Thursday, June 30, 2011

6-30-11: minutes of executive session, suit in Hudson

Holcim is suing Hudson.

Here are the minutes of that executive session that is creating so much controversy in Stuyvesant.

Takes a while to get a pistol around here.

Teens arrested in Ghent.

Tweets:

Crandell Theatre
We're celebrating the one-year anniversary of our reopening with two special screenings. Saturday July 9th at 7 pm...

Tune in all night for audio from Cairo incl School Board mtg firing Super. Sally Sharkey Wed. night without giving any reason. www.wgxc.org

Working Families Party endorses; first nods since ballot-fraud case http://bit.ly/ih9OSC

RT @ABC: Turtles Slow Air Traffic to a Crawl at JFK Airport http://abcn.ws/jSmXU0

Copenhagen Ranked As World's Most Climate-Resilient City - US Cities Come In 7th & 8th http://bit.ly/k0vClS


Other:

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA FEDERAL ENERGY REGULATORY COMMISSION
Albany Engineering Corporation Project No. 2696-033 Town of Stuyvesant, New York
NOTICE OF SITE VISIT AND TECHNICAL MEETING
On July 12, 2011

Wednesday, June 29, 2011

6-29-11: summer stuff to do, hudson co-op, case across the river with a special prosecutor

Summer Festival, Hudson. Cool stuff.

Sports: volleyball. More sports.

I think I know who the new owners are and they are dynamite! Unless I mixed up the buildings. Stretch, relax, close your eyes.

Charge is videos of children under 16 involved in sex. Note that the special prosecutor had to be requested from the judge. Evan Spitz is the son of the Greene County Jail superintendent. That's the reason for the special prosecutor.

Stink bugs spreading and Saland taking heat for doing the right thing on gay marriage over here.

Opening July 2.

Hula Hoop Yes, Sword Swallow No.

At the Crandell.

Engineers and the future.

On the June 29th @Issue, Supervisor William Hughes and Hudson City Treasurer Eileen Halloran. 90.7fm Wed 10a @WGXC

Yesterday! Damn I didn't even post it, let alone go! Sorry!

Media Alert
For Immediate Release 6/20/11


Hudson, NY Food Co-op Advances; Second Community Forum Announced
Fast on the heels of a successful first neighborhood listening meeting, Acres Co-op Market announces a second community forum.

All who eat
June 28, Tuesday, 2011 6:30PM
First Presbyterian Church, Fellowship Hall (downstairs) Warren Street at Fourth Street Hudson, NY

Tuesday, June 28, 2011

6-28-11: politicians as traders, local gay weddings

Gay weddings already going on around the area. Fast actors.

The Chatham Press has a photo of a dog sign in Chatham at Kinderhook Street. Wonder what that is about? Page 2. Have to get a scan: no link online.

More signs.

I really wonder if anyone will try to explain what happened with the executive session in Stuyvesant.

It's like safety belts: yes, you can use them to choke someone but that is not what they are for. SAFETY is right in the name. Same with Zoning Board of APPEALS.

It's like we, some guys from the hood, went to a pick up softball game and the New York Yankees showed up. If the guys from the hood win, something is very wrong and maybe those other guys shouldn't be clocking those big checks.

I'm just a little old dog farmer.

Paranoid rant that includes reference to Clermont, Chatham, Columbia County.

Unhealthy herd hypothesis.

Think Crandell, Chatham.

Download silent films here.

Brave? Gone.

"So anyway, this is just a way of explaining that advice along the lines of “here’s how to win” tends not to work in DC, because the problem isn’t just about how to win an election. Operating in DC is more like being a trader, where the amount of the downside matters as well."

This is very true. You see things all the time, know they are popular, and wonder why politicians don't get the low lying fruit... because what happens later?

Tweets:

Hudson is suspending alternate side parking rules on weekends from July 1 through October 31. Gotta love election years... :¤)

Monday, June 27, 2011

6-27-11: link to article on big law firm in a small town

Not just in Greece. Cronyism is alive and well right here in upstate New York. Just read my other blog to see some cronyism at work.

