http://view.break.com/436851
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Tired
When I'm tired I get restless and easily bored, but at the same time I'm too lazy to commit to anything. Which means I'm pretty much agrivated. Like right now.
So what's mindless, takes no commitment, and can be done listening to music? Doodling in MSPaint. Here's the first one I made tonight.
My lemon tree is starting to blossom and it smells crazy good. Between that and my aeroponic herb garden I'm pretty much living among wilderness. Speaking of gardening, I'm trying to persuade my father to starting growing hops at his place because of the worldwide hop shortage. Have you heard about this? Hop and grain farmers who used to supply the beer industry have stopped all of their old business and are taking up growing corn because of the high prices on ethanol. Combine that with the 2007 hop harvest getting mostly destroyed by bad weather and there aren't enough hops to go around. Beer prices will most likely start increasing by a few bucks a six pack and homebrewers are panic buying anything they can find.
Man did I pick a stupid time to try homebrewing out as a hobby :( And I think I watered down my first batch, wasting all those precious hops :( I guess I'll find out next week if my beer tastes any good after it has finished bottle conditioning.
So what's mindless, takes no commitment, and can be done listening to music? Doodling in MSPaint. Here's the first one I made tonight.
My lemon tree is starting to blossom and it smells crazy good. Between that and my aeroponic herb garden I'm pretty much living among wilderness. Speaking of gardening, I'm trying to persuade my father to starting growing hops at his place because of the worldwide hop shortage. Have you heard about this? Hop and grain farmers who used to supply the beer industry have stopped all of their old business and are taking up growing corn because of the high prices on ethanol. Combine that with the 2007 hop harvest getting mostly destroyed by bad weather and there aren't enough hops to go around. Beer prices will most likely start increasing by a few bucks a six pack and homebrewers are panic buying anything they can find.
Man did I pick a stupid time to try homebrewing out as a hobby :( And I think I watered down my first batch, wasting all those precious hops :( I guess I'll find out next week if my beer tastes any good after it has finished bottle conditioning.
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Chinese People Say the Darndest Things
So I have a sort of interesting situation developing. One of Dunc's friends, Bang, really liked my idea for Future Spence and wanted to invest. Cool, I thought to myself. Now though he's been in China for a while and started dating a girl who works in the film industry over there. She's looking for scripts and he asked me how would I feel about the movie being shot in China. I'm very pro this. Only problem is, aside from 'Japanese bad,' which I learned from Chu's Gung-gung (Sp? Grandma), I don't know anything about Chinese culture. Will they get my jokes? My movie references? How can I figure this out?
Solution? Become penpals with a whole bunch of random Chinese people on myspace. Yes people, this is how I spend my time. Its been really interesting and I thought I might post some of the responses I've gotten. Some of them are things I probably should have known but never realized, others are tid bits on culture I found interesting and some are strange statements I had to read a few times to figure out what the hell they were talking about. Of course their English is a hell of a lot better than my Manderin/Cantonese!
This one's from Serena Wan, I asked her about where people go on dates and about restaurants, this was in her reply: "KFC and McDonald have great success in China, so the Berger King came into China too. They opened some chain stores in Shanghai. When KFC and McDonalds first came into China in the 90s, last century, Chinese people thought they were some high-class food. I remember that if I got a good result of my exam, I would like my mom take me to the KFC." I'm glad to report Serena has figured out KFC is not high class food, unfortunately many, many others have not. Ah, America- making everyone Earth as fat as us.
I asked a girl that directs shorts for fun about the rating system of Chinese movies, this was her reply: "In china there isn't any rates, it's still a controversional issue about whether shoulk we begin to rate movies or not. now the imported movies we see arenot mostly recutted after being shown to the public. so if there is some shot with sex nudidy and over violence this will disappear we the people watch in the cinema."
About schooling, which is pretty intense there, this came from a boy in his early twenties: "i think school life is like a jail.. most of students think of it this way,,, excepte those the grades are really good that they are able to get in to a famous college..and i guess that is all.."
