BE BACK SOON!

Hey! For all two of you interested, sorry I haven't been on here bitching like I usually am. Like I'm sure they are for you, the holidays have been very busy for me. But fear not. I will be back on here updating starting on Monday (maybe Sunday, but I make no promises). So until then, I hope you had a wonderful holiday season and get ready...it's not over yet...

2009 Baby!

The Handshake

This last Saturday, December 20, 2008, was the 3-year anniversary of my father's passing. What is even more sad than that is that I didn't even realize it until about 8 p.m. that night (I tend to lose track of dates on the weekend). When I reminded myself of this, I felt very sad that I didn't even know until it was so late. To me, it is a day that should be easily remembered, like Christmas or Halloween. On the other hand, that date escaping my memory may be a good sign. Perhaps it's a sign that I am healing from a devastating loss, one which I thought I would never recover. I'm not sure.

But something else happened regarding my father that day, another example of our ability to forget. My nephew was over. We were hanging out with a couple of my friends who had come down from West Liberty. And for some reason we started doing some silly handshakes (just to be stupid I guess). And one of them we did triggered another memory:

Mine and Dad's handshake. We had our own handshake. Our own special way of acknowledging each other. I was so shocked that I nearly forgotten it that I spaced out, thinking long and hard about how that was possible. So I am very thankful towards my nephew for jogging my memory.

The handshake was simple. I remember the day we created it. I told him I wanted us to have our own special way of greeting and saying goodbye. I thought the idea of a "secret" handshake was so cool. And who better to have a secret with than your own father? We sat on the couch watching television while at the same time trying different shakes on for size. We didn't want it to be too long as not to confuse us, but we didn't want it to be too short as to where anyone could do it. We wanted it to be quick, cool, and smooth that way if someone was able to observe us doing it they would be jealous. They would wish they had a handshake as cool as ours.

And then I remembered. Two swishes of the hand, one with palm to palm. Then backwards from back-of-the-hand to back-of-the-hand. Then a snap of the fingers. Then finally a pointing of the fingers with the thumb extended, making the obvious "gun" gesture with your hand. Point then shoot.

I have shaken many hands in this world. I've held and kissed the hands of beautiful women. I even have a legitimate "secret" handshake with Delta Sigma Phi, my fraternity. But the most important handshake that I've ever had in this world is that one.

Mine and Dad's.

Albert Camus...

No Love is Eternal but That Which is Thwarted.

Think about it...

Rated G: Haley Williams

I will not argue that the band Paramore sucks. It tries to be Flyleaf, which tries to be Evanescense, which in turn tries to be Otep, which in turn, is actually a pretty damn good band. But there is no denying the lead singer of Paramore, Haley Williams, is smoking. At least Paramore's got that going for them.

Feel the Crunch!

Federal regulators are about to impose new rules and regulations for credit card distributors to abide by. The rules will be instigated in July of 2010. Due to the economic crisis we are in, it turns out, credit cards are at the highest default rates in years. Even those with good credit are now defaulting on their credit cards due to reduction of pay, food and fuel prices, the mortgage meltdown, and the overall instability our economy is in. The new rules have already been approved by the Federal Reserve.

With all this in mind I thought I would share with you some of my credit history and the current financial crisis I myself am facing. Regarding these news pieces, I try to always throw my opinion in.

I am probably in around $10,000 worth of debt. That doesn't seem like much, but in this economy it feels like quite a pinch. I graduated college in May of 2008. Even before that, I began job searching quite enthusiastically. While I was on the search, I was employed at a local hotel in Lexington, Kentucky. After my graduation, they began to cut my hours because they hired a management company to come in and completely restructure the business (they definitely do not make any money). Because of my lack of work hours and having just graduated with no more scholarship money or help from my parents, I started to realize maybe life post-college wasn't that great. Since I had to have money to live on, I began filling out forms for credit cards. They paid my bills, my groceries, pretty much everything except my rent. I couldn't help it. I never have support from family, not because of hatred or spite, just because they can't afford themselves, which I understand.

My dad always taught me to make my own way anyway. So I did the best I could with the best I had, which at the time was nothing. This lasted all summer of 2008, and towards the end I began to feel the effects. I had so many monthly payments due I couldn't make them all. This upped my interest rates and tacked on all kinds of fees. Because of that, I had to pick and choose which ones I wanted to pay and which ones I could afford to avoid. I am still feeling these effects today. I am just a whole lot more grateful now that I have a job. However, I still haven't fully recovered, and with Christmas coming up, I am definitely not in a comfortable position.

So when I hear people like Bill O'Reilly talk about how its our responsibility to live within our means, how it's our fault for overburdening ourselves with debt, I become infuriated. To anyone, conservatives, liberals, journalists, creditors, whoever...it's not our fault. It wasn't my fault. I am a capable person. I have lived within my means for years. I never had any support from my family in college. Everything I have I do because of myself, no one else. So to say that this amount of debt that has been placed on my shoulders is my fault...well...to put it childishly, it's just not fair. I didn't want to garner debt. I didn't want to borrow. I didn't ask for this. What I wanted was a job, which took awhile to get. I was always told that if you worked your hardest, especially in college, that everything would come out right for you in the end. But it doesn't. I learned the hard way.

