Alfred E. Smith Building

The Alfred E. Smith Building, known officially as the Alfred E. Smith State Office Building and sometimes called simply the Smith Building, is a structure located in downtown Albany, New York across the street from the New York State Capitol and One Commerce Plaza.

The building’s namesake, Alfred Emmanuel Smith, was a four-term governor of New York and the Democratic Party’s nomination for the 1928 presidential election. The Art Deco skyscraper has 34 stories and at 388 feet (118 m) is Albany’s second tallest structure (after the Erastus Corning Tower).

Completed in 1928, it houses offices of the New York State government. Built originally with an observation deck on the 31st floor, the 350-foot-high (110 m) open-air deck was closed in 1976 when the 589-foot-tall (180 m) 42nd floor enclosed Corning Tower Observation Deck was opened. An extensive renovation of the building began in 2002. This modernization, which cost at least $103 million, is now finished.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfred_E._Smith_Building

March 29, 2016 Evening

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Good evening on this clear and chilly evening. The mercury reads 45 degrees but it is breezy making it feel cold out at the bus stop. Tonight we are looking at freezing temperatures, with mercury expected to drop to 26. The wind is expected to die down somewhat after dark. By the time you read this post, it will be twilight but darkness won’t overcome the landscape in Albany until 7:47 PM. We are almost at the last quarter moon, it will rise around midnight.

In case you didn’t realize, tomorrow is Hump Day. Going to be a nice day for the Hump, with sunny conditions and temperatures around 56 without that biting wind. Maybe March will end like a lamb but April will start as a lion. The high for Sunday April 3rd is expected to be 33 degrees which is 22 degrees below normal. The Sunday night look for 21 degrees as a low. Not a record breaking low, but only 6 degrees above the record low of 16 degrees set back in 1954.

It was a good if not real exciting day at work. Things kept moving slowly long as we head towards the frigid weekend and trout fishing season. Warmer weather will be upon us before you know, the aggression of winter must succumb to the increasing sun angle. Gas prices are already going up in preparation for summer driving season and the need for gasolines that reduce smog.

March 11, 2016 Night

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Good evening! Currently partly clear and 38 degrees with a 8 mph northwest wind. The wind chill value is currently 32. Not unusually cold for this time of year but we’ve forgotten in recent days what is normal for this time of year.

Tonight will be mostly clear, with a low around 30. Northwest wind 5 to 9 mph becoming calm after midnight. That’s about 6 degrees above normal. The record low of -12 degrees was set back in 1948.

Tonight will have 12 hours and 11 minutes of darkness, a decrease of 2 minutes and 54 seconds over last night. Tomorrow the sun will rise at 6:09 am with the first light at 5:41 am, which is 1 minutes and 43 seconds earlier then today.

Earlier tonight we had a Waxing Cresent Moon with 19% illuminated. It set around 8:19 pm. It was a pretty little sucker tonight. Tomorrow the moon will be up until 9:09 pm. The First Quarter Moon is next Friday and the March’s Full Worm Moon is on March 22nd.

Saturday will be sunny, with a high near 60. Calm wind becoming south 5 to 9 mph in the morning. That’s about 17 degrees above normal. The record high of 69 degrees was set back in 2012.

The average high in four weeks on Saturday April 9th is 55 degrees, and the record for that date is 88 degrees was set back in 1929.

Feeling a little under the weather with allergies this evening. Heading to bed early then may head out to Schoharie County tomorrow for camping and hiking depending how I feel in the morning.

Already set my clocks back and hours and are in bed ready to go to sleep shortly. To get a jump on the day tomorrow, I’ve set my alarm clock for 6 AM. Figure it’s good to get into the habit of early rising before Monday. Plus if I decide on camping, I want to get an early start.

I hope you had a good week. The weekend is here. Relax. And sleep well!

February 23, 2016 Evening

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Good evening ! Currently 37 degrees and overcast with a 3 mph north wind. The wind chill value is currently 35.

Tonight look for snow before 3am, then snow and sleet likely between 3am and 4am, then periods of sleet after 4am. Low around 31. East wind 5 to 7 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New snow and sleet accumulation of 1 to 2 inches possible. Careful out there, it could get quite icy.

Tonight will have 13 hours of darkness, a decrease of 2 minutes and 49 seconds over last night.

If you can see the moon through the clouds, we will have a Waining Gibbous Moon with 93% illuminated. It will rise at 6:28 pm. The Last Quarter Moon is next Tuesday and the New Moon is on March 9th.

It looks like we will have a very nice weekend on tap. Saturday will be mostly sunny, with a high near 40. Saturday Night will be mostly cloudy, with a low around 28. Sunday will be partly sunny, with a high near 45.

One day closer to the weekend. That’s a good thing. Tomorrow is going sloppy commute to work. But we will see.

I hope your Tuesday is going well. Have a great evening!

February 16, 2016 Evening

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Good evening on this Tuesday after Presidents Day. Currently partly cloudy and 53 degrees in Albany. It has cleared out since the heavy rain that melted away this morning’s snow and ice.

Tonight we have a Waxing Gibbous Moon with 59% illuminated, setting around 1 AM. At times look for rain showers, possibly mixing with snow after 10pm, then gradually ending. Low around 30. West wind 6 to 15 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. Little or no snow accumulation expected.

In four weeks on March 15 the sun will be setting at 7:02 pm, which is 34 minutes later then today. That’s Daylight Savings Time. There are 4 months, 2 days until Go Fishing Day. when the sun will be setting at 8:36 pm.

Very little traffic on the way home on the 787, because a lot of state workers take this week off and school is not in session. I expect to get home fairly early tonight.

Been studying up on HDTV tuners and over the air antennas, but I still don’t know if I want television in my home. I know it will work with my monitor as I confirmed it has HDCP. I’m a bit worried that the tuner won’t last because while many of the reviews are good, some aren’t. At worse I guess I’m out $30. I know Staples has free recycling of e-waste but I don’t want to buy garbage. But there isn’t much better on the Internet. Likewise, I still aren’t sure I want TV in my home, even if I only plan to watch it rarely. I can leave the monitor off to save energy and only use the sound. It’s just a lot to think about.