They're getting more and more over the top. Who's heard of the one where the child, ahem, "actor" cries in the middle of a train station?

For reference:


I'm growing weary of people kicking me in the balls and playing it off like it's a hand job. Don't write child health bills that are funded by new cigarette taxes, hailed as a "Victory for Tax Payers and Children" and pretend like it's about my health. People who advocate these kinds of taxes don't give a shit about my health. Their goal is to get the child health stuff funded and smokers are an easy target. The predictable drop in smoking is only the cherry on top. When there are no more smokers left, that money's going to have to come from somewhere. That's one reason why this is so cynical. My health is not the goal.

Another reason why it's so cynical, and nobody wants to be the one to talk about it, is that the millions upon millions of obese people (30% of America, I believe) who cost us lord knows how much money, never endure this kind of punishment. But the obese are a sympathetic lot - no, you can't have a commercial with a little kid "actor" crying over his mom stuffing her face with a Double Quarter Pounder - .....snif....mommy....I need you post-50!

DUN DUN DUUUNNNNN.....if you care about kids, you'll chuck that Double QPer and get on that treadmill collecting dust in your attic.

They typically don't face the same level of criticism in commercials or with punitive taxes on their behavior. I'm very okay with that part of it, because I don't think I should be made to feel like an asshole, and I don't believe them to be assholes at the core either. I would never attempt to devalue them. I believe we are all equal in God's eyes. I'm only trying to illustrate how absurd it is to talk about how smokers are costing us so much money, when really we aren't serious about curbing health care costs when it comes to everyone's behavior. Cynical.

If the government took that cigarette tax money, and spent 100% of it, not one cent less, on smoking cessation programs, treatment, drugs, etc, to help smokers stop for good then I would see this type of campaign so much differently. I still would think that the commercials are infuriating, but I wouldn't feel like my health is the afterthought when push comes to shove.

I may or may not pay for this, but I want to express my admiration for Michelle Obama. No, she's not Jackie O, and no I don't think she's an icon for worship a la The New Yorker piece some time ago, but she wears her compassion on her sleeve and isn't ashamed. Michelle Obama is alright by me. We need more compassionate people in the world.

Woke up at 4 AM and couldn't get back to sleep so I'm looking forward to some real sleep tonight. Also - if you're up at 4 AM and sweating, don't tune in to Coast to Coast AM while they're talking about Demonology.

JBL

Dear Brother,

I've been sick as a dog today and barely functioning. My employer has been kind enough to let me out early so I can rest and try to get better, but this means that you're going to have to ANSWER YOUR @#$@#$@# PHONE so I can let you know when to get me.

Jason

PS - If you see this, 2:30.

I remain painfully frustrated by my inability to find this beer, the Pannepot Old Fisherman's Ale. At this rate, I'm going to taste the Westvleteren 12 before I try the Pannepot. Everything I've read about this beer leads me to believe I'm going to love it.



Don't feel too badly for me. I'm still spoiled, trust me. Seriously though, if anyone ever sees this please let me know immediately. Preferably via e-mail. I spotted a wife at Premier Gourmet last weekend looking for it on behalf of her husband. I might have snatched it out of her hands if she did find it. Just joking....sort of.

I don't even care how greasy or disgusting it is. I'm hungry. I hate not being able to get lunch.

Have you ever known that there was something important you were supposed to do after work, but forgotten what that something was?

Yeah.....

I know it's not Battlestar Galactica finale. That's Friday night.
I know it's not...

I'll be damned. It just came to me.

Josh, we have to go to UPS today to get my new cam!!!!!

And your new Kerouac book. But whatever. I've been sick of not posting pics because my phone cam is so shitty.

Now hopefully I remember to call them and arrange to pick it up later.

Wish me luck?

I hear that's where all the cougars are.

Yeah....anyway I'm going to play golf in mid-June, and I can't wait. I always have a good time in FLA, and a boy from Buffalo loves to be able to walk around in the skivs late at night in 75-80 degree weather.

Another thing I love is swimming. One of the most relaxing activities for me is to be in a pool doing the backstroke. If I lived there I certainly would swim every day. Swimming is also my favorite Olympic sport.

I love the beach, for some obvious reasons, some not so obvious, but my Nordic skin doesn't so much appreciate it. Gonna have to get a base going.

Swimming, golf, luxury booze, great food, cigars, barbies on the beach. Yes, I can definitely handle that.

Every now and then I remember that something I want to do someday is sit at the bar at Aquavit in Manhattan and sample some of the varieties of Aquavits they make. It's about as close as we can get to experiencing Swedish drinking culture without going overseas. I wonder if they even do the drinking songs? I very much doubt that.

One problem with being Swedish-American is that it's hard to connect to your roots without being in one of a handful of places full of ethnic Swedes. It ain't like being Italiano. In Jamestown I can get the cardamom rolls, the skorpors, proper cookies, Swedish chocolate, and all sorts of other things. In Buffalo not so much, although I did find the Lingonberries at Premier recently while looking for white peach puree and dried morels.

It is an unfortunate fact that Swedish cuisine has a poor reputation, because the bad stuff is REALLY bad, so I don't know how much I am going to be doing Swedish cooking, but I really want to try an Aquavit. A few years back the NYC restaurant decided to commercially produce one of their more popular Aquavits. Joy!! The bitch of it is that it isn't available outside of the NY metro area.



Of course, it isn't as strong as a normal Aquavit, which is almost always taken straight up, and it is flavored with white cranberry as opposed to some of the weirder options, but it's probably as good as I can do given the circumstances. I'm absolutely certain it could form the base of my next 750. I need to find a way to get my hands on some of this stuff. I promise to share!

I'm sorry, I can't let this one go without comment. Someone else said how shameful it is for a guy to order an Appletini, or any -tini variation. I definitely agree, but I also like my fruity ass drinks at Cecelia's on occasion (can't do olives), so I found a solution. Just change the drink's name. Appletini becomes the William Tell, Electric Lemonade becomes the Thunderbolt, and I'm sure I've named a few of them other far less emasculating things like Jackhammer, Piledriver, Hot Rod, and Five Alarm. Thank God my favorite at Cecelia's is called the Metropolitan. See, you can have your silly ass drinks and still not be considered an asshole, at least in your own mind.