While I’m at it, and I seem to have a spurt of energy. I just thought I would post some of the things I currently have sitting on the shelf and pick up for reading in my library, I thought it would be interesting.
So, what am I reading?
Currently on my “shelf:”
1. The Evolution of Useful Things by Henry Petroski
2. The current issue of National Geographic
3. The current issue of USA Today’s Sports Weekly
4. War in a Time of Peace by David Halberstam
5. The Blue Guide for New York City
6. 52 New York Weekends by Michael Schumen
7. ...and a whole slew of comics (two weeks worth) including: Amazing Spider Man #53 (possibly the best book out there), Nightwing #81 (a monthly favorite), Daredevil #47 (I can’t figure out why I keep buying this, something about the combo of art and writing), Soldier X #11 (good writing), Black Panther #59 (giving the book a chance - so far it’s been entertaining), Batgirl Year One #6 (just a marvelous, terrific book, the one worth getting if you don’t buy comics), Beware The Creeper #2 (checking it out), Superman Metropolis #4 (a mistake buy), Global Frequency #4 and #6 (I came late to it and am trying to catch up but, has the same kind of buzz I got when I discovered Planetary), Hunter The Age of Magic #23 (soon to be cancelled), Batman Gotham Knight #41 (soon to be dropped), Batman Legends of the Dark Knight #167 (a good story compensating for passable art), (Dial H for) Hero #4 (moving up the charts with a bullet), JSA #48 (a favorite), Gotham Central #5, #6 and #7 (I don’t know how it’s doing but, it’s one of the best books out there), Birds of Prey #55 (a marginal read), Batgirl #40 (another marginal read), Green Arrow #26 (going downhill very, very fast), Arkham Asylum Living Hell #1 (checking it out), Lucifer #38 (a personal favorite if not popular), Adventures of Superman #616 (consistently well done book), Incredible Hulk #54 (experiencing a renaissance of sorts), Green Lantern #164 (soon to be dropped), Robin #114 (a good, consistently well done book)
May 23, 2003
Also this past week, the car went to a specialist (read as the dealership). The local general practioner (read as the local garage) was unable to find anything wrong with it last week.
This whole car thing has gone on for the last three weeks and it becomes a little benumbing after awhile. First I replaced the battery myself, then to the local garage and now to the dealership (with the annual inspection thrown in for good measure).
So, here we are on the holiday weekend and the car went in this morning and they seem to have found the problem! Get this - a crankshaft sensor! The computer doesn’t know the car is running, working with computers all the time and having suffered through my own indiginities with them, I shouldn’t be surprised the car has been visited with the same kind of torture.
The flip side is there’s lots of yard work to do and I still have a garage full of junk I was in the process of organizing (literally hard to walk in) so, I am forced to confront the nightmarish mess of my own creation.
This whole car thing has gone on for the last three weeks and it becomes a little benumbing after awhile. First I replaced the battery myself, then to the local garage and now to the dealership (with the annual inspection thrown in for good measure).
So, here we are on the holiday weekend and the car went in this morning and they seem to have found the problem! Get this - a crankshaft sensor! The computer doesn’t know the car is running, working with computers all the time and having suffered through my own indiginities with them, I shouldn’t be surprised the car has been visited with the same kind of torture.
The flip side is there’s lots of yard work to do and I still have a garage full of junk I was in the process of organizing (literally hard to walk in) so, I am forced to confront the nightmarish mess of my own creation.
Today the Mets are at 21-25 and starting a 3 game series in Atlanta.
I went to my first Mets game at Shea stadium since September 11th on Thursday afternoon. Stricter security measures were enacted after the 11th and they only served to keep me away from the ballpark. My understanding was that patrons were no longer allowed to bring in anything from the outside in with them.
I think baseball tickets are exorbitantly high-priced here in New York. All the years I went to Yankee games (when I was a Yankee fan), I made it a much more affordable proposition by bringing chicken from the Popeye’s over on River Avenue and a bag of chips and other munchies. I continued the habit after I changed my allegiances to the Mets.
A few years back I had a Mets Saturday plan and often we would pack a lunch and tote in various snacks with us to the ballpark. The snacks were always better than whatever you could get at the stadium and way cheaper too - sorry, I just don’t think paying $4 for a undercooked hotdog on a gummy roll is any kind of deal. The stricter security at the stadium combined with a bunch of off-season moves I didn’t like were enough incentive to keep me away.
This year, the Mets actually implemented a tiered pricing structure for games depending on the which visiting team the Mets are playing. This isn’t such a smart move if you are next to last in your division as you are almost guaranteeing higher priced game tickets won’t move once the team is out of contention.
