New York
updated
9:30 a.m.
Last we'd officially heard, there'd be news about Steve Lucente's proposed Varna II (or whatever he'll call it) project in " two to three weeks ". That was about six weeks ago. I hadn't seen anything new from Lucente, but apparently he submitted an application that didn't get far enough to be officially accepted. I wrote the Zoning department to ask what was up, and Kevin Ezell replied: ...
Living in Dryden - 9:29 a.m.
Ruben Diaz and Sheldon Silver-supported Richard Brodsky came out yesterday as the only AG candidate to oppose the Park51 project, and threw in some old-fashioned Muslim-hating for good measure: The mosque being built in that area is offensive to me Well, as least I know who I don't want to be the next Attorney General. ...
The Albany Project - 8:48 a.m.
Because of this: "Pedro's going to win. I'm going to win. And we're going to come back stronger, faster and better," said Diaz, who remains the only elected official to have endorsed Espada. This is footage of Pedro's victory party in 2008: If the two jokers in the 32nd and 33rd districts get re-elected, it will send a message to every member of the legislature that they can get...
The Albany Project - 8:48 a.m.
Don't look now folks, but Charlie Ramos just scored a major endorsement in his progressive, reform-oriented campaign against Rev. Ruben Diaz Sr. Today El Diario, the spanish-speaking paper of record in New York, endorsed Charlie in his bid for the State Senate. The endorsement focused more on Charlie's community involvement and record of civic engagement while noting that Diaz Sr. simp...
The Albany Project - 7:48 a.m.
Weather is really strange. There are five named storms roaming the Atlantic right now. The biggest, hurricane Earl, is about to scrape the Outer Banks of North Caolina and could even pose a threat to New York City by Friday afternoon. Tropical storm Fiona looks destined to strike Bermuda. Tropical storm Gaston is foaming up the central Atlantic and a...
Simply Left Behind - 6:24 a.m.
Few things are as pathetic as failed politicians grasping at whatever straws they can to remain relevant and settle old political scores. That’s why news we received out of North Tonawanda made us laugh—until we considered the costs to taxpayers. Once again, we find a NT public-sector union boss digging in to continue government employees’ outrageous benefits—even if it means scr...
Niagara Times - 6:23 a.m.
I went up to the town of Mendon today to speak to the Code Enforcement Officer/Building Inspector to ask about next Spring’s chickens. While there, we got talking about other local people who have free range eggs for sale. One of the places that I mentioned, the Code Officer, Tommy, said, “How about that place? [...] Related posts: My New Toy - A Reel Mower This Organic Lawn:...
Rochester Turning - Wed 10:22 p.m.
(where are the feminists? why aren't we marching in the streets to stop this heinous and barbaric practice on American soil?! Isn't FEMINISM the notion that WOMEN ARE PEOPLE TOO!) by Cinnamon Stillwell Throughout the United States, Canada, and Europe, young Muslim women are being targeted for violence. Lest it be thought hate crimes are to blame, it is, in fact, their own rela...
Barbara's Tchatzkahs - Wed 10:22 p.m.
With less than two weeks until the primary, each of the five Democrats running for attorney general struggles to emerge from the pack. But are the voters listening?...
Gotham Gazette - Wed 9:20 p.m.
NY-20 Rep. Scott Murphy represents the most Republican-by-registration district in New York, and like his NY-20 predecessor now-Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, joined the Blue Dog Coalition. Though Murphy has supported all the major Obama/Democratic initiatives (stimulus bills, HCR, financial regulation, cap-and-trade, etc.), he is more sensitive to the concerns of small business owners and mor...
The Albany Project - Wed 7:05 p.m. - 5 clicks 
Perhaps the two biggest bigwigs in the Bronx Party organization have come down on the right side: Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz, Jr. and Assemblymember Jeffrey Dinowitz endorsed Gustavo Rivera for State Senate today, the latest endorsements for Rivera's surging campaign against scandal-ridden incumbent Senator Pedro Espada. Borough President Ruben Diaz, Jr. said: "It is time for change i...
The Albany Project - Wed 3:20 p.m. - 6 clicks
Something that has been dreamed about since TR Gallo took office, was the chance to take a ferry to Rhinecliff from Kingston, starting from our very own Rondout Harbor. Well, it looks like that dream has finally been realized. The unveiling of just such a ferry happened only days ago and was featured on YNN this past weekend. It's a small boat that can hold about 40 people owned by Sandy Henn...
Kingston Progressive - Wed 3:04 p.m. - 4 clicks
It appears voters have finally made the connection between the dysfunction in Albany and their own legislator that they keep sending there year after year: Worst Score Ever for State Legislature New York State voters disapprove 75 - 15 percent of the job the State Legislature is doing, matching the 76 - 16 percent disapproval from a June 23 Quinnipiac University poll for the worst overall ne...
The Albany Project - Wed 2:09 p.m. - 6 clicks
Charlie Ramos is having a small-dollar fundraiser tonight. With less than 2 weeks until the primary, he can use all the help he can get in order to defeat one of the worst, most disgusting bigots in office in the entire country. You can RSVP here: Come out and support Charlie Ramos in his efforts to defeat Ruben Diaz Sr. Diaz is the number one obstructionist for Equality in NY. ...
The Albany Project - Wed 1:22 p.m.
A friend sent this to me the other day. They came across this old video which brought back some great memories. I truly enjoy representing the people of the 28th district and it is my pleasure to continue to meet each and every one of you. I hope that you can make it to my ice cream social on September 27th, 2010. Click here for the invitation ...
Congresswoman Louise Slaughter - Wed 1:22 p.m.
While cleaning out piles of paper that used to live in my office a few weeks ago, I found the abstract of title for my house . It's a history of transactions for the property, going back to 1900 with a brief stop in 1875. I won't repeat all of it here - lots of it is legalese and contracts - but there are interesting pieces throughout. November 18, 1875 Mortgage to secure $1000, by Mar...
Living in Dryden - Wed 10:47 a.m.
Hempstead Proposes Tough New Law to Control Cell Towers, Hire Wireless Communications Expert Making telecommunications giants meet the highest standard of proof in establishing the need for new cell towers as well as ensuring that approved wireless communications equipment is located at sites that minimize negative impacts on local communities are the motivation behind a new proposal by Hemps...
