A message for Kerry, Boxer and Kennedy

What are Boxer, Kerry, and ole Teddy going to say now? First they'll say, the obvious: The war isn't over there is still long time to go and we need to get our boys out of there as soon as possible. Which is most likely true. I agree. We need to come home, when the job is finished. Not half assed finished but complete, like we have planned. Then Boxer and Kerry will come on sometime soon and say there was voter fraud that could have easily have been stopped that wasn't. They are going to bring up situations where voters were disenfranchised because the lines were too long and we didn't have enough voter outlets in the poorer neighborhoods of Baghdad. That the US Government could have planned better yet left voters out in the cold. They'll say this, forgetting they are anti-American and could have supported our President to ensure the job was done right. But nooooooo, they hate other country's freedoms; freedoms to vote and empower themselves. You know this is all coming out of their mouthes this week. They'll bring out some poor non-Muslim lady with nine kids who lives in Iraq that got to the voting poll late and the Shi ite Muslim controlled voter booth closed at it's stated closing time. And you know the lady doesn't work and had plenty of people to watch the kids, so she could have come to vote early in the day but didn't because she had "better things to do than wait in line". We see Boxer and Kerry pointing this out all the time in our country, right? Then they'll talk about the suicide bombers and mortar attacks that drove a few thousand people away while millions still voted and every vote placed is still counted. And those thousands of possible votes would sway the election the other way because 100% of those uncounted votes were for the other person.

I'd like to see Bush, driven into the Senate in a US Army Hummer, when the results of the elections are in. I'd like to see Bush in full military gear, step out of Hummer, shake hands with Colin Powell, Condi Rice, Donald Rumsfeld and Senator McCain. Then step up to the mic with a big grin, and say,"Democracy has won, there is a new power in Iraq, free, by the people and for the people." Say a few more warnings about the terrorists and evil regimes. Then calmly walk off, knowing full well, he has the support of the MAJORITY of the American People.

Who made the better movie?

So, who made the better movie? Why? Please respond in comments. (Simple blog of the day)

The Very Last, True Movie Hero

The Very Last, True Movie Hero

Clint Eastwood, born in 1930. Made many a movie where he kicked the hell out of evil everywere. A man who revived the western in the 60's and in the 1970's, virtually invented the crime dramas that we see today with his Dirty Harry role. A true movie genius.

I have all of his spaghetti westerns he did Sergio Leone. My favorite is the last, The Good, The Bad and the Ugly. An almost road movie, with some interesting sidekicks all for that search for that $200,000. These movies were instant classics and their low budgetness and mono soundtrack seem so real and so relevent today.

And then there are the Dirty Harry films, all 5 in a box set with the original being my favorite. Clint always played the "good guy" in this role. Sure he may have been above the law in a way, but he always showed complete and utter contempt for the bad guy. I always enjoy the build up in these movies. The scoping out of the enemy before he goes and gets his man. He sure was and still is the king of the one liners (Next to Lenny Brisco). "Oughta the way, Hammerhead".

I think, he summed up these characters he's played then and now with his role as Will Munny in Unforgiven, his western from 1992. He says, "It's a darn thing killing a man, you take away all he has, and all he ever will have." Then there is some more conversation with the young cowboy that's riding with him where the young guy is almost ashamed and says the guys they killed had it coming. Clint then says,"We all have it coming". But in this movie like the others, there is that point and he did it also in his movie Bloodwork. In Unforgiven, he grabs that whiskey bottle, and his gun, you find out what he really is and becomes that hero. And in Bloodwork, he goes to the back of the car, and get's that shotgun and instantly he is off to get the bad guy. I know Bloodwork wasn't his greatest flick, but when he went to the back of that car to get that shotgun, the old warrior came back, back from all those old movies to save the day. The guy is the master of his craft.