So Bill O...don't go blaming the people who are suffering from massive debt. Any person, any family, would jump at an opportunity to better themselves and their families if they don't have the means to do it. In my case, I had to borrow in order to survive. Granted, there are those who are not frugal, and who see credit cards as just a way to by the new iPhone or tons of other crap from Spencer's they don't need. But not me.

So don't go blaming me. It is these failed regulations. The fees they tack on. The hiking of the interest rates. And fuckers like you who make so much money talking out their own ass that they forget what it's like to be a poor American. So until you remember that, please, stay locked away in your mansions until its safe.

But I look towards the future. There will come a time when this small yet momentous amount of debt will be behind me. And I think about that every day. So if you are in debt, if you feel this pinch and these current rules, I feel you. Stay positive, work hard, eventually you will get out. There are ways. Look towards the future and don't listen to the fascists that tell you it's your fault.

It's not.

Mo' Money Mo' Problems...Just Ask Congress!

Congress, not me, is apparently receiving a raise this year for $4,700. No big deal right? It just puts their total gross salary at $169,300. Good to know. Because I thought during this whole recession thing that our elected leaders weren't going to get the raise they deserved for doing such a WONDERFUL job this year. Whoo!

Hasselbeck gets an apology from W. and Congress gets a raise? I think these things are mentioned somewhere in the Bible...check in Revelations...

Hasselbeck Gets An Apology...From W.?

My crusade against Elisabeth Hasselbeck continues.

Instead of apologizing to the country he has ruined, instead of apologizing to the hundreds of Americans he has illegally spied on through wiretapping and other devious methods, instead of apologizing to the illegally tortured prisoners at Gitmo, instead of apologizing to the citizens of the Gulf Coast for the botched FEMA rescue during Katrina, instead of apologizing to Americans for not acting on the intel received before September 11 regarding a terrorist attack, instead of apologizing to the families of the 4,000 some soliders that have died in Iraq, instead of apologizing to the young children left behind with the "No Child Left Behind Act," instead of apologizing to the regular people who have lost money, homes, and equity due to a disaster of a market created by his administration, and instead of apologizing to George H.W. Bush for ruining the already tarnished family name, George W. Bush has decided to offer an apology to...Elisabeth Hasselbeck.

Apparently, she was upset because she didn't get the invite to the annual White House Christmas Party. What a shame.

Turns out it was lost in the mail. Thank God. I was so worried. At least EVERYTHING isn't a complete disaster.

New G.I. Joe Poster!

You Know What I Hate?

I hate fucking unprofessional, boring, self-involved, arrogant, self-absorbed, unintelligent, loud, annoying, hateful, spiteful, evil motherfuckers at the workplace who are so delved into their work that you understand why that same person has worked there for so many fucking years...because no one else will have them. Boom.

TIME MAGAZINE'S 2008 PERSON OF THE YEAR

You Love It.

Black and Alba Get Their Office On!

Jessica Alba and Jack Black will both be making guest appearances on the greatest comedy currently on television, The Office. The episode will air on February 1st, right after the SuperBowl! What a day that will be (God I'm a loser). Apparently, they won't be in the actual office. The current synopsis is that some of the office workers get bored and decide to watch a bootlegged copy of a Hollywood movie on the internet which stars Alba and Black. It's still awesome, but I would have loved to see Black interact with Michael Scott, or better yet...Kevin. Imagine the possiblities...

The Batarangs Just Keep On Coming!

From Variety and News-A-Rama:

According to Variety and to little surprise, the film will be the top home video release of 2008. During the first week of release of The Dark Knight on DVD and Blu-ray, it sold over 13.5 million copies, worldwide.

Breaking the number down, the total sales include over 1.7 million Blu-ray discs, making it the top-selling Blu-ray disc; and 10 million copies going to consumers, with the remainder going to rental outlets. 3 million copies were sold on December 9th, the first day of release – 600,000 of those were Blu-ray.

Man. This movie just keeps on giving me a reason to be happy, which in itself is pretty sad. Still, after following the film for over a year and a half, these kinds of records make me feel like it wasn't a COMPLETE waste of time...

Uwe Boll Film Festival?

Yeah. That's right. And I'm not even going to say anything more about it. If you don't know what the hell I'm talking about, I urge you not to find out. He's just terrible.

12 Beer Myths! My Brain is Okay!

I found these little golden nuggets somewhere on the interweb, although I forgot the link. I hope they don't get me for copyright infringement *pulls collar*

Myth #1: The Guinness served in Ireland is different to the rest of the world
Actually, the Guinness served in Ireland is most likely the same as that served in Boston or Berlin. However, many people will attest that Guinness simply tastes better in Ireland, which is why the myth spread. There’s a certain amount of sentimentality in this myth, but when you dig into it, most of the reasoning is pretty circumstantial.
There are a few reasons why it may taste better in Ireland - most likely freshness and rapid keg turnover (a pub in Dublin will serve the freshest Guinness in the world) - but the actual product is not any different that the black stuff served around the world. Also, a Guinness drinker in Ireland is guaranteed to have their drink poured correctly in Ireland than in some parts of the world, which will have an impact on the quality of the experience.

