It's been a draining week for us here in the Mohawk Valley. Last Monday, a local jewelry store was robbed.
Now, around here, the robberies are occassional banks but usually mini-marts where the robbers grab a handful of candy bars on the way out.
But Monday, 3 or 4 armed gunman handcuffed the store employees and got away with 1 million dollars worth of jewelry, including unmounted diamonds (according to the Observer-Dispatch). From the robbery came a car chase, a foot chase, police helocopters, canine patrols, and residents being warned to stay in their houses. We're just not used to that around here.
And that made the death of Officer Joseph Corr that much harder to bear.
Friday, we held a funeral the likes of which has never been seen here. Due to a prior committment, I was unable to attend, though I watched as much as I could on television. Hundreds of police officers from across the North East, including Canadian Mounties marched. Fire departments were also represented by the hundreds. They closed school for the day in New Hartford and set up remote sites for people to watch the funeral on closed circuit TV in the schools. The funeral home and church were about half a mile from each other, yet it took over half an hour for the funeral procession to finish. I was out of town by the time the church service ended, but can't imagine the procession to the cemetary.
Joe Corr is 30 and he leaves behind a wife and 1 year old daughter. He comes from a family of police officers and public service was a virtue in the family. He also served in the volunteer fire department and his wife is a nurse.
Sometimes, it feels like there's a very thin line that keeps Evil away. People like Joe Corr keep that line intact for us, so we can stay in our homes, locked and secure, but while he and his brothers remain outside with what we hide from.
No words of thanks can ever repay what law enforcers give all of us, no word of sorry can ever ease the pain of of Officer Corr's passing, but may his memories comfort those who miss him and may his and the brothers' efforts continue through all those they touch.
Maimun
20060304
20060302
Les Roberts wrote a letter to me and all I got was annoyed.
It is annoying enough when it’s the Republicans that treat me like an idiot, but now a “fellow Democrat” is doing it too. What’s that saying about “friends like these”?
Saturday, I received a letter from Congressional candidate Les Roberts who’s running in the NY 24th. I’m a member of the Oneida County Democratic Committee. Now, it’s no secret that I’m supporting Michael Arcuri. But I do think that political discussions are important and there is value in different people coming forth with ideas and opinions. But this is a challenging election in a pretty red part of the state with a 12th term incumbent. Experience, integrity and leadership, I feel, is what will make the difference this year.
Les Roberts, even should he become the endorsed Democratic candidate, will not get my support because of the letter I received from him. At best, he does not understand the political process. And if a person can’t take the time to learn the process he is stepping into, I doubt he would be able to learn quickly enough to be an effective Representative for the one term he’d be elected for. If he doesn’t take the time, he’s not ready.
Roberts starts his letter by informing me of a “straw poll” being held by the Oneida County Democratic Committee on Tuesday, March 2nd. I work at a college and write a monthly column in a newspaper and I know how important proof reading is. And I also know that some things do slip through, so the error of the day-date I can live with.
But for a candidate screening by the Executive Committee before they make their recommendation to the general Committee as required by our bylaws to be tagged a “straw poll” trivializes the task the Committee has of endorsing the best candidate and ignores the importance of his involvement. Besides which… I don’t serve on the County Executive Committee, so I have no vote to cast in any direction. At least I understand the process the Committee must follow. Roberts’ statement could be taken by someone unfamiliar with our bylaws to imply exclusion and hijacking as most of the people who received the letter would not have known about or been able to attend the screening.
Then there’s this sentence in the letter:
“I am fortunate enough to have a supporter who is a political fundraiser in Congressman Rahm Emanuel’s
(Chair of the DCCC) Congressional District and is hosting a fundraiser for me this weekend”
For no valid reason, I’ll share with you that I am fortunate enough to have a friend I’ve known her entire life who is an artist in Congressman Rahm Emanuel’s (Chair DCCC) Congressional District and who has sent me artwork and poetry for over 20 years. I don’t know if she knows Emanuel, but I don’t him, have never met him and he hasn’t endorsed me or my friend for anything (at least not that I know of).
Sorry, Les. Both working brain cells read your sentence and unfortunately for you, I understood it for what it was.
He also invited me to look at the events listed on his website. But looking beyond just that link also showed more worrisome problems. A stated strength of his candidacy is his research and scientific background. The one concern the website raises that I’ll point to now is the lying by omission in referring to a web poll conducted by WKRT out of Cortland. Granted, the blog entry is written by Josh Lozeman, but it’s on the Official Campaign site. He writes:
“It is – of course – always wonderful for any campaign to see a poll showing them in the lead. It is even
Then he invites readers to look at the radio station’s site with the actual poll. I clicked on the link and found yes, Roberts is just 4 points behind Sherwood Boehlert. But neither is in the lead.
