A Christmas Apology

We're here hold up in the Lake House tonight. The big story here is not the snow, but the rain... over ten inches in some parts of the Sierra Nevada. We attempted to go to Squaw Valley today to ride the cable car, but it was closed due to the weather. It was raining so hard there. It's truly sad because the little snow they have is melting because of all the rain. The good news is the snow level is finally starting to drop and should be snowing at lake level by tomorrow afternoon or evening. It's about time. It has snowed twice since we've been here, and literally the rest of the time it has rained. I never remember seeing so much rain at once here. We had dinner at a French restaurant in Genoa tonight called La Ferme. It was wonderful. It was nice to go somewhere unique with friends and enjoy good food. On the way back up the mountain we ran into several small rock slides, two of which completely blocked at least one lane of traffic with large boulders. It was rather scary. But we're here now, at the Lake House, and we'll stay here for the evening. It's scary out there.

Now to the Christmas Apology. The other day, Beth, Dan and I went to breakfast at a local's favorite hole in the wall called "The Red Hut." While there we found a community "newspaper" called the Sierra Sage. What a piece of shit that thing is. I'd hardly call it a newspaper, rather a rag sheet prepared by the GOP themselves. I told SpyCgirl to liken it to toilet paper on her blog... although the paper is already saturated with shit. Watch out for skids. The front page article isn't news at all, rather "A Christmas Apology" written by the editor, Bush's favorite ass kisser in the Sierra Nevada, Les Semus.

First he starts out by apologizing for being Christian and for celebrating Christmas. Of course, he dives in to a tangent about the so-called "war on Christmas." As I wrote before, this fake "war" has simply been created by the conservative media to drum up crap during the holidays. Nothing is different than any year before, it's just that Bill O'Reilly and the rest of the yellow journalists at GOP TV decided to latch on to something because their savior, no, not Jesus Christ, but Jesus Bush, is in shit trouble with the country. What a way to distract the masses. He goes on to apologize for being a jackass, fucktard and ignorant dick. Don't I wish. He continues to apologize, sarcastically, for all the things he and his Christian friends feel victimized for... like same sex marriage, same sex parent households, vegetarians and animal lovers... blah, blah, blah. If it isn't shocking, it's laughable. He also calls the ACLU anti-American. I find that very odd since his "newspaper" exists because of the ACLU's relentless quest of protecting the First Admendment and the rights it affords.

The other article on the front page is written by an equally dim fucktard named Carl Caudill. His article is almost entirely about the "war on Christmas." He states, "Our kids no longer have a Christmas... our educational system has become a PC (politically correct) factory whose goal is to change the United States into a secular, cookie cutter nation." What? Did a conservative hack really accuse the liberals of being secular and cookie cutter? That's exactly what he is supposed to be. It's the Christian right, the conservative fuckheads who are making this country cookie cutter and secular. The Republicans and Christian coalition long for the perfect race, just like Hitler.... blonde hair and blue eyes. Oh, and the skin is white too. It's all about the normalization of society. They "accept" (supposedly) all races, but that is a mere ploy to gain financial and voting support. Secular and cookie cutter are exactly what liberals are fighting. We believe in individuality. Obvisouly Mr. Caudill is a little confused. Maybe that's why his article was second on the front page. WTF?

There is another area of the paper called "Sage Views on the New: A Conservative Alternative." Yeah, you guessed it, more uneducated banter from wannabe journalists. They discuss further George Bush, Harry Reid, abortion and affirmative action. You can imagine what they had to say about those topics. More shit spewing from the used toilet paper.

After reading only a few paragraphs, Dytz decided to clean out the remaining copies (they're free) and utilize them as kindling to help us start fires at home. The added shit on the paper has made for a very good fire starter. I guess it's time for me to offer my "Christmas Apology" and say sorry for taking all the papers.

Can you hear me now?

Not that anyone is complaining, but I am losing my voice. It is starting to get crackly and high pitched... who nows how long it'll last. I am still takin' it easy here at the Lake House, having a good time with Beth and Dan. Rene left today because his mother is flying in to Reno from Paris late tonight. They're going to stay in Reno tonight and then head up to the Lake tomorrow afternoon.

