26 August 2007
Move On.org Invades Facebook
In an attempt to garner the support of the happening Web 2.0 groupies, MoveOn.org has set its sights on the popular social networking site Facebook. A group sponsored by MoveOn.org was created on Facebook, addressing the 1994 Anti-War Cheney clip.
05 June 2007
Free Libby
I. Scooter Libby, the former Chief of Staff of Vice President Richard Cheney, was sentenced today, after being found guilty of perjury, obstruction of justice, and making false statements to investigators during the CIA leak investigation in regards to Valarie Plame.He was sentenced to 30 months in prison, accompanied by a $250,000 fine. The bulk of his sentence came out of the obstruction of justice charge.
Mr. Libby is now working on appealing the decision. It is also possible that he may be pardoned by President Bush.
With Love, From Russia
Mr. Putin seems keen on restoring Russia to the state it was in during the 'first' Cold War. I say first, because in this contemporary issue the possibility for a second Cold War is pretty likely. Aside from his many challenges to the United States, he seems a little shady on the accepted definition of democracy, and rather, is intent on creating his own. What that would entail? No idea. However, with the proverbial foot now on the throat of the Russian press, one can catch a glimpse over where it is heading.
In a truly Cold Waresque move, Putin in response to the missile shield the United States is setting up in eastern Europe, argued that the U.S. was initiating another arms race and that he would potentially point missiles at East Europe.
Almost a year ago I can recall, Putin selling Hugo Chavez of Venezuela military equipment. As such, my ultimate doomsday scenario would be a Russian alliance with Iran, North Korea, Venezuela, China, and Cuba. If Taiwan ever attempted complete independence from China, we can expect the U.S. to drift to the side of Taiwan, thus angering China and causing them to join the Russian cause against us. North Korea has already tested its missile cache and would be more than willing to find a buddy to take on the United States with. Venezuela would have no reason not to. Iran would be a difficult card. Most of the people in Iran don't really approve of Ahamdinejad's policies, and would rather see a more benign relationship develop with the United States. As for Cuba, if Castro holds out long enough, he will want to find away to help however he can. Cuban missile crisis part II.
04 June 2007
Jefferson Indicted
Representative William Jefferson, a Democrat from Louisiana, was indicted with 16 counts of corruption related offenses including...
More information
- Conspiracy
- Wire Fraud
- Soliciting Bribes
- Obstruction of Justice
- Violating the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act
- Racketeering
More information
Equivocation Nation
Those who favor stricter border control laws are often labeled with the oh so damaging term, racist. Their credibility is attacked and their opinions are demeaned. We often forget a law is being broken, but we often forget a lot of things. Many people, most on the left, some few on the right, think we should be doing nothing short of handing these potential border crossers, and would be illegal immigrants, a water bottle and a pair of hiking boots.
We are seen as the bad guy for thinking that our border should be controlled. Case in point, the jeers at Ms. USA at that silly pageant held in Mexico City. The Mexicans seem to be under the impression that it is their right to enter this country, that it is their right to have access to our health care at tax payers expense, well, it is not their right. They must earn it, and they earn it through the citizenship process, a process anyone who wants to be a citizen of this country has to go through. To grant those 12 million who entered this country illegal amnesty is to spit in the face of every immigrant who took the time and went through the process legally. They shun the laws, and as such, they should be dealt with as criminals. They should be deported, and told 'if you want into this country get in line.'
The legalization process is not just for our benefit, it is for them as well. As a citizen they are protected under the thick and snugly blanket of the United States government. They are protected from dishonest employers, and they have a greater opportunity of improving their standard of living. When they come here illegally they forgo these protections. They eat away at tax payer money, they are cheated by dishonest employers, the law is not on their side.
Aside from their own protection, we need to know who is coming into this country. In this day and age we cannot afford that sort of oversight. Anyone can hop across that border carrying God knows what and who will be there to stop them? The border patrol? Heh, no. If border patrol officers are arrested every time they defend themselves or fire on a drug cartel making a crossing, I'm afraid we are out of luck in that department.
What needs to be done? Step one is to remove amnesty from the table. Step two is to work out a way to deport the known illegal immigrants and put them on the pathway to legal citizenship once they are back in Mexico. Step three is to work in conjunction with the Mexican government on a practical solution to this crisis. And step four is not a border fence, but border patrol officers supplemented with improved technology and security measures.
We are seen as the bad guy for thinking that our border should be controlled. Case in point, the jeers at Ms. USA at that silly pageant held in Mexico City. The Mexicans seem to be under the impression that it is their right to enter this country, that it is their right to have access to our health care at tax payers expense, well, it is not their right. They must earn it, and they earn it through the citizenship process, a process anyone who wants to be a citizen of this country has to go through. To grant those 12 million who entered this country illegal amnesty is to spit in the face of every immigrant who took the time and went through the process legally. They shun the laws, and as such, they should be dealt with as criminals. They should be deported, and told 'if you want into this country get in line.'
The legalization process is not just for our benefit, it is for them as well. As a citizen they are protected under the thick and snugly blanket of the United States government. They are protected from dishonest employers, and they have a greater opportunity of improving their standard of living. When they come here illegally they forgo these protections. They eat away at tax payer money, they are cheated by dishonest employers, the law is not on their side.
Aside from their own protection, we need to know who is coming into this country. In this day and age we cannot afford that sort of oversight. Anyone can hop across that border carrying God knows what and who will be there to stop them? The border patrol? Heh, no. If border patrol officers are arrested every time they defend themselves or fire on a drug cartel making a crossing, I'm afraid we are out of luck in that department.
