Readers’ Column for the week of March 29, 2023

Readers' Column for the week of March 29, 2023Pictured are the two moose sculptures outside of a farmhouse near Candor, N.Y. Provided photo.

You may call The Owego Pennysaver Readers’ Column at (607) 687-2378 24-hours a day, or email comments to readerscolumn@stny.rr.com. We reserve the right to revise or reject any message.

 

Does anyone know who the artist is for the two moose outdoor sculptures outside a farmhouse near Candor, N.Y.? There is a similar sculpture outside a parking garage in Ithaca. (See photo.)

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The injustices of the past cannot be corrected by creating injustices in the present.

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If you put your faith in yourself and in your abilities, intellect and dreams, then your foundation is only as strong as you are. If we have built on the fragile cornerstones of human wisdom, pride, conditional love, things may look good for a while, but a weak foundation causes collapse when the storm hits. There is only one firm foundation – a genuine, deep relationship with Jesus Christ, which will carry you through any and all turmoil. No matter what storms are raging all around, you’ll stand firm if you stand on his love! 

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Don’t throw the bottles and cans out to be picked up by the local garbage men, BRING THEM TO STRAY HAVEN, where the animals would benefit from the donations. 

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To the woman who is still receiving mail for her long deceased husband; has she tried processing a “change of address” card for him at the post office? That might work.

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By unethical means and in violation of existing bylaws, on the night of May 9, 2022, the OACSD BOE purged the bylaw: “1230 PUBLIC PARTICIPATION AT BOARD MEETINGS. The Board of Education encourages public participation on school related matters at Board meetings. To allow for public participation, a period not to exceed 30 minutes shall be set aside during the first part of each Board meeting.” There is no place for parent or taxpayer input into this public meeting.

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Bottom line up front, I should have majored in education and worked for the OACSD. I wouldn’t have had to work 60-hour weeks with unpaid overtime, pulling all-too-frequent all-nighters, international travel, saving every penny for retirement because there is no such thing as a pension, and everything else that goes along with a Fortune 500 engineering career. I could have had my summers off, never had to travel, and I could have retired in my 50s and lived like a king, with a gold-plated pension and healthcare plan. Instead, like a fool, I took my 1500 SAT and applied to engineering schools, got my BS and MS in computer engineering with a thesis focused on microprocessor design, and landed my first job with IBM in the Hudson Valley, working with PhDs who had come from all over the world. I moved to Owego because the cost of living was far more reasonable, and I could still have a tech job. I grew up in a small town, went to college in a big city, and decided that I’d much rather live in a small town. I love everything about Owego except for the jaw-dropping school taxes that apparently are used to pay some of the highest teacher salaries in the entire state. It’s infuriating. And the teacher unions just keep demanding more! PLEASE have mercy on those of us paying the taxes. Captain, I’m givin’ her all she’s got! Please stop demanding more.

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I don’t understand people that can afford to buy expensive houses and then don’t pick up after themselves, leaving litter or equipment outside rather than putting it away. We live in a lovely neighborhood and it brings down the other houses. Just plain laziness I guess.

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Some reader(s) have stated our OACSD Board of Education has conducted illegal meetings, acted with gross negligence in its duty to manage $2,800,000 of scholarship funds, repeatedly violated its own bylaws, destroyed video recordings of its meetings, censored meeting minutes, refuses to video record meetings, improperly used executive sessions to conduct public business, violated Open Meeting Laws, and more. If this is false, this could easily be confirmed by review of BOE video recordings; or if they existed, real minutes of meetings. OACSD has a YouTube site and could post video recordings of BOE meetings with the other hundreds of OACSD videos.

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I’d like to give a thank-you to the employees at the Tioga County Department of Social Services. I’ve had to call several times while sorting out my energy assistance application this season and every time they’ve been helpful and nice, even when I ask stupid questions or fumble my words. It’s almost a godsend in today’s age of robo-assistants and outsourced staff to call up someone for help and speak to an actual person not just in your own country, but your own town.

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Weather is short term, local conditions of the atmosphere considering temperature, moisture phase and wind. Weather is also a natural means of energy distribution and redistribution. Climate is general weather conditions for a larger area and a longer period of time; years, decades, centuries, and / or millennia. The primary source of energy is the Sun. One hour of solar radiation reaching the Earth is equivalent to societal use for a year. About 29% is reflected by the atmosphere, 23% absorbed by atmospheric components, gases, dust, etc. 47% reaches the Earth’s surface, and 11% reflected from surface features. Previously, an acre of corn sequestered 8 tons of carbon dioxide. Enter a solar panel efficiently designed to reflect only 2%, hence increasing 9% of retained energy, and the carbon dioxide remains. We need more information and clarification. 

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To the loser who dumped off all his losing scratch off tickets all over the road, thank you, enjoy picking them up. Bodle Hill Road is not your personal dumping ground. You are on camera now. Please beware!

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She can take away plastic bags, she can take away tobacco, but when it comes to messing with our Owego Central School mascot, Kathy Hochul is going too far. Speak up people and make your voice heard! For heaven’s sake, do it!

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Thank you very much to the many people who responded to my comment about needing a Rollator. It was very nice of all of you for taking time to do that. One person left me a phone number but the operator said it was out of service, (607) 745-0845.

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I have a landline phone and my provider only provides DSL Internet in my area. I’m having problems with my Internet shutting down daily. When I called requesting technical assistance, I was informed that the only way they could provide a service ticket is if I provide them with my mobile phone number. I do not have a mobile phone or any devices other than my smart TV, which is all I can afford and successfully operate. Is there anyone else out there having the same problem? It looks like they’re trying to force me to give up my Internet.

