The use of the “reply all” function on emails has long bothered me. I’m sure when the makers of email came up with the “reply all” function, it had good intentions. When you have information that you want to share not only with the sender of the email, but also with the other recipients, it’s great to be able to just push one button and everyone gets your response.

But’s it’s overused. And misused. And just used too often.

Here’s an example. Friend “Jim” (Names will be changed to protect the innocent and moronic) sends an email out to all of his friends asking if anyone is interested in going out for wings on some given Thursday.

Two things with this. One, if you don’t want to go, then no reply is needed. I doubt Jim is sitting at home saying, “ohh… I wonder if Sara is going to go or not.” No. It’s a general email and whoever is in is in. If Jim was really concerned about Sara going, he’d probably ask her directly.

Secondly, if you decide that you are going to reply, I’m willing to give you the benefit of the doubt and use the reply all function at this time. Perhaps Connie saying she’s going will influence Don to go because Don secretly has a thing for Connie. Or you could see that Dripp is going and that might make you say “no way I am going!” But the part that gets me is the people that reply all constantly after that. Say Jes says, “I can’t make it, I have a spa appointment.” There’s no reason for Ben to reply to all and say, “yeah, you need it!” A lot of times, everyone doesn’t know everyone else on the “reply all” list. So, it’s annoying when Ben and Jes have this bantering going back and forth and I’m stuck in a private conversation with two people that I don’t know.

I wondered if this annoyance was just for me; not surprisingly, other people are bothered by people misusing “reply all.”

First let me begin by discussing the annoying and inappropriate use of the “reply to all” button. This button is a very powerful one and one that should be used judiciously. I honestly think that anytime you hit the “reply to all” button there should be a secondary warning like “Are you sure you want to reply to ALL?” The problem is that there seems to be a group of very clueless individuals who can’t seem to find the simple “reply” button. Like when an email goes out to all employees announcing something like “There will be a quarterly business update next Wednesday at 1:00 PM” and invariably one or more peons reply to all with some sort of useless message like “Thanks Jim see you at 1:00″. Seriously, Jim doesn’t care and I care even less than Jim so quit cluttering my inbox and get back to work. Another example of the inappropriate use of the “reply to all” button happened a while ago when I invited a bunch of people from work over to my place for a get together. I invited about 25 or so people via email. In the email I gave details about date and time and other relevant information. I sarcastically mentioned that the event would “kick off around 4:00PM with pony rides and a marching band”. A number of people replied to me individually but one unfortunate soul replied to all and said “Oh, pony rides - sounds like fun! Can I be the first in line? See everyone Saturday!” Needless to say I instantly remembered why she annoyed me and why I didn’t want to invite her in the first place. I didn’t reply to her email since I didn’t think there was much point. One of my colleagues however wasn’t able to resist and replied “Yes, you can be first in line. Sincerely, Pony.”

Does this annoy anyone else, or am I being petty?

For a minute, when Paris Hilton checked herself into jail, I had a TINY bit of respect for her. After all, she said something along the lines of “people have this image of me and I want to show people that I’ll do the time for the crime.” I thought she was actually going to step up to the plate, albeit in a “special section” of the jail with extra priviledges.

So today, we find out that she was released from jail after 4 days and will spend the rest of her sentence on house arrest for 40 days. What? While I’m sure all of the details haven’t been released, officially they are saying it was partially to do with a medical consideration. Pretty vague to me. Then, tmz.com says they have a source that says “Hilton was refusing to eat much of the jail food served her.”

Who cares! If this were not a celebrity, I’m guessing the response to an inmate not eating food would be, “Tough. Don’t eat then.” The inmate would have to decide what was more important: eating, but eating crappy food, or not eating and risking the chance of getting sick. Right when I think the judicial system has some things figured out and they put a celebrity in jail who DESERVES to be in jail, they go and do something like this. Why does she get special treatment?

Does this bother anyone else? Or am I jumping to conclusions before we have all of the information?

