Another setback for the Toilet Chef of the Midwest

If you've ever tried to cook something on the toilet, let me tell you it takes a lot of skill and preparation. Not that I know from experience, or anything, it's just that a friend of a friend tried it once and I'll have to admit it sounded like a pretty mean kebab.

Joking aside, how desperate must you be if you have to cook your meals in a toilet? Well, a Washington prison inmate was that desperate. AP news story here. My next question would have to be "why is the washington prison selling uncooked meat to inmates who have no way of cooking it"? That's comparable to selling hard candy at a denture convention, or contraceptives to mormons.

Unfortunately, the AP did not get a photo or a name of this inmate. I however did some investigative research and found the crappy culinary online. Hit the link for a photo.

Are they that dumb, or is it a language thing?

Have you ever heard of these direct-from-china websites that cater to English speaking parts of the world? They're usually a good source for rare electronics finds and a bit of "engrish" humor, but in some rare cases, it's a source of complete frustration.

My last interaction with one of these china-direct websites comes with an ongoing story. On Jan 4 2009, I purchased a Playstation 3 controller to accompany the super-awesome PS3 I got for christmas. I was too cheap to go out to EB games and shell out $56 for a genuine Sony Playstation controller. I thought I'd save some money and use some of the balance I had in my paypal account. My purchase came to $31. This particular PS3 controller was a steal considering it featured Bluetooth, which allows me to wirelessly controll my Ps3 system.


Unfortunately, when I received the controller, I found that it does not feature Bluetooth connectivity. The product listing was incorrect. The controller came with a Dongle I had to plug in to the PS#. The problem with the dongle is that it blinks red every second. The dongle and the blinking are pretty distracting.

I decided to contact the customer service department to see if I could get a replacement controller; a controller that featured Bluetooth.

Here's how my conversation went. Please understand that I've been dealing with this company for almost 3 months on this issue. I'll be paraphrasing below because they've been deleting my on-line messages in shame.

Me - Hello, the controller you sent me does not function as described. It looks exactly the same as the one you have in the description, except it does not feature Bluetooth, nor does it come with a USB cable.

Liu - I'm sorry to hear sir, please send us a photo.

Me - Do I really need to send you a photo? It's the exact same thing you have on your site. The packaging is the same and everything. It's just that your product description is incorrect.

Sammy - I'm sorry to hear you're having problems with your purchase, please send us a photo.

Me - your site doesn't allow me to pate links to the photos. Do you have an email address I can send to

Michelle - Sorry, our site doesn't work right now. Please send us an email.

[I send them a photo of the item]

Me - I sent you a photo. Did you get it?

Mike - no, please send again.

[I send through another photo of the item]

Me - Did you get the email? I haven't gotten a response in a while

[It's moon festiva, the country shuts down for a few days]

Michelle - Sorry, we have been on vacation for days. We got your photo thanks

Me - Ok, what should I do now? I would really like a controller that has Bluetooth. Evidently, your description is incoorect, and this one does not have Bluetooth.

Michelle - I'm sorry to hear you're having problems with your product. Please send it to Hong Kong. Address Attached. We will send you a new controller that features Bluetooth.

[I send this thing over and it costs me $10. This means I've paid $41 for this controller now]

Me - Hi, I checked the tracking and it appears that you got the return a week and a half ago. When can I expect my replacement bluetooth controller?

Lilly - Hello, yes we did receive it a week ago. We will be sending you out a new controller for the asap

[I finally get this thing on March 18. That's a month after they said it would be sent on the asap. I guess asap means something different in engrish]

Me - Hello, I received the replacement controller, but it's the same one I was sent originally. Please re-read the chain of messages again.

This webpage item description is incorrect. Item #GCO21B does not feature Bluetooth. The item you sent me is the one listed on your site, except your site incorectly lists Bluetooth as one of the product features. I want a controller that features Bluetooth.

Zoe - We are so sorry to hear that. But could you please send us photos of the parcel including products? You can use URL or just send it to info@focalprice.com. Please let us know after you send it. We will deal with it as soon as we receive it.

Me - Do you really need a photo again? This is the exact same product that you have on your site. My issue has to do with an incorrect Description.

Zoe - We are so sorry to hear that. But could you please send us photos of the parcel including products? You can use URL or just send it to info@focalprice.com. Please let us know after you send it. We will deal with it as soon as we receive it.

[I send them a photo again]

Michelle - Hello, would you accept a $3USD discount?

Me - I would not accept a $3USD discount as it cost me $10 USD to return the controller. What I would accept is a replacement controller that actually had Bluetooth.