Myth #2: Lite beers will help you lose weight
On average, a lite beer will have 90-100 calories, while a regular beer might have under 200. In the grand scheme of things, lite beers will contribute very little to your dietary goals, and considering their typical lack of taste, you’d be better off drinking one or two regular beers.

Myth #3: Dark beers are stronger in alcohol
The color of beer has no relation to its alcohol content. For example, Guinness, one of the most popular dark beers has an alcohol volume of 4.2%, while several light-colored Belgian beers have alcohol content of 8%+.

Myth #4: Corona beer contains urine
This was a nasty rumor claiming that Mexican brewery workers were relieving themselves into the beer. Allegedly, the rumor was spread by a Heineken distributor and was only refuted following a lawsuit by Corona.

Myth #5: Imported beers are stronger than American beers
Traditionally, American beers measure their alcohol content by weight, while many other countries (across Europe and in Canada) measure by volume. The alcohol by weight figure will always appear lower than the alcohol by volume - for example, 4% ABW = 5% ABV, hence the myth creation.

Myth #6: Beer should be served ice-cold for best flavor
This is an unfortunate myth perpetuated by the major commercial breweries - especially for their lite beers. The fact is, flavor typically diminishes when beer is served ice-cold. It may make for a thirst-quenching, refreshing beverage, but often bears little resemblance to traditional beer. Several beers are, in fact, best served much closer to room temperature or slightly cool and are considered undrinkable when icy cold - such as Guinness and many of the traditional English ales.

Myth #7: The best beers have green bottles
Another myth that circulated imported beers. Brown glass is the best color to protect beer from light, which is why most beers are bottled with it. A shortage of brown glass in Europe during the last century led to many breweries using green glass to bottle their beer - therefore, green bottles represented imported beer for many years and people incorrectly assumed the color indicated a better beer.

Myth #8: “Beer before liquor, never sicker - liquor before beer, in the clear”
This is common drinking advice shared but not scientifically true. In reality, alcohol is alcohol, and the overall quantity you imbibe will determine your resulting (in)sobriety or hangover. Drinking beer before drinking hard liquor may prolong the onset of inebriation. However, it won’t ultimately matter whether you drink beer first or last; it’s the quantity of alcohol that does the damage.

Myth #9: You can’t get a hangover from drinking organic beer
If only being eco-friendly was this rewarding! This myth is based on the idea that organic beer is cleaner or purer than other beer, but there’s no existing proof that it manages to avoid giving hangovers when consumed in sufficient quantities.

Myth #10: Beer will raise your cholesterol levels
Beer actually contains no fat and no cholesterol! Perhaps this is one reason that Guinness was originally advertised as good for your health.

Myth #11: A good beer must be high in alcohol
Many people unfairly associate low alcohol with low flavor. There are plenty of poor quality beers that are high in alcohol content, and the opposite is also true. Some of the famous Belgian and German beers have traditionally high average alcohol content - perhaps 8% or 10%. However, the alcohol content is only one feature and doesn’t necessarily account for the good taste. In England, many of the best mild ales have alcohol content of 4% or less - resulting from a higher tax on stronger beer. Of course, the advantage is finding good-tasting, lower alcohol beers is that you can drink more of it!

Myth #12: Beer kills brain cells
Possibly the most damning of all beer myths, and we’re happy to explode this for you. An Australian study has determined that beer is not responsible for killing brain cells as was once thought.

Dead Impatient...

I mentioned earlier that I had some friends come up this weekend. One of them, Bryan, borrowed the new game Left 4 Dead from another friend of ours, Blake, and brought it up to play for the XBOX 360. And man, do I want it.

For about a month I have been chatting about this game with my friends. I consider myself one of the biggest zombie enthusiasts on the planet. I love the books, comics, movies, games, etc. Anything that has to do with zombies, I am all over it. So it should come as no shock to how badly I want this game.

Who knows. Maybe I'll get it for Christmas...please?

The Gap's Been Naughty!

The wonderful organization known as the American Family Association has put out their yearly list of places not to shop this holiday season, because, well, they choose to be politically correct. The organizations the AMA tells people not to shop at have done nothing wrong. They simply use phrases like "Happy Holidays!" and use a broad range of decorations, including Jewish, to advertise and celebrate the holidays. So why doesn't the AMA like them? Well, that's just it! They don't say anything specifically about Christmas!

They don't say Merry Christmas. They don't dedicate their entire Christmas sales to wreaths, trees, lights, instead choosing focusing on all the major seasonal holidays so everyone can enjoy shopping their for their celebratory needs. Sounds to me like very accepting, diverse placings to shop? Oh no AMA, we wouldn't want that.

Among these shops not to shop at (according to these fuckers) are Radio Shack, Kroger, The Gap, CVS, and even the hot bed of activity that is Barnes and Noble.

However, the shops that are okay to shop at are Big Lots, Dollar General, and Bass Pro Shops. Hmm...wonder why that is? Oh yeah, the dumb Southern Christians. Okay. Got it...

