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<channel>
	<title>Dan Allen &#187; family</title>
	<atom:link href="http://taoofdan.com/tag/family/feed/" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" />
	<link>http://taoofdan.com</link>
	<description>NYC-based producer and storyteller</description>
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		<title>What does Falluja mean in Arabic?</title>
		<link>http://taoofdan.com/2012/02/falluja-is-the-arabic-word-describing-what-happens-when-a-man-has-an-ejaculation/</link>
		<comments>http://taoofdan.com/2012/02/falluja-is-the-arabic-word-describing-what-happens-when-a-man-has-an-ejaculation/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 19 Feb 2012 17:44:39 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Dan Allen</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[politics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[wordplay]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[family]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://taoofdan.com/?p=81</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Falluja (or Ø§Ù„ÙÙ„ÙˆØ¬Ø©) is the Arabic word describing what happens when a man has an ejaculation. INSURGENTÂ® is a cleaning product designed specifically to eliminate falluja-related stains. Used in a sentence: Mother Dammit Billy, this better not be your falluja on the quilt your Grandmother made&#8230;I swear to God, you are buying the next bottle [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p></p><p>Falluja (<small>or</small> <big>Ø§Ù„ÙÙ„ÙˆØ¬Ø©</big>) is the Arabic word describing what happens when a man has an ejaculation.</p>
<p>INSURGENTÂ® is a cleaning product designed specifically to eliminate falluja-related stains.</p>
<p>Used in a sentence:</p>
<div align="center" style="font-family:courier new;"><strong>Mother</strong></div>
<div align="center" style="font-family:courier new;">Dammit Billy, this better not be your falluja on the quilt your Grandmother made&#8230;I swear to God, you are buying the next bottle of INSURGENTÂ®!</div>
]]></content:encoded>
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		<slash:comments>2</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Overheard Through My Window in Queens</title>
		<link>http://taoofdan.com/2012/01/overheard-through-my-window-in-queens/</link>
		<comments>http://taoofdan.com/2012/01/overheard-through-my-window-in-queens/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 15 Jan 2012 14:33:21 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Dan Allen</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[overheard nyc]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[people]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[family]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://taoofdan.com/?p=78</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[I couldn&#8217;t sleep last night because of the pain, and was elated to finally fall into slumber at the crack of dawn. Only to be awoken by annoying song birds, a woodpecker drilling another useless hole, a squirrel trying scrape his way through my thru-the-wall air conditioning unit, and little fucking boy hitting a concrete [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p></p><p>I couldn&#8217;t sleep last night because of the pain, and was elated to finally fall into slumber at the crack of dawn. Only to be awoken by annoying song birds, a woodpecker drilling another useless hole, a squirrel trying scrape his way through my thru-the-wall air conditioning unit, and little fucking boy hitting a concrete wall with a sledge hammer.</p>
<div style="text-align: center; font-weight: bold; font-family:courier new;">Queens Father</div>
<div style="text-align: center;  font-family:courier new;">That&#8217;s it, Jimmy! Keep hitting it!</div>
<p></p>
<div style="text-align: center; font-weight: bold; font-family:courier new;">Queens Kid</div>
<div style="text-align: center; font-family:courier new;">I&#8217;m gettin&#8217; tired, Dad.</div>
<p></p>
<div style="text-align: center; font-weight: bold; font-family:courier new;">Queens Father</div>
<div style="text-align: center; font-family:courier new;">Quit yer whinen&#8217; and keep swingin&#8217;</div>
<p></p>
<div style="text-align: center; font-weight: bold; font-family:courier new;">Queens Mother</div>
<div style="text-align: center;  font-family:courier new;">Come on, Frankie. Give him a break!</div>
<p></p>
<div style="text-align: center; font-weight: bold;  font-family:courier new;">Queens Father</div>
<div style="text-align: center; font-family:courier new;">Hey, Womens-Lib you want to come out here?</div>
<p>
Please free me from my prison.</p>
]]></content:encoded>
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		<item>
		<title>WYSIWYG TALENT SHOW</title>
		<link>http://taoofdan.com/2011/12/ill-be-reading-tonight/</link>
		<comments>http://taoofdan.com/2011/12/ill-be-reading-tonight/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 25 Dec 2011 12:10:21 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Dan Allen</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[stories]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[family]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[virgin]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://taoofdan.com/2006/11/15/ill-be-reading-tonight/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[I read this at]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p></p><p>I read this at <a href="http://www.wysiwygtalentshow.org""><b>WYSIWYG TALENT SHOW</b></a><br />
<br />
Bowery Poetry Club<br />
<br />
308 Bowery<br />
WED | Nov 16th | 8:00PM</p>
<p>Five years ago, my ex-girlfriendâ€™s father generously gave us a seven day ski vacation at the Snowshoe Resort in West Virginia for Christmas. He paid for the hotel, lift tickets, and the snowboard rental. All we had to pay for was transportation and food. This was fantastic; unfortunately I grew up in Texas and didnâ€™t have any ski gear. So I went down to Sports Authority to see what I could buy with my limited funds. Since it was a December 26th, I had spent most of my money on presents. I only had about a hundred fifty bucks to spend. Hatâ€”$15, glovesâ€”$30, gogglesâ€”$30, thermalsâ€”$20, ski pantsâ€”$50â€¦fuck! That only left five dollars for a winter coat. I was born in Daytona Beach and raised in San Antonio and had zero body fat. They could have used my legs as doubles in the movie <em>Warm Springs</em> about FDRâ€™s battle with polio. My chances for survival looked bleak. I needed a coat. Fortunately, the sales clerk was a guy named Ron, a snowboarder/surfer burn-out who hated his job. He suggested that I pick any jacket out and just return it for a refund when I get back. I told him that I would feel weird abusing their return policy and would hate for anyone to question my integrity.</p>
<p>Ron said, â€œFuck them, they only pay me six dollars an hour. Do it for me.â€</p>
<p>He said it with such eloquence and conviction that it was difficult to say, â€œNo.â€</p>
<p>Since the ski season had already begun, the selection was sparse. Especially, since I needed a Size XL-T, the <em>O negative</em> in the winter coat world.</p>
<p>We finally found a bright, canary yellow ColumbiaÂ® jacket. The sales tag priced it at three hundred dollars or two hundred ninety-five dollars over my budget.</p>
<p><img id="image566" src="http://taoofdan.com/wp-content/uploads/2006/11/06columbia-jacket_s.jpg" alt="06columbia-jacket_s.jpg" /></p>
<p>Ron smiled and said, â€œIt looks a little faggy, but itâ€™ll keep you warm.â€</p>
<p>â€œThanks, you sure it wonâ€™t be a problemâ€</p>
<p>â€œNo, man. People do it all the time. Shit, one dude brought back socks.â€</p>
<p>â€œOkay, Iâ€™ll see you in a week.â€</p>
<p>Since I never snowboarded before, it was extremely difficult to keep the jacket off the ground. I would have to estimate that in the first 48 hours, I was on the on my back for 93% of the time. Not to mention, my biological cooling system responds to cardiovascular activities by activating by sweat glands. Over a course of five days, my taxi yellow coat absorbed the equivalent of a forty ounce bottle of Old English 800Â®.</p>
<p>To make matters worse, I felt like I had joined a gang. Not like The Outlaws, the Bloods, or the Crips. Nor like Danny Zucoâ€™s The Thunderbirds or The Sharks from <em>West Side Story</em>. My yellow ColumbiaÂ® jacket â€œgangâ€ consisted of used car salesmen, well-funded NASCAR fans, and un-hip middle-aged men called The Douchebags.</p>
<p>My cousin Todd called me and asked me to cut my vacation short because our family pawn shop was being swamped with post-Christmas customers. Including me, we only had four people running the store, so I agreed to drive back to Virginia Beach. He was worried because of an incoming blizzard the next day that would prolong my return.</p>
<p>My girlfriend and her family tried to dissuade me from leaving in the middle of the night.<br />
I didnâ€™t want to get snowed in the next morning, so I loaded up my girlfriendâ€™s 1990 Jeep Cherokee and began my treacherous descent down the winding mountain road. When I was a quarter of the way down, I started to see small flurries. In a matter of minutes, I was blinded by a cyclone of ice.</p>
<p>I gripped the steering wheel with my left hand and down shifted to second gear with my right. In tense situations, I had a bad habit of licking my lips to soothe my nerves. When I was a kid my nickname was â€œHot Lipsâ€ because my adolescent anxieties chapped my lips. This moment redefined the word, tense. My brain responded by sliding my tongue from the 9 oâ€™clock position with the intention of sliding to the 3 oâ€™clock position in one fluid motion. However, when my tongue reached high noon, directly underneath my nose, it slithered back inside my mouth without warning because of an unexpected salty flavor. It tasted brackish and metallic. I looked into the mirror and was frightened by my gruesome reflection.</p>
<p>The change in elevation had turned my nose into a faucet of blood. I tried to look around for a napkin or towel. I had to improvise with a Wendyâ€™sÂ® bag and a grocery receipt. They both proved to be non-absorbent and rendered them useless. I was concentrating so hard on stopping the salty, crimson cascade that I forgot I was still driving in a blizzard. I suddenly noticed a Suburban 4&#215;4 up ahead spinning out of control, engulfed by an invisible tornado. It finally swirled to stop on the side of the road. Fortunately, no one got hurtâ€”shaken not slain.</p>
