Praying for Schenectady

It’s certainly been a crazy year for those of us with children in the Schenectady School District. There are two things that keep me from totally giving up on this city altogether. One is, as a person of faith I know how prayer changes things. And two,

after seeing how much the Obama administration is train wrecking everything in sight it just goes to show our city government isn’t so bad after all.

What Goes Around

Local Albany area terrorist and union hit man, Steven Raucci has gone to jail. And the man who may have been pulling his strings, or at least, KNEW who really was pulling his string, Schenectady school superintendent Eric Ely was able to walk away from his job and get away Scott free. In fact he received an awesome severance package from the school board after resigning.

HT YNN

But those of us who believe in “The Law of sin and death”, (Aka Karma) know better.  It’s a law more sure than gravity.  Or to put it another way.

What goes around comes around.

In this life or the one to follow.

How About a Tea Party on Schools, New York?

I came as close as I hope to get this time around to NOT VOTING AT ALL in the latest round of the school budget fiasco.

“What’s the point?” I asked. It’s all a big joke.

Everyone knows when a budget gets shot down (For a gazillion good reasons) eventually they go to an awful contingency budget (Like they’re doing in Troy NY) that’s often the worst case scenario for voters.

What a crock of poo!!!

I decided to vote for two reasons.

1) Too many men and woman fought and died to preserve my right to vote.  So in honor of them, (As well as all of those maimed for life) no matter how ticked off I get, I’ll vote.

2)  We had a great new crop of school board members to vote in.  Perhaps the four that won, (Who were endorsed by a new citizens group) can bring a breath of fresh air to the foul stench overhanging Schenectady School politics.

But here’s the thing that burns me up.  All this lottery money being poured in everyday (Many from those that are poverty stricken) for education.

WHERE IS IT?

Services continue to get cut while taxes are raised.

It’s enough to make everyone want to throw their tax bills into The Mohawk River!

Time to Brag!

It’s always good when I have something to brag about instead of my usual whining moaning and groaning!

Last Thursday we were treated to The City Wide Chorus sponsored by The Schenectady Friends of Music.

Of course it helps that our daughter was involved in the elementary school portion of the program!

But it was also a treat to hear The Middle School Chorus and The High School Chorus because they were really really good!

Mega kudos to all the teachers and volunteers involved because they all did a fantastic job!

Drown The Lawyers

Remember the famous line Tom Hanks character said in the movie “Philadelphia?”

“What do you call ten lawyers chained together at the bottom of the ocean?”

A GOOD START!”

Perhaps they were referring to the scum that’s willing to dredge up whatever defense it takes to get their client off.

Take the case against domestic terrorist and Schenectady union hit man Steve Raucci. HT CN9 YNN

What is his lawyer’s defense so far?

Yes a house was bombed but because somebody blew up the wrong house it wasn’t Raucci. It was some teenagers who were really good at demolitions.

But wait!

They weren’t really bombs!

They were firecrackers!

(Pretty good firecrackers for the damage they caused)

Is this the lawyer that gave President Bill Clinton his “I didn’t inhale,” defense?

So what do you call ten slimy lawyers drowned at the bottom of the Hudson River?

A giant step forward for New York State and Capital land!!!

The Trial of the Century Begins

It’s the trial of the century as far as the City of Schenectady is concerned. The jury selection process has begun in the case of Steve Raucci former Bulding Services Director of the Schenectady School District. He’s facing 26 charges of arson and even terrorism.

(Hat Tip Daily Gazette)

From left, School Superintendent, Eric Ely, School District Lawyer Shari Greenleaf and former

School Board President, Jeff Janiszewski.

Today the list of witnesses was red and it’s a who’s who of people working for the school district, former and current.  The most interesting name is Superintendent Eric Ely who  according to The Daily Gazette is looking for another position anywhere in the country.  That’s not a good sign for him is it?

If it weren’t for Schenectady!

Capital News Nine in Albany NY had fun covering the ongoing fallout from Steve Colbert’s comments about Schenectady.

Some agreed that Schenectady is best viewed on Google maps only. However my favorite comment reminded Colbert that since television was invented here, if it weren’t for Schenectady, Colbert wouldn’t have a job!

Not a Knee Jerk, Conservative Jerk, Reaction

A few weeks back I blogged about an after hours drug rehab program in Puerto Rico that gives away needles to their clients after hours from a vending machine.  With tongue in cheek I asked, “When will we see this in Schenectady?

While there aren’t any vending machines just yet right down the road from Schenectady, in neighboring Albany NY, Catholic Charities is giving away clean needles from a mobile van unit.

Catholic Charities giving clean needles to drug users – HT_CapitalNews9.com.

There are people raising all kinds of objections to this program, in spite of the fact that it’s already up and running in 17 communities around the state.  They say it encourages more drug use.  Of course proponents of the plan insist they’ve reduced the spread of AIDS where the program is in place.

The knee jerk conservative reaction would be to agree with the law enforcement people who believe we’re just going to be stuck with allot more lazy addicts to deal with.  And who says a real addict gives a darn about a clean needle anyway.

