Broadway Market Xmas

Xian Xmas

Roommate Dave and I enjoyed Black Thursday more than most: both of us were paid to be there. I personally witnessed the sell-out of several hundred Tim Allen DVDs in minutes; Dave tagged along with two middle-aged ladies for a news report but only if he promised to "keep up." We emerged richer, yet tired.



Remembering also our Thanksgiving ceremonies from the night before, on Saturday morning we looked for something to do that didn't involve shopping or eating. Shopping and eating, however, why not? We headed over to Buffalo's Broadway Market for the Christmas Food Fair.




The BM is located in Buffalo's old Polish section so I made sure to try a few pierogis. The city recently lost a close competition for the title "Pierogi Capital" to Binghamton, New York, of all freakin' places. In all I got the pierogis, a 12" panini, the best éclair I've ever tasted and 1.5 pounds of soda for under $10. The place even takes food stamps, so you might want to check it out.


Santa even showed up to scare the little kids.


Those ragtime vaudevillians from Family Guy also played some tunes.




Afterwards we drove around Paderewski Drive to discover someone's carved up an October Surprise Tree near the Central Terminal. Looks like it's a work in progress.


Finally, a picture of the dog enjoying Thanksgiving turkey. On the couch. Bad dog.

Ode to Christine

Oh, Christine. The memories flood my mind like Katrina in the Ninth Ward. When we met in 2001 . . . my, what a blissful year that was.


I was a time-hardened victim of love and loss. She, a retired cosmonaut with a sense of danger. Christine ran into me as I graffitied my name on a rock out of spite for the world that had left me behind. Suddenly my artwork changed, my life reborn.




True love indeed. For the next five years, at least.


We picnicked with Kat and Bud in the summer of '03. Then we robbed a credit union out of $973. Kat and Bud drove a separate getaway car and we never saw them again. Christine and I spent the evening drinking Coronas and watching an absolutely perfect sunset.


The longer we stayed together, the harder it was to find good rocks to write our name on. Christine ventured farther out onto shakier, steeper cliffs.


For our Wood Anniversary we went back to the spot at Riverside Park where it all started. It had been a while, and we were rusty, but our spirits were high. We discovered this rock far out past the sandbar and gave it a go. As I prepared the camera for this shot, I heard the splash you see here. This was the last I ever saw of sweet Christine.


I'll miss you always. She's out amongst the stars, just like she always dreamed about. All I can do is blog the pain away.

Architecture In Helsinki in Buffalo Part 2: Electric Boogaloo

Here's a lost clip from last month's Architecture in Helsinki show. Enjoy:



Check my earlier post for my other AiH videos.

Daft Punk, Deft Choreography

Here's a famous homemade video of Daft Punk's "Harder Better Faster Stronger" as well as a very good knock-off. The first video is a little longer; try syncing them up. Phonics!

This Is Very, Very Wrong.

Glasgow's seniors reenact Iconic Moments of the 20th Century.
Can you guess them all?

A/V for the VA

The only network show I watch is on strike. And I only watch it on DVD so I agree with the writers.



Buffalo Bills running back Marshawn Lynch has really taken to our city's cultural offerings.



Here's Danko Jones (the man) playing with The McBrides (the band) a cover by Tin Lizzy (the legend).



You've probably seen this.



Finally, good buddy Ed is living in Germany and sent us this photo of this advertisement. Who's thirsty?

CONGRATULATION!

One of my most popular posts has been one where I simply posted an E-mail hoax verbatim with a smarmy "Who believes this crap?" remark. The only possible reason for this is that a large population still researches to see if Bill Gates really WILL give them free money for Forwarding This Message. Today I cleaned out my Yahoo! E-mail account for the first time in 6 months and found dozens of other examples. Below I've reprinted the ones I've received this month alone. For anyone who's wondering, these are called Nigerian or 419 scams, based on the usual country of origin or law they're breaking, respectively. They all promise you lots of money but--oh wait--you have to send them money to get it. Shouldn't that sound shady from the get-go? So don't believe this crap anymore, okay?

Finally, all these E-mails slipped through Yahoo!'s filter, going a long way to show why I don't use that account much anymore. --ts0



Mon, 15 Oct 2007 14:44:02 +0200

MICROSOFT INTERNET PROMOTION

Microsoft Award Team
20 Craven Park , Harlesden London NW10 United Kingdom
Ref: BTD/968/05
Batch: 409978

CONGRATULATION! CONGRATULATION!! CONGRATULATION!!!

Dear winner,

The prestigious Microsoft and AOL are now the largest Internet companies and in an effort to make sure that Internet Explorer remains the most widely used program, Microsoft and AOL are running an e-mail beta test marking the year 2007 anniversary we rolled out over GBP£4,429,864 for our end of year Anniversary Draws. Participants for the draws were randomly selected and drawn from a wide range of web hosts which we enjoy their patronage.

The selection was made through a computer draw system attaching personalized email addresses to ticket numbers. If you ignore this, you will regret it later. Microsoft and AOL are now the largest Internet companies and in an effort to make sure that Internet Explorer remains the most widely used program, Microsoft and AOL are running an e-mail beta test.

Your email address as indicated was drawn and attached to ticket number 008795727498 with serial numbers BTD/9080648302/06 and drew the lucky numbers 14-21-25-39-40-47(20) which subsequently won you (£200,000,00 Two Hundred Thousand Great Britain Pounds) as one of the 5 jackpot winners in this draw.

You have therefore won the entire winning sum of £1,50,000.00 One Million Fifty Thousand Great Britain Pounds) The draws registered as Draw number one was conducted in Brockley, London United Kingdom on the 1th of Oct,2007. These Draws are commemorative and as such special.

