AKG N400NC TWS

I have been recording and listening to music for a long time, just about over 40 years that I can remember. I was introduced to music from before I could walk. I took up an instrument in Intermediate school (Middle School) and continued into high school, however, it seems playing music wasn't what I was meant to do, it was more with recording. So in the last 2 years of high school, I took up sound engineering and recording concerts for the high school band.

From there, I got into being a disc jockey to eventually back into recording. 

Just a little disclaimer, everyone has a different perception to sound. What I may find as great, another may not, what I may hear, someone else could miss and vice versa. So what I would recommend is to listen to it yourself and judge if you like it or not (same goes with food, except the listening part, food you eat...)

So here is the headset, the AKG N400NC TWS

I've been a long time fan of the AKG headsets. I was introduced to AKG from when I first volunteered at a summer fun program and the Leader I was paired with, was also a musician. Turns out, his father was part of a famous group and an Uncle had played in the same band.

Skipping ahead, after graduating high school, I got a job working at a local radio station. Remembering the sound that the AKG headset I was introduced to, I ending up purchasing a pair of AKG K240 Studio, these were reference headsets.

Reference headsets basically doesn't alter the sound, so your bass, mid and highs are all at the same level, which for sound engineers allow them to adjust the sounds to bring out the maximum quality and the ideal feeling for everyone.

The K240 Studio is what I used as a control to measure the sound of the different headsets, for the  Audio, I used a Sony Walkman MP3 player (yes, Sony Walkman do still exists)

The Sony, NW-A100 Series. Sound file formats that this supports are MP3, AAC, FLAC and DSD. 

AAC and FLAC provide the highest quality and cleanest sounds in a digital format.

There are other models available that either have less internal memory or higher end models that start from about $1,000. The higher end models cater to the absolute audiophiles that are extremely particular of their sound. If I were able to, I would like to hear for myself and see if I can hear the difference from my middle ground player to the higher end player.

One of the added feature of this particular model, is that there is a Cassette display when the music is playing, kind of to give it a nostalgia look and nod to the early days of the walkman.

So, first up, was the K240 as a control. I used a FLAC file from the Hires download site:

Mozart: Violin concerto in D major - Allegro

Marianne Thorsen / Trondheim Solistene

With the K240, The sound was warm, crisp and precise. From the solo violin to the strings and brass. I could hear the french horns, the oboe, the flutes occasionally peaking out from the group. It was almost like I was in a private performance in some grand orchestra hall.

Next, with the same piece of music, I connected the AKG N20 Ear bud, also reference headsets. These 

make it easier to commute and listen to music or as of recently, started listening to pod casts and eventually, audio books.

However, the sound didn't seem as warm and full as the K240's, but still had that crisp and precise sounds from the Violin and strings.

Taking into consideration, these are ear buds with a foam ear piece. I suppose it is to be expected with the smaller sound conductors in each ear piece.

Again, using the same musical piece, I then connected the N400NC TWS. Not sure why, but it seemed the sound was a little bit fuller than the N20. One other item, there is a EQ specifically for these ear buds. Unlike some other EQ software, this is very flexible when sculpting the way you want your sound.

Although you can see the points, the whole line is flexible, but a bit difficult to fine tune with my large fingers, so with what I could adjust, it was pretty close to how I wanted my music to sound like.

This EQ is specifically for the N400 and does a pretty good job of sounding almost as good as the K240's and make it sound definitely better than the N20's which I keep as a backup in the event I forget to charge my N400's and speaking of charge, I've been running it for about 4 days now without noticing any decrease in power charging in the holding case.

The N400 does allow for talking, however, I already have ear buds for my phone and just want to use it for listening to music. One feature I really like about it is the Ambient Aware, a feature that allows for sound from the surrounding area to be heard while listening to music. This makes for a great safety feature when walking about the city, and if you want to drown out the sounds, the Active Noise Cancelling does an excellent job, so if you are riding on the bus and that guy next to you insists on talking on the phone, or that other guy that tends to talk to a non-existent person, you don't have to listen to their conversation.

