Happy Fall Harvest $#!+$!!!

Due to political correctness my school will not be celebrating Halloween today. We will be celebrating a Fall Harvest Festival. The leadership of our Parents Association decided that we might offend someone if we called it Halloween.

!+@&#_$*^!!!!

Anyway, Happy Halloween!!!!

Teachers Union Facts

Considering I'm deeply involved with the teacher's union, I probably shouldn't give these folks any extra attention. But, it's too interesting.

My Gmail ads popped a link to Teachers Union Facts. Among the items on the website is a contest they tried to hold to give $10000 to really bad teachers to quit their jobs.

Not much else there but still an interesting website. I wonder who funds it?

Wazzup guys for Obama

I found this through the NY Daily News. Anheuser-Busch wants this ad pulled but they are apparently legally powerless to do so. The ad is somewhat strange but it's almost like seeing old friends...

First, the original ad:


And now, the Wazzup Guys for Obama ad:


Enjoy!

No on Prop 8!

I've been following the debate on Proposition 8 in California. The proposition would basically amend the California Constitution to eliminate the right of same-sex couples to marry in California.

I support a 'No' vote on Proposition 8!

I'm sure my publicly stated opinion will bring in commentary and emails from all sides of the argument. And, I invite them.

I will remind you that not long ago laws prevented interracial marriage. Arguments were made that such a marriage would harm our nation's children and bring about the end of society as we knew it. The arguments were disgusting. I am sad to say that the same arguments are being made again regarding same-sex marriage. Those arguments are disgusting.

This is a civil rights issue/state issue. There is no just reason that two people should not be allowed to celebrate their love through a legal union. It's simply wrong to treat people differently.

I am a supporter of The Human Rights Campaign, the biggest GLBT civil rights organization in our country. If you can spare a minute or two, please visit their website for more information.

Here are some ads urging voters to vote NO on Prop 8:






Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere! - Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

I'm in the elite!

This from our favorite Lutheran pastor, Father Anonymous:

Brian Williams asked John McCain and Sarah Palin to define "elite," and here's what they came up with: a mistake and two zip codes.

Palin's answer, which she repeated several times in the midst of some unrelated bluster, was "anybody who thinks they're better than everybody else." McCain's answer was "I know where some of them live ... the nation's capital and New York City."

As the good pastor puts it, Hooray! Check out the video here.

We are New York effin' City!

I am disappointed by my city today. The City Council voted in favor of extending term limits, against the popular referendum that set them. With the vote, the City Council give the mayor and themselves the possibility to keep their jobs for another four years.

Personally, I'm pissed off. The argument the mayor is making that this offers the city a greater choice is ridiculous when you take into account the power and bank of the incumbent. Especially when the incumbent has $100 million dollars of his own money to spend on a campaign.

As innovative and successful as I think this mayor has been, I think this move places him squarely on my "Return to Sender" list. I thought I'd support him, but his continued argument about choice shoved me to other side.

Many have been arguing that in this time of financial crisis we need this mayor. It's the same argument people made to try and extend Rudy Giuliani's term back in late 2001. We needed Giuliani to get us through the aftermath of September 11th. Turns out we did just fine. We are New York effin' City! We will be fine!

I'm looking forward to the campaign against the mayor and his city council pals.

Term Limits should be overturn by the people

In a few hours the New York City Council will vote on whether to extend the term limits. Mayor Michael Bloomberg is seeking to extend his stay as mayor through an election for a third term next year.

I am a fan of Michael Bloomberg. He has been an innovative mayor and, in my opinion, done a decent job. I can't say I'm a fan of his education policy or his Chancellor of Education, but for the most part, I've been a Bloomberg supporter.

On the other hand, I am not a fan of term limits. Although it gives new voices and ideas a chance at bat, I believe in the natural term limit that is an election. Essentially, if you suck at your job, you don't get reelected. I do think we need to change the rules a little so that the incumbent doesn't have such a lopsided advantage over the challenger - but that's for another day.

In our current situation, the term limit law was passed by voter referendum. The mayor, through the City Council, is trying to pass legislation that overrides the voter referendum to change the term limit law. It is within their legal rights to do so. But, is it right?

Here you have a city legislature and a mayor who are going to overpower the will of the people so that they may keep their jobs. Don't do it!

I wrote a letter to Mayor Bloomberg expressing my disappointment in this maneuver. I suggested, as others have, that the city vote in another referendum early next year to overturn the term limit law. Let the people overturn it, not the politicians.

Here was his response, in what I am sure is a mass email reply to anyone expressing their concerns (my comments are in bold):

Dear Mr. Ledesma: (he called me Mr. Ledesma!)

Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts about term limits. (Anytime.)

