new kicks…
My current daily shoes are starting to wear a hole in the sole (they are a couple years old and only cost $50, so I’m ok with that). So I guess it is time for new shoes. I dislike most sneaker/tennis shoes out there these days. They are ugly as hell, and quite honestly, I do not engage in sporting activities that would require them. So my daily shoes fall under the "casual" category.
I have always found it incredibly difficult to justify spending a lot of money on shoes. The most I think I have ever paid is $130. That was for Gore-Tex equipped boots (I know Gore-Tex adds to the price, but I still will look for lower prices - the boots I’m looking at now are Gore-Tex and only priced at $60). Regular shoes…I have never been able to see why paying over $50-60 is necessary. Yes, I know…that means I have pretty cheap shoes that don’t last a long time…but those $130 boots only lasted 1 year, so I don’t know that it’s any difference. My current daily shoes are starting to wear a hole in the sole (they are a couple years old and only cost $50, so I’m ok with that). But after today…I’m not so sure.
L has a pair of Earth shoes that she says are her most comfortable shoes. So I figured I would see if there are any decent men’s Earth shoes. I found a style that I liked. Bluff is the name. But every place I went to in the DC area to try them on…doesn’t carry the men’s shoes. I went ahead and ordered them online from Zappo’s (on recommendation from L). Free shipping and no tax…that’s a good deal. I ordered them last night. Then I got an email from them saying the upgraded my shipping. Next day air.
They arrived and I put them on…and wow. They have this "Negative Heal Technology" that is definitely going to take some time to get used to. But just from the first time I put them on…I can tell how comfortable they are. Snug, but not tight. They claim that they are "healthy" shoes - that they will help you "strengthen and tone" your body. Normally, I’d say, "sure…whatever." But I dunno…the way this heal is, I can definitely feel the difference in my calf. It almost feels like it’s been stretched just a tad bit.
These weren’t cheap, though. $140 for casual shoes. But if they are this comfortable in 2 weeks and beyond…I may have to look at getting more Earth shoes.
1 commentfcc gets a smackdown…
Bravo to the Third Circuit Court of Appeals. They ruled that the FCC is full of it. It’s going to be interesting this fall when the Supreme Court hears a case about it with the Billboard Music Awards.
My favorite part of the story may be this:
The Parents Television Council, however, had plenty to say about the ruling. "Once again, a three-judge panel has hijacked the will of the American people—not to mention the intent of the Congress acting on behalf of the public interest—when it comes to indecent content on the public airwaves," declared Tim Winter, President of the PTC. "While we are not surprised that the legal venue hand-picked by CBS would rule in favor of the network, the court’s opinion goes beyond judicial activism; it borders on judicial stupidity."
I read things like that and just shake my head. I am so sick of the phrase "judicial activism." Just another favorite catchphrase of a LOT of idiots. Apparently Tim Winter didn’t notice how many of the "complaints" were identical. Hey Tim…you do know that when someone tries to get a petition going, they disallow repeats, right? Right?
No commentsfeedback on ebay…
A little while ago, I won an item on eBay. When I win an item on eBay, I pay immediately. As soon as the email comes in to inform me of my win, I pay. I do not wait a day, or a couple days.
One of the things that REALLY irks me is the feedback process. One would think that the proper etiquette is this:
- Buyer pays
- seller leaves feedback and ships item
- buyer receives item
- buyer leaves feedback
For some reason, it seems that a lot of people seem to think it goes this way:
- buyer pays
- seller ships
- buyer leaves feedback
- seller leaves feedback
I understand that sellers are really unhappy with eBay’s new feedback policy…sellers cannot leave negative feedback for buyers. I agree that it is ridiculous to do that. The eBay process has become such that a seller has absolutely no protection. If a buyer claims the wrong thing was shipped, eBay takes their side. How do you prove you sent the correct item? I have a bunch of DVD’s and CD’s on half.com, which is owned by eBay. Those policies extend to half.com. A while back, one person bought several of my DVDs - ones that were out of print and hard to find (and were higher priced). I was REALLY worried about it after I shipped them. What if they claimed I didn’t ship the titles they ordered? They bought enough discs that I could have been out around $150. But I don’t know if there is any way for me to prove otherwise. I even looked into whether you could have the contents inspected and have a notarized piece of paper stating what was in the box. (Yes, I know that seems excessive…but when you are dealing with higher figures, how extreme is it, really?)
Back to the item I won…I got an email from the seller - leave feedback for me and I will do the same. Sorry…but no. I was happy with my purchase, but to sit there and think that the buyer should leave feedback first is completely wrong. So…they get no feedback.
No commentscan someone explain to me…
There is a woman in the neighborhood who jogs every morning…on the street. It’s not like there is no sidewalk. It’s not like there are no curb cuts at the corners. Yet…she insists on jogging on the street. Why?
Can someone please explain why people jog on the street instead of the sidewalk?
2 commentssometimes I like to keep microsoft products…
I have posted many times that my goal is to go as Microsoft-free as possible. But every once in a while, Microsoft puts out something that I really like. Office 2007 I really like. That really puts a damper in my intention to go with OpenOffice for my word processing/spreadsheet/etc. work. And Outlook 2007 I really like as well. I have yet to find a program that does everything it does. I tried SpiceBird and hated it. OpenOffice 3.0 is scheduled to arrive later this year - and I have read some rumors that it will have an Outlook type component. I’ll believe it when I see it.
But the program I am really enamored with from Microsoft right now is Windows Live Writer. It makes it SO easy to post to the blog. Instead of having to go online, login (if I’ve cleared my cookies) and then drill down to the posting page on the admin side, all I have to do is fire up Live Writer. All my drafts are here and all my posts (those written with Live Writer) are here. I can work offline for as long as I want, changing drafts later if I need to (and regular posts for that matter) and eventually post them. All the formatting is right here, and I can insert all the extras I want on a post - pictures, tables, maps, tags, video, etc. There is even a "add a plug-in" option. Admittedly, I don’t know what that one does…but it’s there.
On top of all that, I found a portable version. So all I need is my thumb drive. I can work on any computer. With my new work, I have a new laptop. But that presents a problem with the blog. (No, it has nothing to do with keeping work and the blog separate). I am starting to travel more, and I really have no desire to lug along two laptops. This just makes it easier. True, I don’t post every day. But I can work on posts when I get back to my hotel room.
So yeah…every once in a while, Microsoft comes up with something I like.
2 comments