I'm Still a Guy

The other night...

2011-11-28T19:59:00.002-07:00

...I saw my nephew trying to breast-feed his stuffed reindeer.

Bad News, Good News

2011-11-23T10:21:00.003-07:00

Bad News:

On my way up to the office today, I saw a cockroach on it's back with its legs still twinging...eeehck...creepy little things.

Good News:

We have new urinals and toilets in the bathroom!

Next place to work...

2011-11-08T11:50:00.001-07:00

Over in South Carolina.

When I grow up...

2011-11-03T17:55:00.000-06:00

...I want to be a...

Oh, Yeah

2011-07-17T18:48:00.002-06:00

We made it...

A little help...

2011-07-02T09:02:00.001-06:00

Where was this when I was in school?

A List

2011-06-24T16:22:00.000-06:00

Here is a list of the all the things I like about my wife:

1. Everything

2011-04-10T18:48:00.003-06:00

Discrimination?

2011-03-01T18:54:00.001-07:00

A rather interesting article.

Official Intern

2011-01-14T20:24:00.001-07:00

Yes, I am now an official intern of PwC. I think I've made about $1000 during the first week.

I accept.

Seriously?

2010-12-23T12:25:00.000-07:00

I'm not sure how I feel about this.

Insights

2010-12-12T20:38:00.002-07:00

A new blog with some insights.

http://chriggsinsights.blogspot.com/

Dear Lyle and Ginger,

2010-12-09T20:50:00.002-07:00

...so I don't miss them, Happy Birthdays!

Now please enjoy this video.

Haha

2010-11-23T21:27:00.000-07:00

I only read the headline.

Rudolph the Red-nosed...

2010-11-20T13:07:00.003-07:00

...is actually a little girl with strawberry jam all over her face.

As it turns out...

2010-11-17T18:06:00.003-07:00

I went on an applying-for-internship binge about two months ago. One company to which I applied was PWC, one of the big 4 accounting firms. I should also mention PWC was the last place I thought would get back to me. This is due to the fact that the Phoenix PWC office rejected me. However, as things worked out, PWC was only one of two places to invite me for an interview (the other was PBTK). This internship was to take place in the Stamford, CT office doing taxes. The recruiter for the Stamford office wanted to call me, I assume to do a screening, but ended up so busy, he just sent me an e-mail with the specifics on the internship. I told I had no questions and what do I do next? I was invited for an office visit which took place yesterday on Tuesday.

Sunday afternoon, Laura and I and Ella drove down to Utah to stay with Laura's family. That night, we decided to put Ella to sleep on a mattress in the space below the stairs. She had a Harry Potter experience, I guess you could say. She only got up a few times at night. At 4:00 a.m. I heard her and got up in time to see her on her way up the stairs. She quickly went back to bed and so did I. As I was lying awake thinking about my trip the following day, I realized I had forgotten my suit and shirt. Fantastic. I would be leaving for the airport in two hours without possibly the most essential part of an interview. Fortunately, Laura's brother Jacob is about my size so I stole his suit and shirt for the trip.

Arriving at JFK airport, the shuttle service took me to Stamford, to the Marriot Hotel (just across from the PWC office) where I would be staying--or so I thought. Turns out the Marriot overbooked as so they sent me off to another hotel in Stamford, not just across the street from the PWC office.

Fortunately that hotel had a room booked for me on the fifth floor. Unfortunately, the room booked for me (as I entered therein) looked as though someone else was there. The T.V. was on, the bathroom light was on and towels were on the floor. "Perhaps they stuck me with one of the other guys from BYU-Idaho" I thought. I looked to see how many beds there were. Just one unmade bed. "Um, no" was my first reaction. So back down to the receptionist I went. Turns out the room just hadn't been cleaned yet. After a relaxed chat with a very surprised receptionist I headed back up to the fifth floor with an upgraded room--which was nice and clean this time.

That night, I couldn't find my gel or toothpaste. Fantastic. I would be going to PWC's Stamford office tomorrow without possibly the most essential part of an interview. I brushed my teeth twice with water before going to sleep that night.

In the morning I headed down stairs for some free breakfast (not free at the Marriott). I saw a bunch of BYU-Idaho students standing at the front door ready to leave. "I should probably go talk to them." And so I did...and I got some toothpaste. They were waiting for a shuttle which would take them off the PWC office. Instead following my brain and joining them, I followed my stomach and ate some breakfast. They were still waiting there when I went back up to my room. I hurriedly gathered my things, brushed my teeth with toothpaste, and went back down to the main floor. The other students had already left. *doh*

I got a cab instead. It took 10 minutes for it to arrive. On the way down, sweating my pants off because I thought I was going to be late, the cab driver stopped in an intersection to turn left. When the light turned red, instead of turning, he backed up. "Seriously?" Only moments before had I noticed that $0.25 was added to the fare for each 34 sec of waiting. Thanks cab driver, just soak it up. The office was right around the corner too. If I had known that, I would just have gotten out and walked the rest of the way, probably saving about $2.00 of what turned out to be the most expensive mile and half ride I have ever had.

