You know what day it is

It is the anniversary of a bad day for America but we can not dwell on it. We can stop for a few minutes to pay respect so as not to forget but, we have to move on, be strong and make better decisions to enhance our country and the rest of the world. We need to stop making mistakes. We need to stop fighting wars just because we feel like it. We need to stop living the greedy lifestyle Americans love. Stop driving that hummer 2 blocks so that you look cool. Stop wasting so many resources and stop producing so much waste and pollution. That will help fight terroism. Stop hating people because they do not look like you or believe in what you believe in or live your lifestyle. America shows themselves as a hating country when we judge our own people and deny them rights. We need to end that. We need to fix our own country first and stop situations like VT and Columbine from even being considered. No one is right, just stop arguing and live in peace. LIVE! Stop wasting time arguing. All people are people and we all die one day and all of our bodies look the same when they are rotting. We are all made of the same cells. No one is better than the other. Stop praying for people and actually get your ass out there and do something!!

I am going to stop ranting and raving. I thought of closing with John Lennon and his lyrics to "Imagine" which you all know. Those words are still very true and are something to live by. Just think how long ago he wrote this song and still we find ourselves in the same hate controlled world with no hope for resolve. That is just sad. Instead I leave with the lyrics to a Linkin Park about our current situation. The first time I heard it it touched me so and it was like a dart in my heart...

"Hands Held High" by Linkin Park:

Turn my mike up louder I got to say something
Light weights step to the side when we come in

Feel it in your chest the syllables get pumping
People on the street they panic and start running

Words on loose leaf sheet complete coming
I jump in my mind and summon the rhyme, I'm dumping

Healing the blind I promise to let the sun in
Sick of the dark ways we march to the drum and

Jump when they tell us that they wanna see jumping
Fuck that I wanna see some fists pumping

Risk something, take back what's yours
Say something that you know they might attack you for

Cause I'm sick of being treated like I have before
Like it's stupid standing for what I'm standing for

Like this war's really just a different brand of war
Like it doesn't cater the rich and abandon poor

Like they understand you in the back of the jet
When you can't put gas in your tank

These fuckers are laughing their way to the bank and cashing the check
Asking you to have compassion and have some respect

For a leader so nervous in an obvious way
Stuttering and mumbling for nightly news to replay

And the rest of the world watching at the end of the day
In their living room laughing like "what did he say?

"[Chorus]Amen
Amen
Amen
Amen
Amen[End Chorus]

In my living room watching but I am not laughing
Cause when it gets tense I know what might happen

World is cold the bold men take action
Have to react or get blown into fractions

Ten years old it's something to see
Another kid my age drugged under a jeep

Taken and bound and found later under a tree
I wonder if he had thought the next one could be me

Do you see the soldiers they're out today
They brush the dust from bullet proof vests away

It's ironic at times like this you pray
But a bomb blew the mosque up yesterday

There's bombs in the buses, bikes, roads
Inside your market, your shops, your clothes

My dad he's got a lot of fear I know
But enough pride inside not to let that show

My brother had a book he would hold with pride
A little red cover with a broken spine

On the back, he hand-wrote a quote inside
When the rich wage war it's the poor who die

Meanwhile, the leader just talks away
Stuttering and mumbling for nightly news to replay

And the rest of the world watching at the end of the day
both scared and angry like "what did he say?
"[Chorus]Amen
Amen
Amen
Amen
Amen

With hands held high into a sky so blue
As the ocean opens up to swallow you

With hands held high into a sky so blue
As the ocean opens up to swallow you

With hands held high into a sky so blue
As the ocean opens up to swallow you

With hands held high into a sky so blue
As the ocean opens up to swallow you

With hands held high into a sky so blue
As the ocean opens up to swallow you
With hands held high into a sky so blue
As the ocean opens up to swallow you[End Chorus]

Something for the Michigan Fans

I think I can sum up my feelings on the Michigan / Oregon game in one sentence:

"Now you know what its feels like to be a MSU fan."

Welcome to the other side.

