| The "I'm MAD AS HELL And I'm Not Taking It Anymore!" Page! |
This is the page where I get to vent on things that bother me. Sometimes it might be a bad transaction on eBay. Or it could be something or someone that bothers me
in the world of baseball. Or it could be totally unrelated to any of the above! I don't care! If I want to bad mouth the current state of affairs I am going to do it! I am
MAD AS HELL AND I AM NOT GOING TO TAKE IT ANYMORE!!! So if you offend easily I recommend you don't continue.
in the world of baseball. Or it could be totally unrelated to any of the above! I don't care! If I want to bad mouth the current state of affairs I am going to do it! I am
MAD AS HELL AND I AM NOT GOING TO TAKE IT ANYMORE!!! So if you offend easily I recommend you don't continue.
eBay item #250090054456 (1971 Topps #513 Nolan Ryan PSA 6). Seller: bankman2008 (Jason Benke of St. Louis MO). Listed on March 2, 2007.
Paid March 2nd via Paypal. Status: Refunded March 29, 2007, 27 days later.
Facts: I purchased this item for $49 plus $4.50 postage on March 2, 2007 via Paypal. I received an email from bankman2008 shortly afterwards. He
explained that he was waiting until the 18th of March to get the card from another seller and that if I waited until then he would send the card plus $20
for my trouble. Against my better judgement I said sure. Well March 18 comes and goes and I have no card. So I email this seller. He states that he does
not have the card and would I like a refund. At this point I am pretty sure I am getting stiffed. I state that I want the card. Why would I send the guy $50 to
hold for me for 3 weeks? Well he states he is not going to get the card. To make a long story short, this guy has the nads to call me a "dirt bag" and he
has yet to refund my money. Even worse, from March 2nd (when I paid him) through March 26 he has purchased 34 different items (sportscards) on
eBay totalling no less than $1290.00 (That's ONE THOUSAND TWO HUNDRED NINETY DOLLARS). How do I know that? All you have to do is type in his
user name and completed auctions and eBay shows it all. It's easy. And I am still waiting for a refund of $53.50. Even better: this guy purchased TWO
(2) other 1971 Topps #513 Nolan Ryan cards (PSA 7 and PSA 5) this month! Did I get one of them? No. I am pretty sure he never had this Ryan card
(left) to begin with. You can see the "dslsports" logo on the bottom right of the card; dslsports is a reputable seller on eBay (I know as I have purchased
cards from them before) and bankman2008 probably "lifted" the image from one of their auctions. I do the same on this website except I don't advertise
that I am selling those cards, nor would I even think about doing something that low. And "Mr." Benke has the gigantic ELEPHANT BALLS to call me a
"Dirt Bag" for asking for my money back! Are you for REAL??? "Aw blow it out!"
Note: I was refunded $53.50 on March 29. Still waiting on that $20 for my trouble... In the meantime, he has done the same thing to no less than 3
other eBay buyers and eBay has yet to suspend this guy! Thanks eBay for keeping these dishonest sellers on your site.
Paid March 2nd via Paypal. Status: Refunded March 29, 2007, 27 days later.
Facts: I purchased this item for $49 plus $4.50 postage on March 2, 2007 via Paypal. I received an email from bankman2008 shortly afterwards. He
explained that he was waiting until the 18th of March to get the card from another seller and that if I waited until then he would send the card plus $20
for my trouble. Against my better judgement I said sure. Well March 18 comes and goes and I have no card. So I email this seller. He states that he does
not have the card and would I like a refund. At this point I am pretty sure I am getting stiffed. I state that I want the card. Why would I send the guy $50 to
hold for me for 3 weeks? Well he states he is not going to get the card. To make a long story short, this guy has the nads to call me a "dirt bag" and he
has yet to refund my money. Even worse, from March 2nd (when I paid him) through March 26 he has purchased 34 different items (sportscards) on
eBay totalling no less than $1290.00 (That's ONE THOUSAND TWO HUNDRED NINETY DOLLARS). How do I know that? All you have to do is type in his
user name and completed auctions and eBay shows it all. It's easy. And I am still waiting for a refund of $53.50. Even better: this guy purchased TWO
(2) other 1971 Topps #513 Nolan Ryan cards (PSA 7 and PSA 5) this month! Did I get one of them? No. I am pretty sure he never had this Ryan card
(left) to begin with. You can see the "dslsports" logo on the bottom right of the card; dslsports is a reputable seller on eBay (I know as I have purchased
cards from them before) and bankman2008 probably "lifted" the image from one of their auctions. I do the same on this website except I don't advertise
that I am selling those cards, nor would I even think about doing something that low. And "Mr." Benke has the gigantic ELEPHANT BALLS to call me a
"Dirt Bag" for asking for my money back! Are you for REAL??? "Aw blow it out!"
Note: I was refunded $53.50 on March 29. Still waiting on that $20 for my trouble... In the meantime, he has done the same thing to no less than 3
other eBay buyers and eBay has yet to suspend this guy! Thanks eBay for keeping these dishonest sellers on your site.
Bleep of the Month - March 2007- Jason Benke!!!
A bit about eBay's feedback policy. eBay allows both buyer's and seller's the opportunity to leave feedback on their transactions. There are 3 types of feedback: Positive, Neutral, and Negative.
This is supposed to be helpful in choosing whether or not to do business with a particular eBay member. However, the reality is that most members are very afraid to leave a neutral or negative
comment because usually the other party will retort in kind with a similar comment. In other words if you leave someone a positive you get a positive; if you leave a negative chances are good
you will get one even though you may have paid in a timely manner (I have 7 negative comments because of this and most aren't even on eBay anymore). eBay really needs to do something
about this as there are more than a few "members" (like the guy above) who should have been suspended from eBay a long time ago. If members weren't afraid to leave neutral or negative
comments these guys wouldn't be selling or buying on eBay for very long.
This is supposed to be helpful in choosing whether or not to do business with a particular eBay member. However, the reality is that most members are very afraid to leave a neutral or negative
comment because usually the other party will retort in kind with a similar comment. In other words if you leave someone a positive you get a positive; if you leave a negative chances are good
you will get one even though you may have paid in a timely manner (I have 7 negative comments because of this and most aren't even on eBay anymore). eBay really needs to do something
about this as there are more than a few "members" (like the guy above) who should have been suspended from eBay a long time ago. If members weren't afraid to leave neutral or negative
comments these guys wouldn't be selling or buying on eBay for very long.
1972 O-Pee-Chee #34 Billy Martin IA
1970's Wire Photo Billy Martin making a point
1972 Topps #341 Dick Butkus IA
Dick Butkus Says...
KISS MY BUTKUS!
The card I never got...
Bleep of the Month - May 2007- Mikensports.com !!!
I am manager/player on a slow pitch softball team (ATOMIC PUNKS). We had a 3-6-1 record our
first season; not bad considering we had to play the top 2 teams four times during the 10 game
season (we got spanked each game). I noticed one team in particular (#2) was using a Miken
Ultra II Advanced "Velocity" softball bat. Half the team was using the same bat and they were all
hitting like Mark McGwire during his steroid induced home run barrage. Not only did they beat us
but they also beat the #1 team, which was unbeaten at the time. I talked to the manager of the
first place team and he made comments also about this lethal bat they were using. One guy was
about 5'-8, 180 lbs and this guy hit a softball approx. 320 ft. It short-hopped the fence. So I know
it can't be that they have a team of "ringers." I am convinced it was this bat. So to make things
even I went ahead and purchased the same bat on eBay. It was still brand new with the wrapper
and I guess because that model is no longer manufactured by Miken, there was no warranty on
the bat. I figured Miken bats are the best (why else would this bat cost me $275) so I went ahead
and bought the bat against my better judgement. With these expensive composite bats it is
important to break them in. You do this by using regulation softballs and rotating the bat after
each hit. I played exactly 2 practice games with this bat; not even 40 hits and the bat cracked in
half. See the pictures for yourself. Know I know I am an idiot for spending $275 for a damn bat
but I was trying to even the playing field. And Miken bats are supposedly the best. I beg to differ.
LOOK AT THE PICTURE! So I send an email to Mikensports.com and do you think they
even have the courtesy to reply to my question as to why I would spend another nickel on a
Miken bat? I will never buy another Miken bat again, I don't care if it is endorsed by Mark
McGwire, Barry Bonds, or the President of the United States. So MIken Sports, thanks for
f#$%ing me over and screw you too!
Update: As of June 29, I am STILL waiting on my reply to Miken's Customer Service (via email).
first season; not bad considering we had to play the top 2 teams four times during the 10 game
season (we got spanked each game). I noticed one team in particular (#2) was using a Miken
Ultra II Advanced "Velocity" softball bat. Half the team was using the same bat and they were all
hitting like Mark McGwire during his steroid induced home run barrage. Not only did they beat us
but they also beat the #1 team, which was unbeaten at the time. I talked to the manager of the
first place team and he made comments also about this lethal bat they were using. One guy was
about 5'-8, 180 lbs and this guy hit a softball approx. 320 ft. It short-hopped the fence. So I know
it can't be that they have a team of "ringers." I am convinced it was this bat. So to make things
even I went ahead and purchased the same bat on eBay. It was still brand new with the wrapper
and I guess because that model is no longer manufactured by Miken, there was no warranty on
the bat. I figured Miken bats are the best (why else would this bat cost me $275) so I went ahead
and bought the bat against my better judgement. With these expensive composite bats it is
important to break them in. You do this by using regulation softballs and rotating the bat after
each hit. I played exactly 2 practice games with this bat; not even 40 hits and the bat cracked in
half. See the pictures for yourself. Know I know I am an idiot for spending $275 for a damn bat
but I was trying to even the playing field. And Miken bats are supposedly the best. I beg to differ.
LOOK AT THE PICTURE! So I send an email to Mikensports.com and do you think they
even have the courtesy to reply to my question as to why I would spend another nickel on a
Miken bat? I will never buy another Miken bat again, I don't care if it is endorsed by Mark
McGwire, Barry Bonds, or the President of the United States. So MIken Sports, thanks for
f#$%ing me over and screw you too!
Update: As of June 29, I am STILL waiting on my reply to Miken's Customer Service (via email).
I do NOT endorse Miken bats!
