Dave Lucas

Is Andrew Cuomo Politically Impotent or Just a Hypocrite?

2013-06-17T05:56:00.000-04:00

"Young Turks" want to know! Cenk Uygur of The Young Turks sent me an email, explaining his group took an in depth look at New York Governor Andrew Cuomo's proposal to back the public financing bill. Is Cuomo going to follow through with his word? What are the different factors?

The Young Turks, hosted by Cenk Uygur and Ana Kasparian, claims to be the largest online news show in the world, covering politics, economics, pop culture, social trends and lifestyle. The program is approaching 1 million YouTube subscribers.

The Young Turks Network is a Multi-Channel Network of online video talk shows, consisting mostly of TYT owned-and-operated shows and a select group of outside partners. The group says the network generates over 50 million views per month and has over a billion lifetime views.

Here's a link to the Turks' Cuomo YouTube clip: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZBcrySE5gek.

drifting mouse pointer dell latitude c600 mouse driver fix

2013-06-17T05:44:00.000-04:00

If you own a Dell laptop and your pointer is drifting all over the place, this post is for you!

I am the happy owner of a Dell Latitude C600 laptop computer purchased at a garage sale for $1. It was beat, and the owners said the harddrive was unrecoverable. I experimented. I tinkered. I brought the beast back to life. Now, it rolls on Windows XP; the Latitude battery kicks ass - I get 4.5 hours uptime at full charge. But then, a random issue popped up, after I was forced to install one of those ugly Windows Service Packs I had been trying to avoid: the mouse pointer began drifting, slowly at first, at random times, for no apparent reason. Then it got faster. And faster.

Checking Google I ran across several boards, forums and "ask" sites dating back to the early 2000's where other Latitude users were baffled by the same wandering / drifting mouse pointer problems. There were many solutions, some over-the-top technical, including cracking the case open, cutting wires, placing an anti-static hardware bag over a metal clip... you get the idea.

Many times the most logical solution is right under one's nose. The mouse DRIVER! I thought of that because just the other day I was cleaning out crap for a garage sale of my own and tossed out a bunch of old diskettes, including an old DOS IBM Mouse Driver.

Others had opted to go with updating the mouse driver, and reported the fix worked. But I soon found that those generous enough to provide links did so in 2004, 5 and 6... and today those links are dead links. Back to Google, where

I downloaded and installed a newer touch pad driver. (Tp2aa11i) Following a mandated reboot, a new icon appeared in the SysTray, for the Synaptics Touch pad. I opened the new Mouse/Touch-Pad Pointer Properties and went through all of the new options. One option is to disable the Joystick pointer that looks like a pencil eraser, in the middle of the keyboard, or to change it's sensitivity. I disabled this little monkey and immediatley my drifting mouse pointer dilemma was solved!

most recent picture of trayvon martin

2013-06-15T05:30:00.000-04:00

Media manipulation. "We control the horizontal. We control the vertical." Whatever the truth is regarding the NSA story, we may never know it. What we can discern, based upon what we have been told, is that IF what we have been told were actually true, the Government could have used the "Person of Interest" tool PRISM to stop the Boston marathon bombers. They didn't. So either they knew about it and chose to do nothing, or they didn't know about it. I would tend to believe the latter.

As for Trayvon Martin, remember that photos don't tell us who was the good guy or who was the bad guy, but in my opinion, a media-photoshopped image counterbalances a thousand words.

Pictures and text from Trayvon Martin's mobile phone can be viewed here. Above all, we must remember that prejudicial opinions passed off as facts will never pass muster.

Mysteries of the Blog

2013-06-14T18:30:00.000-04:00

I love to tinker and experiment - You may have noticed that I have been using my blog*spot blog here as a "guinea pig" of sorts for all sorts of tinkering and testing. From Blog Cap to Cloud Computing, I've covered a lot of ground. I've also been watching and documenting traffic the search engines are sending my blog's way. Throw rhyme and reason out the window. And get offa that cloud!

