Get ready for more Red States.....

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Friday Night Star

Friday Night Star
Originally uploaded by steakbellie.

This was taken during halftime at a Faculty Student Middle School Basketball Game. It's a poor district in South Jersey and most of the kids come from a single parent home. The 8th Grade goes on a trip to NYC every year, but all of the $160 has to be fundraised because most of the families cant swing it.
Her name was drawn out of a hat and she was told she'll get $50 for her trip from the principals poket if she could make a 3-Pointer, much further than a foul shot.

She was like every 14 year old girl ever, embarrassed to have her name called, and excited to maybe win alot of money. She had that big adolescant nose that didnt fit her face yet, braces, and too much eye makeup.

She started crying before she even was given the ball. You could see her push that ball with everything she had just to make it far enough....tears still running down her face, and the crowd completely silent.....

She freakin made it in....

Chewing Ritilin, Drinking Coffee

Lucky to have Lucky

Lucky
Originally uploaded by steakbellie.

This is my 3 legged dog Lucky. We got him 2 years ago as a rescue. His name was originally "Buddy" but I liked the lowbrow irony of a 3 legged dog named "Lucky" He didnt seem to mind the name change and took to our family very quickly. I like him so much I'm thinking of lopping off a leg of my other dog and giving it to him.

The lady at the shelter didnt know a whole bunch of his history but their was talk of him being thrown out of a window and never taken to the hospital after his leg was broken. He's very protective of his remaining limbs and wont let anyone cut his toe-nails.

The reality is that he's damaged goods, not in his body but in his head because of his former family. I've figured out a few thing about them.
* They kept him in the basement. In 2 years Lucky has never gone into my basement even to look. I've put the other dog down there when there was company, but if you value your fingers you never force Lucky to do anything.

* The man of the house used to abuse him and the kids. Despite how well I get along with him, anytime I hug the kids he gets very uncomfortable and nervous. If anyone else approaches the kids when I'm not in the room, he will get between them and bite them.

* He used to be kicked. If I move my foot too fast when I'm near him, he'll yelp.

* He just doesnt like some people. We have a friend who is an animal lover and nice lady. The first time she walked in our house, Lucky showed his teeth and growled at her. Did the same thing for her youngest son....they must smell alike. Although he tolerates them being around, he still doesnt like them.

Through some research I'm guessing that he's a Chinook. It's a type of sled dog. In the winter he cant be outside enough. When it's snowing he loves to sit in it and watch the sky as the snow falls. 5 minutes after you let him in, he wants to go out again.

He's missing his front passenger side leg, and you'd think he'd have a hard time getting around, but he can run faster than my Chesapeke, and pulls harder on the chain than him too. His 3 remaining legs are extremely muscular and he can jump up on our high bed with ease.

Despite his overprotectiveness of this kids, he's probably the best dog I ever had. He's very sweet and loving to the family and is fairly bright. If you talk directly to him he will grumble back to you like he's trying to say something...it's a hoot!

The land of our fathers

The land of our fathers
Originally uploaded by steakbellie.

This is from a trip my brother and I made to the farm my family had lived on for 200 years in Upstate New York. My great great great parents settled this land and worked the fields. Shale left over from the Glaciers keeps popping out of the ground making it difficult to farm.

My grandmother lived a town over and met my grandfather at a local swimming hole one hot day.

They are buried nearby with the rest of my ancestry. The orignial farmhouse is still there and is now the kitchen of a much bigger house that has been added to over the last 2 centuries.

My Father and his brothers would come up here every summer to stay with his Grandparents and work.

I hadnt been there for 20 years so we made a trip up last summer. We both felt like it would be the last time we ever saw the place and tried to take in as much as we possibly could.

My Uncle owns it now, and he's a complete drunken asshole, so maybe when he's dead I'll go again....but that could be a very long time...

Everybody Loves Satan

Jenna Loves Satan!(and Daddy!)
Originally uploaded by steakbellie.

Bushy Loves Satan Too!!!
Originally uploaded by steakbellie.