Here is the news for the day in summary.

Nice use of the divide key on the calculator to check the numbers in school district spending.

Embezzler sentenced, PR by Comptroller.

Tweet:

Now it's really summer! Love Apple farm is open! Fresh cherries, kale, strawberries. Mmm

Saturday, June 25, 2011

6-25-11: passed!

Gay marriage passed. I can't believe it. Way to go Saland! Nice job Cuomo.

Twitter is going crazy. "The Empire State Building is rainbow tonight."

Woman arrested for bringing drugs to jail.

Burglary.

Property tax comparison. Thanks for that. Read the post.

Facebook discussion on our congressman Chirs Gibson (R- kinderhook).

Friday, June 24, 2011

6-24-11: county manager positions still alive

Here is the report outlining the plan to hire a county manager. "BETTER GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT FOR COLUMBIA COUNTY"

Oh, and that commercial park between 66 and 9H is a bad idea, the one linked to the ethics probe... Art Baer. I lost track of this story but I think corruption may have contributed to the terrible planning involved in the ugly project. It just wastes space. The business that are there could have found other spots. There are old buildings that need tenants and are falling apart. If I weren't so swamped... I would look into this. Anyone else interested?

Because they are doing the same thing again with this move of county offices to the old Walmart: abandoning the excellent plans made long ago for how to do development and replacing good design with short term thinking that leads to collapse of towns and infrastructure.

Gay marriage deadlock.

Jane Erye at Crandell in Chatham. Here's the movie trailer.

What incident on Amtrack? Read the comments. Seems to happen a lot. Wouldn't happen in China.

The Big Up is coming.

Congressman Chris Gibson goes to Copake. Compared to other area congresspeople, Gibson is not rich. He also may be relatively honest.

Free HIV testing.

GE gets a patent. Bryan of Valatie, N.Y congrats.

Thursday, June 23, 2011

6-23-11: small business seminar, good issue, MYSTERY LETTER

Watch this video. Way to go Zack.

Thanks to Mark Young of Mexican Radio for hosting an event in support of the Hudson library association and thanks to Teresa Parson for working for the library. I was there with my family and it looked like a big success. This is the kind of thing that makes a community work. Thanks.

Here is my other blog on the MYSTERY LETTER.

Small business event for upstate businesses. I think I should go. As a small businessman, I think we could use a couple of things: 1) an end to corrupt government locally (nationally eventually); 2) a degree or certification program in small business support, so that I could hire someone to do workman's comp, mail merge, invoices, deal with vendors, a million other things, and know that they really can just show up and work. I have a pretty clear idea how they could get the education they would need but I'll write that up another day.

Small business runs into a lot of hurdles, which if removed, if people could get started and learn a bit and feel confident, the economy would take off, and not the blood sucking federal reserve / wall street / finance economy but the economy the real economy. Credit. More credit down here.

Congresspeople have to list their assets. Here they are.

Why did our Congressman, Gibson, have to give up his military pension when he was elected? I don't think he should have had to do that.

I FOILed the financial disclosures from all the supervisors in Columbia County and it didn't work: instead of the disclosures, they sent me info on how to file disclosures which is available online already and I haven't gotten around to appealing that trick yet.

Remember that plane that crashed in a pond? Can't leave it in there, can you?

A bear! Different Chatham I think.

High school baseball.

Trucks in Hudson.

Maryland requires students be envornmentally literate to graduate. Great idea.

Yes, a man can fly on a plane in a dress.

Wednesday, June 22, 2011

6-22-11: good food for a good cause, bad cause rolls along

TONIGHT!!!!! Mexican Radio, fundraiser for the Library. Get over there. I will try to go.

I missed my blog entry yesterday. The first time I missed in the middle of the week. This is part of the reason. Witch hunt kept me a little busy but I had more stuff going on. Check this link out.

Here we see a crook get sentenced. The other crooks, the better connected ones, continue to run the county government terribly and for their own benefit.