Before I get to that, I still maintain there is some sort of "traffic cap" in place, one that has gotten all to predictable, one I believe is tied in with Google, Panda & Penguin. I'm not going to bore you with the data or line of reasoning.

Having typed that, I notice that many visits made to my blog via iPad and mobile phone are NOT recorded as if they never had happened! I know this because I enlisted friends with such devices to visit the site. Also, people who have me in their feed reader and view content via the RSS reader DO NOT show up on the stats!

Interested in gauging what (if any) local readership there might be (truthfully I have done ZERO to publicize my blog on a local basis) I injected a Mayoral poll. The results were less than spectacular. But then again, I never aimed to build a local audience. So that may be a good thing!

Infolinks Are Marvelous!

2013-06-14T17:11:00.000-04:00

Make Money w/Infolinks! I've been blogging for a long time, longer than I can tell. A lot of bloggers discovered early on we could make a little extra money to help pay for some of all this by offering ads, just like the "big websites" of newspapers and magazines do. There have been a lot of services that have come and gone. Some have become "big dogs" over the years: I'm thinking of nuffnang, adhits and AdSense.

There's another player that has done very well in text-link type advertising: Infolinks! Unless your browser has been programmed to tune them out, you should see on this page many double-underlined words--- infolinks ads. Mouseover them and a small window appears offering additional information to click. A lot of weburfing netizens suffer from "banner blindness." They are so accustomed to seeing adverts on websites their eyes don't notice them anymore! But that double-Infolink-underline is always there to entice readers to click! Users seem to like Infolinks!

It's fairly easy to sign up for an Infolinks membership: registration is free!

Head on over to Infolinks now, while it's fresh in your mind! You'll be glad you did! (By all means let me know what you think - leave a comment!)

You can receive my special newsletters - published only when necessary - by clicking on the envelope icon below - then you'll be on my mailing list. Thank-you very much! Don't worry - I will not share it or sell or compromise my list (or your privacy) in any way, shape or form!

Tags: text-based advertising, infolinks

Remember Che!

2013-06-14T02:00:00.000-04:00

It's his birthday! Post from the past.

Albany Mayoral Race 2013

2013-06-12T17:15:00.000-04:00

A Simple Mayoral Poll - (Albany NY - June 2013)

And here are a few optional, additional questions. Please leave your answer(s) in either the Google or Facebook comment areas below! Thank-you!

Which candidate would be best for the City of Albany's economy?

Which candidate would be best for the City of Albany's cultural growth?

What is the most important issue in the Mayor's race?

What does Albany need most and which candidate is best-prepared to address that need?

Gasland Part II - Albany Premier followed by Q&A w/ director Josh Fox [FREE]

2013-06-12T12:30:00.000-04:00

When: TONIGHT! Wednesday, June 12th 7pm
Where: The Linda, WAMC's Performing Arts Studio (339 Central Avenue)

In the 2010 Oscar-nominated exposé Gasland, director Josh Fox profiled hydraulic fracturing, or “fracking,” the process of injecting a pressurized mixture of water, sand and chemicals down a drilled well, causing layers of rock deep in the earth to crack and release natural gas. The film inspired a national dialogue over the multi-layered environmental dangers at risk. With Gasland Part II, Fox examines the long-run impact of the controversial process, including poisonous water, earthquakes and neurological damage, placing his focus on the people whose lives have been irreparably changed.

Traveling from the Gulf of Mexico to the heart of Texas and back up to the Delaware River basin, he thoroughly investigates the effects of this once-touted energy source, as well as the industry’s equally disturbing reaction to negative claims via smear campaigns and lawsuits. Gasland Part II shows how the anti-fracking movement has done its best to amplify its message while the million-dollar conglomerates employ PSY-OPS tactics to shut it down. Unnerving interviews and shocking data underscore this scathing indictment of unregulated industry in Fox’s powerful, not-to-be-missed follow-up.

