Ron Kim will save us.

Andrew Bernstein press secretary for Ron Kim is reporting Ronny has a top secret plan to save us all. Details are to be released at tomorrow’s City Council meeting. I smell afternoon press conference.

THE END IS NEAR

Unless some as yet unknown earth shattering event takes place between now and Midnight up to forty city workers will be on official notice that they will become redundant next year. Commissioner of Finance Ivins first budget proposed in early October goes into effect at the stroke of midnight thereby eliminating about 40 city jobs. Those cut lose will be eligible for unemployment. New York State now provides 67 additional weeks of unemployment benefits, as well as the usual 26 weeks of regular benefit and you may receive up to $405 a week which is more than many working people make. It also goes without saying they keep their city provided education {free paramedic training for fireman for example} and they will cash in their sick and vacation time. The real saving will come in the long run particularly if these positions are not filled and the personal cuts are permanent, its time the Fireman went back to fighting fires and stop playing roadside MD and the police got back to the basics of community policing and give the ballistic shields and tasers a rest. As far as DPW they need better management and a stop to rampant cronyism and nepotism or our streets and infrastructure will look like shit for the foreseeable future,

BRUCE GOODALE TODAY'S WORST PERSON IN THE WORLD.

After having a marvelous Thanksgiving happy that most of the city has been returned to the adults except for DPW then comes Monday and I read this piece of trash in the local rag the Saratogian.

Letter: DPW performance now is better than before
http://www.saratogian.com/articles/2009/11/30/opinion/doc4b1345bc1a390642302984.txt
Written by local water nymph and Vice-Pres of the Saratoga Lake Association Bruce Goodale
In this bit of fantasy Goodale praises Skippy from everything from making the sun rise to the invention of flush toilets for City Hall. Goodale it must be remembered is a leader of the “SARATOGA LAKE IS OUR PRIVATE POND ASSOCIATION” who believes that the great unwashed masses of this city have no business sticking their ankles into the sacred and private waters of Saratoga Lake. He clashed bitterly with McTygue when he proposed the residents of the Lake share their resource either as a drinking source or later as a source of recreation when the city government proposed the purchase of the Waterfront property to allow public swimming in the lake for those not fortunate enough to own a lakeside villa.
So here's to you Bruce oh great water nymph and snob who feels people are inherently inferior to him for any one of a variety of reasons, including real or supposed intellect, wealth, education, ancestry, etc and should never be allowed to stick a toe in his private pond.

YOU ARE TODAY'S WORST PERSON IN THE WORLD.

Bruce really isn’t the worst persons in the world, of course.
Somewhere somebody’s ending freedom, or sticking a shiv into a witness, or defrauding an orphan, or bombing a home. And there’s almost nobody in this blog who—in any kind of empirical analysis of the worst person in the world at a given moment—could truly hold a candle to any of them.

What to tell Police Officer Joseph Carey when he pulls your car over

Hey of course I smell like a brewery Officer but let me explain.

The staff at Ben Lives On wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving.

We should all take a moment to give thanks for what we have at this time of year.

We the staff thank you for making this blog wildly successful. I am always amazed by the number of hits we receive. I particularly love the visitors from City Hall computers; your surfing habits are safe with me. HA HA

I am thankful we can run this blog without the fear of the Police Battering ram breaking into our bunker. I just wish I could lay a mine field to keep Corporal Bronner from peering in my window.

I am also thankful that the voters of this town could see past the Kim/Keehn bullshit and threw the bums out.

Skippy if I were you I would be on my knees thanking your chief cheerleader and Campaign manager Andrew Bernstein who without his one-sided ass kissing and reporting in the local birdcage liner the Saratogian your reelection would not have been possible. Once again yellow journalism triumphs over common sense.

And lastly I am thankful that decent honest people who have little commercial interest such as Franck, Ivins and Johnson will put their necks in a noose for very little money fully knowing they will be contemned by the mob called the PBA,IAFF,CSEA and the clowns and “progressives” of the DFC.

SCIROCCO AND KIM CLAIM THAT LAYOFFS WILL CAUSE CITY TO SHUT DOWN

Tonight's budget vote was little more than a pity party for the Public Safety departments as speaker after speaker denounced the Mayor and other members of the council for proposing layoffs. Finally after an hour and a half of repetitious pontificating from the peanut gallery in which they claimed repeatedly how much they loved the city and were not in it for the money, but only wanted to help little old ladies and stop drugs from being pedaled to our preschoolers the crowd settled down to see what the council would say.