Food festival.

Greener roads more bike paths. Good luck.

Monday, June 20, 2011

6-20-11: i'm back in town hall to face voodoo charge, juvenile arrests in the county, nice pictures

Tomorrow night I will be back in Stuyvesant for another hearing. I have been accused of a violation I did not do because I cannot do it in this universe. It's impossible, like voodoo or kindnapping Santa's elves. Columbia County government doesn't seem to care much about technical issues like Newtonian Physics.

Find a grave. Conrad Cooper, born 1768.


Credit card theft
article. No local peg.

This looks like something the town of Stuyvesant sent to me.

More Price Parade shots.

Art in Chatham.

Chalk pictures. Nice.

Copake clock fixed.

Juvenile arrests in Columbia County. Most: 2006 with 106 arrests. Least: 2009 with 68. Police force with most juvenile arrests: Hudson and State Police tied.

NYC Mayor Bloomberg, mother died.

Sunday, June 19, 2011

6-19-11: gay pride photos, train rams tree, threshold farm, lobbyists living large on the public dime

Train hits a tree. Good thing it was a cargo train and not a high speed passenger train. There is no monitoring technology for this scenario?

Lobbyists get state pensions.

Gay pride pictures. Another.

http://peterspear.tumblr.com/

More here.

More local shots.

German film crew in Kingston.

I'll take the day off blogging... here's last week at Threshold Farm, Philmont.

Saturday, June 18, 2011

6-18-11: summer events, gay pride, gay marriage, immigrant detention

Gay Pride Parade today.

Archeology. Flint mine.

Article on judge race. Primaries.

Anti-tobacco campaign.

Immigrants (non-citizens not accused of any other crime other than visa violations) held in Columbia County prison.

Copake Community Day.

Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival. Musicals in Chatham. Library schedule in Chatham.

Pollinator week next week: Get out there and polinate.

What its like living with a wind farm video.

GM plant in New York State somewhere.

Is there any connection between this and this?

This guy is local and on the fence about gay marriage:

STEPHEN M. SALAND'S CONTACT INFORMATION

Albany Office
State Street Room 504 - Capitol
Albany, NY 12247
Phone: 518-455-2411

District Office
389 Fairview Avenue
Hudson, NY 12534
United States
Phone: 518- 828-1529

Email address: saland@nysenate.gov

Are these head shots worse than Anthony Weiner's crotch shots?

Friday, June 17, 2011

8-17-11: tweets, blogs, feeds

Summerfest 2011 in Chatham (didn't know there was such a thing)/

South Bay, Hudson story.

Graffiti on the New Lebanon library.

Is the cougar extinct in the Northeast?

Woman killed by snake bite. Exotic pet. Not so local.

An article about bargain clothes in Hudson.

The official release about the new branch.

Broadband initiative.

Places to stay. Auction in Copake.

Tweets:

Our town Hudson is on. Channel 2. (no link)

Sens. Lanza, Hannon, Saland waiting outside gov's office. (Saland? That's my senator!) Senators Hannon and Saland emerge mum from meeting w/ @NYGovCuomo. Saland's position on #samesexmarriage, when asked: "hello."

JANE EYRE is showing next Sunday, June 26th at 2 pm Crandell Chatham

Spread the word! POK FARMERS' MARKET on the Walkway Over the Hudson & Pulaski Park! Fridays 3-7PM!

Clocktower Toys & Gifts CHATHAM has got in the new Epic puzzle ball. We also have the original Perplexus and the Orbo.

Tuesday, June 21 · 5:30 pm · $10 suggested donation
Bill McKibben, renowned environmental advocate, author, and educator, will give a public lecture in honor of the Columbia Land Conservancy's 25th Anniversary. This event will be held at Hawthorne Valley and is co-sponsored by Hawthorne Valley Association and FarmAssist Productions. Free. Donations welcome.

For more information: 518-672-5808




No idea what this is:

Thursday, June 16, 2011

6-16-11: hudson co-op, photo contest

We have a winner in the wikicoco.com 2011 photo contest: best picture from Sharptown road.

