maipolitics2poetry

The Teacher

2011-05-11T21:58:00.001-04:00

There is no beast on earth, nor bird which flieth with its wings, but they are nations like you--
unto the Lord shall they return (6:38)

I didn't realize until as I was signing in that it's been so long since I posted anything. Guess 2010 was as rough as I thought it was.

Which has nothing on 2011 so far.

Today was the burial for Baby, that handsome fella at the top of this post. He passed away back in January after being my baby for almost 18 years. He came from Boston which is why one of his names is "Harvard Lawyer." He was always extremely well behaved. Never jumped on the counters, always greeted guests... He never jumped on the dining table except in 2 situations, even though we'd set a seat for him at the table for the Thanksgiving dinner. One situation was when he wanted some of his lemon grass. Mom would set the stalks of lemon grass in a vase to root and put that in the center of the dining table. So, when someone would point out to Baby that he's not supposed to be on the dining table, the look in his eyes would convince every jury that we were at fault for placing the vase there to begin with it. The other situation was if he was being ignored. He's jump onto the table, sit right at the edge facing the offender and MEOW!!! As soon as the ignorer looked up, he'd step off the table since he now had our attention.

I've been rather out of phase since he passed. The years have been touching both of us as they went by and he was doing fine until less than 2 days before he passed. I always thought that dying as we lived is one of the better ways to go, and Baby certainly did. I had taken 3 days off from work. Day one, I left early morning for a meeting and when I returned, I could tell he wasn't feeling his usual self. We hung out on the couch most of the rest of the day but as it went on, he lost his mobility. The last steps he took clearly showed that he wanted to go to his usual winter night spot... my bed with the thick handmade quilt. So I took him to our bed and spent most of the night watching over him. The next day, day 2, we went back to the couch and I spent almost all the day holding him. He wasn't much of a lap cat because he was so big. He'd cuddle next to us, but trying to get 3 feet long of cat comfortably on a human lap just wasn't appealing to him.

Nose to tail, he was 3 feet long. He'd topped off at 24 pounds and the vet said at that point that if he gained much more, we'd have to start thinking about doing something about his weight. In 2010, the vet had called him the oldest linebacker he knew. And he loved jumping onto me as I lay sleeping. 24 pounds times gravity into the little kitty pads and of course I'd end up with bruises.

But, by that night, he'd lost a lot of his weight. Holding him for so long was such a joy. He'd look up and wink sometimes. Let me feed him some water or let me know he didn't want any more. My parents also held him and he heard from my brother over the phone. We went for a drive in my car and he looked out the window as we returned home.

Finally, late at night, as we lay on my bed, he curled up in his favorite spot and I lying sideways on the bed, he threw his leg over mine as he always loved to do and he was gone.

Day 3 of my vacation I found that there is a pet cemetery in the area and made all the arrangements for him.

Then I had the weekend to get some semblance of balance back enough to get back to work on Monday. Whether is was God's or Baby's kindness, I am deeply grateful.

I had a lot of nicknames for Baby but since he's been gone, I realized more than anything, he was a Teacher. And tonight, I can finally start sharing his lessons here. I hope that doing so will also keep me living his lessons. I've spent most of the last 18 years living on his terms because his terms made my life better. Now, after these last few months without his mentorship, I realize how much better life was.

I will miss him forever. And he made a difference.

Happy New Year

2010-01-01T15:54:00.002-05:00

raccoon

2009-07-28T23:01:00.001-04:00

racoon, originally uploaded by MunLtStmpr.

Actually, there were three of them. They're not little but I'm sure they're not done growing yet. Cute as anything but rather disconcerting that they're not spooked off by the deck light, the sound of us trying not to squeal, or the flash from the camera. Other than that, they were acting normal.

I put a bird feeder out this year and have discovered how amazing birdwatching is, even just on my deck. And how resourceful squirrels are... 5 birdfeeders and counting. The first 3 were plastic that they quickly destroyed. The most recent one is supposed to be more squirrel resistant than #4, but we'll see. I'm not very optimistic and don't mind them eating... just annoying to refill the feeder every day. I'm wondering how the raccoons will fare against the squirrels.

Theeeeere Heeeeere!

2009-03-30T14:20:00.008-04:00

Saturday morning had me up and out much earlier than my usual hour, but was well worth it. The vultures have returned in a huge venue this year and they like to ride the breeze high above my house. I do feel a bit jealous at their calm floating on the winds as they drift along, as long as I don't remember they're looking for a dead meal.

Well, Saturday, they took a break from the sky and settled onto the trees in the backyard.

Here's half of the venue

And here's the other half (about one house down)

Closer pictures

This one seems to like showing off

much more effective than an alarm clock!
Maimun

Twas the Night Before Eid, Christmas, Hanukkah, birthdays and All Other Special Days All Rolled into One

2009-01-19T19:54:00.005-05:00

Driving home from work tonight, I realized a growing sense of anticipation. It's been a very long time since my birthday or Eid generated much excitement. Christmas and Hanukkah were school celebrations once removed when I was little, fun, but nothing overly exciting.

Its the night before Eid, Christmas, Hanukkah and birthdays all rolled into one. That's how I'm feeling tonight. Tomorrow's that day of magic that seemed to only be a someday dream as how for children those days are always too far away to be real until suddenly it's the night before.

Election Night was amazing. I was captivated by watching the results of Congressman Michael Arcuri's re-election. The television was turned on and the volume turned down, as we tallied the numbers of that campaign. From across the room, the commotion on the screen distracted me from the scrolling numbers along the bottom and I knew something had happened.

Sadly, fear crept up my spine before any other reaction set it.

Then I saw the cheering... the tears of joy... the screams of ecstasy... the flags waving of pride.

I can still feel the sudden shock, the breath choked in my lungs and my heart pounding, as I realized that it was not the close of a journey that I'd just witnessed but rather the next step of this amazing journey that is America.

President-elect Obama.

A nation, my home, that has grown from slavery to Presidency. Not someday or in the future or some other when that doesn't feel real, but right now, right before my eyes as I live and breath.

Election Day was amazing, but tomorrow it becomes real.

To all of you who called me a derogatory name, or thought I couldn't be enough, you who told me on Sept 11, 2001, that I should just be 'nuked to oblivion,' and you who just wouldn't see me:
Thank you for reminding me that we're not done yet.

To all of you who expected more of me, who not just saw me, but also listened, you who shared yourself and demanded the same of me:
Thank you.

The magic of tomorrow is the reality. And as all things real, it requires hard work, tending and expectations.

Thank you, Barack Obama and your family, for what you are about to attempt. To again put forth Reverend Robinson's prayer for all of us:

A Prayer for the Nation and Our Next President, Barack Obama

By The Rt. Rev. V. Gene Robinson, Episcopal Bishop of New Hampshire

Opening Inaugural Event
Lincoln Memorial, Washington, DC
January 18, 2009

Welcome to Washington! The fun is about to begin, but first, please join me in pausing for a moment, to ask God’s blessing upon our nation and our next president.

O God of our many understandings, we pray that you will…

Bless us with tears – for a world in which over a billion people exist on less than a dollar a day, where young women from many lands are beaten and raped for wanting an education, and thousands die daily from malnutrition, malaria, and AIDS.

Bless us with anger – at discrimination, at home and abroad, against refugees and immigrants, women, people of color, gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people.

Bless us with discomfort – at the easy, simplistic “answers” we’ve preferred to hear from our politicians, instead of the truth, about ourselves and the world, which we need to face if we are going to rise to the challenges of the future.

Bless us with patience – and the knowledge that none of what ails us will be “fixed” anytime soon, and the understanding that our new president is a human being, not a messiah.

Bless us with humility – open to understanding that our own needs must always be balanced with those of the world.

Bless us with freedom from mere tolerance – replacing it with a genuine respect and warm embrace of our differences, and an understanding that in our diversity, we are stronger.

Bless us with compassion and generosity – remembering that every religion’s God judges us by the way we care for the most vulnerable in the human community, whether across town or across the world.

And God, we give you thanks for your child Barack, as he assumes the office of President of the United States.

Give him wisdom beyond his years, and inspire him with Lincoln’s reconciling leadership style, President Kennedy’s ability to enlist our best efforts, and Dr. King’s dream of a nation for ALL the people.

Give him a quiet heart, for our Ship of State needs a steady, calm captain in these times.

Give him stirring words, for we will need to be inspired and motivated to make the personal and common sacrifices necessary to facing the challenges ahead.

Make him color-blind, reminding him of his own words that under his leadership, there will be neither red nor blue states, but the United States.

Help him remember his own oppression as a minority, drawing on that experience of discrimination, that he might seek to change the lives of those who are still its victims.

Give him the strength to find family time and privacy, and help him remember that even though he is president, a father only gets one shot at his daughters’ childhoods.

And please, God, keep him safe. We know we ask too much of our presidents, and we’re asking FAR too much of this one. We know the risk he and his wife are taking for all of us, and we implore you, O good and great God, to keep him safe. Hold him in the palm of your hand – that he might do the work we have called him to do, that he might find joy in this impossible calling, and that in the end, he might lead us as a nation to a place of integrity, prosperity and peace.

AMEN.

It's nice to feel this excitement. It's anticipation and hope. YES, WE CAN do anything we commit to do. What's next? And what do I have to do to get there?
Maimun

2009-01-11T20:47:00.002-05:00

Even though I love wire work, I'm pretty sure I'd have never thought of creating a "wire drawing." But this is amazing.

New wire drawing from michael murphy on Vimeo.

I'd love to find the size of this piece. I can see a cat being that curious, but if the piece is really that big... wow.
Maimun

Wishing Everyone a Blessed New Year

2009-01-01T02:34:00.006-05:00

Happy New Years, everyone!Maimun

First Democrat Re-Elected in 1934

2008-11-19T19:02:00.002-05:00

Usually, Election Day comes and sometime after 9:00PM, we either celebrate or commiserate, might get home early or not, but the job is done, the big question of the night answered and the new campaign begins.

Not so this year. At least we didn't have to wait until Dec 12th for someone else to choose!

Two weeks after CNN, MSNBC and even Faux News did it, Hanna today accepted the fact that Congressman Arcuri will continue being our Congressman.

New York most always gets put in the blue column, but around here, its red.

As if Election Day 2008 wasn't exciting enough.
Maimun

Yes, I Can... the Eternal Motto of Folks who Make

2008-11-01T20:40:00.004-04:00

To say that this election cycle has been different than 2006's doesn't even begin to cover it. I'm not all over the place and the hours are much kinder to my 2 year older body and soul. And that there's a Presidential Election this year just adds a whole other dimension to the days.

There are some volunteer-made Arcuri buttons still floating around, I don't know how well all those iron-oned tee shirts have held up, and this was the one other craftiness I was able to do then:

I first got into politics with the Clinton-Gore election in '92. One of the features of the office back then was a a stock pile of white poster board and markers. There were probably times when the number of hand-made campaign signs outnumbered the official ones.

Well, in the years since, I've discovered the crafter in me and have found great joy in making... cards, prints, jewelry, pottery, beads, books, centerpieces, and who knows what else.

So, it's been really exciting to see the creativity that the Obama campaign has inspired, directly or indirectly, formally or informally. And it has been as frustrating with not having the time to add my craftiness to the mix.

Two night of insomnia resulted in these from me
These are some creations of others that I really like:
yea.. it's made of beans and a whole lotta patience by boogaloo on Craftster.

Moveon-org held a craft contest and this piece honoring That One was made before he was dubbed that:

Spelling for Obama:

Design for Obama has over 300 posters that you can download and print. Seriously... over 300. This one
is breath-taking in it's detail. It's done by an illustrator. Each line is hand written (yes words) and the poster really needs to be printed out to be appreciated.

This:pretty much sums up all the visual candy here

The Obama Craft Project not only exceeded its campaign fund raising goal, but also works hard to collect all the creativity in one place.

The Obama Art Report lets readers know what's happening in the print art Obama world and where to get your hands on some. If you are fast enough.

Ok, pumpkin carving season is pretty much over, but take a look at what's offered at Yes We Carve.

30 Reasons offers a poster every day.

Then, there are the official Barack Obama campaign creative efforts.

Clothing designers at Runway to Change

Musicians at Yes We Can. Listen here.

Visual Artists at Artists for Obama.

I like creative people. They make things. They make things happen.
Maimun

The Party of Hope

2008-10-29T23:37:00.002-04:00

"We have been told we cannot do this by a chorus of cynics who will only grow louder and more dissonant in the weeks to come. We’ve been asked to pause for a reality check. We’ve been warned against offering the people of this nation false hope. But in the unlikely story that is America, there has never been anything false about hope. For when we have faced down impossible odds; when we’ve been told that we’re not ready, or that we shouldn’t try, or that we can’t, generations of Americans have responded with a simple creed that sums up the spirit of a people.

Yes we can."
-Obama

GOP says, "PLEASE, Please, Please Be Stupid"

2008-10-22T23:07:00.004-04:00

While an Observer-Dispatch article by Bryon Ackerman is also an issue of the campaign newsletter from Congressional candidate Richard Hanna...

While the OD, Hanna, and the NRCC don't know the difference between a correlation and a causation...

While Hanna's stands on any issue is left to the interpretation of what his endorsers say... (and if you think that statement's hard to grasp, try looking up any of the following on Hanna's campaign website: education, health care, tax, immigration, war or any other issue that's important to you.)

let's take a look at what Open Secrets offers (on Oct 22, 2008, 11:55PM):

Self-financing:
Arcuri: 0%
Hanna: 49%
This simply shows that if Hanna were not supporting himself, just short of HALF OF HIS SUPPORT would be gone.

Top Contributors (categorized by me, not Open Secrets):
Arcuri: political PACs, labor groups,
Hanna: privately owned companies, Exxon Mobil, Meryl Lynch
I'd rather have the support of people who work for the betterment of others rather than the likes of Exxon Mobil. And seriously, Hanna bellyaching about Fannie Mae while taking money from Meryl Lynch would be just as crazy as McCain calling Obama a pop star while his own VP shops like Paris Hilton. OH. Oopps!

Quality of Disclosure:
Arcuri: Full Disclosure 94.4% Incomplete 0.0% None 5.6%
Hanna: Full Disclosure 41.8% Incomplete 3.6% None 54.6%
FULL DISCLOSURE: Includes full name and occupation / employer
INCOMPLETE DISCLOSURE: Occupation listed gives no indication what the person does for a living. Examples of unacceptably vague disclosures are such "occupations" as "businessman", "entrepreneur", "self-employed", and "executive".
NO DISCLOSURE: No information about the donor's employer and / or occupation was listed.
Seeing this was what prompted this postcard. When Hanna kept repeating "I don't know" at the debate last week, he really meant it when it came to his donors.
The FEC requires this information, it's super simple to collect, and it discloses the industry incentives supporting a candidate. What 54.6% of that is being hidden from the voters 13 days before the Election?

I don't understand the GOP's desire, assumption and need for Americans to be stupid. You'd think that anyone would instead expect and demand rational thinking and intelligence from voters, candidates, students, mothers, fathers, teachers, doctors, snow-plow driver and everyone else on the planet.

Hanna may be new to actively doing something in the community but he sounds like the same ol GOP.
Maimun

"Incredibly deceiving"

2008-10-15T23:47:00.003-04:00

That is the result of WKTV's Truth Test on Richard Hanna's latest ad. Well, Richard Hanna and the NRCC. Remember the NRCC, the National Republican Congressional Committee? In case you need reminders:

here
and here
and here
and here

This latest ad is not posted on the Hanna website, so you'll have to see it on the WKTV report. You can also read the text. At least this one is child and family safe.

Mike Arcuri's ads are also Truth Tested by WKTV. I think the easiest way to find all of the test results is by searching 'Truth Test Arcuri Hanna.'

Maimun

They fail to lead by example.... unless this really is what they seek

2008-10-14T23:12:00.003-04:00

I finally got a chance to see the Arcuri-Hanna News 10 Now debate and was saddened to see Hanna drinking from the Pailin coolaid that makes the speaker repeatedly squawk out a memorized phrase regardless of context and sounding no better than a wind-up mechanical parrot.

I say saddened because I'm somewhat familiar with Hanna's generosity, especially in support of women. The YWCA honored him for his check-writing tradition (though in a Church Lady Isn't That Special moment, the event program (identified as an "ad") also identifies that he's the sponsor of the lunchon). Supporting the groups that do the work to help others is vital to those groups doing the work. And a good donor, like a good business man, needs to be able to pick and choose what he's doing with his money.

But supporting, sponsoring and donating are very different tasks from doing work. Hanna got a thank you for the checks he wrote.

Michael Arcuri was thanked for the work he did. As the first male selected as the Mohawk Valley Person of the Year by the same above named YWCA, his work in battling and prosecuting domestic violence and child abuse reached far beyond cash.

The list of things Congressman Arcuri has done to better this region since he was elected to Congress is long and far more than I want to capture in this little postcard. But things that are especially dear to me are his support of increased Student Aid, increasing the minimum wage and mental health parity.

I know what Michael Arcuri has done and what he seeks to do. You can see it yourself here on his website. If you can find Hanna's list on his website (where I just clicked on every link), would you please post it in a comment?

That's the difference between making something and making out a check.

Onto national politics... I'll leave it to Keith Olbermann who said it better than I:

Maimun

Now it's a Question of Judgment

2008-09-16T21:56:00.004-04:00

(available here)

(free to borrow for Web)

I really didn't question his judgment until he picked her for his Vice President.

I've shared my opinion about how Republicans think of women, but what is it with Republican women??

"Just a hockey mom." HER words, not mine. "Just" a mom is offensive and sexist. Being a good parents and raising children well can be the biggest change a person makes on the planet. There is nothing "just" about that and dismissing that work is a sign of a dilettante who's children probably are better off being raised by a professional nanny. Real moms know there is no such thing as "just a mom."

Anti-Choice, no exemptions. I don't understand women who would insist that a women who is a victim of rape carry a resulting pregnancy to term. This is beyond 'blame the victim' this is punish the slut who deserved it. And her baby too. For the last 32 years (yes, that's THIRTY-TWO YEARS), Alaska has ranked in the top 5 states with the highest rates in the nation of reported rapes. Six times the national average rate of child sexual assault. Oh, and if you are raped and want a rape kit done, be sure to grab your wallet on the way to the hospital since you had to buy the rape kit so the police can collect the evidence.

'Health care must be market and business driven.' Really? And just which corporation would you trust making healthcare choices for you and your family? Enron, Exon, Halliburton. One policy fits all... Stay healthy!

and be scared.... very scared.
Maimun

What I did over Summer Break. WAIT A MINUTE!!?? WHAT BREAK???

2008-09-01T21:55:00.007-04:00

I think one of the sure signs of summer ending is the jump-starting of this blog. It's been a fun, relaxing summer with just many things more appealing than catching up on the key board. With some of the changes that start at work tomorrow, I might end up using my lunch time for more things like the blog. Maybe. Getting out of the office is oft needed too.

One of the pure social events was taking some visitors up to The Wild Center, the Natural History Museum of the Adirondacks. I was really hoping to see and learn more about the critters around here, aside from the turkey, foxes, skunk, raccoons, turkey vultures, hawks and the pileated woodpecker that have been visiting my back yard.

But, aside from getting attitude worthy of a cat from a duck, I was able to enjoy the antics of their resident otters. Eons past, my favorite part of visiting the Utica Zoo was to watch the otters.

There were opportunities to join a birder and a naturalist on walks, but as I was the only one in my group that wanted to go, those will have to wait for another trip.

Another events that's been pleasantly taking up some time is helping with a friend's wedding. There will be another post about one aspect of the wedding shower, but below are some of the pictures used in one of the games. Pink fru-fru really isn't the bride's style, so we went a bit off the usual path. How many of these brides or grooms do you recognize as the political figures they are?

(No, you don't get a prize.)

And, of course, politics is picking up speed.

I've been on the road for Congressman Michael Arcuri again, still visiting great places in the district and meeting more great folks as well as reconnecting with longer-known ones. The volunteers who went with me decided that there's a house in Edmeston that would just be perfect for me. I wouldn't disagree though the commute would give me pause. Every year, I go to a craft show in Springfield, MA, but I am putting Smithfield, NY, on the "visit again" list. Serious fun shopping and what looks like a very relaxing B&B! Plus Herkimer, Norwich, Fairfield, Dolgeville, Smithville Flats, as well as Utica and New Hartford, all welcomed the Congressman very warmly. Even when he couldn't join us, the volunteers were wonderfully welcomed. Which says a lot about how much the voters like our Congressman. Click here to help out.

For those of you who read this blog 2 years ago, you know how excited I felt about seeing the district and all the treasures in it. This year, it rather feels like homecoming weekend. A childhood friend is running for Judge. A high school classmate is running for Congress. Jill Ghaleb is seeking to keep her seat as Otsego County Judge and Darius Shahinfar is running the NY's 21 Congressional District. And the high number of Arcuri volunteers who have continued through this campaign all together make each event filled with familiar faces mingled with all the new ones.

