A Canadian In New York

This Blog Has Moved

2006-05-25T10:44:00.000-04:00

Come visit me at my new location: seancrabtree.ca

Everybody Was MacBook Fighting

2006-05-23T10:32:00.000-04:00

It was only a matter of time before some geek figured out how to use the new Apple MacBook as a lightsaber. By utilizing the standard motion-sensor feature that stops the hard drive when it tracks unordinary movement, such as accidentally elbowing your notebook off a table onto the floor. And don't you know it wouldn't be long after that that some other geek would reenact a Star Wars fight scene with his new MacBook.

New Apple Store -- Open for Business 24/365!

2006-05-22T11:00:00.000-04:00

It was an absolute mob scene at Apple's new Fifth Ave location on Friday, at their brand opening of their only 24-hour,7 days/week, 365 days/year store. The ever elusive Steve Jobs even showed up... which is more than he did for the London shop.
Stars James Woods, Matthew Modine, and Harry Connick, Jr showed up, too.

Check out Apple's time lapse video of the first 24-hrs.

Grandma Tattoo: "DO NOT RESUSCITATE"

2006-05-18T15:42:00.000-04:00

Wow... so this is what it comes down to after the Terry Schiavo case.

Mary Wohlford, 80, of Decorah, Iowa, told the Des Moines Register that "People might think I'm crazy, but that's OK. Sometimes the nuttiest ideas are the most advanced." Amen. Good luck, Mary.

YouTube.com: Webcam Girls Gone Wild

2006-05-18T13:56:00.000-04:00

This video from YouTube.com is a good example of how websites are getting viewers to voluntarily watch their ads and then go to their websites. The new generation of attracting traffic on the web is by releasing videos like this one and hope that they become viral.

Global Warming Film Presented by Al Gore

2006-05-18T13:33:00.000-04:00

From MoveOn.org:

"An Inconvenient Truth is a true story about the hard science and real threats of global warming and it's told by one of the most inspiring and passionate advocates for change Al Gore.

"How the movie does on opening weekend will decide how the movie is received in the press and possibly how many other cities get to see it. MoveOn.org is encouraging folks to pledge to see the film in advance. It's important to show the media and the skeptics that hundreds of thousands of Americans care about this issue."

Finally, the Apple Cube is Unveiled

2006-05-18T11:25:00.000-04:00

After months of being shrouded, the entrance to the Apple store at the foot of the GM building is uncovered at 3:30 am this morning. The seemingly floating logo is suspended over the entrance staircase leading down to the 20,000-square-foot lower level store, which can be browsed from street level through the cube.

Looks like Steve Jobs has consumers under his spell: Lure them towards the light like deer in headlights, have them with their noses pressed to the window, lure them in with the candy-like products below, oh so close to being theirs. ("My Precious...")

The doors open at 6 pm Friday night, I'll meet you there...
Oh, and bring a credit card.

Workers at the site, on the corner 59th St and 5th Ave, started peeling the layers off yesterday afternoon.

Through the black plastic covering, the glowing Apple logo "chandelier" is revealed.

"Send Troops To Darfur" - The Onion

2006-05-17T23:33:00.000-04:00

The UN is being called on to send peacekeeping forces to keep peace and prevent the genocide in Darfur. What do you think?

Ellie Jurgenson,
Manicurist

"Seems like a clear-cut case of favoritism to me.
Isn't Kofi Annan from some place in Africa, too?"

How 'Bout Them Yankees!

2006-05-17T11:53:00.000-04:00

New York Hall of Famer Yogi Berra's phrase rang true last night: "It ain't over 'til it's over".

The game we went to the other night was incredible! And we just happened to be in our best seats yet: Bottom level between homeplate and the dugout.

Like a hollywood ending, Jorge Posada hit a game winning 2 run homer for a victory of 13-12 against the Texas Rangers (Yee-Ha). In the bottom of the ninth with 2 men out and a count of 3-1, Posada set a record for being the fourth time they fought back from a 9-0 deficite! Previously, the Yankees had come back in 1950, 1953 and 1987.

Bernie Williams also had a memorable night. An RBI double in the sixth inning tied him with Babe Ruth for third place on the Yankee all-time list with 424, which also gave him a career RBI count of 1,210 moving him past Bill Dickey into sixth place on the Yankees all-time list.

Posada successfully defending a sixth inning run.

Two run homer from a count of 3-1, bottom of the ninth, 2 men out.

