Bringing you mellow news and events from here in Mountaindale, Greater Sullivan County, and the Historic Hudson River Valley.
If you would like a link on our side bar for your business, or wish to submit an article or event, please email us: news@mountaindaleproject.org
A special thanks to all of our readers. As many of you recall, it was August when we were so very excited to reach a total of 5,000 blog views...well, we crossed the milestone, and headed into September wondering what would come next...how about our BIGGEST month of traffic ever with almost 1900 people stopping by to have a read. We are now at 7200 blog views, and racing toward the magic number of 10,000 views. If lightening strikes today, we are also just about 140 visitors short of having our FIRST EVER 2000 visitor month, though with just a few hours before the calendar switches over to October, we will not hold our breath for that milestone this month.
A BIG THANK YOU to all of our faithful readers from the folks at Mountaindale, NY News.
*Picture is of our flooded entrance to the Rails to Trails during Hurricane Irene last month.
Despised and dangerous Al-Qaeda internet guru and terrorist Anwar al-Awlaki, referred to in some circles as the "New Bin Laden" is now the "New Dead Bin Laden". The turn coat Yemeni-American preacher had emerged in recent years as a recruiter for Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula was taken out/killed around 10:00 AM local time in Yemen this morning, and the news is all over the media. Anwar al-Awlaki is just another example of Al-Qaeda leaders dropping like flies...wonder who the new number two is going to be.
Though details are sketchy, as news comes out, look for major involvement by our own Special Forces, with the Navy Seals taking the lead. Job well done! The perfect shot on the convoy, the quick identification are American Special Forces calling cards, so though Yemen is claiming partial credit, we know who got the job done.
Mountaindale is a small hamlet, and like the rest of America, we are struggling through what the experts call a "Down Economy"...yet, if you have been watching our small community with a discerning eye, you see us growing, new citizens coming in, taking up residence as our population base moves in a forward direction. We welcome all of our new families, but are especially excited about one new neighbor in particular, and that neighbor is Robert Uccelli who immigrated to America from Northern Italy (Florance) back in the mid eighties.
Robert Uccelli is a chef, and sure all of us will soon be smiling as we savor the treats he will be preparing for us at his new restaurant here in Mountaindale, "Uccelli Retaurant". Chef Robert specializes in fine cuisine from his native Italy.
As a part of the work he is doing in preparing for his Grand Opening, his online presence is being created, and a big part of that is his menu. Now, a lot of folks here in Mountaindale and the surrounding area have been begging to know what is on that menu, what kind of food he will be serving...well, we here at Mountaindale NY News are pleased to announce a scoop...even though the website is not ready for PRIME TIME, and even though Chef Robert's full menu is not fully up on his website and officially launched, we were able to get the link to his UNDER CONSTRUCTION SITE where everyone can peak in on his menu, get a fairly good idea of the wonderful foods about to come our way.
This morning, I was introduced to an inspiring man via CNN. His name is Constantino Diaz-Duran. After becoming a naturalized American citizen 3 months ago, he decided to celebrate by treating himself to a walk across the United States. That's right, he went Forest Gump! He began in New York and was interviewed today on a stop in Atlanta, Georgia. Rather than taking highways, he has been taking backroads and a seemingly meandering route. The purpose is to be around people so he can get to know the real folks in this great land of ours. He also mentioned that his routing is going to include a stroll through New Orleans, which Constantino has always wanted to see.
So far, he has walked about 1,000 miles and wore out his 1st pair of running shoes. There are camping supplies in his backpack, but they are still quite new because so many of our neighbors across the states have been so willing to bring him into their homes for food and lodging. Constanino is getting to know a lot of people. He is also getting to know a lot about himself on this journey. An interesting quote on his blog is "Necessity, I suppose, is the mother of self-reinvention."
You can follow his wondrous journey by clicking here or follow him on Facebook and even make a PayPal secure donationif you wish. Here is the Changing of the Shoes as his beloved first pair were retired due to the holes in the bottom and Constantino continues walking in a new pair.
As many of our readers know, our community's "Train Garden" set just inside the entrance to the "Rails to Trails" corridor here in Mountaindale won second place, and with that we received a $7,000 grant to help with other projects here in the community. This past week we met with Sullivan Renaissance and have our winnings in hand, and plans are afoot to use some of the monies for new banners.
New banners has opened up a lot of discussion about what the banners should look like, as well as what our hamlet's slogan should be. Raymon Elozua has suggested the words "opportunity" and "community" should play a key part in whatever replaces, "A growing business and arts community" on our banner. That suggestion has ignited a lively discussion about branding, that in some ways resembles a visioning workshop/seminar, and it is inspiring to see how many people have jumped into the conversation, showing their own passions and love for Mountaindale.
There will be a meeting to discuss new banners next week. If you have suggestions or ideas for a new banner, have some input on the creation of a new town slogan or motto, we would love to have you share them. Feel free to email your ideas and suggestions to news@mountaindaleproject.org
Shorter days and cooler nights mean plenty to do in garden
[FERNDALE] – With the arrival of shorter days and cooler nights there is much to do to “put your garden to bed” for the winter and prepare for next spring. Sullivan Renaissance is holding a fall gardening seminar entitled “Beds, Bulbs & Beyond” on Wednesday, October 5 at 7:00 p.m. at the CVI Center in Ferndale.
