Locals Rule

Benny Go Home

BennyGoHome is an organization fighting against individual, corporate, and governmental entities which fail to demonstrate respect or consideration toward the local community, culture, and environment of the Jersey Shore.

Join the movement and defend the shore...locals unite!

From wiki:

Benny is a derogatory term used by residents of the northern Jersey Shore to describe tourists from more northern cities, specifically New York City and its immediate suburbs.

Read the Benny blog.

"Carne Asada is not a Crime"

First they went after hot dog vendors & now it's taco trucks.

From Save Our Taco Trucks:

Led by District 1 County Supervisor Gloria Molina, the L.A. Board of Supervisors has passed new restrictions that will effectively eliminate taco trucks from our streets. Under Supervisor Molina’s new rules, taco trucks will have to change location every hour, or face a misdemeanor charge carrying a $1000 fine and/or jail. Yes, jail.

Save Our Tacos has started a petition opposing the new restrictions. Sign the petition and grab dinner at a truck on Taco Truck Night (Thursday, May 1st).

I haven't heard of anyone besides Gloria Molina & Co. who is in favor of the move it or loose it law.

The LA Weekly's Jonathan Gold wrote a column, (Keep On (Taco) Trucking) in defense of the trucks.

Bowling Without Pins

If you miss the open house, you can sign up for introductory lessons with the Santa Monica Bowling Club at Douglas Park (located at the corner of 25th Ave. and Wilshire Blvd.) in Santa Monica. Lessons are offered on Wednesdays and Fridays at 10:30 am and on Sundays at 10:00 am.

Which Kid Are You ?

Look up which Garbage Pail Kid you are.



POSTER # 8 - "Slime Magazine, Zit Of The Year"
1st series 19a "Corroded CARL" & 19b "Crater CHRIS"



No match for your name? Feeling left out? Well, you can build your own GPK.

Where are they now

Now that the draft is over and before we completely slip into the long part of the off season lets take a look at a couple of former Patriots.

The Trainer


Former Patriots linebacker Andy "Big Kat" Katzenmoyer today.


The Big Kat during his playing days.

From L.I.F.T Fitness where, "Achieving Your Goal is Our Objective":

Professional:
In 1999, the New England Patriots drafted Andy 28th overall in the NFL draft. Andy played in every game as a rookie, starting the first 11 at middle linebacker for the injured Ted Johnson. Andy finished his rookie campaign ranked third on the team with 107 tackles, including 76 solo stops. His 3.5 sacks ranked third on the team. Andy returned his only interception of the season 57 yards for a touchdown - his first career touchdown. To cap off this exceptional year, Andy earned Miller Lite Player of the Game honors for his performance against the Dolphins and was named to the NFL All Rookie Team. Unfortunately, Andy suffered a career-ending injury with the Patriots, and retired from playing football.

Post Career and Personal:
Andy has spent one year as an intern with The Ohio State University football team and has been exposed to an assortment of different styles of training. He has coached for three years at Westerville South High School as the defensive coordinator. Andy is currently completing his degree at Otterbein College, majoring in Health Promotion and Fitness. Andy is a certified personal trainer with the ACSM organization. He is married to Ashleigh, co-owner of L.I.F.T. Andy and Ashleigh are expecting their first child this April.

The Ambassador


Offensive lineman Eugene Chung

Chung was drafted by the Patriots with the 13th pick in the 1992 draft. He played three seasons before being left unprotected in the 1995 NFL expansion draft. Jacksonville, took Chung with the 51st pick. He lasted a one year with the Jags and spent another with the Colts.

Chung is currently a JAG Ambassador.

From the Jags website:

EUGENE CHUNG, guard, 1995
Residing in Ponte with wife Liza and children Kyle and Brandon, Eugene has been in the Real Estate investment business since 2000. Currently President of the National Football League Retired Players Association Jacksonville Chapter, members include over 100 former NFL players that help raise scholarship money for high school seniors attending college.

Ambassador Chung

Obama Got Game

I dig it. Normally, I wouldn't get excited for a middle aged man playing pickup basketball but this could be the President of the United States. Three on three hoops would seem to connect with more people than John Kerry's windsurfing. Apologies to wealthy white males who read Outside magazine.

So, they'll install a backboard & hoop above the White House garage and secret service agents will talk about posting up the President.

"Respect the call Barack!"
"What's the count, Mr. President?"

