Quantitative Analysis of Political and Public Opposition

so ive been wondering for a very long time, is there anyway to fairly and legitimately conduct a study on whether Bush or Obama received greater flack from their nay-sayers and the public?  Which president had to put up with more crap?

Today everyone is crying about how Obama is facing the most obstructive and hateful oppoisition ever faced by a president.  They say the hardcore tea partyers and are calling for his impeachment and making up incredibly outlandish stories about his "tyranny."  Additionally the Repubs have pretty much united against him to obstruct anything with his stamp of approval on it.

But how does this compare to Bush?  He was pretty hated too and had to put up with a ton of shit from liberal media outlets.  I even remember dolls of Bush being made for people to mock Bush.  He was called idiotic and sometimes even the worst president in American history, much like some people say of Obama now.

Now, why were each hated?  Bush had the two wars and the economic collapse under his belt.  Obama has his healthcare reform, and immigration I guess?  I guess its just his overall agenda people seem to poke holes in.  Personally, I think two wars and an economic collapse are more worthy of public ire.  but people now seem to hate Obama for not being able to remedy those obstacles as well as he promised.  Also he is leading with a very obvious agenda focusing on liberal reforms.  Immigration, healthcare, gay rights, education.  They all scream liberal.  Is that bad? Well, it is to some and isn't to others.  Just a perspective.  Did Bush have an agenda and goals that obviously screamed conservative?  Maybe.

How do you answer this?  How do you figure out which faced more flak?  Who faced more bullshit?  You can't just put out a general public poll today because I dont think people will fairly judge.  Because I think the political mindset of the nation has shifted greeatly between now and Bush's fifth year?  How is shifted? you tell me, but i think it did.  So you would have to somehow find quantitative data on what things were flying around in each era, and how much of it was shared and spread amongst the public  How popular was it to crap on each president?

Personally, I think Bush was called a worse president more often during his presidency, and faced more flak than Bush.  I think the flak facing Obama is more outlandish and unwarranted, giving a certain harsh edge to it.  But Obama sympathizers shouldnt be always crying that Obama is the only one to face this and it being attacked cuz he is black.  for some people it is true, but not all of it.  Bush was hated on too.

awkward smiles

ive been having lots of personal awkward moments lately. just to myself. thinking aout stupid mistakes and things i have said. that jsut make me cringe to think about them. or say fuck. i say fuck a lot to myself. cuz i fuck up.....o well....

but today especially i ahve been smiling randomly thinking about great stories and moments from the years. and tonight i cant stop thinking about that epic game of pong from fall 11 in dc.  what a game. down 6 cups. the other team just finished us off. we are at shoot to we miss. i make 3 straight cups to get us started. joradn drains another 3 straight.....OVERTIME MOTHAFUCKA, incredible. jsut an astounding effort. while also hammered on stones....i felt sick...o well!!! worth it!!! 3 cup overtime.  we win three cups to one. the tripple low high for the win! what a night. i think thats like my favorite drunk/stupid college story.  just so much fun that night. miss seeing j like that....it was the best of times....i did everything i wanted and more there. i played  it cool, calm, colectted and balls out....perfect combo to have the greatest college semester possible. i am proud of myself if you couldnt tell.

hawks win again, what a fucking team, they own this city.

Islam and politics and the arab spring

just had a revelation curtosy of my great philosophy professor.  the problem with the muslim world is that modernity was imposed upon it.  it was imported during nearly two centuries of colonialism.  in the west, they created modernity, it came from their leadership and the great thinkers following the 14th century that created a new europe.  it was their own doing, it wasnt impose, it wasnt copied from someone else.  their political and ideological dilemma created during that time this need to integrate christianity into the context of modernity.

now, possibly the arab spring has made this opportunity in the muslim world.  he we have parties of old traditional thinkers being forced to confront modernity and the modern nation-state.  the muslim brotherhood, to be honest, does not have a realistic modern political platform.  their ideals are based a romantic nostaligia for the past. nostalgia for the muslim golden ages, it isnt rooted in modernity.  now that they are in power, they will be forced to create a new interpretation that works with modernity, they will be forced to adapt.  they will create it on their own and the west is not imposing it.  the problem with the past is that modernity was imposed or copied from the past.  it doesnt work that way, it needs to be organic.

