Damn Liberals

Conservatives make me chuckle. Don't vote for "liberal" McCain, vote for "conservative" Romney.

What's This FISA Stuff All About?

Russ Feingold sums it up. Is this the kind of smaller, get out of our lives government that Republicans have left us?

Interesting ADK Poll

Question: Which presidential candidate do you favor for the Feb. 5 primary election?

Hillary Clinton 24.2%

John Edwards 7.1%

Rudy Giuliani 5.1%

Mike Huckabee 3.0%

Alan Keyes 1.9%

John McCain 14.5%

Barack Obama 27.5%

Ron Paul 1.9%

Mitt Romney 8.6%

Undecided 6.3%

Now everyone knows these kinds of polls are not scientific at all. But the Tri-Lakes area always comes across as a pretty conservative area. So where did all these votes for Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama come from? Is it because more progressives read the ADE online and participate in the polls? Is it because of those commie liberals in Long Lake? Is it from votes from the America hating "outsiders"?

Do read the comments on this poll. You find very few comments explaining suppor for republican candidates. Why is that? Are they just too embarassing to talk about?

2008 Ice Palace - VI

The Ice Palace is finished. It's raining today but that might not be too bad because when it gets colder this afternoon it will give the Palace a really nice smooth sheen. The pyramid is finished and the Egyptians could not have done a better job. It looks perfect. What I thought was going to be a maze is not a maze at all but rather a "community spiral". I have some pictures and will post them later today.

As promised, here are the pictures of the Ice Palace taken about 9 AM this morning. It was raining.

And a few hours later after a quick one inch snowfall.

Currently it's partly sunny and windy with snow flurries.

Saranac Lake Community Store Update

The Saranac Lake Community Store has raised $220,400 from 300 investors thus far. Their goal is $500,000 which must be raised by June 17th. A big push is going to start soon to raise the rest of the money. Shares in the store are $100 each and can be purchased by any resident of the State of New York. The Community Store has gotten some press recently in the Times Union.

No, I haven't purchased my shares yet, but I will soon. In fact, at I will be at the next "Buddy Party" where a current investor brings a friend who is hopefully a potential investor. I want to meet some of the 300 civic-minded people who have already invested.

Save Camp Gabriels Website

A website called Save Gabriels can be found by clicking on the link. The State of NY has proposed closing four minimum security "camps" due to a lower prison population. Camp Gabriels is one of them. Closing Camp Gabriels would be a significant blow to the area because a couple hundred well paying jobs would be lost.

The website has a couple of areas worth visiting. The "history" of Camp Gabriels is very interesting. Also, if you want to keep up with news coverage of the proposed closing, clicking on the "Archive" will provide the necessary links.

The closing of Camp Gabriels and other prisons is good news. It means fewer people are being sentenced to prison and I don't see how anyone cannot be happy with that. It's very expensive to keep a person in jail or prison. Unfortunately our area has come to count on the prison industry for well paying jobs. This is in no way good news for the local economy. I understand what it means to lose a job that pays a good salary.

However, at least one area person was willing to risk a letter to the Adirondack Daily Enterprise which more or less supports closing of the prison. Here is the letter:

The crime rate is down in New York state. As a result, there are fewer prisoners and lots of vacant space in correction facilities, meaning some of the facilities need closing. This kind of news is welcomed in most areas of the world and thought very good.

In addition, the state faces a huge financial deficit, and according to its politicians and most of its citizens, it needs to curb unnecessary spending.

In response, the governor of New York, the most heavily taxed state in the nation* and the state with the most state employees per capita in the nation*, intends to close down four minimum-security prisons that are half-full, one of which is a few miles from Saranac Lake, that being Camp Gabriels, which would all sound logical to most anyone.

The current employees at this facility — all unionized — have either “bumping” rights into seven other correction facilities within an hour’s drive from Camp Gabriels or will be given preference for openings in “non-competitive” categories of employment, which still sounds good to anyone with a heart for working people.

Yet, with all of the good news, we hear: 1. griping from a recently “retired” CO in Vermontville, with a wife working at Camp Gabriels (already “vested” in the retirement system), that she may have to travel a few more miles for some more state employment; 2. an impotent state senator (majority member) and an even more impotent assemblyperson (minority member) “calling for reconsideration”; 3. petitions at local convenience stores demanding a decision-reversal by the governor without saying why Gabriels should stay, other than saying it’s somehow “vital.”

These responses do not make any sense. The facilities should be closed and should have been closed long ago. (Just ask any CO for their honest opinion on that subject.)

And anyone who says Franklin County is somehow “short-changed” in the decision-making just doesn’t have their facts straight, as the state built three other correctional facilities in the county in the last 20 years: Bare Hill, Franklin and Chateaugay — far beyond what our population and/or voting power deserved.