The headset is IPX7, so if you want to use them while working out, you don't have to worry about damaging it with perspiration. Depending on the ear plug and wingfins you use, it make it secure so you don't have to worry about it falling out or losing it. 

One of the biggest feature I am a really big fan of, is the charging port, it uses a USB-C connector, thus decreasing the number of different cables I need to carry if I should need to charge it. 

For the wireless connection, it is Bluetooth Version 5, which uses less energy and doesn't cause the host device to drain faster. It also allows you to connect an additional bluetooth headset so that you can share the music or both watch a video at the same time, together. With Bluetooth V5, it allows for faster connections and much better quality audio.

Another feature of the N400, since AKG is part of the Samsung family, there is more integration with the Samsung family of mobile devices. You can use Bixby, which is Samsung's version of the Google Assistant. It will still work with Google Assistant if you do not have a Samsung Device.

Additional features which I haven't taken advantage of, is the touch and swipe controls on the N400.

Since my intended use is for listening to music and such, I don't need them, I have headsets just for my mobile phone, which, by the way, is a Pixel 6 with the Pixel Bud-A. To be fair, I also have a iPhone 13 with the Airpod Pro, but just want to keep my music listening separate from my phone so that if I need to and don't have to worry about running out of power if I need to make a phone call.

I do have to add, that I did also compare them to my previous favorite headsets, the JVC Truly Wireless (Marshmallow). The first JVC headset I had were the Marshmallows, a really inexpensive, but really

good sounding headset. For the price of under 10 dollars, it had some really good bass and decent highs. These were about $50 and prior to getting the N400, were considered to be really good wireless headsets.

All in all and so far, the AKG N400's are the best and my absolute favorite headsets. For my commute and occasional at home use, these will be my every day drivers. Right now, the AKG N400's are on sale for just under $50, a little over a $100 off from the regular price, so if you want some really great headsets, give them a try and order them before the price goes back up. You can order them direct from this link - AKG N400 NC TWS

つづく ( To be continued... )

Open Letter to Amazon

I am extremely disappointed by Amazon as a Amazon Prime Member. Especially since I am paying for that membership. I have had several bad experiences with orders that were shipped by Amazon that have been mostly delayed prior to this Pandemic and twice during.

In the most recent, I had ordered a desk from them and was given a date of arrival to which it didn't show up only to learn it was "lost", however after a week, it was "found" and delivered after being refunded.

I have since decided to keep the desk and accept the charge for it, however, the condition it arrived was in poor condition and there was slight damage to the product.

I've been told each time that they will fix the issue, but it seems it doesn't and all I'm getting is just something to calm me by the representative which doesn't get fixed.

Each time, I've been professional and calm, however, I'm finding that each time this happens, so far, five times already, I'm finding it harder and harder to keep calm and cordial. 

It is getting to the point where I don't want to have anything to do with Amazon as a customer and campaign to have other customers to purchase items elsewhere.

つづく ( To be continued... )

Since the other one is down...

I'm not sure what to write anymore, not sure of anything, what used to be clear is now not so clear and what I didn't care for, I'm close to becoming.

I'm still technically out of work, although I am working as a contractor, but the work isn't consistent. My truck just started to have some issues with the "Service engine soon" light coming on, after I start it and put it in gear, the engine dies.

I've tried and applied for every kind of job from jobs that I am qualified for to jobs that I am over qualified. I can't seem to get employment anywhere. I don't know where to go, who to turn to and if there is some kind of hope for me, anywhere.

I was once a proud person, a person with purpose, a person who held his head up, a person that was self sufficient and now, that has all changed since being out of employment since July 5th of 2009. I should've made the move sooner from Minnesota to Colorado or anywhere else for that matter. I don't know why I stayed as long as I did, maybe I thought there was some purpose or maybe I had hope that something would happen or something else, maybe I got lazy and didn't want to move, just got too comfortable.

I think I had a feeling that I should've moved, it was back in 2002 or 2003, I should've listened to that feeling, I'm sure that all this would be different and I'd be writing about something different today...

つづく ( To be continued... )

A short reprieve...

