Westchester Guardian by David Watterson

PRESORTED STANDARD PERMIT #3036 WHITE PLAINS NY

Vol. VI I No. VIII

Westchester’s Most Influential Weekly

Who’s Your Daddy? Fight for the Top Job

Thursday, February 28, 2013 $1.00

JOHN F. McMULLEN The 50th Column Page 4 SHERIF AWAD El Galpon de las Artes Page 4 RICH MONETTI Bedford Superintendent of Schools Hochman Page 7 ROBERT SCOTT Mysterious Death of Actress Page 8

Rob Astorino’s Father, A Convicted Corrupt Cop. Kurt Collucci, The Conservative’s Dad Compares Pols to Nazis By Nancy King and Sam Zherka, Page 16

Legal Memorandum of Objector Presented to the Scarsdale Village Election By Harold Reynolds, Page 15

SHANNON AYALA Parent De-Criminalization Meeting Page 6 LARRY ELKIN Argentine President de Kirchner a Deadbeat Page 9 JOHN SIMON Good Ones “Donnybrook!” Page 12 BARBARA BARTON SLOANE Ride Like the Wind Page 13

ence working with sponsors/donors; 2) Operations Manager- must have a good knowledge of computers/software/ticketing systems, duties include overseeing all box office, concessions, movie staffing, day of show lobby staffing such as Merchandise seller, bar sales. Must be familiar with POS system and willing to organize concessions. Full time plus hours. Call (203) 438-5795 and ask for Julie or Allison

THE WESTcHESTER GUARDiAn THE WESTCHESTER GUARDIAN THE WESTcHESTER GUARDiAn

Page 2

UPON GOOD CAUSE, THE COURT MAY ORDERRetail AN INVESTIGATION TO DETERMINE Prime - Westchester CountyWHETHER THE NON-RESPONSENT PARENT(s) SHOULD BE CONSIDERED AS A RESPONDENT; IF Best Location in Yorktown Heights THE COURT DETERMINES THE CHILD SHOULD BE REMOVED FROM HIS/HER HOME, THE 1100 Sq. Ft. Store $3100; 1266WHETHER Sq. Ft. store and 450 Sq. Ft. COURT MAY ORDER AN INVESTIGATION TO DETERMINE THE $2800 NON-RESPONDENT THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 2012 CUSTODIANS FOR THE Page 3 Store $1200. PARENT(s) SHOULD BE23, SUITABLE CHILD; IF THE CHILD IS PLACED AND THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2013 THURSDAY, MARCH 29, 2012 Page 3 THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2012 Suitable for any type of business. Contact Wilca: 914.632.1230 REMAINS IN FOSTER CARE FOR FIFTEEN OF THE MOST RECENT TWENTY-TWO MONTHS, THE AGENCY MAY BE REQUIRED TO FILE A PETITION FOR TERMINATION OF PARENTAL RIGHTS OF THE PARENT(s) AND COMMITMENT OF GUARDIANSHIP AND CUSTODY OF THE CHILD FOR THE PURPOSES OF ADOPTION, EVEN IF THE PARENT(s) WERE NOT NAMED AS RESPONDENTS IN A non profit Performing Arts Center is seeking two job positions- 1) DirecTHE CHILD NEGLECT OR ABUSE PROCEEDING. tor of Development- FT-must have a background in development or expeA NON-CUSTODIAL PARENT HASfundraising, THE RIGHT TO REQUESTofTEMPORARY OR PERMANENT CUSrience knowledge what development entails and experiTODY OF THE CHILD ANDence TO SEEK ENFORCEMENT OF VISITATION RIGHTS WITH THE CHILD. working with sponsors/donors; 2) Operations Managermust have a Community Section.............................................................................................. knowledge of computers/software/ticketing systems, duties3include BY ORDER OF THE FAMILYgood COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK overseeing all box office, concessions, movie staffing, day of show 3 lobby Westchester On the Level isCalendar.............................................................................................................. heard from Monday to Friday, from a.m. to 12 TOusually THE ABOVE-NAMED RESPONDENT(S) WHO 10 RESIDE(S) OR IS FOUND AT [specify staffing such as Merchandise seller, bar sales. Must be familiar with POS address(es)]: Noon on the Internet: http://www.BlogTalkRadio.com/WestchesterOntheLevel. Creative Disruption.system .......................................................................................... 4 (203) and willing to organize concessions. Full time plus hours. Call Lastaknown addresses: TIFFANY RAY: 24ask Garfield Street, #3, Yonkers, Because of the importance of Federal court case purporting corruption briberyNY 10701 438-5795 and for Julie orand Allison Cultural Perspective.......................................................................................... 4 allegations, programming beknown suspended for KENNETH the days of March toa.m. 29, Street, 2012. addresses: THOMAS: Garfield #3, Yonkers, NY 10701 Westchester On the Levelwith isLast heard from Monday to Friday, from242610 to 12YonNoon

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Of Significance Of Significance

Community Section ...............................................................................4 Section ...............................................................................4 Community Business ................................................................................................4 Business ................................................................................................4 Calendar ...............................................................................................4 Calendar ...............................................................................................4 Charity ..................................................................................................5 Creative Disruption ............................................................................5 Charity ..................................................................................................5 Contest ..................................................................................................6 Cultural Perspective ...........................................................................7 Contest ..................................................................................................6 Creative Disruption ............................................................................6 Energy Issues .......................................................................................8 Creative Disruption ............................................................................6 Education .............................................................................................7 In Memoriam ....................................................................................10 Education .............................................................................................7 Fashion ..................................................................................................8 Medicine .............................................................................................10 Fashion ..................................................................................................8 Fitness....................................................................................................9 Najah’s Corner ...................................................................................11 Fitness....................................................................................................9 Health ..................................................................................................10 Movie Review ....................................................................................12 Health ..................................................................................................10 History ................................................................................................10 Music ...................................................................................................12 History ................................................................................................10 Ed Koch Movie Review ...................................................................12 Community ........................................................................................13 Ed Koch Movie Review ...................................................................12 Spoof ....................................................................................................13 Writers Collection.............................................................................14 Spoof ....................................................................................................13 Sports Scene .......................................................................................13 Books Sports Scene .......................................................................................13 Najah’s...................................................................................................16 Corner ...................................................................................13 People ..................................................................................................18 Najah’s Corner ...................................................................................13 Writers Collection.............................................................................14 Eye On...................................................................................................16 Theatre ..................................................................................18 Writers Collection.............................................................................14 Books Leaving on a Jet Plane ......................................................................19 Books ...................................................................................................16 Transportation...................................................................................17 Government Section Transportation ...................................................................................17 Government Section ............................................................................20 ............................................................................17 Campaign Trail ..................................................................................20 Government Section ............................................................................17 Albany Correspondent ....................................................................17 Economic Development....................................................................17 Albany Correspondent Mayor Marvin’s Column..................................................................20 .................................................................18 Education ...........................................................................................21 Mayor Marvin’s Column .................................................................18 Government .......................................................................................19 The Hezitorial ....................................................................................21 Government .......................................................................................19 OpEd Section .........................................................................................23 LegalSection ....................................................................................................23 OpEd .........................................................................................23 Ed Koch Commentary.....................................................................23 People ..................................................................................................24 Ed Koch Letters toCommentary.....................................................................23 the Editor ..........................................................................24 Strategyto...............................................................................................24 Letters Editor............................................................................25 ..........................................................................24 Weir Onlythe Human OpEd Section .........................................................................................25 Weir Only Human ............................................................................25 Legal Notices ..........................................................................................26 ..........................................................................................27 Legal Notices ..........................................................................................26

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YOUR PARENTAL RIGHTS AND COMMITMENT GUARDIANSHIP AND CUSTODY OF THE PrimeOF Location, Yorktown Heights CHILD FOR THE PURPOSES OF ADOPTION, AND MAY FILE BEFORE THE END OF THE 15-MONTH 1,000 Sq. Ft.: $1800. Contact Wilca: 914.632.1230 PERIOD.

HELP WANTED

Of Significance

Westchester On the Level with Narog and Aris Westchester On the Level with Narog and Aris Aris and

kersthe Philharmonic Orchestra Conductor James Sadewhite is ourofscheduled guest Friday, Development.................................................................................. 5 Westchester On the Level isEconomic heard Monday to Friday, a.m. to 12 on Internet: http://www.BlogTalkRadio.com/WestchesterOntheLevel. Joinbeen filed with this Court An Orderfrom to Show Cause under Article 10from the10 Family Court ActNoon having March 30. seeking to to modify the placement for Please the above-named child. on the Internet: by http://www.BlogTalkRadio.com/WestchesterOntheLevel. Join the conversation calling toll-free 1-877-674-2436. stay on topic. Education............................................................................................................ 7 It is howeverby anticipatedtoll-free that thetojury will conclude its Please deliberation ontopic. either Monthe conversation 1-877-674-2436. stay on YOU ARE HEREBY SUMMONED to appear before this Court at Yonkers Family Court Richard Narog March andcalling Hezi Aris are your co-hosts. In the week beginning February 20th and ending on History................................................................................................................. day or Tuesday, 26 or 27. Should that be the case, we will resume our regular located at 53 So. Broadway, Yonkers, New York, on the 28th day of March, 2012 at 2;15 pm in 8 the Richard Narog andhave Hezi are entourage your InYonkers the week beginning andshould ending on February 24th,schedule we an Aris exciting ofanswer guests. afternoon ofthat saidco-hosts. day on to the petition and website. to show February cause why 20th said child not be programming and announce fact the Tribune International....................................................................................................... adjudicated to be of a neglected child and why you should not be dealt with in accordance with 9 the February 24th, we exciting entourage ofshow. guests. Richard Narog and HezianAris are co-hosts the Every Monday is have special. On Monday, February 20th, Krystal provisions of Article 10 of the Family Court Act.Wade, a celebrated participant in http:// Mount Vernon. . .................................................................................................. 9 Every Monday is special. On Monday, 20th, Krystal a celebrated participant in http:// www.TheWritersCollection.com is PLEASE ourFebruary guest. Krystal Wade isWade, a mother of three who works fifty miles TAKE FURTHER NOTICE, that you have the right to be represented by a lawwww.TheWritersCollection.com istime.” guest. Krystal Wade is afornovel mother three who works fifty miles Music. 10 from home and writes in her “Wilde’ s Fire,” her to debut hasofyou been accepted for publication yer,“spare and .if................................................................................................................ theour Court finds you are unable pay a lawyer, have the right to have a lawyer from home and writes ininher “spare time.” “Wilde’iss her Fire,” her debut has sbeen accepted assigned the Court. and should be available 2012. Not far behind second novel,novel “Wilde’ Army.” How for doespublication she do People. .by ............................................................................................................... 11it? and available behind her second novel, s Army.” it? Tuneshould in andbefind out. in 2012. Not far PLEASE TAKEisFURTHER NOTICE, that“Wilde’ if you fail to appearHow at thedoes time she and do place Eye Theatre. ................................................................................................. 12 notedon above, the Court will hear and determine the petition as provided by law. Tune in and find out. Co-hosts Richard Narog and Hezi Aris will relish the dissection of all things politics on Tuesday, February Dated: January 30, ORDER OF THE COURT Travel. ................................................................................................................. 13 Co-hosts Richard and Hezi ArisChuck will2012 relish the dissection of his all things politicsfrom on Tuesday, February 21st. Yonkers CityNarog Council President Lesnick willBY share perspective the august inner 2 column CLERK1 column OF THE COURT 21st. Yonkers President Chuck Lesnick will share his perspective from the august inner sanctum of theCity CityCouncil Council Chambers on Wednesday, February 22nd. Stephen Cerrato, Esq., will share Government Section........................................................................................... 15 sanctum of the CityonCouncil Chambers Wednesday, February24th 22nd. Esq.,bewill share his political insight Thursday, Februaryon 23rd. Friday, February hasStephen yet to beCerrato, filled. It may a propiElection Law..................................................................................................... 15 his political Thursday, February 23rd. Friday, February 24th has yet to be filled. It mayofbeThat a propitious day toinsight sum uponwhat transpired throughout the week. A sort of BlogTalk Radio version Was tious day toThat sumWas up what transpired the week. A sort of BlogTalk Radio version of That 16 Was Structure.throughout ........................................................................................................... The Week (TWTWTW). The Week That Was (TWTWTW). OpEd ....................................................................................................... 16on For those who cannot join us Section. live, consider listening to the show by way of an MP3 download, or For thoseWithin who cannot join us live, consider listening tofind the the show by wayinof anarchive MP3 that download, orlink on demand. 15 minutes of a show’ s ending, you can segment our you may Cover Story....................................................................................................... 16 demand. Within 15 minutes of a show’ s ending, you can find the segment in our archive that you may link to using the hyperlink provided in the opening paragraph. WHYTeditor@gmail.com OP-ED............................................................................................................... 18 to using the hyperlink provided in the opening paragraph. The entire archive is available and maintained for your perusal. The way to find a particular interview Legaleasiest Notices, Advertise Today Help Wanted......................................................................................................... 18For The is available and maintained forfor your easiest to findofa the particular interview Legal Notices, Today is toentire searcharchive Google, or any other searchAdvertise engine, theperusal. subjectThe matter or way the name interviewee. isexample, to search Google, or any other search engine, for the subject matter or the name of the interviewee. search Google,Legal Yahoo,Ads. AOL Search for Westchester On the Level, Blog Talk Radio, or use18For the ............................................................................................................... example, search Google, Yahoo, AOL Search for Westchester On the Level, Blog Talk Radio, or use the hyperlink above. Before speaking to the police... call hyperlink above.

