Day Without Immigrants: Bring It On

So the illegals and their supporters are calling for May 1 to be a "Day Without Immigrants." Listen up, it won't have the devastating effect that you are hoping for. This is America, we overcome adversity. Historically, we always rise to the occasion. So if you are trying to force the issue on immigration, you have already lost.

Think about it. Those of you who have come here from elsewhere are already showing your true colors. You care so little about your own homes that rather than stay and try to improve your home countries you come to America. You run the same tired propaganda about how you do the work that no American will do. Well, instead of just one day of no immigrants let's try a year, or longer. Go back to your native countries and we can all see whether or not America falls apart without you.

Tagged For: Illegal Immigration * Protests * America

Opie by Gary Fisher

Opie by Gary Fisher, originally uploaded by Mr. Viddy.

I've decided not to assist in making the oil executives any richer. My new mode of transportation is this sweet, 2006 Gary Fisher Opie. So far it rides very nice and will get the job done until I can find a road bike that I like.

Luckily, Albuquerque is pretty bike friendly like back in Portland so riding here is very enjoyable and it can be done year around.

I know that a lot of you will continue to find excuses as to why you must drive your cars, trucks and SUV's so you have fun burning money at the pumps.

Tagged For: cycling * oil prices * health

Down For The Count: Two Albuquerque Police Officers To Be Charged

Last October there was an incident in which New Mexico State Police and Albuquerque Police officers exchanged blows in a street fight. Both departments have issued findings that place the blame on the incident on each other. In Santa Fe, the district attorney Henry Valdez has charged two APD officers with verbal assault, battery and disorderly conduct.

New Mexico is not the first or the last place where something like this will occur but whenever I see a story like this I have to ask myself, shouldn't people who are responsible for enforcing the law know better? I've heard the argument that law enforcement officers are only human like the rest of us and I agree that anyone can make a mistake but when it comes to something like brawling I must say that there is no excuse. All of the people involved should have known better and it does not matter whether the State Police or the Albuquerque Police started it.

Had this happened to me and another group of civilians everyone involved would probably be facing charges, so it is quite unfair to charge just the two APD officers, bring the other individuals up on charges as well. Somebody should have had the common sense to walk away from the confrontation before it escalated, plain and simple.

Behavior like this tarnishes the reputation and good work of law enforcement all over the country. I like to believe that the majority of the men and women who patrol our streets and keep us safe are mature and ethical enough to know better than to engage in unlawful behavior.

Tagged For: Albuquerque * Albuquerque Police Officers * Crime

"Bloody" Mary Winkler Case Still A Mystery

Since her March arrest for the murder of her husband, the minister Matthew Winkler, not much has been heard regarding the motive that drove "Bloody" Mary Winkler to commit this heinous crime. Law enforcement has been mum on discussing a motive and there have been two separate reports which can be read here: Winkler might use mental state... and here: Winkler shooting may have been accident...

The case has been turned over to the grand jury which isn't scheduled to meet again until June which will give the defense team ample time to concoct an excuse for their defendant. Obviously we can tell by the above articles that "Bloody" Mary is either going to be portrayed as a helpless victim of mental illness who can't be held responsible for this crime or we are going to be duped into believing that somehow she came to be in possession of a firearm that just accidentally discharged and killed her husband.

Both scenarios are pretty far fetched in my opinion but I must concede that either situation is within the realm of possibility if not probability. The fact that nobody wants to discuss a possible motive leads me to believe that "Bloody" Mary Winkler was in full possession of her faculties and this was a premeditated crime. Time will tell.

Tagged For: Mary Winkler * Murder * Crime

Padlock

Photo by Patrick Valdez

The main gate of the Japanese Garden in Portland, Oregon taken before opening for the day.

Tagged For: Japanese Garden * Portland * Patrick Valdez

Stuffed Mushrooms In Albuquerque

Tonight we are having stuffed mushrooms with white rice for dinner at Casa del Viddy. A little italian sausage mixed with garlic, green onions and mozzarella cheese. Add in just a dash of olive oil and ground pepper and you have a feast for the ages.

Beats eating Papa John's or greasy drive-thru fare.

