Buffalo Boy's Blog
Giving You More Than Just My Two Cents
Sunday Retro: Apples and Oranges
Any die hard fan of Pink Floyd will tell you that the Syd Barrett years for the band were probably two of their best records.. I agree 100%, I loved the quirky, dark and sometimes light hearted psychedelia of those first two Floyd records.
This is Apples and Oranges by Pink Floyd with Syd Barrett who was the founder of Pink Floyd. Apples and Oranges was released in 1967 and it was the last song Syd would do with the band.
In 2008 The Trashcan Sinatra's a band out of Scotland released Oranges and Apples, a tribute to the late Syd Barrett who died in 2006:Category: Sunday Retro
And They Wonder Why People Steal Music and Videos....
When I go to Itunes to purchase music whether it is live or studio albums I expect it to be there. Im a willing, paying customer and when I go there and find out that just because the content is an import and not yet available in the US I can't buy it? What the fuck is that all about.
They wonder why so many of us go to pirating and stealing music and videos. Its because big companies like ITunes place so many damn restrictions on imports and other items that there is no other choice but to look else where.
I openly admit, I steal music, because its the only other way. How else do I get those Tragically Hip live series only available on Canadian ITunes....I can't. How else am I going to get other rare and import material that is available via Itunes in other countries but not available through ITunes US. Its awful how that restrict it and personally if you are willing to spend the money to get the music then they should make it all available.
I gave up on record stores a long time ago and sites like Amazon are the same way. Music has no borders other than those that big media companies put in place.
Category: Music
Trent Doesn't Like Extra Games....Playoffs?
Trent Edwards had this to say when asked about playing two extra regular season games:
"I don't know a ton about the situation. I don't know what the reasoning would be. I'm a little naive about the whole situation, but just on paper, to answer your question straight forward, I don't really like it to be honest. I feel like we already, like you said, take a ton of hits. We already go through a long season. Sixteen games is a long season no matter how old you are, but I would have to know a little bit more of the details. Right now, to be honest, I really don't like it."
First, how could you not know anything about it? You play in the damn league, thats been the talk all week, where have you been? Still recovering from your last concussion?
The quote above was from WGR 550's website by Paul Hamilton who I love listening to whether its about the Bills or Sabres because he isn't afraid to be a little skeptical about what hes reporting on.
Category: Buffalo Bills | News
Our Walnut Tree and the Damn Squirrels
I originally thought we had a chestnut tree in our backyard but last night after doing some research, we actually have a what I have found to be what is most likely an Eastern Black Walnut tree. The thing is huge and as you can imagine its bearing copious amounts of large green, thick shelled walnuts starting in late July to early August.
Well, if you have one of these trees you know that you have to be looking overhead or you may get one off the top of the melon.
My wife got in her car a few mornings ago and the tree is placed in the back of our yard with much of it overhanging our garage and so the walnuts will get picked off by hoards of squirrels that love these tasty treats and fall to the ground. Well, my wife's car is parked behind mine just in front of the garage so when the squirrel on one of those overhanging branches lets one loose it falls, rolls down the garage roof and bombards my wifes car. Shocked the hell out of her it did.
My dog, Molson, uses the back yard to squeeze out his business and he at times gets startled and has to dodge a small barrage from those very same squirrels. (He has actually caught two squirrels this summer and killed one of them so he is capable of getting his revenge). I think the squirrels have waged an all out war.
Today, I am going out there to get some landscaping done and to clean up the yard. Its overdue, I finally have a weekend to spare and its going to get done today but, Im going to get nailed, I know it, One of these large green nuts is going to hit me on the head at somepoint, I may wear a helmet and find some protective gear to provide myself with some protection from the blows these 2 inch diameter tree bombs will do to me as I work back there under the shade of our big walnut tree.
Or, maybe, Ill go back there and put up with it. If you see my face bruised its because I braved the numerous falling projectiles from this tree and I have waged war with the squirrels. I wonder if they really taste like chicken? The next one Molson catches we are going to have to do a ritual cooking of the little bastard and put him on display for all to see, that this is what will happen if you continue to pound us with walnuts.
Maybe Bill Murray can lend me some advice on how to get rid of squirrels, I hear he is pretty good with gophers:
Category: Miscellaneous
Get Out of the Middle of the Road!
