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♦ Jim 518-857-9546 ♦ Email to: Ads@OurTowneNortheast.com
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Message From
Kevin Last year I saw a very interesting person named Jaron Lanier on the Colbert Show. Yes, I know what you are thinking…. the Colbert Show Kevin? Well I can say I’m not a diehard fan, but I do enjoy watching it once in awhile. Yes Steven Colbert is crazy and outlandish sometimes, and the 6 minute banter with Mr. Lanier was 50% show and 50% informational. But this guest, Jaron Lanier certainly made me stop, think, and take notice. To say Mr. Lanier is a smart guy would be an understatement. He is best known as the father of virtual reality and in the early 1980s founded VPL Research, the first company to sell VR products. He has a long list of honorary doctorates and collaborations with several large corporations as either a chief scientist or lead scientist. He’s a music composer and has written several books, and most notably his latest one, “Who Owns The Future” was awarded Harvard’s Goldsmith Book Prize in 2014. Jaron has certainly benefited both personally and financially from his creativity and hard work. During the interview he talked a lot about the evolving use technology in our current world. This following comment arose from his reflection on the type of world he would like to have his daughter living in as she grows up the future. A world where she would be living in a family that has a slightly less privileged life, but one where more people are able to share in a bigger piece of the wealth pie.
interconnected communities support them through the goods and services they provide. 2. To provide residents of the community pertinent information, shared expert knowledge from our business owners and interesting local history. Real wealth is shared wealth, and in this age of digital online buying, the more we as a community can find ways to focus our purchasing power to buy local, the more we all individually share in a bigger piece of the wealth pie. Yes we really are an interconnected community that depends on each other to be both happy and successful. Wishing you, your family and friends a safe and happy holiday season. Kevin Hotaling, Owner and Publisher, Our Towne Colonie
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The exact quote was, “Real wealth is when your wealth is dependent upon everyone else’s wealth. Real wealth is community wealth, if it’s just a concentration… that’s fake wealth, it’s brittle, it falls apart, and it’s phony.” This particular discussion really struck a note in my heart and so succinctly identified what I believe to be one of the two main purposes of the Our Towne Colonie publication. 1. To provide an advertising platform where small and large businesses can reach out to the local community at a reasonable cost and have
SALES CONTACTS: Kevin Hotaling Owner / Publisher • 518-598-3081 • Kevin@ourtownenortheast.com Tony Gaddy Advertising & Marketing Consultant • 518-242-9555 • Tony@ourtownenortheast.com Jim Gulli Advertising & Marketing Consultant • 518-857-9546 • Jim@ourtownenortheast.com
To Advertise Call ♦ Kevin 518-598-3081 ♦ Tony 518-242-9555
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Price Chopper Capital Holiday Lights Invite Everyone
“Home for the Holidays”
ALBANY, N.Y. -- It’s time to go “Home for the Holidays,” the theme of the 19th Annual Price Chopper Capital Holiday Lights in Albany’s Washington Park The annual lights’ show opens for the drive-though spectacular at 6 p.m. on Nov. 27 and continues nightly with a 6 p.m. opening until January 2nd. For the 19th year, Albany Police Athletic League (PAL), producers of the show, will turn on thousands of lights to welcome everyone to Washington Park to a true winter wonderland. “Each year we hear family stories. Some are of those who took their children and now their grandchildren through the lights. It’s truly magical to hear, to see and to be part of it. The lights really are a welcome home for the holidays,” said Sgt. (Ret.) Lenny Ricchiuti, Executive Director of Albany PAL. The Lake House, full of crafts and plenty of refreshments, is open with the exception of Christmas Eve and Christmas Day when it is closed. The last night the Lake House is open to the public is Dec. 30. Everyone wants a chance to visit with Santa’s reindeer that will visit the show on Nov. 27 and Dec. 2, 9, 16 and 23 before Santa leaves for the North Pole. The Jolly Old Elf himself will be in the Lake House for visits with girls and boys through Dec. 23. Horse-drawn carriage rides are offered Thursday through Sunday evenings at the
Madison Avenue entrance to Washington Park by Blass Farm. For more information or reservations (suggested), contact Blass Farm at 518-5733198. The hours for Price Chopper Capital Holiday Lights are Sundays through Thursdays from 6 to 9 p.m. and Fridays and Saturdays from 6 to 10 p.m. Admission is $15 per car, $25 for 10-18 passenger vehicle (including limos and RVs), $50 for 19-28 passenger capacity vehicles, $75 for school buses and $100 for commercial coaches. All proceeds from Price Chopper Capital Holiday Lights benefit the recreational, educational, social and athletic programs of Albany PAL, helping them serve more than 2,500 young people a year. For more information and the most up-to-dateschedule, visit www.albanycapitalholidayLights.com or call Albany PAL at 518-435-0392.
