Thursday, April 30, 2009

Pure comedy.

You know. I have a little time on my hands this year. With the world collapsing and all - I thought I'd grow my own food.

Just kidding. 90% of the years I've had some sort of garden. Though, this year will be a little bigger, because I can't afford to rip a whole bunch of crap out and remodel anything. I have to put my energy somewhere. I mean with them canceling Cinco De Mayo events because some places don't have any money. Shit, I guess I'm going to spend a lot of time at home watching paint dry. Or something.

So when I pulled out my chile seeds I was a little surprised I had a 100% failure rate. They are only a few years old. So, off to my doochbaggy sounding seed company. They do have an exceptional selection of unusual chile pepper seeds after all.

One packet arrived in the mail today. Which I bummed about. I hope the others aren't discontinued. But, I'm getting off track.

Imagine my surprise when the seed packet was made of plastic! I was all - "what the hell"! I've been buying seed packets since I was a chiiild. They've always been made of paper. Yet, the company gave me this little disclaimer at the bottom.



Now, I'm not one to kibitz. Yes, Mr S. I said kibitz. If I wanted to - I could just put the damn paper in one of the holes I'm planting peppers in and the whole thing would disappear. Now, I've got this plastic envelope I have to eventually get rid of.



The old packets are on the right. I thought - hey, maybe this is some of that edible underwear type of plastic. So I stuck the corner of the envelope in my mouth to see if moisture started making it denigrate. Nope. Regular old plastic.

Now how much sense does that make?

Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Good luck with all that.

From the Central Valley Business Times.

"Sales of new cars and light trucks in California dropped by 43 percent in the first quarter of 2009 compared to the same period last year, the California New Car Dealers Association (CNCDA) says. "

Who goes on to say:

“The recession and uncertainty surrounding the viability of Chrysler and General Motors have left many consumers on the sidelines,” says Gary Shipman, CNCDA chairman and operator of Toyota, Subaru and Mazda dealerships in Santa Cruz. “It’s too bad because consumer deals on new cars and trucks have never been better and the loss of sales tax revenue is really hurting our communities.”

Well... holy.... shit. I guess they should have thought about that when everyone said "you know what would help this problem? A tax increase". You know what is also hurting our communities? Paying more for every single item people purchase.

No one is sitting on the sidelines. Are these people out of their minds? We've got a 10% sales tax. For every 1000.00 bucks, you pay 100.00 in taxes. A tripling of the registration fee. For my two year old car my fee is about 333.00. This year.

I think I've gotten in right under the wire. I know the increase is suppose to happen at any time. Which would mean, next year the increase would make me pay a sum of around 999.00. I can't wait to see what the fee for the Chrysler is.

Let me just emphasis. My projected tax increase (just to register my cars) is probably going to be around 1500 bucks. In one years time. It isn't abnormal for people here to own two cars in this state. I really don't know a working couple that doesn't own two cars. Sure the Chrysler is a little spendy. But, the Solstice doesn't cost that much more than a Honda Sedan.

Chrysler and GM cars are the more expensive ones. Thus, their registration fees and taxes would go up the most. DUH!

BTW - did you know California is the largest single auto market in the United States? According to this site. I hope they really don't expect that to recover any time soon.

But, but, but. The registration fee increase isn't going to hurt anyone. Right. It's just a few hundred extra bucks. Except for a working family with two cars.

Well, raise your hand then!

If you knew this would happen.

All week Mr S. and I have been debating the floors in the dungeon.

I think the general lean is towards putting in actual hardwood floors instead of some engineered hardwood floor. The prices aren't actually that different. Oddly enough.

I'm pretty sure the only price difference is the hardwood dude that assures you the floor can not be installed by some untrained simpleton like you.

And, the finishing.

Now, I've already done a nail down floor. Which I have to admit, was a bit of a learning curve. I might have not gotten through it without a few valuable tips from Alpha contractor. Now that I've done it - I have a bit of a contractor chip on my shoulder. They charge tons of money to install hardwood floors. F them. I'm not paying that. Especially now.

However I'm not going to finish the floor. That I will pay a guy to do that.

So why have I been putting off calling floor guys? Because, my contractor scab has apparently not healed yet. It takes such a huge amount of effort to maintain these guys. Even the ones I really like and know. Which this will not be.

