Entries Tagged 'Thinking out loud' ↓

Today I had one of them 24-7 “news” stations on and they played Obama’s speech in Oregon.

Obama dissed Bush as a President, and all I could yell out to the TV (knowing the fool can’t hear me) “You’re the law making body of this government!”

I find it rather ironic that any Senator can call the President of the United States out as bad, while they are elected as our law makers….. they have the power to write NEW laws of which the President can vote for or against. At no point whatsoever did the senator say that he wrote laws of which the President marked as veto.

The topic was on cost of living….. and Senator Obama could only find the words to shame President Bush while he’s holding a Senate seat.

Kettle… this is black, Black…. this is kettle.

Damn! That says a lot of the people whom are to be leaders of our area.

There’s a article in the Buffalo News about living on $2.95 a day. The challenge was presented to a few politicians for two days… and they failed.

The “poverty challenge” was put forward by the Homeless Alliance of Western New York, which earlier in the week called on community leaders and lawmakers to join in solidarity with the 30 percent of Buffalo residents who live at or below the federal poverty line of $866 (or $1,466 for a family of three) in income per month.

A realistic approach to stretching a dollar would have been for them to be poverty-stricken for a full month. A full billing cycle of rent, gas, electric, phone, internet, cable, food, credit cards, auto & health insurances. Now add in a couple of kids.

During the challenge, LoCurto gave up cable television and the Internet, saving about $2.48 against his budget. But he continued to use his cell phone, drove to work and maintained his health insurance.

“That left me with a budget for the day of negative 82 cents, before I started eating,” said LoCurto, who represents the Delaware District. “I don’t function if I don’t have three meals a day, and they weren’t elaborate meals . . . What do you do if you have to buy a $4 bottle of Tylenol? You don’t have dinner that day?”

A realistic challenge would be for these politicians to actually have their paychecks reduced to the poverty level for the full effect of being the working class poor. When you play a game with monopoly money, you know it’s only a game. But when you’re looking at a real budget with real money and finding away at real survival of supporting a family…. it no longer becomes the thought of “let’s pretend you’re poor” it becomes you’re actually living in the poorer lifestyle. A lifestyle of which making ends meet is a daily struggle.

A further realistic “challenge” would be living as the working class poor for a full year, so when minimum wage is increased & an economic stimulus check is being issued by the government, you’ll see how the cost of living adjusts your budgeting for the year…. a budgeting of going without more because food prices jumped through the roof & utility rates are robbery in broad daylight. After 12 months you see you’re further behind.

The alliance developed the challenge to call more attention to poverty in the second-poorest large city in the country, according to U. S. Census Bureau data.

When a lesson is to be taught with monopoly money, nothing is ventured…. nothing is gained, and politicians are no less ignorant when it comes to living a poorer lifestyle. They lived it for 2 days and then went back to their richer living. I bet the $4 bottle of Tylenol doesn’t seem so expensive now, does it? No rules have been broken today by any politician because you drove your child to daycare.

The “fed-up” in me is saying the effects of lifting people out of poverty is more than playing pretend for two days, because for people who are struggling more than myself it’s more than 48 hours of budgeting bills and modes of transportation. It’s more than 48 hours of making smaller meals so your food supply lasts a little longer. More than 48 hours of opting not to buy a new pair of sneakers for your children because you don’t want the electric cut off in your home.

This poverty challenge was a failure before it began, because the poor are still poor and the politicians get to go home with their financial security still in tact. Thanks for playing the game though.

I’m going to give a great quote from a great song (by Joe Diffie) “we bitch about a dollar, when there are those without a dime”.

The economy? not a factor.
The war? not a factor.
The poor? not a factor.
Crime rate in America? not a factor
Homeless vets? not a factor

When selecting the next candidate for whatever office, have we nothing left but to reduce our questions to the status of their Sexual Orientation first?

Gov. Paterson
Gov. Spitzer
Gov. McGreevey

To continue: This is my second day without a cigarette. The patches are helping but my nerves are on the brink. My friends are supportive, telling me that I’m doing great… but I don’t feel so great.

I’m hanging on… but I don’t know for how long.

I posted a picture from the other day of my “day away” in Niagara Falls

I (as passenger) took this picture while on one of the Grand Island bridges to Niagara Falls, note the “granny square” patchwork of the surface. We have been taxed for more than I have been alive to ride over these bridges and I wonder every time… what are those tolls being collected for?

Reading on Rus Thompson’s blog today about the tolls, it makes me so “fedup” that I, a life long Buffalo resident, am taxed to see one of the greatest wonders of the world for which our state “works” on bridges (and roadways) that show no results of improving the surfaces that we drive on.

HT Rus Thompson

I came up with this idea to give this section of road to the D.O.T. in late November and discussed it with Senator Maziarz and got his full support. He wrote the Bill sent it to me on Jan 18th for my approval and here we are today Feb 22 having it introduced in Albany.

See we can effect change and the way we do it is by coming up with commonsense ideas and passing them on. It also helps to be a little bit of a thorn in their side. But, the hardest part is keeping it in the forefront, that alone is a full time job. After all we have work to do to support ourselves and family.