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The Westchester Guardian is a weekly newspaper devoted to the unbiased reporting of events FREE CONSULTATION: The Westchester Guardian is a weekly newspaper devoted to the living unbiased reporting of events and developments that are newsworthy and significant to readers in, and/or employed in, Criminal, Medicaid,toMedicare and developments that are newsworthy and significant readers living in, and/or employed in, Westchester County. The Guardian willFraud, striveWhite-Collar to report fairly, and objectively, reliable informaCrime & Westchester County.tion Thewithout Guardian willHealth strive to report fairly, andduty objectively, reliable informa914.948.0044 favor or compromise. Our first will beT.to the PEOPLE’S Care Prosecutions. tion without favor or compromise. Our first duty will be to the PEOPLE’S F. 914.686.4873 RIGHT TO KNOW, by the exposure of truth, without fear or hesitation, RIGHT KNOW, by themay exposure ofthe truth, without fearoforFREEDOM hesitation, no matterTO where the pursuit lead, in finest tradition no matter where the pursuit may lead, in the finest tradition of FREEDOM 175 M AIN S T., S UITE 711-7 • W HITE P LAINS, NY 10601 OF THE PRESS. OF THE PRESS. The Guardian will cover news and events relevant to residents and The Guardian will cover news and eventsAs relevant to residents and businesses all over Westchester County. a weekly, rather than businesses all over Westchester County. As a weekly, rather than focusing on the immediacy of delivery more associated with daily focusingwe onwill the instead immediacy more associated daily journals, seek of to delivery provide the broader, morewith comprejournals, we will instead seek to provide the broader, more comprehensive, chronological step-by-step accounting of events, enlightened hensive, chronological step-by-step accounting of events, enlightened with analysis, where appropriate. with analysis, where appropriate. Professional Dominican From &amongst journalism’s classic key-words: who, what, when, Hairstylists Nail Technicians From amongst journalism’ s classic key-words: who, what, when, Hair Cuts • Stylingwhy, • Washand & Set •how, Permingthe why and how will drive our pursuit. We where, Pedicure • Acrylic Nails • Fill Ins • Silkwhy, Wraps •and Nail Art Designs where, how, the why andand how drive our will use our •more time, ourwill resources, to pursuit. get past We the Highights • Coloring • Extensions • Manicure Eyebrowabundant Waxing will use our more abundant time, and our resources, to get past the initial ‘spin’ and ‘damage control’ often characteristic of immediate initial and damage often characteristic immediate Yudi’s Salon 610 Main St, New Rochelle, NY ‘spin’ 10801 914.633.7600 news releases, to ‘reach thecontrol’ very heart of the matter: the of truth. We will news releases, to reach the very heart of the matter: the truth. will take our readers to a point of understanding and insight whichWe cannot take our readers to a point of understanding and insight which cannot be obtained elsewhere. be obtained elsewhere. To succeed, we must recognize from the outset that bigger is not necesTo succeed, must recognize from theacknowledge outset that bigger is not necessarily better.we And, furthermore, we will that we cannot be sarily better. And, furthermore, we will acknowledge that we cannot all things to all readers. We must carefully balance the presentationbe of all things to all readers. We must carefully balance the presentation of relevant, hard-hitting, Westchester news and commentary, with features relevant, hard-hitting, Westchester news and commentary, with features and columns useful in daily living and employment in, and around, the and columns useful in daily living and employment in, and around, the county. We must stay trim and flexible if we are to succeed. county. We must stay trim and flexible if we are to succeed.

THE WESTCHESTER GUARDIAN

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2013

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CommunitySection CALENDAR

News & Notes from Northern Westchester By MARK JEFFERS The Oscars were handed out last Sunday night, my wife and I always enjoy seeing awards handed out to movies we have yet to see or may never see until they are DVDsâ&#x20AC;Śand the winner isâ&#x20AC;Śthis weekâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s edition of â&#x20AC;&#x153;News and Notes.â&#x20AC;? We are asking everyone to support the 7th annual Wellness Day Tag Sale at Fox Lane High School on Saturday, March 2nd from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM and Sunday, March 3rd from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM. In the Large Cafeteria you will find treasures for you and your familyâ&#x20AC;Ś including household goods, clothing, costume jewelry, bikes, books, toys and more. All proceeds go toward supporting the student run Wellness Day in April which brings in fabulous speakers and dozens of workshops for all of the high school students with the hopes of gaining insight into improved physical, mental and spiritual health for our kids. Most people shiver at the thought of speaking in public, but a friend of ours joined the Hudson River Toastmasters last year and she said it helped her tremendously. The Hudson River Toastmasters club invites you to find your voice, gain confidence, to enjoy your life and to take the terror out of talk. The club meets the 2ND & 4TH Tuesday at the Sisters Maryknoll in Ossining, guests are always welcomed. My wife is always looking for an excuse not to make dinner, so I think I will take her to the Annual Pasta Dinner night at the Mount Kisco Elementary School on Friday evening March 1st. Dinner is served from 6:00 PM to 8:30 PM and tickets are $8.00 a piece. This exhibit will put you in stitchesâ&#x20AC;Śthe Katonah Museum of Art presents â&#x20AC;&#x153;Beyond the Bed: The American Quilt Revolution,â&#x20AC;? running through June 16th. If you have a sweet tooth like I have than you wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want to miss tapping the sugar maples on March 3 and 10 at the Muscoot Farm in Somers and then top it all off with the Sugaring Off Pancake Breakfast on March 16 and 17, just gained five pounds writing thisâ&#x20AC;Ś More goodies coming your way, how about helping out the Pleasantville Girl

Scouts by purchasing a box or two of their world famous cookies, proceeds help fund programs for soldiers overseas, and camps for city kids, call 914-747-3080 to order. Over in Katonah, John Jay Homesteadâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s popular Spring Break Mini camps for children five to 10 years old return the week of March 25 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 28, the first session is â&#x20AC;&#x153;Here, There and Everywhere, how did people get around 200 years ago.â&#x20AC;? Not sure this is for all eyes, but The Westchester Sandbox Theatre is presenting â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Full Montyâ&#x20AC;? with performances through March 10th. Congratulations to Caramoor chairman emeritus Judy Evnin as she receives the ArtsWestcehster 2013 Arts Patron Award. As part of their Eagle Scout Service Project, Troop 154 of Goldenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Bridge invites you to join them for a pancake breakfast at the South Salem Fire Department. A hearty meal of Pancakes, Syrup, Butter, Sausage, Scrambled Eggs, Fresh Fruit, Milk or Orange Juice, Coffee or Tea is offered for $10.00 as fundraiser for a memorial to honor and remember the young lives of Molly & Greg Friedlander to be located at Jewish Family Congregation in South Salem, NY. Breakfast is served on Sunday March 3rd from 8:00 AM to 2:00 pm, for more information, or to purchase tickets, call 914-232-1594. The Harvey Cavalier Summer Camp in Katonah will hold an open house on March 2nd for ages 4-14. Looking for candles, plants, oils, baked goods and a variety of items then head over to Scotts Corners Farmers Market in Pound Ridge on Sundays through April. This event should be a blast from the pastâ&#x20AC;ŚMamaroneck Library is hosting a â&#x20AC;&#x153;Singa-long Greaseâ&#x20AC;? on March 3rd, sing all those great tunes and donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t forget to dress like one of your favorite characters from the movie. The New York Blood Center warns us that blood supplies are low here in the Lower Hudson Valley, so if you have a chance roll up your sleeve and make a donationâ&#x20AC;Ś see you next week. Mark Jeffers resides in Bedford Hills, New York, with his wife Sarah, and three daughters, Kate, Amanda, and Claire.

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Westchester On the Level with Narog and Aris Westchester On the Level is heard from Monday to Friday, from 10 a.m. to 12 Noon on the Internet: http://www.BlogTalkRadio. com/WestchesterontheLevel. Join the conversation by calling 1-347-205-9201.

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Page 4

THE WESTCHESTER GUARDIAN

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2013

CREATIVE DISRUPTION

The 50th Column By JOHN F. McMULLEN I had planned to write a retrospective for my 50th column for The Westchester Guardian but it’s tough to write a retrospective when things keep changing -- just today, the New York Times reported on the Chinese Army being behind “hacking” of US government and business computer systems (http:// www.nytimes.com/2013/02/19/ technology/chinas-army-is-seenas-tied-to-hacking-against-us. html); the Wall Street Journal reports on Google about to open stores a la Apple (http://online. wsj.com/article/SB10001424127 88732376480457831253002176 3450.html?mod=djemTECH_h); MIT’s Technology Review reports that a Duke University neuroscientist rejects Ray Kurzweil’s vision of “Singularity” (http://online.wsj. com/article/SB1000142412788 7323764804578312530021763 450.html?mod=djemTECH_h); and another Times article concerns the attempt to limit drone use by police in the US (http:// www.nytimes.com/2013/02/16/ technology/rise-of-drones-inus-spurs-efforts-to-limit-uses. html?ref=technology) -- in short, to quote the great Bob Dylan, “The Times, They Are A’Changing.” So, it is often a tough task to being things up to “where we are now” when “where we are now” keeps

changing – but there are some general threads that have run through the columns to date that may be looked at again and tied together, perhaps differently. The columns are concerned with the general theme of “Creative Disruption” – impact, positive and negative, that technological innovation has had on us, individually and as a society. Technology, since the invention of the wheel, has had profound impact even though, particularly in our time, its impact may not be noticed until it affects us personally. The main difference that we have seen in the late 20th century and early 21st is the constantly accelerating rate of this innovation. The mega-inventions of the early 20th Century – the automobile, the telephone, and the airplane – took generations to reach critical mass and improvements in these areas were incremental, not revolutionary until close to the close of the century. Current generations have seen two, three, four, even five revolutionary changes in their lifetime (ex. records, 8-Tracks, cassettes, CDs, mp3s). These revolutionary changes require work forces with different skills, different manufacturing processes and different distribution channels and methods – and, if we are not directly involved in these fields, we may not be aware of the changes until we notice that the local Tower Records or Borders is no more or that there are no longer film processing stores in

the mall – or, worse, that the house next door belonging to an engineering executive at Kodak has been repossessed. The early columns in the series dealt with changes to particular fields of industries – publishing, music, retail, photography, manufacturing, education, etc. – and then the series moved on to the new challenges brought on by the massive changes in the computer technology that drives all of the other changes – telecommunications, ”hacking,” “apps,” “big data,” and “the cloud.” We then move on to the necessity of coming up with strategies in dealing with this disruption. We must start with the understanding that the progress of technology will not (and should not) be impeded. It is necessary for the United States to remain competitive in the Global Marketplace and we will only do that through technological innovation and productivity. Yet, in some areas, we are falling behind rather than attempting to lead. For years, we led the world in the development of computer technologies and we “invented” the Internet. However, we have fallen way behind in connectivity speed in comparison to European and Asian countries and China, which were “nowhere” in computer development during our boom years of the 60s through the 90s. China is now, seemingly, able to ‘hack” with impunity into US business and technology systems. How did we fall so far and how do we climb back up? How do we compete in our economic system with countries whose economies are social-

ist (the Scandinavians, for example) where there is heavy taxpayer investment in technological research or authoritarian (China) which focuses its entire economic effort on competing with us. Then we must focus on what we individually must do to be competitive within our own society when the skill and knowledge requirements keep changing. The first requirement is a state of mind – we must be adaptable. We must understand that the field in which we have acquired our knowledge base will be constantly changing and may even disappear – so we cannot get set in our ways. We must constantly be looking “over our shoulder” to determine: Are my skills becoming outmoded? Can my job be done “almost as well” overseas at much lower cost? Is my company competitive or a target for failure, takeover, or merger? If you are not constantly doing this, you can be “blindsided” as were workers at Kodak, Borders, etc., etc. The second requirement is a state of knowledge – education is a lifetime requirement. We must constantly enhance our skills and credentials (degrees, certifications, etc.). Those who do not or cannot will be left by the wayside. The third requirement is that we must be entrepreneurial. This does not mean that we must start a business; it means that we understand that “an employer owns our current job; we own our career!” Therefore, we must develop the skills necessary to constantly market ourselves,

whether it is within a company or to others outside a company. Verbal and written communication skills as well as presentation skills are a must. Technical skills without communication and presentations are tools for a dead end as technical skills change or are automated or offshored. We must also consider what societal changes may be necessary to provide for those who are displaced from jobs and industries due to the impact of innovation. Many may be too old, uneducated, or unintelligent to be trained for the new job requirements of the new (and soonto-change again) work environment – or emotionally unable to deal with constant possible displacement. How do we provide a “soft landing” in a present economic environment where we are looking to reduce benefit programs rather than expand them – and in a political climate where all problems are short term and platitudes rather than thoughtful policies are the rule. As the earlier columns in the series attempted to point out, we must understand the issues and then we must recognize the importance of dealing with them and then find ways to do it (to bring us back to world leadership in a fair and equitable manner) – and, at the present, we as a country, do not show the ability to do any of the above. Hope springs eternal, however – and now on to 51! Comments, experiences and questions can be directed to johnmac13@gmail. com.

CULTURAL PERSPECTIVES

El Galpon de las Artes SHERIF AWAD In 1984, an art group. including Eduardo Kingman, Hernan Rodriguez Castelo, Jaime Bonelli, Anita Rosenfeld, and Alicia Moreno, among others, founded the Rumiñahui Cultural Center where vast artistic activities were organized in the municipalities of Quito and Sangolqui, Ecuador. Four years later, it was reshaped as El Galpon de las Artes (Barn of the Arts) where workshops, exhibitions, theater, puppet shows for children and art auctions are frequently held. El Galpon has

also realized several cultural projects over the past few years, including Ecuadorian Film Festivals, art workshops for young people, and exhibitions of the rich architecture of colonial capital city of Quito. Since 2010, Jaime Bonelli and Alicia Moreno became the current cultural operators of El Galpon, maintain the artistic and cultural heritage of the nation with dance and music lessons despite being relocated to the Los Arupos Commercial Centre, San Rafael, Valle De Los Chillos. The new space has a small theater with a capacity for 100 people and multirooms for dancing lessons, art work-

Jaime Bonelli with Sherif Awad at El Galpon de las Artes.

shops and exhibitions. This February, during the Carnival, which is an official holiday in Ecuador, I had a conversation with Jaime Bonelli who was born in Cali, Colombia, having studied there at its Art Conservatory. Bonelli sees himself belonging to the generation of the great Calian artist Enrique Buenaventura (19252003) who imparted a gargantuan legacy in literature, painting, journalism and theatre. “Buenaventura inspired many Colombian artists to create their troupes and this including myself. When I look back, I see 50-years experience in the theatrical artistic spectrum in Colombia. We toured in European countries like Spain, France, Belgium, and Germa-

Continued on page 5

Know You Come to Kill Me, one of Bonelli’s starring roles in Ecuador.

THE WESTCHESTER GUARDIAN

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2013

CULTURAL PERSPECTIVES

El Galpon de las Artes Continued from page 4

ny to perform national and international plays in front of diverse audiences”, he recounted. After that rich period of study, each actor devised their own path. Bonelli first went to Ecuador, thereafter Chile, where he taught theatrical arts, received a major in Argentina, then finally returned to reside in Ecuador to build El Galpon de las Artes. “I got married to an Ecuadorian lady, and I had many friends and colleagues who urged me to stay and work with them”, says Bonelli, who also made some appearances in Ecuadorian theatre and television. One of these appearances was playing the main role in I Know You Come to Kill Me, a feature film based on the life of former Ecuadorian President Gabriel Garcia Moreno (1869-1875), produced by Ecuavisa in 2007. However, Bonelli gains more joy and sustenance from his work with Ecuadorian children

and youth given their natural potential for the arts. “This is exactly what I’ve wanted for this space... sharing my artistic knowledge and experiences with children and young people… more children are coming with their parents… they like to learn different types of dancing, tango, salsa, classic and modern dance with our different teachers. We contact local schools and invite children to see theatrical performances with elder artists and we then encourage them to take drama courses; perhaps a play for children by children can result. We also have bellydancing classes that became very popular here through the efforts of our Ecuadorian bellydance teacher Alexandra who shaped her skills in The Middle East. She returned with lot of energy to share with young people. She is preparing a multidisciplinary art festival of dance, music and theatre a few weeks from now”. Like many private art spaces in Ecuador, El Galpon faces many challenges. The knowledge of sponsoring art spaces by major companies is not that vast in Ecuador. Although it is visited

Bellydance lessons and performances at El Galpon de las Artes.

by some resourceful figures that express promise to Bonelli but rarely fulfill their sentiment, El Galpon relies on self-financing through its colorful courses. “I am privileged to have this space where I do what I like to do with dignity. After years in arts and theatres, I wouldn’t go across the street to play and collect some coins. It would be against my principles”, he sternly affirmed. Born in Cairo, Egypt, Sherif Awad is a film / video critic and curator. He is the film editor of Egypt Today Magazine (www.EgyptToday.com), and the artistic director for both the Alexandria Film Festival, in Egypt, and the Arab Rotterdam Festival, in The Netherlands. He also contributes to Variety, in the United States, and is the film critic of Variety Arabia (http://varietyarabia.com/), in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the Al-Masry AlYoum Website (http://www.almasryalyoum.com/ en/node/198132) and The Westchester Guardian (www.WestchesterGuardian.com).

Jaime Bonelli as Don Quixote performing alongside aspiring stage actors.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Mayor Spano Officially Opened Warburton Garage in Downtown Yonkers Yonkers, NY -- Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano officially announced the completion of the new $14 million Warburton Garage at a ribbon cutting ceremony on Friday, February 22. The development was financed as a Public Private Partnership with $3.8 million in taxexempt bonds, $4.0 million in municipal grants, a $2.7 million taxable mortgage and $3.5 million in New Markets Tax Credit (NMTC) equity from Solomon Hess CDE in partnership with Goldman Sachs, Yonkers Industrial Development Agency, Yonkers EDC, Hudson Valley Bank and

the National Development Council (NDC). The Warburton Garage, is one part of a continuing revitalization effort to attract residential and small business investment in downtown Yonkers. The 300 space garage will serve area small businesses as well as tenants of the adjacent iPark commercial, industrial and research complex and visitors to the Yonkers Public Photo by Shanae Williams and courtesy of Yonkers City Hall. Library. The garage will set aside 78 spaces for use Low Income Housing Tax Credits and City by residents of the adjacent Warburton Riv- HOME funds. erview Apartments, a new workforce housing “The revitalization of downtown Yonkers development financed in part with Federal Continued on page 6

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THE WESTCHESTER GUARDIAN

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2013

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Mayor Spano Officially Opened Warburton Garage in Downtown Yonkers Continued from page 5 would not be complete without this newly constructed and efficient parking facility that now will house vehicles of those who choose to live, work and raise a family in Yonkers,” said Mayor Mike Spano. “The Warburton Garage is a symbol of the great change occurring in Yonkers. We give special thanks to the National Development Council, our State delegation, the Yonkers IDA, the Yonkers Planning & Development Department and the City Engineer for making this project a success.” A critical component of this comprehensive redevelopment initiative will be a new small business incubator and complementary loan fund. NDC, with the assistance of its affiliate The Grow America Fund, will be establishing a $2 mil-

lion loan fund to support both existing small businesses and new small businesses drawn to downtown Yonkers by the garage development. The City expects these funds to assist both manufacturing and emerging technology companies and create over 75 new full-time jobs. “NDC has worked in the City of Yonkers since 1999 assisting the City in structuring over $2.5 Billion in projects” said Robert W. Davenport, President of NDC “The City lacks adequate parking to support and sustain the downtown growth that has resulted from this investment. We are proud to partner with Solomon Hess, Goldman Sachs, and the City of Yonkers to create parking and support continuing revitalization efforts”

About National

Development Council

The National Development Council (NDC) is the oldest national non-profit community and economic development organizations in the U.S. It was founded in 1969 with one purpose: increasing the flow of capital for investment, jobs and community development to under served urban and rural areas across the country. Since that time, NDC has worked with thousands of communities in every one of the 50 states and Puerto Rico, providing technical assistance, professional training, investment in affordable housing, small business financing and direct developer services. NDC has been using New Markets Tax Credits (NMTC) to support economic and community development since the program’s inception. NDC not only provides tax credit equity

to our client communities, but also assists communities in structuring their NMTC deals, finding the necessary additional financing, and developing relationships with other organizations that receive allocations of the tax credits. To date NDC has invested over $587.6 million in 71 projects generating over $1 billion in total investment. www. nationaldevelopmentcouncil.org

About the New Markets Tax Credit Program

The New Markets Tax Credit (NMTC) Program was established by Congress in 2000 to encourage the investment of private capital in designated low-income communities in order to create jobs, generate economic activity and improve the quality of services in low-income communities and to low-income persons. The NMTC Program attracts investment capital to low-

income communities by permitting individual and corporate investors to receive a tax credit against their federal income tax return in exchange for making qualified equity investments in specialized financial institutions called Community Development Entities (CDEs). Capital raised by the CDEs is then used to provide below-market financing to qualified businesses in low-income communities. The credit totals 39 percent of the original investment amount and is claimed over a period of seven years. For more information, visit www.cdfifund.gov. Dignitaries in attendance included Mike Spano, City of Yonkers Mayor; Daniel Marsh III, Director, National Development Council; and Joe Cotter, Natural Resource.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

New Rochelle City Officials and the Business Improvement District Kicking It By PEGGY GODFREY At their February 12 meeting the New Rochelle City Council discussed a memo received from City Manager Chuck Strome about a proposed downtown parking study. The memo was dated February 1, 2013. It stated that the new restaurants opening in the downtown have caused some additional parking issues in that area. Solutions offered were adding public and private parking facilities and changing the valet parking programs

presently used by restaurants in the downtown. He asked City Council members to approve part of the $10,000 needed for a study that would be conducted by Tim Haahs and Associates who had previously done work for New Rochelle. The memo stated he had been working with Ralph Di Bart, executive director of the New Rochelle BID who had made this recommendation. Councilman Ivar Hyden asked why, when Avalon II’s “Top of the Rock” has an event at night that he does not see any parking vouchers on the cars in the library lot. Does this suggest these automobiles are not being ticketed? Previous to this City Council meeting on January 25, Ralph Di Bart had sent a memo to BID members (including Chuck Strome) saying that he had been meeting with restaurant owners

about the major problems in the Division/Memorial/Main/Huguenot Streets areas, which included parking because restaurants are competing for the “limited parking” available. Further he felt the lack of valet parking regulations needed to be addressed. He asked the BID for $10,000 for a study adding that Strome had already requested half of this amount from City Council. He called the problem problem “critical.’ This memo was especially difficult to understand because Ralph Di Bart was contacted by this writer on January 31 because of comments made by Marc Jerome, president of the BID and vice president of Monroe College, at the New Rochelle Planning Board meeting on January 29 (see Westchester Guardian February 7, 2013 issue, “Approval of a New Dormitory for

Monroe College in New Rochelle Ignores Parking Issues”). This dormitory is to be built on Main Street in downtown New Rochelle. Jerome is president of the BID and in this capacity had addressed the serious parking problem in the downtown with the BID days before the Planning Board voted on January 29. Di Bart, when specifically asked about the restaurants in downtown on January 31, stated to this writer there were no parking problems at night in the downtown. The inconsistency in these reports about the parking in downtown New Rochelle is at the least, troubling, and at most, distressing, especially to residents living in or near the downtown area. Are uniform parking policies being enforced in the downtown? In April 2010 the New Rochelle BID was the leading proponent in a move

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to extend metered parking in the downtown lots from 6 to 11 p.m. James O’Toole voted against the move but Strome and Councilman Al Tarantino abstained at that time. In 2011 through the efforts of Jerome and Di Bart, metered parking was extended in the downtown to Midnight. It was Di Bart who advocated that the formerly free downtown parking lots at night should start charging because he saw people walking from the library lot to New Roc in the evening. Apparently charging for parking in downtown lots has not resulted in anything positive for the City or the restaurants. Further, residents need consistency and honesty from both City government and the BID. Jerome did not acknowledge downtown parking problems when he applied to the Planning Board for approval of the Monroe College dormitory. Yet as BID Board chairman he had already approved an “emergency” downtown parking study. What are the residents of the City supposed to conclude after witnessing these actions? Peggy Godfrey resides in New Rochelle. She was a long time local educator.

THE WESTCHESTER GUARDIAN

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2013

Page 7

EDUCATION

Bedford Superintendent of Schools Hochman Discusses State of the District By RICH MONETTI There was a time when elementary schools administered standardized tests in rational time increments. If it can even be remembered, the periodic shut down of the school was hardly even about assessing the individual students. “It was more to assess the curriculum and how the school district was doing,” says Dr. Jere Hochman, superintendent of the Bedford Central School District in taking some time with me to discuss the educational state of the BCSD today. In contrast, it doesn’t take an advanced degree to recognize that all the resources devoted to high stakes testing amounts more to a disorder or mass hysteria than a vehicle to improve education. “It’s testing gone wild,” says Hochman. From 3rd to 8th grade and in every subject, it’s all about assigning standing to a school or student – largely devoid of anything else other than a score. “If you can’t put a number on it, it doesn’t count,” he says. As a result, the educational approach skews toward measuring up to state standards. “We spend far too much time testing kids,” he says. With that in mind, Bedford is

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making an effort to assess the damage. “Right now we are in the middle of figuring out ourselves as a school district what the impact is of focusing on doing well on standardized tests, and what are we giving up in our curriculum,” says Hochman. As for all those voicing a recourse, he says it’s falling on deaf ears at the federal level. In Albany, it’s not much better. “They would say they are trying to address it by coming up with more authentic tests,” says Hochman. In other words, less filling in the blanks and more problem solving to demonstrate what students are actually learning. No matter the value of that, special education mandates provide another challenge to schools – especially when some state regulations are out of date. “The government is well aware – whether they are going to do much remains to be seen,” he says. That said, Bedford does it’s best to keep up and he hopes it’s not taking away from one area to assign to another. “We just want the piece to be big enough so we can work with everybody, and that’s what we’ve hopefully been able to accomplish,” says Hochman. Of course, he’s the first to tell you it gets tougher every year. A

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$5.2 million dollar budget gap clearly spells this out and runaway pensions aren’t making anything better. “Pensions used to have a 1-2% yearly increase,” he says. “That now has moved into the double digits.” In turn, the district prioritizes to make up the gap. “We try to work from the classroom out, and at the same time, pay attention to the daily operations that keep the district running,” he says. That of course includes security and those numbers are obviously going to change. The district is working with a security firm that has been auditing school systems for twenty years, has sent out questionnaires to parents, made several immediate

changes and gathered feedback from staff. “Everything will be turned over to our safety committee, and they’ll come up with a list of recommendations, which will be taken under advisement,” he says. On the upside, school population is mostly keeping pace with infrastructure. “We’re seeing a slight drop but nothing dramatic that would cause us to have to close a building or change how we use buildings,” says Hochman. And the area being home to a large immigrant population, diversity doesn’t present a challenge. Kids are still kids – they get along,” he says, and “they grow up with a respect and an understanding.”

Still when language becomes a hindrance for students who call English their second language, testing obviously reveals the problem, but doesn’t necessarily correctly classify learning ability. “It can be downright unfair,” says Hochman. That said, the district does what it can to make up the difference and encourages families to connect with organizations like Neighbors Link to ease the problem. “The community has stepped up to provide one on one help for students and parents,” he says. All in all, the standardized tests regime does show Bedford to be in “good standing” with respect to achieving “adequate yearly progress.” Given that 98% of graduates go onto two or four year college, AP course participation continues to climb, special programs enable the schools to keep students within Bedford’s walls and ESL students are making steady progress in their acquisition of language and academic achievement, “adequate” would have to be considered an understatement. Rich Monetti has been a freelance writer since 2003 and lives in Westchester.

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THE WESTCHESTER GUARDIAN

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2013

CHRONICLES OF CROTON’S BOHEMIA

The Mysterious Death of Actress Florence Deshon, 1 By ROBERT SCOTT “All great love affairs end in tragedy.” So wrote Ernest Hemingway, a 19-yearold volunteer ambulance driver wounded in Italy and recuperating at a Red Cross hospital in Milan in 1918. The young Hemingway fell in love with Agnes von Kurowsky, an American nurse seven years his senior. Although she was passionately in love with him and they had planned to marry, Agnes later wrote to end their relationship. To assuage the hurt, Hemingway fictionalized the affair in his 1929 novel A Farewell to Arms, in which Catherine Barkley, the beautiful young nurse, dies. A similar tragic love affair was played out on Croton’s Mt. Airy. One of the lovers was revolutionary editor and lecturer Max Eastman, whose political odyssey from radical to conservative was recounted recently in these pages. The other was Florence Deshon, a young stage and screen actress of breathtaking beauty, considered by many to be the most alluring woman in America. Their story would make a great screenplay and film. It would open on a hot summer day in New York City in 1916. America has not yet been drawn into the fierce war being waged in Europe. Eastman, separated from his wife, was heading down Madison Avenue. At 34th Street he spied a dark-eyed young woman walking under a gaily painted Japanese parasol. In Max’s own words, “She was by far the most beautiful thing I had

ever seen.” Impetuously, he turned and walked beside her on 34th Street, attempting to start a conversation. She quickened her pace and kept her eyes down. A rebuffed Max dropped back, regretting the lost opportunity. Cut now to Tammany Hall, the local Democratic Party’s headquarters, on East 14th Street, a large brick building built in 1830. The graft-ridden Tammany Society retained only one room for itself and rented out the rest as a theater and ballroom, where Max and Florence will meet. The date is December 15, 1916. The occasion is the extravaganza known as the Masses Ball, modeled after the Beaux Arts Ball, the scandalous saturnalia in Paris. Held annually to raise money for the radical magazine edited by Max Eastman, the Masses Ball has become a Greenwich Village institution popular with gawkers from uptown. Admission is one dollar for those in costume and two dollars for those without. One account described it as “a procession of sheiks, cave-women, circus dancers, and the like, frequently showing for the times, generous amounts of flesh. For reasons of economy as well as titillation, hula skirts, ballet costumes, and ragged beggars’ garments were favored.” John Fox, Jr., author of the bestselling 1908 novel The Trail of the Lonesome Pine, and a donor of $1,000 to The Masses, is among the attendees at the 1916 Masses Ball. He is accompanied by Florence Deshon, recently acclaimed by critics for her performance in the film Jaffery. The title role was played by imposingly tall British actor C. Aubrey Smith, who would be remembered for a succession of parts

EDUCATION

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Florence Deshon. as stiff-upper-lipped British generals, businessmen and government officials. Florence is “at liberty,” having just played on Broadway in the drama Seven Chances. Also in this play were two actors, Frank Craven and Otto Kruger, who would both have long careers on

it sounded French. When her British father, a Linotype operator, deserted the family, Florence quit high school to support her Hungarian mother, Caroline. Max Eastman immediately spotted Florence and invited her to dance with him. “Her incomparable colors and precisely carved features,” as Max later described them, had made it easy for her to become a model for advertising photographers. Max also detected “the merest suggestion of something wantonly sulky in her beauty.” Eastman later captured the excitement of their first meeting. He recalled: “We talked fervently as we danced, and our minds flowed together like two streams from the same source rejoining. She was 21, and in exactly that state of obstreperous revolt against artificial limitations which I had expressed in my junior and senior essays in college.” “What do I care about a flag?” Florence told him, describing the day she had refused to rise for the national

The Knickerbocker Theatre where Florence Deshon scored her first success in the musical “The Sunshine Girl”. Broadway and in Hollywood. Opening in George M. Cohan’s Theatre on August 8, 1916, it moved to the Belasco Theatre, playing a total of 151 performances before closing in December. Florence Deshon was no stranger to Broadway. Three years earlier, she had scored a hit singing and dancing in The Sunshine Girl, a musical comedy starring dancers Vernon and Irene Castle and actress Julia Sanderson. It opened at the Knickerbocker Theatre on February 3, 1913, and closed on September 30, after a respectable run of 181 performances. Born Florence Danks in 1894 in Tacoma, Washington, she took the stage name Deshon. With the emphasis on the last syllable, she thought

anthem. “I’m living in the world, not a country!” Max went to sleep later that night “believing that I had miraculously found what all young men forever vainly dream of, the girl who is at once ravishingly beautiful and admirable to what lies deepest in their minds and spirits.” She lived with her mother in a two-room apartment at 111 East 34th Street, not far from where Max had seen the young woman with the Japanese parasol months earlier. On their first date several days later, he took her to Mouquin’s, a classic French restaurant under the 6th Avenue elevated, near 28th Street. The more Max talked with Florence, the deeper he fell in love with her.

During dinner she expressed her scorn for men’s attitudes toward women. “You can’t do any little thing to please your own taste in this town without starting a riot,” she told him. “I once got a present of a little Japanese silk parasol. It was becoming to me, and I thought it would be fun to carry it. Do you know I never got any farther than Fifth Avenue? I had to turn back home, it caused such a commotion!” Max was thunderstruck. “This young, gay, theatrical creature, with her bold mind and beauty, her magnetism and her inimitable laughter,” as he later depicted her, was the same young woman who had captivated him on that warm summer day. He told her about the house he owned in Croton, and she agreed to drive there with him in the dilapidated Model T Ford he had bought for such trips. Max described how they made love in the Croton house, a former cider mill. “We slept side-by-side in the corner bed by the big moonlit window, a very tranquil tenderness filling our hearts.” (The former Max Eastman house at the head of Mt. Airy Road was later enlarged by owners Dr. and Mrs. Daniel Salzberg with the addition of a second story.) Meshing the lives and careers of two creative personalities was not easy. Max was traveling around the country speaking against war and for women’s suffrage. Florence was busy in Boston and Washington with the road company of a David Belasco production. She and her mother moved to a small apartment on West 9th Street, off Fifth Avenue, in Greenwich Village. The few moments Max and Florence could share, they spent at Max’s room at 12 East 8th Street or at the house in Croton. Max was so taken by Florence’s infectious laughter, he began writing a book, The Sense of Humor. Published in November of 1921, it bore the printed dedication, “To Florence Deshon.” Fifteen years later, in the first chapter of an expanded work titled The Enjoyment of Laughter, he would write, “It must suffice to say that I never in my life saw or heard anything more beautiful, more joy-conveying, than Florence when she laughed.” Their love affair continued, but Florence rebelled at the idea of marriage and its constraints. She was intensely proud, yet annoyingly careless about punctuality in appointments. The Florence Deshon story continues next week. Robert Scott is a semi-retired book publisher and local historian. He lives in Croton-on-Hudson, N.Y.

THE WESTCHESTER GUARDIAN

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2013

Page 9

CURRENT COMMENTARY

A Chiseler As Well As a Deadbeat By LARRY M. ELKIN Since 2007, Argentina has saved $6.8 billion in interest payments on its government-issued, inflation-indexed bonds, according to Buenos Aires-based research firm ACM Consultores. That would be good news, except for the fact that, in this case, the word “saved” could be replaced more accurately with “chiseled.” The International Monetary Fund recently took the rare step of censuring Argentina for systematically misstating economic data, including its inflation rate. By claiming that inflation is lower than it really is, the country has avoided paying the full interest due on its $37.6 billion of inflation-linked bonds. The bonds make up 21 percent of Argentine government debt. In 2012, Argentina’s inflation rate climbed to 25.6 percent, according to private economists. The official report put the inflation rate for the same period at 10.8 percent. Rather than inviting the private economists to discuss the source of the discrepancy, the government has forced them to retreat into anonymity under threat of heavy fines

for challenging the official figures. The censure marks the beginning of a process that could eventually lead to Argentina’s expulsion from the IMF. Argentina has until Sept. 29 to implement reforms before it risks losing membership privileges, such the ability to borrow from the IMF. If it fails to mend its ways, Argentina would be the second country to be forced out for failing to provide accurate economic information. The former Czechoslovakia was kicked out for the same reason in 1954. Neither Argentina’s data manipulation nor the IMF’s response comes as much of a surprise. What does surprise, or at least puzzle, me is that anyone is still willing to buy Argentina’s lies – or its debt. Argentine bonds offer an attractively high yield, with interest rates averaging around 10 percentage points higher than those provided by similar U.S. Treasury products. But that higher rate reflects the risks of dealing with a national government that is a habitual deadbeat. If Argentina defaulted on its current debts, it wouldn’t be the first time. In 2001, the country threw up its hands at $95 billion of debt. In later deals,

the government paid off the majority of its one-time creditors by offering as little as 30 cents on the dollar. A small portion of the bondholders, however, continue to hold out for what they are owed. Last fall, one of those remaining creditors, the U.S.-based hedge fund NML Capital, which owns over $1 billion of Argentine debt, went so far as to file a claim seeking possession of an Argentine naval ship temporarily docked in Ghana. Since the default, Argentina’s understanding of private property has not improved. That became more than clear last summer when President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner announced that her government would seize YPF, the country’s main oil producer, from its Spanish corporate parent Repsol. Kirchner had no intention of offering Repsol fair compensation. As I wrote here at the time, that move should have signaled to the international community that Argentina is prepared to regard anything within its borders as potential government property. In fact, the Kirchner government’s grabs are not even limited to Argentina’s borders. Last year, following the news that the nearby British-controlled Falkland Islands might contain signifi-

Argentina’s President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner. cant oil reserves, Argentina decided to renew its decades-old assertion of sovereignty over the islands, which were the scene of a brief but bloody war with the United Kingdom in 1982. For Argentina, the fact that the residents of the Falklands are happy under British rule and have no desire to hand over their resources to a foreign country is irrelevant. Kirchner and her government continue to insist that the Falklands, which the Argentines call the Malvinas, ought to be ruled by Argentina. Given all this, it’s difficult to imagine an interest rate that would make Argentine bonds worthwhile. Since

the Buenos Aires government obviously has no particular qualms about mistreating its investors, it can advertise whatever rate it wants with the assurance that, when that money comes due, it can always change the numbers, steal from someone else or simply not pay. The IMF’s action highlights the problem, but until Argentines themselves become fed up with their government, I doubt any external force is going to put an end to the kleptocracy. According to an old angling quote, often attributed to Samuel Johnson, a fishing rod is “a stick with a hook at one end and a fool at the other.” Investors trolling for returns in Argentina are likely to prove that definition true.

Larry M. Elkin, CPA, CFP®, has provided personal financial and tax counseling to a sophisticated client base since 1986. After six years with Arthur Andersen, where he was a senior manager for personal financial planning and family wealth planning, he founded his own firm in Hastings on Hudson, N.Y., in 1992. That firm grew steadily and became the Palisades Hudson organization, which moved to Scarsdale, N.Y., in 2002. The firm expanded to Fort Lauderdale, Fla., in 2005 and to Atlanta in 2008.

MOUNT VERNON

Parent De-Criminalization Meeting Transformed Into Activist Campaign By SHANON AYALA An activist campaign appears to be forming in Mount Vernon, as a community meeting ended with no clear plan to tackle its modern urban social issues. “I didn’t know where this was going to go, and it went pretty far,” said School Board Trustee Elias Gootzeit, who facilitated the event. “The next step is to try to figure out how to fix what’s wrong.” “I think it’s a good start. That’s the first time that I ever went to a meeting like that in Mount Vernon,” said Cynthia Turnquest, a Mount Vernon native and New York City teacher. The meeting, called “DeCriminalizing Parenting Behavior” capped off the 16th Parent Involvement Day, a school district-wide event in which parents spend time in the schools. The activity is meant

to empower parents on issues from drugs to high school dropouts. The meeting or conference, set in Mount Vernon Heights Congressional Church looked at the broader impact of youth issues on home-life

and vice versa. DaMia Harris, executive director of the Mount Vernon Youth

Bureau, said that it’s important to talk about progress that goes unrealized. There have been double-

digit decreases of alcohol and drug abuse in the community”, she said. Continued on page 7

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THE WESTCHESTER GUARDIAN

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2013

MOUNT VERNON

Parent De-Criminalization Meeting Transformed Into Activist Campaign Continued from page 9

“That’s something that parents should be proud of,” she continued. “We need to talk about things that are positive here, so yes we can turn on Channel 12 News and show who we could see on the sidewalk but we could also look at some rising stars within our communities.” However, Harris shifted to a “glaring” detail in data collected by her agency. In a survey of 900 middle and high school students, she said, 40 percent experienced parental attitudes favoring behavior such as using drugs and alcohol. “Our young people actually feel like their parents accept negative behavior,” she said.

Restorative justice Strategies suggested ranged from mechanical to simple. One theme was simply creating more of a sense of community. “We don’t know each other,”

said Charles Jarvis. “We cannot take care of the community until we start speaking to each other.” He said people pass right by him in the neighborhood and don’t know that he is advocating for them. Judge Kathie Davidson, a family court judge, had a place on a panel and in the discussion, though judging from her response, it wasn’t clear the event would affect the way she deals with domestic issues. “The family court, like any court, is not in the business of raising your children,” the judge said. “The court system is not a silver bullet.” Nevertheless, Gootzeit said, “that she stayed here all night was pretty impressive.” Gootzeit, who has a background in social work, said that most police calls in the city are of domestic concerns. Mount Vernon Police Department spokespeople could not be reached for confirmation. Delia Farquharson, a mental health care expert on the school board, said that understanding the home-life of children at issue is important for responding to juvenile behaviors. “Child goes to school and child becomes upset because child remembers that, ok, somebody’s going to touch me inappropriately or I didn’t have enough to eat last night or my shoes hurt, whatever it is, child has a problem with that and displays that by some kind of behavior in the classroom.” Farquharson said that the mother who lashes out at her child does not know a better way of communicating with her child. But the system has to know how to approach that

parent without criminalizing her. Henry May narrated a universally familiar anecdote, of the mother

people who deal with it. “More often than not we don’t have the language, to understand what is happening,” she said. On the other hand, as much as

Delia Farquharson.

