03/06: Curiouser and Curiouser
I'm working with anonymous bastard's semi-partner now. He actually pays and on the plus side, has a good head on his shoulder. He is working with an established company and they have a very solid business plan. The guy he's working with even understands corporate structure and limiting liabilities/losses when the unthinkable happens! How exciting!
I'm doing SEO on the site to get it listed properly and above the original customer's website because this way we will all make money...
My SEO Kung Fu is STRONG. I can't wait to get this all up and running. I just need two things and we will be shipping internationall and rocking sales like nobody's business. My expertise in branding / internet sales and tracking is from working with companies such as US International Media, Kawasaki and several universities (obviously Universities have pretty stiff competition in the internet world). I worked under Carrie Lane, the SVP of USIM... that woman is ALL BUSINESS. She would dominate anything she worked on i'm sure of it..... She has amazing experience and blazes through any project like nobody's business!
Long story short, I'm excited at the prospect of being paid for past services and I have a contract drawn up for the next three websites. I was told I'll be paid in advance (the only way I work now) which suits me just fine.
I also finished a subscription system that tracks invoices and payments and auto-sends dynamically created PDFs to subscribers.... that was fun. PDFLib (although tedious) works quite well and is pretty fast at creating even moderately complex PDFs on the fly.
Sidenote: I am picking up my first CISCO certification pretty soon. I'm doing a refresher course starting in a couple weeks. Once that is complete I will be taking the CCNA exam. Shortly thereafter, I will be taking the CCNA Security exam. Then it's up to finding a new job and getting my CCSP or CCNP... not sure which i will pursue yet, but I am in deep, unconditional love with the dirty world of InfoSysSec... which happens to be a glorious website, FYI(www.infosyssec.com).
That's all for now kids
I'm doing SEO on the site to get it listed properly and above the original customer's website because this way we will all make money...
My SEO Kung Fu is STRONG. I can't wait to get this all up and running. I just need two things and we will be shipping internationall and rocking sales like nobody's business. My expertise in branding / internet sales and tracking is from working with companies such as US International Media, Kawasaki and several universities (obviously Universities have pretty stiff competition in the internet world). I worked under Carrie Lane, the SVP of USIM... that woman is ALL BUSINESS. She would dominate anything she worked on i'm sure of it..... She has amazing experience and blazes through any project like nobody's business!
Long story short, I'm excited at the prospect of being paid for past services and I have a contract drawn up for the next three websites. I was told I'll be paid in advance (the only way I work now) which suits me just fine.
I also finished a subscription system that tracks invoices and payments and auto-sends dynamically created PDFs to subscribers.... that was fun. PDFLib (although tedious) works quite well and is pretty fast at creating even moderately complex PDFs on the fly.
Sidenote: I am picking up my first CISCO certification pretty soon. I'm doing a refresher course starting in a couple weeks. Once that is complete I will be taking the CCNA exam. Shortly thereafter, I will be taking the CCNA Security exam. Then it's up to finding a new job and getting my CCSP or CCNP... not sure which i will pursue yet, but I am in deep, unconditional love with the dirty world of InfoSysSec... which happens to be a glorious website, FYI(www.infosyssec.com).
That's all for now kids
15/04: Dealing with the Mob
I don't know how/why I get myself into these situations.
Somehow I landed myself into another awkward situation. I got into working for a normal guy. A good salesman, poor businessman, who needed help with his website. He listed an ad on Craigslist and I needed a couple hundred dollars so I offered my services.
As it turns out, the guy is connected. By connected, I mean to the Genovese Mob family in New York. His father is currently being held in New York Metropolitan Corrections Center on federal charges.
The thing that makes this complicated is that I am working with his son on the site. Originally it was supposed to be a last minute "OMG I NEED THIS WORKING BY MONDAY" type thing. A couple hundred dollars in my pocket.
Well, as it turns out this site has been the BANE of my existence. The guy is a nightmare to work with. He is the most unorganized person I've ever met, moderately unprofessional, smokes weed, takes xanax, drinks and drives, etc. IN THE WAREHOUSE he is storing 55 gallon drums of petroleum products in no less.
Well, I the product is amazing so Ifigures hey, screw it, I'll take a little gamble and help him some more. He needed a NEW site built after I helped him to fix the design issues (IE bugs) for his original site.
Original site (SUCKS: http://www.rabidperformance.com/formula113/r1/)
So I worked on it, got it fixed up, everything worked, design was clean, etc.