To Advertise Call ♦ Kevin 518-598-3081 ♦ Tony 518-242-9555
The Rotary Club of Cohoes is committed to Service Above Self in our community. The Rotary Club of Cohoes exists to promote goodwill and better friendships through service and support to the people of Cohoes, the Capital Region and the world. Cohoes Rotarians are local businesses owners, community organization leaders, city employees and community volunteers who volunteer their time and talents for the betterment of the City of Cohoes and the world. They take pride in working together to make the City of Cohoes a better place live, work, and play. The proceeds from all fundraising done by the Club each year is given back to the community in the form of donations to the Cohoes Community Center, the Cohoes Senior Center, the Cohoes Library, the Salvation Army, Cohoes Counseling Care and Services, the PolioPlus program for global polio eradication, Holy Trinity Food Pantry and an annual scholarship awarded to a Cohoes High School graduating senior. The Cohoes Rotary has adopted Cayuga Plaza and works to maintain the area as part of the City of Cohoes Beautification Program. When you support Rotary Club fundraisers, you’re supporting the people of Cohoes.
♦ Jim 518-857-9546 ♦ Email to: Ads@OurTowneNortheast.com
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KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS COHOES COUNCIL NO. 192 255 REMSEN STREET COHOES, NY 12047 ♦ BINGO EVERY MONDAY NIGHT AT 7:00 PM ♦ 8:30 AM SUNDAY BREAKFAST 12/20,1/17,2/21,3/20, 4/17
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(518) 237-4151 Without community service, we would not have a strong quality of life. It’s important to the person who serves as well as the recipient. It’s the way in which we ourselves grow and develop. Dorothy Height
Cohoes Rotary Christmas Ornament Sale The Cohoes Movie Theatre
Interested in joining? Visit our website at www.rotaryclubofcohoes.org for more information or come to one of our weekly meetings at The Century House in Latham, Wednesdays at 12:15 P.M.
The purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful, to be honorable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well. — Ralph Waldo Emerson
In 2004 The Rotary Club of Cohoes started a collectible series of Christmas ornaments featuring historic landmarks in the City of Cohoes. The 2015 ornament, the Cohoes Movie Theatre, begins a new series in a slimmer ornament style, still white china with a gold band edge. The reverse of the ornament has a description of the theatre. Cost: $15 Ornaments are for sale at Marra’s Pharmacy or contact Linda or Ed Tremblay at 235-4311 or email ljt@nycap.rr.com Supply is limited. Get yours today!
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A HA!! SO THAT IS WHAT THOSE LITTLE PESKY FLIERS IN MY PANTRY ARE!! With colder weather and the December holiday season right around the corner, you may have stocked your pantry with all of the ingredients you’ll need for some holiday baking. Also in your pantry, you may have noticed some unwanted guests, namely pantry moths, taking residence in your whole grains, flour, cereal and dry pet food. Pantry moths, grain moths, flour moths are all common names for the Indian Meal Moth, a pesky and pervasive pest that can infest many of the items found in your kitchen or pantry. Many times, the infestation has started by the time you even bring the products home. Warehouses and storage areas are a prime location for Indian Meal Moths, especially in the bulk shipments they receive. Female moths can lay up to 400 eggs, which hatch in just a week and feed on your flour, rice or seeds. A handful of generations of pantry moths can inhabit a home in a year. Since the sole mission of a pantry moth is to reproduce, it’s important to halt the infestation as quickly as possible. Here are a few tips to take back control of your kitchen or pantry: • Dispose of all contaminated food. • Be sure to keep all pasta, flour, cereal and other dried pantry food items in airtight glass containers rather than the original cardboard or paper packaging. • Pantry moth stages (egg, larvae, adult) are unable to tolerate temperature extremes, so freezing or microwaving suspect foods provides an alternative to trashing it. • Vacuum and clean with hot, soapy water the shelves, corners and floor of your pantry. Keeping pantries clean and free of crumbs will help to prevent future infestations. • Stop the breeding cycle with the use of non-toxic, pesticide-free TERRO® Pantry Moth Traps. These sticky traps include a pheromone lure that attracts and traps the male pantry moth, preventing further breeding in your kitchen. Phillips Hardware • www.ShopPhillips.com Altamont • Colonie • Delmar Schenectady • Voorheesville • Waterford