Please be informed by this winning notification, to file your claim, you are to make contact with your designated agent who shall by duty guide you through the process to facilitate the release of your prize. To file for your claim Please Contact your delivery agency in the contact information below.

DELIVERY AGENT CONTACT NFORMATION:

NAME OF COURIER FIRM: FRONTIERS DELIVERY SERVICES
OFFICE ADDRESS: 60 Great Ormond Street London ,WC1N 3HR United- Kingdom.
Email: claim_today@yahoo.co.uk

Tele:+44-70-31-871-806
Tele:+44-703-1872130

VERIFICATION FORM

YOUR FULL NAME:_______________________________________
AGE:__________________________________________________
SEX:__________________________________________________
PERMANENT ADDRESS:__________________________________
COUNTRY:______________________________________________
CITY:__________________________________________________
POSTAL CODE__________________________________________
FAX _________________________________________________
MOBILE________________________________________________
WINNING E-MAIL________________________________________
AMOUNT WON__________________________________________
BATCH NO:_____________________________________________
TICKET NO:____________________________________________
REFRENCE NO:__________________________________________
LUCKY NO:____________________________________________
SERIAL NO:____________________________________________

Our special thanks and gratitude to Bill Gates and his associates. We wish you the best of luck as you spend your good fortune in this season.

Note: You have One week from the date of this publication to claim your prize or you may forefeet your winnings. In compliance with the sponsoring bodies’, you are to make a remittance of a part of your won fund, not lower than 10-percent, after receiving your allocation to a charity organization

Thank you for being part of our commemorative end of year Anniversary Draws

KINDLY CONTACT YOUR FIDUCIARY AGENT MR. WILLIAM HOPEWELL DIRECTLY FOR FURTHER DIRECTIONS

Mrs. Rosse N
Microsoft Promotion Team
Vice President

MICROSOFT LOTTERY PROMOTION 2007

Microsoft has obtained your contact details from public internet sources. We thought that you could be attracted to be part of this promotion with our company

© Copyright 2007 Microsoft Lottery promotion All Right Reserve"




From: "contact information" Add to Address BookAdd to Address Book Add Mobile Alert
Subject: 2nd CATEGORY LOTTERY AWARD WINNING NOTIFICATION
Date: Mon, 15 Oct 2007 10:00:03 +0200

Nelson Mandela
International Draw Auditors & Management
Co-ordinators Lotteries Headquarters
31, Brixon Court, Carlton East Gate,
South Africa


Ref. File No.:KPC/9030108308/07
Batch: 15/76/EF36
Serial No: SALP97585
Ticket No: B9665 75608567 775
Drew The Winning: 04/13/21/27/36/3

Congratulations!!! We wishes to use this medium to officially notify you on the final notification that your Email Name and Company has being selected among the 100 Star/Lucky Winners Worldwide for the South African/United Kingdom Money Balls Lotteries Promotional Programme based on the South African 2010 World Cup. You're Name and Ref. File Number has therefore been approved to claim a Total Sum of US$1.000.000.00 (One Million United States Dollars) in cash credited to REF. FILE NO# (KPC/9030108308/07).

Approved and signed as the beneficiary to this fund in your name will be done and To file for your claim, please contact one of our Accredited/Authorized Representatives in order to avoid unnecessary delays and complications for verification.

South Africa Fiducial Agent Claim Office
Dr. Robert Williams
Tel: +27-83-371-2362
Fax: 27-86-513-0842
Email: r_w_agent020@yahoo.co.uk


PROVIDE ALL YOUR WINNING INFORMATION TO YOUR CLAIM AGENT TO AVOID MISTAKE.

1, Your Full Names
2, Age
3, Present Contact Address
4, Country Of Residence
5, Phone Numbers & Country Code
6, Your Winning information’s
7, Occupation
8, Mode Of Payment {Bank Transfer or coming for your claim)

For Security reasons, you are advised to keep your winning information CONFIDENTIAL till your claims are processed and your money remitted to you for being one of our Lucky Winners of this Lottery prize.

congratulations!!! congratulations!!!

Sincerely,
Mrs. Guten P Latimo
(Lottery Coordinator)

Also your claim award included with Free Flight Ticket and Seven (7) Days Hotel Reservation in one of the Five Star Hotels during the World Cup Festive in 2010.The Validity period of the winnings is for 30 working days hence you are expected to make your claims immediately and winners under the age of 18 years are automatically disqualified




From: "Elizabeth Benson" Add to Address BookAdd to Address Book Add Mobile Alert
Subject: From Mrs Elizabeth Benson
Date: Sat, 13 Oct 2007 14:01:18 -0600
From Mrs Elizabeth Benson
Abidjan Cote d'Ivoire,

PLEASE TREAT THIS AS PRIVATE AND CONFIDENTIAL

I know this may come as surprise and sceptic to you.Since we do not know each other,but i am contacting you with trust and faith I have, that you will never fail me.

My name is Mrs Elizabeth Benson a nationality of Liberia. I am married to late Mr. Frank Benson who worked with Liberia embassy in Ivory Coast for nine years before he died in the year Octorber 2005. We were married for twenty years with a child. He died after a the illness that lasted for long four days.Before his death we were both a good Christians.

When my late husband was alive we deposited the sum of $5. Million (Five Million U.S.Dollars) with one of Good banks here in Cote d'Ivoire . Presently, this money is still with the bank.I have been diagnose with Esophageal cancer .It has defiled all forms of medical treatment, and right now I have only about a few months to live, according to medical experts.Recently my Doctor told me that I would not last for the next One months due to my cancer problem.Though what disturbs me most is my stroke. Having known my condition I decided to donate this fund to mosque or better still a muslim individual that will utilize this money the way I am going to instruct here in.