Tickets are first-come, first-served, so come early!

Dial-Up

2013-06-12T07:57:00.000-04:00

So here we are, halfway through 2013, and you are STILL on dial-up. That's O.K. Nothing to be ashamed of. Nothing to be sorry for. I've written about dial-up internet in the past, and I'm doing it again. My "new" Dell Latitude laptop runs on dial-up. By choice. If you have just acquired a new machine, and especially if you have overwritten all of the old crap on it by re-installing the OS, you can survive and thrive via dial-up!

Older laptops still have that wonderful phone jack! My Latitude also has a USB port, in case I want to upload something via broadband. First image is a screenshot of my broadband speed:

Next here's a nifty speedtest performed on my clunky desktop running Windows Millenium Edition with an external 28.8 modem.

Last pic: the same test on the Latitude with a built-in 56k modem (that usually registers around 42.3 up to 45.5 when connected)

There's a remarkable difference between a faster modem and faster Internet. If at all possible, become familiar with the old landline dial-up system.

There may be times where you won't be able to access your favorite broadband network. When you don't have access to DSL or broadband, my tips will make dial up faster regardless of what the modem speed is. You'll be surprised how well they work!

1. DO NOT load an anti-virus program onto your machine. You can surf safely without it, and if you need to connect via broadband or cable to upload or download, make certain you are on a trusted site and do not click on any other links. Just go where you need to go, do what you need to do, and get off.

If you don't trust yourself, go ahead and download a free anti virus or anti malware program and scan your computer at regular intervals. Scan your computer offline, either at night while you're sleeping or during the day when you're doing something else.

2. DO NOT frequently clear your browsers cache. It works very similarly to those "web accelerators" by storing essential info and graphics of pages you regularly visit.

3. BROWSER I use OffByOne to read the Drudge Report and a few other sites. It's old and doesn't work on all sites, but you'll quickly find what does work. I have an earlier version of FLOCK that is based on Firefox for everything else: I have favourited the MOBILE URLs of twitter and facebook so I can connect and interact much more quickly! I also have Chrome on board for those rare times when I use broadband - I downloaded the "offline install" version and it does not try to update itself (I also have Windows updates turned OFF).

You can adjust your browser settings so it will "ask" if you want to view videos - instead of trying to deal with any that have been programmed to "auto-play."

4. Download Dilemmas ::: If your dial-up connection speed is 33.6k or less, your landline connection could be wired to a repeater. Phone signals weaken as they travel over phone lines. A repeater will amplify a weak phone signal. Once amplified, it can be split to serve additional distant residences, especially in rural areas. This phone network architecture will decrease a dial up connection markedly lower than 56k speed.

Check the size of programs before you decide to download them via dialup. 10 megabytes is a reasonable size limit. Many excellent programs are available in small packages; you just need to lookaround.

If you really do need to download a huge file, you have options. You can go to an internet cafe or your local public library and avail yourself of the high-speed Internet services they offer. Don't forget to bring a blank CD or two! Otherwise, begin your download just before bedtime. When you wake up in the morning, your file will be there. Check if your browser supports "resume download" should there be an interruption or a line drop (less likely to happen overnight).

Are you FEARLESS? Not afraid to tinker with your OS? Or maybe you're just loading things onto a PC or laptop with a fresh OS install.

[Reference] ::: How to increase Dialup internet speed is an illustrated post appearing on hackingbaby...

More tips on boosting dial-up speed toward the bottom of the post (look for "read more").

5. Web based email is scanned for Malware free, then stored on remote computer servers. Gmail can be accessed via mobile URL, m.gmail.com - you won't have all the features, but you'll be able to send and receive mail.

6. Stay stealthy! Don't stay online if you don't need to be. Rogue "fisher" programs and bots scanning the net for open ports may try extra hard to sneak in if they detect a live connection but idle activity. Also, connecting and disconnecting will dissuade interlopers from proceeding. They'll move on in search of bigger fish.