<p>I would have stopped but it would have been more dangerous to slam on the brakes, so I had to selfishly pass them by. Sorry. Darwinâ€™s Theory is that stronger species descend by modification. Future Man is being modified by apathy, emasculation, and self-interest. Anthropologist in the year 3030 A.D. will discover that I was the link between <em>Homo Sapien</em> and <em>Homo Cowardus</em>.</p>
<p>My salvation came when a general store appeared in the distance. I pulled into a parking space, jumped out of my car, took off my stained jacket, laid it on the hood, and went to the entrance. To my misfortune, the door was locked and had a hand-scrawled sign on the door that stated, â€œIâ€™ll Be Back Tomorrowâ€. I found a bottle of water in the Jeep and began pouring it on the jacket and started to scrub it with my hat. I felt like Lady MacBeth, frantically trying to remove the dreaded spots.</p>
<p><img id="image567" src="http://taoofdan.com/wp-content/uploads/2006/11/macbeth.jpg" alt="macbeth.jpg" /></p>
<p>My coat started to illuminate as if a ray of holy light was cast down by the heavens above. Being agnostic, I was taken aback by this and didnâ€™t know how to interpret this â€œmiracleâ€. Then entire Jeep lit up, my shadow grew larger on the hood, I turned around to be blinded by retina-roasting halogen lights from the Suburban 4&#215;4 that I had left stranded. Once they parked, I rushed over to their tinted passenger side window. Someone had triggered the automatic window lever and it slowly slid down to reveal a family of four from Pennsylvania.</p>
<p>As I was about to ask for a towel or more water, the window went up twice as fast as had came down. The driver rammed the gear selector in reverse, slammed his foot on the accelerator, and the ass-end of the Suburban exploded way from the parking lot. They had successfully managed a 180Â° turn. Now perpendicular to the road, the driver cranked the wheel to the right and sped down the hill like he possessed by a suicide bomber with his eyes glazed over with visions of forty virgins and the embrace of Allah.</p>
<p>I didnâ€™t understand what happened. Yes, I can understand there animosity for me for not helping them in their time of need, but that was an extremely bizarre response to witness.<br />
What had I done to invoke such a shocking reaction? Confused, I went back to my pain-staking, hand-numbing task of cleaning my three hundred dollar â€œleasedâ€ jacket. Somehow I managed to get the blood out. After that episode, the rest of the descent down the mountain seemed like whimsical stroll on the beach.</p>
<p>Once back in Virginia Beach, I had the jacket professionally dry cleaned and went to the customer service counter of Sports Authority. I sheepishly told the clerk that I didnâ€™t like the jacket and wanted a refund. She seemed unconvinced and stared at me with a sneered look of skepticism like I had just told her I was Elvis. I bit my lip, casually looked away, did a little drum tap on the counter, looked at my watch, looked at their clock on the wall, clicked my tongue on the top of my mouth, nodded my head, looked at the ceilingâ€¦and she still just stood there staring at my waiting for me to break.</p>
<p>Fuck that, I hated that jacket. It was tense for a few minutes, but the line started to grow, so she succumbed and began the refund process.</p>
<p>Then Ron walked by and said, â€œHey, dude! Glad you made it back! Heard thereâ€™s been some crazy serial killer cutting people up and tying them to ski lifts.â€</p>
<p>â€œWhat are you talking about?â€, I asked.</p>
<p>â€œYou know, like Jeffrey Dahmer and shitâ€¦heâ€™s been doing for a month now. I didnâ€™t want to scare you before you went up.â€</p>
<p>â€œThanks.â€</p>
<p>â€œOh yeah, good thing you returned that jacketâ€¦the news is saying that the police are looking for a guy in a yellow jacket.â€</p>
<p>It all made sense. Each event in the space-time continuum is multi-faceted. It glistens differently depending on which angle you view it. The family of four from Pennsylvania freaked the fuck out, because a serial killer with a yellow jacket, blood soaked goatee was about to kill them.</p>
<p>Life is all about perspective.</p>
]]></content:encoded>
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		</item>
		<item>
		<title>If Leia and Luke had a Child</title>
		<link>http://taoofdan.com/2011/11/if-leia-and-luke-had-a-child/</link>
		<comments>http://taoofdan.com/2011/11/if-leia-and-luke-had-a-child/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 27 Nov 2011 10:57:55 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Dan Allen</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[favorites]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[sci-fi]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[family]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[school]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://localhost/wordpress/?p=5</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[One year after Emperor Palpatineâ€™s death (1 A.B.Y) Ancient Massassi temple on Yavin IV (Fourth moon of Yavin) Medical facility in the New Republic base 2-1B MEDICAL DROID His midi-clorians level is off the charts, over 21,000. Unfortunately, he also has an extra chromosome. LEIA What does that mean, Two Onebee? 2-1B It means he [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p></p><div style="font-family:courier new; font-style:italic;">
One year after Emperor Palpatineâ€™s death (1 A.B.Y)<br />
<br />
Ancient Massassi temple on Yavin IV (Fourth moon of Yavin)<br />
<br />
Medical facility in the New Republic base
</div>
<p>
<img src="http://www.sith.nl/multimedia/characters/medical_droid/medica%7E1.jpg" /><br />
</p>
<div align="center" style="font-family:courier new;font-style:italic">
<strong>2-1B MEDICAL DROID</strong></div>
<div align="center" style="font-family:courier new;">His <a href="http://www.answers.com/main/ntquery?method=4&#038;dsid=2222&amp;dekey=Midi-clorians&#038;gwp=8&amp;curtab=2222_1"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">midi-clorians</span></a> level is <span style="font-style: italic;">off the charts</span>, over 21,000. Unfortunately, he also has an extra chromosome.</div>
<p></p>
<div align="center" style="font-family:courier new;"><strong>LEIA</strong></div>
<div align="center" style="font-family:courier new;">What does that mean, Two Onebee?</div>
<p></p>
<div align="center" style="font-family:courier new;"><strong>2-1B</strong></div>
<div align="center" style="font-family:courier new;">It means he has the innate ability to use the Force, but will have Downâ€™s Syndrome as well.</div>
<p></p>
<div align="center" style="font-family:courier new;font-style:italic"><strong>LUKE and LEIA</strong></div>
<div align="center" style="font-family:courier new;">NOOOOOO!</div>
<p></p>
<div align="center" style="font-family:courier new;font-style:italic"><strong>LEIA</strong></div>
<div align="center" style="font-family:courier new;">Oh, Luke! What are we going to do?</div>
<p></p>
<div align="center" style="font-family:courier new"><strong>R2-D2</strong></div>
<div align="center" style="font-family:courier new;">(whirrrr-chirp-whistle-beeeeep-beep-whistle-blip-whirr)</div>
<p></p>
<div align="center" style="font-family:courier new;"><strong>C3-PO</strong></div>
<div align="center" style="font-family:courier new;">Behave R2, it isn&#8217;t polite to call Master Skywalker&#8217;s son a <span style="font-style: italic;">retarded</span> Jedi.</div>
<p></p>
<div align="center" style="font-family:courier new;"><strong>HAN</strong></p>
<div align="center" style="font-family:courier new;">
(smirks)Polite? This is history in the making. R2&#8242;s right. You&#8217;re son is going to be the first retarded Jedi.</div>
<p></p>
<div align="center" style="font-family:courier new;"><strong>LEIA</strong></div>
<div align="center" style="font-family:courier new;">You&#8217;re an asshole, Solo!</div>
<p></p>
<div align="center" style="font-family:courier new;"><strong>HAN</strong></div>
<div align="center" style="font-family:courier new;">Hey! Your Holy Highness of the Universe, if you would have fallen for me and not Golden Boy, you two wouldn&#8217;t be in this mess.</div>
<p></p>
<div align="center" style="font-family:courier new;"><strong>LUKE</strong></div>
<div align="center" style="font-family:courier new;">Cool it, Han! I won her fair and square.</div>
<p></p>
<div align="center" style="font-family:courier new;"><strong>HAN</strong></div>
<div align="center" style="font-family:courier new;">Won her?! I don&#8217;t know how things work on a moisture farm, but sisters are off limits where I come from, no matter how hot she is. Wookies do it, but their animals.</div>
<p></p>
<div align="center" style="font-family:courier new;"><strong>CHEWBACCA</strong></div>
<div align="center" style="font-family:courier new;">ARRRGHHHHHHH!!!!</div>
<p></p>
<div align="center" style="font-family:courier new;"><strong>HAN</strong></div>
<div align="center" style="font-family:courier new;">Shut up ya big baby, stop acting like an overstuffed Ewok.</div>
<p></p>
<div align="center" style="font-family:courier new;"><strong>CHEWBACCA</strong></p>
<div align="center" style="font-family:courier new;">GRRRRRRRRRRRR!</div>
<p></p>
<div align="center" style="font-family:courier new;"><strong>HAN</strong></div>
<div align="center" style="font-family:courier new;">Now you&#8217;re acting retarded.</div>
<p></p>
<div align="center" style="font-family:courier new;"><strong>LUKE</strong></div>
<div align="center" style="font-family:courier new;">Stop saying, &#8216;Retarded.&#8217;</div>
<p></p>
<div align="center" style="font-family:courier new;"><strong>HAN</strong></div>
<div align="center" style="font-family:courier new;">Why, because your son&#8217;s retar&#8230;</div>
<p></p>
<div align="left" style="font-family:courier new;font-style:italic;"><strong>LUKE</strong> activates his lightsaber. <strong>HAN</strong> unholsters his blaster pistol.</div>
<div style="font-family:courier new;font-style:italic">(to be CONT&#8217;D in the <strong>Episode VII The Force Goes On</strong>)</div>
<div align="left" style="font-family:courier new;font-style:italic">
Fifteen years later (15 A.B.Y.)<br />
<br />
Coruscant, capital of the New Republic<br />
<br />
Jar-Jar Binks High School Locker Room
</div>
<p><img src="http://content.answers.com/main/content/wp/en/thumb/7/7d/300px-Coruscant.jpg" /><br />
</p>
<div align="center" style="font-family:courier new;"><strong>JOCK #1</strong></div>
<div align="center" style="font-family:courier new;">Hey retard, heard you couldn&#8217;t get into your Dad&#8217;s Temple on Yavin 4?</div>
<div align="center" style="font-family:courier new;"><strong>CORKY SKYWALKER</strong></div>
<div align="center" style="font-family:courier new;">Quit it.</div>
<p></p>
<div align="center" style="font-family:courier new;"><strong>JOCK #1</strong></div>
<div align="center" style="font-family:courier new;">What are you goin&#8217; to do? Huh?</div>
<p></p>
<div align="center" style="font-family:courier new;"><strong>CORKY SKYWALKER</strong></div>
<div align="center" style="font-family:courier new;">Cut it out.</div>
<p></p>
<div align="center" style="font-family:courier new;"><strong>JOCK #2</strong></div>
<div align="center" style="font-family:courier new;">Be careful, he can crush your trachea with his mind.</div>
<p></p>
<div align="center" style="font-family:courier new;"><strong>JOCK #1<br />
</strong>I ain&#8217;t scared of a retar&#8230; </div>
<p></p>
<div align="left" style="font-family:courier new;font-style:italic"><strong>CORKY SKYWALKER</strong> extends his right hand out. <strong>JOCK #1</strong> drops to his knees, clasps his neck, and begins to choke. </div>
<p></p>
<div align="center" style="font-family:courier new;"><strong>JOCK #2</strong></p>
<div align="center" style="font-family:courier new;">Stop! You&#8217;re going to kill him.<br />
</p>
<div align="left" style="font-family:courier new;font-style:italic"><strong>JOCK #2</strong> lunges forward. <strong>CORKY</strong> waves his left arm out in a sweeping arc motion and effortlessly hurls <strong>JOCK #2</strong> backwards with the Force. <strong>JOCK #1</strong> dies and his lifeless body slumps forward.<br />
</p>
<div align="left" style="font-family:courier new;font-style:italic">Camera zooms into <strong>CORKY</strong>&#8216;s face and shows his eye color transform into yellow. Darth Vader&#8217;s theme music plays in the background. Scene fades.<br />
<br />
(to be CONT&#8217;D in <strong>Episode VIII Darth Tardo Strikes Back</strong>)
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
]]></content:encoded>
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		<item>
		<title>Transamerica</title>
		<link>http://taoofdan.com/2011/11/transamerica/</link>
		<comments>http://taoofdan.com/2011/11/transamerica/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 27 Nov 2011 07:42:05 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Dan Allen</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[entertainment]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[politics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[family]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[school]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://taoofdan.com/2007/11/08/transamerica/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[I was asked to blog in the voice of Bill O&#8217; Reilly. Here&#8217;s my 6/4/07 entry: I couldnâ€™t stop thinking about AC last night. She consumes my thoughts. Imagining her whispering right-wing rhetoric into my ear at night makes my body quiver like a little Asian schoolgirl. As a teenager I use to watch the [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p></p><p>I was asked to blog in the voice of <a href="http://www.newsgroper.com/bill-oreilly/2007/06/04/transamerica/">Bill O&#8217; Reilly</a>.</p>
<p>Here&#8217;s my 6/4/07 entry:</p>
<p>I couldnâ€™t stop thinking about AC last night. She consumes my thoughts. Imagining her whispering right-wing rhetoric into my ear at night makes my body quiver like a little Asian schoolgirl. As a teenager I use to watch the <em>The Addamâ€™s Family</em> and would get an erection anytime Morticia would speak French into Gomezâ€™s ear. </p>
<p><center><img src='http://taoofdan.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/06/morticia3.jpg' alt='morticia3.jpg' /></center></p>
<blockquote><p>&#8220;When I first saw you from afar, My heart flamed with fierce passion. And when you spoke French, ooh-la-la!&#8230;&#8221;</p></blockquote>
<p>Except, I would puke if she spoke in the guttural, non-coherent, amphibious language of freedom-haters.  Not to mention AC&#8217;s spectacular boobs arouse me more than any FOX intern Iâ€™ve ever met or hired. Not that I would ever suggest that I would hire a person solely on the size of their mammary glands (but it always helps â˜º). </p>
<p>After Googling her for hours and drinking a Viagra cocktail and listening to my favorite Kenny Rogers CD, I felt weird and a little stalker-ey. You know <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Foley"><strong>Mark Foley</strong></a>-ish but with a woman not a page (although Iâ€™m sure that some liberal made him do it. Read <a href="http://gaypatriot.net/2006/10/02/was-mark-foley-set-up-by-gay-hating-democrats"><strong>here</strong></a>). </p>
<p>My eyes ached, my lower back was killing me and I felt my mouse finger cramping up so I decided to go to bed. However, AC is my crack. I needed one more hit. So as I began my ritual of clearing my history trail so my wife wouldnâ€™t know what I was trolling the Web, I was unable to control my fingers as they typed â€œA** C****** sexyâ€ into the search box. I was shocked and confused when one of the results was titled, â€œ<a href="http://www.gaia-kat.addr.com/Entropic/happybirthday/lewiscarroll.htm">C****** Comes Out as Transvestite Trickster</a>â€.  </p>
<p><img src='http://taoofdan.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/06/picture-2.png' alt='picture-2.png' /></p>
<p>The reason I was &#8220;shocked and confused&#8221; was because my state of arousal heightened, my face became flush and my heart raced. It all made sense. I never could understand how a <em>woman</em> could be able to produce such wonderful ideas and be my equal in the war against liberal <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SCeqZLrhkvQ"><strong>faggots</strong></a>. </p>
<p>I passed out on the couch in my study and dreamed that we made sweet love. Iâ€™ll let you guess who was the top and who was the bottom.</p>
<p><img src='http://taoofdan.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/06/brokebacktruck.jpg' alt='brokebacktruck.jpg' /></p>
<p>(Hint: Jack was my favorite character)</p>
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		<title>jpegs, mpegs, and who-gives-a-fuck-pegs.</title>
		<link>http://taoofdan.com/2011/10/53/</link>
		<comments>http://taoofdan.com/2011/10/53/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 02 Oct 2011 00:04:55 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Dan Allen</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[technology]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[family]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://taoofdan.com/?p=53</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[At my brotherâ€™s wedding in Texas, I was the only one without a digital camera. I felt like I was at a farmerâ€™s market, watching everybody showing their produce. Shoot, pose, showâ€¦pose, shoot, showâ€¦show, shoot, pose. A monotonous Factory of Fun. The â€œPresentâ€ was slipping away, while everyone was peering into the â€œPastâ€. â€œLike sands [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p></p><p>At my brotherâ€™s wedding in Texas, I was the only one without a digital camera. I felt like I was at a farmerâ€™s market, watching everybody showing their produce. Shoot, pose, showâ€¦pose, shoot, showâ€¦show, shoot, pose. A monotonous Factory of Fun. The â€œPresentâ€ was slipping away, while everyone was peering into the â€œPastâ€. â€œLike sands through an hour glass, these are the Days of Our Livesâ€</p>
<p>Our lives have been digitally compartmentalized into emails, txt msgs, jpegs, mpegs, and who-gives-a-fuck-pegs.</p>
<p>I used to feel smart because I was the only one who could email an attachment. I was the chosen one. The Prodigy Son, who could decipher Microsoftâ€™s hieroglyphics. When I enlightened them with the â€œPaper Clip Iconâ€, I immediately became a computer guru.<br />
Now any jackass with hands and a heartbeat can operate a computer. However, their ignorance usually surfaces when they try to verbalize their tech knowledge.</p>
<div align="center"><strong><span style="font-family:courier new;">COUNTRY BUMPKIN</span></strong></div>
<div align="center"><span style="font-family:courier new;"> I sure do love my five megapistol camera, only thing is, it makes the g-pegs too big and it eats up my forty gigatyte hard drive.</span></div>
<p>Gigatytes!! What the hell are gigatytes?! The only thing tight is their pants that are holding in their mammoth hillbilly belly.</p>
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		<title>Germans were Against War with Iraq</title>
		<link>http://taoofdan.com/2011/08/germans-were-against-war-with-iraq/</link>
		<comments>http://taoofdan.com/2011/08/germans-were-against-war-with-iraq/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 20 Aug 2011 20:11:10 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Dan Allen</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[international]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[family]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://taoofdan.com/?p=193</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[When German Chancellor Gerhard SchrÃ¶der declared &#8220;Nein zum Irak-Krieg&#8221; (&#8220;No to war in Iraq&#8220;), pro-war Americans and Brits were appalled by Deutschland&#8217;s cowardice. I see it differently. If you compared war to alcohol, Germans are like your recently sobered uncle who suffered from alcoholism for decades. Now imagine if your family was ridiculing him for [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p></p><p>When German Chancellor Gerhard SchrÃ¶der declared &#8220;Nein zum Irak-Krieg&#8221; (&#8220;<em>No to war in Iraq</em>&#8220;), pro-war Americans and Brits were appalled by Deutschland&#8217;s cowardice.</p>
<p>I see it differently.</p>
<p>If you compared war to alcohol, Germans are like your recently sobered uncle who suffered from alcoholism for decades. Now imagine if your family was ridiculing him for not loosening up at a family wedding. The last thing you want a recovering alcoholic is to hop back on the wagon, especially because of peer pressure. Maybe Americans can drink a case of Budweiser or the English can be satisfied with a few pints of Guinness, but Germans will drain a bottle of JÃ¤germeister.</p>
<p>Citizens of Sudetenland, beware!</p>
<p>Perhaps WWII could have been averted if Woodrow Wilson would have issued the Twelve Step program rather than his Fourteen Points program in 1918 after WWI.</p>
