“SCOTTSDALE, AZ – If you like doing just about anything with your dog, how about sharing a beer?

Inside ‘Oh My Dog’ in Old Town Scottsdale, pooches get pampered.

From hair cuts to a blow dry, they’re each given a unique style.

But the latest craze is to put a little party in your animal with something called Bowser Beer.

“We sell a lot of Bowser Beer,” said Jacki Bacha, owner of ‘Oh My Dog,’ “It’s just a really funny gesture, the dogs love it.”

In the store, dogs are seen throwing one back.

But Valley creator, Jenny Brown said while it’s a fun product, it has a serious message.

“On the serious side, hops in real beer can be very toxic to dogs,” said Brown.

That’s why Bowser Beer is non-alcoholic.

Brown said it’s high in protein, has a lot of vitamin b and glucosamine for joint health.

“Instead of hops, which provide the flavor, we add the beef and the chicken,” said Brown, who started the business in 2007, in a down economy that got worse.

But she’s managed to expand now internationally stocking Bowser Beer everywhere from the Chicago Zoo to Harrod’s in London and a grocery store in Hong Kong.

The reason she’s so successful is because she said she markets to people, but her customers are the dogs.

“There’s this incredible emotional bond people have with their pets,” said Brown.

Because of that bond, you can also personalize the product with a picture of your own dog.

Stores charge up to $5 per beer and up to $25 dollars for a six-pack.

To personalize the item, the cost is $10 per six-pack.

Just go to bowserbeer.com/ for all the information.

Brown also said the beer can be used as a fun gift or to help your dog eat, by pouring a little ‘beer’ on their food.

She said it can also help with dehydration during the hot summer months.”

Alas, the Mighty Casey has struck out.

They have launched this customer driven game or competition…something. I was interested when I heard it at first because, let’s be honest, I wasn’t doing anything productive at the time. So I am listening intently and then I hear the prize for this thing and I about blew out the seat of my pants from shock.

The winner of this competition gets a FREE TRIP TO MEXICO!

If you haven’t been watching the news lately, let me fill you in. Mexico sucks. Even Mexicans think Mexico sucks. Which is why they want to bring their Mexican culture to America, so they can still be Mexican without having to actually live in Mexico. Plus, they get free healthcare and cheaper college than I enjoyed, but that is beside the point.

This is the point: Why would anybody want to go to Mexico?! I’m from ARIZONA fool! People from my state are told to lie about where they are from if they go to Mexico!

This is what people in Mexico think of my people:

Turns out the Most Interesting Man in the World was just a pied piper for rich white people to unsuspectingly walk into the ultimate gringo kidnapping/ransom party in the history of Mexico/Central/South America (which really is saying something because I’ve heard some crazy stories.)

Here’s a tip: Stay the blank out of Mexico my friends!

Hey, give us back our...wait...never mind...we don't want that!

CNN explains:

“Israel has attempted to deliver humanitarian aid from an international flotilla to Gaza, but Hamas — which controls the territory — has refused to accept the cargo, the Israel Defense Forces said Wednesday.

Palestinian sources said trucks that arrived from Israel at the Rafah terminal at the Israel-Gaza border were barred from delivering the aid over protests that members of the flotilla were not delivering the materials.

Israel had 20 trucks of aid found on the ships, such as expired medications, clothing, blankets, some medical equipment and toys.”

The world awaits as we expect to hear either one of two statements from Hamas:

1. “Come back when you have our bullet-proof vests and night vision rifle scopes,” or

2.  ”Super Wal-Mart just moved in so we didn’t really need that old stuff anyways.”

The Palestinian Authority could have just spent the $4,500,000,000.00 that the international community has given them to fill 112,500,000 of Wal-Mart’s $4.00 prescriptions for their people. That is what they spend their money on right? Medicine?

The success of the Winter Classic has made the annual event somethingevery NHL team wants to be a part of. A cash cow for the league, and ratings bonanza for television partner NBC, its popularity has led to talk of a Canadian outdoor match up at some point next season. Given NBC’s involvement as broadcaster of the Winter Classic in the U.S., there’s little chance of seeing a Canadian team involved in that game, but an outdoor doubleheader is a possibility for January 1, 2011 or on a different date.

As for who will be involved in the 2011 Winter Classic, there are several teams who’ve expressed interest in hosting the game and some have submitted bids to the NHL. An official announcement won’t be made until mid-July when the NHL’s 2010-11 schedule is released, but Dave Molinari of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports today that the game is looking like it will head to Pittsburgh and add a new twist to theSidney Crosby(notes) / Alex Ovechkin(notes) rivalry:

“A few details still have to be addressed, but things are falling into place for the Penguins and Washington to play the NHL’s 2011 Winter Classic at Heinz Field Jan. 1.