Yes, I haven’t posted much lately, but nothing has really struck me as postable. Don’t worry though, I’ve got a few posts for you today.

The first one comes to you “ripped from the headlines” in Milwaukee. Basics (from jsonline.com):

The blaze began in the second-floor living room of the home.

Two adults jumped out of windows while firefighters entered the building and rescued the two children, who were hiding in their rooms, fire officials reported. Police said the children’s father also suffered injuries and was treated at a hospital. There was no further information on his condition available this morning.

So, what strikes me as unbelieveable in this story is that the parents jumped out of the window and LEFT THE KIDS! Now, I’m not a parent, nor do I claim to be an expert on parenting, but from what I’ve heard, when you have kids, they are your LIFE and you would do anything to protect them. It’s just a parental instinct. So, when your house is burning down, how does the instinct to save yourself outweigh the instinct to save your children? Wouldn’t you do your best to save your kids first and foremost?

Am I the only one who finds a hole in this?

Have you heard this story from Georgia where students attended their first EVER integrated prom this past weekend? It’s unbelievable.

ASHBURN, Georgia (CNN) — Students of Turner County High School started what they hope will become a new tradition: Black and white students attended the prom together for the first time on Saturday.

In previous years, parents had organized private, segregated dances for students of the school in rural Ashburn, Georgia, 160 miles south of Atlanta.

“Whites always come to this one and blacks always go to this one,” said Lacey Adkinson, a 14-year-old freshman at the school of 455 students — 55 percent black, 43 percent white.

Maybe I live in a naive world, but I can’t believe that it has taken this many years for a high school in the United State to have ONE prom. These students go to school every day, sit in class next to these people every day, and yet, when it comes time for prom, they seperate it into a white prom and a black prom. Why?

I know that there are still people that have “issue” with society being mostly integrated for some time now (example from this story: “I’ve asked, ‘Why can’t you come?’ and they’re like, ‘My mommy and daddy — they don’t agree with being with the colored people,’ which I think is crazy,” she said.), but how come it took this long for the kids to say ‘enough is enough’ and integrate things.

Am I the only one that this is a little shocking to?

So, it’s been hard not to pay attention to the Don Imus saga over the last week. If you’ve been living in a nutshell though, the basics are that radio host, Don Imus, called the Rutgers women’s basketball team “nappy-headed hos” in a broadcast last week. Of course, uproar followed, including apologies by Imus, Al Sharpton putting in his two cents (well, everyone who is anyone putting in their two cents), and finally, CBS firing Imus today. I’m thinking that’s a little extreme.

Don’t get me wrong. There was nothing right about Imus calling the team “nappy-headed hos.” But how much of this revolves around race? If that were Jay-Z calling the team the same thing in one of his songs, would there be this much of an uproar, or would the album go platinum? I think he apologized, they accepted it, and they move on.

I give the Rutgers’ women’s coach credit though–she’s not just upset with Imus, she put it in terms of all of society and I agree:

“These comments are indicative of greater ills in our culture,” Stringer said. “It is not just Mr. Imus, and we hope that this will be and serve as a catalyst for change.”

She said it was time for Americans “to all hold ourselves to a higher standard.”

What do you think of this debacle? Was CBS right in firing Imus?

Daniel Radcliffe (aka, Harry Potter) is one of those actors that is trying to break out of being typecast into roles. Obviously, by playing Harry Potter, he’s already stuck himself as being a “children’s character.” Jim Carrey did alright moving over into a “serious” role after being in numerous funny movies, but someone like Adam Sandler or Will Farrell… I just can’t see them in a serious role. They’re typecast for life. Look at Kumar—he’s a terrorist on this year’s 24, but I can’t think of him as anything but Kumar. What’s his real name anyway?

Anyway, back to Harry Potter. Did you see the publicity pictures that he put out for his new play he’s in? Our friend, Harry, is using his ‘magic wand’ in a sex scene on stage and people are freaking out about it and these pictures. Obviously, he’s a role model for young kids who read the Harry Potter books. I don’t think it’s a huge deal because I’m guessing the same demographic that is going to watch this stage show are not the same demographic that would take offense to his new sex image.

