With a weak economy, unemployment close to 10%, even more people underemployed and our everyday expenses costing us more and more, we need to find ways to stretch our heard earned dollars every way we can. One of the easiest ways to do this is by sitting down at a computer connected to the internet.

Council member David Weprin(Queens) calls for a "crackdown on abuses" after The Post reported that more than seven in 10 firefighters have been retiring on disability pensions, costing cash-strapped New York nearly $1 billion a year.  What about crackdown on the carriage industry that overcharges tourists?

Council Member David Weprin is pushing for a bill that not only increase the carriage drivers' rates from 34 for 1/2 hour to 54 for 1/2 hour even though the national average hourly rate is under 19 dollars per U.S. dept of Labor. Also it will remove oversight from the the ASPCA since it spoke against the industry but the ASPCA did it job and spoke against the cruelty and inhumane conditions.

Named after one of New York's great runners, the Spitz List presents a running list of people rumored, blogged or reported to be running for Queens Borough President in 2009 with some suggested camaign slogans.  Click through for the full running lineup.

Leroy Comrie: I'm big among middle-class backs and...I'm just big

John Liu: 1.3 Billion Chinese Supprters Can't Be Wrong!

It's been a tough week for Republicrat Morshed Alam, who is Democrat Rory Lancman's opponent for the open 25th District State Assembly seat in Queens. First, he got caught using a non-union printer for his lit and posters, even though the lit in question touts his being a DC37 member and claims he "Supports labor's right to organize and for their members to be treated with dignity and respect." I guess that doesn't apply to workers in the printing trade. Then the New York Observer caught him fabricating endorsements. The reporter's conversation with Councilman Leroy Comrie is particularly funny ("He's been calling me and begging me and calling me and asking me and calling me and asking me."). Then the Queens Tribune outed Alam as also running on the Republican line (understandably, Alam was "reluctant" to discuss his Republican endorsement). And finally Alam's campaign finance filing showed him with barely $14,000 on hand. (Rory Lancman filed with over $78,000 on hand). Like I said, it's been a tough week for Morshed.

It is surprising to me that this story has not really taken on more life.  State Senator Ada Smith was censured by the Senate and has lost those coveted "perks" that she had as a person in the Senate leadership.

The interesting part involves the Queens County Organization and its minions.  For so long, they have supported Smith and her antics, and have turned a deaf ear to those who were crying for change.  It begs the question - where is Denny Farrell, Thomas Manton, Gregory Meeks, Floyd Flake, the labor community and others?

Could it be that those involved enjoy having her around, or simply, they could care less about the community and progressive, sane leadership?