Prize goes to Jonathan of Jonathan's Computer Store in Hudson.

Thanks to all the participants.



Food co-op in Hudson. Co-op in Chatham.

On June 14, 2011 the meeting to set up the Hudson Co-op drew 114 people. Here is the agenda.

More local news.

Cement factory story Catskill on Sam Pratt blog.

Alternative Learning Program in Hudson.

Waiting for Senate to get it together on gay marriage. "New York State Assembly passes same-sex marriage bill 80-63; Pete Lopez and Marc Molinaro vote against the bill."

Clock restored in Copake.

Gay pride in Hudson listings.

This isn't allowed in the Boston subway?

Wednesday, June 15, 2011

6-15-11: trouble, ethics, gay marriage, potted plants, special prosecutor, and some vandals

Always check here for local news.

The mystery of the potted plant remains unsolved. Reward in the offing.

For me the key here is the term "request. You have to request a special prosecutor. Stuyvesant did not when they went after me. They did not request permission from a judge, as the supervisor clearly states here. This supervisor.

What was the basis for hiring a special prosecutor to go after me? Why? Who authorized it? The town board only?

If I could follow this, I bet I would learn something.

Photo shot contest. Winner announced tomorrow. Vote!

This powerline is a big deal.

Vandals attack the New Lebanon library.

Shoprite hiring in Hudson.

This says New York is the least free state in the nation. I would use different criteria but might come up with the same conclusion.

Here's more on that plane crash from the home town paper of the Ohio family.

And this is horrible. Rich owning everything and the government doing whatever the hell they want. Meanwhile ethics enforcement and New York should never be in the same sentence again without words like "not" and "terrible" and "joke."

Here is more on the sorry state of our constitutional rights by Daniel Ellsburg. Watergate would be legal now?

Is the US going to be a free, prosperous society in 30 years? I think we'll get it together but it's not clear. And New York is leading the charge DOWN.

But gay marriage has a shot. Call your STATE SENATOR's OFFICE. Tell him/her to vote yes. Here's mine. Almost there.

Hudson pride is coming.

Auction in Copake. Looks good.

As someone interested in ethics enforcement, I read this and found it interesting but a bit off. I know that putting everything online is a good step and that the excuses for hiding stuff are just that: excuses.

What's the c-word? Community.

I bank with these guys and wish them luck with the new branch. Why Albany, though?

Shakespeare anyone? More in Hudson.

"KINDERHOOK — Albany's Alexander Paley, age 25, beat out 512 runners in the OK 5k race in Kinderhook Saturday by posting a time of 15 minutes, 35 seconds, according to a release from race director Dan Curtin. Aaron Robertson, 33, placed second at 15:42 ..."

Tweets:
@TheHudsonValley Thermal Mass Construction INC is holding a presentation/open forum on #green building June 20th at @SlashRootCafe 7pm

Tuesday, June 14, 2011

6-14-11: Loewenstein and Yankee Stadium

About hiring a special prosecutor in Stuyvesant to go after me.

About the town's million dollar garage.

Reuters on Yankee Stadium:

William Loewenstein, president of the Community Initiatives Development Corp., the nonprofit parent of Bronx Parking Development Co., based in Hudson, New York, about 100 miles (160 kilometers) north of the Bronx, didn’t return a call seeking comment.

“The nonprofit parent of Bronx Parking Development Co. based in Hudson, New York” – why would a nonprofit in rural Columbia County be in control of the parking garages at Yankee Stadium? Dig a little deeper and you’ll find the nonprofit is a husband and wife operating from their home. But the story gets much better. From the New York Daily News in 2008 (emphasis mine):

The group that received $237 million in city-sponsored bonds to build garages and parking lots at the new Yankee Stadium is hardly an all-star of public financing.

Bronx Parking Development LLC lists as its “sole member” the nonprofit group Community Initiatives Development Corp., which defaulted on two previous tax-exempt bonds in the past 10 years, records show.