I want a person or Christians and muslim member too that will use this fund to orphanages, research centres and widows propagating the word of God and to ensure that the house of God is maintained. The Holy words made us to understand that blessed is the hand that giveth. Now that my health has deteriorated so badly, I cannot do this myself anymore this is why i seek for your assistance, I once asked try a member of my family to distribute the money which I gave him to the charity organization here they refused and kept the money to themselves. Hence, I do not trust them anymore, as they seem not to be ontended with what I have left for them.

I took this decision because I have a child that will inherit this money but my son can not carryout this work only because i and my late husband decide to use some of the money to work for God and live some for our son to have a better live. our son is just 16year old now and been grow up in africa, he have low manterity and my husband´s relatives are not Christians and I don´t want my family hard earned money to be misused by unbelievers,i don´t want a situation where this money will be used in any way that those not concern the will of God. Hence the reason for taking this bold decision. I am not afraid of death hence I know where I am going to. I know that I am going to be in the bosom of the God. I want your telephone communication in this regard because of my health because of the presence of my family relatives around me always.

I don´t want any of my husband family relatives to recieve this money. With God all things are possible. As soon as I receive your reply I shall give you the contact of the Finance/bank. I will also issue you a letter of authority that will empower you as the new beneficiary of this fund. I want you and your muslim individual to always pray for me because the God is my shepherd. My happiness is that I live a life of a worthy Christians,Whoever that wants to serve God must serve him in truth, Please always be prayerful all through your life. Any delay in your reply will give me room in sourcing for a mosque or muslim individual for this same purpose. Please assure me that you will act accordingly as I stated here.

I pray to God for his providence for a smooth transfer.

If this picks your interest, please do contact me immediately for more details . I will be highly appreciate to receive your telephone and fax number.I awaits your reply.

Remain blessed in the name of the God.
Mrs Elizabeth Benson




From: "Bill Richard" Add to Address BookAdd to Address Book Add Mobile Alert
Subject: CONGRATULATION. BMW WINNER!!!
Date: Fri, 12 Oct 2007 11:51:13 +0000
http://www.quesa.org/other/logo.html
THE INTERNATIONAL AWARENESS
PROMOTION DEPARTMENT UNITED KINGDOM LOTTERY.
22 Garden Close, Stamford, Lincs, PE9 2YP, London
United Kingdom.
Reference Number: BMW:2551256003/23

!!!CONGRATULATION YOU ARE A WINNER!!!.
The Board of Directors, members of staff and the International Awareness Promotion Department, wishes to congratulate you on your success as the STAR PRIZE WINNER in this years' International Awareness Promotion (IAP) held on 0n 24th of March 2007, in London, England.
This makes you the proud owner of a brand new BMW 5 Series, M Sport Saloon car and a cash prize of £450,000.00 GBP (Four Hundred and Fifty Thousand Great British pounds). The car comes with a special BMW Insurance Cover for one whole year, that is, till the next promotion in 2008. It also comes with a one year warranty and FREE repairs at any BMW AUTOMOBILE depot or service station worldwide.

DESCRIPTION OF PRIZE VEHICLE.

YEAR: 2006, MODEL: 550i M Sport Saloon
The selection process was carried out through random selection in our Computerized Email Selection System (C.E.S.S.) from a database of over a million email addresses from the world wide web. Each email address was attached to a ticket number and your email address with ticket number: 5647600545188 and serial number: BMWP/556543450906 was randomly selected as the star prize winner amongst other consolation prize winners.

For you to collect your prizes, kindly fill the verification form below and send it to the Claims Manager, of our claims department through email, stating your receipt of this notification. He has been mandated to offer you assistance and facilitate the urgent delivery of your prizes.

Claims Manager:
Mr. Bill Richard.
Claims Department.
Email: claimsoffice_agent001@yahoo.co.uk
Tel : + 44 703 191 7669


VERIFICATION FORM:

1.) FULL NAME:
2.) AGE:
3.) SEX:
4.) ADDRESS:
5.) ZIP/POSTAL CODE:
6.) STATE/PROVINCE:
7.) COUNTRY:
8.) PHONE............ FAX: ........................
9.) OCCUPATION/POSITION:
10.) COMPANY:
11.) EMAIL ADDRESS:
12.) TICKET NUMBER:
13.) SERIAL NUMBER:


Congratulations once more, and keep trusting BMW Automobile for top quality automobiles.





INTERNATIONAL AWARENESS PROMOTION
COPYRIGHT ©2007. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED




From: "Mrs. Lucia Boris" Add to Address BookAdd to Address Book Add Mobile Alert
Subject: My Dear Chosen Family Mr/Mrs Schrock,
Date: Sun, 7 Oct 2007 14:51:27 +0000
My Dear Chosen Family Mr/Mrs Schrock,

Godly Opinion:

I crave your indulgence at this mail coming from somebody you have not known before. I decided to do this after praying over the situation.

You should please consider the transaction on its content and not the fact that you have not known me before. I need not dwell on how I came by your contact information because there are many such possibilities these days.

Introduction:

I am Mrs. Lucia Boris ,of Republic of Benin, West Africa, widow to Late Mr.Croft Boris (for Consular of the Republic Of Benin embassy in Tunis Tunisia,) I have been recently been diagnosed of Cancer of the Pelvic.

I am writing from my sick bed.

My reason of contact is about US$5.5 Million ($Five Million Five Hundred United States Dollars) my husband has in Secutity and Fiance house of which I am the next of kin. Going by my health condition and because my husband and I have no children, I am looking for a credible person to whom I will pass the right of next of kin.

You the sole person will apply to the Security Company and request for the transfer of the fund to your care through our family lawyer.

What is expected of you?

This is on the condition that you will take 50% of the fund for yourself, while you will use the remaining 50% for the less privilege people in the society. This is in fulfilment of the last request of my late husband: that a substantial part of the fund be used to carter for the less privileged the motherless and the most stripped.