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What’s in Your Closet? This time of year I have to “use my knees” when I bend down to pick up the Sunday Times Union from my driveway. It’s a weighty package, beefed up by scores of retailers’ glossy sales flyers. Starting from the moment we overeat at the Thanksgiving table to the “ho ho ho’s” of a bearded gent making his countless chimney stops, we are bombarded by frenzied marketers vying for the thousands of dollars that many shoppers spend during the holiday season. Some marketing firm hired by Verizon labeled the start of this phenomenon “Thanksgetting”. Probably not the most politically correct term, but certainly not a misnomer. For the average small business owner, like me, it is hard to compete with the allure of the latest “must have”. For much of the recent past, electronics seem to top everyone’s wish list, and, consequently. every mother’s, father’s, sibling’s, husband’s and wife’s shopping list. It is hard to top a phone that takes exquisite photographs, alerts you to the closest Starbucks and allows you to watch the latest episode of Survivor. It is hard to provide an experience comparable to being in a 250 square foot room with a television screen the size of a compact car delivering sound similar to driving on the New Jersey Turnpike flanked by semis delivery the latest gizmos. Periodically, I am heartened by a young person’s interest in an item that is not mainstream. Last week I had two teenage girls in my shop who disappeared from my view (and the surveillance camera’s) for quite awhile. When I, trying to be as casual as possible, investigated, they were sitting on the floor amidst a pile of art books oohing and aahing. They inquired about prices and ultimately put a few on the counter, making me promise that I would not sell them to anyone else until they had time to return with money. They did return, perhaps a half hour later, and I sold them the books for half price. I am delighted that there is a kernel of a future generation jazzed by art. On the same day a middle-age woman came in enthusiastic about the breadth of items available. She hesitantly inquired if I might have anything related to Civil War General William Tecumseh Sherman, since her husband is a descendant. I showed her a nicely framed 1879 letter in Sherman’s hand in which he declines an invitation to the opening of the New York State Capitol. The $650 price tag had her somewhat gasping for air. I can only assume the amount of money she budgeted for her husband’s gift had already been spent on Ikea’s new prototype chef’s table — the one where you lay out the ingredients you have in the refrigerator and it displays an array of recipes utilizing what’s available. It’s your own private “Chopped” moment. Next year’s “must have” option will probably cook the food as well. Have a very happy holiday season and I can only urge you to shop creatively and locally.
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To Advertise Call ♦ Kevin 518-598-3081 ♦ Tony 518-242-9555
♦ Jim 518-857-9546 ♦ Email to: Ads@OurTowneNortheast.com
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TOWN TIMES
with PAULA MAHAN
SUPERVISOR, TOWN OF COLONIE
Last month, I welcomed the newest class of graduates to the Town of Colonie’s Youth Court program. Each student graduate completed a demanding training course requiring big blocks of their time. Recognized nationally for excellence, Colonie’s Youth Court was created in 1993 to foster healthy attitudes towards rules and authority and to provide an alternative for young people who have committed an offense. Through Youth Court, a young person admitting to a crime or offense is tried by peers – other young people trained to act as Youth Court judges, prosecutors, and defense attorneys. Youth Court jurors then consider the evidence and agree on a sentence. Rehabilitative Goals: Sentences typically include community service and counseling and stress rehabilitative goals. The young offender must complete the sentence imposed by the jury and serve as a juror on at least one other Youth Court case.
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Youth Court also gives youthful offenders a chance to participate much more positively in the criminal justice system. Ninety-nine percent of offenders have completed their sentences, performing literally tens of thousands of hours of community service in Colonie. Most never offend again. In addition, the young people serving on Youth Court each year as judges, attorneys, and jurors develop a greater awareness of our legal system and how it operates in the real world. A Vital Public Service: This year’s 49 new Youth Court graduates join 48 returning Youth Court members. Their service on Youth Court benefits literally everyone in our community. Youth Court would not be possible without the support of the Town’s Justice and Police Departments and the close cooperation of the Albany County Probation Department. In addition, volunteers from the legal community donate many hours of their time to help train Youth Court members. We should all be grateful for everyone’s support, because the result is smart, compassionate, and effective justice for our young people.
