Public Masturbation

Rectifying a Karmic Mistake

2009-04-16T00:49:00.003-04:00

I know I said hiatus, but there is but one obsession in my life. That which will make me drop all other things, and sit at rapt attention. Hockey. Call it what you will, but I am still in love with the game that is my first memory. That game was the Hershey Bears against my favorite team of all time, the Adirondack Red Wings. When I moved as a child away from the Adirondacks and the Red Wings departed for Grand Rapids, I switched my allegiance to their parent team the Detroit Red Wings. It has been the only consistently amazing run in luck of my life outside of my family, and the reason their logo will be my next tattoo.

However, here I am at 26 years old, having seen numerous Major League Baseball games; quite a few NFL games; and even a Wizards playoff game against the Cavs (with amazing seats courtesy of Brigitte Bardot) and yet, I have have never once seen my favorite sport beyond the minor league level*. Tonight, that changed thanks to an extra seat from the Fat Man's Wife, The Environmentalist who had an extra ticket and insisted that I go with her when he could not come to the Caps v. Rangers game. Though the home team lost, I can still not stop smiling. I am praying for a Caps v. Wings final, though I don't believe either will make it that far. Now, for all of you who are still paying attention, my picks for the first round of the NHL playoffs

Boston Bruins (1) vs. Montreal Canadiens (8) - In what could be one of the most compelling series in a long time these Original Six Blood Enemies have had one of the most vicious rivalries in sports. Forget what you heard about the Packers and the Bears or the Redskins and Cowboys. The Yankees and Red Sox? They can't even try to hurt each other. The Canadiens are in their Centennial year, do you think the winningest franchise in Hockey (second only to the Yankees in all of professional sport) doesn't want to win against their loathsome enemy? The last game of the season for both was against the other in a preview of what will be a hard hitting, high finesse game. Bruins in 7 ugly games

Washington Capitals (2) vs. New York Rangers (7) - The Caps face the unenviable spot of the feared 2 vs. 5 upset. They outplayed and outshot the Rangers for the vast majority of the game, but faced much better goaltending. The Capitals are a hot pick and who wouldn't be when you have the most exciting player in hockey and one of my favorite players of all time Sergei Federov. Their greatest problem all season came from a defense that is young and high scoring but not yet responsible enough to be great (give it 2 years) and a goaltender that gives up terrible rebounds and soft, top shelf goals when he lets himself lapse. Which basically occurs any time he's not in a contract year. Bruce Boudreau needs to let his young Defensemen pinch in a little more to create better chances. Sean Avery has already picked his target for this series and it's going to be Nicklas Backstrom. Several times during the game Avery went after Backstrom and tried to get under his skin. Watch for Backstrom or Brasher (when he gets back from injury) to take on the Terrell Owens of Hockey. The Caps still win this one, in six

New Jersey Devils (3) vs. Carolina Hurricanes (6) - I think the Devils are the team to beat in the East. Martin Brodeur is proving that he may indeed be the best goaltender of all time on a team that can finally score goals. With backup Kevin Weekes gone to injury the Devils will be backstopped by the man who took over for Brodeur and proved to be, incidentally, amazing Scott Clemenson. A Devils team that can score? Jersey in 4, and I like the Hurricanes

Philadelphia Flyers (4) vs. Pittsburgh Penguins (5) The battle of Pennsylvania. A familiar first round matchup for the Flyers. The most balanced scoring attack in Hockey with six 20+ goal scorers against two of the top three scorers in the league, a bunch of young grinders and an overhyped French-Canadian Goalie. Same result as last time, much to the chagrin of Gary Bettman: Broad Street Bullies in 6

San Jose Sharks (1) vs. Anaheim Ducks(8) - The battle of California. There, but for the grace of God go I. The best team in the NHL this year against the best team of the last month and most brutal team in the league the Ducks. The Ducks will Stalwart Hall of Fame goalie Jean Sebastian Giguere in favor of the hot, young Ike Hilliard as their goalie against workhourse Evgeni Nabokov. I see the Sharks winning this one in 6, maybe 7, if they can get it done earlier it would help them a lot. A drawn out series against the Ducks could spell long term disaster for their Stanley Cup hopes.