That was when John Franck Commissioner of Accounts let them have it. After quietly sitting threw their impassioned diatribe Franck in no uncertain terms let them know what he though of their posturing. Calling on them to stop the layoffs by offering to give up a simple 5% of their salaries to balance the cities budget the fully tenured and vested officers would hear nothing of it. Unwilling or simply unable to give back one cent of their bloated salaries in order to save there younger brother officers jobs was just not an option for the so called servants of the people who claim to care little for such material things as money. Franck called them out on there bullshit and the crowd reaction was stunned silence.

Next idiot Scirocco numbed something {I am not making this up]ABOUT THE CITY BEING “SHUT DOWN” With El Duce Kim nodding in agreement.

If these layoffs went threw.

Next up was the calm and measured speech of the Mayor who told the workers and their unions the ball was in their court. He explained it is an unfair negotiation practice for him to demand givebacks and the unions know that, it is up to them to bring offers to the table.

So there you have it folk’s, pay cuts or layoff the choice is in the employees hands now.

ONE BRAVE WOMEN FIGHTS BACK

My name is Karen Craft. I am a Public Works Dispatcher hired from test #64-628. At the time of my hiring I was told that I would be working part time hours temporarily until a position opened up from the retiring of Charlie Peal . Upon his leaving I would be appointed to the full time position, working his shift, as a Public Works Dispatcher.
Charlie Peal gradually reduced his work hours while mine increased. June, 2008 I worked two days a week, 8 hours a day. July-October, 2008 I worked 3 days a week/8 hours a day. November-December, 2008 I worked 4 days a week/ 8hours a day.
In January of 2009 Charlie left. I then worked 5 days a week/8 hours a day. I was working 40 hours a week. I continued working these hours during the month of February.
In March of 2009 an order came down from City Hall that I was to work one week 5 days and the next week 4 days. I believe this was an attempt to circumvent Civil Service hiring rules.
June-July, 2009 I worked 4 days a week steady. August-September, 2009 I worked 4 ½ days a week steady.
I was doing full time work and hours for the position that I was hired for. I was not given the rights that I believe I was entitled to. I was not appointed to the position full time. I believe this is in violation of the Civil Service Rules.
In September of 2009 DPW Commissioner Skip Scirocco informed me that a Jan Powers was transferring from a laborer position at the Canfield Casino to a fulltime Public Works Dispatcher. I was told that because Jan is a City employee Commissioner Scirocco could do this. He told me that this appointment would cause no harm to my hours or to the time that I worked. I was working 4 days a week/8 hours a day. On Wedsnday and Thursday I would work the 3pm-11pm shift. Saturday and Sundays I worked the 7am-3pm shift.
When Jan was appointed to the full time position of Public Works Dispatcher she took the 3pm-11pm shift, Monday through Friday. I lost my mid week days and the 3pm-11pm shift. I now only work 2 days a week. I should have been senior to her and gotten that appointment before her. There are other non-competitive employees whose hours and shifts she could have taken in the dispatch office, but didn’t.
Jan Powers took the same test as I did. She scored lower than I did. I was the number one candidate on the list who responded to be being hired. Jan Powers refused appointment to this position. She refused on April 29, 2008, June 24, 2008, and May 18, 2009. I am wondering how many times a person can say no in being canvassed about interest in the job before they are removed. 3 times seems excessive. I don’t believe Jan Powers is entitled to this position and appointment.
Under Rule XII, #4, 5, 6 and 7, I should have been appointed to the position first. Jan Powers should not have been appointed .
She declined the position previously. She was lower on the list than I. She had her salary increased. She was in a noncompetitive class and was transferred to a competitive class. She is not entitled to the position. Her being placed in this position gives the semblance of having a promotion with no promotional exam.
I would like this Commission to review the appointment of Jan Powers to Public Works Dispatcher, (full time). I believe her appointment was illegal by the Municipal Civil Service Rules for the City of Saratoga Springs, NY.
I have been harmed by the appointment of Jan Powers to a position that should have gone to me first. I have worked full time hours and days as Public Works Dispatcher. I was number one on the list for this position. I should have gotten the first full time position when it became available.
I appeal to the Commission to right this wrong and make me whole.

Sincerely,

Karen V. Craft

THE AXE MAN COMETH.

