Category Archives: Current Events

How I Messed With A Telemarketer (And Why I Don’t Feel Bad About It)

How Telemarketers are Stealing Your Time (and How to Stop Them)

There’s a lot of hate in this world. People hate others in such horrible ways for all the wrong reasons. It’s so damaging, destructive, and dehumanizing on so many levels. Hate is what causes otherwise decent people to commit gross atrocities against others. We should do whatever we can to reduce the amount of hate in this world.

All that being said, I fucking hate telemarketers.

Seriously, fuck every telemarketer on this planet.

There aren’t many targets of hate that are fully deserving of such hatred. Telemarkters are a select few. They’re right up there with spammers, hackers, and whoever keeps making insurance commercials. I still believe we should have compassion for our fellow humans, but if you’re going to hate anyone, hate telemarketers.

I bring this up because I’ve had more than my share of run-ins with them. Lately, there has been quite an uptick in both robocalls and telemarketers. Even though I repeatedly and angrily ask that I be put on the “Do Not Call” list, it doesn’t seem to stop them. They still call me and they find ways to make it seem like the call is coming from a local area.

We may not agree on much, as a society. Can we at least agree that these telemarketers are the fucking worst?

Now, I think I understand why there’s been such an uptick lately. In my area, there has been a noticeable uptick in people wanting to move in. I happen to live in a region where a lot of smaller, non-luxury style condos are going up and they’re located near some large retail centers. Since the pandemic, these types of units have been selling fast because they’re further from the city, they’re cheaper, and we have great internet. I’ve yet to see a unit stay on the market for more than two weeks.

Naturally, I’m getting a lot of calls from telemarketers asking if I’m willing to sell my current home or refinance. Most of them are pretty generic. Some are robocalls and some are just people trying to get my info. I hate every one of them, but at least with telemarketers, you can tell them to fuck off.

This leads me to a recent incident that I’d like to share. It involves a telemarketer who called me just after I’d gone to the gym and was still sore. I was not in the mood for their bullshit.

That didn’t stop them from calling.

It never stops them from calling.

However, rather than just hang up or cuss them out, I decided to mess with them this time. As soon as I realized this wasn’t a robocall, I decided that if I’m going to be annoyed by this shit, I might as well have some fun with it. How I went about that might have been in poor taste to some extent, but I don’t feel bad about it.

It went a little something like this:

Telemarketer: Hello! Am I speaking to Jack?

Me: Um…yes? Who is this?

Telemarketer: Hi! My name is [Asshole] and I’m with [Bullshit Company Name]. How are you?

Me: I’m fine. What’s this about?

Telemarketer: Well, we’re calling because we’re interested in helping you sell your house. We have…

Me: Really? WOW! That’s incredible! This is really something else. Please [Asshole], can I speak with your manager?

Telemarketer: Uh…what?

Me: Your manager. I’d love to speak to your manager right now. Because this is just so amazing.

Telemarketer: Why? What for?

Me: Well, I did not ask for this call. I did not consent to this call. And now I want to speak to your manager to tell them what an incredibly amazing asshole fuck you are. Please, transfer me. I’ll wait!

Telemarketer: Um…he’ll call you back.

Was I a little mean? Yes, I probably was.

Was I overly vulgar? Yes, I definitely was.

Do I feel bad about anything I said? No, I do not.

Again, I did not authorize this call. I did not consent to this call. I have repeatedly put my number on the “Do Not Call” list. These assholes still called me and wasted my time with this bullshit. As far as I’m concerned, if they’re not going to do the decent thing and respect my request, then I’m not going to bother being decent with them.

To whoever was on the other end of that call, I don’t apologize. I regret nothing. Fuck you. Get a job that doesn’t require you to harass people.

To anyone else who has ever fucked with a telemarketer, please share your experience and join me in hating these assholes like they deserve.

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I’ve Officially Made Holiday Travel Plans This Year And I Encourage Others To Do The Same!

100 Personal Finance Tips for Holiday Travel - Credit Sesame

Last year sucked for everyone and everything. I know I’ve said that a lot over the past year, but it’s worth belaboring. The COVID-19 pandemic ruined a lot of things and it’s still doing so today. Even though we have vaccines and treatments, the disease is still raging, thanks largely to idiots who refuse to follow science.

