![]() The teacher asked again, “What does your mother do?” The class snickered, and a slow blush filled my face. “My mom is going to show you what you are.” “She’s going to show how fast she can type and then give us our words to take home.” “My mom’s a secretary,” said the girl sitting next to me. More than 300 horses’ worth.”Īfter lunch, the teacher went around the room, asking who had parents coming and what they would be showing or telling. “It’s getting old, like me,” she’d say sometimes, “but it’s still got plenty of power. It had an engine called a V8, like the drink I liked. Her car was an old Mercury Cougar she’d bought years ago, before she quit her job. “Go, Mama!” I would say in my mind and wonder if she heard me. She didn’t know it, but that was her real daily goodbye to me. ![]() Then I would hear the sudden burst of sound that came when Mama stomped the floor. Unless a teacher made me move, I waited, listening until it reached the place half a mile away where the speed limit changed from 25 to 55. Her car was very loud and rumbled like a faraway storm. I’d walk away slowly so long as I could still feel her eyes on my back, but when I sensed them move and heard the car pull away, I’d stop and walk back, watching as she pulled onto the road in front of the school. ![]() She would smile a warm, slow smile and then shoo me on with a flick of her wrist. I always looked up at her, reluctant to go.īut once I was out of the car, I always turned around and waved, as if the hug and the kiss hadn’t been enough. I leaned forward to hug her, and she kissed me on the forehead. She’d agreed to come to Parent Show and Tell Day, and we had to report to the teacher what our visiting parents would be talking about. “Tell them I am going to show them what they are,” said my mother while dropping me off at primary school. The 17th century’s most famous diarist finds new life on Twitter. ![]()
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![]() ![]() Was a monster 300-watt model designed for bass, or the more conventional 150w There’s some debate as to whether this amp Special amplifier head, originally built for and owned by Browne. The Super Reverbs even replaced the Vibroverbs altogether at one point in the mid-80s ever-changing amplifier landscape.Īt Jackson Browne's Downtown Studios, SRV would encounter the Dumbleland With all four 10" speakers replaced with EVs, each combo weighed nearly 130 pounds and could take your head off with bite. Some variance in tone due to the different speaker array. The stage, essentially the same amplifier as the Vibroverb but providing He also added a pair of Fender Super Reverb 4x10” combos to This was the beginning of the quest for the ultimate LOUD yet clean tone, retaining clarity and detail along with the beautiful harmonic enrichment of cranked power tubes, and would be a lifelong venture. Stevie would add a Marshall Club & Country combo (Marshall's answer to the Fender Twin, a 100-watt 2x12 with KT77 tubes & Celestion G12-80 speakers) to his Vibroverbs for more clean power, as well as experiment with blackface Fender Twins and Mesa/Boogie combos (likely Mark IIc+ models, used with David Bowie). One of these combos was also used to drive hisįender Vibratone rotating speaker cabinet for live performances of “Cold Shot” and “Couldn’tĪs Stevie’s popularity grew, so did the size of venues and need for more power. Switched to ElectroVoice M15Ls (and stuck with EVs for the rest of his career, for both their power handling and high sensitivity before breakup). Initially used JBL D130 alnico speakers in these combos, then E130 ceramics, but eventually Were also swapped out for the beefier hunks of iron found in Twins & Bassmans, as they held up much better at high levels than the original units. Prevent harmful voltages from damaging the tubes at such high volumes, and also because Stevie preferred the extra headroom and quicker response feel (Fender even made a special hand-wired '64 Vibroverb reissue with the Diaz mods, including a switchable rectifier circuit and ability to cascade one channel into the other. ![]() Inįact, Cesar mod’d just about all of SRV’s amps with a solid state rectifier, to The available headroom and squeeze a few more watts of juice out of them. Cesarĭiaz would eventually mod these Vibroverbs with solid state rectifiers to increase Speakers), and powered by dual 6L6 power tubes for 40 watts of power each (Fun fact: although the amps were purchased years apart in different states, the serial numbers are one digit apart). These twoĪmps were both 15” combos (as opposed to the earlier ’63 models with 2x10” Tone, along with an Ibanez Tubescreamer to push them into overdrive. Street in Austin, it was a pair of 1964 Fender Vibroverbs that anchored the SRV I’ve gotta believe this had something to do with his getting sober… nervesīecome a lot more sensitive when you’re not dulling them constantly, and hisįingertips took a beating from those 13s).