7. Download a computer system cleaning tool - I recommend Ccleaner. It will remove temporary Internet files, tracking cookies and clean up the registry. Toni-Arts has a program that does the same thing, EZ Cleaner. Another free cleaning utility, Advanced Systemcare, will even optimize your modems TCP/IP settings. While computer cleaning tools do not remove malware or viruses, the older freeware ZoneAlarm works great turning away strangers that come knocking on the doors of your computer ports.

For those of you brave enough to participate in BLACK OPS, continue...

* HAVE PEN AND PAPER HANDY TO WRITE NUMBERS/SETTINGS DOWN PRIOR TO MAKING ANY CHANGES.

Take your time!

This is your "exit" plan if things don't work as expected! Now, go to control panel. Now open the icon named Network Connections, and select appropriate modem. Right click on it and click Properties.

Dial up connection

Methods to increase internet speed * Select General tab and set the maximum speed to 115200 and make sure you uncheck the box for Only connect at this speed. This will utilize the maximum speed of your modem. * Next move to Connection tab and set the Data Bits field to number 8, Stop Bits fields to number 1 and change the Parity setting to None. Now search for Port setting button on the same tab and set the Receive buffer slider position to High. * Close the current window and click on the Advanced button on general tab. Here set the value of Modulation type to Standard. Now check the fields named Use flow control, User error control and Compress Data and uncheck the field named Required to connect. * Make sure everything mentioned above are done and click on Apply. Click Ok and close the window. For these settings to take effect, you need to reboot your PC. After reboot process, connect to the internet with your edited settings and make a note of the connection speed. Try connecting couple of times to see if the connection speed is increasing.

For the matter of safety, note down the original settings. You can get back to this, if the new settings don’t work. If you have tried this and still you are unable to feel any difference, then have a check on the phone line and see if there is any interference. Also try connecting with different dial up numbers. Try out these simple steps and share your feedback as comments below.

The following has appeared on several online boards:

Ensure that you have the latest drivers for your modem, from the manufacturer & not Microsoft.

Here are some tweaks that will help you maximize throughput as best possible, for your 56K modem.

Please create a System Restore point before tweaking

Download Cablenut [link below] and apply the following settings:

DefaultReceiveWindow = 8192
DefaultSendWindow = 4096
DisableAddressSharing = 1
InitialLargeBufferCount = 10
InitialMediumBufferCount = 24
InitialSmallBufferCount = 32
LargeBufferSize = 4096
MaxFastTransmit = 6400
MediumBufferSize = 1504
PriorityBoost = 0
SmallBufferSize = 128
TransmitWorker = 32
FastSendDatagramThreshold = 1024
EnableFastRouteLookup = 1
EnablePMTUDiscovery = 1
IgnorePushBitOnReceives = 0
GlobalMaxTcpWindowSize = 8760
MaxFreeTcbs = 2000
MaxHashTableSize = 4096
MaxNormLookupMemory = 5000000
SackOpts = 1
SynAttackProtect = 1
Tcp1323Opts = 0
TcpLogLevel = 1
MaxDupAcks = 2
TcpMaxHalfOpen = 100
TcpMaxHalfOpenRetried = 80
TcpRecvSegmentSize = 1460
TcpSendSegmentSize = 1460
TcpTimedWaitDelay = 30
TcpUseRFC1122UrgentPointer = 0
TcpWindowSize = 8760
MaxConnectionsPer1_0Server = 8
MaxConnectionsPerServer = 4
DefaultTTL = 128
DisableUserTOSSetting = 0
TcpMaxDataRetransmissions = 6
DefaultTOSValue = 92

Open your registry (start -> run -> type regedit) and change the following registry entry:

Export each registry setting before amending

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Servic es\AFD\Parameters Add the parameter BufferMultiplier and give it a value of 400 hexidecimal which will make it 1024.