Bleep(s) of the Month - December 2007- Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens
and Bud "Bafoon" Selig (The "Commish")
and Bud "Bafoon" Selig (The "Commish")
We've already heard about Jose Canseco, Mark McGwire, Sammy Sosa, Rafael Palmiero, Jason Giambi, Barry Bonds, etc. Well the long awaited "Mitchell Report" came out today with a list of players involved with steroids, among them
Roger Clemens. Now it had been rumored that Clemens was possibly "juiced," but essentially the media gave Clemens the benefit of the doubt while pretty much vilifying Bonds in the press. Unfair? Maybe, but there was a little more
evidence against Bonds than Clemens. Bond's trainer was really big into BALCO and if Bonds personal trainer is a fan of BALCO and their "nutritional supplements," then the chances are really good Bonds is getting some BALCO
products. Bonds of course, denied any involvement with steroids though he did admit using "the cream" by accident. Regardless, both players have achieved greatness in baseball, and both have "cheated." Both players probably
would have been Hall Of Famers without taking performance enhancing drugs, but they chose to take them and they should pay the piper. Personally I am very angry with Roger Clemens. He was my favorite when he was with Boston
and he won nearly 200 games with the Red Sox. Then he goes to Toronto and wins back to back Cy Young Awards. Once he went to the Yankees I was no longer a fan but I was glad he finally got a World Series ring. I didn't think he'd
get one with Boston. However with this latest revelation (if indeed true) I am very sick to my stomach over these players, and also just as guilty is Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig, who did absolutely NOTHING when this started. If you
remember, baseball was hurting after the big strike in 1994 and what happens soon after? McGwire and Sosa begin blasting the ball out of parks like golf balls and the fans, like the forgiving idiots they are, return to the park to cheer on
these bloated sluggers. McGwire of course was using Andro, bought over the counter, but it is still an anabolic steroid. And worse, at the time baseball had no policy against steroids. So Roger Maris' record gets broken several times
over (mostly by Sosa) and then along comes Bonds to smash all records. Not only the single season record but Henry Aaron's all-time home run mark as well. There were rumors but little else. What did Bud Selig do? Nothing. It
wasn't until "Book of Shadows" came out and the Congressional hearings that baseball started to open their eyes. The list of names released today is extensive, but I bet the list of players actually using some form of performance
enhancing drugs to be even larger. Just because they have not failed a drug test means little. I can think of several big name players I suspect of using steroids. And that sucks. To be a baseball fan and wonder whether or not a player
is playing on the level, or using steroids, is a bit unsettling to this baseball fan. To me, Roger Maris is still the single season HR champ. Hank Aaron is baseball's All-Time HR King. I feel bad for the players that Clemens edged out for
his 7 Cy Young Awards (a record). I'd rather see a guy play his best without taking any substances that enhances performance. Anyone who says that steroids don't help performance doesn't know his head from his ass. Steroids DO
enhance performance and make recovery time from injuries substantially less than without them. They were banned in the NFL long before baseball did anything...why do you think that is? Because there was an unfair advantage. I am
mad as hell I ever was a fan of these guys, especially Roger Clemens. I took my kids to see Clemens pitch so that one day they could say "I saw one of baseball's all-time great pitchers." Now I am even sorry I have his baseball cards
in my collection. Same with Bonds. I would have a lot more respect for them if they would just come clean (like Jason Giambi) and say "I made a mistake and I am sorry." But these guy's ego's won't allow that. Rafael Palmiero lied thru
his teeth and said he never took steroids and just a few weeks later comes up positive for performance enhancing drugs. Well records have been broken, but I think a very important lesson would be for baseball writers to NOT vote for
these players when it comes time for Hall Of Fame consideration. They had Hall of Fame talent but no respect for the game or the fans. Mark McGwire learned this lesson last year when he was not voted in despite having the
credentials. You can't tarnish the game, and yet these players did. Shame on you players, the Player's Union who shielded you, and shame on YOU Bud Selig & MLB for wearing blindfolds while at the same time patting your billfolds
full of cash and telling yourselves what a great game this is. Screw the lot of you!
"Roids" and cards. Cards from the "Steroid Era" are very similar to the current state of the stock market, erratic. In fact the 1987 Fleer Barry Bonds #604 and 1985 Topps Tiffany #181 Roger Clemens rookie cards (above) are good
examples. The Fleer Bonds card, considered his "best rookie card," went from a few hundred dollars (when Bonds' was laying to waste Mark McGwire's Home Run Record) to $60-$80 today in a PSA 10 GEM MINT holder. Maybe even
less. Clemens' rookie cards have taken a huge hit as well. Rookie cards of Mark McGwire, Jose "I Told You So" Canseco, Sammy Sosa, Rafael Palmiero, etc. have went from gold to mud. You can't hardly give those cards away
anymore. So if you thought that buying sportscards was a sure way to invest money you sure got burned if you paid top dollar for these cards at their peak. What I find incredible is the prices of modern rookie cards. Some players like
Albert Pujols already have rookie cards that are priced well over $1000! Give me a break. While Pujols is certainly a great player and (if not on some performance enhancer) looks like a sure Hall Of Famer, no modern baseball card
should be that expensive. For $1000 you can buy a very nice 1939 Play Ball #92 Ted Williams rookie card, 1953 Bowman Color #59 Mickey Mantle, or 1954 Topps #128 Hank Aaron rookie card, just to give you an example. So before
blowing some serious cash on modern cards (a gamble especially in the times we are living in) think instead about buying a vintage card which have proven to be more solid "investments." Personally I do not collect cards for
investment purposes. It would be nice that when the time comes to sell them to get more than what I paid for them, but even if I was to break even that is ok with me because I get a lot of enjoyment out of them.
Roger Clemens. Now it had been rumored that Clemens was possibly "juiced," but essentially the media gave Clemens the benefit of the doubt while pretty much vilifying Bonds in the press. Unfair? Maybe, but there was a little more
evidence against Bonds than Clemens. Bond's trainer was really big into BALCO and if Bonds personal trainer is a fan of BALCO and their "nutritional supplements," then the chances are really good Bonds is getting some BALCO
products. Bonds of course, denied any involvement with steroids though he did admit using "the cream" by accident. Regardless, both players have achieved greatness in baseball, and both have "cheated." Both players probably
would have been Hall Of Famers without taking performance enhancing drugs, but they chose to take them and they should pay the piper. Personally I am very angry with Roger Clemens. He was my favorite when he was with Boston
and he won nearly 200 games with the Red Sox. Then he goes to Toronto and wins back to back Cy Young Awards. Once he went to the Yankees I was no longer a fan but I was glad he finally got a World Series ring. I didn't think he'd
get one with Boston. However with this latest revelation (if indeed true) I am very sick to my stomach over these players, and also just as guilty is Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig, who did absolutely NOTHING when this started. If you
remember, baseball was hurting after the big strike in 1994 and what happens soon after? McGwire and Sosa begin blasting the ball out of parks like golf balls and the fans, like the forgiving idiots they are, return to the park to cheer on
these bloated sluggers. McGwire of course was using Andro, bought over the counter, but it is still an anabolic steroid. And worse, at the time baseball had no policy against steroids. So Roger Maris' record gets broken several times
over (mostly by Sosa) and then along comes Bonds to smash all records. Not only the single season record but Henry Aaron's all-time home run mark as well. There were rumors but little else. What did Bud Selig do? Nothing. It
wasn't until "Book of Shadows" came out and the Congressional hearings that baseball started to open their eyes. The list of names released today is extensive, but I bet the list of players actually using some form of performance
enhancing drugs to be even larger. Just because they have not failed a drug test means little. I can think of several big name players I suspect of using steroids. And that sucks. To be a baseball fan and wonder whether or not a player
is playing on the level, or using steroids, is a bit unsettling to this baseball fan. To me, Roger Maris is still the single season HR champ. Hank Aaron is baseball's All-Time HR King. I feel bad for the players that Clemens edged out for
his 7 Cy Young Awards (a record). I'd rather see a guy play his best without taking any substances that enhances performance. Anyone who says that steroids don't help performance doesn't know his head from his ass. Steroids DO
enhance performance and make recovery time from injuries substantially less than without them. They were banned in the NFL long before baseball did anything...why do you think that is? Because there was an unfair advantage. I am
mad as hell I ever was a fan of these guys, especially Roger Clemens. I took my kids to see Clemens pitch so that one day they could say "I saw one of baseball's all-time great pitchers." Now I am even sorry I have his baseball cards
in my collection. Same with Bonds. I would have a lot more respect for them if they would just come clean (like Jason Giambi) and say "I made a mistake and I am sorry." But these guy's ego's won't allow that. Rafael Palmiero lied thru
his teeth and said he never took steroids and just a few weeks later comes up positive for performance enhancing drugs. Well records have been broken, but I think a very important lesson would be for baseball writers to NOT vote for
these players when it comes time for Hall Of Fame consideration. They had Hall of Fame talent but no respect for the game or the fans. Mark McGwire learned this lesson last year when he was not voted in despite having the
credentials. You can't tarnish the game, and yet these players did. Shame on you players, the Player's Union who shielded you, and shame on YOU Bud Selig & MLB for wearing blindfolds while at the same time patting your billfolds
full of cash and telling yourselves what a great game this is. Screw the lot of you!
"Roids" and cards. Cards from the "Steroid Era" are very similar to the current state of the stock market, erratic. In fact the 1987 Fleer Barry Bonds #604 and 1985 Topps Tiffany #181 Roger Clemens rookie cards (above) are good
examples. The Fleer Bonds card, considered his "best rookie card," went from a few hundred dollars (when Bonds' was laying to waste Mark McGwire's Home Run Record) to $60-$80 today in a PSA 10 GEM MINT holder. Maybe even
less. Clemens' rookie cards have taken a huge hit as well. Rookie cards of Mark McGwire, Jose "I Told You So" Canseco, Sammy Sosa, Rafael Palmiero, etc. have went from gold to mud. You can't hardly give those cards away
anymore. So if you thought that buying sportscards was a sure way to invest money you sure got burned if you paid top dollar for these cards at their peak. What I find incredible is the prices of modern rookie cards. Some players like
Albert Pujols already have rookie cards that are priced well over $1000! Give me a break. While Pujols is certainly a great player and (if not on some performance enhancer) looks like a sure Hall Of Famer, no modern baseball card
should be that expensive. For $1000 you can buy a very nice 1939 Play Ball #92 Ted Williams rookie card, 1953 Bowman Color #59 Mickey Mantle, or 1954 Topps #128 Hank Aaron rookie card, just to give you an example. So before
blowing some serious cash on modern cards (a gamble especially in the times we are living in) think instead about buying a vintage card which have proven to be more solid "investments." Personally I do not collect cards for
investment purposes. It would be nice that when the time comes to sell them to get more than what I paid for them, but even if I was to break even that is ok with me because I get a lot of enjoyment out of them.
Bleep(s) of the Month - June 2008- New York Yankees
ADA Manager Carol Laurenzano
ADA Manager Carol Laurenzano
This is a classic example of terrible customer service, not to mention just plain lousy ticket policies by the New York Yankees. On June 16, 2008 I sent an email to ADA Manager Carol Laurenzano
to request two tickets (one for my pal Fred Mauro, who is a disabled Vietnam Veteran) to a Yankees - Red Sox game in September. My friend is a lifelong Yankees fan and he wanted to go to
Yankee Stadium before they tear it down (another sore subject) for "New Yankee Stadium." Anyway first of all, in this day and age, you would think with computers and high technology that I could
purchase tickets online. Wrong. The Yankees have a policy, at least according to Carol Laurenzano, that you have to send in a WRITTEN request and send it through the USPS. Ok, that is pretty
lame but I am not pissed off yet. I AM pissed off when 3 months later I still have yet to hear back from Carol Laurenzano, despite me sending her another email. No email, phone call, or letter. What
kind of lame ticket manager is that? As per her email I sent in the dates requested, how many tickets, and my credit card info. And as of August 28, 2008, I still have not heard back from her. At the
very least she could have the courtesy to say, "I'm sorry, but we don't have any tickets," or "We are currently looking for tickets" or SOMETHING. It is my viewpoint that this is extremely sorry on the
part of the New York Yankees organization. Of course, I hate the Yankees to begin with, so to tell you the truth I don't give a monkey's #$%^ about ever setting step in Yankees Stadium, new or old.
But it was a disappointment to my friend Fred. So to Carol Laurenzano and the New York Yankees, I say BLEEP OFF!!!
