Albuquerque: Day One

The morning began just fine in Grand Junction, Colorado. Mr. Viddy and family awoke bright and early to begin our final leg into New Mexico. I should have known something would be amiss when we began the climb up Red Mountain Pass just outside of Ouray, Colorado. Apparently they had been doing some blasting to prevent avalanches and as a result we found ourselves stopped dead in our tracks along with about a dozen other cars and trucks just past the top of the mountain. We waited on the road for about an hour while they cleared a path on the roadway for traffic.

Finally, we entered the Duke City at about 8 o'clock this evening and we settled into our hotel for the night. All was going smooth until Mr. Viddy's son asked to go and get some items out of the truck. When he returned to the room and I asked for the keys back, you guessed it. He locked the keys in the truck. Right there, in plain view on the drivers side seat were my only set of keys for the truck.

Being a crafty devil, I attempted to learn how to pop a car door lock on the internet but I just couldn't get it done. So I finally broke down and called a locksmith. I just got back with keys in hand and $52 poorer but it beats the hell out of putting a brick through the window.

And that was Albuquerque, Day One.

Viddy On The Road: American Style

10 hours to go until I hit the road and a mere 18 hours before I cross the state line out of Oregon for good. Yes, the day is almost upon us when Mr. Viddy relocates his base of operations to the Southwest. Folks, I'm being sincere when I say that I've loved spending time with you up here in Oregon but it's time to embark on my next great adventure. No worries, I am sure I will visit from time to time but I'd be lying if I told you that I wasn't looking forward to sunnier surroundings.

If you happen to see me along the way give a honk and a wave, I probably won't acknowledge you and I'll most definitely speed up to get away but fuck it, it is the thought that counts.

Sure there are some things that I won't miss. Like the Blazers and the homeless kids on Pioneer Square but that is a sacrifice that I am willing to make. Alrighty then, I am tired. Stay tuned for my reports from the road as I traverse this great nation of ours.

Tagged For: Travel * America * Mr. Viddy

Regarding Downtown Albuquerque: A Thought For The Future

It would appear that there is at least some interest in developing downtown Albuquerque, New Mexico into a bustling hub of activity. A true urban center where people could live, work and play all in one central area. Beyond housing, jobs and entertainment there is one key element which will continue to remain elusive to the downtown core in Albuquerque. Density. Yes, it takes warm bodies to grow and develop any area and downtown Albuquerque is no different. Now let me tell you why I believe that the city and the developers will fail to create a long-term and vibrant downtown neighborhood. Greed.

Greed and density go together about as well as oil and water. It never fails to amaze me when I read about cities trying to build up certain neighborhoods and then complain when they cannot attract a permanent base of residents to sustain their endeavors. Take Albuquerque. What you need in order to succeed is a mix of people of various income levels and backgrounds who are attracted to the idea of living together in a high energy environment but what you will see instead is the greedy developer who will roll in, gentrify the neighborhood and then proceed to build high priced lofts, condos and apartments.

I am sorry, but you cannot hope to populate the entire downtown area with nothing but affluent people. You need affordable housing so that you can also get the worker bee's and artists and other people who would bring life and add color to the downtown area. But you are not going to see this happen, instead the developers will try to squeeze as much money per square foot as they can and in a short time you will here them and the politicians whine about how they failed to create the density needed to support a revitalized downtown neighborhood.

Perhaps I have oversimplified my explanations but not by much. I think you will see that until the time comes when everyone involved in the development process begins to factor in lower wage earners as being a key element in this equation you can forget about seeing a downtown Albuquerque that is truly alive and vibrant.

Tagged For: Albuquerque * Business * Downtown

The Church of Christ And How It Relates To The Matthew Winkler Slaying

In my previous post regarding the motivations of "Bloody" Mary Winkler who savagely gunned down her husband Matthew who was a minister with the Church of Christ I received several responses from people who are members of the Church. To set the record straight, I do not personally believe that the Church of Christ in any way influenced Mary Winkler. Meaning this, I do not think Church members directly influenced her actions and by no means do I believe that they condoned such a vile act.

This was obviously the case of an unstable woman who just happened to me a member of a religious organization I do not want my readers to think that I am drawing a connection between the two. I must confess that I do not have much knowledge of the Church of Christ but I have not seen anything that would lead me to believe that this is a cult-like organization that would sanction a murder of one of it's members.

Time will tell what motivated "Bloody" Mary Winkler to commit murder. At this junction in time however, it is too early to speculate if she did indeed have a justification. I am looking forward to the court proceedings to see how each side spins this crime.

Tagged For: Mary Winkler * Crime * Current Affairs

"Bloody" Mary Winkler: Minister's Wife Gone Bad

There is a lot of speculation going around as to what motivated 32 year-old Mary Winkler to gun down her husband, minister Matthew Winkler in their Tennessee home on Wednesday. Police are keeping mum even though we have heard reports that "Bloody" Mary has given a full confession.

Friends and family have all described the couple and their children as being very happy together and everyone was shocked by the brutal killing, more so because it appears that the children were at home when their father was killed. No motive has been ruled out even though police have said that it does not appear to be a case of infidelity. Perhaps it was some form of abuse that nobody was aware of? At first I thought it was odd that no word of Mary's confession has leaked but then I realized that this being a conservative Southern community, they would do their best to keep a tight lid on news or gossip.

So what would cause a wife to murder her husband when everyone around them saw the couple as idyllic? Even though infidelity is being ruled out I believe that it was a possibility that Mary, acting under the influence of a possible lover, killed her husband in order to escape the seemingly perfect world that she was trapped in. And the other strong possibility may end up being some form of sexual abuse that was being perpetrated by the minister husband.

