Rockstar Cities

I would hope that all readers have tasted the pure flavorful ecstasy that is Rockstar. As a substitute for coffee, I partake on average 1-2 times per week and naturally enjoy each and every experience. My favorite is Rockstar Juiced (orange can) though I highly disapprove of the recent move of dropping the juice content from 70% to 50%. One of the things I like about Rockstar is the can! Based on pure asthetics, Rockstar Juiced beats the competition (Red Bull or Monster) with the psychadelic background and the loud fonts. The content of the can rocks with an extended list of ingredients as well as a list of cities where Rockstar should be drank. Rockstar lists a number of American and International cities, we need to examine the validity of Rockstar's US choices and evaluate whether the company could do a better job in determing where people truly live the hardcore lifestyle that is Rockstar.



The US cities currently on the can:

San Francisco
Hollywood
NYC
Miami
Vegas
Detroit
Aspen

The first five cities all seem to fit completely on the can as Rockstar cities. San Francisco has essentially developed into a playground for the very wealthy with numerous cultural and leisure opportunities. Its many famous neighborhods including Nob Hill, Castro, Wharf District, etc. give the city an iconic feel backdropped by extremely scenic coastal hills and vistas. I look forward to partying and exploring the city here soon in September. Hollywood has been an entertainment hub for decades and is symbolic for money, sex, power, and creativity like no other place in America. NYC is indeed the largest and most powerful city drawing singles and upperwardly mobile individuals creating a strong knowledge centered metroplolis, rivaling London and Tokyo for world hegemony. It is indeed the "city that never sleeps". Attesting to this notion, one night some 3 summers ago I took a long subway trip from Flushing (Queens) to Times Square (Manhattan) at 3:00 AM extremely intoxicated and deeply energized after running and hiding from pursuant mobsters. Nonetheless, I hope one day to experience the nightlife of lower Manhattan (SOHO, Chelsea, etc.) and the buzz of Midtown. Miami is the probably the most foreign of the US Rockstar cities to me. Having never ventured this far south in the swampy peninsula (nicknamed America's wang by some)< href="http://www.realtor.org/Research.nsf/files/06MIDetroit.pdf/$FILE/06MIDetroit.pdf">home prices have been either stagnant or decreasing. By some, it is also considered the world's least sexy city. I can't imagine the Motor City being a destination and choice for people with extreme lifestyles. Aspen also seems like a fairly odd choice as a Rockstar city. The city is a winter tourist magnet for the rich and sking along with up-scaling shopping do make for a unique place. It is no more of a sking party city however than Vail, Park City, South Lake Tahoe, or Jackson Hole. Experiencing the city during July 4th probably nearly a decade ago, I was disappointed by their poor firework display and also the lack of buzz associated with the 4th there. I know ski towns traditionally are much more alive during the winter but still the lack of activity was disappointing. I suggest removing both Aspen and Detroit off of the Rockstar can.



Possible Replacements:
1. Chicago-Classic neighborhoods of Lincoln Park, Wrigleyville. Sport-centered city with extreme fans and extreme drinking whether it be Wrigley or Soldier Field.
2. DC-Great historic and political backdrop outside the bars of Georgetown and Adams-Morgan. Singles-centered environment with interns, young professionals, intermingling with internationals, politicians, bureaucrats.
3. Boston-Intellectual capital and pub capital of the US.
4. Other Possibilites-Denver, Dallas, Houston, San Diego, Atlanta

Bush-Cheney Lite: A Worse Charge than Karl Marx?

This last week I received the following email from the Hillary Clinton campaign (I am on their email list from her visit to Reno):

Dear Timothy,

Last week, one of the leading Republican candidates equated Hillary with Karl Marx. Yesterday, one of the leading Democratic candidates called her "Bush-Cheney lite." Can you imagine?? Hillary like George Bush??!! Or Dick Cheney!! You and I both know that Hillary has stood up time and time again to the failed Bush/Cheney policies. Well, I guess this is what Hillary gets for being the strongest, most qualified, the most substantive, the most experienced, the most ready to be president. That's what Hillary has gotten all her career for being willing to fight for change.

Evidently, it was important to send out an email defending herself against Bush allegations but it wasn't important to distinguish herself from Karl Marx. Maybe she can't given her previous rhetoric....

"Fairness doesn't just happen. It requires the right government policies."

"I prefer a 'we're all in it together' society." “For America to get back on track, we’re probably going to cut that (tax cuts) short and not give it to you. We’re going to take things away from you on behalf of the common good.”