One thing I will say though: When we lose we usually don't boo our own team. Or look like someone just shot our mother on national TV. No no.

We drink! Of course, we do that when we win too...

Oh, and I have to comment on Hart's statement that he guarantees they will beat Notre Dame next week:

"Whup-de-freaken-do"

Have you seen Notre Dame this year? They suck. Like a vacuum on overdrive suck. They haven't scored an offensive touchdown in TEN quarters. That's 2 and half games for those slow at math. I doubt they could have beaten Appalachian State either. Hell, my high school's football team could probably beat them, and we were only a 1A school:) Brighton would definitely beat them:)

The Smiths?

All the music ever made in the entire history of the world, and you decide to remake The Smiths "Stop Me"? Again, I thought the point of being in music was to get laid...

Original:



Mark Ronson (He's a tool):

Shocking!

CNN.com: Men want hot women, study confirms

CNN is also reporting that, in a shocking finding, children like candy.

Not only is the title so obvious that you can't help but feel like it is an insult to our intelligence, I love the "story highlights":

• Men are much less choosy than women
• Women are aware of the importance of their own attractiveness to men

I'm shocked. SHOCKED I TELL YOU!

Off to a Red State

I'm off to Omaha, Nebraska today for work again. Because my company has suddenly become cheap when it comes to plane tickets ("What do you mean you won't accept the $1200+ tickets I picked? Budgets? What are those?"), I had to get up way too f#$%ng early today. Dawn wasn't even out when I got up( 4:30am). Hell, dawn wasn't even out when I got to the airport (5:50am). Stupid lazy dawn...

Anyways, onto a totally different note about air travel: I was thinking today that despite all this jet setting I do, I don't really know where any of these places I go are. I mean, I know what state Omaha is in, and I could even point to it on a map (Me smart, see?).

But if you asked me where in the state Omaha is, I would have no idea. Same for Wausau, our company headquarters. I've been there half a dozens times, but when asked by Sue's friends who live in Wisconsin where Wausau is, all I could do was avoid eye contact and pretend I didn't hear the question. And then came the drooling and the covering my ears and singing really loud so I didn't hear the question again. It was embarrassing to say the least.

My Two Favorite Teams

I've got a new 2nd favorite college football team:

APPALACHIAN STATE!

The only bad things was that the game wasn't televised, so I couldn't watch U of M lose to a division I-AA school!

Sue's late blog

Set list:

*Too Much

*Dream Girl

*You Might Die Trying

*Stir It Up [tease] Crush

*#27

*Corn Bread

*Don’t Drink the Water

*Grey Street

*Gravedigger +Eh Hee

*The Idea Of You

*Stand Up [For It]

*~Jimi Thing

*Louisiana Bayou

*Everyday

*Stay (Wasting Time)

*#40 [tease]

Encore:

+So Damn Lucky

+All Along The Watchtower *
Show Notes:

+ Dave Solo

~ Joe Lawlor

So last week Eric and I went to the Dave Matthews Band concert at Pine Knob (DTE amplitheatre) without Sippie (long, nerdy story). Pete Yorn opened for them and they were pretty cool. I knew nothing about him before seeing him. He had 5 guitarists which was cool.

Then there was a 30 minute rain/severe thunderstorm delay. Dave Matthews came onto the stage by himself and basically said that this storm was something you shouldn't fool around with so everyone on the lawn should come into the pavilion to seek shelter while it storms and then they would start once everyone was back in there spots. Great idea!! Not! After the storm the ushers tried to get people out but a lot of bitches decided to stay in the pavilion. There were three 17 year old hoes, who did not know any of the songs, that decided to stand in our row in front of people. No one else decided to say anything so when one of the chicks thought of moving in front of Eric and I, I said "No way. Do you have a ticket for here?" <dumb nod>"Yeah right, there is no room for this bull. I do not think so." So she sheepishly scooted out of our area and kept looking at me when she thought of scooting over. Yeah that is right I threw down. I was ready to throw their asses out when Eric said it is fine. Just leave it. Usually I sit back and take it but I was sick of bitchy hoes trying to ruin my concerts; but I digress.