The Community Alliance - Wed 9:26 a.m. - 5 clicks
Imagine a nation where a business owner apologizes to his employees for harming them? Welcome to Chile ! Contrast that with the ham-handed way Massey Energy handled the West Virginia mine collapse in April of this year. Or the International Coal Groups' handling of 2006's Sago Mine Disaster. &nbs...
Simply Left Behind - Wed 6:42 a.m.
I just posted on the New York State traffic count map , and then I looked down the road to see a traffic counter. There's not a whole lot to it, but this is how those numbers get created. Waiting for a car. Counting a car. The brains (really memory) of the traffic-counting operation. ...
Living in Dryden - Wed 6:09 a.m. - 4 clicks
I really hate mosquitos, and news that bats are in severe decline because of white-nose fungus worries me: populations of little brown myotis in the 115 hibernation locations the study covered were falling at rates ranging from 33 percent to 99 percent per year, with an average decline for the Northeast of 73 percent each year. Slightly more than 1 million bats have vanished in the past ...
Living in Dryden - Wed 6:09 a.m.
"We cannot buy our security, our freedom from the threat of the bomb by committing an immorality so great as saying to a billion human beings now enslaved behind the Iron Curtain, 'Give up your dreams of freedom because to save our own skins, we're willing to make a deal with your slave masters.' Alexander Hamilton said, 'A nation which can prefer disgrace to danger is prepared for a master, ...
Niagara Times - Wed 5:10 a.m.
Senator Kirsten Gillibrand will be kicking off her statewide agricultural listening tour this Thursday in Dryden, at 1:00pm at the Jerry Dell Farm, 276 Simms Hill Road. Tonight, there's a forum for Sheriff candidates Peter Meskill and Ken Lansing , who will face each other in the Democratic primary September 14th and in November. There's also a piece on their thoughts on how better to c...
Living in Dryden - Wed 5:10 a.m.
Sept 14th is primary day in New York. both major parties have primaries. On the GOP side there is to governors race on the Democratic side - 5 people are vying for the Democratic Line for Attorney General. Last night, there was what passes for a candidate debate - (more like Q&A) . So, who are you [...] Related posts: you .'>NYS Attorney General Cuomo visits you . Who do you want in...
Rochester Turning - Wed 4:47 a.m. - 6 clicks
This year's free performances brought funding challenges for organizers, angry disputes over noise and even a fight about prison labor. But most New Yorkers just enjoyed the show....
Gotham Gazette - Tue 9:03 p.m. - 6 clicks
Today's Journal has a report on Karen Rachetta, Dryden High School's new principal . The EPA forum on hydrofracking that was cancelled in August is now rescheduled for September 13th and 15th in Binghamton . There are more speaker slots available to those who call in Friday. ...
Living in Dryden - Tue 2:41 p.m. - 16 clicks
Media Coverage of Dark Horse Challenge Intensifies Breslin Accepts Challenge To Debate Martland In the race between 14-year incumbent Assitant Majority Leader Neil Breslin and his primary challenger Luke Martland news has been constant and consistent in the past week. So much so that infrequent as-it-happens or after-the-fact updates are implausible. So begins the SD-46 State of ...
The Albany Project - Tue 10:29 a.m. - 2 clicks
Tompkins County Legislators will be hosting a meeting Thursday night to discuss the upcoming 2011 budget at the Dryden Community Center Cafe : Dryden Community Meeting on the 2011 County Budget - Thursday, September 2 The latest in a series of community meetings to discuss next year's County budget is coming up Thursday evening, September 2 in Dryden. The meeting will be held at the Dry...
Living in Dryden - Tue 10:00 a.m. - 7 clicks
I wrote about the dumbing down of “Merica” two days ago. NewLeftMedia has a video of interviews at the “Restoring Honor” rally, which illustrates my point. just scary. Please, somebody, get these people a mirror! Related posts:In Case You Missed it… the rest…In Case You Missed It…Glenn Beck and Sarah Palin along with the FDA have officially [...] Rel...
Rochester Turning - Tue 7:47 a.m. - 3 clicks
This morning's Q-Poll is kinda sad. The controversy surrounding a proposed mosque near Ground Zero leaves New York State voters with conflicting opinions about religious freedom and the sensitivities of the families of 9/11 victims, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released today. By a 54 - 40 percent majority, voters agree "that because of American freedom of religion, Muslims have ...
The Albany Project - Tue 7:05 a.m. - 7 clicks
If Sen. Antoine Thompson fails in his bid for re-election (which's he's " very committed to "), we're truly going to miss him here at Niagara Times. The Buffalo Democrat is the political gift that keeps on giving. Here he is, back in January, talking about his planned accomplishments for the year ahead: So, how'd all that work out? Let's see... Property Tax relief . Nope . Em...
Niagara Times - Tue 6:07 a.m. - 6 clicks
Well, yet another Democratic caucus idea dies a quiet death in the Monroe County Legislature. It is simple - Local Development Corporations (LDCs) are created by the County Government. They incur debt. The current requirement by the county government to incur debt requires a 2/3 majority vote of the County Legislature. So - what if the [...] Related posts: LDCs- Everything is illuminated, o...
Rochester Turning - Tue 4:21 a.m. - 2 clicks
Ethics and the economy dominate the hard-fought contest in Upper Manhattan to replace State Sen. Eric Schneiderman....
Gotham Gazette - Mon 9:00 p.m. - 8 clicks
How many cars go by every day? Well, New York State seems to think about 7,383 pass my house each day. It could be worse - the 13/366 overlap has 18126, and Route 13 between there and the Village of Dryden shows 14,253. The Department of Transportation has put together a searchable map of traffic counts . This shows the greater Dryden area: State highway traffic counts ( Click to...
Living in Dryden - Mon 7:29 p.m. - 7 clicks
When I was buying my house, there was a small problem. The mortgage folks wanted a water test, and we hadn't done one. Why hadn't we done one? Because although the house has a well, it only goes to the garden faucets these days. It's on Bolton Point water, and connected to the sewer system as well. That got us through that hoop, though it also took a few years before I could convince my insur...