I'd like to see things from AMA's point of view, but I can't get my head that far up my own ass. Zing!

So What?

Our wonderful president, who continuously gets more corrupt and devious by the day, has decided that he will no longer be joining us in what I like to call "reality," but instead has decided to move into a little place known as Bush-World.

If you don't know what I'm referring to, Mr. W. was recently interviewed by ABC's Martha Raddatz, not long after the man got an Arabic shoe thrown in his face (hey, I've had worse). W. and Ms. Raddatz decided to talk a little about the War in Iraq: how things were going, how things started, and how they were going to in.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Bush starts off this little piece of mental retardation with the following: One of the major theaters against al Qaeda turns out to have been Iraq.This is where al Qaeda said they were going to take their stand. This is where al Qaeda was hoping to take–.

Ms. Raddatz: But not until after the U.S. invaded.

Bush: Yeah, that's right. So what?

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Yes, that's right folks. Bush's own admission: that al Qaeda was not in Iraq until the United States got there. So to say we went there in the first place to fight these bastards is a lie, a trick, and completely false. "So what?" That is a big "so what."

He might as well have said:

"So what if I tricked the American people that the war was a good idea because I lied and stated our enemies were already there..."

"So what if there were no WMD's or al Qaeda there, therefore no reason to actually go..."

"So what if we should have been focusing our attention on Osama Bin Laden and Afghanistan instead of raping an entire people and their country..."

"So what if I'm the most destructive and devious president in the history of the United States..."

"So what if Dick Cheney had a alot of net profit to gain from the invasion of Iraq..."

Yeah. He's right. So what?

My Emily Graduated...

This past Saturday, on December 13th, 2008, my very best friend from West Liberty, Kentucky, Emily Nicole Bishop, graduated from Morehead State University. I have known Emily my entire life, LITERALLY. I met her when she was first born. I was three months old at the time. My father was best friends with her father, which made my mother and hers best friends, so we were always around each other all the time. I am so grateful for her that I cannot even put it into words. She is the love of my life. Someone I cherish more deeply than anything on this planet. I am so proud of her for graduating and couldn't feel more excited. My only regret is wishing I could be there, but unfortunately couldn't, due to finances, etc. But I just wanted to share with everyone how proud I am, and how grateful I am to have her in my life. Congratulations Emily!

I wanted to take the time and let you all know of something that I am very grateful for. This past weekend, I had a few friends come up, two from West Liberty, Kentucky, and one from Louisville, Kentucky (virtually opposite of each other). They did that so we could all get together and do our Christmas shopping, a tradition we have done for four years now. I also got together with some friends to play a game of Yankee swap. I ended up with two beer glasses, a regular tall one and then one that can go into a freezer to freeze. Overall, I had a wonderful weekend, and it was made possible by all the wonderful and interesting friends I have.

-Murrel, who I don't know what I'd do without his belligerent drunkenness and who keeps supporting me through friendship and copious amounts of alcohol.
-Liz, whose kindness and jovial attitude I could not appreciate and love more.
-Bethany, who couldn't play the game with us due to an illness in her family, but who I thought of often during, and I hope everything is okay.
-Schulte, who brings a comedic attitude into everything we do, and really lightens up the place. He has also had something devastating happen to his family this weekend, and I am thinking of him as well.
-Lauren, who I was happy to finally get to spend time with. I felt like I hadn't seen her in forever.
-Simeon, who is just down right hilarious to be around, especially quoting terrible movies and South Park.
-And Harry, whose coolness never ceases to amaze me, moonshine or not.

-My nephew Zach M. who took Bethany's spot while she was gone. His wit continues to make me laugh until I feel like I am busting a gut, and who is wonderful to hang around. (His emails keep me going at work, too).

-And the two friends who came down from the Eastern and Western parts of Kentucky, Zach E. and Bryan, where we continue to be friends even though we're all located in different parts of the Commonwealth.

The shopping tradition is especially important to me. In 2005, the year my father passed away, Zach E. and I had just got done from our yearly excursion, and then decided to visit my father at the hospital. That was the last day I would ever see my father, and Zach was with me.

This weekend I realized how important it is to have friends and how life would be pointless and alone without them.

Happy Holidays!

Snikt!

Hugh Jackman has been announced as the host of 2009's Academy Awards. Obviously, I am very excited because I am a major geek/loser and can't get past the idea of Wolverine hosting something as prestigious as these awards. Also, I have been buzzing about the potential awards that The Dark Knight should be receiving. The late Heath Ledger has already been nominated for a Golden Globe, and I hope that's just the start. Imagine the geekgasm I am having just picturing Wolverine announcing awards for Batman and The Joker. That's awesome.

He Doesn't Deserve It. But Show W. Some Respect!

If you haven't already heard, yesterday (Sunday), George W. Bush was giving a press conference in Baghdad when an angry television journalist named Muntadhar al-Zaidi began throwing his shoes at the president. W. managed to avoid being hit by the shoes (he actually had very quick cat-like reflexes, believe it or not) and the angry journalist was subdued within seconds of the outburst.