I've got a little more time to find something to keep living where I am now... at least the stress level has decreased, but only for a little bit.

If things don't work out the way I need them to, I'll need to decide on where I'm going to go and what I'm going to do...

To be clear, suicide is not an option, but I'm thinking Kwai Chang Cain....

I'm giving up....

This is it... I've exhausted all my options and have nowhere else to turn to. I needed to come up with rent for May and had till Monday, May 8th, 2011 before 09:00 MDT. The agencies that do offer assistance require that I have children or a job, both, which I don't have.

It's Sunday, May 7th, 2011 and I still don't have the money or even the 75 percent of the total rent due to keep me here. I've been looking for employment since July of 2009, sent out about 5 to 600 resumes since then. I've only got about 4 call backs but that is about as far as it goes.

I'd always thought things would end with me doing something heroic, in battle or suddenly... It's been a slow, torturous and agonizing end. I'm tired of fighting, I'm tired of just getting by, but mostly, I'm just tired and giving up.

I guess this is it...

The final hour is fast approaching for me, but I guess I don't really have any regrets. I should really feel happiness, but can't help the way I really do feel.

You could say that I've lead a life that had it's ups and downs, of privilege and poverty and of companionship and loneliness.

As of late, I suspect that I've been living on borrowed time that didn't really belong to me and should have been returned a while ago. I can't say that I've cheated death or made a deal, but it seems I'm already past my date of expiration.

There was a time when I felt like I was being watched over, but now... I think they just gave up because it seems that I was always in need of help.

I do have to say that I've been privileged to experience the taste of caviar, fine wines and spirits. The warmth and love of a woman, fine meals and the finest confections that life had to offer.

I've had the privilege and honor of traveling to my ancestral homeland, the exotic beauty of the outer Hawaiian Islands and the new and exciting sights some of the mainland states had to offer.

I've observed history in the making, from the return of Apollo 13 splashdown in the Pacific Ocean to the tragedy of 9/11 and the fatal accident with the space shuttle Columbia and finally the end of a terrorist leader Osama Bin Laden, with everything else in-between.

I had the opportunity to listen to all kinds of great music and how it has changed through the years, seen great concerts and met all kinds of people, both famous and not.

There were things in my life that I am extremely proud of and there are things that I am not. However there seems to be a saying I once heard that I feel relates to my life - To be born in the shadows, you die in the shadows...

You may ask, “What is this all about?” Well, it started in July of 2009, when I lost my job and due to some things in my background, it has made it impossible for me to find a job. I have the experience and the knowledge, but it doesn’t matter to them. Since then, my unemployment has run out and since that day, I’ve been sending out numerous resume’s, either getting very few responses or no responses at all and without any income, I’ve since sold just about all my possessions to pay my bills.

The only thing left to sell is my computer, the school laptop and my phone. My computer currently is the only other thing that is keeping me together, if I didn’t have a TV tuner in it, I wouldn’t know what else to do… but it seems that may have to be sold in order to keep my apartment… and considering the vultures out there, I wouldn’t get much for it because they want “a bargain”.

I’ll post it anyway to see what kinds of offers they’ll make… It's that or get rid of everything and just be homeless... In April of 2010, there was an article about a woman that committed suicide after not being able to find a job and sending out about 200 resumes, she was very intelligent and very skilled, you can read the article here

Is there a light at the end of the tunnel?

If there is, I can't see it. After selling my TV and only getting a third of what I was expecting and a quarter of what I paid for, I'm running out of money again and still don't have enough to pay my rent or other bills.

I still don't have a job and 2 weeks ago sold my prized camera to try and pay some bills and get gas for my truck so that I can go on a job search. Just today, I only filled the tank with 20 dollars, which may not last long... I still have school to get to.

I"ve tried adding a donation button here and on my website but it's understandable that there are other people out there looking for moneytary assistance, I just wished that those that could, would donate, help the economy like the oil companies, they profit big time and those that need the money, have none.

Learning more about HTML

Went back to school to get some industry certificates and one of the classes that I'm currently in is Web design.

I've been learning more about HTML so if you notice a change in this blog's appearance and my personal web page, its because I've been using what I've learned in class.

