Westchester Guardian

PRESORTED STANDARD PERMIT #3036 WHITE PLAINS NY

Vol. VI I No. XXI

Westchester’s Most Influential Weekly

Crossing

the Line Crime Wave in Legislature or Just Better Prosecutors?

By HENRY STERN, Page 21

They’re Dropping Like Flies

By Carlos Gonzalez, Page 20

Thursday, May 16, 2013 $1.00

SHERIF AWAD Between Different Worlds Page 4 ROBERT SCOTT A Night at the Hotel Astor Page 6 Rabbi FRANK TAMBURELLO

Happy Shavuot Page 7

BOB PUTIGNANO Alan Wilson The Blind Owl Page 10 JOHN F. McMULLEN Approaching the Future Page 12 JOHN SIMON Nikolai and Sue Page 13 HEZI ARIS Sala on Hudson Page 14 Mayor MARY C. MARVIN Enhancing the Village of Bronxville Page 15

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, May 16,23, 2013 THURSDAY, MARCH 29,FIFTEEN 2012 Page 3 THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 2012 Suitable for any type of business.

Contact Wilca: 914.632.1230 REMAINS IN FOSTER CARE FOR 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..................................................................................................3 knowledge of computers/software/ticketing systems, duties include

BY ORDER OF THE FAMILYgood COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK Calendar..................................................................................................................3 overseeing all box office, concessions, movie staffing, day of show lobby Westchester On the Level isTOusually heard from Monday to Friday, from a.m. to 12 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 Charity. ....................................................................................................................4 address(es)]: Noon on the Internet: http://www.BlogTalkRadio.com/WestchesterOntheLevel. system and willing to organize concessions. Full time plus hours. Call (203) Perspectives............................................................................................4 Lastaknown addresses: TIFFANY RAY: 24ask Garfield Street, #3, Yonkers, Because of the importance Cultural of Federal court case purporting corruption briberyNY 10701 438-5795 and for Julie orand Allison Gardening...............................................................................................................5 allegations, programming with be suspended for the days of March 26 to 29, 2012.

Last known addresses: KENNETH THOMAS: 24 Garfield Street, #3, Yonkers, NY 10701 Westchester On the Level is heard from Monday to Friday, from 10 a.m. to 12YonNoon

RADIO RADIO RADIO

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

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, ....................................................................................................................6 Westchester On the Level isHistory. 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 toof modify the placement for Please the above-named child.

Houses Worship. ...............................................................................................7 on the Internet: by http://www.BlogTalkRadio.com/WestchesterOntheLevel.

Join the conversation calling toll-free to 1-877-674-2436. stay on topic.

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 Housing...................................................................................................................7 Richard Narog March andcalling Hezi Aris your co-hosts.

Incase, thewe weekYork, beginning 20th and ending on day or Tuesday, 26 or 27.are Should be theYonkers, resume ourFebruary regular located at 53 So.that Broadway, Newwill on the 28th day of March, 2012 at 2;15 pm in the Media.......................................................................................................................8 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 People. . .....................................................................................................................9 adjudicated to be a neglected child and why you should not be dealt with in accordance with the February 24th, we have an exciting entourage of guests.

Richard Narog and Hezi Aris are co-hostsFebruary of the show. Krystal Wade, a celebrated participant in http:// Every Monday is special.

On Monday, provisions of Article 10 of the20th, Family Court Act. Music. .....................................................................................................................10 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 lawSports.....................................................................................................................11 www.TheWritersCollection.com guest.

Krystal Wade is afornovel mother three who works fifty miles from home and writes in her time.”

“Wilde’ s Fire,” her to debut hasofyou been accepted for publication yer,“spare and if is theour Court finds you are unable pay a lawyer, have the right to have a lawyer Technology...........................................................................................................12 from home and writes ininher “spare time.”

“Wilde’iss her Fire,” her debut has sbeen accepted assigned by the Court. and should be available 2012.

Not far behind second novel,novel “Wilde’ Army.”

How for doespublication she do it? and available Not far behind her second novel, s Army.” it?

Eye on Theatre. .....................................................................................................13 Tuneshould in andbefind out. in 2012.

PLEASE TAKEisFURTHER NOTICE, that“Wilde’ if you fail to appearHow at thedoes time she and do place noted above, the Court will hear and determine the petition as provided by law.

Tune in and find out.

WESTfoodies. . ......................................................................................................14 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 Government Co-hosts Richard and Hezi ArisSection...............................................................................................15 will2012 relish the dissection of his all things politicsfrom on Tuesday, February 21st. Yonkers CityNarog Council President Chuck Lesnick willBY share perspective the august inner 2 column CLERK1 column THE COURT 21st.

Yonkers President Chuck Lesnick will shareOF22nd. his perspective from theEsq., august Mayor Marvin......................................................................................................15 sanctum of theCity CityCouncil Council Chambers on Wednesday, February Stephen Cerrato, will inner share sanctum of the CityonCouncil Chambers on Wednesday, February24th 22nd.

Esq.,bewill share Economic Development....................................................................................16 his political insight Thursday, February 23rd.

Friday, February hasStephen yet to beCerrato, filled. It may a propihis political Thursday, February 23rd. Friday, February 24th has yet to be filled.

It mayofbeThat a propiInvestigative..........................................................................................................16 tious day toinsight sum uponwhat transpired throughout the week.

A sort of BlogTalk Radio version Was tious day to sum up what transpired throughout the week.

A sort of BlogTalk Radio version of That Was The Week That Was (TWTWTW).

Legal.......................................................................................................................17 The Week That Was (TWTWTW).

Albany Correspondent.

For those who cannot joinThe us live, consider listening to..............................................................................17 the show by way of an MP3 download, or on For thoseWithin who cannot join us consider listening the the show by wayinof MP3 that download, orlink on Politics .........................................................................................................18 demand.

15 minutes of live, aSection. show’ s ending, you cantofind segment ouranarchive you may 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 Campaign Trail....................................................................................................18 to using the hyperlink provided in the opening paragraph.

Education..............................................................................................................20 The entire archive is available and maintained for your perusal. The way to find a particular interview Legaleasiest Notices, Advertise Today The is available and maintained forfor your easiest to findofa the particular interview Legal Notices, Advertise Today New York Civic....................................................................................................21 is toentire searcharchive Google, or any other search engine, theperusal. subjectThe matter or way the name interviewee.

For isexample, to search Google, or any other search engine, for the subject matter or the name of the interviewee. search Google,Help Yahoo, AOL Search for Westchester On the Level, Blog Talk Radio, or use For the Wanted.............................................................................................................23 example, Yahoo,Ads. AOL Search for Westchester On the Level, Blog Talk Radio, or use the hyperlinksearch above.Google,Legal ...................................................................................................................23 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.

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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, May 16, 2013

Page 3

CommunitySection CALENDAR

News & Notes from Northern Westchester

By MARK JEFFERS Don’t tell anyone, but I think gas prices dropped a bit last week.

It now costs just a small mint to drive around the block; fortunately no driving was needed for this week’s “fuel free” edition of “News & Notes.”

Goodwill Industries of Greater New York and Northern New Jersey has opened its second Westchester County Donation Express in Bedford Hills, they offer a fast, easy and environmentally responsible way to donate clothing, textiles, electronics and other household items.

If I can do it “My Way,” I will be attending the Paul Anka concert on May 21st at the Westchester County Center in White Plains.

The Greyston Foundation, a pioneer in social enterprise that creates jobs and provides integrated programs that move individuals toward self-sufficiency, will celebrate its 30th anniversary year at its 2013 annual benefit on May 22 at X20 Xaviar’s in Yonkers. The Greyston Foundation provides jobs for the hardto-employ at a commercial bakery and uses bakery proceeds and other funding to support a wide array of programs and services, including affordable child care, nationally-accredited child care, HIV health services, job training and placement, and a vibrant community gardens program. It also provides more than 300 units of affordable housing.

Seems like the last movie my wife and I saw was “Ben Hur”, but breaking news for our daughters two favorite movie theaters Bedford Playhouse and Mount Kisco’s Clearview Cinema that they both have been acquired by Bow Tie.

The Friends of John Jay Homestead will host an opening night gala to celebrate the opening of their Carriage Barn Education and Visitor Center on May 18th. Proceed from the evening will go toward completing the center’s interactive exhibits.

Okay all you Facebook fans out there, here’s your chance to discover how to safely navigate the ins and outs of today’s social super highway and, if you want, create an account of your own, at the Field Library’s Facebook 101 Workshop in Peekskill on May 29th.

Here’s a shoutout to the great folks at the Katonah Fire Department as they are holding an Open House on Sunday, May 19th at the newly renovated fire headquarters at 65 Bedford Road, in Katonah.

If you missed all of the Mother’s Day plant sales, here is another one of our favorites. The 22nd annual plant sale at Lasdon Park Arboretum and Veterans Memorial on Route 35 in Somers, NY, is planned for Saturday, May 18th, from 9:30am to 3:30pm.

While enjoying the plant sale, visitors can also purchase gardening tools and gifts at the Shop at Lasdon, as well as exploring the newly-renovated Westchester County Veterans’ Museum. At 3 pm a majestic bronze sculpture of an American bald eagle will be dedicated in the courtyard outside the museum entrance. The sculpture was commissioned by the museum as a tribute to all who have served. It was created by artist Mike Curtis of Idaho, considered the foremost sculptor of this national symbol.

Just as it is getting warmer… the Eastchester Public Library presents “The Artic” on May 22nd, Andy and Jane Cahn, two seasoned educators

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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.

and world travelers, will describe their recent trip to Antarctica in an informative and interesting presentation. No penguins, but plenty of polar bears.

I can “see” this will be a worthwhile event… the Xi Chi Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc. is collecting used prescription eyeglasses through June with drop-off containers located at local northern Westchester libraries. The glasses will then be sent

to New Eyes for the Needy to provide better vision to the poor in the U.S. and worldwide.

Can’t get enough anime, manga, and all things otaku (I can’t even pronounce them), then you’ll want to come to Peekskill’s Field Library’s new Anime Manga Club, the first meeting is set for May 21, they will be watching “Summer Wars”, and discussing future plans for the club.

Prom season is coming up, so please be safe, have fun and remember your parents were once young like you

and some may have even worn a powder blue tuxedo… see you next week.

Here’s your chance, if you have an event you would like us to mention in News & Notes, we would love to, just drop us an email at marsar@optonline. net, two weeks notice would help as I really can’t write that fast… see you next week.

Mark Jeffers resides in Bedford Hills, New York, with his wife Sarah, and three daughters, Kate, Amanda, and Claire.

Page 4

THE WESTCHESTER GUARDIAN

THURSDAY, May 16, 2013

CHARITY

Goodwill Urges Residents to De-Clutter This Spring Second NY DonationXpress Opened in Bedford Hills May 10 BEDFORD HILLS, NY – If you look in your closet and find clothes that no longer fit you, items you’ve never worn or don’t remember buying, it’s time to de-clutter. Goodwill’s DonationXpress offers a fast, easy and environmentally responsible way to get rid of the clothing, textiles, electronics, and other household items families no longer need, and get a tax receipt for their donation.

Goodwill Industries of Greater New York and Northern New Jersey,

Inc. officially opened its second Westchester County DonationXpress, an attended donation center, at 742 Bedford Road, Bedford Hills, NY 10507, with a ribbon cutting ceremony on Friday, May 10. Hours are 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. seven days a week. Phone is (914) 241-2612.

William J. Forrester, President and CEO of the NY-NJ Goodwill said: “Our Bedford Hills DonationXpress will create jobs and a convenient way for people to donate the things they no

longer need, diverting those items from landfills. Add DonationXpress to your list of errands. Bring along the kids.

It’s never too early to teach them the benefits of re-using, re-purposing, and re-cycling.”

DonationXpress accepts clothing, electronics, small furniture, books, records, CDs, DVDs, and other household items. Donated goods in good condition are tax-deductible and receipts are provided upon request. Sale proceeds from Goodwill Stores sup-

port Goodwill programs.

DonationXpress will be staffed with three individuals from Westchester-based Goodwill employment programs for persons with disabilities.

It will also serve as a training site for people from these programs to get work experience prior to placement.

In Westchester County, Goodwill stores are located in the ShopRite Plaza at 8 Joyce Rd in New Rochelle, at 380 North Saw Mill River Road in Elmsford, Somers Commons Center at 80

Route 6 in Baldwin Place and at 440 South Riverside Avenue in Croton-onHudson. Find the nearest store to you at the Goodwill website.

Goodwill Industries of Greater New York and Northern New Jersey, Inc., a non-profit organization, serves the residents from 34 counties in the New York City metropolitan area and the 10 most Northern counties of New Jersey. Its mission is to empower individuals with disabilities and other barriers to employment to gain independence through the power of work To calculate the positive impact of your Goodwill donations, use our donation calculator.

CULTURAL PERSPECTIVE

Shirin Neshat - Between Different Worlds

By SHERIF AWAD Iranian-born, New York-based visual artist Shirin Neshat was renowned for her work in photography, video, as well as film. Her series of photography, such as the Unveiling (1993) and Women of Allah (1993–97) in which she explored notions of femininity in relation to Islamic fundamentalism and militancy in her home country was her manner of coping in a way with the discrepancy between the cultures she was experiencing and that of the pre-revolution Iran in which she was raised. The Women of Allah series featured portraits of women entirely overlaid by Persian calligraphy emphasizing stark visual contrasts through motifs such as light

and dark, black and white, male and female. In her artwork, Neshat addressed the social, political and psychological dimensions of women’s experiences in contemporary Islamic societies by using Persian poetry and calligraphy to examine martyrdom, exile, and issues of identity and femininity. In her Soho studio, I met Shirin Neshat to discuss her artistic journey that recently led her to Egypt.

Neshat was the fourth of five children of wealthy parents, brought up in the religious town of Qazvin in northwestern Iran. Her father was a physician who, according to her, romanticized the West to the point that he enrolled his children in a Catholic boarding school in Tehran. He also encouraged each of his daughters to celebrate their uniqueness and indi-

Shirin Neshat in her studio.

viduality, to take risks, to learn, and to explore and see the world. “When I was growing up in Iran, everybody used to call me an artist although none of my family members showed interest in that field”, remembers Shirin. “When my father decided to send me and my sisters to study abroad, I landed at Berkley University, here in the US. “My initial ideas about art were so romanticized, that it brought me to the point that I was the worst student. I think my early trials had weak content because I was exposed to mostly western arts in Iran and I had nothing personal to share with the whole world at that time. After moving to New York, it took me ten years of absence from the art scene to polish my thoughts and to launch my career in 1993 after a brief visit to Iran. I was thirty-one years old

Women Without Men. when art became my reason to live and people was expected. Everybody felt a profound tool for me to communicate that there was something boiling unwith the world and to express emotions derneath”, she said. “I also remember related to human conditions without that we used to listen to Khomeini’s using words. speeches heard on an underground During her years of study in the radio show that aired them from his US, the revolution in Iran took place, fifteen years in exile from Iraq. So in changing the country forever.“My fam- 1979, the revolution exploded with ily and I lived in Iran during the Shah’s the power of the young people of my regime but an uprising by the Iranian generation. Islamist and non-Islamist, everybody gathered altogether against the Shah. Meanwhile, I was in the US planning to study and go back to Iran but the Islamists stole the revolution and took over the whole country. Many incidents and events consequently took place preventing me of doing so: the hostage situation of the Americans (The events depicted in the recent Oscar-winner film Argo), the war with Iraq and many other incidents”.

However, those series of events had a profound impact on Shirin who was feeling alienated; she was exiled for twelve years. Somehow, her art became the tools to connect her to Iran.

One of the aspects of the Islamization of Iran was forcing al-hijab (the veil) on women. Shirin reflected upon Umm Kulthum is Shirin Neshat’s focus and next intended subject matter.

Continued on page 5

THE WESTCHESTER GUARDIAN

THURSDAY, May 16, 2013

Page 5

CULTURAL PERSPECTIVE

Shirin Neshat - Between Different Worlds Continued from page 4

this issue in her photography. “Sometimes, veiled women are exotic to certain people”, she explained. “But for me, the veil became a metaphor that was a more complex symbol of women’s identity, imposed as it was by men in power who were trying to build a wall between the two halves of society. More importantly, one can better understand the nature and nuances of the Iranian revolution by studying women and their issues. It is about oppressive men who cannot control their sexual desires, which drives them to cover the female aesthetics”. Neshat also portrayed Iranian men in her photography to controversial results. “Men appeared in white shirts, buttoned all the way to the neck, but without a tie. It is a gesture by them to express rejection of Western style dress. Some who criticized these photos with women in black veil and men with buttoned shirts missed the whole point which wasn’t about a stereotypical orientalism but more of my interpretation as a conceptual artist with some exaggeration to highlight

certain elements”.