From my new budy Chol Jun on the school experience: "in our ages is prepareing for life changes so we did study alot and we really dont know how to have fun,,, b/c natually this society made us like this way,,, but we all do it secretly,, like going to the PC room and don't go back to home..and go to the KTV with friends and go to SaWoNa" I have no idea what a SaWoNa is but KTV I've learned is karaoke.
On cultural diversity: I feel like this is something I should have realized, and to some extent I did, but I never thought the number 55. I thought it was more like 15. All the old Chinese maps I've ever seen made it seem like China was carved into about ten or so large provinces and I assumed there was mostly harmony within the province and discord between provincies... well as much as there's ever harmony anywhere. Anyway, "we are 55 different nation groups.. for more deeper let you understand( let mean in US,,, has white and black people) we do have 55 differet cultures and tradition......"
My Questions: "On sub cultures: Are the liumang (the only subculture in China I could find any info about on the interweb) still a large subculture? Do Chinese kids divide themselves into different groups like Jocks and Punks?
Neko a 20 year old girl from Beijing: "Oh my god...what are u talking about,man? well to be honest I think this Liumang subculture things have been exaggerated by some westen people.I have no offence to say so.liumang is a really really bad word,means hooligan，gangsters without any education and moral. u think Chinese people are all like this??? it has never been a subculture in chinese history. And Chinese kids are good educated now with proper emotion." I can only speculate she thought I worked for the state.
About Pornography, Liu's good shits, so I don't bust his balls too much. This creeped me out a bit though: "I have a little busy now, so let me answer the most easy one. Pornographic material is illegal in China, to somepeople they do not want to accepted the fact, but the Pornographic material is a part of the young people life, not for everyone,but a lot of to the boy who living in the city. Although people find them on the web is not very easy,but if you want you can get it. And like the movie,music,game and other goods,most the Pornographic material is free to the ueser.By the way, i like it, so you can ask me,hehe." Thanks Liu, but I think I'll pass.
Well I won't make this too big, but I have some more quotes about how long a school day is over there that seems like it just must suck. Kids, young kids, frequently go to school for 13 hours a day.
Solution? Become penpals with a whole bunch of random Chinese people on myspace. Yes people, this is how I spend my time. Its been really interesting and I thought I might post some of the responses I've gotten. Some of them are things I probably should have known but never realized, others are tid bits on culture I found interesting and some are strange statements I had to read a few times to figure out what the hell they were talking about. Of course their English is a hell of a lot better than my Manderin/Cantonese!
This one's from Serena Wan, I asked her about where people go on dates and about restaurants, this was in her reply: "KFC and McDonald have great success in China, so the Berger King came into China too. They opened some chain stores in Shanghai. When KFC and McDonalds first came into China in the 90s, last century, Chinese people thought they were some high-class food. I remember that if I got a good result of my exam, I would like my mom take me to the KFC." I'm glad to report Serena has figured out KFC is not high class food, unfortunately many, many others have not. Ah, America- making everyone Earth as fat as us.
I asked a girl that directs shorts for fun about the rating system of Chinese movies, this was her reply: "In china there isn't any rates, it's still a controversional issue about whether shoulk we begin to rate movies or not. now the imported movies we see arenot mostly recutted after being shown to the public. so if there is some shot with sex nudidy and over violence this will disappear we the people watch in the cinema."
About schooling, which is pretty intense there, this came from a boy in his early twenties: "i think school life is like a jail.. most of students think of it this way,,, excepte those the grades are really good that they are able to get in to a famous college..and i guess that is all.."
From my new budy Chol Jun on the school experience: "in our ages is prepareing for life changes so we did study alot and we really dont know how to have fun,,, b/c natually this society made us like this way,,, but we all do it secretly,, like going to the PC room and don't go back to home..and go to the KTV with friends and go to SaWoNa" I have no idea what a SaWoNa is but KTV I've learned is karaoke.
