...Those Who Show Up

Waste

2009-12-22T10:41:00.002-05:00

If you haven't checked out the front page article from yesterday's Poughkeepsie Journal, I suggest you do so. However, if you do not have the time, I will simply quote the first sentence for you:

"Dutchess County spent $1,092 for each of 27 desk chairs for use at the county's Emergency Command Center in the Town of Hyde Park — a room used sparingly as a coordination and control facility during natural or man-made disasters."

What!? Are you kidding me!? Do I really need to bloviate on about how terrible a decision this was? I think not.

And people wonder why taxes in our county are so high.

2009-12-06T08:33:00.000-05:00

In the wake of Wednesday's New York State Senate defeat of a law that would have legalized gay marriage in our state, I would like to post for the 3rd time:

"I believe in 50 years, our society will look back on the fight against gay marriage the same way we now look back at the civil rights movement of the 1950s, or interracial marriage, or slavery, our country's original sin. 'They were fighting over this?' they'll ask. On a long enough period of time, social progressives will overcome social conservatives every time. And if our textbooks are any indication, history will not judge well those who try to keep others from enjoying the same freedoms."

The majority does not have the right to limit the rights of the minority.

The Escalation

2009-12-02T13:07:00.002-05:00

I watched President Obama's speech from West Point last night with skepticism, and I don't believe my opinion has changed at all. I believe that Afghanistan is a quagmire, and I do not think the escalation of 30,000 additional US troops is going to solve the problem for 3 main reasons:

First, the point of the war is to destroy Al Qaeda and its ability to use Afghanistan as a safe haven. However, many of Al Qaeda's forces -- supposedly including Osama bin Laden, himself -- are not located in Afghanistan, but rather Pakistan, a country whose territorial sovereignty we cannot breach. With the Pakistani government and military in the constant state of turmoil that it is, how can we expect them to secure their own land?

Second, the Afghans as a whole have no confidence in their central government. How can we be expected to stabilize a people and a government when the people don't have faith in the government?

Third, history. From December 1979 to February 1989, the people of Afghanistan were able to withstand the invasion of the Soviet Union. That's almost 10 years. We've been there just over 8. Do we really expect a different result? These people will wait us out. No matter how long we stay, they will wait longer. They will wait forever.

So, because I am extremely skeptical of our ability to accomplish this goal, I am also extremely skeptical that the withdrawal of US forces will be able to occur in 3 years. In a meeting with top members of Congress prior to last night's speech, President Obama was pressed by Senator McCain on the timetable he was laying out, and President Obama conceded that any troop movements would be based on conditions on the group. This mean if it comes time to start withdrawing and conditions aren't favorable, we won't. Rest assured that this war has no end in sight. President Obama may be telling us where the end is, but believe me when I say that neither he, nor the military, nor anyone else can actually see it.

When Osama bin Laden orchestrated the attacks on September 11, 2001, the goal was to bring the United States to its knees -- politically, financially, militarily. More than 8 years later, where are we? We are stretching our political clout throughout the world to the limit. We are hemorrhaging money that we don't have, sinking deeper and deeper into debt. And our military is under pressures that are pushing it steadily toward the breaking point.

I imagine he's feeling quite good about himself right about now.

The Palinites

2009-11-23T15:30:00.002-05:00

Oh, how they swarm.

Irrational Hysteria

2009-11-16T09:01:00.003-05:00

The irrational hysteria shown by many in this country never ceases to amaze me.

Take, for example, the proposal to move a large number of the remaining prisoners at Guantanamo Bay to a sparsely-populated maximum security prison in a sparsely-populated town called Thompson, IL. The majority of people of Thompson seem to want such a proposal carried out, as it would provide jobs at the Thompson Correctional Facility which has never been fully staffed due to budgetary reasons. There are some, however (the vast majority of whom are on the right side of the political spectrum and unfortunately get a lot of media attention), who feel that moving these individuals to an 8-year-old, maximum security prison in the middle of rural Illinois would somehow put the American people in unnecessary grave danger. According to the CDC, there were over 30,000 gun deaths in the United States, and these conservative talking heads think moving these detainees onto American soil is what is going to put Americans in unnecessary mortal danger? Give me a break. Do they expect these men to escape, find refuge, plan an attack, and then carry out said attack? Keep dreaming. Irrational hysteria.

