Monterey Redux--part 1 of possibly many

I don't know where to begin except chronologically. So, away we go:

1) Wednesday. Arrive in San Jose. Airport sux schweaty monkey nutz, but you live with it (and they are working on it).

2) Arrive in hotel in Santa Cruz (no hotels under $300/night available in Monterey area during the Historic races and Concours D'Elegance).

3) Go have chipotle prawns and scallops on the pier. Santa Cruz is a nice place to be. Dinner at Pasatiempo resort up the street a ways. Great burger while watching the Olympics.

4) Thursday. Off to Pacific Grove Municipal Golf Course--aka 'The Poor Man's Pebble.' Breakfast at Coastie's in Pacific Grove, Brother and I play with a charming older twosome (Mitch and Kitty--just friends, not a couple) and I played like a Casa del Fuego on the back nine (the coastal nine). 1 over on the back--with 3 missed birdie putts within 10 feet--and shot a +5 75 for the round. Hurts because it could have been better, but still could have been a lot worse. What a place.

5) Lunch at Gianni's--great pizza/sandwich joint in Monterey. Two pints of Carmel Wheat, mmmmmmm--great beer if you can get it ( a lot like Samuel Adams Summer Ale).

6) Shoot pool at Easy Street Billiards on Tyler Street in Monterey. I kicked my brother's tucas at 8-ball and then he kicked mine at 9-ball. He owns a pool table though, so overall, I won.

7) Drinks on the patio of Spanish Bay resort. Got a free shot of Laphroig 15 year whiskey. Missed the piper (whimper), but I'll see him next time.

8) Friday. Played Seascape Golf Course in Aptos. Kicked my ass. Kicked the bejeezus out my brother. We probably did about 2 grand in property damage the first nine holes. The second nine was better (less homes) and more dramatic. I recommend golfers play it if they think they can keep it pretty close to straight. Otherwise, pick a different course. It gives the term 'tree-lined' an an entirely different meaning and, if you ever have an even lie, you will know you are on one of the better tee boxes.

9) Nappy time back at the hotel. Mmmmmmmmm.

10) Rally in Carmel. According to my brother, rather boring compared to last year. Still, pretty damn cool. When seeing yet another Ferrari inspires a "huh, not bad," you are at least close to Carmel. Some amazing cars were parked all over the joint--including a 1930 Rolls Royce and (right behind it) a 1959 Bentley. We even saw a chain driven fire truck looking thing from 1918 with inlaid wood on the rear carriage parked behind a 1932 Packard (pics delivered later).

11) Dinner in Carmel at La Dolce Vita. Great setting. Good, but not great, food. Nicest waiter in the world. Excellent sauce on their calamari--I'll give them that for certain.

12) Saturday. Drive down Highway 1 a bit to Rocky Point Restaurant (see pic below). There was a funer....wedding going on at the time, but they made room for us. Food was better than I remembered it. Watched ground squirrels forage for food as the waves crashed against the rocks about 100 feet or so below--all glass walls in this place.

13) Off to the historic races! Imagine every exotic race car you've ever fantasized about seeing and then magnify it by at least 10 if you are a true afficianado--100 if you a pedestrian fan like me. The place is dripping in racing nostalgia. Two cars were taken out of the museum because it was time to race--including a 1978 Lotus and a 1959 Ferrari Testarosa. The winner of the whenever-1933 bracket was a 1932 Alfa Romeo--one of 5 left in the world with the 'original' stamp on it--and he drove it like he stole it. Oh, and the 1978 Lotus was driven by Mario Andriette.

14) Dinner a Chef Lee's in Monterey. Went a bit budget with this one. Service was awful, but food was good for the price.

15) Sunday. Breakfast at Friar Tuck's in Carmel. Wasn't really hungry, but food was good. Setting better.

16) On to the Concours D'Elegance--the premiere car show in the world. Forget what you might think you know about car shows. This show takes all day to see and a lifetime to drink in. Unless you happen to have seen $1.25 million dollar one-of-a-kind cars from 1929 next to the single Pinafiori Cadillac in the world (made in homage to Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy in 1961) as but a teaser to the real car show, don't try to compare notes with me. Have you ever seen a 1959 Stingray Corvette? The answer should be "no" because it was a concept car in 1959 that never saw production. But it's at the Concours. How about an 1894 Mercedes Benz...ever seen one? I have. Oh, and the setting is the 18th fairway of Pebble Beach! My brother and I were joking that they must have the greenskeeper chained to a bed in a remote part of Southeast Asia. Pebble Beach! The 18th hole! With ancient cars driving on it?! I would need black tar heroin to calm me down if I were the greenskeeper.

So, all in all, not a bad way to spend 4 or 5 days. I recommend it to any who can afford it--budget style or otherwise. And whoever is responsible for that blessed place, be it God, the Dark Lord of Hades, Thor, Quetzalcoatl, Zues, E=mc2, or Colonel Sanders...thank you. You have my undying devotion.

