Airport Secutiry? BULLSHIT!

Let's make this simple: TSA, listen to this.



Now stop looking at me naked and groping me.

Giants Vs. Texans: How the Winner Tonight Will Sway the Election Tomorrow!

That's right: The World Series may very well determine which party is in control tomorrow night!

While everyone in Philly is mad and annoyed that the Phillies lost their chance to win the World Series, the fact that the San Francisco Giants are up against the Texas Rangers tonight with a 3-1 edge could actually mean the Democrats could retain control of the House and Senate!!!

Let me explain:

First off, look at the home of the teams. Both are incredibly different right now politically. San Francisco is liberal blue with the state of Texas conservative red. Both areas are incredibly populous and both areas must be ready to vote tomorrow in the mid-term elections for nearly-straight party tickets.

Thanks to Dopamine that's produced in the brain, you can feel elated for long periods of time whenever a sports team wins, ESPECIALLY if its the first time in over 50 years! On the flip-side, you can feel really, really depressed if you're team loses.

In other words: IF The San Francisco Giants win the World Series TONIGHT, we could see a notable rise in turnout tomorrow there tomorrow favoring the Democrats and liberal agenda. We could also see the state of Texas depressed and less-likely to vote for their conservative candidates. Meaning we could see the Democrats win tomorrow thanks to the San Francisco Giants.

What if the Giant's loose?

I doubt it would actually change much from what I'm saying. The folks in San Francisco are still fairly energized and the folks in Texas are, too. Not having a resolution tonight doesn't mean much, it just means that the impact won't be as strong. Mind you, if everyone around you is in a good mood, it most likely will have an impact on you, too.

So don't forget to go out there and vote tomorrow!!!

Also, thanks to Cracked.com for the article today that inspired this post.
Thanks to Buzzblab for the photo!

It's Official: DOMINOS > Pizza Hut

I loved Pizza Hut.

As a kid, as a treat, my mom would drive me and my grandma to the Pizza Hut in Flourtown. Sometimes it was after going to K-Mart, and other times it was to celebrate a birthday. It was fun, and I loved playing the jukebox or playing the arcade machines in the back. It was a little dark in there, but there was a great old-world wood feel, as if it was from a different time and era. It was back when Pizza Hut was trying to be like your classic pizza parlor, the one you grew up with. Even as I write this, I can still vividly remember the sights, the smell, the taste of the pizza and the fizz of the root beer pitcher on the table and the smiles on my parent's faces.

Sadly the Pizza Hut shut its door around 2000, and it came as the service there was slowly getting worse. K-Mart was soon gone, and the entire shopping Piazza across the street began a massive change down the food chain.

In the 10-years since, I've still held a high place in both my heart and my memory for Pizza Hut. I've heard more and more people voice their disdain for them, mostly calling it "not real pizza". I always cried foul and I used to get about 4 pies a week in college. I even lost weight! But, sadly, the service at the Pizza Hut near me has gotten worse in the last 3 years. There used to be a great staff there... until the tore it down to rebuild it. The old one was the classic "old-world" style. The new one tries too hard to be contemporary.

I had periodically been to Domino's the entire time. I hated it as a kid, but in the last 5 years I've grown to enjoy it. It's rarely an option for me; there was never a Domino's near me. The deals, the taste... it was never quite in my grasps.

Until this month when one opened not too far from my house.

The difference in the delivery has been night-and-day. Whereas Pizza Hut had constantly under-cooked my pizzas for years, forcing me to ask them to "overcook" them (They said they got complaints for COOKING the pizzas!), Domino's made an effort to cook them properly and thoroughly. While Pizza Hut would hint at a delivery time, Domino's ACTUALLY TRACKS THE PROCESS OF THE ORDER! Pizza Tacker? I think I love you!

And the taste? OH, THE TASTE! Domino's actually does taste better than Pizza Hut!... at least on a local level. Part of the joy I had at Pizza Hut actually was the grease. Not a ton of it, but just enough. Domino's is drier, but it adds to the quality of the overall pizza! Plus, I'm actually full eating their pizza!

Photo courtesy of WalletPop

MONSTERS (In My Head): The Disturbing Illustrations of Larry West

The Monsters are no longer confined to under your bed!

Philadelphia Artist/Native Larry West returns to the Philadelphia Art Scene with his next art show, "Monsters (In My Head)". After 6 years of toil, agony, and fear, Philadelphia Artist Larry West unveils the monsters that reside in his head! An exhibit in the macabre and disturbed pieces of art that he constantly refers to as "The art of a madman", the show will show 10 of the most raw, imaginative, and heartfelt pieces of the illustrators life.

The artwork deals with a lot of lost that the artist has gone through. "I call them the monsters in my head because, well, that's what they are. But in a lot of ways, they're the ones we all see. Pain, misery, loss, anger, anxiety... they all take different forms. Some are scarier than others, but all of them are always clawing away at us at one time or another."

This marks Larry West's second art show, as well as his second at Digital Ferret. Larry's art will be shown in conjunction with live performances by Worms of the Earth, Vicious Alliance, and DJ Stalagmike.

The opening reception will be held September 24th at 7PM - 10pm, and the show will run until October 20th. Prints of all the pieces will be available for purchase.

Larry West's artwork can be viewed at his website:
http://www.larrywestproductions.com

About Larry West: Larry West is best known for his 2007 run for Mayor of Philadelphia. He has since then taken a larger turn towards his artwork, and still comments constantly about politics in Philadelphia, and the world.

Ozzfest 2010: Photos From That Night...

Despite all the anger and spite that's come from me lately... life isn't bad. :)

Enjoy these shots! I've got everyone from Ozzy Osbourne, Motley Crue with Vince Neil and Nikki Sixx, Rob Halford and his band Halford, DevilDriver, and many, many more acts from Sunday's show at the Susquehanna Bank Center in Camden.

The City of Philadelphia Wants $300 For ME To Express Myself

Philadelphia City Council sure tends to get creative and innovative sometimes, right? Especially when it comes to raising money AND suppressing rights!

Today's latest example? Forcing bloggers to pay the $300 Business Privilege License (BPL).

The idea is actually simple; some bloggers are making cash, and the city sees it as a way to make some quick cash! Originally, I blamed two City Council Members, Bill Green and Maria Quiñones-Sánchez, for this idea. I was wrong, and I do apologize.

No, the fault lies in the fact that the city Department of Revenue decided to make this move, which really doesn't make a lot of sense.

Case in point? In one case, the city demanded a fee from someone for making... $11 from his blog. $11?!

Let me get something straight: The city, despite the fact that they KNOW for a fact that they are owed downright millions from a few people in the city allow them amnesty to pay, knowing they've done it for years. Meanwhile, a few bloggers who make a few dollars off their blogs are forced to pay what can amount to 300 times more than they make, plus penalties and fees... ON $11?!

But, wait, no, here comes out heroes with a plan!!!

In June, City Council members Bill Green and Maria Quiñones-Sánchez unveiled a proposal to reform the city's business privilege tax in an effort to make Philly a more attractive place for small businesses. If their bill passes, bloggers will still have to get a privilege license if their sites are designed to make money, but they would no longer have to pay taxes on their first $100,000 in profit. (If bloggers don't want to fork over $300 for a lifetime license, Green suggests they take the city's $50-a-year plan.)

Yeah.... no.

