New York
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8:24 a.m.
An Open Letter to The Nation on the SEIU-UNITE HERE Struggle by Randy Shaw Dear Editors: As a longtime subscriber, I am very troubled that you have allowed SEIU to purchase the back covers of your July 6 and 13 editions to lodge false, malicious, and anti-union attacks on UNITE HERE. This is the first time that [...]...
Next Left Notes - 8:24 a.m.
Once again, I am impressed that some plans in Kingston can come together. The Rondout came alive this past Sunday reaching "standing room only" status moments before the fireworks began. With most of the financial credit going to Mainetti, Mainetti & O'Connor, they and the other donors provided Kingstonians with a celebration worth documenting. With food service limited to just local res...
Kingston Progressive - 8:24 a.m.
The humidity’s so thick I want to pick and hold it. Last night, I think, it rained. I think because when it’s dark I close the blinds in the kitchen, living room, and upstairs office (or all rooms that look to the front or side of the court). When I lived in [...]...
Courting Destiny - 8:23 a.m.
Well, this is a start -(via the Hill) and make no mistake this is good news but as always the devil is in the details. The healthcare reform bill that emerges from Congress this year will include a government-run public health insurance option, regardless of the bipartisan negotiations seeking a compromise in the Senate, Sen. Chuck [...] Related posts: Health care, Schumer waters down public o...
Rochester Turning - 7:18 a.m.
Rigid thinking and black and white solutions are the mark of children, the small-minded, and Republicans. I started thinking about this over the weekend, attempting to flesh out why so many people in this country are patriarchal. It's the whole "my way or the highway" logic. I never understood the lack of of compassion for another person's situation. I mean, it's not like we're discussing thing...
Simply Left Behind - 6:56 a.m.
Governor Paterson wants to shave the Gang of Four, Three, Two, One down to the Gang of Zero. His solution? Do whatever is necessary to woo back the self-interested holdout, Pedro Espada, who has been so troublesome to the Democrats: Gov. Paterson said it may be time for his fellow Democrats to accept turncoat Bronx Sen. [...] Related posts: Dems won’t turn over keys to Senate Chamber ...
Rochester Turning - 6:56 a.m.
So I’m still reading Cheap by Ellen Ruppel Shell and she gets into this whole topic of rebates. It turns out that rebates are like coupons in the eyes of retailers. They offer a lure to consumers who are seeking a “deal” while still offering the same product at full price to others. Their thinking [...]...
Jason Gooljar - 6:56 a.m.
If anybody knows anything about the Robutrad scandal, a hotline is in the works as of 2 weeks ago. The county tells us the whistle blower hotline will start this week. County Democrats sent a letter to County Executive Maggie Brooks last week, chiding her for taking this long. “No 800 number has been published. No memos [...] Related posts: Palumbo Resigns as Minority Leader Democrats...
Rochester Turning - 4:26 a.m. - 2 clicks 
BY NAOMI WOLF In the end, porn doesn't whet men's appetites—it turns them off the real thing. At a benefit the other night, I saw Andrea Dworkin, the anti-porn activist most famous in the eighties for her conviction that opening the floodgates of pornography would lead men to see real women in sexually debased ways. If we did not limit pornography, she argued — before Internet technology ...
Barbara's Tchatzkahs - Sun 11:35 p.m.
As galleries close, nonprofits cut back and even temp work becomes scarce, New York's creative people look for new ways to support themselves and their work....
Gotham Gazette - Sun 9:07 p.m.
After ducking the subject for seven months, State Senator Thomas P. Morahan has said that he will not support civil rights for gays that will allow them to marry. Morahan told the New York Journal News this weekend that he's going to vote against it when it comes to vote in the State Senate. But the real news is the tortured logic Morahan uses to justify his stance. "I understand b...
The Albany Project - Sun 7:40 p.m.
The Natural Resources Defense Council has done outstanding work on behalf of our environment. They are no doubt a progressive group that deserves our support and has proved again and again their worth in our movement as advocates for the environment. But in a recent post here calling on constituents to tell Congressman Dan Maffei he got it right by voting for the American Clean Energy and...
The Albany Project - Sun 1:37 p.m.
Church of Life After Shopping director Savitri at the “First Amendathon”(Photo: Thomas Good / NLN) NEW YORK — July 4, 2009. Laura Newman should have an exclamation mark as the final character in her surname — she is one sensational soprano and on the Fourth of July she sang this reporter’s favorite song: The First Amendment. Celebrating [...]...
Next Left Notes - Sun 10:25 a.m. - 7 clicks
Well at least he passed a minimum wage increase that is proving to be helping people. In 2006 former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich signed into law legislation that would increase the minimum wage a little bit every year until it reaches $8.25 in 2010. That next raise for Illinois minimum wage workers is coming on July [...]...
Jason Gooljar - Sun 10:23 a.m.
Welcome to another edition of In Case You Missed It… More Health Care, More scandal and more shaping the next set of elections. Here is the week that was on rochesterturning. Health Care Health Care, at least we are told, is first and foremost in the minds of Congress and the President. Great, however, ultimately [...] Related posts: In Case You Missed It… In Case You Miss...
