the bright aisles of c-town

2009-02-18T05:15:00.001-08:00

2007-04-26T06:41:00.000-07:00

Shake It!

Oh how I have neglected this blog.... for anyone who is curious, I had a great time at the Brooklyn Half Marathon and finished in 2:00:03. If only I didn't have to stop to tie my shoe I could have broken 2 hours!

I visited Rochester, NY yesterday to do some work at a school, and I stayed with my good friend Austin. Rochester is a much larger and nicer city than I anticipated, and I had a good time during the 24 hours of my stay.

This weekend - I'm returning to Columbia's campus to play a show with Hello Nurse on the lawn at Barnard. We will be playing at 3:30pm on Lehman Lawn for anyone that's interested. There will be frisbee tossing and large slices of Koronets pizza involved.

Ahh College.

I got an iTunes gift certificate from a coworker, and here are the albums I bought, all of which I highly recommend:

Albert Hammond, Jr. - Yours to Keep
Guitarist from the Strokes formed his own band. If you like the Strokes, you'll like this too.

LCD Soundsystem - Sound of Silver
Fantastic dance rock album.

Dr. Dog - We All Belong
Recorded using all vintage instruments and analog recording gear from the 60's and 70's. This is one of the best pop albums I've heard in a long time. 5 stars!!

Silversun Pickups - Carnavas
West coast band, sounds reminiscent of Smashing Pumpkins. Fantastic sound textures and production.

Easy Star All Stars - Radiodread
This is a reggae band playing the entirety of Radiohead's OK Computer. This is a must-have album if you like OK Computer.

2007-04-12T15:41:00.001-07:00

Run Then Eat

Saturday is the Brooklyn Half Marathon, and I'm getting pumped up! My office space is provided by the Robin Hood Foundation, and a lot of folks here are running in the race so Robin Hood sponsored nice Nike shirts - and they were so kind to give the two Uncommon Schools runners shirts as well. We even got to have our names monogrammed on the shirt. On my order form I wrote "Go Dude Go" as my name, so of course my shirt is awesome.

After the race I'm going to an eating party which is less of a contest and more of a spectacle. Participants choose a food, set a goal for how much of that food they can eat, and then gorge like crazy. Here are some examples:

3 jars of apple sauce
1 gallon of ice cream (not finished)
1 box of Joe (Dunkin Donuts box of coffee, not finished)
1 bucket of fried chicken and 1/2 watermelon (so un-PC, so funny)
1 of each item on the White Castle menu

My choice: cereal. I think I'm going to try to down 3 boxes of Raisin Squares cereal, but that means I have to find a market that sells it. Hopefully the 13.1 miles I run in the morning will leave me ready for the gluttony that will proceed.

2007-03-24T15:58:00.000-07:00

I Broke the 10 Mile Barrier!

I went for a big long run today, and I finally broke the 10 mile barrier. While I'm sure I have run 10 miles in a day at an ultimate tournament, I have never jogged 10 miles continuously.

I ran from Fort Greene, over the Brooklyn Bridge and back, to Brooklyn Heights and along the Promenade. I stopped for a gatorade in Dumbo, and then I ran across the Manhattan Bridge and back. As I approached home, I chose to do one lap through Fort Greene Park to make sure I made it to 10. I was lucky, because when I used WalkJogRun.net to calculate my mileage, it turns out that I ran 10.11 miles. If I hadn't taken that extra lap in the park I would have been disappointed.

I need to be able to run 13 miles in mid-April for the Brooklyn Half Marathon, so I think I'm in good shape.

2007-03-21T04:59:00.000-07:00

Uncommon Schools

Check out the video Uncommon Schools uses to recruit teachers to work in our charter schools. I will be transitioning over to work at North Star Academy as a Director of Operations this summer. North Star is an amazingly inspiring place, and I'm happy to be on board.

2007-03-14T06:23:00.000-07:00

ONE HUNDREDTH SHOW

This Saturday Hello Nurse will play our 100th show as our current lineup. Mike joined the group in February 2004, and over the three years we've been together it seems like we've played a million shows.... but it was actually just 99 shows. If you're in NYC, start your St. Patty's Day celebration off right. We're playing at 9PM, and you can just continue hammering yourself with alcohol into the night.

As a special treat, we are playing an extended set of greatest hits in chronological order. We will start off with the first song we ever wrote together, which after pulling it out of the basement and dusting it off REALLY ROCKS! We will end with a bunch of new tunes you may not have heard if you haven't been to a show in a while.

Score points by wearing green. Score more points by dressing as a nurse. Score a zillion points by dressing like a leprechaun nurse.

Here are the details:

Saturday, March 17 - 9:00 PM
HELLO NURSE

live @ The Tank
279 Church Street
(at the corner of White)
New York, NY 10002

ALL AGES!!!
Doors at 7pm with The Red Chapel and Butch & Bellie

And Monday is my birthday, so this will be doubling as my birthday party. If you don't show up, I will be offended. :)

2007-02-23T06:24:00.000-08:00

The Subway!

Stand clear of the closing door before I knock you on the floor
ON THE SUBWAY--- SUBWAY!

Step in and stand clear or I'll rip that earing out your ear
ON THE SUBWAY--- SUBWAY!

Please stay to the right unless you want to fight
ON THE SUBWAY--- SUBWAY!

2007-02-11T20:47:00.000-08:00

I love The Police, and I love Maps too.

The Police performed on the Grammy's tonight, and I was LOVING IT. Stewart Copeland is my favorite drummer of all-time. As soon as their tour is announced, I will pay any money to go to that show. I cannot wait.

Check out this awesome map. I can't say I've ever heard of Rose Hill, but the map still rocks.

2007-02-08T17:23:00.000-08:00

Running in the Freezing Cold Dark Like a Jackass

I challenged myself and went for a run tonight in the 25 degree weather. I thought it would be a suicide battle the whole way, but it turned out to be just plain spectacular. I must have layered my clothese just right.

Here is the route I took. I plotted it out on walkjogrun.net, which is a fun website to play with.

I basically ran directly over the Brooklyn Bridge and back on the same route, which is why it looks like a straight line instead of a loop. The total journey was 4.5 miles, about half of which includes a view like this. I love living in Brooklyn.

Going on run's like this always makes me think of running with Drew. Drew and I would go on epic runs in Washington Heights where we crossed highways, bridges, and surpising patches of forest in upper Manhattan. We would go running in the most foul weather, like once in a slush storm. We even scaled the walls of Fort Tryon and sprinted the tunnels of the 1/9. Running in the freezing cold dark like jackasses most certainly.

Drew is currently training for a marathon and I'm training for a half marathon, which is about right considering he's such a better runner... and he runs a shoe store now, so it's kind of job requirement. Thanks for the insoles, Drew!

Guess what Drew is holding in this picture.
???

2007-02-08T12:12:00.000-08:00

Wendy Kopp on the Colbert Report

Wendy Kopp is the president and founder of Teach For America. She was on the Colbert Report the other day, and Stephen was a good chap and let her speak the message without messing with her too much.

Wendy Kopp on the Colbert Report

Part 1/2:

Part 2/2:

2007-02-06T19:44:00.000-08:00

National 40 Ounce Day is FRIDAY, FEB 9

A few years ago Bill Bert and I created a new holiday - National 40 Day. It takes place on February 9th, the 40th day of the year. Celebrating the holiday is simple: you drink a 40.

We threw together a website, and somehow the website is still alive despite total neglect. Check it out here.

www.40ozday.com

Please pay no attention to the copy - it's gibberish nonsense. Since Bill is currently studying for his MFA in Writing, I'm sure he will get a kick out reading this relic from his past.

Here are pictures of us celebrating in the 2004. (Not only was the copywriting bad, but the photoshopping was crappy, too!)

National 40 Day 2004

Blog post from 40 Day 2005

Enjoy your 40 Day and take pictures if you celebrate!

2007-02-06T19:31:00.000-08:00

Idiotarod Pics

The Idiotarod was insane. We dressed as Roman warriors and raced shopping carts throughout the city screaming "IDIOT!....CHARIOT!" in call and response. Here are some of my pictures from the day, many of which are the poses that will be featured on our soon-to-be-released trading cards.

FIERCE WARRIOR!

Drew and Jeff drove all the way from Ohio for the event.

Jon

Lightshow

Sean

Taylor

Liz

Julia

Battle Tigger! (Yes - that's Tigger, not Tiger.)

2007-01-28T19:41:00.000-08:00

Idiotarod

The Idiotarod was Saturday, and it was a blast. I will give a more comprehensive post soon, but in the meantime check out this great music video someone made. At around 2:27 you can see my friend Sean and I crashing our chariots together. Since we built the carts as chariots, we really could ride them into each other. It was great fun, but I still can't believe I didn't lose any fingers.

My team, Idiot Chariot, charges through Long Island City, Queens.

2007-01-25T10:53:00.000-08:00

2007-01-19T22:56:00.000-08:00

Idiotarod is coming

I'm starting to get psyched about the Idiotarod, which is happening next weekend. This Sunday I will be turning 2 Home Depot shopping carts into chariots of death.

In the meantime, this video is almost as good as the White Rapper Show on VH1, which is what I watch while Jackie performs her very own White Napper Show.

2006-12-20T21:46:00.000-08:00

Uncle Jim on the Radio

Jim Brunberg on public radio in Oregon promoting a new song from Mississippi Studios which benefits the Hathaway House.

2006-12-18T07:17:00.000-08:00

Not Safe For Work - But worth the wait until you get home

Jackie and I saw this live on SNL this weekend, and we were on the floor laughing. There were beeps over the D word, so Jackie thought it was the C word - which would actually make it much funnier (if that's possible). The mouth of a sailor, that girl.

2006-12-12T14:12:00.000-08:00

Speaking of Monday Night Football

Gotta spread this around - hilarious.

2006-12-11T20:40:00.000-08:00

How did Brass Monkey end up on the menu?

Matt D. came over to watch Monday Night Football tonight, and we decided to make it a Brass Monkey night. For those who don't know, a brass monkey is when you drink a 40 of malt liquor down to the label and then fill it back up with orange juice. Sounds disgusting, right? OE and OJ? Well, contrary to my initial gag reflex when I first heard about a brass monkey, it's actually quite tolerable. No really, it tastes pretty good.

This is what it looks like when white people drink brass monkey.

Matt bought everything necessary on his walk over before the game. He bought two 40s of Olde English 800 and 3 small containers of Tangerine-Orange juice. So this is where it becomes obvious that we are three white honkeys drinking brass monkeys. Matt bought 3 small containers of tangerine-orange. TANGERINE!

Of course, when we pour the whitey juice into our malt liquor bottles - sipped precisely to the label - the concoction looks more like Ass Monkey. (It was brown, like cider.) Matt looks at the container, and the expiration date of the tangerine-orange is October 30. Today is December 11. I guess you can say they don't pay much attention to the expiration dates of the tangerine-orange juice on Myrtle Ave.

Thus begins my journey to buy more malt liquor, since our previous batch was tainted by the rotten exotic brand. I went to a bodega at the end of the next block, because there is a higher likelihood that this bodega also has Haagendaaz for Jackie. (The bodega on our corner once sold us fake Tide, so I didn't even bother.)

I picked out a 40 of OE and a pint of Chocolate Chocolate Chip. When I approached the counter, the clerk was keeping tabs on some guy trying to buy snacks with food stamps. The other guy at the counter thinks my 40 is his, but apparently the clerk had already hidden this guy's 40s behind the counter. I tell them both, "This is my beer. The beer and the ice cream are mine."

The guy responds, "Hey, where's my beer?"
Clerk: "Behind the counter."
Guy: "Give me my beer back."
Clerk: "You already have two in your pocket."
Guy: looks totally busted

The clerk made it clear that the guy could only pay for the food with foodstamps - he would need cash for the beer. I paid for my goods and left the store. When I got home I realized that I only bought one 40, but we needed two since Matt actually poured a small amount of tainted juice into his 40 as well. So back to the bodega I went for another 40.

Thsi time I just went to the fake Tide bodega because it's closest. I went into the store, slid open the packing-tape-over-shattered-glass refrigerator door, and picked out a 40 and a deuce (22oz) for Jackie, because after all this she was going to have to join us.

When I approached the counter, there he was - the SAME GUY. He was pulling the same scheme with a counter full of snacks and pockets full of 40. I put my beer on the counter, and I tried to figure out whether or not I should bring up the coincidence that we saw each other at two bodegas on the same block with basically the same purchase.

"Hey man, looks like you and I have the same plans tonight. I went home and my friends wanted more beer, so I'm back again."

The guy turned to me, not exactly realizing that I was talking to him. He looked up, and with an honest face as if we once knew each other he asked,

"Hey, do I know you?"

"Yeah man, two stores down about 5 minutes ago."

***********************

I went home and we made brass monkey. But we still used white-people orange juice in the end.

Oh, and the Bears won.

2006-11-14T15:27:00.000-08:00

Bank of A******

Do you miss the taste of vomit in your mouth? Well, this should help.

2006-11-07T07:14:00.000-08:00

Busy Weekend, Worrisome Election

Last weekend was absolutely insane. Hello Nurse had three shows, all of which were great. On Friday we played a CMJ show at 205 Bar on Chrystie Street. Mike's friends came out in full force. On Saturday night we played another CMJ show at our favorite venue, The Tank, with good friends The Rinse and new friends The States. The States actually have a practice room in the same building where we practice, so I'm sure there will be some smack talk via post-it note happening soon. Jackie and I saw Borat on Saturday night and then woke up early to cheer on the marathoners on Sunday. Sunday evening Hello Nurse drove down to Arcadia University outside of Philly for a show. The mic broke during the first song, and then the fire alarm went off during the second song. About 15 people stuck around for our set, which was nice, but I didn't get home until 3am. Yikes!

Today, Jackie and I got up early to head to the polls before work. I voted WFP straight down the board. I was ambivalent about Hevesi, given the resent scandal, which is a shame because I used to like him a lot. Typically, I would forgive someone who spent car service money on his ailing wife. But, when you're running for the state watchdog office, you can't be screwing up like that. Fortunately for Hevesi, his opponent Callaghan is a total joke.

The one thing I'm excited about in this election is Elliot Spitzer running for governor. He is one of the few politicians I've been excited about recently, if only because he actually accomplished some positive results during his time in office as the Secretary General. I'm happy to see Pataki get the hell out. With Spitzer at the helm, we might actually see more progress: a big chunk of change a long time coming for NYC schools, possible legislation introduced in support of gay marriage, and maybe even some reform to three-men-in-a-room politics in Albany. Maybe.

The hard part about today's election is the high-hopes I've been carrying about the possibility of a Democrat-controlled congress. The polls suggest it's a possibility, and I'm all giddy just thinking about it. But I seriously dread the sinking pit in my stomach I might feel tomorrow if it doesn't happen. The same sinking pit, although possibly not quite as bad, as the past two presidential elections. It would be great, for once, to have something to cheer about the day after the election. You know, hope - which is not something I can say I've felt toward politics in this country for many years.

If you live in New York City and haven't voted yet today, check out the Gotham Gazette Guide for the Last Minute Voter.

2006-11-01T06:47:00.000-08:00

Thriller Zombies - Mentioned in AP article about NYC Halloween Parade

Last night I dressed up like a zombie (for the 4th time in a week) and joined a group of the undead to dance the choreography to Michael Jackson's Thriller in the Halloween Parade. It was great fun, and the crowd went nuts whenever we started up the dance.

Here is a video from YouTube. You can see me stumbling by at 00:57.

Here is a video from ABC News. If you pause the video at 1:27 you will see me in a grey suit with a yellow shirt jumping in the air.