Detroit Red Wings (2) vs. Columbus Blue Jackets (7) - I have not seen the fire in the belly from this team that is necessary for them to repeat as champions. Nick Lidstrom is not his usual self and the defense has suffered as a result. The addition of Hossa has disrupted the chemistry of Datsyuk and Zetterberg. Datsyuk should be in the running with Malkin and Ovechkin for Hart Trophy (MVP) consideration and he is without a doubt the most complete player in the league. Pavel has simply become the most complete player in the league. He is small by Hockey standards which allows him to Deke through any defense, but it his ability to saucer pass perfectly; rack up minutes that number one defensemen on most teams would find daunting thanks to his Penalty Kill and Power Play time; who plays so well defensively that he is the reigning Selke Trophy (best defensive forward) winner, leads his team in hits yet has won the Lady Bing (sportsmanlike conduct) for three years in a row. That said, the magic he created with Hank last season seems to be gone by splitting them up amidst the worry that Hossa and Franzen would not work well together given their both being free agents fighting between the two of them for the remaining Salary Cap room. The much more natural line alignment would be last year's number one line of Holmstrom, Zetterberg, Datsyuk with a number two Franzen, Cleary and Hossa. Hopefully Franzen's new deal will alleviate some of that and Marian can decide to stay or go. I don't like the length of the contract (11 years) for someone who has often been injured. I was only sort of alright with the Zetterberg 12 year contract. They are handicapping themselves to a future that looks mighty ugly if the salary cap decreases and/or those players don't achieve Chelios levels of longevity. When the team can't afford to invest in a halfway decent goalie to compliment their team they can't have that many big contracts on long term

I'm off my soap box now and though I don't like my teams chances to win The Cup unless the schedule breaks their way I do like them to win this series. It will be a lot tougher than people think. This is the first trip to the playoffs in Blue Jackets history and Rick Nash deserves it. Backed by Calder Trophy (best rookie) winner Steve Mason the Jackets are looking to take a run at making Ohio vs. Michigan more than just a college football rivalry. Detroit has come in heavily favored and run into a buzzsaw of a hot young goalie before (see Irbe, Arture; Giguere, Jean Sebastian) and their goaltending leaves much to be desired. The close travel schedule and inexperienced opponent should allow the Wings to take this one in 5

Vancouver Canucks (3) vs. St. Louis Blues (6) - The Blues have been red hot lately ending their playoff drought and sprinting into the playoffs. Their rookie goalie named Mason (Chris in this case) ought to also be considered for Calder winner but their team is lead by gritty veterans and hard hitting youngsters. Vancouver has one of the best goalies in the game, twins who are in a contract year and incredibly gifted players, and a Hall of Fame level, veteran power forward who is rested because he only played a half year this year. Nucks in 5

Chicago Blackhawks (4) vs. Calgary Flames (5) - Youth and a tolerant coaching style against experience and a Gordon Ramsey approach behind the bench makes this a Yin and Yang Series. The Blackhawks brought in Cristobal Huet and watched him dry up like so many Patrick Roy impersonators (see Theodore, Jose) but cause that arrival to stimulate Nikolai Khabibulin to start acting like the goalie they signed away from Cup Champion Tampa Bay five years ago. The Bulin Wall wins this battle against the overworked Mikka Kiprisoff. Hawks in 6

*I can't believe you read all of this. By some random sort of kizmet the last game I saw live was the Rochester Amerks, then coached by current Rangers coach John Torterella against the current Caps farm team and aforementioned Hershey Bears. As fortune would have it Torterella won both matches.

Hiatus

2009-04-11T13:46:00.003-04:00

Today will be my 12th straight day of work, and next week we start opening for lunch which means double shifts 6 days a week. I was supposed to have my only day off this week on Sunday, after switching with someone, but then she got fired last night so now my only day off this week is gone. And there is that whole trying to find a new apartment thing, made more difficult by The Canadienne being unable to room with me as was the plan. All of that is keeping me from having the time necessary to devote to this blog and a lot of other things in my life. So I'm going to have to let my already anemic posting rate slip to nill for a little bit.

Thanks to all of you for your patience, good thoughts and continued readership. I'll try and keep it as short as possible.

The Fightin' 25th!

2009-04-08T13:36:00.002-04:00

New York's 25th District is represented by Dan Maffei and is near to my own home district in Western NY. Foolishly and funnily Rep. Maffei agreed to be interviewed by Stephen Colbert for his Better Know a District series. I appreciated this interview and some of its local trivia. Bonus: NAMBLA Reference!

An Early Easter Gift From the Internet

2009-04-08T13:30:00.000-04:00

2009-04-08T12:59:00.002-04:00

It was my one day off this week, and I still had to go to work for menu classes for when we start doing lunch next week. All that means is that the 6 days at 9 hours a day is about to become 6 days at 14-15 hours a day next week until we get sufficiently staffed to handle the restaurant. I return to the apartment to see that the landlords have paid a visit to my roomate's room, threatening him with small claims court and to throw his stuff out into the street and to show they were serious slashing his air mattress open. Or should I say my air mattress. Certainly they have every right to be furious with the Black Poodle, but I refuse to be caught in the middle of this, especially should it come to my things being tossed into the street.

I try to calm down and take care of the numerous things that need doing, apartment searching, laundry, beginning to pack again two months after unpacking (ugh) and even manage to get to bed early in hopes of offsetting the increasingly Rhianna-like bags under my eyes (too soon?). Alas it wasn't to be. One of the other tenants warned me that they would attempt to make our lives miserable and the never ending parade of stomping boots and moving furniture that has begun upstairs coupled with theloud music with heavy bass left on all night shows they are serious and non-discriminatory. After awhile I manage to fall asleep only to hear the Black Poodle and Landlord #1 (who he had called down to explain the slashed bed and note addressed "Dear FuckFace") screaming at each other. It was truly enthralling to hear them scream back and forth about how everyone had warned each of them (some of the same people on both sides) not to live with the other because of their various reputations and how everyone was concerned with my feelings and not screwing me over (as though their various behaviours had nothing to do with what got us here instead of everything).

Now my potential new roomate is having visa troubles and I'm stuck trying to figure out where to go from here. I'm happy to be leaving I just wish I had more time to prepare for it. At least I have Sunday off. Not sure what I will do with my Easter, but I'm hoping it will be relaxing and peaceful, I certainly need it

2009-04-03T12:48:00.004-04:00

Thoughts and prayers to those who are being held hostage or have been shot in Binghamton. I just can't wait for that certain set of Right Wingers to start screaming about how this is God's Wrath for the mayor's decision four years ago to push his city to the forefront of legalizing gay marriage. But then again, they probably can't wait for me to start talking gun control after this. None of that is important now though, that is first and foremost the safety of those in that building.

TAIF - Thank Adonis It's Friday

2009-04-03T11:23:00.004-04:00

More importantly, thank the Iowa Supreme Court on this Friday for it's unanimous decision overturning the state's ten year ban on same sex marriages. Just so everyone knows, Freakazoid is ok, and even better my old friend The Jersey Queen will be joining me at my new restaurant, with his first day of training today.

36 Hours in DC

Amazing Satellite Views

Puns from Toronto

Flickr pool of people reenacting Far Side Cartoons

The Weird Picture Archive

Some cool tools for organizing your music collection

Regional Foods from around the country

Kermit Sings The Talking Heads

Snow White set to Daft Punk

April Fools was this week, in that honor, one of the coolest and most successful pranks ever. The BBC ran this report about the Spaghetti Harvest in Italy. Yeah, you read that right

I don't think my Wings will win the Stanley Cup this year, the passion (and more importantly goaltending) hasn't been there this year. That doesn't mean they don't have a chance, just that they aren't playing with the focus and determination of last year. That said, this goal from last night is friggin sweet.

Death Treads Lightly Collecting in Threes

2009-04-02T13:53:00.003-04:00

Thumbs Down to Me for no Thursday thumbs again this week.

But I do have one of my only-to-me stories to tell.