Well, I was working and busy the first part of the year and feeling a little flush so, I decided to indulge and get tickets to a few games. The first tickets I got were for this past Thursday. Years past, the first game of the season I would normally go to would be one sometime in April. Invariably, I would wind up freezing my butt off. This year, I thought I’d avoid the chill by getting tickets for my first game of the season in May.
Yesterday, I think the high topped out at around 54° (that’s being generous), there was a steady breeze making it feel about ten degrees colder than the high and there were intermittent rain showers. When it wasn’t raining, there was this crappy mist thing going on - which was actually worse as the seats we were in which were shielded from the rain were no escape from the mist which seemed to get everywhere.
On the good side, the Mets won! All these big contract veterans Steve Phillips bought in are injured and they’re playing rookies and bench players. It’s lots more fun to watch these guys play. They play hard and you can see by their play they are really jazzed about being in the big leagues. As a fan, I’d rather watch these guys play (win or lose) than a bunch of veterans who take it for granted.
The other thing is, they aren’t a bad team! Maybe I’m too much of a fan but, I like this team better than the one the Mets left spring training with and I think they actually might have a chance to make things interesting. The next week (with the series in Atlanta, one in Philly and one at home against Atlanta) will tell the tale.
So, they do have more extensive security at the ballpark now but, it’s just a matter of figuring out what you can bring in and what you can’t. It looks like if you package things the right way you can still bring in your own food.
I went to my first Mets game at Shea stadium since September 11th on Thursday afternoon. Stricter security measures were enacted after the 11th and they only served to keep me away from the ballpark. My understanding was that patrons were no longer allowed to bring in anything from the outside in with them.
I think baseball tickets are exorbitantly high-priced here in New York. All the years I went to Yankee games (when I was a Yankee fan), I made it a much more affordable proposition by bringing chicken from the Popeye’s over on River Avenue and a bag of chips and other munchies. I continued the habit after I changed my allegiances to the Mets.
A few years back I had a Mets Saturday plan and often we would pack a lunch and tote in various snacks with us to the ballpark. The snacks were always better than whatever you could get at the stadium and way cheaper too - sorry, I just don’t think paying $4 for a undercooked hotdog on a gummy roll is any kind of deal. The stricter security at the stadium combined with a bunch of off-season moves I didn’t like were enough incentive to keep me away.
This year, the Mets actually implemented a tiered pricing structure for games depending on the which visiting team the Mets are playing. This isn’t such a smart move if you are next to last in your division as you are almost guaranteeing higher priced game tickets won’t move once the team is out of contention.
Well, I was working and busy the first part of the year and feeling a little flush so, I decided to indulge and get tickets to a few games. The first tickets I got were for this past Thursday. Years past, the first game of the season I would normally go to would be one sometime in April. Invariably, I would wind up freezing my butt off. This year, I thought I’d avoid the chill by getting tickets for my first game of the season in May.
Yesterday, I think the high topped out at around 54° (that’s being generous), there was a steady breeze making it feel about ten degrees colder than the high and there were intermittent rain showers. When it wasn’t raining, there was this crappy mist thing going on - which was actually worse as the seats we were in which were shielded from the rain were no escape from the mist which seemed to get everywhere.
On the good side, the Mets won! All these big contract veterans Steve Phillips bought in are injured and they’re playing rookies and bench players. It’s lots more fun to watch these guys play. They play hard and you can see by their play they are really jazzed about being in the big leagues. As a fan, I’d rather watch these guys play (win or lose) than a bunch of veterans who take it for granted.
The other thing is, they aren’t a bad team! Maybe I’m too much of a fan but, I like this team better than the one the Mets left spring training with and I think they actually might have a chance to make things interesting. The next week (with the series in Atlanta, one in Philly and one at home against Atlanta) will tell the tale.
So, they do have more extensive security at the ballpark now but, it’s just a matter of figuring out what you can bring in and what you can’t. It looks like if you package things the right way you can still bring in your own food.
May 20, 2003
More proof Steve Phillips is making Mets fans crazy.
If their record wasn’t 19-25 this wouldn’t be as funny.
If their record wasn’t 19-25 this wouldn’t be as funny.
Today the terror alert level was raised to Orange.
Do people have discussions about this?
“Wow, thanks Steve! I’ll have to remember my gas mask tomorrow!”
What does this stupid crap mean anyway?! Do I do anything different? No.
Do you do anything different? Probably not.
So, what is the point. Is it some kind of justification in the public’s mind for all the spending that’s going on in the name of “national security?”
This may sound slightly blasphemous to some but, would stuff like this even had made a difference on September 11?
Am I the only person that thinks all that’s required is a modicum of common sense? In the words of Ben Grimm...Sheeeessshhhhh!