There is no word on when an official announcement will come. The NHL traditionally does not make one until mid-summer, around the time the coming season’s schedule is released.

Neither the Penguins nor the league will confirm that the game will played here.”

The NHL had plenty of preparation time in Fenway Park and Wrigley Field the past two years, but putting the game on in an NFL stadium could be a hectic task given the schedule runs through January. Molinari reports, however, that the Steelers’ schedule can be tweaked to allow for the NHL’s two-week build-out plan for the rink and the rest of the setup for the stadium.

Because of the possibility of interfering with the Steelers’ regular season schedule, PNC Park, home of the Pirates, was originally thought to be the venue if the game was awarded to Pittsburgh, but the seating capacity of Heinz Field would allow the NHL to pack 65,050 fans inside and the two hated rivals battle.

Many fans will probably ask, “Why would the NHL choose the Penguins again over other teams who haven’t been involved yet?”

The answer is a pretty simple one.

The decision to have the Washington Capitals involved isn’t a surprise given that they were in the mix for the game this year at Fenway Park, but ended up being left out due to NBC’s concerns over television ratings. Despite those fears, it was only a matter of time before Ovechkin was involved in a Winter Classic as shown by rumors last month that the Capitals were to possibly host at Nationals Park next January. If NBC and the NHL have the opportunity to showcase Crosby and Ovechkin, the two biggest stars in hockey, in the League’s premier annual event outside of the Stanley Cup playoffs, then it’s going to happen. NBC’s ratings for Philadelphia-Boston this year were down a bit, but were still the second best for a regular season game since 1996. The minor drop exposed two things. First, a strong match up is a necessity. The Flyers and Bruins weren’t exactly lighting up the Eastern Conference standings at the time and still aren’t almost three months later. Second, there was no star power for NBC to market; so instead, Fenway Park became the focal point. Casual sports fans need to be drawn in for more than just the spectacle of the event; they need a reason to stick around.

We saw this past Wednesday in a third regular season meeting this season between Pittsburgh and Washington that the hype machine is still in full effect for Crosby and Ovechkin. Now, imagine the NHL having five months to market Crosby versus Ovechkin in the Winter Classic, maybe the game gets an added jolt if the two should meet again in the playoffs this season. It’s too much of a no-brainer for NBC and the NHL to pass up. Yeah, there’ll be some grumbling from fans and other NHL teams about the Penguins getting the spotlight again in the Winter Classic and for continuing to shove only Crosby and Ovechkin down fans’ throats, while failing to market other stars around the League. But given the ratings when the two meet, along with the extra mainstream media attention a Pittsburgh-Washington Winter Classic would receive, the decision was inevitable and in the end, would be the right choice.

Found at http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/blog/puck_daddy/post/Report-Sid-vs-Ovie-at-Heinz-Field-Winter-Class?urn=nhl,230618

This homemade bumper sticker was spotted in the parking lot at SeaTac International Airport. Pretty much sums it up for a lot of people, doesn’t it?

Found on IHateTheMedia.com and MichaelMedved.com

The Dirty Heads: Mike Slinkard turned me onto this band. It was probably one of the nicest things he has ever done for me (not to speak ill of him, that’s just how awesome this band is). They sound a lot like Sublime. I can’t think of many other bands to listen to with the windows down on a sunny day.

The Derek Trucks Band: I was fortunate enough to find this band on Pandora. Gotta love Pandora. Best website ever. Anyways, the Derek Trucks Band is an electric blues band that PopMatters.com says “are serving up some of the best American music to be had in a fragmented, subgenre-obsessed popular music world.” This music is straight-up Sons of Anarchy.

Jet Black Crayon: Jet Black Crayon is the instrumental post-rock outlet for former professional skater Tommy Guerrero. I like instrumental music. Most professional musicians, in my opinion, don’t really say anything of great importance  so it’s nice when they just shut up and play.

Pretty Lights:

I don’t really have much to say about Pretty Lights other than that its awesome background music.

Tea Leaf Green:

This is another group that you should listen to with the windows down. I once recommended them to a professor. Who does that?

You will once you hear them.

The Bad Plus:

My good friend Hannah Gudim recommended The Bad Plus to me and I am forever indebted to her. They are a mix between postmodern free-form and traditional jazz.

Gangstagrass:

If you’ve ever seen the show “Justified” on FX (I you haven’t, I highly recommend it), then you’ve probably wondered who made that awesome intro song. Look no further. Check out these videos and thank me later.

Rock on everyone, enjoy this music!

“Mexican President Senor Wences came to our country and criticized the way we treat his people (you know, the jobs, the welfare, the free medical care, the free education, all those horrible things).

But how does Mexico treat illegal aliens? Well, let’s just say they don’t get free medical care even though they may need it after the treatment they receive at the hands of Mexican authorities.

Watch the video.

