Weekend Wrap-Up

The Rain in Minnesota Falls Mainly on the Weekend. Even the neighborhood rabbits are waterlogged.

The Rangers and the Stars are out. For the underdog set, this may be a good year to get behind the Oilers and Sabres.

John Kenneth Galbraith died Saturday; 97 is a pretty good run. Galbraith famously argued that America was so obsessed with over producing consumer goods, that it had increased the perils of both inflation and recession by creating artificial demand for frivolous or useless products - and that was in 1958. He was the real deal, and now seems like as good as any time to start up this one.

The local baseball team was humiliated in Detroit.

Friday. Tigers 9, Twins 0.

Saturday. Tigers 750, Twins 1.

Sunday. Tigers 6, Twins 0.

Would you buy a Ford if you could only fill it up at certain gas stations? Would you buy a TV that won't receive certain channels? What if the internet that benefits the whole world was killed off by the miserable bastards you elected? It could happen . . .

If passed, it would allow phone and cable companies to charge content providers (websites) for the privilege of driving along the ISPs stretch of the info super highway (usually the last mile right before content ends up on your screen). If content companies can't pay the fees, they end up in the slow lane -- and you get to wait and wait and wait. Or maybe you won't get to use those sites at all.

Liverpool 3 - Aston Villa 1

If it's possible, it just seems to get worse for Sudan. Tim Cavanaugh articulates my thoughts (better than me) on the Hollywood gang finally discovering this issue:

But what's the clear categorical distinction between intervening in Iraq (which I think it's fair to say Clooney and many other Darfur hawks opposed) and this one? Why does it always seem like progressives support any intervention that clearly does not advance any American interests? (I don't think invading Iraq advanced our national interests, but people made that case, which you definitely can't in the case of Sudan.)

The National Organization for Women is (predictably) opposing the war in Iraq. As John Hinderocker wonders, "What's their theory? That a Baathist/al Qaeda takeover would be good for the women of Iraq?" I wonder what their story would be if Bush proposes an invasion of Sudan to set things right.

Outa Here

Parts of 5 days in Las Vegas is plenty.

McCarran is a fairly reasonable airport overall I think. The free wi-fi here certianly puts Las Vegas airport officials above the screwheads at MSP, who use wireless as another method to pry $10 from travelers.

Shared a taxi ride with a guy who seemed convinced I had my own plane waiting for me. Don't know where he got that idea. Talking to him was a bit like one of those Bob Newhart one-sided phone call comedy routines. When we got to the terminal, I threw in my share of the fare, but he only had $100's. He told the driver he'd get change from the skycap. There were about 10 people in line for that. Wonder how much the driver's blood pressure went up while he waited.

Call it a breakdown of will, but I ate at a Chili's here at the airport. Maybe it was the smell of room service breakfast in the hall when I left The Mirage, or I just wanted to sit at a table, but I went against my better judgment (and personal credo to avoid lame-o chains and franchises whenever possible) and ordered up. I'm not sure what was more disheartening; the plastic fork and knife, the barely-elementary school-grade food, or the sign on the wall that proclaimed "Chili's - Like No Place Else." Yea, except for the thousand other Chili's that litter the nation. My resolve is strengthened; back to anti-Chili's ode for this American.

Hey - boarding is about to begin . . see ya on The Tundra.

Presidential Election Tampering Punishable by Law

Yea, W got elected last time around all right . . . but thankfully those that tampered with the election are getting their comeuppance:

Four Kerry-Edwards campaign workers - including the sons of U.S. Rep. Gwen Moore (D-Wis.) and former Acting Mayor Marvin Pratt - had their charges in the Election Day 2004 tire-slashing reduced to misdemeanors and accepted the deal.

The fifth Democratic staffer accused of crippling Republican vans won a jury acquittal by sticking with a fight against the felony charge. All five defendants had been charged with damaging 40 tires on 25 rented vans parked outside Republican Party offices on W. Capitol Drive, hours before they were to be deployed for electioneering.

