Archive for January, 2009

Avitaweek 2009: Waterboarding isn't a type of surfing?

Thursday, January 22nd, 2009

Don't forget, it's Avitaweek 2009! Send your gifts and cards and baked goods and naked photos to: Adam Avitable, 605 Birch Blvd, Altamonte Springs, FL 32701!!

Last night, on an episode of "Clearly, You're Retarded", we discussed torture. (You can download the episode and listen to it or subscribe to the podcast on iTunes).

I believe that there are situations where torture should be allowed. These situations are limited and require very specific circumstances. One example where I consider torture to be acceptable would be the following:

1. You have captured someone who you reasonably believe to be a terrorist. This reasonable belief comes from evidence beyond a reasonable doubt;
2. You also have a reasonable belief that this person is aware of the activities of other terrorists. Once again, this "reasonable belief" is not subjective, but rather the legal litmus test of the "reasonable man"; and
3. You have a reasonable belief that subjecting your prisoner to torture in order to get information is highly likely to save lives and is your only method for gathering said information.

In a situation like that, I say torture away. Put bamboo under his fingernails, waterboard him, shock him, shame him, – basically use all implements of physical and psychological torture until you have discovered the information that you need to know.

In a strictly limited situation like this, I think that it's for the greater good. Torture one to save a thousand.

Do you agree? And if not, why?

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Avitaweek 2009: For my birthday . . .

Wednesday, January 21st, 2009

For my birthday, could I get someone to clean my office? I'm completely overwhelmed here and to the point that I don't even know where to start to make headway.

The left side of my desk

The left side of my desk

The center desk

The center desk

The right side of my desk

The right side of my desk

The far right side of my desk

The far right side of my desk


In other Avita-news:

Tonight (that's Wednesday night for you short bus riders out there) is a brand new installment of "Clearly, You're Retarded"!

On Tuesday, President Barack Obama indicated his desire for peace, and what better way to show his determination than the executive order closing down Guantanamo Bay and ending the use of torture such as waterboarding?

But maybe torture has its place in society. Or does it?

Britt and I are going to lightly discuss the easy topic of torture from 9 PM to 10 PM EST on Talkshoe. You can listen live online at Talkshoe.com, or download the Talkshoe application and you can chat and even call in!

Avitaweek 2009: Obama's Inauguration Speech!

Tuesday, January 20th, 2009

As a super A-list rock-star blogger, I have access to all types of cool information that none of you unwashed masses have. For example, I get to see TV shows three weeks before they air, and I even already know who wins this season's Bachelor!

My biggest coup so far, though, is that I have the full, unedited text of Barack Obama's inauguration speech that he will be giving today (Tuesday) at noon. I can't reveal my sources, but suffice it to say that they risked life and limb to get me this uncensored copy of his upcoming highly anticipated inauguration speech. Without further ado:

My fellow Americans:

May I have your full, undivided attention please?

May I have your attention please?

As President Barack Obama, I stand up before you. I repeat, as an American citizen who loves his country, I stand up.

We have many problems to discuss today.

Until today, you have never seen an African American President before. Is it a momentous occasion on par with Rosa Parks' arrest? With Martin Luther King, Jr.'s assassination? I think so. I know what you're thinking. You're thinking, "He didn't just say what I think he did, did he?" But I did, without being immodest. Dr. King once said . . . well, he never spoke on an issue like this, and unfortunately, of course, Dr. King is dead. But we can only imagine how he would appreciate and relish this moment in history.

This is a step forward for women, too. My fellow American women, I know that originally, many of you said to yourself, "Look at him, walking around, grabbing the primary from you-know-who." And switching parties and supporting Sarah Palin simply because she was a woman might have been a bit crazy, but it's no worse than what goes on in each of our heads when a victory is lost. But let me be as frank as I can be with you. Sometimes, I would like to appear on TV and just let loose, but I can't, even in a world where it's okay for Sarah Palin to kill a moose. "A pitbull with lipstick. A pitbull with lipstick." We delivered a message to adults and children that rather than discussing the issues that are both obvious and hidden, we would rely on shallow attacks and frivolous mud slinging.

But, in the end, the American people weren't fooled and they saw what was happening to this country. Through intelligent discourse, even our children can discover how to channel their energy into participating in concepts of fairness and equality. Never forget that we are more than mammals, but we are still a society who is cannibalizing ourselves while cutting out important resources. There will be a day when we all have rights, when a man and another man can elope, and I feel like I have the antidote to the illness that our great country has.