Activists Wilma Frank and Henry May who violently tells her son to cross the meeting diagnosed the systems’ the street correctly. “And I’m saying flaws, it was an embrace of the systo myself, she’s threatening to take tem. their lives in order to keep them from Henry May, furthering the point killing themselves in the street.” His about communication, relayed an point was that the mother does this anecdote about a parent who didn’t out of love. know that psychological services “But services meant to help fami- were available at a school. “We have lies don’t treat parents too well either,” these people making a lot of money,” Farquharson said. “The system with he said. “And we still have people that its fragmented array of services is not need these services.” parent friendly. The system frustrates “A smart way of making serparents,” she said. She explained. “if a vices effective, is to narrow down parent goes to the police for help in who needs it the most,” said Karl dealing with a child, the parent will Bertrand, an expert in social work be reported to Child Protective Ser- with experience in Yonkers. He said vices.” truancy and suspensions are the two Key to Farquharson’s presenta- highest indicators of a negative life tion was trauma, the ability to rec- trajectory. “By focusing on youths ognize it and to communicate with who are not in school the effort could

MUSIC

Bishop “That’s My Thing” THE SOUNDS Elvin DVD Delta Groove OFBLUE I hadn’t seen Bishop since the 70’s. Saw him on the By Bob Putignano “That’s My Thing” is Bishop’s first DVD that runs ninety-six minutes. Captured on December 17th, 2011 at Club Fox in Redwood City, California “That’s My Thing” includes eighteen tunes by Bishop and his band that consists of (ladies first) bassist Ruth Davies (Maria Muldaur, John Lee Hooker, Danny Caron,) trom-

Legendary R&B cruise, and now this! Rating: 9

bonist Ed Earley ( John Nemeth,) triple-threat S.E. Willis keyboards, harp and accordion, Bobby Cochran on drums-vocals, and guitarist Bob Welsh. “That’s My Thing” sets the evening’s tone at funky and grungy, Welsh solos first followed by a well executed piano break by Willis who

also doubles on harp. The hilarious and barking “My Dog” is next and the party is in full swing. Up steps drummer Cochran with energetic and passionate vocals for a nicely paced “Getting’ My Groove Back” that gets the room’s swinging. Bishop breaks out his slide on the straight blues “Mellow-D,” steps out for a in-

tro solo where the band is fully lubed and gelling, Welsh smartly solos next then hands his solo back to his boss who soars closing out this well executed instrumental. Bishop opines “that the good old days are gone” on a rollicking “What the Hell is Going On.” Its story telling time as Bishop Continued on page 11

have greater success,” he said. And there’s another mechanism, called Restorative Practices, advocated by Bert Littlejohn of Westchester Family Ties, a nonprofit group. The practice is about five years old and has gained attention across the country. It is known for leading to a reduction in suspensions and in-school fighting. The approach involves talking circles and putting responsibility on students to make things right. “There’s a common solution,” said Bertrand, “and that’s making sure kids go to school and get educated.” “I think all the solutions were to a degree needed, but I know that the key solution is education,” said Cynthia Turnquest. She said the next meeting will be to come up with goals, and the next after that will be on how to realize those goals. Shannon Ayala is a Class of 2013 student at the CUNY Graduate School of Journalism. He also freelances for The Westchester Guardian.

THE WESTCHESTER GUARDIAN

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2013

Page 11

MUSIC

The Sounds of Blue

Continued from page 10

speaks about his youthful visits to Arkansas for homemade and cheap spirits on “Arkansas Line.” Bishop pays homage to the Crescent City on the deliciously funky “Got to be New Orleans” calling out club names, regional culinary delights, cold beer and well-known NOLA bands, yelping Where You At? Willis’ accordion fits regionally perfectly here too. A slightly revamped “Travelin’ Shoes” is introduced at a slower pace than its original Capricorn Records “Let It Flow” album (it’s also very expensive to purchase on CD) Willis heats up the proceedings with a lively piano segment, Welsh and Bishop dazzle with classic southern rock and dueling solos and it’s off to the races they

go- nice, especially when Bishop asks “is everyone having a good time?” Obviously yes, as the crowd responds wildly. Let’s go “Fishin’” with hook, line and sinker where everyone’s having a ball with a zealous Bishop wandering the clubroom floor inviting a pretty lady on-stage to dance and strum his guitar. Let’s “Stomp” Bo Diddley like, at a near frantic pace on this intense instrumental romp. More food references on “Stealin’ Watermelons” oh yeah, as Willis comps a tasteful groove on keys, hands off to Welsh who fires strong with some jazzy chords, all of this makes for yet another funky delight. “Rock My Soul” is a good time good feeling blues tune that will definitely have everyone smiling, Elvin introduces the vocal, the band falls into a sumptuous pocket, Cochrane takes a vocal

verse, Earley services on background vocals, as Bishop lifts the band off into another solid jam that picks up steam like a locomotive, Hallelujah indeed! “Calling All Cows” is another thumping hoot with more dueling guitar work from Welsh and Bishop. Back to the blues “L Bo” finds Bishop walking the crowd from the get-go and he’s wailing away, Earley finally gets a short solo, than Welsh, Bishop arrives back on stage and starts sharing licks with Welsh on this cool instrumental. The set thickens with the high-speed “Booty Bumpin,’” Willis catapults with another fine piano solo, Ruth Davies gets a well placed and crafty bass solo and the band kicks on, where the only disappointment is that you know this fine set is nearing completion. Let it roll with Cochran’s vigorous vocals on “Party

Till the Cows Come Home” Earley jumps out too, and the band is flying! One more slow blues “Little Brown Bird” Elvin introduces with a solid solo, nice to see Earley getting a little more solo space too this time (twice) on muted trombone, Willis tickles the ivories as Bishop takes it out on vocals and rip-roaring guitar. Damn, it’s time to go home with “Bishop’s Boogie,” oh-no the credits are rolling and it’s a wrap, its over. This DVD also includes a well done, detailed and very enjoyable interview with Bishop that finds Bishop recollecting his diverse career from Chicago, onto San Francisco’s Fillmore days to today. All in all what you get here is a very unique band lineup that’s as good of a performing band you’ll ever see, no slouches here, and they communicate with each-

other well too. This group is a very professional bunch, they also know how to have a great time, and they readily share their good vibes with their audiences. I hadn’t seen Bishop since I saw him open for the Allman’s back in the seventies, but that changed when I saw their solid set on the 20th Legendary R&B cruise in January, 2013. I was taken aback with their performances, and this DVD will always offer great memories of watching Bishop and his cohorts, but also for fond recollections of the Legendary R&B cruise. If you haven’t seen Bishop perform recently- just go! But if you don’t get a chance to see him soon, buy this DVD, you won’t be disappointed, it will also make you smile!

this day, I don’t know if those boxes had Girl Scout cookies or bubble wrap inside. So far as I know, nothing ever came of it. Last May when the Yankee’s great Mariano Rivera tore his ACL, it seemed to motivate the forty-twoyear-old icon to decide that this was no way to go out, and thus compelled him to give it another year. When it happened, I could not help but think of Mayor Ernie Davis. I wondered if his motivation was not the meta-

phorical ACL tear of a bogus FBI raid and losing to someone who he believed was a lesser man. I also wondered, as I do now for Mariano, if this was a mistake. Aside from the anger, I did not sense the same momentum and purpose in the mayor I had witnessed four years before. I also felt that the poor performance of Young, coupled with the strident style of fiercely independent minded Maureen Walker, made it too easy

Bob Putignano www.SoundsofBlue. com

PEOPLE

Mayor Ernie Davis and Mariano Rivera By BOB MARRONE This is a tough one. I don’t pretend to have the journalistic toughness of my editor, Hezi Aris, or the freewheeling gifts of other columnists and pundits around Westchester who weigh in on the topics of the day. I also do not have the flair for self-promotion that allows some to throw their subjects under the bus so as to embellish their own brand. I am first and foremost a talk show host whose job it is to entertain and inform. But I am also a newsperson who must deal with the issues as they are presented before me, even when they are painful. I like Ernie Davis. A long time ago he gave me my first ever interview by a public official. He was generous, expansive and warm. He came off as a laidback man of the South who got where he is by virtue of good parenting and taking personal responsibility for himself. His thoughtful approach seemed born of his chosen profession as an architect; he constructed a careful foundation leading up to each idea he intended to express. The interview went longer than most, but had no wasted moments. Over the next couple of years I covered the mayor as part of the news, and occasionally served as the engineer for his weekly radio show on WVOX. He was always

decent, steadfastly supportive of President Barack Obama, conscious of his place as an African American and fiercely combative when he felt racial bias was an underlying motivation on the part of a caller or guest. He managed to be supportive of the black community without making excuses for violent gang behavior, failure to finish school or teenage pregnancy; some of the ills that plague Mount Vernon. Mayor Davis skillfully walked the tightrope of Bill Cosbyish selfexamination without losing his street credibility or understanding of the role that prejudice and history have played in his life and those of his constituents. And lest this reads like he was only popular in the black community, some of his staunchest supporters were the older conservative Italian Americans and other white residents who are now the minority in New York’s eighth largest city. After Davis’s surprising loss in 2008 to the otherwise decent but ill prepared for the job, Clinton Young, my thoughts were that is was too bad, but I was glad that Davis could move on a the age of 70 to a more leisurely life made all the more comfortable by the sense that he had done well and served well. In some ways, this is where our story begins. As the 2008 campaign wrapped up, I had never seen Ernie Davis so angry, or that frazzled. He, as did

Young, routinely missed interview opportunities which, if nothing else, serve as free advertising. Davis was quite agitated, and in hindsight rightly so, when either his opponent or others unknown succeeded in getting the FBI to conduct a media event that showed the FBI parading out of Davis’s city hall with boxes of records on the eve of the election. To

Continued on page 12

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THE WESTCHESTER GUARDIAN

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2013

PEOPLE

Mayor Ernie Davis and Mariano Rivera Continued from page 11 for Davis. He was not really required, I thought, to acquit himself the way a candidate should in a tough election. His victory, and thus somewhat of a sense of entitlement on his part, seemed a fait accompli. The mayor won through the hard work of the everyman that is the Mount Vernon Streets. He is proud of that. But now

EYE ON

he is will be forced to endure the vetting that might have taken place back then. Mayor Davis is now under an FBI investigation for how he handled his rent payments on properties he owns along the east coast. The feds have also called in two of Davis’s former secretaries for questioning. A reliable democratic source made a light hearted joke about the

rent issue, “knowing Ernie he may not have even cashed all the checks,” alluding to the mayor’s organizational skills; perhaps. We shall see. Davis is once again angry and lashed out on the air at my old home, WVOX. He also cried, and in doing so called unneeded attention to himself. But maybe that’s a good thing. If the mayor has nothing to hide, all the light in the world cannot hurt him. If he had made an organizational mistake, he will have to take the heat and

move on. In any case, the vetting that did not occur when he ran last year will take place now. I am disappointed that the mayor brought up race. It seems gratuitous and creates the sense that he is being disingenuous, especially when one considers his popularity among white voters. On the other hand, the FBI leaves a lot to be desired themselves. Five years later, I am still waiting for my surprise that was supposed to be in the Cracker Jack

boxes of 2008. Also, my own dealings with the agency introduced me to a disorganized group that, themselves, could misplace more than a check. At the end of it all, though, I wish that mayor Davis and Mariano had gone when the getting was good. I am not sure that either has their fastball anymore. Bob Marrone is a freelance writer for The Westchester Guardian and a radio talk show host.

THEATRE

Good Ones By JOHN SIMON First there was the successful John Ford film, “The Quiet Man,” Then there was the not altogether successful musical, “Donnybrook,” based on it. Now the musical, cannily tweaked and consummately directed by Charlotte Moore, is revived at the Irish Repertory Theatre, and it’s a delight. You may recall the story. Sean Enright left Inisfree, Ireland, for the U.S. He became a winning prizefighter until an opponent in the ring died on him. Sean vowed never to fight again and returned to Inisfree. He falls under the spell of beautiful, uncompromising Mary Kate, the town belle, who proudly holds out for the right man. Moreover, her ferocious brother Will beats up on any guy who so much as accosts

interwoven with fetching numbers by Johnny Burke, one of the old Hollywood’s prime songsmiths. The book by Robert E. McEnroe from the screenplay by Maurice Wald is typically lightweight but fizzy stuff, as watchable as an Olympic sporting event. What are meant to be several locations have been neatly trimmed down to two for the limited space and means available, but James Noon’s clever and charming set design—the outdoors turning inside out into indoors and vice versa--niftily triumphs over adversity. Charlotte Moore has directed her cast with exemplary brio and attention to subtle detail. That the brogue is somewhat reined in may be just as well. Brian Nason has provided atmospheric lighting and Barry McNabb modest but telling choreography. James Barbour and Jenny Powers are engaging in the leads, giving warmly sung and acted performanc-

David Sitler, Jenny Powers, Kathy Fitzgerald, Ted Koch and James Barbour.

No mean trick, this, to get so much uproarious mayhem into such little space. “Really Really” is young Paul Downs Colaizzo’s New York playwriting debut, and is apparently the first part of a trilogy entitled “Want, Give, Get,” which makes up in commas what “Really Really” lacks. I am

The play begins with the girls drunkenly returning very late from a sodden bash where Davis, an alpha male, and the neither rich nor pretty Leigh, who has long lusted for him, end up sequestered in his bedroom on the pretext of looking at photos. Both were fairly drunk, and neither can remember what exactly hap-

Jenny Powers and James Barbour. Barbara Marineau, Terry Donnelly, David Sitler, Kathy Fitzgerald and Samuel Cohen. Kevin McGuire, James Barbour, Mary Mallen, es that make you heartily a bit doubtful about trilogies, but pened Patrick Cummings and Kern McFadden. Nor can the laggardly cynic root for them. But there is this opener is a gripping play about good work from everyone, mostly unsavory doings among a Cooper, for all his ear having been her. And then there are a number of notably Kathy Fitzgerald and Samu- bunch of largely overprivileged col- pressed to the door. Was it rape, seother colorful characters, including el Cohen as the comic leads. lege kids. The locale shifts between duction or nothing much? an amusing priest, a raunchy widow, But from this event, as proWhat speaks especially well a girls’ and a boys’ apartment, the a slippery enabler, and two local for the production is the very ef- one shared by Grace and Leigh, the claimed by Leigh, there are draspinsters. fective fight—the eponymous don- other by Cooper and Davis (note matic consequences. Davis will be It is a rollicking comedy with nybrook—as staged by Moore and the difference between first and last suspended by the Dean, and will some traditional Irish songs neatly her fight director Corey Pierno. names). even face a court case, involving

also Jimmy, Leigh’s outraged quasifiance, and the studious Johnson, who resents being involved as a witness, and of course the amoral Cooper. This main plot alternates with feminist harangues by Grace, the retiring president of the Future Leaders of America Society, lecturing the membership with recipes for empowerment. These are suggestively delivered with comic bravura by Lauren Culpepper. That Leigh, the only impecunious member of the group, looking forward to an, on her part merely calculating, marriage to the wealthy, adoring Jimmy, may be frustrated by his rage at possible betrayal, adds plenty of drama, as do various rivalries among the boys. There is not much love lost between various characters here. So I find particularly amusing the fortuitous nomenclature: Davids galore. There is David Cromer, today’s perhaps most sought-after, trendy director; David Korins, the extreme-

Jenny Powers and Cast. ly adroit set designer; the striking light designer, David Weiner; the “violence consultant” J. David Brimmer, good at fierce sex scenes; and David Hull, the skilled actor portraying Cooper, the spoiled brat aiming to coast through lazy years in college. When you consider that the name David derives from the HeContinued on page 13

THE WESTCHESTER GUARDIAN

EYE ON

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2013

Page 13

THEATRE

Good Ones Continued from page 12

brew verb “to love,” the number of Davids is food for thought. But the names of the other actors are also provocative, including Kobi Libbii as Johnson, and Zosia Mamet (the famed playwright’s unappealing daughter) as Leigh. Cromer, with whose direction I sometimes disagree, has done a

powerful job here. Except for a few ominous but overextended pauses, the play moves ahead with swift inexorableness that includes riveting attention to pacing, blocking, and telltale details. The author’s dialogue is sharply authentic, as when Cooper sweetly says, “Look, Davis, you’re the nicest guy I know—and I mean that in a completely negative way.” Or when, with misguided optimism, Jimmy muses, “Sometimes God sends us forks in the road and we learn to love the view from the

detour.” The only problem with this savvily written, meticulously directed, and compellingly acted play, which also comprises fine performances from Evan Jonigkeit, Matt Lauria and Aleque Reid besides those already mentioned, is the somewhat too schematic ending. And although not visible onstage, the script contains a solecism in the stage direction “lays on top of her.” I think Colaizzo could profit from greater attention to language, except when

reproducing the errors of the dramatis personae. It behooves an author to know better than his characters. Theater images by Carol Rosegg and courtesy of Seven17 Public Relations. “Donnybrook!” presented at the Irish Repertory Theatre, 132 W. 22nd Street, New York, NY, Ticket Prices: $55-$65. Phone: (212) 727-2737

John Simon has written for over 50 years on theatre, film, literature, music and fine arts for the Hudson Review,

New Leader, New Criterion, National Review, New York Magazine, Opera News, Weekly Standard, Broadway. com and Bloomberg News. Mr. Simon holds a PhD from Harvard University in Comparative Literature and has taught at MIT, Harvard University, Bard College and Marymount Manhattan College. To learn more, visit the JohnSimonUncensored.com

LEAVING ON A JET PLANE

Ride Like the Wind

Heracles and Apollo; their images still appear on its coins. It was recommended that we visit the Diros Caves, first opened in 1963. It’s about 19 miles from the town, and considered one of the most spectacular sites in Greece. We viewed the glorious, mile-long interior named the “caverns measureless to man” by boat and saw forms shaped like wellknown icons: There, just ahead in all its tilted glory, the Leaning Tower of Pisa; further on, that mammoth pile had to be the great Chinese Palace. Stalagmites all.

The Unbeatable Lightness of Sailing By BARBARA BARTON SLOANE We set sail from Piraeus, Greece with seas a deep navyblue and fluffy white clouds floating lazily above Mount Olympus – the city of Athens a mere granite backdrop to the impending enchantments just over the horizon. I was aboard the Wind Star – long, sleek, with dazzling white sails soaring 200 feet above my head. Standing on deck and gazing down at the animated crowd bidding us Bon Voyage, it was clear: this stunning vessel commands recognition and respect wherever she sails. Now I was a part of this reality – or is it a fantasy? Whichever. I knew this would be the cruise of a lifetime. Windstar Cruises operates a fleet of small luxury cruise ships known for their intimate yacht-style experience and unique voyages to the world’s best small ports and hid-

den harbors, cruising to 50 nations and 100 ports throughout Europe, the South Pacific, the Caribbean and Central America. Recently Windstar purchased three new ships, the Seabourn Pride, Seabourn Legend and Seabourn Spirit. This effectively doubles the size of Windstar’s line and makes it the leader in smallship cruising. And, perhaps one of the most appealing things about the cruise line: they take only 148 to 312 passengers. Expect fine service and attention to your every need.

Truman and Moi Approaching the Isle of Capri.

Wine for the Bard

Our first port-of-call was Monemvasia, Greece, a town inhabited since the 6th century and located on a small peninsula off the east coast of the Peloponnese. After a very long and steep climb, we reached a large plateau hovering above the sea, the site of a medieval fortress and a stunning Byzantine church, the Church of Christ in Chains, with its intricate, carvings of peacocks, a View of Monemvasia from on high.

The Wind Star at anchor.

favored symbol of this era. Nearby, another church, the Agia Sofia, had ceilings and walls studded with sparkling mosaics. During Monemvasia’s Golden Age in the 1400s, wealthy families exported wine, a variety of Madeira, which was actually praised by Shakespeare. Learning that this ancient wine is still served in local trattorias, how could I possibly miss my chance? I found a medievallooking café sitting prettily under a stand of orange trees and this renowned pink nectar accompanied my dish of freshly-caught (think 2 hours ago) grilled scallops. Rapture. Back on board, I was delighted

to hear the same music thrumming over the decks that we’d heard upon first embarking: the sound track from the movie “1492”. It is grand, majestic, and absolutely perfect for setting sail to a new adventure. (The Windstar played this same exciting riff each time we left port- our clarion call to anticipate the next exciting destination).

Stalagmite Sculpture

Next: Glythion, Greece. The town is surrounded by the formidable Taygetos mountain range and adding a bit of romance, Glythion is reputed to have been founded by

Winding, cobblestone paths in Lipari. What can one say about Taormina, Italy that hasn’t already been said? Truman Capote wrote about it in much of his work and D.H. Lawrence lived in this town’s oldest house, Villa Fontana Vecchia. Its beauty is legend, with the Ionian Sea providing a cinema-worthy backdrop, its ancient theatre the most celebrated ruin in Sicily, and Mount Etna towering over all. I had Continued on page 14

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THE WESTCHESTER GUARDIAN

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2013

LEAVING ON A JET PLANE

Ride Like the Wind Continued from page 13 a happy time navigating Taorminaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s narrow, cobblestone streets which are closed to traffic. I windowshopped and shopped till I finally found the most irresistible store of all - rainbow-colored pasticcerias (almond marzipan sweets) displayed in all their tempting glory â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a delicious treat to take back to the ship. On our days â&#x20AC;&#x153;at seaâ&#x20AC;?, there was plenty to keep us busy on board. My fave activity was merely claiming a lounge chair on deck and allowing myself to be seduced by the sea, the beautiful sea. Having in hand one of Wind Starâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s inspired cocktails is a major plus. But if you require more activity, thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the fitness center, with its challenging Body Sculpting Boot Camp, the spa beckoning with sumptuous facials and wraps and best of all, a Water Sports Platform where one can slip into the warm, enticing sea to windsurf, water ski or lie back on a water mat and ponder why you are â&#x20AC;&#x201C; at this very moment â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the most lucky person. Lipari, Italy is the largest island between Vesuvius and Etna in the

Aeolian Islands. It was enlightening to visit their Museo Archeologico Eoliano, one of the very best, which traces the volcanic and human history of these islands. It houses finds from Lipariâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s necropolis and the most sensational collection of miniature Greek theatrical masks in the world. Leaving this lovely town in dazzling sunlight, we set off for the place where its famous sunlight is extolled in the moving lyrics of Torna A Surriento, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Come Back to Sorrento.â&#x20AC;?

The Scent of Orange Groves

That song of Sorrento that weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve known and loved and the images it portrays are all there â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the shining sea, the citrus-perfumed gardens, and love â&#x20AC;&#x201C; love in the air. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s there. Sited on a terrace overlooking the Amalfi Coastline which affords a stunning panorama of the Bay of Naples, Sorrento is imbued with echoes of is ancient past and its singular charm lies in its sun-drenched rustic simplicity. Meandering down a maze of medieval alleyways, I visited quaint artisan workshops and found a tiny, fragrant boutique

where I bought luscious lemon soap â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and zingy lemon candies! â&#x20AC;&#x153;Return to Sorrentoâ&#x20AC;? ends by saying to oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s love â&#x20AC;&#x153;come back to Sorrento so my broken heart can mend.â&#x20AC;? Well, as I leave this irrepressible place my heartâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not broken exactly â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a bit blue maybe â&#x20AC;&#x201C; but now Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m off to some true blue magic. That would be, of course, Grotta Azzurra, the Blue Grotto!

La Dolce Vita

This bewitching phrase typically conjures up thoughts of Rome, but for me the concept is more closely aligned with a fabulous little kernel in the Bay of Naples known as Capri! Sleek black and silver tenders bob close to our ship, ready and waiting to ferry us to Capri. As we sped off, in the distance I saw candycolored homes built right into steep cliffs forested with oleander, jasmine and bougainvillea and before us, the iconic Faraglioni Rocks, seeming to stand guard over this wonderful island. Shopping here is a heady delight. All the top designers are here: Gucci, Bottega Veneta, Prada, Valentino â&#x20AC;&#x201C; lofty couture goods with equally lofty price tags. Best, therefore, to confine oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s amusements to

sitting at a well-positioned sidewalk cafĂŠ and people-watching. Capri is made for this â&#x20AC;&#x201C; enjoying a voyeuristic lunch while sighting a Loren or Mastrioanni look-alike; maybe even donning oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s own Jackie-O shades and hoping a wandering paparazzo will notice you!

Blue Velvet

We took a small rowboat to the Blue Grotto. A word to the wise: if youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re claustrophobic, perhaps youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll want to rethink this adventure. The entrance into the Blue Grotto Cave is so low that you must lie down on the floor of your tiny boat in order to enter, and then thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the matter of floating into this dark cave. Think you can manage it? Ok, once inside youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re met with a most spectacular sight as the sunlight is refracted onto the caveâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s waters. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a luminous blue seen nowhere else in the world â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and though I had only about a minute inside to relish its loveliness â&#x20AC;&#x201C; cavephobic me was glad I ventured in. Still more blue? Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s inevitable. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d come to the end of my idyll, this Windstar voyage, and perhaps glum and downhearted expressed my mood more accurately. I had wined and dined royally, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d had raucous

BBQâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s under the stars (and the sails) with new friends, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d danced nightly to some of my favorite music, and Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d gazed up at ridiculously blue skies from a water mat lounging a few feet away from our ship. I got to know many unfamiliar parts of the world on more intimate terms as we sailed into harbors known only to other yachters - helping me delve deeper into local customs and cultures. Yes, the Windstar is a small yacht but my memories of this voyage are large. In my mind, I know I will return often to those quiet moments when the engines were off, the sails were up, and the only thing I heard was the sound of the sea. Images by Michael Sloane, courtesy of Michael Sloane Travel Photography.

If You Go:

www.windstarcruises.com

Travel Editor Barbara Barton Sloane is constantly globe hopping to share her unique experiences with our readers; from the exotic to the sublime. As Beauty / Fashion Editor she keeps us informed on the capricious and engaging fashion and beauty scene.

Diana Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Neill Holistic Health Services ad;>>a<D_TA/fad;\9afD_a-_T;A6a)9 >>/A6;A6a\;@/U aU_)9a Ua6T;/c;A6a\9/a>DUUaD3a a>Dc/-aDA/ aDTaT/)Dc/T;A6a3TD@a aA/6 \;c/aT/> \;DAU9;FJ a D_AU/>;A6a(a A/T6fa / >;A6a(a fFAD\;U@a (a F;T;\_ >a a Uf)9;)a / >;A6a fa FFD;A\@/A\+a A>fJaaa T//a)DAU_>\ \;DAa6;c/AaDAa3;TU\ac;U;\J BE5JZ]hJEB^0 a D>;U\;)a / >\9a /Tc;)/Uaaa(aaEZhha TT;UDAa c/J+a \/J]hY +a @ TDA/)=+a aEh45]aaaa(aaaBE5JZ]hJEB^0

THE WESTCHESTER GUARDIAN

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2013

Page 15

GOVERNMENTSection ELECTION LAW

Legal Memorandum of Objector Presented to the Scarsdale Village Election By HAROLD REYNOLDS SCARSDALE, NY and WHITE PLAINS, NY -- On February 14th, 2013, I presented for filing to the Village Clerk of Scarsdale my general and specific objection to the 40 nominating petitions filed on February 5th, 2013 by the Scarsdale Citizens’ Non-Partisan Party for the Village election scheduled for March 19th, 2013. The Clerk, however, declined to accept the filing on the ground that she had called the Board and had been informed that the law required the filing to be made at the office of the Board. Notwithstanding my contrary opinion, I was compelled to drive immediately to the Board where Commissioner Reginald A. Lafayette in my presence by telephone informed the Village Clerk that she was in error, handed me my objection letter, and advised me to

promptly return to the Village Clerk and file it, for the time to do so was expiring. In the ensuing rush, I did not have the occasion to ask Commissioner Lafayette of the time I might have to submit a legal memorandum in support of my objection, a natural reflex after 56 years at the Bar. In any case, I herewith submit my legal memorandum to the Board for its review and that of the Party should it submit one. My memorandum raises an issue of law of first impression concerning whether the Board may withhold from a party filing an insufficient petition the curative relief provided by Election Law, § 6-134(2) when that party knowingly prepared and filed a deficient petition, an issue worthy of a judicial proceeding should the Board grant curative relief to the Party. The candidates were sent by certified mail a copy of this memorandum on Tuesday, February 19th, the day on which this memorandum was delivered

by hand to the Board. Objector’s Argument Section 6215.1 (c) of the regulations of the State Board of Elections relating to the filing of nominating petitions requires that “Any two or more petition sheets shall be securely fastened together by any means which will hold the pages together in numerical order”. Section 6251.1(d) of those regulations requires that “Petition sheets may be fastened together to form one or more volumes.” (Emphasis added.) These regulations were incorporated by reference in Election Law, §6-134 which provides that “When a determination is made that a designating petition does not comply with such regulations, the candidate shall have three business days from the date of such determination to cure the violation.” A child of seven knows the meaning of “fastening together”. The Scarsdale Citizens’ Non-Partisan Party, however, has divined a way of claiming

that one is fastening petition pages together by inserting them unfastened in a loose leaf book or loose leaf binder, a simple device known universally for containing only loose pages unattached to one another. Should the Scarsdale Citizens’ Non-Partisan Party’s claim succeed before this Board, Staples will be jammed over night with overweight politicians buying loose leaf books. The Party’s filing was made by use of a loose-leaf book containing 40 separate petitions each of which was not fastened to one another in violation of Election Law, § 6-134(2) and 9 NYCRR 6215.19(c)(d) which together required of the Party its compliance with its mandatory duty of securely fastening together the Party’s 40-page nominating petition. Gucciardo v. Wolf, 162 A.D.2d 570 (2 Dept. 1990); see also, Matter of Jones v. Scaringe, 143 A.D.2d 294, 295 (3 Dept. 1988), appeal denied 72 N.Y. 2d 805); Matter of Braxton v. Mahoney, 63 N.Y.2d 691,

692 (1984). The Party’s argument, should it make it, that it used a loose-leaf “binder” to “bind” the petitions is selfdefeating, for “loose leaves” are individual pages that are not bound or joined together and loose leaf books are “made with each leaf separate for ready insertion or removal (1 Shorter Oxford English Dictionary, p. 1640). Even if we incanted the words “loose leaf binder” over the words “loose leaf book” the Party’s petition pages still would not be fastened to one another as the law mandates. Fastening means to “Attach to something else; fix or hold securely in position; secure with a clasp, button, latch, bolt, seal, etc.” (1 Shorter Oxford English Dictionary, p. 934). In short, the law expressly mandates the physical joining or “fastening” together of individual petitions. Nor is the law’s fastening requirement a brittle, dispensable duty. FasContinued on page 16

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THE WESTCHESTER GUARDIAN

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2013

ELECTION LAW

Legal Memorandum of Objector Presented to the Scarsdale Village Election Continued from page 15 tening petitions together tends to assure the integrity of the filing of the petition, inhibiting as it does the corrupt removal or substitution of sheets. Last, during the Village election in 2012, as in the matter now before the Board, the Party filed with the Village Clerk one or more loose leaf books containing petitions which were not fastened to one another.They were mir-

ror images of the unfastened petitions now before the Board. As a candidate opposed to the Party, I informed its representatives of the egregious violation after I discovered it, I believe, following the expiration date for the filing of that petition, as I stated in my letter of objection now before the Board. Notwithstanding its knowledge of that violation in that election, the Party repeated that violation in the matter now before the Board.

Accordingly, the curative provision of § 6-134(2) was not intended to be available to the Party for it can only be read as a provision in aid of persons who by understandable neglect or unfortunate ignorance failed to observe the statute. In a rational order, a Legislature would not have intended it to aid a person who knowingly continued his violation of a provision which, in the eyes of any reasonable person, was designed, at least in part, to inhibit the

corrupt removal or substitution of petition sheets. For the Board to grant curative relief under the circumstances before it would be a violation by the Board of Election Law, § 6-134(10) which provides that “The provisions of this section shall be liberally construed, not inconsistent with substantial compliance thereto and the prevention of fraud.” (Emphasis added.) The Party’s violation would encourage fraud and its awareness of its violation proves that its attitude towards that regulation was

distant from that of “substantial compliance”, facts that bar it from the liberality of the section. I request the Board to determine that the Party’s petition is insufficient and that the Party is not entitled to the curative period provided by Election Law, § 6-134(2). Respectfully submitted, Harold Reynolds Certified mail: Robert Steves Stacey Brodsky Thomas B. Martin William Stern

STRUCTURE

New Rochelle City Council Decides Against Assistant Police Commissioners Positions By PEGGY GODFREY Despite a secretive executive session the week before, the New Rochelle City Council on February 19, 2013 voted against creating three Assistant Police Commissioner positions. City Manager Chuck Strome reported that the Civil Service Commission had approved the positions last October. But the next step needed after Council approval would be to obtain permission for a change from civil service appointments to management positions from the PERB (Public Employment Relations Board). Under the present civil service organization, New Rochelle Police superior officers include sergeants, lieutenants and captains. While the claim was made

that the City Council was exposed to this possible change since August, Police Commissioner Patrick Carroll, who has worked in New Rochelle for 17 years, went further, saying the change was being considered five years ago. There are presently three captains in the department who are running three central sections. The lack of ability to remove captains or to make them retire were key points in Carroll’s interest in making “it happen.” An extended discussion about the effect on retirement benefits ensued. Strome said it was possible the City might pay less into the retirement system because of the title change. Councilman Jared Rice was first to initiate opposition. He said he didn’t know if “today is the day to move” on this change. Another concern was raised by Councilman

Albert Tarantino who wanted to know if there have been any problems with the current Police Captains. Carroll’s answer suggested problems by saying if two of your captains don’t want to work with you and if they fight you, you “could be up against a tough battle.” But Tarantino persisted, asking if the change would make it easier or harder to discipline subordinates. After some discussion Tarantino concluded there are assumptions, but no facts. Asserting this is a budget issue because City Council has to fund the position, Councilwoman Shari Rackman said the issue is whether to send the change to thePERB. Strome again stated this change could lead to savings because the new positions would have no overtime pay. He later added there has

been no contract for these officers since 2009. When Councilman Barry Fertel questioned why there is such opposition to the change, Carroll replied if the change was made he personally would try to be a “star” trying to get the position. According to Strome, the union was opposing the change and “had every right to oppose it.” In a discussion about pension benefits Carroll claimed the change would be an incentive for officers to stay because the present pension is capped after 20 years until age 62 is reached. Under the City code the retirement age is 62. Under the new system there is no 50% cap so it is more likely officers would retire earlier. After a discussion about the present Civil Service rules that necessitate choosing off a list when a

OP EDSection Cover Story

Who’s Your Daddy? Fight for the Top Job Rob Astorino’s Father, A Convicted Corrupt Cop. Kurt Collucci, The Conservative’s Dad Compares Pols to Nazis By NANCY KING and SAM ZHERKA Within two hours of New Rochelle resident Kurt Colucci announcing that he will challenge incumbent County Executive Rob Astorino for the con-

servative party nomination, both sides have taken an ugly swipe at each other. Colucci, a tax activist, and former Astorino supporter announced his candidacy today at the Westchester County Board of Elections where he filed papers establishing The Committee of Conservatives for Colucci for County Executive. Colucci, who authored the Tax Slave Manifesto and helped orga-

nize some of the county’s earliest tea party rallies said this about Astorino; “I delivered the Tea Party vote and a lot of votes for Rob four years ago because I believed in him, but he’s proven that he’s a wolf in sheep’s clothing with a goal of perpetuating a political career”. Astorino is a liar, said Colucci. Rob Astorino was unable to stop the Continued on page 17

vacancy exists, Rackman wanted to know how many superior officers had been disciplined. Carroll answered, “a handful.” At this point Mayor Noam Bramson said he had held back his view but felt they were not seeing the forest for the trees. He felt it was necessary for the Police Commissioner to have the power to hire and fire police captains and flexibility in hiring as needed. Summing up his feelings he said, if the Council is not going to trust our City Manager, they should “get a new City Manager.” When the vote was taken there were five votes against the resolution with Councilman Fertel and Mayor Bramson voting in favor. Peggy Godfrey resides in New Rochelle. She was a long time local educator.

THE WESTCHESTER GUARDIAN

COVER STORY

Who’s Your Daddy? Fight for the Top Job Continued from page 16

“tax madness” because he was unwilling to stand up to the governor and because he is beholden to the party bosses and their cronies. Colucci said Astorino is your typical politician who hides behind his party. He is the repulican version of Andy Spano who has embraced the Obama plan of borrowing borrowing and more borrowing . . There is no difference says Colucci. Colucci declares that Astorino has been lying to the people of Westchester County. He has been borrowing millions of dollars through bonds in order to pay for the day to day business of the County. His zero percent tax hike scheme is a fraud on the County. All Rob Astorino is doing is putting off the inevitable disaster by further economically enslaving those repsonsible for paying back all the debt instead of cutting the size of Government. During his last election he attended many meetings on downsizing county govt. He attended a dozen Tea party rallies and promised to downsize the over bloated County Govt. Colucci explained that over the course of the next nine months, he will lay out a plan that will lower taxes. He accused Astorino of being a dictator and a “wolf in sheep’s clothing” who hands out “goodies” and jobs to friends while people are leaving Westchester County in droves. A self -described Conservative Libertarian, Colucci also made it clear that Astorino has bribed the Conservative party boss, Hugh Fox with a cushion no show job as a high ranking official in his administration. For an hour it was politics as usual; a new candidate, new accusations against an incumbent and and a half a dozen reporters standing outside freezing to death ....that is until the Friends of Rob Astorino issued a statement concerning Mr. Colucci’s announcement and his father’s posting of some questionable pictures of Colucci Srs. Facebook page. One picture depicts Governor Cuomo in a Nazi SS uniform with a caption reading “our gov homo”. Another picture likens the state legislature as Nazi leaders. After releasing these screen shots, the Astorino camp had this to say. “Serious candidates for public office must reject the politics of extremism and for Mr. Colucci that includes deplorable imagery and language being promulgated by his father online. Until that is done we will not dignify Mr. Colucci’s candidacy with a comment. There is no room in Westchester County for this type of hatred” .

Within thirty minutes of that statement being released, Mr. Colucci released his counter-statement: “I am in receipt of this most outrageous campaign piece from Rob Astorino’s campaign. First and foremost, I have not had a relationship with my father since he and my mother divorced over 30 years ago. I met my father for the first time 6 years ago. Although I love my father, he is not a part of my campaign nor will he be. Rob Astorino’s father, the federally convicted former Corrupt cop is active in Rob’s campaign. Robs father, Robert Astorino Sr, has been working on registering independence party voters to try to garner support for his son. Unlike Rob’s father, my father did not do Federal Prison time for shaking down drug dealers. My father although may have poor taste in his FIRST AMENDMENT FREEDOMS, is not a former corrupt cop, a crook or a federally convicted felon as is Rob Astorino’s father who is actively involved in his sons re-election capaign. My message is supporting peace, prosperity, freedom, liberty and smaller government and power to the people. I am not owned by anyone and will work hard for everyone. AS THE OLD SAYING GOES, THOSE WHO LIVE IN GLASS HOUSES SHOULDN’T CAST STONES” . Colucci insures that he is in this race to the end. 1m a regular guy who is fed with the dishonesty and back room deals that hurts each and everyone of us. 1M IN IT TO WIN IT SAYS COLUCCI!!! One thing is for certain here, it’s only February and the gloves are off already. The mere fact that the Astorino camp released that press notice so quickly can only mean that they’re already aware that Colucci may indeed splinter their Conservative base. And as Colucci himself mentioned today, he may be seeking the Independence line too. Last election cycle, Astorino ran without the Conservative line but with the Independence line, this time around the lines are expected to be reversed. Mudslinging is to be expected in political races but when it’s so early and involves family members ....well that’s just not cool. Yes, Rob Astorino’s father did serve prison time for acts he committed while employed as a police officer. That fact was never hidden ... but it also was never served up as fuel for media fodder when he was running against former County Executive Andy Spano. So why punish Colucci for his father’s indiscretions? The Astorino administration may not like the delivery of Kurt Colucci’s message but they are watch-

Continued on page 18

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2013

Page 17

Page 18

THE WESTCHESTER GUARDIAN

LE G A L A D S SUMMONS AND NOTICE OF OBJECT OF ACTION SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER ACTION TO FORECLOSE A TAX LIEN INDEX NO. 64619/12 T11 FUNDING, Plaintiff, vs. VICKY PELAEZ, AMERICAN EXPRESS CENTURION BANK, JOHN DOE (Said name being fictitious, it being the intention of Plaintiff to designate any and all occupants of premises being foreclosed herein, and any parties, corporations or entities, if any, having or claiming an interest or lien upon the premises.), Defendant(s). MORTGAGED PREMISES: 17 CLIFTON AVENUE, Yonkers, NY 10705 SBL No. 1.-20-16.17 TO THE ABOVE NAMED DEFENDANT: You are hereby summoned to answer the Complaint in this action, and to serve a copy of your answer, or if the Complaint is not served with this Summons, to serve a notice of appearance, on the Plaintiff(s) attorney(s) within twenty days after the service of this Summons, exclusive of the day of service (or within 30 days after the service is complete if this Summons is not personally delivered to you within the State of New York). In case of your failure to appear or answer, judgment will be taken against you by default for the relief demanded in the Complaint. The Attorney for Plaintiff has an office for business in the County of Erie. Trial to be held in the County of Westchester. The basis of the venue designated above is the location of the Assessed Premises. Dated this 30th day of January, 2013, Gross, Polowy & Orlans, LLC, Attorney(s) for Plaintiff(s), 25 Northpointe Parkway, Suite 25, Amherst, NY 14228 TO: VICKY PELAEZ, Defendant(s) In this Action. The foregoing Summons is served upon you by publication, pursuant to an order of HON. WILLIAM J. GIACOMO, JSC of the Supreme Court of the State of New York, dated the 23rd day of January, 2013 and filed with the Complaint in the Office of the Westchester County Clerk, in the City of White Plains. The object of this action is to foreclose certain valid, unpaid and subsisting Yonkers City and Westchester County Tax liens sold pursuant to a Tax Lien Certificate dated May 11th, 2011, and sold by the City of Yonkers, which Certificate was recorded in the Westchester County Clerk’s Office. The property in question is described as follows: 17 CLIFTON AVENUE, YONKERS, NY 10705 SEE FOLLOWING DESCRIPTION ALL that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate lying and being in the City of Yonkers, County of Westchester, State of New York, known as No. 17 Clifton Avenue and designated on a certain map entitled, “Map show sub-division of property belonging to Harry C. Horton and Mary H. Lewis situated at Van Cortlandt Terrace, City of Yonkers, N.Y.” made by M. Lorini, C.E., dated May 20th, 1925 and filed in the Office of the Register of Westchester County on August 31st, 1925 as Map No. 2880, as and by the lot numbers 16 and 17 in Block 20, and being more particularly bounded and described as follows: BEGINNING at a point on the westerly side of Clifton Avenue at the north-easterly corner of Lot No. 18 on the map above described; RUNNING THENCE south 59 degrees, 12 minutes, 30 seconds west one hundred one and thirteen one- hundredths (101.13) feet to a track in stake; THENCE north 30 degrees, 47 minutes, 30 seconds west fifty (50) feet; THENCE north 59 degrees, 12 minutes, 30 seconds east one hundred eight and twenty one-hundredths (108.20) feet to the westerly side of Clifton Avenue; THENCE along the westerly side of Clifton Avenue, fifty and fifty-seven one-hundredths (50.57) feet to the point or place of BEGINNING. HELP FOR HOMEOWNERS IN FORECLOSURE NEW YORK STATE LAW REQUIRES THAT WE SEND YOU THIS NOTICE ABOUT THE FORECLOSURE PROCESS. PLEASE READ IT CAREFULLY. SUMMONS AND COMPLAINT YOU ARE IN DANGER OF LOSING YOUR HOME. IF YOU FAIL TO RESPOND TO THE SUMMONS AND COMPLAINT IN THIS FORECLOSURE ACTION, YOU MAY LOSE YOUR HOME. PLEASE READ THE SUMMONS AND COMPLAINT CAREFULLY. YOU SHOULD IMMEDIATELY CONTACT AN ATTORNEY OR YOUR LOCAL LEGAL AID OFFICE TO OBTAIN ADVICE ON HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF. SOURCES OF INFORMATION AND ASSISTANCE The state encourages you to become informed about your options in foreclosure. In addition to seeking assistance from an attorney or legal aid office, there are government agencies and non-profit organizations that you may contact for information about possible options, including trying to work with your lender during this process. To locate an entity near you, you may call the toll-free helpline maintained by the New York State Banking Department at 1-877-BANK-NYS (1-877-226-5697) or visit the department’s website at WWW.BANKING. STATE.NY.US. FORECLOSURE RESCUE SCAMS Be careful of people who approach you with offers to “save” your home. There are individuals who watch for notices of foreclosure actions in order to unfairly profit from a homeowner’s distress. You should be extremely careful about any such promises and any suggestions that you pay them a fee or sign over your deed. State law requires anyone offering such services for profit to enter into a contract which fully describes the services they will perform and fees they will charge, and which prohibits them from taking any money from you until they have completed all such promised services. § 1303 NOTICE NOTICE YOU ARE IN DANGER OF LOSING YOUR HOME If you do not respond to this summons and complaint by serving a copy of the answer on the attorney for the mortgage company who filed this foreclosure proceeding against you and filing the answer with the court, a default judgment may be entered and you can lose your home. Speak to an attorney or go to the court where your case is pending for further information on how to answer the summons and protect your property. Sending a payment to your mortgage company will not stop this foreclosure action. YOU MUST RESPOND BY SERVING A COPY OF THE ANSWER ON THE ATTORNEY FOR THE PLAINTIFF (MORTGAGE COMPANY) AND FILING THE ANSWER WITH THE COURT. DATED: January 30, 2013 Gross Polowy Orlans, LLC Attorney(s) for Plaintiff(s) 25 Northpointe Parkway, Suite 25 Amherst, NY 14228. The law firm of Gross Polowy Orlans, LLC and the attorneys whom it employs are debt collectors who are attempting to collect a debt. Any information obtained by them will be used for that purpose. 294265

69 HUDSON WATCH, LLC Articles of Org. filed NY Sec. of State (SSNY) 1/15/13. Office in Westchester Co. SSNY design. Agent of LLC upon whom process may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of process to The LLC 69 Hudson Watch Drive Ossining, NY 10562. Purpose: Any lawful activity.

JE HAMPTON ASSOCIATES, LLC Articles of Org. filed NY Sec. of State (SSNY) 1/25/13. Office in Westchester Co. SSNY design. Agent of LLC upon whom process may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of process to The LLC 46 Hampton Place Scarsdale, NY 10583. Purpose: Any lawful activity.

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2013

COVER STORY

Who’s Your Daddy? Fight for the Top Job Continued from page 17

ing, reading and listening. When a campaign gets so dirty right from the start there has got to be a really good reason and I would imagine it is more about the “friends and fam-

ily network” and broken promises than it is about stopping the tax madness. So for now we have four confirmed candidates all vying for Rob Astorino’s job. The Democratic

challengers, Noam Bransom, Ken Jenkins and Bill Ryan will squa re off against each other at their convention on April 24th. Astorino, who hasn’t formally announced his candidacy for re-election will face one of those Democrats and quite possibly, Kurt Colucci as well.

OP-ED

The U.S. Senate ‘Drones’ On By BOB K. BOGEN The U.S. Senate hearings engaged in choosing the Secretary of Defense and the Director of the CIA drone on, with little apparent attention to serious issues on their confused jurisdiction over the hot issue of unmanned military combat planes, rocket armed drones. The effective Republican lips sealed filibuster, [never used before on nominations to head the Secretary of Defense], as well as the delayed party-line vote by Republicans, are more proof of the petulancy of a pathetic party. They seem only able and interested in dealing with cutting government costs, apparently so they can protect and multiply more ungodly billions for their billionaire sponsors. As the first leader of the Republican Party, Abraham Lincoln said government is to do for our

society what we cannot do otherwise. And in fact Republican presidents, from Reagan on, have led a substantial pattern of increases in national government employee numbers and costs, while Clinton and Obama have led a consistent trail of substantial reductions in governmental employee numbers and costs. Some will even recall the totally unprecedented trillion dollar increases in our national debt during the Reagan presidency. Serious military issues threaten weekly and even daily, while the refusal of the Tea Party dominated Republican Party dithers in their unpardonable campaign extended from their consistent effort, even after Obama’s multimillion vote re-election majority, to prevent any governmental action which could might possibly be credited to “That Black Man in our White House”, including irresponsible delays in the confirmation of the two very highly qualified nominees

LE G A L A D S NOTICE OF FORMATION of Sand Box Tree, LLC. Article of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on 02/04/13. Office location: Westchester County. SSNY has been designated as agent upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to the LLC, 1 Sadore Ln 6P, Yonkers, NY 10710. Purpose: Any lawful activity. ME HAMPTON ASSOCIATES, LLC Articles of Org. filed NY Sec. of State (SSNY) 1/25/13. Office in Westchester Co. SSNY design. Agent of LLC upon whom process may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of process to The LLC 46 Hampton Place Scarsdale, NY 10583. Purpose: Any lawful activity. Notice of Formation of Wibblerz, LLC. Arts. of Org. filed with SSNY on 12/18/12. Office location: Westchester County. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process may be served. SSNY shall mail process to 56 Sagamore #4D, Bronxville, NY, 10708 Purpose: any lawful act or activity.

MEYZEN FAMILY REALTY ASSOCIATES, LLC Articles of Org. filed NY Sec. of State (SSNY) 12/18/02. Office in Westchester Co. SSNY design. Agent of LLC upon whom process may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of process to The LLC 46 Bedford-Banksville Road Bedford, NY 10506. Purpose: Any lawful activity. BASATNE INTERNATIONAL LLC Articles of Org. filed NY Sec. of State (SSNY) 12/2/11. Office in Westchester Co. SSNY design. Agent of LLC upon whom process may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of process to C/O Business Filings Incorporated 187 Wolf RD, STE 101 Albany, NY 12205. Purpose: Any lawful activity. Registered Agent: Business Filings Incorporated 187 Wolf RD STE 101 Albany, NY 12205.

One related issue seems to have generated the greatest confusion and heat. As far as we knew the earlier drones, lean but not mean [destructive], were designed to survey areas where hostile fighting and war-making resources could be found for subsequent military action. Recent drones are larger and offer rocket carrying, targeting, and launching capabilities. Thoughtful folks have raised loud and serious questions about the use of current military combat drones, particularly in Pakistan. Reports of very significant effects on elimination of major terrorist leaders have been overwhelmed by reports of non-combatant women and children who have also been killed. Elaborate but confused arrangements have been proposed to reduce such so-called “collateral damage.” Public discussion seems to be dominated by shrill claims of “extrajudicial assassination” apart from any sense of the ratio of justifiable terrorist target kills to errors in Continued on page 19

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THE WESTCHESTER GUARDIAN

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2013

Page 19

OP-ED

The U.S. Senate ‘Drones’ On Continued from page 18

numbers of collateral non-combatant losses. Of course there is also the uneasiness of “unsportsmanlike” conduct, where the “pilot” controlling the drone, sits before a computer over ten-thousand miles away in comfort and no “sportsmanlike” risk. Those of us who have served in the military never considered war a “sportsmanlike” game, short of the very limited and often abused, if formerly accepted, definition of war crimes. Recent research has painfully uncovered extremely widespread and unpardonable Viet Nam war crimes by U.S. forces instructed to “Kill Anything That Moves,” that make the My Lai massacre in Vietnam seem merely a momentary nightmare. The Iraq War, and perhaps all war, are largely composed of inhuman, brutal, and all manor of horrors. Unless the quantity of drone collateral damage amounts to a large, major result of their use,

it seems unlikely that history will condemn their use. However there is one distinction in the use of current drones that I have not seen even previously discussed that might substantially reduce the horrible errors that we have seen reported. As indicated in the first lines of this commentary, there is a major difference between early drones that searched out locations of hostile forces and current, larger, drones that kill and destroy targets. The Central Intelligence Agency is one of more than a dozen U.S. agencies, if not the most prominent, designed to develop “intelligence” for military and related use. The predecessor of the CIA, as a few readers will recall from their personal knowledge of World War II, was the OSS, the Office of Strategic Services. As an illustration, my former good friend, and next door neighbor for many years, was dropped into Nazi held Yugoslavia with a radio as an OSS operative to

send back reports and observation, and was later parachuted into China for that “intelligence” function. My OSS/CIA friend served to provide “military intelligence,” not to kill. Perhaps that distinction should guide our government to task the CIA with use of the original non-lethal drones, only for “intelligence” gathering and not for lethal action. Presumably that was the history of the original decision to assign these amazing devices to the CIA. In terms of our international relations around the world such drone use would avoid the

most difficult tumult and tarring of the CIA in all their other important and delicate functions. On the other hand, the difficult and deadly military use of current drones might be better handled by those who are expected make all the risky and painful decisions in waging war, the so-called “Defense Department,” [or in honesty, as I have argued in earlier columns, that agency should return to its original, earlier title as the “War Department,”]. As in all the ugliness and horrors of war, in the confusions arising in the “fog of war,” some er-

rors might be avoided and at least the Defense Department, cum War Department might better handle the international and even national distress at collateral damage. Perhaps the Republicans can get their act together, despite their grotesque recent inability to go with there leader in the House of Representatives, who failed even in his attempt to herd his cats on his Plan B to prevent their apparent lemming-like inclination to go over the so-called fiscal cliff. For their second act they decided to extend their holiday in the face of their self-imposed inconceivably inane Sequestration disaster.

Bob K. Bogen produced an annual Citizens’ Federal Budget Workbook; served as comprehensive long-range facilities planning director for the New York Metropolitan Regional Planning Commission; as a major United Nations official in Pakistan; and Principal Representative of Architects/ Designers/ Planners for Social Responsibility to the United Nations. Comments by named readers can be sent to his office at: BobKBogen@hotmail.com

Page 20

THE WESTCHESTER GUARDIAN

YOUR PARENTAL RIGHTS AND COMMITMENT OF GUARDIANSHIP AND CUSTODY OF THE CHILD FOR THE PURPOSES OF ADOPTION, AND MAY FILE BEFORE THE END OF THE 15-MONTH PERIOD. UPON GOOD CAUSE, THE COURT MAY ORDER AN INVESTIGATION TO DETERMINE WHETHER THE NON-RESPONSENT PARENT(s) SHOULD BE CONSIDERED AS A RESPONDENT; IF THE COURT DETERMINES THE CHILD SHOULD BE REMOVED FROM HIS/HER HOME, THE COURT MAY ORDER AN INVESTIGATION TO DETERMINE WHETHER THE NON-RESPONDENT PARENT(s) SHOULD BE SUITABLE CUSTODIANS FOR THE CHILD; IF THE CHILD IS PLACED AND REMAINS IN FOSTER CARE FOR FIFTEEN OF THE MOST RECENT TWENTY-TWO MONTHS, THE THURSDAY, 28, 2013 AGENCY MAY BE REQUIREDFEBRUARY TO FILE A PETITION FOR TERMINATION OF PARENTAL RIGHTS OF THE PARENT(s) AND COMMITMENT OF GUARDIANSHIP AND CUSTODY OF THE CHILD FOR THE PURPOSES OF ADOPTION, EVEN IF THE PARENT(s) WERE NOT NAMED AS RESPONDENTS IN THE CHILD NEGLECT OR ABUSE PROCEEDING. A NON-CUSTODIAL PARENT HAS THE RIGHT TO REQUEST TEMPORARY OR PERMANENT CUSTODY OF THE CHILD AND TO SEEK ENFORCEMENT OF VISITATION RIGHTS WITH THE CHILD. BY ORDER OF THE FAMILY COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK TO THE ABOVE-NAMED RESPONDENT(S) WHO RESIDE(S) OR IS FOUND AT [specify address(es)]: Last known addresses: TIFFANY RAY: 24 Garfield Street, #3, Yonkers, NY 10701 Last known addresses: KENNETH THOMAS: 24 Garfield Street, #3, Yonkers, NY 10701 An Order to Show Cause under Article 10 of the Family Court Act having been filed with this Court seeking to modify the placement for the above-named child. YOU ARE HEREBY SUMMONED to appear before this Court at Yonkers Family Court located at 53 So. Broadway, Yonkers, New York, on the 28th day of March, 2012 at 2;15 pm in the afternoon of said day to answer the petition and to show cause why said child should not be adjudicated to be a neglected child and why you should not be dealt with in accordance with the provisions of Article 10 of the Family Court Act. PLEASE TAKE FURTHER NOTICE, that you have the right to be represented by a lawyer, and if the Court finds you are unable to pay for a lawyer, you have the right to have a lawyer assigned by the Court. PLEASE TAKE FURTHER NOTICE, that if you fail to appear at the time and place noted above, the Court will hear and determine the petition as provided by law. Dated: January 30, 2012

BY ORDER OF THE COURT CLERK1 column OF THE COURT

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