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Vincent's Journal

vincent
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11/17/2008 22:38 #46726

carny
Category: documentary
Yea, I can't stand to watch the Bills lose. So I was flipping the channels and came across a documentary called Carney.

I was totally surprised that it had such strong local ties. Yea, it's produced by TVO TV Ontario [Canadian Public Television], but a good majority of the people featured in the film were from Western New York. The best part was the 25 minutes where the featured Canal Fest and a carnival worker from North Tonawanda. All I can say is the former bar 7 Wonders actually has quite a bit of time in the doc.

Seeing a "Cut Down Clown" as a human being is kind of different. Even though I don't have an issue with clowns, the guys that run serious smack behind the bars of their dunk tank really do freak me the F out.

Check it out if you ever get a chance to see it. Personally I loved the Tom Waits/Butthole Surfers type of soundtrack as well. All I can say is it's pretty cool stuff.




11/06/2008 14:01 #46574

Frank must be turning over in his grave
Category: vegas
The economic downturn is taking down more than just previously unshaken investment houses on Wall St. It's taking down Frank Sinatra's old casino The Sands. When the auditors have doubt for you to "continue as a going concern," You're in for some trouble.

I guess I could feel the vibe when I was out there in August. The place is in for some trouble. How are they going to fill all of the rooms that have tripled the capacity of rooms over the last 10 years with less flights being booked? It's just too insane now these days. If I do go back I'm going to check in at a dump on Freemont St or hang in a "local" casino where you have a shot at making your bankroll last the whole trip. The days of people going to Vegas, spending $500 on a room, Droppinig $5000 at a nightclub for bottle service, and $100 bills on other "stuff" are at an end. The credit card is Maxed out & the bank won't let you get any more money from your HELOC since you're underwater on your mortgage


11/06/2008 09:52 #46570

strange phone day
Category: random
Yesterday I was just kicking back on my lunch break in my car just taking a short nap when I received a phone call. " 'MY RL 1st Name' This is Grandpa!" My response, "Umm, Ahhh, I don't have a Grandpa" His Response, "Sorry I must have the wrong number."

Seriously, I have heard of EVP and other weird electronic communication devices, but I haven't had a grandpa since 1987. That's the year both of them died. Second one of them didn't even speak English, he only knew Polish. Plus the guy didn't sound anything like my "American" grandpa, from what I could remember. Anyway logically I knew it was most likely an honest mistake, but on another level it kind of weirded me out.

Then as I was leaving work, I received a text message wishing me a very happy belated birthday from the two women I had brief relationship with a few years back! It just caught me as something a bit out of left field. Seriously did Obama's election cause a tear in the time space continuum to have strange communications sent to me yesterday?
janelle - 11/06/08 12:06
You had a grandfather who only spoke Polish? How cool! Do you speak Polish?!
hodown - 11/06/08 10:30
Maybe the Happy Birthday was their was of saying they wanted some seconds!

11/04/2008 23:54 #46537

It's all over
Category: politics
As I kid I watched the Berlin Wall come down and the Eastern European countries shake off the Soviets and become free. There were always shots of crazy crowds in the streets. Yea, Obama winning may not be no par with ending 45 years of communist rule by the shear will of the people, but at least I can get a 1/4 idea of what it would be like to see people go nuts in the streets. I guess it was kind of a "nonviolent revolution" after all.

Some on the right calling the the end of life as they know it. That's a totally self defeating mentality. You can make money in any kind in any kind of economy or situation outside of some kind alternate universe economy as North Korea. Just take for example Warren Buffet buying the Washington Post in the mid 70's knowing that he would get a great ROI with Jimmy Carter expanding government and thus the D.C. economy. Heck him and George Soros one of my heros for being a wicked trader backed Obama. Do you think he wants to donate all of his wealth? These guys know ways to profit from what may be in store as policy changes. The challenge is to try to figure out what they are doing and follow suit.

This may be the turning point for the American worker as they come back from being Squeezed to actually getting some union respesentation once again for better benefits, wages and working conditions. It sure won't happen next year or anytime soon, but the pendulum may start to swing in the opposite direction.

None the less these should be interesting times.

11/04/2008 09:32 #46508

How I voted for Prez
Category: politics
I had to find an alternative, since I think that this 2 party system absolutely sucks. So I voted for Ralph Nader. It took me a minute to find him since he was beyond the bottom of the rows. It's pretty sad when his "Populist" party was below the Socialist Workers Party.

Libertarians from my personal experience are kind of are nuts. We need government for a great number of things. Plus I can't get behind Bob Barr or Wayne "500 * COLLEGE CONFERENCE GAME OF THE YEAR" Allyn Root. Seriously why did he drop the Allyn on the ballot? Did he not think that people would connect that he he the same guy on Saturday morning selling his sports betting picks?

The Green's, well (e:drew) kind of enlightened me on her, Cynthia McKinney at the party on Friday. Thanks Drew.

So Yea, with all the non literal "communist parties" available to cast a ballot from above, out side of the two corporate bought and paid for parties that is who I voted for in the end. Someone who did not support the Wall St Bailout, since Both Obama & McCain voted for it.

Plus New York State is going for Obama anyway, it's a "Winner Take All" System meaning that any ballot cast for a loser is an absolute waste. So why not make a real statement and vote for a third party. That way if they get enough votes, they won't have to push petitions in the future just to get on the ballot.
jenks - 11/04/08 12:43
me too. I'm not 100% behind Obama, but I just couldn't in good conscience vote for Palin. I like libertarians in theory, but yeah, they seem a little nuts too. Whenever people were listed in multiple parties, I picked the 'independence' party when I could. Not even sure what that is (about to go look it up), but it sounds good. ;)

janelle - 11/04/08 11:10
I voted Third Party. Not crazy about Cynthia McKinney, but I'm desparate for a serious third option to develop other than Republican and Democrat.
mrmike - 11/04/08 09:58
Good thought with the alternative party lines. I managed to completely avoid all the democratic and republican lines and still get the folks I wanted. Doing my best to vote smart, not hard.
drew - 11/04/08 09:49
oh shoot. You outted me for selling out the Greens.

I really like the Green Party. I just think they shot themselves in the foot with this particular candidate. They would have been better off running a complete unknown, or endorsing another party's candidate.