The security guy on the main office floor fumbled his typing my name into the system as a guest and I began to think this to be comical by now. I was doomed to be the only one late. I made it up to the 9th floor just in time however. 9:24 I arrived with the presentation at 9:25. Not bad, huh? (Though I thought it was--especially since we had to mark at what time we arrived)

We had a presentation about PWC, why it was such an awesome place and such. Afterwards, we each received a laptop case, which fits perfectly on my current laptop. We then had a series of three interviews. A manager, director, and partner each talked with us in turn. They were enjoyable and speaking with them, I did learn some interesting things about the job and PWC as a whole I did not know before. Speaking with them actually made me want to work for PWC more so than before. I think they enjoyed me as well.

The good part about this whole ordeal is that before I went to CT, I got in contact with a director (who we will call 'J') at the Los Angeles PWC office. This was due to an accidental adding of mom's e-mail by some woman. A thank you note was sent to the woman and Mom from 'J' and he used his business e-mail. It turns out 'J' is a member of Mom and Dad's stake. Mom sent me 'J''s e-mail which included his phone number. I debated for about 10 sec as whether or not it would be appropriate to call him--I decided "who cares?" and called him up. He was very willing to help. I sent him my resume and he told me he'd send it off to recruiting and do what he could. He wanted me to let him know how the interview went.

After the fun time at Stamford (they called a car service to get me back to JFK and I had a nice ride in a Cadillac) at back to Utah and then to Idaho, I sent 'J' and e-mail telling him things went great. He called me later and told me he was sending my resume. About 4:30 p.m. California time, the LA office recruiter called me. That really is fantastic. She wanted to just make sure I preferred LA over Stamford, which I do. She is going to contact the Stamford office and get back to me within a week.

So, here's to hoping things continue to turn out as well as they have.

And to solve that money problem...

2010-11-08T14:14:00.002-07:00

A few of my buddies and I have decided to group together and do taxes. I did taxes last year for individuals, mostly college students, but this year I am trying to pick up some businesses and people other than college students.

Let me know if we can do your taxes this year--otherwise I might just come after you...

And with the Christmas list out of the way...

2010-11-07T20:04:00.002-07:00

I look around at what we have and think, "Man we are poor."

Then, I think about the people in Haiti and other parts of the world.

Then, I don't think we are poor.

Then, I choose to be grateful.

My Christmas List

2010-11-07T19:59:00.002-07:00

1. Money to survive the rest of the semester.
2. Money to buy a new car.
3. Money to afford insurance for wife, baby, and baby #2.
4. Money to travel to Connecticut.
5. Money to cover first and last month rent and deposit for rent in Connecticut.
6. Money to have for anything I forgot to put on the list.

Just a typical morning

2010-10-30T12:25:00.002-06:00

A couple of days ago...

2010-10-27T09:44:00.001-06:00

...this white substance started showing up all over the ground--and it's not fertilizer.

Volume, baby, volume.

2010-10-27T09:39:00.002-06:00

Quote

2010-10-10T12:18:00.002-06:00

Someone's grandmother once said, "Don't be so open minded your brain falls out."

Neato

2010-09-29T12:35:00.000-06:00

Maybe one day I will be Iron Man.

PBTK

2010-09-24T11:48:00.002-06:00

...stands for Piercy, Bowler, Taylor & Kern. I had an interview with them yesterday and feel it went pretty well. I would love to work for this firm. Here's hoping I get an internship/job.

Check 'em out.

Neato

2010-09-08T09:10:00.001-06:00

This is pretty dang neat.

Just Another Day in the Life of Space Ranger

2010-08-19T09:11:00.001-06:00

News From Dad's Home Town

2010-07-23T07:02:00.000-06:00

Haha...wow...

Mmmm

2010-07-15T14:53:00.001-06:00

I thought it was good.

Difficulty Level 100 (Out of 10)

2010-07-07T21:45:00.002-06:00

Accounting is hard. Haha--ha...*sigh*

The Bigger the Better

2010-05-14T20:01:00.001-06:00

The bigger your family becomes, the more you love them. The more you love them, the hard it is to be away from them.

Need More $

2010-05-10T21:22:00.001-06:00

Having a baby is expensive. It appears even more so when you don't have a job.

*sigh*

Blog for School

2010-04-21T16:43:00.002-06:00

I have been given an assignment from a business class to create a blog and post insights from the readings and class. If you have any interest in reading such posts feel free and good luck staying awake. www.cap499.blogspot.com

Popcorn

2010-04-03T20:43:00.002-06:00

In reality, Dune is a pretty funky-weird movie. Last time I saw it, I was a little kid and didn't really remeber much except the little girl making the fat flying man go fly out of control...anyway...

So is popcorn a vegetable or a grain?

Good News!

2010-03-23T13:19:00.001-06:00

The movie "Dune" is now on Netflix instant play! And it is currently being watched...

