Items tagged with 'whoa'
A light streaking across the sky
This is either:
A) Dash cam video from the Plattsburgh Police Department of the fireball seen streaking across the sky in the Northeast overnight Monday to Tuesday.
B) A scene from the beginning of low-budget sci-fi film in which the citizens from a small town start exhibiting strange new powers -- both amazing and troubling -- after an odd light appears in the sky.
C) Maybe both?
[via New York Upstate]
Video of downtown Albany underground explosion
Boom goes the manhole.
Here's a video clip via the Albany County Sheriff's Office of the underground explosion in downtown Albany Wednesday afternoon. The explosion knocked the cover off a manhole and shot flames into the air.
The camera that captured the explosion is pointed down Steuben Street toward the intersection of Steuben and Chapel. You can see dark gray smoke first billow from the street, then BOOM! (Actually, you have to supply your own soundtrack -- there's no audio.)
There are a few stills from the video after the jump.
National Grid says the explosion was caused by an underground fire on an electrical wire. It says no one was hurt. The company is investigating what caused the fire.
Reports: underground fire, blown manhole covers in downtown Albany
Update: Here's video of the explosion.
____
Around 3:30 pm Wednesday afternoon, mentions of an underground fire in downtown Albany -- with exploding manhole covers -- started popping up on Twitter. Albany County exec Dan McCoy posted on Twitter at 3:53 pm: "Fire in electrical network underground. Manhole covers blew. Work underway." [@DanielleSanzone] [@MCCoyCountyExec]
The Albany County Justice Center was evacuated because smoke was drawn into the ventilation system. Albany City Hall was closed. And there were reports of other buildings being closed. [Albany County] [@LeifEngstrom1 (city auditor)] [@jessicabakeman]
Streets near the county justice center were closed for crews to work on the problem. [@MCCoyCountyExec]
The photo above -- at North Pearl and Pine -- is from Andrew Gregory (@lunchboxbrain).
Update: 8:44 pm: From National Grid spokesman Patrick Stella:
At 3 p.m. today we detected a power interruption on an underground line at North Pearl Street in Albany. We immediately dispatched crews who have been working through the evening to assess and repair damage caused by an underground fire on our electrical wire.
One manhole cover was dislodged due to the fire and no injuries were reported.
There were no outages associated with the fire since the downtown area has multiple electric feeds to each customer.
We expect to make those repairs tonight and have the street open for traffic.
We will investigate the incident in an attempt to determine an extact cause.
This sounds familiar...: Something like this happened in downtown Albany in 2009.
Earthquake!
People waiting outside the Smith Building in Albany after the earthquake. Twitter was full of reports of people leaving office buildings after the quake. Near the Capitol, State Police were going around telling people it was OK to return to their offices.
Updated at 3:04 pm
At about 1:54 this afternoon there was an earthquake felt in the Capital Region. Reports all over Twitter -- from people both here in Albany (@ElizabethEss at the Smith Building in downtown Albany), to Brooklyn (@MimsieSky), to DC (@jdb820).
The USGS is reporting a 5.8 magnitude quake with an epicenter in central Virginia (apparently a rare event for that area). The epicenter is about 395 miles from Albany. [USGS] [Washington Post]
We felt it shake for a good 30 seconds in Albany. Floor lamps were swaying noticeably. Our wheeled office chair rolled back and forth a bit. Did you feel it? Where?
After the jump, a bunch of reports, reactions -- and jokes -- from people on Twitter.
Stevo Poulin
Badass of the week: Stevo Poulin of Schuylerville.
The 8-year-old and his mohawk have piled up a 256-26 record on the youth wrestling circuit. He's been described as "a blitzkrieg of speed, strength and know-how" who "scarifies" grown men -- or simply "a bad little man."
That highlight video above has been viewed on YouTube more than 6 million times. Behold the strut as he walks onto the mat.
