God of War Diaries

A Romantic Horse-Drawn Carriage Ride

 

 

Two Of My First Pictures
Sunday, November 30, 2014.

Greetings good citizens! Can you imagine a more romantic way to experience Philadelphia than by horse and carriage? After New York City, there's no better city in America for a romantic horse-drawn carriage ride type than Philadelphia. Not only are you traveling through town in the same style that was used more than two centuries ago, but you'll also have a nice tour/view of the original buildings where America's founders forged this nation.

Have you ever taken a ride in a horse drawn-carriage?

Yesterday, I spent the day at King of Prussia Mall. KOP (based on actual retail space) is the largest shopping mall in the United States. They have pretty much every store you would need or want. I've been searching for a pair of Nikon lenses on Craigslist. As you probably know, there are lots of scammers on Craigslist and Ebay, ripping people off. Last week I answered one ad from "Mike" (not his real name), he was selling a zoom, and two telephoto lenses. Mike suggested to meet yesterday at 5:00pm, at Starbucks, between Lord & Taylor and Neimans Marcus department stores.

Have you ever purchased or sold anything on Craigslist?

Here is one piece of advice, do not go to the mall the weekend after Thanksgiving! It literally becomes black weekend for mall retailers, and a person could get killed in the mad rush to get anything at half price. I usually prefer to shop online, but the price on the lenses was too good to be true. Mike showed up right on time, but none of the lenses were worth it. I thought this could be an excellent way to get started without spending a ton of money on new Nikon lenses or having to put a second mortgage in a house, lol. I guess now I have to keep searching.

UPDATE: bought a Nikon 50mm f/1.8D AF lens at Webbcam.

I've included two pictures taken this morning near the Liberty Bell Center and Independence Hall. These are two of the first pictures taken with my (new to me) Nikon camera, and the Nikon 50mm f/1.8D AF Nikkor lens I bought from a store in downtown called Webbcam yesterday.

Who wants to volunteer to go for a romantic horse carriage ride with me?

Discuss.

Girls Don't Poop (you would not believe the motherlode she just dropped)

 

Girls Don't Poop
Sunday, November 23, 2014.

Greetings good citizens! Have you heard about PooPourri? No, not potpourri, which is a mixture of dried flowers, leaves, and spices that is used to make a room smell nice. But like potpourri, PooPourri is also used to make a room, or more specifically the bathroom, smell nice even when people need to “poop”. It’s a blend of essential oils that gets rid of bathroom odors.

I heard about this product for the first time yesterday when the ad played before another YouTube video that I wanted to watch. Most of the time I pass over these ads as soon as I can hit “Skip Ad”, but this one definitely held my attention.

The ad shows a cute proper English girl in a party dress and pearls sitting on the toilet in a variety of different settings (nothing graphic -- this is quite kid-friendly if you don’t mind references to, ah, “poop” -- yep, it’s potty humor). It begins with the sound of the toilet flushing, the bathroom stall door opening, and the young woman saying, “You would not believe the motherlode I just dropped.”

She asks, “What can be done about that subtle scent of a .... 300 cow dairy farm?” and the scene switches to a...dairy farm, with her on the toilet. (The blooper video is humorous too, and it does show that she really is sitting on the toilet in the midst of dairy cows.)
Article written by Karen Kajohu

I think this is the funniest commercial I've ever seen.

I went on a blind date once years ago, and after we ate rice and beans and some burritos, she ran into the bathroom and her poop exploded. Her poop smelled like if something died in there. I could not get into my bathroom without wearing a mask, for days.

Discuss.

 

 

Bill Cosby: Guilty or Innocent?

 

Bill Cosby: Guilty or Innocent
Friday, November 21, 2014.

Greetings good citizens! Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve probably heard that Bill Cosby is facing litany of allegations. Did you notice that when it came to telling other black people to pull up their pants and stop doing drugs, you couldn't shut Bill Cosby up?