If this condition is acceptable to you, you should contact me immediately with your full names, Direct Telephone number and contact information so that I will ask our family lawyer to prepare the document of authorization that will give you the right of next of kin to the Fund.

Our Family lawyer will also give you a text of the application which you are to send to the Secuity And Finance house where the money is logded.

I cannot predict what will be my fate by the time the fund will be transferred into your account, but you should please ensure that the fund is used as i have described above, please indicate your interest via my private e-mail address: mrs.luciaboris@yahoo.fr

Yours,
Mrs. Lucia Boris

Inform me all your details.
Name :
Country Of origin :
Tel/Moblie :
Age :
Occupation:





From: "macanthony williams" Add to Address BookAdd to Address Book Add Mobile Alert
Subject: Dear friend
Date: Fri, 5 Oct 2007 11:29:16 -0600
Dear friend

it is my warmest pleasure writing you this confidential business letter with a view that you will accept my request and give me positive response hence, time is essence. My name is Barr Macanthony Williams, I received a letter from a Finance company here requesting for the next of kin to my deceased client. The Letter Stated that I should provide to them the next of kin to my late client to claim the money he deposited in a fixed deposit with finance company two years ago before his death. The Finance company is aware of his death, though he was not married, neither did he leave a Neither "WILL" nor is Specified next of kin, the finance company anticipating someone to come along for the claims.

As it is, no one can put up claims except someone recommended from my Office as the Lawyer of the decease. All efforts to get his family relatives have been abortive. I solicit that you allow me Introduce you as his the next of kin/relative of my late client. He was aged 56. He Lived and worked here as a foreigner and requested to be
buried here.

Kindly let me know if you are interested so that I can give you further details and certain other documents to enable you contact the finance company for release of the funds to you. I have spoken with the manager of the finance company on this matter extensively and he is waiting for your introduction to the finance company according to his directives.

All I require is your honest co-operation to enable us seeing this deal through. I guarantee that this will be executed under a legitimate arrangement that will protect you from any breach of the law and I will brief you on the details upon your response.

Furthermore, in your response include =

1; your telephone number for easy and official conversation.
2; your age
3; Home address
4; sex
5, Your full name
6, your occupation


Thanks,
Barr Macanthony Williams.




From: "Greg moyo" Add to Address BookAdd to Address Book Add Mobile Alert
Subject: (NATIONAL LOTTERY SOUTH AFRICA,,SA LIVE ''N,,LUCKY call us TEL +27-733-181-653 )
Date: Thu, 4 Oct 2007 08:31:03 +0200
NATIONAL LOTTERY SOUTH AFRICA

YOU ARE THE WINNER OF THE
COMPUTER PROMOTIONAL DRAW

THIS MESSAGE IS FROM THE PROMOTION MANAGER,
INTERNATIONAL PROMOTIONS/PRIZE AWARD DEPARTMENT

NATIONAL LOTTERY SA

YOU HAVE WON ON THE COMPUTER BALLOT,
THE SUM OF US$ 850,000,00

PLEASE CONTACT
(MR.NELSON DUBE )
YOUR CLAIM AGENT.

FOR YOUR IMMEDIATE PAYMENT
email: nelsondubeagent@yahoo.co.uk

PHONE NO.+27-733-181-653,

(NATIONAL LOTTERY)

PRIZE AWARD NOTIFICATION

Participants of this drew were selected through a computer ballot system drawn from 2,500,000 email addresses of individuals and companies from all part of the world as part of our electronic business Promotions Program.

Note that your email address qualified for the draw, as a result of your visiting various websites we are running the e-business promotions for.

You/Your Company email address, attached to ticket number 100-309-7482, with serial number 513-10 drew the lucky numbers 3, 8, 13, 22, 27, 41 and Bonus number 12 and consequently YOU HAVE won in the first Category.

Your winning Ticket is Number. 343-221-8756
Your Serial Number. 454-17
your lucky draw Numbers are. 3, 8, 13, 22, 27, 41 Bonus Number 12
Your INSURANCE Number: FLS433/453L/GMSA

Please be informed that your CHEQUE of the sum of US$850,000.00 is now with National lottery Finance and Insurance Company insured with your email address which won you this prize,

therefore you should contact National lottery your agent and give them your full name so that they will re-insure your CHEQUE under your full name.

Please note that National lottery your paying agent, will invite you to their office in Johannesburg South Africa for your immediate payment, you have to hurry up and contact them immediately.

To begin your claim, please call your claim agent immediately, and also to send an urgent message to Mr.Nelson Dube through Phone or Email address.

TEL:+27-733-181-653:
E-mail :nelsondubeagent@yahoo.co.uk

NOTE: In order to avoid unnecessary delays and complications, please remember to quote your reference and batch numbers and other information provided above and below in every one of your correspondences with your claims agent.

REFERENCE NUMBER: GML-S343-KKT-8811
BATCH NUMBER: 56T-DTH78-SAR99

NATIONAL LOTTO PROGRAM IS A BONUS FOR THE WHOLE
WORLD FOR THE 2010 SOCCER WORLD
Congratulations'' once again from all our staff and thank you for being part of our promotions program.

Sincerely,

MR.Greg Moyo
THE PROMOTIONS MANAGER,
NATIONAL LOTTERY
2nd Floor SABC
Radio Park Building
Auckland Park, 2006 Henley Road.
Johannesburg, South Africa.

NATIONAL LOTTERY SA

GOES INTERNATIONAL
AS THE 2010
WORLD CUP
WILL BE HOSTED BY
SOUTH AFRICA

THIS PROGRAM IS SPONSURED BY: SOUTH AFRICAN LOTTO AUTHORITY. AND SUPPORTED BY: (F餩ration Internationale de Football Association) FIFA SUPPORT

Regards,
Mr. Greg Moyo
Promotion Manager
-------------------------------------------------

Nelson Mandela Nelson Madiba Mandela

Mr. Joseph Sepp Blatter
[FIFA President]



Savery, Aldwin Abraham, Vicki
Mr James Stevenson Mr. Rudolf P. Markhams Mrs. Rosemary Muss
(Promotion Manager) (Zonal Co-ordinator) (Board Member)

100860 8556 2548 9576ZA




From: "mike sipo" Add to Address BookAdd to Address Book Add Mobile Alert
Subject: John Louis
Date: Tue, 2 Oct 2007 15:13:04 +0100
From Mr. John Louis
London, United Kingdom
Phone:+ 44 703 1914982
E-mail: john_louis102@yahoo.co.uk

Dear Freind,

Permit me to introduce myself as Mr. John Louis. I am a Liberian citizen and a diplomat newly posted to London .

I got your details from a Liberian attaché in the Liberia Embassy, United Kingdom Embassy of the Republic of Liberia 23 Fitzroy Square
London W1 6EW . I have need for the cooperation and assistance of a person that i can trust from your country to receive in your country from London , a certain sum of money to be designated for investment purposes in your country. The funds in question originated from Liberia but are presently in London , which happens not to be the final destination. This is the primary reason for my posting to London .

I will attempt to place a phone call to you after this mail in order that this matter can be further discussed. Should you be interested in this matter, all pertinent details shall be obliged you in subsequent mail. However, it is important to state categorically that the funds under reference are not laundered nor have any liens whatsoever.

I look forward to a fruitful negotiation with you.

Thanking you,
John Louis
+ 44 703 1914982
Please reply to my private e-mail address: john_louis102@yahoo.co.uk




From: "bright wapson" Add to Address BookAdd to Address Book Add Mobile Alert
Subject: WINNING NOTIFICATION
Date: Tue, 2 Oct 2007 18:23:51 +0800
LOTTERY AWARD
PROMOTIONAL PROGRAMME

FROM THE DESK OF THE PROMOTIONS MANAGER, MRS. BRIGHT WAPSON
EUROPEAN/UK/S.A.UNION INTERNATIONAL PROMOTIONS BID SOUTH AFRICA 2010 WORLD CUP LOTTERY AWARD DEPARTMENT.UNITED KINGDOM/SOUTH AFRICA
(Customer Services)

WINNING NOTIFICATION

We happily announce to you the draw of South African 2010 World Cup Bid
Lottery Award International programs held in U.K your "email address" was attached to ticket number;B9665 75604546 199 serial number 97560 This batch draws the lucky numbers as follows 60/84/27/17/36, bonus number 2, which consequently won the lottery in the second category.

Your name have therefore been approved to claim a total sum of US$2,000.000.00(Two million United States Dollars) in cash credited to file KPC/9030108308/03 .This is from a total cash prize of US $ 30,000,000.00 (Thirty million United States dollars) shared among the first 200lucky winners in this category world-wide.

All participants "email address" were selected through a computer balloting system drawn from Nine hundred thousand names from Canada, Australia, United States, Asia, Europe, Middle East, Africa and Oceanic as part of our international promotions program which is conducted annually.

This Lottery was promoted and sponsored by some multinational companies and some other EU governmental personalities of their social responsibility to promote South Africans 2010 world cup award. The citizen in the communities where they have operational base.

To process your claims you are hereby advice to contact the Claim Agent
immediately with this information:

NAME:..................................
ADDRESS:...............................
NATIONALITY:...........................
SEX:...................................
AGE:...................................
PHONE/MOBILE:..........................
FAX:...................................
OCCUPATION:............................
COMPANY:...............................
BATCH/WINNING NUMNBER:............................................

The lottery program took place to promote South Africans 2010 world cup award. Please you are advised to file for your claim immediately through our Agent in South Africa MR. David N. Wilson for the claim of your prize. Call him on the phone immediately you received this message because you stand a risk of loosing the prize if you fail to claim within two month from the day you received this notification.

His contact details are as follows...

NAME: Mr. David N. Wilson
TEL :+ 27-83-522-4595
Email :attorneywilsondavid@workmail.co.za

For security reasons, we advice all winners to keep this information confidential from the public until your claim is processed and your prize released to you. This is part of our security protocol to avoid dual claiming and unwarranted taking advantage of this program by non-participant or unofficial personnel.

Congratulations once again on your winnings!!!

Yours faithfully,
MRS. BRIGHT WAPSON
Online Co-coordinator

Beef on Weck Sushi

Joe got sick of those Facebook/MySpace profiles featuring those "look at me!" pictures of people drinking beer as if they're doing it on the moon. In response, he started posting Facebook picture of him stuffing his face with food. Everyone wish him luck on this latest endeavor. Scott and I joined Joe at the Sea Bar last month for some culinary fusion stuff.

Beef on Weck sushi is cooked beef with horseradish wrapped in rice and raw beef and sprinkled with kimmelweck seeds. It's GREAT. I also tried something called Zushi (picture #3 up there) that I also highly recommend.

IN OTHER NEWS, some history teacher at Sacred Heart Academy has been having inappropriate relations with at least one underage student. I know some people who had that teacher, but even creepier? On May 6th of this year I applied for a job teaching history at that school. That dude would have been my co-worker, and thank goodness he ain't.

RIP Robert Goulet

I own the DVD, but found via YesButNoButYes.

Trick or Treat

Daily hits to this blog doubled in the past week (to, like, four people) AND the counter passed 15,000. Special thanks goes out to that one person in Ireland who checks back on a regular basis. (You know who you are, dude! Thanks!)

