Alex in the USA

noreply@blogger.com (Alex_USA) — Fri, 03 Nov 2006 19:36:00 +0000

Kerry's Comment Dumb But Taken Out of Context

John Kerry's statement that "You know, education, if you make the most of it, you study hard, you do your homework and you make an effort to be smart, you can do well. If you don't, you get stuck in Iraq" was stupid but taken out of context.

The reference was that Bush is stupid, not the troops. He was supposed to say that if you don't study you get "us" stuck in Iraq. It was a bad joke regardless but stupid that he got it wrong.

The joke really fired up Bush who was campaigning in Georgia, so much so that the ignorant people attending actually cheered when Bush said "We weren't in Iraq when 9/11 occurred and 3,000 people died." Clearly Bush supporters have no clue what they are cheering for, maybe they just see the applause light and go nuts. Sort of like Pavlovian dogs or something.

noreply@blogger.com (Alex_USA) — Wed, 11 Oct 2006 02:27:00 +0000

George Would Have Supported Decriminalization

noreply@blogger.com (Alex_USA) — Thu, 28 Sep 2006 02:00:00 +0000

DUI Shouldn't Hurt Paris Hilton's Image

Paris Hilton's publicist recently said that the actress, singer, model, shopper and party prancer's image will not be hurt by the DUI she received earlier this month. This is good news for someone who has made a name for themselves through a sex tape and making a habit of looking and acting as slutty as possible.

Some say the DUI might actually help her image. It reinforces the fact that she truly is a party girl, something she is very famous for. Perhaps in the long run it might actually have hurt her image if she did not get a DUI. People might think do we know this girl? Does she really party that much? Is she really such a slut or is this all some Hollywood facade?

noreply@blogger.com (Alex_USA) — Wed, 27 Sep 2006 06:20:00 +0000

Peyton Manning Doing Every Dumb Commercial on TV

Peyton Manning of the Indianapolis Colts is very talented, especially when the games don't count so much. When they do, he melts like a Tulip on a hot summer day. But despite having won only 1 playoff game, this has not stopped the ongoing love affair between Peyton Manning and his sponsors.

And there is a common theme with all of Peyton's adds. They really suck ass. Whether he is asking grocery clerks to sign his bread or sporting a 70's pornstar moustache as he whores a cell phone there is one commonality: They all really blow.

Manning is also very full of himself for someone who has won only 1 playoff game. My favorite Peyton Manning moment was in college when he played for the University of Tennessee and could be seen crying on the sideline after being thumped by Florida in a big game. So there are 2 certainties regarding Manning: He will continue to lose big games and compensate for that by doing arrogant and ridiculous adds. Why don't more people hate this guy?

noreply@blogger.com (Alex_USA) — Mon, 25 Sep 2006 21:08:00 +0000

Monday Night Football To Be Held in Former Shelter

Tonight football comes back to New Orleans as the city's beloved Saints host the Atlanta Falcons. Both teams enter the contest 2-0 and hope to stay unbeaten in an important divisional game.

But this game transcends the sport as it means so much to the people and city of New Orleans. The last time we saw the Superdome on TV we saw a chaotic mess of stranded minorities outside and others trying to swim to the city's sports Mecca.

But tonight will be much different as the exciting Falcons-Saints game will take place there. This will mark the Superdome's first nationally televised event since it served as a hurricane shelter. Hopefully, tonight will go better for New Orleans.

The city faces an uphill battle tonight against a team with a tough running game and stellar defense. Perhaps not as tough a challenge as Katrina, the Falcons are still a very imposing threat. The Saints must stop Michael Vick and produce offense of their own to enjoy success this evening. Success that did not come at least year's nationally televised event.

noreply@blogger.com (Alex_USA) — Thu, 21 Sep 2006 20:38:00 +0000

Pope Looks Like Evil Emperor From Star Wars

Pope Benedict XVI, or "The Rat" as I like to call him (His real name is John Ratzinger) has been in power for about a year and a half now. He came to the throne of the Catholic Church following the shocking death of the previous drooling Papalness John Paul II.

Pope Benedict XVI is from Germany and was criticized for being part of a Nazi youth camp as a boy (it was a great step toward the papacy back in those days). He has also recently come under fire for quoting a previous Pope who called Islam evil and violent. This surprisingly led to some violence in the Middle East.

But the thing that has struck me most about His Holiness is his striking resemblance to the Evil Emperor Palpatine from Star Wars. Did Cardinal Ratzinger have a secret acting career we are not aware of? Is he in fact a living and breathing Dark Sith Lord? Is he building a Death Star to destroy Earth? I don't know but I do know one thing...I smell a Rat.

noreply@blogger.com (Alex_USA) — Mon, 18 Sep 2006 22:07:00 +0000

It's Illegal?