This is the first time I've wished I was a delegate to the DNC Convention. But seeing it at the Uptown Theater with about 170 other Obama supporters was good too. What a roller coaster Democrats have been on this year. Democrats aren't good at goose-stepping to the dictates of party officials. And in spite of Michigan and Florida escaping the consequences of their acts, at the end, we come together to do the right thing. Although "Democratic" is our first name, we all understand that the rules that govern DNC, GOP and American election processes are republic in nature. These federal campaigns are about getting the needed delegates. The popular votes roll into that, but popular vote isn't enough.

Senator Clinton said it very well.

I want you to ask yourselves: Were you in this campaign just for me? Or were you in it for that young Marine and others like him? Were you in it for that mom struggling with cancer while raising her kids? Were you in it for that boy and his mom surviving on the minimum wage? Were you in it for all the people in this country who feel invisible?

Politics can't be personal. Sure, the parents, spouses, children, siblings all have that claim and that motivation, but politics has to be about more than the person. Now, candidates aren't interchangable. Who someone is comes from all the aspects about him or herself. And for each of us who are active, there was probabaly one person who inspired us to get active.

In short, Palin is no Hillary!
Maimun

Love in Utica

2008-06-30T20:21:00.004-04:00

Isn't it nice that love can still be found in the greater Utica area? Best wishes to the couple and their new addition...
Maimun

If Frogs had Wings

2008-06-24T22:51:00.004-04:00

Most everyone has some kind of fantasy life.... Fantasy Football, Invisible Friends, Star Trek, Fantasy Congress, Second Life, whatever. Some are just interests, some are odd, some are childish, some are hard to understand, some are freaky.

Some, at least these two, are far from fantastic. They're scary. That they are contemplated and justified should give us nightmares.

McCain's 100 year war. No sane humane human should ever consider a 100 year war as a viable option for anything. Even The Hundred Year War stopped in year 3, year 10, etc, etc. It was only in hindsight that it was seen as a hundred year war, though paused by several truces. Edward III never planned for a hundred year war. His battle plan did not include Henry VI, fourth King into the future and born over 100 years after him.

That McCain served in Vietnam and was held as a prisoner of war and can still say out loud that a 100 year war would be OK with him should terrify all of us. That he, who knows first hand the horrors of war, can so casually commit the next 26 elected Presidents and the next 4 to 5 generations of Americans to any war is horrifying. That he acknowledges that this is a war based on lies and still stays his course is that much more horrifying.

Add to that, an adviser who unequivocally states that a terrorist attack would "be a big advantage" to McCain, and I'm left wondering not only where is McCain's better angel, but where are those of the company he keeps? It is disheartened cynicism that makes Democrats mutter comments of October Surprises, not jealousy. That a terrorist attack can be seen as an advantage to anyone makes as much sense as planning for a 100 year war does.

Two seemingly random pieces coming together can be simple synchronicity at play. Three pieces just may be the engineering of wings on the frogs.
Maimun

Neither Gender nor Heritage are the Issue

2008-06-12T22:06:00.004-04:00

Some days, life really lives up to Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs. Days, weeks, months, years...

I've always said that I'm lucky enough to have the luxury to be active in politics. Though I'm far away from being free of financial concerns, I do live within my means. That I am able to work one job and meet my needs give me the hours to do things that aren't financially reimbursed whether that's volunteering or playing, or whatever else I choose to do. Food, shelter and clothing are covered.

Health becomes a challenge as time goes by. Things could be worse or better but is certainly manageable.
The rest of the pyramid is still standing,

So, why haven't I been active here or anywhere else really over the Presidential campaigns?

Dean's asked a couple of times here and certainly it's been a topic of conversation more places than not. (By the way, Dean, Pam and I missed you and Arlene in Springfield. Like always, it was an uneventful trip... meaning it was a great weekend! And I found crafting goodies I've been wanting for a long time.)

I'm still active in Congressman Arcuri's re-election campaign and the enthusiasm hasn't faded. I'm sure I'll help out with other candidates, too, including Barack Obama.

I suspect that part of the reason I didn't get all fired up about the Presidential race is because the base question that was so hyped was a non-interest for me.

It seemed like the question the Democratic Primary was fighting over was "can a woman or a black man be President?"

Yes.

There's no agony, soul-searching, wondering, exploring or anything deeper than a loud, disgusted, and condescending, "Duh! Try reading the Constitution sometime."

Am I proud that it's the Democratic Party that brought forth Hillary and Barack? Of course. But, seriously, could we really expect that either a woman or a person of color would be allowed to achieve in the Republican Party what they do in the Democratic?

(OK, it was not the Democrats that were asking that question. We were answering the question of "which one do we want?" So, who was it that was really caterwauling that other question?)

Reality check, folks... Chickens who vote for Col. Sanders would never be accepted sitting at the head of the table.

I'm not so blindly faithful that I'd say "anyone but McCain" but I do pray for someone who won't continue dragging us down this damned road we're on.

I've started a sentence a few times lately with "whoever next leads this country will have the task to start to fix" and I stop mid-sentence.

Obama will have the task to start to fix all the destruction the Shrub Badministration has inflicted on America. The damages done run so deep that that it will take years to heal, no matter who the President is...President Obama, President Clinton (Bill or Hillary), President Santa Claus or President Fairy God-Mother.

I stop mid-sentence because I don't really believe that whoever next leads this country will take on that challenge. I believe that Obama will do his best to start healing the damages the last 8 years have brought.

I believe that McCain will not start the healing but rather continue the damages of the Shrub. If you don't accept that something needs fixing, you don't bother trying.

Anyone who can consider that a 100 year war is an option is not capable of leading the healing we need.

Will I be enthusiastically for Obama? Absolutely. Will I be working on his campaign? As much as I can. Will I donate? Yes.

And I'd have done the same if the Democratic candidate were anyone else.

This is why.
Maimun

Craft Night in Utica

2008-04-10T00:04:00.005-04:00

Even a year ago, I was managing to do a better job of keeping up with things here. I'd love to blame it on the bead-making class, but that's really just part of it.

One of the joys of getting older is in still being surprised by yourself. As a child, I rather quickly became a practical, serious one. I used to love art class, but once it became an elective, it was no longer an option. Playing the violin lasted at most a year beyond art class. Eventually, the only creative outlet I did use was writing and that has managed to last most all my life in some form, though in more recent years, mostly as professional genre.

So it was rather a stunning revelation that I still liked a broad range of creative arts. Even more stunning was that I often like what I make.

So, when recently I'd been asked by several folks unconnected to each other, if Mojoz's Craft Night was still meeting, I figured that it was time to try again. All the creative play people engage in touch upon a vast array of needs. Creative, spiritual, recreational, developmental, exploration and any other incentive with which a person creates something, it's often a solitary endeavor. But if social can be added to the mix, everything is that much more creative, spiritual, recreational, developmental or exploratory. And it's a lot more fun too!
Mojoz's is at the corner of Culver and Albany in Utica.

Space, the Final Frontier

2008-03-05T21:44:00.003-05:00

Thanks for the comments, Dean. I love the new look, though I'm a glutton for most anything space related. A use of our tax dollars that I'm thrilled over is that much of NASA's images are not copyrighted and their use guidelines are extremely generous. I wanted to be an astronaut more than anything else when I was a child and it's never really gone away. I'd blast off tomorrow if I had the opportunity.

Here are some sites for NASA images:
http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/index.html
http://grin.hq.nasa.gov/
http://nix.nasa.gov/

Once upon a time, I'd have to haunt antique stores looking for paper ephemera, either for my own collections or for my crafting, but what joy to find so much available on the internet.

I did step outside to watch the eclipse but only for about 3 minutes during the peak. It was frigid and 2 coats, 2 scarves, hat ands gloves still left me frozen to the bone. I really wish that I knew how to take night pictures. There have been some views of the moon that were breath-taking.

If you're also a Space fan, I'd highly recommend the movie "In the Shadow of the Moon." I saw it at the local museum, but it's now available on DVD too. I remember as a child sitting in class as we watched rocket launches and recoveries. There was a sense of awe and wonder that feels sadly absent in later generations.

And, I can't see the stars anymore. One of my strongest memories was of my first visit to the then uber rural ancestral home back in Bangladesh. The only lights available were wood fires and oil lamps. It truly seemed that that hemisphere of Earth had more stars in the sky than did ours. The Vancouver Sun had an article on the damage caused by light pollution that would be worth your time to read.

When I get home late at night, I do appreciate enough light to see that I can safely walk to the front door. But that's never caused me to gasp in awe or fill my soul as the drive through rural, no-lights roads on the way home always does. Motion-activated lights are the way to go.

Well, no politics tonight. I'll save that for another night.
Maimun

New and Improved. Well, at least New.

2008-02-17T19:06:00.003-05:00

As you can see, I've played around with my template and got a whole new look here. I think it much better represents me than what was previously being used.

Sadly, the change also means that many of the links/images/etc that were previously posted have been lost. If you really need me to track any of them down, please leave me a comment and I will do my best, but no guarantees, OK? Otherwise, for now, I'm going to leave them lost in the grand universe.

To those of you who pop in here ever so often, sorry for the lack of updates for the last forever. I've been crafting and playing with my cat more than anything else these days. I plan to continue with Mike Arcuri's re-election campaign, though the Clinton and Obama elections are also intriguing me.

I've been keeping an eye on the Presidential race. For a long time, I've debated seeking a spot as a Delegate, but just never felt it strongly enough. I think this year would be a fascinating time to be a Delegate. But I've also been enjoying a number of conversations with college students about the Elections and voting. Younger voters always have a lot more at stake than anyone else with elections and I hope they get involved this year.

Maimun

A Propane Tank, a Blow Torch and Me

2007-10-27T16:55:00.000-04:00

One of the joys of getting older is that I find myself more willing to try new things and stretch my comfort zone. A propane tank, a blow torch and me? Sure, I can try.

I don't think I've tapped into an inner pyro, but I can't wait to do this again. Christopher and Jacquelyne Rice of CNY Glass Studio and Gallery made combining fire, propane and molten glass a safe, fun, and creative experience. Their class structure of 2 teachers to 4 students and their generous teaching style made for one of the best weekends I've had in a very, very long time. Not only do I plan on taking more classes from them, but since they rent studio space, I hope to be up there playing just for the fun of it.

We first started with simple clear glass. Before we started melting glass, I asked what temperature we'd be heating to. About 2000 degrees. So, I figure that's why I was being rather hesitant to use the flame to it's optimal application. Hence, the beads that retained the swirls of molten glass:
Once I settled into heating the molten glass as high as I could, I finally got the more traditional bead shape:
Then we played with using the flame as a fine works tool more than just an intense heat source:

Then we shifted to colored glass. I still want to know why clear glass will not encase green glass, but will meld to it in partial coverings. This set is just colored glass without the clear glass coat. Similar enough for earrings, I hope.
Then I made a tube bead... an inner core of colored glass with a clear coat over it. The colored glass in this one changes as the heat works on it, so you're never really sure of what you'll get until the bead is finished. Serendipity in creating is a great thing.
And these are the rest:

tessellation 1

2007-09-11T23:05:00.001-04:00

I've been carving my own rubber stamps for ages now and a recent discussion on Erasercut Exchange got me looking at how to make Tessellations. There's something about tessellations that has me almost mesmerized. I used the process outlined here to make the stamp that eventually printed as this:

A great site about tessellations

EraserCuts is an amazing group of printmakers. So is the Carving Consortium.

We're still trying to figure out what the best way to print these are.
Maimun

This Restarts as Summer Stops

2007-08-21T22:09:00.000-04:00

It must be something about the ending of summer that brings me back to the computer and this blog. I've been enjoying the tomatoes as well as other goodies from the garden and farmers' markets, I've been soaking up sunshine and warm breezes while my cat enjoys his naps in the bed of catnip. I've been expanding my jewelry collection at Mojoz's Coffee-n-Crafts 2/4. But while I know many of those activities will continue, the last few days seem to bring signals of summer's end.

I managed to get to the Sterling Renaissance Festival. I wasn't expecting to get there this year, but it worked out, particularly with the incentive of seeing a glass bead maker at work. Now, I'm even more intrigued by the art. But not only is it an addictive hobby, but too it's expensive, never mind the whole deal about the propane tank and "flame thrower!" Oh, but it's still so tempting!

And, Monday brought Convocation to the college and today our last sessions of Orientation for incoming freshman.

The other sign was that I got to the first of this season's campaign meeting. After all the long drives and trips during last year, working on a County campaign almost ALMOST! sounds like a break. But if you'd like to volunteer to help keep Scott McNamara as Oneida County's District Attorney, head over here and join the team.

It's gotten very cool up here, days and nights. I'm really hoping that the warmth will return. It is August, not November after all. But around here, who knows?

Maimun

Bailing?! No, just Busy (though will be attending the local meeting regarding the NYRI powerline!)

2007-05-26T00:49:00.001-04:00

I had an interesting reaction to that last comment left here. It was a 2 sided reaction, but I couldn't tell you which came first or if one was stronger. Here they are in alphabetical order:
Annoyance
Gratitude

And in gym class selection method, I'll cover them in reversed alphabetical order now...

Gratitude:
I do like to think that I was a part of making positive changes in my corner of the world last year. I certainly had more fun than I've had in a very long time, got to meet great people, work with people I think dearly of, and I got to see a whole lot of Central New York. And I do have a grateful gleeful joy that Mike Arcuri is our Congressman.

I remember one morning I was driving to work and heard the news broadcast on the radio that our then-DA had announced that they had indicted someone for a murder in town. Remember, I'd helped on Mike's DA campaign and familiar names make ears perk up anyway, so I was paying attention. And almost drove off the road when the radio named someone I knew was the indicted person.

So, these days, it's a lot more pleasant an experience keeping up with the job the Congressman is doing.

Things like LOCAL public meetings about the proposed NYRI power lines

in New Hartford:
Thursday, May 31
6:30 to 8:00 PM
New Hartford High School (33 Oxford Rd)

in Norwich:
Saturday, June 2
2:30 to 4:00 PM
Norwich City Firehouse (31 East Main St)

I have been keeping a watch on how Mike votes and what he does. There was one campaign I had helped (very, very slightly!) that I regret doing, so I feel the need to check up. Plus, I'm in a league in Fantasy Congress and at this writing, I'm winning. The Arcuri '06 campaign is one I'll never regret and in whatever way is best, I'll be there in '08 too.

Annoyance:
OK, I'll grant that I haven't been blogging about politics this year, though certainly I've had opinions and shared them at time. But not here not yet. As a Democratic Committeemember, I've shared opinions and cast votes. As a resident, I've had political conversations with other residents.

But these days, I've been putting my efforts into making jewelry, making books, getting better with Photoshop, playing with my cat, reading, writing, getting together with friends, etc, etc.

Basically, Life and all it contains. Absolutely, politics is an infection that I'll never be cured of, but neither I nor this blog will be consumed by it.

Life's too interesting, too full for any one thing to take it over. It took the political season of last year to really drive home that fact to me. Not because the campaign took over but because there were other things I would not let go of.

My opinion on things? Oh, I always have an opinion, but for now, I'm going to try planting Telaxian tomatoes.
Maimun

Maybe it's the sound?

2007-05-07T23:42:00.001-04:00

Given the smut that was delivered into our homes last year, it's refreshing to see an ad that's direct, truthful and snarky. Then again, maybe it's just the sound?
Maimun

Notice of Revocation of Independence

2007-05-03T23:38:00.000-04:00

In honor of the visit of the Queen...

(one of my favorite Forwards... see others here) This was first seen soon after Nov 2000.

Maimun

Notice of Revocation of Independence

To the citizens of the United States of America:
in the light of your failure to elect a competent President of the USA and thus to govern yourselves, we hereby give notice of the revocation of your independence, effective today.

Her Sovereign Majesty Queen Elizabeth II will resume monarchical duties over all states, commonwealths and other territories. Except Utah, which she does not fancy.

Your new Prime Minister (The Right Honourable Tony Blair MP, for the 97.85% of you who have until now been unaware that there is a world outside your borders) will appoint a Minister for America without the need for further elections. The House of Representatives and the Senate will be disbanded. A questionnaire will be circulated next year to determine whether any of you noticed. To aid in the transition to a British Crown Dependency, the following rules are introduced with immediate effect:

1. You should look up “revocation” in the Oxford English Dictionary. Then look up “aluminium.” Check the pronunciation guide. You will be amazed at just how wrongly you have been pronouncing it. The letter ‘U’ will be reinstated in words such as ‘favour’ and ‘neighbour’; skipping the letter ‘U’ is nothing more than laziness on your part. Likewise, you will learn to spell ‘doughnut’ without skipping half the letters. You will end your love affair with the letter ‘Z’ (pronounced ‘zed’ not ‘zee’) and the suffix “ize” will be replaced by the suffix “ise.” You will learn that the suffix ‘burgh’ is pronounced ‘burra’ e.g. Edinburgh. You are welcome to re-spell Pittsburgh as ‘Pittsberg’ if you can’t cope with correct pronunciation. Generally, you should raise your vocabulary to acceptable levels. Look up “vocabulary.” Using the same thirty seven words interspersed with filler noises such as “uhh”, “like”, and “you know” is an unacceptable and inefficient form of communication. Look up “interspersed.” There will be no more ‘bleeps’ in the Jerry Springer show. If you’re not old enough to cope with bad language then you shouldn’t have chat shows. When you learn to develop your vocabulary, then you won’t have to use bad language as often.

2. There is no such thing as “US English.” We will let Microsoft know on your behalf. The Microsoft spell-checker will be adjusted to take account of the reinstated letter ‘u’ and the elimination of “-ize.”

3. You should learn to distinguish the English and Australian accents. It really isn’t that hard. English accents are not limited to cockney, upper-class twit or Mancunian (Daphne in Frasier). You will also have to learn how to understand regional accents — Scottish dramas such as “Taggart” will no longer be broadcast with subtitles. While we’re talking about regions, you must learn that there is no such place as Devonshire in England. The name of the county is “Devon.” If you persist in calling it Devonshire, all American States will become “shires” e.g. Texasshire, Floridashire, Louisianashire.

4. Hollywood will be required occasionally to cast English actors as the good guys. Hollywood will be required to cast English actors to play English characters. British sit-coms such as “Men Behaving Badly” or “Red Dwarf” will not be re-cast and watered down for a wishy-washy American audience who can’t cope with the humour of occasional political incorrectness. Popular British films such as the Italian Job and the Wicker Man should never be remade.

5. You should relearn your original national anthem, “God Save The Queen”, but only after fully carrying out task 1. We would not want you to get confused and give up half way through.

6. You should stop playing American “football.” There are other types of football such as Rugby, Aussie Rules & Gaelic football. However proper football - which will no longer be known as soccer, is the best known, most loved and most popular. What you refer to as American “football” is not a very good game. The 2.15% of you who are aware that there is a world outside your borders may have noticed that no one else plays “American” football. You will no longer be allowed to play it, and should instead play proper football. Initially, it would be best if you played with the girls. It is a difficult game. Those of you brave enough will, in time, be allowed to play rugby (which is similar to American “football”, but does not involve stopping for a rest every twenty seconds or wearing full kevlar body armour like nancies). We are hoping to get together at least a US Rugby sevens side by 2008. You should stop playing baseball. It is not reasonable to host an event called the ‘World Series’ for a game which is not played outside of North America. Since only 2.15% of you are aware that there is a world beyond your borders, your error is understandable. Instead of baseball, you will be allowed to play a girls’ game called “rounders,” which is baseball without fancy team strip, oversized gloves, collector cards or hotdogs.

7. You will no longer be allowed to own or carry guns. You will no longer be allowed to own or carry anything more dangerous in public than a vegetable peeler. Because we don’t believe you are sensible enough to handle potentially dangerous items, you will require a permit if you wish to carry a vegetable peeler in public.

8. The 4th of July is no longer a public holiday. The 2nd of November will be a new national holiday, but only in Britain. It will be called “Indecisive Day.”

9. All American cars are hereby banned. They are crap, and it is for your own good. When we show you German cars, you will understand what we mean. All road intersections will be replaced with roundabouts. You will start driving on the left with immediate effect. At the same time, you will go metric with immediate effect and without the benefit of conversion tables. Roundabouts and metrication will help you understand the British sense of humour.

10. You will learn to make real chips. Those things you call ‘French fries’ are not real chips. Fries aren’t even French, they are Belgian though 97.85% of you (including the guy who discovered fries while in Europe) are not aware of a country called Belgium. Those things you insist on calling potato chips are properly called “crisps.” Real chips are thick cut and fried in animal fat. The traditional accompaniment to chips is beer which should be served warm and flat. Waitresses will be trained to be more aggressive with customers.

11. As a sign of penance 5 grams of sea salt per cup will be added to all tea made within the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, this quantity to be doubled for tea made within the city of Boston itself.

12. The cold tasteless stuff you insist on calling “beer” is not actually beer at all, it is lager . From November 1st only proper British Bitter will be referred to as “beer,” and European brews of known and accepted provenance will be referred to as “Lager.” The substances formerly known as “American Beer” will henceforth be referred to as “Near-Frozen Gnat’s Urine,” with the exception of the product of the American Budweiser company whose product will be referred to as “Weak Near-Frozen Gnat’s Urine.” This will allow true Budweiser (as manufactured for the last 1000 years in the Czech Republic) to be sold without risk of confusion.