Living in Dryden - Mon 7:29 p.m. - 2 clicks
Ithaca Democratic Socialists of America Presents #462: "Demand Jobs Now" Joseph Schwartz points to how many are unemployed and how long they have been unemployed as indicators of how bad the economic situation is. The federal government could make things much better with a serious job creation program, but the feds are not likely to act until they feel pressure from people in the str...
Ithaca Action Network - Mon 5:26 p.m. - 6 clicks
Near the end of the July meeting on the proposed zoning , builder Bruno Schickel asked why the tables in Sections 605 and 606 set a limit of four units per acre on individual single-family homes. Other approaches in those tables, which I thought allowed far too much density period, allowed up to ten units per acre. While I understood (though disagreed with) most of Schickel's other points,...
Living in Dryden - Mon 2:43 p.m. - 2 clicks
Join Left of the Hudson on Rockland World Radio tonight at 8p as we welcome State Senate candidate David Carlucci. We'll discuss the path to reform in Albany, government transparency, the MTA, and the economic climate in Rockland and Orange Counties....
Rockland Progressive Dems - Mon 10:04 a.m. - 11 clicks
Until a fire knocked out the LIRR track switching control system - a contraption of pulleys and levers installed sometime around 1920 - who would have guessed that one of Greater New York's primary transportation systems relied on technology installed at the time Al Capone was selling bootleg liquor? LIRR President Helena Williams made upgrading the switches a priority when she took over in 2007....
The Albany Project - Mon 7:03 a.m. - 10 clicks
At Saturday's rally, attended by dozens of people, Glenn Beck claimed the mantle of "religious leader". Behind the scenes, he has worked to form what he calls the "Black Robe Regiment," a coalition of Christian leaders to foster Christian values in American society. Sounds kinda icky, almost like the KKK in a photo negative. Or Hitler's St...
Simply Left Behind - Mon 6:25 a.m. - 3 clicks
Friday night, the Buffalo News reported that our old friend, Niagara Falls Mayor Paul Dyster, had issued a statement demanding a line-by-line explanation of expenses by the Niagara Tourism and Convention Corp. following last week’s blistering audit of the tourism agency. “From the perspective of an elected official, just given the nature of some of the expenditures, there has to be additio...
Niagara Times - Mon 4:29 a.m. - 7 clicks
On Sunday, September 12th, the Genesee County Democratic Committee is having a fundraising dinner featuring a unique theme: all local food from within 100 miles. The idea is an offshoot of a project begun in New York City with the idea of promoting meals made entirely with local ingredients, creating food that's fresher and that sustains local farming. For our purposes, that includes a locally g...
The Albany Project - Mon 12:48 a.m. - 8 clicks
Courts have little power to overturn decisions by agency hearing officers -- as two evicted public housing tenants recently learned....
Gotham Gazette - Sun 11:48 p.m. - 2 clicks
Incumbent Shirley Huntley faces an opponent almost 50 years her junior in a State Senate race in southeast Queens. And age is hardly the only thing that divides them....
Gotham Gazette - Sun 11:48 p.m. - 10 clicks
What do Glenn Beck’s “Restoring Honor Rally” and opening up the Mississippi Gulf Coast to fishing have in common? They are both illustrations of the Great Dumbing Down of Merica. We have entered the era of Dumb F. Take a look at this gem: Beck put a heavy religious cast on nearly all his remarks, sounding at [...] Related posts: NY-23: Glenn Beck is Doug Hoffman’s Me...
Rochester Turning - Sun 6:23 p.m.
Bishop William Murphy addressed these issues in the 2010 Labor Day Statement of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, saying, “New jobs with just wages and benefits must be created so that all workers can express their dignity through the dignity of work and are able to fulfill God’s call to us all to [...]...
Jason Gooljar - Sun 3:07 p.m. - 2 clicks
During the worldwide financial crisis, Nicolas Sarkozy, the French president, who also carries the title of co-prince of Andorra, placed himself at the helm of an international crusade to clamp down on tax evasion. Mr. Sarkozy told Andorra to fall in line if it did not want to be ostracized, even threatening in early 2009 [...]...
Jason Gooljar - Sun 1:29 p.m.
The integrity of a Republican Nan Hayworth's congressional campaign came under fire this week after news emerged that three of her notaries, including her campaign manager, admitted to misconduct....
Rockland Progressive Dems - Sun 11:08 a.m. - 3 clicks
If you live or work in the district I think this is worth listening to. I liked what he was saying about splitting up a deputy mayor position so that it focuses not only on real estate development but business development as well. When it comes to local elections it basically comes down to [...]...
Jason Gooljar - Sun 10:48 a.m. - 2 clicks
Now that we've restored our honor and all, maybe we could restore, ya know, our spelling . Charming sentiment though, sir. ...
The Albany Project - Sun 5:45 a.m. - 2 clicks
It was a pretty quiet week for Dryden in the Journal. Harvestation , though, may be one of the best applications of technology to come out of Dryden in a while : Harvestation.com, a local online bulk buying marketplace which went live in June... The site is an outgrowth of the need for a connection point where local homesteaders, canners and big families can buy local and organic produce...
Living in Dryden - Sat 7:46 p.m. - 11 clicks
The closer I look at Dryden zoning - both the existing zoning and the proposed zoning - the more I wonder about the value of zoning. I recognize that it's a compromise, meant to keep people with no interest in their neighbors from wrecking the place, but sometimes... I've gone to Brookton's Market a few times lately in the morning with Sungiva. It's kind of out of my way (7 miles), but I...
Living in Dryden - Sat 7:04 p.m. - 2 clicks
While looking for something else, I stumbled on this set of videos showing the remodeled Ellis Hollow Church and its carriage house. They're advertising vacation rentals - 3000 square feet for the church, 1500 square feet for the carriage house. ( Perfect Painters - Heritage Builders own the place and did the work.) The church closed in 2004 and was remodeled in 2007 . ...
Living in Dryden - Sat 7:04 p.m. - 2 clicks
So I got this email from the Spiegel Group about DC Douglas’ latest video making fun of Freedom Works and I thought why not spread the word! Of course the first video he did was even funnier. Plus he’s also a DCite and I got to support us DC metro area people ...