Rochester Turning - Sun 7:23 a.m. - 8 clicks
Those of you who were busy being bored by the Iran-Contra hearings in the 80s will remember that the vast array of wrongdoers (many of whom eventually showed up in the Bush Administration) got off scott free, with the blame being put on one person– Oliver North. It looks like Maggie Brooks and county leadership are [...] Related posts: More On County Workers Being Coerced to Support Magg...
Rochester Turning - Sun 5:48 a.m. - 5 clicks
(If you are on an aggregator CLICK HERE to view the above video ) At about 2:21 - Rock NAILS IT! ~~~~~~~~~~~ Obama to Jews: I'm Just Not That Into You By Stuart Schwartz American Jews and Israel would do well to take a page from the book of Saul Alinsky, who provides the radical underpinning for much of how the Obama left sees the world: "As an organizer I start fro...
Barbara's Tchatzkahs - Sat 10:46 p.m.
70 years ago today, a native New Yorker who became probably the greatest first baseman of all time playing for one of the hometown teams, said goodbye to the game with a speech in the Bronx. Fans, for the past two weeks you have been reading about the bad break I got. Yet today I consider myself the luckiest man on the face of the earth. I have been in ballparks for seventeen years and have ne...
The Albany Project - Sat 9:46 p.m. - 4 clicks
I found this rather interesting. It’s a post written by Mike Arrington on the blog Techcrunch. PR firms today aren’t much different than corporate lawyers. They are paid to perform a service. They like to think of themselves as core to the strategic action of their clients. But more often, they’re just there to spin whatever [...]...
Jason Gooljar - Sat 9:45 p.m.
So I’m two chapters into my latest book Cheap by Ellen Ruppel Shell when I came across the section talking about the Age of Cheap. As citizens we recognize this “collateral damage,” deplore it, and frequently decry it. But as consumers we habitually downplay and ignore it. We rail against exploitation of low-paid workers in Asia [...]...
Jason Gooljar - Sat 9:45 p.m.
Good news from the NY Times. These workers have been on strike since last year. The Stella D’Oro Biscuit Company factory in the Bronx, where 134 workers on strike since last August have been replaced, must reinstate the workers and pay them wages going back to May, a federal administrative law judge has ruled. Lastly, it should [...]...
Jason Gooljar - Sat 9:45 p.m. - 4 clicks
In my world, we call guys like Obambi -- PATHOLOGICAL. And hasn't 8 years of that been ENOUGH? ~~~~~~~ From: NO QUARTER: I’m a little confused. And it’s starting to bother me. Just when I think I am beginning to understand who Obama is the guy just up and changes. As easy as putting on a new pair of socks. But forgetting that your feet still stink. So I’ve been wondering if it is possible t...
Barbara's Tchatzkahs - Sat 9:45 p.m.
by Mark Steyn With respect to many of the Palinologists below, I think they're getting way too hepatomantic over the entrails. As a political move for anything other than the 2010 Senate race, today's announcement is a disaster. And I'm not sure it's a plus for the Senate - and, even if it were, the manner and timing suggest it was not a professionally planned event and therefore is unlik...
Barbara's Tchatzkahs - Sat 9:45 p.m.
Check out these signs - Which is your favorite? 10-capitol Yep - Hey Congress - move on Health reform! 02-in-friends Hoosiers for Health Reform! All the way from Indiana to D.C 05-specter if it is good enough for Congress… 06-youth-screwed-sign Out of college, no job or a job with decent benefits, too old for parents health cover (if they still have it). 07-single-pa...
Rochester Turning - Sat 2:24 p.m.
Well, your royal highness majesty, I didn't actually write this one-- a man I admire ("TJ") did. But it's pretty good writing and I figured today was as good a day as any to review and remind ourselves of what is in it , something we should do periodically. In Congress, July 4, 1776. A Declaration By the Representatives of the United states of America, In general Congress assembled. When...
The Albany Project - Sat 12:49 p.m.
"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that ALL men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. " Probably the most memorable words in the English language. The Declaration of Independence is still the most important document in American history. It wasn't really the central ...
Kingston Progressive - Sat 10:02 a.m.
Did anyone catch this from the D&C article about Gates Supervisor Esposito having the ROBUTRAD crew working on his house? I can’t believe I missed this: Esposito, a former FBI agent, said he told investigators that he would be surprised if someone in the upper echelons of Monroe County government did not know what Morone was [...] Related posts: BREAKING: Esposito Not Running For Ga...
Rochester Turning - Sat 10:02 a.m.
OK so the District’s tap water may need to be looked at more carefully. It’s not as good as New York per se but with a filter I’d still drink tap over bottled any day. I just read that the government in Venice, Italy had decided to brand their local tap water to get people [...]...
Jason Gooljar - Sat 10:01 a.m. - 7 clicks
Well, well well if this is not a big surprise. One powerful lobbying group, the Financial Services Roundtable, which represents big banks, came out swinging. The proposed regulator “would actually harm consumers by increasing the cost of financial products, and reducing the availability of credit and consumer choices,” Steve Bartlett, the group’s chief executive, said in a [...]...
Jason Gooljar - Sat 8:24 a.m.
“Why are we wasting our time on this? Don’t we have any personal dirt on King George we can leak?” “Don’t tell the Democrats we’re doing this. They can read about it in the newspaper. If they say anything about it, we’ll accuse them of politicizing the process.” “All men are created equal? Well, okay, leave it [...] Related posts: Vote wit...
Rochester Turning - Sat 7:26 a.m.
