We Found Another One With SC Roots ...
Today, we'd like to introduce you to Amos Lee. He's a folk-rock guy from Philadelphia, but there is reason for South Carolinians to take a little pride in him. Amos is a 1995 graduate of The University of South Carolina, and it was there that he began to play guitar. Guess not everyone ends up spending all day at Five Points - but probably a little! I knew when I heard the lyrics 'I'm fixin' to die', that The South was somewhere in that guy....
Lee spent 2 years afterwards teaching, but decided to try and give music a shot. It was there that he ran into a little woman named Norah Jones (umpteen Grammy's), and it took off from there. His next album, 'Mission Bell' will be out in January, and this is the first track from it, "Windows Are Rolled Down". Enjoy!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=F4xY__FoDzY
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Is This The Reino Snow Curse ??? HAHAHAHA !!!!
Yes, we're getting hit with our first real snowstorm of the season here, and it's a good one. Anywhere from 10-16 inches of the White Stuff will fall overnight, pushed around by 40-50 MPH winds. When I saw the snow coming from the east this morning, I knew we were in trouble....
It's not so much of a surprise that it's snowing here, but that it snowed in South Carolina - again. It snowed exactly twice in my 13 years there (once it was gone by lunchtime), and now it's snowed BOTH winters that I have been gone. The Curse of Reino strikes again.....
For the first time ever, work already called and said be in at 10:00 - if they open at all.... Sweet!
Still, for all the mess and confusion that this will no doubt bring to Florence - have the grocery stores already run out of milk, water and bread? - there is a certain niceness about snow on Christmas weekend, even if it was one day late.
One last pic to conclude our Christmas weekend... Stay warm, and good luck finding an ice scraper in Flotown!!
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A Blog About John Mayer's 'Best Friend'?
Like we've said, the blogging has been weighing a bit heavy on us lately.. Usually, the first thing you try to do is work harder at it, but since time is so short, we thought briefly about another way - an alternative blog. That is, a right turn into a totally different field to renew our passion. The problem is that we don't really give a crap about anything. Still, we decided to try and overcome our ambivalence, and think of some great new ideas for blogs. When you see what we came up with, you'll understand why we'll be clsoing up shop soon. Here they are......
NY1
Essentially, we would be continuing SC6, but with a focus on our home here on Long Island. We'd be the voice of cost cutting and snaity in an insane area, and we'd rail against those who take so much from our pockets. Problem was, we are afraid that a garbage man would come up and put a bullet in our head, never to be seen again. Pass.....
NY BBQ
Great idea - find every good Southern BBQ joint in New York, and blog about the adventures. Too bad there are none... Haven't found a vinegar-based sauce yet here.
Blue-Gray Blog
Like the BBQ Blog, except I trace the Civil War from beginning to end across America by going to every battlefield, and meet all the important people involved. Too bad I get one day a week off, have no vacations, and all every authority on the Civil War is dead...
SC6 & Julia
I spend the next few years re-creating recipes from Julia Child's 'Joy of Cooking' book, and I blog about it... Wait a second, that idea has already been done. DAMMIT !!!!
Pop Music Hit List
I make a list of people in music that I Mark For Death, and my legion of followers carries them out for me... First on the List is Justin Bieber.... Nah, too creepy, and we're not exactly the Hit List Type.
NY Sports Blog
Yeah Buddy, you and everyone else. Besides, everyone up here is 'an expert'.
John Mayer's Penis
Seriously, this was an idea I had for a while - A blog about the life and times of the biggest Johnson in Rock Music today. Didn't know that? Know you do.... Picture it: a daily diary of Big John. Hanging in the studio, going inside Jennifer Love Hewitt, going on tour, going inside Jessica Simpson, hanging out in South Beach, going inside Jennifer Aniston. It could have been great! Since we don't actually KNOW John Mayer, it would be 100% fiction from the mind of yours truly, but we have a pretty good idea of what it's like...
Too bad none of them really got our boat going...... If you have other ideas, we're all ears.
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"In a society under the forms of which the stronger faction can readily unite and oppress the weaker, anarchy may as truly be said to reign as in a state of nature."
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James Madison, Federalist No. 52, 1788.
Like we've been preaching lately, a bipartisan government may be the best thing for America. Sometimes being forced to coexist with your antagonist can be fruitful, rather than stalling. One question: which is scarier - the fact that Danica 'Winnie Cooper' McKellar is almost 36, or the fact that she's about 15 years older than the average woman we put on our founders quotes?
