what could be a worse job than ... (insert your job title here)

My job really sucks. I am not talking about the people I work with, hours, the commute, or any of that. The job itself really sucks! No matter how many dilbert style managers I have, they even start nodding their head in agreement -- 'Your job sucks and I am glad I am not you".

So what job might be worse than mine? Here is MY list of the worlds worst jobs and I would really appreciate some comments from this list:

Wedding Photographer -- please smile all day on weekends while carrying 3 cameras, batteries, tripods and all that crap. And don't just smile -- do it cheap!
the link to job description is here.

School Superintendent of City Schools -- so if the job is so good, why are there no candidates? Each City just trades them around until they retire or they get a job teaching! One City to another until I can collect a good pension! They retire and die on the golf course in cardiac arrest. Yeah, that is a good way to go and their family gets the all that money they made when they had no time to spend it.

When we all hate our jobs, we can just take a taxi in NY. They are the worst -- they will pretend they don't talk English (maybe they can't), they always take the wrong route because they say you don't know where you are going. Watch your change as it is considered a big tip and they can pocket it. We can all hate at least one taxi driver in our lives. And the job sucks upstate NY, too. Did you ever see the taxis's at the Greyhound station? Would you want that job? Here is the enticement for those wishing to die at a higher rate than any other occupation due to violence

That is my top three worst jobs to be had. I never had any of them. I had some pretty bad jobs in my life. Here is my list of bad jobs:

Selling lingerie at Sears (I lasted a week and even subsitute teaching looked better)

Pressing shirts on a little assembly line at a dry cleaners in the summer for 5 summers. (I got water blisters from the steam)

Babysitting 5 children for $.50 an hour. The Dad helped me find a better job ten years later so it was worth it.


This working stuff is not so great.


I see the government is trying to improve the lives of women overseas. How about improving the lives of working women in this country?

And not just women, either. Right now I am ranting about my job and there are few female co-workers to commiserate with. I go to lunch with "the guys" as that is who I work with.

And my job really sucks.


My job make me look forward to getting too old to work at it. Being obsolete will relieve me of the job.


I need a new career so I can start over young again. Wrinkles and arthritis will not stop me from a new start.

Does anyone have a list of really good jobs they had? And can I apply?

companion in zip 13901

I must be feeling like a homebody tonight. First, I print pictures of my walking places and now I am printing a picture of one of my walking friends. I suppose that is why bingoland is a good place to live most of the time. And I sure would hate to see it become overdeveloped (and chance of that is slim) or exploited (much more likely).

In the meantime, it is a good place to own pets and raise families. Pretty boring for the other folks that live here and one reason it is less crowded than other areas of NY.

walking route in zip 13901

Every morning before work, I walk my two dogs around a loop of 2.75 miles. Since I walk early in the morning, it is dark except for about 2 months of the year. It is lonely and dark, especially when it is foggy as it is in September. I usually cannot see anything but a couple of street lights.

Today, I went around the loop (River Road, Airport, Patch) in the morning cloudlight. I took some pictures. I have some favorite views and not so favorite views among the groupings. Today, I am just displaying 3 of the pictures that are nice to look at. It is too bad the farm is no longer a dairy farm. The pictures I have of this farm 20 years ago are much better as there were cows and the pasture was not overgrown. The barn was painted. Dairy farms have not fared well in zipcode 13901.


In the Adirondacks, the local people blame the tourists for trash and defacement. The tourists throw the garbage out along the roadsides. The tourists use spray paint to mark their names on the rocks. The tourists leave bags of trash along country roads.


My walking route must be popular with these Adirondack tourists, too. I have some other pictures of "the loop" that are not so nice. I might put them on this site another day.

sunday in bingo

Recently, I noticed that Ithaca Beer has a summer brew called "partly sunny" (or was it partly cloudy?). Today in the Southern Tier, you will have to look really hard to see any partly in the sky. Same thing with yesterday. Lot's of time available for indoor work despite the warm temperatures.

What is the local news lately? The Buck Phillips story seems to be dominant with the Albany Times Union and Gannett groups headlining the news for a call for an investigation into the long search. I am not sure if both sides agree to how long the official search was. Today brings an editorial from Jay Gallagher on the situation in the local paper. For some reason, I do not see his name on the online version. I would appear that the author's name is a graphic and the web edition does not include it.

