Why would Elliot Spitzer endorse a candidate who is described consistently in the press as “ the confidante of a convicted felon” or “a close friend of the County Leader who was convicted of felony corruption.?” Almost every day , one newspaper or the other virtually raises that question as it reports on Carl Andrews and his congressional candidacy.

Two excerpts from articles in just the last few days:

From Celeste Katz, Daily News reporter, June 19: “Self-styled reformer and gubernatorial front-runner Eliot Spitzer is going to bat today for a congressional candidate with close ties to convicted former Brooklyn Democratic boss Clarence Norman.”

While New York City tabloids have had fun coming up with clever headlines to decry the steep decline in homeland security funding under a new "threat-based" formula, Buffalo's one paper has been a touch more subdued. People here are somewhat more numb to bad news, perhaps.

Today's headline:  "Terror threat assessment of region may now consider border" 

May?!

WNY's homeland security funds dropped from $10 million in 2005 to $3 million in 2006 as a result of a threat reassessment that saw the region plunge from 25th to 46th out of 46 urban areas. 

The Wall St. Journal has a web site called Opinion Journal’s Political Diary. It’s a pretty interesting combination of opinions & political rundowns, with the Journal’s political biases.

The site is not usually free but they are offering a free two-week trial.

But sometimes you get what you pay for.

From the June 21^st Political Diary –

Marylanders opposed to the state's new Early Voting law reached a milestone this week with enough petition signatures to bring a November referendum into the realm of possibility. Not a happy omen for the state's heavily Democratic legislature and its most blatant effort yet to club Republican Governor Robert Ehrlich.

Buried in today's Page Six:

[Sources say he's [Bill Clinton] worried Mayor Bloomberg will run for president as a third-party candidate, spending $300 million of his fortune, and draw enough votes away from presumptive Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton to elect the Republican candidate.] 

DHS Secretary Michael Chertoff participates in a 10:00 am ET panel sponsored by the Heritage Foundation: "'24' and America's Image in Fighting Terrorism: Fact, Fiction or Does it Matter?" The three "24" cast members who are expected to participate: Mary Lynn Rajskub (Chloe O'Brian), Carlos Bernard (Tony Almeida), and Gregory Itzin (President Charles Logan). Rush Limbaugh takes the day off from the radio show to moderate.

A quick look at how Brooklynites (by zip) are voting with their wallets in the race to replace Congressman Owens.

 

Data: OpenSecrets.org

Steve Dunleavy, picks up where I left off, taking it to the Hamptons Jitney crew in today's NY Post.

Of the Department of Homeland Security, Dunleavy says:

[...the moron in Bonehead Security in Washington who signed off on this should have a nice studio apartment for the rest of his life in the psychiatric unit of Bellevue Hospital.

What kind of a crazy, knucklehead message is that for a country that still grieves?]

With Rock and Gate firmly ensconced, I'm certain there's little more I can add to the world of Brooklyn politics - especially to all that is the wacky 11th.

But, do allow me to throw into the mix a few facts about the numbers - since, usually, they don't lie (though in Brooklyn....???).

Clearly, David Yassky wins hands down as the Megabuxster of this race; meaning, lots 'o big money and big interests in tow. What follows is the average size of each candidate's itemized contributions (those over $200).

Yassky, $829

Andrews, $735

Clarke, $617

Owens, $589

The extent to which certain industries dangle Yassky's purse strings is not insignificant. According to the Center for Responsive Politics, the Finance/Insurance/Real Estate and the Legal/Lobby industries combined own nearly 25% of Yassky Corp ... a staggering amount (if you ask me).

With racial and religious fires being kindled all over the globe, there may not be much left for destruction by the time the massive icebergs do the Al Gore thing.  When man supersedes God(or Nature) and decides that his fellow-man should be exterminated, it may signal that  the impending melt-down of the frozen poles will tilt the planet and send it spinning out of orbit for a fiery cleansing.  The true Armageddon.

New York City is a microcosm of this civilized but unruly world.  And since Brooklyn has become the political toilet-bowl of  New York City, it should come as no shock when differences between racial and ethnic groups flare up in the Borough.

New York Legislature honors Pat Riley as homegrown star

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) _ The Miami Heat's Pat Riley was honored Wednesday by the New York Assembly as a homegrown New York star a day after he won his fifth NBA championship as head coach.

"I fondly remember the days many years ago, playing basketball with Pat, and working basketball summer camps with him," said Assembly Minority Leader James Tedisco, who grew up in Schenectady with Riley.

Riley was a basketball and football star at Schenectady's Linton High School. With Riley, "The state of New York and its citizens," reads the proclamation, "offer good wishes, admiration and congratulations."

Today was supposed to be a good day.  It's the kids' last day of school, a half day, and I took the day off to enjoy it with them.  But I just looked at the New York Times online, and saw a nightmare.

By accident, as a result of the failure of the "big three" to agree how to divide the spoils, this budget was going to be the least bad of the Pataki Administration.  There was no additional state aid to allow over-funded school districts in the rest of the state to spend even more, and pass the check to the city's children and taxpayers.  There was a reduction in the spending increase for New York City's greedy, Medicaid-financed health care providers.  There was even a few capital nickels for New York City's ripped off children.  But according to the Times it won't happen that way.

Why does the NYPD let businesses use its name for free? Even now--after 9-11, when just today Mayor Bloomberg appeared in Washington for more funds?

I was adding to my NYC-dictionary blog's "pizza" entry. There's an interesting, newly digitized article from 1902 about there being no "pizza" anywhere in New York! By 1905 and 1908, "pizza" had arrived in New York to Spring and Mulberry Streets. Today, "New York pizza" is famous throughout the world.

Various companies and organizations guard their trademarks vigorously. McDonald's will go after anything named McDonald--even if that's your name. The MTA recently went after a bagel place in Brooklyn that was named after a subway line. NYC Marketing trademarked "World's Second Home."

As another dismal session of the NY State Legislature comes to an end, it's time to look way back in history to .............. April! 

On April 25, Senate Dem Leader David Paterson announced a deal that he made with Majority Leader Joe Bruno regarding "member items" or as civilians call it - pork.

Part of the deal stated - "For this year, Senator Bruno has committed himself to making a full disclosure of member items according to the criteria described above on or before May 15."

It's now June 20. I don't recall seeing any press reports listing the full disclosure, does anybody else?