Years ago, I read a book, "Hey, Waitress! The USA from the Other Side of the Tray" by, Alison Owings. She didn't interview waiters, just waitresses, because they were more plentiful, across the country.
I'm lucky enough to have a first edition, dated 2002.
And she was making the point that even though you might have money, you might have fame, you still need to eat a meal once in a while in a place where the person who is serving you that meal has not only, neither, but no hope of ever having it. And it wouldn't kill you to make the minimal effort to tip at least 15%.
If I screwed that up, and totally missed the point of Ms. Owings book, I apologize to her. But as a guy with a Sociology Degree, a Psychology Minor and 20 years in Law Enforcement, that's what I took from it. And I never stiffed a waitress again. No matter how bad the service or the food was.
First of all, the waitress didn't prepare the food (maybe with the exception of your lettuce dinner salad) and she didn't take too long to cook it, or undercooked, or overcook it. She just brought it. She's at the mercy of the guys cooking it, who get paid if you like it or not.
Beating up on the waitress because you got served a bad meal is a lot like shooting the mailman for telling you you have bills to pay. Makes no damn sense.
They just deliver what you came in for. Sometimes it's good. Sometimes it sucks, and sometimes it's just sick and wrong. But they didn't make it, or make you come in for it. They are just the, "Genie" who deliver what you wished for. Sometimes it isn't what you WANTED, but it IS what you ordered.
The American Heritage Dictionary Of The English Language defines, Genie as, "A supernatural creature who does ones bidding".
And this brings me to my next point, this week after we didn't see the world end because some religious nut said it would.
What are you getting for you devotion to your religion? Your tithing, your weekly offering? What is it giving back to you?
I'm hearing a lot of, "talking heads" on the news tell stories of people who quit their jobs, and lost their insurance and all kinds of things, because they believed this bullshit. But no evidence. They don't site EXACT stories, or times, or people, or news stories from OTHER stations. They just SAY it but they can't back it up. Even Channel 2 was doing it! Come on, Shaunna, give me a source! Please! I WANT to believe you, but you're letting me down!
It's like, "Faux News" when they don't agree with something that is happening, and they HAVE to report on it, they will just say, "Some people say..." and quote the exact opposite view of the reality, and NOT bother to say who those, "some people" are. It's not true, but it has what, Stephen Colbert calls, "Truthyness"! It installs that doubt in the mind of the unthinking, the uneducated, the unread, who think, "Faux News" is actually reporting, NEWS!
Are you resting assured that you will get a free pass into heaven? Are you sure that if you swear when you burn you fingers on a Dutch Oven, God won't let you spend a few thousand years in Purgatory for that? I hope so. I hope you're getting your money's worth.
Is your offering plate donation every Sunday buying you your way into heaven? Even if you have an affair? Or are dishonest in business? Or run a pyramid scheme like any number of them in Utah? Brand new Skin, same old scheme? I'm just asking...
And how much do you give? 10%? My Mormon friends tell me that's their freight into the afterlife. 10% of your income is your tariff to heaven.
When I was a Presbyterian, they, SUGGESTED 10% based on the Bible. Hell, when I was first married, if I spent 10% of my income to STAY a Presbyterian? My wife SHOULD have left me. That would have been silly.
We were broke, and living in an apartment.
I guess I have to ask, if you just show up and worship, Jesus, wouldn't he be satisfied? If he was a real GOD, and all? He wouldn't NEED your money as a gift. And it shouldn't hold ANY weight on whether or not you got into heaven. Yeah, yeah, I know, they need to pay for power, water and the mortgage. But still, if GOD wanted you there...
So, again, I'm just asking, if you give money to a church, what do you get for it?
If you get piece/peace of mind. If it makes you feel good. If you really, truly feel that you are worshiping your Lord and Savior? Good for YOU! If it makes you feel well, then GREAT! You ARE getting our money's worth, and I applaud you for the good things your church does.
But, and I have to ask, how much of your charitable money is skimmed off to run the CHURCH, that could have gone directly to help the poor?
And why doesn't our GOVERNMENT help the poor? Because we wouldn't NEED churches?
After all, we have a Government to do the things as a group, that we can't do individually! I'm just sayin...
Look, I'm not religious. I think it's bullshit.
But if you ARE? Why are you against GOVERNMENT doing the things you HOPE religion will do? For, "The least of Us". I don't get it. YOU should be charitable, but GOVERNMENT should save your tax money? WTF?
Hypocrisy: The feigning of beliefs, feelings, or virtues that one does not hole or possess.
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Climate Change? I'm Living It!
It is the 19th of May in Salt Lake City. It's been raining for days, and it didn't get above 50 degrees today. I came home from the hospital, my mom had a hip replacement today, and built a fire in the living room because it was so cold!
I don't even have a fire place, just set the living room on fire to get warm!
Kidding.
The last two years have been way too cold. A few years ago, I bought a misting fan. It shoots water at you while it fans the patio in the summer. We used it until we killed it. Two years ago, I bought a new one. I don't think I've used it ten times.
Everything is a month behind the way it used to be, and we've only been in this house for ten years. Well, ten years on August first. The trees bud out a month later, the water peaks in the river a month later, we turn the sprinklers on a month later, and off a month later in the fall. Didn't start mowing until April this year, that's always been in March.
Used to run the gas out of the mower by the first of October so we could put Halloween decorations on the front lawn. Haven't been able to do that for the last few years.
That reminds me, I have to run the gas out of the snow blower this weekend. Or maybe not. I might need it if we go to Evanston, Wyoming Memorial Day weekend to decorate graves, just to find them! Put it in the back of the truck, and take it with us. Might save a lot of work.
I've almost used all the, "small wood" in the garage. The wood stove out there isn't very big, so when I buy a truck load for out there, I ask them to load the smallest logs. And I'm glad I bought a second load of regular logs for the inside fire place. I almost didn't, but it's almost gone as well. Too bad I didn't buy another box of, "cheater logs" (the wax/sawdust units I start the fires inside with) at Costco a month or two ago. If it's still cold tomorrow night, I might have to get all, "Daniel Boone" and build a fire like I used to when we didn't have any money. I would have to split some kindling.
Note to self: Do that BEFORE, Phil and EJ get here and we start drinking. A four pound trimming axe is not to be triffled with while liquored up.
This weather is awful! I came home from Mexico for THIS! Oh, yeah, I was burned out on the tropics, and the shell fish made me sick. I forgot.
But anyway, it's just not, "Spring Time In The Rockies" this year. Yeah, we have snow in the mountains, and you can still ski half a day in the morning and play golf in the afternoon, but you have to wear rain gear this year!
Monday, Danny and the boys had a soccer game out in South Jordan by the equestrian park, and it wasn't raining, so I wore shorts. Truth be known, I wear shorts most of the year, because my legs just don't get cold. But this time, it was a bad choice.
The, "Prevailing West Valleys" whipped around and right through my shirt and sweatshirt combo and I about froze. The Tilley hat did not help. It keeps the sun out of your eyes, but being designed for the tropics, it's not very warm.
The Murray Max put a 5-nil whipping on the kids from South Jordan that night, which lessened the pain of the cold (by the way, South Jordan folks? If your, overweight, slow, pasty, white kids are going to try to stay with the boys from Murray, and get embarrassed THAT bad? While still talking, "smack" and throwing elbows? Lose the horizontal stripe jerseys. It just exacerbates the white bread intake. Trust me. And I'm a fat guy. So trust me. In high school, they timed my, "40's" with a calendar, and I was faster than your boys) but this is just NOT the way May is supposed to be in Utah!
When I was in high school, I'd break out the, "Beach Boy's" tapes in May! The, Three Fountains Pool was open on Memorial Day Weekend. This year, if it's open, you will ice skate on it!
I'm not so much worried about, "The Rapture" coming on Saturday night per, "Rev. Camping". I am worried enough about the flooding that there might be a guy in an arc sailing by, and he won't have enough room for the Camaro!
This has been crazy, and cold. My son's soccer game tonight was cancelled because the field at Highland High was, "saturated". Really? You don't want to ruin it? I remember playing games for Murray High in the 70's when there was snow on the field. No one, back then, worried about what a game would do to the grass six weeks down the line.
I guess I should go upstairs and see how the fire is doing. And, "bank" a fire for tomorrow in case it's as cold as today.
If you don't know what, "banking" a fire is? You have never owned a house old enough, with a shitty enough heating system, to worry about that sort of thing.
I don't even have a fire place, just set the living room on fire to get warm!
Kidding.
The last two years have been way too cold. A few years ago, I bought a misting fan. It shoots water at you while it fans the patio in the summer. We used it until we killed it. Two years ago, I bought a new one. I don't think I've used it ten times.
Everything is a month behind the way it used to be, and we've only been in this house for ten years. Well, ten years on August first. The trees bud out a month later, the water peaks in the river a month later, we turn the sprinklers on a month later, and off a month later in the fall. Didn't start mowing until April this year, that's always been in March.
Used to run the gas out of the mower by the first of October so we could put Halloween decorations on the front lawn. Haven't been able to do that for the last few years.
That reminds me, I have to run the gas out of the snow blower this weekend. Or maybe not. I might need it if we go to Evanston, Wyoming Memorial Day weekend to decorate graves, just to find them! Put it in the back of the truck, and take it with us. Might save a lot of work.
I've almost used all the, "small wood" in the garage. The wood stove out there isn't very big, so when I buy a truck load for out there, I ask them to load the smallest logs. And I'm glad I bought a second load of regular logs for the inside fire place. I almost didn't, but it's almost gone as well. Too bad I didn't buy another box of, "cheater logs" (the wax/sawdust units I start the fires inside with) at Costco a month or two ago. If it's still cold tomorrow night, I might have to get all, "Daniel Boone" and build a fire like I used to when we didn't have any money. I would have to split some kindling.
Note to self: Do that BEFORE, Phil and EJ get here and we start drinking. A four pound trimming axe is not to be triffled with while liquored up.
This weather is awful! I came home from Mexico for THIS! Oh, yeah, I was burned out on the tropics, and the shell fish made me sick. I forgot.
But anyway, it's just not, "Spring Time In The Rockies" this year. Yeah, we have snow in the mountains, and you can still ski half a day in the morning and play golf in the afternoon, but you have to wear rain gear this year!
Monday, Danny and the boys had a soccer game out in South Jordan by the equestrian park, and it wasn't raining, so I wore shorts. Truth be known, I wear shorts most of the year, because my legs just don't get cold. But this time, it was a bad choice.
The, "Prevailing West Valleys" whipped around and right through my shirt and sweatshirt combo and I about froze. The Tilley hat did not help. It keeps the sun out of your eyes, but being designed for the tropics, it's not very warm.
The Murray Max put a 5-nil whipping on the kids from South Jordan that night, which lessened the pain of the cold (by the way, South Jordan folks? If your, overweight, slow, pasty, white kids are going to try to stay with the boys from Murray, and get embarrassed THAT bad? While still talking, "smack" and throwing elbows? Lose the horizontal stripe jerseys. It just exacerbates the white bread intake. Trust me. And I'm a fat guy. So trust me. In high school, they timed my, "40's" with a calendar, and I was faster than your boys) but this is just NOT the way May is supposed to be in Utah!
When I was in high school, I'd break out the, "Beach Boy's" tapes in May! The, Three Fountains Pool was open on Memorial Day Weekend. This year, if it's open, you will ice skate on it!
I'm not so much worried about, "The Rapture" coming on Saturday night per, "Rev. Camping". I am worried enough about the flooding that there might be a guy in an arc sailing by, and he won't have enough room for the Camaro!
This has been crazy, and cold. My son's soccer game tonight was cancelled because the field at Highland High was, "saturated". Really? You don't want to ruin it? I remember playing games for Murray High in the 70's when there was snow on the field. No one, back then, worried about what a game would do to the grass six weeks down the line.
