Keep On Runnin'

We woke up early and headed south to Monterey, California. Monterey is an old fishing town, best known for its role in various Steinbeck novels. The historic downtown area was cute enough and we took some time to explore the wharf and the many shops lining Cannery Row, even catching a glimpse of some sea otters napping near the shore. The fog, ocean breeze, and morning chill made for a refreshing change from the scorching heat of the past couple weeks. Plus, there was something about the gloom that I found appealing; a sort of overwhelming sadness that I could relate to in some weird way.


The afternoon brought us south along the 1 to an area known as Big Sur. Made famous by Kerouac’s beat generation, Big Sur claimed some of the most breathtaking sights I’ve ever seen. Giant cliffs, rocky ravines and water so impossibly blue, it felt almost painful to pull myself away. But still, onward we trudged, pausing to take advantage of the numerous stop-offs along the highway to enjoy the scenery as we made our way down the Pacific coast.



A single-lane road took us away from the highway, winding its way through the forest to Pfeiffer beach. The refreshing scent of evergreen greeted us immediately as we stepped out into the trees and followed the path down to the water’s edge. The beach itself was hidden away, flanked by rocky hills and towering cliffs on either side. It didn't take long to discover that we could climb some of the cliffs and we scrambled to take in the scenery from new vantage points. The sun poked its head, but the breeze was chilly enough to keep us from swimming; not to say that I would have braved the rocky shore and violent surf even if it had been any warmer out.




After a short stay at Pfeiffer, we zipped back up the coast, passing Monterey and heading for Santa Cruz. There was something eerie in the way the fog crept over the hills, sneaking down to settle in the valleys below. But still, I loved it all, wishing I could stay just a bit longer. But alas, we left it all behind, finally reaching Santa Cruz and the Saturn Cafe. The place had been recommended by a friend and certainly lived up to all the hype. I enjoyed a tofu burrito and washed it down with a peanut butter-chocolate milkshake. Steinbeck himself couldn't have written a better ending to the day's adventures.

18 Wheels

I won't be around, but I suggest you check out the free Murder City Devils show this Sunday. They're one of the cooler bands of the past 15 years and they won't be back anytime soon. Don't miss out!

Break Down the Walls

It's been three days and I'm already falling behind. Atlanta gave us a private swimming pool and a diving board to occupy ourselves with. We spent most of the day there, leaving with backs bright red from too many failed attempts at double front flips. From there it was 10 hours to DC in a cramped car to see Striking Distance and Damnation AD. After a couple hours of sleep, we hit the road again, this time aboard a bus to New York City.

I got home just in time to empty out my old room before our new roommate started bringing his stuff over. Never one for planning or time management, I headed to the Southernmost tip of Brooklyn with George in a failed search a new bike. Never enough time, but at least we got a cool flick out of the trip.

Life, Love, Regret

I've decided to try something new to keep this thing going. I've been on the road a lot lately and haven't really had time to write anything for the blog. I like to think my life is somewhat interesting, so I'm going to try to put up a couple pictures each day and write a little something about what I'm doing. Here goes nothing:




I've been on tour for almost two months now and yesterday we spent the day in Birmingham, Alabama. The temperature was upwards of 100 degrees Fahrenheit, making going outside downright miserable. Still, we braved the heat to check out a place called Bottle Tree, a restaurant about a 15 minutes walk from the venue. It was rumored to have some good vegan eats and Hank and I each ordered Buffalo Tofu Wraps. While they may not have been worth the $8.00, the meal was a nice break from the steady diet of pop tarts and clif bars I seem to have adopted lately.

On the walk back, Sean stumbled across a pigeon that seemed to be napping on the sidewalk. He picked up the bird, quickly realizing it wasn't sleeping at all. Nelson's mind was blown by the whole thing and we hurried back to the protection of the technological phenomenon we call a/c.

You Are Free

I left town for awhile, see you someday.

Turned Inside Out

This is quite possibly the coolest video on the internet...



Beyond the piercing cries, we're turned inside out.

Seekers of the Truth

Gotta get back, back to the truth...

Earlier this week, it was reported that the Obama administration had authorized the assassination of an American citizen. Intelligence officials believe Anwar al-Awlaki to be an operative of Al-Qaeda and they believe that he has engaged in attacks against the United States. However, the problem is exactly that. The administration believes. Awlaki has faced no trial, has had no opportunity to challenge the evidence brought against him or to prove his innocence. This authorization by the Obama administration represents extrajudicial justice at its worst. What kind of democratic society allows its leaders to arbitrarily kill its citizens when it believes them to be a threat to national security?

The adoption of a program of government assassinations of those who pose a “threat” to the country is a slippery slope to tread upon. Who is to say this category will not be extended to animal rights, environmental and other activists, many of whom are already considered to be terrorists under the Patriot Act and the AETA. A program of assassination based on assertions of secret evidence by the executive is nothing short of lunacy and violates the core principles of the American justice system.

The lack of an uproar over this issue is in itself a vindication of the poor state of American politics. Conservatives are content with Obama’s policy as it helps to further strengthen the power of the executive, something they have been trying to do for the past 8 years. Liberals on the other hand have been forced into a state of cognitive dissonance. For years they marched, protested, wrote and called for the prosecution of Bush and his administration. Yet just over a year later, they blindly support policies worse than anything even Bush had done. They continue to be deluded by their complete and utter infatuation with Obama, who has not only maintained, but has expanded the illegal powers asserted during Bush’s presidency, pushing the envelope in expanding executive power and suppressing the rule of law. One need look no further than Obama’s position on military tribunals, unauthorized surveillance, executive privilege, indefinite detention and now the murder of American citizens.

These reactions of the self-proclaimed liberals and progressives demonstrate the inability of Americans to critically examine developments in politics and society. They align themselves with a political party and cease to think about issues and ideas. Instead of truly reflecting upon their own opinions, they look to the party line to form their viewpoint. Perhaps it’s a reflection of the laziness inherent to American society or an indication of the dangers inherent of an infatuated populace. However, it certainly is not simply an issue of identity politics but rather a much larger danger embodied in the unwillingness and inability of the American public to critically examine themselves and the world in which they live.

...you know it was left behind.