"What is Wrong with our Fish?" written by James on estrip.org

Category: food

05/18/08 09:15 - 47ºF - ID#44388

What is Wrong with our Fish?

Howdy,

Jim was an absolute doll and took me to Toronto for the weekend. It was such a blast. This was the first time either of us had gone on a vacation without visiting either of our parents. I highly recommend this.
I haven't been to Toronto in ten years. It has changed so much. New skyscrapers are everywhere, absolutely everywhere. We would walk down a street and see a very old period building and then notice a thirty story tower was jutting out of the top. The contrast between old and modern was unnoticeable. I mean, these towers started on the fifth floor and you didn't see them unless you were gawking skywards. Should Buffalo's population trend reverse I would like to see this sort of development.
Toronto is an expensive city. A friend of mine pays 1,200 for a one bedroom and utilities are nearly twice what we pay here. But everything else is cheap, cheap, cheap. Which brings me to the point of this journal.

What is wrong with our fish?

Twice we had sushi. Delicious sushi. As good as the sushi we had at (e:jbeatty)'s Fish Bar (which is the best I have had in town). But for nothing. Twice we had a meal of way too much sushi, where your burps taste like fish hours later, but spent $30 on it. There are what, 2-3 sushi bars in the city of Buffalo? There is a sushi joint on every block in Toronto. Maybe it is a quantity thing. You fly in a half ton of sea urchin and we will cut the price in half.

I don't know what sort of magic they have ensorcelled the fish mongers of the world with, but we need a little bit of that mojo. Spare the chicken wing and spoil the child with delicious fishous!

Thank you Jim

joshua writes at 04:14:59 05/21/08 - Comment #35311: Yeah - and it just keeps getting larger. They are continually building new tower developments and the GTA is expanding into the wilderness. It is an expensive city - cost of living is surprisingly high. Still though, I love going to visit and as a result my company sends me virtually any time something comes up in the area.

metalpeter writes at 07:38:08 05/19/08 - Comment #35233: I don't know enough about the fish industry to really say. But I'm guessing that if the fish is native to Canada that it is better and less poluted. My biggest guess is that since Toronto is so big they get a better supply. But there is another factor they have an actual Asian Population. I'm not saying there aren't Asians here but not like in Toronto where there is China town, and other Asian Areas I'm sure that gets them better product. Just ideas home you two both had a great time, it is a pretty cool place to visit lots of stuff to do.

tiburon1724 writes at 10:12:32 05/18/08 - Comment #35213: went to toronto for the first time a couple months back, loved it!! It felt kinda weird though, so many of the new skyscrapers all look the same and really have no name/branding to them....if you're looking at the skyline you can't say "oh there's the such and such building" They definitely don't suffer from the NIMBYisms of Buffalo. One point is the distillery district with an old building that is now lofts...then "phase 2" which is a huge glass skyscraper right next to it. See people, stop protesting every little thing and something can happen!!

paul writes at 09:42:20 05/18/08 - Comment #35207: Ya, it is like the magical world of fish.

tinypliny writes at 09:39:17 05/18/08 - Comment #35205: I need to go to this magical city! So near, yet so far away. :/ Damn visa regulations.

Permalink: What_is_Wrong_with_our_Fish_.html
Words: 309
Location: Buffalo, NY

Category: gay, marriage

05/15/08 01:58 - 58ºF - ID#44349

Marriage Equality

California Supreme Court strikes down the states ban on same-sex marriage.

From the opinion:

Third, because of the widespread disparagement that gay individuals historically have faced, it is all the more probable that excluding same-sex couples from the legal institution of marriage is likely to be viewed as reflecting an official view that their committed relationships are of lesser stature than the comparable relationships of opposite-sex couples. Finally, retaining the designation of marriage exclusively for opposite-sex couples and providing only a separate and distinct designation for same-sex couples may well have the effect of perpetuating a more general premise -- now emphatically rejected by this state -- that gay individuals and same-sex couples are in some respects "second-class citizens" who may, under the law, be treated differently from, and less favorably than, heterosexual individuals or opposite-sex couples. Under these circumstances, we cannot find that retention of the traditional definition of marriage constitutes a compelling state interest. Accordingly, we conclude that to the extent the current California statutory provisions limit marriage to opposite-sex couples, these statutes are unconstitutional.

