Obviously, the library situation is a tragedy. Actually tragedy doesn't even begin to describe how I feel about it, especially after hanging out with my coworker's little brother this weekend - a 10 year old boy who is BRILLIANT, has a thirst for knowledge and does all of his learning at the library. I swear this kid's IQ is no less than 800. If he can't go to the library what will he do? Well, I'm going to fix up a Pentium 3 PC that I am not using, and I'm going to give it to this boy because I don't see why government incompetence should get in the way of his potential. I was going to give it to a friend of mine but this young guy needs it more.

Jason

Damn. I'm feeling pretty liberal today (one day only). So I'll join you all in letting out my left-wing anger and frustration.

I posted a while ago about the parking lot next to Globe and how the lot suddenly became a "Customer Only Lot During Business Hours". Well I finally got a FIFTY DOLLAR TICKET for parking there overnight! My ticket was written at 1:30 AM. Tell me something people, what businesses on the 700 block are open at 1:30 AM during a weeknight? Anyone? My neighbors also got ticketed - one of them at 2:30 AM.

My neighbors and I have had enough and we have to make the businesses on the block understand that they aren't the only ones who are here. They say that they want their customers to be able to park in the lot during business hours. Fine. Then make them NOT park on the street, and make them NOT park all the damn way up Cleveland Avenue during business hours. They have stupidly and arrogantly taken away a parking option for residents of the neighborhood who already have a notoriously tough time of it already. When I come home from work I shouldn't have to drive around the block for 60 minutes because someone wants to pack an extra $20 into the lot. Elmwood is more than a commercial district, and I hate being treated like utter SHIT by the local businesses that I have supported financially.

In fact, my neighbor "D" who used to go to Spot three times a day (wow!) now has decided that Caffe Aroma's coffee is a better option for him. The rest of my neighbors on the block are deciding that, damn, maybe Globe and Brodo aren't such good places to eat after all. Kuni's will be just fine, thanks, and so will the rest of the places to eat on the street that give a shit about the neighborhood and its residents. Rest assured, 700 block businesses, we are organizing and you are going to hear from us very soon.

I don't know if this is truth or just sour grapes or whatever, but I've spoken to Spot employees and Globe employees who tell me that the culprit is BRODO and their quest to turn Elmwood into Amherst South. I already held a grudge against Brodo for making my birthday dinner an insulting, aggravating, unwelcome experience. I don't think they appreciate the sense of community on Elmwood. I don't know what to believe at this point but we are going to speak with all of them and tell them that the $50 ticket (that I'm not going to pay anyway) means that there is going to be a hell of a lot less money going to them, and a hell of a lot more money going to businesses elsewhere on the street. A bunch of young, single professional males have lots of money to spend, and we like to impress our dates by taking them to cool places on Elmwood. Consider that money gone unless you let us simply park our cars. That's all the 700 block residents are asking for.

• end left wing anger and resume programming*

Jason

So, we have some Jazz fans on here? I was blessed enough to be able to play in a variety of musical groups. Orchestras, Jazz Groups, Classical Groups, Cover Bands, you name it I likely have done it. I am classically trained as a trumpet player. Thus my own Jazz hero is Miles Davis. A non-trumpet player knows that Miles is amazing, but a player knows more intimately how amazing he is because NOBODY sounds like Miles. He could play through a garden hose and sound awesome.

Anyway I have an enormous collection of Jazz music in my library. If anyone iis interested in asking me about what Jazz I own, please do. I'm more than willing to share as I downloaded almost all of it legally anyway.

Jason

I know you guys are going through some serious grief here. All I can offer to you at this point is that there are people (not just in the south, 40% of our state voted for Bush) who simply don't see things exactly the way you do. Why was I ignorantly called a racist? Why was I THREATENED on this site? Because of the deeply rooted hatred and intolerance for anyone who doesn't see the world 100% to the left of center. I can't believe that someone would actually consider threatening someone because of politics. America is a place where there are many diverse opinions on every subject imaginable. What is good for people on Elmwood is not necessarily good for someone in Oklahoma. Hell, what's good for Elmwood may not even be good for people who live 60 miles away. This is something that I don't think ever crosses peoples' minds. More on that in a minute......

