Thursday, August 30, 2007
Monday, August 27, 2007
Sunday, August 26, 2007
Damn good Chinese vittles
The Bamboo Garden Restaurant - 1220 Airline Rd (@ McArdle) Corpus Christi
I had come to the conclusion that I couldn't find a Chinese buffet in this town that was worth a damn, but I was in the mood for some Mandarin fare, and this place caught my eye.
I figured with several reader poll awards from the Caller-Times, this place my not be too bad.
It was fantastic to say the least. Now this was not a buffet. I ordered chicken chop suey. Real nice portion for being on the lunch menu. By fay the best Chinese food I've experienced in this town.
Saturday, August 25, 2007
What is it about...
...a Greyhound bus station that attracts every scumbag within a 5 mile radius?
I wanted to catch an Astros game before the season ended. I didn't want to make the 200+ mile drive by myself, so I figured I'd take the bus.
The ride from Corpus was long but uneventful. The ride back was a different story. The ride itself wasn't bad. It was the 3 hour wait at the bus depot that turned my stomach. Crackheads, panhandlers, hustlers and the just plan delusional all could be found hanging out in front of Houston's Greyhound station.
They neighborhood around the station didn't look all that bad other than a high rise building across the street that looked to be abandoned.
The station itself was a mini fortress surrounding the area where the buses loaded and unloaded. There were 2 separate waiting areas. One for ticketed passengers and one for everybody else. How they let some of these people who had no intention of riding the bus or waiting for someone who did slither in and out of this area with little to no challenge from "security" is beyond me. At one point, a guard did come out and shoe everyone that was loitering out front, but that only lasted for a couple of minutes and the were right back.
Houston is a beautiful city. A little big for my liking, but beautiful none the less. It's a shame folks traveling by Greyhound bus have this garbage as a first impression. Then again, Greyhound doesn't actually attract the cream of the traveling public. I could have flown, but why? The stadium was less than 2 miles from the station.
It's a shame. It looks like Greyhound actually invested some money in that facility, but unless they do something to clear out the vagrants, the place will be a slum in 10 years or less.
Solution... maybe Greyhound should require ID for all travelers. Anyone under 18 would have to have a parent or guardian purchase the minor's ticket. God knows you need ID to fly. I think you also need ID to take the train these days.
By securing passenger ID, now you can start a database of those who have been kicked off the bus for bad to criminal behavior and suspend the trouble makers from future travel.
When I was a kid, I rode the bus frequently from Kansas City to see my grandma in Nebraska. These days, you don't dare sent a pre-teen alone. Old folks are also afraid to "Go Greyhound."
Greyhound has a golden opportunity. Flying is becoming more and more of a pain in the ass. Amtrak is nice, but it too has it's drawbacks. If managed correctly, Greyhound could become the preferred means of travel for shorter distance interstate trips.
Someone just needs to take out the garbage.
I wanted to catch an Astros game before the season ended. I didn't want to make the 200+ mile drive by myself, so I figured I'd take the bus.
The ride from Corpus was long but uneventful. The ride back was a different story. The ride itself wasn't bad. It was the 3 hour wait at the bus depot that turned my stomach. Crackheads, panhandlers, hustlers and the just plan delusional all could be found hanging out in front of Houston's Greyhound station.
They neighborhood around the station didn't look all that bad other than a high rise building across the street that looked to be abandoned.
The station itself was a mini fortress surrounding the area where the buses loaded and unloaded. There were 2 separate waiting areas. One for ticketed passengers and one for everybody else. How they let some of these people who had no intention of riding the bus or waiting for someone who did slither in and out of this area with little to no challenge from "security" is beyond me. At one point, a guard did come out and shoe everyone that was loitering out front, but that only lasted for a couple of minutes and the were right back.
Houston is a beautiful city. A little big for my liking, but beautiful none the less. It's a shame folks traveling by Greyhound bus have this garbage as a first impression. Then again, Greyhound doesn't actually attract the cream of the traveling public. I could have flown, but why? The stadium was less than 2 miles from the station.
It's a shame. It looks like Greyhound actually invested some money in that facility, but unless they do something to clear out the vagrants, the place will be a slum in 10 years or less.
Solution... maybe Greyhound should require ID for all travelers. Anyone under 18 would have to have a parent or guardian purchase the minor's ticket. God knows you need ID to fly. I think you also need ID to take the train these days.