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With the holiday weekend here, it was a tough time for political cartoons. For three weeks, it's been Santa Claus - Wikileaks jokes. Enough already... So, with little else to fall back on, we opted for Kim Jong Il celebrating Christmas like we all do - by threatening a Nuclear Holocaust. Happy New Year to you too, you little freak!
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"There can be no greater error than to expect, or calculate upon real favours from Nation to Nation. 'Tis an illusion which experience must cure, which a just pride ought to discard."
- George Washington's Farewell Address, 1796.
Simply put, we should never have expectations of gifts or handouts, and the feeling of self-reliance to refuse them should always be in our hearts. It's a good quote at Christmastime, where everyone has too many expectations. As for us, we calculate that if Romanian beauty Castinel Menghia gave us any favors, that it would likely be an illusion as well... but we wouldn't let our pride get in the way of asking anyway..
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This Isn't Just a Route in Pa. Or LT's Jersey Number ...
Nope, according to a poll taken this week by CNN, that is Barack Obama's approval rating. For a year plus, Obama has been stuck in a plummeting death spiral - at least as far as political approval goes. But, thanks to that funny little tip we give called Bipartisanship, Obama finds himself on the rebound - and the Republicans have a bit of problem on their hands..
First, there is one important thing we need to learn from this poll: Barack Obama still and likely will always have the benefit of the doubt. Even if he spends nearly 2 years in lockstep with Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi, all it takes is one piece of legislation to right his political ship. He IS special in voters eyes. Need proof? The Democrats approval ratings are 42%, and Republicans notched even lower at 40%... Barack Obama is above it all.....
Therein lies the problem for Republicans...... What do you do? You just followed the people's lead, went to the table with the President, and carved out the first halfway bi-partisan legislation in almost 2 decades - and he got all the credit. Do you go back to the old plan of blocking and waiting it out, to the possible detriment of your country? Or, do you continue the new path, and almost ensure that your party loses the presidency in 2012? Tread lightly, my friends.....
Yes, it was a beautiful thing to see Barack Obama locked arm in arm almost with Glenn McConnell - while Reid and Pelosi didn't even bother to show up for the signing (very classy, guys). But now McConnell and the Republicans know who will be the major benefactor of bipartisanship in 2 years. Actually, we all will benefit - but that's not how DC works. Will the lovefest continue? We doubt it, but hey, we can wish, can't we? There are worse things than having a Democrat as President. We think....
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Scarlett Johansson Is Back On the Market !
It's official: Megababe Scarlett Johansson and Ryan Reynolds filed for divorce concurrently. Yeah, we felt the same way when Megan Fox split with Brian Austin Green - and we know how that ended. But, we always remain hopeful and deluded for the little guys... That reminds me to go buy a Powerball ticket. Hey, you never know...........
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Even though we're worn out from 11 hours of Christmas music daily for the past month, we figured we should post at least one Christmas song. Our favorite since we were a kid is Bing Crosby and David Bowie's 'Little Drummer Boy'... Maybe it's because it was he first video we saw with a real rock star in it, or perhaps we liked the backstory. You know.... Bing's hanging at his cousin's house , and David lives down the road. Who the hell is Sir Percival anyway?
But, it is an original version, and we like the mixing of Old School and New School - at 1970's New School. Ziggy Stardust and the Florida OJ Guy singing together. Awesome !!!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=DiXjbI3kRus
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ike we always say here, we may have invented the term 'The Four Horsemen of the Political Apocalypse', but we are by far it's weakest and most uninfluential member. The Big Dog of the FHPA is Moye Graham... How do we know? We JUST DO..... Then there's news like what we heard this week that cements it...
Recently, the Clarendon GOP Chair was named to the Governors Council on Aging, where he will fill one of the 15 positions available. Who asked him to be on it? Andre Bauer himself. In comparison, the last thing Andre asked me was 'Who the F**k are you again?' Yeah, there's ground to be made up, but I just mention Moye is my buddy, and I can get free lunch anywhere east of Columbia....
Moye will serve in the position under incoming Lt. Governor Ken Ard, and we applaud Ken for not asking someone like me to fill a spot. Personally, we spend a lot of time arguing with elderly people, which would make us a bad fit for the job. We'll work on it.... Congrats to Moye for another notch in his belt, and for showing the Four Horsemen - or at least Moye - are true badasses!!!