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NEWEST SMART HOME TECH DELIVERS ON MANY FRONTS
By: Ashley Weber | November 2, 2015
Your morning checklist can seem endless: Are the windows closed? Is the security alarm set? Did Fido come in? And where in the world are the keys? It no longer has to be this crazy. Thanks to the latest smart home technologies, a few swipes and taps on your phone can put those worries and others to rest. A smart (or connected) home has devices that can be controlled remotely via computer or a mobile device. These include appliances, security systems and entertainment centers. Smart home technology can make your home safer, more energy efficient and easier to manage. “Home automation technology has been around for about 25 years,” says Grant Clauser, technology and online editor of Electronic House Magazine, a publication covering the latest home technology. “But it only recently became affordable and easy for homeowners to install themselves.” That’s contributing to its increasing popularity. Over the next five years, it’s predicted that smart home device shipments will grow by 67 percent. That’s a faster rate of predicted growth than for both smartphones and tablets. “There are so many ways for homeowners to improve their comfort, lower their expenses and decrease the risk of different losses with these devices,” says Joe Vahey, vice president and product manager, Personal Lines, Erie Insurance. Vahey has seen situations in which smart home technology could have saved homeowners money and grief. “In one case, a washing machine water line split open while the homeowners were on vacation,” he recalls. “When they came home weeks later, several feet of water had accumulated and mold had started to form. In an event like this, a smart water valve that shuts off the leak would have been extremely beneficial.” TODAY’S TOP SMART HOME TECH There is a lot of smart home tech out there. If you don’t know where to begin, consider a starter kit like the Iris Home Automation Safe and Secure Kit ($149). This self monitored security system lets you check up on your home for free from a computer, smartphone or tablet—and it only takes an hour to set up. Looking for something a little more advanced? Then check out these top tech recommendations: 1. Facial recognition cameras recognize faces and send an alert to your smartphone when a friend or family member enters your home. The cameras can also alert you when an unfamiliar face enters your home. Just one model: Netatmo Welcome camera ($199). The sleek, stand-up tube lets you enable (or
disable) notifications for specific people. 2. Wi-Fi security cameras allow you to monitor your home, family members and even your pets from afar. Just one model: Nest Cam ($199). An added bonus is its two-way talk system with a built-in mic and speaker. 3. Smart tags can be attached to just about anything: a dog’s collar, your kids’ backpacks, grandma’s antique vase or the remote that always goes missing. Once attached, they let you keep track of virtually anyone’s (or anything’s) whereabouts. Just one model: SmartSense Presence Sensor ($31). It lets you know when a tag leaves a defined vicinity—great for pets that like to wander. 4. Moisture alerts send a message to your smartphone if water is detected in areas prone to leaking. And that can prevent big costs: BI Intelligence reports that certain cities have reduced leaks by 40 to 50 percent by putting sensors on their pumps. Just one model: ZigBee SmartSense Moisture Sensor ($49). It can also measure temperature so you don’t end up with a frozen pipes fiasco. 5. Smart doorbells send a video to your smartphone of anyone who approaches your front door. They also let you act as a digital doorman by allowing you to speak to a visitor from wherever you are. Two models: Ring or Sky Bell (both $199). Both models store old video clips in the cloud for a small extra fee. 6. Motion sensors alert you when movement in or around your house is detected. Some places where you might place them for added security include windows, doors and garage doors. Want an alert when the mail arrives? Then consider sticking one on your mailbox. Just one model: SmartSense Multi Sensor ($54). It gives you the option to receive a text or push notification when something is moved. Because smart home technology relies on the Internet, security is definitely something to consider. “The companies that make smart home products know the risks and add extra levels of security,” says Clauser. “But homeowners still have responsibilities. Just like with protecting your computer, you want to lock your wireless network and choose a difficult password that you change frequently.” Other ways to keep your smart home safe include making your Wi-Fi network invisible, restricting access to your Wi-Fi network and your smart home devices, and regularly updating your smart home devices’ software. Get more tips for how to help prevent smart home hacking. Potential discounts for insurance customers? Most insurers already offers discounts to homeowners who have safety features like smoke alarms and security systems. Now, Erie Insurance is seriously exploring how those discounts can also apply to smart home devices. Find out more at The Lyden Group Insurance Agency Call (518) 877-7018 or e-mail steve@lydengroup.com