I hope & I pray that our politicians won’t “meet & greet” with pats on the back onto each other without standing up for the hard work & dedication of the average citizen who has faught this effort the most. His name is Rus Thompson and don’t no one forget it!

I’ve read this post on Buffalo Pundit’s blog a few times today, and I kept thinking back to last month when we visited Canandaigua. I wrote a post on sort of the same topic as on Free Buffalo weeks ago.

This is a take off of a recent freeny post about 2 little ideas to revitalize Buffalo.

When we were visiting in Canandaigua last week, I noticed two things Buffalo could have if only we were honored with politicians willing to do more than just talking about it.

My first idea: a waterfront that looks like these pictures (below). It’s beautiful and thriving …… and no big Bass Pro. Little shops, places to eat and drink. Green space and water. People walking, riding, skating, playing with their kids, couples holding hands, and tourists like me taking pictures.

My second idea: opening Main Street up to traffic again. I was partial supportive of this idea until shopping on Main Street there. Little shops, places to eat, independent businesses and outlets…. and residential living above stores. It’s what can be done to revitalize our Buffalo.

The main reasoning I’m reposting this is because of this quote:

“I have never lived in a community that was so obsessed with its past. We have lots of problems in the present. If we can think of ways to address them now, we can perhaps clear the way for a more improved future.”

Main Street in Canandaigua is like a trip in the past, living and walking, shopping and chatting with friendly people, like how we only see it in the old time movies. Everything doesn’t have to be new to be good.

While we were there, I asked myself “Why can’t we have it like this back in Buffalo?”

I realize now, it’s the metro rail that killed off a shopping downtown here.

I can picture Main street in Buffalo looking like this:

That is, if only we will ever see a waterfront which looks like this:

Anyways, that’s just my thought on it.

one blog that I enjoyed a lot, one blogger that I miss the most is Dan Meyer. He was also known as Random Thoughts 101 around the WNYmedia Network.

I was searching around on the internet tonight about the County Executive race when I happened upon a recent article written on The Sun’s website.

Never having had the pleasure of meeting, it was nice to read something from him again though.

I know I’ve neglected my blog a little lately. I have been a little busy but I’m still here viewing my fave blogs and taking it all in.

Mini blogging topic:

French braids are back… too bad I cut my hair.

Buffalo’s weather has been great…. I’m spending a lot of time outside.

I’m going to do my first 5k walk in October… I have 3 months to get into shape. (I’ll blog more about that later)

I’m getting ready for work & don’t have a lot of time to post links right now but there’s a news story running on CNN.com about a father who was released from prison to under go a kidney transplant to [maybe] save his son’s life. Instead of going to the hospital, the asshole fled the country.

Wow! And everyone went batsy when Alec Baldwin attempted to disapline his pisspot daughter.

I don’t write a lot about what’s in the news unless it is a good topic like this one:

Sabres’ plaza party to go alcohol-free
Family-friendly atmosphere is goal of expanding event

The Buffalo Sabres’ popular game night “Party in the Plaza” will see some key changes, starting this evening.

The outdoor party is going “alcohol- free” through the rest of the playoff run. And as of tonight, when Round Two begins with a homeopening game against the New York Rangers, Perry Street will be closed to vehicle traffic between Washington and Illinois streets.

Also, the police presence will be stepped up, according to Buffalo Police Department spokesman Michael J. DeGeorge. “The Party in the Plaza has continued to grow with each game, and it’s become much more family-oriented, so we decided to end beer sales and give everybody more room,” said Sabres communications chief Michael Gilbert. “Our first priority is to make it fun and safe for everybody who wants to come down.”

Those using the HSBC Arena parking garage will be able to access Illinois Street by traveling west on Perry Street, but there will be no access to Perry Street from Washington Street.

The plaza party, which kicks off with pregame entertainment and activities, followed by a live game broadcast on a 9-by-12-foot outdoor video screen, has become incredibly popular for Sabres fans who want to be part of the action but lack tickets to the sold-out games.

During Friday’s Game 5 Sabres victory, which sent the New York Islanders packing, upwards of 4,000 enthusiastic fans watched the game on the outdoor screen.

“Based on what we saw in Round One, this is only going to get bigger and bigger. As the playoffs continue, there’s the potential for thousands more to come down to the arena to be part of the experience,” Gilbert said.

Tonight’s “Party in the Plaza” will start at 4:30 p.m. with music by “Strictly Hip,” a popular local “Tragically Hip” tribute band. Food and non-alcoholic beverages will be served at the event.

Fans are reminded that coolers and chairs are not allowed at the arena plaza event.

I am glad the event was changed to a dry celebration. People like me won’t take our children downtown if we think it will be like going to a drunken Bills game. [showing a little bit of my Fed-Up side ] If fans want to stand around & get drunk, yell & get totally outrageous they can do it in the bars or their own home. Buffalo [this City & this team] is on top right now & I think it was the right call to make. We don’t need the world to see a stupid side of Buffalo when fans have had too much to drink. We don’t need the embarrassment when our Sabres are doing great! Nuff Said!