Finally...

They finally got Bin Laden and I'm glad it's finally done. Now the U.S. can focus on important domestic issues. I feel somewhat hopeful that things will finally start to get better, for the country and for me.

I just wish it would happen soon within the next 3 days but I should keep other plans just in case...

This is not going to end well...

I thought I was finally going to get a job after this long hiatus, I was finally going to find a job only to be told there is a hiring freeze... I had filled out all the forms and had also signed up for a training class.

I've just about sold everything of worth and considering selling my computer which I need and hand built myself and may have to consider selling my school issued netbook and my phone. If I do this, I'm just going to give up.

I'm tired of fighting, tired of trying to survive, tired of just looking only to have people being so prejudice.

Hello, been a while...

Not sure how much I can take this, been unemployed for a while and now it's over. Just about sold everything to pay my bills and it's still not enough.

I've sent out so many resumes and have gotten very few responses. I guess I'm truely alone and about to lose everything and my self esteem and dignity.

Been so long since I've been back home...

I have been living here, on the mainland, Minnesota, since April of 1995.

There has been so many things that I have done, so many things that I have seen and still there are so many things yet to be. I have met so many people and within the past several years have only come to realize what a protected life I have lived before moving here.

There are some people that are open minded and there are some people that appear to be open minded and the very few are are truly open minded. I know there were several people that were afraid that I was going to take over their jobs. They were also prejudice...

I don't know where to begin as to what I mean or if I should write an explanation. What I do know is that if there were things that I could change in my life, either before or since then, there would be so many things that I would change. What I won't and will not change is my sense of duty, loyalty and ethics.

Since my first non-paying job when I was 13, I have been told a lot that I acted much more mature for my age and worked hard and this maybe a fault cause when I do work, I work at a 150 percent capacity with a tendency to burn myself out quickly. As for ethics, I believe that a job should be done well and to be knowledgeable in what I do, this I think comes from my ethnic, martial arts and management training background.

The first two are clear and obvious, the third, well... at one time in my work history, I was an assistant manager/management trainee for a high class restaurant. I would like to say to them if I were to ever see them again is... "Thank You".

In the 30 years I have held a job, I have never really known what I've really wanted to do and worked basically in almost every different industry that there is, however within the last 10 years, I have come to realize what I really truly enjoy but am not sure if I would be able to make a career out of it. You see, for the about the last year, I have been unemployed. Not that I don't like it, but it seems that there is nothing available for a person without a "certificate".

I have the skills, I have the experience and I know that I can do the job with little training cause I learn fast. I guess I'll leave it at this and write more later...

つづく ( To be continued... )

It's Probably Me

by Sting, Michael Kamen and Eric Clapton

If the night turned cold and the stars looked down
And you hug yourself on the cold cold ground.
You wake the morning in a stranger's coat,
No one would you see.
You ask yourself, who'd watch for me?
My only friend, who could it be?
It's hard to say it, I hate to say it, but it's probably me.

When your belly's empty and the hunger's so real
And you're too proud to beg and too dumb to steal,
You search the city for your only friend,
No one would you see.
You ask yourself, who'd watch for me?
A solitary voice to speak out and set me free.
I hate to say it, I hate to say it, but it's probably me.

You're not the easiest person I ever got to know
And it's hard for us both to let our feelings show.
Some would say I should let you go your way,
You'll only make me cry.
But if there's one guy, just one guy
Who'd lay down his life for you and die,
I hate to say it, I hate to say it, but it's probably me.

When the world's gone crazy and it makes no sense
And there's only one voice that comes to your defense.
The jury's out and your eyes search the room
And one friendly face is all you need to see.
And if there's one guy, just one guy
Who'd lay down his life for you and die,
I hate to say it, I hate to say it, but it's probably me.

I hate to say it, I hate to say it, but it's probably me...

つづく ( To be continued... )

A little information on the accused killer of Asa Yamashita...

The person that was accused of the stabbing death of Asa Yamashita has a known history of Mental illness there in Hawaii and California.