Among the waiters and bartenders that left the old gig for the new we also snatched some of the better busboys, chief among them Babylove. He reminds me of my first best friend Mike. Both were strong, easy-going, big hearted and did what they had to do to ensure their family's survival. Babylove, like Mike had an absent father and lost his mother this week to cancer, so I agreed to go out drinking with him and some other people from work. All was fun and games, dancing, drinking good times and we decided to head back to our place afterwards for some afterpartying with Babylove, Hostess Mostess, Black Poodle and Freakazoid (another busboy).

Around 3 Babylove and Freakazoid decided to leave and asked if I could walk them out to hail a taxi (much easier for the gringo). Babylove and I are talking when Freakazoid starts grabbing his chest, his eyes rolling back into his head and his breathing becomes labored. We're unsure what to do but decide to try and take him to the Hospital. We grab him under each shoulder and start dragging him along. After 3 blocks he says he cannot go any farther, so I decide to try and get someone to help (I'd left my phone in the apt thinking I'd just be gone for a second).

I flagged down a taxi, but when I told him where I needed to go he floored it, running right over my foot. Ass. No one was stopping and I was getting increasingly frantic. I tried running in the middle of the street so they'd have to stop, or someone would call the cops on me and I could get them to help. Finally, a man in a nice car pulls over and asks me what the problem is. I explain the situation and he starts driving back in the direction of Freakazoid and Babylove. "So your friend is really hurt?" he says "Yes," I say, my voice starting to break in panic as I think of him dying from something as simple as an asthma attack.

"Easy sweetheart, we'll get your 'friend' some help," he says as he reaches over and strokes my cheek.
"What the Fuck man, I'm serious. Let me out of the car."
"I was just joking, come on, we're almost there"
"No, I'm sorry I wasted your time, but I need to get my friend some help"
"Look, we'll get your friend some help and then you can repay me for my kindness"
"I'm getting out now"

So I leave and start running back to where they were, and they are nowhere to be seen. I run home to get my phone and try calling Babylove, but there is no answer. Uneasily I give up and try for elusive sleep, but the only thing running through my recently rattled mind was if I had just seen someone dying again. Today, I'll find out whethere he lived or died as I go back in to work.

SURPRISE!

2009-03-29T10:29:00.004-04:00

I'm beat tired and not in the weeds, but definitely busier than my frazzled brain is willing to deal with. I look over and groan a little inside as the hostess seats me another table. That lady looks like my Aunt I think, I approach and it is her, but not just her, my parents are there. They flew into DC for a day and a half to surprise me for my birthday. I was so shocked and happy, it was exactly what I needed and by far the best birthday present I could get.

This morning I met them for brunch/cherry blossom walk/museum trip and it was splendid. The weather which had been threatening and been listed as possible thunderstorms broke into beautiful sunshine and warmth just as we were beginning to walk around the Tidal Basin. A goodbye to what has been a shitty year and hello to a new one that will, I hope, be better. Twenty-five, you sucked ass. Twenty-six, I hope you're better.

THIF - Thank Hesita It's Friday

2009-03-27T13:51:00.003-04:00

I'm still pretty pissed about the eviction notice, but I have a meeting with one of the landlords this afternoon to try and get to an agreement. So this weeks flog is dedicated to Hestia, the goddess of house and home.

One of the most awesome TV shows ever created was Cosmos with Carl Sagan. Now, all the episodes are available on hulu!

Awesome tilt-shift/time lapse video

50 strange buildings

Debunking the myths about Guinness

Get an email that tells you when your favorite shows are on or new books and music from your favorite author or band from this site

Correspondence between Ghandi and Einstein. Incredible.

Thru-you remixes and mashes up youtube videos and makes some pretty good music with them

A neat collection of dialect maps

How to make sound effects

an ongoing project to cover all Beatles songs on ukelele

Tits or GTFO

2009-03-27T02:09:00.002-04:00

As has been mentioned before, my living situation has become entirely ridiculous. It went beyond that yesterday. A day after I had to wake up at 7 to go down and put the bills in my name (because pepco blows) I was handed an eviction notice at my job. Yes, my roomate is a month behind on the rent, which was a known commodity before we ever moved in. That I had to find out because my manager handed me my notice of eviction is beyond ridiculous.