In recent weeks and months, I've listened to many different New Yorkers with lots of different opinions on the issue of term limits. (Including two letters from me.) But as Wall Street has entered its worst crisis since the Great Depression, and our economic situation has become increasingly unstable and worrisome, the question for me has become far less about the theoretical and much more about the practical. And that means asking a very basic question: Is it in the best interests of the City to give voters more choices in next year's election? (Good question. Would you be giving New Yorkers more choices by giving them the opportunity to vote for the incumbent or would they have more choices by giving others a chance to run?????)

I understand that people voted for a two-term limit, and altering their verdict is not something that should be done lightly. The City Council - a democratically elected representative body - has the legal authority to change the law, and if it does so, the final verdict would remain with the City's voters. On Election Day, it will be up to the people to decide which candidates have earned their vote, and which have not. (I am afraid that the people of this City will turn on the mayor and not reelect him based on the change in term limits. He'll go from being a decently popular mayor to being a despised one.)

I've always supported term limits, and I continue to do so. (He's not acting like it.) But I also don't want to want to walk away from a city I feel I can help lead through these tough times. If the Council passes an extension of the term limits law from two to three terms, I plan to ask New Yorkers to look at my record of independent leadership - and then to decide if I have earned a final term. (Again, I'm afraid they might say no!) Whatever the Council decides, I'll remain focused on doing my job and finishing this term as I began it: by working day and night for New Yorkers and the City I love.

Thanks again for taking the time to write. (Anytime.)

Sincerely,

Michael R. Bloomberg (What does the 'R' stand for, by the way?)

Mayor

Here's the thing, I actually think that if the term limit law went to referendum, the people of NYC would actually extend the term limit law in order to keep Bloomberg around for another term. But, the people of NYC also do not like to be f%$*ed over. They will react and it won't be pretty for Bloomberg.

I'm disappointed by the mayor, the Council Speaker, and my own City Councilman on this issue. Based on the likely candidates for mayor next year, if Mayor Bloomberg is given the chance to run again, I will vote for him.

However, I will have no problem in trying to kick out the City Council members who vote to pass the extension. This is our democratically elected body. I will, democratically, help to kick their @$$es to the curb. I'm looking right at'ya Peter Vallone, Jr.!

9/11 Paid Holiday?????

I heard about a town giving its police force a paid holiday on September 11th last night on the news. I only heard the headline and changed the channel so I had assumed it was a local police force - perhaps on Long Island, NJ, or Westchester. But, it turns out it's Peadbody, Massachusetts (population 48,000).

I understand the connection, they're cops. But on that Tuesday morning, 7 years ago, the cops of the NYPD and Port Authority were not on a holiday. They were working. They did their jobs. In fact, there were countless police officers, firefighters, and other service personnel who were off-duty that day and ran to the scene to help. You honor these people by taking the day off????

Really, Peabody, Mass.?

Maybe I'm off-base here, but knowing how crazy, disgusting minds work, wouldn't you want your police force at the ready in case there's a copycat twisted terrorist out there? Think Timothy McVeigh, who bombed a federal building in Oklahoma on the second anniversary of the Waco seige.

It's our duty to remember the people who died and suffered that day. But, we must remember that the day started just like any other. People went to work - all of them. It was a devastating day, but one we must honor through remembrance of those who were taken from us and gratefulness towards the people whose everyday job it is to look after us. I don't think having the day off is the right way to observe that Holy Day.

VOTE NOW: Healthcare for all?

My friend Xavier is an actor, comedian, and filmmaker out in LA. He submitted this video for CNN's iReport Film Festival and is a semi-finalist. Take a look.

Then, go to the Ballot Page and vote!

Voting ends at 11:59pm, October 22nd. Vote now!

(Having trouble posting the video so just click on the links for now).

Lance and Me

I hope to some day have a beer with Lance Armstrong, until then I'm glad to be a Team Livestrong Runner. For those of you who do not know, I finally feel ready to run a Marathon again. I've signed up for the NJ Marathon on May 3, 2009. I will be running and raising money for the Lance Armstrong Foundation.

November's Men's Health has a story on 20 Heroes of Health and Fitness that includes Lance Armstrong. How could you not?

(Side note: The cover of the issue spotlights Barack Obama as one of the 20 Heroes on Health and Fitness. Although not a political piece, I think their timing is suspicious. Plus, it's a weak piece - basically naming him a Health and Fitness Hero simply for being fit even though he's a busy guy and being an inspiring guy. I might have to write them a letter.)

Back to Lance. The article focuses on his work through the Lance Armstrong Foundation. They use their $40 million budget to improve the lives of people living with cancer.

"I'm surprised almost every day that this country isn't more appalled at the devastation cancer creates. Not every few days, but every friggin' day, 1,500 Americans die from this bastard of a disease," Lance is quoted as saying in the article.

I agree with Lance and would love to see more prevention and screening education in the US. That's why I'm running for the Lance Armstrong Foundation.

If you'd like to help, please go to my fundraising website and donate what you can. Prayers are also welcome.

(Photo courtesy of Time.com)

Update: I did write Men's Health a letter voicing my disappointment for putting Barack Obama on the cover as a Hero of Health & Fitness.