House Minority Leader Boehner's Words

2010-03-22T09:11:00.001-06:00

I like this guy:

House minority leader Boehner

You Shoulda Heard...

2010-03-16T10:20:00.002-06:00

Laura's grandmother, Barbara:

"Shut up, Charles."

I Looked Down

2010-03-09T14:33:00.004-07:00

...and then I thought, "Maybe I should not have have placed my knife so close..."

Just Writing

2010-03-07T11:29:00.002-07:00

Just writing a post. Speaking of which, I have had the idea to write a book for a while. Something fantasy based, primarily. And I mean swords and shields, dragons and dungeons, and spells and bardic stories. I enjoy reading other such books--the Eragon series was the last. Good stories about heroes and villains is something most can enjoy as it keeps you pulled in.

I've come up with a beginning and Laura seems to think it is good, but the problem with writing a fantasy book is there are so many of them out there. How can I create a book that stands out? Eragon, Harry Potter, the vampire books written by the Mormon author, Lord of the Rings, The Princess Bride, and The Count of Monte Cristo (of course there are others as well...) are "good" books that seem to stand out among others.

Why?

Success...so far...

2010-02-09T21:30:00.002-07:00

I just received my first payment from performing tax services. I've put up advertisements on Craig's List, the BYU-Idaho website, and Facebook.

Today I completed a larger return--it took me a couple of hours to complete, but the family will be receiving almost $10,000 back in taxes...of course $8,000 of that is from the first-time home buyer credit...but, I felt pretty good about it none the less.

When I first receive someone's tax info, I immediately want to sit down and begin to figure everything out. I love doing taxes for individuals. I like looking at all the possible credits and figuring out how much money I can save them. The best part is when I finish and I call them up to let them know. Taxes are fun for me. I enjoy doing them. So weird--but I figure it helps knowing I am going to be paid for it.

Also the fact that it is just me, no one else, who is performing the service, or in other words it is my business. If you had told me I would be doing this a couple of years ago, I don't know if I would have believed it. What a great feeling it is.

Fine, then...I'll do it myself.

2010-02-06T16:09:00.002-07:00

I looked and looked, made contacts, visited firms, had interviews, and sent e-mails in order to find an internship for this tax season. I always came back empty handed. So, I decided if no one wants to hire me, I'll hire myself.

And I did.

I've completed two tax returns this week and I have an appointment lined up on Tuesday for a bigger return. Keep 'em coming.

Doughnut Date

2010-01-28T07:21:00.002-07:00

After Laura and I went ice skating last night, we finished up with a doughnut date. We both ate a doughnut and then made some more...

...in the church parking lot.

I'm Sure He'll Never Do That Again...

2009-12-20T14:06:00.003-07:00

So on the way home from some friends' house last night, while driving on a country road, I ran over a skunk crossing the road. Laura's first reaction was, "Poor skunk." My first reaction was, "Crud, that's gonna smell." And boy does it ever.

Pre-Expedition Happenings

2009-12-06T16:33:00.002-07:00

I returned from an internship expedition late Friday night. It was fantastic and well worth the $300 my poor wallet had to sacrifice to the money god. You would like to hear about my experiences? Okay, but I should probably start with Sunday night of last week.

Returning home from church, it was like any other normal Sunday afternoon. I decided I should visit my home teaching families and Laura was gracious enough to make chocolate chocolate-chip cookies for me to deliver. It was a family outing. We dropped off a plate of cookies to my two families. Back in our nice warm home (thermostat set at a sweltering 65 degrees), I began to feel like I had just eaten a large meal, as in it was uncomfortable to breath because I felt so full. I also had strong desires to release whatever was squirming within my bowels, yet I could not. Fortunately just before I decided to change into pajamas, I had a release! And the bottom half of my stomach felt ever so much better. The uncomfortable feeling still existed in my upper half as I inhaled and exhaled; strange feeling indeed. It was as if my stomach was divided into two parts, and the upper was not in a good mood. I laid myself down early (just after 7:00 p.m.) in order to have plenty of sleep for the 3:30 a.m. wake-up call in order to arrive at work on time. Though drowsiness was quite prevalent, yet sleep was not overcoming. I stayed under covers until Laura joined me (very unusual that we were not in bed at the same time), upon which I mentioned to her my minor calamities. After about another hour of sleeplessness, I could feel the obvious beginnings of stomach convulsions and I was obliged to make haste to the bathroom. I quickly made the toilet my best friend for the next few minutes. Granted, what I did to the toilet I would not have done willingly to a best friend, but the toilet took it quite well, as far as I can tell. I shall just tell you that now the upper half of my stomach was emptied and I could breath much easier. I did feel better (who doesn't after such episodes?) and after a quick brushing of the teeth, I laid down for the much wanted rest. It never came.

