It’s That Time Again

Vegas. That magical word that instantly gets the attention of everyone on that email list. That magical word that instantly revives memories that you thought had died with your brain cells during your last trip. The memories that you thought you had buried with that dead hooker out in the middle of the desert.

Vegas

I used to go because I liked to gamble. It was exciting. It was fun. Now I go for the social aspects of it all. Seeing some good friends, catching up a years time in one weekend.

I have one goal this trip. I will come back with a story. A story that will be....

Wait for it... Legendary.

As part of the Vegas growing tradition, it’s time for………

Roulette: Blogger Style

Since I’ll inevitably play some roulette this weekend, I thought I’d get all my fellow bloggers to play along since you won’t be there.

You know how this is done. Pick a number between 0 and 36. Just one. I’ll play all the numbers I get and I’ll let you know which ones come up when I get back.

This will be a good judge of your excellence in super fun macktastical luckiness. By good judge I mean completely random of course. If your number keeps repeatedly hitting (landed on), I will send a plane for you.

Ko was the winner last year. Hopefully, the winner this year will be cuter and less hairy :D

You’re so Flamboyant

It’s probably been about 5 years since I’ve seen one of my favorite 2 man group in concert. With working hitting its crazy time, I needed a little break. In comes the group that I’ve been listening to since the 4th grade to make things all good and gay.

I don’t know what the attraction is, but I’ve always loved the Pet Shop Boys (PSB). I think it’s that mix of disco dance with the fab 80s vibe.

As usual, the PSB show delivered. It was more of a show than just a concert complete with dancers, multiple outfit changes, and an awesome ever changing stage. The fans went crazy the entire show. As I’ve complained about audiences before on this blog, there was definitely nothing to complain about this time.

The guys at the show were fabulous and the women were wild with little self-conscience. They were certainly there having fun. After all, there’s really no one to impress as the hot guys doesn’t exactly play on the right team. Everyone sang and danced during the entire show. A jolly good time for everyone.

They played ‘suburbia’, which is one of my top favorite songs in the beginning of the show. After the intermission, they played ‘always on mind’ which got the concert hall going crazy. It was a good mix of old material and new. Even though I’ve heard the old stuff a million times, it was so much cooler to hear it live. They ended the show with an encore of 'It’s a sin' and 'Go West'. Both crowd and my personal favorites.

What a great way to start the 2 week celebration to my oldness.

Keith Olbermann

'Beginning of the end of America'

What It Really Means to Protect America

This Administration and the President constantly reminds us that what they do is to protect America. They use the term “protect America” like the Men in Black would ask you to look into the blinking red light. Somehow, as soon as the term “protect America” is used, we automatically accept whatever insanity they spew at us.

There is no better example of this misuse of power than what the President signed into law on Tuesday. Before Tuesday, the principle of habeas corpus meant that anyone thrown into jail had a right to ask a judge to hear his case. He also had a right to go free if the government could not show a legal basis for holding him.

This is a basic right that we as Americans believe in and that our founding fathers put in a little document called the Bill of Rights. This administration believes that they have the precedence and authority to suspend and eliminate the Bill of Rights slowly under the banner to Protect America. The Bill of Rights is the basic blue print of freedom and what it means to be an American.

How does the administration explain their action to chip away at personal liberties? You guessed it, he did it to Protect America. How diluted is this President in that he thinks that eroding the Bill of Rights is Protecting America? How blind are you that you don’t know that this is the goal of the Terrorist? Why can’t you and your supporters see this?

Not only are you not protecting America and American with this law, you are moving us closer and closer to the ideals of the people that we are in a war with. Mr. President, we are not like the terrorist and America can NOT tolerate the suspension of what it means to be an American for you to fight this war that you’ve created. If your idea of protecting America is to rot it from the inside and take away our basic rights, I question your alliance and loyalty as I would ANYONE that supports you in this cause. You sir, are the enemy combatant.

Do not let this administration pull the wool over you ever time they say they’re doing something to “Protect America” when in reality they are doing more harm and destroying the American way of life more than a thousand 9/11s could possibly do.

When we start eroding our own rights and what this country was founded for, we are stepping in dangerous territory. We must not sit by willingly while an administration drunk with power continues to cause more harm to the very fiber of being American. If we allow the administration to continue in their insanity, there will no longer be an America as we know it to protect.

I would like to quote a speech by Patrick Henry in 1775.