For now we must wait for this case to make it's way through the legal system before we truly find out what compelled "Bloody" Mary Winkler to kill, in cold blood.

Tagged For: Crime * Murder * Mary Winkler

Islam Once Again Proves It Is NOT A Religion of Love and Peace

Another glaring case in point which shows just what is wrong with Islam and the fanatical Muslims who follow it. President Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan is grappling with how to free Abdul Rahman who is facing death because of the heinous crime of converting to Christianity and carrying a bible. You would think that any sane and rational man, especially the leader of his nation, would not need to grapple with anything. Step up, make a stand for what is right and free the man.

And where is George Bush in all of this? Mr. Freedom should have already given an ultimatum to Hamid Karzai telling, not asking him, to free Abdul Rahman. What is the point of sacrificing the lives of American servicepeople around the world if we are just going to stand by a let an innocent man die for the crime of changing his religious beliefs?

We shall have to see how this plays out but even if Abdul Rahman is freed it will still be a travesty of justice if the leadership of Afghanistan has to resort to making excuses such as he is mentally ill. Just let the man go. You sick, disgusting Muslim bastards.

Tagged For: Religion * Politics * Islam

The Long Arm of MADD and Drunken Texans and the Evil That Men Do, But Women Can Drink As Much As Some Men

Now it makes sense. What am I talking about you ask? I am talking about the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission sending undercover hooch cops into bars to arrest and fine people caught drunk in public, even if they have not left the building. I was pondering why Texas would begin such an operation and then I read that this has the backing and full support of MADD. Grieving mothers, I can sympathize with them. They have lost children to drunks but I cannot agree with sending undercover operatives into public establishments and then arresting people who they feel have had too much to drink.

I'd support DUI checkpoints, I'd even support positioning officers outside of drinking establishments to check on people leaving a bar to see if they are too inebriated to function but it chaps my hide that they are doing this undercover, on the down low and they have not mentioned what the criteria is for determining how drunk is too drunk. Are they going to do spot breathalyzer tests or will it be discretionary based on how the officers feels?

Texas, rethink this fiasco and come back to me when you have a better system in place.

Los Angeles Dumping The Poor

Los Angeles. In the area known as Skid Row surveillance cameras captured the images of an elderly lady, dressed in slippers and a hospital gown wandering around aimlessly until the staff of the Union Rescue Mission were seen bringing her inside. The woman, 63 year-old Carol Ann Reyes of Gardena had been removed from a Kaiser Permanente hospital, put in a taxi and then dumped onto the streets of downtown Los Angeles like unwanted garbage.

Apparently this is not an isolated incident and city officials are now investigating the practice of hospitals and perhaps even law enforcement agencies of dumping the poor and homeless downtown. In a bit of damage control a spokesperson for Kaiser Permanente is claiming that after being unable to find shelter for Ms. Reyes that they had planned on transporting her to the Union Rescue Mission and are uncertain as to why she was just dumped on the street.

The reason is simple. In America if you are poor, unattractive or a minority then the government and big business see you as expendable. Human garbage. Kaiser Permanente may or may not be telling the truth about what happened to Ms. Reyes but one thing is certain, no insurance equals no room in the inn. They dumped this lady because to keep her in the hospital would have meant cutting into the profits and they couldn't have that. It was far better for the board of directors and the investors to just take a chance and put this human with little value into a taxi and dump her someplace like Skid Row. Make her someone elses problem.

I don't have all of the answers and I most definitely cannot spell out a workable fix for the poor and homeless in this country but it is time for all of us, myself included, to take a good look around and see just how cold and detatched we have become as a society. If it doesn't impact us directly then we do not care. It is one of the reasons why you continue to see stories like this in the media. Unless someone takes the time to slap a headline on a story, we could have cared less what became of Carol Ann Reyes. Even the politicians and city officials in Los Angeles have admitted that this is an ongoing problem but until the AP ran this story---> (L.A. Investigating Alleged Patient Dumping) nobody was willing to launch an investigation.


Tagged For: News * Society * Patrick Valdez

Hey Paul Allen, How You Doin?

Hi Paul Allen, hey there buddy. Would it help you out if I made a PayPal donation to the Portland Trailblazers? I know the team is in trouble because you've cried enough about them in the local media. It was nice to see that on paulallen.com that you describe the Blazer's as being a competitive NBA leader in playoff appearances and community relations. We can see this by looking at the current NBA standings for the Western Conference, just look. Out of the 15 teams in the conference the Blazer's are ranked at 15. And who hasn't heard of the many drug arrests, suspensions and other acts of mayhem perpetrated by various members of the team?

Paul Allen, you sixth richest man in the world you. Would it help you out any if I were to designate a percentage of my paycheck to your team? I'd be crazy to not want to be a part of a team that is a leader in the NBA. Sign me up Paul Allen, you old Pacific Northwest homeboy. You Seattle loving hipster. Paul Allen, I love you.

Tagged For: Humor * NBA * Paul Allen

Comparison Punishment: "Dirty" Debra Lafave vs. Mishelle Robinson

In this corner, wearing revealing lingerie and pouty smile we have Debra Lafave, 25, hot and horny blonde. Convicted rapist. Sentence, permanent loss of teaching credentials and house arrest followed by probation. Must register as a sexual offender for life.

In the opposite corner we have Mishelle Robinson, wearing sweatsuit and needing dental work. 29, somewhat chunky and in desperate need of a hair stylist. Convicted rapist. Sentenced to 4 years in state prison and must register as a sexual offender.

Mishelle Robinson's photo and story can be read here---> Ugliness Gets You Hard Time

Interesting. It appears that if you are an attractive female then the judge and the victim's family find it easy to overlook your crime and are more than willing to let you slide with a slap on the wrist. But if you are coyote ugly and you commit a similar crime then you get to visit your local state prison as a guest for several years.