What needs to be done? Step one is to remove amnesty from the table. Step two is to work out a way to deport the known illegal immigrants and put them on the pathway to legal citizenship once they are back in Mexico. Step three is to work in conjunction with the Mexican government on a practical solution to this crisis. And step four is not a border fence, but border patrol officers supplemented with improved technology and security measures.
29 May 2007
What the Wolf Didn't Mention
Wolf Blitzer today in a short exchange with Lou Dobbs outlined his bewilderment of the United States' tendency to grant amnesty to Cuban nationals who arrive here by boat, however, case turned to the Mexicans crossing into the U.S., they are more likely to be deported. He was dismayed by this so-called double standard and thought our immigration policy needed some serious rethinking. Well, of course our policy needs rethinking, we need to deport more illegals.
But the main point of this is the failure of the Cuban/Mexican analogy. The Cubans live under a totalitarian communist leader, who cares more about toying with the United States and securing his own power than he does about his own people. Fidel's controls reach into all aspects of the lives of the Cuban people, wherein dissent is hardly tolerated. Under the cover of the U.S.'s declaration of war on Iraq in 2003, Fidel arrested and imprisoned 78 'dissidents'. Now, flash to Mexico. A democracy indeed. Protests allowed, and basic freedoms accepted, and regular free elections. Hardly comparable to the situation in Cuba. And maybe that's why Mr. Blitzer, our de facto policy is the way it is. But what do I know, I'm a Republican.
But the main point of this is the failure of the Cuban/Mexican analogy. The Cubans live under a totalitarian communist leader, who cares more about toying with the United States and securing his own power than he does about his own people. Fidel's controls reach into all aspects of the lives of the Cuban people, wherein dissent is hardly tolerated. Under the cover of the U.S.'s declaration of war on Iraq in 2003, Fidel arrested and imprisoned 78 'dissidents'. Now, flash to Mexico. A democracy indeed. Protests allowed, and basic freedoms accepted, and regular free elections. Hardly comparable to the situation in Cuba. And maybe that's why Mr. Blitzer, our de facto policy is the way it is. But what do I know, I'm a Republican.
25 May 2007
Small Town Politics
I live in a town of about 25,000 in the southwestern corner of Connecticut. Although, larger than many of the true American small towns, it is still small enough to be considered quaint, however, this is Connecticut, so it's more of a quaint chic.
Monday the town will be holding a Memorial Day parade, which will play host to the usual girl scout troop and baseball teams. However, there is one group that caught my attention, the Veterans for Peace, which will march in the parade in protest of the Iraq War. I am not very fond of parades or protests of any kind, however, I understand their purpose. I may just have to bite the bullet on this one though, and figure out what's going down. As such, I may upload a little photo essay documenting the event, and the response to it.
On a side note, I was invited to a counter-protest of the event, however, I do not believe I will be attending, for number one, I dislike protesting. Number two, they are veterans and I would feel somewhat arrogant in asserting to their face that they are wrong, when I have never been to war myself. That does not mean they are right, or that their opinion is not without its ability to be denied, it just means that they are entitled to their opinion and I am not going to directly challenge it.
The best way to take on a protester with out directly confronting him is to just keep on citing the evidence and working behind the scenes. It is my belief that those on the forefront are generally less informed then those who work the curtains.
Stay tuned...
Monday the town will be holding a Memorial Day parade, which will play host to the usual girl scout troop and baseball teams. However, there is one group that caught my attention, the Veterans for Peace, which will march in the parade in protest of the Iraq War. I am not very fond of parades or protests of any kind, however, I understand their purpose. I may just have to bite the bullet on this one though, and figure out what's going down. As such, I may upload a little photo essay documenting the event, and the response to it.
On a side note, I was invited to a counter-protest of the event, however, I do not believe I will be attending, for number one, I dislike protesting. Number two, they are veterans and I would feel somewhat arrogant in asserting to their face that they are wrong, when I have never been to war myself. That does not mean they are right, or that their opinion is not without its ability to be denied, it just means that they are entitled to their opinion and I am not going to directly challenge it.
The best way to take on a protester with out directly confronting him is to just keep on citing the evidence and working behind the scenes. It is my belief that those on the forefront are generally less informed then those who work the curtains.
Stay tuned...
24 April 2007
Article Spotlight
To ensure this doesn't slip through the cracks I am going to post this here.
All credit for this article goes to the "New York Post"
April 24, 2007 -- WASHINGTON - A tough U.S. Marine stationed in one of the most hostile areas of Iraq has a message for Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid: "We need to stay here and help rebuild." In raw and emotional language from the bloody front lines, Cpl. Tyler Rock, of the 1st Battalion, 6th Marines, skewered Reid for being far removed from the patriotism and progress in Iraq. "Yeah, and I got a quote for that [expletive] Harry Reid. These families need us here," Rock vented in an e-mail to Pat Dollard, a Hollywood agent-turned-war reporter who posted the comment on his Web site, www.patdollard.com. "Obviously [Reid] has never been in Iraq. Or at least the area worth seeing . . . the parts where insurgency is rampant and the buildings are blown to pieces," Rock wrote. Based in Camp Lejeune, N.C., Rock catalogued a series of grim daily traumas in Iraq, like getting covered in ash and sleeping under a dirty rug in an Iraqi family's house, or watching "several terrorists die" on the same strip of pavement. But he says he is optimistic about the future of a country that he says has "turned to complete s- - -" during a bloody insurgency. He also spoke admiringly of the risks brave Iraqi citizens take every day. "If Iraq didn't want us here then why do we have [Iraqi police] volunteering every day to rebuild their cities?" he asked. "It sucks that Iraqis have more patriotism for a country that has turned to complete s- - - more than the people in America who drink Starbucks every day. "We could leave this place and say we are sorry to the terrorists. And then we could wait for 3,000 more American civilians to die before we say, 'Hey, that's not nice' again." "And the sad thing is after we WIN this war. People like [Reid] will say he was there for us the whole time." Rock's candid e-mail swept across the Internet after Dollard posted it on his site, and it was picked up by the Drudge Report and numerous other Web sites. "What does [Reid] know about us 'losing' besides what he wants to believe? The truth is that we are pushing al Qaeda out and we are pushing the insurgency out. We are here to support a nation."
