Saturday, February 28, 2009
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Florida Fiasco moves north to Staten Island?
There are far too many variables that come into play with paper ballots. They leave way too much room for corruption and disenfranchisement. What is the backup plan? What if they run out of ballots in “certain” places? How will they be transported and who will do the physical counting? Hanging chads, pregnant chads, write overs, stray marks….my head is spinning as I FORESEE visions of Florida. Staten Island is about to make national news again, not for election night violence this time…..
That was my statement, when I discovered we would be using paper ballots, now here is my personal experience.
I worked the night shift Monday, so I went to the polls as I returned from the city. As I approached the table, a middle-aged African American woman had just placed her ballot in the box, and had a broad smile on her face. That smile turned to fear as she read a poster of the proper instructions for filling out the ballot. She turned to the worker and stated, I put a circle around the candidate, thats what you told me to do, but it says here to fill in the box. The worker replied that it would be “ok”, and that her vote will be counted. She asked if she could have it back, or do it over, but the poll worker insisted it would be ok. As visions of High school days, and military days, where filling in scan forms was a recurring event, I remembered how many times people had to ask for another one. Just because they couldn’t seem to follow simple instructions. At that time, it was my thought that the voter goofed, and to be honest, was about to get what she deserved. I voted, properly of course, and went on about my day, supporting the candidate I just cast a vote for. I called my wife to tell her the story, and to remind her to fill out the ballot properly for whoever she was going to vote for, as if I didn’t know (wink), she laughed at me of course…she thinks she is smarter than I am. As the day progressed, I accompanied her to vote, somebody had to stay with the kids, in the car. She came out with THAT look on her face. She was mad as…well you know. She told me the same poll worker gave her the SAME INSTRUCTION, and it was now some 5 hours later, and countless voters (ok maybe not countless) have passed through this same table with this same worker and the same faulty information. My wife admonished the woman immediately. She insisted that she tell people the correct information, and that it was important for people to vote correctly. From my perspective, it is impossible to know whether those ballots were counted or not, but for a ONE DAY event, uyou would think that the BOE would give them a script of what to say, and that the workers wouldn’t make up their own rules as they go along.
That was my statement, when I discovered we would be using paper ballots, now here is my personal experience.
I worked the night shift Monday, so I went to the polls as I returned from the city. As I approached the table, a middle-aged African American woman had just placed her ballot in the box, and had a broad smile on her face. That smile turned to fear as she read a poster of the proper instructions for filling out the ballot. She turned to the worker and stated, I put a circle around the candidate, thats what you told me to do, but it says here to fill in the box. The worker replied that it would be “ok”, and that her vote will be counted. She asked if she could have it back, or do it over, but the poll worker insisted it would be ok. As visions of High school days, and military days, where filling in scan forms was a recurring event, I remembered how many times people had to ask for another one. Just because they couldn’t seem to follow simple instructions. At that time, it was my thought that the voter goofed, and to be honest, was about to get what she deserved. I voted, properly of course, and went on about my day, supporting the candidate I just cast a vote for. I called my wife to tell her the story, and to remind her to fill out the ballot properly for whoever she was going to vote for, as if I didn’t know (wink), she laughed at me of course…she thinks she is smarter than I am. As the day progressed, I accompanied her to vote, somebody had to stay with the kids, in the car. She came out with THAT look on her face. She was mad as…well you know. She told me the same poll worker gave her the SAME INSTRUCTION, and it was now some 5 hours later, and countless voters (ok maybe not countless) have passed through this same table with this same worker and the same faulty information. My wife admonished the woman immediately. She insisted that she tell people the correct information, and that it was important for people to vote correctly. From my perspective, it is impossible to know whether those ballots were counted or not, but for a ONE DAY event, uyou would think that the BOE would give them a script of what to say, and that the workers wouldn’t make up their own rules as they go along.
Why the BOE Simply Can't be Trusted!
Bear with me as I lay out the time line....all will become apparent shortly. First the paper ballots, in an excerpt from the Advance, political writer Tom Wrobleski, posted the following as part of a news story;
BOE general counsel Steven Richman said that the ballots will be secured in locked boxes during voting.
here is the link: http://www.silive.com/news/advance/index.ssf?/base/news/123548131973930.xml&coll=1
Now I'm no rocket scientist, but not only are these boxes NOT locked, they are totally unsecure, masking tape and folded tops leads me to wondering, with all that already has, and still possibly can go wrong, why such a shoddy system?
