PC has gone too far!

There has been a growing argument in this country about political correctness and whether it’s gone overboard or not.  Now, in the past, the issue has kind of annoyed me, but not to the point where I feel like I must speak out about it.  Some examples are in college when people always referred to black people as African-Americans all the time.  The issue didn’t really affect my life too much, but saying African-American takes longer than saying black, and I felt the reason for saying it was kind of sissy, but whatever, no big deal.

And I’m sure you all are aware of the Bill O’Rielly controversy on The View about Muslims, as well as Juan Williams getting fired from NPR when talking about them.  Again, I can sympathize with him, cause of the annoyance issue and the “Bury your head in the sand” mentality, but overall, I don’t really know any Muslims personally, and I don’t really talk about Muslims too much, so again, the issue doesn’t really affect me too severely, and besides, Juan and O’Rielly got a huge boost in popularity over the whole thing, so they came out on top (I bet barely anybody knew who Juan Williams was before he got fired from NPR).

BUT…  Something happened, and it Pissed me off!  To the point where I have determined that PC has gone too far, because I decided to blog about it.

Brett Favre in earlier days as a better man was considered the greatest quarterback to ever play for the Green Bay Packers.  He played 16 Seasons with the Pack, leading them to a couple of Superbowls and even winning one for em’.  Seeing that the majority of my family resides in Wisconsin, I have grown up knowing that the Packers are the best, and Brett was our glorious leader who’d never leave our side. 

And then, out of nowhere, Mr. Favre, the one we Packers fans grew up with, were there for him when his father died, when his wife went through cancer, and the fans who would follow him courageously into battle, even if were certain death, pulled a big “F*** You” to the State of Wisconsin, and to Packers fans across the globe.  The sacred trust between him and the Packer nation had been broken with one horrific stunt…

He signed to play for the Minnesotta Vikings.  The absolute most treacherous team in the NFL.

This downright appalling movie took years off my life, and gave half my family heart attacks.  It took a long time to recover, and then I had found the perfect solution to my problems.  I decided to order a jersey to reflect the nature of what this man will be remembered by.  A Green Bay jersey with the number “4” on it, and displaying the name “JUDAS” where the “FAVRE” used to be.

I gleefully went to my computer and sent out the order for my customized jersey, and was rather proud of myself for what I had accomplished.  Replacing Favre’s name with the one of the man who betrayed Jesus was perfectly fitting for this occasion, and for the first time in a long time, I actually felt at peace again.  But unfortunately, tragedies don’t have happy endings.

The next day leaving work, I look at my phone and get a message from Packer Pro Shop in Wisconsin telling me they’ve cancelled my order.  I was outraged!  Completely irate!  How could this happen???  I tried to calm myself, but it was no use.  In my fatal fury, I grabbed my phone and called the store back.  I demanded an explanation, and what I got was a complete load of poppycock! 

All the lady would tell me was “Um, we don’t allow that on our jersey, it’s against our policy to have offensive names on our jersey.”  That’s all she could say!  So I shot back:

1.     He’s an asshole

2.     He’s a perv

3.     HE TURNED HIS BACK ON THE PACK AND PLAYED FOR THE VIKINGS!

It was no use however.  They wouldn’t budge, and they just cowered in fear that they would be offensive instead of standing up for what’s right in this world.   That day would change me forever, for I realized that this great nation is not the same nation that I once new, when people are scared to call out a traitor for what he really is, and would rather bury their heads in the sand instead of stand up for the right thing.

I tried a different store, and same results.  I mean, who’s offended by this?  Brett Favre?  Well screw that guy!  And I don’t know anybody who’s name is Judas, and if they were, their parents are screwed up.  This is America for Christ’s sake, it’s our God given right to offend people, whether they like it or not, AND whether it’s right or wrong!

