All the more sweet because it sends Darcy Tucker, Mats Sundin, and the other Leafs packing. hehe
OK, so who's got first-round playoff tickets? :-D
Chico's Journal
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04/08/2007 21:38 #38809
oh, it's ON, babyCategory: hockey
Last-second heroics by Miro Satan, Viktor Kozlov, and Wade Dubielewicz in an overtime shootout in the final game of the regular season have propelled the Islanders into the NHL playoffs as the number-8 seed in the East -- which means the Sabres will be hosting the Isles in the first round! Woo-hoooo!
All the more sweet because it sends Darcy Tucker, Mats Sundin, and the other Leafs packing. hehe
OK, so who's got first-round playoff tickets? :-D
All the more sweet because it sends Darcy Tucker, Mats Sundin, and the other Leafs packing. hehe
OK, so who's got first-round playoff tickets? :-D
04/07/2007 17:18 #38788
the third sure thing in life...Category: irritants
Ugh, time to file tax returns. Because of the move, I have to file NJ, NY, and IRS. Oh, bother.
Oddly enough, I received tax forms from Pennsylvania (I worked there in 2005, but not in 2006)... but not from New York (hello?!) and not from New Jersey (wtf?). Go figure.
So I've been printing tax forms for the last hour or so. It's almost as exciting as watching paint dry. Somebody kill me.
I could deduct some moving expenses but that would (I believe) mean itemizing my deductions, which I have never done before (no kids, no home ownership, no investments, etc.) and do not particularly feel like doing for the first time this weekend or next.
It is ironic that I hound my students about not procrastinating when it comes to papers and studying for exams, and here I am filing my taxes during the last 10 days before the deadline. I made my bed, now I gotta sleep in it.
FFFFFFFFFFfffffffffffffffffffffffffffffff
Oddly enough, I received tax forms from Pennsylvania (I worked there in 2005, but not in 2006)... but not from New York (hello?!) and not from New Jersey (wtf?). Go figure.
So I've been printing tax forms for the last hour or so. It's almost as exciting as watching paint dry. Somebody kill me.
I could deduct some moving expenses but that would (I believe) mean itemizing my deductions, which I have never done before (no kids, no home ownership, no investments, etc.) and do not particularly feel like doing for the first time this weekend or next.
It is ironic that I hound my students about not procrastinating when it comes to papers and studying for exams, and here I am filing my taxes during the last 10 days before the deadline. I made my bed, now I gotta sleep in it.
FFFFFFFFFFfffffffffffffffffffffffffffffff
theecarey - 04/10/07 15:52
"Procrastinate now, dont put it off" ;)
oh yes, taxes.. those are due soon, huh? 10 days ahead of time, thats not so bad! I'm known to complete them literally just minutes before the deadline. This year, I aim to sit down and do them a couple of days before the 15th. Hope yours goes smoothly and indeed is more fun than watching paint dry!
"Procrastinate now, dont put it off" ;)
oh yes, taxes.. those are due soon, huh? 10 days ahead of time, thats not so bad! I'm known to complete them literally just minutes before the deadline. This year, I aim to sit down and do them a couple of days before the 15th. Hope yours goes smoothly and indeed is more fun than watching paint dry!
tinypliny - 04/08/07 00:17
Its a taxing time for sure. I have had my W2 for 2 months now and 10 days before the deadline, I find out that the amount they withheld is waaaaa..aaaay greater than the amount I got.
Needless to day, this is a job for.... well sadly me. I hate it when you can't call on Superman.
Its a taxing time for sure. I have had my W2 for 2 months now and 10 days before the deadline, I find out that the amount they withheld is waaaaa..aaaay greater than the amount I got.
Needless to day, this is a job for.... well sadly me. I hate it when you can't call on Superman.
03/29/2007 21:54 #38689
Bass Pro is coming after all...Category: buffalo
Well, like it or not, Bass Pro is going to be the anchor for the redevelopment of the Buffalo waterfront:
It took $25 million in public funds to lure (har-de-har-har) Bass Pro to sign on the dotted line (ouch!) but I guess you have to give to get. I'm sure it will be all over the news on TV tonight and in the papers tomorrow.
My question: what sorts of tax breaks and other behind-the-scenes incentives were dangled in front of Bass Pro to get them to commit?
