My Grandparents came to visit for my Dad's birthday. Mike got to meet them for the first time and he took the photo of all of us. I like this picture of my Grandfather driving. He's 84 now and I am starting to get a little worried about his driving. It's fine now but it seems like it is just slightly off which Mike noticed too. I think he will stop driving when it is time but it must be hard for people to give it up when it comes to it.





I took my first shots of Hoyt Lake this year yesterday. I'm looking to expand my horizons with photo taking this spring/summer. This also involves expanding my cycling geographical limits. I'm planning on going down to South Buffalo to go to the Botanical Gardens and to making a trip across the Peace Bridge.












As per my last post, I turned off the lights for an hour this evening. Actually I was late doing it but I still turned everything off for an hour. I'm glad that I didn't let myself get all hung up on the fact that I was late because really it didn't quite matter. I chanted Nam-myoho-renge-kyo for an hour by candle light for the earth. This symbolic gesture I am sure will have an impact on the UN Climate talks that begin tomorrow. It would be awesome if there was similar events targeting vehicles. It would be awesome if we could just have a moments peace from the buzz of all the engines.

Tomorrow at 8:30 people around the globe will be turning off their lights for one hour in order to vote for action to be taken against global climate change.

VOTE EARTH
YOUR LIGHT SWITCH IS YOUR VOTE

This year, Earth Hour has been transformed into the world's first global election, between Earth and global warming.

For the first time in history, people of all ages, nationalities, race and background have the opportunity to use their light switch as their vote - Switching off your lights is a vote for Earth, or leaving them on is a vote for global warming. WWF are urging the world to VOTE EARTH and reach the target of 1 billion votes, which will be presented to world leaders at the Global Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen 2009.

This meeting will determine official government policies to take action against global warming, which will replace the Kyoto Protocol. It is the chance for the people of the world to make their voice heard.

Earth Hour began in Sydney in 2007, when 2.2 million homes and businesses switched off their lights for one hour. In 2008 the message had grown into a global sustainability movement, with 50 million people switching off their lights. Global landmarks such as the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, Rome's Colosseum, the Sydney Opera House and the Coca Cola billboard in Times Square all stood in darkness.

In 2009, Earth Hour is being taken to the next level, with the goal of 1 billion people switching off their lights as part of a global vote. Unlike any election in history, it is not about what country you're from, but instead, what planet you're from. VOTE EARTH is a global call to action for every individual, every business, and every community. A call to stand up and take control over the future of our planet. Over 74 countries and territories have pledged their support to VOTE EARTH during Earth Hour 2009, and this number is growing everyday.

We all have a vote, and every single vote counts. Together we can take control of the future of our planet, for future generations.

VOTE EARTH by simply switching off your lights for one hour, and join the world for Earth Hour.

Interestingly enough there is at least one grumpy old man in PA that intends on counter-protesting and getting people to turn on all of their lights. He believes that global warming is false science.

I know I have raved about the netty pot before but I have a new experience with it. For some reason I have been very congested. Not sure if it is lingering from the cold I had or if it is allergies or what. This morning I gave it a try thinking that I wouldn't even be able to get the solution to flow through my sinuses as I was so clogged but it worked! After flushing through one time with the pot all of this stuff came right out all at once. It was the best feeling ever. I want to do it again tonight.

I lifted this pic off of flickr.

So (e:mike) and I went out to eat yesterday at a certain BBQ place and I got a tenderloin tip sandwich. It tasted kinda funny but I thought it was all the oil in it. Then I ended up pulling out this huge piece of melted plastic out of my mouth. It was so freaking gross. It was saran wrap that had been toasted and was all melted into the cheese. I was very polite about it and they gave me another sandwich and didn't charge me but needless to say I didn't enjoy my meal and probably won't go back.


On another note Nelnet, my student loan provider, sucks. I just got this notice that I am no longer going to get reminder emails from them. It's OK in that I always remember anyways to send it but this is just so shady.

Coming Soon: You will receive your Nelnet statements and correspondence through "My Secure Messages," Nelnet's new convenient and secure online message center. Stay tuned for more details!

My allergies are so bad all of a sudden. They haven't been this bad in a long long time. Years actually. I looked it up and there is a pollen alert for our area. It appears I have trouble with Maple trees. My allergies I thought I was growing out of but now they seem to be coming back and now earlier in the year. I used to get allergies in June and had trouble when it gets really hot out. We shall see this year.

Local Pollen Alert for Buffalo, NY
Tomorrow's Forecast Levels
Type     Level
Tree     High
Type: Maple
Grass     None
Weed     None

High pollen levels affect most people who suffer from seasonal allergies. Symptoms may intensify on high-pollen days.
For a list of all the U.S. locations forecast to have high pollen, visit the Pollen Hot Spots page.

I was bored so I started going though (e:jim)'s Buffalo Feed Most of the blogs are stuff that is kinda boring to me except estrip and we have far more interesting blogs than most. I really do like Buffalo Feed but I am just saying that we have the best ones on there. So I saw some Flickr photos from the St. Patrick's Day parade so I started going though all the photos this guy took of it and I found these:







Interestingly enough the caption says that it was about 1:30pm. WOW! Anyways, I thought some of you might enjoy. The guy goes by Alaska Hermit

He also has the really cute pic.

I know I just posted some pics of Coco but it is the only time (e:hodown) comments on my journal so I know she likes them.

I hadn't been to the parade in a while so I had so much fun. The weather was amazing! Wegmans reusable shopping bags made great beer totes.



(e:metalpeter)



(e:terry)'s curly hair
















These girls were not dancing and definitely were not cheerful. Someone should strip them of their wigs.














I like when guys dance with the girls. I also like when guys are cheerleaders.





See these girls are happy and dancing.











Devil horns? St. Patrick's Day?





I have a great video of her but I decided not to post it.








This little girl savagely sucked down whatever was in her path while her guardians got drunk and ignored her.








See they just sat there boozing it up while this girl sucked down icy pops one after another. They never even turned around to see if she was still in sight.





(e:james) is perplexed by the behavior.





(e:mike) said she they were very uncouth.





(e:matthew)





Vodka? St. Patrick's Day?





As you can see the weather was very nice.




















Eventually we headed to Q where everything got all blurry.





(e:terry) got this man all excited and then he just left him. What a tease.








(e:pmt)'s roof





It's just like Christmas for (e:paul). Look how excited he gets when getting on the roof.











The day starts to wind down.





(e:imk2) starts to do vodoo drawings on (e:terry)'s groin.








We do (e:paul)'s medicine ball work out drunk.





I kind of want one of these but my dvd player isn't working I don't think and even if it were the room it is in is too small for a work out.

Actually I made The BEAST. I didn't even know The BEAST was still around.

I love a good Beast cover.

GOD HATES PHELPS

NY to westboro kooks: Talk to the hand

By IAN MURPHY

"The media plays on this weird sort of shit!" Kitty Lambert says to a Buffalo News reporter. He doesn't write down the counter-protest organizer's observation. "We love what Alison stood for," she adds. He scribbles that in his pad.

Dr. Alison Des Forges was among the fifty killed when Continental 3407 went down in Clarence, NY. She was a board member of Human Rights Watch, an expert on Rwanda, a historian and a well respected member of the world community. There's an early afternoon memorial service being held in her honor at St. Joseph's Catholic Church. Naturally, the lunatics from the Topeka, Kansas-based Westboro Baptist Church plan to protest this moral decency.

Pastor Phelps and his gang of merry morons have made a name for themselves by protesting the funerals of soldiers killed in Iraq and Afghanistan. Their basic motivation is that "God hates fags," and American military deaths are divine punishment for our nation's immorality. That's low. Picketing a tragic civilian plane crash is even lower.

Despite the bitter cold, about two hundred and fifty counter-demonstrators are out in force. A hundred or so people wear homemade angel wings they've fashioned out of PVC piping and white garbage bags. The frigid wind throws some off balance, tattering their wings. Others struggle to hold wind-catching white sheets. It's a postmodern statement.

"No messages; just a simple sign," says an wing-clad student named Kim. "Funerals aren't supposed to be political events."

"We're going to block their hateful signs," chimes another angel. The banners have a function beyond performance art. Besides, some doubt the Baptists can read.

"We're here to act as a buffer between the people who're trying to celebrate this woman's life and the hate of Fred Phelps," says a plastic-winged Kathleen McGriff Power. This well-meaning multitude have already effectively shut down an WBC earlier protest today in Clarence. "There were about three of them," says Power. They haven't shown up here, so far.

"Aren't you worried that this huge counter-protest just draws attention to the Phelps fundies?" I ask. Powers stammers a bit, pondering. "No," she says finally, "it needs to be shown that people are supportive."

The double phalanx lining both sides of Main Street get their marching orders. "They're here!" an angel shouts. They walk briskly north. "Just remember," says another, "we're not allowed to punch them in the face." Too bad.

Three WBC nut jobs are charging south toward St. Joseph's. Phelps is not present, but there is a squished dog turd sullying the snowy concrete in his place. On one of their placards is written their slogan: "God Hates Fags!" Another placard reads: "Planes crash, God laughs". The swelling crowd blocks the sidewalk in front of a Subway franchise. Within seconds they're enveloped by wings and white sheets. The Topeka threesome try to weasel through sideways, but are rebuffed. They quickly retreat and are escorted away by police. The three didn't make it within a half-mile of the church.

"Thanks for maintaining your composure, folks" one flatfoot tells the exhilarated throng.

The solemn cheers subside quickly, however, as the activists move south-in case the defeated bigots try to flank them. But the homophobic God warriors are thoroughly demoralized. They dare not resurface. "We blocked them," one man says quietly, pumping his fist.

A pack of angels and reporters circle Lambert, who stands near a garbage can full of broken wings. She's a well known social activist around these parts. People call her Grandma. She's a woman of conscience, as was Alison Des Forges. "All right, sweethearts," she barely raises her voice, "it's time to call it a day."

A large man next to Grandma whistles loudly and circles his pointer finger in the air three times. The crowd disperses peacefully along the slushy sidewalks. Within minutes, they're all gone.

Phelps hasn't been in the news much lately. The shock of him has worn off. Another, somehow more scandalous Phelps, with his Olympic golds and bong hits, now occupies the perverted minds of America's news rooms. Our appetite for weird shit is unending. Americans are the hungry dung beetles of moralization.

WBC is still out there doing their worst. But today, decency has won a quite victory.

Is that news? Probably not.

This is the file photo. They labeled it "garbage angels" which made me laugh. It is definitely a well deserved title. Those costumes made me feel like I was taking a big shit on the earth or something. Overall I looked more like a demon than an angel with my red coat. Too bad I couldn't have borrowed (e:lilho)'s.