<p>Once a waroholic, always waroholic.</p>
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		<title>Proper Etiquette of Toothpicking Cheese Cubes 101</title>
		<link>http://taoofdan.com/2011/04/proper-etiquette-of-toothpicking-cheese-cube-101/</link>
		<comments>http://taoofdan.com/2011/04/proper-etiquette-of-toothpicking-cheese-cube-101/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 09 Apr 2011 07:44:30 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Dan Allen</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[favorites]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[food]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[overheard nyc]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[family]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://taoofdan.com/?p=430</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[I played basketball today and realized I was extremely hungry. I dipped into Gourmet Garage to buy something to eat. I didn&#8217;t know what I wanted, so I roamed aimlessly around until I found something. Luckily, The cheese department had five platters of cheese cubes with a cup of toothpicks. Famished, I plucked out a [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p></p><p><img id="image466" src="http://taoofdan.com/wp-content/uploads/2006/06/cheese.jpg" alt="cheese.jpg" /></p>
<p>I played <a href="http://astoriabasketball.blogspot.com"><strong>basketball</strong></a> today and realized I was extremely hungry. I dipped into <a href="http://www.gourmetgarage.com/">Gourmet Garage</a> to buy something to eat. I didn&#8217;t know what I wanted, so I roamed aimlessly around until I found something. </p>
<p>Luckily, The cheese department had five platters of cheese cubes with a cup of toothpicks.</p>
<p>Famished, I plucked out a cube and bit it off the end of the toothpick. I sucked off the lingering smokey flavor that seemed infused into the wood. Still starving, I went to the next tray, then the next, then the next and finally hit the last tray and felt a pang of guilt for eating so much cheese for free. Then out of nowhere, some Botoxed Upper Eastsider bitch felt she needed to teach me some manners.</p>
<div style="text-align: center; font-weight: bold; font-family:courier new;"><strong>UPPER EASTSIDER BITCH</strong></div>
<div style="text-align: center; font-family:courier new;">
(<em>condescendingly</em>) That&#8217;s extremely unsanitary.</div>
<p></p>
<div style="text-align: center; font-weight: bold; font-family:courier new;"><strong>ME</strong></div>
<div style="text-align: center; font-family:courier new;">
What? Are you talking you me?</div>
<p></p>
<div style="text-align: center; font-weight: bold; font-family:courier new;"><strong>UPPER EASTSIDER BITCH</strong></div>
<div style="text-align: center; font-family:courier new;">
Just so you know&#8230;you should use a new toothpick for each cube.</div>
<p></p>
<div style="text-align: center; font-weight: bold; font-family:courier new;"><strong>ME</strong></div>
<div style="text-align: center; font-family:courier new;">
What are you talking about? I carefully pierced each cube individually. Why is that unsanitary?
</div>
<p></p>
<div style="text-align: center; font-weight: bold; font-family:courier new;">UPPER EASTSIDER BITCH</div>
<div style="text-align: center; font-family:courier new;">
No. You&#8217;re wrong. I just wanted to let you know. (<em>she then <a href="http://taoofdan.com/?p=287"><strong>passertively</strong></a> walks away to the olive section</em>)</div>
<p></p>
<div style="text-align: center; font-weight: bold; font-family:courier new;"><strong>ME</strong></div>
<div style="text-align: center; font-family:courier new;">
(<em>I followed her</em>) No, I&#8217;m not wrong. Don&#8217;t leave now. You felt comfortable enough to comment on my eating habits. Please, I implore you to enlighten me why I am &#8220;wrong&#8221;.</div>
<p></p>
<div style="text-align: center; font-weight: bold; font-family:courier new;"><strong>UPPER EASTSIDER BITCH</strong></div>
<div style="text-align: center; font-family:courier new;">
(<em>visibly shaken but still condescending</em>) You were wrong and that was disgusting. Don&#8217;t do that again. (<em>she quickly beelines it to the butchers</em>)</div>
<p></p>
<div style="text-align: center; font-weight: bold; font-family:courier new;"><strong>ME</strong></div>
<div style="text-align: center; font-family:courier new;">(<em>enraged</em>) You&#8217;re a fucking lunatic, lady!</div>
<p>
Another woman pushed her cart directly in between the Upper Eastsider Bitch and me. She was shocked by my expletive statement. I told her the dialogue I had exchanged with the crazy lady. Fortunately, she agreed with me (<small>but I suspect she wanted an easy out of the situation</small>) Then I proceeded to talk to each person and stated my case. Oddly, everyone agreed with me. I realize now that I probably scared everyone I encountered.</p>
<p>The paradox of calling someone a &#8220;fucking lunatic&#8221; to everyone who walks by because that particular person didn&#8217;t like how you ate cheese makes you look like a &#8220;fucking lunatic&#8221;.</p>
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		<title>M*A*S*H is a valid mathematical statement</title>
		<link>http://taoofdan.com/2011/03/mash-is-a-valid-mathematical-statement/</link>
		<comments>http://taoofdan.com/2011/03/mash-is-a-valid-mathematical-statement/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 26 Mar 2011 06:39:58 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Dan Allen</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[mathematics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[family]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[virgin]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://taoofdan.com/?p=20</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[M mass (m) A acceleration (a) S displacement/distance (s) H height (h) If Newtonâ€™s Second Law states: Force equals mass times acceleration (F=ma), then m Ã— a = Force Displacement and height are lengths. If you multiply two lengths together, you would create a surface area. s Ã— h = Surface Area So, (m Ã— [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p></p><p>M<br />
mass (<em>m</em>)</p>
<p>A<br />
acceleration (<em>a</em>)</p>
<p>S<br />
displacement/distance (<em>s</em>)</p>
<p>H<br />
height (<em>h</em>)</p>
<p>If Newtonâ€™s Second Law states: Force equals mass times acceleration (F=ma),</p>
<p>then<em><br />
m</em> <span style="font-family:georgia;">Ã—</span> <em>a</em> = Force</p>
<p>Displacement and height are lengths. If you multiply two lengths together, you would create a surface area.</p>
<p><em>s</em> <span style="font-family:georgia;">Ã—</span> <em>h </em>= Surface Area<br />
So,</p>
<p>(m <span style="font-family:georgia;">Ã—</span> <em>a</em><span style="font-family:georgia;">)</span><em>(s</em> <span style="font-family:georgia;">Ã—</span> <em>h) = </em>Force <span style="font-family:georgia;">Ã—</span>  Surface area</p>
<p>Force <span style="font-family:georgia;">Ã—</span>  Surface Area = Pressure</p>
<p><a name="P0337900"></a><strong>presÂ·sure </strong><br />
<strong>n.</strong><br />
Force applied uniformly over a surface, measured as force per unit of area.</p>
<p><strong>mash</strong><br />
<strong>n.</strong><br />
A crushing or grinding</p>
<p>
Tasmanian devils have 300 pounds per square inch of bite.</p>
<p><span style="font-size:78%;">I must remind readers that I was a <a href="http://taoofdan.blogspot.com/2004/12/ten-reasons-why-i-was-virgin-until-i.html">virgin</a> until I was 21</span></p>
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		<title>Bush&#8217;s Wall against Mexico is 89 Years Too Late</title>
		<link>http://taoofdan.com/2011/01/zimmerman-telegraph-interception-in-wwi/</link>
		<comments>http://taoofdan.com/2011/01/zimmerman-telegraph-interception-in-wwi/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 29 Jan 2011 03:21:35 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Dan Allen</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[history]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[family]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://taoofdan.com/?p=29</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Zimmerman Telegraph Interception in WWI A forgotten fact about WWI is the interception of the Zimmerman Telegraph. Germany wanted to divert the US away from the war overseas. So their Foreign Secretary Arthur Zimmerman instructed the German ambassador Heinrich von Eckardt via a telegram to convince Mexico to attack the United States. It was VERY [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p></p><p>Zimmerman Telegraph Interception in WWI</p>
<p>A forgotten fact about WWI is the interception of the Zimmerman Telegraph. Germany wanted to divert the US away from the war overseas. So their Foreign Secretary Arthur Zimmerman instructed the German ambassador Heinrich von Eckardt via a telegram to convince Mexico to attack the United States.</p>
<p>It was VERY tempting for the Mexican president, Venustiano Carranza. Obviously, Mexico was still pissed off from losing Texas after decimating their army of 186 men at the Battle of the Alamo. But wisely they decided to stay neutral.</p>
<p><img style= "width: 350px;" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/c/ce/Ztel1b.jpg" /><br />
<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/7/7e/Zimmermann-telegramm-offen.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 350px;" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/7/7e/Zimmermann-telegramm-offen.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a></p>
<p>The last thing the citizens of Mexico wanted to do was to empower Texans with the right to legally kill <a href="http://taoofdan.blogspot.com/2004/08/society-has-demonized-word-mexican.html">Mexicans</a>. </p>
<p>In recent news, the <a href="http://www.gnn.tv/articles/1360/Arizona_Dream">Minutemen of Texas</a> have convinced themselves that during Saddamâ€™s reign, the Prime Minister of Iraq, Iyad Allawi e-mailed the Mexican government to attack Texas.</p>
<p>They refer to it as the â€œAllawi E-mail Interception.&#8221;</p>
<div style="text-align: center; font-weight: bold; font-family:courier new;"><strong>GOVERNOR OF TEXAS</strong></div>
<div style="text-align: center; font-family:courier new;"> Fellow Texans, Bush has officially declared war against Mexico.</div>
<p></p>
<div style="text-align: center; font-weight: bold; font-family:courier new;"><strong>BORDER PATROL OFFICER</strong></div>