Yes, it is wonderful to see the candidate I’m supporting in the lead. The breakdown, as of February 27, 2006, 9:30PM is:
Sherwood Boehlert – 25%
Brad Jones - 12%
Les Roberts - 21%
Bruce Tytler - 5%
Mike Arcuri - 37%
I’ve been an active County Committeemember for 14 years, so I’m hoping that these serious errors in the Roberts letter are due to inexperience and ignorance. I’ve worked on a previous Congressional race and know that those two aspects alone can implode a campaign before the Republicans do anything.
Too much is at stake this year to start that much in the deficit.
Maimun
Saturday, I received a letter from Congressional candidate Les Roberts who’s running in the NY 24th. I’m a member of the Oneida County Democratic Committee. Now, it’s no secret that I’m supporting Michael Arcuri. But I do think that political discussions are important and there is value in different people coming forth with ideas and opinions. But this is a challenging election in a pretty red part of the state with a 12th term incumbent. Experience, integrity and leadership, I feel, is what will make the difference this year.
Les Roberts, even should he become the endorsed Democratic candidate, will not get my support because of the letter I received from him. At best, he does not understand the political process. And if a person can’t take the time to learn the process he is stepping into, I doubt he would be able to learn quickly enough to be an effective Representative for the one term he’d be elected for. If he doesn’t take the time, he’s not ready.
Roberts starts his letter by informing me of a “straw poll” being held by the Oneida County Democratic Committee on Tuesday, March 2nd. I work at a college and write a monthly column in a newspaper and I know how important proof reading is. And I also know that some things do slip through, so the error of the day-date I can live with.
But for a candidate screening by the Executive Committee before they make their recommendation to the general Committee as required by our bylaws to be tagged a “straw poll” trivializes the task the Committee has of endorsing the best candidate and ignores the importance of his involvement. Besides which… I don’t serve on the County Executive Committee, so I have no vote to cast in any direction. At least I understand the process the Committee must follow. Roberts’ statement could be taken by someone unfamiliar with our bylaws to imply exclusion and hijacking as most of the people who received the letter would not have known about or been able to attend the screening.
Then there’s this sentence in the letter:
“I am fortunate enough to have a supporter who is a political fundraiser in Congressman Rahm Emanuel’s
(Chair of the DCCC) Congressional District and is hosting a fundraiser for me this weekend”
For no valid reason, I’ll share with you that I am fortunate enough to have a friend I’ve known her entire life who is an artist in Congressman Rahm Emanuel’s (Chair DCCC) Congressional District and who has sent me artwork and poetry for over 20 years. I don’t know if she knows Emanuel, but I don’t him, have never met him and he hasn’t endorsed me or my friend for anything (at least not that I know of).
Sorry, Les. Both working brain cells read your sentence and unfortunately for you, I understood it for what it was.
He also invited me to look at the events listed on his website. But looking beyond just that link also showed more worrisome problems. A stated strength of his candidacy is his research and scientific background. The one concern the website raises that I’ll point to now is the lying by omission in referring to a web poll conducted by WKRT out of Cortland. Granted, the blog entry is written by Josh Lozeman, but it’s on the Official Campaign site. He writes:
“It is – of course – always wonderful for any campaign to see a poll showing them in the lead. It is even
Then he invites readers to look at the radio station’s site with the actual poll. I clicked on the link and found yes, Roberts is just 4 points behind Sherwood Boehlert. But neither is in the lead.
Yes, it is wonderful to see the candidate I’m supporting in the lead. The breakdown, as of February 27, 2006, 9:30PM is:
Sherwood Boehlert – 25%
Brad Jones - 12%
Les Roberts - 21%
Bruce Tytler - 5%
Mike Arcuri - 37%
I’ve been an active County Committeemember for 14 years, so I’m hoping that these serious errors in the Roberts letter are due to inexperience and ignorance. I’ve worked on a previous Congressional race and know that those two aspects alone can implode a campaign before the Republicans do anything.
Too much is at stake this year to start that much in the deficit.
Maimun
20060221
Port security
More proof that we're really the ones in the Alternate Universe...
I'm rather surprised at the brewhaha rising from the sale of the British company to a UAE company whch provides security services to the USA major ports.
I have no problem with a UAE company, British company, Mexican, Canadian or Vulcan for that matter.