Article from the Honolulu Star Bulletin:

Teacher's alleged killer has long police record
By Rosemarie Bernardo
POSTED: 01:30 a.m. HST, Mar 05, 2009

A 25-year-old man diagnosed with schizophrenia was indicted yesterday in connection with the fatal stabbing of a Waianae High School teacher.

An Oahu grand jury indicted Tittleman Fauatea on charges of second-degree murder in the stabbing Friday of Asa Yamashita at the Ewa Town Center. He is being held in lieu of $500,000 bail.

Court records show that Fauatea has been hospitalized several times in Hawaii and California for mental illness.

According to records, he told a doctor at the Hawaii State Hospital in August, following his arrest for criminal trespassing at a Kahaluu convenience store, that the television talks to him and that he heard voices.

Within two months of his evaluation, he also was observed having "hypersexual" behavior — flirting inappropriately with most of the female staff and patients in the ward at the state hospital.

Records also stated Fauatea had several instances where "he had lost control and either struck or attempted to strike fellow patients."

While living with his sister in California for a few months in 2003, she initially kicked him out of her home after he threatened to kill her children. He also made multiple 911 calls falsely telling dispatchers that his sister was dead in her bed.

Before he was hospitalized at the state hospital, Fauatea had three psychiatric hospitalizations in California and one at Kahi Mohala Behavioral Healthcare in Ewa Beach. During those times, he displayed "verbally and physically assaultive behavior," according to a doctor's evaluation in court records.

Further psychiatric evaluation reports state, "He had delusional content, paranoia, auditory and visual hallucinations, bizarre behaviors, self talk and inappropriate sexual behavior (that is, staring at girls, asking young children at the laundromat for their phone numbers and touching himself in public)."

Court records indicate Fauatea, who was born in Utah and raised in Hawaii, graduated with a certificate from Moanalua High School in 2002.

Last year, he was charged with harassment involving a woman at an Ewa Beach recreation center at 91-1037 Kamailio St.

On June 8, Fauatea allegedly walked up to the woman, who was in the swimming pool area, stood less than two inches in front of her and stared at her chest. The woman turned to ignore him, but he continued to get closer to her. She told Fauatea to leave but he refused. He continued harassing the woman for 10 minutes, scaring her. Fauatea served six days in jail for the offense, considered a misdemeanor.

Two months later, Fauatea was charged for second-degree criminal trespassing after he refused to leave a 7-Eleven store at 47-515 Kamehameha Highway in Kahaluu. Court documents stated Fauatea headed to the store with a suitcase and asked the clerk for food. When the clerk refused, Fauatea placed his suitcase near the doorway and sat down, partially blocking the store's entrance door. The clerk asked him multiple times to leave, but he refused.

Fauatea also has four previous arrests in Las Vegas which include a domestic violence offense.

A 25-year-old man diagnosed with schizophrenia was indicted yesterday in connection with the fatal stabbing of a Waianae High School teacher.

An Oahu grand jury indicted Tittleman Fauatea on charges of second-degree murder in the stabbing Friday of Asa Yamashita at the Ewa Town Center. He is being held in lieu of $500,000 bail.

Court records show that Fauatea has been hospitalized several times in Hawaii and California for mental illness.

According to records, he told a doctor at the Hawaii State Hospital in August, following his arrest for criminal trespassing at a Kahaluu convenience store, that the television talks to him and that he heard voices.

Within two months of his evaluation, he also was observed having "hypersexual" behavior — flirting inappropriately with most of the female staff and patients in the ward at the state hospital.

Records also stated Fauatea had several instances where "he had lost control and either struck or attempted to strike fellow patients."

While living with his sister in California for a few months in 2003, she initially kicked him out of her home after he threatened to kill her children. He also made multiple 911 calls falsely telling dispatchers that his sister was dead in her bed.

Before he was hospitalized at the state hospital, Fauatea had three psychiatric hospitalizations in California and one at Kahi Mohala Behavioral Healthcare in Ewa Beach. During those times, he displayed "verbally and physically assaultive behavior," according to a doctor's evaluation in court records.

