Fortunately (or sadly, depending on your point of view) time doesn’t stand still, certainly in the world of politics and nonsense. Here are a few updates to some relevant posts from the veritablepastiche archives.
Regarding my recent PPOD about the NYCLU filing an amicus brief in the case of the disgraced Amigo Hiram Monserrate, because in their opinion the New York Senate did not really have hard and fast rules surrounding expulsion, happily the arguments of Monserrate’s attorneys, and the NYCLU, were rejected by the judge in a rare victory for ethical activity in the Senate. What this means now, of course, is that the Amigo is hoping to get on the ballot for the special election and win back his seat. What’s making this race even more interesting is that the Republican candidate is a Democrat. Where else but here in New York?
Regarding another PPOD on the hyper-athleticism of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, we’re still in the middle of trying to figure out health care/health insurance reform. Last week President Obama hosted his summit, a bipartisan collection of people who would rather have been doing just about anything other than sitting in that room together, with results indicative of that fact. There was, however, eager anticipation for the summit; there were disagreements on how the room should be configured; and there were of course disagreements on which is the correct path to meaningful reform. And of course now the Dems, and Pelosi, have their work cut out for them. I suspect she’ll need more than just a pole and a parachute to force the Senate bill through the House.
My new nickname for NY’s senior senator, Charles ‘Touchdown’ Schumer, seemed prophetic as, coming on the heels of his work on behalf of TOPS Markets and their purchase of local Penn Traffic, he began rooting for the state to provide the New York Jets $200,000 so they'll return to SUNY Cortland for their preseason camp in the fall. Mind you, this is the same New York State that is proposing among other things cutting jobs, cutting benefits, raising fees and taxes, and closing state parks to save money, including a local one on Cazenovia Lake which costs taxpayers all of $2000 to maintain. And, this is the same New York State that previously provided billions in funding to the wealthy New York Mets and even wealthier New York Yankees to build their new stadiums. I don’t begrudge the Jets, necessarily, but c’mon – we’re broke, for heaven’s sake! Instead of taxpayers taking the hit, maybe Touchdown Schumer could pay it himself out of his campaign millions.
February 28, 2010
February 21, 2010
Making a Winter Wonderland
As we’ve seen the wacky winter unfold around the world, including 50+ degree days at the Winter Olympics, ‘snowmageddon’ hitting the nation’s capital, frigid temperatures in the deep south, and even a day this month when there was measurable snow in 49 of the 50 states, here in central New York it’s quietly been business as usual. We’re hovering right around our average snowfall, but I’d be hard-pressed to think of more than one storm that’s really caused any major impact. My Sweet Baboo’s only had to shovel a handful of times since the season began late last year, after we experienced our longest spell ever without snow on the ground – 288 days.
But even with our good fortune here, folks are complaining of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) or grumbling that winter’s too long, too cold, too dark, or too something, and driving themselves back to that old CNY malaise that I wrote about a while back. Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not trying to make light of SAD or other any other type of depression. I’ve suffered from this type of illness in the past, in fact I still do – for me, it’s something I’ll never get rid of, but I’ve learned to live with it, to manage it, and do the best I can.
Sometimes my solution is to curl up with a cat, a blanket, a mug of hot coffee, and lose myself in a book. Other times, it may be striving to accomplish something, like a nagging household chore that I’ve been putting off; exercise is another option that sometimes helps me shake the blahs and get at least into the shallow end of down in the dumps. But what I’ve found is, when all else fails the only thing to do is to dive straight into it, and find a way to make peace with winter.
We had promised ourselves that we’d take a ride to get some snow pictures, and fortunately last Saturday was the perfect day for it. Other than the minor inconvenience of a flattening tire just out of the driveway which we took care of at the gas station (a buck’s worth of air) and local auto parts store (a can of Fix-a-flat), we had a great trip; we headed off to the southern hills, eventually ending up near Otisco Lake, and meandered home by crisscrossing our way up Onondaga Hill and then back down into The Valley.
For folks who’ve been more interested in sticking around Syracuse proper, we’ve had Winterfest, including the Syracuse Newspapers medallion hunt, and just yesterday, the first outdoor hockey game in the history of the AHL was hosted by (and won by!) our own Syracuse Crunch.
Looking ahead we’re in the middle of Downtown Dining week, the SU basketball team is 25 -2, with only a handful of games left… and the lacrosse season has already started. The arts continue to thrive, with great live performances from the Syracuse Symphony Orchestra, Syracuse Stage, and Famous Artists. The Everson Museum is just off a hugely successful showing of From Turner to Cezanne , and a host of local art galleries offer something for everyone. The Rosamond Gifford Zoo at Burnet Park is also open for business.
The bottom line is we know we’re going to have winter – it’s inevitable – but letting it get the best of us doesn't have to be. We tend to forget about all of the things that this area has to offer, even at this time of year. Do yourself a favor; find a way to get out and enjoy some of it. You'll feel better, honest!
But even with our good fortune here, folks are complaining of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) or grumbling that winter’s too long, too cold, too dark, or too something, and driving themselves back to that old CNY malaise that I wrote about a while back. Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not trying to make light of SAD or other any other type of depression. I’ve suffered from this type of illness in the past, in fact I still do – for me, it’s something I’ll never get rid of, but I’ve learned to live with it, to manage it, and do the best I can.
Sometimes my solution is to curl up with a cat, a blanket, a mug of hot coffee, and lose myself in a book. Other times, it may be striving to accomplish something, like a nagging household chore that I’ve been putting off; exercise is another option that sometimes helps me shake the blahs and get at least into the shallow end of down in the dumps. But what I’ve found is, when all else fails the only thing to do is to dive straight into it, and find a way to make peace with winter.
We had promised ourselves that we’d take a ride to get some snow pictures, and fortunately last Saturday was the perfect day for it. Other than the minor inconvenience of a flattening tire just out of the driveway which we took care of at the gas station (a buck’s worth of air) and local auto parts store (a can of Fix-a-flat), we had a great trip; we headed off to the southern hills, eventually ending up near Otisco Lake, and meandered home by crisscrossing our way up Onondaga Hill and then back down into The Valley.
For folks who’ve been more interested in sticking around Syracuse proper, we’ve had Winterfest, including the Syracuse Newspapers medallion hunt, and just yesterday, the first outdoor hockey game in the history of the AHL was hosted by (and won by!) our own Syracuse Crunch.
Looking ahead we’re in the middle of Downtown Dining week, the SU basketball team is 25 -2, with only a handful of games left… and the lacrosse season has already started. The arts continue to thrive, with great live performances from the Syracuse Symphony Orchestra, Syracuse Stage, and Famous Artists. The Everson Museum is just off a hugely successful showing of From Turner to Cezanne , and a host of local art galleries offer something for everyone. The Rosamond Gifford Zoo at Burnet Park is also open for business.
The bottom line is we know we’re going to have winter – it’s inevitable – but letting it get the best of us doesn't have to be. We tend to forget about all of the things that this area has to offer, even at this time of year. Do yourself a favor; find a way to get out and enjoy some of it. You'll feel better, honest!
February 19, 2010
Dad's Birthday, Dad's Books
I’ve been doing quite a bit of recreational reading these days – ‘fiction under $5’ mostly – the slightly aged stuff from popular authors, or authors who aspire to being popular, that can be purchased cheaply at Barnes & Noble or on Amazon.com. Even though I’m reading the easy ones lately, I have other, more strenuous books around, many of them sitting next to me in a bookcase filled with my Dad’s books.
Dad was a history teacher; his expertise was American history, but his interests were much broader than that. He was really a student of everything – a lover of books and libraries, newspapers and magazines, music and sports, politics and pets, and on and on. When it came to reading and learning, there wasn’t much he wouldn’t try at least once, and sometimes he’d even give a second chance, if someone he respected suggested he try again.
That openness and ‘studentness’, if you will, is clearly evident in the books that came to me when he passed away three years ago. Not surprisingly, there are tons of history books and biographies – here’s just a slice:
Dad was a history teacher; his expertise was American history, but his interests were much broader than that. He was really a student of everything – a lover of books and libraries, newspapers and magazines, music and sports, politics and pets, and on and on. When it came to reading and learning, there wasn’t much he wouldn’t try at least once, and sometimes he’d even give a second chance, if someone he respected suggested he try again.
That openness and ‘studentness’, if you will, is clearly evident in the books that came to me when he passed away three years ago. Not surprisingly, there are tons of history books and biographies – here’s just a slice:
- The American Nation: A History, a collection of volumes published in the early 1900’s
- The Shadow of Blooming Grove (Warren G. Harding in His Times), one of many related to our presidents, including Roosevelt, Johnson, Truman, and others
- a set of six books about World War II written by Winston Churchill
- Paul Revere and the World He Lived In, one of many related to the Revolutionary War
Dad also had all of the ‘blank and blank’ books – War and Peace, The Agony and The Ecstasy, Pride and Prejudice, Advise and Consent, The Cat and The Curmudgeon, and so on, along with a good number of books on the Oneida Community, important not only from a historical perspective but also personally. He grew up in Kenwood and Sherrill, home of the Community and Oneida Ltd. We were regaled over the years with stories of Dad, Uncle Bob, Aunt Pood and all their friends playing in and around the Mansion House; and at various times, Dad and Grum actually lived there.
There are many books more indicative of ‘the whole Dad’; among the treasures I’ve found are:
- Perri, the story of a squirrel and other woodland creatures, which was written by Felix Salten, the author of Bambi. This one has Dad’s name and the note 'Xmas 1938,' written by my grandmother. He would have been a couple months shy of his tenth birthday, and I try to imagine him holding this hardcover book, some 228 pages long, reading with wonder at what happens when animals and humans interact.