Now, I'm all for angry outbursts. Ask my friends Murrel and Bryan. And I hate W. just as much as anybody (probably not the Iraqis, because I haven't had my country brutally raped and tarnished by him...oh wait, yes I have), but at least as much as any American could. But there is a time and a place for these outbursts, and there is a way to be professional and responsible about them. I know the Iraqi people are angry. I know they don't want us to be there because we have destroyed everything and probably done more damage in the end then would have if we weren't there. But you just can't go around throwing shoes at world leaders...especially the Commander-in-Chief of the most powerful country in the world.

Come on al-Zaidi. Couldn't you have started a blog? They're free on http://www.blogger.com/. How do you think I pour out my hatred of the president? If you're a journalist, can't you just write negative things and mail them to him? You're probaby lucky the officials of your country don't kill you. Because if you would have thrown a shoe at him in America, you would have definitely been shot by now. So get over yourself. I know you're mad. I understand. But you don't make an ass of yourself on international television to get your point across. That's what reality television stars do.

I will say this: I hope that the message is clear to George W. Bush about what the majority of these people think. Americans. Iraq. Every other country on the planet. Being there is a mistake. It has ruined lives of people all over the world. The whole situation has been mishandled, and the Bush Administration is a disaster. I have read and heard on NPR that hitting someone with your shoes in Iraq is the biggest insult one can use, like the middle finger and the word c*nt is in America.

W., Iraq thinks you are a c*nt. I hope you're happy with what you've accomplished there.

Alright John McCain!

Although I'm sure John McCain is the grandfather of the devil, he does seem to be having at least some small moments of clarity. This week, Senator McCain announced that he does not know if he will be supporting his former running mate Sarah Palin in her attempt to get the GOP nomination in 2012. It looks like he finally realized what the rest of us did: that she is an unintelligent, foolish, attention-starved, hypercritical bigot who has no place being involved in politics, and whose very appearance probably caused John McCain to lose the election in the first place. Way to go John! Better late than never I always say...

Also, Senator McCain blasted the RNC for pressuring Barack Obama and company to release tapes of his conversations with the soon-to-be-impeached Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich. It's no secret that the Republican base has tried to tie Senator Obama to this man in a negative way, like the time they tried to connect him with terrorists, evil Muslims, and Brothrak, Lord of Darkness. They would say and do anything just to destroy Obama's reputation, and repeatedly, that has failed. Senator McCain has finally learned that as well: that you can't keep throwing Obama's name in the dirt and expect the American people to react negatively. People love Obama, as they should, and they're not going to listen to the bile that the RNC keep pushing out. Get over it! We live in a liberal America now, baby!

Thanks John. Thanks for finally figuring out that Republicans lie to trash Obama. Thanks for figuring out that Sarah Palin shouldn't be president, nor should she even be able to let out of the house without supervision for fear that she may do something utterly stupid that ends up putting someone in a coma.

Thanks John!

Interesting Tattoo...

...Don't you think?

Nickelback at Rupp?

The redundant travesty they like to call Nickelback will be performing in my city of Lexington, Kentucky, on February 27th, 2009. This is not long after the Slipknot concert I plan to attend on February 14, 2009.

I've said it before and I'll say it again: Nickelback is terrible. There is no reason anyone should go see them. Instead, go see Slipknot! Yeah! I know I personally plan to a wear a "Nickelback Sucks" T-Shirt when I go to the Slipknot concert.

Rupp Arena is like Joe Lieberman: Just when you think they've made a good decision, you're reminded in the end that they make overall bad decisions, i.e. having Slipknot, then souring the city of Lexington by having Nickelback a week or so after...

Sigh.

Rated G: Bettie Page

This Rated G moment is for Bettie Page, who passed away yesterday, December 11, at 6:41 PM, who had recently been hospitalized due to a heart attack. Page was a famous American model, mostly noted for her fetish shots and pin-ups during the 1950's. Today, she is almost as popular as she was back then, achieving a huge cult following and is considered an icon by most.

39 Days Left of President Busch...

My Awesome Administration

Barack and Joe just keep on getting cooler and cooler.

On the official web site for the new president-elect and vice president-elect is a new link that is totally awesome! The link allows your to submit questions you have that could possibly be answered by Barack Obama himself. You can ask questions regarding their new administration, the terrible Bush administration, the bailouts, economy, or even favorite sex position, although I would recommend against doing that.

You can also read other questions that have been submitted and vote on them. The questions with the highest number of votes will be answered sometime on the web site. You can also flag questions that you deem inappropraite or just down right nasty, so the sex-position thing might not fly with other people...just in case you're wondering.

But be sure to head over to http://www.change.gov/ to check it out.

...God I love these people.

Golden Globes Are No Laughing Matter

Earlier I mentioned how Heath Ledger should definitely receive some sort of award at this years Oscars; if not the award for Best Supporting Actor, then at least something that gives him credit for his role as the Joker in The Dark Knight.

Well, it looks like that may be closer to happening then we think. Earlier this week, Ledger received a posthumous Golden Globe nomination for Best Supporting Actor. The awards will be televised on January 11, so we aren't too far away from finding out if he will actually win or not.