All credit for this article goes to the "New York Post"
Veto in the Mist
The much talked about Iraq spending bill, which was recently approved by Congress, is now on its way to the White House where it will be greeted by the Veto stamp of President Bush. Mr. Bush rarely exercises his veto power the last time being in September of 2006 when he shot down the embryonic stem-cell bill.
The bill in question allocates 124 billion dollars to war spending however, the killer caveat which is the basis of Mr. Bush's veto is the October 1st pull-out date.
The bill in question allocates 124 billion dollars to war spending however, the killer caveat which is the basis of Mr. Bush's veto is the October 1st pull-out date.
23 April 2007
Housekeeping
I returned from France two days before the 1st Round Election. Now we all know that it will be Sarkozy, who leans right and Royale, more socialist, who will grapple for the position of President of France. The final two weeks between the 1st Round Election and the Final Election are considered the most campaign intensive weeks. Candidates will begin to tackle the issues in a more...precise way, as opposed to the general ambiguities of pre-1st round election campaigning. Either way the election goes, there will be with out a doubt major changes for France. So stay tuned...
As for American politics there is some movement but nothing that out of the ordinary. McCain delivered a rousing speech regarding Iraq which brings to mind an old Henry Clay quote, "I'd rather be right than be President." If a Republican aside from McCain takes the White House they should seriously consider the Senior Senator from Arizona for Secretary of State. Fred Thompson announced his non hodgkins lymphoma. Could possibly be clearing the path to the White House, a pre-emptive strike if you will. Hillary is from the deep-south again. And more and more Democrats are making nice with that lovable racist Al Sharpton....
As for American politics there is some movement but nothing that out of the ordinary. McCain delivered a rousing speech regarding Iraq which brings to mind an old Henry Clay quote, "I'd rather be right than be President." If a Republican aside from McCain takes the White House they should seriously consider the Senior Senator from Arizona for Secretary of State. Fred Thompson announced his non hodgkins lymphoma. Could possibly be clearing the path to the White House, a pre-emptive strike if you will. Hillary is from the deep-south again. And more and more Democrats are making nice with that lovable racist Al Sharpton....
13 April 2007
Land of the Lost
I will be leaving for JFK shortly for my flight to the strange and paradoxical land of Paris, France. I have been to Europe numerous times prior, however, never to Paris, I do hope it lives up to its hype, which I am sure it will. After all, it is the Paris, France.
There is currently an election going on there, among other things, so I anticipate that to be a lot of fun. I spend a lot of time dealing with the bold subtleties of American politics so it will be somewhat refreshing (or substantially more confusing) to get to experience the dirty workings of another country for a change.
Pictures may even be uploaded when I return on the 21st. Till then, this baby is going cold.
Cheerio.
There is currently an election going on there, among other things, so I anticipate that to be a lot of fun. I spend a lot of time dealing with the bold subtleties of American politics so it will be somewhat refreshing (or substantially more confusing) to get to experience the dirty workings of another country for a change.
Pictures may even be uploaded when I return on the 21st. Till then, this baby is going cold.
Cheerio.
09 April 2007
Muddy Water
The business of politics is a messy one. And if one ever feels the compulsion to take a closer look at the way in which our country is run on a daily basis, I guarantee you they will almost automatically assume we are breaking the law. However, this messy business sometimes is perfectly legal, although, that does not necessarily mean it does not dance the line between ethical and not so ethical. This kind of foggy distinction is the basis of the call to arms by Senators Chris Dodd (D-CT), John Kerry (D-MA), and Robert Casey (D-PN). This happy trio of ultra-liberal Senators is calling for a review of the recess appointment of Sam Fox to the post of Ambassador to Belgium. Sam Fox, is known to have donated money to the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth, a group which attacked Kerry's military record and some would attribute as one of the agents of his downfall. With this record, one can be certain that Mr. Fox would never have survived a Congressional Approval Hearing with a Democratic majority. As such, President Bush got Mr. Fox in via a recess appointment effectively taking Congress out of the equation. Although that may seem...seedy, which it more or less is, it is not illegal. However, we will probably see the public siding with the Democratic Senators, for the composure of this appointment does indeed come across as, well, just as they say it is. In the end though, one has to remember that Washington is a giant sausage factory, and no one really wants to know how it is all made.
Nancy Pelosi: Get Back to Work!
Members of the Republican Party in both the House and the Senate are formally requesting that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-NY) "get back to work" after her controversial diplomatic excursion to the Middle East. The interesting thing about this request, aside from its overall hilarity in the grand scheme of things, is the use of the phase "Global War on Terror" which the Democrats have been phasing out. However, regardless of semantics, you have to realize the partisan nature of this development. Republicans want the American People to remember that while Nancy Pelosi was out playing Secretary of State, she was ignoring her post where a critical bill to fund the troops sat idle.
