Comments on: Here And Now

By: BusterBrown

BusterBrown — Thu, 13 Sep 2012 16:07:00 +0000

UB’s Shale Resources and Society Institute should be canned with all due haste. Its first and, hopefully last, pseudo-research project was a number mangled, ridiculously biased piece of crap. The Institute’s director (John Martin) is only interested in getting publicity and making money.

Mr. Martin is a (fairly) recently retired NYSERDA employee who used to be involved with DEC’s and Team Cuomo’s effort to devise regulations for the fracking industry. He took the early retirement deal and used the revolving door to set up a consulting firm — that now assists and PROMOTES the industry that he was part of regulating. Hey. the oil and gas industry pays well, I’m sure!

One way he creates income for himself is to “direct” UB’s Shale Resources and Society Institute — from afar. I doubt that he actually lives in Buffalo since his consulting firm is (still) in the Capital District’s lovely City of Saratoga Springs (see http://jpmartinenergyDOTcom/career.php. Why in the world would he trade Saratoga for Buffalo…for a paycheck of $40,000 (or less)?! That’s supposedly the amount of money funding for the institute, last year. Exactly where the funds came from is a mystery.

So…Mr. Martin was looking for a quick way to put UB’s “Shale Institute” on the map to justify his paycheck and, coincidentally, get himself some press. He hooked up with the fracking industry’s “go to” professor, Timothy Considine, a half-assed, biased researcher (and mercenary, if ever there was one. The NYT and many others have written about the fact that Considine is thisclose to the energy industry.

Professor Considine was formerly at Penn State and is now at the University of Wyoming. In addition to a little teaching, he is the director of the Center for Energy Economics and Public Policy (CEEPP). I’m guessing that the research “institute” is well funded and its director is well paid by the oil and gas industry. The U. of Wyoming isn’t shy about its connections with the oil and gas industry (http://www.uwyoDOTedu/cee/ and http://www.uwyoDOTedu/cee/_files/docs/ceepp_brochure.pdf).

John Martin probably aspires to be like Considine. So, he was a co-author with Considine on a recent piece of crap, providing some half-assed tables in a totally half-assed paper. Unsurprisingly, the shit hit the fan (mediawise) and put SUNY Chancellor Nancy Zimpher on the hotseat. She should have gotten rid of UB’s fake research institute already. Hopefully, the SUNY trustees will do what Nancy refused to do.

By: gecannonphd

gecannonphd — Thu, 13 Sep 2012 15:26:00 +0000

(Democrats Frank Commisso Jr., Jim Coyne, Patricia Fahy, Chris Higgins, William McCarthy and Margarita Perez for state Assembly (McEneny). (TU))
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I no longer live in the great city of Albany, and cannot vote in this primary race.In a previous life, when I was foolish enough to become involved in local Albany Cty (Guilderland) politics, I had some relationship with Jim Coyne.
He was then County Executive, and I had just lost a silly race for Guilderland Supervisor (running as a Dem.)Following my loss, I remained engaged and began a local forum that was to engage in political issues.
The first forum drew a fairly large crowd.
Following it, Mr. Coyne actually called me and asked if this forum stuff was out of the Guilderland Dem. party.
I said no way, he said “oh”, and hung up.Coyne was a Corning Albany Dem. loyalist; and did not want any suburban move away from Corning domination of the Dems.Mr. Coyne apparently did some good teaching chores while in prison.
But right now, he apparently is bored.
He will not win today, and doesn’t deserve to win.He’s a blast out of the past of the Corning Albany machine, and never seemed to be his own man while Cty. Executive.And having former DA Sol Greenberg come out from the nursing home to endorse Jim is really a stretch.
Mr. Greenberg was also a loyal soldier in the Corning machine.
Very seldom did he ever express an interest in white collar crime, or in politico skulduggery, while DA.

By: gecannonphd

gecannonphd — Thu, 13 Sep 2012 15:23:00 +0000

(Republicans Roy McDonald v. Kathy Marchione for state Senate (McDonald)
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As a resident of the great historical city of Saratoga Springs, this primary race is the only one that I could possibly vote in.
As a registered Dem., I’m relegated to an observor.
McDonald should, and deserves to, win.
The voters up here would be foolish to retire him as he is a major player in the Senate GOP caucus.
He can do alot for the Saratoga region.
The major issue that motivates Kathy Marchione is McDonald’s vote for same sex marriage.
Move on, Ms. Kathy.
This issue is settled by law; and any changes will come through the courts, not through you or the Legislature.
Same sex marriage impacts a small minority of our population.
The law will not, and has not, created the downfall of our Western civilization.
Same sex marriage is proper, and a positive advancement in civil and human rights.
Ms.Marchione is the county clerk up here, and is a player in the operations of the DMV.
It seems that is what she should spend her time on.
Pardon my riff on DMV policy, but Kathy should work to change the very long time for renewal of driver’s licenses…now 8 years.
That is too long.
The last time I went into Kathy’s Wilton Mall DMV I asked if I could renew for 3-4 years, explaining that at my age I live day to day.
I don’t even buy green bananas.
The clerk laughed, and said no way.
I asked if I could bring in my own personal photo, one taken 15 years ago when I looked better.
Again, the clerk, now somewhat concerned and looking around for security, said “no way”.
I reminded her of the recent story of Roseanne Barr or Rosie O’Donnell renewing her license and demanding to have photo after photo taken, until she was asked to leave.
Then Kathy should also take up the issue of the eye exam required for renewal of licenses.
Last Fall, DMV eliminated the eye exam requirement for all of 3 days, until the opposition got too strong; and the eye exam continues to be a requirement.
There’s a link between the long 8 years for renewal and the condition of one’s eyesight.
Wouldn’t it make more sense, and be safer driving on the roads, to reduce the time for license renewal to 3-4 years, and keep the eye exam requirement?
So Kathy has work to do!!