Like many people, I enjoy dropping some online action for shits and giggles. Thing is, it's illegal! Gambling on sports is only legal in the state of Nevada. So everytime I log onto Sportsbetting and place a small wager on the evenings action, I am committing a crime.

Thing is, even though it is illegal, my credit card company allows me to use it on online gaming sites. These sights are run overseas, many in the UK, so they are not subjected to US laws.

For years the government has turned a blind eye to online gaming. Had they "legalized" this 4 years ago it is estimated they would have collected 1.5 billion in tax revenue. Granted, that only pays for a few days in Iraq but I'd say our treasury can use all the help it can get!

So I say as Bob Marley sang, Legalize It. Either that or stop allowing credit card companies to participate in these "illegal activities." But hey, this Congress hasn't been coined the "Do Nothing Congress for nothing!

noreply@blogger.com (Alex_USA) — Tue, 12 Sep 2006 22:30:00 +0000

NFL Season Kicks off With Glorious Start

The 2006 NFL season began beautifully for the defending Super Bowl champion Steelers. Without starting quarterback Dolphins and a great value. I sure enjoyed winning that contest and I know they did too.

Festivities filled the first Sunday of the season with compelling matchups like Peyton Manning vs. Eli Manning. It was the first time two brothers were pitted against one another at starting quarterback. This was an easy pick, you have to go with the older brother. It is he who played titty twister and did the intimidating.

It was also a great opening weekend for road teams like the Ravens, Chargers and Bears who all pitched shutouts. I wasn't certain of the Ravens dominance against a tough Bucs team in the Florida heat so I avoided any action on that contest.

But the Chargers a mere 3 point favorite against a terrible Raiders team was a great bargain. I kicked back with a few beers and enjoyed the very predictable thumping the Raiders received, and most enjoyed my win.

There was one big disappointment opening weekend and that was Minnesota's surprise win against the Redskins. The Vikings were not a good road team last year and the Redskins are loaded at the skilled positions. The Vikings surprised everyone defeating both the Redskins and myself.

But you know what they say, you can't win them all. You just hope your team and your wallet win most of them. And with a little research and good gut instinct this will be a successful season for many. It's just great to have America's favorite game back!

noreply@blogger.com (Alex_USA) — Wed, 06 Sep 2006 20:20:00 +0000

Steve Irwin Murdered By Stingray

For years Steve Irwin, "The Crocodile Hunter" entertained viewers with his crazy animal antics. Whether he was wrestling crocs or toying with snakes, one thing was certain-he was doing something he loved and whatever that was it was insane.

Steve never ceased to stop entertaining us with his insanity. If you tuned into "The Crocodile Hunter" you were guaranteed to see him doing something ludicrous. When he dangled his baby in front of a crocodile he drew global criticism and ridicule. But it was just Steve being Steve and that was acting insane.

Steve will forever be a reminder that insane people are entertaining. After all, who wants to see someone handle dangerous animals in a safe and sane way? Not me. That's boring!

Despite Steve's seemingly suicidal lifestyle, he seemed invincible. When I first saw the guy I predicted him to die within a couple years. But the years went on and Steve just kept on living, never once getting maimed by a crocodile (the most likely scenario for his demise).

Of all things, I would never think Steve Irwin would be murdered by a stingray. I've pet those things at the zoo! They just swim around in circles and let kids pet them. Try that with a croc!

It is reported that stingrays kill 1-2 people worldwide each year! That's all! That's insane and it's a fitting way for Steve to pass.

It makes me wonder exactly what he did to piss the creature off so much. But we can rest assured he did something stupid! And that was Steve and he will be missed.

The world of crazy animal antics will never be the same. Sure, Jeff Corwin and others are still alive but they just don't seem to have the same level of insanity that Steve had. And that's why he was so great.

noreply@blogger.com (Alex_USA) — Wed, 06 Sep 2006 00:29:00 +0000

USA Wins Gold For Jam Session

Many people consider the USA's bronze medal finish at this year's World Championships a disappointment. But what people must remember is that we won the gold in slam dunking...hands down!

Greece may have beaten the USA 101-95 because they shot better, passed more frequently and played better defense. But did Greece outdunk the USA? I don't think so! That would be like saying that the tortoise is faster than the hare.

The USA put on a masterful dunk contest during their loss to Greece. Dwayne Wade, Lebron James and Carmello Anthony may have cost the USA the game by shooting poorly from the free throw line, but their dunking clinic was simply amazing.

