Tuesday, August 31, 2004

Capitol Games

The McCain Phenomenon

The McCain Fizzle

I saw the speech; McCain did a good job. He's presidential material as far as I'm concerned, but he'd be best to stay as far from the 2004 campaign as possible. Him and anything to do with Vietnam . . . .

Monday, August 30, 2004

VA hospitals may be target, advisory warns

CNN.com

So summarize:
--There has been some suspicious activity.
--There is no link to terrorism.
--Information is not credible.
--There are no recommendations as to what should be done.
--There are reports that come in all the time about "suspicious activity."
--It took two people to write this article.

Marathon marred by mugging

Boston.com

3 AM, can't sleep, clown'll eat me. I need more bookshelves. First I need space to put the bookshelves. I have some shelves in the other building but I need a place to put them here. Plus they already have books in them. Where will I put those books? Unless I want to bring some of those books up here, but then I might not have enough room for the books I already have that don't have shelf space. I have to get up in six hours, then work for ten and come back here, where I will only sleep. But probably not. But I should. Today I had my first class, which is odd because it was a Sunday and it's a Tuesday class. I also worked ten hours today but the class was in between. So it was really a twelve hour day. Meaning I should be much more tired right now. Is it all the Diet Coke? I think I drank 66 ounces today. Sadly that's not too abnormal. That's why I drink Diet, because 66 ounces of regular Coke is about 1000 calories. A rough guestimate. Finally, I have the apartment to myself tonight. But I have to spend the time asleep. I should put out my clothes for the morning. Then I can sleep in for two more minutes. I have to wash my whites tomorrow. See, I knew I couldn't go straight to bed. Then I'll check my E-mail and by then I'll stay up for the Daily Show, then, you guessed it, it's 3 AM again. Lift your right arm over your head and then rub the back of your left ear with your right hand. Isn't that weird? It's like someone else's hand is doing it. It poured today. Poured. Say that slowly. Pouuuuuurrrrrred. Meow. Let's give this up and hit the hay. Tax-free day Tuesday: be there!

Sunday, August 29, 2004


What do billionaires do the night before their wedding? Go see a Drum Corps competition! Here is rich businessman, Sabres owner and perpetual gubernatorial candidate Tom Golisano with his fiance. They're getting married in the morning! Go Tom!

Did I mention that Tom looked at me when he saw me walk out of the bathroom? Oh well. More importantly, my brother's group took first place and treated the hometown crowd to some encores. The closest he got to my camera was here, second row from the right and in the very front. (Directly above that well-placed blue hat.)

All of the bands that performed that night

This is what the dugout for a minor league team looks like. Wow, the magic of baseball.

The view behind home plate. The hash marks kind of ruin the shot.

Last time I was here I wanted to take a picture of the Kodak Building at night. Then the batteries to my Canon camera died. Coincidence? So I come back tonight and this building jumped in my way. Check out the ghoulish, almost possessed glow of those letters. TAUNTing me.

Today I went to beautiful Rochester off the Genesee River. I had about ninety minutes to walk around, so here are some of my 91 pictures. This is the public library!

This is a church garden!

This is self-explanitory! Let's keep using exclamation points!

What a bendy building!

A Unitarian Universalist church! (That means they don't believe in anything!) Hey Ed, don't I have an old blog to respond to?

A skate park! Or abandoned fountain. Or both! Here you can see different geological eras such as Cement, Dark, and of course earth's own Blue period.

The public ice rink, not used in winter!!!

Free papers!

SPoT Coffee of Rochester is built in an old Chevrolet dealership! Now that's cool!

Yay! It's Corporate!

Buffalo has bison, Rochester has bitter, angry horses! Okay, I'm getting tired of the exclamations.

Why is there a fire alarm next to the firehouse? Can't you just knock on the door?

This church burned down in the 70s but they let it turn into a park. Very cool. It kind of reminded me of Berlin.

The trees growing inside the sanctuary. For anyone who cares, this non-building is in the National Register of Historic Places.

The river at dusk.

Saturday, August 28, 2004

Do the Lynndie

Bad Gas

I just got back from the corner store where I found $10 lying on the ground next to the gas pumps. NOW who wants to be my friend?