On cultural diversity: I feel like this is something I should have realized, and to some extent I did, but I never thought the number 55. I thought it was more like 15. All the old Chinese maps I've ever seen made it seem like China was carved into about ten or so large provinces and I assumed there was mostly harmony within the province and discord between provincies... well as much as there's ever harmony anywhere. Anyway, "we are 55 different nation groups.. for more deeper let you understand( let mean in US,,, has white and black people) we do have 55 differet cultures and tradition......"
My Questions: "On sub cultures: Are the liumang (the only subculture in China I could find any info about on the interweb) still a large subculture? Do Chinese kids divide themselves into different groups like Jocks and Punks?
Neko a 20 year old girl from Beijing: "Oh my god...what are u talking about,man? well to be honest I think this Liumang subculture things have been exaggerated by some westen people.I have no offence to say so.liumang is a really really bad word,means hooligan，gangsters without any education and moral. u think Chinese people are all like this??? it has never been a subculture in chinese history. And Chinese kids are good educated now with proper emotion." I can only speculate she thought I worked for the state.
About Pornography, Liu's good shits, so I don't bust his balls too much. This creeped me out a bit though: "I have a little busy now, so let me answer the most easy one. Pornographic material is illegal in China, to somepeople they do not want to accepted the fact, but the Pornographic material is a part of the young people life, not for everyone,but a lot of to the boy who living in the city. Although people find them on the web is not very easy,but if you want you can get it. And like the movie,music,game and other goods,most the Pornographic material is free to the ueser.By the way, i like it, so you can ask me,hehe." Thanks Liu, but I think I'll pass.
Well I won't make this too big, but I have some more quotes about how long a school day is over there that seems like it just must suck. Kids, young kids, frequently go to school for 13 hours a day.
Sunday, January 27, 2008
Doo Dah Doo Doo
You guys know how much I love new dance fads, and I know how much you tollerate that. Thanks. Here's a great new dance called Doo Dah Doo Doo. This video even teaches you the moves as it goes along. Glorious.
Get sexy kids!
Get sexy kids!
Saturday, January 26, 2008
New Feist Video...gawd I'm hungover
So I have been ScOURING SCOURING the internet this fine hungover morning, and found this new Feist video for I Feel It All. If you like explosions (non-sexy) and singing and sticks you are sure to love this video!
Enjoy
Enjoy
A Weekend Post About Vampires!
So lately I have been pretty obsessed with this band Vampire Weekend. I'm sure since you are all pretty kewl that you have heard of them. I'm going to see them in a couple weeks but I thought I would post this little clip of them.
Hope you are all doing well and kissing girls that kiss girls or something.
Is it me or is the interviewer kind of a d-bag?
Sorry this isn't as awesome as Lasagna Cat!
Hope you are all doing well and kissing girls that kiss girls or something.
Is it me or is the interviewer kind of a d-bag?
Sorry this isn't as awesome as Lasagna Cat!
UK (mad) Scientist Invents a Thinking Cap.
Ok, so actually this is, if true, a remarkable break through that could really improve life for seniors. Just because it sounds like something Stan Lee would pass off as science doesn't mean its not real:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7208768.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7208768.stm
Friday, January 25, 2008
Dangerous Court Ruling.
Court: Medically legal or not, smoke pot and face firing
http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/01/24/court.medical.marijuana/index.html
'The Sacramento-based company said its no-tolerance policy applies to all workers, since potential "abuse of drugs and alcohol" could lead to "increased absenteeism, diminished productivity, greater health costs, increased safety problems, and potential liability to third parties," according to the company's lawyers.
Ross' job performance was not at issue in the case.'
The part that concerns me stems from the company's assertion that greater health costs could be grounds for termination as does the sentence 'Ross's job performance was not an issue in the case.'
