Monday, November 23, 2009

Gambling At Rick;s Place? Yes Virginia (NYP) There is Corruption in Albany

Gambling At Rick's Place?
Yes Virginia (NYP) There is Corruption in Albany

The NYP Editorial Board continues to be clueless that the public already gets it that Albany is corrupt. The problem is New York's Afghanistan style election system designed by the leaders of Tammany Hall to keep the permanent government incumbents in power has never been reformed. As the past election proved, most city voters have just given up on changing New York's thug government and don't vote. Today the Post said " Has there ever been a more revealing clinic on public corruption than the ongoing trial of former Senate Majority Leader Joe Bruno? None comes to mind."A window on the swamp. What about yesterday's NYP Nearly half of Albany's pols have 2nd jobs. Not to mention wives, children or other family members on the government payroll or working for those funded by government. None of these elected officals are flipping fries at McDonalds. There working at jobs they got by using their elective office as the pleas of Brian Mclaughlin and Tony Seminario and trial of Bruno prove. There has been no reaction in the legislature, and the News writes that "the pols' silent acquiesence is yet another reason why New Yorkers must throw the bums out next fall." Update Marist Poll Voters Want Change in Albany…Senate and Assembly Approval Ratings Low Seventy-one percent of those polled said major changes are necessary at the state Capitol, while 11 percent don't believe state government can be fixed at all

A Letter Undelivered Even though Paterson just drop his letter to the legislature in the mail Sunday is his latest PR stunt has already been returned. Do the Governor handlers really think making him look like a victim of big bad Albany is going to get reelected? Do they understand that the public see this as pattern of Paterson weakness to get anything done? Cut, then run, gov urges pols on budget The Gov who is known to change positions even during his his press conference, adds to Albany's insanity yesterday by announcing as proposes cuts to the education to balance the state's Budget fudget! Gov sez kids need more school * There's still no agreed-upon plan to deal with a mid-year budget deficit * Another DRP epistle: Sampson to Paterson

The 3 Cs' Sells Papers? It has always been newspaper axiom that Crime, Comics and C- - - - sells papers. Why else is this news? Christina Ambers, beauty suing co-op, had affair with hired help before marrying doorman Even this circulation tactic seems to be failing Newspaper Circulation May Be Worse Than It Looks

Voodoo Economics Adam Lisberg says Michael Bloomberg promised not to raise taxes when he knew the budget gap would be $4.1 billion instead of $4.9 billion. Bloomberg has already it up to what happens in Albany to keep his pledge of not raising taxes. And with all the red ink predicted in the tens of billions for the city and state in the coming years how does 800,000 grantee no tax increase? Is the 34% increase the students of California's universities are paying next year a tax increase?

Whats Going On? Though it was the job of the media to inform the public not enforcing the spin put out by the permanent government Geithner Is Stalking Horse for Rage at Wall Street * Dems, Media Use Palin to Distract From Issues * Mayor Bloomberg hid plenty from New York citizens while campaigning for third term


Gov of La Mancha Albany 'They all hate each other' Dems at war with gov, selves (Dicker NYP) *** Charters get caught in squeeze by state (NYP) * Charter-school backers say cap could cut funds (DN) *** Budget fudget! Gov sez kids need more school *** Malcolm Smith won't step aside gracefully, Fred Dicker's sources tell him about how bitter budget negotiations have become *** Paterson takes a thinly veiled shot at Sen. Craig Johnson about a reported “hero” comment over school aid cuts. (Newsday/ Newsday) *** Comptroller Tom DiNapoli warns against borrowing. (WDT) *** Paterson Takes A Break For Fundraising *** Senate Unites Against Paterson (Again) *** Senate Returns to Non-Session Sessions as Deficit Negotiations Drag ***Sen. Ruben Diaz Sr. wasn't in Albany today. (Neither were Sens. Martin Dilan or Joe Addabbo, so the Democrats didn't have sufficient votes to pass anything, even if they had wanted to) *** Ruben Diaz Sr. protested gun violence in his district, rather than sitting in Albany *** 7:48PM Two leaders’ meetings, little progress (Times Union) *** Do-nothing session and an anniversary tribute


Pay to Play Bruno Summations of the case are expected today *** Day 15 set to begin; summations expected *** Bruno's tangled horse ties *** Sen. George D. Maziarz denies that he was a “go-between” linking a corrupt labor union to former Senate Majority Leader Joseph L. Bruno, as was alleged by a witness in the Bruno trial. (BN) *** It was wise of Bruno not to take the stand in his own defense, experts said *** The jury will start deliberating Joe Bruno's fate today *** Defense rests in Bruno trial *** Lawyer: Bruno case ‘trivial;’ jury to deliberate Tuesday


