http://www.apileofdogbones.com/ en nycwatchdog74@aol.com Copyright 2008 2008-07-05T04:49:00-05:00 http://www.apileofdogbones.com/index.php/site/cookiepuss/ http://www.apileofdogbones.com/index.php/site/cookiepuss/#When:04:49:00Z When I was 7 years old, I got my very first Cookie Puss for a birthday cake.  For 8 consecutive years, my birthday always consisted of a homemade card from my mom with her god awful (but sweet and sentimental) poetry and a Cookie Puss ice cream cake.  In 1990, for my sixteenth birthday, I didn’t get a Cookie Puss cake. I didn’t get a Cookie Puss cake that year because my grandmother was a floor below us, dying of cancer.  Her birthday is July 2nd, whereas mine is July 3rd so they basically went hand in hand.  That year, my entire extended family was there… and for whatever reason I got a cake with lemon filling.  In hindsight, it was a good thing since Cookie Puss only feeds 8-10… and there were at least 20 people there.  My grandmother passed on that August. The following year, 1991, I didn’t get a Cookie Puss either because the local Carvel supposedly didn’t have any.  There were 4 of us for that occasion… because since my grandmother was no longer alive there would be no trips by my extended family, no Cookie Puss, and really I found no reason to celebrate.  That year was the year I decided I truly hated my birthday.  Little did I know the psychological scarring that not getting a Cookie Puss would have. This year, my mom got me a Cookie Puss.  The first one I’ve had in 19 years… and it was good. I my mom. But I still hate my birthday. It's All About Me 2008-07-05T04:49:00-05:00 http://www.apileofdogbones.com/index.php/site/great_american_traitor/ http://www.apileofdogbones.com/index.php/site/great_american_traitor/#When:04:01:00Z Today is the celebrated Independence Day here in the United States of America.  Today will be a day of summer fun, barbecues, and a celebration in honor of the patriots who freed us from the tyranny across the great pond known as… tea time.  One of the greatest traditions on Independence Day here in New York City is the annual Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest.  The contest has it’s origins in an impromptu contest in 1916 between 4 immigrants.  Reportedly, an Irishman won by scarfing down 13 of the dogs. The Yellow Mustard Belt spent a solid 6 years (2001-2006) firmly in the hands of Takeru Kobayashi from Japan.  After a six year drought, the Yellow Mustard Belt was finally brought home to the United States last year, in 2007, by Joey Chestnut, who consumed 66 hot dogs as compared to Kobayashi‘s 63.  Finally, the Yellow Mustard Belt was back in the United States!  Granted, the win was slightly marred by the assertion that Kobayashi had a case of jawthritis he was still healing from… and therefore not supposedly at 100%. This year… Kobayashi is coming back to try and regain the championship.  His return to the event though is once again steeped in controversy.  Kobayashi is the ONLY competitor this year who did not earn his place at the table by winning a regional qualifier, as chronicled in The Brooklyn Paper article.  He has, according to Major League Eating, received a ”Sponsorship Exemption” for the event.  Why would they exempt the FORMER champion but yet make the reigning champion qualify? Nathan’s Famous Hot Dogs, in a quest for an uber hyped event, has become the Great American Traitor.  By allowing Kobayashi an option to not compete in a qualifying event, the honor of earning a seat at the Table of Champions has been diminished.  Now there has been speculation about whether or not Kobayashi will even mount a serious challenge… since his last competitive eating event was last October and he still appeared afflicted with jawthritis.  Witnesses reported that his jaw seized and he finished the contest by swallowing the food whole. Personally… I think its a ruse.  I think Kobayashi is coming in gums blazing with a vengeance… and he’s about to turn Coney Island into the Pearl Harbor of the Competitive Eating World.  I think Kobayashi is going to take the Yellow Mustard Belt off US soil again, leaving the wreckage of our finest American eaters in his wake.  I think we have been betrayed for the sake of hype by an institution that prides itself as being based in Americana. This is my prediction… and hopefully I’m wrong.  