Thursday, April 28, 2011

Boater Navigates Savage St. Lawrence

This experienced boater knows that all the power is in the stern.  My blogging buddy Johnny Truesdell can be seen towards the end of the video.  I am sure he will have some great video footage from Casino Island.

High Winds on TI Bridge Force Truckers to Wait it Out [Video]

Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Water Sewer Public Hearing [AUDIO]

Spreadsheet prepared by  R. Thomson
I am not really a "numbers" kind of guy.  So this kind of stuff bores me to tears.  I did manage to learn a few things about the districts and their inner workings.  There was very little input from the VB.  The majority of the conversation was between R. Thomson and the Village Clerk Treasurer S. Cullen.  As always, listen and form your own conclusions.



Tuesday, April 26, 2011

I Can't Wait Forever

Because Time Won't Let Me [by the Outsiders] performed by the Dawg Brothers [minus Mike].  Another oldie....



Monday, April 25, 2011

Crooning @ the Dog

If you see this singer, tell him you saw him on the Circus....

Clean Up Paint Up Fix Up

Fresh paint and a new color scheme.  Repairs and some remodeling along with the new carpet installation.  That has all been going on behind the scenes of the Muskie Lounge.  New management: Kevin Tifft Sr. along with his son have been busy the past week or so.  Below is a short video clip of the chaos that goes with all the improvements.  The Tiffts may open the Muskie Lounge this coming weekend or shortly after that.

Saturday, April 23, 2011

Doing What Makes You Happy

Imagine it is your birthday!  You would want to spend your day doing what brings you the most JOY.  I have a friend Brian, who just celebrated his 29th Birthday this past Friday night.  He spent the whole night doing just what he loves.  Playing the violin and keyboards and  making music with the Dawg Brothers at the Dancing Dog Cafe located in Alex Bay.  I envy musicians like Brian... enjoy a glimpse into the Life of Brian.




Click this link to "LIKE" the Dancing Dog Cafe Facebook Page

Secret Agent Man

by Johnny Rivers and played last night at the Dancing Dog by the Dawg Brothers...

Friday, April 22, 2011

Sewer & Water Rates Increase

 Audio clip from the 4.12.11 VB meeting.  This increase is for both Village and Town residents.

Thursday, April 21, 2011

Newzjunky is Like a Megaphone

click to enlarge
When newzjunky links to a story on my blog, I view that link as a coveted news worthy rubber stamp of approval.  Almost like getting the Underwriters Laboratories or Good Housekeeping  stamp of approval.  Not all of the topics on my blog receive NJ's approval.  NJ has standards and it is up to him whether my request for a link to my site makes it or not.  Some people that read my blog think that NJ automatically links to all these stories.  He does not!  I bring this up because of a comment that was made at a local village board meeting in late February.  I stole that quote and turned it into a cartoon of sorts.  The cartoon reflects a kind of primitive understanding of the internet.  Unlike the person that made the comment, I know that NJ readers go beyond the county..... more like world wide as in WWW......

Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Alex Bay Celebration

The Village of Alexandria Bay was established in 1836.  A Celebration is being planned with a variety of events during the last week of July. More on this later as details become available. Below is an audio clip from the 4.12.11 Village Board meeting discussing the plans for the celebration..

Dislike or Like?

A friend sent me this message regarding the people that do not like my blog [or me]. Just a little something to share on this rainy cloudy day... 


"Who cares about non likers, its a free country.
Non likers are people who live in fear of what they have done wrong or covered up. 

They have no soul of there own".

Not that I am waiting for anyone's stamp of approval or disapproval.  There are some people that are followers and do as they are told.  Are you one of them?

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Dock Fees 2011

Below is an audio clip from the tail of the 4.12.11 VB meeting.  The Dock Fee discussion goes off topic for about 1 minute with a brief discussion about the bathrooms.  Listen till the end....

Monday, April 18, 2011

Where Have I Been?

As with most places of employment, there are rules.  Where I work we have all sorts of rules, standards, and directives.  Some of these are unofficially broken down into a language that is easy for everyone to understand and remember.  The following could be referred to as the first and most important commandment:

What happens at work stays at work.  Also, what happens outside of work stays there.  Never the two shall meet!

For several reasons I have followed this commandment very closely over the past several years.  This blog is a source for local politics.  Also, the mayor of the Village of Alexandria Bay is a co-worker.  I view it as unhealthy to bring work back to the home and it is expressly forbidden to bring personal matters or politics into the work place.

In late February, a meeting took place at work with my boss, the mayor, and a third party.  I was not at this meeting, but I have been told what was discussed by the third party.  Fellow co-workers took it upon themselves to poke fun at the mayor regarding his public comments about "Bad Bikers".  The mayor must have shed his thick skin [needed by anyone in politics] that day.  At this meeting he produced printed portions of my blog including the photo of the biker with the word mayor photo-shopped on the vest.   Supposedly  these items upset my boss, probably the desired effect the mayor was looking for.  The mayor just broke the first commandment.  I was also told that my boss had received phone calls from other similar places of employment complaining about my blog.  Woops.... they also just broke the first commandment.

There are some that wanted me to believe that if I did not give up my Right To Freedom of Speech [the blog], that I might be transferred to a undesirable location of employment  or be fired.  I knew this was not true.  Those that could not get me to believe this lie, succeeded in making my family believe in it .  That is why I shut the blog down.  I was unable to speak to my boss, because he was away from work for all of March.  So I waited patiently for his return. 

I recently spoke to my boss.  He assured me that I am free to blog about anything I want.  He also assured me that he would never try to smother anyone's Freedom of Speech....... so long as the first commandment is not violated.  Sorry if all this seems vague to you.  It is intentionally written this way.....so I do not break the first commandment.

It is clear to me that the mayor and maybe a local business man were the only ones that took actions attempting to strip the  freedom of speech away from me.  I also know who the other foes are, cheering from the sidelines when the blog closed.  There are others that urged me to reopen the blog......some were sincere....others had another agenda.  Unlike some politicians I know,  I am not soliciting any kind of sympathy from anyone.  Just a brief and intentionally vague explanation of where I have been......

Blog On!

VB Meeting 4.12.11 [Audio]





Click the agenda to see a larger version
From Agenda 4.12.11