"I grew up in a college town, and one Halloween our doorbell rang and we opened the door expecting to see trickortreater—but what was in front of our open door—was another door! Like, a full-on wooden door, that had a sign that said “Please knock.” So we did, and the door swung open to reveal a bunch of college dudes dressed as really old grandmothers, curlers in their hair, etc, who proceeded to coo over our “costumes” and tell us we were “such cute trick or treaters!” One even pinched my cheek. Then THEY gave US candy, closed their door, picked it up and walked to the next house." — np312 on MetaFilter
Good Friday Morning,
Man, is it ever Fall out there! The ground would be covered with leaves had we had not a windstorm the other day which knocked out power to 12,000 residents in the lower Hudson Valley. All is back to normal again and the weather this weekend looks fair but cool with lows going down to the 30's tomorrow and Sunday mornings.
Currently listening to the LA Philharmonic playing the premier of John Adams' City Noir, conducted by Gustavo Dudamel.
Those Pesky (Corporate) Death Panels:
In 2007, CIGNA denied a liver transplant to save the life of seventeen year-old Nataline Sarkisyan claiming the procedure was "too experimental." She died shortly before Christmas. When Nataline's parents attempted to speak to CIGNA CEO Ed Hanway at their Philidelphia headquarters they were denied access. Instead, a low level spokesman met them in the lobby of the building, explained that Mr. Hanway would not speak with them, refused to apologize to the grieving parents and then called police to have them removed. In the meantime, CIGNA employees had gathered on a balcony overlooking the main floor as one of them flipped off the Sarkisyan's as they were leaving. Ed Hanway will retire from the company with a $73,000,000 Golden Parachute this year as a reward for heading up his Death Panel. How does your insurance company rate?
There is some news this morning:
The Putnam County Child Advocacy Center is celebrating ten years of work. The Center, located on Main Street in Brewster, provides a safe haven for children beset by domestic problems, giving them a safe place to be.
The Putnam County Legislature has been all over County Executive Bondi's budget, removing at least one high-paying position in his office and replacing several positions that he had eliminated.
A 20 year old Lake Carmel man was arrested the other day for firing a shotgun in front of his home to, as was reported, ward off a man that had come to his home with nefarious intent. If the man truly felt in danger, his action, which resulted in his assailant fleeing the scene, caused no harm. After all, if it's legal to shoot someone if they come after you with a stick, isn't it better to shoot into the air as a warning? That's not to say that resorting to firearms is the best course of action but we weren't there and the law needs to be flexible enough to handle these situations.
John Hall has secured Congressional approval to fund the beginnings of a water quality program at Lake Oscawana in Putnam Valley. The $400,000 Federal grant gives that community the base funding they need to begin to repair stormwater problems that have plagued the basin over the last 40 years.
President Obama has been awarded the 2009 Nobel Peace prize.
Dutchess Assemblyman Joel Miller is complaining about the state cutting $500,000,000 from its proposed budget.
It looks like Westchester Legislator George Oros is planning his next move. Could it be the State Senate? The Assembly?
NASA's LCROSS project has, as planned, crashed into a crater on the moon in an attempt to prove / disprove that there is water on earth's nearest heavenly neighbor.
Can someone tell me why we vote for County Coroner or administrative positions like Receiver of Taxes?
Tonight Rain Barrel Workshop 5:00 pm -The Family Partnership Center, Poughkeepsie. Co-hosted by the Fall Kill Watershed Committee and the Casperkill Watershed Alliance. Rain barrels collect rainwater runoff from roofs, which can be used to water your plants or gardens. They help save money on water bills, manage stormwater and conserve water supplies. This hands-on workshop will teach you how to build your very own rain barrel from reclaimed 55 gallon drums. Leave with a rain barrel ready to install at your home. Registration fee is $15 (includes all materials and tools). To register contact Emily Vail at emvail@vassar.edu. Only 25 barrels are available, so register early!