įrom the start, while cutting his teeth at clubs like Antone’s on 6 th Strumming was acoustic-like, and light strings wouldn’t be able to take thatĬareer, he did go down a bit lighter to 11s (although it’s total speculation, Not more than the feel & his playing style… his percussive right hand When we get into his amps), I imagine this influenced his choice, but perhaps Their clarity a bit more than thinner, and as SRV loved big, clean tones (more Noticeable difference when using higher gain amps, as thicker strings retain There is muchĭebate as to the tonal difference with string gauge… I’ve found the biggest Strings was closer to that of 12s, but with increased thickness. Also, as he tuned down to Eb, the tension on the Incredibly strong hands, but even he couldn’t bend a wound G-string up a full Was a custom set with an unwound 3rd string… exact gauges, according to Rene Although the Fender SRV signature model uses Texas Special pickups, which Stevie was heavily involved in the making of, they do not accurately represent the sound of his original Number One (For my money, I use a set of Arcane ’61Įxperience pickups in my main strat, and they sound incredible, especially inĪs for strings, SRV used 13’s, as famously rumored, but it Ohms output impedance, which would be typical of a 1959 set (the neck pickups ![]() Myth that gained legs during the 80s… all 3 pickups are rumored to be under 6k The pickups are also relatively low output, not the hot overwound Properly Rene used the neck from another SRV favorite, “Red”, as it was also aġ962 model). Original neck (the neck was replaced in 1989 after it could no longer be refretted SRV’s guitars since 1980) found the stamp of 1963 on the body and 1962 on the ![]() Of the pickups… this was incorrect, however, as guitar tech Rene Martinez (who oversaw Which Stevie claimed to be a ’59, since that was the date stamped on the back We can’t begin without talking about his Number One Strat, ![]() ![]() ![]() Since MXF just names clips Clip_001 ect its very easy to have a dozen clips of the same name. This can also happen when you clipwrap MXF media into individual new MOV's. thats a HUGE help when you have multiple dslr clips from _different_ cameras and they have the same names because some on thought it would be a good idea to match all the cameras together on a shoot… or you are a busy post place and simply wind up with dupe names because of all the material coming thru. QTchange will write into the mov file a reel name and set the clip TC = to creation time (ToD). One of the huge pitfalls is if you don't pre-process your canon DSLR footage thru QTchange. ![]() there are just too many things that go wrong that can cost days of work to correct. if you have never had to manually relink hundreds of clips, you won't understand that proxy workflow is pretty much to be avoided at all costs. Proxy workflow on most systems is just a total minefield of problems. ![]() having enough ram, fast drives and a good GPU are all part of the equation and if they all aren't up to speed, then you won't have a good experience on older gear. ![]() my 4.1 mac tower with 2X4 2.8ghz zenons does ok with canon h.264 in prem pro. I really disagree unless you have a pretty low end processor for that era. What are your thoughts on transcoding, and what role does it play in your post production workflows? If that's the case with any particular codec that you regularly use, transcoding to an intermediate might just be the best option in the long run. These and a few other codecs can be notoriously difficult to work with regardless of resolution, and they'll slow down your editing machines considerably. Ultimately, transcoding your original media to intermediate codecs like ProRes or DNxHD can still save you loads of time in the long run if you're shooting to codecs like high-bitrate h.264 or the new h.265, which is currently only available as a capture format on the new Samsung NX1. Otherwise, creating proxies and relinking to the original media when you're ready to color correct and master is the best solution. Although it is possible to edit natively with certain types of RAW files, you lose much of the flexibility that comes from shooting RAW when you use that workflow. There is one major exception to that rule, however, and it's when your capture format is RAW. Luckily, our friends over at Videomaker just put out a helpful excerpt from their post-production course that should shed light on the process. The answer to that question is actually more complicated