Snarky Tom's Rants, Raves and Ruminations

It's unlike me to post a book review. However, my late sister was well known to read and write reviews often. Here's my review of JK Rowling's Casual Vacancy. I promise I won't give away any plot points or anything. I must insist that you read it. Give it time because the first half of the book is a long uphill trek, but it's worth it once you get to the top and start the slide down to the finish. The Review : It was a bit slow and tedious at first. Nothing like the Potter series. But it became quite interesting and riveting half way through. JK spend a lot of time, paper and ink on developing the characters. And there were many characters about thirty. However, I hated every main character. The ones that were included but had no banter or real involvement could not be held accountable. Hated. When I said, I HATED the characters, I really, really, really mean I HATED every character. Usually I can find a character or two to relate to and like but not here. Every...

Okay. A few months ago, I had $100 burning a hole in my pocket more like a-moldering in the bank. I spent it on DNA testing. The results are here . I decided I wanted a second opinion. Yes, like when a doctor tells you you're sick and you ask for a second opinion and then she tells you you're stupid too. That type of second opinion. I found another $100 doing nothing for me, so I put it to work. This time with 23andMe. After several weeks, I have results. I like these results better, like when the "Quack" says there's nothing wrong with you even when limbs are falling off. These results actually make more sense based on what I've learned about my heritage in the past. First, I have no Middle Eastern or Indian (India) blood (DNA). (That doesn't mean if you piss me off that I won't go all Jihad on your ass.) Second, 4% seems a lot of Indian for a very white guy. Lastly, these new results, I believe, state a more accurate, realistic me. I'm 99.9% Eu...

Hello. I’m back. From where? Nowhere, really. I just haven’t been in the mood to rant, rave, entertain or write. Today, I’ll make the exception. I have been very busy. After thirteen years, I sold my house and moved out of Philadelphia to the ‘burbs. I still work in Center City. So, I commute to Philadelphia every day via an hour-long train ride (twice the distance and time as before) and still deal with the same assholishness that is Philadelphia and Philadelphians. As I believe in the scientific principle of magnetism (Opposites attract), I must be a magnet for assholes and shitheads. (Because we know, I’m no asshole.) Unfortunately, I continue to meet up with the like still. Just a new bunch. Suburban assholes. Well, enough about that. I knew with my move and downsizing that I would have to be rid of a lot of excess furniture, etc. And most of my stuff is less than ten years old, good quality and in very good condition. I thought a Yard Sale might bring me a few dollars. I adve...

The USA was born in war. We've spent more time fighting other nations and peoples than we've had time to enjoy the freedoms we fought for in our first war. Let's look at our timeline. 1776-83 - USA is born and we've been fighting the British and their supporters since 1775. 1776-95 - Chicamunga War with the Cherokee in the Old Southwest that today are the states of Missouri, Mississippi, Arkansas, Louisiana, Texas, and parts of Tennessee, Kentucky and Florida. 1785-93 - Northwest Indian War where the Brits were mucking about again. This time in what is now Ohio, Indiana and Michigan, basically the lands around the Ohio River. The Brits lost...again. 1786-87 - Shay's Rebellion. Basically an armed anti-government uprising by a bunch of unhappy schmucks in Massachusetts. They lost too. 1791-94 - Whiskey Rebellion. Western Pennsylvania. A group of angry (most likely drunk) anti-tax rebels. A protest that got violent for several years over the disagreement of ...

Well, this is correct, if we are to believe what AncestoryDNA from Ancestory.com's analysis results claim. I'll reveal more shortly. First, I'd like to take you on the journey I took to get to these results. First, I pondered this for over a year. Should I spend the $100, precisely $108.50 to ascertain my heritage. Finally, after a year of deliberation, I decided to bite the bullet. Step One. I went online and ordered my test kit. This was November 12th, 2015. Within two days I received an email alerting me that my kit was on its way. Over the next few days, I checked back via the UPS tracking site. My 0.345 pound package was shipped on November 14th. By November 16th my package was in Philadelphia, where I live. Later that morning it was in Bridgeport, NJ. [Wait. What??] By the afternoon, it was back in Philadelphia. [That's more like it.] By the 17th, it was in The Bronx, NY. [WTF??? How in hell did that happen?] Well, Ancestory.com ships via UPS Mail Innovations ...