The seminar will be presented by gardening experts Mary Lewis and Vivian Multari-Ginsberg. It will provide tips and advice for essential gardening tasks in the autumn months, including:
Protecting and winterizing perennial beds
Planting bulbs, shrubs and trees
Mulching, pruning and composting
Lawn care and repair
Soil testing
Dividing perennials
Preparing new beds now
Lewis is a consultant for Sullivan Renaissance and had been a Renaissance judge for nine years. She is founder and principal of Barncroft, a garden design firm; chair of Zone III 2008 Annual Meeting of the Garden Clubs of America; and past president of Orange and Dutchess Garden Club. A Cornell University graduate, she studies botanical art at New York Botanical Garden.
Multari-Ginsberg is the Sullivan Renaissance Horticulturalist and an avid gardener with over 25 years of experience. She studied at the New York Botanical Garden and Master Gardener Program in Connecticut. She practices organic vegetable and ornamental gardening both personally and professionally.
Everyone is welcome to attend. Those interested in learning more about Sullivan Renaissance are also invited. Refreshments will be served. Please RSVP by October 3.
Sullivan Renaissance is a beautification and community development program principally funded by the Gerry Foundation. Additional funding has been secured by U.S. Representative Maurice D. Hinchey. Sponsors include Bold Gold Media Group/Thunder 102, Robert Green Dealerships, Sullivan County Democrat, The River Reporter and WSUL/WVOS.
Our area is gifted with many very talented and creative artisans that call Sullivan County and the Greater Hudson River Valley home. One such creative soul is renowned photographer Lou Jawitz who can count among his numerous awards of recognition a CLIO. He is offering an ongoing series of workshops for those looking to hone their photographic skills.
GROUP & PRIVATE INSTRUCTION PHOTO WORKSHOPS
Neversink Photo Workshops, led by award winning photographer, Lou Jawitz, are held in the scenic Catskill Mountains of New York State and concentrate on Scenic & Nature photography with supervised field trip shooting, as well as Portfolio review & critique, discussions related to composition and perspective, technical skills, visual design, using color for impact, exposure control, basic digital workflow and developing a personal style.
Group Workshops are held any 2 consecutive days anytime during the year. Individual/private Immersion Workshops are available any day a Group Workshop is not scheduled. There is also a possibility of an additional "Fall Foliage" weekend in October (dates dependent upon local weather conditions).
Fee for full 2 consecutive day Group Workshop is $375.
For those unable to attend a full 2 day Workshops, we offer the option of participating in a one-day individual "Immersion" session. See below.
A 50% deposit is required with your application; the balance of the workshop fee is due three weeks in advance of your workshop.
In the event that you are unable to attend, the deposit will be refunded in full, less a $50 handling fee, PROVIDED notice is received, in writing, at least 2 weeks prior to the starting date of the workshop reserved.
Accommodations are not included for Group Workshops. A list of nearby inns and bed &breakfast accommodations is available upon requested.
Students will be accepted on a first-come-first-served basis. Due to the small group size and limited availability of accommodations in the immediate area, early registration is advisable.
Workshop participants are asked to bring approximately twenty (20) prints or slides for evaluation. You are welcome to bring more for review, in the event time permits.
All Workshop Sessions are 7 1/2 hours, usually 9:30am-5pm. Workshops that include evening shooting are 8-9 hours with start-end time to be determined by student & time of year.
The workshop reserves the right to cancel a specific weekend if there is an insufficient number
of participants or for weather reasons. In this case, all monies paid will be either refunded in full or credited to an alternative weekend or Private Instruction day, at the student's discretion.
The workshop provides no film processing.
PHOTO "IMMERSION" INDIVIDUAL/PRIVATE INSTRUCTION
Those preferring Individual one-on-one instruction, Immersion/Private Day Workshops are available any day that Group Workshops are not scheduled.
"Photo Immersion" individual/private instruction days consist of 1-to-1 Field shooting trips either daytime, late day or evening, critique of images presented, and general discussion of all aspects of photography that the Weekend Workshop covers, plus more in depth in a 1 to 1 atmosphere.
" Photo Immersion" Individual/private instruction days are a block of 8-9 hours beginning either early morning, late day, evening, or night, depending on student's choice (weather permitting).
After each "day" of shooting (or at "midday lunch break"), we will review/analyze/discuss the day's photos, and archive them on CD, Thumb/flash drive (student provides). If student is not MAC based, please bring a portable/laptop PC.
Fee for "Immersion" Private Instruction Workshop is $425 per day with lodging NOT included.
OR $495 per day, with on-site lodging included. Click here for images of on-site lodging. A list of nearby inns and bed & breakfast accommodations is available upon requested.
The workshop reserves the right to cancel any "Individual/Private" session in the event of scheduling conflicts or for weather permit reasons. In these cases, all monies paid will be either refunded in full or be credited to an alternative Private Instruction day, at the student's discretion.
The workshop provides no film processing.
"Immersion" Private/Individual students are asked to bring approximately 40-50 examples of their work, a combination of prints, slides, or digital images on a thumb/flash drive" or CD for evaluation. If student is not MAC based, please bring a portable/laptop PC.
Forget fighting city hall...we are in a fight against the millionaires and billionaires that ARE THE GAS INDUSTRY, and they are spending tens of millions of dollars blanketing our airways with a pro-fracking propaganda campaign. Catskill Citizens is a small not for profit organization trying to fight the proverbial good fight, and they need our support. This Saturday night, September 17th they are holding a fund raiser that sounds like a lot of fun...I encourage you to attend if you find yourself free for the evening...or, if you are busy, consider sending them a donation in the mail.