Well tonight’s the night folks to see if Commissioner of Finance Kenneth Ivins Jr. has the balls to do the unthinkable even a year ago and pass a budget that calls for the laying off of city workers . Well folks its been a long time in the making and the blame can be spread around but most of it lies on the shoulders of two man, Commissioner of Public Works Skip Scirocco and Public Safety Commissioner Ron Kim, who was unsuccessful in his bid to unseat Mayor Scott Johnson in an election held earlier this month. Kim who acted as cheerleader for the PBA for the last four years is the one mostly to blame for padding police overtime and intentionally letting a bad building deteriorate to the point that the city was found guilty of monetary damages for human rights violations. Adding insult to injury his politicalization of the uniform services into a political action committee along with their heavy handed bullying tactics against city officials left a bad taste in citizen’s months. Kim fed the police with irrational expectations of higher pay, SWAT teams, new fire stations and police stations all of which were false promises to gain political support for him and his cohorts. Well they complained of overcrowding at the old police station and with 7 less cops I guess you got your wish to alleviate the situation but not exactly in the way you imagined.

Next Scirocco. This idiot landed on the city council two years ago with the help of Kim/Keehn and the DFC crowd. Completely in over his head this semi literate pinhead make even the chicken scratching of this blogger look like great literature. He rarely comes out of his office-bunker in City hall except to praise or pass out toys {new truck} to his favored troops. Meanwhile he plots the elimination of his enemies both real and imagined through the manipulation of civil service lists and seniority lists so he can surround himself with people he sees as politically reliable.

The problem is these workers tend to be greater incompetents than their boss.

So there you have folks the dismal truth, its going to be a long winter.

RANK AND FILE IN DPW TO BE LAID OFF,BIG DEAL O'NEIL TO GET 43000 DOLLAR PICKUP.

With veterans Design and McTygue forced to retire and 16 rank and file CSEA workers slated to get shit canned Scirocco shocked even the most jaded of observers by announcing his favorite rat who he likes to keep on a very short lease "Big Deal O'Neil" will be getting a new pickup truck for Christmas paid for by the taxpayers. Big Deal O'Neil junior is the son of former Director of Public Works Big deal senior who once bragged "my son will never work for this shithole dept" is widely believed to be in line to replace current director of public works Billy McTygue who is being forced to retire.Scirocco who has denied this is still grateful to O'Neal who illegally dumped human waste at the compost facility and then called DEC lawyer David Keehn husband of former Mayor Val Keehn to report what he had done, falsely claiming that Tom McTygue made him do it. With the rag the Saratogian going along for the ride the resulting firestorm all but ensured Scirocco's victory and Skippy likes to keep his friends close,which isn't to hard he doesn't have many.As far as O'Neal he was quoted as saying"its good to be king" even if only king of the rats.

A statement from Kevin Connolly

Your claim in the Monday November 2 blog - see the headline - is totally false. There is nothing in my past or present that would suggest that this is true. To criticize my stance on the issues is fair enough; but the assertion in your blog has no merit.

A Man Without A Party.

Hugo Chavez? No Commissioner of Public Works Skip Scirocco. Seems since the defeat of his co-conspirators in the DFC, Scirocco is having a hard time fitting in with his former cohorts in the City Republican Party. Scirocco got his panties in a bunch at the last Saratoga Springs Republican Committee meeting when he led a failed attempt to oust the highly successful and popular Committee Chairman John Herrick. Scirocco’s plan failed of course and only served to further alienate him from the rank and file members of the Committee. Scirocco is rapidly finding himself a man without friends as DPW is finally realizing that layoffs are coming and coming hard in spite of the promises made during the election by Scirocco. Morale is at an all time low in the dept. as three drivers have pled guilty to DWI charges and they find themselves under increasing criticism from a public fed up with the mismanagement of their superiors and constant cost over runs in Scirocco's budgets. DPW can be little more than an angry mob when fueled with enough alcohol and more and more of that anger is being focused on Scirocco

SIROCCO LOSES AGAIN

Commissioner of Public Works Skip Scirocco was dealt another serious setback when his Truck Driver was found guilty of reckless disregard of the safety of others and ordered damages be paid to John Tighe, a former DPW driver himself who felt he was being targeted for retribution for his outspoken views in the city.

This was the third trip to court for Tighe who has now had his case heard by three separate judges and each time DPW has been found liable for damages.