I guess I should go upstairs and see how the fire is doing. And, "bank" a fire for tomorrow in case it's as cold as today.
If you don't know what, "banking" a fire is? You have never owned a house old enough, with a shitty enough heating system, to worry about that sort of thing.
Friday, May 13, 2011
Repatriation, And The Worst Fish Sandwich I Ever Ate
Woke up early on Thursday. We had to get to Cancun and fly out by about noon. Had to take the 7:30 Ferry, already paid for the cab to be there. Can't miss the flight.
Only one problem. While I'm looking at the paperwork. We booked the condo from the 5th to the 12th, so we had to be out on Thursday morning. The travel agent for the credit card company had booked our flight home, on the 13th. Now, having done this in February, and having done it over the phone, I remember changing the dates a few times.
I'm not blaming the credit cards TA, I'm thinking it's probably, "Pilot Error" on my part. After all, I have to call them between eight and five CST, and can't have MY travel agent do this, so mistakes can be made. I didn't do this late at night, and drunk, while on the Internet. it's just a screw up. It can be fixed. The bottom line? We got no place to stay, and no flight home. Shit.
Well, one problem at a time. I was a COP in my former life, I had to learn to adapt to different situations, and I can do this now. Objective one, get to the Cancun airport and go from there.
Deb is panicked. I have to keep telling her, "We'll take care of this. Calm down, don't MELT down, OK?" We pre-paid the taxi, so when we get off the Ferry, there is a guy there with a sign with my name on it. Problem one solved.
Once at the airport, we go to Aeromexico, and they tell us that it's no problem, just talk to their ticket people, and it can happen.
Ticket booth is empty. Big, "CLOSED' sign on it.
So I call the credit card TA people. No problem. I'll have to pay the change fee's (which for the life of me, I can't figure out how it cost's over $200 a ticket, to reissue the ticket for a different flight, when it's all done by computer) but I want to go home, so I just tell them to do it.
They don't tell Delta for an hour.
So I call them back, and they say they haven't done it yet, but I could just go ahead and pay Delta if I'd like and they won't put the charge they asked me to pay on my card. Yeah, I'll do that.
We get boarding passes. Thank God. And it only cost me about $400. I've had so much of the tropics this week, that I'm glad to pay it.
By now, it's 10:30 in the morning, Cancun time. We both had a granola bar bought at the airport, and that's all either of us have eaten since the shitty fish meal I had the night before.
Stuffed fillet of fish does not mean overcooking a fish fillet on a grill, and then covering it with a bunch of chopped up pieces of octopus and shell fish (which by the way, have given me gout to this day. I should have known better) in an awful cream sauce.
I used to LOVE Isla Mujeres because it was so different. Now, it's like Tijuana with an awesome beach. It's a shame.
This leads me to our next dilemma. We clear security, barely. I forgot and kept my sunglasses in my pocket instead of my carry on, and got sent back and, "wanded" about four times. The case must have been metal. I'm a terrorist for sure. Take one look at me.
We need to eat. It's going to be a two hour flight to Atlanta, with no food. And as we come out of the duty free shop, there is, "Jimmy Buffett's Air Margaritaville Cafe". Great. I know the food is going to be good. Best onion rings in New Orleans were at his place there. Great food in Las Vegas. Too late for breakfast at 10:30? No problem, we'll have lunch.
Deb orders a chicken wrap, I order a fish sandwich, and we both get ice tea to drink. Had I had any idea how bad the sandwich was going to be, I'd have had the tequila, and plenty of it.
I get this, "THING" that appears to be a bun, but it's so dark, and nasty it makes Russian Rye look like it's trying to, "pass" as, "white". And it has oats pressed into the top of it. I think that was to make me think it was healthy.
But it was so dry, I think it had been in Mexico longer than I had that week.
Inside this abortion was a fish, "filet" that had been breaded in shotgun load (I'm thinking about #8 shot) cooked to death, and then folded over to go inside the horrible bun (unfolded, the sucker had to be ten inches long. So trying to bite through it was twice as awful). It was covered in a dry tomato, some purple onion and served with tarter sauce ON THE SIDE!
Really? You don't put the tarter sauce ON the sandwich? WTF? NO fish sandwich, in the whole world, should be served with tarter sauce ON THE SIDE! It's a FISH SANDWICH! PUT THE TARTER SAUCE ON THE SANDWICH!
This sandwich was SO bad, just nasty. It was the consistency of the rubber stuff they used to put on ping pong paddles. You COULD chew through it, but why bother?
I used the plastic utensils to carve out some of the inside of the fish, and ate the crappy french fries. Not because I wanted to, but because I didn't know when I would get to eat again.
I've spent about, "a million six" on Jimmy Buffett's stuff over the years. Concerts, shirts, records, CD's. After yesterdays experience? That Fucker owes me breakfast!
When I got back to Atlanta, after two days of shitty food, I UPGRADED to McDonalds! I ate a Big Mac, and I don't feel bad about it. It got me back to Salt Lake City alive.
The iPad was not a total disappointment on the trip. I learned a lot. But I wish I had been able to do, "Chat" on Face Book, which I couldn't do. And I wanted to share pictures, and it wouldn't do that.
I'll go to the place I bought it tomorrow afternoon and see if they can tell me what I did wrong.
But, it did do some good stuff for me. I could listen to, "Radio Margaritaville" on line every night while sitting on the patio on the beach. And I could blog. Even though it wouldn't let me attach pictures. So it was not a total loss.
And coming home, there was, "wifi" on the plane. And I could connect with the ipad. And when I logged in, they said, "This one's on us" so I didn't have to pay for it! I thought they would probably bill me after a "free" hour or so, but no. I got the whole trip for nothing.
The down side of that? As I was listening to satellite radio, I had to hold the ipad up in the air, above the seats to keep the connection. So I spent four hours, looking like the, Statue Of Liberty, with my arm in the air. If I tried to put it in my lap? I got nothing.
As much as I love to travel? I'm SO glad to be home. It's been a long week.
Only one problem. While I'm looking at the paperwork. We booked the condo from the 5th to the 12th, so we had to be out on Thursday morning. The travel agent for the credit card company had booked our flight home, on the 13th. Now, having done this in February, and having done it over the phone, I remember changing the dates a few times.
I'm not blaming the credit cards TA, I'm thinking it's probably, "Pilot Error" on my part. After all, I have to call them between eight and five CST, and can't have MY travel agent do this, so mistakes can be made. I didn't do this late at night, and drunk, while on the Internet. it's just a screw up. It can be fixed. The bottom line? We got no place to stay, and no flight home. Shit.
Well, one problem at a time. I was a COP in my former life, I had to learn to adapt to different situations, and I can do this now. Objective one, get to the Cancun airport and go from there.
Deb is panicked. I have to keep telling her, "We'll take care of this. Calm down, don't MELT down, OK?" We pre-paid the taxi, so when we get off the Ferry, there is a guy there with a sign with my name on it. Problem one solved.
Once at the airport, we go to Aeromexico, and they tell us that it's no problem, just talk to their ticket people, and it can happen.
Ticket booth is empty. Big, "CLOSED' sign on it.
So I call the credit card TA people. No problem. I'll have to pay the change fee's (which for the life of me, I can't figure out how it cost's over $200 a ticket, to reissue the ticket for a different flight, when it's all done by computer) but I want to go home, so I just tell them to do it.
They don't tell Delta for an hour.
So I call them back, and they say they haven't done it yet, but I could just go ahead and pay Delta if I'd like and they won't put the charge they asked me to pay on my card. Yeah, I'll do that.
We get boarding passes. Thank God. And it only cost me about $400. I've had so much of the tropics this week, that I'm glad to pay it.
By now, it's 10:30 in the morning, Cancun time. We both had a granola bar bought at the airport, and that's all either of us have eaten since the shitty fish meal I had the night before.
Stuffed fillet of fish does not mean overcooking a fish fillet on a grill, and then covering it with a bunch of chopped up pieces of octopus and shell fish (which by the way, have given me gout to this day. I should have known better) in an awful cream sauce.
I used to LOVE Isla Mujeres because it was so different. Now, it's like Tijuana with an awesome beach. It's a shame.
This leads me to our next dilemma. We clear security, barely. I forgot and kept my sunglasses in my pocket instead of my carry on, and got sent back and, "wanded" about four times. The case must have been metal. I'm a terrorist for sure. Take one look at me.
We need to eat. It's going to be a two hour flight to Atlanta, with no food. And as we come out of the duty free shop, there is, "Jimmy Buffett's Air Margaritaville Cafe". Great. I know the food is going to be good. Best onion rings in New Orleans were at his place there. Great food in Las Vegas. Too late for breakfast at 10:30? No problem, we'll have lunch.
Deb orders a chicken wrap, I order a fish sandwich, and we both get ice tea to drink. Had I had any idea how bad the sandwich was going to be, I'd have had the tequila, and plenty of it.
I get this, "THING" that appears to be a bun, but it's so dark, and nasty it makes Russian Rye look like it's trying to, "pass" as, "white". And it has oats pressed into the top of it. I think that was to make me think it was healthy.
But it was so dry, I think it had been in Mexico longer than I had that week.
Inside this abortion was a fish, "filet" that had been breaded in shotgun load (I'm thinking about #8 shot) cooked to death, and then folded over to go inside the horrible bun (unfolded, the sucker had to be ten inches long. So trying to bite through it was twice as awful). It was covered in a dry tomato, some purple onion and served with tarter sauce ON THE SIDE!
Really? You don't put the tarter sauce ON the sandwich? WTF? NO fish sandwich, in the whole world, should be served with tarter sauce ON THE SIDE! It's a FISH SANDWICH! PUT THE TARTER SAUCE ON THE SANDWICH!
This sandwich was SO bad, just nasty. It was the consistency of the rubber stuff they used to put on ping pong paddles. You COULD chew through it, but why bother?
I used the plastic utensils to carve out some of the inside of the fish, and ate the crappy french fries. Not because I wanted to, but because I didn't know when I would get to eat again.
I've spent about, "a million six" on Jimmy Buffett's stuff over the years. Concerts, shirts, records, CD's. After yesterdays experience? That Fucker owes me breakfast!
When I got back to Atlanta, after two days of shitty food, I UPGRADED to McDonalds! I ate a Big Mac, and I don't feel bad about it. It got me back to Salt Lake City alive.
The iPad was not a total disappointment on the trip. I learned a lot. But I wish I had been able to do, "Chat" on Face Book, which I couldn't do. And I wanted to share pictures, and it wouldn't do that.
I'll go to the place I bought it tomorrow afternoon and see if they can tell me what I did wrong.
But, it did do some good stuff for me. I could listen to, "Radio Margaritaville" on line every night while sitting on the patio on the beach. And I could blog. Even though it wouldn't let me attach pictures. So it was not a total loss.
And coming home, there was, "wifi" on the plane. And I could connect with the ipad. And when I logged in, they said, "This one's on us" so I didn't have to pay for it! I thought they would probably bill me after a "free" hour or so, but no. I got the whole trip for nothing.
The down side of that? As I was listening to satellite radio, I had to hold the ipad up in the air, above the seats to keep the connection. So I spent four hours, looking like the, Statue Of Liberty, with my arm in the air. If I tried to put it in my lap? I got nothing.
As much as I love to travel? I'm SO glad to be home. It's been a long week.
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Last Day As A Frist World Refugee
I get to go home tomorrow. And thats saying something. Usually, I'd be saying I have to go home tomorrow, and thinking of missing the islands. But not this time.
Isla hasn't changed much, if anything for the better. Lots more places take your credit card. Most of the buildings that were ruined during the hurricane a few years ago are up and running again. Lots of new restauraunts, not all of them good, unfortunately. They are doing a lot of road work, and good cigars are easy to find. The first time Deb and I came here with Diane and Joe in 1999, there was only one real cigar shop on the island. Lots of places sold cigars, but they were mostly crap.