However, I don’t want to bemoan that prolonged tragedy.

I want to be a bit more positive this time around. After all, the holidays are upon us. We should try to be more positive, if only to get into the spirit. We have even more incentive than usual. Unlike last year, we’re more able to travel and enjoy traditional holiday activities. If you were stuck at home last year for the holidays and had to change your traditions, that’s a big deal.

To that end, I’m happy to say that I’ve actually finalized some holiday travel plans this year. They’re actually a bit bolder than what I usually do for the holidays. For both Christmas and Thanksgiving, I usually visit family and we usually have a large family gathering to celebrate the season. We couldn’t do that last year and it was rough. The holidays just didn’t feel the same.

This year, however, we’re trying to make up for it. We’re planning a big Thanksgiving gathering that will bring together family we haven’t seen outside a computer screen in nearly three years. That gathering will require more travel than usual. For me, that involves getting on a plane for the first time since before the pandemic.

Now, I’m not usually a fan of flying. It’s not the flight itself that bothers me. It’s navigating the airport that I find so frustrating. However, after last year, I’ll gladly endure it to be part of this gathering.

I also encourage others to do the same. Even if you’re not a fan of air travel or long car rides, make the effort to get away for the holidays. Visit family and interact with them in ways you just can’t match through a computer screen. Get out there and make the most of the holidays.

After last year, we all need it.

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Happy Veterans Day 2021

Veterans Day 2021: Here's where to observe in Brevard

To all the brave men and women who are currently serving in the armed forces, as well as those who have served, I thank you.

Today is Veterans Day. No matter what happens to be going on in the world socially, politically, or economically, we should all take a moment to commemorate those who have put their lives on the line for their country. It takes a special kind of strength to make that effort. It takes even more for someone to make the ultimate sacrifice.

As someone who has close relatives who served in the military, as well as grandparents who fought in World War II, I’ve seen that strength for myself. It’s worth celebrating and it’s worth honoring.

If you can, please consider donating to a military charity. There are plenty to choose from. Any amount helps. Veterans face a long list of challenges when they’re done fighting. For what they sacrificed, we should do what we can to help them.

In addition to donating, please take the time to thank those who have served in your family and your community. For what they’ve done and everything they’ve sacrificed, they deserve our gratitude and our respect.

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Attention All Holiday Shoppers: Do Your Shopping EARLY This Year!

11 Best Christmas Shopping Tips - How to Do Holidays on a Budget

I love Christmas.

I love the holidays.

It has always been one of my favorite times of the year. Ask anyone who knows me and they’ll tell you the same. I take Christmas very seriously. I go out of my way to buy extra gifts and I often spend way more than I intend. However, I gladly pay that price because that’s how much I love the holidays.

Last year was a real challenge for obvious reasons. This year promises to be a bit more traditional and we should welcome that.

However, this year brings with it some new challenges, especially for those who just love waiting until the last minute to do their Christmas shopping. We all know people like that. You yourself might be like that. I understand that not everyone is inclined to be that proactive. There’s nothing wrong with that. I don’t think less of anyone who has a procrastination problem around the holidays.

That being said, you should make an exception this year. If ever there was a year in which you got your shopping done early, make it this one. The ongoing supply chain issues that we’ve all heard about will have an impact, regardless of whether you do your shopping online or go to a store.

This is not speculation.

This is a warning.

If you want to make sure you get all the gifts you hope to give, either for yourself or your loved ones, do your shopping now.

Don’t wait until Thanksgiving.

Don’t wait until the first week of December.

Do it now.

You family will thank you and your holiday experience will be less stressful overall.

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It’s Election Day 2021 America: Go Vote!

Voter's Guide 2021: Candidates, endorsements, polling places - Riverhead  News Review

Halloween is over.

We had a good time. We ate a lot of candy. We watched way too many horror movies and CreepyPastas. It was fun for many. I hope everyone enjoyed it.

Now, we need to get serious again. For my fellow Americans, today is one of the most serious days we’ll experience.