Yankees SUCK!!!
to request two tickets (one for my pal Fred Mauro, who is a disabled Vietnam Veteran) to a Yankees - Red Sox game in September. My friend is a lifelong Yankees fan and he wanted to go to
Yankee Stadium before they tear it down (another sore subject) for "New Yankee Stadium." Anyway first of all, in this day and age, you would think with computers and high technology that I could
purchase tickets online. Wrong. The Yankees have a policy, at least according to Carol Laurenzano, that you have to send in a WRITTEN request and send it through the USPS. Ok, that is pretty
lame but I am not pissed off yet. I AM pissed off when 3 months later I still have yet to hear back from Carol Laurenzano, despite me sending her another email. No email, phone call, or letter. What
kind of lame ticket manager is that? As per her email I sent in the dates requested, how many tickets, and my credit card info. And as of August 28, 2008, I still have not heard back from her. At the
very least she could have the courtesy to say, "I'm sorry, but we don't have any tickets," or "We are currently looking for tickets" or SOMETHING. It is my viewpoint that this is extremely sorry on the
part of the New York Yankees organization. Of course, I hate the Yankees to begin with, so to tell you the truth I don't give a monkey's #$%^ about ever setting step in Yankees Stadium, new or old.
But it was a disappointment to my friend Fred. So to Carol Laurenzano and the New York Yankees, I say BLEEP OFF!!!
Yankees SUCK!!!
Speaking of "Yankees SUCK," our Bleep(s) of the year so far in 2009 is God's gift to baseball, Alex "AROID" Rodriquez and Manny "Being Manny" Ramirez. Two of the most feared hitters over the last
decade and longer. Two first ballot Hall Of Famers... right? I don't think so and I hope the Baseball Writers who do the voting agree. They have already done so with numerous "Steroid Era" sluggers like
Canseco, McGwire, etc. It is going to be very interesting when you have the All-Time Home Run record holder (Barry Bonds) and a 7-time Cy Young Award Winner with over 300 wins (Roger Clemens) come
up for election. Will they get in? What about Jeff Bagwell who was pals with steroid users Craig Biggio (3000 hits) and Ken Caminiti (deceased)? The entire thing is just ridiculous. I feel for the players who are
legit and don't have to take illegal substances to heal faster or increase performance. And instead of hiding behind the 5th Amendment, flat out denying, or outright lying, I'd like to see more players just admit
they made a mistake and that they were sorry. How hard can that be? Jason Giambi did it, though it was going to come out anyway but at least he owned up to what he did. I respect Giambi much more than
the guys who are hiding, denying or lying about steroid use. I think MLB should allow players to come clean WITHOUT testing. An amnesty period where players can just come clean. No punishment. Just
admit it and stop using. And when it comes time for Hall Of Fame voting for some of these players, they should be allowed in because they owned up to what they did. Chances are they would be Hall of
Famers even without the banned substances but we all make mistakes and owning up to them would show respect for our National Pastime and the FANS who are the reason these guys are making millions
of dollars playing a kid's game. There is my two cents. But what does MLB and the Bozo "Commissioner" do? The same thing they have been doing for the past 20 years....nothing. Sure they are testing and
MLB has put out television commercials about the risks of steroid use. But 20 years later? The testing is probably already outdated and some new steroid or substance is already being used by some players.
The Commissioner talks tough but he is a big mouth with a little stick. While we are at it, let's get a real Commissioner as well. One that isn't in bed with the owners. A neutral 3rd party Commissioner. If things
like this were to happen I'd feel much better about the state of baseball.
January 2010 Update! Mark McGwire came "clean" and stated he had used steroids as a player. No! You're kidding, right? In McGwire's defense, when he was taking the stuff (Andro and other assorted
"nutritional supplements") into his butt cheeks, MLB (care of Bud Selig) had NO steroid policy in place. They were too busy getting something else stuffed into their butt cheeks and too busy cashing their
paychecks to worry about steroids. But instead of doing the right thing and saying "Hey I used steroids, it wasn't illegal back then and I am sorry" he lied and was a coward before Congress. So now that he
has come clean, what about the Hall of Fame? I say if Pete Rose is not in Baseball's Hall of Fame for lying about gambling on baseball, these guys should not be allowed in for lying about taking 'roids. And
give Roger Maris and Hank Aaron their just due- they are the legitimate HR Kings (Single Season and All-Time).
decade and longer. Two first ballot Hall Of Famers... right? I don't think so and I hope the Baseball Writers who do the voting agree. They have already done so with numerous "Steroid Era" sluggers like
Canseco, McGwire, etc. It is going to be very interesting when you have the All-Time Home Run record holder (Barry Bonds) and a 7-time Cy Young Award Winner with over 300 wins (Roger Clemens) come
up for election. Will they get in? What about Jeff Bagwell who was pals with steroid users Craig Biggio (3000 hits) and Ken Caminiti (deceased)? The entire thing is just ridiculous. I feel for the players who are
legit and don't have to take illegal substances to heal faster or increase performance. And instead of hiding behind the 5th Amendment, flat out denying, or outright lying, I'd like to see more players just admit
they made a mistake and that they were sorry. How hard can that be? Jason Giambi did it, though it was going to come out anyway but at least he owned up to what he did. I respect Giambi much more than
the guys who are hiding, denying or lying about steroid use. I think MLB should allow players to come clean WITHOUT testing. An amnesty period where players can just come clean. No punishment. Just
admit it and stop using. And when it comes time for Hall Of Fame voting for some of these players, they should be allowed in because they owned up to what they did. Chances are they would be Hall of
Famers even without the banned substances but we all make mistakes and owning up to them would show respect for our National Pastime and the FANS who are the reason these guys are making millions
of dollars playing a kid's game. There is my two cents. But what does MLB and the Bozo "Commissioner" do? The same thing they have been doing for the past 20 years....nothing. Sure they are testing and
MLB has put out television commercials about the risks of steroid use. But 20 years later? The testing is probably already outdated and some new steroid or substance is already being used by some players.
The Commissioner talks tough but he is a big mouth with a little stick. While we are at it, let's get a real Commissioner as well. One that isn't in bed with the owners. A neutral 3rd party Commissioner. If things
like this were to happen I'd feel much better about the state of baseball.
January 2010 Update! Mark McGwire came "clean" and stated he had used steroids as a player. No! You're kidding, right? In McGwire's defense, when he was taking the stuff (Andro and other assorted
"nutritional supplements") into his butt cheeks, MLB (care of Bud Selig) had NO steroid policy in place. They were too busy getting something else stuffed into their butt cheeks and too busy cashing their
paychecks to worry about steroids. But instead of doing the right thing and saying "Hey I used steroids, it wasn't illegal back then and I am sorry" he lied and was a coward before Congress. So now that he
has come clean, what about the Hall of Fame? I say if Pete Rose is not in Baseball's Hall of Fame for lying about gambling on baseball, these guys should not be allowed in for lying about taking 'roids. And
give Roger Maris and Hank Aaron their just due- they are the legitimate HR Kings (Single Season and All-Time).
Bleep(s) of the Year (2009)...So far...
One of my pet peeves is sellers (even some dealers) who will either say or put on their price tags for cards that a card "books at x amount of dollars." In other words, you go to a show, see an ungraded
1961 Topps #2 Roger Maris that appears to be in VG shape and there is a price sticker saying the card "books at $145." Well, yes, the card does list in the current 2009 SCD Standard Catalog Of Baseball
Cards for $145, but in NEAR MINT CONDITION. A VG or Very Good card will be worth significantly less (in fact it lists for $30 in the same catalog). Even worse is when they will quote GRADED card prices
for ungraded cards. They are totally separate. Graded cards are usually worth more in the same grade than ungraded cards because they have been authenticated and graded by a (hopefully) reputable
3rd party service. For instance a 1961 Topps #2 Roger Maris in a PSA 7 NM holder lists for $185 in their monthly SMR (Sports Market Report), which is $40 more than an ungraded one. The point is, it is
best to be informed about what cards go for. You can buy monthly hobby publications like Becketts, annual price guides (also by Becketts and Sports Collectors Digest) and this will give you an idea of what
cards RETAIL for; what a dealer would ask for his cards. You can also check out eBay by typing in the card in "Advanced Search" next to the "Search" box and clicking on "Completed Items." This will give
you a closer idea of what to expect to pay for a certain card if you want to go the auction route (eBay).
The above 1961 Topps baseball complete set in EX (Excellent) condition is currently listed on eBay as "1961 Topps Baseball Set (587) Maris Mantle BV $7000." The "BV" stands for "Book
Value." So what this dealer is saying is that the book value of this set is $7000. Well maybe in NM condition, but not EX. According to the 2009 Sports Collectors Digest Standard Catalog Of Baseball Cards
a complete set of 1961 Topps baseball cards lists in NEAR MINT (NM) at $7500. However in EX condition, which is what the dealer is advertising the set to be, the set is listed at $3750. Now to the seller's
credit he is listing the set for $3500 or Best Offer but some schmo might think he is getting the set for half price, when actually he is paying near retail. So be careful out there!
1961 Topps #2 Roger Maris that appears to be in VG shape and there is a price sticker saying the card "books at $145." Well, yes, the card does list in the current 2009 SCD Standard Catalog Of Baseball
Cards for $145, but in NEAR MINT CONDITION. A VG or Very Good card will be worth significantly less (in fact it lists for $30 in the same catalog). Even worse is when they will quote GRADED card prices
for ungraded cards. They are totally separate. Graded cards are usually worth more in the same grade than ungraded cards because they have been authenticated and graded by a (hopefully) reputable
3rd party service. For instance a 1961 Topps #2 Roger Maris in a PSA 7 NM holder lists for $185 in their monthly SMR (Sports Market Report), which is $40 more than an ungraded one. The point is, it is
best to be informed about what cards go for. You can buy monthly hobby publications like Becketts, annual price guides (also by Becketts and Sports Collectors Digest) and this will give you an idea of what
cards RETAIL for; what a dealer would ask for his cards. You can also check out eBay by typing in the card in "Advanced Search" next to the "Search" box and clicking on "Completed Items." This will give
you a closer idea of what to expect to pay for a certain card if you want to go the auction route (eBay).
The above 1961 Topps baseball complete set in EX (Excellent) condition is currently listed on eBay as "1961 Topps Baseball Set (587) Maris Mantle BV $7000." The "BV" stands for "Book
Value." So what this dealer is saying is that the book value of this set is $7000. Well maybe in NM condition, but not EX. According to the 2009 Sports Collectors Digest Standard Catalog Of Baseball Cards
a complete set of 1961 Topps baseball cards lists in NEAR MINT (NM) at $7500. However in EX condition, which is what the dealer is advertising the set to be, the set is listed at $3750. Now to the seller's
credit he is listing the set for $3500 or Best Offer but some schmo might think he is getting the set for half price, when actually he is paying near retail. So be careful out there!
"1961 Topps Baseball Set (587) Maris Mantle BV $7000"
"Aw, what the Hell..."
I can just imagine Ranger's manager Ted Williams going out to discuss matters with the ump. Or maybe even his own pitchers, who back in 1972 were not too good. This would be Ted's final
season as manager of the new Texas Rangers (previously they had been the Washington Senators). Even as a player, Ted had his moments. The Boston press loved the antics of Williams
such as throwing his bat, spitting at the crowd (his own fans in Boston were booing him) and as a result Ted refused to tip his cap to the crowd even when he homered in his last at bat in
September 1960. Much later, Ted mellowed somewhat and did tip his cap to the Boston fans at an All-Star Game in 1999. Ted died in 2002. This Kodak picture was taken in August 1972.
season as manager of the new Texas Rangers (previously they had been the Washington Senators). Even as a player, Ted had his moments. The Boston press loved the antics of Williams
such as throwing his bat, spitting at the crowd (his own fans in Boston were booing him) and as a result Ted refused to tip his cap to the crowd even when he homered in his last at bat in
September 1960. Much later, Ted mellowed somewhat and did tip his cap to the Boston fans at an All-Star Game in 1999. Ted died in 2002. This Kodak picture was taken in August 1972.
