The Lost Liberty Hotel

Taken from Needcoffee.com
Logan Darrow Clements is our hero. Why? Because he's started the process necessary, in the town of Weare, New Hampshire, of taking privately owned land from a homeowner and turning it into a hotel. This is because private property rights in America have just been turned on their head by the Supreme Court: all you have to do is prove that you can bring in more revenue for the local government than a homeowner (not hard to do), and bingo–eminent domain can kick in and you can kick the homeowner out!

Why in the world would we be in favor of this? Because Clements wants to build this:

The proposed development, called "The Lost Liberty Hotel" will feature the "Just Desserts Café" and include a museum, open to the public, featuring a permanent exhibit on the loss of freedom in America. Instead of a Gideon's Bible each guest will receive a free copy of Ayn Rand's novel "Atlas Shrugged."

And he wants to build it where Supreme Court Justice David H. Souter's home is now. Read the full press release here. We heartily endorse Clements and will probably invest capital in this endeavor when the time is right.

Celebrate your fireworks electronically

I think instead of driving out to see fireworks, this year I am going to get cozy by the computer and create my own show.

Honda Delivers FCX Fuel Cell Vehicle to World's First Individual Customer

This is very cool!
Read the story here.

More Proof the Government Does Not Work for Us Working Class People

Now under consideration when you buy your next house; make sure it is not in an area that developers may want to put a mall, hotel, spa or tax revenue generator for your local government.

Taken from the Denver Post today:
"The Supreme Court today ruled that local governments may seize people's homes and businesses - even against their will - for private economic development."

Thank you to Justice Sandra Day O'Connor who argued that cities should not have unlimited authority to uproot families, even if they are provided compensation, simply to accommodate wealthy developers.

Read the story here.

Mojito Fever

A cool refreshing drink and perfect for this time of year, especially the way the weather has been (HOT!).

I had my first Mojito a couple of years ago and have only had a few since then. However, earlier this year I made a plan to grow some mint and have them all summer long.

Last night it began....hmmmm...didn't even realize that today is the first day of summer, so it was perfect timing. And it was a perfect drink! I guess you can screw up a Mojito, since I was not impressed with Mynt's, but I thought mine was very tasty.

Here is the recipe taken directly from the Bacardi web site:

1 serving
1.5 oz. BACARDI rum
12 fresh spearmint leaves
½ lime
4 tsp. sugar
Top off with club soda

Muddle mint leaves and lime in tall glass. Add sugar and fill
glass with ice. Add BACARDI rum and club soda; stir well. Garnish glass with
lime wedge and sprigs of mint.
*side note - make sure you stir real well. You need to make sure the sugar, lime juice & mint flavor gets throughout the drink for maximum taste.

To muddle, a muddler would be nice, but you can use anythig that will break up the mint and lime juice. Here is a fancy one I found online at Crate and Barrel. All the other ones I have seen and used are wooden, shaped like miniature baseball bats. Unfortunately the 2 liquor stores I went to had no idea what I was asking for or talking about. I guess they never worked in a bar before. So I will be shopping for one soon.

I hope this new 'addiction' does not turn out like my friend JD's a few summers ago with Mint Juleps. ;)

Dancing Queen

iPod's Royal nod 

Courtesy of the Sydney Morning Herald
Britain's Queen Elizabeth II has dipped into the royal purse to snap up an iPod, a report said today.

Britain's biggest-selling daily The Sun said the 79-year-old sovereign had bought a six-gigabyte silver model for £169 ($A400).

The pocket-sized digital music players can hold up to 10,000 downloaded songs.

Queen Elizabeth's second son Prince Andrew, fourth in line to the throne, was reported to be behind the move, having bought his mother a mobile phone and taught her how to use it in 2001.

"The Queen loves music and was impressed by how small and handy the iPod is," a royal insider told the tabloid.

"Obviously it is quite complicated to download songs, but I'm sure one of the courtiers will do it for her.

"Prince Andrew will probably also help out because he's a real dab hand with gadgets."

Abba's Dancing Queen and Everybody Wants to Rule the World by Tears for Fears might be on the royal iPod, the newspaper suggested.