Now I have mixed feelings on medical marijuana but generally am in favor of it. What concerns me here is less about the marijuana aspect of the story and more that greater health costs and (the potential for) increased absenteeism are grounds for firing an employee. As you all know I have Crohn's disease, I do cost health insurance more than the average person and were my condition to deteriorate it would certainly impact the number of days I called out, potentially in excess of my personal and sick days. This is important because the company had not experienced an increase in Ross absenteeism, only, it saw an indicator that it might experience an increase.
A company can not be left to decide what state approved drug treatments it will honor and which ones it will not. I understand how their are certain implications and difficulties inherent in discussing medical marijuana, but this claim establishes a precedence that a company can fire an employee based on the implications of his medical needs. Bare in mind, this was a California State Court, not a federal court, so federal statutes aren't at issue. The prescription was in aline with all aplicable state laws. The justification for termination was not performance based.
A justice on the case wrote: "Nothing in the text or history of the Compassionate Use Act suggests the voters intended the measure to address the respective rights and duties of employers and employees," wrote Justice Kathryn Mickle Werdegar. "Under California law, an employer may require pre-employment drug tests, and take illegal drug use into consideration in making employment decisions."
But I take issue with this. His drug use was legal in the state in which he was living and working and the company he works for is based in the same state where medical marijuana use is legal. What use is a medical treatment if its use is grounds for termination? Take for instance another case: ...a pot patient from Oakland, California, who has a variety of medical conditions, including a brain tumor. Angel Raich had her pot confiscated and was not allowed to use it while her case was appealed.
Should these people be forced to choice between treating their symptoms and their job? And does this set a precidence where a company can screen for other conditions based on perscription drugs found in the employee's system and terminate those employees if they are a higher risk for absenteeism and or increase health costs?
http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/01/24/court.medical.marijuana/index.html
'The Sacramento-based company said its no-tolerance policy applies to all workers, since potential "abuse of drugs and alcohol" could lead to "increased absenteeism, diminished productivity, greater health costs, increased safety problems, and potential liability to third parties," according to the company's lawyers.
Ross' job performance was not at issue in the case.'
The part that concerns me stems from the company's assertion that greater health costs could be grounds for termination as does the sentence 'Ross's job performance was not an issue in the case.'
Now I have mixed feelings on medical marijuana but generally am in favor of it. What concerns me here is less about the marijuana aspect of the story and more that greater health costs and (the potential for) increased absenteeism are grounds for firing an employee. As you all know I have Crohn's disease, I do cost health insurance more than the average person and were my condition to deteriorate it would certainly impact the number of days I called out, potentially in excess of my personal and sick days. This is important because the company had not experienced an increase in Ross absenteeism, only, it saw an indicator that it might experience an increase.
A company can not be left to decide what state approved drug treatments it will honor and which ones it will not. I understand how their are certain implications and difficulties inherent in discussing medical marijuana, but this claim establishes a precedence that a company can fire an employee based on the implications of his medical needs. Bare in mind, this was a California State Court, not a federal court, so federal statutes aren't at issue. The prescription was in aline with all aplicable state laws. The justification for termination was not performance based.
A justice on the case wrote: "Nothing in the text or history of the Compassionate Use Act suggests the voters intended the measure to address the respective rights and duties of employers and employees," wrote Justice Kathryn Mickle Werdegar. "Under California law, an employer may require pre-employment drug tests, and take illegal drug use into consideration in making employment decisions."
But I take issue with this. His drug use was legal in the state in which he was living and working and the company he works for is based in the same state where medical marijuana use is legal. What use is a medical treatment if its use is grounds for termination? Take for instance another case: ...a pot patient from Oakland, California, who has a variety of medical conditions, including a brain tumor. Angel Raich had her pot confiscated and was not allowed to use it while her case was appealed.
Should these people be forced to choice between treating their symptoms and their job? And does this set a precidence where a company can screen for other conditions based on perscription drugs found in the employee's system and terminate those employees if they are a higher risk for absenteeism and or increase health costs?
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
More Boards!
Yay! Also when I go home, if I remember in the morning, I'll post some of Popo's illustrations.