BOE general counsel Steven Richman said that the ballots will be secured in locked boxes during voting.
here is the link: http://www.silive.com/news/advance/index.ssf?/base/news/123548131973930.xml&coll=1
Now I'm no rocket scientist, but not only are these boxes NOT locked, they are totally unsecure, masking tape and folded tops leads me to wondering, with all that already has, and still possibly can go wrong, why such a shoddy system?
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Do they think we’ve forgot?
Republicans of late have been breaking their necks to let everyone know what a terrible thing it is to spend the people’s money. They pretend to be worried about our standing in the world and our vulnerability to terror attacks. They are slowly remembering words like standards, patriotism, and values. If we lived in the forest for the last decade, one might be easily led to think that these have always been the good guys. We were there, and we remember.
We remember the Democrats being pressured into voting for the war. They believed the intelligence that the President allowed to be published. It painted an evil picture, and some Democrats were duped.
We remember the seemingly endless search for WMDs that never materialized. Cutaway views of portable chemical manufacturing trucks. Then the sorry explanation that while the entire country was locked down that Saddam somehow managed to sneak them out.
We remember saying no to bills that the President and his in control henchman pushed through anyway.
We remember begging and not understanding what the difficulty was to outfit a Humvee with armor, only to find out later that the Humvee should not have been sent in the first place.
We remember the promise of a quick war that would instantly break the resolve of the enemy, that the people would greet us as liberators.
We remember reflections on internment camps (GITMO), young inexperienced soldiers left unsupervised to torture and humiliate prisoners. (Abu Ghrabe)
We remember a lackadaisical attitude as thousands languished and died in New Orleans.
We remember how Oil contracts in Iraq were resolved before the effects of Katrina are fixed.
We remember how the opportunities to regulate the banking industry came and went.
We remember how you misled the country, how you let Bin Laden go, how you wasted this country’s resources.
We remember how you shredded the constitution, habeas corpus, and invaded the privacy of American citizens.
We remember, but here is what we will do about it; we forgive you, now lets work together. Work together because what is at stake today is so much more important than what has happened in the past.
We remember the Democrats being pressured into voting for the war. They believed the intelligence that the President allowed to be published. It painted an evil picture, and some Democrats were duped.
We remember the seemingly endless search for WMDs that never materialized. Cutaway views of portable chemical manufacturing trucks. Then the sorry explanation that while the entire country was locked down that Saddam somehow managed to sneak them out.
We remember saying no to bills that the President and his in control henchman pushed through anyway.
We remember begging and not understanding what the difficulty was to outfit a Humvee with armor, only to find out later that the Humvee should not have been sent in the first place.
We remember the promise of a quick war that would instantly break the resolve of the enemy, that the people would greet us as liberators.
We remember reflections on internment camps (GITMO), young inexperienced soldiers left unsupervised to torture and humiliate prisoners. (Abu Ghrabe)
We remember a lackadaisical attitude as thousands languished and died in New Orleans.
We remember how Oil contracts in Iraq were resolved before the effects of Katrina are fixed.
We remember how the opportunities to regulate the banking industry came and went.
We remember how you misled the country, how you let Bin Laden go, how you wasted this country’s resources.
We remember how you shredded the constitution, habeas corpus, and invaded the privacy of American citizens.
We remember, but here is what we will do about it; we forgive you, now lets work together. Work together because what is at stake today is so much more important than what has happened in the past.
Monday, February 9, 2009
$1,000,000 Challenge
Its relatively simple. Gather all the ingredients necessary to bake a cake, mix the batter and pour into a pan. Bake accordingly...and now the challenge...extract the two eggs you used to make the cake.
This impossibility is significant with regard to the upcoming election. On February 25th, campaign offices will close, consoling words will be passed around, and congratulatory/concession phone calls will be made. But throughout this process, during this cycle, feelings have been hurt, trusts have been torn, relationships have been damaged, households have been split (politically)...eggs have been broken, and there is no way possible to put the egg back in the shell.