Over the next twelve hours, there were 3 more episodes of spending time with my new found best friend, about an hour of sleep maximum (divided throughout the night in amounts of fifteen minutes) and an extremely painful lower back. I don't think I have ever had such a miserably night in my entire life. Much of Monday was spent the same, though I didn't have to visit my friend to unload the top half of my stomach, just the bottom (and that wasn't pretty either), no sleep and lots of back pain. I did manage to get some sleep that night--it was wonderful. And Tuesday I felt much better. I could eat and drink a bit more. Those sports drinks and 7-Up sure are great. I assumed I would be well enough to attend the expedition on Wednesday and informed my professors.

I am actually going to stop writing now. Stay tuned for the outcome of the expedition...

Quote

2009-12-05T15:50:00.000-07:00

"If you find something evil that wobbles, push it."

-Gary North

Looks Like...

2009-11-23T17:33:00.001-07:00

I chose the right career after all...

http://www.businessweek.com/print/magazine/content/09_37/b4146032027785.htm

Maybe Lyle should switch to tax law. Couldn't be anymore boring, but at least he'd have a job. :)

Not Even Hugh Can Do This...

2009-11-09T17:10:00.003-07:00

Good News

2009-10-29T17:24:00.000-06:00

I just picked up a $900 scholarship.

Boo yeah.

The Sith's Newest Recruit

2009-10-28T13:07:00.001-06:00

...but only when she is in a bad mood.

Article of Atheists

2009-10-20T20:43:00.001-06:00

A Bitter Rift Divides Atheists
by BARBARA BRADLEY HAGERTY

Listen to the Story
Morning Edition
[4 min 57 sec]
Dianna Douglas/NPR
Stuart Jordan, science adviser to the Center For Inquiry, with the painting Jesus Does His Nails by Dana Ellyn, on display at the Center for Inquiry. Jordan says he would prefer that atheists and secularists not be associated with such artwork.

October 19, 2009
Last month, atheists marked Blasphemy Day at gatherings around the world, and celebrated the freedom to denigrate and insult religion.
Some offered to trade pornography for Bibles. Others de-baptized people with hair dryers. And in Washington, D.C., an art exhibit opened that shows, among other paintings, one entitled Divine Wine, where Jesus, on the cross, has blood flowing from his wound into a wine bottle.
Another, Jesus Paints His Nails, shows an effeminate Jesus after the crucifixion, applying polish to the nails that attach his hands to the cross.
"I wouldn't want this on my wall," says Stuart Jordan, an atheist who advises the evidence-based group Center for Inquiry on policy issues. The Center for Inquiry hosted the art show.
Jordan says the exhibit created a firestorm from offended believers, and he can understand why. But, he says, the controversy over this exhibit goes way beyond Blasphemy Day. It's about the future of the atheist movement — and whether to adopt the "new atheist" approach — a more aggressive, often belittling posture toward religious believers.
Some call it a schism.
"It's really a national debate among people with a secular orientation about how far do we want to go in promoting a secular society through emphasizing the 'new atheism,' " Jordan says. "And some are very much for it, and some are opposed to it on the grounds that they feel this is largely a religious country, and if it's pushed the wrong way, this is going to insult many of the religious people who should be shown respect even if we don't agree with them on all issues."
Jordan believes the new approach will backfire.
A Schism?
Jordan is a volunteer at the center and therefore could speak his mind. But interviews for this story with others associated with the Washington, D.C., office were canceled — a curious development for a group that promotes free speech.
Ronald Lindsay, who heads the Center for Inquiry, based in Amherst, N.Y., says he didn't know why the interviews were cancelled. As for the art exhibit and other Blasphemy Day events the group promoted:
"What we wanted were thoughtful, incisive and concise critiques of religion," he says. "We were not trying to insult believers."
But others are perfectly happy to. New atheists like Oxford biologist Richard Dawkins and journalist Christopher Hitchens are selling millions of books and drawing people by the thousands to their call for an uncompromising atheism.
For example, Hitchens, a columnist for Vanity Fair and author of the book God Is Not Great, told a capacity crowd at the University of Toronto, "I think religion should be treated with ridicule, hatred and contempt, and I claim that right." His words were greeted with hoots of approval.
Religion is "sinister, dangerous and ridiculous," Hitchens tells NPR, because it can prompt people to fly airplanes into buildings, and it promotes ignorance. Hitchens sees no reason to sugarcoat his position.
"If I said to a Protestant or Quaker or Muslim, 'Hey, at least I respect your belief,' I would be telling a lie," Hitchens says.
Asked why he feels compelled to be so blunt, he responds: "I believe it's more honest, more brave, more courageous simply to state your own position."
The more outrageous the message the better, says PZ Myers, who writes an influential blog that calls, among other things, for the end of religion. On Blasphemy Day, Myers drove a rusty nail through a consecrated Communion wafer and posted a photo on his Web site.
"People got very angry," he recalls. "I don't know why. I mean, it's just a cracker, right?"
Myers, who teaches biology at the University of Minnesota, Morris, says he received about 15,000 hate e-mails. He says one reason he favors the provocative approach is that it works, especially for the next generation of atheists.
"Edgy is what young people like," Myers says. "They want to cut through the nonsense right away and want to get to the point. They want to hear the story fast, they want it to be exciting, and they want it to be fun. And I'm sorry, the old school of atheism is really, really boring."
The Old School
Paul Kurtz founded the Center for Inquiry three decades ago to offer a positive alternative to religion. He has built alliances with religious groups over issues such as climate change and opposing creationism in the public schools. Kurtz says he was ousted in a "palace coup" last year — and he worries the new atheists will set the movement back.
"I consider them atheist fundamentalists," he says. "They're anti-religious, and they're mean-spirited, unfortunately. Now, they're very good atheists and very dedicated people who do not believe in God. But you have this aggressive and militant phase of atheism, and that does more damage than good."
He hopes this new approach will fizzle.
"Merely to critically attack religious beliefs is not sufficient. It leaves a vacuum. What are you for? We know what you're against, but what do you want to defend?"
The new atheists counter that they believe in reason, science and freedom from religious myth. And, as Lindsay, who replaced Kurtz, puts it: "We take the high road, the low road, country roads, interstates, highways, byways, — whatever it takes to reach people."