We Need Your Cash to Fight Big Gas
Join us for our fourth annual fundraiser this Saturday (September 17th) at the Delaware Youth Center in Callicoon New York. The potluck dinner party gets underway at 6 PM and will feature live music, a raffle and silent auction.
Performers include Sean Zigmund, Sara Hulse, Most Ambitious Sloth, Bears in my Living Room and The Drummers with Kazzrie Jaxen.
Suggested donation $10. Bring a dish to share & BYOB
Delaware Valley Youth Center 8 Creamery Road Callicoon New York
Last week the New York State DEC released the complete, a d fatally flawedRevised Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statementon the environmental dangerous drilling technique hydraulic fracturing. Although the entire document runs to over 1,500 pages, the Cuomo Administration insists that scientists, the medical community and the general public will have only three months to read, analyze and submit written comments on a plan that will contaminate our safe drinking water supplies, endanger our public health, destroy our local economies, and put we the taxpayers on the hook for billions in environmental clean up costs.
It is imperative that the average citizens who will be negatively impacted by this large scale drilling under our lands, our homes, even our schools be heard. If you are concerned about FRACKING, now is the time to summit your questions, worries and concerns to the DEC before the deadline for comments expires. Many of us are submitting a formalized request for an extension of time to file, but Cuomo seems far more concerned with keeping his DONORS in the (un)Natural Gas Industry happy than keeping our water, health and the environment both safe and clean, which means the comment deadline will not be extended.
To submit your comments, simply write them into a letter and send to:
Attn: dSGEIS Comments New York State Department of Environmental Conservation 625 Broadway Albany, NY 12233-6510.
Please include the name, address, and affiliation (if any) of the commenter. Paper submissions also will be accepted at the public hearings date/locations TBD.
Where: CCE Sullivan County When: 10-1-11 at 10:00-12:00
Fee: $40.00
CCE Sullivan County will be offering a workshop called “How to Make a Woodland Terrarium” on Saturday, October 1, 2011 at 10:00-12:00 at the Gerald J. Skoda Education Center at 64 Ferndale Loomis Rd, Liberty, NY. You can bring a woodland garden inside for the winter or give it as a holiday gift. Have you ever wondered what to do with left over plastic and glass jars? Yes, you could recycle them, but how about reusing them to make a terrarium. (Bring a container to fill or use one of ours.) Marion Dolan, floral designer from Butterfly Botanicals, will be the presenter at this workshop. She will be sharing many creative ideas for your terrarium garden. Each participant will take a beautiful terrarium home. The fee for the workshop is $40.00; which covers the instruction, materials and a chance to win a door prize. Pre-registration and payment are required before the class. Come, bring a friend and enjoy a unique workshop at Cornell Cooperative Extension Sullivan County. For more information call Susan Dollard at 845-292-5250.
Celebrate National Yoga Month with Classes in Mountaindale and Special Yoga Eventshosted by our own Janet Gula, Instructor and Owner of Radiant Yoga at 63 Main Street. We are especially proud to be hosting the NY premiere of the new film Yogawoman on Friday, Sept 16th at 7:30pm in our community room at 62 Main Street. Film screening will be followed by Q & A with producer/director Saraswati Clere and light refreshments will be available. The trailer can be previewed at Yogawoman.tv to learn more about the inner power of women who have expanded the extraordinary movement of yoga throughout the world.
Complimentary Radiant Yoga Session before the Film - Restorative Yoga and Gentle Stretching for Women and Men of All Ages, Sizes, and Abilities from 6-7:15pm at 63 Main Street, Mountaindale(across the street from the film screening) To RSVP. please call Janet at 845-866-7822. And visit MyRadiantYoga.com for a complete schedule of special activities and regular classes.
(Photo of Janet & Athena by Suzanne Hannah Gold)
Contact Barb at 845-434-4747 if you or your organization are interested in using our Community Room in Mountaindale for your events and programs.
This article was shared with us via email this past week, and is well worth passing along to our readers. The concept is quite simple...Emergency Responders many times might not know who in your contacts should be contacted in the case of an emergency...unless you list them under ICE (In Case of Emergency). The emergency responders then know just who needs to be contacted immediately in case of an emergency. Have you set your child's cell phone up with this simple and effective emergency contact information? If not, do so today, and please forward this article on to all your friends and relatives.
We all carry our mobile phones with names & numbers stored in its memory but nobody, other than ourselves, knows which of these numbers belong to our closest family or friends.
If we were to be involved in an accident or were taken ill, the people attending us would have our mobile phone but wouldn't know who to call. Yes, there are hundreds of numbers stored but which one is the contact person in case of an emergency? Hence the 'ICE' (In Case of Emergency) Campaign.
The concept of 'ICE' is catching on quickly. It is a method of contact during emergency situations. As cell(mobile)phones are carried by the majority of the population, all you need to do is store the number of a contact person or persons who should be contacted during emergency under the name 'ICE' (In Case Of Emergency).
The idea was thought up by a paramedic who found that when he went to the scenes of accidents, there were always mobile phones with patients, but they didn't know which number to call. He therefore thought that it would be a good idea if there was a nationally recognized name for this purpose. In an emergency situation, Emergency Service personnel and hospital Staff would be able to quickly contact the right person by simply dialing the number you have stored as 'ICE.'
For more than one contact name simply enter ICE1, ICE2 and ICE3 etc.
A great idea that will make a difference!
Let's spread the concept of ICE by storing an ICE number in ourMobile phones today!
Please forward this. It won't take too many 'forwards' before everybody will know about this.It really could save your life, or put a loved one's mind at rest.
It's OFFICIAL...Mountaindale is getting a new restaurant that will be featuring a full menu of Northern Italian and fine cuisine from Spain. Stay tuned in the next few days for more details about the family style restaurant and its chef.
Today is the 11th of September 2011, a full ten years from the day that two planes crashed into the World Trade Center Towers here in New York, ten years since another plane crashed into the Pentagon in Washington DC, another hijacked plane crashed into a field in Pennsylvania thanks to the heroic efforts of the passengers on board. 2819 souls lost their lives that day in a matter of hours, and America was changed forever.
Looking out the window of my small apartment at the steely gray, overcast sky the weather fits my mood as I recall that day, remembering how it all unfolded, each second seemingly more tragic than the one before, even though we all kept swearing it could not get any worse. That morning my wife for some unknown reason had asked me to drive her into work, saying she needed a break from the commute, so unlike most days we were together, driving into New York City (the Bronx), traveling South on the Taconic Parkway just before it becomes the Sprain when the first radio reports came in saying a plane had crashed into the first tower.
Not sure why, but turned to my wife and said, "We are under attack". I knew that a commercial jet flying into any building like that was no accident, knew much like in the "Miracle on the Hudson" that the pilot, if there were mechanical issues, would do everything humanly possible to mitigate both the loss of human life, and damage to infrastructure...especially in broad daylight. 8:46 AM, and all of our lives had forever changed, already everyone on that plane dead, more dead or severely injured in that first tower. America was under attack.
We were on Interstate 87, almost too the college, trying to digest the news when at 9:02 the second plane flew into the adjoining tower...we sat in stunned silence, wanting nothing more than to get onto the campus and find a television.
It was the job of my wife, and numerous others on her campus to safely shut-down the college, take care of the students, so as soon as the car was parked we both made our way over to the Vice Presidents office/reception area in the building she works in. Coming through the door all you could see were red, tear stained eyes, a group of people sitting and standing around a small black and white television...hearing the news on the radio was devastating, watching it unfold in black and white, seeing the pictorial images on the air was heart wrenching as I tried to choke back my tears.
I was glued to the television screen at 9:42 when the first tower went down, wailed and wept as I dropped to my knees...you could not watch that tower come down without knowing everyone inside that was still alive had just died. How could a building that tall collapse in a mere 12 seconds, how could the people racing down the street escape from the cloud of smoke and debris coming towards them like a runaway tornado? By the time the second tower followed suit at 10:42 I was numb, shocked, sadder than I had ever been in my life, and yet there was work too be done, a campus had to be closed.
Not working there, I did what I could to help, while at the same time trying not to be in the way, so I headed out to the quad, and the scene said it all. A professor in a panic because his son worked in one of the towers, and he could not raise him on the cellphone. Students huddled in small groups, most of them crying, many of the people in those circles knowing someone who worked in the towers, a family member, friend or associate, no one have any success in getting in touch with anyone they knew who were in, or could be in those towers. Words come of your mouth at times like this, sentences formed with the best of intentions, yet sounding so hollow when spoken, "Probably the phone systems are overloaded, you just have to believe that your son is OK. Is there anything I can do to help, would you like to try on my cell phone, maybe my network is functioning."
By just after two in the afternoon, the campus secured and closed down, most of the remaining staff including my wife were told they might as well go home. Interstate 87, the Sprain, the Taconic all were eerily quiet as we made our way back north. Our side of the road all but devoid of vehicles, while on the other side, making their way down into Manhattan was an endless parade of emergency vehicles, our nation's first responders rushing toward the disaster, each of them perhaps saying a little prayer that they could still find survivors, pull them from the rubble, save their lives...as we all know, that just was not to be.
A friend of mine is a New York Fire Fighter, his Engine Company losing half their members on that tragic day...ten years later he does not want to talk about it, and I don't push. Another friend's daughter was there that day, inside one of the towers doing her banking. She survived but will never get over watching bodies falling from the sky. She was frozen in place, unable to move her feet. A perfect stranger, some man running for his own life grabbed her, tossed her over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes and carried her to safety. At a rotary meeting in Briarcliff a few weeks later a woman spoke who had lost her husband...he was on the top floor eating breakfast that day, would never come home, would never know that on that very night, on 09/11/2001 his wife would give birth too their child.
Ten years later looking back as one who was at best only indirectly touched by this tragedy, I realize that day changed me forever. When I hear the roar of a plane overhead, I look up far more than I used to, get nervous when it seems to be flying too low to the ground, or the engine sounds as if it is straining. I am far more watchful now than I used to be, trips into Manhattan, walking through Grand Central Station see me looking, my eyes scanning the terrain looking for anything out of place, an unattended bag, a person who for whatever reasons looks out of place or suspicious immediately mentioned/reported to whatever first responder I happen to spot. That saddens me as I realize that America, the home of the free and land of the brave just is not as free as it used to be, and that I am not as brave as I once was. America changed that day, as did all of us that live in this great nation.
To those who perished that day, your sacrifices have not been forgotten, our thoughts are with you on this day of rememberance, and every day. Know that each of you, and that tragic day will never be forgotten. To those who lost loved ones, our prayers are still with you, and in small ways we both feel and share your pain, will always know exactly where it was, and what we were doing when America came under attack. God's speed too all those who were and have been touched by that day ten years ago.