The Best

"Is someone getting the best, the best, the best, the best of you?
Is someone getting the best, the best, the best, the best of you?"
~Foo Fighters, The Best of You

From Bill Belichick's, 4/25/08 press conference.

On drafting Jerod Mayo (OLB TN) with the 10th pick in the first round of the 2008 NFL draft:

"It’s the pick we felt was best for the football team and I’m glad we have him."

On trading the number seven pick to New Orleans for the tenth pick and an additional third rounder:

". . . we felt like it was a good trade for our football team so we did it. I felt like it was a good decision for our team."

On how the Patriots will utilize their third round picks:

"We will do what is best for our football team."

On the Patriots history of not drafting linebackers early:

"Whenever we pick we do what we feel is best for the team . . ."

So far the Patriots have gotten younger at linebacker and added some depth at cornerback.

Day 2

* Drafting San Diego State Quarterback Kevin O'Connel in the third round was an interesting move. I'd say third string quarterback Matt Gutierrez's Patriots career is over. Is O'Connel trade bait, Matt Cassel's replacement or Tom Brady's heir?

* One of the most interesting stories of day two of the draft is how far The Midnight Toker Michigan Wideout Mario Manningham will slide due to character issues. Not smoking pot, but having lied about it to NFL teams. Don't lie boys & girls it will cost you millions on draft day.

On paper, some team is getting a heck of a wideout, provided he can put down the bong. Maybe Cincinnati Parole Officer Marvin Lewis will draft Manningham late to compete with wide receivers Andre Caldwell & Jerome Simpson for Chris Henry (currently homeless, likely to be suspended by King Roger) & Chad Johnson's ("I wish he (Bengals QB Carson Palmer) would stay out of my business." What are you twelve Chad?) spots.

What is Ocho Cinco is upset about? The fact that TJ Houzmandzada was the Bengals number one WR last year. Eighty Five's antics were entertaining when he wasn't demanding trades through the media.

Here are Manningham's 2007 numbers:

Receiving
72 REC
1174 YDS
16.3 AVG
97 LNG
12 TD

Rushing
19 ATT
119 YDS
6.3 AVG
23 LNG
0 TD
0 FUM

* Why did Green Bay use a second round pick on Louisville Quarterback Brian Brohm if Aaron Rodgers is Brett Favre's replacement? Couldn't they have filled another hole on their roster?

*Why is Matt Millen still the President & CEO in Detroit? Did he help Lions owner William Clay Ford bury a body or something? Ford already looses money*, why would William Clay need another write off? Since WC Ford bought the Lions in 1964 they have won exactly one playoff game.

*"The Ford Motor Company said on Thursday that it earned $100 million in the first quarter, a pittance compared with the $15.3 billion it lost in the previous two years . . ." - NY Times, 4/25/08

The Lions are 31-81, since Millen took control of the Lions in 2001. Four head coaches and seven years of futility. Um Matt, maybe it's not the coaching staff.

Motor City Head Coaches
Marty Mornhinweg (2001-2002)
Steve Mariucci (2003-2005)
Dick Jauron (2005) (interim)
Rod Marinelli (2006-present)

Junk Removal

I used Freecycle for the first time this morning.

Welcome! The Freecycle Network™ is made up of 4,343 groups with 4,979,000 members across the globe. It's a grassroots and entirely nonprofit movement of people who are giving (& getting) stuff for free in their own towns. It's all about reuse and keeping good stuff out of landfills. Each local group is moderated by a local volunteer (them's good people). Membership is free. To sign up, find your community by entering it into the search box above or by clicking on “Browse Groups” above the search box. Have fun!

I posted two Sony speakers and an amp that I no longer needed. They were spoken for in less than an hour and picked up this afternoon.

The new owner said that she had also gotten her television from freecycle.

Have something to give away? Need something? Try freecycle.

NFL Roundup

Goodell says he will approach Walsh material with open mind
Dave Goldberg, AP Football Writer

The Matt Walsh-spygate-walk through taping scandal needs to go away. I can't believe the season is over, the draft is set to begin in hours and the drama continues. I fault the Commish for allowing the situation to fester.

1) Why did you destroy the original evidence? At the very least, that just looks bad.

2) Why has it taken months to reach an agreement to talk to Walsh?

Goodell's mishandling of the situation by no means excuses any wrong doing by New England. I only wish that whatever the crime was, we knew the full extent of it by now and that whatever punishment that crime warranted had been handed down long before now.

