We Don't Walk Slow

About Tom Stortz

Enjoying my last few responsibility free years left.

Angry Birds Attack in Lego Form

Rovio – The makers of Angry Birds, the most downloaded mobile game ever, today announced a partnership with The LEGO Group to develop a line of construction toys.

Now this is a billion dollar idea. A grape, not a raisin. I have no idea if they will create this the way that I envision it in my mind but I’ll give you a run down.

Birds are not legos. They are essentially marble sized projectiles that will get sling shot into a structure.
Structures are built in simple, bigger lego form. Since they are going to be knocked down, you can’t be spending hours building a fortress that comes down in one shot.
Pigs are placed in various areas of the structure and once crushed, they explode.

GOAL: KNOCK OVER THE STRUCTURE WITH THE BIRDS TO DESTROY THE PIGS.

Will It Be Made This Way?

No it won’t. There is too much risk of the game spiraling out of control and the kids using the sling shots as weapons. Most likely the birds will be made out of pillows and the structures out of feathers. The pic to the right looks boring as shit. I don’t want to build a projectile I’m going to shoot. I want my projectile to be fast and punishing. I want to spend time destroying and not building. Maybe the kids could wear goggles when playing. This game has potential.

By Tom Stortz|2015-06-09T09:24:58-04:00June 9th, 2015|My Brain|0 Comments

Hottest Girls on 2015 Women’s World Cup Team

I’m not a very respected blogger so it seems fitting that I use this post to show a lack of respect to women’s soccer and instead of writing about their 3-1 victory over Australia Monday evening, I point out who the best looking players are. I watched the 2nd half and 4 of the 5 girls I mention played and the other one I’m just assuming is on the team because I looked at a website. I’m also pretty sure that Megan Rapinoe and Abby Wambach get it on.

5. Tobin Heath
27 years old and “perhaps the USA’s most skillful player.” Has that girl next door look and obviously quite a talent. I’ve never heard of her before so I can’t write much except she both looks good and plays well.

4. Amy Rodriguez
The female A-rod. She’s 28, has a baby, and is a devout Christian. I’m not seeing that she gets a lot of playing time but she’s a beauty nonetheless.

3. Hope Solo
Hope Solo is crazy. An entire blog post could be dedicated to her lunatic ways. Recently, all charges were dropped against her after she attacked her sister’s 17 year old (who apparently is 6-8), who then hit her over the head with a broomsick, and then she was taken away in handcuffs by police all while being plastered. Either way she’s pretty hot and the obvious face of the team as the goalie. Plus who can forget the Hope Solo scary vagina pics from the Fappening. Do not let your curiosity get the better of you on this one. Trust me. She’s also one of the best goaltenders in the world which is why she gets away with being crazy.

2. Alex Morgan
I knew Alex Morgan was attractive but I wasn’t really sure what she did. It turns out she doesn’t even start for the national team and got in with 10 minutes left in a 3-1 game. Either way she is a beautiful woman who is good enough to play on the team. What a babe.

1. Julie Johnston
Alex Morgan is the obvious #1 but that’s too easy. If Julie Johnston is caught at the right angles, she’s a dime. Up close and from the front is not her best look. From afar and on the field, she’s top notch. She’s only 23 and the sweeper for the team. What do you think of her?

Tell me she doesn’t stand out like sore thumb.

Beach time ❤️

A photo posted by Julie Johnston (@juliejohnston2) on Jan 24, 2015 at 12:31pm PST

By Tom Stortz|2015-06-08T22:05:35-04:00June 8th, 2015|Celeb, Sports|1 Comment

Golfing Under Pressure

Bud said, “it sounds like you are doing these activities, like golf and bowling, that are supposed to be fun and end up being stressful.” I pondered internally his observation that I knew to be true and wondered myself what was I thinking.

I participated in a 2 day golf tournament where 15 groups of 2 played. I was matched up with an unknown who I met the day I teed off. The format was one where there were 4 separate 9’s which involved scrambles, better ball scores, and modified chapmans. The tee times were at 9am and I had to drive an hour away so I pretty much had to give up my entire weekend to play in this tournament.

