text:
Other Timelines drawing: basket of Albany prizes OR basket of Troy prizes
posted Aug 1, 2017
Other Timelines
Which way to go?
Drawing's closed! Winner's been emailed!
Congrats to Marshall, who won the Albany package of prizes because his randomly-selected comment was #94 -- an even number. If the randomly selected comment had been odd number, the winner would have gotten the Troy package.
It's Other Timelines week, so we thought it'd be fun to have a drawing -- with a little bit of a twist.
There will be one winner of this drawing, but two baskets of prizes:
Albany basket: $50 gift card for New World Bistro Bar, two tickets for a movie at The Spectrum with popcorn, a gift card for ice cream at Emack & Bolio's.
Troy basket: $50 gift card for Peck's Arcade, $50 in drink tickets for The Hill at Muza, a gift card for ice cream at the Dutch Udder.
Which basket will the winner get? The fickle hand of fate of will decide!*
To enter the drawing, please answer this question in the comments:
What's a local "what if" question that you'd love to know the answer to?
It could be something about a big event that did or did not happen, it could something in your neighborhood, or it could be something about a choice you made in your personal life. We'll draw one winner at random, and then fate will pick the prize.
As you know, New World Bistro Bar, The Spectrum, and Emack & Bolio's are all along Delaware Ave in Albany.
And, as you also know, Peck's Arcade is in downtown Troy, the Dutch Udder Craft Ice Cream recently opened on River Street in downtown Troy, and The Hill at Muza is a bar and beer garden just up the hill on Congress Street.
* The fickle hand of fate does have a method. Its choice will be determined by a detail related to your comment. Which detail? As is so often the case in life, you won't know until after the fact! (We'll reveal when we post the winner.)
Important: All comments must be submitted by noon on Friday, August 4, 2017 to be entered in the drawing. You must answer the question to be part of the drawing. (Normal commenting guidelines apply.) One entry per person, please. You must enter a valid email address (that you check regularly) with your comment. The winner will be notified via email by 5 pm on Friday and must respond by 5 pm on the following Monday.
What if the Capitol Region's cities -- Albany, Troy, Saratoga, and Schenectady -- could be connected by a train/subway network? (A girl can dream!)
... said Nicole on Aug 1, 2017 at 12:28 PM | link
What if Nipper the dog was actually Zipper the cat?
... said Adrienne Ostrove on Aug 1, 2017 at 12:37 PM | link
I'd love to have seen what would have happened to Schenectady, and the Capital Region in general, if GE had not moved their headquarters out of the city.
... said zas1214 on Aug 1, 2017 at 12:40 PM | link
How different would the city look or operate if there were 4-5 different mayors between 1983 and 2013 instead of 2?
... said Alex on Aug 1, 2017 at 12:45 PM | link
What would downtown Albany be like if the once proposed Aquarium at the proposed former site of the new convention center had gone through?
... said Jordan on Aug 1, 2017 at 12:52 PM | link
What if I-787 hadn't been built?
BONUS: What if Gen. John Burgoyne had made it all the way to Albany?
... said Joe Fusco on Aug 1, 2017 at 12:52 PM | link
My biggest question is what would Albany be like if 787 had never been built? Would we have a thriving riverside neighborhood like some other cities do? Not sure that there is an answer to that, but it's nice to dream.
... said Adam on Aug 1, 2017 at 12:54 PM | link
What if Nipper was a cat named...Cat Nipper?
... said Mike on Aug 1, 2017 at 12:54 PM | link
What if Troy actually approved something to be built at One Monument Square to replace the current vacant eyesore that replaced the previous eyesore that was City Hall?
... said Chris on Aug 1, 2017 at 1:07 PM | link
What if the Dutch had never surrendered the colony to the English? (Hint: bicycle infrastructure and extraneous vowels.)
... said Carl on Aug 1, 2017 at 1:20 PM | link
What if the British broke through at Saratoga? How well would Albany have fared as the redcoats marched on the objective of that campaign?
... said Dylan on Aug 1, 2017 at 1:21 PM | link
What if that giant concrete monstrosity of a building in downtown Albany got torn down and the space could become a small zoo?
... said Kathleen on Aug 1, 2017 at 1:22 PM | link
What if there was a vibrant downtown area in Albany?