I'm not sure what Matt Walsh needed an 11 page agreement to protect him from but he sure has gotten way more than his 15 minutes. Can we at least get a new photo. The Hawaiian golf pro shot is getting old. I'm tired of hearing about this guy. If you have some information, present it and lets move on.

In non-spygate news

— He welcomes the plan by developer Edward P. Roski Jr. to build a 75,000-seat stadium in Los Angeles to help lure back the NFL, which hasn’t had a team there since 1994. He noted, however, the league has no plans to expand and no current franchise seems in enough trouble to seek relocation.

I guess King Roger doesn't want pro football in LA.

Hey longhair!

— He met this week with his players council and discussed the proposal that would require players’ hair that reaches below their name tag being tucked under the helmet. “It would have to be done in a way that would respect the uniform code and also respect players’ rights.”

Troy Polamalu, someone doesn't like your hair.



As long as the number isn't obscured, what's the problem Merle Haggard?



Enjoy the draft.

Giacomo Girolamo Casanova

From my inbox.

Savuer Presents:

One lucky winner and three girlfriends will fuel their passion for travel during a four-day, three-night getaway to Staunton, located in Virginia's Shenandoah Valley. The elegant Belle Grae Inn's welcome reception will set the stage for the perfect getaway that also includes breakfast at the inn each morning and dinner at Shakespeare's at the Belle Grae. Chef Ian Boden of the Staunton Grocery will lead a chef's tour of the Farmer's Market to select ingredients for dinner. Wine lovers will savor a tour and tasting by the winemaker at Veritas Vineyard, and connoisseurs of both art and cuisine will find the perfect marriage of both during dinner at Zynodoa . An exciting performance at the Blackfriars Playhouse at the American Shakespeare Center, a relaxing massage at Breezy Hill Day Spa.

Apparently, Saveur magazine thinks I am quite the ladies man.

Virginia is for Lovers. Indeed. I can't wait to see the Shenandoah Valley.

Show me whachu got PA

Cue up Billy Joel's Allentown, pop some popcorn, make sure there's plenty of beer, try not to burn out early on Wolf & Mr. Sensitivity, the Barry & Hillary show has come to Pennsylvania.

I really hope something is decided tonight. Like Cesar, I grow weary of the campaign.

Allentown (Album: The Nylon Curtain, Released: 1982,
US Chart: 17) Lyrics:

Well we're living here in Allentown
And they're closing all the factories down
Out in Bethlehem they're killing time
Filling out forms
Standing in line.

Well we're waiting here in Allentown
For the Pennsylvania we never found
For the promises our teachers gave
If we worked hard
If we behaved.

And we're waiting here in Allentown.
But they've taken all the coal from the ground
And the union people crawled awaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay

It's enough to make a person bitter.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Bear kills man near Big Bear
By Paul Pringle, LA Times | 6:01 p.m.
For unknown reasons, the 5-year-old bear bit the unidentified trainer in the neck.

Unknown reasons? How about because it's a Grizzly Bear! The Bear was probably pissed like Siegy's tiger.

BTW

From Siegfried & Roy's website:

Magicians of the century, Siegfried & Roy will perform a brief, one-night only, magical spectacular on Feb. 7, 2009 at Keep Memory Alive's "Power of Love" Gala to benefit the mission of Lou Ruvo's Brain Institute. The legendary duo will take the stage again for the first time since Oct. 3, 2003, and finally deliver a highly-anticipated encore performance that thousands of fans have been asking for for years.

Magicians of the century - really? I suppose if Rita Rudner can be the comedian of the year and Danny Gans can be the entertainer of the year, the boys can claim hold to the title of Magicians of the century, though I think Houdini or even Count von Count might have a case.

There's a hole in the bucket

Bottle Maker to Stop Using Plastic Linked to Health Concerns
Ian Austen, NY Times, 4/18/08

Nalgene, the brand that popularized water bottles made from hard, clear and nearly unbreakable polycarbonate, will stop using the plastic because of growing concern over one of its ingredients.

The decision by Nalgene Outdoor Products, a unit of Thermo Fisher Scientific, based in Rochester, came after reports that the Canadian government would declare the chemical bisphenol-a, or BPA, toxic. Some animal studies have linked the chemical to changes in the hormonal system.

A difficult question for retailers will be how to handle products, including soft drinks, that are packaged in aluminum or steel cans.