Which brings me to Friday, when Million Dollar Baby comes out. I think the film is going to be a very different but very good experience. The reviews for this film have been staggering. When I opened up my Entertainment Weekly last week, all I saw were A's acrossed the board. I don't even want to read anymore! I just don't want to know what its about. I just can't wait to see it.

Last week, true to form, Clint got on Michael Moore at the NBR awards. He asked Moore to avoid making him the subject of any future films and if he (Moore) showed up at his door with a camera, he'd kill him! Then he said "I mean it". He may or may not have been grinning when he said this but... Michael Moore has to ask one question to himself, "Do you feel lucky, punk?"

It's moments like these that make me proud to be a Republican. Long Live Clint!!!

The Miracle Green Herb...

The Miracle Green Herb

No you pothead, tree hugging liberals. You can't smoke this one! This is a much healthier version. It's green tea. The ancient Chinese secret remedy for many ailments. And truth be told, drinking up to 4 cups a day has actually helped an ailment of mine, headaches. It freaking works, dude.

My wife, the health nut in the house that runs marathons and incessantly studies the Japanese language, while I waste away watching tv, drinking alcohol and typing these "heart-felt posts" started me on my path to transcendental enlightenment.

I have been suffering from headaches since last March. I seemed to be going through a revolving door of doctors through planned HMO care. The original post of this blog covers my struggles and battles with those in the medical industry. (God forbid we ever go socialist) I am traditionally not into "hocus pocus" or "witch craft-like" medicines. I am more into the, Dr. Feelgood, gimme the pills and I hope they work. Job stress, turning 30, and being up-tight, jerk are most likely causes to my problems versus a physiological problem in my noggin. (Really I am a nice guy, I just play a jerk on the internet). I still however am having trouble with my ears. Don't ever join Kaiser.

I feel Green Tea has made me less tense, have more energy and allows me to concentrate. Or maybe its placebo and I have misplaced euphoria due to an unexplored bi-polar problem. Simple fact remains, I like the stuff, I am addicted and Peet's Coffee sells the good stuff. Japanese Sencha. Almost tasteless with an "seaweed" green grass after taste. Turns your pee bright yellow as well. I recommend it and promise another post on it within a month from now.
Peet's would almost be perfect, it's just that its based in Berkeley, CA, a city that doesn't take kindly to us red folk.

Sunday, Sunday, Sunday...

Let's see, what am I going to do. You have this game

Atlanta VS. Philadelphia at 12pm PST. I predict, that Atlanta will win this game. Vick is going to tear it up and it will be over by halftime. Score prediction 37-10.

Then there is this game.

Pittsburgh VS New England 3:30 PST. This one is to close to call. I like Pittsburgh but I think it will New England in the end. Look for a low(er) scoring affair due to great defense, again. But I will predict a score but not a winner 20-17, settled by a kicker.

Finally, this game.

This is the one I am waiting for.
Sacramento Kings VS San Antonio Spurs. 6pm PST Kings need this win to show they are the real deal. This will be the first big game without Doug Christie. It was tough departure but Kings will need the money in the off season to pay for Peja. This will be the first big game with Cutino Mobley. If the starters score 15 a piece like they did the other night against Lebron and the Cavs. Then I see the Kings being unstoppable. I don't predict scores for the home team.
Go Kings!!!

Contradicting Yourself

I do believe I have erred in my ways. While jumping on the political bandwagon and blasting the left and chastizing Mr. Newdow and his atheist views, I realized I picked apart a religion in a previous post that was Pro-God, even if it is sick and twisted and goes against what I believe. I noticed this today after taking my Porsche out for a Saturday morning drive in the fog. I drove around the area, stopped at Peet's Coffee and arrive home to put my toy away. When I climbed the steps to my house, there they were, like clockwork. This month's issue of Watchtower and Awake from the Jehovah's Witnesses.

