Welcome to PF Chang's.....

I promise to have some more excerpts in my next blog, I have several chapters that I have worked on, but I have been really busy.

The title says it all.  Apparently the entire UAE has been into my store here at Mall of the Emirates in Dubai.  About every three weeks we break another sales record, and this week we crushed it.  We broke the total daily sales record, and our guest count (neither of which can be posted on a public forum).  This store currently sits as number #2 in the world when it comes to PF Chang's (with Las Vegas beating us by a surprisingly small percentage considering their advantages) and we serve an almost stupid amount of Chinese food to the people here.  Over 400 Dynamite shrimp... for Changsters or restaurant employees in the know, that is a crazy amount of a single dish going out.

Life has been incredibly busy but good.  I wish I had a bit more free time, but that is mostly from me mismanaging my free time.  There is alot in Dubai I have not seen yet, that I need to.  It would be nice to hit some of the nightlife again one of these days, but I seem to be stuck at work more often than not.  I have not loved a job like this in a long time, and find myself there to talk with my staff and guests even on my days off. 

I suppose I just need to get my butt out of the store and out of my apartment and hit the heat (which is bad already... and it hasn't even got close to where it will be later this summer) and find some night life.  Maybe some pools, clubs and definately the beach.

I would say I need to do this before the end of the world, but that happened today.  Or didn't. 

But, my views on organized religion are best kept to myself for the time being.  It would be the wrong book.

So Big D signing off.

America the Beautiful and the Politics that make it Ugly.

So Obama announced that the greatest villain since Hitler was killed by US Navy SEALs.  A great day for justice for the lives lost during the tragedy of 9/11 and the World Trade Center.  That one event unified a nation like no other thing since Pearl Harbor, and was the only good thing to come out of such a horrible event.

Even if that unity only lasted about fifteen minutes.

Now I have been living abroad for the last six months so I am not totally bombarded by the "news" as it is called in the United States, but I do not think that is a hinderance, but an aid.  The news here has a decidedly (CNN world, or the BBC) not US Political bent, and they do not report the news with a political slant leading either right or left. 

While it is true they do love and support Barack Obama, that is mostly because one entire administration had completely destroyed the view the international community had for us.  Obama has  begun to destroy that loss, and for that the people of the world have hope.  In truth, they think American politics is heavily sensationalized and not that relevant to ... well politics. 

But back to Osama bin Laden.

The news of this comes at a good time for the current administration, deflecting some of the negative press Obama has been facing over mounting gas prices and the sagging US economy.  For that reason I am leery about the timing, since it appears as if the CIA was "pretty certain" they knew where Osama had been hiding for months.  Not in a cave, but an luxury compound in a city about an hour away from the Afghanistan border.

We as Americans should be proud of the servicemen who fought in two wars because of the events of the tragic day that was 9/11.  We should be relieved that justice was finally done for the deaths of five thousand American citizens.

But happy?

Happy it is over yes, happy that he is dead... no.

Images of Americans celebrating on the streets over the death of Bin Laden and denouncing Islam are sending the wrong message to the world.  Bin Laden was hated by muslims almost as much as christians, he was a fanatic, an evil man who was twisted in his belief that he was fighting for his god in battling the Western Devil.  Leave Islam out of it.

I am currently living in a Muslim country, and I have only been congratulated that Bin Laden is dead.  He did not represent mainstream Islam.  For the most part they are a good people.  And while the locals may feel entitled that has more to do with them controlling the crack cocaine of the modern world than their belief in Allah. 

The Muslims who typically follow the tenants of radical Islam are typically the uneducated, farmers, herdsman and those who live in the more rural areas of the this part of the world (which I find ironic, since the very political party that attacks them garners some of its political strength from the very same in the US).  In all honesty they do not see the world as those with the internet or even TV would.  They are told what the world is about by holy men and they believe it... it is just unfortunate that so few have so much power over the many. 

Knowledge is our most powerful weapon against ignorance and hate.

As for politics back home...

Watching from the outside I have never seen a more profound, organized, well planned and thought out attack of one man in my life.  The right has systematically assaulted the image of our President.  On one hand they tell us we have to support our duly elected officials but one who does not support their ideals is elected it becomes their civic duty oppose them..

Sean Hannity, Glenn Beck and other right wing "newscasters" have painted this image of an almost mustache twirling villain who wakes up every morning, sits down for his coffee brewed from the blood of virgins and a bowl of babies for berakfast cackling madly as he plans the destruction of America.

It is their right to oppose an administration that they do not support.  Our men and women in uniform have died for centuries to assure that right.

But enough is enough.  Where is the compromise.  There is none, and because of this the American people are suffering for it.

The career politician is destroying America.

Being elected into public office should be a civic duty.  You should not go to college so you can be a politician, you should not be able to make a 30-40 year career in politics.  One should not become wealthy because of their civic service. 

At what point did our two massive political parties cease to represent their constituents and started to lead those good people by the nose?  Instead of our politicians listening to the will of America we are now bending to their will.

It is a sad state of affairs.

Almost makes me want to go into politics to make a difference, but a non college educated restaurant employee would be the laughing stock of the hill.

Plus, I respect myself to much to sink down to the level of the bottom feeders which are bleeding this country dry.

Please... I implore you.

Stop looking for your next appointments, or election...

Do the job we elected you to do... do it without hesitation, without fear of your "career". 

Alright... rant over.

Other than that I am doing great.  Work is good, and I have a couple big things on my plate at the moment that may have life changing repercussions.

Stay tuned.