<div style="text-align: center; font-family:courier new;"> You got to be shittinâ€™ me boy. We can kill them without gettingâ€™ in trouble. Halleluiah! There is a God.</div>
<p></p>
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		<title>Keeping Up with The Joneses</title>
		<link>http://taoofdan.com/2010/12/keeping-up-with-the-joneses/</link>
		<comments>http://taoofdan.com/2010/12/keeping-up-with-the-joneses/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 24 Dec 2010 23:07:19 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Dan Allen</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[technology]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[family]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://taoofdan.com/?p=285</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[SALES CLERK Would you like to see the new iPodÂ® nano? ME No, thanks. I just bought a portable CD player last week. SALES CLERK What? Where? Used? It had to be at a pawn shop. ME Nope. Brand new. It&#8217;s awesome. Has a built in pager, takes PolaroidÂ® pictures, and came with a VHS [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p></p><div style="text-align: center; font-weight: bold; font-family:courier new;">SALES CLERK</div>
<div style="text-align: center; font-family:courier new;">Would you like to see the new iPodÂ® nano?</div>
<p></p>
<div style="text-align: center; font-weight: bold; font-family:courier new;">ME</div>
<div style="text-align: center; font-family:courier new;">No, thanks. I just bought a portable CD player last week.</div>
<p></p>
<div style="text-align: center; font-weight: bold; font-family:courier new;">SALES CLERK</div>
<div style="text-align: center; font-family:courier new;">What? Where? Used? It had to be at a pawn shop.</div>
<p></p>
<div style="text-align: center; font-weight: bold; font-family:courier new;">ME</div>
<div style="text-align: center; font-family:courier new;">Nope. Brand new. It&#8217;s awesome. Has a built in pager, takes PolaroidÂ® pictures, and came with a VHS analog adapter.</div>
<p>
<img id="image563" src="http://taoofdan.com/wp-content/uploads/2006/11/anapageroid.jpg" alt="anapageroid.jpg" /></p>
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		<title>Why Did Yoda Die So Young?</title>
		<link>http://taoofdan.com/2010/11/why-did-yoda-die-so-young/</link>
		<comments>http://taoofdan.com/2010/11/why-did-yoda-die-so-young/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 26 Nov 2010 20:07:58 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Dan Allen</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[religion]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[sci-fi]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[drugs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[family]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://taoofdan.com/?p=26</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Yoda was a creature called a Gherkin with an average life expectancy of 1000 years. At age 877 years old, he fought a stalemate battle with Emperor Palpatine, the most powerful Sith Lord in the universe. He exiled himself to the swampy planet of Dagobah and was able avoid detection from Darth Vader and Emperor [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p></p><p>Yoda was a creature called a Gherkin with an average life expectancy of 1000 years.</p>
<p>At age 877 years old, he fought a stalemate battle with Emperor Palpatine, the most powerful Sith Lord in the universe.</p>
<p>He exiled himself to the swampy planet of Dagobah and was able avoid detection from Darth Vader and Emperor Palpatine because a powerful Dark Jedi named <a href="http://www.starwars.com/databank/location/yodashut/?id=eu">Bpfassi</a> had died there flooding the region with the Dark Side negating his Light Side.</p>
<p>About twenty three years later, Luke Skywalker returns to Dagobah for the last time to complete his Jedi training. Sadly, Master Yoda the Gherkin died there at the age of only 900 years old.</p>
<p>By problem is thisâ€”compared to humans with an average life expectancy of 72 years. Twenty three Gherkin years would have been the equivalent of only two human years since his ass-kicking, Jet-li/Bruce Lee battle with the Emperor.</p>
<p>QUESTION:<br />
Why did his health fade so quickly?</p>
<p>ANSWER:<br />
Luke discovered Yodaâ€™s cyberjournal and found out that he had made a few stops before he permanently exiled himself. He had hyperspaced to Tantooine and bought some essentials: fifty gallons of Rotgut, a thousand DeathSticks and ten pounds of finely-cut Kessel spice. He then visited his favorite Wookie prostitute, Beelacca. Unfortunately, Belacca didnâ€™t honor the Republicâ€™s â€œRight to Knowâ€ policy. She had been infected by a Tusken Raider who had a Wookie fetish with a rare disease contracted from having sex with a Bantha. The drugs and booze accelerated the effects of the STD.</p>
<p>George Lucas was contacted by D.O.G.G. (Daughters of Great Gherkins) to cut the scenes showing these last moments out respect for his family.</p>
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		<title>New Delhi Deputy Mayor Killed by Monkeys</title>
		<link>http://taoofdan.com/2010/10/new-delhi-deputy-mayor-killed-by-monkeys/</link>
		<comments>http://taoofdan.com/2010/10/new-delhi-deputy-mayor-killed-by-monkeys/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 06 Oct 2010 11:43:58 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Dan Allen</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[international]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[family]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://taoofdan.com/2007/11/01/new-delhi-deputy-mayor-killed-by-monkeys/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The growing population of monkeys in New Delhi, India has been an epidemic for quite some time because many Hindus worship the deity Hanuman, a monkey god who symbolizes strength. It became international news when a gang of marauding monkeys mauled their deputy mayor to death. When I read this, my first thought was, &#8220;Man, [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p></p><p><img class="right" src='http://taoofdan.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/11/god_hanuman.png' alt='god_hanuman.png' /><br />
The growing population of monkeys in New Delhi, India has been an epidemic for quite some time because many Hindus worship the deity <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanuman">Hanuman</a>, a monkey god who symbolizes strength. </p>
<p>It became <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7055625.stm">international news</a> when a gang of marauding monkeys mauled their deputy mayor to death. </p>
<p>When I read this, my first thought was, &#8220;Man, monkeys suck.&#8221;</p>
<p>My second thought was, &#8220;Man, what the fuck did he do to all those monkeys?&#8221;</p>
<p><img class="left" src='http://taoofdan.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/11/smith___wesson_lighted_tritium_watch__monkey_with_suit_and_gun_.JPG' alt='smith___wesson_lighted_tritium_watch__monkey_with_suit_and_gun_.JPG' />My third thought was, &#8220;Man, that guy probably molested a baby monkey and when the family heard about it they went ballistic and tore that dude to shreds.&#8221;</p>
<p>My fourth thought was, &#8220;Man, that&#8217;s gross. That dude had sex with a baby monkey. Justice served.&#8221;</p>
<p>However to my knowledge, he &#8220;instigated&#8221; the attack by simply walking on his own terrace to get a breath of fresh air and then out of nowhere it started to rain monkeys and he was engulfed in a firestorm of teeth, tails, and hair. His only option to douse the fiery, furry attack was to fling himself off the balcony to the street below taking a few monkey martyrs with him. </p>
<p>You would think that after losing their deputy mayor to a mob of monkeys,  that the city would <img class="right" src='http://taoofdan.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/11/macaque-threat.jpg' alt='macaque-threat.jpg' /><br />
reconsider their stance on reincarnation and start baiting the city with poisoned bananas. Nope. The city officials decided the best long-term solution to rid their problem would be to import a small elite force of even larger, more aggressive, carnivorous monkeys to eat the smaller, less-aggressive, non-carnivorous monkeys. </p>
<p><object width="416" height="374" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" id="ep"><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true" /><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /><param name="wmode" value="transparent" /><param name="movie" value="http://i.cdn.turner.com/cnn/.element/apps/cvp/3.0/swf/cnn_416x234_embed.swf?context=embed_edition&#038;videoId=world/2010/10/05/sidner.cwg.monkey.business.cnn" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#000000" /><embed src="http://i.cdn.turner.com/cnn/.element/apps/cvp/3.0/swf/cnn_416x234_embed.swf?context=embed_edition&#038;videoId=world/2010/10/05/sidner.cwg.monkey.business.cnn" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" bgcolor="#000000" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" width="416" wmode="transparent" height="374"></embed></object></p>
<p>Perfect! Finally, a government that isn&#8217;t shortsighted. What could possibly go wrong? At first, I was a little worried but I was relieved to discover that the <a href="http://www.blackwaterusa.com/securityconsulting/">Blackwater Corporation</a> is breeding these mercenary monkeys. Everything will be <a href="http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=ZWY3OWUyNGU0OGNkMjc1MTU5OGI0ZDQ1YzJiYjQzNjM=">fine</a>.</p>
<p><img src='http://taoofdan.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/11/bw_logo.jpg' alt='bw_logo.jpg' /></p>
<p>Hmmm?</p>
<p>If these tactics do work, perhaps we should use it here to deal with <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=su0U37w2tws">New York City&#8217;s plague of rats</a>. In fact, they estimate that there are eight rats for every person that lives in Manhattan. By New Delhi-logic, I guess the best solution to get rid of the rats is to import a dozen rat-eating tigers.</p>
<p>With that same logic, the herpes virus is on the rise again, the Department of Health should unleash the anthrax virus to kill the herpes.</p>
<p>Or better yet, you could kill two birds with one stone and infect the tigers with anthrax.</p>
<p>No more rats. No more herpes. No more problems.</p>
<p>Well&#8230;sort of&#8230;there would be one caveat: We would eventually have to deal with the anthrax-infected tigers roaming the subways.<br />