The significance of this case is the precedence that is being set for citizens who have up to this point been hapless victims of reckless DPW drivers to seek monetary relief for damages for their vehicles and property where the City driver is grossly at fault. Up to this point Scirocco and DPW have simply refused to pay claims and that policy will hopefully be coming to an end.

Well done

Footnote; Tighe is a sometimes contributor to this blog

Saratoga Independent Church

***Mobile Food Pantry for Jefferson/Vanderbilt Terrace residents will be held on Tuesdays, 4PM - 5:30PM, on E. Fenlon St., Saratoga Springs.***

FREE FOOD BANK NOT WELCOME AT JEFFERSON TERRACE.

Pastor John Rice leader of the Saratoga Independent Church was recently declared persona no grata at all Saratoga Housing Authority properties according to a story in the local bird cage liner The Saratogian.

Conflict with Housing Authority leads pastor's food bank out of doors. By EMILY DONOHUE

http://www.saratogian.com/articles/2009/11/17/news/doc4b022226bf96b481513448.txt

It seems the Pastors independent spirit and outspokenness about a registered sex offender teaching Tae Kwon Do to young children put him on a collision course with Housing Authority Administrators. The situation deteriorated to the point that Housing Authority personal called police not on the sex offender, but on the Pastor to eject him from Authority property but this is disputed by local police.

I find the treatment of this Pastor despicable. The Housing Authority has always had a reputation for using heavy handed tactics against its residents and running a quasi police state on its territory. Members of its staff which are really just one extended family have been the focus of both local and federal investigation into Federal HUD and HATCH act violations. Residents have complained about being forced to sign voting petitions and being told what parties to join and who to vote for. Residents who show the slightest hesitation has been evicted. These tactics are very similar to voter fraud violations in Troy Public housing.

http://www.troyrecord.com/articles/2009/09/27/news/doc4abec354140b7343461158.txt

The Saratoga Housing Authority has been run like a private fiefdom for too long and its time it is cleaned up once and for all.

In case your wondering who works there and what their paid as a public service I will give last years salaries and remember this year is much higher.

Hawthorne, Gerard Municipal Authorities $54,799

Hawthorne, Brenda L Municipal Authorities $23,467

Hawthorne, Cynthia A Municipal Authorities $28,551

Crawford, Larry J Municipal Authorities $34,080

Heaton, Donald G Municipal Authorities $30,064

Lloyd, Jr, Thomas R Municipal Authorities $38,155

Peterson, Kathleen A Municipal Authorities $40,008

Sicko, Kathleen M Municipal Authorities $41,812

Spychalski, Jr, Edward J Municipal Authorities $112,336

Traver, Timothy J Municipal Authorities $40,226

The Silence of the Hams

It has been almost two weeks since the voters of Saratoga Springs repudiated the failed agenda of the Kim/Keehn DFC wing of the Democratic Party for the more moderate and balanced policies of the Johnson administration, but make no mistake Ron Kim will still have a voice in next years budget. Tomorrows City Council meeting promises to be a slugging match between the lame duck Kim along with toadie and side kick Scirocco against the coalition of Franck, Ivins and Mayor Johnson and it will be interesting to see how the dynamics have changed since Kim’s stinging defeat. Kim as been virtually silent since his defeat and has managed to go two weeks without calling a press conference and although the city has enjoyed a world without Kim one must wonder what he’s been up to, has the fight been taken out of him or is he plotting along with his cohorts to stage a political comeback or maybe stage a palace Coup against City Hall? Exciting times are ahead folks with never a dull moment in Saratoga Politics.

Footnotes;

I was in Geyser Crest this weekend and the leaf pickup is a disgrace. I have never seen the fall pickup as bad as it’s been the year with wet leaves clogging the roads. God help us all when the snow flies.

KUDOS TO THE SARATOGIAN.

I enjoyed your two part series on homelessness by By MAREESA NICOSIA. She was able to shine a light on an often overlooked problem in Saratoga. Perhaps Mareesa could pick up some of Bernstein’s slack and offer a new perspective on Bernsteins one sided reporting.

Curses foiled again!

Friends of the South Side Park or as we like to call them “The angry white folks club” were dealt a final blow on Wednesday when their lawsuit against the recreation center was tossed by the five-member New York state Appellate court. Writing for the court Judge J. Kavanagh wrote “that all three causes of actions were reviewed and found to be without merit, and sustained the ruling of the lower court.”
Judge J. Kavanagh went on to add” As such, we cannot conclude that this decision, as it was issued, constituted an abuse of the City Council’s discretion,”
So in the end the lawsuit was little more than smoke and mirrors and much ado about nothing and the court was clearly able to see that.