The most interesting person I've met in awhile

There's a guy at work that I completely missjudged. He's only a year out of college but is by far the best programmer I've ever met. He's waaay fast and very good at finding the simpliest solution. Most of the developers here have been working since he was born, yet he seems to have a natural instinct on how things work. I've never heard him say 'No' to a single request by anyone, he's soft spoken, polite and clean...plain looking

Now none of that is interesting, I know...I thought the same thing. Bright Kid, big deal. in the last few months I also have found out....

Twice a week he attends a special Karate class that specializes in sword fighting. They use heavy wooden sword and sometimes steel poles and practice beating the hell out of each other wearing minimal padded armor. He's completely black and blue under his shirt and tie.....ala Fight Club

He's also a photographer for a large porno website, and does CRAZY photoshoots in his basement on the weekends. Most recently doing one that had a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle theme.

He's teaching himself Mandarin Chinese for some unknown reason.

Does anyone know what happened to Fiona Apple?

I have Tidal, and that other one with the 4 paragraph title. I still enjoy listening to them, but I dont think she's even alive anymore. Remember how much press she got as this prodigy who wrote her own songs and music and bla blah blah? She was pretty good...is she retired now at the age of 18?

rediculous

rediculous
Originally uploaded by steakbellie.

do you BELIEVE this guy? My cousin is dying in the sand in Iraq and he doesnt feel a lick of guilt over the lies he has told to get there. Haliburton is having a multi-billion dollar boost in proffits though...go figure.....

The Wing Kong Press Release

LOCAL MAN EARNS A BERTH IN WING BOWL

Drexel Hill resident Wing Kong (real name Micah Collins) is competing in renowned chicken wing eating contest in front of 20,000+ at Wachovia Center-- and millions of listeners on WIP-AM

WHAT: Drexel Hill resident Wing Kong (real name Micah Collins) will
represent his Delaware County community on an unusual stage -- 610WIP's
13th Annual Wing Bowl, which will be held n Friday, Feb. 4 at the Wachovia Center. Wing Kong has taken a brash approach to the event -- "I want other eaters to be on notice that the footsteps they hear are mine.

QUALIFYING STUNT: Wing Kong qualified on Dec. 9 by eating 2.5LBS of
Liverwurst in 7 minutes on live radio. The eating stunt earned Wing Kong a berth in the 25-person competition -- one of the premier competitive eating events in the county.

ADDITIONAL FACTS:

The 6-foot, 3-inch Wing Kong decided to qualify for Wing Bowl at the
suggestion of his work colleague and trainer, Andy Kaufmann of Hunterdon Valley. "One time on a lunch break I bet him that he couldn't eat a Large Pizza, he ate the pizza, and then ate my cheese steak and fries too," Kaufmann said. "I knew then that this guy had talent so I called up the radio station and told them I had a guy that could out eat anybody. I told them I had 'Wing Kong'."

Asked how one would go about training for such a unique event, Wing Kong replied that he relies on his experience as an Offensive Tackle for Wesley College in Delaware, "I've been pushing the limits all of my life," Wing Kong said. "I learned on the gridiron that you show up every day, and work as hard as you can to become the best. It is the desires and passions of the mind that force the body to reach it's potential. I intend to give this event my all, I was born for
this. God made me to eat wings"

As for where he has been training, Wing Kong practices at Wingers 814 East Lancaster Ave., Villanova, which is one of his sponsors. “I take this event very seriously. I train daily like any high level competitor would. A regular office worker couldn’t run a 26 mile marathon without extensive training, it could kill them. That same person shouldn’t try to eat 160 wings either.”

At home, Wing Kong's alter ego Micah Collins is described by his wife as "a sweet guy, and a wonderful Father to our 2 children, but when he is inspired, he is tenacious and unwavering. I don't ever think I've seen him this polarized and focused."

His feelings on the legitimacy of competitive eating as a sport: “The best sports have always been based on the primal foundations of humanity and society. Football is a simulation of warring tribes. Ball games utilize our developed hunting skills to hit moving targets. Competitive eating is an exhibition of our greatest primal drive, the need to eat.”

WING BOWL BACKGROUND (from 610wip.com)

WIP's Wing Bowl 13 will be held on Friday, February 4th at The Wachovia
Center! Grand Prize is a 2005 Suzuki Verona, valued at over $17,000,
courtesy of Matt Blatt Suzuki in Vineland, NJ.