13. From the 10th of November the UK will harmonise petrol (or “gasoline,” as you will be permitted to keep calling it until the 1st of April) prices with the former USA. The UK will harmonise its prices to those of the former USA and the Former USA will, in return, adopt UK petrol prices (roughly $6/US gallon — get used to it).

14. You will learn to resolve personal issues without using guns, lawyers or therapists. The fact that you need so many lawyers and therapists shows that you’re not adult enough to be independent. Guns should only be handled by adults. If you’re not adult enough to sort things out without suing someone or speaking to a therapist, then you’re not grown up enough to handle a gun.

15. Please tell us who killed JFK. It’s been driving us crazy.

16. Tax collectors from Her Majesty’s Government will be with you shortly to ensure the acquisition of all revenues due (backdated to 1776).

Thank you for your co-operation.

Communications

2007-04-25T23:30:00.000-04:00

Musjaffa Maimun left a comment on a previous post but it was in a language I don't know. As much as I don't think everyone should have to speak any one language, I do believe that communications is a vital interaction among all living beings.

But, because I don't know what MM said in the comment, I am not posting it. The best language to use to connect with me is English. BangLish is very iffy and almost always gives me a headache. The only one I'd take it from is my uncle and he passed away last year. And he hadn't done it to me in decades.

The only other possibility is pre-Church Latin, but that's pretty rusty these days. Might be fun though.
Maimun

What is Art? It is the response of man's creative soul to the call of the Real

2007-04-22T00:08:00.001-04:00

said Rabindranath Tagore.

There was a massive disjoint between today and the rest of this week.

I haven't written anything about the incident at Virginia Tech aside from the piece offering tips on how to cope with things. It was sadly funny the other day at work. Someone asked me how I coped with the snow storm we had on Monday. I looked at her and had no idea what she was talking about.

Between the killing of Officer Lindsey, Virginia Tech, and the increased number of students who've either come in or been referred to us, the snowstorm that created havoc on the roads, that closed the college until 10, that closed the college until 12 though those of us who arrived for the 10 o'clock openning didn't hear about, became a non-event.

Today was a very different from the rest of the week. At least in my tiny corner of life.

First off, it was SPRING. There was even a bright yellow thing in the sky that looked vaguely familiar. And it was warm. I headed out this morning in sandals and almost felt my house keys behind in my jacket pocket.

Most importantly, it was a day of creation that came at the end of a week of destruction. And even though I didn't take part in all the creation, knowing that it exists will help me sleep better.

It started with a stop at Neptune Studio's Indie Garage Sale. It's basically a craft show, but not your mother's craft show. Unless your mom is hip, off-beat, has an attitude, and likes to recycle. There were quilted bags, altered clothes, handmade jewelry, knitted hand-warmers, melted records, handbound books, clay works, glammed boxes and I'm sure I'm forgetting other items.

Years ago, I wrote an op-ed piece offering that one of the potential saving of the Mohawk Valley was the crafters and artisans who lived and worked here. This region has a rich history in Creating and it's one that's still alive and thriving. Neptune Studio is just one of the recent endeavors to build a arts industry here. They offer classes, studio space, opennings, and had held Friday night crafting sessions that promted me to support Coffee & Crafts 2/4 at Mojoz's when they closed their's down.

And since that time, I've learned that there are at least THREE other weekly crafting groups in the Utica area.

That's an awful lot of glue, yard and paper that's being arted up.

Tonight, Pratt at Munson-Williams held a student art show featuring Neon. Most of the display was outdoors and it was a great night for the show. Great live music, recycled metals and plastics combined with light made for a magical walk on their quad.

Part of the show was inside. We rode the elevator to get to the 3rd floor. It has a mirrored ceiling. It's an art school.

I haven't yet gotten to the unseenamerica NYS project, Photos by Refugees. The unseenamerica project provides cameras to "working-class people so they can document their lives." You can see an online presentation here. The show will run through Memorial Day at the Mohawk Valley Resource Center for Refugees.

I'm taking a class in Photoshop this semester. Our second assignment was to bring in an old family picture that needed restoration. Well, my parents were the immigrants and I have virtually no old family pictures of any kind. I know there will be a day in the lives of the children of the refugees when they too will realize that they have no old family pictures. Before that day, many of them will realize that classmates will often speak of aunts, uncles, grandparents while they might only know of their own. Of them... not know them themselves. At least the Photos by Refugees project might give them a sense of history someday.

One event that I have put into my calendar is the upcoming Bagg's Square Festival of the Arts on May 5th. They kicked things off with a photography show on Friday night at the Utica Monday Night Gallery Space at 106 Genesee St, Utica. The photo show featured local photographers capturing images of Central NY.

There's a lot of pain and destruction on the planet and thanks for CNN, MSNBC, Faux News, etc. we can all relive it every minute of every day.

It's good to remind ourselves that there's a lot of health, healing and creating too.
Maimun

Everyone's born the same--- except Democrats and Republicans

2007-04-21T23:31:00.001-04:00

Groucho Marx said that.

Psychology Today has an article, The Ideological Animal, on psycho-social differences between self-described liberals and conservatives.

It certainly explains a lot of the uummm... shall I call them challenges of my dating life. I supposed now it's documented why the last guy I was forced to endure thought the Big Thiefs of Enron were right to maximize their own self interest and why I couldn't bring myself to leave the said guy abandoned on the side of the road. No matter how much I wanted to!

It's a long, detailed article but well worth the time to read if you like trying to figure out what makes people tick.
Maimun

Because Bad Things Happen

2007-04-18T22:35:00.001-04:00

Like most everyone else, I've been trying to deal with not only Officer Lindsey's murder, but also the nightmare in Virginia Tech. The echoes of Officer Corr, troubled people I've counseled, situations other counselors have been in, etc., all reverberate much like CNN drones on endlessly.

Below is an edited version that Tamara Grasz of the Counseling Center of the Savannah College of Arts and Design so kindly shared with other college counseling centers with the permission to share and use as needed. With the open forum we held at the college yesterday, finding this in my inbox was a gift from God.

I share it here with hope it helps.
Maimun

Tragedy

“Where do I go From Here? What do I do?”

1.) Keep busy! Focus on your projects and classroom assignments! Research indicates keeping focused on day to day required tasks or routines helps mitigate the effects of stress.
2.) Seek out persons who care for and support you. Share your reactions, thoughts and how the experience impacted you.
3.) Know that the reactions to trauma described are normal responses to a very abnormal experience. They occur in varying degrees of severity and type for each person.
4.) Limit the amount of time that you watch details about the tragedy on TV.
5.) “Baby yourself” – eat well, get your sleep, and do nurturing things.
6.) Express your feelings with your art! Drawings, poetry etc. are all healthy ways to manage the feelings related to trauma.
7.) Consider writing a journal of your experience or feelings.
8.) Seek to gain perspective on the experience. This is often helped by participation in counseling. Other aids may include meditation, reading, spiritual refection or involvement in support groups.
9.) Consider sending cards, emails of support. Helping others often is the healthiest way to manage our own feelings of powerlessness.

We are here for you to process the recent events. If you need to talk to someone please give us a call. We will set up an appointment or come to your class.
You may experience some of the symptoms below, this is normal!
• Shock: often the initial reaction to events like this. Shock is the person’s emotional protection from being too overwhelmed by the event. You may feel stunned, numb, or in disbelief concerning the event.
• Suffering: this is the long period of grief during which the person gradually comes to terms with the reality of the event/loss. Feelings that life is overwhelming, chaotic and disorganized are common.
• Sadness: The most common feeling found following traumatic events like this. It may become quite intense and be experienced as emptiness or despair.
• Anger: Can be one of the most confusing feelings for the grieving person. Anger is a response to feeling powerless, frustrated, or even abandoned.
• Anxiety: Can range from mild insecurity to strong panic attacks. Often grievers become anxious about their ability to take care of themselves, or fear an event like this will happen to them or a loved one.

It’s good to talk about it! We are here for YOU…give us a call!

Mine, all Mine... except what isn't

2007-04-04T20:39:00.000-04:00

I came across an interesting post in another blog tonight and it got me thinking about this one.

I started this blog, or rather, kick-started it, because I was so involved with the Mike Arcuri campaign. But I also knew that there were certain expectations that I hoped to keep with how I wrote this, no matter what the topic is.

I do typically browse a number of other blogs on a regular basis. Some are those of personal friends and many are of people I don't know but who have opinions I'm interested in. Some others I read just to be aware of what they are saying.

Fault Lines has a piece about the blogging world and the interconnections of the blogs. That author is correct in how Technorati functions. And I'd hazard to guess that everyone who writes a blog does hope that someone out there reads it. And one of the ways to foster that is to read and refer to other blogs... and linking just makes it easier.

But I don't agree that the blogging community is any more or less welcoming than any other community. Just like any bordered time/space, there's great, good, bad and ugly all included.

I think that's why I don't link simply to link and when I do link, it's only after getting to know the other site enough to be comfortable to, as Fault Line's commenter called it, "enable" it.

Or, my 10th grade Social Science teacher's training for writing term papers really did leave a lasting impression. If I'm going to refer to something, I better be comfortable with it's reliability.

Do I need to do this? Certainly not. And there are times I almost wish I had an anonymous and safe place to just blurt out whatever I feel like throwing up because we all at times, want that option.

But Freedom of Speech is a right that comes with responsibility too. That's why I sign my name at the bottom of each post. It lets everyone know that the post is mine... but also reminds me that it's mine.

Maimun

iRack

2007-04-01T15:56:00.000-04:00

Yet another reason to love Mac.
Maimun

ooohhhhh shiney stuff!

2007-03-25T22:45:00.000-04:00

Coffee & Crafts at Mojoz's was very productive this week. I made 2 necklaces, one bracelet and 2 sets of earings.

One earing set was for myself:
Then Saturday, I made 2 rings:

There are worse ways of spending a Saturday.
Maimun

Poetry, Colonials' Basketball and Crafts.

2007-03-10T19:00:00.000-05:00

Well, I sat down to continue judging the entries for the Jay Trisalino Poetry Contest that the Utica Writers Club is hosting. But I also realized that the GW Colonial's game was starting. As a student, I barely paid any attention to sports. I know I figured that there might be a relation between bad sports teams and good academics and I did get a great education at GW. But now, as an alumna, I'm excited when GW does well. So, I'm putting off the review of the poems until after the game ends.

Funny how life can change through the years. Back in the GW days, I was editor of GW's Wooden Teeth, the arts & literary magazine. Being able to link to their website does remind me how the years have passed. As editor, I created some waves by putting a request for a typewriter in the annual budget. An electric typewriter yet. Layout was done the old fashioned way back them... type pieces out, cut them out, glue them down onto paper, organize the pages in the write order, then walk the sheets over to the print shop.

Today, I can sit at my computer, even tucked under my quilt, and upload my project to Staples and then just swing by and pick up the final project.

Last night was Coffee & Crafts at Mojoz's and it was so much fun. We spilled out of the back room as more people came that we thought would, but I think everyone had fun. We had eraser carving, clay working and crocheting. I don't know which project I'll take next week, but I'll definitely be there. Crafting, like writing, can be a pretty solitary activity, but crafting can be dome a lot easier with others. And seeing what everyone else does really fuels the creative spirit.

I also decided to start a new blog. I, like everyone else with email, get a good number of forwards. A lot get barely read, if at all, but others are worth the time, usually for a smile or laugh. So, I'm going to start a place to stash the ones that I like. You're more then welcome to send me the ones you like, but I reserve the right to choose the ones I want to post.
Maimun

Live Music, while we can

2007-02-28T23:29:00.001-05:00

I remember standing by the railing of the boat, binoculars flush against my Coke-bottom glasses, scanning the horizon probably much like the whalers of long ago. Not that whalers are a thing of the past, no. But now, instead of hunting with their eyes, they use high-tech gadgets to destroy the hottest blood of all...

But, back to being in 9th grade. The whale watch was the highlight of a weeklong field trip spent on Cape Cod doing the ecology chapter in Biology. The Johnson's (he the bio teacher and she the swim teacher) taught me a great deal more than biology and swimming and I can only hope that I can pass on a portion of what they gave me. Mr. Johnson told us to scan the horizon looking for the exhaled spray of the whale against the blue of the sky.

I remember that I thought I say what he was describing. I remember almost calling out that I saw it. And I remember thinking... believing... that I was wrong. I wouldn't have been able to do something like that. My grades weren't good enough, I wasn't smart enough, I wasn't pretty enough, I wasn't normal enough, I wasn't tall enough.... All the junior high insecurities, and then some, so certainly there was no way I could be the one on the boat to first spot the whales.

And as I stood there, not believing what I know I saw, over the speaker, the captain announces that a whale was spotted. Exactly where I saw it. Eventually, I worked my way out of the insecurities. Maybe it was the magic of the whales... maybe it was just the passing of time.

But the wonder of the whales has never passed. Standing on that boat, I decided that I wanted to be a marine biologist learning about whales. Fast forward a few years to freshman biology class in college where I discovered that the competitiveness of pre-med students made a really nasty atmosphere in lecture and lab. Psychology became my major though I reeled for months, off balance from changing a direction that I'd held for so long.

And I do love psychology. I love counseling.

And I still love whales.

So, scanning through a magazine article about how wild animals can benefit our lives, I caught the listing of a website about whalesong. According to the article, listening to whalesong reduces tension and helps people relax.

I just know that whalesong fascinates and mesmerizes me. For me, listening to whalesong is like floating in complete comfort and safety in the middle of the vast endless ocean the whales call home. Tranquil, blue and beautiful.

The Whalesong Project is probably going to be my "always on" site. At least between November and June. The Project drops a underwater microphone off the coast of Maui and through the marvels of high-tech, the internet brings the song of the whales to my computer. If the whales are near enough and if they decide to sing, that is. Live whalesong, if the whales will oblige.

I've had it open as I've been writing this (which might explain any choppiness of this entry... I find that I keep getting lost in the song instead of writing). When I first openned it, I couldn't hear any whales. Figuring something was wrong, I looked again at the website and saw that it was live feed, not recorded songs (though archived songs are available... Guess what I'll be doing from June to November?) And that's when a whale started to sing. It started so faint, like that exhalation of so long ago, that I wasn't sure I was hearing anything.

And then I knew.Maimun

Coffee & Crafts Night

2007-02-28T00:08:00.001-05:00

UPDATE: This is now Coffee & Crafts 2/4
Crafters will meet the 2nd and 4th Friday nights starting at 6:00. Welcome Spring!

I'd hope that with this year's election cycle being (at least in theory) a little calmer, I'd be getting back to my dabbling in art. And what can be more fun that creativity, good coffee and good friends (some who I know and I hope other's I'll be meeting!)

Introducing...

Coffee & Crafts at Mojoz’s

All crafters are welcome to bring their project(s) and join with other crafty people for sharing, demonstrating, creativity and fellowship while enjoying the good eats available at Mojoz’s Coffeehouse

Friday nights, 6:00 to 8:00 starting March 9th

Mojoz’s Coffeehouse, corner of Culver and Albany Streets, Utica. (315-735-3340)

March 9th will feature a make-n-take (for those interested) in learning to make rubber stamps from your own designs.

All creative people and all crafts welcome!

Caption this

2007-02-07T09:28:00.000-05:00

Sorry, I just can't resist this...

A minister who oversaw counseling for the Rev. Ted Haggard said the disgraced minister is convinced he is "completely heterosexual."

My thought... 3 weeks to "cure"... that's not counseling, that's a miracle.
Maimun

A Week in DC

2007-01-17T23:20:00.001-05:00

It's Congressman Arcuri now. Just saying it works wonders.

I had a wonderful time in DC. I went down early to spend Eid al-Adha with family and friends, spent a day shopping, then met up with everyone from the campaign that had traveled to DC to celebrate Mike's swearing-in.
Here's some of us in the Hall of Statues during the tour.

I'd visited Congress once before this trip. A friend had come down to visit me in college and for some reason, we went to Congress and even sat in the Gallery to listen to a Senator speak on the floor. Ironicaly, I wasn't into politics back then. Oh, I voted and Reagan had convinced me that I was a Democrat, but I don't really know why we went to the Capitol other than perhaps because it was a tourist thing to do. Fast forward a few years and I'd graduated and returned to Utica. I never did get to a College Democrats meeting, but there was a group called "Young Democrats" that was starting up in town, so I went to one meeting. Met a woman named Roann Destito there before she earned the title Assamblywoman and met a guy named Michael Arcuri. Yea, same one. I never did go back to another meeting and soon there after, I was heading to grad school in Boston. But after grad school, I was again back in Utica and soon met Roann and Mike again as they ran for Assembly and DA. And the friend who was visiting me... her mom is the New Hartford Town Democratic Chair. Yea, Utica's a small town.

Day one of the celebration included the tour of the Capitol that was rather an eye opener for me. The underground tunnels certainly make running all over so much easier, but you never get to see the sun. And there must be miles and miles of halls between and in all those buildings. I gave up on fashion and wore my comfortable work shoes and by the time I got into bed that night, my legs were in the likes of such agony that I had not felt in years! But the tour was amazing and I'd really like to visit again with a slower pace if it's possible. There was one hallway that had beautiful small murals over each door with great sayings. I'd have loved to look at those a bit closer. After the tour, Ed Sitts, Chris and Joe Giruzzi, and I took the Metro out to Pentagon City to find the restaurant we were all celebrating at that night. The Lebanese Taverna was easy to find even though I don't think I've been back to the Pentagon City Mall since my college days. The food was amazing and I'm looking forward to heading there again. The 4 of us got there a bit early, but it was oh so nice to sit and catch up with each other before the noise level went too hi.

And I did have some catching up to do. I attended Hughes School in Utica for a few years and for part of that time, Chris Giruzzi was my classmate. Fast forward to 2006 and I'm with Mike looking for our spot in the Frankfort Parade when Mike says, "There's Chris... we're walking with him." HUH? Why are we walking with 'Chris from 7th grade?!"

Well, we've come a long way from Hughes School. Chris was elected Town Justice in Frankfort in November. So, when we visited the Supreme Court on the way to Union Station, I can say that I went to the Supreme Court with a Justice. Here's the Justice and his brother outside the chamber at the Supreme Court:

But, before we ended up in the Supreme Court, there was a swearing-in we were rather excited about.

It took a while to get through security and we were then taken to a room with a nice lunch and TV's to watch the procedings. We saw Mike's vote for Speaker Palosi and cheered as history was made. I commented on how different the Chamber looked with all those children there. I can't help but wonder if some of the choices that are made there might be different if the children were always there. We also all wondered, after seeing how small the chamber is, exactly how they fit all these people in there.

Some people stopped by with congratulations for Mike and us.

One of the lessons I needed to learn during the campaign was learning to be spontaneous and less in control. That lesson continued straight through the swearing-in. We're all sitting, waiting for that moment Mike would be sworn in. Yes, Election Day was pivitol, but his taking the oath is when it all really starts.
So, we all had to vacate the room while Speaker Pelosi was still speaking. By the time we'd found our way back to Mike's office, they'd already moved onto doing the work of Congress.

Yup... we didn't get to hear or see the swearing in.

But the day was winding down, so I headed to Union Station to get some gifts and then to Beadazzle at Dupont Circle. I actually asked the sales clerk there to not tell me what the total is and that I'd just sign on the line. I ended up seeing the total by accident anyway. OUCH.

The next day, my whole family was sneezing and coughing with the only exception being my cat and myself. We decided to head home early. I figured if I can just stay health til we got home, I'd escape the cold. Right... 8 hours in the car with 2 sick people. By the time we got home, I was coughing and sneezing too.

Then it was back to work and resettle back into my normal life. I'm actually finding it a bit hard to do. I miss all the great people I met and got to work with. I miss the traveling.

But it's also nice to have time to relax, read, play with my cat and craft.
Maimun

Thomas Jefferson's Koran

2007-01-03T23:58:00.000-05:00

OK, I'm over the top excited about Mike Arcuri's swearing in tomorrow, but this news story means a lot to me too. Now, I'm neither an immigrant nor someday considering a run for public office beyond what I already do, but I'd bet that Rep. Virgil Goode would put me in the catagory of "those people."

Way to go, Keith Ellison!

From the Washington Post:

But It's Thomas Jefferson's Koran!
By Amy Argetsinger and Roxanne Roberts
Wednesday, January 3, 2007; C03
Rep.-elect Keith Ellison, the first Muslim elected to Congress, found himself under attack last month when he announced he'd take his oath of office on the Koran -- especially from Virginia Rep. Virgil Goode, who called it a threat to American values.
Yet the holy book at tomorrow's ceremony has an unassailably all-American provenance. We've learned that the new congressman -- in a savvy bit of political symbolism -- will hold the personal copy once owned by Thomas Jefferson.
"He wanted to use a Koran that was special," said Mark Dimunation, chief of the rare book and special collections division at the Library of Congress, who was contacted by the Minnesota Dem early in December. Dimunation, who grew up in Ellison's 5th District, was happy to help.
Jefferson's copy is an English translation by George Sale published in the 1750s; it survived the 1851 fire that destroyed most of Jefferson's collection and has his customary initialing on the pages. This isn't the first historic book used for swearing-in ceremonies -- the Library has allowed VIPs to use rare Bibles for inaugurations and other special occasions.
Ellison will take the official oath of office along with the other incoming members in the House chamber, then use the Koran in his individual, ceremonial oath with new Speaker Nancy Pelosi. "Keith is paying respect not only to the founding fathers' belief in religious freedom but the Constitution itself," said Ellison spokesman Rick Jauert.
One person unlikely to be swayed by the book's illustrious history is Goode, who released a letter two weeks ago objecting to Ellison's use of the Koran. "I believe that the overwhelming majority of voters in my district would prefer the use of the Bible," the Virginia Republican told Fox News, and then went on to warn about what he regards as the dangers of Muslims immigrating to the United States and Muslims gaining elective office.
Yeah, but what about a Koran that belonged to one of the greatest Virginians in history? Goode, who represents Jefferson's birthplace of Albemarle County, had no comment yesterday.