I am so happy I could cry.

tinypliny writes at 09:36:44 05/18/08 - Comment #35204: I am so glad at least someone is thinking at Cali courts. Usually, their brains are too fried for any logical thought.

metalpeter writes at 04:48:40 05/16/08 - Comment #35149: From what I read today it means that gay Marriage is not illegal, it can't be banned. That being said there is some group that is going to try and fight it, so the battle isn't over. As per the fact the mayor of San Fran told people to go get married then those marriages would now be reconingezed but that may or may not make marriages legal but I'm not sure I think it does. I also read in the news that New York state does have a partner law so if you fly out there and get attached NYS would reconize it. I think this is a good thing but is seems tricky. What happens if you get married then something happens where you have to move to another state, but it is at least a good first step.

twisted writes at 11:18:37 05/16/08 - Comment #35136: So that's what was going on! I rode past City hall around 9am and back again at 11:30 to meet my brother for lunch. I thought maybe Barack was in town for bike to work day. Yay Cali!

fellyconnelly writes at 09:36:08 05/15/08 - Comment #35122: "like two spinsters become old cat ladies together"

Go ahead and talk about us like we aren't even here... geez.

libertad writes at 08:08:20 05/15/08 - Comment #35118: yay! (e:mike) will you marry me in the state of california only to be null and void here? Just kidding. This is great news. Yay again!

james writes at 05:25:42 05/15/08 - Comment #35116: Joshua: I think the civil rights accorded to marriage are ridiculous, all federal 1,300+ of them. They don't account for the variety of living arrangements people have (like two spinsters become old cat ladies together). There needs to be a parallel system for those sorts of unions. But, you are right. Are you alive? Check. Are you human? Check. All right, you're married.

Jenks: That is exactly why this decision is so historic. Cali already had a domestic partnership program that mirrored marriage almost exactly as far as civil rights are concerned. But this decision said that the name is just as important as the rights themselves. It harks back to Brown vs. Board of Ed. 2 where Plessy V Ferguson's "separate but equal" nonsense was smacked down; in this case, two unequal institutions.

This is big news.

jenks writes at 05:15:08 05/15/08 - Comment #35113: wait, is this as monumental as it sounds? did gay marriage just become legal in california?? like real weddings? not just 'civil unions' etc? Or is this just step one?
good news, in any case.

joshua writes at 04:20:11 05/15/08 - Comment #35108: Legally I don't think that stating the sex of those who are getting married should be relevant. Make it between two people (marrying three or more people of any sexual preference is a bridge too far I think) and ensure that they are human. Do a blood test if need be. =D

james writes at 03:48:40 05/15/08 - Comment #35104: "bi-curious marriage Elmwood Village" does not get the same results. Almost in the clear.

drew writes at 03:34:08 05/15/08 - Comment #35103: yup: google "Homosexual Marriage Elmwood Village" and this post is number 2. Amazing.

drew writes at 03:32:05 05/15/08 - Comment #35102: whoops. I have a heterosexual marriage, legal in all 50 states.

(e:strip) is so google friendly. I wonder how long it is before someone googles "homosexual marriage" and finds my picture.

james writes at 02:40:16 05/15/08 - Comment #35101: I bet you wish you could edit comments. ^_^

drew writes at 02:27:54 05/15/08 - Comment #35100: And now my homosexual marriage is meaningless. I wonder how (e:janelle) will feel about it.

Permalink: Marriage_Equality.html
Words: 184
Location: Buffalo, NY

05/12/08 08:10 - 56ºF - ID#44321

What Hanky Color Would Go With This?

From the annals of WTF?

Permalink: What_Hanky_Color_Would_Go_With_This_.html
Words: 9
Location: Buffalo, NY

Category: gym

05/11/08 12:38 - 64ºF - ID#44305

Allentown Athletix: Final Blood!

Howdy,

I just heard back from Allentown Athletix owner Bill Maher. Everything is a go! So cats and kittens, go on down there and sign up and start lifting weights, jogging on a treadmill, or rolling around with strange men on the floor in ju jitsu class. Your membership begins the day you sign up. So, if you sign up today your membership will expire a year from today, not on May 1st 2009.