Here's the thing: Yes, without a doubt, there are blogs out there made SPECIFICALLY to make money. In my case, this is not one of those blogs. Not even close. Never made a damn cent off this thing! Ever! In fact, that's the case of 99% of the blogs out there.

So the bill doesn't make any real sense.

OK, let's go on that law, shall we? If you make ANY money, you MUST file for a Business Privilege Tax for $300, pay the City Wage Tax, a business Privilege Tax, AND a Net Profits Tax. Damn. Well, tell that to any kid that opens a lemonade stand. Looks like they need to pay $300 for making $15 off selling lemonade! Oh, what's this! Yes, its a homeless guy on the street and it looks like he just made $10 today to eat! Well, he better have his business license! Can't let the homeless guys get off, can we?

The heart of the bill says that if you make any cash off your blog, you're now stuck paying the BPL. The problem comes in where do you draw the line? What about people who use eBay? Or Etsy? Or Craigslist? It is, really, a slippery-slope because there is no end in sight for where this bullshit can go!

So the other part of this argument is that it limits free speech. Does it?

Let's get this part straight: IT DOES LIMIT FREE EXPRESSION.

What person would want to start a blog who lives in Philly knowing they are now stuck paying a tax if they ever try to make a cent off of it, even if its nothing more than a donate button so they can get food from time to time? You already have outcry from countless bloggers decrying this act!

So you know? To the people who decided it would be a good idea to charge me $300 to EXPRESS MYSELF?

GO FUCK YOURSELF!!!!!!!!!!

Photo courtesy of The Penn Group

Is Fox 29 Getting Dumber, and Us With It?

Is Fox 29 Getting Dumber, and Us With It?

I'm posing this question based on... well, some really stupid things they've decided to opine on:

1. Do we really need libraries? Don't people use their computers for everything?
2. Is SEPTA wasting money by spending $1000 on parties and awards every year?
3. Isn't SEPTA allowing AT&T to buy naming rights better than raising fares?
4. 99% of their morning show. Need I say more?


Out of everything on that list, I think maybe one of them you slightly agreed with, and I can't blame you. If you don't

Thomas Drayton is actually the target of this, since he seems to be the single biggest idiot on the entire network. I won't say he's spouting his own opinion at times, because it's not incredibly likely. It may be coming from the people behind the scenes, the producers and writers of the news. But considering he's the source of most of the points I raised (well, save their morning show), he will have to play scapegoat.

For the sake of disclosure, I want to point out that, yeah, this is a little personal. In 2007 I got to be on Good Day Philadelphia during my run for mayor. I give them credit now for trying to be a little lighthearted in this, but it's annoying when you're trying to be serious. In the end, well, I wound up making a decent point.

On a whole, I've actually liked Fox 29 news reporting. It's been more liberal than you would imagine at times, and they've been fair and allowed both sides to sound off. They took on the Street Administration and investigated a lot of the corruption in City Hall, most recently, and most famously, Councilman Wilson Goode's staffer who was not showing up for work and was not only getting paid, but a massive raise.

Over the last 6 months, there's been a turn towards... well, not the right, just dumber.

For starters, they argued that libraries aren't needed anymore.

The argument was that since most people do their research on computers, should the local and state government pay to keep the libraries open? You would think they would have a community organizer, a librarian, someone at all who's involved in the library system. No. Instead they bring in resident psychologist Dr. Chuck Williams and a lawyer. Dr. Chuck Williams I'll go into detail about later on, but during tonight's appearance he did defend the library system, citing at-risk kids and the fact that, yes, they are helping. The lawyer argued otherwise.

The problem with the argument against keeping the library free is obvious: First, with rising unemployment, and people who just don't have money, the need for free resources is constant. Using a computer to get a job is essential these days, and some people don't have access to one without a library. As another bonus, they also have music and videos for free. On a whole, the entire thing works as being an archive of knowledge and an invaluable resource. Plus, Wikipedia will only get you so far.

Then there was this video about SEPTA spending $25,000 on awards and parties for employees over 3 years:

This was part 1, and I wound up tuning out after that. Jeff Cole is a valuable resource to Philadelphia news, and he is, without a doubt, the last great Philadelphia Television Reporter. The "It's Your Dime" series has, by-and-large, come off as splitting hairs. Seriously, why would anyone be outraged over the State of Pennsylvania spending about $1000 on folders over the course of a year for whenever they do a dedication for someone? $15k for parties for SEPTA is virtually nothing considering it's less than 1% of their entire budget. In fact, it's less than a quarter of a percent. SEPTA's operating budget for 2010 is $1.132 BILLION DOLLARS.

So, yeah, $15k for parties and food is nothing.

Jeff Cole spent the rest of the week pointing out other flaws with SEPTA, and these got better as the week went on. He pointed out what the salaries are for some employees, in it is a little shocking... until you realize what they do. Train Engineers are incredibly highly skilled, and they do fully deserve their salaries. Bus Drivers? Out of 2500, only about 19 of them make more than $100k, but 527 made over $70k. Despite all my bellyaching, even I agree that isn't that bad. Again, a lot of these guys work their asses off.

Thomas Drayton himself argued on the air that SEPTA selling the naming rights to Pattison Station to AT&T was smart, saying "Would you rather they raise fares?" As I've already point out, NO IT DOESN'T.

IS Fox 29 getting worse, and us with it? I think only half of that sentence is true myself.

SEPTA to Get Rid of Bus Numbers to Eliminate Confusion

SEPTA, in yet another effort to eliminate rider confusion, has decided to eliminate the number system for buses. The move follows eliminating the “R” system from their Regional Rail service, as some customers would accidentally get on the wrong train and go in another direction entirely.

“We've listened to our customers complain for years about the trains, but we've gotten a lot of the same complaints about our buses, if not more," remarked SEPTA's General Manager. “So in order to eliminate the confusion of going the wrong way, we've renamed each bus route after the final destination. This means you will now know which bus is going where as the final destination instead of having to rely on a number-based system.”

One example of this new and improved system is the Route 18 Bus that runs from Cedarbrook Mall to Fox Chase. Instead of having the bus route called the “18”, as is the shorthand, it will now be called the “Cedarbrook Mall” route and the “Fox Chase” route, respectively.

“I'm glad to finally see this! I can't tell you how many times I go to Center City and get on the wrong bus!”, Samantha Max of the Fishtown section remarked. “I've taken the 33 Penn's Landing bus more than one time thinking it was going the other way! I don't read the entire name of the route on the front of the bus, just the number.” When asked why he did this, he replied, “Isn't that all I need to know?”

The move has been met with some criticism as well from a small, but vocal, number of commuters. “How the hell does someone get confused about which way the bus is going? The route is in the name, for crying out loud!”, replied Mark Harvey of Chestnut Hill. When asked how often he took the bus, he said, “About once a week. It can be a little confusing, but a lot of the bus signs tell you what the final destination is, so it's easy for me to figure out which side of the street to get on.”

“Part of the reason for this move is because we've found that some of our riders do have a problem with 'reading comprehension',” SEPTA's General Manager admitted. “Some of our riders are from out of town, may ride our transit system intoxicated, or in some cases are simply illiterate. In order to make the system better and more efficient for everyone, we feel that making these changes for less than 1% of our riders is a step in the right direction.”