Today I'd like to take my mind off all this rain by thinking about something as American as baseball, hot dogs and apple pie - a good, old fashioned Soap Box Derby. Originally, soapbox cars were built from wooden soap (or orange) crates and rollerskate wheels, and propelled by gravity so that most races are held on hills or inclined roadways. Nowadays, the cars have become extremely elaborate and creative, but are still motorless and enjoyed by children of ALL ages.
A county-wide Soap Box Derby will be held right here in Sullivan County next year, thanks to the efforts of the Greater Liberty Chamber of Commerce and Liberty Soap Box Derby, Inc. This exciting race will take place on Sunday, May 27, 2012 as part of the Memorial Day weekend festivities in Liberty. Liberty Soap Box Derby, Inc., is part of the larger All-American Soap Box Derby competition series, which culminates each August with a national championship in Akron, Ohio. The Liberty Soap Box Derby will feature two competitive groups - Stock division (ages 8 through 13) and Super Stock division (ages 10 through 17). The winner of each division will be invited, on an all-expense paid trip, to participate in the national championship in Akron, Ohio.
An informational meeting for interested racers and their parents has been scheduled for Thursday, September 8th, at 7PM at the Liberty Firehouse on Sprague Avenue. Sponsors/Underwriters are invited to attend as well. Light refreshments will be served. For more information, please contact the Greater Liberty Chamber of Commerce at 845-292-9797 or 845-292-5807.
(More of Barb Schmitt's images from other Hudson Valley Soap Box Derbies)
Town of Fallsburg Supervisor Steven Vegliante has issued a limited State of Emergency, and all citizens are encouraged to be CAREFUL OUT THERE, and to watch for water on the roads in low lying areas. In related news, there seems to be some very serious concern about the dam in our Mountaindale Park failing...sources are saying said dam is on the verge of complete failure, so those down stream need to be VERY VIGILANT.
A walk down the park road showed a very large amount of water flowing over the roadway (see picture) making further investigation too risky.
August was a record setting month for total accumulated rain in our area, and the ground is saturated, making flash flooding a very real danger. Another danger area is the wood retaining wall that directs the water under Main Street...that wall really took a beating in Hurricane Irene, and it might not be a matter of if, but rather when the retaining wall blows out, the stream then overflowing its banks and heading straight down Main Street here in our small hamlet.
If you see flooding, or have questions/concerns about the limited State of Emergency for the Town of Fallsburg, you can contact the Town Clerk's office at (845) 434-8810.
Catskill Harvest created The Slow Food Fair to educate the community about Slow Food Upper Delaware River Valley (UpDeRiVa) and Catskill Mountainkeeper. Their missions complement each other by linking healthy food to a safe environment. Both are integral to Sullivan County's long-term growth and sustainability.
Without sane environmental practices and clean water, Slow Food doesn't have a fighting chance.
Catskill Harvest will donate 10% of all Market proceeds brought in during The Slow Food Fair (12 noon - 4 p.m.) and split that amount between Slow Food UpDeRiVa and Catskill Mountainkeeper.
RSVP to The Slow Food Fair (rsvp@catskillharvest.com)
It’s easy to look back on things sitting in a chair years later. But at the moment when something happens, how do you react? How do you really perceive it? Everything that’s happened in the last ten years gets convoluted with what happened in the beginning, gets torn and twisted. Now, I remember it emotionally. In my dreams it’s a cloud, not a hard thing; it’s a smell, a being, another person, a relationship. I took pictures because I didn’t want to forget; things fade, objects take the place of emotions, and because you live through so many moments, things become all mixed up. That’s the way we live, but photography gives you the ability to freeze something in time. The photographs bring me back. They’re my notebook; my best notebook. That’s why I take pictures. I take pictures because sometimes my brain is dead and I need to remember where I placed my foot.
Fovea is a volunteer-run 501(c)3 educational charity.
Our mission is to promote public understanding of world events and social issues through the works of photojournalism. DONATE TODAY, and become a member.
This event has been cancelled, and will be rescheduled for a future date...we will post the new date and details when they become available.
PRESS RELEASE...a pancake breakfast dedicated to a very worthwhile cause, so please put the morning of September 25th on your calendars, and head over to the Woodbourne Fire House for some great breakfast, and wonderful company while supporting the Tim Hill Scholarship Fund!
On Sunday, September 25th the Town of Fallsburg Democratic Committee will be hosting a Pancake Breakfast at the Woodbourne Fire House from 7 AM to 12 Noon and is hoping everyone can attend.
The fund was established in 2008 in honor of the late Tim Hill, former Democratic County party Chair and SC Election commissioner in honor of the commitment he and his family made to their community as well as Tim's passion for all things political,three awards of $500 each have been made to high school seniors who distinguished themselves by their academic achievements and exemplary volunteerism.
If you cannot attend the event, but would like to make a donation:
Donations to the fund can be made c/o Ann Prusinski, PO Box 364, Mountaindale NY 12763.
More importantly, we welcome one and all to join us for one DELICIOUS breakfast and a most worthy fundraiser.
Yesterday CNN was unfortunately falling all over itself to cover what amounted to a meet the Candidate Event down in South Carolina...what a serious waste of air time that ended up being for those of us who regularly tune in to CNN. Not trying to be mean here, but is this the best that the Grand Old Party has to offer the American people, and should we even care about politicians who are pandering to the Tea Party Extremists? Lets give you a quick run down from one person's perspective on the viable candidates (do they have one?).