You can see us briefly on this NY1 video clip. (Real Media)

We were even mentioned in the Associated Press article this morning!

'Freaky' folk out for NYC's Halloween parade
By DEEPTI HAJELA
Associated Press Writer

November 1, 2006, 12:58 AM EST

NEW YORK -- Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons of KISS considered dressing up for Halloween.

"We were going to come down in suits and ties," Stanley said as the pair presided over the annual Greenwich Village parade in their full black-and-white performance regalia. "But we decided to wear our street gear, and we're happy to see a whole city of people who look as freaky as we do."

The rock stars, who marched up Sixth Avenue as the parade's grand marshals Tuesday, wore high-heeled boots, makeup and leather. It might have been one of the few times they have faced any costume competition.

Joining them in the 33rd annual parade were marchers dressed as everything from Halloween standards like devils, witches and pirates to a man wearing an outfit covered with plastic spoons.

"It's fun. Be a wacko in the parade," said Mike Sullivan, who called himself Spoon Man and who has marched in the parade before. "Next year will be something else."

The parade, started in 1973 as a neighborhood event for children, has grown to encompass thousands of marchers, floats and giant puppets, with huge crowds of onlookers and television coverage. An unusual admission policy allows anyone wearing a costume to march. All participants have to do is show up at the start line.

This year the parade theme was "The Village Hearth," said Jeanne Fleming, the artistic director. It's a reference to ancient times, when communities in places like Ireland would gather for giant bonfires on a special night to mark the end of one season and the beginning of another.

The parade, as an event that brings the community together, is a version of that, Fleming said.

"We're re-enacting a ritual that's gone on for a long time," she said.

Marchers were met by an appreciative audience lining the police barricades set up along Sixth Avenue. Some traveled from Pennsylvania and New Jersey to watch the spectacle.

Kristin Jones, a visual artist who lives in the downtown Manhattan neighborhood, brought a small step ladder so she could see over the thick crowd of onlookers. She said she likes the eclectic parade because it is representative of New York.

"I love the variety of the city," she said.

The Princeton University Band played as the parade moved up the avenue. A pack of zombies performed the routine to Michael Jackson's "Thriller." Revelers with ramshackle signs and flimsy floats dedicated to dogs rolled along as other float-riders threw confetti.

Rory Sortino, a real estate agent from Jersey City, N.J., came with his wife. He stood on a milk crate, dressed in a pinstripe outfit with leather bracelets, calling himself Super Convict.

"To me, this is New York's version of Mardi Gras," he said. "It's a very good, positive way for people to express themselves."

2006-10-30T07:12:00.001-08:00

Thriller!

If anyone is going to the Halloween parade along 6th avenue on Tuesday, keep an eye out for a group of zombies dancing the choreography from Michael Jackson's Thriller video. After dressing up as a zombie 3 times in the past week, I joined the group who have done this performance in the past 2 parades. I spent Sunday afternoon at the YMCA on Bowery learning the dance, and about 20-30 of us will be repeating the dance down 6th avenue near the front of the parade. We will be after-partying at Dusk Lounge if you want to stop by.

In other Thriller news, Hello Nurse covered Thriller at our Halloween show at The Tank on Saturday. We all dressed like zombies, and Joe and I even tried our best to perform the set in character. I will upload pictures soon.

2006-10-22T14:39:00.000-07:00

ZOMBIECON 2006

On Saturday Jackie, Mike Bruso, and I participated in ZOMBIECON 2006, which was basically a flash mob of people dressed like zombies roaming around New York City.

We spent the morning destroying some clothes we purchased at the Salvation Army the weekend before. The we bought some white makeup, black makeup, and of course - FAKE BLOOD.

The best part of the day was going through Bloomingdales. Almost 100 people turned out for the event, including a zombie Steve Irwin, a zombie bride, and a mother & child zombie combo.

Here are some pics from Jackie's Flickr stream.

Zombies in Bloomingdales

Jackie and I are going to work on our zombie costumes and perfect the makeup for Halloween this year. Anyone in NYC who doesn't have a costume idea, please join our zombie army. Hello Nurse is playing a Halloween costume show at The Tank on Saturday, October 28, and we will all be zombified. Shred some clothese, get some makeup, and come get UNDEAD.

www.hellonurse.com/shows

2006-10-22T13:49:00.000-07:00

Tour De Slice

A few weeks ago some I met up with some guys for the 2006 running of the Tour De Slice. It was basically a bike ride around New York City to famous pizzerias. The conditions for the ride were perfect: beautiful weather and starving stomachs.

1. DiFara
The first stop on the ride was DiFara in Midwood. Mike and Brian were the only two riders to check out this place, and Max and I joined them in Fort Greene afterwards. Mike and Brian proclaimed DiFara to be one of the better pies they had all day.

2. Fornino
The second stop of the ride was Fornino in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. We ordered one pie with different toppings on each half. I forget one half, but the better half was the Asparagi E Prosciutto, which featured asparagus, prosciutto, fontina, mozzarella, carmelized onions, and cherry tomatoes. I'm usually not a fan of asparagus, but this slice was my favorite of the day.

L to R: Christian, Mike, Brian, Max at Fornino

3. Two Boots
From Fornino we rode across the Williamsburg Bridge to Una Pizza Napoletana. we arrived at 4:30, but the place didn't open until 5 - so we took an unplanned detour to Two Boots pizza on Avenue A. After all those pesky vegatables on the previous pie, we decided for a meatza: pepperoni, sausage, and riccotta cheese. I wouldn't put Two Boots on the same tier as some of the other places we visited, but it sure was damn good.

Tour De Slice still life

4. Una Pizza Napoletana
We rode back to Una Pizza Napoletana after our Two Boots excursion. We got there at 5:20pm, just 20 minutes after it opened, and the entire place was full. We walked in to leave our name for the next table, and the surly waiter wagged his finger and me and told me to leave the dining area. The door was open when I came in, so I missed this sign.

Pizza Nazi Directions

After waiting for 20 minutes we finally got a table, and we couldn't wait to try the Margherita (San Marzano tomatoes, buffalo mozzarella, extra-virgin olive oil, fresh basil, sea salt), one of four pies on the entire menu. Una Pizza Napoletana claims that there is no more purer pizze on the planet, and they may be right. We divided the small pie into fourths, and my slice tasted like very good bread - there was hardly any sauce or cheese, so I was somewhat disappointed.

This place is a great to take a guest in from out of town, but not a place to satisfy serious pizza cravings. Be careful with the hours: Una Pizza Napoletana is open Wednesday-Sunday, from 5:00pm until the fresh dough is sold out.

When we left, there was a long line of folks waiting their turn.

Long line = worth the wait

We were now about half done with our ride, and the sun was setting. I kept the bike ride fun by blasting tunes on my boombox. I hooked up my iPod to the tape adapter, and the Tour De Slice playlist features such classics as Bicycle Race by Queen, Boombox Generation by Motion City Soundtrack, and No Sleep 'Til Brooklyn by the Beastie Boys.

Thanks to Drew for this $4 boombox from Thriftland in the Bronx

At each stop we had to go through a ritual of chaining all our bikes together, and of course, wrapping a U-lock around the boombox.

You can never have enough locks. People will steal anything.

4. Lombardi's
The home stretch featured two pizzeria's the battle for "Best Pizza in the Universe" each year. First, we stopped at Lombardi's. We waited at the bar for a while before sitting down and ordering the clam pie. We were thinking that we should try the specialty pies that are unique at each place, but the clam pie wasn't the best idea. I've had it before and it is interesting. But in hindsight we should have ordered something more standard. The clam pie certainly was distinct, to say the least.

A New York Classic

After waiting for so long at each of the previous restaurants, I had a fantastic idea: phone in our order at Grimaldi's so it will be ready when we get there. BRILLIANT.

Back on our bikes we go over the Manhattan Bridge.

5. Grimaldi's
We ordered a pepperoni and onion pie, and it was ready just minutes after we arrived. Thank goodness, because the line extended down the block.

We took the pie down to the waterfront and gobbled it down. Even with several pizzas already in our stomachs, we had no problem polishing this one off. It was delicious.

You can barely make out the Brooklyn Bridge in the background

Final pie of the night - STILL HUNGRY!

All in all it was a great night, and I would like to give a huge thanks to Mike, Brian, and Max for making the ride such a fun, positive experience. Thanks also to Jacob Press who thought of this idea a few years back and gave us pizzeria recommendations. There are so many pizzerias out there that I'm sure we can come up with several more tours. Let me know if you want to join the next one we do.

View entire Flickr photostream of Tour De Slice

2006-10-19T13:56:00.000-07:00

Best Interactive Subway Map

There are some great map sites out there, and this one is my new favorite. onNYTurf uses a google map base and includes subway routes. For some major stations that serve several subway lines, the map even shows where the station entrances/exits match up with the train platforms. There's nothing worse then going into a subway station and then having to weave around a labyrinth to get to the correct platform.

Thanks to Gothamist for this lead.

Other great map sites:

HopStop: Point-to-point directions via public transit. Available for NY, Boston, Chicago, SF, and DC.

WalkJogRun.net: Use this site to find out how far you walked, ran, jogged, or pogo-balled on your last route. You can save and share routes and view routes of other walkers, runners, joggers, and pogo-ballers in your neighborhood.

Gothamist Maps: Shows all up-to-the-minute happenings in New York City, such as robberies, fires, car accidents, building collapses, partial amputations, struck pedestrians, perps on the loose - you name it!

Taxi Fare Finder: Get an approximation of a yellow cab taxi cab fare by plugging in origin and destination locations.

ListPic: This isn't a map, but it still rocks. Tired of combing through hundreds of Craigslist posts every day? Now you can browse a thumbnail page of everything for sale in each section. For example, now I can look at bike porn simply by going to the bikes section of ListPic instead of clicking on every single stupid link. This site is essential for Craigslist addicts (like Jackie and I).

2006-10-18T14:59:00.000-07:00

Brownie the Cow

Mmmmmm, brownies... Oh wait, this is actually serious.

Check out the Brownie the Cow website about a standardized test question for 4th graders in New York State. It's a listening comprehension question, so go ahead and listen to the clip and check out the writing prompt question here.

Companies are paid a lot of money to come up with standardized tests, and it looks like this question was just thrown together at the last minute.

Personally, I believe there is a place for standardized tests because our education systems needs to hold students and teachers accountable to specific, measurable goals in order to both measure and improve student achievement. But in order for standardized testing to help lead toward these goals, the questions need to be aligned with state standards and, Helllllooooooo?!?!?!?!, WELL WRITTEN.

2006-10-16T20:49:00.000-07:00

The Wipe Saddle

I found this on the Hi My Name is Mark podcast, a weekly podcast by Mark Hoppus from Blink 182.

Enjoy.

2006-10-12T07:21:00.000-07:00

Best Block in New York City: Yay Fort Greene!

Time Out magazine has an article listing the 10 best blocks in NYC, and the winner is...

South Portland between DeKalb and Lafayette

This block is right across the park from where Jackie and I live, and we walk down that block quite frequently on the way to the C or G train stops and to some of our favorite restaurants: Pequena, Cafe Lafayette, Stonehome Wine Bar, and Habana Outpost.

Everytime we walk down the block we peek in the window and admire the homes. One window has an African Grey parrot on a bird perch. One house has an ornately painted ceiling with magnificent molding work. One has a spiral staircase to die for. Once I found a cell phone on DeKalb, and I called numbers in the phone until I found the owner - a nice family on South Portland. (I blogged about it last summer.) This summer there were several houses on the block undergoing exterior renovations, so that block is only getting nicer.

Of course, living next to such prime real estate does have drawbacks. We got a letter from our landlord the other day saying that our rent will increase by $100/month starting in January, and then increase almost another $100/month in January of 2007. Our landlord specifically noted that his policy is not to raise rent, but that insurance and tax increases have forced him to raise rents for all apartments.

So, as much as we LOVE our current apartment, it's not a sustainable place for us to live long-term. This sucks, because we can't say enough about our apartment, our neighbors, our block, our hood - it's just a great place to live.

2006-10-10T06:55:00.000-07:00

This Smug Smile Ain't Going Away Soon

Watching the Detroit Tigers' pitchers wipe their nasty butts with Yankee pinstripes was the most satisfying television I've seen in a long time. Hating the Yankees is a pasttime I've grown to love, and rooting for the Red Sox during their 0-3 comeback a few years ago was great fun. But nothing, NOTHING, beats the feeling of watching your own hometown team, a total underdog, embarrass the Yankee faithful and piss out the fire on Steinbrenner's 200 million dollar dream.

Even now that the series has been over for a few days, I still take great joy in reading any article, watching any sport-break, and evesdropping any elevator conversation on the topic. I will never get sick of hearing about this series.

Now I just hope that both the Tigers and the Mets make it to the world series so I can spend the entirety of my next paycheck on a single bleacher ticket.

2006-10-03T06:44:00.000-07:00

Another Reason to Despise Texas

From the New York Times:

Museum Field Trip Deemed Too Revealing
by Ralph Blumenthal

FRISCO, Tex., Sept. 28 — “Keep the ‘Art’ in ‘Smart’ and ‘Heart,’ ” Sydney McGee had posted on her Web site at Wilma Fisher Elementary School in this moneyed boomtown that is gobbling up the farm fields north of Dallas.

But Ms. McGee, 51, a popular art teacher with 28 years in the classroom, is out of a job after leading her fifth-grade classes last April through the Dallas Museum of Art. One of her students saw nude art in the museum, and after the child’s parent complained, the teacher was suspended.

Although the tour had been approved by the principal, and the 89 students were accompanied by 4 other teachers, at least 12 parents and a museum docent, Ms. McGee said, she was called to the principal the next day and “bashed.”

She later received a memorandum in which the principal, Nancy Lawson, wrote: “During a study trip that you planned for fifth graders, students were exposed to nude statues and other nude art representations.” It cited additional complaints, which Ms. McGee has challenged.

The school board suspended her with pay on Sept. 22.

In a newsletter e-mailed to parents this week, the principal and Rick Reedy, superintendent of the Frisco Independent School District, said that Ms. McGee had been denied transfer to another school in the district, that her annual contract would not be renewed and that a replacement had been interviewed.

The episode has dumbfounded and exasperated many in and out of this mushrooming exurb, where nearly two dozen new schools have been built in the last decade and computers outnumber students three to one.

A representative of the Texas State Teachers Association, which has sprung to Ms. McGee’s defense, calls it “the first ‘nudity-in-a-museum case’ we have seen.”

“Teachers get in trouble for a variety of reasons,” said the association’s general counsel, Kevin Lungwitz, “but I’ve never heard of a teacher getting in trouble for taking her kiddoes on an approved trip to an art museum.”

John R. Lane, director of the museum, said he had no information on why Ms. McGee had been disciplined.

“I think you can walk into the Dallas Museum of Art and see nothing that would cause concern,” Mr. Lane said.

Over the past decade, more than half a million students, including about a thousand from other Frisco schools, have toured the museum’s collection of 26,000 works spanning 5,000 years, he said, “without a single complaint.” One school recently did cancel a scheduled visit, he said. He did not have its name.

The uproar has swamped Frisco school switchboards and prompted some Dallas-area television stations to broadcast images of statues from the museum with areas of the anatomy blacked out.

Ms. Lawson and Mr. Reedy did not return calls. A spokeswoman for the school district referred questions to the school board’s lawyer, Randy Gibbs. Mr. Gibbs said, “there was a parent who complained, relating the complaint of a child,” but he said he did not know details.