We are contemplating whether or not we want to see a movie tonight. Maybe we'll see Memoirs of a Geisha. Not sure yet. I do want to go to the store and get the stuff to make my infamous tortilla soup. It is so yummy, I'm craving it. We're also going to make homemade cookies tonight. Sounds good.

It's nice to be with friends and in such a beautiful setting, despite being sick. It warms the soul and makes me happy.

Hangin' in there

I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday. Beth and I did... it certainly was a blessing in disguise to be able to spend part of the holiday with my family thanks to being sick, but I have to tell you, being sick is getting old. No, not getting, IS old. The pressure in my head is still there but has subsided somewhat. Now I have a new and different sore throat than what I had a couple of days ago. I don't quite understand this, but nonetheless it hurts, and worse than before. This is a strange cold.

I am staying at the Lake House with Beth, Dan and Rene. It snowed Christmas night and the morning after. It was really windy all night so there was about an inch or two accumulation. The snow is still on the ground and plenty more is in the forecast. As a matter of fact, we're under a winter storm warning through tomorrow which the weather experts predict will be extended through Thursday. There are two more storms coming, one passing through tonight and the other tomorrow morning. With these two storms that makes four since Christmas Day. And, they say this pattern will continue well into the New Year. There are some wet days ahead, indeed, and we may see as much as a foot of snow here at the house by the time it's said and done. Of course, we're at Lake Level so the upper elevations will receive several feet of new snow.

Beth and Rene may attempt skiing today. It all depends on the weather. I can't believe how expensive lift tickets are here. We're in a holiday period which makes the tickets even more expensive, but oh my goodness. $73/day for Heavenly, $59 for Diamond Peek, $62 for Kirkwood, Sierra at Tahoe and Northstar (I may be off a buck or two... can't remember exactly what each is). And skiing a half day (after 12:30) will only save you about ten bucks. Very expensive indeed. I wish, I wish, I wish I could go skiing too, but that certainly isn't prudent given how I am feeling and this cold is persisting now, into its seventh day.

Yesterday we managed to get out and try our luck at post Christmas shopping. We went to the Factory Outlets at the Y and found some good bargains there. Dan and Rene got really lucky and practically obtained a new wardrobe at a really good price. Beth and I picked up a few things... I got a new pair of shoes and cords. Last night we had an early dinner at Baja Fresh before heading home for hot chocolate and a night of games. Dan taught Beth and I how to play this game called Carcassonne where you draw game pieces and create part of the French countryside complete with castles, farms and monasteries. It was confusing at first, but a lot of fun and easy in the end. We'll probably play it some more.

Happy Birthday pops! Tonight we are headed to my parents to have dinner with them... today my dad turns 60! I can't believe it. 60 just doesn't seem old anymore, at least like it used to when we were younger. Indeed, 60 isn't old at all, but I can't believe one of my parents has hit the milestone age. We're going to dinner at the J&T, a Basque, family style restaurant. It's one of my all time favorites, a meal I try not miss each time I am in town.

Merry Christmas!

Ok, this time for real! I have not gotten over my cold and was therefore unable to go to work. I am happy to be home for the holiday, but I am really getting tired of being sick. My sore throat is gone, for the most part, and the aches have stopped. But the pressure in my head is still very uncomfortable.

Anyway, Merry Christmas to you all! I hope you have a wonderful day wherever you are!

Confessions from a La-Z-Boy part II

Here I sit, continuing to do nothing but sit in the chair, sleep and be bored by daytime television. I've been trying to get into a doctor for a test that measures the pressure in my ears, but haven't been successful. So, I'm playing it safe, taking it low and I won't be getting on an airplane. I am going to see how I feel tomorrow and go from there. At least I have had an opportunity to play with my new laptop... it's definitely been getting put to use.

I have two little princesses sitting next to me... Lacey and Bailey are curled up on the loveseat next to me. It's nice to have them around, their eyes are full of sympathy, at least it looks like that to me. They're so cute.