The cost of the project has not been determined, although it is worth noting that twice as many schedules than before will need to be printed. Not only that, but so will any and all maps with references to the bus route numbers, and the nearly countless signs around Philadelphia and the Suburbs with route numbers on them.

When asked if the possibility of selling more naming rights to more stations could possibly effect this even more in the future, SEPTA responded in a positive way. “The hope is that it will. We're currently working on a deal to sell the naming rights to Frankford Terminal to Sprint, thus renaming it Sprint Terminal. The deal would be worth $20 Million.” When pressed further, SEPTA would receive only $3 Million of that money, which comes out to 0.03% of SEPTA's $1.3 Billion a year budget(PDF), as the money would be spread over 5 years.

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DISCLAIMER: The following article was a joke. If you did take this seriously, that proves just how fucked-up the new Regional Rail system idea is! Contact SEPTA directly to tell them so!

Flash Mobs, Violence, and The Media: So Really, Who's to Blame?

Flash Mob.

The terms has been thrown around Philadelphia periodically over the past year, starting back last summer when a large group of teenagers converged on South Street on what was one of the first nice Saturdays in a while. Back in March, they came back on, once again, the first nice Saturday in a long time. Both times they were called "Flash Mobs", a term used in this context to describe a large presence of people descending upon an area at once. This should not be confused with actual flash mobs that do fairly creative and fun things after organizing online.

Criticism has been leveled against the media for hyping the story, and fairly so. In bringing so much attention to this, it actually seems to be increasing the number of them and the number of people coming out to them.

The problem now, though, is that the criticism is getting worse and the real problem is being ignored.

Enter Philebrity, the biggest gossip and news blog in Philadelphia. While I can honestly say I respect them some of the time, I'm frustrated with it the rest of the time. Case in point: Their Racism-bating stories criticizing 6ABC . So what do I mean by the term "Racism-baiting"? They're saying 6ABC uses underlying racism to make the Flash Mobs look worse than it really is. The problem, though, is that they aren't.

Case in point?

Here’s what doesn’t: As Friday night’s lead story illustrated, “FLASH MOB FEAR BLACK TEENS VIOLENCE” has now entered the Action News (and all who sail in them) pantheon of non-stories they can sensationalize the fuck out of, spreading fear and dread to those who desire it most — the ignorant schlubs who actually think that what WPVI is “news.”

The actual video doesn't try to tell that story at all.

All the while, Philebrity ignores the actual issue: WHY kids are gathering like this, and why it is an actual issue.

On July 10th , an estimated 20,000 people descended on South Street around 1AM. The police, in response to these action, shut down 11 blocks. Again, this is 20,000 people in a 11-block area. That's a LOT of people, especially for 1AM on a Sunday Morning. No events, no concerts at that time... nothing. There was a concert earlier at The TLA, but that ended around 11PM. The cops had tried to subdue the crowd for the better part of the night since many kids were coming down because they mistakenly thought that the Greek Picnic Crowd would be there. The truth of the matter is that the picnic has not taken place in Philadelphia since 2007.

Philebrity's response? The cops are afraid of black people, thus the reaction was bad.

SEPTA buses were actually brought in to take the kids home that night, and considering the fact that since anyone under 18 who is out on the street past 12AM on a Saturday Night is breaking curfew, and thus the law... it actually does make sense to call in buses to take everyone home.

The problem with these gatherings isn't that black teenagers are there, or that it's a large group of black kids. No. The problem is that it's a large group of teenagers in general, and that can lead to problems. It's true that only a small number of kids are actually causing problems, but they can, and are, easily magnified when the numbers of actual kids increase and peer-pressure starts to give way to a mob mentality, no pun intended.

Philebrity seems to be ignoring the facts that, yes, violence is happening as part of these large groups of teenagers, the fact that these are mostly black kids does not mean its racist to point that out, and the fact that something needs to be done.

The problem doesn't lie in laying blame on someone, but in the attitude we give to the situation.

So, really, who's to blame? Blaming the media alone is pointless. So is simply blaming parents or even the kids. We really are all to blame in some way for this. The parents are to blame for not being there for their kids, for not being more proactive in some of these kids lives. Yes, parent's can't be there 24/7, and teenagers are still growing up and need things to do and will do things like this. Is the new hive-mind mentality part of the new world we live in?

In recent weeks, the Philadelphia Police have cracked down on large groups of teenagers because of the violence we've seen, and they have been getting better about preventing these gatherings before they get too big... well, sometimes.

The solution isn't simple, it's complicated. Parents getting involved is a start, so is the media not reporting about this is a fairly-glamorous fashion. I can actually say I agree that the biggest problem with 6ABC's coverage is that it puts it as a front-page story when, really, its more page 7, but then again, this was a case where the police dispersed the crowd before it was massive problem. If more stores and restaurants were open late across Center City in general, who knows, maybe that would help. Since South Street is basically the only area open later than 7PM on a Saturday Night, or the only one with a lot of attention.

The quasi-ironic thing, though, is that over the last 5 years South Street started to go downhill in terms of, well, being interesting and fun. Suddenly we're seeing it become at least one, if not the other, and there seems to be no one or any way to make this into a positive thing, or make it fun.

SEPTA to Eliminate The "R" From Regional Rail; Drunks Remained Confused and Dumb

SEPTA's General Manager has decided enough with the "R" system, and in with... nothing.

Introduced in the 1980's, the "R" system was designed to help different lines apart and was based on a German system to tell different steam engines apart. In an effort to help end customer confusion, they have decided to end the "R" system from "Regional Rail". They cite people getting confused about what train and platform to get on when they're told to take a train.

Sadly, they're trying to accommodate about 1% of their riders by spending a ton of cash and making life harder for the other 99% of us who take train.

For starters, the only people who get confused by the "R" system are tourists and people who don't pay attention to simple directions. Say you're going to Highland Ave. That would require taking that R2 to Marcus Hook. If someone say's "Take the R2 to Marcus Hook", well, you look at the signs, see the one that says R2 MARCUS HOOK and get on said train.

Unlike the Bus and Subway systems, EVERY station is CLEARLY marked with the final destination of the train. Unless you run down a flight of stairs to catch a train, unless you don't pay attention to where you're going, unless you make an actual effort to get on the wrong train, you won't. You need to use common sense more than anything.

SEPTA's new system involves simply having the name of the end-station be the name of route to try and end confusion. This is not going to solve the problem.

Remember how I pointed out the R2 Marcus Hook? Let's take another line, the R7. There are two end stops: The R7 Chestnut Hill East and the R7 Trenton. There is one single train that goes the entire length of the route. You're at Market East Station, the main train hub, and you need to get to Croydon Station, but not sure what train to get on. "Excuse me, " you ask the someone at the information desk, "but what train do I catch to get to Croydon Station?" "Easy, take the R7 to Trenton." You look around and see something that says "R7 TRENTON." You get on the train.

Why? Because you know you're going on the train that goes to TRENTON, they guy just fucking SAID SO!

The END of the line is in the NAME OF THE TRAIN LINE!!!! It's isn't "R7" with no semblance of where you're going! IT'S R7 TRENTON!!!!!

Eliminating the "R" literally makes no sense unless, like I said, you're a tourist, a drunk, or have no common sense. People will still get on the wrong train.