Download TCPOptimizer [link below] and apply the following settings:

Under the settings tab select dial up and custom settings, in network adapter selection choose dial up adapter. Then use the following settings:

MaxMTU - 1500 TCP Receive Window - 8760 MTU Discovery - Yes Black Hole Detect - No Selective ACKs - Yes Max Dup ACKs - 2 Time to Live (TTL) - 128 TCP 1323 Options - uncheck both boxes

Other settings: Max Connections per Server - 4 Max Connections per 1.0 Server - 8

Then select Apply changes and reboot your computer.

Go to Network Connections from the Control Panel – right click on your internet connection and select properties, uninstall QoS Packet Scheduler.

Amend the following registry entries:

delete the following entry HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/Software/Microsoft/Windows/CurrentVersion/Explorer/RemoteComputer/NameSpace/{D6277990-4C6A-11CF-8D87-00AA0060F5BF}

add the following entry: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Contro l\PriorityControl (if PriorityControl is not there, make the value) - on the right hand side right click and select new DWORD value, name it IrqXPriority (X = Irq assigned to your modem), then right click it and select modify and give it a decimal value of 1.

This tweak will help web pages load faster, it has no real effect on download speeds, just helps your pc look up websites faster thereby speeding up how fast the page loads and making websurfing more enjoyable.

Go to the registry entry and change the following settings: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Servic es\Tcpip\ServiceProvider

Class - 1 DnsPriority - 1 HostsPriority - 1 LocalPriority - 1 NetbtPriority - 1

Download CableNut here

Download TCPOptimizer here http://www.speedguide.net/files/TCPOptimizer.exe

You can receive my special newsletters - published only when necessary - by clicking on the envelope icon below - then you'll be on my mailing list. Thank-you very much! Don't worry - I will not share it or sell or compromise my list (or your privacy) in any way, shape or form!

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Google Facebook NSA

2013-06-11T23:00:00.001-04:00

Don't be in a rush to leave Google or Facebook! Professor Tim Wu of Columbia Law School told wired.uk that consumers had a "responsibility" to leave social networks found out to be collaborating secretly with intelligence services such as the US National Security Agency: that's a little bit over the top.

I've been warning you about computers and privacy for a long time. Here is what I recommend.

(1) Do what I do - I stay OFF THE "CLOUD" - you need to disconnect from the idea of using files and softwares that are stored somewhere on the internet. All of your important files and useful programs should be on your laptop or pc in NON-updatable versions or forms - if you can turn off "automatic updates" for any and all programs you may have, you will be better off.

(2) Turn the internet 'on' and 'off' - learn to work offline as much as possible. The shorter the time you are on the net, the better for your own safety and security.

(3) Lower your profile on Google and Facebook. Do not share or post any controversial, intimate or private information or photographs you wouldn't want teachers, parents, employers or officials to see.

In his interview with wired.uk, Wu describes several historical examples of technologies having been used as tools of oppression or societal control, such as enforced propaganda radio broadcasts by the Nazi regime. He also comments that he feels web users ought to have a "visceral" sense of ownership over their online data. He's almost right. Users should only allow data online that MUST be there. Nothing more. No pictures of the wild party, no nonsense

Calling All the Basic Bitches

2013-06-11T18:26:00.000-04:00

I love Pop Culture! The newest wave of Internet Personalities are wonderfully exciting and invigorating! Check out Lohanthony!

But ::: that trailer for Disney's Monster U makes me cringe. What a POS! The adult servers of entertainment are taking up the "we are so dumb and behind the times" persona that old folks back in the 1950s had.

NY TIMES yanks Anthony Weiner story - and here's some more media sorcery! Marlon Anderson is onto something...

The Continuing Saga of Arissa Luna

2013-06-11T16:49:00.001-04:00

Photo: Malaysia Chronicle

Long in the tooth at 29 - Arissa Cheo is about to settle down. I wonder if she does, will Dawn Yang (her I-wannabee-U Bizarro-clone) follow? We'll see! Check out Taiwan's Van Ness Wu pens song in latest album for S'porean girlfriend in the Straits Times.