When will these people understand that voting is for everyone?

Plodding Through Day 4

Wednesday at NAB: Outa the chute, through the now-customary stop for cappucino and banana, shared a cab with an LA dude and a London dude, got a private demo of new Avid tricks, worked over the remnants of North and Central Halls of the LVCC, and, for a paltry $10, I tried out a CTS-V and a Solstice (I'll take the former, please):

And speaking of transit - since early Sunday morning, I've travelled by rental car, city bus, monorail, taxi, charter airline, mountain bike and (a lot) on foot. And I've got the reciepts for my expense report to prove it.

Tomorrow, back to the Tundra.

UPDATE: Dinner at Lupo in Mandalay Bay; minestrone, gnocci and Chianti, some coversation with a nice fella from Charlotte, and bit of limoncello for dessert. Some Vegas-style novelty; the taxi to dinner was a Hemi, and the taxi back was a hybrid.

Mirage Pool Playlist

Submitted for your approval:

"Perfect Way" - Scritti Politti
"Goodbye to You" - Scandal
"Why Don't We Get Drunk" - Jimmy Buffett
"It Takes Two" - Marvin Gaye
"Laid" - James
"Something About You" - Level 42
"Talking in Your Sleep" - Psychedelic Furs
"Lonely Ol' Night" - John Mellencamp
"Owner of a Lonely Heart" - Yes
"You Sexy Thing" - Hot Chocolate
"Follow you Down" - Gin Blossoms

Not exactly what's pinging around my MP3 player, but, you know . . . Vegas and all.

Desert Assignment; Day 3

Not a lot of exotic activity on my part; 4 hours on the floor in the morning asking questions about all the amazing technology, then hook up for a run to L & L. Trouble came, though, as we discovered that during a convention you can fast fall off the grid of taxi coverage. We easily got a cab at the LVCC (as we could have at any hotel or the airport), but got hung out to dry by three cab companies to try to get back.

Of course there's no rules foiling our attempted return from lunch; it's learned behavior. Because of the pinch on numbers of cab licenses, the slim take for the drivers, and perhaps the price of gas, taxis prefer multiple shorter trips over "longer-haul" fares. After eating, we called Lucky, Henderson, and Checker/Yellow, and all three blew us off. They used the "no cars in the area" bullshit, or just never getting anything there in the 40 minutes we waited. This L & L is less than 2 miles from the Convention Center, so it's not like we asked a cab to come out to Reno.

So there's just another view of the two sides in this bizarre place; there's the Las Vegas for people who stay within the web of the business/entertainment core, and the Las Vegas for those who live or work outside that web. We ended up catching a bus and then walking a few blocks. Didn't kills us.

Another couple hours slurping it up on the floor bobbing and then back to Sig & Roy's for some R & R to nap off my L & L.

After the sun went down, I hoofed it over to Steve's new place, which is, uh, pretty nice. Had dinner in a casual place that also had both the Wings/Oilers and Flames/Ducks side by side in HD. Nothin' wrong with that. Tried to stay up for the double OT result in Edmonton, but I was following the game on NHL radio via the internet and that mode it tough to stay awake.

Back to Wynn for a moment: Sure it's opulent, and it's the hot new thing on the strip for now, but it's also a bit more grown up. Ultimately, every place on the strip is a nice room, a few decent dining options and a casino. To me, there's something appealing about a more grown-up approach, and something revolting about "theme gone mad." I hope the era of overtly themed and comic book-y approaches for hotel/casinos is over. God knows that in Vegas' golder era, you attracted guests with amenities and attractions, and not some empty promise of an escape to north Africa, medieval England or (gulp) the circus.

The other thing I think about as a sometimes-consumer of these services is that I'm willing to pay a premium for atmosphere. Here comes my snobbery, but Las Vegas is really overrun by the ripped jeans crowd, the fanny pack crowd and the pushing-kids-in-baby-strollers-up-The Boulevard-at-10 PM crowd. To all these crowds; get away from me. It's not unlike when air travel got a lot cheaper and lots more people started flying - air travel moved much closer to bus travel.