George W. Bush is no longer accountable for the financial troubles that face us. I am, and that means that I'm well aware of the struggle I'll be facing. I'll have to harden myself to criticism – while it may seem like I'm the media darling right now, half of America didn't want me to be President, let alone want me to remain an American. But now that I have won, I have to move past the concept of celebrity status, where I am compared to Britney Spears or Christina Aguilera, and grow above that. As a result, I have figured which issues need to be addressed head-on first and will proceed thusly.

Women and men, Republicans and Democrats, liberals and conservatives, let's cease the gossiping and in-fighting. I'm sick of all of you special interest groups and extremist views distracting this country from being as great as it should be. As President, I will be bipartisan and destroy the idea that a Democrat and a Republican cannot work together. And hopefully, this will spawn a million other people just like me. Who cross lines like me, who don't care what party you're in, who think and act like me. This might be a great thing for America.

I'm not afraid to say some things that you might not want to hear. You might joke about this with your friends in your living room, but here I am putting it all in front of you, without being false or sugarcoating anything. And even if you don't like what I'm going to say, please know that I am not like other politicians. I will tell you the truth and I want you to trust me.

It's a funny thing, being President. I have four years to accomplish something that will take ten. I am confident, however, that my goals and my plans and my pride and patriotism will inspire each and every one of you, from the teenager working at Burger King to the woman driving through the parking lot, and I am confident that there is a President Barack Obama lurking in each of you.

So, will the real President Barack Obama please stand up?
And please raise each of your hands up?
And be proud to be an American and proud to say what he or she thinks without repercussion?

I'm the real Barack Obama. And so are you. And you. You're not just imitating. So when I ask for the real Barack Obama to please stand up, that means please stand up!

(wait for applause)

Apologies to sir M. Mathers.

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Celebrate Avitaweek 2009! My birthday is on January 26th – go here or here to buy me a present!

Avitaweek 2009: Martin Loser King

Monday, January 19th, 2009

As you might have noticed from the header (if not, reload the page), this is AvitaWeek 2009! My birthday is on Monday, January 26th, and I plan on being shameless in my celebration over the next seven days, by brazenly soliciting presents, baked goods, cards, well wishes, photos of your boobs, posts on next Monday dedicated solely to my awesomeness, and grainy home videos of you having sex.

Last year, during Avitaweek 2008, my first post also coincided with Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. In that post, I compared our similarities. This year, I'm going to talk to the man himself:

"I will pay you Tuesday for a hamburger today."

I will pay you Tuesday for a hamburger today.

Me: Thanks for agreeing to speak with me.

MLK: It's my pleasure to have another chance to share my message of peace with the world.

Me: Can I call you Marty?

MLK: Excuse me?

Me: Marty – you know, your name? I mean, I have a Doctorate, too, so unless you want to call me Dr. Avitable and make me call you Dr. King, I think we can dispense with the formalities.

MLK: Ummm….

Me: Of course, Marty makes me think of Back to the Future and Marty McFly – can you imagine having your mom hit on you and making your family disappear?

MLK: What?

Me: They don't have movies in heaven? I'd think you'd have plenty of free time to catch all of the movies that come out now. Unless you're actually in hell?

MLK: No, no. I just don't trifle myself with cinema. We sit around and have hours of discourse on life and society and culture and other-

Me: And you strum your harps, blah blah blah.

MLK: You're quite impudent.

Me: I'm just bored with your snootiness. You're quite full of yourself for a-

MLK: For a black man? Did you just call me an uppity black man?

Me: I was going to say ghost. Jeez, jump to conclusions much?

MLK: I apologize. I know that you live in a time of racial harmony.

Me: Well, rap music is probably the only racial harmony around.

MLK: But a black man will be entering his given place in a large, secure government facility this year!

Me: Yeah, OJ got convicted, finally.

MLK: No, I'm saying that a black American is finally getting the recognition of the world and the total adoration and respect of most of its peoples.

Me: Oh yeah! Will Smith is one of my all-time favorite actors, too. Did you see Hancock?

MLK: I'm talking about the wonder of a world where an African American can appear on television and have millions of viewers tune in to hang on each and every word.

Me: Ohhh, you're talking about Oprah! She gives away cars to her audience, so I think she bribes the viewers for all of that adoration.

MLK: Boy, are you addled in the head? Did you get kicked by a mule as a child?

Me: No, why?

MLK: You seem to be easily distracted and too focused on the tawdry world of entertainment and cinema instead of the real world. A young man such as yourself should be focusing on church, service to his community, church, raising a family, and spreading peace throughout the world.

Me: Wow. Preachy much?

MLK: Excuse me?

Me: I'm just saying – now you're being a bit uppity.

Me: Hello?

Me: Marty?


Celebrate Avitaweek 2009! Go here or here to buy me a present!

Under cover of darkness

Sunday, January 18th, 2009

It's the magic hour.
The road ahead is barren and black.
Behind me, lights twinkle as stars from another galaxy.
The sky is ink and the moon smiles.
The needle passes 100.
A shrug silences the music.
A nudge lets the wind roar in.
A twist turns off my guiding lights.
I hold the wheel straight and close my eyes.
For a minute, there is only me, and I am flying.
For a minute, I ride the wind.
For a minute, I am free.

Turned off the sarcasm machine

Saturday, January 17th, 2009

Last year, I explained how she was responsible for the decline of civilization. The year prior, I told you previously unknown factoids about our favorite blonde force of nature.

This year, I'll just be genuine.

Happy birthday, Britt. We "met" when you first commented on my blog wayyy back on July 6, 2006, and the last two and a half years have definitely been amazing. I'm so glad that I have gotten to be a part of your life and participate in the huge changes that have happened.

Even though I tease you about being "Mother of the Year", I'm amazed at the forethought and consideration you put into every value you instill and every lesson you teach your children. They are going to grow up to be amazing people, and they are going to have you to thank for that. You support your entire family, sometimes using nothing but sheer force of will, and your strength is tremendous. You manage to run a household and work and write and experience life and even though it's been hard, you still manage to make it look easy.

You're not even 30 and you've accomplished more and seen and done more things in life than most people ever will. Your willingness to try new things and take that risk and look around the next corner makes an indelible impression on every person you meet, myself included. You've pushed me to move outside my comfort zone, you've made me more optimistic about people, and you've encouraged me to be more personal in life and online, and I appreciate that more than you'll know. You have it within you to actually motivate others to do good things and to embrace life, even if you won't admit it.

You've taken the obstacles that life has given you – obstacles that would block most people from succeeding – and turned them into tools and motivation for success. Nothing is insurmountable to you. Events that other people would use to become victims or would use as excuses are merely building blocks to you, and you've managed to become a smart, savvy, wonderful person.

You're my best friend – one that I know I can count on whenever I need you. I can't think of anyone better suited to be my confidante, my friend, my support, my conscience, my coach, and my surrogate family. You're one of the smartest people I know and I have nothing but the utmost respect and admiration for you. I'm proud to be associated with you and thankful to be your friend.

Happy birthday. I love you (in a totally non-sexual, friend/little sister type of way that in no way impedes the love I have for my wife).

P.S. If you die before me, I'm totally using this as your eulogy too.

img_05391

(Also, go wish KG a happy birthday, too.)

I need the American Express black card

Friday, January 16th, 2009

I just got my upgraded AmEx Business Platinum card in the mail today. It came in a box, like a present, with a booklet chock full of all the little amenities and benefits you get for being a cardmember. There are little things like roadside assistance and a concierge service and nicer benefits like access to all of the first-class lounges in airports and first look at tickets for many different events in many different venues.

I have a good friend who actually availed himself of American Express's foreign travel assistance when he broke his leg in France. They helped him communicate with the doctors and got him on a flight back to London where he could get some proper medical treatment.

This is great and all (free room upgrades! quadruple Membership Rewards points!) but all it does is whet my appetite for the next step up.

The Centurion card. It's the black American Express card that didn't actually exist until a few years ago, when the rumors were so strong about its existence that AmEx capitalized on it and created it!

I'm not quite up to that level yet, though. It has a spending requirement of $250K a year and an annual fee of $2,500. But the perqs are totally worth it. Some of the known benefits are:

  • Complimentary companion airfare
  • Personal shopper
  • Membership to several exclusive organizations
  • First class flight upgrades
  • Free hotel nights
  • Upgrades to the highest level of most mileage and airline rewards programs

Pretty good, but not quite worth the hefty annual fee. I'd like to imagine some of the other benefits that make it worthwhile:

  • Free delivery of Diet Coke anywhere in the world.
  • Exclusive access to the old "2 Whoppers for $2" deal.
  • You get access to the celebrity of your choosing to punch in the nuts or face.
  • A Golden Globe.
  • Personal cheerleading team that you can call anytime who will show up and inspire you with cheers about how awesome you are.
  • Your penis will grow four inches longer.
  • Willard Scott will wish you a happy birthday on air.
  • The weather within a 10-foot radius of you will never be anything colder than 75 degrees and sunny.
  • You're told the truth about JFK's assassination and the 9/11 attacks.
  • "Get out of jail free with this presidential pardon" card.

Of course, this is all idle speculation on my part, but I'm never wrong. Now all I have to do is spend $250,000 this year on my current card to get them to ask me to become a Centurion Card member. Piece of cake!