In what can only be called bizarre ANDREW J. BERNSTEIN, cub reporter for The Saratogian wrote the Mayor ‘had been called out for wrong priorities by mayoral candidate and Commissioner of Public Safety Ron Kim” Called out, what is that supposed to mean? I understand criticized or objected to, but called out, to what pistols at fifty paces? One could also argue the Mayoral race was as much a referendum on the building of the Rec center as it was who should lead the city and the voices of the citizens spoke loudly and strongly by a margin of 1500 “yes to the rec center”. All of that is water under the bridge now with construction well under way; the poor children of long neglected Jefferson Terrace can look forward to a wonderful spring in their new building. So the angry white folks of Friends of the South Side Park gave it a shot and lost, now deal with it.

SPA CITY TREES STRUCK WITH MYSTERY ALIMENT CITY BUDGET AT RISK.

This is the Funniest story I've read in a long time.

ANDREW J. BERNSTEIN ace cub reporter at The Saratogian reports today that our trees have been stuck by a mysterious Disease.

Saratoga Springs DPW: Leaf pick-up efforts extended

http://www.saratogian.com/articles/2009/11/12/news/doc4afb78387a63c062463575.txt

According to the Story and I am not making this up Commissioner of Public Works Skip Scirocco high school graduate and renowned global warming expert reports that leaf pickup has been so pathetic this year because

“it’s because leaves are staying on the trees longer.”

So remember folks its not because Scirocco is an idiot or that he never leaves his office or the fact that the unions run DPW. No it’s because of GLOBAL WARMING.

He went on to say

“The Department of Public Works was not able to provide a list of how many employees were working to collect leaves, or what streets had been cleaned’”

How nice nobody even knows what anyone else is doing, why am I not surprised?

Tell me BERNSTEIN did you keep a straight face when you were writing this crap? What are you going for the Deputy Commissioner of Public Works post?

I repeat for the tenth time “POLICE AND FIREMAN ARE GOING TO BE LAID OFF”

Scirocco’s crews are out driving in circles collecting unnecessary overtime and people are about to lose there jobs.

THAT’S THE STORY BERNSTEIN NOT THIS CRAP!!!!!

SCIROCCO TO CITY TAXPAYERS

Skip Scirocco Commissioner of Public Works has authorized massive amounts of overtime to be rolled out to his loyal and favored employees to thank them for their support in his re-election bid last week. With the city facing its worst budget crisis in memory and the threat of layoffs looming across a broad spectrum of City Depts, DPW continues to party like, well 2008.

For those not familiar with City Contracts today is Veterans Day and a legal holiday for government workers across the land so when you see the big orange trucks careening around the streets today just remember its double time and a half. So this birds for you taxpayers of the city we need the extra cash to pay our county taxes living in Greenfield and all. So we the workers of DPW would publicly like to thank you for re-electing our friend and benefactor back as Commissioner of Public Works, and lets lift a glass to Skippy.

I’ll say one thing about Scirocco when he makes a promise to a union he keeps it to bad he didn’t feel the same way about taxpayers.

GIVING THE DEVIL HIS DUE.

As newspapers stumble towards oblivion like so many dinosaurs heading to the tar pits the one bright spot at the local bird cage liner The Saratogian is staff blogs and with their print circulation continuing to drop like a rock. {Saratoga Springs-based Saratogian had a Sunday circulation of 8,430 in September, down from last year’s 9,619. Monday through Saturday circulation was 7,923, down from 8,879.} They need something to cheer about.

That brings us to Steve Shoe and his staff blog “Tangled in Wires” were Shoe reports that after steep declines in hits in August and September their numbers did an amazing rebound in October. He then goes on to credit the increase to and I quote “cyber jihad launched against reporter Andrew J. Bernstein and the anonymous (so he/she/they would claim) consortium of bloggers at one of the Spa City's newest, more (most?) reprehensible blogs.”

Well thanks for the plug Shoe and for the record we have no personal animosity toward anyone at the paper and like us or hate us we have been good for your readership and I credit you for at least acknowledging that. But really shoe “cyber jihad” that sounds like something out of my play book.

In case you’re curious our numbers are;

Over 10000 unique hits over our four weeks of existence with 1600 profile views {it took Bernstein three years to reach that number}.

