09/10/2013

First, a quick follow up to something I said in last night's post.

I'm not going to link to it. It's the post before this one. Find it yourself.

About President Obama's game of chess, re: Syria.

                                                                        Checkmate.

                                                And, "Live long and prosper, beeyotches."

                                      ___________________________________________

Tomorrow is the twelfth anniversary of the 9/11 attack on U.S. soil.

Which, in case anyone needs a refresher course on recent U.S. history...

Happened on the watch of President George W. Bush, Dick Cheney, Donald Rumsfeld, et al.

Not Clinton.

Not Obama.

So, let's stop trying to rewrite history, shall we, my Republican friends?

Thanks.

As I posted a year ago, we will never forget the horrific events of 09/11/2001. Because, who could?

But, it is past time to get over it and move on.

Which brings me to the present.

During the last week, while President Obama was moving his Vulcan knight into the "check" position...

The following meme made the "conservative" rounds...

This left The Blog uncharacteristically speechless.

I wanted to respond to the Facebook "shares" of this photo.

But, I was nonplussed, gob-smacked and baffled.

The notion here seems to be that Syrians were the people who attacked the World Trade Center.

But, and I have not double checked this. I am relying on memory, here...

No Syrians were involved in the 9/11 attack.

The attack was perpetrated by Al Quaida. The majority of the hijackers were Saudis.

As in, Saudi Arabia. The House of Saud. Before, during and after, friends and allies of the Bush administration.

Not a Syrian among them.

So, what are my "conservative" friends saying when they share this meme?

It is true that we (the U.S.) are supporting many of the factions that are rebelling against the Assad regime. We are supporting the factions that have legitimate beefs against Assad.

It is true that Al Quaida has moved in on this rebellion.

Al Quaida thrives on chaos.

But, we are not supporting Al Quaida in Syria. We are supporting the legitimate rebels.

None of whom had anything to do with 9/11.

Which brought me to a disturbing conclusion about the above meme.

Is it possible that my "conservative" friends who saw fit to pass this meme around actually believe that "Arabs are Arabs and Muslims are Muslims and they are all terrorists, so fuck them all and let Allah sort them out?"

I sure hope that isn't the case. But it sure seems that way.

Ann Coulter once vomited this bit of wit...

"Not all Mooslims [sic] are terrorists, but all terrorists are Mooslims [sic]."

I hope that that is not really what my "conservative" friends believe.

Because, what a crock of shit.

But, just this morning, Ann Coulter appeared on "Fox & Friends" and cranked her bigoted Islomophobia to eleven.

She crossed the line so far that even "F&F" host Brian Kilmeade felt obligated to call her out.

And that is saying something.

Consider tonight's post The Blog's obligatory 9/11 post.

Tomorrow night, something else.

                                  _____________________________________


Finally, a brief comment about the right-wing outrage over this photo...

                                                               I will call it, "Shoegate."

The right wing punditry and their sheep are outraged that President Obama would disrespect the Oval Office's "Resolute Desk," by putting his feet up on it.

Holy Shit!!!!!!

Sacrilege!!!!

No president would ever do something so anti-American!

Obama's shoes on the sacred desk (installed in the Oval Office by conservative hero, John F. Kennedy,) must be some sort of secret Muslim Brotherhood code.

Right?

                                                                            Wrong.

Is the right-wing so desperate to find some way to discredit the Kenyan, Commie, (white) house nigger, that they would stoop to this.

It would seem, yes.

Yes, they are that desperate.

Some Things That I Like: Pt. 2

It has been a couple of nights since I posted anything new.

And a stagnant blog is a forgotten blog.

I was planning on posting my thoughts about the Syria situation, tonight. But, today's events suggest that my thoughts may be a bit behind the news cycle, (and I am peddling my news cycle as fast as I can,) and if everything keeps moving in the direction it seems to be moving, the next few days will prove my suspicion before I have even talked about it.

And that suspicion, in a nutshell, is this...

President Obama isn't just playing chess.

                                                             He's playing Vulcan chess.

And, he is winning.

                              _______________________________________________

I thought about posting about George Zimmerman's return to the news with his penis gun in his hand.

But that story is still a big question mark. After a panicked 911 call from his estranged wife, she has declined to press charges. George may still be in trouble. But, we will probably know more about Syria, before the newest Zimmerman case gets sorted out.

