Entries from October 2006 ↓

I am in the market for a new digital camera. I’m on the second sale item to last just over a year. Mike in WNY has a great camera [I saw it once]. It’s not easy shopping for a new camera after reading this. Eikarumba!

I need a digital camera that:

• doesn’t eat batteries for lunch.
• takes good images.
• is in a price range up to [not going over] $200.

 

I saw this on Yahoo:

Oct 31, 2006

 

The cost of campaigning

Do politicians spend more on positive or negative ads? See the numbers behind the endless TV spots.» Article

Image swiped from [props to] ;) Buffalo Pundit:

I have been hearing a lot about the tolls being removed. There’s no need to link it, NO TOLLS is everywhere on the net.

So what?

The conspiracy theory: We’ll be taxed under a new.

It’s what some would call a gut instinct.

There aren’t many things I want. This is just one toy to make storing memories easier.

Sony’s new DVDirect® MC3 DVD recorder allows both video and digital photos to be recorded to DVD without requiring a PC. The MC3 sports video inputs on one side for direct connection of a camcorder/VCR/DVR for easy direct recording of video to DVD. The MC3 also incorporates memory card slots for the 5 popular camera memory cards and will directly record images from the memory card to DVD as a slideshow or just for photo storage. The wide 2.5″ color LCD screen makes it easy to preview video or view up to 4 digital pictures at a time. Enhanced connection to Sony HDD Handycam® camcorders allows all the video on the Handycam to be recorded to DVD (full mode), or only new video shot since the last DVD burn (incremental mode). Support for 16:9 Wide Aspect and Dolby® Digital 5.1 surround sound take full advantage of today’s advanced camcorders. Connect the MC3 to your Windows® XP or 2000 PC and make copies of your home video DVDs to enjoy and share with friends and family.

• Video recording inputs - USB (for HDD/DVD Handycam connection), Digital Video (DV), S-Video, Composite Video, Analog L/R stereo inputs
• Memory Card slots - Memory Stick Duoâ„¢, Multi card slot (Memory Stickâ„¢/Pro, SD Memory Card, xD Picture Cardâ„¢), Compact Flashs
• Enhanced Connectivity to HDD Handycam® family allows all video content to be recorded to DVD (full mode), or only recent video since last DVD burn (incremental mode)
• Consolidate multiple 3″ camcorder DVDs to single full-size DVD
• Records on DVD+R and DVD+RW Discs, even DVD+R DL Double Layer Discs*
• Large 2.5″ Color LCD for previewing photos or video
• Up to 12 hours video or up to 2,000 digital pictures per DVD
• Support for 16:9 Wide Screen and 4:3 Full Screen video
• Dolby® Digital 2 channel or 5.1 channel surround sound (requires supported camcorder)
• Direct printing when connected to Pictbridgeâ„¢ compatible photo printer, print from memory card or photo DVD inserted in DVDirect recorder
• Can be connected to Windows® XP or Windows 2000 PC for making DVD copies to share with friends and family, or creating advanced DVD projects using the included Nero® software suite

Sony didn’t offer a price. Nextag did. Office Depot has the lowest price. $160 

 

Dear Santa,

I have been a very good girl this year.

How do you get more than half a million in three shots?

Very carefully:

UNITED JEWISH COUNCIL OF THE EAST SIDE, INC.
500-A GRAND STREET
NEW YORK, NY 10002
212-460-5730

Name of Project Director: JOEL KAPLAN

Purpose of Project: A 1000 MEMBER SENIOR DISCOUNT CARD CLUB RUN IN CONJUNCTION WITH OVER 30 MERCHANTS. IN-STATE TRIPS, RECREATIONAL AND EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS TARGETING DISADVANTAGED SENIORS, ADOLESCENTS AND FAMILIES. TELEPHONE REASSURANCE PROGRAM DURING EVENING HOURS TARGETING HOMEBOUND SENIORS. AN OUTREACH PROGRAM TO EDUCATE COMMUNITY ON AVAILABLE
PROGRAMS (ONGOING).

Funded Amount: $194,000

 

Project Director: JOEL KAPLAN

Purpose of Project: FUNDS WILL BE USED TO IMPLEMENT AN ADVERTISING AND PUBLIC RELATIONS CAMPAIGN TO EXTOLL THE BENEFITS OF THE LOWER EAST SIDE. IN ADDITION, A LISTING SERVICE WILL BE CREATED TO MATCH INTERESTED BUYERS WITH THOSE PARTIES INTERESTED IN SELLING THEIR PROPERTY WITHIN THE LOWER EAST SIDE. FUNDS WILL BE USED SPECIFICALLY FOR THE STAFF PERSON NECESSARY TO COORDINATE THESE PROGRAMS, AS WELL AS ANY ANCILLARY EXPENSES.

Funded Amount: $155,000

 

Name of Project Director: JOEL KAPLAN

Purpose of Project: FUNDS WILL BE USED TO OFFSET OPERATING EXPENSES. PROGRAMS ARE OPEN TO ALL ON A NON-SECTARIAN BASIS.

Funded Amount: $194,000

Name of Administering State Agency: DEPARTMENT OF STATE

More New York State pork spending here.

There is an interesting post on the North Buffalo Journal & Review that says:

Ironically, a vast percentage of the population can not even afford the admission to many of these government supported cultural projects, yet their money is taken by force to support them.  Projects worthy of support would gladly be funded 100% by choice through private means if the money was not taxed out of the private economy first.  People willingly pay for the things they want . . .if they have the money to do so!

I was interested in knowing what offers the best pricing. I sorta agree with Mike. It’s hard to afford the fine Arts we have at home. Here are some of the costs of cultural entertainments* in Buffalo for a family of 4 (two adults & two children over 13): 

Admission to the Art Gallery: $36

Admission to the Science Museum: $24

Tickets to Rent Live!: $90 - $210

SHEA’S PERFORMING ARTS CENTER
DECEMBER 5-10, 2006

Admission to The Buffalo Zoo: $27 + $3.25 parking.

Kleinhans Event-Donovan in Concert: $120
Date Sunday, November 05, 2006 at 7:30pm
Location: Mary Seaton Room

Touring the Darwin Martin House: $40

Admission to Time In Motion @ Hallwalls: $36
(past performance Oct. 20th)

Two tickets for Bob Weir & Ratdog at the Town Ballroom (for my man & I): $78

*not all attraction are from government supported funds.

I don’t know which one has scared me the most, the Friday the 13th snow storm or the wind tonight. Which ever one you pick, damage is expected with the rising sun.

I thought of this question:

Because we turn the clocks back an hour, does that mean the weather related predictions will be off by an hour?

I missed most of the Sabres game tonight because I had to work. I got home in time to see the end. Tonight the sabres are still my winning team. This was a great start to the season and it ain’t over yet.

These Sabres are still a rocking team. I’m not a fairweather fan, from yesterday to tomorrow: 

Let’s Go Buffalo!!!

In honor of RT101 today: you can date your spouse & have a great night out.

My man picked up our tickets to see Bob Weir & Ratdog as soon as they went one sale. I was excited for more than a month because we were going to be there. I have a great boss for giving me a Friday night off. The concert booked for two days (Friday & Saturday) sold out quickly and if you had tickets, you felt like they were worth more than gold.

We called the Town Ball Room to see if cameras were allowed. They said no but at the show, a good 500 concert-goers were snapping pictures from cameras and cell phones. I think the No Smoking signs were designated for cigarettes

I picked out the cutest outfit: black shoes, black tights, a black mini skirt and a white sweater.

It was a great night out & we drove up to the Falls for a few hours after the show. It’s too bad it had to rain last night.

Only one word explains the 3-hour show:

Phenomenal !

Updated:

From the Buffalo News:

There’s something different about a Ratdog show these days. Once, the band seemed to be stumbling its way through a mansion of many beautiful rooms, stopping along the way to throw a party on each floor, and welcoming you along for the ride.

It was a relaxed, glowing, hazy-eyed journey shared between band and audience, and yes, it seemed so proper, so much in the spirit of the Grateful Dead, and a celebration of the music’s continued resonance.

On Friday, as Bob Weir and his band returned to the Town Ballroom nearly one year to the day that they first visited the venue, a full house watched Ratdog become something more than what it had been.

The group - Weir on guitar and vocals, bassist Robyn Sylvester, drummer Jay Lane, keyboardist Jeff Chimenti, guitarist Mark Karan and sax player Kenny Wheeler - has benefited immensely from its past several years of touring.

Today, Ratdog is incredibly tight, well-versed in interband dynamics, in possession of some virtuosic improvisers, and able to ease gently and with grace between keys, time signatures and moods, as it eases us down the road.

Friday’s show was a hot one, and the enthused Town Ballroom crowd danced, sang along, cheered particularly transcendent solos, and willingly entered into a general state of bacchanalia.

The group opened with a spacious jam in no particular time signature, toying with the outer reaches of a chord, until easing into an appropriate pick for Weir and company’s post-October storm appearance, an elegiac “Cold Rain and Snow.” And then off they went, warming to each other and the crowd, as song segued into song and the whole room seemed to move to one groove.

We got “Playin’ in the Band,” with a stellar solo from Karan, followed by an outside improv from Wheeler. Then, a swampy funk groove fell into a Weir guitar synth solo that suggested Keith Richards visiting Mars. All of this eventually bled into a thrilling take on the Beatles’ “Revolver” coda, “Tomorrow Never Knows,” again culminating in a stellar Karan improvisation.

It all went by like a beautiful daydream, and featured a long line of high points - the “Lost Sailor/Saint of Circumstance” bit was particularly brilliant, but the whole darn set was inspired. Weir and his band have hit a new plateau.

Robert Kirkham/Buffalo News.
Grateful Dead legend Bob Weir leads Ratdog on an inspired musical journey, setting the mood for spontaneous dancing in a packed Town Ballroom.

I am hours away from heading down town to see Bob Weir & Ratdog. The two day concert sold out almost immediately. I am excited. What am I going to wear?

BOB WEIR & RATDOG
Friday October 27 AND Saturday October 28 *SOLD OUT