I got paid for it and I was happy. Then he asked for a new site, one that looked better. I advised I could take his old site and make it work on this domain with some styling chandes, updated info, etc.
this resulted in R2 (http://www.rabidperformance.com/formula113/r2/)
I got a couple hundred more.
But he wanted something with a new look, something snazzy. I told him I was going to charge my normal rate and it would be expensive if he wants me to re-design the whole thing. He wanted me to keep it similar so I ended up with R3.
R3 (http://www.rabidperformance.com/formula113/r3/)
It had a product update system, AJAX CMS for updating content, ad tracking, all kinds of goodies. This cost a pretty penny and he was happy for a short amount of time.
Then came the BS from some asshole Chuck Zito. BTW, fuck Chuck Zito, he wouldn't know a good site if it bit him in the ass. His is TOTAL crap. Basically this guys says he doesn't like the site so Big Mike flips out and wants a new one. J makes a template page (takes WEEKS) and I take the photoshop image and flesh the entire site out for Big Mike.
At this point I had sent an invoice for the original work and advised once I finish he won't get anything else until he starts paying down the amount he owes.
Eventually I completed R4 (http://www.rabidperformance.com/formula113/r4)
And sent the last and final invoice. To which he replied he will not pay me that much.
lame. I just got off the phone with him and he left CA for NY to see his father ANGELO PRISCO (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angelo_Prisco) who is on trial today.
weak sauce.
How do I get myself into these situations.... I know, it's rhetorical, I really do know.
LOLS
Somehow I landed myself into another awkward situation. I got into working for a normal guy. A good salesman, poor businessman, who needed help with his website. He listed an ad on Craigslist and I needed a couple hundred dollars so I offered my services.
As it turns out, the guy is connected. By connected, I mean to the Genovese Mob family in New York. His father is currently being held in New York Metropolitan Corrections Center on federal charges.
The thing that makes this complicated is that I am working with his son on the site. Originally it was supposed to be a last minute "OMG I NEED THIS WORKING BY MONDAY" type thing. A couple hundred dollars in my pocket.
Well, as it turns out this site has been the BANE of my existence. The guy is a nightmare to work with. He is the most unorganized person I've ever met, moderately unprofessional, smokes weed, takes xanax, drinks and drives, etc. IN THE WAREHOUSE he is storing 55 gallon drums of petroleum products in no less.
Well, I the product is amazing so Ifigures hey, screw it, I'll take a little gamble and help him some more. He needed a NEW site built after I helped him to fix the design issues (IE bugs) for his original site.
Original site (SUCKS: http://www.rabidperformance.com/formula113/r1/)
So I worked on it, got it fixed up, everything worked, design was clean, etc.
I got paid for it and I was happy. Then he asked for a new site, one that looked better. I advised I could take his old site and make it work on this domain with some styling chandes, updated info, etc.
this resulted in R2 (http://www.rabidperformance.com/formula113/r2/)
I got a couple hundred more.
But he wanted something with a new look, something snazzy. I told him I was going to charge my normal rate and it would be expensive if he wants me to re-design the whole thing. He wanted me to keep it similar so I ended up with R3.
R3 (http://www.rabidperformance.com/formula113/r3/)
It had a product update system, AJAX CMS for updating content, ad tracking, all kinds of goodies. This cost a pretty penny and he was happy for a short amount of time.
Then came the BS from some asshole Chuck Zito. BTW, fuck Chuck Zito, he wouldn't know a good site if it bit him in the ass. His is TOTAL crap. Basically this guys says he doesn't like the site so Big Mike flips out and wants a new one. J makes a template page (takes WEEKS) and I take the photoshop image and flesh the entire site out for Big Mike.
At this point I had sent an invoice for the original work and advised once I finish he won't get anything else until he starts paying down the amount he owes.
Eventually I completed R4 (http://www.rabidperformance.com/formula113/r4)
And sent the last and final invoice. To which he replied he will not pay me that much.
lame. I just got off the phone with him and he left CA for NY to see his father ANGELO PRISCO (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angelo_Prisco) who is on trial today.
weak sauce.
How do I get myself into these situations.... I know, it's rhetorical, I really do know.
LOLS
09/04: W Hauden
Stop all the clocks, cut off the telephone
W. H. Auden
Stop all the clocks, cut off the telephone,
Prevent the dog from barking with a juicy bone,
Silence the pianos and with muffled drum
Bring out the coffin, let the mourners come.
Let aeroplanes circle moaning overhead
Scribbling on the sky the message He Is Dead,
Put crepe bows round the white necks of the public doves,
Let the traffic policemen wear black cotton gloves.