This morning on CNN, I saw a piece on militia groups who arm themselves to the teeth with semi-automatic weapons and train for a confrontation with...I don't know who. The government? President Obama himself? One militia member raised the prospect that President Obama was "dangers for the nation." Another hoped that their presence makes lawmakers in Washington take "pause." I don't understand. Is he suggesting that he wants lawmakers to think, Gee, we were going to pass this law, but those militia members may come after us, so we better pause and think twice? And another reason why the militia members do what they do? Baseless fear that President Obama is going to take away their guns. Irrational hysteria.

Irrational hysteria is nothing new in this country, dating all the way back to the witch hunts of the 1600s. And I guess it's too much to expect everyone in the country to grow a brain and instead exhibit rational calm, so we'll just have to keep putting up with it. Only in America.

Paterson Runs

2009-11-12T23:45:00.002-05:00

With 12 months to go before the 2010 election, Gov. David Paterson has begun running reelection ads. If you have not seen any, you can check them out here. I have seen the "Some Say" commercial numerous times, and I have to tell you I think it is very effective. Whoever decided to make Gov. Paterson's campaign slogan "The People First" made a good move, portraying him as bucking the system and doing whatever he feels is right for the state. But with the size of the climb that he's facing, will any good idea be able to make his reelection happen? I guess we'll find out over the next 12 months.

Brothers Under the Bridge

2009-11-11T14:34:00.002-05:00

Saigon, it was all gone
The same Coke machines
As the streets I grew on
Down in a mesquite canyon
We come walking along the ridge
Me and the brothers under the bridge

Campsite's an hour's walk from the nearest road to town
Up here there's too much brush and canyon
For the CHP choppers to touch down
Ain't lookin' for nothin', just wanna live
Me and the brothers under the bridge
Come the Santa Ana's, man, that dry brush'll light
Billy Devon got burned up in his own campfire one winter night
We buried his body in the white stone high up along the ridge
Me and the brothers under the bridge

Had enough of town and the street life
Over nothing you end up on the wrong end of someone's knife
Now I don't want no trouble
And I ain't got none to give
Me and the brothers under the bridge

I come home in '72
You were just a beautiul light
In your mama's dark eyes of blue
I stood down on the tarmac, I was just a kid
Me and the brothers under the bridge

Come Veterans' Day I sat in the stands in my dress blues
I held your mother's hand
When they passed with the red, white and blue
One minute you're right there ... and something slips...
-Bruce Springsteen

Come and Gone

2009-11-05T08:02:00.002-05:00

So, one more election day has come and gone, and the amount of excitement was...negligible. Only four or five races garnered the attention of the national media, and the rest was all local politics. And don't get me wrong, local politics are important, but they just don't create the energy as national campaigns do. It's also more difficult to get information about local candidates without the massive television coverage right at your fingertips. When I asked someone I knew if she had voted, she replied, "I don't really care."

But in terms of New York State, there was a double-take moment in the 23rd congressional district. In a race that turned into a political soap opera in the last week, Democrats gained control of the seat which has leaned heavily toward the GOP since the Civil War. Dutchess County will be getting a veto-proof Republican majority in the legislature, which is too bad since I would very much like them to fight some of County Executive Bill Steinhaus' cost-cutting measures, including his Sheriff's Department plan. And here in Poughkeepsie, the common council will also have a GOP majority, and I will be getting a new councilman. I am not as concerned by this development.

-----

And in true Bill Maher style, let me say: "New Rule: You can't boast about the Yankees winning their 27th championship unless you were actually alive for all 27. Sure, the have the same name and general location, but it's not like the 2009 team is the same as the 1923 team. And despite what you may think, Yogi Bera is not still the manager."

