It seems odd that it is only Tuesday and I'm all ready looking forward to the weekend. Not that I partook in any of the Pride activites a few days ago, but that was like only two days ago [PREVIOUS POST HAS PICTURES]

The first part is that On Friday Night I'm planning to go to Club Diablo to go see the Purgatory Fetish 2. I'm guessing like last time there will be some stuff that I like and some stuff that freaks me out. Hopefully I will be close and get some good pictures of the stage. The day before that I'm hoping for good weather since I'm going to the Bisons game. This weekend is also the Allentown Art Festival. I know a lot of people bash them but I like a lot of the stuff people sell there. Granted some of it is out of my price range. Then dealing with the crowds is tough some times. But there is also that other festival that has a name that takes place around all those Allen St. Bars and that is all ways interesting as well. I'm hoping to find some cool art that I like and can also buy we shall see. Then I'm also going to try and go to a party on Saturday night [(e:Libertad)'s] that should be a good time as well. I know looking forward to things that haven't happened yet is often a bad way to go through life. Hey then if you don't make it to one of those things you feel down even though you might still be having a good time. It looks like if I'm able to pull everything off that this weekend will be busier then the one that just ended.

I wish I was going to have time to go see a movie this weekend but I don't see that happening. That Pixar movie UP looks pretty good and not sure what new movies are opening this weekend if any, but I think that will get put on the back burner. Things like Allentown and Prugatory also makes me wish I lived Downtown but if I did I wonder if I would really like it.

I hope that there are still people out having fun now that both parades are over and that the weather stays nice. It is odd that the sun is out it feels nice then it goes away and out comes the wind and you need a hoodie or Jacket or something. It was nice to run into a few (e:peeps) at the parade also.

Here are the pictures from last night:


































Yes the car and flowers aren't from the March but I liked them so I added them into the above Photos. Now for a bunch of pictures from the Parade Sorry (e:PMT) I didn't think to get a shot of your a group shot would have been cool. (for those who don't know when you upload more then one picture at a time then that group of pictures isn't in the order that they where taken, if you want to see them in the correct order then check out my webhots page they should be up around the same time or maybe a few minutes after this is posted)















































































































I guess now is a good time to say that I think it is good to have pride in what ever or who ever you are. That being said I think that when ever you have pride you need to be careful and often check what that really means. yes there are all kinds of pride but often times having pride for who you are is just a way to hate on others but that isn't all ways true. It is very easy slide from being a proud Irish guy to turn into a rioter at a soccer (futbol) game or a skin head. That being said I don't think gay pride is the same type of pride. I'm not gay so I'm not really sure. But to me at least. This type of pride is more of, I'm willing to except who I am, and say who I am, even though I may not be excepted by society and that is why I think gay pride and pride parades are a good thing. Again not being gay myself I wouldn't know but maybe these parades also do good because people see some group they never heard of that helps them live a fuller or better life some how. Ok back to the pictures.







































































































































































I admit that Pride Weekend isn't really a Holiday but people do celebrate it so that is why I used that. The counter point could be that different Cities have Pride on Different days. So what I say is why not go visit those other places Like Toronto or maybe Boston or where ever and have a good time then. On a side note I got all kinds of Condoms If I only had a nice little cutie pie to use them on (any one want to help me out with that, HA) that would be nice, HA. I hope everyone has and had a good time and I hope you enjoyed this really long post and made it to almost the bottom of it. I have a couple non Parade Pictures. (hope I posted all of them and didn't dupe any of the pride ones).

This is on the Metro Bus Yesterday. I wonder who Put it up and when. I like the message but wonder if this is ok and wonder if the message could also have some what I would consider bad ideas that go along with what this person who ever it was did.







Yes that is a Paper Cross.

A few waterfront and AUD Pictures that if you want to see more of are on my webshots Page.

So a bit later I'm going to try and see the Dyke march or as it is also called Dykes on Bikes. It goes by pretty fast. Then come home and watch the Penguins game it should be a great game. If I can watch it all then watch some MMA on showtime. Today I walked downtown to go see "The Hangover" some of it was funny and I'm glad I went it was a good time. After it I walked down to the Aud (hopefully pictures after Pride, not sure where I want to stand, I was going to go to the circle but they moved the start point so not sure where maybe spot maybe corner of summer) and saw that The Aud has a website
I had no idea. The first thing I saw was that the AUD is dead for sure now. The roof is on top of the seating area. For those that didn't hear about this all ready they are having an Irish Wake for the Aud on Sunday. It sounds kinda cool, I don't think I'm going to make it though but here is the info for anyone who thinks they might like it . I hope everyone is having and has a great weekend.