Lately the topic of "what ELSE do you do on the Internet?" has come up. "A lot of nothing" is the answer. Over the past few months I've stuffed my Bookmarks with dozens of links to prove this point. I thought I'd clear it out today, so enjoy.

Johnny Cash doing an Elvis impersonation:


Take a self-guided tour of Buffalo with these handy .mp3s.

A cop busts himself for drug possession.


Some guy in Buffalo has been living in a secret underground bunker and it made international news.

Cracked put together an article called "The 7 Most Insane Moments from Cable Access TV" and you just know it's good stuff. Number 1 is a mildly retarded boy with his own cooking show. Since I can't embed it, here's another episode where he f**ks up Jell-O.


Want to learn more about Buffalo's world-famous grain elevators? Even better, want to sneak peaks inside them? Check out this link for inspiration. If you'd rather look at pictures than take your own, visit this page to see downtown Buffalo back when it had people. Why oh why did they build the Main Place Mall? This picture is in the observation deck of City Hall:


Someone took my old record and made a YTMND entry with it.

The Prelinger Archives was the free source for most of MST3K's short films. Here is an instructional film from the 1970s showing you how not to cut off your arm on the job.


My best bud/roommate got a new job as a news reporter. Naturally, it made the front page!

Whatever happened to the youngest kid on Home Improvement? What hasn't? When your life story is titled "Cheese Nuts" you know it's worth reading. Equally interesting is a long article on now-former Sabre Chris Drury.

Two chickens break up a rabbit fight!


If you're an adult (like me) who's a big fan of Harry Potter (not me) and too embarrassed to read it in public, you'll want to try these fake book covers. One G-rated example:


Miss Teen South Carolina is trying to help education in our country by creating a new foundation, Everywhere Like Such As Maps. Note the strategic insertion of a random photo enticing you to click Play.


I recently presented a superb program on medical mycology.

Finally . . .

Ow ow ow ow ow ow ow ow ow ow

----------------
Now playing: Black Kids - Listen To Your Body Tonight
via FoxyTunes

Souja Boy is Down 4 Life

Download the always uselessly non-musical intro

The biggest rap star in America is MySpace artist Soulja Boy. "Crank That (Soulja Boy)" is the #1 song in the country and holding strong. (Better click that link fast because it won't hold strong for long.) But what I really want "YOOOOOOOU" to hear is this year's coup de grace on good taste, "Booty Meat." Soulja Boy, tell 'em about it:

"Booty Meat"

Now listen to that song a second time whilst perusing the lyrics.

BOOTY MEAT
Yall Dis 1 Rite Hur Is For All Dem Gurlz Wit Dat Bootymeat
Bootymeat

Girl Shake Dat Bootymeat Dat Bootymeat Shake Dat Bootymeat Dat Bootymeat
Girl Shake Dat Bootymeat Dat Bootymeat Dat Bootymeat Dat Bootymeat
Gurl Shake Dat Bootymeat Dat Bootymeat Shake Dat Bootymeat Dat Bootymeat Gurl Shake
Dat Bootymeat Dat Bootymeat Dat Bootymeat Dat Bootymeat

Gurl Shake Dat Bootymeat All Up On Me Soulja Boy
Soulja Boy up In This Thang Cum An Hang Wit Me Im Ya H Boom Coon and drink Champagne Wit Me
Take A Bubble Bath Come An Switch Lanes Wit Me Im Da #1 Stunna Let Me See What
You Got Im The Baller Round Town Let Me See How You Pop
Im Ya Gurl Best Friend Let Me See How You Hop
Put That Thang In The Air Then Make It Drop

Gurl B Double O-T-Y-M-E A T You Know It Dats Dat Bootymeat
I Got A Car Full Of Girls And We Makin A Creep
Soulja Boy Up In This Thang Puttin Shawty To Sleep
Im Ready For Wateva If You Know Wat I Mean
Come Hur Lil Shawty You Dat Bootymeat Queen
Bootymeat In My Face Even When I B Talkin
All Da Gurls Love Me And Dey Straight Up B Stalkin

Gurl Well I Guess Its My Time Im Bout To Steal Da Show Soulja Boy 2006 An You Already
Know Im Bout To Hit Da Spot And Im Ready To Go whole Bunch Of Fine Gurlz
Dey Form Head To Toe Im Ya H Boom Coon Like I Said Before
Let Me See You Turn Around Just Like A Pro Shake It For Me Shawty Till You Cant No Mo
You A Mans Bestfriend Im Just Lettin You Know

A real tour de force, don't you think? Sadly, the true innovators are oft forgotten. Lest ye forget the rap prodigies D4L, authors of the 2005 hit "Laffy Taffy." Their record went gold. The next 42,797 times you hear Soulja Boy on KISS 98.5 this week, be sure to remember his thematic forefathers.

Download "Laffy Taffy" here

LAFFY TAFFY
Dat laffy taffy (candy gurl)

Gurl shake dat laffy taffy
Dat laffy taffy
Shake dat laffy taffy
Dat laffy taffy
Gurl shake dat laffy taffy
Dat laffy taffy
Dat laffy taffy (candy gurl)
Dat laffy taffy

I'm lookin fa Mrs. Bubble Gum
I'm Mr. Chik-O-Stick
I wanna (dun dun dunt) (oh)
Cuz you so thick
Gurlz call me Jolly Rancher (Oh)
Cuz I stay so hard
You can suck me for a long time
(Oh my god!)
Gurl dis ain't no dance flo'
Dis a candy sto'
And I'm really geeked up
And I got mo' dro
I pop, I roll
It's soft I know
It's da summer time
But yo laffy taffy got me froze (oh)
Gone get loose (oh)
Gone get low (oh)
don't be shy
H** I'm Faybo? (oh)
I kno' you wanna ride
You a star and it shows
(What's happening? What's up? What's up? Let's go, let's go, let's go)