Not too long ago, Margaret had posted something on her blog written by (if I remember correctly) a Pakistani writer regarding America’s obsession with therapy and analysis. I went back but, the link isn’t there anymore.
The gist was that the United States as a nation was full of people trying to justify their feelings. If there is one lesson to learn from September 11th, I think it’s this: We are a nation of self centered, self indulgent people with a very narrow world view, f**k with us at your peril.
I can’t help but think given all the events since September 11th, if these clowns responsible had been able to look two years down the road they might have thought twice about doing it. I mean think of it. Since they’ve done it we’ve used the event as justification to invade Afghanistan and then Iraq.
Do you feel any safer now than you did on the night of September 10th, 2001?
May 18, 2003
Why should Steve Phillips be put out of Mets fans misery?
The Mets have the second highest payroll in baseball with $117 million dollars being spent on player salaries.
This includes:
Mo Vaughn $17,166,667
Mike Piazza $15,571,429
Jeromy Burnitz $12,166,667
John Franco $3,833,333
Rey Sanchez $1,300,000
Scott Strickland $950,000
Grant Roberts $310,000
So, it winds up Steve Phillips is paying $51,298,096 to players currently on the disabled list. Some might say its not Phillips fault but, caveat emptor! If you spend a lot of money on older players and you overpay for them, having them wind up on the disabled list is the risk you take. Also, this doesn’t include the $4,875,000 the Mets are paying Roger Cedeno or the money they’re paying to David Cone who is currently on the disabled list as well.
Maybe after the Mets fire Steve Phillips he can become the CEO of a Telcom.
The Mets have the second highest payroll in baseball with $117 million dollars being spent on player salaries.
This includes:
Mo Vaughn $17,166,667
Mike Piazza $15,571,429
Jeromy Burnitz $12,166,667
John Franco $3,833,333
Rey Sanchez $1,300,000
Scott Strickland $950,000
Grant Roberts $310,000
So, it winds up Steve Phillips is paying $51,298,096 to players currently on the disabled list. Some might say its not Phillips fault but, caveat emptor! If you spend a lot of money on older players and you overpay for them, having them wind up on the disabled list is the risk you take. Also, this doesn’t include the $4,875,000 the Mets are paying Roger Cedeno or the money they’re paying to David Cone who is currently on the disabled list as well.
Maybe after the Mets fire Steve Phillips he can become the CEO of a Telcom.
May 17, 2003
Wow! I look up and three days has passed!
The horror of automobile ownership continues... the car went in to the shop the other day. Cars have a way of letting you know when you’ve been neglectful and the one I have now is no different. I bought this car new, it was the first new car I ever had in my entire life. Prior to this I had a series of used cars so, I was no stranger to the world of the roadside breakdown. Luckily, I haven’t been a resident of that world for the last few years - I guess I’ve been spoiled.
Anyway, I got stuck alongside of an entrance ramp to a local parkway on Wednesday. I was trying to race into the city and the car decided we wouldn’t be doing much of anything that day. It had acted up on Tuesday as well so, I wasn’t totally surprised when it happened but, I sure wasn’t happy about it either.
Cars are funny in that you always hope whatever is wrong will be something cheap and easy to fix and you work your way up to more serious problems as you rule things out in increasing levels of severity (much like modern medicine I think). I had taken the car in for inspection last week and was surprised when it came back to me without the hidden expense (something that would prevent it from passing but also costing a few hundred dollars). I had replaced the battery the week before as the car had been acting funny for the last few weeks since the weather started getting warmer. I thought maybe I could get off easy but, that was not to be the case.
So, I’m stuck on this entrance ramp and treated to people whizzing past me, beeping their horns and coming dangerously close to hitting the car. I could live without that excitement. I rolled the car back down the ramp in neutral and wound up in the middle of an intersection. Fortunately I was helped in pushing it off to the side by three good samaritans who just stopped and helped me get it over onto the shoulder (just when your faith in people is at its lowest, something nice happens).
I even got it started and managed to get home without a tow so, I considered myself very lucky. The car went back to the shop (locally). I had reservations about their ability to correct the problem but again, you always hope you’ll get off light.
Well, it came back to me without anything really getting fixed but, it did cost around $90 so, I guess we’re locked into going back to the dealership. I’m glad I rented a car to go up to Boston, it would’ve sucked big time to get stuck up in Massachusetts somewhere.
Saw X2 Friday which was really, really good. Even better than the first probably and managed to stay true to the source material. I think it ran a little long because I started to nod off near the end. Of course, during Daredevil I flat out feel asleep.
This was a good news/bad news kind of week.