“Mr. President, it is natural to man to indulge in the illusions of hope. We are apt to shut our eyes against a painful truth, and listen to the song of that siren till she transforms us into beasts. Is this the part of wise men, engaged in a great and arduous struggle for liberty? Are we disposed to be of the numbers of those who, having eyes, see not, and, having ears, hear not, the things which so nearly concern their temporal salvation? For my part, whatever anguish of spirit it may cost, I am willing to know the whole truth, to know the worst, and to provide for it.
….
There is no longer any room for hope. If we wish to be free--if we mean to preserve inviolate those inestimable privileges for which we have been so long contending--if we mean not basely to abandon the noble struggle in which we have been so long engaged, and which we have pledged ourselves never to abandon until the glorious object of our contest shall be obtained--we must fight! I repeat it, sir, we must fight!

…Give me Liberty or Give me Death”

These words could not hold more truth today. We can no longer shut our eyes against what this administration is doing. We can no longer just hope that things will get better. Action must be taken.

It is better to die in a country with liberty than to live in the country this administration is trying to create.

Traffic

I can’t tell you how much I enjoy listening to the traffic report each morning. Apparently, there were accidents and lights out on all major highways this morning and traffic is completely stopped up.

Hahahahahahahahahahahaha

That’s what you get for living out in the suburbs or way the hell out in the middle of nowhere.


I’m a bad person for laughing I know.

Cootie Pup

I've had 4 business trips cancelled on me in the last month. What the hell?

Someone spreading rumors that I have cooties or something?

Cut it out! That's not cool.

Marie Antoinette

I must say, a very good casting decision for this last Queen of France.

I'm so there.

On Strategy

Once again, the administration and their cronies have begun another attack on the Democrats with more ferocity and careful planning than they’ve shown to the terrorist. In fund-raisers and speeches this week, the president and the vice-president are back on their soapbox to tell their supporters that the Democrats are weak on defense and would allow the terrorists to attack again.

On the anniversary of 9/11 this year, this president told the public in his speech that: ”We must put aside our differences and work together to meet the test that history has given us”. It’s taken him less than a month to go back on this idea of putting aside our differences and once again attack the Democrates and anyone that would disagree with him of nothing short of treason.

I don’t know where you learn the definition of working together, but Mr. President, working together does not mean blaming and calling others soft and just waiting around for the terrorists to attack again.

So unconnected to reality, and under so many layers of their own lies, this administration is unfit and can no longer function as the leadership of America. This president and administration no longer has the interest of the American people in mind. For whatever reason, they believe and are leading this country into a militarized zone, which in turn burns holes at the very fabric of the constitution. This administration no longer has the respect of running the government as elected leaders, but more like the Legion of Doom.

Militarizing this country is not the solution to anything. Nothing good happens with militarization. This is a nothing more than the knee jerk reaction of a war mongering administration and those people who seeks to attack the American way of life. Why cannot you not see Mr. President, that this is exactly what the terrorists wants and that you're not fighting them with these types of actions. You are doing nothing short of helping them and introducing their way of life into this country.

In case you have forgotten Mr. President, this country was founded on freedom and tolerance, not the military. Military actions has always been the last resort, not the first option.

How long can the American people allow this administration to use these tactics to divide this country? How long will the American people stand this paranoid and disillusioned administration that has caused more harm to the basic fabric of the American spirit than the terrorist could ever hope to achieve in their wildest dreams?

The American people should not and cannot continue to believe in the doom and gloom speeches that has put the public in so much fear that we've allowed the actions of this administration to go unchecked for the last 6 years. It is not the way of the American people to live in fear and we cannot tolerate a government that seeks to keep us in control by using fear as its tool.

If by using fear as a tool to control the population, we should really question the type of 'democracy' that this administration is looking to spread in the middle east.

The strategy that the current administration is following to fight terrorism is self-destructive. It causes more harm to America than it does to the terrorists.

Think of terrorism as cancer. Once can continuously attack the body with chemotherapy and radiation to ensure that there is no cancer in the body. However, you are harming the body ever bit as much as you are the cancer. When the body becomes weak, it becomes even more susceptible to attacks from other sources.

In their self-absorbed, unchecked by reason, unwillingness to listen, strategy against the terrorist, this administration is willing to sell out the very meaning of this country in order to achieve a goal that even they themselves can’t fully comprehend anymore.

It is time that we say no more and take back this country to why it was founded.

