Well Soon

"Whatever games are played with us, we must play no games with ourselves, but deal in our privacy with the last honesty and truth” - Ralph Waldo Emerson

This has been an eventful week. My mom got surgery today and will be out of work for a few weeks. It is supposed to be minor, but it is hard not to worry. Not too much else to report. I've been trying to understand Twitter better and can't wait until the NCAA tournment starts up again in the sweet 16.

My boss has been out of the office and I have been manning the fort at work. Things are a bit slow though. I'm thinking they will pick up very soon.

I got a $20 check from the air bourne class action lawsuit. I forgot I had even applied for that since it was so long ago. I also got a $50 check from the county as a refund for my registration from my truck that I sold. $70 I wasn't expecting. That is always nice.




Kim Kardashian Airbrushed Thinner, Smoother, Lighter

I don't know why, but these articles I always find interesting. The larger the picture, the more you can see all the changes.

Commentary: Legalize drugs to stop violence - How many of these articles to I need to read? I agree, now go do it already.


Do Twins Have A Sixth Sense? I always thought it would be cool to be a twin. This is good story about a sister that saved her twin's life. I wonder if there is any scientific evidence on this topic.

So each day I check out the news ratings. For example: The Scoreboard: Monday, March 23
If you click on the link you will see how MSNBC does compared to Fox News and others. I just don't understand how the Fox News ratings are so consistanly high. Even when MSNBC does great, Fox just seems to be higher. As a big fan of MSNBC, I wonder what the appeal is. I've mentioned this before, but still I'm confused. There was an episode this week on Family Guy where Lois goes to work for Fox. Great show. Family Guy Takes On Fox News (VIDEO)

Cafferty: Parents, your kids aren't that special : Parents' growing inability to impose manners and limits on their kids when the kids are in school is reflected in record dropout rates, as well as teen drug and alcohol abuse, teen sex, and unwed pregnancies. Maybe it's parenting that's on the decline, more than the schools...Some parents still have this attitude that their kids are too special to be burdened by discipline. And the rest of us are supposed to put up with their little mutants. That attitude really pisses me off. I hate to break it to them, but the kids aren't special, and I don't have to put up with their behavior. If you can't control your obnoxious little brats, leave them home.


I'm not a teacher, but it seems to be that kids discipline is getting worse and worse. I think kids have always been misbehaved somewhat ("Children are cruel" comment), but now they just seem to be that way in front of adults more. I'll probably think my own kids are the most special smartest, best kids ever in the history of man kind, but I want others to judge me by the respect they show. I wonder if I was a parent reading that article if I would be offended? Maybe I would think that everyone else's kids are like that, but mine were different even if they weren't. At the same time, I know that adults say this very same thing about every new generatin of kids, so maybe people just forget.

heart attacks suck

Bubble

“A diplomat is a man who always remembers a woman's birthday but never remembers her age.” - Robert Frost

Talk about a weekend full of basketball. I spent so many hours watching so many games and I couldn't have been happier. Texas lost which sucked. I'll save you all my bracket chatter, but it isn't going too bad. I'll looking forward to the sweet 16. (12 of 16 of sweet 16 correct.)

This weekend I started watching the series Kings. NBC paid a lot of money for it and I know the ratings were not too great last week, but so far I'm interested. I guess we will see how it goes. I also saw the season finale of Big Love. I can't believe I have I seen 3 seasons of this show. Next season should be pretty interesting.

i want to live in the bubble with jon hamm
(via Texan in the City) Last week's 30 Rock was great. You should really see it. I've had this bubble argument so many times. I'd love to spend some time in that bubble.


Hey Paul Krugman (A song, A plea)


This song is pretty good I think. Maybe he can help us.

heh

I'm Better

"I haven't been able to slam-dunk the basketball for the past five years. Or, for the thirty-eight years before that, either." -Dave Barry

So as far as picks go, I'm 12 for 15 after day 1. (15 for 18 as of the time of this writing) Too bad I'm just playing against myself for fun. I shouldn't have picked American, but they almost pulled off the upset. Texas won! Now they are off to play Duke in the second round. Today Cornell plays Missouri and I'm pretty excited about the game. I very much enjoy the NCAA tournament. I wish my internet connection at work was faster though. [Update: Cornell had a good start, but nevertheless broke my heart and my bracket. Was still very fun to watch.]