The other fun item will be.... the bunnies. I haven't quite figured out what I'm going to do so they aren't affected by the chemicals.

I suppose I could evict my renter, and put them over there. But, that doesn't make much logical sense. Now does it? Yet, I haven't met my eviction fantasies for the month yet. So there you go.

Tuesday, April 28, 2009

Oh - that's funny.

It seems like much longer than two weeks ago my neighbor got back from Mexico with delicious Chicklets I pleaded for him to get me. Which I'm almost out of.

Yes, I know you can buy American Chicklets. Not the same. They must be packaged in these little tiny packages of 4. Now I have to hunt down a source for Mexican Chicklets.

In my mind it seemed more like a month ago. So when I was milling around hundreds of people this weekend - it was only a passing thought that if he'd brought something back - how many people I would then be passing something onto. Since we've had ample contact. And BTW, the flu thing only really started rolling on Friday anyway. So why would I care much at that point? The whole thing is much more hype-ey today. Four days later.

I actually wouldn't have even given it a second thought at all, if his mom hadn't been sick soon after he got back. This is the Bay Area after all, most people don't stay home when they are sick. It gets better though.

Go back through my blog and see how many hundreds of people I have come into contact with since the 10th of April. Which is roughly when my neighbor got back from Mexico.

I would guess at least 1000 people. Just from me!

This People - is why these things can't be contained. Just sayin.

Bad ass - ish.

This weekend was pretty busy, yet fairly unproductive.

We went over to the Half Moon Bay to an air show. I'd rather be doing technology stuff - but that area is a little crippled right now. So I have to spread my entertainment choices out a little.

First let me say - I'm not that into planes. Unless they can break the sound barrier. But, they said the Zeppelin was going to be there. I was all into that. They were also giving pretty cheap helicopter rides. Which was also a motivation.

I quickly got my fill of airplanes. So, we decided to pick up a churro and walk to the other side of the show. Which was misc and cars.

It was at this point I decided that California is trying to ruin everything. I swear to you people - I took one bite and realized it was made of whole wheat. Oh yes. A whole wheat churro rolled in sugar. For the love of gawd the greenies want to take the pleasure out of everything. Even event food. Which is suppose to be nothing but bad for you.

Anyway, the day started going downhill from there. It was super windy. The Zeppelin never showed. Because of the wind I didn't want to get into one of those tiny helicopters. Hopefully the cars would salvage the day.



This was about those most bad ass thing I saw on the car side. Though I couldn't really get very good shots of it. The sun was hitting me on this side. The better angle was the one of him next to the porta potties.



I even told the guy, the bike is great - but it sucks you are parked in front of the portojohns. He could have pulled up 5 feet, and his bike would have looked much better. He didn't give a fuck. So whatever. Black on black is a pretty challenging shot.



They'd even made a notch in the tailgate for the tire.





This car set was a little funny. At a lot of these car shows I swear people are trying to get into my shot. There are so many times I start to walk towards a car, and there isn't anyone around it. All of a sudden a group of people will rush over as soon as I get my shot lined up. This time, there were two cars side by side I wanted to get pictures of. They were empty of people. I lined up my shot, the crowd rushed in. The other car was empty. So I laughed and told Mr S. "look, I'm going to try to shoot the other one and see if they rush over to that one". Sure enough.

Mr S. thinks they were less trying to get in my shot and more acting like smoke around a fire. It just follows you no matter what you do.



I don't know what this is - but it looks like a fish.



As we were leaving Mr S. spotted the pricey Maserati. You can't mistake this one for a Toyota.

Monday, April 27, 2009

P.S.



Dogs can still walk. Right?

When women started carrying around dogs - I kind of got it. Maybe their wombs were empty. Baby replacement and all that. I just don't really get guys carrying around dogs.

Sure, maybe if the dog is tiny and might get stepped on like the hem of a dress. But, still! Why are we making dogs helpless creatures?

Segue here. It is your lucky day. Normally I never warn anyone I'm changing subjects.

Oh.. okay. Maybe I'll throw in a "girl please." Because the wind is making me cranky.



Mr S. comes over to me and says - did you see that "girl please" walk through your shot? Where I probably muttered something about wanting to punch the wind. Next time I saw her I understood exactly why he'd gotten my attention. Then I grabbed a shot.