What else? The Press has been celebrating Tier Diversity by focusing on individuals in the area. Here is a link to a slide show about a former Chenango Forks Student that I took a personal interest in.

summer is leaving quickly

The warm weather is deceiving us. I am not ready for summer to leave us yet. But this week brings in the official fall season, ready or not.

the money from the state "discretionary funds" can create a new hiking trail from Chenango Forks to south of Utica

the rail line does not have to be abandoned. The state of NY can use "discretionary" funds or whatever funds can be use from the environmental bond to purchase the soon to be abandoned railroad from south of Utica to north of binghamton (chenango forks -- Rt 12).

can we do it? Yes -- if the RR is going to abandon the line the state or public can buy the line and make it the Rail to Trail Initiative. (if we can build Yurts on Long Island can't we build real trails in upstate? see my other posts about yurts)


Here is more info and we need a lawyer to figure out the true process. does anyone know what this means? Can we ride our bikes along the RR lines in Chenango Forks? Or will it just be reserved for powerlines?

When can people really figure out these laws? Are we all just idiots hoping some politician can take 2 minutes out of their life to explain this stuff to us?


Definition of "Abandonment"
Understanding the legal definition of "abandonment" is important because railroad corridor ownership often changes when the line is officially abandoned.
Think of railroad abandonment as a two-stage process, not a discrete event. The first stage is the abandonment authorization given by the federal government. The second stage is when the final physical abandonment of the corridor takes place, which is determined by state law.

No rail line on which interstate commerce originates, terminates or passes through, may be abandoned without prior authorization from the Interstate Commerce Commission (now the Surface Transportation Board). The ICC's authority preempts all state and local authority, meaning that a state or local government cannot require a railroad to abandon a line, and it cannot force a railroad to continue service once the ICC authorizes abandonment.

Railroads operating under the ICC's jurisdiction must be prepared to provide service to any shipper willing to pay the railroad's published tariffs. The railroad needs considerable money and resources to maintain and repair all of its tracks including those sections that currently have little or no service. When maintaining tracks is not longer profitable, a railroad may opt to abandon the unprofitable line.

After a railroad applies to the ICC, the ICC issues abandonment authorization or a "Certificate/Notice of Abandonment" extinguishes the railroad's obligations and allows the railroad to proceed with the physical abandonment of the line. Once the ICC grants an abandonment authorization, state law determines when abandonment takes place for property law purposes.

Because easements almost always expire upon abandonment of the corridor, abandonment for state property law purposes causes all of the parcels held in easement to revert to adjacent landowners, thereby fragmenting the right-of-way. State definitions of abandonment vary from state to state because the definition typically is based on previous court case precedents.

However, in most states, mere non-use of the corridor by the railroad is not sufficient for the corridor to be considered abandoned. Often, state laws require the railroad to make one or more demonstrable act of its intention to abandon the line, ranging from removing tracks and ties to selling off its interests in the corridor. To find out what constitutes abandonment in your state, consult a knowledgeable attorney.

Downstate water, Northport poisoned wells, the Lloyd aquifer

At one time, I was trying to dispute that lower NY had more of an interest in adirondack water that they did in the 1940;s.

Did you know that many reservoirs were proposed in the Adirondack area that could support NYC water supplies? The Adirondack park was expanded to protect the waterways in these areas (hello - Inlet and Old forge area -- you all would have had more waterfront than land with the plan from the 1940's)


Anyway, the water is still needed in large amounts to downstate. Did you ever wonder why Long Island was left off the list of beneficiaries? Long Island has always used their ground water for drinking and supplying all their needs. They just dig wells like all of us upstate. No big pipes from aquifers upstate exist for Long Island.

This can all change in a hurry if politicians are in control without the information they need. The Lloyd aquifer on Long Island is the backup (emergency backup) of the Long Island towns. Unfortunately, all the local politicians knew about the Lloyd aquifer and did nothing to protect their current water supplies.

In the village of Northport, most of the wells are polluted. They are seeking the rights to tap the Lloyd (pristine almost) aquifer for the town drinking supplies. Most homes in Northport have cesspools, some have septic tanks and two short roads have sewers. The sewers were built in the 1960's when someone was considering the ground water (thank you, the first Earth day folks). The sewers have never been extended beyond the 1960's two streets. ( If someone can prove this wrong -- please comment!). I lived there for many years and keep up with the events or hidden events in the village of Northport.


So, what do you do now? Did the Lloyd aquifer that appears to be off limits to all? Or do you want to start a movement to get your water from a more stable source -- say, the Catskills, or the Adirondacks, or the Great Lakes?