It’s Election Day.

It may not be a Presidential Election like last year, which tend to get glossed over if voter turnout is any indication. That doesn’t make it any less important. If anything, years like this are becoming more important because the assholes who tend to stay in power do so because the people don’t care enough to vote them out. The only way to keep these assholes from undermining America is to vote them out or keep them from getting in.

Unfortunately, doing so means keeping up with local politics. I know that tends to be a test in pain tolerance these days. Talking about politics is akin to throwing undercooked steak at a hungry grizzly. It’s bound to get messy and dangerous. We already saw just how dangerous it could get earlier this year with the Capitol Riot.

We cannot and should not let that danger dissuade us from doing our American duty and voting.

So, I implore all my fellow Americans to do whatever they have to do today in order to vote. Check with your local government. Look up sites like this one. Find out where you have to go, what you have to do, and who’s on the ballot. Then, get out there and vote!

It’s not just a right.

It’s a responsibility.

Happy Election Day, America. Let’s make democracy work.

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A Brief Message To Those Who Threaten Election Workers And Officials

Ballot box fabricator navigates unprecedented demand for early voting

Fuck you.

Seriously, fuck you and fuck your bullshit excuses for doing something so stupid, cruel, and outright un-American.

Fuck you and your ass-backwards definition of patriotism.

I apologize for the harsh language, but sometimes some extra profanity is both justified and necessary to get the point across. In general, I try to be fair and understanding, especially for touchy issues that include hot-button political topics. I always make it a point to offer respect to those who might not agree with me on certain topics, be they abortion or religion.

I just can’t do that here.

I just can’t muster a shred of sympathy or understanding to people who go out of their way to harass, threaten, and denigrate the people who volunteer their time and energy to ensure American democracy functions.

In case you’re not aware of this deplorable trend, this has actually been an ongoing issue since the 2020 election. A sizable segment of the American population did not like how that election turned out and, like whiny children who didn’t get their way, those same people have been lashing out ever since. Then again, most children don’t make death threats to public officials, so I’m hesitant to call them childish.

Now, I’ve actively avoided this topic since the end of 2020. I’ve seen time and again how it brings out the worst people and the ugliest kind of politics. There’s really no convincing anyone something other than what they’ve come to dogmatically believe. They only ever consume news that tells them what they want to hear and assume every fact to the contrary is a lie.

Usually, I’m perfectly fine with someone living inside their own bubble, provided that they don’t harm anyone else. This is America. We can believe whatever we’d like. However, I draw a hard line when those beliefs become an excuse for making threats to election workers and people who volunteer in the name of democracy.

Some of these threats aren’t vague, either. Here is one story from Reuters that offers some rather graphic examples.

Here’s another video from CNBC. Again, the examples they give are pretty damn graphic.

There are plenty more I could give, but this news is upsetting enough. I don’t care what your political affiliation is or how you voted in the last election or several. This is not how civilized people in a functioning democracy conduct themselves. This isn’t even how children conduct themselves at a little league baseball game.

This is fucking outrageous.

If you are a proud American and actually value the principles of democracy, then I hope this upsets you. These aren’t people with a political agenda being threatened. These are just ordinary Americans doing their jobs. Threatening them because you don’t like how the numbers are panning out doesn’t make you a patriot. It makes you an asshole.

Again, fuck those people.

Fuck them and all their un-American values.

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Filed under Current Events, outrage culture, politics, rants, real stories

Honest Question: Do Political Ads Convince Anyone Of Anything?

Political ads have little persuasive power | YaleNews

It’s that time of year again for my fellow Americans. It’s election season. Now granted, it’s not a Presidential election, which have a tendency to get messy, ugly, heated, and hostile. The last two Presidential elections have sadly demonstrated that. However, democracy is still an important part of the American tradition. That means we have elections every year.

Years like this are what we call “off-year elections.” We don’t elect a President, but we do elect senators, representatives, governors, and various other officials. It may not be as glamorous or high-stakes as a Presidential election, but it’s something I encourage every American to take seriously.

Even if you hate politics and politicians, you should still vote.