I know. I'm a complete asshole.

You are on your own.



I know I told you I would have something interesting. I don't! Because, the wind is an asshole. That's right. Major league asshole.

Sunday, April 26, 2009

Because Iceland needs the money.



A little like selling snowballs in hell right now - isn't it?



Before today, I'd never seen Icelandic water.

You almost pass it by.

Friday, April 24, 2009

Because they are delicious.

I have to admit, soon after reading the word flu a bunch of times - I became a super hypochondriac. Baby, I've been really tired the last couple of days, I said to Mr S. And now every time I read the word flu my stomach becomes queasy.

I wouldn't say I'm prone to this behaviour. Although there has been a time or two that thinking I had something was all that was needed to produce symptoms. After I found out I didn't have this or that - I'd laugh nervously that my body had actually managed to start convincing me otherwise.

Yet when I took a quick look at the wires tonight and read this from the AP:

"NEW YORK – New York City health officials say that about 75 students at a Queens high school have fallen ill with flu-like symptoms and testing is under way to rule out the strain of swine flu that has killed dozens in Mexico."

I thought - those numbers seem too large. Either we are all going to die or perhaps we are in for a little mass hysteria. I'm guessing the second. Even for a normal flu you don't hear those sorts of numbers of people falling ill in a small area. It is sort of interesting though.

I'm guessing the pigs are just getting back at us for Bacontini's.

I see u.

Yeah - I know you are all wondering where I am. I'm wondering too. I have a general inability to focus today. Which makes my head hurt. Or maybe it's sniffing all the paint. I'm not sure which. At any rate - I don't have anything interesting.

Now that I have primer up on the walls, I have this overwhelming urge to run and buy some flooring. Which will basically entail tearing everything out of the computer room to install it. And, lets face it. I'm going to be tearing everything out of this room. Mr S. knows that. You know it. We all know it.

I have to do my bit for the e-con-omy! Also, it looks like housing is stalling again - so I might as well try to get in on a deal while I'm not completely freaked out about the world collapsing.

I think I can get it done in two days. Except for the whole computer nightmare.

I also have to make my way to dimsum this weekend. Yes.... I'm hopelessly addicted to it right now. You walk in and they bring you stuff right away. Oh how I love that.

At first I loved the idea of never being quite sure what they were going to bring. But, I've been secretly been going almost every week.

Now I just want them to bring the things I want. Which means learning some of their words. Oh my gawd people. You see the same servers every week so I know they recognize me by now. So when I asked them specifically for sumai - I've never seen anyone so excited to get me something in my life. I'm sure they were thinking "holy crap - finally"!

I should also have something else interesting for you this weekend. But, I hate plugging stuff in case it sucks - or I decide not to go.

Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Oh children - this is going to be funny.

First let me start out by saying - there is no one on earth who wants the alternative energy folks to be right. No one! Not because of some stupid love for mother earth. What egos. Mother Earth does what she wants, and she'll kick your ass if she feels like it.

I want them to be right, because with mass production - prices come down. The Snarkolepsy household runs right out and gets solar panels for the house so we can run a 25 foot television. Well, if I had the money and I wanted to. Then I can tell Pacific Gas and Electric to bite me. See! Pretty selfish and greedy. But green. If you want to call it that.

I have this silly notion that the modern world will take more electricity. Not less. Just like Japan.

Having said that - the alternative energy people push my buttons like no one else. After all, if you can't make solar and wind work in California. Where the hell can you get it to work? Well, plus there is a wind farm not too far from me.

It's pretty hard getting any kind of real data from that place. You'd think it was area 51 or something. I don't think any of the locals know where the power goes, or how much power it actually produces. I've heard people say that none of the power from the wind farms goes to my town at all. I only hear about the enviro's bitching about the birds getting killed.

So, when the new administration started touring windmill manufacturing plants, I decided to poke around again. Hoping to plug in the magic key words to find out once and for all how much good those spinny turbines were doing.

Oh wait. Lets talk about those birds again.

In 2004 people started getting unhappy about the birds getting killed from the turbines. So the greenies put pressure on the county to get the companies who own the windmills to replace old turbines that were alleged to kill the birds. Funny thing is, if they replace the turbines - the companies get less revenue. I know that motivates me to do stuff.
Full story here.


