RMS Queen Mary 2 Port of Call in Charleston

The RMS Queen Mary 2 will leave Charleston this evening at 7 pm. Named after Mary of Teck, the Cunard Luxury Cruise ship was the largest in the world @ 151, 400 gross tons until Royal Caribbean christened the Freedom of the Seas @ 158,000 gross tons. The QM2 still holds the record as the largest cruise liner, but not cruise ship.

The RMS (Royal Mail Ship) QM2 always causes a commotion when she comes to port of call, as if the vessel is royalty herself. I had a chance to go down to the cruise terminal and check her out, and dang she is one big woman! Since the guys and I were dressed in Native American attire, as we looted the tea aboard the ship and threw it over-board into the Charleson Harbor, (Don't tread on my with your Stamp Tax there King George) I didn't have a camera on me, so I am borrowing a photo from T Walker.

Rick's Cabaret

Don’t worry folks there’s a strong introspective in the works for 6/6/6, I just haven’t had the time to put the final touches on it yet, but to keep things moving (and to keep with the day of decadence theme) I decided to post this from Andy Serwer Senior Editor at Large @ Fortune Magazine’s newsletter ‘Street-life’

RICK'S CABARET: This company owns strip clubs. I counted 11 of them on its website. The ticker is RICK (Research). If this tickles your fancy (or any other part of your body), go ahead. Stock's been streaking! (Hardy, har, har!) Up from like a buck in '03 to $6.50 today. Me? I'll pass. Anything can happen in this business (and usually does), though it IS recession proof. Could you explain it to your kids? Let the Vice Fund have it.

Interestingly enough, during my last escapade in New Orleans, I stopped at Rick’s Cabaret for some entertainment and to my surprise a nice dinner. Yes, probably the most surreal moment of my life happened when we (“Friend of the Bushido”-name omitted because Mardi Gras comrade has since been tagged, bagged and tranquilized into the institution of marriage) decided we’d buy a bottle of Dom Perignon (entry fee to the fine-dining restaurant on the second floor) and have dinner. I had the filet-mignon. Honestly, it was one of the best meals I had while in New Orleans. Yes, it was a unique experience to be in a fine dining atmosphere, with all of the nuances of such an establishment, but with fully nude women dancing around our table, joining us for ‘light’ conversation with Guns and Roses playing in the background. I recall that someone mentioned Rick’s was traded on the NYSE, and my reaction being come-on, enough is enough. This place is too much for my senses. After reading Serwer’s post today, it seems I should have used those dollars to purchase the stock instead of, actually now that I think about it, I don’t actually recall what I did with those dollars. Just like Vegas, What happened in New Orleans stays in New Orleans!

(The Photo of the famous Rick's Cafe from Casablanca is of no relation to Rick's Cabaret and compliments of Shubb.com, please visit their site to show support.)

Brian (Peabody) Waite turns 31!

Shocking isn’t it? Brian (Peabody) Waite did indeed get married before he turned 31. As the window of opportunity was closing fast and the music about to stop, Peabody surprised us all by grabbing a chair and confidently cannon-balling into Holy matrimony with naturalist Francis Melfi. Brian held true to the pack he made with the other members of the Middleton Triumvirate and left the Bushido off the guest list.

A bright-line-ultimatum was drawn in the proverbial sand, and at very moment I knew the “Chair of Bachelorhood” was in danger of falling into the wrong hands. Risking physical danger, I used my Indiana Jonesque quick thinking (on my feet) to grab the “Chair of Bachelorhood” and escape doom as the booby-trapped walls of apartment 311 began to fall. Worry not my dear friends, as the COB was saved and now it is stored in a place. Had I not done so, the COB would have soon been destroyed (left on the curb for trash day) and we (bachelors) around the world would be faced with immediate marital arrangements once we all turned 25. Happy Birthday Peabody!

Houston we have a problem

Special thanks to the ladies who picked me up in the BMW convertible on I-526 at the base of the Mt. Pleasant Bridge after my car went dead. Unfortunately, the General blew her front-seals, putting oil everywhere and ruining the timing and alternator belts (which broke after their oil bath). The posting on the Bushido will probably be scant at best this week, as I will be in the process of putting my life back together and getting the General Sherman fixed. Thanks again to the ladies in the Beemer and Ms. Renz for picking me up to get the General some new oil. The Tumeys have been kind enough to let me stay at the Estate and to borrow Jenny’s X-5 for the next couple of days in order to facilitate the non-car having transition. Mark me down for a change of luck because the car issue is the 3rd problem of the set of three.

Thanks again, James Trabert

The Katie (Couric) Factor

The “Today” show and Matt Lauer said farewell to long time co-host Katie Couric yesterday. Lars asked, if I was upset that (my girl) Katie was leaving the show to host the “CBS Evening News”? Are you kidding me? For the past 15-years I have awoken to that bubbly smile and those great legs of Katie Couric, watching her return to those U.V.A. sorority girl mannerisms when she interviewed attractive men, especially the interview she did with the hunky Navy S.E.A.L. Commander all gitty and full of youthful exuberance, made me long for a chance to have Katie interview the Bushido. A dance if you will, a brief moment of laughter and playful conversation as I sit across from those “golden staircases” in the hot seat looking quite urbane until her bronzed legs, multi-million dollar smile and mellifluous voice sends my synapses into full frontal-lobe ADHD. I simply smile while distractively forgetting the answers to her questions about how Osama Bin Laden was caught. A fantastic story of friends connected, Osama is captured (after being traced by the CIA and NSA while leaving a cacodylic comment about Dubya on the Bushido) by Lt. Dan and Sniper Sam.

The Bushido wins, Trabert is a Pulitzer Prize winning hero, and Lt. Dan and Sniper Sam both receive a chest full of medals. We celebrate by going out in the cold weather of New York’s Rockefeller Plaza, outside of Studio One to throw snowballs at Al Roker and my Buckeye brother Lauer. The buzz of laughter and the cheer of the crowd fill the air! But alas, this was just a dream, a fog of God’s humor as I reach to smack the alarm for but 10 more minutes of paradise: Osama still lurks, Katie is married, JET is still far from a Pulitzer and now, we must usher in a new side-kick (Meredith Vieira) for Matt, and a new month for us all. Will I survive my now vacant mornings without the Katie Factor? Indeed, I shall; there is always Becky Quick on Squawk Box to start my day. Cheers Katie good luck in the big leagues!

(Photo compliments of the Bushido's friends over at CNNSi, work of photo-journalist Scott Gries/Getty Images.)

CofC Sponsors Thirsty Thursday at the Joe!

I am reposting this as a reminder for tonight's game. In the picture is College of Charleston Coach Herrion and James Trabert at the last one of these baseball shin-digs. See you at the game tonight!

From the College of Charleston Alumni Office: Come on out to “Thirsty Thursday” at Joe Riley Stadium as the Riverdogs take on the Columbus Catfish on Thursday, June 1! The Alumni Association will be hosting a picnic prior to the game at Doby’s Deck at the Stadium. Picnic begins at 6:00 pm and game at 7:05 pm. Tickets are $15 per person. Limited tickets will be available at the Gate for $20.00-person, for participants purchasing tickets after May 31, 2006.

*Ticket price includes admission to the game, food (hot dogs and hamburgers) and beverages (including cold beer)! Any questions please contact Amy Welch at welchad@cofc.edu or call 843-953-5417. If you would like to register on-line click here.