So in this one Future Spence has Nikki tied to a chair and he's trying to be sexy for her. She tricks him into letting her loose and then she makes a run for it.
More Garfield?
You're goddam right!!!! What if Garfield was a real cat? The evidence is here!
I had a bottle of Espresso Russian Imperial Stout before I posted this. Mistake?
I had a bottle of Espresso Russian Imperial Stout before I posted this. Mistake?
the way things are going
so, as you guys can plainly see, matt's just plain out of control. he actually painted his laptop to say "i <3 ashley.' i mean, he just got this thing, and he defaces it with paint just to proclaim his love for me every time he's in starbucks, sipping a soy late and wearing glasses. the ladies will know that this is a man who is taken. i didn't ask matt to do this, and frankly i think it's kind of weird (i.e. creepy) of him to do that to his brand new laptop computer. but whatever, love makes us do crazy shit, amiright? i just wanted to let you guys know what was going on with us, keep you in the proverbial loop if you will (and i think you will!).
god i'm great with punctuation.
also, i'd like to point out that blogger is now available in three new languages: arabic, hebrew and persian, which means one thing: even MORE blogs by terrorists! watch out guys (really) and safe clicking!
luff,
ashmac
I miss when...
...Ashley lived in New York and came over every Thursday night to watch the office and then when she started dating Matt he was down with her like half the time and it was awesome. Yup. That is all.
Monday, January 21, 2008
and in other news!
Popo is currently at my apartment working on the comic. He's essentially going to be living with me for the next nine days working on the comic. I'm wicked excited about this.
This is better than homework.
From the makers of Lasagnacat (thanks Chu!), here's an alternate Doogie Howser M.D. TV intro.
Laugh away, though it may take a second go-through to find it funny.
Laugh away, though it may take a second go-through to find it funny.
So who wants to...
...go on a cross country roadtrip to murder these people with me? C'mon, it'll be fun!
http://articles.citypages.com/2008-01-16/feature/superheroes-in-real-life/full/
Seriously, some of these jackass just sound like Dwight from the office, others seem like they may be geniunely dangerous. I sort of want to do a documentary on them.
http://articles.citypages.com/2008-01-16/feature/superheroes-in-real-life/full/
Seriously, some of these jackass just sound like Dwight from the office, others seem like they may be geniunely dangerous. I sort of want to do a documentary on them.
Saturday, January 19, 2008
David Banner
It may have slipped past you fine folks a while ago, but I snuck a new blog banner up with a blue man (from the men's depression group The Blue Man Group) saying our blog name on it. Its not very good, but I wanted to do something to spice up the site.
We can do better than this, though.
Send me rectangular pictures of the basic shape that mine is with "Our Blog Is Different" written in it. Otherwise, the design is up to you. If you send me one, I will replace whatever the current picture is. This offer is good until I get too lazy to replace anything. So keep those pictures coming, because I'll be damned if I don't have something new to look at when I visit the site.
That's all.
We can do better than this, though.
Send me rectangular pictures of the basic shape that mine is with "Our Blog Is Different" written in it. Otherwise, the design is up to you. If you send me one, I will replace whatever the current picture is. This offer is good until I get too lazy to replace anything. So keep those pictures coming, because I'll be damned if I don't have something new to look at when I visit the site.
That's all.
Mydriasis
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DI LATE:
Frequency Dilation
: : F A
: : N R : A E T
: : O E N N D H
: : I A O C : :
: : S Y BIRTH
Cat fits fear labyrinthine coitus.
Wow. Canada... wow.
http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/americas/01/18/canada.torture.list.ap/index.html
U.S. in Canadian manual as possible torture site
This is actually a pretty big deal. I hope the candidates talk about this.
U.S. in Canadian manual as possible torture site
This is actually a pretty big deal. I hope the candidates talk about this.
Thursday, January 17, 2008
I couldn't believe it...
