Happy Holidays
Written: December 24, 2007 at 4:19PM EST
Happy holidays everyone! And thus ends my longest EVER post! 
Gmail, you have let me down
Written: December 1, 2007 at 4:35PM EST
Let me be the first to say, I have had a gmail account since Summer 2004. I fell in love with the service right from the start. The amount of space, the ease of use, and the entire thing overall. I have spread the word and now many of my friends use the program as well.
The creation of the google talk program seemed like a plus to me, albeit not entirely useful. Still I use it for communicating with google fanboys. Integration to the service however seemed like overkill. It just slowed down the service too much. I clicked the link and made it vanish, and it actually made quite a bit of difference.
Then, as the years went by and the service became more and more popular, downtimes became common. I stayed confident that it would only be temporary, and for quite some time, it wasn’t looking that way. But, to my amazement as well as to my friends, the downtimes became less and less common.
Then you went and redeveloped gmail from the ground up. Supposedly, they have “spent a lot of time profiling all parts of the application, shaving milliseconds off wherever we can, and figuring out workarounds for some pretty deep-rooted issues with the current browser implementations. Some of the most common actions should be faster now.” To this I have one simple remark.
“HAH!”
I have yet to see any positive changes in speed in the service. In fact, loading times have seemed to double (even triple on some days). I will admit that I do have a lot of mail, but according to google, I should “never need to delete another message.” Basically they’re contradicting themselves.
The part I find most interesting is the fact that gmail is able to crash my browser. When loading the mailbox, trying to send a new message, or even “search[ing] to find the exact message you want, no matter when it was sent or received.” It’s getting to the point where it’s impossible to even read my mail!
Now, before I get chewed out, let me state the following. I have indeed tried disabling/uninstalling all my firefox addons. Each and every one, whether it was deleted or not made no difference whatsoever. Secondly, I have tried using different browsers, and that didn’t even seem to help.
From what I’ve read, I’m not the only one having problems with the service crashing browsers. It just seems ridiculous that a service should overload a browser as to crash it. And besides that, I don’t even really see that many differences between this version and the older version (aside from the old one working). It’s quite frustrating really.
Now, I’m going to get people telling me to “click the link and switch to the ‘old version’.” Sadly, I can’t even do that. As soon as I log in, I get the “Loading” button (nothing else), on the page. Then the browser freezes up and crashes. I have no opportunity to even click the link. Then the part which really annoys me, if I do get a chance to click the link, it won’t save between logins! You should be able to change that in your preferences.
Bookmarking the “old version” shouldn’t be required. Call it lazy, call it whining, call it whatever, you shouldn’t have to do that just to use a webmail program. I don’t use bookmarks as it is, I find it just as easy to type http://gmail.com into the address bar and click enter, so I’ll be damned to bookmark a page in gmail just to get it to work.
And so I will conclude with just a simple message. This of course can apply to anyone who has a well-used service/program. Let the users decide to implement the change instead of doing it for them. Google and Microsoft have that in common. Force them to use buggy software, and they just may not return— you’re share of the market means nothing if your users lose faith.
Sick :(
Written: November 2, 2007 at 2:53PM EST
Wow! I made it a whole 2 months in school without getting sick… then on the second day of November, it happens. I have the ever-so-popular stomach but thats the least of the worries this year at school.
This years new illness everyone is freaking out about is MRSA. Supposedly some kid in Pennsylvania died of it, so the entire school has gone nuts, and when a staff member at one of the schools contracted it, the hysteria continued.
“Will I die if I get it?” “EEW, its the new AIDS!” and “OMG DID YOU HEAR WHO CAUGHT MRSA?!” are common walking through the halls of the high school. First of, almost all of the “…WHO CAUGHT MRSA?!” rumors are false. I doubt if someone had it, the school would ignore it. This is shown through the letters and announcements they have given out when the case with the staff member contracted it. I don’t know. It’s kinda insaine.
But its high school. What else can be expected. Luckily, according the school district physician, the disease is curable and is NOT the new AIDS, but the rumor mill will ride it until June, or until something else comes alone.