By securing passenger ID, now you can start a database of those who have been kicked off the bus for bad to criminal behavior and suspend the trouble makers from future travel.
When I was a kid, I rode the bus frequently from Kansas City to see my grandma in Nebraska. These days, you don't dare sent a pre-teen alone. Old folks are also afraid to "Go Greyhound."
Greyhound has a golden opportunity. Flying is becoming more and more of a pain in the ass. Amtrak is nice, but it too has it's drawbacks. If managed correctly, Greyhound could become the preferred means of travel for shorter distance interstate trips.
Someone just needs to take out the garbage.
Thursday, August 23, 2007
Atlanta considers banning baggy pants
Read the story here...
While my first reaction is "hell yah," the reality is that this is just another law that is taking the place of parents instilling values to their kids.
While my first reaction is "hell yah," the reality is that this is just another law that is taking the place of parents instilling values to their kids.
Friday, August 17, 2007
Worse than "Nappy Headed Hos?"
I think so.
Micheal Savage's comment wishing death on some Latino protesters is horrible. Should he be fired? Hell yah, I just fired him. I will never listen to his show again, even out of curiosity.
That's the great thing here, we don't have to listen to any of these guys, we choose to. Now if enough people feel the same way as I do, his listenership will drop and the network or the local stations will have to make other arrangements.
Sixty protesters outside the studio don't amount to a hill of beans. Savage's show reaches over 8 million listeners, or so he says. I personally don't believe all of national talk radio has a total of 8 million listeners.
In my opinion, Savage's remarks did more harm to the cause of securing the border than good. Nobody I know that shares the opinion of securing the border wants to see anybody die, including the ones dying from dehydration out in our deserts. I can see the current Conservative movement screaming to Savage, "get off my team!!"
I don't see Savage recovering from this. Calling Limbaugh, Hannity and O'Reilly "fraudulent Conservatives" won't help his cause much either.
Let's let the market decide his fate. My guess is that in a couple of months, he'll be lucky if he can host the morning drive in Bancroft, Nebraska.
Micheal Savage's comment wishing death on some Latino protesters is horrible. Should he be fired? Hell yah, I just fired him. I will never listen to his show again, even out of curiosity.
That's the great thing here, we don't have to listen to any of these guys, we choose to. Now if enough people feel the same way as I do, his listenership will drop and the network or the local stations will have to make other arrangements.
Sixty protesters outside the studio don't amount to a hill of beans. Savage's show reaches over 8 million listeners, or so he says. I personally don't believe all of national talk radio has a total of 8 million listeners.
In my opinion, Savage's remarks did more harm to the cause of securing the border than good. Nobody I know that shares the opinion of securing the border wants to see anybody die, including the ones dying from dehydration out in our deserts. I can see the current Conservative movement screaming to Savage, "get off my team!!"
I don't see Savage recovering from this. Calling Limbaugh, Hannity and O'Reilly "fraudulent Conservatives" won't help his cause much either.
Let's let the market decide his fate. My guess is that in a couple of months, he'll be lucky if he can host the morning drive in Bancroft, Nebraska.
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
Sunday, August 12, 2007
What drove me up the deep end
I've seen a lot in this business all these years. For the longest time, nothing really bothered me. Drunks puking in the cab, people that piss themselves, ugly ass crack whores trying to barter services and people who spend their entire food stamp allotment all at once and try to stuff 3 carts full of groceries in the cab, all of it was just part of the job. I've even been robbed once, shot at 3 times and had at least 3 dozen no pay run offs, but I kept working the streets. I didn't want to be that guy who sat at the airport for over 2 hours, waiting for that big ride.
That's all changed...
I think what did it for me was a fare I picked up at one of the city's housing projects. The guy stunk like stale beer and cigarette smoke. When I got him to his destination, he got out of the cab, walked over to a trash receptacle that was right on the street and took a leak. When he finished, without as much as wiping his hands on his pants, he pulled cash out to pay me.
Now I'm not easily grossed out, but I thought to my self, "what a classless asshole." Not that I'll be invited to the tea room anytime soon, but I do try to show some semblance of manners.
I've just had enough.
I could go on and on about some of the things I've seen, but I think you get the picture.
Working the airport is as boring as whale shit, but at least most of these folks wash their hands after using the can.
That's all changed...
I think what did it for me was a fare I picked up at one of the city's housing projects. The guy stunk like stale beer and cigarette smoke. When I got him to his destination, he got out of the cab, walked over to a trash receptacle that was right on the street and took a leak. When he finished, without as much as wiping his hands on his pants, he pulled cash out to pay me.