Courtesy of the Sydney Morning Herald

Pass the Pigs

I vaguely remember this game and just heard about it on a recent podcast. Ahh... the good old days when it was easy to entertain yourselves without electronics and such. Even though this is an electronic form, it is still fun and a great way to pass the time. ENJOY!

Are you Kidding Me People?!

Discovery channel has a program called The Greatest American. They have a list of the top 25 people that came out of a list of 100. Some of the nominees are: Muhammad Ali, Rosa Parks, Neil Armstrong, Ben Franklin, Bill Gates. As I am looking at the list I see George Bush's name listed. How the heck did he make this list? And there are a few others that I was surprised to see, but come on, George Bush?! PUH-LEASE!

MMMMMM!!! Bike Porn!

Trek's new weapons for the Discovery Team Tour de France campaign.

For more pictures and the story go to CyclingNews.com

Lance Armstrong's new Trek Madone SSLX  

Trek's new TTX time trial bike was a winner on its first time out, as George Hincapie blasted to victory on his new TT rig at the 7.9km Prologue of the Criterium du Dauphine Libere in Aix-les-Bains. 

Can I/We Wait This Long?!

Paris Hilton plans to give up public life for family life -- but not immediately.

The hotel heiress, 24, star of "The Simple Life" reality series, told Newsweek magazine that when she was younger, "I thought it was cute to play a dumb blonde. On TV, I do it because it's funny. I consider myself a businesswoman and a brand."

But Hilton says she plans to give up her public life in two years, by which time she expects to become a mother with her fiance, Paris Latsis.
Star Tribune

Once the TdF starts, I'll change my countdown clock so we can all see how much longer we have to put up with her. ;)

Dia de la Bandera

That's Flag Day in Spanish ;)
I also just learned that Flag Day in Argentina is June 20. The internet is a wonderful thing!

Here's a little trivia for you to celebrate Flag Day:
Do you need to burn the flag if it touches the ground?
For the answer and other cool stuff...go here.

Something here is wrong!

In Denver News...Repeat DUI Offender Gets Heavy Sentence

Things I see wrong:
1) Repeat DUI Offender - Why is this guy still driving after 7! DUI arrests?!
2) Heavy Sentence - 24 years in prison is not heavy enough for killing someone

How did the courts/law allow this guy to get back behind the wheel? Did he have a current driver's license and insurance? I realize that he could drive a car without those and risk the chance of getting pulled over.

During the news broadcast he was requesting to be put in a prison near where his mother lives so he could be close since she was sick. I'm sorry Ramon, but you screwed up! Why should anyone try to cater to you anymore? You have had 7 opportunities to change your life and once again you f'd up! You are so lucky that the law only allows a maximum of 24 years. I would give you life with no opportunity for parole or even visitation rights!
100% RESPONSIBILITY!!

Truth or Urban Legend?

I came across this entry at my favorite Urban Legends site, Snopes.com and wonder (as they do) if it is a true story. I think it is, not because I know, but because I have a gut feeling it is. Hopefully we will get more information as time goes by and those crafty researchers at Snopes.com uncover more.

Here is a snippet..."I am picturing a board room full of executives giving props to the young promising engineer that figured out how to squeeze an additional row of seats onto this plane by putting them next to the LAV. I would like to flush his head in the toilet that I am close enough to touch, and taste, from my seat."

eBay Listing

This is hilarious! Especially the Q & A section.
Anyone care to donate so I can buy it?! The auction is over at 5p MT on June 12.
F DUBYA

First Pepsi Now Slurpees

Apple announced that they are teaming up with 7-Eleven to give away 8 million songs from iTunes in a promotion. I haven't had a slurpee in a while, but water ice is so much better! ;)

My Summer Vacation... sort of :)

I am back from my trip to Philly and what a trip it was!