This whole story is way too familiar to me. Wonder if Sanford would have called any woman he was scring his "soulmate" in order to sanitize things. I say 'yes.' And now he is going to 'try to fall back in love with his wife'? WTH? I hope and pray for the sake of the children and her sanity, his wife Jenny puts his lying, cheating, can't keep his pants on, narcissistic butt on the nearest cu...
Barbara's Tchatzkahs - Sat 7:25 a.m.
One of the more bizarre and rambling speeches we have seen in quite some time as Sarah Palin goes Galt. Let the waves of krazy wash over you as you try, and fail, to look away: What a way to start the holiday... ...
The Albany Project - Fri 2:18 p.m.
Via CNN WASHINGTON (CNN) — Gov. Sarah Palin announced Friday that she will step down as Alaska’s chief executive by the end of the month. She will not seek election to a second gubernatorial term in 2010. [snip] “People who know me know that besides faith and family, nothing’s more important to me than our beloved Alaska,” Palin [...] Related posts: Alaska turns 5...
Rochester Turning - Fri 2:18 p.m. - 3 clicks
Yes that’s right fish eat pieces of cow! This is why some experts are worried about fish spreading mad cow disease to people. If you subsisted on a diet entirely of fish, which would kill you first: mad-cow fish or super tuna? Two stories this week make you wonder. First, Reuters reports on the risk of [...]...
Jason Gooljar - Fri 2:17 p.m.
It seems that Pedro Espada didn't campaign in 2008 ... or at any rate he didn't spend any money during the crucial months. Espada's primary campaign committee, "Pedro Espada, Jr." ( A39657 ), has yet to file a July 2008 statement, but all statements following that merely show "no activity." In other words, from July 12, 2008 through the end of November Espada neither raised nor spent any mo...
The Albany Project - Fri 12:24 p.m.
The US Senate race seems to be taking shape on the Democratic side. Incumbent appointed Senator Kirsten Gillibrand will face at least one major candidate in the primary campaign next summer in the form of Manhattan Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney. Some recent news has come out of this race that is worth noting. The first is that [...] Related posts: A Tale of Two Carolyns Maloney to challenge...
Rochester Turning - Fri 9:42 a.m. - 6 clicks
1) crossing legs tightly 2) putting on my walking shoes 3) getting my hot dog jones on 4) putting on my lead suit 5) checking my computer cache 6) dipping my teabag in a big fat cup of shutthefuckup 7) dipping my Boehner in a big fat cup of shutthefuckup 8) checking my bank balances 9) checking my liver 10) wondering about segregation in cyberspace ...
Simply Left Behind - Fri 8:23 a.m.
Another ironic twist in the Albany Senate circus: Remember the reforms Democrats promised to enact, changing the rules under which the Senate operates? They didn’t get enacted, and now the Democrats are laying claim to the validity of “empty seat voting” as their argument for the validity of the Tuesday session… That’s the day on [...] Related posts: State Senate ...
Rochester Turning - Fri 7:05 a.m. - 7 clicks
TAP seems to have become a popular enough place that it's getting spam. Not just any spam, but the new "looks real until you investigate the link" spam that's the latest iteration of nonsense. I'm not sure if it's created by humans or by computers, but its volume is increasing. This morning I found four comments in my feed reader that all looked real until that last "Make Money From Home",...
The Albany Project - Fri 6:44 a.m.
Per WHEC: State Attorney General Andrew Cuomo was in town today to draw attention to the new state law. It’s called the Government Reorganization and Citizen Empowerment Act and it makes it easier for citizens to eliminate some of the more than ten-thousand government entities that levy taxes. Cuomo said, “This is the first time you’ve had [...] Related posts: Golisano: Consolidate...
Rochester Turning - Fri 4:48 a.m.
by Yaakov Astor Does Judaism believe in reincarnation? The word eschatology is defined in the dictionary as a branch of theology concerned with the final events of the history of the world. The truth is that eschatology is not exclusively the domain of religion. The most striking example of a secular eschatology would be Marxism: the convulsions and agonies of the class war, its...
Barbara's Tchatzkahs - Fri 12:20 a.m.
I love that America celebrates it birthday in July. Yankee Doodle Dandy being my all time favorite movie–and both James Cagney and George M Cohan claimed 7/4 as their birthdays. So did the author of my favorite song “What A Wonderful World,” Louis! (No last name needed, really.) I love everything [...]...
Courting Destiny - Thu 9:37 p.m.
The protest was called by city council member Charles Barron(shown here with Elaine Brower)(Photo: Elaine Brower / NLN) NEW YORK — July 2, 2009. On Wednesday afternoon, July 1st, 300 people gathered in outside the Israeli Consulate to protest an act of piracy by the Israeli Navy. The navy attacked the Spirit of Humanity, a small [...]...
Next Left Notes - Thu 7:46 p.m. - 13 clicks
Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney (NY-14), who is committed to challenging Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand in a primary next year, made a big deal at a Manhattan fund-raiser Tuesday night out of Bill Clinton hosting a Manhattan fund-raiser for her later this month. Naturally, that "big deal" was promptly leaked to a friendly Manhattan news website , and went viral within a few hours, with Google News now ...