And it didn't stop until the bitter end, with the game out of hand Lebron slammed a thunderous dunk in Greece's face. "Take that!" he said. "They may have won the game but we tore them a new asshole in the dunk contest."

Carmello Anthony remarked "Anyone who says this is a team sport is full of crap. We are competing against each other out there. I don't want to get outdunked by Dwayne Wade." Carmello contributed the team's dunk victory to their supreme athleticism along with the fact that they were practicing dunks prior to the game rather than free three throws.

"Unlike us, Greece was practicing free throws before the game" Dwayne Wade said. "We would have won the dunking gold regardless but that didn't help them any."

The USA went on to defeat Argentina in both dunking and the actual game, giving them the bronze medal. Spain defeated Greece to become the new World Champions of the "game" of basketball, for whatever that's worth.

Greece celebrates less important victory over USA

noreply@blogger.com (Alex_USA) — Mon, 04 Sep 2006 22:49:00 +0000

Agassi Resurrected to Play Final US Open

The crowds went crazy for Andre Agassi at his final US Open. This despite the fact that the man looked more like Casper the Friendly Ghost rather than the human tennis dynamo we grew up watching.

But somehow his bald frail body was able to get by two opponents and into the 3rd round. How the old timer was able to get through 5 sets against the number 8 player in the world is beyond me.

But luckily for the gift of cortisone shots in his back we were able to see this legend compete one final time. And while his opponents actually looked human, Agassi certainly played like he was alive.

The man has ended his career at the ripe old age of 36. 21 years of tennis, it was so long ago that we saw him as a teenager with wild long hair, then with less hair and a goatee, and finally ending with an alien like pale bald look. I'd like to remember the champ looking more alive however.

The Glory Days When Agassi Had Hair and Looked Human

noreply@blogger.com (Alex_USA) — Thu, 31 Aug 2006 19:34:00 +0000

Bush Commemorates 1 Year Since Katrina

It was one year ago that Hurricane Katrina rocked the Gulf Coast. Shortly after the hurricane hit, President Bush asked that his flight from Crawford, Texas to Washington go via New Orleans to survey the damage. From Air Force One the President was able to gain a poignant perspective of exactly what was transpiring on the ground.

Through his insightful aerial analysis, Bush was able to make critical decisions regarding the evacuations of stranded Katrina victims. "It was a bit difficult to see them" Bush said, "But I knew there were a few stuck down there. I phoned up Brownie and said something needed getting done."

Through careful coordination, total chaos and disaster was narrowly avoided. "It was a job well done" Bush stated. "I owe lots to the Air Force One pilot that allowed me such an extensive surveillance of the destruction."

So on the one year anniversary of Katrina, it was only fitting that Bush celebrate another mission accomplished with a repeat flight over the area. "I wanted to get a good feel for what's going on one year later. That's why I asked to be flown over the region again. I know more needs getting done and we'll do it."

On the white house lawn one reporter asked about the future of New Orleans. "It looks bright. That Reggie Bush fellow is going to bring a lot of explosiveness to the Saints offense" Bush said with a chuckle.

noreply@blogger.com (Alex_USA) — Fri, 25 Aug 2006 02:31:00 +0000

Make Up Your Mind On Number of Planets Damnit!

For as long as I can remember there were 9 planets, it seemed as set in stone as the Ten Commandments. It's what I learned in school and what I've always known. Then last week they tell me there are 12 planets and I think wow, we got 3 more! That's exciting!

Then just a week later the scientists vote again and tell us we lost 4 planets! Now there are 8 planets and Pluto and the other iceballs will be known as "dwarf planets."

Come on guys, get it straight! Don't jerk us around like this.

I feel for the science teachers and students. Imagine last week when all the science teachers got super excited about this and bombarded their students with a fascinating new classification of planets. And now they have to tell their students to cross out their textbooks again and re-do their assignments. The kids are pissed and confused and it makes them think their teacher is retarded.

noreply@blogger.com (Alex_USA) — Tue, 22 Aug 2006 22:16:00 +0000

Iran Willing to Give Up Nuclear Program When They Face Legitimate Threat

Now that the Israeli-Lebanon war has substantially lessened, the international community is once again focused on Iran. While Bush would love to bomb Iran's nuclear facilities he knows his hands are tied. If we were to do so we would face more scrutiny from other nations and destabilize the middle east more than it already is.

This is compounded with the fact that we are bogged down in Iraq (a nation that was much less powerful than Iran currently is when we invaded them). Also, the US was a huge loser in the Israeli-Lebanon war because of our support for Israel while at the same time trying to stabilize Iraq. In reality, Israel really screwed the US over on that one.