"From the Claverack, N.Y. office territory: Carl Cole, Jr., of Roxbury, Conn., will attend Paul Smith's College where he will study forest technology."

Orphan Asylum 1882 Hudson.

Total Eclipses for each of the Sun & Moon are more common than: the summer Olympics, Presidential Elections, and Jury Duty.

One's coming up and we'll miss it.

Monday, June 13, 2011

6-13-11: resolutions online county, job PR governor re: Hudson, joint planning board

Governor Cuomo noticed and may have had a role in the 180 new jobs at the air filter plant in Hudson?

These are now posted. This one is interesting because I didn't know there were joint planning boards for CLERMONT, GERMANTOWN AND LIVINGSTON. Why don't other towns have joint boards? Good idea. "AUTHORIZATION TO CONSOLIDATE THE OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AND INCORPORATE IT INTO THE COLUMBIA COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE" is that a big deal?

RESOLUTION ADOPTING A COLUMBIA COUNTY VEHICLE USE POLICY: Here is the policy.

"Each Department shall keep an accurate log of County-owned vehicles used by Department employees, indicating the employee name, Vehicle Identification Number or license plate, number of vehicles, dates the vehicles are used, report yearly mileage on all vehicles and report the total amount of fuel annually to be reported to the BOS."

Stuff like that.

Big up tickets.

Where to camp locally.

Profile of local artist. Josh Harris. Oh, that guy... from the movie?

Job: youth counselor.

Local sports related stories.

Ward Kipp.

I think I said this before: Hudson’s boys varsity track and field 4x100-meter relay team took home the New York State championship.

Primaries: September 14.

Sunday, June 12, 2011

6-12-11: video day

Mystery of the potted plant on the other blog.

More links on Monday!

Kittens for adoptions:


Robot Ballet Mash Up:



And here are some dogs from the last two days:

Saturday, June 11, 2011

6-11-11: library issue in Hudson, protected land, accidents

Good news. Nice work scenic Hudson. "Red Hook, Clermont and Germantown are among the agricultural communities where Scenic Hudson has been protecting what it calls a “critical mass” of working farmland since 1997."

Drowning incident avoided in Valatie.

The Hudson Library is moving. It's too bad. I hope something good happens to the building... fingers crossed.

"Hudson takes the 4x100 Boys Division 2 state title finishing in 43.04."
Local sports site?

Chatham: Hollywood meets Hudson Valley in New York Times.

Ok 5K. It's today.

1832-1852 New Lebanon, 555 marriages, listed. That's 2.3 per month. I bet there are many fewer in the last 20 year.

Hudson Republicans.

Injury falling. Here is the incident.

Here is the motorcycle race track case from Taghankanic. This case seems to have set a precedent and is getting cited in decisions a couple of times.

New no-texting law?
Mr. Cuomo’s proposal would apply not only to texting, but also to any other hands-on use of smartphones, tablet computers, laptops, gaming devices or other portable electronics while driving. It would not include any devices mounted on a car’s dashboard, like a GPS.

I wonder if I would be covered when I use my iPad which is mounted on my dashboard? I write at red lights in the city to let people know when I'm coming so they don't have to call. I look at it while I'm driving as a GPS. I think I use it safely. I also really need it.

Friday, June 10, 2011

6-10-11: film contest, stuyvesant meeting, videos and tweets from around the county

All about the project in Copake and 7A. I haven't read it. Do we get a bike path or not?

Start ups in upstate blog/conference.

Book sale Kinderhook library.
More kinderhook:


Film contest!!!!

Copake:



Tweets:
Wind damage in Stuyvesant in Columbia County with wires down. -Craig Flint
BoredBehindBarn Rebecca: Yikes! I knew something wasn't right! RT @NewsTimes: CT Weather Center reports possible tornado over New Milford during height of storm

Garden Tour.