Ron Paul-Let's get serious...his is not a realistic campaign, he has zero chance of being the standard barer for the Republican Party. He is basically the Republican Party's Ralph Nader.
Mitt Romney-in a word, Billionaire. In two words, Billionaire Mormon. This man will NEVER be the people's president, and he has no clue when it comes to what is best for the average American living on Main Street USA. His just released Job Plan for America...forget about it, it is the same old same old approach that relies upon Trickle Down Economics...Reagan is dead, and most Americans are still waiting for wealth to trickle down to our level.
Rick Perry-Four more years of George W. Bush from a guy that has Rod Blagojevich hair and angry disposition.
Michele Bachmann-Sure, America is going to elect a pro-life, gay hating, rabid right wing Tea Party darling as the Cheerleader in Chief...NOT!
Sarah Palin-doubt she is going to throw her dunce cap in the ring along with Michele, and let us not forget, "She can see Russia from her front porch." Ask yourselves just one question, "Do we want a QUITTER AND CHIEF sitting in the Oval Office? NEXT!
As for the rest of the pack, such un-notables as Rick Santorum and Newt Gingrich, the race for them is already over, and they are just to self important and absorbed to accept that fact yet.
For those who will be wondering, consider myself Independent only because both the Democrats and Republicans have made it almost impossible to have a third party in politics, let alone a fourth or fifth party, though having such parties would go a LONG WAY toward eliminating gridlock in Washington, DC.
Putting this Press Release in the Mountaindale New York news blog not because Starbuck's CEO is right, but because our government at this point in history is wrong for America, and wrong for our workers and I will listen to anyone with an alternative thought. We cannot just stand by and let partisan politics coupled with corporate greed destroy our nation's middle class, and that reality, that simple truth makes me willing to grasp at straws, though it looks like you have some centrists from both sides of the aisle wanting to reshuffle the same deck and present it as a new deal for America's working class.
I have some serious problems with Howard Schultz, including his own efforts at lobbying Congress, buying politicians through campaign donations, but as I said, always willing to give someone a listen...if you are an American Middle Class citizen tired of the same old same old inside Washington DC's beltway, join the conversation on Tuesday evening. Sure if nothing else it will be entertaining.
For my money, think America would be a lot better off is we elected some average every day Americans, rather than sending to Washington more millionaires and billionaires. Trust me, you can never expect a person with that many zero's in their net worth statement to represent your interests if you are earning less than $100,000 a year, so stop sending them to Congress. Most of the people in No Labels are, simply stated, a part of America's pampered class, and in many cases, actually a part of the problem. But, never hurts to grasp at straws, though this group looks just like the rest of them, laden with special interests, and the money that special interests are willing to toss at such groups.
Join Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz and thousands of concerned Americans in a telephone town hall Tuesday (Sept. 6) at 7:30 p.m. EST to discuss how we can stop the hyper-partisanship plaguing Washington. Three weeks ago, No Labels joined Schultz in his drive to encourage other business leaders to sign a two-part pledge:
1. To withhold campaign contributions until Washington reaches a fair, bipartisan deal on our country’s long-term economic future.
2. To hire workers. American businesses can make a positive impact on our economy through a commitment to doing everything possible to accelerate job creation.
No Labels Co-Founders ...careful folks. there are some SNAKES in the grass in the list of founders. For starters, can we say Joe LIEberman?
John Avlon One has to wonder how wise this man in when he agreed to be the Chief Speechwriter and Deputy Policy Director for Rudy Giuliani's failed 2008 Presidential Campaign. Let's all be honest here...if it were not for September 11th, 2001, Rudy Giuliani would have left office a disgraced man. Stop your moaning everyone...he moved his Mistress into the Mayor's Mansion.
In summation...this looks like one group of pampered silver spoon babies trying to wrest control of Washington politics from another group of pampered silver spoon babies, but I will be there on Tuesday to listen in.
Officially, summer is still around, will be with us for a few more weeks, but unofficially Labor Day Monday signals the end of another season of fun in the sun. People here at camp packing up and closing down their campers, and tomorrow sees most kids heading back to school, fall classes starting as a new school year begins. Drive around to many of the seasonal camp grounds in and around Sullivan County, into the small towns that meet their needs for a few months each year, and you can watch the sidewalks being rolled up, seasonal store fronts boarding up and closing down until next year when the fun starts all over again.
For some, summer's end signals a return to normalcy, a return to the quiet that is living in rural America. No more is the local Walmart or Shop Rite store going to be crowded each and every day as shoppers grab their supplies for a weekend at camp. Restaurants that have recommended reservations all summer long running specials to bring people through the doors, the crowds ever diminishing as winter gets closer to knocking on our county's door, bringing with it colder temperatures and the snow that keeps us all inside.
Outside the rain is pouring, the few people here at camp huddled under tarps, staying despite the weather, snatching up every second of a season that has gone by way to fast. Summer is closing, coming to an end, the weather cheating us of one last day sitting poolside before staff closes it up, confirming to one and all that this season of fun in the sun is over, the fall is soon to begin. So farewell our sunny season friend, and thank you for the memories created while basking in your rays. Know that you will be missed, and know thoughts of spring and the summer that follows in its footsteps will keep us company as we turn up our thermostats remembering fondly what it is like to sit in lawn chairs shirtless in your summer sun.