Iran had been sitting with a good hand prior to Israel's invasion of Lebanon. But now they are holding two aces and the stakes are too great for anyone to take military action against them. Iran has been the biggest winner in all this and they will continue business as usual until they face a legitimate threat, which they currently don't. What they currently face is a lot of barking with no potential bite.

noreply@blogger.com (Alex_USA) — Tue, 22 Aug 2006 21:50:00 +0000

John Karr Enjoys Business Class From Thailand

After John Karr admitted that he killed JonBenet Ramsey he was arrested in Thailand and flown back to the US, in comfortable business class of course.

It was reported that he enjoyed champagne and shrimp on this flight. This whole saga leads me to ask a few questions here.

1)Would the media still care about the JonBenet Ramsey case had she not been such a cute girl? Hmm...No.

2) Why does a murdering pedophile get to enjoy business class? I've never gotten to fly it and I've flown lots! It doesn't seem fair to the legitimate business class passengers as I have a feeling it wasn't as much an enjoyable experience for them. Shouldn't the economy passengers have been subjected to this guys presence? After all, they paid way less to fly!

noreply@blogger.com (Alex_USA) — Fri, 18 Aug 2006 02:58:00 +0000

Owens Looks to Win 9th Straight Tour De France for USA

After a tumultuous season with Philadelphia ended in Terrell Owens release, he returned to football with the Dallas Cowboys. But always with a trick up his sleeve he surprised us once again, deciding to skip Cowboys practice for two weeks while training for next year's Tour De France.

It turns out Owens isn't as selfish as everyone had previously thought. After the allegations against defending champ Floyd Landis and the possibility that he may be banned from cycling, someone had to step in and give the USA hope for 9 in a row. That's when Owens decided that a career change was necessary for the good of our nation. It is reminiscent of when Pat Tillman left the Arizona Cardinals to fight with the US Army in Afghanistan.

Owens is also behaving more patriotic than Floyd Landis, who raced for team Phonak, a Swiss cycling team. Owens showed the world at Cowboys camp what team he will be racing for...Team USA...Team Discovery Channel.

Owens is a dominant receiver and should easily make the transition to long distance bicycle racing and beating scrawny white Europeans. He is also releasing his own brand of popcorn that will be available for purchase in next years French event. Many cyclists will race but Owens will stand out as the sole black participant wearing a French beret.

noreply@blogger.com (Alex_USA) — Wed, 16 Aug 2006 21:51:00 +0000

3,438 Iraqi Deaths in July Not Considered Civil War

The NY Times has reported that 3,438 Iraqi civilians were killed in July due to Sectarian violence between Sunnis and Shiites. This is the deadliest month since the US invaded in March 2003.

President Bush and many in Congress dismiss these figures as a civil war and vow to "stay the course." What course? We have been there over 3 years and the country has held democratic elections. The results: Massive deaths amongst civilians. What exactly can we accomplish? Destroy the insurgency? It seems the entire nation has erupted into an insurgency.

What can our involvement do? Maybe we can continue to play "whack em' all" as Senator John McCain said. This means destroying pockets of insurgents in cities only to see them pop up elsewhere, forcing us to do it all over again. This means we cannot pass Go and collect our $200.

We have wasted so much money and sacrificed so many US and Iraqi lives only to see things spiral out of control. "Staying the course" doesn't seem like a good idea when a nation is involved in a civil war.

noreply@blogger.com (Alex_USA) — Wed, 16 Aug 2006 21:01:00 +0000

Israel Planning to Remain in Lebanon Until They Feel Like It

Israel announced today they will remain in southern Lebanon until they feel like it. Actually, they said they will remain there until the UN multinational force arrives but this is translation for "until we feel like it."

And Israel can do this because they have all the military might. Especially, when it comes to attacking an opponent much weaker then them. Both the US and Israel have constantly blamed Syria and Iran for backing Hezbollah and yet no military action has been taken against them. The reason: they are both too powerful and do actually have the weaponry to inflict serious damage to Israel. The damage Hezbollah inflicted on Israel is peanuts compared to what Syria and Iran could do if confronted.

But a "cease fire" has arrived after Israel has set Lebanon back to where they were when they had previously invaded them. Bridges, roads and key infrastructure all over the nation has been destroyed and it will take years to recover.

And hopefully this cease fire will hold up. The UN ambassador of Israel Dan Gillerman said this cease fire is "Lebanon's last chance." What does that mean? Will Israel just nuke Beirut otherwise? His cold and firm demeanor showed he would probably like to.