Further, jobs come and go all the time in the private sector. A state employee commuting a few more miles to keep their nose in the trough doesn’t bring a tear to my eye.

Our politicians and community leaders should quit whining, as it will not and should not do any good, and do something worthwhile such as seizing this opportunity, just as the leaders in Plattsburgh did when its air base closed, and go after — with a vengeance — a host of private-sector jobs that fit with the community and may make use of the Gabriels facility. Any effort less than that and without the necessary logical foundation deserves just what it will obtain: nothing.

It's pretty hard to disagree with the logic of this letter. Everyday you hear local people complaining about taxes. Taxes are too high, taxes need to be cut. But when it comes time to actually cut taxes you often hear a different tune - especially when it directly affects you. One thing I notice is that often times the people complaining the loudest about high taxes are retired State employees.

2008 Ice Palace V

A bit warmer weather is coming this week but not warm enough to affect the Ice Palace.

2008 Ice Palace IV

2008 Ice Palace III

G.W. Bush - Heroic Leader or Horse Thief?

I'm surprised this Bush story isn't better known. The President has a William Henry Dethlef Koerner painting hanging in the oval office. G.W. evidently has named it "A Charge to Keep", the same title he has given his autobiography. Here is what Bush said about the painting:

"I love it," Bush said, further explaining his intimate feeling for the painting to reporters and editors of the Washington Times, a conservative newspaper. He offered his interpretation: "He's a determined horseman, a very difficult trail. And you know at least two people are following him, and maybe a thousand." Bush added that the painting is "based" on an old hymn. "And the hymn talks about serving the Almighty. So it speaks to me personally." When he was governor of Texas and the painting hung in his office, Bush wrote a note of explanation to his staff: "This is us."

Indeed, Bush sees a gallant rider storming up a hill, leading two others to some glory. I'm pretty sure G.W. really sees this when he looks at the painting. But to G.W. this painting sort of defines his administration.

Unfortunately, it turns out that is not what the illustration is about at all. It was illustrated for a cowboy story called "The Slipper Tongue" and published in the Saturday Evening Post in 1916. Jacob Weisberg tells us the real story behind the painting in his new book The Bush Tragedy.

Only that is not the title, message, or meaning of the painting. The artist, W.H.D. Koerner, executed it to illustrate a Western short story entitled "The Slipper Tongue," published in The Saturday Evening Post in 1916. The story is about a smooth-talking horse thief who is caught, and then escapes a lynch mob in the Sand Hills of Nebraska. The illustration depicts the thief fleeing his captors. In the magazine, the illustration bears the caption: "Had His Start Been Fifteen Minutes Longer He Would Not Have Been Caught."

While no one could rightly claim that G.W. is smooth talking, there is some irony in that the cowboy in the painting is attempting to escape a lynch mob. The two cowboys behind the first rider are chasing the horse thief. This does sort of sum up the Bush administration.

However, Weisberg points out that the painting was also used to illustrate a story called "Country Gentlemen", a story that was related to a Wesley hymn that Bush referenced.

On this go-round, it was indeed used to illustrate a short story that related to Wesley's hymn. But the story's moral was a little off-message. According to Weisberg, it was "about a son who receives a legacy from his father—a beautiful forest in the Northeast and a plea to protect it from rapacious timber barons."

Ouch!

Hillary Wants MI and FL Delegates

The Democratic National Committee "punished" Michigan and Florida, for holding Democratic primaries before Feb. 5th, by taking away their delegates to the Democratic Convention. All the Democratic Presidential candidates agreed with this decision. Guess who wants those MI and FL delegates seated now.

From the Hillary for President website we have a press release:

"I hear all the time from people in Florida and Michigan that they want their voices heard in selecting the Democratic nominee.

"I believe our nominee will need the enthusiastic support of Democrats in these states to win the general election, and so I will ask my Democratic convention delegates to support seating the delegations from Florida and Michigan. I know not all of my delegates will do so and I fully respect that decision. But I hope to be President of all 50 states and U.S. territories, and that we have all 50 states represented and counted at the Democratic convention.

"I hope my fellow potential nominees will join me in this.

"I will of course be following the no-campaigning pledge that I signed, and expect others will as well."

Would she be so willing to see these delegates seated at the convention if she had not won Michigan? She was supposed to have removed her name from the ballot in MI just like the other Democratic candidates did. It appears Hillary is going to win the FL primary. I guess that is one reason to support seating the FL delegates.

Well, at least we know that if she is elected President she is going to play hardball politics.

2008 Ice Palace II

The size of the Ice Palace has doubled since yesterday. It must have been really cold work. It appears that the two front square towers are complete at 10 ft. high as they are now crenelated. A wall now connects the left square tower with the left round tower. The rear wall appears to be complete but is not yet crenelated. It's about 11 ft. high. Presumably the round towers will be connected to the rear wall. No new work has been done on the pyramid.