... said ab on Aug 1, 2017 at 1:22 PM | link
My gut instinct here was the classic 787 question (but seriously though...what if we actually had a riverfront in Albany? *sigh*), but since that's already in the works...
What if Albany did have a major tourist attraction? What would the city look like/how would it be shaped differently? I live in Albany and I love it, but sadly when someone from out of town asked me the ONE thing to do in the area, I suggested Saratoga.
... said Kayla on Aug 1, 2017 at 1:22 PM | link
What if Albany never became the state capital?
... said Irene on Aug 1, 2017 at 1:25 PM | link
What if the Saratoga Race Course was in fact the oldest operating NASCAR race track in the country?
... said KGB on Aug 1, 2017 at 1:26 PM | link
What if Capitol-land hosted a major music festival? a la Bonaroo/Lollapollozza
... said Dan on Aug 1, 2017 at 1:26 PM | link
What if Lark Street from Washington Ave to Madison Ave was blocked off from vehicles and made into a pedistrian walkway?
... said Bonnie on Aug 1, 2017 at 1:28 PM | link
What if there was free parking everyday on every street in Albany, Schenectady and Troy?
... said Rich R on Aug 1, 2017 at 1:28 PM | link
What if Albany was able to get Amazon Prime Now? so that I could have all my favorite things from my last state now that we have ride sharing :)
... said Shannon on Aug 1, 2017 at 1:31 PM | link
What if the regional farmer's market had remained in Albany--in other words, what if the Menands Market were never built?
... said Ann on Aug 1, 2017 at 1:32 PM | link
What would of happened if Albany had built the aquarium instead of the convention center
... said Sue on Aug 1, 2017 at 1:32 PM | link
What if potholes never existed?
(auto repair conspiracy)
... said Michelle on Aug 1, 2017 at 1:32 PM | link
What if Troy was actually Schenectady and Albany was actually Saratoga and vice versa? Would those places maintain the history they have? Would the Albany race track be as popular?
... said CS on Aug 1, 2017 at 1:33 PM | link
What if there were a proper large-ish venue to dance at night in Albany or Troy, and not just Jupiter Hall at the mall?
... said Mee Lynn on Aug 1, 2017 at 1:33 PM | link
What if we could swim in the Hudson Downtown (albany or Troy) & had an urban beach front like in Chicago?
... said Kaira on Aug 1, 2017 at 1:35 PM | link
What if Central Ave had a median and U-turn lanes, similar to what they have in WNY? (Jefferson Rd. in Henrietta and Ridge Rd. in Greece)
... said Katie on Aug 1, 2017 at 1:36 PM | link
What if the Central Warehouse building had been purchased and renovated years ago, or demolished, or if the city picked that building for their graffiti mural project, which got put on a parking garage instead?
... said Dave on Aug 1, 2017 at 1:39 PM | link
What if SUNY CNSE had not been built? How different would the region's (especially Saratoga county) economy be today?
... said nmf on Aug 1, 2017 at 1:43 PM | link
What if a major sports team came to Albany?
... said Crystal on Aug 1, 2017 at 1:46 PM | link
What if Troy remained the "Hollywood on the Hudson" and had not become just another rust belt city?
... said Melissa on Aug 1, 2017 at 1:47 PM | link
What if we didn't have to worry about pollution in the Hudson??
... said Seth Hohenstein on Aug 1, 2017 at 1:51 PM | link
What if Lark Street was made into a pedestrian only zone?
... said Julie on Aug 1, 2017 at 1:52 PM | link
What if we replaced 787 with a walkable waterfront full of local businesses?
... said Jeff W on Aug 1, 2017 at 1:53 PM | link
What if there were no potholes on Delaware Ave?
... said John M. on Aug 1, 2017 at 1:57 PM | link
What if i really tried new food at either restaurant instead of safe boring choices? & yes 787 & actual riverfront are classuc "what ifs...."
What if Kingston had stayed the state capital and Albany was just another city? What would it be like without state government?
... said ACW on Aug 1, 2017 at 2:00 PM | link
What If... the unfinished road project I-687 that connected the airport (exit 3), downtown Albany, Rensselaer, etc. was finished instead of leaving fragments of bridges, roadways, tunnels, etc.?
http://alloveralbany.com/archive/2011/03/08/the-highway-that-was-almost-buried-under-washingto
... said Dave R. on Aug 1, 2017 at 2:01 PM | link
What if I had decided to attend UAlbany right out of high school instead of bouncing around at different colleges and eventually dropping out to get married?