In fact, this could make matters worse. Remember when I said you could take the R7 straight through from Chestnut Hill East to Trenton? There are plenty of people who don't get off at the main terminals from Market East Station through 30th Street Station. Imagine how many people will now be confused and freaked out that the train that they only needed to get on one train for now appears to be two, or the throngs of people in the future who will think the same thing.

You want to see people confused and waiting on platforms for their train they missed? Folks, you go it!

Also, this is not going to be cheap for SEPTA! We're talking about having to reprint a LOT of things! Not only the train schedules (which are done regularly), but also the large maps at all the train stations to remove the "R" designation. We're looking at replacing all the signs on the trains! That color-coded systems so you knew which train you were getting on since each rail system made sense, like Red for R7, Brown for R8, Yellow for R1, etc? Gone!

It will now take TWO schedules to replicate the old R7 line:

Here is the new Chestnut Hill East line PDF
Here is the new Trenton line PDF

We're talking about TWICE as many schedules in order to reproduce ONE line. Not only that, but they all are the same color, and ugly as hell! Feel free to look at them yourself:

New SEPTA Regional Rail system's maps are at tt the bottom of the page.

We're looking at MORE confusing here, and when it blows up in SEPTA's face in the next few weeks, I shall be laughing.

Photo courtesy of AllAirports.com

SHIT THAT PISSES ME OFF Part 1: People Who Wear New York Yankees and Dallas Cowboys Gear

DISCLAIMER: The following piece is my sad attempt at humor. The truth is, I do fucking hate both of these teams, and I have a bit of a dislike for their fans. I do favor tossing a joke or insult at them for wearing the gear, but not more else. Hey, I'm tossing this in here to cover my ass, you damn Yankees fan!

You know what I hate? Those douche-bags who think wearing Yankees and Cowboys gear in Philly is "Cool"! FUCK YOU!

Seriously, don't you hate these assholes?

You're on your way to a Phillies game. You're psyched, you're happy, and you're pumped for the game! Then, on the way there... there HE is. THAT guy. The guy... in the Yankees hat! Or the jacket. Or the shirt. Or that stupid looking, incredibly ugly and tacky hat with all the "World Series Wins" on it!

What the hell?!

Folks, this is PHILLY. PHILADELPHIA! We fucking love our Phillies here! Win, lose, or bullshit season, we LOVE our Phillies! We will fight for them, scream for them, and root for them no matter what! In 2008, the City of Brotherly Love actually felt like it for a few brief days as all came together to celebrate an amazing World Series win! It was fun, it was awesome, and we all had a good time.

I used to not care about Yankees fans. I used to be OK with them. Then the 2009 World Series happened, and the hatred came! Hell, I don't even hate the Chicago Blackhawks this much, and THEY just stole the fucking Stanley Cup from us! Then again, the difference here is clear: The Stanley Cup Playoffs was a simply amazing story of two teams who had the crap beaten out of them and they were basically both underdogs. The series went to a Game 6 that was hard-fought, even if the winning goal was lame. The 2009 World Series came down to a great team battling a wallet. And, god dammit, the wallet fucking won!

I remember running into a pal of mine... and he was wearing... a... YANKEES... hat. "What the hell?! What's with the hat?! What, do you... you actually LIKE the Bankees or something?" His reply? "No, I just like the look." Knowing him, I'm sure it's true.

And then you have Dallas Cowboys fans.

The god-damn Cowboys.

Growing up in Philly, you learn the following things about local pride: 1, Your neighborhood may suck like hell, but you love it all the same. 2, All Philly teams are great, no matter how shitty they may play (1996 still gives me nightmares!). And 3, THE DALLAS COWBOYS SUCK AND MUST BE ELIMINATED.

Again, what is with these assholes who like the Cowboys in Philly, and oddly enough, actually wear their gear? The Cowboys?! Seriously?! Do... do they get their jollies by rooting for a team with T.O. on it? Do they like the fact they're rooting for a team that plays in a "Dome"? A DOME?! What, are the little football players afraid of a little rain? TOUGH! The Eagles? They play in rain, mud, sleet, snow, boiling hot weather, and snowballs. Hell, they'll play through 10 feet of shit if need be! The Cowboys? "America's Team"? HA!

Oddly enough, there's plenty of Cowboys fans around me, and every football season I give them hell for it. Heck, if I see a Cowboys fans giving me a look on the street, the scream can be heard from space: "COWBOYS SUCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

So come on! Give them a hard time! Boo them, rib, them, live up to your rep! You're from Philly! You love Philly sports! Heckle these guys at lease once!

Coming Up: Shit That's Pissing Me Off!

• Is Fox 29 getting dumber, and us with them?
• Is Gambling in Philadelphia REALLY a good idea?
• What Philly Blogs are kicking ass and which ones really sucks?
• The reason metal bands should get more promotion.
• People who live in Philly and wears Yankees and Cowboys gear!
• WHY Darrell Clarke is an asshole, and how that impacts you.
• Why Philadelphia's Spray Paint Law is pointless.
• New Anti-Smoking Laws and why they SUCK!

Yep. These articles will all be up in the next week or two. I've been holding back, and I think it's about time someone pointed all of this stuff out!

When SEPTA Bashing Gets Desperate

OK, let's face it: You know and I know that SEPTA has a ton of problems. It's a running joke in the city.

For all its flaws, we can agree that the service isn't the worst in the world, but it is far from perfect. The fact that you can take public transit to just about ANY point in the city is amazing, and we really are lucky to have it. Imagine all the poor folks stuck in the suburbs who have to drive everywhere.

SEPTA is going to raise it's fairs AGAIN for the first time in 3 years, and it isn't going to be pretty. New rules on passes, not to mention an increase averaging about 5% on all fairs (save the based Bus and Subway fare). You've heard that SEPTA is going to go ahead with the name change of Pattison Station to AT&T Station, and I argued that the name change isn't going to mean anything in the whole of the budget.

Why? Because the budget hole is $100 Million, and SEPTA is only getting $3 Million. In other words, not much.

So when I saw that Fox News was reporting on SEPTA tonight and them WASTING money, I could, you guessed it, only sit in anticipation to find out what they were doing now. My fairs are going up thanks to these assholes, and they're WASTING MONEY?! Fuck 'em!

The report... was sad at best.

Jeff Cole, who I greatly admire, has a series that takes on government waste. The problem? 99% of the time, it's basically nothing. For example, he was outraged that the PA Government spent money on those little book-things you get when the government gives out an award.

Tonight's complaint? SEPTA is spending money on making their employees happy! The bastards!

No, it's not making health care better or giving more vacation time! No! That cost's MONEY! Instead, they spent about $10k on... parties and awards. No, you didn't misread that: Ten Thousand bucks to throw a Christmas Party and give some awards to the upper-management. About half of that money was for the part alone.



"OH NOES!", you may be screaming, "SEPTA is wasting a TON of money on this stuff! No wonder my fare is going up!! THOSE ASSHOLES!" Then again, if you think that, you're either an idiot or just simply ignorant, and I can forgive the second one. SEPTA's annual budget? $1.132 BILLION.

I will repeat this: SEPTA's operating budget for 2010 is $1.132 BILLION DOLLARS.

So SEPTA spending $10k on a party and some awards? Not really all that bad for once. SEPTA selling the naming rights to a station for $3 Millions, and people defending it so we don't see a fair hike? Pretty stupid since that's less than 1 percent of the budget, and only 3% of what the budget shortfall is.