The Extent of Mr. Collins' Intellectualism

2009-10-16T09:26:00.003-06:00

"It's been many years since I had such an exemplary vegetable."

-Mr. Collins

Pumpkin Pie Cans...

2009-10-09T10:30:00.001-06:00

...make two pies each. Which means that Laura and I each had one to ourselves.

Speech Competition

2009-10-07T20:11:00.002-06:00

I signed up for a speech competition today, only to discover the first round will be held tomorrow at 2 p.m. Not enough time to prepare. However, good news. Only six people signed up for the competition and therefore we all made it to the final round which will be held next Wednesday. I now have a week to prepare and at least a 1 in 6 chance to win $250. Any suggestions on what my informative speech should be on?

For Lyle

2009-09-25T19:25:00.000-06:00

Why...

2009-09-16T14:34:00.001-06:00

...did the chicken cross the road?

So that Charles could say, while driving, "Only in Idaho..."

Really though, it ran right in front of me. Good thing it was quick.

Movie Night

2009-09-12T08:37:00.002-06:00

Laura and I watched the Disney movie, Race to Witch Mountain last night. The special effects were not that hip, but everything else was! It was a lot more entertaining that we thought it would be. A lot of good chuckle moments with sarcastic humor from "The Rock," and the acting was pretty good as well. Clean movie and not a word of bathroom humor. It was not needed, really.

Check out the trailer:

Race to Witch Mountain

My Official...

2009-09-11T09:06:00.002-06:00

...first day of school...

...agian.

Here goes nothing...

Funny Quote

2009-09-10T08:20:00.001-06:00

...found in a secretary's office during early morning cleaning:

"I'd love to help you out! Which way did you come in?"

I Got One!

2009-09-05T09:10:00.001-06:00

A job that is...

Cleaning campus from 4-7 a.m. every morning. But hey, at least it pays $7.80/hour instead of just $7.50/hour.

Now if only I could snag a better one...

Last Night

2009-08-28T08:32:00.001-06:00

Last night I ate chocolate ice cream and finished the rest of Pride and Prejudice. I felt awkward, but Laura says I am "the perfect guy."

I wonder what I will be able to get away with today...

You Will Never Guess

2009-08-27T12:14:00.001-06:00

Ella had a yelling contest with the vacuum cleaner today. You will never guess who won...

You Will Never Guess

2009-08-24T08:07:00.002-06:00

Last night I opted to watch the long 4-6 (or however many hours) hour version of Pride and Prejudice with Laura. The first DVD finished and it was not even 9:30 p.m. You will never guess who chose to sleep over watching the next DVD...

Did You Know

2009-08-23T10:59:00.005-06:00

Receiving baby shoes from Jenny + Laura putting baby shoes on Ella's feet = One excited woman.

It Needs Some Mending

2009-08-09T20:11:00.003-06:00

Letter to HP's CEO

2009-08-02T11:04:00.002-06:00

Imagine you were the CEO of Hewlett-Packard, or at least someone in upper management, and you read the letter below. What would you do?

Dear Mr. Hurd,

In March of 2007 I purchased a HP Pavilion dv6000 notebook computer for $1269.09. For such a price, I had expected better support from your company. Please continue reading to understand my problem and suggestions.

My problem is as follows:

The wireless internet capability stopped working about a year after purchase. It is now the end of July 2009 and only last month did I find out the problem with the wireless was not software related, but hardware--a faulty motherboard. I found this out from a computer help desk on the campus I attend.

With the semester over and time to figure things out, I called the HP support number. I spoke with a female service representative who told me there was a two year warranty period for the faulty motherboard, but it had expired in June, last month, and therefore HP would not fix the laptop unless I paid $298. I explained I did not know about this limited warranty and HP never contacted me about this recall period. I also asked why I should have to pay to fix this product when HP is to blame because of the faulty motherboard. After receiving an unsatisfactory answer, I asked to talk to a manager, but she stated it would go on her record and it was not a valid reason to talk with a manager. That was pretty much the end of that conversation.