Starbucks Coffee. The name evokes a picture of a naked mermaid, or a good cup of strong coffee. I happen to work for Starbucks and I love my job. However that being said, Starbucks is not exactly what they
appear to be. Starbucks wants customers to think of it as a "neighborhood coffee shop" and while we have a terrific customer rapport at our store, Starbucks in general has lost it's way. Why do I say that? First things
first, Starbucks is a CORPORATION. They want to be thought of as this eco-friendly, neighbor-friendly, community-friendly, "Partner" friendly (Partners are Starbucks employees) small coffee shop. But it's not.
Starbucks is primarily a for-profit company. They are a publicly owned company so they are responsible for the stock holders and other assorted powers that be that drive BMWs, Lexus, Mercedes, etc. Believe me,
they are not driving eco-friendly automobiles. They make too much money for that. Where does all that money go? To the "Partners" (employees)? Hardly. Here is a copy of my last check (above). Doesn't $119.51
seem a bit low for 40 hours of work? Technically I made $60 a week because as most Starbucks partners do, we work part time. Regardless, that my friends, is poverty level. So where does my pay check go? Well,
actually 2/3 of each check I get goes toward medical "benefits." I pay $430 per month (approx.) for health insurance. In fact, Kaiser Permanente (another "company" that is not what they appear to be) just upped the
premiums so I am paying $160 more every month than I was 3 weeks ago. Gee, I can't wait for the next increase! Bring it on! Do you think Starbucks is going to give me a raise to compensate for this? Hell no. I will
be lucky to get a .25 cent an hour raise. So, if I was a full time partner at Starbucks I would have health benefits (good) but I would also be taking home $220 a month (bad). That is not a typo! $220 a month. Who
can live on that?
I learned a lesson about Starbucks my first year with them. I was full of excitement at working for what Forbes Magazine called "one of the best part-time companies to work for." To be eligible for health benefits,
partners must work 240 hours each quarter. One quarter I worked 239.5 hours. Starbucks dropped my benefits. I was without health benefits for about 3 months or so. Thankfully I had my bountiful $120 checks to
live off. I appealed the decision citing my reasons (I worked off the clock on numerous occasions to help the store, I have two autistic children that need the benefits, that fact that I was LESS than 1 hour short, plus the
fact that I could have used my vacation time to make up the difference. It didn't matter. DENIED. And from that moment on I learned that there are two sides of Starbucks. The level that most people see- going to a store,
having good coffee and usually getting good service from good people. That is the level I work on and it is enjoyable. However the Corporate side of Starbucks is like the "Dark Side" and is not the company I
envisioned. It is in the business of making money and that above all else is what prevails.
Here is another example. We had a Shift Supervisor who was well liked by customers and partners alike and she worked for Starbucks almost 5 years. She is very artistic and has tattoos, one of which is a flower on
her hand. Starbucks has a "no tattoos visible" policy. It's ok to have tattoos as long as customers can't see them. Well 5 years after working for Starbucks they decide to fire her for having tattoos. Well, why did they
hire her in the first place? Why did they allow her to work for FIVE YEARS and then decide the tattoos must go? Does this make any sense to you?
Another: Starbucks would like you to think that they are a "green" company, at my level I am not seeing it. We produce so much recyclable refuse (paper & plastic cups and lids, cardboard boxes, etc.) you would
think Starbucks would provide separate containers for recycles. Nope it all goes in the trash. Now we have a guy that comes to our trash bins and takes out the stuff that can be recycled but he is not affiliated with
Starbucks in any way. I have brought this to the attention of our former manager and current manager but I guess it is not a priority. I've been employed 2 years now and everything gets tossed in the trash.
I can go on and on, just like many of you can go on and on about your jobs, whatever they may be. My point is that not everything is as it seems. Am I happy to be employed? Yes. Am I happy with the fact that I get a
$120 paycheck for 40 hours of work (minus health care deductions, etc.)? No. Am I happy that Starbucks contributes to massive amounts of trash to our environment? No. I will probably end up getting fired for this
but Starbucks is just a small example of what is wrong with country. We care more about our "profits," "portfolios," and the "bottom line" then our citizens. Corporate America is running the show and the rich are
getting richer while the poor are getting poorer. People are out of work right now! People are without health care or like me are paying absurd amounts for health care. And we are supposed to sit here with one thumb
in our mouth and the other up our ass. And this company is on "Forbes 100 Best Companies to work for"??? Are you kidding me? What other U.S. companies are out there that is making a profit off cheap labor, 3rd
world countries, etc. Nike? We can't even make our own shoes over here! We have to have them made in China or Taiwan. We are perhaps the richest country in the world, yet as far as taking care of Americans,
we just don't care. We are fat and lazy and we think this is what the "American Dream" is all about. As long as we can retire at a young age and spend the rest of our lives spending money to be "happy" we are
content that it is the way it should be and the "world is yours." (Remember "Scarface"?). Well you can take your home, vacation homes, rental homes, retirement savings, your golf clubs, your BMWs, Lexus, Mercedes,
fancy clothes, High definition TV's, stupid TV shows like "American Idol," and everything else and SHOVE IT ALL UP YOUR $%^&!!! BECAUSE I AM MAD AS HELL AND I AM NOT GOING TO TAKE IT ANYMORE!!!
NEWS FLASH UPDATE! Just got a .25 cent raise this month (April 2010). That is twenty five pennies more per hour that I make. Assuming I work 20 hours a week that means I am now making $5 more a week, $20
a month. But being they upped my health insurance premiums $140+ a month I am still getting screwed $120. I am going to start belting out "GOD BLESS AMERICA" (and it's shareholders) right now and wake up the
neighbors (it's only 12:55 a.m.)
More Starbucks. Recently, Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz ("our Savior") expressed to fellow "partners" (Employees) that Starbucks realizes that there have been some changes with the company which have not been
easy on the partners. To his credit, Starbucks gave partners the opportunity to give Starbucks feedback. Which I did. My big gripes (beyond the pay) are the fact that since the economy hit the skids, Starbucks has
been pressuring Baristas to SELL SELL SELL! I guess Starbucks feels that other companies like McDonald's, Dunkin' Donuts, etc. are taking a piece of Starbucks pie. And maybe they are. But that isn't the Barista's fault,
it's STARBUCKS fault for numerous reasons: 1.) If the product is good, people will buy it. Starbucks started in the COFFEE business. Now we are in the Pastry, Sandwich, Yogurt, Frappacino, etc. business. So people
don't buy the product; is it because the Baristas aren't pushing them? Maybe they aren't selling because they SUCK! The name of our company is STARBUCKS COFFEE COMPANY. Yet we are constantly pressured to
"push" specific products (most of it non-coffee related) on our customers. If I wanted a sales job I would go into a job that paid well and gave me a commission. Starbucks does neither. 2.) Starbucks overextended
itself to the extent that there are (were) Starbucks on every block. Thus they had to eventually shut down stores that were not producing the numbers Starbucks wanted. 3.) We have lost our way. While I think our coffee
is better than most; certainly better than McDonalds and Dunkin Donuts, I also do not think it's the best. Why? I would like to see coffees from a single origin. Not multi-region blends which are beans from Africa, Asia,
Latin America that are blended together. And just about every coffee we sell is multi-region. How about going back the basics and get back to the COFFEE BUSINESS? Not instant coffee (VIA Ready Brew),
Frappacino's, and lousy, overpriced pastries. And while I'm at it, how about a better daily "house" coffee then "Pike's Place Roast," which is average at best.
So, back to the Starbucks Survey. Howie say's he wants our input. So I let Starbucks have my opinion. I'll probably get fired for it. Since the survey stating that we (the Partners) are going to be a main concern for
Starbucks what does Starbucks do? HAPPY HOUR! Come in between 3 pm and 5 pm and get any Frappacino for half price! Which is fine and dandy but at our particular store, we have 1 blender (the other was
removed for unknown reasons) and during this HAPPY HOUR, we have been scheduling just 2 Baristas on the floor. This means one is on Register and the other is making Frappacino's up the ying yang. I came in to
work the other day and there was a line going to the door. Some customers were ordering as many as 8 Frappacino's at one time, which is fine except we only have one person making them. Which puts pressure on
that Barista and ticks off customers who are having to wait for each Frappacino to be hand made according to Starbucks specifications. So what do I do? I can't clock in early but I don't want to see my fellow
partners getting the shaft from Starbucks either. So I go on the floor and help out (a big NO-NO with Starbucks). If I were to slip or fall Starbucks would deny my claim because I wasn't "technically" working. But I
wouldn't have to put myself in that situation if Starbucks was more concerned about us. We should have at least 3 people on the floor during this HAPPY HOUR, 2 blenders and we can knock it out. So right now I am
not HAPPY. I want to punch Howie right in the face. Maybe that's what he needs. Or put him behind bar during Happy Hour by himself and see how he likes whipping up 40 Frappacino's an hour. I'd really like to see
that and keep a constant, stupid, smile on his face while customers are badgering him for their drinks. What I DON'T see is concern for the employees as promised by Howie Schultz (Mr. Starbucks). None at all.
appear to be. Starbucks wants customers to think of it as a "neighborhood coffee shop" and while we have a terrific customer rapport at our store, Starbucks in general has lost it's way. Why do I say that? First things
first, Starbucks is a CORPORATION. They want to be thought of as this eco-friendly, neighbor-friendly, community-friendly, "Partner" friendly (Partners are Starbucks employees) small coffee shop. But it's not.
Starbucks is primarily a for-profit company. They are a publicly owned company so they are responsible for the stock holders and other assorted powers that be that drive BMWs, Lexus, Mercedes, etc. Believe me,
they are not driving eco-friendly automobiles. They make too much money for that. Where does all that money go? To the "Partners" (employees)? Hardly. Here is a copy of my last check (above). Doesn't $119.51
seem a bit low for 40 hours of work? Technically I made $60 a week because as most Starbucks partners do, we work part time. Regardless, that my friends, is poverty level. So where does my pay check go? Well,
actually 2/3 of each check I get goes toward medical "benefits." I pay $430 per month (approx.) for health insurance. In fact, Kaiser Permanente (another "company" that is not what they appear to be) just upped the
premiums so I am paying $160 more every month than I was 3 weeks ago. Gee, I can't wait for the next increase! Bring it on! Do you think Starbucks is going to give me a raise to compensate for this? Hell no. I will
be lucky to get a .25 cent an hour raise. So, if I was a full time partner at Starbucks I would have health benefits (good) but I would also be taking home $220 a month (bad). That is not a typo! $220 a month. Who
can live on that?
I learned a lesson about Starbucks my first year with them. I was full of excitement at working for what Forbes Magazine called "one of the best part-time companies to work for." To be eligible for health benefits,
partners must work 240 hours each quarter. One quarter I worked 239.5 hours. Starbucks dropped my benefits. I was without health benefits for about 3 months or so. Thankfully I had my bountiful $120 checks to
live off. I appealed the decision citing my reasons (I worked off the clock on numerous occasions to help the store, I have two autistic children that need the benefits, that fact that I was LESS than 1 hour short, plus the
fact that I could have used my vacation time to make up the difference. It didn't matter. DENIED. And from that moment on I learned that there are two sides of Starbucks. The level that most people see- going to a store,
having good coffee and usually getting good service from good people. That is the level I work on and it is enjoyable. However the Corporate side of Starbucks is like the "Dark Side" and is not the company I
envisioned. It is in the business of making money and that above all else is what prevails.