So why the contradiction? Newdow, which I blasted here and here, seems to be asserting his rights afforded to him by the first amendment of the Constitution. All he is doing is saying, hey wait a second, it says here separation of church and state, why is Bush allowed to pray? (ignoring the fact that Clinton had the most prayers of any President in his first inauguration) Why does the pledge say "under God"? Yet, I am pissed when I am bothered on Saturday morning by Jehovah's Witnesses right to knock on my door and tell me I am going to burn in hell. What is the difference? Well....

There is none really if you believe in the Constitution, which I believe in, we all are afforded these rights to speak out and point out things we interpret as wrong. But can we go wrong in this belief? Mr. Newdow is saying religion has no part in government but yet is an atheist, which can be like a religion. Look at Webster's #4. Having no beliefs is a system of "beliefs". If Mr. Newdow truly didn't have beliefs, he couldn't exist. He'd have no rational thought system, he'd be like your pet dog. I don't think I am stretching it here. Saying that there is a separation of church and state is one thing, but saying a President or the Government can't do something like using a Bible to swear in goes against a belief system, not a "particular" religion. You see the majority of Americans believe in a "higher power". What the government can't do, is tell you to be a Catholic and persecute and discriminate you for being "other". Big difference. Yet, I slam the door and "avoid" Jehovah's Witnesses but I am no government and neither are they. So I am actually.... wrong at chastizing these people because they are sharing their belief system without prejudice or harm, even though they think I am going to burn in hell. Even if it is my right to speak out against them. They're sharing their viewpoint. Mr. Newdow however, is challenging the people by using the first amendment, even though our government is for the people and by the people. The "people" have spoken and are basically cool with the prayers and the swearing in, really, whether they believe it or not. Mr. Newdow is trying, whether intentionally or not, to open Pandora's Box and corrode the system of government by challenging these rights, these Constitutional rights. No one has the right to punish the people or the government by denouncing a belief system for a diffrent view, for political gain. Which really is like yelling fire in a crowd, when there is no fire. That mentality is wrong. Right or left, this is where we all agree. And I need to get over the Jehovah's Witnesses.

Boxer VS Rice

I tried real hard to find an image of Sen. Barbara Boxer, (AKA The Wicked Witch of the West) on various search engines so I can write a quick commentary on how bad she sucked while grilling Condaleeza but this image is all I came up with when I searched "WHINING DEMOCRAT" on Yahoo!.

Congratulations to Rice. Move to California in 4 years and run for senate, please!

The Jesus of Suburbia is a Lie? Part 2

Arlington National Cemetery, Government Owned.

Oh hey, you guys that agree with Michael Newdow, the doctor, lawyer, and self proclaimed Atheist from Sacramento, who sued to have it so Bush doesn't place his hand on the Bible during the inauguration because of the First Amendment's separation of church and state. (He lost by the way) Head out to Arlington in Virginia and take down those tombstones with the crosses and the Star's of David. Seriously, lets just take all those tombstones down because they have "religious symbols" on them and it's government property. You have the full support of the ACLU. Down with ceremonial burials!

That is what Michael is trying to say, right? (Read part 1 of this below)

Observations Part 7: I just wanted some @#$%ing nails and lunch!!

Ever felt like this? Driving down the road and just losing it? Yeah, that was my Sunday here in Sactown.

I helped a friend in the morning and then got back during the first game to work on a ceiling project in my basement lounge. (I am one of few Californians with a basement) I am putting plank boards up. Pine like this. Gonna look cool when finished.

Well after about 15 minutes into it I discovered I had no nails for my airgun. Well it was 11:15 or so and I figured I'd get lunch to. So I fired up the Porsche and headed out. I went down to the corner hardware store, you know the kind where people aren't friendly and wonder why they have no business. I scoured the store looking for my airgun nails and they didn't have them. Maybe if they didn't stock so many bird feeders they could have shelf space for little boxes of airgun nails. If you had a staple gun though, you'd be in luck. They were well stocked if there ever was a staple shortage. I wasted 20 minutes on this and my only other choice: Head to the orange box called Home Depot. I was braced for a crappy experience.