H/T: Bluegrass Pundit“

Reposted from IHateTheMedia.com

That’s why IHateTheMedia.com is one of my favorite blogs on the web. The authors are smart enough to point out the common sense inconsistencies of America’s most ignorant prima donnas. Many of their posts make fun of people who actually deserve it. They even use videos and text from primary sources to back up their arguments (unlike the poor victims of public education at the Daily Kos.)

If you go there and check it out, I can guarantee that you’ll want to add it on your Bookmarks bar and check it out every day. Beware though, I think that their latest entry includes a compromising picture of one of the Williams’ sisters. By all means, don’t let that stop you but just be aware…

Read this if you dare

Ralph the motorcycle mouse,  the Hardy Boys and Animorphs (books that kids read before Harry Potter monopolized the children’s section of bookstores) all played a much larger role in my life than they probably should have.

I still love to read. Since there is no real need for textbooks, summer is when I tend to do all of my pleasure reading. A strange feeling came over me this weekend and I spent a lot of time coming up with books that are perfect for summer reading.

Atlas Shrugged
By Ayn Rand

This is my number one recommendation for your summer reading load.

It is one of those books that everyone on the planet needs to read. Yes, it is 1,200 pages long. Yes, its two main topics are philosophy and economics. But reading this book will honestly change your life. Even if you aren’t initially interested in these things, you will be by the time you finish the book.

Atlas Shrugged has enjoyed a recent spike in popularity because it reads like the headlines of recent newspapers. It will captivate you: the characters are extremely interesting and dynamic, the plot is suspenseful and extremely relevant, and Ayn Rand’s style of writing is literary gold.

Buy a cheap copy on Amazon or borrow it from a friend. You will not regret it.

The Richest Man in Babylon
By George S. Clason

A good friend of mine told me about this book. During his freshman year, there was an alumni guest speaker that came to one of his classes and talked about how ultra rich he had become  after graduating. My friend is extremely ambitious so he caught up with this alumni after class. He asked, “What can I do to prepare myself for the kind of success you have achieved?”

One of the things that this man told my friend was to read this book. It was written during the late 1920s but still finds relevance today. It is a shorter book that, as Wikipedia describes it (I still have yet to finish this book) “dispenses financial advice through a collection of parables set in ancient Babylon.”

With the current economy, it is extremely wise to learn the fundamentals of financial well-being. It is a necessary read for anybody who will be increasing their economic independence in the next year.

Mere Christianity
By C.S. Lewis

I led a short study of this book during my time as the Pan Sophic Fraternity Chaplain. It is a great text to read because it explains Christian theology and philosophy concisely. Lewis begins the book with almost no preconceived assumptions about reality and this helps the reader follow the syllogistic steps of his reasoning.

This book is a tough read. You will learn so much but it requires some serious IQ and mental effort to follow. Only pick this one up if you are willing to read a book that becomes bland at times. I recommend that you do because what you take away from the book can be so much more than you are required to put in.

The Road
By Cormac McCarthy

I have read a lot of  books during my four years in college. Many of my classes required me to read works of literature that are considered to be masterpieces of literature. The truth is that not very many of them were even close to as good as The Road.

In this book, Cormac McCarthy (the guy who wrote No Country For Old Men) creates a post-apocalyptic world in which a man and his young son search for food and shelter. I hardly ever tear up when I read books, but the end of this one made me want to  cry like a baby. And I’m not just the exception here. Every person I have to talked to (most of them are guys) has told me that they started crying.

This is a great summer read because you can read it and get sad, and then realize “Hey! I’m sitting by a pool and enjoying the sunshine. All is still right with the world!” However, do not read this book during the gloom of winter. It’ll screw with your head.

Twilight
By Stephanie Meyer

Just kidding! Please, do NOT read this book.

Do NOT read this book.

Do NOT read this book.

Do NOT read this book.

Okay, I guess if you’re a pre-teen girl you can go ahead and read it. Talk to me when you’re grown up and I’ll give you some better books to read.

But the next time I see any guy reading this, I’m seriously going to FREAK OUT.

So go to Amazon or Half.com to find your books (save yourself time/money and just buy all of your books online) and stock up on some good reads.

Just make sure YOU ACTUALLY READ A BOOK THIS SUMMER.

Imagine tuning into a radio station and hearing the guest discuss his new medical office where women can get dental and gynecological work done on them at the same time. Or about how a lifeguard didn’t jump into the pool and save a drowning boy because his union contract responsibility only extended to the waters edge. It makes for some AMAZING radio.

Take some time to listen to these segments, they will be a highlight in your day:

The Molester’s Annual Picnic

Santa Ain’t Black

Bobbie Dooley Teaches High Schoolers to Smoke Without Inhaling

Seriously, Phil Hendrie is my HERO. He picks on these callers mercilessly and they don’t even know it. I love it.