This has got to be the most amazing news story of the year! I can't believe how under the radar this is, especially in an election year.
http://tinyurl.com/3cuaj8
Just unreal.
http://tinyurl.com/3cuaj8
Just unreal.
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Oh Lasagna Cat, What the Crap are You?
What the bloodsport?
What the What What!?!?!
There are like a ton of these on Youtube!
They are live reenactments of Garfield comic strips followed by a music video based on that comic strip.
Enjoy.
What the What What!?!?!
There are like a ton of these on Youtube!
They are live reenactments of Garfield comic strips followed by a music video based on that comic strip.
Enjoy.
Chu!
It was Chu's B-day yesterday and thus it is the aniversary of the time we got him that sweet 'I made out with my BU Interviewer.' shirt.
In this day in history, a lot of important things happened. Uh, this was the day Mary was allowed to take Jesus home from the manger. Uh, an important event in peace between two nations and/or peoples was also realized on this date, perhaps. And potentially a third thing.
For Chu's birthday I brought one of his favorite television shows from when he was a small boy back on the air. American Gladiators. We used to play American Gladiators in his basement. Mainly we shot each other with Nerf weapons and tossed tenis balls around until we were yelled at/asked who was there by Mr. Chu.
Happy B-day (four and half hours late) birthday, Chuey!
In this day in history, a lot of important things happened. Uh, this was the day Mary was allowed to take Jesus home from the manger. Uh, an important event in peace between two nations and/or peoples was also realized on this date, perhaps. And potentially a third thing.
For Chu's birthday I brought one of his favorite television shows from when he was a small boy back on the air. American Gladiators. We used to play American Gladiators in his basement. Mainly we shot each other with Nerf weapons and tossed tenis balls around until we were yelled at/asked who was there by Mr. Chu.
Happy B-day (four and half hours late) birthday, Chuey!
Sunday, January 13, 2008
How Can You Say NO?!?!?!?!
I saw this gem of a commercial while I was sick the other day and laughed my freakin' face off. How can you not buy whatever they are selling? Pirates? Crab Cakes? Old People!
OLD PEOPLE!!!!!!
OLD PEOPLE!!!!!!
Thursday, January 10, 2008
Sooo.. who wants to teach me grammar?
I was taught when I was little that if you can hear the 'H' in a word you don't use 'an' but if you can't you do.
Examples: We have an hour to kill. He's a history buff.
Sooo... is this correct? Bare in mind I learned this in Florida.
I ask because of this sentence from Karl Rove's Wall Street Journal Editorial: Mr. Obama is an inspiring figure playing a historical role, but that's not enough to push aside the former First Lady and senator from New York. She's an historic figure, too.
Examples: We have an hour to kill. He's a history buff.
Sooo... is this correct? Bare in mind I learned this in Florida.
I ask because of this sentence from Karl Rove's Wall Street Journal Editorial: Mr. Obama is an inspiring figure playing a historical role, but that's not enough to push aside the former First Lady and senator from New York. She's an historic figure, too.
I read books.
I read her book after seeing her on, I think, the Colbert Report. I read a lot of books from the authors that Colbert and Stewart interview. Her name is Naomi Wolf and her book is really interesting. She's almost ludicrously anti-Bush, the basic idea of the book is that his government has been following many of the same steps that the dictators of the past used to close down democracies. Its terrifying and fascinating and underscores that democracy is a delicate thing. Here's a video of her speaking to college students.
Oh and if you're planning on voting republican I encourage you to vote for McCain. IF you're planning on voting democrat I have no advice. I've got a mixed feeling about the democratic field.
Oh and if you're planning on voting republican I encourage you to vote for McCain. IF you're planning on voting democrat I have no advice. I've got a mixed feeling about the democratic field.
Jeff Loves both RA Salvatore and the Red Sox
What else did Curt Schilling reveal about his upcoming game? Not a whole lot. He's banking heavily on his own understanding of games, which is considerable, and his two creative partners -- best-selling fantasy book author R.A. Salvatore and iconoclast comic book and action figure creator Todd MacFarlane -- to create a blockbuster.