Now in an ideal world, these transgressions would be carelessly forgiven as a part of the political process and things will return to the way they were, but we don't live in an ideal world. We live in a world where people have short memories, where bitterness is held on to longer than grandma's luggage, where payback is a...well you know. But the losers will not be the candidates that didn't make the cut, the losers will be the programs associated with their names. You might think that people would put high quality programs ahead of petty differences, but expect to see that programs associated with the losing side to suffer as a result of campaign passion.
My second challenge carries no prize. If you are the elected, forgive and move on beginning February 25th. Be the bigger person, show that you are more than the names you were called on a blog, or the person who was maligned during a forum. Actually there is a prize here as well. It is honor, a word seldom used anymore in the civilian world, and a word long overdue for greater use on Staten Island
This impossibility is significant with regard to the upcoming election. On February 25th, campaign offices will close, consoling words will be passed around, and congratulatory/concession phone calls will be made. But throughout this process, during this cycle, feelings have been hurt, trusts have been torn, relationships have been damaged, households have been split (politically)...eggs have been broken, and there is no way possible to put the egg back in the shell.
Now in an ideal world, these transgressions would be carelessly forgiven as a part of the political process and things will return to the way they were, but we don't live in an ideal world. We live in a world where people have short memories, where bitterness is held on to longer than grandma's luggage, where payback is a...well you know. But the losers will not be the candidates that didn't make the cut, the losers will be the programs associated with their names. You might think that people would put high quality programs ahead of petty differences, but expect to see that programs associated with the losing side to suffer as a result of campaign passion.
My second challenge carries no prize. If you are the elected, forgive and move on beginning February 25th. Be the bigger person, show that you are more than the names you were called on a blog, or the person who was maligned during a forum. Actually there is a prize here as well. It is honor, a word seldom used anymore in the civilian world, and a word long overdue for greater use on Staten Island
Friday, February 6, 2009
What was he thinking?
Staten Island Election Night beating victim arrested for allegedly stealing car
by Staten Island Advance Thursday February 05, 2009, 10:56 AM
Staten Island Advance/Michael Oates
Ali Kamara is led out of the 120th Precinct stationhouse this morning.
While Mr. Kamara's attack was the catalyst that launched the investigation into the Rosebank Krew, there are still other victims. Victims that would not have seen justice if not for Mr. Kamara.
We owe our thanks to him for that, and there will be no releasing of anyone...even if you vacate the assault charges against Kamara, there are still other victims.
Mr. kamara is deserving of the full weight of justice as well. If (when) he is found guilty, he should be given a sentence that is commensurate with the crime he committed and any previous criminal record he might have. He has seriously damaged any civil case he was considering ONLY because the jury will have less sympathy for him when considering any award. He does however still have a case, and with the guilty pleas, its a lock.
The racial insensitivity being displayed here is the same problem that started this entire ball rolling. It is the latest reason that Staten Island's NATIONAL name is forever linked with racial violence specifically associated with the election. Think people, think about what you say in front of your children, think about how your narrow views are no longer in line with the way the rest of the country is going. I live here, I love it here, and some people are turning what I love into a cesspool of hatred and intolerance. If you don't like other types of people from different walks of life- LEAVE! Staten Island will be better for your absence.
by Staten Island Advance Thursday February 05, 2009, 10:56 AM
Staten Island Advance/Michael Oates
Ali Kamara is led out of the 120th Precinct stationhouse this morning.
While Mr. Kamara's attack was the catalyst that launched the investigation into the Rosebank Krew, there are still other victims. Victims that would not have seen justice if not for Mr. Kamara.
We owe our thanks to him for that, and there will be no releasing of anyone...even if you vacate the assault charges against Kamara, there are still other victims.
Mr. kamara is deserving of the full weight of justice as well. If (when) he is found guilty, he should be given a sentence that is commensurate with the crime he committed and any previous criminal record he might have. He has seriously damaged any civil case he was considering ONLY because the jury will have less sympathy for him when considering any award. He does however still have a case, and with the guilty pleas, its a lock.
The racial insensitivity being displayed here is the same problem that started this entire ball rolling. It is the latest reason that Staten Island's NATIONAL name is forever linked with racial violence specifically associated with the election. Think people, think about what you say in front of your children, think about how your narrow views are no longer in line with the way the rest of the country is going. I live here, I love it here, and some people are turning what I love into a cesspool of hatred and intolerance. If you don't like other types of people from different walks of life- LEAVE! Staten Island will be better for your absence.
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