May 2012 Archives

     Memorial Day has passed.  The parades are over as American's all over the country celebrated our war hero's.  Where has all this war gotten us.  In WW II we liberated Europe from Hitler at the cost of over 410,000 U.S. troops.  In Korea we kept the communists from taking over South Korea where 34,000 American soldiers were killed.  I guess that's two wins for the U.S.  Then there was Vietnam.  On the Vietnam Memorial Wall there are 58,272 names listed.  There, once Saigon fell, the North became the South virtually overnight. A big loss for the U.S.  Big loss.  Now were in the midst of two wars in the Middle East (they say the Iraq war is over.)  We've been there for ten years now and the casualty count so far is at 6,400.  The president has an exit strategy that would bring the troops home by the end of 2013. What's wrong with bringing them home now?  What can possibly be gained from remaining there even one more day? The minute we leave Afghanistan, the country will revert back to where it started with the Taliban gaining control once again.  The Afghan's are not ready to govern and protect themselves now, and they won't be able to by the end of 2013.  How about the cost to taxpayers.  According to the Department of Defense, the two wars have cost American's in excess of $1.4 trillion dollars since the Iraq war began in 2001.  A study by Brown University put that number at $4.5 trillion.  We are in the midst of the campaign season which will bring us the next President of the United States.  The wars haven't even been an issue.  I couldn't even tell you what Romney's stance on the war is.  With all the talk about jobs and the economy, the Afghan war is kind of swept under the rug.  It certainly would be a nice boost to the economy not to have to spend all those dollars overseas; not to mention the additional loss of American life.  Say what you want politicians, the war's in Iraq and Afghanistan are, and always have been no win situations.  We started these conflicts to get rid of Saddam, and to find Bin Ladin.  Mission accomplished.  Time to come home now, not in 2013.  The veteran vote is very important to the candidates; and I believe that the majority of them would fully support the withdrawal of troops now.  Let's make this an issue.  It is time to bring this war to an end, and bring our troops home.  Now.

And that is "The Daily Take"

     In a county so laden with Democrats, it doesn't surprise me one bit that they're going into the committee meeting Wednesday night without an endorsed candidate.  Citing reasoning that he wanted to continue with his duties as the majority leader of the County Legislature, Frank Commisso backed out of the endorsement of party leaders for the vacant seat relinquished by longtime politico Jack McEneny in the 109th Assembly District. I'm pretty sure that Frank never wanted the job in the first place.  This is going to open up a fun to be there floor debate with supporters of at least the four known candidates. While some committee members chide the need for an endorsed candidate, party leaders think otherwise. County Democratic Chairman Matthew Clyne said he would leave the endorsement up to the committee's members of the 109th District.  Now comes the debate. How about someone familiar with the way government is run. How about Guilderland Town Supervisor Ken Runion. He was interested in the job before they gave it to Commisso. That way he could run against fellow Guilderlander, Republican Ted Danz.  Anyway; it should be a fun night at the PCC...........As anticipated the Albany Common Council passed the $2 million borrowing plan for neighborhood revitalization. That money will be spent before the ink on the check dries. Do you know where half of it is going?. It will be spent cleaning up the old police station on Central Avenue. They have demolition and hazardous waste cleanup, and none of that is cheap. Then they turn it over to a developer. So much for downtown. Maybe they should just pave some city streets.

And that is "The Daily Take"