Monterey--Post Mordem

Just got back from My Beloved, and it hurts. There are many, many places on this earth I would rather not be than my hometown of Phoenix, but coming back here from Monterey, California almost feels like leaving 'that perfect woman' to come home to the wife (and the life) that you have vs. the one you truly want--heartbreaking, bittersweet and, above all, so longing for what could be.

I offer a picture of a breakfast setting my brother and I had at Rocky Point Restaurant along Highway 1. I ordered the first bloody mary because I like bloody mary's. I ordered the second because I knew I would have to leave soon. Fortunately, like the place itself, it didn't disappoint. May I present: The Lone Bloody Mary Cypress.

Obama in Trouble

The Onion uncovers a long held secret.

Adjust your bookmarks

Orwell as blogger starting 9 August. (His diary entries will be submitted in the form of posts).

A Trifle Uptight

Seriously. What is this guy's problem?

Poulos took a beating, and rightfully so, in the comments section of his earlier post regarding Obama's statement of being "...a proud citizen of the United states, and a fellow citizen of the world." He took initial attempts at defense by writing:

"My great scorn for Obama’s remark — even if it was lifted from Kennedy, or if it’s supposed to apply to all of us, the content of my objection stands — should not be confused with scorn for his appearance in Berlin or even his speech. It is undeniable that Obama is an incredible asset to what is often discussed as ‘America’s image abroad’, and should really just be described as America. In several important ways, Obama is full of crap, but it is our crap that he is full of, and people all over the planet still love it."

"...great scorn..." and "...full of crap..."?

Now, instead of just saying something to the effect of "fine, let's move on," he goes off on a self-absorbed and bizarre tangent about liberty and supposedly European absurdities of pan-human brotherhood and the greatest absurdities of the human condition and...whatever, Dude. Deep breath, Poulos, deep breath. Calm down.

To take the 5 word phrase of "...fellow citizen of the world..." in a near 30 minute speech and then extrapolate it into a rambling diatribe about our supposed delusions of pan-human brotherhood and the Left's menacing ambition of world government is not only terrifically pedantic and petty--it is childish, dishonest, and, quite frankly, unhinged. Further, it makes one wonder if he even listened to the speech!

Global warming and pollution just so happens to be global. International terrorism is called international terrorism because--you guessed it--it's international. World trade involves the world. Similarly, 'World markets' imply 'the World.' As such, logic would seem to indicate that Obama is quite right in saying we can't deal with these issues alone.

Then there is the fascinating irony in Poulos being so apoplectic about Obama's phrase and about how he is full of "America's crap" of human solidarity. A universal yearning for freedom and liberty is exactly the reason America was founded. It is Man's commonality and it does bind us together. This idea, this 'European delusion,' is the very foundation of the country!

Poulos may want to disagree with that, but he will be disagreeing with the language of the Declaration of Independence and every single administration since the founding of the nation. The continued existence and success of the United States, after absorbing almost every language, ethnicity, and culture on the planet however, would seem to indicate that Obama just might be on to something. If America has shown the world anything of value, it is that we are not so terribly different and that, yes, there is something that can universally bind. It doesn't make us brothers and sisters, but it does make us human beings that can, normally, coexist peacefully. And that's plenty good enough for me.

Days with my Father

So uh...., whew.

Just view this. Please.

Obama Does Berlin

And did it well (embedded below). How can McCain possibly beat this guy? Patrick Appel (guest blogging for Andrew Sullivan) has a round-up of blog reviews here.

Beyond the addition of yet another outstanding speech, however, is the fascination I have with the bitter reaction of some conservatives to it, and the cynicism others have even to the idea of him giving a speech in Berlin now.

I can perfectly understand disagreeing with Obama on any and all political points, but what could possibly be wrong with an American presidential candidate being respected, and even adored, by a European audience? How could it be a mistake to say "I am a proud citizen of the United States and a citizen of the world" (the 'citizen of the world' phrase used by both Presidents Bush and Reagan, btw)? What could possibly be so regrettable about *finally* having a President--after all these horrible 8 years--who is greeted with cheers vs. protests and venom and derision and mockery? Talk about "Change We Can Believe In!"

Have some conservatives become so twisted around that they honestly think being liked around the world is some sort of stain or cause for concern? That it will somehow turn off American voters? Sad, if true. But I very sincerely doubt that many Americans who are still on the fence or were leaning toward Obama watched this and said something to the effect of "Gosh, he did have my support, but now that he seems to be respected and liked in Europe I'm not so sure anymore. If only he was a lightning rod of worldwide animosity and mockery. Then he would have my vote for sure."

To someone who would never vote for Obama anyway, sure, this speech might not have done him any favors. But if anyone has looked more presidential than he did, commanding the attention of over 200,000 Berliners while giving yet another stellar speech (fully from memory from what I could tell), I would like to know how I seemed to have missed the last 30 years of my life.

I don't think these conservatives hate Obama, but I think they hate how good he is and--perhaps--hate even more the idea of having to accept Obama and a left-of-center government in the US for a long time to come. It looks as if the GOP will be in the minority for quite a few years now and, for them, that has to hurt.

Nozzle Rage

Kinda scary, actually...