To Advertise Call ♦ Kevin 518-598-3081 ♦ Tony 518-242-9555
♦ Jim 518-857-9546 ♦ Email to: Ads@OurTowneNortheast.com
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There is nothing better than walking into a home that smells like home baked cookies or pies and is decorated so beautifully for the holiday. It is warm and toasty and inviting. It is the best time to present your homes inner beauty. Turn on that gas fireplace, light the Christmas tree and turn on the lights of your decorations and let that potential homebuyer fall in love with your home and believe me they will. Your home is not just a house with walls. It is a home that has many wonderful memories within those walls; maybe the beginning of a Your Real Estate Corner union, possibly children laughing and playing and With Donna Toussaint Well the holidays are upon us and each day is even the grandchildren coming for visits. That is filled with all the hustle and bustle of the upcoming something that happens all throughout the year season} so this month’s column is going to be so why not let those walls show that history during about selling a home at this time of the year. It is any day of the year. Not just during the spring or very hard to think at this time, about getting your summer when maybe the flowers are blooming home ready for sale. The constant perspective of and everything is getting green. (Anyone who the average person is that either there is no time, is like me with severe allergies would rather be nobody ever buys during the winter or during the inside during that time). holiday season. So now that I have convinced you that there is Wrong!! The problem with that thought is that as NOT a best time to take your home off the market a real estate salesperson, we do still have buyers or even to wait until the spring. The potential out there that need a home during the winter buyer knows that there is water in that covered months and yes, even during the holidays. The pool so there is no need to wait until you uncover thought process of many is that is the right time to it. Call me today and let’s get this done! I will take it off the market is winter and then put it back thank you and my potential buyers will thank you on in the spring. Well nothing could be further because now they will have homes to view even from the truth! We still have buyers out there all when it is cold outside. year long but our inventory is extremely limited I wish for you, all my followers and friends, a very because of that thought. happy holiday season and a joyous new year.
Just as treasures are uncovered from the earth, so virtue appears from good deeds, and wisdom appears from a pure and peaceful mind. To walk safely through the maze of human life, one needs the light of wisdom and the guidance of virtue. Buddha
Children are fantastic little creatures. Next to drunk people, they are the only truly honest people on earth. Mads Nipper, CEO of LEGO
To Advertise Call ♦ Kevin 518-598-3081 ♦ Tony 518-242-9555
Available at these locations Colonie Town Hall Key 2 Joy Phillips Hardware Valente's Restaurant O'Toole's Restaurant Pub Schuyler Bakery Shaker Shed Farm Market Ted's Fish Fry Maggie's Gift Shop Albany Edit & Video Transfer Sunset Lanes Colonie Chamber Capital Region Chamber Barnsider William K Sanford Town Library Cohoes Public Library Dennis Holzman Antiques Table and Chair Outlet Inc The Lyden Group LLC Pet Spas & Suites
Marra's Pharmacy Inc Miron's For Floors The Tailored Tea Central Florist LLC Saratoga National Bank Ballston Spa National Bank Cole's Collision Holiday Inn The Cookie Factory Kinderhook Bank Community Resource FCU The Albany Railyard Liberteks Hometowne Pizza Build A Burger Pub Christopher Brian Salon Awards by Walsh Garden Bistro 24 All Star Wine and Spirits Kugler's Red Barn
♦ Jim 518-857-9546 ♦ Email to: Ads@OurTowneNortheast.com
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Sitting is an art that isn’t getting passed along. People these days feel as though they have to be doing something. That sort of thing looks like doing nothing. A recharging battery doesn’t look as if it’s doing anything either. Sitting restores your soul. If you want to enjoy a truly full life, don’t just do something, sit there. — Leroy Powell in Out of My Head
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We are pleased to announce that Greg Pienkosz Vice President - Investments Has joined our Downtown Albany Office
30 S Pearl St Albany, NY 12207 greg.pienkosz@wellsfargoadvisors.com Office (518) 447-8414 Fax (518) 447-8447 Investment and Insurance Products: u NOT FDIC Insured u NO Bank Guarantee u MAY Lose Value Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC, Member SIPC, is a registered broker-dealer and a separate non-bank affiliate of Wells Fargo & Company. Š2012 Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC. All rights reserved. 0514-01378 [79510-v4] A1255
To Advertise Call ♦ Kevin 518-598-3081 ♦ Tony 518-242-9555
♦ Jim 518-857-9546 ♦ Email to: Ads@OurTowneNortheast.com
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The Painting Bug Featuring
Classes
December Schedule: Saturday December 5th Landscape 10 am - 3 pm “Crimson Oval” at the Painting Bug Studio 25 Bedford St Cohoes,NY 12047
Bob Ross Class!