In the May 18 memorandum to Ms. McGee, Ms. Lawson faulted her for not displaying enough student art and for “wearing flip-flops” to work; Ms. McGee said she was wearing Via Spiga brand sandals. In citing the students’ exposure to nude art, Ms. Lawson also said “time was not used wisely for learning during the trip,” adding that parents and teachers had complained and that Ms. McGee should have toured the route by herself first. But Ms. McGee said she did exactly that.

In the latest of several statements, the district contended that the trip had been poorly planned. But Mr. Gibbs, the district’s lawyer, acknowledged that Ms. Lawson had approved it.

“This is not about a field trip to a museum,” the principal and superintendent told parents in their e-mail message Wednesday, citing “performance concerns” and other criticisms of Ms. McGee’s work, which she disputes. “The timing of circumstances has allowed the teacher to wave that banner and it has played well in the media,” they wrote.

They took issue with Ms. McGee’s planning of the outing. “No teacher’s job status, however, would be jeopardized based on students’ incidental viewing of nude art,” they wrote.

Ms. McGee and her lawyer, Rogge Dunn, who are exploring legal action, say that her past job evaluations had been consistently superior until the museum trip and only turned negative afterward. They have copies of evaluations that bear out the assertion.

Retracing her route this week through the museum’s European and contemporary galleries, Ms. McGee passed the marble torso of a Greek youth from a funerary relief, circa 330 B.C.; its label reads, “his nude body has the radiant purity of an athlete in his prime.” She passed sculptor Auguste Rodin’s tormented “Shade;” Aristide Maillol’s “Flora,” with her clingy sheer garment; and Jean Arp’s “Star in a Dream.”

None, Ms. McGee said, seemed offensive.

“This is very painful and getting more so,” she said, her eyes moistening. “I’m so into art. I look at it for its value, what each civilization has left behind.”

School officials have not named the child who complained or any particular artwork at issue, although Ms. McGee said her puzzlement was compounded when Ms. Lawson referred at times to “an abstract nude sculpture.”

Ms. McGee, a fifth-generation Texan who has a grown daughter, won a monthly teacher award in 2004 from a local newspaper. She said the loss of her $57,600-a-year job could jeopardize her mortgage and compound her health problems, including a heart ailment.

Some parents have come to Ms. McGee’s defense. Joan Grande said her 11-year-old daughter, Olivia, attended the museum tour.

“She enjoyed the day very much,” Ms. Grande said. “She did mention some nude art but she didn’t make a big deal of it and neither did I.” She said that if Ms. McGee’s job ratings were high before the incident, “something isn’t right” about the suspension.

Another parent, Maijken Kozcara, said Ms. McGee had taught her children effectively.

“I thought she was the greatest,” Ms. Kozcara said. But “knowing Texas, the way things work here” she said of the teacher’s suspension, “I wasn’t really amazed. I was like, ‘Yeah, right.’ ”

2006-09-28T13:10:00.000-07:00

Participation in a Riot

The words "Participation" and "Riot" in this phrase mean:

Participation - includes promoting, inciting, conspiring to promote or incite, aiding, abetting, and all forms of taking part in, but will not include actions taken in defense of public or private property, or actions taken in defense of the person of the insured, if such actions of defense are not taken against persons seeking to maintain or restore law and order including but not limited to police officers and firefighters.

Riot - includes all forms of public violence, disorder, or disturbance of the public peace, by three or more persons assembled together, whether or not acting with a common intent and whether or not damage to person or property or unlawful act or acts is the intent or the consequence of such disorder.

Reading the fine print can sometimes be amusing.

sometimes < 1% of the time

2006-09-22T09:05:00.000-07:00

Running every mile of Brooklyn

This guy is truly inspiring. He is trying to run every mile of Brooklyn, and he's about 1/4 of the way done. Here is his website.

one guy, two legs, 1742 miles of pavement

Also - a bed a breakfast a few blocks from my house - who knew??
SaddleDown Bed & Breakfast

2006-09-19T13:01:00.000-07:00

National Talk Like Pirate Day

Jess just reminded me that today is National Talk Like a Pirate Day.

I remember the first time I found out about this holiday I had a great time celebrating:
ye Olde blogge post circa September 2004

YAAARRGH

2006-09-14T19:51:00.000-07:00

You'll feel like you were there

Wow, our wedding photographer really came through with somem great shots. Here is the link to view them all, if you wish. You will need to register at the site to view the photos, and I recommend selecting the highlights from the category drop-down if you don't want to look through 700+ images.

http://www.pictage.com/224194

Unfortunately, the images are locked so that I cannot copy them here. But, I highly recommend checking them out if you have a few free moments.

I'll try to post them as soon as we order the images.

2006-09-12T10:34:00.000-07:00

Photos From My Roof

Last night I grilled burgers on my roof while listening to Ima Robot. Here are some pics I took of the 9/11 light memorial. The sky varied from partly cloudy to crystal clear throughout the evening, so I'm sure that many spectacular photographs were taken throughout the city.

These pictures don't give the light beams justice. When the sky was clear, it seems as though the light continued forever into space - so beautiful. While this light sculpture is certainly spectacular, it's a shame that five years later there still are no signs of a memorial or new buildings being built. Red tape and political gridlock are no excuse for the giant gaping hole at ground zero.

2006-09-11T06:54:00.000-07:00

9/11, Five Years Later

As all Americans likely do, I remember 9/11/01 very vividly. It was my first week of teaching, and I was working my butt off trying to set the tone in my classroom and get all the classroom systems and procedures up and running. It was a crazy time in my life in general.

In the teachers' lounge on September 10 some teachers were talking about how Whitney Houston died due to an overdose. Most people in the room didn't believe it, because no one saw anything on the news. But one teacher in particular was adamant that Whitney Houston had indeed died. When I got home that night, I searched around online and found no evidence of Whitney Houston's death. This was my first experience with the teachers' lounge rumor mill.

On September 11 the news didn't reach my classroom until mid-morning. A paraprofessional knocked on my door and told me the news: planes crashed into the World Trade Center and the buildings were collapsing. My immediate reaction was to dismiss what she said.

The twin towers collapsing? Yeah right - and Whitney Houston is dead.

It wasn't long before my classroom phone started ringing. Every five minutes or so I would get a call from the office to send down a student whose parents had come to pick them up from school. By the end of the day there were only 2 students left in my classroom, and I was just trying to keep them busy.

It wasn't until 3pm that afternoon that I had a chance to talk with other teachers and figure out what was going on. I wasn't able to see a TV or listen to the radio, so I was clueless at a time when most folks had been glued to the TV all day long. I tried to drive home from the Bronx, but all the bridges were closed. I parked my car and just started walking home. The walk took about an hour, and I actually bumped into some other teachers I knew during the walk across 145th street in Manhattan. I got home, changed, and then went to my friend Drew's apartment nearby since I didn't have a TV yet.

It wasn't until maybe 5pm that I saw the images of the planes crashing into the towers for the first time. It blew my mind. I was glued to Drew's TV for the rest of the evening.

When I got home I ran up to the roof of my building, which at 10 stories is the tallest in the neighborhood. I could see all the way downtown, and I remember so clearly the huge dust and smoke cloud taking up the whole skyline. I am fortunate that I did not lose any close friends or relatives in the attacks.

(I was thinking of reintroducing the whole Whitney Houston bit again with an Osama bin Laden joke, but I just don't feel like wisecracking today.)

2006-08-21T22:14:00.000-07:00

Just Married

Jackie and I tied the knot on August 19 in Kennebunk, Maine. It was the best day of my life, and I can't wait for the pictures to roll in to relive the memories.

Thanks to everyone who came, and I'm sorry to anyone I couldn't invite due to the limited capacity.

I will post all the picture links I get here to share.

JackieandChristian.com

Georgia's Pictures (added 8/22)

Mike's Pictures (added 8/23)

Tim's Pictures (added 8/31)

More to come.

2006-07-30T23:10:00.000-07:00

Hello Nurse videos on YouTube.com

I checked out YouTube.com this evening, and I had no idea there were so many Hello Nurse videos posted. Gotta love the fans!

Unfortunately, the audio quality is poor and the audio/video is not synchronized well. Nonetheless, it's fun stuff to watch.

Target Practice at Hamilton St. Cafe in Boundbrook, NJ

We've Got Tonight at who knows where?

We Declare War at the Backdoor in Nyack, NY

Last One To Know at the Backdoor in Nyack, NY

My Ally at the Backdoor in Nyack, NY

Last One To Know at The Tank, NYC
filmed by Jeff Rutkowski

2006-07-18T08:43:00.000-07:00

The Brooklynites

Artists and writers Anthony LaSala and Seth Kushner are creating a photography/essay project about people from Brooklyn. I hope to one day own this coffee table book once it's published. In the meantime, the website is a lot of fun.

The Brooklynites

Spike Lee in my neighborhood, Fort Greene. (Spike's dad lives two doors down from us and always hangs out on the porch.)

2006-07-14T08:33:00.000-07:00

The Secret To Staying Young

This blog post I found via Gothamist had me cracking up. It's so good that I had to share.

Always remember, no matter how old you are you can always make a spectacle out of yourself by dry-humping at a bar.

Hey Jackie, wanna go out for a drink???

2006-06-30T09:14:00.000-07:00

My Two Cents about New York Bike Safety Improvements

Several cyclists have died on New York City streets in the past few weeks. To contribute positively to the public debate about bike safey and infrastructure in New York, here are some ideas. I commute to work on my bike from Fort Greene, Brooklyn to Penn Station most days, and there are a few things I've noticed.

1. Signs that say "Share The Road" would increase drivers' awareness of bicycles. Cars always honk when I'm in a lane because they don't know the law. If the road is unsafe, I can take up a lane. This happens all the time when navigating around double parked cars. Simple signs posted around the city might remind drivers that bicycles have a right to be on the road.

2. "Watch For Bicycles" signs at heavy bicycle crossings. At the exit of the Manhattan bridge bike path on the Manhattan side, the bike path leads to a pedestrian-heavy intersection at the end of the greenmarket throroughfare. Cyclists are flying downhill, and peds can't see around the wall. While I haven't seen it happen, I would imagine that there are collisions and near-misses here all the time. A simple sign that says "Watch for Bicycles" on the Greenmarket side and a sign that says, "Slow Down: Pedestrian Crossing" on the bike side would help. This is an easy solution for many dangerous intersections throughout the city.

3. Bike lane buffer. I would just like to say that I LOVE the 8th avenue bike lane. Until this was painted, I was taking 6th avenue and hating life. Now I ride up Hudson to 8th avenue and enjoy my cruise to work. The best part about the lane is the buffer zone of about 8 feet between the bike lane and the far left lane of traffic. No matter how much we bitch, cars will double park. Parking is so limited that it's inevitable. The buffer zone gives cyclists some room to maneuver around double parked cars. This isn't feasible on narrow streets, but on big avenues it makes a big difference. I think there is something similar on 2nd avenue, and I definitely feel much safer biking on these streets.

4. Any cyclist who rides at night without lights is a moron. Buy some blinky lights you fools! They are not just for ravers anymore.

5. Any cyclist who complains about pedestrian traffic on the Brooklyn Bridge is a first-rate dickwad. TAKE THE MANHATTAN BRIDGE YOU JACKASS. The Brooklyn Bridge is one of the biggest tourist attractions around, and tourists by definition are blind and unaware. The Manhattan bridge bike path is empty at all hours - much safer, much easier.

My condolences to the families of the cyclists who have died recently.

Key Words: Donna Goodson, Dr. Carl Nacht, Derek Lake, New York City bicycling, Transportation Alternatives, Transalt.org, Critical Mass, bike lanes, helmet, Houston, Bloomberg, take control of streets, cycling, bicycling, biking

2006-06-28T18:51:00.000-07:00

Evolution of Dance

This video had me rollin'!

FYI: Since I've discovered StumbleUpon, an extension for Firefox, I can't help but blog about stupid crap. StumbleUpon has reinvigorated my interest in blogging, but this blog will likely resemble stupid e-mail forwards for the next several weeks. Hey, I gotta keep myself entertained in between wedding chores!

2006-06-27T07:23:00.000-07:00

My new favorite website: Pandora.com

In the myth of Pandora's box, Pandora falls victim to her curiosity and opens her box, a gift from Zeus, which unleashes plague, sorrow, poverty, crime, despair, and greed upon mankind. Thankfully, after another visit the box she releases hope - hope for mankind to cling to in times of evil.

Pandora.com has restored my hope in the internet. This is one of those websites you stumble across once a month and proclaim: This is so much better than Rants and Raves!

Pandora Internet Radio is powered by the Music Genome Project. It is simple to use. You just enter the name of an artist or song, and the Pandora player creates a radio station of songs and artists that are similar. You can learn about the new artists on the playlist, you can rate songs with a thumbs up or down to modify future selections, and you can skip up to five songs in an hour. It's free, and you can create up to 100 playlists.

Just try it and bring a little hope into your life.

2006-06-26T19:00:00.000-07:00

How to solve a problem

This simple technique has changed my life. Print this and put it in your wallet.

2006-06-06T10:17:00.000-07:00

Have a Hellish Tuesday!

Greetings of death and destruction on 6/6/06.

May Satan Claus will rise from hell and bring all the little children festering sores, chronic anguish, and the deep dark pain of an evil heart.

Have a f***ing awful day!

2006-05-22T10:24:00.000-07:00

20 Amazing Facts About Voting In The United States
By Bob Rowe
LINK

1. 80% of all votes in America are counted by only two companies: Diebold and ES&S.

2. There is no federal agency with regulatory authority or oversight of the US voting machine industry.

3. The vice-president of Diebold and the president of ES&S are brothers.

4. The chairman and CEO of Diebold is a major Bush campaign organizer and donor who wrote in 2003 that he was "committed to helping Ohio deliver its electoral votes to the president next year."

5. 35% of ES&S is owned by Republican Senator Chuck Hagel, who became Senator based on votes counted by ES&S machines.

6. Republican Senator Chuck Hagel, a long-time friend of the Bush family, was caught lying about his ownership of ES&S by the Senate Ethics Committee.

7. Senator Chuck Hagel was on a short list of George W. Bush's vice- presidential candidates.

8. ES&S is the largest voting machine manufacturer in the US and counts almost 60% of all US votes.

9. Diebold's new touch screen voting machines have no paper trail of any votes. In other words, there is no way to verify that the data coming out of the machine is the same as what was legitimately put in by voters.

10. Diebold also makes ATMs, checkout scanners, and ticket machines, all of which log each transaction and can generate a paper trail.

11. Diebold is based in Ohio.

12. Diebold employs 5 convicted felons as developers. These are the people who write the voting machine computer code.

13. Diebold's Senior Vice-President, Jeff Dean, was convicted of 23 counts of felony theft in the first degree.

14. Diebold Senior Vice-President Jeff Dean was convicted of planting back doors in his software and using a "high degree of sophistication" to evade detection over a period of 2 years.

15. None of the international election observers were allowed in the polls in Ohio.

16. California banned the use of Diebold machines because the security was so bad. Despite Diebold's claims that the audit logs could not be hacked, a chimpanzee was able to do it! (See the movie at http://blackboxvoting.org/baxter/baxterVPR.mov.)

17. 30% of all US votes are carried out on unverifiable touch screen voting machines with no paper trail.

18. Bush's Help America Vote Act of 2002 has as its goal to replace all machines with the new electronic touch screen systems with no paper trail.

19. All -- not some -- but all the voting machine errors detected and reported went in favor of Bush or Republican candidates.

20. Major statistical voting oddities (odds on the order of 250 million to 1!) -- again always favoring Bush -- have been mathematically demonstrated by experts.