Tuesday, January 8, 2008
The World's Oldest Profession
http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1700821,00.html?cnn=yes
It turns out that one of humanity's oldest professions may be even older than we thought: In a recent study of macaque monkeys in Indonesia, researchers found that male primates "paid" for sexual access to females — and that the going rate for such access dwindled as the number of available females went up.
Take that Christian Right!
It turns out that one of humanity's oldest professions may be even older than we thought: In a recent study of macaque monkeys in Indonesia, researchers found that male primates "paid" for sexual access to females — and that the going rate for such access dwindled as the number of available females went up.
Take that Christian Right!
Friday, January 4, 2008
Wednesday, January 2, 2008
Fuck Iowa
A transcription done by myself, with the aid of TiVo, from the 11 o'clock channel 7 news in Boston:
Retired Hillbilly - "Some of his [Mike Huckaby] policies I think are better than Mitt Romney."
Reporter - "Like what comes to mind?"
Retired Hillbilly - "Well, not being a mormon, for one thing. Heh heh heh."
Policies? And these people play an important role in our legislature?
Retired Hillbilly - "Some of his [Mike Huckaby] policies I think are better than Mitt Romney."
Reporter - "Like what comes to mind?"
Retired Hillbilly - "Well, not being a mormon, for one thing. Heh heh heh."
Policies? And these people play an important role in our legislature?
London part 1.
Look, every great getaway has that moment when you want to pack it all in and stay. That’s how I ended up with a time-share in Port Arthur, Texas.
-Jack Donaghy
Part of the reason I posted my old journalism article making fun of Ashley’s older journalism was because, well, after having been to London, I get it. London is, unsurprisingly, a fantastic city. The streets are cleaner and virtually bum free. The people are significantly more polite. The subways all have escalators. I didn’t see a single person scream at anyone else. It’s amazing. That being said, its easy to be impressed on a whorl wind tour of a foreign metropolis when your only company is the love of your life and all your problems are a solid ocean-ocean and a half away.
Ginny had insisted on going home for Thanksgiving, despite our needing to leave early Saturday morning she wouldn’t be arriving home until late Friday night. In fact I met her at Penn Station at around 2 am, took her home with me and then we had two hours before our car to the airport arrived. We thought we’d be able to get away with just two small carry on bags but Virgin Atlantic (who we flew out on) has this strange rule where it’s not the size of your bag but rather its weight. I sort of understand the logic but where it breaks down for me is that the same total amount of weight is going to be present on the airplane either way, right? So what, do they just have exceptionally weak bulkheads? Bah!
That complaint aside I was very impressed with VA. There was plenty of food and drinks and they gave you these little sleeper masks and slipper socks. Ours had adds for the Lord of the Rings stage play so they had, “May the hair on your toes never fallout,” printed on them. As much as a, what, six hour flight can be enjoyed I enjoyed it. We both slept a bit on the plane and had a mind to go out but when we arrived we were way too tired, so we just ate at the hotel bar/lounge and then passed out in our room.
But before we had fallen asleep we had already learned how expensive London is. Now, being from New York when we were told that London is pricey, our reaction was, “Yeah, yeah, yeah. What am I from Ohio? I live in the most expensive city in North America, you ain’t go show me anything new.” This is where we were wrong. We were shown new things. Like, for instance, my hamburger and fries at the bar. They cost thirty dollars. Ginny’s sandwich and fries? Twenty-five. The beers were reasonable (and fantastic- I think it’s the water used in the UK, all the UK and Irish beers were just wonderful) but the total on the meal after my Marriott discount was still over sixty bucks. The shuttle bus that runs from the airport to the hotel- that was eight dollars and forty cents each. Yeah. A freaking bus. The same distance in New York would have set you back a max of five/six bucks in a cab. Absurd.
