iPad Mini - Great ideal, wrong price point

In a highly competitive world amongst the tablet market, Apple unveiled the iPad Mini.  The specs on this tablet is a keeper, however at a $329 price point, I feel that I'm gonna pass on this.  The reason?  THERE ARE MORE REASONABLY PRICED ANDROID TABLETS OUT THERE AND THAT CAN DO WAAAAAAY MORE THAN WHAT THE IPAD CAN OFFER!  Nothing about the iPad Mini makes this a "must buy" for me other than it being a miniature iPad and the "Apple" Brand.  However there isn't a must buy for this device other than it being an iPad.  The funny thing is the pricing for this item.  $329 for a 16GB, $429 for a 32GB, and $529 for a 64GB.  To be honest, save the extra $70 and buy the iPad 2.

But the point I'm trying to make is that you can make a better choice if you purchase a Kindle Fire HD, the Nexus 7, or even the Nook Tablet.  I'm not trying to disregard the Apple Brand (especially with me owning an Apple MacBook and an iPhone 4), I just don't see the ideal of trying to compete within the tablet market with such a high price.  I can see a $249 price point; it would make it an instant competitor against the likes of the Nexus 7 tablet or Kindle Fire HD. But at such a high price, how can they compete other than being an iPad?  Only time will tell!

Almost the Holiday Season.

So this year we outlasted one of the hottest years on record (Reminded me of the summer of '88 though).  But enough of that, where did this year go?  O_O  It is almost the holiday season, and its time to buy gifts, share good 'ol times with family, and share the holiday cheer to everyone!  Don't hate me for bringing this up, because you know its true!

Dear Summer?!?!

This recent warm weather here in the Mid West is not good for me or anybody who wants summer to arrive.  I'm loving the warm weather here but its giving me the summer blues!  So when temperatures return to normal, it will be back to reality in the Mid West, and the possibility of that Easter Snow Storm.

Have you ever?

Have you ever stood still in the rain?  LOL  I don't want to sound crazy or anything but I have done it before.  During a thunderstorm, the sounds of thunder, the flash of the lightning, and just letting the rain just fall throughout your body.   To me its invigorating to just be in an experience like that.  I know, I know I will get "You're out your damn mind" messages, but its almost like your free.  Free to let your thoughts wonder, free to feel what is like to let your mind wander from all the troubles in the world, just free.  Try it one time and you will understand where I'm coming from.

-Mannie

Here we go again...

So a while ago I got some serious news about my grandfather.  NOT that grandfather that I called him my father ; but on my father side.  Well it started when my mother saw him at the post office and he said its imperative that I should call and talk to him. So I called and we talked, had a few laughs and all, was happy that I was graduating from my school, etc, etc.


So my father calls me and say "Hey man your grandfather has stage 2 prostate cancer.  We're going to talk about what to do next".  This was pretty unexpected about hearing this, ya know?  I was never around my father side of the family because of "personal issues" between me and my biological father, but it kinda hit me again as to someone who wants to know me and always kept me in his heart even though the issues in the past.  And it SCARES THE LIVING CRAP OUT OF ME because if I get too close, I'll be losing someone who I feel that I didn't get enough time to get to know.  So now I'm stuck between a rock and a hard place about what to do.


In hindsight, I can actually hear my grandfather, my "father", telling me "its your only chance Mannie.  Go ahead and do it."  But am I ready to go through the pain of losing another close family member?  Not too long ago I did lose an aunt because of breast cancer, and now I might lose my grandfather; whom I hardly even got to know: because of prostate cancer.  And the thought of him passing away before I got to know him or actually getting to know him is killing me inside. 


But in all, maybe I should go with my gut feelings.  I've listen to him tell me stories about his fights in the Korean War as a Navy Vet, so I can say that this is stage 1.  I just have to prepare my heart for the loss.


-Mannie

FREEDOM WRITERS

I was given an assignment on the movie Freedom Writers.  And I can tell you that it is a great movie.  I would recommend watching this movie.

Wow....now I don't feel bad!!

Found this story from AOL website.  So the next time you bounce a check, you can be relieved that you are not the only screw up!

From the HuffingtonPost:

The Illinois Lottery officials apologized to about 85 winners Friday after their winning checks bounced.

Maureen Furio of Lake Zurich, Ill. told CBS Chicago that she won $1,000 from an instant scratch-off ticket shortly after Christmas and got a check the next day.

“I deposited it the same day and went ahead and paid some extra Christmas bills,” Furio told the station. "And Jan. 3, it bounced.”

Lottery spokesman Mike Lang told the Chicago Tribune that the Lottery's bank failed to authorize about 85 payments of the 311 checks written out on Dec. 28. He said the incident was linked to a security authorization that was not sent to the bank on time, since they were short-staffed because of the holidays.

About $159,000 in checks were returned, Lang told the Associated Press. The Lottery will pay for any bank fees associated with the incident, and is sending free scratch-off tickets to those affected.

“It’s something that we are not happy with, and we’re taking steps” to see it doesn’t happen again, Lang told the Tribune.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/06/illinois-lottery-checks-b_n_1190454.html?ref=chicago&icid=maing-grid7%7Cmain5%7Cdl2%7Csec1_lnk3%26pLid%3D125549

Crazy isn't it!! 

Home Remedies??

Guaranteed what I'm fighting is a chest cold and one of my followers told me that eating a clove of GARLIC would help fight off any germ..

O_o

I will stick with good ol' Vitamin C

But what other home remedies would you recommend?

Loyalty to your hometown team?

Should you be loyal to your hometown team?

I've heard that a few times on the twittersphere and honestly I feel that you should root for whoever you feel is good for you.  My teams are the Dallas Cowboys and I live in Ohio.  So should I root for the Cleveland Browns, Cincinnati Bengals, or the Detroit Lions?  Lets be honest, other than this year with Cincy and Lions making the playoffs, when were the last time they were good?  And not to mention I have been a Cowboys fan since age 5, so there is no reason why I should change my allegiance..

Basketball team is the Detroit Pistons.  Yes I was a HUGE Michael Jordan fan and rooted for the Bulls when they were always in the playoffs, but my allegiance belong to the Pistons.  From their Bad Boy days, to them defeating the Lakers in 2004 (Sorry Laker Nation), I will always be a Pistons fan.

Beggar's Can't Be Choosers!!

Apparently homeless people have standards...

So today I was running late for work and I saw a homeless man sitting in the cold as I walked inside McDonald's.  So as I grab my food, I asked the cashier to grab me a McMuffin and a medium coffee.  Approached the homeless man and said, "Hey here ya go, have a happy new year."  He looks up at me and scolds at me, "I don't eat McDonald's, I only eat Burger King!!"

O_o

Now what type of shit is that?! Here I am offering somewhat of a hot, healthy meal while you're outside and you tell me that?  I can't tell you how mad and shocked I was hearing that!  So I did the honorable thing and left it near him.  Turns out that he ate the meal anyway.

SMH....

New Year Resolution... Did make one?

2012 is upon us.. so did anybody make any New Year Resolution?  And if so, share them!