     Some nice Saturday afternoon get in your car and take a ride to downtown Albany. Start on North Pearl Street at State and drive north past all the trendy bars and restaurants to the Palace Theater. Take a left onto Clinton Avenue and start counting. Drive up Clinton to Henry Johnson Blvd. and take a left. Go two blocks to Sheridan Avenue, take another left and keep counting. Drive down Sheridan back to Pearl Street and what have you got? A fine example of urban blight Albany style. What was your count? On those two streets alone, there are probably a couple of hundred boarded up or abandoned houses that are so structurally unsound they are unfit for occupancy. In the City of Albany there are close to a thousand of these properties city wide. These buildings, most if not all, are one hundred year old wooden fires waiting to happen. It happens all the time. A vacant building catches fire, and the two on each side, occupied or not, inevitably catch fire as well. Now the city is responsible for the demolition of three buildings, not to say the relocation of families affected by the fire. The mayor wants to borrow two million dollars for neighborhood revitalization, and the Albany Common Council in a recent meeting wants a more comprehensive plan exacting the properties affected. You could spend the $2 million in that process alone. The Historic Albany Foundation, the self serving group, and it's self serving executive director Susan Holland also chimed in with their concerns about where the money would be spent. Tell you what, Susan, why don't you walk through those buildings one at a time and tell us which ones can come down. Everyone knows that the city has a lot of historic roots and architecture (That is clearly evident when they halt construction for weeks because they excavated some broken pottery,) but you can't save every one. The mayor talks about revitalization of these areas. The only areas developers are interested in are the ones closest to downtown, which they will turn into townhouses and apartments unaffordable to Arbor Hill  or West Hill residents. It's time to talk about getting rid of these city wide firetraps; and talk about revitalization later. If a developer wants to build downtown, let him be responsible for the demolition. Another thing: how many of these abandoned buildings are paying their tax bills? I'd venture to say a lot of them are not. So, council members, it's not time for you to get into a pissing contest with the mayor over the $2 million he wants for revitalization. It's time to focus on getting rid of these dangerous eyesores...........R.I.P. Nebraska Brace. Mr. Brace was a true pioneer in the African-American community. He was a presence in Albany in the '60's and '70's and did make a difference in local politics. The "Sharp Dressed Man" will truly be missed.

And that is "The Daily Take"

     Well folks, it's almost here.  With the General Election less than six months away, the campaign's are gearing up in anticipation of this summer's non-stop electioneering. As you all know, because it's already started: the phones will ring every night at dinnertime, the mailbox will be stuffed with campaign mailings, and the TV commercials make it easy to take a bathroom break in the middle of your favorite show.  In Albany, the mud-slinging is usually kept to a minimum. Not so, however, in the race to be the next President of the United States.  This one is going to be ugly. Real ugly. Only last night I saw how Mitt Romney had to distance himself from an add that a PAC had put together ripping President Obama. A PAC can raise incredible amounts of money, and can spend it anyway they please.  They have nothing to do with the national campaigns, so they don't have to get permission from the candidates, not even the President before they run them.   Used to be the candidates took the $85 million that the fed's gave them to run their campaigns.  Now they can raise that much money with four dinners at George Clooney's house. Romney is going to rip Obama; Obama rips back. Non-stop. These campaigns get personal, and by the time they're through, we will have no better understanding of how they stand on the issues than we do now. I wonder how Abe Lincoln and George McClellan did things back in 1864........The "Dirtbag of the Week" has two winners. The first is Pedro Espada. He being the former Senate Majority Leader who stole half a million dollars from the health clinic he started and ran. He was also one of the "Four Amigos" who basically sent the legislative process to a grinding halt in the summer of 2009; and made New York State look ridiculous in the eyes of the nation. Bye-bye Pedro........The second is former candidate John Edwards.  His lawyer said that his client was guilty of nothing but being a bad husband. A bad husband doesn't have access to millions of dollars in campaign cash to hide a mistress, all the while his wife was dying of cancer. His actions are so reprehensible, it fails the imagination. Where did you think the money was going John?  My favorite part: he was going to tell everyone when his wife died and the election was over. Weren't you even thinking about your family at all when you started all of this?....... My pick is number two. What's yours?

And that is "The Daily Take"