He was my North, my South, my East and West,
My working week and my Sunday rest,
My noon, my midnight, my talk, my song;
I thought that love would last for ever: I was wrong.
The stars are not wanted now: put out every one;
Pack up the moon and dismantle the sun;
Pour away the ocean and sweep up the wood.
For nothing now can ever come to any good.
11/03: half assed portfolio
Past:
http://www.shadowerks.com
http://www.winestopbrea.com
Current:
http://www.atomicballroomoc.com - i mostly did backend work (CMS, the events calendar, etc)
http://www.formula113.com - lots of the design, and all coding and image editing, programming, etc
http://www.rabidperformance.com/formula113/r3/ - revision 3 of formula 113 - scrapped as menus don't work in IE6... the hack was taking forever and people got antsy for a new look
http://www.rabidperformance.com - screenshots of the backend for formula 113 and my business
http://www.belmontmusiclessons.com- just started this like an hour or so ago... so don't be so critical!!!!
SEO/SEM/Content
http://www.responsivehealth.com - Content/SEO/SEM/Tracking
http://www.usim.com - SEO/SEM
http://www.partiotllc.com - SEO/SEM/ROI Tracking
http://www.saintleo.com - SEO/SEM/ROI Tracking
Tracking ROI / SEMM
http://www.dowling.edu
http://www.protandim.com
http://www.kawasaki.com
http://www.pepperdine.edu
http://www.shadowerks.com
http://www.winestopbrea.com
Current:
http://www.atomicballroomoc.com - i mostly did backend work (CMS, the events calendar, etc)
http://www.formula113.com - lots of the design, and all coding and image editing, programming, etc
http://www.rabidperformance.com/formula113/r3/ - revision 3 of formula 113 - scrapped as menus don't work in IE6... the hack was taking forever and people got antsy for a new look
http://www.rabidperformance.com - screenshots of the backend for formula 113 and my business
http://www.belmontmusiclessons.com- just started this like an hour or so ago... so don't be so critical!!!!
SEO/SEM/Content
http://www.responsivehealth.com - Content/SEO/SEM/Tracking
http://www.usim.com - SEO/SEM
http://www.partiotllc.com - SEO/SEM/ROI Tracking
http://www.saintleo.com - SEO/SEM/ROI Tracking
Tracking ROI / SEMM
http://www.dowling.edu
http://www.protandim.com
http://www.kawasaki.com
http://www.pepperdine.edu
I got a new computer yesterday so I can actually keep working on my projects... the old one was WAY too slow. So I'm really happy today and I go to work and the second call of the day results in this:
Sent to the South Carolina Board of Licensed Professional Counselors
Hello,
I work in a credentialing company. The following provider received a
total of 3 faxes for a form that she kept filling out incorrectly. The
explanation is at the top of the form as well as on the fax cover
sheet. It is probably important to note that the provider did NOT
receive these faxes from me directly, just from our company.
I received a call from her at my work and when i told her the issue
she literally said to me "if you don't fix this I'm going to come down
there and shoot you".
Literally the provider threatened my life.
I feel this is EXTREMELY unprofessional and take this very seriously.
I don't appreciate being threatened with my safety. I don't know this
person's history and don't know if this is something they would
actually do or just a threat. All the same, this is not the type of
statement that should come from a "Professional Counselor" in any
state or at any time. If she can't control herself to this degree and
is angry about receiving fax(es) because she filled the forms out
wrong, what will happen when a patient of hers doesn't something she
doesn't like?
I am just advising you, I don't plan on taking any further action, but
I believe this provider may be someone to keep your eye on.
Her information follows:
Carolyn S. Kelly, LPC
3175 Stanyarne Dr
Charleston, SC 29414
(843) 830-1202
License # 4718
### END OF TRANSMISSION ###
WTF Right?
Sent to the South Carolina Board of Licensed Professional Counselors
Hello,
I work in a credentialing company. The following provider received a
total of 3 faxes for a form that she kept filling out incorrectly. The
explanation is at the top of the form as well as on the fax cover
sheet. It is probably important to note that the provider did NOT
receive these faxes from me directly, just from our company.
I received a call from her at my work and when i told her the issue
she literally said to me "if you don't fix this I'm going to come down
there and shoot you".
Literally the provider threatened my life.
I feel this is EXTREMELY unprofessional and take this very seriously.