As you can guess my ad revenue is quite good and I think you should give Bernstein a cut of your ad profits.

Letter: Women are crucial to balanced governments

Today I read a letter in the Saratogian written by
Amejo Amyot, Saratoga Springs
Letter: Women are crucial to balanced governments
http://www.saratogian.com/articles/2009/11/10/opinion/doc4af8e6f9bed2f541582753.txt

I must admit I agree with about 60 % of the letter but I would like to point out two mistruths.
First Val Keehn was not the Cities first female mayor that distinction belongs to A.C. Dake, now know as A.C.Riley. I am sorry if this goes against the city history according to the DFC but the truth is always better than propaganda.

Second in what I take issue with. In taking of the Iroquois Confederacy and the women’s council as a check to war Amyot states “The women’s council, for instance, could veto war. Women were trusted to seriously weigh the loss of their sons in any conflict.’ Taken at face value this would seem as a fair statement but coming from an Irish Nationalist back round and as a student of the Irish Peace process and as a witness to the behavior of British troops in Northern Ireland I will categorically state that Margaret Thatcher Prime Minister England (1979–1990) “The iron lady” was one of the most brutal heartless impediments to the peace process in a generation.
She also led England in the Falklands War in 1982 supported the bombing of Libya in 1986. In March 1982 Thatcher approved the modernization of the strategic nuclear force of Briton by ordering a new generation of Trident submarines This was one woman who never sat at a council of peace,

Other notable Women who led countries in bloody conflicts in the 20th century.

Indira Gandhi Indian Prime Minister when India declared War with Pakistan in 1971.She also was instrumental in the Indian governments decision to develop Nuclear Weapons
Golda Meir Israeli Prime Minister led Israeli in two wars, Six-Day War in 67 and the Yom Kippur War in 73.She is also considered the “Grandmother” of the Israeli nuclear bomb.

As you can see Amejo, Men by no means have a monopoly on waging war.

A CRY IN THE WILDERNESS.

A voice of reason emerges from the Saratoga Springs City Democratic Committee despite the best efforts of the committee to stifle all dissent.

This letter has been making the rounds in the Saratoga Democratic community and I couldn’t agree more with the author. Mary Zlotnick is certainly making a name for herself as one of the new breed of young intelligent and enthusiastic Democrats that are offering hope to the cities party.

Hello All Democrats,
Tuesday night was brutal, but now is the time to pick ourselves up and move forward. Please be reminded that we were elected and we owe our constituents an accounting of why our candidates were not elected. Postponing this examination of the election results is irresponsible. In spite of appearances of being united, we obviously are NOT. Moving forward, the committee needs to be restructured and words of unity, openness and transparency be actualized.

This has NOT been an open and transparent team; it has been a dictatorship with myopic vision. Those who remain committed to exacting revenge have affected our ability to win elections.

Our leadership strongly opposed our candidates from seeking the Independence lines, this was a costly mistake.

Fundraising efforts were disorganized and unproductive. (Have we received a clear financial accounting?)

We were promised a united campaign for ALL of our candidates. Yet John Franck and Joanne Yepsen, our only proven successful candidates, were left off of every piece of literature.

The present leadership has made:
· costly autocratic decisions
· does not work well with others
· and has been ineffective.

Our committee members deserve inclusive and respectful treatment; instead of bullying communication. Discourse, if allowed, can create synergy with effective solutions.

As a committee and a party, our voices have been silenced. Now is the time to raise our voices, to let go of the past and move forward. With inclusion, collaboration and new leadership, we can rise to excellence.

In closing, I propose to those who want to work towards an inclusive, open and transparent Democratic Committee, STAY AND STEP UP, all others please step away.

Respectfully,

Mary Zlotnick, 2nd vice-chair

CONGRESSMAN MURPHY VOTES AGAINST HEALTH CARE REFORM, PROGRESSIVES REVOLT.

In what can only be seen as a devastating defeat of progressives in upstate New York Congressman Murphy has voted against the Presidents center piece legislation heath care reform. This coming on the back of the Cities overwhelming rejection of the DFC’s hand picked ideologically pure candidates for city Government is taking its toll on the believer’s morale.
This can be seen by Joe Seeman local MoveOn.org's volunteer regional coordinator bitter comments:
I'm incredibly disappointed with Murphy. If we couldn't count on him to support this, what the hell can we count on him for?