Tomorrow will be a good day indeed!
Maimun

Happy New Year

2006-12-31T18:03:00.001-05:00

image not to be used without written permission from artist

Well, 2006 has certainly been quite a year. The campaign for Michael Arcuri for Congress, by far, has been my greatest adventutre to date. 300 voluntees who are still staying active even though Election Day has come and gone. Paid staff and interns who came together and built an organization the likes of which central NY had never seen before. It was rejuvenating to see young people so energized and passionate about the future and what they can do to shape it. Too often, we see too many people stuck in the quagmires of their daily lives. Too often, we miss that the best way of making those changes we want is to be those changes.

I'm finding it a little hard to settle back into my "normal life" after this adventure. Given that it'll be back in 2008, that's probably a good thing.

Wishing you and your's your own amazing adventure in the new year!
Maimun

Be Afraid... Be Very, Very Afraid

2006-12-02T22:26:00.001-05:00

'They hate what we see right here in this chamber -- a democratically elected government. Their leaders are self-appointed. They hate our freedoms -- our freedom of religion, our freedom of speech, our freedom to vote and assemble and disagree with each other."

"Newt Gingrich called for a reexamination of free speech at the Loeb First Amendment Award Dinner in New Hampshire this week, saying a “different set of rules to prevent terrorism” are necessary."

"Insofar as a member of Congress taking an oath to serve America and uphold its values is concerned, America is interested in only one book, the Bible. If you are incapable of taking an oath on that book, don't serve in Congress."

How scary is it that I'm starting this entry off by referring to 3 a^%h#(*&? What is that hotline number to call when we suspect that there are terrorists nearby plotting to destroy America?

After all, in Shrub's own words, Newt Gingrich and Dennis Prager are seeking to destroy America and are publically saying it loud and clear.

That Prager started things off by lying about the Congressional Swearing-in ceremony neither excuses his following statements nor gives him the grounds to plead deminished capacity.

And for those of you who remember the Contract on America, this is the lizard's second murder attempt.

Ray Meier had the decency to denounce a particularly nasty attack by the NRCC, but what else do the Neandrathal-Cons have to attack before whatever remaining decent people over in that corner say enough is enough? (weird..I remember that he denounced the ad, but it took a bit of searching on Google to find the documentation on it.)

Or have they all drank so deeply of that Krazy Coolaid that they all truly believe American values need to be destroyed...

Maimun

Ah-ha!

2006-11-30T00:51:00.000-05:00

Are George W. Bush lovers certifiable?

By Andy Bromage

November 23 2006

A collective “I told you so” will ripple through the world of Bush-bashers once news of Christopher Lohse’s study gets out.

Lohse, a social work master’s student at Southern Connecticut State University, says he has proven what many progressives have probably suspected for years: a direct link between mental illness and support for President Bush.

Lohse says his study is no joke. The thesis draws on a survey of 69 psychiatric outpatients in three Connecticut locations during the 2004 presidential election. Lohse’s study, backed by SCSU Psychology professor Jaak Rakfeldt and statistician Misty Ginacola, found a correlation between the severity of a person’s psychosis and their preferences for president: The more psychotic the voter, the more likely they were to vote for Bush.

But before you go thinking all your conservative friends are psychotic, listen to Lohse’s explanation.

“Our study shows that psychotic patients prefer an authoritative leader,” Lohse says. “If your world is very mixed up, there’s something very comforting about someone telling you, ‘This is how it’s going to be.’”

The study was an advocacy project of sorts, designed to register mentally ill voters and encourage them to go to the polls, Lohse explains. The Bush trend was revealed later on.

The study used Modified General Assessment Functioning, or MGAF, a 100-point scale that measures the functioning of disabled patients. A second scale, developed by Rakfeldt, was also used. Knowledge of current issues, government and politics were assessed on a 12-item scale devised by the study authors.

“Bush supporters had significantly less knowledge about current issues, government and politics than those who supported Kerry,” the study says.

Lohse says the trend isn’t unique to Bush: A 1977 study by Frumkin & Ibrahim found psychiatric patients preferred Nixon over McGovern in the 1972 election.

Rakfeldt says the study was legitimate, though not intended to show what it did.

“Yes it was a legitimate study but these data were mined after the fact,” Rakfeldt says. “You can ask new questions of the data. I haven’t looked at” Lohse’s conclusions regarding Bush, Rakfeldt says.

“That doesn’t make it illegitimate, it just wasn’t part of the original project.”

For his part, Lohse is a self-described “Reagan revolution fanatic” but said that W. is just “beyond the pale.” ●

abromage@newhavenadvocate.com

Copyright © 2006, New Haven Advocate

Cleanup in Aisle 3

2006-11-26T22:01:00.000-05:00

takes on a whole new meaning...

"Adults take note: Pony comes unassembled in box with head detatched. You may wish to not open the box around your children if they may be frightened by a box with a decapitated horse inside."

How's that for a creepy note?? It's the bene nota on Hasbro's yet to be released Furreal Friends Butterscotch Pony.

That's Furreal.... with an "f."

Seems though that this would have a lot of potential for product placement on The Sopranos...
Maimun

In a warped altered universe kinda way

2006-11-22T21:03:00.001-05:00

Thank you, birdmadd over at YouTube. He posted the scene I think of most every time I hear things like:

-Mission Accomplished
-Somehow it seeped in their conscious that my attitude was just simply stay the course. Stay the course means let's get the job done, but it doesn't mean staying stuck on a strategy or tactics that may not be working. So perhaps I need to do a better job of explaining that we're constantly adjusting.
-This morning my administration released the budget numbers for fiscal 2006. These budget numbers are not just estimates, these are the actual results for the fiscal year that ended February the 30th.
-I worked with [Arizona Congressman] Rick [Renzi] to pass what's called the Healthy Forest Initiative. See, his district has got a lot of important forests. It means that we can work together with local folks to thin out those forests so they're not full of combustionable fuel.
-Mark Foley
-Ted Haggard
-all the others what fit this list who I'm forgetting right now.

Maimun

A word from the sponsor

2006-11-19T01:40:00.001-05:00

I was flipping through television stations last night.

I thought they were showing the NRCC attack ad aimed at Mike Arcuri about dialing a wrong number.

Turned out to be a Victoria Secrets ad.

At least the underwear company didn't send to my house large postcards of lascivious scantily clad women.

Those came from the Republicans.
Maimun

Taking Back

2006-11-16T22:48:00.001-05:00

The changes I made to this blog tonight are not reflective of any changes in my politics. But I finally made a new necklace tonight and I'm starting to get over bronchitis, so it seemed to be also a good night to put away the campaign related pieces that have been standard decor here for a good part of the last year.

Like all good keepsakes, they are not gone. They'll be back when the season returns.

There's always something shocking about Election Day ending. All the hard work, the intensity, the teamwork, the lack of eating and sleeping, the too much drive-through fast food

then usually

SUDDENLY

nothing.

Granted, this year, it's not nothing. The volunteers are still keeping in touch with one another, folks are making plans to meet, we're all watching CNN to catch a glance of Mike Arcuri and checking the newspapers and already volunteering for the 2008 season. And we're looking at ways to continue the change we started here that highlighted with Election Day.

Just like voting is the least anyone can do, we're looking for "what next until 08?"

I'm trying to catch up with friends and family I've been neglecting for months. Trying to get my cat to forgive me. Getting back to creating things. Reading books.

But it doesn't feel right to not carry on the efforts that it took to make Mike our Congressman. Together, we in the NY 24th, stood up to Cheney and Mrs. George Bush and said loud and clear, "No."

Sadly, we said "yes" to crowning the heir apparent who was the other half of making our sales tax the highest on the country. And tonight, it looks like we said "yea" to a sheriff who caused a car accident while chauffeuring a republican candidate from one political event to another political event, then when he was deemed to be at fault, he set his own fines.

The Crazy Koolade has scrambled so many brains, it's no longer about Right or Left. Now it's about Right or Wrong.

I believe that we do know the difference between Right and Wrong. We learn it. We teach it. And too many of us choose Wrong anyway.

When a military debacle is called "Mission Accomplished," when a pedophile is given sanctuary by civil servants, when civil discussion is called treason, when women are threatened by rape...

There is a war of Values waging. There is an attact on Morality. It's time for us to take back America.
Maimun

Mike Arcuri Victory Party

2006-11-08T02:04:00.000-05:00

After the first picture, the rest are from my phone.
Maimun

Can we charge them with treason?

2006-11-07T00:36:00.000-05:00

I was in Tompkins County last night and someone at the rally said that folks there were getting calls after midnight claiming to be from Mike Arcuri's campaign. I'm not a believer of guilt by association, but I just don't like these friends of Ray Meier.

Here's what you can do about these attacks:

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2006/11/5/212753/967

Maimun

from the DCCC

Nov 6, 2006

Dirty Tricks 2006: GOP Spends $600k on Late Night Attack Phone Calls

Dirty Tricks 2006: GOP Spends $600k on Late Night Attack Phone Calls

Republicans Caught Making Calls to Democratic Voters in the Dead of Night to Anger and Turn Them Off to Voting and Dampen Turnout

NRCC Has Spent $2.1 Million on Calls, Nearly $600,000 on Attack Calls in the Last Week Alone.

(Washington, D.C.) – Today, with memories of past intimidation in the minds of voters, national Republican operatives are phoning voters at all hours of the night, especially at 2:00 a.m. and 3:00 a.m. to try and dampen Democratic turnout. Reports of these calls have come in from New Hampshire, where the GOP has been forced to stop the calls, and FCC complaints have been filed in Pennsylvania because of the calls. Republicans have spent $2.1 million on calls like these, targeting 46 Democrats in the last week alone. In terms of precedent, in 2002, Republican Party officials in New Hampshire and Washington with ties to the White House jammed phones to prevent Democrats from voting. This is just the latest example of why it’s time for a change in Washington.

“With no record of accomplishment on the economy or border security and no strategy to speak of in Iraq, the only thing Republicans have left to sell is fear itself and Americans aren’t buying,” said Bill Burton, communications director of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. “It’s time for a new direction in Washington because Americans deserve bipartisan solutions to the problems we face, not more dirty tricks and illegal calls meant to intimidate.”

Illegal Phone Calls By GOP Designed to Turn Off Voters. The Republican National Congressional Committee has agreed to end its automated calling campaign that left the state Democratic Party swamped with phone calls from voters who believed the messages were coming from Democrats. New Hampshire residents had been complaining to the Democrats, party Chairwoman Kathleen Sullivan said, because they thought the calls are coming from congressional challenger Paul Hodes. Instead, they were coming from the National Republican Congressional Committee, on behalf of Rep. Charles Bass, but sound, at first, as though they may be from the Hodes' campaign. Under state law, delivering prerecorded political messages to numbers on any federal do-not-call list is punishable by a fine of $5,000 per call. [AP, 11/5/06, LINK]

Pennsylvania Voters Filed FCC Complaints on Misleading NRCC Ads. According to the Associated Press, “Bruce Jacobson, a software engineer from Ardmore, Pa., received three prerecorded messages in four hours. Each began, ‘Hello, I'm calling with information about Lois Murphy,’ the Democrat running against two-term incumbent Rep. Jim Gerlach in the Philadelphia-area district. ‘Basically, they go on to slam Lois,’ said Jacobson, who has filed a complaint with the FCC because the source of the call isn't immediately known. FCC rules say all prerecorded messages must ‘at the beginning of the message, state clearly the identity of the business, individual, or other entity that is responsible for initiating the call.’ During or after the message, they must give the telephone number of the caller. ‘The way they're sent is deceptive. The number of calls is harassing. The way her stances are presented in these stories is deliberately misleading and deceptive,’ said Karlyn Messinger, another Murphy supporter from Penn Valley, Pa., who filed a complaint with the FCC.” [Associated Press, 11/2/06]

NRCC Spends Thousands on Calls Attacking Hayhurst Record on Immigration from Callers with Foreign Accents. According to the Fort Wayne Journal Gazette, “The telemarketing business used by Republicans to flood northeast Indiana with phone calls attacking Democratic congressional candidate Tom Hayhurst promises its political customers ‘a geographically neutral dialect’ to drum up voters. But many people who received the calls said the messages were delivered by voices with Indian or Hispanic accents. Many telemarketing companies hire call centers in India and other countries because of cheap Internet-based telephoning. A representative at FLS headquarters did not respond to a request for an interview. The NRCC paid $13,747 to the telemarketing firm to make thousands of calls this week describing Democrat Hayhurst as ‘bad on immigration’ or an advocate of higher taxes.” [Fort Wayne Journal Gazette, 11/5/06]

NRCC Has Spent $2.1 Million on Calls, Nearly $600,000 on Attack Calls in the Last Week Alone. As of last week, the NRCC had spent $2.1 million on phone banks. From 10/30 to 11/3, the NRCC spent $597,232.75 on phone calls solely designed to attack 46 Democratic candidates. [www.fec.gov]

Last week alone, the NRCC spent the following money on attack phone calls on the following Democratic candidates. One news report estimated each call costs only 5 cents each.

AZ-05: Harry Mitchell: $8210.76
CA-04: Charlie Brown: $16,617.24
CA-11: Jerry McNerney: $4120.28
CA-50: Francine Busby: $2641.68
CO-04: Angie Paccione: $10,456.32
CT-02: Joe Courtney: $12,844.56
CT-04: Diane Farrell: $44,964.56
CT-05: Chris Murphy: $17,494.08
FL-13: Christine Jennings: $24,638.82
FL-16: Tim Mahoney: $16,428.72
FL-22: Ron Klein: $3813.36
GA-08: Jim Marshall: $10,546.68
GA-12: John Barrow: $16,087.86
IA-01: Bruce Braley: $8386.26
IA-03: Leonard Boswell: $13,812.12
ID-01: Larry Grant: $23,752.26
IL-06: Tammy Duckworth: $11,474.31
IL-08: Melissa Bean: $14,134.38
IN-03: Tom Hayhurst: $13,746.88
IN-09: Baron Hill: $12,852.36
KS-02: Nancy Boyda: $4,093.74
KY-02: Mike Weaver: $1,510.74
KY-04: Ken Lucas: $15,242.10
MN-06: Patty Wetterling: $21,053.90
NC-11: Heath Shuler: $11,843.70
NE-03: Scott Kleeb: $3,492.66
NH-02: Paul Hodes: $19,321.98
NM-01: Patricia Madrid: $6,702.42
NV-02: Jill Derby: $10,934.16
NV-03: Tessa Hafen: $12,197.70
NY-19: John Hall: $16,123.62
NY-20: Kirsten Gillibrand: $11,143.38
NY-24: Mike Arcuri: $6,824.82
NY-25: Dan Maffei: $17,183. 46
NY-29: Eric Massa: $10,855.26
OH-01: John Cranley: $9,236.64
OH-02: Victoria Wulsin: $7,953.84
OH-15: Mary Jo Kilroy: $11,826.84
PA-04: Jason Altmire: $23,111.61
PA-06: Lois Murphy: $14,253.66
PA-08: Patrick Murphy: $18,969.36
PA-10: Chris Carney: $3,942.00
TX-22: Nick Lampson: $2,258.61
VA-02: Phil Kellam: $14,345.58
WA-08: Darcy Burner: $14,992.80
WI-08: Steve Kagen: $20,794.68

Signs Part 2

2006-11-06T21:49:00.000-05:00

Got this from a Volunteer tonight. What a GREAT bunch of people!
Maimun

In Cortland County, we take great pride in placing Arcuri signs in folk’s yards. We’ve placed about a thousand of them. When one permits us to post a sign, this acts as a bold statement of their support for Mike. A very short list of Mikes ardent supporters are…

Bob and Chris Gregory, Parker Street, Cortland
Henry and Janet Steck, Clinton Street Ext., Homer
Linda Smith, Rt. 11, Marathon
Joaquin and Carol Lira, Prospect Street, Truxton

In the waning days of the campaign Mike’s opponent Ray Meier has apparently received many impressive endorsements of his own as evidenced by his abundant visible yard signs (please see attached). These endorsements include but are not limited to…

Cortlandville Mall
Lackawanna Railroad
Tioghnioga River Bridge Authority
Senior Citizens Highrise Bldg at Pt. Watson Street
Cortland City Parks and Recreation
Cortland Waterworks Dept.
All major State and Federal Highways

This race sure is a dog fight!!!!!!!!!!

Sincerely, Sean Mack PS. GOOOOOOOO MIKE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Twas the Night Before Election Day

2006-11-06T21:12:00.000-05:00

Half of Arcuri Campaign Headquarters, Election Eve 2006

Ray Meier Campaign Headquarters, Election Eve 2006

Maimun

Clinton visit images

2006-11-06T17:49:00.000-05:00

I expect that there were at least 500 people in the crowd. Ray Meier was not one of them.
Maimun

President Bill Clinton visits for Mike Arcuri

2006-11-06T17:38:00.000-05:00

Ray Meier welcomes Dick and Mrs. Bush... $1,000 a shot.

Mike Arcuri welcomes Oneida County to meet Bill Clinton... free

Mike Arcuri for Congress... priceless
Maimun

Another sip from the crazy koolade

2006-11-05T00:06:00.001-05:00

First we were supposed to swallow that "being independent" means "doing what we told him to."

Now, there's a secret blogger who has started because of the lack of discussions "of issues regarding the 24th congressional race from an independent point of view. "

So what does Secret Blogger do... why, of course, meet that need of an independent view by creating a blog stating that "The intent of this blog is to bring up issues that prove that Ray Meier is the better candidate"

HUH??

Consider this... Ray Meier voted to lower taxes 222 times. In the tone of the Church Lady, "How special." Has anyone in the District or Oneida County seen their taxes lowered 222 times? And how nice of you all to refund property taxes to Oneida County residents. But you know... we have the hightest sales tax in the state that makes all the dollar stores here really $1.10 stores. EVERYONE pays sales tax... where's OUR refund?

Ray Meier is associated with "professional people" or at least people who wear suits. Yes, professional like those that we all know are the "worst in the nation." For 5 terms yet.

meier24... yet another reason to vote for Mike Arcuri on Tuesday.

And, no, I'm not linking to Secret Blogger whatever number. If you can't figure it out for yourself, it's time to stop drinking the koolade.

Maimun
<
/span>

Arcuri, Clinton, Cuomo, Paterson and Spitzer in Binghamton

2006-11-03T21:51:00.000-05:00

Thank you, Gabriel, for the pictures!
Maimun

Top Two WORST SMEAR CAMPAIGNS

2006-11-02T01:23:00.000-05:00

CTV came out with a list of the dirty dozen of smear ads in American politics. The top 2 worst smear campaigns, as listed by our neighbors in the north, are:
Bad Call
Un-Indicted Rapist

Top 2 in the whole country.

Repukelicans have had the responsibility of owning up to bad choices removed from their souls.

That's the only reason it's pointless to ask them for an apology for the trash they've been dumping up here.

Shame on them all.
Maimun

The Truth About Meier and Taxes

2006-11-02T00:57:00.000-05:00

This gives a whole new meaning to "the truth hurts, don't it?"

So, let me get this straight...
Unnamed Repukelican leaders are galavanting across the 24th (are they driving the gas-guzzling 1972 Caddy??) whining that Meier isn't to blame for raising taxes because he was only doing what they told him to?

The Repukelican idea of "standing up" is doing what they tell you to do??

It was bad enough that Meier couldn't stand up against Griffo thereby supporting Oneida County being the highest taxed county in the COUNTRY. It turns out, by their own admission, that he supported a bunch of Repkelican leaders in raising our taxes.

Yup, guess that would show the great fortitude to stand up against Rove/Cheney/Bush.

The Truth is.... that's not what we need.
Maimun

"Truth Squad" aims to get the facts straight

11/1/2006 3:58 PM
By: New 10 Now Staff
Republicans leaders from several counties calling themselves the "Truth Squad" are traveling across the 24th Congressional District. They're on the attack against TV ads launched against State Senator Ray Meier, their party's congressional candidate.

The leaders say its unfair to claim Meier is responsible for raising sales taxes in their counties when, in fact, he was simply honoring their requests to raise sales tax in order to avoid big property tax hikes to pay for Medicaid. The county leaders praised Meier for honoring the requests and also working on solving the Medicaid issue.