                                  _____________________________________________

I saw "Lee Daniels' The Butler" last night.

I enjoyed it. But maybe for all the wrong reasons.

The Blog will address that in a near future post.

                            _________________________________________________

But tonight, The Blog is feeling tired and lazy.

So, following up on a post from a few weeks ago, I'm just going to post a short list of things that I like.

(Enjoy it while you can. One of these days, I'm going to list the things I don't like, the things that piss me off, and the things that I, actively, hate. Until then, embrace the positivity.)

If you are a longtime reader, some of the things on this list, you already know. But, maybe there will be a few things that are new to you.

I like...

Comic books. (Even thought I have not bought or read an actual comic book in something like over a decade.)

Especially, anything Batman and the old time Warren Publishing titles...

                                                         Creepy, Eerie and Vampirella.

Comic book movies that don't try to look like the comic books they are based on.

i.e.: "Men in Black" and Christopher Nolan's "Dark Knight" trilogy.

Acting in live theater.

Attending live theater productions.

Especially...

The Troubadour Theater Company, aka: The Troubies.

                                         "Under the Dome." The novel and the TV series.

                               Pretty much everything that Sarah Silverman has ever done.

Classic Rock, heavy metal, punk rock and classical music.

Journey, The Doobie Brothers, KISS, Alice Cooper, Black Sabbath, AC/DC, Metallica, The Ramones, The Sex Pistols, Beethoven, Bach, Mozart, Wagner, etc.

Tori Amos and, God help me, Mylie Cyrus' newest song...

"Wrecking Ball."

"The Big Bang Theory," "Once Upon a Time," "Elementary" and "Psych."

And Russell Brand.

That is enough for tonight.

I like Grumpy Cat, George Takei, and Pamela Anderson.



But, those are topics for future posts.

Bonus "WTF Texas?" Post

                                                                        See this image?
Go read about it at the Huffington Post.

What the fuck, Texas?

The NSA Doesn't Worry Me...

... But, private industry is starting to give me the creeps.

Think back to my Labor Day/ Birthday post and my story about Google greeting me with my very own birthday "Google Doodle."

It caught me by surprise, but I get how it was done.

Blogspot is a Google property. So, I'm logged on to Google's system when I post.

No mystery, here.

Now, file that story at the front of your mind and hang on for this one...

I do business with Amazon.com, now and then.

Not very often.

Nothing against them. I'm just more of a "brick and mortar" kind of guy.

I think the last book I bought from them was a pre-order of the last Harry Potter.

The last time I bought anything from them was nearly two years ago, when I bought my mother-in-law a hand mixer.

Years ago, I bought Mrs. Blog a couple of romance novels by her favorite author. I bought some of my son's college textbooks from them.

And, like my Tivo™ suggestion folder or Facebook's ad matrix, Amazon sometimes gets my preferences hilariously wrong.

It doesn't surprise me that, to this day, I get email ads from Amazon suggesting that I might want to buy the latest bodice rippers, computer programing manuals or small kitchen appliances.

I never take them up on their offers, but they don't get the message.

But, this morning, I got a "suggestion" ad from Amazon that made me wonder...

"How the hell did they get this one?"

It began...

"Hi, (The Blog's real name),

Are you looking for something in our comedy department? If so, you might be interested in these items."

Here is what followed...

If you have been reading this blog for more than a week, you get why this is so freaky.

Are Amazon, Google, YouTube, iTunes and Facebook all talking to each other?

I think that they might be.

Which brings us to this...

Has the corporate media convinced you that the NSA is spying on you, directly?

Because, they're not.

The NSA is asking the phone companies, internet service providers, retailers, etc. to share what they already know about you.

And that is an awful lot.

The government isn't "Big Brother." Free market, corporate America is.

The government is just tagging along.

Pardon me while I put on my tin-foil hat.

Just because you are paranoid doesn't mean they aren't watching you.

The Argument Against *SLAP* For *SLAP* Against *SLAP* For ObamaCare

Last night, I shared the following meme on Facebook.

My favorite conservative, Terry, responded...

And, once again, my response has moved over to the blog.

Terry, you often argue against AFA and I usually respond that you make the argument in favor of it, without realizing it. But, maybe I have never explained what I mean by that.

