The I Love NY Film Winners

The official tourism website of New York State, I Love NY, has announced the winners of the Short Film Contest. Here’s the video that won first place for the Western Region, by Ben Porcari of Buffalo, NY. He did a fabulous job highlighting the variety of thigs to do in New York State. (And thank God it wsn’t ONLY about New York City!!)

I Love New York – Western Region/Viewers’ Choice Award – Watch the best video clips here

This one by Sean Cunningham of Syracuse is my favorite, though. It’s thoughtful and beautiful. And very inspiring. He won first place for New York’s Central Region. Very nice.

Discover a Different New York – Grand Prize/Central Region Award – Celebrity bloopers here

People made some terrific videos! There are 6 first prize winners for each of New York’s 6 regions. Check them out, they are all very enjoyable.

The Onion News: Nothing to Live For

OH MY GOSH. This is one of the funniest videos I have ever seen! It’s by The Onion and I found it at akaGaGa’s blog. You MUST SEE this! lolol

Obama Win Causes Obsessive Supporters To Realize How Empty Their Lives Are

If you are one of those rare people who get offended by it (especially if you are one of those peeps who also Photoshopped a lipsticked pig on Sarah Palin’s body), then you have no sense of humor!! Come on, have fun! This is just too funny.

Biking Across Upstate NY

Found these videos online. WOW! They are really interesting to watch. These guys bicycled the path of the old Erie Canal of Upstate New York, from Buffalo to Albany. That’s over 400 miles! Much of the original Erie Canal is now gone, although some old tow paths and locks remain. These guys traveled through the multitude of little towns and larger cities that grew prosperous from the Canal, built in the 1820s.

The videos give a very brief, first-impressionistic look on our Upstate towns and cities. I think the bicyclists captured the feel of Upstate pretty well. And yeah, when it rains, it pours. Sorry about your sleeping bag, man.

After the great Adirondacks, the most beautiful area of the state is in the mid-western section of Upstate New York, the area known as the Finger Lakes region. It is extremely fertile and has been very well-maintained for the hundreds of years it has been settled. The land from Seneca Falls to Rome, NY, is amazing in a car. It must be stunning by bike.

As an interesting sidenote, I was born in Cayuga County and spent the first years of my life in the area. My ancestors has settled it hundreds of years previously. My great-great grandfather was one of the first caretakers of the Montezuma Wildlife Refuge/Howland’s Island area that the video showcases here.

Part two of the video is from Utica to Albany. This section of New York State was once known as it most industrious. Thousands of textile mills and manufacturing sites were maintained here, from the early 1800s to the 1940s. After World War II and especially after political changes made to Upstate, our economic climate has become severely darkened. I think the descriptions in the video are an accurate picture of the eastern section of Upstate.

These guys bicycle all over the world! I am SO jealous, lol. Here’s the guy’s site if you want more.

No Video

Hmmm. I tried uploading another video from our trip to the Erie Canal Village in Rome, NY, and it wouldn’t “go.” It’s a rather large video, something like 800 MB and 8 minutes long. But it was uploading for 12 hours, and I had to stop it. Wow. Is this normal?! I have DSL and I know my upload speed is pretty lousy, but… wow. I hope to try again later.