“Our budget is around $160 million this year. Within five years, we will save $42 million in our Medicaid bill because of the legislation that ray Meier pushed for us in Albany,” said Shawn Gray, of the St. Lawrence County Legislature.
“Senator Meier was doing his job, as difficult as it can be sometimes. He stood up. He did what he was requested to do, and if more of our people in Albany would do that, we'd all be better off,” Onondaga County Executive Nicholas Pirro said.

Meier is facing a close race against Oneida County District Attorney Michael Arcuri.

Sign, Sign, Everywhere a Sign

2006-11-01T23:55:00.000-05:00

Yea, they like him too!

Just hope I'm not jinxing them into vanishing like so many others. I met a gentleman the other day who told me that as he was driving to work one morning, he saw a car ahead of him pull over to the side of the road, the driver got out and pulled out the Arcuri sign then took it and left it in the nearby woods. Well, the gentleman I was speaking with went home that night and saw the televised debate. The next morning, he pulled over to the side of the road on his way to work. He walked into tho wood and found the sign. And he put it back in it's original place alongside the road.
Maimun

Lying Liars and the Lies they Love

2006-10-26T00:06:00.000-04:00

OK, the Conservatives need to stop drinking that wacky kool-ade. It's making my head spin.

The same National Conservative Weekly that created the "sex-phone call" story and then disproved it, just did it again with their latest skit with the NRCC attacking Mike Arcuri.

Here's what they wrote about the "sex-phone call"

A close examination of those expense reports reveals that Arcuri billed taxpayers in 2004 for a call to a phone-sex number. [potentially offensive material removed by me] The phone number appears on Arcuri’s hotel bill. He was attending the New York State District Attorneys Association conference in New York City at the time.

(This afternoon, after this story was posted, I was informed that the number in question, 800-457-8462, was accidentally dialed instead of 518-457-8462. The latter number is for the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services. However, this new information raises questions about why Arcuri dialed his calling card, 800-255-2255, just one minute after hanging up on the phone sex hotline, as his hotel bill indicates. The campaign has still not returned my calls seeking an explanation.)

Here's what they wrote today about the rapist who's still in jail:

The ad begins with a photo of a man named Thomas Griffiths, who the announcer says served time for felony sex abuse and was later jailed for another sex crime. After Griffiths cooperated with the Oneida County district attorney's office, one of Arcuri's deputies wrote a letter on Griffiths' behalf to the parole board. But Griffiths was arrested again after his release, leading the announcer to accuse Arcuri of breaking his promise to "create a safer community."

According to the New York State Department of Correctional Services, which has a searchable database of Thomas Griffiths' records, he was arrested for sex-related crimes in 1990 and 1994. When up for parole in 1998, Oneida County Assistant District Attorney Scott D. McNamara wrote a favorable letter that apparently had little impact (Griffiths remained in the system for four more years). But just 18 months after his release, he was arrested again for criminal possession of a controlled substance. He is still serving out his sentence.

Hello?? If you need a phone call to explain to you what dialing a wrong number means, you have no business anywhere near a phone. Or a keyboard for that matter!

Thank you for showing why the ads are what cows leave behind. I finally understand the phrase "never argue with an idiot... he'll bring you down to his level then beat you with experience."

What's Bushspeak for "someone who lies to you while telling you he's lying, but calls it Truth"?
Maimun

Republicans have earned it

2006-10-21T00:10:00.000-04:00

MY WRATH

The NRCC owes Mike Arcuri, his staff, his family, and his friends an apology.

It owes the tax payers of Oneida County an apology.

It owes the residents of the 24th Congressional District an apology.

This latest piece of stench is another page in their attempt to scare women into not voting for Mike Arcuri.

Their loss that we are not all stepford women and that we can and do think.

Republicans, we know the case you are trying to twist into a rapist allowed to go free. Here's the rest of the story:
1) The victim ran away and was not found within the time allowed to indict.
2) The rapist was tried and convicted and sent to jail

Republicans, we know that if you dial the wrong number in a hotel room, you get billed for the first minute $1.25. Here's the rest of the story:
1) a lawyer dialed 800-457-8462 and hung up when he realized it was wrong number.
2) now realizing that it was a toll call, the same lawyer used his calling card and called 518-457-8462 and reached the intended New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services. 3) The lawyer was meeting with Mike Arcuri during the NYS District Attorney's Association Conference.

What offensive, lying, fear-mongering trash will you dump on us next?

Arcuri was the first man to be chosen the Mohawk Valley YWCA's Person of the Year award for his efforts in dealing with Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault.

He was instrumental in the formation of the Oneida County Drug Task force and the Utica Arson Task force.

He created a Special Victims Unit in the DA's office as well as a Victim Advocate position.

Under his leadership, the DA's office has a 92% conviction rate.

His efforts brought the Child Advocacy Center to Oneida County.

Democratic women and independent women have been getting the vile mailings and phone calls trying to frighten us into not voting for Mike.

We know better and it's got nothing to do with how a person looks.

And we know how to deal with spoiled, temper-tantrum-throwing, lying immature humans.

It's no longer enough to throw the bums out. They need to sit in a corner until they learn how to live with other humans.
Maimun

Beauty is not in the face; beauty is a light in the heart. ~Kahlil Gibran

2006-10-15T00:17:00.001-04:00

Now granted, as I was reading this article, faint sounds of Bert Parks singing "There she is... Miss America..." could be heard. This is yet another reason I wish I was better with PhotoShop.

Yea, he's easy on the eyes, but I think he's better than he looks.
Maimun

Democratic Faces That Could Launch Thousands of Votes
With a Parade of Attractive Candidates, the Party May Benefit From the
Politics of Beauty

By Shailagh Murray
Washington Post Staff Writer
Saturday, October 14, 2006; A01

AUBURN, N.Y. -- Maybe Democratic candidate Michael Arcuri is running
strong in this Republican House district because he pledges to expand
health coverage, balance the budget and raise the minimum wage.

Or maybe it's his piercing Italian eyes and runner's physique.

"He is pretty good-looking," observed Paula Ferrin with admiration, as
the 47-year-old district attorney worked the crowd at a local senior
center.

"What we want is brains, honey," scolded her friend Rose Oliver.

"True," Ferrin answered, "but handsome doesn't hurt."

The research is unambiguous that Ferrin is right: Attractive
politicians have an edge over not-so-attractive ones. The phenomenon
is resonating especially this year. By a combination of luck and
design, Democrats seem to be fielding an uncommonly high number of
uncommonly good-looking candidates.

The beauty gap between the parties, some on Capitol Hill muse, could
even be a factor in who controls Congress after Election Day.

Democratic operatives do not publicly say that they went out of their
way this year to recruit candidates with a high hotness quotient.
Privately, however, they acknowledge that, as they focused on finding
the most dynamic politicians to challenge vulnerable Republicans, it
did not escape their notice that some of the most attractive prospects
were indeed often quite attractive.

There is a certain logic to the trend. Back in 1994, when Republicans
seized power in Congress from Democrats, the GOP had a number of
fresh-faced challengers who knocked off incumbents who had grown worse
for wear after years of committee hearings and fundraising receptions.

This year, it is the Democrats who have several ripe opportunities to
unseat Republicans, some of whom have grown gray and portly during
their years in power.

To gain the 15 seats needed to recapture House control, the party is
targeting about 40 GOP-leaning districts, including New York's 24th,
where veteran Rep. Sherwood L. Boehlert (R) is retiring and where
Arcuri is campaigning.

In most of the races, the Democratic challengers look a lot like
standard-issue politicians -- not likely to impress the judges at
Atlantic City. But there are others who, while they might not have
movie-star looks, are certainly well above the C-SPAN median.

The list is decidedly unscientific, but it includes several whose
names come up often on Capitol Hill for reasons other than their
policy platforms. Among those on it, in addition to Arcuri, are Brad
Ellsworth, a swaggering Indiana sheriff; businesswoman Gabrielle
Giffords of Arizona, who has chiseled features and rides a motorcycle;
and Heath Shuler of North Carolina, a strapping former quarterback for
the Washington Redskins. In Tennessee, Rep. Harold E. Ford Jr., a lean
and stylish 36-year-old, has drawn admiring looks.

Republican Bob Corker, who is running against Ford, has acknowledged
the disparity. "I know I'm not as good-looking," Corker said. He hopes
his business experience will compensate.

The crop of eye-pleasing pols has party operatives calculating the
politics of beauty. "There's a fine line, and you can't cross it,"
said Rep. Rahm Emanuel, chairman of the Democratic Congressional
Campaign Committee. Voters don't like men who look like pretty boys or
women who resemble bimbos. "If you're too good-looking, people won't
take you seriously," Emanuel said.

Carl Forti, spokesman for the National Republican Congressional
Committee, agreed that attractive candidates often have an early
advantage. But he said voters' decisions in the polling booth are
rarely skin-deep, especially in a closely contested race.

"When each side is spending four or five million, people know the
records, and it doesn't have the same impact," he said. He noted that
Shuler's popularity has declined in recent weeks following reports
that his real estate firm was late in paying taxes. "That's gone back
to being a close race."

The two candidates here in this Upstate New York district have similar
résumés. Both Arcuri and his GOP opponent, state Sen. Raymond A.
Meier, are lawyers. The two first crossed paths in 1985 while working
on opposite sides of a local election recount. Polls showed they
entered the race with roughly even name identification. They have the
same Oneida County political base.

Meier's advantage is that the 24th District is home to 45,000 more
registered Republicans than Democrats. But Arcuri is a popular
prosecutor, the first Democrat elected to the post in 40 years. He's
also tall and thin, with dark, gray-flecked hair and sharp features.
Meier, who is 53, wears glasses, and his hair is brown and thinning.
His look would seem to be perfectly pleasant but nondescript.

Arcuri's image is plastered all over his campaign materials, from yard
signs to the trading cards that are distributed at campaign events. In
his official campaign photo, he leans forward with one hand on his
hip, looking suave and casual. His Web site shows him finishing a
marathon.

His political friends tease him about his fashion-magazine persona,
but they acknowledge that it's a valuable asset. "He's a young,
good-looking guy," said Charlie Evangelista, Ontario County Democratic
Committee chairman. "He's going to connect with people."

Arcuri's theory is that voters have an immediate, visceral reaction to
candidates that, if powerful enough, can trump ideology or party
affiliation. "How do you get around the status quo? You look for
younger, energetic faces," he said. But while people may decide in an
instant whether or not they are able to vote for him, he said, "then
they have to know you can do the job."

He added, "I spend a lot of time assuring people I can be congressional."

His theory might be correct. An independent poll in the district
released last night showed him with a 10-point lead.

Some of the academic research on beauty and voting goes back decades,
to the early 1970s. In 1990, political scientist Lee Sigelman, then at
the University of Arizona, posited that Democrats were losing ground
nationally, despite an advantage in voter registration, because their
looks were a turnoff. He rated all governors and members of Congress
on an ugliness scale and found that of the 26 least attractive, 25
were Democrats.

The playing field these days is more level. Research has shown that if
candidates invest a little effort in their looks, the payoff can be
huge. Campaign consultants hover around candidates, ordering them to
change their hairstyles, get in shape and update their wardrobes. "The
bar has been raised, without question," said Sigelman, now a George
Washington University political science professor.

He singled out three Maryland statewide candidates, Republican Senate
nominee Michael S. Steele and gubernatorial rivals Robert L. Ehrlich
Jr. (R) and Martin O'Malley (D), "as playing the image game really
well." Politicians today, said Sigelman, strive for "the personality
and looks of talk show hosts." The goal is to be "well turned out."

One candidate who made a high-impact adjustment is Diane Farrell. The
Connecticut Democrat used to wear her blond hair pulled back tight,
but after a gentle nudge from a campaign aide, she allowed it to hang
loose for a more natural, relaxed look.

The looks factor can be maddening for the opposition. One writer on an
anti-Shuler blog expressed annoyance at the candidate's wife, "with
all her quips about how cute Shuler is. What a way to decide how to
vote!!"

Perhaps not surprisingly, research has shown that voters who are
easily swayed by social trends tend to favor more attractive
candidates. Conversely, people who resist social trends prefer
unattractive candidates.

The latest wave of research examines a possible root of political
attraction: how closely candidates and voters resemble each other. A
Stanford University study this year suggested that little-known
candidates can increase their electoral support by as much as 20
percentage points by tweaking visual features on their campaign
materials so they look slightly more like a targeted group of voters,
for instance Asians or Hispanics.

The less voters know about the candidates, as in races such as the
Arcuri-Meier contest with no incumbent, the more looks seem to matter.
An examination of a 2001 British local election by a team of Texas
Tech University and University of Plymouth researchers found that, in
the absence of facts, people who are considered attractive by survey
respondents are more likely to win.

The findings were presented to the American Political Science
Association's 2003 annual meeting, with the caveat that they "may
offend notions of democracy that candidates should compete fairly and
on the basis of issues not appearance."

© 2006 The Washington Post Company

"We've only just begun..."

2006-10-13T23:55:00.001-04:00

I'm realizing that it's going to be hard for me to keep up with this blog the next few weeks. I've been getting numerous new volunteers daily (join the fun) and getting everyone up to speed is taking a good chunk of my time at home as well as lunch. I think the only reason my cat isn't completely pissed at me is because Mike did him a favor years ago.

I've also gotten to drive some more through the amazing 24th CD. That I've been able to see so much more of my backyard is an unexpected perk of the campaign. And it's been years since I was able to enjoy the Fall trees.

Earlier this week, I made a trip to Oneonta to join in the Democratic Committee HQ grand opening. Before we headed back, we stopped for dinner at a Ruffino's Pizzeria on Main St and filled up on great pizza. I'll definitely be stopping there again.

Now, the roads between Oneonta and Utica can make for an interesting drive. It includes, but is not limited to:

breath-taking scenery
assorted critters running across the road
very slow drivers
very fast drivers
sharp turns
gentle curves
posted speed limits ranging from 20 to 55
fog
bright sun
heavy rain
snow
ice
sleet
freezing rain
drizzle
bikers
pedestrians
and assorted critters who run out in front of cars

The time previous I'd been on that road, I had a car-full of campaign volunteers returning from the first Arcuri-Meier debate. It was a trip that combined a pep rally, debate prep, Crossfire and a road trip with friends.

The other night, I had the solitude of myself and some CDs. White Moon hung just above the hill line and glowed a mournful red. A thin cloud band stretched across it making the first impression of Jupiter much too close to Earth. Even the critters were kind enough to stay on the side of the road until I went by, though I can't say the same about the guy who was taking a night walk wearing much too dark clothes.

There's less than a month left now until Election Day. Granted, the hardest part just started, but what an adventure it's been. And it's only just beginning.
Maimun

"If you can't answer a man's argument, all is not lost; you can still call him vile names."

2006-10-10T22:26:00.000-04:00

The National Republican Congressional Committee, a panel devoted to electing GOP House members, has spent $745,000 since Sept. 1 for ads slamming the Democratic hopeful, Michael Arcuri - and $82,000 to pump up their own candidate, Ray Meier.

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, a similar panel dedicated to helping Democrats, countered by shelling out $167,000 to promote Arcuri and $160,000 for mailers hammering Meier, according to data compiled by the campaign watchdog group PoliticalMoneyLine.

NY Post, Oct 3, 2006

So, for every 1 dollar the NRCC spends telling us how good their candidate is, they spend over 9 dollars attacking Mike Arcuri.... Civility in the Alternate Universe.
Maimun

1 wrong choice

2006-10-06T00:03:00.000-04:00

GOP candidates lukewarm in Hastert support
By Jonathan E. Kaplan

Several Republican candidates in challenging races this fall said their support for Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.) as the top House Republican in the 110th Congress will depend on the findings of an investigation into former Rep. Mark Foley (R-Fla.).

Republicans Martha Rainville (Vt.), Rick O’Donnell (Colo.) and Peter Roskam (Ill.) would wait for the Justice Department to complete an investigation before deciding how to vote, said campaign aides.

“If Attorney General [Alberto] Gonzales finds that anyone who holds elected office was aware of Mr. Foley’s inappropriate behavior, that person is not fit to serve the public and should be removed from office,” said O’Donnell’s spokesman.

However, Republicans will vote on leadership elections during the lame-duck session in November and will formally vote on the Speakership (should they retain the majority) at the start of the new Congress early next year. In all likelihood, the Gonzales investigation will still be ongoing.

Based on the information available, state Sen. Ray Meier (R-N.Y.) said he would support Hastert. Other candidates like Gus Bilirakis (R-Fla.), who is running for his father’s seat, avoided the issue.

“We have no stance on that right now — we’ll worry about that after we win,” said Bilirakis.

In a statement, Rep. Christopher Shays (R-Conn.) said, “I will not vote for any leader who knew or should have known about Mark Foley’s conduct.”

Randy Graf, who is running for GOP Rep. Jim Kolbe’s seat in Arizona, said Hastert has been helpful to his campaign and did not want to speculate about what might happen.

“When I get to D.C., I’ll sit down with the House leadership and discuss who deserves to be Speaker,” he said.

Meanwhile, GOP incumbents continue to distance themselves from their leaders. Rep. Jim Gerlach (R-Pa.) cancelled an event with Majority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) and Rep. Ron Lewis (R-Ky.) cancelled an event with Hastert. Reps. Lewis, Geoff Davis (R-Ky.) and Heather Wilson (R-N.M.) declined to comment about whether they would vote for Hastert.

Brad Haynes and Cameron Joseph contributed to this article.

(October 5, 2006, The Hill)

There were 9 Congressmembers cited in the article above. 3 declined comment on if they'd vote for Haskert. 3 others said they would wait to see how the investigation comes out before they voted even though the investigation will probably go longer than they have time. 1 says that he would cast a No vote. Another says that they's speak with the house leadership to see who deserves to be leader. 1 cancelled an event scheduled with Hastert.

One said that he supports Hastert.

Ray Meier.

As a counselor, I ask you to support Mike Arcuri. He prosecutes predators.

One of the volunteers, Clarice. told me a while ago that we need more prosecutors and fewer Big Oil Company defence lawyers in Congress.

It's even simpler than that, isn't it?

At today's debates, Meier asked the audience to consider who of the two of the candidates would we more trust to represent them in DC.

When it comes to the abuse of those more helpless than us, there's a right and a wrong. I trust those who understand and do something about it.

I do believe that there's a spot down under for those who take advantage of children. The spot right below that floor is reserved for those who knew or should have known and did nothing. Giving back the tens of thousands of dollars that Meier took isn't my preferance. I wish it were donated to the Child Advocacy Center.
Maimun

HR6166

2006-10-02T23:24:00.001-04:00

The shadow peanut gallery's been leaving comments here regarding Mike Arcuri's statement on HR6166 at last week's debate. Other bloggers who've long been open supporters of Ray Meier must be straining their keyboard, finger muscles and Internet connections in their frenzy to talk about that one answer.

I do have comments to write about the debate but they'll have to wait until I get the time to do it. But I want to respond to the comments left here.

And actually, it's one of Ray Meier's comment at the debate that is the base of my response. Ray's comment about wiretapping was that the "NSA was not listening in to [his] conversation with his sister in Cleveland."

No, they're not. And in all likelihood, this Badministration's not really caring about most of the commenters here either.

If anyone in this little corner of the blogesphere has any probability of getting the NSA's attention, being on a Badministration list, or being the target of a hate crime, it's me.

I'm Muslim. The President of the country I live in called for a crusade. Meier's who is running to represent me (so to speak) painted "the Muslim world" as terrorists. (Yea, he backpaddled pretty furiously to take the paint off, but in this day and age, if he didn't mean it, he wouldn't have said it.)

Do I think that this Badministration will continue to use torture and other inhumane treatment of people? Absolutely.

That's why I want Mike Arcuri to be my representative in Congress.

I do think HR6166 could be improved, but, at least in my reading of it, it didn't raise the fear that some of the posts attempted to raise. Read it for yourself here.
Maimun

Freedom of Blogging

2006-10-02T22:51:00.001-04:00

One of the hardest parts of having this blog is that I believe in Freedom on Speech and that the best answer to the poor use of the freedom is better use of the freedom.

I have the option of disabling comments or forcing people to sign their comments. Instead, I allow anyone to post and permit anonymous postings. I do so in the hope that education and dialogue can occur. The few posts that I have rejected were either spam or private messages directly to me.

And I'm sure that you've seen that I've cleared cowardly posts that I obviously find stupid.

Why to I clear through the moronic ravings of cowards?

Nothing shows how sad and wrong they are better than they show themselves.
Maimun

They Like Mike

2006-09-23T23:15:00.001-04:00

Today was one of the days that I could combine two passions of mine.... art and politics. The only thing that would have made the day better was sunshine, but then again, it is September in Central New York.

A number of volunteers wanted to represent Mike Arcuri at the Remsen Barn Festival this weekend. I decided to head up a bit early and spend some time shopping by myself since this was one of the events that usually is a core for holiday gift-giving.

Now, the Remsen Barn Festival is an arts and crafts show heavily spiced up with good food. It's not a political event per se, but it is one of the local events where a presence is expected. Besides, central NY has a long history in hand-crafting and supporting the local small businesses is an extra bonus of buying art pieces. I think most of the major campaigns were represented during the day.