One more thing: Lucky, Henderson and Checker/Yellow cab companies; screw you guys.

Does This Visor Make Me Look Like a Cheap Shot Artist?

Early in the 05/06 NHL campaign, former Los Angeles Kings forward Sean Avery got called on the carpet for supposedly bashing French-Canadian hockey players and was required to apologize; this being the sensitive touchy-feely NHL:

Avery told the Canadian sports television network that he thought (Coyotes defenceman Denis Gauthier) delivered a "clean hit." He added: "I think it was typical of most French guys in our league with a visor on, running around and playing tough and not back anything up.

Avery later released a statement through the Kings, apologizing for the comments. Said Avery: "I certainly did not want to offend anyone with my comments earlier today. I am an emotional guy who sometimes says things that shouldn't be said. I apologize if I offended anyone."

Avery is no charmer. On the ice, he conducts himself like a pitbull with a toothache. He lead the league in penalty minutes before being dismissed by the Kings late in the season for insubordination.

But he's right. Not about all French-Canadian players, but about Denis Gauthier. Avery's crime was not failure to be sensitive to cultures other than his own, it was poorly communicating his feelings. Gauthier is a classic cheap-shot artist who wears the visor on his helmet (the equivalent of announcing you are not a fighter in the NHL) and never confronts or takes down an opponent face to face.

Late in the regular season, Gauthier, now with the Flyers, ran Kyle Wellwod in the end boards from behind and earned a 2-game suspension. Last night, as the Flyers were getting pasted by the Sabres, Gauthier was at it again, this time waiting until Tomas Vanek was at his most vulnerable behind the net before riding him into the glass. Gauthier got 5 and 10 for the hit, but Bob McKenzie thinks it should be more.

Gauthier's hit on Wellwood and the hit from behind on Vanek were garbage. I think Colin Campbell and the NHL should suspend Gauthier. This guy should forfeit the right to play in the postseason. This was a nothing game because the score was so out of hand, and Gauthier went way over the line. That's embarrassing and he should be suspended.

Sean Avery was the kind of nuisance player that drives me crazy, but as Gny. Sgt. Hartman said of Pvt. Joker, "he's got guts, and that's enough."

Day 2; The Full Bug

So since today is the first day of the big show, what does a company man do? Head for the mountains of course.

John Z and I picked up some pretty pretty good bikes and headed southwest. We got a good tip for a set of trails from the bike shop, found the trail head on the first pass and joined a guy from Gainesville who was in Las Vegas while the Mrs. was on business.

Scrubby brush and dirt/gravel/rock trail. Rocks sticking out to challenge inner tubes and the usual sandy-rocky in the washes. We rode about an 8-10 mile loop which rose and descended about 1800 feet. Highest elevation was about 4,700 feet; just a hint of thin air.

Good weather, definitely dry. The grade was moderate uphill and some "technical" downhill (love the disc brakes). The wildlife featured little green lizards, some variety of squirrel/gopher thing, and a real noisy quail or partridge or Corninsh game hen or something. None of them seemed predatorail, but we kept to the trail as to not get perforated by the flora.

The sore shoulders indicate a day well spent.

On the way back to town, we were overflown by Air Force One, which, regardless of it's passenger complement, really looks cool in the bright sunshine. Afterwards - plate lunch, a shower and 2 hours at the show. Then spendy meat with a pal.

Area Code 702; Day 1

Setting the scene for the above photo: 6:13 AM; Pop Tarts, banana, decaf cappucino, and and the drone of CNN Airport - never was there more inane programming. At least it helps blanket the chatter from the Rhodes Scholars sitting around me, aptly debating all the low-brow issues of the day.

