In costume as Skipper from Gilligan’s Island, we get to trick or treat, no tricks or scary places actually. Just lots of treats, shots and drinks at most locations, where were all set out on a map of 16 places on Beck Street.

I discovered Jello Shots, which I had a number of to zero negative effective.
Plenty of photos on SmugMug

Friends Skype intro message - DL

In the television ad they show the following people and quotes.
My project was:

• use laughter to help children learn — Jim Henson — Creator of the Muppets
• point out the pointless — Jerry Seinfeld
• bring a city to life — Robert De Niro — Actor
• turn the ridiculous to the sublime — John Cleese — Actor, Comedian
• find beauty in the flaws and and vice versa — Wes Anderson — writer actor
• live life on the edge — Laird Hamilton — Surfer
• encourage people to dance to their own tune — Ellen DeGeneres — Comedian
• tell unforgettable stories. — Martin Scorsese — writer, director, producer

The conclusion of the ad is “Are you ready to make a difference?. Vote on the projects that will help change people’s lives.”

Here is the actual commercial. What’s interesting is the official web ad now cuts out Jerry Seinfeld, (and FYI he is playing cricket.

His name was Bowie, and in the course of like 3 stops before 145th (my exit), he proceeded to quickly draw his third sketch of a passenger, one of me. Now the first two were great side on representations, mine it’s hard for me to comment as I’m not looking side by side with me and image.

Still I was suitably moved that a complete stranger had both the skill, desire and willingness to share this with others for nothing in return. It reminded me of the works Gary Vaynerchuk recently motivated me with his in his talk Patience and Passion.

1. Be happy
2. Have fun
3. Have quality friends
4. Do lots of fun and exciting things with my quality friends
5. Have a long term and meaningful relationship with a women

Not much!

Street sign in West Chester, PA

My intention this year was to photograph from the other side of Manhattan in Brooklyn, and to also to get at close as possible to the lights. I achieved both, and was happy with the output.

I was disappointed to find however, that the lights are not located at the WTC site, infact they are some 10 blocks away to the south.

More photos to come, but a few samples are available at my SmugMug photos

Ronald Bradford, NY Subway, 9/11/08

After lunch we settled down to a nice selection of cheeses, without pairing wines so this was definitely full cheese flavor.

The List:

1. Sainte-Maure - France - Goats Cheese. Smooth, Pronounced Goaty flavor
2. Ossau Iraty Brebis - France - Sheep Cheese. Nutty with layers of Clover & Grass
3. Roshetta - Italy - Mixed Cheese. Soft, Notes of Coddled Cream?
4. Grayson - Virginia - Cow Cheese. Elastic, Creamy, Yeasty
5. Aged Gouda - Holland - Cow Cheese. Firm, Carmel & Butterscotch Flaovers
6. Cabrales - Spain - Cow Cheese. Complex, Dense, Numbingly Intense

Dan definitely liked the Numbingly Intense Blue Cheese (6), Anthony was in pain. But Anthony got the most from the creamy Saite-Maure(1). The Aged Gouda (5) was very good, the Rochetta (3) and Ossua (2) both not bad. Nobody went with the Grayson (4)

My older cheese experiences included San Francisco and Stinky Cheese & Wine 101.

The Rise and Fall of Twitter (Video)
The Adventures of Ace, DBA (cartoon).

While not mandatory yet, you will need to be “pre-approved” online first. Well this will be interested. I was stuck in Canada recently trying to get back into the US, but could not because the finger print scanners were all off-line. I suspect before long we may have to submit more then just our name and travel details online as well.

The Department of Homeland Security is debuting, on a voluntary basis, the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA), an online pre-approval system for travelers under the Visa Waiver Program. The program does not become mandatory until January 12, 2009, at which point Visa Waiver travelers will be required to use the online system to obtain advance approval to travel at least 72 hours before departing for the United States. Nonimmigrant visa holders will not use the system.

From National Geographic Channel “Earth - The Biography - Volcanoes”

I ended up with a 8,000 BTU unit for my bedroom, the equation starts with cubic feet * 5. You then add ~500 BTU per person (just me :-(). So 10ft x 13ft x 9.5 ft = 1,235 * 5 + 500 = 6,675.

You also need to take into account electronics, so living areas and places that include kitchens need greater capacity.

The question came from a recent discussion with my Mother regarding the cost of fuel. Because Australia uses litres I had to convert the US price of Gallons to Litres. This is where the problem begins because as a child I grew up knowing that 1 Gallon was 4.5 litres. Australia used an imperial system until 1966, and while I was not around then, living on a farm there were many legacies.