My wife, also unsatisfied, decided to call. She talked with an agent named "Mike." After she explained the problem, Mike told her she was mistaken and there was no problem with the laptop model. She also asked to speak to a manager. After two attempts she was sent through and talked with "Aja." Once again the problem was explained. Aja admitted that the problem was HP's, but since the laptop was not covered by the warranty, lacking one month, it would not be fixed--and as far as she understood, it would not be fixed at all.

From three different service representative we received three different answers. The first said the laptop could be fixed for $298. The second said there was no problem with the laptop. The third admitted HP's fault, but said HP would not even take the laptop for repairs.

To lead into my suggestion, I wish to explain that my wife and I are college students, with a baby, and money is tight. College classes require a laptop with a wireless internet connection. Also, this is the first HP product I have purchased, but how can one expect to pay almost $1300 for a HP laptop and then pay an additional $300 to have it repaired when it is HP's fault that the laptop needed to be repaired in the first place? I cannot afford the repairs much less a new laptop.

My two suggestions are as follows:

First, give better training to your support service agents. We received three different answers to the same problem and we don't know who to believe.

Second, do not penalize your customers with limited recall periods and warranties when your company is at fault.

Given that I had not been informed of the recall period which has barley expired, and since the laptop’s wireless stopped working during the period, I hope that you can resolve this problem so that, in the least, my laptop can be fixed.

Sincerely,
Charles Riggs

Problem...

2009-07-14T20:46:00.000-06:00

...read.

Finally...

2009-07-10T09:51:00.003-06:00

...my wife and baby girl will be returning to me! It has been two very long weeks. The first couple of days I would wake up around 10:00 in the morning, but the feelings of waking up with my family at 6:30 (because Ella wants to be out of her crib) were more appealing. Then as days went on, I began living off of less sleep. I would end up watching T.V. until 1:00 or 2:00 in the morning because I just did not like the feeling of going to bed alone, and I hate that high pitched noise you hear when there is no sound at all.

I had to be satisfied by pictures, phone calls, or video chat; but none did justice. None could ever out perform the ability to talk face to face, see and hold, kiss and hug! It was horrible. Now just one more obstacle stands in my way.

An almost 8 hour round-trip drive from Rexburg, to SLC, and back again.

Wish me luck...

Father's Day

2009-06-21T11:24:00.004-06:00

It is my first Father's Day, but since I am not my own father, here's one for you, Dad.

...like father, like son.

Aaawwww yeeeah.

Love you, Dad.

...also, in honor of my father:

Only a gift my father could buy me for my birthday. This or this. Did you notice the father holding the child up on one of them? Cute, huh?

Did I mention I love you, Dad?

...anyhow, HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!

Whew

2009-06-04T22:05:00.001-06:00

Took a 3 1/2 hour accounting test today. They only get worse as the semester goes on...

...oh boy...

You May Be Gay...

2009-05-28T18:05:00.002-06:00

but you are still a guy, Sergio Garcia.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,522683,00.html?test=latestnews

Give me a break. This guy won prom queen?!

queen
–noun
1. a female sovereign or monarch.

FEMALE

I know there have been stories like this in the past, and those guys were just as ridiculous.

My New Favorite Face

2009-05-18T19:05:00.004-06:00

The hand is what does it--literally.

The foot adds to it...

Haha! What a cutie!

Figuring Out Life...

2009-05-17T09:33:00.002-06:00

...can sometimes be a challenge. But life would not be so interesting and enjoyable without challenges, now would it?

Laura and I have decided (once again) that we never want to live in Rexburg, Idaho. Besides the fact it can become so cold your nose hairs freeze and fall out (could be a remedy for Lyle's ear hairs), the more important reason for not wanting to live here is the lack of jobs, unless you are going into construction or farming. For neither of which a fond desire resides in my heart, and for neither do I have the necessary allotted time.

Laura and I have come to terms with our bank account being so low we have to reach into savings to pay next month's rent as jobs for both of us have been this close to being acquired (-------> <-------), but then lost at the last second. And currently, I have a resume in the process of being reviewed for a job which others are clearly more qualified. But, as Laura's grandfather Bill Pettit, would say, "If you don't apply for the job, you won't get it." So I applied, continually trying to do my part, though my hopes are not as high as they have been in the past.

Nonetheless, neither of us have jobs, though we continually try to obtain one with failure, and therefore, have no source of income (as I write this, I smirk at our dismal situation). Somehow we will manage to make it through to the end of August; our housing contract ends then. Scraping the bottom of the barrel, savings, and a mutual fund should do it. But after, what shall we do? Fear not readers, for we have developed a plan!

Laura and I have decided to hold off on schooling for the Fall semester in hopes that I can obtain an internship earlier than expected. This is with hopes also of continuing with that internship through the winter semester (as winter semester is tax season). We will then, ideally, have enough saved up to finish school. And of course considering my excellent work which will be performed at the place of my internship, they will want to hire me when I have graduated.