"Wind-power electricity prices have dropped sharply, from 80 cents a kilowatt hour in 1980, to 10 cents in 1991, to between 3 cents and 9 cents a kilowatt hour today, excluding subsidies, meaning potentially lower revenues for operators. "


Additionally, the state doesn't just let you do the right thing and swap out the old turbines in theory making the greenies happy. They have to undertake an environmental impact report. Which is known to take years. So why bother. Just let the birds die for shits sakes. What do you want? Green energy or birds? You can't have both. But, it gets oh so much better.

A few companies have been swapping out their turbines. Yet the bird deaths have continued. Even said to increase. But wait! The new turbines were suppose to be taller, making it so birds couldn't fly into them.

I'm not a bird-ol-ogist, but I'm guessing birds still fly at 200-250 feet in the air. Maybe their little carcases disintegrate before they fall to the ground huh? No.. no such luck.

So the Audubon Society now wants half of the turbines idled during bird migration times. Or a complete 4 month winter shutdown. I can't tell which. Full story here.

Four months! What will we do till then?

Well, we can get our power from natural gas peaker plants. No one who has lived through rolling blackouts knows anything about that.

Namely that peaker plants are there for "peak" times. Basically power emergencies. And thus electricity costs more. Or! We can put up a commiserate amount of solar panels to compensate. Which completes the cycle People.

Requiring an environmental impact report! Which Greg Miller of the Bureau of Land Management admits will be close to two years for those goofy solar panels in the desert. Story here.

Oh yeah. Green jobs. So cute!

The constant itch.

When I first looked at this house, I walked into one of the bedrooms and said "holy crap - this room looks like a dungeon. It would be perfect for a computer room".

It was at that point I fully embraced the room and painted it a deep midnight blue. A couple of years in - I've realized the room bends space and time. Looking at the monitors give you a deep tunnel feeling, because all that is around - is darkness. Especially at night.

I guess those dark colors only really work when you have a great light source. But listen, if I had to put on another tan color in a house I owned I was going to loose my will to live. Honestly, if I'm trying to get rid of the place - tan rules. Just - not now.

Anyway. After buying the most expensive primer I could find. Oh yes. Midnight blue isn't the kind of color you get rid of without a fight. I've got a couple of walls primered. And for the love of all that is right in the world. I didn't realize how big this room is. I can see the corners. When you can't see where one wall ends and the next begins - you know you have problems.

I hope I can keep my inner junkie under control. I hadn't even set foot into a home improvement store in 6 months. I had to squash my urge to destruct something. After walking into Home Depot I was pleasantly surprised they hadn't changed a thing. Sort of like going back to your parents house after you grow up.

Well, maybe surprised is the wrong word. Shocked is more like it. Don't they understand that not changing the merchandise doesn't help them get people in the door?

Tuesday, April 21, 2009

God saved me from getting lost.

Oh - just wait till people run across this title and land on my blog. Why I never! Let me save you the trouble people. This isn't the blog for you. Leave now.

Anyway. This weekend I took Bart. I've lived in the valley off and on my whole life. But, I'd never been on the Bart train. I spent many a years on the bus, and the moment I got a paying job - I found something with wheels to drive. Sometimes it didn't have a radio. Or more accurately, it often would have a giant gaping hole where a radio would go. Which was really fing cold in the winter. Giant gaping hole that sucks all heat from car was still much better than waiting for the bus.

So I figure if I don't have to think about getting on the train to go in one direction. That same train should bring me back.

I think I was somewhere in Fremont when I said to Mr S. "Are you sure we are going in the right direction"? He assured me we were. Baby, I don't think so, I said. You see those big giant crosses in the distance? That is the freeway. It doesn't look like this train is going back that way.

It turns out the train wasn't going that way. Which resulted in me having to take 4 trains to get home. But - I found it really amusing that those damn churches with the 30 foot high crosses are the only landmarks I could see that resulted in me not getting too far out of my way.

Well, god noticed that. Apparently. And started pulling in favors. Because this morning the church people showed up on my doorstep. Or maybe it was just a coincidence. But still. Funny.

Monday, April 20, 2009

Me not only one who illiterate.

The never ending jury duty potential.

I don't even know what to say about Oakland. I rarely go there. Unless I'm being forced by the courts. Yet, no matter how rarely I go - there is always a ton of police activity. This event wouldn't have even made me look twice except they had a million law enforcement, and one guy.



