Polar Bear Dip

Here are some random pics from last nights Celebrity Bartenders @ Skiffs, this mornings yummy breakfast buffet @ the Broken Yolk, some pics taken at the DIP.  I did not go to the DIP, I was wrestling with a plumbing project.  Photos were taken by my wife.

There was an item on that buffet that deserves special mention.  Sausage and Gravy over biscuits was unbelievably scrumptious.  WOW!!

VB Meeting February 24 2009

I tried a different approach to recording the meeting.  The audio is broken down into five parts.  I figured that some of you may not be interested in downloading and listening to the whole meeting, only certain parts.  That is why you will hear a choppy start or finish to these audio clips.

 

Public Concerns can be heard by Clicking Here.

 

Correspondences and Trustee Reports are Here.

 

Old Business Click Here.

• Hire Full Time Patrolman.
• Hawking and Peddling Code #107.

 

New Business Click Here.

 

Part 2 of New Business Click Here.

• Historical Society-28 Market St.
• Purchase Used Refuse Truck.

Hold On To The Cheeks Of Your A$$

Its' BUDGET TIME.  Remember you can only count on Death and TAXES.  You might want to shrivel up and die when all those BUDGETS are passed and made public.  I am not even going to talk about the Federal, the State or even the County Budgets.....that would be like smashing your head against the wall, Doing No Good At All.  Lets all try to be vigilante when it comes to the BIG 3 that we have some control over.........

SCHOOL<><><><>TOWN<><><><>VILLAGE

I can not predict the future, but you can bet those 3 will GO UP!  How much you ask?  Your guess is as good as mine.  It all depends if you wake up and shake the cobwebs out of your head and PAY ATTENTION.  For instance........ the Village has purchased a new Police Car [$25,000+] and Plans on purchasing a re-furbished Dump Truck [$40,000+] and slipped in a new set of Bleachers [$2,000+] for the Tennis Courts.  This is just an example of what has happened recently or will happen  in the near future.  I am not going to summarize everything for you. 

You need to come back to reality and start asking questions of all your elected board members.  Let them all know that you want them to tighten up the budget and that you want your taxes to GO DOWN.  They need to go down because all of our wallets are shrinking and the cost of living is rising.  Do not be suckered by the politician/official that says your taxes are only going to rise a few pennies or dimes or quarters per thousand of assessed value over last years taxes.  Do Not Fall For That Explanation YOU/WE CAN NOT AFFORD IT!  It is not to late.......all 3 are working on the budgets as you read this.  Call them, stop them at the store.....what ever it takes........GET PROACTIVE......




END OF RANT

28 Market St 6 Month Moratorium

Members of the Historical Society and other concerned citizens were present at tonights VB meeting.  Listen to the Public Concerns portion of the meeting by CLICKING HERE.

Further discussion can be heard regarding the Old Chamber Building aka The Howell Property.  The next audio file is a portion of the "New Business" section of the VB meeting as it relates to the sale of 28 Market St.  CLICK HERE to listen to this part of the meeting.

Side Note:

Last Tuesday I went to the Village Clerks office and FOIL'd all expenses for the sale or marketing of 28 Market St.  The VB had originally set a $500.00 spending cap for advertising..  After waiting exactly 5 business days I finally got the list of expenses for advertising the sale of 28 Market St.  The grand total for all money spent on for sale signs, ads in metropolitan newspapers and appropriate publications was $000.00, thats right Nothing, Zippo, Null. De nada.  The VB chose to advertise on their own website [gets lots of hits....NOT] and on Craigslist. Pretty lame attempt at marketing that property.  Now that the 6 Month Moratorium is in place..........does that mean that the ad on the VB website has to come down?


Article in todays WDT 

Photo Shop

A friend of mine decided to have a little fun with the picture I posted called My New Tattoo or Lie To Me*.
Nice job Ron S.

SNOLF 2009

Another event organized by the BUDMAN crew to help raise money for the River Hospital

View the gallery here.

More Coverage of the Ice Auger Contest

Dan gets speedo up and running, while Ralph has some trouble with his baby.  Just when you think that Ralph does not stand a chance...................


Ralph 2 Danny ZIPPO from p guston on Vimeo.

Ralph's moment in the winners circle is short lived.  His dream is popped when he goes up against Buster Hyman from Seneca Falls.........Buster is the winner


Ralph Meets Buster Hyman from p guston on Vimeo.

Ice Auger Drilling Contest 2009

Another one of Budman's Polar Bear Dip Events to help raise money for our River Hospital.  This event was both fun and hilarious.........you should have been there to see THE AGONY OF DEFEAT..

Property For Sale By Village

Here is a link to the Village web site where the VB has displayed an ad to sell the Old Chamber Of Commerce Building located at 28 Market St.  Make sure you click on that link and visit their site.  We all have seen different Realtor's try to market properties.  I have to tell you, the Marketing Concept/Scheme used by the Village on their website is absolutely amazing, a must see, a model for all professionals and students of Marketing to emulate.........

During the village meeting on July 8th 2008, the VB set aside Five Hundred dollars for the cost of marketing and selling this property which was appraised at One Hundred Seventy Five Thousand dollars. The discussion of placing the property on the market [without a realtor] starts at 32 minutes : 39 seconds into the meeting [move your sliders to that point].  BUT, listen to the first few minutes at the beginning of the meeting where a suggestion is made from a member of the Rotary regarding this property and its potential focal point of the River Walk.  That audio can be found by clicking here.

The sale of this property was discussed at VB meetings as early as May 13th 2008 Click here for a link to that audio. Move your sliders to 1 hour : 18 minutes : 32 seconds.  There is a brief discussion about the River Hospital placing a purchase offer on the Old  COC bldg.  As it turns out the hospital backed out of the deal.  This was the last time any interested purchaser of the property was identified by name.  From this point on, any potential buyers have been referred to by the VB as either a couple or several  interested buyers.  No other identities have been given.  That is a brief history of the property for sale by the village known as 28 Market Street.  Below is a map of this property and the adjacent properties.  Any Super Sleuths out there want to take a guess as to who the interested buyers might be?

click on image to enlarge

On Tuesday February 17th, I went to the Village Offices and requested a report of [F.O.I.L.] all expenses the village has incurred for the sale or marketing of this property.  I was told that advertising was done on Craigslist [Free] and the Village website [Free].  Any other expenses for advertising will be given to me on Monday February 23rd.

WB Joe the Homeless

Check out the new gizmo from Sony>>>>>Joe The Homeless blog

Sorry Bill, I'd rather Kiss my new Boss

My New Tattoo

 

The HIP

...has a new album with 12 all new tracks.  The release date is April 7th 2009.  Check out The HIP's website to get all the details.

School Pictures

All of us has been in a picture, where all the students are marched out into the school yard and lined up to spell out the school name, or class of XX.  The photographer is perched on top of the school hollering down orders to shift this way or tighten the group.....  I hated waiting till everything was perfect or having to re-shoot the whole thing over again because somebody flipped the photographer the bird.

I received an email with this picture attached.  This photo is the same thing I just described, but it is of epic proportions.  We are not talking about a group of 200, 500, or even 1000 people, try closer to 18,000.....that is EIGHTEEN THOUSAND!  Other photos with over 20,000 can be found Here

Frank Looking Sexy

 I snapped this picture last night at the Dawg.  The picture speaks for itself.

003

School Speed Zone

Everyone knows that all of Bolton Ave is 15 mph 24/7/365.  Did you know that all of Catherine Ave and Cornwall Street are also zoned for 15 mph 24/7/365.  They have been for some time now.   Even though the speed zone signs do not reflect this now, the signs will be changed soon.  So beware all you lead foots.  This was brought up at the last VB meeting.  There was also some discussion by the VB to reduce the speed zone within the village limits to 20 mph.

Billy Lake

Photos from today's Tournament:

Danny and Mary

In case you have been living under a rock, Budman and co. have been putting together all sorts of fund raisers for the River Hospital Polar Bear Dip.  Last Sunday was the Chicken and Biscuit Dinner held at the BCRC.  There was a silent auction and one of the items was a Day with Dan aka abay paparazzi.  Mary from the Maplecrest won that auction.  Below is a video of how this Day with Dan started at 10 am at the Broken Yolk.  Sit back and watch the makings of a true won't you be mine Valentine.

Things to notice on this video:

• Dan is sporting a visible hearton his coat.
• There was some smooching towards the end of the video.
  

Dan & Mary from p guston on Vimeo.

