Only two things are bugging me.

1. The process to deposit checks takes for ever if using snail mail.  They do have a electronic method involving a scanner and a web based wizard, but it has only worked once.  They really really need to get a smart phone app.  Other banks have had this for years.  Welcome to 21st century!
2. When you use bill pay the money is not subtracted from the source immediately.  It takes a few days for the transfer to complete and then it subtracted from the source (usually your checking account).  The problem with this is that you have to pull out a calculator to see how much you have available in your checking account.  This is a horrible HORRIBLE design, it should be instant.  It’s the god damn 21st!  I should not need a calculator  and a computer to know my balance.  I called to confirm this was by design and below is the transcript.

Welcome to Ally’s Live Chat. Thanks for joining us! A Customer Care Associate will be with you in a moment. You are number 1 in the queue. Thank you for waiting.
You are now chatting with ‘Sarah’
Sarah: Thank you for chatting with me today. How can I help you?
heath: When I pay a bill using bill pay the amount is not debited immediately from the source (usually my checking account). So when I go to look at the amount in the account it is artificially high; I have to go to bill pay page and look at the total payments and get a calculator and use it to find out how much I actually have in my account.
heath: is this by design?
Sarah: Hello, Heath.
Sarah: Yes, it is. It is setup for the customer to organize their own bill payee’s.
heath: so.. to find out how much money I have in my checking account I have to use a calculator and subtract the amount in my checking and the amount that the website shows me on the bill pay page?
Sarah: Yes. It will show up in Ally but not until the funds clear. You would want to keep up with the transactions as you go along.
heath: so I need to use a check book to keep track of a computer based transaction?
heath: you see the irony here.. don’t you
Sarah: That is correct. Remember, even though you are using the computer, it does not update instantly.
heath: haha, that’s insane
Sarah: Is there anything else I can help you with today?
heath: well I don’t think you can change that system, but thanks for the info
Sarah: You are welcome.
heath: this is going on the internet

If they don’t fix both of the problems soon I will be looking for a new bank.

She did it without any of my help; bought the domain, created the site, and found hosting.

Myrodeodog.com™ is a premier on-line boutique that mixes a little Hollywood glamor with western chic to create fabulous rhinestone collars, dog t-shirts, accessories, coats and even some unique items for the discriminating Rodeo Dog™ owner. As a treasured member of the family, you want your precious pooch to look like a million bucks wherever you go.  Don’t attend one more social soiree without you and your Rodeo Dog™ being the most highly fashionable guests there!

Our boutique has only recently launched after many requests for our logo t-shirts and rhinestone collars.  Due to our inherent taste, we’re particularly persnickety about what we want to offer you and your dog.  Please pardon our lingering pace and check back regularly as we add more items!  Our boutique stocking philosophy is based on uniqueness and quality, not quantity.

We would be thrilled to hear your comments, suggestions or requests so please email us at contact@myrodeodog.com or fill out a contact form below.  We would love to hear from you!

The US is a constitutional representative democratic republic[1], not a democracy or a theocracy.  The current US constitution is very good but could be improved upon.  Below are some list of new laws and ideas that would make a better constitution.  This is on going list and will be revised.

Please leave comments.