<img src='http://taoofdan.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/11/anthraxtiger.png' alt='anthraxtiger.png' /></p>
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		<title>Why Do Dumb People Exist?</title>
		<link>http://taoofdan.com/2010/09/why-do-dumb-people-exist/</link>
		<comments>http://taoofdan.com/2010/09/why-do-dumb-people-exist/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 17 Sep 2010 14:47:32 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Dan Allen</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[politics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[family]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://taoofdan.com/2008/02/06/why-do-dumb-people-exist/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[I received that idiotic mass email about Obama (Re: Fw: FW: [Fwd: Fw: FW: Barack Hussien Obama) and I mass responded debunking the â€œfactsâ€, cut and paste pro-Obama material and ccâ€™ed everyone whose inbox was involuntarily raped by this slanderous list of lies about OB. Then I got an email from a &#8220;lady&#8221; named Maggie. [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p></p><p>I received that idiotic mass email about Obama <a href="http://www.snopes.com/politics/obama/muslim.asp">(Re: Fw: FW: [Fwd: Fw: FW: Barack Hussien Obama)</a> and I mass responded debunking the â€œfactsâ€, cut and paste pro-Obama material and ccâ€™ed everyone whose inbox was involuntarily raped by this slanderous list of lies about OB.</p>
<p>Then I got an email from a &#8220;lady&#8221; named Maggie.</p>
<p>&#8212;&#8212;&#8211; Original Message &#8212;&#8212;&#8211;<br />
Subject: Re: Re: Fw: FW: Fwd: Fw: FW: Barack Hussien Obama<br />
From: &#8220;Maggie&#8221; < ??????@centurytel.com><br />
Date: Tue, February 05, 2008 6:21 pm<br />
To: &#8220;Dan Allen&#8221; <dan @DanAllen.com></p>
<p>I do not know you and do not appreciate receiving this email.<br />
If you are embarrassed by showing your US passport while going to different countries, then perhaps you should stay in one of those other countries.<br />
I will put your email address in my â€œdo not acceptâ€ file.</p>
<p>Proud to be an American.</p>
<p><img src='http://taoofdan.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/02/patriotism.png' alt='patriotism.png' /></p>
<p>Hereâ€™s my response:</p>
<p>&#8212;&#8212;&#8211; Original Message &#8212;&#8212;&#8211;<br />
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Fw: FW: Fwd: Fw: FW: Barack Hussien Obama<br />
From: &#8220;Dan Allen&#8221; </dan><dan @DanAllen.com><br />
Date: Tue, February 05, 2008 6:23 pm<br />
To: &#8220;Maggie&#8221; < ??????@centurytel.com></p>
<p>Wow.</p>
<p>You are right. I donâ€™t know you and Iâ€™m glad I donâ€™t.</p>
<p>As for â€œproud to be an Americanâ€, really? When is the last time you traveled abroad?</p>
<p>As for my patriotism, I served in the <a target="blank" href="http://flockofmullets.com">USAF</a>, my father was drafted for Vietnam, his father was drafted for WWII and served under Patton during the Battle of the Bulge. In fact, I can trace my family all the way back to the Revolutionary War.</p>
<p>Thatâ€™s just my fatherâ€™s side.</p>
<p>My only advice to you is: Read more.</p>
<p>As much as my email offended you. I felt the same receiving that idiotic Obama email.</p>
<p>Iâ€™m not saying you sent it to me but I wanted to make sure that all the people that received it have a chance to see it from a different perspective.</p>
<p>Iâ€™m sure you will not read this and the this will go directly to your â€œdo not acceptâ€ file. You have been single-narrowed minded your entire life. Why would you change now?</p>
<p>Not proud to be an American (for now),<br />
Dan</p>
<p>I felt is was my obligation as an American to send this to my friend <a href="http://michaelmalice.com/">Michael</a> at <a href="http://www.WorstEmailEver.com/?p=83">WorstEmailEver.com</a></p>
<p>And now this:<br />
<object width="425" height="355"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/4difPEQ8wA4&#038;rel=1"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/4difPEQ8wA4&#038;rel=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="355"></embed></object></p>
<p>My friend <a href="http://christianfinnegan.com">Christian</a> turned me onto this long ago and I believe he discovered it through our friend <a href="http://bestalbino.com">Victor</a>. Thank you, Victor, for this gem. </p>
<p>Enjoy and God Bless <a href="http://www.americawestandasone.com/America-We-Stand-As-One.html">America</a>!<br />
</dan></p>
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		<title>I Wish I was Puerto Rican Because I Love to Go Camping</title>
		<link>http://taoofdan.com/2010/07/27/</link>
		<comments>http://taoofdan.com/2010/07/27/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 25 Jul 2010 19:16:02 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Dan Allen</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[poetry]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[family]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://taoofdan.com/?p=27</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[I was enlightened with the fact, that mangoes belong to the same family as poison ivy, the Sumac family. Certain cultures have made this fruit a staple in their diet. Puerto Rico became one of those countries. In 1750, the mango was introduced to their island and Puerto Rico embraced it. After two and half [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p></p><p><img src="http://www.latinopundit.com/latino/latinoimages/puertoricoflag.jpg" /></p>
<p>I was enlightened with the fact, that mangoes belong to the same family as poison ivy, the <a href="http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/short/339/4/235">Sumac family</a>. Certain cultures have made this fruit a staple in their diet. Puerto Rico became one of those countries. In 1750, the mango was introduced to their island and Puerto Rico embraced it. After two and half centuries of consumption, Puerto Ricans have unknowingly developed a natural immunity to poison ivy.<br />
Case in point, my friend Ricardo and I were running through the woods naked. I unfortunately was hospitalized for a burning, eczematous rash and mi amigo Ricardo came out unscathed.</p>
<p>Once I recovered, I had an inspiration and drew out my quill and scribed this poem&#8230;</p>
<p></p>
<blockquote><p>
<strong>I Wish I was Puerto Rican Because I Love to Go Camping</strong></p>
<p>Mangos<br />
Succulent orbs of protective fructose</p>
<p>Poison Ivy<br />
Infectious, secreting leaves of agony</p>
<p>The devious, demonic plant lurking below<br />
Preying on unsuspecting Gringos with their unprotected skin</p>
<p>Behold!<br />
Mira!</p>
<p>My epidermis is laced with Mango Madness.<br />
Defending my body from the venomous juice.</p>
<p>My regal blood is produced by my pumping, pulminary papaya<br />
Immune to the toxic Taliban of torment</p>
<p>Eschuchen, por favor</p>
<p>I love to lay in the grass<br />
You can kiss my Puerto Rican ass</p></blockquote>
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		<title>Perspective</title>
		<link>http://taoofdan.com/2010/07/perspective/</link>
		<comments>http://taoofdan.com/2010/07/perspective/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 08 Jul 2010 12:41:56 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Dan Allen</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[stories]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[family]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[virgin]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://taoofdan.com/?p=54</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Five years ago, my ex-girlfriendâ€™s father generously gave us a seven day ski vacation at the Snowshoe Resort in West Virginia for Christmas. He paid for the hotel, lift tickets, and the snowboard rental. All we had to pay for was transportation and food. This was fantastic; unfortunately I grew up in Texas and didnâ€™t [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p></p><p>Five years ago, my ex-girlfriendâ€™s father generously gave us a seven day ski vacation at the Snowshoe Resort in West Virginia for Christmas. He paid for the hotel, lift tickets, and the snowboard rental. All we had to pay for was transportation and food. This was fantastic; unfortunately I grew up in Texas and didnâ€™t have any ski gear. So I went down to Sports Authority to see what I could buy with my limited funds. Since it was a December 26th, I had spent most of my money on presents. I only had about a hundred fifty bucks to spend. Hatâ€”$15, glovesâ€”$30, gogglesâ€”$30, thermalsâ€”$20, ski pantsâ€”$50â€¦fuck! That only left five dollars for a winter coat. I was born in Daytona Beach and raised in San Antonio and had zero body fat. They could have used my legs as doubles in the movie <em>Warm Springs</em> about FDRâ€™s battle with polio. My chances for survival looked bleak. I needed a coat. Fortunately, the sales clerk was a guy named Ron, a snowboarder/surfer burn-out who hated his job. He suggested that I pick any jacket out and just return it for a refund when I get back. I told him that I would feel weird abusing their return policy and would hate for anyone to question my integrity.</p>
<p>Ron said, â€œFuck them, they only pay me six dollars an hour. Do it for me.â€</p>
<p>He said it with such eloquence and conviction that it was difficult to say, â€œNo.â€</p>
<p>Since the ski season had already begun, the selection was sparse. Especially, since I needed a Size XL-T, the <em>O negative</em> in the winter coat world.</p>
<p>We finally found a bright, canary yellow ColumbiaÂ® jacket. The sales tag priced it at three hundred dollars or two hundred ninety-five dollars over my budget.</p>
<p>Ron smiled and said, â€œIt looks a little faggy, but itâ€™ll keep you warm.â€</p>
<p>â€œThanks, you sure it wonâ€™t be a problemâ€</p>
<p>â€œNo, man. People do it all the time. Shit, one dude brought back socks.â€</p>
<p>â€œOkay, Iâ€™ll see you in a week.â€</p>
<p>Since I never snowboarded before, it was extremely difficult to keep the jacket off the ground. I would have to estimate that in the first 48 hours, I was on the on my back for 93% of the time. Not to mention, my biological cooling system responds to cardiovascular activities by activating by sweat glands. Over a course of five days, my taxi yellow coat absorbed the equivalent of a forty ounce bottle of Old English 800Â®.</p>