We went there to see the races at the Velodrome in T-Town and to watch the Wachovia USPRO Championship race in downtown Philly, oh yeah to visit family too ;)

One of my favorite places to go while back in that area is Rita's. They serve Water Ice, Custard and some other items. I will go there every day and get a water ice when I am in the area. These are the best treat for a hot summer day! Water ice is hard to describe, it is a cross between Italian ice & a snow cone. They use fresh fruit and it is mixed in with very fine ice. The flavor stays within the ice unlike a snow cone where it just goes to the bottom. Rita's only operates on the East coast, so if you are ever near one, check them out.

We had an incredible meal at a restaurant called Marigold Kitchen which is located in West Philadelphia. We are friends with the parents of the owner/chef. I started with the smoked trout wrapped in avocado, had the rabbit for the main course and an extremely yummy dessert (of course I forgot what I had!). This restaurant has been given so many phenomenal reviews and well deserved.

The races at the velodrome were rained out so we went to see Cinderella Man instead. I give this movie 5 of 5. As much as Russell Crowe seems to be an idiot in real life, this movie was powerful. More than just a movie about a fighter. It shows that true desire of a man to keep it together and get through the toughest times of life, even after already having it all. Must see!!

Saturday night we stayed at a friend's house in Manayunk to make it easier to get to the race on Sunday. We stayed up (until 1:30a) and had a few margaritas and met some new friends. Got up at 6:15a on Sunday to go pre-ride the race course with Josh so I could get an appreciation of what the pros have to do. This is an organized fun ride for the fans. I was riding his old MTB that was too small and hadn't been cleaned in years. A little different from riding my bike that is fit to me and wearing the right shoes & apparel. So the course up to the famous Manayunk Wall is really easy. Once we get to the wall you get a great view of how it shoots straight up and keeps going. I see a bunch of people getting off their bikes and walking up and I am passing a few here & there. Makes me feel like I am in better shape than I thought. But then again these are not the people I race against! I get up over the first part then it levels out for a small section and then up again. Overall it is not that bad, BUT I would not want to try this at race pace and have to do it 10 times. We head on through the course and take it to Lemon Hill. This is another part of the course that is a good climb and they do this one 13 times. A lot shorter, but still hurts. And then back to the start/finish line. We hang out for a bit at the expo and then ride back to Josh's house.

We all get cleaned up & eat and start watching the coverage on TV. We jump in the car and head over to the Manayunk Wall and go to a friend of Josh's that is right on the course. I find out that most of these houses just open their doors and people come in & out all day. A reporter interviewed a homeowner and asked her how many people that were there she knew, her answer, none. Crazy life during the race on the Wall. A friend of Josh (Alison-who we met the night before) knows that I am really stoked about the race, asks me if I am interested in taking one of her TV Production Crew all access pass. My eyes were wide open and mouth hanging open and she figured my answer was yes. This pass gets you ANYWHERE and gives you clout. So we watched a few laps on the wall and then jumped into the media van to get to the start/finish line. We talk to the crew with ABC and hang out with one of Alison's friends right on the mobile studio set where the announcers are. I must look like a little kid with the biggest smile on my face. After that we start walking around and head over to the feed zone and walk behind all the team tents and chat with some of the team support people and riders that have dropped from the race.

Once the race was getting into the final laps, we head back over to the mobile studio and I hang out with all the photographers. So here I am snapping away with all the professionals with one of the 'best seats in the house'. After Wherry finishes & wins the race the whole slew of us surround him and I am right in the middle of it all while he is giving interviews etc. What a rush to be right there!

So now we need to get back to Manayunk... well, as clever as Alison is, she asks the cops to see if we can get a ride back. The moto cops said, we only have one seaters so go ask the cop with the side-car. And he said, sure I'll give you a ride back, jump in. I get in the side-car and Alison sits on my lap. This is hilarious! Here we are driving back down the race course and people are yelling & screaming & taking pictures of us. I am thinking this has to be illegal somehow: 2 people in a side-car with no helmets. He said if anyone asks, the chief said it was ok. What a treat!

Monday before we went to the airport we went downtown to have lunch. Of course I had to have a cheesesteak sandwich. :)

Here is a link to some of the pictures of the trip. I took 5 rolls of 35mm, and still going through them. I will scan some more and get them posted soon.....
Pictures here.