Jason Gooljar - Sat 7:04 p.m. - 4 clicks
All three tycoons are the latest incarnation of what the historian Kim Phillips-Fein labeled “Invisible Hands” in her prescient 2009 book of that title: those corporate players who have financed the far right ever since the du Pont brothers spawned the American Liberty League in 1934 to bring down F.D.R. You can draw a straight [...]...
Jason Gooljar - Sat 7:04 p.m. - 2 clicks
Nan Hayworth's campaign manager, John Hicks, along with other campaign notaries, admitted to misconduct on the witness stand Wednesday in regards to the handling of Independence Party petitions. Hayworth, a retired Mt. Kisco physician, is one of two potential Republican opponents to Democratic Congressman John Hall (NY-19) in November. Two days into a court review of the petitions, Hicks ad...
The Albany Project - Sat 9:24 a.m. - 4 clicks
As bus loads of people head down to the Glenn Beck rally in D.C. - on the anniversary and at the same place Martin Luther King gave his I have a dream speech - Jon Stewart is on vacation but was kind enough to proactively report on the rally. It’s 10 mins long - the last [...] Related posts: I Love New York: Jon Stewart on Paterson and Rangel Wake-up call: It’s Senator-elect S...
Rochester Turning - Sat 9:23 a.m. - 16 clicks
I've noticed for a few years that the flags on fire stations and at the State Police are sometimes at half staff when the rest of the flags in the area are flying normally. This week, I got to know about one of those half-staff flags, and had the honor of seeing it lowered to be given to the family. VVFC explains half-staff flag. Ted Szymanski was chief of the Varna Volunteer Fire C...
Living in Dryden - Sat 9:23 a.m. - 2 clicks
Not once, since the Cordoba House Mosque controversy started - not ONCE have I heard the Imam or any of the mosque's planners, etc. say they would be willing to move the mosque elsewhere. No - they are SET on it being 2 blocks from Ground Zero. People actions speak MUCH louder than words and this action says it all - the mosque is a provocation. An excuse for those...
Barbara's Tchatzkahs - Sat 3:29 a.m. - 4 clicks
The endorsement of the New York Times editorial board was a huge boost. And the unhinged negative attacks by Kathleen Rice suggest that he is being taken seriously as a major player. Everyone knows who the supposed front-runners are in this race. But it's pretty clear that this race is up in the air, with no incumbent, and no one with a particularly high profile or name recognitio...
The Albany Project - Fri 3:23 p.m. - 12 clicks
The folks at NRI continue their excellent work cutting Pedro down to size: The truth hurts, doesn't it, scumbag? In slightly over 2 weeks from now, you will be expunged from our governing institutions and our state will be a much, much better place. On the web: Gustavo Rivera for State Senate ...
The Albany Project - Fri 1:28 p.m. - 2 clicks
I'd heard that the primary reason that Cornell abandoned its 2005 plans for a wind farm on Mount Pleasant was the Federal Aviation Administration . This had come up in Dryden meetings , and there was a poster at the East Hill Flying Club , but I didn't know how seriously to take it. Apparently, this is a common issue near airports both civilian and military , and not just because of t...
Living in Dryden - Fri 12:02 p.m. - 3 clicks
Special TeeVee Viewing Edition 1) The single most important television program of the year is premiering tonight on Animal Planet at 11PM (re-run September 3 at 9PM): Blood Dolphins . A follow up to the Oscar-winning dodumentary The Cove , this program is proof that once is not enough: we have to keep at it to save the dolphins of Japan and by extension, the b...
Simply Left Behind - Fri 10:02 a.m. - 3 clicks
Perhaps you're familiar with Dave Mongielo. The auto mechanic has made quite the name for himself, these past couple years. After a ludicrous bid for town supervisor against incumbent Marc Smith, that saw voters reject him by better than a two-to-one margin , Mongielo decided his real beef was with the town's Republican committee—which, of course, had supported Smith. So, this September, Mongie...
Niagara Times - Fri 5:25 a.m. - 2 clicks
Republican gubernatorial candidate Carl Paladino continues to be his own worst enemy. We already know he has a racist and sexist background, but not to disappoint, we now find out that last year he called Assembly speaker Sheldon Silver “the Anti-Christ or Hitler.” Nevermind that Silver led the charge for reparations for Holocaust survivors or [...] Related posts: Paladino calls fo...
Rochester Turning - Fri 4:21 a.m. - 7 clicks
US Senator Kirsten Gillibrand is holding a fundraiser for her erstwhile opponent in the Democratic primary, Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney from Manhattan. You may recall last year that Maloney was making big waves about not getting tapped for the Senate after Hillary Clinton became Secretary of State. She eventually dropped out of the race. From the New [...] Related posts: Massive 2Q haul for ...
Rochester Turning - Thu 2:48 p.m. - 14 clicks
“Anybody that builds a building in New York City changes its skyline – we dont have to run around to every other owner and apologize,” he said. “One guy owns a building, hed like to have it be the only tall building – Im sorry, thats not the real world.” via NYC allows new neighbor for [...]...
Jason Gooljar - Thu 11:41 a.m. - 10 clicks
Ms Ariyawathie, a mother of three, travelled to Saudi Arabia in March to become a housemaid. Doctors say this X-ray shows nails embedded in the housemaids hand Last week, she flew back to Sri Lanka and was admitted to hospital in the south of the island, where she told doctors she had undergone abuse for more [...]...
Jason Gooljar - Aug 26 - 3 clicks
Ken Mehlman is gay . This is not a surprise to people who have spent any time at all over the past eight years listening to even the mildest gossip about Republicans. During the 2006 pedophilia/men's bathroom scandals of the GOP, Mehlman was talked about fairly frequently. I suspect there were several bloggers who really wanted to out him. I also suspect that his ow...
Simply Left Behind - Aug 26 - 2 clicks
The word in political circles across the state is that New York State Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, the individual who presides over the Assembly, is expecting to lose between 15-20 seats in November's elections. Considering that the Democrats hold 105 of the 150 seats in the Assembly, Silver is in no danger whatsoever of losing his majority. But he could be losing many of his supporters, inclu...