Yes, that's my 727 above. Because I'm typing this now from the desert, the craft proved itself sound. Despite the fact that it's avionics were first brought to life before the world knew the name Lee Harvey Oswald, we were still able to get the wheels down without incident. Most of those on the flight seem to have 'peaked' in that era as well, and had there been the terrible need to rush the cockpit, there would not have been too many able to join me.

Terminal 1 at McCarran is still looking ratty, such is charter travel. Outside shockingly sunny to a Tundra dweller like me; low 80's I suppose. The strip seems to have grown to the south, otherwise it's all strangely familiar.

Mirage this time. Where I've stayed in this town is the way I count how many times I've been here; (counting on fingers here) Imperial Palace, Luxor, Paris, Monte Carlo twice - I guess this makes six. The room photo on the hotel's website is shockingly like mine, except I have a view of the freeway and whatever mountains are to the west. Checked in way early, got some lunch, and spent some time by the ol' pool. Now some time to roost before dinner down the street.

Got the mysterious wi-fi working on the laptop thing, so I was able to check out the result from Villa Park. Although I like 'Boro's Hasselbaink and Viduka, bravo to the Hammers for making it to the FA Cup final on Marlon Harewood's strike. Too bad the guy's not in shape. Live it up today, Hammer, for on May 13th you're going down.

Reds to the Finals

Liverpool 2 - Chelsea 1 - Final

Well Chelsea didn't make it easy.

At the hour mark, the Blues brought on Damian Duff and Joe Cole for Hernan Crespo and Geremi and immediately tightened the screws. Liverpool brought on Cisse for Crouch and Morientes for Garcia, but both were disappointing placeholders for the final 20 minutes. Chelsea really controlled play, and most of the final 30 minutes was in the Liverpool end.

The Reds also subbed Djimi Traore for Harry Kewell, who was clearly hurting, but like the other two, Traore had no where near the impact of Kewell.

Luis Garcia had to miss three golden opportunities before getting Liverpool's second in the 51st minute. Good thing, as that screwhead Drogba got one back for Chelsea at 70 minutes with a brave header of a high pass just before Reina's arrival.

The Reds are heading to Cardiff to face Middlesborough or West Ham.

Whew.

Halftime from Old Trafford

Liverpool 1 - Chelsea 0 after 45 minutes.

Riise curls a free kick through the blue sieve at 21 minutes. Pretty tight game, perhaps a few more chances for the Reds, but Chelsea has a bit more possesion.

Turns out the game was available on pay-per-view, and I didn't have to venture into Downtown Thugland to catch the match at the British-like pub.

More to come.

FA Cup Semi-Final Saturday

Liverpool vs. Chelsea

Q - What does Didier Drogba do after scoring a hat trick against Liverpool?
A - Turns off his PlayStation

Q - What's the difference between a tea bag and Chelsea FC?
A - The tea stays in the cup longer

Q - What do you get when you cross a Chelsea Fan with a pig?
A - No one knows; there are some things a pig just won't do.

Q - Why does Arjen Robben whistle whilt on the toilet?
A - So her remembers which end to wipe.

Let's go you Reds!

More Insurgent Attacks

Rambix knows context:

The Minneapolis Warehouse District was the site of another skirmish last night, despite increased military police presence. Armed insurgents engaged in a fierce battle on Hennepin Ave., between 3rd St. and Washington Ave. In an uncharacteristically timely report, the Red Star's website has the story: "Gunfire erupts in Minneapolis as cars roll down street".

Minneapolis' warehouse district turned violent early this morning when people in two vehicles began exchanging gunfire.Authorities have yet to figure out why the shots rang out as the two cars rolled along Hennepin Av. between 3rd and Washington streets. The shooting occurred just after 2 a.m. bar closing time.

Several combatants were evacuated to field hospitals. Standby for further dispatches from the front as events warrant.

What did Wu Hao do Today?