For more developing coverage, visit the fine folks at the Drudge Report.
Credit for this story goes to the Drudge Report.
For more developing coverage, visit the fine folks at the Drudge Report.
Dear Speaker Pelosi:
We are writing to urge you to call the House back into session immediately so that Congress can finish its work on the emergency legislation to fund the Global War on Terrorism. This funding request has been pending since February 5, but your leadership team chose to leave town for more than two weeks rather than completing this bill. As a result, our troops have been put at risk.
We are especially troubled by the House's failure to appoint conferees. The Senate appointed conferees on March 29, moments after passing its bill, but the House never did so despite passing the bill a week earlier. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid told the Senate that he hoped the House-Senate conference would begin on March 30. That hoped-for progress has been thwarted by your failure to act.
It should go without saying that our military leaders are in the best position to know the needs of our troops, and they have left no doubt that this funding is needed urgently. General Peter Schoomaker, United States Army Chief of Staff, has written that, "without approval of the supplemental funds in April, we will be forced to take increasingly draconian measures which will impact Army readiness and impose hardships on our Soldiers and their families." Secretary of Defense Robert Gates has also emphasized the dangers of delay: "This kind of disruption to key programs will have a genuinely adverse effect on the readiness of the Army and the quality of life for soldiers and their families."
Our troops need this funding, and they need it soon. The Senate is in session and ready to work. We respectfully request that you cancel the remainder of your break, call the House back into session, appoint conferees promptly, and work in good faith to pass a clean supplemental funding bill that the President can sign as soon as possible. Every day we don't fund our troops is a day their ability to fight this war is weakened.
Credit for this story goes to the Drudge Report.
08 April 2007
Kick the tires and light the fires.
This baby is back in business. After substantial break from normal operation, I have decided that is time take on the world once more. You ready?
22 February 2007
A Series of Incoherent Thougts: Notes from my Vacation
Today is the first actual day of living it up here at the resort. Now when I say, “living it up” you have to bear two things in mind about me. One, I do not like the sun, and two; I do not like to swim. Irony ensues as this place has nine pools and the lovely state of Arizona is in a state of constant sun saturation. I make due however, choosing to sit under an umbrella with my trusty iPod, and a copy of the latest EGM.
All though the patrons of the resort are hardly diverse (white, mid forties to early sixties) the choice of beverages are. From a frozen cappuccino in the morning, to a strawberry daiquiri come lunch life was diversity in a blender (much to the dismay of the ACLU). As I mentioned the lack of human diversity, one is forced, and thankfully so, to acknowledge of the intricate blend of tropical paradise and desert oasis. Walking a few feet here you take in the ever green, highly manicured grasses, and at the same time tan soil dotted with beautiful cactus plants. Neatly trimmed hedges stand their ground next to midget palm trees. These contrasting themes do not fight each other, but rather work in harmony to produce a scene that is truly breathtaking.
As I walk the grounds of this place and take notice of the people here, I am inclined to think that if you combined the net-income of all the guests you could very well afford to purchase a couple of states, or a small nation. For, as one meanders through the line of darkwood beach chairs you can rest assured that the guy whose drink you may have accidentally tipped over was probably the CEO of Verizon, or the President of Toshiba. These shirtless CEOs reveal their office tans, which are most comparable to the gamer tan of which I sport. To their side, is, more often than not, a scandaly-clad woman whose age even David Blaine couldn’t guess. Through the magic of cosmetic surgery these trophy wives 2.0 defy your perception of age, though at the same time you have assume that they were aged enough to need the services of a Beverly Hills Doc. However, this is not the definite standard. Every so often you take notice of a large graying man with an attractive, young, Asian woman. One has to assume, that like his Ferrari, she’s a rental. So maybe I was wrong to question the diversity of the people who cook their bodies under the Arizona sun. If beauty can only be skin deep, why not diversity?
Aside from the “Playboy” bunnies you will see here regularly, there is a surprising abundance of real bunnies, which are very cute, very brown, and very slim. I guess the only arguable difference between the two would be that only one of them you have to pay to walk on all fours.
What makes this place the crown jewel of five star resorts is the abundance of activities, however, the one thing that I value above all the rest here is the where you can just think. Impulse buying still goes, but even that moves a comfortable pace. As cliché as this may come across, the only real decisions that one has to make here is do I want to go to the poolside bar or chill in the cushy lounge? If that is your prime decision, all the more power to you, for you are truly living it up.
I may have over-estimated my assertion regarding the average age of the guests at this resort. I have seen my fair share of teenage girls with sunglass lenses arguably larger than their brains. The always roam in groups larger than three and carry with them a sort of movie star vibe, as if I should be bowing when they walk by.
I am not very fluent in the use of flip-flops. I am near certain that I have tripped over them as many times as there are needles on all the cacti in this state or, the number of times I have heard “on the rocks, with salt.” However, I am drawn to them. It must be the symbolic nature of the flip-flop itself, a direct representation of relaxation. You are not truly on vacation unless you are wearing flip-flops. So, here I am. Tripping over myself for the cause of the vacationing spirit.
Right now I am sitting in the hotel lobby area. It is a large expansive area that contains a bar, a lounge, a place for tea, and leads to a terrace that allows for a fantastic view of the resort and the outlying city of Phoenix. I am staring at a fireplace wondering if my presence will go unacknowledged. The city looks wonderful tonight. It’s not yet dark, but just enough that the urban lights can be seen. It is truly a sight to behold.