isnt interesting that traditionalists in islam have grown MORE stringent over the years, from hanbal, to tayymiyah, to wahhab. as apposed to becoming more progressive or fit to the times.  christian fundamentalism has its nut jobs, but their philosophy isnt on the scale seen in the muslim world.

ill try to remember more from our talk....

complete and updated bar list

Lets start with a quick top 12 in my opinion

1. Churchkey (Logan Squere)

2. H Street Country Club (H Street Corridor by Union Station)

3. American Ice Co. (U Street area)

4. The Reef (Adams Morgan)

5. Marvin's (U Street)

6. Sign of the Whale (Dupont) SYRACUSE BAR!

7. Bedrock Billards (Adams Morgan)

8. Lost Society (U street)

9. Tryst (Adams Morgan)

10. Cod Mother (U Street)

11. Red Derby (Columbia Heights, sketchy area lol)

12. Mad Hatter / Grand Central (Dance places, Dupont / Adams Morgan)

Churchkey is my all time favorite bar, largest beer selection in all of DC!!! over 300!!! but its in kind of the middle of no where and out of the way.  Can walk there from Dupont, but you may not want to make the trek. U street is overall the best area to go.  I actually recommend you start at Adams Morgan and then walk to U Street, its a nice walk like 15min that goes by the best jumbo slice places in DC.  Or go to Dupont and Adams Morgan because that's again a nice walk through some swanky residential areas and embassies.  

Heres the full reviews:

DISCLAIMER: I wrote this one night for my own personal uses as like memorial to my times in dc when i was feeling nostalgic lol.  so its just kind of me ranting to my self.  you dont have to read it all, its really fucking long and full of typos.  So yea, its kind of silly.

These bars are ordered from favorite to least, and so are the neighborhoods, will do combined list after

Adams Morgan/Columbia Heights: There is just something young and energetic about being in A Mo.  I know they say its where all of the 22 year olds go, but its true.  its a dense small area with a ton of drunk young people that look like they should be in college. no body ever looks much older than mid 30s here.  so i was always comfortable here.  though my favorite bar isnt here, the overall energy of the area gives it the top spot as the place to be on the weekends and overall each bar is pretty good.  also the BEST jumbo slice is here, pizza mart, and the always fun crowds of people really make it.

The Reef: This is my favorite overall bar in A Mo because of the variety of sitting areas and atmospheres.  Inside up the stairs, is a huge room full of multiple large fish tanks, a large bar, and a dance floor.  its the loud room but also plenty of sitting by windows to watch drunk ppl below you.  The roof was my favorite spot considering the temperate weather of dc always made it pleasent. also, great bartenders.  Adam, makes the best drink ive ever had "apple sauce". it is the shot of gods.

Bedrock Billiards: a favorite bro spot. lots of pool, darts, chuffle board and good beer selection. super chill with TVs and couches to relax on. great place for a guys night out. 3 bux an hour to play games so its not terrible. average beer prices

Tryst: another great chill spot.  all it is is couches and tables. you walk up to the bar get a drink and take it back to your sitting area. best for large groups and winding down with buds. or great place to chat. warm hipster atmosphere inside.

Red Derby: ultimate hipster joint, nice heated roof and dirt cheap prices! a combo of a can of beer and a shot of jameson is only $5!! can't beat that! though it super sketch part of columbia heights. seems to be the only white bar....

Grand Central: Modern dance club. supper loud but clean and cool looking inside 

Murphy's: chill irish pub, expensive, but warm and inviting inside. good place to end the night.

Millie and Al's: total dive, cheap beer and jello shots. just overall OK.

Black Squirrel: chill kinda boring, but has the largest tap selection in DC with 57.

The Gateway: eh bar in CH. trying to be trendy but no crowds

smoke and barrel in adams morgan:  super chill and not crowded at all considering it was later at night and in a mo on a friday. not even all of the tables were taken up. people only seem to go there for food, not to drink. very dark wood style, like being in a barrel. super friendly staff and waitress. made us feel special for being there and gave us great advice on drinks. just chill and quiet, good palce to meet with some pals to have some whiskey. 8 out 10. moody but good staff and prices. 