What I learned is that golf can be extremely tense if your partner is depending on your shots and score. The back 9 on the 2nd day was essentially a non-stop “don’t fuck up” situation. I had a triple bogey on a hole where I was 20 yards off the green in 2 on a par 4. I was too quick on the follow through and open bladed the ball directly to the right even further behind the green. 2 holes later I was in a green side sand trap in 2 and HAD to make a good bunker shot, which I did. The very next hole I hit a fine drive and then pulled a 60 yard shot into the sand. I duffed the sand shot and got a double on the hole. Amazingly I pared 17 and 18 (with a 40 ft putt) and wound up with a 44 back to join a 43 front. When I say I was relieved to be finished I say this with the utmost sincerity.

Was it fun? I’m not sure. It was a spot that tested how good you can be under pressure. This was the first time in my life where I put my golf game on the line like this and I believe I came away a better golfer. I played with some experienced players who taught me a thing or two about the rules and gave me some good tips putting and driving. When I played a round afterwards with my friends it was amazing to just have fun playing without worrying about a score. If you can score your best score when it counts, it gives tremendous experience when it doesn’t. This is the main reason for testing yourself with these levels of competition.

This type of post goes hand in hand with the NBA Finals I just watched. Aside from LeBron, no one on the Cavs wants to step up and be that player. It’s an incredibly stressful situation and even these professionals want no part of huge pressure situations. Big players make big shots and they get paid well for doing so. This should never be forgotten when you ask how good a player is. Big Shot Bob. John Paxton. Steve Kerr.

By Tom Stortz|2015-06-08T09:52:04-04:00June 7th, 2015|Sports|0 Comments

Top 15 Albums of the 90’s

First and foremost, this is my list. You probably won’t agree with it. My choices are made based on how they affected me as I grew up with strong consideration to what songs I actually like. This post is a ranking. The only album that was left off of this list that should be on is OK Computer by Radiohead. I just don’t like Radiohead that much. Any comments on your favorite albums are always welcome. The 90’s weren’t that bad for music and here are 14 more 90’s albums that could have made the list.

15. Wallflowers – Bringing Down the Horse

Top Tracks : One Headlight, 6th Ave Heartache, Three Marlenas, The Difference

Jacob Dylan is Bob Dylan’s son. If you weren’t aware, this is a pretty big deal because Bob is considered the greatest song writer of all time. To live in the shadows of an icon like this must suck because your always being compared to a level that is incomparable. Knowing this, one must believe that Jacob would have a shot at success even if he was only ok. Fortunately, Bringing Down the Horse was a tremendous album.

That’s a good looking power couple.

14. No Doubt – Tragic Kingdom (1995) & Bush – Sixteen Stone (1994)

Top Tracks – Spiderwebs, Just a Girl, Don’t Speak, Glycerine, Machinehead, Comedown

Each album on its own wasn’t good enough to make this list but considering they are married in real life, it made sense to combine two staple albums of the mid 90’s. The 6 songs listed were mammoth hits and played non-stop. Spiderwebs and Glycerine were probably top 100 tracks of the entire 90’s popularity wise. The fact that they are beautiful people only made it that much easier to like their strong music.

13. Boys 2 Men – II (1994)

Top Tracks – I’ll Make Love To You, Water Runs Dry, I’ll Make Love To You

Overlooked as a top album in 1994, II was a by yourself, singalong classic. A lovey, dovey album that won’t fit the mood in every atmosphere but contains tracks that you lock yourself in your room and weep to. I’ll Make Love To You ruled MTV’s air waves for months. It was also the 3rd best selling album of 1995 and moved 12 million copies.

12. Nas – It Was Written (1996)

Top Tracks- The Message, If I Ruled the World, Street Dreams

You know when a white suburban kid is buying a rap album, it is reaching a wide audience. How am I placing a Nas album ahead of more classic albums like Dr Dre’s the Chronic and Snoop Doggy Dogg’s Doggfather? You’d be right to ask that question but this album was what I listened to when I did my homework in middle school. The Message should be a top track of the decade. If I Ruled the World is also a song that if you play among a group of people, no one will change it and everyone will comment on how good your music selection is. Nas balanced intelligent lyrics with catchy hooks and brought an album that put him on the map.

