This and that ...
Mystery to me: Last week as I was walking on Pierrepont, Main and then Maple streets in Potsdam, I noticed piles of bird seed in the middle of the sidewalk. This was not the product of a leaking bag someone was carrying – they were neatly poured piles, usually about 20 to 25 steps apart. The piles were black oil sunflower seeds for some stretches and thistle seeds for others. They were obviously put there for a reason, and I doubt that feeding birds on a well-traveled walkway was the reason. If someone knows anything about this, give a shout.
Growing old: I cut myself shaving the other day. My ear bled for several minutes. I am pretty certain when you are bald but have to shave your ears, the days of pretending that you are not growing older are over.
Twenty-three skidoo: Somebody in blogsville put together a great montage of Fox News reporting about the 23rd Congressional District election. It is eight minutes of them punditing about the victory for all right wing screwheads in one of the most important races in the country, and then 30 seconds of them explaining how insignificant it was that the Conservative candidate actually failed to win. Really good stuff. Check it out ... http://www.dailykos.com/tv/w/002316/
Just to be clear: The JAS in All that JAS refers to my given name: Jeffrey Alan Savitskie. Somebody responding to this blog suggested it might actually be short for, “Jeffrey's A Socialist.” Which I thought was really funny in a P.J. O'Rourke kind of way. The world would be a much better place with more funny Republicans.
Looks aren't everything: Another person responding to this blog suggested that the mug shot appearing with this column makes me look intelligent. Then the person spent about seven long paragraphs telling me that I might be the most ignorant person ever spawned. I won't quibble with either notion, but I do want to thank photographer Jason Hunter for Photoshopping the appearance of intelligence into the photo he took of me. Amazing how far technology has come, isn't it?
More from the 23rd: A former Massena resident wrote me to ask how it was that issues like abortion and gay marriage had worked their way into the north country election. He pointed out that where he lived now they tended to focus on issues such as unemployment, the economy and fighting two wars at the same time. And what socialist state does he live in now? Indiana – where Daylight Savings Time is considered too liberal of a program in which to participate.
Fit to be Thaied: It was August when I first wrote with the glee of a foodaholic that a Thai restaurant was coming soon to Potsdam. My evidence was a big sign on the window of the building that said something like, “Thai restaurant coming soon,” and papered windows that made it appear people were inside secretly trying to get it ready for customers. Since then, the windows are still papered and the sign is still up ... but it sure doesn't look like anything is going on inside. I hope they didn't mean “soon” in the same way I mean it when I say I plan to drop 20 pounds soon. I've been saying that for about three years.
Can't hack it: The bankruptcy filing by Hacketts and closing of its Gouverneur store sure has to make you wonder how long it will be before that north country fixture is playing cribbage with Ames in department store heaven. http://www.watertowndailytimes.com/article/20091110/NEWS03/311109950 Or maybe a more positive thought would be that the former owners whose name is on the sign can win a few legal battles to reclaim the once-great store and get it out of business purgatory. I guess we'll have to wait and see how it all shakes out.
