Week 5 of the Elbo Room Trivia Tournament

Not that I would normally get nervous about such things – especially involving a money tournament like the trivia competition at Elbo Room – but I need to get some points so that I can make the top 8 and get in the final week of the money tournament, and hopefully win the $2,000 grand…

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How an old TV show inadvertently helped me win a trivia round

So I’m playing competitive team trivia a couple of weeks ago at Pizzeria UNO in Crossgates Mall.ย  Essentially the lead is being contested between myself and two other strong teams, Lynch’s Mob and Surf Tulsa. The 10-point question is asked – “In what decade did an American television network first air a sports clip with…

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I finally got a rainbow

I’ve had several goals as an amateur photographer.ย  The first goal is to become a better photographer, and I realize that no matter how much I do learn about photography, I will never learn it all. However, one of the subjects I always wanted to capture was a rainbow.ย  Understand that rainbows are elusive creatures…

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First night of trivia at Revolution Hall

First off, there are some benefits for me when it comes to competitive team trivia in Troy on Monday nights, as opposed to Wednesday nights.ย  I can stop by the Photo Center of Troy (which was closed on Wednesday nights) and get some pointers on how to improve my shots.ย  I can also get a…

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Photo Essay: Whitney’s Department Store Christmas Parade

New York City still has its Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, which users in a visit from Santa Claus.ย  Boscov’s hosts the Philadelphia Thanksgiving Day Parade, which is a holdover from the famous parade held by Gimbel’s in the City of Brotherly Love. In Albany, we had Whitney’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.ย  The parade featured floats, costumes,…

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Photo Essay: Dick Kemp’s Truck Museum

It’s December 2009, and I’m trying to drive up the Franklin Pierce Highway – otherwise known as one of the windiest, twistiest roads between Vermont and New Hampshire – on my way for an assignment. My goal – Hillsborough, New Hampshire, where I would see one of the largest private collections of trucks, haulers, bulldozers…

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Is that a naked woman on a horse, on stage in Albany?

While researching the old newspaper microfilms for a recent blog post, I came across what may have been the most scandalous event in 19th century Albany entertainment history. Yes, even more scandalous than the time the Petit Cine 1-2 had an exclusive engagement of The Devil in Miss Jones. Step into the magic time portal…

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Week 4 of the Elbo Room Trivia Tournament

Remember that one year in the winter Olympics when the Australian speedskater actually won a gold medal when everybody else crashed in front of him? Yeah, that’s how I sorta feel about last night’s tournament run, as I pick myself up off the ice. I had a decent run, being able to nail the decade…

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A year of Wednesday night trivia at Brown’s

October 2008.ย  I didn’t even know there was a brew pub in Troy named Brown’s, or that they offered team trivia on Wednesday nights.ย  But after my Wednesday night trivia fun was curtailed by the bar owner (he was upset that I was winning every night, and that as one person I technically wasn’t a…

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My Betting Sheet for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

Laugh if you want, but five of these twelve performing acts will be in the Class of 2010 in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Your potential inductees are, in alphabetical order: ABBA The Chantels Jimmy Cliff Genesis The Hollies KISS LL Cool J Darlene Love Laura Nyro Red Hot Chili Peppers The Stooges…

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