     If you were a landowner with a large parcel of land, say 640 acres, and your next door neighbor had one of similar size and was leasing it to a company whose intent was to drill for natural gas; did you know that the company could take your land as well, regardless of whether you wanted to lease it or not? In the State of New York that could actually happen under a process called "Compulsory integration." Now, I am a proponent of hydrofracking, but this process is totally bogus. Before I continue, I must credit Fred LeBrun, a columnist for the Albany TU for enlightening me of this outrageous process. Though I seldom agree with Mr. LeBrun on the subject of fracking, he is point on concerning this. It appears that the current law that was enacted in 2005 gives a drilling operator the right to establish a "Spacing unit" on land that the owner has agreed to lease. The current spacing unit was established at one well per forty acres. If that forty acres happens to stray onto the adjacent property, the owner has to relinquish the mineral rights of said property under three scenarios. While the "Nonparticipating" landowner will profit under each scenario, they have virtually no control over the process. So if you are dead set on no drilling on your property, you're going to see a drill rig out of your back window regardless.  While I am a firm believer that a person can do whatever they please with their property; they shouldn't be forced into doing something with it against their will. I hope that lawmakers will address this in conjunction with the DEC's review of it's drilling regs........It appears that the Albany occupiers stance on "Let's head over to Lafayette Park, violate the curfew and get arrested" has brought repercussions to one of the protestors. Seems that one of the group arrested on May 1 was a substitute teacher for BOCES. Although the charges were dismissed, the state Department of Education was notified, who in turn has to notify the district in which the teacher worked. The teacher now will have to jump through hoops to keep a teaching credential. I'm not sure about this, but I wouldn't be surprised if other state licensed professions follow the same criteria.  lots of fun, eh occupiers.

And that is "The Daily Take"

     There is absolutely nothing more impressive than the sight of the massive jet called Air Force One touching down yesterday at Albany International Airport.  If nothing else, the huge jetliner symbolizes the power of our Country.  Like many others, I watched the arrival and departure of the President on TV yesterday.  When they use the north-south runway (which is the only one that can handle the jet), the airplanes going south fly right over my home.  Seeing the jet takeoff on television and because of the low cloud cover you couldn't see it; then twenty seconds later I heard the sounds of those four GE jet engines pumping to get the President into the air.  That was as far as it got for excitement for me about Obama's visit.  Being an election year, one of the biggest issues is job creation.  While you can take and twist the numbers around to show that so many jobs were created in any given month, in my opinion it really bothers me to hear that the Nanotech facility as well as the Global Foundry plant in Malta are creating jobs in the area.  The numbers show that there are some supposed 3000 jobs between them.  How many of those jobs can be filled by the "average person" who has been out of work for two years.  Just look in the classifieds in the paper on any given Sunday "Wanted: Nano Astrophysical SuedoWidget Engineer. Must Have Masters Degree (PhD Preferred).  How many local people are qualified for those jobs?  Just take a ride up Route 9 through Malta sometime.  There are so many new housing projects going up that are obviously for people coming into the area from elsewhere.  How many of those jobs are for people without a Nanotech Engineering degree?  Albany is obviously losing out on Obama's job creation plan for the average person.  The sight of the giant jet will always be impressive........Sometimes I can just not figure out the American intelligence people.  I thought that when you had an operative working inside a terrorist group you would work him until his cover was blown or whatever else they do in the spook world.  Now we have this man who was working inside an al qaeda group in Yemen who gets on a plane bound for the U.S. carrying one of those "underwear bombs". According to news accounts he was found out by security people.  Good job intelligence people.  Then the next day the CIA is patting itself on the back on national TV for their outstanding work in planting this "double agent".  Why don't we just let the terrorist groups know when we are conducting an operation.  This guy is toast unless we relocate him to North Dakota or someplace worse.  Maybe we can put him into one of those $2000 a month townhouses in Malta.

And that is "The Daily Take"

     When you go to the polling place, be it for a primary or general election, and you fill out your ballot, you are basically putting your trust into the person you have selected for that particular office.  For years and years Joe Bruno violated that trust.  Federal prosecutors have handed down a two-count indictment citing that Bruno took kickbacks in return for favors given a local businessman.  The indictment comes on the heels of last years dismissal by the federal Court of Appeals on charges of honest services fraud.  What is honest services fraud anyway?  These charges of bribery and kickbacks should be a little easier for a jury to digest.  When you think about it, how much influence did Mr. Bruno spread around during his years as the most powerful man in state politics?  Forget about Jared Abbruzzese, the businessman who allegedly paid the bribe money to Bruno; the next time you go to a game at Joe Bruno Stadium on the campus of Hudson Valley Community College, just think how the stadium got there.  The builder of the stadium, usually not involved in that type of work came from his senate district.  Joe, in the eyes of his constituents brought money into the district.  How much of that money involved deals that padded Bruno's pockets?  I hope that this time the prosecutors can present a case to the jury that will inevitably result in a conviction that will stick.  His loadmouth attorney Stewart Jones claims that Bruno is too old to go to jail.  I don't want to see him in prison for the rest of his life, but I do want him to serve some time behind bars.  If it were you or me, there would be no question about it.  This time around, even Joe is worried.  The first time, the jury did find him guilty on two counts.  He skated because a judge let him skate.  The evidence is already on record.  All prosecutors have to do is present it to the jury so that they can understand it.  Joe has a team of great lawyers, and god bless him if they can get him out of this mess.  Too bad we have to wait for probably a year before they seat a jury.  In the meantime, his attorney's will throw motions at the wall to see which one of them may stick.  In this case, the public needs to see a conviction.  One thing did come out of the first trial:  it put Bruno in the public spotlight for something other than standing next to the governor for a publicity shot.  It put him in the eyes of the people who trusted him as a crook, and crooks go to jail........Follow me on Twitter @jonmazur.