- Ivy League Football Since 1872, a book given to Dad by his brother Bob at Christmas 1982; the book clearly has been read, it’s not one that he never opened. Not sure if he read it because it was from Bob, or if he really cared that much about old football games.
- Also from Christmas 1982, Mike Royko’s Sez Who? Sez Me, a gift from Mom. Royko was an award-winning columnist out of Chicago; he used to be syndicated in one of our local papers, and I remember how much Dad enjoyed reading him. Royko and Art Buchwald were two of many columnists Dad encouraged me to read over the years – because it was good for me, even when what they were writing was not really entertaining, or when their opinions weren’t necessarily in line with mine. Studs Terkel was another of the Midwest boys that made the list of keepers; there are a couple of his books on the shelves.
- Minute Sketches of Great Composers, another one with Grum’s handwriting, this one dated February 19, 1937, noted ‘From Bob.’ Dad’s love of music, particularly classical, was legendary – just ask any of our neighbors over the years, who heard the stereo blasting. There are other books about composers, or written by composers, in the collection. There’s also A Treasury of Grand Opera, which includes sheet music and lyrics. This one may never have been read; some of the pages are not even completely cut.
- A number of magazine and newspaper collections, ranging from The New York Times Page 1 (1900 – 1998), and similarly Front Page: Major Events of the 20th Century (selected by the AP), to the 50th Anniversary Collectors Edition of Esquire and two bicentennial issues of Time, written as if they were originally from 1776 and 1789. And we have cat cartoons from the New Yorker (from me, Christmas 1998, it says), along with the complete Cartoons of Charles Addams – a precursor to his love of Gary Larson’s The Far Side, something my brothers benefited from often over the years.
- 100 Greatest Golf Courses, another present from Mom. Golf was important to Dad; he played from a very young age, and for a while was one of the top players in his league. I went with him a few times to the course in Cato (where remarkably, it never rained on Tuesdays), and pretended to be his caddy; I remember having a root beer float back at the 19th hole. One of the things he hated most about getting sick was not having the energy for playing golf, but he never tired of watching it. I remember many a Father's Day where we had to schedule dinner around the final round of the US Open, especially when it was a close match.
So what does all of this mean? First, there’s more to these books than meets the eye, because they belonged to Dad; for one reason or another, he kept these books. They provide a backdrop to him and his life; they're a story of him, and remind me of our shared stories, of things that sometimes slip my mind. I think the second thing that strikes me is our long family tradition of giving books. Mother to son, uncle to nephew, brother to brother, wife to husband, daughter to father; it makes me think that I can do better at Christmas and on birthdays with my brothers’ kids. A gift certificate to a bookstore is simply not the same gift as a carefully chosen book; I’ve been cheating them out of that, and cheating myself in the process.
Happy Birthday, Dad, and thanks. On a day that I’d traditionally be giving you a present, I’m instead appreciating the ones you’ve given to me.
February 18, 2010
PPOD February 18, 2010: Amicus
Today the New York Civil Liberties Union filed a brief indicating that the vote to boot Hiram Monserrate out of the Senate is unconstitutional and should be vacated.
Citing a number of cases, the NYCLU identifed a few reasons why they believe the vote was wrong; mostly it comes down to there being no rules defining grouns for expulsion, and instead they should have chosen censure (the slap on the wrist) instead.
I'm not surprised that the decision is being questioned, nor I'm not surprised that the NYCLU has filed the supporting brief. While they admit that Monserrate's behavior was "reprehensible" they can't support abridging the right of the people to vote for whoever they want, and to be represented by whoever gets the highest number of votes.
The problem is, Monserrate didn't slash his girlfriend's face until after he was elected. So, the ostensible will of the people - electing someone who had not been charged with or convicted of domestic violence - was abridged by the Senator himself.
The folks in the 13th district have been stuck with him for all this time - since December 2008 - with no recourse except to wait until November 2010 to vote him out. They can't recall him -- not an option in New York. He was convicted only of a misdemeanor, not a felony, so he couldn't automatically be thrown out under clearly defined rules, as the NYCLU's amicus brief notes. His district has to suffer through being represented by someone they most likely would NOT have voted for had his indiscression occured say, in October 2008, vs December 2008.
So, my pet peeve of the day is simply this: when we needed elected officials in Albany to do the right thing, the ethical thing, they tried - and may likely fail because they never defined any rules around ethics.
Sigh.
Citing a number of cases, the NYCLU identifed a few reasons why they believe the vote was wrong; mostly it comes down to there being no rules defining grouns for expulsion, and instead they should have chosen censure (the slap on the wrist) instead.
I'm not surprised that the decision is being questioned, nor I'm not surprised that the NYCLU has filed the supporting brief. While they admit that Monserrate's behavior was "reprehensible" they can't support abridging the right of the people to vote for whoever they want, and to be represented by whoever gets the highest number of votes.
The problem is, Monserrate didn't slash his girlfriend's face until after he was elected. So, the ostensible will of the people - electing someone who had not been charged with or convicted of domestic violence - was abridged by the Senator himself.
The folks in the 13th district have been stuck with him for all this time - since December 2008 - with no recourse except to wait until November 2010 to vote him out. They can't recall him -- not an option in New York. He was convicted only of a misdemeanor, not a felony, so he couldn't automatically be thrown out under clearly defined rules, as the NYCLU's amicus brief notes. His district has to suffer through being represented by someone they most likely would NOT have voted for had his indiscression occured say, in October 2008, vs December 2008.
So, my pet peeve of the day is simply this: when we needed elected officials in Albany to do the right thing, the ethical thing, they tried - and may likely fail because they never defined any rules around ethics.
Sigh.
February 17, 2010
Saying Yes to Education in Syracuse (part 2)
Thinking about whether consideration of mayoral control in Syracuse is a power grab or an attempt at finding a better way forward, I first looked back.
A few days after her historic election as Syracuse’s first female mayor, the editorial board of the Post-Standard suggested that Stephanie Miner had her ‘work cut out for her’, given that she was coming into office at a very difficult time for the city and the country. High on the list of things that needed focus, according to the editors, was education. Strained relationships between the Syracuse City School District (SCSD) and the city, the renovation plans for many of the SCSD’s campuses, a final decision on whether Blodgett School (recently removed from the State’s worst-performing list) stays open or closes -- these all needed to be hashed out and resolved. Continued support for Syracuse’s highly innovative Say Yes to Education program was also critical.
I compared what the editors thought with what Mayor Miner had indicated in her own plan for the city. In the 50 Point Plan, Education and Youth was the second of six key focus areas. In addition to strategies related to funding and fully implementing Say Yes she included completing the renovation plan, working more cooperatively with the SCSD and Board of Education, pursuing a holistic approach to reduce dropout rates and improve achievement, and lastly to “examine how alternative administrative methods might achieve greater efficiency and effectiveness in our City’s schools.”
Regarding working more cooperatively, Minor pointed out the obvious critical correlation between SCSD and the city’s success, citing the need for full engagement and communication between City Hall and SCSD as cornerstones of leading a ‘…concerted public effort to lift up’ the city of Syracuse. She also called out that “Everyone, especially the Mayor, must take responsibility for the success of our children and our city.” How can the mayor do this? By exploring alternative methods of administration, for one. If we’re looking for efficiency, better control over budget dollars, and improved results, why not look at options? Mayoral control is one of perhaps several options – including staying with the status quo and leaving the Board of Education in charge. Several opinions can be found here, including that of Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, who states “Mayoral control isn’t the solution in every city. But it is an important tool to consider in cities that need to make dramatic improvements in their schools.”
Earlier in the year, I had asked that we look to 2010 as The Year of Accountability, of people taking responsibility and acting accordingly, or as The Year of Cooperation between jurisdictions, of acting without self interest but in the interest of larger constituencies. To me, here in Syracuse, with some schools improving but still very much at risk, with budget woes at the city, county and state levels, is putting options on the table a bad position for the mayor to take? Is it a power grab, or is the mayor’s office a logical place for the buck to stop?
A few days after her historic election as Syracuse’s first female mayor, the editorial board of the Post-Standard suggested that Stephanie Miner had her ‘work cut out for her’, given that she was coming into office at a very difficult time for the city and the country. High on the list of things that needed focus, according to the editors, was education. Strained relationships between the Syracuse City School District (SCSD) and the city, the renovation plans for many of the SCSD’s campuses, a final decision on whether Blodgett School (recently removed from the State’s worst-performing list) stays open or closes -- these all needed to be hashed out and resolved. Continued support for Syracuse’s highly innovative Say Yes to Education program was also critical.
I compared what the editors thought with what Mayor Miner had indicated in her own plan for the city. In the 50 Point Plan, Education and Youth was the second of six key focus areas. In addition to strategies related to funding and fully implementing Say Yes she included completing the renovation plan, working more cooperatively with the SCSD and Board of Education, pursuing a holistic approach to reduce dropout rates and improve achievement, and lastly to “examine how alternative administrative methods might achieve greater efficiency and effectiveness in our City’s schools.”
Regarding working more cooperatively, Minor pointed out the obvious critical correlation between SCSD and the city’s success, citing the need for full engagement and communication between City Hall and SCSD as cornerstones of leading a ‘…concerted public effort to lift up’ the city of Syracuse. She also called out that “Everyone, especially the Mayor, must take responsibility for the success of our children and our city.” How can the mayor do this? By exploring alternative methods of administration, for one. If we’re looking for efficiency, better control over budget dollars, and improved results, why not look at options? Mayoral control is one of perhaps several options – including staying with the status quo and leaving the Board of Education in charge. Several opinions can be found here, including that of Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, who states “Mayoral control isn’t the solution in every city. But it is an important tool to consider in cities that need to make dramatic improvements in their schools.”