When not blitzing his opponents, Stevo enjoys dominating spelling and math tests. He also has an outdoor cat who eats mice.
[via Post-Star Saratoga Snippets]
Gurlging sound and then flames shot out of Central Ave
From the scene: there were gurgling noises and then flames shot out of the hole.
Updated at 4:44 pm
A fault in an electrical cable underneath Central Ave in Albany on the block between Lake and Quail caused an underground fire today. There was smoke coming out of a hole in the street. There were also periodic gurgling noises and then flames shot 3-4 feet out of the hole (that was around noon). The fire is now out, according to National Grid.
Crews from the fire department and National Grid are on the scene. We were told the smoking hole was a manhole -- and the cover reportedly blew off the hole.
Via an email from National Grid spokesperson Patrick Stella at 1:22 pm:
National Grid is currently working at the 300 block of Central Ave. to repair a secondary cable fault underground. The fault did cause a fire underground earlier today (between 11 a.m. and noon). The fire has been extinguished and crews will be working on repairs this afternoon.
In order to complete repairs, we may have to temporarily cut power along the block, but the extent and duration of that possibility has not yet been determined.
Stella says National Grid doesn't know the cause of the cable fault. He says they'll investigate the cause after repairs are made and the debris is cleaned out of the manhole. Until the cause is known, he says it's impossible to compare/contrast this incident with the March 2009 incident (which included exploding manhole covers) in downtown Albany. He says about 12 customers are without power.
Central Ave was blocked from Lake to Quail for a few hours. It's now open again. The site is in front of the I Love NY pizza shop next to Richters. That's the same block as Van's, CCK and Salsa Latina.
The first report we saw of the fire came from @MickMartin1:
Our block is barricaded because of an underground fire. Yellow smoke. If I ever have a chance to get superpowers it's now
WAMC's Sarah LaDuke -- the station's on the other side of the street, up Central -- then posted a photo from the scene. You can see flames in the photo.
More photos from the scene after the jump. At times, the smoke had a yellow or green cast.
What exactly does Andrew Cuomo's "sexiest-man voice" sound like?
Andrew Cuomo appears on this year's People Magazine "Sexiest Men" list. The New York Times, which follows these developments closely, reports:
Mr. Cuomo, 52, snagged a coveted slot in the double issue of People, which surveys the international landscape of bulging pectorals and rippling abdominals. "I was," Mr. Cuomo said in an interview, "slightly surprised initially."
He was not, however, entirely humbled by it. Asked what kind of regimen he had followed to make the cut, Mr. Cuomo responded wryly: "A lot of it's just natural. It's genetic sculpting."
That, he said, and a sparing diet, and twice-weekly sessions on the treadmill.
Mr. Cuomo appeared in the magazine's 50-and-over cohort, alongside Sting, Liam Neeson and Michael Bolton. Asked how he was selected, Liz Sporkin, executive editor of People, did not gush about his physical attributes. "His many years of public service make him sexy," she said.
NYT also had the pleasure (?) of hearing Cuomo's "sexiest-man voice."
(Thanks, everyone)
Earlier on AOA:
+ Kirsten Gillibrand in Vogue
+ Gillibrand one of Capitol Hill's "most beautiful"
+ Paterson's (not) too sexy
photo via Andrew Cuomo Facebook
Meanwhile at Rent is 2 Damn High HQ...
In the skit above, local comics Matt Kelly and Mary Briwa imagine the reaction back at campaign headquarters to Jimmy "The Rent is TOO DAMN High" McMillan's performance in the gubernatorial debate.
And in what only seems like a skit, the real McMillan is now shilling for an online shopping site. [TU CapCon]
Earlier on AOA:
+ "Jimmy McMillan" on SNL
+ Other things that are too damn high
Other things that are too damn high
After seeing Jimmy McMillan's impassioned argument that "rent is TOO DAMN high!" in the gubernatorial debate, we started wondering: what else might be too damn high?