After visiting many galleries and art biennials around the world with her videos and photography, Shirin started to experiment with video and moving images, which eventually led her to make a feature film. “It is healthy to navigate between different worlds, from a certain medium to the other and to sometimes rebel against yourself ”, she said. Certain subjects drove me to reflect over them in a suitable form because I never had an obsession with a certain medium favoring it over another. I was trained as a painter but moved to photography and portraits which had its own limitations: being rigid, still and iconic. So I guess that filmmaking came in as a natural transition”.

It took her six years to realize her feature debut Women Without Men (2009), a film adaptation of a “Shahrnush Parsipur” novel that profiles the lives of four women living in Tehran circa 1953, during the Americanbacked coup that returned the Shah of Iran to power. Shot in three Moroccan

Shirin Meshat Rebellious Silence... SelfPortait 1994. cities: Casablanca, Rabat and Marrakech, standing in for Tehran. “I was a little bit naïve thinking that I can write a script and direct a cast and crew of many so easily just because I was a visual artist”, she says about the difficulty of switching to motion pictures. But the experience paid off and the film was screened to great international acclaim, securing the Silver Lion for Best Direc-

tor at the 66th Venice Film Festival for Shirin Neshat. Both Neshat and Parsipur are banned from Iran to this day.

On Shirin Nashat’s agenda lie many new projects. There is a new video starring Natalie Portman and a collaboration as an art director with the Dutch National Ballet for a new production of Shakespeare’s The Tempest. Yet, Shirin Nashat’s next challenging project is to direct a new feature about the iconic Egyptian singer Umm Kulthum. Known as Kawkab al-Sharq (Star of the East in Arabic), she is still widely regarded as the greatest Arab female singer in history more than three decades after her death in 1975, at age 76. Her funeral procession became a national event, with four million griefstricken Egyptians lining the streets to catch a glimpse as her cortege passed.

Although there an acclaimed and popular Egyptian TV series in 1999 about Umm Kulthum’s life that was followed by an Egyptian feature film in the same year, Neshat is continuing the preparation of her project with the collaboration of several Egyptian directors on the working script and the related research. She is also keen to

cast an Egyptian actress/singer in the leading role. “We plan to shoot next fall in Egypt if we receive the appropriate production fund”, says Neshat. “Umm Kulthum was and still very beloved in Iran. I used to listen to her in my teens and we were shocked when she left our world. My film about her will be heartfelt, emotional, and full of mysticism. It is part of my obsession about women have played a major role in our lives.

Umm Kulthum was the mother of a nation as the story of Egypt can be told through her journey”.

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 AlMasry Al-Youm Website (http://www. almasryalyoum.com/en/node/198132) and The Westchester Guardian (www.

WestchesterGuardian.com).

MELINDA’S GARDEN

Maximize Your Harvest This Season Despite Limited Time, Space and Energy

By MELINDA MYERS Increase your garden’s productivity even when space, time and energy are limited. Just follow these six simple planting, maintenance and harvesting techniques for a more bountiful harvest.

Maximize your planting space with wide rows. Leave just enough room for plants to reach their maximum size. Make wide rows, 4 to 5 feet wide, so you can reach all plants for maintenance and harvest. Minimizing walkways means more planting space.

Try interplanting. Grow short season crops like lettuce and radishes between long season crops like cabbage, tomatoes and peppers.The short season crops will be ready to harvest when the long season crops are reaching mature size. You’ll double your harvest and grow more vegetables, not weeds between your longer season plants.

Grow more plants per row with succession planting. Start the season with cool season vegetables like lettuce and spinach. Once these are harvested and temperatures warm replace with beans and onions. Harvest these and plant a fall crop of radishes or lettuce.

When you use these intensive planting techniques, be sure to incorporate a low nitrogen slow release fertilizer, like Milorganite, at the start of the season.Then add a mid-season nutrient boost if needed. The slow release nitrogen won’t burn even during the hot dry weather of summer. Plus, it won’t interfere with flowering or fruiting.

Go vertical. Train vine crops up decorative or functional trellises and supports. You’ll not only save space, but you will also reduce disease problems and increase the harvest. Growing cucumbers (see photo) and melons increase light penetration and air flow, reducing the risk of fungal diseases. Pole beans are much easier to harvest and produce an additional picking. Secure large fruited vegetables like melons to the trellis with a cloth sling.

Be sure to plant vegetables in containers if in-ground space is limited.

A 5-gallon bucket or comparable size container is perfect for a tomato. Peppers and eggplants will thrive in a bit smaller pot. Grow vine crops in containers and allow them to crawl over the deck or patio instead of valuable gardening space. Mix flowers and herbs in with your vegetables. You’ll increase the beauty while adding additional fra-

With a bit of planning and creativity you can find ways to increase the enjoyment and harvest in any size garden.

Gardening expert, TV/radio host, author & columnist Melinda Myers has more than 30 years of horticulture experience and has written over 20 gardening

books, including Can’t Miss Small Space Gardening. She hosts the nationally syndicated Melinda’s Garden Moment TV and radio segments and is a columnist and contributing editor for Birds & Blooms magazine. Myers web site is www.melindamyers.com

Humble Pie & Specialty Cakes Photo of Melinda Myers by and courtesy of Mark Avery.

grance to the pot.

Harvest often and at the proper time. Zucchini and other summer squash should be picked when 6 to 8 inches long or in the case of patty pan squash it reaches 3 inches in diameter.

The flavor is better than those baseball bat size zucchini and you’ll have plenty to eat and share. Harvest your head of cabbage when firm and full size. Leave the bottom leaves and roots intact.

Soon you will have 4 or 5 smaller heads to harvest and enjoy.

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Page 6

THE WESTCHESTER GUARDIAN

THURSDAY, May 16, 2013

CHRONICLES OF CROTON’S BOHEMIA

Jane Burr, 3: A Night at the Hotel Astor

By ROBERT SCOTT The outbreak of the First World War on August 7, 1914, sent thousands of American expatriates scurrying home from Europe.

Among them were Isadora Duncan and her sister Elizabeth, who had operated dance schools in Europe.

Isadora preferred a New York townhouse and studio near Gramercy Park. Her sister began a dance school in Harmon before moving it to Mt. Airy.

The war in Europe brought accelerated military preparedness in the U.S. Leaders of the women’s movement realized that militarism would not only threaten the drive for equal rights but could bring a quick end to social reforms.

In an effort to keep America out of the war, in 1915 they founded the Woman’s Peace Party, which tended to favor demonstrations and confrontation. That same year, the American Union Against Militarism, which preferred sweet reason and elite connec-

tions, was launched.

Differences within the women’s peace movement were minor compared to the dispute within the feminist movement in the 1916 presidential election. Woodrow Wilson, a Democrat running for reelection, promised peace but not suffrage. His Republican challenger, Charles Evans Hughes, promised suffrage but not peace.

Wilson was reelected. Despite frequent arrests and cruel treatment, women began picketing the White House in January of 1917.

In March 1919, firebrand Crystal Eastman organized the First Feminist Congress, attracting more than 600 participants. In her keynote address, she noted that the entire Western world, and especially the United States, had been fighting for “freedom and democracy.”

As we learned last week, Jane Burr spent the war years working on her acting career. In 1918, from her Drowsy Saint Inn in Croton, she self-published her first novel, The Glorious Hope. Well-

Women’s suffrage demonstrator at the White House gate in January of 1917. Courtly President Wilson would tip his hat to the “Silent Sentinels” as he passed them in his limousine.

received by critics, it was followed by four other novels, all on the relationship between the sexes: The Passionate Spectator, That Woman, Married Men, and Marble and Mud. Aside from reviews and advertisements for her books, her name disappears from the public prints in 1919 and 1920. It turns up again in 1921 as a featured speaker at a dinner and symposium on marriage hosted by the Society of Arts and Sciences at the Hotel Astor on April 8th.

The speakers were all masters of their respective crafts whose remarks make the event interesting because they give a clue to attitudes toward marriage and divorce at the start of the Roaring Twenties.

“If there is any heaving breast not satisfied with this symposium of speakers, let him or her rise and speak or forever hold his peace.”

So intoned playwright and novelist John Luther Long, author of “Madame Butterfly,” the classic short story about a tragic clash of cultures. Long had never visited Japan, but had gleaned his information about the country from his sister, the wife of a Methodist missionary, J. George Frederick, a prolific writer of manuals on how to put pep into salesmanship and business, opened the marriage theme by repeating Dr. Samuel Johnson’s famous remark that “marriage is the triumph of hope over experience.”

John Luther Long thought that the subject was interesting to those “who were married too much, those who were married too little, and those who hope for another chance.”

It was Alexander Black, a novelist and writer on photography, who brought up the subject of Lot’s wife and decided that she didn’t get a square deal.

“It was perfectly natural for her to peek over her shoulder,” he said.”She wanted to see if a man was following her. He then described a modern parallel.

“Now men look back on the street and slightly down, but I never saw one of them turned into a pillar of salt,” he said. “Over their faces comes curiously mingled expressions of bewilderment and amazement, summed up in the expression, ‘Well, I’ll be damned.’

“I have seen them turned into cynics or into poets. I have seen them turned from their direction and hit by automobiles. I’ve been struck myself by their expression. But it wasn’t fair to Lot’s wife.”

Alexander Black has been recognized as one of the fathers of the

The Hotel Astor, a dazzling Beaux Arts jewel. Its site was once considered too far west for a luxury hotel. The arrival of the new Times Square subway station and a host of theaters made it a popular meeting place and an opulent New York landmark.. It was demolished in 1968.

modern motion picture. He combined still photography, lantern slides, and narrative to produce Miss Jerry, the first “picture play” that opened in 1894 and portrayed the adventures of an enterprising female reporter.

Blanche Bayliss, previously an artist’s model, played the reporter. The cast also included two stage actors: William Courtenay as the hero, and Ernest Hastings as the polished villain. Chauncey M. Depew, then the president of the New York Central & Hudson River Railroad, had a bit part.

The slides were projected at the rate of four a minute. The showing took an hour and a half. At the premiere for celebrities, Seth Low, president of Columbia University, asked, “How do you move the figures and keep the pictures still?” It was then Black knew he had created an illusion of motion.

Miss Jerry also had a Westchester connection. Courtenay lived in Rye and is buried in its Greenwood Union Cemetery. Peekskill’s own Depew is buried in Hillside Cemetery in Cortlandt Manor.

At the symposium, an almost unanimous jocularity prevailed about marriage until New York Supreme Court Justice Charles L. Guy got up to speak. Justice Guy, an early pioneer in the women’s suffrage movement, was noted for his opposition to Prohibition and to the payment of alimony in divorce litigation.

When he told the gathering that “any marriage is better than no marriage at all,” one feeble clap came from a distant corner of the room. It was followed by an explosion of laughter from the rest of the audience.

For her part, Jane Burr declared that marriage was a “sublime effort to get more out of life than there is in it.”

She divided marriage into three states: savagery, barbarism and civilization.

“The first is the honeymoon, in which ‘couples live in trees on bread and cheese. In the second state they come down out of the tree and fashion spears and clubs--this is the first year.”

And in the third state they lapse into a state of “warfare settled on the first of each month by an indemnity. Speech disappears and hunting becomes the chief occupation.”

She classified the two parties to marriage as the “trusting strong” and the “weak wife,” but said that she had seen the weak wife come home one minute before the trusting strong, slip into a kimono and sing a lullaby to the baby.

“The lullaby is jerky, but he thinks that is due to the thrill over his arrival,” said Jane Burr. She also said that it took eight women to care for one man, including his wife and the woman “who understands him.”

Despite her often-stated doctrine that true love could survive for only eight years, Jane Burr would remain married to the writer Horace G. Winslow for 14 years, divorcing him in 1925 in Merida, Mexico, under a Yucatan divorce law that did not require residence.

The problem of public or private ownership enters into the question of marriage, said Ethel Watts Mumford, short story writer, poet and lyricist, who spoke for the wife. After marriage, the originally charming man becomes a husband imbued with ideas of ownership, she said, although “a few eman-

Continued on page 7

THE WESTCHESTER GUARDIAN

THURSDAY, May 16, 2013

Page 7

CHRONICLES OF CROTON’S BOHEMIA

Jane Burr, 3: A Night at the Hotel Astor Continued from page 6

cipated women think they control the husband. They don’t. They haven’t got the time.”

Most of the male speakers were long in the tooth. Writers Long and Black were 60 and 62, respectively.

Judge Guy was 65.

The views of the burgeoning Flapper generation were echoed by Daisy Daniels, a Broadway chorus girl rehearsing for the musical Two Little Girls in Blue at George M. Cohan’s Theatre, a block south of the Astor

Hotel. She had been in the chorus of two earlier musical comedies, The Half Moon, in which Irene Dunne had her second Broadway role, and The Night Boat, in which Edna May Oliver also was in the chorus.

The only speaker to set fixed rules for marriage, Daisy Daniels enumerated hers: “They are the rules of the cho-

rus girl, and the first is, ‘Never accept a proposal from a man who doesn’t like dogs.’ The second is, ‘Beware the ‘tired businessman.’”

Justice Guy demanded to know “if in any state, savage, barbarous or civilized, anyone ever has invented anything better than marriage, which under modern conditions is better than

it ever was before.”

According to the cover of the symposium’s printed program, the theme was “Marriage Is a Success. Yes? No?” The speakers at the symposium pretty much left those questions unanswered.

selves to the study of sacred texts for the entire evening before the morning service on Shavuot. In synagogues, the biblical book of Ruth is read at the prayer services on that day.

The Book of Ruth is associated with both the harvest season and the enactment of the poor and needy.There is a Midrash, (a type of parable), that illustrates clearly the point of the Book of Ruth. Korah, the rich man asked Moses: “Moses, our teacher, it is written in the Torah, ‘do not take from the poor, since they are poor.’Who can take from the poor, since they have nothing? Moses answered him: What you should give to the poor belongs to them, what you do not give them is what you take from them.”

Secular Jews do not believe that Jewish law has divine origin, but rather evolved throughout our long history.

Our national narrative, our own, very human creation, is of prime importance to our understanding of our Jewish consciousness. The Torah and its stories represent Judaism’s development from a tribal religion into a civilization ruled by ethics, laws, and a rich body of writings.

In our Torah, as well as in so much of our Jewish literature produced throughout the ages, we find reiterated over and over the humanistic concepts of “menschlichkeit” (behaving like a decent human being), of “tikkun olam” (the struggle to create a just world), of “tzedakah” (the religious obligation to

do what is right and equitable), of the defiance of the status quo, of social justice, and of respect for the dignity of every individual.

Rabbi Sherwin Wine, founder of the Society of Humanistic Judaism says: “We are enveloped in the thick vine of tradition. We are the heirs of past events that mold our fears and hopes; we are the children of ancient suffering and joy that leave their trauma in our sense of life.The inertia of old excitement pushes the stream of culture ever onward and opens new channels of meaning for the venerable thoughts of great men and women. We are joined together in a might fellowship wit our past. The legacy of our ancestors is our legacy too.”

Shavuot is a wonderful opportunity for all Jews (and everyone else!) to enjoy the great wealth of our Jewish literary culture. Whether we are gathered together for an evening with friends studying devotional literature or whether we sit in the park with the latest book by Michael Chabon and a nice slice of New York cheesecake.

Chag Shavuot Sameach!

Robert Scott is a semi-retired book publisher and local historian. He lives in Crotonon-Hudson, N.Y.

HOUSES OF WORSHIP

Happy Shavuot

By Rabbi FRANK TAMBURELLO This Tuesday evening, May 14, and ending after sundown on Thursday, May 16, 2013, Jews celebrate the holiday of Shavuot, or the Feast of Weeks. Shavuot, commemorated seven weeks after Passover, is one of the three biblical pilgrimage festivals when Jews were obliged to travel to the Temple in Jerusalem with offerings of the first fruits of the new harvest. These fruits were given in thanksgiving to G-d, and as a means of income to support the priests and the Temple.

As with most important ancient festivals, Shavuot has a primitive agricultural origin. These “first fruits” were to be drawn specifically from seven agricultural products that figure prominently in the Bible and Mediterranean lands. They are wheat, barley, grapes, dates, figs, olives, and pomegranates.

If we visit Israel today, in fact, we will see the image of the pomegranate everywhere. The barley and wheat harvest occurred during this seven-week period, and so, among other things, offerings of two loaves of bread were presented in the Temple.

Hellenistic Jews called this festival Pentecost, Greek for “fifty days”. This holiday figures prominently in the New

Testament as well, and is celebrated (with Christian theological overtones) in many Christian churches fifty days after Easter.

Traditional Jews connect the holiday of Shavuot with the revelation of the Torah by G_d to Moses on Mount Sinai. This connection is not found in the Bible, but rather was taught by the rabbis probably in the early Middle Ages in order to mitigate associations with pagan practices.

A Jewsih legend relates that when Moses received the Torah on Mount Sinai, the entire barren mountaintop burst forth with a profusion of flowers and greenery. The reawakening of the natural world in the later spring and early summer has led to the development of the beautiful tradition of decorating the homes and the sanctuaries of synagogues and churches, especially Eastern Orthodox churches, with green branches of trees, roses, and all other types of blooming flowers and plants on Shavuot / Pentecost.

Since Shavuot occurs during the fertile spring period, animal mothers produce abundant quantities of fresh milk. So the custom of enjoying dairy dishes in honor of the “land of milk and honey” is a tasty feature of this holiday.

In the Ashkenazi (northern European) community, cheese blintzes are often served because their shape is reminiscent of the tablets of the Ten Commandments.

Traditional Jews dedicate them-

HOUSING

Somers Town Board Motions to Begin Process of Approving Boniello Development on Route 100

By RICH MONETTI On Thursday, May 9th, the Somers Town Board held the first of its two monthly meetings at the Town Hall.

As such, Boniello Land & Realty Ltd presented a zoning petition to pave the

way for a 35,000 square foot development at the intersection of Routes 100 and 202.

“You can’t build what you want unless there’s a zone change?” Councilman Richard Morrissey queried Boniello lawyer Richard O’Rourke.

O’Rouke respectfully replied, “That’s the reason for the petition!”

The first component of the proposed development amounts to multifamily housing units; each designed with a bedroom on each of the twofloored structure. “We are targeting our marketing toward active adults who are over 55,” said O’Rourke.

Continued on page 8

Rabbi Frank Tamburello is the rabbi to the Westchester Community for Humanistc Judaism congregation gather to attend services at the Community Unitarian Church, 468 Rosedale Avenue, White Plains, NY. To learn more, direct email to: info@wchj.org

WELCOME TO OUR JEWISH HUMANIST SHAVOUT EVENT With Rabbi Frank Tamburello Friday May 17, 7 PM Community Unitarian Church, 468 Rosedale Ave, WP INCLUDED IN THE EVENING Mini arts and crafts exhibit and sale Presentation honoring Jewish Humanist of the Year, the late physicist, Richard Feynman Hospitality

No charge but donations are welcome The Westchester Community for Humanistic Judaism Dimitry Turovsky, President— info@wchj.org

Page 8

THE WESTCHESTER GUARDIAN

THURSDAY, May 16, 2013

HOUSING

Somers Town Board Motions to Begin Process of Approving Boniello Development on Route 100 Continued from page 7 Given the new venue would be positioned adjacent to the senior centric Heritage Hills community, this aspect of the development is in sync with the existing demographic. “The plan calls for a state of the art memory care facility,” added O’Rourke.

Citing studies that show a tripling of Alzheimer’s cases by the year 2050, O’Rourke expressed the unfortunate facts anticipated and how the facility would come to serve the town’s needs with regard to dementia for years to come. “It will be complimentary and responsive to the population and the numbers bear that out,” noted Boni-

ello’s attorney.

The acreage will once again accommodate a grocery store that would be in closer proximity to Somers’ residents. “We know there’s a demand for that,” said O’Rourke, “in accordance with the gap that was left when the nearby Somers Town Center lost the previous food store more than a few years ago”.

The project also calls for connecting sidewalks and a realignment of the intersection between Heritage Hills, and the two shopping centers already present. Locomotion facilitated, the 100 projected jobs created will give rise to another revenue stream that all mu-

Somers Councilman Tom Garrity who made the motion to circulate the pertinent documents with respect of the Boniello Development.

nicipalities welcome these days. “Tax revenues for the town will obviously increase,” emphasized O’Rourke.

But this isn’t the first the time the town has been presented with a proposal for this particular tract of land.

“We want the entire project to be stand alone,” said principle Gus Boniello, “because previous co-applicants failed as the collaborations broke down before development could begin.”

That possibility put aside, Councilman Morrissey raised the issue of water and waste. “Heritage Hills has the capacity to cover our water and sewer issues so it’s simply a function of fees on our end,” said Boniello.

Richard Clinchy inquired as to how these domiciles will be visibly distinguishable from the community up the road. “They will mostly come in duplexes with some groupings of three,” said Boniello. “This way it has more of a village feel.”

Clinchy noted a marketing curiosity being undertaken by Boniello in promotion of the properties. Boniello advised, “People start to realize that having bedrooms on the first floor is a big deal.”

Still, he hopes it doesn’t completely limit the appeal to just one age group.

“It’s good to have some young blood in the community, too,” said the long time

Gus Boniello principle of Boniello Land & Realty Ltd.

Somers resident and developer.

As far as the issue of affordable housing is concerned, there are no plans currently encompassed for the development in that regard, the consensus being the county will have the final say toward that issue. In the meanwhile, once selected, the Boniello’s will leave the memory care issues to the experts. “We hope to find the right people and they can take it from there,” said Boniello.

O’Rourke requested circulation of the preliminary documents be undertaken among the pertinent agencies.

The Town Board eagerly complied and unanimously motioned for the process to begin.

Rich Monetti has been a freelance writer since 2003 and lives in Westchester.

Boniello’s attorney Richard O’Rourke.

CURRENT COMMENTARY

A Flexible Standard On News Ethics

By LARRY M. ELKIN If you were a news editor, would you run a story that centered on activists who posed as customers at a place of business in order to investigate claims that it was violating ethical and legal standards in its operation?

How about a story by a reporter who crashed a private gathering to learn something that common sense would have suggested most people already knew?

If you are the public editor of The New York Times, you evidently would turn up your nose at journalists who spread the story in the first case, and applaud the story produced by the journalist (who happened to be your own paper’s reporter) in the second.

Back in 2009, Clark Hoyt, who was then the Times’ public editor, examined

the level at which the Times covered – or failed to cover – the then-recent news connected to the community organizing group Acorn. A video sting caught certain Acorn workers counseling undercover activists posing as a pimp and a prostitute as to the best methods for remaining undiscovered and cheating on their taxes. The videos, which were distributed online and by Fox News, led to a chain reaction that included the Senate voting to cut all federal funding to Acorn.

Amid the debate over whether the activists were doing the work of lax journalists, Hoyt wrote, “[…] most news organizations consider such tactics unethical – The Times specifically prohibits reporters from misrepresenting themselves or making secret recordings.” He defended the Times’ decision to treat the story solely as a political one, though he did acknowledge that the paper’s news staff could have reacted more swiftly.

In contrast, Margaret Sullivan, the Times’ current public editor, recently defended reporter Eric Lipton in the wake of his decision to attend a private political event to which the press was not invited. Lipton gave only his first name when a staff member at the event asked who he was; after a few minutes, when he had already heard (and apparently secretly recorded) some of the remarks, he was asked for further identification. He then gave his full name and disclosed his affiliation with The Times, at which point he was asked to leave. Lipton later used some remarks from the event in an article about Sen. Max Baucus’ former aides who have become lobbyists.

Sullivan wrote, “What Mr. Lipton did should not become an everyday practice. But – seen in this wider context – it’s not only pretty small stuff, but also reflects some journalistic initiative that serves Times readers well.”

Is this splitting hairs? Did the re-

porter not misrepresent himself by only giving his first name when asked? Was he not deliberately representing himself as having been invited when he was not?

Was there a compelling public interest that would justify the reporter’s actions?

This raises the question of what, in fact, Lipton learned through his deception. In the pertinent section of his article, he quoted Paul Wilkins, Baucus’ chief of staff, in characterizing the money fundraised for Baucus’ (now moot) re-election campaign as allowing them to “scare off opponents.” Wilkins went on to thank the lobbyists in attendance, some who whom were Baucus’ former aides, for their support.

In short, Lipton learned that, behind closed doors, an incumbent politician wanted to raise a lot of money for re-election because it would deter potential challengers, and that his chief of staff was grateful to his campaign donors. Anyone who has spent any time at all in a capital city knows as much.

Hardly compelling.

Moreover, in the case of the Acorn

sting (or scam, depending on your perspective), the posers entered a place of business, where most of us would expect at least some contact with the outside world. The meeting Lipton attended was held at a townhouse, and was expressly closed to the public and the press. If I throw a party and leave the front door unlocked for my guests, are strangers entitled to enter and stay until someone expressly asks them to leave?

By what right?

It is perfectly fair for the public that consumes The New York Times’ journalism to wonder how the paper’s editorial decisions are reached. Is The Times ready to put cameras in the room where it holds its daily news meeting so it can stream the discussion live online? Or to turn its newsroom into the set of a reality TV series? Doubtless politicians speak differently when they have some expectation of privacy. So do journalists – and everyone else, for that matter.

Can journalistic ends justify the means? Sometimes. But the Baucus

Continued on page 10

THE WESTCHESTER GUARDIAN

THURSDAY, May 16, 2013

Page 9

CURRENT COMMENTARY A Flexible Standard On News Ethics Continued from page 8

fundraiser does not rise to the level of publishing the Pentagon Papers. And although different public editors will naturally have different interpretations of similar situations, Sullivan’s column smacks of rationalizing, rather than impartial review.

If this is the best The Times’ public editor can manage, maybe a better place to have examined Lipton’s conduct would have been the newspaper’s Ethicist column.

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.

PEOPLE

Latimer Selects Kate Bialo of Larchmont as NYS Senate Woman of Distinction ALBANY, NY -- State Senator George Latimer has selected Larchmont resident Kate Bialo, Executive Director of Furniture Sharehouse as a 2013 NYS Senate Woman of Distinction. Furniture Sharehouse provides free furniture to economically disadvantaged individuals and families living in Westchester County, giving them the basic household furnishings that enable them to rebuild their lives and live with dignity.

Furniture Sharehouse was founded through the efforts of Kate Bialo and The Junior League of Westchester on the Sound (JLWOS).

Through her work as Past President and Community Grants Coordinator for JLWOS, Kate learned of the social service community’s frustration at having furniture that their clients desperately needed slip through their fingers because no one had space to store it temporarily. So she conceived the idea of setting up a “shared warehouse” where donations could be collected and redistributed to agency clients as needed.

Furniture Sharehouse was incorporated in 2006, and, with seed money from JLWOS and a matching HUD grant from Westchester County, warehouse space was secured at the Westchester County Airport in White Plains and operations commenced in April 2007.

In accepting the award, Kate Bialo said, ‘I am honored to have been nominated by Senator Latimer as a NYS Woman of Distinction, and very pleased to have the opportunity to highlight Furniture Sharehouse, Westchester’s Furniture Bank, and its mission of providing free furniture to families in need. We are the only furniture bank in New York, and since opening in 2007, we have distributed over 32,000 items of free furniture to more than 6,200 individuals, giving them a bed to sleep on and a table to share a family meal, and other basic furniture to help them create a comfortable and stable home and rebuild

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their lives. Senator Latimer has been a friend of Furniture Sharehouse since the beginning and we appreciate his continued support and this recognition.’

Latimer praised Bialo’s work, ‘Lots of people come up with good ideas but the ones that have the drive and perseverance to turn those ideas into reality are the truly distinct members of our community and Kate certainly fits that description. I find it fitting that we are honoring her right around Mother’s Day when we salute many of our mothers for providing their families with better lives. Kate and the team of volunteers at Furniture Sharehouse have done the same thing for thousands families throughout Westchester.’

Bialo was honored in Albany on May 7th with women from the 62 other Senate districts.

During her day in Albany, she was a guest on Senator Latimer’s Public Access TV program, which can be viewed by Larchmont Residents Tuesday and Thursdays at 6 PM on Channel 77 for Cablevision subscribers and 34 for Verizon subscribers.

The Women of Distinction Event is sponsored by the NYS Senate and showcases outstanding women living and working in New York State whose contributions have greatly enriched the quality of life in their communities and beyond.

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THE WESTCHESTER GUARDIAN

THURSDAY, May 16, 2013

MUSIC

THE SOUNDS Alan Wilson “The Blind Owl” 2 CD’s Severn overdue, Alan Wilson is appropriately OFBLUE “Long compiled.” Rating: 8

By Bob Putignano

Canned Heat continues to perform till this day even though Alan Wilson has been gone for over forty years.

The cause of his death was an apparent barbiturate OD. It’s interesting to note that Wilson passed weeks before Joplin and Hendrix exited, making him part of the “27 Club” of musicians who died when they were 27. This tragic club also includes the aforementioned Wilson, Joplin and Hendrix, plus Jim Morrison, Brian Jones, Kurt Cobain, and Robert Johnson, how sad! The Heat’s classic lineup included Wilson, Bob “The Bear” Hite and Henry Vestine (both deceased,) plus the dynamic rhythm section of Larry Taylor and Fito de la Parra. Harvey Mandel also recorded and toured with the band in the early seventies and still resides in the guitar chair. Wilson had a long history in blues working with Son House back in ’65, and later with John Lee Hooker on their classic “Hooker ‘N Heat.” By the way: Wilson passed soon after this Hooker recording session, and drew praise from John Lee for his harp playing. “Hooker ‘N Heat” was recorded in LA in May, 1970 and was issued posthumously in ’71. I would have thought at least one “Hooker ‘N Heat” tune would have been included here, but there’s none. Twenty tracks are exhumed on this two CD box with

an excellent (attached to the digipak) booklet with an admirable essay from longtime producer Skip Taylor who co-produced this tribute with de la Parra.The track by track listings are also informative, but it would have been helpful if detailed musician credits were indentified for each and every tune.The two discs unearth tunes from “Canned Heat (1967,) “Boogie With Canned Heat (1968,) “Living With the Blues” (1968,) “Hallelujah” (1969,) “Future Blues” (remember the moon landing Iwo Jima cover art with the upside down American flag) from (1970,) and “Canned Heat Live in Europe (1970.)

These last two albums utilized the solid guitar work by Harvey Mandel who replaced Henry Vestine. There are also three tracks later issued on “Uncanned, The Best of Canned Heat,” and a short slide guitar passage “Alan’s Intro” from the Woodstock Festival (1969.)

Note: From the “Future Blues” liners: “Special thanks to Harvey (Mandel) for his outstanding work with Canned Heat during the absence of Henry Vestine.”

Indeed.

Disc one opens with the AM radio hit “On the Road Again” (coauthored by Floyd Jones and Wilson) is so memorable with its distinctive sitar like opening guitar intro and Alan’s unique vocal and harp playing. The Heat covers Sonny Boy Williamson and Willie Dixon’s “Help Me” which was Wilson’s vocal debut.

Horns and Dr. John are added to the swinging “An Owl Song” proving that this (then young band) wasn’t just a boogie band with one groove, Mac sparkles here too. Another smash hit “Going Up the Country” is next and shuffles along well

even though the flute player (Jim Horn who also played with the Stones and countless other major artists) goes uncredited. I didn’t recall Wilson’s “Get Off My Back” from “Hallelujah.” It’s a strong tune that swings along till Vestine chimes in with a wild guitar solo (all by himself.) Then the band joins in and this song goes off-course in a very good and weird way that eventually returns to the beginning theme, but it goes off the rails again reminding us that this was recorded in 1969! Vestine shines again on “Time Was” along with bassist Larry Taylor on this psychedelic time-warped romp. From the Heat’s timeless “Future Blues” album “Shake It and Break It” fires on all cylinders, shifts gears and adds Mandel’s distinctive guitar playing who fits in like a glove. Disc one concludes with odd instrumental “Nebulosity,” that somehow morphs into an instrumental “Rollin’ & Tumblin/Five Owls” that nicely jumps with a great harp solo with the band steadily rolling along.