I get to Home Depot and have you ever walked into a store where there was mass chaos. Everyone in line looked upset. I ignored it because I was getting my nails and heading to that new, speedy, do it yourself checkstand they have. Problem though, three store cashiers were manning it. Damn, that means someone either scanned the wrong item thus breaking the flow or an invalid was using it. Both of these occured similtaneously. And there was no real line. Just a couple of people lacking some organization skills. I took charge because I am sort of a dick, and formed a line. I scanned my nails and NO I didn't need any help thank you. Damn orange aprons wasted a half an hour of my life.

Hopped in the Porsche and I decided to take the freeway back so I can head by Taco Bell. Plus I got this killer MSD Ignition setup for it and I wanted to light it up on the on ramp. We had convertible weather so I popped the top and sped my way back downtown.

This is where the fun begins and if you are a regular reader, you will remember my drive through saga. ( Read it here if you haven't) I speed around a corner to Taco Bell. I pull into the "proper" drive way instead of being a dick and pulling in through the alley, cutting everyone else off. No I follow the rules. There is a black car waiting for a spot, followed by a gold van then me.
We wait. The black car get its choice spot but then we wait... and wait. See now the people in the black car, well they are heading into Taco Bell and I am sitting behind the Gold colored waste-of-our-Natural-Resources mini van. I wait... say a minute, then another, thinking there is a car backing out I can't see. Forget it, I attempt to honk and well... I disconnected the wire a few months back so my horn doesn't work. So the top is off, and I yell, "LET'S GO!!!" and rev my motor, setting off the alarm in the black car already parked. Scared to hell, the lady in the van goes into the drive through and proceeds to order. Cool.
Not cool... She sits there for 5 minutes. Ordering? I think. Maybe Taco Bell is slow... Nah it's the weekend, the smart high school kids are working. So I wait, and wait, and play with my clutch and lightly rev my engine while the line is stacking up behind me. Boulevard of Broken Dreams, played all the way through. Some more time goes by and all I see is hand gesters, like the speaker can see. After this mini eternity, the lady starts flipping out. I mean, she is screaming at the speaker box. I am like WTF? And she SLAMS IT into reverse, nearly plowing me down into the truck behind me. Then she jet's off through the drive through out onto the street. Okay... What the hell?
I place my order, looked in my rearview and gave the it's not me nod and moved on through to pay. When I get up I ask, what the hell was with the lady in the van. The girl told me she ordered and then complained that she was pressured by the guy in the car behind her so cancelled the order.

" Seriously???" I questioned.

"I don't know," says the girl," bad day I guess. Her kid couldn't decide on food either." It was now 12:15pm. A 5 minute stop at the local hardware store with out airgun nails made me miss the 2nd and 3rd quarter of the game. I hate everyone. UGHHHH

The Jesus of Suburbia is a Lie?

Michael Newdow, doctor, lawyer, father and atheist. So what?

Somewhere in the Bill Of Rights in the Constitution of the United States it says this:

"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances."

Ok, we get it. Most people not in the US, like the people of North Korea, would love to have this right. I mean, nothing screams freedom more than this right. But, with this right, can you be completely absurd and irrational, aka an idiot. True, Mr. Newdow has the right to bring any case before the nation's courts. But do we have to put up with it?

Michael Newdow, from such 9th Circuit Court cases like this one, went out again and used his power to "petition the government" and sue, Dubya, for putting his hand on the Bible during his inaugaration. Calling this an a religous act, and subsequently, is not concurrent with the Constitution's Law for separating church and state. Being a secular yet God-fearing conservative like myself, I have one question Mr. Newdow: Who give's a rat's ass?
I mean think about it. George Washington did it 1789 and it has been done ever since. We didn't hear a peep from Newdow in all his years of being a lawyer or doctor, until now. I think maybe ten's of people actually support this guy's issues.