Now, to quote Calculon from Futurama: "Golden Globe? That's the Emmy of movie awards!" I certainly agree. They're not quite as prestigious as the Oscars, but it's still very important on the road for Ledger winning the big one. Way to recognize talent Golden Globes!

Rated G: Anna Torv

She's the star of one of the best shows on television, Fringe. She's also hot. And the fact that she has an accent doesn't hurt.

No Smoking for You!

The place of my employment (which is also my nourishing mother of studies, i.e. alma mater), the University of Kentucky, now has its officials discussing the possibility of issuing a smoking ban campus wide. They have already issued one for the hospital and other medical facilities, and now look to spread the anxiety throughout the rest of campus. Now, I am no smoker, but I do sympathize with smokers. My mother, two brothers, two sister-in-laws, niece, best friend, best friend's mother, and my best friend's step-father all smoke, not to mention the gajillions friends, co-workers, and fraternity brothers I have that smoke. I grew up in the House of Smoke. I know it's not a good thing for these people to do but it's their choice. I really don't see how the university instituting this type of ban really benefits anyone.

For instance, I have this co-worker who is an avid smoker. She occasionally takes a break to go outside to perform the "evil deed." Then she comes back in, refreshed and ready to roll. The area where she smokes has no traffic of students, faculty, or staff. It is basically isolated, so she's really not hurting anyone. If she wants to hurt herself, that's fine.

Now I understand the point of having it banned around hospitals and medical facilities. That makes sense. But for an organization which schools some 30,000 students, employs thousands of people, and who have hundreds of faculty members, well, the idea of issuing such a ban is...well, it's just too big. People who really NEED to smoke, and I mean really NEED it, are going to find a way. So they shouldn't be persecuted for it. Just my opinion.

Okay. Okay. I do occasionally smoke at bars. Okay, maybe more than that. But not at work or home. I'm just sayin...

Joe the Fuckstick Is At It Again!

Apprently, Joe the Plumber has completed his mission to bash Barack Obama in the most ridiculous ways possible, and has now focused his attention on the OTHER guy from this year's presidential race. Hey Joe...

Some Christmas Cheer...

I was so poor growing up, if I hadn't been a boy I'd have had nothing to play with on Christmas Day.

~Rodney Dangerfield

Do you do this with Christmas tree lights? You have a string of them and one bulb is dead and you flick the bulb with your finger to get it to light up? They do the same thing with George Bush before a debate.

~Jay Leno

My sister got a set of perfumes called Ample. It was tiny. Even I could see where Dad scraped off the S..."

~Stephen K. Amos

Rose are reddish, violets are bluish, if it wasn't for Christmas, we'd all be Jewish."

~Benny Hill

Christmas is a time for remembering. So that's me fucked.

~Ozzy Osbourne

Obama at 79%!

Barack Obama currently has a 79% approval rating during his transition period. Now I know what you're thinking. How can Barack Obama have an approval rating even though he really hasn't done anything yet? Well, this isn't a rating on actual presidential performance, as CNN explains. It is a rating where Americans are polled on how well they think the "honeymoon" or transition phase is going for the president-elect after Election Day. During George W.'s transition period, he only had a 65% approval rating, and Bill Clinton only had a 62% approval rating.

Yes folks. That's exactly what it means. Barack Obama currently has a transition approval rating 14 points higher than W.'s, and 17 points higher than Bill Clinton's.

This quote is from CNN's senior political analyst Bill Schneider:

"An Obamam job approval rating of 79%--that's the sort of rating you see when the public rallies around a leader after a national disaster. To many Americans, the Bush administration was a national disaster."

Wow. Obama's awesome and W. is considered a national disaster. This is finally the world I want to live in.

Yeah...

The.Worst.President.Ever.

In an attempt to make Americans forget all the vile, evil, twisted, sick, greedy, terrible, disgusting, destructive, abhorrent, maniacal, and egotistical acts George Bush has done while being president, Peggy Noonan had this to say:

"I think history is going to look upon the George W. Bush presidency quite favorably. He has kept this country safe -- ah, since 9/11, we have not been attacked on our own soil. That is first and foremost the most important thing that Barack Obama can do as president, and I hope and pray that the Obama presidency is at least as successful as the Bush presidency in that regard."

Look at George W. Bush quite favorably? To quote Dane Cook (the only time this is acceptable): ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR FUCKING MIND? YOU ARE! YOU REALLY ARE OUT OF YOUR FUCKING MIND!

Rated G: Emma Watson

The Harry Potter star just recently turned 18 and said she'd start considering doing more films that may potentially have her doing nude scenes. Man, I have no life.

Life Was Only In June

I want to escape my own insanity.
But living here in my own reality
Keeps me locked in some kind of mature hell.
I'd kill for one ounce of clarity
Of the blind and stupid variety
And I'm not into that whole brevity thing too well.
Let's please excuse the formality.
Fuck everything with immense intensity
And put me down so quite quick and fast.
If you manage, it would be charity
Putting me out of my fucking misery
And do it right so we surely know it lasts.
I've simply lost all good quality
But I'm drowning in never-ending quantity
And the taste of life has gone from sweet to sour.
There is no such thing as good infinity,
No peace in life, just death in eternity,
The only idea left that holds any power.
Of death I have grown quite an affinity,
Of life, nothing but a small personal amenity,
So cry no tears for me, I'll be gone soon.
Love has left me no serenity.
She'll stay home with her own trinity.
And I'll go knowing life was only in June.