Disc two opens with Alan’s short guitar solo from Woodstock.” The next three songs are taken from “Future Blues” starting with “My Time Ain’t Long” that exemplifies evidence of Wilson knowing he wouldn’t be on this planet much longer. “Skat” is killer with Dr. John back on piano with a dynamite (but un-credited horn section,) this terrific song kicks butt at high speeds, with a super Larry Taylor bass solo thrown in for good measure too, Mac rages on keys and de la Parra pounds the drums mightily. “London Blues” is a rock solid blues tune with Dr. John’s keys added and a flame-throwing Harvey Mandel firing away on lead guitar, the entire Canned Heat band is on fire here, wailing away at their best illustrating how much of a powerhouse blues band they were -wow! From their

“Live in Europe” set, the depressing “Pulling Hair Blues” plods along for far too long (9:28) Taylor takes a long bass solo but this song goes nowhere...

Walter Jacobs “Mean Old World” was recorded in ’67 but not released until 1994 on “Uncanned, Best of ” making for a good blues addition here. Also from “Uncanned” “Human Condition” was Wilson’s final studio recording.

It sadly refers to his psychiatric sessions after he unsuccessfully attempted suicide, yet the band cooks especially Taylor’s thumping bass playing, de la Parra’s smart drumming, and also features tasty guitar work from Vestine.

The compilation ends with “Childhood’s End” a short duo instrumental with Wilson playing chromatic harp over guitar.

Kudos to Skip Taylor, Fito de la Parra and Severn records for their heartfelt compilation efforts on this appropriate tribute to a (long departed) artist who deserves additional notoriety.

This project is long overdue, but thankfully we finally have it now. Enjoy!

Bob Putignano www.SoundsofBlue.com.

Now celebrating 13 + years on the air at WFDU - http://wfdu.fm. 24x7 On Demand Radio: http://wfdu.streamrewind. com/show/profile/11 WFDU’s Sounds of Blue is the most pledged to program for 5 consecutive years.

Senior Contributing Editor to: http:// www.Bluesrevue.com , http://WestchesterGuardian.com, and http://YonkersTribune.com.

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THE WESTCHESTER GUARDIAN

THURSDAY, May 16, 2013

Page 11

SPORTS: FROM THE BLEACHERS

Casey, Edna, Pearl, & Haywood (and Howie)

By JOHN F. MCMULLEN Note: the names of one or two persons have been changed to protect the guilty I’m reading “Put It In the Book!: A Half-Century of Mets Mania” (Triumph Books, 2013; ISBN: 978-1-60078-688-14) by Howie Rose, New York Mets and New York Islanders broadcaster. While Rose is best known to hockey fans for his call of “Matteau! Matteau! Matteau!” during his time as a New York Ranger announcer in the Stanley Cup Playoffs in 1994 en route to the Rangers first championship since 1940, much of the book focuses on his years as a Met fan from the first year of the team’s existence until his present tenure as the lead Mets radio announcer.

A high point of the early book is the story of the “Miracle Mets,” the 1969 team which surprised the entire baseball world by winning the pennant, the League Championship Series (against the favored Atlanta Braves), and the World Series against the heavily favored Baltimore Orioles.

-

Howie remembers that it was at 3:14PM on October 16, 1969 (he was 15 at the time) that a fly ball hit by Oriole second baseman Davey Johnson (later the manager of the 1986 Met team, the next one to win a World Series) was caught by Met left fielder Cleon Jones to end the game and the World Series.

I remember the play but not the time -- and I remember even more vividly my time after the game in the unlikely company of Casey and Edna Stengel, Pearl Bailey, New York Jets coach Weeb Eubank, Joe DiMaggio and other New York luminaries -- a time that ended with me “stealing” CBS news commentator Haywood Hale Broun’s taxicab. The company was “unlikely” because I was, for the second time during the Series, in the private club of New York Mets owner Joan Payson, a setting that I no more belonged in than in the Oval Office of the White House!

The path that brought me to that setting began just before the League Championship Series (LCS) when my neighbor and friend Bill Clarke called me and told me that he knew someone

in the Met front office and could get tickets for the LCS and, should they go on, to the World Series – “Did I want to go?” Absolutely! -- I was an officer of Dean Witter & Co., a Wall Street securities firm, located at Two Broadway in Manhattan, a few subway stops away. I hadn’t missed a day of work (other than vacations) in 5 years so I had no problem, work permitting, of going to work in the morning and leaving at noon for the game.

I went to the only LCS game played at Shea Stadium – my closest friend, Mike Ryan, a fanatic Met fan, went with us, future Hall-of-Famer Nolan Ryan pitched in relief. Bill Clarke caught a foul ball, and the Mets won (to sweep the LCS) – and it was off to the World Series!

I went to two World Series games.

I took my boss, Bob Scales, to the first one and, after the Mets won, Bob left to get back to Manhattan to start his trip to Keansburg, New Jersey. I had to go to a wake that night and the tickets that Bill had gotten for the game had Shea Stadium Diamond Club passes with them so I went off to get a hamburger

and a beer before starting my trip.

I had never been to the Diamond Club so, as I wandered around looking for it, I saw a few people, dressed as I was in a suit, go into a door on the mezzanine, and I followed them in.

I went up to the bar and ordered a beer and saw that no money was changing hands but assumed that it was part of the World Series / Diamond Club combination – that is, I assumed that until the fellow next to me asked for a light (you could smoke then in restaurants and bars in New York).

As I turned to light his cigarette, I realized that I was lighting the cigarette of Gordon McRae, who had sung the National Anthem. As I focused on that my eyes noticed two people in a discussion at the end of the bar – Joe DiMaggio and ex-Chief Justice Earl Warren – and I was sure that I was in rarified space. I immediately switched from beer to Drambuie.

I made small talk with my new friend Gordon for a while and, then, a fellow to my left who I had never seen before told me that I “looked familiar.”

When I told him that I was pretty sure that we hadn’t met, he introduced himself as Ed Williams (not his real name), saying that he was a small stockholder in the Mets. I told him that I was with

Dean Witter and Co. and he seemed to like that, probably thinking that I was an investment banker rather than the person in charge of “Computer Systems and Programming.” I talked to Ed for a while about the game and the state of the economy and, as the place thinned out, took my leave.

Two days later, on October 16th, I saw my last game of the season – the Mets were up three games to one; if they won, the Series was over; if they lost it was back to Baltimore, the site of the Mets only loss, and anything could happen. I took a Dean Witter co-worker (who was also the husband of a cousin), Bill Trust, with me and Bill Clarke brought a funny and rather erratic neighbor, Joe Doakes (not his real name) with him. When Jerry Koosman got Johnson to fly out, the Mets were World Champions and, after hooking up with a close friend, Norm Adams and a Price Waterhouse co-worker of his, Paul Filipek, I led my little band off to join Mrs. Payson’s celebration.

The guard at the door gave us a moment’s pause but he recognized me from the previous night and “we were in.” We each grabbed a drink, split up and began to mingle as celebrities drifted in. I spoke to ex-Knick star and later Continued on page 12

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THE WESTCHESTER GUARDIAN

THURSDAY, May 16, 2013

SPORTS: FROM THE BLEACHERS

Casey, Edna, Pearl, & Haywood (and Howie) Continued from page 11

New York City official greeter Bud Palmer and then Weeb Eubank before wandering over to join a conversation that Bill Trust was having with New York Daily News columnist Frank Farrell. After speaking to them for a while, I joined Norm Adams who was talking with my bar conversationalist from the other night, Ed Williams. When Norm said something about some topic, I replied “Gee, Frank Farrell just said something like that” and Williams’ ears seemed to light up – “Where’s Frank Farrell?” I answered “Over there, talking to Bill Trust” and, as an afterthought,

TECHNOLOGY

added “You know Bill, don’t you, Ed?” He replied “Oh, sure.” before marching off to join that conversation. What a phony!

The night continued and more celebrities wandered in and I sat and listened to Pearl Bailey, talked to Casey and Edna Stengel and had a conversation with the very personable “Shipwreck” Kelly who had once owned the long defunct Brooklyn Football Dodgers.

Then, a rather upset Bill Clarke came over to me to tell me that he just realized that he had lost his wallet. I suggested that he ask the security

guard whether anyone turned in a wallet and he went off to do that. After a few minutes, I saw the guard coming back to Bill where he was standing with Joe Doakes so I walked over to listen in. The guard told Bill that he had checked with other guards and no wallet had been turned in. Joe immediately interjected “I want everyone in the place searched” – a rather funny remark considering the settings – but I could tell that the guard took him seriously. As the guard turned and headed toward the president of the Mets, the staid M. Donald Grant, I moved away from these people that I suddenly no longer knew and went back to the bar from where I could see Grant asking the

guard “Who are those people? Find out!”

Shortly, Bill (Clarke) and Joe (or whatever those strangers’ names were) received directions to leave the premises.

I hung around, keeping a low profile, for a few hours, talking to many interesting people while I continued my Drambuie intake until I realized that it was after nine o’clock and time to start for home. I reluctantly left the party and went down to what turned out to be an empty Shea Stadium parking lot – with ONE taxicab sitting there. I jumped in and told him that I wanted to go to Riverdale in the Bronx only to be met with “I’m sorry, I’m waiting for Heyward Hale Broun. I was called for him.” Gathering my wits with visions

of being in Queens, NY in the dark of the night, I quickly responded “Oh, I’m sorry. I should have told you. Heyward’s doing an interview with Mayor Lindsey and Mrs. Payson and then heading back to CBS with the crew. He told me to grab the cab.”. The cabbie bought it … I got home … and I saw Broun on television about a week later so I knew that he got out of Queens.

As Howie says after a win, you can “Put It In The Book!”

“There are eight million stories in the Naked City, This has been one of them.” (from the great television series, “Naked City”)

distance” – a website, no matter where it is located, is only as far away as the distance to a computer or smartphone; “cyberspace” as physical location where more and more of the economy resides; “nanotechnology”; and other areas that will shape our future. Each of the sixtyfour topics that Hammersley selected (and I think he made excellent choices) presents challenges. I think that the author is optimistic about the future – he ends with “The Internet has shaped us and will continue to define the contours for the foreseeable future. It is us and we are it.”

If, as the author writes, “we are it,” we should be able to mold the future to our benefit – or so it seems to me.

Not so says Virtual Reality pioneer Jaron Lanier, in his new book “Who Owns The Future” (Simon & Schuster; ISBN: 978-1-4516-5496-1). Lanier lets us have it right from the beginning, writing in Chapter 1, “Maybe technology will then make the needs of life so inexpensive that it will be virtually free to live well, and no one will have to worry about money, jobs, wealth disparities, or planning for old age. I strongly doubt that neat picture would unfold. Instead, if we go on as we are, we will probably enter into a period of hyper-unemployment, and the attendant political and social chaos.”

Lanier goes on to write “The outcome of chaos is unpredictable, and we shouldn’t rely of it to design our future. The wise course is to consider in advance how we can live with a high degree of automation.” While that excerpt sounds very similar to Hammersley’s view that we must control the future, the tone of the two books is very different (Janet Maslin captures the tone of Lanier’s book very well in her New York Times review, “Fighting Words Against Big Data” -- http:// www.nytimes.com/2013/05/06/ books/who-owns-the-future-by-jaron-

lanier.html).

Lanier basis his objections to the present course we are following in his belief that technology is destroying the middle class, the group that is necessary to drive a consumer economy. He provides many examples of this – such as the recorded music industry; I quote “Musical recording was a mechanical process until it wasn’t and became a network service. At one time, a factory stamped out musical disks and trucks delivered them to retail stores where salespeople sold them.

While that system has not been completely destroyed, it is certainly more common to simply receive music over a network. There used to be a substantial middle-class population supported by the recording industry, but no more. The principal beneficiaries of the digital music business are the operators of network services that mostly give away the music in exchange for gathering data to improve those dossiers and software models of each person.”

In that paragraph, we have the crux of Lanier’s concern: Technology allows digitization and network distribution to replace mechanical processes and human work – music is only an example; he points to newsgathering and dissemination, photography, and surgery as other examples.

The replacement of the human endeavor removes wealth from the middle class and transfers it to the few who manage and control the network servers.

One of the benefits to these information handlers is the large gathering of data about consumer choices, likes, purchasing habits, web use, etc. with firms able to build individual dossiers based on such things as Amazon, Sears, Wal-Mart, Barnes & Noble, iTunes, Home Depot, etc. purchases; Facebook

“likes”, “shares”, and “friends”; News services visited and type of articles / videos read / watched; Netflix and “OnDemand” movies watched; etc. – in short anything we do on-line or use a credit card for.

This process leads to the network service providers receiving great benefit from the information furnished by consumers – who receive no remuneration for sharing their own information.

Lanier harkens back to the 1960’s vision of Ted Nelson, considered the father of “HyperText,” in which there would be a universal online market and each participant would be both a buyer and a seller with sellers receiving micropayments for any information they were willing to share. Nelson called his vision (which existed long before there was any real networking) “Xanadu.”

Lanier wants us to find some way to recapture that vision rather than see our technology destroy the middle class as he fears it is now.

Another very differing view of the future comes from K. Eric Drexler, considered the “Father of Nanotechnology,” in his book “Radical Abundance: How A Revolution in Nanotechnology Will Change Civilization” (Public Affairs; ISBN: 978-1-61039-113-9).

Nanotechnology is, quite simply, the programming at the “nanoscale” (the atomic and molecular level) to create objects or tools. Drexler, whose 1987 book “Engines of Creation: The Coming Era of Nanotechnology,” popularized the term, calls nanotechnology “a prospective technology with two key features: manufacturing using machinery based on nanoscale devices, and products built with atomic precision. These features are closely linked, because atomically precise manufacturing relies on nanoscale devices and will Continued on page 13

Comments and questions are welcome – johnmac13@gmail.com

CREATIVE DISRUPTION

Approaching the Future

By JOHN F. MCMULLEN A.M. Turing Award recipient Alan Kay’s most famous quote, “The best way to predict the future is to invent it” makes sense as an incentive to make a contribution to our technological future, it can also be taken as a caution that predicting the future is very difficult – particularly since most of us do not have the wherewithal to “invent the future.” So, then, how are we, who may have concern about what is coming, to know enough to prepare ourselves for this future?

Well, we can rely on experts in the field to predict where we are going.

Not so fast! There is more disagreement among “experts” than there is between Yankees and Mets fans. There have been a number of books brought out recently, each well written by a recognized expert in technology. Yet, there is little agreement between them, other than that we must recognize the opportunities / problems presented by the technological path and do whatever is necessary to harness technology for the benefit of all.

A good place to start in framing the questions to be analyzed is Ben Hammersley’s “Approaching The Future; 64 Things You Need To Know Now For Then” (Soft Shull Press; ISBN: 978-159376-514-9). As the title suggests, Hammersley takes us through sixtyfour technologic facets of the present, examines the history, and points out the ramifications for the future, He begins with an examination of “Moore’s Law,” the 1965 observation by Gordon Moore, co-founder of Intel, that stated

that every year (revised in 1975 to every two years) the number of components used on a microchip doubled while the price remained the same. To the layman, this means that the power of computers double every two years while remaining at the same price. (I say “to the layman” because technically this is not completely correct – but close enough!). In the same chapter, the author introduces us to the lesser known “Kryder’s Law” (named after engineer Mark Kryder) which holds that “the amount of data you can fit on a magnetic disk of a given size will double every year.”

More importantly than merely providing this information, Hammersley throws out some ramifications of these developments for the reader to “chew on”: “An eleven year old will see a sixtyfour fold increase in computing power by the time she leaves secondary education.”

“We are planning cities today that will one day hold technology more powerful than we have ever seen, smaller than we’ve ever seen, and so cheap to be almost free.”

“A career executive taking twenty years to reach upper management will be greeted by a technological landscape half a million times as powerful as the day he started.”

(Assuming the usable lifespan of a new building is 50 years) “The technology used within it as the wrecking ball is swung will be thirty million times as powerful as today.”

Heady stuff – thought provoking, I hope! – and the entire book is full of explanations and challenges. Hammersley takes us through the “rebirth of

THE WESTCHESTER GUARDIAN

TECHNOLOGY

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CREATIVE DISRUPTION

Approaching the Future Continued from page 12 also provide a way to build them.”

Drexler goes on early in the book to describe the impact of such technology: “Nanoscale parts and atomic precision together enable atomically precise manufacturing (APM), and through this technology will open the door to extraordinary improvements in the cost, range, and performance of products.” From this jumping off-point, Drexler goes on

EYE ON

THURSDAY, May 16, 2013

to explain how this technology will change everything for the better, leading to great scientific breakthroughs and a change in our perception of work.

I believe in the potential of ARM and am sure that the technology will exist, at some point, to activate the potential. I do not, however, have a good feel for the societal impact of the technology. Lanier writes (page 16) “Capitalism only works if there are enough successful people to be customers.” I agree and, without proper planning, I don’t see how Drexler’s world will provide

the robust middle class that Lanier calls for as mandatory (coincidentally, both Lanier and Drexler are on book tours and were on Leonard Lopate’s WNYC show on May 7th;; the two interviews, I think, are excellent-- http://www.wnyc.org/ shows/lopate/2013/may/07/).

So, if we can’t trust the experts to agree on the future, what can we do to prepare? I have only a few suggestions: Accept the fact that technology will cause massive changes in the way we manufacture, market, distribute, and communicate.

Further accept the fact that the changes will be disruptive and cause job loss, in some cases permanent.

Learn as much as possible about the opportunities and challenges presented by the technologies on the horizon.

Lean on elected officials to insure they have some understanding of the economic challenges that technological innovation brings.

Demand that officials have a plan to deal with these challenges.

This may be the only way that we

can “invent the future” – by insuring that we have a political and economic environment that will fairly support the benefits that technological innovations will bring.

Creative Disruption is a continuing series examining the impact of constantly accelerating technology on the world around us. These changers normally happen under our personal radar until we find that the world as we knew it is no more.

Comments and questions are welcome – johnmac13@gmail.com

THEATRE

Nikolai and Sue

By JOHN SIMON Richard Nelson’s “Nikolai and the Others” is an ambitious—probably overambitious—attempt to bring together in the spring of 1948 some of the important players in the convergence of art and politics, of America and Russian emigres, that was then afoot.

Among the play’s 18 charac-

ters are, along with the protagonist, composer Nikolai (or Nicholas, Nika, Nicky) Nabokov, Igor Stravinsky, the painter and set designer Sergey Sudeikin, the choreographer George Balanchine, the actor Vladimir Sokoloff, the conductor Serge Koussevitsky, and the women in their lives. Also some of lesser fame, including Charles “Chip” Bohlen, an American politician with particular interest in Soviet Russia; a piano teacher, Aleksi Karpov, engaged to Natasha, the first of Nabokov’s two ex-wives; and Kolya, Sudeikin’s nephew and Balanchine’s rehearsal pianist and confidant.

If reading the above makes you dizzy, you should see what experiencing them onstage does to your head. Even at 2 ½ hours it cannot fully convey what the CIA’s war on communism and support of Russian avant-garde artists, seemingly contradictory but actually strategic, was like.

Too bad for three reasons. First, the political maneuvering is hard to follow; second, that many characters involved predicates superficial treatment; third, rather too much music and ballet intrudes as a lengthy balletic interlude and frequent musical underscoring that muffles the dialogue.

For some of us, there is also the problem of the actors’ looks. Thus Stravinsky was a little man of extraordinary ugliness, such as no actor, even abetted by makeup, can readily duplicate—certainly not the tall and handsome John Glover. Sokoloff, too, was short and with the face of an old, melancholy horse, whereas John Procaccino is big and bluff. Nabokov was handsome and elegant, which Stephen Kunken, whatever his gifts, is not.

It is hard to keep in mind that Natasha, soon to be Mrs. Karpov, was once Nikolai’s wife; that Vera, now Mrs. Stravinsky, used to be Mrs. Sudeikin. It is also hard to ignore that such a starfilled country weekend never took place, as author-manipulator Nelson freely admits. He has, however, read everything conceivable by and about these people, and has shoehorned sayings and anecdotes from many years and all over into this overstuffed and still somewhat soporific weekend.

Some of the music, played expertly on the piano by Kolya (Alan Schmuckler), is from the Balanchine-Stravinsky ballet “Orpheus,” being premiered, contrary to fact, on this Connecticut farm.

Though disruptive, the long excerpt

(L-R): John Glover, John Procaccino and Stephen Kunken.

from the ballet, beautifully danced here

by Natalia Alonso as Maria Tallchief (a Balanchine wife) and Michael Rosen as Nicholas Magallanes, who created the roles of Eurydice and Orpheus.

This, put on for Nicky’s guests, is supervised and guided by Balanchine, excellently enacted by Michael Cerveris, who looks just right and even demonstrates some convincing steps to the two dancers.

The performances are commendable. Take Blair Brown’s touching Vera Sravinsky, a good ex-wife troubled by the moribund look of her former spouse, Sudeikin. Similarly fine is Havilland Morris, as Lucia Davidova, a Balanchine friend and hostess of the weekend. She also supplies charmingly to her guests a running commentary on the scene from “Orpheus” being rehearsed. Kathryn Erbe is a sterling ex-Mrs. Nabokov, still concerned for

Nicky. Betsy Aidem makes a solid Sokoloff helpmate.

Alvin Epstein shines as the old, crotchety Sudeikin, Anthony Cochrane is a Karpov convincingly worried about his refugee status, Gareth Saxe makes a cordially ominous Bohlen, and John Glover is probably more amusing than the real Stravinsky. But all the roles are well handled under David Cromer’s expert direction, with the large cast always neatly deployed, either in effective movement or evocative groupings.

Marsha Greenberg’s impressive sets adroitly dissolve into one another, and Jane Greenwood’s idiomatic costumes, like Ken Billington’s versatile lighting, function flawlessly. If only the play were more absorbing.

Sue Mengers, the sole character in John Logan’s “I’ll Eat You Last,” was one of the most powerful cinematic and theatrical superagents in Hollywood,

acquiring a prodigious list of star clients, beginning with Barbra Streisand (when she was still Barbara), who eventually, mysteriously dropped her, starting a ruinous avalanche of secessions.

But in her days of glory, this daughter of Jewish refugees was a sought after business representative, treasured dinner thrower, and wooed party guest, mordantly cynical and well captured in Logan’s short, sassy play.

Bette Midler, in a blue silk caftan does not leave the sofa on which she is enthroned, often smoking simultaneously a cigarette and a joint, one in each hand. Her talk is wonderfully foulmouthed and malicious, sparing almost no one, although she had a soft spot for one client, Ali McGraw, who left her for Steve McQueen, about whom Sue spews some choice venom.

It is hard to tell here what is Continued on page 14

Page 14

EYE ON

THE WESTCHESTER GUARDIAN

THURSDAY, May 16, 2013

THEATRE

Nikolai and Sue Continued from page 13

Menges, what Logan, but it all blends seamlessly under Joe Mantello’s snazzy direction, with Midler’s campy acting adding whole layers of farce to what is already funny enough as written.

Much of it is one-liners, beginning with her parents as butts. “My father killed himself in a Times Square hotel room, which seems redundant.” Or about her stars-only dinner parties: “All my guests have to be famous. Honey, my own mother wouldn’t get in if she was standing outside in the rain.” Or: “Honestly, Henry Kissinger is only interesting to me because he’s f**king Jill St. John.” But Elton John is “the easiest dinner guest; he’ll eat anything but

p**sy.” These were grand dinner parties partly for her own amusement, partly for making phenomenal deals over the table.

Especially droll are some of the ironic anecdotes. Thus: “Vanessa Redgrave comes over once and she’s sitting there downing glass after glass of my best Veuve Cliquot like a good Socialist, chatting about Palestine or the grape boycott or whatever the hell it is and finally I just scream, ‘Jesus Christ, Vanessa! Cut to the chase! Is Richard Harris a good f**k or not?’”

Sue even considered me important enough to take to lunch and try to talk out of scorning her then beloved Streisand. She tried to cajole me into meeting Barbra and being enchanted by her wit and charm. But charming and persuasive as Sue herself was, that was one

deal she couldn’t sweet-talk me into.

Photography by Paul Kolnik and courtesy of Philip Rinaldi Publicity©.

Lincoln Center Theater – Mitzi E. Newhouse, 150 West 65th Street, between Broadway and Amsterdam, New York, NY 10023dd to My Event List

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 JohnSimon-Uncensored.com website.

Natalie Alonso and Michael Cerveris.

WESTfoodies

Sala on Hudson Serves the Tastes and History of Spain in Every Bite

By HEZI ARIS Conveniently located in Croton-on-Hudson, Sala on Hudson is a drive worthy of your time, whether a few minutes or even an hour. The façade denies any conception of the welcoming interior. From the moment you first step into Sala on Hudson, a comfort level sets your mind at ease. Subdued sunshine tones brushed onto the stucco walls infuse one’s senses as they ever so gently direct your eyes to savor the expansive olive grove photo that hangs as the central theme testimony to the savory and pristine tastes of Spain.

Your sensibilities are heightened by an elusive anticipation and yearning of something still undefined in your mind. Even so, you are comforted by an uncanny sense of home. You are with family, or friends, or both. Con-

versation ensues. No pretense; it is easy to be oneself at Sala on Hudson. You sense the honesty, the sincerity, and the integrity in the air; and yet, the adventure of discovering Spanish cuisine still eludes you. You have been transported to Spain without the need of a passport.

The look is genuine. You are in Spain.

This is Sala on Hudson.

I went to Sala on Hudson to experience their first brunch menu, which is now served every Saturday and Sunday from 11 am – 4 pm.

Each dish is described in Spanish and further defined in English. The menu is large and inviting. Sala on Hudson is an adventure for the palate and does not disappoint. The concept of Tapas permits the adventure. Order a few dishes; allow them to tantalize your senses. Interject conversation as your palate records every flavor, aroma, and nuance. Start with the most intriguing dishes your mind can conjure; perhaps

Traditional Seafood Paella just one or two. Tapas is quickly pre- sion and even more comfort. There is pared. If you want more, the attentive no rush to depart. Then again, no one staff are there to accommodate and wants to leave and here is why. suggest. Share the dishes you ordered The food is evocative and remiwith those at the table with you. Span- niscent of being by your mother’s side ish cuisine invites friends to share the while she prepared the family meals. tastes of their discovery and the at- Helping her, embraced by her love, and mosphere lends itself to more discus- the comfort and safety she cooked and

baked into every dish she presented.

No matter your ethnicity, the infusion of fragrances, spices, and the melding of Spanish cuisine is such that it genuinely and honestly evokes tastes of familiarity from your own, albeit younger years.

I delved into this comfort food from the very start. Tortilla Española: egg, potato, and onion omelet. Honest peasant food. The egg tasted like a freshly-laid egg with the vibrant color to match, the potatoes satisfying, and the onion catapulted me into yesteryear.

I could taste the love; so will you.

Datiles: a simple marriage of dates wrapped in bacon with a toasted whole almond center. The taste is sublime; the sweetness of the date sandwiched between the crunchiness of the almond wrapped in bacon to protect the texture of the date and quickly deep fried to marry the panoply of ingredients to present themselves in one sumptuous Continued on page 15

THE WESTCHESTER GUARDIAN

THURSDAY, May 16, 2013

Page 15

WESTfoodies

Sala on Hudson Serves the Tastes and History of Spain in Every Bite

Continued from page 14

morsel. Datiles harken to the tastes of centuries long eclipsed, evolving from the culinary artistry of people and shared civilizations of the Iberian Peninsula awaiting your rediscovery of Spanish cuisine as it is today. A delightful experience for the palate and the mind.

Gambas Al Ajillo: shrimp sautéed in olive oil with garlic and guindilla peppers. The shrimps glisten as they are bathed in a pool of olive oil, standing at attention to the subtle heat of the guindilla peppers. Each ingredient adds to

the union of disparate flavors tethered so precariously and yet tantalizingly together. The entire repast adds the most important ingredient – conversation. The loquacious banter between the parties at the table learning as they explore the subtle tastes may be quietly overheard to have invaded the neighboring people at the next table. Everyone is having a good time.

Lomo Adobado: marinated pork sirloin, gruyere cheese, and piquillo peppers… a combination of tastes designed in heaven. It is that good.

Remoclachas Asados: roasted

baby beets, sheep’s milk cream cheese, and fresh horseradish. The ingredients are superb. Imagine it in your mind, but make your stomach happy from the first bite. It will delight your palate with a burst of flavors that go so well together.

A Spanish menu would be incomplete without a chicken or seafood Paella. Sala on Hudson does not disappoint in any way.

I rounded out my Spanish adventure with Madagascar vanilla bean ice cream – simple and cleansing to the palate.

Take your spouse for a delightful afternoon brunch or evening “date”.

Bring the kids to brunch after church services. Meet you friends during weekend afternoons, or for dinners at night. Sala on Hudson is a delight.

Sala on Hudson is the vision of Michael Janetta, a Pittsburgh-born American who flew to Spain to continue his college studies over two decades ago.That year of study became the catalyst that has since grown into Sala on Hudson among other restaurants that were realized from that first vision.

The tapas price points range from $5 to $14.

Sala on Hudson hours: Monday

to Wednesday, 5 to 10 pm; Thursday to Saturday, 11 am – 4 pm and 5 – 11pm; and Sunday, 11 am- 4 pm and 5 – 9 pm.

Happy Hour Daily at the bar from 5 – 7 pm; and Thursday to Saturday, 9:30 – 11 pm, half-off Tapas Sala on Hudson, authentic Spanish cuisine, 44 Maple Street, Crotonon-Hudson, NY – (914) 862-4100; http://SalaOnHudson.com Become the next restaurant featured in the WESTfoodies column.

Send me the particulars of your restaurant. Perhaps your restaurant will earn the attention of Hezi Aris, our food critic. Direct the pertinent information digitally to WHYTeditor@gmail.com

same even for the smallest of projects including irrigation systems and dog fences. If a project involves excavation, homeowners must call 811 (the Underground Utility Protection Service), three to eight days before commencement of the project, and the staff there will alert all utilities. The Village itself uses 811 services now on a regular basis as the Trustees have committed to a systemic program of sewer infrastructure location, repair, catch basin cleaning and maintenance.

By the end of summer, our entire

storm and sanitary sewer system will be digitally mapped, allowing us to respond to system problems more efficiently. In a preventive measure, we now have a standardized program to inject foam into pipes to dissolve tree roots, which are the common cause of breaks and blockages in the Village.

This spring, the Department of Public Works will be planting street trees in the public spaces throughout the Village. Kindly call our Department of Public Works at 337-7338 if

GOVERNMENTSection MAYOR Marvin’s COLUMN

GOVERNMENT

Enhancing the Village of Bronxville

By Mayor MARY C. MARVIN

The Village’s Department of Public Works is particularly busy this time of year as spring signals planting, paving and general clean-up of our Village.

An incredibly lean and hardworking team of only 13 gentlemen take care of every maintenance and beautification need in our Village. In addition, we have six gentlemen who exclusively handle the sanitation and recycling duties. In the past, this department had a complement of 23.

Our road paving effort, the largest spring/summer expense by far, is jointly bid with Eastchester and Tuckahoe and awarded to an outside contractor.

This year, we expect to spend $500,000 on curbing, paving, sidewalk and pothole repair. As point of interest, potholes, which develop during the winter months, are repaired with a temporary cold mix asphalt due to the fact that the “hot mix” is not available until the second week in April. When the “hot mix” becomes available, these repairs become permanent.

Per New York State Department of Transportation regulations, the “blacktop” we purchase is a mix of stone, petroleum, sand and 20% recycled or used blacktop. Currently, road resurfaces have a 7 to 10 year life, much shorter than just 20 years ago and most likely caused by increased traffic, and some believe the durability of the “recycled” mix.

In the recycling mode, Bronxville continues to place in the top three of the 45 municipalities in Westchester County in the percentage of our refuse that is recycled. Not only is it good environmental stewardship, but recycling translates into real financial savings. The County of Westchester charges each municipality to haul garbage to the “burn facility” in Peekskill versus recyclables which are collected gratis and resold for profit helping the County’s bottom line. The Village has ordered 500 new recycling bins to be available in approximately four weeks that can be purchased at cost for $10 per bin in the Public Works Department.

Many properties, including that of the Village and School, now use only organic products on the green spaces.

However, you will still see the little yellow flags when even organic fertilizer is applied as it can still be caustic for children and pets. Logic says there should be different color flags to differentiate between pesticides and organic matter, but the Department of Environmental Conservation has yet to come up with a new labeling system.

This winter, many residents have suffered through constant street openings, often made by Con Edison, United Water or Verizon, complete with noise, metal plates and stripes of neon paint. The speed of repair has been particularly frustrating to our Department of Public Works as excavations have remained open for months. This delay is primarily due to weather con-

ditions and the fact that in cost cutting measures, most utilities have reduced or eliminated their own construction/ repair departments and now bid out the work to independent contractors.

The unattractive (and not water soluble!) neon paint markings that accompany these repairs are required by law. Every utility must mark off all underground lines when excavation is done. Homeowners must also do the

Continued on page 16

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THE WESTCHESTER GUARDIAN

MAYOR Marvin’s COLUMN

GOVERNMENT

Enhancing the Village of Bronxville Continued from page 15

there is a need for a replacement tree near your home. In requesting a tree, please be advised that our strategic planting will eliminate the need for

THURSDAY, May 16, 2013

utilities to trim the tree in future years.

Our Department of Public Works fleet has been in the neighborhoods collecting yard waste, branches and other spring clean-up debris. After this

initial foray, we ask that you bag grass clippings throughout the summer.

Bagged grass can be picked up more often preventing the piles from emanating odors or being swept into storm sewers after a heavy rain. Our Department of Public Works staff is working

with local landscapers to change to the bag format as they must do in most other communities.

We will also be striping some streets and we ask for your patience as the work must be done on nights or weekends when traffic is lighter and

parking spaces are empty.

Thank you for your cooperation as we continue to enhance our Village.

Mary C. Marvin is the mayor of the Village of Bronxville, New York. Direct email to mayor@vobny.com.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Greenburgh’s Lack of Due Diligence Leads to the Public Dropping of the “F” Bomb

By NANCY KING Greenburgh Town Supervisor Paul Feiner and the Greenburgh Town Board continue to astound all with their handling of the WestHELP debacle.

Earlier this week the Town Board announced they were about to entere into a lease agreement with a development company known as MRH Development which was to re-hab 108 units at WestHELP in order to put them back onto the affordable housing marketplace. Richard Harris, of Greenwich, Connecticut, in his proposal to the town wrote that MRH had ten-years of experience in affordable housing re-habilitation and experience in lease agreements with The Richman Group. MRH even came to the table with a proposed payment schedule that gave the Town three options for the lease agreement; should the town pick them. Long story to the short, the town picked MRH on the spot and that is when the chaos started.

However, The Richman Group sent a letter to the Town of Greenburgh, which had not been made public until its existence was learned of on Thursday, May 9, 2013. The letter stated that The Richman Group had no relationship with MRH, and as far as

the Richman Group knew, MRH had no affordable housing experience. With just a bit more due diligence than the Town Board gave this company, The Richman Group revealed that MRH had only been in business for two years; not as they had stated, 10 years. Further, that MRH is operated out of a private home in Greenwich, Connecticut.

So what made Greenburgh go with a company that misrepresented itself?

Nobody is certain. Some conjecture its purpose was more than likely to quickly drop hot potato best known as the WestHELP property.

WestHELP, which was in operation from 2001 until 2011, was the single largest non-tax revenue producers for the Town. When it was closed, the Town of Greenburgh was obligated to maintain the property as per the original lease agreement with Westchester County, while promoting the property for affordable housing. Instead, the property was allowed to fall into disrepair and was even offered to Special Act School Ferncliff Manor as a site for their new facility. However, when that approval was denied by New York State, Greenburgh went into overdrive in an attempt to find an affordable housing development specialist who could spruce up the property for a few million dollars, come up with a rental

payment plan and market it, as not only affordable, but socially acceptable to the residents of Mayfair Acres.

MRH apparently sold the members of the board on just what they wanted to hear.They would market it as affordable housing to seniors 55-yearsold and older for rents of approximately $1,134.00 per month. That should have been red flag #1… that is not an affordable rent for a senior on a fixed income.

MRH also advised the Town they could clean up and rehab those 108 units for a sum just under $2 million.

To sweeten the pot, MRH proposed three potential rental agreements: A) $1,500,000 paid up front with $0.00 in rent for years 2 and 3 and then $500,000.00 rent in years 4 thru 18.

B) $1,500,000 paid up front with $441,176.47 paid in years 2 thru 18.

C) $3.5 million lump sum paid up front.

It was looking good for MRH and the Town until The Richman Group denied knowledge of MRH and having no involvement with MRH whatsoever. Some town residents asked questions at the Wednesday, May 8, 2013, Town Board Meeting.

When Edgemont activist Bob Bernstein approached the podium to speak, Supervisor Feiner and Councilman Morgan left the dais and subse-

quently the room. In a town that once prided itself on transparency in government, Feiner and Morgan’s conduct was a betrayal of the transparency and truth that Greenburgh espoused governed their governance. Instead, Feiner and Morgan’s departure exposed their dislike of outspoken constituents. Feiner and Morgan’s exits were simply rude and unprofessional When another outspoken critic of the Supervisor took his turn at the podium, again, the Supervisor and members of the council busied themselves with their phones and paperwork. Even people with the poorest of social mores know enough to feign attention with respect to whomever is speaking even if you don’t like what they have to say or disagree with him or her. However, when a third individual takes a peek over the dais to see what everyone is busying themselves with, he is told to “sit the f*** down” by Greenburgh Town Councilman Ken Johnson, that’s when you know the problem is even larger than what the eye can see and the brain can comprehend.

By 4 P.M., Thursday, May 9th, video of the meeting was starting to make its rounds on the Internet. A sad and sobering few moments at best, and a head shaking moment at the worst; it is testimony to the digital age where every single thing that you say and every sin-

gle action you take will more than likely end up being your DNA memorialized in cyberspace. It is also proof to the voters that those put in office, those that have been entrusted to govern us, may not have OUR best interest in mind when entering any sort of deal.

In all honesty, shame on MRH for their lying. There isn’t a thinking person in the world who doesn’t realize that this is still a shaky time for those construction companies that are still reeling from the economic collapse of a few years ago. One can only hope that the shoddy proposal and resume that they “sold” to the Town was an act of desperation to keep their business from going under. In desperation, they never figured that The Richmond Group would their bluff. A bigger shame sitsbefore the Town of Greenburgh. Due diligence is time consuming and oftentimes requires saying no to a proposal that just doesn’t “seem quite right”, no matter how much money is promised.

Perhaps the biggest disappointment of this whole mess is the fact that the Town of Greenburgh just can’t come out of the gate and apologize to its residents; not just for falling for a sham of a proposal but for telling us to close our “f****** eyes!” We’ll do it our way.

Nancy King is a freelance investigative reporter.

INVESTIGATIVE

Yonkers Water Billing Estimates May Soon Create Class Action Lawsuit

By HEZI ARIS Another Round of Documents Receive No Mitigation; Only Greater Insult The Fabio Corsi / Susan Tressler household received another inane letter from the Department of Finance and Management Services with regard to water bills that were based on estimates that have proven so outrageous vis-à-vis the actual readings exceeding usage by a factor of 4 or

3 to 1, depending on a respective year’s billing / readings. After a letter from the Corsi / Tressler household and the Yonkers Tribune more than 2 weeks ago, Corsi / Tressler received a letter from the Department of Finance and Management Services. Unfortunately, instead of solving the problem the Department of Finance and Management Services made it worse by requesting an additional payment of $153.59. Commissioner John Liszewski, presently the commissioner of Yonkers Department

of Finance and Management was the former commissioner of Department of Public Works and commissioner of the Department of Water prior to present Mayor Mike Spano. (Editor’s Note: No conflict here!)

Corsi / Tressler advise they cannot determine whether this conduct and response is plain incompetence or actual fraud.

Their story can be read as per the attached documents.

As a matter of principle, they ad-

vise they are ready to take legal action, if it comes down to that. However they still hope that someone in the administration will be capable of sorting things out.

Water bill complaint 3 - Previous Correspondence Corsi - Tressler Water bill complaint 3 - Yonkers Dept Of Finance & Management Services Letter Water bill complaint 3 - Letter Interpretation aids Besides satisfying the Corsi /

Tressler household, and recognizing this issue replicated throughout the City of Yonkers, what has happened to all the money collected? How is it accounted for? What is the accumulated sum of these over billings? Former Finance Commissioner Jim LaPerche must be made to respond ad most former Water Commissioner John Liszewski?

Yonkersites demand an accounting of this money!!!

THE WESTCHESTER GUARDIAN

THURSDAY, May 16, 2013

Page 17

LEGAL

Legal Action Against Bank of America and Wells Fargo Taken

By ERIC SCHNEIDERMAN This week, my office has taken legal action to hold two of the largest banks in the nation accountable for putting hundreds of New York homeowners at increased risk of foreclosure.

For a homeowner at risk of losing

their home, time is the greatest enemy.

Every day wasted going back and forth with the bank, re-submitting documents, and running in circles trying to get answers, is a day that they fall deeper in to debt, and edge closer to foreclosure.

That’s why the National Mortgage Settlement that my office helped to negotiate last year with Ally Financial/

GMAC, Bank of America, Citi, JPMorgan Chase and Wells Fargo included legally binding standards for how quickly these banks have to respond to applications for mortgage modifications.

But two of the banks that signed that settlement, Bank of America and Wells Fargo, flagrantly violated those standards. My office has documented

339 violations by these two banks, and Monday we announced that we will be suing them in federal court to force them to comply.

If a homeowner fails to dot an ‘i’ or cross a ‘t’, the big banks don’t cut them any slack. It’s time for these multi-billion dollar institutions to be held to the same standard as the little guy.

Check out my interview on All In

With Chris Hayes to learn more about the action we are taking to hold banks accountable to their promises, and protect New York homeowners.

his loyalty, maybe silence,� an Albany lawmaker told The Westchester Guardian.

In 2012, after the Democrats had lost control of the New York State Senate, Sampson tried to hike Rivera’s parttime salary from $80,000 to $130,000 though Sampson had just concluded issuing massive budget cuts regarding Democratic staffers. After the 62 percent raise was made public, Rivera allegedly told Sampson to back off from it.

Senator Diane Savino, one of the five Independent Democratic Committee (IDC) members said that Rivera “wasn’t worth the $80,000.�

New York City and State reports

uncovered multiple addresses and “consulting� relationships as they probed Rivera’s finances. They described Rivera as “a man so devoted to preserving his elusive persona that he rarely spoke over the phone and had shut himself off from even longstanding relationships with other operatives. He seemed to be best known for the laptop he kept tucked under his arm at all times, never permitting it to be untethered from his body.�

Throughout Rivera’s tenure, Senate staffers seemed to come and go, but mostly go. Rivera was always consulted and connected to decisions regarding all departed staffers.

Rivera was paranoid about anyone getting too close to Sampson.

Sampson couldn’t walk into a room without Rivera knowing about it.

The running joke at the Capital was that Sampson reported to Paul Rivera, not the other way around. “Sampson talked a ton of smack in his own awkward way, but when it came time to actually going through with something, and if Rivera disagreed, Sampson would suddenly reverse his decision,� said an associate.

Forget talking to the press either; that is unless the press caught Sampson in anything impromptu. Press

Eric Schneiderman is the NYS Attorney General.

THE ALBANY CORRESPONDENT

They’re Dropping Like Flies

By CARLOS GONZALEZ In times of turbulence, Paul Rivera, the tall, dark and droopy operative of Senator John Sampson (D-Brooklyn) is nowhere to be found.

Though he bolted from the NYS Senate months ago, his name continues to circulate in chuckles of chatter between current and former Democratic staffers who weigh in through ‘bochinche’ (Spanish noun meaning

“gossip�) about the recent corruption charges of an Albany lawmaker and the sentencing of another.

That’s because a federal indictment against Rivera’s former boss, Senator John Sampson, last week may explain the carrot Rivera seemed to hold over Sampson’s head for the last few years.

Insiders say Rivera knew Sampson was in trouble, or allegedly holding something over the former Democratic leaders’ head. “Sampson probably tried to reward Rivera with taxpayer dollars for

Continued on page 18

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Page 18

THE WESTCHESTER GUARDIAN

THURSDAY, May 16, 2013

THE ALBANY CORRESPONDENT

They’re Dropping Like Flies Continued from page 17

statements were usually coordinated through Paul Rivera, not by Democratic Press Secretary Mike Murphy, the puppet of Senator Michael Gianaris now “technically” working for Senator Andrea Stewart-Cousins.

Murphy was submissive to Rivera, a man who literally moved himself into Murphy’s press office.

Austin Shafran, the baby-faced former press secretary at least had the ‘cojones’ to tell Rivera to kiss off at times and wouldn’t tolerate Rivera elbowing into the tiny room that is situated in the Capital Building on the third floor.

Shafran would teach Sampson on how

to message, on policy, legislation, sometimes expressing his frustration in private about Rivera.

Shafran was aligned with Assemblywoman Shelley Mayer who also had run-ins with Rivera while she was the New York State Senate’s Counsel.

“She once told me that he creeped her out and at times she had to tell him to back off,” said a former staffer who was close with Mayer speaking about Rivera.

However, Sampson’s reluctance to get rid of Rivera is what may have been the catalyst that led to the departure of top senior staffers. Mayer split.

Shafran split. All the smart one’s split,

or they were cherry-picked away from Sampson.

And with Sampson surrounded by some pretty dumb and disloyal people; fast forward to this week.

Senator Sampson surrendered to federal agents on Monday morning, May 6, 2013, and was arraigned in Federal District Court in Brooklyn.

He pleaded not guilty to charges that included two counts of embezzlement, five counts of obstruction of justice and two counts of making false statements to the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Sampson allegedly phoned a friend to get him out of a jam. His ‘friend’ was someone who was working for the Feds, the U.S. Attorney’s office at that. Reports claim Sampson asked his friend to provide him with names

of potential witnesses that could testify against Sampson on an escrow fund scandal Sampson was trying to bury.

How dumb was that? Phone a friend working for the Feds? Wonder who signed off on that idea?

Sampson wasn’t the only news this week.

After inviting a slew of political allies into her Queens home so the FBI could secretly record them, former NY State Sen. Shirley Huntley of Queens was sentenced to one-year-and-oneday in prison for stealing $88,000 from a taxpayer-funded charity she controlled. With time off for good behavior, she could be out after 10 months.

However, the real question is the fate of Paul Rivera. Where is Paul Rivera and what are Federal authorities

doing about him, if anything?

Forget wiretaps. It’s no longer shocking for the press to report that another lawmaker has been indicted, or a legislator has been walking around with a wire. Everybody is wearing a wire in Albany: Senator Huntley, Assemblyman Nelson L. Castro from The Bronx; nobody likes corrupt politicians, but nobody is going to tolerate a rat that can’t get the goods on people deserving scrutiny either.

As far as I’m concerned, the rats need to do a better job. We’re paying taxes for crying out loud.

Carlos Gonzalez pens The Albany Correspondent column. Direct comments and inquiry to carlgonz1@gmail.com.

POLITICSSection CAMPAIGN TRAIL

Bill Nuckel to Seek the Democratic Nomination for Yonkers City Council President As a lifelong resident, 30 plus year homeowner and taxpayer, I am tired of professional politicians making decisions on how to govern Yonkers for their benefit not mine. I am seeking the Yonkers City Council Presidency because it needs a strong bi-partisan leader that can be objective and forge decisions for the entire City not just the chosen. I bring a 30-year career from corporate America and will use my financial, economic, and relationship skills to fashion a relationship with the Mayor and his staff in facing our growing budget deficit.

The City administration has been chasing a $50m shortfall for over two decades and no one in City Hall has tried to narrow that gap. If we are facing an $83m - $100m deficit today and no municipal union has had a contract since 2009 what will the deficit be tomorrow? We need to think “effectively and efficiently,” not more,

more, more or less, less, less.

I have no family in City Hall and I owe no one any favors. What I offer is honesty, hard work, and a responsibility to serve the people and taxpayers of Yonkers.

In conclusion, Bill Nuckel said, “The best way to predict the future is to create it.”

The Campaign for Yonkers City Councilman to Serve the 4th District

By BRANDON J. NEIDER I was informed a few hours ago at the Against Racism event at School 21 that I was brought up in the comments as the “Young Guy” running for the 4th District. This email isn’t meant to attack any specific party or member but is my current concerns with our local party and officials.

My name is Brandon J. Neider.

I am one of the candidates (Running Non-Party) for the 4th District in the City of Yonkers 2013. My decision of Non-Party comes after the constant bickering, backstabbing and the current two-faced politicians and party members. I believe politics should have zero to say with regard to the 4th District and representing my constituents. My decision to run myself came as early as October, and became more public over the past couple of months.

I am extremely active in the 4th District, now attending nearly every 2nd Precinct Police, Lincoln Park Taxpayers, Hyatt Association, and Local School PTSA meetings at schools such as Lincoln High and School 21 getting concerns and questions from local

families about our youth’s education. I am a member of the Youth Advisory Board for the City of Yonkers where my goal is to create jobs for our youth leaving our schools and assisting them in community service. I plan on bringing about the program at Lincoln High School and then servicing it across other schools so they may work with their respective, local businessws to create jobs for our youth. At the same time, for our elderly population in our district and around Yonkers, I gladly assist in teaching them how to use Internet services to get there experience and need for an employment out there. I assist Habitat for Humanity in any events I can with donations or manpower.

My personal self; I was born and raised in Yonkers and went through all of the 4th District Schools. School 21, Mark Twain Middle, and Lincoln High School where I completed 4 Years of Marine Corps JROTC and served as XO for the unit for 2 years.

I was entrusted with and managed the unit’s finances as early as the age of 16. I completed over 1,000 hours of community service documented in my MCJROTC Unit from local to county and state based community service actions within only 3-4 years. I take great

pride in assisting and informing the city on my district’s concerns such as roads, traffic and our parks. Visiting my website, my Facebook page, and my Twitter account shows my constant posting of pictures and video of my concerns and focus toward the City of Yonkers and showing the concerns of my district. I currently attend WCC part time for a degree in Human Services and Political Science. I also work part time at Micro Center in our local Cross County Mall.

I maintain an open door to door policy where I only hand out my personal information so that my constituents can directly contact me with any of the issues concerning the local community or the entirety of the district. I am over the next couple of weeks currently putting together a few cleanups within District 4 in cooperation with our local Girls Scouts and Boys Scouts troops. I gladly attend all Yonkers based events and speak about how youth can become active with respect to community concerns and political concerns. I am always open to sitting down and enjoying talking about the Yonkers community and anything relating to helping people out. With the Relay for Life effort coming up, I am assisting in

Continued on page 19

THE WESTCHESTER GUARDIAN

THURSDAY, May 16, 2013

Page 19

CAMPAIGN TRAIL

The Campaign for Yonkers City Councilman to Serve the 4th District Continued from page 18

getting sponsors and adding tables for additional fundraising for the Relay for Life at Lincoln High School.

My running for Yonkers City Councilman in pursuit of representing the people who reside in District 4 is to assist and have my district be truly

represented; not biased by a party or specific group. I refuse to ever let myself become associated with the current status of ignoring or becoming completely party oriented and disgraced for supporting two different people belonging to different parties. As to my response to the Democrat Party’s nominations,

well I know their names. It’s going to most likely be a three-way race, and that’s just because it’s “owing favors”; not best for our district. As for the Republican Party, I know they are backing Councilmember Dennis Shepherd for a second term. .

Truth of the matter is, I only solely

want what’s best for my district, I could care less for Party agendas. Especially over my issue with the recent district lines. I have zero interest in what the politicians of any the Partys want; I am only concerned over what my people want.

I think it would be great for a

non-Party, independent member to sit in one of those Yonkers City Council chairs for once. http://brandonneider.com

http://facebook.com/brandonjneider http://twitter.com/brandonneider

CAMPAIGN TRAIL

Can a New Rochelle Mayor Become Westchester County Executive?

By PEGGY GODFREY The Westchester County Executive race now has competing candidates; Democrat New Rochelle Mayor Noam Bramson, and incumbent Republican County Executive Rob Astorino. The significance of this contest can not be underestimated because Astorino is facing an opponent, as he did last time, who has a huge Democratic voter majority. Astorino was obviously able to convince some Democrats to vote for him. But, of course, as is true in any election year, a new opponent creates unique new challenges.

Mayor Noam Bramson has stated planning for the future of Westchester will be his major thrust. He has asserted his emphasis and focus will be to promote economic growth and to lessen the tax burden on residents. Bramson’s premise would be accomplished, for example, by making it easier for communities to share services. Investment in infrastructure is another consideration.

Unplanned growth in his view can create overcrowded roads, degradation of the environment and overburdened services. He contrasts his concepts as being in juxtaposition to the smart growth which Bramson asserts he has supported in New Rochelle. Were that so, how does Bramson’s rationalize his promotion and approval of $25 million in bonding to move the New Rochelle City Yard which may be the catalyst to lead New Rochelle toward bankruptcy.

New Rochelle residents have had many opportunities to observe Bramson’s conduct first as New Rochelle City Councilman and thereafter as New Rochelle Mayor. New Rochelle has a heavy Democratic enrollment, yet the party registration has not meant consensus or agreement of a majority of residents with respect to Bramson’s views or demeanor. The low turn-out in the last mayoral election may have been

caused by apathy, but more so, it has often been defined as frustration over Bramson’s bellicose and arrogant influence and role in is hand at governance.

In past races Democrats have been accused of using negative and disparaging personal attacks, as has Bramson with regard to his opponents. Many voters were turned off, disenfranchised from the process and recoiling from both candidates. In this race, County Executive Rob Astorino is perceived to maintain ethical and moral standards in his personal life. Not likely to find an Achilles heel there, Bramson will need to focus on some of Astorino’s accomplishments and viewpoints, finding it difficult to attack and impugn Astorino’s character. Any kind of negative campaigning will most likely center on social issues such as a woman’s right to choose and marriage equality but many voters view issues such as abortion or allowing young teenagers access to birth control pills without parental consent as extreme views. Those and like social issues are more germaine to state and national politics; not county.

Real estate taxes, which Astorino has lowered for three years in a row, will be a formidable hurdle for Bramson to

outdo with campaign rhetoric.

Recently Bramson’s reaction to a neighborhood meeting on the Echo Bay waterfront proposal sheds light on his reaction to neighborhood opposition. In years past, the East End Civic Association, the nearest neighborhood situated on the border of the Echo Bay proposed development, has given Bramson and the developer, Forest City Residential, the time to address their association. But after the recent public hearing on the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS), East End Civic Association President Beth Acocella, held a meeting to hear the views of the now, much downsized project. Bramson called the Association to complain about the meeting. Compounding this issue was the removal of the Gadsden flag on the Armory, which is adjacent to the Echo Bay Development site. Led by the United Veterans and Patriotic Association, the issue went national bringing a great deal of negative attention to Bramson charging him as anti-veteran. In that instance City Manager Chuck Stromem who originally agreed to allow the Gadsden flag to fly at the Armory site, changing his initial approval asserting a “major-

ity” of the New Rochelle City Council membership had voted to take the flag down. This, despite the fact that no New Rochelle City Council meeting had been official noted, in fact, no such meeting had been held. Bramson, as County Executive would not have the same relationship with the County Board of Legislators as he does with the City Council because he would have to be the one to initiate, approve or disapprove actions of the County Board of Legislators.

A few months ago there was a proposal to remove the Civil Service appointments for Deputy Police Commissioners to being appointed by the Police Commissioner. This meant anyone who had passed the test could be promoted. The civil service rule mandated picking from the top three candidates on the list. When all but one Democrat on the Council (Barry Fertel) voted to continue using the Civil Service appointments, Bramson told Council members, if they were not going to support the resolution to change this procedure they should get a new City Manager. Truly, as County Executive he would not be able to issue a mandate of this type to the County

Board of Legislators.

Planning for the future of Westchester may be Bramson’s stumbling block. He has envisioned “smart growth” in New Rochelle by suggesting it should be near the Intermodal Transit Center. The use of the area for urban development, commercial and housing, has been controversial as many residents do not agree with that premise. The adjacent downtown area now boasts 50-story residential buildings for which Bramson voted his support.

The LeCount Square proposal which was approved for Louis Cappelli by Bramson never came to fruition despite Bramson coercing 18 Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) that would expire to inaction by the Cappelli operation. Similarly the Target and Kohl’s stores promised for New Roc never materialized; another Cappelli project.

Other downtown sites such as Locust Avenue housing, and the Bloomingdale lot proposals were never approved.

Bramson can say he favors “smart growth” but New Rochelle downtown remains a menagerie of apartments and developments, which detract from the city’s financial wherewithall. Bramson’s environmental efforts included voting for ICLEI (the UN’s green initiative), while Astorino has withdrawn Westchester’s membership.

In the months ahead, the residents of Westchester County will have an opportunity to hear Mayor Noam Bramson’s views and to contrast them to the resume of accomplishment in office future by County Executive Rob Astorino. New Rochelle has exceeded the state’s recommended tax cap this year. As County Executive, Bramson would have to prepare the budget but his style of leadership may not be sufficient to qualify him for County Executive.

Peggy Godfrey is a freelance writer and former educator.

Page Page 26 20

EDUCATION

The Guardian THEWesTchesTer WESTCHESTER GUARDIAN

ThursdaY, 23, 2012 THURSDAY, May 16,FeBruarY 2013

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LEGAL NOTICES

Office Space AvailableMayor Spano Appoints Stephen Lopez and Judith Ramos Meier to Fill Two Vacancies on Yonkers Board of Education Board of Trustees Prime Retail - Westchester County FAMILY COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER In the Matter of ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE

Prime Location, Yorktown Heights 1,000 Sq. Ft.: $1800. Contact Wilca: 914.632.1230

YONKERS, NY -- May 10, 2013 – Mayor Mike Spano today announced Stephen Lopez and Judith Ramos Meier as his newest appointments to the Yonkers Board of Education. As trustees of the Yonkers Board of Education, Lopez and Ramos Meier will join seven other members of the Board, which is the official policy making body of the School District. The new trustee appointments come after the Board of Education recently was left with two vacancies. Their five year terms are effective immediately.

“As we work toward providing our students with the best education possible, I am proud to appoint two new members to the Board of Education with diverse educational experience,

Support, which service 1.1 million stuwho know firsthand the needsBest andLocation in Yorktown Heights dents in 1,600 schools.

Lopez has Ft. concerns within the district and who 1100 Sq. Ft. Store $3100; 1266 Sq. Ft. store $2800 and also 450 Sq. are qualified to support our Schools’ worked with New York State Division $1200.

Human Rights, the Greenburgh talented Superintendent Bernard Pier- ofStore Suitable for anysaid type ofCentral business.

Contact 914.632.1230 District andWilca: with the Yonkers orazio in his goals for our students,” Mayor Spano. “Stephen and Judith are Public Schools as a transportation ofcommitted to supporting policies and ficial where he assisted planning and a $17 million budget. programs that Aaddress prior cuts in Artsimplementing non profit Performing Center is seeking two job positions1) Direca Bachelor of Behavioral educational services and a growing tor of DevelopmentFT-mustLopez have aholds background in development or expeScience and development a Masters of entails Scienceand Or-experiEnglish languagerience learning population.” fundraising, knowledge of what Leadership from Mercy Stephen Lopez is a 20-year vet- ganizational ence working with sponsors/donors; 2) Operations Managermust have a College. eran as a school and education adgood knowledge of computers/software/ticketing systems, duties include “This ismovie a great opportunity to lobby ministrator. A Yonkers resident, Lopez overseeing all box office, concessions, staffing, day of show currently is the Director of Client Ser- serve the Yonkers community and staffing such as Merchandise seller, bar sales. Must be familiar with POS vices for the New York City Depart- work to improve the quality of educasystem and willing to organize concessions. Full time plus hours. Call (203) ment of Education where he provides tion to the levels of which we all can be and ask for Julie orproud,” Allison said Stephen Lopez. “I want direct logistical 438-5795 and technical support

HELP WANTED

for the major departments with the Division of Academics, Performance and

to thank Mayor Spano for his trust in my experience and leadership and I

SUMMONS AND INQUEST

Chelsea Thomas (d.o.b. 7/14/94), A Child Under 21 Years of Age Adjudicated to be Neglected by

Dkt Nos. NN-10514/15/16-10/12C NN-2695/96-10/12B FU No.: 22303

Tiffany Ray and Kenneth Thomas, Respondents.

NOTICE: PLACEMENT OF YOUR CHILD IN FOSTER CARE MAY RESULT IN YOU RIGHTS TO YOUR CHILD. IF YOUR CHILD STAYS IN FOSTER CARE FOR 15 OF TH 22 MONTHS, THE AGENCY MAY BE REQUIRED BY LAW TO FILE A PETITION YOUR PARENTAL RIGHTS AND COMMITMENT OF GUARDIANSHIP AND CU CHILD FOR THE PURPOSES OF ADOPTION, AND MAY FILE BEFORE THE END OF PERIOD.

UPON GOOD CAUSE, THE COURT MAY ORDER AN INVESTIGATION TO DETE ER THE NON-RESPONSENT PARENT(s) SHOULD BE CONSIDERED AS A R THE COURT DETERMINES THE CHILD SHOULD BE REMOVED FROM HIS/H COURT MAY ORDER AN INVESTIGATION TO DETERMINE WHETHER THE NO PARENT(s) SHOULD BE SUITABLE CUSTODIANS FOR THE CHILD; IF THE CHILD REMAINS IN FOSTER CARE FOR FIFTEEN OF THE MOST RECENT TWENTY-TW AGENCY MAY BE REQUIRED TO FILE A PETITION FOR TERMINATION OF PARE THE PARENT(s) AND COMMITMENT OF GUARDIANSHIP AND CUSTODY OF TH PURPOSES OF ADOPTION, EVEN IF THE PARENT(s) WERE NOT NAMED AS RE THE CHILD NEGLECT OR ABUSE PROCEEDING.

A NON-CUSTODIAL PARENT HAS THE RIGHT TO REQUEST TEMPORARY OR PE TODY OF THE CHILD AND TO SEEK ENFORCEMENT OF VISITATION RIGHTS WI

BY ORDER OF THE FAMILY COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK

TO THE ABOVE-NAMED RESPONDENT(S) WHO RESIDE(S) OR IS FOU address(es)]:

Advertising Sales Office: 914-576-1481 (10:00 AM–6:00 PM) 914-216-1674 (Cell)

Last known addresses: TIFFANY RAY: 24 Garfield Street, #3, Yonkers, NY 10701 of two and a girls’Street, basketball coach,NY look forward positively contributing Last to known addresses: KENNETH THOMAS: 24 Garfield #3, Yonkers, to the School District in the coming I’ll bring a parent’s perspective to the 10 ofofthe Family Court Act having been fil Board Trustees in making the right years.” An Order to Show Cause under Article seekingYonkers to modifyresident the placement the above-named child. s future.” for our children’ Longtime Ju- fordecisions “Stephen and Judith not only dith Ramos Meier joins of SUMMONED YOUthe AREBoard HEREBY to appear before will this Court at Yonk beNew strong forday Yonkers stu-2012 Educationlocated as an at owner a MWBE 53 So.ofBroadway, Yonkers, York,advocates on the 28th of March, dents, but also a needed (Minorityafternoon Women-Owned of said dayBusiness to answer the petition and represent to show cause whyvoice said ch Hispanic population Enterprise) business where is an ad-childfor adjudicated to be ashe neglected andour whygrowing you should not be dealt with in acc vocate forprovisions Workers Compensation andFamilycomprising of Article 10 of the Court Act. over fifty percent of our Social Security Disability Law. Ramos student body,” said Mayor Spano.

PLEASEAmerican TAKE FURTHER NOTICE, have the right are to bererepre Lopezthat andyouRamos Meier Meier is a first generation yer, and if the Court finds you are unable to pay for a lawyer, you have the right from Colombia and attended Yonkers placing two outgoing trustees, Presiassigned by the Court.

Public Schools, graduating from Saun- dent Paresh Patel and Dr. Edward Fergus, whose ders Trades & Technical HighTAKE School.

PLEASE FURTHER NOTICE, thatterms if youended fail toearlier appearthis at the noted serves above, as theaCourt will hear determine the petition as provided by law.

Ramos Meier member of andmonth.

Mayor Spano added, “I also want the Yonkers Charter Review CommisDated: January 30, 2012

BY ORDER OF THE COURT my gratitude sion and is the 2District-wide Chair- to extend column CLERK1 column OF THE COURTto Mr. Paresh person for E.L.K.S. Cerebral Palsy and Dr. Fergus for their years of service Program. She also is a member of the to the Board of Education who served National Association of Social Security our City and our students with loyalty, Representatives, National Association professionalism and distinction.”

Mayor Spano appointed Lopez of Disability Representatives and is part of the Yonkers and Westchester Coun- and Ramos Meier after he reviewed ty Bar Associations. She holds a degree recommended trustee applicants in Legal and Paralegal Studies from provided by his Education Redesign Westchester Community College.

Team, which acts as a blue ribbon panel “I am honored to be appointed and looks to recommend innovative

by Mayor Spano as one of the newest reforms Legal to theNotices, Yonkers Public School trusteesLegal to theNotices, Board ofAdvertise Education,” Today system.Advertise Today said Judith Ramos Meier. “As a product of Yonkers Public Schools, a mother

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THE WESTCHESTER GUARDIAN

NEW YORK

CIVIC

Crossing the Line

Crime Wave in Legislature or Just Better Prosecutors?

By HENRY STERN That is a question that can reasonably be asked in view of the current spate of indictments, trials and convictions of elected public officials, primarily state legislators. The increasing number of prosecutions, however, is not just today’s news. In the last seven years, 32 state level officials have been the subject of criminal proceedings. The ratio of defendants to the entire population of the legislature is comparable to street criminality in some neighborhoods.

Why? Does the field of public service have a particular attraction for white collar criminals?

Or do ordinary men and women, previously presumably honorable, succumb to temptation when substantial public funds are available for them to spend or allocate without their having to carry guns or commit crimes of violence?

Another issue that arises in these cases is the question of just what conduct is criminal. There is a red line defining criminal behavior which some legislators cross; others try to get as close to the line as they can without crossing it. But calculations as to the exact locus of the line may be erroneous, or simply viewed differently by different prosecutors or judges. The closer one drives to the cliff, they greater the likelihood of slipping off it.

A third area of concern is with the effect of influence.

Many people in the larger community get jobs and promotions because of their real or perceived influence in generating business for their prospective employers.

Some politicians hire themselves out as lawyers or agents for clients who wish to do business with the government, directly or through subsidiaries or relationships.

The late Assemblyman Anthony Seminerio once said that he read the newspapers and learned of people he knew, in and out of public life, receiving substantial fees for work that he performed free of charge as constituent service. That was why he set himself up in business as a ‘consultant.’ He

helped his clients get contracts with state and local agencies in and around his district and received substantial payments for his efforts.

There is an old saying in politics, sometimes attributed to former Governor Alfred E. Smith, which tells us that having a law degree means that you can take a bribe and call it a fee. There is some, but not complete, truth in that observation. The dual role of a lawyer-legislator is in decline today as more legislatures go fulltime. The old order, however, continues to flourish in the Empire State.

In these transactions the question arises as to what extent that exchange of favors is criminal. It could be called bribery, and most of it probably is. However, the higher one rises on the political food chain, the less likely it is for such reciprocal benefits to be considered as crimes.

United States Senators and Representatives are presumed to represent the economic interests of their district. Their success in this area is considered a measure of their political effectiveness. Seniority is advertised as a reason to re-elect public officials, lest their districts lose the benefit of the influence gained by their lengthy service.

Bribery is not a crime whose boundaries are precise. Although it is usually clear what is bribery and what is not, there are fact situations in which one party conveys benefits on another which may or may not be criminal. Sometimes the determinations rest on the skills of opposing counsel. An effective and publicly honored District Attorney may be more likely to secure convictions than a weak prosecutor. The data revealing substantially lower conviction rates in Bronx County compared with other counties in NYC indicate that prosecutorial skill is one element in measuring the effectiveness of fighting crime.

Federal courts have higher conviction rates than state or local courts. This may be because more serious crimes are tried by federal judges, or it may be that federal prosecutors are better trained,

more competent and more effective than their local counterparts.

The durable adage “Don’t make a federal case out of it”, indicates the public awareness of the greater severity of those cases. There are many reasons that crime rates are higher or lower at different times for different courts. Nonetheless important in a civilized, law abiding society is that a criminal, whether street or white collar should be diligently and competently prosecuted.

The importance of the position of District Attorney is shown by the fact that in all five boroughs in the city the position is elective, rather than appointive. In the Federal system the US Attorneys are appointed by the President, usually on the recommendations of the Senators of that state, and are employees of the Department of Justice. This enables the President to use the Justice Department to achieve his programmatic goals.

Elected officials are expected to devote some of their time and energy to promoting the economic interests of their districts. Campaign contributions are a measure of their success in this area. They also have a role in inducing Federal spending in their districts. It was said by Mendel Rivers, former Representative from South Carolina, that if another military base was put in his district, it would sink.

The question arises as to whether public officials are more corrupt than they were years ago, or whether criminal behavior is now being defined more broadly to include transactions which might in earlier days have been considered unsavory but not criminal.

This is true on Wall Street.

Cases involving insider trading, in which one party to a trade, because of his position, has access to information not available to the public. Insider trading can, and occasionally is, punished by prison sentences. This is as it should be.

If any one person deserves credit for the increased activity of the Federal government in procesuting white collar crime, it is Preet Bharara, US Attorney for the Southern District of New York.

Henry J. Stern is the founder and president of New York Civic.

THURSDAY, May 16, 2013

Page 21

Page 22

THE WESTCHESTER GUARDIAN Page 26

Notice of Formation of ZANICK Five, LLC a domestic Limited Liability Company (LLC). Articles of Organization filed with Secretary of State of NY on 3/22/2013. NY office location: WESTCHESTER County.

Secy. of State is designated as agent upon whom process against the LLC may be served. Secy. of State shall mail a copy of any process against the LLC served upon him/her to DACK Consulting Solutions, 2 William St., Suite 202 White Plains, NY 10601. Purpose: To engage in any lawful act or activity.

311 COSTER STREET ASSOCIATES LLC Articles of Org. filed NY Sec. of State (SSNY) 4/19/13. Office in Westchester Co. SSNY design. Agent of LLC upon whom process may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of process to Marc D. Pogostin P.C. 305 North Ave 1st FL New Rochelle, NY 10801. Purpose: Any lawful activity.

SEAVEST INVESTMENT GROUP, LLC Authority filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 4/8/13. Office location: Westchester Co. LLC formed in Delaware (DE) on 2/20/13 SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to The LLC 707 Westchester Ave White Plains, NY 10604. DE address of LLC:1209 Orange ST Wilmington, DE 19801. Arts. Of Org. filed with DE Secy. of State, PO Box 898 Dover, DE 19903. Purpose: any lawful activity.

LUREA MURPHY ARTIST MANAGEMENT LLC Articles of Org. filed NY Sec. of State (SSNY) 2/5/13. Office in Westchester Co. SSNY design. Agent of LLC upon whom process may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of process to The LLC 12 Robin St. Ossining, NY 10562. Purpose: Any lawful activity. Registered Agent: Lurea Murphy 12 Robin St. Ossining, NY 10562.

CLASSIFIED ADS Office Space AvailablePrime Location, Yorktown Heights 1,000 Sq. Ft.: $1800. Contact Wilca: 914.632.1230

Prime Retail Westchester County Best Location in Yorktown Heights 1100 Sq. Ft. Store $3100; 1266 Sq. Ft. store $2800 and 450 Sq. Ft. Store $1200.

CORNAFEAN, LLC Articles of Org. filed NY Sec. of State (SSNY) 3/14/13. Office in Westchester Co. SSNY design. Agent of LLC upon whom process may be served.

SSNY shall mail copy of process to The LLC 11 Cooper St. Yonkers, NY 10704.

Purpose: Any lawful activity.

Notice of Formation of Taconic Global, LLC Arts. Of Org. filed with the SSNY on 03/28/2013. Office location: Westchester Co. SSNY has been designated at agent upon process against it may be served. SSNY may mail process to: The LLC, 3506 Katrina Dr. Yorktown, NY 10598.

Purpose: Any lawful purpose.

MSA WHITE PLAINS ROAD LLC Articles of Org. filed NY Sec. of State (SSNY) 3/28/13. Office in Westchester Co. SSNY design. Agent of LLC upon whom process may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of process to The LLC 2958 3rd Ave Bronx, NY 10455. Purpose: Any lawful activity.

THURSDAY, May 16, 2013

LE G A L A D S The WesTchesTer Guardian

ThursdaY, FeBruarY 23, 2012

CLASSIFIED ADS Office Space Available-

Prime Location, STRIGIFORME LLC Articles of Yorktown Org.Heightsfiled 1,000 Sq. Ft.: $1800. Contact Wilca: 914.632.1230 NY Sec. of State (SSNY)Prime 3/13/13.

Office Retail - Westchester County in Best Location in Yorktown Heights Westchester Co. SSNY ofSq. Ft. 1100 Sq. Ft.design.

Store $3100; 1266 Sq. Ft.Agent store $2800 and 450 Store $1200.

LLC upon whom process beContact served.

Suitable for anymay type of business.

Wilca: 914.632.1230 SSNY shall mail copy of process to C/O HELP WANTED United States Corporation Agents, Inc. 7014 13th Ave Ste. 202 Brooklyn, NY 11228. Purpose: Any lawful activity. Registered Agent: United States Corporation Agents, Inc. 7014 13th Ave Ste. 202 Brooklyn, NY 11228.

A non profit Performing Arts Center is seeking two job positions- 1) Director of Development- FT-must have a background in development or experience fundraising, knowledge of what development entails and experience 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

LEGAL NOTICES FAMILY COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER In the Matter of ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE

Index No. 13697/11 Date Filed: 08/22/2011 Re-Filed: SUPPLEMENTAL SUMMONS SUMMONS AND INQUEST NOTICE

Chelsea Thomas (d.o.b. 7/14/94), A Child Under 21 Years of Age

Dkt Nos. NN-10514/15/16-10/12C

Adjudicated to be Neglected by

NN-2695/96-10/12B FU No.: 22303

Tiffany Ray and Kenneth Thomas, Respondents.

X NOTICE: PLACEMENT OF YOUR CHILD IN FOSTER CARE MAY RESULT IN YOUR LOSS OF YOUR RIGHTS TO YOUR CHILD. IF YOUR CHILD STAYS IN FOSTER CARE FOR 15 OF THE MOST RECENT 22 MONTHS, THE AGENCY MAY BE REQUIRED BY LAW TO FILE A PETITION TO TERMINATE 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.

SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER CITIMORTGAGE, INC.,

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 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 THE CHILD NEGLECT OR ABUSE PROCEEDING.

Against Plaintiff,

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.

DAVID RIGAUD, NATHALIE RIGAUD, if they are living and if they are dead, the respective heirs-at-law, next-of-kin, distributes, executors, administrators, trustees, devisees, legatees, assignees, lienors, creditors and successors in interest and generally all persons having or claiming under, by or through said defendant who may be deceased, by purchase, inheritance, lien or inheritance, lien or otherwise any right, title or interest in or the real property described in the complaint, CITIBANK, N.A., THE NEW YORK STATE Get Get Noticed Noticed DEPARTMENT OF TAXATION AND FINANCE, UNITED 914-562-0834 STATES OF AMERICA-INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICES,

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

2 column

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To the above-named defendants: T. 914.948.0044 YOU ARE HEREBY SUMMONED to answer the complaint in this action and to serve F. 914.686.4873 a copy175ofM your answer, or, S S 711-7 •W P NY 10601if the complaint is not served with this summons, to serve a notice of appearance, on the plaintiff’s attorneys within twenty (20) days after the service of this summons, exclusive of the day of service (or within thirty (30) days after the service is complete if this summons is not personally delivered to you within the State of New York) or within (60) days after service of this summons if it is the United States of America; and in case of your failure to appear or answer, judgment will be taken against you by default for the relief demanded in the complaint.

Criminal, Medicaid, Medicare Fraud, White-Collar Crime & Health Care Prosecutions.

AIN T., UITE

HITE LAINS,

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 filling 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. TO THE ABOVE NAMED DEFENDANTS. The foregoing Summons is served upon you by publication to Order of the Hon. William I. Giacomo, a Justice of the Supreme Court, Westchester County, dated Feb. 22, 2013 and filed with the complaint and other papers in the Westchester County Clerk’s Office.

NOTICE OF NATURE OF ACTION AND RELIEF SOUGHT This is an action to foreclose a first mortgage lien on the premises described herein.

The object of the above captioned action is to foreclose a Mortgage to secure $860,000.00 and interest, recorded in the Office of the County Clerk of Westchester County on January 14, 2005 in Liber 20956, Page 771, which mortgage was assigned to CITIMORTGAGE, INC. by assignment of mortgage dated April 30, 2010 which was recorded in the Office of the County Clerk of Westchester County on May 13, 2010 in Liber 21947, Page 500, covering premises known as 77 Elk Avenue, New Rochelle, in the County of Westchester and State of New York (SECTION 6, BLOCK 2004, LOT 80).

The relief sought in the within action is final judgment directing the sale of the premises described above. The Plaintiff also seeks a deficiency judgment against the Defendant, DAVID RIGUARD, for any debt secured by said Mortgage which is not satisfied by the proceed of the sale of said premises, unless discharged in bankruptcy.

Dated: Elmsford, New York April 10, 2013

Knuckles, Komosinsli & Elliott, LLP

Karen B. Olsen. Esq.

565 Taxter Road, Suite 590 Elmsford, NY 10523 (914)345-3020 -#82615

THE WESTCHESTER GUARDIAN

THURSDAY, May 16, 2013

Page 23

POWER

If Only We Could Burn It Down

By BOB MARRONE I read the news today, oh boy, about a lucky man who made the grade. He blew his job and lost his way; I saw the photograph today. The prosecutor says he’ll pay; when he gets out he’ll be all gray. But then again he is but one; indeed he’s just another one, who took the gold without a gun (allegedly). They say John Sampson is his name; he tried to play the upstate game, and now he’s turned up caught and lame; it really is a bloody shame; you know he’s not the only one.

My thanks to the Beatles, whose cadence and meter we credit for rhythm of the first paragraph. The words, most of them anyway, are mine. And so it is that yet another New York State legislator is accused of wrongdoing.

To say that I was naive when I began to do hard news several years ago would be like saying Kim Khar-

dashian has grown a bit plump since the conception of her daddy’s baby.

I wasn’t so new off the pickle boat; I did not think there was no corruption at all. But what I did not accept was that elective office, particularly here in New York State, was a license to steal and extort, both legally and illegally.

The clearly illegal stuff makes the news. John Sampson, Nick Spano, Joe Bruno, Alan Hevesi, Zehy Jeries, Sandy Annabi, just to name a very few, make the front pages. But some of the stuff that doesn’t, the legal though despicable stuff, is equally troublesome.

Several years ago when Republican Nick Spano was voted out of the State Senate in favor of current senator, Democrat Andrea StewartCousins, I have it on good authority that the aforementioned senate leader, Bruno, withheld some $25 million dollars that the perpetually cash strapped City of Yonkers needed; this was his way punish the voters

Yonkers. Nice, Joe. To hell with the reason; you were elected. To hell with the people you had sworn to serve.

It was for Bruno, and far too many others in Albany, all about them and their party. Keep in mind, this stuff does not even make it in to the papers because it is the way things are done.

The governor himself is not beyond this petty schoolyard stuff. For example, there were Democrats who ran in the last election who did not vote for various measures that Andrew Cuomo wanted passed when he took office; such as the tax cap. The governor would not even give those candidates token support. Now read extra closely: I cannot even mention names because to do so would get them in still more hot water with his alleged vindictiveness, and further lessen one’s power as a voter, as well as the ability of your representative to vote his or her conscious on your behalf. To be fair, overall, Cuomo is doing a nice job. In his mind, he is playing the game required when we

voters pay so little attention to the goings on upstate and in our communities.

Down in New York City, word has it the Anthony Wiener is running for mayor so he can get his claws... legally... on his campaign funds. It just does not end.

We have created a system whereby elective office is a means to riches both legal and not. Fake medical agencies, fraudulent foundations, tips and inside information about investments, payoffs, bribes, kickbacks and financial security, are all there for the taking. Yes, you read it right, a certain degree of financial security. They get better healthcare and pensions than you do, despite having to work much less hard and, usually, for much shorter periods. We have given them careers that most of these people could not have achieved in the private sector. What is worse, we have given them careers in which the pretext of their work is that they are doing our business. Oh, and the money: The money they use, the very electricity that drives their power, is yours. To them it’s other people’s or

the government’s money, but keep in mind, it is your money.

Dear reader, it is time to get good and angry.

When the founding fathers created our system of government they gave more than lip service to the notion that we should be prepared to revolt when the powers that be no longer serve our interests. They might have made the mistake, however, of believing that we, the citizens, would stay informed and involved enough to challenge existing institutions.

Albany is a laughing stock. Everyday there is another arrest or another political cartoon. Too many elected officials are going to the other “upstate.”

Here is hoping that those elected officials of character will rise up to do something about it. But they can only do so if we support them and vote for them and fund them in the face of withering onslaughts of money, and political slander. We either do that, or find a way to just burn the whole thing down and start over.

Bob Marrone is an author and freelance writer for The Westchester Guardian.

Page 24

THE WESTCHESTER GUARDIAN

THURSDAY, May 16, 2013

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