For the last two decades, the interiors of most cans have been coated with an epoxy resin that is made using the chemical to extend the shelf life of the contents and prevent the metal from affecting the flavors of food and drinks.

For years Nalgene bottles have been associated with earth loving nature walking hippies and fans of the planet as a way to stay hydrated and decrease plastic bottle and paper cup consumption. More and more companies began giving away the bottles as promotional items. Now that the BPA bottles have been linked to cancer, what will become of the millions of Nalgene bottles in circulation? There are four alone in my kitchen. As of today (two days away from Earth Day), Nalgene's website offers no suggestions on what to do with your BPA bottles.

I set up a quick blog, What I Did With My Nalgene to show some of the solutions.

Be Creative!

Dylan Orgy

Bob Dylan's American Journey, 1956–1966

February 8 through June 8, 2008

Few figures in the history of American popular culture have attained the status of Bob Dylan. To critics and fans the world over, his distinctly American body of work matches the legacies of Walt Whitman, Louis Armstrong and his own early hero, Woody Guthrie. Don't miss the Los Angeles presentation-and final stop!-of this acclaimed exhibition, organized by Seattle's Experience Music Project.

Featuring more than 160 artifacts, including Dylan's handwritten drafts of classic songs, rare concert posters and a recording of his first concert, which has never been commercially released, Bob Dylan's American Journey, 1956-1966 focuses on the first decade of his celebrated career. From his beginnings as Robert Zimmerman in the post-war industrial town of Hibbing, Minnesota, to his debut on the Greenwich Village folk scene, to his rise to unprecedented fame as the rock star/poet who "electrified" contemporary songwriting, the exhibition chronicles Dylan's first ten years as a public figure, an artistic innovator, and a compelling voice of social conscience.

Included with Museum admission: $10 General; $7 Seniors and Full-Time Students; $5 Children

If you build it they will come

You can see developer Ed Roski's plans for an NFL stadium in LA at, Los Angeles Football Stadium.

The video tour did it's job. I'm excited.

Encouraging, hopefully not greenwashing:

New Standard in Green Design

The people of Los Angeles are some of the most environmentally progressive people in the world and it’s important that this stadium reflects that commitment. Los Angeles stadium will utilize the latest in environmental technology to create a new standard for NFL stadiums. Concepts we are developing include: the highest standards in energy efficiency, setting requirements for recycled construction materials, water conserving fixtures and recycled water for all landscaping. The Stadium also adjoins the existing Diamond Bar Creek restoration area, which will include an enhanced waterway restoration and hiking trail.

Total Square Acreage: 592

Green and non-parking Open Space: 271 acres

I signed up for news & updates and sent a few comments regarding mass transit & tailgating.

Tom Cruise Wanted

Joel Goodsen & Lana

Reposted from craigslist.

i need a tom cruise look-alike/impersonator for the best party ever (silver lake)

can u not go a day without someone telling you how much you look like tom cruise.
do you look at yourself in the mirror in the morning and see a man named maverick.
can you recite lines from top gun, a few good men, risky business, and so on
do your friends marvel at your ability to name all entries on cruises' imdb list.
if you think this is you,
well we've got one hell of a gig for you.
let me tell you about
"a night of a thousand cruises" (hosted in silverlake)
we will be hosting a party where all attendees will be dressing as a cruise character and we want you to be the guest of honor,
you will come marvel the crowd with your quotes, everyone will see you and say "now theres a cruise"
two hours of your time,
100 dollars
think about it,
you would usually pay to get into a party as amazing and special as this,
but we will be paying you... if you are the one chosen that is,
please send cruise like pictures of yourself and a short introduction,
this is a once in a lifetime event,
dont miss it

Night of a Thousand Cruises myspace page

The leg will be in attendance.



"Penis! Penis! Big fucking erect penis, ma!"

"I served my country - and they just want to take from it - just take, take! Love it or leave it, that's what I think."

"Thou shalt not kill, Mom. Thou shalt not kill women and children! Thou shalt not kill! Remember? Isn't that what you taught us? Isn't that what they taught us?

KOVIC for Congress

File under Things White People Like

Japan instructs makers of popular Crocs footwear to improve design after escalator accidents
The Associated Press, April 18, 2008

Most of the cases involved small children.

More than a dozen injuries were reported, including a broken toe and peeled-off toenails, the ministry said in a statement.

Maybe this could be the end for the evil known as crocs.