So now the UN is scrambling to create a peacekeeping force for southern Lebanon. As far as Israel is concerned they can take their time, they will stay until they feel like it, just like last time.

noreply@blogger.com (Alex_USA) — Fri, 11 Aug 2006 21:27:00 +0000

French Tired of Americans Winning Bicycle Race

For the 8th straight year an American won the Tour De France. And now the French are screaming foul play. Wine, wine, wine...They love their wine in France. I say less wine and more effort and maybe someday soon one of their own can win their coveted bicycle race.

Lance Armstrong dominated, winning 7 consecutive Tour De France's despite having only one testicle. The French were glad to see him go and despite never testing positive in a drug test the French still accused Lance of cheating. Sacre Bleu! Sounds like there are some sour grapes on the vine over there.

So with Lance gone the French thought they were in the clear. No American could possibly win their cherished bicycle race again. But one did! And not just any American but an American raised by Menenite parents. These people don't even have TV's let alone know what steroids are!

So ok, unlike Lance, Floyd Landis tested "positive" for unnaturally high levels of testosterone after blowing away the field in stage 17. Landis has many explanations for this, one of them is that his body naturally produces high levels of testosterone. I can buy that, he is an American after all!

Another explanation is that there is a conspiracy involving the French testing agency Chatenay-Malabry. If the other explanations don't explain the results then I believe this one. Why is a French agency doing the testing anyways? That already seems a bit fishy to me. Why don't they let someone neutral do the testing? Perhaps the Netherlands. They know a thing or two about drugs over there.

So for the moment Landis is no longer considered the winner of the long bicycle race. But he is a fighter and will continue the grueling battle in American and International courts. He has many explanations and surely one of them will prove to be true.

noreply@blogger.com (Alex_USA) — Sun, 30 Jul 2006 01:12:00 +0000

A Nation Gone Tip Crazy

Ok, so tipping is nothing new here in the US but it appears tip jars are growing like wildfire. For a long time restaurants have been substantially underpaying servers to where this "tip culture" has been ingrained into US society. It is our job, not the employers to compensate for the fact that servers make just over $2 an hour. I was a server at Bennigan's for 1 and 1/2 years and when I told foreign friends what my hourly wage was they were shocked with disbelief.

Foreigners get a bad rap for not tipping but it isn't because they view servers as slaves or because they're cheap bastards but because servers and bus boys in their countries actually make a living wage. I was a bus boy at a TGI Friday's in Melbourne, Australia and actually made $10US an hour. The exact same job in the US will pay about $3.50 an hour plus 3% of a pool of the servers sales for the night (This does not equate to $10 per hour in an average restaurant). Many people don't realize this and some restaurants are finally coming around to suggesting 18% tips, but not all. And even if you tip a server 18%, if there is a bus boy involved you are really only tipping them 15%.

So if the service is good I tip 20-25% because I know how it is. Even if the service is mediocre or poor I tip 15% because I feel obligated. The service has to be pretty atrocious for me to leave less and I know I am not alone here. It shouldn't be like this because the acronym tip stands for "To Improve Promptness" and I can tell you now too many people tip 15% on mediocre service.

But I believe things have gone too far with the tip jars in cafes, sandwich shops, pizza places, etc. Am I alone to think Starbucks can afford to pay their mocha makers a little more so they don't have to put that obligating tip jar on the counter? Starbucks should be happy that they already get cheap labor from their coffee growers worldwide. I know Starbucks employees make more than servers but I also know it's not a livable wage and it should be.

I'm tired of feeling obligated to toss money in the tip jar so I've decided to end that logic. Someone told me a good rule of thumb about tipping-if someone doesn't have to clean up after you in a restaurant/cafe, you shouldn't tip them. I agree. I feel bad but there has to be a line drawn here. Otherwise, before we know it there will be tip jars at retail stores and gas stations-it seems headed in that direction!

We already have to pay server/bartender wages (that's just ingrained in capitalist American culture and will never change) and we also have to pay tips to pizza drivers-this is a must by the way! Especially with the exhorbitant cost of fuel-if you are too cheap to pay for gas to get your pizza yourself and tip the driver $1 or stiff him you are an asshole, plain and simple. I delivered pizza when gas was cheap and I feel bad for the drivers now because I can guarantee that tips haven't skyrocketed like gas prices have. Delivering pizza not only burns gas but you have to have your oil, tires, brakes, etc. changed more frequently than the average driver, plus other additional wear and tear on the vehicle. It doesn't matter if your order is only $10, when you take into account that a person is driving food to your home because you are too lazy to get it yourself you should tip them $5, that should be standard even on low priced orders. In fact, these are probably the only workers we should really have to supplement because the restaurant is providing an additional service that is over and above what they should have to pay for.