So now, my life is in shambles again, and sadly I won’t be wearing my number 4 Green Bay “JUDAS” jersey tomorrow when the Packers play the Vikings again for which may be the final time Favre will play against them.  So being that I’m back on the road to recovery, I say it’s time to scale back the PC BS so a travesty of this magnitude never happens to anybody ever again!

Keeping my "Sanity"

Along with all the mid-term election stuff going on, a lot of buzz was brewing over Jon Stewart's "Restoring Sanity" rally.  I wasn't wildly enthused about attending the rally, for I felt it was gonna be a jab at Glen Beck's rally along with my opinion with Jon Stewart listeners, but I decided to go.  Hell, I had nothing better to do, and thought it'd be good for me to see what it's all about for myself and form my own opinion instead of listening to talking heads bloviate over it.

Unfortunately, the spot I ended up at was right next to the first aid tent, where every couple of minutes I had to clear a path for hurt/sick people, which most were probably faking getting hurt just so they could get a better spot closer to the front.  I mean, how do people sprain their ankle, pass out, getting bloody lips, etc. at a rally?  It's just a bunch of people standing around listening to a bunch of jokes.  I'm literally trying to find an example of a ridiculous scenario where somebody could get hurt, but I honestly can't find one.  Sorry, I had to throw that in.

For the actual Rally, besides the dull start and poor sound setup on the mall, (It was hard to hear at times), it turned out to be mostly a comedy show poking fun of both sides along with a 20 minute serious speech from Stewart at the end with the basic message of "Let's all just be friends and talk our differences out."  So it was an enjoyable event, and not considered a waste of time.  I thought some of the jokes were good, and I was thrilled to see my old hero Mick Foley, better known as Mankind, aka Cactus Jack, aka Dude Love.  I do have to say though, and for the most part, I agreed with what was said.

One disagreement I have with this philosophy however, is dealing with unreasonable circumstances.  If something ridiculous is happening, let's say some punk degrades your mother, you shouldn't go "Hey, lets talk this out."  No, sometimes, people need their asses kicked, or to at least speak out in a enthusiastic matter.  Take the Tea Party for example.  Much of their grief deals with our out of control spending, a major grab of power in the government, and corruption of our politicians, so they voice their opinion's loudly, for many of these politicians in Washington are not acting reasonable.  Yet they're branded as crazy, racists, stupid, etc., even though many of the people I've heard bitch about how corrupt Washington is are the same people criticizing the Tea Party, who is taking a stand against the corruption.  So my point is, there is times where it is ok to be "Unreasonable," where you would otherwise be "Ignoring Insanity."

Also, I felt although it was branded as a non-political rally, and the presentation was not biased, it was used by liberal groups as a Democratic rally and as a "Take that Glen Beck," although Beck's rally had more projected attendee's, but that's neither here nor there.  There were left leaning groups walking around with sign-up sheets, handing out goodies, etc., along with Democrat recruiting, which I feel Jon Stewart had to be aware of, being he is a smart guy.  Was it set up that way, I could never prove, but I have a feeling they didn't mind a little of that stuff going on.

Most of the people there were college kids, many of whom showed up to act silly, holding up goofy signs aimed to show off their satirical wit, the "Oh man, look at me, I'm super smart cause I made ironic sign," people.  You see em' every once in a while at those types of things.  And of course you had the crowd who thought they were part of most important event in the history of the Earth, the "Oh man, Jon Stewart's really making a difference in the world, I work for a non-profit health firm, I care about animals and the world, you should hook up with me cause I'm big ol' activist douche bag..."  You know the people I'm talking about.  Sorry, those people just annoy the hell out of me, only taking part in latest hip movement to get attention and to make themselves look awesome.  I can go on about foolish college kids who act like they're the hottest thing since sliced bread cause they took psychology 201 (and yes, I'm probably gonna have most of my friends pissed at me cause I said that, but I'm sorry I have to say something), but maybe I'll save that for another blog.

