Jesse, you can have a conversation with me any time you wish. I'm here and fairly active. I like to read what is going on with the people on this site. Even though I know none of you (other than meeting Chamille and Rachel one day), I like checking out how people are feeling, what people are doing, so on and so forth. I love this site. I have a bunch of very diverse interests, just like many of you do, yet one aspect of a person relegates them to "not worth knowing" status. All you can do is accept it and move on. Seriously Jesse - we can talk about anything you want, politics or not, sports, love, life, happiness....whatever you want. Regardless of how you may feel about my politics I am not an asshole or a bad guy, any more or less than anyone else here.

About Protestwarrior - when I first saw that site I laughed really, really hard. I think what they do is funny as hell. How they present it is funny as hell. They antagonize and use trumped up rhetoric because they want to piss people off. They make fools of the leftists who are most susceptible to it. This kind of thing happens all the time in various media outlets, and nobody is innocent from either side. But I think if you wade through the harsh language and imagery, and think about the message rather than the delivery, you may find something you can say "well, that's a good point" about if you have an open mind. Believe me, in the last week on this very site that is exactly what I've been doing. And every single week when I take a deep breath and open up a copy of Artvoice, or click on Buffalo Indymedia, that is exactly the process I end up going through. I am still the only person on this site to say, hey, I don't have all the answers, I don't think my way is the only way, America is too diverse for that, I have an open mind, let's cut the shit and get to working on things that will make America better for everyone. I have not insulted or disrespected anyone's religious or political beliefs here because I realize that you don't answer intolerance with more intolerance, or answer hatred with more hatred.

I've babbled long enough, but I'm glad that you are at least contemplating why you can't bring yourself to see someone else's point of view. You've made a step that most people just can't. Congrats to you. But seriously, chat with me about anything anytime. Life is more than left or right, or what's going on in the media. Take it easy.

Jason

Do we really have classical music fans here too? Damn, I didn't know y'all were so civilized. Kudos to you guys. Miles Davis, then classical.....I am beginning to *heart* Elmwood Radio in a major way. It is supplanting Accuradio Brit Rock as my station of choice at work.

Also! I have a DVD burner now. I want to begin burning some DVD's - does anybody know what software is the best to use? I saw a great deal on newegg.com for a spool of 100 DVD-R's for $50. Not bad - about half what you would pay at Best Buy.

Jason

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