Earlier this year a major earthquake coupled with a Tsunami caused the worst nuclear reactor accident the world has ever seen, Chernobyl paling in comparison to the nuclear fallout that has been and is being experienced after the TEPCO company experienced nuclear meltdowns of both reactors and spent fuel pools at its Fukushima Daiichi nuclear complex in Japan. Just a few weeks ago the East Coast of America experienced an unexpected 5.8 on the Richter Scale earthquake that forced the shutdown of the North Anna plants owned by Dominion Power...in initial reports, the company, much like TEPCO lied about the severity of the damage at these reactors, telling both the NRC and the public that everything was fine.
Entergy, TEPCO, Dominion Power...THEY ALL CHEAT...can we risk that?
Not surprisingly, Dominion has not always operated lawfully. The energy giant has been subject to a slew of lawsuits and government violations. In its quest to perpetually increase profits, the effect of this corporate behemoth’s operations on the health and welfare of the public is notalways taken into consideration. For example, Dominion skimped on costly pollution-control equipment at one of its fossil-fuel power plants—a violation of federal clean air laws—and ultimately agreed on a billion-dollar settlement with the federal government over the infraction.
But the ability of regulators to keep Dominion in check is not absolute; indeed, the integrity of state officials has, in many instances, been compromised by the power of Dominion and other large energy companies. The company is even trumping its government regulators in the state of Virginia by pushing through legislation that the regulators themselves say is bad for consumers of electricity.
When we have made claims that a major earthquake, or significant storm surge could see these poorly designed and engineered Dry Cask storage units, each filled with 20 times more radioactive wastes than Hiroshima, could be floating down the proverbial river, we were accused of being alarmists of the worst kind. When we have laid out an almost identical accident scenario as the one that took out the TEPCO reactors should New York take a direct hit by a major Hurricane, we again were chastised as alarmist, and yet we just missed that exact scenario when Hurricane Irene weakened before coming on shore this past Sunday.
We in the Anti-Nuclear movement have been portrayed as alarmists, our accident scenarios dismissed as all but mathematically impossible to occur. Yet, the NRC commission is now signaling the industry to expect a “generic letter” to all 104 nuclear power plants requesting a new evaluation of the manner in which earthquakes were analyzed and incorporated into their designs...first, lets not request new evaluations, lets demand them, and in an expedient fashion, as there is too much at stake, especially here in the New York area where millions of lives are being risked as the NRC plays Russian Roulette with the two poorly placed, poorly designed reactors known as Indian Point.
Let us as example go back to the original licensing of Indian Point...on a parallel track, but not yet approved, Earthquake criteria were being formulated and moving through the process of approval. Indian Point's license was approved prior to the official adoption of these rules, and thus they did not have to meet them...if they had, said reactors would not now be sitting on the edge of the Hudson River just 24 miles from Manhattan. Additionally, the Fukushima Nuclear Disaster has shown us that the industry's nuclear fallout modeling is completely off base and unrealistic. In just three days, radioactive fallout from the Fukushima Accident had reached Tokyo, some 180 miles from the epicenter of the disaster, which is almost four times the 50 mile fallout circle established for a significant incident here in America. All of this should be great cause for alarm as the NRC moves to approve a re-licensing of Indian Point's two functioning reactors.
Indian Point has some very serious problems that the NRC has been effectively ignoring for decades now. The three nuclear plants on the site have miles of underground pipes and conduits-most of these are encased in concrete are completely inaccessible to inspections, and though the NRC does not want you too know this, extremely vulnerable should and earthquake occur. Virtually all three of these aging plants have leaked massive amounts of radioactive water into the surrounding environment, though the NRC protects its licensee by falsely claiming said radiated materials have not contaminated the potable drinking waters of the state of NY.
Fact is, New York’s Indian Point plants have continuously leaked into what amounts to a radioactive lake under the plants, about 25 miles north of New York City. These radioactive contaminates from a 300,000 gallon reservoir that IP 3 sits atop are steadily seeping into the Hudson River. Yet, when citizens file 2.206 petitions on these and other violations at the plant, such as the leaking fuel transfer channel for IP 2, nothing is done, Entergy being allowed to continue operating, being allowed to flout the rules and regulations, simply requesting another waiver/exemption every time they cannot meet the rules as they are written.
Many here in the Hudson River Valley have been led to believe we are safe, even if there is a significant incident or accident at Indian Point...fact is, we have been mislead, and it is time for us as citizens, as affected stakeholder communities to weigh into the issue, time for us to insist that the license renewal application for these two reactors be denied so that proper decommissioning can begin.
Some Important Facts
1. The Price Anderson Act precludes all citizens in America from getting insurance to cover losses from a serious nuclear incident such as the one that occurred in Japan earlier this year. We are told to believe that our government will step in through FEMA and make us whole again. FEMA is broke, and estimates should an accident occur at Indian Point show a price tag in excess of $500 Billion dollars.
The Price-Anderson Act bestows a twofold subsidy on the nuclear industry. First, the Act artificially limits the amount of primary insurance that nuclear operators must carry – an uncalculated indirect subsidy in terms of insurance premiums that they don’t have to pay. This distorts electricity markets by masking nuclear power’s unique safety and security risks, granting nuclear power an unfair and undesirable competitive advantage over safer energy alternatives. Second, Price-Anderson caps the liability of nuclear operators in the event of a serious accident or attack, leaving taxpayers on the hook for most of the damages. This makes capital investment in the nuclear industry more attractive to investors because their risk is minimized and fixed.