I got my car back today. They had to reprogram it, whatever that means. I turned in my loaner which was a fun ride for the time I had it. One thing I like is that when you take your car in to be worked on, they wash it for you. I made sure to take it in extra dirty just to see how good of a job they would do. It is pretty clean now, which is nice.



You know who has some pretty interesting quotes? Mae West. Mae West was an American actress and was famous for the quip "Is that a pistol in your pocket or are you just glad to see me?" I guess she was famous for being slutty too. (pre-Sex and the City) Here is a small sampling of quotes that caught my eye.

"All discarded lovers should be given a second chance, but with somebody else." - Mae West
"A woman in love can't be reasonable - or she probably wouldn't be in love." - Mae West
"Too much of a good thing can be wonderful." - Mae West
"Don't keep a man guessing too long - he's sure to find the answer somewhere else." - Mae West
"Every man I meet wants to protect me. I can't figure out what from." - Mae West
"He's the kind of man a woman would have to marry to get rid of." - Mae West
"I generally avoid temptation unless I can't resist it." - Mae West
"I never loved another person the way I loved myself." - Mae West
"I see you're a man with ideals. I better be going before you've still got them." - Mae West
"Marriage is a great institution, but I'm not ready for an institution." - Mae West
"The score never interested me, only the game." - Mae West
"When I'm good I'm very, very good, but when I'm bad, I'm better." - Mae West

SXSW is in full swing. I hope to attend some events this weekend. I guess we will see.

very good

March Madness CU Edition

"When choosing between two evils, I always like to try one I've never tried before." - Mae West

The NCAA tournament has started. I have my bracket printed out and filled in. It is mainly filled out with my heart and not my mind, so I have my favorites winning instead of who is more likely to win. Here is a copy of my handwritten bracket I made for my own amusement. You probably can't read it, but if you click on it and get the larger version maybe you can make out my writing. I have Maryland beating California and American upsetting Villanova, don't ask why. I have been trying to follow the games at work though the internet and on my slingplayer. Basketball is so fast moving that the quality isn't always the clearest. I watched on CBS and the quality was pretty decent. Check out Obama's bracket. Tomorrow Cornell plays. I can't wait.

Wednesday I took my car in to get serviced for warranty work. I was driving it and then suddenly the display went out and all there was was an orange line. The car worked, but I couldn't see the odometer or other information that is kind of important.


I didn't know what was wrong with it. I took it in and they game me a loaner, a 2008 528i. It was very nice. On Thursday my car wasn't ready yet, so I had to wait yet another day. I didn't mind using the loaner, but its satellite radio didn't work, so I had to get used to old fashion regular radio on my drive to and from work. It was a very nice car though, it even made me feel older. I still wouldn't trade mine for it.
I was going to order a digital camera today and the price went up after being constant for weeks. Guess it was a sign and I'll wait. For now, my iphone will have to do.

I enjoy the zoo

St. Paddy's Day

"St. Patrick's Day is an enchanted time - a day to begin transforming winter's dreams into summer's magic." -Adrienne Cook

"If you're enough lucky to be Irish, you're lucky enough!" -Irish Saying

Abram put together a live music show at the Marq on Monday. Here is the facebook group about it with the bands that performed. I headed out there with Rino and met up with Oscar there. Abram put a lot of hard work into this and it really paid off. It was a good way to kick off SXSW week. I hadn't seen Oscar in almost 6 months and it was cool catching up. There were some really talented artists performing. Too bad I had work the next morning, so I didn't stay too late and kept my drinking to respectable level.

Well, happy St. Patrick's Day. I wonder if today is a holiday in Ireland? I drank enough last night, so I don't plan to celebrate today....too much. For fun check out the Top 10 Worst Irish Accents On Film . Have fun today!

So my cousin Adam is getting married on June 6, 2009. Here is the Wedding Website with all the details on who they are, how they met, the proposal and wedding details. I'm looking forward to it. I wish Kirby and Adam all the happiness.

Are you ready for March Madness? George Mason didn't make the tournament, but look who did. Missouri to face Cornell in NCAA opener and Missouri matchup is better fit for Cornell . I miss having a job were I could fill out a bracket and try to win some money.

Did anyone see this weeks HIMYM? I thought it was a great episode. The part where Lily goes into the "A Few Good Men," "You can't handle the truth" speech was awesome. What a great show.

Today I followed the online iPhone OS 3.0 Event. I'm excited about copy and paste and MMS, but I hate having to wait until June.

macbook

Livestock Show

"If it is not fun, you are not doing it right." - Bob Basso

"This is like trying to change your mother, it is not going to happen. Just be happy in your own life." - Sarah Silverman, Real Time, Overtime 3/13/08

This weekend I went home to the Valley. It had been a while since I had gone and it was a fun trip, but it went by very fast. I want to skip to the fun part and talk about how Erika and I went to the Valley Livestock Show, but I'll try to keep things somewhat in order.

My niece Celeste was supposed to be having her 1yr old (or as parents say 12 month (52 weeks?)) birthday party this weekend. I was hoping to be surprise guest, but due to terrible weather, the party was canceled/postponed. I think they took her to Chuckie Cheese.

Saturday, was Pi day (so tells me the math club), but other than knowing about it, I don't think you actually do anything. Erika and I had lunch at El Zarape and the tacos were just as good as I remembered. We even had menudo. We then went shopping at the Mall for her Dad's birthday. I then used my Men's Wearhouse discount I had been holding for months to get a shirt. It was a pretty full and eventful day. Later, we saw the movie, The Last House on the Left. It wasn't scary, but I thought it was a decent movie. Always nice to see the victims fight back. It was a remake, but I had never seen the original. Saturday was cold all day and raining, but we decided to risk it and head off the Livestock Show anyway. This seems like the type of place I wouldn't enjoy, all those animals and cowboys, but it is actually a lot of fun. We started off at the expo looking at all the booths and projects that students have worked on. Some were really impressive, especially the BBQ pits. There was a carnival there with all kinds of great foods, like funnel cakes and corn dogs. We got there with enough time to go and see the hypnotist show, which is always really great. Last year we really loved it. This year there was a new guy because the guy who had been doing it for like 20 years had just passed away. The new guy was from Vegas and tried really hard, but just wasn't close to as good as the other guy. A wife of one of the guys down there being hypnotised was sitting next to us. She was like, "I guess I'm driving home again. He does this every year." Then it was time to follow the adage, "A fool and his money are soon parted," and we went to play carnival games. I found out I was very bad at a lot of games, especially the ball in the basket game. What I was good at was the game where you throw dull darts at under inflated balloons. I popped the first three in a row and won a purple bear. To win a larger prise I'd have to play like 3 more times and hit 3 each time so I decided to stop there. It was really fun. We didn't ride any of the rides, but even though it was a full carnival, there were not that many that interested me. It was a very fun time and I am glad I went. It was a bit chilly, but it didn't rain the entire time. Oh, we also saw the Budweiser Clydesdales.

Sunday I went to see my sister Ana's new place and visit with my nieces. I finally got to give Jamie the 3rd Twilight book I had gotten for her a while back. We then went with my mom to buy her a new HDTV at Sam's. We get there and after a very long time in deciding what TV to get, they end up being out of stock. I buy Sarah the 3rd Twilight book and we leave. We decide to put off the purchase and have a late lunch instead. It was, my mom, Sarah, Bekkah and Jamie. After we decided to check Walmart out for TVs. We found a good 46" Vizio and purchased the last one they had in stock. I had already stayed longer than I had planned, but now I wanted to help my mom set up her TV. We put it in the living room and programmed the channels. It looks really good in there, but it definitely needs a wall mount.

I'm glad I was able to help my mom get the TV because next Wednesday she is having surgery. It should be routine, but she will be in the hospital for 2 days after and will be off of work 5 weeks, so it can't be too routine. I figures since she would be at home a lot, a good TV would be helpful. I'll probably go back and visit in another week to see how things are going once she is home.

I was looking through my stuff for an amp I had for my guitar, but I could not find it for the life of me. I wonder where it is. I gave up and decided to get going. Well as soon as I'm in my car, my little sister Eliza shows up with my niece Celeste who I hadn't seen since Christmas. I stayed longer. Celeste can walk now and seems so big. I'm glad I got to visit.

It was finally time to go, but I had been having problems with my car. Something is wrong with the electrical system and my dash is out. Just an orange line where the degrees, time and odometer are supposed to be. I set up an appointment for later in the week to get that fixed. After many hours of driving, you go into a trance, but you take for granted that the street will be clear in front of you, especially at night. Some times there are parts of blown out tires, but this time I came up on a mattress and box spring right in the middle of my lane at 70 miles an hour. There was no way I was hitting it, and thank God no was next to me so was able to swerve and avoid the bed. That was pretty scary. I got home pretty late and it was time for work in the morning before I knew it.