But I’m not a knee jerk conservative.  There’s something else to consider here as well.  Besides handing out needles shouldn’t Catholic Charities be handing out hope as well?

The last time I checked Catholics were still considered to be Christians.

YOU KNOW!

Jesus,God,redemption,salvation,  THE BIBLE!

Helllllo!

We’re supposed to be all about hope.

Anything to reduce the spread of AIDS is a good thing.  But wouldn’t getting people  off drugs and into rehab be even better?

It’s the same thing when it comes to handing out free condoms to teenagers.  I’m not a knee jerk conservative here either.  Condoms can also prevent the spread of STD’s, reduce the number of unwanted pregnancies and reduce the need for abortions. So I’m for the whole condom idea as long people also talk about taking pride in one’s body.

Oh No!  It’s the dreaded “A” word!

Abstinence!

Hey!  It’s your body and your time.

Who says you have to lose your virginity by 16 anyway?

Therefore I believe anything out to prevent the spread of HIV is a good thing.

I just think it would be better to try and reach out to people’s souls as well.

-What say you?

Feel free to comment pro or con.

Just don’t be too snarky OK?  ;-)

I Double Dog Dare Ya!!!

Senator wanna be and wanna be heir to Obama’s throne Harold Ford Jr. appeared on Stephen Colbert’s last Monday night.

Ford may be your typical phony tell you anything to get elected politician, but you gotta give the man credit for coming on Colbert’s show.  Because you know if you show up there, you’re gonna get served!

Ford got ripped on a number of fronts including his claim that” touching down on a Staten Island helicopter pad qualified as visiting the New York City borough.”  HT The Times Union

“Are there other places in New York you designate as ‘helicopter only?’” the Colbert Report host asked, making air quotes with his fingers.

Colbert continued: “Because I would recommend, sir, I would recommend that for Schenectady. I would just look at that on Google maps.”

Ford laughed at Colbert’s joke but offered no wisecrack of his own.”

For the video click HERE

That drew quite a laugh from the audience as well.  Meanwhile how do you think people up here in SCHENECTADY feel about the joke?

“Chamber of Schenectady County President Charles Steiner, who occasionally watches “The Colbert Report” on Comedy Central network, encouraged Colbert to visit Schenectady by helicopter.

“He will see a lot of growth and opportunity and he is going to want to land his apparatus here,” Steiner said. “We would welcome him to fly overhead, and when he does stop by we will be there to welcome him.”

James Salengo, executive director the Downtown Schenectady Improvement Corp., also invited Colbert to visit Schenectady. “We would love him to do a show at Proctors.’”

HT Daily Gazette Schenectady to Colbert: ‘Drop in’.

That’s fine for Colbert but what about Congressman Ford?

He’s the one that was being challenged.  So I say to Congressman Ford dispel all the rumors that you’re nothing but a selfless poser politician by announcing you’re running for the Senate . . .

at The Holiday Inn in beautiful downtown Schenectady!!!

That will show everyone you really do care about the people of New York State!

Come on Congressman

I Double Dog Dare ya!

Schenectady-The Reality Show

Sometimes I think they ought to travel around the city of Schenectady following the police and other city officials with a camera.  It would make for an interesting reality show.

The problem is that no one would believe it.  They’d say it was way too far fetched to be reality.  Like the saying goes truth is far stranger than fiction.  How ironic.

Daily Gazette pundit Carl Strock would be the main producer for the show.  One of his latest pieces talks about a bizarre coincidence regarding two recent arrests made on the same night.

Folks, you just can’t make this stuff up!

Recently Schenectady Police Officer John W. Lewis was arrested for drunk driving and leaving the scene of a property damage accident.  This was Lewis’ 6th arrest in just under two years.  The fact that he’s just being suspended and not being terminated is unbelievable enough, but we’re just getting started with this tale!

It turns out the scene of this accident was at the Ellis Hospital Emergency room parking lot.  That’s where Officer Lewis was getting his drunk on!

It makes you wonder.  Was Lewis on duty while at the ER?  Was he really hitting the old sauce and no one noticed?  Or was this just another night for him drinking on the job?

But wouldn’t you just know it!  Of all the rotten luck!  Lewis goes and whacks a car in the parking lot on the way home.

“DOH!”

Unbelievable enough for you?

But wait!

There’s more!

While John Lewis was under arrest for hitting a parked car and DWI just six blocks away there was another arrest was taking place.  Sheri Greenleaf was under arrest for driving with a suspended license and operating an unregistered vehicle.

Ms. Greenleaf just happens to be the attorney for the embattled city school district.  The same district where a member just resigned for conduct after hours.  It seems he and his wife held a wild drinking party with plenty of underage teens present.  We know this because they put the whole thing up on facebook.

And of course there’s the whole matter of having a known domestic terrorist on your pay role working for the school district as a glorified janitor.

They must be smoking crack!

There’s certainly enough to keep attorney Sheri Greenleaf busy.  So busy she even forgot to renew her license.

Sometimes real life is wilder even than the TV series NCIS

or even a reality show called

Schenectady.