Today I was driving in Niagara Falls and I had to pass through the Military Road and Niagara Falls Blvd intersection a few times today and in the middle of the intersection and turning lanes there are collectors for the Kiwani's Club of Niagara Falls. Let me say first I have nothing agianst these people or the organization itself, however their fundraising is a bit crude if they find that they still have to stand in the middle of one of Niagara Fall's busiest intersections.
First, its awfully dangerous. Kid's Day is a big day around here and I think the same thing as I weave through intersections trying not to avoid the idiot selling newspapers in the middle of the street looking to get a car rammed in his ass. There is always that really aggressive seller too who gets just to the edge where they take that chance of getting hit. Mark my words , its going to happen, someone during one of these fund raisers in traffic is going to get taken out and all hell will break loose, but it won't be the drivers fault.
Second, if you have to stand out in the busy intersection, risking your life, maybe your fundraising methods need to be re-examined. Seriously, this is 2010 is it not? There are all sorts of ways that don't require buckets and cones in heavy traffic putting people in danger just to make a few cents from the drivers ashtray. Go get a table in the mall and collect or sell hot dogs at Tops or sell shit, something anything but slowing up traffic in a busy intersection and putting your lives on the line.
Third, it slows up traffic. at 11 AM on a weekday Im friggin trying to commute between patients homes, there is already too much construction and delays and your organization is not helping the crawl of traffic. GET OUT OF THE ROAD and I'll gladly send ya a dollar online.
I guess it must make them money otherwise why would they do it? So, Im sticking to my guns, Im not going to contribute to peddlers in intersections, I don't care what the charity is. Its a poor form of fundraising for all the above reasons I listed above. Maybe if we all kept our windows up and our money in our pockets when we see them they will realize its a lame form of fundraising and dangerous too for both the drivers and fundraisers. Besides, if I go out there with my bucket tomorrow I would get arrested, how fair is that?
Category: Miscellaneous | money
The New Orleans Is Sinking Rants
Perhaps the most recognizeable song in the Tragically Hips catalog is New Orleans is Sinking. The Gord Downie rants in their songs are legendary and few and far inbetween now that their show has changed over the years.
I compiled three different versions of the infamous New Orleans Is Sinking rants and posted them on Youtube.
The first is the most popular of the bunch and its shown on Youtube, I checked it today and it has received over 10,000 views and had over 30 comments posted. Its the "Killer Whale Tank" version, I have it officially on a CD entitled Roxy and Elsewhere. I bought this from a guy at a subway station in Buffalo, that was where I had to meet him to pick it up. It felt like a drug deal, but I had to have it. $25 I paid for my first copy of Roxy. It was worth it. Every penny.
The other two versions I think I recorded of 102.1 The Edge or the station formerly known simply as CFNY. They wouldn't play these anymore, they have gone down the toilet as a station anymore. The rare tunes they played are a thing of the past, but I managed to get them when they played them. The first is what I call the "Frogman" Version its received the least views but its my favorite of the rants, it only has 111 views so far. The last version is what I call the "Underwater Rescue" version. To date, it has received 806 views on Youtube. There are other live versions of the NOIS rants, but these are the three epic ones I have.Category: Music
The Worst Is Yet To Come
Whatever happens this season, keep one thing in mind...remember those 2-14 seasons back in the 1980's? This may be one of them.
The fans of the Bills are as band wagony as any fans in the NFL, almost to a fault. When the Bills win a game we instantly think playoffs, when they lose a game, they stink like no one else's crap. Maybe that is because this team has flirted with winning but never gotten there and when they have lost they have lost bad. They have been 7-9 to 8-8 seemingly since their last playoff game during the Clinton Administration, When you have a team flirting with .500 you go through those extreme highs and extreme lows more so than when you outright suck or when you are great.
They aren't even my favorite team and I get that way about them too. I watch them every week because they are my second favorite team behind the Cleveland Browns who I don't follow as closely as I do the Bills because quite frankly I don't see every Browns game. Last year was the last year though until this team plays itself back to respectibility that I will get that way.
I refuse to feel as if a loss is the end of the world and win has them playoff bound. This year may be the 2-14 season anyway. The writing is on the wall.
Say what you want about Trent Edwards but hes no closer to being a better quarterback this year than he was last year, Gailey or no Gailey. Edwards just doesn't have it and Jauron may have ruined what ever Edwards did have. He plays like hes afraid to screw up, not like hes willing to take the risk to make the big play. There is a difference.