Another benefit to my location is the view of the people. I can analyze their movements and observe their interactions. The section of the lounge that I inhabit is more or less an empty sector though. However, from my seat I have a panoramic view of the entire scene. Hopefully that waitress will finally take notice of my arrival.
The battery on my laptop is running low, about thirty eight percent. I am trying to make the most of it.
The best way to observe is from the outside looking in. As obvious as this may seem, people tend to forget how much you miss when you are caught up in the thick of it. “Embedded in America”, as The Onion would say. A casual observer misses the emotion. The man in the middle gets the emotion but misses the big picture. There are trade offs, as with everything. One, I suppose, could argue that it would be easier to build from the small emotional clips, and form the big picture from it. However, sometimes it’s just easier to work down.
The people sitting at the table about seven yards in front of me are made up of two older women, one I think I younger than the other, and two older men, one I think is younger than the other. Friends perhaps? They do not appear to share any family connection.
Just as I finished that last statement the piano began to play. Tonight’s pianist is a bald man, imposing, but with a certain air of openness. It sounds beautiful really. Hard to describe. I wish someone would bring me a drink so I could truly enjoy this, although the chances of that happening are arguable. Funny enough, just as I wrote that last line the aforementioned waitress approached me.
“Are you doing OK?”
“A Coke would be lovely.”
“OK, I’ll be right with you.”
So goes the exchange. My episode of outside observing briefly interrupted with actual contact with the people that set the scene. The pianist drones on and I am brought back to the outside.
Lovers stroll outside, husband and wife. She stops to comment on a couch that looks remarkably like her own. He walks a few steps forward and turns, staring back at her. They continue their stroll making a “U” back toward the lobby. The pianist reaches the bridge. The conservation at the table directly in front of me has picked up. Brief intervals of forced laughter slice through the elegant atmosphere created by the sound of an old Steinway, and a large fountain in the center of the lobby. A woman wearing a brown sleeveless top and khakis stops to observe a clear vase containing pink flowers. I assume she is wondering if they are real. I believe they are. Just as she moves away the people at the table directly in front of me, sign their check and leave. It turns out there were three woman and one man, my mistake. As the busboy makes his move on the table, all evidence that the party had been enjoying their evening there is removed. Two martini glasses, a champagne glass, a bowel of toasted nuts; all removed, as the consumers have disappeared into the fray. It has grown darker, and my waitress is nowhere to be found. My battery power is at thirty-two percent. I will leave at ten. I think she is coming. However, her tray seems to be missing my Coke, she realizes her mistake upon the recognition of my person.
“I’m sorry, I’ve forgotten your Coke.”
“That’s OK.”
Her accent appears to be southern, she must have moved here. Not really a bad choice. If you do not mind a little heat in the summer, it is really a nice place to be. The tones of the piano have reached a dramatic pitch. Candles are flickering all around, and as I shift my gaze toward the city I realize the similarity between the urban lights that punctuate the night sky and the candles that glow dimly throughout the scene within. The piano is now playing a light hearted tune. I do not recognize it by name.
The waiters dressed in black move across the room like ghosts. Brought back into the plane of human existence only by brief interactions. They swiftly and silently make their rounds. My waitress arrives with my Coke.
“I’m sorry again for the delay, this one’s on me.”
“No, that’s all right…”
Before I could finish my protest…
“I insist, please enjoy.”
I have a free drink. This is pretty good news. It’s always fun to get a free drink. The world seems like such an inviting place all of the sudden. However, I do not now how to act now. Should I just leave without paying? I hope that she remembers to pick up the tab; the precedent she set is a little worrisome. She was nice however; I will give her the benefit of the doubt.
My Coke tastes very good, and for split second I could have sworn the pianist was playing the intro to Billy Joel’s Piano Man, however, I am mistaken. The woman in the brown top returns and once again goes to observe the clear vases that contain the pink flowers. This time however, her husband accompanies her. He motions her over to a couch not to far from where I am sitting. I can pick up bits of their conversation. It seems she is definitely intrigued by those clear vases.
I think the pianist is now playing Carly Simon’s You’re So Vain. I may be wrong. I have about three quarters left of my coke and my battery is at twenty-six percent. The night is still young.
People are attracted to laptops. They attempt to hide their gazes as the pass by. We are all guilty of it. Our eyes are drawn to the screen, as curiosity gets the better of us. However, all they will see right now is a dimly lit screen and a wall of Times New Roman. I think the Times font is derivative of the New York Times. That would be interesting. I just recently found out that Time Square was named for the New York Times; it’s possible that the font is named for it as well.
The lobby has cleared up somewhat since I arrived on the scene. The real action is outside. There, the resort has beautiful fires lit on the terrace and there seems to be a silent competition amongst the guests to get closet to it.
There is a significant chance that my battery will outlive my Coke. The poor thing is two sips away from death, and my battery still has twenty three percent left. It is now seven twenty postmeridian. I may take my leave shortly. Will it be rude if I just leave my glass behind? Of course not, you pay good money to have people pick up after you. I think the nightly cost of my stay here is around 1,500 dollars.
I recognize the pianist’s tune; it’s Billy Joel’s She’s Always a Woman to Me. I picked up on the bridge. He is definitely taking some artistic liberties with it, but it’s definitely Joel. I was hoping to hear at least one tonight.
My Coke is now done, and my battery is about to cross the barrier from twenty percent into the teens. Working it’s way down. Just as an observer works from the big picture, to the small emotional clips, I have worked down.