As we found out, there were some expected things -- and some not so expected things.
What's that in the spare room? Snake!
You don't mind if I stay here a few days, right?
When you rent an older apartment, you kinda have to expect a few unwanted visitors: some odd bugs, maybe a mouse -- a bat, if you're unlucky.
But a three-foot-long white snake?
No way. No. @#$%. Way.
The odd story involving Price Chopper, Twitter and a total overreaction to a negative comment
A man in the Syracuse area has alleged that a Price Chopper rep contacted his friend's employer and requested "disciplinary action be taken" against his friend because of a negative comment the friend made about the supermarket chain on Twitter.
This story is so odd -- and outrageous -- that we met it with great skepticism when we encountered it late Monday afternoon. But as the story quickly spread across the web Monday night, large parts of it appear to be true.
Warrior Dash 2010 photos
Hot!
The Northeast version of the Warrior Dash -- basically a 5k mashed up with an obstacle course, run by people wearing costumes -- was this past weekend at Windham Mountain. And it looks like it was some crazy fun.
Diana ran the race with her friends -- and has in-race photos on her blog. She writes: "I've had a few crazy days during my years and this would definitely be in the Top 5!" Jen also ran the dash: "Holy crap, it was incredible, and unlike anything I've ever done in my entire life! It is safe to say that this might be one of the craziest days of my life!"
Sebastien and B used "the good old 'camera excuse' to watch the show from a safe distance" and came back with some great photos. Sebastien has helpfully broken up his photoset into collections of mud pit photos and face-painting photos. B's photoset includes some great details -- like Elvis jumping over fire or the pile of donated sneakers. B comments on his blog that the race prompted a lot of smiles and "the sense of camaraderie was impressive."
Earlier on AOA: Julie asked about where to train for the Warrior Dash.
photo: Sebastien B
NY Post gives harsh thumbs down to local kid film critic
You've probably seen Jackson Murphy, a local 11-year-old, do movie reviews on YNN. He goes by the name "Lights Camera Jackson." He started reviewing movies when he was seven.
Murphy's gotten a lot of attention for his reviews. He's won an Emmy. He's interviewed Jane Lynch (you know, from Glee). And in July, he appeared on the CBS Early Show (embedded above).
That CBS appearance set off NY Post film critic Kyle Smith. From his almost-800-word piece:
Leave aside that our latest cultural commentator is too young to see PG-13 movies. Forget the shouty nonsense he thinks equals a movie review. Let's get to the real issue: me. Am I jealous? As Jackson would put it, "Of COURSE!"
Being a movie critic these last five years has been like Act 3 of a slasher flick. What happened to all my friends?
If there are beaming 11-year-old stage monsters who can do my job well enough to be on national television, WHY DIDN'T I GO TO LAW SCHOOL?
Dude. A little touchy, huh.
Smith's piece did include this bit we hadn't known: Jackson Murphy is the son of former WTEN sport anchor Dan Murphy.
[via @Metroland]
Madison Ave row house collapse
The side wall of a row house at 600 Madison Ave in Albany collapsed Friday afternoon. There had been excavation going on in the empty lot next door when the wall came down. All the tenants were reportedly out of the building when it collapsed. [TU] [WNYT]
The street was closed from Robin to New Scotland.
Friday evening crews were on the scene preparing to demolish the building, which is across the street from Washington Park. The lot next door was vacant because the building that had been there burned down in 2007. Here's Google StreetView of what the row had looked like. The excavation was for construction of a new building. [CBS6]
A bunch of photos are after the jump.
Earthquake?!??!
This is the earthquake from June 2010. Here's the update on the August 23, 2011 earthquake.
Update 2: The quake's magnitude has been revised to 5.0.
Update: The US Geological Survey reports there was a magnitude 5.5 earthquake near Ottawa, Canada at 1:41:42 this afternoon (local reports from Ottawa). That's relatively strong. The quake's epicenter was about 245 miles from Albany. There are reports it was felt as far away as Manhattan and as Columbus, Ohio.