Gurl shake dat laffy taffy
Dat laffy taffy
Shake dat laffy taffy
Dat laffy taffy
Gurl shake dat laffy taffy
Dat laffy taffy
Dat laffy taffy (candy gurl)
Dat laffy taffy [Repeat 2x]

Cum on trick cum on trick
Here go Mr. Chocolate
I like da way you break it down
Waddle, stop you watchin me
Laffy taffy I'm likin' dis
Big ol a** you shakin b****
Close yo mouth and don't say s***
Bend on ova and hit a split
Work dat pole and work it well
Stacks on deck, yo ankles swell
Gurl let me touch ya
I will neva tell
Security gaurd don't scare nobody
Damn right I touched dat h**
All da money just hit da flo'
D4L I'm ready to go
H** can't even shake no mo
Dey tired out
Lets ride out
B**** you wanna go
Den she can go
She get in my car
I ain't playin no mo
Start movin on my Faybo
B**** she probably already kno'
Let me see dat laffy taffy
(dun dun dunt)

Gurl shake dat laffy taffy
Dat laffy taffy
Shake dat laffy taffy
Dat laffy taffy
Gurl shake dat laffy taffy
Dat laffy taffy
Dat laffy taffy (candy gurl)
Dat laffy taffy [repeat 2x]

Say baby gurl
A wat you gon' do
I got a hundred 1s
I wanna pour on you
Just keep dat a** shakin
And I keep tippin' you
While I sit back like a playa
And sip dat grey goose
Feelin' all loose
Cuz gurl you on your job
You got my d*** hard
Da way you touch dem toez
Workin' dem micros
On da stilletos
You made it skeet skeet skeet
Like a water hoez (candy gurl)
Got me goin' in my pocket
Pullin' out mo' dough
Let da waitress kno' I need to order
Five hundred mo'
You besta believe lata on we headed 2 da mo'
So gone and pack dem bags
And let's mothaf***in' go
I'm waitin' on yo fine a**
At da front doe
Gurl you don kno'
Ima toss da laffy taffy
Toss it flip it and slap it
Bust a couple of nuts
And get right back at it

Gurl shake dat laffy taffy
Dat laffy taffy
Shake dat laffy taffy
Dat laffy taffy
Gurl shake dat laffy taffy
Dat laffy taffy
Dat laffy taffy (candy gurl)
Dat laffy taffy [repeat 2x]

Even Stevphen

The Daily Show unveiled its new website, where you can watch every single minute of every episode from the Jon Stewart era. This is more than wonderful. Though I'm still waiting for clips of A. Whitney Brown during the Craig Kilborn years, I'm bursting with joy. Before Steve Carell and Stephen Colbert were making Emmys and millions, they were performing together in Even Stevphen, my favorite reoccurring bit. Here are the search results below.

9/19/99: Weather


4/10/00: Elian Gonzalez


10/29/00: Halloween


1/16/01: The Clinton Years


10/14/01: Secrets


6/18/02: Death Tax


5/6/02: World's Policeman or Fireman?


8/18/02: War


6/18/07: Hate Yeast

80 Minutes for 17 October 2007

I recently got some recordings from the 1950s (thanks Jerry) and thought I'd pass along a few favorites. Most of these are rockabilly hits but I threw some R&B in for good measure. Several of these songs have been made more popular done by other artists (CCR doing Susie-Q, for example) while several others are covers themselves (Stranded in the Jungle was recorded a year before, and Stagger Lee is based on countless versions dating back more than a century). The rest are simply classic, or close. Rocket 88 is supposedly the first ever "Rock & Roll" song. I included Freddy Cannon twice because he's hardcore. Everything is here in this one file or you can download them individually:

Big Bopper - Chantilly Lace.mp3
Big Mama Thornton - Hound Dog.mp3
Billy Lee Riley - Red Hot.mp3
Bo Diddley - I'm a Man.mp3
Cadets - Stranded in the Jungle.mp3
Carl Perkins - Honey, Don't!.mp3
Dale Hawkins - Susie-Q.mp3
Duane Eddy - Rebel-'Rouser.mp3
Eddie Cochran - C'mon Everybody.mp3
Fats Domino - Blueberry Hill.mp3
Freddy Cannon - Buzz Buss A-Diddle-It.mp3
Freddy Cannon - Tallahassee Lassie.mp3
Irma Thomas - Time Is on My Side.mp3
Isley Brothers - Shout, Pts. 1 & 2.mp3
Ivan - Real Wild Child.mp3
Jackie Brenston & His Delta Cats - Rocket '88'.mp3
Joe Bennett & The Sparkletones - Black Slacks.mp3
John Lee Hooker - Boom Boom.mp3
Johnny Otis Show - Willie and the Hand Jive.mp3
Little Richard - Rip It Up.mp3
Lloyd Price - Stagger Lee.mp3
Ramrods - (Ghost) Riders in the Sky.mp3
Ray Charles - What'd I Say, Pts. 1 - 2.mp3
Robins - Smokey Joe's Cafe.mp3
Ronnie Self - Bop-a-Lena.mp3
Screamin' Jay Hawkins - I Put a Spell on You.mp3
Shadows - Apache.mp3
Vibrations - My Girl Sloopy.mp3
Wanda Jackson - Fujiyama Mama.mp3

Architecture In Helsinki in Buffalo

There were a lot of reasons I didn't want to go to the Tralf for this show. Nobody wanted to go with me: "Oh," they'd all say, "my one friend is really into that band." And that friend would live in, say, New Hampshire. Also, the night before I woke up on the bathroom floor of my apartment. I'm not sure how I got there, especially since I don't do drugs or alcohol, but I guess I should be taking it easy on myself. Still, I bought my ticket weeks ago and went anyway.

And it was good! YOU should have gone. They played all their hits, or the hits they would have if their songs were well-known. Having six band members also allows for more percussion, dancing, and sing-a-long vocal harmonies. While the performance was tight, their demeanor was very, very loose. Here is AiH creating an impromptu beard-growing contest out of random audience members. The winner requested a previously unperformed song.



Here's the encore, Heart It Races.


Music Videos:

Tim's Birthday

Mr. SchROCK himself dropped by for his own birthday party. So did Madd Dogg and a host of other guest stars. Here's Tim getting his free cake at Dave & Buster's:



And here's Madd Dogg revealing the origins of Ms. Pac-Man. Like Justin Timberlake, he's a talented singer and dancer.

You Can Deny The Holocaust All You Want, But You Can't Deny That There's Something Between Us

When a certain duplicitous Idaho senator was discovered not doing something in an airport bathroom, yeah, it was funny. Then the Hatfield to President Bush's McCoy, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, performed to a packed house in NYC and said some pretty interesting things about Jews and homosexuals in a place with the world's greatest concentration of Jews and homosexuals. It created a perfect storm of comic fodder (or disappointment).

The New Yorker cover is one example. You should also watch the Digital Short "I Ran" from Saturday Night Live. They kept pulling this video off of YouTube so view it while you can. You might as well laugh about it before the bombing starts.

As for posts, more to come shortly.

To Hell With Good Intentions

Missing Mclusky

In middle school we attended an assembly on brain and spinal cord injuries. The whole affair was pretty serious. They even had victims of various accidents give accounts of their ordeals. One boy with some pretty severe brain damage talked very slowly about how "I used to be just like you. I was a straight-A student . . ." et cetera. Then the phrase, " . . . I worked at McDonalds. . . ."

I snickered. The McDonald's commercial! In a room of one thousand students, I was the only one to make a noise. I tried to stop--I really did!--but I couldn't hold it in. Hunched over in my seat, I put my hands in my mouth and bit as hard as possible. I could hear people commenting about how rude I was but I just couldn't help it. They don't let you leave assemblies. What could I do? I began crying from the laughing and the shame and the tooth marks.

Bitchin'

The Donnas played the Tralf tonight. It rocked and you missed it. Brett Anderson is a much better frontman than you hear on the albums. She kept the audience going between songs and made eye contact with everyone in the room. Guitarist Allison Robertson has amazing chops. For the encore they played Ratt's Round and Round and it actually sounded good.



Lo and behold, tonight's "With Special Guests" included Donita Sparks, formerly of L7. She's the person famous for doing that thing with that thing at that show. I expected something fast and frightening but it wasn't anything spectacular.

New Super Power

Commit seppuku with a Frisbee

On Tuesdays I have to work, then drive to a class, then drive back to work, and then drive over an hour to another class. It's an eighteen hour day that requires a trunkload of bags, several changes of clothes, and a Wednesday set aside solely for sleeping (that is, right after work in the morning). I'm not allowed breaks either, so I have to eat quickly in the car. Last Tuesday, while I scarfed Wendy's fries as is my wont, I began choking. Choking is bad enough but choking while driving is frightening. After several seconds I luckily cleared my throat, though I didn't know how. Suddenly I began sneezing uncontrollably. And hard. The sneezing forced me to convulse and that doesn't help my driving abilities, either.

I couldn't stop--sneezing or traveling down Interstate 90--and I didn't know what to do. Grabbing a napkin I plugged one nostril and then blew as hard as I could. Then the unspeakable happened.

Ladies and gentlemen, A FRENCH FRY CAME OUT MY NOSE. Not in pieces, the whole thing. An inch-and-a-half long, rectangular potato. Somehow, that french fry went down my throat, then up my throat, all the way to my brain, poking my sinuses, and out my nasal cavity.

Covered in goo! I didn't take a picture.

Instead, here's how to put batteries in your mouth.


Next week's experiment: hot dogs. Can I do it?

Kevin Everett: It's A Miracle!

Buffalo Sabres vs. Columbus Blue Jackets fight, 9/21/07

This crappy video is the most popular thing I've ever done on the Internet. Since posting it two days ago, 3000 people have watched it on YouTube. In comparison, this blog gets about twenty hits a day. The site I created in '97-'98 has less than 4000 hits, and it's been up for ten years.

Speaking of YouTube, here's David Sedaris on Letterman, found via Fark. He's coming to Buffalo again, and though I dished out $35 to see him last time he's just as funny if you borrow his books on CD from the library for free. (Check out his impersonation of Ella Fitzgerald on Me Talk Pretty One Day. It's dead on.)

Beyond/In

Fifty artists are displaying exhibits at twelve art venues throughout Buffalo, so last weekend I decided to check a few out. Most are free or cheap, so check 'em out. At the Babeville Hallwalls (sounds odd, I know) I took these pictures:



Afterwards, I popped into the Big Orbit Gallery but their exhibits were under construction. No one seemed to care that I was tiptoeing over them while painting and drilling, but I got out of there quickly. Outside I found this coincidence:

And then this. Who knows what this is about.

Really, who knows what this is about?

Photog at the Gates of Downtown

Below is a video I took at the Sabres' preseason game against the Columbus Blue Jackets. One thing you'll notice is the lack of a scoreboard, which will be replaced by some fancy new digital screens in the near future. Bringing a camera was a great idea, otherwise we couldn't have watched this fight over and over:



Some of us also packed into Thursday at the Square to see the Dropkick Murphys for the last show of the season. Normally I refuse to have people pose for pictures, hoping to catch them in their natural habitat. Keeping Andrea, Brad, Carissa, Dave, and Ed (A, B, C, D, E!) in frame was especially difficult. This was try #3:


So when new acquaintance Andrea suggested coercing people to stay in predetermined positions, I gave in. Here's to you, folks: