The Barcardi Bat

This just happens to be my second favorite logo of all time. Here is the story behind it.

The Barcardi Bat
Piss Off the Bat and He’ll Bomb You

If company legend is to be believed (and it rarely should), a bat found its way onto the Bacardi label in 1862 because the wife of the distillery’s founder noticed a colony of fruit bats hanging around the rafters of the converted warehouse that was their first distillery. The bat was considered a noble and lucky creature by the local Cubans, so it seemed a smart move to attach the symbol to the fledgling rum.

An alternative history, strenuously denied by Bacardi, is that the bat got the nod because every morning distillery workers had to fish the lucky, noble, and thoroughly intoxicated creatures out of the rum vats.

The rum found quick favor in Cuba and spread rapidly throughout the Americas. Prohibition gave it a boost, thanks to Cuba’s close proximity to the U.S. coast, and by the ‘50s the bat was flying high as the best-selling rum in the U.S.

Then came the communists. Despite the fact that the Bacardi family helped bankroll the Cuban Revolution, they were driven out of the country and their holdings nationalized when Fidel Castro seized power. The Bacardi clan never forgave this betrayal, and have used their considerable political and financial influence to make things difficult for Cuba ever since.

Why It Worked: The aforementioned locals not only considered the bat good mojo, they were also largely illiterate. They couldn’t read the verbose Spanish praising the product on the early labels, but they could recognize the bat just fine. When the rum spread to more literate countries, the exotic mammal matched up well with what Westerners thought of rum: nocturnal danger with a hint of vampirism.

Evolution: The prototype bat was a fatter specimen, but aside from the usual streamlining, Bacardi has remained true to the original logo.

Dark Secret: Embittered Bacardi helmsman Jose Pepin Bosch bought a surplus B-26 bomber with the hopes of bombing his ex-pal Fidel’s oil refineries (the bold plan was foiled when a picture of the bomber appeared on the front page of New York Times). He was also allegedly involved in the CIA plot to assassinate Castro.

Claim to Fame: Bacardi was the first “civilized” rum. The founder, Spanish emigrant Don Facundo Bacardi Masso, tamed the raw New World spirit by experimenting with charcoal filtering and oak barrel aging.

Titles of books I'm working on.

1) Everything is not a Conspiracy.
Everything you ever wanted to know about Conspiracy Theories.

2) In the Future Everyone's an Expert.

3) What do I know... I'm Black. A look at life in America through the eyes of a black yuppie.

Free Carpet and Shampoo Cleaning

Free Carpet and Shampoo Cleaning - sure. So these guys were canvassing my neighborhood last night. Actually managed to be home instead of at a happy hour somewhere - mistakenly I agreed to a free carpet cleaning. So this very cute girl comes in and starts giving her prepared spiel about how great the Kirby is compared to my $100 Hoover. I let her do her demo for a few hours. I already knew all the tricks.
1) Appeal to my emotion to save money
2) Get the person to talk about themselves - agree with whatever they say. For example I'm into running - so of course they are as well.
3) Use dust mites as a scare tactic.
4) At the end show the price - for me it was $2595. So when I didn't feel like I was buying - make a phone call to the 'manager' offering a better deal. So the price magically dropped to $1800, then one more phone call and it dropped to $1280. I basically said no matter what I wasn't buying. So then the backup arrives - a little guy comes in and basically gives me her same spiel all over again. I nod smile and say - yeah she told me that already. After about 30 minutes of me constantly saying no - they left. They even tried the you don't have to pay for 6 weeks deal on me.
So I searched the internet and found lots of high pressure sales tactics that they use. The 'lifetime' warranty isn't a 'true' lifetime. more like 3 years and life refurbishment replacement of parts.
So anytime I get an in home demo I take it, but just say no.

Honestly I was merely hoping for it to turn into a hot porn movie - but no such luck for me. Even after I put on the Barry White music. Maybe next time I'll accidentally spill water on her, so she can then take it off. But oh wait - I've got a T-shirt in my bedroom - here on my bed....

Bar Thursday

A Frenchman walks into a bar and he has a parrot on his shoulder. The parrot is wearing a baseball cap. And the bartender says, "Hey, that's neat — where did you get that?" And the parrot says, "France — they've got millions of them there."

A termite went in a bar and asked, "Is the bar tender here?"

A guy with dyslexia walks into a bra.

A kangaroo walks into a bar and orders a beer. The bartender says, "That'll be $10. You know, we don't get many kangaroos coming in here." The kangaroo says, "At $10 a beer, it's not hard to understand."

The Bass Player in the Band

...guy goes into a bar thursday

A guy goes into a bar followed by his pet giraffe, and they both get totally plastered. The giraffe passes out and the man gets up to leave.
The bartender says, "You can't leave that lyin' there."
The drunk says, "It's not a lion, it's a giraffe."

Just in Case You Were Wondering

Just in case you're were wondering on the correct procedure to use Listerine Breath Strips. Here are the directions along with the ingredients.

Directions
(1) First remove one Breath Strip from the convenient carrying case.
(2) Then place the Breath Strip on your tongue and let it dissolve. Use one Breath Strip as needed.

Ingredients
COOL MINT: Pullulan, Flavors, Menthol, Aspartame, Potassium Acesulfame, Copper Gluconate, Polysorbate 80, Carrageenan, Glyceryl Oleate, Eucalyptol, Methyl Salicylate, Thymol, Locust Bean Gum, Propylene Glycol, Xanthan Gum, FD&C Green No 3.
PHENYLKETONURICS: CONTAINS PHENYLALANINE

I suppose this is done as opposed to eating all the strips at once or simply chewing the convenient carrying case. Although now I'm wondering if i get the same effect if i put the strip anywhere else on my body. Would be a very cool way to dispense medicines, chocolate, maybe illicit substances if you're into that kind of thing, or alcohol samples. Hey I think I may have a patent in there somewhere.