Earlier in the year, I had asked that we look to 2010 as The Year of Accountability, of people taking responsibility and acting accordingly, or as The Year of Cooperation between jurisdictions, of acting without self interest but in the interest of larger constituencies. To me, here in Syracuse, with some schools improving but still very much at risk, with budget woes at the city, county and state levels, is putting options on the table a bad position for the mayor to take? Is it a power grab, or is the mayor’s office a logical place for the buck to stop?
February 16, 2010
Saying Yes to Education in Syracuse (Part 1)
In Sunday’s Post-Standard there were a couple of viewpoints offered on whether mayoral control of the Syracuse City School District (SCSD) would be a good idea. Mayor Stephanie Minor has suggested that mayoral control might be a viable alternative for the City and the SCSD. Helpfully, Tom Young, former Salt City mayor, came down on the affirmative side. Timothy Kremer, executive director of the New York State School Boards Association, presented the opposing view.
Young’s position (paraphrased of course) is that the since the city budget includes SCSD funding, and the bulk of the taxes collected in the city go to the SCSD, there should be some accountability for what’s delivered against the dollars spent. Without accountability, there's less incentive to ensure that dollars are well spent, that performance is meeting expectations, and that the city as a whole prospers as the SCSD prospers. And I'm not talking only dollars, I'm talking about community prosperity that can be driven by a high-performing school system.
Kremer’s position, on the other hand, points out accurately that the most common method of school governance is the elected school board. Ideally the Board would hear from many different constituencies, versus the mayor who, under mayoral control, allegedly would only hear from like-minded appointees. As someone who’s been involved with school boards since 1979, his opinion is not surprising. What was surprising to me was his condescending tone that, what with this being poor little Stephanie’s first year and all, she shouldn’t bite off more than she can chew - and that was his opening salvo.
He goes on to provide ‘many reasons’ why an independent elected school board is ‘the right choice’ for our city, none of which are specific to Syracuse, and only one even mentions the word Syracuse – the same point that Young made, that the city controls the purse strings for the SCSD.
My favorite? “The elected school board model also sends an important message about the future of democracy. How will children know that voting, especially at the local level, is important if they see that adults don’t vote? Children learn what is important from seeing what happens around them.” Call me optimistic, but I’m thinking students may get a sense of how democracy works since they live in a city where our mayor is elected by voters, and the Common Council members are elected by the voters...even if we stopped electing Commissioners of Education. The fact that we managed to elect a woman as mayor of Syracuse, along with a woman as Onondaga County Executive, would seem to send a pretty strong message about democracy in these parts.
With some of our schools hovering on or near the list of persistently lowest achievers according to the NYS Education Department, and with poor graduation rates (this data reflects the group that entered as freshmen between 2001 and 2004), something clearly needs to be done in order to start getting the type of results that are needed to help keep our city viable, much less to become the type of city that can point to a great urban education as a draw for families to come here.
So, does our new mayor want power, or does she really want to make a difference? More on that tomorrow.
Young’s position (paraphrased of course) is that the since the city budget includes SCSD funding, and the bulk of the taxes collected in the city go to the SCSD, there should be some accountability for what’s delivered against the dollars spent. Without accountability, there's less incentive to ensure that dollars are well spent, that performance is meeting expectations, and that the city as a whole prospers as the SCSD prospers. And I'm not talking only dollars, I'm talking about community prosperity that can be driven by a high-performing school system.
Kremer’s position, on the other hand, points out accurately that the most common method of school governance is the elected school board. Ideally the Board would hear from many different constituencies, versus the mayor who, under mayoral control, allegedly would only hear from like-minded appointees. As someone who’s been involved with school boards since 1979, his opinion is not surprising. What was surprising to me was his condescending tone that, what with this being poor little Stephanie’s first year and all, she shouldn’t bite off more than she can chew - and that was his opening salvo.
He goes on to provide ‘many reasons’ why an independent elected school board is ‘the right choice’ for our city, none of which are specific to Syracuse, and only one even mentions the word Syracuse – the same point that Young made, that the city controls the purse strings for the SCSD.
My favorite? “The elected school board model also sends an important message about the future of democracy. How will children know that voting, especially at the local level, is important if they see that adults don’t vote? Children learn what is important from seeing what happens around them.” Call me optimistic, but I’m thinking students may get a sense of how democracy works since they live in a city where our mayor is elected by voters, and the Common Council members are elected by the voters...even if we stopped electing Commissioners of Education. The fact that we managed to elect a woman as mayor of Syracuse, along with a woman as Onondaga County Executive, would seem to send a pretty strong message about democracy in these parts.
With some of our schools hovering on or near the list of persistently lowest achievers according to the NYS Education Department, and with poor graduation rates (this data reflects the group that entered as freshmen between 2001 and 2004), something clearly needs to be done in order to start getting the type of results that are needed to help keep our city viable, much less to become the type of city that can point to a great urban education as a draw for families to come here.
So, does our new mayor want power, or does she really want to make a difference? More on that tomorrow.
February 10, 2010
But What’s My Motivation?
Last night, Hiram Monserrate was expelled from the NY State Senate. In case you don’t remember Hiram, he was one of the ‘amigos’ from the Dem’s side of the aisle who moved over to the Rep side in the coup last summer, giving the Reps a 32 – 30 majority; a week later, he went back to the other side, and eventually so did Pedro Espada, the other amigo, bribed with a leadership post to cross back over.
The reason he’s been tossed is because he was convicted of abusing his girlfriend by dragging her down the hall, forcibly, on the way to a hospital 14 miles away from their home, to have her slashed face stitched up. There’s security camera footage showing the two of them leaving the house, with Monserrate clearly calling the shots, making the misdemeanor conviction pretty much a slam-dunk.
The reason he’s been tossed is because he was convicted of abusing his girlfriend by dragging her down the hall, forcibly, on the way to a hospital 14 miles away from their home, to have her slashed face stitched up. There’s security camera footage showing the two of them leaving the house, with Monserrate clearly calling the shots, making the misdemeanor conviction pretty much a slam-dunk.
He wasn’t convicted of a felony for slashing her face, which is what he was charged with. One reason there was no conviction on the felony is because, like many domestic violence victims, she said it was an accident and she was not cooperative with the prosecution. Had he been convicted of a felony, expulsion would have been automatic; however, the misdemeanor conviction led to a caucus, and to two resolutions, and eventually to the yes vote on immediately kicking him out, rather than waiting a while.
If you listen to some of the players, including Monserrate himself, you'll hear a few different opinions on why the expulsion was necessary. Ruben Diaz Sr, another Dem, had these opinions, offered in the middle of the voting itself. Diaz is quite the character, as illustrated by his bizarre quotation of Martin Luther King's 'Dream' speech in response to a question of whether he would begin siding with the Reps in the Senate. Note that the Reps were not in favor of keeping Monserrate around, making it somewhat unlikely that they'll be courting Diaz, but stranger things have happened. Pedro Espada, for his part, made a connection between Monserrate’s rights and the rights of terrorists. I'm not sure what the other five who voted no were thinking and I think I don’t want to know.
Although I didn’t know it was a gem from Alfred Hitchcock, like most folks I’d heard this joke many times before: “When an actor comes to me and wants to discuss his character, I say, 'It's in the script.' If he says, 'But what's my motivation?, ' I say, 'Your salary.'”
In the case of our folks in Albany, I'm hoping their motivation was obvious. Those who think the vote was racist in some way, or retaliation for the coup last year I hope are misguided. I think the real reason he was booted is because he’s a jerk who's been convicted of domestic violence; even in Albany, that should have been motivation enough.
Now of course he’s going to appeal the expulsion, and of course there will be an injunction keeping him in the Senate until all legal courses have been exhausted, and of course during this time people in his district are stuck with him. Hopefully they will ignore him, loudly and vigorously and publicly. If his staff is any good, they'll be able to handle constituent service until such time as someone decent is elected to represent them.
February 1, 2010
PPOD February 1, 2010: Pole-vaulting, Parachuting Pelosi
A friend of mine at work (who's a fan of Fox News, if you know what I mean) mentioned something about Nancy Pelosi and a comment about climbing fences or parachuting, and that I just had to hear this one for myself. Well, my friend and I don't always see eye to eye but I agreed to check this one out. And in fact, online reports from the past few days are filled with many not-so-subtle attacks on Pelosi's latest stupid comment. Some of what passes for discourse, as always, does not bear repeating. But, given what she said, I’m actually surprised at how civil some of the comments have been. Pelosi earns my Pet Peeve of the Day, or PPOD, for today.
Last week, when talking about passing health care reform legislation, Pelosi declared “We will go through the gate. If the gate is closed, we will go over the fence. If the fence is too high, we will pole vault in. If that doesn't work, we will parachute in. But we are going to get health care reform passed for the American people for their own personal health and economic security and for the important role that it will play in reducing the deficit."
Dear Lord. If the visuals aren’t enough to scare you, be afraid of what her foolish comment means -- that the leader of the House of Representatives is a clueless moron who didn't even listen when the President, the leader of her party, gave his State of the Union address and in it chastised both parties for their bad behavior.
Not only doesn't she listen to him, but she's not listening to us, either. Here’s some of the specific things she must have missed in the address:
Obama: “…They don't understand…why Washington has been unable or unwilling to solve any of our problems. They are tired of the partisanship and the shouting and the pettiness. They know we can't afford it. Not now.”