From Lee Jamison, about last night's Stuyvesant meeting:

We learned that DEC won't let the Town use the GE settlement money for a Garage repair and Salt Barn build. Instead, DEC proposes to use the money to build a parking area, picnic pavilion and cartop boat launch at Ice House Road upon completion of the Ice House Rd Grade Crossing improvement. Ferry Rd Grade Crossing improvement will also go ahead. Target 2012. The GE money to be used on materials only, not salaries. Public info meetings will be held in the future on this project. TBA but sounds like we finally heard some progress after 25 years!
The Board approved a $845,000 Bond resolution for the Garage Repair and Salt Shed and Salt Barn Building Project pending public approval at a referendum vote to be held at Town Hall 8-16-11 from 2-9pm. Everyone will vote at Town Hall, likely using the old lever machines but they will confirm with the BoE. A Public Info presentation on this will take place at July's TB Meeting.


Here is a photo of Tom Shanahan of the Shanahan Group at the Stuyvesant Meeting last night.

Thursday, June 9, 2011

6-9-11: gibson spending, plane crash, town hall issue...

What a storm lst night.

Did the Register Star not notice this was way wacky? Read the comments for a horror show.

Gibson spends a lot on staff.

Another plane crash?

Programs for seniors.

Kinderhook meeting.

Kids calendar, mostly old now.

These guys coming to Hudson.

June is dairy month.

Ferry Road / CSX tracks issue.

Camphill Village in the legislature.

Town Hall in New Lebanon.

fracking

Where to go camping.

Farmer's market Chatham.

Tina Giorgi and Nore Davis - The Comedy Works @ Jackson's Old Chatham House Friday night (6/10) http://www.thecomedyworks.com/

Wednesday, June 8, 2011

6-8-11: columbia county board meeting tonight

Hudson school budget changes.

All about last night's meeting on the Hudson Waterfront... I didn't make it! Definitely need a plan. The Valley Alliance seems to be thinking carefully about it.

Art Omi fundraiser tonight, too. Probably more fun.

And Walking the Dog at ps21 this Saturday. Or a movie.

About the Hudson Library move.

200 to 300 jobs. Wow.

More good economic news. Goat cheese?

Our congressman Gibson on Wiener scandal.

Republican primary.  DA Race.

Banjo Mountain Facebook.

NY State Senante announces a new website, ResultsNY.gov, and here are the results so far: can’t open the page “http://resultsny.gov/” because can’t find the server

Start up in upstate?

This project is written up here. Nice concept. Good luck Finger Lakes.

I like the blog.

On my other blog, I mention the county board meeting tonight.

Save the date! TEDxAlbany 2011 will be held at the Linda Norris Auditorium on Saturday, November 12, 2011. Tickets available soon!

Tuesday, June 7, 2011

6-7-11: full moons, hudson dredging, business to hudson, albany chickens

A man faces drug charges after a New York State Trooper pulled him over for a loud muffler.

Yes that is his actual mug shot.

It happened on Route 20 in West Lebanon on Saturday night. A trooper pulled Shay Smith, 20 over for the loud exhaust noise.

The officer searched the car and found marijuana, nitrous oxide capsules and several bottle and cans of beer.

Smith faces three different possession charges. He will answer his charges in the New Lebanon Town Court on June 9th

As far as the marijuana, I hope Shay is not charged with drug possession. I agree with these guys about drug laws.

Why anyone should go to jail for owning a dried plant is a mystery to me. On to other mysteries:

Last stop on the voodoo express: a longer article by me on my other blog.

Race results. 5K.

Ten full moons equals human gestation period (295 days). So if you're born under a fullmoon you're likely conceived under one. But this fact is just a coincidence.

History of whaling in Hudson. History as an economic resource.

As reported first by gossips of rivertown...

Clean up Albany act. No teeth in the act?

Albany chicken veto override fails 8-5. (Needed 10 to override.) Not so local story but there are towns around here that forbid chickens.

Ornamentum. Hudson.

Flag day coming. Is it really the biggest such event in the county?

Gun stores.

Blue water veterans and compensation. This story involves our congressman and no photos of said congressman.