~GS, 7/10/2008

Slipknot at Rupp!

I am very excited! Today, Rupp Arena announced that on February 14, Valentine's Day, Slipknot will be performing for their All Hope is Gone Tour! I couldn't be more fucking thrilled! This is a band I have been wanting to see live lately, and it's as if this has become my own little Christmas miracle. The tickets go on sale tomorrow for presale only on Ticket Master, and then they officially go on sale Sunday, the 6th. I will definitely be getting some as soon as G can afford it. That puts the concert on a Saturday, which starts at 7 PM, so you can get your ass I am going to get tore up in celebration that day. Coheed and Cambria will also be there. I have already seen them with Linkin Park, so maybe I'll be a few minutes late (i.e. they suck). Joygasm!

Punisher: War Zone

Okay, okay. Maybe the new movie I have been excited for, Punisher: War Zone, isn't really that great after all. I mean, I haven't seen it yet, but from the 12% Rotten Tomatoes is giving it, maybe my hopes were deeply misplaced. So, I have replaced my "See the Punisher" banner on the right with a "Happy Holidays from Evil Santa and Two Hot Elf Women" banner. Enjoy!

Christmas Story? Never Seen It.

It may come as a shock to all of you (and by all of you I meant the 3 people reading), but I have never seen the now famous and traditional A Christmas Story. That's right. The movie that runs for 24 hours every year on Christmas Eve on TNT, I have never seen. Every time I tell someone this they look at me like I'm crazy. It's like I'm saying to them that I have never heard of Jesus.

I have considered me not having watched the film a tradition for a long time, probably since 2003. That year I made it aware to my family that I had never seen it and I was verbally abused by them because of it. The next year was the same. Then the next. Then the next. So I have went ahead and made a drastic decision: this year, the Christmas of 2008, I will watch A Christmas Story during the 24 hour marathon on TNT. I will finally end this level of ignorance I find myself in, and become informed.

From what I know it should be okay, right? I mean, any movie with pink rabbit pajamas and a leg lamp has to be a good one, right? Oh God...

Rated G: Anna Faris

Secret Invasion #8

Today is the day that Secret Invasion #8 arrives to comic book stores. This is a crossover event written by Brian Michael Bendis and penciled by Linel Yu (spell that right?) for Marvel Comics that I have been reading for...well...a long time. This happens to be the final issue so I am very excited. After I leave work, I am going straight to the comic book store to get it, even though I have no money. Man, I am a total dork.

Stat Pack: Office Fun!

Because we are about to approach one of the best holidays of the year, I thought I would give out a little information that makes Christmas that much more fun and interesting.

According to a survey conducted by a condom manufactuer company who interviewed some 1200 workers, 49% of them would like to have sex at their upcoming office Christmas party and would do so if given the opportunity.

Think about that the next time accounts receivable and human resources disappear for around twenty minutes...

Oscars May Be Knighted...

It is a well known fact that the Academy Awards show no favor or praise toward genre films. This would include movies heavy on horror, action, sex, gimmicks, and especially comic book movies. In fact, most comic book movies never get a nod, no matter how good they are. Occasionally they MIGHT get a special effects nod, but usually never prevail.

However, there has been much buzz over the fact that Christopher Nolan's grounded-in-reality film The Dark Knight may be nominated for a few awards for the 2009 awards. There is no doubt that it is a great film, having almost made that Titanic money. And if you know me, I am crazy about comic books and consider this film to be the Bible of movies for myself. I followed The Dark Knight since Batman Begins ended and couldn't have been more pleased.

There are many other fans like me, who believe that just because the movie is based on a comic book character, doesn't mean it shouldn't be considered as an artistic and historic piece of film. This is why the guys over at DarkCampaign.com have designed their web site: in order to garner the attention of the Academy at let the fans' voices be heard. If you are at all interested, head over to the link at the right and check it out. It's pretty interesting.

Rated G: Katy Perry

I am going to do this thing from now on where I post pictures of women that I think are HOT on here. For no reason. Except that. Yeah.

I would let her carve a Chelsea Grin into me any day.

Fox Noise: CavutOmarosa!

Last night on Faux News...Fox Noise...Faux Noise...uh, Fox News, the wonderfully fair and balanced Neil Cavuto had...that's right...OMAROSA as a guest to weigh in on Obama's new foreign policy team, among other things. If you don't know who Omarosa is, she is that publicty whore from the first season of The Apprentice, a show produced by another publicity whore, Donald Trump. She is famous for crying, whining, and bitching. She is an embaressment. A nobody. A fool. A fraud. And a joke.

Fitting she would be on with Neil Cavuto, who is also all of those things...except a woman...although that's debateable.

Georgia's Chevron

I wanted to take the time and actually post something positive...so here goes a try...