If Debra Lafave looked anything like Mishelle Robinson you can believe that she would not have walked out of the courtroom with just house arrest, she too would have been headed to the pokey. It's a good thing that in America, good looks come in handy and if you aren't attractive perhaps it wouldn't be a bad idea to save up for some cosmetic surgery. Just in case.

Tagged For: Crime * Beauty * Sex

Cyberslacking Is Not Unproductive

Some reports like to quote that employees who use the internet at work for leisure purposes contribute to an estimated $1 billion in lost productivity. My response to this. BULLSHIT!

During a typical 8 hour shift at work I estimate that I spend about 5 hours surfing the internet, blogging, shopping and other non-work related internet functions yet I consistently meet my goals and deadlines and have never had a bad performance review or faced disciplinary action due to my personal internet use on the company dime.

As a matter of fact, I feel that I would be less productive and more disgruntled if my employer ever dared to restrict my internet usage. Of course I would never view porn at work but beyond that, anything goes. So how can my cyberslacking be said to impede my performance at work? There are several people on my team who don't surf half as much as I do and they are far less productive. So I have to disagree that using the internet while at work contributes to a lack of productivity.

Poor leadership is the cause of this. Instead of scapegoating cyberspace, employers should take a long, hard look at their supervisors and managers and make sure that they are doing there jobs instead of wasting time and money on their long lunches and off-site meetings. Stop blaming the workers, we are here doing our best to increase profits. Let us have our fun and stay off our backs!

Tagged For: Internet * Technology * Business

Debra Lefave: Too Hot For Hard Time

Convicted rapist, Debra Lafave, the 25 year-old school marm from Florida has finally escaped any possibility of jail time. This is due to the fact that the psychiatrists who were responsible for interviewing the teenaged victim had stated that making the young man testify at a trial would impede his recovery and cause untold trauma to his young psyche.

I know that many people have expressed outrage and have commented upon what they perceive to be a double standard in this case because instead of an older man molesting a young girl we have a hot and horny blonde who seduced a young male. Now I have not personally researched the statistics but shortly after the first trial when Ms. Lafave was given her slap on the wrist and no jail time, many news outlets had mentioned that there was not a double standard and in fact plenty of male rapists had been given similar sentences to Ms. Lafave's.

Personally, I too feel that this is a case of double standards and if anything I have read in plenty of rape cases where the female victim is encouraged to testify against her assailant and no psychiatrist stands up to say she should not. And in fact it has been mentioned in the Lafave case that the primary reason for the young man not testifying was merely to avoid embarrassment.

I can certainly understand the boy feeling awkward and not wanting his friends or schoolmates to poke fun at him but in not testifying against this disturbed woman he and his family have basically told her that it wasn't a big deal. Was it or wasn't it? This has to be a double standard and a complete slap in the face to the justice system because I honestly believe that if this had been a 25 year-old David Lafave, male teacher, who had seduced a teenage student that he would have been looking at some serious prison time and nobody would be arguing whether or not it was the appropriate sentence. Tap, tap?

Tagged For: News * Crime * Rape * Debra Lafave

Star Jones: Almost Dead

Star Jones suffered some major setbacks recently when she went in for breast lift surgery and found herself on the verge of death. Forgive me for my lack of sympathy but that vain bitch had it coming. She has let her C-List celebrity status go to her head. My god, all that she has ever done in life is get a spot on The View along with four other miserable bitches. It is not like she has ever made a serious effort to contribute something worthwhile to society. Unless you count that huge fiasco she called a wedding.

Before she hit it big she was just another tubby dame looking to get by in the world and then one day ABC comes a calling and now she thinks that she is the cat's meow. The bee's knees even. Along with this recently failed breast lift she has also undergone elective surgery to drop some of the fat she had accumulated prior to becoming a TV personality.

Folks, this just goes to show you what happens when you give too much attention to an individual who is not well grounded. Star Jones would rather die than be comfortable with who she is. What a pity said the kitty.

Tagged For: Entertainment * Hollywood * Fat Bitches

Caffeine No Mas

Time to ease up on the caffeine in my daily routine. I have been getting tremendous headaches and other pains. In the course of my 8 hour work day I typically consume two energy drinks and about 4 large cups of coffee and then to mix things up a bit I toss down around 4-5 diet sodas. Word!

Tagged For: Drugs * Drug Abuse

Portland Phallus Sunday

It doesn't take a genius to figure out what this represents.

Tagged For: Sex * Entertainment * Republicans

Not Again. Yes, The Matrix Rant!

Let's overlook my long standing opinion that the Wachowski Brothers borrowed heavily from E.M. Forster's 1909 short story, The Machine Stops when they crafted The Matrix. Today I am taking issue with a scene in The Matrix where Agent Smith is explaining to Neo how the Matrix came to be. I know you remember this scene, it where Smith tells Neo that the original construct of the Matrix was modeled after a utopian world but the humans kept rejecting the program because of their inherently violent nature. As a result, the Matrix was modeled after society of the late 20th century.

The first thing I have to question about this scene is the fact that in the movie, humans are grown and plugged into the Matrix directly after birth. They have no memories of anything prior to becoming fleshy D Cells so why would they care whether or not their artificial reality is utopian or violent when they have nothing to compare it to?

And my major point of contention is this. Even if the humans needed a more violent setting in which to exist why did the machines choose a more technologically advanced setting such as the late 20th Century where they would be exposed to computers, advanced weapons and other technology. Wouldn't it have made more sense for the machines to craft an artificial reality set back in a pre-industrial setting? That way even if Morpheus and his band of merry hackers went around unplugging humans from the Matrix, these people would have no concept of what was or what had happened in the real world.