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Just a quick note from us to wish you a Merry Christmas. It's been kinda hectic the last two days, as we have found that others find their priorities more important than mine. But, we've worked through it, and are looking forward to a quiet and more restful Christmas Day....
We'll be dining on the best that Carol can muster up with friends and Carol's family tomorrow, but the part we are looking forward to is the kids opening presents - particularly watching Sarah open four wrapped boxes to get to the gift card I got her. If you can't mess with a 7 year old, who can you mess with?
Best wishes to you and your this Christmas Day, and remember why we have Christmas in the first place, if only for a minute. It won't kill you...
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Someone's Ready For Christmas Morning .....
We almost forgot our new music pick.... Time is short - 4 hard days til our weekend off (our first Christmas Eve off since college), so we need sleep... Instead of playing a video of a Christmas song, we decided to play a song that sure sounds a lot like a Christmas song, Boston-based Guster's 'Do You Love Me?' Don't answer that question, we already know the answer. We are unloveable......
It must be the bells playing - or the band's obvious penchant for Long John's (Thermal Underwear to the rest of you).... Whatever reason, it sure makes us think of Christmas....
www.youtube.com/watch?v=7k-VAlIPzKg
In fact, Guster DOES have a Christmas song as well, called 'Tiny Tree'. Charlie Brown would be proud. Here's that one as well.....Our Christmas gift to you - you were expecting an actual present? HAHAHAHAAHAHA !!!!!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=BjnzzLaNWxg
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Nothing like a little Christmastime cynicism to put you in the holiday mood...... Feliz Navidad !!!
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"Interwoven as is the love of liberty with every ligament of your hearts, no recommendation of mine is necessary to fortify or confirm the attachment."
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George Washington.
The father of our country always seems to get it right, but our heart is interwoven with soemthing other than Nikki Fritz's ligaments... Not bad for 46! Even George would recommend that....
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The Bad News Is I Have to Share It With the Dog ....
After two weeks and viewing nearly a dozen apartments after work or on weekends, I finally found a place that I can live with and afford... It's a relatively small studio apartment, but it's superclean and awesome looking on the inside, with all new appliances and tiled bath. Best of all, it's in a great neighborhood in Commack (pronounced CO-mack) Long Island.
The tab for this place? Only $850 a month. No doubt most of you in SC are gasping right now, but it does includes all utilities, cable and internet. Hey, maybe I can keep the blog going after all.... For around here, that's a pretty good deal, and I cut my commuting time to work in half. Yeah, I could have found a place even closer, but none fit quite right, and the deal with rentals here are one month's rent, one month's security, and one month non-refundable commission the the agent... Mine didn't have one, so I saved a nice chunk o'coin one that deal...
I might still suggest to a woman 'why don't we go to your place?', but it's not too bad. Better than having to admit I'm staying at a friend's house, right?
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Make a Wish .... Sorry, The Blog Hasn't Ended Yet!
We apologize for our tardiness on celebrating the 5th Anniversary of SC6, but it has been CRAZY busy around here... By our count, we worked 17 of the last 19 days, 11.5 hrs per day. One of the two days off was spent watching Stevie for 11 hours, so we're considering that as work also. Therefore, we've had exactly ONE day off. Yeah, we're a bit exhausted...
Today, we had off, but it was spent apartment hunting, and we're happy to say that we finally found a winner... Joe & Carol are probably happier than me, but they haven't shown it yet....
Yes, it was five years ago yesterday that we started SC6 in a lightly-furnished apartment in the West Ashley section of Charleston, South Cackilacky. While the focus and popularity of the blog has changed and waned, we still find it hard to believe that we've kept this up for so long - longer than out first marriage, or any job we've ever held. Come to think of it, I've had nine jobs since I started SC6. With that in mind, we're trying to keep this job for a longer period of time.
So, how much longer are we going to keep this up? Not much. We had thoughts about stopping it today, but are getting close to a milestone post number - 3000, baby! - and we think that's where we'll end it. Yes, we've cried wolf a dozen times before, but frankly we think we did our job. America has gotten fed up with Washington, and they finally got the point, as evidenced by the new bi-partisan tax cut.
Also, Florence now has a Kohl's, two Wal-Mart's and a Creek Ratz (although a hole filled with water does not contsitute 'waterfront dining'). There are no more mountains to climb. Short of fixing the education problem on the I-95 corridor, and bringing unemployment under 10%, things are alright.. Those problems may be unfixable..