The Albany Project - Thu 5:42 p.m. - 3 clicks
More video from the 6-25 HCAN rally in Washington D.C. In this one, Senator Chuck Schumer, our senior Senator from New York State, is shouted down in Washington at a Health Care rally (note: I was jostled a few times, but but watch and listen). I’ll explain after the video where Senator Schumer misses the mark [...] Related posts: Specter agreeing with Schumer, but Schumer is wrong on...
Rochester Turning - Thu 4:09 p.m. - 22 clicks
After six long months, It's official. Al Franken is the new Senator from Minnesota. Welcome to the circus Mr Franken. I understand Al is expected to take a seat on the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee. That should be interesting. He has a long history of supporting the unions and has advocated for serious Health Care reform. What I am pleased about is his support fo...
Kingston Progressive - Thu 3:13 p.m.
Nice move, Mr. Comptroller: Statement From State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli on Paying State Senators Shortly after the Senate leadership controversy arose, I directed my staff to stop processing any Senate vouchers, including those for Senators' travel. To date, we are holding more than 250 vouchers, totaling $560,000. The question of withholding Senators' pay has raised complicated le...
The Albany Project - Thu 3:13 p.m.
Here's the stream of the WFP's Mayoral Candidate Forum. You can also You should just watch it at their site and participate in the twitter conversation as well. Justin and Josh from Living Liberally are liveblogging the forum over at Open Left. P.S. If the player starts to drive you crazy, you can turn it off by clicking the "menu" button. ...
The Albany Project - Thu 3:13 p.m.
Charlene Obernauer, Long Island Wins guest blogger, writes: When the majority of people in the United States think about so-called "illegal immigration", they picture a Mexican man crossing the border into the United States in the middle of the night. I don't have actual statistical numbers to back up this claim, but I do have the experience of growing up in Suffolk County, where the tensions ove...
DMIblog - Thu 3:12 p.m. - 3 clicks
I've been a big fan of the new New York State Senate web site . It's much more than "new and improved" - it actually offers a window into the operations of the Senate, inviting the audience not only to watch but to participate. It rightly made a splash at the Personal Democracy Forum , as a genuine step forward. Unfortunately, it's had a bumpy few weeks. I'm very glad that they've opene...
The Albany Project - Thu 1:00 p.m. - 4 clicks
If and when Republican Congressman John McHugh is confirmed by the US Senate to be Obama’s Secretary of the Army, there will be a hotly contested race to replace him as the federal representative for the Adirondacks and Northern New York. One name that is consistently mentioned as a possible candidate is moderate Republican Assemblywoman [...] Related posts: Obama nominates upstate Repub...
Rochester Turning - Thu 10:40 a.m. - 6 clicks
Could someone please explain to me how Atlantic Yards, which was a dubious project to begin with, is good for Brooklyn or New York City? The project, according to the IBO, is now estimated to be a money loser for the city. Now that there are no immediate plans for any office towers, the tax revenue generated from the commercial space will not materialize. The world class design of Frank Gerhy...
DMIblog - Thu 10:40 a.m. - 3 clicks
I told you weeks ago that this whole coup by the GOP+Espada "reform coalition" was about nothing more than power and patronage. It was always transparently ridiculous that the very people who fought against any reform at all for 40 years had had a sudden change of heart and did so while adopting and elevating probably the single most ethically challenged person in the entire chamber. Did anyon...
The Albany Project - Thu 9:37 a.m. - 5 clicks
The downward spiral continues. On Wednesday, Gannett announced further cutbacks. The local impact has not yet been announced. Gannett Co. Inc. will eliminate some 1,400 more jobs in the next few weeks, several news services have reported. Bob Dickey, head of the company’s newspaper division, informed staff of the layoffs in a letter Wednesday. Most of the [...] Related posts: D&C jo...
Rochester Turning - Thu 9:37 a.m.
Robert Bowman wants to be a lawyer. He tried the whole Horatio Alger Jr. story for himself. He went to community college, worked and borrowed money for the schools he attended. What he did is what millions of college students attempt to do. But as I often say we are in the age of the [...]...
Jason Gooljar - Thu 9:04 a.m.
In France, those two words stand for one of the most important events on the French calendar: The Tour of France . The 2009 Tour begins Saturday, July 4. Rather fitting, as America's hopes in this event have been given a kick in the butt by the return of Lance Armstrong . It's a bit over the top to say, as Mike Paterniti claims in Bicycling Magazine this month, that a victory by Lance Armstr...
Simply Left Behind - Thu 8:08 a.m.
I don't mean to continue beating this dead horse, since there are very few developments in the Coup of 2009, but this current debacle reeks of desperation on the part of the Republicans in the State Senate. Essentially, the GOP made a mad dash for power to counteract two (well, more than two) changes faced by the party: Fewer member items, a natural result of being the minority party A changin...
The Herkimer County Progressive - Thu 7:20 a.m.
Last night, Putney Swope helped me see that I hold at least two conflicting opinions on the State Senate fiasco: On the one hand, I have hope that some reasonably sane group of Senators, though probably not the leadership, can come together around a solution that establishes a solid precedent for a Senate that functions roughly according to the principles they suggested in high sch...
The Albany Project - Thu 7:20 a.m.
And they wonder why they’ve been doing so horribly? As if buying a lemon isn’t bad enough, Chrysler is now demanding that some customers who settle lemon-law claims forfeit any future legal claims against the company. That’s the conclusion of several consumer lawyers who have clients with lemon-law claims against the new Chrysler Corp., run by Italian [...]...