Feel free to read their actual operating budget for yourself. (PDF FILE!!!!!!)

Photos from KYW1060

The Big 4: Metallica, Megadeth, Slayer, Anthrax on the Big Screen!

I was a teenager again.

In 2002, I was an oddity in my high school. I, unlike 99% of the other students, listened to metal. Not only that, but I was still just getting into the genre. By the time I graduated, I had gone from listing to Winger’s Seventeen, to listening to Slayer’s Reign in Blood. Those were truly a magical time, and I had one simple vision of all these guys just getting together and playing at each other shows. That was true to some regard; Anthrax let Metallica share its space, Dave Mustaine formed Megadeth after getting kicked out of Metallica, and Kerry King formed Slayer after playing in Megadeth. The dream of everyone in the metal world was to finally, after 25 years, see all of them play the same concert. To see the Big Four in the single greatest concert ever!
Last night, we all got to be kids again.

At movie theaters around the world, The Big Four: Anthrax, Megadeth, Slayer, and Metallica were unleashed upon the world, causing not devastation, but the rarest joy you could ever see at a metal concert. It was, in and of itself a different experience than any concert anyone had been to. You’re in an air-condition movie theater with a ton of people. Do you mosh? Do you sing along? Do you act like you do at a show?

To read the rest of my FIRST ARTICLE EVER on Blow The Scene.com, click here!

Go Skateboarding Day 2010 - Some Tips

I won't go into the mess that was the last year in terms of go skateboarding day, but it seems to be kinda quiet this year. I won't be able to do much this year, so here's some advice to keep in mind:

• 1. Despite the rumors, no, you can not skateboard at Dilworth Plaza, LOVE Park, or the Municipal Services building on Go Skate! Day. They didn't change the law, they didn't give out permits... don't bother.
  
  
• 2. If you are confronted by an officer, be as polite as possible if they are trying to be polite as well. If they immediately start hassling you, ask yourself A) Am I skating in a place where I know its illegal and B) Do they have a point? If you're able to, simply speak in a calm matter and co-operate. If they become abusive or start by using force despite the fact you are not doing anything to warrant it, REPORT IT! Get a badge number, post it on a blog... get the word out about them! Simply fearing retaliation will do nothing more than allow it to continue!
  
  
• 3. Try to hit the legal places, like FDR Park on Broad and Delaware Avenue. The best way to get there is to take the Broad Street Subway to the end of the line (Pattison Ave) and keep going South. You can't miss it. There's also "5-Block" off Broad and Girard. Trust me, you can't miss it. Just listen and look for a ton of skateboarders.
  
  
• 4. Make sure you always carry a copy of the actual law, §10-610. Skateboarding, Rollerblading and Bicycling on Public Property! If any officer says your breaking the law and you know you're in the right, take this out. It states, and I quote, skateboarding is allowed on "public roads, highways, bicycle and/or skateboard paths, or sidewalks abutting private property....... Recreation Department facilities, which facilities shall be subject to the rules and regulations of the Recreation Department." So if you get hassled for skateboarding on the sidewalk, you're in the right!

Got it? Good!

Have fun and stay safe out there!


EDITORS NOTE: Recent visitors of this article include: North Penn School District and City of Philadelphia. HI THERE!!! :D

SEPTA: On Sale Now, For a Limited Time!!!

How much does it cost to buy a part of the soul of Philadelphia? Apparently, $5 Million Dollars.

This week, it was announced that SEPTA, along with Titan Outdoor LLC (the company that handles all of their outdoor advertising), sold the naming rights to Pattison Ave Station. The station is at the end of the Broad Street subway and lies at, you guessed it, Pattison Avenue where all the stadiums are. Since opening on April 8, 1973, the station has served as a gateway to the stadiums and the community. The naming rights were sold for $5 Million Dollars to AT&T, which will, for the next 5 years, have it renamed "AT&T Station".

So what's in a name, you ask?

SEPTA selling the naming rights is the larger issue at play here, and the one that deserves the most scrutiny and, yes, outrage. We're not talking about a simple naming problem, or the fact that the name will cause confusion for countless riders and tourists.

No, the bigger problem here is that we're looking at a very short-sighted solution to a very big, long-term problem.

Of the $5 Million deal, SEPTA is only getting $3 Million, and the City of Philadelphia (who also own the route itself and leases it to SEPTA) get's $2 Million. On the surface, this looks like a win-win situation for the two people involved since they get some money they desperately need. In reality, it's not a lump-sum payment. The amount is spread out over the 5 years of the contract.

What about the argument in favor of this deal? How it makes money for an agency and city that really needs it?

Well, it SOUNDS cool... until you realize that both SEPTA and the City of Philadelphia are facing $100 MILLION deficits for the next 5 years. In return for getting 3% of their budget settled, they're willing to sell off part of the city to the highest bidder.

Or, in other words, you know those guys who are willing to have a logo tattooed on their face for life if you pay them? Yeah, that's SEPTA and Philadelphia.

Not pictured: Dignity and Self-Respect

So let's put this into some perspective. Imagine you need $100. Badly. You need to find a way to raise some cash, but you're running out of ideas. You're parents have decided not to give you that raise in your allowance that you asked for, and you've already cut out what you can from your budget. Someone comes up to you can says they'll give you $3 Bucks, but there's a catch; they get to write the words "Eat My Shorts" on your face, and you have to leave it there for a month. Do you take the cash, or do you look for cash somewhere else where you won't make a full of yourself for life, like the sewer?

That is, in essence, where both SEPTA and Philadelphia is. No one is saying $3 Mil is something to sneeze at,but the idea that taking care of 3%, or in Philly's case 2%, of your budget by destroying part of your image isn't smart.

This isn't a small ad, or even a temporary ad-wrap on a building; this is something's NAME.

Not only that, but how much is this going to COST?

Let's keep a few things in mind, here: SEPTA and the City of Philadelphia agrees under this contract that ALL references to this station name has to be changed. ANY AND ALL REFERENCES. You're talking about replacing a LOT of signs here. The Subway cars would need to get new signs, so would all the maps (plastic, metal, and paper)... and the city has to pay to redo the maps to change the reference. In the city's case, the cost may not be much since it has to do that type of stuff constantly, but SEPTA? This stop is at the end of the line here! This can't come cheap!

So in order to get $3 Million, SEPTA may have to spend 1/3rd of THAT JUST to update everything!

Not only that, but now SEPTA is saying that since this sale went so well, they want to do it with MORE stations! Can you imagine this idicoracy? Market East Station being sold to McDonald's and calling it McDonald's East? Disney buying City Hall Station and calling it "Disney Present Philadelphia"? Pabst Blue Ribbon buying Spring Garden Station and calling it "Pabst Blue Ribbon Station?! OK, that last one isn't out of line...

Again Not Pictured: Dignity

Look, I've come to the defense of SEPTA and them selling ads before to help raise cash. It can be done in a fairly nice, even downright "hip". If SEPTA want's to raise money through advertising, L&I needs to loosen up a little and actually help them. In 2006 when they let Dunkin' Donuts do a wrap at 1234 Market Street, they wound up getting fined double what they were paid for the ad, and it lost money.

We've seen SEPTA now allow advertisers buy up entire stations, sometimes resulting in some horribly tacky results. Suburban Station jumps to mind first, as well as Market East and Spring Garden Station. To paraphrase what the brilliant street artist Bansky once said, "You're not allowed to do something to make an area look nicer, but a corporation is allowed to make it look worse."