So, let's blow out the candles today, and begin the countdown to our last 50 or so posts... We'd save you a piec of cake, but actually tastes pretty crappy...
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We're working a late night shift on the blog, because on Sunday, we will be watching Steven while Carol hits New York all day... That's how much we car about you!
This is our choice this week. No,it's not easy to turn your back on your party on an issue if it's right. We've done it on occasion ourselves...
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"Such will be the relation between the House of Representatives and their constituents. Duty, gratitude, interest, ambition itself, are the cords by which they will be bound to fidelity and sympathy with the great mass of the people."
- James Madison, Federalist No. 57, 1788.
After seeing the new tax bill, the thought given by Madison - which seemed like a pipedream recently - may actually be renewed. Nah, probably just a blip on the radar... As for Daniella Sarahyba, we have sympathy and fidelity for her great ass of the people.. Oh, Great Mass !! Sorry..
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Is There 'Hope' For Barack Obama After All ??
Every three or four decades, Washington DC will surprise us... A week or two ago, we begged for Barack Obama and the GOP to compromise, and work out a bi-partisan Tax Bill package. Honestly, they did better and more comprehensively than even we though they could. Even if it is only for a few weeks, Congress has gotten the message, and we can't criticize Obama on this one. No, it's not perfect, but it is one of those cases where action is better than inaction...
In a stunner to us, and some Democrats, was that the Bush Tax Cuts will stay in place fully. To offset this, the bill hammers Estate Taxes at 35% for those over $5 million. Kids, have Mom & Dad sign everythign over NOW, or don't let them die for the next few years.... For those of lower incomes, Earned Income credits stay as well. No, we're not fans of getting tax breaks for having kids, but we'll live with it...
And what about the rest of us? The middle class? Well, there's an interesting cut for us - one that does leave a lot of questions in our minds... The first-ever cut to the Social Security tax on your paycheck will be part of the Plan as well.. The rate will drop 2 full points , from 6.2% to 4.2% applied at your first $100k or so of income. So, a Joe like me will pay about $1000 less in taxes a year. No, $20 a week will not change my life, but it will help pay for gas - or whatever the hell I want to do with it, rather than DC.
As nice as it was, it throws up a huge red flag for us: how is Social Security going to be funded with a 30% cut in it's main source of revenue? It's already paying out more than it takes in, so where's the stopgap for the future. Huge cuts in benefits? We know that Obama wanted a cut that would be immediate in people's paychecks, as opposed to a 2% income tax cut on the first $100,000 - but he may have cut the nose off Social Security face in the process. We await the answer to this question. We're certain that we're not the only ones who noticed this...
Like most decent legislation, neither side got everything they wanted, but both sides got some of it... In the end, tax cuts are good for all Americans and for Washington. There's enough here to make lower, middle and upper income Americans, along with businesses looking for Capital Improvements breaks (to the tune of 100%) to let everyone walk away happy...
Congress may finally figured out that if they want to stay, then bipartisanship is the way to it. It's like in 'A Beautiful Mind', when they go to the bar, and the hot girl is there. Everyone walks away happy by leaving the Hot Girl alone, if they go for the thing they can get, rather than what they want. In this case, the hot girl is incumbency.. If DC works well, then they get to stay - and we all benefit. Adam Smith needs revision....
www.youtube.com/watch?v=v5jrNoNNtrE&feature=related
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We almost categorized this as Sign Number Five that the World Is Coming to an End, but we reconsidered. Still, the word that Jenni 'J-Woww' Farley is moving back home to Long Island - and bringing ultra-tanned Lilliputian Nicole 'Snooki' Polizzi with her - definitely made us wonder if moving back was a good idea...Pick on Florence all you want, but you wouldn't ever have to worry about running anyone from the cast of 'Jersey Shore'. That is, at least for a few years, when the headline at The Trophy Club....
Yeah, there is a bit on envy here... A pair of talentless chicks barely out of college (if they went) are able to drop $$ on a pad here. Meanwhile, I'm scoping out basement apartments at age 42 ??? No, Snooki does nothing for us, and we thought J-Woww had some potential - until we saw that tattoo on her side, and heard her truckdriver-like voice. Ease up on the Parlianments, honey....
We're sure P-Luv is green (or Orange Tanned) with envy.... If we cross paths, we'll be sure to take a pic for him - but we're not exactly looking forward to it. Maybe we'll start hanging out at GLO....