What if Albany had a pro sports team?
... said Vanessa on Aug 1, 2017 at 2:04 PM | link
What if the Larkin wasn't deserted?
What if downtown Albany had a WEGMANS???
What would of become of Schenectady if Tesla's alternating-current (AC) system beat Edison's rival direct-current (DC) electric power?
... said Andrew Gregory on Aug 1, 2017 at 2:20 PM | link
What if Mayor Corning and the Democratic Machine had never come to power in Albany?
... said Greg Slocum on Aug 1, 2017 at 2:26 PM | link
What if Albany upgraded its traffic signals, replacing the completely ridiculously unnecessary ones at residential intersections with two/four-way stops, and synchronizing those along major at-grade thoroughfares (e.g., Western/Madison/Washington/Central) so less time was wasted waiting at red lights for no one to cross, while the one ahead of you is green and inevitably turns red once you get there, only to have you wait again for nobody?
What if Albany redesigns 787 and Albany's access to the waterfront?
... said Kelly on Aug 1, 2017 at 2:30 PM | link
What if Albany had a Wawa! (THE best gasstation/convenience store for those who aren't familiar)
... said WW on Aug 1, 2017 at 2:31 PM | link
What if they put an amusement park in Troy versus a movie theater? Zipline across the Hudson anyone? Or imagine the views from a London Eye sized ferris wheel!
... said AF on Aug 1, 2017 at 2:35 PM | link
What if 787 was never built next to the hudson?
... said Kerry on Aug 1, 2017 at 2:44 PM | link
What if I never transferred to SUNY Albany in the spring of 2001.
What if the Erie Canal had utilized the Susquehanna/Chemung instead of the Hudson/Mohawk?
... said Ed on Aug 1, 2017 at 2:44 PM | link
What if the Albany's leaders looked at other small to mid-size cities in the US and elsewhere that have experienced population, business, and popularity growth, learned what those cities did right, and aggressively instituted similar policies? Could Albany become the next great old American city?
... said Ryan on Aug 1, 2017 at 2:47 PM | link
What if Albany wasn't the capital of NYS? What kind of city would we be?
... said Amy on Aug 1, 2017 at 2:56 PM | link
What if the Pine Hills neighborhood had a really amazing bakery cafe?
... said Nomi on Aug 1, 2017 at 2:59 PM | link
What if the Rotterdam mall was revived - maybe with a Costco or Wegmans?
... said Jenn on Aug 1, 2017 at 2:59 PM | link
What if "All Over Albany" did not exist?? How would I know what to do with myself?
... said Ron on Aug 1, 2017 at 3:08 PM | link
What if Albany HS students & St. Rose shared programs.
What if instead of the 'lovely' rotaries sprinkled across the region, they installed functioning lights ?
I might be giving my spot away, but I totally agree w/ having a WaWa and a Wegmans.
... said dhv on Aug 1, 2017 at 3:30 PM | link
What if there was better public transportation in Albany?
... said Su on Aug 1, 2017 at 3:31 PM | link
What if Wegmans finally came to the Capital Region?
... said Darius on Aug 1, 2017 at 3:31 PM | link
What if Lark Street or Pearl became a hip, vibrant business district like downtown Troy
... said Diane on Aug 1, 2017 at 3:49 PM | link
What if Downtown Albany had free area-wide WIFI?
... said Tess on Aug 1, 2017 at 3:54 PM | link
What if Albany folks stop complaining about 787 and Empire state plaza for a day or two and try to address some true city problems instead? (first guess - "bring Wegmans in!" would become hot spot, true problems would remain untouched)
... said Mike on Aug 1, 2017 at 3:55 PM | link
What if the Livingston Ave Bridge was turned into Albany's own High Line?
... said Erica on Aug 1, 2017 at 3:58 PM | link
What if the Empire State Plaza had never been built?
... said Andrew on Aug 1, 2017 at 4:09 PM | link
What if the Albany train station was actually *in* Albany?
... said Rebecca on Aug 1, 2017 at 4:10 PM | link
What if State employees all took the month of August off, to go to the track?