This the point they notice I've got my big ass zoom lens on. The whole thing was pretty uneventful. Although, I was super curious to know what he did to warrant such a response. Maybe it is standard now.

Sunday, April 19, 2009

Somewhat bad ass car. Stalker edition.

People! You know how I love to see sports cars on the roads. Makes me feel like all is right with the world. Especially the world here in the valley. Before the economy tanked I was seeing a couple super swanky sports cars a month. Yesterday I saw a Ferrari, but I didn't have my camera out.

When the crash happened it seemed like everyone garaged their fancy sports cars. Now they are starting to come back out. Which makes me happy.

However.... there are some people who shouldn't be allowed to drive expensive sports cars no matter how rich they are. One of those people is this guy. Maserati guy.



Mr S. saw him in the rear view mirror and said "what is this car coming up". And I swear to you - we had exactly the same conversation that we had here.

Me - Baby, it's a toy-o-ta.

Him - No, I think it's another one of those Maserati's.

Since he was right last time, and this super amazing radar ability for sports cars - I thought we should slow down to find out. Yes.. I said it. Slow down. Normally I'm having to kick the hemi in to catch these guys.

This however is where I became surly and started hating Maserati guy. He was driving in the slow lane. Mr S. had to slow so far down - it became completely ridiculous. I tried to get a shot of the car and the camera was switched in a way I couldn't.

We wound up passing Maserati guy. Doing the speed limit. Then he was bunched up with a bunch of people. We wound up camping out in the slow lane waiting for this guy to catch up to us. I finally told Mr S. to go slow enough that he needed to pass us so I could get a picture. Which he didn't do until we got down to 50 miles an hour. Really. Not only is it an oh so meh almost unrecognisable as a sports car - sports car. He doesn't even drive it fast!

Hell, I don't even own a Maserati - but if I did, I wouldn't go 50 miles an hour. Maserati guy continued to stay in the slow lane. Driving like a grandma. People passing him. Like he was driving a Toyota. Not a Maserati. Why bother buying a fast car, if you aren't going to work the engine?



After I was done taking pictures, Mr S. said "it would be funny if it was that same Maserati we saw in Cupertino". Which made me remember I had pictures of the guys license plate. Sure enough. It's the same one.

I'm not sure how to feel about that. On one hand Maserati dude likes the sames things we do. Apparently. On the other - he drives like a grandma.

More Bad Ass cars here.

Next time.

I should have walked into this place. But I didn't. I'm more of a traditionalist. I get a little caught off guard by restaurants that cross great spans of the food landscape. Yet, now I feel like maybe they made burgers with donut buns. That would have been picture worthy.

Saturday, April 18, 2009

It's your irfday. It's your irfday.

Look, this is when of the few times I have two subject titles. So you get them both.

Alt: Earth. It's what's for dinner.

I make no secret that I think these "love mother earth" hippies are a bunch of self aggrandizing bullshitters. With their made up carbon footprint this, and carbon tax that. Their solar panels they can't even plant in the desert, and which you can only get 20% efficiency out of.

Oh! I read today that it takes water to cool the more efficient solar panels. The ones they want to create a solar grid out of. Which made me laugh and laugh and laugh. When I got done rubbing the laughing tears from my eye, I felt extremely bad for the farmer communities who can't even get water. The unemployment is reaching 40% in their communities. Ooooooh right! I bet they aren't celebrating earth day there.

Nonetheless - I found myself at one of those dooshbaggy events in my town today. I thought I might convert and join a drum circle and chant kumbaya.

You know I'm kidding. I just wanted to have some footage to mock. When I got there it was the lamest most tiny showing ever. As we were driving up, I told Mr S. "I'm not sure we even need to get out of the car". Until the irony hit.

Look, if you want to convince me that the stupid earth day things are all about mother earth. Perhaps you shouldn't have a truck jumpy. And - an event sponsored by a car company. Just saying! It makes it hard for me to take you seriously.







Just another thing. How does f-ing plastic grass help mother earth? How? I bet this shit is made in China. Shipped in by boat. Trucked to where ever. Did I mention it is plastic????

Noob.



More later when I can write.

Friday, April 17, 2009

Thursday, April 16, 2009

Lame!