I could take comfort however in the fact that there were a decent group of people, many who were around me who seemed like they showed up to have a good time, keep it mellow, and see a funny show.  To those chill people sitting next to me, I commend you!

I guess in the end, I'm glad I went, and although the crowd was obviously more directed towards the left, it was a fun little event.  However, I just didn't feel that inspired at the end of the rally, like I was a part of something special that made me want to go out and be a better person afterwords.  Although I could say even with my tyraid in the earlier paragraphs, it is a nice reminder to try to be civil with people when having political discussions, a message that many people need to get across, and it does makes people understand your point of view a little better.  After digesting his Stewart's words though, I kinda thought to myself, "well, duh, I already knew that, it shouldn't be something we have to say."

So the rally to restore sanity and/or fear was a fun event with comedy and a decent message, but I don't see it as something that will be remembered in the history books, as I'm sure many people were hoping it would.

Super 8 Peru footage

Last night I finished up putting together a little video of the Peru footage from my super 8.  Originally I had another idea in mind when making this video, but unfortunately the light meter in my camera wasn't working and much of the footage came out overexposed, which you can see in some of the shots.  However, I still wanted to show people a little bit of what I captured, but didn't quite know what to do.

During Labor Day weekend, Alex was staying at my place in Seattle and I decided to show him some of the clips I took while in Peru, and consequently at the same time we were playing the Doors on my computer.  I then thought to myself... "Hey, this actually looks pretty legit."  So I don't know, there's something about playing music and watching silent raw footage that I think sounds and looks kinda cool.  I first discovered this back in Robot House my junior year of college when we recorded some clips of Xeno Miller, put them to slow motion, turned the sound off, and start blasting rap music.  It looked awesome, just listening to the music, watching the video, and letting your mind wander.  It's something I can't explain or rationalize my liking to it, I just think it's sweet lookin'.

So since youtube sucks and won't let me post any of my videos with music anymore (I really hope I happen to run into a youtube representative today so I can pop him in the nose, not to mention my breakfast sucked today, AND they had bacon and I didn't get any, AHH I have a feeling this is gonna be a bad day, but anyway that's another story, this is a really long parenthesis and it probably doesn't fit well with my blog, so I apologize and back to my post), I was unable to post the original song I had use (The Doors - Riders on the Storm).  So here are your instructions:

1. Pick a song from a playlist or put on an album and start playing.  Don't just pick out a single song, cause chances are it'll probably end before the video is over.  I suggest The Doors, but I be lots of other songs would work too.  I listened to The Flaming Lips and watched it and that worked, and I bet Beck would sound flippin' awesome with this video.  So try anything you want (I wouldn't suggest Lady Gaga or music to that nature, but who knows...  It may just work).

2. Start playing the movie.  Watch and enjoy.  I guess those are the only two instructions I have so go and enjoy yourself!

Oh and try not to have any other background noise while listening.  That would ruin the mood in my opinion.  Well That's it for now.  Enjoy the video!

The Whole Foods in DC sucks balls!

Upon arrival at my hotel, I was quite relieved to hear that the nearest grocery store was a Whole Foods, located approximately 3 blocks from my residence for the next 6 months.  This was music to my ears, for my experience at the Seattle Whole Foods has been superb.  From the first time I entered the store, I was in Awe over the wide, endless aisles of international and natural cuisine scattered throughout the store, the diversity of exotic beers lining the cooler walls, or the exceptional selection and tasty treats they bring to their buffet.  You can literally get anything you’d like at the Seattle Whole Foods excluding mainstream products containing preservatives and unnatural flavors, in which you can find a comparable, yet superior product that excels in taste and nutrition.

There have been many a time walking through the store, close to an hour, just wandering aimlessly.  Not to buy anything, but simply walk and stare in wonder at the variety of specialty food, sauces, and other rations you had never imagined eating, available for you purchasing pleasure.  While entering the Whole Foods in DC, I had all of those great expectations in mind and a wallet full of cash ready to dispose at my fulfillment and expense. 

