Month: May 2010

  • My American Idol After Party Photos

     
    It’s 4 AM, and I have to be up at 7 but I wanted to post the photos I took at this year’s American Idol after party.  It was just a block from my house again; so after everyone went to bed I walked up the street to check it out.  The party this year was pretty tame/lame compared to past seasons.  2 years ago, the big story at the after party was who hooked up with whom and last year it was who was the most wasted.  This year everyone seemed pretty subdued.  Crystal Bowersox was a little tipsy, but that’s about the most scandalous thing I saw.  David Hasselhoff wasn’t even there, and he’s always there!  I guess they don’t have any big personalities like Adam Lambert this year.  I did have a short chat with Simon Cowell tonight, and he was surprisingly cordial.  I wonder if the show will last without him?  Here are some photos.  Good night!

    Lee Dewyze being gracious in his limo


    Runner up Crystal Bowersox, a little tipsy in her limo


    Farewell Simon Cowell!

       
    The quirky Siobhan Magnus


    Smiley Tim Urban


    Seemingly perpetually stoned, Jason Castro


    I seem to keep running into 69 year old Raquel Welch everywhere.  Her date tonight was Simon Fuller.


    17 year old Katie Stevens


    The always charming Brooke White


    Best of the rest….


    All 265 of my Idol photos from the past 5 years…if you’re interested

  • A Teachable Cube

    Yesterday, fellow Xangan and comic book letterer extraordinaire, CJ, competed at the Discovery Science Center’s Rubik’s Cube speedcubing competition.  He won 4th place in the blindfolded competition, and achieved a 10 second solve during a practice round!  More importantly, he spent some time with my cousin Tommy, teaching him the basics of cubing.  CJ and Tommy first met two years ago, when Tommy proclaimed he was “the luckiest kid in the world”.  It was meeting my friend Tyson, and CJ at that competition that first got Tommy interested in solving the Rubik’s Cube.  Later that year he was present for the Guinness World Record for the most people solving a Rubik’s Cube in one place.  Yesterday, Tommy’s mom, Lisa, also paid attention, and with CJ’s help and some additional instructions he provided from www.youcandothecube.com, Lisa solved her cube 5 times today!  Congratulations to Lisa and thank you to CJ for being so patient and kind.


    CJ gives Tommy and Lisa some tips, then solves some cubes in under 15 seconds!

    Andy had a good time too, exploring the exhibits at the museum:


    Mountain Boy


    CJ also taught my dog Chazz how to solve the Rubik’s Cube last year.  Remember??


    That’s a lot of cubes!

     
    In the earthquake machine and outside the space shuttle


    A good time was had by all!


    Best of the rest…

    Maybe in a year or two, Tommy will be able to do this:
     

    Macky solves the Rubik’s Cube with one hand while juggling apples with the other:
    http://careygly.xanga.com/664099326/a-kaleidoscope-of-mathematics/

  • Out of the Closet

     
    In preparation for the next wave of guests at The Hotel Careyfornia, I spent the whole afternoon today, cleaning out the closets in my bedroom.  It has been well documented what a packrat I am; and my closets were bulging at the seams.  I’ve lived in California for 8 years now.  I guess I can part with of most of my turtlenecks and sweaters from when I lived in Chicago, LOL.  I even got rid of a bunch of hoodies! I’m sure that will surprise my friends…as I had close to 100.  This is the pile of clothes that’s going to Goodwill:


    That’s a pile of 130 shirts, 40 sweatshirts and about 35 pairs of pants…it freed up a lot of hangers!

    Ryan’s mother was in town this week from Missouri.  I had never met her before and we had a really nice time.  I took Chazz to the Lake Hollywood dog park and he had a blast: 


    Sniffing the Hollywood sign


    More photos here...

     


    Sleeping beauties


    Dinner with Lora last night

    And finally, **BREAKING NEWS** The Rapture is here! Forget everything I said about Jesus in my last post.  Jesus is alive and well and walking the streets of West Hollywood! Chazz and I snapped this photo the other morning. Jesus was walking down Fountain Ave, no doubt heading to Starbucks? Praise the Lord! But that means Chazz (the proverbial pooch) is screwed! Now I need to find a real atheist!