Also, if anyone wants to do one of the classes as a group you can use this space to arrange it. Here is the scheduale:

Monday:
5:30PM - Belly Dance
6:30PM Abs
7:00PM Ju Jitsu

Tuesday:
5:30PM Pilates

Wednesday:
6:00PM Abs
7:00PM Ju Jitsu

Thursday:
12:15PM Pilates
5:45PM Yoga
7:00PM Ju Jitsu

Friday:
7:30PM Belly Dance

Saturday:
9:00AM Bootcamp (additional fee)
10:00AM Tai Chi (additional fee)
11:30AM QUEEN CITY ROLLER GIRLS EXPERIENCE with MIA MAULER! (additional bad ass!)

See everyone there

dragonlady7 writes at 11:16:26 05/12/08 - Comment #35006: Mia's class:
It IS awesome. For weeks it was all females, but of late some men have been joining us, which is all kinds of amusing. (We've toned down the ribaldry-- it used to be quite a blue class but now we're ever so slightly tamer. Probably mostly because the actual rollergirls have been slacking off on their attendance for unknown reasons, of late.)

Basically the class boils down to three main components. And it's a two-hour class, so your ass will be KICKED by the end.
1) Cardio: mostly kickboxing. Actual fighting technique, which distracts nicely from the fact that you're jumping around like a goddamn maniac.
2) Weights: chest, biceps, triceps, and a full five minutes of squats. Sometimes there's an ab track as well.
3) Yoga. Not wussy yoga, POWER yoga. Stretching and body weight resistance. But after the rest of the class, it feels like giving yourself a massage.

She throws other things into the mix-- it's different every week. She's been doing step aerobics as the warm-up, of all things, just because there happened to be a bunch of steps outside the door. She does other stuff, and it's never the same two weeks in a row. But those three main components are always present.

And she's FUNNY, really she is. So it's a show and a workout all in one. Definitely come early and introduce yourself to her. She likes to know everybody's names. And she mostly only mauls the people who are really up for it. :) (She's only given me one concussion in two years, so it's not so bad really. And we were on skates at the time.)

james writes at 04:18:36 05/11/08 - Comment #34961: Tib: I have trouble sticking to my cardio routine on off days. Having a regular thing like the ju jitsu class might be a good idea for me. So you will see me there a few times at least.

LIb: I don't think that would be a problem.

libertad writes at 04:10:10 05/11/08 - Comment #34959: Thanks. This is going to be great. Would they mind if I wait until 6/1 to sign up? It is just that I probably won't be able to use it before that. If thats a problem it's no big deal I'll just sign up sometime this week.

tiburon1724 writes at 03:48:59 05/11/08 - Comment #34958: thanks a lot for setting this up james! I'm definitely taking part in Ju Jitsu so if anyone else would like to as well let me know. I can't do Monday nights but Wed or Thurs nights would generally speaking work, starting next week anyway.

james writes at 02:07:14 05/11/08 - Comment #34952: I hope she does keep doing it. The class sounds like a lot of fun. I have no idea what happens, but any instructor named Mia Mauler has to be awesome.

The list I was operating off of was published early February, so it might have changed and more AM classes are offered. We'ss find out when we sign our souls over ^_^

If you do want to sign up again and can't do it under QCRG you are more than welcome to jump ship to our group.

dragonlady7 writes at 01:50:12 05/11/08 - Comment #34950: The Mia Mauler class will definitely run until the end of May; after that, our season ends, and we'll have to renegotiate with Bill. Mia wants to continue it all summer, since she's had fun doing it; it may, however, be shifted earlier in the day.
It is so much fun, however.

Are those classes in the AM or the PM? I thought that Yuretta's ab classes were in the early morning...
I've been considering signing up for a membership for a long time now but I just have so much travel planned coming up, I don't know if I should. I probably should just sign up anyway...

Anyway-- I hope to see you all next Saturday!

Permalink: Allentown_Athletix_Final_Blood_.html
Words: 154
Location: Buffalo, NY

05/08/08 10:39 - 49ºF - ID#44272

KITH

(e:Jim) is awesome. Freakin' awesome.

