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06/16/2007 11:08 #39689

Paul Visco Back in 1987
Category: childhood
The things that shape your life. I guess maybe this is what led to me becoming a computer dork. These entries are so funny.

Paul Visco May 18, 1987 (10 years old)

I would like to be Frank Balestrieri because he is very very good at sports. I would also like to be him because then people would let me play sports like basketball, hockey, kickball, baseball and catch.

That day I would start a baseball game with some 5th graders and some other kids. That would be the first time I played baseball with someone else!

That day I would learn to play baseball and other games. I would also learn what play a sport wih someone would be like.



I guess I was always an Apple fanboy, why am I such a poser pretending I wasn't. I feel like the same reoccurring themese have happened throughout my life but I thought most of them were new now.

Paul Visco January 26th, 1987
If I had $1000 I would buy an Apply II GS. The biggest apple computer. I would buy a logo disk and a basic disk first. ThenI would buy a 90" monitor. Then I would buy a diskdrive and a mouse. Then I could show all the classes the Turtle in the Auditorium.

Money is not a problem. I can always decide what to buy. I just never have enough money. That drives me nuts.


I take back anything bad I said about Kenmore, they have public facilities!

Paul Visco November 18th, 1987
Kenmore - Kenmore is a good place to live. There are many schools nearby. They have parks. The parks have been remodeled, they have a fitness area, a basketball court and a playground area. They also have a youth center. This winter they will have an iceskating rink. In the sumer they have two pools, one for ages 1-6 and one for 7-adult.

There are many types of restaurants. They have public facilities! They have a library. They have basketball, hockey and soccer teams, not forgetting baseball and swimming. They also have a cubscout and boyscout group which does a lot of things. There are a lot of children. But don't take my word for it, come look for yourself.



Paul Visco March 3rd, 1987 - Poem
Computers beeping,
Drawing with logo
Excellent teaching tool
They can do anything



Paul Visco 1987

Forests Are More Than Trees

Forests for nature -
The life of the wild,
The beautiful kingdom of deer.
The beavers chop so very near.
I wish I could see him this year.

Forests for hunters...
The death of the wild...
The hungry kingdom of humans...
The beaver skin so fancy...
the deer skin so beautiful...
Why do we suffer the wild?



Random snippet

Now Jenelle is my best friend also. Her brother is weird and has a small computer!



Considering my rant above about wanting the biggest computer, and the fact that it is 1987 - I think that saying he has a small computer is a sort of insult. If only I knew how cool small computers would be in the future.
tinypliny - 02/21/11 17:33
Hahaha you never changed. :)
heidi - 10/15/10 19:42
I had an apple II gs. heh heh.
iriesara - 06/18/07 10:40
Paul, that is too funny! I totally remember you always did poems about computers, I always thought that was weird - I guess that was when we learned haikus, I totally remember! You were so jealous of Frank Balestrieri, but at least he was really nice, to my recollection. That's so sad, "then everyone would let me play baseball"! Janelle Graci? Is that who you mean? It must be... I remember my little Paul. You're still the same little paul to me.

On a more recent topic: You shouldn't shave your head - it's bad for the environment. (hell, a girl can try!)


Miss you & Love you!

06/15/2007 20:55 #39684

I am so sick of commercial stuff
Category: estrip

Hi Paul.
I read your blog often and enjoy it very much. As a huge Buffalonian myself, I wanted to send you a message and see if you were interested in posting any of these in the events...



Let's just say I am not interested in being a group leader for selling tickets to see the Bills in Miami - even if you are a "huge Buffalonian"

Some people are so silly, she clearly has never read my journal if she thought I would be interested in selling 20 trips to see the Bills in Miami in order win one for myself.

Not having my camera is making me sad. I wanted to make a video about something but now I have to wait. Once the macbook comes I can use the built in cam for my video blogs.



jason - 06/16/07 03:34
Goddammit, tasteless humor is always a 10 out of 10 in my book. James is quickly becoming the best blog to read on e-strip.

OH, Paul - I don't express jealousy easily - but the MacBook Pro is amazing. I hope you enjoy it.
james - 06/15/07 23:22
by huge Buffalonian do they mean of notable girth?

06/13/2007 19:47 #39649

Why I can't own an iPhone
Category: mobile
I really want an iPhone. I mean the iPhone seems like the next logical step in my mobile addiction but without 3rd party app support it is so gimped. It can't SSH into my web server, which is the most important task that all of my mobile devices back to the first T-mobile Sidekick Iin 2002 could do

Considering that the iPhone is running OS X (ya right) why can't they thrown in a terminal emulator.

I guess maybe they will add it and surely people will hack it.

I think AJAX, CSS, HTML development is really stupid on a mobile device with a gimped data plan, AT&T/cingular edge is so slow compared to what I am used to on Sprint. It's like a step backwards for me to switch to them. The only advantage of AT&T being that if I switch to a sim-card phone carrier I can have multiple phones on one card.

I mean I love the idea of Safari being able to use AJAX apps but what about the storage of the programs. With AJAX you end up downloading the entire program each time, versus with a standalone applet for the phone you save the program on the phone and just download data.

Maybe I won't care and buy one just to add it to my collection of almost but not quite everything in one mobile devices.

I also don't know if I could live without a keyboard. Both my Nokia 7710 and my Nokia n800 (WIKIPEDIA - Nokia_N800) have on screen keyboards, and while they have come a long way, it will never be as functional as the hardware one. I mean I could type on the sidekick while driving and not looking at the keyboard. I know - that is way to dangerous for reality, but trust me it is possible. I could never do that with tactile sensation free onscreen keyboard.

I suppose the iPhone could just replace the PPC 6700 (WIKIPEDIA - HTC_Apache) (which is clunky and old looking now) and I could continue to carry around the not-phone (nokia n800) which is a full access linux OS with terminal. I just want one day to have the all in one device that rivals the functionality of the sidekick with the browser and style of the iPhone.

Here we have the history of my mobile addiction
Danger Sidekick 1 - worn out - I used it so much the keys actually wore down
image

Danger Sidekick 2 - eaten by bugs (e:paul,32081)
image

Nokia 7710 - broke the camera
image

Sprint PPC 6700- runs windows mobile 5 which is lame and slow
image

Nokia n800 runs linux and is awesome but camera sucks and its not a phone only wifi, bluetooth connections
image

iPhone - Will you be good enough for me
image

paul - 05/13/10 22:07
Nope, after the 3g and 3gs I switched to a google nexus one running android.
paul - 06/16/07 09:44
Wow this is funny. It come from the machinist blog on salon.com

Jobs also offered what he called a "sweet solution" for developers to create programs for the iPhone. The one catch: The apps have to run in Safari, cutting out much innovation (and competition, e.g. Skype). The quote of the week on this, from Mac-blog Daring Fireball: "If all you have to offer is a shit sandwich, just say it. Don't tell us how lucky we are and that it's going to taste delicious."
paul - 06/16/07 09:43
It worse than the gameboy color camera attachment. In fact it is not meant for taking picture at all just for video chat. The resolution is like 120x60px and it does not handle any sort of non-full-sun lighting.
uncutsaniflush - 06/15/07 22:35
what's wrong with the camera in the nokia n800??? Is it better or worse than the average cell phone cam?
ajay - 06/14/07 17:48
Screw the iPhone! Wait for the OpenMoko: :::link::: Linux ftw!

iPhone is an iPOS. Jobs will cripple it and nickle-and-dime you to death.

joshua - 06/14/07 09:09
It seems like you have some extraordinarily precise needs when it comes to your mobile addition, and I'm not entirely sure that the iPhone was built or created for supertechies... but maybe I'm wrong about that. After all, mobile applications are only going to get more and more integrated into one device as it has been.

I think the iPhone is neat, but I have no idea if I'd actually ever buy one. I keep a very low tech phone simply because I'm afraid I'd break or lose a better one.
jenks - 06/14/07 00:45
eaten by bugs?!

that is horrifying.

06/13/2007 19:03 #39648

A day full of life changes
Category: changes
1. (e:jim) is going to be doing some long term contract work at Roswell and we will get to work together ;)
2. (e:lilho) is going away ;(
3. Which means our house will be empty besides the three of us - which means either it will be awesome to frolic around the giant house naked or we will kill each other by next weekend because we aren't forced to behave in front of other people.
4. Tomorrow mac and I are going are going on a date. Sorry PC, no further detalis.
paul - 06/13/07 23:03
Ya, (e:theecarey) moved out at the end of May after some car trouble stranded her up north.
jim - 06/13/07 20:43
Paul - thanks again! You'll get sick of hearing me say that pretty soon.

I am now a bit nostalgic for my current job. I wish I had a bigger budget there - I had grand dreams of integrating video previews in to the news coverage reports, but I would have needed a render farm and a ton of infrastructure to support it. Oh well.
leetee - 06/13/07 19:13
Did (e:Theecarey) give up her room?!?!?!

06/12/2007 09:58 #39626

We could never incorporate the burbs
Category: buffalo
This is in response to (e:james,39620)

I think it is a great idea to incorporate the suburbs into the city of Bufflao proper as has happend in many other cities that are growing.

However, I know people from Kenmore would probably fight to the death before they let it happen. Which leads me to think - why not just declare war on Kenmore and Amherst.

Having been born in Buffalo and raised in Kenmore, I fully see what is going on. My parents left Buffalo for Kenmore the year I was born. The real reason most people in the suburbs would never allow this to happen is because:

1. The school system of Buffalo cannot compete with the suburban ones.

2. The police don't come when you call here. I have experience this twice.

3. Many suburbanites are totally freakin' racist/classist and can't stand the thought of mixing their kids with american black, hispanic, arab, somali or poor kids. I know people are going to harp on me for this but it is true - so why not talk about it.

When I first moved to Linwood, everyone was like I cannot believe you are going to live that close to Main Street, and let's be honest - you all know what they meant. I can't believe you are going to live that close black people.

The other option is to be really wealthy and stay in the city on a street like St. James and send you kids to private school for between $5000-$30000 a year. I definately think a lot more people are taking that route than before.
metalpeter - 06/12/07 20:04
I tottaly agree with #3. I admit I don't know what the best way to combine things is. Basicly all the towns are corupt in some ways. A Good example is Grand Island. Do you ever hear of a crime on Grand Island, no. But yet they have cops and (used to have sheirfs) and then sometimes even border patrol. I'm sure they have more police then they need. The thing that the suburban people don't understand is that every school isn't bad. The reason the Bad schools are bad is because all the rich people moved out of the city wich means the City doesn't get the take money. Secondly they take away the good kids. So by the good people leaving it causes the schools to be bad. It is classism and Racism (not that you can really blame them, with all the negative sterotypes in the media and music and the odd way some blacks talk). But what really causes them is the us vs. them idea. Often we like to think of us and them. It is what causes the dislike based on race, class, and all sorts of other things like sexual preferance. That also plays into the prevliage feeling. Some one who is a success dosn't want to pay taxes to help someone who isn't. It is the same thought process that goes into why should I pay taxes so some lazy ass with 3 kids can stay home on the money I make. It isn't really that simple but that is the same mindset. Also parents have this weird thought that how good a school is will determine if a kid will learn or not. That isn't true. Yes a bad classroom enviroment will make them like school less and may disencourage them. But if I Kid wants to learn they will go out and learn and study and not hang out with there friends to much. But if a kid doesn't want to learn then the best school in the world won't change that.
mike - 06/12/07 17:50
i think it is more of a class thing. Many people would also say " you are going to live that close to Riverside?" that's mostly poorer white people.
paul - 06/12/07 17:26
None, my minimum house price was $150. I realized that no one is racist and that all the people who were like, "You are going to live that close to Main Street!?" Really meant, "Main street is so wide and dangerous with so much fast traffic, you better watch out."
mike - 06/12/07 17:24
many parts of Kenmore are closer/more right in projects, homeless shelters and other types of living for the poor, than many parts of Elmwood/Allentown.
mike - 06/12/07 17:21
I don't really want to get into this as this issue has been played out over and over again, but how many houses did you look at on the other side of Main Street when you were looking to buy?
james - 06/12/07 14:44
Jason: It isn't all about racism, but Paul also mentioned classism.

And Buffalo government isn't the only corrupt and incompetent thing. Gaugen's report shows that the whole system county wide is corrupt and incompetent. It is just a lot easier to hide it when you have a fantastically rich tax base to plunder.

Read what the researchers had to say about village governments. Some did not have budgets available to citizens, or did so at a price. Getting information required the consent of the government. Not to mention fantastic sums in hidden benefits for part time jobs. Some of these people get more money in health care than I make in a whole year.
jason - 06/12/07 14:25
I don't think it follows that people are against government streamlining because they don't like black people. I just think they see Buffalo's government for what it is, corrupt and incompetent, a money trap and a laughing stock. Who wants to join forces with that?
zobar - 06/12/07 11:47
It is true that the city takes a lot of shit from the suburbs, but the city's trump card is that without the city the suburbs would go away too. What is weird is that the suburbs have now begun taking a lot of shit from the city.