What the FUCK is wrong with you people?

Oh here we go again…

In the county that I just moved from, a mom of 4 is once again trying to ban Harry Potter books from school libraries. Her main reason this time? It’s evil and if we don’t stop it, there will be more school shootings.

Are you fucking kidding me?

What kind of crazy ass Kool-Aid are you drinking lady? How could you possibly make a link between Potter and school shootings? What version of Potter are you reading? Linking Potter and school shootings is about as solid of an argument as linking Iraq and terrorists/WMDs.

Even if I give in to your main argument that Potter promotes Wicca. Do you know what the hell Wicca is? Wicca promotes living in harmony with the earth. No where does it EVER say anything about shooting up schools. How many Wiccas have you known to lock up a room of school girls and shoot them execution style? HOW Fucking many?

I can name one Christian right off my head though.

Before the shooting, this piece of shit guy in PA was considered a good Christian. If this is your idea of a good Christian, I’ll take my chances elsewhere.

How dare you compare Potter to evil? I bet my life that more people have killed and died because of the Bible than the Potter books. What kind of definition of Evil are you working with? Is evil promoting friendship and fighting through adversity through your own abilities and teamwork with your friends? Is that evil? Is that what we’re trying to ban from our kids from learning?

All you ever preach is this lazy, do-nothing and just hope attitude that hopes for some mysterious force to take care of everything. That is the exact definition and purpose of prayer. That’s fucking pathetic.

Don’t pray for things to get better. Go out and fucking do something about it. Stop being fucking lazy and just sit around praying and pretend that’s doing something. That’s like someone on welfare praying that someone knocks on their job and gives them a good job.

Yes, you’re a fucking spiritual welfare case.

After the shootings in PA, I watched as they put one of the fathers of the Columbine victims on TV. This is what he said:

…This country is in a moral free-fall. For over two generations, the public school system has taught in a moral vacuum, expelling God from the school and from the government, replacing him with evolution, where the strong kill the weak, without moral consequences and life has no inherent value. We teach there are no absolutes, no right or wrong. And I assure you the murder of innocent children is always wrong, including by abortion. Abortion has diminished the value of children. Suicide has become an acceptable action and has further emboldened these criminals. And we are seeing an epidemic increase in murder-suicide attacks on our children….

Evolution and the lack of prayers is what you’ve resorted to blaming the shootings on? Abortion has diminished the value of children?

No sir, you, and parents like you have diminished the value of children. By saying that you want to ‘protect’ all these children even though they are in horrible situations and will have a very difficult chance in a good life, you have sentenced them for life in misery. By saying all children are special, none are, and it is you who is diminishing their value.

It is the quality of life, not the quantity of life. When people learn this, the world will be a better place.

Instead of blaming other outlets, why don’t you look in the mirror first? So many of you are failures as parents and refuse to admit that it’s your fault. You don’t have the first idea on how to be a parent. Instead you blame things like Potter, the music a kid listens to, or even teaching evolution.

I hear so many of you wanting to have kids. You don’t have the first clue on how to be a parent. I understand that it’s programmed into our DNA to have children to ensure the survival of the species, but for whatever egotistical or selfish reason you think you want to have a child, how about learning how to raise a child first before having one? And no, you don’t just ‘know’ how to raise a child. And no, the Bible is not a good reference on raising a child.

Here’s a little secret. Just praying that your child becomes a good person doesn’t really work. You actually have to be a good parent in order to raise a good child. This takes a lot of work. Yes, this goes against everything you believe I know.

So instead of spending your energy on blaming Potter as evil or the teaching of evolution as the cause for school shootings, go read a book on how to raise a kid or just go hang out with your kid. No, there’s no more ‘me’ time for you. This is what you signed up for when you had a kid.

Start taking the responsibility and act like a real parent.

Top 10 Searches Engine Links

Got this idea from E-Lo to look at my last 10 searches so here we go.

10. Cavilers marching band recordings – Odd that this search linked my site. Although I love DCI, I don’t think I’ve ever mentioned them on this blog. I much prefer the Blue Devils or Madison Scouts. Shut up, marching bands are cool.

9. How much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood – Are woodchucks and woodpeckers the same things? There’s a giant spider web in one of my trees. Wonder if it can hold a bird. Now that’d be something.

8. Speak and Math band Texas – I’ve heard of pep bands for sports, but apparently in Texas, the Speech and Math clubs get their own pep bands too. Fantastic.