For our lifetimes, we have been paying for medical care for the "poor" (I take issue with your use of quotation marks, here. There are far to many actual poor in America. Most of them working two and three low wage, no benefit jobs just to get by,) and those who "bought a boat, instead of healthcare," who get there healthcare by using emergency rooms (the most expensive and inefficient way to provide non-emergency care) and county hospitals and clinics. We pay for their care through inflated ER bills, inflated hospital bills and inflated insurance costs.

Nothing is "free." Someone has to pay. And it has always been you and me.

When the AFA was first passed, one of the benefits that went into effect immediately, was that our 20-something children got to stay on our insurance until they turned 26. That cut a large swath out of the demographic that couldn't afford of didn't think they needed insurance. When I was in my early 20s, I didn't have insurance. Fortunately, I never got sick enough to need it. On the other hand, my son had a few minor medical issues, that would have become major if they had been let go. So, he and I are both grateful that he got to stay on my insurance for a few more years.

In 2014, people who cannot afford insurance will be given subsidies to help pay for it. That will cost us taxpayers. But, far less than defraying the cost of an ER visit does. The poor (and I have eschewed the quotation marks, here,) will be able to go to a general practitioner's office, at a fraction of the cost of an ER.

And, that guy who bought a boat? He might have to sell it. Or, maybe not. But, he will have to buy insurance without our help. If he can afford a boat, he is not eligible for a subsidy. Even if he can't afford a boat and insurance at the same time.

That rich asshole will have to embrace the Republican/Libertarian notion of "personal responsibility." No more sucking off of the public teet for him.

It is the simplest point about insurance.

The larger the pool, the lower the cost for everyone. Even if some people will need some degree of help from the rest of us. It's simple math.

The Heritage Foundation understood that when they wrote the bill that, essentially, became "RomneyCare," (which has worked out well for the people of Massachusetts,) and is the body and soul of "ObamaCare."

Your "finger, hammer, nail, amputation" analogy, while graphically poetic, frankly loses me. I have know idea what your point is with that.

Your third paragraph reminds me of the classic Tea Party protest...

Your last paragraph is just free of facts. The states (like mine) who have jumped in ahead of deadlines have already proven that none of these claims hold water. We are already showing reduced costs and better service, overall.

I have one real beef with the AFA.

(Besides the fact that it supplanted true "single payer" which I support.)

The bill excluded a mandate prohibiting for-profit insurance companies from raising rates over the two years before the AFA goes into full effect.

Was that an oversight?

No. I don't think so, either.

Go ahead and blame ObamaCare for rising insurance rates.

DO NOT! Blame your greedy insurance company. 

Missed It By That Much

Just a quick post, tonight.

Remember, way back, on my last post, I mentioned (among other things) my awesome birthday lunch at Rock & Brews El Segundo?

And remember, later in that post, I explained how, sometimes, I just can't win?

I'm not going to link to that post. It's the last post before this one. Go find it yourself, if you haven't already read it.

Okay, so there we are having lunch in El Segundo.

So, what is happening about six miles down the road at the South Bay's other Rock & Brews, aka: Rock & Brews Pacific Coast Highway?

Paul Stanley is table hopping and hobnobbing with R&BPCH diners.

Sheesh.

Labor Day

Today is my birthday.

Not one of the "milestone" birthdays, one of the "in-betweeners."

The sort of birthday that calls for a small celebration, if only to distract from the fact that it marks one more year closer to "shuffling off that mortal coil."

(Don't worry. I may not be the healthiest guy in the world, but I come from very hearty stock and, if genetics works in my favor, I expect to see my one hundredth birthday.)

But, as this is the anniversary of my birth, it is the day when we recognize everything that my Mom went through to bring me into the world.

Labor Day.

Okay, that's not really why today is Labor Day.

(But, my birthday does seem to fall on Labor Day an awful lot. At least, it has always felt that way.)

Today is the day that we celebrate America's true "makers..."

The average Joes and Janes, the working stiffs, the laborers...

And, those who came before them, the ones who fought, and sometimes even died, to bring about radical ideas like a 40 hour work-week, overtime pay, paid sick leave, and an end to child labor, among many other things.

"Salute!"

But, that's as political as The Blog is going to get, tonight. It has been a day to celebrate. I don't want to be a downer.

But, if you are interested in learning more about Labor Day's history and, maybe, it's future...

Head on over to AlterNet.org and read this piece.



Now...

Back to my birthday.

"So, Uncle PC, what did you do to celebrate, today?"



Thank you for asking. And the answer is, technically, nothing.