Being from Eastern Kentucky, one learns alot about cars, mechanics, body shops, etc. I personally don't know much about cars, but I know enough to know when something is wrong and what may be wrong with it. But I live in Lexington. Used to, I would take my vehicle to a local mechanic or body shop in my hometown of West Liberty, Kentucky. There, where my father's good friends worked, I could trust that my vehicle would be taken care of and that I wasn't getting ripped off. Mechanics, of course, have a reputation of cheating the customer. Some try sell you things you don't need. Others just charge you more. But I always felt comfortable at home.

Living in Lexington has been a challenge when it comes to that comfort. There are alot of crooks around here. And I'll admit: I'm probably an easy target, because I honestly don't know much. So when I first got here about 5 years ago, I was very hesitant toward having my car repaired here. In the beginning, when something was wrong, I would just have my car towed back home to West Liberty, roughly 70-80 miles away, which wound up being very expensive. So I had to stop that, which meant I had to find a good mechanic. A good mechanic is hard to find.

However, if you are from Lexington, then I want you to know: Georgia's Chevron, located on Nicholasville Road (see address below), is a wonderful place. The lady who runs it (I assume she is Georgia), has treated me with respect and gave me an honest price EVERY TIME I have went to see her. She is an elderly lady, very kind and welcoming. However, she's also a maverick, and woman who runs the entire business aspect of this little shop. When you walk in and see her talk to her mechanics, you KNOW she's the boss.

I discovered this place when I lived on Malabu Drive, which is where the shop is located, at the corner of it and Nicholasville like I mentioned above. I'm glad I did. There are rare places in this town that feel like home to me. But this is one of them. The workers there are quick, polite, and don't care to explain and show you what the problem is. There's free coffee in the front of the shop. And there's always Miss Georgia sitting there, in the same seat she always sets, ready to have a conversation with you while you wait.

Trust me. Give it a try. If you need work done, try it:

Georgia's Chevron
2398 Nicholasville Rd, Lexington, KY 40503 Phone: (859) 278-0914

STAT PACK: 12/02/2008

Here is an interesting statistic...

The organization known as American Youth recently completed a study where they interviewed some 30,000 high school students. The study focused on misbehavior in the youths. Naturally, the study concluded that BOYS lie more than GIRLS. 30% of the students admitted to stealing which was a two percent rise from 2006.

However, that is not the interesting part.

The study also showed that an overwhelming majority of 83% of these students from public and RELIGIOUS SCHOOLS misbehaved, versus only 78% of those attending NON-RELIGIOUS schools. Now, I do want to make it clear that I have no vendetta on religion. I know I post a lot about it and they usually aren't positive posts. But there are facts that need to be known. Like this one. That says if you go to a religious school, you are more likely to lie, cheat, and steal. So...yeah. Religion...steal....lie....not good. No religion....behave....happy...maybe good? But what the hell do I know?

THANKFUL

I know this is probably a bit late, but last week I wanted to post something where I could express what I am thankful for this Thanksgiving holiday. Unfortunately, due to work and travel, I was unable to find the time needed to make that post, so I decided I would do it anyway.

I AM THANKFUL FOR...

• Sarah Palin. Without her, Barack Obama would not have been elected President of the United States. Thank you Sarah Palin. I am very grateful to have a dumbass like you as a Republican politician.
• Great friends: Murrel, Zach E., Zach M., Liz, Bethany, Austin, Bryan, Lauren, Harry, Blair, Havens, et al...
• My family.
• Comic books. God, I don't know what I'd do without comic books.
• My dad. Even though he is still not around, the memory of him and all that he has taught me echoes in my life everyday, and for that I am very thankful.
• Having a job. There was a time when, after I graduated, I was at the lowest point in my entire life. After the loss of a girl and the added pressure of not knowing what was going to happen after graduation, I thought I was going to lose it. Then they cut the hours I was working at my job I held then. Six months it took me to find a good, real professional job. I finally did, and I am VERY grateful, especially living in this tough economy.
• Beer. Ice cold teeth bustin', as Harry would say.
• The Bengals. I figure there has to be at least ONE person in the world thankful for them.
• Coffee. How can you function without it?
• A rational mind. No one else seems to have one.
• Nice clothes. I am sharp.
• Being from Kentucky.
• Being from Eastern Kentucky.
• Good food for Thanksgiving. I love it. Who doesn't?
• Neil Gaiman. A great author. Never heard of him? I probably don't like you.
• Books.
• Mine and Tyrel's philosophical discussions.
• XBOX 360.
• HBO. We're talking Sopranos, Entourage, True Blood, John Adams, The Life and Times of Tim, Flight of the Conchords, Extras, and that damned cancelled Lucky Louie. That was a good show, I don't give a fuck what anyone says.
• My niece and nephew, Blair and Zach, respectively.
• My wonderful mother. Even if she is able to drive me completely insane.
• Hard metal. Slipknot, Rammstein, Opeth. Oh yeah
• My co-worker Shalysa, whom without, I might not get through the day.
• And finally, all three of you who read this blog. For this I am thankful.

HAPPY BELATED THANKSGIVING!