Hard to tell, since he's been detained and unheard from for almost 2 months. Not like that's odd for such a paranoid nation:

(Hao) personifies a generation of urban Chinese who have flourished thanks to the Communist Party's embrace of market-style capitalism and greater cultural openness. He got his MBA from the University of Michigan and worked for EarthLink before returning to China to pursue his dream of becoming a documentary filmmaker. He and his sister, Nina Wu, who works in finance and lives a comfortable middle-class life in Shanghai, have enjoyed freedoms of expression, travel, lifestyle and career choice that their parents could never have dreamed of. They are proof of how U.S. economic engagement with China has been overwhelmingly good for many Chinese.

Problem is, the Chinese Dream can be shattered quickly if you step over a line that is not clearly drawn -- a line that is kept deliberately vague and that shifts frequently with the political tides. Those who were told by the Chinese media that they have constitutional and legal rights are painfully disabused of such fantasies when they seek to shed light on social and religious issues the state prefers to keep in the dark.

Our president has not forgotten, and hit Hu Jintao with it in person.

As the relationship between our two nations grows and matures, we can be candid about our disagreements. I'll continue to discuss with President Hu the importance of respecting human rights and freedoms of the Chinese people. China has become successful because the Chinese people are experience the freedom to buy, and to sell, and to produce -- and China can grow even more successful by allowing the Chinese people the freedom to assemble, to speak freely, and to worship.

Of course, to most of the Legacy Media, that's just W forcing his NeoCon jive on hapless world citizens.

Shakespearean Drama

Root, root, root for the home team:

Down 9-4, the Twins scored four runs in the sixth inning, chasing Angels starter Ervin Santana. The Angels made it 10-8 in the seventh, but Torii Hunter homered, trimming the lead back to one. Leading 10-9 in the ninth, the Angels turned to Rodriguez, the wunderkind closer from Venezuela.

The Twins immediately loaded the bases, but Rodriguez promptly retired Justin Morneau and Tony Batista for the next two outs. Lew Ford worked the count full, and watched a slider in the dirt for ball four. Tie game.

The Twins used closer Joe Nathan to pitch a scoreless 10th, and in came (former Twins reliever J.C.) Romero, who had turned some heads with his old teammates recently when he said the Angels bullpen is the best he's ever been a part of. Luis Castillo drew a one-out walk, stole second base and was standing on third with two outs.

With Nick Punto due up, Twins manager Ron Gardenhire turned to (Michael)Cuddyer. Cuddyer looked at the first strike. With a 0-1 count, Romero tried a change-up. Cuddyer hit it over the center field wall.

Twins 12, Angels 10 . . . good night everybody, drive friendly.

Greener Than Thou

You are what you drive. Period. Sometimes, that means you are a misinformed phony.

People think they want hybrids and they'll buy them, even if a conventional car would make more sense for their pocketbook and for the environment. The danger is that automakers will co-opt the hybrids' green mantle and, with the help of a government looking to bail out its troubled friends in Detroit, misguidedly encourage the sale of hybrids without reference to their actual effect on oil consumption.

Kitman's right, but my view isn't quite as harsh because I think today's Prius buyer is a direct descendant of those who bought VW Beetles 45 years ago. The car may not have been perfect upon it's debut (drum brakes, no heat, zero torque), but it did signal a sea change in the type of products available to American drivers. That change is needed today as much as it was then.

The sheep-like mentality of American car buyers is legendary, and it holds true for both the buyer of the $70K LX470 and the hybrid Prius (both Toyotas if you noticed). The difference is that while the buyer of the hulking vehicle shrugs and lives with the choice they've made, the driver of the miniscule vehicle doesn't let greater (if not dubious) efficiency be their only reward: They frequently demand legislative platitudes and special treatment in the tax code for their choice, which is arguably not always worthy of such reward.

Scattergunning

All over the place:

Major League Baseball has a bereavement list. Who knew?

I know he doesn't like the president; we hear it every Sunday morning, but do you wonder where John Kerry is on real issues. For that mater, where is Bono on Darfur, Barbara Streisand on the oppression of women in Islamic nations, and Michael Moore on Katie Couric's new contract?