Friday, August 27, 2004

Dave Grohl Drumming with Nine Inch Nails

Nine Inch Nails webcam archives. This is old news, as Grohl is now working on a Foo Fighters double album (!!)

Today was the unofficial first day of grad school and it's already weird. One professor can't make it to the first class and rescheduled it for Sunday (!!) so I have to take off work. That's bad because I won't get the money I need, but great because I hate working there. But Sunday? Isn't that illegal or something? Meanwhile, the department is so adamant about keeping students under twelve credit hours that they nearly demanded about a dozen of us to drop one class each. Then again, after looking at the 13-book reading for Modern German History I think I'll take that offer. (I'll do it again: !!) I've already taken two years worth of graduate-level history courses. But just think: I need thirty hours to finish and I've already done 20% of them. Sweet potato pie!

Thursday, August 26, 2004

Being A Joke Is No Laughing Matter

The Globe and Mail

Yesterday I worked on my brother's computer. There were two major problems: the printer would not print, and the computer was so riddled with viruses that anti-virus programs and even the Task Manager would magically close after a split second. I don't know much about computers but I did my best. To fix the printer, I first tried printing. The paper wouldn't feed. I looked inside and found a safety pin wedged in a roller, and removed it using a pencap. Phew, no computer knowledge needed.

As for the viruses, I was a bit screwed. I ran Ad-Aware while in safe mode and found some 500 cookies and background programs. This still didn't solve the disappearing Task Manager program. So I held CTRL+ALT+DEL with one hand and hit PRNT SCRN with the other, and after several attempts finally captured the window before it closed. Using my own computer, I Googled the names of some of the programs to find that yes, they were fraudulent. The help pages also directed me towards this Security Task Manager program that imitated the actual Task Manager while also showing the origin and producers of programs with a diagnostic of possible threats. The program let me quarantine certain programs from there and let me run the computer normally. Amen.

It doesn't sound like much but I'm proud of myself for figuring it out. Of course if my brother had an anti-virus program I wouldn't have needed to do anything at all.

Wednesday, August 25, 2004


In the free week before school starts I've been doing "inventory" on my CD collection and puting together .mp3s for a new mix CD. I made the last mix and used it for long car trips, hence the name "Trail Mix". Trail Mix 2 is about 2/3 completed. I'm missing my Ill Communication CD; comment if you know the whereabouts! In other news, I'm spending my free week doing "inventory". What's wrong with me?

Monday, August 23, 2004

spontaneous poetics

Ph. D. Programs

I just helped buddy Jeff find the School of His Dreams. Also see buddy Ed's Thoughts On the Swift Boat Controversy which I heartily endorse.

Reversal of Fortunes

ESPN.com

Quick! New album purchase reviews!

Rating system:
2 thumbs up = muy bueno
1 thumb up = bonne musique
1 thumbs sideways = comme si comme ca
1 thumb down = es stupido
2 thumbs down = tres mal

Mudhoney, "March To Fuzz": Grunge is my bread and butter so 2 thumbs up from me. You probably won't be so happy with all the racket, so 1 thumb up for you.

The Best of Guided By Voices: I thought I'd get it because 1) I have "Isolation Drills" and really liked it and 2) they're breaking up this year. It was as expected, not too flashy. I was disappointed when I liked the songs from "Isolation Drills" best. 2 thumbs, sideways!

Distillers, "Coral Fang": Some compare the lead singer to Courtney Love and know I know why: they both fake it. There are some good parts but that last track (remember the secret track on "Nevermind") went from cool to "hey, this is just like the secret track on 'Nevermind'" real quick. A cross between Rancid and Queens of the Stone Age; why is that? 1 thumb down.

"Atlantic Jaxx Recordings: A Compilation:" Early stuff from the Basement Jaxx people, which means good but not great. Basic dance music feel with a pinch of experimentation. 2 thumbs sideways, hangin' out.

Smokey & Miho, "The 2 EPs:" Where have you been all these years? The chick from Cibo Matto and the guitarist from Beck's frickin' awesome band make Brazilian music. Beck's "Tropicalia" times ten, in number and in scope. 2 thumbs up and makin' breakfast.

Eels, "Daisies of the Galaxy:" This is why I buy most CDs used. I'm going to try this one again before I really judge it. Singer E seems to be in a halfway decent mood but that's when his music becomes less obtuse, obtuse meaning interesting. Most of it sounded like lullabies. 2 confused thumbs sideways.

Natalie Imbruglia, "Left of the Middle:" You know what I think about Natalie Imbruglia and you know what I'm going to give this. There are some real awkward parts ("bubbles of love"?) but that's part of its charm. Girlie music, yet, but a lot more inventive and loose than, say, Tracy Bonham from the same decade. Forgot who Tracy Bonham is, didn't you? 2 loser thumbs way up right after you leave the room.

Minor Threat, "First Demo Tape:" See how I go from Australian adult contemporary to D.C. hardcore? I should do this as a job. Get this for $4 at Dischord.com because that's what it's worth. Why? Eight songs, what, ten minutes? And the store charge me $7.99. Fight the Man, get it from the source, save money, listen and get inspired to fight the Man some more. Cucumber + Ginseng with talent and a six-pack of Jolt. 2 thumbs up.

Sleater-Kinney, "Call the Doctor:" I finally complete my S-K album collection. I think they're at their best now but this is when they took their turn from Bikini Kill knockoff to individual sound. Really thrilling sometimes. 1 thumb up and dancing.

Ozomatli, "Street Sings:" Ozomatli loves you for who you are. You don't have to impress it. Hey, they want you to jam with them! Their last albums were great but this is just so Catchy! Buy this and Jurassic 5's "Power in Numbers" and take the weekend off. To understand this band's sound, put salsa on your hamburgers. It's good, isn't it? 2 thumbs up Mt. Whitney.

Apples in Stereo, "Science Faire": Decent. It's their earliest stuff, and like the Atlantic Jaxx Comp. they need a little more cowbell. It's still cool to see pop music fermenting in the Elephant 6 lab. 2 thumbs sideways.

I also got a few CDs from Jeff. Even quicker review!
The Bens EP: 1 up
Ben Folds, "Sweet 16" EP: 1 up
"Legend: The Best of Bob Marley and the Wailers": 2 up
Tonic, "Head on Straight": 2 sideways

Sunday, August 22, 2004

Everybody to the Limit!

Yesterday I got my Homestar Runner CD in the mail and it's OK. I had also downloaded every single free file I could find on the site (about thirty .mp3s) and created a separate album of tracks. Though the official version is a bit cleaner and a lot more musical, there's something much more random about my comp. Still I have no qualms about giving ten dollars to the guys that helped me procrastinate on my master's thesis. Check out the site if you haven't, and by all means buy something to support them. (BTW the CD has a bonus track and music video.) More CD/DVD reviews to come once I finish going through them all. Current library count: 1190.

Saturday, August 21, 2004

It's the joint

For the past year I've been subscribing to this music magazinebut they've had "publication problems". That's their way of explaining why they didn't publish for for five months. To make up they published a couple issues at a time and combined two into one, then put two more issues online as a .pdf file. But I really bought them for the monthly CD, and wouldn't you know that I got three in one issue yesterday.

Friday, August 20, 2004

Crazy Counter

Crazy Counter











CrazyCounter.us

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Joe's Blog

Something's not right with these links. The one below should be Bjork's New album and hopefully the one up top is working again.

Bjork 'n' Benjamin



I just found out I didn't defer the university's health insurance plan and am still eligible to get $1200 back. What a pleasant 3 AM surprise.

Today JERRY told me I was supposed to wait at home until the Phone Company came by (something shut off all the phones). They said they'd be here between 11 AM and 6 PM. He got mad when I didn't. At least I think that's what JERRY said as I was asleep at the time. He also told me I had to trim the hedges "right now" and he got mad when I said "no". These were the same hedges he was going to mow over last week because they were half-dead. Man it's late. Goodnight.

Thursday, August 19, 2004

You Have Bad Taste In Music

Timberlake and Aguilera

Joe was right; my links don't work correctly. I think it's the Mozilla BlogThis program. A quick edit in your browser should fix things temporarily.