Boy was I disappointed…

Unfortunately, to my surprise and despair, it wouldn’t be anything like my blissful Seattle experience that I had kept close to my heart.  I entered the store only to be greeted by a clusterf*** of quasi hippies rounded up as if the store was one giant animal farm where the chickens are round up, force fed, stuck in overcrowded cages… you know, the ones that PETA always bitches about.  Gone were the wide aisles filled with glamorous good just waiting to soothe your taste buds and increase your organic intake of antioxidants.  Say goodbye to the clean open feeling you received while approaching the store.  What was presented before me was just another grocery store in a barn, with double its capacity.  I took a deep breath of air to brace myself, which was once fresh but tainted and turned humid by the heat and sweat generated by 100’s of patrons, who decided to skip out on their much needed shower that day.

Nevertheless, there was still shopping to be accomplished, and so with that knowledge at hand, I sucked it up and proceeded on with my mission, narrowly avoiding contact and possible contamination from dreadlock infested population lurking about.

Just like the Seattle store, I again wandered aimlessly throughout, but not so much in wonder of the glamorous goods scattered about, but more along the lines of “I wonder where the hell the deli meats are located?”  I did eventually find the deli meat, but for the first time, I actually realized how expensive Whole Foods is, for in Seattle, the quality of the store blinded my perception of cash value, and became genuinely upset over spending close to $30 on deli meats.

Aside from my prior troubles, I was looking forward to indulging in the multicultural selection of food they have at their buffet.  Usually, being overwhelmed by the massive selection presented in front of me, I end up putting more food on my plate than my stomach can handle, but still end up putting it down, stuffing myself in the process, but still leaving satisfied with the taste. 

But the buffet didn’t resemble the picture of what was engraved in my mind.  Walking up to the buffet, I felt like another farm animal arriving at the feeding trough, competing with the swarm of swine scurrying to scarf down as much food as possible before being completely depleted.  I did not see a buffet, but a bacterial breeding ground, for I can only imagine the mass amounts of people who were sick, dirty, or who took a dump without washing their hands handling the food sitting under heat lamps for hours.

Probably the most disappointing part of my Whole Foods excursion was the let down I felt when I discovered that the dessert bar I had savored and indulged in during every trip to the Seattle store was non-existent.  Instead I was forced to settle for the bland pre packaged toffee flavored cheesecake that was mediocre at best.  It was the same feeling you get on your 12^th birthday when you get that small hint that you’re about to receive that new video game system weeks in advance, only to find out after all your presents are opened that that video game machine was just fiction, and your big hot shot present was some stupid educational gift that your mother expects you to be thankful for, which ends up pissing you off even more, resulting in the worst birthday ever.  What a f***ing let down.

At last, I was near the end of my excursion, only to discover a new obstacle stood in my way.  Every checkout line extended about ¾ the length of an aisle.  After spending an hour at the store, I figured turning back now would be a waste of my time if I left with nothing in my hand.  So I settled…  and waited 10 minutes only to be asked by a lady when I was the next person to the checkout stand, “Um, are you in this line, or can I just go up to the front and step right in?  So in a polite manner, I responded, “Naw!  Get yo ass to the back of the line!”  Freeloaders.  Tryin’ to cut in line while everybody else waits their turn.  Who the hell does she think she is?

Lessons learned – Cherish the good things you have which you do not realize living life day to day.  To my Seattle friends, don’t take for granted what you have in your backyard, because it’s can be considered a blessing, that I unfortunately had to find out…  the hard way.

Final damage.  1.5 hours spent.  Groceries gathered: 2 bags of chips, 2 gallons of water, a pack of salami, a pack of turkey, a pack of cheese, and piece of cheesecake.  Total money spent: $50.00.  Whole Foods?  More like Whole Paycheck if you ask me...