MSNBC producers told ‘not to incorporate’ Cramer’s Daily Show interview into their programming.
I watch a lot of MSNBC and I had a feeling there had been some kind of blackout on this interview. I heard nothing about it all day long and I thought it was a huge story.

TIME: Can Marijuana Help Rescue California's Economy? I think so. We repealed prohibition during the Great Depression.

Man Unwisely Tries To Rob Tae Kwon Do Studio
Doesn't this sound like it would be an article on the Onion? Funny I think. Guess he got what was coming to him.

haircut

In Stewart We Trust

"Fight for your opinions, but do not believe that they contain the whole truth, or the only truth." Charles A. Dana (1819 - 1897)

This daylight savings hour change was not easy on me. It just feels so dark in the mornings. Maybe it has to do with the rain and the cold. It has now been a week so I should get used to it. I can't wait for Spring to really pop into action.

Jon Stewart hammers Jim Cramer on the Daily Show
Jon Stewart made Jim Cramer look like a wounded puppy Thursday night as Jim Cramer, the CNBC host, joined The Daily Show after a full week of back-and-forth. Stewart repeatedly blasted the channel for cheerleading Wall Street in the run-up to the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression. He questioned whether it was "selling snake oil as vitamin tonic" in a way that was "disingenuous at best and criminal at worse." Stewart's main point seemed to be "the gap between what CNBC advertises itself as and what it is."

VIDEO: Cramer vs. Stewart part 1
VIDEO:Cramer vs. Stewart part 2
VIDEO: Cramer vs. Stewart part 3

It is worth a watch. This is Jon Stewart at his best, though I do wish he would of let Cramer get in more discussion and not just get mad at his network.

The Daily Show With Jon StewartM - Th 11p / 10c

Jim Cramer Unedited Interview Pt. 1

Daily Show Full Episodes
Important Things w/ Demetri Martin

Political Humor
Jim Cramer

The Daily Show With Jon StewartM - Th 11p / 10c

Jim Cramer Unedited Interview Pt. 2

Daily Show Full Episodes
Important Things w/ Demetri Martin

Political Humor
Jim Cramer

The Daily Show With Jon StewartM - Th 11p / 10c

Jim Cramer Unedited Interview Pt. 3

Daily Show Full Episodes
Important Things w/ Demetri Martin

Political Humor
Jim Cramer

Bill maher and ann coulter debate at radio city music hall (via) texan in the city So a friend of mine got to watch the debate. That is pretty awesome. I would love to have watched that debate speaker series. I talked about this the other day.


Open Letter to the Republican Traitors (From a Former Republican) This letter is powerful. Take the time to click on the link and read this well thought out letter. I guess people can change their minds and see what is right in front of them.


Sanders To Introduce Bill To Cap Credit Card Rates At 15 Percent Please Lord. Do you know how much this would help me? Sad to say huh, since 15% is super high, but compared to what the cards have jacked the interest to, it would at least be some savings.



Brain's "God Spot" Discovered By Scientists
A study of 40 participants, including Christians, Muslims, Jews and Buddhists, showed the same areas lit up when they were asked to ponder religious and moral problems.
I wonder is some people have a bigger God Spot than others?

spring break

Celeste's Birthday

"Creativity comes from trust. Trust your instincts. And never hope more than you work." - Rita Mae Brown

Today my niece Celeste Nicole turns one year old. This year has flown by. I hope to see her soon, she is growing so very fast. I still can't see myself with children at this point in my life, but I could easily have a 10 year old and a second child by now. I hear she is talking now, which should be cool to see, wait hear. I think that is going to be the neat part about having kids, once they are little beings that you can actually talk to. Then you can teach and mold them in little people. Here is Celeste at about 8 months or sow with the girls. FYI, that is my bench, which I'm really proud of.


Friday I got out of work early to go and visit with my grandmother. She used to live in the Valley and moved up to Ft. Worth to live with my Aunt a little less than a year ago when my grandfather passed away. Since then, I've only seen her a handful of times. She had gone down to the Valley to visit and was on her way back up with my Uncle when they dropped by my house in Buda. We just talked, caught up, shared stories. Rino dropped by later and visited as well. It is always good to see her.