But, there are 2 aspects of this deal that offends me.
One... why do we need to spend American dollars on the other side of the border? Places I've worked and my own shopping preferences is to keep the local dollars local.
Two... Does Bush really expect me to believe that there is no American company that can provide security services at the ports?
Maybe Bush and Cheney are just waiting til Halliburton develops a division so it can get that federal contract too?
Maimun
I'm rather surprised at the brewhaha rising from the sale of the British company to a UAE company whch provides security services to the USA major ports.
I have no problem with a UAE company, British company, Mexican, Canadian or Vulcan for that matter.
But, there are 2 aspects of this deal that offends me.
One... why do we need to spend American dollars on the other side of the border? Places I've worked and my own shopping preferences is to keep the local dollars local.
Two... Does Bush really expect me to believe that there is no American company that can provide security services at the ports?
Maybe Bush and Cheney are just waiting til Halliburton develops a division so it can get that federal contract too?
Maimun
Quayle ducked?
I watched Scott McClellan's press conference on Cheney's shooting at
http://www.crooksandliars.com/2006/02/13.html#a7142
And in all honesty, there are minutes, OK, seconds, when I do wish I was as dumb as this White House would like me to be and/or thinks I am. I mean wouldn't it be nice if the worst thing to bother me was if my socks match my boots or something along those lines. Unfortunately for Shrub, both my brain cells are working and I can't even think up a decent example of how dumb he needs me to be.
The Raw Story has the transcript of the press conference at:
http://rawstory.com/news/2005/White_House_briefing_Reporters_go_after_0213.html
SM said: "Well, I think that the first priority was making sure that Harry Whittington, Mr. Whittington, was getting the medical care that he needed."
OK. Good. That is pretty much what people who get shot need. But do you really expect me to believe that First Responders, EMTs or Emergency Room doctors would be the ones who'd have to stop providing medical services and report the incident to the public? Or was that in the fine print of the new Medicare plan?
reporter Q: So as of Saturday night, you didn't know, the White House did not know that Vice President Cheney --
SM: No, there were details coming in throughout that night and into the morning. I mean, there was additional information coming in at 3:00 in the morning and 4:00 in the morning and even after that. So.
I understand. The devastation in Bhagdad/New Orleans is extensive and infrastructure has been severely compromised. Electricity is out or intermittent, phone lines are down, roads are littered with rubble, looting and pillaging is rampant. It's understandable that news would have a hard time getting out of war and disaster zones. In fact, it's pretty amazing that Whittington got the medical assistance he needed under the circumstances. Oh... Wait. Cheney was in Corpus Christi.. in Texas.. in a breed 'em-born 'em-shoot 'em ranch. So, why wasn't someone able to use a phone and say "There's been a hunting accident where Vice President shot Whittington who is receiving medical attention and expected to fully recover"?
MR. MCCLELLAN: I'm sorry, I'd reject that. I disagree with that fully, Peter. I don't know what you're referring to there, but I reject the insinuation there.
sssooooo... 'I don't know what you mean, but I completely disagree with it.'
OH, this is getting too easy to poke fun at.. I can't do it... it's too easy.. like shooting 78-year-old men in the face..
Maimun
http://www.crooksandliars.com/2006/02/13.html#a7142
And in all honesty, there are minutes, OK, seconds, when I do wish I was as dumb as this White House would like me to be and/or thinks I am. I mean wouldn't it be nice if the worst thing to bother me was if my socks match my boots or something along those lines. Unfortunately for Shrub, both my brain cells are working and I can't even think up a decent example of how dumb he needs me to be.
The Raw Story has the transcript of the press conference at:
http://rawstory.com/news/2005/White_House_briefing_Reporters_go_after_0213.html
SM said: "Well, I think that the first priority was making sure that Harry Whittington, Mr. Whittington, was getting the medical care that he needed."
OK. Good. That is pretty much what people who get shot need. But do you really expect me to believe that First Responders, EMTs or Emergency Room doctors would be the ones who'd have to stop providing medical services and report the incident to the public? Or was that in the fine print of the new Medicare plan?
reporter Q: So as of Saturday night, you didn't know, the White House did not know that Vice President Cheney --
SM: No, there were details coming in throughout that night and into the morning. I mean, there was additional information coming in at 3:00 in the morning and 4:00 in the morning and even after that. So.
