Batavia Mall

Mall Madness


Yesterday evening I checked out the Genesee County Mall in Batavia, New York. After Watergate and the career of Molly Hatchet, it was the worst thing to come out of the 1970s. City planners bought into the mall fad and tore down a row of pre-existing businesses to install a ghost town. "Nobody's here!" said one kid who walked in with her father. "Yeah," said the dad emphatically, "nobody's here is right!" You can read more about this monstrosity (yes, someone wrote a book chapter about how bad this mall is) in Bill Kauffman's Dispatches from the Muckdog Gazette.

The "Cardiology" store

The dog supply store, one of the few open at 6 PM on a Monday.

$ee It $ell is an Ebay store a la The 40 Year Old Virgin

Hiding Place indeed

From the main concourse

The main stage. I think they have square dancing here once a week.

Last time I was here a shoe display remained outside but the store was just as dark.

The "Rural Opportunites" store

I needed a flash to capture Sunny's because the lights were out.

Only Built 4 TomServo0 Linx

[explicit lyrics]

Some blog news: Yesterday my account was suspended for some reason. Either I: 1) posted too many pictures at once or 2) triggered a spam alert with my post Spam as Poetry. Since the Hello program triggered the freeze it was probably the pictures. If that didn't peeve me enough, Joe Ferguson plagiarized at least half of my post Jim 2.0 and put it on his own blog. I don't mind people quoting and borrowing, but when you copy and paste ten photos with their captions you're using the highest caliber of mindlessness. So what did Joe say to defend his actions?

[15:18] Joe: blow me
[15:18] Joe: it's a blog
[15:18] Joe: it's not the ****ing new york times
[15:19] Joe: just think of it as a massive block quote

[15:20] Joe: because people won't go to your site
[15:20] Joe: people who view my site are lazy
[15:20] Joe: and/or dumb

[16:13] Joe: now the computer illiterate people who look at my blog won't see those pictures

[16:16] Joe: my point is, i'm not going to copy your posts if you write something original
[16:18] Joe: my blog isn't about writing witty entries
[16:18] Joe: I know I plagiarized you

By the way, Joe is a published doctoral student.

I'd like to congratulate anyone of Joe's friends who have evolved from the primordial ooze and learned to click on links. I'm sure this site will blow your mind, as Joe only copies boring material for your entertainment. Did you also know how dumb he thinks you are?

From now on, I hope to evade the spam filters and grand larceny borrowers by limiting myself to ten photos per post.

Spam as Poetry

The scoop on poop

"SAD TO HAVE SHORT D1CCK, BIGGER 2" NOW AT LOW"

by Clotilde Almeda, aka xyqj99gwpb@i-plus.net

wife added disappoint evening purpose.
latter the the.
appearance friends my end black least?

night or studied latter reply.
again nothing drew you music.

wife social the servants speaking.
mischievous sandwich carefully disappoint steps,
studied turning disappoint news purpose?

evening end whom.
added wife you yours allow already.

promised sugar commit edge?
off my did am.

(snap snap snap snap snap)

Jim 2.0

This is David Q. Hill. David Q. Hill has nothing to do with this post.

These pairs of lights are the eyes of deer in the dark. They, too have nothing to do with this post.

Anyway. Old roommate Jim came to town and hung out with me and Joe. We ended up seeing Canisius College, which Jim hasn't seen since he transferred four years ago.

The new Eastman building.

???

The new hallway connecting the Student Center to Eastman. Joe and Jim are weirded out.

Jim and Joe are like two Big Brothers (or Big Sisters)

Jim deciphers the underground tunnel system.

Huzzah!

They don't broadcast, but the Canisius radio station got a new paint job.

Two, in fact.

Wouldn't YOU like to be a Big Brother?

This was a note to myself. Who wants to check it out?



The new Quad at night

Then we went to dinner at the Sahara Grill, under the lovely nighttime shade of a plastic palm tree.

Baba GHANOUJ!

Joe's mouth catches fire

Jim is satisfied. For once, his concubines will have the night off.

Eventually we made it to Spot Coffee but then scheduled in a Jam Session and a midnight showing of Enter the Dragon. It took me an entire day to sleep off this monsterous evening.

Larkland Sunday

dude, I have this sandwich maker


This is my lamp! Good thing it has those useful arrows on it or it would never work!

I'm currently training to give architectural tours in the summer. The other week our group went on a dry run of the former Larkland estate near the Albright-Knox. This is one of the five houses, four of which still exist.

Another house, which was temporarly owned by a school. They're big freakin' houses.

All of these houses are in the Colonial Revival style. Symmetrical front, romanesque porticos, window arounds and above the door, etc.