The defense while the secondary may have some standouts, the front seven is a mess. They don't have a true nose tackle and the defensive ends? Marcus Stroud is going to be a coverted defensive end, thats the best we can say. Other than Aaron Maybin and Chris Kelsay they don't have another defensive end worth mentioning and both of them have been converted to linebackers....Yikes. Is anyone playing their true position on the front seven of this defense?
The offensive line is not much better but at least they can say the middle of the line is somewhat healthy and able to play together. But they too are learning a new system from the coaching staff and we all know what the learning curve is in the NFL under new coaches.
Special teams through the first two pre-season games have looked awful. I know, preseason doesn't mean jack and thats fair enough but I haven't seen much to suggest they are good or even decent.
So, here it comes, get ready, 2-14. We have seen over a decade of losing football, but no season has seen rock bottom really. They have been a 7-9 to 8-8 team every year. So, its coming. rock bottom is coming, every team has to hit it to eventually get the talent to get back to respectibility. Im going to watch it though, because I think at the very least, the coach may be the man for the job, as long as everyone, fans included realize that this may be that rock bottom year.
The good news? If this coach is the right man for the job, he has started the process of weeding out the junk and mapping out the players or type of players he wants to fill his team with. Its gonna take a draft or two and a few free agency signings to turn it around but in the NFL that turn around doesn't have to take longl. We have seen bad teams become playoff teams in as little as one year.
The bad news is, we have to suck really bad before we get that turn around.
Category: Buffalo Bills | Sports
The Record Will Fall
George Bell is my favorite Blue Jay of all time and his team record of 47 home runs barring injury or a big time slump is probably going to fall sometime in early to mid September.
George Bell in 1987 had the following numbers:
.308 batting average, 111 runs, 47 home runs and 134 RBIs, the single greatest offensive season in Blue Jays history arguably in terms of power. Though Paul Molitor probably had a better season in 1993 overall.
Jose Bautista is 8 home runs away from breaking the record George Bell set in 1987. He hit two more tonight to give him 40 on the year. So far Bautista's season looks like this:
40 home runs, 83 runs scored, 95 RBIs. At the pace hes going Im wondering if the RBI mark Carlos Delgado set of 145 might not get a run. Bautista could come close but hes definitely on pace to crush the home run mark.
Im targeting the weekend of September 11th/12th, Im going to try as best I can to find myself sitting in the stands watching the Jays live that weekend to either watch Bautista hit the 48th or his 50th. At the pace hes going it may be 50 he gets to, if so thats fine. But I want to see him break my favorite players record. Its been a fun year watching this team again, seeing either of those two feats would cap off a year that has turned a lot of attention back on this team.
Category: Toronto Blue Jays
Roger Admits to Roids
Obviously the video is doctored, but how much better would life be for Clemens if he just told the truth from the beginning, he already had Andy Pettite who admitted himself and Clemens to taking steroids, instead Roger is going to jail, and Pettite has some credibility for at least telling the truth. Roger Clemens has always been a prick, he was when he was with the Blue Jays in the 90's and he still is today. He won't swallow pride here and admit to cheating. Thats all he had to say, I screwed up. Maybe he won't because of the extent of his involvement. We will know soon. I kind of feel sorry for him.......NOTCategory: Sports
Another One Hitter....Whoopdy Friggin Doo!!!!
These things are getting all too common this year. Another one hitter, the second by a Blue Jays pitcher in a little over a week. Same thing happened last night as the last one too. I sat down around 10:00 to watch the first couple innings and Shaun Marcum looked fantastic so I stayed right there with it.
I was up until the final pitch, though not nearly as mind blowing as the 17 strike out game by Brandon Morrow. Shaun Marcum struck out a measly 5 batters, however he walked only one, the lone hit was a big one too, a home run to Conor Jackson for all you one-hitter, "who got the one hit in that start", trivia buffs.
Don't look now but Cito has this team within 9 games now with another three series coming up to end the month against Boston, New York and Tampa with a series in there against Detriot as well. All those teams could pose a threat to the Jays wild card hopes and all are ahead of the Jays in the league standings.
I'm not going to make any bold "we will make the playoffs predictions", Im just having fun watching a team, I have been a die hard fan of, again for the first time in a long time. Like truly having fun. Win or lose this team is young and exciting to watch and the players act like they care. At the very least, my lone prediction is that we will catch the Boston Red Sox. That is saying a lot too since the Red Sox have owned us this year considering what last offseason suggested to fans, the majority of which were wrong about this team that would be as good as making the playoffs, anything above and beyond that would be icing on the cake.
Category: Toronto Blue Jays
