Gillibrand early target
GOP field already growing for senator's seat in 2012

The Times Union tries to make a race of it. By centering an article around a guy who is "mulling a run" in paragraph three (in the reporter's words), but who is "unlikely to do it" in paragraph seven (in the gentleman's own words).

Odd construction, that.

The article also offers up some opportunities to the GOP to get some shots at Gillibrand on the record, which is fine for them, but an odd choice for the TU.

Then, down in the lonely, last paragraphs, we read that "53 percent of the voters were prepared to re-elect Gillibrand" and "she dwarfed her potential challengers and trounced both Maragos and Wilson in hypothetical head-to-head matchups."

Gotta make things seem contested, apparently. Better for business, perhaps.

New ethics panel posts a tough sell for Cuomo

"Attracting people to state government is a major problem for me. Why? ... Over the last few years, Albany has not enjoyed the best reputation, the pay scale ... is not the highest, and when you go into the public sector you expose yourself to criticism, scrutiny, et cetera."

Pay scale?

I would like venture a guess, Governor Cuomo.

One of the reasons you have this dreadful problem with recruitment might be because your social circle consists of rich people. If your social circle included people from the middle class, or heaven forbid the lower class, you might find that those people would consider these public sector positions to be a step up and an opportunity to serve.

But those classes likely don't donate big dollars to you, and it seems you don't associate with them. Perhaps you should consider expanding your social circle, and perhaps you might find a larger pool of candidates.

Kudos to Mr. Soares.

Despite Protests, Cuomo Says He Will Not Extend a Tax Surcharge on Top Earners

Mr. Cuomo insisted that under no circumstances would he consider backing the extension of the surcharge, saying it would encourage residents and businesses to move to other states.

Governor Cuomo: Appeaser of rich whiners.

Also, the governor's premise of needing to appease the rich whiners is wrong. Tax Flight is a Myth.

Why not move the high school so that it's farther away from the lower income neighborhoods? What could go wrong?

Autoplay video is a scourge of the internets.

New York’s Proposed Health Exchange Likely to be a New Public Authority

Yay?

Message to NYS Senate Republicans: The ACA is the law of the land. Face up to it, and get to work for the benefit of the citizens of the state of New York.

Via the NYT.

I have a lot of respect for this reporter and the TU for the way in which they are reporting these issues. It's important to identify who is behind the front groups, which Nearing and the TU have done here. It's important to point out the consensus of scientific opinion on climate change, which they have also done here.

Nicely done.

Mayor wants VLTs in Albany
Jennings says city can reap $140M if gaming permitted as panel reviews changes

Why not? We've got our garbage revenue stream, and now we'll have a gambling revenue stream.

The marketing slogan writes itself: Albany - We Take Your Trash, Now Let Us Take Your Cash

Hey Google. How many times has the TU quoted E.J. McMahon of the "conservative Empire Center for New York State Policy"?

Wow. That's a lot. It would be fair to say that the TU generally endorses his views and analysis. Interesting, that.

A $10 million renovation of the Crowne Plaza in Albany, New York, is expected to start this fall now that city officials approved a new, 30-year property tax break for the hotel’s owner.

The board of the Industrial Development Agency voted unanimously to approve the new tax break, said Michael Yevoli, the city’s commissioner of development and planning.

Why not? The city is all set for tax revenue apparently. No need to get any from this big money entity.

This must be some form of the "shared sacrifice" I've been hearing about.

One of our mega-rich overlords has spoken: Tax the rich.

Sounds good to me.

Apparently Wanda Willingham did something that was not wrong, and it is now a big deal in the Albany County junior high Legislature.

As I said in a comment on the TU blog, it would be useful if the TU provided some info as to whether the information was confidential or not. Don't just report what Willingham said, and what Conners said - look into the rules and report what the rules are.

Other than that, the blog comments seem to show that many are ready and willing to take shots at Willingham. This suggests to me that the whole purpose of this is ... to take shots at Willingham, regardless of the merits of the accusation.

There is also this, from the first TU article:

But [County Comptroller Michael Conners] has issues with the system.

"The way welfare has been administered hasn't worked," he said. "The number of poor has grown significantly in the last 30 years, particularly in the last 20, and I believe we need to evaluate the success of the system. There is an entitlement mentality that I don't think has worked for the long term benefit for the poor or for the taxpayer."

With that kind of rhetoric, perhaps Mr. Conners should consider switching over to the Republican party.

I'm guessing that won't happen.

Yes to this: State Comptroller to Propose a Hydraulic Fracturing Fund

Gee. I wonder if the current administration will cave to these demands. (Link: http://www.timesunion.com/local/article/Aging-Albany-hotel-faces-gray-future-1629951.php)

Previously: "They're not doing anything (to help the city) by sending a message that we're anti-development," Jennings said, "and that's what we're doing now." (Link: http://albanylayman.blogspot.com/2010/08/httpwww.html)

Worst persons in the world:

LISA THRUN, JUDITH FORD, and AVA ASHENDORFF

Link: http://blog.timesunion.com/capitol/archives/73035/suit-hits-cuomo-dec-nyserda-over-cap-and-trade/

Actual important issues, not involving any Weiners:

Two plans for NY's insurance exchange – 1 regulates, the other does not
Link: http://blog.timesunion.com/healthcare/two-plans-for-nys-insurance-exchange-1-regulates-the-other-does-not/2374/

Bad headline: Violent spring does not signal climate change

Why is it bad? Take a look at the article itself (emphasis added):

"You cannot take any events in a single spring and say that is definitely a result of climate change," said Jessica Rennells, a climatologist with the Northeast Regional Climate Center at Cornell University.

[...]

Extra moisture and energy in a warmed atmosphere are a sign of a changing climate, said Rennells, but there is no clear link between such changes and increased tornadoes. The violent, localized storms need a special kind of wind shear to form, along with warm humid air from the south, coupled with a cold front to causes air to rise and rotate at the same time. There is no proof that these factors are influenced by climate change.

That view was echoed by Paul Roundy, an assistant professor in the Atmospheric and Environmental Sciences Department at the University at Albany. "We can't say that even one season of enhanced weather activity is linked to climate change. You have to look over a series of years."

So the headline writer looked at all that hedging and qualifying by the scientific types ... and then made a definitive statement. HONK.

Woulda been OK: Violent spring may not signal climate change. Violent spring does not definitively signal climate change. Violent spring not proven to signal climate change. Not OK: the headline above.

Is there no end to the expense of these so-called public servants? Is there no end to their unaccountability, to their hiding behind the rhetoric of educating our young people?