Not Bad For Some Boys From The Old German Democratic Republic

There are finally some very good videos of Rammstein's Houston concert that was held Friday last. The show was Broadway, a fireworks display, and exceptional music all mixed together to produce a show to remember.

These guys grew up in the now defunct German Democratic Republic (East Germany) and I would imagine they know a thing or two of totalitarianism. Do you think for a minute that I would have been able to enjoy this exceptional show had not the "Iron Curtain"  fallen? What about  the persistence of  the American government and people for supporting freedom over tyranny in Eastern Europe?  You know the answer.

Rammstein is not for everyone and no mistake. Most lyrics are in German and it is Rock n Roll the way God intended it to be. Not every one's cup of tea. That being said, enjoy the opening of the show.

I Will Stay a Saints Fan. Thank You For Your Concern

The other day I sort of watched the Saints/Texans match up. I rooted for the Saints. If you have to ask why, then you just don't get it.

I understand why, after having lived in the Houston area for round bout 20 years, that someone would question the validity of remaining a fan of an out of town team. I have lived in the Houston area a good deal longer than in Louisiana, much less the NOLA area. But having lived in the New Orleans area it goes without saying frankly that I would still root for the Saints. It is cultural. If one has lived in that area for any length of time, then one begins to feel a part of something. A part of true American history. One can feel the spirits, if you will, whenever one is in old New Orleans. It has a charm and something else that I can't figure out that no place else I have found, with the possible exception of San Francisco and maybe Memphis, has. It is just a feeling I suppose.

Going to watch a Saints game in the outdated Super Dome is a treat. It is something that can not be replicated in any venue in the country. Whether the Saints win or lose is often not really relevant. No one is  going to bother you if you come to the game rooting for the other team. It is just not that important. To be there and have a good time is the whole point of going to the game. It is fun of course when they win but no one in the area ever really expects much to come of any team the Saints field.

 Going to a Texans Home game in Reliant Stadium is not the same thing. No comparison. How could it be?

Not that I have anything bad to say about Houston. Nice city sure. Being downtown late in the evening is something special. It is relatively safe as such things go, although it is well to keep aware of your surroundings. A sense of quiet solitude comes over me when wandering or when, in the past, I sat in my taxi waiting for a night owl, out of town sport, to go on an adventure. There are a great many adventures to be had in Houston and any cabbie worth their salt knows just where an adventure can be experienced. All in the name of customer service you understand.

Yep Houston is a very nice place indeed but it just is not New Orleans. Something I just can't quite put my finger on is missing here that can be felt in the Crescent City. If you don't know then you just don't know. That is forgivable I guess.

I Knew They Would Be Back

It seems that the Houston "red light cameras" will be turned back on despite the will of the people. Go figure. Easy revenue for the city will not be given up easily or gladly by the powers that be. Of course these things do not save lives and I believe that they are a danger to public safety. People know they are there and bust through a yellow at high speed to not get "caught." Real surprised that some pedestrian has not been plowed over due to this crap.

There is also a bit of a constitutional issue I do believe. Running a red light is technically a crime and every American has the right to face the accuser in a court of law. In other words if a cop gives you a ticket for running and you believe yourself to be innocent, then you can go to court and even request a jury trial. The whole works. Running a red light and getting "busted" by the camera is considered by the "city" to be a civil offense. They are wrong and they are scamming the driving public.

I suggest if one gets a red light camera ticket to just ignore the thing. There is no real consequence (yet) for not paying the extortion money.

Beer Joints, Cocktail Lounges and Americana

The late, great Lewis Grizzard had a fascination with what is known as a beer joint. In his many travels he was never very far from a beer joint, in his heart if not in fact. The wonderful novel "North Dallas Forty" by Peter Gent, mentions beer joints on the Jacksboro Highway in the Dallas area. Seth, the Bulls QB (played by Mac Davis in the film) tells his star wide receiver (played by Nick Nolte) something to the effect of "we could spend some time in the joints on the Jacksboro Highway getting drunk and eating pussy. You could learn alot partner." The Nick Nolte character replies that "you could also get killed in those places." These are not direct quotes as I do not have the book handy, but you get the drift. Joseph Wambaugh, another literary great, mentions beer joints in one of his books by saying something to the effect of "in case you doubt that Americans have balls any longer just take a quick tour of honky tonks on the outskirts of town." That is also not even close to a quote but again you get the point. You still may be asking yourself what is the point and I tell you that if you ever doubt the courage and determination of Americans you have to go no further than a beer joint or honky tonk.