Are they all wierdos? There was Craig, with the bathroom in the airport, and Clinton, with whatever that was, and that guy with the craigslist photo from NY-26, and Ensign, and Spitzer, and Vittner, and Gingrich... seems like all or most of them. And most of it is weird. The one who went hiking to Argentina was the least weird. At least he seemed to really like his mistress.

Garden Tour spencertown.

Hudson dredging resumes.

Hola hoops outside Spotty Dog.

Start up incubator, upstate new york.

Ask a Robot.

User: What do you think about the Anthony Weiner scandal?
Cleverbot: I don't think about it.
User: Good for you. What do you think about?
Cleverbot: What do you think about earth?
User: I don't think about it.
Cleverbot: What do you think about?
User: I asked you first.
Cleverbot: Is it a telescope?
User: If it were a telescope, what would you want to see with it?
Cleverbot: Where are you exactly?
User: Latitude 42.354086 Longitude -73.725444.
Cleverbot: When I was little Vulpix was always my favourite Pokemon.

Monday, June 6, 2011

6-6-11: just a list of links and a video

Veterans, world war II and on...f Chatham and Ralph Avery of Claverack...

Acres protected!

Copake planning board minutes.

Race application, 5K, Copake.

Who owns the Tagkahnaic diner?

Chaise Lounge, Facebook, Philmont.

Eat local.

Expert shoe fitting in Chatham. About 100 years ago.

Local music.

Hike in woods. Get mugged?

If you live in the city you can get someone to do your laundry and fix stuff when it breaks and can order food delivered and don't have to mow and weed and feed: in short, living in the city is much more efficient in use of time and better for the environment. Also, property taxes here are high, you have to pay a lot in gas and automobile maintenance, schools are entirely, unremittingly and absolutely average, little league is a bit too serious and academics, school is a bit too lackadaisical, government is corrupt and worse than useless, the weather is bad, voodoo is law, development is poorly planned... and I would continue to tell you all the things wrong with living in Columbia County but my goat got out again and I have to go tie her up since she won't stay in the fence, that and 23 other things.

Sunday, June 5, 2011

6-5-11: business rumor, confusing ethics letter, end the drug war

Business coming to old Kaz building? Air filters. Jobs?

Emergency landing. Everyone's okay. These small planes seem to get into a lot of trouble.

Letter in the Register Star... "track record of 11-plus years as supervisor:" In Columbia County, this amount of time should suggest its time to leave office. I like terms limits. Time for a change.

I can't really follow this. What's the deal?

This I get. END THE DRUG WAR. Skim it. Great thing. Thank you people.

Let's check with cleverbot.com:

User: What is a butterfly?
Cleverbot: A fly that eats butter.
User: What is a streetcar?
Cleverbot: Have you got a hairy arse?
User: What is a airplane?
Cleverbot: A vehicle used to travese the air using an aerodynamic design.
Cleverbot: What do humans do?
User: Ignore questions from robots. What is a bicycle?
Cleverbot: Something people ride with 2 wheels and no motor.
User: What is a rabbit?
Cleverbot: Do you like them rabbituuuu?
User: Knock knock.
Cleverbot: Come in.
User: Banana.
Cleverbot: Banana who?
User: Orange you glad I didn't say banana?
Cleverbot: You said banana.
User: I meant orange.
Cleverbot: How do you do?

Yesterday around the house:



Saturday, June 4, 2011

6-4-11: more fun with AI

Civil war veterans from Columbia County.

New congresswoman and our Gibson shake hands.

Cuts in youth center Hudson.

Girls softball New Lebanon.  Video.

Plant sale at state park.

