A little salute to Iceland

In a world where multi-billion dollar companies have taken over and you can’t turn a corner without seeing a set of big golden arches atop a thirty-foot pole, one country dared to stand up and say “NO SIR! No longer will I be the victim of the global conglomerate that is known as McDonalds.” Yes, the beloved burger company that brings joy to children everyday in the form of Happy Meals, Play places and big ceramic Ronald clowns sitting on benches outside. The same place where your eighty-seven year old neighbor Harold goes to enjoy a cup of joe with the guys from the VFW. By the way, there is actually a website that debates the origin of the saying “cup of joe” but I reckon there is a website for everything nowadays.

Any way you cut it, McDonalds is the most convenient source of fast food for us Americans, young and old, but it no longer will be in the country of Iceland. What could have possibly happened for Iceland to banish the big M of deliciousness? Well my friend, I’ll tell you. According to Prime Minister Magnus Ogmundsson, the Big Mac is just too damn expensive! Going off on a tangent again, Magnus Ogmundsson sounds like one of those fellows you would see on ESPN2 heaving concrete-filled barrels over a bar set twenty feet in the air. Back on track… The only three McDonalds in the capital of Iceland jacked the prices up on the Big Mac. Really?! Inflation got the Big Mac?!

Apparently so. What were the new prices? You ask. Well two all beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions, on a sesame seed bun were going for a whopping five dollars and twenty-nine cents (this is in American currency folks)! This was before they were going to increase the price so they could actually make a profit. Their new price would’ve had to be around six-fifty. Wow! And I though the Mac shack was a cheap way to roll. I guess they skipped over Iceland.

After further reading, I figured out Barbados said sayonara to Mac in 1996 and Bolivia followed suite in 2002. Im guessing the fine folks of these countries were resistent to the greasy charm Micky Ds. It’s also clear that the big machine that operates in over one hundred countries couldn’t muster up the dough to keep a few restaurants running. It’s cool though, Mr. Magnus doesn’t plan on pursuing any business with them in the future.

Where exactly are you going with this Adam? Well it’s pretty simple when you think about it. No matter how big and profitable the business, money is always the central factor. Billions of dollars circulate through the McDonalds empire each year but they couldn’t keep a few restaurants out of 30,000 alive for some people who really appreciate everything that starts with “Mc.” Call me an idealist but somewhere I thought that customer satisfaction was top priority among businesses but, like I am about so many other things, I was wrong. I get it though, a business has to make money to stay alive but I’m almost positive that McDonalds doesn’t have to drive prices up and exit countries to stay alive. It would be like Bill Gates giving me 100 dollars a week for the rest of my life. It would definitely be appreciated on my end but I'm sure Mr. Gates wouldn’t even notice it was missing.

Wow, I’m surprised I actually made it through that blog. It’s a far cry from last week’s as far as meaning goes but I figured I would bring some stuff to your attention. I read various Internet articles and break them in my own terms. It’s kind of fun at times, give it a shot. Yet again, I have no idea that anybody reads my blog but I’m hoping some people will. If by some miracle they do then maybe they’ll get something out of it. Maybe it’ll be extremely nonsensical but at the very least I do hope the blogs make you think a little more than you’re used to. Don’t be cognitive misers people! Let yourself venture outside of the box every once in a while. By the way a cognitive miser is someone who doesn’t think more than they have to about a given topic, someone who takes their prior knowledge as being good enough to explain something. Hope you guys have a great week! Until next time, God Bless.

Happy Birthday!

Let me write about inspiration; let me write about someone that means everything to me. This person has impacted my life in the best way possible. His birthday happens to be tomorrow and he would be 54 this year. Who is this person that I’m talking about? None other than my Dad. That’s right, gotta write about Pops.

It was Monday, July 14th, 2008. It was very early in the morning when I saw the last breaths escape my father. I felt as if time stood still and nothing else existed but the people that were in the room. I have a picture in my mind of these moments that will never leave. I couldn’t wrap my head around the fact that I had just lost my father. This was the guy that I would come home to and find watching TV on the puffy chair downstairs. More times than not, on Friday he would be watching a recently rented movie and even if I didn’t have an interest in seeing the movie, he would always persuade me to watch it. His personality drew me toward him. He always enjoyed coming home at the end of the week and having a cold beer. Who doesn’t?

Not many people know the journey that led him to his last days on this earth. I remember the day I found out that he had cancer. He and I shared a hug that will never be forgotten. We stood in the basement of my house and I honestly cried like a baby. I had no idea what the coming days would be like and there was nothing here within human existence that could prepare me for what was about to come.