Last night we went to a little place in West Columbia, Tx. that is reputed to have pretty darn good food. It is also known to be a place that the squeamish and fearful need to avoid. We went pretty early in the evening and brought our child but I knew that we would be leaving shortly before it got past eight pm. Sure enough the food lived up to the billing and as it came close to the 8pm hour the local rednecks began to appear. Due to having a child with us it was time to leave. Some of these cats looked like they could and would rip the bumper off your vehicle with their teeth. There just isn't anyone as tough and prone to throwing fists around than oil field workers. They are also all armed and thank goodness for that!

I have been around the block a time or two and have done my fair share of drinking and whoring in beer joints, cocktail lounges and honky tonks around this country. Due to my rather quiet nature I only managed to get into one altercation. Honky Tonkin is a great cure for restoring your confidence in this great nation after an evening with Couric, Olbermann, Mathews or some other fruit blathering nonsense.

Here are a few places I would recommend for restoring your confidence in America.
Some of them may be defunct but I have been out of the drinking/whoring game a good while.

Rosie's on Telephone Rd in Houston is pretty damn dangerous and an exciting place to witness folks that will take no shit from anyone. Iran nor Al Queda hold any fear to these guys.
Ditto for the now defunct "Do Daddy's" on Almeda Genoa in Houston. A little bit younger clientele graced this fair establishment and you did not want to fuck with any of them.

In New Orleans I have done my fair share of drinking in upper French Quarter bars and Ninth Ward establishments just the other side of Esplanade. These joints are pretty scary and I don't frighten easy. They are in reality nothing more than neighborhood bars, but the neighborhoods in question are rough and tough. I wonder if any of them are left in business since Katrina graced the Louisiana/Mississippi Coast.

San Leon, TX. birthplace of the Bandidos, hosts some establishments in which it is best to drink your beer quietly unless you are a local. Probably best just not to go at all. The "real biker," chemical plant worker, shrimper, clientele are not to be trifled with. Some of these joints are probably closed now that the urban wealthy have discovered the San Leon/Bacliff area just south of Houston and ruined the atmosphere.
I have done a good bit of drinking in the Deer Park/Pasadena area of Texas and I will just let you know that it is a place to get yourself hurt. The old Diamond Club on Spencer was one of my haunts. A favorite spot for refinery hands and long haul truckers who are not afraid to spit in your eye. The "gentlemens club" just down the street (Texas Dolls I believe it was called) had some of the ugliest strippers to ever grace the stage. I loved it.

I've done more drinking than I can even remember in the Memphis area. Cross the big river and take in a few joints in W. Memphis, Arkansas near the truck stops. That will give you a perspective on the word "badass." One of my favorite spots was Hernando's Hideaway not too far from the airport in Memphis. (Jerry Lee Lewis used to show up and drink).There are a lot of bars and beer joints in Memphis that cater to the trucking and river man community and I tried my best to frequent them all. Those were the days.

Have you ever tried the Chalet Lounge in Alexandria, La? How about the old Leroy's Lounge on Macarthur Drive? Of the two Leroy's was the safer but not by much. I somehow talked myself into a threesome at Leroy's; wish I could remember more of it. Well maybe not.

Again I have taken in the dive experience all over this great land including but not limited to Tennessee, Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, inland and coastal Florida, Northern California (where contrary to popular opinion there are some rough hombres), Queens and Brooklyn neighborhood bars, and joints in Cleveland, Oh. (there are none tougher). I can tell you it was an experience.

So the next time you have to listen to some puss on the news talk of the Taliban, etc. etc. as "battlefield suspects" or listen to some Ivy League pansy talk of national security (The Ivy League itself is a major internal problem confronting our great country), or perhaps you are just worried that the Iranian Navy is going to shell Boston Harbor unmolested, head on down to your local honky tonk, dive lounge, or beer joint and restore your faith brothers and sisters. I would suspect that if some of those honky tonk folks were in charge of this country's defence that there would now be no such thing as Bin Laden, Iran, etc.etc. They would not put up with our brave troops fighting with restraints and I would support them.

Vote for a Bubba or Joe and Jane Six Pack. Our Nation's future may be at stake!!
I shit you not.