It would be far more difficult to convince a human who had thought he was living in the 12th century for example to rise up against the machines. They'd have no concept of this kind of technology and it would be much more difficult for Morpheus and the others to train these people to plug back into the Matrix to fight against the machines.

So now you know.


Tagged For: Hollywood * Movies * Entertainment

Vive le France!

French Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin sees himself as a man of action but as the world knows, what the French consider action is standing up to surrender. So to honor the French and their man of action, I am posting some fun facts regarding the French.

1. In ancient times, primitive Frenchmen surrendered to thunderstorms

2. A Frenchman will fight valiantly and without regard to his own safety if you stand between him and his white flag.

3. To show support for the United States and our preemptive strike policy, the French are adopting a policy of preemptive surrender.

4. The French are lobbying to have surrender added as an official event for the 2008 Summer Olympics.


Tagged For: France * Politics * Humor

In Portland, They Protest

It is your right to gather in public and protest against the government and it's policies but come on, we all know that the majority of people who attend any of Portland's protests are just posing phonies with too much free time on their hands. A rather large collection of apathetic losers carrying signs and chanting and not one of them could explain, in a coherent fashion, just what it is they are protesting against.

Someone told them about a protest and a rather dim light went off inside that dusty little head of theirs and they thought, "wow, cool." Even worse than the vapid protesters are the seedy little punks who join in with the protesters and look for ways to cause mayhem and vandalism.

There you have it. I am not nor would I ever attempt to prevent anyone from gathering in public but I do have my opinion based on what I have seen in the past. It would be refreshing for once to see a group that was organized and educated on the issues and not just a bunch of self-important idiots making a scene.

Tagged For: Politics * Oregon * Protests

Anderson Cooper Is Entitled To Privacy

There was a recent snippet in the news just recently concerning CNN correspondent Anderson Cooper and the fact or rumor that he is gay. Jokingly referred to as the most openly closeted gay man in America. This issue is one of the many things that is so very wrong with American culture today. Whether it is Anderson Cooper or Joe the cable guy, what does it matter if someone is gay, lesbian, straight or Republican?

We are talking about a trait that for the most part only matters behind closed doors and I am pretty sick of all the violence and hysteria that can be stirred up over sexual orientation. Personally, in the case of Anderson Cooper, I like his reporting style and that is all that matters to me. It would be the same as having a mechanic who does excellent work, why do I care if he nails men or women?

Wake up America, there are real issues in the world today. Those of you who are openly or secretly homophobic should take those energies and focus on issues that need to be addressed. Don't be a sick bastard who fantasizes about other peoples sexual activity.

Gay Sex Celebrity

PETA To Assist With Aerial Tram Project

Sometimes you have to admit defeat and turn the reigns over to someone better able to handle a crisis situation. Now is the time Portland, call in PETA.

When will it end? When will someone with some authority in the matter take the white elephant a.k.a. OHSU Aerial Tram Project and put it out of it's misery? This project is headed down a one way road to failure and there is no turning back but hopefully the Mayor will be able to shoot out the tires and nip this thing in the bud before the city sees it's resources and coffers drained.

The tram was a nice idea but the fact of the matter is that no one seems to have a clue as to how to get this project completed in a reasonable manner. Throwing tens of millions of dollars into this money pit is ridiculous. Maybe they should mothball the tram project until some point in the future when steel prices have dropped and there is an infrastructure in place that can work together to see this project through to completion.

Until then, the white elephant should be put down. It is the only humane thing to do, both for it and the people of Portland. Someone call PETA, elephant abuse!

Politics News

You Know You're Getting Old When...

You know your getting old when you get an email from an old Army buddy and you realize that you served together 20 years ago. Ouch, I'm not even 40 yet but I have adult memories from 20 years ago. Damn, time flies.

I have three groups of Army buddies. The first group is the three guys who went through infantry, airborne and ranger training with me and then we served together with the 1st Ranger Battalion, they are my best friends from the Army. The second group consists of a few buddies whom I met as a Ranger and after we finished our tours of duty there we all ended up in Hawaii with the 25th Infantry Division (Tropic Lightning). And the final group are the guys I served with in the Golden Dragons, 1/14th Infantry Battalion.

The email I got tonight was from a guy from the last group. It's always good to hear from a former Army buddy, it brings back fond memories. Not that all my memories of the military are fond but this time it was. Still, it does make a guy feel a little old when you can look back twenty years and realize you were already out there in the grown up world.

I'll just have to dye the gray out of my hair tomorrow, find a young girlfriend and go buy a convertible.

Fuck that. I'm looking forward to being an old codger.


Humor

News

Patrick Valdez

Feingold In 2008

It is beginning to look like my candidate for president in 2008 will be Wisconsin Senator Russ Feingold. My reasons for supporting Senator Feingold are quite simple, he is a humble and hard working member of the United States Senate who has made genuine efforts to represent his constituents and stand up for issues that he believes in. In addition, he has experience in foreign relations and intelligence having served on both of those committees in the senate.

And let us not forget that he has also been successful in bi-partisan affairs unlike some other Democratic presidential contenders who have a history of combative behavior with their Republican counterparts. And in keeping with his pledge to serve the people, Senator Feingold was the lone senator to cast a vote against the USA Patriot Act.

It has been said that the Democrats have no candidates who will be able to lead this country but I disagree. I believe that Senator Russ Feingold has the experience and leadership ability to lead this country out of the mess that George W. has created. Interesting though, Feingold/Clinton in 2008?