A Very Cellular Post

2013-06-10T13:00:00.000-04:00

Kind of a "mobile PGP" but better ::: ETXT allows you to encrypt the text that you send by e-mail or share on websites, on forums or on a hosting service. Since sending a text or a note through the internet is not always secure (as PRISM confirms), it is prudent to use a tool like ETXT to avoid unauthorized reading. Nothing simpler, you just need to install the software and open the text inside it so that it does the rest. Once the text encrypted, just save it and send or use it. Note that the recipient must also install the software on his/her machine. In brief, it does not require any installation and can be used indefinitely.

As much as I hate "the cloud" I like biNu ::: it is a cloudcentric mobile phone application that provides super fast, simple, cost effective access to many Internet based applications such as Facebook, Twitter, Wikipedia, news, sports, weather etc. biNu is designed and optimized for mobile wireless devices and provides instant response times, even on slower networks.

Visit m.binu.com using your phone’s existing web browser and click on the Download link. During the installation process various alerts may pop-up on the phone’s screen. You should disregard the alerts and click “continue” or “ok” to continue installing biNu.

You can also download biNu to your phone via SMS text message.

When using the SMS method, they send you an SMS message that includes a link to the m.binu.com site When you click this link, your phone browser will open and take you to the site. Once there, click on the Download link. During the installation process various alerts may pop-up on the phone’s screen. You should disregard the alerts and click “continue” or “ok” to continue installing biNu.

BlackBerry users looking for a few shortcuts/tricks check this link.

Anything to add? Reactions? Your comments are appreciated! Here's why and how!
A word about comments...

Thoughtful, intelligent comments that contribute to and embellish posted articles serve as an information thread for future readers. I encourage link-sharing (no, not that spam url about the "free" book you're giving away that's actually a contact harvesting site for one of those idiot "blog gurus") and I welcome responses framed as guest-posts.

If for some reason you cannot leave your comments in either the G+ or Facebook comment boxes below, you are welcome to send them to me via my email button by clicking on the envelope icon below.

I will add them here with my inserted replies. Since 2006, this humble weblog has amassed a large number of interesting comments. Add yours in so the whole wide world can see and share YOUR point of view!

Tags: biNu, cloud

Prism Schism Google Shmoogle

2013-06-07T12:11:00.000-04:00

Here is yet another aspect of daily digital life cementing my position that you need to be OFF the cloud.

I just spiffed up an old Dell Latitude laptop - reloaded the OS and made it a lean, mean writin' machine. My data is my data, on the HD, CDs and USBs. If I do need some kind of cloud-based wordsaver I simply gmail writings to myself. Check out these Drudgelines ::: NSA, FBI secretly mining data from Internet firms... 'THEY QUITE LITERALLY CAN WATCH YOUR IDEAS AS YOU TYPE'...

So, how is your S.E.O.??? In case you aren't aware (and maybe you don't even care) there have been some changes to the almighty Google Algorithm. Read on if you and your blog are suffering from traffic loss and need to conduct anyalysis. Have fun with this!
You can receive my special newsletters - published only when necessary - by clicking on the envelope icon below - then you'll be on my mailing list. Thank-you very much! Don't worry - I will not share it or sell or compromise my list (or your privacy) in any way, shape or form!

Tags: Prism, Google Algorithm, NSA, SEO MOZ

Meet Salam Al Haideri

2013-06-06T05:55:00.000-04:00

"Weight" in image may refer to weight of brain.

Salam says "I enjoy traveling, meeting new people and being photographed." Salam was outed by his best friend, the camera. They are everywhere these days, aren't they?

Salam is Iraqi-born, lives in Niskayuna, and has a previous DWAI. The newspaper report (second of the two links above) indicates some FBI involvement so let's wait and see...

