GUEST COLUMNS: A PREVIEW OF THE MAYOR’s ‘STATE OF THE CITY’ … and … ‘PHONY’ D.A.’s ‘POLITICAL’ OPTICS ALL OUT OF FOCUS
BY DAN VALENTI
PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY
(FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THE WEEKEND EDITION JAN. 29-31, 2021) — One of the great surprises from doing THE PLANET, this being the 2,199th column published in this series (about two million words), has been allowing people to express themselves freely and fully. With the restrictions now placed on the public’s ability to do this by the local media and government, this expressive opportunity grows in importance. Another surprise is the eloquence and insights by our many commentators.
Today for The Weekend Edition, THE PLANET presents two guest columns. They were originally written by readers and sent to us, posted as comments to our previous column. They were so good that we give them feature space. One note: When we do this, it doesn’t mean we agree with the points made … or disagree, for that matter. It does say, however, that we found them well thought out, insightful, and nicely written.
That type of communication, having become rarer in today’s technocracy, deserves the pedestal. We present them as written, edited only for style and form.
Enjoy.
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‘I HAVE A DWEEE’: ONE WAG’s TAKE ON THE MAYOR’S UPCOMING ‘STATE OF THE CITY’ ADDRESS
BY JONATHAN MELLE
The lovely Mayor Linda Tyer’s State of the City address will take place on Monday, Feb. 1, shortly after noon on Zoom, or for this occasion, renamed Snooze. Here is my sarcastic synopsis of her planned speech
We are all Pittsfielders.
Our city is being used as an art exhibit as “A City in Decay” in upscale art galleries and museums in London, NYC, and L.A. by artist Gregory Crewdson’s large photos of Pittsfield, Massachusetts.
As your Mayor, I live in a wealthy Gated Community close to the Hancock border. I live far away from the working poor and marginalized residents of inner-city Pittsfield as I can while still technically living in Pittsfield, a city which is called “Social Services Alley” by day and “The Shooting Gallery” by night. I have passed three record setting municipal budgets with costly fees and hundreds of millions of dollars in public debts and other liabilities, while my chief bureaucrat Matt Kerwood sits on a +$10 million slush fund — so-called “free cash,” the amount the city overtaxed you by — that should belong in the pockets of Mary Jane and Joe Kapanski.
Pittsfield’s tax base is still shrinking, while Pittsfield’s taxes are still increasing by record setting levels. Pittsfield has the second highest business tax rate in Massachusetts. Some of Pittsfield’s public schools are at Level 5, which is the worst rating by the state government. Pittsfield’s former superintendent left Pittsfield for upper class Williamstown in 2020, but I will find a new superintendent in 2021 who will shakedown city taxpayers to fund our community’s underperforming public schools.
Since early-2016, I have continued PEDA’s so-called polluted and vacant business park record of absolute failure since the Summer of 1998.
My administration and supporters allegedly harassed two opposing City Councilors — Chris Connell and Kevin Morandi — from running for reelection this year. I hope the people who replace them will rubber stamp my agenda of giving most to all of the city’s public money to the vested and special interests.
I have proudly continued Pittsfield politics nasty use of retribution against anybody who questions my leadership because “democracy” and “dissent” are dirty words in the city. My failed leadership on COVID-19 and the many deaths in Pittsfield’s nursing homes should be blamed on Melissa Mazzeo and her husband’s restaurant, as well as the careless people who don’t adhere to social distancing measures.
Because I am a woman leader who believes in double standards, I blame everyone else, but I don’t take any responsibility for my actions. If someone calls me and other women leaders out for our failed leadership, we will cry sexism to scare them off. When one Googles “Is Pittsfield Massachusetts a safe community?” he or she will read that the answer is “NO!” Pittsfield is always in the top 10 for violent crime in Massachusetts by the FBI year in and year out.
I am hoping that President Joe Biden and the Democrat-controlled U.S. Congress will bailout Pittsfield’s constrained public finances so I can direct Kerwood to build on his +$10 million slush fund while taxing the hell out of our elderly, veterans, and other fixed-income local taxpayers.
In closing, I am going to continue my leadership debacle until I retire someday in the future with my six-figure city pension.
Remember, we are all Pittsfielders.
Thank you and God bless.
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D.A. ‘OPTICS’ STAY OUT OF FOCUS
BY E. WENDT
I commend aspects of today’s (Thursday Jan. 28) Eagle editorial “Justice must rise above optics. Equal justice requires consistency even when the optics might be less than ideal. It’s disheartening to see that the Berkshire District Attorney’s Office would try to revoke a defendant’s bail based on his exercise of protected symbolic speech.”
What was missed is that the Lonnie Durfee case is important as yet another example that D.A. Andrea Harrington’s motivations are those of a purely political phony. When confronted with this case, her reaction was not that this a guy who really needs help in the form of mental health and alcohol intervention. She didn’t see hale bales burning in an open field and a person in need of help. She saw a ripe political opportunity for, as the Eagle states, “optics.”
For a true picture of who Harrington is and why her actions are so dangerous to justice, it’s imperative to connect her actions in this destruction of property case with the Simon’s Rock case. As we know, the latter case involves a young black woman who falsely fomented racial hatred in our community. Harrington dropped this case as she stated because the defendant refused to cooperate. Yet her office pursued with a vengeance a white man with mental health and alcohol issues, flying in the face of and dead against her own stated policies.
She had Durfee held without bail as a danger to the community despite his addition and the non-violent nature of his offense. One can only conclude she did so because Durfee is a white male right winger. At Simon’s Rock, a black person with a mission to promote the political interest of one small group succeeded in a false narrative of racism. To the D.A., that was okay.
“Progressive” racial justice attempts to undo a system of injustice that treats people differently based on race. The Eagle fails to see how the D.A. managed to inject not just political but racial bias and use her discretion as a prosecutor to achieve the opposite result.
Why? Harrington is not and never was about justice and doing what is right. She is not about being a good lawyer or a community leader. She is all about sheer hucksterism. She can’t even get that right.
She can’t stick to a commitment and narrative about equal treatment because she is a phony. The Eagle does a disservice in not calling this out.
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THE PLANET thanks Melle and Wendt for their contributions. Again, we extend the invitation to any and all to submit guest columns for consideration.
Have a great weekend, everybody.
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“The problems of victory are more agreeable than those of defeat, but they are no less difficult” — Winston Churchill.
“OPEN THE WINDOW, AUNT MILLIE.”
LOVE TO ALL.
The views and opinions expressed in the comment section or in the text other than those of PLANET VALENTI are not necessarily endorsed by the operators of this website. PLANET VALENTI assumes no responsibility for such views and opinions, and it reserves the right to remove or edit any comment, including but not limited to those that violate the website’s Rules of Conduct and its editorial policies. PLANET VALENTI shall not be held responsible for the consequences that may result from any posted comment or outside opinion or commentary as provided in Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act and this website’s terms of service. All users of this website — including readers, commentators, contributors, or anyone else making use of its information, hereby agree to these conditions by virtue of and contained in this notice. When PLANET VALENTI ends with the words “The Usual Disclaimer,” that phrase shall be understood to refer to the full text of this disclaimer. Copyright (c) 2020 by Dan Valenti.
Wow. Huckster Harrington! Nice ring to it.
She’s received a lot of nicknames. That’s a new one.
Hello blogger Dan Valenti,
I always enjoy reading your awesome blog, especially when you write about Pittsfield politics. I am honored that you posted my sarcastic op-ed about Mayor Linda Tyer’s State of the City speech planned for Monday, February 1st, 2021, shortly after 12-noon. I honestly did not believe the lovely Linda Tyer would continue Pittsfield politics’ nasty use of retribution against her political opponents. Over the years, I listened to Linda Tyer’s wonderful words supporting Human Rights and caring about everyone, including the poor, and I thought she would lead by her lofty ideals. I never agreed with all of her mayoral decisions, but I once saw her as caring about her economically distressed and very unequal community without using dirty politics to achieve her costly agenda. But, Linda Tyer is doing all of the same old disservices to the proverbial Kapanski family that all of the previous recent Mayors of Pittsfield have done with the nasty use of retribution. I thought Linda Tyer would have been different, but she is just another typical politician who only takes care of #1.
Best wishes,
Jonathan Melle
There is much truth in your sarcasm Jon. How about Huckster and Huckle Barry.