2006-04-12T17:44:00.000-07:00

First Chorusaurus Review!

After releasing Chorusaurus last week, we finally have our first online review. Check out the review, where we receive 5 out of 5 stars.

Love The Scene review of Chorusaurus

How many times have you bought a CD only to find that the single track that lured you to buy it in the first place was the only song on the album worth listening to? It’s happened to me more than once, but after Chorusaurus I’m convinced it’ll never happen with Hello Nurse. Their brand new EP is full of catchy tunes that’ll pop into your head all day, albeit at a few of the oddest times you’d never expect them to. A refreshing change from the emo-infested scene, Hello Nurse never stops cranking out the good stuff. Emphasis on true music over corporate, over produced tunes is just one of the many reasons that Hello Nurse is quickly becoming my favorite band. Their unique blend of indie rock, pop, and alternative relieves the dreary thought of anything winey and provides for a truly incredible take on music that will leave anyone smiling.

If only every review were so gushing with positive feedback. Thanks Patrick!

As mentioned in my previous post: BUY IT NOW.

2006-04-06T10:12:00.000-07:00

Out of Hibernation with some BIG NEWS

Ok, so I realize I've been on hiatus for a while. No one probably reads this thing anymore. I've been working too many 60 hour weeks and I apologize for being incommunicado. So here is some news....

All my life I've known that something is different about me. I've just felt like something's not right. I've decided I can't hide it anymore, I'm just going to have to let everyone know. I told Jackie today that I was going to the post office to get a new passport. Instead, I went to the department of records to get an official name change.

I'm a woman living in a man's body. I have officially changed my name to Christina Sparling. I know it's weird, but if you love me it's something you can get used to. I'll probably loose some friends, but I can't live in secrecy any longer.

OK that was probably the WORST attempt at being funny that I've made in a while. Sorry, it's been a while since I've posted.

Here is the REAL news.

Hello Nurse is releasing a new album: Chorusaurus

CD RELEASE PARTY!!!
Friday, April 7, 8 PM
The Knitting Factory
74 Leonard Street
New York, NY 10013
New copies of the EP will be available for $2 at the show

Buy tickets in advance by clicking here.

We just received our shipment of CDs, and they are great. Sleek, professional, UPC and all.

Buy it now!

Also, our new MySpace profile is all revamped and spiffy.

We're excited, and we hope to see some folks at the show! The Spies are on the bill with us, and they are FANTASTIC, so come early to check them out. This is Eytan Oren's new band.

P.S. Jackie, I really did go to the post office to submit my passport application.

2006-01-29T11:00:00.000-08:00

IDIOTAROD 2006

I participated in the 2006 Idiotarod yesterday, and it was absolutely insane. My team was named the Koopa Troopas, in reference to a character in the videogame Mario Kart. How fitting for a shopping cart race! Here are our costumes.

Donkey Kong (also ran in 2005 Idiotarod)

Mario

Luigi (Real mustache - that's dedication!)

Toad (also ran in 2005 Idiotarod)

Yoshi (also ran in 2005 Idiotarod)

Princess Peach Toadstool (also ran in 2005 Idiotarod)

Princess Peach Toadstool

Bowser

Wario (also ran in 2005 Idiotarod)

Waluigi

The Koopa Troopas!

The Route
Since Drew and I registered our teams online on Friday, we were able to receive text-message updates about the race through the morning. The published start of the race was Monster Island on Kent Street in Williamsburg, Brooklyn at 2:30PM. Drew and I received texts in the morning letting us know that the start of the race was moved to the top of Fort Greene Park to avoid the police. Fort Greene Park - I live across the street! It was great to be on home turf.

Hundreds and hundreds of races and onlookers met at the park between 1:30PM and 2:30PM. At 2:30 the race started, and it was mayhem.

My knowledge of the streets of DUMBO proved valuable as I led our team on a specific route to avoid cobblestone streets. The published route was all cobblestone - SUCKERS!

Here is our route for leg 1.

Distance = 1.36 miles

The first checkpoint was complete mayhem. Police cars were cruising up and down the streets, and no one knew what to do. Ed and Drew were in charge of getting us checked in and checked out. As they were trying to check out, an undercover police officer (Drew says he noticed the hand radio the person was carrying said NYPD) took all the registration forms. What a poopoo!

After being very near the front of the total race, we were not not-registered whatsoever. Oh well! Might as well run!

I was dressed up like a Gorilla, which really changed my behavior. A group of bananas rushed by - and I totally ran after them and started humping one of them. Oh, did I mention that we were drinking a lot throughout the race?

The second leg of the race was brutal. We ran the carts through Dumbo, over the Manhattan Bridge, and through the Lower East Side. I ran on a cart with Ed during this part of the race, and he is horse of a runner. Most of our team was left behind as Ed powered our car as fast as he could. I could barely keep up, and Ed wasn't stopping for NOBODY. Ed's knowledge of the Lower East Side proved valuable here. We went down streets without police so we could stay in the street, and Ed knew of one block that was all parking lot, so we cruised through diagonally. The rest of the team caught up at Checkpoint 2, a big playground near a school. Here was our route for leg 2.

Distance = 2.59 miles

The last leg of the race was pretty easy. It was just 3/4 of a mile down to the East River Park Amphitheater. Matt and Mike met up with us there, and we continued drinking. After a while we just started tossing what was left of the bananas around.

Here was our route for leg 3.

Distance = .77 miles

All in all it was a great race. According to the Google Map Pedometer I used to trace our route, we ran a total of 4.72 miles. It sure didn't feel like we ran that far, but I guess this must be right. Broken up into 3 legs, I guess under 5 miles is managable.

We took our cart back to Pathmark in Gowanus (yeah right!). The post-race pizza was quite nourishing. The after party at Sub-Tonic was too much - exhausted, smelly, and I had already drank plenty.

I was supposed to go to a work party that night, but I passed out when I got home. I woke up at 5AM and I had no idea if the clock meant AM or PM - truly confused.

*******************

A quick note about the NYPD involvement. For the most part, the NYPD involvement was exactly the way it should have been - a heavy police presence to maintain safety and keep the roads clear. I heard a lot of sirens, but I did not witness any arrests. For the most part, the police seems to just be trying to keep the race on sidewalks and to keep carts from running over pedestrians.

There may be been a bing sting set up at the original start location, and from Drew's account it looks like undercovers were trying to sabotage the race. But, from what I saw, all participants got to have some fun without being arrested.

Given what has been going on with Critical Mass and the No Pants Subway Ride recently, it's nice to know that the cops were somewhat cooperative for the Idiotarod.

My Flickr Photoset: HERE
Waluigi's Photoset: HERE
Princess' Photoset: HERE

2006-01-29T10:43:00.000-08:00

Polar Bear Swim - New Years Day

WOWWEEEE WOWWEEEE That was so frickin' cold! Just uploading these pictures today made me need to put on the fleece and slippers and crank the heat.

A few friends and I participated in the 2006 Coney Island Poloar Bear swim on New Years Day. You can read a quick article about the event at Gothamist.

Nursing a wicked New Years hangover, we were late to the event. We missed swimming with everyone else, but we swam on our own anyway. I lasted about 30 seconds. As I mentioned previously, IT WAS SO FRICKIN' COLD! Still, we were lucky with the weather. I can't imagine what it would have been like if it were below freezing, snowy, and icey.

Afterwards, we visited the New York Aquarium which is right next to the beach. It was amazing! Sharks, jelly fish, walruses, eels - very cool.

Here is a Flickr photoset of us freezing our butts off.

2006-01-29T10:20:00.000-08:00

Serious Business Recordings

At the end of December Hello Nurse spent a day with Travis Harrison at Serious Business recording three tracks: Last One To Know, We Declare War, and Words Like Bullets.

Travis treated us right, and we are super happy with the results. Since that day we've committed to more time with Travis to record and mix seven tracks for a March-released EP. As of now we are done recording all of the instrumental tracks, and the mixing is left for 5 others. We've gotten a lot done, and there' s a lot left to do. But, we're finally investing money in good recordings, which feels good.

Here is the Flickr Photoset of the recordings.

I think I already mentioned this, but you can listen to Last One To Know at our MySpace page. While you're there, you can check out our friends list - over 60,000 strong!

We are happy say that Serious Business has lost a roommate. Mr. Business, the stray cat, has moved out. Thank goodness! He's such a cute cat, but he pissed on all of our gear. We've been using every bottle of deodorizer or carpet fresh we can find. We've gotten a lot done, and there's a lot left to do.

Mr. Business had* serious balls!
*Mr. B lost his balls the first week of January - just one week too late. Sorry Mr. B.

2006-01-27T10:47:00.000-08:00

Still Alive! Still an Idiot!

Sorry for the pause. I've been so unbelievably busy, I've barely had time to wiz. Thank goodness for absorbent adult undergarments.

Quick updates: Mercury Lounge show went GREAT. We had the largest draw of the night, and we will be returning soon. Hello Nurse is in the studio cranking out new tunes for a March '06 EP release. Check out one new track, Last One to Know, at our MySpace page. Work is ridiculous.

On a fun note, tomorrow I will be racing in The Idiotarod for the second year. I have copied a description of the event below.

Our carts have been jacked. Our costumes are close to finished. And our theme is the bomb:

MARIO KART

I am dressing up like Donkey Kong. I have a gorilla mask, a fur vest, a red tie, and lots of brown clothes. Other 'idiots' are dressing up like Mario, Luigi, Wario, Princess Peach, Princess Toadstool, Yoshi, Toad, and Bowser. We have a huge payload of bananas to drop and throw. And the boombox will be blasting MIDI files from the game soundtrack.

Have a great weekend. I will be wasted and pulling a shopping cart. YAHOO!!

Idiotarod

Attention Mushers, Runners, Race fans, and Abominable Snowmen. The
Idiotarod race kicks off Saturday in Williamsburg, Brooklyn and
finishes in a Manhattan park. The rolling pageant and grueling
endurance challenge will happen rain or shine, blizzard or breeze.

The Iditarod is the famous long-distance race in which yelping dogs
tow a sled across Alaska. The Idiotarod is pretty much the same
thing, except that instead of dogs, it's people, instead of sleds,
it's shopping carts, and instead of Alaska it's New York City.

Teams of five will compete for cash prizes. And glory. We expect
teams in costumes, hot-rod shopping carts, and all sorts of ancillary
mayhem. It will be extraordinarily silly. Everyone is invited to
race. If you would like to race and do not have a team, please use
our online bulletin board. It works!

There will be an afterparty and awards ceremony at Tonic, featuring
performances by the Defibulators, Battlestar, Fur Cups for Teeth,
Sxip-Matta, and burlesque dancers Anita Cookie, Gigi LaFemme, and
Nasty Canasta, plus dancing courtesy DJs Spinoza and Dirty Fingers.

So far there are 75 teams registered. You do not have to register
before the event, but it is extraordinarily helpful and we would
really appreciate it. There is online registration with Paypal at
precisionaccidents.com. If you don't want to pay online or you do not
have a credit card, please send us your team name, your email
address, your phone number, and the name of your cell phone provider
to jstark@nonsensenyc.com.

Please examine our Website for hours of reading and annoyingly
detailed race-day procedurals. Plus photos of a lot of people having
fun last year.

Idiotarod
Starting at Monster Island
210 Kent Avenue, at Metropolitan, Williamsburg, Brooklyn
1p registration; $5 per person

Idiotarod afterparty and awards show
Tonic
107 Norfolk, between Delancey and Rivington, Manhattan
6-10p; $free
jstark@nonsensenyc.com
http://www.precisionaccidents.com

2005-12-29T11:35:00.000-08:00

Hello Nurse at the Mercury Lounge!

At the beginning of 2005, Hello Nurse set a few goals to accomplish be the end of the year. First, we wanted to release our first full length, Tonight Tonight Tonight, by the summer. Well, we FINALLY finished that sob about a month ago, but we still need to get off our asses and figure out artwork. But the tracks are ready to go.

Second, we wanted to play a solid headlining spot at the Mercury Lounge, one of the best small rooms in the city. The sound at the Mercury Lounge is great, and they consistently book strong touring acts. Mercury Lounge is just one step below the bigger rooms in the city that we all drool over - Knitting Factory, Irving Plaza, and everyone's favorite, Bowery Ballroom.

We are excited that we have been able to meet this second goal in the nick of time! We're playing at the Mercury Lounge this Friday, December 30. This will be the best Hello Nurse has ever sounded. Here are the details. If you are in town, please please please consider swinging by.

Hello Nurse at
The Mercury Lounge
Friday, December 30, 2005 at 11 PM
217 E. Houston St.
corner Ave A & Houston
New York, NY 10002
hellonurse.com/shows

This will be an awesome show for New Year's Eve Eve. Hope to see some folks there!

2005-12-23T14:40:00.000-08:00

In New York for the Holidays

I'm in town for Christmas and New Years. If you have anything going on - or nothing going on - give me a call/e-mail. I'm going to be cooking Christmas dinner, so if any of you Jews out there are feeling lonely, come on over and we'll have a good meal.

2005-12-22T06:57:00.000-08:00

Transit Strike Commute, Day 3

Wednesday evening's commute was absolutely wretched. It took me 3 hours to get home. I was in inch-by-inch traffic the entire way. You know how stressed you can get when you try to have inch-by-inch battles with someone trying to merge into your lane during rush hour? Image doing that for three straight hours - and knowing that you have to try to win every battle or else you'll be commuting for 4 hours.

I'm a bit ashamed to admit it, but I actually cried when I drove down the last block approaching my house. I was so drained, so exhausted, so complete spent, that I just broke down. I really hope my coworkers realize how much I'm sacrificing to shuttle them to work. I mean, I would actually enjoy either biking or rollerblading to work through all this traffic. That is fun to me. But since others in the office don't have any other way of getting to work besides walking from Brooklyn, the shuttle service continues.

This morning's commute was a bit easier for me because I did not have to go to East Williamsburg. My only stops were in Brooklyn Heights and Park Slope. I am trying to leave work around 3:30 PM today if at all possible. I cannot handle another 3 hour commute.

Driving for 3 hours is no problem. But cut throat gridlock driving for 3 hours is absolutely miserable.

And now a quick rant about the TWU vs. MTA public relations battle. Both sides were giving their sound bytes to the media yesterday and playing the blame game.

HELLO! MTA, TWU - public perception DOES NOT MATTER. Everyone is already pissed. Businesses are losing money during the one time of year on which they depend to help them through the slow times later. New Yorkers are certainly persevering (like this guy right here!), but these sacrifices are taking their toll. PR doesn't matter. Spin doesn't matter. The only thing that matters are the Unions officials and the MTA officials sitting in a room and hammering it out. If it requires federal mediators, then so be it. But any time spent in front of a camera is time better spent at the negotiation table. These leaders need to start showing some leadership instead of acting like children.

Furthermore, where the eff is Governor Pataki? I hope his presidential run goes down in flames.

2005-12-21T06:52:00.000-08:00

Transit Strike Commute, day 2

Last night's commute home was aggravating, so say the least. The traffic in Manhattan was terrible. I got within two blocks of the entrance to the Manhattan bridge, and then the police decided to close Bowery. Hello?? Don't you want people to get out of the city?

After meandering through Brooklyn to drop everyone off, I finally made it to band practice over 2 hours after I left work.

This morning was much of the same. This time, I made my coworkers cluster together at pick-up points, so I didn't have to drive to as many locations. This worked better, but it still took me over 2 1/2 hours from the time I left my house until we arrived at work.