The folks are still friendly, but I've changed. And so has Deb, and it makes this kind of a vacation much tougher.
The first three days were awesome. All three concert/dinner venues were within a five minute walk of the room. Too much fun, too much drinking, great music, meeting wonderful people. It was great. But come Monday, things started to change. Most folks who came for music fest went home, and the condo complex was pretty empty.
Since 2008, I've had a back surgery, an abdominal hernia repair and a knee surgery. I'm lucky to be walking. So those long strolls along the beach in the thick, sugar sand aren't so much funny any more. They are WORK! As is a walk from one end of the town to the other.
And Deb's eyes continue worsen. So the cobblestone streets of the Caribbean are not the best place to turn her loose. I have to take her everywhere. If you spend all day saying shit like, "Watch the curb, ladies is on the left, move right to avoid the pot hole, watch the telephone pole on the right, ..." you get awful tired of it. Then, at every meal, I have to read the whole menu to her. I know what your thinking, yeah, it's a minor annoyance. But it gets old.
Those of you who raised kids, tell me you didn't at some point, get tired of reading the kids menu to them every time you went to a restaurant? And then tell me you wouldn't get tired of reading the entire three page menu of a sea food place every time you sat down to dinner? See what I'm getting at?
I love Isla Mujeres. It's beautiful, and Playa Norta might be the best beach we've ever been on (all appology's to Grenada's Grand Anse). But there are some things that I don't like.
It's not comfortable to walk down the street either night or day if your objective is to just get from point A to point B. I don't mean it's dangerous, but it's annoying as hell! I get tired of being followed by people who won't take, "Gracias, no." for an answer. Shop keepers are a little too aggressive these days, they follow you down the street, "Come see my store. It's a beautiful store. It cost's nothing to look. Buy some jewelry for your lady?" sometimes for a whole block! There have been times when I have had to give up on, "Gracias, no" after about the third time to get the guy out from in front of me so we can get where we're going and say, "I SAID NO!" before they would give up! That is not right. That's why I won't go back to Jamaica.
In San Pedro, Belize, the really nice jewelry store on Front Street won't buzz you in the door until they size you up and decide you're not a bandit. The place where Deb had some stuff custom made was very accessible, but the guy running it wasn't out side, following you down the block trying to get you to come in. He was making jewelry! Imagine that. And his wife was watching the kids, and cooking lunch. They live in the shop.
Here, the restaurant owners are standing outside, trying to beckon you in. In San Pedro, there are some places you have to make reservations the day before. I know that has to do with volume, there are ten times the restaurants here that there are there. But the ones off the beaten path? The ones away from the city center, that are REALLY good? They don't do that.
I have not ever gotten ripped off in Isla, but I do hate making the conversion of dollars to pesos. It's tiring, especially when so many places still don't take credit cards. I always seem to end up with a pocket full of heavy, low value, Mexican coins. You can't buy much with one and two peso coins. You have to have twenty of them to buy an ice cream bar.
In Belize, $1 US=$2 BZ. It's pretty simple. You don't need to go to a combia to change money, and they don't have to use a calculator to figure out what you owe them for a beer and a burger. Makes life a lot easier.
After the last hurricane in 2005, we were here in 2006. There were all kinds of signs, and jars to accept tips, about helping the homeless pets of Isla Mujeres. I put money in some of them. I love animals. It seems to have backfired a bit. You still see some funky looking dogs running around the beach or downtown with a bandana tied around their neck. But they all seem to be with someone. The cats are another problem.
This island could use a, "Curt Oda" solution for it's ferol cat problem. The have made a comeback with a vengeance . Most business owners seem to like having them around, and just like in Greece, you will see open cans of cat food left in the street's at night. Even the restaurant here at Nautibeach feeds them. But they also have a huge sign in the restaurant, "PLEASE DON'T FEED THE CATS!" It goes on to explain that they feed them, and most of them have been rounded up and given their shots, but they probably still have fleas, and they don't want them in the business. Oh, and you pet them at your own risk, some of them are mean.
I don't need THAT bad action on vacation. In San Pedro, everyone in town feeds, care's for, and pets, "Barkley", the island dog. He doesn't seem to belong to anyone, and there are plenty of dogs there that do, but he's not mangy or dirty. He always has a clean bandana round his neck, and he's friendly. Here I don't think I want to have anything to do with these animals.
Kind of like at home. I love watching the birds at my feeder, but I don't want them in the house.
So this has been an interesting week. I'm glad I came back. I had a great time listening to, Mark, Kelly and James sing. With the exception of tonights fish, the food has been great. The staff at, Nautibeach is great. But it's time to come home.
I hate missing my son's soccer games. I hate missing the NHL playoffs. And I think I have enough sand in my clothing and luggage to last for a while. Back to the first world on an early ferry off of Isla, and a plane to Mexico City then home to SLC. And with any luck, I'll be home in time to watch the last half of the Redwings game 7 against the Sharks. Glad to be back in the First world.
Isla hasn't changed much, if anything for the better. Lots more places take your credit card. Most of the buildings that were ruined during the hurricane a few years ago are up and running again. Lots of new restauraunts, not all of them good, unfortunately. They are doing a lot of road work, and good cigars are easy to find. The first time Deb and I came here with Diane and Joe in 1999, there was only one real cigar shop on the island. Lots of places sold cigars, but they were mostly crap.
The folks are still friendly, but I've changed. And so has Deb, and it makes this kind of a vacation much tougher.
The first three days were awesome. All three concert/dinner venues were within a five minute walk of the room. Too much fun, too much drinking, great music, meeting wonderful people. It was great. But come Monday, things started to change. Most folks who came for music fest went home, and the condo complex was pretty empty.
Since 2008, I've had a back surgery, an abdominal hernia repair and a knee surgery. I'm lucky to be walking. So those long strolls along the beach in the thick, sugar sand aren't so much funny any more. They are WORK! As is a walk from one end of the town to the other.
And Deb's eyes continue worsen. So the cobblestone streets of the Caribbean are not the best place to turn her loose. I have to take her everywhere. If you spend all day saying shit like, "Watch the curb, ladies is on the left, move right to avoid the pot hole, watch the telephone pole on the right, ..." you get awful tired of it. Then, at every meal, I have to read the whole menu to her. I know what your thinking, yeah, it's a minor annoyance. But it gets old.
Those of you who raised kids, tell me you didn't at some point, get tired of reading the kids menu to them every time you went to a restaurant? And then tell me you wouldn't get tired of reading the entire three page menu of a sea food place every time you sat down to dinner? See what I'm getting at?
I love Isla Mujeres. It's beautiful, and Playa Norta might be the best beach we've ever been on (all appology's to Grenada's Grand Anse). But there are some things that I don't like.
It's not comfortable to walk down the street either night or day if your objective is to just get from point A to point B. I don't mean it's dangerous, but it's annoying as hell! I get tired of being followed by people who won't take, "Gracias, no." for an answer. Shop keepers are a little too aggressive these days, they follow you down the street, "Come see my store. It's a beautiful store. It cost's nothing to look. Buy some jewelry for your lady?" sometimes for a whole block! There have been times when I have had to give up on, "Gracias, no" after about the third time to get the guy out from in front of me so we can get where we're going and say, "I SAID NO!" before they would give up! That is not right. That's why I won't go back to Jamaica.
In San Pedro, Belize, the really nice jewelry store on Front Street won't buzz you in the door until they size you up and decide you're not a bandit. The place where Deb had some stuff custom made was very accessible, but the guy running it wasn't out side, following you down the block trying to get you to come in. He was making jewelry! Imagine that. And his wife was watching the kids, and cooking lunch. They live in the shop.
Here, the restaurant owners are standing outside, trying to beckon you in. In San Pedro, there are some places you have to make reservations the day before. I know that has to do with volume, there are ten times the restaurants here that there are there. But the ones off the beaten path? The ones away from the city center, that are REALLY good? They don't do that.
I have not ever gotten ripped off in Isla, but I do hate making the conversion of dollars to pesos. It's tiring, especially when so many places still don't take credit cards. I always seem to end up with a pocket full of heavy, low value, Mexican coins. You can't buy much with one and two peso coins. You have to have twenty of them to buy an ice cream bar.
In Belize, $1 US=$2 BZ. It's pretty simple. You don't need to go to a combia to change money, and they don't have to use a calculator to figure out what you owe them for a beer and a burger. Makes life a lot easier.
After the last hurricane in 2005, we were here in 2006. There were all kinds of signs, and jars to accept tips, about helping the homeless pets of Isla Mujeres. I put money in some of them. I love animals. It seems to have backfired a bit. You still see some funky looking dogs running around the beach or downtown with a bandana tied around their neck. But they all seem to be with someone. The cats are another problem.
This island could use a, "Curt Oda" solution for it's ferol cat problem. The have made a comeback with a vengeance . Most business owners seem to like having them around, and just like in Greece, you will see open cans of cat food left in the street's at night. Even the restaurant here at Nautibeach feeds them. But they also have a huge sign in the restaurant, "PLEASE DON'T FEED THE CATS!" It goes on to explain that they feed them, and most of them have been rounded up and given their shots, but they probably still have fleas, and they don't want them in the business. Oh, and you pet them at your own risk, some of them are mean.
I don't need THAT bad action on vacation. In San Pedro, everyone in town feeds, care's for, and pets, "Barkley", the island dog. He doesn't seem to belong to anyone, and there are plenty of dogs there that do, but he's not mangy or dirty. He always has a clean bandana round his neck, and he's friendly. Here I don't think I want to have anything to do with these animals.
Kind of like at home. I love watching the birds at my feeder, but I don't want them in the house.
So this has been an interesting week. I'm glad I came back. I had a great time listening to, Mark, Kelly and James sing. With the exception of tonights fish, the food has been great. The staff at, Nautibeach is great. But it's time to come home.
I hate missing my son's soccer games. I hate missing the NHL playoffs. And I think I have enough sand in my clothing and luggage to last for a while. Back to the first world on an early ferry off of Isla, and a plane to Mexico City then home to SLC. And with any luck, I'll be home in time to watch the last half of the Redwings game 7 against the Sharks. Glad to be back in the First world.
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Never Argue With A Blind Woman
I picked up the iPad the day before we left, so I didn't have much time to get to know it, and i made the mistake of letting my son fool around with it before we left. So by Thursday morning in the Atlanta Airport, I can't find what I need. Can't listen to the radio, can't do email, I'm getting very flustered. I guess I was making my displeasure known when Deb says, "let me see it". Yeah, right. I CAN see and I can't find it, and you want me to hand it over to you so you can spend 45 minutes with it, only to tell me that you can't see anything? I don't think so.
Same thing tonight. We picked a little Cuban restaurant on the street that they block off so cars can't come down it, and it runs the length of the town. After I sit down, I say to, Deb, I guess I better find out if we can use a card here, or if I need to go get some cash." She agrees. Which she rarely does. After all, we've been married for 26 years, so that's just the norm, isn't it.
All I had to do was stand up and turn around, and there were two, "We Prefer Your VISA card" signs. One hanging from the ceiling, the other one stuck to the desk where the cash register is. So, I tell her this and that we can relax.
She says, "You better ask anyway." WHY! Why would I DO that? Is the sign some sort of a plot (It's a Cuban restaurant, so I guess that would make it a COMMUNIST plot! Like fluoride, or making sure poor people get health care) to lure us into his place with promises of easy payment, and then when we finish the lobster, inform us that we will now be forced to bring back our firstborn and have her enslaved making mojito's for the rest of her life?
Thats what I'm THINKING. But what I say is, "The signs are there, I just didn't see them when we came in. It's fine".
The guy comes to take our order, and the first words out of her mouth, I shit you not, "Do you take credit cards?"