Jason Gooljar - Thu 7:20 a.m.
I was raised by my father, of blessed memory - to be truthful. Being scrupulously truthful has caused me a lot of problems. People either don't want to hear it or are frightened by it coming out (and often attack you for telling it.) But I am raising my own children to cling to truth. It will set you free. By Berel Wein The Torah extols the value of truth as an absolute virtue. It te...
Barbara's Tchatzkahs - Wed 9:12 p.m.
As state governments across the country grappled this week with painful decisions about tax increases and service cuts to close budget deficits, stimulus watchers raised serious concerns about the deleterious effects that these deficit-closing measures will have on economic recovery. Stephanie Kelton pointed out that "Jobs that are being created (or saved) through the left hand of the Obama stimu...
DMIblog - Wed 12:48 p.m.
I have always been my own muse. This solves a lot of problems such as the weekly pay check Bone demanded. (Kidding, he asked nicely.) As my own muse I have always been conscious of the quality of my writing. Lately it doesn’t meet my own pitiful standards. Is it because I have [...]...
Courting Destiny - Wed 12:48 p.m.
The Utica OD is reporting that Gov. Paterson has announced a new round of transportation related projects that will be taking place in this area. Specifically these projects are "greenscapes" projects, through which a street or area is repaved, the sidewalks are rebuilt, period lighting is added, and it ends up looking a lot nicer (Think last summer's project on Albany Street in Herkimer). The...
The Herkimer County Progressive - Wed 10:31 a.m. - 8 clicks
Stumbling upon this apparently harmless and humorous story is something that, instead of providing a chuckle, provides a look at how childish every Senator, Democrat or Republican, is acting in this circus of a power grab we have in the NYS Senate. As he'd swear in an affidavit later in the day, Sen. Frank Padavan (R- Bellerose) merely walked through the Senate chamber Tuesday en route t...
The Herkimer County Progressive - Wed 8:48 a.m. - 9 clicks
The housing bubble provided some clear indicators that there is something wrong with our current patterns of housing development. The suburban sprawl model that fueled the growth of many Sunbelt economies, from South Florida to Phoenix to southern California, sputtered out, leaving foreclosed homes, half-finished developments, and never-filled strip malls in its wake. It is difficult to determin...
DMIblog - Wed 8:47 a.m.
I have mixed feelings about Al Franken as a Senator . On the one hand, he's an intelligent compassionate man, Harvard educated and yet from a working class background. My exposure to him has been limited to his stint on Saturday Night Live and his daily radio show on Air America, in which he spoke to progressives who were tired of being made to feel like second class citizens. His thoughts on hi...
Simply Left Behind - Wed 6:48 a.m.
This day in history: in 1987, Ronald Reagan nominated Appeals Court Judge Robert Bork to the Supreme Court. His nomination became the “do not” model of the nomination process. His unsuccessful bid was derailed by his verbose and controversial responses to Senate inquiry; this to-be-avoided process would later be called “getting Borked.” This day also marks [...]...
DragonFlyEye - Wed 5:54 a.m.
I keep repeating here and on my other blog over & over & over again - abuse (ANY kind of abuse) victims MUST TALK ABOUT THE ABUSE IN ORDER TO HEAL. Talking about the abuse you endured helps get it out of the dark and into the light - where it 'disinfects.' It connects you to everyone else. It gets it 'out of your head' and stops driving you crazy. You start to see that you a...
Barbara's Tchatzkahs - Tue 10:06 p.m.
This year’s LGBT Pride parade was a photographer’s dream(Photo: Thomas Good / NLN) NEW YORK — June 30, 2009. LGBT pride was on display Sunday: a vibrant celebration of life and diversity that included the NYPD’s Gay Officers Action League — and marchers demanding an end to the false arrests of gay men targeted by [...]...
Next Left Notes - Tue 9:24 p.m. - 3 clicks
Charles Barron discussing the Israeli seizure of the Spirit of Humanity(Photo: Bud Korotzer / NLN) NEW YORK — June 30, 2009. Troops Out Now is calling an “EMERGENCY DEMONSTRATION Against Israeli Piracy and Kidnapping” to be held tomorrow, Wednesday, July 1, from 4 to 6 p.m. at the Israeli Mission: 800 Second Avenue (near 43rd Street). Earlier [...]...
Next Left Notes - Tue 9:24 p.m. - 3 clicks
Holidays were the topic of conversation at the City Council yesterday, with the body approving a three-month penalty forgiveness period for environmental fines as well as a resolution that urges the city schools to give students two Muslim holidays off. ...
Gotham Gazette - Tue 9:23 p.m.
As June 30 ended, the State Senate remained mired in chaos. The city did not get its sales tax hike, and mayoral control of schools has sunset. What happens now?...
Gotham Gazette - Tue 9:23 p.m.
I'm getting back into blogging, but right now I'm pretty distracted by the lunacy of our so-called New York State Senate. It's more a state topic than a Dryden topic (and Jim Seward has only played a bit part in it), so I'm mostly posting at The Albany Project lately. If you want an easy place to keep up with my writings, Dryden and otherwise, my old simonstl.com domain shows the latest f...