Tagged For: Food * Gourmet * Albuquerque

An Exploration Into The World of the Occult

When you think of the world of the occult it conjurs images of magic, demons and other arcane subject matter but never forget that the world of the occult can also draw you into the rectum and anus. What aspiring witch or wizard would want to find themselves without a fresh supply of fecal occult blood? Yes folks the world of the occult is not always glamorous, it can be downright shitty at times. Just ask the little goth kids from Portland.


Tagged For: Occult * Humor * Butt

The Horrific Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream Faux Pas

Ben & Jerry, those rascals of the ice cream world have gone and done it again. Apparently they did not research the far reaching social and political implications prior to naming their newest flavor, "Black & Tan." Even though this flavor is only available in the United States it has offended people in Ireland due to it being the nickname of a violent British militia that operated during Ireland's war of independence at the beginning of the 20th century.

Ben & Jerry's was forced to issue an apology for offending those poor Irish bastards who are still traumatized by any mention of the Black and Tan militia. To put this in the proper perspective, "Black and Tan" is also the name of a popular ale and stout drink and it was the drink that Ben & Jerry were referencing and not the former British militia. If one were to take the time to just look at the ice cream itself you would see how it bears a resemblance to the drink. And remember, this is a flavor that would only be available in the United States. Also, do a web search for "Black and Tan" and you will find far more results that refer to the drink rather than the militia.

Had I been in charge of public relations for Ben & Jerry's I would not have apologized for a situation which developed in the mind of some people who chose to read something into an innocent flavor of ice cream.

Read the original story here: Ben & Jerry's Kisses Ass After Ice Cream Fiasco

Tagged For: Ben & Jerry's * Ice Cream * Scandal

Mr. Bush Turns A Blind Eye To The South

President Bush has stated on many occasions that he is interested both in our national security and domestic prosperity yet he continues to ignore our southern border. I do not even want to touch upon issues of illegal immigration because nothing will ever stem the flow of it until our government decides to deal with the Mexican leadership.

It is my fervent belief that most of the individuals and families that pour across our southern border each year truly are looking for a better life and the opportunity to provide for their loved ones. And yes, among the harmless immigrants you are going to find some less savory characters but I do not believe that they are among the majority.

Building a wall, stationing armed troops along the border, massive immigration sweeps and amnesty programs are all lessons in futility. Some of the ideas like building walls are not realistic and even if the majority of illegal immigrants were to be caught and deported, there are millions of others still waiting to cross over and take their place. And who can blame them. They live in a country that is inept at best and has a history of being led by corrupt leaders at all level of government. It is a country without a future or rather it is a country whose people only see a future here in America.

Rather than spending billions of dollars in far off lands for military and political actions that will never benefit us as a nation, when will Washington wake up and realize that it would be in the best interests of the North American continent to focus on Mexico and Latin America. And I mean a genuine focus on developing the infrastructures of the nations south of us. We should be investing our energy into helping develop Mexico and the rest of Latin America into modern economies that can provide education, jobs, healthcare and other tangible benefits so that their citizens would have a reason to stay put and in doing so it would eventually stem the flow of illegal immigrants.

The other benefit to really trying to reach out to our neighbors to the south would be increased security for the entire North American continent. When you get past the language barrier and look at the people of Mexico and Latin America we are all remarkably alike. We share similar religious and moral beliefs, our views on family are about the same and many other traits are all very much the same. Unlike the middle east where we will never truly be able to integrate with that culture.

I'm sure not everyone will agree with me on this subject but mark my words, until we begin to take a serious interest in developing Mexico and Latin America we will never see a decrease in illegal immigration.

Tagged For: Politics * Illegal Immigration * Security

Duke Lacrosse Case To Move Forward?

At least one of the attorneys for the defense of a Duke Lacrosse player is stating that he will not be considering any type of plea agreement and that he will either wait for the D.A. to dismiss charges or take the case to trial. Is this a bold gamble or does the attorney in question truly believe that his client is innocent of the rape allegations?