We’ll know the truth at noon EDT when the contest is held live on ESPN. News, The City 2008-07-04T04:01:00-05:00 http://www.apileofdogbones.com/index.php/site/thx_4_da_memryz_starbux/ http://www.apileofdogbones.com/index.php/site/thx_4_da_memryz_starbux/#When:04:01:00Z As I previously twitted, as Seattlepi.com and BelchSpeak reported, the coffee brewing corporate mongering monstrosity known as Starbucks is closing 600 “underperforming” stores.  Starbucks Gossip has the text of the actual memo sent from corporate overlords to their “partners"… of which approximately 12,000 of them will be either relocated or forced to find work elsewhere. Starbucks, like so many corporate mongers before them, peaked but failed to maintain because they were overwrought with greed and overextended themselves.  Not only have they done this, but Starbucks in their quest for global dominance have negatively effected change on the caffeine consumption landscape… for if caffeine was the spice… then Starbucks would be House Harkonnen.  Coffee according to Starbucks was the first to break through the $4.00 barrier, quite a few years before gasoline did.  With Starbucks expansion came the closure for a number of independent coffee houses and the coffee bean became a commodity of the elite once again. A few weeks ago I was approached by an undomiciled man outside of one of the hospitals.  He asked me for a quarter to get a cup of coffee.  I gave him a dollar and some change.  I told him if he finds anywhere in this city where you can get a cup of coffee for a quarter he should come back and tell me.  I’d then buy him lunch.  I haven’t seen him since. So now the Starbucks Empire is starting to fall.  While the official statement cites ”a slower economy and dramatic decline in consumer confidence” as the causes of their woes, their second quarter still saw a profit of $108.7 million dollars, according to a New York Times article.  Sure, as a public company it was their weakest quarter, but that is still a PROFIT.  A company that is still turning a profit, but willing to lay off 12,000 employees during an economic slump on a quest for a bigger profit is a company that is not going to instill confidence, consumer or not, in its ability to contribute positively to our country’s well being.  I haven’t seen McDonald‘s or Burger King make any press releases about closing stores.  More importantly, I haven’t heard a peep about the closure of any Seattle’s Best or Dunkin’ Donuts stores, so that pretty much rules out as it being a coffee industry only problem.  It’s a Starbucks problem they brought onto themselves in their greed with their overpricing, elitist attitude, and incestuous planting of stores within a block of one another… all highlighting the complete disconnection with the reality of life in America.  So how will your soy lattes save you now Howard, when your patrons can’t afford them any longer? While it hasn’t been determined, it will be interesting to see how many of Manhattan’s 171 Starbucks are closed.  What will be more interesting is what will open in their places? I can only hope they are all turned into Dunkin’ Donuts… with their bright orange and pink signs all over in place of that sterile green and white. Long live the Dunkin’. News 2008-07-03T04:01:00-05:00 http://www.apileofdogbones.com/index.php/site/hancock_would_have_been_better_in_my_mouth/ http://www.apileofdogbones.com/index.php/site/hancock_would_have_been_better_in_my_mouth/#When:04:01:00Z I have this thing about the Fourth of July Summer Blockbuster Movie.  I generally always see it at some point over what is considered the weekend.  There have only been two of them though that I have seen opening night.  The first was Independence Day… featuring Big Willie Smith and a buttload of aliens.  I had zero regret about sitting in that packed theater… because it was a damn good movie.  The second movie I saw last night… and once again it featured Big Willie Smith in Hancock.  As a fan of the superhero genre, I walked in with really high hopes for this movie. I left pretty disappointed.  Without giving away anything major about the movie, I have to say that it starts out pretty much the way you expect from the trailer… and it was good.  Smith delivers on a drunkard superhero with a complete disregard for public opinion.  The effects take a bit of a tip from the physics behind The Matrix, and the incorporation of new media such as YouTube was a nice modern ode to the evolution of communication.  Then suddenly, midway through there is a plot twist.  Now not all plot twists are bad… in fact, this one could have been the same twist but with a different person, and it would have been awesome.  