Blog

Apparently all the Starbucks’ in the known universe were closed for three hours yesterday. They say it was for employee training, but we all know it was to assert their supreme dominance over American life.

“We believe that this is a bold demonstration of our commitment to our core and a reaffirmation of our coffee leadership,” said chief executive Howard Schultz in a statement.

Schultz was later quoted as saying “We also believe that this is a bold demonstration of how much you little fools depend on us. Comes the revolution, don’t say we didn’t warn you. Mwa ha. Mwa ha ha. MWA HA HA HA HAAAAA!”

Well, look who’s back.

Also, be sure to participate.

Odd synchronicities going on recently.

Fidel Castro resigns. Ivan Castro skis.

I’m watching Blade Runner tonight. On the way home from work, I heard “More Human Than Human“.

Been watching a lot of Doctor Who recently. Last night, I was referred to as “Doctor Who, here”.

Maybe it’s the eclipse.

Ever get a line stuck in your head? As if it were a song? I’ve had a phrase from the attached clip running through my giant cranium all day.

The vid is from the worst episode of the otherwise excellent series Doctor Who. I recommend starting at 2:50 for context, but the line itself is at 3:17.

Chi-Mark has posted another salvo on the videogames-as-art debate, so get over there and read it.

Also, I just realized I never linked to his blog. Dick! Problem to be resolved shortly.

That WBFO listener commentary I recorded a few weeks ago ran this morning and has been posted online. Please address the skids of adoring fanmail to bastart@gmail.com.

Anybody else find it strange that the next Bond movie is apparently a sci-fi Castlevania game?

Sarah Michelle Gellar owns the movie rights to American McGee’s Alice. Today, scifi wire posted a lil’ interview with her in which she describes some of the issues she has run into getting the thing airborne.

Calling the movie “the frustration of my life,” Gellar joked: “I’ll do it if I have to get down and write it myself one of these days. I may have to.”

Dear Ms. Gellar — call me. I live to serve.

Let’s just say I were to be tasked by some hyper-pro-Buffalo agency to fill out a weekend in such a way that highlights the region’s awesomeness. This last weekend would be pretty close. It seriously sounds like stuck-up WASPs going on about their holiday at Vail. Watch.

While waiting in line for a haircut — there were just so many people on Elmwood — I got a text telling me that Peter Fowler had a showing at his kepa3 gallery down on Barker. Off we jetted, meeting up with some well-mannered people who drive black cars. After politely reviewing the art, we stopped by Laughlin’s for a late lunch. Cajun grouper and Sam Adams Winter Lager on tap: simply fantastic! Apparently we missed some exciting doings at Sample in the late night due to some missed messages — another expat has decided to move back into town for the low cost-of-living and thriving arts community.

All was set for a quiet Sunday until I received an email inviting me for a coffee at Spot, as a friend had set up shop there for the day to study. Well, didn’t we just have to stop by? We didn’t stay for long — there were just so many people — and popped across the street to Globe for a reasonably priced coffee. While there, we ran into more friends and joined them on a short walk down Elmwood, stopping just long enough for Shoefly, of course. We parted ways, and Jess and I took advantage of the fine January weather to continue our walk down the well-manicured green-space of Chapin to Hoyt Lake.

A bit of rest before dinner at Mother’s with a friend who stopped back from NYC for a family event. After a fine meal (for a much better price than one could find downstate), another friend caught up with us and we slid across Virginia Place to Scarlet for a pint or two in the red neon.

See? Snooty-sounding, even in our very own Buffalo. Tune in next weekend when I detail how I sit inside and watch Doctor Who.

Today found me in the WBFO studios, recording that listener commentary and fighting an irrepressible feeling that I had walked into an episode of Frasier. The actual recording of the essay, complete with re-reads of several of the sentences which seemed fine until I had to speak them aloud in a single breath (damn my love of commas!), took substantially less time than the conversation I engaged in afterwards.

When the radio guy asked me if I missed being home last week, I told him I thought the weather was too warm for skiing. He meant this whole “voting” thing the kids are so excited about these days. Apparently, simply hailing from New Hampshire makes me an authority on the excitements of primary season. Having clarified ourselves, we swapped tales of run-ins with political figures for a solid half-hour.

If you just can’t get enough of me yapping all the time, tune in on January 29th.