Politics

News

PlayStation 3 Hit With Setbacks

Console gaming fans will be waiting a little longer than expected before putting their hands on the long anticipated PlayStation 3 gaming console. The alleged reason for this delay has something to do with Sony finalizing the Blu-ray disk technology but I am skeptical. After all, if Sony is one of the developers of Blu-ray then why do they need to make a final decision as to whether or not to use it in the PlayStation 3? Unless they are not being forthcoming and perhaps their version of the new DVD format is flawed in some way.

That would be a devastating blow to Sony and although it would not destroy the company as a whole it would most definitely deal a major and long term setback to the financial future of the company. And as it stands this current delay in launching PlayStation 3 only allows Microsoft's Xbox 360 to gain a larger following and share of the gaming market.

Will Blu-ray technology become another Betamax fiasco? For those of you too young to remember, back when videotape ruled the world there was VHS and Beta. Sony had a superior format called Betamax but it made the strategic error of attempting to force the industry to use it's proprietary technology which allowed the inferior quality VHS format to become dominant because JVC allowed open sharing of it's technology.

But I digress. Sony claims that the PlayStation 3 will premier in November, so let's see how this plays out and more importantly which DVD technology will be driving their newest console.


Gaming Technology PlayStation 3

Big Brothers

Big Brothers, originally uploaded by Mr. Viddy.

People of Portland, you better be good for goodness sake.

Yeah, you better watch out, you better not cry, you better not pout, I'm telling you why. PPB is coming to town.

They're making a list, they're checking it twice, gonna find out who's naughty and nice. PPB is coming to town.

Humor

Photography

Crime and Punishment U.S.A.

It is a sad state of affairs in this country when parents who have already been traumatized by the loss of a child have to go through the added pain of not only burying their child but then having to have the body exhumed in an attempt to see that justice is served. I am talking about the case of 14 year old Martin Lee Anderson who died after a beating at the hands of guards at a youth boot camp for juvenile offenders in Florida. Even though the beating was caught on tape, the initial cause of death was ruled to have been due to a pre-existing blood disorder and no arrests were ever made in this case.

The State of Florida like most other jurisdictions in this country were all to eager to make this an open and shut case, forget about justice. In this case they wanted justice to turn a blind eye to the facts. But the family has not been deterred in their quest for the truth. They are fighting to bring the light of truth to the situation which resulted in the death of their son. The local district attorney, now having to save face, is going to be investigating further. Had the wheels of justice been turning to begin with, a proper investigation would have been done and the guilty punished and the family of Martin Lee Anderson, would still be in pain but they'd at least be on the road to recovering from this tragedy instead of having to revisit it all over again.

And what heinous crime did Martin Lee Anderson commit that resulted in his being sent to boot camp in order to receive a fatal beating at the hands of these savage guards? He had stolen his grandmother's car and had violated his probation. So it all makes perfect sense. In America it is not about redemption and rehabilitation it is about punishing someone just for the sake of punishment. And for Martin Lee Anderson his final punishment was a senseless death at a young age.

Crime Politics

Isaac Hayes Stands Up For Scientology

Sorry folks, the voice of beloved South Park character Chef, Isaac Hayes, has called it quits. It seems that Mr. Hayes can no longer tolerate the disrespect that South Park shows towards religion. Or rather, he has been ordered by his masters in the Church of Scientology to disavow South Park because the show took aim at Scientology in a top-rated show last season.

It seems incredibly odd that South Park has mocked every major religion but it wasn't until the Church of Scientology was targeted that Mr. Hayes decided to speak up. So now the time has come for Isaac Hayes to step up and take his place as a lap dog for the puppet masters who pull the strings within the Church of Scientology.

Isaac, your star faded long ago and South Park was allowing you at least some semblance of a career but now you'll quickly fade from memory. It was nice knowing you. Isaac who?

South Park Religion

Focus On My Fans: Concordia University

I want to thank all of my visitors from Concordia University in Portland. I seem to draw a lot of traffic from your school and I don't want you folks thinking I haven't noticed your support and dedication to Mr. Viddy and Le Petite Morte.

And for those of you considering a local university, why not look into enrolling at Concordia University. They offer many fine programs from their three colleges: College of Theology, Arts & Sciences; College of Education; School of Management. Not to mention that the average class size is just 20 students and they boast a student to faculty ratio of 16 to 1. Not too shabby.

Governor Ted Kulongoski and Life After Salem

In a previous post I had made a reference to Teddy K. finding employment at Trader Joe's after he is voted out of office in November. That was a statement made purely in jest so all you Teddy K. fans can stop hissing and retract your claws.

The good governor has put in over 30 years of public service so I think that the next logical step in his career should be to slow down a bit and take it easy for once. I think he would make one hell of a greeter for Wal-Mart. It would be a low key position but still put him in touch with the people of Oregon on a daily basis. And with a former governor on the payroll, Wal-Mart would be more likely to straighten up it's act.

Just a thought.

politics

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Aerosmith's Mystery Illness Solved

It seems that the band Aerosmith has been canceling some tour dates due to a mystery ailment that has been plaguing front man Steven Tyler. Spokespeople for the band have not alluded to what this illness may be and no member of the band itself have come forward so it has left a lot of fans wondering what is going on.

I am not a medical professional but I believe that I have diagnosed this mystery illness. Old age. At 58, Steven Tyler is downright juvenile when compared to Mick Jagger and Charlie Watts but nonetheless the man is aging, badly. And even though old age is not considered an illness by the medical profession it can be fatal to an aging rocker. And it sounds better and garners more sympathy to say that one is suffering from a "mysterious ailment" rather than saying, "Aerosmith cannot perform tonight because Steven Tyler needs a nap and his arthritis is acting up."

