Items tagged with 'ha'

Saratoga horse vandals to bask in glow of basic cable spotlight

Saratoga Broadway horse vandalsThe Saratoga horse vandals will be featured tonight during a show on the cable channel TruTV (it's what Court TV is now called).

The show is called Most Daring, the tagline for which is "Ordinary People in Extraordinary Danger." But the show actually seems to be more like a reality take on "Ow! My Balls!" with a Chilean stripper or two thrown in for good measure. So, it looks like these people should fit right in. It starts at 9 pm.

Earlier on AOA: Horse vandals get treatment they deserve

Daniel Nester's fake bake

Nester tanning Daily BeastDaniel Nester, the CSR professor who recently stirred things up with a piece about IVF, is back in the Daily Beast this week with an account of his journey into the tanning culture of Albany:

Albany, N.Y., is an indoor tanning mecca, a hotbed of hot beds. There are more than 800 tanning salons in the greater capital region. Four-term Albany Mayor Jerry Jennings presides over ribbon-cuttings with a year-round bronze. At the historically Catholic college where I teach, students grow more preternaturally orange as winter progresses.

I have never fit in here. I was pasty-faced even for Brooklyn, and when I moved to this tanner's Valhalla I became even more freakishly white. And so, half anxious to fit in, half curious to learn the appeal, I decided to embark on an experiment in which I would join the ranks of the fake-baked to see how a deep, midwinter tan could change my life.

Noted: smelling "like a french fry" not the best way to seduce wife.

photo: The Daily Beast

Overheard Sunday afternoon

Two younger adults, a woman and man, are sitting in the Panera at Crossgates Commons. After an accounting of many drunken escapades, the woman concludes:

"What people don't understand is that it's totally accepted in my profession to be drunk at work -- or to leave work and come back drunk."

The glitter Jesus

By Amy Brozio-Andrews

glitter JesusDo you think it will multiply my money like loaves and fishes?

I have a pretty relaxed view of what's tacky, I'll admit. If it makes you happy, I'm cool with it. Mostly.

But I was stunned when I came up the escalator at Borders (Crossgates) earlier this week and saw this prominently displayed on a table.

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Scenes from a breakdown

New York Now has put together a highlight reel from yesterday's bizarre leaders meeting at the Capitol (though "lowlight" might actually be the better word).

Watch as David Paterson talks about auditory hallucinations, Sheldon Silver steams as Jimmy Tedisco tries to lecture him, and Malcolm Smith gives Dean Skelos the hand.

You'll laugh. You'll cry. You'll wonder how our state government became an episode of the Jerry Spring Show.

The folks at New York Now promise more clips and analysis on this week's show, which airs Friday at 7:30 pm on WMHT (it also repeats Sunday 11 am and 11 pm).

(Thanks, Matt!)

Horse vandals get treatment they deserve

After Brock suggested that the video of the Saratoga formal wear horse vandals should be sped up and set to the Benny Hill theme, Sebastien made it happen. This will make you laugh:


Formal Vandals - Saratoga Springs, NY - 08, Nov from Sébastien B. on Vimeo.

Big thanks to Sebastien!

By they way: the original video popped up on the Oddball segment of Countdown with Keith Olbermann on Friday.

(Thanks, Brock and jess!)

Drinking, formal wear and fake horses don't mix

Saratoga Broadway horse vandals

Yeah, this isn't embarrassing. At all.

You might have seen this already, but we had to post it because, well, it's pretty funny. (In the of-course-we-don't-condone-vandalism-at-all kind of way.) It's surveillance video of the three people who damaged the horse sculpture outside Roohan Realty on Broadway in Saratoga this past weekend. (Full length from the TU and CBS6 -- a sort of highlight reel from 518L).

What gets us about this video is the way the people look like they're acting drunk: the exaggerated stumbling and tumbling, the way the cigarettes swing around in their hands, the almost forced-looking laughter. It's like drunk people parodying themselves.

The Saratoga police say they're still looking for the vandals.

(Thanks, M!)

He's everywhere!

Joe the Plumber sign

Who knew?

This Joe guy is just everywhere these days.

We have no words for what Rachael Ray did to this ear of corn

Rachael Ray shucking corn

The Ray goes about her task with enthusiasm.

We know we pledged to go easy on the RR stuff, but this is, well, it's... well, it would just be wrong not to.

Is there video? Oh, yes, there's video.

And with that, Rachael Ray World Domination Watch may have met its natural end. Thank you, you've all been wonderful.

Now, will someone else from the Capital Region please start their own personal media empire?

Terminator

terminator spray bottle

I'll be back... to deodorize.

While wandering around the 4th floor of the State Museum recently, we noticed this bottle sitting by one of the windows. It made us laugh a little for a couple of reasons:

1. The stuff -- whatever it is -- is called "Terminator." It sounds like Formula 410 or something.

2. Something called "Terminator" is just randomly sitting out in the museum.

We poked around a little bit online to try to find out what this mystery agent might be, and this product looks like a good candidate. "A powerful and effective deodorizer and all-purpose cleaner with a crisp, fresh scent that will linger for days. Eliminates odors on contact. Ideal for use in locker rooms, meeting rooms, bathrooms, classrooms, shower rooms, closets, chutes and sick rooms."