Now I'm not easily grossed out, but I thought to my self, "what a classless asshole." Not that I'll be invited to the tea room anytime soon, but I do try to show some semblance of manners.
I've just had enough.
I could go on and on about some of the things I've seen, but I think you get the picture.
Working the airport is as boring as whale shit, but at least most of these folks wash their hands after using the can.
Friday, August 10, 2007
Not so fast...
I think I might have gotten through to the powers that be at our company. It isn't that I'm tiered of driving a cab, I'm tired of the crackheads that pass for a quarter of the people who call us for service. After 26 years, I have just had enough.
The company's owner agreed to put us on "airport duty", to go along with the lost luggage detail we're on 3 days per week each. That's ok with me. Those bags shifts can wear an old fat guy like me down in a hurry. Working the airport can be boring at times, but at least, I don't have to worry about what's oozing in and out of my back seat.
I'm happy something could be worked out. I really enjoy working for Green-n-Go, but I was ready to bolt.
I'm glad it all worked out... I hate drama.
The company's owner agreed to put us on "airport duty", to go along with the lost luggage detail we're on 3 days per week each. That's ok with me. Those bags shifts can wear an old fat guy like me down in a hurry. Working the airport can be boring at times, but at least, I don't have to worry about what's oozing in and out of my back seat.
I'm happy something could be worked out. I really enjoy working for Green-n-Go, but I was ready to bolt.
I'm glad it all worked out... I hate drama.
Tuesday, August 7, 2007
The worst thing about this job - Redneck Rant
Is it the clientele or me that is changing?
Download
Well... I did something about it... I quit.
It's not quite that simple. I've decided to lease a cab and be an airport jockey. I never thought I'd do that, but I've finally burnt out on working the hood.
Green-n-Go aint a bad company. Just a few too many petty rules for for a guy with my tenure in the business to deal with.
A good cab company has 3 rules, pay the lease, don't abuse the equipment and don't wreck the company's good name.
So, wish us luck...
DownloadWell... I did something about it... I quit.
It's not quite that simple. I've decided to lease a cab and be an airport jockey. I never thought I'd do that, but I've finally burnt out on working the hood.
Green-n-Go aint a bad company. Just a few too many petty rules for for a guy with my tenure in the business to deal with.
A good cab company has 3 rules, pay the lease, don't abuse the equipment and don't wreck the company's good name.
So, wish us luck...
You are what you make of yourself - Redneck Rant
It doesn't matter where you come from or what's happenened to you in the past. In this country, you have the power to make a future for yourself.
Saturday, August 4, 2007
The Redneck Rant
I'm finding out that a lot of times I'm just too tired at the end of the night to post things on this blog that have come to mind during the course of my day. So I've opened up an account with Gcast.com. It's a service that allows me to create my own podcast, right over the phone.
I will archive the pod-casts on this site as time allows. Otherwise, go to http://www.gcast.com/u/RedneckCabbie/main to see what else is bugging me besides rude drivers and bad tippers.
I will archive the pod-casts on this site as time allows. Otherwise, go to http://www.gcast.com/u/RedneckCabbie/main to see what else is bugging me besides rude drivers and bad tippers.
Friday, August 3, 2007
Minneapolis bridge colapse
Man, that shook me up a bit. I spent the first 17 years of my career as well as most of my life in the Twin Cities. I've checked with most of my friends back there. Fortunately, none of them were even close to that area.
So just what happened? Every indication points toward a tired old bridge that just gave out. I know zilch about engineering, so I can't even speculate. No mater how it happened, the tragic nature of this event can not be overstated.
From what I've seen, I tend to agree that foul play was not involved. I hope I'm right, because if it were an attack, it was sure pulled off with out much difficulty.
The only thing that puzzles me is that there are bridges in this country in far worse shape than that one. Why haven't they given out?
May God be with the survivors, the ones who perished and their families.
So just what happened? Every indication points toward a tired old bridge that just gave out. I know zilch about engineering, so I can't even speculate. No mater how it happened, the tragic nature of this event can not be overstated.
From what I've seen, I tend to agree that foul play was not involved. I hope I'm right, because if it were an attack, it was sure pulled off with out much difficulty.
The only thing that puzzles me is that there are bridges in this country in far worse shape than that one. Why haven't they given out?
May God be with the survivors, the ones who perished and their families.
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