No love for XXL

Hey there! Well we made it back from New York safe and sound. I have to come out and say one thing that disappointed me during our trip to NY. As some of you know I am a fairly large feller and that means that most of my clothes tend to be a bit larger than most of you odd sized shorter peeps.

So being in New York and a tourist I had to find something that everyone has to get while in the city. We searched high (Empire State Buildings 102nd floor) all the way into the depths of the subway system and could not locate what I was searching for. OK I found thousands (slight exageration) of places that were selling what my eyes have been searching for only to be let down each time. I could have bought up to 4 of them for ten dollars!! I could have gotten each of you out there one but none for myself. If I could not have one then why would I buy one for ya'll? Sorry but it was all about me and the cheese in my search.

What am I rambling on and on about? I (heart) New York T-shirts. I could not find one XXL I Love New York t'shirt in all of Manhatten. We looked in Little Italy where there was a street festival going on down Mulberry Street. Had Dinner there and then from there we went to Chinatown. The smell of fish was very prevalant but no XXL. Time Square had tons for everyone else but not for the big feller.

SoHo had a great destination called Balthazar for breakfast. The sad thing is for the price of breakfast I could have bought 17 or so t'shirts. But who would I have given all of them too? Greenwich Village where some New York ballers where showing their stuff on a corner hoops court while the Lower East side near Katz's Delicatessen were still void of the XXL.

Rockefeller Plaza, Midtown, Central Park and places in between and nothing. Park avenue had zero diamond studed "I heart New York shirts".

Well as you can see the "Tourist" trap of NYC insnarled us even though we did get off the beaten trail a few times which was nice.

Land was not holding me back from finding this elusive XXL. We took a Dinner Cruise and still no shirt. Not even one floating in the East River or any other River we went on. The Green Lady of Liberty wasn't even wearing an XXL. If there is none for her then what makes me feel like they would have my size?

Over all a great trip and there is much more to see or did we see it all?

Pics to follow!!

Weather report

Just thought I would share with you the weather report for New York while we are there. It looks perfect to me. Hope the weather men and ladies are correct about this forecast. It will lead to a great weekend of walking around New York City.

Saturday
Scattered Thunderstorms
High: 81°Low: 64°
Sunday
Partly Cloudy
High: 80°Low: 62°
Monday
Sunny
High: 84°Low: 65°
Tuesday
Partly Cloudy
High: 85°Low: 66°

One of the best parts of the forecast is leaving behind the 95 degrees back here in Dallas.

See ya!!

Have a great Memorial Day Weekend with your friends and family. Do keep in mind those that have given their lives for this opportunity to gather and travel freely.

Soon and very soon!

In about 3 days (depending when you might be reading this) my wife and I will be in New York City. As you can tell I am not at all excited about the trip. We are going to be there a total of three days. How do you fill that much time in New York? Well we will certainly give it a try.

One thing that I am going to set out to do is not to be a "tourist". I am not the biggest tourist out there, even though phyiscally I can compete for that distinction, so we want to try and get local flavor. Rather than all of the tourist traps out there. I know what you are thinking, yea right in New York City midtown they are going to think that you are local yocal. I know I will be set apart from my tan!!

Well anyway how do I plan to do that? Good question, I do not exactly know at this time. One way is to find the coolest hole in the wall deli and have lunch!! Hopefully a true Deli Rueben Sandwich unlike what they try to pass for one here in Dallas. Even in Milwaukee they have a true Deli that serves Ruebens the way they are intended to be made.

Another highlight will be our layovers in Milwaukee as I mentioned earlier. We are being met at the airport by my bro and his wife along with my nieces (his kids for those playing along at home). Then on the way back I have a friend going to meet us then hopefully with others. Both of these instances we have plenty of time to be taken out of the airport for lunch and dinner. Too cool!!

Well anyways just a few days to go until our trip to New York and then 3 and a half weeks until we take our team of High School kids to Costa Rica for 10 days.

How cool is all that?