I'm not sure what happens when you call out a blogger. I've never done so before. So, I guess we will see what happens. Especially a guy who posts to Salon.

I started getting a lot of hits on the San Jose riot police post. So I decided to follow the link people were triggering, and ran across this guys blog who was also at the SJ tea party. From his own description - I recognised this guy right away.



One - because his sign stood out to me. "Obama correct Bush's mistakes" It was the only sign I remembered seeing that said anything about Bush. I was looking for these people. This was my third tea party, and I'd grown bored of most of the signs. Two - he was the meekest guy I saw there. He stood out like a sore thumb because of this. So when I read in his post that he was "looking for trouble" I laughed and laughed. Seriously.

My laughter didn't stop there. This is his description of the anti tea party protesters.

"This small contingent of scruffy black clad kids were surrounded by 2 rows of riot cops in full gear, and outside of that a wall of teabaggers hurling every cliched insult from the book: "illegals get the **** out", "this is America", "Get that **** Mexican flag out of my face". It was an ugly scene. I suddenly felt alive."

Ahahahaha. This is the scruffy protesters before they got mixed in with everyone else. See the code pink chick?



Maybe that guy in the front could be considered scruffy. But, he doesn't look that scruffy once he takes his hoody off.



Or maybe he means hello kitty guy. He does have a mean looking mohawk after all!



They did bring the riot police in. But there wasn't even one shove for shits sakes. A few people were yelling at them initially, but it grew obvious nothing was going to happen. So I looped around the park. Are you kidding - if I thought anything was going to happen - I would have stayed planted to get shots of that!

His description of him goading other protesters, and one spitting in his face. Also seems a bit of bravado. I have about a hundred shots from all vantage points. Many of the riot police. I would defy anyone to produce a picture of even a shove. So, for him to say someone spit in his face. That would have provoked a very obvious response from the crowd.

He goes on to say:


"A young black guy standing next to me seemed very amused by my antics. I started talking to him. He wasn't carrying any signs. As it turns out he was an independent, and a little bit confused. He said he liked Huckabee because of his flat tax proposal. He thought Newt Gingrich makes a lot of sense. But then he voted for Obama. He also observed aloud, astutely, that the protestors were almost uniformly white (which is NOT typical of San Jose, CA), and that there was a fair amount of overt racism towards the aforementioned immigration amnesty folks. Confused but honest and talkative. I liked him."


Oh the drama. Half of the immigration amnesty folks were freaking white!

Also mostly white? The International Answer people!



"It's just deeply disappointing to see my fellow leftists become walking caricatures. No matter, I saw a young man and an older fellow- maybe his father- among that contingent, carrying A.N.S.W.E.R. coalition signs. I asked them if ANSWER organized the counter demonstration. "No- it's all spontaneous" We talked a little more. I recalled the huge anti-war march in San Francisco in 2002 (2003, the older fellow corrected me). I told them how grateful I was to the ANSWER coalition for organizing that hugely successful protest which brought >150,000 people to Market Street that day. "


I took a few shots of them, because it was the most pathetic showing a International Answer I'd ever seen. Look, here they are in their little group on the other side of the street watching the protest. And that wasn't even the main protest. That was the spillover protest.



I love that when you see nothing but color - the Bay Area produces a segment of the population that mostly looks about the same color. Unless you are really dark, or really light - most people these days look about the the same color of super weak coffee. Hell most of the 20 somethings in this area I've given up on trying to figure out a race. No kidding, half the time people tell me their nationality and my first thought is "shit - I thought you were white".

Unless you have some obvious other feature, these kids have never seen day light. Since at least half of these folks were old, the grey hair doesn't help. Just sayin'.

Lifestyles of the bored.

Last night while in San Jose, Mr S. and I decided to just do dinner there. We'd decided on a "world famous" steak house. It was just a block away from the protests.

After getting our half basket ball sized loaf of bread, we started to realize we'd made a serious error. This was going to be one of those places that was more a "dining experience" than fine dining. The kind of place that takes an hour and 45 minutes to get out of. Which I oh so hate. At points I seriously considered filling up on bread and leaving. The bread was super awesome. Did I mention the bread?