    Chazz checking out Jesus Christ...Only in Hollywood!

    This is a real call to a televangelist who sells red vegetable oil and claims it is really the blood of Jesus. 
    You can't believe it until you hear it!

    “It is the final proof of God’s omnipotence that he need not exist in order to save us.”  Andrew Mackerel, the hero of Peter De Vries’s 1958 comic novel “The Mackerel Plaza”

    Can science answer life's most important questions??  Morals are based on conscience experience.

  • All Dogs Do Not Go To Heaven

    A friend of the family sent me this the other day:

    “Despite the premise of the 1980s animated film series, “All Dogs Go to Heaven,” many fundamental Christians believe that their pets have no souls. When the end of days finally arrives and Jesus returns to earth to gather up his saints, all of the believers’ beloved cats and dogs will be left behind to starve and face the apocalypse alone. So, what is a devoted pet owner and firm believer in the Rapture to do? Hire an official blasphemer and card-carrying atheist, who has been thoroughly vetted as a profane sinner with no chance of salvation according to Mark 3:29, of course! A company called Eternal Earth-Bound Pets, USA has gathered a motley crew of about 100 reprobates in 22 states, who are also animal lovers, and will rescue pets abandoned after the Rapture for a small, non-refundable fee of $110.

    Eternal Earth-Bound Pets is the brainchild of Bart Centre, 61, a retired resident of New Hampshire, who apparently became bored working part-time at the local Home Depot and decided to try something different. Why not make a buck off of the crazy Christian fundamentalists waiting for the Rapture to occur? Centre’s sales pitch, inscribed on t-shirts, coffee mugs, bumper stickers and the like says it all: “The next best thing to pet salvation in a post rapture world.”

    “If you love your pets,” says Centre, “I can’t understand how you could not consider this.”

    The Eternal Earth-Bound Pets Web site explains the simple premise of its post-rapture services:

    “You’ve committed your life to Jesus. You know you’re saved. But when the Rapture comes what’s to become of your loving pets who are left behind? Eternal Earth-Bound Pets takes that burden off your mind. We are a group of dedicated animal lovers, and atheists. Each Eternal Earth-Bound Pet representative is a confirmed atheist, and as such will still be here on Earth after you’ve received your reward. Our network of animal activists are committed to step in when you step up to Jesus.”

    Centre assures potential clients that he screens all pet rescuers to make sure they are indeed atheists and have no plans “to meet the Lord in the air” when the second coming arrives.”  Read more…

     

    Man!  I wish I would have thought of that!  It’s a perfect example making money off of fundamental Christianity run amok!  As the website states:

    “Once you pay your fee of $110, the rapture pet rescue contract is good for 10 years. If the rapture doesn’t come by that time, too bad. What if blasphemous loved ones are left behind and are able to care for the pets — Will they receive a refund? No. How long will it take for the atheist pet rescuers to arrive? Fluffy and Rocky will be rescued, as soon as possible, considering there will be widespread destruction and chaos”:

    “Naturally, we must anticipate that there will be widespread chaos and confusion immediately following the Rapture that could impact travel times. Thus, we are targeting a maximum of between 18- 24 hours from realization of the Rapture, to animal rescue.”  Read more…

    Love it!  And seeing how the current “Rapture Index” of 173 is close to the all time high of 182, time’s a ticking.  As a card carrying atheist heathen, I’m glad to know that Chazz and I will face the rapture hand in paw.


    This is a great piece on fundamentalism…Christianity has its flaws but at least I’m able to criticize the current criminal pope without fear of a fatwa!


    UPDATE:  The creator and co-owner of the website  “Eternal Earth-Bound Pets” that I refer to here, just wrote me with the following comments regarding the article I quoted.  I had a discussion with some Facebook friends about whether the company has actually collected revenue for their services, and Mr. Centre has confirmed that fact.  A true Atheist American success story!

    Carey,

    Thank you for your discussion of my post rapture pet rescue business.

    Just to correct two small errors:

    1)  We do not have “a motley crew of about 100 reprobates” rescuers in 22 states.  At the time the article was written we hat 26 rescuers in 22 states, and one-hundred paying rapture believing clients.  As of this writing, we have added 3 additional rescuers and have just under 200 clients under contract for our post rapture pet rescue service.