Rino had a friend come and visit. He BBQed, but unfortunately for him it was Good Friday so he couldn't eat meat. I wasn't limited by that tradition though I probably should be. They were going up to Dallas the next day. Rino left for his nephew's 1st birthday party. He was born around the same time as Celeste. I wonder what that makes them, not second cousin's. What would my kid and my cousin's kid be? I think I would my cousin's kid's second cousin.


Abram got a new bike. A Honda Shadow VLX to be precise. He has worked hard for it and really deserves it. I went with him to pick the bike up Friday night. I have to say the trip home was an experience. I don't have the first idea on how to ride a motorcycle so I'm glad I was only following. I think it would be cool to learn. Abram is pretty good at it and seems to be really enjoying it. Man that is a sharp bike.

I got some things off my to do list this weekend like changing the filters for the air conditioners in our house. Man they needed it. I also saw some movies. I saw Death Race and Love in the Time of Cholera. I wanted to watch Watchmen, but didn't have anyone to go and see it with. I did get to watch the UFC fight from this weekend as well.

Max needs another bath. He ran inside and I found him upstairs full of energy just running rampant. I tackled him to the floor, part playing with him and part keeping him from chasing the cats. I held my head against him hoping that he would calm down. Instead I felt a tingling sensation. I got up and walked him downstairs. I looked down at my white shirt and it was covered in fleas. I threw him out and ran upstairs to shower. I hate fleas and Max is getting a bath to help stop that nonsense. It feels like I just gave him one. That is a step back for making him an indoor dog.

Explaining The Credit Crisis (VIDEO)

The Crisis of Credit Visualized from Jonathan Jarvis on Vimeo.

This video is very informative and explains things very very well. Very much worth the watch. Too bad afterwards you won't feel too proud of the banks

what I want

Cornellian Thoughts

I don't leave the house much
I don't like being around people
Makes me nervous and weird
I don't like going to show either
It's better for me to stay at home
Some might think it means I hate people
But that's not quite right
...
I'm turning out just like my father
Though I swore I never would
Now I can say that I have love for him
I never really understood
What it must have been like for him
Living inside his head
...

Things The Grandchildren Should Know - Mark Oliver Everett

NOVA is beginning to be one of my favorite shows on PBS, at least when they have topics I'm interested in. I just saw an episode about parallel universes. The quote above is from the singer who was featured talking about his father who invented the idea. The more I think about it, the more I can't get my mind around the concept of infinite, much less infinite parallel universes. What determines when the universes split? Wouldn't it make more sense to split based on time rather than actions and decisions. I just keep trying to figure out how small a change must be to create a whole parallel universe. Either way, I can't get my mind around the idea generally, don't know how scientists do it. Now imagine if you are God and if you have an infinite number of people to oversee, that has to be hard work judging the living and the dead. I don't understand the science at all in this case, but in a lot of the NOVA shows I learn some really interesting things, like the debate that birds came from dinosaurs. People that don't believe that are treated like the creationists of the evolutionary world. I will admit that some bore me just from reading the description. Then again, when you give them a shot, they end up being good, like the one about absolute zero. I now Tivo it and check it out whenever I can.

I'm taking lots of cut back measures on my bills in order to put my actions where my mouth is. Today, I cut a lot of features on my phone bill, so now I have half as many minutes, no 7pm nights and weekends. I lowered my netflix from 3 at time to 2 at time. I made some cuts on our cable bill, called my student loan companies. I have a lot of leaks (Amazon), but I'm working on it.

Olbermann/Coulter Take Cornell Debate To Andy Bernard-Like Level (via Huff Post)
Coulter then went on to criticize Olbermann's educational background. Both Olbermann and Coulter went to Cornell, but different schools. "Keith didn't go to the Ivy League Cornell; he went to the Old MacDonald Cornell," she writes. Olbermann responds:

Poor Annie has completely lost it. Cornell diplomas don't make any reference to individual college or major. They're Cornell diplomas. Mine looks exactly like hers, only if she was an out-of-stater she probably paid 8-10 times what I did for mine. And the premise of the University is that anybody can take almost any course. Nearly half of mine were in "her" Arts College. And this is the first time since I went there in 1975 that I've ever seen a Cornellian rag on all the other colleges. It's a long way to go just to rationalize Limbaugh not knowing the Constitution from the Declaration of Independence.

It's a Cornellian debate that would make Andrew Bernard weep...