Instead, it changed the entire pace of the movie.  It went from a super-hero action movie to uber-geek chick flick in about 3 seconds.  It forever damaged the movie into a steaming pile of poo.  Seriously.  There are just certain things I expect from a superhero movie:• I expect a hero, as faulty as he may be.  Check • I expect super-powers not too off the chart.  Check • I expect a decent background story.  Vague, but check • I expect a villain I will hate.  Not even close • I expect a storyline that will keep pace and stick to the storyline established.  First 45 minutes, check… after that… it went all haywire The absolute worst part?  The santization of it.  The movie was obviously scrubbed of such sequences as the super semen scene (where Hancock‘s ejaculation puts holes into his roof), and this ended up bringing the movie down to a measly 90 minutes.  I found this to be a tragedy of great proportions… although it makes the movie a ripe candidate for an Unrated version. I do have to say one thing… Jason Bateman who I generally can’t stand got some pretty good reviews.  While I cannot whole-heartedly endorse him as the best thing since sliced white bread… he was actually pretty good in it… and for the most part the most believable character in the flick, so those reviews are well deserved.  As for Charlize Theron… yeah… can someone say Sybil?  She pulled off the emotional switch between loving the husband (Bateman) and hating Hancock (Smith) a little too well.  If anything can be learned from her character… too much news turns you into a big crank. Next year I have hope… hope for Transformers 2 to make the holiday weekend what it should be… super. Creative Bones, Motion Pictures 2008-07-02T04:01:00-05:00 http://www.apileofdogbones.com/index.php/site/during_the_commercial_break/ http://www.apileofdogbones.com/index.php/site/during_the_commercial_break/#When:14:53:00Z Wow.  It’s been a busy weekend.  So let me get you caught up on what’s been going on… • So BrittCon was this weekend.  I’m sure that the other participants will have all encompassing posts with great pictures.  I think my experience is best summed up by quoting Poppy, “I went to BrittCon and all I got was this leg shot!” • I think I also got pneumonia from Sunday’s trek in search for New York pizza… which we didn’t even get • I now remember why I try to avoid Manhattan when not working… it’s a lot of walking • I need to buy a pair of shorts for the summer… these jeans were killers… especially when soaked • I will totally sell the souls of fellow bloggers to the corporate monster known as Starbucks for a stool and an ice coffee • Karaoke in cabs is cheaper than karaoke in bars • I totally made Cissa wet • I found that Twitter has become so unreliable that I have to question its usefulness at all if it is unable to be providing updates in the order they were sent • I discovered that taking a day off is not worth the aggravation when I come back • I’ve also discovered that this city sucks for finding a place to live We’ll now hopefully return you to your regularly scheduled boring drivel… Blogging, Blogger Meet-Ups, BrittCon 2008 2008-07-01T14:53:00-05:00 http://www.apileofdogbones.com/index.php/site/quackers/ http://www.apileofdogbones.com/index.php/site/quackers/#When:11:40:01Z So, if you followed me on Twitter, then you would think I have finally lost it. You would think I have gone quackers. In reality, what happened was I got this guy in the mail from Poppy: Needless to say… after I sent that tweet… I ended up asleep with Squishy Duck. Which is why there isn’t a photo of me with Squishy Duck… because its hard to take a photo of yourself with something when you are sleeping. Want your own Squishy Duck?  Check out Squishable.com. It's All About Me, Personal, Poppy 2008-06-27T11:40:01-05:00 http://www.apileofdogbones.com/index.php/site/brittcon_primer_mid_town_manhattan/ http://www.apileofdogbones.com/index.php/site/brittcon_primer_mid_town_manhattan/#When:23:21:00Z This upcoming weekend will be the inaugural BrittCon Event, 2008 in none other than New York City.  Since BrittCon is in my hometown… I figured I would help prepare BrittCon attendees by giving them a little information about touristy stuff from a local perspective.  All of this is information will be broken down by borough area they want to see. Mid-town Manhattan The true tourist mecca of New York City is contained in the area known as Mid-town Manhattan.  