As a life long Democrat I’m afraid I’m seeing the split that started in Saratoga Springs spread out across the 20th district and that progressives stung by what they see as Murphy’s betrayal will at best stay home next year and at worst,pull the lever for the Republican. One can only imagine that Saratoga County Republican Committee Chairman Jasper Nolan will have a lot to be thankful for at this Thanksgiving.
Personally I am also disappointed by the Congressman’s votes but am sympathetic to the difficult spot he was in. I am grateful it did pass and believe Murphy was well aware that it would also pass without his vote.

FIGHTING TO BE PARTY BOSS. It’s my party and I’ll stay if I want to.

Embattled Saratoga County Democratic Party Chairman Larry Bulman has vowed to hang on to his position despite growing calls for his resignation. Boy King Bulman is being blamed for the largest one night set back of the Democratic Party in Saratoga in a generation and the DFCers are calling for his head on a platter. Unable to except their role in what is now being called "The Tuesday Night Massacre" progressives are calling for Guru Shawn Thompson to ride in on his black horse and take over County Democratic Party Chairmanship. Thompson as many will recall is an $107,000 a year aide in the NY State Senate, he was also past Chair of the Saratoga Springs City Democratic Committee and many credit him or curse him, depending on your perspective for the creation of Valarie Keehn. Many DFCers talk of Thompson in almost cult like terms and see him as the only way to savage any part of the party. Most see him as a arrogant figure whose extreme left leaning political views will only further divide the party.

Many see this as mirroring a national trend that is pitting so called Blue Dogs who represent moderate-to-conservative Democrats who, favor compromise and bipartisanship over ideology and party discipline and the progressive wing of the party that is represented by Thompson who refuses to bend and demands party allegiance to his left wing agenda no matter what the cost,dismissing his critics as at best uniformed and at worst ignorant.

Panic in Ukraine over swine flu. 205,000 sick in Ukraine Swine Flu Pneumonic Plague. Latest news!

As many of you know and many of you don’t, I have many friends in Ukraine ,Russia and other former Soviet Republics. Over this weekend I have received several calls on Skype from friends in Berezhany, Ukraine. Some of you know these students, who worked at Skidmore and relaxed at the Victoria Pool this last summer. They are in a state of panic in a Government imposed quarantine that has them confined to their homes with all schools businesses and even markets closed. They wanted to know if we are aware of their plight and the hysteria that has gripped Ukraine and frankly I wasn’t. But now I am and can only wonder why the American press is simply ignoring the largest outbreak of swine flu in the world.

John Tighe

Time to get your head out of your ass Scirocco

Disturbing reports of multiple drivers in DPW losing their CDL’s in the last few months for DWI are making there rounds in the city. This along with the fact DPW will be collecting overtime all weekend in a “sand relay” that is basically a Christmas giveaway to the unions for there support of Scirocco, has city residents up in arms. Other reports state that drug testing has been practically suspended for the holiday season in order not to diminish DPW’s already depleted ranks. None of this bodes well for the upcoming winter season.
Can you tell me why someone who drives a truck for a living can get a DWI and keep their job or why a driver who caused an accident and was found by a court of law to be driving with “reckless disregard for the safety of others” can still be seen behind the wheel of a truck?

Time to get your head out of your ass Scirocco. They are your employee’s not your friends. I understand Finneran and Benton are enrolled in Chauffeur's Training School (CTS) but hiring a few broken down political cronies won’t solve the problem

This is my answer to the idiots who incessantly complain about my grammer.

Grammar Nazi

Grammar Nazi. "Heil Grammatik" is a common saying for Grammar Nazis. Everyone hates Grammar Nazis because they are the ultimate debate killers. They incessantly corrects the spelling/grammar/usage of others.Grammar Nazis are prone to a curious form of geek cat fighting wherein they try to outdo one another by finding and correcting increasingly more obscure errors in other's comments

Parting Shots; Dust up at the Inn and playing Footsie at the Council.

Well now that the dust has settled after the massive defeat of the DFC gang on Tuesday I will make a few observations. I found the City Council meeting Wednesday to be a marvelous display of mixed human emotions. Ivins was tired and looked a little hung over; clearly he had been celebrating his come from behind win the night before. Johnson was as always impeccably dressed and had a relaxed swagger and appeared ready to take on the difficult challenges that lie ahead. Kim was restrained and a little subdued, which was a first for him at the City Council table. Skippy was almost gleeful playing footsie with his buddy Ron while he laughed and joked with the somber Kim. One can only wonder who Skippy will turn to after the next three council meetings when Kim will no longer be there to help him turn on his laptop. Only a man with no honour and principles can campaign with Kim on a corner of Broadway one minute than slap Johnson on the back the next.