Museums, too, apparently.

What's Eliot Spitzer up to?

New York mag Spitzer coverBecause we know that you've just been worried sick about what Eliot Spitzer's been up to since he, you know, spitzered himself, here's a report from the steamroller himself in Time Out New York:

These days I prefer hanging out with my kids--having dinner and encouraging them to do their homework and put aside Facebook for awhile.

Client #9 answered a few other questions for TONY, including who's his favorite New Yorker (badass Teddy Roosevelt).

And the former gov's downfall continues to pay media dividends. New York mag's "Spitzer's Brain" was nominated for Cover of the Year by the American Society of Magazine Editors.

Brad Holbrook on the Onion

Brad Holbrook on The Onion

Holbrook plays "Jim" for the Onion

Check it out: former WRGB anchorman Brad Holbrook, who hosted the evening news with Liz Bishop from 1998 to 2001, is now one of the hosts of The Onion's fake morning show Today Now. (Here's a clip with the "author" of a no-food diet book.)

It seems like Holbrook has been headed in this direction since leaving Ch 6. He's appeared as a reporter on Law & Order -- and he's also played a doctor on two different soap operas. He's made a movie appearance, too -- in the remake of The Manchurian Candidate from a few year's back.

Funny thing, though: his IMDB resume doesn't list his time at WRGB.

(Thanks, Kristi!)

Meet markets across America

Missed Connections illustrated mapCheck out this illustrated map of the US by cartoonist Dorothy Gambrell. She compiled the places most frequently mentioned in Missed Connections on Craigslist for each part of the country and then worked those names into the map. (Just have a look, it'll make more sense.)

And guess which place is on the map for our part of the country: Price Chopper. We totally believe it.

David Paterson on the Colbert Report

The Gov appeared on a rare Friday night edition of the Colbert Report. And as Stephen Colbert pointed out, neither he nor Paterson see race.

You didn't actually ask, but...

Bill DanielsonBelieve it or not, there are some people who don't visit AOA via a bookmark, RSS feed or force of habit. (Yes, shocking, we know.) Many of these people come in looking for something via Google -- and sometimes we can't help but take notice of what they're looking for.

Well, as you know, we like to help. So even though you didn't actually ask, here's the (an) answer...

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Every (Freaking!) Day with Rachael Ray

Every Freaking Day with Rachael RayYou know how you can tell your campaign toward world domination is really making progress (aside, from, you know banking $18 million a year)? When the parody books start showing up. Here's how Every Freaking! Day with Rachael Ray is described on Amazon:

Hey kids! If 30-minute meals are good, wouldn't 30-second meals be even better? You bet they would! And EVERY FREAKING! DAY WITH RACHELL RAY makes this dream a reality!

The parody book goes on sale September 3. And, no, the Ray has apparently not seen it.

In other RRWDW news: viewers of the Rachael Ray talk show love Alan Alda.

The last dinosaur in Clarksville

DINOSAUR.jpg

What the...? Hey, is that a giant dinosaur on that lawn?

By Jessica Pasko

We've passed this friendly-looking T-Rex countless times while driving through the southern Albany County town of Clarksville. We'd always wondered what exactly the story behind the massive beast was, so last week we stopped and chatted with owner Art Van Praag.

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Overheard at the bagel place

Three people, a woman and two men, are sitting at table in the Uncommon Grounds in Albany. The woman answers her mobile...

"What am I doing? Sitting in a bagel joint doing statistics problems with my two friends. Yeah, fun sh*t, man."

And down the stretch they come!

Here's the mascot race from yesterday's open house at The Track. We totally had our money on the Skidmore Thoroughbred (how could you not?), but as you'll see, it appears the fix may have been in.


Electioneering on Washington Ave

cheney-voldemort 08 bumper sticker

But how will the ticket go over with the all-important swing muggles?

Spotted this afternoon at a stoplight on Washington Ave near UAlbany.

This actually explains a lot.

Apologize! Apologize! Apologize!

In case you haven't seen it, this was the "appearance" at the Saratoga Springs High School graduation for which Calvin Morett was sentenced to three apologies.


Where cardboard cutouts of Barack Obama drink

We spotted this yesterday outside Burkes Blue Collar on Congress St in Troy. Burkes is a self-described "working class bar" with "cheap booze, nasty staff, and pretty good food."

Who says Obama has a problem with blue collar voters?

Jerry Jennings bobblehead night

Jerry Jennings bobbleheadIt's "Albany Night" at the ValleyCats game tonight and the first 1,500 people through the turnstiles will get their very own Jerry Jennings bobblehead.

But before you go running to line up at The Joe, you must know that the verisimilitude* of the Jennings bobblehead has been called into question. Judging from the image we've seen, Bobblehead Jerry is perhaps a bit more trim than the real thing. And apparently his eyes are the wrong color.

When confronted about the differences by Capital News 9 (the video's not online), here's what ValleyCats assistant GM Vic Christopher said: "The man is larger than life. How do you capture a personality like Jerry Jennings in a 7-inch ceramic doll?"