With so much to see, so much to do, you’ll have to choose wisely lest you miss your flight home. Mid-town Sights • Times Square @ 42 Street and Broadway/7th Avenue - The Crossroads of the World is actually an eight block tourist trap.  The bright lights that turn night into day have entranced many a mid-westerner into a stupor leading them to get hit by a cab.  Some sights within the “Square” are the MTV Building @ 1515 Broadway, the Virgin Megastore, Toys R Us (a MUST visit for the indoor ferris wheel alone), M&Ms World, Hershey’s Chocolate World, The Ed Sullivan Theater @ 1697 Broadway, and the HBO Shop @ 1100 Broadway. • The New York Public Library @ 455 5th Avenue (between 40th and 42nd Streets) - It may take some Patience and Fortitude to pull yourself away into the world of books… but just think about both the Ghostbusters and The Day After Tomorrow significance. • The Empire State Building @ 5th Avenue and 34th Street - King Kong ain’t got nuthin’ on this building… at least not anymore. • Madison Square Garden @ 7th Avenue and 33rd Street - So, how about those Knicks?  Yeah… they suck… but The Artist Formerly Known As Squiggly Line played here! • The Naked Cowboy @ Times Square - If you can catch a picture of him in front of M&M’s World, you have blogging gold! [Link] • Rockefeller Center @ Between 5th and 6th Avenue and 48-51 Street - Prometheus, Atlas, the Peacock Network and The Rockettes can all be found here. • St. Patrick’s Cathederal @ 5th Avenue and 50 Street - The home of the current, and past, Cardinals of New York.  The Pope was here too.  A few of them. • The United Nations Headquarters @ 1st Avenue and 42 Street - The site of daily protests on everything from Tibet to Darfur.  This is also the business place of people who owe the city a bazillion dollars in unpaid parking tickets.  Throw eggs at will. And that’s just naming the big things… Mid-Town Food • Carmine’s @ 200 W. 44th Street/Broadway - Got a family?  Eat family style! • Hallo Berlin @ 626 10th Avenue (44th Street) - Ya!  German fare!  More importantly, German beer!  Ya! • Gray’s Papaya @ 539 8th Avenue (37th Street) - Made famous by the last bastion of the $1.00 hot dog… the dogs are now $1.25… but not a better one can be found!  When in doubt, bring $5 and ask for the “Recession Special” (2 dogs and a drink)… and you get change back! • Virgil’s BBQ @ 152 W. 44th Street - Southern cookin’ done right by a bunch of Damned Yankees. • Bread Factory Cafe @ W 43rd Street and 9th Avenue - I haven’t been there in awhile… but to be honest… the food was damn good when I was there. • The Hot Dog Stand On The Corner @ the corner of wherever you are - Look, here’s the deal… everyone always says, “Oh, it’s so much better from the cart!” when the truth is, it MAY be better from the cart.  Pick and choose your carts wisely… and look for the carts where New Yorkers go to.  Seriously… a cart with a long line of construction workers or cops has that line for a reason.  Personally, I’m all about the guy across the street from the MTV Building @ 1515 Broadway and in front of the Nokia Theater… but that’s just me.  Also, seriously consider your hunger pains vs. getting a sausage instead of a hot dog.  Yes, there is usually a $.50 difference… but sometimes the hot dogs just don’t cut the mustard. Travel The Crossroads of the World could also be called the Crossroads of the Subway… because really, there is no subway line not obtainable in the city from this central location. A Final Note On Safety I know as bloggers we prefer to believe that there is good in everyone.  Unfortunately, less than 1% of the population in New York City are bloggers.  Just keep that in mind… not so much for the streets… but for the bars, clubs, and restaurants.  In the case of an emergency, dial 911 and give them an address.  The enhanced 911 only gives the cell tower your calling from… and it may not be the one nearest you.  Make sure there is an ICE Contact in your cell-phone.  ICE stands for In Case of Emergency… and either EMS, NYPD, or the hospital will be looking for that number if by some chance your unconscious or altered mental status.  It may be good to have two or three ICE Contacts, just in case someone isn’t home. In the case of a medical emergency, call 911 and when the EMS crew gets there request either Beth Israel South @ 1st Avenue and E. 16 Street, Saint Vincent’s @ 7th Avenue and W. 12 Street, NYU Hospital @ 1st Avenue and E. 34th Street, or Roosevelt Hospital @ 10th Avenue and W. 59 Street.  