But for the first 2 hours of my day there, I planned to spend my money and see what the artists were doing.

What is it that they say about plans?

As I stepped onto the bus, a woman comments that she likes my pin. I was wearing an Arcuri pin. I smiled, thanked her and asked if she'd like one to. I handed her one of the pins I had.

Then I sat down. And the woman next to me says, "I'd like one too
After getting to the Festival, I was able to shop for a few stalls before yet another person appreciated my pin.

And that pretty much set the activities of the day. Oh, I got my shopping in too (though to be honest, the only gifts I bought are for my cat... everything else is for myself!)

I also got a call from someone who was spending the day in Auburn. It was a rather funny call. I said "Hi" and and we chatted briefly about the weather. I was hoping the rain would hold off and she was being drenched. Then she said that she was probably calling for a pretty silly reason. She'd just seen a Centro bus with a Mike Arcuri ad on the side.

I remember the ads we had on buses back when Mike first ran for DA. We didn't have cell phones back then, so the excited calls or conversations about seeing "the bus" were limited to evenings or getting together, but it was still fun and exciting.

And it still is.

I gave a number of pins away today. It's fun and exciting that each offer was prompted by the spontaneous comments of the voters. There weren't flags around us. There wasn't a sign-in table in front of me. No policy statements. No debate.

Just a lot of people who prefer Mike Arcuri to be our Congressman and who aren't afraid to say it.
Maimun

The Real 9.11 Legacy

2006-09-12T23:09:00.001-04:00

Women, Sit Pretty or Go Cook, But SHUT UP

2006-09-12T19:57:00.000-04:00

Think this is the Conservative idea of gender equity?

I can just hear it now, "A thousand bucks for Cheney and see, we charge the same thing for Mrs. Laura Bush. If you're in a couple, it's $2,000. See, we Conservatives believe in fairness."

So... lets see what Laura Bush believes in:

Helping America's Youth
There is absolutely no denying that caring, connecting and committing to children makes a positive impact on their lives. That's not Parenting Nobel Prize material, it's just common sense.
I found nothing new on their website. For instance, did you know that "Research has shown that supportive relationships are crucial to the well-being of youth."
WOW. Who would have ever thought that?????!!
The program's initiative is to "...to raise awareness about the challenges facing our youth, particularly at-risk boys, and to motivate caring adults to connect with youth in three key areas: family, school, and community."
Do we really need a Federal initiative to do that? I mean, do we really want people volunteering to help in the lives of children if they won't be bothered to read a newspaper, a church bulleten, or attend a PTA meeting?

Global Diplomacy
I actually had to read this page all the way through. I was darn surprized that global diplomacy pretty much amounts to traveling to other counties, filming a scene on the Indian Seseme Street, and eating at formal dinners. Oh, and also getting gifts.
Gee, if global diplomacy is that easy, maybe I'll do that over my summer vacation.

Education
Reading is important.
As a former public school teacher and librarian, the First Lady has only to say about Education that... reading is important. Take a look for yourself... click here to read her note about education. America's education rates are dropping like gas prices going up. Other countries are leaving our science and technology in the dust. College tuitions are going up while aid is getting cut.
Until I read her note, I gave credit to Laura Bush for being a teacher and librarian.
After reading it... I'm glad she's a former

Women's Health and Wellness Heart disease is the number one killer of women in the US.
Knowledge, exercise, and eating well is the best prevention.
Oh, and you can also get her recipe for Smoked Shrimp with Mango Salsa and Carrot Muffins there.
Honest. I couldn't make this up.

Preserve America
(OK, for the record.. after reading the recipies above, I really expected to see more here for jams and jellies.) There's a $1.000 cash award for a history teacher from each state.

Authors and Books
In case you missed it earlier, reading is important. There are links on this page to other programs and events organized by folks who aren't in the White House. Except for one "series of literary events" hosted by the First Lady.

Evil wins when good people do nothing. The hottest places in hell are reserved for those who, in a time of great moral crisis, maintain their neutrality .

We live in interesting times. Humans and this planet need EVERY THINKING BRAIN AND EVERY FEELING HEART.

The Office of the First Lady has had everyone in it from Hillary Clinton to this Mrs Stepford. Both lead and influence by example.

Conservatives whether men or women have very low opinions of women. Sit pretty, shut up,
go cook. Leave the important stuff to men.

What a waste of humans...
Maimun

To Boldly Go...

2006-09-07T23:42:00.001-04:00

(click on the picture to see more Trek Inspiration Posters)

I was looking for something to honor what started 40 years ago today. OK, so the piece directly above doesn't really honor Star Trek, but how often has Captain Kirk yelled out your name, eh??

But I just couldn't find any one thing that covers the whole journey. How do you find one thing that touches all the ways Star Trek has been in my life?

It was Saturday evening TV time...
It was saving my money and buying "grown up books" from the sci-fi shelves instead of the children's collection...
It was empathizing with Spock's dual heritage...
It was how I told time in the pre-remote control days of TV the months I spent in a body cast...

But of all things Trek in my life, what I value the most is the whole concept of IDIC. Trek didn't invent it. But Trek did offer it in a way that deeply resonated in many people. And that's where the top most piece came from.

Happy Birthday, Star Trek.
Maimun

Chickens Voting for Colonel Saunders

2006-09-05T00:05:00.001-04:00

I just read an entry at DownWithTyranny that flashed me back to a nightmare from 2000.

By 2000, I'd been active in local politics for several years. And I was also learning that though I might only wear one hat at a time, all the hats are a part of me and none get left behind as I go through my day. Thus, while working on campaign and listening to potential candidates, I listened with ears of women, Muslims, workers, counselors, people caring about kids and the elderly, and all the other lenses with which I see Life.

So, that Sunday before Election Day in 2000, when I opened my email and received SEVERAL copies of a American Muslim group's endorsement of Bush, I got a bit crazy.

CHICKENS VOTING FOR COLONEL SAUNDERS

As much as I'm not over the theft of the Election, I'm still angry at some group took it upon themself to claim my opinion. Well, that is also what Bin Forgotten and Bush are doing too, but there's an assumption that national groups are not psychotic megalomaniacs.

DownWithTyranny says:

I've always been able to look at Bush's narrow, hateful face and see the bigotry right down to the core of his dark, dark soul.

I've seen bigotry look me straight in the eye. I've heard it as I overheard conversations. I've read it on paper that was put in my hands and on walls as I've driven or walked by.

So have you. If you think you haven't... open your eyes and start listening.

September 16, 2001:
Bush made the same point during his remarks at the White House. "This crusade, this war on terrorism is gonna take awhile. And the American people must be patient. I'm gonna be patient," Bush said.

September 2, 2006:
"You know what I'm gonna tell those Jews when I get to Israel, don't you Herman?" a then Governor George W. Bush allegedly asked a reporter for the Austin American-Statesman.

When the journalist, Ken Herman, replied that he did not know, Bush reportedly delivered the punch line: "I'm telling 'em they're all going to hell."

August 22, 2006:
Republican Sen. Conrad Burns, whose re-election campaign is pressing for tighter immigration controls, referred to his house painter as "a nice little Guatemalan man" and suggested that worker as well as employees of a roofing company he hired might be in the country illegally.

August 14, 2006:
Earlier this month, George Allen, a Republican senator from Virginia, twice referred to an opponent's volunteer using a term for a monkey, considered by some to be a racial slur. "Let's give a welcome to Macaca here," Allen said. "Welcome to America and the real world of Virginia."

There is a part of me that cringes at being so angry at the Colonel Saunder supporting chickens. People do have the right to be masochists and make their own lives miserable.

But they don't have the right to sell off others or their children. Or worse yet, raise their children to buy into the proverbial butcher.

Some of those Muslims who sent me their endorsements of Bush now regret doing so. Not only did they get a scathing reply from me, but I'm also considerably less likely to engage them in politics anymore. Some realized how ignorant they were. But more often, the biggest regret is that Bush sits in the White House.

In January, Mike Arcuri attended the community dinner held by my mosque. He was the first political guest in my memory who stayed for the entire dinner. And he not only stayed, but he also conversed with countless other diners and sat at a table of congregation members instead of a head table.

He GETS not just the importance of diversity but the celebration of it.

Maimun

"One of the Keys in Controlling Congress"

2006-09-02T23:55:00.000-04:00

Click on the picture above to hear North County Public Radio's coverage of the
Mike Arcuri-Ray Meyer veterans forum in Utica last month.

Even Ray says that this race is a tie (as of Aug 16th at least). And if the Republican says that the Democrat is neck-to-neck with him this early, Mike's ahead.

He also says that "we" need to apply more pressure on the Iraqi civilian governtment to get its own armed forces up and going. Well, given that we're occupying them right now, the only more pressure wuld be along the lines of how "we're" treating people in Gitmo. Gee... maybe we can put Saddam Hossain in power and he's watch out for our interests.

Oh yea.

Been there and done that.
Maimun

Baseball, Politics and strange intersections

2006-08-30T23:25:00.001-04:00

Click on the TV image to see Mike Arcuri's ad.

It's been a busy week. (and yes, it's only Wednesday!!) Campus is bustling again with life now that the students are back. It's inspiring to look out over the quad and see students, walking, running, relaxing, hacky-sacking, etc all with books going to or from classes. Welcome back!

I had a strange realization on the campaign side of life. Way back when, I managed to collect an entire set of Star Wars trading cards. I think back then, you paid a quarter and got a 10 or so cards and a stick of really hard, tooth-breaking pink bubble gum. At least I think I paid a quarter. I do remember that it took me a while to build the set and while the complete set was a few inches deep, all my combined duplicate cards were several time the depth of the set. But the fun was in the process... the buying, the sorting, the filtering, the trading. Several years ago, I was on vacation and came across a trading card show. Alongside all the sports cards were the newer gaming cards. And there was a vendor who was setting completed sets of Star Trek cards. The ease of filling out and handing over a check for buying the set was a sharp contrast with working and building my Star Wars set. It was rather disappointing even though I much prefer Trek to Wars.

I feel a little the same way over Mike Arcuri's trading cards. Oh, no doubt I'll be working hard with them... but to give them away rather than collect them. I've already seen the whole set and I'll have one before they're all gone. But the searching, sorting, trading won't be a part of things for me. I'm excited about these new campaign pieces. Most campaigns think of some off-the-beaten-path fun ideas, but often they get pushed aside or lost among the traditional bumper stickers and lawn signs.

My first hint of things to come was Dick, a mentor, recommending that I ask Mike about the baseball cards. If I didn't respect and trust both of these men, I probably wouldn't have bothered to ask. It just sounded too much like a set up for me to be the punchline of a joke. But, I did ask, though with memories of dad taking the family to a baseball game when I was a child and that I couldn't see cute Bucky Dent well enough and that I spent the game reading a Hardy Boys book over shadowed the question.

Once I got through the idea of baseball and into political trading cards, I was looking forward to them. That I took one of the pictures is especially fun.

And they are fun enough that I'm moving making some time to work on Artistic Trading Cards closer to my "Do" list. It might not get started until after Election Day, but at least I know what my first art project will be!

It's been a strange week of intersections. An old friend of friends who found this blog online celebrated her anniversary and in the weird small-town-ness of Utica, she'd married someone I had gone to gradeschool with. I crashed a fundraiser for another fellow I went to junior high with, Chris Giruzzi who is running for Town Justice in Frankfort. And a dear friend's daughter, a young woman who just registered Democrat, who I've known since she was born, started college.

It's been a week of echoes from long ago coming back to play new songs.
Maimun

Somewhere, a country radio programmer's head is exploding

2006-08-23T00:11:00.000-04:00

The author of the title to this post is Southern Beale.

Southern and I crossed paths after I found the Music Row Democrats. I've started a diary over there under the name "centralnychick"

True Confession time... I listen to country music. Yup...tears-in-my-beer,-dog-left-me,-but-I'm-still-making-my-way-though-life Country Music.

Now, I still listen to Sinatra and have every Bowie song too, but the radio's pretty much set to the local Big Frog station.

There's an emotional aspect of country music at appeals to me. I like tales of life and I hear that in country more than other forms.

But the Publicans have poisoned that well too. A woman I know made a beautiful commemoration of 9.11 and she used the song Where Were You? by Alan Jackson. That song still moves me to tears more often then not. Alan knew that on that day when the world stopped turning, we were all American and he sang the words that were in our hearts and was part of the starting healing.

But answering Shrub's call for a crusade, Toby Keith went on a musical rampage of carpet bombing, inserting 'boots into asses' and dogs fighting. His Lady Liberty doesn't welcome the poor huddled masses. No, she shoves a fist at them.

Any we wondered why America lost the sympathy of the world? Why did Gitmo surprise us?

And I still listened to country music, though I did find myself turning the dial when Keith's song came on. The song scared me. It condoned the violence and hatred that Bill Clinton urged us to avoid on 9.11 and it supported the fanatics and terrorists in my own country.

Then the Dixie Chicks expressed their opinion. Female country singers have always displayed strength and fortitude that I admired. There's a strength and life-affirming attitude that appeals to me and I get a recharge every time I turn the radio on.

Now, gosh-darn-it.. how dare a woman speak her mind!? Who does she think she is... someone with a brain!?

So, for daring to express her opinion, Natalie Maines got dropped by radio stations, threatened with physical harm and called all kinds of names that no southern gentleman would ever use.

And she kept on singing. She's Not Ready to Make Nice and neither am I.

Music, movies, news for Democrats and a polite, warm welcome... doesn't get much better than that.

Oh, the title of this post came from a reply to my profile there:
Central NY, Democrat, South Asian heritage, work at a college, muslim, and I listen to Country music.
Maimun

Red herring goes well with whine

2006-08-20T23:47:00.001-04:00

There are times I've had people mandated to see me because they broke the rules. Sometimes, it's meaningful and those people are able to make needed changes in their lives or at least learn skills or better ways of thinking.

But, for the most part, when they come in with 1,001 excuses of why they really didn't do wrong or a list of a hundred of other people who did the same thing and weren't punished, I pretty much expect and usually see that person head right back to judiciary to get the results of not doing what they should.

When someone doesn't have the proof that he or she is right, all they can do is whine about how wrong everything else is.

Fundamentacons (that's my new word for the Fundamental Republicans that are to America what Osama Bin Forgotten is to Muslims) need to stop being spoiled 4 year olds. You broke the proverbial Grandma's vase by running through the living room and screaming about how Johnny down the road supposedly did something does not relieve you of the responsibility of making amends for destroying the vase.

People who break the law then do their time, and make amends are entitled to most of their rights. (Obviously, see Election 2000, this rule does not apply in Florida or to African American males in the south. Also to those who might have the same name of someone who broke the law.)

Friends, family and co-workers who like each other actually do things to show that positive regard.

That Mike Arcuri's campaign took a donation from a felon is no different from the thousands of other donations that were made that day to all the campaigns in the country. That he returned them upon an FBI investigation being made public was as right as all the other times he has acted fairly, honorably, and ethically. And to help all those wanna-be-lawyers who think they got their degree by watching too many hours of Law and Order, Mike is the Oneida County DA. The FBI is a different law enforcement agency.

People who worked in the DA's office carried petitions to get Mike's name on the ballot. So did an awful lot of other people too, but the Fundamentacons are having a fit over those particular carriers. And of course, the Observer-Dispatch is all over that too. (picture the Grinch rubbing his hands with glee after he got all the stolen Christmas memorabilia into his cave.)

And like all Fundamentalists, the Fundamentacons read every other line and think they heard the voice of God. Here's the Ethics Opinion. Now, that's the second time in one week I've had to sit and read a document written by lawyers and I'm no lawyer. But, this is the Conclusion of Opinion 683:

CONCLUSION
For the reasons given, we adhere to the opinion expressed in New York State 675 (1995), that it is improper for an Assistant District Attorney to participate actively in the incumbent District Attorney's reelection campaign.

That's dinner for tonight... 2 red herrings, caught, filleted and grilled for your enjoyment.
Maimun

Vote for Mike before Wednesday

2006-08-18T21:14:00.001-04:00

If you've ever wished that a national Democratic group would support the kind of candidate you support, now is your chance. The DCCC is asking for your vote to help determine which candidate they will assist. If you support Mike Arcuri, vote now (at least before Wed the 23th) so the DCCC will help too by clicking here.

Early this year, the DCCC called asking me to donate to them. I told them that I wouldn't give them any more funding until they started supporting Democrats of the kind I like. Well, not only will I have to send some $ their way (but only after I've donated directly to the campaign) but these calls for votes gives each of us a chance to get the national group to realize who Democrats support.

Beside, if you don't vote in this, you give up your right to whine about how the national groups work.
Maimun

Terrorists and Drug Dealers

2006-08-17T21:23:00.000-04:00

I missed the Veterans Forum held at SUNY IT last night. A few Mike Arcuri volunteers and I spent the evening at the last night of Jazz Fest in Utica. As much as watching political debate and dialogue is a very fun way to spend an evening, I couldn't complain about spending an evening with fellow Democrats, listening to great music (if you ever get a chance to listen to Blue Streak with Al Nathan, don't miss it!), eating great Japanese food the Geisha, and be outdoors on a beautiful warm night.

But, Utica Insider (not to be confused with other insiders) did get to the debate and posted his/her comments here. From the description there, it sounds like a replay of the first debate.

I wrote earlier about Terror Plot: England, and today, District Court Judge Anna Diggs Taylor agreed with many of us that Shrub's Invation of Privacy Program is indeed unconstitutional.

Only someone with criminal activity in mind opposes law enforcement's tool of surveillance and wiretapping. Like any other tool, it can be used to create or to destroy. Used well, criminals get put away. Used poorly, it gets those criminals back out on the streets among us. That's why there's a judge in the process.

As a Counselor, I was required to tell clients that though what they told me was for the most part protected and confidential, there were times that I could break confidentiality. When someone was at risk of being hurt, I could tell. The other instance I had to tell (usually) was when someone handed me a subpoena. But I'd offer and have the reassurance that I would be ordered to talk publicly about private issues only after a judge reviewed the need for breaching privacy.

That was the safe use of a tool. There was a level of protection that ensured as best as it could that the tool was being used correctly. Oversight. Checks and Balances. Radical notions, but as American as the Constitution.

Ray Meier, at the first debate, said that there was a difference between drug pushers and terrorists. Hey, it's your team, Ray, that's calling it a War on Terror... not War on Only Some Levels of Terror That Changes Depending on What We Want to Scare People With Today.

Yes, there is a difference. But England stopped the potential threat with many of the same tools that the Drug Raid in Oneida County stopped the drugs and pushers. And the good guys stayed on the Good Side.

We can't fight our fears by becoming them. We can't fight evil be becoming evil.
Maimun

Laugh, Whine and the Real Deal

2006-08-16T23:59:00.000-04:00

Wow, Shrub finally achieves something in his own right.
(With credit to Howie Klein at DownWithTyranny!)

Anyway... tonight, I'm sending you over to YouGOMike where there's a powerful piece on why Ray Meier can't and will not talk about the problems facing us and instead chooses the Whine Train through the district (in the old gas-guzzler).

Vote for Michael Arcuri.
Maimun

Arcuri-Meier Forum is now online!!

2006-08-14T20:05:00.001-04:00

Hello, everyone. The Arcuri-Meier Candidate forum of July 25th at SUNY Oneonta is now online. Thanks to SUNY Oneonta Political Science Department for making this available to everyone!

http://www.oneonta.edu/academics/polsci/Debate/Candidate1-REF.mov

My thoughts on the debate were posted previously here and here, but your thoughts would be a wonderful addition now. Well, at least some of them.

Maimun

The Fanatics are Winning

2006-08-11T22:47:00.001-04:00

And Richard C. Titus of Utica said he'd fly, too.

"I would still take that flight," he said. "It's very important for the terrorists to realize they are not disrupting people's normal way of life."

They are not disrupting people's normal way of life.

OK, I'll grant that an exploding bomb would certainly be more disrupting but I gotta say that I would look at flying anywhere as the last option these days. Not because it's unsafe. Because it's so DISRUPTING.

Can't take my water. No meds unless they're prescription (gee, did the pharacutical companies write that paragraph of the new regulations?!?). No lotion. No contact lenses since no contact lense solution. No make up. No toothpaste. No hair spray. No unexpected-delay toiletries like shampoo or soap.

I thought I heard that 2 dozen people were arrested for allegedly being in this McGyver plot.

24 people managed to ruin air travel for 6,639,505,860 (as of 10:59 on August 11, 2006).

That's what is really scary.
Maimun

VOTE VOIE VOID

2006-08-10T22:33:00.001-04:00

I once heard that writing is easy. Just sit by a typewriter and open a vein.

Sometimes, art is a spontaneous outpouring that isn't controlled. That's what happened to me when I answered a call for art. I'm still angry and not over it, so when the call for the Do Not Fold, Bend, Spindle or Mutilate: Computer Punch Card Art, I was adamant that I would not, would not, do the hanging chad thing.

Above is the piece that I submitted to the show.

The piece went from plain punch card to stamped, addressed and enveloped in about 20 minutes. That included the time it took to design and carve the "Vote" stamp. When I'd sat down, I had intended to do a woven fiber arts piece, but Minerva had other plans.