I quit
Written:
I am no longer a sandwich artist. It’s so bittersweet. For one thing, I did enjoy the job and working with people… on the other hand some of the policies were down right outrageous. Overtime without pay, unfair treatment from one person to the next. The worst part I would have to say is the talking behind the backs of others. It was downright disgusting.
I’m done and unemployed. I have a fre paychecks to tide me over and hopefully I can get another job fairly soon…
Leave Me Alone
Written: October 30, 2007 at 10:33PM EST
To all those at Horseheads who had their articles published, IT IS NOT MY FAULT. I fought to keep them off and lost. Have a problem, bring it up to Mrs. Williams in room 209. As of now, its not my problem.
I QUIT!
.
I PASSED!!!
Written: October 16, 2007 at 6:09PM EST
I passed my road test! After two months of trying to take the damn test, I finally passed!!! No longer do I need to hitch rides from my friends or beg and plead to get a ride to work… and risk being late!
Although I am so happy about it, I am also sorta sad. Now I can drive on my own, and I feel like an adult and tere’s no going back. I don’t know, I guess I’ll get used to it, but its a BIG change.
Of Subs, Boxes and Plastic Machetes
Written: October 15, 2007 at 5:52PM EST
Ok… theres a creepy girl walking in the parking lot wearing yellow cleaning gloves carrying what I hope was a plastic machete… Wow O.O there are some strange people around here. Oh, if you are wonder what the hell I’m going on about, I’m at work. The last hour has been pretty slow, so I’m not complaining and it gives me time to recap the last few days.
The last few weeks have been rather chaotic, from getting my work schedule sorted out, to attempting to write two newspaper articles (both of which, in my opinion sucked). This is all sprinkled nicely over the move to the new house.
Suprisingly, I believe this is the first time I mentioned the new house at all! Anyways, the new house is about a mile away from our old house and is nearly 3X the size. My room is way off on the other side of the house and I have my own entrance and bathroom! Basically I can come and go as I please.
Anyways, for the last week or so, furniture has been moved over there slowly. First the living room furniture and the kitchen table. Then followed by my computer. Then everything came to an abrupt halt. So I spent the week sans computer… It nearly killed me.
Seriously, they need something like AA for computer addicts.
But anyways, I had Friday, Saturday, and Sunday off and we managed to get the beds, dressers, tvs, computers, desks, washing machine, dryer, and stove over to the new house. But at least it’s done. Now onto the other little crap.
Now, its nearly 40 minutes later and I’m still attempting to finish this post. The dinner rush came and went and I have made a whole 14 subs since I came in at 4 (its now 5:45). I’m actually quite surprised. Whenever I’ve worked alone any other time, I usually get slammed and made subs non-stop for the entire shift. Not today!!!
So, I should probably do something somewhat work-related…but then again…
September 11th - Revisited
Written: September 23, 2007 at 7:52PM EST
Since I posted my entry on my school’s blatant disregard to the tragedy of September 11th, some interesting information has arisen. First off is the administration.
According to the principal of the school, “No other schools were recognizing the events which occurred that day, so why should we?” In fact, he felt no remourse in ignoring this date and come to find out, all the other schools in the area had a moment of silence. A group of students at my school started a petition for a late moment of silence. After getting about 3/4 of the school to sign it, Mr. Abrams agreed to set up a meeting with the group.
The day of the meeting arrived and the group of students arrived to meet with him. He never showed up. Shortly before classes were to begin, he walked into his office and his secretary reminded him of the meeting. According to one student, he said “He had completely forgotten about it.” Basically he tried to avoid the situation. Instead of forgetting about the meeting, the students walked with him and they had their meeting. In the following days, nothing happened. Then shortly after, a 20 second moment of silence was observed. The students believed it was a moment of triumph.
Wrong! Although the students did the work, the recognition was most likely only due to parents who called and complained. Knowing he was in hot water, he gave in. And then to make the school look even better, a “Letter to the Editor” was posted in the local paper.
My son Evan, who just completed his basic training for the Army this summer and is now a senior, was upset that Sept. 11 was not observed in Horseheads High School.
As a parent having two sons and a son-in-law in the military, I’m just as angry. How can a national tragedy and the lives of thousands of innocent American lives be forgotten?