The problem is, as usual the USA has to be different from the rest of the world, their gallon is infact more complex. Using the official Wikipedia definition:

• U.S. liquid gallon is equal to 3.785411784 litres
• U.S. dry gallon is 4.40488377086 litres.
• Imperial (UK) gallon is legally defined as 4.54609 litres

Only in America is there such complication!

We have record heat wave on the East Coast, New York & Washington DC with record highs. It is the middle of summer yet it snowed in Washington State this week. California (two states from Washington) is burning with bush fires.

Serious storms here in New York last night, with rain, thunder and lightning. I had a close encounter.

Gas prices in the US now average USD$4.02 per gallon, and people still complain while driving huge SUV’s around. In Bahamas the price is USD$6 per gallon. How would people complain when that’s the price here.

There has just been a 7.2 Earthquake in Japan, and a 7.9 in China only a few weeks ago. I don’t recall when we have had such serious sized earthquakes together.

And we have salmonella-tainted tomato’s across USA being pulled from many chain stores.

My first experience with Sir Earnest Shackleton, came with the reading of the book
The Endurance - Shackleton’s Legendary Antarctic Expedition by Caroline Alexander.

The good news is unlike my desires for travel and my lack of interest in going myself, for this trip I’ve already found somebody that wants to go, so that’s wicked, and this the planned trip. Lindblad Expeditions & National Geographic

Like I said, it’s a hard life. Check out photos here.

The top of personal plates indicates location, what is interesting is “GRAND BAHAMA” is an Island, but “NASSUA” is a city, on the island of “NEW PROVIDENCE”.

There was also a common white plate starting with “SD”. Unable to determine that.

Trucks begin with “T”, semis begin with “M”.

So back onto the island name, “NP” is the prefix for several types. Taxi is Yellow, Bus is Green. Livery is Black.

Government is Red. Can’t determine what the start with “M” is.
Other government examples where Black, Judges were white with Blue writing (there were several in a row outside the courts building in the Judges parking area)

What was most interesting is semi trailers have no Bahamas plates. I first saw one from Maine, and just figured it was out of place, but I’ve seen seen multiple, all Maine with one being Florida.

Scooters had a different aspect, horse buggies started with “S.”.

I’ve need seen any personalized plates, but some special plates include
the Prime Minister “PM”, the Deputy Prime Minister “DPM”, Cabinet Ministers “CM..”, and I assume Minister of Parilement “MP..”

There is also a Federal plate for interstate trucks.

Queensland has a new type, “The Smart State”, you can choose “Sunshine” or “Smart”. New South Wales has moved to 2 letter/2 number/2 letter. Tasmania seems to have a new type as well.

Plenty of Queensland colors, and old style which was green.

Taxi’s start with T, If you use LPG, you get a LPG sticker.

The early personalized plates had a QLD state symbol, the cheaper with 3 letter/3 number, the more expensive any words. Newer types are just names like “FLASH”, and “LIVIN”. There are also some older special themes. One was “DAD” and the line “Queensland Special Father”.

There are many different types you can get in Queensland, too many to list, like Golf, Fishing, Elvis and the Phantom.

There are now even more variables, Europe like plates, and a Southern Cross plate.

All my photos at Memorial Day Central Park NY 2008.

Plenty of sun baking, look at those turtles.

And a few humans as well.

Children and animals.

A Roller Party in the park.

Flowers.

Water Sports.

Other Sports.

And the general park surrounds.

And a guy playing two trumpets, who would have figured that?

An early dinner at Blue Smoke on 27th Street, then a stroll around town for a few hours. University Ave, Washington Square, Houston, Bleeker, 10 Ave back to 23rd St. Plenty to talk about, great to run some ideas by somebody, my play writing plans, some old forgotten website ideas, domains which I just re-registered now.

A great gelato shop on Bleeker, reminded me of my favourite shop back in Brisbane. A cupcake shop with a line around the corner at Bleeker and 11th, rather weird. It was a beautiful day, too hot for even a jacket that I carried around for like 5 hours. Great light in the afternoon on the brownstones, wish I’d brought my good camera (Canon EOS 40D).

Two things to add to the New York To Do List. Dinner with hot date at Morimoto 88 Tenth Avenue, and evening in a Stretch Limo such as Silver Star Limo.

I did however with my compact shoot a few cool vehicle number plates. My Collection is starting to take shape, all US States, I think 7 Canada, a few European countries, and recently all states in Australia. Pity my uploading skills were not as productive. But the pick for today was this “LESS GAS” on a Toyota Primus. Very cool indeed.

footer tagline from wordpress.org