A funny quote was that one parent wondered by Radcliffe’s parents allowed him to do this. The guy is going to turn 18 this summer… don’t you think he’s old enough to make this decision on his own?

Does anyone care about this? Does anyone read my blog?

Ok, I admit to definitely not knowing the extent of the Cuban/United States relationship or what an ahole Fidel Castro probably is. But I read this article today and found it kind of disturbing.

Miami plans big party when Castro dies

MIAMI (AP) — The city of Miami is planning an official celebration at the Orange Bowl whenever Cuban president Fidel Castro dies.

Discussions by a committee appointed earlier this month by the city commission to plan the event have even covered issues such as a theme to be printed on T-shirts, what musicians would perform, the cost and how long the celebration would last.

Such a gathering has long been part of the city’s plan for Castro’s death, but firming up the specifics has been more urgent since Castro became ill last summer and turned over power to his brother, Raul.

City Commissioner Tomas Regalado, a Cuban American, came up with the idea of using the Orange Bowl, noting that the stadium was the site of a speech by President Kennedy in 1961 promising a free Cuba, and that in the 1980s it served as a camp for refugees from the Mariel boatlift from Cuba.

“(Castro) represents everything bad that has happened to the people of Cuba for 48 years,” Regalado told The Miami Herald for a story in Monday editions. “There is something to celebrate, regardless of what happens next.”

Former state Rep. Luis Morse stressed the need for an uplifting theme for the party - one not preoccupied with a human being’s passing.

Ramon Saul Sanchez, leader of the Miami-based Democracy Movement organization, worries about how a party to celebrate a man’s death would be perceived by people outside the Cuban exile community.

Sanchez also pointed out that, even after Castro dies, his communist government still will be in place.

“The notion of a big party, I think, should be removed from all this,” Sanchez said. “Although everybody will be very happy that the dictator cannot continue to oppress us himself, I think everybody is still very sad because there are still prisons full of prisoners, many people executed, and families divided.”

Isn’t it a little weird to be throwing a party because someone died, regardless of who it is? The only thing I can think of is that Miami knows that people are going to celebrate, so this is a way to “control” the celebrating so there aren’t the usual riots and shooting my pistol in the air to show my pleasure.

It’s just odd to me…

A few weeks ago, a former coach and current friend (and oddly enough quasi-collegue of mine), Todd Hardy, filled me in on an initiative going on in Kenosha. Considering “The Recovery Project” features so many passions of mine (my alma mater-Tremper HS, music, New Orleans), I feel inclined to let you all know of their work and what you can do to help.

The Recovery Project is a partnership between school staff and students in Wisconsin and New Orleans, Louisiana. It began in October of 2006 between Tremper High School in Kenosha, WI and John McDonogh High School in New Orleans LA, and is growing as more schools in both areas join in!

The idea of the partnership is to share academic and life lessons with staff and students from different regions of the United States, as well as, creating, unique ideas and ventures to help the New Orleans Schools move forward after the devastation of Hurricane Katrina.

It’s hard to not feel an emotional attachment to this initiative. Everyone knows the devestation that Katrina brought to New Orleans (sidenote: Beat the Bears this weekend, New Orleans!!) and all of their recovery efforts on a broad-scale, but it’s always interesting to see exactly what “recovery” means.

John McDonough HS was still missing a lot of things in October of 2006, nearly a year after Katrina hit. For example:

Tremper has taken JMHS’s plight into their own hands. They’ve gotten teachers to donate “teaching books” to help JMHS’s teachers to improve their professional skills; they’ve held a “school supply” drive to help get JMHS materials they need; they’ve held a book drive to help replenish their library. And they now are hosting a music instrument drive to help JMHS’s band replenish their stock. With Mardi Gras coming up, they have been invited to march in numerous parades, but they only have 30 instruments for 80 people in the band.

So, if you need a local connection to New Orleans and the post-Katrina efforts, here’s one for you. If you want to help, let me know–I can get you in touch with the right people.