"I want to take those profits (oil) and put them into an alternative energy fund that will begin to fund alternative smart energy alternatives that will actually begin to move us toward the direction of independence."

"It takes a village to raise a child"

Song Lyric of The Week (9/22-9/28)

But I wanna feel something
Something thats a real something
That moves me, that proves to me I'm still alive
I wanna heart that beats and bleeds
A heart thats busting at the seams
I wanna care, I wanna cry, I wanna scream
I just wanna feel something

--Trace Adkins

Your Responsibility to Help or Someone Else's

A fundamental difference of political ideologies and philosophical visions lies within the joke:

Fred Thompson and Hillary Clinton were walking down the street when they came to a homeless person. Fred, the conservative Republican, gave the homeless person his business card and told him to come to his office for a job. He then took $20 out of his pocket and gave it to the homeless person.

Hillary, the liberal socialist, was very impressed, so when they came to another homeless person, she decided to help. She walked over to the homeless person and gave him directions to the welfare office. She then reached into Thompson’s pocket and got out $20. She kept $15 for administrative fees and gave the homeless person $5.

I stand with ficticious Fred Thompson as we work to make our world and economy equitable, free, and efficient. John Stoessl also agrees with me...

In political life today, you are considered compassionate if you demand that government impose your preferences on others. But what's compassionate about that? Compassionate is "live and let live."

Unfortunately many politicians in Washington and state governments across the country think they know more about service, love, charity, and equitable outcomes than ordinary citizens. I question the government's ability to reach others as well as their motives. What politicians do know a lot about is coercion.

The Mighty Mississippi

A photo epic of a day-long adventure




Across the oak savanna of southwest Wisconsin


By the windmills



A simpler life, being a farmer wouldn't be half bad


Fennimore, WI. Got into an interesting conversation about credit cards and confusing technology with a woman at Kwik Trip, pretty funny.


What the heck is that?


Into the river valley




Wyalausing State Park, confluence of the Wisconsin and Mississippi Rivers, cool place





Mississippi backwaters


The S.S. Flash



The impressive main channel of the Upper Mississippi River, seen from an island I landed on in my kayak. I was amazed by how powerful the river was, it pushed me around pretty easily. There were a ton of boats, a couple of them full of extremely attractive women :)


Back to the landing about three hours later. The bridge between Marquette, Iowa and Prairie Du Chien, Wisconsin. I wasnt able to get a good picture, but Marquette is a strange little town, it looks a bit like a movie set. Well, I guess Iowa is just strange little state.


Sunset

A nice little escape from the "Mad" city back into the real world. The trip was relaxing and rejuvenating beyond all expectation. I did, however, learn a crucial lesson from the day... "I need to get a motorcycle!"

The Flash has crashed onto the scene, just await the thunder!

Are Rooster and Foster still coming?

Still lonely and waiting....

A New Marital Era

When the people you went to high school with start to get married, you realize you are now fully making the transition into adulthood. Thank you Leader Telegram for making me fully aware of this movement. Though many of the Generation Y Yuppie crowd clearly is not even in the mindset of marriage and instead is drawn toward urban tribes, a renewed era of matrimony during the life of Tim S has begun. Implications for me and other similar individuals:

1. The idea of 100% female availablility and "you're saying there's a chance" mantra is now over. A population once large will continue to dwindle as we move through our 20's into our 30's. More and more females known and unknown who you thought were in the realm of possibilities are no longer within reach. A limited supply obviously encourages competition and should promote challenge and conquer even for the most physically, financially, and socially challenged amongst us.

2. The freedom and time of notable friends and acquantances is dramatically diminished within the bounds of marriage. With college, most individuals feel as if they have reached the peak of freedom being able to live on their own outside the rules and guidance of their parents. True freedom though is still limited given the lack of financial resources, sometimes transportation resources (car), and academic responsibilities and constraints. Thus, freedom isn't maximized until leaving college and becoming established in yuppiehood. However, freedom is quickly taken away once you are fully committed to a spouse (financially, leisure, occupational movement, other choices) given that many of your most important life choices are now made together in binary resolutions and consulatations. Individuals may never experience total freedom if they go straight from college to marriage yet that may not be desired. The mark will be felt by independents as partners will have far less time and energy to exert once inside marital bounds. Please observe the Microsoft paint diagram below:
















3. The weddings of fellow friends has a number of implications including the increased travel costs (especially to this West Coaster), opportunity costs of other trip possiblities lost, strengthened or weakened relational ties with bride/groom based on whether one attends or fail to attend the wedding, increased gift costs, additional intersections with old friends/colleagues, incremental networking opportunities, and of course possible openings with restless women.