No Country For Sane Men: News That Matters - Friday, September 3, 2010

News That Matters

News That Matters
Brought to you (Almost Daily) by PlanPutnam.Org

"The great enemy of the truth is very often not the lie -- deliberate, contrived and dishonest, but the myth, persistent, persuasive, and unrealistic. Belief in myths allows the comfort of opinion without the discomfort of thought." - John F. Kennedy

Good Friday Morning,

There is something remarkably special about eating a cantaloupe or a watermelon straight from the garden.

Next Tuesday, September 7th, there will be a public hearing on the county's tentative budget at 8PM at the courthouse in Carmel.

Can anyone ID this photo? (assuming you can see it in your email reader). I know where/what it is. But do you?

The Town of Carmel actually has an Environmental Conservation Board. What they'll do I have no idea.

I'm writing an(other) article on the Putnam County Consumer Affairs department which should be out within the next week. If you're a contractor working in the county and have paid the tax in order to work here, please contact me. Your privacy will be strictly maintained as I know how difficult they can make life for the working man.

It looks like Nan Hayworth has been dragged kicking and screaming to a face-to-face with her primary opponent, Neil DiCarlo but it wasn't her doing. The Aile's papers are hosting a candidates forum next Tuesday in Mahopac (See below) and so just by chance she'll have no choice.

Our informal and unofficial County Executive preference poll now has a whopping total of 47 votes (somewhere we're missing 900 readers) and "Other" still holds the majority with 51%. Maryellen Odell comes in second with 32% and Senator Leibell with 17%. In essence, twice as many people prefer MEO as do the Senator but then twice as many people prefer someone else all together as both combined.

I'm up for some socializing this weekend so other than Saturday, when I'll be at the Collaborative Concepts opening all day (see below), let me know what's going on. I'll even bring some cheap beer.

I look at my electric bill the other day and notice for the first time that I'm sucking power like I've got a 5 bedroom house with 9 kids all with PlaySations on 54" rear projection TV screens and each room with an individual air conditioner and sauna. Considering I live alone in a one-bedroom hovel with no air conditioning, no television and all my lights are 15w CFL's it kinda caught my attention. Then I also noticed that electrical usage has been slowly increasing since last year but that in the last three months it's gone to places even NASA has never dreamed of.

I call NYSEG and the guy I talk to was very nice and walked me through a few things, looked at old bills and decided, yup, there's something wrong here then suggested I call NYSERDA for an energy audit, which turns out to cost $100. The most likely culprit, he says, is my well pump. I don't have a well pump. But he tells me how to read the meter and go out to do that, come back in and call NYSEG back and a woman answers this time. You can almost hear the glee in her voice as the dollars go shooting out of my pocket and in to her employer's bank account. At 14KwH per day (when I normally use 4) their bank sits there and smiles.

NYSERDA, by the way, took numerous tries to get through and when I finally reached a human was told that my landlord would need to seek an energy audit since he would be paying for that and anything the NYSERDA guy says needs to be done. Considering the heat hasn't worked in 5 years and the hot water tank has been leaking for two, I'm pretty sure that's going to be a dead end as well.

"It's your refrigerator," she tells me. "Or it's your well pump." I'll grant that the fridge is old but can it increase power usage 10 times in a few months? Oh yes, she says, especially if it's old. I walk on over and finally figure out what that giant empty box on the top is with the florid script, "Trademark, 1910".

Just in case it is the fridge I'm now in the market for a new(er) one so if anyone has one that needs a home I can get a truck. Or I can continue to fund the raping of Appalachia for her coal and keeping NYSEG's stockholders in their gold-plated electric hummers. No guilt there. Nope. None at all. Not from me. But I just thought I heard another mountaintop being scraped off into a once verdant valley...

What's Going On

Tonight:
- PHOTOcentric: A juried photographic exhibition
Saturday:
- 3rd Annual Catskill Mountain Eco-Heritage Festival
- Collaborative Concepts Farm Project 2010
Sunday:
- Gandalf Murphy & The Slambovian Circus Of Dreams
Into the Future

Tonight:

PHOTOcentric: A juried photographic exhibition

6PM - 8 PM At the Garrison Art Center at Garrison's Landing. Esteemed photography artists, curators and educators Stephen Shore and Harvey Stein have selected works from 48 photographers to be shown in our juried PHOTOcentric exhibition. Opening reception is Friday from 6–8. Ongoing gallery exhibition ends September 24. Gallery hours are Tuesday through Sunday 10 to 5.

Saturday:

3rd Annual Catskill Mountain Eco-Heritage Festival

11:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.. Dinner 5:00 - 7:00 p.m., Concert 7:00 p.m. At the Ashokan Center. Geology, bird, forest ecology and poetry walks, fly fishing demos, nature photography, bluestone wall building. Evening concert with singer/songwriters Magpie and Jay Ungar & Molly Mason, concluding with a square dance. Admission: $5 adults, free for kids under 5, $15 special day carpool rate, $10 evening concert; dinner extra. (845) 657-8333. www.ashokancenter.org

Collaborative Concepts Farm Project 2010

Art, performance art and music mix it up in the spectacular landscape of the Hudson Highlands.

1PM - Opening Reception. Collaborative Concepts, a not-for-profit, non-membership, organization of professional artists, brings together sculpture and installations by more than 50 participants on the rolling fields of the 140 acre Saunders' farm in Garrison, Putnam County. The exhibition presents local, regional, New York and international artists. Visitors are welcome to the Artists' Opening and the Mid-Run Reception. They are also encouraged to visit any day of the week as the autumn colors change the backdrop of the art.