than you might think, and there quite a few things that need to be taken into consideration before making the choice of whether to transcode or not. However, in the past couple of years, each of the major editing platforms has taken on the ability to natively edit footage from a whole range of cameras and capture formats, which begs the question, is transcoding still a necessary step for most of us to take in our post production workflows? In the past, transcoding was almost always used as an intermediary step before the edit because NLEs like FCP7 and Avid didn't perform particularly well without their specifically-tailored mezzanine codecs (ProRes and DNxHD). One subject that seems to confuse people more than most is that of transcoding. With all of the codecs, software options, and workflows available to us, it's hard to know if we're being as efficient as we can be. ![]() ![]() ![]() Click the arrow on the button in the middle of. Go to Window > Timeline to open the Timeline panel. Open Photoshop and go to File > Scripts > Load Files into Stack. In our example, we're going to tween between all the frames to give our starry sky more of a twinkling effect.įirst, select the first frame and click the Tween button on the toolbar at the bottom of the Timeline panel. Create an animated GIF from a series of photos Import a series of photos. ![]() You would create one frame with that layer set to Hidden, and another with it set to Visible. Then you would "tween" between those two frames, and Photoshop does the rest. This enables you to create smooth GIF animations by automatically generating transitional frames between two existing frames.įor example, say you wanted a layer to fade in. Photoshop supports a powerful animation feature called tweening. Watch Kendall’s GIF-creation process in this quick one-minute video. Watch designer and GIF creator Kendall Plant as she gives new life to one of her sketches by turning it into a GIF. Or read on to refine the animation and create a smooth GIF. GIF files can be created from bmp, jpg, png, and other image file types as well as video files such as AVI, FLV, and MP4. When you're happy, you can skip ahead to the Export a GIF section. Add more layers if you need them, or hit the Trash Can icon to delete them. This Action will generate a video sequence of animated sketch effects from your photos, logo or artwork. ![]() You can edit frames just by selecting them and adjusting which layers are visible (you can also adjust the opacity or make other more advanced tweaks). ![]() ![]() ![]() It does not store any personal data.Related: Will World of Warcraft Come To Xbox & Game Pass NowĬonfirming the news on Twitter, Xbox Game Pass has revealed the first batch of game additions for February 2022, offering a full breakdown on the Xbox website. ![]() The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It works only in coordination with the primary cookie. Records the default button state of the corresponding category & the status of CCPA. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". Set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin, this cookie is used to record the user consent for the cookies in the "Advertisement" category. ![]() These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. The Commissioning Editor for the BBC is Rachel Ashdown. The format was developed for the BBC by Richard Hague. Natalka Znak from Remarkable Entertainment is Executive Producer alongside Claire O’Donohoe, Paul Osborne and Stephen Lovelock. Survivor (16 x 60) is a Remarkable Entertainment (a Banijay UK company) production for BBC One and BBC iPlayer and was commissioned by Kate Phillips in her capacity as Director of Entertainment Commissioning. I can’t wait to be boots on the ground, working with Paul Osborne, Stephen Lovelock and the fantastic team at Remarkable to make this epic series for the BBC.”īroadcast confirmation, presenter information and further casting details for the UK version of Survivor will be announced in due course. Natalka Znak, CEO Remarkable Entertainment says “Survivor is ‘the greatest gameshow on earth’ for a reason – it has everything – reality, adventure, drama, and the ultimate game. ![]() Kate Phillips, Director of Unscripted at the BBC says: “Survivor is a global television hit and to be able to bring one of TV’s most successful formats to audiences in the UK in a uniquely BBC way is a very exciting prospect indeed.” 