Not a damned thing. Today was a Monday like any other Monday.

Well, like any other Monday that I did not have to go to work.

But, that's okay. Here in the House of Blog birthdays get celebrated over a span of a couple of weeks. We're casual like that.

The Blog and Mrs. Blog's birthdays are exactly two weeks apart. So we get three weekends between us to do birthday stuff.

And this year, thanks to my little sister and her husband, we started even sooner. Go back a few posts to my story about going to hear a performance by the official folk singing, political satirist of the blog.

                                                                    Roy Zimmerman.

So, my birthday was off to a great start.

"But, Uncle PC, what presents did you get?"

Another good question, italics person.

On Saturday, Mrs. Blog took me down to the O.C. to my favorite tobacconist..

(Okay, not really my "favorite." But, one of the few remaining, real tobacconists in SoCal.)

*Hint*

If it's called a "smoke shop," it's not a tobacconist. It's a discount cigarette store. And, if they have a "glass artist" on the premises, it's a head-shop.

*End Hint*

...to pick out a new pipe.

(If anything will lead to The Blog not living to 100, it will be his pipe smoking. But, YOLO.)

On Sunday, Mrs. Blog blindfolded The PC, (I swear to God! Actually blindfolded.) And drove him to a new restaurant for lunch.

*Slight Digression*

I discovered that I have a talent that I had no idea I possessed. Blindfolded, I could feel each turn, each freeway entrance and exit, and each mile travelled. And, while we had never eaten at the restaurant in question, we have passed it on several occasions in the last few months, commenting on the fact that we would have to check it out. I knew, exactly, where we ended up, before the blindfold was removed.

Attention potential kidnappers...

Don't bother.

*End Digression*

The restaurant was KISS front-man, Gene Simmons' latest business venture...

                                                                Rock & Brews

A quick review is in order.

We arrived a half hour before they opened, but were invited by the staff to grab a table and enjoy a beverage, (iced tea for me, lemonade for the Mrs.) and read our Sunday papers while we waited for them to open.

Classic Rock played over the sound system and, shortly, over big screen TVs.

Several staffers inquired about our comfort...

... And I can not stress this enough...

...BEFORE THEY WERE OPEN!

At precisely 11:30 AM, (when they actually opened,) a waiter appeared to take our order.

A bit too chatty, for my taste. Especially when I'm trying to read my Sunday paper. But, he gets an "A" for effort.

We started with a gigantic Bavarian pretzel appetizer. Well salted and accompanied by the most nasal hair singing mustard/horseradish sauce I have ever tasted.

(Appropriate, it struck me, for a KISS related establishment. I have experienced similar hair singeing at their concerts.)

We both had burgers. So huge that I couldn't get my mouth around it and took half of it home. I may have to re-calibrate my opinion of the best, non-fast food burger in SoCal.

The fries, natural, hand-cut, were, frankly, a bit limp and under-cooked. Maybe we caught the fry cook on an off morning. Or, maybe he was rushing to serve the assholes that arrived a half hour early.

(I should mention that by this time, the place was pretty packed. Much like a modern KISS concert, the clientele was diverse. While adults waited for their food, children played in a jungle gym style play area, and dogs, yes dogs, enjoyed healthy treats from, I am not making this up, the dog menu. I neglected to mention that Rock & Brew is a German style, semi-outdoors, beirgarten set-up. So, yeah, it's "dog friendly.")

After I had my leftovers boxed up, we moved on to desert.

Mrs. Blog had the "Satisfaction Sundae." Vanilla soft serve with a ton of caramel sauce and sprinkles.

I, as the more adventurous one, ordered the "Real Beer Float." They were out of the "coconut infused" beer that usually goes into this concoction. (I will return to try that one.) But, the waiter suggested a "double chocolate stout," (which, if you are a beer aficionado, you understand does not, actually, contain chocolate. It's just a descriptive. Think Guinness,) with a generous dollop of vanilla soft serve.

"If you run out of ice cream, let me know. I'll top it off for you." said the waiter.

I didn't.

And, God damn! It was delicious.

Next time, we will probably try the "Purple Rain" donut drops. I'll let your imagination work on that one.

When the check arrived, the waiter...

*Another Digression*

There were waitresses, too. Sporting short shorts. And tattoos. 'Nuff said. Mrs. Blog opined of the unfairness of that. "Why aren't their any half dressed waiters," she asked.