So here I sit, trying to figure out what the hell my life has become, and where I'm going to live. I was planning on moving the rest of my stuff out of storage tomorrow, and now I'm looking for a new apartment. Happy Birthday me!

If it wasn't for bad luck, I'd have no luck at all.

Per a Request

2009-03-19T12:32:00.004-04:00

What a fiasco this AIG mess has become. I'm pretty livid about this bonus situation, but not in the way you might think. AIG has, so far, received over $173 Billion dollars in Federal Bailout money. While I think that's a hugely, terribly large amount of money for the people who screwed this up, the bonus money that is being distributed amounts to $165 Million. That is less than 0.1% of the total money given to AIG. I would love to know who got how much of that money and it would be a great step towards atonement for those who received excessive bonuses give much of it back (fat chance) or sent to prison for criminal negligence and greed. The real culprit in all this are the people who set them up for the fall.

However, what is really bothering me about this whole situation is the grandstanding on Capitol Hill. It's not like these concerns were not voiced when the original bailout was passed. The Republicans and some Democrats who insisted that the bonus structure needed to remain in place to prevent brain drain, which wouldn't have necessarily been a bad thing, then spent the next 4 months building a repugnant media meme of the elite "going Galt" (and forcing me to listen to cultic Rand devotees) without their bonuses. Surprise! They took their bonuses! Now these same politicians who, a week ago, were talking of a Galtian uprising of the elites who would take their private jets and go home, are screaming populism and disgust and why should the American people give bonuses to the affluent bastards who started this problem.

This is the ultimate result of Reagan/Bush Republicanism. Greenspan et al act surprised when these people act greedily, when they set up the deregulation and weakening of oversight to such a degree that it set up this mess. In the hothouse cooker of Wall St. where the fertilizer is the mantra that "Greed is Good" and every banking toolbag with a sense of entitlement competes to be the tallest, to block out the weaker ones they act surprised when some people evolve a reckless abandon for the rules. The dark dirty secret of all these Creationism spouting politicians in the GOP is that they believe in (Social) Darwinism and it is the core of their economic and social creed. There is, of course, some merit in that philosophy when it occupies a portion of the political spectrum, not a greedy majority. The problem is that the worship at the altar of an unfettered economy is no longer a single party phenomenon. About half of the Democratic Caucus supplicates itself to demands for unreasonably low taxes on the superwealthy and the elimination of regulation and oversight. It is the natural outgrowth of the Clinton, DLC, triangulation, sucking up to business and their campaign dollars to compete with the Republicans. This has left the country without a check on the excess of the business class. When one goes too far in one direction it must, inevitably come back, and the question now is will it come back in time to save us from a massive depression.

I'm not shocked at the elements hypocrisy, greed and self-aggrandizement, it's been obvious for years, I'm just tired of it. I'm not shocked at the results of such greed, vanity and stupidity, it's been obvious for years, I'm just tired of it. I would like to know how much voice Obama had in the bailout specifics because it all happened during the lame-duck period. I'm sure there was at least some deference to his preferences and clearly not all the information was passed over. But I do know that he is still cautious enough as a politician to have talked a slightly bigger game on repudiating money and influence than he has thus far been able to or want to achieve. Even with his army of support and gobs of money he will not be the Socialist he is made out to be.

So, let them have their bonuses, for many it's the only paycheck they're going to get. But you cannot cry foul when you left it in the rules that they could have them. You cannot score political points on failing to fix the mess you created in the first place. Something has to change in the Political-Economic complex in Washington and it's bigger than AIG, Bernie Madoff, Bear Stearns or Citibank. The cause aren't the firms that stretched too far, it's endemic and until that changes we will always have these problems.

2009-03-18T12:24:00.002-04:00

Tom Hanks and Dan Aykroyd were in a movie based on Dragnet in the 80s. To promote the film they created this rap video. You're welcome. Even better they got Aykroyd's name wrong.

Post about last night's ridiculousness is coming. Including such highlights as Yes, NoVa is still The South and a metro worker is actually helpful!