The next morning we were having trouble with the machine to get tickets for the shuttle and the shuttle bus driver actually got out of his bus and came over to help us. That’s right, help us. Help us without being asked. And he did it without swearing. It was incredible. To contrast this, I once saw a guy on the subway who I thought was either dead or dying and when I told the station agent her response was, ‘the fuck you want me to do about it?!’ So this was a delightful change of pace. Score one for London’s mass transit.
We had to take a long-ass subway trip that was interrupted by some track construction and thus a double-decker bus ride. But having woken at the crack of dawn, we made it to Piccadilly Circus by, like, six thirty. It was, as far as I was concerned a statue-topped fountain. Yup. We got the cheapest thing we could find for breakfast, although a banana cost like two dollars and ten cents. Its outrageous. I complained about the price of bananas until Ginny told me stop.
Oof. Its been a busy night at work so I’ll continue this later…
-Jack Donaghy
Part of the reason I posted my old journalism article making fun of Ashley’s older journalism was because, well, after having been to London, I get it. London is, unsurprisingly, a fantastic city. The streets are cleaner and virtually bum free. The people are significantly more polite. The subways all have escalators. I didn’t see a single person scream at anyone else. It’s amazing. That being said, its easy to be impressed on a whorl wind tour of a foreign metropolis when your only company is the love of your life and all your problems are a solid ocean-ocean and a half away.
Ginny had insisted on going home for Thanksgiving, despite our needing to leave early Saturday morning she wouldn’t be arriving home until late Friday night. In fact I met her at Penn Station at around 2 am, took her home with me and then we had two hours before our car to the airport arrived. We thought we’d be able to get away with just two small carry on bags but Virgin Atlantic (who we flew out on) has this strange rule where it’s not the size of your bag but rather its weight. I sort of understand the logic but where it breaks down for me is that the same total amount of weight is going to be present on the airplane either way, right? So what, do they just have exceptionally weak bulkheads? Bah!
That complaint aside I was very impressed with VA. There was plenty of food and drinks and they gave you these little sleeper masks and slipper socks. Ours had adds for the Lord of the Rings stage play so they had, “May the hair on your toes never fallout,” printed on them. As much as a, what, six hour flight can be enjoyed I enjoyed it. We both slept a bit on the plane and had a mind to go out but when we arrived we were way too tired, so we just ate at the hotel bar/lounge and then passed out in our room.
But before we had fallen asleep we had already learned how expensive London is. Now, being from New York when we were told that London is pricey, our reaction was, “Yeah, yeah, yeah. What am I from Ohio? I live in the most expensive city in North America, you ain’t go show me anything new.” This is where we were wrong. We were shown new things. Like, for instance, my hamburger and fries at the bar. They cost thirty dollars. Ginny’s sandwich and fries? Twenty-five. The beers were reasonable (and fantastic- I think it’s the water used in the UK, all the UK and Irish beers were just wonderful) but the total on the meal after my Marriott discount was still over sixty bucks. The shuttle bus that runs from the airport to the hotel- that was eight dollars and forty cents each. Yeah. A freaking bus. The same distance in New York would have set you back a max of five/six bucks in a cab. Absurd.
The next morning we were having trouble with the machine to get tickets for the shuttle and the shuttle bus driver actually got out of his bus and came over to help us. That’s right, help us. Help us without being asked. And he did it without swearing. It was incredible. To contrast this, I once saw a guy on the subway who I thought was either dead or dying and when I told the station agent her response was, ‘the fuck you want me to do about it?!’ So this was a delightful change of pace. Score one for London’s mass transit.
We had to take a long-ass subway trip that was interrupted by some track construction and thus a double-decker bus ride. But having woken at the crack of dawn, we made it to Piccadilly Circus by, like, six thirty. It was, as far as I was concerned a statue-topped fountain. Yup. We got the cheapest thing we could find for breakfast, although a banana cost like two dollars and ten cents. Its outrageous. I complained about the price of bananas until Ginny told me stop.
Oof. Its been a busy night at work so I’ll continue this later…
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