... said Cynthia Freedman on Aug 1, 2017 at 4:13 PM | link
What if Albany were still named Beaverwyck?
... said Louis on Aug 1, 2017 at 4:24 PM | link
What if New York City was the capital of New York State and not Albany?
... said Michael Popowich on Aug 1, 2017 at 4:24 PM | link
What if I-787 was built in a different location, or if it was built underground similar to parts of I-93 in Boston or I-395 in Washington, D.C.?
... said Uncle Leo on Aug 1, 2017 at 4:31 PM | link
What if "The Office" had been set in Albany instead of Scranton? (Apparently Albany was the runner-up)
... said k on Aug 1, 2017 at 4:46 PM | link
What if Uber hadn't been approved in upstate NY before I was offered a new job in Albany?
... said Alex on Aug 1, 2017 at 5:07 PM | link
What if they rented out offices at the Plaza for overnight guests?
... said Bill on Aug 1, 2017 at 5:19 PM | link
What if all the eye sores and car dealerships on central/state just disappeared?
... said Sarah on Aug 1, 2017 at 5:29 PM | link
What if the Albany hospitals weren't built?
... said Shawn on Aug 1, 2017 at 6:20 PM | link
What if I hadn't returned to Albany after graduate school, and gone somewhere else instead?
... said Ellen on Aug 1, 2017 at 6:20 PM | link
What if there was a good central grocery store in downtown Troy?
... said Julia on Aug 1, 2017 at 6:29 PM | link
What if Albany was as big as NYC and NYC was just some small "downstate" city?
... said Nicole on Aug 1, 2017 at 7:29 PM | link
What would the area look like if there were no historical preservationists?
... said Tom on Aug 1, 2017 at 7:40 PM | link
... said Caroline on Aug 1, 2017 at 7:51 PM | link
what if a really good public transportation system had been implemented here years ago?
... said daf on Aug 1, 2017 at 7:56 PM | link
What if the Hudson river was never polluted and was commonly used to swim in?
... said Jacqueline on Aug 1, 2017 at 7:57 PM | link
What if Shades of Green had stayed opened?
... said Shaun on Aug 1, 2017 at 8:24 PM | link
What if more people took advantage of the free events in the capital region?
What if Albany/Schenectady/Troy had a world-class art museum?
... said Laura on Aug 1, 2017 at 8:29 PM | link
What if all the state employees who work in Albany lived in the city of Albany?
... said Mani on Aug 1, 2017 at 8:35 PM | link
What if the Troy Haymakers never disbanded?
Chris hoxsie, I was thinking similarly for Albany; Dutch or Algonquian retaining ownership.
... said Kyle Plante on Aug 1, 2017 at 8:41 PM | link
What if you could buy wine at the grocery store?
... said Leanne on Aug 1, 2017 at 9:02 PM | link
What if the trolley system never left?
... said Sita on Aug 1, 2017 at 9:11 PM | link
What if The Egg was shaped like an actual egg?
... said Nicky on Aug 1, 2017 at 9:23 PM | link
What if the Troy Proctor's never closed?
... said Kim on Aug 1, 2017 at 9:26 PM | link
What if Henry Hudson had been able to sail to his original destination and never sailed up what is now called the Hudson River?
... said Lynn on Aug 1, 2017 at 9:36 PM | link
What if Samuel Wilson was not identified as Uncle Sam, and Troy his home?
... said Sara on Aug 1, 2017 at 9:53 PM | link
What if Mazzone and the Mallozzis are actually the same company designed to look like they are competing with each other?
... said Marshall on Aug 1, 2017 at 9:58 PM | link
What if ESP was built along the river instead of in the middle of the city? Would the brownstones and historic homes that were demolished be in the most sought after neighborhood? Would it be easier to get between downtown and uptown on foot? Would the parking situation and bike infrastructure be better?
... said Tiffany Z. on Aug 1, 2017 at 10:23 PM | link
What if the Twin Bridges had four lanes instead of three lanes?
... said Jenn on Aug 1, 2017 at 11:03 PM | link
What if Cabela's had a store in Albany?
... said Bryon on Aug 1, 2017 at 11:16 PM | link
What is there was a gondola system connecting Albany and Troy?!
... said Amanda S. on Aug 1, 2017 at 11:22 PM | link
What if Washington Park started to have weekly music performances again
... said Jbird on Aug 1, 2017 at 11:40 PM | link
What if Albany had lovely downtown pedestrian-friendly streets filled with boutiques, fun and funky stores, cafes and restaurants? Also, what if more of our parking areas at malls, medical offices and supermarkets actually were garages instead of lots, so we would have protection from ice, snow, rain, heat, etc.? (Plus less land use.)
... said jo on Aug 2, 2017 at 7:02 AM | link
What if I had never moved to New York?
... said Linda on Aug 2, 2017 at 8:29 AM | link
What if I had chosen to live in Troy instead of Albany?
... said C on Aug 2, 2017 at 8:41 AM | link
What IF Sam Miller won this prize.....Would she drink at Muzak's or eat ice cream at Emack & Bolios?
... said Sam Miller on Aug 2, 2017 at 8:43 AM | link
What if I had chosen to live uptown instead of in Center Square?
... said Brad on Aug 2, 2017 at 8:46 AM | link
What if US Steel had never relocated from Troy to Pittsburgh?
... said Marco Romano on Aug 2, 2017 at 8:47 AM | link
what if both cities were more bike friendly?
... said spencer on Aug 2, 2017 at 8:53 AM | link
What if Troy never got as amazing as it is today? (I would be so sad.)
... said Tara on Aug 2, 2017 at 8:57 AM | link
What if there was a business district along the river line in both Albany and Troy providing an array of waterfront dining, shopping and entertainment??
... said Debi on Aug 2, 2017 at 9:05 AM | link
What if The Shirls was no longer president of RPI??
... said -R. on Aug 2, 2017 at 10:07 AM | link
What if I'd never moved here in the first place?
... said Adam on Aug 2, 2017 at 10:30 AM | link
What if we had access to the river? Would the hold vibe of Albany be changed? Would we be a boating, sunbathing, river-folk? Back in the golden age of Albany there was a yacht club! Would I not be able to afford my house if it had a river view?
... said Jenna on Aug 2, 2017 at 10:40 AM | link
What if Albany's premier park, Washington Park, were surrounded by protected bicycle lanes?
... said Jason on Aug 2, 2017 at 10:58 AM | link
What if Albany wasn't the capital?
... said Ryan on Aug 2, 2017 at 11:26 AM | link
What if CDPC was torn down and made into green space?
... said Dan on Aug 2, 2017 at 12:02 PM | link
With apologies to Rensselaer:
What if Troy was directly across the Hudson from Albany and it was actually just a larger vibrant city with a nice riverfront down the middle?
... said Jeff D on Aug 2, 2017 at 12:38 PM | link
What if Emma Willard didn't found her school in Troy?
... said Steve on Aug 2, 2017 at 12:46 PM | link
What if Lansingburgh had remained an independent municipality instead of being annexed by Troy in 1903?
... said Jennifer on Aug 2, 2017 at 12:56 PM | link
What if the area where 90 and 87 meet was made less complicated (thinking for the tourists, not the locals)? Can't tell you how many times I've had to explain Northway and Thruway thing to visiting family members.
... said Jen on Aug 2, 2017 at 12:58 PM | link
What if we invested in and revitalized Rensselaer, transforming it into an attractive community for businesses, start-ups, and professionals?
... said Angela on Aug 2, 2017 at 1:26 PM | link
What if 787 was not built, or built elsewhere, and we utilized the Hudson River like communities to our south?
... said jay pea on Aug 2, 2017 at 3:56 PM | link
What it Albany allowed kayak access to the Alcove reservoir? I'd be paddling there every day.
... said Lissa D'Aquanni on Aug 2, 2017 at 5:07 PM | link
What if Albany and Troy didn't have a river dividing them?
... said Heather on Aug 2, 2017 at 7:41 PM | link
What if Albany and Troy swapped restaurants?
... said Luke on Aug 2, 2017 at 7:47 PM | link
What if public concerts like Alive at 5 happened on weekends when people can actually attend and are not stuck in rush hour?
... said Jorge Diaz on Aug 2, 2017 at 8:12 PM | link
What if the state capital (and all of its jobs) moved out of Albany?
... said Joe on Aug 2, 2017 at 10:08 PM | link
What if someone actually tore down that hideous, vacant, concrete building that looms off of 787 (near Huck Finn's road). It seriously has GOT TO GO.
... said Summer Bliss on Aug 3, 2017 at 9:00 AM | link
What if train service had never been discontinued to Troy?
What if the Pioneer Coop had opened in 2015 instead of 2010?
... said Cmaxby on Aug 3, 2017 at 9:02 AM | link
What would have happened to the gondola proposal if ride sharing didn't get approved?
... said Chris on Aug 3, 2017 at 11:05 AM | link
What if Albany was the booming metropolis that NYC is?
What if Albany was a portal to another dimension?
What if Albany never instituted the permit parking system?
... said Alison on Aug 3, 2017 at 12:03 PM | link
What if, when I met my husband 20 yrs ago, I had moved to CA instead of him moving here? I could never leave the Capital District!
... said Naomi King on Aug 3, 2017 at 1:25 PM | link
What if Capital Region became a Foreign Trade Zone just like Austin TX is? Would out taxes be much lower? Would I have much easier time finding a good job?
... said Lucy on Aug 3, 2017 at 1:39 PM | link
What would America (and the world) look like if the Battle of Saratoga had gone the other way?
... said Parker on Aug 3, 2017 at 1:41 PM | link
What if: We converted all the state office buildings into covered outdoor areas and glass so we all saw some sunshine once in a while ...She typed while sitting at her cubicle :)
... said Faith on Aug 3, 2017 at 3:45 PM | link
What if: all the fountains had prevention methods to ensure nobody could pee in them
What if they had actually completed the South Mall Expressway, and there wasnt a bridge-stub to nowhere....
... said MO on Aug 3, 2017 at 9:26 PM | link
What would the Hudson waterfront look like (and the rest of Albany) if the river weren't cut off by the bypass?
... said Dan on Aug 4, 2017 at 8:42 AM | link
What would happen if Albany wasn't the Capitol? Without politics and the importance of government here, what type of city would it be?
... said alice on Aug 4, 2017 at 9:06 AM | link
What if urban renewal had never occurred?
... said Marie on Aug 4, 2017 at 9:52 AM | link
What if Sam Wilson had never been a meatpacker in Troy?
... said Katie on Aug 4, 2017 at 11:19 AM | link


VATICAN CITY - Pope Francis on Friday received staff and students from the Pontifical Maronite College here in Rome, telling them that these years of training were the foundation stone of their future as pastors in Lebanon and the whole of the Middle East.
Greeting seminarians and staff, Francis began by reflecting on the figure of St Maron and invited them to follow the example of this saint's qualities of faith and love which, he said, were pure sources for today's spiritually thirsty people.
In his speech to the seminarians, the pope warned against "the risk of being absorbed by the culture of the provisional and appearance. He added that these years of study were an opportunity to absorb "the antibodies against worldliness and mediocrity".
The pontiff also remarked that these years of formation were like a "Roman gymnasium", where, he said there was the help of God and staff to accompany them.
Pope Francis noted that those studying for the priesthood at the college were called to live at a time of suffering and dangers, but also in a time full of hope. "The people who will be entrusted to you, he said, disoriented by the instability that unfortunately continues to affect the Middle East", will look to you as pastors for consolation.
In his speech the pope told those present that he wanted to share two wishes with them, the first being the desire for peace.
Quoting St John Paul II, the pope expressed the hope that in their land of Lebanon these seminarians would work to ensure that the country would always correspond "to its vocation of being a light for the peoples of the region and a sign of peace that comes from God" .
The second wish, he said, concerned young people, adding that they needed to be accompanied with trust and patience.
Young people, Pope Francis underlined, "are the promise of the future, the most serious investment for your ministry." In conclusion the pope entrusted to this Maronite community the protection of Our Lady of Lebanon and their great saints.


text:
Favorite Backstories: Goodfellas (A Series)
Let's talk backstories! In my last article I said that I wasn't going to make a TOP 10 BACKSTORIES out of principle just because I have wasted so many hours falling for clickbait that I never agree with. Instead, I'm just going to share my favorites (in no particular order)! But before I get to the first one I wanted to write about, let's talk about the idea of backstories and the role they play in movies.
When creative direction takes this step of "we need a backstory," it makes an attempt to tell the audience exactly what they need to know about a character's past in hope to link the audience to the role it will play in that character's future (but this can also be done with governments, countries, rebellions and any number of things).
While this step is necessary, there is definitely an art to making a backstory serve its purpose. Because every minute you spend on a backstory - can rob the audience of the actual story you came to tell. And with movies, there is definitely a time crunch to keep the run time a certain length. But there are many films that strike this balance perfectly and this is one of my favorites!
I have covered Braveheart and now I want to dive into another classic...
So this is a big one for me, because of the Martin Scorsese films... this one is actually not that high on my list. And that has more to do with personal preference than a movie critique, and lets be honest.. there are SO MANY good films on his resume to pick from.
But while this movie is not that that high on my list, this backstory is pure gold!
With this crime genre, there is classic story telling pattern of the good old days, the rise to power, and then the collapse of an empire. With the opening scene - the audience gets thrown right in the middle!
To start, we see Joe Pesci, Ray Liotta, and Robert De Niro driving in the dead of night when they casually pull over to investigate a sound coming from the the trunk of the Pontiac.
What stands out to me in this scene, as the star studded cast stares at the movement coming from the trunk, is that each character has his role: you have Joe Pesci with a knife, De Niro with a Gun, and Liotta with the keys to the trunk, all the while being engulfed in a villainous red coming off the Pontiac tail lights. Each knows their part and executes what they believe needs to happen. Ray Liotta casually opens the trunk with the keys once his partners give him the go ahead followed by a "double tap" of stabs from Pesci and gun shots from De Niro. Once the trio complete "their jobs," Ray Liotta closes the trunk AND the scene with the infamous line:
"As far back as I can remember, I always wanted to be a gangster."
So now this leads us from the where we know this story is going, to more of its humble beginnings, when Henry (Ray Liotta) was a kid in Brooklyn. We first see Henry on the outside of the gangster paradise looking out his window wanting to be like Pauli and Tuddi because they were respected, they could double park, and play cards without getting in trouble. And through the eyes of a kid, these men seemed larger than life both physically and societally. This is brilliantly illustrated in the mere stature of these kinds of men, and how the car struts flexed as one of these figures got out of the car. Then this is also narrated perfectly when Ray Liotta said:
"Pauli might have moved slow... but that was just because Pauli didn't have to move for anybody."
What I find fascinating about this character study of Henry Hill, is that he always knew that his trajectory of moving up in the world would be capped in this life (as he was not full Sicilian). But he simply started from the bottom and wanted to move up as far as he could. Simply, he just wanted to be a part of their world.
So from there we see him meeting the big players in the crime ring, parking Cadillac's, following Tuddi with an umbrella to make his home visits to Pauli to deliver messages. And he learned "to score a dollar here, a dollar there." And as he became addicted to the hustle, his parents found out he was skipping school to hustle even more - which lead Tuddi and his gang to stop all post office deliveries to the Hill Household. And that, in turn, was what Henry always wanted... respect and the security to do whatever he wanted. In that scene where Tuddi and the "Organization" threaten to shove the mailman's head in the oven, Henry also received the validation that he was a valued member of the crew.
And now that Henry is in, we dive into the study of Pauli and why he is so important to this community. Pauli provided protection for the wise guys that could not go to the police. And Pauli held all of his meetings one on one so that people could not hear what he was actually saying. And this harks back to another Sicilian Crime Lord... Don Corleone. When he most famously said to Santino... "Never tell anyone outside the family what you are thinking again." - Same Mindset.
At thirteen years old, Henry didn't have to wait in lines at the bakery and was making more money than most grownups in his neighborhood. He had it all... or at least he thought he did... until he met Jimmy Conway (De Niro).
A legend in his late 20s after all the crimes he pulled off as a teenager, Jimmy tipped everyone he met $100 when walking into the bar. And for guy who was also part Irish, he couldn't climb the FULL ladder (you needed to be 100% Italian to be "made")... Henry saw the new status threshold he wanted to hit.
And another thing on Jimmy Conway... He also wore a bright blue suit which stands out from the black, brown and grey oxfords that the family wears. Which makes him seem like an outsider, but also an outsider that Henry wants to become.