7. coolio north carolina shirt helicopter – I don’t think Coolio sang that song with the taking off of the shirt and swinging it over your head like a helicopter. I would like to know the song writer's muse and inspiration.

6. Camp for unloved children cartoon – Worst cartoon idea…. EVER.

5. we movin on up from the eastside 2006 version – Whoa, I didn’t know there was a soundtrack about my move. Sweet.

4. Drunken things to do on your birthday – Now this is where I do have a bit of expertise. Of course, the only drunk thing I seem to do on my birthday is pass out.

3. kentucky governor's daughter stripper – Really? Anyone got a pic?

2. a nasty beat down after a guy mistakenly laps a dude's girl – By lapping I hope they mean give a lap dance. That in itself is disturbing as I don’t think I’ve ever seen a male lap dance but I don’t think it would be all that exciting. Maybe I’m just not going to the right places.

And the winner for best search that got linked to this page..

I don’t love you I won’t – Fine. I hate you and hope you end up on Springer. How does this search get to this page? The internet Gods must be telling me something.

Mr. Pup Goes to Washington, Part 3

The last time I was in DC, it was in the 10th grade. We were there to march in the Cherry Blossom Parade. It might look like all fun and games on TV, but marching in a parade is hard. Just imagine a hot day, big polyester uniform, marching for over a mile without being able to scratch yourself. Because as you know, as soon as you do that, you’ll end up on TV.

I continued my journey by walking towards the White House, and it’s doesn’t hold the grandeur that I remembered. When I last visited, there was a fence. Other than that, it was a clear view at the magnificent building. When I saw it this time around, I couldn’t help but notice how insanely militarized the White House has become.

I think it’s a shame what this country and the world has become. Militarization of anything has never been the path to peace. How do we say that we want peace when we militarize so much of our own world? There’s a line that I think we have crossed in trying to achieve some imaginary sense of ‘safety’. I digress.

As I mentioned before, I had my mp3 player on. I walked towards this grassy area by the building to get a better view of the White House. All of a sudden, I feel this hand grab my shoulder. When I turned around, a man in a black suite, who didn’t look particularly cheery said “You need to leave this area now”.

Apparently, he had been yelling at me for a bit now, but with my headphones on, I didn’t hear anything. He was clearly secret service and not happy about having to come after me. I played the tourist card and was sent on my way. I don’t know why that was exciting for me, but it’s not everyday I get the attention of the secret service.

I was getting hungry so I walked towards Chinatown because I had a craving. In case you didn’t know, here’s a tip on Chinese restaurants. There’re 2 things that you have to look for. 1. Lots of people in the restaurant. 2. Lot of Asian people in the restaurant. If you’re in a new area and looking for a good Chinese restaurant, just find one with lots of Asian people and you’re good to go. Even better, look for part of the menu to be on little sheets of paper taped to the wall. This ensures quality.

This assumes you wanted real Chinese food and not some bastardized American version of course.

I ended up at a place called Big Wong’s restaurant. I thought this would be funny to put on my expense report. Despite the name, it was filled with Asian families so I gave it a shot. Nothing much to report here except it was fantastic. Not the best I’ve had by a long shot, but it did the job.

I began my trek back to the hotel. It was still early and I didn’t want to go back right away. I remembered that I saw a bar right by my hotel in my drunken stumble back last night.

So I went in the BG. It was a nice small bar with a little grill on the other side of the room. I sat at the end of the bar next to a couple of seemingly drunk guys who was talking to the cute bartender. Eventually, we struck up a conversation when I agreed with one of the guys that when your girlfriend secretly reads your email, she’s crazy.

Turns out the bartender worked for one of the guys for her day job and as I got in good with this guy, the beers and shots started flowing. Of course, knowing the bartender makes one’s bar tab significantly cheaper. Fantastic as I’m not able to expense drinking binges.

In general, I’m not a fan of eating alone, especially in public. However, as I have to travel for work, I’m pretty much forced to eat by myself pretty often. Not that I need another reason to go to a bar, but I’m beginning to find that eating at a bar really isn’t as bad even if you have to do it alone.

Naturally, there will always be people there by themselves. Bartenders are usually quite friendly, and if you wait long enough, people will be drunk and everyone will be friendly.

The rest of the trip was quite uneventful, but I think the protest, run in with secret service, and the night at GB made the 3 day meeting tolerable.