All in all Dave Matthews Band put on a great show as always as music goes. I gotta say though, I am disappointed in their stage decorations and light show. They had signs every where about how green their tour was and then they have hundreds of bright, blind the audience lights. They also had 3 large video screens behind the band that half the time displayed the band playing in close up and the other half had these stupid images that were supposed to go with the songs. The whole set made me think "Sell out". It should be about the music not the huge lights and video especially with a band with so much talent.

Blame Everyone But the Voters

Know what I hate most about this time of year? The completely STUPID things that candidates will say to try and get votes/attention. For example, the topic of interest at the moment is the meltdown in the sub-prime mortgage market. From the Economist:

Turning up the populist rhetoric, Hillary Clinton has promised to clamp down on “unscrupulous brokers” and wants to give $1 billion to states to help homeowners avoid losing the roof over their heads. John Edwards would produce legislation to regulate “predatory” mortgage lenders and ensure borrowers only receive loans they can afford. Earlier this year Barack Obama called for a “homeowners preservation summit”.

What I'm confused about is why the broker is getting blamed for you not paying your mortgage? Is it their fault you borrowed too much? Or that the housing market fell?

The broker gains nothing if you default. Most brokers resell your loan to other institutions so they have no interest one way or another if you default. By the time you do most don't even own your loan anymore.

Even if they did, I'm still confused why they are "predatory" if they lend you more than you can afford. Isn't it YOUR job to figure out what you can afford? The brokers job is to try and get you a good rate on the amount you want to borrow. Its not to tell you how much to borrow. That's your job!

Computers Hate Me

The hard drive on my work PC died this weekend. No warnings, no weird sounds, just poof. I turn it off Saturday night it is working fine. I turn it on Sunday morning, hear a bunch of horrible sounds and get an error saying the drive could not be read from.

FUCK!

Of course I'm not backing up data at a regular interval. Just kind of whenever I think of it. So I now I have a bunch of code projects up on our servers that are half checked in and half old code.

FUCK!

And I'm never going to remember what I have changed and not changed because we use the dumbest source control system on earth. Since it has no idea what files I had checked out, I'm at this weird state where I know somethings are not right. I just don't know where those changes were or how to go about putting them in anymore.

FUCKIDY FUCK FUCK!

Why I Can't Vote for Mitt Romney

I cannot believe this tool won the Iowa straw poll the other day. I mean, I realize that the Iowa Straw Poll is basically who can pay the most people to show up to vote. Even so, I'm shocked that Republicans can vote for this guy. I list myself as an independent, and there is no way this guy can get my vote. The list is so long I have to document here just in case anyone else was thinking he was alright.

1) In 1983, he locked his dog in a kennel on top of his car for a 12 hour road trip. OK, (A) that is just plain cruel. I don't care how you try to spin it, no dog likes to trapped in a small box for 12 hours. And (b), turns out I'm not the only one who thinks that: carrying an animal on the roof of your car is actually against the law in Massachusetts as a form of as cruel and inhuman treatment. (In the interest of full disclosure, it was not illegal at the time of the incident).

His defense? "The carrier was airtight". WELL LA DE DA! That makes it all better now. So not only was he on top of a moving car for twelve hours, he was in the dark the entire time? They should put you up for sainthood! A wise man once said "Judge not a man by how he treats his equals, but by how he treats those he views as inferior". Well, I'm judging...

From an interview with Fox News where he tries to explain it:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XvE5Qm_SQ0c

2) When asked if his sons are now or ever have been in the armed forces, his answer was no, but "One of the ways that my sons are showing support for our nation is helping me get elected because they think I'd be a great president."

Seriously? You're going to compare helping you get elected with the guy in Iraq worried about getting his legs blown off from an IED? You have the balls to even show up at campaign events after saying that?

And bull shit explanation for this one: "Oh, I misspoke there." No shit!