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Slacker Four Horsemen Member Won't Leave Hospital !!
Like we said, there are close friends that I've been neglecting well wishes to this week. For anyone involved in the SCGOP, word has been out this week that probably our best bud in the party, Moye Graham, had been laid up with kidney surgery. From speaking to Moye, the initial proceedure went well, but they needed followup surgery, which we think may have already taken place. We don't bother people in times like this until everything is done - right now is time for his family to be with him. We'll see him over a bucket of Blue Moon soon enough....
Truth be told, we think he's just not recovering speedily so he can take some additional and much-deserved rest from his day job. I know I would... Who could blame him? Between work and kicking ass as Clarendon GOP Chair, a vacation is in line.. Sorry for getting this out so late, Moye. Rest up, my friend... You are THE MAN !!
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Rocket's Twin Brother Passes Away ...
This was always one of my favorite pictures that I took. I must have taken twenty crappy ones of Rocket and Ripken as puppies that day - but I got one that was just about perfect...
While I've been a bit preoccupied with my own troubles this week, more serious problems have been circling around my friends - and two of our four consistent readers. Bobby called me earlier this week to inform me that Ripken, his three year old dog, and twin of my dog Rocket, broke loose from his backyard, ran into the street, and was hit by a car.
I'm not sure if Bobbo picked up Ripken at the pound for himslef, or ended up getting him because he was surprising me with Rocket while I was away in the Ukraine, but he was a good dog, like most dogs that have any ounce of Lab in them... His real twin was Bob's other dog Sandy, who lost her play buddy.
Some people think I care more about dogs than people. In some cases, it might be true, becuase in many cases, dogs are better than people. They don't hold grudges, they don't scheme and judge. Whether you live in a mansion or a shack, if you feed and play with a dog, they feel at home. Ripken is in Doggy Heaven now, playing with Snoop and my old dog Andy, and meeting his sister Sam for the first time. It's a bit ironic that, as I started writing this, this song came on my Pandora. The name is very unapt today, but I'm sure that it's about a guy's love for his dog... Peace, buddy!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=GemKqzILV4w
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'In This World ..... All You Have Is Yourself'
- William Davidowitz, Cocaine Philosopher.
No, I'm sure you've never heard of him. Billy Davidowitz was a friend of my brother's when I was in college. During my Summer Job days, I'd get up at 3:30AM to go to work, and Matt, Billy D. and few other would be sitting around the kitchen table, all high and trading sob stories - what we called The Crying Game. When you have all that free time, occasionally you will come up with sage advice..
That thought came to me in the past 48 hours, as I was kicked out of the house for driving Carol home from a party at 300AM, where I spent the rest of the night in my car in 25 degree cold, until I had to go to work at 630 on Saturday, where I was then summarily written up for a fuck-up that was not my responsibility. I finally went to bed last night at 1100 - I was up for 42 straight hours..
The thought of dropping my keys on my new boss' desk, packing my shit up, and going back to Florence definitely crossed my mind for more than a minute. I have realized that people are screwed up and selfish, and that I am easy pickings for everyone to kick around. When I do stand up for myself, I'm a malcontent and I'm the one with the problem. To hell with everyone...
The fact is, I bust my ass for nothing. I'm constantly put in a position where I am at a disadvantage, and forced to be a dick and start trouble, or say nothing, and then get pushed around. No more... I will push back, piss people off, and get out of whatever tough spot they've pigeonholed me in. They will temporarily feel better, like they've done all the accomplishing - then I will dump their ass like they've dumped mine, and they can go search for someone to fill in all the shit I do for them.... I can get my own place. I can work anywhere, and do about anything. No one owns me, and any debt I ever owed was paid off long ago. In fact, the way I see it, the world owes me at this point...
Stupid customers can kiss my ass. Stupid bosses can kiss my ass. Stupid friends can kiss my ass.... It's as simple as this: if you're cool to me, I'm good. If you want to bust my balls, expect retaliation - immediately and harsh. I'm getting too old to be a punching bag. Go bother someone else - I've had enough of your shit. Thanks for playing.....
www.youtube.com/watch?v=6rs9UbqU5DU&feature=related
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Cam Newton and Auburn Pounds S. Carolina 56-17 in SEC Championship Game....