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Scam Alert! I was at the Lounsberry Truck Stop getting out of my car when a thin dark haired man approached me and asked if I was local. I said yes. He said his car broke down on 17 and they towed it to Nick’s Garage in Apalachin. He said he had his wife and daughter with him, and that she was in a wheelchair and they were on our way to Syracuse to get her feeding tube changed out. The cheapest motel they could stay in was the Micro Motel. I gave him what I had left in my wallet and he went on his way. I later thought about it and checked with Nick’s garage. They did not have anyone towed there yesterday. I told my girlfriend up in Harpursville about it, as they frequently travel 17, and her husband has heard the exact same story and being a generous person also, gave them money. This has been happening year round in several places on the Route 17 corridor. FYI!

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If Owego is experiencing one of the highest crime rates in America, it seems to me that it’s time we had three shifts of police protection in the village; they are only 66%, we need 100%. We need to bring that crime rate down now so we don’t lose our property values, and our public safety is at great risk without a third shift. That needs to happen!

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I’d just like to know if anybody bought two saddles in the Nichol’s area within the last month or so. One was English and the other was a regular. They are old and they need to be redone. Somebody stole them from my shed. If you know or see anybody in the Nichol’s area selling these, please respond to this column with your telephone number.

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Get to your school board meetings; the budget vote is coming soon. Where and what are your taxes paying for? Ask; is it going to your academics or other things?

 

National Political Viewpoints

I see that our Congressman Molinaro is attempting to distract voters with phony issues, like they’re coming for your gas stoves, while he intends to cut Social Security and Medicare. Don’t fall for fake distractions from Molinaro, as he votes to cut your Social Security and Medicare.

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For those that were dancing in ecstasy with the prospect of Trump’s arrest, you are dancing on the grave of America. I look forward to the day the government decides what you can know, what you can speak, what your healthcare is, what you eat, where you live, your housing, and banning firearms so you may be safe. 

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Reporting from Albany points out New York’s economy has struggled to regain the jobs lost in the immediate wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Labor force participation remains at around 60%. For now, the Democratic-led Assembly and state Senate are not specifically backing a wage hike to $21.25 in the coming years, but top Democrats in the Legislature hope to reach a resolution in the coming weeks while also coalescing around a final target for the wage. Another take post pandemic the accrued total of federal subsidies enhanced by the state and then continuing post close-down state and county benefits for the non-working public supported has enabled those not working to continue with benefits of subsidized rents, utilities, SNAP accounts, and stipend payments. The ‘help’ provided has allowed too many finding themselves better off not working than seeking employment. The state now feels obligated to mandate a higher hourly rate to exceed the current minimum hourly rate if you took the total cost of all collected benefits and divided it by 40 hours. Inflation dictates this is the worst time to raise the minimum wage. A very strong potential of a Recession indicates Albany should stop increasing anything, pay the bills due, and stop borrowing when all you have is the ability to pay interest on available tax collections.

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I’m sick and tired of readers making the comment that if Trump were in office that Putin would have free rein. Folks, he was in office already. There is a reason Putin waited to invade Ukraine. We have a feeble president.

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Isn’t it funny how three of the most hateful angry people on TV are named Whoopi, Sunny, and Joy? 

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What is Chuck Schumer afraid of? Tucker Carlson showed the Jan. 6 tape. He’s hoping to prove the Trump big lie. Well look, Schumer, we’ve already seen it! They’ve all kept that Hunter Biden tape secret to throw the election. Now tell me where the big lie is. Coming out of your mouth is where the big lie is. What else are you lying about? If you’re so good, why don’t you get with your little governor there and see what you can do about the taxes in New York State instead of you passing on another lie, which you’re so good at. 

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You republican people out there, I guess you are people, I think you can think, maybe. You say the democrats are communists. Okay, if we are the communists, how come you so called smart republicans are backing the Russians? The Russians are our number one archenemy who threatens to nuke us all the time, and you people seem to think that they are your buddies. I think they are your buddies because you are all in the same crowd. Why didn’t we give them Alaska back then? Would that be okay with you? Think about that, geniuses. 

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We already knew this but now there is evidence. You wonder why Joe has been so easy on China since he’s been president. Well, we just saw one $3 million pay off. There will be others to come – some from Ukraine, some from Russia. The man is as dirty as it gets.

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Well for once slow Joe was honest; he came right out and said he’s looking forward to the new world order. That explains why the democrats are doing everything they are – socialism, communism, new world order. God help us! By the way, democrats, God is somebody conservative republicans believe in. I’m sure you didn’t know. 

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In the past, as now and will be in the future, Trump’s MAGA stands for making attorneys get attorneys. It’s a sad state of legalities in “Trump world” and for his continually deceived followers. 

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I was really amused by that statement in this column about how the rich people pay more than their fair share of taxes. What planet does this person live on? Trump paid $750 in taxes! Wow! I guarantee whoever wrote that comment is paying more than $750.

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Republicans, what are you doing? I’m paying too much for food, I’m paying too much for fuel, I’m paying too much for my electric, and I’m just sick and tired of it. You guys promised you were going to fix all this as soon as you got into office. Well, you have done absolutely zero because, oh yea you had no plan in doing it. All you wanted to do was to go chasing after Biden and the democrats because you have no agenda and you have no idea how to put a policy into place. Why don’t you quit lying about stuff, tell people what you are really planning on doing, and let’s just move on? 

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I have a solution for Trump and his legal problems. If he wasn’t a liar and he wasn’t a crook, you wouldn’t be in this situation and if the republicans would grow a spine and denounce all of his nonsense instead of allowing him to continue on and trying to flush democracy down the toilet, that would be a nice thing. Personally, I would like to live in a free country and he is working on trying to be a dictator, and you folks that support him have no idea what you’re even in for. You might want to think cautiously about it before you continue to think he is so great. 

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