fear and loathing at the border - or - how the terrorists have won.

the fam and I made our yearly pilgrimage to the land of molson, time horton’s, and fabulous maple in order to watch large projectiles explode over the river. we always go over to windsor, for several reasons.

#1. big clean park - we usually go to riverside park and make a day of it. there is a great playground, clean restrooms(not port-a-potty’s) and tons of kids… they have a blast. this year, our second daughter’s best friend invited her to her birthday party at her parents second house in Windsor. we went to Dieppe park after a nice BBQ… birthday cake afterword. it was a great time.

#2. Kate’s entire family on her mothers side is Canadian.

#3. I like watching the fireworks with Detroit’s skyline as the backdrop… instead of the rather drab Windsor skyline (who REEEEALLY wants their eyes to be abused by the large neon “ceasars” sign ?).

the crossing from the U.S. to Canada was great. the border guard was polite, and even funny. a FABULOUS experience.

on the way back it was a different story.

we were at the party til a bit after 12, so traffic was no issue. the line in the tunnel was minimal and all was good. got waved into the outside lane by the guy directing the traffic, and the line was moving pretty good. we get up to the post 911 technofest that is now the fotomat booth that the homeland security folk call an office. now, I have been going back and forth between detroit and windsor since I was 19 and used to go there to drink. it has always been the same conversation on the way back. usually a pretty dapper and well together suburban looking lady/gentleman asking - proof of citizenship?anything to declare? reason for visit? and have a good day. not this time.

first, the bag of douche that was in the booth had a thick european accent…. germanic … did he ask for proof of citizenship? nope. there was no greeting (even though I greeted him with a solid “hello!”). just “roll down that rear window”and “may I see your documents ” …. our DOCUMENTS? what the fuck? was I trying to go home to the U.S.A or a day trip into East Germany?

continuing the story….

so, we give him our stuff… and he asks if we have anything to declare, or if we are carrying anything over the border, I tell him “nothing but our personal effects we brought with us” then he asks what the nature of our trip was. I tell him ” to go to a birthday party and watch the fireworks with some friends” he asks “how do you know these “friends” …. I was a bit taken back by this question. first … how the fuck is that his business?  we explain it to this bag of douche that it was the second house of one of our childrens best friends. he then asks again…. “how do you know these people?” I explain to him again that our daughter goes to school with the girl, and that they have 2 homes… also that the daughter in question was also spenfing the night over there.. after some more incredulous words hes states “here are your papers” in his thick german accent, and we drive off with a bit of haste. incredibly bad taste in my mouth.

what the hell has happened to us as a country? didnt we used to condemn eastern block countries for this EXACT behavior? yeah, I believe we did.

game over…. our liberties are all but gone…. terrorists win.

now, here are some pretty pictures of the fireworks.

new hobby….

I have a new hobby, ?I didn’t realize it was a hobby until I started doing it more frequently…. now I am addicted.

what exactly is this hobby? no, its not changing greggsfats insipid comments to something far more entertaining, it is taking pictures of vanity license plates that either baffle me, or make me laugh.

here are a couple of examples…

as you can see, this fella “LUVSNO2″. what the hell does that mean? is he a scat fanatic? or just an assman?

ok… this picture actually kinda sucks… because I think the guy realized I was trying to take a picture of his plate. he hit the right peddle to the floor, but the plate made me giggle. on this pretty yellow hummer with tons of accessories… the plate?

GLBLWMR

good to see he has a sense of humor… kinda like the kid who was walking back to his stalled truck, gas can in hand a little further up the road with a “I ♥ CUNT” t-shirt on. total class.

memorial day

below is the color guard from todays parade here in Waterford. oddly, again…. no poppies to be seen.

deacon, for you …. and for all those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice.

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved, and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

— John McCrae

on a lighter note… here is my daughters junior high band marching… she plays bass clarinet.

yes, that is the lovely kate in the lower right hand corner taking a picture with her phone….

gotta love the vintage “crossroads BMX” shirt that she found in an old stash of mine… I won it about 25 years ago….

why….. oh dear lord…. why…

As I have mentioned here before, I am a car guy. I LOVE just about anything with a motor that goes fast. that being said, I am not a fan of ricer cars, nor am I a fan of mullet mobiles… so, imagine my disgust when I came across this Camaro yesterday on the way home from recording some more stuff for our boy Maceri.

now, look at that…. this guy obviously knows that dragons like to mate with cars, so he is trying to entice them bad boys to his hot and open tale pipe….. that is the ONLY possible reason for this abortion of a graphic. I mean, I can understand it on an Asian vehicle, but this is raw Detroit iron worthy of a billy ray cyrus hairdo and trailer park girls lining up for miles. the #3 is a nice touch…. I am certain ole Dale would love the tribute.

but, no… that was not all… take a look at this..

Look at that… he has a “RACING” sticker…. not that he is Identifying any particular team. well, except the Redwings, but I am certain he would be slammed into the boards by any member of the team that saw the ‘ole winged wheel on this abomination.

Possibly the most hilarious part of the car isn’t actually on it, though all the signs are there…. take a look at the rear spoiler…. obviously the factory designed original was not enough for this man, because it you look closely… there are mounts for a big ass ricer wing….

ladies… please… if you see this man on the street… laugh at him, mock him, and do not EVER let him breed….

maceri - breathe you in

live at the emerald ballroom

from vids.myspace.com posted with vodpod

maceri - Miss You

live at the emerald

from vids.myspace.com posted with vodpod

hey deacon…. here is the helmet you should have gotten

not that it will actually protect anything, or that is dot approved… but hey… its DANG cool…

at home now…

well… everything was done around 11:30 this morning. we left the hospital around 1:30. katie is doing as well as can be expected.

just got a call, not all went well with my mom… she needs to go in for more tests… maybe surgery.

while out in the waiting room I was listening to my my iPod, on a mellow shuffle play list I have set up….mainly sigur ros’ stuff.

sitting there, staring out the large plate windows, I was watching some of the largest snowflakes I have ever seen fall to the ground. up pops “teardrop” by massive attack…. I just started sobbing.

here is the video for those of you that don’t know why.



waiting room. . .

it is 9:45 - I am in the waiting room. Katie is in the operating room.

I just want to curl up in a ball.

oh yeah…. it’s on.

deacon…. you can keep your tank and your bullitt mustang…. I will take one of these in black….

thank you.