Pelosi: "We'll go through the gate."
Obama: “But if anyone from either party has a better approach that will bring down premiums, bring down the deficit, cover the uninsured, strengthen Medicare for seniors, and stop insurance company abuses, let me know. Here's what I ask of Congress, though: Do not walk away from reform. Not now. Not when we are so close. Let us find a way to come together and finish the job for the American people.”
Pelosi:"If the gate is closed, we'll go over the fence."
Obama: “Rather than fight the same tired battles that have dominated Washington for decades, it's time to try something new. Let's invest in our people without leaving them a mountain of debt. Let's meet our responsibility to the citizens who sent us here. Let's try common sense."
Pelosi: " If the fence is too high, we'll pole vault in."
Obama: “But what frustrates the American people is a Washington where every day is Election Day. We cannot wage a perpetual campaign where the only goal is to see who can get the most embarrassing headlines about their opponent – a belief that if you lose, I win. Neither party should delay or obstruct every single bill just because they can...Washington may think that saying anything about the other side, no matter how false, is just part of the game. But it is precisely such politics that has stopped either party from helping the American people. Worse yet, it is sowing further division among our citizens and further distrust in our government. “
Pelosi: "If that doesn't work, we will parachute in."
Obama: “So no, I will not give up on changing the tone of our politics. I know it's an election year. And after last week, it is clear that campaign fever has come even earlier than usual. But we still need to govern. To Democrats, I would remind you that we still have the largest majority in decades, and the people expect us to solve some problems, not run for the hills.”
Are you listening, Nancy?
Obama: “ Just saying no to everything may be good short-term politics, but it's not leadership. We were sent here to serve our citizens, not our ambitions. So let's show the American people that we can do it together.”
Are you listening, Washington?
Last week, when talking about passing health care reform legislation, Pelosi declared “We will go through the gate. If the gate is closed, we will go over the fence. If the fence is too high, we will pole vault in. If that doesn't work, we will parachute in. But we are going to get health care reform passed for the American people for their own personal health and economic security and for the important role that it will play in reducing the deficit."
Dear Lord. If the visuals aren’t enough to scare you, be afraid of what her foolish comment means -- that the leader of the House of Representatives is a clueless moron who didn't even listen when the President, the leader of her party, gave his State of the Union address and in it chastised both parties for their bad behavior.
Not only doesn't she listen to him, but she's not listening to us, either. Here’s some of the specific things she must have missed in the address:
Obama: “…They don't understand…why Washington has been unable or unwilling to solve any of our problems. They are tired of the partisanship and the shouting and the pettiness. They know we can't afford it. Not now.”
Pelosi: "We'll go through the gate."
Obama: “But if anyone from either party has a better approach that will bring down premiums, bring down the deficit, cover the uninsured, strengthen Medicare for seniors, and stop insurance company abuses, let me know. Here's what I ask of Congress, though: Do not walk away from reform. Not now. Not when we are so close. Let us find a way to come together and finish the job for the American people.”
Pelosi:"If the gate is closed, we'll go over the fence."
Obama: “Rather than fight the same tired battles that have dominated Washington for decades, it's time to try something new. Let's invest in our people without leaving them a mountain of debt. Let's meet our responsibility to the citizens who sent us here. Let's try common sense."
Pelosi: " If the fence is too high, we'll pole vault in."
Obama: “But what frustrates the American people is a Washington where every day is Election Day. We cannot wage a perpetual campaign where the only goal is to see who can get the most embarrassing headlines about their opponent – a belief that if you lose, I win. Neither party should delay or obstruct every single bill just because they can...Washington may think that saying anything about the other side, no matter how false, is just part of the game. But it is precisely such politics that has stopped either party from helping the American people. Worse yet, it is sowing further division among our citizens and further distrust in our government. “
Pelosi: "If that doesn't work, we will parachute in."
Obama: “So no, I will not give up on changing the tone of our politics. I know it's an election year. And after last week, it is clear that campaign fever has come even earlier than usual. But we still need to govern. To Democrats, I would remind you that we still have the largest majority in decades, and the people expect us to solve some problems, not run for the hills.”
Are you listening, Nancy?
Obama: “ Just saying no to everything may be good short-term politics, but it's not leadership. We were sent here to serve our citizens, not our ambitions. So let's show the American people that we can do it together.”
Are you listening, Washington?
January 31, 2010
The Weekend Trifecta 1/31/10
A trifecta is generally described as a type of bet where, in order to win, the bettor must pick the top three finishers in the correct order. Here, on yet another cold but beautiful winter day, are the weekend’s top three:
Filling the tank for 89 cents. Yep, that’s not a typo, we got 15 gallons of gas for 89 cents, because we shop at PriceChopper, use our rewards card, cut coupons, and earn money towards gas every time we shop. This is the best we’ve ever done; we’ve saved as much as $2.40 a gallon before, but this time we saved $2.80 per gallon.
Now, I know we probably spend too much money on groceries and I know our pantry is full, and I know it takes a while to save this much at 10 cents for every $50 spent. But I wonder, now that Tops has finalized their purchase of Penn Traffic and the local P&C stores, what kind of benefits they offer on their rewards card? Had the Golub Corporation, parent company of PriceChopper, been allowed to purchase the 22 stores they wanted out of the bankrupt Penn Traffic empire, others in Central New York would likely have had a convenient PriceChopper and would be able to do what My Sweet Baboo and I have been doing for the past couple years – saving on groceries and saving on gas.
Syracuse scratching out a win at DePaul. Holy three-pointer, Batman! How SU managed to pull this one from the jaws of defeat is almost unbelievable. Scoop Jardine and Kris Joseph both managed to drill baskets from downtown, after not having done that practically since the exhibition season. And the Orange come away with another win, this time after being down 18 to the Big East’s last place team. After having to bounce back from 14 down against Georgetown, they’re at least proving they can play together and do well against long odds. Whew!
Culinary adventures. I’m fortunate that MSB encourages me to cook with abandon. He’s always maintained that I’m the cooker and he’s the eater, so pretty much whatever I want to cook is fine with him. OK, there was that one time with the flaming macaroni salad, but since then everything’s been fine…So after our ‘fun food Friday’ where I throw together a host of different finger foods, mix up some dipping sauce, pour a nice glass of red for me and white for him and call it dinner, on Saturday we moved way up the gourmet scale to ginger-mango marinated ahi, tri-color couscous with yellow and orange peppers, diced mango and pineapple, and chopped green onions, and rounded it out with some lightly sautéed zucchini. Today, we scaled back down to the comfort food range, with a turkey, mushroom and cavatappi casserole – the height of one-pot cooking. The fun of all this is that for me there are no limits in the kitchen – and on those days that I feel like stretching my wings, I’m welcome to, but on days like today there’s no pressure and the best food in the world is the simplest thing I can think of.
January 25, 2010
The Weekend Trifecta 01/24/10
A trifecta is generally described as a type of bet where, in order to win, the bettor must pick the top three finishers in the correct order. Here are the weekend’s top three:
Stuffed appetizers. The appetizers were part of the whole Stuffed Dinner we put together for my oldest brother’s birthday. Making them was made all that much more enjoyable – in fact the entire event was that much more enjoyable - because my nephew Sam helped.
One of the appetizers, tomatoes stuffed with tuna fish, Sam indicated he wasn’t really excited about, because while he really really likes tuna fish, he’s not a big fan of tomatoes.
The second appetizer was stuffed celery. I put my Mom in charge of this one. While Sam wanted to help with, he’s not allowed to use a sharp knife until he’s a little older; right now, he’s a few months away from his seventh birthday. He thought his mom said he could use a sharp knife when he was seven, but his dad said not until he turned ten. Turns out he had the parents backwards, but with a ‘safe’ knife and careful supervision, he cut the pieces to size, putting a tiny mark in the side of the celery, and then lining up the knife to make the cut. He stuffed the ones with peanut butter, Mom did the ones with cream cheese, and a careful count was taken to make sure we had the same number of each, along with a ‘tester’ for each flavor. Peanut butter was a hit, earning a big grin and many "mmms" and "oh boys." The horseradish was a little too much for him, but the adults enjoyed it.
The last appetizer, stuffed potatoes, was almost too much for Sam to believe. I halved and roasted some small red potatoes, then we scooped out the inner potato leaving the skin intact; the innards were combined with some chopped green onion and some cheese, then put back into the potatoes and baked, served warm. Sam couldn’t figure out why I’d want to do this in the first place, but he helped scoop some and then he and Mom did the mashing – by hand – which he thought was pretty cool.
Stuffed Dinner. This is what started us off on the whole mission of stuffing stuff into stuff. My brother requested stuffed peppers for dinner, and we then got carried away. Sam, watching me stir the hamburger, rice, and secret ingredients, thought stuffed peppers was kind of weird. I explained that even Grandpa (my Dad, gone three years now) loved them and not only that; he called them stuffed ‘poopers’. Well, this was almost too much, peals of laughter as Mom and I explained that Grandpa always did the grocery shopping and he’d write down the week’s menu, always putting poopers instead of peppers. We mentioned that we missed little things like that.
Sam said, very honestly, “I miss him too. And I don’t get to have Boost anymore either, because it makes Grandma think about Grandpa and get sad.” Somehow, Mom and I managed to maintain our composure – not really sure how, but we did. I had forgotten that Dad used to share a Boost – called it a milkshake – with Sam, and was amazed that he even remembered. After all, he was three when Dad passed. Mom explained very reasonably to Sam why they don’t buy Boost any more, and that was good enough for him, and we moved on.
