Band Shows

Don't forget: Walt Whitman and Huntington High are having their home band shows Oct.13-14. If you've never been to a competitive band show, now's your chance. Details are coming.

Squirrels 3, Me 0

It was such a beautiful day yesterday. I cleaned up the yard, removing about a half a trash can worth of yard detritus, mostly those annoying acorns. There's still enough acorns to feed an army of critters. Having read something about blood meal keeping squirrels away from buried bulbs, I planted six tulip bulbs, covering them carefully. I went out early this morning and discovered three bulbs on top of the dirt; the other three are gone.

Nut So Fun

My friend over at Grey and Red tells us the etiquette of dealing with those one million or so acorns that have crashed onto your roof and then your sidewalk, porch, steps and everywhere else.
Personally, having captured and released several squirrels from my attic, I'm inclined to make a midnight run to her house and drop off a wheelbarrow full of them. In a friendly way, of course. We've got so many everywhere, including on the lawn, that we can't walk around the yard, sidewalk, porch or driveway without stumbling on them. And the dog, who will eat anything, including the fuel sensor under the car, won't touch them. (or the squirrels.)

Hmm. Maybe I can drop them off on the property of the neighborhood crank...

Security Over the Top

And I thought the New York City school cellphone ban was stupid. An upstate school system goes berserk in the name of security.

'The Question' causes furor at local high school
Did security gaurd violate girls' privacy?

By Heather Yakin
Times Herald-Record
September 28, 2007
Grahamsville — Several television news crews from New York City are camped outside the Tri-Valley Central School following the story in today's Times Herald-Record about what question a school security guard asked a 14-year-old female student.

The girl was called out of class by a security guard during a school sweep last week to make sure no kids had backpacks or other banned bags.

Samantha Martin had a small purse with her that day.

That's why the security guard, ex-Monticello cop Mike Bunce, asked her The Question.

She says he told her she couldn't have a purse unless she had her period. Then he asked, "Do you have your period?"

Samantha was mortified.

She says she thought, "Oh, my God. Get away from me." But instead of answering, she just walked back into class.

At home, she cried, and told her mother what happened.

It appears that at least a few other girls were also asked the same question.

Pickled on Park

I almost forgot about this: Greenlawn's having its annual pickle festival Sunday, and it's right nearby: 900 Park Avenue, corner of Little Plains Road and Park Avenue.

Greenlawn-Centerport Historical Association's annual pickle festival features homemade pickles, jams, jellies, farm-grown vegetables, baked goods and family activities.

I'm threatening Teenager--she cleans up her room or she goes to the pickle festival, which no doubt would be humiliating. For some reason.

I don't know if they actually have this but you never know:

At the Book Revue

The Book Revue
has scheduled a talk with Beth Holloway, mother of missing teen Natalee Holloway. She will be speaking about and signing her new book, Loving Natalee: A Mother's Testament of Faith, Hope and Love. The event is scheduled for Tuesday at 8p.m.

When Beth's 18 year old daughter Natalee disappeared in Aruba during her high school senior class trip, Beth's life was sent into a tailspin. This book is an account of her search, the obstacles she faced, and how her faith carried her through it all.

Conservative Young Bloggers

A number of conservatives and libertarians have combined to offer prize money to college student bloggers.

Why People Hate LIPA, Part II

They didn't shut my power off yesterday; they rolled back into the neighborhood today, two hours earlier than yesterday. They pulled up and blocked my driveway and went around knocking on doors, announcing they were about to shut off the power. I jumped into the shower, got ready for work, went out and asked them to move the truck so I could pull out of the driveway, finished getting ready, went outside again and the driveway was still blocked. I yelled over to the first to ask him again to move the truck. A second guy came along and apparently misunderstood and told me to leave the van on the street (It was in the garage) and added, "we have to do our jobs!" Yes, and I have to GET to mine and you don't have to block my driveway. God. Where is LIPA's customer service?

Reading Choice

The One Island, One Book committee has selected Chang-rae Lee's "Aloft" for 2008.

Why People Hate LIPA

So I go out this morning to get something from my car and run into a LIPA guy walking across the lawn. On the street are four gigantic LIPA trucks. He says casually that LIPA is going to be rewiring my street and the power is going to go out. Roughly, here's how the conversation goes:
Me: Out? When?
Him: Now. For a couple of hours.
Me: What? Why doesn't LIPA give us some warning?
Him: I just did.

He then says the power might go out soon or maybe in a couple of hours because they're behind schedule. He doesn't know, he can't tell me. I note that I'm working at home, won't have a phone because it's a Cablevision phone dependent on power. I don't mention that I'd put a piece of beef in the crockpot a couple of hours earlier and that will now be lost.

I retreat to the house, cursing. I do a few things around the house, take a shower, notify my tenant that the power will be out, tell her that I'll give her a ride somewhere, get ready to leave and notice that the truck is still running in front of my house but the workers are several houses down the street. Another LIPA guy walks over, I ask him if he can turn the truck off and he says, "Why? Aren't you leaving?" And I say, yes, but it's stinking up the neighborhood.
Then I get in my car and leave because absolutely nothing good will come from this conversation continuing.