Check Out: In The Hot Zone

2006-05-17T10:35:00.000-04:00

Kevin Sites is a journalist that has set out to cover the world's conflicts over the course of a year. Supported by a Yahoo! News production team in the US, he will visit and report on the state of 37 countries. Their challenge is to go beyond the statistics that we are highlighted in mainstream media and report on the affects that present conditions have on everyday citizens. Currently in Nepal, Sites uses the latest technology to send his reports, which allows him to be fully mobile and travel effortlessly.

Yahoo! HotZone Mission:
"To provide a clear idea of the combatants, victims, causes, and costs of each of these struggles - and their global impact. With honest, thoughtful reporting we'll strive to establish Kevin Sites in the Hot Zone as a forum for information and involvement. Users will not only learn about the scope of world conflict, but will find ways to be part of the solutions- through dialogue, debate, and avenues for action."

Farewell, West Wing... and Thank You

2006-05-15T16:52:00.000-04:00

Two terms and seven seasons ago, the Bartlet presidency came in to our lives to entertain us, but if anything it emboldened us with higher expectations of our government.

In exemplifying the role of the presidency and its political decisions, The West Wing plot would often times mirror real life events and policies. Even though the comforting scripts hailed from within the confines of a Washington, DC bizzaro world, its overtures from a bully pulpit provided a stark contrast, if not a desperately desired distraction from, today's actual presidency.

Job well done, Everyone - With deep gratitude to John Spencer for his exceptional work.

A special thank you to Aaron Sorkin for his sharp wit that helped the show gain traction with intelligent entertainment viewers. It takes some serious screenwriting for cast members to be invited by the Clinton Administration to meet their real-life counterparts at the White House.

Intelligent dialogue, quick quips, and steadfast progressisve thought, The West Wing was an entertaining political fix like no other. Perhaps Salon.com said it best: "[It's a shame that] Bartlet's administration only ever served on TV."

Internet Explorer Sucks

2006-05-11T15:03:00.000-04:00

This may not come as a very big surprise to you. But I was shocked to see how IE mangled my blog. So please download a (free) copy of Firefox to best view my blog.

This browser has become the best independent (free) browser around. Very secure, very light, very fast. It's everything you'd want in a browser.... and it'll change your life forever.
(No guarantees.)

"The award-winning, free Web browser is better than ever. Browse the Web with confidence - Firefox protects you from viruses, spyware and pop-ups. Enjoy improvements to performance, ease of use and privacy. It's easy to import your favorites and settings and get started. Download Firefox to get the most out of the Web."

Think Like a Whiner

2006-05-11T12:14:00.000-04:00

As Mark Cuban writes on his Blog Maverick, being a whiner has made him the (billionaire) man he is today... and is better than being "a punching bag guy, in a punching bag life." Ouch!

Sure it's annoying hanging around people who bitch and complain, but whiners with initiative usually change the world. As Robert Heinlein said in Time Enough For Love: "Progress isn't made by early risers. It's made by lazy men trying to find easier ways to do something." I'm proud to be a whiner, too. Usually it's led to better things.

But what do you think? (Click on "Comments" below.)

Looking for a Besk?

2006-05-08T10:15:00.000-04:00

Finally, a solution for New York sized apartments that don't have space for both a desk and a bed: Besks!

"Euro Beds" from Flying Beds come in all forms of furniture, from sofas to wardrobes - even bookcases.

Seis de Mayo!

2006-05-06T06:45:00.000-04:00

Big 3-2! Thanks for all the birthday wishes, Everyone.

For dinner we went to mexican restaurant Alma, in a hip, up and coming area of Brooklyn called Red Hook. From there they offer a primo view of lower Manhattan... just past the loading dock cranes.

Check Out YouTube.com

2006-05-03T10:20:00.000-04:00

This communal video sharing website just started 6 months ago and has become all the rage. When a good video hits here, it's popularity becomes viral.

Samples: Real Life Frogger and Jump Boots

"Reality Has A Well-Known Liberal Bias"

2006-05-01T12:58:00.000-04:00

Stephen Colbert tore into the President at The White House Correspondents' Association Dinner.

See the 25 min C-Span video: Part 1 Part 2 Part 3

Climbing To The Crest - And What A View!

2006-05-01T10:43:00.000-04:00

The debut of Climbing To The Crest at the Tribeca Film Festival was a big success for the creators and staff, as well as the kids.

Signing autographs on the red carpet.

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Director Barbara Malmet giving the intro.

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After the viewing, Hillary Rodham Clinton gave a closing address. Other notable guests included Randi Weingarten, President of United Federation of Teachers, and Joel Klein, Chancellor of NYC Department of Education... as well as teachers and staff of The UFT Elementary Charter School.

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The After-Party Celebration included a cafeteria style food theme. The Mac & Cheese balls were a real hit!

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Even though it was way past their bedtime, the kids really danced the night away! See the video.