Another interesting fact is that the D.A. assigned to the case, Mike Nifong has stated that he will be making no comments outside of the courtroom. Again, is this indicative of the D.A.'s confidence in being able to win a conviction or is he laying low just in case evidence shows that no crime was committed?

It will be another interesting and entertaining media circus and hopefully in the end justice will be served. Regardless of the outcome. I have not seen enough evidence on either side to justify an opinion at this point in time other to say that anything is possible at the moment.

Tagged For: Duke Lacrosse * Crime * Culture

Duke City or Death City?

Three homicides in two days, what the hell is this all about Albuquerque? And the motivation for one of the killings was the exchange of threatening looks between the victim and his killers. Meaningless violence, plain and simple. The suspects if found guilty should be taken out in the desert and buried alive. Normally I am not a person who advocates violence but once a person decides to stop acting like a decent human being then I see no need to make any gestures of civility towards them.

You can read the original story here from KOB-TV: Third Homicide...

What frightens me the most whenever I hear about a random killing is the fact that it can happen to anyone at any time. It is not quite the same as a retaliation killing or revenge where at least the suspect and victim were somehow connected. And in the case of the one victim who was killed over an exchange of glances, how many of us have inadvertently given a stranger a dirty look? I know that I have and it is obviously enough to cause some people to kill over.

I suppose the shock of these recent killings will wear off shortly and I am definitely going to continue to make the best of life here in Albuquerque but I will most certainly make myself more aware of my surroundings and live with the fact that there are some seriously disturbed people in the world.

Tagged For: Albuquerque * Homicide * Deviants

Stream International: Beaverton

I'm giving a shout out to all the slackers at Stream in Beaverton. I admire anyone who chooses to surf the internet at work instead of taking those incoming phone calls. And to any corporations out there looking to outsource their customer service and tech support calls, you can't go wrong with Stream.

Stream International, where they place personal needs above customer satisfaction. Mr. Viddy gives Stream International FIVE stars for overall performance.

Congratulations!

Tagged For: Stream * Customer Service * Call Centers

Duke Lacrosse Scandal: Stick To The Facts

The Duke Lacrosse team is headlining across the country as the stars of the latest scandal of the week. Was a crime committed? Depending on who you ask the answer will vary from person to person. I do not think that the media or the public are in full possession of all the facts and all that is really known at the moment is that a black stripper has accused several members of the team of raping her.

One thing is crystal clear. The race card is going to be played to the fullest in this scandal. Instead of this simply being a search for the truth, was a young woman raped, it will once again turn into a white victimizing a black thing. Once again America will fail to look at this possible crime for what it is, an act of violence, and instead sides will be chosen based on race and regardless of the verdict no justice will have been served. Instead we will use this as an excuse to remain a divided nation. And you had better believe that both the white camp and the black camp will be equally as guilty for doing so.

Why can't we just look at this as we should. It is alleged that a single mother of two who is a student but also making ends meet as a stripper was raped by several members of the Duke Lacrosse team. If the allegations are true then the perpetrators should be punished to the fullest extent of the law. Rape is a violent and heinous crime and it leaves the victim traumatized long after the act is committed. And I would venture to guess that this trauma is just as severe regardless of your skin color. There is no excuse for rape, it does not matter if you are a stripper or if you work at Wal-Mart. Accordingly, it should not matter if the perpetrators are privileged white students or unemployed street thugs of color. If guilty, the punishment should be severe.

By pointing fingers and stirring racial hatred no justice is served and it won't undo what was done to the young lady. Rape occurs to women of all races and color, so please stop publishing headlines talking about how this crime has opened up old wounds for black women. This is not about race, it is about finding out if this crime did occur and if so, punishing the offenders. Plain and simple.

Tagged For: Rape * Crime *Duke Lacrosse

Derrick Foxworth: Victim or Menacing Black Devil?

Portland finds itself in the midst of yet another juicy scandal as the citizens are exposed to the sexual stylings of Chief Derrick Foxworth. But as it has been pointed out in several media outlets, is Chief Foxworth really the bad guy here? Rumor has it that the alleged victim, Angela Oswalt, was quite the slut-about-town who made a habit of bragging about the various high profile men that she had banged.