Here is another example. We had a Shift Supervisor who was well liked by customers and partners alike and she worked for Starbucks almost 5 years. She is very artistic and has tattoos, one of which is a flower on
her hand. Starbucks has a "no tattoos visible" policy. It's ok to have tattoos as long as customers can't see them. Well 5 years after working for Starbucks they decide to fire her for having tattoos. Well, why did they
hire her in the first place? Why did they allow her to work for FIVE YEARS and then decide the tattoos must go? Does this make any sense to you?
Another: Starbucks would like you to think that they are a "green" company, at my level I am not seeing it. We produce so much recyclable refuse (paper & plastic cups and lids, cardboard boxes, etc.) you would
think Starbucks would provide separate containers for recycles. Nope it all goes in the trash. Now we have a guy that comes to our trash bins and takes out the stuff that can be recycled but he is not affiliated with
Starbucks in any way. I have brought this to the attention of our former manager and current manager but I guess it is not a priority. I've been employed 2 years now and everything gets tossed in the trash.
I can go on and on, just like many of you can go on and on about your jobs, whatever they may be. My point is that not everything is as it seems. Am I happy to be employed? Yes. Am I happy with the fact that I get a
$120 paycheck for 40 hours of work (minus health care deductions, etc.)? No. Am I happy that Starbucks contributes to massive amounts of trash to our environment? No. I will probably end up getting fired for this
but Starbucks is just a small example of what is wrong with country. We care more about our "profits," "portfolios," and the "bottom line" then our citizens. Corporate America is running the show and the rich are
getting richer while the poor are getting poorer. People are out of work right now! People are without health care or like me are paying absurd amounts for health care. And we are supposed to sit here with one thumb
in our mouth and the other up our ass. And this company is on "Forbes 100 Best Companies to work for"??? Are you kidding me? What other U.S. companies are out there that is making a profit off cheap labor, 3rd
world countries, etc. Nike? We can't even make our own shoes over here! We have to have them made in China or Taiwan. We are perhaps the richest country in the world, yet as far as taking care of Americans,
we just don't care. We are fat and lazy and we think this is what the "American Dream" is all about. As long as we can retire at a young age and spend the rest of our lives spending money to be "happy" we are
content that it is the way it should be and the "world is yours." (Remember "Scarface"?). Well you can take your home, vacation homes, rental homes, retirement savings, your golf clubs, your BMWs, Lexus, Mercedes,
fancy clothes, High definition TV's, stupid TV shows like "American Idol," and everything else and SHOVE IT ALL UP YOUR $%^&!!! BECAUSE I AM MAD AS HELL AND I AM NOT GOING TO TAKE IT ANYMORE!!!
NEWS FLASH UPDATE! Just got a .25 cent raise this month (April 2010). That is twenty five pennies more per hour that I make. Assuming I work 20 hours a week that means I am now making $5 more a week, $20
a month. But being they upped my health insurance premiums $140+ a month I am still getting screwed $120. I am going to start belting out "GOD BLESS AMERICA" (and it's shareholders) right now and wake up the
neighbors (it's only 12:55 a.m.)
More Starbucks. Recently, Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz ("our Savior") expressed to fellow "partners" (Employees) that Starbucks realizes that there have been some changes with the company which have not been
easy on the partners. To his credit, Starbucks gave partners the opportunity to give Starbucks feedback. Which I did. My big gripes (beyond the pay) are the fact that since the economy hit the skids, Starbucks has
been pressuring Baristas to SELL SELL SELL! I guess Starbucks feels that other companies like McDonald's, Dunkin' Donuts, etc. are taking a piece of Starbucks pie. And maybe they are. But that isn't the Barista's fault,
it's STARBUCKS fault for numerous reasons: 1.) If the product is good, people will buy it. Starbucks started in the COFFEE business. Now we are in the Pastry, Sandwich, Yogurt, Frappacino, etc. business. So people
don't buy the product; is it because the Baristas aren't pushing them? Maybe they aren't selling because they SUCK! The name of our company is STARBUCKS COFFEE COMPANY. Yet we are constantly pressured to
"push" specific products (most of it non-coffee related) on our customers. If I wanted a sales job I would go into a job that paid well and gave me a commission. Starbucks does neither. 2.) Starbucks overextended
itself to the extent that there are (were) Starbucks on every block. Thus they had to eventually shut down stores that were not producing the numbers Starbucks wanted. 3.) We have lost our way. While I think our coffee
is better than most; certainly better than McDonalds and Dunkin Donuts, I also do not think it's the best. Why? I would like to see coffees from a single origin. Not multi-region blends which are beans from Africa, Asia,
Latin America that are blended together. And just about every coffee we sell is multi-region. How about going back the basics and get back to the COFFEE BUSINESS? Not instant coffee (VIA Ready Brew),
Frappacino's, and lousy, overpriced pastries. And while I'm at it, how about a better daily "house" coffee then "Pike's Place Roast," which is average at best.
So, back to the Starbucks Survey. Howie say's he wants our input. So I let Starbucks have my opinion. I'll probably get fired for it. Since the survey stating that we (the Partners) are going to be a main concern for
Starbucks what does Starbucks do? HAPPY HOUR! Come in between 3 pm and 5 pm and get any Frappacino for half price! Which is fine and dandy but at our particular store, we have 1 blender (the other was
removed for unknown reasons) and during this HAPPY HOUR, we have been scheduling just 2 Baristas on the floor. This means one is on Register and the other is making Frappacino's up the ying yang. I came in to
work the other day and there was a line going to the door. Some customers were ordering as many as 8 Frappacino's at one time, which is fine except we only have one person making them. Which puts pressure on
that Barista and ticks off customers who are having to wait for each Frappacino to be hand made according to Starbucks specifications. So what do I do? I can't clock in early but I don't want to see my fellow
partners getting the shaft from Starbucks either. So I go on the floor and help out (a big NO-NO with Starbucks). If I were to slip or fall Starbucks would deny my claim because I wasn't "technically" working. But I
wouldn't have to put myself in that situation if Starbucks was more concerned about us. We should have at least 3 people on the floor during this HAPPY HOUR, 2 blenders and we can knock it out. So right now I am
not HAPPY. I want to punch Howie right in the face. Maybe that's what he needs. Or put him behind bar during Happy Hour by himself and see how he likes whipping up 40 Frappacino's an hour. I'd really like to see
that and keep a constant, stupid, smile on his face while customers are badgering him for their drinks. What I DON'T see is concern for the employees as promised by Howie Schultz (Mr. Starbucks). None at all.
Can you live on $240 a month? Well if you work for Starbucks Coffee Company, you too can earn a 2 week pay check that looks like this....
Would you pay over one THOUSAND dollars for this card? If so, you are an idiot! (Napoleon Dynamite). Yes Tim Lincecum is a great young pitcher. But he is the newest pitching "sensation" and as such there is
much demand for his cards. Ever hear of Johnny Vander Meer? Herb Score? Vida Blue? Dwight Gooden? Even Roger Clemens? At one time they were the hottest prospects around. And believe me there is not one
card of theirs that is "worth" a thousand dollars or more. This may be his "rarest" card, I don't know and I don't care. Cards today are not "rare." The card companies may print cards like this in limited quantities; the
above card is such an example. So they print 25 "special" cards. Big deal. They may be "Chrome" or "Refractor," "shiny," "glitzy." Who cares. It's not like the old days where cards were played with, studied,
treasured, and then thrown out by mom. This newer cards are just that, newer cards. And while Lincecum may be a future Hall of Famer there still is no reason this card or any new modern card should warrant such a
ridiculous "retail" price. You can buy a vintage 1955 Topps Sandy Koufax rookie card for less and still have money left over to buy the rest of Koufax's Topps cards. For a grand you could buy a low grade
1952 Topps #311 Mickey Mantle, the most desirable post war baseball card in the hobby. Or you could buy a complete set of 1971 Topps baseball cards (752 cards) which feature all of the Hall of
Famers of the time like Henry Aaron, Johnny Bench, Pete Rose, Nolan Ryan, Willie Mays, Roberto Clemente, Yaz, Kaline, etc. Included in that set was Vida Blue, who at the time was a young pitching sensation (he
won both the AL Cy Young Award AND AL MVP Award in 1971). Essentially you are paying over $1000 for a Tim Lincecum autograph, which essentially you should get for free unless the guy is an ass. There is no
way any player today should "charge" for autographs. Hell, you (the fans) are helping pay for his contract, which is no small potatoes. You can write to Hall of Famers even and most will respond with a free
autograph if you are polite about it and send a card, return postage, etc. The card itself is just a couple years old, not "vintage" nor will it ever be handled or abused because it is graded and slabbed. And Lincecum
may or may not be a Hall of Famer. Is he going to win over 300 games or strike out more batters than Nolan Ryan? You can buy a high graded 1968 Topps #177 Mets Rookie Stars (Jerry Koosman, Nolan Ryan)
card for less than $1000. So give me a break. I'm not really mad as hell about this, if you want to blow a grand on this card be my guest. But you are still an IDIOT!
By the way, I am not just harping on Tim Lincecum cards. It can be any current overpriced card. Even Albert Pujols, who is a sure fire Hall of Famer, has cards that are priced out of this world. Is he the greatest player
of all-time? No. They compare him to Ted Williams but did you know that the most expensive Albert Pujols rookie card which is just several years old is more than a vintage 1939 Play Ball Ted Williams rookie
card? Until Pujols bats .400, wins 6 batting titles, serves the better part of 5 years in service to his country, breaks his arm running into a (unpadded) wall to make a catch in an ALL STAR GAME, hits .388 at the age
of 38 and hits a HR in his final at bat, you cannot compare him to Ted Williams. Williams is an American ICON. I am not going to say "Hero" and this word is way overused today. Everybody is a "hero" nowadays.
You are a "hero" just today just trying to make ends meet and taking care of your family. Pujols is a great hitter and maybe the nicest guy in the world. But there is no way any of his cards should be more expensive
than any vintage Ted Williams card. This whole thing pisses me off. I am in the poverty level (see my above Starbucks check) and here we have these clowns with enough money to spend over a thousand dollars for a
two year old baseball card. Unbelievable.
much demand for his cards. Ever hear of Johnny Vander Meer? Herb Score? Vida Blue? Dwight Gooden? Even Roger Clemens? At one time they were the hottest prospects around. And believe me there is not one
card of theirs that is "worth" a thousand dollars or more. This may be his "rarest" card, I don't know and I don't care. Cards today are not "rare." The card companies may print cards like this in limited quantities; the
above card is such an example. So they print 25 "special" cards. Big deal. They may be "Chrome" or "Refractor," "shiny," "glitzy." Who cares. It's not like the old days where cards were played with, studied,
treasured, and then thrown out by mom. This newer cards are just that, newer cards. And while Lincecum may be a future Hall of Famer there still is no reason this card or any new modern card should warrant such a
ridiculous "retail" price. You can buy a vintage 1955 Topps Sandy Koufax rookie card for less and still have money left over to buy the rest of Koufax's Topps cards. For a grand you could buy a low grade
1952 Topps #311 Mickey Mantle, the most desirable post war baseball card in the hobby. Or you could buy a complete set of 1971 Topps baseball cards (752 cards) which feature all of the Hall of
Famers of the time like Henry Aaron, Johnny Bench, Pete Rose, Nolan Ryan, Willie Mays, Roberto Clemente, Yaz, Kaline, etc. Included in that set was Vida Blue, who at the time was a young pitching sensation (he
won both the AL Cy Young Award AND AL MVP Award in 1971). Essentially you are paying over $1000 for a Tim Lincecum autograph, which essentially you should get for free unless the guy is an ass. There is no
way any player today should "charge" for autographs. Hell, you (the fans) are helping pay for his contract, which is no small potatoes. You can write to Hall of Famers even and most will respond with a free
autograph if you are polite about it and send a card, return postage, etc. The card itself is just a couple years old, not "vintage" nor will it ever be handled or abused because it is graded and slabbed. And Lincecum
may or may not be a Hall of Famer. Is he going to win over 300 games or strike out more batters than Nolan Ryan? You can buy a high graded 1968 Topps #177 Mets Rookie Stars (Jerry Koosman, Nolan Ryan)
card for less than $1000. So give me a break. I'm not really mad as hell about this, if you want to blow a grand on this card be my guest. But you are still an IDIOT!