80's Band Playlist

...goes into a bar Thursday

This woman goes into her local bar and orders a Whiskey but unusually decides to stand at the bar instead of taking her usual seat. The bar man asked her "What's up" "Oh nothing" she replied "Its just that I have had some tatoos done on my thighs and they are a bit sore still". "Interesting" says the bar man "what are the tatoos?" "Well one thigh has a Turkey and the other thigh has a Christmas tree". Thinking it unusual the bar man asked "Why?" "Simple" she replies" My husband is always complaining about having nothing nice to eat between Thanksgiving and Christmas....."

A three legged dog limps into a saloon in the Old West.
He slides up to the bar orders a whiskey and announces "I'm looking for the man who shot my paw!!

I love women who get in touch with themselves

Woman embraces her beaver.

Because I Like Bananas

Happy Banana

Killer Banana

Everything you wanted to know about Apple Corporation

Apple - the corporation

A Guy Goes Into a Bar Thursday

A guy goes into a bar ont he top of a very tall building. He sits down, orders a huge beer, chugs it, walks over to the window and jumps out.

Five minutes later, the guy walks into the bar again, orders another huge beer chugs it, walks over to the window, and jumps out again. Five minutes later, he reappears and repeats the whole thing.

About half an hour later, another guy at the bar stops the first guy and says: "Hey, how the heck are you doing that?" The first guy responds: "Oh its simple physics. When you chug the beer, it makes you all warm inside and, since warm air rises, if you just hold your breath you become lighter than air and float down to the sidewalk." "Wow!" exclaims the second man. "I gotta try that!" So he orders a huge beer, chugs it, goes over to the window, jumps out, and splats on the sidewalk below.

The bartender looks over to the first man and says: "You know, Superman, you act like a real jerk when you're drunk."

Band Setlist

Get Ready to Relive the 80's:
Band Setlist. Now accepting gigs for the fall and beyond.
Perfect for company gatherings, club happy hours, christmas parties.

home sweet hom
walk like an egyptian
don't you want me - human league
we built this city
whip it
99 red balloons
don't stop believin'
cars
i want a new drug
i want u to want me
summer of 69
i ran (so far away)
jenny (867-5309)
groove is in the heart
girls just wanna have fun
here i go again
still of the night - whitesnake
jessie's girl

just be yourself

So I'm hanging out at Sullivan's Steak House checking out the band with a few of my friends. I begin doing some small talk and dancing with a couple of women from Nigeria which is pretty cool in itself (yes - me chatting women up). So I'm trying to make small talk and thinking I'm getting nowhere near the end of the night - I go over and check on my friends and discuss my plans to come back and hit on the really hot bartender. Then one of the friends of Juliann and Priscilla come and wonder where I'm at - so I go outside and they want me and Russell to go hang out after hours at an African club. So I think - wow - I must've done something right. I never kiss and tell - but it was a very fun night and I managed not to tell one lie while talking to them tonight. I even told them I was a musician and an engineer - and they still kept dancing and talking to me.
So I think the moral of this story is - I'm proud I was myself tonight - though maybe as my friend said, You need a bit more BS skills. later.
I'm tired - it's a quarter to five and I've got band practice in a few hours.

New Phone to Me

A few pictures of my sad old cell phones.














My Old Nokia
















My Old LG Phone (yes - that's duct tape)




















My new cell phone - Sony Walkman Phone.

Yes that is duct tape that was holding my old phone together. So I recently upgraded my cell phone and got a pretty cool Sony Walkman phone - while it's no iPhone. It was free and didn't cost me $600 + $69 per month service. It's a pretty cool device - it sports an FM Radio and is also an MP3 player woo hoo - the best of both worlds for me. Except I doubt I'll be able to take hashing with me. Some guideline about no technology on trail. But as much as I roam and get lost I might just have to break the rules.

More Band Name Ideas....

So I think we may have narrowed our choices down to the following:
(a) Class of '89
(b) The Rubix or The Rubick's
(c) The Brunch Club
(d) Pop Culture

Craiglist Personal Ads

Not sure if you guys check out the personal ads on Craigslist - but it's funny as hell. Here's one best of posting from someone in Houston about it.

*******************************************************************
(Yes, some people fall into more than one category. If I left you out I apologize.)

If all the posters from Houston Craig's List personals were together in one room there would be...