If you’re not sure how, depending on where you live, check out this website and follow the steps. It’s not just a civic duty. It’s the lifeblood of democracy.

That being said, I do have one major bone to pick with election season. It has to do with the political ads that seem to run every five minutes on every channel I watch, as well as every video I stream online. Chances are, my fellow Americans are seeing plenty of those ads too. I have a feeling they’re as sick of them as I am.

With that in mind, I have a simple question to those who make these ads, as well as those who can’t avoid seeing them.

Do these ads actually convince anyone of anything?

I promise I’m not being facetious. I’m asking an honest, sincere question.

Has anyone actually been swayed by these ads? Have they ever affected your voting habits in any meaningful way?

I know people tend to be exceedingly partisan about everything these days. There are people who will vote for alleged sexual predators over someone of the opposing party. I know people who are registered republicans or democrats. Their candidate could run over puppies in the street and they would still vote for them.

It’s sad, frustrating, and antithetical to core American principles, but that’s the current situation we live in. It also makes these political ads all the more irrelevant. Seriously, if people are this partisan and dogmatic about their political affiliations, is an ad going to change that? If not, why spend money on them in the first place?

It’s not an insignificant sum of money, either. Running ads on TV and online make up a sizable chunk of campaign costs for aspiring politicians and that cost is only increasing. If they don’t work, then why spend all that money in the first place? What’s the point if it doesn’t change a single voter’s mind?

I suspect that’s not entirely the point of these ads. It might just be the case that these ads are just reminders for people who planned to vote a certain way to get out there and vote. After all, voter turnout has been historically low in the Untied States. While I agree that’s an issue, are these ads really the best way to address it?

Again, it’s an honest question. I’m not trying to come off as jaded or cynical, although I don’t blame anyone for feeling this way after the past five years of American politics. If these ads aren’t helping, though, then I think these questions are still worth asking.

Jaded or not, I still fully intend to vote and I already know who I’m voting for. I encourage every registered voter in America to do the same. Try not to vote blindly, either. Look into each candidate. Get a feel for who they are and decide for yourself whether you want them representing you. It can be tedious, I know, but that’s how you do democracy. That’s how you preserve the core values that make the Untied State of America what it is. Put in that effort, even if you find these ads insufferably annoying.

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Why Do Preachers Need/Deserve Private Jets? (A Sincere Question)

Televangelist Kenneth Copeland Defends His Private Jets: 'I'm A Very  Wealthy Man' - Flipboard

Whenever I talk about religion on this site, I try to be as respectful and tactful as possible. I don’t seek to offend or insult anyone who identifies as religious. I also don’t seek to denigrate certain religious practices, although I do believe a few warrant extra scrutiny. I’m sure I’ve overstepped those bounds in the past and for that, I do apologize.

All that being said, I have a serious question I’d like to present to those who are genuine and sincere with their faith.

Why do preachers need, let alone deserve, private jets?

I promise I’m not being facetious. I’m also not trying to make a larger point about certain religions. I would genuinely like someone who identifies as religious to explain this to me. Don’t just throw bible quotes at me. Explain it to me like I’m a child.

I know preachers having private jets isn’t new. However, recent events have made preachers and their spending habits a lot more noteworthy. Some make elaborate excuses as to why they have private jets. I still don’t get it.

These are not CEOs who run multi-billion dollar companies.

These are not heads of state who have to be able to travel the world at a moment’s notice.

These aren’t even celebrities who have achieved a level of success that affords them the option of some added luxury.

These are preachers who, for the most part, make their living giving sermons to adherents. I’m not saying that isn’t a noble profession. I went to church as a child. I remember the preachers and priests who led the sermons. They were genuinely nice people and they didn’t have private jets. One of them didn’t even own a car.

Now, I know these kinds of religious leaders are in a different hemisphere compared to the charismatic televangelists who have their own megachurches. I also know that more than a few adherents who utterly despise these people. One of them once told me, “That jet won’t help them escape where they’re going.”

Regardless of whether or not you believe that, I would still like someone to explain this practice to me. I get that charismatic people will attract crowds, money, and power. I get that those same people will abuse that power in one way or another. That’s just human nature.