The real problem in all of this is that it is a short-sighted solution.

Let's look at it as seriously as possible here: SEPTA is saying that the deal went good and that they, in turn, want to do it for more stations. That means that when the contract runs out, they'll sell the naming rights AGAIN. In 5 years, don't be surprised if you hear that SEPTA is running scared because no one wants to buy the rights to a station because of one problem or another. The state, in turn, KEEPS cutting SEPTA's funding because, you know, they can easily get the money by either selling another station's name or raising the cost of said rights.

This isn't a viable solution at all. What IS is more people writing to the people in the House of Representatives for Pennsylvania and telling them to increase SEPTA's funding. Tell them to actually HELP people get around in Philly so that we can help the rest of the state get out of it's budget problem by being able to get to work.

REMEMBER: Only YOU can save us from becoming an idiocracy.

Nate Webster Throws His Hat into the Ring for Montco Commissioner

A complete unknown has entered the 2011 race for County Commissioner of Montgomery County, and his name is Nate Webster.

"People are sick and tired of all the bickering," Webster said. "Governing is about what we can do for the people, not what government can do for politicians."

"I doubt the party establishment will get behind me, partly because of my age. But I'm not going to be pushed out by party insiders," he said. "If I get pushed out, it will be the voters of Montgomery County who reject me.

"I'm in this until the bitter end," he added.

His biggest challenge will not be the establishment of the Democratic Party, but the cynicism of many due to one simple thing: His age.

Nate Webster is 18-years-old.

To that end, it is worth noting that Nate actually was a campaign manager last year. He also states he has no plans on being a career politician, saying that this is what he wants. " I'm not running for commissioner so that some day I can be governor or attorney general."

His platform is admirable: More transparency to county government, namely when it comes to bidding on contracts, and publishing the workings of the government online.

--=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=--

I've been down this road myself, and Nate, I want to give you a few bits of advice:

First, most of the stuff you're going to have to deal with at first will have to deal with your age. Everyone anyone makes that THE issue, turn it around on them. Make sure that they know that you're in this to win, not as a prank, a stunt, or anything else. The fact that you're not embedded in the current political process is actually an access.

Congrats on getting started so early, and smart move! This gives you enough time to start building up a base, get your name out there, and build some decent momentum before the actual primary races start to heat up. You're up against someone like Joe Hoffel, and this makes the trail all the more harder.

Some people won't take you seriously, and more people than you may imagine will try to take you down simply because you're not 50 yeas old. More importantly, there are a lot of people who will look up to you for the same exact reason. On a personal level keep them close; a professional level listen to the critics, and realize that some of them are stubborn as a mule.

You've already ran a campaign, and I'm sure you don't need me to go on and on about this, that, and the other. So let me leave you with this:

"NEVER let the bastards get you down."

Good luck, and here's to you!

Article referenced, and photo courtesy of, The Phoenix

In Defense of Pitbulls

I have never for the life of me understood why people seem to hate Pit Bulls.

Growing up, I didn't like dogs at all. I lived next door to a guy who had one for protection that was incredibly mean. All the other dogs on the block seemed to have this thing about wanting to get close to me for a bite, and basically I didn't have anything close to a good experience with one. Up until 4 years ago, I had to deal with one on my block that was never on a leash when it was outside and would chase me. Not fun.

Since then, I've warmed up to dogs. I've always been allergic, so that hasn't helped the situation much. Working downtown and with a lot of people who own and downright love them... well, it's forced me to open up more. I can't do much, though, and I'm still nervous around them.

So when I hear people decry the American Pit Bull Terrier, or the Pit Bull... I'm left scratching my head.

The main argument I've heard are that they're "more aggressive". In my experience, and even statistically... it's basically baloney. Just like most dogs, they're loyal to their masters and family, and friendly to strangers. It's more of a reputation than anything else.

The problem, though, is that a lot of people who get Pit Bulls tend to get them for the wrong reason. Look at Micheal Vick, for example. He used them in dog fighting, making them more aggressive needlessly and forcing them to fight. Sadly, a lot of people do the same thing. You also have people buying them just because they want to look like they have a "tough dog", so they actually try to make them mean as well.

Then you have the people who get them because they simply love dogs.

A co-worker of mine rescued a pit bull from the street out of the rain that wasn't doing too good. A few days later, he found out why the dog was acting so sick; she was pregnant. He now has a bunch of cute little puppies to give away, and he's making sure they go to good homes. The dog is a sweetheart.

Pit Bulls, by and large, are no more aggressive than most other breeds of animals. In fact, there was one that lived down the block from me. Remember how I said most of the dogs on my block tended to have a need to get a little too close to me? This one didn't. She was very nice, sat at her house whenever tied up, and when she was walked, was very nice towards me and respectful. It was a mix of both a boxer and a pit bull. In my life, the dogs that have been aggressive have been the ones that seem like they should be nice... but aren't.

Philadelphia City Council has been trying to ban Pit Pulls for years, and it is simply impossible. The law forbids banning specific breeds of dogs, and for that, I am actually thankful. In fact, a ban would simply make it worse in this city! Can you imagine them being banned? You already have jerks owning them, and they're in the minority. What happens when they're the majority?!

Pit Bulls are, by and large, kind, caring animals, nor worse or more violent than most of the dogs out there. Just treat them with the same love and respect you would any dog and you'll be fine.

Photo Courtesy of Manly's Republic

Video of the Day: Nuclear Assault "Critical Mass"

Written in 1989, Nuclear Assault's "Critical Mass", as well as this music video, seems incredibly app for today's world. The oil spill going on now is a mess, and in fact, it is fair to call this Obama's Katrina. Why? Because of not only the location and magnitude... but the response to it has actually been worse than that.

Today, a natural gas line in Texas exploded today, killing 3 people with 10 people currently missing. Such as a shame.

Brave New World Comic Book Discussion: Superman "Red Son"

In what has to be my favorite Superman story of all time, Red Son asks a simple question: What if Kal-El landed in Communist Russia instead of Kansas?

The result is one of the most interesting comics of all time, skewing both modern politics and bits and pieces of the DC Universe, taking all the characters you know and love and putting them in a universe that is slightly askew-ed!

The Comic Book Discussion Group at Brave New Worlds is a really fun affair, and it gives you a chance to check out comics you may have either never heard of or would never have thought of reading before. For example, I got to read "I Kill Giants", which quickly became of my favorite books of all time.

The group is really nice and welcoming, and anyone and everyone is welcomed and greeted with open arms. The discussions tend to stay focused on the book itself, and allow for even smaller discussions about related topics. I wouldn't be shocked if we wind up discussing the political power structure between the United States and Russia for the better part of the late 80's... or how Superman could never have a kid with Lois Lane because of the... ahem... parts.

The meeting is June 14th at 7PM in the Brave New Worlds lobby. Feel free to get a copy at the store!

Brave New Worlds
45 N. 2nd Street Philadelphia, PA
Hours – Sunday 11-6, Monday-Saturday 11-8
215-925-6525

The Philadelphia Art Scene: Getting Better!

It was roughly a year ago when I last wrote about the Philadelphia Art Scene, and how I ranted that the local blogs only seem to support... well... boring stuff. I recanted, somewhat, saying that good art was out there in the city but it just wasn't getting the attention it deserved.