68 People just back from Starbucks and now posting a missed connection
18 Gay men posting a MC for a straight guy
37 People that would get fired for the things they post on RnR at work
19 BBWs looking for love in the wrong place
16 of which are morbidly obese
12 of which are also posting in Casual Encounters
1 of which had chicken wing in hand as she typed
63 People that like to use the term "Gayborhood"
737 People that think they are funnier than they are
698 People that think they are smarter than they are
48 "Str8" guys whose wives are out of town and they'd like to watch some sports with another guy and porn, "possibly j/o or blow each other, but nothing gay."
29 Gay men posing as women
16 Gay men posing as "Str8" guys
1 Woman posing as a Gay man
14 Transexuals posing as women
39 People that enjoy correcting spelling and grammar
18 of which have mistakes in their posts correcting others
7 of which spell grammar with an "e"
48 People who were naked when they posted.
29 People who were drunk when they posted.
2 Middle aged men one of which wants a son the other conspiracy theorist; they will become BFF
1 One smoking hot woman that said she was BBW thinking the BB in BBW meant Big Breasted (Fake that is)
782 People that don't know the difference between There, their, and they're
762 of which are also baffled by It's and Its
29 People that only type with caps lock
1761 People that ignore capitalization
302 of which ignore all grammer rules in general
6 People looking for a 420 hook up
2 People asking what 420 means
13 People looking to party with "Tina"
31 Fat guys in Hawaiian shirts just looking to party
17 Men with their wives out of town looking to "blow a bowl" then be a "bottom" for the "first time"
198 Men would be standing there with their penis out begging to get laid
198 of which posted as "drug a disease free"
42 of which used a picture of one of the other 198's penis as their own
32 of which their genitalia is bright shade of red
17 Dirty old men that say "Race, age, weight, ect don't matter lets just get it on."
167 Utter Jackasses
37 of which their lives will not be fulfilled until they get a Best of CL
12 People arguing with their own RnR alter-ego
1 Married Couple unwittingly exchanging emails with each other after a CE post
61 Women looking for a sugar daddy
3 of which are actually men
321 Women hoping to get the biggest fake boobs they can afford
167 People that don't know what discreet means
183 People that don't know what platonic means
106 People that spell Loser with two "O"s
39 People that post the same images over and over again with their R&R posts
38 of which think a post is not complete w/o 4 of said images
47 Men that like random household objects forcibly shoved up their rectum
18 Men using the platonic massage ploy to lure women
3 Men using a platonic massage ploy to lure men
8 Guys posting crotch shots in holey underwear in CE
19 men that respond to every W4M post with a shot of their penis and have given it a name
3 Men that have responded to every W4M post since the inception of Houston CL
15 People from out of state hating on Texas
243 People who should use a therapist as an outlet not Craig's List
102 Men posting in Strictly Platonic looking for an attractive female friend
102 of which hope that the friendship involves sex
1 of which is 42 years old and wants a son to carry on his family name
11 People posting LTR personals stating they have the herp-herp
3 of which also posted in CE as D&D Free
9 People that think D&D stands for Dungeons and Dragons
62 People that have used the term "asshat", "asswipe", "cuntstick", "fuckwad", or "fucktard" in the normal course of conversation this week.
102 Black women posting for LTRs
93 of which are seeking a SWM
1 of which hopes to turn said SWM into a gimp
103 Married men that answer personals not asking for married men
93 People that completely miss the humor in a post and have to make an angry reply
122 unemployed posters
32 of which posted personals
3 of which are homeless and posting from a local library
46 People posting from jail
87 frequent posters that often post saying they're a first time poster
73 Transvestites
3 of which teach 1st grade
136 Men looking to hook up with a tranny
2 Women looking for some hot tranny sex
293 Posters would qualify as mentally disabled
32 of which frequently post about politics
8 of which are severly disabled and don't know it
49 RnR posters that look just like Linda Blair in The Exorcist when George W. is brought up
3 People in full Ku Klux Klan regalia
203 People in full S&M regalia
23 of which currently have a ball gag in place
597 Haters
and
A countless number of people with nothing better to do but Craig's List at work
**********************************************************

to the girl at the store with the cleavage

when you got up in the morning and got dressed, you chose to wear an outfit that partly reveals your boobs. you have a mirror. you knew. i didn't force you to wear it.

in fact, when you bought this item, you knew that you were going to wear it, in public, and it would be revealing your tits a little (or a lot). make no mistake, i applaud you for this. but what i'm getting at, is that we both know you were showing off your rack. don't lie, it's not very subtle. and don't pretend it's a fashion thing. it's a hooter thing.

so when you buy the top, and wear it, in the summer, in public, and you're going to stand in front of me, guess what.

I'm going to look at your boobs.

first off, you should be flattered. i looked at them because they are nice. you should be upset if you were showing off your knockers and i didn't look at them. actually, them being nice is why i looked at them repeatedly. the first peek was more of an instinct. guy-instinct. we can't help it. after that, we just want to see as much of it as we can. to us, boobs are like the Godfather parts I and II. we can watch them over and over and never get tired of them.

anyway, yea, i looked at your cans. a bunch of times, actually. now, i understand no one likes to be stared at. this is why i did in fact look around the rest of the store to see if there was anything else interesting to look at. unfortunately there were no other hot babes, no bums, no cute babies, no one was wearing a Slayer reign in blood tour shirt. nothing. so i went back to your melons. sorry. it was a boring ride, and they were right in front of me. but i think you forget that i was nice enough to focus on your funbags, as opposed to alternating between them and trying to make eyecontact. now that would have been ungentlemen-like. i realise no one finds true love over a pair of jugs in the fruit section. it's just not realistic. so i kept my head down, stood in a position as to be not overly obvious about my staring, made sure i didn't get a semi (i got real close once, but i handled it), and tried to be as polite about the situation as possible.

so anyway, i just thought you should know my point of view on what happened. i am not a pervert. i was just a man. a man who saw something that pulled his mind out of the daily routine, and i held onto it dearly (not literally, ofcourse, though that would have been pretty sick). but as you can tell from this long posting, i do feel slightly bad about my behaviour. so to make up for it, i have decided, with pain in my heart, to release you from my spank bank.

i think it is fair to say we are even now. i think i did see a hint of slight animal lust in your eyes when you gave me that annoyed look and got out of there quick. so if you are reading this, baby, i'd really like to take you on a trip... a motor boating trip.

Not that I need another car, but

Saw this posting today on Craigslist:
Only $2775

It's About Time Bats Get Recognition

From the article in the Houston Chronicle:
Researcher's want to cast bats in a new light.

Embodiment of evil
From the medieval Christian artists depicting Lucifer with bat wings to pop culture portraying bats as blood-sucking villains, these mammals have become an embodiment of death and evil. The group is publishing a bilingual children's book and DVD Frankie the Free-tailed Bat, that describes a "year in a life of a Mexican free-tailed bat," to challenge the common stereotype.

"Bats are victims of superstitions and myth, they are feared and destroyed without people knowing what kind of value they provide," said Patricia Morton, a project leader with the Texas Parks and Wildlife. "This is the most important research that demonstrates the value of bats in large numbers."

The bat's reputation already has seen some changes.

The theory that massive numbers of bats migrate to Texas chasing insects first emerged in the early 1990s, when local meteorologists detected two large clouds in the areas but no storm activity.

Scientists discovered the clouds were colonies of bats eating insects, but it took them a decade to find a precise way to measure their numbers.

swimming lessons

so i managed to avoid swimming at the hash today. i took the 4 mile walker trail and upon hearing about trail - was glad i wanked out today.
i was talking to another hasher about this today. i guess i'm a decent swimmer in a pool doing laps in 4-5 feet in a pool. but maybe it's some irrational fear about not being able to touch the bottom of a pool or lake that makes me freak out. so i probably should take some adult swim lessons and get over it - or next time bring a boogie board or my own flotation devices to help me get through the swim portions of trail.