I don't appreciate being threatened with my safety. I don't know this
person's history and don't know if this is something they would
actually do or just a threat. All the same, this is not the type of
statement that should come from a "Professional Counselor" in any
state or at any time. If she can't control herself to this degree and
is angry about receiving fax(es) because she filled the forms out
wrong, what will happen when a patient of hers doesn't something she
doesn't like?
I am just advising you, I don't plan on taking any further action, but
I believe this provider may be someone to keep your eye on.
Her information follows:
Carolyn S. Kelly, LPC
3175 Stanyarne Dr
Charleston, SC 29414
(843) 830-1202
License # 4718
### END OF TRANSMISSION ###
WTF Right?
WTF! The local government is hating on me too?And by local government I mean the state of California. I understand our "recent" budget crisis... yeah... since before Gray Davis (you may not know who he is if you aren't local to so cal).. if you can call that recent. Honestly though. Stealing my state income tax return? WTF!
Anyone reading this should know my federal tax return was taken in what I believe to be an error. I am still fighting this.
Basically I left my last job for another in Sacramento (Intel). It turns out there was a short hiring freeze when i left my job so I was unable to take the position. It's ok, really, it didn't pay all that well and it wouldn't have furthered my career. So I waited about 1 month to file unemployment. I filed, got one check for $403. I never got another one because my employer fought AGAINST me getting unemployment. It really sucked, I am pretty sure it was all the COO as the CEO and CTO gave me great recommendations and I worked directly beneath both for 90% of the time I worked for the company.
So I get a new job, EDD tries to make me repay the check. I fight it in court (yes I know it was only $403 but seriously, people are always trying to take money from me!!!!) and I WIN. So I have a judgement in MY FAVOR STATING I DO NOT NEED TO PAY THE MONEY TO EDD.... and I get a letter in the mail stating "your state income tax return has been forwarded to the above agency in the amount of $400.00".
DARN IT!!!
STOP TAKING MONEY FROM ME THAT DOES NOT BELONG TO YOU!!!!!
Background
See Part 1 for what I THOUGHT was going on.
In reality however things are a tad different. I went home on leave in December 2006 for christmas. This is being taken back from me because i was separated, they consider it like pay. They are also taking back pay that they say was given to me for a period when i was AWOL. The funny thing is, they pay you after you have worked the days you are being paid for, not before... I don't recall ever getting any money when i was AWOL.
Hmmm...
Anyway, the woman on the phone was very helpful and admitted their system is FLAWED UP THE WAZOO. She is sending me electronic copies of all my LES (Leave and Earning Statements) and all copies of the "debt" and "audit" that was done.
She was extremely helpful. I have to admit I was a really big asshole at first, then i tried to remind myself, it's not HER fault, it's the ARMY's fault and my own.
So I printed a copy of all my records and paperwork and I'm getting my bank statements (I keep everything in boxes) and I am going to get to the bottom of this...
More updates coming soon.
Listening to :
**************UPDATE****************
I talked to DFAS, got copies of my LES statements and I spoke to the agency that my "debt" was referred to. The lady was alright. She was very .. strict.. i guess you could say. It was rather annoying. I explained the situation and how I am protesting the debt and I am just waiting to get some documents via mail so i can show the debt is not founded.
She was trying to force me to give her my phone number and other information. I gave her my address and said please mail information to me, I don't want to have my cell phone number on any lists or used for collections.
She was not very receptive at all.
Basically this is what it boils down to:
Department of Treasury says they took $882.00 and sent movey via an EFT to DFAS
Contacted me at:
1029 Ohio Ave #3
Long Beach, CA
(moved in 2006)
DFAS says i owe them 978.08
Contacted me at:
1029 Ohio Ave #3
Long Beach, CA
(moved in 2006)
Pioneer Credit Recovery says I owe them $1,210.00
Contacted me at:
5911 E Spring Street # 435
Long Beach, CA
(closed in 2008)
The funny thing is... I never received anything (and you can see why if you look at when these addresses were no longer used). A quick internet search of my name will pull up my current address information. Looking at my credit report will do the same.
So here I am, my d*ck in my hands and my money taken with no explanation or contact received by myself. The only resolution? Fight these companies and with any luck by the time tax season rolls around I may actually get this money back.
LOL...
it takes 6-8 weeks for PCR to receive the EFT transfer, 6-8 weeks for DFAS to get the money and 100 days for DFAS to review my case and issue a judgement.
so we are looking at 27-31 weeks to receive anything back if it went absolutely blindingly quick.
ROFLMAO!!!!!
03/03: Albert Einstein on Success
If A is success in life, then A equals x plus y plus z. Work is x; y is play; and z is keeping your mouth shut.