In addition to the regular stuffed peppers, we also had stuffed poblano peppers with Mexican corn, into which I had stirred a little hot mustard.
Sam’s job with all of the peppers was to do quality control. Since he couldn’t help (a sharp knife, again), he inspected all of the peppers to make sure there were no seeds left in them. He found a few that I had left behind, fewer that Mom had left behind, and then declared them "ready for stuffing stuff into."
We also had stuffed salad, a delicious fruit salad that Mom put together, then stuffed back into a halved pineapple and two melon halves. A little orange juice, brown sugar, and balsamic vinegar on the fruit helped bring out the flavors.
And for Sam and my teenaged niece, we stuffed some hotdogs inside crescent rolls, ensuring that there was something stuffed for all ages.
Stuffed dessert. This one was the silliest of all. I made a rectangular Bundt cake, then we removed most of the cake and stuffed it with a mousse made with Cool Whip, condensed milk, and chopped pineapples and their juice. Getting the mousse into the cake was easy; flipping the cake and mousse onto the platter without making a horrendous mess turned out to be fairly easy as well, once everyone left the kitchen. For Mom, the official family dessert server, it was a little more challenging getting everything served; next time, I think I’ll freeze the mousse.
It’s rare the Weekend Trifecta all occurs on one day, but Saturday had it all – it was a day stuffed to the brim with three generations of family, good food, and lots of fun. And I can’t wait to cook with Sam again!
Stuffed appetizers. The appetizers were part of the whole Stuffed Dinner we put together for my oldest brother’s birthday. Making them was made all that much more enjoyable – in fact the entire event was that much more enjoyable - because my nephew Sam helped.
One of the appetizers, tomatoes stuffed with tuna fish, Sam indicated he wasn’t really excited about, because while he really really likes tuna fish, he’s not a big fan of tomatoes.
The second appetizer was stuffed celery. I put my Mom in charge of this one. While Sam wanted to help with, he’s not allowed to use a sharp knife until he’s a little older; right now, he’s a few months away from his seventh birthday. He thought his mom said he could use a sharp knife when he was seven, but his dad said not until he turned ten. Turns out he had the parents backwards, but with a ‘safe’ knife and careful supervision, he cut the pieces to size, putting a tiny mark in the side of the celery, and then lining up the knife to make the cut. He stuffed the ones with peanut butter, Mom did the ones with cream cheese, and a careful count was taken to make sure we had the same number of each, along with a ‘tester’ for each flavor. Peanut butter was a hit, earning a big grin and many "mmms" and "oh boys." The horseradish was a little too much for him, but the adults enjoyed it.
The last appetizer, stuffed potatoes, was almost too much for Sam to believe. I halved and roasted some small red potatoes, then we scooped out the inner potato leaving the skin intact; the innards were combined with some chopped green onion and some cheese, then put back into the potatoes and baked, served warm. Sam couldn’t figure out why I’d want to do this in the first place, but he helped scoop some and then he and Mom did the mashing – by hand – which he thought was pretty cool.
Stuffed Dinner. This is what started us off on the whole mission of stuffing stuff into stuff. My brother requested stuffed peppers for dinner, and we then got carried away. Sam, watching me stir the hamburger, rice, and secret ingredients, thought stuffed peppers was kind of weird. I explained that even Grandpa (my Dad, gone three years now) loved them and not only that; he called them stuffed ‘poopers’. Well, this was almost too much, peals of laughter as Mom and I explained that Grandpa always did the grocery shopping and he’d write down the week’s menu, always putting poopers instead of peppers. We mentioned that we missed little things like that.
Sam said, very honestly, “I miss him too. And I don’t get to have Boost anymore either, because it makes Grandma think about Grandpa and get sad.” Somehow, Mom and I managed to maintain our composure – not really sure how, but we did. I had forgotten that Dad used to share a Boost – called it a milkshake – with Sam, and was amazed that he even remembered. After all, he was three when Dad passed. Mom explained very reasonably to Sam why they don’t buy Boost any more, and that was good enough for him, and we moved on.
In addition to the regular stuffed peppers, we also had stuffed poblano peppers with Mexican corn, into which I had stirred a little hot mustard.
Sam’s job with all of the peppers was to do quality control. Since he couldn’t help (a sharp knife, again), he inspected all of the peppers to make sure there were no seeds left in them. He found a few that I had left behind, fewer that Mom had left behind, and then declared them "ready for stuffing stuff into."
We also had stuffed salad, a delicious fruit salad that Mom put together, then stuffed back into a halved pineapple and two melon halves. A little orange juice, brown sugar, and balsamic vinegar on the fruit helped bring out the flavors.
And for Sam and my teenaged niece, we stuffed some hotdogs inside crescent rolls, ensuring that there was something stuffed for all ages.
Stuffed dessert. This one was the silliest of all. I made a rectangular Bundt cake, then we removed most of the cake and stuffed it with a mousse made with Cool Whip, condensed milk, and chopped pineapples and their juice. Getting the mousse into the cake was easy; flipping the cake and mousse onto the platter without making a horrendous mess turned out to be fairly easy as well, once everyone left the kitchen. For Mom, the official family dessert server, it was a little more challenging getting everything served; next time, I think I’ll freeze the mousse.
It’s rare the Weekend Trifecta all occurs on one day, but Saturday had it all – it was a day stuffed to the brim with three generations of family, good food, and lots of fun. And I can’t wait to cook with Sam again!
January 21, 2010
Squirrel Appreciation Day?
I’m taking a break from the news of the day to focus on something a little closer to home. Very close to home, in fact: right in our garden, just off the patio.
We're talking squirrels. That there are only three in this picture is really a testament to my bad timing. Sometimes we'll have half a dozen or more lurking in, on, or around the feeders.
I had no idea there was such a thing as Squirrel Appreciation Day, which is celebrated (if that's the correct word) each January 21st. I shouldn’t have been surprised, really. After all, last year I learned there were two national societies focused on possums. So, nothing in the backyard creature world should really be a shock. (January 21st is also National Hugging Day although no one’s really recommending that anyone go out and hug a squirrel. I don't think).
Here in The Valley, every day is appreciation day for the little monsters. They appreciate My Sweet Baboo and the generous donations he makes to their good health and well being; they appreciate the birds who stay away, or get out of the way, until the squirrels are done eating; and they appreciate that Michael T, our only outside cat, is not at all interesting in getting himself a nice pair of squirrel mittens. They also appreciate the little maple, and the quince, that provide vantage points and launching pads up towards the feeders.
I had no idea there was such a thing as Squirrel Appreciation Day, which is celebrated (if that's the correct word) each January 21st. I shouldn’t have been surprised, really. After all, last year I learned there were two national societies focused on possums. So, nothing in the backyard creature world should really be a shock. (January 21st is also National Hugging Day although no one’s really recommending that anyone go out and hug a squirrel. I don't think).
Here in The Valley, every day is appreciation day for the little monsters. They appreciate My Sweet Baboo and the generous donations he makes to their good health and well being; they appreciate the birds who stay away, or get out of the way, until the squirrels are done eating; and they appreciate that Michael T, our only outside cat, is not at all interesting in getting himself a nice pair of squirrel mittens. They also appreciate the little maple, and the quince, that provide vantage points and launching pads up towards the feeders.
My Sweet Baboo, on the other hand, doesn’t appreciate the squirrels anywhere near as much as they appreciate him. They eat too much, they bother the birds, and they laugh at Michael T. We got some hot red pepper and MSB’s been adding it to the bird seed, but apparently it’s not hot enough to wean the squirrels off the feeders, or even to really slow them down.
The average squirrel needs to eat about a pound of food a week to maintain an active lifestyle. Our squirrels, all above average (think Lake Woebegon effect), are likely getting more than that...with a little kick to help keep them warm.
Take a look - I took these the other morning.
January 20, 2010
The Day After Massachusetts
I didn't get any emails from the President today. I did hear from Mitch Stewart, the director of Organizing for America, who basically encouraged me to continue the good fight, and thanked me for being a part of it, the fight for change. As are many people, I'm still digesting the results, the commentary, and what it all means for us.
On the one hand, some contend that the vote means Americans don't want health care reform. Which we weren't really going to get anyway -- we were likely looking at health insurance reform, which is a different animal all together.
There are those that say the vote was an Obama referendum, and clearly signals that his policies are wrong for the country, we're headed in the wrong direction, and that coupled with the Republicans taking the governorships in New Jersey and Virginia, that the Dems are in big trouble in the mid-term elections.
And of course there are those who say that this is really a vote against business as usual in Washington, that people are sick and tired of not being listened to and are not going to take it any more. John McCain referred to 'unsavory sausage-making', and odd description of the legislative process.
For a unique perspective, there's this take on things from Brian McGrory of the Boston Globe. I've never read any post-election column quite like it.
So which of these is correct? Likely a little bit of all of them. People are angry; they're scared about the economy; they're frustrated with nothing being accomplished in Washington, and with the general tone of what passes for debate; folks are growing tired of handouts and bailouts and wars and everything else, and I think the voting booth is one way to ensure that someone - anyone - listens. And while the party in power always loses ground in the midterm elections, this could be a sign that the hits will be harder come November than might have been imagined a year ago.
My question though, is this. All these years, were the folks in Massachusetts really that liberal? Or were they really simply satisfied with the status quo, a guy named Ted Kennedy?
On the one hand, some contend that the vote means Americans don't want health care reform. Which we weren't really going to get anyway -- we were likely looking at health insurance reform, which is a different animal all together.