3) He's a flip flopper, but that only seems to matter when a Democrat is running. First off, I don't have anything against changing your mind on a subject. I'm all for it. Honestly, I thought the whole idea that being able to take in new information and come to a new conclusion was some how a bad thing was a strange tactic all the way around.

So my problem with Mitt Romney is not that he is a flip-flopper. My problem is that Republicans all of the sudden don't seem to care that Romney was pro-choice, pro-gay rights, and pro-universal health care when he was governor of Massachusetts, but is suddenly pro-life, pro-gay rights, pro-universal health care now that he is running for President.

From his 1994 debate with Ted Kennedy:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a9IJUkYUbvI

Lets be honest: the guy is changing his stances now not because he had this big change of heart. It's because you cannot get elected in Massachusetts if you are not liberal. But when you are running for the Republican nomination, you have to bend over backwards for the moral majority or you can't win the primary. The real question is which one is he REALLY?

Vegas Day 3

Final night in Vegas.

8:30am - As always, I wake up around 8:30 in the morning. Head down to the poker room for some 2-4 limit hold'em while Sue sleeps.

10:30am - Sue calls me to tell me she is awake and I should make my way back around noon. I'm down $75 when she calls, but manage to claw back to $34 down by the time I get up and head back.

noon - After a quick lunch, its off for more sight-seeing. Today we are hitting up my two favorite casinos on the strip: Venetian and Paris. First stop is the Venetian.

1:00pm - We wander over to TI since it is nearby.



Best thing about TI: They sell Bacardi and Coke in slurpee form! You know I couldn't resist that! Now that we are liquored up a bit, we can move on.

After some more wandering into various casinos, we head back for a simple dinner.

8:00pm - Time for drinking Eric and Sue to shine! Tonight we have decided to try something different and head to the Carnaval Court bar at Harrahs. Its a outdoor bar with a live band every night. This night it was a great hard rock cover band. The only bad thing is that it is an outside bar and it was still 85+ when we go out. Still, we had our funniest night in Vegas ever. We drank, we sang, we danced, and, stupidly, we took pictures flashing gangsta signs because we were hella drunk. I not going to say anything about the walk home because it was both painful and a little gross. Lets just say that people drinking Long Island Ice Teas should remember they are made with 4 shots each:)

Vegas - Day 2

Day two of our Vegas trip:

8:30am - Wake up way too early due to excitement of Vegas. Rather than wake Sue up, I read in the bathroom for a half hour.

10:00am - We are clean, crisp, and ready to go. Head out on the town. First stop, pretzel at New York, New York. They are ALMOST as delicious as the ones at Grand Central;)

11:00am - We wander over to MGM to watch the lions. By sheer luck, we show up just as they are coming out, so we get a good spot.

12:30 - After some lunch and meeting up with the family, we start our first sight-seeing day. First stop, rampant commercialism at the M&M store! And, yes, it IS true what they say about the green ones;)

1:00pm - First stop on the tour: Bellagio. We wander around for a bit, then head to the best part of Bellagio: the authentic gelato shop. Soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo good. I think I might have had a mini orgasm on that first bite.

4:00 pm - We've hit up Caesars Palace and Flamingo. On the way back, we get some good drinks at Margaritaville at the Flamingo. I think this is the latest I've been sober in Vegas.

6:00pm - We've napped for a bit so it's time for dinner. Head over to MGM again for dinner at the rain forest cafe (shut up; Yea, we are tourists. I blame Sue's family). At least they make decent fruity drinks for the wife. I get beer. I'm not drinking anything that comes with an umbrella.

9:00pm - Separate from the family. Time to really get our drink on! Sue and I have made it our tradition to see NY NY's local band Phoenix at least once while in Vegas. Lots of good 80s rock. We have plenty to drink and lots of great sing-along moments. Our waitress sucks though. She disappears every 20 minutes to do God knows what. I assume smoke breaks, but this Vegas. It could be almost anything to be honest.

1:00am - Tired and sore (I haven't walked this much in the last 3 months), we retreat to our hotel room to pass out.

Vegas Blogs

Sorry I've been slow with Vegas Blogs. My niece and nephew are in town and taking up all our time. I promise the rest tonight or tomorrow.