11. REM – Automatic For The People (1992)

Top Tracks – Drive, Everybody Hurts, Nightswimming

Michael Stipe struck a chord with people all over the world with this kick ass, high point album for REM. This album can be listened to in its entirety and every song is solid. I would consider putting Nightswimming as a top 100 song of all time I like it that much. I also think that I probably like REM more than the average person. Most people probably can’t name 5 songs. However, their relatively unknown songs would be hits for other bands but they get lost in the shuffle. This album is one that I would start from track 1 and wouldn’t change it. It is the opposite of an album which has 3 hot tracks and a bunch of shit after.

10. Smashing Pumpkins – Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness (1995)

Top Tracks – Tonight, Tonight, Zero, Bullet With Butterfly Wings, 1979

I’m sort of cheating on this album because I never listened to it in its entirety. However, I don’t think it’s fair to not have Smashing Pumpkins on a list of best albums of the 90’s because there hits are top notch. Tonight, Tonight and 1979 are incredible tracks that deserve as much recognition as they receive. This particular album was a double that included 28 tracks and won 7 grammy’s. So even though I probably haven’t heard 24 of the tracks on it, the 4 I have heard make it classic.

9. Pearl Jam – VS (1993)

Top Tracks -Daughter, Elderly Woman Behind the Counter in a Small Town

Ten is one of the finest debut album’s by a band but VS was a true follow up masterpiece. Pearl Jam’s music was played fast and loud and Eddie Vedder’s distinctive yell and mumbling made it very easy to sing along to. My personal favorite Pearl Jam song is Better Man off of Vitalogy but VS is a more complete album. Elderly Woman also vaults this album because it is probably a top 25 song of the decade. I’d be a fool to not mention Daughter as well.

8. Counting Crows – August and Everything After (1993)

Top Tracks – Round Here, Omaha, Mr Jones

Those 3 tracks start this album. Fire. Not to mention that they all have their own unique flavor. For a time I would even say that Rain King was my favorite track off of the album. Plus who didn’t hear the rumor that Adam Duritz named his penis Mr. Jones in the song? This album still holds up today and went 7x Platinum.

7. Alanis Morrisette – Jagged Little Pill (1995)

Top Tracks – Hand In My Pocket, Ironic, You Oughta Know

If my list was based on most sales of the 90’s, Jagged Little Pill would be #1. These songs were everywhere because the audience was universal because men and woman alike loved the music. Singles kept getting pulled off as hits month after month which kept it current for what felt like forever. You Oughta Know was the lead single but I’ll never feel that Ironic wasn’t the most popular song off the album. I count 6 booming hits that people are still listening to today.

6. Oasis – What’s The Story Morning Glory (1995)

Top Tracks – Wonderwall, Don’t Look Back in Anger, Champagne Supernova

The ever-feuding Gallagher brothers were able to make an album back in 1995 that have tracks that will never die. Wonderwall’s opening is known by virtually everyone on the planet. Champagne Supernova made us ask the question, “where were you while we were getting high?” Some Might Say would be my sleeper on the album. In 2010, Rolling Stone commented that “the album is a triumph, full of bluster, bravado and surprising tenderness. Morning Glory capped a true golden age for Britpop.

5. Dr Dre – 2001 (1999)

Top Tracks – Still Dre, What’s The Difference, Forgot About Dre, The Next Episode

This album was released in November of 1999 which means that it barely makes the cut as a 90 album. Vaulted by the untouchable jam Forgot About Dre, this album was Dre’s crown jewel. He was the beat master before anyone else could even be considered. The rhymes are equally strong with Eminem providing the hottest lyrics that anyone had ever heard. This album is a treasure that I’ll always associate with listening to on the school bus to track meets in my Sony Discman.

4. Eminem – The Slim Shady LP (1999)

Top Tracks – My Name Is, Guilty Conscience, Just Don’t Give a Fuck

The white boy who changed Hip Hop. This album was meteoric in influence and originality. Being backed by Dr. Dre also didn’t hurt. My Name Is is probably the best title for an introduction track that I can think of. Guilty Conscience told a story in a manner that hadn’t been done before with a back and forth conversation between good vs evil. There is also a ton of profanity which the world wasn’t ready for at the time. Eminem launched into super stardom after the release of this album which shows an immediate impact.