I did not know Coulter went to Cornell. Speaking of, I wish I could see those Bill Maher (who also went to Cornell) Coulter debates coming up. But back to the story, so I love it. I just love the Andy Bernard character and how much he talks about Cornell in such a dumbass way. The episode where Dwight wanted to apply was classic. I was in the Industrial and Labor Relations school ('02), which is a state school (even though as Keith put it, I paid at least 8-10 times what NY people had to pay.) I guess I didn't go to the real Cornell either. She makes it sound like he went to Cornell College. Funny petty stuff.

Speaking of college, it is my hope, ney goal, that my nephew go to college and at that, he go to Pan Am near his home. He seems on board for going to college somewhat, but for some reason he isn't taking the right steps. How do you motivate a person to do something that is in their own best interests? I mean, I don't get anything out of it. I hate to feel like I'm pressuring a person against their own will of what they want for themselves. I want to support dreams, not force them on people. What is wrong with wanting the best for your family? I'm going to move from hoping and lecturing to actually trying to help.

Here in Austin we have these Everest institute commercicals for what I want to say is a vocational college. They are real low budget and sometimes cheesy, but man they know their demographic, I mean they sometimes make me want to go. There is one part when they are asking you to not procrastinate and call in for for more information and the hip urban guy (by that I mean black guy) says, "They are not going to call you." [Not in the ad below I don't think.] A lot of people hate the ad and I did at first, but it grew on me. Also, look at the time they show the ad, usually really late when you'd be up watching TV if you didn't have to go to work in the morning.

forgiveness and understanding

Sweet Pea

“The most terrible poverty is loneliness, and the feeling of being unloved.” - Mother Teresa

Monday I got a lesson in love, but not romantic love, one I will not soon forget. I was down and did something on impulse, something I feared I would regret, but knew I needed to do. Sometimes you just need to reach out the one person in the world you have ever really trusted, the one who has ever really gotten you. The response was unexpected, especially after all these years, and in fact it was a gentle let down, but one filled with so much love, care and compassion that I remembered why I fell in love with her in the first place. I had this to compare to cold, hurtful and downright callous treatment by the most recent people in my life that I have cared about. Their problem wasn't that they were not her, but that they did not even have a tenth of the kindness and compassion that she shared. I lie, they did have it, but not consistently, not when it mattered most to me. Maybe recently, the past few years, has been my fault, I didn't earn or deserve what I wanted. It doesn't take away the disappointment. I didn't have and still don't have what it takes to be the right person for her, and deep down I always knew that, even when I walked away for a person who I knew could never care about me like she did. I'm not bothered that he is probably a better man, because there will always be better men than me, but I felt at peace hearing the tranquility in her words about the love she found. What she has, I sadly don't have to offer, and worry I may never will. I do have a lot to offer in other ways, so I don't dare count myself out, but feeling that kind spirit for just a moment gave me hope, hope that not all people let the selfish and angry parts of their being dominate. That a person's heart is a true measure of their character. She did set a bar that was higher than who she actually was, one she couldn't even meet when we had our chance, but one that I will not settle for anything less than. Until then, I still have a lot to figure out about myself, how I tick, why I do the things I do and who I want to be. I'm complicated, and yes I've been able to make it work to moderate success, but I don't want to settle for just good from myself, I want great. I was told to watch Love in the Time of Cholera and maybe I would understand. I wonder if I will. I thought of waiting until the 4th to post these thoughts but the 3rd makes more sense for a completely different reason.




Today I did something I had been meaning to do for months. I went to the DMV to exchange my VA drivers license for a Texas one. I used to have a Texas one and didn’t change it during 4 years of living in NY, then kept it for 2 more years in DC and again for a year in Florida. It was always a sign I was coming home at some point. Then when I moved back to VA, I finally changed it. When I got back to Texas, I had grown fond of my VA license, like holding on to a past life, and dragged my feet on getting a Texas one, especially considering it didn’t expire for another year. The problem is that if I got pulled over, I could get in trouble for not updating it, so I got the paperwork I needed and went in to get it done. The wait was pretty long and boring, but I finally got it taken care of. I’m now a real Texan again, with a Texas address, voter registration, paying taxes out of Texas (no state income tax), a Texas car and a Texas Bar Member.



Back to what makes me tick, so: Fox News Ratings Remain Strong, #2 Cable Channel In Primetime You know, I just don’t get this, who are all these people that watch this crap? I mean you have CNN and MSNBC, but to watch this right wing sham I just don't understand. Especially considering that Daily Show viewers are actually more informed than those that watch Fox. So FAKE NEWS = more informed than FOX NEWS.