Inside City Hall Council could kill Armory project *** City Hall News wonders who is leaving Bloomberg's administration *** Councilman Joel Rivera says he has enough votes on the subcommittee on zoning and franchises to block the controversial Kingsbridge Armory project if the living wage issue isn't settled*** The DN calls on Comptroller Bill Thompson to stop blocking the Brooklyn House of Detention expansion plan *** Jay Kriegel, a longtime Democrat and head of Bloomberg's failed 2012 Olympic bid, is advising pro-business interests that want to take on the WFP ***The Bloomberg-Palin Show Brought to you by the Freedom of Information Law *** Gaming The Bloomberg III Cabinet: Who’s In And Who’s Out (City Hall) *** The Denny Farrell Story *** Bloomberg and Emanuel on Taking on the NRA at Election Time *** Bloomberg Budget Move Means Layoffs *** Repeat Defender After taming crime in Los Angeles, Bill Bratton has won over the skeptics who doubted his success in New York. But all he really wants is his old job back

Election 2010 Gillibrand gets key endorsement from Nadler

Law and Order Subway 'Killer' acted like lunatic before slay: witnesses *** Shot girl Vada on brink of miracle *** Rockefeller reform could backfire if dope fiends go free *** Vada 'gang' ducked jail via pleas, screw-ups *** Cracking Down on Drunken Driving Beyond reducing alcohol-related crashes in New York, Albany’s toughening of penalties for drunken driving could prompt other states to follow suit (NYT Ed) *** Sex-crime tracking gets trickier *** Man killed on subway by exterminator gone mad was mentally ill germophobe ***Sen. Eric Schneiderman introduces a bill that would allow judges to overlook procedural errors an overturn a guilty conviction when evidence conclusively shows “actual evidence.” *** Deliberations Continue In Trial Of John Junior Gotti *** NYPD Bust Gets Dozens Of Illegal Guns Off The Streets *** New Technology, Tight Budgets Hinder Sex-Offender Monitoring - Wash. Post *** NYPD Won’t Stop Stop-and-Frisk Program*** A Breakdown of NYPD Shootings (NY Magazine)


New York Terrorism Terrorism Trial May Point Way for 9/11 Cases *** Lawyer: 9/11 Terror Suspects To Plead Not Guilty (NY1) *** 9/11 defendants will plead not guilty so they can air views *** Major Hasan and Holy War - Reuel Marc Gerecht, Wall Street Journal *** Holder's Top Aides Have Conflicts on Detainee Cases - Washington Times *** The 'War on Terrorism' Didn't Cause Ft. Hood - Christopher Hitchens, Slate *** Foundation Tied to Iran Donated to Columbia *** Terror Indictments in Minnesota


New York Economic Crisis Low Income Patrons Boost Greenmarket Mission *** Some workers well past the age of helping out for college credit accept internships *** Storefronts empty after rents hiked *** Need for emergency food spikes nearly 21% in NYC (crains) *** Finding success, pop-up shops go permanent *** Business interests, in collaboration with the Independence Party, are organizing a pro-business response to the Working Families Party. (NY Mag) *** Traffic and revenue continued to decline at Port Authority transportation facilities during the third quarter *** Demand For Emergency Food Assistance Increases, Report Finds


More City News Two Cafes Mean Competition in Crown Heights *** Opening of Brooklyn's Pier 6 postponed till spring *** Fiterman Hall, ruined on 9/11, gone at last *** As Charter Slots Dwindle, Competition Increases
White House Jamie Dimon seen as good fit for Treasury *** Guardian Report: US Setting Aside $1.3 Billion For Anti-Taliban Afghan Militias *** White House Pushes Science and Math Education *** Obama Seeks Time for Policies to Take *** In 3 Tacks for Afghan War, a Game of Trade-Offs *** No Walk in the Park: For Obama One Year Later, It’s the Slog of Governance *** Obama's Asian misstep (Wash Post Op Ed) *** Afghanistan, The Fifth War - Hendrik Hertzberg, The New Yorker *** Amateur Hour at the White House - Leslie Gelb, The Daily Beast *** Can't Cut the Deficit Without a Bill - Ezra Klein, Washington Post *** The National Debt Problem *** White House Weighs Jobs, Deficit (WSJ) *** Shake up the Foreign Policy Team? (The New Republic) *** Obama Thanks Hollywood With Coveted Invites To First White House State Dinner *** Obama's Nice Guy Act Gets Him Nowhere on the World Stage (Der Spiegel) *** Military Suicides Rise as Soldiers Struggle With Torment of War - Star-Ledger *** Another Mystery Grave at Arlington - Salon *** Relations Fray Between Obama & Business - Gerald Seib, Wall St. Journal *** White House's Climate Conundrum - Andres & Griffin, Politico *** Do Dems See a Lighter Version of Obama Than Conservatives? (ABC News) *** ‘I will not rest’ until businesses are hiring (Obama) *** ARIANNA: Will Unemployment Disaster Be Obama's Katrina? (Huff Post)