There are those that say the vote was an Obama referendum, and clearly signals that his policies are wrong for the country, we're headed in the wrong direction, and that coupled with the Republicans taking the governorships in New Jersey and Virginia, that the Dems are in big trouble in the mid-term elections.
And of course there are those who say that this is really a vote against business as usual in Washington, that people are sick and tired of not being listened to and are not going to take it any more. John McCain referred to 'unsavory sausage-making', and odd description of the legislative process.
For a unique perspective, there's this take on things from Brian McGrory of the Boston Globe. I've never read any post-election column quite like it.
So which of these is correct? Likely a little bit of all of them. People are angry; they're scared about the economy; they're frustrated with nothing being accomplished in Washington, and with the general tone of what passes for debate; folks are growing tired of handouts and bailouts and wars and everything else, and I think the voting booth is one way to ensure that someone - anyone - listens. And while the party in power always loses ground in the midterm elections, this could be a sign that the hits will be harder come November than might have been imagined a year ago.
My question though, is this. All these years, were the folks in Massachusetts really that liberal? Or were they really simply satisfied with the status quo, a guy named Ted Kennedy?
January 19, 2010
The 'Kennedy Seat' Falls
This morning I received this email from President Obama:
Sue --Right now, the polls are open to elect a new senator to the seat that my friend Ted Kennedy held for 47 years.The choice could not be more stark, and the result could not be of greater consequence -- for Massachusetts or the nation. The Bay State can send progressive champion Martha Coakley to Washington to fight for everything we believe in -- health reform, getting all of our money back from Wall Street, and holding corporate interests accountable. Or the Senate can get one more person already walking in lockstep with Washington Republicans.The polls are still open, the choice has not been made, and you still have a crucial role to play by calling voters in Massachusetts. In a low-turnout special election like this one, every single voter counts. Please sign up for a phone bank for Martha Coakley near you on this Election Day. Opponents of change and progress have been pouring money and resources into the Commonwealth -- they want to keep things just as they are. The most important thing you can do to stand up to them is call other voters and urge them to get out to vote for the leader we need representing Massachusetts. In a race as close as this one, no matter how many voters you call, you could tip the balance. So please make sure you do everything you can today. Click here to find an Election Day phone bank near you:http://ma.barackobama.com/CoakleyPB. If you were fired up in the last election, I need you more fired up in this election. Thanks for everything you've done, and for your efforts in this final push,
President Barack Obama
Paid for by Organizing for America, a project of the Democratic National Committee, www.barackobama.com. Authorized by Martha Coakley for U.S. Senate Committee.
Tonight, this was the headline at boston.com, the online Boston Globe: Brown stuns, surges to Senate victory.
I can honestly say that I did not donate to the cause, nor did I help man a phone bank for Martha Coakley. While Obama personally campaigned for her, I'm not a big fan of folks sticking their nose or their money in other people's elections.
I think the pundits will have a ball with this one, as will the special interests who now will have renewed vigor in their efforts to shape health insurance reform to their liking. I'm sure health insurance companies, such as the one I work for, will be no exception. And it's not just health insurance reform, it's the entire legislative agenda for Obama that is (theoretically) at risk now that the 60-vote majority is no longer.
How big a hit does the President take for this loss? How smug will Republicans be now that they've handed him this defeat? Will Democrats feel free now to not toe the party line, without fear of repercussion? Or will we see even more wheeling, dealing and bribing, more discourse and discontent, than we saw last year?
Going to be an interesting year...
Sue --Right now, the polls are open to elect a new senator to the seat that my friend Ted Kennedy held for 47 years.The choice could not be more stark, and the result could not be of greater consequence -- for Massachusetts or the nation. The Bay State can send progressive champion Martha Coakley to Washington to fight for everything we believe in -- health reform, getting all of our money back from Wall Street, and holding corporate interests accountable. Or the Senate can get one more person already walking in lockstep with Washington Republicans.The polls are still open, the choice has not been made, and you still have a crucial role to play by calling voters in Massachusetts. In a low-turnout special election like this one, every single voter counts. Please sign up for a phone bank for Martha Coakley near you on this Election Day. Opponents of change and progress have been pouring money and resources into the Commonwealth -- they want to keep things just as they are. The most important thing you can do to stand up to them is call other voters and urge them to get out to vote for the leader we need representing Massachusetts. In a race as close as this one, no matter how many voters you call, you could tip the balance. So please make sure you do everything you can today. Click here to find an Election Day phone bank near you:http://ma.barackobama.com/CoakleyPB. If you were fired up in the last election, I need you more fired up in this election. Thanks for everything you've done, and for your efforts in this final push,
President Barack Obama
Paid for by Organizing for America, a project of the Democratic National Committee, www.barackobama.com. Authorized by Martha Coakley for U.S. Senate Committee.
Tonight, this was the headline at boston.com, the online Boston Globe: Brown stuns, surges to Senate victory.
I can honestly say that I did not donate to the cause, nor did I help man a phone bank for Martha Coakley. While Obama personally campaigned for her, I'm not a big fan of folks sticking their nose or their money in other people's elections.
I think the pundits will have a ball with this one, as will the special interests who now will have renewed vigor in their efforts to shape health insurance reform to their liking. I'm sure health insurance companies, such as the one I work for, will be no exception. And it's not just health insurance reform, it's the entire legislative agenda for Obama that is (theoretically) at risk now that the 60-vote majority is no longer.
How big a hit does the President take for this loss? How smug will Republicans be now that they've handed him this defeat? Will Democrats feel free now to not toe the party line, without fear of repercussion? Or will we see even more wheeling, dealing and bribing, more discourse and discontent, than we saw last year?
Going to be an interesting year...
January 18, 2010
The Weekend Trifecta 1/17/10
A trifecta is generally described as a type of bet where, in order to win, the bettor must pick the top three finishers in the correct order. Here are the weekend’s top three:
Wicked: Thanks to our brother-in-law’s very generous Christmas present, My Sweet Baboo and I enjoyed a sold-out presentation of Wicked, the story of Elphaba (the wicked witch of the west) and Glinda (the good witch) in the time before Dorothy and Toto ever got to Oz. The acting was great, the singing was great, and we enjoyed the story. It wasn’t like some musicals, where you walk away with a song in your head or your heart, but it was a great production and a lot of fun.
SU holding on by the skin of their teeth to beat West Virginia . This was another classic Big East game, made even more important by the fact that it was two top-10 teams fighting it out. As often is the case with SU, a 10-point lead is never safe, and these games truly aren’t over until the final buzzer. We’re off to Notre Dame tonight, and hoping we can end the road trip three for three.
Reading for the fun of it. I managed to knock off a book on Saturday and another one on Sunday. The first was Judge and Jury, another reliable collaboration from James Patterson and Andrew Gross. On Sunday, it was Elaine Meryl Brown’s Playing by the Rules, the story of a community in the Blue Ridge Mountains that has a set of very strict rules to live by. The book explores what happens to folks in the community when faced with the unexpected.
What made your top three?
Wicked: Thanks to our brother-in-law’s very generous Christmas present, My Sweet Baboo and I enjoyed a sold-out presentation of Wicked, the story of Elphaba (the wicked witch of the west) and Glinda (the good witch) in the time before Dorothy and Toto ever got to Oz. The acting was great, the singing was great, and we enjoyed the story. It wasn’t like some musicals, where you walk away with a song in your head or your heart, but it was a great production and a lot of fun.
SU holding on by the skin of their teeth to beat West Virginia . This was another classic Big East game, made even more important by the fact that it was two top-10 teams fighting it out. As often is the case with SU, a 10-point lead is never safe, and these games truly aren’t over until the final buzzer. We’re off to Notre Dame tonight, and hoping we can end the road trip three for three.
Reading for the fun of it. I managed to knock off a book on Saturday and another one on Sunday. The first was Judge and Jury, another reliable collaboration from James Patterson and Andrew Gross. On Sunday, it was Elaine Meryl Brown’s Playing by the Rules, the story of a community in the Blue Ridge Mountains that has a set of very strict rules to live by. The book explores what happens to folks in the community when faced with the unexpected.
What made your top three?
January 15, 2010
'Touchdown' Schumer?
A local company, Penn Traffic, is in the process of disappearing from the landscape. The parent company of P&C, Quality, and BiLo grocery stores is going through its third and final bankruptcy in ten years, and a court decision is expected within the next few days or so on how the company will be disbanded.
As with most cases like this, there are a number of competing interests: creditors, who rightfully want to get as much of their money back as possible; management, who (we hope) are trying to do the best they can under the circumstances; employees, in this case union employees, who want to hold on to their jobs and benefits; customers, who may not want to lose their local grocery stores; and suitors – those who would buy some or all of the company’s troubled assets.
In this case, one New York grocery chain, Schenectady-based PriceChopper, put in a bid for 22 of the 79 stores, signed a contract with Penn Traffic, and put down 10% a while back. (Dislcaimer: My Sweet Baboo and I get about 95% of our groceries at PriceChopper). They didn’t want the whole kit and kaboodle, but were interested in expanding into certain areas and wanted only certain stores. They were honest about the fact that they’d close the stores for renovation and rebranding, and they made no promises regarding retention of Penn Traffic’s employees.
Naturally, the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) union was not happy about the lack of commitment to keep the employees, and even less happy that PriceChopper is a non-union shop. And so, enter the last competing interest: politicians, primarily Chuck Schumer. New York’s senior senator got engaged in the process, and worked to ensure additional time was allowed for bidding, opposed a flat-out liquidation bid, and to some extent actually contributed to the process.
