Thursday, October 23, 2003
I don't mind when I have to turn images down for things like people forgetting to press the macro button. It doesn't bother me; it's part of the process and I know that not everyone even knows that their camera has a macro button… but what does bother me — and happens very regularly is when people complain about their images being turned down because of some variation on the “I'm never wrong” argument.
For example, I just received the following, and told the person they had to press the macro button to take a crisp close-up (if you're not sure, it's a septum, and a lip/tongue piercing):
They replied with,
i have a 4000 dollar camera. im a photographer.. and ure telling me how to use macro..
I mean, what can I even say? “Yeah, I know, it's very sad?” It's like people think I reject images just for fun to mess with people or something… Hmm, I ought to be careful or I'll be moving into whiny bee-otch territory myself! I mean, am I crazy here? I'm pretty sure those pictures are blurry. Maybe I need to get my eyes checked.
Thursday, October 23, 2003
I installed all the latest MS patches to the server lately… They've been pumping out a lot of them lately, making the questionable claim that MS products are becoming more secure than their UNIX competitors. Other than that I'll probably wash the cars today (very dirty!) and do the image update.
You may be interested/amused to hear that Baghdad Burger King, located in the airport, cooks over 5,000 burgers a day and has climbed into the top 10 of all BK franchises in the world (more). Two interesting bits of trivia about it:
- In order to save costs, BK Iraq imports cheap workers from Sri Lanka, the Philippines, and Nepal. They sleep in bunk beds in a housing unit right behind the joint.
- All prices are US cash-only, but you don't get change back — you get coupons that can be exchanged for stuff like t-shirts reading “Who's Your Baghdaddy?” (you know you want that shirt).
Other than that I see that four billion dollars — eighty percent of the money spent by CPA in Iraq so far (more) — can't be accounted for. That seems to me to be an unacceptable rate of loss… If it was me calling the shots I'd be very uncomfortable with anything over 5% I think.
Wednesday, October 22, 2003
Now, I'll readily admit that I mess up spelling and grammar very very regularly. That's not a big deal. And I do appreciate it when people let me know when those typos creep in, assuming they're not snide about it. But if you're going to be a “spelling nazi”, it would be best to look words you don't know up in the dictionary before assuming that the entire language is limited to your vocabulary!
Here is the REAL question. Did you make up the word "expiry." Dont bother responding if you dont have time, lol. Ill understand.
I'm not going to out the person — I'll give them the benefit of the doubt that they really had no idea what the word meant — but I can probably sum up what I think of messages like that with a couple real words (one that you might need urbandictionary to confirm)… let's try “whiny bee-otch”.
whiny: To complain or protest in a childish fashion.
bee-otch: some bumblebee mothafucka!!!
i'm a sting yo ass bee-otch!
Now, to make this entry a little more fun, this should bring a smile to your face:
Photos by Rachel, Highland cattle by Richard.
Wednesday, October 22, 2003
The Laser 917 and the Kelmark are now here… When I get a chance I'll start cleaning them up and getting things as they should be with them (they've been sitting for a while). I've been running missions all day long — just got back minutes ago — so the image update is going to have to wait until tomorrow, but I will do tomorrow's work tonight so that we can get the iam.crush software finalized, and so we can facilitate the the new pageant software.
While towing the two cars here, I noticed I was being tailed by a white Mercedes. It pulled into the driveway behind us and a guy got out and offered to buy the Kelmark on the spot — he knew exactly what it was and had built a few kit cars long ago. I turned him down but it was cool to see these cars still have a following.
Wednesday, October 22, 2003
I got this letter (and have been given permission to post it). If anyone in the UK has useful advice for him, please do drop him a line. I don't know what the specific laws are there as well as I do here and in America.
From: Citisen Erased <citisen_erased@punkass.com>
Subject: A Plea for Help
Mr. Larratt,
I am writing to you, to tell you of a problem which occurred today between 8:30am and 9:10am (GMT).
Before school today (I am 16 years old), I had problems trying to put in the retainer for my lip piercing. It decided that it would rather go in half way, get stuck and then hurt a lot. After this I decided to just leave my lip ring in and see what happened at school.
As soon as I reached my classroom my teacher confronted me and sent me to the head of my year group. She told me that unless I took it out I would be sent home, and listen to this, because ' The headmaster doesn't like facial piercings.'
So, of course, I refused to take it out - I will not obey a ignorant, narrow-minded, old man who ' doesn't like facial piercings.' The school have used numerous excuses in the past to why students cannot wear facial piercings or more than one pair of ear studs. One of the excuses was, ' They are too dangerous and we are not allowed to let you wear them for health and safety reasons.' - I fail to see how one lip ring is more dangerous than the numerous lobe and cartilage piercings that one of the teachers sports.
A least now I know it is by choice that the head teacher stops us from sporting piercings, not by requirement.
Now is where you come in. I am a 16 year old, male, United Kingdom resident. I have very little body mods (but am very interested in getting more)- only my lip, 16g in right ear and 6g in left and I am asking for your help with this situation.
I just want to know what experiences you, or maybe even Mr. Sprague and other BME members, have had with the matter and what your advice is. Maybe you can help me with more than advice, but anything you can contribute is welcome.
I know this all seems very dramatic over one lip ring, but there is a much deeper issue here that I am willing to fight. I will NOT be discriminated against and denied the right to an education because of my personal beliefs and modified appearance. In four days I will be getting two nape piercings and plan to keep these too, along with the many mods that are planned in my future.
Yours sincerely,
David H*****
Slightly modified,
and very pissed off student.