Tunesday Tunes - Luck 'O The Irish Edition

2009-03-17T10:41:00.005-04:00

Dropkick Murphy's - Amazing Grace Anyone who's been out drinking with me at a place with a jukebox has probably heard me play this kickass version of an overused Irish Staple

Johnny Cash - Oh Danny Boy Johnny Cash does it again, turning a classic into his own

Flogging Molly - Drunken Lullabies (2nd track)

U2 - Whiskey In The Jar (Live in Dublin) Live sing-a-long so less Bono doucheyness than usual

Flogging Molly - Rebels of The Sacred Heart

Metallica - Whiskey In The Jar

Keltic Cowboys - Kiss My Irish Ass

Bing Crosby - When Irish Eyes Are Smiling

Flogging Molly - Fuck You I'm Drunk

The Greatest Sin is To Not Live

2009-03-15T10:46:00.003-04:00

When the heart weeps for what it has lost,
the soul laughs for what it has found.
~ Sufi aphorism

The call came as I prepared to leave work after a 12 hour day. "We don't know who you are, but our daughter has been calling you a lot lately and we thought you should know." With that simple sentence a whole world of misery came flooding back. I've been here before, and I don't like it. The details come through the phone, but I don't hear them. My mind is reeling with the implication. A life gone. A life gone before its time. A talented, beautiful, intelligent life gone.

Everyone is so afraid of death, but the real sufis just laugh: nothing tyrannizes their hearts. What strikes the oyster shell does not damage the pearl.
~ Jalalu'l-Din Rumi, Sufi Philosopher

There are things in this life that make us pause and consider how fleeting life is. We rush through life trying to eke out a living, not realizing that we often lose the precious gift that each moment is. We believe they will always be there and that we will catch them later. We lose ourselves in the mundanity of being, without appreciating life's bounty. We often risk it all for what, in retrospect, is nothing.

Goodbye my Persian Princess.

2009-03-14T02:42:00.000-04:00

Happy Steak and Blowjob/Pi/Einstein's Birthday

2009-03-13T10:45:00.001-04:00

Sorry, no link flog this week. Ive got way too much on my plate learning new things for the new job and other things going on in my life.

Which brings me to Thumbs Down to the Universe for the big WTF you just tossed my way.

Nemesis

2009-03-10T21:55:00.002-04:00

Do you know what "nemesis" means? A righteous infliction of retribution manifested by an appropriate agent. Personified in this case by an 'orrible cunt... me.
-Brick Top, Snatch

Today was day one of menu training for the new restaurant which meant a charming rundown of the first half of the wine list (250 Bottles). My college education (read sitting through extended boring lectures) had prepared me for the three hour presentation on Italian Reds. But that was not the problem. Making my way back to the metro I stopped short, there again was the crazy Anti-German lady.

Fuck, she saw me. DEUTSCHLAND DEUTSCHLAND UBER ALLES she started scream/singing at me and started walking towards me. Lovely. I turned tail and began walking in the opposite direction pretending that in the middle of downtown, rush hour Washington I wasn't being chased by a toothless lady chanting the Nazi National Anthem at me. Anyone know of a nearby pig farm?

2009-03-09T00:20:00.002-04:00

Gene Weingarten is the Washington Post's Sunday Magazine humorist and one of the most gifted writers I have ever read. Usually he is light hearted and hilarious but when he does a serious piece I generally take notice as it is invariably incredible. Today while I was out and about I saw four different people absolutely gripped to reading this article about accidental child death in cars. It is heart rending and difficult to read but absolutely worht it.

TAIF - Thank Angerona It's Friday

2009-03-06T14:35:00.004-05:00

Angerona is the Roman Goddess in charge of dispelling emotional trauma. She is also known as Volupia. That's all I have time for before I have to go to work. Enjoy.

24 hours at Abbey Road

Evolution of the American Household

Hockey fights are a dime a dozen, paraplegic sledge hockey fights, that's awesome

Mr. Rogers breakdances

Most pointless website, but a great sound effect

Lego NY

Notes from Mom

How to drink for cheap, while still drinking well

Beer Bottle Dominos

Great Satellite views of earth

Thursday Thumbs vol XXXVI -

2009-03-05T13:05:00.004-05:00

Thumbs Up to Pope Benedict XVI for his recent ruling that Evolution, and indeed all scientific thought, is not mutually exclusive of religion. This is an enlightened approach that is long overdue. I still disagree with what much of the former Cardinal Ratzinger has done, but on this matter he is in the right.