Tomorrow Fall Kill Creek Clean-Up 10 AM – 1 PM Where: Along the Fall Kill in Poughkeepsie, NY. Note: The Fall Kill Watershed Committee, Volunteers Improving Poughkeepsie (VIP) and Hudson River Sloop Clearwater will be cleaning up the creek one last time before winter weather sets in. Groups are meeting at the Mid-Hudson Children’s Museum (75 N. Water St., Poughkeepsie, NY) at 9:45 AM. Participants will be wading in and walking around the Fall Kill during this community-wide event. More than two tons of trash was collected during the last clean-up! Contact: Tom Staudter, Communications Director / Hudson River Sloop Clearwater at 845-454-7673 x112 or Jen Rubbo, Fall Kill Watershed Coordinator / Hudson River Sloop Clearwater at 845-454-7673 x114
Rosendale Community Drum Festival  10 AM - 6PM Drum and Dance Workshops, and more. Sponsored by the Elders Drum Project and the Dutchess County Arts Council. Rosendale Rec Center. Contact Fre Atlast 845-658-4136. freatlast@mac.com or www.eldersdrumproject.org. Free!
Internationally-celebrated violinist Eric Grossman 8PM - Violinist Eric Grossman (“Classical Planet”) returns to Arts on the Lake, accompanied by pianist Lida Grossman, in a program that includes Kreisler, Sinding, Paganini, Lopez-Marin, Sarasate and Brahms.
Admission: $12 ($10 AotL members)
Bringing the audience to its feet when he performed last September in Kent as part of Midhat Serbagi's Classical Planet, Grossman with pianist wife Lida are happy to return to an audience that welcomed us so warmly.
 Praised in The New York Times as a brilliant soloist," violinist Eric Grossman in collaborations with Lowell Liebermann to concerto appearances throughout the world, he has been hailed for his flawless technique, superb musicianship and commitment to a wide range of repertoire. A graduate of Juilliard, where he studied with Dorothy DeLay, Grossman has given highly acclaimed recitals and solo performances with orchestras in the U.S., Europe, Korea, Japan, and Cuba under renowned conductors including Zubin Mehta, Stanislaw Skrowaczewki, and Michael Gielen.
Highlights of Mr. Grosssman's 2008-09 season include return engagements to Cuba were he played the World premiere of the Second Violin Concerto written for him by Jorge Lopez Marin with Cuban National Symphony Orchestra in Havana and the Cuban premiere of the First Violin Concerto by Jorge Lopez Marin dedicated to Eric. This concert in Havana was recorded live and the CD will be released in Cuba in 2009.
Among his acclaimed appearances are his sixth concert tour of Korea where he played Brahms Violin Concerto with the KBS Symphony Orchestra, New York recitals with pianist Gleb Ivanov, his European recital debut at the Arco Festival in France.
Lida Grossman studied piano with her mother, Viera Mancheva, a pianist and musicologist, as soon as she could reach the keys. In 1996 she received a scholarship to study piano at the National University of Costa Rica, under the tutelage of the Russian master Dr. Alexander Skliutovsky. In 1997 the University awarded her the Distinguished Student title. She completed her masters degree in piano and music pedagogy, Summa Cum Laude, at the University in 1999. Mrs. Grossman, has been praised by critics for her "musicianship, lyricism, technique" and "emotional performance". Lida has performed widely throughout United States, Cuba and Costa Rica.
Into the Future
Wednesday, October 14 2009 Southeast Stormwater Conference 8:30 am – 4:00 pm. The 9th Annual Southeast New York Stormwater Conference and Trade Show will provide valuable information on the changes that will be included in the 2010 Phase II Stormwater permit requirements plus offer a wide array of topics, including special improvement districts, good housekeeping skills beyond the DPW, “surviving” the annual MS4 audit, rain gardens, and floodplain management. Code Enforcement Officers who attend the floodplain management session will receive one hour of continuing education credit. The Trade Show will feature products and information from many of the leading stormwater management professionals. The 2009 Conference is sponsored by the Lower Hudson Coalition of Conservation Districts. The cost is $65 per person before 9/25 and $85 after 9/25 and includes Trade Show, lunch and breaks. For more information please contact Jennifer Lusk at (845) 677-8011 ext. 3 or jennifer.lusk@ny.nacdnet.net. Registration information, the agenda and vendor information are available at http://lhccd.org, under Upcoming Events. Location: Dutchess Manor, Beacon, NY
Thursday, October 15th NYS Highlands Committee Meeting NYS Committee meeting on Thursday, October 15th starting at 10:15am. Location is the Fort Montgomery Battlefield Visitors Center, which is located approximately ¼ north of the Bear Mountain Bridge Circle on Route 9W. We’ll provide directions with the final agenda to be sent out earlier in the week of the meeting. The start time is intended to accommodate those committee members traveling up from NYC on the train—the 8:45am out of Grand Central arrives in Garrison at 9:58am. We’ll make arrangements to get those on the train to and from the station. Contact Andrew Chmar at (845)424-3358 for more information.
Friday, October 16th Road Salt: Impacts to the Environment and Human Health 9:00 am – 12:00 pm. To promote safe winter driving conditions, deicers are applied to roadways throughout the Northeast. The most commonly used deicer is sodium chloride, otherwise known as road salt. This inexpensive deicer comes with hidden costs to both the environment and human health. Join the Cary Institute and Cornell Cooperative Extension of Dutchess County for a management-based forum about the impact that road salt has on natural areas, drinking water supplies, and health conditions, and weigh in on a lively discussion about how municipalities can improve policy decisions in the future. Free and open to the public; reservations are appreciated, but not required. For more information, contact Claudia Rosen at (845) 677-7600 x171 or rosenc@caryinstitute.org. Location: Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies Auditorium, 2801 Sharon Turnpike (Rte. 44) in Millbrook, New York.
Performance: The Dumb Waiter  Arts on the Lake is partnering with the Liberty Free (NY) Theatre to present Nobel Laureate Harold Pinter's play The Dumb Waiter at the Lake Carmel Cultural Center, 640 Route 52, for three performances, Friday through Sunday, October 16-18
The Liberty Free Theatre returns with the play that established Pinter as a master of "comedy of menace." The Dumbwaiter is about two hit men, played by Michael Frizalone and Paul Jannicola, holed-up in a dingy basement kitchen, waiting to be sent out on their next job. The play is one of the first that established Pinter as a master of what would become known a "comedy of menace."
English playwright, screenwriter, actor, director and political activist Harold Pinter (1930-2008) was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 2005. Beginning with his first play, Pinter's writing career spanned over 50 years and produced 29 original stage plays, 27 screenplays, many dramatic sketches, radio and TV plays, poetry, one novel, short fiction, essays, speeches, and letters. His best-known plays include The Birthday Party, The Caretaker, The Homecoming, and Betrayal, each of which he adapted to film. His screenplay adaptations of others' works include The Trial and Sleuth. He directed almost 50 stage, television, and film productions and acted extensively in radio, stage, television, and film productions of his own and others' works.
 Mike Frizalone is an actor/writer/singer who has performed on stage and film from Bangor, Maine to New York City. He recently played in a new film by Peking Productions that was shot in Sullivan County. His work at the Liberty Free Theatre includes Goods and Guns, Off The Wall, and last season’s Kinfolks and Mountain Music.
Paul Jannicola is a singer/songwriter and multi instrument musician. His compositions have been featured in the award-winning animated short, Hardly Workin', the acclaimed episodic web series, Tra5hTa1k and MTV's comedic Life in the Virtual Hills. Paul and Director Kerria Seabrooke won Best Machinima Series for the Grid Review in the Machinima Film Festival 2007 in Leicester, UK. In addition to music, Paul is an animation cinematographer whose work has been seen on the Jumbotron at 1 Times Square.
Director Paul Austin's many TV appearances include Law and Order and West Wing. Recent films include Tune in Tomorrow and Sommersby.
(Photo Credit: Ted Waddell) Saturday, October 17th  Mini Book Sale
The Friends of the Kent Public Library will be holding a series of mini book sales this fall in the Community Room. Come and browse a fine selection of bargain priced books! A great way to stock up for holiday gift giving and support the Friends of the Library. Additional days: Saturday, November 21, 10am--2:30pm and Saturday, December 12, 10am--2:30pm.
Putnam County Hazardous Waste Drop Off Day Need to get rid of that old drain cleaner, old paint thinner or the old chemsitry kit you just found in the attic? This is the day for you. Call the county at (845) 278-6130 to pre-register. The event takes place at the Canpous Beach parking area at Fahnestock State Park from 9AM until 1PM.
If you have electronics that need to be disposed of (computer monitors, etc.,) each town will have a drop-off location today as well. Call your town to find out just where.
Putnam Arts Council Art Show Opening At Tilly Foster Farms. Opening Reception from 4-6PM. Free!
 NY/NJ Trails Conference Annual Meeting
8AM - 3PM - All members of the Trail Conference are invited to attend the Annual Meeting of the Trail Conference on Saturday, October 17 at Lower Twin Lake Camp in Harriman State Park. More information and a complete agenda is here.
Sunday, October 18th Ten Mile River Cleanup / Housatonic Day Trip  8 AM - On Sunday, October 18 we will conduct a cleanup of the public fishing access areas along the Ten Mile River in Dover. We will meet at 8:00am at the Dover town park in Wingdale. This is the park just north of the Ketchum Fire House at the intersection of Routes 22 and 55. Its the park with all the ball fields, you can't miss it. We'll consolidate ourselves into a couple of vehicles and stop at the public fishing access areas to pick up litter. We should be done by 11:00am. Gloves and garbage bags will be provided. Keep in mind that some of these areas are adjacent to busy streets so it might not be a good idea to bring small children along. Call Don Jiskra, 845-855-7357 or email djiskra@comcast.net with questions. Please send Don a note if you plan to attend.
Monday, October 19th People Against Domestic Violence Candlelight Vigil 7PM - On the steps of the County Courthouse. If you think that Domestic Violence is only about physical abuse, and that the many signs of abusive relationships are known...think again. This event will bring about awareness, offer resources, and remember victims who have died due to DV. Be a Part of the Solution to Educate others, Be inspired by survivors, and help Stop the cycle of Abuse. Prevention is knowledge and you will be impacted by what you see, and what you hear. Come on Community be there! Michele Renee, Co-ordinator.
Friday, October 23rd The City, The Country and the Changing Environment 7 p.m. Professor Emeritus of Vassar, Dr. Harvey Flad, and award-winning author Leila Philip, will discuss their recently published books: Main Street to Mainframes: Landscape and Social Change in Poughkeepsie, and A Family Place: A Hudson Valley Farm, Three Centuries, Five Wars, One Family.Cary Institute auditorium, 2801 Sharon Tpk., Millbrook. Free. 677-7600 x 121 or freemanp@caryinstitute.org.
Saturday, October 24th Lake Carmel Community Cleanup 9AM to Noon. Lake Carmel will be lowered for the winter and residents will pull trash from the edge of the lake. Here's hoping there isn't much! The LCPD is asking all Lake Carmel residents to pitch in. Volunteers should meet at Beach 3 and bring work gloves. The district will provide the trash bags. Refreshments will be served. Kids welcome! Second Annual 350.org Rally  Rally for green jobs with Pete Seeger, Joel Tyner, Pat Lamanna, Mike Ignatowski, Ann Perry, and Jeff Romano on 350.org International Day of Climate Action.First gathering at Holy Light Pentecostal Church 33 Clover Street in Poughkeepsie, then walking out on FDR Mid-Hudson Bridge or Walkway Over the Hudson; contact Joel Tyner at 845-489-5479 or joeltyner@earthlink.net for info; www.350.org/pt/node/5369
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