I understand. The devastation in Bhagdad/New Orleans is extensive and infrastructure has been severely compromised. Electricity is out or intermittent, phone lines are down, roads are littered with rubble, looting and pillaging is rampant. It's understandable that news would have a hard time getting out of war and disaster zones. In fact, it's pretty amazing that Whittington got the medical assistance he needed under the circumstances. Oh... Wait. Cheney was in Corpus Christi.. in Texas.. in a breed 'em-born 'em-shoot 'em ranch. So, why wasn't someone able to use a phone and say "There's been a hunting accident where Vice President shot Whittington who is receiving medical attention and expected to fully recover"?
MR. MCCLELLAN: I'm sorry, I'd reject that. I disagree with that fully, Peter. I don't know what you're referring to there, but I reject the insinuation there.
sssooooo... 'I don't know what you mean, but I completely disagree with it.'
OH, this is getting too easy to poke fun at.. I can't do it... it's too easy.. like shooting 78-year-old men in the face..
Maimun
20060207
belated Happy Groundhog's Day
Got this in an email today and it's too funny to not save here.
Subject: A Juxtaposition? GROUNDHOG DAY
This year, both Groundhog Day and the State of the Union Address fall on the same day. As Air America Radio pointed out, "It is an ironic juxtaposition: One involves a meaningless ritual in which we look to a creature of little intelligence for prognostication, and the other involves a groundhog."
-Maimun
Subject: A Juxtaposition? GROUNDHOG DAY
This year, both Groundhog Day and the State of the Union Address fall on the same day. As Air America Radio pointed out, "It is an ironic juxtaposition: One involves a meaningless ritual in which we look to a creature of little intelligence for prognostication, and the other involves a groundhog."
-Maimun
20060205
opinions, facts and blogging
When I first started this blog, I thought of it as a place to retreat, observe, and comment as if I were sitting on a front porch watching the world go by.
I should have known better. My days of sitting on the sidelines and watching were a long time and a bad habit ago. The saying, "Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, chocolate in one hand, wine in the other, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming, "WOO HOO! What a RIDE!" Only I'd substitute "cake" and "mead" in place of chocolate and wine.
But there's another reason I'm here again. I'm helping with a Congressional campaign again this year and since my Internet connection is much better now, I've been exploring more websites than ever to learn as much as I can about what's going on in NY's 24th Congressional district. Eventually, that led me to also look at blogs.
And what I tended to find annoyed me more than anything.
So, if you're reading this, I ask the following of you:
If I present a fact without crediting the source - question my fact
If I present a conclusion without documenting reasons for it - take it as opinion, as weighted as anyone else's opinion
I'm not here to gossip or wage an underground campaign.
I sign my posts with my name. Granted, not my full name, but enough that it's no secret who I am and you don't need to go searching to find it.
I do use sarcasm and hyperboly pretty often though, so if you don't recognize it, ask for clarification.
I do my best to be accountable, make amends when I make mistakes, and try to ensure that my reasonings are sound and logical. I hope to never hurt unnecessarily anyone with my words or deeds, but have also lived enough to know that hurt is part of life.
that's it for tonight...
Maimun
I should have known better. My days of sitting on the sidelines and watching were a long time and a bad habit ago. The saying, "Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, chocolate in one hand, wine in the other, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming, "WOO HOO! What a RIDE!" Only I'd substitute "cake" and "mead" in place of chocolate and wine.
But there's another reason I'm here again. I'm helping with a Congressional campaign again this year and since my Internet connection is much better now, I've been exploring more websites than ever to learn as much as I can about what's going on in NY's 24th Congressional district. Eventually, that led me to also look at blogs.
And what I tended to find annoyed me more than anything.
So, if you're reading this, I ask the following of you:
If I present a fact without crediting the source - question my fact
If I present a conclusion without documenting reasons for it - take it as opinion, as weighted as anyone else's opinion
I'm not here to gossip or wage an underground campaign.
I sign my posts with my name. Granted, not my full name, but enough that it's no secret who I am and you don't need to go searching to find it.
I do use sarcasm and hyperboly pretty often though, so if you don't recognize it, ask for clarification.
I do my best to be accountable, make amends when I make mistakes, and try to ensure that my reasonings are sound and logical. I hope to never hurt unnecessarily anyone with my words or deeds, but have also lived enough to know that hurt is part of life.
that's it for tonight...
Maimun
20041015
Surfacing
but only for a quick gasp for air and it's once more into the breech.
Some days, it just feels like the best I can do is to grab a quick breath, gobble a quick bite to eat, hope a few hours of sleep are enough and get on to the next day. We're in the midst of Fall now and the days of sitting in the sun, reading or writing, or just listening to the singing birds while my cat naps in the catnip tub are gone until Spring.