And that is "The Daily Take"

     Once again you didn't disappoint anyone.  The Albany occupiers held their May Day celebration yesterday in downtown Albany.  When all was said and done it was reported that some 20 protestors were arrested by police.  As scripted, they gathered in state owned Lafayette Park early yesterday, then proceeded to march through the streets of Albany with police stopping traffic ahead of them to prevent total mayhem on the streets.  A couple of people were arrested early just in time to make the midday newscasts.  I guess they achieved what was supposed to be accomplished;  getting as much media attention as possible.  There were interviews with protesters, and of course an interview with the group's attorney who was saying that the occupiers were doing nothing but exercising their constitutional right of free speech.  There isn't anyone denying those rights.  Those rights, however don't include breaking the law.  That law says that there is a curfew in the park and the authorities were there to enforce it.  It was good  to see my favorite occupy idiot Bradley (I won't use your last name Brad) in the crowd yesterday.  If I were a betting man, I'd say it would have been a good bet that he was led away in handcuffs.  Now we go through the same idiotic ritual of processing the arrested and going through with the waste of time of a judge having to dismiss the cases because the district attorney won't prosecute.  Maybe if they did prosecute someone, and that someone walks away with an arrest on their record, you would think again.  That would look real good on your resume.  Occupiers, you are so predicable.  I could have written this piece yesterday (just leave the number of arrests blank).  Keeping on giving me fuel for the fire........Follow me on Twitter @jonmazur.

And that is the "The Daily Take"

     I have never written anything in anticipation of it happening, but the beginning of this story as well as its end are a foregone conclusion.  I make no bones about it; I am not in favor of the Occupy movement in Albany.  As I am part of the 99%, I agree with some of the movements ideology which started with its beginnings  in Zuccotti Park in NYC.  While the basic roots of Occupy have filtered down to cities all over the country, the movement in Albany seems to be centered on its own needs to attract the attention of the media.  In Occupy Albany's blog yesterday, the body of the post centered on what they consider the "standing in solidarity" with your oppressed brethren.  How many people do you expect to take the day off and stand with you in solidarity?  Then, on the last line you have to state that your peaceful protest will continue on past the 11:00pm curfew.  You know that the curfew is law, you know that the trucks will be there from all the local network affiliates, and you know that the police will be present.  Those are three things that will inevitably lead to the sensationalism you  are seeking.  In your post you said that the movement has spent the last few months "engaged in horizontal democracy" (what is that anyway).  Exactly what have you accomplished?  Let's see:  you occupied Academy Park for months until the police were forced to throw you out, you managed to get dozens of your participants arrested, you wasted the time of Judge Keefe, you forced Mayor Jennings to take action he didn't want to take after months of unrequired cooperation with you, and lastly you just show up knowing where the cameras are to just make noise.  By the way.  Why Lafayette Park?  Is it because it is state owned and you know that unlike the Albany police, the State police will arrest you and that will get maximum media exposure?  Or is because last year you trashed Academy Park so bad that the landscape hasn't fully recovered?  The real reason is that you want to show that you have no respect for the governor.  In your television interviews, try putting in front of the camera someone who is old enough to drink.  And by the way, try painting your message on umbrellas; it's going to rain.

And that is "The Daily Take"