Albert Einstein (1879 - 1955), Observer, Jan. 15, 1950
A=X+Y+Z
Success=Work+Play+STFU!!!!
Albert Einstein (1879 - 1955), Observer, Jan. 15, 1950
A=X+Y+Z
Success=Work+Play+STFU!!!!
I have had so many ridiculous experiences with the federal government. It's realyl starting to bother me. This latest incident involves my time with the US Army.
Background
Winter, 2006
While in Basic Training at Fort Sill, OK I broke my hand (4th & 5th metacarpel). This is significant because I was unable to carry heavy loads with my right hand, obviously, I had a cast on my forearm. I was ordered to report to PCF. The jackass at CQ who spent time in Bosnia was a fatty. He liked to run with his vest on because he thought it would help him lose weight.... He should have just not ate. Anyway, I get help from him loading my gear into the back of the truck (3 duffle bags), jump in the front and we leave. When we get to PCF we go to unload my gear and....... it's not there. The tailgate is down.
It appears that he did not check the latches on the tailgate. As we were driving somehow he missed 3 dufflebags of gear (a lot of my personal affects as well) spilled out onto the freeway.
I'm not one to get mad very easily but obviously this really cooked my flipping goose.
He advised me he would submit a statement, I spoke with the BC and he confirmed it was ok, I wouldn't have to pay for the gear as it was not my fault (only making $800 a month makes it hard to pay that back anyway). So the BC said I don't have to pay it and they both submitted statements indicating it was not my fault to supply.
Current Issue
Spring, 2009
One would have to ask, "how on earth could this possibly come back to bite him in the ass? The federal government doesn't lie!" Well, I assure you, it's not that they lie, it's that they are ALL ABSOLUTE RETARDS!!!!!
....The paperwork was never filed.
So I am expecting my $1300 back from the fed&state, I'm a little disappointed as I usually get $2000+. I am still excited to get what I am getting though considering the economy. I really need it too, I have some outstanding financial things I need to take care of (need a new computer, etc).
I am curious why I haven't received anything in the mail yet and my account doesn't have the money it should have received direct deposit. Well, I get home last night and I see a letter. It's from the IRS.....
OH SHIT
I open it up and can you imagine what it says?
"As authorized by Federal law, we applied all or part of your Federal payment toa debt you owe. The government agency (or agencies) collecting your debt is listed below.
Defense Finance and Accounting Svc.
Indianapolis Center
DFAS-JAAC/IN
...
..
.
To make matters worse, at the bottom it says "We will forward the money taken from your Federal payment to the Agency to be applied to your debt balance; however, the Agency may not receive the funds for several weeks after the payment date."
So you can imagine my dismay. I don't owe this money!!! The best part is just getting my W-2 from the Army took me 3 months of calling almost every day, emailing, etc. I had to find a sponsor who was in active duty just so I could print the INCORRECT W-2 INFORMATION. Luckily I had a friend in UT that helped me out.
Seriously folks, what the hell is going on here.
Hook me up with some feedback... I am horribly disappointed at this. I have always had so much faith in our system ,but the older I get, the more problems i run into with it. 3 months to get a W-2? Right now I'm just trying to determine if the benefit outways the cost when dealing with the fed.
Is there an equation that shows at what point filling out paperwork outweighs the money you get back? If so, I'd love to use it really quick.....
Thoughts?
Comments?
Suggestions?
02/03: About RFCs
RFC stands for "Request for Comment". Basically it is a document explaining the low-level functions of a specific item in computing. Usually it will explain a specific piece of information (TCP/IP) and then have links to the other RFCs which pertain to it.
You can learn a LOT from RFCs. They really get into the nitty gritty and provide a way for you to learn if you have some free time to read. The problem being, of course, YOU ACTUALLY HAVE TO READ THEM.
Which brings me to a very common theme in my life... telling people to RTFM!!!!
The best (IMHO) rfc website BY FAR is http://www.rfc-archive.org... they are EPIC in comparison to the other websites out there. I LOVE their setup.
Check it out, learn a bit, let me know what your thoughts are
You can learn a LOT from RFCs. They really get into the nitty gritty and provide a way for you to learn if you have some free time to read. The problem being, of course, YOU ACTUALLY HAVE TO READ THEM.
Which brings me to a very common theme in my life... telling people to RTFM!!!!
The best (IMHO) rfc website BY FAR is http://www.rfc-archive.org... they are EPIC in comparison to the other websites out there. I LOVE their setup.
Check it out, learn a bit, let me know what your thoughts are
