The Free Huey World Report...

I must admit, I am confused. Being an NPR junkie I get no shortage of news, of course during this day and age it is hard not to. One word I hear over and over again is "al-Qaida". This is where I get confused. Much like most of America, this is what I know: (1) al-Qaida is a "loosely knit network of terrorists organizations", (2) They are Muslim extremists, (3) Osama Bin Laden is their leader, and (4) They are responsible for everything that blows up anywhere in the world. I have questions. First off, How can a "loosely knit network' have a leader, and more importantly be responsible for everything? The proof behind their responsibility seems a little shaky to me. All someone has to do is blow up something and then send an anonymous letter to a newspaper claiming to be in al-Qaida and poof, al-Qaida did it. This would not hold up in any court in the land, at least I hope not, yet the American people are just taking it a face value and not questioning a damn thing. Well, not everybody. On top of that, how do you go after such an anamorphous organization as al-Qaida. The answer, you don't, because al-Qaida itself is not an organization, just a network. At least the drug cartels are clearly defined organizations. It just seems to me that al-Qaida has become the American Boogie Man and a great scapegoat. I bet GW wishes he could pass a law making himself president until we topple al-Qaida, because it is never going to happen. What do y'all think about al-Qaida and what we as a nation can do about terrorists. I am curious. B

Top O' The Mornin' To Ya!

I would like to wish everyone a very happy St. Patrick's Day. Being Irish Catholic and a lover of fine brew, this is my favorite holiday. I have been known to rank it slightly above Christmas, which falls slightly above my birthday. Needless to say it is a very important day. I am not quite sure what St. Pat chasing the snakes out of Ireland has to do with getting plowed, but who needs explanations? I hope all of you visitors to the Congo have an enjoyable and safe holiday, and be sure your wearing green. To paraphrase Riley "Escobar" Freeman from "The Boondocks" : "I'll be pinchin' fools just for livin"." May the luck of the Irish be with you all. B

My Favorite Artist...

This honor goes to Leroy Neiman. Born on 1921, and still alive today, Neiman is called "The most popular and best known living artist in America". He also founded the modern school of American Impressionism. He is known for his capturing of popular culture, sports, and politics in brilliant colors and impressionistic style. His favorite medium is oil that is then silk screened onto limited prints called serigraphs. These prints retail for anywhere from three to ten thousand dollars. Neiman is a popular VIP at sporting events and can be found sketch pad in hand capturing the moment. My favorite paintings and etching of his are "Marylin" (pictured above), "John Lennon", "Howard Stern", "America's Cup", "Wine, Women & Cigars", "Desert Inn Baccarat", "Skier", "Sliding Home" (featuring the 1972 World Series Reds) and "Four Aces". The last three of which hang in my parent's house. Check out his site and see all the other wonderful work he has done. Neiman is an American treasure and will be missed when he is gone. If you are a fan of the Warhol celebrity portraits, wait until you see these. What do ya think? B.

Things To Do...

Last Saturday Brie and I went with some friends to Birdy's to see some bands for a friend's birthday. We were unaware that it was a punk rock benefit night. We walked in and saw all the girls trying to be vamped out like Bettie Page and guys with leather and spiky hair. There was another group present that captivated my attention a couple tables away from us. There were two guys and three girls hanging out. The girls were vamped out like all the rest of the girls there, but the guys were different. The guys had 1950's greaser ultra-styled black hair with pointy side burns and were all tatted up. One guy was wearing a white t-shirt and the other guy was wearing a sky blue nylon jacket. On the shirt and jacket was written in script letters: "Emperors, Indianapolis" and in the middle of the words was a big crown looking emblem. I thought to myself, "These guys must be in an old-school Grease meets Hollywood Nights 50's style social club". I guess if retro fashion and furniture can come back, social clubs are fair game too. I saw this and instantly wanted to found one. I told this to Brie and she just kinda laughed. She told me: "Some people have no ideas, you have a new one everyday." I got to thinking about that and I decided to document my grand ideas. Very few of them ever get accomplished, so I have decided to make a "To Do List" on this blog of things I want to accomplish. Maybe I can get more motivated by seeing them everyday and getting feedback on them. Most people's to do lists are small like "take out the garbage" or "get a car wash". This list is on a grander scale. It includes perennial favorites like "Open a record store" and new ones like "Take up Kayaking". Tell me what you think of these goals and if you have any advice. Remember, dreams are only ideas without financial backing. Let's see what I can do. B.