May 30, 2011

Memorial Day was officially proclaimed on 5 May 1868 by General John Logan, national commander of the Grand Army of the Republic, in his General Order No. 11, and was first observed on 30 May 1868, when flowers were placed on the graves of Union and Confederate soldiers at Arlington National Cemetery. The first state to officially recognize the holiday was New York in 1873.



Lots of food left over, no cooking today. Got one of them Margarita buckets, some Jose Cuervo, 24 hours in the freezer = Frozen Margaritas.

May 29, 2011

Cooking on the terrace with the George Foreman Grill. Sausages, Hot Dogs and BBQ Chicken - Boneless Thighs and Breasts (both Skinless.) The Sticky Fingers BBQ Sauce is great, although I doctored it up a bit. Burgers I will cook in a Cast Iron Skillet, the Foreman Grill is not the best for Burgers, they turn out steamed. Not bad mind you, but the taste is better on a Cast Iron Skillet.



I am always being consulted at work or at home about Technical issues. My office even has a Computer Help Desk but most people are embarrassed or have trouble articulating the problem. If I can't solve it, at least I will point them to a probable solution. Instant solution #1: Reboot. I use trial and error, the scientific method and research the issue. Latest problem, how to turn off Shuffle from an I-Pod Nano playlist. Once used, it can't be stopped. Many don't want Shuffle, just the list as set-up. It is a glitch. Lots of answers out there, this one works: while a song from the list is playing, press center button four times. This will give you a Shuffle prompt, press off.



Depression as explained by my favorite Biologist Robert Sapolsky.

May 28, 2011

Corona was on sale, so it is the long weekend beer. Already cut up two limes.



This was also on sale: Sticky Fingers BBQ Sauce. Bought the Memphis and Carolina Classic which is Mustard based.



Malcolm X :A Life of Reinvention. Author Dr. Manning Marable (May 13, 1950 - April 1, 2011) died right before publication date. Looks to be a real interesting read.



"The average detective story is probably no worse than the average novel, but you never see the average novel. It doesn’t get published. The average—or only slightly above average—detective story does."
Raymond Chandler, "The Simple Art of Murder"(1950.)



R.I.P. Gil Scott-Heron. "Who will pay Reparations on my Soul?"

Many fine speeches (oh yeah)
From the White House desk (uh huh)
Written on the cue cards
That were never really there. Yes,
But the heat and the summer were there
And the freezing winter’s cold. Now
Tell me,
Who’ll pay reparations on my soul?

He said :
The revolution will not be televised, will not be televised,
will not be televised, will not be televised.
The revolution will be no re-run brothers;
The revolution will be live.

But, now the Revolution is on Facebook and Twitter.



Received a Grateful Dead T-Shirt as a gift and I am wearing it a lot as I do with any new stuff. Not a real GD fan but I do own a bunch of Jerry Garcia ties. The fun thing with this T-Shirt is I am getting quite a few compliments from women about it. They are mostly 40-50 years old and say stuff like "Love the Shirt", or " Wow , cool shirt." What a long strange trip its been.

May 24, 2011

Well, if you are in Ireland, you might as well have a pint of Guinness.



I am glad I ordered my fast pass early, they are now sold out.



“Somebody’s counting on that. It’s the easiest way to fool them. That or the police. Geiger can collect on these notes, unless you can show fraud. Instead of that he makes you a present of them and admits they are gambling debts, which gives you a defense, even if he had kept the notes. If he’s a crook, he knows his onions, and if he’s an honest man doing a little loan business on the side, he ought to have his money. Who was this Joe Brody you paid the five thousand dollars to?”

know one's onions Vrb phrs. Knowledgeable and competent in one's task. E.g."I'll say one thing for Craig, he knows his onions when it comes to repairing car engines."



Bob Steele as Lash Canino in the movie.
From the book:
"There's a boy that is tough like some guys think they are tough. He does a job for Eddie Mars when Mars needs him - trouble shooting. He'd bump a guy off between drinks. When Mars don't need him he don't go near him. And he don't stay in this habitat. Well it might be something or it might not. Maybe they got a line on Regan and Mars has just been sitting back with a smile on his puss, waiting for the chance. Then again it might be something else entirely. Anyway I tell Joe and Joe gets on Canino's tail. He can tail. Me, I'm no good at it. I'm giving that one away. No charge. And Joe tails Canino out to the Sternwood place and Canino parks outside the estate and a ground car pulls up beside him with a girl in it. They talk for a while and Joe thinks the girl passes something over, like maybe dough. The girl beats it. It's Regan's wife. Okay, she know Canino and Canino knows Mars. So Joe figures Canino knows something about Regan and is trying to squeeze a little on the side for himself. Canino blows and Joe loses him. End of Act One."
"What does this Canino look like?"
"Short, heavy set, brown hair, brown eyes, and always wears brown clothes. Even wears a brown suede raincoat. Drives a brown convertible. Everything brown for Mr Canino."

May 22, 2011

Son's Laptop got hijacked by a nasty Trojan Virus called MS Removal. It prevented Internet access and kept prompting you to buy Software after innumerable warnings of Viruses on the Computer. There is a real program Microsoft Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool.This legitimate program is now being mimicked for the purpose of fooling computer users to acquire and pay for this fake software.

Fake Microsoft Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool uses unfair scanning method and displays exaggerated scan results, informing users of threats even though it does not really exist on computer.

This is a complete Scam and probable Identity Theft after purchase. I researched the matter on another computer and was able to get rid of it. The Method: Boot up in Safe mode(Press F8 at start) and use System Restore. Later today, I'll do a Scan with Virus Software to look for any residual tracks. There are a lot of complicated cures listed out there, this is easy and it works.



Big operation for a loved one tomorrow. Will bring several books to read. This is one of them. No irony intended, looking to bring several books and this paperback will be easier to carry around.



This is about the life of Mithradates.

May 21, 2011

NYC Summer Restaurant Week is coming. July 11 - 24th.



Brunch at Rosa Mexicano. The best Huevos Ranchero dish I have ever eaten.



Rapture, End of the World. Time to Party.



Little Town on 15th Street features NY Beer. Nice little place, $2 gets you a 5 oz. taste of any beer on Tap. Had my own taste test, the place gets an "A."



Union Square was crawling with cops, later the "Dance Parade" came waltzing in.



Belly Dancers.

May 14, 2011

Greenmarket does not offer much, but still crowded.



On 17th Street, statue of Andy Warhol.



Always an interesting diversion, Madison Square Eats. There is also Beer and Wine available.

Mad. Sq. Eats 2011 Participants:

Asia Dog, Bar Suzette, Breezy Hill Orchard, Calexico, Carnelian Knoll, Chameleon, Cookie Panache, Eataly, Engage Green, Goat Town, Hong Kong Street Cart, ilili, Karma Living, kudu-lah, Marquet, Momofuku Milk Bar, Nunu Chocolates, P&H Soda Co., Peter Charles, Piccolo Café, Resto, Roberta’s Pizza, Sigmund Pretzelshop, Stuffed Artisan Cannolis, Selen Design, Spices and Tease, The Filling Station, Yumi Chen Designs.



Ilili worker trusses up a lamb for BBQ.




Jaume Plensa: Echo in Madison Square Park.



The Sam Adams Summer Styles is a winner: Samuel Adams Summer Ale, Boston Lager, Latitude 48 , Samuel Adams Rustic Saison and Samuel Adams East-West Kölsch. Had the Latitude 48 and the East-West Kölsch last night. I always liked their Summer Ale. Good stuff and it was on sale.



Shakespeare in the Park now has the Borough distribution list:

For free tickets to MEASURE FOR MEASURE:

Tuesday, June 7 - Brooklyn
Brooklyn Children's Museum
145 Brooklyn Avenue
Monday, June 13 - Queens
New York Hall of Science
47-01 111th Street, Flushing Meadows Corona Park
Wednesday, June 15 - The Bronx
Lehman Stages at Lehman College
250 Bedford Park Boulevard West
Saturday, June 18 - Staten Island
Snug Harbor Cultural Center
1000 Richmond Terrace
Monday, June 27 - Manhattan
Harlem Stage at The Gatehouse
150 Convent Avenue (at West 135th Street)

For free tickets to ALL'S WELL THAT ENDS WELL:

Saturday, June 11 - The Bronx
The Point
940 Garrison Avenue
Thursday, June 16 - Queens
Jamaica Center for Arts and Learning
161-04 Jamaica Avenue
Friday, June 17 - Brooklyn
651 Arts Center
651 Fulton Street
Thursday, June 23 - Manhattan
El Museo del Barrio
1230 Fifth Avenue
Tuesday, July 5 - Staten Island
Snug Harbor Cultural Center
1000 Richmond Terrace

On specific dates a limited number of vouchers for that night's performance will be distributed at locations throughout New York's five boroughs. Ticket vouchers will be distributed between 1PM and 3PM, while supplies last. Each person in line is allowed two vouchers, and each voucher is good for one ticket. Vouchers must be exchanged for tickets at the Delacorte Theater Box Office in Central Park between 4PM and 7:30PM.



Side trip to Luke's Lobster on 7th Street.



Beer at Mad. Sq. Eats was Calico Amber Ale.

May 13, 2011

I've officially declared Spring to be over. From here on in, only Summer Songs and Summer Ales.



Seh girl yuh pretty
Yuh face it pretty
But yuh character dirty
Gal yuh just a act too
Flirty flirty
Yuh run to Tom, Dick,
An also Harry
An when yuh find yuh mischief
Yuh talk bout yuh sorry
Sorry, sorry

Now every middle of the year dis girl go have abortion
Fi di coolie white Man, Indian no seek inna ((nail fun?))
An jus di other day me see her six months pregnant
Now she back buh sweet again without a baby inna pram

So yuh heard about this girl her name is Maxine
Her beauty's like a bunch of rose
An' if I ever tell you bout Maxine
You oughta say I don't know what I know (but)

Murder she wrote
Murder she wrote
Murder she wrote (Na nana)
Murder she wrote



DJ Jazzy Jeff and The Fresh Prince: Summertime.



See, I don't wanna wait in vain for your love
I don't wanna wait in vain for your love
I don't wanna wait in vain for your love
'Cause it's summer is here
I'm still waiting there
Winter is here and I'm still waiting there
Like I said,
It's been three years since I'm knocking on your door
And I still can knock some more
Ooh, girl, ooh, girl
Is it feasible, I wanna know now
For I to knock some more?



Pops and Ella, how can you top that?

May 8, 2011

OBAMA: As nervous as I was about this whole process, the one thing I didn't lose sleep over was the possibility of taking bin Laden out. Justice was done. And I think that anyone who would question that the perpetrator of mass murder on American soil didn't deserve what he got needs to have their head examined.



Finished the movie and the book.Burton is just great in the movie. Love that George Smiley is involved and the Berlin Wall scene also figures in Smiley's People.

May 7, 2011

Beautiful morning. Lots of people up early.



Dogwood.



Asparagus $ 8 a bunch, ouch !



Lilacs.



Beer for the weekend is Guinness Draught.



Crayfish, crawfish,crawdads or mudbugs, tonight is Crawfish Quesadilla time.

May 1, 2011

Youtube is great, the entire movie in nine minute increments.



Michael Hordern and Richard Burton. I am reading the book as I go along. I remember Michael Hordern most fondly as Senex in A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum.