Gmail - simonknucklespic.jpg

Gmail - simonknucklespic.jpg

What the hell is going on with Simon Cowell's knuckles?

Talk to alltmike

So Google has been trying and trying to get altmike to beta test their new phone service. Now that I am a tester I think the service is kind of cool. They gave me a special secret phone number that makes it possible for you to call me anytime day or night. Sometimes I keep the phone on, sometimes I turn it off and your message will go to voice mail. Kind of like a phone sex operator who decides when he is going to work or not.
Have you ever called a telethon to pledge money just because there is the smallest chance that a "celebrity" on the panel is going to pick the phone up and talk to you?

Well now is your chance. That may happen!
And you don't even have to make a donation to me......
Don't be shy.
Just click the button and CALL ME.

The Amy Winehouse "introduction SLASH comeback tour"

Just me or were you completely uncomfortable watching Amy Winehouse sing about "Rehab"...smiling all the way...during last night's Grammy Awards telecast?

This is not a commentary as to whether or not she deserves the five Grammies though altmike does wonder if she would have won without snorting cocaine on a regular basis.

Really what is so strange to me is the combination "launch" and "comeback" performance...all blending together. Life imitating art? Art imitating life? It is too confusing for me to figure out.

The cynic in me is not beyond thinking that is all one big publicity stunt. It is too perfect marketing ploy.

And don't get me started on the Britney Spears "Piece of Me" video which I saw on the VH1 countdown this weekend. Did they pull her out of the loony bin to film this gem?

Tell me what is best for me

A friend sent me this link to find that helps you decide what candidate you should vote for. My initial reaction was that it is pretty cool. I really have been going back and forth trying to decide between Obama and Clinton.
I answered a bunch of questions and according to their results I should pick Obama for President. Clinton was a very close second.

First off I do believe that this web site is legit but the cynic in me does wonder.
What if a certain candidate/organization/demonic person set up a web site similar to this one and fooled people into believing that they should vote for their candidate of choice? I mean what if a fanatic Barack Obama supporter put up this site in which no matter how a person responded they were going to be fooled into believing that they were most closely aligned with the beliefs and values of Obama regardless? What if Obama actually won an election because of a misleading "select a candidate" web site?

I believe a scenario like this is entirely possible because we Americans would much rather have decisions made for us then to actually have to do the work of forming opinions based on personal investigation. It is much more convenient to be told what we want, what we like, what we should do then to actually take the time to decide these things on our own.
Situations like this happen every day.

Just yesterday I was at Chickfil-a and I was unsure of what I wanted.
Chickfil-a worker: Which combo would you like?
Altmike: Um.... (I didn't realize I wanted a combo....I guess I do)
Chickfil-a worker: You want a chickfil-a chargrilled chicken sandwich?
Altmike: Um....well....um....yeah sure.
Chickfil-a worker: Ok then you want combo #2. You want to supersize that?
Altmike: Um....well...um yeah ok.

The point being....
Day in and day out we are being led into situations that may or may not be in our best interest. In hind site, I should have had a garden salad! I didn't want all that bread! And fries!
Besides, did I even take a second to see what a combo included and figure out if it really was a "deal" and if it actually saved me money...or whether what I was being led to was even actually good for me? Nah, too much work.

And as for the "select a candidate" website...
I realized that after I responded to the questions and got my Obama-friendly results, I didn't even take the time to see why I was most aligned with Obama according to......them.
When I went back and really looked over the issues from a number of different sources I saw that the candidate that best represented my views and values was....Hillary Clinton.

Be careful.
Be wary.

Somewhere below the radar screen there is a possibility that you are being force fed into believing a certain candidate running for the highest office in this country is most aligned with your values much the same way you are being force fed a chargrilled chicken value meal at Chick fil-A.

A mutant life of its own

FIRST OFF THIS PICTURE ISN'T ME!!!!!


Altmike has the toughest beard known to mankind.
This has been confirmed by the barbers who work in the shop where I get shaved.
According to the barbers, my beard is so robust that the hair grows in multiple directions.
It takes a minimum of four separate mach3 razors for them to get me a close shave.
You think I am kidding? I kid you not.



Each time I call to make an appointment I envision the three barbers drawing straws to see who is the unlucky schlub that gets the thankless job of tackling my stubble.
Gordon, the senior of the barbers says that he can actually see my beard growing back at the same time he is shaving it off.
It is as if my beard has a mutant life of its own.
Three weeks ago I stopped attempting to shave it myself entirely because the up and down motion from sparring with my own whiskers inflamed my tennis elbow.
Seriously.