Further psychiatric evaluation reports state, "He had delusional content, paranoia, auditory and visual hallucinations, bizarre behaviors, self talk and inappropriate sexual behavior (that is, staring at girls, asking young children at the laundromat for their phone numbers and touching himself in public)."

Court records indicate Fauatea, who was born in Utah and raised in Hawaii, graduated with a certificate from Moanalua High School in 2002.

Last year, he was charged with harassment involving a woman at an Ewa Beach recreation center at 91-1037 Kamailio St.

On June 8, Fauatea allegedly walked up to the woman, who was in the swimming pool area, stood less than two inches in front of her and stared at her chest. The woman turned to ignore him, but he continued to get closer to her. She told Fauatea to leave but he refused. He continued harassing the woman for 10 minutes, scaring her. Fauatea served six days in jail for the offense, considered a misdemeanor.

Two months later, Fauatea was charged for second-degree criminal trespassing after he refused to leave a 7-Eleven store at 47-515 Kamehameha Highway in Kahaluu. Court documents stated Fauatea headed to the store with a suitcase and asked the clerk for food. When the clerk refused, Fauatea placed his suitcase near the doorway and sat down, partially blocking the store's entrance door. The clerk asked him multiple times to leave, but he refused.

Fauatea also has four previous arrests in Las Vegas which include a domestic violence offense.

Now, this person should have been in the care of a Mental Health facility or at least monitored on the regular basis with medication for his mental health being subscribed... I have lived with and worked at a facility that dealt with such people. I do feel for them and that I know they can't help unless helped

The issue is the system failed. Those people who were part of the system didn't treat this individual as that, an individual with unique issues. People cannot be lumped into a group, each person must be treated on a case by case basis.

The other issue is that law enforcement needs additional training in mental health issues, what used to work for training before doesn't work for today's society. In the old days, a police officer just needed to enforce the laws, now they, depending on the department, get training or require knowledge of being a First Responder. They should now need basic training as a counselor and basic Mental Health training so that they can identify and prevent these types of issues.

If this person was recognized as a person with mental health issues in the beginning, this would have never happened as well as other incidents within this past year in Hawaii as well as other states.

つづく ( To be continued... )

Asa Yamashita

Oh where do I begin... I knew her when I attended Intermediate school. We played in band together, she played the Oboe and I played Clarinet and because of my position in the Clarinet section, I sat next to her. At that time, her last name was Shimabukuro.

One of my favorite memories of her was during a concert at the Farrington High School Auditorium, just before and during the performance, I was trying to make her laugh cause she was nervous, I think she had a solo in one of the pieces we performed that night. Apparently it worked cause she wasn't as nervous as she was in the beginning.

At the end of the night, back at the band room, she came up to me and kissed me on the cheek, thanking me for helping her overcome her nervousness.

I can still see her smiling face when we were in that band room, making fun of her and her mock anger at us and Mr. Fukaya whenever we teased her. I was at S.B. Dole for only 2 years, in the 9th grade I had changed schools and went to Aiea. I lost touch with her and other people. After graduating from High School, I've thought of those people from time to time and when I moved from Hawaii to Minnesota, every so often I would think of Asa.

I tried to locate her every so often, hoping she was on either MySpace or Facebook but never could find her on there so that I could get back in touch.

This past Monday, March 2nd when I brought up the Honolulu Star Bulletin's web page and saw the article of a 43 year old woman who was stabbed. As I read the article, I saw the name Asa and that had me wondering if it was the same person. I searched to see if there was a picture of that person. When I did find the picture, I was utterly and completly shocked.

Since finding out it was her, I've been asking myself if she'd still be with us if I've been back in Hawaii, what could've I done, the loss, her family, her husband, her daughters, her smiling happy person that she was.

It'll take me some time to get over this. I'll always remember her and the loss we've all suffered on that day. I know your watching over all of us with your happy smile, always with us in our hearts, spirit and minds.

つづく ( To be continued... )

I don't care no more...

No matter what I say, no matter what I do, how hard I work, how thorough I am, no matter how much experience I have it doesn't matter anymore.