It took $25 million in public funds to lure (har-de-har-har) Bass Pro to sign on the dotted line (ouch!) but I guess you have to give to get. I'm sure it will be all over the news on TV tonight and in the papers tomorrow.
My question: what sorts of tax breaks and other behind-the-scenes incentives were dangled in front of Bass Pro to get them to commit?
jenks - 03/31/07 17:33
I know this is oversimplifying, but is buffalo really that stupid that it thinks a fishing store is going to solve all our problems? I must be missing something b/c I don't get it.
I know this is oversimplifying, but is buffalo really that stupid that it thinks a fishing store is going to solve all our problems? I must be missing something b/c I don't get it.
carolinian - 03/31/07 16:18
With an every growing number of cities trying to economically rebuild themselves by focusing on retail and tourism, it will only be a matter of time before our entire economy is based on tourists visiting other tourists.
With an every growing number of cities trying to economically rebuild themselves by focusing on retail and tourism, it will only be a matter of time before our entire economy is based on tourists visiting other tourists.
mrmike - 03/31/07 14:09
The sad part is that the city acts like Bass Pro is the key to big turn around, the magic silver bullet to cure downtown woes. What the leaders seem to forget that in the nieghborhoods that are working like Elmwood or Hertel is that it's lots of little things that work together. Sucks that we seem to give away the store to make the store happen, especially one with a parking garage. My dad has a roughly 40 year old copy of the Buffalo News with the headline "Waterfront ready to take off." The news never did say when exactly....
The sad part is that the city acts like Bass Pro is the key to big turn around, the magic silver bullet to cure downtown woes. What the leaders seem to forget that in the nieghborhoods that are working like Elmwood or Hertel is that it's lots of little things that work together. Sucks that we seem to give away the store to make the store happen, especially one with a parking garage. My dad has a roughly 40 year old copy of the Buffalo News with the headline "Waterfront ready to take off." The news never did say when exactly....
metalpeter - 03/30/07 18:22
The funny thing is on the Artvoice poll I voted Bass Pro the biggest pipe dream if I remember correctly. It would be so funny if they won that award and still wound up coming here. What I don't like about the deal is that the way I read it, we lose the AUD. The other buildings we lose no big deal but the AUD should be used for something.
The funny thing is on the Artvoice poll I voted Bass Pro the biggest pipe dream if I remember correctly. It would be so funny if they won that award and still wound up coming here. What I don't like about the deal is that the way I read it, we lose the AUD. The other buildings we lose no big deal but the AUD should be used for something.
03/29/2007 20:36 #38687
Office Marathon -- in progressCategory: tv
I know tv is so uncool (except maybe the A-team, right, (e:brit) ?) but NBC is launching the new Andy Richter show (God help us) by nestling it within a marathon of classic "The Office" reruns. I know it's the American spinoff of the original Ricky Gervais britcom but hell it's still funny. Runs until 9:30 pm and then picks up again 10-11 pm.
Bonus:
Bonus:
jenks - 03/29/07 21:07
p.s. random office trivia- did you know the chick that plays karen (rashida jones) is quincy jones' daughter? I, um, thought she was white. i said "the italian girl that plays karen" and my friend goes 'um you mean rashida jones the black girl?" and I didn't believe him and we looked it up, and of course he was right. maybe everyone knew that but me.
p.s. random office trivia- did you know the chick that plays karen (rashida jones) is quincy jones' daughter? I, um, thought she was white. i said "the italian girl that plays karen" and my friend goes 'um you mean rashida jones the black girl?" and I didn't believe him and we looked it up, and of course he was right. maybe everyone knew that but me.
jenks - 03/29/07 20:56
Ohhh, that's awesome. I love that show. don't remember the one with bleach blonde dwight though...
Ohhh, that's awesome. I love that show. don't remember the one with bleach blonde dwight though...
lilho - 03/29/07 20:44
bringin sexy back! so hot.
bringin sexy back! so hot.
03/27/2007 20:45 #38657
West Side good eatsCategory: food
I'm not well-schooled in Buffalo eateries outside the well-traveled neighborhoods: Elmwood, Hertel, Allentown, downtown, University Heights/UB Main St. But a colleague took me down Connecticut to the Armory Restaurant, near the corner of Plymouth and Connecticut right near D'Youville. For the uninitiated, it's an unassuming, old-school Italian-American joint with an old, low-slung wooden bar with two taps, odd collages of old black-&-white photos on the walls, and a few four-tops with red-&-white checked cotton tabelcloths. It was not exactly hip, but it was clean, there was very friendly and attentive service (we were there around 1 on a Monday) and the food was delicious.
I was alll set to order lentils and macaroni but then the waitress started describing the specials and I knew the lentils would have to wait. Beans-n'-greens just sounded way too good. My friend got the sausage giambotta (jyum-BOTT), which looked really good. The waitress warned me that the beans-n'greens typically came with some shells -- no problem there. She served it up steaming hot, in a huge bowl (even I couldn't finish it) along with fresh Italian bread. She mentioned that the hamhocks had stewed in the broth for a day (days?) and the smoky goodness in the bowl said she was no liar. The mix of pasta, beans (black-eyed peas and one or two white bean types), greens (escarole?) and slightly garlicky, smoky broth was sooooooo good.
The two entrees plus a Bud bottle for each of us came to $17. If you're in the mood for old-school Itai-American, try the Armory Restaurant for lunch (it's lunch-only I think) and tell me what you think.
For that matter, tell me your favorite low-rent traditional Itai-American joint. I really like Caffe Garangelo on Hertel, but the Armory's beans-n'-greens is giving me a second thought. What do you think??
I was alll set to order lentils and macaroni but then the waitress started describing the specials and I knew the lentils would have to wait. Beans-n'-greens just sounded way too good. My friend got the sausage giambotta (jyum-BOTT), which looked really good. The waitress warned me that the beans-n'greens typically came with some shells -- no problem there. She served it up steaming hot, in a huge bowl (even I couldn't finish it) along with fresh Italian bread. She mentioned that the hamhocks had stewed in the broth for a day (days?) and the smoky goodness in the bowl said she was no liar. The mix of pasta, beans (black-eyed peas and one or two white bean types), greens (escarole?) and slightly garlicky, smoky broth was sooooooo good.
The two entrees plus a Bud bottle for each of us came to $17. If you're in the mood for old-school Itai-American, try the Armory Restaurant for lunch (it's lunch-only I think) and tell me what you think.
For that matter, tell me your favorite low-rent traditional Itai-American joint. I really like Caffe Garangelo on Hertel, but the Armory's beans-n'-greens is giving me a second thought. What do you think??
zobar - 03/27/07 23:55
John's Italian Village, 313 Grant St at W Delavan. They got this thing, it's like linguine with olive oil, garlic, olives, and sardines. You can see the stink lines and you kind of exude garlic for a couple days after. Their baked pasta dishes are thoroughly awesome as well, but they will hold up your order. For like six bucks you get a serving so big you take your leftovers home on a barge. They've also got mauve murals of grapevines and gondoliers, hokey records of crooning Italians, and also John is a weird dude with a thick Italian accent who is deeply interested in the quality of your food. Closed Mondays I think.
- Z
John's Italian Village, 313 Grant St at W Delavan. They got this thing, it's like linguine with olive oil, garlic, olives, and sardines. You can see the stink lines and you kind of exude garlic for a couple days after. Their baked pasta dishes are thoroughly awesome as well, but they will hold up your order. For like six bucks you get a serving so big you take your leftovers home on a barge. They've also got mauve murals of grapevines and gondoliers, hokey records of crooning Italians, and also John is a weird dude with a thick Italian accent who is deeply interested in the quality of your food. Closed Mondays I think.
- Z
mrmike - 03/27/07 21:22
Try either DiTondo's on Seneca or Marco's on Niagara, both would give Garangelo a serious run for its money
Try either DiTondo's on Seneca or Marco's on Niagara, both would give Garangelo a serious run for its money
hey thanks (e:mrmike) , much obliged!
also, thanks for the tip about the Time Warner/Adelphia switchover... i finally called and apparently will save $15 a month by officially switching over to an equivalent TW package. so if you stumble into hockey tickets, i can afford to buy all those beers i'll owe you :)
I run into some. I'll call -- Short of that, I'm headed to the plaza at the arena for Game 1. I'll watch outside