____
There appears to have been an earthquake in the Capital Region this afternoon around 1:45.
We felt our desk shake for a good 5-10 seconds. Twitter was then filled with local reports of shaking -- from Albany, Colonie, Clifton Park, Glenville.
Updates as they come.
It's hot. It's chocolate. It's bacon.
After hearing that Uncommon Grounds (Saratoga) got a bottle of bacon-flavored Torani syrup, Emily decided she need a bacon hot chocolate:
Disclosure: Yep, we gave away a UG prize basket during birthday week.
Sit down!
A recent post by Silva at DelSo about rude diners at an upscale Albany restaurant made us laugh -- and cringe. From "10 Things Restaurant Guests Should Never Do":
3. When your party arrives an hour earlier than your reservation, please make yourself comfortable at the bar and enjoy yourselves. This does not include standing on a booth to take photos of your group. Believe me, your faces are indelibly engraved on quite a few memories after your behavior - no photo necessary.
By the way: Are you reading DelSo? It's one of our favorite new local blogs.
photo: Flickr user KungPaoCajun
Fried
From the "who ever thought we might need a law for that" file: a state senator from Central New York has proposed legislation that would make it illegal to possess "embalming fluid with either the intent to use such embalming fluid or knowledge that some other person intends to use such embalming fluid for purposes of human ingestion or inhalation."
Yep, that would by people who are not dead.
You know, it's like naked theater-in-the-round
The New York Law Journal reports that a New York State tax appeals tribunal ruled this week that Nite Moves, the strip club adult juice bar on Route 9 in Latham doesn't qualify for a sales tax exemption for the "dramatic arts."
The ruling is posted online and it's actually kind of interesting. The owner of the club hired a cultural anthropologist from the University of Maryland as an expert witness (yes, she visited the club and examined videos). From the ruling (emphasis added):
Dr. Hanna described the exotic dance routines variously as:
somewhat "risqué" or "naughty" adult play, a fanciful teasing that transgresses social decorum and dress codes in an ambience (sic) ranging from sedate to carnival-like. Exotic dance is erotic fantasy and communication with a display of nudity, disclosure of more skin and different movements than are seen in public, the use of high heels (often six inch stiletto platform shoes) and incorporation of jazz-like, improvisatory movements in routines (Exhibit "7," p.7, ¶ 4).
Dr. Hanna stated, based on her review of the three DVDs that these naughty, risque, playful, teasing, erotic, nude performances at Nite Moves were "live, dramatic choreographed performances" (Tr., p. 94 [lines 14-15]). Dr. Hanna concluded that:
the presentations at Nite Moves unequivocally were live dramatic choreographic performances. They are in a theater that shows only dance routines. The theater actually is a little bit like an off Broadway theater. It's small and it's intimate, it's like theater-in-the-round (Tr., p. 94 [lines 13-19]).
Yep, it's like theater-in-the-round. As the New York Law Journal reports, Dr. Hanna's findings actually persuaded an administrative law judge last month, but the tax appeals panel wasn't buying it.
The ruling also includes details about the economics of the club (the dancers are independent contractors who "rent" the facility).
Update: WNYT reports the club owner says he'll appeal the ruling.
[via AP/WTEN]
SEC: Albany firm invested in "sexually-themed charter cruise venture"
From the SEC complaint against Albany investment firm McGinn, Smith & Co., which alleges the firm raised more than $136 million for fraudulent investments (emphasis added):
The Defendants also used offering proceeds to make unauthorized investments in and unsecured loans to speculative, financially troubled McGinn Smith Entities, to make MS & Co.'s payroll, to pay commission and transaction fees to McGinn Smith Entities, to make interest payments to investors in other entities, to support McGinn's and Smith's lifestyle, and to procure strippers for a "sexually themed" cruise.