An old, overhead photo of the estate

We got to go into the largest existing building, built by John Larkin for his son John Larkin Jr. It's now owned by the Buffalo Seminary.

Das group

The dining room

The kitchen

Stairs. I can't believe I'm writing these captions.

The front gate

Abe Lincoln at the Casino. Where he belongs!

I finally confirmed what happened to Frank Fanara, thanks to Phil's blog.

Inside the Buffalo & Erie County Historical Society, where our lectures are held each Saturday.

This building is the former New York building, the last remaining structure from the 1901 Pan-Am Exposition. Apologies if you're not interested.

Finally, a paper-mache cactus outside UB's Center for the Arts. Good thing it has those arrows on it or it would never work!

Toy Story Vs Requiem For A Dream

Hosted on Break.com

On 3 January 2005 I posted a list of New Year's resolutions. Since I've recently posted few extensive posts this will do as your half-hearted personal update for the month. That sentence was awful smarmy. Comments are in italics

--Finish my effing thesis
done, thank goodness
--Go to bed earlier
sometimes I go to bed at noon, does that count? bloody overnight shifts
--Spend less time on the Internet (curse you, Fark.com!)
this needs work, so I gave up Fark for Lent
--Get back down to about 160 lbs. I have some pants I'd like to fit into.
nope. but at least I didn't gain any weight
--Read Cross' The Burned-Over District
done, and it was as interesting as it was boring
--Get a Real Job come May
September, depending on what you call a real job. anyone want to hire a history grad?
--Kill Flanders
that darned Flanders!
--Finish my thesis
yes, I had two of them, and I finished the last one at 10 PM, December 31
--Rock
should have rocked more. still got a few appearances on Joe's album and some of Tim's demos
--Stop eating spaghetti and Chinese food by the pound
am currently down to three-quarters of a pound
--Finally get my Dual Citizenship Card renewed ($60)
by the time I finally did it the cost was $75
--Leave the house once every couple of days
that was an easy one
--Never ice skate again :)
oops
--Stop faking the funk on nasty dunks
did you see me jumping over Spud Webb? good times
--Do the Lord's work
did you see me jumping over Spud Webb? good times
--Find Sleater-Kinney fans, hang out with them
where are you people?? i had to go to freakin' Cleveland to find you
--Less chocolate, more salad
more both!
--Stop drinking milk and eating ham. It gives me the s***s; why do I still do it?
pretty successful here, though it's info I should have never given up in the first place
--Finish my thesis
funny.

Thank You For Your Support

Here are some of the ways you found my site:

This site is ranked #1 for "bestality cases in Jamestown, NY" on Google.

It's also #57 for "indestructible light sabers" on Yahoo.

AND it's #25 on Yahoo's search for "photos of Amsterdam's hookers."

The Schrock-Ferguson Radio Hour #2

Download Podcast Here

Thanks to the four people who heard our first podcast. Here's the second episode, dedicated to you, the fans.

Recorded: 16 February 2006
Hosts: Joe Ferguson, Fred Schrock
Edited: Fred Schrock
Recorded: Joe Ferguson

Speaking of painful noises, you can check out this review. Also, Mclusky will come out with an anthology soon which should be awesome.

Finally, I submitted two albums to The Indie Connection that you are free to download, both by members of the now-defunct cult favorite Cibo Matto. I highly recommend listening to Smokey & Miho's The Two EPs as well as the self-titled album from Butter 08.

Now, enjoy some funny street signs.

Podcast #1

DOWNLOAD The Schrock - Ferguson Radio Hour

We've started up the old show again. To download, there's a short countdown and a confirmation code. Just follow the easy-to-read, minty-fresh instructions. It's about 30 megs and 30 minutes so make some time.

Podcast 02/02/06
Hosts: Joe Ferguson, Fred Schrock
Recorded by Joe Ferguson
Edited by Fred Schrock
Incidental music by Fred Schrock and Joe Ferguson
"Cold in B-lo" early demo by Joe Ferguson

MONSTER JAM!!

The Whopperettes™


Here are some scans of Frankenstein's visit from a while ago.

Tim took Frank on the roof to show him the neighborhood.

Hannah "parks" with Frank and shares a soda

Frankenstein takes out the trash!!

Later, Tim kicked Frank in the groin so hard that he farted to death. In the absence of more F'n Stein photos, here's Madd Dogg kissin' on some guy.

Madd Dogg, Richie, Tim, and Slagor

Hannah and Jeff

More gang members

Another pic of Slagor

Happy Hallmark Day

another important holiday

Queen Street Man

View It Here

Ed already beat me in posting "Brokeback to the Future" so I'll counter with this. Where in your city is the Queen Street Man? Here in Buffalo I nominate Jamie Moses as the Elmwood Avenue Guy (thank you Matt Taibbi).