Vote

2009-11-03T10:43:00.001-05:00

It's that time again -- the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November. Election Day. Vote early, vote often.

The Senate's Public Option

2009-10-27T09:28:00.004-04:00

Yesterday, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) announced a health care plan that would include a public option, but which would also allow states to opt out of said public option if they so choose.

Why do I have the sneaking suspicion that the states that would opt out are the ones with the citizens who most need the program?

Walkway Over the Hudson

2009-10-06T17:09:00.002-04:00

This past Sunday, I did what thousands of other Hudson Valley residents did: I took a trip on the Walkway Over the Hudson. I walked from Poughkeepsie to Highland and back, covering almost 2.5 miles, and it was quite the experience. When it came to the old railroad bridge, I think revitalizing it was the best idea, especially considering it would have cost more to tear the bridge down. I do, however, need to bring up a couple of points:

First, there are no emergency call boxes on the bridge. There are signs that give emergency numbers as well as signs discouraging people from committing suicide, but a person in distress should not be kept from help by their lack of a cell phone. There should direct line emergency boxes like you find on many other bridges, or even on many college campuses.

Second, I found that there are a lack of benches for sitting. What happens if you need to rest, or have a sudden health problem? Grab some cement? And since it is a park, what if you want to sit and read? Do I have to bring my own chair?

These suggests may seem small, but I think they could certainly improve the Walkway.

I just hope people use the thing.

CNN Tapes at Poughkeepsie High School

2009-09-22T09:41:00.002-04:00

In case you missed it, the following is a post from the Poughkeepsie City School District website, PoughkeepsieSchools.org:

CNN anchor Soledad O’Brien and her production crew visited Poughkeepsie High School Tuesday, September 8, while working on a special series, “Latino in America.” CNN will feature Consuelo Castillo Kickbusch, CEO of Educational Achievement Services, in the documentary. Ms. Kickbusch was the inspirational keynote speaker at the Superintendent’s Convocation for staff.

Ms. O’Brien interviewed Ms. Kickbusch in a Poughkeepsie High classroom set up as a temporary television studio after her remarks. She even helped Ms. Kickbusch touch up her makeup before the interview, commenting “The only other person I ever did this for was President Clinton.”

Ms. O’Brien, who has a weekend home in Dutchess County, said she comes to Poughkeepsie often. The documentary which reports on the growing diversity of America will air at 8 p.m. on CNN and in Spanish on CNN enEspanol on October 21 and 22.

Hitting the Nail

2009-09-17T08:16:00.002-04:00

Sometimes, a person hits the nail so perfectly on the head that the best thing you can do is not try to improve upon their work. The following is Bill Maher's final "New Rule" from the September 11, 2009, episode of Real Time with Bill Maher:

And finally, New Rule: Democrats must get in touch with their "inner asshole." And, no, I'm not being gratuitously crude when I say that. I refer to the case of one, Van Jones, who was the man the Obama Administration hired to find jobs for Americans in the new green industries. Hmm, seems like a smart thing to do in a recession. But, Van Jones got fired because he got caught on tape saying Republicans are assholes. And they call it news.

Now, I know that right now I'm supposed to be all re-injected with "Yes We Can" fever after the big healthcare speech. And it was a great speech. You know, when Black Elvis gets jiggy with his Teleprompter there's nobody better. But, here's the thing. Muhammad Ali also had a way with words. But, it helped enormously that he could also punch guys in the face.

It bothers me that Obama didn't say a word in defense of Mr. Van Jones, and basically fired him when Glenn Beck told him to. Just like we dropped "end of life counseling" from healthcare because Sarah Palin said it meant "death panels" on her Facebook page. Crazy morons make up things for Obama to do, and he does it.