Aerosmith, I dig you guys. Toys In The Attic rocked, but if you can no longer handle the rigors of touring then just get off the road and stick to doing studio albums.

Entertainment

John McCain vs. Hilary Clinton

Oregon's own elections are being held in November but the big show comes in 2008 when the donkeys and the elephants square off to see who will be next in line to destroy this country or perhaps raise a sunk ship. It's not too early to say that all eyes are going to be on Senator John McCain from Arizona and Senator Hilary Clinton from New York. It will be another presidential election just perfect for the media. You know that they are already researching some headline grabbing dirt on both of these potential candidates.

Another thing that John McCain has going for him is name recognition and I don't mean his own. His name bears a striking similarity to the character that Bruce Willis played in the Die Hard movies, and that is John McClane. Think about it. Detective John McClane has first hand experience in dealing with and defeating terrorists and he does it with a bit of humor even. With Senator McCain running the country under the guise of Detective McClane we could finally get a grip on this war on terror.

Hilary Clinton doesn't have an existing movie character with a similar name but I have always envisioned her as a more mature Reese Witherspoon as Elle Woods from the Legally Blonde movies. Elle Woods was on path to become what Hilary Clinton already is, a savvy political monster and by embracing the character of Elle, Hilary could soften up her image a bit and gain some new supporters across the country.

So there you have it. My look into the possible lineup for the 2008 Presidential elections.

Politics

Bikes On MAX

Over on BikePortland.org they had a post regarding bikes on MAX trains. Now I love their site so I didn't want to post my true feelings about the subject on their site and cause a bunch of arguments but this is my house over here and I wanted to give you my views on the subject.

First off, MAX is public transportation and not anyone's personal people mover so when bringing a bike on board it is your sole responsibility to keep an eye on it. Not mine or another rider, you. I'm really sorry if your attention span is too narrow or you can't handle riding the MAX without falling asleep or needing to read a book. When I have hooked my bike up on the train I have always stayed right next to it. Another thing, the bike hangers are pretty stable in most situation but I have been on board MAX and seen bikes sway and hit another rider or even fall off the hook onto somebody else so that is why you need to be next to your bike.

As for locking your bike on MAX. Why? As mentioned above, you should have your eyes on the bike and not let yourself get distracted. This is as bad as the people with young children who get on and then fail to supervise their kids. I remember seeing one young child step off the MAX at the wrong stop and almost get left behind because the tweaky mother was to spun out to realize it.

But back to bikes on MAX. Take some personal responsibility and stop being so goddamn lazy and watch your bike and any other piece of personal property you lazy bastards.

The Filthy Rich Beggars: A Tale of Woe?

What is the deal with filthy rich people and their inability to pay their bills? I'm just a working class stiff but somehow on my meager salary I manage to get my bills paid and put food on the table. But just recently I've seen the news regarding Michael Jackson, who has somehow failed to keep up on paying his Neverland Ranch employees and of course here in Portland we have that janky ass Paul Allen crying about not being able to maintain the Blazers.

Okay, maybe in Jacko's case we can understand, the poor guy probably is a little strapped for cash due to his legal battles and having to pay hush money to little boys. But give me a break, I'm sure he has plenty of assets hidden away that he could tap into in order to pay the bills. Little Paulie is another thing altogether. He is the sixth richest man in the world. I never want to hear him complain or make excuses for needing financial assistance from anyone. I'm tired of you, Paul Allen, please move or sell the team and get the hell out of town. Go tell your sob stories to someone who cares.

You people are filthy rich slobs, so pay your bills and be responsible like the rest of us.

Is There A Future For Light Rail and Public Transportation In Albuquerque?

I think that in order for the Albuquerque metro area to ever succeed in having a proper mass transit system they will need to recruit and hire individuals who truly possess a vision for the future. The biggest mistake that is being made at the moment is the planners are not taking into account just who will use and benefit from a light rail system. And those people are the general public.

You can forget about the fantasy creating a transit system catering to business people, there are just not enough of them who will use public transportation to be able to sustain the system. What you need is a well designed series of routes and schedules that will enable the general public to get to and from work, shopping, school and events in a convenient and timely fashion. You will need a system that will allow the general public access to these places 7 days a week and make sure that the busses and trains don't stop running at 6 or 7pm.

You need to stop and realize that not everyone works 9 to 5 in the downtown area. People work, live and play spread out across the metro area and if you want to get people out of their cars and into public transportation then the biggest incentive is convenience. The politicians and planners need to come up with a real plan to present to the public and be able to show them that they are willing to commit the proper resources to such a project. Not just a pretty website or pictures of trains but actual timelines showing where the routes will be, what times they will run and most of all let the public know that the entire system will be under constant review so that it can be modified according to usage and future growth of the area.

Right now I am living in the Portland metro area in Oregon and we have one of the finest public transit systems in the country. Yes, I own a vehicle but I rarely drive because I know that I am able to get to just about any place I need to in the entire area because we have well planned bus and light rail routes. I will be relocating to Albuquerque at the end of the month and I will really miss Tri-Met and I definitely dread having to live in an area that will force me to drive out of necessity. Albuquerque is such a beautiful city and I will not regret my decision to move there but I am truly hoping that they wake up soon and put together a group of people who will be able to develop a solid plan for introducing a top notch public transit system into the metro area.

flickr vs. deviantART

I'm a little late in getting aboard the flickr bandwagon but now that I've joined I am very pleased with the format and the community in general. I was over at deviantART for a while but that is such an inbred and juvenile crowd that I lost interest real quick. I'm sorry but deviantART has become a mutual admiration society for talentless youth. The place is choked with really bad art. Not everyone mind you but too much for my taste.

