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Jbeatty's Journal

jbeatty
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02/20/2008 09:11 #43397

That was unexpected!
So my landlord called me last night saying he wanted to set up a meeting. I thought that is usually never good. Kinda like being sent to the bosses office. But I went in this morning and they wanted to talk to me about what happened Monday. Then he offered to knock some money off of my rent this month to say thanks! Whoa! I have never had a landlord that I remotely even liked much before. Sounds good to me though. I had to keep stressing to him that I wasn't really the one who discovered it so hopefully he takes care of my neighbor too.

02/18/2008 20:11 #43385

Arson? and Sid Crosby
So this morning I was awakened by my neighbor ringing my doorbell. I missed her but I quickly noticed why she came over. There was a trash can on fire across the parking lot. I put some flip flops on and moved the can away from the building to the middle of the parking lot. It's not often I leave the house in only my underwear but I really figured my landlords didn't want their art store on fire this morning. It seems strange that a trash can filled with newspapers would just spontaneously combust. I have to wonder if somebody did it on purpose or if a lit cigarette was to blame. Oh well the fire department didn't really seem all that interested in investigating. In fact when they finally showed up one of them decided to warm himself by the fire.

image
It looks sort of unimpressive after the melted bin collapsed upon itself. I tried to put it out with my fire extinguisher but it kept starting back on fire.

Yesterday was somewhat interesting. I stopped into work to get my schedule and one of the waitresses was telling me Sidney Crosby was eating there. naturally I didn't believe her so I went to look for myself. crazy enough Sidney Crosby was eating in my restaurant. I didn't bother him but one of the girls asked for his autograph and he was really cool about it.

ladycroft - 02/20/08 14:09
now that's an exciting start to the day!
jbeatty - 02/20/08 09:14
Jason: I work at Laughlins. I'm no penguins fan but I thought it was pretty cool to see a probable future hall of famer in person.

Paul: In my defense I was wearing long johns that don't exactly look like long johns. But I was outside chatting with my neighbor when I realized what I was wearing. I was definitely dressed by the time they showed up.
metalpeter - 02/19/08 18:51
It would have been cool to see him in person. I don't know as I could break up someone from eating to get something signed. Maybe when he was done or maybe If I was working give him a free desert in exchange for signing something. Assuming he stays healthy I think he is going to be who the NHL builds it league around along with a rival like they did with #99 and Lemiux.
jason - 02/19/08 14:52
Which restaurant is it that you work? I've got some friends that are Pens fans in Buffalo and they would have died and gone to heaven to be so close to their hero. Hahaha
fellyconnelly - 02/19/08 09:17
most firefighters put extra layers on, but you are so cool that all that extra crap just gets in your way!
paul - 02/18/08 22:17
Wow, that is totally crazy. Maybe it really was an arsonist. Did you have close on once the firemen arrived, lol?!

02/11/2008 20:34 #43282

Fuck you parking nazi's!!!
Ugh, I'm going to have to start budgeting for monthly parking tickets. I have never had more than one parking ticket in the last 10 years. Since moving to Buffalo I am working on my third. It really irritates me that both times they have gotten me its within 15 minutes of the alternate side of the street going into effect. It's not like my car was really hurting anything. On the flip side the last storm we had there was a car completely blocking my neighbors driveway for a day and a half before they actually ticketed it. I guess they are more concerned with the Elmwood strip area than Allentown.
fellyconnelly - 02/12/08 09:22
isn't there a new show on tv called 'parking wars'? thank goodness the writers strike may be over...
james - 02/11/08 20:54
They did that at my two last apartments. This street though I have at least an hour to move my car. It is odd how selective they are... they frackin nazis
terry - 02/11/08 20:43
yeah, since we live on the beginning of Linwood, I can attest that the parking nazis idle at the corner at 5:50 waiting for 6:00 PM when the sides change...tickets are issued starting no later than 6:05.

02/09/2008 11:11 #43257

Cafe 59...I have tried.
I have tried to give you guys my business on so many occasions. You certainly make it next to impossible with your crappy hours and broken espresso machine. When I went in for a delicious mocha in November and was directed to the "espresso machine broken" sign I was disappointed. But I figured today I would give you another shot at being my local cafe. When I walked in to see the exact same "espresso machine broken" sign I have walked out of your establishment never to walk in again. I can't fathom how you can run a cafe without an espresso machine for 3 months. Amazingly most people drink coffee in the morning. Opening at 9am is probably a tad too late to catch any of the people walking to the train station on their way to work. Seriously how do you stay in business? I love to support local businesses, but I guess I will stick to going to Starbucks on campus for when I want a mocha in the morning. Such a shame I thought you had potential.
megan - 02/12/08 07:31
I agree... goodish food but their drinks weren't that good anyway. The machine costs quite a bit to fix though (I used to run the spot on Delaware) but what's the cost of NOT fixing it?