Same thing with the speech to schools this week, where the president attempted to merely tell children to work hard and wash their hands. And "Cracker Nation" reacted as if he was trying to hire the Black Panthers to hand out grenades in home room. And, of course, the White House immediately capitulated. "No students will be forced to view the speech," a White House spokesperson assured a panicked nation. Well, isn't that like admitting that the president might be doing something unseemly? What a bunch of cowards. If the White House had any balls, they'd have said, "He's giving a speech on the importance of staying in school, and if you jackasses don't show it to every damn kid, we're cutting off your federal education funding tomorrow."

The Democrats just never learn. Americans don't really care which side of an issue you're on as long as you don't act like p*ssies. When Van Jones called the Republicans "assholes," he was actually paying them a compliment. He was. He was talking about how they can get things done even when they're the minority. As opposed to the Democrats, who can't seem to get anything done even when they control both houses of Congress, the presidency and Bruce Springsteen.

You know, I love Obama's civility, his desire to work with his enemies. It's positively Christ-like. In college, he was probably the guy at the dorm parties who made sure the stoners shared their pot with the jocks. But, we don't need that guy now. We need an asshole. Mr. President, there are some people who are never going to like you. That's why they voted for the old guy and "Carrie's mom." You're not going to win them over. Stand up for the 70% of Americans who aren't crazy. And, speaking of that 70%, when are we going to actually show up in all this?

You know, tomorrow, Glenn Beck's army of zombie retirees are descending on Washington. It's the "Million Moron March." Although they won't get a million, of course, because many will be confused and drive to Washington State. But, they will make news, because people who take to the streets always do. They're at town hall meetings screaming at the congressmen. We're on the couch screaming at the TV. You know, especially in this age of Twitters and blogs and Snuggies it's a statement just to leave the house. But, leave the house, we must, because this is our last best shot for a long time to get the sort of serious healthcare reform that would make the United States the envy of several African nations.

8

2009-09-11T12:26:00.002-04:00

The sky was falling and streaked with blood
I heard you calling me then you disappeared into the dust
Up the stairs, into the fire
Up the stairs, into the fire
I need your kiss, but love and duty called you someplace higher
Somewhere up the stairs into the fire

May your strength give us strength
May your faith give us faith
May your hope give us hope
May your love give us love

May your strength give us strength
May your faith give us faith
May your hope give us hope
May your love give us love

You gave your love to see in fields of red and autumn brown
You gave your love to me and lay your young body down
Up the stairs, into the fire
Up the stairs, into the fire
I need you near but love and duty called you someplace higher
Somewhere up the stairs into the fire

May your strength give us strength
May your faith give us faith
May your hope give us hope
May your love give us love

May your strength give us strength
May your faith give us faith
May your hope give us hope
May your love give us love

May your strength give us strength
May your faith give us faith
May your hope give us hope
May your love give us love

It was dark, too dark to see, you held me in the light you gave
You lay your hand on me
Then walked into the darkness of your smoky grave
Somewhere up the stairs into the fire
Somewhere up the stairs into the fire
I need your kiss, but love and duty called you someplace higher
Somewhere up the stairs into the fire

May your strength give us strength
May your faith give us faith
May your hope give us hope
May your love give us love

May your strength give us strength
May your faith give us faith
May your hope give us hope
May your love give us love

May your strength give us strength
May your faith give us faith
May your hope give us hope
May your love give us love

May your strength give us strength
May your faith give us faith
May your hope give us hope
May your love give us love

May your love give us love
-Bruce Springsteen, "Into the Fire"

End of an Era

2009-08-26T12:59:00.002-04:00

Last night, Senator Edward Kennedy succumbed to brain cancer at the age of 77. It truly is the end of an era as it is the passing of the last Kennedy brother. Below is a re-posting of most of my blog entry published on Friday, May 23, 2008, entitled "A Remarkable Life":

This big news in the world of politics this week was obviously the health of Sen. Edward Kennedy. His seizure earlier this week led to the diagnosis of a malignant brain tumor, and has brought into question not only his future, but also the future of the United States Senate: what will its make-up become? What direction will it take once this giant of politics is lost?

