Items tagged with 'weird'
You didn't actually ask, but...
Believe 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...
The Circle Museum
It's a body shop. No, it's a sculpture museum. It's a body shop AND a sculpture museum.
If you've always wanted to visit an auto shop/sculpture museum (and really, who hasn't), here's your chance.
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...
The last dinosaur in Clarksville
What the...? Hey, is that a giant dinosaur on that lawn?
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.
Stabbed where?
UAlbany's Indian Quad
It's only Tuesday and we already have what looks like the clear winner for weirdest story of the week.
According to UAlbany campus police, firefighters had to hoist a 330-pound construction worker off the roof of a campus building today after he was stabbed by a co-worker. (CBS6 has video of the effort.)
The alleged stabber has been found. He turned up at a hospital in Troy. Police aren't sure what prompted the incident.
Maybe-funny-only-to-us line from that CBS6 story: "This is something Albany fire trains on regularly and it paid off this morning." They train for removing 300-pound stabbing victims from the top of buildings?
That is some comprehensive training.
Missing: 15 NY Governors
Where's Cuomo?
Mario Cuomo, George Pataki and Elliot Spitzer are among 15 NY State Governors who quietly, or not so quietly, slipped away from the Capitol without leaving behind a formal portrait. Now Spitzer we can understand, and Pataki didn't ever really spend enough time in Albany to get his portrait taken, but where's Mario?
Well, now New York State OGS is on the case. This week they unveiled a picture of one term Gov and former Schenectady Mayor Joseph C. Yates, and Pataki's portrait is said to be on the way. Others are in the works.
We were relieved to learn that they do, in fact, have a portrait of NY's most badass Governor.
photo: Flickr user David Berkowitz, used under a CC license
Elevator Music
Elevator music? No, it's not Muzak this time. This elevator music is a little, well, different. Sound artist Jessica Rylan of Boston has literally turned an elevator in Saratoga into a giant, unique musical instrument.
Rain, rain go away...
One upside to the rain: more rainbows, like this one over the weekend in Colonie.
Oh, Capital Region. Why so soggy this year? According to the folks at the National Weather Service, A-Town and surrounding areas have received twice the usual share of rain this summer. This is no surprise to those of us that have had to carry umbrellas to the track, the pool, the barbecue and -- oh hell, just about everywhere.
So why is it so wet this year?
We asked Brian Frugis, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Albany.
Follow that horse
Yep, you just walked past a horse.
Everyone's heard of guide dogs, but how about a guide horse? We didn't know such a thing existed until we saw this candidate today on Broadway in Saratoga. "Mexicali Rose" was getting a tryout for guide horse training.
Mexicali's owner, Becky Montano, raises American Miniature horses on a farm near Gloversville. She says that horses are natural guide animals because as prey -- not predators -- they're always on the lookout for potential dangers. And she says that the mini horses are a good alternative for people who are allergic dogs, or are maybe not comfortable having dogs around.
More pics of Mexicali after the jump.
Guess who can't get enough about John Mayer
Google Trends is just an endless source of information entertainment... until you find out something that makes you reconsider everything.
After plugging "John Mayer" into Google Trends, Gawker found that the number one city for searches about the singer/guitarist/romancer-of-famous-women is... Albany.
(Thanks, Naomi!)
photo from myspace.com/johnmayer
Albany Rickshaw
Yes, that's a rickshaw at the corner of State and Lark.
Check out what we found while we were having dinner on Lark Street the other night! (Unfortunately all we had handy was the camera phone, but you get the idea.) Yep, there's a new way to travel in Albany. A very, very old new way to travel.
Right now Albany Rickshaw is a one man company, and that one man is in pretty good shape. Loren Grugan is an Albany police officer, but in his off-hours he'll pull you around the city in his new rickshaw. Loren doesn't stay still for very long, but he put the breaks on to talk with AOA.
The Zombie Film Feast
BRAAAAIIIINNS!
Prepare for a zombie invasion this Saturday as the Zombie Film Feast staggers into Albany.
The Capital Region's newest ugly building?
It's like a tomb. A tomb for parking.