Being Single

Okay another 'being single' posting.
This topic came up today at the hash. There was a harriette who recently became single after having dated someone for quite a long time. And once they were officially disengaged or no longer together - not two weeks later she has found another person as she described it 'she's hooked up with'.
So are some people just destined to be as I would call it 'WSO' - with significant other and others of us have trouble finding that significant other to be with. I thought 'art girl' was a potential - but I think the hash scared her away. I seem to find that taking first dates to hash parties is not such a good idea.

But just doing some informal research I find that most people meet their wife, girlfriend, significant other through friends. I have yet to meet anyone who is married to someone they meet in a bar at happy hour. Most people met while in college or through friends. So anyone have any single friends they'd like to see date me.

Also - in my quest for love here's what I'm going to do:
1) Get out more - be more social (more happy hours)
2) More online dating
3) Become more active - ballroom dancing, salsa dancing, running in the park more
4) Ask anyone and everyone out
5) Keep asking friends if they have any co-workers that are single.

Most Common Passwords

I hope none of you guys use any of these passwords:

1. password
2. 123456
3. qwerty
4. abc123
5. letmein
6. monkey
7. myspace1
8. password1
9. link182
10. (your first name)

Most Recalled Vehicles - 2007

Most Recalled Vehicles of 2007
So much for vaunted foreign car quality. VW - 1 million cars, Toyota - 533k cars. Okay - where do I start my rant about automotive quality and perception that American brands are perceived as less than foreign brands.

2007 Volkswagen New Beetle
1,002,000 units affected

2007 Toyota Sequoia
533,124

2007 Jeep Liberty
149,605

2007 Nissan Altima
140,582

2007 Hyundai Tucson
128,300

2007 Dodge Nitro, Jeep Wrangler
80,894

2007 Suzuki Forenza, Reno
75,697

2007 Volkswagen Passat, Passat Wagon
58,800

2007 Chrysler Sebring and 300; Dodge Caliber, Magnum, Charger and Nitro; Jeep Compass, Liberty, Commander, Grand Cherokee, and Jeep Wrangler
50,665

2007 Infiniti G35 Coupe
23,934

2007 Chevrolet Aveo
17,676

2007 Nissan Versa
16,309

2007 GMC Acadia, Saturn Outlook
13,032

2007 Ford Expedition
10,061

My new indelgence

Garlic Stuffed Olives

Need a Band Name

Need a name for my new band -
we'll play mostly 80's music with a splash of hits from the 90's and today.

Here are a few suggestions:
The 80's Collective
Project 80s
Projekt 80's
Breakfast Club
The Brunch Club
The Reagan Cats
Reaganomics
Chaka MAD Band (my former band name)
The Breakfast Collective
8090 Band

More reasons to scout trail from your computer

more good scouting tools.
maps.google.com now has a street view for houston. This lets you get a birds eye view of a city. just like you're walking the street.

Article in the chronicle

Don't Tell Pipes...

Shhhh!!!
Don't tell Pipes - but it's a new imac.
New Imac - more info here at engadget.

I Hate Crocs Website

Never knew there was so much hatred toward a pair of shoes.
I Hate Crocs

gives me a few ideas for new blogs...
WindowsRules.blogspot.com
Shutupandhash.blogspot.com
Hashmorebitchless.blogspot.com

Powered Kayaks

This would be great for cruising down Buffalo Bayou. I'm sure Grind Slut would enjoy it. More information is here.

Always unplug your computer before working on it...

A 20-year-old student in Shanghai, China, was electrocuted Monday when he opened his computer's external case while the machine was still on, the Shanghai Daily reported.

The man, identified only by the common family name of Wu, had apparently opened his PC's case to prevent its central processing chip from overheating — because he didn't want to turn his air conditioning on. His sweaty legs came into contact with the computer's internal wiring, likely causing a short circuit.

According to the newspaper, which drew from a report in the Chinese-language Eastday.com, police and medical respondents found blood in the dead man's nostrils and bruises on his legs. The computer's internal voltage can reach as high as 380 volts in power-storage capacitors, which is enough to give a deadly shock. Powering down and unplugging the machine for a few minutes before opening it would have spared the man's life.

No iPhone for You

NASA to employees: 'No iPhone for you!'

One of the gripes about the iPhone outlined in Dwight Silverman's review in today's Computing column is that it doesn't work well as a business device. Apparently, IT managers at NASA agrees with him.

From InformationWeek:
The space agency has determined the iPhone "not to be enterprise ready," according to the minutes of a July 10 meeting of NASA tech officials obtained by InformationWeek.

According to the minutes, the decision was made by officials within NASA's ODIN program office. ODIN, or Outsourcing Desktop Initiative For NASA, is a program under which NASA is outsourcing computer supply and support to private-sector companies.

The meeting minutes viewed by InformationWeek didn't indicate why NASA officials feel the iPhone isn't ready for prime time as a business tool. However, analysts at IT research firm Gartner last month issued a research bulletin on the iPhone that outlined a range of concerns.

Among them: lack of support from major device management and mobile security software suites, lack of removable batteries, and Apple's exclusive contract with network provider AT&T.

Not "enterprise ready," eh? Insert your own Star Trek joke here.

NASA did approve the RIM BlackBerry 8800 and the Palm Treo 750 for employee use, however.

Apple Fan Boy Fetish

This one's for Pipes and other people with a steve jobs fetish.

Apple releases slew of fixes, and first patch for iPhone


The iPhone's early possessors have been anxiously awaiting software updates for Apple, hoping new bits would bring new capabilities, such as allowing custom ringtones or compatibility with Exchange e-mail servers.

Well, the first iPatch for The Object of Your Desire is here, but it brings no new powers. Instead, it fixes security flaws in the existing ones. Specifically, it fixes five issues in Safari and Web-related components of the iPhone.