Now when it comes to Bill Cosby answering questions about whether he allegedly dropped his own pants, drugged and raped more than a dozen white women, he doesn't have a single word to say. His lawyer is trying to discredit the accusers calling them liars and opportunists, and labeling the press coverage a "feeding frenzy".

Last night, Thursday, November 20, 2014, Cosby appeared on stage for a sold out show at the Atantic Bahamas. The audience gave him a standing ovation as he walked onto the stage.

Some of these allegations have been out there for more than a decade, while others are as recent as 2004. Why now? Why not when People magazine published an article in 2006 that discussed Bill Cosby’s civil settlement with Andrea Costand and shared interviews with three other women accusing Cosby of drugging and raping them?

Is it because the impact of social media have provided a faster venue for these accusations to gain widespread traction? Is it because it took another man, comedian Hannibal Buress, whose stand-up rant against Cosby went viral last month, to finally get our attention? Or is it because we just don’t want to hear it when the person accused is powerful and famous, and most of all, loved?

The only remaining question is why we looked away for so long?

Discuss.

Kofla Tries To Break The Internet ( does this dress make my booty look too big? )

 

Greetings good citizens!

As you are probably aware, Kim Kartrashian bared her booty for the cover of Paper Magazine this past week in an effort to "break the internet". It looks like things have backfired, and instead, she has become the "butt" of all jokes. (pun intended)

Have you seen Kim Kartrashian PAPER magazine cover yet?

I thought it was hilarious when they said that her two Instagram images are "the most revealing and sexual photos she's ever posted".  I guess they forgot to mention that her only talent and rise to fame was her 2007 sex tape with then boyfriend Ray J. If that's not revealing enough, I don't know what is.

The first pic she posted shows the no talent Kartrashian Klan in a long, black Jessica Rabbit-style dress balancing a champagne glass on her butt, while popping a bottle of champagne. The champagne arcs through the air and lands all over her back and in the cup.

Would you believe that according to women's magazines, (those same people who create images of women by photoshopping their pics) the new ideal measurement is 40-12-96 ? Even Barbie has a bigger waistline and smaller boobs than Kim, in her "break the internet" cover shoot for PAPER magazine. Reality is that 99% of women in this planet will always fall short of the ideal. Unless you can master Photoshop and learn to manipulate your pictures, of course.

Does this dress make my booty look too big? Yes, it looks enormous!

Discuss.

Put Down Your Damn Phone ( If This Is Love, I Would Rather Be Single )

 

Greetings good citizens!

It is hard to imagine just a couple of years ago people sitting at a table Facebooking or Instagramming first, before eating their food. Do you remember those days when we all sat around tables looking at each other rather than our iPhones and smartphones tiny screens?

How do you deal with someone who constantly keep their eyes glued to their phones screen? Ever dated a person that keeps his/her eyes glued to the screen rather than to you?

On my way to work yesterday morning I stopped for breakfast, and I couldn't help but overhear a conversation between a young man talking to his girlfriend. He said, "I'm gonna smash the shit out of your iPhone when we get home if you don't pay attention to me. I am talking to you!" He got upset because he was ordering their food, and asked her, several times, what she wanted to eat for breakfast. What was she doing? Her eyes were glued to the screen of her iPhone that kept beeping with text messages.

So I am standing in line, waiting to place my order, with no other choice but to listen to this guy in front of me. Since a social worker wears many hats, lol, I immediately flipped the switch, turned into work mode and summarized that that type of language is an indicator for a potentially abusive relationship. It is a mystery to me why some people allow their partners to treat them this way.

If this is love, I would rather be single.

Discuss.

Welcome to ZombieLand - Do Not Enter With Mask or a Hoodie

 

During work hours, public transportation is my favorite mode of transportation in Philadelphia. It’s reliable and also affordable. This morning I was waiting for a bus under the EL train stop at the intersection of Kensington Avenue and Somerset Street; on my way to visit a patient's home.  (read "Welcome to Zombieland", a column written by Frank Rubino, to read more about this area) This area is riddled with drugs, crime and prostitution.