I am bitter -- that is for sure... The writing is on the wall. The Lloyd Aquifer is to be protected. Why didn't you think about that twenty years ago?

The next step for you people in Northport is to see what resources exist upstate NY that you can pipe down.
Am I right?

the link to newsday is here

big news or Not? RR leaving town?

I wish I could document more here... The classified sections of the Binghamton Press Sun Bulletin has a legal announcement today Friday, Sept 15th. Notice is being given that our favorite and local RR company New York Susquehanna & Western Railroad (aka Rich from Cooperstown) is abandoning the track from south of Utica to Chenango Forks. A map of little detail is printed in the ad. For $20 you may send for the real information and map from the address printed. I can't find a link to the ad on their web site. (Since other classifieds are printed, the legals should be there, somewhere...)

pork barrel

New York state has released a pdf of the pork barrel/slush fund type of funding done by the NY reps.


I had to laugh at one page -- (I did not really read very much, I stopped at page nine)

Here's one of the "projects". It reminds me of something from the 1960's -- are these the ideas of some old hippies?


Legal Name, Address, and Telephone Number:
Name of Project Director:
Purpose of Project:
Funded Amount:
Name of Administering State Agency:
CORNELL COOPERATIVE EXTENSION - SUFFOLK COUNTY
EXTENSION EDUCATION CENTER - 423 GRIFFING AVE., SUITE 100
RIVERHEAD, NY 11901
631-737-7850
TOM WILLIAMS
FUNDS WILL BE USED TOWARDS THE COST OF CONSTRUCTION OF A YURT
TO PROVIDE SHELTER FOR STUDENTS WHO COME TO THE GLOBAL
VILLAGE PROJECT TO LEARN ABOUT IMPORTANT GLOBAL AND LOCAL
ISSUES RELATED TO FOOD PRODUCTION, HUNGER AND THE
ENVIRONMENT.
$2,000
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND MARKETS



*********

thanks to NYCO for the link to the link.

New York City Editorializes on NYRI and pork barrel politics

from the New York Journal

An editorial describing the plan of NY state senate to refund upstate counties money for the legal fight against the NYRI powerlines appeared in yesterday's New York Journal News.

I can't say that I blame them for questioning the funding of this money. I wish they would also question more about the need for the powerlines and just who is funding NYRI .

Can't the New York City papers do a little more digging on NYRI and why they are so interested in helping downstate New York with their supposed critical problems? Aren't they at all interested in this side of the story?

Are they swallowing NYRI and their glossy brochures and web pages whole?

NYRI and Spitzer -- on the campaign trail

Spitzer was speaking in Kingston area. The Hudson Valley area could benefit from more power being provided -- by NYRI or another carrier.

Spitzer is not definitive where he stands. He might be against it, then maybe not if it is not environmentally feasible. Then again, maybe it should be built but just another location......

The news

Link
Kingston — Democratic candidate for governor Eliot Spitzer refused to reject the controversial plan to run a high power electric transmission line through the mid-Hudson yesterday.

But Spitzer said he was "skeptical" the New York Regional Interconnect, or NYRI, proposal can pass the necessary environmental and other hurdles.

"It seems to me it is not a well-sited proposal," said the frontrunner in the three-way race, without being more specific.

But both of the other candidates to replace outgoing Gov. George Pataki oppose the plan. Nassau County Executive Thomas Suozzi and Spitzer will face off in a Democratic gubernatorial primary Tuesday. The winner goes up against Republican Assemblyman John Faso in the November election.

Spitzer's stance drew fire from his opponents.

"This shows a tremendous amount of arrogance on his part that voters do not have right to know where he stands," said Susan Del Percio, spokeswoman for Faso's campaign.

primary coming up-- what I am going to *NOT* do

September 12th is the primary elections. It is an off year election so most people will not come out. And how many are registered in a party -- democrat or republican. The primaries are based on some knowledge that people want to declare an affiliation to one of the (wretched) political parties.

I am from the old school that says -- stay registered in a party because you have more say later in the general election. Not the Green Party or the Independent Party -- let's stick to the democrats or republicans.

Figure this out -- I am completely against our war in the Middle East. This is our war and I take responsibity. It is not the Bush war or the Republican War. This is our war -- USA or New York or Binghamton. We own this war in Iraq.

I am registered as a Democrat and I WILL NOT vote for a candidate that is for continuing the Iraq War. I will Not continue to be just the cog in the wheel.

Sorry Hillary! I really loved you last time I saw you. The picture is with you and my daughter. I saved your lawn sign that sat on my lawn. We liked your a great deal. Still do. You are just not delivering.

