Thursday, March 22, 2018

We had an election in the Village on Tuesday. Bob and I were running for our second terms. No one filed petitions to be on the ballot, so it was a big relief that it was an uncontested race. We didn't do a lot of campaigning as a result, although we did have 100 brochures printed and bought 100 buttons.

Then on Friday, we leaned that there was a secret write-in campaign for Mayor by the former mayor (whom Bob beat in 2016) going on. It's silly to think that a secret like that could be kept, and it wasn't. But the clock was ticking. The strategy was clearly low turn-out -- the only way he could win was if few people voted except his organized supporters, and it was a safe assumption that turn out would be low, as it always is in an uncontested year. I am not sure if he was aware the No Bob, No Gina - No Gina, No Bob policy was in force again (meaning I would have declined the seat if Bob didn't win). It is quite possible he didn't care, and hoped his strategy would knock us both off the board.

Some say his tactics were clever and smart. I say they may have been legal, but they were not moral or ethical. And they didn't work, of course. We got our strong network alerted, I printed 700 flyers on my marvelous printer, and Bob kicked his you know what. How did he think he could ever beat Bob? He must be living in an alternate galaxy.

What is appalling to me is not his vindictiveness, which comes as no surprise at all. It's that the people who did write in did not care that he has no platform. No plan. And did very little during the six years he was in office. I guess the supporters are either stupid, are comfortable with a decaying village, he made empty promises, or they share his bad character. Sad any way you slice it.

Final thought, why would you want to win that way? Our slumbering supporters would have been furious. He would have faced open revolt -- lucky for him he can now crawl back into a dark corner like all sneaky creatures.

Thursday, March 15, 2018

I'm not a big fan of walking out of class at any time, and when college students have done it to demonstrate over an issue (usually rising tuition) I have not been pleased, but I do appreciate the political and speech aspect of protest and I like student initiative. If I was a guide for the walk out participants, I would have advised them to ask teachers to have a lesson related to the issue (varying based on subject) and organize a mass demonstration on the weekend or evening. I hate to be cynical, but I will. It's easier to ask students to join if academic time rather than personal time is being sacrificed.

Tuesday, March 06, 2018

I had the 16th anniversary of this blog last week.

So far this March really is coming in like a lion. Why is it when we are getting a nor'easter or have lost electricity, all the a-holes (many of whom have retired south with their public sector pensions that us northern tax payers funded) chime in on social media to gloat about the weather in Florida.

I have never seen a northerner make a snarky comment when they have a hurricane and their houses have been destroyed. I feel like writing this when I see their insensitive remarks, with a parting shot of "good riddance to you, please don't come back even for a visit" but of course I never would.

Uncle Buddy died! :-( Here is his obituary.