4/29/2008: Hickory, NC

The Obama has landed. Report, The Obama has landed.

























It was a brisk NC afternoon. 50 degrees with a steady wind sweeping into the Piedmont. Ron Paul revolution signs waving from across the road. We arrived about a thousand people deep of the soon to be 3400 strong. Merchants peddled their campaign swag. The gymnasium was a welcome sight after a sunny hour and a half.

After much a do, the Senator took the stage. He spoke on issues. He cracked some jokes. He took time to recall his campaign trail experiences. He reacted to the audience. He addressed his competition. He showed us that he is an American and not what you read in emails. He is an American that salutes the flag. He is an American that wears flag lapel pins. He is an American that says (and has lead) the Pledge of Allegiance. He is an American!

He is not an Al-Qaeda conspirator. He is not an Islamic fundamentalist. He is not funding the genocide in Africa. He is not evil. He is an American!

He wrapped up his time with Q&A: The deficit, NAFTA, immigration, and "No Child Left Behind."

I have not been to a major presidential rally since George Dubya back in 2k. I always leave these rallies with a sense of euphoria. It is too bad the other democratic candidate was in Charlotte at the same time as this candidate. As far as the republican candidate... is there a republican candidate? Oh yeah, I did see some Ron Paul signs.

The Obama nation!

Wait... that's not right, but you know what? Count me in!



Luckily, Lyss and I have "golden tickets" to tomorrow's town hall meeting, in Hickory, NC. We are both very excited. I "HOPE" to have great things to report afterward.

p.s. Wii Mario Kart is the bomb-dizzle!

Comfort and Mercy

These will probably be the last of the "spy images" I will be able to post. I am running out of photo-ops.

Today, however, we had the distinct privilege of touring the USNS Mercy. We were up on the deck checking out the helo-pad. We were on the bridge. It was awesome! It is amazing how many ships our American Navy has for war, yet we only have a couple of ships for humanitarian missions i.e. the USNS Mercy (a.k.a. "the office") and the USNS Comfort.

These ships (or are they boats?) are truly deserving of their names.

The work they do is truly blessed. They will roll up on impoverished, often times, extremely treacherous areas of the world to lend medical assistance: free surgeries, plastic and dental reconstruction, crisis assistance, anything! Take it from me, without getting too specific, They are as equipped if not better equipped than any of the major hospital networks in the country.

Anywho, it has been a pleasure to be a part of this whole thing and to help out with their mission of healing and love.





These two (final) shots were taken on our way to the Mercy. This is actually the dock that runs between the Mercy (white with the red cross) and the Bob Hope (grey). These ships absolutely dwarf any person striding next to them.

Dude?

My job involves a lot of travel. Sometimes fun, but always lonely (Miss you Butters!). Anywho, Bud Light's newest "dude" commercial highlights the worst case scenario for any "road warrior."

The "moral" of the story: "No matter how bad your day is, you can always end it on a good note with an ice cold Bud Light." I never knew!

"Taking pictures, on the base, could get you shot."

Quote... Un-quote!

Bah! I'm not taking pictures. I'm on the "phone."

Enjoy (Hopefully, more to come!)! By the way, THESE SHIPS ARE HUGE! When we board the USNS Mercy, we have to walk between it and the USNS Bob Hope. Its like walking down an alley between two HUGE city blocks (just as tall and just as long!)!



Boat with missiles.



Boat with guns.



Two boats with guns and four cars without guns.



USNS Bob Hope... old boat.



Boat with BIG guns.



USNS Mercy... a.k.a. "the office."



USNS Bob Hope... the encore.

WWE Raw Politics!

WHO YOU GONNA VOTE FOR, BRRRRRROTHER?

Saint James, California

WEST COAST!!!!!!!!!!

I dipped my toes in the Pacific Ocean, today.



It was a first. I am working, this week, in San Diego, CA. It truly is a beautiful city. Much smaller than I pictured. All I know about San Diego, I learned from the Real World: San Diego.



I will try to take more pictures and make more observations as the week goes on. For now, I will leave you with these two nuggets:

-- The desent into San Diego is hair raising! The airport is set in downtown which means we practically buzzed the skyline. Additionally, the Thrifty car rental location is directly under the landing planes (I am hoping to snap a pic tomorrow!)

-- San Diego is the SAFEST CITY IN AMERICA because of the constant military presence. Seriously! The Naval ships patrol the coast, due to the Naval base. Additionally, fighter jets patrol the skies. On top of that, there is a very large Coast Guard presence.

Here is a shot of the USS Mercy. This is the ship I will be working on.

Here is a shot of few more ships docked in the harbor.

Watch out for that battleship!

Dude! This bridge is HUGE!

We were unable to get into the Naval base today, because of a security issue. However, I am hearing that tomorrow we are a go at 7:30AM PST.

P.S. Miss you Butters! "You know you love me. XOXO. Gossip Girl."

Ladies and Gentlemen...

I present, to you...



Bipolar


This is one of the original cuts. I am currently working on an enhanced Director's Cut Redux Special Edition that will include a director's commentary and a preview for Bipolar 2: Lew's A Bad Shot.

Enjoy!

Bring me your...

"A group of immigrants has entered the United States en masse, bringing with them many things that Americans found objectionable. Poor, Catholic, uneducated, and different, these immigrants became the biggest scapegoat of the American public. They worked difficult, menial jobs that no American citizens wanted to do, often in unsanitary and dangerous conditions with low pay. The men would get odd jobs when they could as handymen, janitors, and carpenters. The women would get jobs as waitresses, nannies, and housekeepers. There were many conflicts with people already established in this country over jobs, and one of the biggest groups they had problems with was African-Americans. They lived many families to a single room, sometimes with no daylight or even running water, where the American public would complain that they were turning their neighborhoods into ghettos. There was public outcry over the rise in crime that accompanied these immigrants, and the American public wanted them gone.

The people referred to were the Irish, and in the late 1800's early 1900's they went through very similar things as latino immigrants are going through now and have been going through for years."

-- http://migramatters.blogspot.com/2006/04/immigrant-path-to-acceptance.html

The Italians, also faced similar stigmas and persecutions.



This picture of Italian day laborers, was taken in New York.

Society is doing it again. When faced with an ever-increasing immigrant population, we do what we have always done and attempt to repel the immigrants. However, if history is to teach us anything it is that the immigrants who are immigrating to our country are not our enemies, they are hard working men and women just like our grandparents and great grandparents were before we. We should truly embrace the positive addition they will bring to our already diverse American culture.

I leave you now, with a softer suggestion, as far as our new neighbors are concerned. J.D.? Turk? Take it away...

Just a good ol' boy... Never meanin' no harm?

Lyss and I were driving up I-77, yesterday, when we were passed by a late model Saturn with this vanity license plate:





This driver had also methodically placed stickers, of the old Confederate states, on his bumper. I am surprised he stopped there! Why not just paint the car "construction zone" orange and slap an "01" on the side? If you are going to go, go all the way!

Sidebar: I love the Dukes, but I hate racists! Not that this guy was a racist, he probably just enjoyed the days, before the "War of Northern Aggression," of owning people and making them farm his land while he sipped mint juleps... oh wait, he was not alive back then! Did you know that it was not too long ago, in the public record, that decedents (dead people) were "leaving" their heirs (alive people) their slaves (more alive people)? Every time I check a title and come across one such document, it makes me want to spit!

Notes from the Underbelly, of a Caribou.

Drove down Sardis North... missed it. Drove left on Sardis... missed it. Drove left on Pineville-Matthews... missed it. Turned around. Drove right on Pineville-Matthews... missed it. Drove right on Sardis... missed it. Drove up Sardis North... eureka!

A large iced coffee... please. A shot of vanilla... please. Skim... please. 'Preciate it. Damn... forgot the reciept.

Caffeine is kicking in. Data is wearing thin. People walk by. "Are you selling a computer?" says one guy. Sorry buddy.

Tried to connect to the internet. tried. tried. tried... eureka!

Other laptops come lookin'... "Did you get in?"

Patience... is not sold here.

An Australian takes the stage... "Cheers, mate. What page?" His ringer screaches "God Bless America." Indeed. I whisper to him, "God Bless Australia."

He ignores me... through the window.

It is beautiful outside... the meter has run... I better order more food: Vitamin C Odwala Smoothee and a piece of banana nut bread. Damn... forgot the receipt.

"Don't ride the bus or train." says the Creative Loafing. Maybe the Creative Loafing should get up earlier.

I should blog about this... "Drove down Sardis North... missed it..."

Liberals v. Conservatives

It is said only half in jest that a conservative is a liberal who just got mugged, and a liberal is a conservative who just got indicted.

- Hon. James P. Gray, Why Our Drug Laws Have Failed and What We Can Do About It, A Judicial Indictment of the War on Drugs, 2001

War.

The nation... changed its songs. At first we sang of how we would knock the hell out of Helgoland and hang the Kaiser and march over there and clean up the mess them damn foreigners had made. And then suddenly we sang, "In the war's red curse stands the Red Cross nurse. She's the rose of No Man's Land," and we sang, "Just a baby's prayer at twilight, when lights are low. She climbs upstairs and says her prayers---Oh, God! please tell my daddy thaddy must take care---" I guess we were like a tough but inexperienced little boy who gets punched in the nose in the first flurry and it hurts and we wished it was over.

- John Steinbeck, East of Eden, 1952

Congratulations!

On Saturday, April 5th 2008, Alyssa and I had the distinct pleasure of attending the "Wedding of the Century" a.k.a. the nuptials of Glenn and Ashley Cook.

Here we are pictured at the reception. Good times!

I just want to take this opportunity to wish Glenn and Ashley health, wealth, and happiness. May you be poor in misfortune, rich in blessings, slow to make enemies, and quick to make friends.

Oh Snap!

Someone's in trouble...

I happened upon this billboard, yesterday, on my way uptown to meet Alyssa, for lunch. You can read more about this "Scooby-doo Mystery," here, along with the devastating impact the theft has had on this church.

Here are some other billboards they put up across the area.

Slow down and save a... GALLON OF GAS

We have all seen these signs on our nation's interstates imploring the driver's of America to "Slow down and save a life." However, we all drive our automobile's speeds grossly disproportionate to what the Government has deemed a safe traveling speed. Are we so disenfranchised with our fellow men and women that we ignore these signs thus ignoring our ability to save a life?

Unlikely, we are all just caught up in the fast and furious pace of today's society. However, it is well documented that our fuel economy will increase if we drive slower. While each vehicle reaches its optimal fuel economy at a different speed (or range of speeds), gas mileage usually decreases rapidly at speeds above 60 mph. As a rule of thumb, you can assume that each 5 mph you drive over 60 mph is like paying an additional $0.20 per gallon for gas.

As an experiment, I drove "The Beast" uptown to meet Alyssa for lunch. I usually make the trip at speeds of anywhere between 65-85 mph. However, today I made the whole trip without traveling faster than 65 mph. It was actually very calming. We shall see what prolonged results my experiment has.

Which brings me to my next point. Observing the speed limit is also safer. As I was driving the speed limit (interstates and side streets), today, I noticed that had I been involved in an accident I would have likely been unharmed. 30 mph IS SO SLOW, but again very calming. I have decided that, if we all drove the speed limits assigned to the side streets, automobile accidents would fall by 70-80%. Honestly, at those speeds you would have to try to hit other cars in order to actually be involved in a collision.

I challenge you all to drive the speed limit. The benefits to your wallet and life far out weigh the ability to test the limits of your 4 cylinders.

Super-Jesus

I think it is no big surprise that I am a fan of the comic book character Superman. Why? I do not know. I chalk it up to having to choose a comic book candidate. Some people stand behind Batman or the Green Lantern, but for me the choice was clear, Superman.

Anyone, who is familiar with the story of Superman, will find it hard to deny the similarities between the life of Jesus Christ and the fiction of Superman. Allow me to elaborate:

- Superman, the only son of Jor-El, was sent to Earth and became humanity's savior; Jesus, the son of God, was sent to Earth to be humanity's Savior.

- When Superman's ship crash landed on Earth, he was discovered and later adopted by the Kents, of whom had no children of their own; Jesus was born of the virgin Mary.

- Little is known of the childhood and adolescence of Clark Kent/Superman; ditto for Jesus.

- Superman had super strength, could fly, had heat vision, was invulnerable, etc., etc.; Jesus performed many miracles including raising people from the dead, healing the sick, walking on water and turning water into wine.

- Superman set an example for humanity by his words/actions; ditto for Jesus.

- Superman died to save humanity from the alien Doomsday; Jesus died to save humanity from sin and their ultimate "doomsday."

- Superman was resurrected; ditto for Jesus.

Superman is no Jesus, but the similarities between the Life and the story are uncanny. Equally uncanny is the fact that Superman was created by two Jewish immigrants living in Cleveland, OH, during the early part of the last century.

The rub is that Jesus reveals himself to all of us in mysterious and wonderful ways. Each way is unique and tailored specifically to our needs regardless of who we are or where we come from. If we look hard enough we can see that his influence surrounds us everywhere.

"Live as one of them, Kal-El (Superman), to discover where your strength and your power are needed. Always hold in your heart the pride of your special heritage. They can be a great people, Kal-El, they wish to be. They only lack the light to show the way. For this reason above all, their capacity for good, I have sent them you... my only son." -Jor-El (Superman's father)

"In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. The
same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe. He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. That was the
true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world."
John 1:4-9, KJV

"Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life."
John 8:12, KJV

"As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world."
John 9:5, KJV

April Googles!

Today is April 1st 2008. No prank here.

However, this is the time of year Google's employees look forward to more than Christmas, Hanukkah, or Kwanzaa. This is the one day of the year when Google rolls out their annual barrage of pranks.

However, what is particularly appealing about the Google pranks are the fine line they straddle between reality and prank-ality.

I have so far discovered two, if you guys find any others let me know.

If you have ever dreamed of living on Mars with Virgin's founder Sir Richard Bronson then look no further than this budding space exploration program. Expertise in Guitar Hero II is a prerequisite.

Finally, Google has grown so powerful that they have learned to bend the space-time continuum. So that is what Sloley was doing over in Austria.