There's a blog entitled, I Hate Crocs.

Headlines

$1 million worth of marijuana confiscated
Amy Powell, ABC 7, Friday, April 18, 2008
Click the link for video

Real life, Weeds.

They popped a large grow house in El Monte.

"You never smelled anything funny?"
~Amy Powell

Life Philosophy

"Oh man this is really livin' "

Baloo knows what it's all about.

Trust me, you'll live longer & be happier.

Deal Fatigue

Will L.A. wake up to Roski's NFL dream?
Sam Farmer, LA Times, 4/16/08

At a news conference Thursday, Roski will unveil the latest concept for an L.A. stadium. It's a dazzling, asymmetrical venue built into a hillside in the City of Industry, near the southern intersection of the 57 and 60 freeways. His stadium would be surrounded by a high-end shopping mall, already in the works.

From Irwindale to Irvine, the Cornfield to Carson, Dodger Stadium to Hollywood Park, the Rose Bowl to the Coliseum, proposals ranging from ingenious to outlandish have fallen by the wayside.

This process has had so many fits and starts, so many set-ups and letdowns, every new proposal starts sounding like a punch line.

Roski calls it "deal fatigue," and he concedes there's a lot of it -- among the NFL owners, executives, media and fans. Not another NFL proposal.

The way Roski sees it, he could have shovels in the ground this fall and have a stadium ready to go for the 2011 season. By his thinking, a team could be in L.A. by the 2009 season and could play for two years in the Rose Bowl or Coliseum until its new digs are ready. He would want to own at least part of the team, but says he would be comfortable being a behind-the-scenes shareholder as he is with the Lakers and L.A. Kings.

But it's not as if he's going to dip into his personal fortune to pay for this whole project. He wants help from the NFL in the form of a $150-million loan and the promise of at least one Super Bowl.

Fans who want professional football in the Los Angeles area have been yanked around buy various cities and the NFL for years. Still, I can't help getting excited about the possibility of a team in LA.

The City of Industry is not the ideal location for me. Culver City is 28 miles from The City of Industry, about a 40 minute trip without traffic (up to 2 hours in traffic). That being said, I'd buy season tickets.

Fun at parties

Safe Drive Alcohol Detector

Safe Drive Alcohol Detector (EACH)
Regular Price: $39.99 ClubBev: $34.99

This self calibrating detector determines blood alcohol levels in seconds. FDA approved and programmed for a maximum readout of .12

SKU: 83403

Product Information

Company: M.E.B. Distributing
Type: Cool Items
Style: Accessories
Country: USA

Accessory? Like a purse or a cell phone?

Amazon is offering a discount if you buy the detector with the, Oster 4207 Electric Wine Opener.

Really? An electric wine opener? Are you opening that much wine that you can't use a manual opener?


They should couple the detector with Berocca. Though, my last dose of Berocca exacerbated the problem.

Why does the detector have a maximum readout? Does it keep high scores & calculate averages?

If you're not sure if you've had too many to drive, then you've had too many. Of course, maybe some people need to see their blood alcohol level for it to click in that they're blotoed.

Let's put some listick on that pig

In anticipation of the poor air quality in Beijing, the French Double Dutch team has been practicing in masks since early last year.

Construction Halted Ahead of Games
Andrew Jacobs, NY Times, 4/5/08

City officials laid out an ambitious series of measures on Monday that will freeze construction projects, slow down steel production and shut down quarries in and around this capital during the summer in an attempt to clear the air for the Olympics.

Du Shaozhong, deputy director of the city’s Environmental Protection Bureau, told reporters. “Just tell everybody they don’t have to worry.”

Deputy Shaozhong, said that signs encouraging the proper use of gas masks would be posted throughout the event venues and inside the Olympic Village.

Many athletes & coaches have speculated on how the masks will affect the record books. Speaking on the condition of anonymity one coach said, "You won't see any records broken if we have to swim in gas masks."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

So, after the games China will revert to the same practices that cloud the sky and choke it's citizens?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Olympic Teams Vying to Defeat Beijing’s Smog
Juiet Macur, NY Times, 1/24/08

As the lead exercise physiologist for the United States Olympic Committee, Randy Wilber has been fielding one bizarre question after another from American athletes training for the Beijing Games.

Should I run behind a bus and breathe in the exhaust? Should I train on the highway during rush hour? Is there any way to acclimate myself to pollution?