I'm not saying that Derrick Foxworth is a saint but before condemning the man and sending him riding out of town on a rail shouldn't the city and the people first look to see how he has performed as the chief of police? This is not exactly a case of Chief Foxworth slipping his big, chocolate log into an underage girl like that filthy bastard, Neil Goldschmidt did. Of course the morality behind this must be considered but we must also look at the complete picture.

Should the Chief had known better? Yes. Were his actions questionable? Yes. Is Angela Oswalt a victim of sexual harassment? Probably not.

Let me spell it out in simple terms. You have a 46 year-old female with a history of seeking out important and powerful men for sexual relationships. She makes it a point to make those around her aware of these relationships. Up until now, she never had an issue with these men or her lifestyle. Bottom line, the lady is worn out. She has a lot of miles on her and her best years are behind her. No decent man will want to begin a serious relationship with a former slut and she is scared of a future that finds her alone with nothing but her cats to keep her company.

Ladies and gentlemen, Angela Oswalt is making one last, desperate attempt to be in the spotlight and perhaps make a little money for her retirement. Cat food and cat litter can get expensive.

Tagged For: Portland * Sex * Politics * Derrick Foxworth

"Dirty" Debra Lafave Was Simply Having A Manic Monday

Former middle school teacher and child rapist "Dirty" Debra Lafave has lived the American dream. She committed a heinous crime by engaging in sex with her underage student and all but beat the rap suffering just some house arrest time and probation and according to "Dirty" Debbie her actions were a result of bipolar disorder so she cannot be held entirely responsible for the crime.

She was probably a victim of The Bangles and their mind altering song "Manic Monday." Will "Dirty" Debbie pursue a civil action against the band? Is it possible that The Bangles somehow influenced Ms. Lafave, turning her from well meaning, caring teacher into an infamous slut? Or is this simply another case of a depraved individual who acted with a clear mind and deviant agenda?

Only time will tell.

Tagged For: Sex * Crime * Debra Lafave

The Conservative Definition of Good Citizenship

In recent weeks I have found myself discussing current affairs and politics with people of the conservative persuasion and I have taken note of an interesting pattern of thinking that they possess.

It seems that to a conservative a good American citizen is one who blindly follows the leadership and does not upset the status quo. Apparently it is a seditious act to exercise one's right to freedom of expression and downright treasonous to question authority.

I say this because on various occasions I have had the audacity to speak my mind on such issues as the war on terror, immigration and the abuse of power by law enforcement. Mind you, I am not one who would ever support the overthrow of the government nor would I advocate violence as a means to get my point across but as an American I feel that I have every right to question the government and our leadership when I feel that something is not being done in the best interest of our country.

Just the other day while enjoying a nice cup of coffee at a local coffee house I entered into a discussion regarding the burning of the American flag during protests. The conservative I was speaking with felt that these people should be beaten and jailed and to hell with the fact that people are allowed to burn the flag. I tried to explain that I agreed that burning our flag was a despicable act but until a law is passed to ban such activity then we must accept that some people choose to partake in this activity.

And when I voiced my displeasure over wiretapping and the Gitmo fiasco the conservative turned on me and told me that if I cared about my country then I would just accept that these things are to be a part of the sacrifice citizens must make in this day and age. He went on to say that if I was against keeping America safe then perhaps I should find another place to live.

Excuse me, but I am not quite ready to voluntarily relinquish my freedoms just yet and especially when it has been almost 5 years since 9/11 and I have yet to see and credible evidence that another attack is imminent. People, given a long enough timeline I am quite certain we will be attacked again but I seriously doubt we will see it any time soon. In the meantime, Bush and Cheney keep playing to peoples fears and use this as an excuse to abuse their power more and more. Word to your mother.

Conservatives want blind ignorance to be the key trait of good citizenship. Sorry, I can't do it.

Tagged For: Politics * America * Citizenship

Tequila Tuesday In Beautiful Albuquerque

Photo by: Patrick Valdez

You guessed it, tonight was Tequila Tuesday at Casa del Viddy, coming to you live from the Duke City. This is the inaugural night of what should become a weekly event. Each Tuesday I will be reporting to you my status after consuming large amounts of various brands of tequila.

