smith is upset he was removed from a Southwest Airlines flight.  He claims it was because he was too fat.  Read the CNN Story for yourself, but I’d like to point out something he said:

Smith did purchase two seats for the flight to Burbank, but he was allowed to board an earlier flight as a standby passenger, and only one seat was available on that flight.
The extra seat is not a necessity, he said, but a luxury because “Southwest flights are cheap.”

“I’m flying on the welfare airline, food-stamp airline,” he said. “So I think I can indulge myself with two seats, and I can afford to do it.”

So, according to Mr. Smith, anyone can purchase an extra seat as a luxury.  Not according to Southwest Airlines’ Contract of Carriage (PDF).  From Section 15-G (page 12):

 Additional Seat Purchase – The purchase of more than one seat for use by a single passenger is required in the following circumstances:

(1) To accommodate a Customer of size who encroaches on an adjacent seat area and/or is unable to sit in a single seat with the armrests lowered;

(2) To transport a Customer who, because of his or her particular disability, would be unable to travel without the purchase of additional space on the aircraft; or

(3) When necessary to transport large musical instruments or electronic audio/video, medical, or other sensitive equipment unsuitable for carriage as checked baggage, as specified in Article 46.F.

It is the passenger’s responsibility to notify Carrier of a unique seating need. In accordance with Article 10.F., Carrier may refuse to transport individuals who are unable or unwilling to comply with Carrier’s seating requirements. Except as specified above, purchase of more than one seat for use by a single passenger is otherwise prohibited.

Note the emphasized section.  It states that it is prohibited to purchase a seat for “luxury.”  This makes Mr. Smith’s claim of “luxury” dubious at best.

Mr. Smith got pulled because he was mistakenly allowed on an overbooked flight as a standby passenger.  Considering he regularly buys two seats (not for “luxury,” in my educated opinion, but because he’s a “customer of size”), and he was on standby because he tried to get on an earlier flight than he was ticketed for (a change that would cost up to $100 on other airlines), he was pulled for a legitimate reason.  In my opinion, Southwest Airlines is totally in the right, and he’s just “indulging” the “luxury” of being an attention whore.

p.s. - Here’s Southwest Airlines’ FAQ on their Customer of Size policy.

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February 11, 2010 by vortmax.

There’s another viral email circulating.  As with any viral email, the information it presents is exaggerated to support a certain political point of view.

Subject: FW: What a Class Act
Bush Asked to Leave Ft.Hood

I sent my cousin in Fayetteville, N.C. (retired from Special Forces) that picture of Geo. W. visiting the wounded at  Ft.   Hood  .. I got this reply:

What is even better is the fact George W. Bush heard about Fort Hood, got in his car without any escort, apparently they did not have time to react, and drove to Fort Hood.  He was stopped at the gate and the guard could not believe who he had just stopped.  Bush only ask for directions to the hospital then drove on.  The gate guard called that “The president Is on  Fort   Hood  and driving to the hospital.”  The base went bananas looking for Obama.  When they found it was Bush they immediately offered escort and Bush simply told them to shut up and let him visit the wounded and the dependents of the dead.  He stayed at Fort Hood for over six hours and was finally asked to leave by a message from the White House.  Obama flew in days later and held a “photo ” session in a gym and did not even go to the hospital.  All this I picked up from two soldiers here who happened to be at Fort Hood when it happened.

Here’s the only mention I found of it from any news source (Fox News from Nov. 7th, 2 days after the incident):

Former President George W. Bush and his wife Laura secretly visited Fort Hood last night and spent “considerable time” consoling those who were wounded in Thursday’s shooting spree, Fox News has learned.

The Bushes entered and departed the sprawling military facility in secret, having told the base commander they did not want press coverage of their visit, a source told Fox News.

What President Bush did is to be commended, but it wasn’t some impulsive, “not having time to react” same day act as the email implies.  And I highly doubt the Obama administration asked him to leave.

Here’s the obligatory Snopes entry on the email.

The claim that when President Obama visited Fort Hood he merely “held a photo session in a gym” is false. President Obama traveled to Fort Hood and spent four hours there on 10 November 2009, attending a memorial service for the victims of the shooting and meeting with the families of the dead and the wounded.

Once again, I ask that any email one receives that smears anyone, be they democrat, republican, or independent, please take the time and effort to verify the information in the message.  We need accurate information, not lies designed to fool the gullible.

Posted in Stupid emails, Politics | 1 Comment »

February 9, 2010 by vortmax.

From the Dallas Morning News:

Even anti-government icon Ron Paul can’t escape the conservative “Tea Party” fervor stretching across the county.

Paul, the Gulf Coast congressman whose 2008 presidential run excited libertarians nationwide, even though he didn’t get much traction overall, is considered by many to be the “father of the Tea Parties.” But he has three opponents in the March Republican primary – more than he has faced in his past six primary campaigns combined.

But here’s where it gets ludicrous:

“The word I keep hearing is ‘ineffective,’ ” said Gay, a school business administrator. “This district is not really being represented as it could be.”

Tea Party associations aside, many of the challengers’ criticisms echo concerns of Paul’s past opponents: that he is too focused on his national ambitions; that his views are too extreme; that he doesn’t support the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan; that he votes “no” on everything, including federal aid for his district after Hurricane Ike.

These “Tea Party” candidates are standing up in favor of even more government spending and PORK, therefore claiming it’s a Tea Party principle.

Hypocrites.

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