To whit: we were promoting a bout for the Roller Girls when an esteemed local publication :::link::: informed us that since the rink was not within the city limits they weren't interested even in carrying a calendar listing. To someone like me who basically could give two shits, this was pretty shocking. But nobody in the city took them seriously when they were first getting started - their best, early community support came from North Tonawanda. So I'm kind of tempted to say if that's how it's going to be, fuck all yalls.

The punchline, and I agree with Gaughan on this, is that we're all in this together. It's not a matter of the economically fucked city bringing down the prosperous suburbs, because we're all kind of fucked. And it's not about the awesome city being way cooler than the lame-ass suburbs, because I have been just as bored on Allen St as I have on Transit.

- Z
james - 06/12/07 11:29
Paul: ya, eating the whole district would be an uphill battle for all the reasons you mentioned. Gaugen's suggested that local governments cut the number of elected officials. Creating municipal services (integrating kenmore and Buffalo police, trash collection, etc) people might become a little more comfortable with the situation. I expect it will happen around the same time cyborg yeti conquer the earth.

MrDeadlier: #3 is a gross generalization. But classism is undeniable in both the burbs and the city. As a parent you have to do well by your kids, that is also undeniable. Buffalo also has a nationally top ten high school and elementary school. As the middle class left Buffalo they took the tax base with them, 60% of properties in Buffalo do not collect property tax income because they are city owned (the east side) or government buildings. Cloistered suburbs do not have this problem. Integration of the two would make city schools better and suburban schools more diverse in addition to the financial savings listed in the report.
mrmike - 06/12/07 10:56
I agree with you on all of it Paul. There are a few exceptions to the schools in the city. My kids go to City Honors and Bennett Park Montessori and I'm confident in they are getting good educations, especially since their Mom and I have gone through great lengths to make ourselves known to the powers that be.

I grew up in Clarence and heard a lot about "All the way into the City." There are people who haven't ventured into the city or out of their cul de sacs in years.

Sadly the needed intergration won't happen because all the burgs are afraid of the others. Everybody wants to protect their own in case a soul food restaurant opens up next to Applebee's.
mrdeadlier - 06/12/07 10:41
As a Kenmore resident, I'll enthusiastically agree with you on points #1 and #2, but #3 is just a gross generalization on your part.

As a parent I relish the idea of "mixing" my daughters with kids that are different ethnicities than them. It's the only way to ensure they don't grow up xenophobic (preaching at them won't work -- they need to be able to attach real people to their perceptions).

But sorry if I don't want them going to schools that annually are at the bottom of the barrel in terms of performance standards. There are various reasons why they're that low, but again, as a parent, I really don't care. My kids only have one go-round through schooling and I'm not going to be all idealistic and activist about it.
joshua - 06/12/07 10:18
Absolutely, positively correct about #3. And the rest of it for that matter.

Look at a city like Los Angeles - LA County is completely integrated. Thats right - Compton High and Hollywood High are under the same school district, and the famously vigilant LAPD serve the same area. What frustrates me is that if a city like LA can find a way to do it, why can't we? Surely Beverly Hills High parents have more to worry about then those at Ken West or Amherst or Clarence.... right?

I would actually support area integration because it would save all governments an incredible amount of money and generally make area governments more efficient and streamlined. Far more needs to be brought under the county umbrella. The burbs, of course, hate the idea for the reasons you've laid out.

Its funny you mention this actually - today during the drive to work 970AM had a segment where they talked about a little unscientific experiment they did, asking various residents if they think the city is racist or not. I can't see how it can be said that this isn't a fairly racist area - Cheektowaga PD are famous for it (fair or unfair), parents and their kids in the burbs live there and get educated there in part because they fear black people (a girl from Clarence that my friend dated said to me flat out that she doesn't like black people, but that isn't unique), and hell - look at our city! Its as physically segregated as a city can get! Literally, Main St. divides the whites from the blacks. Linwood is unique because its the closest thing to a racial melting pot we have, with the possible exception of some areas in the east side.