He also rallied with the union employees, pitted one New York company against another, and in the end the bid that he favored – that of Buffalo-based Tops Markets – was the highest bid; it’s the bid likely to be accepted by the bankruptcy court towards the end of the month.
As with most cases like this, there are a number of competing interests: creditors, who rightfully want to get as much of their money back as possible; management, who (we hope) are trying to do the best they can under the circumstances; employees, in this case union employees, who want to hold on to their jobs and benefits; customers, who may not want to lose their local grocery stores; and suitors – those who would buy some or all of the company’s troubled assets.
In this case, one New York grocery chain, Schenectady-based PriceChopper, put in a bid for 22 of the 79 stores, signed a contract with Penn Traffic, and put down 10% a while back. (Dislcaimer: My Sweet Baboo and I get about 95% of our groceries at PriceChopper). They didn’t want the whole kit and kaboodle, but were interested in expanding into certain areas and wanted only certain stores. They were honest about the fact that they’d close the stores for renovation and rebranding, and they made no promises regarding retention of Penn Traffic’s employees.
Naturally, the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) union was not happy about the lack of commitment to keep the employees, and even less happy that PriceChopper is a non-union shop. And so, enter the last competing interest: politicians, primarily Chuck Schumer. New York’s senior senator got engaged in the process, and worked to ensure additional time was allowed for bidding, opposed a flat-out liquidation bid, and to some extent actually contributed to the process.
He also rallied with the union employees, pitted one New York company against another, and in the end the bid that he favored – that of Buffalo-based Tops Markets – was the highest bid; it’s the bid likely to be accepted by the bankruptcy court towards the end of the month.
In the process, Schumer made some really fun comments, in true over-the-top style:
Senator Schumer said, "It's pretty much over. Tops is going to be the only bidder and that is great news. As I said we started out on our own ten yard line and now we're about to go over the opponent's goal line and score a touchdown."Tops, like PriceChopper, admitted they would be closing "…a certain number of stores, a small — right now it’s a small handful…” but that the company expects to keep "the majority, if not all," of Penn Traffic's workers. This was great news for the union, and for Schumer, who if nothing else knows and understands the political power of organized labor.
The latest news, however, is that if the Tops deal closes, the local P&C warehouses will also close. The grocery distribution business run out of the warehouses is owned by C&S, a New Hampshire company, but the employees are Penn Traffic employees. C&S will be consolidating everything into their Pennsylvania warehouse, which is much closer to Tops headquarters, within 60 days of the closing.
I suspect that may be news to the UFCW and the hundreds of employees at the warehouse. Perhaps it’s even news to Senator Schumer… so, I wonder, in the end, how many points his ‘touchdown’ is really worth?
January 10, 2010
Seeds of Collaboration
Last week, I offered up several of my wishes for 2010. This was one of them:
But there is hope. A couple of interesting things occurred recently here in Syracuse that make it clear that kind of message is not lost on people.
These are important events for the greater Syracuse and Central New York area for a few reasons.
If we are to move forward, and move forward well, it will require Joanie and Stephanie to come together frequently, reasonably, and without ego. It will likely require them to convince their parties, their employees, and both the County Legislature and the Common Council to give up territory, to give up power, to give up titles and likely even jobs, for the greater good.
And, if this level of discussion, collaboration, and progress can happen at the city and county level, maybe folks at other jurisdictions (towns, villages, etc.) would look to find ways to have similar conversations. Of course, they have to pick the right issues to collaborate on - police and fire services seem to be real hot buttons, maybe picking something a little less touchy to start might make sense.
Last, the reason why the Chamber and MDA seem ready to set aside long-standing power struggles and egos is mostly because they have new leaders who are able to see that shared opportunities can be better than separate accomplishments. This is a great lesson which can be expanded across governmental agencies, businesses, and educational institutions.
(They're are also proof that sometimes the folks that have been around the longest may not be the best ones to lead us forward. Hmm…in an election year…where we have lots of stagnant, long-term, short-sighted people in power… Getting any ideas?)
The other thing that’s really cool about this is that changing the way we approach economic development was the one of the cornerstones of Stephanie’s plan for the city. In her 50 Point Plan for a 21st Century City, the first section of the Plan includes references to us “…need(ing) a new direction and a new approach…cogent regional economic development principles and practices…” The first strategy she outlined called for the city to “work with the County, MDA, Chamber, Convention and Visitors Bureau, MACNY and others…” This collaboration is shaping up to be easier that many thought it might be.
That we’re already seeing this level of cooperation is remarkable. That others besides just Stephanie and me see the benefits is a huge plus. That we're seeing immediate action on a critical strategic issue for the region is exciting.
Hopefully it’s the real deal, and not just a flash in the pan.
- Let 2010 be the Year of Cooperation between all levels of government including village, town, city, county, region, state and national jurisdictions. They should learn to play well with each other, consolidate services where possible, and think about what is truly best for their constituents in these trying economic times.
But there is hope. A couple of interesting things occurred recently here in Syracuse that make it clear that kind of message is not lost on people.
- Republican Onondaga County Executive Joanie Mahoney and newly elected Syracuse Mayor Stephanie Miner, a Democrat, had lunch.
- Greater Syracuse Chamber of Commerce President Darlene Kerr and Metropolitan Development Association President Robert Simpson had a press conference.
These are important events for the greater Syracuse and Central New York area for a few reasons.
If we are to move forward, and move forward well, it will require Joanie and Stephanie to come together frequently, reasonably, and without ego. It will likely require them to convince their parties, their employees, and both the County Legislature and the Common Council to give up territory, to give up power, to give up titles and likely even jobs, for the greater good.
And, if this level of discussion, collaboration, and progress can happen at the city and county level, maybe folks at other jurisdictions (towns, villages, etc.) would look to find ways to have similar conversations. Of course, they have to pick the right issues to collaborate on - police and fire services seem to be real hot buttons, maybe picking something a little less touchy to start might make sense.
Last, the reason why the Chamber and MDA seem ready to set aside long-standing power struggles and egos is mostly because they have new leaders who are able to see that shared opportunities can be better than separate accomplishments. This is a great lesson which can be expanded across governmental agencies, businesses, and educational institutions.
(They're are also proof that sometimes the folks that have been around the longest may not be the best ones to lead us forward. Hmm…in an election year…where we have lots of stagnant, long-term, short-sighted people in power… Getting any ideas?)
The other thing that’s really cool about this is that changing the way we approach economic development was the one of the cornerstones of Stephanie’s plan for the city. In her 50 Point Plan for a 21st Century City, the first section of the Plan includes references to us “…need(ing) a new direction and a new approach…cogent regional economic development principles and practices…” The first strategy she outlined called for the city to “work with the County, MDA, Chamber, Convention and Visitors Bureau, MACNY and others…” This collaboration is shaping up to be easier that many thought it might be.
That we’re already seeing this level of cooperation is remarkable. That others besides just Stephanie and me see the benefits is a huge plus. That we're seeing immediate action on a critical strategic issue for the region is exciting.
Hopefully it’s the real deal, and not just a flash in the pan.
January 6, 2010
Looking Forward to 2010
Before we get too far into the year, I thought I’d capture some of my hopes for 2010. I don’t do any kind of formal New Year’s resolution, but I do think about the future. With thanks to my boycat Galway who I happened to catch in this great pose, here are some of the things on my list:
- Let 2010 be the Year of Cooperation between all levels of government including village, town, city, county, region, state and national jurisdictions. They should learn to play well with each other, consolidate services where possible, and think about what is truly best for their constituents in these trying economic times.
- Let 2010 be the Year of Accountability. I’m less interested in what we call this year (twenty-ten, two-thousand-ten, two-oh-one-oh, or whatever the other options are) than I am in hoping that this is finally the year that people become accountable for themselves, and act accordingly, whether it’s professionally or personally.
- Let 2010 be the Year of Not Defining Beauty by Dress Size. We need to focus less on how big a person is, and more on whether or not we’re healthy. There is a difference between the two, even if we’ve managed to convince ourselves that ‘healthy’ and ‘skinny’ are synonyms.
- Let 2010 be the Year of Fiscal Responsibility. We cannot continue to spend our tax dollars the way we do. There have to be politicians out there who can see the bigger picture and help us find our way back to some level of sanity.
- Let 2010 be the Year of Politicians Finding Ethics. That we need this is a no-brainer. If we have folks with the brains or the stomachs to fix it is a whole ’nother question.
- Let 2010 be the Year of The Demise of Reality TV. OK, we can keep American Idol, The Amazing Race, and maybe Survivor, but the rest of it has got to go.
- Let 2010 be the Year the Red Sox Regain the World Series title. I just never get sick of asking for that one.
We'll be talking about these again down the road, I'm sure. What’s on your list?
January 4, 2010
Happy birthday, veritable pastiche!
It’s true – the blog is one year old today. When I started, I wasn’t sure how long I’d stay interested in writing, or if anyone would be reading, but the VP is alive and kicking.
Here are some statistics for the first year:
- Number of posts: Seventy-two. Sometimes I think that’s a lot, but other times I wish I had done more.
- Number of (admitted) followers: Five. There are more, because I hear from them on Facebook, and via email either at home or at work. They just don’t put their pictures up on the blog. And they don’t comment on the blog either – must be shy.
- Alternate names for veritable pastiche (that I’m aware of): virgin petroleum, virtual pirouette, Virginia peanuts, visible pantyline, and a few more I can’t remember or can’t repeat. Most of these are courtesy of my brother and my almost sister-in-law, who try to outdo each other with v-words and p-words. I hope they continue this going forward.
- Most frequently viewed post: would have to be the one I wrote to my Dad on his birthday.
- My favorite topic: politics. Got that from my Dad.