Coin image omits FUMES

Coin image omits 'In God We Trust'
By JESSAMY BROWN
STAR-TELEGRAM STAFF WRITER
A Keller school district parent said political correctness has run amok at her daughter's elementary school, where the principal chose to omit the words "In God We Trust" from an oversize coin depicted on the yearbook cover.
Janet Travis, principal of Liberty Elementary School in Colleyville, wanted to avoid offending students of different religions, a district spokesman said. Students were given stickers with the words that could be affixed to the book if they so chose.
Debi Ackerman of North Richland Hills said she is offended by the omission. It's yet another example of a politically correct culture that is removing Christian references from all public places, she said.
"I think it's really ridiculous," said Ackerman, whose daughter Tawni, 10, took the book home Thursday afternoon. "Now it has come to this. ... When is it going to end?"
Officials chose an image of an enlarged nickel for the yearbook cover because this is Liberty Elementary's first year and because the nickel has a new design this year.
The nickel design features President Jefferson and the word Liberty in cursive, with the words "In God We Trust" along the right edge.
Keller administrators agreed with the decision, which Travis made in conjunction with a school parents group, district spokesman Jason Meyer said. District policy states, in part: "The District shall take no action respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech."
Principals must strive to remain neutral regarding religion, Meyer said.
"It's not always easy to make everybody happy when we are making decisions," he said. He said Travis was unavailable for comment Friday.
Michael Linz, a Dallas attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union, said the district's move was appropriate, sensitive and constitutional.
"Sometimes administrators and schools are really caught trying to make appropriate decisions with respect to people's views. Someone is always going to complain," he said. "I think that the school administrators were drawing the appropriate line by trying not to offend others."
Ackerman suggested that the school could have used a different symbol for liberty, such as the Liberty Bell or the Statue of Liberty, if it was concerned about giving offense. But Gardner said those symbols may not be acceptable to everyone, either.
"We are a public school," he said. "We sure do not want to step on anybody's toes. I don't think any harm was intended."

Toebee fumes:
OK Kids each day upon entering the hallowed halls of our distinguished and beloved Liberty Elementary School please empty your pockets of all your coins along with your bills and place neatly in school supported idiocy. Make sure that your full name, home room teachers name and the amount is written clearly on outside of packaging. Your money will be returned to you once all coins and bills will not offend anyone. If due to a power failure our grinder is no longer in use all spare change will further help pay for legal council and dues into the ACLU. If you are found using "offending monies" at lunch our lunch ladies will immediately call school security. Security will then handcuff you and lead you to the front office to make a public apology over the PA System to all offended students and faculty. If a second offense is found out you will be locked up immediately in our facilities SuperMax portable out back. Length of stay will be determined by how sorry you are for using Government sanctioned monies to secure a meal for your tummy.

OK maybe I am taking it a bit too far, or am I? The way things are leading this may become closer to reality than we think. To me it is funny that Mr. Linz stated "Someone is always going to complain." He is a Lawyer for the ACLU. They are the organization that has been up front in the complaint department. At one point in our American existence we survived having IN GOD WE TRUST on all of our money. The funny thing is that people got along better then and America stood for something.

Easy solution next time: Choose something that does not have "IN GOD WE TRUST" written on it. Maybe a blade of grass, but I guess we all have something against it as well since lawn mowers are out there chopping up innocent blades of grass everyday. What have they done to you that you have to cut them up all of the time?

One of the funniest components to this whole thing is the sticker they can place on it that reads "In God We Trust". Those offended with In God We Trust can now officially go and tell those who want it on their book to go and "stick it".