WTF!? Am I making stuff up to tell her? Do I secretly hope that I can use going to the cash machine to ditch her in Isla Mujeres, take the next ferry to Cancun and disappear into the night. Never to be heard from again? What is, in the name of all that's holy, in it for me to LIE to her about the Visa Card sign!?
Welcome to my world.
Same thing tonight. We picked a little Cuban restaurant on the street that they block off so cars can't come down it, and it runs the length of the town. After I sit down, I say to, Deb, I guess I better find out if we can use a card here, or if I need to go get some cash." She agrees. Which she rarely does. After all, we've been married for 26 years, so that's just the norm, isn't it.
All I had to do was stand up and turn around, and there were two, "We Prefer Your VISA card" signs. One hanging from the ceiling, the other one stuck to the desk where the cash register is. So, I tell her this and that we can relax.
She says, "You better ask anyway." WHY! Why would I DO that? Is the sign some sort of a plot (It's a Cuban restaurant, so I guess that would make it a COMMUNIST plot! Like fluoride, or making sure poor people get health care) to lure us into his place with promises of easy payment, and then when we finish the lobster, inform us that we will now be forced to bring back our firstborn and have her enslaved making mojito's for the rest of her life?
Thats what I'm THINKING. But what I say is, "The signs are there, I just didn't see them when we came in. It's fine".
The guy comes to take our order, and the first words out of her mouth, I shit you not, "Do you take credit cards?"
WTF!? Am I making stuff up to tell her? Do I secretly hope that I can use going to the cash machine to ditch her in Isla Mujeres, take the next ferry to Cancun and disappear into the night. Never to be heard from again? What is, in the name of all that's holy, in it for me to LIE to her about the Visa Card sign!?
Welcome to my world.
Monday, May 9, 2011
It Doesn't FEEL Like a, Monday
Deb woke me up at the crack of dawn today. 11:30 this morning. What happened to, "Island Time, Mon"?
Her: "You have to get up, I'm hungry. You seem to live on rum and cigars when we're down here and it doesn't bother you!"
Me: "You say that like it's a BAD thing?"
Hey, it's not my fault she won't smoke the cigars or drink the rum. I keep picking up the bar tab, don't I? I'm trying.
Surprisingly enough, that mass quantity of alcohol consumed yesterday doesn't seem to have done much damage. But the sunburn is worse than estimated. I guess you could blame that on the alcohol, at least indirectly. Just a few minutes in the tropical sun, walking around the town, and it's pretty evident that I need my hat, and I am not doing well carrying a bag full of rum, soda, water, cookies and pastry she wanted from the grocery store, and the shirts we bought for the kids. After we get some lunch,we head back to the condo to take in the air conditioning and drink a couple of bottles of water.
The restaurant where we ate called this dish a, "Local Taco". But if you put ham, cream cheese and vegetables in a tightly wrapped, wheat tortilla, it's a wrap. And we've had them in the States for years. In Paris, they call it, Jambon au Fromage. It's a ham sandwich no matter where you are. It was good, but don't get above your raisin' with the name, OK?
Spent the afternoon reading the Tribune on line. Literally, the whole afternoon! The computer connection down here is not good, so the places loaded real slow. But what I got from what I could read was kind of scary.
Don't piss off your plumber, he probably has a gun. The SLCPD has shot it's second or third guy in a car this year. The Utes might start the football season ranked as high as 22. And it's going to be damn near impossible to get a good fish head in West Valley City if you have to rely on Food Stamps. Ouch! Who would want to live in such a place?
I'm glad Im down here in Mexico. Fish heads are NOT a problem on THIS island. No sir. I had baked Red Snapper tonight and it was awesome. Came without the head, though.
After dinner I picked up my third, "Free" Cuban cigar. We shall see how, "FREE" it was when I get the bill for the jewelry Deb bought from the guy who gave it to me, while I smoked it outside his shop.
Over the years, I've gotten pretty good at figuring out the fake Habano's, but the sellers have gotten better at ripping you off, too. First time we were here, I left two brothers in a raging fight about who was responsible for bringing in the fake Cubans to their shop after I pointed out to them, that if they were going to sell me, "Cohiba's" the labels should at least be yellow and black. Not ORANGE and black. Even a rookie could see that mistake. Murray High is NOT in the cigar business. I don't speak Spanish, but I'm pretty sure they were both blaming the other one for not doing his homework.
Deb bought some jewelry form this same guy LAST night. That was the second, "Free" Cuban. And she told me later that she asked him where he got the Cubans. after all, the distribution of these things is pretty locked up world wide. if you don't deal with the Cubans, you deal with, I believe, it's Davidoff, the Swiss company that sells all things high end with their name on it. But he told her that he has friends in Cuba that will send them to him.
This makes sense since we've been there. I bought mine on the black market in a bar. Doug Fabrizio of KUER took off with some guys who offered to sell him cigars one day to get the story. They told him that they worked for the people who distribute the cigars for the state run agency, and they steal them and sell them to feed their family's. So, there is more than one way to get cigars from Cuba, and it doesn't always benefit the communist government.
Since I could get on a plane in Cancun tomorrow, and fly to Havana, and no one would ask any questions, it's not out of the realm of imagination that there is a shipping company all too willing to take boxes from Havana to Mexico while not asking a hell of a lot of questions.
And now, even if it's not a REAL Cuban, at least it's a good cigar. Ten years ago, you might get the right color cigar band, you could still get a crummy cigar. Now, even the forgers are trying harder.
When we were first here in 1999, we found this little fish restaurant called, La Lomita. No, I have no idea what that translates too. When we were here in 2006 with the kids, we tried to go there. We got up to the doors and it was closed, but looked fine from the outside. When I looked inside, the entire roof had collapsed into the middle of the place in the hurricane of the year before.
I asked the lady running the place if it was their place, and if they had rebuilt. She said they had, that the food would be the same. The snapper was awesome, but, Deb said the shrimp was a little over cooked. We will try someplace different tomorrow. I'd like to have some conch again. I haven't eaten that in a long time.
It's so beautiful here. Green trees, blue sky, white sand. I really think that at some point, I'm going to have a place in the tropics to spend at least the time between the end of the Bowl Season, and the first of May in. Could be here. Could be Belize. Hell, could even be Florida. I can get American satellite TV, and read the paper on the internet, so I could stay in touch. Earlier tonight I did, "face time" with my son so he told me all about their soccer game (first loss this year) and I could see him pealing off his soaking wet soccer jersey while we were talking. As, The Prophet Buffett says, "I've got a Caribbean Soul I can barely control..."
But after this weekend, I might have a new favorite song about this part of the world. Last weekend, at the Greek Easter celebration in Phil and Jami's back yard, we were talking to our friends, Shannon and Paul who spend part of their winter in Mexico every year. They knew all these guys we came down here to see! I had no idea anyone in SLC had heard of them. I guess they know Mark Mulligan real well. They didn't tell us that down here, he's known as, "Mexico Mark" (and his young wife, Elsa is in the Selma Hyack range of pretty, and they have three perfect sons).
Last night, Mark did a song called, "I came down for the weekend. Twenty five years ago". That might no be a bad thing.
I'll apologize again for any misspellings. The blog home page comes up in Spanish here. And when I run the spell check every word but, "TACO" is wrong, so I just quit trying.
Two more days in paradise. Deb has some jewelry. I got my cigars smoked and my rum drank, and the music was awesome. Meagan wanted a t-shirt with a Gecko on it, found it this morning. Danny want's soccer jerseys and now he has them. Even though one had, "BIMBO" printed across the front, which will not make my neighbor, Ryan happy since he works for Mission Foods, and Bimbo is their biggest competitor in Mexico. The Mexican's seem to take Bimbo to heart, even though, Mission is a Mexican company, the same way they drink Modelo because they think of, Corona as an, "American beer". Go figure.
So that's tonight dispatch from the Truthstick media empire's Mexican office. Deb now has pastry for breakfast in the morning. She might let me sleep in bast the ungodly hour of 11:30. NO ONE gets up early on the Islands!
Her: "You have to get up, I'm hungry. You seem to live on rum and cigars when we're down here and it doesn't bother you!"
Me: "You say that like it's a BAD thing?"
Hey, it's not my fault she won't smoke the cigars or drink the rum. I keep picking up the bar tab, don't I? I'm trying.
Surprisingly enough, that mass quantity of alcohol consumed yesterday doesn't seem to have done much damage. But the sunburn is worse than estimated. I guess you could blame that on the alcohol, at least indirectly. Just a few minutes in the tropical sun, walking around the town, and it's pretty evident that I need my hat, and I am not doing well carrying a bag full of rum, soda, water, cookies and pastry she wanted from the grocery store, and the shirts we bought for the kids. After we get some lunch,we head back to the condo to take in the air conditioning and drink a couple of bottles of water.
The restaurant where we ate called this dish a, "Local Taco". But if you put ham, cream cheese and vegetables in a tightly wrapped, wheat tortilla, it's a wrap. And we've had them in the States for years. In Paris, they call it, Jambon au Fromage. It's a ham sandwich no matter where you are. It was good, but don't get above your raisin' with the name, OK?
Spent the afternoon reading the Tribune on line. Literally, the whole afternoon! The computer connection down here is not good, so the places loaded real slow. But what I got from what I could read was kind of scary.
Don't piss off your plumber, he probably has a gun. The SLCPD has shot it's second or third guy in a car this year. The Utes might start the football season ranked as high as 22. And it's going to be damn near impossible to get a good fish head in West Valley City if you have to rely on Food Stamps. Ouch! Who would want to live in such a place?
I'm glad Im down here in Mexico. Fish heads are NOT a problem on THIS island. No sir. I had baked Red Snapper tonight and it was awesome. Came without the head, though.
After dinner I picked up my third, "Free" Cuban cigar. We shall see how, "FREE" it was when I get the bill for the jewelry Deb bought from the guy who gave it to me, while I smoked it outside his shop.
Over the years, I've gotten pretty good at figuring out the fake Habano's, but the sellers have gotten better at ripping you off, too. First time we were here, I left two brothers in a raging fight about who was responsible for bringing in the fake Cubans to their shop after I pointed out to them, that if they were going to sell me, "Cohiba's" the labels should at least be yellow and black. Not ORANGE and black. Even a rookie could see that mistake. Murray High is NOT in the cigar business. I don't speak Spanish, but I'm pretty sure they were both blaming the other one for not doing his homework.
Deb bought some jewelry form this same guy LAST night. That was the second, "Free" Cuban. And she told me later that she asked him where he got the Cubans. after all, the distribution of these things is pretty locked up world wide. if you don't deal with the Cubans, you deal with, I believe, it's Davidoff, the Swiss company that sells all things high end with their name on it. But he told her that he has friends in Cuba that will send them to him.
This makes sense since we've been there. I bought mine on the black market in a bar. Doug Fabrizio of KUER took off with some guys who offered to sell him cigars one day to get the story. They told him that they worked for the people who distribute the cigars for the state run agency, and they steal them and sell them to feed their family's. So, there is more than one way to get cigars from Cuba, and it doesn't always benefit the communist government.
Since I could get on a plane in Cancun tomorrow, and fly to Havana, and no one would ask any questions, it's not out of the realm of imagination that there is a shipping company all too willing to take boxes from Havana to Mexico while not asking a hell of a lot of questions.
And now, even if it's not a REAL Cuban, at least it's a good cigar. Ten years ago, you might get the right color cigar band, you could still get a crummy cigar. Now, even the forgers are trying harder.
When we were first here in 1999, we found this little fish restaurant called, La Lomita. No, I have no idea what that translates too. When we were here in 2006 with the kids, we tried to go there. We got up to the doors and it was closed, but looked fine from the outside. When I looked inside, the entire roof had collapsed into the middle of the place in the hurricane of the year before.