Niagara Times - Aug 26 - 10 clicks
The Empire State Building will get some competition on the New York skyline now that the City Council has approved another very tall building just a few blocks away. ...
Gotham Gazette - Aug 25 - 13 clicks
Since this subject has been receiving attention recently, I searched and found an article about the “Urban Poultry” movement. The question had been raised about zoning and chickens. It looks like, for the most part, that if no complaints are raised by the neighbors, it’s probably going to be ok. Giving free range eggs to [...] Related posts: Golisano: Consolidate Governmen...
Rochester Turning - Aug 25 - 2 clicks
Check out this paragraph from the Washington Post Just 192 large egg companies own about 95 percent of laying hens in this country, down from 2,500 in 1987, according to United Egg Producers, an industry group. Most of those producers are concentrated in five states: Iowa, Ohio, Indiana, Pennsylvania and California. “I don’t think [...] Related posts: ‘Businessman’ C...
Rochester Turning - Aug 25 - 2 clicks
Exhibit A : Michigan added to list of states facing salmonella-related egg recall Say what you will about government intrusion into our lives, at least government is accountable to the people, to some degree. Here we have a case of a corporation, accountable to no one-- not law, not public shareholders (assuming it's like most nearly every other c...
Simply Left Behind - Aug 25 - 2 clicks
With the state Senate and Assembly finally departing Albany after the passage of the state budget a few weeks back, one of the more interesting angles missed by the local media has to do with our friends at the New York Power Authority (NYPA). For several months, the NYPA Board of Trustees, which consists of seven seats, has had at least two openings. There were three for quite some time, but Mar...
Niagara Times - Aug 25 - 11 clicks
A report by Deputy Mayor Goldsmith suggests ways for New York to save millions and also puts a few holes in the image of the Bloomberg administration as a well-oiled machine. ...
Gotham Gazette - Aug 24 - 4 clicks
According to MidHudsonNews, Dutchess County Legislator Angela Flesland (R-Poughkeepsie) is continuing her effort to have a local law passed that would prohibit underage people from using sun tanning booths. I would have to agree with Angela. The rate of skin cancer is on a dramatic rise in America and artificial exposure (at such an early age) may play a significant part. What c...
Kingston Progressive - Aug 24 - 5 clicks
I was at NYU Hospital in May 2009. While sitting there I picked up a magazine that talked about the importance of disability insurance. CLICK HERE FOR ARTICLE WHAT A COMPLETE CROCK!! The article was obviously a marketing tool bought & paid for by the insurance industry. Do yourselves a favor and google the name of your disability insurer + "complaints." Disability insurers do E...
Barbara's Tchatzkahs - Aug 24
Just to build on Ladkiddo’s post - check out Sam Seder. Now he is an acquired taste but I’ve been following these snips from his on line series - that’s Bullsht. Listen to him make sense. Oh btw the “Mosque” @ ground zero? Well it isn’t quite at ground zero is it. Then there is this [...] Related posts: The non-issue which has become an issue: a mosque ...
Rochester Turning - Aug 24 - 7 clicks
Listening to NPR last week I was tuned into a discussion about how the mosque within the relative vicinity of “Ground Zero” had become a rallying cry from the right, fueling their righteous indignation against those of us on the left who believe the constitution is more than just a piece of paper with which [...] Related posts: That’s Bullsht - Manhattan Mosque The Doctor...
Rochester Turning - Aug 24 - 6 clicks
Well, today is "put up or shut up" on the Republican political landscape. If the Teabaggers want to be taken seriously as a political force in America, they are going to have to prove they are more than an angry mob who can intimidate and cower people into paying attention to them. Three primaries hold the key to this: Florida, Arizona, and Alaska. Based on the las...
Simply Left Behind - Aug 24 - 3 clicks
" It sucks. New York has the best public transportation, but it's fading. Maybe I'll just ride my skateboard. " —Gideon Blumenthal, New York City subway frequent rider Why is Gideon Blumenthal mad? It seems that the MTA—the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, the body that runs New York City's subway systems and buses—is contemplating some steep toll hikes. For those of you unfamiliar...
Niagara Times - Aug 24 - 3 clicks
Xerox recently told 19 workers they must transfer departments or leave the company.What do these workers have in common? Theyre all fighting for a fair union contract.While Xerox tramples on its workers rights at home, Xeroxs outsourcing division is trying to ship those jobs – and thousands of jobs like them – overseas.Tell Xerox CEO [...]...
Jason Gooljar - Aug 24 - 2 clicks
Knowing I will get grief for this, I’m putting my head out there, on the platter for those on both sides to take a shot at, but this must be addressed… Andrew Cuomo is not opposed to hydrofracking in the Marcellus Shale. Seems the crowned prince was visiting Ithaca last week and ran into (shudder!) constituents [...] Related posts: If Water is the New Oil then Hydrofracking is Cou...
Rochester Turning - Aug 23 - 9 clicks
Republicans have a rare opportunity to pick up an Assembly seat in the city as five candidates compete in northeast Queens....
Gotham Gazette - Aug 23 - 9 clicks
By now you have heard of the egg recall and that is it likely to expand. Really - like a half a billion eggs wasted isn’t enough.What kind of “farm” is able to produce a billion eggs - OK two “farms.” I heard that expression on either the TV or radio news and got [...] Related posts: More eggs, less farms, more risk A big price to pay $50 billion for the ...
Rochester Turning - Aug 23 - 8 clicks
Ithaca Democratic Socialists of America Presents #461: "We Need a Jobs Program" Bill Barclay of the Chicago Political Economy Group compares the current recession with the Great Depression. Some very effective measures both to regulate banks and to create jobs were taken at that time. Even in the face of structural changes in the economy, we can learn a lot from the 1930s. Recorded ...
Ithaca Action Network - Aug 23 - 2 clicks
“I live here, Sarah Palin doesn’t”(Photo: Thomas Good / NLN) NEW YORK — August 22, 2010. Sunday was another rainy day in New York City, as two sides of the Ground Zero mosque issue squared off in dueling protests — two sides who are responding to a catastrophe with two mutually exclusive answers: hatred and [...]...