Call Me "Skeptical"

2006-04-26T17:51:00.000-04:00

Well, today my employer informed me that they only cover two days a year for jury duty, so the judge released me from service. This is good for me, I guess, but how does this play out in the larger scheme of things?

If professionals, entrepreneurs, business owners, and other professions that derive direct income for their time and are not compensated by their employers for jury duty: How is one assured that their jury is truly a jury composed of their peers, especially if their profession is one of the above?
More troubling, though, is how can we be encouraged [as a possible defendant] with the knowledge of that leftover, happenstance citizens may composed our jury ? Not reassuring at all. The reasons why our nation has such an incredible amount of incarcerations is much more clearer to me now.

Mathematically speaking, I am skeptical that the calculus would result favorably for the defendant when faced with fighting an uphill battle against the basic human nature of those jurors actually chosen. However, I can see how this could be as good a system as any that a society of fallable humans could compose.

Call Me "Juror #6"

2006-04-25T22:00:00.000-04:00

Well, today I was chosen from among my county peers to decide a man's fate who is charged with murder.

Of course I can't talk about the case, but I do find the system of elimination in choosing jurors quite interesting. While many potential jurors have professional reasons why they can't serve on a three week case, others had "justified" reasons and those were taken in stride. But a couple had personal, and even moral, reasons which the judge would dismiss them for.

It's my opinion that if you can sit, you should. It's a key pillar of our entire democratic system, and one we should all count ourselves lucky to be afforded. We can only hope that some competent fellow citizens are sitting in "the box" (as they informally address our new residence) IF the occasion arises for us, too - regardless of guilt. This exposure to our actual legal system at work is quite a learning experience.

Internet Growth Slows, With This Generation

2006-04-18T21:39:00.000-04:00

Robert X. Cringley writes on his, PBS hosted site i, cringley, that Internet growth is slowing. Although 71% of the US has access, Cringley states that to become ubiquitious a generation of users must essentially replace the non-users. And for this group to adopt these technologies they must see no other alternatives. Here's some of the future trending he sees.

Geek Squad To The Rescue!

2006-04-17T16:54:00.000-04:00

My mother has been completely frustrated since her computer gave her the "Blue Screen of Death" -- for those PC users out there, you know what I'm talking about. After adding some of her cable modem company's software it craashed, saying she may have a virus or be low on memory (probably from the software.)

For someone who doesn't know about or want to fix your computer, check these guys out: Geek Squad.
1-800-GEEK SQUAD (of course)

Check Out This Photo Blog

2006-04-14T10:27:00.000-04:00

I saw the author of Bluejake.com, Jake Dobkin, on the Brian Lehrer tv show last night. What Jake does is post only one photo every day on his blog from around NYC during the course of his day. The point of this is to glean one best shot from maybe 30 or so images a day for a viewer to appreciate.

In a world where quantity is the focus, doesn't taking a few extra moments to appreciate one artistic quality image seem refreshing?

Here's today's image:

Here's an archived image:

Check Out This Podcast

2006-04-11T15:06:00.000-04:00

I just discovered a new podcast that is laugh-out-loud funny, called Keith and The Girl. One blogger describes it as, "Very New York. Very Jewish. Crude, rude, with lots of 'tude."

PS - If you don't have iTunes yet, enter the 21st century here.

The Chieftains Play Carnegie Hall

2006-03-20T16:01:00.000-05:00

The Chieftains started out small, but they would grow quite big before the night was over.

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A view of the performance hall from the top row of Carnegie Hall.

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Before too long they were joined by The Cottars, a group from our native Nova Scotia that many 'Capers' flew down to enjoy.

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After the intermission, an orchestra joined The Chieftains for some stirring work.

Video: See the live performance

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Elvis Costello later teamed up for "Long Journey Home." A grand, sweeping production, the tune required full use of the entire orchestra and a small accompanying choir.

But as you ascend the ladder,
Look out below where you tread.
For the colors bled as they overflowed,
Red, White and Blue,
Green, White and Gold!

This commanding piece rocked every fiber of my being - it took great presence not to leap to my feet with pride for something, anything, as they soared to greater and greater melodic heights.
What an incredibly patriotic St. Paddy's Day song!

Video: See the live performance

2006-03-20T15:40:00.000-05:00

Their Grand Finale was replete with bagpipers...

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...and Irish step dancers that grabbed audience members out of their seats to form a long, dancing line that weaved up and down each and every aisle...

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...and lead our fellow Cape Bretoners Jerome, Brenda, Neil and others up onto the stage.