More Pictures can be found on ABAY.COM courtesy of Officer Thirsty

A Letter From Aurora Mosher

I’m a college student and have a lot more important stuff to be doing with my time than watching a 45 minute video of people who are against my family.  I normally don’t get myself into this kind of nonsense but there are some of you who need an intense attitude adjustment.  It should be obvious to any person who watched this video that the reason for kicking Alex off of the committee was solely based on personal issues.   I’m not sure if this town forgot that life isn’t a popularity contest, but I’d like to remind you that it isn’t.   Alex’s participation in this event has been for the benefit of the community.  It is really great to see that people went to the meeting and stood up for Alex, it shows real character to stand up for what is right.  The people at the meeting who were voting to kick Alex off of the committee had not only made up their minds before they got there, but obviously didn’t take into consideration the numerous reasons why Alex should stay.  The meeting wasn’t mentioned to Alex until both he and his wife were unable to attend the meeting, and I‘m not going to even start on the issue of the extra votes.  As Rick said “it’s a lot bigger than an individual,” the heads of the chamber must have misheard that one.  After watching the video I took a look at the other comments that people have made about this video, I feel sorry for some of them.  One comment mentioned the fact that Ronnie stays in the bay all year while Alex goes away.  Is that really the best you could come up with?  Last time I checked Alex opens his store up before the boat line and closes at Christmas, I know this for a fact because I‘m always the one working. Why anyone would want to stay in the negative 30 degree ghost town is very interesting to me, zip up your coat and have a fun time paying the extra thousand dollars on heat.  I know that whoever is reading this may think I am biased because he is my father, but think again.  I know what is right and wrong, and I have challenged him before.  We butt heads as much or more than any of you and I tell him when I think he is wrong or right about something and there is no doubt in my mind that he has been helping this community.  He has been on this committee my whole life and unfortunately I have had to hear everything that has gone on over the years.  I wouldn’t have spent so much time doing this if I wasn’t doing something that I felt was right.  So to end this, I would like to tell all of you to get over yourselves and to see people for what they stand for, you could try to look at situations from others point of view instead of the feeble minded views that have seemed to take over.  Thank you to everyone who stood up for Alex, I’m happy to know that there are people like that out there.

- Aurora Mosher

Mosher May Give Up Role As Pirate

.....Today's Headline in the Watertown Daily Times.
Click Here to read all about it!

A Good New Show

Some of You ARE Confused

Here is a test. Watch This Video!  If You laugh then you can stay.



If you watch this video of Steven Wright and you do not chuckle.........GET OUT OF MY BLOG
shoooooo skeeedaddle

VB Meeting Feb. 10 2009

The audio for tonights Village Board Meeting can be heard by Clicking Here .
More of my opinions later......


 Added Later
Move your sliders to 34:50 to listen to the discussion about  sub section 107.2 of the Alexandria Bay Code (Village Ordinance)  This ordinance specifically deals with vendors, and was originally adopted in the late "90's according to Trustee Roy.  Some very interesting discussion between the Village Attorney Gebo, Mayor Robb and John Quinn.

Trustee Reports go from 14:44 through 20:00
LWRP Status starts at 27:35
TI River Run Rally Permit Request 31:09  This Request was Tabled

 
Towards the end of the meeting the VB had a riveting discussion on ................Yup Paper Towel Dispensers.  All kidding aside, it was kind of a fun discussion.  I think this is what they decided on for all the bathrooms in the village offices

What is on the Agenda for 2/10/09

Village Board Meeting @ 5:30 pm,
Special Budget Meeting Alexandria Central School B.O.E. 5:15 PM
Decisions Decisions..........How can I be in 2 places at once.......hmmmmm

Tonights Chamber of Commerce Meeting

February 9th 2009 @ the Burgundy Room Bonnie Castle Manor.  This was my second and thank god my last.  I did not want to go to the first one but I felt it was for a very worthy cause. 

CLICK HERE and select save for tonights audio!

The meeting starts out normally and then it becomes focused on Moi.  Move your sliders to 3:59 and you can hear all about it.  I guess there were a few members of the executive board that did not know what I was doing with the camera and the audio recorder.  Some claim that if they had known that I was recording the meeting then they surely would have objected.  Well I will admit that my digital camera was very cleverly disguised as a DIGITAL CAMERA.  What did you think I was doing?  I am sure I will have more to say later........till then, Sleep Tight Commrades

FYI
I did do a little sleuthing around at BCM.  I really never did believe that the yelling I heard came from the Kitchen or anywhere else.  It could have only come from one place and that is the Burgundy Room.