Paint -N- Party Activities
• Upcoming Bridal Shower or...Girls Night Out? • Need a unique and FUN Fundraising opportunity? • Searching for a different type of team building exercise? Call me to discuss how we can help make your event a “One of a Kind Experience”
Yo u C a n Pa in t ! www.PaintingBug.com To Register Call Janice at 852-9160
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««« THE AMERICAN www.OurTowneColonie.com VALUES CLUB CROSSWORD «««
October 8, 2014 “Drink Up!”
by Tyler Hinman, edited by Ben Tausig Difficulty level: l l l l l
December Crossword ACROSS 1 Watson’s creator
41 One who’s hardly an
4 Plant in a sedating
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drink Slams in celebration, as a football It might show a single scene Strike zones? Get rich quick Alabama town with many connections to the civil rights movement Like fall days that aren’t unseasonably hot or sad and drizzly King Arthur’s foster brother Root word? Shade seen at the beach Big name in SUVs Total d-bag Philosopher who wrote “anxiety is the dizziness of freedom” Much-hated episode of “How I Met Your Mother” 1998 HBO biopic Member of the brass Campus party maneuvers, and features of six answers in this puzzle
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61 64 67 68 69 70 71
urbanite J. Edgar Hoover’s alma mater Yankee vanquisher, in 2014 Prepared to build Crash cause, often Sign Foils, perhaps, as a villain Tecmo fighting game, popularly Tree afflicted by phloem necrosis Hermann who wrote “The Glass Bead Game” Succeed Upstate New York vacation spot Goat cheese Character on Splash Mountain Least straight Takes, with “for” Twin killings, on a scorecard DOWN
1 Word with an
often omitted or extraneous apostrophe 2 One may get laid on a horse 3 Make sure progress, as troops
Answers on Page 24
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5 6 7 8 9
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15 Address at boot
some dumb New England Patriots fans Was broached Big name in coupon mailings Mention Used a behind “Find more great clues like this in the author’s ‘Winner’s Circle Crosswords’!,” e.g. “The Suite Life of Zack & Cody” villain Shickelgrubermeiger (c’mon; I’m sick of the “Casablanca” clues) Role-playing game pioneer Gary Look over Down and slightly right, briefly
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NES game) Tea room sight Scorecard blemish Sorted Place for the English to go Period Whisperings A major third above B Successfully prank Something to fall in or out of Total d-bag “Charlie’s Angels” director “So it WAS you!” Apt shortening for a city currently mired in bankruptcy Wall St. deal Space in the record, say Cousins of ums
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We are more heavily taxed by our idleness, pride and folly than we are taxed by government. Benjamin Franklin
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40 Sites for drawers 41 ___ Baseball (classic
camp Their motto is “Through Adversity to the Stars”: Abbr. Marketing term for some sushi Football coach Bill Parcells’s nickname (not a standard sushi option) Princess with prominent buns Prefix from the Greek for “heaven” Ration in the field, for short Atlanta health org. Streaming annoyance Race for Odin, Thor, etc. Encourage Took a dip (I can never believe this is actually a word)
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To Advertise Call ♦ Kevin 518-598-3081 ♦ Tony 518-242-9555
♦ Jim 518-857-9546 ♦ Email to: Ads@OurTowneNortheast.com
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KT TREE SERVICES, INC I N SU CER R ANCE T FOR IFICATE CUS EVERY TOM ER!