While waiting for the bus, in less than five minutes I witnessed 2 drug transactions right in front of the bus stop. In addition, a guy was selling his public assistance food stamp vouchers for half of their normal cost; and a couple of young women, one of them toothless, were flaunting their bodies and promoting their services. Believe it or not, this is happening right in front of a parked police car and 2 bicycle cops across the street from the bus stop. What were the officers doing? They were probably updating their Facebook or Instagram social account status.

Remember the “No shoes, No shirt, No Service” store signs? On the door of some corner stores in Philly they are adding a new sign, it reads, "Do Not Enter With Mask or a Hoodie”. They were created by a local businessman  (Joe Stark)  trying to stop robberies inside bodegas and other businesses. Now some groups are upset because they claim the sign targets the hooded sweatshirt young African American men.

In his defense, the creator of the sign, Stark, who's also black, said he got the idea while watching the news. “White people wear hoods, Hispanic people wear hoods, black people wear hoods. I just kept seeing the same pattern, just robberies. The perpetrator would have a hood or a mask, and the police is unable to identify the person”, he said.

I finally arrived at our patient's home, his family relocated and is now living in a nice neighborhood. His sister said "he is not home right now". He is not home because he was arrested, and is now incarcerated for selling drugs. Ironically, he was released from prison last March, after spending 3 years in prison for robbery. At the time he pledged he'd never do anything to go back. You can take the boy out the hood, but you can’t take the hood out the homeboy.

Why teens wear hoods? According to a 13 year old, “you’re not cool if you don’t have a hoodie on!”

I don’t wear hoodies, I guess that makes me look uncool.

Discuss.

Want To Spoil A Woman In Need?

 

Greetings good citizens!

Birthday Girl is one of my favorite drama and crime films. Have you seen it? It is a 2001 movie starring Nicole Kidman, about a bank clerk who orders a mail-order bride from Russia on the internet.

I was reading an online newspaper this morning and noticed a banner for a dating site advertising Russian women. Have you noticed the growing number of pop-up ads for dating sites? This particular ad read: "Russian women are known to take care of their men in every way."

Seems coincidental that just last week, on the online edition of Newsweek magazine, there was a news report about Russian women. They were complaining about the lack of men, and their money. According to the article, it appears that their number one priority criteria for finding a partner, is a man's finances. The country’s State ­Statistic Committee reported that there are 10.5 million more women living in Russia today than men.

What do rich Russian women do?

According to Newsweek:
"A new night club, Marusia, in central Moscow, has fast become a fashionable spot for women with money to search for good looking young men who can show them some tender care.  Women pay between $300 to $2,000 and more to spend time with fit and handsome men to show them attention and, perhaps, love. It costs around $1,000 to “order a guy from the menu".

I would love to find myself a rich woman and be her boy-toy. How can I get the attention of older rich women?  Signed...boy-toy.

Discuss.

I want my pictures to look perfect ( part two )

 

Greetings good citizens!

I finally received my (new to me) Nikon DSLR camera yesterday, this is a big step up from the compact point and shoot Sony Cybershots I've used for the past 12 years. I always carry my camera gear and tripod on my backpack, for that reason I also bought a compact lightweight tripod to use on all my motorcycle trips and rides.

My old trusty SLR Yashica FX-3 camera, purchased in 1988 is still going strong, but I'm done with film. Ironically, my old cumbersome, heavy-duty Slik tripod and Yashica SLR camera outlasted my marriage.

It took me ages to learn to use my camera; that means lots of ruined 35mm film, and wasted pictures. And without access to a professional lab I was at the mercy of the developer for prints, be it local or mail order film labs. More times than not the quality of my images left something to be desired.