But this week's news has started me thinking about the journey that Sen. Kennedy has traveled. It truly has been a remarkable life, no matter how you view the man politically. He's a Kennedy -- a name that has been held in the highest esteem in the eyes of Americans for more than 50 years. He comes from the era of Camelot, which many of us know only through the words of history books. He has been able to stand up and stand out among a group of larger than life personalities.

People's lives fascinate me -- how long they've lived, what they've done, where they've been. Sen. Kennedy is a member of an extraordinary family, and more specifically a member of a group of three brothers that have not only changed this country, but the world as a whole (his eldest brother, Joseph, was killed during World War II). His second eldest brother John held the highest office in this land. His brother Robert was John's closest confidant, and made his own run for president. Both were cut down by the bullets of assassins, 45 and 40 years ago, respectively. That amazes me. Losing one brother in such a fashion would be traumatic enough, but losing two, and then choosing to continue to live the same kind of public, exposed lifestyle that led to their murders clearly shows the depth of commitment that Sen. Kennedy has for this country. He has served in the United States Senate since 1963 -- 45 years.

Sen. Kennedy has truly lived a blessed life, despite the trials and tribulations -- both professional and personal -- that seem to come along with the name 'Kennedy.'

Slick Willie

2009-08-11T14:07:00.002-04:00

On Henry Rollins' live spoken word album, A Rollins in the Wry, he makes the following observation:

"...he is just like an eel in the weeds in the ocean, man. He's like an eel going through the Sargasso Sea, man. You know? He's slick and slippery; you can't get to the guy. And he's not Teflon, he's just oily. He's like a Dukes-of-Hazzard-kinda-yahoo guy, and he's getting it, you know?"

Who was Henry speaking of? Why none other than former President Bill Clinton. And though this quote was in reference to Clinton's 5-hour Monica Lewinsky testimony, I believe that the description is just as relevant today...and I mean that as a compliment. A week ago, Bill Clinton accomplished what I think was a magnificent feat: he walked into North Korea -- probably the most unstable and unpredictable country in the world -- slipped through the weeds, and walked out with Laura Ling and Euna Lee, two North Korean-convicted U.S. journalists. And this was not a covert mission. He went, he met with leaders (including the elusive Kim Jong Il) out in the open, he got it done, and he left saying, "This is how it's done, folks. Sit down and take notes."

Now, there are some who feel that Bill Clinton's meeting and photo-op with North Korean leader Kim Jong Il was a mistake because it legitimizes Kim in a way that should not be allowed. I, however, disagree. Situations like this are how things change. A world-renowned dignitary travels to the doors of an enemy with a request, and the enemy acquiesces. This could be the beginning of a whole new dialogue between our government and North Korea, and you never know what might come of that.

Slick Willie, at it again.

Asinine

2009-07-30T08:55:00.003-04:00

Over the past week and a half, this country has been subject to a constant news story that is insulting when you consider our two wars, economic crisis, push to pass healthcare reform, and various other problems. I am, of course, talking about the arrest of Professor Henry Louis-Gate in Cambridge.

Now, race is a major issue in this country despite the fact that we now have an African-American president, but in my opinion this story should be no more than a footnote, and not worthy of the hours and hours of coverage that it has gotten. Of course this was propelled by the president wading hip-deep into the issue when he should not have. But it is stories like this that really brings out the stupidity of some people, along with asinine statements and ides.

Take, for example, Congressman Richard E. Neal of Massachusetts, and his objections to the selections of beer that are going to be served at the White House meeting between President Obama, Professor Louis-Gate, and Sgt. James Crowley. Rep. Neal recently wrote a letter to the president urging him to serve Sam Adams, or another beer from an American-owned brewery.

Oh, come on. The story is already blown out of proportion. Do we really need to care about what beer they drink?

Born in the USA

2009-07-22T15:07:00.002-04:00

Months after President Obama's inauguration, conspiracies still abound about the legitimacy of his U.S. citizenship. Incredible, but not surprising. I don't know that there is much that could surprise me anymore when it comes to politics and stupidity. Check out Roland Martin's short piece from CNN.com.

