The Interpreter

I am having some issue with my job. It's bad enough that there are no supervisors after three or on the weekends. It's bad enough they have me there all the time. The paychecks are not being sent.
It doesn't matter if I have direct deposit or not. The paycheck for some reason is not sent. Last time, I was putting the overtime in the wrong spot. It was never a problem before. Next, the time card was already submitted supposedly. With an old shift? They think I will fall for that? Again, my paycheck didn't arrive. Stephanie, the snotty bitch in payroll, told me that the time card was reset. It was not reset and I had to call the hiring agency about the problem. I told her I wanted a new assignment. She doesn't want me to quit. Well, issues need to be fixed.
I spent the morning planning and griping about what I need to do. For some weird reason, people who live in the room in the front think I am talking about them. Dumb ass, comes out and acts antagonistic.
"Is there a problem in here?" the idiot asked. I shook my head, it's none of his business. "I was going to do the dishes. I didn't know I had to do them every day."
"I WAS TALKING ABOUT MY JOB. IT'S GREAT THAT PEOPLE WANT TO COME OUT AND ANTAGONISE ME!!" I holler. He was being very antagonistic and his tone of voice would have me kicking his ass out the door.
To add to the equation of looking for a new job and needing to talk to my academic counselor about what class I want, I have to be looking for a new room mate so I can kick fat ass out.

Join Us!! Take a Chunk Out of DirecTv's 18Million Customers

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Nearly 800,000 U.S. TV households 'cut the cord,' report says
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Tue Apr 13, 6:07 pm ET
Make no mistake: The big cable, satellite, and telco carriers are still sitting pretty with more than 100 million TV subscribers. Nevertheless, a new report claims that more and more viewers are "cutting the cord" in favor of watching their favorite shows via over-the-air antennas (remember those?), Netflix, or the Web.

TechCrunch has the scoop on a new report from the Toronto-based Convergence Consulting Group, and though the figures may not be a "serious threat" to the big cable and satellite carriers yet, the trend might eventually spell trouble for the like of Cablevision, Comcast, DirecTV, and Time Warner Cable.

To wit: Nearly 800,000 households in the U.S. have "cut the cord," dumping their cable, satellite, or telco TV providers (such as AT&T U-verse or Verizon FiOS) and turning instead to Web-based videos (like Hulu), downloadable shows (iTunes), by-mail subscription services (Netflix), or even good ol' over-the-air antennas for their favorite shows, according to the report.

Now, as TechCrunch points out, the estimated 800,000 cord cutters represent less than 1 percent of the 100 million U.S. households (give or take) currently subscribing to a cable/satellite/telco TV carrier, so it's not like we're talking a mass exodus here. But by the end of 2011, the report guesstimates, the number of cord-cutting households in the U.S. will double to about 1.6 million, and if the trend continues, well...

Even more trouble for the big carriers is the report's assertion that U.S. TV watchers are getting a taste for online video, with an estimated 17 percent of the U.S. TV audience watching at least one or two shows online in a given week last year, up from just 12 percent in 2008, and set to rise to 21 percent this year.

Personally, I find the temptation to cut the cord pretty enticing, especially whenever I get a load of my monthly $130 cable bill (which includes unlimited broadband and HD but no premium channels). Why am I paying so much for all the hundreds of channels that I rarely ever watch, anyway? Wouldn't it be easier — not to mention a lot cheaper — just to ditch my DVR and watch my favorite shows on iTunes and Hulu, catch up on the news via CNN.com, and be done with it?

There's one important factor that's keeping me from pulling my scissors out: live sports, and particularly ESPN, my 24-hour sports companion. Sure, as a football fan, I could keep up with the Jets and the Giants via over-the-air TV (although I'm not sure my landlord would be all that ecstatic about my installing a TV antenna on the roof of our Brooklyn brownstone), but without cable, I'd be left high and dry when it comes to Monday Night Football.

What about you? Anyone out there count themselves as one of the 800,000-plus cord-cutting households in the U.S.? If not, would you ever consider it, or are you too attached to basic cable?

Correction: This post originally said that 800,000 U.S. TV households "cut the cord" in 2009. They didn't all cut the cord in 2009; the number reflects how many had cut the cord by the end of 2009 — a somewhat important distinction. Apologies for the goof.

• TechCrunch: Estimate: 800,000 U.S. Households Abandoned Their TVs For The Web
• Convergence Consulting Group: Preview PDFs of "The Battle for the American Couch Potato" reports

— Ben Patterson is a technology writer for Yahoo! News.