Wing Bowl 1 aired on January 29, 1993 from the lobby of the Wyndham Franklin Plaza Hotel in Center City, Philadelphia.

About 150 people showed up to Wing Bowl I, and there were only two
contestants.

The Wing Bowl 11 (2003) champion was Bill "El Wingador" Simmons, who became the only Wing Bowl Champion to win four times!

The Wing Bowl 12 (2004) champion was the 99 lb. Sonya "The Black Widow"
Thomas, who ate a record 167 wings, beating four time Champion "El
Wingador"!

Since its inception in 1993, media coverage of Wing Bowl has grown to the point where every one of the major Philadelphia television stations has been at the event. The ABC, CBS and FOX affiliates all aired live reports from the event during their morning news. Features on the event have appeared in the Philadelphia Inquirer and Daily News as well as a host of newspapers in the surrounding counties. The event has been featured on ESPN and the syndicated television shows Reel TV and the Montel Williams Show. Segments on Wing Bowl have appeared on TV newscasts in cities throughout the country. Several Wing Bowl contestants, including "El Wingador" even competed in Fox's " Glutton Bowl in the spring of 2002.

Former Philadelphia Mayor and current Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell has attended and presented the winner with a "Liberty Bell" trophy at Wing Bowls II, III, IV and VI. Other dignitaries who have made appearances at Wing Bowl include former heavyweight boxer Randall "Tex" Cobb, Former 76ers President Pat Croce, Philles Manager Larry Bowa, U.S. Senator Arlen Specter and more! Plus, Major League baseball umpire, Eric Gregg has been the "Commissioner" of Wing Bowl since its second year.

ATTENTION:
Wing Kong will be appearing at “Wingers” chicken wings located on 814 East Lancaster Ave., Villanova (610) 919-4338 on Friday January 21 at 4:30pm

Wing Kong is also available for demonstrations of his wing eating or training techniques. Please contact Micah Collins.

It's looking kind of Bloggy

I'm completely amazed with the Flickr site. I love going to "Everyones" and watching the images roll by. I wait for one I really like, and then click on it. I check some of what they have and then I click on their 'Favorites' It's rarely the same type of photos that THEY take! Then I click on the best photo in favorites and go to that persons site. I jump site like that until I find one without favorites...then I go back to "Everyones" to catch another wave. It's a great way to blow 20 minutes while you're waiting for someone to get back to you!

It wont be long now.....

It wont be long now.....
Originally uploaded by steakbellie.

Everybody in this town is getting amped up for the Eagles/Falcons game....EVERYBODY!!!

More on Wing Kong

Wing Kong Logo
Originally uploaded by steakbellie.

So the event is getting near and it's baffling how much work I've put into this silly project. The logo was some work, the press photo, writing the press release was quite abit, and I still have to alter the artwork for silkscreening, find a silkscreener, and rip the voicetrack off of "Welcome to the Jungle" and replace it with Gorilla Screams. We had a meeting on Sat nite and one guy is almost finished with the float. It's a 10 foot tall "Liberty One" (the big skyscaper in Philly) He even designed it to house a quarter keg on the inside so we can drink during the event in the Wachovia Center. We're supposed to get there at around 3am to start setting up. At that time we'll be assigned 2 'Wingettes' which are basically strippers who want to win a vacation to some island. The winner of the Wing Bowl wins a new Suzuki Car that they say is worth $17K. My guess is that you could get $9K for it if you were lucky, but hey...I mean...free car!!!

We've also got 2-3 chix in our enteurage on top of that. The remaining 6 or 7 guys either worked on it or is a sponsor. I'm almost scared for Wing Kong, in an excited kiind of way, 25,000 people will be screaming and yelling and throwing full beer cans in his general direction....who can resist Wing Kong?

Eagles & Colts, Yin & Yang Gone Wong

I'm happy that the Eagles had a good game against the Vikings yesterday. The national media has been discounting them for losing the last 2 games but fails to point out that they weren't playing any starters. The local Philly papers have been frying Andy Reid and second guessing him for sitting the starters....they would have been just as crazy if they had played them. Finally this town can settle down and brace for the big letdown next week. Personally I feel they will beat the Falcons, but then lose to the AFC champion. People around here are really burned about going to the NFC Championships for 3 years and continually losing, lots of talk of a Philly Curse.