3. Green Day – Dookie (1994)

Top Tracks – Basketcase, Longview, When I Come Around, Welcome to Paradise

Dookie is Green Day’s 3rd album that sold over 20 million albums to date. The 3 minute shot out of the cannon in Basketcase started Green Day’s movement into mainstream. Not a single track is over 4 minutes and most hover under the 3 minute mark. She is my favorite track outside of the hits and who can forget the hidden track where you had to let F.O.D run for a few minutes in order to hear All By Myself. I remember in 6th grade when a class I had asked what was your favorite song and half the class said Basketcase…a track I embarrassingly had never heard of.

2. Nirvana – Nevermind (1991)

Top Tracks – Smells Like Teen Spirit, Come As You Are, Lithium

I recently watched the Showtime Documentary on Kurt Cobain and his life was short and sad. His heroin addiction overtook his life and turned a once in a lifetime talent into a man with a hole in his head. This album, with its controversial album cover, was game changing. Leading the grunge era was Kurt Cobain and sidekick Dave Grohl. The fact that Dave Grohl played second fiddle in this band (along with the bass player who know one knows) should be a strong indicator on how talented Kurt Cobain was. I recently found Drain You on this album and find it an incredible track to go along with the mainstays.

1. Weezer – Blue Album (1994)

Top Tracks – Buddy Holly, Undone – The Sweater Song, Say It Ain’t So

I specifically bought this album for Buddy Holly. The short 2:39 song whose music video featured a concert at the Happy Days diner was electric. Who knew what other gems were on this 10 track album. Not a single bad song. The top tracks are not even the best songs. Every song could be considered the best song on the album. My personal favorite is The World Has Turned and Left Me Here. Concluding it with the 8 minute Only in Dreams was the perfect conclusion to this masterpiece.

By Tom Stortz|2015-06-15T12:07:04-04:00June 5th, 2015|Music|10 Comments

Center City Sips

Hilarious this is Barstool’s picture but this is exactly what it looks like at the Comcast Center

Last night was the first night of Center City Sips. Sips PROCLAIMS that bars participate and offer specials between the hours of 5-7. Some do and some don’t. However, these short-lived 2 hours are a major deal to girls who get more dolled up than if they were going to prom.

I’m a moron for not taking a picture of the Comcast Center and the crowd it draws at 5pm. The line to get in is about 50 people deep and drink lines are just as bad. My own picture would add to this post immensely and instead I’m just a worse writer who puts in far more effort than Gourlay. Either way, Sips is an event that is worth participating in if you never have.

There is one downside though and that it’s an expensive Wednesday night any way you slice it. Here are my exact expenditures.

$12 cab from my house
$8 on 2 Bud Heavys ($3+ $1 each tip)
$20 dinner at Marathon ($5 Whiskey – Tea drink + $12 Sampler + Tip)
$20 @ Vesper (2 Avery IPA’s for $7 ea and I threw in $20 because it was a group tab)
$26 @ Howl at the Moon (3 Perpetual IPA’s. Each one is $7. I tipped $1 to the bro bartender, $1 to this hot girl and then $3 to the same hot girl).
$15 cab back to my house where another cab driver told me a sob story how he doesn’t make enough money.

Total – $101 on a Wednesday night where I didn’t even get black out drunk. Welcome to Center City Sips

Shout out to Mugsey and Evan who hung out until 11pm like old people do. I also will share a drunk text that I wouldn’t share to anybody when I’m sober.

Aaron Dodgers going late this year in the draft. Disappointing I know. I also think it’s hysterical when people take screenshots of their phone when there is 2% and someone comments that it’s comparable to Kramer and gas. I have no idea what the Northwest corner is.

I’ll also share a funny story if you managed to read this far. JC just asked me if the font on “the blog” is the way it’s supposed to be (I honestly had 0 idea what he was talking about as the font looked like the font to me). I said, “That’s the home page”. He said, “Whatever it is.” I said, “I wouldn’t call the phone the stapler.”