Thumbs Down to Michael Jackson, or whatever is left of what used to be Michael Jackson, for announcing a new tour. Seriously dude, just give it up. Retire with your dwindling savings, sell the Beatles cataloge back to Sir Paul and live in your own world. Stop the Crazy!

Thumbs Up to the New York State Senate, which is finally under Democratic control and is poised to repeal the states noxious Rockefeller Drug laws, the most stringent and oppressive in the nation.

Thumbs Up to Big Love on HBO, a recent storyline had the cast on a families vacation to Palmyra, NY for the Hill Cumorah Paegant. As has been mentioned I hail from Western NY so it was quite the pleasure to see them visiting the founding area of Mormonism and an even better surprise to see how well they did their research. Playing in the background of one scene was the most popular local news station (WHAM 13) and their weatherman Doug Johnson. Most wouldn't notice, but it's that sort of attention to accuracy that I applaud.

Thumbs Up to the International Criminal Court for issuing an arrest warrant on genocide charges against Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir. It is long overdue and will hopefully galvanize some sort of concerted action on the part of world powers. I shan't however, hold my breath.

Thumbs Up to Paul Harvey who passed away this week. I may not have always agreed with his politics, but his voice on the radio and his "rest of the story" anecdotes were always a welcome understanding that the fairy tale lives of celebrities and successful people were not always what they, at first blush, would seem. The world will miss you.

Thumbs Up to the Dallas Cowboys for releasing Terrel Owens. Enough said.

In Which Our Intrepid Hero Meets His Bizarre Destiny Again

2009-03-05T12:45:00.003-05:00

There are strange things that happen to people in their lives that they remember as stand out bizarre moments. Usually however, such events are limited. For myself, it tends to be more frequent. I am, to put it mildly, a freak magnet. So, the blogging Gods must have decided that yesterday, in order to get me to the 500th post on this here blog, they would give me some fodder. I applied for a new job with my old manager at his new restaurant downtown. From the creators of Zola comes Potenza, 2 blocks from the White House and it's gonna be fantastic. A perfunctory interview and I am in the door and begin training next week. I'm very excited to be making money, and the fact that we're bringing the entire staff (I mean bartenders, waiters, busboys and some kitchen people too) over will be fantastic.

After my interview I walked with my old, and soon to be new again manager to Staples because they had run out of applications. As we were stopped at a crosswalk a little old lady came up to me and asked in a mild voice, "Are you German?" No, I replied (though that isn't strictly true, I am 1/4 German, but those came over in 1848) "YES YOU ARE, I HATE THE FUCKING GERMANS," She screamed as her tongue ran over the three remaining, blackened and broken teeth on her bottom jaw. "I turned away to avoid the crazy but she ran around in front of me, dragging her cart along and cursing at me in a language I couldn't identify (because of rage and lack of diction). "Get out of here" my manager said. "Stay out of this Italy" she fumed, correctly surmising his ethnicity. Then she returned to poking me in the chest. I backed away and she spit on me.

Yes, a little old lady spit on me. And it was still a good day.

My manager started laughing hysterically. Thankfully I noticed the light had changed and I grabbed him by the arm and dragged him across the street. I survived the rest of the day without being spit on by anyone else.

Tunesday Tracks - Everyone Get Funky

2009-03-03T18:18:00.003-05:00

I know it's been awhile since I posted up some music for you all to listen to, so I'm gonna take this chance to kick it retro style and give you all some funkified love for this Tuesday

Earth, Wind & Fire - Let's Groove Tonight

Hot Chocolate - You Sexy Thing (I Believe in Miracles)

Kool & The Gange - Get Down On It

The Commodores - Brick House

Rick James - Super Freak

Kool & The Gang - Jungle Boogie

Stevie Wonder - Master Blaster (Jammin')

Fat Larry's Band - Act Like You Know

The Five Stairsteps - Ooh Child

The Detriot Spinners - Ghetto Child

The Main Event?