• national moto is E pluribus unum (Latin for “Out of many, one”)
• universal suffrage
• adopt the metric system, imperial can not be used by the governement
• national language as English (with modifications)
• simply English
• make spelling phonic
• reduce meanings of words to one definition if possible (right only means a direction, right on longer means correct)
• remove redundant letters from alphabet (if any)
• define US government as a constitutional representative democratic secular federal republic
• voting is mandatory for all able bodied citizens, national voting week every five years
• five branches of government
• legislative
• authors laws
• can levy taxes, tariffs, and laws to ensure the defense and welfare of the republic and it’s people
• two houses (congress)
• elected to five year terms, can’t serve consistently, can’t serve more than two terms total
• senate and house of representatives
• senate, two per state
• house, based on state population
• elected by popular vote by entire state (no districts)
• five year term, can’t serve consistently, can’t serve more than two terms total
• executive
• enforces the laws
• president
• elected to a single ten year term by popular vote
• can only server one term
• can be removed from office by congress at five year mark
• commander and chief of all military
• must approve legislative laws, can be over ruled by 75% majority vote from congress
• controls FBI, CIA, and DOD
• appoints a cabinet
• judicial
• interprets the laws, can overrule laws that violate the constitution
• supreme count
• 9 judges
• appointed by the president, must be approved by congress and scientific
• 10 year terms, can only serve one term, staggered terms every 3 years
• set ups lower courts
• can never have had an political party affiliation
• scientific
• provides scientific data for other branches
• provides “fact checking” for new laws
• can “sensor” laws by majority vote (before taking affect)
• can overrule laws by 75% majority vote (before taking affect)
• can “sensor” presidential policy by majority vote
• can overrule presidential policy by 75% majority vote
• dictates technical and scientific policy
• composed of two branches (1000 total)
• academic (500)
• elected by academia, must be approved by congress and president
• five year terms, can serve 3 terms
• professional (500)
• elected by professional organization (IEEE etc..), must be approved by congress and president
• five year terms, can serve 3 terms
• corruption
• governmental police force
• investigates other branches for violations of laws
• investigators (100)
• 25 nominated by president, approved by congress and scientific
• 25 nominated by congress, approved by scientific and president
• 25 nominated by scientific, approved by president and congress
• 25 by popular vote
• 10 year term, can serve twice
• freedom of religion
• completely secular government
• the government (federal or local) can’t condone/support any religion
• no elected official can accept a gift from any single entity with a worth more that $5 in one years time including meals, official must pay there own meals
• corporations/companies are not considered people, they are to be treated as a new category when dealing with the law
• absolutely no political contributions from companies or individuals, all funds come from a federally or local fund specifically set up for political activities (details to be listed later) funded through taxes
• any person that is to hold public office can not be associated with any political party during his/her term and five years preceding and following that term
• any elected official can’t have a personal net worth move than two standard deviations from the mean personal wealth of US citizens
• person can donate wealth to make her/him eligible for public office
• person can’t reacquire that donated wealth after term is completed
• universal health care to all people (not state run)
• no torture to or from any person in US or to be committed by US official or citizen (includes CIA and soldiers)
• controlled substances
• punishment for violations of controlled substances (i.e., illegal drugs) can not be greater than the damage that substance would have caused the individual
• tobacco, alcohol, cannabis, and other non lethal drugs deemed relatively safe by scientific research are to legal but tightly controlled and taxed to offset negative health cost
• copyright is be 50 years or the life of the author if a single person
• patents
• duration is 15 years
• no software patents
• ideas are not patentable
• patents are not transferable for a company
• patents are salable if from a single author
• patents must be novel and non obviousness
• patents are based on first to create
• a working prototype must be demonstrated before a patent is be granted
• education
• all children must attend a public school through 12
• school curriculum is be set by the scientific branch
• funds are to be generated from national taxes
• all people must attend public school K through 12
• all meals are to be provide free to all students
• no company that does business in the United States can provide monitoring software, hardware, or services to other nations for the purposes for spying or tracking their citizens
• no company that does business in the United States can provide software, hardware, or serves for the purposes for filtering or firewalling the internet into any country including the source country
• taxes
• national income tax to be levied by federal government
• tax is not to be “flat”
• tax is equation based, not bracket based
• tax is to increase in percentage at personal income increases
• tax is to set to $1 if income is below poverty level
• scientific branch is to set the poverty level, and base it on scientific statistical analysis of living conditions and is to be reevaluated every year
• sales tax is to be controlled by state governments
• corporate tax rates are to be fixed by federal government and must be the same in every state and US territory (this is to prevent companies from “gaming” the system and taking advantage of local city and state governments by moving offices)
• only non-profit companies that allocate greater then or equal to 75% of their monies to charitable causes (religious activities don’t count)
• religious organizations are not tax exempt automatically (see above)
• companies must obtain non-profit classification from local and/or federal government

• Bill of Rights (to all people not just citizens)
• right to freedom of speech, print, electronic transfer to all people and citizens
• right to freedom of press
• right to freedom of peaceful assembly
• right of people to petition the government
• right to bear arms (limited)
• right to freedom from unwarranted search and seizure
• right to due process of law
• right to defense attorney
• right to grand jury
• right to speedy and public trial by impartial jury
• right to be informed of all accusations
• right to trial
• right to bail
• right to health care
• freedom from cruel punishment
• freedom from torture
• freedom from self incrimination
• right to a internet neutrality, no censorship by any branch of local or federal government
• right to a education (K to 12)

Guiding Principles

• the government is to ensure a constitutional representative democratic republic
• the government is to keep good relations with other nations and adhere to international law
• the government is to ensure the free flow of information and ideas
• the government is to ensure a secular nation
• the government is to ensure freedom of press, religion, assembly
• the government is to ensure the right to privacy (to be left alone and not to be seen) for people
• the government is to ensure a stable the economy
• the government is to ensure a mixed market economy
• the government is to ensure fair competition between companies
• the government is to ensure a more even distribution of wealth
• the government is to ensure a efficient and robust infrastructure
• the government is to limit monopolies and duopolies
• the government is to have a “guiding hand” to promote new technologies
• the government is to ensure a healthy and robust natural environment
• the government is to foster a robust university system for higher education

References

[1] en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constitutional_republic

Most changes are in Windows Explorer.