50 versions have been commissioned around the world to date, and the CBS version of the show from the USA will soon be airing its 43 rd series. Celebrating 25 years this year, (the format was first employed in 1997 in Sweden), the show has gone on to be ranked as the ‘Number 1 Best Reality Show of All Time’ by Variety. Survivor, a Banijay format created by Charlie Parsons, is one of the most watched reality entertainment formats around the world. Following a number of eliminations that will take place at the iconic tribal council, the tribes will eventually merge before one person takes away a cash prize and proves that they have what it takes to be the Ultimate Survivor. They will be divided into two tribes, going head-to-head in a range of physical and psychological challenges. The brand new 16 x 60’ series of the ultimate physical and psychological gameshow promises viewers a compelling test of brains, brawn and betrayal as players compete to outwit, out play and outlast their rivals to be crowned the Ultimate Survivor.Ģ0 people, carefully selected from across the UK will be marooned in a tropical location. Survivor, one of the world’s most successful TV formats, is coming to the UK.Ī new UK adaption of the entertainment phenomenon has been commissioned by BBC One and BBC iPlayer from Banijay UK company Remarkable Entertainment, run by leading entertainment producers Natalka Znak and Claire O’Donohoe. ![]() ![]() ![]() Reckless driving can encompass any wanton or willful behavior that endangers the lives of others, including racing, tailgating, weaving through traffic, running red lights, rolling through stop signs and ignoring rights-of-way. Reckless driving also results in five points added to the driver’s license in New Jersey.Ī driver could face a reckless driving charge in New Jersey for more than just speeding. If a driver gets two reckless driving charges, he or she could face increased penalties of 90 days’ imprisonment and/or up to $500 in fines. It is a crime punishable with up to 60 days behind bars and/or a fine of up to $200 for a first offense. Reckless driving goes beyond a simple traffic infraction. Traveling significantly above the posted limit or excessively fast for conditions, however, could lead to a reckless driving charge. Going a few miles over the speed limit in New Jersey will not constitute reckless driving. This includes driving at dangerous speeds. Under section 39:4-96 of the law, reckless driving is the heedless operation of a motor vehicle with a wanton or willful disregard for the rights or safety of others, in a way as to endanger or likely endanger people or property. ![]() Reckless driving is a more serious charge with harsher consequences. Reckless driving is a step above careless driving, according to the New Jersey Revised Statutes. In New Jersey, excessive speeding could lead to a serious reckless driving charge for the perpetrator, as well as potential liability for a crash. It can also increase the velocity of a car accident, causing more catastrophic personal injuries and worse property damages. Speeding can make it impossible to stop on time to avoid a collision with another car, pedestrian, bicyclist or object. When a driver speeds, or drives too fast for conditions, he or she compromises the ability to drive safely. Speeding is a common cause of serious and deadly accidents in New Jersey. ![]() ![]() ![]() Cardiac rehabilitation and survival in older coronary patients. Suaya JA, Stason WB, Ades PA, Normand SL, Shepard DS. Value of impedance cardiography during 6-minute walk test in pulmonary hypertension. Tonelli AR, Laith Alkukhun, Vineesha Arelli, José Ramos, Jennie Newman, McCarthy K, et al. ![]() This article illustrates the high predictive value of HD ICG during exercise testing in heart failure Cardiopulmonary and noninvasive hemodynamic responses to exercise predict outcomes in heart failure. High predictive value of HD ICG in heart failure. Myers J, Wong M, Adhikarla C, Boga M, Challa S, Abella J, et al.2016 Focused update: clinical recommendations for cardiopulmonary exercise testing data assessment in specific patient populations. Guazzi M, Arena R, Halle M, Piepoli MF, Myers J, Lavie CJ. Aerobic capacity is associated with 100-day outcome after hepatic transplantation. Įpstein SK, Freeman RB, Khayat A, Unterborn JN, Pratt DS, Kaplan MM. Continuing Education in Anaesthesia Critical Care & Pain, 2010 10(2). Preoperative cardiopulmonary exercise testing. Published online Fall 2011.Īgnew N, MBBS FRCA. Predicting poor outcomes in heart failure. Smith DH, Johnson ES, Thorp ML, Yang X, Petrik A, Platt RW, et al. Cardiovascular events in the postanesthesia care unit: contribution of risk factors. Impedance cardiography: a rapid and cost-effective screening tool for cardiac disease. (abstract available in English language).