So, Pauli made the introduction... Jimmy slipped him a couple $20s and Henry became part of his crew. And this is where he also met Tommy (Joe Pesci), who was in a lot of ways the heir to the empire (100% Italian and could be traced back to the old country)... but starting from the bottom, he worked for Jimmy. And alongside Henry, they hustled cigarettes from stolen truckloads of none other than Jimmy, and on one of those jobs... Henry got pinched. Which at the time seemed like a bad thing, but in a lot of ways made him an unofficial part of the family.
When he left the courtroom Jimmy put his arm around him and said:
Jimmy Conway: "Congratulations. And here's your graduation present (slips him a couple $100s this time, as opposed to the $20s before)
Henry Hill: "What For? I got Pinched?"
Jimmy Conway" "Everyone Gets Pinched, but you did it right. You told them nothing and they got nothing."
Henry Hill: "I thought you'd be mad?!"
Jimmy Conway: "Mad? I'm not mad, I'm proud of you! You took your first pinch like a man, and you learned the two greatest things in life: Never Rat On Your Friends... And Always Keep Your Mouth Shut."
And as Jimmy Conway walks Henry out of the courtroom, he is greeted by the whole family with hugs and applause and embraced as one of their own.
And then comes one of the most iconic pan shots! We see a pan shot of Henry fully grown into the role (as we briefly glimpsed in the opening scene). We see brown loafers pan up to his fitted suit and Ray Liotta taking a drag on a cigarette in the airport about to make a Jimmy Conway type Hustle with his partner in crime... Tommy.
And that's the opener! It is packed with how the family operates, why they respect Henry as an "outsider," and the infamous line from Robert De Niro, "Never rat on your friends... and always keep your mouth shut." And while this code keeps everyone together for a while... these stories always take a fall when someone wants to make their empire just a little bigger and will cross any line to make it so....
Love this backstory and is such a critical part of the movie setup. And I will be the first to say that my personal rating of this movie drops during the crumble of the empire. I know that is part of the story, but there is a large part of me that wants a few more minutes in the sun. And that is what this intro provides.
To see where Goodfellas ranks on my top 100 greatest movies of all time... follow the link!
Joe Pesci
Actor Spotlight: Florence Pugh (Little Women)
Best Intros: The Dark Knight
Best of 2019: Little Women

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Q: How can I modify my javascript to scroll less by 60px I have an iFrame using some js to enable scrolling within an Advanced iFrame that auto resizes the frame.
My issue is that while the code below works well, it scrolls too far. It doesn't take account for my menu bar which is 60px high.
Issue can be seen here https://www.rosentreter.website/family-tree/ after selecting an alphabet letter.
How can I modify the code top.offset to reduce it by 60px? I've tried everything...
Using the library jquery-1.7.2.min, my code is as follows:
$(function() {var iframeOffset = $("#gramps", window.parent.document).offset();
  $("a").each(function () {
    var link = $(this);
    var href = link.attr("href");
    if (href && href[0] == "#") {
      var name = href.substring(1)
      $(this).click(function () {
          var nameElement = $("[name='" + name + "']");
          var idElement = $("#" + name);
          var element = null;
          if (nameElement.length > 0) {
             element = nameElement;
          } else if (idElement.length > 0) {
             element = idElement;
          }
           if (element) {
             var offset = element.offset();
              window.parent.scrollTo(offset.left, offset.top + iframeOffset.top);
           }
           return false;
       });
      }
   });
});

A: whan I changed this part of code your pace works pretty well
window.parent.scrollTo(offset.left, offset.top + iframeOffset.top-60);

full code
$(function() {var iframeOffset = $("#gramps", window.parent.document).offset();
  $("a").each(function () {
      var link = $(this);
      var href = link.attr("href");
      if (href && href[0] == "#") {
          var name = href.substring(1);
          $(this).click(function () {
              var nameElement = $("[name='" + name + "']");
              var idElement = $("#" + name);
              var element = null;
              if (nameElement.length > 0) {
                  element = nameElement;
              } else if (idElement.length > 0) {
                  element = idElement;
              }
               if (element) {
                  var offset = element.offset();
                  window.parent.scrollTo(offset.left, offset.top + iframeOffset.top-60);//Changed!!
              }
               return false;
          });
      }
  });
});

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


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