Another person I don't like tipping is the statue who opens your beer bottle and takes your $5 at the club, it's ridiculous but I feel obligated because it is expected. What I try to do is order 2 beers at a time and tip $1 for both. Fifty cents per beer bottle opened isn't bad as it's neither time consuming nor strenuous. Why should a bartender who makes you a long island ice tea get the same tip as a person who cracks a beer open?

So I have decided to tip with better reason and boycott all tip jars. If there is a tip jar they don't deserve a tip! It is their job to make your pizza, sandwich, ring you up, take your money to get into the club, etc. This country's employers should have a moral obligation to pay older employees a livable wage-If other western countries can do this I damn well know we can too!

noreply@blogger.com (Alex_USA) — Wed, 26 Jul 2006 19:15:00 +0000

Democrats and Republicans United on Israeli Bias

During recent years we have had an increased rift between Republicans and Democrats that has caused an increased polarization in the country. The disagreements have varied from fiscal irresponsibility by Republican leadership, supreme court nominations, abortion issues and the war in Iraq. But the parties are now united in their bias of Israel and the terrorist attacks they have undertaken in Lebanon. Have we become the United States of Israel? It seems as though it is political suicide for any politician to say anything negative about Israel.

The politicians constantly note Hezbollah attacks on Israel and call them terrorist attacks. These are not terrorist attacks that Hezbollah is undertaking, it is retaliation for disproportionate attacks on Lebanon. This is war. Just as Israel has the right to defend it's sovereign boundaries so does Lebanon. The kidnapping of two Israeli soldiers by Hezbollah was not justification for Israel to continually bomb Beirut. Hezbollah has a negative reputation for being a terrorist group but they also serve as part of Lebanon's military force. Many educated university students in Lebanon support Hezbollah because they are part of their defense forces. So is Hezbollah expected to stand idle as Israel destroys Lebanon?

This week Prime Minister Maliki of Iraq met with President Bush to discuss issues pertaining to Iraq. Maliki recently condemned Israel's attacks on Lebanon and US politicians have been united in their outrage. They believe that Maliki, like themselves, should have the same Israeli bias they have. US politicians note that "moderate" Arab nations like Egypt and Saudi Arabia have condemned Hezbollah and support Israel's response against Lebanon. First off, Egypt is not a moderate Arab country as their democracy is a farce and obviously Saudi Arabia is far from moderate. The reason the leaders of these nations support Israel is because instability in the Middle East creates a threat to their oppressive regimes. Egypt recently created a mirage democracy to curb the threat of unrest within their borders. The House of Saud has similarly loosened their autocratic rule because of the threat of a revolution. The fact that we support the leaderships in Egypt and Saudi Arabia is a farce unto its own.

As Maliki was in Washington to meet with Bush, 3 high ranking democrats carried out a press conference to biasly support Israel and condemn Maliki for his comments. These democrats were Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, Chuck Schumer and Dick Durbin. They said that Maliki owes the US to be on our side (the one-sided side of Israel) and insinuated that he must not care so much about terrorism. Are you kidding me? He is the Prime Minister of a country in chaos! Maliki would love to stop the suicide bombings in Iraq and currently it isn't exactly safe for any politician in that country. These democrats also went so far as to say that Maliki owes us his position (yes we did topple Saddam) but because we have sacrificed American lives and money he should be in support of Israel. Are you kidding me? When did Israel become part of the US? Did I miss that? Was I hibernating or something?

As the new sovereign leader of Iraq, Maliki has the right to express his own views and not be subject to censorship by the US. Didn't we create a "democracy" over there? If not, what was the point of all this? Oh yeah, the point was to create a puppet regime of the US in an oil rich region. Unfortunately for Bush, this like many other things in Iraq have not panned out.

But shame on Republicans and Democrats alike for their inability to unite on real issues for the whole of America-like the budget deficit and the escalating costs of health care, yet they can unite on the green light of Israel's destruction of Lebanon. Who's running this country anyways? Do we need to add the Star of David to our Stars and Stripes?

noreply@blogger.com (Alex_USA) — Tue, 18 Jul 2006 01:17:00 +0000

Terror and Bullying By Israel

I have become a little tired of hearing the word "terrorist" to only describe groups like Hamas and Hezbollah. What Israel is currently doing to Lebanon is a massive display of unnecessary terror. Sure, Israel has a right to defend it's sovereignty but the acts they have carried out against Palestine and now Lebanon are acts of terror aimed at destroying infrastructure and toppling democratic regimes they do not agree with.

This disgusting bombing campaign by Israel began because Hezbollah kidnapped 2 Israeli soldiers and wanted to use them as leverage to negotiate the release of Lebanese prisoners. Somehow, Israeli madman Prime Minister Ehud Olmert decided that the proper recourse was to immediately bomb the airport in Beirut, bridges, ports and other key elements of Lebanese infrastructure.