All though the patrons of the resort are hardly diverse (white, mid forties to early sixties) the choice of beverages are. From a frozen cappuccino in the morning, to a strawberry daiquiri come lunch life was diversity in a blender (much to the dismay of the ACLU). As I mentioned the lack of human diversity, one is forced, and thankfully so, to acknowledge of the intricate blend of tropical paradise and desert oasis. Walking a few feet here you take in the ever green, highly manicured grasses, and at the same time tan soil dotted with beautiful cactus plants. Neatly trimmed hedges stand their ground next to midget palm trees. These contrasting themes do not fight each other, but rather work in harmony to produce a scene that is truly breathtaking.
As I walk the grounds of this place and take notice of the people here, I am inclined to think that if you combined the net-income of all the guests you could very well afford to purchase a couple of states, or a small nation. For, as one meanders through the line of darkwood beach chairs you can rest assured that the guy whose drink you may have accidentally tipped over was probably the CEO of Verizon, or the President of Toshiba. These shirtless CEOs reveal their office tans, which are most comparable to the gamer tan of which I sport. To their side, is, more often than not, a scandaly-clad woman whose age even David Blaine couldn’t guess. Through the magic of cosmetic surgery these trophy wives 2.0 defy your perception of age, though at the same time you have assume that they were aged enough to need the services of a Beverly Hills Doc. However, this is not the definite standard. Every so often you take notice of a large graying man with an attractive, young, Asian woman. One has to assume, that like his Ferrari, she’s a rental. So maybe I was wrong to question the diversity of the people who cook their bodies under the Arizona sun. If beauty can only be skin deep, why not diversity?
Aside from the “Playboy” bunnies you will see here regularly, there is a surprising abundance of real bunnies, which are very cute, very brown, and very slim. I guess the only arguable difference between the two would be that only one of them you have to pay to walk on all fours.
What makes this place the crown jewel of five star resorts is the abundance of activities, however, the one thing that I value above all the rest here is the where you can just think. Impulse buying still goes, but even that moves a comfortable pace. As cliché as this may come across, the only real decisions that one has to make here is do I want to go to the poolside bar or chill in the cushy lounge? If that is your prime decision, all the more power to you, for you are truly living it up.
I may have over-estimated my assertion regarding the average age of the guests at this resort. I have seen my fair share of teenage girls with sunglass lenses arguably larger than their brains. The always roam in groups larger than three and carry with them a sort of movie star vibe, as if I should be bowing when they walk by.
I am not very fluent in the use of flip-flops. I am near certain that I have tripped over them as many times as there are needles on all the cacti in this state or, the number of times I have heard “on the rocks, with salt.” However, I am drawn to them. It must be the symbolic nature of the flip-flop itself, a direct representation of relaxation. You are not truly on vacation unless you are wearing flip-flops. So, here I am. Tripping over myself for the cause of the vacationing spirit.
Right now I am sitting in the hotel lobby area. It is a large expansive area that contains a bar, a lounge, a place for tea, and leads to a terrace that allows for a fantastic view of the resort and the outlying city of Phoenix. I am staring at a fireplace wondering if my presence will go unacknowledged. The city looks wonderful tonight. It’s not yet dark, but just enough that the urban lights can be seen. It is truly a sight to behold.
Another benefit to my location is the view of the people. I can analyze their movements and observe their interactions. The section of the lounge that I inhabit is more or less an empty sector though. However, from my seat I have a panoramic view of the entire scene. Hopefully that waitress will finally take notice of my arrival.
The battery on my laptop is running low, about thirty eight percent. I am trying to make the most of it.
The best way to observe is from the outside looking in. As obvious as this may seem, people tend to forget how much you miss when you are caught up in the thick of it. “Embedded in America”, as The Onion would say. A casual observer misses the emotion. The man in the middle gets the emotion but misses the big picture. There are trade offs, as with everything. One, I suppose, could argue that it would be easier to build from the small emotional clips, and form the big picture from it. However, sometimes it’s just easier to work down.
The people sitting at the table about seven yards in front of me are made up of two older women, one I think I younger than the other, and two older men, one I think is younger than the other. Friends perhaps? They do not appear to share any family connection.
Just as I finished that last statement the piano began to play. Tonight’s pianist is a bald man, imposing, but with a certain air of openness. It sounds beautiful really. Hard to describe. I wish someone would bring me a drink so I could truly enjoy this, although the chances of that happening are arguable. Funny enough, just as I wrote that last line the aforementioned waitress approached me.
“Are you doing OK?”
“A Coke would be lovely.”
“OK, I’ll be right with you.”
So goes the exchange. My episode of outside observing briefly interrupted with actual contact with the people that set the scene. The pianist drones on and I am brought back to the outside.
Lovers stroll outside, husband and wife. She stops to comment on a couch that looks remarkably like her own. He walks a few steps forward and turns, staring back at her. They continue their stroll making a “U” back toward the lobby. The pianist reaches the bridge. The conservation at the table directly in front of me has picked up. Brief intervals of forced laughter slice through the elegant atmosphere created by the sound of an old Steinway, and a large fountain in the center of the lobby. A woman wearing a brown sleeveless top and khakis stops to observe a clear vase containing pink flowers. I assume she is wondering if they are real. I believe they are. Just as she moves away the people at the table directly in front of me, sign their check and leave. It turns out there were three woman and one man, my mistake. As the busboy makes his move on the table, all evidence that the party had been enjoying their evening there is removed. Two martini glasses, a champagne glass, a bowel of toasted nuts; all removed, as the consumers have disappeared into the fray. It has grown darker, and my waitress is nowhere to be found. My battery power is at thirty-two percent. I will leave at ten. I think she is coming. However, her tray seems to be missing my Coke, she realizes her mistake upon the recognition of my person.