It's just a personal preference but flickr is less bullshit and a bit smoother and managed a lot better.


art

flickr

The Point of No Return

I'm all in. Today I submitted my letter of resignation and gave a formal two week notice that I am leaving my current employer. Duke City or Bust!

Today I am really enjoying the snow because it is the last time I'll be seeing it in a while. I'm looking forward to life on the banks of the Rio Grande and exploring Albuquerque and all that New Mexico has to offer.

I'll always have fond memories of my time in Oregon but I just can't say no to a region with almost 300 days of sunshine a year.

The Shadow Governor: Teddy K.

Lane County commissioner Pete Sorenson who will be one of the Democratic challengers to incumbent Oregon Governor Ted Kulongoski has been asking some of the same questions I have had regarding Teddy K's performance while in office.

For one thing, how come I keep hearing about steady job growth and improvement among the state's major industries yet every working class person and family I know is still struggling to make ends meet? Teddy K has been claiming a lot of credit for improving the state's economy and ending the recession but I don't feel any better of than I did several years ago. I'm not seeing an improvement to my personal finances but I am certain that a lot of wealthy Oregonians and corporations here are pretty happy.

And has anyone actually seen or heard from Kulongoski lately? I remember him getting elected and then he sort of dropped off the radar, perhaps he is running the state from his secret bunker high atop Mt. Hood. I like to think of him as the shadow governor. He lurks just out of sight of the citizens of Oregon waiting for just the right opportunities to emerge into the light of day. And with the November elections just around the corner he has stuck to his policy of avoiding debates with the other candidates perhaps counting on a low voter turnout at the polls so that he can get his people in line and capture enough votes to remain in office.

The only good thing we Oregonians have going for us is the fact that you could take the photos of all the candidates for governor on all sides, put them up on a cork board, put on a blindfold and then toss a dart and whatever candidate you hit could do as mediocre a job or better than Teddy K.

Tagged For: Politics * Oregon * Patrick Valdez

Ignore The Recent Polls, George W. Does Have A Plan

Once again the pollsters have taken to the streets to in an effort to gauge public opinion regarding the Bush administration and the U.S. strategy in Iraq. The latest numbers show people having wavering confidence in our ability to stabilize Iraq and many people feel that Iraq is headed towards a civil war. But what do we know? We are just the common man and woman on the street and most of us lack a background in politics and foreign policy.

We need to have faith in our leaders. They are altruistically serving our needs and ask for nothing in return except for blind obedience and our continued support at the polls come reelection time. It's not a bad deal so why do the recent polls show a lack of support for Bush?

He has a clear cut strategy for Iraq and for the nation in general. Sleight of hand. Why waste precious time formulating policies and strategies when it is far easier to resort to misdirection? You think civil war is looming in Iraq, well why don't we talk about a plan to address illegal immigration. Illegal immigration is a concern to you, well let's talk about a plan to become independent from foreign oil. You have something else that is bothering you, well don't worry about it because the president is hard at work thinking of ideas to fix it. Just don't ask for details.

As the saying goes, the devil is in the details.

Beaverton, 3:38AM, Now What?

It's 3:38Am and I am wide awake. Not much to do, as usual there is nothing on TV and it's a bit too cold to go for a walk. I may end up reheating some pizza from last night. No, I am definitely going to go get some pizza to snack on.

Talk to you later.

The Hype Killed It: Brokeback Mountain

As you will be seeing later tonight, Brokeback Mountain failed to capture the Oscar for Best Picture.

Don't get me wrong, it was a great movie but unfortunately the audiences, the media and everyone else threw out to much patronizing praise for this movie. It simply was not Oscar winning, it was just a very good film. I think if some of the hype had been toned down perhaps it would have stood a chance.

On the other hand, Best Actor was well deserved for Philip Seymour Hoffman. He is a great actor and has many wonderful performances under his belt. Well done.

Hollywood Revisited: Gattaca (1997)

The movie, Gattaca, starring Ethan Hawke and Uma Thurman was a thoroughly entertaining and well though out film. Overall it ranks as one of my favorite films in any genre. I was particularly drawn to the underlying theme of someone overcoming adversity in order to achieve their dreams. And the way it was shot makes Gattaca a visually stunning movie.

But I digress. What I wanted to discuss was one minor feature of the film. It is explained how in the future families can choose to have their offspring genetically engineered to prevent flaws and defects and to enhance strengths. This is what created the discrimination between natural born people and the ones who benefited from science.

Throughout the film we are shown the various way that the authorities screen and test people to determine their genetic origins through the use of blood, skin and saliva analysis to name a few. And here is where I got to questioning the script. If, in the future, everyone is so concerned about only allowing certain people to pursue certain career paths, and especially at an institute with such high security as Gattaca, then why had nobody in their security department ever thought that the finger prick blood test that is used was so easily defeated by simple props such as a flesh colored patch over the finger? You would think that someone eventually would have figured out that drawing blood from random locations rather than the same finger each and every time would have been a more secure way to keep the undesirables out.

I agree, this is just an insignificant part of the entire movie and in no way takes away from enjoyment of watching it but it is something that always stuck in my mind and I wanted to share it. So there you have it. And on a side note, I wonder if Ethan Hawke ever got his teeth fixed. He is an ugly set of chompers, in my humble opinion.

Movies

Entertainment

The Palms Moter Hotel

The Palms Moter Hotel, originally uploaded by Mr. Viddy.

Photo by Patrick Valdez

Do they offer hourly rates and are you required to bring your own linens?

Patrick Valdez

Thank You Phil at the University of Arizona

I wanted to give a quick shout out to Phil at the University of Arizona who has taken the time to respond to a post on my blog and over at UrbanABQ. Thanks for the feedback regarding some of my concerns regarding my pending relocation to Albuquerque. It's always good to here from someone who has actual experience on the ground.

The Duke City Shootout 2006

I'm totally jazzed knowing I'll be in Albuquerque by July in order to be on hand for the Duke City Shootout which is a small film festival being produced by EARS XXI Studio, a leader in digital and high definition productions.

Although I am planning on being a mere bystander, this is an area which has intrigued me for a while and perhaps I'll be able to learn a thing or two about writing and producing short films. In any case I am just excited about any sort of event which encourages independent film.

I'm still trying to learn more about the festival and the company itself so I will keep you posted and if anyone else is familiar with this event please let me know.

Albuquerque

Movies

Patrick Valdez

Old School Male Grooming: Downtown Albuquerque

I'm certain this article won't appeal to those males who aspire to the prissy, metrosexual ideal of the modern man but for those of us who still have a bit of old school left in us I was made aware of ACE Barbershop in downtown Albuquerque. Located at 109 4th Street SW, ACE will put you in a chair, hot lather your face and then apply a hot towel. Once that has cooled down a bit, they will check to see that your stubble has softened and once it has they will break out a brand new straight razor and go to work on your face until you have a shave so close that no disposable can come close to achieving. Then they finish off with a cool towel and some after shave, all for $10.

Sounds pretty damn good to me.

Albuquerque Art Scene: Summer 2006

Note To Self:

Begin preliminary work needed in order to become the newest Guerilla Artist in the city of Albuquerque, New Mexico.

One thing is certain, I will definitely need to purchase a new, funkier set of eyeglass frames. Secondly, a new pair of shoes is in order.

Beyond that it is simply a matter of baffling them with bullshit, that is how to achieve success as an artist. And don't let anyone tell you any different.

Art

Albuquerque

On The Topic of Dividing Iraq Into More Easily Digestible Pieces

When will the Bush administration wake up and realize that Iraq is a lost cause as a nation? I'm certain that at least one aide or advisor has mentioned to W the origins of modern Iraq. We have the former British Empire to thank for that beautiful piece of nation building.

You say that you are not familiar with the history of the poop hole currently known as Iraq? Well, come sit on my lap while I give you a brief lesson in history.

Just after World War I the League of Nations granted the area that would become Iraq to the United Kingdom and they proceeded to name the area Al-Iraq. As you should now know, there are several different ethnic and religious groups who inhabited this region and without taking into consideration how these various groups got along, our good friends the Brits simply plopped down a map and drew some lines and called the whole mess Iraq.

In 1932 Iraq was granted it's independence and from then until the late '60's the country went through several miserable rulers until 1968 when the now infamous Ba'ath Party came to power. In 1979 everybody's favorite dictator, Saddam Hussein took the reigns.

But I digress. The point I am trying to make is that Iraq is a fractured nation regardless of who is running the show. You have various factions that were just thrown together without any forethought and expected to exist as a nation. Civil war may very well be on the horizon due to this fact and it might be the only way to ever see some sort of stability in that country. The United States should take that route now, before a civil war erupts. We should bring the various factions together and work out some way of dividing Iraq into several smaller nations who could then work on becoming peaceful allies of the United States.

Continuing to force groups of people who hate each other into living together is a lesson in madness.

Anonymous Speaks and Viddy Responds

Tonight I was reminded by anonymous that some people can be thrown for a loop by individuals who choose to comment on several topics as opposed to sticking with just one narrowly defined topic. It would appear that my views on multiple subjects has given anonymous a bit of a migraine. I would recommend stepping away from your monitor and giving your eyes a rest. It can be quite traumatic for some people when they attempt to digest more than one concept or idea at a time.

I encourage you to keep working at building up your stamina and if you stay at it long enough I think that you will surprise yourself. I'd even be willing to predict that if you concentrate hard enough and stay focused that you'd be able to read two complete sentences in a row without having to stop for a breather.

So here's to you, anonymous, we are behind you 100% and wish you all the best!

Lusting For Nostalgia

Does anyone remember when Beijing used to be called Peking? I do.

The Fine Art of Gum

A 12 year old boy on a school trip to the Detroit Institute of Arts stuck a wad of Wrigley's Extra Polar Ice gum onto an abstract painting done in 1963 by Helen Frankenthaler, the painting is valued at $1.5M. The director of the boy's school had indicated that he was suspended and that he also received punishment from his parents.

The original story can be found here---> Boy, 12, sticks gum...

Moral of the story:

A punk with gum always creates a sticky situation

George Bush: Mission Accomplished

It was May 1, 2003 and just after a dramatic entrance via carrier landing aboard the U.S.S. Abraham Lincoln that our dear leader, W, gave his infamous speech declaring the end to major combat operations in Iraq. Mission Accomplished. Amen brother.

Fast forward to today, March 1, 2006. I am certain that the 26 people killed in Iraq today and all of the previous dead and wounded from May 1, 2003 up until the present were all victims of minor combat operations or perhaps they were simply the victims of bad luck but most importantly, they were not casualties resulting from major combat operations. After all, we won. These reports of escalating violence and possible civil war in Iraq must be fabrications of the left-leaning media who are out to get W and the Republican Party. Damn lefties and Democrats, always starting trouble and spreading lies. W would not have declared an end to major action in Iraq if the country itself were not stable and secure, would he? And how many of us have personally set foot in Iraq since May of 2003? I know I have not been over there so I cannot honestly say I have witnessed any widespread violence or death in Iraq.

If W says the mission has been accomplished, then gosh dang it, I am going to believe him and give him my full support.

Or not.

Wednesday, Boredom and a Camera

Being snarky has its consequences.