By Tom Stortz|2015-06-04T08:38:11-04:00June 4th, 2015|My Life|0 Comments

Now That’s How You Tweet / Troll

This tweet has gotten my most everything ever. Career highs in favorites, retweets, and engagements. I owe this to knowing how to tweet using hash tags and who to tweet at. It doesn’t hurt that the material is top notch from a relatively unknown source. For more Ken M trolls visit HorseySurprise. I have to add that using Wickerpedia as a punch line is fucking genius.

Look up turtles in Wickerpedia! @horseysurprise #kenm pic.twitter.com/pbISEPap7y

— Tom Stortz (@rnningfool) June 3, 2015

By Tom Stortz|2015-06-03T14:52:37-04:00June 3rd, 2015|My Brain|0 Comments

Email Inbox Must Be 0

When someone uses the subject line for text meant in the body

I like getting emails. It makes me feel like I’ve created some sort of activity within my life. People trying to sell me stuff. People wanting to buy stuff. People just trying to communicate with me. Email is about 10x more important to me than text messages which I have to guess is the exact inverse of our youth culture.

That being said, I don’t fuck around with my email. I have two accounts set up, one that gets all my spam and that I sign up for shit with and one that is all business and used for people who I want to contact me. My phone receives all the mail which I’m always checking away from work, but I rely on Microsoft Outlook for all interaction. Only when I really, really need to have a timely response will I use my phone. So how do I use Outlook?

This is outlook on my home computer. I don’t use it.

Secondary Email

Every single piece of mail gets read so that it becomes unread. No strays. I will shift+delete all mail that I view as trash and never want to see again. This permanently deletes it. Any emails that need responses get responded to in brief sentences because this inbox rarely gets anything very important. If there is an email that is important to this email, there’s a possibility I will forget about it. For example, I received an email that invited me to a golf outing at 3pm on Sunday. I want to play but I also have an unknown tee time earlier in the day that makes it impossible to commit. This would be a rare email that I just can’t respond to and would possibly forget. This is a rarity.

Primary Email

I treat the primary email differently because it’s impossible to respond to each email immediately. I’ll scan through the emails and print out any emails that I know I need to return to. This leaves a hard copy on my desk that won’t get forgotten. All other emails get read and the same shift+delete gets used so my trash can is always empty. The idea of looking through deleted items would drive me crazy. Every email gets responded to at some point or another and I’ll even take a few minutes when I feel caught up to go back and make sure I didn’t leave any over the previous few days. There is never a time when my inbox has a number next to it.

How do you use your email? (I took these from another site that I’m too lazy to list)

People who still use @aol.com

The filer/deleter

This is the person who sees a message in his inbox and takes action immediately. As in, he reads the email, sends a response if it calls for one, and then either deletes it (because it’s no longer useful) or archives it in a specific folder. His email count typically hovers around zero.

The saver

The saver has few unread emails in her inbox, but rarely deletes a message after she reads it. Essentially, saving emails is a way of deluding themselves into thinking they’ll get around to addressing them all.

When your inbox reads 0

The ignorer

Keeping hundreds or thousands of unread emails in your inbox isn’t necessarily a problematic behavior. On the one hand leaving emails unread can signify that you’re overwhelmed or disengaged. On the other hand, “it can also mean that you recognize that [monitoring and organizing those emails] isn’t helping you achieve progress. And that’s a sign of intelligence.” Some email ignorers might actually be more organized and productive than everyone else. After all, Friedman says, “email reflects other people’s priorities for you, not necessarily important work that requires your immediate attention.”

By Tom Stortz|2015-06-02T23:33:26-04:00June 2nd, 2015|My Brain|2 Comments

Samantha Elauf Case Sets Horrible Precendent

Samantha Elauf

(CNN) The Supreme Court ruled in favor of a Muslim woman who has sued retailer Abercrombie & Fitch when the store failed to hire her because she wore a head scarf in observance of her religion.

The court ruled 8-1 that the company failed to accommodate Samantha Elauf’s religious needs when she was not hired on the basis that her hijab violated company dress policy.

What The Fuck?

To sum up what happened, in 2008, Samantha Elauf interviewed with a head scarf, the interviewer consulted with her manager who then said she shouldn’t be hired “because the scarf was inconsistent with the look policy that bans head gear.” This info was not relayed properly.