Next Left Notes - Aug 23 - 4 clicks
Well, it looks like the crew of Youth Build have been making their rounds in the neighborhoods. The property I featured on the blog a few weeks ago has since been mowed. You know this one was no easy task. I may ask for help in the near future when we tackle the old trolley trax behind Rondout Savings. I'll distribute fliers around the city when that date is finally set. Meanwhile, all I can ...
Kingston Progressive - Aug 23 - 5 clicks
Below is the New York Daily News endorsement for our next Attorney General: Five Democrats are competing in a primary election campaign to become the party's standard-bearer for New York State attorney general. Eric Dinallo is the choice in the field. Dinallo offers a blend of first-rate legal, executive and regulatory experience that is unique among the contenders and equips him be...
Kingston Progressive - Aug 23 - 6 clicks
Join Left of the Hudson Radio as we discuss Rockland County's Department of Tourism, the "Ground Zero Mosque" controversy, stimulus money in Rockland County, and charges of fraud against Nan Hayworth's congressional campaign. ...
Rockland Progressive Dems - Aug 23 - 3 clicks
We take a lot for granted in this nation. We live in one of the freest countries on the planet and we have expectations for that freedom. We rarely talk about the price for that freedom. "Freedom ain't free" is an old truism that gets trotted out usually when we go to war, as if the only price Americans should ever pay for freedom is their blood (or more correctly, the ...
Simply Left Behind - Aug 23 - 4 clicks
Western New York is blessed to have a visionary like Sen. Antoine Thompson representing us. It took us a little while to dig this video up from the archives, but you, Dear Readers, are worth it: Yes, you saw correctly: Antoine Thompson and Niagara Falls Mayor Paul Dyster last year, extolling the virtue of giving half a million taxpayer dollars to former drug...
Niagara Times - Aug 23 - 2 clicks
I sometimes suspect that people forget that our nation has freedom of religion, or of no religion, as one of its core principles. As I watch the confrontational picketing of the Park Place Islamic Community Centre on the news channels, the feeling of disappointment in my fellow Americans deepens. At a quick glance online, you can find historic accounts of the Great Mosque at Co...
Kingston Progressive - Aug 22
As officials and residents grapple with bias-related violence on Staten Island, civil rights columnist Andy Humm takes the ferry to investigate the possible causes of the increase....
Gotham Gazette - Aug 22 - 7 clicks
Tea party governor candidate Carl Paladino is back in the headlines with more crazy policy proposals. This time he is calling for welfare recipients to be “voluntarily” relocated to renovated prisons where they can get state public sector jobs and take personal hygiene courses. From the Huffington Post: Asked at the meeting how he would achieve those [...] Related posts: One Prison...
Rochester Turning - Aug 22
After a too-long absence, we will be back this week once again putting King under the microscope so voters know exactly who Pete King really is. ...
Peter King Watch - Aug 22 - 4 clicks
At the height of the Iraq war, the Army routinely fired hundreds of soldiers for having a personality disorder when they were more likely suffering from the traumatic stresses of war, discharge data suggest. Under pressure from Congress and the public, the Army later acknowledged the problem and drastically cut the number of soldiers given the designation. But advocates for v...
Barbara's Tchatzkahs - Aug 22
Why light bulbs and windows? “Because these are things the Han had; we lived in primitive dwellings,” he recalled. “I think that’s when many Uighurs opened their eyes and saw what was happening around them.” via The Saturday Profile – A Uighur Intellectual Who Won’t Back Down in China – Biography – NYTimes.com. Ultimatley this is what [...]...
Jason Gooljar - Aug 21
The latest action — the third recall announcement in two weeks for eggs — is bound to shake the confidence of consumers rattled by a succession of food safety scares in recent years, most prominently for foods like beef and lettuce. The idea that half a billion suspect eggs have been circulating in the food supply [...]...
Jason Gooljar - Aug 21
Glad To See PARCnassau Still Pounding Away At County's Neglect Of Our Parks Yes, our friends at PARCnassau, a Nassau County (Long Island) park advocacy group, is now blogging. Visit (and bookmark) the blog at http://parcnassau.blogspot.com/ . Kudos to Bruce Piel, PARCnassau Chairman, not only for his foray into blogdom, but moreover, on keeping the heat on county government to protect and...
The Community Alliance - Aug 20
Hurricane Recovery Act Proposed By Candidate for NYS Assembly If only New York had a "How Are We Going To Pay For It Act!" Perhaps former NYC Mayor Ed Koch could enlist a few of his newly-converted "reformers" ( SEE NYuprising.org ) to come up with some novel ideas. Meanwhile, it looks like more of the same in terms of promises of deductions, tax breaks, and the old political ...
The Community Alliance - Aug 20 - 3 clicks
1) A new energy AND foreign policy? Makes sense to me! 2) A fancy new bicycle. Sort of . 3) How bad is the flooding in Pakistan? India has offered to assist. Pakistan has accepted . This is not unlikea Teabagger helping dig a Muslim out of the rubble of the "Ground Zero Mosque". 4) Um, don't look now, but the moon in your eye ...
Simply Left Behind - Aug 20
Birthday Wishes from Buffalo’s Rocket Scientist We are aware of the recent trend that has made the word “retarded” an offensive term that’s effectively off-limits. Given that particular restriction, we’re not sure we can continue to offer insightful posts about Sen. Antoine Thompson. Still, this news story, courtesy of WGRZ , is just too good to pass by: Within your "alloca...
Niagara Times - Aug 20 - 3 clicks
When word broke, finally, about Lockport developer David Ulrich’s proposal to put Niagara County Community College’s Culinary Arts Institute back on track—while simultaneously locating the Institute in Lockport, rather than in Dyster’s Dystopia—we found ourselves chuckling. Longtime readers know, of course, that we’ve found plenty to criticize about the proposed Culinary Institute since ...
Niagara Times - Aug 19
Eight years. The longest war in American history. A war of aggression. 4400+ American soldiers dead. One million Iraqis dead. Who knows how many more displaced and chronically, perhaps fatally, un- or underemployed. America's first official war of aggression. At least we didn't bother veiling this one behind an attack on a ship. Kofi Annan. WMDs. NBCs....
Simply Left Behind - Aug 19
This has happened to me about three times in my life - but in March 2004 when I went to the E.R. with chest pain, vomitting and faintness - the doctors finally gave it a name. STRESS CARDIOMYOPATHY. I am taking measures to see that this trauma is never visited on me again. The sudden shock of losing a loved one can cause classic heart attack-like symptoms of a broken heart, doctors say...
Barbara's Tchatzkahs - Aug 19
Gov. Hugh Carey saved New York from financial ruin in the 1970s. We take a look back via the new book: "The Man Who Saved New York." ...
Gotham Gazette - Aug 18
The 2010 Adoptee Rights march in Louisville meets the press(Photo: Dory Martin / ARC) [ Editor's Note: I was adopted in October of 1958. In May of this year I found my birth mother. I went to see her in July. It was one of the most remarkable experiences of my life. I not only [...]...
Next Left Notes - Aug 18 - 5 clicks
(Photo: Thomas Good / NLN) EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — August 12, 2010. It was the show that almost didn’t happen — but for headbangers in the tristate area, in the end it was a real treat. In 1990, thrash metal giants Slayer and Megadeth teamed up for a “Clash Of The Titans” tour. In 2010, [...]...
Next Left Notes - Aug 18
“McMahon Stop Pandering To Islamophobia”(Photo: Thomas Good / NLN) STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — August 16, 2010. What do angry labor leaders, frustrated health care recipients, disgusted anti-war activists, stunned “Jewish money” donors and now — protesters decrying an “Islamophobic Witchhunt” — have in common? Mike McMahon. Activist Elaine Brower str...
Next Left Notes - Aug 18 - 3 clicks
(Photo: Bud Korotzer / NLN) NEW YORK — August 10, 2010. MoveOn is worried. Apparently so were a hundred or so of their closest friends. (Photo: Bud Korotzer / NLN) The progressive Democrats held a rally a “Rally for Democracy” in which “New York City residents gathering to support fundamental changes to recapture our government [...]...
Next Left Notes - Aug 18 - 6 clicks
(Photo: Ed Hedemann / WRL) NEW YORK — August 7, 2010 — Tompkins Square Park. It was an unusually pleasant summer day for an especially unpleasant subject — 65 years since the United States unapologetically — to this day — unleashed nuclear weapons on the citizens of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, unilaterally beginning the nuclear arms [...]...
Next Left Notes - Aug 18 - 3 clicks
(Photo: Bud Korotzer / NLN) NEW YORK — “Stop in the name of health! Don’t cut my Medicare. After I voted for you. After I voted for you.” 100 people from the Granny Peace Brigade and their many supporters sang like the Supremes (Stop in the Name of Love) and did a group dance in [...]...
Next Left Notes - Aug 18 - 4 clicks
I don't usually indulge in wild speculation, but an inner voice is tugging at me on this one. What if the mortgage bubble was burst intentionally? It is undeniable that it was a long time coming. Mortgage foreclosures ratcheted up in an orderly fashion, and the crisis was wholly foreseeable years before it occured. The market cond...
Simply Left Behind - Aug 18
We are heartened by the news out of Williamsville and Sloan . We already commented in this space a few days back predicting that local huckster and snake oil salesman Kevin Gaughan was about to meet his Waterloo with his carpetbagging attempt to totally wipe two communities off the face of the earth, so we won't re-hash our previous comments. We do want to offer our condolences to Buff...
Niagara Times - Aug 18
Assemblymember Barbara Clark and challenger Clyde Vanel sit down with Gotham Gazette to discuss their race and the scandals that monopolize it....
Gotham Gazette - Aug 17
Even the Narcissist - Blago - had to admit he was shooting off his mouth too much. (In a feeble attempt to rewrite history!) Rod Blagojevich was convicted on one count of making false statements to federal authorities Tuesday, but the jury could not reach a verdict on the 23 other counts facing the former Illinois governor, forcing the judge to declare a mistrial. ...
Barbara's Tchatzkahs - Aug 17
You're starting to see the GOP campaign strategy for the 2010 midterm elections unfold here in August. Take an issue of settled law, and ignite a fire under it, knowing full well that there are enough cowards in America to make hoopla over it. Such is the case with the Fourteenth Amendment's citizenship definitions . The bonus, as I n...
Simply Left Behind - Aug 17
The news of the Niagara County Republican Party’s decision to abandon its previous endorsement of GOP gubernatorial candidate Rick Lazio and jump to Buffalo businessman Carl Paladino’s camp is, of course, everywhere in local media this a.m., so here at Niagara Times, we’ll offer our thoughts on the matter as well. Truth be told, we have mixed feelings about it. We’ve actually rather liked Ric...
Niagara Times - Aug 17
Ithaca Democratic Socialists of America Presents #460: "Chicago Women's Liberation Union" Peg Strobel tells Young Democratic Socialists about this socialist feminist organization in Chicago in the 1970s that educated, organized protests and sports teams, and provided services and cultural events and goods. Their approach to organizing has many lessons for activists today. Recorde...
Ithaca Action Network - Aug 16 - 2 clicks
It's the kind of day here where you feel like you're stuck in a Dali painting: so muggy that your clothes practically drip off you. Paper flops over in your hand, the ink smearing down the page like tears. The air is thick with the musty closeness of someone with bad breath and worse body odor; each movement makes refreshes your agony. Against this backdrop, you ponder ...
Simply Left Behind - Aug 16
Gary Franklin is the reason your taxes are so high. Or, more accurately, public sector union members with Gary Franklin’s attitude are the reason your taxes are so high. Who’s Gary Franklin? Gary Franklin is the public works director for the City of North Tonawanda. He’s also the acting wastewater superintendent. He’s been acting in that capacity ever since the City of Niagara Falls de...
Niagara Times - Aug 16
Come on, Barry - who are you fooling? You're the most blindly pro-Muslim President we've ever had. O.K. - we get it. Not all Muslims are bad... but a Mosque near Ground Zero is the height of inappropriate, not to mention it will become a target for those still angry over the events of 9/11/01. As Charles Krauthammer said just the other day: When we speak of Ground Zero as hal...