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Hours: Tue - Thu 11am -10pm ◆ Fri 11am -11pm ◆ Sat 4pm - 11pm ◆ Sun 4pm - 10pm
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THIS MONTH IN HISTORY - DECEMBER
1 Sherlock Holmes appeared for the first time in print in “A Study in Scarlet.” (1887) 1 In Montgomery, Rosa Parks is arrested for refusing to give up her her seat in the front section of a bus. (1955) 2 Barney B. Clark receives the world’s first artificial heart transplant. (1982) 5 The 21st Amendment repeals Prohibition. I’ll drink to that! (1933) 7 Martin Van Buren becomes the eighth President of the United States, and the first president to be born in this country. 7 Thomas Edison exhibited the phonograph in 1877 7 Pearl Harbor was bombed in a surprise Japanese attack. It marked the U.S. entry into WWII.(1941) 8 John Lennon, singer, guitarist, songwriter, and poet for the Beatles, was assassinated in New York City by Mark David Chapman in 1980. 10 Wyoming, a territory of the U.S., allowed women to vote and hold office (1869). 10 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. received the Nobel Peace Prize. (1964) 13 The Clip-on tie is created. (1928) 15 The Bill of Rights are enacted, amending the U.S. Constitution (1791) 15 Sioux Chief Sitting Bull was killed by Indian police.(1890) 15 Gone With the Wind premiered in where else but Atlanta,
I once wanted to become an atheist, but I gave up - they have no holidays. Henny Youngman
Georgia. (1939) 15 Infamous band leader Glenn Miller died in a plane crash over the English Channel.(1944) 16 Boston residents protesting British taxation threw tea overboard on a British ship . The Boston Tea Party was the beginning of the American fight for independence. 16 The famous World War II “Battle of the Bulge” began. (1944) 17 The Wright Brothers made their first airplane flight at Kitty Hawk, N.C. (1903) 19 Charles Dickens published “A Christmas Carol”. (1843) 21 The Pilgrims landed at Plymouth, Massachusetts. (1620) 19 Charles Dickens publishes A Christmas Carol. (1843) 21 “Snow White” premiered at theaters. (1937) 23 The transistor was invented by U.S. physicists John Bardeen, Walter H. Brittain, and William Shockley. (1947) 24 Franz Joseph Gruber composed “Silent Night”. (1818) 25 Jesus Christ is born in a little town in Bethlehem (0) 25 William the Conqueror is crowned the King of England. (1066) 26 James Mason invents the coffee percolator. (1865) 27 Radio City Music Hall in New York City opens. (1932) 28 William F. Semple patented chewing gum. (1869) 30 Edwin Hubble announces the existence of other galactic systems. (1924) Yes, the Hubble telescope was later named after him.
The dogmas of the quiet past are inadequate to the stormy present. The occasion is piled high with difficulty, and we must rise with the occasion. As our case is new, so we must think anew and act anew. - Abraham Lincoln
To Advertise Call ♦ Kevin 518-598-3081 ♦ Tony 518-242-9555
♦ Jim 518-857-9546 ♦ Email to: Ads@OurTowneNortheast.com
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621 Albany-Shaker Road Loudonville (518) 458.9274 www.colonie.org/LIBRARY Five Library Services That Might Surprise You The library is a busy place! We love helping you find and check out books from our collection, leading story times and other fun kids activities, providing answers at the reference desk, and hosting community groups, authors, and experts for library programs, but you (or your neighbors) might be surprised by some of the additional services we offer: 1. We provide career help! Unemployed or looking for a new job? Resume help is available, plus software that makes building attractive resumes a breeze. Bonus - brush up on key computer skills with one of our Word, Excel, Access, or Powerpoint classes. Call 810-0314 to sign up. 2. We’ve got technology gurus on staff. Sign up for a free one on one appointment for personal help with a huge range of mobile devices, apps, and computer questions, or join us for one of our many technology classes. All skill levels – beginner to advanced – are welcome! Call 810-0314 to sign up. 3. We LOVE your ebook readers. Enjoy reading on your Kindle, Nook, iPad, smartphone, computer, or e-reader? No need to buy ebooks, digital magazines, or audiobooks – access thousands of titles for free through our Overdrive digital collection (http:// digitalcollection.uhls.org). Need help getting started? Attend one of our monthly ebook clinics (call 810-0314 to sign up)! 