“I’m sorry, I’ve forgotten your Coke.”
“That’s OK.”
Her accent appears to be southern, she must have moved here. Not really a bad choice. If you do not mind a little heat in the summer, it is really a nice place to be. The tones of the piano have reached a dramatic pitch. Candles are flickering all around, and as I shift my gaze toward the city I realize the similarity between the urban lights that punctuate the night sky and the candles that glow dimly throughout the scene within. The piano is now playing a light hearted tune. I do not recognize it by name.
The waiters dressed in black move across the room like ghosts. Brought back into the plane of human existence only by brief interactions. They swiftly and silently make their rounds. My waitress arrives with my Coke.
“I’m sorry again for the delay, this one’s on me.”
“No, that’s all right…”
Before I could finish my protest…
“I insist, please enjoy.”
I have a free drink. This is pretty good news. It’s always fun to get a free drink. The world seems like such an inviting place all of the sudden. However, I do not now how to act now. Should I just leave without paying? I hope that she remembers to pick up the tab; the precedent she set is a little worrisome. She was nice however; I will give her the benefit of the doubt.
My Coke tastes very good, and for split second I could have sworn the pianist was playing the intro to Billy Joel’s Piano Man, however, I am mistaken. The woman in the brown top returns and once again goes to observe the clear vases that contain the pink flowers. This time however, her husband accompanies her. He motions her over to a couch not to far from where I am sitting. I can pick up bits of their conversation. It seems she is definitely intrigued by those clear vases.
I think the pianist is now playing Carly Simon’s You’re So Vain. I may be wrong. I have about three quarters left of my coke and my battery is at twenty-six percent. The night is still young.
People are attracted to laptops. They attempt to hide their gazes as the pass by. We are all guilty of it. Our eyes are drawn to the screen, as curiosity gets the better of us. However, all they will see right now is a dimly lit screen and a wall of Times New Roman. I think the Times font is derivative of the New York Times. That would be interesting. I just recently found out that Time Square was named for the New York Times; it’s possible that the font is named for it as well.
The lobby has cleared up somewhat since I arrived on the scene. The real action is outside. There, the resort has beautiful fires lit on the terrace and there seems to be a silent competition amongst the guests to get closet to it.
There is a significant chance that my battery will outlive my Coke. The poor thing is two sips away from death, and my battery still has twenty three percent left. It is now seven twenty postmeridian. I may take my leave shortly. Will it be rude if I just leave my glass behind? Of course not, you pay good money to have people pick up after you. I think the nightly cost of my stay here is around 1,500 dollars.
I recognize the pianist’s tune; it’s Billy Joel’s She’s Always a Woman to Me. I picked up on the bridge. He is definitely taking some artistic liberties with it, but it’s definitely Joel. I was hoping to hear at least one tonight.
My Coke is now done, and my battery is about to cross the barrier from twenty percent into the teens. Working it’s way down. Just as an observer works from the big picture, to the small emotional clips, I have worked down.
27 January 2007
25 January 2007
You have to give Coulter credit...
Her pieces, if anything, are fun to read.
Speaking of which, the horny hick's wife finally ended the breathless anticipation by announcing that she is running for president. I studied tapes of Hillary feigning surprise at hearing about Monica to help me look surprised upon learning that she's running.
Hillary is Dem Frontrunner: Time Poll
According to a survey conducted by Time Magazine in which 1,026 registered voters were polled, Hillary Clinton (D-NY), is 19 points ahead of Senator Barack Obama (D-IL). These results prove to be interesting especially after the media splash Obama has made.
24 January 2007
State of the Union Cliff Notes
I took these during the SOTU, and I will share them with you.