The whole place is a little hapdash. How about some fresh paint and maybe some new furniture? But I guess those are frills when you don't fix the thing that defines you...
vincent - 02/09/08 12:47
Java Temple @ that address had some good times, but now the most part I would go in there just for the internet access where I didn't have any other options.
lilho - 02/09/08 12:24
again with the sandwich thing. ill prob have one next weekend. plus i don't drink coffee much, so i don't really care. but i am wondering as well, how much could it really cost to fix?
zobar - 02/09/08 12:23
I think the lunch crowd is what keeps them going. Their soups are really good, and I like the penne-feta salad they have. The sandwiches are ok too; the one with hummus, feta, and roasted red peppers is quite flavorful. The salmon caesar salad is depressing, and the lack of espresso machine is pretty inexcusable. They won't even make hot cocoa, man!

Long time ago that place was the Java Temple. It was pretty scummy inside, but very comfortable and they had a fairly awesome kitten. Their Karamel Sutra rocked the party that rocked the party.

- Z
jim - 02/09/08 12:10
Yeah - it's my fav lunch spot lately, but I do think it's really weird they don't fix their espresso machine.
paul - 02/09/08 12:07
(e:enknot), (e:jim) and I have gone there for lunch on many occasions. Their sandwiches are pretty good.

02/01/2008 10:04 #43126

Presidential Race
Category: politics
Not that I talk about politics much. I am really curious to see who is going to end up running with who. With the top two democrats being so cordial last night and Giuliani kissing Mccains's ass are we going to see a Clinton/Obama vs McCain/Giuliani election?
james - 02/01/08 14:57
Speaking of relics from the 60's, I was slightly saddened to find out that Obama was born on the last year of the baby boomers.
jason - 02/01/08 13:34
I'm done with the old blood. I just am. These sixties relics need to be put out to pasture. I don't want to hear anything about the 60's anymore. We have to define our own times on our own terms. Obama to me seems like the only one these days who isn't fundamentally full of shit about who he is or what he believes. If the Democratics are first in this respect, to turn the page, then so be it.
james - 02/01/08 13:30
While on the campaign trail Obama has been brokering a peace deal in Kenya. The man is not the most experienced member of our government in foreign relations, certainly, and will have a ton of people advising him on this and other issues. I am just saying this trope of 'he has no experience' is malarkey. But if experience were the sole qualifier for a president Biden or Dodd should have won the nominee. I am just tired of camp Hillary painted herself as having a ton more experience than he has. And sure, working for Barry Goldwater and Walmart must have been fantastic experience but man am I sick of her acting like her shit doesn't stink when clearly it is one of the stinkiest bits around.

Have I mentioned Joe Biden looks like a werewolf?
joshua - 02/01/08 13:04
James, suggesting that Obama has great foreign relations experience because he's spent part of his life overseas and now sits on the foreign relations committee as a freshman senator... I know you are an Obama fanboi but that is severely stretching it. Obama has many, many questions to answer if he expects to calm the people down who feel that he is underqualified - which I have to say is the case. If he gets elected he will likely have been the least qualified President to win the office since Grover Cleveland, and even Grover Cleveland was more qualified than Obama is, having served as NYS governor.

I love Joe Biden - he is by far my favorite Democrat. He is a bit arrogant at times but the past few years he has mellowed out. I think he would be a very, very shrewd pick as VP. I still can't help but imagine him as the Demo's answer to puppeteer Dick Cheney though. God bless Joe Biden but everybody knows that he thinks he knows best.
drew - 02/01/08 11:19
I think Obama/Clark would be good. or Obama/Biden.
james - 02/01/08 10:27
I think Obama has great foreign relations experience. I mean, the man has lived abroad in a developing nation and he sits on the foreign relations committee. Though if he were to pick someone in that field RIchardson would be a good choice as Obama is weaker on the Latino vote, though his support there is growing. Defense experience would be ideal. Obama has been running on love and togetherness and junk. He needs someone a little more hawkish to not seem like Mike Gravel-lite. I would like to see Joe Biden or RIchardson as the pick.

Clinton needs someone who is not a Clinton. Republicans and Independents don't like her for being a Clinton and with center loving (despite a conservative record) McCain in the mix she needs someone with centrist appeal. But I don't like her so I haven't given any one a thought.

McCain needs to energize the GOP base. Huckabeee would get the Evangelical base but not the fiscal conservative base. Romney should serve that function but he has pissed off everyone else in his campaign by flopping on issues like a fish. McCain is damaged goods and ne needs someone to fix that, but I am not sure who is looking for work.

If Romeny gets the nomination... well, he can pick Jesus Christ as his running mate and he would still lose.
jim - 02/01/08 10:15
I am not sure if there is room for two Clintons and an Obama in the Whitehouse. Obama is more charismatic the Hillary - and she already has to contend with Bill Clinton's looming figure. And if it's Obama doing the picking, he really needs someone with foreign policy or military experience (Richardson again, Wes Clark maybe?), but maybe for unity's sake he'd pick Hillary. Tough call!

McCain and Guiliani both have sever problems with their party's base - McCain on campaign finance reform and immigration and Guiliani on social issues, and neither one is particularly religious, so the VP slot on the Republican side is almost definitely going to someone who loves Jesus and guns and who hates the gays and Mexicans. McCain & Guiliani together would keep too many voters at home.