Sotomayor vs. SVU & CSI

2009-07-14T15:22:00.002-04:00

Right now on USA, there is a Law & Order: Special Victims Unit marathon. On Spike, there is a CSI marathon. And on CNN, MSNBC, Fox News, and PBS, there is day two of the Sonia Sotomayor marathon -- special all day coverage of the Supreme Court nominee's confirmation hearings. Can you say exciting? Yeah, me neither.

I've watched a little bit of the hearings. Democrats are praising her, Republicans keep bringing up the "wise Latina" comments. But the real question is: will any of this make a bit of difference? No. The Democrats hold a 60-40 majority in the Senate (counting Bernie Sanders, who is an Independent), and Sotomayor only needs to receive 51 votes to be confirmed. As Sen. Lindsay Graham put it yesterday, "Unless you have a complete meltdown, you are going to get confirmed."

So what is the point of all this? I think that an appointment to the Supreme Court is an important matter, and public hearings are a great thing. But I just wonder what Senators are hoping to learn in these three days that they have not been able to learn in the past month and a half. Is there really a need to have three hours of opening statements from senators? There is a finite amount of time before Congress breaks for the summer recess, and a seemingly infinite amount of issues that need to be addressed. So, why is all this grandstanding so important?

Anyway, you can watch SVU, CSI, or Sotomayor, Sotomayor, Sotomayor, and Sotomayor. What channel do you want?

Robert McNamara

2009-07-06T23:50:00.002-04:00

It was reported today that Robert McNamara, former secretary of defense under Presidents Kennedy and Johnson, has passed away at age 93. A very controversial figure, he was not only heavily involved in the Cuban Missile Crisis, but was a key architect of the war in Vietnam. If you get the chance, I highly recommend viewing Errol Morris' documentary, "The Fog of War: Eleven Lessons from the Life of Robert S. McNamara."

2,870 Miles

2009-06-30T08:00:00.000-04:00

I have returned from Las Vegas and my 9-day cross-country trip, and believe me when I say that it was great. We drove 2,870 miles between New York and Nevada, and that includes Day 4, when we went from Oklahoma City, OK, to Henderson, NV. That's right - we went 1,180 miles in 18.5 hours. That's like half the country, folks. We reached hardcore road warrior status. Please allow me to share some of my memories.

Top 5 Best Experiences of My Cross-Country Trip:
1. The Hoover Dam - If you have never seen it, I recommend going. It really is immense and spectacular, even if the water-level is at record lows, and the bridge that they are building over the water to divert traffic from the dam is impressive in itself.
2. The M Hotel/Casino - A fantastic new hotel/casino in Las Vegas located way off the main strip, which keeps it from becoming a tourist trap like New York-New York or Paris. Great ambiance, great dealers, good food, great comps, and a self-serve kiosk with complimentary soda and water so you don't have to wait for a waitress if you don't want alcohol. Yes, you read that correctly. Four guys in their twenties played so much blackjack and poker that we got food comps. We hit the M three nights in a row.
3. The Fiddle & Steel Guitar Bar - Located in Nashville, we got to listen to some real Nashville country music in an easy-going bar. We weren't there for long, but it was a nice little Nashville experience.
4. Attending a Las Vegas wedding - Yes, I attended a wedding while in Las Vegas. No, it was not my own, nor one of my traveling partners', and none of the participants were intoxicated at the ceremony. This was a planned wedding of a friend of mine from college at the MGM Grand. It was short, sweet, funny, and the reception was at the buffet. Boom. It is now a story for life.
5. Standing on a corner in Winslow, AZ - No joke. We stopped. We posed. We took pictures. Talk about a conversation starter!