Any thoughts?

Looking Forward: Semester's End

2009-05-11T23:09:00.002-06:00

For some reason, I am really looking forward to the end of this semester. That could be because this have been the toughest yet. It is a good growing experience.

After this semester is over, I will be twenty-four years old. Holy cow. I do not feel that old, and just just to prove it, this is what I want for my birthday:

http://www.neatorama.com/2009/05/11/the-world-outside-of-world-of-warcraft-is-now-superfluous/

You have to be kidding...

2009-05-07T10:30:00.003-06:00

...here is an update. These guys are falling like flies. Now it's Manny's turn.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,519343,00.html

My Update!

2009-05-06T09:14:00.003-06:00

Well, everyone, just thought I'd update my blog. So here goes!

*...updating, please wait...*

*...updating, please wait...*

*...updating, please wait...*

*Congratulations, your blog has been updated*

Okay. There it is.

...actually this is just a test to see if anyone still looks at this thing. Why bother updating if there is no one to who is looking?

Employment Rate Up By One!

2009-01-28T11:13:00.001-07:00

I obtained a job and will be starting Monday. A nice full-time job...boo yeah.

Check out my employer.

I Am Missing Some More School

2009-01-15T19:47:00.002-07:00

...but I think it would be well worth it.

http://www.islandreefjob.com/

When Oh, When?

2009-01-10T11:09:00.002-07:00

So the baby will come soon. The due date is the 29th of this month, but she is really low (zero...whatever that means...). Any guesses?

Hire Me

2008-12-09T20:31:00.005-07:00

Looking for someone to hire? Look no furthur...than this link.

Extra Chunky Please!

2008-12-03T09:36:00.001-07:00

I never knew you could learn so much from spaghetti sauce.

http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/malcolm_gladwell_on_spaghetti_sauce.html

Happy Thanksgiving

2008-11-27T22:07:00.003-07:00

...and all that jazz.

I thought this article was refreshing. Let them go bankrupt.

Problem

2008-11-25T10:16:00.002-07:00

What do you do when you are asked for a "word verification" to post on someone's blog, but the word picture doesn't actually load?

...hm...

Look What I Found!

2008-11-22T09:33:00.000-07:00

I found a computer game about Waffles!

http://www.addictinggames.com/kittencannon.html

I Want

2008-11-18T22:42:00.002-07:00

I want to kick someone's rear in Halo III right now. Can't wait till the holidays...

To All Women:

2008-11-17T17:33:00.002-07:00

There is nothing wrong with placing left-over pizza in the fridge in the cardboard box that the pizza came in--especially if you will be eating the rest of it the next day. The reasons for doing so are the following:

1.) The cardboard box will be out of the fridge and in the trash within a day, anyway.
2.) The cardboard box is so much easier to use rather than pulling out a new dish and wrapping it up.
3.) When heating your pizza the next day in the oven, the cardboard box provides the perfect cover for the pizza.

So please, leave the cardboard box alone. It is one of man's best friends.

An Address I Was Looking For

2008-11-10T09:32:00.001-07:00

"...irreligious imperialism seeks to disallow certain opinions simply because those opinions grow out of religious convictions. Resistance to abortion will be seen as primitive. Concern over the institution of the family will be viewed as untrendy and unenlightened."

-Elder Neal A. Maxwell

http://www.lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=2354fccf2b7db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD&locale=0&sourceId=1846d0640b96b010VgnVCM1000004d82620a____&hideNav=1

One Reason I Like Black People

2008-11-06T19:41:00.001-07:00

"At my church in Compton our Pastor told us all to vote YES on 8 and we all did it. All followers of the Bible voted yes, not just the Mormons. Stop messin' with Mormons and come over to Compton and mess with us!"

Why vote yes on Proposition 8, really?

2008-10-27T15:53:00.003-06:00

So the upcoming lawyer in the family had problems with my last post. The purpose of this post is to produce a more viable explanation as to why one should vote "yes" on Proposition 8.

If Proposition 8 does not pass, we do not know what will happen for sure, but we can look elsewhere for answers--the Scandinavian countries for an example. Ten years ago, same-sex marriage was approved by Scandinavian countries and since then, in Sweden, the divorce rate between homosexuals is 50% higher for gay men and 167% higher for lesbian women compared to the heterosexual divorce rate. What is shown is that marriage is not for purposes of families anymore, but is now all about adult desires--marriage is being separated from parenting. Marriage is in a steep decline, as is child well-being. And if children are the future, the future of the Scandinavian countries is becoming quite bleak.

More can be said about what is happening in the above mentioned countries, but from this evidence I don’t see homosexual marriage as something good for society and will be a big hurt for the future—society will begin to deteriorate in the name of “tolerance.”