Confessions from a La-Z-Boy

I thought that if I ignored it long enough, it would go away. But it hasn't, and I've come to the conclusion I need to seek sympathy. I'm sick. I don't know if it's allergies or not, but the back of my throat hurts bad, real bad, and I have enough pressure in my ears to power a small hydraulic system. On top of that, I ache everywhere. I'm not taking any medication for the cold, but am taking Motrin to ease the aches. I hate the foggy head that comes with cold medicines and am going to hold out as long as possible.

The only good thing out of all this is I am home. Mommy is making me keep a low profile, and that's probably not a bad thing.

Scat showers

Sounds gross, I know. While watching the morning news here one of the weather graphics said there was going to be "Scat Showers" today. Holy shit, literally. I don't think my umbrella can handle falling poop, because after all, that's what scat is. Yuck! If only they knew.

Merry Christmas!

This post is coming to you a few days early but that is necessary since I am working Christmas Day. Beth and I drove to Gardnerville today for the holidays. Sadly, I have to leave Friday, but Beth gets to stay and enjoy all the fun. Beth, Dan, Rene and sometimes I will be staying up at Lake Tahoe starting Saturday and will be there through New Year's Day. We celebrated Christmas today, that is we opened the presents today, since my brother was in town as well. He is going back to Sacramento tomorrow and then to Vegas to spend Christmas with Rene's family.

Did someone say presents? Oh yeah, that was me. And I am writing to you right now from one of mine: my new iBook G4! Hooray. I put this gift on my list as my outrageous gift (mom wanted cheap to outrageous) but I never expected to get it. I had other, much less expensive but really nice things on my list I thought she would have gotten long before this one. I am so excited!

My brother asked me, "Why Mac?" He still uses Mac to this day, I did in college. To be honest, I really miss Macs. I like my PC at home, but I was looking for a small laptop to take to work with me, and here it is. This was an easy way to get back into the world of Mac. I am in absolute love with this thing. Can't wait to really dive into the thing and really get to know it. Jenn, I'll be looking for shortcuts and tips... anything you can provide to help me make the most of my new iBook.

Welcome aboard flight 10 with service to Ridiculous

Me: Hi, welcome aboard.

Passenger: Hi. Do you have any pillows and blankets?

Me: I sure do. It's five dollars for the set and they're yours to keep. Enjoy! Would you like anything to drink?

Passenger: Yes. I would like a diet Coke.

Me: Ok, that'll be a dollar.

Passenger: What?

Me: Yes, unfortunately sodas are now a dollar, but you get the whole can. Oh, and if you're hungry you can get a sandwhich for five dollars and a snack box for three. And if you want to watch the movie, that'll be another two dollars.

Passenger: But I have my own headset.

Me: Oh good! You just saved two dollars. What a bargain hunter you are! We only charge for the headsets, the entertainment itself is free. I hope you enjoy the flight.

Yes, folks, this is what it's coming too. On one hand I get it. Airline tickets are cheaper than ever before and airlines are paying record amounts for fuel. Airlines like mine, which have done a good job keeping themselves out of bankruptcy are left with the huge debt burdens other airlines have been able to skip thanks to bankruptcy. But that leaves my carrier and others with a big disadvantage and they're now looking for ways to boost revenue, since the market won't support higher ticket prices.

One of the ways the airlines can do this is charge for things that were typically free in the past. Gone are the days of free meals, and even snacks, in economy. Now you can buy food if you want it. Pillows are gone, blankets are next. But don't worry, you'll soon be able to buy your own set for five bucks. That may not be a bad deal in the end. They'll be yours to keep and are of higher quality than the ones you used to get for free. Sodas? A buck please. Want to check your baggage curbside instead of waiting in line at the ticket counter? That'll be two bucks per bag.

I want to know what you think? What services are essential and what aren't? How much are you willing to pay to ensure these things remain free? Or would you rather pay less for the ticket and buy the amenities a la carte?

Southwest Airlines vs. Wal-Mart

The two share some similarities... Southwest is the top discount airline in the US, Wal-Mart is the top discount retailer; both in terms of revenue, profitability and size. And they share one more trait: a knack for controversy.