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Google inspires Yahoo! to scan emails [developing]

2013-06-05T09:44:00.001-04:00

It's an open secret: Gmail routinely scans the texts of emails. Now comes word that the new version of Yahoo! Mail will be scanning as well, and some users are upset because they are being "forced" to switch to it. Yahoo! CEO Marissa Mayer has upset the net with her decree that Yahoo! Mail users will have their e-mail "scanned and analyzed" so relevant ads can be displayed. I've uploaded an article to my WordPress blog detailing concerns that are being shared about this. You are welcome to read, share and comment HERE.You can receive my special newsletters - published only when necessary - by clicking on the envelope icon below - then you'll be on my mailing list. Thank-you very much! Don't worry - I will not share it or sell or compromise my list (or your privacy) in any way, shape or form!

Tags: Gmail, Yahoo!

Free Anti-Virus, Small Footprint

2013-06-04T16:49:00.001-04:00

Long as you're not downloading torrents or messing around on NSFW sites, Microsoft Security Essentials is relatively light. If your machine gets compromised by a virus such as Palladium or any other interloper, having malwarebytes on board is a godsend. I was using avast! but switched to MSE and found a noticeable boost in overall speed (opening things, boot etc.)

Zendaya to perform in Saratoga July 14

2013-06-04T16:01:00.002-04:00

Paul Post has an article in the Saratogian about the Disney performer making an appearance in the Spa City.

The tickets for this one are cheaper than the $2 I paid back in the day to see the Rolling Stones at the Palace...

Rate My Blog PR SEO

2013-06-04T14:25:00.004-04:00

Easily fetch and store data on the links to your site Use this free tool to perform a bulk analysis of your inbound links. Easily gather: * Link metrics from SEOmoz * Site contact details (Email, Linkedin, Twitter) * Google Pagerank * Host Location * Authorship information

Semblance of a resemblance?

2013-06-04T12:48:00.001-04:00

Who Will Speak Up For The Little Ones?

2013-06-03T20:00:00.000-04:00

A letter to the editor of the Albany Times Union.

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2013 Albany NY Common Council Candidates

2013-06-03T19:00:00.000-04:00

For those who want to follow along, Times Union's amazing Jordan Carleo-Evangelist is keeping tabs... literally!

And here's Jordan's twitterfeed.

He's the Queen!

2013-06-03T17:32:00.000-04:00

So much to-do about this!

But it's nothing new, you see...
Someone once said "there is nothing new under the sun..."

I guess they were correct!

Fun With Keywords

2013-06-03T12:02:00.000-04:00

Whilst searching for other info, I ran across this old newspaper article. Just passin' it along!

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Alessi's Ark plays The Mystery Spot's Music For Front Porches series in Phoenicia Saturday, June 1st @ 1 PM - FREE!

2013-05-31T12:01:00.000-04:00

You're invited to come on down to Phoenicia's Main Street on Saturday, June 1st for an intimate acoustic performance by Alessi's Ark (singer-songwriter Alessi Laurent-Marke) on the front porch of vintage/vinyl shop Mystery Spot Antiques. The music starts at 1 PM. As with all of the Music for Front Porches shows, it's absolutely FREE, and all are welcome.

We’re thrilled that Alessi is flying over from London to the US to tour in support of her wonderful new album The Still Life (Bella Union), and that her first stop is Phoenicia NY, a tiny and magical hamlet in the Catskill Mountains just a few hours north of New York City.

Furthermore, as part of the Mystery Spot's sister musical project, Dittypalooza!, Alessi wrote and recorded a delightful Mystery Spot Ditty in her London bedroom, which you can hear at this link.

Says Alessi: "I found the chords on the guitar immediately after looking through the beautiful photographs of the Mystery Spot's nooks and crannies. I was blown away at just how fast the song revealed itself - - it must be down to the Mystery! I tried to imagine the scent and atmosphere of the shop, its surrounding environment and how the floorboards sound as visitors wander around. A gem."