- Topic on which I expected to post more frequently than I did: cooking. I cook all the time, make up recipes, and love to entertain, but for some reason, I didn’t expound on this much at all.
- My personal favorite posts: other than the previously mentioned on for Dad, one from July about how Central New Yorkers have a poor attitude is up there; the one about computers of the future was fun; and my quandary of which I liked better, my garden or the smell of corned beef on St Patrick’s day, is another favorite.
So, what’s in store for this year? More politics, I’m sure. In Albany, as at the national level, this is an election year; and here in Syracuse, we have a new mayor, which should make things interesting. Of course I’m continuing my garden therapy this year;it continues to be cheaper than seeing a behavioral health professional. I’d also like to post a little more regularly…for me, as well as for you.
Thanks for reading, thanks for your comments, however you have passed them along, and hopefully we’ll enjoy the journey in year two!
December 23, 2009
Christmas Cards – The Legislative Version
In addition to the wonderful cards we’ve received from friends and family near and far, we’ve also received 'holiday greetings' from our elected representatives in Albany and Washington. While they're not really Christmas cards per se, we get them at this time of year, and I like to pretend they're sent in the true holiday spirit.
There’s a similarity between the cards we sent, and the ones we received from Senator David Valesky, Assemblyman Bill Magnarelli, and Congressman Dan Maffei: I paid for all of them! That’s right – they are prepared, printed, and mailed at taxpayer expense. Rep. Maffei’s message is the most transparent of them all - it included a fairly large text box indicating it was my taxes that paid for it.
The mailer from Rep. Maffei was a four-fold, full color glossy brochure full of pictures, copies of headlines from the local papers, and the usual “I’m wonderful; let me count the ways” nonsense. Senator Valesky’s mailer, again in color, is a simpler one-page front and back, with only three pictures of the Senator, plus the formal headshot with the American flag in the background. While he has yet to answer my email, he’s happy to tell me all he’s doing for Syracuse. Other than encouraging me to complete my census form when I receive it in March, the rest of the brochure is all about Dave.
The simplest of all is the one from Bill Magnarelli. It’s not glossy, it’s not four-color, and it’s really intended to educate me on services available to me as a constituent, rather than a press release telling me how wonderful he is. It also has a survey, nine questions for me to tell the Assemblyman what’s important. All of the questions are straightforward, and eight of the nine have very simple, non-opinionated choices to select from in response; but one, it’s a doozy. Check it out:
Q: To what extent should New York pursue the collection of sales tax on cigarettes and gasoline sold on Indian reservations?
A. Pursue collection, with the possibility of violent protests and the need to activate the National Guard.
B. Negotiate a settlement with Indian leaders.
Wow – talk about trying to direct a response! Of course, I’m not sure who’s going to be protesting violently – the gas stations owners? Those who purchase the gas and cigarettes? Elected officials in Albany? – but it sort of makes me want to pick option A just to find out.
I took the liberty of rewriting the choices for some of the other questions, so that the response would be more indicative of the sentiment; these were originally yes/no questions.
Q. Should New York legalize same-sex marriage?
A. Yes, all loving couples are entitled to the same rights and benefits of marriage, and we should no longer treat homosexuals as second-class citizens.
B. No, the primary purpose of marriage is for procreation, and therefore homosexuals need not apply. Marriages between non-procreating heterosexuals should be declared null and void, and all marital benefits rescinded.
C. No, New York should remain in the dark ages and continue to discriminate against same-sex partnerships simply on principle.
Q. Should New York State require chain restaurants to post calorie counts on their menus?
A. No, people who order three hamburgers layered with processed cheese and ten strips of bacon shoved into a bun and served with a 48-ounce drink and a pound of French fries couldn’t care less about the calories.
B. No, we should not put the calories on the menu, but we should require them on the TV commercials, since more people watch those than read menus anyway.
C. Yes, we should require the calories for chain restaurants where middle class and poor people tend to eat but not for fancy restaurants where rich people eat, because if you can afford the meal, you can afford the calories.
D. Yes, but only for the items on the dollar menus, because in this economy that’s all anyone can afford.
E. Chain restaurants have menus? Who knew?
Q. Do you support allowing the sale of wine in grocery stores?
A. Yes, this is a great opportunity to help grow the wine industry in New York, which currently contributes between $3 -$6 billion to the economy.
B. No
What do you think? How would you answer these questions?
There’s a similarity between the cards we sent, and the ones we received from Senator David Valesky, Assemblyman Bill Magnarelli, and Congressman Dan Maffei: I paid for all of them! That’s right – they are prepared, printed, and mailed at taxpayer expense. Rep. Maffei’s message is the most transparent of them all - it included a fairly large text box indicating it was my taxes that paid for it.
The mailer from Rep. Maffei was a four-fold, full color glossy brochure full of pictures, copies of headlines from the local papers, and the usual “I’m wonderful; let me count the ways” nonsense. Senator Valesky’s mailer, again in color, is a simpler one-page front and back, with only three pictures of the Senator, plus the formal headshot with the American flag in the background. While he has yet to answer my email, he’s happy to tell me all he’s doing for Syracuse. Other than encouraging me to complete my census form when I receive it in March, the rest of the brochure is all about Dave.
The simplest of all is the one from Bill Magnarelli. It’s not glossy, it’s not four-color, and it’s really intended to educate me on services available to me as a constituent, rather than a press release telling me how wonderful he is. It also has a survey, nine questions for me to tell the Assemblyman what’s important. All of the questions are straightforward, and eight of the nine have very simple, non-opinionated choices to select from in response; but one, it’s a doozy. Check it out:
Q: To what extent should New York pursue the collection of sales tax on cigarettes and gasoline sold on Indian reservations?
A. Pursue collection, with the possibility of violent protests and the need to activate the National Guard.
B. Negotiate a settlement with Indian leaders.
Wow – talk about trying to direct a response! Of course, I’m not sure who’s going to be protesting violently – the gas stations owners? Those who purchase the gas and cigarettes? Elected officials in Albany? – but it sort of makes me want to pick option A just to find out.
I took the liberty of rewriting the choices for some of the other questions, so that the response would be more indicative of the sentiment; these were originally yes/no questions.
Q. Should New York legalize same-sex marriage?
A. Yes, all loving couples are entitled to the same rights and benefits of marriage, and we should no longer treat homosexuals as second-class citizens.
B. No, the primary purpose of marriage is for procreation, and therefore homosexuals need not apply. Marriages between non-procreating heterosexuals should be declared null and void, and all marital benefits rescinded.
C. No, New York should remain in the dark ages and continue to discriminate against same-sex partnerships simply on principle.
Q. Should New York State require chain restaurants to post calorie counts on their menus?
A. No, people who order three hamburgers layered with processed cheese and ten strips of bacon shoved into a bun and served with a 48-ounce drink and a pound of French fries couldn’t care less about the calories.
B. No, we should not put the calories on the menu, but we should require them on the TV commercials, since more people watch those than read menus anyway.
C. Yes, we should require the calories for chain restaurants where middle class and poor people tend to eat but not for fancy restaurants where rich people eat, because if you can afford the meal, you can afford the calories.
D. Yes, but only for the items on the dollar menus, because in this economy that’s all anyone can afford.
E. Chain restaurants have menus? Who knew?
Q. Do you support allowing the sale of wine in grocery stores?
A. Yes, this is a great opportunity to help grow the wine industry in New York, which currently contributes between $3 -$6 billion to the economy.
B. No
What do you think? How would you answer these questions?
December 21, 2009
Christmas Cards
We're well into the swing of the holiday season here in The Valley. While I still have to wrap, make candy, and make stuff for three holiday gatherings, at least my cards are done. The ones that get mailed went out last Monday, a full week sooner than last year when I just couldn’t get motivated to get them done.
This year, we put on some Christmas music and My Sweet Baboo and I sat together and got them done. I think I actually mailed more cards this year than in the past, adding my contribution to the over 2 billion cards mailed each year. I also finished my work cards, sending some via interoffice (shame on me) to our regional offices, and delivering others personally to folks who work in the same building as me.
MSB does the ‘Baboo and Sue’ cards, I do the ‘Sue and Baboo’ cards and that way we cover all the bases. I have several addresses in my PDA but not all of them, the rest are scribbled on a piece of paper that I’ve been using for years just to do cards. Fortunately we didn’t throw away the phone book, as we both used it to get some of the local addresses – the ones we can drive to, but don’t know how to mail to; I suspect most people have a few of those. One of these days I’ll get all of the addresses updated in the PDA; I say that every year, and it’s not a high priority yet.
We don’t send pictures or a letter with our cards, it’s just the card with a scribbled holiday greeting and our names. Both of us are non-photogenic - we don’t like having our picture taken. For me, it’s a long-standing dislike going back to when I was a kid, fell off my bike, and scarred my face. Without going into detail, suffice it to say that kids can be mean, and some scars last longer than the visible ones. MSB, on the other hand, has always simply been more comfortable behind the lens than in front of it.
But we love getting other people’s pictures, seeing kids and pets grow up, and we also enjoy the holiday letters. Some are very straight-forward, simply recapping the major events of the year; others manage to fit a year’s worth of living into a reworked Christmas carol, and then there are the ‘long and winding road’ ones, which go on and on and on… and we enjoy them all!
I think the real message of the card is in the sending of it - with or without pictures, with or without a letter, whether mailed, hand-delivered or emailed. Not the printed message contained in the card, but the message that the card itself delivers: someone’s thinking about you, someone’s wishing you health and happiness, someone cares.
That’s the message everyone needs to hear, don't you think?
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