Video: See The Chieftains during the grand finale
Video: See The Cottars continue the grand finale

(Warning! - These 2 minute video files are very large.
Please allow some dedicated time for downloading.)

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The Chieftains and Cottars and step dancers and bagpipers all lined up...

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...for a grand, final group farewell!

2006-03-20T15:32:00.000-05:00

Blizzard of '06 Breaks Overnight Snowfall Record!

2006-02-13T13:25:00.000-05:00

It set a new daily snowfall record in Central Park of 26.9 inches!
(At right, one person is getting ready to cross-country ski.)

2006-02-13T13:23:00.000-05:00

It snowed 18 inches in our neighborhood.

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Here's a few photos from around our neighborhood.

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Cindy and Sally's New Office

2006-02-06T10:53:00.000-05:00

Sally and Andre broke open a bottle of bubbly with us to celebrate the momentous occasion.

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The front desk looks like it's in fast forward even after hours!

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The new waiting room.

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A gift from Cindy's parents, Evelyn and Steve.

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Flowers from my mother, Teresa, and I.

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Cindy's new desk... (still a work in progress).

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Our Trip to Ft. Lauderdale, Florida

2006-01-19T15:20:00.000-05:00

Cindy's family hosted us for a wonderful weekend.
The weather was great, by New York standards, and very relaxing.

Scott and Debbie, Sean ("Minimus"), Cindy, Sean ("Maximus"),
Evelyn and Steve.

A View From Behind My New Desk

2006-01-19T15:19:00.000-05:00

The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) building is the "steaming" pearl white building at right, just in front of the coal, black CBS building where Westwood One was previously located, at the far right side of the image.

The New York City Marathon

2006-01-11T15:50:00.000-05:00

While waiting in the crisp morning air for the vying runners and thick throngs of sweaty sights while we casually sipped mimosa's and knoshed on bagels -- a re-carbing brunch!

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Here's our Mayor, Michael Bloomberg, on his election day no less, arriving at the finish line to hold the tape.

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Here are the Women's leaders. Jelena Prokopcuka (LAT), right, placed first with 2:24:41. Susan Chepkemei (KEN) camie in 2nd at 2:24:55.

2006-01-11T15:41:00.000-05:00

The handicapped contestents came screaming in before the women and men.

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Here are the Men's leaders, Paul Tergat (KEN) and Hendrick Ramaala (RSA), coming in for first.

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Tergat won by a stride, even though Ramaala leapt for the tape and tumbled. What an incredible finish!

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Tergat won with 2:09:30.

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Ramaala lost with 2:09:31.

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The "Beatles" gave them a warm welcome home at the finish line.

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Many entrants were handicapped. For many years, organizations composed of volunteers like these have been assisting runners all types -- even blind members.

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One legless "runner" went the whole way on a skateboard.

How incredibly inspirational!!

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Some ran the whole marathon in costumes like this ballerina. We saw runners in kimonos, gorilla suits and dressed up as a waiter carrying a bottle of wine on a tray -- for 26.2 miles!

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The scenes of crippled people being carried in was not an uncommon sight.

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Here's a welcoming sight for many of my Canadian brethren!

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The race lasted all day; runners were streaming in up to 6 hours after they had started.

Hordes of runners could be seen all over the immediate area wearing silvery heat-preserving blankets. The was a sea of silver!

A Tribute to 9/11

2005-09-12T17:14:00.000-04:00

On 9/11/05, these light tributes were positioned relatively near the footprints of the WTC and left on all night. The next morning at sunrise, I watched as they were slowly swallowed by the surrounding sunlight. What a magnificient sight!

2005-09-12T17:12:00.000-04:00

The Empire State Building remembered the victims by going dark from 9:11 pm and thru the night. If you look closely, it's red marker can be seen above the lowest bow of lights on the Brooklyn Bridge.

My Mother Visiting the Big Apple

2005-08-05T17:47:00.001-04:00

The view from the Brooklyn promenade, one of the most glamorous views of downtown Manhattan, is a popular destination for all walks of life... especially runner's.

This is view is one block from our apartment!

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Brooklyn bridge is on the right, with Wall St to the left.
(The Twin Towers would have been in the middle of the frame.)

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Most of these buildings date back to the late 1800's, ancient by modern Brooklyn terms.

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Good examples of the local "Brownstone's".

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A fire house heavily affected by 9/11.
Many casualties never returned to work.

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Fourth of July over New York's East River.

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Welcome to the world-famous Boardwalk of Brooklyn, USA, where Coney Island still attracts large crowds.

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Russian restaurants are a common site in this neighborhood. They're strong, cheap beer is a welcome taste on hot summer days.

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No shortage of sugar close at hand.

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And who could miss Regis?