U Street: EXTREMELY close behind A Mo, but Amo had the homecourt advantage for me. sorry. took awhile to realize why people love this place, but now i know its a bit more grown up A Mo, but also more spread out. great places to go here, but not the same crazy energy outside as A Mo.

Marvin's: close to my favorite bar in dc.  3 levels: pub, then dancce area, then roof.  roofs are always my favorite and its heated with 2 bars! great beer selection but a tad more expensive than other dc bars.  but there is always a nice crowd and fun place to be. not a lot of places to sit but the multiple levels allows allow for a good place to stand and chat.

Lost Society: chill place, but still has dancing. was only here breifly but loved the ambient lighting and lit covered roof deck. multiple bars but only one main floor. lots of couch sitting, would like to come back and spend more time there.

Cod Mother: a TINY british style bar and about the size of my kitchen in the basement of a building. great energy though with nice decorations. idk y i enjoyed it but i guess i liked the intimacy cuz everyone there felt like this was their own secret little bar. but wasnt divey at all, actually quite classy.

Local 16: Super chill place, but good bar places, good place to sit down at a table with friends and talk and stuff. plus an arabic bouncer! ;) 

Saint Ex: overall good bar with 2 levels, pub and dancing floors. nothing too special though. just gets the job done.

Policy: most overrated place in DC! huge lines to get in, WAY over crowded, crazy, loud, 20minutes, trying too hard to be trendy and looks douchebaggish. dont reccommend it.

 american ice co.: talk about a hipster bar. holy fuck. we drank our beer out of jars! JARS! while sitting on picnic benches being served by a waitress in a dego tee and beanie cap. located on v st just one block north of u st on 9th. good area, and a little out of the way of the normal u st crowd.  we got there just as it was getting dark, and it was already packed.  average prices for DC, a little more affordable.  it was in a huge converted garage, so it was a open room with huge doors wide open, opening to the heated deck with the picnic tables.  we sat at a picnic table, shared with another random couple.  really like the atmosphere and crowd.  go bar food and drink. just enough beer selection, but not huge. the only problem was that the hipster waitress was kinda a jerk and didnt seem to want to deal with us "bros". bartender was better though. should have just stayed with him. nice rustic, vintage feel to the bar, and was a lot of fun. hard to navigate long narrow layout, but worth it. another great bar to add to the u street bunch. 9 out of 10. great deck and atomsphere, jut wish the deck was on the roof and raised, not at ground level blocked by a gate.

Farragut/Logans/Other: Home of the classy joints! farragut just has that classy feel to it. pretencious and yuppy but i like it lol. Logan's Circle doesn't have much, but only houses the coolest looking liqueor store and my favorite bar in DC.

Churchkey: My number 1 favorite bar in DC. not very big, only one level. but amazing decorating and atmosphere inside that isnt too crowded and is in an area where its never nuts. incredible beer selection of literally hundreds. the menu is a fucking 3 ring binder! waiter service or at the bar, plus it has great food! its a trek to get there, but totally worth it. i got a new beer everytime i ordered. can sit and chill or stand at bar. no dancing.

Elephant and Castle: classy chain joint, expensive but nice beers. older adult crowd only.

Hawk n' Dove: the under 21 bar lol. shit tons of young interns dancing their hearts out and really expensive bar. in capital hill neighborhood. shut down now....interesting place but i really enjoyed my time there when i was not 21 yet.

brasserie beck: i found this place on WAPO a few weeks before i went, it was the only one that sounded interesting out of all of those going out guides.  it intrigued me because it was a belgium beer bar, my favorite type of beer.  supposed to have belgiums that you can only get there, and small batch brews that are divine.  well, it was the first bar we went to after leaving the wilson center and eating dinner. we had a few miller lites at aria for dinner, and were ready for a night on the town.  it is located in a place no one could think of a name for. midtown? uptown? farragut? chine town? it was on like 9th and k. somewhere directly between china town and farragut. just kinda a trendy but still developing part of town. it was still light out, but you could tell this was a classy place.  already pretty crowded for happy hour, and we just got a high table. great beer selection, beer menu is another binder like churchkey, but this one has a lot less pages and bigger font.  interesting beers that ive never heard of, but nicely described and categorized.  expensive though. forgot about that when you are at a bar serving rare european beers.  so we got the beer on special and were very satisfied.  but its not the place i would go to a lot because of its location and doesnt seem like a palce for young people or bros. older crowd and look for us. but still a nice place. id give it a 7 out of 10.