Well, we're guessing you start by picking a shade of orange.

*yes, this is most likely the only time "verisimilitude" will ever be used on AOA

image: Tri-City ValleyCats

Everybody wants to go to Huck Finn's

Entries to the Conan O'Brien commercial contest (winner gets a trip to Huck Finn's here in Albany) are popping up on YouTube. The one embedded above is pretty good. Some of the others are just, um, different.

No doubt people are being motivated by the chance to find out what the "and more" really is.

Overheard in the plumbing section

sink_drain_closeup.jpgA man and a woman are perusing the shelf of drain cleaners as closing time approaches at the Home Depot on Washington Ave Ext. The man picks up an item.

"We gotta get this one. Look, it's so strong they had to put the bottle in a plastic bag. It just melts the clog. And maybe the pipe."

photo: Flickr user @rgs, used under a CC license

Albany is eggciting

albany is eggciting pillow

It's also eggcellent.

One of these can be yours for only $10. You'd be crazy not to buy two.

(Thanks, Heather!)

photo: Etsy seller exlibrishandmade

2 comments
tags: ha!, shopping

The Queen Bee at Oh Bar

adults dressed in funny glasses and bee shirts

No one was the same after a recent adult spelling bee in Massachusetts

By Jessica Pasko

How do you spell fun?

How about an adult spelling bee?

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Pugs! In costumes!

a pug dressed like a nun

Ming Mei just can't kick the habit. (Arf! We know, no treat for us.)

The Albany-Capital District Pug Lovers Meetup Group had its annual Pug Ball this past weekend in Colonie. And pugs of all sorts -- young, old, skinny, round, easy going, excitable -- were decked out to look their best. After a few minutes there, it was pretty clear: pug people have more fun than the rest of us.

Many pictures after the jump. Be sure you're braced for extreme cuteness.

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Hey, Conan: it's ALL-bany

Check it out: someone from Conan O'Brien's show saw that Huck Finn ad where the furniture store (and more) is offering a trip to see Conan's show to the person who can produce the best Huck Finn ad. So, Conan, naturally, has started his own commercial competition -- and he's offering a trip to Huck Finn's as the prize:

It's sounds like there isn't much competition. The only entry is from a guy in... Pittsburgh? Come on, people, you'll finally get to find out what the "and more" is!

(Thanks, Jessica and Harith!) (Also via Kristi)


That's Ben! On The Daily Show!

ben_jakes-johnson_daily_show.jpg

Ben managed to make it out looking OK.

So, we checked out The Daily Politics yesterday and there was this picture of Hillary Clinton's "concession" (not) speech from Tuesday in NYC. We looked. Then we looked again. "Wait," we thought. "Isn't that Ben? Ben Jakes- Johnson from Albany? Right there-- four feet over Hillary's head (look for the red tie).

But it gets better. Turns out Aasif Mandvi from The Daily Show was there interviewing Hillary Clinton supporters (O.K. poking fun at Hillary supporters) for a segment that aired last night. And yes, they snagged an interview with A-Town Ben. We've always wondered what it'd be like to be interviewed for a Daily Show segment --walking that fine line between being in on the joke and being the butt of it. Ben clued us in on the experience.

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3 comments
tags: ha!, people

There are two sides to every sign

Feathers Furniture: Your husband called.  He said Buy anything you want

Oh, really.

When we first passed this sign outside Feathers Furniture in Brunswick, we thought, "Huh. That's kind of sexist." Then we drove back in the opposite direction and saw the other side of the sign...

(there's more)

2 comments
tags: ha!, Troy

Overheard on Hamilton

A man and a woman, both dressed in business attire, are walking down Hamilton Street in Center Square...

Woman: I have something in my car for that.

Man: Oh, yeah?

Woman: Yeah, Mucinex D.

Man: What's that?

Woman: It's a sinus decongestant.

Man: Yeah! Hook a brother up!

Racing to the tax day finish

Check out this screengrab from one of the stats packages AOA uses to track traffic to the site. This particular package (it's called Mint) provides snapshots of what's happened recently. Listed below are searches (mostly via Google) that brought people to AOA in the hour or so leading up to midnight yesterday. Notice anything that might have been on people's minds?

searches for AOA

A prime number

Here's that math-inspired parody of Fergie's Fergalicious by Shen 9th grader Drew D'Amelia. It's gotten close to a million views on YouTube.

Heh.

Spitzer, Spitzer what did you do?

The downfall of Eliot Spitzer, as explained by a three-year-old:

And an entire area code cringes

mobile_phone.jpgSo, there's this woman in Brooklyn who gets a text on her mobile any time someone on the Verizon network sends a message to the name LEILA. She told Verizon about it and they basically shrugged their shoulders and said nothing was wrong. Fascinated by the 160-character peeks into other people's lives, she turned all the random -- often funny -- messages into a blog. Check out the message she recently received from a 518 number:

"What time do you want to get going and do we need juicy to get us loosey goosey?"

To whoever sent that message: your area code is embarrassed for you.

(via)

Troy City Hall = Eiffel Tower ?