And the world was shocked by Tanya Harding's desperation and Marion Jones' supplements?

Mr. Wilber is urging all the athletes to wear specially designed masks over their noses and mouths from the minute they step foot in Beijing until they begin competing.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Play some Ramones today. You should play some everyday but today is the anniversary of Joey's death.

A spoonful of sugar

I don't know about small town Pennsylvania, but I'm bitter towards my government. I've been bitter for a long time.

Soap Suds & Sausage

I made red beans & rice and did a load of wash today.

Admittedly, the beans & rice were from a box and I used store bought sausage not yesterday's ham bones. Regardless, it was tasty and I have clean underwear.

Traditionally, red beans & rice are eaten on Monday in New Orleans. The slow cooking meal leaves the chef free to do the wash and uses up the ham bones from Sunday night's dinner.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Chemistry is a class you take. Clubhouse chemistry, that's a bunch of bullsh*$."
~Tigers Manager Jim Leyland on whether the Tigers dismal start (2-10) is due to poor team chemistry

Soundbite

The May issue of Men's Journal has a quick Q&A with Robert Baer, "CIA vet, author and inspiration for Syriana." Baer also narrated the documentary, The Cult of the Suicide Bomber.

MJ: How can we win the war on terror?

RB: We've got to get our minds around terrorism as political problem. We kill Bin Laden today - so what? He'll just become a martyr. We're going on seven years in Afghanistan, and the Taliban are still shutting down schools in Kandahar. It's a joke. And Iraq is a corpse that Patraeus keeps putting lipstick on to make it look like it's still alive. All the Iraqis are doing is cooperating to get American arms. Patraeus says it's thanks to Iran that they're keeping the peace. That's an extraordinary statement: Our main Middle Eastern enemy is keeping the peace for us? We're fucked. What to do? Come home. Just come home. Impose visas, make sure you know who's coming into your country, lock the cockpit doors, and be nice to Muslims here. The worst thing to do is continually shed Muslim blood.

large sweaty men

Grand Sumo Tournament in Los Angeles, June 8-9, 2008, LA Memorial Arena

Tickets range from $35 for the the cheap seats (that's where the leg will be) to $420 for ring side seats.

Here is the promo clip.

Half Way Home

I had a leg appointment this morning. The PA said my range of motion was good and that the incision had healed well. They took an x-ray and said everything looked good especially the top of my tibia (which we want to be smooth/flat so my knee lasts into old age).

Dr. Gold said to start putting weight on my leg and to progress to 50% of my weight.

Physical therapy twice a week for four weeks. Return in four weeks.

On the ride home my driver informed me that he takes his firearm with him when he goes camping because you never know what might happen and you have to protect yourself. He was referring to people not wildlife. Ahhh nature.

Out of print

My current obsession is finding a copy of Fast Times at Ridgemont High, to read. It's out of print and I can't justify paying $50 for a paperback, which is the cheapest copy I can find. I just want to read the book. I don't need a trophy or collectible. I'd be willing to go to someone's house and read the book under their supervision, with gloves on of course. Baring that, I checked and the Library of Congress has a couple of copies. I'll go read it the next time I'm in the Capital.

"Welcome to DC. Here on business?"
"No, there's a book I need to read."

Medicine

This morning I read an article about an ayahuasca field trip in Peru. Here are some quotes.

On the variety of reactions to/with the hallucinogen ayahuasca:

"Above all, don't be afraid to let it get weird. It's what you came here for. Trust that the medicine was well made in a good place with women and laughing children."

"Sometimes, though, just like Julio used to say, you just gotta grab your balls, 'cause you're going down the monkey hole!"
-Peter Gorman in, Down the Monkey Hole by Bucky Mcmahon, Men's Journal, 4/08

"The question was: Were the images coming from me or from Ayahuasca?"

". . . a tone poem of ecstatic triumphs and cruel abandonments, the wake of hurt feelings and tears an ordinary man leaves in his career as a prick."

"I was in imminent danger of shitting myself and latched onto the goal of not doing so."
-Bucky Mcmahon, Men's Journal, 4/08

CC in the News

Downtown Culver City, 1950's

Cultivating Culver City
The town's become hip -- for some, tragically so
Martha Groves, Los Angeles Times, 4/7/08

As in much of the region, the overriding issues on the minds of Culver City voters are development, density and traffic -- the slow midday crawl on Sepulveda Boulevard or the weekend evening jam-ups where what is purported to be the world's shortest Main Street joins Culver and Washington boulevards in the city's core. Commuter cut-through traffic compounds the woes.

Celebrity Look Alike

George Bush looks alarming like Hector (pictured above) from Battlestar Galactica OG.


GW/Hector is the mime on the left.

Interestingly, Wiki lists the hour of Hector's departure, ". . . his current term is scheduled to end at noon on January 20, 2009."

Save a personal day for 1/20/09.

Topic du jour

Absolut apologizes for Mexican vodka ad

The campaign, which promotes ideal scenarios under the slogan "In an Absolut World," showed a 1830s-era map when Mexico included California, Texas and other southwestern states. Mexico still resents losing that territory in the 1848 Mexican-American War and the fight for Texas independence.

History Lesson.

The online polls are asking if people find the ad offensive, funny or even an affront to Americans. I think the more interesting question is, prior to the ad how many Americans knew anything about the Mexican-American War or what a map of North America looked like in the 1830's?

R.I.P. Judah

Charlton Heston, 84; actor, Oscar winner, played grand figures

With such a body of work to choose from I decided to limit the clips to three.


Omega Man, 1971


Planet of the Apes, 1968

For some reason all of the good Jason Colby clips are un-embeddable (click the link for Sable & Jason's divorce scene), so it came down to Ben-Hur or Soylent Green.


Soylent Green, 1973

It turns out I couldn't leave out a clip of Judah. My father introduced me to Ben-Hur when I was a kid.


Ben-Hur, 1959

That would be a waste of time

Dig Hulu, you can clip movies wherever you want to. No more searching youtube for clips that don't exist or aren't quite what you want.

Meat Dealer

Logray & Trucker get involved in the war effort.

I'm saving my bacon grease for the War On Terror.

Breakfast

Oblong White M357

BFFL

I bought an Aircast Cryo/Cuff setup to ice down my legs. So far I have the ankle and knee cuffs. Unfortunately, there's not a full length leg & foot cuff and the cuffs are anatomically specific. I can see the foot and calf cuffs in my future. Though, from the photos on the Aircast site, the calf looks life it could double as a foot. The only problem is keeping enough ice on hand.

I should have bought one as soon as the cage came off. My current therapist's office uses them and I assumed they were cost prohibitive for the lego but they are surprisingly affordable, especially when I factored in that I'll be using the setup for years. Anyone that has ever filled plastic bags, wrapped ice in towels or used a bag of frozen vegetables to ice down knows that none of those techniques work very well.

If you have never seen or used one, you basically fill the jug with ice & water and then attach the hose from the jug to the cuff. When you raise the jug above the cuff and open the air vent cold water fills the cuff. Once the cuff is filled the hose can be detached. When the cuff cools down, reattach the hose, place the jug lower than your leg and open the air vent. The warm water in the cuff will drain into the jug. Let the water chill and repeat the process.

From Aircast:

Combining the therapeutic benefits of controlled compression and cold, the Calf Cryo/Cuff minimizes edema, hematoma, hemarthrosis, swelling, and pain.

Product Features and Benefits

* Anatomic cuff design for complete coverage of affected area
* Measured compression for patient comfort
* Controlled cold eliminates the risk of tissue damage
* Detachable cooler allows for uninterrupted treatment

Indication

* Rehabilitation
* Trauma
* Post-op treatment

My right ankle still swells like your grandma having a gout attack, more so now that the lego is carrying all the weight. Even before my latest accident, I found I wasn't doing simple things to avoid leg pain like icing, elevating and wearing a compression sock when exerting myself. In the last few weeks it finally dawned on me, why go through life in pain, some of this is preventable or at least treatable.

Someday I will have a whirlpool, an ice maker and a lap pool next to my Yurt.


I was imagining looking out at water or an open meadow but the deep woods would work too.



I also picked up some Skins Power Sox. They're basically designer compression socks, only they work about three times as good as the pantyhose variety. The stirrup design keeps your foot from overheating and they are SPF 50 versus maybe 15 for a traditional compression sock. So far, they appear more durable than traditional compression socks.