Barbara's Tchatzkahs - Aug 15
President Obama signed a hefty border security bill last week. Allocating $600 million to invest along the southern border with Mexico. Ironically, our own Senator Chuck Schumer supplied the lone voice vote of YES in the US Senate which allowed the bill to reach the president. According to news reports from the AP: the new law will pay for the hiring of 1,000 more Border Patrol agents t...
Kingston Progressive - Aug 14 - 3 clicks
Saturday, August 14th, NY Attorney General candidate Eric Dinallo made a few stops in Kingston. A few dozen people came out to meet him and ask questions of the man who served as the "undersheriff" of Wall Street while Eliot Spitzer was making significant strides to clean up the corruption in our financial industry. Eric put violent criminals behind bars as a prosecutor in Robe rt Morge...
Kingston Progressive - Aug 13 - 3 clicks
Fall's first chill was still a distant breeze on the horizon, but the morning air held the promise of the inevitable. The summer had been sweltering, the kind of heat and humidity that makes a man in a suit rush to the safety of the air conditioned office. Better to have some objective to focus on and ignore the discomfort than to linger in the oppression of the heating pad that was the a...
Simply Left Behind - Aug 13
Dumb Quote of the Day “He is 21 years old and he should be in school. Instead, in the last four or five months he has become well known to us. He is very well known to us.” — Niagara Falls Police Superintendent John Chella , speaking about Brandon “Bizz” Carter, a member of the Bloods gang, who was in Niagara County Court after a failed drive-by shooting. “Should be in school”?!? U...
Niagara Times - Aug 13
FOR THOSE WHO TELL OTHERS TO "get over it" and/or "move on" - or that we are obsessed, out of control, etc. It's not up to YOU when a victim moves on. It's up to them in their own time and their own way! Talk about closed system of logic! ~~~~~~~~~ and its ABUSIVE to suggest that they should! Reality and Revictimization... (some changes made, for the or...
Barbara's Tchatzkahs - Aug 12
I see an article in the Freeman regarding the uptown sidewalk canopy and the bid proposals going out. I anxiously await to see how many contractors in the area are willing to tackle the repair of the "Pike Plan" for the 1.6 million that's offered. September 13th is the deadline. What happens if the bids that come in, if any, are higher than what has been allotted? If you consider the rep...
Kingston Progressive - Aug 12
I don't mean to minimize the difficulties of tens of millions of Americans. Unemployment, debt, foreclosure, bankruptcies, homelessness-- these are all terribly and frightening things, and the small solace that most of those Americans, likely even some of my readers, will get through it and put together some sort of life afterwards is near-meaningless in the torrent of collection notices a...
Simply Left Behind - Aug 12
A t a certain point in politics, one has to ask if they are being simply too hard on those in power. That point comes today for this blog. We’ve often criticized the Assembly Majority, of which our own Francine DelMonte is a part, for what we’ve often seen as evidence of either outright corruption, or, at the very least, a callous disregard for the realities facing ordinary, tax-paying New Yo...
Niagara Times - Aug 12
Steven Slater - YOU ARE MY HERO!! For reminding us all, no job is worth being ABUSED for. Enough is enough!! By CLEMENTE LISI Move over Chesley Sullenberger, make room for Steven Slater. The JetBlue flight attendant who went berserk has become an overnight Internet hero to workers everywhere after arguing with a passenger, then escaping down the plane's in...
Barbara's Tchatzkahs - Aug 11
A “Peace Procession” was part of the 2010 Hiroshima / Nagasaki observance(Photo: Thomas Good / NLN) STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — August 8, 2010. Hiroshima still haunts: marking the 65th anniversary of the Hiroshima / Nagasaki bombings the Social Justice Committee of the Unitarian Church of Staten Island and Peace Action of Staten Island commemorated the [...]...
Next Left Notes - Aug 11
There's a lot of truth in what John Nichols says in The Nation : In what he admitted was an "inartful" diatribe , the press secretary unleashed on lefties who have objected to Obama's many compromises on economic and social issues and, above all, with regard to the expansion of the U.S. occupation of Afghanistan. The "professional lef...
Simply Left Behind - Aug 11
We are posting the following, a snapshot of a recent Facebook post by radio host-turned-pizza delivery boy Scott Leffler, without comment. Well, almost without comment. Hopefully our loyal readers will permit us just this one observation: the audience ain't changed that much since you left, Scott. _uacct = "UA-2315141-1"; urchinTracker(); ...
Niagara Times - Aug 11
Bias attack victim Richard Vieira looks on as Matt Titone and Gerard Mawn address the crowd(Photo: Thomas Good / NLN) STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — August 7, 2010. On Saturday evening a diverse group of Staten Islanders united against hate crimes, held a candlelight vigil outside Borough Hall — before marching to White Castle where Assembly [...]...
Next Left Notes - Aug 10
(Photo: Bud Korotzer / NLN) NEW YORK — On August 5, 400 people (with another 50 were on a waiting list) paid anywhere from $25 up to board a boat at the East 23 Street Marco Polo Marina for a sunset cruise of New York harbor. All had two things in common: an understanding of [...]...
Next Left Notes - Aug 10
The Federal Reserve is in a quandry. They've pretty much adjusted interest rates as low as possible (at the last meeting, nine banks requested an extension of the current near-zero percent rate, while three wanted it increased to one percent). They've loosened reserve requirements a little, but looser reserves are part of what got us into this mess in the first place. ...
Simply Left Behind - Aug 10 - 2 clicks
We’re going to, for the third time in less than a year, violate our longstanding rule against wading into the fever swamps of the Lewiston-Porter Central School District. Why? Because the antics of the Lew-Port crowd are just so damn funny, that’s why. Where else would you get to read a newspaper headline like this? Lew-Port Soccer Coach Made Up Tourette Claim: Sam Ricotta Li...
Niagara Times - Aug 10
Ithaca Democratic Socialists of America Presents #459: "Ice Cream Socialists" Socialists gather at the US Social Forum in Detroit for ice cream and talk. Frances Fox Piven tells about the need for militant action to make change happen in government. Elizabeth Bunn explains that while organized labor is losing ground in the US private sector, it is still there in the public sector; i...
Ithaca Action Network - Aug 9
Senator Kirsten Gillibrand just tweeted this video link to me and the rest of her followers. Feel free to have a look. ...
Kingston Progressive - Aug 9