We all know Southwest is a much better corporation for it's employees than Wal-Mart is for there's, but Southwest is beginning to take flack for some of their corporate practices. More specificially, the public is starting to turn on them for bullying their plans through Congress to grow their operation at Dallas Love Field at the expense of surrounding neighbors. It looks like they are learning lessons from the most inept corporate neighbor, Wal-Mart.

I've written about it here before, and will probably continue as this issue comes to a head. Dallas Love Field is restricted by the Wright Ammendment which states airplanes with over fifty seats in scheduled commercial operations cannot fly beyond the states that border Texas. There have been a few ammendments to the amendment throughout the years, adding Arkansas and just last week, Missouri. Southwest agreed to these restrictions when they began flying from Love Field 35 years ago.

Now, instead of moving their operations to DFW airport, where every other US airline flies to in North Texas, Southwest wants to expand their monopoly by flying to all 48 contiguous US states from Love, without making room for other airlines to compete. It's a contentious issue, and, of course, I'm on the other side of the issue since my employer would be negatively impacted by such a move. There are several bills passing through Congress in both support of Southwest's move as well as against it.

To learn more, visit KeepDFWStrong and SetLoveFree for information from both sides. Although you may not live in North Texas the outcome of this battle has the potential to impact your travel options no matter where you live.

Two thumbs down

I always wondered...

SpyCgirl has new look

My significant other has decided to change her blog and slightly alter the name, and therefor, the URL to get there. She decided to make it anonymous so as to say what she really thinks, and her first post is a testament to her new found freedom of expression. Lt. D pointed out something rather nasty about the old name, hence an exchange of one letter for another, and a name that makes a little more sense. If you'd like to check it out, use the link in the column to the right.

War on Christmas?

Oh my god... will it ever let up? The neo-nazi Christian right are at it again. And yes, a war has been declared against Christmas. At least in my house and the commercialism of it all. I was very proud of President Bush and Mrs. Bush (I know, can you believe it?) for sending out a Holiday card as a opposed to a Christmas card. Good for them for being sensitive enough to include all faiths and beliefs of those that would receive the cards. Of course, the radical right is already claiming Bush alienated his base by doing that. What a shame.

Forget the fact Holiday is made up of the words 'Holy' and 'Day.' That isn't good enough. Enough is enough. I am happy to shop in stores that instruct their employess to say "Happy Holidays" and I don't mind shopping in stores where employees say "Merry Christmas." I appreciate the sensitivity of the stores that take the time to acknowledge all faiths and beliefs and yet I don't mind the traditional Christmas greetings. Frankly, none of it's religious in my mind, just commercialism so I don't give a crap even more. All I want is the sale price and I don't care if you tell me to fuck-off, at least I got the deal I came for.

There is one caveat, however. How do JWs and agnostics respond? I consider myself the later and neither saying offends me. JWs?

On shooting passengers and skidding planes

The aviation industry sure has had it's share of drama lately. And thankfully, I've not been a part of it. I was inflight at the time the shit went down in MIA and home when the plane in Chicago decided 55th and Central was a better parking spot, than say, gate 35. Both are tragically sad incidents. Based on the available information at this time, I believe the air marshals in Miami acted as trained. There is plenty of time to second guess their actions after the fact, but the reality is, there was very little time for reaction and those marshals had a fraction of a second to make their decision.

Here's my stance: If the passenger claimed to have a bomb, then he had a bomb. We can't second guess, and certainly marshals can't second guess, what the suspect is saying. If you say you have a bomb, then you have a bomb and I'm going to act accordingly. There is no time for psycho-analysis either. A man is dead, and that is sad, but there are consequences for our actions and in this day in age, they can be severe. The public, for the most part, seems to be in support of the marshals. We'd all have a different tune if the suspect did have a bomb and the marshals did not act decisively. It is a sad reminder of how things have changed since 9/11, but also a good reminder that safety has improved, though slightly, and we are a little safer, at least when it comes to flying.

As for the Southwest Airlines crash in Chicago, that's sad too. A little boy died. It seems there may have been a problem with the reverse thrusters which play pivotol roles when landing in slippery conditions. No doubt there will be other factors, as is the case with all aviation accident; they are always caused by multiple failures, never just one.