Reading the Nikon manual is more painful than polishing silver, but it is a price I have to pay to understand this camera features and take better photographs.

The big test for this Nikon camera will come on December 12-14, when I am scheduled to attend the International Motorcycle Show in New York City. I am planning to bring a point and shoot Sony Cybershot as a backup camera. The last thing I need is a camera malfunction at the biggest motorcycle show of the year. Not having a backup camera with me could end up being a complete disaster. And as you know, I want my pictures to look perfect.

If you are in NYC during those days, please let me know. Maybe we can grab drinks or get coffee.

Discuss.

Another Day, Another Lie by the Obama Administration

 

Greetings good citizens!

Remember the police shooting two months ago of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri? Well, this is not about Michael Brown, it is about government officials of the Obama administration lying to our faces, again.

Earlier today, it was reported that the government and the (FAA) Federal Aviation Administration, in cahoots with the Ferguson police, had agreed to a request to restrict airspace surrounding the St. Louis suburb for 12 days last August “for safety reasons”. The Associated Press was able to find in audio recordings, that Ferguson local authorities privately acknowledged the purpose of the NO-FLY ZONE was to keep away news helicopters during violent street protests.

Apparently, the truth, revealed in a series of tape recorded conversations, was that the government didn’t want the public to see the police use of force on protesters. After this revelation, the police finally admitted it really was to keep the media out.

Don’t you think this is a gross violation of the public’s First Amendment rights?

Back in August, when the shit hit the fan in Ferguson, Obama said:
“here in the United States of America, police should not be bullying and arresting reporters who are just doing their jobs. The local authorities, including police, have a responsibility to be transparent and open.”

Ironically, just last Friday, Obama issued a statement in Philadelphia for the First Annual International Day to End Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists. He said and I quote:
“history shows that a free press remains a critical foundation for prosperous, open, and secure societies, allowing citizens to access information and hold their governments accountable.”
 
The ultimate hypocrisy is that two years ago, Michael Huerta was appointed as Administrator of the (FAA) Federal Aviation Administration by President Obama. Maybe Mr. Huerta didn't read the memo.

The fact is that his administration lied to the press, and kept away news helicopters during violent street protests in Ferguson. Thank you Obama, for being transparent and open, and allowing citizens access to free press. [insert sarcasm here]

Discuss.

Honey Boo Boo Family Scandal

 

Greetings good citizens!

The O.J. Simpson trial was an unprecedented media sensation in the United States. Where were you when the O.J. verdict was read?

The day of his verdict, October 3, 1995, I was attending a mandatory work related Sexual Assault and HIV/AIDS training in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. When it was announced that the jurors reached their verdict, the training stopped and we sat around a TV set to watch and listen the verdict announcement.

I am not sure if you are aware of this, but sexual assault trainings, to those taking this type of workshop, can trigger flashbacks, traumatic memories, or any other emotions they felt at the time of their own childhood traumas.  

It was a shocking surprise, to all of us in the room, when an older coworker could not stop shaking and crying out of the blue. She disclosed to the group about her childhood trauma (at age 13) of being sexually abused and becoming pregnant by her stepfather. To add insult to injury, her mother didn't believe her, and took the side of the perpetrator.

Last night, I read an interview of Sandra Hale, Honey Boo Boo's grandmother, where she talks about the day her granddaughter Anna, then 8 years old, first revealed she'd been molested. Grandma took the little girl to the police station; the little girl mom's boyfriend was found guilty, and ended up in prison. The little girl is now 20 years old.

It appears that the convicted sex offender boyfriend (after serving 10 years in prison for aggravated child molestation) was released from prison earlier this year, and is back together with the family of Honey Boo Boo. Pretty disgusting situation if you ask me.

Last time I checked, TLC, The Learning Channel, used to focus on educational and learning content. What happened?

I have a two-part question: who the hell watches this garbage on TV, and why is child protective services not involved?

Discuss.