"good" reading for a cloudy/rainy weekend?

I am getting right in the swing to reading this weekend. It is not even raining yet and here I am. I just started a crime novel called, "The Daughter of Time", by Josephine Tey. I am not normally a crime/mystery person but a cool first weekend in September seems like the right time to change what I read. The book is a reprint of a renowned British author.

Another grisly story was found when I was perusing weather reports on the web. Ugh a 31 year old man that might be a "head remover"? What can a neighbor ever do to deserve this treatment? Where did he live in Glen Cove, NY? It would be a good location for another Amityville Horrory type of story. Evan Marshall might be a boring name but his crimes are going to get him some attention. Possibly more interesting the the Benet story that just poofed?

catch bucky

The desperate hunt for Bucky Phillips is making me anxious to have this over with. Ordinary citizens are putting up with tactics by the State Police that are in line with protecting us again Osama Bin Laden than with an escaped and dangerous NY convict. I say --catch him so we no longer have to read about all these futile efforts to find him amongst the innocent residents and motorists.

the other spitzer from ferc'd

Cool -- this just in. Mark Spitzer you gave your opinion once and now shutup.

Official to stand down from NYRI debate
By Brendan Scott

September 01, 2006

Washington — The federal regulatory official who drew upstate ire by calling the New York Regional Interconnect proposal a "no-brainer" won't participate in any future proceedings on the project.

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission member Marc Spitzer sent a letter to the commission's chairman Tuesday saying that standing down from possible hearings on NYRI was the only way to preserve the agency integrity.

"It is critical that the affected parties, including the people of the State of New York, have the highest respect for the FERC's adjudicative process," said Spitzer, a former Arizona energy regulator. Before assuming his new, federal job, he appeared to laud the 190-mile power line proposal in a Q&A with the Tuscon-based Daily Star.

"There is a proposal to bring clean, cheap energy to New York City from Niagara Falls," he told the paper. "It's a no-brainer, but there is opposition to the transmission line. New York City is on the cusp of blackouts as we speak."

The statement became a rallying cry for opponents of the proposal, which many worry would raise upstate's electric rates and trample its scenic vistas to benefit New York City. It aggravated concerns that the approval process has been rigged, thanks to provision in last's year's Energy Policy Act that could allow the federal government to overrule state regulators' decisions on the project.

While NYRI hasn't yet filed an application before the five-member FERC, Spitzer's recusal will surely be seen as a victory over NYRI.

"That's good news," said state Sen. John Bonacic, R-Mount Hope, who was the first among several state and federal lawmakers to demand that Spitzer stand down from any future NYRI discussions. "I'm becoming more convinced that this thing is being stopped in New York and the real battle is going to be in Washington."

weather report worries tier

The rivers are high and so are the streams. The fields look saturated with water and on some, pools of water are lying there.

Everyone in the Bingo area is saying -- let's hope the rain comes another day.

Friday September 1, 2006
NEWS

Kirkwood prepares for heavy rains

The Town of Kirkwood, which is still in a state of emergency following the June flooding, has initiated an emergency action plan in anticipation of the heavy rains predicted for this weekend.

Town officials today distributed flood alerts to residents and businesses, asking people to be prepared if rain on Saturday exceeds the National Weather Service’s prediction of 1 to 2 inches. Rain exceeding 3 inches could cause the Susquehanna River to flood, town officials said.

Residents should stay tuned to local media and, in the case of flooding, be prepared to move items to higher floors or evacuate. Town personnel is on call for the weekend, as are volunteer firefighters.

— Brian Liberatore

new Tupper Lake museum reviewed in prestigous publication

The Wild Center continues to earn praise and attention in the North Country and New York. Today, the Christian Science Monitor printed an article describing the new museum, highlighting a talk about loons.

Here is the article : http://www.csmonitor.com/2006/0901/p11s02-algn.html


This is not exactly related to Binghamton. It is a good example of how one town found a way to use it's talent to promote the area and bring people here. And everyone is thanking Tupper Lake for it. The local people are volunteering at the Center. When you attend you will meet them at the door and the throughout the museum. I highly recommend the Nature tours of the trails. The Naturalist may lead this or one of the enthusiastic and educated volunteers. The last one I went on, John Sayles was the leader and described the plants and trees along the trail. He is a botany enthusiast and his excitement was refreshing.

The Nature Center has engaged the visitors and town's people alike. Tupper Lake is fortunate to have found a project like this.