• remove favorites from windows explorer
• remove libraries from windows explorer
• decrease window borders
• automatic logon with a domain

Merriam-Webster’s defines religion as “…the belief in a god or in a group of gods… 2 : an organized system of beliefs, ceremonies, and rules used to worship a god or a group of gods… commitment or devotion to religious faith or observance…”^[5] Religion is synonymous with faith, with faith being the belief in something without proof.^[6]

Since faith is the belief in something without proof and global warming has ample proof then global warming does not equal (!=) religion.  On the contrary, the disbelief in global warming is generally held by individuals due that there social-political (conservative/the right) beliefs despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary.^{[7][8][9][10]} Some, including myself, could argue that disbelief in global warming is a religion, because it has no proof.

The question if the global warming phenomenon is caused my man is called anthropization^[11] and is really a different subject but popular scientific consensus is that global warming is caused by man made activities.^[12][13][14] Most people that deny the existence of global warming also deny the existence of man-made/anthropogenic global warming.  This is not a huge surprise, but it really saddens me because these people choose to disbelieve in something that most don’t fully understand and discount the scientists that, for the most part, are a lot smarter and are experts in this field then they are because of their social-political and dogmatic beliefs.

As you can see I included a lot of references as to give proof the above statements.

Click on Image for a larger view

*Update*

More research indicates global warming is real.

• blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2011/10/21/new-independent-climate-study-confirms-global-warming-is-real/
• berkeleyearth.org/Resources/Berkeley_Earth_Summary_20_Oct

References

1. data.giss.nasa.gov/gistemp/graphs/
2. www.cru.uea.ac.uk/cru/data/temperature/
3. earthobservatory.nasa.gov/IOTD/view.php?id=42392
4. IPCC (2007-05-04). “Summary for Policymakers” (PDF). Climate Change 2007: The Physical Science Basis. Contribution of Working Group I to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Retrieved 2009-07-03
5. www.learnersdictionary.com/search/religion
6. www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/faith
7. Begley, Sharon (2007-08-13). “The Truth About Denial”. Newsweek. Retrieved 2007-08-13.
8. Adams, David (2006-09-20). “Royal Society tells Exxon: stop funding climate change denial”. London: The Guardian. Retrieved 2007-08-09.
9. “Exxon cuts ties to global warming skeptics”. MSNBC. 2007-01-12. Retrieved 2007-05-02.
10. Sandell, Clayton (2007-01-03). “Report: Big Money Confusing Public on Global Warming”. ABC. Retrieved 2007-04-27.
11. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthropogenic
12. Oreskes, Naomi (December 2004). “BEYOND THE IVORY TOWER: The Scientific Consensus on Climate Change”. Science 306 (5702): 1686. doi:10.1126/science.1103618. PMID 15576594. “Such statements suggest that there might be substantive disagreement in the scientific community about the reality of anthropogenic climate change. This is not the case. [...] Politicians, economists, journalists, and others may have the impression of confusion, disagreement, or discord among climate scientists, but that impression is incorrect.”
13. “Joint Science Academies’ Statement” (PDF). Retrieved 2010-08-09.
14. “Understanding and Responding to Climate Change” (PDF). Retrieved 2010-08-09.

Below are several very useful links that I use a regular basis.  The first set are what I call finance tools, very useful stuff.

Mint -

BillGuard -

Bill Shrink -

Simplee -

FactCheck – learn the facts, a lot of poltical stuff, NEVER trust what a political (or Fox news) ways, ALLWAYS check your facts

Cell Phone Plans – get the bottom line on cell phones and prices (including all the “fees” they don’t tell you about)

Charity Navigator – learn what charities are best for particular needs

Slickdeals - find good deals on sales, mostly tech stuff

Below are several embedded videos of those clips that give a graphical representation of historical events that are compress to a few minutes each.

Below is a list of TV shows I watch.  Why list them?  Why not, and I like to organize and list things.  It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia has to be the show I look forward to the most.

[[UPDATE]] I don’t have cable anymore, so some of the shows I like I have to wait until either they are on Hulu or come out on DVD.

Comedies

• It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia  – best show on TV right now
• The League
• Big Bang Theory
• 30 Rock
• Rules of Engagement
• How I Met your Mother
• Two and Half Men
• Psych
• Futurama
• The Venture Bros
• Archer
• Ugly Americans
• Suburgatory

Action / Drama

• NCIS
• Chuck (last season)
• Burn Notice
• Castle

Sci-Fi

• Fringe – best Sci-Fi show on TV
• Stargate: SGU – just canceled by SyFy
• Eureka – canceled by SyFy
• Haven