Mr. Newdow came to prominence when in that 9th Circuit Court case, he won an injunction to have the Pledge of Allegiance, that all school age children say at assemblies and at the start of school, to remove the words, "under God", from the text. Then it to the Supreme Court and was subsequently overturned. He originally was scrutinized for this court case because it was thought to be a ploy to get back at his ex-wife in a custody dispute over their daugther.
Dad of the year award, eh? Sue the President.

And the President, George W. Bush, is what this issue is really about. Newdow is like every other Leftocrat, a Bush hater. He is spreading hatred of this man any way he can. And as a doctor and lawyer, and some media attention, he believes he has the balls and support to do this. Beliefs based on hate do not supercede those built on faith. (My own quote)

As a consequence of our freedom that our father's fought for, I guess we'll have to put up with it. After all, with all respect to Mr. Newdow and other's like him, it is a free country.

Observations Part 6: Social Security and You (Joe American)

What the hell is your problem people? You want to go along with our President's new reform program? Yes, our own "dumbass" President Bush is real shady now. What the hell is he thinking? If you don't know or haven't followed the news, get this.... President Bush wants you to be able to decide where your hard earned Social Security Tax money goes until you retire. It get's worse, your choice is going to benefit..... YOU! The hard working tax payer that can't wait until you retire. This guy can't be real. He must be crazy. Allowing stupid Americans to take their government retirement plan and actually make money with it. All this because, Social Security, the government program for all Americans is going to run out of money in 20 some odd years. Whoa Bush... you've gone off the deep end now!

You see, back in ole 1935, during the heart of the Depression Era of the United States, American's like those above had no real future. You went to work for 15 hours a day, 6 or 7 days a week and when you got 62 years of age, you were out of luck or could not get work. So you stole money from the kids above to make ends meet. You see, you lived with your kids, who set you up in the back of the house to slowly die. A smart President came along and established something called Social Security. You and your employer would be "taxed" for your wage earnings and these earnings would give retired people money to live and eat. What a concept. You see the average American lived to be 62 so it made sense. Half made it and half didn't and America was the winner. It helped the government and the economy grow. If you were black, well, this program was not for you because sadly you lived to be 47 on average in 1935. So this program was racially biased and should have been changed long ago... Again whitey stuck it to the black man. IMO.

Well, 70 years later, due to the privitized Medical Industry and not a Socialized one, America made great advances in health care. We discovered it was not ok to smoke. You needed to eat healthy. You needed to excercise. We got paid vacations. We made great medicines and new drugs to cure a lot of diseases and man, people are freaking living forever. And well, in 1935 there was 1 working person to every 3 retired. The program made money. Well since people are living forever there are now 10 retired people to ever 1 working person. It will only get worse when the Baby Boomer generation retires. In other words, the program is out dated and no longer works.

Enter Ted Benna, Mr. 401k. This guy found a loophole in the tax code 20-some years ago. You can actually put money away in a program that earns money that you can't withdraw until retiring, that is not taxed. What a concept. And the IRS approved of this!!! And guess what? People are making more money for retirement than in Social Security even if invested in the most conservative low yield safe programs, which run at 2 to3% increases on average per year. These programs are generally aligned with the Stock and Money Markets.

Mr. Bush, our RIGHTFULLY VOTED BY MAJORITY PRESIDENT of the USA, thinks this concept would be ok to do with our Social Security money. Currently our Social Security dollars that we pay from each paycheck yield 1% a year and are deceasing! That means for every dollar you put in you get a dollar plus a penny back when you retire. Has our country ever heard of banks? But... you liberals that liked my first paragraph and have now realized I am slamming you think otherwise. You don't want people to have a say so with their money just as you don't want them to have a say so on who is President. You think money is better left in the hands of the government. (yet complain when it's pissed away on a war you don't like, run by...our government... That your leaders could change if it was so wrong!) Oh and by the way, when my Baby Boomer parents retire in a few years, you guys will want to increase taxes 27% to fix the program (I heard a local respected radio talk show guy say this today, and this guy knows what he is talking about because he is an investment banker, by trade). Good luck passing that through Congress, beeyatch!

Observations Part 5: Ragged Old Flag, Do you love it or hate it?

Ragged Old Flag

One of my all-time favorite photos of Americana. I almost think that Johnny Cash is telling something that he doesn't want you to forget. If you ever heard the song, you learn that no matter what this country does, good or bad, win or lose, right or wrong, the flag is what it was done for. It was done for us, whether we agree or not.

I write this latest edition of my running Observations series with a bit of caution and some defensiveness. You might see some of my "wit" that I hear about from you, my small audience. I started this blog page here on Blogger because it was mainly something different to do. Well it really wasn't different as there are millions of people writing millions of blogs that go anywhere the writer feels like taking you. Still as technology changes and gets easier (writing and editing code for these pages sucks) we Americans, and World Citizens can be armchair publishers or photo journalists or critics with opinions. And its the opinions where topics can get heated responses or retorts. This is where I take this latest edition.

There are tons of political commentaries all over the blogosphere. Some are quite good and some are quite terrible. The good ones come from all sides. You see there are no both sides. I came to the realization this afternoon after remembering a discussion at a drunken poker game last night. Suddenly after the third beer and the shot Crown Royal, we turned political. And it got heated and it was all about Bush's reaction to the Tsunami. I started to get involved as I do here in blogger world, when I comment on other people's thoughts; I mean, that's what you are supposed to do right?. And 5 or so minutes into it I froze. I wondered what the hell I was doing? I had pocket 7's and I was folding? Folding to get involved with the subject matter. My good friend was talking passionately and I was not making good decisions. Why? Because I disagreed with him. I made a mistake in my own situation because I chose to get involved. And guess what? I lost out on the big pot and the big chance to improve my own standing on that poker table. I was defending Bush.... "Oh the horror!"

This last election turned this country into a mess. We are so polarized in our convictions. "But wait, Steve, didn't you just say there was no 'both sides'?" Yeah I did, so why are we polarized? We are polarized because we as a country believe, whatever "right" position we take we are with the majority. And hey the majority always wins. But that's where every American citizen is wrong. If you hate the fact that President Bush is still President Bush then you are not in the majority no matter how much you believe it or read about it. If you like President Bush, there are millions who oppose you. However, there are "tons" of blogs dedicated to slagging Bush. There are people that are still in the "shock and awe" and post-election blues, demanding protests and public outcry because he won. They want recounts, they want to point out all the flaws like Barbara Boxer did on Friday. For what reason though? What purpose? They hate... Mr. Bush. What good does this hatred do for our country, our flag? What good does it do for our standing in the world community? This outcry does nothing... It's really, I dislike saying it... Un-American! Sure, Boxer has the right to do what she did, but she did it because she hates Bush, period. I for one expect every vote to count but the system is not perfect. Still I need to believe in that system for each election because it is the only one we have and it will only get better. So how then when you vote, do you know your vote counts or isn't the one that jams the machine. You don't.... you just need to believe it does count or the system is a failure. And the system isn't a true failure.... the margins of error are no where close to failure.

But it is your right. You can speak out, you can hate Bush, you can write a daily journal on how much you dislike the man and his policies and his leadership. America gives you that right. You earned by supporting America in the past and being an American now and fighting for that now.
You are so lucky to have these freedoms of speech and getting the right to have any hairstyle you want. I couldn't live in another country and neither should you Bush haters, unless you want to. But being on that side of Bush, and writing about it, you need to expect criticism from the supporters of Bush. You need to understand that we are not brainwashed, war-mongering religious zealots. Disciples of Bush. We have our gripes too. It isn't a perfect political system but it is what we have and I wouldn't see it change much, even if Kerry were President.
The political system and our freedoms are what Bush is defending in the war on terror. That is what he believes, that is what he stands for. Sorry he is not camera friendly like Clinton. Why should he be?

I'll probably get some heat for what I said here but remember why Johnny up on top of this post is pointing at a ragged old flag instead of a fresh new flag. It is because its 229 years old and it has been through a lot, and it and this country it stands for will always be here. This country is a melting pot of beliefs and ideology. And that is what that makes that ragged old flag photo so great.

Another find, on Yahoo!

Apparently, someone searching Sactown Hot Chicks found my site. I am the number two site on Yahoo! for this. Unfortunately there isn't any hot chicks in Sactown which makes this search funny. Well, there is one desperate dude in Sacramento looking for a date on a Friday night. Hmmm searching Yahoo for a date.... nice!

On a lighter note, I read that bloggers are most likely white, male, mid 20's-30's, educated with a 4 year degree, married and have good jobs. I hate being pegged into a category. Classified as "trendy" or popular. Whoopie. I wonder who the type is that searches Yahoo for hot chicks in sacramento. Huh?

I am done.... now. Continue on...

When good cats go bad....

Busted!!! I sat the camera down and she was puzzled by it and so, there ya go. Daisy Snowshoe (aka Kitten)

My 1000th New Vistitor is.....

The Inktomi Corporation? Who the hell are they?

The author of this complete waste of internet space received his 1000th unique visitor this morning, as notated at the StatCounter feature at the bottom of this blog. It only took 7 weeks and three cookie blockers from me to obtain that number. Wow! So I get ready to mention where the mystery person entered from and what region or country they come from (that's all I can see) and well, the Inktomi Corporation. Who are they?

Well, Inktomi is owned by our pals at Yahoo!. What they do is run a program called a "spider" that goes around the web looking for key words to trigger links to Yahoo! searches. This little spider is walking around the web look for bits and pieces of info for the search end so your site can be found.

For Example: If you type "steve sactown blog" I am the number one hit on Yahoo!
"testing the nerves of everyone" Wow! I am number one again. Cool stuff, eh?

Still I cannot find myself on Google. I placed the ads from Google, Blogger is run by Google and I cannot find myself. Hmmm... If you run a blog use StatCounter, it rocks!

Observations Part 4: Setting an alarm off at the mall

January 1st, New Years Day.

My wife and I head to the mall in our area that was furthest from our house, like a 1/2 an hour away. Why? Because they have the largest Pottery Barn in our area. We got the catalog before the holidays and we were obsessing over this black bar that would go perfect in our downstairs entertainment room. Well we drove out there in the Beemer and started browsing the Barn and the other stores out there. The mall was busy for New Years Day. We were surprised to see all the people and noticed some stores however, like Crate and Barrel, were not open... which we'll come back to in a minute here.

Well we found the bar we wanted and proceeded to purchase it with our combined gift Visa's we got for Christmas. Guys actually dig Pottery Barn, seriously. It isn't some metrosexual thing either. Guys like Pottery Barn because there usually a couple of smart-looking, hot chicks working there. While your wife is out looking at the arty candle holders and silver frames that are going to be a bitch to hang on the wall if she buys them, you are looking at over priced leather chairs and gladly accepting help from the friendly girl who is only nice to you because its her job. It's like a stripper who keeps her clothes on right there in Pottery Barn, paying attention to YOU!!! (There I said it)

So this bar weighes a ton and is not going to fit in our BMW. No freaking way!!
So now we're screwed, gotta go home and get the work truck 1/2 hour away, and come back. 2 hours of quality XBOX time gone this holiday. And I am mad hungry so we stop at In and Out Burger. (Those of you not blessed to have one of these in your town are missing out. Their food is as good as crack, but only you'll gain weight by eating it) So we wait in the drive through that is taking for ever. (See Observations Part 1)

Fast forward, we get the truck, head back to Roseville. And it's about this time, my wife is asking me about if I remembered the directions to the back of the store and where I am thinking about the hot chick that told them to me, where I admit, the pig I am, I am not entirely sure where. (grammatically challenged butever so dazzling) I think she said behind Crate and Barrel or was it to the side, oh wait, its right here.

California has a good law, if your vehicle has one letter in the license plate and the rest numbers (ie. 4A12345) you can park in loading zones and cops and mall security can't do a flying squat about it because you are "loading". So we park near the Crate and Barrel loading dock and I run in and pound on the door. No answer. So what the hell, I try the door and it's unlocked!! Now somewhere between the time I tried to open the door and when the loudest freaking bells I have ever heard chimed, I realized it was the back door to Crate and Barrel, not Pottery Barn. Stupid me, but wait... Wasn't Crate and Barrel closed? Ooops... some manager got pullled away from their familiy holiday.
So I casually flee the scene. Screaching my Dakota, around the corner while my wife is going," Did you do that?" So I park and well.... the bad thing about the In and Out I told earlier that is like crack? Well try exl-lax... I had a mad case and was on the run. I pounded the Pottery Barn door at the correct spot. The stock boy answered the door, I said, in the green truck and I booked it to the nearest public restroom, which was of course quite unsanitary. I am like Jerry Seinfeld when it comes to public restrooms.
I came back from my "alone time" and the stock boy loaded my truck just for me. Meanwhile, 5 security dudes in their white golf carts are freaking out because..."Someone is in Crate and Barrel and we can't find them!" Yes... I left them hanging.

The bar looks nice downstairs!

Fo' Shizzle

Ever wonder what it is like to be Snoop Dogg? Well now you can, uh... sort of.

Click on this link and it will take you to the Snoop Dogg Web Translator. Enter a web site name and presto! It's for realz, dogg!

Best for reading all the those liberal sites like the Bush Diaries found here on blogger. (http://thebushdiaries.blogspot.com)

Some how, the whole world and even left wing politics make sense from Snoop's THC Encrusted Mind!!!

Happy Browsing!!!

Album Review #2: Best album I heard in 2004 .. Sex, Love and Rock N Roll

Mike Ness, from Social Distortion.

Unless you are from Southern California, a punk rock fan or just a plain old freak at heart, you might have missed this album from last year. I waited until 2005 until commenting on this fantastic album from Social Distortion: Sex, Love and Rock N Roll. It has been 8 years since their last album . Mike Ness had two great solo albums, one of which "Cheating at Solitaire" is one of my all time favorites. Sorry, U2.... This album was better than yours in my opinion. (Hey, you had good songs... a close third to Green Day's)

So what's good about it? The songs really. Mike Ness proves once again that he is the most over-looked songwriter. The author of great songs such as "Ball and Chain" , "Prison Bound" and "1945". The reason why the album is good is this guy, Mike Ness, has made it to his middle ages, still rocking the same way, with the same formula. The songs sound simple but have the raw energy of a garage band but with the lyrical prowess of a great folk album. My favorite song on the album is the last song, "Angel's Wings". The beginning of the song, derives all the power. Just Mike, some power chords, sprinkle in some angst and a hard luck story of being down and out. And what is it when a punk rock guy like Mike, with his past issues with hard drugs and hard living starts to become a God-fearing man? A unique paradox actually not seen since the hey day of Johnny Cash and even Hank Williams, who are obvious influences to his style. The album opens with the real deal, "Reach for the Sky". A song about forgetting your past and living for now, with no concern for the future. I saw Social D live in late August in a small club here in Sactown down the street from the capital . Social D played this song live before I ever heard it on the radio and I was floored. Not literally. I was actually pressed against the front rail in my orange t-shirt. As if I didn't stick out enough already. Me, with out tattoos or body piercings, loaded on Guinness, rocking out with my people. Amazing show actually. I like it when my rock stars spit on me.
One other note of the album, "Footsteps on My Ceiling" is eerie ballad about reaching the bottom. Fantastic, classic Mike Ness song, reminiscent of "Ball and Chain". In fact, I think it is a great sequel to that old song. What makes the album for me is the use of the hammond organ through out. Imagine, an organ in a punk band, who knew. Go buy the album, you will love it.