After engaging in this disproportionate act of terror, Israel demanded the release of their 2 captives and ordered Hezbollah to disarm. This is like the school yard bully with all the fancy toys asking the crazy kid with a sling shot to drop it. And this is after the school yard bully has destroyed his bicycle, ripped his clothes and punched him in the face. What do you think the crazy kid is going to do?...(insert Jeopardy music here) He's going to fire that slingshot and he's going to fire as many rounds as possible before being pummeled to the ground.

But like many bullies, Israel wanted to flex it's muscle and show the devastation it can create with the weapons the USA has given them. These weapons are much more sophisticated and effective then the ones Hezbollah is equipped with. Because of this we often confuse or are misled to think that guerilla warfare is terrorism. We don't call the Israeli's terrorists in this conflict, only Hezbollah and Hamas. Even though Israel has also bombed government buildings in Palestine in recent days. And it's critical to note that for every Israeli killed by a member of Hamas or Hezbollah the Israeli's kill roughly 10 in return.

Israel has so much power that they even influenced what President Bush had to say! The first day he called upon Israel to use restraint in their bombing campaign. The next day his tone changed and he called for Hezbollah to disarm and withdrew his statement for Israel to restrain. And Bush isn't usually a "flip flopper!" He usually sticks with that gut of his that makes decisions.

As this conflict escalates, it continues to disturb me what is transpiring. Day by day Israel is destroying more and more of Lebanon and day by day Hezbollah is retaliating in what they now call "an all out war." This war was started by a bully and could wind up with the whole school yard involved.

noreply@blogger.com (Alex_USA) — Wed, 05 Jul 2006 10:57:00 +0000

Happy Birthday America!

Happy 230th birthday USA! Congratulations on this amazing accomplishment! It seems like yesterday that everyone was wearing wigs and debating secession from mighty Britain. And thanks to some great American heroes, here we are, all independent and on our own for 230 strong and counting!

I apologize for my birthday greeting being a day late but I was out celebrating with other proud Americans. And my wife who is not American, but that's ok, I forgive her. We did what most upstanding Americans and soon to be Americans do on this great day-we went to a local watering hole, wet our whistles and watched fireworks. There's nothing like a few beers and a night sky filled with explosions to make you feel all is right in the world.

I ended the evening with a patriotic viewing of the classic film "Platoon" starring the wonderful Charlie Sheen in 1967 Vietnam. It's an excellent reminder of the sacrifices we have made to get where we are now. I mean, for Americans within their own Platoon to purposely kill one another while fighting to protect our freedom, democracy and capitalism is just special. It's good to watch movies like this when we begin to question why we are in Iraq. We're fighting for 230 years of independent goodness-nuff said.

The above pictures were taken last month in Boston, where it all began and where I could not help but salute some of the great men who have made all this possible-Samuel Adams and Paul Revere. The statue of Sam Adams lies in Haymarket square with his arms crossed and a look that says "bring it." While Paul Revere's house can be found further down the Freedom Trail.

Sam Adams was instrumental in the Boston Tea Party where he led a group of costume toting protestors in dumping haughty British tea into the ocean. The men were protesting "taxation without representation" by the British government and by turning the northeast Atlantic into a cold blend of Earl Grey the upstart Americans also said "I don't think so." For Sam's efforts Boston's finest Lager has been named for him.

The dumping of the tea did not come without a price however. It really grinded King George III's gears and the "Intolerable Acts" were subsequently passed which aimed to revoke the charter of Massachusetts. The lines had been drawn and the British army sought revenge. Paul Revere took a gallant 19 mile horse ride from Boston to Lexington and Concord to warn the local militias that the British were coming. Thanks to him they had a bit of time to sober up before the battle that lied ahead. The Americans won the battle of Lexington and Concord and eventually the war-in England's defense they were fighting on the road, always tough.

Unfortunately, Revere was not bestowed the honor of having a fine beer named for him and is simply relegated to being read about in middle school textbooks. His famous line "The British are coming!" can still be heard all over Florida today. They still come but now as visitors to the rebellious independent child who parted ways 230 years ago. Now the Brits come to soak up the sun and can only bully servers in restaurants by demanding malt vinegar for fries and mustard for steaks, then leaving 10%.