If the EMS crew gives you a problem, tell them you want to speak to their Lieutenant… plain and simple.  Avoid Bellevue… as historic as it may seem. Yeah… we’re a whole lot safer in New York than most people think… but that’s because we just tend to trust no one. Most Important Information Have fun! Blogging, Blogger Meet-Ups, The City 2008-06-26T23:21:00-05:00 http://www.apileofdogbones.com/index.php/site/brittcon_primer_downtown_manhattan/ http://www.apileofdogbones.com/index.php/site/brittcon_primer_downtown_manhattan/#When:13:34:00Z This upcoming weekend will be the inaugural BrittCon Event, 2008 in none other than New York City.  Since BrittCon is in my hometown… I figured I would help prepare BrittCon attendees by giving them a little information about touristy stuff from a local perspective.  All of this is information will be broken down by borough area they want to see. Downtown Manhattan Downtown Manhattan is a pretty busy area.  Sadly, today most of it revolves around Ground Zero, but there are still plenty of other things to see… including public art displays and the glory of the Apple Store Soho @ 103 Prince Street. Downtown Sights •Charging Bull @ Bowling Green Park (Broadway/State Street/Whitehall Street) - The Charging Bull is the symbol of the NYSE •The South Street Seaport @ Fulton Street and South Street - One word.  Mall.  Tons of shops, great views, and they have a few schooners for tourists to check out.  iPod walking tours are available for a price. • Battery Park @ the southern tip of Manhattan - Home to a number of memorials and a great view of the harbor.  There is also a free iPod tour available about Monuments and Memories. •Ground Zero Museum Workshop @ 420 W 14th Street - Advance ticketing is required for this, which is currently the largest local collection of 9/11 photos and information available. •St. Paul’s Chapel @ Church Street bet. Fulton/Vesey - George Washington prayed here.  They also have an ongoing 9/11 Ministry with a number of artifacts Downtown Food •Wo Hop @ 17 Mott Street - This IS NYC Chinese food.  Not just an institution of fine greasy chopstick fare, but also one of the safest due to an extremely high patronage by on and off duty police. •Ninja New York @ 25 Hudson Street - A themed Japanese cuisine restaurant, they look forward to feeding you soon! •Pellegrino’s @ 138 Mulberry Street - In the heart of the “Little Italy District” (that has now been relegated to a street and a half), if you wanna da pasta, ya go to Pellegrino’s for the linguine.  Everything else, fugehdaboutit. • Ear Inn @ 326 Spring Street - Notoriously nostalgic pub with drinks and fare that you can recognize and eat with your paws.  Some consider it the oldest pub in New York City… and the plumbing may very well back that claim up • The South Street Seaport @ Fulton Street and South Street - Two words.  Food court.  Killer chain restaurants peppered with local cuisine dot the food court of this mall.  It’s a good option for those who are wary of New York fare. Travel Downtown travel is easiest done by subway, but keep in mind the subways run north to south… so however far you walk from the hole in the ground is how far you’ll have to walk back.  The further north you go, the wider the island is. View Larger Map Blogging, Blogger Meet-Ups, The City 2008-06-24T13:34:00-05:00 http://www.apileofdogbones.com/index.php/site/brittcon_primer_brooklyn/ http://www.apileofdogbones.com/index.php/site/brittcon_primer_brooklyn/#When:04:01:00Z This upcoming weekend will be the inaugural BrittCon Event, 2008 in none other than New York City.  Since BrittCon is in my hometown… I figured I would help prepare BrittCon attendees by giving them a little information about touristy stuff from a local perspective.  All of this is information will be broken down by borough. Brooklyn The borough of Brooklyn lays to the south of the island of Manhattan.  It is connected to Manhattan by the Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel, The Williamsburg Bridge, The Manhattan Bridge, and the world reknowned Brookly Bridge.  It is also the only borough connected via the Verrazano Narrows Bridge to the borough of Staten Island. While there are a number of interesting things in Brooklyn to see, the one outstanding landmark that stands out in my mind is the area known as Coney Island.  The reason is that because of purchases and land development by Thor Equities, this will be the last year that Coney Island will be open in its natural unsanitized and ungentrified state.  