By the way, I am not just harping on Tim Lincecum cards. It can be any current overpriced card. Even Albert Pujols, who is a sure fire Hall of Famer, has cards that are priced out of this world. Is he the greatest player
of all-time? No. They compare him to Ted Williams but did you know that the most expensive Albert Pujols rookie card which is just several years old is more than a vintage 1939 Play Ball Ted Williams rookie
card? Until Pujols bats .400, wins 6 batting titles, serves the better part of 5 years in service to his country, breaks his arm running into a (unpadded) wall to make a catch in an ALL STAR GAME, hits .388 at the age
of 38 and hits a HR in his final at bat, you cannot compare him to Ted Williams. Williams is an American ICON. I am not going to say "Hero" and this word is way overused today. Everybody is a "hero" nowadays.
You are a "hero" just today just trying to make ends meet and taking care of your family. Pujols is a great hitter and maybe the nicest guy in the world. But there is no way any of his cards should be more expensive
than any vintage Ted Williams card. This whole thing pisses me off. I am in the poverty level (see my above Starbucks check) and here we have these clowns with enough money to spend over a thousand dollars for a
two year old baseball card. Unbelievable.
Ok here is my story of the 1967 Topps Venezuela Roger Maris card that I bought but never got. Back in 2008, I was doing an online search for a 1967 Venezuela Topps Roger Maris card. Imagine my delight
when I saw that one was listed for sale at Baseball-Cards.com. It was pretty steep, almost $400 for one graded PSA 7 (MC) (miscut). Well being the huge Maris fan I am and being it was the last regular Venezuela
Topps card of Maris I needed, I went ahead and bought it. I went into debt to pay for it but hey this is a tough card. Now I have bought from this company in the past with no problems. No major purchases but the
guy has been around since 1998 so I am confident I have finally acquired a card I needed. Imagine catching the biggest fish, hottest chick, or winning the lotto; that is how I felt. Well I get an email reply from Mr.
Juhasz, who informs me that the card is not for sale and that he was going to "resubmit" the card to PSA for regrading. So that was a big let down. However he has not removed the item from his website. So I
emailed him back and told him I would still be interested in buying the card and could he please get back to me. No reply. I sent no less than 5 emails for the next year and a half with absolutely NO reply. No I
realize that sometimes emails get put into SPAM folders or whatever. But I sure as hell get email advertisements from Baseball-Cards.com.
Now in the grand scheme of things, this stuff is really not that important. There are people in this country alone who have no jobs, no money, and the regular Joe is getting reamed from behind by big Corporations,
Banks, even their employers. That is the stuff that REALLY pisses me off. But baseball cards? What kind of business is this? You list a card for sale with a picture and everything and when someone buys it you say
sorry it's no longer for sale. Fine. Then remove it from your site. In fact now the card is listed not once, but twice. The same card for both $395 and $750. So maybe Joe got greedy and now wants $750 for the
card. Fine, I am not going to pay $750 for it. But how about an email? How about some "customer service?" Instead I have been in virtual "limbo" and by now I want nothing to do with this "company" or Joe
Juhasz. So I sent Joe an email asking for him to remove me from his waiting list. Maybe I'll get a reply now. Hey JOE! Are you there? Here is my two cents: You are a BUTTHOLE!!!
The card I bought and never got. 1967 Venezuela Topps #328 Roger Maris PSA 7 NM (MC)
Listing #1) Roger Maris - 1967 Topps/Venzuelan #328
PSA-7 NEAR MINT
WOW !!! VERY RARE especially in high grade !!! Like getting a PSA-10 on a Topps card. (mc) undeserved as they are all cut this way.
Price #1) $ 395.00
Listing #2) 1967 Topps/Venezuelan #328 ROGER MARIS (Cardinals) PSA-7 NEAR MINT (mc)
WOW !!! VERY RARE especially in high grade !!! It's like getting a PSA-10 on a Topps card. (mc) undeserved as they're all cut this way.
Price #2) $ 750.00
Gee, thanks Joe! What a terrific card dealer you are. I can't wait to buy from you again. Your customer service is simply amazing and it is always a pleasure to buy cards and not get them from you.
Customer for life! Sincerely, Tim Pulcifer 2-13-10
when I saw that one was listed for sale at Baseball-Cards.com. It was pretty steep, almost $400 for one graded PSA 7 (MC) (miscut). Well being the huge Maris fan I am and being it was the last regular Venezuela
Topps card of Maris I needed, I went ahead and bought it. I went into debt to pay for it but hey this is a tough card. Now I have bought from this company in the past with no problems. No major purchases but the
guy has been around since 1998 so I am confident I have finally acquired a card I needed. Imagine catching the biggest fish, hottest chick, or winning the lotto; that is how I felt. Well I get an email reply from Mr.
Juhasz, who informs me that the card is not for sale and that he was going to "resubmit" the card to PSA for regrading. So that was a big let down. However he has not removed the item from his website. So I
emailed him back and told him I would still be interested in buying the card and could he please get back to me. No reply. I sent no less than 5 emails for the next year and a half with absolutely NO reply. No I
realize that sometimes emails get put into SPAM folders or whatever. But I sure as hell get email advertisements from Baseball-Cards.com.
Now in the grand scheme of things, this stuff is really not that important. There are people in this country alone who have no jobs, no money, and the regular Joe is getting reamed from behind by big Corporations,
Banks, even their employers. That is the stuff that REALLY pisses me off. But baseball cards? What kind of business is this? You list a card for sale with a picture and everything and when someone buys it you say
sorry it's no longer for sale. Fine. Then remove it from your site. In fact now the card is listed not once, but twice. The same card for both $395 and $750. So maybe Joe got greedy and now wants $750 for the
card. Fine, I am not going to pay $750 for it. But how about an email? How about some "customer service?" Instead I have been in virtual "limbo" and by now I want nothing to do with this "company" or Joe
Juhasz. So I sent Joe an email asking for him to remove me from his waiting list. Maybe I'll get a reply now. Hey JOE! Are you there? Here is my two cents: You are a BUTTHOLE!!!
The card I bought and never got. 1967 Venezuela Topps #328 Roger Maris PSA 7 NM (MC)
Listing #1) Roger Maris - 1967 Topps/Venzuelan #328
PSA-7 NEAR MINT
WOW !!! VERY RARE especially in high grade !!! Like getting a PSA-10 on a Topps card. (mc) undeserved as they are all cut this way.
Price #1) $ 395.00
Listing #2) 1967 Topps/Venezuelan #328 ROGER MARIS (Cardinals) PSA-7 NEAR MINT (mc)
WOW !!! VERY RARE especially in high grade !!! It's like getting a PSA-10 on a Topps card. (mc) undeserved as they're all cut this way.
Price #2) $ 750.00
Gee, thanks Joe! What a terrific card dealer you are. I can't wait to buy from you again. Your customer service is simply amazing and it is always a pleasure to buy cards and not get them from you.
Customer for life! Sincerely, Tim Pulcifer 2-13-10
Baseball-Cards.com/ Joe Juhasz 2008- February 2010
A whole lotta things are pissing me off right now. Number one are my kids. I have two that are autistic and my daughter hits herself in the cheek giving her God awful bruises. She has already broken her own nose
slugging herself. And it is worse than ever right now. She has been biting her wrist for years when she gets upset so she has these huge callouses on her wrist. And we don't know why. So she has to be medicated
to calm her down and lately that isn't even working. Health care. We were paying fucking $1400+ a month for health care. That is out of pocket if you don't have insurance. With Kaiser Permanente. So I started
working at Starbucks for minimum wage just for the health benefits which I still have to pay for (see above); about $425 a month. So for 40 hours work I get about a $140 paycheck every two fucking weeks. Can
you live on that? Yeah I didn't get a college degree but I am not stupid and I served in the U.S. Army for 3 years and what did that get me. Not much. I guess it pays to go to college to get a piece of paper that says
you have some sort of degree to get big money. I never wanted big money but I didn't want to be a miserable wretch either. Try going to Starbucks during peak morning hours. You will see a whole lot of miserable
wretches that better get their Venti Lattes with 2 Equals, Soy milk and 200 fucking degrees.
This country is going down the toilet. At least for the middle class and poor. CEO's, celebrities, and professional athletes don't have to worry about such things. But I do. We can't even make a fucking pair of shoes
in this country. I used to buy "New Balance" shoes because they were "Made in the U.S.A" and they were damn comfortable. Now they are made in China or Thailand and don't last 6 months. Detroit used to be a
thriving city, "Motor City" it was once called. No longer. We prefer to buy Japanese, German, even Korean cars than automobiles made here in the U.S.A. In fact if you look at window stickers on U.S. cars you will
see that they are not even built here. Engines come from Germany. Body from Canada. You name it. But not from here. What kind of shit is that? I work at Starbucks. Guess where all the merchandise comes from?
Here? Nope, China. We can't even make a coffee mug here anymore?
Cost of living. Here in California it is expensive to live here. No question. Renting is as much as buying, with nothing to show for it. Gas is higher here than most other states with the exception of maybe Hawaii.
Traffic is a nightmare with most people commuting 2 hours a day to work and back, most of it in stand still traffic. Try listening to the radio for some music to calm your nerves. You might get 3 or 4 songs and then
a 5 minute commercial break where you are inundated with a bunch of crap they want to sell. Most of which is probably made in China.
Baseball. My favorite sport. Maybe 30 years ago. Now your favorite players split lickety split once they become "free agents" and go to the highest bidder. Which used to be the Yankees but now you can include
the once "underdog" Red Sox, Mets, even the Seattle Mariners are spending like crazy nowadays. We are supposed to be "loyal" to a team but is the team or players loyal to the fans? Hell no. I won't even go into
steroids and the cancer on baseball that has caused. I live in L.A and am "supposed" to root for the home team but the owner is a jack-ass who tried to buy the Red Sox and failed, then he had to go into hawk to buy
the Dodgers. He is a Real Estate man. Not a baseball man. Now he is getting divorced and God knows what will happen to the team. But they are not the Dodgers. They are impostors who care nothing about the
fans. It's all about money.