Then we have Texas Governor Rick Perry (R). Texas, we can do so much better. I miss Ann Richards. The Governor continued his threats to reject all or part of the stimulus plan, saying of the benefits: "This is exactly how addicts get hooked on drugs" [Austin American-Statesman, 2/24/09]. While Rick Perry compares out-of-work Texans to junkies, his Texas Enterprise Fund has corporations like Countrywide hooked on easy money from hardworking Texas taxpayers. Texans deserve better.



2001 Bush legal memo allowed ‘First Amendment speech and press rights’ to be ’subordinated.’
Isn't transparency grand?



I'll end with a laugh...
The funniest picture you will see today.


It took me a while. Check out the graphic next to the reporter. It clearly says "So good you'll suck dick". This is a news report by NBC affiliate WAGT in Augusta. Guess google images isn't the best place to get pictures.

a family

Once

“Plenty of people are on to the emptiness,” John says to Frank and April during a walk in the woods, “but it takes real guts to see the hopelessness.” - Revolutionary Road, John

"No one forgets the truth Frank, they just get better at lying."
Much later..."I hate you. You are just some boy who made me laugh at a party once, and now I loath the sight of you."- Revolutionary Road, April

As you can see I saw the movie Revolutionary Road this weekend. I had been putting it off because I felt that it would depress me, make me think about things I didn't want to think about. I'm scared of the idea of being in a loveless marriage in the suburbs with a job I hate and from what I have learned, people tend to attract the things they fear most. It was a good movie, different than I expected. None of these fears have any relation to what is going on in my life, but they easily could. I guess everyone wants purpose right.

This weekend my aunt, Rino's mom, Tia Priss stopped by on her way to Dallas. She was so gracious to make us a great meal. I really missed home cooking. She is moving to Dallas for a new job and she gets the added benefit of being near her only grandson. I'm pretty happy for her.

I spent a lot more time than usual with Max this weekend. He got walks, was able to hang out inside on a leash and free and even learned to use the treadmill. At one point during a walk, I saw a dad teaching a son how to ride a bike. The little boy was doing great, he had good speed and balance, but he couldn't remember how to break. It was a bit funny because he was going downhill. The dad told him how and he was able to stop. I never saw him fall, but at one point on our way back I did see him picking the bike up off the ground, so I'm guessing he fell.

I was adding a ringtone to my iphone when I started messing with the settings. I tried out an experiment. I played the text message ringtone. I swear I was like Pavlov's dog. There was an emotional response to it. I kept doing it, knowing that it was just me, but something inside me gave me anticipation of who might be contacting me and what they might have to say. I hope someone understands what I mean.

I saw a documentary about God, the Church and the stuff they teach to children. It was a decent documentary, but not great...nothing close to Religulous. The guy had an ax to grind because he was threaten with eternal damnation if he didn't accept Jesus as his personal savior. I don't blame him, but he should of approached it in a more neutral way. The information was great though and a lot of good arguments were made. It is hard to have a rational discussion about God because it all comes down to Faith, but faith in what? The Bible, or what people have told you about the Bible? That is fine with me, but even with that faith I still think you should be able to talk about it rationally.

This weekend I watched Rush at CPAC on CNN. It was a 90 minute speech full of so much crap such as political insults against President Obama and Democrats he even doubled down on wanting Obama to fail. Now I listened intently the entire time because sometimes I need to remember how to think like a conservative. I remember being a child watching him on TV and thinking that Clinton must really be an evil guy and how lazy the poor were. Funny how his ideas made more sense when I was young and impressionable and didn't question his bullshit. He made some good points though, mainly about strategy. If you believe in your ideals, go for them and don't water them down for the sake of bi-partisanship. Progressives really should just do the best job they can and forget about trying to placate the small minority whose interests are the top 2% of the population.

I have been writing a lot. I write each day like it really matters. I think that I do it just to reflect on things rather than doing more things. Today a lot of people I knew were snowed in and got the day off from school or work. You know what some did? They went out to enjoy the snow. Like took a trip downtown to see the snow and enjoy it. What would I have done had it been me? I would of enjoyed a day away from work/school at home, nice and warm. I would not have used the day for the opportunity it held, but instead used it to do nothing since I knew tomorrow would be a day of may responsibilities. Next time I'm going to do something instead.

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