This will be the last year that you will be able to see such attractions as Shoot The Freak, The Circus Sideshow/Freakshow, AstroLand Park, and the dozens of other store front attractions that are lined up along Surf Avenue and the boardwalk.  Some attractions such as The Cyclone and the Original Nathan’s will undoubtedly be reincorporated into Thor Equities new vision of the boardwalk, but half the charm is in what surrounds them… not necessarily what they actually have to offer. Outstanding Coney Island Attractions •The Cyclone - Scream your head off not from the ride… but the SOUND the ride makes… like the ride is collapsing! •Shoot The Freak - Let your aggressions out on someone willing to take it for a change •The Original Nathan’s Famous - July 4th the annual hot dog eating contest will be held there again.  No purer piece of Americana can be found than the Mustard Belt •AstroLand Park - Great for the cheap thrill at the expensive price. •The Coney Island Sideshow - They feature women with more facial hair than I have.  Needless to say, I don’t go. •The New York Aquarium - An aquarium… by the ocean.  How novel! •Deno’s Wonder Wheel - This is a must for teenage make-out sessions and for easter-egg meteors hitting the ocean in overhyped monster movies… and not expected to survive after this year. Coney Island Food Features •The Original Nathan’s Famous - Cheese dogs + cheese fries… with bacon.  ‘Nuff said. •Totonno’s Pizza - Over on Neptune Avenue and West 15th Street, but this IS New York pizza. •Taco Bell - Yo no quiero Taco Bell?  Right across the street from Nathan’s •The Grill Works - a few paces from Nathan’s but on the actual boardwalk, it’s usually freshly made and good fare along the lines of a Mexican Grill •The Candy Shoppe - On the opposite end of the Nathan’s block (doesn’t it seem like all food revolves around there?), this is a must stop for freshly made confections and retro candies not readily available elsewhere Travel Car: The easiest way by car is to take the Belt Parkway to the Ocean Parkway South exit.  Sticking to the main road, Ocean Parkway will loop you onto Surf Avenue at the end. Train: The notorious F Line stops at the Stillwell Avenue Station which is diagonally across Surf Avenue from the Original Nathan’s Famous restaurant.  The F Line’s notoriety comes from the fact that it originates in Jamaica, Queens, goes through Manhattan, and ends in Brooklyn… making it notorious as a tourist line. View Larger Map Other Brooklyn Destinations •Brooklyn Botantical Gardens - Located in Flatbush, it’s great if you like flowers.  It sucks if you have allergies. •Brooklyn Museum of Art - Located near Grand Army Plaza, their exhibits are fascinating… but their air conditioning is unreliable. •Prospect Park/Prospect Park Zoo - It’s a park with a zoo.  It’s in Brooklyn. So that pretty much wraps up Brooklyn.  Tomorrow we’ll discuss my favorite borough in the whole world… Queens. Blogging, Blogger Meet-Ups, The City 2008-06-23T04:01:00-05:00 http://www.apileofdogbones.com/index.php/site/exhibit_b/ http://www.apileofdogbones.com/index.php/site/exhibit_b/#When:22:52:00Z If there was every any question as to the love and support that can come from the blogosphere then just check out any one of these great blogs… •All That Comes With It •Amanda In Real Life •Americans In Singapore •Amy’s Musings •And As The World Turns •Avitable •BluePaintRed •Blogography •Certifiable Princess •Coal Miner’s Daughter •Crystal Writes •Don’t Wanna Hear It •Dreaming In The Dark •The Dutch Files •Every Little Thing •Fantastagirl •Fatty, Fatty 2 By 4 •The Friggin’ Cat House •Girl, Dislocated •Greeneyezz •Heart of Fire •It’s A Mixed Nut World •Jane’s Insane •Jennifer Has Spoken •Jestertunes •Junk Food For The Soul •Just Tug •Kaply, Inc •LeSombre •Long, Slow, Beautiful Dance •Lucy’s Dilemma •Mad William •Midnight Cliff •Misfit Duck •Miss Ann Thrope •Miss Britt •My 2 Cents •Odyssey of an Oddity •Pointless Directives •Pointless Drivel •Poppy Cede •Queen Of Her Own Universe •Red Stapler •The Road Less Unraveled •Sarcastica •Shelli’s Sentiments •Shitty Code •Secondhand Tryptophan •Slobokan’s Site O’Schtuff •Snackie’s World •So A Blonde Walks Into A Blog •Squeaky Wheel Seeks Grease •Sybil Law •The Blog of Whall •The Life of an Everyday Princess •The Mutt Princess •The Soda Stand •Tori Blaine •Vicious Vikki •Winged Emotion ... I rest my case. Once again, thank you all. Blogging, Personal, Memories, Remembering DJ 2008-06-22T22:52:00-05:00