Yesterday was an adventure, now it's just tedious. Five hours of cutthroat NYC driving a day is going to take it's toll on me, especially since I'm not getting much sleep. Plus, work is super stressful, so I'm just a wreck these days. Jackie saw me for all of 15 minutes last night before I passed out on the couch.

I've heard that train commuting via the LIRR and Metro North is a huge pain, and the train stations are mobbed in the evenings. I really wish I could be riding my bike back and forth from work. In fact, I would prefer that to the subway in general if I didn't get all sweaty during the ride.

I feel like handing my van keys to someone else and letting them drive. Unfortunately, none of my coworkers knows Brooklyn like this guy - and I'm discovering that I actually know Brooklyn very well. I guess that's what happens when you live in 3 neighborhoods in 2 years.

2005-12-20T06:44:00.000-08:00

Transit Strike Commute

This morning marks the first morning commute of the Transit Workers Union strike, and it certainly was an adventure. I was looking forward to riding my bike to work, but since I have a minivan, I became the shuttle van for coworkers from Brooklyn. It ended up working out fine. Surprisingly, the longest part of the trip was getting from place to place in Brooklyn. Once we got on the Manhattan Bridge, everything was smooth sailing. The driving restrictions (must have 4 to a car) made the Manhattan roads easy to drive. I would compare the traffic to late nights on a weekday.

Commute Statistics

Neighborhoods of pickup locations: Fort Greene (origin), East Williamsburg, South Park Slope, Park Slope, and Brooklyn Heights

IPod playlist: all Christmas songs

Number of bodies in van: 8

Total time of commute: 2 hours

Number of timid drivers Christian cut off while driving like a mad cabby: too many to count

The best moment of the morning was coming down Furman St., a crazy hill that connects Brooklyn Heights and Dumbo. We could see the Brooklyn Bridge clearly from the hill, and there were hundreds of people crossing on foot. It was quite a sight.

The second best moment of the morning was getting on the Manhattan Bridge. I know of a seldom used entrance to the bridge that avoids all major feeder roads. I thought I was so slick pulling onto that unknown entrance. The cop waved us by because it was obvious the car was packed with plenty of people. We got on the bridge, and it was completely empty. We expected gridlock, but instead we cruised across. It was a great feeling.

Tonight, I get to drive everyone home. I don't mind the driving, but a 2 hour commute each way to drop people off is going to get old real quick.

By the way, even though this is inconvenient, I am in full support of the Transit Workers Union. Sometimes you gotta play hardball to get what you need.

the rest of this post is a rant, feel free to skip

Admittedly, I don't know the finer points of the negotiations, and I'm sure the TWU is trying to milk the MTA due to the recent surplus. To some degree, I'm up in the air with regard to the retirement age issue and the fact that MTA workers don't have to contribute to their own insurance. Nonetheless, in general, I'm pro-labor.

You really see people's true colors when they talk about the strike. When someone starts mouthing off about how the transit workers are lazy, incompetent, etc. and that they don't deserve a raise because a monkey could do their jobs, the argument often boilds down to race and/or class prejudice. When I hear people like this spewing, I really want to punch them in the teeth.

All this surplus MTA money should either go to fare reductions, infrastructure maintenance, or to the workers. MTA executives are some of the most notoriously crooked fuckers around. I can't stand all of the racist/classist jerks who complain about the strike. The workers provide a valuable service, and they should be able to support a family with their wages, just as teachers, police officers, city workers, garbagemen, etc. should be able to as well. Are some of them lazy, bad workers? Of course! These people exist in every profession. But that doesn't mean that there shouldn't be a modest degree of financial security for blue collar workers. Just like in South America, it's time for the working class to take a stand.

Ok, I'll save further ranting for later in the strike.

In the meantime, here are some fun MTA/transit images to keep you entertained. If you're a New Yorker you may be telecommuting today: enjoy your hours of paid internet surfing, and please try to get at least some work done. :)

Transit Workers Sleeping

MTA sign mash-ups

2005-12-19T10:34:00.000-08:00

The Chronic - WHAT! - cles of Narnia

Jackie and I watched SNL this weekend, and there was one skit that had me on the floor laughing.

Here is a link to the video: Chris Parnell & Andy Samberg - Lazy Sunday

And here's the mp3, if you like it. I especially like the verse about online maps.

Google maps in the best. True that - DOUBLE TRUE.

2005-12-15T08:19:00.000-08:00

MTV filming Hello Nurse at Fat Baby tonight

Hello Nurse is playing at a great new venue on the Lower East Site - Fat Baby.

We're playing with The NSG, who come highly recommended to me by Ed and Mike. I'm looking forward to checking them out.

Most importantly, MTV cameras will be filming Ed tonight. Ed is being filmed frequently by MTV these days, and while we don't know any details of what's going on, it looks like a reality show in the works. Any publicity is good publicity, so we are encouraging Ed to mention Hello Nurse as often as he can get away with. Also, it will help if he doesn't act like a dick. He's a Mr. Charmy-pants, so I'm sure he'll come off as the brilliant chap he is.

So, if you come to Fat Baby tonight, please don't wear clothing with large logos.

Hello Nurse at Fat Baby
112 Rivington St.
bet Ludlow and Essex Sts.
New York, NY 10002

The NSG: 9:30p
Hello Nurse: 10:30p

Tel: 212-533-1888
site: fatbabynyc.com

And to give you amunition for heckling, here is Ed's MySpace Profile

.

2005-12-13T06:34:00.000-08:00

I heart interactive transit maps

I have been recommending HopStop to friends and coworkers ever since I discovered it over a month ago. Basically, you tell hopstop your origin and destination and whether you would like to walk more or take more trains/buses, and the site will give you a map and directions using public transportation.

It's basically mapquest using subways and buses - BRILLIANT!

Today I found an even better site that is making me rediscover my love of computers.

This Interactive Transit Map by Greg Brail is a mashup of Google maps and the functionality of Hopstop. I like this one even better than Hopstop, though, because instead of having to type the address you can just click your origin and destination on the map.

[Click Origin]
[Click Destination]
BoOM - DIRECTIONS!

The directions are easy and not super specific at first, catering to New Yorkers who more or less know there way around but need help with "best route" advice. There is a link for more detailed directions which gives more detailed maps of the point of origin and destination, so you can figure out exactly where the subway stations are.

Brail's Interactive Transit Map is the best online map I have found yet, but I'll keep looking for more.

For paper maps, nothing beats maps by Opus Publishing. The maps show streets and subways together in a very easy to read format. Why the hell doesn't every New York map do this?

2005-12-09T07:21:00.000-08:00

Hello Nurse in a blizzard

Hello Nurse has a 4:30 PM matinee show at Peggy O'Neill's, which is a pub inside Keyspan Stadium at Coney Island. In Ed's words, "This should be a real fucking bonanza considering most bands kill for the 5 pm slot during a blizzard at the end of the earth on Coney Island. What, Outer Mongolia was booked?"

If anyone does show up, there is a big surprise that I'm not allowed to talk about. [nudge][wink]

The show is an all ages show featuring several bands: Inanimate Girl, Object, Aquacloset, Suckerpunch, Good Grief, Alexa, The Marianne Pillsburys, Status Quo No Show, and The Nerve. Hopefully at least a few of these bands will have a draw.

It might be a good day to check out the aquarium and then watch Hello Nurse ham it up. Here are the details.

Peggy O'Neill's (Keyspan Stadium)
Saturday, December 10, 2005 at 4:30 (Doors at 2pm)
1904 Surf Ave
at Keyspan Stadium
Coney Island, NY 11244

ALL AGES!
Tel: (718) 449-3200
site: www.peggyoneillsci.com

We actually have a show tonight up in Ramapo, NY. School was cancelled up there due to snow, and we're supposed to be playing an all ages benefit at the high school. Let's see if anyone shows up.

In other news, Jackie and I bought and decorated our first Christmas tree together last night. It is a thing of joy, and I can't wait to sit on the couch this weekend and nap next to it. I am so underslept.

2005-12-06T10:23:00.000-08:00

My blog has pop-ups

My blog has developed a serious case of e-acne. My blog now has a pop-up ad, and I don't know where it's coming from. Does anyone out there have an idea how I might go about finding the source of this pop-up?

I don't think it's coming from Blogger, but maybe I'm wrong.

2005-11-22T08:33:00.000-08:00

New York Links

http://www.gothamist.com/archives/2005/11/22/very_cool_most.php

I love Gothamist.

Jackie and I are flying back to Michigan for a Thanksgiving/Engagement Party. If you are in Detroit from Wednesday through Sunday, give me a ring and/or send an e-mail.

2005-11-18T11:18:00.000-08:00

Leo Creek rocks the Detroit Tree Lighting

Campus Martius Park in Detroit is hosting the Night of Lights tree lighting ceremony this evening in honor of the park's first anniversary. Leo Creek will be playing a set during the festivities. The whole event will be broadcast live on WXYZ, channel 7 in Detroit, from 7:30-9pm.

Click here for a PDF with all the details.

After rocking out on live TV, my old man will then be going to the Michigan/Ohio State game tomorrow at the Big House. I am SO jealous.

In Hello Nurse news, we will be playing 2 blocks from where I work tonight. This makes for an easy commute for me after the show. I will be taking people from work to happy hour at a bar inbetween the office and The Tank, so I can hop on one leg to all the places I need to be tonight.

If you're coming to the show, the suggested donation is $5. The Tank is a great place, worthy of the full $5. Also, Hello Nurse will be debuting a new song tonight, We Declare War.

The Rinse will be taking the stage after us, and they are mighty fun.

2005-11-14T21:58:00.000-08:00

FINALLY: Hello Nurse T-shirts!

American Apparel brand t-shirts. Super comfortable, made with fair wage labor. I'm not kidding when I say they're comfortable. We paid extra for the American Apparel shirts, and it was totally worth it. Plus, your money goes to someone who was paid a living wage to make the shirt.

Act now! Supplies Limited! Satisfaction Guaranteed! Earn money from home! Enlarge your penis! Lower your mortgage! Click shirt for image! You can't lose!

Click here for more slick marketing to convince you to buy this shirt.

2005-11-11T12:17:00.000-08:00

Junk the Food!

Every Friday our office manager sends us an e-mail asking us to throw away any food in the refrigerator that is out of date. If we don't label our leftovers properly, he throws it away. This is a good thing, because we have three floors of people sharing one refrigerator, and it's always jam packed. Here is today's e-mail. Ashish, if you still read this blog, this one's for you.

Sung to the tune of Bust A Move by Young MC

This here's a jam for all those fellas,
Who’ve got so much food that we all get jealous,
Using space in the fridge but you’re over zealous.
Making such a mess that I get rebelious
Ok, smarty, you to a Hardee’s
Such a big meal that you get back tardy
Bring some back in a plastic container.
Throw it in the fridge to save the remainder.
Next day at noon and it’s time to get munchin’
But you already forgot ‘bout yesterday’s luncheon.
You dine out again, bring some back in a bag.
Throw it in the fridge, hey what’s the drag?
Then the weekend’s coming, time to get running.
Get outtah here, and do lots of fun things.
But you still have leftovers, so don’t be rude!
So come on now, and junk the food!

(If you want it, baby you’ve got it) Just junk the food!
(If you want it, baby you’ve got it) Just junk the food!
(If you want it, baby you’ve got it) Just junk the food!
(If you want it, baby you’ve got it) Just junk the food!

You're on a mission,
in the kitchen
open the fridge
Looks like nuclear fission
Lookin' for your lunch in all the wrong places,
No fine food, just crowded spaces.
Feeling frustration, your inclination,
is to fast for the day and leave the situation.
But every dark tunnel has a light, I hope,
so don't hang yourself with a hunger rope.
It’s Friday evening, I’ve been peeving
Thinkin’ bout the food everyone’s been leaving
It’s getting’ late and it’s time to go-
But what do I see behind the fridge do’?
Things growin yellow.
Has a funny smell though
Getting soft and mushy like plate of jello
I get the trash can without a second to lose,
So what comes next, hey, junk the food.

(If you want it, baby you’ve got it) Just junk the food!
(If you want it, baby you’ve got it) Just junk the food!
(If you want it, baby you’ve got it) Just junk the food!
(If you want it, baby you’ve got it) Just junk the food!

2005-11-08T06:56:00.000-08:00

VOTE VOTE VOTE

Don't forget to vote today! Even though today is just a local election, there are several important ballot issues to consider. Voting is important in every election, even primaries. There's just no excuse to avoid voting - it's so easy!

If you live in New York City, the Gotham Gazette always publishes a helpful last minute voter guide. And if you're curious, here are my voting opinions.

Proposal 1: vote YES
This measure would create an Independent Budget Office, which will bring more transparency and accountability to the state's budget process. I'm all for transparency, and this measure will actually decrease the governor's authority in budget creation. Don't let New York become New Jersey - an independent budget office is the way to go!

Propsal 2: vote YES
This proposal is for the Transportation Bond Act. Cons: State has to borrow more money. Pros: More infrastructure, more jobs.

Personally, I think the MTA is one of the most grossly mismanaged organizations in the state. However, I think infrastructure additions are a positive way to increase the quality of life and create jobs for low- to middle-income workers.

Propsal 3: vote YES
This proposal will create an ethics code for administrative judges. These are the folks that settle disputes over parking violations, building codes, noise complaints, etc. There is some debate over whether the City Charter is the best place to address these concerns; however, there is very little debate as to whether an ethics code should exist: it should! Hopefully this will improve the fairness and efficiency of these court proceedings, which are some of the most excruciatingly annoying parts of local government.

Proposal 4: vote YES
In 1975 the city almost went bankrupt. The fiscal policies that keep that from happening again expire in 2008. This is basically an extension of financial controls that keep the budget balanced and limit the amount of short-term debt. It's not perfect, but it's not very controversial either.

Public Advocate: Norman Siegel
Betsy Gotbaum, the incumbent, is absolutely worthless. I still have no idea how Norman Siegel did not win the primary. Sheep are voting on name recognition I suppose, because Gotbaum has held the position for a while and has not made any positive change. About the only thing she is good for is keeping the seat warm.

I'm going to write in Norman Siegel, former head of the New York Civil Liberties Union.

Comptroller: Bill Thompson
Bill Thompson is the incumbent democrat who also has the Working Families Party (WFP) line.

Mayor: Fernando Ferrer
I don't think there is much doubt that Bloomberg is going to walk away with this one. Nonetheless, the Democratic Party needs to remain strong in New York City, so Ferrer gets my vote.

Personally, I will not be disappointed when Bloomberg wins. There are certain things I hate, like the support of the West Side stadium and harassment of bicyclists. Nonetheless, Bloomberg had enough sack to make substantial changes to the school system, creating the Department of Education and gutting 110 Livingston Street, which will soon be luxury lofts. He took accountability for the schools, and even though some changes are controversial, he's doing about as good one can do with a dinosaur system serving over 1.1 million children.

Also, Bloomberg is one rich muthafucka. He doesn't owe anyone anything; he's is in no one's pocket. I appreciate that, especially considering the state of our Federal government - where everyone plays pocket hockey.

For all the smaller elections, I plan on reading up during lunch. When in doubt, I always vote WFP.

2005-11-04T11:09:00.000-08:00

Rock Snobbery

Slate has a great article today about Rock Snobs.

The Rock Snob
An anatomy of a delicate breed.
By Stephen Metcalf

I think some people think that I'm a rock snob, but I don't think I am. I do not know enough history, and I don't have the encyclopedic knowledge that many of my friends do.

I am, however, a HUGE pirate.

Ed (Hello Nurse guitarist) thinks that the new form of the Rock Snob is the indie rock blogger, and I happen to agree with him. With the advent of digital music collections, amassing a tremendous collection of music is as simple as sharing an external harddrive or even plugging your iPod into someone else's computer.

The new rock snob is not the person who knows the past, it's the person who tries to predict the future. Bloggers compete to be the most current, most in-the-know, most on top of the current gossip. They want to discover good bands before they break so they can claim they were partly responsible for the break.

Here are some excellent rock snob blogs that I check out from time to time:

Brooklyn Vegan
The Modern Age
Aeki Tuesday
I Rock I Roll

Unfortunately, most of these folks fall in the Pitchfork mold. For them, excellent music includes the following qualities:

1. Absolutely no catchy melodies or pop song structures
2. Musicians must be pretentious twats
3. Disonance always a plus
4. The use of sin waves in electronic music
5. Lyrics that make no sense

In short, rock critics and rock snobs are not generally the person you might consider a friend and ask for a band recommendation. A rock snob recommends music he/she knows you won't understand, and since this music is so complex, you have no way of forming an argument as to why, exactly, it sucks.

But it definitely sucks.

2005-11-02T20:14:00.000-08:00

The Beatles

I just watched the documentary about the Beatles' first trip to America.

Unbelievable.

2005-10-31T02:02:00.000-08:00

Deadline Night

Tonight is the first application deadline for Teach For America's 2006 corps. I have the pleasure of working the phones until midnight Pacific.... otherwise known as 3 AM Eastern.

By around midnight, we start getting calls from people who are frantically trying to submit before the deadline. People are tired, frustrated, and typically tech-unsavvy. I keep getting the same question over and over.

"I've tried to upload my document like 50 times, and it doesn't work!"

So my favorite response is, "After the twentieth time you tried, did you consider trying the tip listed in the directions at the top of the page?"

Invariably this works, they are super thankful, and I kiss their ass with, "Thank you so much for applying!"

(Also, I'm really not the passive aggressive asshole I described above. In fact, I am exceedingly pleasant. EXCEEDINGLY.)

All in all, these people are great. But damn, tech support at 2am really tests one's patience.

2005-10-27T11:06:00.000-07:00

I know what I'm doing this Halloween

Teach For America's first application deadline is this Sunday at midnight (pacific). Therefore, I have been crazy busy lately, and I will continue to be hella busy until next week.

I just found this online, and I have NO DOUBT that I will be checking it out on Monday. If you don't know, Reggatta de Blanc by The Police is my #1 absolute favorite album of all time. Some band is preforming this album in its entirety on Halloween night. I will be there in full costume.

Jackie has once again come up with effing sweet costumes for us, so I'll wait and post pictures sometime next week.

In other news, Jackie and I saw OK GO last night at Irving Plaza. The band was fantastic, ARoss was in top form, and the crowd absolutely loved them. And of course, they did their little dance at the end of the show.

Haven't seen the dance? It is spectacular.

A Million Ways (quicktime)

2005-10-20T11:36:00.000-07:00

Another Hello Nurse Interview

Our answers are so good - it's obvious this was an online interview where we were able to agonize over every meticulous word choice before submitting. Yeah Right!!

Love The Scene interviews Hello Nurse

Here is my favorite excerpt.

Us: (To Christian) Growing up in Detroit, what led you to choose rock over, say, rap?

Christian: As 1 of 3 white kids in my entire school growing up, let’s just say the cards were stacked heavily in favor of me becoming yet another Eminem wannabe. In eighth grade, one of the toughest of tough guys in my school gave me a dubbed cassette of Nirvana’s Nevermind. I played that tape over and over and over, I wore a flannel over my school uniform, and I stopped getting a buzz cut to let my mop grow. Before I knew it, I was like every other Kurt Cobain wannabe in the country!

Always the follower, I guess.

2005-10-18T08:38:00.000-07:00

Attention New York Employers: Katrina Employment Exhibition

Does your company or a company you know offer services that would be applicable to a displaced victim of Hurricane Katrina living in New York? Please see the press release below.

A friend of mind at work, Flora Cervantes, has poured countless hours into this project, and I hope the event connects people in need with available services.

Please forward this information to anyone that might be interested.

National Student Partnerships

Katrina Employment Exhibition

National Student Partnerships (NSP) and Praxis Housing Initiatives invite your company, to the Katrina Employment Exhibition, to be held November 2 from 3:00 to 7:00pm at One Chase Manhattan Plaza.

The NSP-Praxis Katrina Employment Exhibition is designed to support families displaced by hurricane Katrina by connecting adults to job opportunities that will offer vital income and stability. The NSP-Praxis Katrina Employment Exhibition also offers New York businesses and individuals the chance to provide tangible assistance to those affected by the devastation in the Gulf Region.

Who – Approximately 100 Katrina evacuees who have been displaced to the New York area in addition to New York residents will be attending in search of employment opportunities.

What – The NSP-Praxis Employment Exhibition will feature qualified employers with current job openings looking to attract new talent. Employers with the following job opportunities are encouraged to attend: food service, cashier, office clerical, construction, sales, customer service, hospitals, hospitality, shipping/moving - teaching, non-profit health and human services, advertising, communications, TV/video, the arts and music.

Where - 1 Chase Manhattan Plaza, New York, NY 10005; 28th floor

When – Wednesday, November 2 from 3:00 to 7:00pm

How to get involved – To reserve an employer station or for more information please contact Gardner Tripp at gtripp@nspnet.org or call 917.887.5430.

National Student Partnerships is a student led non-profit organization that links people in need with the resources and opportunities necessary to become self-sufficient. NSP operates a national network of resource centers staffed by student volunteers from area colleges and universities. Working one-on-one with low-income community members, NSP volunteers provide intensive on-site and referral services that enable clients to: locate employment; secure affordable housing, health care, childcare, and other services; and pursue long-term career and life goals. www.nspnet.org

Praxis Housing Initiatives is a New York City organization which supports homeless people by equipping them with skills to become independent and healthier in a place they call home. www.praxishousing.org

2005-10-14T08:50:00.000-07:00

Hello Nurse tonight at Scenic

I have so much blogging to catch up on, especially an account of the Teach For America 15 Year Alumni Summit I attended in DC last weekend. It was so inspiring, so hopefully I'll be able to write more about it this weekend.

But here is the urgent info:

Hello Nurse at Scenic
TONIGHT!!! at 9PM
25 Avenue B
(bet. 2nd and 3rd streets)
www.scenicnyc.com

Scenic serves Colt 45 and hamburgers. Did you hear that??

COLT 45 AND HAMBURGERS

Yes it's raining. It's been raining all week. But a $3 umbrella and come listen to some rock'n'roll.

FYI: Comedian David Cross sometimes tends the bar.

2005-10-04T09:44:00.000-07:00

Google continues to impress me

Today I discovered Google's Personalized Home. Personalized Home is a way to configure the basic Google.com search page to include personalized information and RSS feeds.

For example, my Google search page now includes the 9 most recent e-mail messages in my inbox, the weather in New York City, and top headlines from the New York Times, Google News, ESPN, Slashdot, and Boing Boing. I also added the 5 most recent entries on the New York Craigslist Free section, as well as recent posts from some blogs I read: Gothamist and Brooklyn Vegan.

There is also a list of sites I have bookmarked - such as the Hello Nurse website, some cycling and left-wing news sites, MySpace, and Overheard in New York. For fun, I even included some random things that Google offered, such as Word of the Day, "How to" of the Day, and random stuff from Ask Yahoo.

Now all the information I click to in my morning routine is laid out on one page, which happens to be the most useful page on the internet: Google Search. This is fairly similar to Dashboard, but since I'm too lazy to install the new Tiger operating system on my Mac, I'll settle for Google's Personal Home. Plus, since I spend more time on my PC at work than on my Mac at home, this is a web-based tool I can access from anywhere.

To get started, just go to Google.com and click Personalized Home at the top. If you have g-mail, you can just use your g-mail login.

Sample image, not mine

2005-10-03T06:19:00.000-07:00

Teach For America in the New York Times

October 2, 2005
Top Graduates Line Up to Teach to the Poor
By TAMAR LEWIN

Lucas E. Nikkel, a Dartmouth graduate, wants to be a doctor, but for now he is teaching eighth-grade chemistry at a middle school in North Carolina, one of nearly 2,200 new members of Teach for America.

"I'm looking at medical school, and everybody says taking time off first is a good idea," he said. "I think I'm like a lot of people who know they want to do something meaningful before they start their careers."

For a surprisingly large number of bright young people, Teach for America - which sends recent college graduates into poor rural and urban schools for two years for the same pay and benefits as other beginning teachers at those schools - has become the next step after graduation. It is the postcollege do-good program with buzz, drawing those who want to contribute to improving society while keeping their options open, building an ever-more impressive résumé and delaying long-term career decisions.

This year, Teach for America drew applications from 12 percent of Yale's graduates, 11 percent of Dartmouth's and 8 percent of Harvard's and Princeton's. The group also recruits for diversity, and this year got applications from 12 percent of the graduates of Spelman College, a historically black women's college in Atlanta.

All told, a record 17,350 recent college graduates applied to Teach for America this year. After a drop last year, applications were up nearly 30 percent. Teach for America accepted about a third of this year's Ivy League applicants, and about a sixth of all applications.

Teaching does not pay much. It is not glamorous. And the qualifications of most young people going into the field are less than impressive. A report by the National Council on Teacher Quality last year said that the profession attracts "a disproportionately high number of candidates from the lower end of the distribution of academic ability."

But then there is Teach for America, whose members typically have top academic credentials - the average G.P.A. is 3.5 - experience with children and determination to get results.

Teach for America officials see their recruiting success as a sign of the post-9/11 generation's commitment to public service, and to improving the quality of education for low-income children. "The application numbers we're seeing reflect college students' belief that education disparities are our generation's civil rights issue," said Elissa Clapp, Teach for America's vice president for recruitment and selection.

Many corps members talk passionately about the importance of education, and the need to close the achievement gap between white and minority students. But part of Teach for America's allure is that it is only a two-year commitment and a way to put off big life decisions, like where to live and what career to choose, decisions that people in their 20's are delaying ever later in life.

"I don't think very many of my peers know what they want to do," said Nathan Francis, who graduated from Yale last spring, was accepted to Teach for America, but declined the offer because he was unsure that he could be a good teacher for disadvantaged students after nothing more than the group's summer training. "A lot of people who just graduated are looking for things to do, so it seems very appealing to have something to do that's worthwhile and short term and gives you two more years to think about your career."

In fact, Yael Kalban, who helped organize campus recruiting as a senior at Yale last year and now teaches second grade in the Bronx, said that even a two-year commitment was daunting to many of her classmates.

"We'd tell people we thought they'd be great, and they'd say they didn't know if they were ready to commit two years," she said. "So we would get alums to come in and say they'd done Teach for America, and now they were in medical school, law school or architecture school, and that those two years weren't that much, and had actually helped them get into those schools."

Although more than half the Teach for America alumni remain involved with education, often in administrative or policy positions, many of the applicants do not plan a long-term teaching career. In fact, many also interview for competitive jobs with investment banks and management consulting firms.

"This is a generation that thinks a lot about keeping their options open," said Monica Wilson, assistant director for employer relations at Dartmouth. "For students who want to look for an alternative to the corporate world, Teach for America offers a high-profile alternative. They put on a real strong marketing blitz, and they are very much a presence on campus."

Rachel Kreinces first heard of Teach for America as a sophomore at the University of Pennsylvania. She had been thinking of going straight to law school, but after starting a writing program for middle school students in Philadelphia, she was intrigued by the prospect of teaching for two years.

After taking a five-week training program over the summer, Ms. Kreinces is teaching sixth-grade special education students at Public School 123 in Manhattan, arriving at 7:30 a.m., prepared to offer as many tutoring hours and after-school meetings and gimmicks as it takes to help them learn. Before school started, she bought gold envelopes and cut out round "I'm a champion" medals for each student.

"In training this summer, we watched videos of this incredible teacher," she said. "He had this 'Mission: Impossible' theme going, and his kids were clamoring for more homework, and we were all sitting there thinking, 'How can I be this kind of teacher?' And my idea was this Classroom of Champions. I want so much for these kids to do well."

Teach for America grew out of a senior thesis by Wendy Kopp, a Princeton student, proposing a national teacher corps. Ms. Kopp quickly got seed money from Exxon Mobil, then, with a small staff, began a grass-roots recruitment campaign that yielded 500 fledgling teachers, who were placed in six regions in 1990. Teach for America has grown rapidly, with backing from corporate partners, philanthropists interested in education reform and Americorps, which provides the teachers with $9,450 after two years, to repay education loans or to pay for future schooling. Since 2001, the group has benefited from the same surge of interest that has brought record numbers of applications to long-established groups like the Peace Corps.

Teach for America is a growing presence in many school districts, including New York City's, which has about 800 of the group's members this year, twice as many as last year. All told, Teach for America has about 3,700 teachers - 2,190 in their first year and 1,520 in their second - teaching in 22 areas, from Los Angeles and Baltimore to the Arkansas Delta and the Pine Ridge Lakota Sioux reservation in South Dakota. The group only operates in regions certified as high need by the federal government and willing to employ teachers who lack certification.

As much as anything, Teach for America is a triumph of marketing. The group, based in Manhattan, recruits on more than 500 campuses and spends about a quarter of its nearly $40 million budget on recruitment and selection. The bulk of its members come from 141 top schools where it hires students, at about $500 a semester, to help organize recruiting events and act as headhunters.

"It's very intensive recruiting, to meet the goals Teach for America sets for us," said Mike Kalin, who was a Harvard recruiter his junior and senior years, and teaches in the South Bronx. "Some of my friends might have thought I was a little too intense my first year. There were some individuals we really wanted to go after because we thought they'd be great. It helped that the class president, for the previous two years, had joined Teach for America."

It has also helped, on all campuses, that Teach for America now has a track record: An evaluation last year by Mathematica Policy Research found that Teach for America members produce slightly higher math achievement and no worse English results, than other teachers. And a June 2005 evaluation by Kane Parsons & Associates found that 63 percent of the principals in the schools where they work regarded Teach for America teachers as more effective than the overall faculty.

However, a study of Houston student achievement released this year by Linda Darling-Hammond of Stanford and others found that although Teach for America teachers performed as well as other uncertified teachers, their results did not match those of certified teachers. Teach for America officials contend that the study was flawed.

While most parents do not know that their children are being taught by Teach for America members, some New York City principals say, they love having Teach for America members assigned to their schools.

These days, Mr. Kalin's intensity is being poured into his American history classes.

"I'm having trouble sleeping, but I'm really enjoying it," he said. "It's frantic but fun. Classroom management is the hardest thing for me. I've learned that the minute I turn my back, it's a volcano in the classroom, so I won't be turning my back anymore. There's three other T.F.A. teachers in my school, and we're getting through it together."

2005-09-29T07:45:00.000-07:00

Hello Nurse in the New York Times!!
...well, sorta

Here is the article from page B4 of the Metro section.

Hello Nurse, Meet the Bulletproof Junkies

Published: September 29, 2005

How does an aspiring band get some attention in a celebrity-saturated town? Perhaps with an unusual name. Here are some of the bands playing in New York City in the coming week, as advertised in The Village Voice:

Architecture in Helsinki

The Big Wu

Bling Kong

Bulletproof Junkies

The Celebrity Pilots

Checkbook Biography

The Comas

The Crimea

The Dearly Beloved

Deerhoof

Drive-By Truckers

Ego Likeness

Evil Doers

The Flying Neutrinos

Garage a Trois

The Gaskets

Gonna Get Got

Gnome Dust

The Hard Tomorrows

Have Her Home by Ten

Heartless Bastards

Hector on Stilts

Hello Nurse

The Inevitable Breakups

Johnny Casino's Easy Action

Keygrip

Low Flying Jets

Makeout Room

Medications

The New Heathens

Nixon Agnew

No Redeeming Social Value

Other Passengers

Pariah

The Pillcrushers

Sin Destroyers

The Smyrk

Still Life Decay

Summer Lawns

Team Robespierre

The Urges

The Walk Ons

The Weary Boys

Wicked Little Dolls

Wide Right

Wormburner

2005-09-27T18:23:00.000-07:00

Takin' the Day Off!

I'm at Hello Nurse, Inc. mixing all night tonight, and I'm super psyched that I took the day off tomorrow. I have a bunch of vacation days that I'm about to lose at the end of the month, so I figured I might as well use one.

Tomorrow is going to be awesome. I'm going to wake up early and play morning ultimate in Prospect Park. Then Jackie and I are going to the new MoMa. Afterwards, we take Eloise to the vet. Muwahahaha!

Best part, no work involved and it will be a Wednesday.

Damn, I really should have used my vacation days this year. I'm an IDIOT.

2005-09-23T10:58:00.000-07:00

Big John!

Yesterday I spent almost the entire day reading Big John's blog. I got very little work done, unfortunately.

Big John and I were very close throughout K-8. We went to different high schools but we kept in touch because we leaved near each other. When I went home to Michigan in college we would hang out. Big John was the friend I invited to attend my dad & Lynne's wedding a few years ago. After college, John and I both joined Teach For America, and he taught in New Orleans. At that time we lost touch with one another, and John is now in Japan teaching English through JET.

I have always regretted not keeping in better touch with John during the past few years. When I started reading his blog yesterday, I was glued! It's like reading a close friend's journal! I love John's blog in that it is a personal account, a glimpse of his life, and the pictures are great.

Big John: I'm happy to hear that you're having such awesome adventures in Japan. Keep up the frequent blog posts, and get your ass to Maine next August so we can do some celebrating!

Big John and Ben, friends from Detroit

Alex Chung wrote me an e-mail the other day in which he said, "It's funny how the blog world works: you know what people are up to without having to talk to them which saves a lot of time but also really weird."

This is so true! So many times when I call a friend and start telling a story I am interrupted - Yeah, I read it on your blog. This stinks, because I love telling stories. I guess this is probably why I keep a blog in the first place - to tell as many stories to as many people as possible.

In other news, check out these Hello Nurse t-shirt designs. My favorite is the one below. Chime in if you hvae a preference.

http://hellonurserock.com/tshirt/

2005-09-19T12:49:00.000-07:00

Please pass this information along!

Teach For America is looking for 1,000 Champions who will each donate $1,000 to improve public education in our country's urban and rural public schools. By choosing to Be One of a Thousand, you will play a critical role in growing Teach For America.

We are one of ten finalists - out of nearly 1,000 applicants - for the inaugural Amazon.com Nonprofit Innovation Award. The finalist that raises the most money between now and September 30, in donations of $1 to $1,000, will win the Award and a matching grant from Amazon.com of up to $1 million.

Be one of Teach For America's 1,000 Champions who will collectively donate $1 million, position us to win the $1 million matching grant, and help us be named the most innovative nonprofit in America!

Teach For America is the national corps of outstanding recent college graduates of all academic majors who fight educational inequity by teaching in low-income communities and becoming lifelong leaders for change. This is a unique opportunity to grow our corps and to take a step closer to the day when all children in our nation have the opportunity to attain an excellent education.

Donate Now

link location: http://cl.exct.net/?ffcb10-fe5216777065037b7c1c-fe181c787663067a721c75

Please copy this information in an e-mail to friends and colleagues who could also Be One of a Thousand.

Thank you for your support.

2005-09-19T09:08:00.000-07:00

Videos from Hello Nurse CMJ Show

Dollar Signs and Liars video

My Ally video

Ordinary Me video

Token Summer video

A HUGE thanks to Rachel (and Frankie) for shooting these videos and for being such awesome fans in general.

2005-09-16T07:04:00.000-07:00

Hello Nurse at the CMJ Music Marathon 2005

Saturday September 17th at 7:45 PM
CMJ 2005 Music Marathon
Continental - 25 Third Avenue at St. Marks
ALL AGES, and there will likely be some absurd $10 cover charge

The acronym CMJ stands for College Music Journal. Given that we never had the chance to join fraternities in our various educational paths, Hello Nurse has decided to start our own frat and hold rush week during CMJ. We will call our fraternity Eta Nu. Eta Nu is Greek for HN, and everybody knows that the ancient Greeks were big fans of meatheads with spikey hair drinking Bud Ice.

Won't you please join us at the Continental for keg stands, ice luges, and the the atomic situp?

Yours in brotherhood,

Hello Nurse
Eta Nu
Est. 2005

2005-09-14T06:40:00.000-07:00

Accomplishing the little things

The past few weeks I've been concentrating on tying up loose ends I've been meaning to do forever. I went to the dentist. I got a new contact lens perscription for new fancy silicon lenses that allow more oxygen to reach my corneas. (On a side note, the doctor thought I might have glaucoma, and my first thought was that I might be able to scam some herbal medication... but it turns out that I just have thick corneas, which skews the eye pressure test.)

Anyway, back to the little tasks. I'm finally going to pick up junk I've been storing at Kari's place in my old loft in East Williamsburg. I worked on my guest list for the wedding, and Jackie and I even took a half-hour to figure out what our wedding song will be. (Wedding crap is over-the-top corny by design, but I must admit it's kind of fun.) We chose You and me song by the Wannadies. It's on the old Romeo & Juliet soundtrack, but I'm not sure how many of you out there have heard it. It's a gloriously cheesy indie-pop song sung in broken english by Scandanavians.

Over the weekend Jackie and I dog-sat for our neighbors downstairs. Sequoia is likely a Korean Jindo, but they're not 100% sure since they got her from the pound. She is an awesome dog, and we took her to all the dog-friendly cafes in our neighborhood. Unfortunately, she has the runs through the first day we had her, and she had a few accidents. Overall, it was great to spend a long weekend caring for the dog. It made us realize that we are probably better dog-sitters than dog-owners. So, I'll finally have to put my incessant browsing of the Craigslist pet forum to rest.

(Generic Korean Jindo - not Sequoia)

On Sunday, Hello Nurse did very rough recordings of our 6 newest songs. We're doing rough recordings so we can fool around with background vocal tracks, percussions tracks, mixing parts in and out, and possibly keyboard parts. This way we can figure out which three songs are best, and we can also determine exactly how we want to record them and layer the tracks. We feel that we're ready to start spending money on REAL recordings using the help of PROFESSIONALS with QUALITY gear. This way, we'll know exactly what we want when we walk through the door, and this will help cut down the total number of hours spent in such extravagant and EXPENSIVE recording studios.

And finally, in other Hello Nurse news, we were illegally evicted from our practice space the other day. Our landlord dressed up like a marshall, and tried to padlock the door saying that we did not show up for a court date and therefore we are being evicted. The last we heard, after a meeting the landlord earlier this month, is that our space is being demolished to make way for condos, and we need to move by November 1. We said ok, and we started to look around for a new space. We were never served with papers and had no idea about a court date. This whole thing is extremely illegal. We did move our gear out of the space and into Joe's office to be safe. Nonetheless, I'm sure that all of the bands sharing the space are going to get together and sue the crap out of that landlord. I hate court, but wow would it feel good to sue the shit out of some skeezy landlord. Heck, Joe did it - and he hasn't paid rent for years!

2005-09-09T12:29:00.001-07:00

I hate clowns!

Donate today! Every $20 helps.

Thanks to Joe C. for the graphic.

2005-09-08T13:24:00.000-07:00

One Band, Two Band, Old Band, New Band

Leo Creek Jam Band

This is my dad's band. The finally have a website: leocreek.com

The website has mp3s of a live performance, video from that same performance, and a tall tale of the band's history that had me slapping my knee.

I dig the fish!

OK Go

Andy Ross, former guitarist for the A-Ross Experience and the mastermind behind Secret Dakota Ring, is now a member of the popular band OK Go. OK Go will be performing on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno tonight to promote their new album, Oh No. If you can muster the energy to sit through Blue Collar Comedy shenanigans, OK Go will come on at the end of the show. Git 'er done!

Andy, your hair is [lisp]spectacular[/lisp].
(2nd from left)

2005-09-07T08:16:00.000-07:00

Hello Nurse Interview in SONYC

Damn, we give good interview.

SONYC is a great acronym, by the way: Sounds of New York City

2005-09-07T06:48:00.000-07:00

A feeling of uselessness - Can I do more?

Last week I had this burning sensation in me - What can I do to help? How can I be most effective?

Late Thursday night an idea popped into my head: I'll get a 15-passenger van, drive 1-way volunteers to the gulf coast along with supplies, and bring back people who have family in New York City. Once I had this basic plan, I couldn't sleep. I called up some friends who I thought might be down for a marathon 2,400 mile road trip in the span of the three-day weekend.

Drew agreed to join me in this madness. We spent the day on Friday trying to get our ducks in a row. We posted on craigslist asking for volunteers, small donations for gas, and most importantly, a vehicle. We found 2 or 3 volunteers looking for a ride, 2 people willing to give us money, and 2 people who wanted to donate supplies. The Daily News even contacted us for the details of our trip. But, we still didn't have a van.

Finding a van turned out to be most challenging. Drew called tons of rental companies. I contacted people who were selling vans on craiglist. Drew called a few churches. I even called the Columbia Athletic Department. We were back and forth with a half-dozen people. It turns out that two Joes without insurance have a tough time getting someone to lend them a vehicle, especially the day before labor day weekend.

At about 6pm we decided to contact the volunteers and tell them that our plan was off , that they should find another outlet for their generosity. We were bummed, and I'm sure a lot of people were feeling the same way last week:

How can I help? How can I give of my time? How can I be most effective?

At work we're trying to help our new teachers placed in the Greater New Orleans area find work elsewhere or help with disaster relief. So many alumni are calling us asking what they can do. There are still so many questions and so few answers.

The weather this weekend was beautiful. I enjoyed it as best I could. But in the back of my mind: "I wish I were driving through Louisiana with a van full of diapers and clothes."

2005-08-31T06:47:00.000-07:00

Hurricane footage is blowing my mind

I've been so busy the past few days that I didn't have a chance to pay attention to the Hurricane Katrina coverage until yesterday afternoon - and what I continue to see is utterly unbelievable. I was glued to my TV last night watching CNN and MSNBC.

Frankly, I'm appalled that the networks weren't covering this disaster last night. Sitcom programming went on as scheduled. I actually took an hour to visit a small recording studio in my neighborhood to check it out, and the guys were oblivious to the disaster taking place in New Orleans and the Gulf Coast states. They didn't have cable, and the network station they were watching (CBS) was showing some stupid show where singers compete to be the next frontman of INXS. I walked in and exclaimed, "Can you believe what's happening down south??"

They had no idea.

While the damage isn't as widespread geographically as the tsunami, the destruction is equally devastating. Network television stations belong to the people, so why were they not serving the public good and covering the storm during prime time television?? I just don't get it.

[sarcasm]And how noble of our president to leave his vacation early to attend to matters relating to this catastrophe.[/sarcasm] But he still won't be leaving Crawford until tomorrow. He should have been in Washington well before the hurricane reached the shores, given the weather predictions.

My heart goes out to everyone affected by this disaster. As soon as my paycheck clears today I will be making a donation to the Red Cross. Please consider making a donation. Every $20 helps.

Donate to the Red Cross.

(It looks like their site is being flooded with traffic. Please be patient and try again later today if the site does not respond.)

2005-08-30T06:32:00.000-07:00

1400 Miles Later

In the words of Sufjan Stevens, Greetings from Michigan! Hello Nurse travelled to the Detroit metro area over the weekend for 2 shows - a house party in Livonia and a bar show in Ypsilanti. We logged 1,400 miles on the van, we ate nasty fast food, and fortunately, no punches were thrown.

I picked up Mike and Ed around 4:45am Friday morning, we loaded the van, and we were on the road by 6am. We arrived in Livonia by 5pm, and set up in the lovely home of our good friends Jill and Mike. Jill cooked us dinner, and she could not have been more hospitable. We rocked out in their basement, and met a ton of fun Michiganders who were impressed with the band.

On Saturday my family met up at my Aunt Sue and Uncle Jim's house in Saline, MI. We had a big lunch, and the band played wiffle ball in the back yard. On Saturday night my friends from high school showed up, and my Aunt Sue invited her entire subdivision to attend as well. The babysitters were making money on Saturday!

All in all it was a great trip, but I'm totally wiped.

Happy birthday to Joe Hundley, who celebrated his 30th last night at Punk Metal Karaoke.

2005-08-24T10:19:00.000-07:00

Big News

I proposed to Jackie on Saturday! So now she has a ring on her finger, and all of a sudden I'm starting to feel like a grown-up. Ahhh!

Here are answers to some of the most frequently asked questions:

1. We were at a beautiful park on the Brooklyn waterfront between the
Brooklyn & Manhattan bridges.

2. She was very surprised. And she said yes.

3. No, I did not buy the ring on Craigslist.

4. No, it's not a shotgun engagement.

5. We haven't yet set a date, and apparently Christian knows NOTHING
about how long it takes to plan a wedding.

6. We're super excited!

Here are some pictures from a small engagement party we had last night at our favorite tiki bar, Otto's. Thanks to everyone who came by, and happy birthday to Matt as well.

2005-08-19T05:36:00.000-07:00

Hammer the Spammers, Weekend dead for metal-heads

LEGAL REVENGE AGAINST SPAM SNAIL-MAILERS

The following link is a hilarious pictorial for a way of getting back at organizations that send junk mail. Use the paid-postage reply card to send them a tire!

vertical-visions.com/_temp/postagepaid/index2.html

*********************************************
HELLFEST PUNKS STRANDED IN TRENTON

Thousands of punks and metal-heads descended on Trenton, NJ for a music festival called Hellfest this weekend. Unfortunately, Hellfest went to hell - it was cancelled.

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/08/19/nyregion/19punk.html

See the Hellfest website for the official explanation of why Hellfest went to hell. They even offer a pdf, "The Truth Behind The Hellfest Demise."

2005-08-18T12:28:00.000-07:00

America's Most Liberal/Conservative Cities

Here's an interesting article I found which used voting records to determine which are America's most liberal and conservative cities.

Study Ranks America’s Most Liberal and Conservative Cities

According to the study, the most liberal city in America is..... DETROIT! Word up to the fine people of the motor city for being the most intelligent, most humanitarian, most awesome.... wait, I guess I can't infer all that. But at least they are liberal.

It's not much of a surprise that Provo, Utah is the country's most conservative city. Also unsurprisingly, three cities in Texas were in the top five: Lubbock, Abilene, and Plano.

This study does have some startling implications regarding the relationship between race and political ideology. This isn't anything new, but it's hard evidence pointing to an assumption that most people make anyway.

BACVR researchers found a direct correlation between a city’s political ideology and its racial makeup. “The great political divide in America today is not red vs. blue, north vs. south, costal vs. interior or even rich vs. poor – it is now clearly black vs. white,” says Phil Reiff, a BACVR director.... Detroit, MI, and Provo, UT, epitomize America’s political, economic and racial polarization.

2005-08-16T20:24:00.000-07:00

Being a good neighbor

I did some good neighbor duties today that made me feel good.

1. Last week I found a cell phone in the street on my way to work. I fiddled around with the phone and called the people on the recent calls list. I left a few messages with my contact info until the phone died. I also posted on the lost & found section on Craigslist.

The girl's dad called me the other day thanking me for reaching out to find the owner of the phone. It turns out that the girl lives a few blocks from me, and she dropped the phone getting on to the bus. I stopped by the Powell residence this afternoon to return the phone, I chatted with them for a while, and I played with their dog. The family was extremely grateful that I was so honest, and they gave me a thank-you card with a gift certificate to a local wine store.

2. A couple that lives downstairs from me just had a baby. The baby was born on Saturday morning, and they did home birth. I wasn't around to hear it, but apparently there was lots of screaming involved. But, as far as birthing goes, they said that it went smoothly.

The couple also has a dog named Sequoia. I stopped by after work today and took the dog for a run in the park. The dog isn't much of a runner, so I was dragging it around most of the time. I'm happy to walk Sequoia whenever they need, and I know that Jackie wants to help take care of the baby.

It feels good to be a good neighbor. Luckily, I have all kinds of new neighbors in the area: Drew & Amanda, Rob & Mark, and of course Joe, Katina, Steve, Ellie, Francie, Eytan, and Lightshow. Brooklyn is beautiful.

2005-08-12T10:41:00.000-07:00

Critical Tits

From this week's Nonsense New York e-mail:

XXXXX SUNDAY, AUGUST 13 XXXXX

Critical Tits

Celebrate the right of women to go topless, and protest the unlawful
arrest of women who do so. Whether you choose to bike or blade, do it
topless -- and demonstrate everyone's right to bare their chest.

This event is happening in part as a response to the recent arrest of
a New York woman who was arrested and jailed for refusing to put on a
shirt. Please let everyone know and encourage all to attend so we can
collectively heighten the awareness that it is a man's as well as a
woman's right to bare her chest in NYC.

If you will: Bring permanent markers so we can write on our bodies
the law (penal code 245.1). The cops are obviously unaware that the
right for a woman to go topless in NYC was recently passed and need
to be schooled by us this Sunday.

Tavern on the Green
67th Street and Central Park West, Manhattan
2p; $free

NOTE: Close readers of this list know that we would prefer it if
everyone kept their shirts on, but an injustice is an injustice, so
take it off. Attend this event if you like to show skin, or if you
care so much about the principle that you're willing to compromise
modesty, but remember that it's one newspaper article away from a
media frenzy, with all the attendant cameras that follow. Know what
you are getting into.

****************************

Unfortunately, I will be out of town visiting the O'Neill's in Maine for Jackie's birthday during this event. Maybe I can convince Jackie to participate in this event during our drive back to New York on Sunday... probably not.

It's pretty awesome that they will be doing this event at Tavern on the Green. Good luck to all the ladies out there who wag their ta-tas in the name of the right to bare chests.

Hee hee hee, I crack myself up!

2005-08-11T08:37:00.000-07:00

Creative protest: Billionaires for Bush targets Starbucks

Billionaires rush to the aid of Starbucks
found on nyc.indymedia.org

Manhattan Billionaires could not sip their lattes idly while StarBucks Corporation faced attacks by pro-union protesters on Saturday, August 6. Instead, a bevy of Billionaires recognized our #1 specialty coffee retailer for its outstanding performance in union-busting and its continuing commitment to pay its baristas unlivable wages.

To touch off our defiant 'sip-in’, the Billionaires proffered a toast to “record-breaking profits”, while Diva Denz phoned her stock broker, demanding 1,000 more shares of Starbucks stock. But this celebration was cut short by the arrival of, alas, StarBucks Union picketers! Dr. DeBooks, in a fury not often exhausted by a Billionaire, snatched one of the Union’s flyers and brought it inside the store. Reading out loud in unutterable indignation, he sounded off the Union Workers’ grievances, including absurd things like livable wages, a decent number of hours, bathroom breaks, and similar claptrap that you might often hear the indentured class complain about.

Thankfully, we Billionaires distributed our own flyers to the customers, as we had our own points to make. Union-busting is “just good business”, as we all know. And these unprecedented profits are surely leading to unprecedented payraises, or at least Chairman Howard Schultz granted himself a 44% pay increase while leaving the baristas to their unlivable wages. Moreover, whining workers, if you need full-time status, just work more jobs!

At this point, the Regional District Manager appeared at the scene in an outrage over the turn of events. Without missing a beat, Billionaire Monet Oliver D’Place greeted him with our prestigious Better Billionaires Business Bureau Award for Outstanding Unfair Labor Practices, and as the manager blushed, surely from the unexpected honor, the stealthily corrupt Walkin Ondapoor snapped a camera on his priceless face.

The manager proceeded to escort us out the door, of course, to suppress the rabble outside. But we Billionaires couldn’t leave the comfort of the store without our own security. Indeed, the police arrived at the scene, while Buddy O’Bush, Ivy League-Legacy, and Ivan Yorz donned signs with slogans such as, “We Proudly Screw StarBucks Workers”, “Think Globally, Oppress Locally”, and “Let Them Work for Beans”. As the Union workers rallied behind fired Union worker Sarah Bender, we Billionaires chanted, “Sarah Bender, don’t defend her, Get in there and work the Blender!” and “StarBucks Workers, Get a clue, Living wages aren’t for you!”

We then marched in triumph to another crowded Starbucks store, where we were greeted, as usual, with cameras and spectators. Ivy League-Legacy assured everyone that there was nothing to fear, as we had the situation well under control. And lo and behold, we had our police arrive yet again to protect us. Pacifica radio station WBAI, which we are well on our way to privatizing, captured some footage from the spectacular contretemps between the Billionaires and the Union workers and we Billionaires aired our under-represented sentiments concerning our prized corporation’s profit pumping tactics.

Our bastion of Billionaires was, once again, triumphant. As we well know, “Big money, united, shall never be defeated!”

Huzzah, for keeping the BUCKS in StarBuck$!

- Diva Denz, reporting

Better Billionaires Business Bureau Award for Outstanding Unfair Labor Practices
(The look on the district manager's face is priceless!)

2005-08-10T09:29:00.000-07:00

Secret Craigslist Forums

Many of you are probably already familiar with Craigslist discussion forums. The forums are basically public message boards with topical themes. Aimless surfers can read posts on topics ranging from atheism to beauty to haikus.

A while back Jackie discovered the secret forums. Basically each forum has an ID number in the URL. If you change the ID number, you can go to a forum that isn't linked on the Craigslist forums homepage.

Many of the popular forums have become overwhelmed by trolls. (A troll is a person who posts outrageous message to bait people to answer. A troll delights in sowing discord in a forum.) To avoid trolls, the forums most ardent followers retreat to a secret forum where they can discuss their bondage fetishes in private without Rick Santorum's son Daniel butting in to call them unAmerican homos.

Of course, some people have just made their own secret forums for the fun of it. There's the bragging forum, the recipe forum, the dream forum, the I have a crush forum, and even the drops pants forum.

In the name of sheer boredom, I hereby proclaim the following forum C-town's Bullshit Forum.

http://forums.newyork.craigslist.org/?forumID=2663

Hurry up and post your absolute nonsense now before the trolls invade and start posting more absolute nonsense.

The best part about forum posts is that they are completely anonymous. You can post the most inane drivel, the most disgusting links, and the most ___-ist comments you want without fear of getting caught.

Try it - it's quite cathartic.

2005-08-09T06:39:00.000-07:00

The War on Some Drugs

Anyone who knows me well knows that I think the war on some drugs is one of most asinine policies our country has ever dreamt up. The war on some drugs causes serious problems worldwide and at home.

A disproportionate amount of people of color fill an increasing number of prisons due to archaic mandatory sentencing laws. This ruins the lives of men and their families, and does more harm than the actual drug in question in each case.

Law enforcement spends millions of dollars on investigating and prosecuting drug law violators - and this does not increase the quality of life in our country at all.

The US government funds guerrilla warfare in South America and third world countries in the name of the war on some drugs.

Most importantly, data from the 40+ year war on some drugs shows that these policies are INEFFECTIVE. If I were running a business, and the business were posting 40 straight years of losses, wouldn't some changes be deemed necessary?

The prohibition of drugs causes more problems than the drugs themselves. Gee, too bad we already learned this lesson -- DURING PROHIBITION.

Public leaders who are not brainwashed by the moral imperative crowd have been advocating changing the focus of the war on some drugs from a law enforcement perspective to a public health perspective for years. This just seems so obvious to me, that I am dumbfounded as to why this issue does not receive more public attention.

People think that if you disagree with the war on some drugs you will therefore be labeled an anarchist in favor of legalization. You don't have to be an anarchist or favor legalization to support reform in the way our country reduces the harm that can be caused by substance abuse.

John Tierney of the New York Times wrote an editorial in which he attempts to debunk the drug war today. I read his article, the whole time wondering why this is not frigging OBVIOUS to policy makers in Washington. Still, Tierney's editorial moved me to write this post because, sadly, the war on some drugs receives so little media scrutiny. The Drug Reform Coalition sends a weekly e-mail with updates on the war on some drugs, and it is amazing how little media attention surrounds this issue.

Journalists are scared of confronting this issue, especially since most media outlets are owned by corporations so dependent on the status quo. In fact, the only media attention garnered toward this issue recently is the explosion of fear toward methamphetamine despite the fact that there is little to no factual evidence that methamphetamine poses any more harm than other substances.

Are Americans not upset that millions of otherwise productive citizens are incarcerated in new prisons each year?

Are Americans not upset that a huge percentage of our economy exists in the untaxed, unrepresented black market?

Are Americans not upset that citizens with drug abuse problems cannot seek help for themselves and their families due to the fear of incarceration?

Are Americans not upset that huge percentages of tax dollars are spent on a policy that is proven to be ineffective through both research and history?

Are Americans not upset that our government finances guerrilla warfare in third world countries with the goal of reducing the amount of drugs crossing our boarders?

Are Americans not upset that the government decides which chemicals are appropriate for consumption rather than free men and women? I thought this was supposed to be a free country?

Alcohol and tobacco cause far worst public health risks than marijuana, cocaine, and all other illegal substances combined. Harm reduction and public health-focused policies would drastically reduce the problems these drugs cause, AND this would keep our thousands (or millions?) of citizens out of prison each year.

And just think for a moment, what if drugs were legalized? If heroin could be purchased at a government clinic, would you rush out and buy it? I wouldn't. And if heroin were available at a government clinic, would there be a black market in the projects to supply this chemical to addicts? NO. Would junkies have to cower in dark allies and parks, sharing dirty needles? NO. Where could doctors and social workers find junkies to help them? Gee, how about the government clinic??

I just don't see the legalization of drugs turning our country into drug crazed addicts. If you went to a government clinic to buy meth, and there was a giant poster of meth-mouth on the wall, maybe you'd think twice. If a heroin addict goes to a clinic for a fix, he could be certain that he wasn't purchasing deadly household cleaning products in a ziplock bag. If drugs were supplied by clinics, the black market would drastically be reduced. Children under 18 would not have the easy access to illicit substances that they do today. People would be forced to be educated about the drugs they are putting in their body. Who do you think gives better information - a drug dealer or a health provider?

Ok, enough of this rant. I was going to jump into the pointlessness of marijuana laws, but I'll save that for a time when I'm not so seething with anger.

2005-08-05T09:20:00.000-07:00

Praise be to Him, Flying Spaghetti Monster

The Flying Spaghetti Monster is the sole deity in the monotheistic religion known as Flying Spaghetti Monsterism (FSMism). It has widely been accepted as fact that this, and only this is the true religion, just as the Flying Spaghetti Monster is the true Creator and Overseer.

Ancient drawings of the Flying Spaghetti Monster by cave people. The Flying Spaghetti Monster was so displeased by this rendition, He turned them into piles of fossils to test the faith of His followers. The blue lines are speed lines.

OPEN LETTER TO KANSAS SCHOOL BOARD

I am writing you with much concern after having read of your hearing to decide whether the alternative theory of Intelligent Design should be taught along with the theory of Evolution. I think we can all agree that it is important for students to hear multiple viewpoints so they can choose for themselves the theory that makes the most sense to them. I am concerned, however, that students will only hear one theory of Intelligent Design.

Let us remember that there are multiple theories of Intelligent Design. I and many others around the world are of the strong belief that the universe was created by a Flying Spaghetti Monster. It was He who created all that we see and all that we feel. We feel strongly that the overwhelming scientific evidence pointing towards evolutionary processes is nothing but a coincidence, put in place by Him.

It is for this reason that I’m writing you today, to formally request that this alternative theory be taught in your schools, along with the other two theories. In fact, I will go so far as to say, if you do not agree to do this, we will be forced to proceed with legal action. I’m sure you see where we are coming from. If the Intelligent Design theory is not based on faith, but instead another scientific theory, as is claimed, then you must also allow our theory to be taught, as it is also based on science, not on faith.

Some find that hard to believe, so it may be helpful to tell you a little more about our beliefs. We have evidence that a Flying Spaghetti Monster created the universe. None of us, of course, were around to see it, but we have written accounts of it. We have several lengthy volumes explaining all details of His power. Also, you may be surprised to hear that there are over 10 million of us, and growing. We tend to be very secretive, as many people claim our beliefs are not substantiated by observable evidence. What these people don’t understand is that He built the world to make us think the earth is older than it really is. For example, a scientist may perform a carbon-dating process on an artifact. He finds that approximately 75% of the Carbon-14 has decayed by electron emission to Nitrogen-14, and infers that this artifact is approximately 10,000 years old, as the half-life of Carbon-14 appears to be 5,730 years. But what our scientist does not realize is that every time he makes a measurement, the Flying Spaghetti Monster is there changing the results with His Noodly Appendage. We have numerous texts that describe in detail how this can be possible and the reasons why He does this. He is of course invisible and can pass through normal matter with ease.

I’m sure you now realize how important it is that your students are taught this alternate theory. It is absolutely imperative that they realize that observable evidence is at the discretion of a Flying Spaghetti Monster. Furthermore, it is disrespectful to teach our beliefs without wearing His chosen outfit, which of course is full pirate regalia. I cannot stress the importance of this, and unfortunately cannot describe in detail why this must be done as I fear this letter is already becoming too long. The concise explanation is that He becomes angry if we don’t.

You may be interested to know that global warming, earthquakes, hurricanes, and other natural disasters are a direct effect of the shrinking numbers of Pirates since the 1800s. For your interest, I have included a graph of the approximate number of pirates versus the average global temperature over the last 200 years. As you can see, there is a statistically significant inverse relationship between pirates and global temperature.

In conclusion, thank you for taking the time to hear our views and beliefs. I hope I was able to convey the importance of teaching this theory to your students. We will of course be able to train the teachers in this alternate theory. I am eagerly awaiting your response, and hope dearly that no legal action will need to be taken. I think we can all look forward to the time when these three theories are given equal time in our science classrooms across the country, and eventually the world; One third time for Intelligent Design, one third time for Flying Spaghetti Monsterism, and one third time for logical conjecture based on overwhelming observable evidence.

Sincerely Yours,

Bobby Henderson, concerned citizen

Thanks to Matt for the link.

2005-08-04T10:25:00.000-07:00

Make it a DOUBLE

I'm sure you've all heard of the documentary Supersize Me. Well, what would happen if a man tries to live off nothing but whiskey for 30 days??

http://whitestkids.com/video/whisky.mov

See whitestkids.com for more stuff done by a New York comedy troupe called The Whitest Kids You Know.

They are performing this Sunday at Pianos (LES).