Alessi first began writing and performing at the age of sixteen, and was quickly signed to Virgin/EMI, recording her debut album Songs from the Treehouse (produced by Mike Mogis/Bright Eyes) when she was eighteen. In fact, Mystery Spot proprietress/artist Laura Levine was commissioned by the record label to paint the album's cover art, which is how she and Alessi first met.
Travel, adventure and personal revelation mark the body of work by Alessi Laurent–Marke. Now at the ripe old age of 23, having performed with Robyn Hitchcock and toured with Laura Marling and Mumford and Sons, Alessi's newest album, The Still Life, is a work both lucid and heartbreakingly lovely, a sonic landscape that roams a wide range of emotions, with (as the songwriter explains), “Nature and love, as common threads”.

'The Still Life' is out now in the U.S via Bella Union.

Now in its 12th season, Mystery Spot Antiques is a ramshackle (but surprisingly organized) vintage shop run by artist/photographer Laura Levine, housed in a former 1800's hotel on the Main Street of Phoenicia, NY in the Catskill Forest Preserve.

Long a favorite haunt of vintage clothing lovers and vinyl diggers, Homer and Langley's Mystery Spot Antiques is the kind of vintage shop you didn't think existed anymore. Part museum/part odditorium, every nook and cranny of its seven rooms is packed to the rafters with 100% vintage goodness. Named after the world's most famous hoarders - and role models - the Collyer Brothers (who were tragically crushed under their 136 ton accumulation of "collectibles"). this unusual and beloved "shrine to clutter" is home to an amazing array of hand-picked vinyl records, tons of vintage clothing, Forties housewares, antiquarian art books, Rusticalia, mid-century lighting and found objects, and draws fans and repeat customers from all over.Even when the doors are closed, customers with a yen to shop at 3 AM are welcome to dig through the dollar record bins and famous Yard Sale in a Box on the front porch, with an honor money drop at your service.

Proprietress Laura Levine, a Soho-based artist/filmmaker/ photographer, opened The Mystery Spot in 2001 as an outlet to contain the overflow of vintage items collected at weekend yard sales, flea markets and country auctions. In addition to her burgeoning career as a junkmonger, Levine is known primarily as a highly regarded photographer and documentarian of the downtown NYC music scene in the 1980s and early 90s. She was the chief photographer and photo editor of the New York Rocker and shot for numerous publications at that time including the Village Voice and theNew York Times. As an artist, her primary focus has since evolved into a cross-disciplinary visual practice spanning painting, illustration and animation to directing music videos and documentary film. She has published three children's books and she made her directorial debut at at the Sundance Film Festival. Levine's photographs have most recently been exhibited at the Museum of Modern Art, the Annenberg Space for Photography, the Steven Kasher Gallery, and the Brooklyn Museum, and are in the collections of the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, and the Smithsonian Institution's National Portrait Gallery.

Previous Music for Front Porches performances have featured Mercury Rev and Dean + Britta, Laura Cantrell, Gail Anne Dorsey, Tommy Ramone and Claudia Tienan (Uncle Monk), Ambrosia Parsley and Holly Miranda, to name just a few.

Upcoming Dittypalooza! Mystery Ditties this season include new releases by Steve Wynn (The Dream Syndicate/Baseball Project), Howe Gelb (Giant Sand), and David Fair (Half Japanese). You can hear previously released ditties (Holly Miranda, Ambrosia Parsley and Uncle Monk) at www.dittypalooza.com. Again, all free to download!

Travel note: As always, please contact us first if you're planning to come from a distance, just to make sure there are no last-minute scheduling changes.

Mystery Spot Antiques
72 Main Street
Phoenicia, NY 12464
(845) 688-7868
info@mysteryspotantiques.com
Summer Hours starting in July: Thursdays - Mondays, 11 - 5

www.alessisark.com
www.bellaunion.com
www.mysteryspotantiques.com

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(photo of Alessi by Rebecca Miller)

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