State of the Union 2007
in order as they are addressed
-Madame Speaker-
Nancy Pelosi (D-CA)
-remarks on speaker
-congrats to dem majority
-7.2 million new jobs
-3 economic reforms
-balance budget
-without raising taxes
-deficit cut in half
-get rid of deficit in five years
-restrain federal spending
-no applause from Hillary
-earmarks
-cspan joke
-crackdown
-entitlements
-social security
-education
- no child left behind
-raise standards
-promote achievement
-funding for struggling students
-math and science
-reauthorization
-Healthcare
-reform 4,500 per family of 4
-tax code reform to allow affordability of healthcare
-federal support of state insurance
-affordable choices grants
-expand health savings accounts
-medical liability reform
-Secure border
-double border patrol size
-temporary worker program
-employment immigration reform
-call for debate
-Oil
-America's dependency
-Clean coal, nuclear, solar
-hybrid, biodiseal
-ethanol
-reduce gasoline usage in the US 20% in next 10 years
-mandatory fuel standard
-modernize fuel economy standards for cars
-Doubling strategic oil reserves
-Courts
-fair hearing
-prompt voting
-Homeland Security
-call for debate
-take the fight to the enemy
-all standing
-prevented plots
-lists stopped terror plots
-sunni extremists
-preach with threats
-promise paradise for murder
-quotes warning from terror leader
-shia extremists
-Iran
-hezbollah
-threat to democracy, gain weapons
-dangers have not ended
-lawful and proper tool...to protect american people
-desire for liberty in middle east
-syria
-afghai elections
-iraqi (3) elections
-12 million citizens vote
-2006 hezbollah
-undermine lebanon's government
-al qaeda- blew up mosque
-sectarian violence
-can't leave iraq behind
-victory in iraq
-New Iraq Strategy
-iraqi government must stop sectarian violence
-20,000 soldiers to baghdad, clear and hold
-advisers
-an-bar province
-aid local forces 4,000 troops
-prevent iraq from being taken by al-qaeda
-iraq support with troops and confront radicals
-take back capital
-commitment to people of iraq
-strategy best chance for success
-if we pull out, (basically chaos)
-iraq cannot fall to terrorists
-War on Terror
-did not vote for failure (iraq)
-support our troops
-war on terror will continue on
-bipartisan council on war on terror
-authorize increase size of marine corp
-volunteer civilian reserve core
-diplomatic strategy
-multinational force
-mideast allies
-sanctions on iran
-democratic palestinian state
-diplomacy on korean peninsula
-asian allies
-cuba
-darfur
-Misc.(includes special mentions)
-fight aids in africa
-poverty/hunger
-emergency plan for aids relief
-50,000 increase to 800,000 with aids medicine
-combat malaria in africa
-millennium challenge account
-trade and debt relief
-special guest, from africa, in NBA
-julie clark-baby einstein company
-american enterprise
-child help
-children have the right to live in a world that is safe
-wesley autrey
-subway hero
-tommy rieman
-used body as shield to protect gunner
-kept fighting
-State of the Union is strong
State of the Union 2007
in order as they are addressed
-Madame Speaker-
Nancy Pelosi (D-CA)
-remarks on speaker
-congrats to dem majority
-7.2 million new jobs
-3 economic reforms
-balance budget
-without raising taxes
-deficit cut in half
-get rid of deficit in five years
-restrain federal spending
-no applause from Hillary
-earmarks
-cspan joke
-crackdown
-entitlements
-social security
-education
- no child left behind
-raise standards
-promote achievement
-funding for struggling students
-math and science
-reauthorization
-Healthcare
-reform 4,500 per family of 4
-tax code reform to allow affordability of healthcare
-federal support of state insurance
-affordable choices grants
-expand health savings accounts
-medical liability reform
-Secure border
-double border patrol size
-temporary worker program
-employment immigration reform
-call for debate
-Oil
-America's dependency
-Clean coal, nuclear, solar
-hybrid, biodiseal
-ethanol
-reduce gasoline usage in the US 20% in next 10 years
-mandatory fuel standard
-modernize fuel economy standards for cars
-Doubling strategic oil reserves
-Courts
-fair hearing
-prompt voting
-Homeland Security
-call for debate
-take the fight to the enemy
-all standing
-prevented plots
-lists stopped terror plots
-sunni extremists
-preach with threats
-promise paradise for murder
-quotes warning from terror leader
-shia extremists
-Iran
-hezbollah
-threat to democracy, gain weapons
-dangers have not ended
-lawful and proper tool...to protect american people
-desire for liberty in middle east
-syria
-afghai elections
-iraqi (3) elections
-12 million citizens vote
-2006 hezbollah
-undermine lebanon's government
-al qaeda- blew up mosque
-sectarian violence
-can't leave iraq behind
-victory in iraq
-New Iraq Strategy
-iraqi government must stop sectarian violence
-20,000 soldiers to baghdad, clear and hold
-advisers
-an-bar province
-aid local forces 4,000 troops
-prevent iraq from being taken by al-qaeda
-iraq support with troops and confront radicals
-take back capital
-commitment to people of iraq
-strategy best chance for success
-if we pull out, (basically chaos)
-iraq cannot fall to terrorists
-War on Terror
-did not vote for failure (iraq)
-support our troops
-war on terror will continue on
-bipartisan council on war on terror
-authorize increase size of marine corp
-volunteer civilian reserve core
-diplomatic strategy
-multinational force
-mideast allies
-sanctions on iran
-democratic palestinian state
-diplomacy on korean peninsula
-asian allies
-cuba
-darfur
-Misc.(includes special mentions)
-fight aids in africa
-poverty/hunger
-emergency plan for aids relief
-50,000 increase to 800,000 with aids medicine
-combat malaria in africa
-millennium challenge account
-trade and debt relief
-special guest, from africa, in NBA
-julie clark-baby einstein company
-american enterprise
-child help
-children have the right to live in a world that is safe
-wesley autrey
-subway hero
-tommy rieman
-used body as shield to protect gunner
-kept fighting
-State of the Union is strong
21 January 2007
Bait and Switch: How 2008 Will Go Down
Bait and switch. That's right, remember that term. I foresee that in 08. The bait? None other than media darling Senator Barack Obama. The switch? Al Gore, John Edwards. Here's how it goes down. Obama is a household name and the notion of him in the Oval Office is spreading like wildfire however, what people can't seem to see, with all of those lovely smoke and mirrors obstructing their view is, he stands for nothing except for being as liberal as one could possibly be, but that's it. We don't know Barack, we know the media's version of Barack, nothing more, nothing less. That's fine for the Democrats. He's like a super model in a beer commercial. The beer may taste like crap but you are drawn in by the supermodel. Flash forward a year. They switch Barack with someone more battle hardened, let's say, Gore. People were already lured to the Dem side with lovely Barack and say, "Hey, that Barack fellow was mighty neat, this Gore fella' is a Democrat too, maybe they are similar!" So they buy the beer and they will realize it's shit. BUT WAIT, it's too late. Oh no! You just spent one vote on crappy beer.
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