Lily - Dear Stephen,
We feel sorry for any inconvenience.
Would you mind paying $3.5 for resending a new one.
and you would send it back, dur to the expensive shiping fee.
please advise you opinion.
Thanks for your patience and support.


Me - Hi Lily, I dno't understand what you mean. Would you like me to return the product I currently have, and pay $3.50 USD for a new controller that has bluetooth?

Cherry - We mean that you pay $3.5 and we send you a new again. As for the wrong item, you can hold it. If you agree, please send payment to focalprice@gmail.com. Please let us know after your payment. We will arrange new shipment of the exact same item to you again.

Me - Will the new GS021B have Bluetooth? The last twe I received do not have Bluetooth. Remember, the issue is that this product has an incorrect description on your site.

Michelle - The item is as the description. It has bluetooth.

[Now, I'm trying to decide. Is english the barrier, or are they trying to confuse me enough that I'll just leave them alone. Unfortunately, I'm like a Barak Obama Joke about handicapped people - I just won't go away]

Me - The problem is that the item does not have bluetooth. The description is wrong. The item is wireless, but does not have bluetooth.

Michelle - I am afraid there is something wrong with the purchasing department. Would you like to accept it with some discount ?

Me - Hello, I do not want a discount. If possible, I'd like a controller that actually features Bluetooth. Is that possible? You once sold a Genuine Sony controller with Bluetooth on your site.

Think Mac computers are hacker-proof? Think again!

I came across this article the other day and thought I'd pass it along. I always get challenged when I say that Apple computers and PC computers are pretty much the same, with some minor differences. To over-simplify it, I'd compare it to Starbucks vs. Tim Hortons; no matter how you slice it, they both serve coffee.

One of the Biggest Mac misconceptions is that they don't get viruses, and can't be hacked. The truth is that since Mac computers hold such a small market share, the hackers & virus creators tend not to pay attention to them. They'd rather target the larger market in hopes of finding someone who is vulnerable. For those of you that don't believe me, check out this article in which an Apple computer is hacked in less than 10 seconds.

The moral of this story is as follows:

A - Don't believe everything you see on TV. Those Mac vs. PC ads almost totally banned in the UK for good reason (They have more stringent advertising laws than we do. Here, we can bend the rules a bit, in the UK, you have to tell it as it is). Click the Link to check out the Ad that claims that Mac Don't get viruses.

B -NEVER have unprotected sex with strangers! Even if she says she's only been with a few guys, and there's no way you'd get a virus, and there's no possibility of your dick getting hacked by a stranger, wear a condom.

My Car Turned 100,000Kms today

Yup, The car I purchased 3 years and 9 months ago turned 100,000Kms the other day. It was quite a momentous occasion. Marcy D'Arcy is purring like a kitten, and not those kittens who moan all night long, keeping you up, only after head butting the bedroom door open ;)

It got me thinking about the current plight of North American auto makers and a recent discussion I heard on talk radio. Yeah, I listen to talk radio in the mornings because I can't stand Dean Blundel; he's about as funny as a clown funeral, but that's another story for another day.

The argument came about after the president of Ford Canada proposed a $3,500 rebate for buyers of new Ford, Chrysler, and GM cars, if they junk their 10+ year old cars. I thought this was a pretty good idea considering the fact that Cars have become Greener, with a decrease in emissions of up to 50%. Mix the environmental factors with the stimulus the rebate would provide, and it appears to be a pretty good idea. The problem is that during the entirety of the discussion, only pro-old car and anti-domestic voices called in. Arguments ranged from people who want to keep their car for as long as possible, to use it as a measure of their own reliability no matter how much the car costs in monthly repairs, to callers who thought that domestic cars were pieces of junk. One caller even went so far as to misquote statistics from a CNN report, stating that 80% of domestic cars are not produced in North America (The actual story summary is that not all import cars are made outside North America, and not all North American cars are built in the United States).

Whatever the case, I want people to know that not all North American cars are crap. I just rolled over the 100,000KM mark on my mustang, and am proud to say my last mustang lasted 15 years and 389,000Kms. I bet there's plenty of people out there with domestic car success and pain stories. My issue is that people rely on ignorance and biased opinions when making car purchases. When looking to buy a car, do yourself a favor, and do some research. Check out Consumer Reports, ask current vehicle owners if they're happy with their car. Don't just rely on propaganda and slick marketing.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying to only buy North American, my point is to simply educate yourself before you buy, and hopefully, educate yourself before you open your mouth on national radio.