JibJab

They got a new one, and it's perty darn fine methinks:

Don't Mess With China

These guys look pretty serious (or at least photogenic in drills). I especially like guys on the automatic walkers with mini guns. If I had a dollar for every time that stopped a crisis!

Actually....come to think of it, I don't think that would do much good. But here's to theater!

The Brass Ring

So I got a shot at a gig that pays big money for me to do cool stuff from home and--for the most part--make my own hours. It's not mine yet by any stretch, but things look good so far.

If I have a point in this post at all though, it's only to say that because of my field (IT Security) there are a range of well-paying opportunities available to me that just aren't there for most--even very well trained and/or educated people. Further, this job (as with all my previous jobs) really does nothing in the way of adding value to the economy in that it's service-oriented.

One gets the feeling sometimes that to really get the high-paying jobs, one needs to get into the service industry (and I don't mean just restaurants and hotels). We don't seem to value production and building in the same way we used to and I don't know why. But it worries me a bit. I think that one of the best things our new president could do would be to massively invest in the infrastructure of the US. It's bi-partisan, it's good for the economy, we need it, and it could re-establish jobs that actually add value to the economy as good, interesting, and rewarding occupations. Having to become a doctor, lawyer, broker, or IT weenie can't be the only way to make big bucks and have a rewarding career.

The downside of San Francisco

More than one douchebag abounds--though this glorious specimen is from Toronto, for the record.


http://view.break.com/527579 - Watch more free videos

Class

Jesse Jackson displays a slight lack of decorum (and/or a glimpse into his ego maniacal self). By the way, isn't it quite lovely how the old guard--left and right, black and white, seem to despise Obama? I can't help but think that it's for the oldest of reasons--they covet him. Well, that combined with frustration. He just doesn't fit a mold they've trained so hard to detect, and that whirring in their head is the sound of marginalization.

$250 a barrel

Remember that this is a dirty Russian scumbag talking, but he's a very powerful Russian scumbag.

The chief executive of the world's largest energy company [Alexey Miller] has issued the most dire warning yet about the soaring the price of oil, predicting that it will hit $250 per barrel "in the foreseeable future".

If You Have to Have Anal Cancer..

May as well make a few bucks out of the deal. You're so brave, Farrah! (I think I just vurped).

Reasons to Vote Republican

They make quite a sales pitch...

US Immigration Policy

I try not to be frustrated and angry, but then I read things like this. Gonzaga wants to recruit a shooting guard from Canada, but...

Kong, 20, is originally from Sudan, which is listed by the United States as a state sponsor of terrorism. Although he has lived in Canada since age 7, he does not hold citizenship there. He has been denied a visa to study in the United States three times, and it is unclear if he will ever satisfy the requirements for entry.

Even if the State Department thinks it's possible for a 7 year old child to fake being a refugee in order to hatch his mastermind terrorist plot--which is a bit of a stretch, I should hope--does his behavior over the last 13 years count for nothing?

I don't think the State Department is keeping him out because they think he's a terrorist. Even the drooling, giggling beasts at the INS aren't *that* stupid. I'm sure the young man is being turned down because some part of the process can't be fulfilled the way it normally is and it would put them in a position of having to rub a couple synapses together to work through. So they just reject the request and go put more coffee in their sippie cups because, well...fuck him--plenty of others standing in line.

Substantial reform of the State Department (and especially the INS and immigration law, since I mentioned it) would be enough to make a Obama a "good" president in my eyes. The task has to be daunting, at best.

Oh Johnny

Johnny Mac looks like a Jr. High Dorkus Aerileus up there. I knew he was a pretty lousy speech-maker, but this was just painful to watch and listen to.

You're giving a speech, Senator, not reading a limerick. And even if you were, it's not funny. And even if it was funny, your delivery makes it fall flat. McCain needs to stick with town halls and debates--this speech making just isn't for him and, at his age, he ain't gonna learn how to do it quickly enough.

Tommy Emmanuel

He's, uh....perty good.

Relax, Ds. Relax

So much fretting about whether Obama can win...please. Forget about Dick Morris, Karl Rove, and Ohio. Who phukin cares about them?

As an armchair pundit, it's easy to see Obama winning the following states:

WA

OR

CA

CO

NM

KS

MO

SD

MN

WI

IL

LA

MS

SC

NC

NY

VT

ME

CT MA

RI

NJ

NH

IA

DC

MD HA

That puts him at 286 electoral votes--16 over the 270 level necessary to win. McCain will probably have these states lined up:

MT

WY

ID

UT

NE

AL

TX

KY

WV

AZ

OK

That puts him at 93 electoral votes--177 shy of the necessary majority. Which, of course, means he would *have* to win Florida, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Arkansas, North Dakota, Tennessee, Michigan, Indiana, Georgia, Alaska, *and* Nevada *and* steal a few states from Obama just to win a razor thin majority of electoral votes. All Obama has to do is win over a state or two (or not) and walk into the Oval Office.

It's not that Obama could not lose, but the task presented McCain is so overwhelming, I don't think the best GOP candidate on her best day could pull it off.