What I don’t understand is how the adherents who believe, support, and send money to these people can accept this sort of thing and not have it clash with their faith somehow. Nearly every major religion has strict condemnations of greed and excess. How can this be justified?

Again, this is a sincere question. I hope to get a sincere answer because the absence of an answer is every bit as revealing.

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To Anyone Who Wants To Avoid Getting Hacked: Use Two-Factor Authentication (And Set It Up Now)

How to Secure Your Apple Account with Two-Factor Authentication

The internet is a vast, crazy place. It’s full of wonders and horrors. It offers a wealth of knowledge, as well as an endless stream is lies, scams, and misinformation. You’ll wonderful, disturbing, beautiful, yet perverse place. You can meet all sorts of amazing people online, but you can also encounter some of the weirdest, creepiest individuals on the face of this planet.

The internet is remarkable, yet chaotic is what I’m saying. The same could be said for cars and highways. That’s why you wear seatbelts and make sure your side has airbags. That way, if something does go wrong, you have something in place that can save you.

In that same spirit, I’d like to offer an important bit of advice to anyone who uses a computer and regularly accesses the internet, which is increasing with each passing day mind you. It has to do with security, a topic that has become a lot more relevant in recent years.

It wasn’t that long ago that a single cyberattack shut down a critical pipeline that disrupted fuel supplies for the entire eastern United States. However, I feel like people have already forgotten about that incident and the lessons it had to offer.

There are a lot of things to be said about that attack and why it was successful. However, much of it came back to poor cyber security practices. That included little practices like not logging out of a secure network, using easily-guessed passwords, or using the same password for multiple logins. As more and more of our lives go online, these practices will become increasingly damaging.

I know this because I too have been guilty of doing this. Just recently, I had a few security scares for some email accounts that I still use. I didn’t make a big deal about it at first. Then, I realized just how much sensitive information I had in these accounts and I needed to be more careful.

That’s why I immediately activated two-factor authentication.

That’s also why you should activate it too.

No matter how small or large your presence is online, I cannot recommend utilizing this feature enough. Do it for your email accounts. Do it for your social media accounts. Do it for your online shopping accounts. You don’t have to do it for everything, but if you have the option, definitely take advantage of it.

It’s not that hard to utilize. If you have a cell phone that can receive texts, you can use it. Yes, it is an extra step to log in. You have to both enter a password and a code that’s sent to your cell phone. It’s a bit more tedious, but it assures that, even if someone steals your password, they still can’t log in without your phone. It’s not perfect security, but it makes a big difference.

The security at the Colonial Pipeline facility didn’t utilize it. A majority of companies don’t utilize it on a large scale. There are some legitimate reasons for that, but most people don’t use it because it’s inconvenient. It’s another step on top of having to remember a password. Some people just don’t like that.

I get it, but I also get the risks of being hacked or losing your data. If you have a choice between being slightly more inconvenienced or losing critical data, then the choice should be clear. Endure that little bit of inconvenience. It’ll protect you, your data, your money, your identity, and so much more.

I had a bit of a cyber scare recently and while I was able to fix it before anything happened, I made sure I was more proactive. Trust me. You don’t want to learn the hard way why you should utilize extra layers of security whenever you’re online.

I’ll say it again. If you can activate two-factor authentication for any or all your accounts, do it. You’ll spare yourself plenty of stress and frustration. The internet is still an amazing place, but it can be dangerous. Your password is just a seatbelt. Two-factor authentication is an airbag. Your odds of being safe are much better when you can rely on both.

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Celebrating (And Clarifying) The New Bisexual Superman

I’ve been reading comics for most of my life. In that time, I’ve seen many major upheavals and big events. A few of them even made mainstream news. I still remember how big it was when the Death of Superman first came out. That event made for some big headlines and its effect on the comic book industry is still felt today.

At the same time, reading comics for so long has given me a knack for sensing when an event will make mainstream news. It has also helped me get a feel for the kind of reaction it’ll get from those who don’t follow comics that closely. As a result, their reaction tends to be somewhat misguided.