How about some HuscksterBarry Pie?
Just substitute politician’s for scorpion and voters for frog.
It’s the old scorpion fable; remember? The Scorpion convinces a Frog to carry him across a river. The Frog totes the Scorpion halfway across and then the Scorpion stings him. As the frog is about to drown, the Frog asks, “Why did you do this?” The scorpion replies, “I’m a scorpion;
that’s what I do.”
She’s much like Biden. A flavor of the month democrat who says what she thinks people want to hear.
For a metaphor Dan’s blog reminds me of a 4th of July parade I saw in Bar Harbor 40 years ago. The was a rag rag collection of the Daughter’s of the American Revolution, POW MIA veterans, skateboarder, hippies, some lobsterman, and other assorted randos. I remember thinking this is America, a patchwork and some of the squares are ratty or grubby but we are in it together.
I enjoy Melle’s writing too. I hope to see more of Bike Path Barry.
KERMIT
Great analogy.
Mr. Melle, great piece. I can see why Dan chose it. Glad you finally saw the light
Boring.
Well, yeah. It does get repetitive … I mean, how often the elected officials screw We The People. So you’re right. That gets boring after a while.
I agree.
Turn the plate, not the tongs.
Where is the Republican party without Qanon and White Supremacist?
TSC,
You need to enter the TDS Olympics . No doubt you will be the
Olympic Gold Medal winner! You’re Olympic Gold Medal at Stupidity + Kommunism, all variants. Stupidity,Ignorance + all variants can’t be matched.
Silence and no denial of Q and White Supremacist
Qanumbnutz
tell us the good things Biden its doing with union jobs.
Trump wanted to make the right to work law a federal law effectively abolishing unions.Biden will not do that.Biden publicly supports unions and dumb ass Trump hates unions.Biden want to rebuild manufacturing in the US with 10 million union jobs.Trump laid of 20 million with a virus he would not acknowledge
He’s off to a great start. He’s eliminating 100,000 union jobs, building an armed wall around DC and governing by proclamation and edicts
Trump put 20,000,0000 on unemployment
That was the China Flu , before that the economy was humming along. I guess the Dems should have let Trump cancel flights from China in January 2020 like he wanted instead of calling him a racist! Do you think they had an ulterior motive?
Where are those 100k job losses Mr Fox prop
The way Biden is doing away with jobs already nobody will be working. 11,000+ with a stroke of a pen.
1,000 jobs in Canada
Fox prop
Where is the BLM movement since the election? Did Soros stop funding them? You would think they would still be out there because nothing has changed
You have BLM Derangement
Bravo ! Bravo ! Now if we could just stop voting for all these hucksters and phonies ! But sadly we don’t as we are woke and broke.
It seems the Hucksters are the only choices we have to vote on election time. It has gotten to voting for the lesser of the hucksters. Those that would be decent candidates don’t want anything to do with running because of the nonsense the hucksters and company bestow upon them during the election process and afterwards. We’re Hucked pretty much.
Untrue, there have been good candidates but they weren’t connected. Voters have to educated on who the candidates are and how they are screwing the Kapanski’s
Couldn’t agree more about the need for good candidate — new to politics but smart, experience in Dreaded Private Sector, outsiders. Believe it or not, there are people like that. Problem is, the system is such a tarpit, they are too smart not to be reluctant about entering the arena.
The Republicans dont have moral candidates.The democrats are overflowing with top flight multicultural honest candidates….You guys got Q
I stand corrected! Great point.
Ok folks, lets talk about this ‘Joys of Life’ Campaign. You know the billboards and now this “sponsored content” in the eagle, that simply means a paid story.
My question to you : Why is is city wasting money like this? If it’s some PPE funds that the state/fed earmarked specifically for this, fine. But is this is taxpayer money from our cities cloak and dagger budget, it’s completely unacceptable and is just a way to funnel tax dollars into Lamar billboards and whatever poor souls run the eagle.
How much does the city pay the Eagle in a year’s time for classified and other ads?
Enough to keep the Eagle in line and “playing ball.” Lapdogs don’t bite the hand that feeds them.
In the image people are standing close, without masks. That’s so yester-year. Way to lead by example ! I get it says “lets get back”, but this is not the goal right now ! Masked face is the new black. It’s here to stay.
They are not even from Berkshire County, at least they could have used Berkshire County models for the advertisements
Yea, and I don’t see enough diversity in the add. Not enough people of color, not enough people that look like me, and where are the LGBTQABCXYZ folk?
Whether federal, state, or city tax, this is absolutely shameful. And us Kapanskis continue to screwed by the city. Every politician that supports this should be absolutely ashamed of themselves.
The next big thing is the water water project. The G man can save millions. Why isn’t Tyred even addressing the damn thing going forward. Her sewage plant has my right leg on the city limits line,the water plant will be the other leg leaving in disgust.
Cuomo undercounted nursing home deaths Bi* story.
Great post Agent 86. You should be writing a guest column!
It’s a repost Fritz. And when was it published and where and who actually wrote it? It appears to have been published before the election and although I agree with the premise that she’s a commie sympathizer, and in bed with the black lies matter movement, some more facts and less supposition would be nice.
Kamala and Obama have a very similar background. Obama was also involved with these same types of people. Now Obama and his wife want to shut down voices and give government total control with themselves and their globalist far left friends in charge. Very frightening.
Great leadership.
All to fight the white supremacist nazis kkk white militia of the Republican party with a histoty of killing blacks for many decades.Im more concetned with your skinhead party and Trump
Borking again..thought it would stop after the inauguration
Enjoying the Biden bonus at the gas pump chump?
His comments against oil and gas haven’t helped the price at the pumps. Hope some genius out there can develop an engine that runs on air.
Windmills power electricity and plug it in.How old is this board that you only trust gasoline to run your wheel
Question, What has the “first-ever domestic and sexual abuse taskforce” created two years ago under DA Harrington accomplished?
Congress woman Omar d-Minnesota and friends want recurring 2000 a month until pandemic is over. This will be given to all lower income relevant,migrant workers….and ready? Refugees.
Hope the $$ comes from her political pacs and other political $$ she has somewhere. Maybe she could get the squad to do the same.
Biden,Pelousy where’s the stimulus?
If you don’t get an answer. Then,that is the answer.
She hired some of her friends and got some overtime money to her supporters.
Also she just renamed a prior program, nothing groundbreaking.
Bitter bitter..
Jimbo was just another hack let go by the DA
You can keep repeating that like a T-Rumper but it doesn’t make it true. Never worked there, never will.
Fair question, JAMES. It should be easy for the office to answer it. When the phone doesn’t ring, we’ll know it’s the D.A.’s flack not getting back to We the People.
Wait, wait, I know this one!!!
They walked a mile….and didn’t get a Camel.
Wendt
Hit the high spots.
You miss that ms Harrington’s mouth peace’s brother – Francis mckeever was the instigator. And that dpd was forewarned of the inebriated perps plan. Seemingly assisting him after gas can fell from his truck. Observed by officer Buzzella ( cop bitten by own k9 in propaganda parrot article) Another stale warrant.
Lonnie was just a tool bag – not sober enough to know right from wrong.
Harrington was looking to capitalize on Suffolk county district attorney Rachel Rollins sudden crash from fame, and become the new federal prosecutor for Massachusetts.
Needed the headline
Problem is Lonnie is now a “ white supremacist “ in B pod. With predominantly black defendants. Beatings daily weather he wants to fight or not.
Harrington is a rotten human being.
Thanks THOMAS. If true, this certainly adds a new wrinkle to the story.
The G Man tells the whole water story channel 1301 at 9 p m
Just the facts. Dan check your email-
Sent you the receipt.
Docket 2027cr001355
53 pages.
Lonnie previously targeted as pro-lifer
Williams stone pro life “All life “
, if he was dangerous he wouldn’t be working there.Williams are good Christian folks.
Harrington about to get national news, like Rollins. Another Soros funded district attorney.
This is where activist judges come from. . Smyth is to Harrington, what sinnot was to Rollins ( straight pride defendant’s) propaganda pedaling at innocent peoples expense.
Lonnie being the subject this time.
Not sure guy can even read.
That piece by the Eagle did more for Harringtons base then any thing could have. From comments that i have read people are ripping on Kevin Moran. Was that on page 2? there is only three pages to Eagle anymore.