It's already cold enough to wear socks in the house and my gloves are in my coat pockets. The heavy winter quilt came out over a week ago.
You'd think all this cooling down would also mark a slowing down. A readying for hibernation. But not quite yet. First we much gather the winter supplies, line our nests and burrows with whatever will hold in warmth, get out the sweaters and make sure we have enough socks.
Come December, we'll huddle under the quilts, a good book once again picked up, with a steaming cup of tea and rest...
Some days, it just feels like the best I can do is to grab a quick breath, gobble a quick bite to eat, hope a few hours of sleep are enough and get on to the next day. We're in the midst of Fall now and the days of sitting in the sun, reading or writing, or just listening to the singing birds while my cat naps in the catnip tub are gone until Spring.
It's already cold enough to wear socks in the house and my gloves are in my coat pockets. The heavy winter quilt came out over a week ago.
You'd think all this cooling down would also mark a slowing down. A readying for hibernation. But not quite yet. First we much gather the winter supplies, line our nests and burrows with whatever will hold in warmth, get out the sweaters and make sure we have enough socks.
Come December, we'll huddle under the quilts, a good book once again picked up, with a steaming cup of tea and rest...
20040925
Jumping in
Well, i'm taking the plunge into the world of blogging. And if i'm really lucky, I'll manage to keep up.
Someone recently told me that bloggers are folks with no life, who can sit all day and runimate on their time without having anything else to do. In one way, I can understand that impression... it's much like the way that all those afternoon talk shows are slanted in the direction that the folks who call in are typically home all day with the time to call their opinion in.
But these are difficult times and they demand complex actions.
I miss those columns I used to write in the OD, and it seems like that as time goes on, more and more folks ask about my writing. So, now I blog. It's said that if you're not part of the solution, then you're part of the problem. But too, i think that evil is what triumphs when good people do nothing.
So with the hope that I'm on the correct side of things, this will be my soapbox.
Of course, this raises the question just what will I do here?
Well, I'm certain that there will be a fair amount of politics here. And it's no secret that I'm a Democrat who leans to the left.
Hopefully there'll be poetry if I ever get back to writing poetry.
And tossed in throughout will be Star Trek (Voyager's my favorite, closely followed by TOS), my cat, Bangladeshi heritage, crafting, being a counselor, and anything, everything else that comprises my life. Who knows what else might come along? I'm fortunate enough to leave enough room in my life for life to happen. Sometimes, that's a pretty stressful thing, but it's also what lets the nicer surprises in.
But, for now... go visit www.jeffmiller2004.com especially in you're in the 24th congressional district. And be sure to stop there again after we revamp the web page!
register to vote. (Ever wonder why registering for the draft is manditory, but registering to vote is optional?!?)
get everyone you know registered to vote.
go to the websites of the candidates to see what they are saying rather than hoping that Fox might accidently get it right!
Well, that's it for now... bye
Maimun
Someone recently told me that bloggers are folks with no life, who can sit all day and runimate on their time without having anything else to do. In one way, I can understand that impression... it's much like the way that all those afternoon talk shows are slanted in the direction that the folks who call in are typically home all day with the time to call their opinion in.
But these are difficult times and they demand complex actions.
I miss those columns I used to write in the OD, and it seems like that as time goes on, more and more folks ask about my writing. So, now I blog. It's said that if you're not part of the solution, then you're part of the problem. But too, i think that evil is what triumphs when good people do nothing.
So with the hope that I'm on the correct side of things, this will be my soapbox.
Of course, this raises the question just what will I do here?
Well, I'm certain that there will be a fair amount of politics here. And it's no secret that I'm a Democrat who leans to the left.
Hopefully there'll be poetry if I ever get back to writing poetry.
And tossed in throughout will be Star Trek (Voyager's my favorite, closely followed by TOS), my cat, Bangladeshi heritage, crafting, being a counselor, and anything, everything else that comprises my life. Who knows what else might come along? I'm fortunate enough to leave enough room in my life for life to happen. Sometimes, that's a pretty stressful thing, but it's also what lets the nicer surprises in.
But, for now... go visit www.jeffmiller2004.com especially in you're in the 24th congressional district. And be sure to stop there again after we revamp the web page!
register to vote. (Ever wonder why registering for the draft is manditory, but registering to vote is optional?!?)
get everyone you know registered to vote.
go to the websites of the candidates to see what they are saying rather than hoping that Fox might accidently get it right!
Well, that's it for now... bye
Maimun
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