In addition, Apple released an update for the various versions of the Mac OS X that fixes 24 different issues. There's also an update for the beta of Safari 3.0 that fixes security vulnerabilities in both the Macintosh and Windows versions.

Finally, there's also an update for the AirPort Wi-Fi cards in all Intel-based Macs. There are no details on what patch does, other than that it "improves the reliability of AirPort connections."

Mac owners can get their fixes via Software Update. The Safari update for Windows users is here.

And to update the iPhone, connect it to your computer and iTunes will handle the chore. Note that, after the update is complete, your phone will reactivate with AT&T.

Figured You Out

So I think I've finally figured women out. Here's what they want:
1. GRG - Grand Romantic Gestures
Candlelights
Flowers delivered to work
Phone calls everyday asking how was your day

So do I have it right?

Cashless Society

I love technology. I literally no longer have to carry cash except for trips to the hash and I'm waiting for the day the Houston Hash takes debit cards. Was at Wal-Mart recently and gave the cashier a blank check - she ran it through the check machine, it read my information, printed the check and processed the debit instantly. I love it.

So McDonalds now takes debit cards - even for my $3.17 Filet o' Fish Extra Value Meal, I know it's all processed fish, but that's my one guilty pleasure at McDonald's.

Starting another band

So I've decided to start up another band. Not sure if I've talked to most of you guys about this - but want to start a 80's tribute band playing all the cheesy hits everyone loves. Another thing which might be cool - is have a karaoke set where people come up and sing with the band. With this band I want to do more than just play music - I want to entertain the crowd.

Do Computer Backups Today

I highly recommend everyone back up their computer data 'yesterday'. Just had another motherboard crash on me. While it's not that big of a deal - I did lose some good porn, a few mp3s, pictures, and new websites I was working on. I highly suggest an external hard drive solution, other options are online backup storage, and storing data onto DVD discs. Don't say I didn't warn you.

Their War - Our World

Transformers -
Good Movie

cheesy post

saw this on another blog or myspace, i really can't remember. but it's cheesy.

I'm sorry
that i bought you roses
to tell you that i like you

I'm sorry
That I was raised with respect
not to sleep with you when you were drunk

I'm sorry
That my body's not ripped enough to "satisfy" your wants

I'm sorry
that I open your car door, and pull out your chair like I was raised

I'm sorry
That I'm not cute enough
to be "your guy"

I'm sorry
That I am actually nice;
not a jerk

I'm sorry
I don't have a huge bank account
to buy you expensive things

I'm sorry
I like to spend quality nights at home
cuddling with you, instead of at a club

I'm sorry
I would rather make love to you then just screw you like some random guy.

I'm sorry
That I am always the one you need to talk to, but never good enough to date

I'm sorry
That I always held your hair back when you threw up,and didn't get mad at you for puking in my car,
but when we went out you went home with another guy


I'm sorry
That I am there to pick you up at 4am when your new man hit you and dropped you off in the middle of nowhere, but not good enough to listen to me when I need a friend

I'm sorry
If I start not being there, and being used as a door mat, only to be thrown to the side when the new jerk comes around
I'm sorry
If I don't answer my phone anymore when you call, to listen to you cry for hours, instead of getting a couple hours of sleep before work

I'm sorry that you can't realize.. I've been the one all along.

I'm sorry
If you read this and know somebody like this but don't care

But most of all

I'm sorry
For not being sorry anymore

I'm sorry
That you can't accept me for who I am

I'm sorry
I can never do anything right, and nothing that I do is good
enough to make it in your world.

I'm sorry
I caught your bf with another girl and told you about it, I thought that was what friends were for...

I'm sorry
That I told you I loved you and actually meant it.

I'm sorry
That I talked to you for nine hours on Thanksgiving when your bf was threatening you instead of spending time with my family.

I'm Sorry
That i cared

I'm sorry
that I listen to you at night talking about how you wish you could have done something different.

Ladies always complain and gripe to their friends that there is never any good guys out there, and they always end up with assholes who mistreat them. Well ladies next time you're complaining, maybe look up to see who you're complaining to, maybe that special someone is right there hanging on your every word as usual, screaming in his head "Why won't you give me a chance?"
Because the person you are usually searching for is right by you.

tuesday happy hour

Partying like a rock star at the Flying Saucer. Just showing my friend, Jeff, from Atlanta a good time in downtown Houston - thanks Sahara.
1. Flying Saucer
2. Irish Pub
3. Cabo (great booty all over the place)
4. Back to Flying Saucer

Whole Foods-The Whole Truth

Taken from Money Magazine:

Whole Foods, the nation's popular and fast-growing chain of "healthy" supermarkets, makes you feel good about groceries the moment you enter.

Its mountains of lustrous produce, farmer's-market ambience and declared mission to provide you with the freshest natural and organic products make it seem as though you're doing a good deed for yourself and the environment.

But not everything at Whole Foods is all that wholesome. And buying there could cost you a lot more than at other supermarkets - which is why some dub the store "Whole Paycheck."

Produce has a carbon footprint

Sad to say, you probably won't help the environment that much by shopping at Whole Foods.

Many contend that the real damage done to the earth by fruits and veggies is not how they are grown but how much fuel has to be burned to get them to you. After all, those organic strawberries didn't walk from Mexico.

Whole Foods offers only a limited supply of local produce. Even in summer months, no more than 30 percent of the produce in the average Whole Foods store is grown locally - but it is clearly labeled.

On one visit, just the veggies above were local. In early spring, only rhubarb was available.

It's still junk food

Whole Foods doesn't carry any food containing transfats or artificial coloring. But that's the extent of its nutritional screening.

Just because you are in a Whole Foods, don't think that everything you see on the shelves is healthful.

Whole Foods Golden Rounds crackers, for instance, have slightly more calories and fat per serving than the Ritz crackers they imitate.

Of course, if Whole Foods didn't stock at least some junk food, you'd have to make a stop at another store - burning more gas to get your chips.

Not everything has to be organic

Whole Foods is famous for offering a wide variety of organic fruits and vegetables. But organic produce, which is grown without pesticides, costs 20 percent more on average than the store's conventionally grown produce.