Which is the state of this country. Do you think this country is about Freedom? Freedom to rape in the name of the almighty dollar but that is all the freedom you will get here. Banks are raping millions of people
each day. They are the new "Mafia." Organized crime. CEO's and savvy business people rape the people daily to enrich their "portfolios." Everything costs more, is made cheaply and not even here and we are
supposed to be happy with it? I don't like getting reamed in the ass. Maybe you do. I don't . You can say how great we (the U.S.A) is and how we make the world better but is that really the truth? We invade other
countries that have lived for centuries with religious and political strife. Why? Because we are saving the people? Yeah right. Go ahead and believe that shit if you want. We are not in the war business to "free"
other countries. We are in it for the fucking almighty dollar. That is the bottom line. Business is "in business" to make a profit. Which is fine but not when you are screwing your fellow man over. We can't make
shoes, coffee mugs, cars, we can't even eat a decent meal nowadays. McDonald's is making sure of that. And we go there and eat and tell ourselves this is the best America has to offer? Are you kidding me?
Maybe I am rambling but I am pissed. Pissed as in "angry" and pissed as in "fucked up." We have all this amazing technology; cell phones, computers, high definition TV's, fancy cars that massage your ass while
you drive and tell you how to get to a McDonald's. This is America? What happened to hard work? What happened to ideals of a better world? You call this a better world? I call it SHIT. Religion? SHIT. Freedom?
SHIT. American "Dream?" SHIT.
I take it one day at a time. If I think about tomorrow I will lose my mind. That is why I say I wish I would have been born centuries ago as an American Indian. Those people knew how to live. They lived off the land
and respected nature and themselves. What happened to them? We came over here. We imposed our shit on them. Now they live in poverty and we make big bucks sucking cock and telling ourselves how great we
are. We are the exact opposite of the Native American Indians. If there is a God, why in the HELL would he be on our "side?" Because we are the "chosen ones?" We are so damn special God has reserved Heaven
for us? How ignorant we are. What we need is an ass whooping. To put us in our place. Maybe China, North Korea, Iran. They all hate us and I really can see why. Because we think so highly of ourselves. We
have "American Idol." We have "Survivor." We have more "reality" shows that are so far OUT OF REALITY that there are 300+ channels of shit on the TV. We have homes with more rooms than we need and maids
to clean them. We have "illegal aliens" cooking our food, washing our cloths, and watching our children while we are off with our "careers." We even have them walk our dogs. Go to Sherman Oaks sometime and
see all the maids come down the hill to catch a bus. We can't even mow our own lawns or wash our own cars nowadays. What a great country we have here. We have homes, cable TV, satellite radio, Howard
Stern, million dollar a year bums playing a game. Music "stars" who can't play their own music but they sure as hell can wiggle their ass and tits in your face. The whole thing makes me want to puke. If you love this
shit take it all and shove it back up yer ass.
S
o that is my rant for the evening. I hope I pass out and never wake up. Thanks for listening and kindly fuck off. Thanks. (Sorry about that, I was a little drunk at the time I wrote it, but if you are an asshole, then it really
doesn't matter what I say. You are still an asshole.) Speaking of assholes...
slugging herself. And it is worse than ever right now. She has been biting her wrist for years when she gets upset so she has these huge callouses on her wrist. And we don't know why. So she has to be medicated
to calm her down and lately that isn't even working. Health care. We were paying fucking $1400+ a month for health care. That is out of pocket if you don't have insurance. With Kaiser Permanente. So I started
working at Starbucks for minimum wage just for the health benefits which I still have to pay for (see above); about $425 a month. So for 40 hours work I get about a $140 paycheck every two fucking weeks. Can
you live on that? Yeah I didn't get a college degree but I am not stupid and I served in the U.S. Army for 3 years and what did that get me. Not much. I guess it pays to go to college to get a piece of paper that says
you have some sort of degree to get big money. I never wanted big money but I didn't want to be a miserable wretch either. Try going to Starbucks during peak morning hours. You will see a whole lot of miserable
wretches that better get their Venti Lattes with 2 Equals, Soy milk and 200 fucking degrees.
This country is going down the toilet. At least for the middle class and poor. CEO's, celebrities, and professional athletes don't have to worry about such things. But I do. We can't even make a fucking pair of shoes
in this country. I used to buy "New Balance" shoes because they were "Made in the U.S.A" and they were damn comfortable. Now they are made in China or Thailand and don't last 6 months. Detroit used to be a
thriving city, "Motor City" it was once called. No longer. We prefer to buy Japanese, German, even Korean cars than automobiles made here in the U.S.A. In fact if you look at window stickers on U.S. cars you will
see that they are not even built here. Engines come from Germany. Body from Canada. You name it. But not from here. What kind of shit is that? I work at Starbucks. Guess where all the merchandise comes from?
Here? Nope, China. We can't even make a coffee mug here anymore?
Cost of living. Here in California it is expensive to live here. No question. Renting is as much as buying, with nothing to show for it. Gas is higher here than most other states with the exception of maybe Hawaii.
Traffic is a nightmare with most people commuting 2 hours a day to work and back, most of it in stand still traffic. Try listening to the radio for some music to calm your nerves. You might get 3 or 4 songs and then
a 5 minute commercial break where you are inundated with a bunch of crap they want to sell. Most of which is probably made in China.
Baseball. My favorite sport. Maybe 30 years ago. Now your favorite players split lickety split once they become "free agents" and go to the highest bidder. Which used to be the Yankees but now you can include
the once "underdog" Red Sox, Mets, even the Seattle Mariners are spending like crazy nowadays. We are supposed to be "loyal" to a team but is the team or players loyal to the fans? Hell no. I won't even go into
steroids and the cancer on baseball that has caused. I live in L.A and am "supposed" to root for the home team but the owner is a jack-ass who tried to buy the Red Sox and failed, then he had to go into hawk to buy
the Dodgers. He is a Real Estate man. Not a baseball man. Now he is getting divorced and God knows what will happen to the team. But they are not the Dodgers. They are impostors who care nothing about the
fans. It's all about money.
Which is the state of this country. Do you think this country is about Freedom? Freedom to rape in the name of the almighty dollar but that is all the freedom you will get here. Banks are raping millions of people
each day. They are the new "Mafia." Organized crime. CEO's and savvy business people rape the people daily to enrich their "portfolios." Everything costs more, is made cheaply and not even here and we are
supposed to be happy with it? I don't like getting reamed in the ass. Maybe you do. I don't . You can say how great we (the U.S.A) is and how we make the world better but is that really the truth? We invade other
countries that have lived for centuries with religious and political strife. Why? Because we are saving the people? Yeah right. Go ahead and believe that shit if you want. We are not in the war business to "free"
other countries. We are in it for the fucking almighty dollar. That is the bottom line. Business is "in business" to make a profit. Which is fine but not when you are screwing your fellow man over. We can't make
shoes, coffee mugs, cars, we can't even eat a decent meal nowadays. McDonald's is making sure of that. And we go there and eat and tell ourselves this is the best America has to offer? Are you kidding me?
Maybe I am rambling but I am pissed. Pissed as in "angry" and pissed as in "fucked up." We have all this amazing technology; cell phones, computers, high definition TV's, fancy cars that massage your ass while
you drive and tell you how to get to a McDonald's. This is America? What happened to hard work? What happened to ideals of a better world? You call this a better world? I call it SHIT. Religion? SHIT. Freedom?
SHIT. American "Dream?" SHIT.
I take it one day at a time. If I think about tomorrow I will lose my mind. That is why I say I wish I would have been born centuries ago as an American Indian. Those people knew how to live. They lived off the land
and respected nature and themselves. What happened to them? We came over here. We imposed our shit on them. Now they live in poverty and we make big bucks sucking cock and telling ourselves how great we
are. We are the exact opposite of the Native American Indians. If there is a God, why in the HELL would he be on our "side?" Because we are the "chosen ones?" We are so damn special God has reserved Heaven
for us? How ignorant we are. What we need is an ass whooping. To put us in our place. Maybe China, North Korea, Iran. They all hate us and I really can see why. Because we think so highly of ourselves. We
have "American Idol." We have "Survivor." We have more "reality" shows that are so far OUT OF REALITY that there are 300+ channels of shit on the TV. We have homes with more rooms than we need and maids
to clean them. We have "illegal aliens" cooking our food, washing our cloths, and watching our children while we are off with our "careers." We even have them walk our dogs. Go to Sherman Oaks sometime and
see all the maids come down the hill to catch a bus. We can't even mow our own lawns or wash our own cars nowadays. What a great country we have here. We have homes, cable TV, satellite radio, Howard
Stern, million dollar a year bums playing a game. Music "stars" who can't play their own music but they sure as hell can wiggle their ass and tits in your face. The whole thing makes me want to puke. If you love this
shit take it all and shove it back up yer ass.
S
o that is my rant for the evening. I hope I pass out and never wake up. Thanks for listening and kindly fuck off. Thanks. (Sorry about that, I was a little drunk at the time I wrote it, but if you are an asshole, then it really
doesn't matter what I say. You are still an asshole.) Speaking of assholes...
We should declare our independence from these fuckers who "we" have somehow voted in office. I sure as shit did not vote for Jim Bunning, and he is damn lucky he got voted into Baseball's Hall of
Fame. But as a Senator, this guy is a creep. He blocked funding recently for the unemployed because he is a CUNT. Not only does this asshole have a Senator's salary plus perks, blow jobs, you name it. But
he also has a Baseball Pension plus perks as a "Hall of Famer." Yet this AHOLE feels that the underprivileged should not be helped out in this sorry economy. This is the major problem in our county.
Politicians. You have 2 major political parties and good luck trying to get anything done except going headfirst into war. Unemployment? Too bad. No health insurance? Too bad. We are too busy making
profits for CORPORATIONS while at the same time making minimum wage busting your ass. Meanwhile celebrities and athletes and politicians make obscene amounts of money. For what? For pretending
to make music? For playing a fucking game? For supposedly "serving the people?" Give me a break. What we need folks is a major revolution or a major ass whooping to get this country back to what it
has lost. This Bunning character needs to get all of his pensions removed, health benefits, etc. Let him and those who think the same way lose their jobs and see what it's like. A real ASSHOLE, Jim Bunning.
Fame. But as a Senator, this guy is a creep. He blocked funding recently for the unemployed because he is a CUNT. Not only does this asshole have a Senator's salary plus perks, blow jobs, you name it. But
he also has a Baseball Pension plus perks as a "Hall of Famer." Yet this AHOLE feels that the underprivileged should not be helped out in this sorry economy. This is the major problem in our county.
Politicians. You have 2 major political parties and good luck trying to get anything done except going headfirst into war. Unemployment? Too bad. No health insurance? Too bad. We are too busy making
profits for CORPORATIONS while at the same time making minimum wage busting your ass. Meanwhile celebrities and athletes and politicians make obscene amounts of money. For what? For pretending
to make music? For playing a fucking game? For supposedly "serving the people?" Give me a break. What we need folks is a major revolution or a major ass whooping to get this country back to what it
has lost. This Bunning character needs to get all of his pensions removed, health benefits, etc. Let him and those who think the same way lose their jobs and see what it's like. A real ASSHOLE, Jim Bunning.