Living in Dryden - Tue 6:02 p.m. - 7 clicks
Sungiva's teenage months are flying by. She started the month with her grandparents visiting, then her aunt, uncle, and cousin arrived, and she's been busy ever since with friends, animals, toys, and us. Reading with her aunt Mirjam, cousin Jonathan, and uncle Michael. Posing for a picture. Sungiva visits the chickens at Dryden Dairy Day. Sungiva feeds her rabb...
Living in Dryden - Tue 5:45 p.m.
The House narrowly passed legislation that would cap our nations greenhouse gas emissions for the first time in history 219-212 with only 8 Republicans voting for it as well as having 44 Democrats vote against, including our own Congressman Michael Arcuri . The legislation is a last ditched effort to enact some form of carbon regulation with the goal being to reduce carbon emissions to 17% below...
The Herkimer County Progressive - Tue 12:07 p.m.
The basis of Buddhism is the The Four Noble Truths and The Eightfold Path that the historical Buddha taught in his first sermon following his enlightenment. What is this Four Noble Truths? Thus have I heard… Now this, bhikkhus [i.e. monks], is the noble truth of suffering: birth is suffering, aging is suffering, illness is suffering, death is suffering; union with what is displeasing is sufferi...
10,000 Things - Tue 12:06 p.m.
Chuck Todd was just on MSNBC discussing the political apparatus available to the Obama Administration and how that apparatus has come down hard on Dianne Feinstein on the health care reform vote. He points out that, since Senator Feinstein announced that they did not have the votes on the reform bill, MoveOn and other groups [...]...
DragonFlyEye - Tue 9:59 a.m.
Oneida County Legislator Richard Flisnik (R-Marcy) has recently proposed cutting the number of times that the chamber meets from twice to once a month, The OD is reporting . The main reason he cites for the change is to cut costs by having department heads not have to attend as many meetings, as well as allowing for legislators to have more time to spend working on issues and to bolster attend...
The Herkimer County Progressive - Tue 8:57 a.m. - 3 clicks
You might recall that, during the Bush administration, much was made about the invasion of Iraq (and to an extent, Afghanistan) and the connection to the oil reserves , how secret plans had been drawn up by Cheney's energy task force before the war to divvy up the fields, and how the oil fields would pay for the war . What we hadn't considered was that a free and independent Iraq, sans Saddam...
Simply Left Behind - Tue 8:41 a.m.
After the much anticipated immigration meeting, the President reiterated his commitment to reform our broken immigration system. The administration only committed to start the debate this year; hoping that a bill is passed in 2010 before the midterm elections. According to Emanuel, immigration reform lacks the votes to pass this congressional session. Congressional leaders present at the meeting...
DMIblog - Tue 8:40 a.m.
If the problem with the Stimulus package is that the money’s not going out the door fast enough, perhaps the solution is to give the money to KBR and Bechtel? Anyone even know where that 18 billion went to in Iraq? Tagged With: Barack Obama, Economy, Stimulus, Thinking Related posts I’m a Thinker… The Permanent Campaign Mortgage Rates Going Up It’s [...]...
DragonFlyEye - Tue 4:26 a.m.
I’m a Thinker: Stimulus Money | DragonFlyEye.Net If the problem with the Stimulus package is that the money's not going out the door fast enough, perhaps the solution is to give the money to KBR and Bechtel? ...
DragonFlyEye - Tue 4:26 a.m.
When I was in Elementary School (40 years ago) my Fifth Grade teacher had a singular dislike for myself and my parents. I don't know why and looking back on it I still think she had a screw or 10 loose. She was one of those battle-axes who hated kids, hated her job and found one or two kids every year to crap all over. That year - myself and a boy named Jim Gillespie were it. This woman, a...
Barbara's Tchatzkahs - Mon 11:19 p.m.
by Robert Krulwich and Jad Abumrad LISTEN TO THE INTERVIEW - CLICK HERE We all lie — once a day or so, according to most studies. But usually we tell little lies, like "your new haircut looks great!" And most of us can control when we lie or what we lie about. But some people lie repeatedly and compulsively, about things both big and small. In 2005, a study published in The British Journ...
Barbara's Tchatzkahs - Mon 9:16 p.m.
So I usually make an honest attempt to stay above partisan politics and try and find a "middle of the road" solution that makes sense to all involved. This includes abstaining from the pointing of fingers, for this only leads to not only continued gridlock, but today's absolutely absurdly partisan editorial in the Evening Telegram by Jim Seward. A piece of writing this partisan deserves an equal...
The Herkimer County Progressive - Mon 9:01 p.m.
I have written about how one of the smartest investments that our government, or any individual for that matter, can make is in energy efficiency. Here is just one more shining example of smart public policy in action. The University of Illinois at Urbana has recently undergone a $5 million energy efficiency upgrade , including more energy efficient light bulbs, motion sensors that turn off l...
The Herkimer County Progressive - Mon 9:01 p.m.
In a case recently heard in the Bronx, an undocumented immigrant tried to collect damages for wages he might lose in the future -- a future that might find him in Kosovo, not the U.S. ...
Gotham Gazette - Mon 9:01 p.m.
Dave beats Conan. Dave visits the troops and doesn’t talk about it. Yes to watching Dave laugh after he makes a joke, especially a bad one. It’s so endearing. I do expect the answer to “Letterman V Leno” to be a blank stare as if there’s no contest because Dave is king. I didn’t find the [...]...