<p>To make matters worse, I felt like I had joined a gang. Not like The Outlaws, the Bloods, or the Crips. Nor like Danny Zucoâ€™s The Thunderbirds or The Sharks from <em>West Side Story</em>. My yellow ColumbiaÂ® jacket â€œgangâ€ consisted of used car salesmen, well-funded NASCAR fans, and un-hip middle-aged men called The Douchebags.</p>
<p>My cousin Todd called me and asked me to cut my vacation short because our family pawn shop was being swamped with post-Christmas customers. Including me, we only had four people running the store, so I agreed to drive back to Virginia Beach. He was worried because of an incoming blizzard the next day that would prolong my return.</p>
<p>My girlfriend and her family tried to dissuade me from leaving in the middle of the night.<br />
I didnâ€™t want to get snowed in the next morning, so I loaded up my girlfriendâ€™s 1990 Jeep Cherokee and began my treacherous descent down the winding mountain road. When I was a quarter of the way down, I started to see small flurries. In a matter of minutes, I was blinded by a cyclone of ice.</p>
<p>I gripped the steering wheel with my left hand and down shifted to second gear with my right. In tense situations, I had a bad habit of licking my lips to soothe my nerves. When I was a kid my nickname was â€œHot Lipsâ€ because my adolescent anxieties chapped my lips. This moment redefined the word, tense. My brain responded by sliding my tongue from the 9 oâ€™clock position with the intention of sliding to the 3 oâ€™clock position in one fluid motion. However, when my tongue reached high noon, directly underneath my nose, it slithered back inside my mouth without warning because of an unexpected salty flavor. It tasted brackish and metallic. I looked into the mirror and was frightened by my gruesome reflection.</p>
<p>The change in elevation had turned my nose into a faucet of blood. I tried to look around for a napkin or towel. I had to improvise with a Wendyâ€™sÂ® bag and a grocery receipt. They both proved to be non-absorbent and rendered them useless. I was concentrating so hard on stopping the salty, crimson cascade that I forgot I was still driving in a blizzard. I suddenly noticed a Suburban 4&#215;4 up ahead spinning out of control, engulfed by an invisible tornado. It finally swirled to stop on the side of the road. Fortunately, no one got hurtâ€”shaken not slain.</p>
<p>I would have stopped but it would have been more dangerous to slam on the brakes, so I had to selfishly pass them by. Sorry. Darwinâ€™s Theory is that stronger species descend by modification. Future Man is being modified by apathy, emasculation, and self-interest. Anthropologist in the year 3030 A.D. will discover that I was the link between <em>Homo Sapien</em> and <em>Homo Cowardus</em>.</p>
<p>My salvation came when a general store appeared in the distance. I pulled into a parking space, jumped out of my car, took off my stained jacket, laid it on the hood, and went to the entrance. To my misfortune, the door was locked and had a hand-scrawled sign on the door that stated, â€œIâ€™ll Be Back Tomorrowâ€. I found a bottle of water in the Jeep and began pouring it on the jacket and started to scrub it with my hat. I felt like Lady MacBeth, frantically trying to remove the dreaded spots.</p>
<p>My coat started to illuminate as if a ray of holy light was cast down by the heavens above. Being agnostic, I was taken aback by this and didnâ€™t know how to interpret this â€œmiracleâ€. Then entire Jeep lit up, my shadow grew larger on the hood, I turned around to be blinded by retina-roasting halogen lights from the Suburban 4&#215;4 that I had left stranded. Once they parked, I rushed over to their tinted passenger side window. Someone had triggered the automatic window lever and it slowly slid down to reveal a family of four from Pennsylvania.</p>
<p>As I was about to ask for a towel or more water, the window went up twice as fast as had came down. The driver rammed the gear selector in reverse, slammed his foot on the accelerator, and the ass-end of the Suburban exploded way from the parking lot. They had successfully managed a 180Â° turn. Now perpendicular to the road, the driver cranked the wheel to the right and sped down the hill like he possessed by a suicide bomber with his eyes glazed over with visions of forty virgins and the embrace of Allah.</p>
<p>I didnâ€™t understand what happened. Yes, I can understand there animosity for me for not helping them in their time of need, but that was an extremely bizarre response to witness.<br />
What had I done to invoke such a shocking reaction? Confused, I went back to my pain-staking, hand-numbing task of cleaning my three hundred dollar â€œleasedâ€ jacket. Somehow I managed to get the blood out. After that episode, the rest of the descent down the mountain seemed like whimsical stroll on the beach.</p>
<p>Once back in Virginia Beach, I had the jacket professionally dry cleaned and went to the customer service counter of Sports Authority. I sheepishly told the clerk that I didnâ€™t like the jacket and wanted a refund. She seemed unconvinced and stared at me with a sneered look of skepticism like I had just told her I was Elvis. I bit my lip, casually looked away, did a little drum tap on the counter, looked at my watch, looked at their clock on the wall, clicked my tongue on the top of my mouth, nodded my head, looked at the ceilingâ€¦and she still just stood there staring at my waiting for me to break.</p>
<p>Fuck that, I hated that jacket. It was tense for a few minutes, but the line started to grow, so she succumbed and began the refund process.</p>
<p>Then Ron walked by and said, â€œHey, dude! Glad you made it back! Heard thereâ€™s been some crazy serial killer cutting people up and tying them to ski lifts.â€</p>
<p>â€œWhat are you talking about?â€, I asked.</p>
<p>â€œYou know, like Jeffrey Dahmer and shitâ€¦heâ€™s been doing for a month now. I didnâ€™t want to scare you before you went up.â€</p>
<p>â€œThanks.â€</p>
<p>â€œOh yeah, good thing you returned that jacketâ€¦the news is saying that the police are looking for a guy in a yellow jacket.â€</p>
<p>It all made sense. Each event in the space-time continuum is multi-faceted. It glistens differently depending on which angle you view it. The family of four from Pennsylvania freaked the fuck out, because a serial killer with a yellow jacket, blood soaked goatee was about to kill them.</p>
<p>Life is all about perspective.</p>
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		<title>Overheard in a Starbucks on Fifth Avenue</title>
		<link>http://taoofdan.com/2010/06/overheard-in-a-starbucks-on-fifth-avenue/</link>
		<comments>http://taoofdan.com/2010/06/overheard-in-a-starbucks-on-fifth-avenue/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 21 Jun 2010 06:05:34 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Dan Allen</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[overheard nyc]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[family]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://taoofdan.com/?p=276</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[MIDWESTERN MODEL How&#8217;s your new agency? Any perks? PERUVIAN MODEL At first they were great, then stupid 9-11 happened. Now I have to fly coach. MIDWESTERN MODEL Yeah, that sucks. I hate terrorists. You&#8217;re from Peru right? PERUVIAN MODEL Si. MIDWESTERN MODEL I just watched a show about Conquistadors. They were reeeeallly mean. PERUVIAN MODEL [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p></p><p></p>
<div style="text-align: center; font-weight: bold; font-family:courier new;">MIDWESTERN MODEL
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;  font-family:courier new;">How&#8217;s your new agency? Any perks?</div>
<p></p>
<div style="text-align: center; font-weight: bold; font-family:courier new;">PERUVIAN MODEL</div>
<div style="text-align: center; font-family:courier new;">At first they were great, then stupid 9-11 happened. Now I have to fly coach.</div>
<p></p>
<div style="text-align: center; font-weight: bold; font-family:courier new;">MIDWESTERN MODEL</div>
<div style="text-align: center; font-family:courier new;">Yeah, that sucks. I hate terrorists. You&#8217;re from Peru right?</div>
<p></p>
<div style="text-align: center; font-weight: bold; font-family:courier new;">PERUVIAN MODEL</div>
<div style="text-align: center; font-family:courier new;">Si.</div>
<p></p>
<div style="text-align: center; font-weight: bold; font-family:courier new;">MIDWESTERN MODEL</div>
<div style="text-align: center; font-family:courier new;">I just watched a show about Conquistadors. They were reeeeallly mean.</div>
<p></p>
<div style="text-align: center; font-weight: bold; font-family:courier new;">PERUVIAN MODEL</div>
<div style="text-align: center; font-family:courier new;">Conquista-what? Who? What happened?</div>
<p></p>
<div style="text-align: center; font-weight: bold; font-family:courier new;">MIDWESTERN MODEL</div>
<div style="text-align: center; font-family:courier new;">You know&#8230;when the Incas were killed by Francisco Picasso.</div>
<p></p>
<div style="text-align: center; font-weight: bold; font-family:courier new;">PERUVIAN MODEL</div>
<div style="text-align: center; font-family:courier new;">Oh yeah, they like took their ears off or something.</div>
<p></p>
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		<title>&#8220;There&#8217;s a New Monorail in Town, Springfield!&#8221;</title>
		<link>http://taoofdan.com/2010/06/theres-a-new-monorail-in-town-springfield/</link>
		<comments>http://taoofdan.com/2010/06/theres-a-new-monorail-in-town-springfield/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 05 Jun 2010 00:18:30 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Dan Allen</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[favorites]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[local]]></category>
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		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://taoofdan.com/?p=190</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[There is a fairly new (two year old) monorail from Manhattan to JFK called the AirTrainÂ®. Which is great because it cuts the commute time in half. &#8220;Monorail, Monorail,Monorail, Monorail&#8230;Can you hear it, Manhattan?!&#8221; Unfortunately, not enough people even know about it. So the Port Authority of NY&#038;NJ have been plastering billboards everywhere. They reads: [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p></p><p><img src='http://taoofdan.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/06/airtrain.jpg' alt='airtrain.jpg' /><br />