Tonight finds me in high spirits and just a comfortable buzz after consuming a half of the glass you see pictured. No worries, I am in for the night and will not be subject to a potential DUI by local law enforcement.

Tagged For: Albuquerque * Drinking * Tequila

The Sorry State of the American Education System

Once again I have found myself to be utterly disgusted with the education system in this country. It begins with the utter contempt that I hold towards those who have voluntarily chosen to work in this field, whether in administration or teaching positions.

Let me explain. Both in Oregon and now Albuquerque I have found myself sitting across the desk from individuals who do not want to invest even the smallest bit of time and effort in assisting a student who is not academically gifted. My son is not stupid nor is he a discipline problem but he does struggle in school and as a result of being exposed to apathetic staff and educators during his first two years of high school he is now in a position where he is failing his classes.

In Oregon the standard response from the schools was to place the burden and the blame upon my son and myself, making us the one's completely responsible for the situation. Granted, I am all about taking personal responsibility when it is called for but as a parent I expect some effort from the public school system when it comes to educating my child. But instead you are faced with dealing with people who only have time for the "gifted" students. If a student is struggling it becomes a game of hot potato trying to pass off the kid to someone else.

Today at Albuquerque High School I found myself in the same situation as in Oregon. When the counselor saw my son's transcripts and his poor grades he did not even offer me a seat in his office. The first thing he did was show us the door, literally. Well, he did give me a printout of charter schools in the area who work with at-risk kids but he couldn't even spare the time to assist me in deciding what school to seek out.

Bottom line, if you choose to work with children in the public schools you better damn well be willing to help all the kids, not just the gifted ones who don't take a lot of effort. You people disgust me.

Tagged For: Education * Schools

Bike Albuquerque: The Bad

Today ended Mr. Viddy's first week as a new resident of Albuquerque and for the most part everyone I have met has been very kind and friendly. Until this afternoon.

It was my great displeasure to have found myself wandering into the Bike Coop located on Central Avenue. In Portland and Beaverton the bike shops were not always the most accommodating places but in general they acknowledged your presence when you walked through the door. But not at the Bike Coop.

This afternoon I stopped in because I needed a new seatpost for my mountain bike, not a big ticket item I realize but still there were only me and one other customer in the shop. The dude with the foreign accent was a total asshole who failed to give me the time of day while I waited to ask about the seatpost. For all he knew I may have been there to purchase a new road bike, which I will be getting soon but for whatever reason I was invisible to him. The terrible service I received today will ensure that I will never again be visiting the Bike Coop.

I'll travel down the road to Bike World, near the UNM campus. Bike World was attentive and helpful even though I was only buying a $15.00 seatpost. Bike Coop, a terrible place to shop in my humble opinion.

Tagged For: Albuquerque * Bicycling * Culture

Casa del Viddy

CasaViddy, originally uploaded by Mr. Viddy.

It took exactly one week from the time I left Oregon to snag this sweet little casita near UNM. Let the good times roll.

Tagged For: Albuquerque * Home

Riding The Frodo Train

Before Frodo, what career defining roles did Elijah Wood ever produce? I think he may have supported Macauley Caulkin in one movie but that was about it. Elijah Wood is another C-List celebrity who is coming mighty close to wearing out his 15 minutes of fame.

The dude is now stumping for Intel and if you have seen the recent commercial you can tell that he is probably on the edge of imploding. The guy is heading down the same career path as fellow tiny actor, Gary Coleman. Mark my words, in about 5 more years you'll hear about how Elijah Wood is now working as mall security.

Talent wise he is very shallow. How many fantasy character roles can he hope to secure? Frodo will have been his defining moment and I hope that he has invested his earnings well because he will be needing them soon.

If you are a fan of Elijah Wood, go fuck yourself.

Tagged For: Entertainment * Hollywood * Frodo

Out and About In The Duke City

In Beaverton you are looking forward to another week of rain and cold.

Down here in the Duke City we are already enjoying some wonderful spring days.

What can I say? Enjoy the Oregon spring.