We hate to say it, but this has gotta be the ugliest new building in the Capital Region. It's a parking garage going up at the Patroon Creek office park. The word "monolith" comes to mind, but somehow that's not quite right -- monolith would imply at least some sort of style or restraint.
No, this thing just sits along Washington Avenue in Albany like an enormous slab of concrete with a few holes punched out of it. We can only hope the plans include something, anything, to add some life to it.
In the meantime, someone page Jim Kunstler -- we may have a new eyesore for him.
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.
"If it's got a pulse, you should be wrapped around it."
Check out this PETA TV spot that is reportedly running here in the Capital Region this week. It's a spoof on the parent/teen "talk" -- we won't give away the rest. It's both funny and a little cringe-inducing (especially the rationale given for what "prompted" the spot in the press release).
Has anyone actually seen this spot run locally?
In the next lane over on the Northway
Yep, that's a leg cast. Sticking out the window. At 60 mph.
Spotted late last Friday afternoon on the Northway between the Twin Bridges and the 87/90 interchange.
Presumably this isn't how they injured the leg in the first place.
When doodie calls
Steve Relles
Think your job is well, crappy, sometimes? Meet Steve Relles of Delmar. His job is literally crappy, and yet ... he loves it.
Owney, postal dog and Albany ambassador
Owney was apparently some sort of terrier mix.
Just before the beginning of the last century, Albany was known all around the world. Because of a dog.
No, really. It's true.
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.
Hail!
It looked like someone sprinkled rock salt all over the parking lot.
Did you see the hail this afternoon? The sky got dark, it started to rain and then all of sudden... plink, plink, plink! It looks like it topped out at about 1/4 inch -- maybe a 1/3 inch -- diameter where we saw it.
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...
The Rachael Ray scarf saga cannot be stopped
The latest: a group is threatening to boycott Dunkin Donuts because it didn't the run the now infamous scarf ad with Her Rachaelness -- it says pulling the ad is an appeasement to racists.
There is no victory, only degrees of defeat. And to think, all this started because some stylist at a commercial shoot picked up one scarf and not the other. The lesson here: pick your neckwear carefully. You never know when it could prompt mass stupidity.
Earlier on AOA:
+ The dumbest thing you'll ever read about Rachael Ray
+ One even dumber thing than the dumbest thing you'll ever read about Rachael Ray
The Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame
Professional wrestling has a hall of fame? Sure, why not? But guess where it is: Amsterdam, NY. Yes, just thirty short miles from The National Museum of Dance in Saratoga Springs (ah the artistic diversity of the Capital Region) you can find tributes to pro-wrestling faves from Gorgeous George to Rowdy Roddy Piper.
One even dumber thing than the dumbest thing you'll ever read about Rachael Ray
Apparently Dunkin' Donuts IS actually afraid we might mistake Rachael Ray for a terrorist
sympathizer. It looks like the folks at DD have yanked the ad in which La Rachael wears a scarf that Michelle Malkin and the folks at Little Green Footballs confused for some sort of terrorist fashion statement.
Now if only someone could could link Dunkin' Pizza to Al Qaeda.
The dumbest thing you will ever read about Rachael Ray
The conservative outrage machine has decided that Rachael Ray is a supporter of terrorism. Because of a scarf. (What, cheeseburger salad wasn't enough?)
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...
An iPod vending machine at Macy's? What?
For when an iPod craving just hits you out of nowhere.
We saw this on a swing through the Colonie Center Macy's this week. It's a vending machine for iPods, cameras and other digital media gadgets -- like a little piece of Japan right next to the cosmetics department.
It looks like Macy's has been rolling out these vending machines over the last few years. The company pretty much dumped selling electronics back in the late 90s and is hoping the iPod-o-mat (our name, not theirs) can help them get back in the game.
OK, but why a vending machine? Couldn't you just sell iPods at, you know, a counter or something? It seems the vending machines are supposed to help spur impulse buys and... wait for it... attract younger shoppers.
Earlier on AOA:
+ The Wal-Mart. Has. An Escalator.
Buckle up -- or else
"Buckle up or I'll scale the Alfred E. Smith building."