Courting Destiny - Mon 7:59 p.m.
Ithaca Democratic Socialists of America Presents #362 (holiday rerun): "Money Wise" Joe Cummins, Community Development Educator at the Alternatives Federal Credit Union, tells Petra Hepburn about letting children experience saving money and about teaching adults money management. It's liberating. Tuesday, June 30 7:00-7:30 pm on Channel 13 Wednesday, July 1 1:00-1:30 pm on Chan...
Ithaca Action Network - Mon 5:10 p.m. - 5 clicks
I think its safe to assume many of you have heard about the new position being created here in Ulster County. It's the recurring story in the local paper and it prompted me to post this today. Several months ago the Legislature voted to create this position to get a better handle on the 300+ fleet owned by the County. The details about what the departments use is in print, but I wanted to fol...
Kingston Progressive - Mon 8:44 a.m. - 2 clicks
The day of reckoning for Bernie Madoff is here. The prosecutors have asked for 150 years, but the victims as well as the rest of society will not be satisfied unless they hear the word life come out of the judge's mouth. In my opinion, it should. Madoff, through his unrelenting greed, took people's lives. Perhaps not as directly as taking a knife and stabbing them, but al...
Simply Left Behind - Mon 8:43 a.m.
Has a politician asked for your signature lately? No wonder. Getting on the ballot, staying there and knocking opponents off has become a political blood sport....
Gotham Gazette - Jun 29 - 5 clicks
New York State Unemployment Phone Laberynth DragonFlyEye.Net’s Stupid WordPress Thing ...
DragonFlyEye - Jun 29 - 4 clicks
When you are told you have cancer, the diagnosis affects not only you, but also your family and friends. You may feel scared, uncertain, or angry about the unwanted changes cancer will bring to your life and theirs. You may feel numb or confused. You may have trouble listening to, understanding, or remembering what people tell you during this time. This is especially true when your doctor first t...
Barbara's Tchatzkahs - Jun 29
I f we as a society, are going to condemn the sexual terrorism done by our government - then we must recognize and take steps to hold the perpetrators of emotional abuse, which includes 'sexual terrorism' accountable. Should Obama continue to give Bush a pass? We need to stop blaming the victims and saying 'they agreed to it' or 'they knew what they were getting into' and hold those who dest...
Barbara's Tchatzkahs - Jun 29
By Marylou Barry Have you ever wanted something so badly that you would have accepted it from anyone, even if you knew that person placed absolutely no value on you, your family, your future, or your right to go on living? That's exactly what hundreds of single people are doing right now in Gaza, the southern coastal region of Israel that was ethnically cleansed of Jews and surrendered to I...
Barbara's Tchatzkahs - Jun 29
By Philip Rucker This is the place where the betrayed wife took her stand. As her husband's affair with an Argentine woman exploded onto the global stage and publicly humiliated her family, Jenny Sanford, 46, and their four sons sought refuge here at their large beachfront cottage on this lush island enclave outside Charleston. In marked contrast to elsewhere across the state, where r...
Barbara's Tchatzkahs - Jun 29
Cindy Sheehan speaking on Staten Island(Photo: Thomas Good / NLN) STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — June 26, 2009. Has the nation’s most prominent “Peace Mom” developed her own class analysis — the answer is Yes and although she avoids much of the jargon her message is essentially Marxian. Cindy Sheehan (born July 10, 1957) is a 51-year-old [...]...
Next Left Notes - Jun 26 - 3 clicks
I had just got notice that our Congressman Maurice Hinchey will be hosting a public forum this Monday at SUNY New Paltz. The focus of the forum is the funding that's available to small-business owners from the federal stimulus package. The event will be held from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. at the university’s Lecture Center Room 102 at 1 Hawk Drive. Because of the summer class levels, parking should b...
Kingston Progressive - Jun 26 - 3 clicks
The recession currently gripping the United States economy is the culmination of nearly a decade of poor job growth, stagnant wages, and growing inequality that has squeezed middle-class households across the country. An economy overly reliant on the profits of the financial services sector and driven by resource-intensive industries saw real median household income decline by 0.6 percent between...
DMIblog - Jun 26
Being a progressive minded individual around here can be hard at times, and being an environmentalist is even harder with the distances that need to be driven and people constantly complaining about renewable energy projects, but there are moments when good news emerges such as the other day. Many of you may be familiar with the controversy surrounding the landfill that was built in Ava (South of...
The Herkimer County Progressive - Jun 26
In the first tangible instance of the Senate fiasco directly affecting our area, Oneida County Executive Anthony Picente has stated that if the Senate does not convene and vote on a sales tax extension for the County that it will be forced to lower its sales tax rate, leaving a gaping hole in this years budget. The bill needed to pass in order for Oneida County to extend its sales tax rate has n...
The Herkimer County Progressive - Jun 26 - 4 clicks
Apparently Gov. Paterson's threat to withhold Senator's paychecks was the move that finally brought about progress on the Senate stalemate. The Times Union is reporting that a power-sharing agreement has been reached between the two camps. The deal would allow Democrat Sen. Malcolm Smith to continue on as President of the Senate and have Republican Dean Skelos become the majority leader. Def...
The Herkimer County Progressive - Jun 26
Living on unemployment is never easy but its particularly difficult in New York -- where expenses are high and the payments are low. How do people make ends meet? ...