Anyway. By the time the steaks came - I was telling our server that I wanted the check. Because there is nothing I hate more than waiting an hour and 45 minutes to get through a whole meal, then having to wait another half an hour to get the check. I wasn't irritated in any way. Though I was apologising to Mr S.

He'd worked, then I'd been parading him around to two tea parties. We were just tired.

Though, at this point - I thought the place was just one of those snooty places that people want to hang out in for a few hours while they get their egos massaged by the server. They did read the entire menu to us after all.

When I asked for the check though, all of a sudden a manager popped over to our table. And I swear to you - other than looking bored I didn't have an attitude at all. We were just tired and wanted to leave.

She explained that she was sorry for how long it took to get our order out. Which surprised us. We just figured the service was normal for a place that reads the whole menu to you. Which I deem totally un-necessary. She explained they had a few big tables. Bla bla bla.

The Sharks apparently were in there. If I'd known what any of them looked like, I would have gotten you pictures. They just looked like random jocks to me. She said she'd make it up to us. Whatever.

We got the bill - I noted that they hadn't made anything up to us. Still didn't care. Although I did grouse about the 20% tip on the way back to the car. Because, if the manager wouldn't have said anything I wouldn't have been so aware we'd gotten crappy service. I would have just made a mental note to not come back there unless we had a ton of time to burn. Which we mostly don't. Additionally - who spends 2 freaking hours at a restaurant these days anyway?

So I was going to blog about the restaurant and how annoying it was. Then I realised that when I left reservations - you have to give a phone number. The manager had called and left a VM saying she wanted to make it up to us like she'd promised. Which I'm all conflicted about.

The bread was really good. Yeah - I'm a hick that way. So, I'm betting she wants to send some gift certificate or something, so we come back. Yet, I'm still not sure it isn't one of those snooty restaurants that trap you for two hours. And I'm just not into that.

It's about the important things People.



Little tiny dogs with sun glasses.

Wednesday, April 15, 2009

Tea Party - San Jose.

Yeah - I'm crazy enough to have taken in two Tea Party protests today. Honestly, I could have probably spent all day going to them. There was one in Fremont. They were all over the Bay Area.

San Jose was definitely more interesting. It was pretty big, and there were tons and tons of signs. I actually had to move my dinner reservation later because there were so many people and signs.









I don't get it either.



Oddly, International Answer was there. But, they weren't mixing with the rest of the protesters. They were on the other side of the street, sort of in a small group. They weren't even mixing with the anti tea party protesters.



This guy was just really funny. I think he was there on the wrong day. The Sharks game is tomorrow. But, everyone who saw him liked his originality.







Here are the anti tea party protesters. Which I'm not sure what the agenda was. They had one code pink chick. I think they were pro immigration. Hell, I don't know. I'm always confused when middle class white kids with hello kitty backpacks protest immigration issues.





They were on my radar almost right away. They were using a bucket as a drum. They actually barged into the other protesters right in front of me. Where I immediately took up a spot. Because they started getting all lippy.



I grew bored of them. Made one circle around the park, and when I got back to their spot - they'd moved the riot police in.

Tea Party.

The first Tea party we made it to today is Pleasanton Ca. The whole time I've lived in the East Bay - I've never seen a protest there. In my town sure. We have a lot more peacenics. And, the city is trying to make the town into an "artsy" community. Which is another way to say "jobless peacenics".

Anyway I digress. I was really surprised at how many people were at the protest. I'm not going to guess, because I'm pretty bad at people estimation. But, there were a lot more than I expected. It was quite the spectacle. I figured a couple hundred people would turn out. It was 2:00 on a weekday after all. There was plenty of people driving by honking.




I have to admit - this was my favorite sign. Her font left a little to be desired. If you can't read it - it says "At least the pirates are open about it".









I have to admit - I'm over the "Don't tax me Bro" signs. It was funny the first dozen times I saw it. Now, not so much.







While I was taking pictures spastically - Mr S. was talking to these guys in lawn chairs. Asking them about the turn out. The guy said the crowd had grown all day. The way he knew is that the crowd kept getting closer to him. Apparently he'd staked a spot on the outskirts, and people kept getting closer and closer to where he was. It sounded like he planned to camp out there all day.

The other interesting thing Mr S. relayed to me was the lawn chair guys had commented about how a speaker from the Republican party had spoken there earlier. Which in their opinion diminished the bipartisan message.