It has been a wonderful 230 America and it has been a pleasure to watch you grow so big and strong. And what do you know, like any good child-parent relationship we have maintained a friendship with England and continue to be on each other's side. We may be independent but we sure do appreciate the help. And if it wasn't for you raising us this wonderful birthday celebration would not be possible. So thanks to the Brits for showing past tough love and giving us military assistance and sending us sun burnt tourists for extra spending money. Thanks guys and again happy 230 USA!

noreply@blogger.com (Alex_USA) — Wed, 28 Jun 2006 02:25:00 +0000

Big Business Keeps on Rolling

The symbol of the American dream...NYC and the NY Stock Exchange. As Austin Powers would say "Yay capitalism!" And in case you had forgotten whose stock exchange this is, there is that subtle little reminder hanging from it's marble columns.

The NYSE has bounced back big time over the last few years, now trading at around 11,000 shares. To some this is an indicator that the US economy is doing well. And for some it is doing much more than well, it is doing phenomenal!

Perhaps the true American dream is no longer the one where someone starts out with a few bucks in their wallet, works hard and eventually creates their own prosperous business. Perhaps the new American dream is the one where you are born into wealth, become a CEO and progress from a millionaire to a billionaire. Perhaps it is typified by Wal-Mart stomping out Ma and Pa because it's not so easy for them to "roll back prices" with a big yellow smiley face.

In fact, when I think of Wal-Mart and "rolling back prices" I also like to think of the other things they are rolling back, like employee benefits and American manufacturing jobs. Wal-Mart takes a lot of heat for this but it has become very commonplace in today's business world.

Many companies no longer offer pensions, decent health benefits and adequate pay. The Bush administration has not only taken a "laissez-faire" or hands off approach to big business, they have also taken a smiley faced "hands in" approach as well.

The Bush-Cheney regime have been as opportunistic as any in recent memory turning disasters like Iraq and New Orleans into giant profits for big construction companies like Halliburton (where Cheney was the former CEO). And by outsourcing more American jobs to cheaper labor and taking a blind eye to illegal immigration they have decreased demand for the American worker. And the demand that is there is at a lower wage. It's a very simple supply-demand equation.

A few days ago Congress decided to reject a bill that would raise the federal minimum wage from $5.15 to $7.25 (one that poor people could sort of live on). Instead, the republican led Congress rejected it, citing it would hurt small business. In all fairness it could hurt some businesses but there is a solution to this problem. Australia has a minimum wage scale that varies depending on age. It makes sense, if your 16 and 17 and living at home, you don't need as much as someone who is 21 and trying to pay bills. They also require some businesses like McDonald's to hire a certain number of older employees and not rely solely on cheap high school labor (otherwise it would cut a certain segment out of the job market). It works great in Australia and makes total sense yet it is not even put on the table here.

The Bush administration has not only turned a blind eye to the poor and working class but also the middle class. It is well documented that the discrepancy in wealth continues to grow as we now have a record number of billionaires in this country.

But be content that while everyone pays exorbitant gas prices, the CEO of Exxon-Mobile was able to retire with a 400 million dollar retirement package. Sweet deal! And these kind of parting gifts don't come cheap as we have all seen first hand at the pump.

Bush has a simple vision-if your rich you need a tax cut to re-invest more of your wealth into the economy so it grows into more wealth, mostly for you with some crumbs left over for the rest. And aside from tax cuts you need more incentives like not having to pay health benefits to your workers.

If Bush wasn't doing everything he is doing now how else would our budget deficit increase atrociously? Our currency devaluate substantially? And our middle class diminish one health plan removed at a time? And all the while our stock market looks solid and Bush can claim economic growth.

So go ahead and hang the stars and stripes proud NYSE. Your CEO George Bush has done one heck of a job for you. I think he deserves a raise and a hefty parting gift! Yay capitalism!

noreply@blogger.com (Alex_USA) — Fri, 23 Jun 2006 04:22:00 +0000

My Salute to Stephen Colbert

While we were lucky to get seats for David Letterman we could not get seats for my favorite late night show with Stephen Colbert. Despite this, I just had to make my way down to Colbert's studio and check out the surroundings. It's not nearly as big or fancy as Letterman and it's not on Broadway...no shock there.

I was pleasantly surprised when this show began in October 2005 because the idea was very similar to the All-American album I had created. The premise of the hardcover album is a pro-Bush American traveling around the world supporting ideas similar to his (basically being ignorant). This is portrayed through many ridiculous pictures from Australia to Vietnam with captions very befitting for Bush and anyone who supports him.

I love Colbert's idiotic puns on Bush, Fox News and the current state of American affairs. Colbert has a history degree from Dartmouth and while I was not so lucky as to attend an ivy league school I too have a history degree. I also minored in political science and love being a jackass so I totally relate to the guy.

So Cheers to you Colbert! Your fake news is as real as Fox's "real" news! And if you think Fox's news is real...I'm sorry :-).