Dupont Circle:

Sign of the Whale: one of my favorites in DC. nothing really special but just does the overall job of a bar right. ok drink prices, multiple areas that are loud or quiet. pretty much all standing. its a great fall back bar is you dont know where else to go. plus its a cuse bar :)

Mad Hatter: Good overall bar with large dance area. always good crowds, not great for chilling with limited sitting, but its ok

Big Hunt: divey chill bar. nice place to cool down after dancing at mad hatter. lots of booths, but kinda grungy looking.

collection complete

completed a couple things the last couple days :) but ill just focus on one for right now.

I finally completed my set of kane and toews rookie jersey cards. my kane rookie materials was one of the first that i ever bought way back in the day, but i never found a reasonable toews rookie materials until last week.  it was $19, which btw is the most ive ever spent on a single card, but it was way better than the 40 50 or 60 every single other person was asking for for the past 2 years.  so i jumped on it. didnt want to miss this opportunity. so....there it is.  i am now satisfied with my progress on the collection and plan on taking a bit of a break for right now.  i almost got roped right back in with saad rookies and toes and kane autos. but im trying to show retraint.  autos r the obvious next step. and i did buy one toews auto over break. dualbap with mueller. cheapest of the bunch really, but a nicve card never the less.  i also got it for like $12 which is a steal! i do have the kane jumbo YG auto ive had for awhile, so i guess ive already started on that.. but i cant spend too much right now, not the best time for it.

ive overall very much enjoyed building my collection and i am especially happy to have my main box back here in cuse with me, not in il.  its starting to fill up. well it actually already did and i had to remove some cards earlier.  i dont feel like i spent that much onn my collection.  up until now, my most expensive one was the roy rookie at 16, and all my other cards only averaged $4 to $8 each. for the longest time i never wanteed to spend more than 8, then it was 10, then it was 12, then this week i hit 19. kinda crazy.  i guess i spent some good money on case, but they r like a buck 50 each so im not sweating it. and its only for my top shelf cards. BV prices have stayed surpringly consistant from my 2011 edition book to more recent magazine updates considering the hawks lack of playoff success. if anything, a few have gained value and none have lost any significant calue since they won the cup.  BV is the same but ebay prices r a bit cheaper.

would love to get my hands on a quick rookie, but even before he was popular, u never saw his for cheaper than 30 cuz hi stuff is so rare.  he only has a couple and they r all numbered.  so now his prices r even more inflated to over 100 so i doubt ill get my hands on one anytime soon....

rain rain go away

all the world is waiting for the sun...
lyrics of the song that just ended on spotify, all too well fitting. its been a rainy summer in cuse and i feel like its raining in my head.

since tues i cant escape it, i just feel sad, depressed, lonely, bored, socially deprived, money wasting, nostalgic, longing for more, longing for a job, longing for my friends, wanting it to go back to how it used to be, the people that were there, the times we had, living in dc again, hoping my friends will still be there.....i think about dc way too much. its like an obcession, an addiction, a drive, a drive for something better, aspiring to better and finally achieving my goals. i want it so fucking badly. i want a job, not an internship or temporary thing, i want the real thing. now. its going to be tough, but i cant cut any corners, talk to my contacts, go to career services, prepare myself. i need this for me. no one else. i need to finally do something for me, not everyone else. ive been saying i need to do that forever but idk if i ever have, we will c what happens. do i really mean that much? to myself? to others? do they care about how i feel?

syracuse is an interesting place in the summer. marshall street is actually more crowded because of townees. its like they avoid it when students r there. everything is under construction. like adam said: we have two seasons; contruction and winter. funny, sad but true. im so bored here. there is no one here for me. no one to socialize with, no one to visit or just some one different to talk to. it sucks. too much time alone. i need to get out. im going to be very clingy chi, i cant keep doing what i am doing here. i need to get out and c people and be around people. fuck. me. i need out. this is just bring me down. everything is, idk what exactly. its just like i dont have anyway to express myself so i am buying a bunch of  new shit in hopes in fills some hole. excites me. occupies me.

