Tricounty DFA Update: Sweeney Drunk At Union College, Film Canceled, Meetup Next Week: Windpower, Ballot Machines Today
1. Sweeney Photo'd Drunk At Union Frat Party (Really)
2. Film Canceled At Rockhill
3. Meetup Next Week: Windpower presentation, more
4. Vigil Saturday
5. Hear Spitzer Saturday Night
6. Ballot Machine Report

1. Sweeney Photo'd Drunk At Union Frat Party (Really)

Okay. First: I AM NOT MAKING THIS UP!!!

On the Times Union Capitol Blog tonight is a report, with pictures, of Rep. John Sweeney at a Union College fraternity party last Saturday. The pictures of an obviously drunk Sweeney were taken at 1am according to a report in the Union College newspaper. There are five pictures of Sweeney posing with students. According to the TU, "Tomlin described Sweeney in print as “acting openly intoxicated.” He told me the congressman was “very loud and cursing,” and also slurring his words while trying to discuss policy with the students." There were other confirming reports. Here's the link:
http://blogs.timesunion.com/capitol/?p=983#comments

As Mark Twain said (and this is my favorite), "Why shouldn't truth be stranger than fiction? Fiction has to stick to the possibilities." Who could make this up? Or dare? One could hardly describe this as the behavior of a man running for high office. One has to wonder what was going through his mind, if he has one left. Moments like are like vintage Bordeaux, meant to sipped, savored and remembered.

2. Film Canceled At Rockhill

Unfortunately, due to technical problems, the Friday night film fest at the Rockhill Bakehouse Cafe scheduled for tomorrow at 7pm has been canceled. It will be rescheduled for next week.

3. Meetup Next Week: Windpower presentation, more

Next Wednesday, at 7pm at the Rockhill Bakehouse Cafe in Downtown Glens Falls we will have the first DFA-Linkup entering our fourth year.

On the schedule is a presentation by Jim McAndrew of Adirondack Windpower on the clean energy wind turbine project being proposed for the old Barton pit mine site near North Creek. With gas prices now over $3 a gallon, interest in clear, renewable energy is at a premium, so this couldn't be more timely. We will also be talking about the DFA Action Day on May 13th and more. Additional details later.

The Bakehouse Cafe is on the corner of Elm and Exchange Streets and Hudson Ave. between the Glens Falls Hospital and the Five Corners in Downtown Glens Falls.

4. Vigil Saturday

The Saturday morning vigils for peace and to bring our troops home that Bernice Mennis started will continue this Saturday at 11am for one hour at the Five Corners in Downtown Glens Falls. Since Saturday is the day of the big demonstration in NYC, it would be nice to have a good showing here in Glens Falls. For more info or to RSVP go to :http://www.dfalink.com/event.php?id=7567 Bernice suggests we try to increase our numbers this time by bring just one extra person!

5. Hear Spitzer Saturday Night

On Saturday April 29th at 7pm at the SEIU Hall in Albany there will be a special opportunity for all DFA members to hear and meet the future Governor of the State of New York, Eliot Spitzer. There will be a leadership conference earlier in the day as well. If you want to hear Spitzer, you should RSVP at: (also info)
http://www.dfalink.com/event.php?id=7426

6. Ballot Machine Report

Finally, we had a nice turn out while I was there of our DFA members at the Voting Machine demonstration at the Civil Center Today -- so thanks to the eleven while I was there and the others who came during the day. Piles of comment sheets were filled out by attendees. We were easily the biggest presence there, it was not that heavily attended.

There were several working machines and a number of prototypes under development. Clearly, the optical scan vendors had the most confidence inspiring demonstration. It was easy to see how paper ballots were marked, how the machines reject overvotes -- that is, voting twice, while preserving security. This is a well established, well understood and reliable technology.

I also have to confess the so-called Liberty machine seems to be somewhat reasonable, although I frankly still prefer the paper ballots that are optically scanned. The Liberty machine most closely preserves the look and feel of our existing lever action machines -- it actually looks like a sample ballot we see every year. Basically with the Liberty device you are using a machine to mark a paper ballot, which you see through a window. When you are done it is clipped off a reel and it goes into a bin. It does not have a video screen, it is simple, and it folds up into a large suitcase. It might actually mean the easiest transition for most voters. These machines have been reliably used in the Netherlands for a number of years.

The touchscreen machines present are colossal, easily bigger than a large double door fridge, some with as many as four screens so that New York's full face ballot is preserved, as required by law. These machines are being manufactured only for New York State, so they are not actually ready. They are obviously hugely expensive. Being new, their reliability is unknown.

Diebold, the most controversial of the machine vendors, was not present and will not, apparently, compete in NYS.

See you all at the vigil Saturday at 11am!

Thanks,

Larry

See you all at the vigil Saturday at 11am!

Thanks,

Larry
- posted by Larry Dudley @ 10:43 PM