With that in mind, I’d like to talk about Superman coming out as bisexual, a big reveal that made national headlines earlier this week. When I saw this, I was temped to post my immediate reaction. However, I held off because I suspected the oncoming storm of outrage would obscure any sentiment or point I made.

Sadly, it didn’t take long for some of that outrage to take hold.

Plenty of reactionaries whined about it for plenty of non-surprising reasons, ranging from your traditional anti-LGBTQ whining from religious zealots to people who just whine about comics becoming “political.” I put “political” in quotes because by political, it usually denotes “politics I don’t like.” It’s still just whining at the end of the day.

For me, personally, I’m all for this. I love that DC Comics is doing this with one of their characters. It’s something that I think fits the spirit and principles of Superman. He is someone who has love, compassion, and understanding for all. He saves men, women, and everything in between. His capacity for connecting with others knows no gender or preference. That’s what makes him Superman.

That being said, there is some important context to add to this. If you just read the mainstream headlines, you might get the wrong idea. For the most balanced take, I recommend the following NPR piece. It nicely sums up what’s going on here.

NPR: Superman’s son comes out as bisexual in a new comic. It’s a big deal — sort of

By now you’ve likely heard.

He’s queer now.

Yep: Superman, Champion of the Oppressed, the Man of Steel, the Man of Tomorrow, the Last Son of Krypton, the Big Blue Boy Scout, Mr. Not-A-Bird-Nor-A-Plane Himself.

Queer. All of a sudden.

And at 83 years old, no less! Bless his heart.

But that’s not what’s happening here. Comics being comics, the truth is a lot more granular.

We’re not talking about the classic, original-recipe Clark Kent/Kal-El Superman that’s been around since the June 1938 issue of Action Comics #1 first hit the stands. It’s not the Superman who’s infiltrated the global zeitgeist to become a part of our collective consciousness via comics, serials, radio, television, film, toys, roller coasters and the bedsheets I got for Christmas 1979.

No, it’s his son, Jonathan Kent. Whose precise backstory in the comics has been so ruthlessly pummeled by a series of reboots, retcons, space missions, time-travel and rapid aging as to render it so incomprehensible that it sends even diehards like me scurrying to the nearest wiki.

He’s slated to come out as bisexual in the pages of Superman: Son of Kal-El #5, written by Tom Taylor with art by John Timms, which will published on November 9th. Jonathan and his male friend Jay, introduced earlier in the series, will share a kiss.

I hope that clears things up. You don’t need to know all the complex continuity behind the details. You just need to know the basics.

In short, the Superman who came out as bisexual isn’t the primary Superman we’ve known since Action Comics #1. It’s Superman and Lois Lane’s son, Jon Kent. He’s actually a relatively new character, having debuted in 2015 just before DC’s Rebirth event. In that time, he’s grown and developed a lot, becoming one of the best Superman offspring characters we’ve seen in years.

He’s certainly grown on me in that time. This latest twist to his story only makes me love him more. I also encourage everyone curious about Jon Kent to read about him. If you need a starting point, I highly suggest a series called Super Sons. That firmly established Jon as someone who could wear his cape proudly.

In addition, it gives Jon something that further sets him apart from his father. Clark Kent will always be Superman, but that’s a title that need not be restricted to one man. Plenty of other characters have gone by that title and not all of them are directly related to Clark like Jon is. The title and the values behind it have always mattered more than the person.

Clark Kent understands that.

Jon Kent understands that.

The longtime fans of Superman also understand that.

Everyone who wields that cape protects, defends, and champions the values behind that name. Truth, justice, and the American way need not be the exclusive domain of a straight white man from Smallville. Someone like Jon Kent can also fight for them, but doing so doesn’t require that he be exactly like his father.

He can still be his own person and part of that persona just happens to involve bisexuality. That doesn’t at all detract from his ability to fight for those same values. It doesn’t change the importance of those values, either. At the end of the day, what matters most is that he fights for them with the same spirit and passion as his father.

That’s what makes him Superman.

It doesn’t matter whether or not he’s bisexual. He’s still Superman and one worth celebrating.

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Filed under Current Events, DC Comics, superhero comics, superhero movies, Uncategorized