2009-03-03T17:49:00.003-05:00

t is tough for a party that is in the political wilderness, hanging onto any power by one single vote, to get its message out to the people. There is no single leader of the Republican Party out there. Boehner is a third rate actor playing Hamlet. McConnell a doddering grandpa who only benefits from having Harry Reid as a counterpoint. Michael Steele has done his best to make himself a caricature. Sarah Palin is a caricature. Mitt Romney has proved himself to be good at saying 'I told you so,' but not much else and Bobby Jindal so botched his national rollout that he won't be the go-to guy for awhile. Newt Gingrich seems the most likely, though his "new ideas" are almost 2 decades old now. Others who could step up have chosen not to just yet, recognizing the political quicksand the Republican Party has found itself in.

Enter the one Republican who is willing to scream unabashedly that the movement isn't dead and that the GOP just needs to rally round the flag (it's own, the national flag is less important to them than power). Yes Virginia, Rush Limbaugh is back. After 8 years of not having anyone to pick on El Rushbo wants to prove he's the only one with the stones to take on Obama and the Democrats. His comments that he hopes Obama, and by extension, America fails is the kind of unpatriotic talk that he has often falsely attributed to Democrats. Were it Keith Olberman who had said such things there would be a national lynch mob whipped into a frenzy exactly by Mr. Limbaugh and his ilk. Yet he gets a free pass, largely based on his longstanding meme of media bias making many afraid to touch him. Few people could survive the scandals he has and remain in his position of prominence. He's recent speeches at CPAC have positioned him as the leader of the Republican Party in exile.

Mr. Obama and the Democrats are more than happy to pick that particular battle, realizing that Rush's outlandish attention whoring and radical views will alienate more than it informs and captures. However, they must do this in an intelligent way, it is beneath the dignity of the President to take on a radio yakker, as Mr. Obama did this past week. They must also realize that the taubla rasa of people's minds that allowed them to reach the Presidency is the same that has allowed Rush to accrue such a large and vhement following. By sinking to his level they run the risk of giving up the high ground that they automatically assume will always be theirs. There is a reason that Mr. Limbaugh has been around so long and that his glory years were during the reign of the previous, and also very popular, Democratic President. So yes, elevate Mr. Limbaugh to be the voice of the GOP, that is a long-term winner of a strategy, but don't debate or bash him. Let him do his own damage. The recent Republican kow-towing after mildly critical comments show that he has more power among the Republican base than among the general public. Don't set it up as a Rush vs. The Dems, or Rush vs. Obama, that gives him to much credit. Make the battle Rush vs. Common Sense and Patriotism and you will win in the long run.

2009-03-03T17:36:00.002-05:00

I am rather ambivalent about President Obama's (that still feels good to say/write) pick of Kathleen Sebellius as head of HHS. I like Sebellius, and indeed she would've been one of my leading choices to be VP for Obama, and was very excited at the prospect of her challenging for a Senate seat and helping to replace some of the Democratic Brain Drain that has gone on there while taking away a reliably Republican seat. I think she is an excellent administrator and will serve admirably.

However, there are two things I don't like about the Sebellius pick. The first is that she is the only Democrat who could win the Senate seat from Kansas, which I think is almost more valuable than having her at HHS . The Second is that she is not Tom Daschle. Now, I've never been a Daschle fan, but the man has the largest political base of any Democrat not named Clinton in Washington. There are many people who are indebted to him for their political lives and though I never really liked him as majority leader, he does have knowledge of the institution that would have been vital in passing something as controversial (at least to the Republican leadership) as sweeping healthcare reform. While Sebellius does indeed have years of experience working with a hostile Republican opposition her experience isn't in this particular brand of partisan infighting and these Republicans won't be afraid to slam her as best they can.

It's somewhat annoying that I'm displeased with the nomination of a Democrat I'm really high on and think has a big future in the party while I'm lamenting the loss of one I never particularly liked and always thought was overrated. But sometimes politics makes for odd situations like that. But I think Healthcare reform is so long overdue for the sake of both our citizens and our economy that I'm applauding anyone who I think can get the job done.