For some of you who maybe didn't see or here this yet I thought I would post this story. What I like about it passing is that it doesn't force people who don't believe in gay marriage to perform them in a church. I think that there is a difference between a state marriage and one done by a church. Yes they are both legal contracts but there is so much more to it then that in a church.

Gay marriage bill signed into law in New Hampshire
AP




By NORMA LOVE, Associated Press Writer Norma Love, Associated Press Writer - 10 mins ago

CONCORD, N.H. - New Hampshire became the sixth state to legalize gay marriage after the Senate and House passed key language on religious rights and Gov. John Lynch - who personally opposes gay marriage - signed the legislation Wednesday afternoon.

After rallies outside the Statehouse by both sides in the morning, the last of three bills in the package went to the Senate, which approved it 14-10 Wednesday afternoon.

Cheers from the gallery greeted the key vote in the House, which passed it 198-176. Surrounded by gay marriage supporters, Lynch signed the bill about an hour later.

"Today, we are standing up for the liberties of same-sex couples by making clear that they will receive the same rights, responsibilities - and respect - under New Hampshire law," Lynch said.

Lynch, a Democrat, had promised a veto if the law didn't clearly spell out that churches and religious groups would not be forced to officiate at gay marriages or provide other services. Legislators made the changes.

Massachusetts, Connecticut, Maine, Vermont and Iowa already allow gay marriage, though opponents hope to overturn Maine's law with a public vote.

California briefly allowed gay marriage before a public vote banned it; a court ruling grandfathered in couples who were already married.

The New Hampshire law will take effect Jan. 1, exactly two years after the state began recognizing civil unions.

The Rt. Rev. V. Gene Robinson, elected in New Hampshire in 2003 as the first openly gay bishop in the Episcopal Church, was among those celebrating the new law.

"It's about being recognized as whole people and whole citizens," Robinson said.

"There are a lot of people standing here who when we grew up could not have imagined this," he said. "You can't imagine something that is simply impossible. It's happened, in our lifetimes."

Opponents, mainly Republicans, objected on grounds including the fragmented process.

"It is no surprise that the Legislature finally passed the last piece to the gay marriage bill today. After all, when you take 12 votes on five iterations of the same issue, you're bound to get it passed sooner or later," said Kevin Smith, executive director of gay marriage opponent Cornerstone Policy Research.

The revised bill added a sentence specifying that all religious organizations, associations or societies have exclusive control over their religious doctrines, policies, teachings and beliefs on marriage.

It also clarified that church-related organizations that serve charitable or educational purposes are exempt from having to provide insurance and other benefits to same-sex spouses of employees.

The House rejected the language Lynch suggested two weeks ago by two votes. Wednesday's vote was on a revised bill negotiated with the Senate.

Supporters had considered Wednesday their last chance to pass a bill this year.

The law will establish civil and religious marriage licenses and allow each party to the marriage to be identified as bride, groom or spouse. Same-sex couples already in civil unions will automatically be assumed to have a "civil marriage."

Churches will be able to decide whether to conduct religious marriages for same-sex couples. Civil marriages would be available to both heterosexual and same-sex couples.

New Hampshire's decision leaves Rhode Island as the only New England state not to allow same-sex marriages. A bill there is expected to fail this year, as similar ones have in previous years.

___

Associated Press Writer David Tirrell-Wysocki in Concord, N.H., contributed to this report.

So On Saturday went up to Toronto to see a Blue Jays game. Toronto beat the Redsox. Here are a few Pictures of Canada.

























































































































On a side note with all the picture stuff I do an multiple Social Networking sites, and (e:strip) I think I really need to get my own computer and have it set up where I can do other things like watch Hockey or wrestling or something as I upload and down load pictures.

When I first read this I thought this sounds really cool. Then a little bit later I wondered how long it will stay open or if it ever will. I'm not from "the falls" so I don't know all the goings on up there. But every so often there is news of this great idea and for some reason they never happen. There was a water park that went out of Business so don't even get me started, how did that happen. I hope it works out and gets lots of people and stays open for years and gets other things in the falls so that NF USA is more like the Canada side, but different and still with that nice park.

Updated: 05/29/09 07:41 AM
Snow gets extended run
New Falls attraction to offer visitors taste of winter year-round
By Denise Jewell Gee
NEWS NIAGARA REPORTER


After failing to make money by redeveloping the Wintergarden, Joseph Anderson is giving winter in Niagara Falls another try.

Anderson, the Tuscarora cigarette and gasoline magnate, is building a 49-foot snow tubing hill on Main Street in the Falls. Scheduled to open next month, it would operate year-round. The city's newest attraction also includes a regulation-sized synthetic skating rink that requires no refrigeration.

Both are designed to capitalize on the region's chilly reputation, serve warm-and cold-weather visitors and do something scores of developers and entrepreneurs have been unable to accomplish: keep tourists on this side of the border for more than a few hours.

"That's the first new attraction here in a while that is family oriented," said Steven Fleck, co-owner of the Howard Johnson Closest to the Falls, across the street from the snow park. "Of course, you've got the Maid of the Mist and the Cave of the Winds and all that, but once people see the falls, there's really not a whole lot to keep them down in this end of the city."

The snow park has been under construction on a vacant parcel two blocks from the Rainbow Bridge since late last year, after Anderson's teenage son came up with the idea to build a snow tubing hill on land Anderson already held in the Falls.

Anderson, the entrepreneur behind the Smokin Joe's gasoline and cigarette chain, as well as the failed Smokin Joe's Family Fun Center in the Wintergarden, hired Snow Magic, a New Jersey company, to help develop a snow-covered tubing hill.

The company has built similar hills in Saudi Arabia and Japan.

"The beauty is, we can always make the snow regardless of the temperature," said Al Bronander, president of Snow Magic.

Unlike traditional snow-making machines-which rely on at-or below-freezing temperatures to produce artificial snow - Snow Magic's units freeze water into thin sheets of ice inside the machines before pulverizing the ice and shooting it out as small flakes.

The result is tiny crystals of ice - about 0.3 millimeters in diameter-that are about three times the size of artificial snow typically made at ski resorts.

Bronander said the company's artificial snow can be groomed like other snow and can be used for snowboarding but is not as fine as snow that is used at ski resorts.

"As the sun heats it up and it warms it up, it becomes a little bit more granular, just like anywhere," Bronander said. "For snow tubing, snow play, it's fantastic."

The hill will operate in all but extremely hot weather - if temperatures peak at more than 100 degrees for several days - or in extremely heavy rain or thunderstorms, said Jennifer Pauly, marketing coordinator for Smokin Joe's Trading Post and Snow Park Niagara Falls.

The synthetic skating rink is made of a polymer material produced by Super-Glide of Clearwater, Fla. The rink includes penalty boxes and a scoreboard.

Snow Park Niagara Falls is scheduled to open to the public June 15. Tickets will be $30 for two hours on the tubing hill and unlimited access to the snow play area and rink.

The tubing hill - which has removable lanes for tubes - will host the Red Bull Buttercup snowboarding event July 9, Pauly said.

Fleck and other hotel owners hope the snow park will give visitors a reason to stay in Niagara Falls longer.

Three attractions - a tethered helium balloon ride, the Niagara Aerospace Museum and Anderson's Smokin Joe's Family Fun Center - all closed in downtown Niagara Falls before last year's tourist season. The snow park is the first new attraction to open since then.

Anderson has had mixed success in Niagara Falls development deals. He owns two hotels and controls more than 20 properties in the downtown commercial area. In 2005, he opened a children's playground and arcade in the former Wintergarden building but closed it three years later.

He recently sold the Wintergarden to the state, which plans to raze the structure to create a roadway between Niagara Falls State Park and the Seneca Niagara Casino.

A no-bid concession license Anderson struck with the city in 2004 for an outdoor pedestrian mall was largely considered a failure.

Anderson pleaded guilty in November to a federal charge of devising a scheme to deprive citizens of "the intangible right of the honest services of a public official" in connection with a series of loans totaling $40,000 to former Mayor Vince Anello. Anderson has yet to be sentenced.

Despite all of that, city officials and tourism leaders say they believe the snow park will be a success.

The project, which received a 10-year tax break through the Niagara County Industrial Development Agency, was estimated to cost $5.2 million, according to information given to the agency.

Aside from the tax break, the project is privately funded by Anderson.

"We're just excited that there's anything going on, to tell you the truth," Fleck said. "And it's good to see someone with their own money coming in."

djgee@buffnews.com

So last night I watched two episodes of this new Tattoo show, on A&E . Some of you who like reality shows, Tattoos, or maybe even have them may know that A&E had a show on Called Inked. Well that was about a Tattoo shop in the palms and that show was pretty good. One of the guys from that shop, Thomas is the star of this show. He has a bus and it has a Tattoo shop in it and he goes along and gives Tattoos. Not all of them are on the bus. So far I think it is a pretty good show. On the website they have some videos of stuff I haven't seen on the show yet. Here are some pictures that I found online.















The Tattoo shop

First of all I need to post some pictures of Moe's for (e:ladycroft). I don't know if this is the same Moe's that you know about but hopefully these pictures might help.

If there is anyone who is reading this and didn't see my previous post you might want to check out those pictures as well.
















Around the time of the Bisons game I took some pictures of Buffalo here are some of them, don't worry no baseball pictures.





































Hey I had to include some Buster Bison shots.

So some time back I read some article about how the people who control elmwood, sorry forget what they are called. Decided they wanted to make some new rules about what can and can't be built and signs and stuff. That got me thinking about how many places on Elmwood use Canopies . Well a lot of places do. But for my little informal study I was wondering how many places used them as there sign. But before I could take Pictures I had to decide what "The strip" was. I decided that it was from forest to Allen. That being said there are two bonus pictures. We never close I decided to include because even though the sign is metal and attached it looks like a canopy. I also took a picture of Pano's since I don't have a picture of it all New. Besides that if Pano didn't let the house fall apart and then tear it down and protests erupted I don't know as Elmwood Village Asocation might not have voted on new places with signs. I thought the ruling was that no new places can have a canopy as there sign. You will see some great examples of how they are used and some bad examples and maybe some just bad pictures as well.



































































































I do have two other photo projects I do want to do but the third one I don't know what the best way to go about it is or even If I can. I would like to take pictures of people walking dogs and doing other things. It is tough to catch the essence and unlike buildings people move. I'm wondering if maybe there is someplace to hang out or sit and get pictures. The Next photo project I want to do is taking pictures of Places that have regular signs. Yes some places like Neo and Town have more then one kind of sign for their name so would I repeat? Not sure. But this last one I just did wasn't really political I don't really have a side I'm on. Then again Pride is soon and I want to take pictures of the March and I have an interesting Idea that I hope works.

On Thursday Before the Bisons game I did take some Pictures of the AUD. So if you don't care about random Pictures of the AUD this would be a good time to leave.










































I hope everyone Has or Had a great Holiday Weekend. Tough to believe it is back to work on Tuesday but for a lot of people they work today or have to work weekends, hey it is great to BBQ but if no one worked where would people buy all the stuff?

So (e:Paul) just Put up a blog about the Holiday together. I think he did a good job talking about it. I don't know how to describe it other then it was a good time and it was nice to see (e:leetee) (lee) and (e:uncutsaniflush) (walt) it has been some time. Sorry I don't know enough about music to answer all your questions. That being said I did look at my pictures and one of the time differences between bands was about 14 minutes. I don't' know one was at the end and the next was at the beginning of the set but the change overs where pretty quick. (e:tinypliny) was fun as all ways (when she leaves her axe at home that is, HA). Of course it was nice to see (e:southernyanke) again. Well here are the pictures:







































Two things I should ad before I forget.
1) No Photos where posed for they are candid shots
2) Backyards are often shady, I would have no idea how to take a picture with out shadows so hopefully they all look ok

























































































































Well I think that is all of them. I think (e:tinypliny) took a couple pictures in there, I think there are two pictures that face the wrong way that I forgot about. It was nice to see everyone who was there and it was a really nice time. I would like to thank (e:PMT) for having that and for their hospitality.

Well Saturday was a fun day. I started out by going to see the newest Terminator movie. My take on it is this If that is the type of movie you like you will really enjoy it like I did. I also saw a couple previews for some movies that look pretty good there is a Sherlock Holmes movie that looks great and a movie I think called 9 it is a Tim Burton movie.

After the movie I got off the Bus at Forest I started my Photo Project. Hey it was a nice day for a nice walk. Yes there where people out but not as many as I thought would be out. There was this really cute/sexy lady walking two dogs, not really a fan of dogs but her little killers looked cute. Plus there where some people out looking like they where sunbathing. Oh yeah my photo project is that I wanted to take pictures of places that use Awnings as there sign. Yes there are lots of places that have them but I only wanted ones that used them with information on them. It was a good time and hopefully after the holiday weekend some pictures will get posted.

From the end of "The Strip" I walked down to the Town Ballroom and waited in line to get tickets for As Summer Dies and Mushroomhead. It turned out to be a pretty good show. I had no idea there would be that many bands. There is no way to even remember them all and some of them I wouldn't be able to remember. But it was a great time. Well unless of course you are my camera trying to figure out the lighting. Oh yeah or unless you are my right ear that got smashed by sound from about 4pm to 1am.