Yes, that really is King Kong outside the Alfred E. Smith building. And if you look closer you'll note that he's wearing a giant seat belt made of duct tape (it really is a miracle product). Someone at the DMV thought Kong would attract attention to today's "buckle up for safety" campaign event at the capitol. Well, we noticed.
We asked a woman staffing a table at the display what message the DMV was hoping to send with Kong. "Buckle up," she said, "or you'll be the tiny little Fay Wray doll." Turns out she's not a spokesperson for the DMV. She was in charge of the gorilla.
You are here... and probably neurotic
Check out this map from Richard "Creative Class" Florida and his Who's Your City? book (and site). It's a "psychogeographic" map depicting where people are more likely to be neurotic. And, yep, the Capital Region is right on the edge of the hottest spot.
This map -- and four others -- are based on research that surveyed how people scored on tests for the Big Five personality traits. As it turns out, this area also tends to include higher than average concentrations of people who are "open to experience."
We just tend to be a little weird about it.
Earlier on AOA:
+ No, really, a good (single) guy is hard to find
map: Who's Your City
Igniting Albany's floating, burning tulip
More Mission Impossible than 1812 Overture. That's what Dr. Gary Zeller (that's him on the right holding the fire) says it will look like in Washington Park on Friday night, when Mayor Jerry Jennings ignites "Night Fire", aka Albany's floating, burning tulip.
Gary Zeller (alias Dr. Z.) is a chemist, entertainer, pyrotechnics expert and the owner of the environmental technology company Zeller International. He did the special effects for "Dawn of the Dead" and won an Academy Award for the development of Zel Jel, a fireproof substance that protects stunt people.
He's also the guy who figured out how to make "Night Fire" burn.
AOA talked with Dr. Z about how to burn down a giant tulip display without, you know, burning down everything else around it.
Turn left at the crash
Check out this post-crash scene at Washington and Quail in Albany captured on Google StreetView. It's hard to tell what happened because Google only has images of the scene going one-way. (It's a little fun watching the crash disappear and re-appear as you scroll along Quail.)
If you've seen any other weird/interesting local stuff on Google StreetView, pass it along!
(Thanks, Arielle!)
Earlier on AOA:
+ The Google Mobile takes a Thruway ticket
The respect you deserve
One of the great things (we're guessing) about being a senator or governor or some other sort of muckety-muck is the respect people afford you. The downside is that you actually have to, you know, campaign and do all that other stuff.
But it turns out there's an easier way to get people to address you with the respect you so richly deserve. And it's all because of Proctor's. Yes, we said Proctor's. The theater. In Schenectady.
Roll that back here!
Check this out. It's surveillance video of three kids stealing a barrel from Empire Wine at the Northway Plaza (you know, by the Target on Central):
We just got off the phone with Brad from Empire Wine. He says those barrels go for about $500 new. And he says they were kind of surprised the kids were able to make off with it because a barrel like that weighs about 100 pounds (there was nothing in the container). "We didn't think they'd get far with it, but we can't find it," Brad said.
(Thanks, Colleen!)
Pizza from where?
Riddle us this: how is it that a place called Original Pizza of Boston ends up in the service areas along the New York Thruway? (What, no love for Brooklyn?) Confused and amused, we did a little background checking. Alas, answers were not forthcoming. The travel plaza directories list "New York Pizza" where we're pretty sure the signs on the road say "Original Pizza of Boston." And get this: Original Pizza of Boston is based in... Rhode Island.
Albany after dark
So a lot has been said about the goings-on at our state capitol in the last two weeks, and we too have been moved to ask the question posed by John Hancock in the film "1776" "What in hell goes on in New York!" But former Daily News gossip columnist and New York Magazine contributor Lloyd Grove may have gone a little too far. On CNN's, "Reliable Sources" this week, Grove referred to an Albany culture of, "sexual libertinism in which not only lobbyists and legislators and interns, but also reporters participate." Then he added, " What else are you going to do in Albany late at night?" Hey Lloyd, we have movie theaters you know! So here it is, AOA's five things to do at night in Albany instead of running around like it's upstate's answer to Sodom and Gomorrah.
Direct mail from God...