If Abercrombie would have said, “We have a rule that you can’t wear head coverings at all, is that a problem for you?’ That’s a way to bring it up without getting into religion”, said Jennifer Goldstein, the commission’s associate general counsel.

So you’re saying that this wouldn’t even be a case that lasted 7 years if someone at Abercrombie handled this interview process by saying that we don’t allow head coverings? Our country is so damn sensitive to religion that it’s a travesty. Abercrombie and Fitch is in business to make money. They can choose who they want to represent their company. If an individual doesn’t fit their mold, or strays away from their image that best suits them to make a profit, they have that choice to not hire.

Is it commonplace within Samantha Elauf’s religion to SUE A MAJOR CORPORATION!!! Does her god believe in receiving sums of money for being treating (not even) unfairly? If she wants the job so bad, she can take off her head scarf. If she can’t do that, she should find another place to work. If I went to a Muslim country and said I must wear my Catholic cross as an employee, do you think I’d be able to sue the company who didn’t hire me? No. I truly believe America is a fantastic country to live in but we are getting so uptight it is spiraling out of control.

By Tom Stortz|2015-06-02T10:35:47-04:00June 2nd, 2015|My Brain|2 Comments

Why Biker Gangs Are Fascinating

The Hell’s Angels

Repeatedly…Assaulted Hell’s Angels Rape Teenagers
Aged 14 and 15 … 4,000 Cyclists Invade Monterey
Stinking, Hairy Thugs

The Red and White

These are just a few of the headlines in 1964 when summarizing acts committed by the most notorious biker gang, the Hell’s Angels. Hunter S. Thompson’s book titled “Hell’s Angels: A Strange and Terrible Saga” recounts his experience traveling with the gang back in the early 60’s and gives a firsthand account of the Angels. Here are few passages taken from the book to give an idea of who the Hell’s Angels are.

The powerful stench they are said to exude is not so much body odor as the smell of old grease in their crusty uniforms. Every Angel recruit comes to his initiation wearing a new pair of Levis and a matching jacket with the sleeves cut off and a spotless emblem on the back. The ceremony varies from one chapter to another but the main feature is always the defiling of the initiate’s new uniform. A bucket of dung and urine will be collected during the meeting, them poured on the newcomer’s head in a solemn baptismal.
The Hell’s Angels will continue to be arrested for rape with monotonous regularity. It has come to be known as one of their specialties.
Not published in LIFE. Hells Angels, California, 1965.

“I have seen them try to amuse an outsider by telling stories which they consider funny – but which generate fear and queasiness in a listener whose sense of humor has a different kind of filter. Some of the outlaws understand this communications gap, but most are puzzled and insulted to hear that “normal people” consider them horrible.”
When an Angel punches a non-angel, all other angels will participate
Very simple rule of thumb, “a fellow Angel is always right”. To disagree with a Hell’s Angel is to be wrong – and to persist in being wrong is an open challenge.

Hunter S Thompson on a bike

Hunter’s findings also highlight runs he does with the Angels where a few hundred members gather at a specified location and simply party. Every law enforcement personnel is notified of the angels traveling and does their best to confine them within the agreed upon area. Their parties typically include alcohol, weed, LSD, and more pills than a pharmacy. The parties last days and the city is always holding their breath until it’s over. Let’s not forget this is the 1960’s and news travels a bit slower which is how stories get exaggerated.

The Mongols

The Black and White

“In order to become a prospect, I had to complete an official Mongols application. I was a little stunned when Rocky handed it to me one day at his house; it was 3 pages long, and more intense – and personal- than applications I’d filled out to become a law enforcement officer. The mongols wanted to know everything from your Social Security number to how long your dick was.” – Bill Queen from Under and Alone

This passage is from an undercover officer named Bill Queen who spent 2 years of his life with the Mongols and eventually went from a prospect to a full patch or official member of the group. His operation led to 42 arrests in 2000. It was the most successful investigation into an Outlaw Motorcycle Gang at the time.