"I am a DICK!!!" - Jim Bunning
March 18, 2010. Yesterday I took our family to the Santa Anita Mall in Arcadia to go to J.C. Penny Department Store. I saw a bunch of T-Shirts on sale for $9.99 with vintage logos (like "STP," "Wheaties,"
etc.) and cartoons. One of which was "CAPTAIN AMERICA." You remember Captain America don't you? Well check this out. Here is this T Shirt of "Captain America" and where do you think it was
made? U.S.A.? Good guess but you are WRONG. It was Pakistan, Vietnam, or some other country but sure as hell not here. We can't even make our own "Captain America" T-shirts? Does this seem funny
to you? This is just a small example but go to a Starbucks Coffee Store (or any similar store; I am not just picking on Starbucks) and check out the merchandise (coffee mugs, tumblers, etc.), flip them
over and see where they are made. "MADE IN CHINA." We go to WalMart to save money and where do you think most of the stuff there is from? Here? I sincerely doubt it but I don't go to WalMart.
What I miss is the small mom & pop stores where you could walk to and pick up some groceries. "Super Markets" put an end to that. Now we have Costco, WalMart, etc., and these companies are going
to eventually (it seems) put traditional "Super Markets" out of business.
Am I saying foreign countries are evil? Not at all. But I am saying the United States of America is if if we put the almighty dollar ahead of our own people. We can't make anything ourselves and have to
rely on cheap foreign labor to produce goods. We are fat, lazy and sometimes I think we are retarded. Really. Our ideas of "work" are sitting on our ass in an office and punching computer keys. Tough
America is gone, we have gone soft. Technology enables us to gab on the phones 24/7 and we might as well have these devices surgically inserted in our brains so we will never be without a phone,
Internet, texting, or a video game. My grandparents grew up on farms way back when and knew how to grow things. Unfortunately I can't make grass grow but I sure as hell can make weeds grow. With
no effort at all. If a country wanted to do us in, all they have to do is target our techno framework. Shut down everything. America would be at anyone's mercy. We would be out in the streets crying like
babies while China, North Korea, etc. kick our ass. "Oh, boo-hoo! I miss my "American Idol" and my text messaging... Boo-hoo! Crying little babies waiting for the Government to bail us out. Yeah right.
We can't even afford health care so how in the hell is our Government going to help us out while we are getting our ass kicked by some nation we have pissed off somehow, someway.
etc.) and cartoons. One of which was "CAPTAIN AMERICA." You remember Captain America don't you? Well check this out. Here is this T Shirt of "Captain America" and where do you think it was
made? U.S.A.? Good guess but you are WRONG. It was Pakistan, Vietnam, or some other country but sure as hell not here. We can't even make our own "Captain America" T-shirts? Does this seem funny
to you? This is just a small example but go to a Starbucks Coffee Store (or any similar store; I am not just picking on Starbucks) and check out the merchandise (coffee mugs, tumblers, etc.), flip them
over and see where they are made. "MADE IN CHINA." We go to WalMart to save money and where do you think most of the stuff there is from? Here? I sincerely doubt it but I don't go to WalMart.
What I miss is the small mom & pop stores where you could walk to and pick up some groceries. "Super Markets" put an end to that. Now we have Costco, WalMart, etc., and these companies are going
to eventually (it seems) put traditional "Super Markets" out of business.
Am I saying foreign countries are evil? Not at all. But I am saying the United States of America is if if we put the almighty dollar ahead of our own people. We can't make anything ourselves and have to
rely on cheap foreign labor to produce goods. We are fat, lazy and sometimes I think we are retarded. Really. Our ideas of "work" are sitting on our ass in an office and punching computer keys. Tough
America is gone, we have gone soft. Technology enables us to gab on the phones 24/7 and we might as well have these devices surgically inserted in our brains so we will never be without a phone,
Internet, texting, or a video game. My grandparents grew up on farms way back when and knew how to grow things. Unfortunately I can't make grass grow but I sure as hell can make weeds grow. With
no effort at all. If a country wanted to do us in, all they have to do is target our techno framework. Shut down everything. America would be at anyone's mercy. We would be out in the streets crying like
babies while China, North Korea, etc. kick our ass. "Oh, boo-hoo! I miss my "American Idol" and my text messaging... Boo-hoo! Crying little babies waiting for the Government to bail us out. Yeah right.
We can't even afford health care so how in the hell is our Government going to help us out while we are getting our ass kicked by some nation we have pissed off somehow, someway.
Pete Townshend of The Who going off
"Get me the hell outta here...."
And I say...
Questions? Comments? You can email me at nowbatting19@yahoo.com. I hope you get angry too. Stick your head out the window and yell "I'M MAD AS HELL AND I'M NOT GOING TO TAKE IT ANYMORE!"
And don't take anymore bullshit. Tim
And don't take anymore bullshit. Tim
1933 Indian Gum #216 Torturing Their Victims
And we called the Native American Indians "Savages?" What about CEO's and other corporate raiders who deplete people's life savings? What about banks and their foreclosure of homes while at the same
time, they get "bailed out" by the Federal Government? What about our sending troops in harm's way to some other country for God knows what. We don't even have decent health care in this country and
when the President tries to get a plan in place, half the country wants to lynch him! Pardon my saying so, but this country sucks. You can wave the American Flag all you want, have BBQ and drink yourself into
a stupor on National Holidays like Memorial Day, 4th of July, but all it is an excuse to party. That's all it is. At one time it used to be about something other than blowing off firecrackers and ruining the desert
with your toys. Self proclaimed "Patriots" are either racial bigots, or CEO's, or shareholders who are making bank. True patriotism is believing in our country and equality for all, freedom of religion, freedom
of speech. It is about hard work with our own hands, not some guy who washes your car and mows your lawn for you and at the same time you want the borders protected from "illegal aliens." Hey America
was built from hard working immigrants. Isn't that what the "Statue of Liberty" is about? True terror is not about "us and them." It is about "us vs. us." It is about getting your pensions wiped out by corporate
greed, which includes shareholders. Hey I am not worried about a nuclear war. Bring it on. At least that way we can blow ourselves into oblivion and the world will be at peace. But real terror is having your
pensions wiped out, your jobs taken away, your homes foreclosed and no money to put food on the table for your family. Probably half this country knows something about that, while the other half, the rich
and the ignorant think this is what it is all about: fancy homes, fancy cars, fancy women, and more money than I can imagine. The "American Dream." The Indians should have wiped us out. Hell, who knows,
maybe China, North Korea, or Iran will kick our ass and maybe we need it. We need to stop meddling in other countries affairs and start meddling with problems HERE. Not talking about them, taking care
of them!
time, they get "bailed out" by the Federal Government? What about our sending troops in harm's way to some other country for God knows what. We don't even have decent health care in this country and
when the President tries to get a plan in place, half the country wants to lynch him! Pardon my saying so, but this country sucks. You can wave the American Flag all you want, have BBQ and drink yourself into
a stupor on National Holidays like Memorial Day, 4th of July, but all it is an excuse to party. That's all it is. At one time it used to be about something other than blowing off firecrackers and ruining the desert
with your toys. Self proclaimed "Patriots" are either racial bigots, or CEO's, or shareholders who are making bank. True patriotism is believing in our country and equality for all, freedom of religion, freedom
of speech. It is about hard work with our own hands, not some guy who washes your car and mows your lawn for you and at the same time you want the borders protected from "illegal aliens." Hey America
was built from hard working immigrants. Isn't that what the "Statue of Liberty" is about? True terror is not about "us and them." It is about "us vs. us." It is about getting your pensions wiped out by corporate
greed, which includes shareholders. Hey I am not worried about a nuclear war. Bring it on. At least that way we can blow ourselves into oblivion and the world will be at peace. But real terror is having your
pensions wiped out, your jobs taken away, your homes foreclosed and no money to put food on the table for your family. Probably half this country knows something about that, while the other half, the rich
and the ignorant think this is what it is all about: fancy homes, fancy cars, fancy women, and more money than I can imagine. The "American Dream." The Indians should have wiped us out. Hell, who knows,
maybe China, North Korea, or Iran will kick our ass and maybe we need it. We need to stop meddling in other countries affairs and start meddling with problems HERE. Not talking about them, taking care
of them!
I don't want to end this page on a downer. Things are bad, sure. But it can always be worse. I've got two kids with Autism, and you know what? They don't care. It doesn't bother them and they are happy.
There are plenty of kids that are worse off. Really. We tend to get caught up in "life," pursuing careers, money, houses, cars, boats, women, whatever. Drugs and Alcohol can numb you but you still have to
live in the "real" world. Sometimes we need to do a reality check to see what we are really about. Is getting ripped off in a baseball card deal really as bad as losing your pension or life savings? No. Is a
broken softball bat really a big deal in the grand scheme of things? No. Are there always going to be assholes in the world (namely Politicians and Corporate Fuckers)? Yes. Can we do anything about it?
No. So why get stressed out about it! Live and enjoy each day. You never know if it will be your last. I need this reminder as much as anybody. I highly recommend a classic "Cult" movie called "HAROLD
& MAUDE" (starring Bud Cort and Ruth Gordon). Cort plays "Harold" who is a dark character with no joy in his life. He meets "Maude" (Ruth Gordon) an elderly lady who has a zest for life. Great, great
movie. Of course you can always watch "It's A Wonderful Life" around Christmas time. Either way we need to CHILL OUT!!!
There are plenty of kids that are worse off. Really. We tend to get caught up in "life," pursuing careers, money, houses, cars, boats, women, whatever. Drugs and Alcohol can numb you but you still have to
live in the "real" world. Sometimes we need to do a reality check to see what we are really about. Is getting ripped off in a baseball card deal really as bad as losing your pension or life savings? No. Is a
broken softball bat really a big deal in the grand scheme of things? No. Are there always going to be assholes in the world (namely Politicians and Corporate Fuckers)? Yes. Can we do anything about it?
No. So why get stressed out about it! Live and enjoy each day. You never know if it will be your last. I need this reminder as much as anybody. I highly recommend a classic "Cult" movie called "HAROLD
& MAUDE" (starring Bud Cort and Ruth Gordon). Cort plays "Harold" who is a dark character with no joy in his life. He meets "Maude" (Ruth Gordon) an elderly lady who has a zest for life. Great, great
movie. Of course you can always watch "It's A Wonderful Life" around Christmas time. Either way we need to CHILL OUT!!!
A few quotes from "Harold and Maude" (1971):
Maude: "A lot of people enjoy being dead. But they are not dead, really. They're just backing away from life. *Reach* out. Take a *chance*. Get *hurt* even. But play as well as you can. Go team, go!
Give me an L. Give me an I. Give me a V. Give me an E. L-I-V-E. LIVE! Otherwise, you got nothing to talk about in the locker room."
Harold: You hop in any car you want and just drive off?
Maude: Well, not any car - I like to keep a variety. I'm always looking for the new experience.
Harold: [smiling] Maybe.
Harold: [more seriously] Nevertheless, I think you're upsetting people. I don't know if that's right.
Maude: Well, if some people get upset because they feel they have a hold on some things, I'm merely acting as a gentle reminder: here today, gone tomorrow, so don't get attached to things.
Maude: "A lot of people enjoy being dead. But they are not dead, really. They're just backing away from life. *Reach* out. Take a *chance*. Get *hurt* even. But play as well as you can. Go team, go!
Give me an L. Give me an I. Give me a V. Give me an E. L-I-V-E. LIVE! Otherwise, you got nothing to talk about in the locker room."
Harold: You hop in any car you want and just drive off?
Maude: Well, not any car - I like to keep a variety. I'm always looking for the new experience.
Harold: [smiling] Maybe.
Harold: [more seriously] Nevertheless, I think you're upsetting people. I don't know if that's right.
Maude: Well, if some people get upset because they feel they have a hold on some things, I'm merely acting as a gentle reminder: here today, gone tomorrow, so don't get attached to things.