Depressing to watch that Colts/Pats game. It's amazing that you can take one of the best offenses EVER, but they have one team they are paralyzed against. The Colts are all about speed, and the Air...you can only count on those things indoors. Make the ground mushy and your superfast receivers slow down to the same speed as the Corners. Blow Snow in your face and you have trouble getting the ball out a distance. The Pats completely took away the long ball, and then covered the line so they couldnt run. All Manning had was the short game in the middle to Stokley and Clark, and they were dropping passes left and right. I'm sad to say that unless they can clinch homefield advantage for the entire playoffs, the Colts will never get to the Super Bowl........
:(

Freaky Cool Tattoo

Tatoo #2
Originally uploaded by Dylan.

I found this in this guys blog. He says:

I never planned to tell anybody what it was or why I have it. Some people reconinzed where the text is from so I have been compromising and agreeing to talk about that one part.

Yes, it it is a will. A psychiatrist in the 1920s wrote it right before killing himself.
The tattoo reads "Car the Helen or Ray. Needs and tune up. Money to Max and Sylvia. Furniture to George plus $137 I owe him." it goes from wrist to wrist

The Birth of Wing Kong

critch_cycle
Originally uploaded by steakbellie.

This is my buddy 'Wing Kong'. He's one of the 25 contestants to be in Philly's 13th 'Wing Bowl' I took and cleaned the photo and then created and added the logo to his shirt. 25,000 people will show up to watch!!!!

I'm writing a press release now, and we have a group of guys that have been calling WIP for weeks now, talking about 'Wing Kong' Hopefully we can create some buzz before Feb 4th!

Unbelievable!

So I'm out for 25 minutes today....mostly walking in the misnamed Rittenhouse Square. I spotted no Blind people but I think thats becasue it's actually a huge circle and would be difficult for them to navigate without hitting a heavy bench.

On 18th, just half a block south of Market, I saw TWO blind people but on opposite sides of the street. Both were headed North, and were dead even like they were racing. Both Men in their 40's with sticks...one with a girl assisting....no potted plants....

The Brown Cog

You Are A Cog.: Cogs

Here's a link to an interesting article written by Birdy. It's in 4 parts so far so be sure to follow up. There is a big shitty cog at my company named David, but we'll call him 'Dave' for anononimity sake. He's a sales guy here, and fits the stereotype perfectly. I hated him almost as soon as I met him. (My first day I walked in my office and found him stealing the printer from my setup)

Dave's a big sweaty white guy from Texas. He's got a beard and a bad haircut that he slicks back to cover his bald spot. Dave likes to learn technical words and then use them incorrectly when he's trying to get the IT guys to do his work. He's bigger than most people here and likes to try to intimidate the guys who speak English as a second language....apparently he's better than them?

Machines dont run well with cogs made out of tightly packed turds. My gears are cut sharp and spin fast...they dont need to be mucked up with his shit. I wish a wooden Sabot upon him......

I See Blind People

steakbellies law
Originally uploaded by steakbellie.

Today I spent 45 minutes walking the streets, looking for potted plants. I have come to the conclusion that there are no houseplants for sale in Philadelphia. During my walk I discovered 2 more Blind People.

Those of you who are new to this topic should read my breakthrough article on the subject here:
http://steakbellie.blogspot.com/2005/01/philly-birthplace-of-freedom-home-of.html

The data seems to point to some kind of inverse relationship between found blind people and unfound plants. Keep in mind, I have found no plants on the other days I found Blind people. My gut tells me that the link is weak at best, but I feel compelled to find answers. Here are some therories:

*Blind people have knocked over all of the potted plants.
*Blind people eat potted plants.
*Potted plants are afraid of blind people

Before I can even test these theories I am going to need data, and ALOT of it. I intend to make a map of center city, that I can put little red flags on when I see a blind person. I'll record time of day, physical description, location, directing headed, and any plants that they are knocking over/eating.

One can wonder what scientific laws govern the blind. Can we trust Bohr's Law in that when we add more Blind to the container of Philadelphia, there will be an increase in temperature and pressure? Will I find that Heisenburg's Uncertainty Principle applies? (The more certain I am of where they are, the less certain I am of where they are going) If I introduce plants from another environment, will the Blind sense this and run away, or be drawn to them?