Good morning Sunny D

Fish killed as soft drink leaks from factory

It seems that Sunny D, formerly known as Sunny Delight, is not half as bad for children as it is for fish.
Around 8,000 litres of concentrate used to make the drink leaked into a watercourse on Wednesday morning, turning the river bright yellow.
Dozens of fish were found floating on the surface, poisoned by the lurid mixture.
The spill of 'sub-standard' juice was a category one pollution incident, the most serious kind, according to the Environment Agency.
It was caused by a split in an underground fibreglass tank at the Gerber Foods Soft Drink factory in Bridgwater, Somerset. Approximately six tons of juice and concentrate, due for disposal, seeped into a tributary of the River Parrett.
Gerber employees began a major mopping-up operation to stop the juice reaching the river and causing more environmental havoc.
"!We took swift action in preventing further seepage," he said.
"As far as I am aware, this is the first such incident."
More than 10million litres of juice and soft drinks are produced every week at the plant.
Mr Hurst explained: "We take extreme care with the quality of our juice and if the concentrate or the finished product is not to our required quality standard, it is contained until being removed by tanker for sustainable disposal.
"Although orange juice is a natural substance, we obviously needed to deal quickly with its concentration in the watercourse.
Catherine Lockwood of the Environment Agency said: "The visual impact of this incident was immediately apparent.
"We will be carrying out a detailed investigation to assess the impact it has had on the surrounding waterways."
Asda supermarkets recently withdrew Sunny D from the shelves, citing a slump in sales.
The juice drink's name was changed and a marketing campaign launched after criticism from nutritionists, who claim it contains unhealthy levels of sugar and additives.

So anyone thirsty? Ya wanna throw back a cool glass of juice mixed with "category one pollution"? Does it also worry you that they are marketing a mixture that sometimes needs "sustainable disposal"?
I know we put all kinds of garbage into our systems but I was not aware that sunny d was one of them. I never did like it much so I never really had it. But there are many parents out there that have kids that do crave this waste.
I like Mr. Hurst's statement of "required quality standard", so there is a quality standard to products that may need the Environmental Agency to assist in clean up. I guess the fish that died do not know quality products.

kroY weN , New York

Less than a week and a half until my bride, of One Year, and I leave for New York City. We were not actually intending to go to New York anytime soon but when the right pair (price) of tickets showed themselves to us we snagged them when we could. My wife is stoked due to Midwest Airlines having free warm chocolate chip cookies on the flight. Due to having a layover each way that means four cookies for each of us each flying day, SCORE!! My iPod is loaded and ready for the flight!!

Our trip will take us thru Milwaukee which is too cool especially with a couple hour layover each way. My brother and his family are going to meet us at the airport on the way there. We are going outside of the airport to have lunch. We get to see my nieces, how cool is that?

On the way back I am having a few friends pick us up at the Airport for dinner. Yes I am from the Milwaukee area if you are unaware of my past and could not do your best CSI investigating impersonation.

We have a few things planned when we are there but are trying not to be your typical tourist. Yea like that will happen in New York! Isn't everything touristy in NY? If you have been there and have any suggestions of what to do and where to go please let us know.

Our last night we are taking a Cruise in a large yacht around the island and up to the Statue of Liberty. It is a dinner cruise where I will have to have a Jacket to be let on board. Not cuz it is cold but cuz it is classy. Who signed up for this anyway? That would be me. This will be a great way to celebrate with my bride for one year of life together as one.

This Sunday is actually our 1st Anniversary but we will be spending that time with the team of kids we are leading to Costa Rica this summer. GO CR1!! Yes feel sorry for us since we are going to New York for 4days and then a few weeks later going to Costa Rica for 10 days. What can I say God is good and has blessed me with much, especially my Wife.

I will post some pix after the trip!!

Peace,

Call the dentist I need a tooth extracted

Ok this is just a social post on my part because I see someone with one of these things attached to their ear more and more often.

Bluetooth - a wireless headset for those with too many wires wrapped around their head they cannot see.

I know I am not the only one who sees people wearing these everywhere now. I was at a restaurant a few days ago and witnessed what I feel is complete and udder rudeness. There was a table about 10 feet away from me with one guy and two ladies present having lunch. They seemed to all be chatting away with each other having a good conversation from the looks of it. My problem is that the guy sat there for the half hour or so I was there with this thing implanted in his ear. He was not talking to anyone on it but to the ladies at the table.

Come on dude take the thing out of your ear!! How did the ladies feel that their time was not valuable to him since he had to have this in his ear the whole time. Is he waiting for the Lord to call and does not want to miss Him? Or does he actually think that he is studly cuz he has a wireless headset? Is it a new fashion image that I find to be ugly and idiotic?

If you wear one when you are actually talking to someone and then take it off until the next time you chat with someone then cool for you. That is totally awesome that you are using it to free your hands to do other tasks while you chat. I have no problem with that it is just those that have to walk around with it implanted in their ears. To me these people look silly and I do believe that I am not the only one that thinks this way or at least I hope that I am not the only one.