Somewhere in Atlanta, there is a Florence attorney sitting depressed at a local bar, staring at his Bombay Sapphire and Tonic - wondering what could have been.... For P-Luv and other Gamecock fans, reality came in quick and harshly yesterday: Auburn is the best team in the SEC, and maybe the country. We'll find out in January, when they play Oregon. The first one to score 60 points wins...
No, coach Spurrier couldn't muster up enough magic from his playbook - or his visor - to avenge South Carolina's loss to the Tigers earlier in the year, a game SC should have probably one. Perhaps they could duplicate the effort shown there, and fix a couple things, but three things were evident: SC got a little better, Auburn got WAY better, and the best player in college football is Stephen Garcia ..... of course, I mean Cam Newton. His dad may be looking for some $$, but he'll see some soon enough in the NFL. Cha-Ching !!!!
In the battle of the Best in the West and the Beast of the East (was there really any beast this year?), the Gamecocks might have been the 5th best team in the SEC... In games like this, talent usually rises to the top. But, this was by far the best effort South Carolina football has had in the Reino Era (1996-present), so there is definitely hope for the future.... The Offense is good. Tighten up that D a bit, and we might be somewhere big next year....
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'"In all very numerous assemblies, of whatever character composed, passion never fails to wrest the sceptre from reason. ... Had every Athenian citizen been a Socrates, every Athenian assembly would still have been a mob."
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James Madison, Federalist No. 55, 1788.
We don't know much about SO-Crates, as Bill and Ted called him, but it does stand to reason that we'd be passionate about an Old School woman like Rachel Hunter. Anyone that can turn Rod Stewart into a babbling, crying idiot on stage must have something special going on..
www.youtube.com/watch?v=AQ4NAZPi2js
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With no doubt, the Wikileaks story was the talk of the 'toons... Most were pretty good, but top honors went to this one. Even Santa Claus can't keep stuff secret. I never did trust those snitching little twirps anyway...
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However, this one was too good to pass up as well... Not sure if it's 'Common Ground', but we'll see...
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Unemployment Extensions, Taxes, Social Security Already Have DC Deciding To Sh*t Or Get Off the Crapper...
Well, the lovefest is over already. In this tough time, the Lame Duck Congress and incoming replacements are having to face what will surely be a testing first 100 days - and what level of sanity, compromise and common sense occurs will determine how much gets accomplished...
In business, when you have a huge pile of crap on your desk, rather than stare at it and let it get larger, you prioritize it, and start plugging away. Eventually, it gets smaller... This week, the decision on unemployment benefit extensions is front and center. Almost a third-rail issue, the time to be tough and Just Say No finally appears to be at hand...
We're almost experts at this topic. We've been unemployed more than almost everyone in US History. We don't have an actual skill, yet we make more than the average bear come pay day. Yes, we're a Worst Case Scenario - the guy with 'people skills' and nothing else. Too good for McDonald's, too dumb for a real job. So, what's the longest we've been out of a job? Four months.. Why? Because we've done whatever it takes to go back to work, at our own detriment sometimes. Yeah, if I waited for another cushy gig to show up in six months, I might still be in South Carolina, but that's not my style...
Currently, the benefits have been extended to a mind-boggling 99 WEEKS, or damn closed to two entire years.... Short of physical limitations, no one has an excuse for being out of work that long, unless their expecting to land the same job that they had. Good Luck, you unrealistic jaggoff...
Our favorite reason for extending is the economic impact of not sending money to unemployed receipients. Yeah, every dollar of that check goes to pay bills, but at what cost? Even if every person without a job got half thier usual pay, that is about 4.5% less money in the economy. So, that's the same as when this recession started at 5% unemployment. Did we push the red button then? Nope... Also, the added cost goes towrds our debt - and the interest added to it. That doesn't happen with earned money....
Lastly, we have perhaps some good news related to why extensions might not be needed. Today's job outlook showed an additional 150,000 jobs were created, mostly from small business. Yeah, it's shopping season, but any good news is good news, right. No, the job outlook for 2011 isn't great, but continued small gains would make the 600,000 people facing loss of benefits in the coming months null and void. Unless of course, they've stopped looking....
This year has been a real eye-opener for America. The boom of the 80's and 90's are distant memories, and our 2 new cars and ovepriced McMansions are overwith... We need to learn to live on the cheap and maybe save a few bucks for once. Government needs to do the same. If we are upping the cost of the basics, then cuts from somewhere else need to happen. It's all a matter of priorities....
