07/10/07 10:54 - 84ºF - ID#40046

St Joseph's New RC Cathedral

Today at lunch I was talking to (e:Paul) and (e:enknot) about the Cathedral at Utica and Delaware in Buffalo (some more links), construction of which started in 1912. Its two massive bell towers held the largest carillon of church bells in the country, but they were only rung once and had to be removed because they endangered the structural integrity of the towers once rung. "The largest bell was 4,000 lbs., the smallest twenty-five. The whole cost $25,000 ($435,000 in 1997 dollars). It was the largest carillon in America at the time."

Unknown Photographer

The twin steeple towers had to be removed 10 years later in the 1920's due to other structural defects, and by 1975 the entire Cathedral had to be torn down because of defects in construction, and the marble facing peeling away from the brick central walls.

Photograph by Victor Shanchuk

Permalink: St_Joseph_s_New_RC_Cathedral.html
Words: 158
Location: Buffalo, NY

07/08/07 07:53 - 80ºF - ID#40009

Mugging

(E:James) does his zombie face when I try to take his photo.

Permalink: Mugging.html
Words: 15
Location: Buffalo, NY

Category: utah

07/07/07 11:41 - 72ºF - ID#39999

Utah Wildfires Tonight

My dad's house may burn down tonight. Depends on the wind. No rain in 4 months and everything's turned to tinder. They are packing up the truck. If firefighters come back, it will be to tell them to evacute.

I remember the fire last year as (e:james) and I came out of the paria slots up into Escalante - pillar of smoke covering half the horizon for three days after. A bizarre cap to our hike, which was two days in and aborted due to lack of water. I was pushing so hard to get put of the canyons I ended up with sunstroke, and had to wait in meager shade at the trailhead watching the fire take up more and more of the sky, while James hitched back to our car.

I'm also thinking about as a kid i'd watch fires on mountainside near our home, seemingly hovering midair at midnight, char and smoke of sap and sweet smelling wood. Fearsome, a guilty pleasure to watch - enjoying it but knowing people's lives were being destroyed.

Permalink: Utah_Wildfires_Tonight.html
Words: 177
Location: Buffalo, NY

Category: movies

07/07/07 08:53 - 76ºF - ID#39996

Transformers

Transformers was awesome. Sorry for doubting you (e:enknot) and (e:mrdeadlier).

Permalink: Transformers.html
Words: 12
Location: Buffalo, NY

Category: apple

07/06/07 10:49 - 72ºF - ID#39977

Gelato at Dolce's

I've been trying to email this photo up, but it disappears in to the aether. So I will post it like a normal person and then sign off for the night :)

We walked down the block to Dolce's with the dog. Our new place is so close to everything, there is so much more to walk to and see then at our old place near Hodge.

Permalink: Gelato_at_Dolce_s.html
Words: 68
Location: Buffalo, NY

07/06/07 07:49 - 72ºF - ID#39970

Missed One

Permalink: Missed_One.html
Words: 2
Location: Buffalo, NY

Category: buffalo

07/06/07 06:22 - 76ºF - ID#39969

Misc Photos

Neighborhood Fireworks

Mirrored Room

Freaky Baby

Blue Devil Phallus

Permalink: Misc_Photos.html
Words: 17
Location: Buffalo, NY

Category: gardening

07/06/07 09:45 - 70ºF - ID#39961

Tomatoes

Porch farming:

Permalink: Tomatoes.html
Words: 4
Location: Buffalo, NY

Category: marketing

07/05/07 10:04 - 74ºF - ID#39932

Astroturfing

Today at work I was talking with (e:Paul) and (e:Tony)(?) about (WIKIPEDIA - astroturfing), which is when companies or organizations try to create the image of broad or spontaneous support from the general public but really it's all bought and paid for and basically just sleazy marketing (astroturf, as in fake grass - not really grassroots).

Paul was talking about how Sprite faked up rap concerts and paid cool kids to go and look cool and the broadcast it all on MTV as though everyone else was paying to be there, when really Sprite was footing the bill. So now Sprite is the face of of rap or something ridiculous.

Read through some of those examples on the linked wikipedia page - how cynical do you have to be to try something like this?

Permalink: Astroturfing.html
Words: 134
Location: Buffalo, NY

Category: apartment

07/01/07 09:49 - 67ºF - ID#39882

The First of Many

Our neighbors have a scary porch. It's sagging, but looking at it I don't know where it is going to. The post looks like it's shrinking, not sinking or bowing out (although the face boards are popping off). The base looks fine but the top is way too low.