Top 5 Worst Experiences of My Cross-Country Trip:
1. Hooters Hotel/Casino - We stopped in because they advertised $3 blackjack, and since we were hungry we thought we would grab some food. Pretty shabby, and the food was not worth the price. Two of us ordered sandwiches, and they didn't even come with fries. This is America - what kind of scam is that?
2. Nevada Route 95 - Due to security restrictions, we could not take the rental truck over the Hoover Dam. Therefore, instead of taking Arizona Route 93, we had to take Nevada Route 95, which is a 55-mile straight road through the desert. Which we drove in the dark, at the tail end of our 18.5 hour day. It was brutal, and we were mentally fried. We could see other cars up in the distance coming towards us, but they were literally miles away.
3. Slots of Fun - Slots of fun is an old, dirty casino located across from the Riviera on Las Vegas Blvd. It is worn down and smelly, though you can play cheap blackjack and buy cheap beer. We were there for about 15 minutes.
4. The Music City Hostel - We stayed at this hostel in Nashville because my traveling partner has had good experiences with hostels in the past, and he likes to meet new and interesting people. It wasn't really my style, and even my friend was a bit disappointed in it. We slept, we woke up, we booked it.
5. Trying to get gas in Arizona - The area just past the Arizona state line when entering from New Mexico is heavily controlled by Native American nations, and this includes the gas stations. We must have stopped 4 times before we found a gas station that was open, accepted credit cards, and was less than $3.50/gallon. It was frustrating. I can only imagine getting gas in an Arizona city must be easier, but I cannot say for sure.

The Trip

2009-06-14T08:00:00.001-04:00

Today, a friend of mine and I are leaving on a cross-country trip from Poughkeepsie to Las Vegas. Going places that I have never gone and seeing the country are two of my favorite things to do, and I am excited for our 9-day trip. Our itinerary is as follows:

Sunday, June 14 - Poughkeepsie, NY, to Fairfax, VA
Monday, June 15 - Fairfax, VA, to Nashville, TN
Tuesday, June 16 - Nashville, TN, to Oklahoma City, OK
Wednesday, June 17 - Oklahoma City, OK, to Albuquerque, NM
Thursday, June 18 - Albuquerque, NM, to Las Vegas, NV
Tuesday, June 23 - Las Vegas, NV, to Poughkeepsie, NY

We are spending 4 days in Las Vegas with two friends who are meeting us there, then catching a red-eye back east on Tuesday. And while I am excited to return to the city where I had the best onion rings ever (Harley Davidson Cafe on the strip), I am very much looking forward to seeing new parts of the country, and adding 6 states to my total: Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona.

More when I return.

Better Than A Doctor's Note

2009-06-11T16:03:00.003-04:00

This is why President Obama won. All policy and political differences aside, there is no Republican currently in the field who can connect to people the way he does.

Pay To Play: Part II

2009-06-08T09:34:00.002-04:00

The radio conglomerates are ramping up their attempts to mislead the radio-listening public about the push in Congress to extend royalty payments to include performers as well as songwriters. I got extremely angry the other day when I heard multiple "no performance tax" ads on multiple radio stations within a span of about 5 minutes. It seems as though both Cumulus and Clear Channel are in on the anti-royalty campaign, and it is almost laughable that they are trying to paint themselves as "David," while record companies are "Goliath." The truth, however, is that the radio conglomerates relate more to the "Goliath," especially when you consider that they have a huge megaphone at their disposal, free of charge.

But I remain optimistic, because the simple fact that the radio conglomerates are forced to use their airtime to air misleading commercials tells me one simple thing: they are losing.

Please view my May 4 post, "Pay To Play," for a more in-depth argument on the subject.

Akon

2009-06-02T13:25:00.003-04:00

Last week, music superstar Akon appeared with City of Poughkeepsie Mayor Jeff Tkazyik in an effort to persuade a group of 50 young adults that resorting to gun violence is never the answer -- a message that is increasingly important given the unsettling rise of gun violence within the city. I think this is a very good idea, but I would like to see more than 50 people exposed to the discussion.

Akon is supposed to be returning to the area for more service in a few months, and I think it would be very beneficial if more people allowed to participate. Could the talk be opened up to the public and held at the Bardavon? I think its definitely an idea worth considering.