From this cool site:



Private Wells and On-site Wastewater Treatment Systems - What You Need to Know
Place: CCE Columbia County, 479 Route 66, Hudson, NY 12534
Date: Wednesday, June 8
Time: 6:30-8:00 p.m.
Fee: $10 per household
Presenters: Ed Van Nostrand, Columbia County Health Dept. and Theresa Mayhew, CCE Columbia County
Call: CCE Columbia 518-828-3346

Rural homeowners need to be knowledgeable about drinking and wastewater and (septic) systems, especially when it comes to protecting one's property and health. On-site wastewater treatment systems can contaminate ground and surface water resources, including drinking water supplies, with nitrates, chemicals, pathogens and pharmaceuticals. However, when properly located, designed, constructed and maintained, septic systems provide an effective and efficient means of treating domestic sewage and protecting water quality. The same is true of wells.

And from this crazy site, AI:

User: The Gerernalismo said that anyone who says, 'to get to the other side' will be shot. Now, why did the chicken cross the road?
Cleverbot: The only ways to win the game are being the game or not playing.
User: Why did the chicken cross the road?
Cleverbot: To get to the other side?
User: Ready, aim, FIRE!
Cleverbot: Wind!



Friday, June 3, 2011

6-3-11: good seniors paper, I love cleverbot

Seniors living on the edge in our county. Great document. Best link in the list.

"Jewed the price" back in the news. Honestly, I've never heard anyone say "jew down" in conversation. I hear "gyp" all the time and I don't think people are slighting Gypsies when they use it so I can see that people from another time and place might use "jew down" without thinking about jews. Still, they can stop using it too. How about gyp?

Interesting history of Hudson Waterfront.

Hawthorne Valley stats here.

Local photographer.

More Dems for office.

If you're doing history research, you might want this. Or this.

Tierra Farms.

Rollover accident.

So, Mormons, what are Kinderhook plates? No answer here.

Rape charge?

New local blog. No texting while driving! No programming the GPS! No searching the ipod!

Pull over for all that. Or at a red light?

Some history tucked in here somewhere.

New Lebanon librarian contributes to Library Journal (review).

Public Notice
Town of Stuyvesant
Republican Caucus
Notice is hereby given to the enrolled Republicans of the Town of Stuyvesant that a caucus for the purpose of nominating candidates for election to town offices at the general election to be held on November 8th, 2011 will be held at the Stuyvesant Town Hall, 5 Sunset Drive at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday June 14th, 2011
2 Town Board members- 4-year term
1 Supervisor position- 2-year term
Michael J. Naegeli, Chairman

Have you ever seen cleverbot? It's a program that learns by people talking to it. I tried this:


Do you think numbers represent something real inthe universe in away words don't or are numbers purely human abstractions?
It looks like you don't or you do but your to afriad to tell me.
Your answer has nothing to do with my question.
Well you just said you didn't ask a question, but now you say you did ask a question.


Now this:

User: My arm itches.

Cleverbot: What the heck.

User: Yeah, it's either mosquito bites or this ancient manuscript I have on my head.

Cleverbot: Ah good one. Are you A.D.D.?

User: No, not ADD, but my arm does itch.

Cleverbot: Shall I caress it?

User: No, but maybe I should stop walking around with ancient manuscripts on my head. Do you think that would help?

Cleverbot: Yes, that is exactly what you must do to free yourself of the clutter that keeps you from thinking straight.

User: But can I stuff the old parchment down my pants?

Cleverbot: Yes, but that is not sarcastic.

Thursday, June 2, 2011

6-2-11: copake plan, hudson waterfront plan: hope springs eternal

Copake comprehensive plan moving forward. Very colorful plan!

Theater in Chatham.

B&B in Hudson.

Our congressman is reckless.

Our farmers go to a lot of markets.

Waterfront plan meeting.

Boxing. Taconic Hills.

From Ghent.

Homelessness plan.

AC story.

Wednesday, June 1, 2011

6-1-11: executive order, jobs, schools, stuff

Well, well, well.

Fireman's Museum and Hudson news.

Memorial Day imagery.

Musical chairs.

Q&A with Gibson.

Camphill village job.

Missing AC story. Library loses air conditioning unit.

Strange goings on at Hudson Central Schools.

Receptionist in Valatie: job.

Credit card fraud.

Historical marker.