Yesterday I ate at a place called Burrito Bay, home of The Glutton Burrito. The burrito was as big as my head, or least my brain. Then I went to see the sneak preview for "Garden State" with a few folks. To fight off the burrito-induced coma, I bought a Large Moviehouse Soda. No ice. Halfway through the movie I really had to GO. The agony was excruciating, but I made it through the whole second half of the film (which I recommend). What happened afterwards reminded me of a track on one of my Adam Sandler albums. Anyway, I got my free refill for later and drove home. The cup was too big for the cup holders, so I put it in--That space between the two front seats where you put maps and CDs and stuff, is there a name for that?--anyway that's where I put it. After driving four blocks I heard a "SSSS" and then the sound that I made in the bathroom right after the film. There was my Large Moviehouse Soda, taking a leak inside my whatever that is because the weight of the drink burst open the cup. Once I got home I had to ladel a quart of Diet Pepsi out of my car.

Wednesday, August 18, 2004

Music Fans Sound Off

Seattle Post-Intelligencer

In other music news, expect great new albums from both Beck and Natalie Imbruglia early this fall. ;)

Buffalo is the latest site for nude photo

My hope for the future restored!

The bad news is that the college bookstore could only find 1 of the 15 books I reserved from them. But the GOOD news is that my free DVD player can also play MP3s and JPEGs. What a rollercoaster of discovery I've been on these past ten minutes.

Tuesday, August 17, 2004

Cornwall


Finally, the end of my trip photos. Cornwall, Ontario is near the Ontario/Quebec border, located on the St. Lawrence. I went there with JERRY and MARG to visit my grandmother. Here is a strange record store in a strange mall (it's two anchor stores are a Sears and a No Frills supermarket) where JERRY bought out their entire Stompin' Tom Connors collection.

Then Marg and I visited a refurbished 19th century home. It was built around 1840 and moved to the waterfront a couple of years ago.

This is made out of several generations of human hair. Just go to the next picture.

Check out that stove it RAWKS!

Cornwall, Ontario


This doesn't surprise me about Canadian stores.

THEN we went to the park. Cornwall used to be a canal town but after the St. Lawrence Seaway they turned everything into a park, garden, convention center and outdoor performance area. [cough Buffalo cough]

View from the performance stage

GEESE. (And their poo.)

The convention center, complete with semi-pro hockey arena

The national sport.

The international bridge from the park. Note how it's placed to the side of the downtown area so as not to ruin the waterfront.

A plane at the Veterans' club

We ran into a wedding. You knew that and this caption is useless.

MARG

JERRY

Grandma

Maclean's : Canada :: Time : United States

My weeks of tripping ends where it began; at a truck stop. No Big Rigs but a decent salad bar.

Blogging multiple pictures in a single post

Picasa Forums

Just found out in case you want to know.

Inside Quincy Market

Faneul Market? Fanuil? Faneuil?

The Freedom Trail's Holocaust Memorial. ??? Very well done however.

The Big Dig in progress.

Now THAT's an alley shot.

Paul Revere's House

Paul Revere. He apparently built the city with his bare hands with the help of his brother Romulus. At least, that's what the historical markers would have you to believe.

The church where they hung the "one of by land, two if by sea" lanterns on the night of Revere's too-famous "The British are coming" ride. Other famous and important people like Queen Elizabeth II have also come here for church.

Oh, and Gerald Ford was here too. :) This is the window the guy jumped out of after he broke into the church to hang the lanterns. This is a third lantern Gerald Ford hung (hanged) for the bicentennial after he had broken into the White House.

Boston


The following are some pictures of Boston. Most were taken in a thirteen-hour-long walking binge around the city, but let's start at the start. JERRY drove.

The corner of Lexington and Concord

Near our hotel. MMMeaty.

Tim's soon-to-be new apartment. Not too shabby.

We got on the subway just as the Red Sox game got out. There's Fenway in the background. The train was standing-room only.

The Old State House was where the Declaration of Independence was read to the masses, among other Important Things. During years of neglect they built a subway stop in its basement. This meter records the vibrations from the train

John Hancock's family bible. Of course the guy wrote all over it.

The Old State House must feel like a kid with braces.