つづく ( To be continued... )

Can't escape the past...

On my way home tonight while on the bus, some drunk got on the bus... After a while in his drunken stupor, he slid to the floor of the bus. Now remember, this is Winter so the floor is all wet with melted snow and whatever else like salt...

The bus driver, whom I got to know pretty well, tried to keep an eye on him while she was trying to drive safely. At one point, while he was sitting on the wet floor I asked her to call for a detox pickup. She then turned to him while she was stopped at a bus stop and told the guy to either sit on the chair or get off the bus... The guy was very incoherent and I don't think he understood anything that was being told to him.

After the 3rd or 4th time she told him, he started to butt scoot towards the exit, after about only moving an inch, another passenger came to the front to "assist" this guy out the door and onto the bus stop bench. I finally got up and got on the other side of the guy and held him in an escort hold and walked him off the bus with the other passenger. We got him to the bench and got back on the bus. My friend then called her dispatch to have a squad dispatched for a welfare check on the guy at the bus stop just in case and especially since it was about 25 degrees outside.

At first I didn't want to touch the guy let alone have him side next to me, firstly cause he was so drunk, I'm sure a PBT would've shown the guy was about a 3 or even a 4. secondly, he was drooling like a leaky faucet, thirdly he stunk to high hell... In the end I had to touch him to help another person escort him off the bus. I was very grateful that I always carry hand sanitizer with me but didn't have my fluid blocking leather gloves with me (which I'm going to carry all the time now...)

So, after reading all this, your wondering, what does this have to do with the title and he sounds like a cop. Well... I'm not a cop, never was, but I did work for a police department at a detox center so I've seen this type of people all the time and was trained to handle them. Then again, you or I could say that in a way I was a cop, I was in the police reserves and had most training that Police officers get. Now, I'm just a regular white collar worker in an office or IT department for a major business and don't want to get back to doing that stuff (although, at times I do miss it) but it seems that at times I can't escape it or forget about it when stuff like this happens...

つづく ( To be continued... )

New Year, New Camera!!

Picked up a Nikon D80 with a 18-55 Nikkor lens. The price was pretty good so it basically made it an easy decision...

Hopefully I'll have some pictures up taken with the D80 and eventually I also want to pick up a D90 and keep the D80 as a backup.

つづく ( To be continued... )

The sad state of Music and the lack of lyric writing skills...

I've been meaning to write about his for a while, it's the really sad and desperate state of music now days.

The other week I was listening to the radio on my way home and a song the radio station was playing was from a group that apparently had no skills what so ever. They resorted to using nursery rhymes... Actually, I found the artist and the song...

It's by Korn and the song is called Shoots and Ladders... Apparently Korn has run out of ideas for songs and had to resort to using Nursery rhymes... I can understand doing covers but to start using nursery rhymes... that's pretty sad.

つづく ( To be continued... )

Target Store - Downtown Minneapolis

I went in there to buy a sandwich, which normally they have a pretty good Roast Beef one. After picking one up and walking up to the counter, where a clerk was ringing up another customer, another customer walked up besides me and in front of me. A second clerk walked up to the counter and asked her what she wanted to order.

That just pissed me off, I was there first, I was holding the sandwich in front of me at chest height and at least 2 inches from my chest, ready to pay! Needless to say, I walked away from the counter, threw the sandwich back into the cooler and I mean purposely tossed it back and walked out.

At this time, I'm not going to buy anything from their food court ever again. That was the second time I've received bad service, the first time was when I got back from Colorado and hadn't eaten, so I decided to stop off and pick up something to eat. I picked up a mini Pizza Hut pizza from the warmer and was looking at what I had grabbed and the clerk there yelled "You touch it, you buy it, don't put it back!" That was at the Coon Rapids Target store.

Needless to say, I've never bought any ready made/ready to eat foods from there anymore and now the same for the downtown Minneapolis store. I'm beginning to see a pattern there, low pay, low I.Q. = Bad Service. The thing is, they don't realize people won't return if they have a bad experience and eventually word will get out about the service and eventually they'll be out of a job cause of no business.

つづく ( To be continued... )