A Fateful Trip

Thursday, January 15th, 2009

To the tune of the theme from Gilligan's Island

Just sit right back and you'll hear a tale,
A tale of a southbound trip
That started from Altamonte
With me and Miss Britt.

We hit the road at quarter to one,
The drive seemed to take days.
Before too long we were hanging out
With Finn and the gays*.
Finn and the gays*.

We searched for food on Ocean Drive
Britt bravely led the way
If not for the restaurant offering half off,
I would have died that day.
I would have died that day.

The food was placed in front of us, piled twenty feet high
With Stone Crab Legs
And lobster too,
The filet mignon and the sides,
The mojitos
The Diet Cokes and Brittinis,
Piled twenty feet high.

So we ate and drank for several hours,
We smoked and talked and hollered,
And when we asked for the final bill,
It was 800 dollars.

The waiter and the manager,
Made us quite distressed,
So I decided to dispute the charge,
With my American Express.

They lied, no shame, no business sense,
They won't get our money,
Their name is The Rendezvous,
They're as slimy as can be.

The rest of the the night was a total blast,
I'd go back down in a sec,
And to the staff of The Rendezvous,
You can all go to . . . fuck yourself.

miamiisland

*Jester and UMB, plus Othurme and his friend April.

Miami

Wednesday, January 14th, 2009

Tuesday, Britt and I drove down to Miami to meet up with Finn, who lives down here, and Jester and Othurme, who were just visiting.

I'm writing this from our hotel room at The National in South Beach, where it has taken me almost two hours to get their "free wireless" to work.

I'm sure the night will be filled with fun and festivities, but for now, this is what I leave you:

On another note, we will be having an episode of Clearly, You're Retarded tonight, but we don't know what the topic is just yet. Stay tuned!

Only pedophiles lurk.

Tuesday, January 13th, 2009

Yesterday was National Delurking Day, according to some random blogger who announced it. It's a genius concept, because anyone who openly admits they're a lurker has to feel some sense of shame and embarrassment about it. The word "lurk" just has such negative connotations associated with it.

Just doing a Google News search for "lurking" brings up these headlines:

"Beware of poisons lurking in your home"
"HEARTSTOPPING: A lurking menace unmasked"
"Possible winter storm lurking for tomorrow"
"Shoplifters Lurking Among Holiday Shoppers"
"Toxic killer lurking in NZ waters"
"Officials fear flu virus lurking around the corner"
"Marketers fear the 'big unknown' lurking in '09"

As defined, "lurking" is a bad thing. It is defined as the action of being sneaky, like you're about to ambush someone. Sure, it also means to exist "unperceived", but everybody knows the negative definition of it.

Nobody says:

"The kids found all of the Easter eggs that were lurking around the house."
"My hand lurked under her shirt and touched her erect nipple."
"Santa lurked around the house putting presents under the tree."
"The cat lurked from one room to the other before curling up on the couch."

Why is someone who reads a blog but doesn't comment a LURKER? They're not doing anything bad or wrong. They're still reading your words but choosing not to comment on it. Let's say, for argument's sake, that I have eleventy billion subscribers to my feed. And then let's say that my average post gets 50 comments. That means that 50 divided by eleventy billion is less than a half percent! So 99.5% of my imaginary readers are assholes and perverts and depraved individuals? Well, yes, they probably are, but not because they don't comment!

There are a lot of blogs that I read where I don't comment frequently. The reasons vary. Sometimes I don't have anything interesting to say. Sometimes the post is boring. Sometimes it's godawful. Sometimes it's really boring. Sometimes I just don't have time to comment. And sometimes it's horribly amazingly stultifyingly boring. But to paint me as a "lurker", hiding here in the shadows while I read your post and stroke my erect cock, cackling evilly, is just wrong. Well, okay, it's right, but that's just me. I do that when I comment, too.

Maybe lurkers are the people with taste. The ones who abstain from commenting with a "Me too!" or a "You're awesome!" or just a smiley because they have taste. Discernible taste that tells them that sometimes it's appropriate to comment and sometimes you're just being a sycophant!

From this point forward, I will no longer refer to people who read but don't comment as lurkers. I will no longer paint them with an evil stroke of my word brush. I will respect their decision to stay silent and give them the benefit of the doubt, until they prove me otherwise.

My new name for lurkers shall be:

Readers who Acknowledge Post Integrity through Silent Taciturnity.

I salute all of you R.A.P.I.S.T.s out there! Bravo!

However, I have declared today National Stop Being a RAPIST Day, so would you fucking comment already?