From Skins

* BioAcceleration Technology™
Enhanced circulation from engineered gradient compression assists in reducing lactic acid build-up
* Skin»fit
A precision fit based on your body mass index (BMI) algorithm
* Skin»muscle +
To focus muscle power and dramatically reduce muscle vibration
* Skin»dry
Moisture management wicking draws moisture away from your skin keeping you dry
* Skin»temp
Optimises your body temperature in warm and cool conditions
* Skin»fresh
Antibacterial and antimicrobial treatments discourage growth of bacteria and help prevent odour
* Skin»UVblock
UPF 50+

Mark Your Calender

Dollar beers, dollar hot dogs, horse racing & Neil Diamond.

I know how quickly summer calendars fill up so I wanted to give plenty of advanced warning.

Super Diamond is playing a free show at Hollywood Park on Friday night, June 6th.


Super Diamond 1994

From the HW Park Website:

The recently remodeled Ascot Terrace, at the south end of the Clubhouse, provides the perfect, under the stars setting for the concerts. The concerts are free with your paid Clubhouse admission ($10) prior to the seventh race. After the seventh race, admission to the concert is $20 so come early!

As always with Friday night racing, there will be $1 draft beer (until 9 p.m.) and $1 Pepsi and hot dogs all night long in the grandstand, Clubhouse and the popular Jockey Club Bar above the Ascot Terrace stage.

Blues Traveler will kick off the Spring/Summer Concert Series Friday Night, April 25

A free Blues Traveler show, I remember seeing them headline the 1996 Horde Tour at Great Woods in Mansfield, MA.

The lineup was:

Blues Traveler
Lenny Kravitz
Rusted Root
King Crimson
G. Love & the Sauce*
Me'Shell Ndege'Ocello
Son Volt*

*If we saw them I don't remember.

I think we stuffed six people in my Jeep to go to the concert. What a great day!

One to Go

Congrats to the Umass Minutemen on reaching the NIT Final.

Up next: The winner of the Ole Miss Ohio State game
When: Thursday, April 3 at 7pm, EST.

Picture of the Week

Barack Obama at Plesant Valley Lanes in Altoona, PA

If he's elected, this will be the picture I hang.

Spam

Needing a car and being unwilling/unable to wait a year for a smart I started investigating compacts, which eventually led me to the VW Rabbit. Nostalgia was part of the draw. My first car was a hand me down Rabbit from my parents. Stories of which could fill a separate blog. I liked what I saw on the VW website, so I decided to get a quote.

The Get a Quote form offers the following option.

Would you prefer to respond via? [] Phone [x] Email [] Either

Not wanting to be inundated with needless phone calls, I selected email. Here's what I received.

Email 1

Subject: missing contact info/ vehicle info/ Volkswagen Santa Monica
Date: Fri, 28 Mar 2008 17:44:07 -0700

Hello ----,

I want to help you with your recent vehicle inquiry, buy you didn't provide us with a working telephone number. For me to give accurate information, it is vital that I speak to you on the phone. Please return my call, I promise to keep it brief and to the point.

With enough information, I can help save you time and money. I will show you how easy it is to purchase a vehicle.

Warm Regards,
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Email 2

Subject: I just tried to call you
Date: Sat, 29 Mar 2008 13:34:56 -0700

Hi ----, hopefully you're having a great day today. I just tried to call you a second ago in response to your online inquiry of the Rabbit, but I noticed you didn't leave a telephone number for me to reach you on. I look forward to assisting you and I promise to make sure your car purchase is easy and enjoyable. We are actually overstocked with Rabbit's right now and need to move a bunch of them pretty quickly. This could be a big advantage for you if you'd like to take advantage. Please call me at the number below as soon as you receive this e mail and let's see how easy we can make your car purchase.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Email 3

Subject: need to speak w/ you/ Volkswagen Santa Monica
Date: Sun, 30 Mar 2008 15:33:58 -0700

Hello ----,

We received the request you submitted to LMCC for a Rabbit. I would be honored to assist you in anyway I can. I have tried to get in contact with you 3 times to no avail. If you have not already purchased please give me a call. I am looking forward to doing business with you.

Regards,
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Email 4

Subject: need to speak w/ you/ Volkswagen Santa Monica
Date: Tue, 1 Apr 2008 17:55:54 -0700


Hello ----,

We received the request you submitted to LMCC for a Rabbit. I would be honored to assist you in anyway I can. I have tried to get in contact with you 3 times to no avail. If you have not already purchased please give me a call. I am looking forward to doing business with you.

Regards,

Well now you're just copying and pasting.

Do you remember trying to decide if you should call the girl one more time or take a hint?

Why offer the option of email communication if you are only going to ask for my telephone number?