The Eagle need go on the stooge show to be told how great a newspaper they are. A fat bald man telling everybody gobsig how great they are,and everything is fine. All from a basement on Williams street.
Purely political
She should be disbarred For Impugning the integrity of the court.
Saltany v Reagan
The inflammatory and prejudicial statements by Richard Dahoney served no purpose in court of law. Only in public opinion.
Huh? Could you link us to the comments, please?
For 5 thumbs I’ll write the next piece.
Is it true that the water plant project is being done by a Chinese company with ties to Hunter Biden?
Yes
50% to the big guy
Hunter was spotted having a drink with the gang at Meth.
He was down by cumby’s at 3a. Guess who picked him up and gave him a ride!
The gay bake thing was a setup by Andy McKever and his brother. Andy will do anything for his girlfriend. From staying 7 months at iBerkshires after being promised a job in the DA’s office just do he could write puff pieces about her during the campaign.
The only question here is did Squeaky know, sources say yes. It was orchestrated. Cell records can be easily obtained. They are not private info.
Huh? I am not sure what your are saying. What was orchestrated?
Why does Fox entertainment keep repeating Biden is not the legitimate President.Why did Fox alway repeat Obama was not the legitimate President?Why does Fox promote that democrats are marxist?Why is Fox media undermining America government. WHAT exactly is the goal of Fox media? Why has Hannity gone fascist?Fox fascist commentators have advised Trump.Hannity has recently divorced his own family.
Go take your anti psychotic meds.
Take a little trip back to your Berkshire Roots.
Your bitching about Fox entertainment doing exactly what TSC entertainment does day in and out posting your views,which you think and believe are correct.
Biden is a fascist dictator
Just heard with the next stimulus money the city gets Lovely Linda is going to do the Pelosi and build a wall around city hall, for the unions because we know there are no workers in city hall
Her state of the city zoom chat out ha be exiting as all get out. Not one accomplishment for the taxpayer. The water sewer project cost an extra sixty million because of laziness and the give away to the beacon slush fund forgiveness are just a couple of mumbling pegs. I’ve never had so much salt film on my truck in the history of winters here.
Just read a funny editorial in the hate rag Beagle on how the Democrats can keep their integrity,ha ha,ha! I ask what integrity do they still have? Three of the last Four Legislative leaders were criminals, they just got caught with homosmearing one of their rising young leaders and they just stole a national election. I could continue the list but I would be writing longer than I have time for. I didn’t even start to write about what they do in Pittsfield politics. I still have not heard anything about voter rolls and voting machines, 3 months later. That is an engaged leader talking about themselves,oops I mean trash instead of what is really Important right now. Have a good weekend everyone stay safe and try to get some fresh air because the politics of this area is very stinky
Thanks to everyone on here that steered me into watching the pctv news hour. Mr. Gaetani was very impressive as the water project can save millions. And less for us payment wise for my family realized.
He also states a winter wonderland of snow early afternoon this Monday thru Tuesday morning. That way you need not have to wait for a Ricardo parking message tying up your telephone. Drop all that expensive salt on the roads whether it needs it or not.
January 30, 2021
Hello again, Dirty Bird (Berkshire Eagle) Editors,
The Massachusetts State Democratic Party’s orchestrated homophobic smear campaign against Alex Morse’s challenge of over 3 decade long career “K Street PAC-Man” Richie Neal did not have the Congressman’s fingerprints/DNA on it, but it was very conspiratorial and mean-spirited that was meant to sink the Morse campaign in favor of the career politician incumbent.
As I recently wrote, I believe I went through a similar painful experience in Pittsfield politics (edited) beginning during the Spring of 1996 when I was all of 20 years old when my dad was a Democratic Party candidate for Berkshire County Commissioner, who served in that now abolished elected office from 1997 – mid-2000. For many years of my adult life, I have been the target of conspiratorial and mean-spirited political bullying from Pittsfield through Boston without (edited) establishment politicians leaving behind their own fingerprints/DNA.
I am 45.5-years old now in late-January of 2021, and I still have negative feelings against state and local politicians from Pittsfield through Boston because they were very hurtful and retaliatory against my dad and me. In closing, it is always the same powerful political establishment people playing the same dirty and nasty games against the little guys who stand up to the political establishment where the powerbroker politicians never leave behind their own fingerprints/DNA, but we all know they were the ones behind it all.
In Truth!
Jonathan Melle
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Our Opinion: “Cleanup time for Mass Dems”
The Berkshire Eagle, Editorial, January 29, 2021
The Massachusetts Democrats’ link to a student group’s smear against Holyoke Mayor Alex Morse raised serious concerns about the state party’s behavior amid an important election for the 1st Congressional District. ….
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What exactly were you targeted for by those you say did the targeting?Were you seeking office of some kind?
Fascist live Trump so the question is do Fascist love Putin.Are American Fascist in the Republicsn party.Can republicans be patriotic Americans or are the anti democratic beholding to Putin.Trump is the Russian asset and Qanon is the Russian conspiracy…….What party are you guys in?
Red herring party.
Seriously buddy, were you high, drunk or both when you posted this?
I guess the mayor can embellish tommorrow on how much free cash the city has. Noon channel 1303 pctv. Will the city provide ordeurves through zoom?
Maybe Tyer and Barry will do their Zumba dance.
This board loves gasoline.
TDS and boarker…funny how Putin and Biden signed a treaty in the first week,seems like your Democrats are the ones in cahoots with the Ruskies
Thousands will be out of work from well paying jobs thanks to Biden and Kerry deciding that climate change is a good political reason to kill these jobs. Multi-millionaire Kerry won’t even give up his climate polluting private jet, but they expect huge sacrifices from Americans. Stopping the pipeline will mean huge wins for Russia, Iran, and China. Biden is especially beholden to China so he is making sure China is happy while Americans suffer.
https://www.theblaze.com/news/keystone-pipeline-worker-job-loss-biden?utm_source=theblaze-dailyAM&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Daily-Newsletter__AM%202021-01-31&utm_term=ACTIVE%20LIST%20-%20TheBlaze%20Daily%20AM
You may be right – and that’s on top of the estimated 22M that were lost in FY20, correct?
MAGA Means stopping Americas minorities from voting.It also means The new white supremacist party of Trump knows they will never win the democratic fight for votes.That fight involves ideas thst promote tax cuts to the wealthy and sticking with the fossil fuel motor.Even the racist know the gas automobile is going to be replaced with electric power.That is the democratic position.America will also be heading to National Healthcare as the majority of the worlds capitalist love it.The Trumper only option is to stop and undermine voting.If they dont stop the voting in a democracy the need to say a cast vote is fake or illegal.When this fails you need a violent threat of a coup to overthrow a democraticly elected President.Trump and his republican party did just that on Jan 6th 2021 and a 2nd attemp will be tried as fascist are now all over our govetment.The fascist are very close and they are your neighbor.Most dont know what they are supporting. Ignorantly embracing their own brainwashing.
I hear Jones is looking for a lost patient
Don’t worry Shirly, we won’t tell them where you are.
You keep advertising
TSC
I can remind of this because I’m in Switzerland: Relax. Calm down. Enjoy. Why? Because your side WON! The other side LOST!
Einstein, how will you make electricity for your electric toy car?
Planet knows you must destroy the fascist or wd lose our democracy.
Good luck affording an electric car TSC. Will only Biden supporters be given money to pay for electric cars? The cost of electric cars will tank our already teetering economy. Add to that paying for all the freebies for illegal immigrants and everyone will be taxed to high heaven. That $15.00 minimum wage will pay for nothing!!
ARE you in your 70s Pat? Gasoline is your life.We dont need gasoline to make a heels turn
Hey Einstein, give us your definition of fascism.
Let’s see what happens after the four year term of this administration is over before you decide for everyone how well it went for the whole of the country. I’m hoping for the best as we are all pieces of the puzzle that makes America go. Elected officials will do what they want once elected and we better hope it is what the majority wants also.
How are you going to make electricity? Unicorn farts? When are you getting an electric car? How do you heat your house?
Why do you have to calling yourself names. State of the City tommorow. Zero Accomplishments and a terrible Acroos the Board Administration. 12 noon channel 1303 pathetic t v
Embassy President wants to negotiate stimulus bill. Hellllo? You have the Votes?
Your in your 70s
Do you really believe that solar and windmills will create enough electricity to power millions of homes and cars?