It's so easy, effortless and thoughtless to hate me. It's more complicated and difficult to love me. I can understand that people just don't want or don't care to find out where someone is coming from before jumping to conclusions and coming strong with the hate speech. Some are just lazy and don't want to put in the effort. I wish I could have come to the Halloween party to have fun with you all, but I got the feeling that political views meant that I wasn't welcome. I wish I could have seen Chamille off with the rest of you. She's one of two people on this site who cared to say hello to me. She is so lovely and so nice. I hate the division that causes people to feel one way or another about another person without getting to know them.

Some of you have posted about the reluctance of people on the right to participate in the process on a bi-partisan basis. It's even gone as far as to say that people who vote for Bush aren't interested in being bi-partisan. Obviously you guys haven't read what I've been saying - my ears, eyes and mind are all wide open. I'm willing to hear you out. I may even agree with you on some things. But it sounds so disingenuous when for the past X months all I have heard from those on the left is this:

1) If you aren't outraged, you aren't paying attention.
2) Christianity is the bane of humanity and Christians are purely evil and sick.
3) If you don't see things the way I do, you are stupid, don't have a brain in your head, brainwashed, uneducated, racist, sexist, gay hater, woman hater, hate old people, an oppressor, don't think "normally", so on and so forth. Just look at what has been written on this site alone. If you're not on the left, you are a waste of air.
4) If you're not on the left, you are a cruel, heartless monster.

Shit like this will never ever ever get people to see things your way. It only marginalizes your viewpoint and what's even worse about it is that whatever good points you might have are overshadowed by hatred and intolerance. I could go on like that for days because believe me, I've seen and heard it all. We get bombarded with propaganda and sensationalism every week. Of all the people who have been blatantly partisan and unwilling to come together and find real answers to our problems, I'm not one of them. Paul was right, most people don't want to compromise. They are more interested in being "right" and pushing their own agenda onto people. I believe we are better than that, and I'm hopeful that one day people on both sides will get serious about making real progress in all areas of life for us. I don't blame one side more than the other - both are at fault, okay? If you guys are actually serious about being bi-partisan and trying to find answers to our problems which will be good for all, then as I said I am open to it. I've always been. Given how divided the people are, I think we need a real moderate in the W
hite House more than ever, and it sucks that we were provided with no moderate choice - I wish there was more CHOICE for us....but I
guess that's another topic altogether.

So I'm sure that simply because I am on the right I will get mega-flamed by angry lefties no matter what, and I accept that. I expect no less from you. But I hope that one day we can (as John Kerry said) begin healing, get rid of the uncivilized savagery, and focus more on finding answers than finding faults with the other side. Given what's happened in the last few days I'm going to just lay low until we elect an ultra-liberal that Elmwood loves, so I don't have to worry about the backlash.

Jason

"Yo!!!

It’s sad day in the USA today…51% of the people are FUCKED-UP…they don’t get it …I hope things work out and I don’t have to say I TOLD YOU SO!!!!!!!!!!! I’ll call you guys sometime soon with my cell phone.. It’s XXX-XXXX… To talk about stuff down the road…..later~~~~"

Somehow I don't think I'm getting a Christmas present this year. 8*

Jason

Well, now it is time for the shenanigans to begin. I'm sure almost all of you are supremely disgusted and disappointed by how things have gone so far. Was anybody else shocked that Bush got the kind of popular vote that he did? I can't believe that we really have to wait 10 days + to find out how Ohio turns out. Honestly I just want it to be done and over with so whoever wins can start planning for the next four years. Partisan lawyers and the circus media are about the only people who get any kind of enjoyment out of it. That being said, tomorrow's version of the Artvoice should make for some interesting reading.

In other news - my computer project is complete! I had zero problems getting it together and set up, which is a first for me. I am thrilled by how it's turned out. Actually there is something that didn't quite go as well as I would have hoped - Windows XP. The university only allows us to purchase one copy of it for about $5. I have it on my old PC, and I don't want to take it off of that box. So now I am asking people around my office if they have purchased their copy of XP yet - I'm hoping somebody will not have any use for it, so I can get another copy to activate on my new machine. Anybody here work or go to school at UB that has no need for Windows XP? Please please PLEASE let me know in the next 27 days or so. Heh.