Imagine

Just a little message to all you adults!



This is another clip where mean old Simon Cowell melts and shows a human side click here.

Budman's Snolf

I took these pictures this morning.  The SNOLF Tournament scheduled for 2/22/09 may turn into the HOLFKEY Tournament.  Sharpen dem Hockey Skates up ehh!

Movie Previews

Mark Davis Memorial

Some Photos courtesy of R Wiley can be found on his blog Jefferson Leaning Left

The Scream

Gary Williams [member C of C exec. Board]  Called me last night.  He said, "Jim your wrong, there was no screaming or yelling during that meeting. That meeting was run smoothly and professionally.  Maybe what you were hearing came from the kitchen or some other part of the building."

Hmmm!  So what did I hear.  My first  instinct that night was to turn on the audio recorder and capture the yelling.  Then I thought, I could be accussed of eavesdropping.  Not good.  Others heard the same screaming while returning from the ladies room.  Am I absolutely postive 100 % sure that the source of the screaming was from the Burgundy room?  Sadly, I must admit No I am not.

I went and talked to another member who was at the exec board meeting.  I asked him if there was any screaming during that meeting?  He also told me NO!

Hmmmmm

I called J R Miller and asked him if there was any screaming.  He also told me that there was none.  JR went on to say that it was a well run, professional meeting albeit a tad to long.

3 people telling me I am wrong in what I thought I heard.  I refuse to be arrogant and ignore them.  I will stick to the facts of the video and audio.  I have no proof that there was any yelling or screaming at that meeting, therefore I was wrong.

Chamber of Commerce Video & Audio

REVISED******REVISED*****REVISED*****REVISED
If you are entering my blog [via abay.com] through a link to this topic you will miss any new topics on this blog.  Click the following http://abaycircus.blogspot.com/  to get the most recent topics  

February 7th 2009
Other Related Links can be found by clicking here. 

Sitting and waiting for 2 hours while the C of C exec. board talked in executive session......annoyed and irritated me! The voting protocols implemented for the paper ballot to oust the Moshers almost put me over the edge. So if you [the exec. board] thought that I was being aggressive with my camera, panning the members of the executive board......to bad! I was not in your face as I was sitting anywhere from 10 to 20 feet away from any member. What you may have heard in my voice as I spoke to you [the board] was me attempting to control my anger.




C of C meeting VIDEO from p guston on Vimeo.



The next video is an audio only, that is why the screen is black, it just happens to be on a video player. It is the audio from the entire meeting after the executive session.


C of C Meeting Audio Only from p guston on Vimeo.

Many thanks to Dotster from Abay.com for his technical expertise in solving all the problems I encountered with the video and the audio.

C of C Video & Audio

Will be available in their entirety later this evening

Chamber Meeting Feb 2 2009

All I can say is ........unbelievable.  The meeting started at 7pm and within minutes went into executive session.  At that point we [everyone not on the executive board] were dismissed.  2 hours later we were allowed back in to the meeting.  From what I was told this was an exceptionally long executive session.....No Shit!  Although I am glad that they [executive board] took their time in discussing this situation.   Oh your not sure what situation I am talking about?   Too bad, you will have to wait.....I will not release any info until the video and the audio is uploaded..........but a warning to all of you.......the video file is HUGE over 700mb.  I feel that this is worth the wait because as I stated at this meeting, it is important for all of you to see the facial expressions, body postures, more facial expressions, what some said and what some did NOT say.  Basically I do not care if any of you watch the video, lets just say that the video exists for anyone to watch as a matter of record.   I am dismayed, disgusted and horrified that any of this would get to this level of discussion or even a vote.  Those of you that let it get to this level should be ashamed of yourselves...........

More to follow.............

Later Added:

Mayor Robb verbally expressed his support of the Moshers

Town Supervisor Millett wrote an expression of support of the Moshers

Shared Services DOOMED

I have heard from various people that nobody [both Town & Village] really wants to invest much time or effort into shared services.  I will let the video tell the story: