October 25, 2012
Olympic wrestler Jeff Blatnick dies, Cuomo hosts NY "booze summit," Quintessence sold to Albany Med, cabbie sees Jesus in a greenhouse
At New York's first Beer, Wine and Spirits summit yesterday, Andrew Cuomo took suggestions from brewers, distillers and wine makers on how to create a more business friendly climate. Cuomo said he wants to put the promotion of New York's beer, wine and spirits industries in New York"on steroids." Cuomo held a tasting at the executive mansion as part of the "booze summit" and seemed down with a "major blowout" NYS beer, wine and spirits promotional party in NYC. [YNN] [WNYT] [NYT] [Capitol Confidential]
Police in Saratoga have arrested a man for allegedly beating a cab driver near the West Side Recreation Field in the city, and robbing him at gunpoint. [TU] [Saratogian]
A judge sent Jeremiah "Havoc" Hamilton to jail for 40 years to life for killing a childhood friend who was caught in the crossfire while trying to stop a dispute over a dice game in Schenectady. [TU]
Another chapter in the David Soares steroid investigation saga: Lawyers for an Orlando pharmacy that sued to have Soares disclose a letter of admonishment from a judge now say they want the Albany County DA to pay $35,465 in fees stemming from the suit. [TU]
Next on the playlist: something from 1878
Thomas Edison with a tinfoil phonograph, probably in 1878. The tinfoil was later replaced by wax cylinders.
Old-school sound: miSci -- formerly the Schenectady Museum -- will be revealing the recording from its 1878 Edison tinfoil tonight (Thursday). It's the second oldest documented Edison tinfoil recording -- it includes what is probably the oldest playable American voice, as well as the first ever recording of a musical performance. From the blurbage:
Attendees will learn the background of the object, how it fits into miSci's collections, what its significance is in the timeline of larger technological innovations and the latest breaking news - the owner of the voice is revealed!
The presentation will also tell why the recordings couldn't be recovered until now, the story of some of the challenges faced, the technological innovations (the development of special software programming called PRISM) made to read the tin foil and where the tin foil fits in the spectrum of surviving recordings throughout the world.
Here's a bit more about the recording from an AP story.
The miSci event is at the GE Theater at Proctors at 6:30 pm. It's free.
If you go, take a moment to imagine yourself 300 years in the future at an event in which scientists and curators are debuting a recently developed emulator for an archaic audio format known as an "mp3" and display a quaint little device called an "iPod." (The use of iPods, mp3s, AACs, and other related tech was made obsolete once Apple introduced the iBrain and started streaming music directly to a chip in people's heads.)
Earlier on AOA: What you can't see at the Schenectady Museum
miSci advertises on AOA.
photo: Levin C. Handy via the Library of Congress via Wikipedia
This is Sandy
The forecasted track, as of 11 am Thursday.
Here's the situation: There's a hurricane in the Caribbean -- Hurricane Sandy -- and, at the moment, the forecasted track of the storm including hitting the northeastern United State sometime next Tuesday. By that point, according to forecasts, Sandy would be a tropical storm.
Yeah, that sounds like uncomfortably like Irene.
From the NWS weather discussion for this area, which notes there's still "considerable uncertainty" about the path of the storm:
The bottom line from looking at all suites of guidance is that some atypical storm system is most likely to impact a large area of the Northeast U.S. early next week...with the most likely time for greatest effects to be Monday and/or Tuesday...with lingering effects possibly into Wed or Thu.
For our region...it appears that a potentially prolonged heavy rain event could evolve during the mon-wed time frame...although exact amts...and areas of most intense rain remain uncertain. A period of strong winds also appears increasingly likely...with the greatest threat across higher elevations...although valley areas certainly will not be exempt from a significant wind threat either...depending on the eventual track/evolution of the storm system.
Colder air may eventually wrap into the storm/s circulation at some point later next week...so some snow or snow showers can not be ruled out in portions of the region by next Wed.
In other words: right now, it's looking like there could be heavy rain Monday into Wednesday, with strong wind. And depending how temperatures go, that rain could turn into snow.
So, that would make it... a snowicane? A tropical snow storm? Whatever it's called... eek.
By the way: While a storm like this would be unusual for this area, the end of October is still considered the peak of hurricane season in the Atlantic.
There goes George
A few years back Laura wrote on AOA about the dollar bill-tracking website Where's George? and some of the places the bills traveled to/from the Capital Region. Recently over at her blog, she posted a few maps of where her dollars have ended up. It's interesting to see where her bills from upstate New York have throughout the country.
Craig and his wonderful list
The good thing about Craigslist: It's a window into our fellow community members' wants, needs and aspirations. The bad thing about Craigslist: It's a window into our fellow community members' wants, needs and aspirations.
Good or bad, we'll let you decide...
Up or out, Jimmer
Brutal evaluation of Jimmer Fredette by an anonymous NBA scout over at Sports Illustrated: "Jimmer Fredette will be in Europe in a year or two. He has no future in the league. None." In a separate article, an SI writer argues this is a make-or-break season for Jimmer.
TOP 2012: The Final
Marisa's Place vs. DeFazio's.
After 28 pizzas from 16 pizza places, we're now down to just two pizzas and two shops.
It's the final of the 2012 Tournament of Pizza -- sponsored by Sunmark Federal Credit Union. The match-up in this championship round:
DeFazio's (Troy bracket) vs. Marisa's Place (Albany bracket)
How we got here: DeFazio's blew the roof off during its semi-final match with Amore (Saratoga), scoring a TOP-record 82 with its Buffalo chicken pizza. And Marisa's posted a solid score of 69 in its matchup with Mario's of Niskayuna.
Despite posting a string of excellent scores, and two previous appearances in the final, DeFazio's has never won the Tournament of Pizza. With its huge score in the last round, the Troy shop has to be the heavy favorite in this final match. But Marisa's is a formidable opponent -- with a set of its own strong performances.
Can DeFazio's finally claim the crown? Or will Marisa's Place take the title?
Bring on the pizza!
... said KGB about Drawing: What's something that brought you joy this year?