USB 'thumb-up-it's-ASS' drive.

So I've been using a "thumb" drive for about two years now.
Originally I had a crappy purple Lexar 32 or 64 (I forget which) drive that I used often. Then I traded up for a SanDisk 256. Which not only holds MUCH more, it also is designed better and is more "stylish" than the cheap purple plastic of the Lexar.
Now the only problem I ever really had was once my old Lexar just totally died on me and stopped working. Luckily it was still relatively new and the company replaced it (for free!) and was able to salvage all my data off the old defective drive (Also for free! :-D ).
But now with my new SanDisk drive that I’ve used for just about a year now, I've constantly run into Windows (XP & 2000 both) deciding to only save half the file.
I know enough not to just pull the drive without doing a "safe removal".
I do safe removals, but still I get files corrupted and lost data.
This especially sucks because I save important info on my drive such as tax information, subscription information, software keys, account passwords, banking information, account information all on the drive (encrypted, of course).
So I’ve gotten into the habit of copying the files to the drive, waiting 5 minutes AFTER it says it's finished, THEN doing a safe removal. Then still waiting a few more minutes before physically removing the drive.
After disconnecting the drive, I then reconnect it to confirm the data I've copied had saved successfully. THEN I'd still email myself a backup of the data to my gmail account to be sure I don't lose the info.
Fucking drive.

It really pisses me off too because once the file gets corrupted, I basically have to do a reformat of the drive, and recopy all my files back.
Also, I’ve noticed that MS Excel has a fluky bug with saving.
For example, you create a spreadsheet and save it to your hard drive. Then you cut and paste that drive to your USB thumb-drive. All that takes MAYBE 30 seconds.
Now if you took the EXACT SAME spreadsheet, and tried to save it directly to your thumb-drive, it takes like 3 to 4 minutes JUST TO SAVE. And half the time it doesn’t save correctly.
All other files & applications save successfully when saving directly, but not MS Excel.
It’s just another thing that pisses me off.

I really should work on my SmartCat so I don't have to use Excel for this shit. It'd save me a LOT of headaches.

What I'm more and more considering doing is getting an iPod and using that as an external hard drive to transfer and store my files, and put my IMPORTANT files on a thumb drive that is rarely used, in my file-safe.
But before I even think of getting an iPod, I have to deal with my Hiatt-monkey.
TAKE THE FREAKIN BANANA, MONKEY!

A Sandy Vagina over, of all things, A STICKER!

So I have an Alienware computer. Specifically, it’s a laptop computer.
And when I bought it I opted for the 3-year warranty.
Good thing I did too because a couple of months after getting my laptop the video card went bad. (This laptop was Alienware's first laptop to include a mobile video card module that can be removed and replaced separate from the motherboard.)
So after calling them up and after they diagnosed that yes, the video card was defective; they told me they were sending a replacement. Well in the replacement FedEx box, there was the new card, a Fed-Ex sticker, and instructions to put the defective card in the FedEx box that the replacement came in, black-out any old shipping info on the old label, and affix the included shipping on top of the old label and return the package.
If I didn't follow these instructions, Alienware would charge me the price of the video card ($200 or so). So I followed those instructions to the letter, and sent the card back. No problem.
Since then my video card has gone bad two times and I've had it replaced in the EXACT same manner as before. No problem (with the exception of the fact the card went bad in the first place).... So...No problem WITH FedEx.
Well last week I call Alienware again, my video card fan is making its noise again, and I know from prior experience, that it's defective. The Alienware agent confirms it over the phone and they send me a new card. I got it yesterday.
I do EXACTLY the same with it that I had done the past THREE times, and put the old card in the box the new one came in, affix the included label on the new box (after blacking out the old label's shipping info) and drop it off at FedEx.
...
Here's where the shit hits the fan.
The FedEx lady I gave it to looks at the box, and says, "you can't use a courier box for a express shipment".
I'm like.... um.... It’s exactly the same box I received from my computer company, and they told me to put that label on that box and send it back to them.
She's like BLAH BLAH BLAH (Same as above), and I again, am like…
Ok...well there's nothing I can do. That's the box they sent my new video card in, with THAT label included inside, with explicit instructions to package my old card inside, black out the old label, and put the new label on the old and send it back.
...She's like..."Well I'm telling you, you can't use this box for this express shipment because this box has this (pointing) courier sticker on it.
I'm like...well I don't know what type of shipping THEY opted for when they ordered that label, but that is the EXACT SAME BOX that I picked up here yesterday, with an identical label on it, same format, same size, same style. With different addresses obviously, but the SAME type label. I don't know why there should be a problem now.
Then she pulls at the corner of the sticker, and rips it. Right through the return address! (WTF! tear MY label and jeopardize the shipping of the box because of YOUR issue with the package Alienware bought, and YOU shipped to ME!?)
...But again she goes on to tell me that next time I'm going to have to buy a new box because this one has a "Courier" sticker on it.
(WTF! It's a sticker! Most likely put there BY FedEx. Either them, or Alienware. NOT ME. Why should I have to buy a new box because of a STICKER!?!
So again....
I repeat to her that there's nothing I can do, because I was just following the instructions of Alienware on how to return the defective card. She needs to take it up with THEM. They supplied the box AND the label. (I'm just following their instructions so I don't get charged for the defective card.)
Finally she rolls her eyes, sighs loudly at me and says "fine", and I bolted out of there.
I so didn't want to deal with the lady's bitching at me about the fucking BOX & sticker. Bitch to the box on your own time.
So as I left I heard her pull the packaging-tape dispenser-roller, (you know that packaging tape sound it makes when you are unrolling it? That’s the sound I heard while leaving.).
I hope to god that it was her repairing the damage she caused to the shipping label, because if that package doesn’t get sent, I'LL get charged.

I should have stopped her when she was pulling at it, and fixed it then.
I also should have brought the instructions and shown her & made her sign it.
I didn't though because I've never had this type of trouble with FedEx before, so I didn't expect any problems.

Grrr.

Another Irk

You know what bugs the hell out of me?
People who insist on damaging their car be being stupid.
There is a railroad track in between my work and apartment.
I work in Novi Michigan, and the train crossing I’m talking about is on 12 Mile between Novi Rd, and West Park drive.
Every time I go home, it never fails; there is ALWAYS someone ahead of me that nearly comes to a stop when crossing the tracks.
Why can't these people THINK?!?! If they did they'd realize that if they just drove over the tracks normally they would barley feel the tracks. It's the washboard effect. But nope, they go over them WAY SLOW and have their car/truck rock from side-to-side like crazy ruining their shocks and/or struts because they don't understand how to drive.

I had a girl the other day pass me going 10 MPH OVER the speed limit, so she could cut me off to get in front of me before the two lanes merged on 12-mile. Now, there was NO ONE behind me, so it's not like she was trying to stay ahead of a semi, or school bus or anything, THAT I may be able to let go, but she was just being a jerk.
On top of that she HAD TO have been driving with her knees, because she had both hands up over her head doing her hair.
THEN she proceeds to slam on her brakes and go over the tracks at like 2 miles per hour MAX.
Oh my god, she pissed me off.
I hate dumb drivers.

Cars should have mandatory state issued mini-cams & black boxes in the dash that can randomly take pics of the driver and record the driving statistics and report them to the police. People wouldn't be likely to drive like idiots then.
Then also maybe everyone's insurance would go down as well and wouldn't be inflated by the fucking ass-hat drivers.

GRRR.

Left-brain bitch slap.

I just had a 'retarded' moment there...
While looking over my blog, for a second I thought to myself...
"What the heck are 'AMO Comments' and 'PMO Comments'?!?"
Then the left side of my brain bitch-slapped the right for being so retarded.

Right-Winger: Noun, synonym: Hypocrite

Good to see the right-wingers are going to have to eat crow on this one.

What I don't get is why they will bitch and whine about the feeding tube/water deal and call it "still murder" when I'm willing to bet that the majority of them jumped on the bus condemning Assisted suicide years back.
They call it inhumane, but what other humane option is there now?
Pets have euthanasia, but humans apparently arent worth that sort of humane treatment.
Right-Winger: Noun, Synonym: hypocrite

Mmmmm Feathers!

"They have pre-wrapped sausages, but they don't have pre-wrapped CROW!"
"Well, can you blame 'em?"
"Yeah!"