īour J, Kellett J. Nouvelles approches en cardiographie d’impédance. Hypotension during cesarean delivery: role of impedance cardiography. You-Ten KE, Terblanche N, Borges B, Carvalho J. This study illustrates the ability of HD ICG to predict fluid responsiveness. Abstract presented at the ASA annual meeting 2013. Stroke volume variation measured by impedance cardiography during passive leg raising to assess fluid responsiveness after cardiac surgery. Heshmati N Jr, Marguerite S, Jazaerli L Jr, Bongarzone C Jr, Thiranos J-C, Meyer N, et al.This study illustrates the superiority of HD ICG as compared to pulse contour technologies. central venous oxygen saturation, Abstract presented at the ASA 2012 annual meeting. Continuous cardiac output monitoring during major intra-abdominal surgery: physioflow signal-morphology impedance cardiography vs. Gratz I, Deal E, Spitz F, Allen E, Pukenas E.This article illustrates the reproducibility of HD ICG and determines the threshold for significant changes in SV. Reliability of peak exercise stroke volume assessment by impedance cardiography in patients with residual right outflow tract lesions after congenital heart disease repair. Obituary: pulmonary artery catheter 1970 to 2013. A meta-analysis of studies using bias and precision statistics to compare cardiac output measurement techniques. Measurement of cardiac output using physio flow with different positions of electrode placement. Cardiac function and arteriovenous oxygen difference during exercise in obese adults. A new impedance cardiograph device for the non-invasive evaluation of cardiac output at rest and during exercise: comparison with the “direct” Fick method. (in Russian language)Ĭharloux A, Lonsdorfer-Wolf E, Richard R, Lampert E, Oswald-Mammosser M, Mettauer B, et al. An attempt to quantify assessment of the central and peripheral circulation by electrometrical method. Papers of particular interest, published recently, have been highlighted as: ![]() ![]() Aside from the CPython interpreter itself, this includes the Tkinter interface toolkit. IDLE is built entirely with components that ship with a default installation of Python. (See this page for interesting discussion of the recent efforts to improve IDLE.) Still, IDLE remains one of the default options for Python developers to get a leg up with the language, and it has improved incrementally with each release of Python, especially with Python 3.5. ![]() However, IDLE is by no means a substitute for a full-blown IDE it’s more like a fancy file editor. IDLE, the development environment included with most every installation of Python, could be considered the default Python IDE. That said, IDLE is always there when you need it. Finally, IDLE is best reserved for quick-and-dirty scripting, and even on that count, it might take a backseat to a standalone code editor with a Python syntax plugin. Spyder is best suited to working with IPython or the other scientific-computing tools in distributions like Anaconda, rather than as a development platform for Python generally. Komodo deserves a close look from novices and experts alike. The Python incarnation of ActiveState’s Komodo IDE is a natural for those who have already used the Komodo IDE for some other language, and it has unique features (like the regular expression evaluator) that ought to broaden its appeal. If you’ve already mastered either of them, you’ll find it a great choice for Python work. However, they’re also sprawling, complex applications that come with a lot of cognitive overhead. Both are full-blown development environments - as full-blown as you’re going to find - that integrate Python quite nicely. LiClipse and the Python Tools for Visual Studio (PTVS) are good choices for developers already intimately familiar with Eclipse and Microsoft Visual Studio, respectively. Many of those features are available only in the for-pay version of the product, but there is plenty in the free version to help a fledgling developer get started. ![]() In fact, it sports some of the most useful features among all of the IDEs profiled here. ![]() ![]() It’s friendly to newcomers, but not hamstrung in its feature set. To that end, your choice of IDE may be determined by whether or not you have experience with another IDE from the same family.įor those who don’t have such experience, P圜harm is one of the best places to start. Each benefits a slightly different audience of Python developer, although many strive to be useful as universal solutions.Ī good number of the IDEs today are frameworks outfitted with plugins for specific languages and tasks, rather than apps written from the inside out to foster development in a given language. Some are multilanguage IDEs that have Python support through an add-on or a repackaging of another product with Python-specific extensions. These six IDEs with Python support cover the gamut of use cases. Python’s rise in popularity over the last several years has brought with it a strong wave of IDE support, with tools aimed both at the general programmer and those who use Python for tasks like scientific work and analytical programming. Of all the metrics you could use to gauge the popularity and success of a language, one surefire factor is the number of development environments available for it. ![]() ![]() ![]() It offers us dozens of torture elements sorted into categories and comes along with a very realistic physical behavior with the possibility to carry out all sorts of special moves, punches, kicks, and combos. or even launch an atomic bomb at him.įed up with life? Hate your boss? Let the steam off unleashing all your anger against this poor old ragdoll. we only have to move him around the screen to place him wherever we consider it more appropriate to receive shots or freeze him or scorch him or blaze him. In this casual game, we simply have to torture the ragdoll until we leave it KO, and that's not going to be too hard either. Here, we can sadistically punish a ragdoll with all kinds of torture elements: from throwing tomatoes at him to shooting at him with a flame-thrower. You will see the Kill the Buddy icon inside the emulator, double-clicking on it should run Kill the Buddy on PC or MAC with a big screen.įollow the above steps regardless of which emulator you have installed.Kick the Buddy is game for Android to unleash all your most primary and wild instincts without harming or damaging anyone.In case Kill the Buddy is not found in Google Play, you can download Kill the Buddy APK file and double-clicking on the APK should open the emulator to install the app automatically.Once you are logged in, you will be able to search for Kill the Buddy, and clicking on the ‘Install’ button should install the app inside the emulator.You will be asked to login into your Google account to be able to install apps from Google Play.Open the emulator software from the start menu or desktop shortcut on your PC.How to Download and Install Kill the Buddy for PC or MAC: ![]() ![]() Select an Android emulator: There are many free and paid Android emulators available for PC and MAC, few of the popular ones are Bluestacks, Andy OS, Nox, MeMu and there are more you can find from Google.Ĭompatibility: Before downloading them take a look at the minimum system requirements to install the emulator on your PC.įor example, BlueStacks requires OS: Windows 10, Windows 8.1, Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista SP2, Windows XP SP3 (32-bit only), Mac OS Sierra(10.12), High Sierra (10.13) and Mojave(10.14), 2-4GB of RAM, 4GB of disk space for storing Android apps/games, updated graphics drivers.įinally, download and install the emulator which will work well with your PC's hardware/software. Let's find out the prerequisites to install Kill the Buddy on Windows PC or MAC without much delay. The expressions on the buddy’s face while you do some epic damage are not only fun to see but are extremely addictive to play. The app is also light on your phone, doesn’t lag too much, and gives you smooth gameplay throughout. Kill The Buddy will let you have as much fun as you can. The unique gameplay and the arcade fun will let you explore as much as you can. The game is not only fun but it’s also interactive and interesting. They can give you creative ideas that will also let you kill the other buddy with ease. You can get your friends to give you the ultimate help that you need. You can kill all your buddies with the help of your friends. If you’re already tired of trying to kill the buddy and you want your friend’s help. This way, you can not only kill the buddy with your weapons, but you can do anything you want to it. You can now use limitless rockets, grenades, rifles, and even big bombs. You’re also given a ton of weapons and an unlimited supply of ammo. This game is a fun version of basically letting you do anything you want to kill the buddy. You can also toss in tons of weapons to kill the buddy. You can now explode, destroy, fire, shoot, smash, freeze and do anything that you want. The buddy will be tied to a target board, and you can do so much with it. You can now do as much as you can in the Kill The Buddy game. The Kill The Buddy game is the right game for you. If you’ve ever loved arcade games where you can play around with ragdolls and other fun toys to do as much damage as you can, then this game is for you. At the end of this article, you will find our how-to steps which you can follow to install and run Kill the Buddy on PC or MAC. However, if you ever wanted to run Kill the Buddy on Windows PC or MAC you can do so using an Android emulator. Yoko Games published Kill the Buddy for Android operating system(os) mobile devices. Free download Kill the Buddy for PC Windows or MAC from BrowserCam. ![]() ![]() (If you take a trip to Ballston Spa to visit Excellent Adventures, I’d suggest also stopping for food at either the nearby Whistling Kettle or Iron Roost, both amazing brunch spots.) ![]() Last but not least, Excellent Adventures has a decent collection of vintage toys for sale, and over the past few years, I’ve picked up some great ’80s/’90s G.I. I picked up a copy of the original Planet of the Apes book there and a few vintage issues of Isaac Asimov’s Science Fiction Magazine, a trove of early sci-fi dorkery. My favorite section? The shop’s always purchasing collections of vintage sci-fi/horror paperbacks (yes, books), which are on sale for super cheap. The best part? You can find affordable vintage comics, medium-range back issues, astronomically expensive key issues and all the latest issues, too. ![]() Excellent Adventures has a wonderful, wide selection of vintage and rare comic books from all the major series: Amazing Spider-Man, X-Men, The Incredible Hulk, Iron Man. For free.Įxcellent Adventures – Ballston Spa – I’m a huge fan of this place. Speaking of which, the last time I was there, he was like, “Do you read books?” And before I could answer “yes,” he handed me two from a recent collection he’d purchased. The great thing about Itskov is that he’s constantly purchasing collections and bringing in new inventory, so there’s a good chance that he’ll have a new store’s worth of stuff available every time you drop by. Every time I go to Al’s, I dig deeper into Itskov’s ocean of collectibles, last time bringing home some sealed packs, a few sets and a gaggle of single cards. Hey, you gotta start somewhere, right?Īl’s House of Sports Cards – Schenectady – I covered Alex Itskov’s Schenectady shop in last year’s 20th Anniversary Issue of saratoga living, and I’ve been back a bunch of times since reporting the story. I took it super seriously, and would always use the same tagline for his jewelry posts: “Buy this one for your loved one.” He still ribs me about how stupid that sounds-and in hindsight, I can’t help but agree. Nye still likes to joke about the time he hired me to write eBay descriptions for him back in the day (it was one of my first paid writing gigs!). Every time I set foot in there, it’s like catching up with old friends. Owner Dennis Nye and his longtime righthand man, Mark Mihalek, have an array of collectibles for sale besides cards, including collectible toys, sports memorabilia, comic books, stamps, rare coins and antique jewelry. I first started visiting The Vault circa 1988-89, and ever since, I’ve been buying baseball, football and basketball cards there. The Vault – Saratoga Springs – I have to give props to the OG. (Many, many more than there were in the city, for example.) So for all you collectors jonesing for your next big “find,” here’s a list of the top shops to geek out on in the Capital Region. Nowadays, I’m back living in the Capital Region, and I must say, I’m surprised at how many shops there are up here to satiate my collecting needs. Some of the loot I acquired: a 1964 Topps Sandy Koufax, 1980 Topps Larry Bird/Magic Johnson rookie card and a number of sealed complete sets from the rare Topps Tiffany run (a dealers’ incentive in the ’80s/’90s). But I got a hold of some pretty incredible stuff. I’d have to take the subway out to far reaches of Queens or Brooklyn to make the deals happen. Then, when I was living in New York City, post-college, I bought mostly private collections. I had a go-to place in New London, CT, when I was in college (Joydon’s House of Leisure, which is, sadly, gone). When I was growing up in Saratoga, I spent a decent chunk of my allowance money at Caroline Street collectibles hub, The Vault (see below). ![]() I’m a collector I can’t help myself.Ĭollecting has been a major part of every era of my life. ![]() (Fun fact: One of them was penned by world-famous horror author Stephen King.) Any space I inhabit eventually becomes a miniature museum. Joe toys my brother and I used to play with when we were kids. I also have a bobblehead of Red Sox star Xander Bogaerts on the windowsill, and a stack of hand-cut-out file cards from the G.I. Dig a little deeper, and you’ll find two sets of framed liner notes signed by one of my favorite musicians, Jay Farrar (he of Son Volt/Uncle Tupelo fame). Anyone who’s ever walked into my office at saratoga living will immediately notice the two framed items leaning against my window: A professional photograph taken of the celebration following the Boston Red Sox’s historic 2004 World Series win, with my man David “Big Papi” Ortiz in the center of the frame and a copy of the 1967 Thunderball soundtrack from my favorite James Bond movie. ![]() |