At bare minimum, just keep your eye on their website, http://www.trempergirlssoccer.com/recoverypremise.html. It’s nice to see some good going on in the world.

Continuing on with my rant against stupid athletes this week, I gotta mention Michelle Wie. It’s a simple rant:

QUIT EMBARASSING YOURSELF.

First of all, I never understood why she keeps entering men’s tournaments. I get the premise. Womens’ sports have never been at as high of a competition level as the men. It’s just the way things are. When you think of professional sports, you think of the NFL or the NBA or MLB. You don’t think of the WNBA, or the professional women’s football league in your hometown, or women golfers. Men rule sports in society.

So, I understand why a woman would want to enter a mens’ tournament… IF she is at the top of her game. That’s where the competition is and that’s where the best athletes in the sport are.

But Michelle Wie isn’t at the top of her game. She hasn’t even won a tournament in the LPGA. In fact, let’s take a look at her last 5 tournaments in both the LPGA and the PGA.

PGA
1/16/05—Sony Open in Hawaii—MISSED CUT (+9)
7/10/05—John Deere Classic— MISSED CUT (-1)
1/15/06—Sony Open in Hawaii— MISSED CUT (+7)
7/16/06—John Deer Classic—WITHDREW (+6)
9/17/06—84 LUMBER Classic— MISSED CUT (+14)
1/12/07—Sony Open in Hawaii—going to MISS CUT (+8)

LPGA
Samsung World Championship—17th (+5)
Omega European Masters—MISSED CUT (+15)
Wettabix Women’s British Open—T26th (+6)
Evian Ladies Masters—T2nd (-15)
US Women’s Open—T3rd (+2)

Ok, so maybe she’s not as bad as I thought in the LPGA, but in comparison, someone like Lorena Ochoa has kicked ass in her last 5 tournaments on the LPGA, finishing 2nd, 1st, 1st, 1st and 4th. Someone like her, I could maybe see trying out the PGA. But to me, it looks like Michelle Wie should maybe try beating the girls before she hits up the guys.

That way, she can stop embarrassing herself by saying things like:

“If I just get everything right, get the ball in the fairway — get the ball anywhere in play, actually — I think I can definitely tear this golf course up.”

You dolt. That’s what the rest of us amateur golf players say. You’re a professional. Stop embarrassing yourself and get your butt back on the LPGA tour.

Come on, Barry–who are you kidding anymore?

I’m sure most of you have heard the latest on everyone’s favorite Giant, Barry Bonds. If not, basically, he tested positive for amphetamines last season. Not a big shocker. The part that made me laugh though, is that he said he took it from the locker of his teammate, Mark Sweeney.

What?

What kind of excuse is that? It’s one thing if he went up to Sweeney and asked him for a couple of tylenol. But one, he didn’t even ask Sweeney, and two, it seems he’s claiming he didn’t know what they were. Yeah. Because that happens all the time. I often sneak into my coworkers desk drawers, find some pills, and just take them. So what if I don’t know what the pills are.

What an idiot. Come up with a better excuse than that.

Along the same lines, what happens this year when Bonds breaks the homerun record. Does MLB celebrate it?

Real simple rant today. Does anyone else see something wrong with this?

3329 N Main Street, #A

#A? What moron decided to name apartments #A? Doesn’t a number usually follow the # sign?

First of all, if you have never had a migraine, please cut a little slack to the people that do get them. When I was in high school, my friend Andrea used to stay home from school with a migraine, and I didn’t get it. My first response was “why can’t you go to school with a headache?” Until I started getting migraines in college, I didn’t get it. I know mine aren’t even as bad as some people. I don’t vomit like some people. I don’t pass out like some people. But I do want to be in a dark, quiet room. I do want it to be cold and have cold cloths on me. And most of all, I don’t want to do anything until it is gone.