4.We enjoy movies, manga, audiobooks, and music as much as you do. Visit the library to browse our large collection of DVD’s, Blurays, manga (graphic novels), audiobooks, and music CD’s. All it takes is a free library card to bring one or more home! 5. We welcome students, writers, small business owners, and entrepreneurs. Come tackle your projects! Enjoy our free, recently upgraded wifi, spread out on one of our many work tables, utilize helpful business resources in our reference and database collection, or just take a break in one of our quiet nooks with a book, magazine, or newspaper. Got a question about these and other services? Stop in or give us a ring at 4589274 for more information! Adirondack Mountain Club Open House The Adirondack Mountain Club Open House, on Wednesday December 2nd at 6:00 PM, is an event designed to showcase the many benefits and rewards of membership in the Adirondack Mountain Club. Attendees will have the opportunity to meet experienced hike leaders, paddlers, and outdoor enthusiasts to learn more about the Club’s efforts to promote conservation, advocacy, recreation, education and stewardship of the state’s wilderness areas. Refreshments will be provided. At 6:00 PM. Adirondack Mountain Club – Albany Chapter Tuesday December 8th at 6:00 PM: Education Session – “Search & Rescue - Review of Recent Incidents.” We open the annals of the NYSDEC Rangers and examine the recent incidents. What went wrong, what went right and what lessons
can be learned? Program – “Discover the Pine Bush.” The next best thing to visiting the Pine Bush Preserve ourselves, the best remaining example in the world of an inland pine barrens is having Jackie Citriniti, Environmental Educator, come to us. She’ll take us on a virtual tour of the Pine Bush’s geological history, ecology, and the endangered Karner blue butterfly. Chinese Film/Discussion Series Returns I-Hsin Wu, Adjunct Professor of Sociology at UAlbany, hosted a film/discussion series titled “Introducing Chinese Culture Through Chinese Films” last year. I-Hsin will be returning in 2016 with Wedding Banquet on Tuesday December 15th; Raise the Red Lantern (back by popular demand) on Tuesday January 12th; and a film TBA Tuesday February 23rd. All movies will begin at 5:30 PM. A general discussion of the three films will be hosted by professor Wu on Tuesday night March 15th at 5:30 PM. Up first: Wedding Banquet, a 1993 comedy directed by Ang Lee that won applause by both Chinese and western viewers. The plot concerns a gay Taiwanese immigrant man in the US who marries a mainland Chinese woman to both placate his parents and get her a green card. The plan backfires when his parents arrive in the here to plan his wedding banquet. Roger Ebert wrote: “What makes the film work is the underlying validity of the story, the way the filmmakers don’t simply go for melodrama and laughs, but pay these characters their due. At the end of the film, I was a little surprised how much I cared for them.” Please come to enjoy these world acclaimed movies and learn about Chinese culture. Michael Eck Reviews The Song Machine December welcomes Michael Eck – musician, songwriter, painter, critic, and arts writer – to our Noon Book Review on Thursday the 17th. Michael will review the new book The Song Machine: Inside The Hit Factory by the New Yorker’s John Seabrook. About the book from the publisher: “There’s a reason hit songs offer guilty pleasure – they’re designed that way. Over the last two decades a new type of hit song has emerged, one that is almost inescapably catchy. Pop songs have always had a ‘hook,’ but today’s songs bristle with them: a hook every seven seconds is the rule. Painstakingly crafted to tweak the brain’s delight in melody, rhythm, and repetition, these songs are highly processed products. Like snack-food engineers, modern songwriters have discovered the musical ‘bliss point.’ And just like junk food, the bliss point leaves you wanting more. Going beyond music to discuss money, business, marketing, and technology, The Song Machine explores what the new hits may be doing to our brains and listening habits, especially as services like Spotify and Apple Music use streaming data to gather music into new genres invented by algorithms based on listener behavior.” Review begins at 12:15; bring your lunch if you are on lunch hour. Holiday Schedule Thursday, December 24th: CLOSE at 5:00 PM; Friday, December 25th: CLOSED; Thursday, December 31st: CLOSE at 5:00 PM; Friday, January 1st: CLOSED Happy Holidays!
To Advertise Call ♦ Kevin 518-598-3081 ♦ Tony 518-242-9555
♦ Jim 518-857-9546 ♦ Email to: Ads@OurTowneNortheast.com
www.imabobblehead.com Happy Holidays From Your Friends At
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C olonie Our Town
Colonie ◆ Latham ◆ Loudonville ◆ Cohoes ◆ Watervliet
P.O. Box 5926
Our Town Colonie, NY 12205
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518-213-2070 Wilton 617 D Maple Avenue 583-1306