I asked the lady running the place if it was their place, and if they had rebuilt. She said they had, that the food would be the same. The snapper was awesome, but, Deb said the shrimp was a little over cooked. We will try someplace different tomorrow. I'd like to have some conch again. I haven't eaten that in a long time.
It's so beautiful here. Green trees, blue sky, white sand. I really think that at some point, I'm going to have a place in the tropics to spend at least the time between the end of the Bowl Season, and the first of May in. Could be here. Could be Belize. Hell, could even be Florida. I can get American satellite TV, and read the paper on the internet, so I could stay in touch. Earlier tonight I did, "face time" with my son so he told me all about their soccer game (first loss this year) and I could see him pealing off his soaking wet soccer jersey while we were talking. As, The Prophet Buffett says, "I've got a Caribbean Soul I can barely control..."
But after this weekend, I might have a new favorite song about this part of the world. Last weekend, at the Greek Easter celebration in Phil and Jami's back yard, we were talking to our friends, Shannon and Paul who spend part of their winter in Mexico every year. They knew all these guys we came down here to see! I had no idea anyone in SLC had heard of them. I guess they know Mark Mulligan real well. They didn't tell us that down here, he's known as, "Mexico Mark" (and his young wife, Elsa is in the Selma Hyack range of pretty, and they have three perfect sons).
Last night, Mark did a song called, "I came down for the weekend. Twenty five years ago". That might no be a bad thing.
I'll apologize again for any misspellings. The blog home page comes up in Spanish here. And when I run the spell check every word but, "TACO" is wrong, so I just quit trying.
Two more days in paradise. Deb has some jewelry. I got my cigars smoked and my rum drank, and the music was awesome. Meagan wanted a t-shirt with a Gecko on it, found it this morning. Danny want's soccer jerseys and now he has them. Even though one had, "BIMBO" printed across the front, which will not make my neighbor, Ryan happy since he works for Mission Foods, and Bimbo is their biggest competitor in Mexico. The Mexican's seem to take Bimbo to heart, even though, Mission is a Mexican company, the same way they drink Modelo because they think of, Corona as an, "American beer". Go figure.
So that's tonight dispatch from the Truthstick media empire's Mexican office. Deb now has pastry for breakfast in the morning. She might let me sleep in bast the ungodly hour of 11:30. NO ONE gets up early on the Islands!
Sunday, May 8, 2011
First World Refugee, Day 3. Shitfaced And Sunburned
I haven't seen it yet, since it's dark. But I can FEEL it. Now. Now that it's late in the night, and the concerts are over and the booze is starting to wear off. So I'm trying to put what little booze I have left in me so it won't hurt QUITE so much when I go to bed. It still hurts despite a 3500 peso bar bill (relax, that's only $35 bucks in USD).
I put on 30+ sunscreen before we went to the beach this afternoon. I KNEW what I was in for, and I'm so WHITE I could blind folks when I take off my shirt. But when you don't get up until 11:30, and lunch is breakfast, and you have two beers instead of orange juice, and then take two beers out of the fridge to the beach, and while you're standing there talking to the guys you came down here to see sing for an hour, and then go buy FOUR beers in a bucket, and you drink THOSE while talking to the nice young couple you shared a table with last night, and you're not really UNDER the water as much as IN the water. Well, shit happens.
And Lisa has SUCH a pretty smile. I just can't wait until I get home and can share a picture of her and her husband at tonights concert with you...
So by the time we came back to the condo to take a shower and get dressed for tonights concert, I had drank 8 beers and at least one glass of rum. Might have been two. I came back to call my mom and wish her a happy mothers day from Mexico, and chances are, I refilled that glass.
So, yeah, today I spent most of it standing up to my neck in The Caribbean, drinking beer. I usually, now that I'm old, can't finish TWO beers. But today, I drank eight of them. THEN went to concert in a bar. Pina coladas? Yep. Two of those. For ME. One for Deb. Then, double Anjeo' on the rocks. Two, or was it four? For ME. Deb was drinking a Diet Coke by this time. And a bottle of augua puerifcata.
And the boys were SINGING! They were awesome. Mark Mulligan brang an old friend of his over to our table and asked if he could sit with us. Sure. His name was Rudy, and he is a journalist who now writes for, "The USA Today" out of Cancun! I had a great time talking to him. Even smoked a cigarette with him, and I quit those ten years ago. He was a great guy. I should have asked his last name, but at the time? It just didn't seem important.
While I was getting shitfaced and sun burned this afternoon, I was talking to a nice lady from Florida out in the ocean. She was really interested in our trip to Cuba and wants to go there, so I gave her some advice. We had a nice conversation for about an hour. While it appears, I was FRYING!.
I spent some time, as it appears, FRYING talking to Kelly, Mark and James while standing in the ocean. But it was time well spent.
Now, I might have to pay the price in the morning. But at least I didn't sun burn my FEET! Every time we come down here, I do that and the rest of the week sucks because all my shoes hurt my feet. Not this time. My feet are great. The entire, rest of me? Not so much.
I put on 30+ sunscreen before we went to the beach this afternoon. I KNEW what I was in for, and I'm so WHITE I could blind folks when I take off my shirt. But when you don't get up until 11:30, and lunch is breakfast, and you have two beers instead of orange juice, and then take two beers out of the fridge to the beach, and while you're standing there talking to the guys you came down here to see sing for an hour, and then go buy FOUR beers in a bucket, and you drink THOSE while talking to the nice young couple you shared a table with last night, and you're not really UNDER the water as much as IN the water. Well, shit happens.
And Lisa has SUCH a pretty smile. I just can't wait until I get home and can share a picture of her and her husband at tonights concert with you...
So by the time we came back to the condo to take a shower and get dressed for tonights concert, I had drank 8 beers and at least one glass of rum. Might have been two. I came back to call my mom and wish her a happy mothers day from Mexico, and chances are, I refilled that glass.
So, yeah, today I spent most of it standing up to my neck in The Caribbean, drinking beer. I usually, now that I'm old, can't finish TWO beers. But today, I drank eight of them. THEN went to concert in a bar. Pina coladas? Yep. Two of those. For ME. One for Deb. Then, double Anjeo' on the rocks. Two, or was it four? For ME. Deb was drinking a Diet Coke by this time. And a bottle of augua puerifcata.
And the boys were SINGING! They were awesome. Mark Mulligan brang an old friend of his over to our table and asked if he could sit with us. Sure. His name was Rudy, and he is a journalist who now writes for, "The USA Today" out of Cancun! I had a great time talking to him. Even smoked a cigarette with him, and I quit those ten years ago. He was a great guy. I should have asked his last name, but at the time? It just didn't seem important.
While I was getting shitfaced and sun burned this afternoon, I was talking to a nice lady from Florida out in the ocean. She was really interested in our trip to Cuba and wants to go there, so I gave her some advice. We had a nice conversation for about an hour. While it appears, I was FRYING!.
I spent some time, as it appears, FRYING talking to Kelly, Mark and James while standing in the ocean. But it was time well spent.
Now, I might have to pay the price in the morning. But at least I didn't sun burn my FEET! Every time we come down here, I do that and the rest of the week sucks because all my shoes hurt my feet. Not this time. My feet are great. The entire, rest of me? Not so much.
Saturday, May 7, 2011
First World Refugee, Day Three
I called on Apple today to see why I can't do chat or post pictures to the blog or FB. To their credit, they did call me right back, but the fix they offered (I should quit listening to my kids who have iPODS and, iTOUCH'S and not install any, "APPS" for them on my iPad) only let me delete a quick connect to FB, but it didn't solve the problem. Still can't send you a picture or post any to FB. I have a feeling this problem won't solve itself until I'm back in SLC. And when it does, I promise to post a LOT of pictures.
That being said, today was a pretty good day. Since we were up all night with our new friends, we slept in all morning! I finally rolled my ass out of bed about 11:30 local time and we went to breakfast at noon.
After breakfast, Deb went to the beach. I went into town. I had to find her some band aids for her foot since her sandle repair is rubbing her wrong. Get some more rum, and change some more money into Mexican money. Since this is stll the one place in the world where THEIR money is worth less than OUR money. God only knows why. Got two out of three.
The, "Super Express Mercado" in the middle of town, which is the only real, grocery store in town has a pharmacia in front, and they had bandages. The Pharmasist spoke better English than I did. She was very helpful. Then I bought the rum, had a case of, augua purificada delivered to the condo and went looking to change some money.
From our previous trips here, I knew there was a Combia, or money changer, right around the corner from the, "Super Mercado" on the walking street. But it was closed. I asked the nice young girl in the store behind it why it was closed, and she didn't speak enough English to help me, and I didn't speak enough Spanish to know what the fuck she was telling me. But I understood, "He's closed". When I asked her, "For today, or for how long? Can I come back later?".
"He's closed". Big smile. "Muches Gracias, Seniorita." And I left. I walked the three or four blocks back to the condo and didn't see another Combia! The first two times we were here, they were on EVERY corner. I think. And since it's Saturday, the couple of banks on the island are closed.
Thats not all bad. After all, the exchange rate at the Combia is 10.95 Pesos for one USD. If you have American dollars at the bar, or the restaurant, they will exchange it for 10/1, meaning you get ten pesos for a dollar. In the LONG run, if you're exchanging THOUSANDS of dollars at one time? You might be better off at the Combia. If you can't get there, and want a beer? You're losing 9 tenths of a dollar on the deal. Gas still sells for whatever and 9/10 of a dollar. Mexico is a better deal, even if you don't exchange your money at a Combia, than buying gas in the US.
Spent the afternoon swimming in the, "Carib" and the water was great. I had forgotten about the translucent, skinny fish that frequent this beach, but they were cool to see.
And then, when I was through, I came back to the condo, and smoked a Cuban Cigar, while drinking Mexican rum and listening to, Radio Margaritaville on the patio and screwing around with Facebook.
Later, went less than 100 yards away to listen to the guys we came to see (man, I WISH I could post pictures on this) and spent about four hours hanging around with them and listening to them play. What a great evening.
Beach music, beach music, all through the night...
To quote, Buffett.
Isla Mueres is about as awesome a place as you can spend your time. If you have the time to spend.
One of Mark's songs tonight was, "I Came For The Weekend (25 Years Ago)".
Oh, I can see THAT happening for, Deb and I.
That being said, today was a pretty good day. Since we were up all night with our new friends, we slept in all morning! I finally rolled my ass out of bed about 11:30 local time and we went to breakfast at noon.
After breakfast, Deb went to the beach. I went into town. I had to find her some band aids for her foot since her sandle repair is rubbing her wrong. Get some more rum, and change some more money into Mexican money. Since this is stll the one place in the world where THEIR money is worth less than OUR money. God only knows why. Got two out of three.
The, "Super Express Mercado" in the middle of town, which is the only real, grocery store in town has a pharmacia in front, and they had bandages. The Pharmasist spoke better English than I did. She was very helpful. Then I bought the rum, had a case of, augua purificada delivered to the condo and went looking to change some money.
From our previous trips here, I knew there was a Combia, or money changer, right around the corner from the, "Super Mercado" on the walking street. But it was closed. I asked the nice young girl in the store behind it why it was closed, and she didn't speak enough English to help me, and I didn't speak enough Spanish to know what the fuck she was telling me. But I understood, "He's closed". When I asked her, "For today, or for how long? Can I come back later?".
"He's closed". Big smile. "Muches Gracias, Seniorita." And I left. I walked the three or four blocks back to the condo and didn't see another Combia! The first two times we were here, they were on EVERY corner. I think. And since it's Saturday, the couple of banks on the island are closed.
Thats not all bad. After all, the exchange rate at the Combia is 10.95 Pesos for one USD. If you have American dollars at the bar, or the restaurant, they will exchange it for 10/1, meaning you get ten pesos for a dollar. In the LONG run, if you're exchanging THOUSANDS of dollars at one time? You might be better off at the Combia. If you can't get there, and want a beer? You're losing 9 tenths of a dollar on the deal. Gas still sells for whatever and 9/10 of a dollar. Mexico is a better deal, even if you don't exchange your money at a Combia, than buying gas in the US.
Spent the afternoon swimming in the, "Carib" and the water was great. I had forgotten about the translucent, skinny fish that frequent this beach, but they were cool to see.
And then, when I was through, I came back to the condo, and smoked a Cuban Cigar, while drinking Mexican rum and listening to, Radio Margaritaville on the patio and screwing around with Facebook.
Later, went less than 100 yards away to listen to the guys we came to see (man, I WISH I could post pictures on this) and spent about four hours hanging around with them and listening to them play. What a great evening.
Beach music, beach music, all through the night...
To quote, Buffett.
Isla Mueres is about as awesome a place as you can spend your time. If you have the time to spend.
One of Mark's songs tonight was, "I Came For The Weekend (25 Years Ago)".
Oh, I can see THAT happening for, Deb and I.
Friday, May 6, 2011
First World Refugee
Day two as a First World Refugee. Day one of Mark Mulligans Island Fest. And who was the first person we met this morning while having breakfast? Mark Mulligan! What a nice guy. introduced us to his lovely wife, Elsa.
We spent the day in the golf cart, driving around the island, seeing how much it has changed. And to my surprise, not much. Coming in on the boat yesterday, I could have sworn there were a lot more new, high-rise hotels. But from the roads on the island, and in the town, it's not that different. There is a new one right behind us that's supposed to be awesome. And a couple of new ones on the western side of the island, but I couldn't see them from the road, and I have no idea how to get to them.
I took a ton of pictures today, and would love to share them with you, but for some reason, the function that is supposed to allow me to add them to this blog won't let me pick pictures from the iPad. Won't let, "BROWSE" come up. So I will try to post some on Facebook later.
And I can't get the, "chat" function on FB on this machine. And on top of that, it's telling me right now that I have no service and I'm listening to streaming audio from Sirius/XM, so that can't be right. Oh, and it changed from Mountain Daylight Time to Eastern Daylight Time when we went from Salt Lake to Atlanta over night, but now, here in Central Daylight Time, it still thinks I'm in the Eastern Time Zone.
I don't know if this is, "Pilot Error" on my part, or the machines fault. But if I'd picked up the instruction booklet for the iPad that I THOUGHT I was grabbing, instead of the one for the remote key board I actually picked up, I might have some answers to these questions. But I digress. On with the story.
Tonights show was on the beach in front of The Sunset Grill at, Nautibeach. Wish I could share those pictures. And it was beautiful. Perfect weather, The problem with having dinner on, Playa Norta is that the sand is SO soft, that when you sit down at your table you get the feeling of being a kid having dinner at, "The Grown Up Table". You sink so far into the sand, that you plate is at your neck. A small price to pay, granted, but still, they could have warned you that if you lean too far back when you sit down you might roll right into the ocean.
The music was great. We got to meet, "Sunny Jim". Walking back to the table we bumped into him before the show started and I introduced Deb and I. He said, "Nice to meet you, I'm, James". When we got back to the table, Deb said, "Who was that?" I had to tell her, "You have all his stuff on your IPod. You didn't know who you were meeting?" Which is not as dumb as it sounds, since before tonight, neither one of us had seen a picture of this guy. We just liked his stuff. So it wasn't that she couldn't see, it was that she didn't make the connection of why I was introducing her to this random guy on the beach in Isla Mujeres. Now, she gets it. He found that story funny when I told it to him at intermission.
There were less than 100 people at this thing tonight. And everyone was drinking. Heavily. After all, you're living on, "island time" so getting up in the morning is just not something you worry about. And as much as that matters on a big island, the effect is, "cubed" on an island that is only five miles long, and less than one mile wide. You don't have to get up early to get ANYWHERE on THIS island in a hurry, so why bother?
Hell, tomorrow nights concerts are about 100 yards from here, and don't start until seven o'clock. And that's why we're here. I got ALL DAY to sleep tonight off.
You know how you can tell you have had too much to drink in Mexico? When your waiter comes over and asks you, in perfect English while clearing tables if you would like another beer, and despite the fact that you DON'T speak Spanish, you answer, "Si! Uno mas cerveza, por favor!"
Just some advice. Heed it or don't. I'm just saying...
The guys did a great show. They all know each other's stuff, and each other, well enough to goof on themselves and others. And in this small a group, the fans. Seems that Deb and I have now joined a group of people who follow these guys to all sorts of beach concerts. And that's not a bad thing.
The music these guys write and perform is amazing. Mark Mulligan did a song from his latest album about Mexico. It was so beautiful and melodic, I turned to Deb and told her, "If Kenny Chesney did this song, it would sell a million copies" and she agreed.
"Sunny Jim" did a song called, Research, where I swear, he was channeling the ghost of, Steve Goodman. He even sounded like him.
I told, Mark after the show about my feelings about the song, and he was very appreciative. I told him, "If Kenny Chesney does this song, you could have a pool in your backyard made of Unicorn bones! You should shop it out to him." He laughed at that, but I was serious. I don't like pop country. I think it sucks. But if a guy like this can one hit by someone like, Chesney, Keith, or McGraw? Set for life.
As the show was ending and they were closing up the bar, the waiter came by and asked if we were doing ok or needed anything. I said, "Muy bueno. Gracias."
God Damn it! I can't help myself!
We spent the day in the golf cart, driving around the island, seeing how much it has changed. And to my surprise, not much. Coming in on the boat yesterday, I could have sworn there were a lot more new, high-rise hotels. But from the roads on the island, and in the town, it's not that different. There is a new one right behind us that's supposed to be awesome. And a couple of new ones on the western side of the island, but I couldn't see them from the road, and I have no idea how to get to them.
I took a ton of pictures today, and would love to share them with you, but for some reason, the function that is supposed to allow me to add them to this blog won't let me pick pictures from the iPad. Won't let, "BROWSE" come up. So I will try to post some on Facebook later.
And I can't get the, "chat" function on FB on this machine. And on top of that, it's telling me right now that I have no service and I'm listening to streaming audio from Sirius/XM, so that can't be right. Oh, and it changed from Mountain Daylight Time to Eastern Daylight Time when we went from Salt Lake to Atlanta over night, but now, here in Central Daylight Time, it still thinks I'm in the Eastern Time Zone.
I don't know if this is, "Pilot Error" on my part, or the machines fault. But if I'd picked up the instruction booklet for the iPad that I THOUGHT I was grabbing, instead of the one for the remote key board I actually picked up, I might have some answers to these questions. But I digress. On with the story.
Tonights show was on the beach in front of The Sunset Grill at, Nautibeach. Wish I could share those pictures. And it was beautiful. Perfect weather, The problem with having dinner on, Playa Norta is that the sand is SO soft, that when you sit down at your table you get the feeling of being a kid having dinner at, "The Grown Up Table". You sink so far into the sand, that you plate is at your neck. A small price to pay, granted, but still, they could have warned you that if you lean too far back when you sit down you might roll right into the ocean.
The music was great. We got to meet, "Sunny Jim". Walking back to the table we bumped into him before the show started and I introduced Deb and I. He said, "Nice to meet you, I'm, James". When we got back to the table, Deb said, "Who was that?" I had to tell her, "You have all his stuff on your IPod. You didn't know who you were meeting?" Which is not as dumb as it sounds, since before tonight, neither one of us had seen a picture of this guy. We just liked his stuff. So it wasn't that she couldn't see, it was that she didn't make the connection of why I was introducing her to this random guy on the beach in Isla Mujeres. Now, she gets it. He found that story funny when I told it to him at intermission.
There were less than 100 people at this thing tonight. And everyone was drinking. Heavily. After all, you're living on, "island time" so getting up in the morning is just not something you worry about. And as much as that matters on a big island, the effect is, "cubed" on an island that is only five miles long, and less than one mile wide. You don't have to get up early to get ANYWHERE on THIS island in a hurry, so why bother?
Hell, tomorrow nights concerts are about 100 yards from here, and don't start until seven o'clock. And that's why we're here. I got ALL DAY to sleep tonight off.
You know how you can tell you have had too much to drink in Mexico? When your waiter comes over and asks you, in perfect English while clearing tables if you would like another beer, and despite the fact that you DON'T speak Spanish, you answer, "Si! Uno mas cerveza, por favor!"
Just some advice. Heed it or don't. I'm just saying...
The guys did a great show. They all know each other's stuff, and each other, well enough to goof on themselves and others. And in this small a group, the fans. Seems that Deb and I have now joined a group of people who follow these guys to all sorts of beach concerts. And that's not a bad thing.
The music these guys write and perform is amazing. Mark Mulligan did a song from his latest album about Mexico. It was so beautiful and melodic, I turned to Deb and told her, "If Kenny Chesney did this song, it would sell a million copies" and she agreed.
"Sunny Jim" did a song called, Research, where I swear, he was channeling the ghost of, Steve Goodman. He even sounded like him.
I told, Mark after the show about my feelings about the song, and he was very appreciative. I told him, "If Kenny Chesney does this song, you could have a pool in your backyard made of Unicorn bones! You should shop it out to him." He laughed at that, but I was serious. I don't like pop country. I think it sucks. But if a guy like this can one hit by someone like, Chesney, Keith, or McGraw? Set for life.
As the show was ending and they were closing up the bar, the waiter came by and asked if we were doing ok or needed anything. I said, "Muy bueno. Gracias."
God Damn it! I can't help myself!
Thursday, May 5, 2011
A Long Day Rewarded
It's now a quarter to 12 Mountain Time. But not where I am right now. I'm living on Central Daylight Time for the next week. And it wasn't easy to get here.
We left Salt Lake this morning at 0100 hours. Otherwise known as one o'clock Thursday morning. So that meant staying up all night on Wednesday, and hoping that once the plane was airborne, you could catch some sleep. Sometimes you can, sometimes you can't.
We got to Atlanta at six thirty THEIR time. And then had three hours to kill. Breakfast at McDonalds in the airport, and I had enough time to figure out what my kid did to my new iPad, so I could download the app to get sirius/xm radio on it. Good thing. I might have killed him when I get home otherwise. I bought the damn thing to I could do THIS from HERE and still listen to radio on line. It's working, but I can't do it from inside the condo. I have to sit on the patio. But it could be worse.
It's 86 degrees, and I'm listening to the waves crash into, Playa Norte on Isla Mujeres, Quintana Roo, Mexico. If I was to stand up, I could see, Cancun from my patio. It was a 20 minute ferry ride from there this afternoon.
So, as Deb and I were watching the sunset over the Yucatan tonight, standing on one of THE best beaches in the world, toes in the sand, drink in our hand, talking to Texas singer/songwriter, Kelly McGuire, the long hours in the plane, siting in airports, and having to be up for 24 hours plus was kind of worth it. And for the next six days? We get to do that every day.
It's still 86 degrees here. I've rented a golf cart for the next 24 hours. So we can go to the store and lay in supplies and tomorrow? We're going to drive around the island. Because it's not the same island we first discovered in 1999. This place has been DEVELOPED!
When we were first here, the light house outside our room was the highest thing on the island. Now? Not so much. I honestly thought that when it left the dock, we were on the wrong ferry. We could't be heading to MY isla Mujeres! There were no high rise hotels on MY, "Isla"!
But here we are. And it's different, but sort of the same. The folks are friendly. The food is awesome. The views are spectacular.
And I'm not just talking about the beach and water. While Deb and I were standing on the beach talking to, Kelly three beautiful, young girls came out of the water. Topless. Oh, yeah! I'd forgotten about THAT being common down here. Deb didn't see it, and wouldn't have cared anyway. Oh, Isla. Just when you think it's going to change for the worst, it shows you that it hasn't changed much after all.
Tomorrow, Saturday, and Sunday, concerts on the beach. It's going to be great.
So for, Deb, the cancer worries, tests, endococpy's to come, problems with her mother are all something thousands of miles away.
We left Salt Lake this morning at 0100 hours. Otherwise known as one o'clock Thursday morning. So that meant staying up all night on Wednesday, and hoping that once the plane was airborne, you could catch some sleep. Sometimes you can, sometimes you can't.
We got to Atlanta at six thirty THEIR time. And then had three hours to kill. Breakfast at McDonalds in the airport, and I had enough time to figure out what my kid did to my new iPad, so I could download the app to get sirius/xm radio on it. Good thing. I might have killed him when I get home otherwise. I bought the damn thing to I could do THIS from HERE and still listen to radio on line. It's working, but I can't do it from inside the condo. I have to sit on the patio. But it could be worse.
It's 86 degrees, and I'm listening to the waves crash into, Playa Norte on Isla Mujeres, Quintana Roo, Mexico. If I was to stand up, I could see, Cancun from my patio. It was a 20 minute ferry ride from there this afternoon.
So, as Deb and I were watching the sunset over the Yucatan tonight, standing on one of THE best beaches in the world, toes in the sand, drink in our hand, talking to Texas singer/songwriter, Kelly McGuire, the long hours in the plane, siting in airports, and having to be up for 24 hours plus was kind of worth it. And for the next six days? We get to do that every day.
It's still 86 degrees here. I've rented a golf cart for the next 24 hours. So we can go to the store and lay in supplies and tomorrow? We're going to drive around the island. Because it's not the same island we first discovered in 1999. This place has been DEVELOPED!
When we were first here, the light house outside our room was the highest thing on the island. Now? Not so much. I honestly thought that when it left the dock, we were on the wrong ferry. We could't be heading to MY isla Mujeres! There were no high rise hotels on MY, "Isla"!
But here we are. And it's different, but sort of the same. The folks are friendly. The food is awesome. The views are spectacular.
And I'm not just talking about the beach and water. While Deb and I were standing on the beach talking to, Kelly three beautiful, young girls came out of the water. Topless. Oh, yeah! I'd forgotten about THAT being common down here. Deb didn't see it, and wouldn't have cared anyway. Oh, Isla. Just when you think it's going to change for the worst, it shows you that it hasn't changed much after all.
Tomorrow, Saturday, and Sunday, concerts on the beach. It's going to be great.
So for, Deb, the cancer worries, tests, endococpy's to come, problems with her mother are all something thousands of miles away.
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
This Doesn't Smell Right
The other night, one of the, "Talking Heads" on TV, and I don't remember which one said something about the information that got Ben Laden came from intelligence originally obtained from prisoners at GITMO. Then later, I heard it stated that it came from GITMO, and was obtained using, "enhanced Interrogation" (torture). And now, I'm seeing stuff on Facebook about how it's a great deal we tortured those guys, or we wouldn't have gotten OBL.
I don't know if it's the Cop in me, or the debate club president from high school, but this just seems to have a lot of holes in it.
I don't know, because I haven't researched it, but are we still putting NEW prisoners in GITMO? Or have all THOSE guys been there ten years or so?
That question leads to this one. If the information came from a guy who's been in Cuba for ten years, how could he have useful, current information that would have gotten us where we were on Sunday night? And if it IS old information, why did it take so long to act on it?
Leading to this question. If it came from a new guy, the information, if obtained using torture, had to be at LEAST three years old, because the Obama Administration stopped using, "enhanced interrogation" when they took office. So why did we wait 3 years to act on the information?
And who made the announcement that it was obtained using, "enhanced interrogation"? The current White House wouldn't say that, even if it were true, because they said we don't torture any more. And they would look foolish if they announced that, "Hey, we were just kidding! We still water board the SHIT out those guys!".
So, it sounds to me like this piece of information might not be true. It sounds like it came from someone who would LIKE it to be true.
And since I'm leaving the country in about 24 hours for some serious beach time, and despite the fact that I paid for a new ipad 2 more than a month ago, it hasn't arrived yet, I'm not going to be spending a lot of time trying to figure out where it came from.
I'm just guessing, but I'd wouldn't be surprised if it turns out to not be true.
I don't know if it's the Cop in me, or the debate club president from high school, but this just seems to have a lot of holes in it.
I don't know, because I haven't researched it, but are we still putting NEW prisoners in GITMO? Or have all THOSE guys been there ten years or so?
That question leads to this one. If the information came from a guy who's been in Cuba for ten years, how could he have useful, current information that would have gotten us where we were on Sunday night? And if it IS old information, why did it take so long to act on it?
Leading to this question. If it came from a new guy, the information, if obtained using torture, had to be at LEAST three years old, because the Obama Administration stopped using, "enhanced interrogation" when they took office. So why did we wait 3 years to act on the information?
And who made the announcement that it was obtained using, "enhanced interrogation"? The current White House wouldn't say that, even if it were true, because they said we don't torture any more. And they would look foolish if they announced that, "Hey, we were just kidding! We still water board the SHIT out those guys!".
So, it sounds to me like this piece of information might not be true. It sounds like it came from someone who would LIKE it to be true.
And since I'm leaving the country in about 24 hours for some serious beach time, and despite the fact that I paid for a new ipad 2 more than a month ago, it hasn't arrived yet, I'm not going to be spending a lot of time trying to figure out where it came from.
I'm just guessing, but I'd wouldn't be surprised if it turns out to not be true.
Monday, May 2, 2011
And.... Here It Comes.
"This is NOT a victory for, Obama!" "Thank God for, George W. Bush!" "Odummy isn't so smart after all". "Thank God Obama didn't close Gitmo or we wouldn't have been able to get, Osama!" Plus the usual calling me, "a left wing nut ball" for being a Liberal. A title I embrace, by the way. If you think you're saying bad things about me by calling me a Liberal? I have news for you. I truly believe I'm a Liberal because I'm smarter than you, so thanks for the compliment. I mean, after all, if you work for a living and earn an hourly wage and still vote for Republicans, you're not very bright.
The nastiest vitriol came from my, "friend" who is an ex-pat American who deserted this country for France, but won't tell his life story, so I have no idea where that's coming from. He accuses me of having no memory. Well, I remember the USSR getting it's ass kicked in Afghanistan and not knowing when to get out. I'm just saying, now that OBL is dead, can't we come home? Leave that crummy country to govern itself and not get any more Americans killed looking for OBL?
I'm glad he's dead. The SEALS are America's new SWAT team, good for them! I support the troops. I think it was the right thing to do to go into Afghanistan looking for OBL after 9-11. What else do you want me to say to prove I'm an American?
Now that we are done over there, lets get out and come home. And we are done in Iraq, too. So lets come home. And why do we still have troops all over the world? Why can't they come home, too?
If you think killing Osama is going to make the USA safe from terrorism, you're not paying attention. It was a symbolic gesture, at best. An important one, but it won't solve the problem. Our foreign policy is the problem. And the truth be known, in the Arab world? They will hate us as long as we support Israel. I'm not saying we shouldn't, but it's why the Arabs hate us, and we just have to accept that we can't change that.
The Muslims don't hate us for, "our freedom". They hate us because we like the Jews better than them.
And I still don't think that terrorism in THIS country can be prevented by the military. I believe it's a law enforcement problem. You can get at the leaders, like we did yesterday, in foreign lands, but keeping plots from being carried out on our soil is up to the LEO's.
And I think I need to make note of one more observation that no one else has made, at least on the news programs I've been watching.
Bill Maher got fired from a network job a few years ago, when he said that the guys who flew the planes into the towers were a lot of things, but you couldn't call them cowards. And I agree. They were NOT afraid to die. The were every other bad thing you can say about them, and they were totally evil. I believe that anyone who would take your life in the name of religion is. But they were not cowards. They died for their convictions.
Osamma Ben Laden was a complete and total coward. A chickenshit, spoiled rich kid from Saudi Arabia who had the ability to whip young, devout, religious zealots into a frenzy to the point that they would strap on explosives and blow themselves up to further HIS sick and twisted world view. And he was this right up to the end when he tried to hide behind a girl when the bullets were flying. He doesn't even deserve to be a martyr to his OWN cause because all the kids who died for HIM? They wouldn't be able to expect him to die for them!
Oh there will be some who say he did. After all, someone has to be in charge, right? Bullshit. He was hiding out in a mansion, never missing a meal.
There was even a rumor a few years ago, and I haven't gone to look and see if it's true, so I don't stand behind it, but I'm just sayin... That he was paying family's of kids who agreed to be suicide bombers. Even if that is NOT true, I would have to ask every family who's loved one blew themselves up with a suicide bomb, or flew a plane into an American building, or otherwise lost their life because Osamma Ben Laden told them to, if it was worth it? Do you feel better now than you did before when you saw the footage of your Leader firing an AK47 that made him look like he was actually on the front lines, leading terrorists against, "The Great Satan"?
Do you believe that America is not as strong, and vibrant as it was before 9-11? That your child's death really bothered the average American, or changed their political views, or made them think twice about your religion maybe being the RIGHT one? Because it didn't. And we have the physical force to back up our position. And you DAMN sure know we will use it. You're family is saddened by it's loss, and to tell the truth? So are we. We all have family.
But you were duped. He had no intention of putting HIMSELF at risk. He used your kids to further his agenda. Lots of people bought his bullshit, in the name of religion.
So the coward is dead, and that's a good thing. Now, bring the troops home. And get American business to quit sending all the jobs overseas so these guys can earn a living when they get back. Just a thought.
The nastiest vitriol came from my, "friend" who is an ex-pat American who deserted this country for France, but won't tell his life story, so I have no idea where that's coming from. He accuses me of having no memory. Well, I remember the USSR getting it's ass kicked in Afghanistan and not knowing when to get out. I'm just saying, now that OBL is dead, can't we come home? Leave that crummy country to govern itself and not get any more Americans killed looking for OBL?
I'm glad he's dead. The SEALS are America's new SWAT team, good for them! I support the troops. I think it was the right thing to do to go into Afghanistan looking for OBL after 9-11. What else do you want me to say to prove I'm an American?
Now that we are done over there, lets get out and come home. And we are done in Iraq, too. So lets come home. And why do we still have troops all over the world? Why can't they come home, too?
If you think killing Osama is going to make the USA safe from terrorism, you're not paying attention. It was a symbolic gesture, at best. An important one, but it won't solve the problem. Our foreign policy is the problem. And the truth be known, in the Arab world? They will hate us as long as we support Israel. I'm not saying we shouldn't, but it's why the Arabs hate us, and we just have to accept that we can't change that.
The Muslims don't hate us for, "our freedom". They hate us because we like the Jews better than them.
And I still don't think that terrorism in THIS country can be prevented by the military. I believe it's a law enforcement problem. You can get at the leaders, like we did yesterday, in foreign lands, but keeping plots from being carried out on our soil is up to the LEO's.
And I think I need to make note of one more observation that no one else has made, at least on the news programs I've been watching.
Bill Maher got fired from a network job a few years ago, when he said that the guys who flew the planes into the towers were a lot of things, but you couldn't call them cowards. And I agree. They were NOT afraid to die. The were every other bad thing you can say about them, and they were totally evil. I believe that anyone who would take your life in the name of religion is. But they were not cowards. They died for their convictions.
Osamma Ben Laden was a complete and total coward. A chickenshit, spoiled rich kid from Saudi Arabia who had the ability to whip young, devout, religious zealots into a frenzy to the point that they would strap on explosives and blow themselves up to further HIS sick and twisted world view. And he was this right up to the end when he tried to hide behind a girl when the bullets were flying. He doesn't even deserve to be a martyr to his OWN cause because all the kids who died for HIM? They wouldn't be able to expect him to die for them!
Oh there will be some who say he did. After all, someone has to be in charge, right? Bullshit. He was hiding out in a mansion, never missing a meal.
There was even a rumor a few years ago, and I haven't gone to look and see if it's true, so I don't stand behind it, but I'm just sayin... That he was paying family's of kids who agreed to be suicide bombers. Even if that is NOT true, I would have to ask every family who's loved one blew themselves up with a suicide bomb, or flew a plane into an American building, or otherwise lost their life because Osamma Ben Laden told them to, if it was worth it? Do you feel better now than you did before when you saw the footage of your Leader firing an AK47 that made him look like he was actually on the front lines, leading terrorists against, "The Great Satan"?
Do you believe that America is not as strong, and vibrant as it was before 9-11? That your child's death really bothered the average American, or changed their political views, or made them think twice about your religion maybe being the RIGHT one? Because it didn't. And we have the physical force to back up our position. And you DAMN sure know we will use it. You're family is saddened by it's loss, and to tell the truth? So are we. We all have family.
But you were duped. He had no intention of putting HIMSELF at risk. He used your kids to further his agenda. Lots of people bought his bullshit, in the name of religion.
So the coward is dead, and that's a good thing. Now, bring the troops home. And get American business to quit sending all the jobs overseas so these guys can earn a living when they get back. Just a thought.
Sunday, May 1, 2011
Ding Dong, The Witch Is Dead...
So they finally got Osama Ben Laden tonight. Great. Only took ten years and billions of dollars and thousands of American lives. Or did it?
After September 11, 2001 when it came to light that the bandit we were looking for was OBL, and he might be in Afghanistan there was not anyone in this country who didn't support going after him. Nuke him until he glows and shoot him in the dark! Going into Afghanistan was the RIGHT thing to do.
Of course, invading Saudi Arabia to stop his funding and go after his family would have been a much better idea. But no, the Bush family has close ties to the Saudi Royal Family. Hell their one son, who was Ambassador to this country was known around Washington DC as, "Bandar Bush" because, Prince Bandar was so close to the Bush family. Used to smoke cigars on the White House balcony with, "W".
Still, going into Afghanistan was a good idea. Until it wasn't.
Shortly after we went THERE, we were sold a big bag of bullshit, that the REAL problem was Saddam Hussein in Iraq. He was developing nuclear weapons. He has weapons of mass destruction. He was aiding Alqeda by hosting terrorist training camps. He was going to invade or bomb Israel. He had weapons that could reach the United States!
All bullshit But he DID sit on top of the second largest oil reserve in the world. And we would use this as an excuse to go after it, and reclaim American interest in the infrastructure that was taken from Shell and Exxon/Mobile and the rest when, Hussein nationalized the oil industry when he took over.
Who had the BIGGEST oil reserves? The Saudis. The friends of, "W" who spawned Ben Laden, and the terrorists who committed the atrocities of 9-11. But we won't go after THEM!
So we go into Afghanistan for GOOD reasons, and Iraq for all the WRONG reasons and end up stuck in TWO wars we really didn't NEED to fight. But hey, it's OK. It's only going to last six months right? Just ask, "Rummy"!
Well, sometime in 2002 or 2003 information starts to leak out that our Special Forces have OBL cornered in the Bekaa Valley of Afghanistan. They could take him out. But were told not to by the White House. Why would they do that?
Because if they killed him THEN, there would be no reason to continue the War in Iraq and get the oil back for the American oil companies! DUH!
So they let him go.
And who didn't know that he went right to Pakistan from there? Really? Do you read as little as, Sarah Palin? Are you that stupid? Really?
Our intelligence forces DID know it. Why do you think there were so many drones dropping missiles into Pakistan for all these years?
Now, the, "Packi's" can claim we violated their sovereignty by coming over the boarder without permission, but they are full of shit. They might have, "The Bomb" but they got no way to get it HERE. And they know that if we thought, for even a minute they would try to use it on us, or India we would wipe them off the face of the earth.
So tonight, with an American Presidential Election coming right up, we get word that the, "Packi's" (yeah, I know it's a raciest term in England. But I'm using it on purpose. Fuck em) "helped us" get, OBL. Helped us? Right.
They had to know that given the political situation in this country right now, the current President knew that OBL was in Packistan. And he would be happy to use that intelligence to bomb the shit out of the place and gain MEGA political clout with even the MOST right wing nut balls in this country just before the campaign starts.
Well played, Mr. President. Well played.
Now, can we just please, please, bring the troops home? From Germany!
And Japan, Korea, Iraq and Afghanistan?
Did we learn nothing from the fact that the Russian's spent 10 years in Afghanistan and couldn't win? Get out, get out now, and call it a, "retreat with honor" or some other bullshit, but get out! We got Ben Laden. Now, lets go home! That country sucks, and we can't change it, so let them govern themselves how ever they want.
Same goes for Iraq. We killed the evil dictator for them. Now? Bring everyone home and let them get on with their lives. Hell, we killed, by some estimates, almost a million of their civilians. I think we have done enough there.
Germany is pretty stable now. The Soviet Union is gone. Why are we still there?
Japan? It's getting on OK. We can quit sending troops to rape school girls in Guam and probably still be safe.
Korea might still be a problem. What with, "Lil' Kim" threatening to invade. But if we brought MOST of the troops home, we could still get there in a few days if anything happened and we had an interruption in our supply of cheap ass cars that LOOK like Audi's but aren't.
The first time Deb and I were in Grenada, we took a bus tour of the island. It's a beautiful place. I asked the tour guide what the locals thought of the, Ronny Ray-Gun invasion of the country in 1983. The pretext being that the Cubans were building an airport that would allow Soviet planes to land there and become a Communist outpost in the Caribbean.
He said, "We were glad you came, Mon. But you stayed too long, you know?"
This last trip to Grenada, we took a tour with the Markham's on the day there were there. Saw that airport. The shot up Russian plane (yes, singular. Plane) is still where is was when we shot it up in 1983.
So, ding dong, the witch is dead, the wicked witch, the witch oh witch. Ding dong the wicked witch is dead. What took so fucking long! Now, can we get out of the middle east, bring all the troops home and quit trying to be an empire? Ask England about how well THAT works out.
And if we had all our troops home? We might have been able to turn Libya into a democracy and steal THEIR oil, all at the same time!
As the events of tonight unfolded, I couldn't help but think about Robin Williams comedy special on HBO a few years ago where he was talking about the hijackers getting their 70 virgins. He claimed there was a mistake and it was actually 70 Virginians. So right now, if there is a heaven and hell, OBL is is being made a, "Prison Bitch" by George Washington, Andrew Jackson and Robert E. Lee. And with any luck at all? Micheal Vick's former dogs.
After September 11, 2001 when it came to light that the bandit we were looking for was OBL, and he might be in Afghanistan there was not anyone in this country who didn't support going after him. Nuke him until he glows and shoot him in the dark! Going into Afghanistan was the RIGHT thing to do.
Of course, invading Saudi Arabia to stop his funding and go after his family would have been a much better idea. But no, the Bush family has close ties to the Saudi Royal Family. Hell their one son, who was Ambassador to this country was known around Washington DC as, "Bandar Bush" because, Prince Bandar was so close to the Bush family. Used to smoke cigars on the White House balcony with, "W".
Still, going into Afghanistan was a good idea. Until it wasn't.
Shortly after we went THERE, we were sold a big bag of bullshit, that the REAL problem was Saddam Hussein in Iraq. He was developing nuclear weapons. He has weapons of mass destruction. He was aiding Alqeda by hosting terrorist training camps. He was going to invade or bomb Israel. He had weapons that could reach the United States!
All bullshit But he DID sit on top of the second largest oil reserve in the world. And we would use this as an excuse to go after it, and reclaim American interest in the infrastructure that was taken from Shell and Exxon/Mobile and the rest when, Hussein nationalized the oil industry when he took over.
Who had the BIGGEST oil reserves? The Saudis. The friends of, "W" who spawned Ben Laden, and the terrorists who committed the atrocities of 9-11. But we won't go after THEM!
So we go into Afghanistan for GOOD reasons, and Iraq for all the WRONG reasons and end up stuck in TWO wars we really didn't NEED to fight. But hey, it's OK. It's only going to last six months right? Just ask, "Rummy"!
Well, sometime in 2002 or 2003 information starts to leak out that our Special Forces have OBL cornered in the Bekaa Valley of Afghanistan. They could take him out. But were told not to by the White House. Why would they do that?
Because if they killed him THEN, there would be no reason to continue the War in Iraq and get the oil back for the American oil companies! DUH!
So they let him go.
And who didn't know that he went right to Pakistan from there? Really? Do you read as little as, Sarah Palin? Are you that stupid? Really?
Our intelligence forces DID know it. Why do you think there were so many drones dropping missiles into Pakistan for all these years?
Now, the, "Packi's" can claim we violated their sovereignty by coming over the boarder without permission, but they are full of shit. They might have, "The Bomb" but they got no way to get it HERE. And they know that if we thought, for even a minute they would try to use it on us, or India we would wipe them off the face of the earth.
So tonight, with an American Presidential Election coming right up, we get word that the, "Packi's" (yeah, I know it's a raciest term in England. But I'm using it on purpose. Fuck em) "helped us" get, OBL. Helped us? Right.
They had to know that given the political situation in this country right now, the current President knew that OBL was in Packistan. And he would be happy to use that intelligence to bomb the shit out of the place and gain MEGA political clout with even the MOST right wing nut balls in this country just before the campaign starts.
Well played, Mr. President. Well played.
Now, can we just please, please, bring the troops home? From Germany!
And Japan, Korea, Iraq and Afghanistan?
Did we learn nothing from the fact that the Russian's spent 10 years in Afghanistan and couldn't win? Get out, get out now, and call it a, "retreat with honor" or some other bullshit, but get out! We got Ben Laden. Now, lets go home! That country sucks, and we can't change it, so let them govern themselves how ever they want.
Same goes for Iraq. We killed the evil dictator for them. Now? Bring everyone home and let them get on with their lives. Hell, we killed, by some estimates, almost a million of their civilians. I think we have done enough there.
Germany is pretty stable now. The Soviet Union is gone. Why are we still there?
Japan? It's getting on OK. We can quit sending troops to rape school girls in Guam and probably still be safe.
Korea might still be a problem. What with, "Lil' Kim" threatening to invade. But if we brought MOST of the troops home, we could still get there in a few days if anything happened and we had an interruption in our supply of cheap ass cars that LOOK like Audi's but aren't.
The first time Deb and I were in Grenada, we took a bus tour of the island. It's a beautiful place. I asked the tour guide what the locals thought of the, Ronny Ray-Gun invasion of the country in 1983. The pretext being that the Cubans were building an airport that would allow Soviet planes to land there and become a Communist outpost in the Caribbean.
He said, "We were glad you came, Mon. But you stayed too long, you know?"
This last trip to Grenada, we took a tour with the Markham's on the day there were there. Saw that airport. The shot up Russian plane (yes, singular. Plane) is still where is was when we shot it up in 1983.
So, ding dong, the witch is dead, the wicked witch, the witch oh witch. Ding dong the wicked witch is dead. What took so fucking long! Now, can we get out of the middle east, bring all the troops home and quit trying to be an empire? Ask England about how well THAT works out.
And if we had all our troops home? We might have been able to turn Libya into a democracy and steal THEIR oil, all at the same time!
As the events of tonight unfolded, I couldn't help but think about Robin Williams comedy special on HBO a few years ago where he was talking about the hijackers getting their 70 virgins. He claimed there was a mistake and it was actually 70 Virginians. So right now, if there is a heaven and hell, OBL is is being made a, "Prison Bitch" by George Washington, Andrew Jackson and Robert E. Lee. And with any luck at all? Micheal Vick's former dogs.
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