I really want to write a big long post about the constitutional history of voting rights, how those issues played out in the 2000 and 2004 presidential elections and how they are playing out this year. Unfortunately, all I have time for is this little note saying I -want- to, because I need to read for school instead of having interesting (e:strip) political conversations. It's very frustrating that there's no real writing in school, only a big fat final exam in each class. Yep, one test. Completely anonymous so in-class participation doesn't count. The classes are 85 people anyway - twice the size of my high school graduating class. Bleh.

So, in lieu of interesting constitutional discussion, here's an awesome, heartbreaking video about voter suppression in Ohio in 2004.

I'm not sure how, but I've received two robocalls from the McCain campaign and the Republican National Committee. Here's the text of one received Thursday, Oct. 16 at 12:41 p.m.:

Hello, I'm calling for John McCain and the RNC because you need to know that Barack Obama has worked closely with domestic terrorist Bill Ayers, whose organization bombed the U.S. Capitol, the Pentagon, a judge's home, and killed Americans. And Democrats will enact an extreme leftist agenda if they take control of Washington. Barack Obama and his Democratic allies lack the judgment to lead our country. This call was paid for by McCain-Palin 2008 and the Republican National Committee at 202 863 8500.

That's just sick.

The other, received Tuesday Oct. 14 at 3:27 p.m. from 877-431-2572 isn't quite as offensive but still...

Hello, I'm calling for John McCain and the RNC because Barack Obama and his fellow Democrats got caught putting Hollywood above America. On the very day our elected leaders gathered in Washington to deal with the financial crisis, Barack Obama spent just 20 minutes with economic advisers, but hours at a celebrity Hollywood fundraiser. Where are the Democrats' priorities? This call was paid for by McCain-Palin 2008 and the Republican National Committee at 202 863 8500.

I hope I received these calls just because my telephone number is still listed in Pennsylvania. You'd think being registered Green would be prevention enough.

Ohio isn't the only place with ignorant people. Here's video from a Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, campaign stop.

Not sure that I should continue the drama started by (e:Joshua)'s post and I haven't read all the comments and related posts, but this came across my desk today and I wanted to share it with y'all.

(excluding specific people)

1. Stars
2. Mountains
3. Dirt roads
4. Joneses' Pond (that's what the sign says)
5. Pirate's Rock
6. Feeling like I've accomplished something just about every day
7. Nisha (my dog)
8. Kitten
9. The office
10. The Bear Ass Bar & Grill
11. Cast & Crew
12. My library


Pirate's Rock in October a couple years ago

I need to be a way for a few days and China Cat Sunflower says she's willing to go with me, but would rather stay here. Anyone have recommendations for someone who would stop by once a day to make sure she's got food and water and give her some lovin' if she wants it? (Allen Street)

(e:Lauren) and (e:FellyConnelly) frequently go to the Battle at Buffalo held at Verve Dance Studio, 910 Main Street, the last Saturday of every month. I went with them Sept. 27 and I'm very glad I did! If you don't know anything about this subculture (like I don't), go with Lauren & Felly. Lauren's a very knowledgeable guide and wrote at least one research paper on breakdancing for which she interviewed studio owner Shane and several b-boys and b-girls. They attend classes at the studio, too.

I took my camera - it was a challenging situation with low light levels and fast action. (Flash photography is a no-no in these kinds of situations - distracting and dangerous to the participants.) I took about 700 shots - if these are the best, you can imagine how bad a lot of them were :-) It's very difficult to capture the "toprock" elements like popping without the dancer just looking awkward. ((e:Lauren) - feel free to correct me on my presentation.) A couple of the dancers looked more like skaterats... is there an intersection between those groups?

Shane, Verve Dance Studio owner, emcee:



The DJs - Miss Shing-a-ling and DJ Simple... I'm finding out that I really like good DJing. I can't describe how awful the DJs are at home.


Interplay between the dancers heightens the sense of "battle"







The youngest (looking) participant held his own among the older dancers.


Teddy Krueger (aka Theodore Krzykowski in his real job at the Buffalo dance company LehrerDance) has amazing flexibility and strength. He won a Lipton Iced Tea competition for this video:

And here's video of another Battle at Buffalo competition between Teddy and Pete Nasty.




Lauren pointed out that observing dancers will slap the floor for technical inaccuracies - Teddy's background in gymnastics, stunts and professional modern dance serve him well in performing complicated, difficult tricks but he gets a lot of floor slaps, too.

Pete Nasty might have been my favorite, but I think I need to go back to be sure :-)



I definitely want to see more b-girls. There were only two that night.








The view from the rooftop outside the studio was great!

-- quoted --
The first Movement Party jumps off tomorrow night (Friday) at 8 PM, and what a party it promises to be. Here's why you should be there:

1. We've got the best DJ's in Buffalo. If you like real hip-hop music, rooted in the best of the jazz-soul-funk tradition, then Cutler and LoPro are your people. They've proven they can get a crowd moving without sacrificing their creativity and originality.

2. You'll be joining the fight for social justice in our city. The proceeds go to the Partnership for the Public Good--a network of community-based groups working on issues like poverty and the urban environment--as well as Massachusetts Avenue Project, which teaches urban youth about the fruits of urban farming and the beauty of eating local. What better setting than Langston Hughes for a movement party. PPG affiliated groups include Ujima Theater, ReUse, the WNY Homeless Alliance, Buffalo First, PUSH, CEJ and MAP.

3. There will be crumpers and b-boys on the scene to lead the way.

4. There will be a puppet parade led by Buffalo's creative collective (Kyla Kegler, Pat Cain, Gabe Guttierez) at some point in the night.

5. Russell Pascatore, a leading light on the local poetry scene, will bless us with an ode to the absurdities of late-late capitalism. No better way to respond to the financial crisis than with a prayer by Russell.

6. We will DANCE and Flying Bison will flow.

"The Movement"
Friday, October 3rd, 8 PM
Langston Hughes Institute
25 High Street, near Main and High
$5 at the door
This is a 21+ event

--

This app allows you to visually map the connections between rich, powerful & famous people (note the examples of Katherine Graham's funeral attendees and um... Ozzy vs Slayer


(making my contribution to the 25K posts goal.)

Moving & starting school created a big mess of technological problems and needs which I think I finally got all resolved today... (and now I'm going to avoid reading homework by telling you about these important things!)

I handed down my dear old Sony Vaio to A before I left home, knowing it wouldn't serve much purpose for me, but he'd get a lot of use out of it. I showed up here with a 2+ year old Toshiba Satellite that's been very serviceable, but was definitely too heavy to carry to class everyday (down apartment steps, short walk to Metro, down steps, metro ride, up steps, up more steps, crowded bus ride, class (sometimes up & down more steps), crowded bus ride, down steps, metro ride, walk, up apartment steps... my knees are really noticing that seven pounds.) So I got myself an Asus EEE PC 900 (Linux variant OS) - 2.2 pounds of sweet surfing & notetaking machine.



Here it is next to my 15.4" toshiba and a 17" monitor. Hat is there to show scale for non-techies. I also got myself a bottom-of-the-barrel refurb desktop with a big fat harddrive. The toshiba is now serving as only a work machine and school is based on the desktop with the EEE serving as an access point. So sweet!

The other major tech issue (besides electric, which has been resolved) was my Palm Centro... I bought it at the end of July, used "local number portability" to keep my Tioga County phone number (which means it's a local call from there to me for all my poor and long-distance averse friends). I had been using a nifty Palm Tungsten C for several years to manage contacts & datebook and was using CompanionLink for Google Calendar to synchronize the Palm with Google Calendar. This allowed friends, coworkers & family to keep track of me - a fairly difficult thing to do with my notorious lack of communication and inconsistent schedules. When I bought the Palm Centro, I didn't realize the essential CompanionLink software hadn't been updated for that version of Palm desktop... I was lost!

Companionlink released the GCal link yesterday and I finally got it all installed and configured today (several calls to Palm tech support later) and now folks in at least three states are able to figure out where I am. Yea!!! It really is a very cool piece of software to integrate all kinds of mobile apps with GCal.

Oh, the EEE needs decoration - could I score an estrip bumpersticker? It has a little Tirade-the-broccoli sticker from Looney Labs a game design & publishing firm created by my friends at Wunderland but could use more.

(e:Drew) suggested last night that I need to post more often. I haven't thought of a topic but then I realized I could just answer the question(s) most frequently asked when I meet someone.

1. How's the transition to Buffalo?

I think this might be obvious already, but I love Allentown. I'm very much enjoying Buffalo, all the cool stuff going on and the friendly people. Last night, I went to the ElmwoodJesus fundraiser at Cole's and hung out with (e:Janelle), (e:Vincent), & (e:Jason) while (e:Drew) served as happy hostess. We watched the presidential debate afterwards at the Obama campaign watching party at Cole's - very convenient!. (Thanks for the ride home, (e:Vincent)!)

Thursday night I went to Nietzsche's for a fundraiser for the WNY LGBT domestic violence committee that works with Haven House (domestic violence shelter).



I met some very cool folks there, including Reg and her partner Liz. Reg works for Haven House. I won some cool prizes in the raffle. Does anyone need a copy of Candyland? Kristen Becker hosted the event - she was very funny, definitely a professional, polished comedian. She hosts comedy night at Nietzsche's every Tuesday night. I want to go, but Tuesday's are in the middle of my work week so that might have to wait until break. Ava LaFey, burlesque goddess, did a fantastic sketch (? not sure of right word - it was extremely funny without a lot of skin) where she, as Sarah Palin danced for a lifesize cardboard cutout of John McCain to the Pet Shop Boys Opportunities ("I've got the brains, you've got the looks, let's make lots of money!") When she unbuttoned her conservative red suit jacket, her bra was stuffed with money. Too funny.

Last weekend, my friend A and my puppy Nisha visted. A and I went to see the Pointek/Michaud Jazz Trio (yeah, Nietzsche's again... I love live music.) and saw a Grateful Dead cover band Saturday night. A and I see our favorite local band pretty often in Tioga County but there's always a 30-60 minute drive involved. Live music 500' away? We're there.

Nisha got her hair cut at Pawprints by Penny... cutest poodle cut ever!!! Penny really listened to how I wanted her hair cut and did a fantastic job. The atmosphere there was very friendly. The dogs in doggie day care like to "help" ring up customers.




I'll also give a shout out to Patrick at East End Salon. The grad program I'm in had class pictures taken and I desperately needed a haircut quickly. He gave me a great cut and totally listened when I said I don't use product and the only "styling" I do is combing out my wet hair after a shower. This is a very difficult concept for most stylists to understand.

I would not have been able to find such a fantastic location and some immediate social contacts without all the advice and information I've found on (e:strip). Thank you so much for helping make this transition about as easy as it could possibly be.

(Update from (e:heidi,45556) : my apartment electric situation got resolved and my stuff is now well protected. Thanks, Tim!)

Great set of articles about what issues in housing & community development the next president needs to address:

Housing, transportation, urban policy... geeky geeky! I used to work for Moises Loza and Leslie Strauss, two of the authors, at the Housing Assistance Council in Washington, D.C. HAC is a national nonprofit dedicated to improving rural housing.