When I was a little boy there was someone very special in my life. I looked up to him and he greatly influenced me, shaping my into the person I am today. Well coiffed hair, a velvet jacket, jewels on his fingers, and a martini in his hands. Yes, I am talking about Scott Thompson's character Buddy Cole.

Well, (e:Jim) is super awesome. He took me to see the Kids in the Hall live at the Niagara Schmaltz Palace and Casino. They were fantastic! Most of the material was new and just as good as it was in their halcyon days.

Thank you very much Jim.

Permalink: KITH.html
Words: 120
Location: Buffalo, NY

05/07/08 09:14 - 54ºF - ID#44267

Hungover already?

Last weekend I was in Premier and exclaimed "Oh my god! Swiss wine? That has to be terrible!" and picked up a bottle. A pinot noir with a label that looks like a Marsden Hartley treatment of the Swiss flag.

Well, it was terrible. It tasted like jammy prison hooch. So much so I was picking phantom raspberry seeds from my teeth and a drug offenders penis from places lower. An hour after my single glass I am hungover.

Take it away Kids!

Permalink: Hungover_already_.html
Words: 92
Location: Buffalo, NY

05/07/08 09:24 - 61ºF - ID#44261

Good News, Better News.

Hi,

This isn't about politics for the most part. It is about my next favorite topic, me. So last night, my man did better than all of the polls predicted except one, and that polling place has a horrible track record. But then, I was reading this morning and I took a look at my bookmark. It is a letter from the bank with my student loans. As it turns out, I owe about 20,000 less than I thought. Which means my monthly payments are about half what I thought they would be.

I am so happy this morning.

Kisses,

-James

Permalink: Good_News_Better_News_.html
Words: 100
Location: Buffalo, NY

Category: politics

05/06/08 02:21 - 62ºF - ID#44254

She Beat John McCain in a Shot Contest

Not having any legitimate arguments as to why she should still be in the race or why her opponent is unfit to lead camp Clinton offers a new argument:

Hillary Clinton is the Only Candidate Who Can Drink John McCain Under the Table

Is this the funniest moment of the campaign, or the saddest?

Permalink: She_Beat_John_McCain_in_a_Shot_Contest.html
Words: 73
Location: Buffalo, NY

Category: politics

05/06/08 12:19 - 59ºF - ID#44253

Stop Interviewing Stupid People, Please.

Why do they do it?

With this extended primary season I have spent many a Tuesday listening to the radio while at work. It is still way too early in the day for the news to be able to report anything, but they do anyway. They talk to someone from each candidate's office, they chat with someone from the state's election committee, and then they interview the most uninteresting people on the planet.

This is the person who says something like "I am voting for Barack Obama because it is time we had an African American president." or "Hillary Clinton. I think a woman president is overdue." or "I don't know who to vote for, I am torn."

1) Yes, getting a black man in office will be revolutionary. Any black man. As long as they are black.

2) Men are from Mars and women are from Venus. Mars is the god of war, and so a woman will get us out of Iraq.

3) You aren't sure yet? You do know this primary has been running for over half a year, right? Were you in a coma or something and just woke up?

But these are the people who invariable get interviewed for their 'man at the poll' sound clip. Why do they feel the need to do this. When there is a story about pork contamination they don't ask random people for their opinions on hot dogs.

ugh, can this election be over now?

Permalink: Stop_Interviewing_Stupid_People_Please_.html
Words: 243
Location: Buffalo, NY

Category: gym

04/29/08 02:37 - 47ºF - ID#44185

Allentown Athletix: Part the Fifth

Hi,

The final figures are in. First, Bill and Pete at Allentown Athletix are both a pleasure to work with. If they google AA and find this journal, thank you guys, you kick several flavors of ass.

It will work to $299 in one payment or $50 for six months. That is still a $170 savings. Again, it is preferred that a payment in full is made.

So, you may sign your souls over to me via this final head count. This is starting to feel like an elementary school field trip with all this counting.

Me
Jim
Paul
Terry (I am going to assume yes because Paul is in)
Fing
Dave
Yvonne
Steve! (Thanks for joining us)
Mike (?)
Chico

So, confirm and we can get started.