Way back in the day, Moses got the call from God via tablets and a burning bush. But these days God comes to you courtesy of the U.S. Postal Service. (What, no texting on from on high?) This slick little piece of direct mail advertising from Northway Church showed up in our mailbox just in time for Easter. It's an ad for Easter services and a four week series on "The Power of Love". Hmm... the gospel according to Huey Lewis and the News?
More water park illness, state worker fired, starter homes for downtown Saratoga, bobcat in Cohoes, shotgun-in-alligator guy sentenced
The reported count of people with gastrointestinal illness from the Great Escape water park is up to 143. The state health department says it hasn't found anything wrong at the park. [TU]
A state worker has been fired for running a private law practice while on the state clock -- for 20 years. [AP/CBS6]
Troy police say their crime mapping software directly led to an arrest this week. [Troy Record]
A developer plans to build "starter" town homes near downtown Saratoga. [TU]
A real estate brokerage reports that local demand for urban condos seemed to be strong last year -- and now there are going to be a whole lot more on the market. [TU]
A dead bobcat was found in Cohoes. It was probably hit by a car. [Troy Record]
Siro's will be open almost year-round. The owner says track season business just isn't sustaining the restaurant like it used to. [Daily Gazette]
Remember that guy who got nabbed for hiding a sawed-off shotgun in his stuffed alligator? He got nine years for that. [Saratogian]
The biggest Wal-Mart EVER... is in Albany?
It doesn't look so big from the outside.
Remember the Wal-Mart with the cartscalator? You know, the one off Washington Avenue Extension near Crossgates. It turns out they needed that cartscalator because they were secretly building the biggest Wal-Mart ever. There used to be a Sam's Club at Crossgates Commons, but that didn't work out, so the company decided to just merge the space with the already-existing Wal-Mart and turn it into a supercenter. And with that, the World's Largest Wal-Mart was born.
The newly renovated store wil be 260,000 square feet, which is about 25 percent bigger than the average Wal-Mart supercenter. That's a lot of ... well it's a lot more of ... everything
But don't get all excited, just yet. The Washington Ave Ext. store's title isn't official until May when it holds its grand (re)opening.
Braving the deep-fried candy bar at Capital Q
Dark magic of the fryalator arts: a deep-fried Snickers.
It was the sign inside the Capital Q Smokehouse that caught us: "Deep Fried Candy Bars, if Elvis were alive, he'd be eating one. Ask about one today!" How do you pass that up? The answer is: you can't. So we took the plunge and ordered a Snickers. A deep-fried Snickers.
And an entire area code cringes
So, 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 ?
Would you plan a World Expo around this place?
We almost choked on our Cheerios this morning when we heard this story on Capital News 9 about the debate over what to do with Troy City Hall. Check out what this one Trojan said about their grand civic palace:
"We were discussing this before and we said the same things were said about the Eiffel Tower. That at the time it was built, everybody hated it and they couldn't wait for the Exposition to be over so it could be torn down. Try to tear it down today."
You know, just the other day we were saying, "Two places you'll never hear mentioned in the same sentence: Troy City Hall and the Eiffel Tower."
What were we thinking?
You could have been here
A clip of where the Capital Region would be on a map of "New Netherland"
Check out this fun map based on an alternate history in which the Dutch held onto their North American colonies. (The picture above is just one section of the map -- the whole thing includes a good portion of the Northeast.) Here's a little explanation from the Strange Maps blog:
New Amsterdam never gave way to New York. The Dutch kept the whole of their North American colony out of the hands of the perfidious English, in fact. New Netherland today constitutes a thriving Republic stretching from the Atlantic coast to Quebec, dividing New England from the rest of the United States.
This Republik van Nieuw Nederland is the brainchild of Paul Burgess, who's been fleshing out its allohistorical details since his mid-20s - he's even devised a pretty cool flag for the Republic, not to mention an anthem ('Onze Patrie' - 'Our Fatherland'), names for the baseball teams in the Knickerbocker League, a list of the best places to smuggle goods across the border to the US and even call letters for New Netherland radio stations. And, of course, this map.
So, in this alternate history most of us would be living in the State of Hudson.
And this site would be called All Over Fort Orange.
(via)
map: Paul Burgess via Strange Maps
... said Amelia about local college rankings