Oh, wait. There's more:
78. McGinn, MS Capital and MS & Co. also deceived investors into unwittingly investing in a sexually-oriented charter cruise venture created by McGinn. In February 2008, MS & Co. launched a $3,250,000 note offering for an entity 50% owned by an MS & Co. affiliate called CCV. The PPM stated that CCV "is engaged in the business of procuring whole ship charters and selling the berths to various affinity groups." The PPM stated that the net proceeds of the offering would be used to charter a ship and to "underwrite the marketing, sales and administrative expenses associated with selling [the] berths for the cruise."
79. The PPM did not disclose that CCV operated under the name YOLO (You Only Live Once) Cruises, that the affinity group was sexually oriented, that strippers and go-go dancers would be procured to entertain passengers, that investor money would be used to buy insurance for these individuals and that YOLO was run by a woman with whom McGinn was romantically involved.
YOLO would appear to be this cruise company. No, that link is probably not safe for work.
Carl Paladino is one of those people who won't stop forwarding crap
WNY Media -- a news site in the Buffalo area -- has posted on a bunch of emails reportedly sent by Carl Paladino (the site seems to be getting slammed with traffic right now). Many of the messages are forwards. And they contain some nasty stuff: racist jokes, a woman and a horse, uh, you know. "Dramatically unsafe for work" is the way WNY Media describes them.
Paladino's campaign has released a statement responding to the emails. A snip, via Daily Politics:
Carl Paladino has forwarded close friends hundreds of email messages he received. Many of these emails he received were off color, some were politically incorrect, few represented his own opinion, and almost none of them were worth remembering.
Earlier on AOA: Who is Carl Paladino?
"I'm as mad as hell!"
With Carl Paladino seemingly basing his campaign for governor on this clip from Network, we figured it would make for interesting viewing this morning.
It should be noted that Network is a dark satire and the Howard Beale character (the one who yells "I'm as mad as hell! I'm not going to take this anymore!") is literally crazy.
By the way: If you haven't seen Network, you should definitely watch it. It's a fantastic film. It won four Oscars.
Also: After the jump, Warren Redlich's video on why he's not qualified for higher office. The Guilderland resident has set up a long-shot bid for governor.
Earlier on AOA: Who is Carl Paladino?
Paterson up in the one poll he'd probably rather not be
The Boston Phoenix has ranked David Paterson #12 on its list of the "100 Unsexiest Men of the Year." The governor's ranking is up (or, uh, down) from #81 last year. In the politics category, Paterson is between Mark Sanford and Rod Blagojevich.
The Phoenix comments that Paterson looks like "the offspring of Stevie Wonder and Mel Brooks." Ouch.
Tiger Woods was #1 in the rankings.
photo: Runner's World
Reaction to the legislative assault on salt
All this should probably taken with a grain of... well... you know.
As you might have heard, state assemblyman Felix Ortiz (D-Brooklyn) has proposed a bill that would ban restaurants from using salt in the preparation of food.
That hasn't exactly gone over well. A quick spin around the table for reaction after the jump.
Also: a scan of Ortiz's other fun-filled legislation.
Made in Schenectady: personal care for your derriere
Earlier this week saw mention of a product called MB3 on Twitter -- and it seemed to have a local connection. Hmm... what's MB3? So we checked out the web site. From the product page:
MB3 is a soothing external perianal cleansing lotion designed to achieve that "bidet fresh" feeling on the go. When applied to toilet paper for the final wipe, MB3 will leave you clean, comfortable, and confident.
OK, so we have to admit we thought at first this might be a joke. But it seemed to check out. So who was, uh, you know, behind this product?
The answer: Steve Markham . He's a remodeling contractor (by day) in Schenectady -- and now a personal care product developer (by night).
We emailed Steve a few questions and he bounced back answers about the origin of the idea, getting his start at a business incubator in Schenectady, and his home-brew setup for MB3.
... said KGB about Drawing: What's something that brought you joy this year?