Funny ha ha

Ok, so this just cracked me up. I couldn't waste it.

Fear

We live in a country afraid. We are afraid to actually look at something on face value without putting a political spin on it. The current bullshit over the ports deal is a prime example. Because it's Bush (the same thing would probably happen if a Dem was in the Whitehouse) taking a stand on this and not accusing Dubai of 'driving while Arab' he's shown some integrity. He's also taken a shitload of flak for it.

Granted there is that little thing about the 9/11 hijackers all being of Middle Eastern dissent, but all the Klan members I have ever seen over the years that I lived in Alabama were white. Does that mean that all white men in Alabama are Klansman? Should we blockade the South again as we did during the Civil War until all white men can fill out some form and take an oath to not to lynch anyone or dance the electric slide at weddings ever again?

I hate the R-word, it is usually thrown around to distract peoples' attention from flimsy arguments, i.e. O.J. Simpson. He did it, get over it. It isn't 'racist' to say he did. It’s called detective work. However, I see the uproar over the ports deal coming down to three things: skin tone, latitude, and longitude. I completely agree with this view on the situation.

Smoky Mountain Shark Hunting...

Global warming may or may not be actually occurring, but it doesn' t mean that sharks will be swimming in Tennessee again anytime soon. On the other hand if they do, that'd be kinda cool. However we need to admit that we have no idea how to manage this planet and that we have too many theories and not enough answers. Theories apparently are very much like assholes these days.

Semper Fi

Victor Jara

Most people will never even know his name let alone hear his music. I discovered him when I lived way down south. A good friend of mine lent me one of his CDs. Listening to it every night when I went to sleep, his haunting voice filled my dreams. I devoured his music. If it had been a drug, I would have surely OD'd many times over.

His music has many messages. He sings about people, their lives, their struggles. Albeit his politics are not what I would choose. I can understand where he is coming from and I do agree with some of his ideas. Living in his environment and experiencing his culture I can understand. I would equate him with the folk/protest music of the 60s here in the States.

He died the year I was born. A victim of an oppressive regime coming to power. Before he died, his hands were broken by his killers and then he was forced to play one last song before he was shot.

Here are a couple of his songs. His first, and his most famous.

Oceans 13 or something like it.

Finally a theft worthy of a movie. I don't know how many movies I have watched that involve some elaborate plan to steal millions, billions, or a bazillion dollars (pinky pointed at a 30 deg angle towards my nose). Movies make most of us look, well, less than intelligent when it comes to planning a major theft. There was the Great Train Robbery with David Nivens and most recently Entrapment with Catherine Zeta Jones-Douglas's buttocks, and Oceans 11 and 12 with G.C. and the boys. These heists were well planned and went off with the suspense and drama that we are accustomed to in movies. However, we rarely hear about them happening in real life. (Damn authorities with their rules....)

We get alot of bank robberies in the U.S. but we get very few heists. The main differences between the two are the value of the stolen goods, the level of skill involved, and the amount of forethought put into the theft.

Any moran dressed as a clown or talking into a cellphone can walk into a bank with the obligatory "I'll be the guy robbing you now" sign and walk away with something whether it be cash or new stainless steel bracelets. The downside to this is that people pretty much know that you're there, and what you are up to. Also there's a good possibility of people getting hurt. Never a good thing.

Heists involve so much more. But what they require most is some sportsmanship, a damn good intellect, and a detailed plan. And by plan, I mean something more than, "I'm going down to the Farmer's and Mechanic's Bank of Lagrange with little Nathan Jr and rob me some Hayseeds!"

Planning is essential. Planning is for winners. Planning means you already anticipated everything that could possibly happen and will be exiting with the goods. You can almost feel the heat from the sun and smell the salt air on of that distant tropical beach where you, Shamus, and Ted and a really short Asian guy will sip pina coladas and talk about that one time in bandcamp...Err...I mean how you pulled one of the greatest heists ever.

Biting the dust - Update

Apparently 5 security officers in Kazahkstan have been arrested for the murder of Altynbek Sarsenbayev and the Security Chief offered his resignation. Justice? Or just feeding the lions? That remains to be seen. More to come.

Oh and just incase you are knowledge deficient on just where the 'stans are.

Douchenugget of the Week #1

Well, I think I am going to have to start a douchenugget of the week or month post or something like that. It seems that there are so many stepping forward wishing to be recognized. So let's get right into the very first, but not the last to be named as such.

Mr. Fred Phelps, some call him reverend, but I've never been to a church so backwards and so hateful, and I was raised Baptist (currently in recovery, but that is for another time). Mr Phelps and his cult are so desipicable that I won't even waste my webspace to list their site. Lately he has been seen protesting at the funerals of our servicemen and women. It really makes you go "WTF?!??" when someone says that IEDs are God's way of punishing the USA for harboring homosexuality. Why does anyone still care who is gay and who isn't?

I'm a pretty big proponent of free speech, even when it's inflammatory. I was raised in the south where observing a Klan protest march was commonplace, and while I have no place for the Klan's rhetoric, I would much rather sit through one of their rallies than even listen to Mr. Phelps clear his throat.

Thankfully these guys are stepping up to put a boot in Mr. Phelps protesting hindquarters, if only figuratively. Thank you, Patriot Guard Riders. Makes me wish I had a bike too.

1.75 weeks...

So I gave my 2 weeks notice today. My last day is the 28th. I guess its actually 1.75 weeks or something. But still the prospect of having a 5 day weekend has me excited. And not the 'Its nudie magazine day and noone is home' excited. But 5 full days of freedom from the grindstone. 5 days for the nose to heal before we begin again. But this time the beginning will be a hell of alot cooler.

Soon!!! 

Bang On!!! Elephant & Castle Pub, D.C.

So I went with some friends to the Elephant & Castle Pub near the Ronald Reagan Building and the Federal Triangle Metro Stop. First impression, it felt a bit nicer and upscale than I am used to. I do prefer darkened holes in the wall where I can discretely enjoy a Miller High Life when I am of the mind. Although my tastes do run the gamut from the 'Champagne of Beers' to my favorite breakfast drink, Guinness. E&C had a good beer selection. My favorite was Young's Chocolate Stout. Apparently an acquired taste, but I liked it.

I have actually been to this pub twice so far, but I don't see it as a normal, 'lets do happy hour kind of place.' If I worked near it, that would probably change. I can however recommend the hot wings. Make sure you get them extra hot, which in this case is 'white people' hot. Spicy and tangy, but not much to make you sweat. But even still with the lack of heat, these wings tasted great.

The E&C does have the distinction of being 2 blocks from G.W.'s house. So its a good place to hit after walking the mall or seeing some museums.

My only issue with the type of bar is that there are so many like it already. That Irish/British/Scottish Public House thing has been done so much around here that they tend to run together.

Overall, I would say its a decent bar. My experiences with the wait staff and bartenders have been very good. It's so hard to get good customer service in this area. I am still trying to see if that is a cultural issue or simply that people pay less attention to the details here. We will see.

So Bang On!!! And try the fish and chips w/cod.

Biting the dust...

I just read a story over at BBC.com that made reference to a Kazakhstan opposition leader, Altynbek Sarsenbayev, who was found dead in his car along with his driver and bodyguard. I know what you are saying, "Who gives a shit about some dead guy in Kazakhstan?", and you're right. Most people don't give a shit, but I was bored and haven't read enough about the 'stans lately. Back to the article. They were all dead in this guys car. Lead poisoning... Apparently Brita filters are in short supply. Anywho. The article goes on to mention another opposition leader who apparently committed suicide last November by shooting himself in the chest twice and then finishing himself off with a shot to the head. That's some tough shooting. Whatever happened to sight alignment, sight picture. I can understanding double tapping an intruder in the chest to drop him. But double tapping yourself? Talk about sticking with your training. Oh and Mr. Doubletap died just a few days before he was to run against the incumbent in Kazakhstan's presidential election. The incumbent, who also won the election, was nice enough to send a card of condolence for Mr. Dtap's family.