The exhibit has been posted on the web so the works can be seen by anyone. I'm not sure what the total number of pieces is, but it was inspiring to see so many names of other artists I've exchanged work with over the years.

There were a number of other pieces that also echoed the feelings still raging from the 2000 debacle. There are obviously still a lot of people still not ready to make nice.

What happened in 2000 was wrong. That it's continued is worse. That Americans are dying in Iraq to give the Iraqi people the right to vote while our right to vote is being nibbled to death by ducks is evil.

I'll be comforted by a computerized vote the day the check out machines incorrectly scan a price for the LAST time. I'm not holding my breath.
Maimun

The friends, music and food of Campaigning

2006-08-10T00:01:00.000-04:00

It was another night of campaigning for Mike Arcuri tonight and again I end the day tired, but a good, well-earned tired.

Like most Democrats, I need to work. Something's gotta pay the bill and I'm lucky that I have a job that I enjoy.

So after the work day, I changed into my new campaign shirt (and was pleased to see that my sewing skills had not vanished. Pretty neat to turn a Large sized shirt into a Small. But definitely a LOT easier than going the other way!) and headed to the Utica Jazz Fest on Bank Place to help the volunteers set up.

Now, going to the Jazz Fest isn't work. There were many Wednesday's last summer that I met friends down there for food, drinks, and good music. The bonus was running into other people I knew. Last week's cancellation due to the weather was a disappointment. Unfortunately, there was a good chance that I'd miss most of it this week too.

Once they were set, I popped back into my car and went back to MVCC. This time, I wasn't wearing a blue shirt of our union, but instead the same blue, but with the campaign logo. I met up with Mike there and we spent some time meeting the people who were attending the Boilermaker Block Party that celebrated East Utica's most enthusiastic crowd for the runners. It was so nice to see the quad filled with people. There's something sad about empty educational settings and even though we run classes over the summer, it's just not the same. And it was wonderful to see so many neighbors of the college stop by for a BBQ.

But, we left there and made our way to New York Mills where Mike went door-to-door. Granted, I need to take 2 for each of his steps, but the drive and energy he has for getting out there and meeting voters astounds me. Not just that he's an elected official and he knows the benefits of meeting people face to face, but that he enjoys it and genuinely likes people. And though of course we'll cross paths with the few that already decided that they wouldn't vote for him, most people are very positive and encouraging to him. Most all of them recognized him and several commented on his most recent press conference.

Between houses, we got into a conversation about why we do this, walking house to house, knocking on the doors of strangers and talking with them. Because it might make a difference and a difference has to be made. Things are going frighteningly wrong. Infidelity is a high crime and misdemeanors, oil companies are establishing national energy policies, no-child-left-behind is letting the rest of the world better educate their students, and just because it's said often enough and loud enough, lies are truth.

We do it because there is:

A duty to try to FIX something that is broken.
A duty to try to RIGHT what is wrong.
A duty to try to MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

I got chills when Mike said those words in his announcement. As a counselor and someone who's worked with kids, I've often reinforced the link between rights and responsibilities. But since the greed-first era of Reagan, as a nation we've put a great deal more importance on what "my rights are" instead of balancing it with "my responsibilities are."

Is it any wonder that Enron officials stole from the very people who helped them live the lives they had? Should we be surprised that we're paying a fortune at the gas station while New Orleans drowns and the oil companies are making more profit that ever before? And it's a good thing that Ray Meier,
"as a Co-Chair of the Senate bipartisan Task Force on Medicaid Reform, he helped enact a
cap on the local cost of the Medicaid program as part of the 2005-06 New York State budget, saving localities and taxpayers millions of dollars."

After all, we who live in Oneida County needed those dollars to pay for the additional cost that came with having the highest sales tax in the state at 9.75%. (Dollar stores became the dollar-ten stores). County legislators said that the tax had to go up to cover the additional costs for Medicaid. When the cost didn't go up as much as they thought it would, the highest sales tax in the state (and I remember hearing that it was also the highest in the country) was dropped. It was dropped a whole whopping quarter of a penny to 9.5%. They're still the dollar ten stores.

OK, back to this beautiful evening. We finally finished the houses on the street and I headed back to the Jazz Fest and dinner, good company and good music.

It was a wonderful way to end a good day.
Maimun

I'm drinking tea and playing with my cat.

2006-08-08T21:24:00.000-04:00

I gave up trying to get an update from the TV and eventually moved to my computer. If I cause anyone's site to crash, I'm sorry and I'm not working on Lamont's campaign. It's Michael Arcuri that I'm helping.

So, here I am, basically lounging, sipping my tea, music's playing and I'm surfing the internet looking for exit polling. I even called a friend who lives in CT.

Then I came across a diary on Daily Kos that was posting from the Lamont HQ. And they were also posting pictures.

There was something surrealistic about the election night episode of West Wing and the feeling's back again tonight. I don't remember the last Election Night when I was relaxing at home, playing with my cat and drinking tea. But the pictures and frequent updates from HQ bring back the excitement and adrenalin that's the food of the event. And waiting for numbers is a lot easier when I'm doing it with others.

Technology has changed everything.

My brother died a few years ago and my family was thrown into an upheaval that included some of us traveling, meeting up with others, and traveling again. On that day, for the first time I truly appreciated the benefits of the cell phone.

When 9.11 happened, not only were so many of us witnesses of the horrors, but again cell phones made a difference for some people.

A friend regularly chats online with her family who are on the other side of the planet. She can't make it back there for her sister's wedding, so they're going to set up a computer and cam so she can watch everything.

And tonight, I get to relax with my cat and still be in HQ of the Lamont campaign.

At least until the web site crashes.
Maimun

DFA Night School

2006-08-03T23:13:00.000-04:00

The first ever political training I ever attended was last summer. It was a Democracy for America training on campaign management. I figured since I've been volunteering for over 10 years, it was probably time to formally learn something in the field.

It was a bit disconcerting that the presenters were closer to half my age. It was also energizing that there were so many younger people involved and passionate about politics.

Earlier this week, I took part in another training offered by DFA in their Night School. This one was on blogging and building an online community. There were some interesting items, though some were not cited, unfortunately.

Did you know that in 1996, only 4% of the General public went online to get news or information about an election? In 2004, that number jumped to 29%. Granted, 29% is still a relatively smaller segment of the population, but the jump is considerable. With the rapid expansion of broadband, it'll be interesting to see how much faster that grows.

Of Internet users, 22% in 1996 went online while in 2004, 52% did so. Over half, which depending on the demographics can be a significant number.

But, The Pew Center, which conducted the study, found that in 2004, 62% of Americans did not knows what a blog was.

Only 2% of Americans say they get their news from the blogs.

Now I understand why so many people feel the need to develop multiple personality disorder each with the love the sound of their own typing. With so few people paying attention, any loud noise, however fake, appears to be a bigger projection. Shakespeare could have been talking about those bloggers when he said "It was a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing."

Political blogging also shows interesting trends.

Left-leaning blogs number about twice the size of Right-leaning ones. And this, in one way, translates into financial support for candidates. Rightroots, a Republican online fundraising site, has raised a grand total of $32,477.06. Act Blue, the Democratic counterpart, has raised $7,057,608. Locally, that gives $914.00 to Ray Meier and $8,836.16 to Michael Arcuri (numbers as of Aug 3, 2006).

Hey, while I'm on the topic, do me a favor and go to my Act Blue site for Michael Arcuri and drop him some financial support, please? 10 bucks or 4000 or anything in between will make a difference.

Another very striking difference in the blogs is the community-mindedness of the two sides. One aspect struck me as soon as I started looking at blogs. Left-side blogs invite comment and dialogue. They might moderate comments, but they allow commenting and publish critical comments. The goose-stepping Right-side does not.

There's also a tendency of Left-side bloggers to claim what they post. Real names are not hidden or avoided. As many of you have seen in my comment area, that's not the case on the other side. Not only do they feel OK with slinging comments while hiding, but, very often, their pseudonyms are just down-right creepy.

Other things in the training didn't sit comfortably with me. They recommended that pieces be no longer than 500 words. Now, I'm in a district where the one newspaper around does print letters to the editors. But, they only print 3 a day (4 if we're lucky). And each letter is no more than 150 words.

Think about that. How many cooking recipes have less than 150 words to them? And we're supposed to somehow discuss serious problems with too few words. Think back to the last time you had a moving, meaningful conversation with a friend. Did you stop speaking at the 151st word? Did your friend stop listening at word 151?

We're living already in a ADHD fostering culture and I'm not living my life or thinking my thoughts in sound bites. Clear, reasonable, critical and thought-filled dialogue is the sound of heaven.

Another tool they stressed was networking. And I had to laugh about that one. Utica's a pretty small town. It's more like 3 degrees of separation here. But it turns out it's not just the geography of the town. I was accompanying Michael Arcuri as he went door-to-door in another part of the district and when the 3rd or 4th door he went to turned out to be relatives of a Utica friend, I could only laugh. This week, I had a comment left for me here by someone I hadn't seen in years, but she found my site when we crossed paths on another site. When you're from Utica, not only is Utica a small town, but so too are New York and the Internet!

Maimun

The Debate (second half)

2006-07-30T00:04:00.000-04:00

Ann C turns Bill gay

OK, this has nothing to do with the debate, but it was just too funny to not share.

Also, my blog no longer seems to show up on Google searches along with the other ones that are by supporters of Michael Arcuri. My rule of thumb is 2 things happening is a coincidence. 3 or more and something's happening. I can only assume that some idiots feel the free speech is only good for themselves.

So, back to the Debate...

Question 8: Please comment on the current situation in the Middle East
MA: Israel has the right to protect itself and we should be assisting a peace process
RM: Hezbollah is part of the Lebanese government and Syria and Iran have ties with Hezbollah. Iran and Syria need to be made to stand down.
(Well, he's already mouthing the Badministration line for the next state of the War on Terror and he's not even there yet.)

Question 9: Please comment on Student Aid
RM: tried to expand student aid in NYS. Good student aid would help economy and it should be available for lifetime learning. Unemployment could be tied with relearning
MA: the worst thing this government has done is cut student aid. While economic competitiveness is becoming more and more important, we're making it harder and harder for students to learn. We should be making it easier.

Question 10: Is homosexuality a choice or inborn and would you support a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage?
MA: This is another issue that's used to divide Americans. The Federal government shouldn't be in the business of defining marriage.
RM: Doesn't know, but scientists seem to be tending to think that it's inborn. States should decide what the definition of marriage is, and historically it's only been between men and women. However, if some states try to make other states accept their definitions, then the federal government would need to do something and in that case, I would support the Constitutional amendment.

Question 11: Does big business/special interest money like drug, tobacco and oil impact campaigns?
RM: look at the FEC filings
MA: will not accept donations from drug, tobacco or oil companies. Wouldn't expect that he'd get any anyway, but after his press conference on Medicare, a drug company called to offer a donation. He declined the offer.

Question 12: How can we reduce our dependence on foreign oil?
MA: We need to reduce the dependence not just of foreign oil, but oil which is a finite resource.
RM: This administration has only done what the last 8 administrations have done. We need to make a serious commitment to conservation and private industry will be able to develop alternative fuels.
Moderator follow-up: would you support drilling in ANWR? [Alaska]
RM: yes, with appropriate safeguards to protect it
MA: no.

Question 13: Abortion
RM: I am pro-life
MA: Women have the right to choose. Abortions should be rare, safe and legal

Question 14: Would you support government assisted health care?
MA: It's unbelievable that we're the leading country on the planet and we don't offer it. It would be the right thing to do. The Citizen Action plan has merit.
RM: would not support a single-payer plan. If we did that, where would the Canadians go if they needed heart surgery?

The candidates ended with closing statements, but I took very few notes, for some reason. Meier again spoke of having a civil discourse and I again listened incredulously. I recommend getting hip boots soon. It's gonna get muddy.
Maimun

The Debate

2006-07-26T23:51:00.000-04:00

I'd meant to write about the debate last night, but was too tired. And since this is my blog and not an article, I'm going to write about my evening which includes the debate.

After the weekend that I'd had, I was very much looking forward to Tuesday night's debate between Michael Arcuri and Ray Meier. I always have enjoyed listening to Mike speak, but I had the added bonus of traveling with a car load of fellow Democrats who were also volunteers, staff, family kinda supporters. There's always a special charge that comes from being with other like-minded co-workers.

I got to HQ later than I'd planned since work was especially challenging. But the sky was clear and sunny and it was a great day to drive, even the route between Utica and Oneonta. We filled up the cars and headed off.

Enroute, one of the things we talked about was how beautiful New York State and particularly Central NY is. One of the unexpected bonuses of helping with the campaign has been seeing the breathtaking vistas this region has to offer. Whether it's the rolling hills, flatlands, lakes or waterfalls, I've spotted more homes with amazing views than I could ever choose from. One thing this has convinced me of though... when I own my own house, I must have a porch and/or patio.

But we also were pretty quick to comment that the roads we were on would not be pleasant to drive during the winter months. Given that I also found out yesterday that I might have to do so in order to pay bills, making the drive, and one particular comment in the debate took on a new meaning to me.

But we arrived at SUNY Oneonta in plenty of time even including a quick stop for dinner. At least we had plenty of time before the scheduled start of the debate. By 7:00 PM, the Red Dragon Theater in the Hunt Union was pretty filled. More people came than had been expected since folks who came after us were given half sheets of notebook paper instead of the pre-printed forms for audience questions. The Time Warner Cable Channel 23 was there filming the debate and will be broadcasting it later this month. I missed the date and time and searching for information on the Net has proven futile. If anyone can point me the right way, I'd much appreciate it. There was another TV camera there, but I couldn't catch which station.

As it turned out, we could have lingered over dinner or had dessert too, though we wouldn't have gotten seats. Meier arrived 20 minutes late thereby giving us a change to catch up with all the other people who'd made the trip from Utica without carpooling with us.

The debate was moderated by Sam Pollack, Editor of the Oneonta Daily Star. He was introduced by Political Science Professor, Gina Keel. The debate was sponsored by the Political Science Department of SUNY Oneonta and the Coalition for Democracy of Central New York.

Now, remember that this is my blog. The opinions presented here are biased and are in support of Mike. Certainly I will do my best to be fair and civil, but if you seek a different perspective, you'll need to look elsewhere. Mostly, I am paraphrasing, and what I quote is from the notes I quickly took that night.

Having sat on panels where all the speakers and the moderator were all positioned in a straight line, I understand the awkwardness of looking at the person speaking and still remaining seated in the direction of the audience. But typically, polite manner dictate looking at the speaker, especially when it's the moderator setting the format of the debate and introducing the candidates. So it was immediately ironic that though Meier spoke of "civil discourse," it was Mike who actively listened when other's spoke.

I haven't been much involved with debate prep, so listening to Mike's opening comments was rejuvenating. He spoke of the country needing vision and leadership with a direction and how he brought both skills to the District Attorney's office. He ended with a call for the stopping of the attempts to divide Americans against each other.

I'm glad I wasn't drinking or eating anything as I'd have surely choked at Meier's first comment. He stated that "civil discourse is important" and the he looked forward to the opportunity to debate Mike. If I'd known he was going to say that, my question for the evening might have been, "Given your Vice President's dropping of the F bomb on the Senate floor and your President's S word spoken through a mouth fool of food, how would you tell the children in the 24th CD that civility is important and expected?"

The Observer Dispatch said this about his opening statement:

Meier spoke of his experience as a legislator and "independent-minded conservative" who had helped develop successful welfare-to-work legislation, "not by beating up poor people, but by giving them the support they need."

Just last week, I had yet another student in my office seeking help with childcare so that he could complete his education. He, like at least 4 other students that I counseled, were told by Social Services that child care assistance would be available, but only if they dropped out of college. Not only does that frustrate me in trying to support my students, but as a tax payer, I'd rather see public assistance given to someone who's actively trying to get off public assistance rather than someone satisfied with flippin burgers for a career.

He also asked why we should accept from elected officials the kind of behavior that we wouldn't accept from children? I referred to the same thing myself a little while ago. The person who could have best answered that was only in town for less than an hour.

After the opening statements, the candidates answered questions submitted by the audience.

Question 1: asked each candidate to identify the House committees he would like to serve on.
RM: Energy and Commerce because of his experience in the State Senate dealing with Medicare and Medicaid issues.
MA: First choice- Transportation, because the infrastructure of the 24CD could be greatly improved making us more attractive to businesses.
(My ears perked up at this simply for the comments we made in the car of how traveling from Utica to Oneonta in the winter, which looks like a distinct probability in my future, is such an ordeal. Little did we know that our return trip would include everything other than ice and snow and yes indeed, it is a anxious drive in bad weather even in the summer.)

Question 2: Would you support a citizenship path for illegal immigrants?
MA: The more effective route to securing our borders would be to go after the businesses that illegally hire illegals and to increase border security.
RM: No. Technology should be used to secure our borders and also those who entered legally, but became illegal and "we lost track of them" need to also be dealt with.

Question 3: Is the Federal Budget Deficit a problem and what would you cut?
RM: It is a problem, but the answer is not in net reduction of spending but rather in controlling the growth of spending. Also, government consultants getting sent to expensive conferences in expensive cities need to be cut.
(Meier had a curious stumble of words as he started his answer. He first called the President "my president" then thought he corrected himself by saying "our President.")
MA: Tax breaks for the top 1% while we're carrying this deficit that our children will pay and while we are at war is wrong. Ending the war would also stop the financial drain.
(I don't remember if it was later or at this point that Mike's comment about stopping the war was the only time the audience broke the rules and applauded at a comment. Myself and other volunteers refrained from clapping, but we were smiling!)

Question 4: Would you be in favor of raising the Federal minimum wage?
MA: Would vote to raise the wage and has pledged that if elected to the House, he would not vote for a salary increase or accept a salary increase until the wage was also increased.
RM: Voted against raising the NY State minimum wage because it would drive business out of the state. He would vote for the Federal wage increase but only if there was also some kind of relief for small business owners.

Question 5: Would you vote to stay the course in the War on Terror?
RM: Unsure exactly what "stay the course" means, but there were huge mistakes made, such as the dismantling of the police and military and damage to the infrastructure. He said that we'd need to stay in Iraq until they had a standing military and police force and that their infrastructure and Democracy was stable again.
MA: No, we need to get out by having a plan to get out. Not that we'd pull troops out tomorrow, but that they would start coming home sooner rather than later.

Question 6: What role does Congress have in oversight of the President?
MA: There is a checks and balance and an obligation to oversee branches by other branches. Ad a District Attorney, he's requested "more search warrants than there are people in the room." As the DA, he has laws he must follow as does every prosecutor in the country. The President is not above the law. Further, the War on Terror is indefinite. To give blanket authority to the President to do anything he wants forever dishonors the Constitution. We're asking our soldiers to risk their lives to help establish the very ideals this current administration is eroding at home.
(He got passionate enough about this issue what I wasn't sure if the microphone could carry it.)
RM: Getting a wiretap order against a drug dealer is different from getting one against a terrorist. However, he believes that the presidential memorandums Bush has been attaching to Law is unconstitutional

Question 7: Comment on the erosion of Civil Rights, especially in terms for Americans who are Muslim (yea, this is my question. When Cheney came to town, I faced up to the fact that I am afraid of this administration and the attitude they have fostered in this country. And I hate that I am scared of my own government simply because I am Muslim.)
RM: Its a very broad issue, but there are rights in the books and they should be followed. We need to have role models in light of diversity and that he has been one.
MA: We need to make sure that we don't scapegoat any one group. We've done that in the past with things like the Internment camps and people need to speak up and out against that. Better than laughing at a racial joke would be more people speaking up. People can set the tome by speaking out and it's the governments job to protect.

Well, I'm closing for the night since my eyes are shutting. Half the debate remains and I'll try to get here tomorrow to finish up.
Maimun

Ramblings

2006-07-25T01:09:00.000-04:00

I think I'm understanding how some people can spent hours on their computer tinkering with the sites they own.

I've been trying to cope with the recent death of a friend's son. It's hard for parents to bury their children, but I've also feel the echo of that when I have to witness the burial of people I call "kids" even if still only in my heart. Guys in their 20's don't like being called that... go figure. ;)

I've spent the last several hours on my computer with the last stop being my PictureTrails account. I had an art piece that needed to be uploaded, but when I did that, I saw that they'd added a "home page" feature.

There's something meditative about tinkering with account settings trying to get it to look the way I want it to. In the Pre-internet days, the same state was usually achieved through the TV or quilting or baking or carving.

But, I did set up a HomePage there. I don't know if I'll keep the page up though. The social networking option is the piece that I'm not too sure of.

I have some of the Best Friends that God put on this planet. I also know a lot of other people who fall somewhere in the continuum between "other people on the planet" to "Friends and Family." Too, I seem to have some people who think we're closer than I think we are. Not that I begrudge them however they perceive our connection, just that it seems to be different from my perspective.

So, I'm not sure if I want to have the option in my life of people I don't know and people who don't know me being able to create links to me.

