Month: May 2008

I knew departing Albuquerque might be a problem when I read the morning newspaper Tuesday and discovered that George W. Bush was coming into town.
Our plane was scheduled to depart at 2 PM. Normally we would have arrived at the airport around 1 PM, but Kath and I decided to play it safe and try to get there even earlier.
The closer we got to the airport, the more police cars we started to see parked on the side of the highway. Pretty soon there was a squad car–no exaggeration–every fifth of a mile. We realized what was going to happen: When Airforce One arrived, they were going to turn the entire area around the airport into a frozen zone. No cars in or out. A traffic jam that could consume hours was the typical result of such a maneuver.
We floored it, drawing closer and closer to the airport. We got off at the exit and we saw that cops who had been standing around previously were now starting to get into their cars with a sense of urgency. We were racing Airforce One. God knows there’s no love lost between Bush and me, but now it was personal.
We buzzed past the airfield and saw a massive motorcycle procession lined up, ready to go. We suspected that Airforce One had already landed. That being the case, it wouldn’t impact upon our plane’s departure. But the fact that Bush was about to leave the airport would sure as hëll impact our ability to get to the terminal. We got to the rental car agency just as the police were moving into position. By the time the rental car shuttle bus was taking us to the terminal, the surrounding area was completely shut down. Since we were already there, we were safe, but anyone who was still on the highway approaching the airport was SOL. God only knows how long it was that way, or what sort of horrific jam-up resulted from it.
About half an hour after we’d arrived, we heard an announcement over the PA terminal: “Attention: The owner of the vehicle license plate 245-WMD, please move your car from the terminal area or it will be towed.” This instantly struck us as odd. Nowadays if you pull up and stand still for even thirty seconds, cops are already chasing you off. So the notion that someone could pull their car up, turn it off and walk away unobserved didn’t make sense. Nor would there be a warning to move it; the cops would just haul it out of there immediately. But what really leaped out at us was the license plate. WMD–obvious. And 245: Five plus four is nine, plus two is eleven. 9/11. Our suspicion was that it was a prearranged code indicating to all concerned that Bush, like Elvis, had left the building. An “all clear,” as it were.
Of all the cities in all the states in all the country, he had to fly into ours just as we were trying to leave it. With any luck, that’s the closest I’m ever going to come to George Wl. Bush.
PAD

I try to set reasonable goals when it comes to bowling. My goal for my first USBC Open was simple: Don’t suck. I didn’t aspire to a 300 game, or an 800 or even 700 series. I simply didn’t want to stink up the place.
In that regard, I succeeded.
Over the three games of the 8:30 PM team squad, I rolled a 180, a 189 and a 191 for a 560 series–the team high series, as it happened. It was a major learning experience for me, because the USBC Open is on what’s called a sports pattern, meaning the lane oil is laid down in such a way that there’s a much higher premium on accuracy than, say, with a typical house shot (i.e., the way that most bowling alleys lay down oil for their league play). On a house shot, you can miss your mark by four or five boards and the ball will still snap back and reach the pocket. Not so with a sports pattern. Miss your mark by even a board on the inside and the ball hooks out of control; miss to the outside of the mark and the ball never comes back.
Kathleen and other wives (or dates) of the bowlers were a vocal cheering section in the stands behind us. Bowling with us on our pair of lanes were such notables as Senior Queens champion Lucy Sandelin and bowling hall of famer Mike Aulby. It’s a real confidence builder when people like Mike and Lucy are saying, “Nice shot!”
Overall a terrific experience, owed I should note once more to the greatest wife in the world (yes, mine, no, not yours.)
PAD

So several months ago I was invited by a guy I’d met through the United States Bowling Congress (USBC) to be part of a team he put together for the USBC Open in Albuquerque. But the date the team was slated to bowl was May 26, Kath and my wedding anniversary. So I went to Kath and said rather dubiously, “You wouldn’t be interested in spending our anniversary in New Mexico watching me bowl at the Open, would you?”
And she said sure. Because she is the greatest wife in the world.
So today is our anniversary, and I’m typing this while sitting in our hotel room watching the sun come up over the mountains of Albuquerque. Big sisters Shana and Gwen came up to New York to watch over their sisters so we could go off on a vacation for the first time since Caroline was born. Breakfast is on its way up (I hope) and we have a lunch date with the other folks in our bowling group (which includes bowling legend Mike Aulby.) And I bowl this evening, because the greatest wife in the world was perfectly okay with the notion of schlepping to Albuquerque for our anniversary.
All hail the greatest wife in the world.
PAD

Senator: When I express concern about Obama because I’m worried someone will take a shot at him, it doesn’t mean much of anything because I’m just some guy with a blog.
When YOU, on the other hand, say that anything can happen in June, and cite Bobby Kennedy’s assassination…not the same thing. That becomes problematic. That becomes a monumental case of foot-in-mouth.
Dumb. Dumb dumb dumb. And yes, I know you immediately said that you regretted it, but…jeez. Think, then speak, okay?
PAD

As has been reported in “The Hollywood Reporter” and elsewhere (and mentioned on the thread below) Richard Dreyfuss is likely cast as Ðìçk Cheney in “W.”
Funny story:
Two weeks ago, before posting on my board, I called a friend of mine in Hollywood (who shall go nameless) and is a a longtime friend of Dreyfuss. I said, “Hey, I read about Oliver Stone having trouble casting Ðìçk Cheney in ‘W.’ You should call Dreyfuss and have his people get in touch because he’d be perfect.”
Lo and behold.
Coincidence? Entirely possible.
But hey–I called it.
PAD

It’s come to my attention that Warners ordered the removal of original “Superman” illustrations from an ebay charity auction.
As the creator and copyright holder of “Fallen Angel” (with Dave Lopez) and “Sachs & Violens” (with George Perez), I hereby give artists permission to create and donate to the charity of the artist’s choice (including on-site for charity auctions) original art containing original characters from “Fallen Angel” and “Sachs & Violens.” The only requirement is that the artwork have, on the front or back, the following notice–
“NOTICE: THIS ORIGINAL WORK OF ART IS OF ORIGINAL CHARACTERS FROM THE COMIC BOOK SERIES “FALLEN ANGEL” COPYRIGHT PETER DAVID AND DAVID LOPEZ and/or “SACHS & VIOLENS” COPYRIGHT PETER DAVID AND GEORGE PEREZ. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. THE IMAGES OF THIS ORIGINAL WORK OF ART MAY NOT BE COPIED OR REPRODUCED FOR ANY PURPOSE EXCEPT FOR DISPLAY AS PART OF THE AUCTION.”
Feel free to circulate this notice to any and all who might be interested.
PAD

The senator is upset because the GOP has used his wife’s comment about being proud of America “for the first time” as fodder for a commercial. He said attacks on his wife should be out of bounds.
On the one hand, I can sympathize. On this board, attacks on my family is the one boundary I ask participants not to cross.
On the other hand, he’s basically asking for a free pass for Mrs. Obama who is out stumping for her husband, on the road and on TV talk shows. This is presidential politics, and it is frankly naive of him to think that that can, or even should, happen. Her phrasing was monumentally dumb when she said it, and even though she endeavored to clarify (i.e, regret and rephrase) her remarks, that doesn’t make them any less a legit target for critics. It isn’t as if, for instance, the GOP dug into her background and discovered she was on antidepressants or something and was saying, “Do you want a medicated woman in the White House?” These were public statements made in a public forum, and that makes them fair game. If Obama wants his wife off limits, then keep her out of the spotlight. But if she’s willingly in the spotlight, then sorry, Senator, but she’s just going to have to endure the glare.
PAD