According to the nonprofit Environmental Working Group, soft-skinned fruits and veggies, like peaches, apples and bell peppers, retain the most amount of pesticides. So buying organic versions makes sense.

Onions, avocados and corn are practically pesticide-free whether they are organically grown or not.

Foodnews.org, the research group's website, lists conventionally grown fruits and vegetables by pesticide content.

The values are relative

To combat its reputation for priciness, the chain recently started tagging good values.

And yes, you can get chicken breasts and organic milk at competitive prices ($4.50 a pound and $5 a gallon), and find a bargain on bulk dried cereal.

Also, products carrying the "365" label, the store's in-house brand, are generally good deals compared with other options on the shelf (though not with store brands at other supermarkets).

However, you will pay plenty for stuff you won't find elsewhere - heirloom arugula, Icelandic low-fat yogurt and organic frozen chicken potpies.

But aren't those the exotic items you really came for?

No calorie counting here

With traditional grocery stores now stocking the organic brands that originally drew shoppers to Whole Foods, the chain is adding to its offerings of in-store prepared foods.

The store diligently lists the ingredients that go into its meat loaf and macaroni and cheese, but it doesn't provide nutritional information on any of its in-store prepared foods.

So while that vegan oatmeal scone tastes delicious and sounds healthy, you have no way of knowing whether it is better for you than the scallion cheddar one sitting next to it - or, for that matter, the cheese Danish from Dunkin' Donuts down the street.

Don't get taken to the cleaners

In its "Whole Body" department, Whole Foods offers a variety of "organic" soaps and health supplements. But there is no recognized "organic" standard in the personal-care industry.

Ditto for household items such as dishwashing detergent. The largest component in most cleaners - organic or not - is water.

The "green" soaps and detergents may be less harmful to the environment (because they have no phosphates), but they don't necessarily remove the dirt any better than Tide or Cascade.

it's your president

Bush Sends Troops To West Nile

WASHINGTON, DC-Vowing to "exact justice for the taking of innocent American lives," a determined and defiant President Bush deployed more than 14,000 ground troops to the West Nile Monday.

New ESPN Programming

Shamelessly stolen from the onion.

ESPN Courts Female Viewers With World's Emotionally Strongest Man Competition

BRISTOL, CT—Sports broadcasting giant ESPN, whose programming has long been a staple among male television viewers of all ages, made its first foray into women's sports programming with the introduction of the World's Emotionally Strongest Man Competition Monday.

The hour-long weekly show, which will run opposite ABC's Monday Night Football, features an international cast of powerfully caring, emotionally resilient, deeply sensitive men pushing themselves and each other to the limit with astounding feats of inner strength in domestic settings around the country.

During the show's premiere, a two-hour special titled "Manhattan Blowout," competitors put their bodies, minds, and spirits to the test in events ranging from the brutal grind of "Enduring Quietly As She Takes Her Hard Day At Work Out On You," to the agility-straining "Throwing A Last-Minute Surprise Party For A Despised Mother-In-Law," to the ultimate combination of strength and finesse, "Helping Her Over The Death Of The Cat That Always Hated You."

"We've always been interested in expanding our brand to involve fans of every possible stripe," said ESPN president George Bodenheimer at the gala WESMC premiere party at the ESPN Zone restaurant in Times Square Monday. "When we looked at our viewers, it was immediately apparent that—figure skating, cheerleading, and gymnastics aside—women were the largest single group we were missing. This new show was designed from the ground up to give them the kind of deep, meaningful competitive experience they don't get from normal sports-entertainment shows."

Over 13 million viewers tuned in for the premiere, which saw Manhattan photographer Barry Peters pull to a strong early lead in overall points with his artful, complaint-free performance in the "Synchronized Cooking And Consolation" event, during which Peters prepared a near-flawless zucchini-pepper ratatouille while effortlessly lifting the spirits of his partner, the challenging and highly unpredictable Christy Ericsson, by convincing her that she was in fact better off without that long-anticipated promotion.

Other strong overall performances were turned in by Martin "There, There" Richards, a graphic designer who remembered to make his wife's beloved tapioca pudding on the anniversary—not of their marriage—but of their first date; Garth "The Embrace" Josephsen, who maintained some form of reassuring but undemanding physical contact with his fiancée for nine consecutive hours; and Ben "Soulmate" Siegel, who made his girlfriend laugh despite her belief that minor weight gain and childlessness were ruining her life.

"It was perfect, honestly," said tear-prone football coach and WESMC host Dick Vermeil, who taped the show's 13 episodes earlier this summer so that he would be free to lead the Kansas City Chiefs without any heart-rending distractions. "We couldn't have asked for a better debut. Even the guys who didn't do as well as they wanted did their honest best, and we had no breakups or severely hurt feelings, despite some relatively large missteps."

According to Vermeil, one competitor, Patrick "Gusher" Johnson, overcorrected a brief moment of thoughtlessness with a hasty and inappropriate marriage proposal, straining his trust almost to the breaking point. He also noted that "Magnanimous" Ver Magnusson, the lone Icelandic entrant, may have tripped himself up with his longtime companion Marta by compensating for his terse nature with an "almost creepy" overabundance of expensive gifts.

Early reviews of the show have been overwhelmingly positive, with the target audience responding precisely as ESPN had hoped.

"WESMC is exactly the kind of thing I've always wanted in a competitive event," said viewer Emma Michaels, who posted her approval on the show's web site. "The way these talented emotional athletes can be so strong for others, bearing up under the crushing weight of sadness, shouldering the burdens of a fully mature relationship, never taking the cop-out of ‘letting a woman down easy,' and never cheating… This is the way these games are meant to be played."

Slave to the Grind

Slave to the Grind - Skid Row
(i feel like this every time my alarm clock goes off)

You got me forced to crack
my lids in two
I'm still stuck inside this rubber room
I gotta punch the clock that
leads the blind
I'm just another gear in the assembly
line - oh no

The noose gets tighter around my throat
But I ain't at the end of my rope 'cause
I won't be the one left behind
Can't be king of the world
If you're slave to the grind
Tear down the rat racial slime
Can't be king of the world
If you're slave to the grind

Get it?