Congress Lobbyists spending big to shape health care debate (Wash Post) *** Green energy stimulus growing few jobs (Washington Post) *** His Ethics Under Scrutiny, Rangel Is Frayed but Defiant *** Pressure on Region’s House Democrats to Back Health Care Overhaul *** The Church and the CapitalWashington lawmakers should negotiate the language of a same-sex marriage bill with the Catholic archdiocese without selling out same-sex couples (NYT Ed) *** The Phantom MenaceThe scare stories from Wall Street seem to be intimidating Washington from doing more to rescue the economy (Krugman NYT) *** Democrats Focus on G.O.P. Senators From Maine *** Public option at center of the health-care debate (Wash Post) *** Fear of conflict more acute As stock ownership rises in Congress, experts warn of potential ethics concerns (Washington Post) *** Congress should look itself in mirror over Wall Street debacle *** Levin: Tax on Wealthy Possible to Pay for Afghanistan - Bloomberg *** Meaning of the Greg Craig "Debacle" - Ed Morrissey, Hot Air *** A Big Loophole in Cap and Trade - BusinessWeek *** Lawmakers Block Regulation After Payday Lenders Pay Up - Texas Tribune *** 11/23: Gillibrand Approval Rating Stagnates *** WATCH: The Bottom Line on the Health Care Bill George Stephanopoulos *** Senate health bill targets ‘Cadillac’ plans


Political Parties Defiant GOPers launch new drive to kill off health bill *** Dems' Spending Spree Winning Issue for GOP - Jed Babbin, Human Events *** Dems, Media Use Palin to Distract From Issues - Kyle Smith, New York Post *** America's Broken Politics - Jeffrey Sachs , The Guardian


Wall Street and the Economy Cadbury blows a kiss toward Hershey bid *** U.S. Facing Wave Of Debt Payments *** How Much Longer Can Gold Move Up? - Bill Fleckenstein, MSN Money *** Fed Under Fire as Public Anger Mounts - Associated Press *** The Market Rally Was Nice While It Lasted - Donald Luskin, SmartMoney *** Don't Cap Bank Pay, Just Break Up the Banks - Editors, The New Republi *** Bernanke, Fed Under Fire *** Smith Barney broker attrition stabilizing *** US Debt A 'Phantom Menace,' Krugman Argues *** Lehman, Bear Stearns Execs Cashed In As Their Firms Failed, Study Finds *** The 'Real' Jobless Rate: 17.5% Of Workers Are Unemployed... *** BofA CEO Opening Difficult to Fill *** PM Wall Street Journal Supports Break-Up Of Big Banks *** Price War Brews for Wal-Mart and Amazon


International China Asks Its Banks to Slow Down *** How Iran's Opposition Complicates Nuke Talks - Robin Wright, Time *** End of Bolivian Democracy - Mary Anastasia O'Grady, Wall Street Journal *** In Afpak, the Real Prize Is India - Fareed Zakaria, Newsweek *** The West Has Never Understood China - Martin Jacques, Los Angeles Times *** Mideast Solution Is Up to Netanyahu - Jim Hoagland, Washington Post *** In Central America, Coups Still Trump Change - Tim Padgett, Time *** Ahmadinejad Welcomed in Brazil *** Pakistan Faces Taliban Recession *** Iran Launches Air-Defense Exercise *** China Money Leaks Offshore *** EU's Weakest Members Draw Scrutiny *** Jim Hoagland - Jim Hoagland: The broader Mideast decision lies with Israel - washingtonpost.com *** Leaked Documents Show British Cover-up in Run-up to Iraq War - Telegraph

National After Billions Spent, Outmoded Computer Systems Still Hamper Calif. - LAT *** Sanford Faces 37 Charges by State Ethics Board

Environment Emails Illustrate Bitter Feud Over Global Warming - Keith Johnson, WSJ *** Copenhagen Will Fail.....and That is Good - Nigel Lawson, Times of London


Media and New Tech FT: News Corp, Microsoft Discussed "De-Indexing" From Google *** Martha Stewart Calls Palin 'Boring & Dangerous' *** NYT: GE, Vivendi's NBC Talks STALLED *** Looking for a Leader in the Post-Oprah Landscape *** In Chicago, Ex-Editor Fights Back *** AOL Revamping Its Logo, Hoping to Revive the Brand *** Calming Sign of Troubled Past Appears in Modern Offices To propel themselves through the recession, media executives are turning to a phrase meant to soothe a troubled populace: the British during World War II *** Help A Reporter Out: It all adds up to this startup helping reporters connect with people they need *** Veteran journalist writing 'unknown black history' *** Glenn Beck, Community Organizer - James Joyner, OTB *** Microsoft Takes Aim at Google *** Contributors Flee Wikipedia En Masse *** Volunteers Log Off As Wikipedia Ages(WSJ) *** Price Dispute Delays NBC Deal(WSJ) *** Microsoft, News Corp. Discuss Web Pact *** Fake Tan and Then a Tango *** How Google Wave is Changing the News *** Fox CEO Gianopulos Wants To Boot Content Pirates Offline *** MediaNPR: Carl Kasell To Give Final Newscast
*** Former CNN anchor says he's mulling 2012 bid Lou Dobbs *** Rupert Murdoch Is Using Bing to Make Google Jealous *** Time Inc.'s Squires Assembles Team of Rivals to Harness Digital Media