I’d like to quote the words of Franklin D. Roosevelt after the attack on Pearl Harbor, “… a date that will live in infamy.”
The date related to Horseheads High School will always be Sept. 11, the day the principal and other school district officials so thoughtlessly failed to observe.
I want to say that I’m very proud of my son and the other students who by the courage of their convictions are trying to remedy this situation.
I wish more of our leaders in our school district had the backbone and courage to stand up and do what is right as these students did. Hopefully their determination to do right will undo a wrong.
How soon we have forgotten the terror we all felt when we saw our nation under attack only six short years ago.
ROBERT BURDICK JR.
Burdick, Robert. “Horseheads High should have observed 9/11 .” Star-Gazette 20 September 2007: A8+.
All in all, I would have to say it was a bitter-sweet victory for the remembrance of September 11th. Honestly, whats worse, ignoring the fact the events took place, or to recognize them only because failing to causes criticism?
September 11th - Disregarded?
Written: September 11, 2007 at 5:18PM EST
Well, lets see today started off as a normal day… and apparently ended as a normal one as well. Nothing interesting on the news, same-old boring announcements. Just another blah day…
OH WAIT! Would you look at that! It’s 9/11. Its a wonder it took me until noon to even figure out it was the 11th. I have to say the coverage and remembrance for those who died that day is a disgrace. I find that for a country of people who cry “We will never forget!” and sport the “I am Patriot… Are you?” bumper stickers and tags, can’t even stop for a moment of silence for that tragic day.
Keep in mind, I was only in sixth grade when the attacks occurred, but I remember it so well. Sitting in English class and the teacher turning on the TV and seeing the towers fall. It was a hard day for a lot of people. In fact, for weeks following, news of “The WTC Incident” changed to “An Act of Terror” to “The War on Terror” and then finally to “Operation Iraqi Freedom.” It upset people to the point that Starbucks had to change and ad champagne because it “offended” people. Of course, at the time this was completely understandable.
For years following the attacks, many spent the day in mourning the lost, others gave just a moment of silence. Documentaries and recorded news-reels filled the day. Today however, not a thing could be seen. Local channels hadn’t aired coverage, no announcement at school, nothing even remotely resembling September 11th of the last 5 years. It’s quite sad really-that a country hell-bent on patriotism and avenging those lost can’t even stop for a moment to give their condolences lost and look to the future.
First Day of School
Written: September 6, 2007 at 9:45PM EST
So I’m a day late. Doesn’t matter really, everyone under age of 18 knows the feeling: no more sleeping in, no more late nights, no more days of doing nothing. Although that sounds rather negative, there were some good points about the restart of school. First off, I would have to say are my new classes. This semester my classes aren’t bad at all - and in fact, most appear to be rather simple (albeit its only the second day, but considering those in my classes, I don’t think it’ll be bad. My schedule is as follows:
Period 1/2 - Astronomy - Mr. Saks
Period 3/4 - Creative Writing/Journalism - Ms. Ferrari
Period 5/6 - Lunch/Activity
Period 7/8 - Health - Ms. Grap
Period 9/10 - Child Development - Mrs. Fraley
To be honest, I didn’t really choose Child Development, but my counselor believed it would be a good class to take if I plan to pursue English Education after High School. So far it doesn’t seem too bad, although I am outnumbered 22:1 (Girl/Guy ratio).
Astronomy isn’t bad either. The kids in my class are a bit on the annoying side, but I do know a vast majority of them. The same is true with Creative Writing/Journalism. Health class so far seems like Kindergarten and from the description given by the teacher, it’ll remain so. The amount of coloring and games is a bit out there - and again I know most of my class. Then Child Development ends the day. Mrs. Fraley is ALWAYS late because she has a food class further down the hall and she has to make sure the room isn’t going to burn the school down.
Basically the class is just about the best ways to raise children and how to teach/discipline them without scarring them for life. Aside from being completely outnumbered, the class isn’t bad. And once the temperature begins to drop for Autumn, it’ll be even better. 90 degree school days aren’t fun at all.
Looking back on the majority of this post, I guess I can’t say schools horrible at all. Its such a big change to actually have classes you chose instead of ones chosen for you… now I just need to get my license and I’ll be set (I HATE the bus).