Second the dust up at the Inn at Saratoga.
Seems that after the losers make their self loathing concession speeches and Yepsen took the microphone the embittered remnant of the DFC in unison turned their back on the popular Yepsen and left the building. What happened next is still up for debate? Someone confronted the angry Kim who was accompanied by disgraced ex mayor, life coach and hot babe of the month on MATCH.COM Val Keehn about there rude behavior. A heated augment ensured and according to some observers briefly became physical. Anyone with further info is encouraged to contact this blog and unlike the Saratogian confidentiality is ensured.

Scirocco begs forgiveness, “BLESS ME FATHER FOR I HAVE SINNED.”

One of the more interesting moments last night was watching the interaction between Skip Scirocco and the other Republicans at the Holiday Inn. It was no secret that only hours before Scirocco had stood on the corner of Broadway and Church waiving signs ALONG SIDE of Ron Kim and the Unions, his immediate family had also campaigned for Kim and his lingering stares and little winks to Kim had long been a stable and fodder for jokes at Council meeting. Now there he was the prodigal son returning to ask forgiveness from the iconic long time leader of the Grand Old Party and Chairman of the Saratoga County Republican Committee Jasper Nolan. Seeking to kiss the hand that he had betrayed only hours earlier. Jasper who has always been a decent man and who has mellowed considerably in old age welcomed Scirocco back to the fold. But a word of warning Jasper once a snake always a snake and if Scirocco feels the winds blowing away from the GOP, Scirocco’s loyalty will disappear into thin air. One can only wonder if Scirocco will have the audacity to hire some of the hard core remnants of the DFC in public works. We will have to wait and see.

Kim stayed classless to the bitter end last night refusing to take any blame for his loss or credit Johnson for his win. Blaming his entire defeat on Johnson’s ability to outspend him. Memo to KIM: YOU LOST NOT BECAUSE OF YOUR LACK OF MONEY, BUT BECAUSE OF YOUR LACK OF IDEAS

On a lighter note what are the odds of Kim going to the Council meeting tonight? Fifty fifty?

BREAKING NEWS Eileen Finneran for Deputy Commissioner of Public Works?

With Pat Design retiring at the end of the year and Finneran out of a job on January 1st well placed sources reported she was seen at the Public Works garage meeting with Skippy this morning. Shorty after the meeting it was reported to this reporter the purpose of this visit was to ask for Designs job.

For the love of God can these people find a job outside of the government?What next Val Keehn and Lou Benton as a plow team?

REST IN PEACE DEMOCRATS FOR CHANGE.

Let’s see news for November 4 2009

Let’s see
…….dollar store has sale everything 98 cents……..

………price of gas up 5 cents………

………Oh what’s this…………

…….Republicans sweep city elections……..

I guess that wasn’t the change you had in mind?

Sometimes the house is two rotted to be saved and you just have to tear it down and start over. No hard feelings I hope?

RON KIM PREPARES FOR HIS ELECTION LOSS MOBILIZES POLICE SWAT TEAM.

Spokesman for the City Police today said there will be hell to pay if Ron Kim loses the election. "NO CONTRACT NO PEACE" will be the PBA'S new motto.

Legal disclaimer; This is a parody, only a Kim supporter would be dumb enough to believe its true.

NEWFLASH NXIVM ZOMBIE CAMPAIGN WORKERS HAVE BEEN SEEN ON CDTA BUSES HEADED FOR SARATOGA SPRINGS.

Witnesses have confirmed sighting of NXIVM zombies being brought into the city by Democrats for change to hold election campaign signs outside of polling places tomorrow. The rumor is they will be dressed as union workers holdings signs that read “KIM FOR MAYOR.” Kim was unavailable for comment and is thought to be meeting with Vanguard at the Adelphi Hotel

Legal disclaimer: This is a parody there are no zombies, if you see one it is only a left over drunk from Halloween.

AND THE WINNER IS?

Well folks, as Kim is so fond of saying its up to you so get out and vote. Remember we get the government we deserve.

Crossroads 2009

More than any time in history this city faces a crossroads. One path leads to despair and utter hopelessness, the other to total extinction. Let us pray that we have the wisdom to choose correctly.