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Sunday, Bloody Sunday Matinee? Or Just Plain 'Bad' ??
As Harry Callahan once noted, "Man's got to know his limitations". I'd like to own a motorcycle one day, but the talent to actually DRIVE one isn't there. Therefore, a hog will never be in my garage.... All of us have limits, but some of us can recognize them - and others have that realization thrust upon them in stunning public fashion. Bono and The Edge of U2 are finding that out...
I've been a big U2 fan since 'War', but even a Spidermam musical, featuring 18 songs written by the two of them wouldn't draw me to the theatre - and for that I am grateful. Why? Because the $65 million production (the highest ever) was panned in it's opening preview earlier this week. The next preview is tonight. We hate to use a pun here, but the technical 'bugs' on 'Spiderman: Turn Off the Dark' were so numerous, it might soon be Spiderman: Turn Out the Lights...
How bad was it? Well, with times being tough for Broadway, the reviews aren't as scathing as they used to be. However, Michael Riedel of The New York Post held nothing back in describing the multiple and protracted failures of falling equipment, missing props and actors hanging from the air for 7-8 minutes at a clip. Think Spinal Tap meets Heaven's Gate, folks... Also, the play is missing something very important - a plot. Broadway crowds are tough, and they don't expect to show up and watch something just because it's Spiderman...
Last year, I thought Green Day's 'American Idiot' was a bad idea, but at least it was based on a concept album. This seems worse.... much, much worse. When people are yelling things like 'I feel like a guinea pig tonight', 'Is this a dress rehearsal', and stating the best part of the show was performer riffing a song NOT from the musical - while stagehands are scrambling to fix his equipment - you're in for a bad time. Dirty Harry was right - hey, wait a minute.... 'Dirty Harry: The Musical'. Nah, that's too good an idea to work!
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With some of our music picks, there are verying degrees of excitedness. Some bands are just the best I could find that week - and some we are truly jacked up about them still turning out a 'New Slice' of music. Cake is one of those bands...
Without a doubt, the San Francisco quartet is one of the most unique groups to ever hit the alternative scene in the 90's. Need proof? Name another band that manages to get a trumpet in every song? I win.... Top to bottom, Cake kicks ass, and they have for 15 years now. This is their newest track, 'Sick of You'. Our favorite part? It's shot at what is obviously a closed down car dealership. Whether it was a Ford or Chevy dealer, we don't know. Enjoy!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=mi9MLL8QOY0
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"There is a certain enthusiasm in liberty, that makes human nature rise above itself, in acts of bravery and heroism."
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Alexander Hamilton, The Farmer Refuted, 1775.
The thought came to us this week. Which are there more of - Founders Quotes or Hot Women? We have a good 30-40 quotes saved from The Patriot Post, so this weekend, we are planning a MASSIVE Founders Quote Blowout... Everything must go in time for Christmas!
As for the quote, Austrian beauty Mirjam Wichelsbraun may be from the country that brought us Adolf Hitler, but she definitely gets us enthusiatic and rising... Sorry!
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The Last Roy Rogers Closes Down at Last...
Last year, we showed you this picture of the Roy Rogers in Shirley, NY at the intersection of William Floyd Parkway and Sunrise Highway.. This was the last place I worked before I moved to South Carolina in 1996. For 15 years, this was the last and only place around to get a Double R-Bar or the best fried chicken in New York - it was owned by Hardee's, so they had an idea of how fry a bird. Yesterday, they closed the doors forever...
The ironic part of it all is that they were supposed to close when I left, and they never did. I ended up taking them to small claims court in NC after I moved over the $1500 they promised, but I lost. Big surprise there. Never sue a company in it's hometown....
Still, that store was legendary for a lot of people. After all, how many fast food store closings make the TV and print news?? Why all the hoopla? Well, that store was there since before I was born I think.. Secondly, for decades, the Roy Rogers in Shirley was the last stop for fast food before you got to the Hamptons - the equivalent of a Last Chance Gas Station for munchies..
For me, there were other memories: meeting my wife there, realizing that working with 16 year olds was not for me. Bringing back leftovers to the bar for everyone after work, and drinking for free all night....Getting my last check with the U-Haul trailer hitched to my Nissan 200SX-SER in a blinding snowstorm, and sliding out of town for SC ..... literally sliding! Good times...
Yeah, this day was coming for a long time, and I'm surprised I was here to see it, but things come and things go. Vaya Con Dios, Roy!
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