Also there is a chance I will be going on a double date this weekend. A friend of mine is dating someone who has a cute curly blonde haired friend for me to meet. So he is trying to set that up. I used to wonder about the "what-ifs" all the time, but in the past couple of years I have learned that not caring is the best policy. I'm going to go out, have fun, be my goofy self and either she'll appreciate it or she won't. I'm going to have fun either way and try my best to make her laugh at my corny jokes.

Jason

Damn - I bought all of the parts for my new PC and got excited about being able to burn DVD's, play some of the newer games, so on and so forth. I was about to begin putting the computer together when I realized - DUH JASON YOU FORGOT TO ORDER RAM. Damn damn damn. Looks like I have to wait till Friday to put it all together. If not for GTA: San Andreas I would be climbing walls right now. My guy is G'd up from the feet up. Fun game - I'm building my set back to prominence and blastin on fools with my Tec-9. Muahahaha


Jason

Rhonda if you can read this, hear me out.

I was shocked when I got the text message from you after the fire. Someone who hasn't uttered a word to me in almost a year now sends me a message showing she is thinking about me. I never thought that would happen! When I got it I paced around my living room nervously, thinking about whether or not I should respond. I decided I would respond, and anyway I have some explaining to do.

When you first came to Buffalo I immediately thought back to something your mother said to me almost 8 years ago. When we were 18 and broke up, your mother told a heartbroken boy that one day maybe 5,6,7 years down the road we would meet again, and maybe in the future we would have another chance after we grew up. So when you came here I thought, "Holy crap, could this be possible? Is this really going to happen?" Rightly or wrongly, I took what she said to heart and thought for sure that it was meant to be that way. I was overjoyed. Beyond overjoyed, actually.

For some reason or another since you've been here, all the guys who mistreated you, used you, mislead you, made you cry.....got the benefit of the doubt from you - yet I feel like you always looked at me with a cynical eye, never quite allowing me to know you. I've wanted to know you again since you came here - I want to know you now. I was upset that we got at each other's throats - you needled me and I needled you. You see Rhonda I can only say it as plainly as possible - I love you. No, not in some horny I-just-want-to-bone-her kind of way. It's so much more than that. It's a deeply rooted respect, admiration and caring. It transcends the whole boyfriend/girlfriend thing, actually I think it transcends even our own battered friendship. It doesn't matter how mad at me you get, or how mad at you I get, okay? I'll always feel that way, and will never hold a grudge. I've always thought you were an amazing woman. One of the best around.

So in case you were wondering, I've been over you not wanting to be with me for a long time now. I'm a guy - being rejected is a part of life for us that we deal with and move on as quickly as possible. I know I'm not prestigious enough. But I cannot stand us not hanging out anymore, or going to dinner anymore, or the museums, or any of the fun stuff. I want to be a friend to you and start over from scratch. I miss you so much. Life is too short to not let the people you care about know how much you care. I care a lot, and hopefully one day we can be civil to each other and resume our friendship. Anything else and we are cheating ourselves.

Jason

Keep your eyes peeled to the local news stations. I'm hearing some interesting things and I hope to god they aren't true.

Jason

I am about to admit some things about myself here. I realized it's been 2 years since I broke up with my last girlfriend. The time has gone by very quickly. It was a sad day, but in the end the pink slip is the only thing she deserved from me. The only thing I regret is that I didn't give her the boot sooner. I have not gone on one single date since that day. I mean, yeah I have female friends who like to mother me and such, been out to dinner with them, but not gone on an honest to god date. Part of the reason is fear of getting cheated on again, the other part is Everquest. About that time is when I started playing the game more and more. It's cheap entertainment, the time goes by quickly (important when you want to get your mind off of something), and I've been able to virtually meet people from all over Asia and Europe. I can speak a few simple phrases in German now. My spanish is a lot better. I've been playing a lot less since I got my new job but I still like to log in and blow shit up every now and then.

Anyway Terry I am intrigued by that game. I downloaded a promo video for it and the game looks great. What kind of PC/Video card do you have right now, and how is the game performing? Do you get lots of lag? Does it take forever to level up? It sounds like you are having lots of fun with it. Based on what I saw in the video I may consider giving it a shot if my system meets the requirements. The graphics look great, the boss encounters look great, and it looks like a fun game. Let me know how you like it as you keep on playing. Thanks for the screenshots.

Sir Dorkimus Maximus (aka Jason)