You think your government sucks? Try this one. Pay no mind to that sneaky guy trying to buy you off . . .

Don't screw with the Easter Bunny:

"The next thing you know my wife is sucker punched by the manager, she is pulled to the ground by her hair and then the Easter Bunny jumps on top and starts punching my wife in the head."

Just another day for a typical blogger:

She smokes a cigarette. Should it be about Bush, whom she considers "malevolent," a "sociopath" and "the Antichrist"? She smokes another cigarette. Should it be about Vice President Cheney, whom she thinks of as "Satan," or about Karl Rove, "the devil"? Should it be about the "evil" Republican Party, or the "weaselly, capitulating, self-aggrandizing, self-serving" Democrats, or the Catholic Church, for which she says "I have a special place in my heart . . . a burning, sizzling, putrescent place where the guilty suffer the tortures of the damned"?

Hey, Trent, get of my side:

"It is ludicrous for the Senate to spend $700 million to destroy and relocate a rail line that is in perfect working order, particularly when it recently underwent a $250 million repair," said Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.), who is planning to challenge the funding when the $106.5 billion war spending bill reaches the Senate floor.

Let me in, and everyone I know, and while you're at it, change your laws to accomodate me.

America has a seller's market in immigration, but thanks to Teddy Kennedy's 1965 immigration law, we no longer favor skilled workers from developed nations, but instead favor unskilled immigrants from the Third World. Kennedy's bill promptly cut the number of European immigrants in half and increased Third World immigrants to 85 percent of the total.

NHL Playoffs start on the 21st - Let the good times roll! I like the Red Wings or Flames from the West and either the Flyers or Senators in the East.

Hope for Academia

Every now and then they do the right thing on campus:

By leading her students in the destruction of an approved student organization display, Professor Sally Jacobsen's actions were inconsistent with Northern Kentucky University's commitment to free and open debate and the opportunity for all sides to be heard without threat of censorship or reprisal.

It has been heartening that student and faculty groups that do not necessarily support the position of Northern Kentucky Right to Life have come out strongly in support of the organization's right to be heard through their display. This reflects a
commitment to the importance of free speech and inquiry as a hallmark of our University.

Professor Jacobsen has been removed from her remaining classes and placed on leave from the University. She will retire from the University at the end of this semester. The Faculty Senate, representing more than 1,000 NKU faculty members, has taken strong action today that affirms the importance of free expression as a defining quality of the University.

It doesn't matter on what side of the abortion issue you stand: You should be standing for freedom of expression on college campuses. For everyone. Happily, this seems to be the prevailing attitude at NKU.

Meet the New Hamas, Same as the Old Hamas

TEL AVIV, Israel - A Palestinian suicide bomber blew himself up outside a fast-food restaurant in a bustling area of Tel Aviv during the Passover holiday Monday, killing nine other people and wounding dozens in the deadliest Palestinian attack in more than a year.

The new Palestinian government, led by Hamas, called the attack a legitimate response to Israeli "aggression." Israel said it held Hamas ultimately responsible — even though a different militant group, Islamic Jihad, claimed responsibility — and would respond "as necessary."

More from Hinderocker:

A 21-year-old Palestinian named Sami Salim Mohammed Hammed blew himself up outside a Tel Aviv restaurant today, killing at least nine. The attack was carried out by Islamic Jihad and endorsed by Hamas, the current ruling party in the Palestinian Authority.

Another banner day for the savages.

The Violence Veto

Tigerhawk nails it:

So I don't blame Comedy Central, or Border's Books, or the world's media organizations, for refusing to depict Mohammed out of fear of retaliation. Their job is not to defend freedom of speech, but to earn profits for their stockholders. Acting as a fiduciary, I would make the same decision. But let us not tolerate these same organizations claiming that they also support freedom of speech. They are lying when they say they do, because in order to defend freedom of speech, you have to be willing to protect speech against the inevitable threat of violence.