Not that I think that using the Internet isn't a viable way of connecting. I've made some friends over the years of being wired. But, just as "Real Life" friendships were formed, Online Friendships came about as we chatted and learned about each other no matter what it was that made us first cross online paths. I don't become acquaintances with everyone who's path I cross and few of them eventually become friends, regardless of whether that path was the concrete sidewalk or the amorphous strands on the online web.

But, I've spoken with students who've told me that they have over 200 friends on their various online social networks. Do I know 200 people? Probably. Do I have 200 friends? No.

Last year, I had volunteered to staff an event for work with the understanding that I wouldn't be doing it alone. But the day before the event, I found out that no one else had stepped forward. Before too much time had passed, I found 2 Friends who said that they'd join me even though they didn't work at the same place and didn't know what they'd be asked to do. I mentioned to someone else that I had 2 friends who were going to be helping me out. That person responded with, "Lucky you! I don't know anyone who'd help me out like that."

The rest of the day, the phrase "How sad" kept echoing in me. And how glad I am for having the Friends that I do have.

So, I'm not going to become friends with everyone who leaves a note for me there... or here for that matter. Only the Future knows what's in store there.

Tonight, I'll close with the piece had submitted to the Munson Williams Proctor Arts Institute's Summer Sidewaok Art Show. Tomorrow, I'll be posting my thoughts on the first debate between Michael Arcuri and Ray Meier assuming I'm not too tired from the trip back from Oneonta.
-Maimun

All Rights are Reserved. Do not copy.

Swiftboating on the Erie Canal

2006-07-17T23:43:00.000-04:00

And so it begins.
Swiftboating: it's not how to deal with the recent flooding.

The Huffington Post has a piece entitled, "The Swiftboaters are Back in the Water" It got my attention because Ray Meier's name came up:

Rick Reed of Stevens Reed Curcio & Potholm (SRCP) was hired by the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth. And what have they been up to, you ask? Working with LaCivita at USA Next, for one. From Maine Firm to Help "Dynamite" Opposition to Social Security Privatization:
"The Maine connection comes through Rick Reed, partner at the Maine firm Stevens Reed Curcio & Potholm who USA Next is attempting to hire."
And SRCP is continuing to otherwise stir up trouble. March 2005: American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, Speak Out Against Misleading Driver's License TV Ad:
"Recently, the Coalition for a Secure Driver's License, released a television advertisement [created by Stevens Reed Curcio & Potholm] regarding the issue of illegal immigrants' access to photo IDs and drivers' licenses. The advertisement incorrectly conflates the issues of immigration and national security while also inflaming fears about Arabs, Muslims, and Arab-Americans. In effect, the Coalition for a Secure Driver's License utilizes anti-terrorism rhetoric to push their anti-immigration agenda."
For 2006 campaign SRCP has signed up with two Ohio Republicans, Craig Foltin and Frank Guglielmi, and sending a media consultant with the Ray Meier campaign in New York. Swiftboating is sure to follow.

The article goes into great detail about "swiftboating," how it's done and who is guilty of it.

In the Readers' Digest condensed version, it's the somewhat recent tool of personal, unfounded, highly emotionally charged attacks, typically envoking fear and rage used by Republicans against anyone. Sen. Kerry was a target, and so too was Sen. McCain. They're not opposed to cannibalism.

And it's on its way here.

Not that it'll be the first time we see it here. Just the first time someone's renting it locally.

Don't put your rubber boots away just yet. And start taking your anti-oxidents. When swiftboating's in the air, you're going to need to think to protect yourself.
Maimun

Blue Moon, We're not Standing Alone

2006-07-16T22:31:00.000-04:00

I haven't been a big fan of the DNC or DCCC for a while. I'm still a Democratic committee member and am a true believer that if you're not in the game you give up your right to bellyache. And I almost always have an opinion.

So, when the previously named groups ask for my continued financial support, I told them not until they get back to continued support of Democrats and not Repukelican wannabes.

They're getting there. I'm not trustful of rapid, radical change. Anything that's changed that fast can be again changed that fast, so I can live with steps in the right direction.

DCCC took one last week.

Michael Arcuri was named to the "Red to Blue" program, a program launched in February to take back the House majority.

Obviously, the Bandministration thinks that Mike can take the NY 24th into the Blue, too. Why else would the first shot be the Creepy Veep himself?

But, more than red or blue, we've been mostly purple around here.

Most NY24thers believe that we were lied to to get us into a war we shouldn't be in.

Most believe that we should get out, but in a way that doesn't create more harm than we've already done.

Most believe that a minimum living wage should be a national standard.

Most believe that a woman has the right to choose, but how much better if prevention were stronger?

Most believe that we are a nation of immigrants and to be otherwise dishonors our grandparents.

Most believe that everyone should have the chance to go to college.

Most believe that it is a national shame that too many Americans need to choose between food, rent and medicines.

Most believe that national security and civil rights are not mutually exclusive.

Most believe that gas costs unfairly too much.

Most believe that the American government, from city halls to the White House should be open and honest.

These are Democratic values. They are also American Values.

We've been Blue all along.
Maimun

Visitation, Huge Political Contribution, and Dinner

2006-07-13T23:45:00.000-04:00

It's going to be a busy day tomorrow here in Utica.

I've previously commented on the Friend of Ray Meier that's visiting tomorrow. Now I'll comment on the visit.

In 2000, I often got a relative up-close-and-personal look at Secret Service, not only when Sen. Clinton ran, but also when she gave the Commencement speech at MVCC. The costs and efforts needed for her to give that speech was stunning. What had the most impact on me, because I always volunteer to act as a Greeter at Commencement, was my additional obligation that day was to confiscate all umbrellas that anyone brought. That was the directive from the Secret Service.

I don't begrudge anyone safety and I was glad that she chose MVCC as the place to give her first commensement speech as a Senator. Students who hadn't considered attending their graduation ceremony did attend because she was speaking. The profit of her visit was students crossing the stage to receive their hard-earned diploma who might otherwise have just waited for the mail to get delivered.

Things will be different tomorrow night.

$1,000 to get a picture with Vice President Cheney. It's $2,000 if you want the little woman in the picture too.

And the profit there goes to Ray Meier.

But that's not all.

Word's out that WKTV will be broadcasting the Veep's speech at the fundraiser as it happens. That's a MASSIVE political contribution Clear Channel is giving Ray Meier. Unless word is wrong and Meier is actually buying that broadcast time from the TV station with some of that $ he's been raising and hording.

Yea... right. I'm not that stupid.

If WKTV does broadcast the Veep speech, I do believe it will be violating FEC rules.
If WKTV does broadcast the Veep speech, I don't believe that it would give Michael Arcuri the same donation.
If WKTV does broadcast the Veep speech, I do believe that the Meier campaign will be knowingly accepting a bad donation.
If WKTV does broadcast the Veep speech... everyone having hissy fits about a so-called "liberal media" can just SHUT UP.

Phew... it was rather nice to get that out of my system.

But it's not a dark day in the Mohawk Valley. We are caring, compassionate, and generous people here. In 1996, when Sherwood Boehlert welcomed Newt Gingrich to Utica and profited by tens of thousands of dollars, many of us gathered for a simple dinner at St. Francis DeSales Church. Now, 10 years later, many will do the same. There is a protest planned for the afternoon prior to the Veep's arrival.

Afterwards, while the less that 30% of the citizenry that still like this Badministration will eat for $150 and buy one soulvenier of the evening for $1,000 (per person), St. Francis DeSales Church will again host a dinner that the other 70% would probably be more interested in. The suggested donation is $2.00 and a dish to share. Proceeds will be donated to an organization which provides assistance to wounded Vets.

Ten years ago, the dinner at St. Francis DeSales was standing room only. Literally. Moving in the room was more like shuffling and wiggling with hope. I'm sure that tomorrow will be the same. And the food will be as satisfying.

Evil works when good people do nothing. So, tomorrow do something. DO. It's not enough to just talk about everything wrong. Words need to become action if anything is to ever change. Don't just stand there. Don't just talk (or write or blog) about how wrong things are. Don't just hope, wish and pray that thing change.

DO SOMETHING

Teach someone new about how we're on the wrong track.
Register a new voter.
Submit a letter to the editor (to EVERY newspaper in the region!)
Put on a bumper sticker.
Volunteer... anywhere that can make a difference.
Get involved in a political campaign.

And I'll ask this of you. If you think this Badministration's taking America in the wrong direction. If you think that things can be a lot better. If you think $1,000 per person for a picture is a but much. (get this... for $60, I can get a picture with Captain Kirk!)

Make a donation to Michael Arcuri.

Remember... the Veep is not here because Meier has so much pull in DC and that the two of them are such buds. No, Cheney is here for one reason only. The NeoCons are desperate to hold on to any and every seat they can. And they'll do everything and anything to do so. Meier's has been bought and sold with this fundraiser. They'll be bringing in even more to deliver him to DC.

I've been active in politics for a long time now. I know that familiarity breeds complacency which too often becomes jadedness. But when it was first announced that Cheney was coming to stump for Meier, my first thought was "oh... oh... god. They've sent the Vice President after us. And people I live and work near are going to pay a thousand dollars a person to get a picture with him."

That's what we're facing. The Vice-President and $2,000 memorabelia.

So, help Michael Arcuri help us.

Click on the Act Blue link in the sidebar... send a check in... donate through Act Blue directly... hey, bring in your pennies (I'll count them myself).

And do something. Volunteer in the campaign. Teach your friends and family about Mike. Spread the word. Send a check. Host a house party or coffee.

Do something so Evil doesn't win.
Maimun

Another voice

2006-07-13T00:04:00.000-04:00

Here's another person's perspective on Michael Arcuri.

Lorraine, if you'd like to ring some doorbells, click here. Everyone else also invited!
Maimun

Pushmepulliu

2006-07-10T23:11:00.000-04:00

My hard drive is back and my nights of reading, crafting and playing with my cat are on hold again. Well, not so much the playing with the cat... That time's just too precious.

As you probably know by now, Dick Cheney is coming to town. Personally, as long as he doesn't deliver a ticket to Guantanimo with my name on it, I'm thrilled he's coming.

Someone like him standing beside Ray Meier shows me clearly what Ray Meier stands for.

Crude, rude talking that we don't accept from our children. At the very least, it was immature, uncivilized and pointless.

Making profits over pain and suffering.

Leaking the name of an undercover operative.

Uber-macho hunting.

Energy Bills made by energy companies.

Influence peddling.

And the list doesn't stop there.

Two items, I could say was coincidence. But this really is a case of where there's smoke, there's a raging inferno.

Certainly, we are protected from guilt by association... oh, never mind. I'm sure there's a list somewhere with my name on it simply because I'm Muslim along with a lot of other names listed for the very same reason. Once upon a time in America, we used to live under the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. By naked Imperial decree, that document has been shredded.

Besides, long before America was born, people where known by the company they kept. Standing with this Badministration also means standing for the immorality of the Badministration.

I do find it hilarious though that the Meier crew is trying to spin this visit as a display of the pull the NY State Senator has with the Badministration.

That ocean-front property down the road is still for sale if you buy that spin.

It's the Orwellian newspeak that Shrub is so fond of in action here. Meier doesn't have that pull. Cheney and buddies have that kind of push. And Meier will goosestep along as he always has.

Honestly... if the pull really went the way they want us to believe, would we have really had to wait DAYS before we in Oneida County were declared qualified for FEMA aid after the local flooding that people saw on CNN?

Honestly... if the pull really went the way they want us to believe, would NYRI, the people who would like to bring us the Power Lines and Higher Electricity Costs, have gone to the Badministration for approval for said plans, thereby skirting around state rights?

Honestly... if the pull really went the way they want us to believe, would the Federal minimum Wage be significantly lower than NY's? After all, Central NY is the proverbial ruptured artery when it comes to population loss. Wouldn't that much clout have qualified to at least try to create a level starting field?

Honestly... if the pull really went the way they want us to believe, wouldn't some of those "powerful and influential people" have even noticed that we existed for the last 6 years?

Honestly... (said with a huff)
Maimun

See How Mike Runs

2006-07-10T10:02:00.000-04:00

Well, at least they had a picture of Michael Arcuri running the Boilermaker on the OD web page.

I need a new camera.

Maimun

See How They Run

2006-07-09T22:58:00.000-04:00

Well, it took me long enough, but I finally got to view the Utica Boilermaker. It's the largest 15K race in the country and a summertime fixture in the area. I doubt there's a week in the year that goes by without there being something in the paper about the race.

Michael Arcuri has, I believe, usually run the race. This year, Eliot Spitzer also ran. They both ran the 5K this year.

So, I was up at the (insert your own adjective) hour of 5:00 AM and on the sidewalk at 6:30. Democratic supporters from the Mohawk Valley blew up balloons, handed out bumper stickers and palm cards and cheered loudly as our candidates and friends went by.

It was a very early morning for me, especially as I'd spent yesterday at the Sterling Renaissance Festival. It's going to be a while before my legs recover. But it was a lot of fun and inspiring to watch the runners. I was especially struck by the kids who made the run look easy.

I've been working on campaigns for a long time now. I'm having a lot of fun doing new things this year thanks to the Arcuri campaign. Though all the weekend trips next summer will cost me a fortune!
Maimun

Computer scared to death

2006-06-29T23:17:00.000-04:00

This week, we get word that Dick "F" Cheney is coming to town to hang with Ray Meier. My computer got an invite to go hunting with them, so it high-tailed it out of town. Therefore, no updates to this site until it's back. Email is also iffy. Will be back as soon as I can. Sorry.
Maimun

Major Endorsement Announced

2006-06-23T17:10:00.000-04:00

This'll probably come back to bite me, but it's just too funny to pass up.

God has endorsed Michael Arcuri and God wants you (or at least someone named Ned) to make a big donation to him.

Really. He said so on his blog. God, that is. Click here to see for yourself.

And here I've been wishing that I could do a better job of posting my pieces. If, in the midst of everything going on in the Everything, God can still make the time to write a blog, I have no excuse not to write. Then again, He can literally "make time" and I can't.

Seriously though, and I haven't yet read that whole blog other than that one piece, but I get a little suspicious whenever I hear public people talking about God. Whether it's religious or political leaders seeking to pull forth the Day of Judgement, or others saying that God has no business outside the church, I have yet to hear public discussions that reflect my beliefs.

I have had private discussions about God, faith, belief and actions, but most public talk seems to melt down into "Only mine" vs "none" and that's just not a dichotomy that works for me.

But then, killing people to stop abortions doesn't make sense to me either. And those guys arrested in Florida yesterday... did they know that the Sears Tower architect was Muslim?

Anyway, I'll keep being suspicious of those who seem to find it so easy to use God's name in obtaining their wants. I like to think that I'm following the Path, but as Joan of Arc said--- If I'm on the Path, I pray God help me stay there. If I'm not on the Path, I pray He help me get on it.

And one last thought... there's another multiple personality blogger who stated that Mike is not a demon and now God weighs in. I thought this campaign was huge, but I didn't think it was THIS huge! So, click here and do your share to ensure a better future.
Maimun

Where in the 24th? (ETA)

2006-06-22T23:59:00.000-04:00

In the choice between Michael Arcuri and Ray Meier, who do you plan to vote for?

I ask because a teacher, even though he's retired and I'm long passed my high school years, once again got me to see more than I saw. Not too long ago, I put up a Frappr map here because I was so enjoying so much of NYS as I helped on the campaign for Michael Arcuri for Congress. I just put up tags on the places I've visited, but thought nothing more of that.

Tonight, I saw said teacher and he commented on my campaign pin. As we talked further, he told me he was supporting Mike. When he came to this site, he asked to be added to the map.

My first reaction was to respectfully decline saying that it was just a plain map showing locations. But before I sent the message, I realized that the map could be not just a tally of places, but also an interesting visual of all the people supporting Mike.

So, if you're a supporter of Michael Arcuri, send me a response telling me why (only for my eyes... I can't do anything if you lie, but that's between you and your soul), include your email, and I'll send you an invite to the map.

Sad stuff:
I hereby reserve the right to remove people for violating nettequite.
The Arcuri for Congress campaign has no responsibility over the map and the two do not interact.
This map has been posted for fun, curiousity, and solidarity. I will dissolve it should that spirit be threatened.
Maimun

ETA: Forgot to add this last night... Your comments with email addresses will not be posted to this site should you respond to this posting. If you want your comments to be made public, post them WITHOUT your email address and ask that I make it public. I'm not saving emails and you're not going to get added to any list. If you want to volunteer on Mike's campaign, click here.

Free the Elephant!

2006-06-18T23:37:00.000-04:00

I watched an show on Animal Planet today about the "Cave Elephants." There's a herd of elephants in a particular region who must get their salt intake by entering a deep cave and actually mine the salts out. They've been doing this for years. But some time ago (I missed the year mentioned), a group of ivory poachers ambushed the herd as they were attempting the exit the narrow mouth of the cave. Some of the herd survived and they are still a part of the herd that currently lives there. From what the show was saying, they either never returned to that cave until very recently, or they rarely returned there. In a spine-tingling way, they stopped next to what the native tribe there calls "Poachers' Rock" on their way down the mountain side. To me, it reminded me of saying a prayer beside a gravestone.

Elephants have always filled me with awe. They display a very strong social formation, they communicate in ways we're barely starting to become aware of, and they have demonstrated a gentleness and thoughtfulness that we sadly don't expect from "animals." During the tsunami of last year, there were documented cases of elephants saving humans.

So, I never blamed the elephant for being chosen as the symbol of the Republicans. To be wise, gentle, strong, caring, with good memories and communications abilities is certainly something to strive for. And it's not like the Elephant bought their way into becoming that symbol. They didn't lobby for the job. They didn't even get it because of who their daddy was. No, it's not the elephant's fault that it's the logo of the nightmare we're in today.

But I propose a new image for the new GOP. With the evident lack of wisdom, gentility, strength, compassion, memory and good communications, the elephant just doesn't fit the image they portray now.

Consider this:
not important: Bush lying to get the country into war
important: Clinton got a blow-job

not important: Fox news director announcing his relative won Florida
important: Janet Jackson's wardrobe

not important: Saddam was supported by Rumsfeld
important: Saddam was a regional threat

not important: Saddam had nothing to do with the attack on NYC
important: "Saddam and al-Qaida, Saddam andal-Qaida, Saddamandal-Qaida..."

not important: poverty rates continue to climb
important: gay people want to get married!!

not important: senior citizens often need to choose between rent, food and medicine
important: Terry Schaivo

therefore, I hereby propose a new symbol for the GOP. The Red Herring. It was interesting that the 6th image to come up on Google images from a "red herring" search was this. Hey, if the shoe fits...
Maimun

Daring to Try

2006-06-11T11:38:00.000-04:00

There's something always exciting about facing a challenge and overcoming it. As a counselor, I get to help others with that process and once a year I have the honor of watching students graduate often knowing what they had to face beyond tests and papers.

But we all have personal challenges to deal with.

There's a local art show sponsored by Munson Williams Proctor Institute that I've enjoyed visiting for years. I've always been lucky enough to have artistic friends, but just as I've never taken a political science class, neither have I taken a formal art class.

But art has come to be a serious hobby for me. And there are some days that it's a lot more than a just a hobby. There are some days where making something creative is the best counterbalance for some of the other aspects of the day.

But past week I took the plunge and submitted a piece to the Sidewalk Art Show. I've thought of doing it for the last few years, but it's a juried show. My usual justification for not doing it was that the submission day was the day that I leave for my annual get away. The stronger reason, most simply, was that I just was too chicken.

So I had to laugh as I was leaving the museum and the guard commented "Well, that didn't take long."

"Actually, it probably took like 15 years," I answered.

Dropping the piece off didn't take long. Working up the courage to do so probably took too long.

And yesterday, I got the postcard telling me that my piece had been accepted for display!
Maimun

On the Road to Smithville Flats

2006-06-11T01:05:00.000-04:00

It was Smithville Flats Days in Smithville Flats, NY. I was again on the road for the Michael Arcuri campaign. We were there for a parade and on the way back, we stopped at 2006 Wet Paint, an arts celebration in Oxford, NY. Unfortunately, the wet weather put a damper on the Wet Paint celebration.

The weather wasn't all that friendly, though once again the people were. Maybe that sums up living in Central NY. At least today, I remembered to grab a jacket. As much as I was glad for having it, I really wish I'd thought to put on socks and sneakers instead of spring sandals. Silly me.. I thought it was June.

When I moved back here after living in Washington, I had the hardest time trying to fall asleep. It was just too quiet. But I've been here long enough now and with the memories of growing up here that I can find contentment living here.

There's nothing like small towns that still embody community. Kids playing across backyards, neighbors visiting on front porches, neighbors watching over the said kids, and everyone knowing each other.

And in spite of the grey skies and occasional rain, driving though the 24th Congressional district is sheer joy. Add good company and this is more fun than I've had in a very long time. The landscape is often breath-taking. The wildlife is humbling.

Though there are dangerous temptations out there too. I've been finding more used book stores and really need to start mapping those out so I can get back to them. Today's test was a rubber stamping store in Oxford, NY, the Creative Stamper. I don't think I failed the test.... I just didn't spend a fortune there today. Which is pretty impressive, I think, because they carried not only paper arts supplies, but jewelry-making supplies too.

Who knows... maybe tomorrow I'll even get a little time to play.
Maimun