To a large degree, I still think that's true (especially on the blog end), but I've seen a TREMENDOUS jump in the quality of work being put out in the city.

Tonight on First Friday, I went to the Salt Gallery for the first time. I decided not to display my work because, to be honest, it was just too hot. The gallery celebrates contemporary and up-and-coming artists, and in general has a nice blend of everything, including pop art. Located at 212 Race Street, it is worth taking a look!

But the biggest shocker for me wasn't in the gallery, but on the street. While walking past Christ Church, a few paintings grabbed my eye, one of which I could swear I had seen before.

John McGinn was born in Kingston, NY, and moved here in 1985 with his family. The son of a master painter, John at age 31 paints like an old master and is, without a doubt, the best painter I've ever seen on the streets on First Friday. It was very inspiring, very stunning, and the photos don't do his work justice. If you get the chance, or simply the privilege, you must see one of his painting in person! I asked him about galleries and his answered simply mirrored mine whenever I was asked; "I've actually never bothered to try."

Over at Digital Ferret, the artist Jeremy Hush had an opening on Fourth Friday, and the show will be running through the month. Creating surreal and creepy landscapes. He has absolutely stunning work in the tradtion of other artist such as Edgar Allen Poe... well, if he drew, at least.

The scene is getting better, and I can actually smile now. :)

IMAGE: "Lingerie" © Gouache on Panel 2ft x 4ft by John McGinn

FEAR FACTORY - June 6th - Meet and Greet and Concert!!!

Fear Factory. The name alone commands a respect very few metal bands have. Having been one of the biggest driving forces of heavy metal during the 90's, and still keeping the flame strong during the better part of the last 10 years, the band went on "hiatus" in 2006.

This year, they came back in a BIG way.

Enlisting the help of Strapping Young Lad's rhythm section, the newly-reformed Fear Factory will be playing The Trocadero on June 6th with the help of Prong. This comes with the release of their new album "Mechanize".

Not only that, but FEAR FACTORY IS DOING A MEET-AND-GREET AT RELAPSE RECORDS AT 5PM AT DIGITAL FERRET!!!!

Yes, kiddies, you read that right; Fear Factory will be at Digital Ferret Records signing the new album, old ones, and anything else you can bring, even boobs! I plan on being there, snagging some photos, hanging out, and maybe even getting a slice of pizza (Guys, trust me, more people will come if you offer FREE PIZZA!!!).

So, there you go. Get your shit together and make sure you come out to this!!!!

FEAR FACTORY - Meet-and-Greet - 5PM:
Digital Ferret - 32 South 4th Street - Philadelphia, PA‎

FEAR FACTORY, Prong, Silent Civilian, and Thy Will Be Done - 6PM:
The Trocadero - 1003 Arch Street - Philadelphia, PA 19107

EDIT: Yeah, the poster says 7PM. That's because I'm stupid and made a mistake. DOORS AT 6PM, and show starts at 6:30PM. On the plus side, it may be for the better if you get there at 7PM...

For the Record, Chase Bank STILL Sucks Ass

A few months ago, I ranted about how stupid, inept, and annoying Chase Bank's Credit Card Debt department was. About 2 months ago, I wound up caving in and paying off the entire debt.

Then came the bill.

Chase has a loophole in how this works. You can pay off everything, every last cent you owe, and they can STILL send you a bill based on the interest of what was left before you made the payment! So after paying over $760, I got a bill for $7.

So Chase Bank... go fuck yourselves.

DVD Funhouse - The BEST Movie Store I've Ever Seen

I was in New York City yesterday, just walking around and having a good time. Walking towards the Flatiron building, I stopped in a cafe that was across the street from a place advertising $5.99 DVD's. Just for the hell of it, I decided to walk in, expecting nothing more than a ton of used DVD's.

Nope. $5.99 for brand new DVD's.

Now, there are used DVD's from Blockbuster for $3.99, but they also had brand-new DVD box sets as cheap as $5.99! In fact, they have the entire Aeon Flux series for only $6.99! Amazing!

I wound up picking the following because I either couldn't find it this cheap, or anywhere else:

1. The Ben Stiller Show (All 13 Episodes)
2. Hamlet 2
3. Chasing Amy
4. South Park Imaginationland Uncut
5. Samurai Jack Season 4 ($6.99)

The last one was the most shocking for me. Animation fans and anyone who grew up at the turn of the century knows that Samurai Jack was a show that never got the respect it deserved in the end, and no proper series finale. The final season is only of legend to me, and now, after nearly 10 years, I finally get to see it! $7 was incredibly cheap, especially since most places price it at $30+!

The Ben Stiller Show was another personal highlight as well. I wanted to watch it for years, and the cheapest I had seen it was $20. Throw in Andy Dick as a cast member, and it has to be good!

Chasing Amy is a personal favorite of a film, and I've only had the VHS for 8 years. Again, the cheapest I've found this DVD ever. Its cool I finally get to catch Hamlet 2, and the copy of Imaginationland I got came uncensored and with commentary, which, if history has taught me anything, will be better and 100% different than if I bought the season they were in. Plus, I can toss it to a pal when I'm done. :)

The DVD's are all Region 1 so they will play in your DVD player. If you can, spend the $20 to go up there and stock up! They also have recent releases up there, like Bruno, and a bunch of others.

DVD Funhouse
655 Sixth Ave
New York, NY 10010

All Larry West Prints - 50% OFF! This Weekend Only!

The Chosen by MarkSkull
Browse other fine art prints available on zazzle.com

Christeen by MarkSkull
See other Robot Posters

Larry West (Self-Portrait) by MarkSkull
Browse more Larry west Posters

So Zazzle is once again having their awesome 50% off sale on all posters, and I'm considering getting a few myself!

In this case, I decided to introduce my new store on Zazzle under the Artists Project. The new store is actually going to start getting a lot more stuff in the upcoming weeks, so keep an eye on it!

WANT SO SAVE?

Use Promotional Code: MEMORIALSALE

Also, since I've got your eyes, there's a few concerts coming to town over the next two weeks. You know what that means? Yep, NEW TOUR POSTERS!!! Lets see what happens, shall we?

Angry, Young, and BORED: The Reason I Am How I Am

Spending a week in Hawaii has, in many ways, changed me.

It feels a little snooty on my part to say something like that, but it really has. I came back more relaxed, happy, and ready and willing to see the world in ways I never actually thought of... at least, not since I was a kid. Seeing everything so different out there, even though it was still part of the country, just did something.

People say you should always leave the country once to see just how different things are. In reality, I think just going even 90 miles away from where you live can do just as much.

I'm actually shocked now by how many fat people are in this city. I mean, there are A LOT. A incredibly insane number! Just looking around on the train today, going down and playing my guitar on Market Street, I would say the number seems to be 1 out of 10 are morbidly obese, 1 in 5 are fairly overweight, and the rest are just there.

So, I just want to get this one off my chest: There's just as much soda and fast food in Hawaii that there is here, and a lot less fat people. In America. Shocking, isn't it? Maybe it ISN'T the food that's the problem, but our LIFESTYLES? MMMM? Stick that in your pipe and smoke it!

I also realized how conservative this place tends to be, and how in many ways and many places any new ideas or new concepts seem to be crushed. Then again, that's something I've said time and time again for years.