i feel like such a piece of shit. lazy, unmotivated, monotone, fat, unemotionally towars everyone. my emotions are my biggest problem right now. it is seriously worrying me. i feel so cold all the time. no matter who im with.y am i so monotone and uninspiring? i need this to change. i need a charge. a kick in the ass to get my life back in gear. im in a rut right now. i need to get out of this funk. i need to get myself out there more. be more friendly and energetic. i feel like ive lost it. im just forcing it now and being awkward. not natural anymore. is it my living? idk anymore. im so lsot in life. i need help. i need to talk to someone. i need to get this out. i j or dcm peeps, i just told them everything. i let everything off my chest and just lived. i need that again. i need to get this stree out, talk to others and live. not let it bog me down like it is now. wow, i figured it out. i leegitimately feel better right now. i talk it out with myself and it worked. how bout that. now who? where? when? how? o well. well thats a goal for these 2 weeks and for my final year in college.

goodnight everyone. leaving at 6am. fuck it. fuck it all to hell i say :)

dc part deux

so i went to dc again, april 13 through 15th. i know this post is...well...quite a bit late but i guess sitting around a gsc leaves u with few options to kill the boredom.  ive been meaning to do this for a while, i even emailed myself a reminder on the 15th. it was a list of new bars i went to, to add to my ever expanding knowledge of ways to get alcohol in dc.  is that something to be proud of? idk and idc, but i am! fucck you!

so i went to 3 new bars, and one new restaurant.

1. brasserie beck: i found this place on WAPO a few weeks before i went, it was the only one that sounded interesting out of all of those going out guides.  it intrigued me because it was a belgium beer bar, my favorite type of beer.  supposed to have belgiums that you can only get there, and small batch brews that are divine.  well, it was the first bar we went to after leaving the wilson center and eating dinner. we had a few miller lites at aria for dinner, and were ready for a night on the town.  it is located in a place no one could think of a name for. midtown? uptown? farragut? chine town? it was on like 9th and k. somewhere directly between china town and farragut. just kinda a trendy but still developing part of town. it was still light out, but you could tell this was a classy place.  already pretty crowded for happy hour, and we just got a high table. great beer selection, beer menu is another binder like churchkey, but this one has a lot less pages and bigger font.  interesting beers that ive never heard of, but nicely described and categorized.  expensive though. forgot about that when you are at a bar serving rare european beers.  so we got the beer on special and were very satisfied.  but its not the place i would go to a lot because of its location and doesnt seem like a palce for young people or bros. older crowd and look for us. but still a nice place. id give it a 7 out of 10.

2. american ice co.: talk about a hipster bar. holy fuck. we drank our beer out of jars! JARS! while sitting on picnic benches being served by a waitress in a dego tee and beanie cap. located on v st just one block north of u st on 9th. good area, and a little out of the way of the normal u st crowd.  we got there just as it was getting dark, and it was already packed.  average prices for DC, a little more affordable.  it was in a huge converted garage, so it was a open room with huge doors wide open, opening to the heated deck with the picnic tables.  we sat at a picnic table, shared with another random couple.  really like the atmosphere and crowd.  go bar food and drink. just enough beer selection, but not huge. the only problem was that the hipster waitress was kinda a jerk and didnt seem to want to deal with us "bros". bartender was better though. should have just stayed with him. nice rustic, vintage feel to the bar, and was a lot of fun. hard to navigate long narrow layout, but worth it. another great bar to add to the u street bunch. 9 out of 10. great deck and atomsphere, jut wish the deck was on the roof and raised, not at ground level blocked by a gate.

3. we tried out smoke and barrel in adams morgan.  super chill and not crowded at all considering it was later at night and in a mo on a friday. not even all of the tables were taken up. people only seem to go there for food, not to drink. very dark wood style, like being in a barrel. super friendly staff and waitress. made us feel special for being there and gave us great advice on drinks. just chill and quiet, good palce to meet with some pals to have some whiskey. 8 out 10. moody but good staff and prices.