On Being a Democrat

As President Bush is wont to say...it's hard work. He has no idea what is hard work. Being a Democrat is hard work! Especially over the last year when Democrats have controlled both Houses of Congress.

You would never know it though. When G.W. tells the Democrat leaders of Congress to sit...they sit. It can be a bit frustrating, at least for me. Take the "economic stimulus package" for example. Do it G.W.'s way or else. So who gets the tax rebates that supposedly will stimulate the economy. Certainly not the people who need it the most. They won't get much of a tax rebate because they don't pay much in taxes and Bush sees that as a tax cut. How about people that are out of job and whose unemployment benefits have run out. Screw them! They certainly neither deserve help nor would they spend any rebate they might get. Besides, some undeserving person might be helped. At least that is the view in Bushworld.



But I blame the Democratic leaders for this poor economic stimulus package more than I blame G.W. or the Republicans. Sure, Republicans would filibuster a Bill not supported by G.W. And, G.W. would veto a Bill that contained some of the things that Democrats wanted. I also understand that if an economic stimulus bill was filibustered or vetoed...Democrats would likely be blamed for not moving quickly enough to stimulate the ailing economy. But let's at least try to play some hardball here.

How about telecom immunity? Why is Sen. Chris Dodd the only person speaking out against telecom immunity? He threatens to filibuster and is then threatened by Harry Reid that it will have to be a real stand on the floor and read the phone book type filibuster. Here's an idea. How about letting an investigative body determine whether telecoms deserve immunity or not? Also, I'd like to know where the Democratic Presidential candidates stand on this issue? Why hasn't anyone asked them?

And, what about the so-called "phase II" report from the Senate Intelligence Committee? This is the report on whether or not pre-war intelligence was misused or not. It's understandable that Republicans didn't want such a report released when they were in charge of the committee. Sen. Pat Roberts (with the input of Dick Cheney) has managed to delay this report for over 3 years. Sen. Rockefeller has been slow to act on this report because he didn't want to cause any hard feelings among Republican committee members. What a nice guy he is.

Yes, it's hard being a Democrat, but what are the choices? A third party? That would be great if we could ever get a viable third party off the ground.

Economic Stimulus Plan

The economic stimulus plan can be summed up in a few words. Screw the people who need help the most.

2008 Ice Palace I

This years Ice Palace will feature a pyramid with a square turret or tower on either side of the pyramid. Two round towers will also be on either side but a bit further back. A back wall will finish off the palace.

Lot's of campmen working this morning. Notice people are wearing life prservers. The last place you want to be is in the icy water although the cold would probably kill you almost as fast as you could drown. But it can be a dangerous job. I don't believe anyone has ever been lost though. I'll post some close up pictures later, when the campmen have left the job. The CO's don't like people photographing the campmen.

Bush Legacy

Here is a Table from the Democratic caucus.



Click here to see a larger version. Not much in that Table that we didn't already know, but it helps to see the comparison.

Spewing Hatred of Muslims

Hopefully the Michael Savage (real name Michael Weiner) show isn't aired in our region. I'm surprised at some of the companies that advertise on his radio show. Actually, I'm surprised he can find a single company that is willing to be associated with him. Savage defends himself by saying he speaks with sarcasm, satire and humor. Do you hear any sarcasm, satire or humor in his speech? Savage makes millions of dollars a year spewing his hatred.

Beautiful Science Video

Words cannot describe the effect this video has on me. It is so beautiful.

Still Reading Lots of Non-Fiction

I've finished reading Abusing Science by Philip Kitcher and Don't Believe Everything You Think by Thomas Kida. Still working my way through Snake Oil Science by R. Barker Bausell and Parasite Rex by Carl Zimmer. I was browsing through the library the other day and I found a copy of Evolution of Infectious Disease by Paul W. Ewald. I had dinner with Paul and his teenage son a couple of years ago. He is a fascinating scientist who isn't afraid of looking at things from a different perspective.

Don't worry about the effects of reading all that non-fiction. I read fiction before going to bed....at least one novel a week. Just re-read The Prince of Tides by Pat Conroy last week. Oh yeah, that reminds me, I have a copy of The Nine: Inside the Secret World of the Supreme Court by Jeffery Toobin. Had to wait 4 weeks for my turn to read it.

2008 Ice Palace Started Today

As I drove by Pontiac Bay on Lake Flower today I noticed a crew from Camp Gabriels clearing the ice of snow. The huge, ancient, gasoline powered ice saw was also sitting on the ice. Several volunteers were studying the plans for the palace, while others were laying out where the first course of ice "bricks" would be placed. Looks like cold weather for the next several days so conditions for Ice Palace building should be perfect. You can count on pictures tomorrow.

The 111th Saranac Lake Winter Carnival will be held from Feb. 1st through Feb. 10th. Go here for the 2008 Winter Carnival schedule.