*End*

...Where was I?

...Right, the waiter gave the check a once over and exclaimed, "Damn! I rang it up wrong! I hate wasting paper... so... your drinks are on the house."

This struck The Blog as being every bit as authentic as a KISS concert, four song encore, that included "Black Diamond" and "Rock and Roll All Nite."

But, again, an "A" for effort.

He got his generous tip.

And, Mrs. Blog bought me a t-shirt.

I have gone wayyy off course, here. But, the take-away is this...

Rock & Brew are planning 100 restaurant openings all over the country in the next few years. If they come to your town, do give them a try.

Getting back to my birthday...

So, a pipe. A lunch that was legendary.

And this...


I only asked for one birthday present. It was this...

This past Christmas, my Dad gave me an heirloom that I never knew existed.

A Rolex™ watch that was given to my grandfather to commemorate his 25 years with Montgomery Ward.

As Rolexes go, it is a simple watch. My granddad's initials are the same as mine. So, the engraving on it's back looks like it could have been given to me.

Seven years before I was born.

Simple, yes. But, still gold. And still, a Rolex™.

It has no watchband and it's crystal is cloudy.

It seems to be in working order, but a proper cleaning is probably appropriate.

So, for my birthday, I have the go-ahead from Mrs. Blog to get it taken care of by a Rolex expert.

Getting to wear my granddad's watch, Rolex or not, makes me, sort of, emotional.

Between my dad and my wife, probably the best gift, ever.

Pulling it together and moving on...

(Is this The Blog's longest post, ever. It might be. But, it is what it is.)

Here is something that is sort of cool, but sort of creepy...

When I went to Google to find a good "Rock & Brews" image, I was met with this...

 Today's "Google Doodle" was made up of birthday cakes.

When I hovered over the image, I saw, "Happy Birthday, (The Blog's real name.)"

Whoa!

Spooky and at the same time, awesome!

I just don't know what to say about that.




Forget the NSA..


Google knows a bit more about me than I am comfortable with.

So, moving on...

Say what you will about email and the social media usurping the traditions of sending actual, physical birthday cards...

My heart is warmed by the outpouring of birthday wishes from friends, far and wide, some who I have not seen in decades, some who I barely know on a personal level, over on Facebook.

What can I say about a thing that spreads so much goodwill, often in the absence of actual presence.

A great big "Thank you!" to friends, current friends, old friends, sort of friends, friends of friends, and that one comedic actress who I have had, exactly, one conversation with in the parking lot of the Falcon Theater in Toluca Lake, who sent me "xoxo Hugs," for making me feel so special!

Wow.

And, finally...

(Yeah, I know. This post, like so many current movies, should have ended 20 minutes ago, but still goes on...)

Today's best birthday gift...

At around 12:00 EDT, Time Warner Cable and CBS Television put on their big boy pants, and announced that they had, finally, settled their contract dispute.

If you have been following The Blog's blog, you know how bad it got.

When Mr. and Mrs. Blog returned home from Mrs. Blog's dialysis appointment, she turned the TV on, and we heard the dulcet tones of Dr. Phil McGraw.

"Holy Shit!!" I exclaimed. "CBS is back!"

Mrs. Blog will get her, "Judge Judy," "Y&R," and "Big Brother."

And, we will both get the latest "Under the Dome," and the new season of 'The Big Band Theory."

And it was true.

All is right with our TV world!

Except...

If you have ever wondered how this, mostly, optimistic, forward thinking guy managed to develop such a cynical, dark streak...

Follow this...

After several weeks of CBS being replaced by "Starz Kids and Family," which had some pretty good movies, this past weekend TWC replaced Starz K&F with "Hallmark Movies."

Mrs. Blog liked that change. After weeks of "Cars 2," "The Hobbit," and "BeetleJuice," she got this weekend's "Perry Mason Marathon."

And, she liked it.

Because, even though The Blog portrays himself as an old codger, Mrs. Blog, who is a mere two weeks younger than The PC, outdoes him. She loves her reruns of "Perry Mason," "Diagnosis Murder," and "Murder, She Wrote," more than just about anything.

So, when we discovered that TWC and CBS had, finally, settled their battle, Mrs. Blog's first thought was...

"Shit!"

"I'm not going to get to see the rest of the "Perry Mason Marathon."

So, you see, I can't win.

*sigh*