     2)  As for being “motley” and/ or “reprobates,” actually all our rescuers are gainfully employed, have families, love pets, and have no criminal record per our criminal back ground checks.  All are financially solvent as confirmed by credit checks also conducted on all our rescuers.

    Yours in reason,

    Bart Centre

    creator / co-owner -  Eternal Earth-Bound Pets

    author-  The Atheist Camel Chronicles: Debate Themes and Arguments for the Non-Believer


    Speaking of heathens…I went to church yesterday!  No, it wasn’t to pay my respects to a cosmic Jewish zombie, and no I didn’t burst into flames upon entry.  I went for Tressa’s First Communion.  I was there to support her and her family who I love very much.  As I’ve stated in this space before, going to church does bring back some fond memories of the more ritualistic things I actually used to enjoy about Catholicism.  (I was never molested by a priest…guess I wasn’t cute enough.)  A few times yesterday, I found myself reciting rote responses from memory and my cousin leaned over and said “It never quite leaves you, does it?”  How true!  (Though I must admit, I felt a little queasy when they asked us to pray for the current Pedo Pusher Pope.  In my opinion that slimeball should rot in jail!)  At any rate, it was a beautiful day and Tressa looked so pretty!  She had a really great time, as the photos in the slideshow below should attest; and in the end that’s what’s most important!


    Sorry, couldn’t resist…WARNING, you won’t be able to un-see this!
    Would You Die For Your Faith?
    America’s # 1 in Bibles. #37 in Infant Mortality

  • America’s Prettiest City

    It’s called “The City of Big Shoulders“, “The Windy City” and “Second City“, but I simply call Chicago, home.  I’ve always considered it the prettiest city in America. and Google apparently agrees with me; as my blog entry from my last visit home is the #1 Google hit for “Prettiest City in America“.  Unfortunately, even though I could make Chicago the “ugliest” city in America with a few keystrokes; Mayor Daley has yet to pay me for this awesome free advertising!!

    It was a whirlwind week.  I flew in Monday, snapping photos from the plane with my fisheye lens.  I took the train into the city in time for the “blue hour” capturing Michigan Avenue in all its tulip decked glory.  Tuesday and Wednesday I attended a business conference at the Hyatt Regency, then spent the night with Mike & Marc in their beautiful new condo across from the Sears Tower and the old Post Office over the Eisenhower Expressway.  Thursday I visited my dear aunt on the North Shore and ate like a king.  My fondest childhood memories are with my Aunty Gee Gee.  Friday I ventured out to the far western suburbs to see my mother and niece.  I also got to meet up with some old friends I haven’t seen in 20 years.  We had a wonderful visit and I flew home last night.  Here are some highlights from my trip to sweet home Chicago.

    Come on, oh baby don’t you wanna go
    Back to that same old place
    Sweet home Chicago?

     
    The views from dinner on the 95th floor of the Hancock and from Marc & Mike’s apartment across from the old Post Office


    Photos with my fisheye lens, make for a neat effect from the air


    More fun effects from the center of Michigan Ave with the Wrigley Building and the Tribune Tower in the background


    The Chicago River from the Michigan Ave. Bridge


    Chicago at night


    Abe Froman, the Sausage King of Chicago!


    The view from the Signature Room on the 95th floor of the Hancock


    The obligatory shot in front of Kapoor’s, Cloud Gate, affectionately known as “The Bean”


    The Aon Center, which I knew as The Standard Oil Building as a kid


    Dinner with Marc & Mike near the University of Chicago, Circle Campus


    A reenactment of a photo I took of my aunt in 25 years ago in Colorado as shown below


    Carey & Aunty Gee Gee – Colorado 1985


    And here’s one from 1975 when I was 10


    My beautiful niece, Nicole


    Elburn, IL


    The field where Superman crashed to earth??


    The neighbor kids with my brother’s awesome dog, Cheyenne


    When I think of home
    I think of a place where there’s love overflowing
    I wish I was home
    I wish I was back there with the things I been knowing

    Wind that makes the tall trees bend into leaning
    Suddenly the snowflakes that fall have a meaning
    Sprinklin’ the scene, makes it all clean…