There is a fairly new (two year old) monorail from Manhattan to JFK called the AirTrainÂ®. Which is great because it cuts the commute time in half.<br />
<br />
<img class="left" src='http://taoofdan.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/06/200px-9f10.gif' alt='200px-9f10.gif' /><br />
<br />
<small><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dv61VmNrA">&#8220;Monorail, Monorail,Monorail, Monorail&#8230;Can you hear it, Manhattan?!&#8221;</a></small></p>
<p>Unfortunately, not enough people even know about it. So the Port Authority of NY&#038;NJ have been plastering billboards everywhere. They reads: &#8220;AirTrainÂ®. If it was any faster it would be an AirPlaneÂ®.&#8221;</p>
<p>Personally, I found the advertisement insulting to my intelligence. Which is sad because I&#8217;m not that intelligent. Although, I occasionally can fool people into thinking that I am. By American standards, I&#8217;m above average, but most Americans are borderline retarded. So that makes me average.</p>
<p>&#8220;If it was any faster it would be an AirPlaneÂ®.&#8221;</p>
<p>No, it wouldn&#8217;t. I don&#8217;t care if it traveled at the speed of light, it would never transform into an aircraft. The only way that could happen is if the mayor made a deal with the TransformersÂ© to fight terrorists in the guise of mass transit. If this is true, this would extremely inconvenient for travellers.<br />
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<img id="image402" src="http://taoofdan.com/wp-content/uploads/2006/04/railspike1.jpg" alt="railspike1.jpg" /><br />
</p>
<div style="text-align: center; font-weight: bold; font-family:courier new;">AUTOMATED PRE-RECORDED VOICE</div>
<p></p>
<div style="text-align: center; font-family:courier new;">(<em>bing-bong</em>) Terminal D&#8230;next stop JFK&#8230;.please step into the&#8230;</div>
<p></p>
<div style="text-align: center; font-weight: bold; font-family:courier new;">ROBOTIC VOICE WITH SOUTHERN ACCENT</div>
<div style="text-align: center; font-family:courier new;">(<em>crackle, crackle</em>) That&#8217;s a negative little buddy, Optimus Prime here, looks like ole Megatron and the Deceptacons are up to their old tricks again. Fly back to base, pronto. We need some wings!</div>
<p>
<center><img id="image403" src="http://taoofdan.com/wp-content/uploads/2006/04/railspike2.jpg" alt="railspike2.jpg" /></center><br />
</p>
<div style="text-align: center; font-weight: bold; font-family:courier new;">NY1 NEWS REPORTER</div>
<div style="text-align: center; font-family:courier new;">Thanks to the heroic acts of the Transformers, thousands of people&#8217;s lives were saved today. The Deceptacons teamed up with al-Qaeda and attempted to blow up the Empire States Building this afternoon, but were tharted by Optimus Prime and his men. Sadly, 118 people died at the Queen&#8217;s Jamaica Station inside the rookie Transformer AirTrain. Apparently, they were unable to flee the monorail after he was beckoned to return to the city for air support. Although, he played a key role in the protection of the iconic building on 35th Street, the families of the victims are protesting the mayorâ€™s office to disassemble the robot as retribution for their losses. It is rumored that Short Circuitâ€™s Johnny Five will be defending AirTrainÂ®.</div>
<p>
<center><img id="image401" src="http://taoofdan.com/wp-content/uploads/2006/04/w-johnny.jpg" alt="w-johnny.jpg" /></center></p>
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		<title>Different Grades of Unleaded Gas at Mobil</title>
		<link>http://taoofdan.com/2010/05/different-grades-of-unleaded-gas-at-mobil/</link>
		<comments>http://taoofdan.com/2010/05/different-grades-of-unleaded-gas-at-mobil/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 24 May 2010 19:56:01 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Dan Allen</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[wordplay]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[family]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://taoofdan.com/?p=21</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Super Unleaded is 93 octane. Special Unleaded is 89 octane. Regular Unleaded is only 87 octane. They should re-think their labeling system considering that the average IQ of a human is about 100. 93 octane should be Regular, 89 octane would be Borderline, and 87 octane would be &#8220;Special&#8221;. GAS ATTENDANT What can I do [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p></p><p><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Super </span>Unleaded is 93 octane.<br />
<span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Special</span> Unleaded is 89 octane.<br />
<span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Regular</span> Unleaded is only 87 octane.</p>
<p>They should re-think their labeling system considering that the average IQ of a human is about 100.</p>
<p>93 octane should be <span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Regular</span>, 89 octane would be <span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Borderline</span>, and 87 octane would be <span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">&#8220;Special&#8221;</span>.</p>
<div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold;font-family:courier new;" >GAS ATTENDANT</span><br />
<span style="font-family:courier new;">What can I do you for?</span></div>
<p></p>
<div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold;font-family:courier new;" >CUSTOMER</span><br />
<span style="font-family:courier new;">Fill&#8217;er up, I guess. Goddamn, I cant&#8217; buh-lieve its three fif-dee a gallon.</span></div>
<p></p>
<div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold;font-family:courier new;" >GAS ATTENDANT</span><br />
<span style="font-family:courier new;">What kind do you want? We&#8217;re runnin&#8217; a special on our eighty-seven octane?</span></div>
<p></p>
<div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold;font-family:courier new;" >CUSTOMER</span><br />
<span style="font-family:courier new;">No offense to your kid, Floyd, but I ain&#8217;t gonna put no retard gas in my El Camino.</span> </div>
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		<title>What is the Name of Your Country?</title>
		<link>http://taoofdan.com/2010/05/what-is-the-name-of-your-country/</link>
		<comments>http://taoofdan.com/2010/05/what-is-the-name-of-your-country/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 10 May 2010 14:50:23 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Dan Allen</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[international]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[people]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[family]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://taoofdan.com/?p=80</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[If you flew to Tokyo, and were to ask any Japanese citizen walking on the street, â€œWhat country do you live in?â€ That person would say without hesitation, â€œNippon.â€ This would be very awkward, since you would then have to politely correct them and inform them that they live in Japan not in the Make-Believe [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p></p><p>If you flew to Tokyo, and were to ask any Japanese citizen walking on the street, â€œWhat country do you live in?â€</p>
<p>That person would say without hesitation, â€œ<em>Nippon</em>.â€</p>
<p>This would be very awkward, since you would then have to politely correct them and inform them that they live in Japan not in the Make-Believe Land of â€œ<em>Nippon</em>â€.</p>
<p>Who is right?</p>
<p>We have Westernized the name of every country we have encountered.</p>
<p><em>Hindustan</em> ceases to exist and is called India.<br />
<em>Deutchland</em> is forgotten and is now dubbed Germany.<br />
<em>Italia </em>turns to Italy, Spain replaces <em>Espa&ntilde;a</em>,â€¦etc</p>
<p>
Criticizing Americanâ€™s globalization and smothering domination has become far too easy. It isnâ€™t edgy anymore. Its the norm. Though in this particular case, we are not alone.</p>
<p>Spanish people call Germany,<em> Alemania</em>. The French say <em>lâ€™Allemagne</em> and Italians insist its<em> la Germania</em>.</p>
<p>Fortunately, it is limited to the name of the countries and does not extend to the individual names of the citizens.</p>
<div align="center"  style="font-family:courier new; font-style:bold;"><strong>BOSS</strong></div>
<div align="center" style="font-family:courier new;">Gary! Jesse! Bring that crate over here.</div>
<p></p>
<div align="center"  style="font-family:courier new; font-style:bold;"><strong>GARCON</strong></div>
<div align="center"  style="font-family:courier new;">Pardon je, Monsier. Mon nom est Garcon. Ce nâ€™est pas Gary.</div>
<p></p>
<div align="center"  style="font-family:courier new; font-style:bold;"><strong>JESUS</strong></div>
<div align="center"  style="font-family:courier new;">Si, se&ntilde;or. Mi nombre es Jesus. No es Jesse.</div>
<p></p>
<div align="center"  style="font-family:courier new; font-style:bold;"><strong>BOSS</strong></div>
<div align="center"  style="font-family:courier new;">Listen hereâ€¦we donâ€™t understand your bullshit languages and donâ€™t want to hear that kind of jibber-jabber around here. In fact, we donâ€™t really care what you two think. You call yourself whatever you wantâ€¦to yourselves. But if you donâ€™t like it, you can go back to you own damn country. This ainâ€™t Uzbekistan.</div>
<p>
In conclusion, humans are fundamentally resistant to adopting and adapting to different cultures. However, we are all carbon-based life forms composed of the same basic molecular structure. The actual quantified DNA difference between any organisms is so infinitesimally small. We should thank God, Allah, David Koresh, or whom ever you choose to believe in for giving us the proper genetic coding to be <em>homo sapiens</em>. We are few <a href="http://taoofdan.blogspot.com/2004/10/deadly-danger-of-acid-use.html">deoxyribonucleic acid </a>strands away from being a lemur or a sweet potato.</p>
<p>Furthermore, we can&#8217;t even agree on one word to describe the asymetrical ellipsoid in which we live on.</p>
<p><em>Earth</em> (English)<br />
<em>Mundo</em> (Spanish)<br />
<em>Duniya</em> (Hindi)<br />
<em>Erde</em> (German)<br />
<em>Terra</em> (Italian)</p>
<p>
We need to get our heads out of our asses and come up with an international word for our planet or we will become the laughing stock of the United Milky Way Planets Federation. </p>
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