Of course many will argue that homosexuals can raise children just as well as a heterosexual couple. And where is the evidence for this? Studies have not proven this by any means. The current studies mostly compare lesbian mothers or gay fathers to a SINGLE heterosexual parent. So, in the end, a gender is left out. Also, the samples sizes of these studies are so small (15-30 people), compared to who knows how many children with same-sex parents, that this “evidence” is not conclusive at all. The studies typically used small children. (Chan, Raboy, & Patterson, 1998; Flaks et al. 1995; Golombok et al. 2003). There is no substantial evidence showing what happens to these children when they are much older. The homosexual parents acquired for the studies were not even close to a random sample, where as for the heterosexual parents (because of their larger number) a more random sample was attainable. This throws the studies off quite a bit as well.

Some of these studies state, “Gay fathers and lesbian mothers are every bit as knowledgeable about effective child-rearing practices as heterosexual parents are (Bigner & Jacobson, 1989; Flaks et al. 1995).” As homosexual couples cannot naturally have offspring, they need to seek out special methods to have children. They, of course would be much more interested in parenting and research would be done concerning children—and this would be the cause of all their knowledge about being parents. But just because they “know” more does not mean the knowledge can be brought into action. And the studies state that lesbian mothers are not really any different than heterosexual mothers. So in a lesbian mother household, a father’s love is absent. Now, I am not saying that in lesbian households this is going to happen (because there are no studies to support this specifically towards lesbian households), but studies we DO have show that fatherless children grow up to have higher rates of delinquency, suicide, and other such problems.

Commonly, the homosexual-marriage movement is compared to the black civil rights issues. Many blacks do not feel that the comparison is accurate. Did you catch the quote, "I've met former homosexuals...but I've never met a former black person"? Blacks are born black, whites are born white, etc. Homosexuality is not a race. I don't believe along the lines of "people are born gay"; however, people may be born with homosexual tendencies, just as a male (compared to a female) has a much greater tendency to view pornography, or as a female (compared to a male) has a greater tendency to be compassionate. Unnatural and improper tendencies should be controlled however; homosexuality is unnatural because nothing comes from it. It is natural for a man and woman to reproduce.

Some, then, may argue, “What about couples that cannot have children, or those in their golden years of life? They should not be allowed to marry.” Just because the design may not always work does not mean the design is changed. What joins a man and a woman together can only be imitated by homosexual couples. And a child raised by a mother and a father can only be imitated by homosexual couples. A father and mother each bring distinct and divine qualities to a marriage for a child to acquire as it grows. If you remove one gender, you remove those qualities as well.

I believe that homosexual marriage will begin to break down society because focus will be taken away from successful parenting and raising of children. Instead the focus will be placed on adult desires. If families are the basis of society, then it would be better for society to vote "yes" on Proposition 8.

Why vote yes on Proposition 8?

2008-10-25T01:05:00.002-06:00

Traditional marriage = 1 man and 1 woman.
Homosexual marriage = 2 men or 2 women. (That's different)

Traditional marriage = Biologically possible to give life to children.
Homosexual marriage = Not biologically possible to give life to children. (That's different too.)

Traditional marriage = Existed for as long as anyone can remember.
Homosexual marriage = It's new. (Yeah...that one as well.)

So if Proposition 8 does not pass, why should it be taught in public schools that traditional marriage is the same as homosexual marriage?

And that is just the chip of the top of the iceberg.

Vote YES on Proposition 8.

It has begun...

2008-10-23T10:18:00.000-06:00

I've started a blog.

I'm looking for a Halo template. Anyone know where I can find one?

I'm Still a Guy

The other night...

Bad News, Good News

Next place to work...

When I grow up...

Oh, Yeah

A little help...

A List

Discrimination?

Official Intern

Seriously?

Insights

Dear Lyle and Ginger,

Haha

Rudolph the Red-nosed...

As it turns out...

And to solve that money problem...

And with the Christmas list out of the way...

My Christmas List

Just a typical morning

A couple of days ago...

Volume, baby, volume.

Quote

Neato

PBTK

Neato

Just Another Day in the Life of Space Ranger

News From Dad's Home Town

Mmmm

Difficulty Level 100 (Out of 10)

The Bigger the Better

Need More $

Blog for School

Popcorn

Good News!

House Minority Leader Boehner's Words

You Shoulda Heard...

I Looked Down

Just Writing

Success...so far...

Fine, then...I'll do it myself.

Doughnut Date

I'm Sure He'll Never Do That Again...

Pre-Expedition Happenings

Quote

Looks Like...

Not Even Hugh Can Do This...

Good News

The Sith's Newest Recruit

Article of Atheists

The Extent of Mr. Collins' Intellectualism

Pumpkin Pie Cans...

Speech Competition

For Lyle

Why...

Movie Night

My Official...

Funny Quote

I Got One!

Last Night

You Will Never Guess

You Will Never Guess

Did You Know

It Needs Some Mending

Letter to HP's CEO

Problem...

Finally...

Father's Day

*Whew*

You May Be Gay...

My New Favorite Face

Figuring Out Life...

Looking Forward: Semester's End

You have to be kidding...

My Update!

Employment Rate Up By One!

I Am Missing Some More School

When Oh, When?

Hire Me

Extra Chunky Please!

Whew