I wish I knew what triggered mine. And that’s what a pain about migraines. There is no “cure” because there’s not specific reason for what causes a migraine. For some people, it’s stress, for some, it’s food, for some, it’s genetics, for some, it’s sleep, and for some, it is anything else you could possibly imagine. For me, I haven’t figured it out yet. I’ve tried all of those things that they tell you about, and it’s not working.

Someone suggested Gatorade to me, so I’ll give that a whirl. Any other remedies, I’d love to hear them. Until then, migraines suck.

Don’t get me wrong. I love New Orleans. That might show from the numerous times I’ve been there (how many, Tim? 5 times?). It’s a city full of character—whether it’s the musicians, the food, the architecture, the history or the partying, it’s a great place to visit and I have a blast every time I go there.

Last year, when Hurricane Katrina hit, it was a huge wakeup call for the infamous city “below sea level.” The levees broke, homes were destroyed, people were killed and the city fell apart. Rumors were abound with what would happen to New Orleans, but the city decided to stay strong and start rebuilding themselves—a very noble decision.

But then they get hit by not another hurricane, but the huge storm that has been hammering the Colorado area these past few days is also hitting New Orleans as rain. And the flooding has begun again:

Pumping stations, closely watched since the catastrophic flooding after Hurricane Katrina in August 2005, were working, officials said.

But the rain lasted so long, they couldn’t keep up, said public works director Jose Gonzalez of Jefferson Parish.

“The rest of the day, we will continue to pump,” Gonzalez said. “Hopefully, it’s not going to rain as much as it did this morning. … The amount of rain, that’s what hurt us.”

Seriously. This is just a rain storm and people’s basements are flooding already. People who started rebuilding their homes and their lives after the tragedy that was Katrina. People who deserve to be given a break.

Is the city lying to the residents about what these levees can really handle? New Orleans naturally wants to be a lake—how long do we pretend that it’s not?

Thoughts on this?

I went to vote today. Everyone should–if you’re an American, it’s your right, so you should. Anyway…

This is the first time I’ve voted at the address that I’m currently at, so I had to re-register at the poll. Not a big deal. BUT. If I was already register (like I will be for the next election), I can just go up, say “I’m Tara Pfeifer,” they find me on their list, and they give me a ballot. There would be nothing stopping YOU from going up and saying “I’m Tara Pfeifer” and them giving you my ballot. How is an ID not required to vote?? Neill mentioned that he heard that people thought that requiring an ID would oppress poor people or something. Come on. ANYONE can go get an ID. You NEED an ID to do just about anything nowadays, don’t you?

Does anyone else think this is absolutely stupid? Is this just a Wisconsin thing, or is it nationwide?

I’m sure by now that most of you have heard of the Colorado school shootings. If not, here’s a link to catch you up with things.

This sort of stuff just makes me sick though. First of all, because schools are supposed to be a safe place to go to to learn. I don’t remember ever feeling unsafe when I went to school. I saw a few fights, but in a public school of 2000 students, I can’t imagine that is that uncommon. But it didn’t make me fear for my life. Nowadays, so many students have to go through metal detectors or get frisked when going to school. Has society really come to that? Obviously so when you see events like this Colorado shooting, but still. It’s sad.

The details of this latest shooting though just make my heart churn. What kind of grown man goes into a school picks out teenage girls to sexually assult them and traumatize them with who knows what? Then uses one as a human shield when police decide to put a stop to things. These poor, poor kids in this school. I would never wish this on anyone. And what a coward to kill himself afterwards.

Does anyone else have thoughts on this?

UPDATE: Turns out this is hitting close to home too:

FRIDAY, Sept. 29, 2006, 9:41 a.m.
By Associated Press

Principal shot at Cazenovia school
Cazenovia - The principal at Weston School was shot this morning by a former student who entered the school armed with multiple weapons, WKOW-TV reported.

The district told WKOW that Principal John Klang was shot, but would not confirm his condition. The station reported that the school is in lockdown.

Richland County Sheriff Chief Deputy Tom Hougan was at the scene outside the school.

“The students are safe,” Hougan said. “The scene is secure.”

Richland County is in southwest Wisconsin.