I'm quite amazed at how little research has been done in this field, and I am honored to trailblaze in the quest for knowledge (and a few potted plants for my office)

My Best Friend Andrew Glass

Andrew Glass
Originally uploaded by steakbellie.

This is my special friend Andrew. He's a great guy, but he really likes things his own way. He gets cranky when other people do things he doesnt like or when he's off his medication. He likes to tell other people what to do, so I think he'd be great over at the FCC!!! He can clean the toilets or something.

As you might guess, he's been picked on quite abit, so make sure you feel sorry for him like the rest of us! Andrew has a bad habit of leaving nasty comments on other people's BLOGS but his Case Manager is aware and trying to work on his issues.

Well anyway he needs attention and has expressed a desire to be on my BLOG so....here you are Andrew! We LOVE you and try to watch that Potty Mouth!!

Very Funny Research Project

Credit Card Prank

Firestarter

Firestarter
Originally uploaded by steakbellie.

Philly - Birthplace of Freedom, Home of the Blind

Daredevil Wins!
Originally uploaded by steakbellie.

There are alot of blind people in Philadelphia....ALOT. I was out for 30 minutes today at lunch and I saw 2 blind people walking the streets scraping their sticks in front of them. There's a blind lady on my trolley most nights, and I've seen them down in the subway. Only once did I see one with a dog, the rest prefer those sticks. Theres a blind kid in my neighborhood, and I dont recall not going more than a day without seeing one at a street corner.

I dont remember seeing ANY blind people in Manahattan when I worked there, and certainly not walking precariously close to the edge of the subway platform.

I have acouple of theories:
* Philadelphia Makes People Blind
* People in Philadelphia Drink Unfiltered Vodka (See The Vodka Diaries)
* Somebody from Manhattan gathered up all of their blind people and let them go in Philadelphia

I've only been working in this city for a few months, but I guess it's an aweosme indicator as to:

* The Usability of Phillys Public Transporation - Despite all the bad press about SEPTA, it's obviously easy enough that a blind person could navigate from place to place...change trains...ride buses.
* The good will of the people of Philadelphia - somebody always snags one of these guys by the arm and offers to lead them out of the Terminal or to their next train. They throw Snowballs at Santa Claus, but treat each other with care and respect.
* The balls of these people to get up every morning, and dodge everything the sighted world can throw at them. They are badass.

The Vodka Diaries

ultimat
Originally uploaded by steakbellie.

* I Dont Drink Vodka

* I once designed a logo and bottle for a Russian Vodka Company. They wanted it to look like a Nuclear Missle. I dont know if they ever produced it.

* My neighbor accross the street brought over some Polish Vodka that costs over $100 per bottle to my New Years Eve Party. I had a fingers worth on his insistance that it was the 'most smooth' blah blah blah. It really was absolutley amazing, you could sip the stuff and it didnt taste like jetfuel. I'm a beer guy and can tell the differences between most any two beers. I honestly thought all vodka was the same.

* The the piece of shit lady who lives next door (who calls the Police on me all the time, but for some reason thinks I dont know it's her) stole the bottle from the party when she thought everyone was too drunk to notice. She doesnt drink Vodka either, but probably couldnt stop herself once she heard the price! I only invite her so she wont call the cops. I'm going to wait a few more days so that she's real uncomfortable when I ask for the bottle back to return to the owner.

* A guy at work says that if you run cheap vodka through a Brita water-filter it will filter out the impurities and improve the taste. He says a guy showed up at his house this weekend with a 3 liter bottle of Cheap Vodka filter 20 times! It sounds pretty interesting, and I think I'll try it for a goof!

On the beach

The stories coming out of Asia are just unbelievable. The horror, the stories of survival, the split decisions that meant life or death. Two days into it, I learned that 2 of my cousins happened to be in Sri Lanka when the waves hit. I have no freaking clue why they were there other than that not much is surprising in my family.

They are staying at an Elephant Reserve, and were headed down to the beach when the waves came, fortunatley they were running 30 minutes late. They've sent out a few emails and talked about how eriely quiet everyone was in the hours afterward. People were milling about trying to find their belongings and their families in the water.