One ventures back into history just to arrive at this 18th century farm, located on the Old Albany Post Road. Still a dirt road, this was the original route linking New York City to Albany during the colonial period. Enjoy major works of art in a timeless, pastoral setting.

Directions from Putnam Valley: Take Canopus Hollow Road to Canopus Hill Road. At top of hill at stop sign, make right. Farm is approx. 1.5 miles on left. Enter at Parking area before #853 Mail Box. We recommend bringing walking shoes and sun protection and don't miss the view of the Hudson River from the edge of Field IV.

Sunday:

Gandalf Murphy & The Slambovian Circus Of Dreams

7:30 PM at the Towne Crier Cafe, Pawling. Gandalf Murphy & The Slambovian Circus Of Dreams has been variously described as "alt-country/ roots-rock," "folk-pop," "hillbilly-Floyd," and "surreal Americana" ??½ a clear indicator of its singularly indescribable uniqueness. At the same time, their sound and even their songs feel so familiar, so classic, it's as if you've been listening to these characters all your life. The "Circus Of Dreams" has won critical acclaim as well as a fiercely loyal following. They've been Hudson Valley Magazine's "Band of the Year" for 3 years. The Circus' shows are notoriously un-staged, which is part of the fun and keeps their shows refreshingly real. However, while they don't take themselves too seriously, it's evident that they do take their jobs as music-makers very seriously: Gandalf Murphy & The Slambovian Circus Of Dreams brings you a show of precision, high-flying magic sure to delight one and all! $25 advance/ $30 door.

Into the Future

Tuesday, September 7

Republican Primary Candidate's Forum
7PM at the Villa Barone on Route 6 in Mahopac. Sponsored by the PCNR and the Putnam Courier. Schedule to appear, State Senate candidates Mary Beth Murphy and Greg Ball. 99th District State Assembly candidates, Jim Borkowski and Dr. Steven Katz. 19th Congressional District candidates, Neil DiCarlo and Nan Hayworth.

Friday, September 10

Michelle LeBlanc
7:30PM - 10:30PM - At the DIvision Street Grill, 26 North Division Street, Peekskill. 914.739.6380. Featuring Pianist Tom Kohl. Join us for an evening in Michelle's favorite small city at the jazz club that sparked the Peekskill jazz renaissance.

Nothing Important
8 PM at the Philipstown Depot Theater at Garrison Train Station. Putnam Valley's Judy Allen is directing Pearse Columb's play, "Nothing Important" in the Fourth Annual 20/20 One-Act Competition. If she gets enough votes to move to the semi-finals, the next performance will be on Saturday, Sept 18th (narrowly missing Yom Kippur). And if she get enough votes to move to the finals, the final performance will be on Sunday, Sept 19th. Hope you can make it. If you have any questions, call the theater at 845 424-3900.

Sunday, September 12

Ride to Remember Jeff Coursen
11AM - Motorcycle Ride. 1PM - Picnic at the Pawling Fire Department (South Street in Pawling, just north of route 55) A 100 mile motorcycle ride and picnic to remember Jeff Coursen’s dual passions: Motorcycles and helping alcoholics and addicts overcome addiction. Everyone’s Welcome! The Event and Picnic are sponsored by Jeff Coursen’s family and friends. Your tax deductible donations will benefit St. Christopher’s Inn, a treatment facility that has been providing hope and compassionate care to alcoholics and addicts for 100 years. For more information and to register contact: Ed and Mary Mahaffey at The Annex Florist Pawling, 28 Charles Colman Blvd, Pawling NY 12564 845.855.9612 or email: ridetorememberjeffcoursen@gmail.com

In The Gallery
1PM - 4PM Public Reception. Belle Levine Art Center. Fine Art Photography Exhibit opens; Meet the Artists 1-4pm. 19 artists from two photography groups, the Photographic Eye (Putnam Arts Council’s resident photography group), and the Digital Discussion Group present a collaborative show . On view through 9/26 during gallery hours: Tues- Fri 10 – 3, Sunday 1-4. 521 Kennicut Hill Rd. Mahopac, NY 845.803.8622 or putnamartscouncil.com Free admission & parking.

Saturday, September 25

2010 Garden Party at the Asylum
From 3PM onwards. It's that time of year again! (yeah I know, we usually do it in July but late is better than never!). It's an all day BYOF/B type of thing. Kids during the day, raucous debauchery at night around the fire. If you've been here before you know the drill. If not, there's nothing to know other than to show up and most are welcome. Bring the kids and the dogs, friends and family and make a day of it. Hurricane/Tropical Storm/Nuclear War cancels. And I will have the grill running this year.

Gallery Talk: Jenelle Porter on Agnes Martin
2pm at Dia:Beacon, Riggio Galleries 3 Beekman Street, Beacon, NY 12508. 845 440 0100 www.diaart.org
Free with museum admission. For reservations click here.

Jenelle Porter is curator at the Institute of Contemporary Art, Philadelphia, where she recently organized shows including "Dance with Camera," "Dirt on Delight: Impulses That Form Clay" (with Ingrid Schaffner), "Trisha Donnelly," "Locally Localized Gravity," and "Gone Formalism." She has also served as curator at Artists Space, New York (1998-01), curatorial fellow at the Walker Art Center (1997-98), and curatorial assistant at the Whitney Museum of American Art (1994-97). She has contributed essays to numerous publications and produced books on Trisha Donnelly, Joshua Mosley, Stephen Prina, Matthew Ritchie, and Uri Tzaig.