Vegas 2007 - Day 1

We're back from our 3 days in Las Vegas. Here is our recap of day 1:

5:30pm - Arrive in Vegas and head to the Excalibur. After the usual check-in, unpack, bitch about the god damn time-share sales people cycle, we head down to meet Sue's family.



7:00pm - Head to Dicks Last Resort, the sort of restaurant where the waiter mocks you, forces you to wear a funny hat, and you pay them to do it with a smile. Here for example was Sue's hat:

Sue and I have plenty of drinks and then head out to see some night sights with the family.

9:00pm - We make it down to the Bellagio and watch the water cannon show. At least no one looks down on me for drinking in public this time.

10:00pm - Make it down to the Mirage to watch the Volcano. <Bevis voice>FIRE! YEA!</bevis voice> The family is tired by this point, so we call it a night.

11:30pm - heading back up to the room. By this point I'm just pretending the time-share people don't exist.

Simpson Version of me

Simpsonized versions of Sue and I:

That sounds delicous AND sexy

Someday soon, I hope this will be me:

http://www.bugbash.net/comic/116.html

53 hours and 20 minutes to go

All work and no play makes Eric a dull boy.
All work and no play makes Eric a dull boy.
All work and no play makes Eric a dull boy.
All work and no play makes Eric a dull boy.
All work and no play makes Eric a dull boy.
All work and no play makes Eric a dull boy.
All work and no play makes Eric a dull boy.
All work and no play makes Eric a dull boy.
All work and no play makes Eric a dull boy.
All work and no play makes Eric a dull boy.
All work and no play makes Eric a dull boy.
All work and no play makes Eric a dull boy.
All work and no play makes Eric a dull boy.
All work and no play makes Eric a dull boy.
All work and no play makes Eric a dull boy.
All work and no play makes Eric a dull boy.
All work and no play makes Eric a dull boy.
All work and no play makes Eric a dull boy.
All work and no play makes Eric a dull boy.
All work and no play makes Eric a dull boy.
All work and no play makes Eric a dull boy.

etc, etc, etc.

Vegas next week

It's like 2:00 in the morning, but I can't sleep for whatever reason. I think I'm too excited for our trip to Vegas next week! Wooooo!!!! Viva Las Vegas baby! Fear the awesome power of Eric and Sue drunk from 2:00pm on! Sue's sisters are in for quite an eye opening experience with me. I'll have to keep the drinking around them to a minimum. Oh well. We already told them to assume that if they make plans that require me to be anywhere before noon, they might as well just count me out.

Lately I'm hating this working at home thing. Yea, the "no pants" days are alright. But damn it I want to TALK to people sometimes. Just to joke about stuff or argue about politics. Sue and I have pretty much the same politics, except that I would say Sue is a little more liberal than I am in a few places.

I guess what I am saying is that I am bored with my life at the moment. I love Sue and I love spending time with her, but I miss seeing other people. The Detroit peeps are awesome of course, but the fact that we live 45 minutes away limits what can actually happen on a random Wednesday night or whatever.

And you know what else? I'm sick of myself whining about this and then not doing anything about it. I feel like I'm stuck in the never ending cycle where I complain about stuff in my life but I never actually do anything about it. Like lately I have been complaining (mostly to myself) that I have started to get a little pudgy around the middle. Do I exercise? No. Do I eat different? Nope. It's like I'm trying to change myself by just wishing shit was different. We all know how well THAT is going to turn out.

Fuck, I need to get motivated. That's my real problem. I'm not motivated enough to change yet. I feel like a drug addict watching my life disappear around me. Only I don't even have smack to blame for slowly dragging my spirit down.

This blog started out so happy. How did I end up here? Oh well, its late and I need to get some sleep I guess. Stupid brain dump.

More Spider Pig

You will need to have iTunes installed for this one, but trust me that it is worth it.

Hans Zimmer - Spider Pig

Can you believe this is the 90th most popular download this week?

West Coast! You Dig!