The good news was that two people I know who had been out of work for long periods of time got jobs. Tom (a friend from Grey) looks like he finally got a job as a retoucher at night (yayyyyy Tom!) and Roberta is working now as a tailor at a midtown hotel (yyyyaaaaaaaayyyyy Roberta!). Also, my friend Mark is beating me to the altar!
The bad news was that two people had lost their fathers in the last few weeks - my friends Sarah and Louis’ wife Angie so, my heart went out to them. I don’t deal well with people passing, I don’t know what to say to people that will help them and I feel a lot of things you could say wind up sounding empty and clichéd - I’ve lost people and I still get upset thinking about how much I miss them long after they’ve passed. It’s hard to say goodbye to someone you love and particularly hard when it’s your parent.
The horror of automobile ownership continues... the car went in to the shop the other day. Cars have a way of letting you know when you’ve been neglectful and the one I have now is no different. I bought this car new, it was the first new car I ever had in my entire life. Prior to this I had a series of used cars so, I was no stranger to the world of the roadside breakdown. Luckily, I haven’t been a resident of that world for the last few years - I guess I’ve been spoiled.
Anyway, I got stuck alongside of an entrance ramp to a local parkway on Wednesday. I was trying to race into the city and the car decided we wouldn’t be doing much of anything that day. It had acted up on Tuesday as well so, I wasn’t totally surprised when it happened but, I sure wasn’t happy about it either.
Cars are funny in that you always hope whatever is wrong will be something cheap and easy to fix and you work your way up to more serious problems as you rule things out in increasing levels of severity (much like modern medicine I think). I had taken the car in for inspection last week and was surprised when it came back to me without the hidden expense (something that would prevent it from passing but also costing a few hundred dollars). I had replaced the battery the week before as the car had been acting funny for the last few weeks since the weather started getting warmer. I thought maybe I could get off easy but, that was not to be the case.
So, I’m stuck on this entrance ramp and treated to people whizzing past me, beeping their horns and coming dangerously close to hitting the car. I could live without that excitement. I rolled the car back down the ramp in neutral and wound up in the middle of an intersection. Fortunately I was helped in pushing it off to the side by three good samaritans who just stopped and helped me get it over onto the shoulder (just when your faith in people is at its lowest, something nice happens).
I even got it started and managed to get home without a tow so, I considered myself very lucky. The car went back to the shop (locally). I had reservations about their ability to correct the problem but again, you always hope you’ll get off light.
Well, it came back to me without anything really getting fixed but, it did cost around $90 so, I guess we’re locked into going back to the dealership. I’m glad I rented a car to go up to Boston, it would’ve sucked big time to get stuck up in Massachusetts somewhere.
Saw X2 Friday which was really, really good. Even better than the first probably and managed to stay true to the source material. I think it ran a little long because I started to nod off near the end. Of course, during Daredevil I flat out feel asleep.
This was a good news/bad news kind of week.
The good news was that two people I know who had been out of work for long periods of time got jobs. Tom (a friend from Grey) looks like he finally got a job as a retoucher at night (yayyyyy Tom!) and Roberta is working now as a tailor at a midtown hotel (yyyyaaaaaaaayyyyy Roberta!). Also, my friend Mark is beating me to the altar!
The bad news was that two people had lost their fathers in the last few weeks - my friends Sarah and Louis’ wife Angie so, my heart went out to them. I don’t deal well with people passing, I don’t know what to say to people that will help them and I feel a lot of things you could say wind up sounding empty and clichéd - I’ve lost people and I still get upset thinking about how much I miss them long after they’ve passed. It’s hard to say goodbye to someone you love and particularly hard when it’s your parent.
May 14, 2003
Last night I saw Comedian the highly touted documentary featuring Jerry Seinfeld. Seinfeld might’ve been a show about nothing but, a documentary about nothing doesn’t really cut it. Don’t waste your time. You’d think with appearances by so many comics (Jay Leno, Chris Rock, Bill Cosby, Colin Quinn, Garry Shandling, Robert Klein, Ray Romano) it would be really funny or interesting, it’s anything but. Actually, you’d probably be more entertained watching paint dry. It’s self indulgent, plodding and painfully long. As much as I love language and find wordplay interesting, two hours of comics sitting in darkened clubs over a variety of meals talking to each other about the trials and tribulations of performing and creating material is just boooorrrrrrrrrrriiiiiiiiinnnnnnnnngggggggggg. Nothing revealing about anyone is said, nothing controversial. The movie has the intensity of an infomercial. Imagine: “ooooooooo, look at me, I’m a comic, life is sooo tough, I have to sit around all day trying to think of funny things to say and people are sooooo mean they don’t laugh all the time.”
Please!
Please!
My friend Jack sent me this link which gives new meaning to the old saw about speaking with a “forked tongue.” It doesn’t strike me as shocking, doesn’t strike me as cool, just stupid - which means my age is showing I guess. I had thought about getting a tattoo well before they became so “mainstream.” There’s nothing unique or special about tattoos anymore if anything, they’ve become quite pedestrian and commonplace. I just wonder if all these young, pretty people had given any kind of thought to how that tattoo will look on an old sagging body – not much I’d venture.
May 12, 2003
Ah... another Monday.
While the rest of the world trudges back to work, I (numbered among the gloriously unemployed) have a week looming large ahead of me.
I've been doing the hermit thing mostly as of late. It's very easy for me to stay in and around the house if only not to spend any money (to use the Godfather reference, I've gone "to the mattresses").
The hermit thing is good because, after awhile I'm forced to get around to doing all the things I put off doing if only due to sheer boredom. There are just so many days you can spend watching the litany of court shows and Springer type shows until you've had your fill and want to do something else. Same thing goes for whiling away the hours surfing the net.
It's like coming out of a coma or something - especially when I look around and see the disaster area the house is. I keep seeing images of people's houses out in the midwest after they've been hit by a tornado and think to myself, "Wow! Our place looks like that and we didn't even get hit by a tornado!"
So, when Monday comes around, I have to sit down and figure out what exactly it is I'll accomplish for the week. Last time around when I was home for any stratch of time I made out this big list which covered four areas, I think it was something like "house," "office," "career" and "personal." The list was so long it was overwhelming (and paralyzing). Now I just try to get a few things done each week to get me closer to whatever ephemeral goal I have in my life.
It works lots better.
While the rest of the world trudges back to work, I (numbered among the gloriously unemployed) have a week looming large ahead of me.
I've been doing the hermit thing mostly as of late. It's very easy for me to stay in and around the house if only not to spend any money (to use the Godfather reference, I've gone "to the mattresses").
The hermit thing is good because, after awhile I'm forced to get around to doing all the things I put off doing if only due to sheer boredom. There are just so many days you can spend watching the litany of court shows and Springer type shows until you've had your fill and want to do something else. Same thing goes for whiling away the hours surfing the net.
It's like coming out of a coma or something - especially when I look around and see the disaster area the house is. I keep seeing images of people's houses out in the midwest after they've been hit by a tornado and think to myself, "Wow! Our place looks like that and we didn't even get hit by a tornado!"
So, when Monday comes around, I have to sit down and figure out what exactly it is I'll accomplish for the week. Last time around when I was home for any stratch of time I made out this big list which covered four areas, I think it was something like "house," "office," "career" and "personal." The list was so long it was overwhelming (and paralyzing). Now I just try to get a few things done each week to get me closer to whatever ephemeral goal I have in my life.
It works lots better.
May 11, 2003
Eenie, Meenie, Minie, Moe... catch a driver or let him go.
I got a ticket yesterday.
I hate getting tickets (as if anyone enjoys the experience).
I’ve had a good run though as I can’t remember the last time I got any kind of traffic ticket (parking tickets are another matter). I was going down a local parkway that ends with an intersection with a traffic light leading into a highway. I got caught behind another motorist who decided to stop at a yellow light. I was behind him.
When I looked to my left, there was an unattended police motorcycle standing on the grassy square. The owner of the motorcycle - a portly leather clad office (looking for all the world as if he could be one of the Village People) was on one of those phone boxes along the side of the road.
He walked up to my car and looking in could see I wasn’t wearing my seat belt. I had thought about putting it on but, as the officer was already walking up to the car and could see in it seemed pointless to do the seatbelt dance - it’s not as if he wouldn’t have known.
Sure enough he gave me a ticket.
Now I’d like someone to explain this to me though... it’s a $40 ticket. Okay. But, there’s a $30 surcharge! What the f**k! Just call it a $70 ticket! That’s what it is. It’s not like you can not pay the surcharge. They’ve been doing this for years and I still don’t really understand it. I mean if you get a ticket, you pay what you pay, you don’t have any choice in the matter. Is this just another way of dancing around the fact that it’s really, really expensive to get any kind of ticket. The parking tickets in the city are $100 now!
Anyhow, I was surprised to find Roberta had gotten a ticket for the very same thing while in her neighborhood and only a block from her house (in Williamsburg) so, maybe there’s some edict for the police to generate more money for the city by writing more tickets. If so, buckle up! You have been warned!
I got a ticket yesterday.
I hate getting tickets (as if anyone enjoys the experience).
I’ve had a good run though as I can’t remember the last time I got any kind of traffic ticket (parking tickets are another matter). I was going down a local parkway that ends with an intersection with a traffic light leading into a highway. I got caught behind another motorist who decided to stop at a yellow light. I was behind him.
When I looked to my left, there was an unattended police motorcycle standing on the grassy square. The owner of the motorcycle - a portly leather clad office (looking for all the world as if he could be one of the Village People) was on one of those phone boxes along the side of the road.
He walked up to my car and looking in could see I wasn’t wearing my seat belt. I had thought about putting it on but, as the officer was already walking up to the car and could see in it seemed pointless to do the seatbelt dance - it’s not as if he wouldn’t have known.
Sure enough he gave me a ticket.
Now I’d like someone to explain this to me though... it’s a $40 ticket. Okay. But, there’s a $30 surcharge! What the f**k! Just call it a $70 ticket! That’s what it is. It’s not like you can not pay the surcharge. They’ve been doing this for years and I still don’t really understand it. I mean if you get a ticket, you pay what you pay, you don’t have any choice in the matter. Is this just another way of dancing around the fact that it’s really, really expensive to get any kind of ticket. The parking tickets in the city are $100 now!
Anyhow, I was surprised to find Roberta had gotten a ticket for the very same thing while in her neighborhood and only a block from her house (in Williamsburg) so, maybe there’s some edict for the police to generate more money for the city by writing more tickets. If so, buckle up! You have been warned!
May 10, 2003
I had spoken a few weeks ago about counting change. My final count was... (drumroll please) one thousand, three hundred and twenty one dollars! It wound up paying for the trip to Boston and there being money left over (to pay for the airfare for the Key West trip). I hated the fact that the jars I keep the coins in were now empty. There was always something reassuring about those jars being filled with change. Emergency money if you will. So, I start right in again trying to fill them up.
It seems like things might be turning around with the economy, although I do have noted a few people talking about moving away from New York recently because of how expensive it is here. Our across the street neighbor just put his house up for sale within the last week or so. I got a chance to speak with him yesterday. He was working for an internet company as an “online editor” awhile back and he seemed to change jobs as the industry took a hit.
He and his wife’s story is probably like many people in I believe he was working at a company where they were throwing around money like it was going out of style at a time everything with a dotcom attached to its name was an investment bankers wet dream. Lots of mad money in stock options and salary enabling him and his wife to get a house and have a kid - she stopped working shortly after they moved in and got pregnant not too long after.
Well, when the internet bubble burst, he cut his hair (when they first moved in he wore a pony tail), changed his mode of dress and started putting in much longer hours.
Where are they moving? North Dakota, where her family is from and things are lots cheaper (although those winters, bbrrrrrrrr!). The house they purchased for between $200 and $250k is on the market for $35 0! This is after being in it for only a few years!
Of course, the Metro North fare went up 25%, the subway just went to $2, everyone is talking about budget shortfalls in New York city and in Albany and the tax increase that will go along with it.
I wa s n’t a big fan of Bloomberg’s try at reinstating the commuter tax. A lot of my city resident friends will probably argue that I use city services but, the truth no one confronts is the difference in property taxes between the city and the burbs with city p roperty owners getting off pretty light. Even with the increase! I have friends who’ve been looking to purchase a home (and move from the new mecca of youth - Williamsburg).
Well, they looked at one home up in Westchester (priced at $600k) where the y early school taxes were $11k (and that was on the low end for a lot of the communities up here) - meanwhile they also looked at a brownstone in the city with an asking price of $800k and somehow even though the property was almost 25% more, the yearly tax es are $1,600!
If the tax rate in the city was really comparable to what it is in the burbs it would put the yearly tax rate at more like $13,750. That’s a difference of $12,150 per year for just one property.
Seems to me for all the crying about the incre dible tax burden on city dwellers there some strange arithmetic going on here. Before they start looking to place a levy on people living beyond the city’s boundaries, I really think they should be looking to assessing property at it’s true value and makn g property owners pony up their share.
And for what its worth I guarantee you they don’t have the level of services city residents enjoy. It’s not surprising though considering there was some news awhile back about building inspectors taking bribe money to lower assessed values of property.
Besides most of the people I know living in the city, rent.
The one thing I don’t understand though is why the federal government is less than forth coming with money for the city - you’d think by now it would be apparent to the people running this nation that when New York city experiences a boom in its economy, the rest of the country seems to do well too.
He and his wife’s story is probably like many people in I believe he was working at a company where they were throwing around money like it was going out of style at a time everything with a dotcom attached to its name was an investment bankers wet dream. Lots of mad money in stock options and salary enabling him and his wife to get a house and have a kid - she stopped working shortly after they moved in and got pregnant not too long after.
Well, when the internet bubble burst, he cut his hair (when they first moved in he wore a pony tail), changed his mode of dress and started putting in much longer hours.
Where are they moving? North Dakota, where her family is from and things are lots cheaper (although those winters, bbrrrrrrrr!). The house they purchased for between $200 and $250k is on the market for $35 0! This is after being in it for only a few years!
Of course, the Metro North fare went up 25%, the subway just went to $2, everyone is talking about budget shortfalls in New York city and in Albany and the tax increase that will go along with it.
I wa s n’t a big fan of Bloomberg’s try at reinstating the commuter tax. A lot of my city resident friends will probably argue that I use city services but, the truth no one confronts is the difference in property taxes between the city and the burbs with city p roperty owners getting off pretty light. Even with the increase! I have friends who’ve been looking to purchase a home (and move from the new mecca of youth - Williamsburg).
Well, they looked at one home up in Westchester (priced at $600k) where the y early school taxes were $11k (and that was on the low end for a lot of the communities up here) - meanwhile they also looked at a brownstone in the city with an asking price of $800k and somehow even though the property was almost 25% more, the yearly tax es are $1,600!
If the tax rate in the city was really comparable to what it is in the burbs it would put the yearly tax rate at more like $13,750. That’s a difference of $12,150 per year for just one property.
Seems to me for all the crying about the incre dible tax burden on city dwellers there some strange arithmetic going on here. Before they start looking to place a levy on people living beyond the city’s boundaries, I really think they should be looking to assessing property at it’s true value and makn g property owners pony up their share.
And for what its worth I guarantee you they don’t have the level of services city residents enjoy. It’s not surprising though considering there was some news awhile back about building inspectors taking bribe money to lower assessed values of property.
Besides most of the people I know living in the city, rent.
The one thing I don’t understand though is why the federal government is less than forth coming with money for the city - you’d think by now it would be apparent to the people running this nation that when New York city experiences a boom in its economy, the rest of the country seems to do well too.
May 9, 2003
Last weekend I was in Boston where I got a chance to see the first show on the Lost In America Tour of This American Life. This is the second time I’ve seen a live performance of the show - the first time in Town Hall a few years back.
This time around, we got to see Sarah Vowell and David Sedaris again (and fortunately Boston was the only city on the tour where David Sedaris performed - if you don’t know who David Sedaris is, click on the link to listen to one of the best Christmas stories I have ever heard!), there was also a piece by the publisher of Found magazine.
Ira Glass previewed something he was working on with Chris Ware (of Jimmy Corrigan fame) which was beautiful and haunting. If you haven’t heard of This American Life, you can listen to past shows via Real Audio FOR FREE! I’ve had a lot of days at work that have been made all the better listening to this show! If you don’t know where to begin, here’s one of my favorites.
Also today, did the bulk shopping thing at CostCo. Only the United States could spawn such a store. There really is something slightly surreal about watching all these slow moving (in many cases - obese) people wandering through the aisles like cattle. I half expected a few of the people to “Mooooo” as I walked past (mind you I was one of them today).
Accompanying me on my descent into the orgy of consumerism were Paul and Roberta who had never met one and other. Paul got to take advantage of deals and we got to use his truck as a cargo vehicle. We quickly lost Paul as he got lost among the “bargains.” The next time I saw him an hour or so later the cart he had been wheeling which was empty when I saw him was now overflowing with all manner of bulk items. He had literally built a tower of goods in his cart! The two things we had forgotten to tell him were: 1. They only take cash or debit cards and 2. They don't give you bags of any kind!
Roberta had wisely brought a list with her which I helped her make her way through.
I was the impulse shopper. The end result of my trip? 2-pack of toothpaste, bulk packages of drier sheets (2), bulk fantastic, bulk windex, bulk package of Ivory soap, bulk clorox cleaner, bulk package of Kleenex, bulk bottle of antibacterial hand soap, bulk package of shop (read mechanics) hand soap (GoJo), a case of motor oil, (are we seeing a pattern yet?), bulk packages of batteries (various sizes), two big bags of potato chips, bulk package of Franks Hot Sauce (3-pack), a case of the Mocha Frappacinos.
Mainly dry goods and cleaning supplies. Paul was a little more adventurous and picked up meat there. Roberta picked up meat in the past but, I have to say I’ve walked by their meat case and it didn’t look too hot (if you know what I mean). I have a tendency to be real particular when it comes to perishables (dairy, fruits, fish and meats) and I think I’m better off going to a butcher or local store where I can see how fresh something is and have them cut it to my liking.
I also have to say I saw something on the news recently that confirmed my wariness of buying meat stuff in these places.
Anyway, if you haven’t been, it’s definitely worth going even if it’s only once just for the experience.
Accompanying me on my descent into the orgy of consumerism were Paul and Roberta who had never met one and other. Paul got to take advantage of deals and we got to use his truck as a cargo vehicle. We quickly lost Paul as he got lost among the “bargains.” The next time I saw him an hour or so later the cart he had been wheeling which was empty when I saw him was now overflowing with all manner of bulk items. He had literally built a tower of goods in his cart! The two things we had forgotten to tell him were: 1. They only take cash or debit cards and 2. They don't give you bags of any kind!
Roberta had wisely brought a list with her which I helped her make her way through.
I was the impulse shopper. The end result of my trip? 2-pack of toothpaste, bulk packages of drier sheets (2), bulk fantastic, bulk windex, bulk package of Ivory soap, bulk clorox cleaner, bulk package of Kleenex, bulk bottle of antibacterial hand soap, bulk package of shop (read mechanics) hand soap (GoJo), a case of motor oil, (are we seeing a pattern yet?), bulk packages of batteries (various sizes), two big bags of potato chips, bulk package of Franks Hot Sauce (3-pack), a case of the Mocha Frappacinos.
Mainly dry goods and cleaning supplies. Paul was a little more adventurous and picked up meat there. Roberta picked up meat in the past but, I have to say I’ve walked by their meat case and it didn’t look too hot (if you know what I mean). I have a tendency to be real particular when it comes to perishables (dairy, fruits, fish and meats) and I think I’m better off going to a butcher or local store where I can see how fresh something is and have them cut it to my liking.
I also have to say I saw something on the news recently that confirmed my wariness of buying meat stuff in these places.
Anyway, if you haven’t been, it’s definitely worth going even if it’s only once just for the experience.
Today I think I found the one neighborhood in Manhattan that hasn’t caught the Starbucks virus... Delancy from the Bowery over to the bridge. These days it's getting so you can’t walk a block without seeing a Starbucks so it's now the exception rather than the rule when you don’t see one.
I keep thinking how the Seattle coffee craze will eventually burn itself out, in 2020 people will be looking back on Starbucks with a sense of nostalgia and there will no doubt be fewer of them about.
Although I am admittedly addicted to their espresso brownies as the main course of my daily breakfast (ooooo... nutritious!). Also, I do take home the Chai tea in the container as a drink of choice.
I keep thinking how the Seattle coffee craze will eventually burn itself out, in 2020 people will be looking back on Starbucks with a sense of nostalgia and there will no doubt be fewer of them about.
Although I am admittedly addicted to their espresso brownies as the main course of my daily breakfast (ooooo... nutritious!). Also, I do take home the Chai tea in the container as a drink of choice.
May 8, 2003
Yo! Yo! Yo! Word up! I was also trying to update my repertoire of slang when I came across this site. Unfortunately it wasn’t as extensive as I would have liked and I think it’s a little dated.
Been trying to limit the amount of time I spend aimlessly surfing on the computer and really accomplish some things around here. I am working on a few longer winded entries (again crashing a few times - so, I’ve begun working on longer entries offline) which I'll post when they’re done. Just a few “shorties” for today though...
...I’m still at a loss to explain why I found an ad for these guys when I was looking through the display ads at the back of MacWorld. I was trying to find a decent printer for a business card project I was finishing up for someone and wanted to get a couple of sample packs. If someone can explain to me how a display ad for them in MacWorld is target marketing I’m all ears.
Also, I heard a very interesting segment on the Leonard Lopate show on WNYC today with the author of Fast Food Nation, Eric Schlosser. Schlosser’s books are worth seeking out, he focuses on the marginalization of the American worker its something I find myself concerned with as I see the changes taking place around us daily. You can read an excerpt of his latest book, Reefer Madness on WNYC’s website. Of course, you can also listen to the show via Real Audio by clicking on the link to the Lopate show archives above.
...I’m still at a loss to explain why I found an ad for these guys when I was looking through the display ads at the back of MacWorld. I was trying to find a decent printer for a business card project I was finishing up for someone and wanted to get a couple of sample packs. If someone can explain to me how a display ad for them in MacWorld is target marketing I’m all ears.
Also, I heard a very interesting segment on the Leonard Lopate show on WNYC today with the author of Fast Food Nation, Eric Schlosser. Schlosser’s books are worth seeking out, he focuses on the marginalization of the American worker its something I find myself concerned with as I see the changes taking place around us daily. You can read an excerpt of his latest book, Reefer Madness on WNYC’s website. Of course, you can also listen to the show via Real Audio by clicking on the link to the Lopate show archives above.
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