A routine injection, a lethal dose
But my day in the sun ain't even close
There's no need to waste
your prayers on me
You better mark my words
'cause I'm history
Yes indeed

You might beg for mercy to get by
But I'd rather tear this thorn from my side

I won't be the one left behind
You can't be king of the world
If you're slave to the grind
Tear down the rat racial slime
Can't be king of the world
If you're slave to the grind

They swallowed thier daggers by turning their trick
They tore my intentions apart brick by brick
I'm sick of the jive
You talk verbal insecticide

I won't be the one left behind

You can't be king of the world
If you're slave to the grind
Tear down the rat racial slime
You can't be king of the world
If you're slave to the grind

career change

so i'm looking to do a career change. so here's my list of what i'm good at.

project management
use of technology to cut costs and improve productivity
business analysis
consumer product design
mechanical design
manufacturing processes

have my mba - so i would also consider a junior level management position or marketing. would love to get into the marketing side since i've been on the engineering / design side for so long.

my resume if you're interested

also considering being a mobile disc jockey in my spare time
i've got the music, the lights, the sound system and can sync everything to computers for a very good multimedia demonstration. perfect for a bar, house party, wedding, etc. so if you guys know of any companies, clubs, people that need a DJ let me know.

Getting in a rut...

so lately been in a bit of a rut -
doing the same things week after week, so it's time for a change.
more spontaneous happy hours, get togethers, drives out of houston, more road trips.

Here's my to-do list for the second half of this year:
1. See the Spazmatics a few more times.
2. Fix my resume, find another job. (that'll be another job posting).
3. Get more DJ gigs - www.djchaka.com
4. Start up an 80's tribute band playing all the favorites (madonna, devo, the cure, michael jackson, all the cheesy 80's hits)
5. Move closer to the loop.
6. Start being creative again - writing music, computer graphics, artwork etc.
7. Look at saving more money.
8. Buy a car more conducive to DJ-ing and hashing.

Sushi Happy Hour Spot

For those that like sushi...
How about some cheap beer to go with it during Happy Hour.
I don't think they know what they're getting into with $1 beer and cheap sushi with me - two great combinations.
I'm there next week - probably Tuesday and/or Wednesday

Oishii Japanese Restaurant Happy Hour (dine-in only)
3764 Richmond Ave. (near Greenway Plaza)

Monday - Friday / 3:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Saturday / 4:00 pm - 6:00 pm

Domestic Beer (12 oz) $1.00
Bud / Bud Lite /Miller Lite /Coors Lite

Imported Beer (12 oz) $1.50
Asahi Dry / Kirin

Large Hot Sake $3.00

Appetizer - $3.50 each
Buy One Get One Free!

Edamame / California Roll
Agedashi Tofu / Vegetable Tempura Roll
Hiyayakko / Spicy Salmon Roll
Ika Tempura / Cucumber & Avocado Roll
Vegetable Tempura / Dynamite Roll
Kani Salad / Oshinko Roll
Kani Sunomono / Kanpyo Roll
Soup & Salad / Vegetable Harumaki
Onion Rings / Gyoza
French Fries / Fried Banana

Spazmatics Band

Spazmatics - 80's New Wave Band
Let's Go - they play every Thursday night at Sammy's at 2016 Main in Houston.
They also play all over Texas - Austin, San Antonio, New Braunfels, etc.

blogless -

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Why it sucks being single

Josh Hopkins



except for the one-night stand sex

New Tires

New Tires on the Miata yesterday. She drives like a dream.
On to a car wash, then off to Galveston to give her a tour of the beach.

i love jessica alba

I Love Jessica Alba -
anyone have any single friends that look like her.

New Blogger

New Blogger to the scene

Pull the Plug

Nature in Houston

Great Blog about Nature walks in Houston, as well as information on just about any park, walking trail, bike trail in Houston.

Houston Nature Walk Blog

anyone looking for work??

how can you not go wrong with this proposal!!

Greetings,

I am Mr.Peter Robert, I am ceo of Transcorp Finance Home, we issue loans to applicants, who have filled our form and accepted our terms and condition.

We are in search of representatives who would assist the company in receiving loan payment and sending to to applicant, currently we have over 35 applicants waiting confirmation. All you have to do is receive loan payment from us, take off 15% which would be your commission payment and you have the rest sent to the applicants on which informations and instruction of where the money would be sent to would be given to you.

If you are interested in this, do get back to me with the information below;

First Name:
Surname:
Residential Address:
Phone:
Age:

Do get back to me if you are interested with what the company has to offer.Note no this would in no way affet your current job, its a contract base job.

Regards,
Mr.Peter Robert
CEO(GENERAL MANGER)
TRANSCORP FINANCE HOMES

Pirates of the Carribean

Got rained out at Reggaefest, so the cute girl I was with went to see Pirates of the Carribean 3. Not sure if it was me, but the movie totally sucked. I loved the first one - it was fresh new and different, don't remember watching the second one. And this one totally was not worth watching. I have no more faith in sequels - I haven't seen Spiderman 3, not really looking forward to Die Hard 4 (it's PG-13 btw). So I would avoid it if at all possible.
I'm not sure if Johnny Depp was even acting - looked like he was calling it in. I also couldn't get my brain to recognize the plot. I've got a bunch of spoilers and questions, but I refrain from asking.

Triumph vs. Star Wars Geeks

May 19 Galveston Hash Pictures

Galveston Hash

Clicking the picture will take you to my picasa web album where you can see the pictures.

Once you go Mac

hashing in galveston

hashing in seabrook on a most beautiful day. i check google maps and knew it would be a good day when i saw that the start was next to a cemetery. went in a looked around and the earliest grave is saw was 1853, and the most recent was may 15. it was a bit eerie even for me to see a fresh grave and newly created headstone.
several hounds showed up to run who the fuck r u and pearl necklace's trail - heartache, hooter, nice juggs, puke, and tiny bubbles all ran trail. roll model, bare ass burns did not run. trail had everything - water crossings, shiggy, scenic ocean views, pavement, and free beer at the end. beer was provided by lone pint brewery - pearl necklace's brewery. very yummy beer - i think they have free tastings every saturday.

Lone Pint Brewery

Since I'm in an American Pie Mood

This one's for PImp Doggie Dawg

Mathematical Pi - mp3 file
Mathematical Pi - the video

3.141592653589793238462643383279502884197169399375105820974944592307816
(or Mathematical Pi to the tune of 'American Pie')

by
Ken Ferrier and Antoni Chan

INTRO:

A long, long time ago
Long before the Super Bowl and things like lemonade
The Hellenic Republic was full of smarts
And a question resting on the Grecian hearts
Was "What is the circumference of a circle?"
But they were set on rational numbers
And it ranks among their biggest blunders

They worked on it for years
And confirmed one of their biggest fears
I can't be certain if they cried when irrationality was realized
But something deep within them died
the day they discovered pi.

They were thinking

CHORUS:
Pi, pi, mathematical pi
3 point 14 15 92
65 35 89 7
932384 62
6433832 7 (not rounded)

VERSE:
Well this kind of pie is different than most
It hasn't got berries, ain't spread on toast
And that's how it's always been
We keep extending its decimal places
Pushing our computers through their paces
But we'll never reach the end

So why the fascination with
A number whose end is just a myth
Whence the adulation
For mental masturbation
It might have something to do with the stars
To calculate distances from afar
But that's just a guess 'bout the way things are
Regarding the precision of pi

I am pondering

CHORUS:

VERSE:
Now I feel that I should mention
Pi is applicable in any dimension
At least as far as I know
If there were no Pi we'd be missing things
Like marbles and mugs and balls of string
And sports such as soccer and curling
The orbs in their celestial paths
Navigate along elliptical graphs

Ellipses have pi in them too
Just one side of them has grew
You can see pi in most everything
It's in Cornell's Electron Storage Ring
And also in slinkies and other springs
And that's why it's important to know pi

You should memorize

CHORUS:

OUTRO:
Once one night I had a dream
That pi was gone and I had to scream
Cause all pi things had disappeared (pause)

Can you imagine a world like that
Circles aren't round and spheres are flat
It's the culmination of everything we've feared

'Twas a nightmare of epic proportions
One that gave me brain contortions
Oh wait! I mean contusions
They put me in some institutions
But then I escaped and now I'm free
To sing of the virtue of pi

CHORUS:

Quote to live life

One of the best quotes I've heard in a long time. Truly the way one should live life.

"We must become the change we want to see." -Ghandi

Don McLean's American Pie

The topic of the meaning to Don McLean's American Pie came up last night at the on-on-on. The wikipedia entry is below. At one time I actually knew what each lyric was supposed to refer. But my memory has faded fast.
The short version is this:
Recorded in 1971 and released that year on the album of the same name, the single was a number-one U.S. hit for four weeks in 1972. The song is an allusive history of rock and roll that starts with the deaths of Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and J. P. Richardson, Jr. (The Big Bopper) in a plane crash in 1959, and ends in 1970.

Wikipedia - Don McLean

May 25 Star Wars Day

WHEREAS, the epic 1977 space-fantasy film Star Wars, with its simple morality tale of good versus evil "a long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away," has become one of the most beloved and acclaimed motion pictures in history, capturing the imaginations of fans worldwide across multiple generations over its thirty-year history; and

WHEREAS, Star Wars and its creator George Lucas initiated a renaissance in the movie industry, helping redefine and advance the ars of cinematic storyelling and motion picture visual-effects technology, inspiring a new generation of moviemakers, writers, artists, and even scientists to pursue their dreams; and

WHEREAS, Star Wars has been honored with scores of international awards, including seven Academy Awards for cinematic excellence, and is entered in the U.S. National Film Registry of the Library of Congress as a "culturally, historically, or aesthetically important" film; and

WHEREAS, Star Wars has been firmly ingrained in the world's popular culture, with its vernacular and characters entered both into the Oxford English Dictionary and common vocabulary, and with frequent reference in entertainment, parody and popular song; and

WHEREAS, members of Star Wars' worldwide fan community have been inspired by its message of heroism and honor to carry out frequent and ongoing chartable and philanthropic acts, unted in their common interest to perorm good works for their local communities while celebrating their affection for Star Wars; and

WHEREAS, Star Wars today celebrates the thirtieth anniversary of its original release, therefore be it resolved that by the adoption of this resolution, Rubbin the Boy Wanker declares May 25th as Star Wars day and also recognizes George Lucas' 1977 film Star Wars for its tremendous impact on the citizenry of Rubbin the Boy Wanker, the film industry and the world, and for continuing to inspire after thirty years milions of people to explore movies, fantasy, literature, and science as means of achieving their goals and dreams.

another why didn't i think of this moment...

Prefilled ice-trays... I'm not making this up.
www.aquaice.com













Also bling water












Any want to invest in a t-shirt company - similar to tshirthell, but with slogans and images inspired by the minds of hashers. Or if you want to purchase t-shirts Contact me or All Head.

my new girlfriends - i get around

My new bass guitars. Recently purchased two Ibanez bass guitars. I really need to stop, but I fell in love with the SRX500 - I love the honey sunburst pattern.
I also purchased the SRX400 for a few bucks. Nice bass - pretty basic, but I love the sound. And the playability is pretty sweet as well. So if you guys don't see me - I'll be in my music room playing with my new toys.

Our latest gigs are at The Sports Station on the following dates:

Jun 29 2007 9:00P	The Sports Station Bar and Grill	Houston, Texas
Jul 20 2007 9:00P	The Sports Station Bar and Grill	Houston, Texas
Aug 24 2007 9:00P	The Sports Station Bar and Grill

Ibanez SRX500 - Sunburst













Ibanez SRX400














Closeup of SRX500 Sunburst