I remember going to Columbia the Thursday that everything had become clear. They sent him to Columbia for some tests and eventually came to the conclusion that he needed surgery. My Dad was like the Spartan king Leonidas, fearless. I know he must have had a storm of emotion brewing beneath the surface but to everyone else nothing came close to phasing him.

He was diagnosed with glioblastoma. This is one of the most aggressive cancers that can fall upon anyone. He would have to undergo surgery to remove the tumor and I can’t remember him being afraid of it. He became the most positive person on the planet. He just knew he was going to beat this thing. There was nothing on this earth that was going to take him away. It was almost like he said “Fuck You Cancer, I’m gonna stick around for a while.”

The first surgery was nothing short of extremely nerve-racking. My mom and I were surrounded by family so that made it a little easier. Everything went as planned but in our hearts we knew that it would come back. I tried to slip into a phase of denial by saying that it was all over, that he had conquered this enemy. He came out very well, he was resilient. This was the first time that I had ever seen my Dad with no hair so I was sort of taken aback. He did, however, pull this look off. He and I immediately agreed on him growing a goatee. You’ve got to admit, a goatee with no hair looks badass. He finally grew one and it didn’t look too shabby. He and my mom took a picture together and it has to be one of the best they have ever taken; it was beautiful, you could just tell they were so in love.

Well after a couple of months of chemo the cancer decided to rear its ugly head again. This meant my Dad would have to have a second surgery or just let nature take its course. A very tough decision lay ahead. We all agreed that that the second surgery would probably be the best because it would most likely give him a longer stint here on earth. The day before his second surgery he and I went to get breakfast at Hy-Vee. That’s kind of an unknown tradition between him and me. That night I remember we sat on the couch upstairs and talked about his impending surgery. Again, we shared a hug and cried together. The next day we made our way to Columbia for surgery. He was still the fearless old man I knew, being wheeled back into surgery.

A short time after this surgery he began to have difficulties so he had to be readmitted to the hospital. In this time he had suffered from a stroke and developed a staff infection. His personality took on that of a young child while still retaining parts of his adult self. After a period in the Hospital he was sent home with my mom and me. My mother was a complete saint for his remaining time with us. She took care of him day in and day out. I tried to do my part but nothing can compare to everything she did. If I could, I would go back and spend every waking moment with him. I wish I would have recorded him on video so I could just have something to remember him by.

I cannot believe the positive attitude that came from him the last few months that he was with us. These months are what inspired me to be a different person. I now believe whole-heartedly that everyday is a gift that should be appreciated. Anyone that came into the house was immediately affected by him. He could always put a smile on a face. It was almost instant. How can somebody in so much pain display such a positive attitude? This was such a hard concept to grasp. It’s still hard to get a grip on today.

He was truly a gift from God, an inspiration to everyone that knew him. He taught us how to love each other and let go of all the petty differences. Perhaps his disease was a blessing in disguise. It is very unfortunate that such a great person had to perish so that we could learn the value of life, love and friendship. It is an honor and a privilege to say that this man was my father. I miss him every single day and will continue to do so for the rest of my life. Thank you Dad for everything that you have taught me; I will never forget it. Happy Birthday!

Sunday, Bloody Sunday

How long must we sing this song?
There was a small window that existed between last night and today where a shred of hope resided. Where we Missouri sports fans could forget about the debacle on Thursday in which the Tigers could not stop the corn people of the north and where the Cardinals failed to continue their run into the postseason.

What was this shred of hope you ask? None other than the win less Chiefs and Rams. In the world of professional football anything can happen…Any given Sunday! Although I did not see the St. Louis Rams get throttled by the Favre and the Vikings I did have the pleasure of watching the Chiefs lose a heart breaker to the Cowboys.

The Chiefs had the Cowboys’ number the entire game but all was lost in the final minutes of this battle. It was almost as if they didn’t know what was going on. They actually had the lead late into the game and found themselves in foreign territory. What?! Are we really winning this game?!

That’s when they decided to pump the breaks and completely forget how to close out the game letting an unheard-of wide receiver trot down the sideline, catch the ball, stop and grab a Gatorade and waltz into the end zone. Don’t worry guys, the pressure is off now and we can just chalk it up to a rebuilding year.

Yes, this was a dismal week in Missouri sports. Enough to get anybody down, but let’s not forget about the misfortune of the Chicago Cubs. How long has it been since they have experienced the ambiance of the fall classic? I honestly can’t say an exact number but I can guarantee your great-grandparents wouldn’t know.

Being the optimist that I am, I believe that our Tigers will travel to Oklahoma this upcoming weekend and put a hurtin on the Cowboys. That’s right; I won’t let this one game define the rest of our season. There’s still a lot of football left to be played people. As for the Cards, shit happens and we will continue to be the best fans in baseball!

This is the second blog that I’ve written about sports so I feel as if I’m cheating you guys out of some upper-crust stuff. So lets get rolling on another topic.

As you now there has been some unseasonably cool weather lately and for those of us who like summer it’s a little discouraging. But let’s look on the bright side, with Old Man Winter knocking on the door Christmas is right around the corner. Yes, Christmas! This particular holiday has virtually started earlier every year for some reason. There are now people Christmas shopping in July as well as mere days after Christmas has ended!

Although the material side of Christmas has begun to engulf our society and Thanksgiving is now pre-game for this holiday, why can’t the spiritual side of Christmas do the same? What do i mean by this? People in general are exponentially nicer around the holiday season. We tend to greet people with unrivaled friendliness. We open doors we would normally let stay closed, we smile at those who we would usually pass by, we go the extra mile for others.

What is it about the month of December that makes us flip a switch in our heads so that we can be more civil in our interactions with each other? I don’t even have a good theory on why this is. I would, however, like to know what makes us stop being so friendly once the new year starts. Is it our own resolution getting in the way and stressing us out? Couldn’t we all make it a priority to, or at least try, and put a smile on everyday like we do around Christmas? I think this is possible. It will require mucho effort; more than anybody likes to give at times, including myself.

Instead of making a new fad-diet or some other superficial agenda our resolution, maybe we should focus on our fellow man/woman. Believe me, those superficial things tend to slowly fade into the night. What’s left at the end of the day, however, are our relationships with others. Things like that are often pushed to the wayside, but they are perhaps the most important. Whether it be friends or family, we cannot forget those who make us who we are; those that make life worth living, that make every moment unique.

It might be a couple of months until I have to make a resolution but I figure people are already thinking about the holidays, so what better time than the present? I intend to write this on a sticky note so I don't forget it. Either way, it will be remembered. Until next time, God Bless.

This Week in Sports...

Well from the looks of it the Rams and Chiefs are on their way to another dismal season… Shocking, I know. I find these games extremely hard to watch for more than a few minutes. This must make me a horrible fan, or somebody who would rather watch MTV’s True Life than a glorified college team get embarrassed.

Although sad times have fallen upon pro football in Missouri, we can think back to 1999 when the “Greatest Show on Turf” emerged and at the helm of this brilliant offensive attack was none other than quarterback/bad ass Kurt Warner. Reminiscent of a 2007-2008 Tom Brady, this gun slinger torched defenses, tossing the ball effortlessly down the field to Isaac Bruce, Torry Holt or Ricky Proehl (equally bad ass receiving corps). Churning out touchdown after touchdown, the Rams marched to the Super Bowl where they defeated the Titans in a down-to-the-wire slug fest.

The show went on and they made it back to the Super Bowl in 2002 where they were eventually defeated by the New England Belichicks a.k.a the New England Clam Cheaters a.k.a. the New England Patriots via last minute field goal.

Since then it’s been a downward spiral for the Rams, who apparently had their fifteen minutes. Plagued by injuries and inconsistency it seems as if it will be a while before they return to the team that made pro football so much fun to watch. Big thanks to Kurt though, nearing age forty he’s still throwing the pigskin like crazy out there in Arizona.

Enough reminiscing for now! Let’s focus on the awesome week of sports that is about to commence. The St. Louis Cardinals are officially making their way into the October/November hunt for greatness otherwise known as the MLB postseason. The Redbirds fly out to the City of Angels this week to take on Manny and the Dodgers. Game is Wednesday the 7th and starts at 8:37 p.m. central time so everybody tune in and cheer on the Cards! Prediction: 3-2 Cards. On Thursday we have an epic football game when the number 21 ranked Nebraska Corn Huskers come to the Zou to take on the number 24 ranked Missouri Tigers for the Missouri-Nebraska Bell! This one starts at 8 p.m. central time so put on your black and gold, have a beer, soda, green tea or whatever crazy concoction makes you feel good and watch the Tigers bring the pain! Prediction: 34-21 MU.

I haven’t blogged in a while so hopefully I get back on track. Be on the lookout for some more thought provoking and, dare I say interesting, blogs in the future. Until the next time, God bless.