Consequently, the Act is a dual-edge sword for the public that it purportedly protects. The legislation was intended first of all to bolster investor confidence, whereas victim compensation is secondary. Price-Anderson establishes only phantom insurance for the public, then provides a real bailout mechanism for the nuclear energy industry by reducing its need to pay for insurance, subsidizing the industry at the taxpayers' expense.
2. The nuclear industry's finacial hit, through a collective insurance pool, should a major terrorist attack or accident at a nuclear facility occur is only $10 Billion dollars...barely two percent of the monies it would cost to make New York whole again if there is an accident at Indian Point.
3. Indian Point owned by Entergy does not, and cannot meet the current Earthquake criteria established for plant safety...the NRC is now admitting that those criteria may not be adequate to protect human health and the environment.
4. One of the planes that flew into the the World Trade Centers flew right past Indian Point on its way into Manhattan on that fateful day almost ten years ago...how much more tragic would 9/11 have been if one of those terrorists had flown their plane into one of Indian Points twin reactors, or had crashed directly into a spent fuel pool?
5. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has granted Indian Point exemptions from conducting some tests that they cannot pass until after they are relicensed...tests that would make them in ineligible for a license renewal.
The time has come for all New Yorkers to demand the full shut down and decommissioning of Indian Point...we simply have to much at stake to do otherwise.
Hurricane Katia is supposed to be developing into a MAJOR Hurricane by Tuesday as it lumbers towards the United States East Coast at around 12 miles per hour. The good news is that most of the computer models show it skirting, then missing us...however, we all know it is too early to assume the best here, and our beleaguered communities need to keep a very close eye on this hurricane as it makes its way in closer to our area. Though it does not feel like it in some areas, we dodged a bullet with Hurricane Irene, and the worst thing that could happen to us right now as we try to dig out from under its aftermath, is to have another hurricane come in right behind it, hitting already damaged infrastructure, both public and private with the proverbial one two punch.
In other weather related news, look for some heavy rains as we deal with the Remnants of Lee as the now tropical depression makes its way up the East Coast over the next couple of days. No matter what happens, it is going to be a very wet week here in the Hudson River Valley.
Tomorrow is Labor Day, a day in which we as a nation celebrate and honor the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of the United States of America. It is a workers holiday that started over 100 years ago, here in New York, though the state of Oregon was the first state to pass legislation making it an official state holiday.
Contrary to what many political pundits would have us proletariat's believe, it is the working class, who through their sweat and labor, who built America's great wealth that made our nation strong, made us the best country in the entire world. Labor union efforts protected our working class, went on strike when necessary to improve both working conditions and the wages of America's working class, and these efforts saw ALL AMERICANS PROSPER. When you hear politicians saying we cannot raise taxes on the job creators, when you hear President Obama giving illegal aliens a back door amnesty that includes a work permit, it is a sure sign that we have lost our direction as a nation, have abandoned the very principles on which Labor Day was built, have turned our back on the America worker in the name of a Global Economy.
As our nation prepares to celebrate Labor Day, perhaps it is time for each of us to begin asking some very serious questions, perhaps it is time that we demand the changes we were promised when Obama was swept into office back in 2008. Let us start that questioning with Social Security and Medicare, the safety net that every Legal American with a job has already paid for. Fact is, the benefits in these two programs have already been paid for by American Workers, deductions having been taken out of their paychecks for decades if you look at say the 79 million Baby Boomers who either have, or are approaching retirement.
It is not the workers fault that our federal government mismanaged the funds in these two Entitlement programs. When the debt ceiling was lifted, both sides of the aisle in Congress argued that we had a moral, legal and ethical obligation to pay our bills, meet our loan obligations to foreign nations...what about our moral, legal and ethical obligations to our own citizens, the hard working Americans who played by the rules for four decades? Doesn't the United States government have the same moral, legal and ethical obligations to the 79 Million Baby Boomers who played by the rules, and as ordered to by law paid into both Medicare and the Social Security fund based on the promises given to them by our government? Is it fair at this late stage in the game to look at these workers and say, "Sorry, we are cutting your benefits, and pushing back the age when you can retire?
Tomorrow is Labor Day, the day we honor the American Worker...stripping American Workers of their collective bargaining rights is not honoring the American Worker. Reducing the Medicare and Social Security Benefits of those who have already paid for them in full, pushing back the age when they can retire and collect those benefits is not honoring the American Worker. Granting back door Amnesty and work permits to illegal aliens who have stolen American Workers jobs, and reduced wages is not honoring the American Worker. Perhaps on this Labor Day in 2011 we need to take stock of our values, and restore the honor back into this day by starting a new Workers Movement. We can no longer afford to sit huddled in our homes praying for change, but instead must take to the streets, march to preserve and protect America's middle-class, and the workers in it before it is too late, and America becomes a two tiered society destined to collapse.
A special thanks to all of our readers. As many of you recall, it was August when we were so very excited to reach a total of 5,000 blog views...well, we crossed the milestone, and headed into September wondering what would come next...how about our BIGGEST month of traffic ever with almost 1900 people stopping by to have a read. We are now at 7200 blog views, and racing toward the magic number of 10,000 views. If lightening strikes today, we are also just about 140 visitors short of having our FIRST EVER 2000 visitor month, though with just a few hours before the calendar switches over to October, we will not hold our breath for that milestone this month.
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