WOOHOO

I wish my jobs felt this victorious. I got my score today, finally! I have an A- in Critical Thinking! I have passed four classes so far.
I got my score card from work, I barely made an improvement. If only my quality score would reach 90. I am just below it. Wouldn't a B count for quality? Sheesh.
I called the staffing agency, I want a new assignment. I am going to get burned out. My paycheck didn't make it in time again. In fact, I received two checks for the same week. I don't have enough time to babysit my time card. The final straw was the overtime I was scheduled for on Wednesday until 8pm. That is really effed up, I already worked overtime on Thursday. This would be 7 days in a row. I have classes that are more difficult.
Granted, people will say, "Anything you want, Jen." It makes me feel guilty because I have so many needs. I am getting really cranky. I left a message and I was about near tears near the end of it. I'm frustrated. I feel like I live at work. I would be more than happy to work overtime. I also need my sleep. I want to be able to meet goals and I have done better since I have been at work less. I want to keep my grades up. I was looking hopeless because I was getting D's in class.
I know I like my job. However, I feel so much anxiety. I always have to worry if I will get fired again for not meeting goals. I worry if I have to spend time looking for another room mate and another job.

At least I have a job?

Even though I have accomodations in, they still schedule me for overtime. Things are getting more difficult. I was forced into a class that is difficult for me. I did have a media class which is more fitting.
Both these classes have long writing assignments due at the same time. I don't know why you would need a writing assignment for a technical class. Word range from 500 to 1500 words. I cannot work overtime.
To add to the situation, the job switched the time card people. So, now I have to babysit my job 24/7 to make sure this is functioning properly. If I do not see my paycheck today, I am going to call the labor board.
It doesn't matter if I have direct deposit or not. These guys have a picky system and it didn't send my paycheck last week. The overtime has to be put in the other slot. Excuse the hell out of me if I didn't get trained on how to do the time card. How this all was handled was unprofessionally. The time card system is not effecient. I hope to God that idiot labor is not used for other assignments.
Anyway, I got to go. I have a test later today and I have some reading to do before I go to work.

Take it and run!!!

I have yet to hear about my grade in Critical Thinking. I'm sure I totally messed up. Stupid class, I think my brain is going to pop. I got an A- in Effective Essay Writing.
I missed a couple of points in discussion. I am not going to mess with it. The instructor pissed me off. You cannot ask her a question and not get sarcasm. I saw her do it to another classmate. Do I want to report it? Yep, hate last second changes as well. She had a split personality. One minute she is nice the next she is the damn devil.
Tomorrow, I go to court to fight my traffic violation. I think I will fail because too many people are against me. No proof that I ran a green light. Paul even forgot about the court date. I think I may as well pay the ticket.
Tonight, I start new classes. Read, read, read. Print, print, print. Beer, beer, beer.

Dog Abuse

Let me in!! Here is Cola staring through my new door.
Well, we babysat mom's dog. He was a good dog. He was good when he wasn't pacing, harrassing Logan, or licking his paws. He didn't want to eat very much for a couple of days. He drove the room mate crazy. I would have taped some footage of him stalking the cat, but I was doing homework.
I have made an improvement since my shift changed. I can't say much for my projects yet. I was working on my final project as I was working massive overtime. I had to work today and it was boring. I think I was waiting for a call for fifteen minutes each time.
Work, well, it seems to be improving. Maybe I am. I am about ready to find something different. I hope I see my paycheck tomorrow or I will raise hell.
I am thinking of making a petition for cat control. Every time I step out the door, there is a fresh pile of cat shit. These animals are relentless. I used Critter Ridder, cat stop, and chicken wire. I would rather have mice than these creatures. Think about it, these cats carry diseases that humans can get. They have respitory issues, nerve issues from inbreeding, and ring worm. Like I said, I would rather have mice.
I want to annoy my nieghbors. Their kids are starting to scope out the house. I know someone is going to slip up and not lock the door. Lately, I have been thinking of throwing some catnip into their yard. Or maybe, getting a rooster. Hmm, no ordinance on having roosters.

That's Where The Bail Money Went!!

If You Were a Billionaire for Five Hours
by Robert Frank
Thursday, April 1, 2010


When Paul Fischer checked his bank account Friday night, he had a happy surprise. His balance had exploded to $88,888,888,888.88. A very lucky number indeed, and close to $89 billion.

Of course, the balance was a technical error by SunTrust Bank (NYSE: STI - News), which quickly fixed the problem. It also may have occurred in other accounts.

"You say, 'Eighty-eight billion, what can I do with that?'" said Mr. Fischer, who owns a jewelry concessionaire for Florida theme parks. "Maybe a handful of us could have brought down SunTrust Bank."


Mr. Fischer had other ideas as well. Before the problem was fixed, he asked a SunTrust rep if he could move the money to an interest-bearing account until it was reclaimed and donate the interest to charity. Total interest: more than $7.3 million.

The bank said no.

The money was stripped out of his account by Saturday morning.

"It's all gone. I'm poor again," he said. "I was a billionaire for five hours."

This kind of bank error happens frequently. But Mr. Fischer raises an interesting question: What if, for five hours, you truly did have $89 billion?

What would you do with the money? The ground rules are that you would have to give the money back — and whatever you bought or invested with it — after five hours.