Gotham Gazette - Jun 26 - 2 clicks
Thanks For The Thrill(er)s! I don't have the snark in me today. I had a nice eulogy planned for Farrah, about a young boy who through a combination of hormones and later, an appreciation of her character, loved a woman who never knew he existed. And then...well, now I have to write about two cultural signposts in America. First, let me write about Farrah ...
Simply Left Behind - Jun 26
Earlier this week the state Assembly in Albany voted to expand access to college education for people receiving welfare. This legislation could help many poor and vulnerable New Yorkers, but the gridlock in the state Senate is jeopardizing its future. The leaders of the political circus upstate should take a moment to consider the story of someone like Hirah, whose life is literally in their han...
DMIblog - Jun 26 - 3 clicks
Michael Jackson, pop music legend, dead at 50 - CNN.com I know Michael Jackson was weird. I know he had his issues. After the allegations of child abuse, I chose not to follow him or his music, but at the same time, I find myself sad that a man who was a large cultural icon of my childhood is gone. I tend to look at Michael Jackson like two different people. The Michael Jackson of the Jack...
Aimless Wanderings of a Fretful Mind - Jun 26
BREAKING NEWS!! | DragonFlyEye.Net The governor of South Carolina poked some chick in Argentina. Oh yes. And they're hacking people up with axes in Iran. In case it seems important to anyone ...
DragonFlyEye - Jun 26
Log in to: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/allabouthim/2009/06/26/How-the- Click on the arrow on the widget above and turn up your computer's speakers! Lisa's site and support board is http://www.vainencounters.com Narcissus - Alanis Morissette ...
Barbara's Tchatzkahs - Jun 25
President Barack Obama pushed urgently Thursday for passage of legislation to confront global warming, billing it as a job-creating machine rather than the costly "job killer" Republicans denounced. He telephoned wavering Democrats on the eve of what could be a historic House vote. Speaking in the Rose Garden at the White House, Obama said Washington must not miss the opportunity to work on cl...
Barbara's Tchatzkahs - Jun 25
With all that.s going on around us both locally and nationally, we sometimes miss some important happenings that affect each of us in profound ways. Take Cigarette smoking for example. Did everyone hear that President Obama signed legislation that places the control of tobacco (primarily nicotine) in the hands of the FDA. This is a big deal. The bill, for the first time gives the FDA authori...
Kingston Progressive - Jun 25
The Utica OD ran a story yesterday announcing the grand opening of the Celtic Harp Pub on Varick Street . The pub is located near the corner of Court Street and features a full menu, two levels of seating, and an outdoor stage for live music (for the record it is one of the nicest new establishments to be built in the City in a long time). Now this may not seem very newsworthy, but it is t...
The Herkimer County Progressive - Jun 25 - 4 clicks
On the same day that New York City's Rent Guidelines Board approved rent increases on rent stabilized apartments of three percent for one-year leases and six percent for two-year leases, San Francisco was taking bold action to strengthen renter protections. New York's increases will seriously hurt low-income renters that are already suffering from the highest rate of unemployment in this economic...
DMIblog - Jun 25 - 6 clicks
Conservatives don't seem to understand that anti-immigrant rhetoric and policies are not popular. In a recent conference, Pat Buchanan and others advocated for English-only initiatives. Most states, however, are enacting integrative immigration polices. Ted Hesson, Long Island Wins blogger, tells us more about the American Cause National Conference: You can't hold a conference addressing Englis...
DMIblog - Jun 25
With the Senate still deadlocked and unwilling to compromise, Gov. Patterson has taken the next step in incentivizing a resolution to this current situation: withholding paychecks. On a payday, no less! "You’re not going home. You’re not getting paid. And you’re not going to disrespect the people of the state of New York any longer," Patterson said Wednesday evening. Whether or not its Constit...
The Herkimer County Progressive - Jun 25 - 4 clicks
Apologies for not writing in a few days, I've been hiking the Appalachian Trail. Sen. Barney Frank (D Mass) on the House Armed Services Committee's decision to fund the F-22 fighter instead of providing money for nuclear waste cleanup (from Think Progress ): "These arguments will come from the very people who denied that the economic recovery plan created any jobs. We have a very odd economic p...
The Herkimer County Progressive - Jun 25
The governor of South Carolina poked some chick in Argentina. Oh yes. And they’re hacking people up with axes in Iran. In case it seems important to anyone outside the media. Tagged With: Ahmadinejad, Elections, Iran Related posts Iran: The Unanswerable Revolutionary Guard? Precisely the Wrong Move No, Seriously. You Change Your Principles. It’s Not About Us ...
DragonFlyEye - Jun 25
Earlier this week, I had the opportunity to make the case for the Employee Free Choice Act in the pages of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. I described the critical role unions played - and continue to play - in creating the American middle class and explained how weakened regulations protecting the right to organize had allowed employers to launch ever nastier campaigns against their own employ...
DMIblog - Jun 25
Unlike many of my fellow bloggers in Blogtopia (© Skippy, The Bush Kangaroo ) wide, my attitude towards this story is "I don't give a flying fuck." Here's why: 1) I believe that in order to fix the very real problems facing this nation, we have to beat the bastards on substance. 2) I don't believe that a person's humanity is within bounds. It wasn't for Clinton and while we had great sport with...
Simply Left Behind - Jun 25 - 4 clicks
