Higher education.  We scrimp and save so our children can attend the college or university of their choice and study important ideas.  We hope they will come up with unique ways of solving difficult problems and help save the world.  What about figuring out how to reduce odors from swine and poultry?  OK.  That may not be exactly what we were hoping for but more than 2 BILLION federal dollars are being paid out to support such projects. 

“Despite recent calls in Congress for a moratorium on the home state projects, known as earmarks, the sum was $300 million more than the last time The Chronicle conducted its survey, in 2003, when the total was $2.01 billion. When the publication first analyzed earmarks in 1990, legislators set aside $270 million for colleges and universities.”“Congress approved 2,306 earmarks last year for higher education, compared with 223 in 1990, The Chronicle said.”
[read whole story]

Most Americans want the war in Iraq to end.  They are tired of hearing about it, reading about it and debating about it.  Media coverage matches up to that declining interest.  Iraq coverage by major American news sources has dropped to about one-fifth of what it was last summer, according to a survey.

“Since the middle of last year the was was still the most-covered topic.  Since then, Iraq coverage by major American news sources has plummeted, to about one-fifth of what it was last summer, according to the Project for Excellence in Journalism.”

“The drop in coverage parallels — and may be explained by — a decline in public interest.”
[read whole story]

School can be really difficult for children.  Not only academically but emotionally as well.  Some children seem to become targets of bullies and then life becomes a nightmare.  How do parents go about protecting their children from school bullies?

“All lank and bone, the boy stands at the corner with his younger sister, waiting for the yellow bus that takes them to their respective schools. He is Billy Wolfe, high school sophomore, struggling.”

“Moments earlier he left the sanctuary that is his home, passing those framed photographs of himself as a carefree child, back when he was 5. And now he is at the bus stop, wearing a baseball cap, vulnerable at 15.”
[read whole story]

As we wrote previously, George Maziarz has decided NOT to run for the Congressional seat currently held by Tom Reynolds.  He gave family and personal commitments as his reasons for making this decision.

EASTER IS REALLY THE FIRST DAY OF YOUR NEW LIFE. MAYBE WE CAN DO BETTER THIS TIME.

 HAYES AND MAZIARZ ARE NOT TWO OF THEM

Congressman Thomas Reynolds decision to retire has opened a Pandora’s Box as to who the Republican leadership will select as their candidate to face a tough Democratic candidate for the 26th Congressional District in Congress.

It is widely believed that this will be a Democratic year, when Democratic candidates will sweep every open seat in New York State. 

The Republican leadership knows the number one problem in America today is our economy. This being so, they know they must present a candidate who doesn’t have a face in known in politics to be associated with the Republican regime of George Bush and his policies of economic ruin.

Faces like State Sen. George D. Maziarz and Jim Hayes will spell certain defeat for the Republicans. How can they sell these old political names and faces to the public when  the public want and need change?  These two faces are so closely connected to the constant economic failure in New York State are not going to be winners.  The best thing these two Republicans can do is to donate as much money legally possible to the ‘new face’ candidate the Republican leadership chooses.

Jim Hayes is well known in Amherst as the “do-nothing Assemblyman”.  He is considered a light weight with no future in politics beyond where he is, and he soon may be gone from this office.

State Sen. George D. Maziarz is very popular.  He has a strong history as a leader, but he’s wise enough to know there are many other factors to weigh in this important decision to run for Reynolds’ seat, both professionally and privately.  It seems of late, more and more dark horses are coming out in the lives of our older candidates.  I strongly believe he will not run for this seat.  If he does I do not see how he can win.

Part 1:  Interview with Jon Powers

Democratic Candidate For Congress 26 District

The first few minutes of my interview Jon was rather tense, but after some ice breaking questions he started to open up like the flood gates of  Hoover Dam.  He went into depth about why he wanted to run for Congress and why he believes he can do a good job for the people of his district. 

Yes, he is young which is a major credit to his ability.  He was an Eagle Scout and anyone in scouting knows how difficult this is to achieve this highest rank in scouting.

In Iraq he was a platoon leader who led his men into battle.  He said the hardest day of his life was on Christmas Eve when two of his fellow soldiers were killed in battle.  How many of us  had to take on the responsibility of leading men into battle, knowing you held their lives under your command.  Yes Jon is 29 but he has more experience and responsibility than most people ever achieve in their lives.

Our brave soldiers fighting in Iraq know how important it is to have a leader who cares so much for their  safety, and Jon earned the love and respect of his men.  Ask any veteran how much they loved the Sergeants or Co who led them into battle.  They will tell you that it didn’t matter if their leader was 29 or 50.  A good leader simply has the traits which makes you want to fellow them into battle and trust them with your life.

I asked him about the problems with aliens in New York State.  His answers were right to the point.  Some parts of his district need these people to help with their farms because no one else will do the work.  Farmers work very hard and at times need extra help or they may lose their  livelihood. There are parts of his district who don’t want aliens working anywhere in New York.  Jon made it very clear there must be a compromise made between these two groups.

Powers knows more jobs are needed in New York.  He sees how the past leadership has failed to solve this problem.  He suggested some ”out of the box” thinking that make good sense to bring more good jobs to his district.

Jon did answer several other important questions concerning New York State and how he would handle them.  I’m bought back  the fact that his adversaries remind us Powers is only 29 and their Republican candidates have been around over 29 years apiece!  See what a wonderful job they’ve done in New York?

Jon did explain why he is running for Congress he is fed up with  those people in Congress  who attend lobbyists parties, drink the fine brews and fill themselves up with self importance. Then they proceed to do  nothing for the people they represents .I’m sick of  these  lard heads who use government planes for their own vacations while enemy planes are killing our brave soldiers overseas.This does even out as  these fat minded Congressman can enjoy warm beaches and beautiful weather while our soliders lie in mud and eat dirt,something wrong there. It ripes at my stomach to see my friends die  so these pieces of garbage can enjoy the high life, they deserve to lose their  seats. In my mind they deserve more then losing their seats but even through they have  already have lost the respect of the people they were to govern let us try to hit them in their retirement benifits,too.

I promise I will never forget why I was elected to serve the people of my district not the fat ass leeches in Washington.

Part 2 of this interview will be on Monday.

A once in a lifetime experience!

Easter is always the 1st Sunday after the 1st full moon after the Spring Equinox (which is March 20). This dating of Easter is based on the lunar calendar that Hebrew people used to identify passover, which is why it moves around on our Roman calendar.

Here’s the interesting info. This year is the earliest Easter any of us will ever see the rest of our lives! And only the most elderly of our population have ever seen it this early (95 years old or above!). And none of us have ever, or will ever, see it a day earlier! Here’s the facts:

1) The next time Easter will be this early (March 23) will be the year 2228 (220 years from now). The last time it was this early was 1913 (so if you’re 95 or older, you are the only ones that were around for that!).

2) The next time it will be a day earlier, March 22, will be in the year 2285 (277 years from now). The last time it was on March 22 was 1818. So, no one alive today has or will ever see it any earlier than this year!

Celebrate ! ! ! !

One of Amherst’s most powerful enemies, who seems to be working against the town, is our own Director of the Amherst IDA, Jim Allen.  For years the AIDA ’stuck it’ to the little store owners by ignoring their pleas for help, favoring major developers instead.

The AIDA gives major developers all types of tax breaks but ignores the small business man who really needs help.

Councilman Dan Ward had a resolution passed by our Town Board which would enable the Amherst IDA to recoup tax breaks which were given to businesses that promised to create a certain number of jobs but failed to keep their word.

As usual Amherst IDA Director Jim Allen wouldn’t give Amherst the time of day.  It appears Allen runs the Amherst IDA as his own little kingdom where he rules with a steel claw.  His removal would improve the functioning of our Amherst IDA. 

Remember Mr. Allen, it is OUR Amherst IDA.

Received from: COUNTY OF ERIE Jermy A. Huber -Senior Investigating Public Health Sanitarian / LeadSAFE Erie County

CONCERNING THE ENTIRE BUFFALO SHOOTING GUN SITE

If the Town of Amherst declines to approve the remedial plan, the DEC has already determind that the level of lead contamination poses a significant threat to both the environment and public health, and the area would subsequently be designated a federal superfund site, the responisbility for the cleanup of which would fall upon Benderson and, ultimately, with the NYSDEC itself.