At the same time, there is a new generation of people in the city, those who actually DO encourage creativity, those willing to dare to be different, and live outside the hipster-encrusted areas of Fishtown and Northern Liberties. It is nothing short of amazing and encouraging to find them, and I thank them all for encouraging me to grow and do more.

More and more, I'm tempted to move, yet at the same time, tempted to stay and make the city better. My perils the same as countless others my age who run into the same problem as I do; Do you move to a place where you know your creativity will be encouraged, or stay in a place where it won't and simply fight harder to be better than the rest?

Why am I the way I am?

It's simple; there's nothing to really do here. "Art and culture" may be promoted, but the reality is that it's not. There are some great people out there doing great stuff, and some amazing galleries working their butts off to encourage a budding art scene that literally could take the world by storm! Instead, I see the self-declared "smart blogs and newspapers" ignore them to, once again, promote something that is simply the same-old same-old.

The nightlife sucks unless you live or are willing to go to Fishtown or NoLibs at night, and even then it's pretty hit-or-miss. The fact that 90% of all stores here close at 7PM is pretty bad, too, especially in Center City.

I remember bitching and moaning for years about how the local music scene here sucks. Then I started going to a few shows put on by local promoters with local bands opening for national acts, and I found out the very simple truth: There are some INCREDIBLE bands in this city! The problem is that the same old guard that used to encourage this type of stuff instead got old and decided to focus on art-alt-rock-indie bands that have all the appeal of a wet shoe to 99% of the public.

Man, why do I keep doing this? Every time I start writing about how I love one place or another, I wind up complaining about the same stupid problems that plague this city over and over again.

I guess it's simple: I'm angry, young, and bored and need some excitement in my life this city can't give me.

Notes From Hawaii Part 6 - The Dream is True...

I'm writing this from an airport in Maui, Hawaii, but it doesn't seem real.

None of this seemed real.

The airport I'm in seems so familiar, as if I've been here before. The inside is nearly completely wooden and there's a lone food stand selling pretzels that they take out of a fridge, spray with water, than put in the microwave for a minute. It reminds me of all the time I've spent on the road as both a kid on a bunch of Greyhound buses and my trips as a young adult up and down the east coast. The furthest west I had ever been before this trip was Harrisburg, PA, so 5100 miles away from home is something else.

Almost unreal.

Me and my friends Claire had plans yesterday to rent a car for $40 and head to the North Shore. Well, turns out that, after paying the insurance, it would be just under $80 and, insult to injury, we needed to pay in cash due to a small problem, and would need $100 on top of that just to cover the deposit. We wound up taking a bus to a small beach I can't even remember the name of on the Eastern Coast. The North Short of Oahu, Hawaii would simply have to remain an unexplored mystery.

We caught another bus to Downtown Honolulu and went to a small art/framing store called "Island Art and Gallery". In it was a small collection of pieces by someone who did impressionistic paintings of Volcano's that were simply incredible! They were done by the person who drove the 5 Bus to a small rain-forest on the island that she met. It was simply stunning and beautiful. We walked around Chinatown to the part where I was lost on Sunday (no pun intended) and pointed to the arcade I spent some time at.

Getting back to the room, she went to the pool while I decided to simply take the time and relax one last time in a chair instead. Oh, and I went on a quick trip to Ala Monda Park right outside Waikiki on the longboard!

That night, we went to a small place where we got a Lobster Tail and Steak, fries, and a soda for about $16 each. Ah, island life! Toss in drinking as much Vodka as we could before bed, and a trip to ANOTHER arcade for me, and I was out like a light by... oh, 1:30am! HA!

So, the last day in Hawaii... what to do with about 6 hours?

I decided to creep out the room without waking the roommate and head back to Ala Monda Park. Smart move on my part! I had to walk a bit, but whenever I could (and the Hawaii Five-O wasn't around) I got on the deck and tried to surf the sidewalk. It wasn't much, but the park was simply incredible! Skateboarding was not only legal, but almost encouraged! The rule was simple; respect everyone.

After about an hour, I headed back to the hotel. There, we went to Denny's for breakfast once more (we went the day before, and decided that for $4, an order of pancakes, bacon, and eggs was worth it!), and made sure we were all set for the long, long trip back.

The first flight was great; I got a window seat, free passion fruit juice, and a ride that only took 30 minutes. Hawaiian Airlines had a cheaper checked-bag fee than American Airlines; only $10 per bag instead of $25. We saved $30.

And now I'm sitting in an airport I know I've been in before.

Hiking a massive crater, surfing a wave, walking nearly 200 yards into the Ocean without fear of drowning, skateboarding without getting into trouble... it seemed like a dream, entirely unreal. All the adventures, travels, and people... the lush tropical paradise, the fresh air, the water so clear, the tastes, the smells, the fun, the joy, the pleasures...

I was a man who dreamed only in black and white, a man who simply wished to get away from it all... this trip, in many ways did save me from myself, from all the pain and anger and hatred that was consuming me. I came out of this more relaxed, more understanding, more inspired, and wanting to be a better person for the sake of just that.

The dream is true.

To Hawaii, and everyone out there, I simply say this:

MAHALO, HONOLULU! HOPE TO SEE YOU AGAIN SOON!!!!!

Notes from Hawaii Part 5 - Surfin' USA

What. A. Day!

The entire time I've been down here, I don't think I've finished a single meal here. Well, actually, I've finished two. The first was a meal at Arby's I got at the mall yesterday, and today was at Doraki Sushi, the greatest Sushi place I've ever been to!

The day started with a trip to IHOP, where we got a meal that was so big I didn't eat for a good 9 hours later! After that, we booked a car for tomorrow and headed to Diamond Head Park for a hike. The walk was nothing short of long and fun! It was about 3 miles for us to walk from the bus stop to the gate to the top of the mountain. We did the entire thing in about an hour.

After that, despite the fact both of our legs were killing us, I decided to go surfing.

Yep, surfing!

The hotel offered swimming lessons in a group for $60, so I decided to do something I wanted to remember forever, and this was it. Well, I also wanted to do skydiving, but that takes an entire day, waivers, etc... the lesson was only an hour and both me and the only other person both had to stop then because we were exhausted by the end. Swallowing nearly 2 gallons of fresh salt water will do that. But it was amazing! I wound up riding one wave back to the coast, nearly 125 yards in general! I almost fell off twice before I made it!

I also finally bought a longboard skateboard!

The skateboarding laws in Hawaii are not what you would imagine. Waikiki is 100% off limits to skateboarders, and some portions seem to be questionable. The main place I've heard of are skate parks, with one right outside Chinatown. I wound up having to walk nearly half a mile to skate for 3 minutes. I got to talk to some local skaters who started "Skatebeard".

I caught someone who does fire dancing and it was sweet watching it! He did all these awesome tricks and stuff.

After that, it was dinner at Doraku Sushi! We had a great time, and it was incredibly cheap considering what we had! It turns out one platter, the "Emperor Roll", actually had caviar in it! Which led to this sentence; "I can't believe I accidentally had caviar in the corner of my lip." $10. Who knew?

The rest is what it was. I ran to the mall to get something fixed; the anti-theft tag on a pair of boardshorts I got yesterday had to get removed. After I got off the bus, I actually got lost and found some neat little places here and there.

All is right with the world, and Hawaii is still a wonderful place.

Tomorrow we take on the North Shore and think about how great it all was. :)