When you see someone driving a 1988 Cutless Ciera with it rusted out and black smoke puffing out the tail pipe wearing one of these it just looks plan silly. Maybe they have AAA on the phone the whole time while they are driving as to let them know where they bust down next. Or maybe they need that left hand to hold the door shut. Do us all a favor and use the cash to repair the car or maybe buy a 1989 Cutless Ciera.

Then yesterday in the dallas morning news I read something that is adding fuel to the fire. It states "Cheaper and simpler is a powerful combination when combined with marketers like to call the "sexiness" of a product such as this". AHHHHHH, sexiness? What?

Oh well it is time for me to step down from my soap box and look at my unsexiness due to no wireless headset. Right said Fred!! I am too sexy for my bluetooth.

Barry vs Ruth

I saw this photo a few weeks ago and found it to be hilarious. I just had to go back and find it & post it. Ya have to feel sorry just a tad bit of having to deal with this every step he takes. Even though it seems to be brought on by his own actions.

Oh well, just a classic pic.

I know I brought the subject up this time but is anyone else sick and tired of hearing about Bonds?

Hopefully just a threat and not reality

Just one of the funniest pictures I have seen in a while that I just had to share with ya'll!

Can you believe that they would pack their Burritos with them if they were kicked out of the country? What would all of us Mexican food lovers do? Good thing they aren't threatening to take my Chimi's, my hands would be tied and have to support the cause then.

Man denied bag says Angels discriminated

Man denied bag says Angels discriminated
Associated Press
SANTA ANA, Calif. -- A man who was denied a red nylon tote bag during a Mother's Day promotion at an Angels baseball game has filed a sex and age discrimination lawsuit against the team.
The class action claim filed by Michael Cohn, a Los Angeles psychologist, alleges that thousands of males and fans under age 18 are entitled to $4,000 in damages each because they were treated unequally at last May's promotion. Women over 18 received the gifts.
Angel officials said Cohn was the only person who complained about the giveaway and that the team is proud of its promotions.
"Historically, we have tried to appeal on those special days that might be nationally noted holidays or special occasions," team spokesman Tim Mead said, adding he could not comment directly on the suit because he hadn't seen it. "We have tailored programs or giveaways accordingly."
The team responded to a complaint letter that Cohn wrote last June by sending him four tote bags and a letter stating the team "ran out of the item that day and had to order more."
"They claimed they didn't have any more bags, but my client said there was a mountain of bags stacked so high a show dog couldn't have jumped over them," said Alfred Rava, Cohn's San Diego-based attorney.
Cohn could not be reached for comment.
This weekend's Mother's Day promotion will offer tote bags to the first 25,000 fans over age 18, rather than cater specifically to women. Mead would not say whether the change was in response to Cohn's complaint.
Rava said the altered promotion still violates the civil rights of fans under age 18.
Cohn's suit names as defendants the Angels and the Corinthian Colleges, which sponsored the event through an affiliate.

OK someone needs to be kicked out of maledom. What makes a so called man cry and then sue that he did not get a Mothers Day gift? He knew going into the game most likely that it was Mothers Day and that there was a free gift for those ladies entering the ballpark. It was a Free gift from Corinthian Colleges and the Aneheim Angels, do they not make the decision on who the GIFT is given too? Did I mention that it is a GIFT on Mothers Day?

Hope he did not try and pick up a free gift on Fathers Day. All of those poor women that did not get a Fathers Day Gift. What shall they do? Will they live? YES cuz they have more manhood than one Michael Cohn. Then for the team to cave such as they are seeming too by not offering a Mothers Day Gift is crazy in itself.

Where has America gone wrong in that people feel so comfortable in knowing all well what they are signing up for and then afterwards feel the right to sue over having their feelings hurt. Suck it up and be a man. Men do not cry over a free gift intended for Women and mothers on their nationally sanctioned day. Soon we will have nothing of the sort and then we will all complain of where those things went and will find someone new to sue about that.

Where will this madness end? Only when the good Lord delivers us from this stupidity.