Billy Queen – Undercover Agent in the Mongols

A biker wears his colors like a neon sign, announcing to the world precisely who he is. And make no mistake: Outlaw bikers want you to know who they are.
Among outsiders, the Hells Angels may have the most famous name, but within the world of the 1 percenters, there’s not a gang more feared than the Mongols. Their motto is “Respect few, fear none.”
For gangs like the Mongols, membership means a 24 hour a day commitment to The Life. They despise legitimacy and have no desire to look like anything other than who they are.
“I began to realize that Easy was so brave in the face of danger because he wanted to die. Like a terrorist who straps explosives to his own body, Easy had that conflation of suicidal and homicidal impulses. He was going to kill his sisters’ two children slowly in front of her. Beside me, Easy pulled his knife out and gripped it tightly in one hand, saying that was going to hold the kids by their hair and cut their throats while his sister watched them struggle for their lives.”

Twin Peaks Shootout

Waco police officers walk along the perimeter of Twin Peaks restaurant during an investigation Wednesday, May 20, 2015 in Waco, Texas. A deadly weekend shootout involving rival motorcycle gangs apparently began with a parking dispute and someone running over a gang member’s foot, police said Tuesday. (Rod Aydelotte/Waco Tribune Herald, via AP)

On May, 17th 2015, a shoot-out in Waco, Texas left 9 bikers dead and 171 arrested. The biker gangs involved were from the Bandidos and the Cossacks. The incident developed because the Cossacks members were refusing to pay Bandidos dues for operating in Texas and for claiming Texas as their territory by wearing the Texas bottom rocker on their vests, or ‘colors’.

A Confederation of Clubs meeting was occuring – All authorized and recognized clubs come together to talk about the social and political events that effect the biker community as a whole. These events are held regionally all over the state of Texas. The Bandido’s were hosting the meeting and The Cossacks were invited in order to make peace.
Crime scene at Twin Peaks

Eyewitness Report – the Cossacks arrived first and were on the restaurant patio when approximately 100 Bandidos arrived. One of their motorcycles struck a Cossacks member in the parking lot, knocking him down. A brief fistfight between a Cossack and a Bandido ended when the Bandido fatally shot the man in the head. Within seconds, two other Cossacks were shot and killed. The Cossacks ran away, and some who tripped and fell were also shot.
Twin Peaks blew it – the “breastaurant” featuring scantily clad female waitresses, was aware of the biker meetup and refused to cooperate with police, authorities said. Peakstastic Beverages, LLC is the owner of the franchise. That company released a statement denying it was advised by police or Twin Peaks against holding the event, and contending that the violence (without specifying fighting or shooting) began in the parking lot, rather than in the building.
People being unarrested

The police were also aware of the meeting – they were outside when it began due to the history of the clubs and potential danger a meeting like this may have. It’s still unknown how many victims were shot by police but early reports suggest 4. This blogger isn’t so sure all the story is being told factually. Awesome dissection here.

This is truly a bizarre scene that still has many details open to the public. Why wasn’t the restaurant cooperating with police? Was the entire sit down a set up by the Bandidos to attack the Cossacks and were the owners of Twin Peaks aware of such details? Do police just start shooting the minute the gangs are fleeing for safety?

Waco Mugshots

By Tom Stortz|2015-06-01T20:26:16-04:00June 1st, 2015|My Brain|4 Comments

Bowling for Dollars

Weens is Jordan Cohen

Weens rolled a 278 last night. That’s a pretty solid performance. When you consider all the leagues that are rolled night after night it’s not groundbreaking, but it’s still impressive. It should be noted that he took the perfect game into the 10th which is damn near the most anticipation that can be had. It starts to get interesting around the 6th strike. There were also 0 Jersey strikes in this feat. Big Urn tried to save face in this game as I knew it was going to be a pic.

The man, the myth, the legend…with a little dog.

To add to this story, we all threw in 10 bucks of which half goes to the person with the high game and half to the person with the high series. In dramatic fashion, Weens ended up overtaking Mugsey for the high series by about 5 pins. His final series was 1,000 pins after 5 games for an exact 200 average. There you go Weens, an entire blog post dedicated to your feat. One of the pluses of bowling with a blogger. Oh yeah, Jkash was there too after we didn’t invite him about 5 times in row. Adam bowled 3 quality games. Evan and myself did nothing noteworthy.

By Tom Stortz|2015-05-29T14:28:45-04:00May 29th, 2015|My Life|0 Comments