DEER ME

This could be next year's greeting's card subject.

I wish I could take credit for this picture, but I can not. This peaceful scene was shot this weekend by our granddaughter-in-law Amber and emailed to me.

Believe it or not, the location was not in the wilderness, but right here inside Plainfield's city limits. Amber spotted the deer and took it through our dinning room window!

We are now enjoying a quieter home the last of two sets of two each great grand children have left along with their parents and grandparents. Amazingly we can't wait for them to come back for short visits. However our small ranch can be very overcrowded and my daily routine suffers.

A few more days and I shall be up to snuff and start posting.

DEC. 26 BOXING DAY

Boxing Day_ Dec 26th is a legal holiday in Great Britain and parts of the old British Commonwealth. The day has nothing to do with cardboard boxes or fighting. It is actual St Stephen's day. St. Stephen was probably the first Christian Martyr who was stoned to death about AD 34-35..

However in England it became the day gifts were given to those of lower social status than the giver. ie: The house owner to the servants, or to someone in need. It was a class distinction, one never received a gift from a servant. Christmas Day gifts were reserved to be among equals never from one of lower social status. To accept a gift from some one of lower economic status would de facto make you their equal.

For more information go to: "http://www.snopes.com/holidays/christmas/boxingday.asp"

SEASON'S GREETINGS

To All

A happy and safe holiday

Winter at Cedarbrook Park

Summer Schroon Lake, NY

The "point" upper left is about 3 miles from the camera site. The lower mountains upper right are about 6 miles away and the lake bends to the left for another 3 to 4 miles.

ANONYMITY IS GREAT

As my late Appalachian mother-in-law used to say "Great day ana morning" , for me MONDAY was a most unique day. At 7 pm I found a long comment about my blog in my email which I felt should be posted because the anonymous writer is under the misapprehension that I blog in concert with others who have a sincere concern about Plainfield as a community where anyone regardless of race or religion or other ethnic characteristics would like to live and raise a family.

I then checked other blogs and found the same comment by the same writer "Anonymous" posted on Plaintalker and Crescent Times. I am sure that Councilor Storch and Plainfield Today (Dan) also received a copy. I think that is a first, something like a mass produced email. Truly I am happy to be included in association with those for whom I have the greatest admiration regarding their honest concerns about matters that are deleterious to the community.

Anonymous apparantly is under the impression that being a (registered) Republican is an abomination. Thank goodness I do not have a Republican affiliation as charged. When I first registered as a voter over 67 years ago you were forced to register a party affiliation. That did not mean that when at the general election, I went to the polls I voted a straight ticket . I always tried to vote for (1) the best candidate in my opinion, or (2) when too often faced with two lesser caliber choices the one who seemed to be a lesser "danger" to good government.

In Plainfield for the past decade or so, the capability to make such a choice in local affairs was only available to the Democrats. In essence anyone who was a registered Republican was in effect disfranchised. I had to switch parties. Statewide and National that meant little. I would no more vote for an individual on the party ticket whose Religious Right Republicanism offended my sensibilities as I would today for an extreme leftist Democrat who practices the politics of ancient Rome by seducing the voters through government handouts (in Rome it was bread, and the Coliseum shows) to get the vote to stay in power.

I contributed to candidates of both parties , sometime to my regret after they were elected. However party affiliation, skin color, or religion was never a determining factor. If Anonymous reads my blog he will note that I consider Harry Trueman as the greatest President in office during the years I could vote, and a Republican Richard Nixon the biggest threat to our civil liberties until the arrival of Cheney/Bush on the scene.

To label Mapp as a card caryying Republican makes Anonymous no different than Senator McCarthy whose Crusade against "Communists" destroyed the lives of innocent people who suddenly became anti-American. McCarthy was a bigot with no respect for the Constitutional rights of others but who will also damn by innuendo and perceived association.

If I and others feel that Plainfield's political leadership has failed to provide properly for the welfare of the community as a whole and not for a few selected disciples we should express that concern, just as Anonymous can write albeit incognito his contrary opinion about Green's critics.

The elected BOE was in theory supposed to be free of politics and concerned only with the policy setting principles and overseeing the operation of the local education system. Unfortunately, there have been "slates" run at almost every election including ones supported or proposed by "New" and "Old" Democrats or occasional independent with self interest agendas. The fiduciary responsibility of the BOE as a whole is to select competent administrative personnel who will run an efficient system not hampered by personal BOE members agendas.

My comments about the BOE is based on what seems to be or not be happening here. To many changes in professional staffing over the years. Too much money wasted on buyouts. Too many years for the schools not to achieve the 40 or so points needed to satisfy the AYP. To many years not to reach a ridiculous low of 74% math proficiency in 11th grade or even 85% in language. The advertising for a basketball couch without prior notification the incumbent that a change was being considered, or never enlightening the public why. This are indications that the BOE is not fulfilling it role.

Does "A" remember that several years ago One of the School Superintendents and the then existing Board seriously considered purchasing and renovating the PNC building as a fitting site for the districts offices? Fortunately that idiotic enterprise was sidetracked. However perhaps even the thought of such an expensive non educational project to satisfy ego illustrates the caliber of leadership in the past. We have a new orginization in place. The year is only 4 months old. We should give them a chance.

OTHER BANK NOTES

Plaintalker's Sunday blog on official Plainfield banks and some anecdotal remarks on local history once more points out slip shot management in both the city administrative offices and in the Board of Education.

At the Dec. 15th special Council meeting the subject of the official depositories was broached. During the post meeting public commentary period I did mention that there was no longer an institution known as the "Commerce Bank". It is disturbing that a resolution approval legal action should contain errors. We are already having to do with some kind of manipulation to make up for the error in the introduced budget which the Council approved.

Equally disturbing if the BOE's official depository lists the name of a nonexistent bank. Think of the possibilities for fraud.

Years ago the late Phyllis Mason pointed out the great multiplicity of bank accounts that the city held. Some were not even listed or had been forgotten. Again there was an open door for fraud. Whether this has been corrected over the years, I do not know. I think that it is important that there should be an official accounting of all bank accounts and their specific necessity or use.

I do not remember any plan for a financial plaza at Park and Front. When the buildings that compromised the Park-Madison plot were torn down int the early 60s or late 50s for redevelopment there were the following banking sites downtown. The first National Bank on the North side of Front St. facing Park Ave., The Plainfield Savings Bank on the southeast corner of Front and Park, The Queen City Savings and Loan on Park between Front and Second Streets, The State Trust Company on Park and North, Plainfield Savings and Loan to become Investors at 4th and Park, The Mid City Trust Company later United Counties Trust where Payless Shoes is today and of course The Plainfield Trust Company aka Plainfield National Bank later United Trust Company oat Second Street and Park.

The plan with the redevelopment of the Park Madison was for the United Trust Co. to build a modern building as the "corner stone" for the project. I am not sure if the State Trust and the First National had already been merged into the United Trust, but the 68 riots killed all redevelopment plans and the United National subsequently relocated its administrative a nd trust divisions to the new Bridgewater site.

I am sure that the above is not 100% correct so please make corrections.

Signs of the times; from today's LA TIMES "To cut costs, New Hampshire courts won't hold criminal or civil jury trials for a month. At least 19 other states have slashed court budgets and other state services."

While I don't suggest that locally we should cut court times, is it time to reevaluate the raises both by contract and non union employees in the 2009 budget with the intend to either freeze or renegotiate. Desperate time require desperate measures.

RANDOMIZING DEC 20TH

Yesterday's storm contributed to a delay until today of our grandchildren's visit. This gave me time today to read the papers. Saturday's Courier had three items of Plainfield interest;

The most important one was that the High School had for the 6th straight year failed to meet minimal goals. It must do so this year after submitting and implementing a restructuring plan. It took Hubbard School two years to pass, Maxon apparently is now making "adequate progress" although still not in the clear.

We hope the new administration will be able to do that which previous ones that could order special expensive coffee for the Administrator's office was not able to accomplish.

Since there have been frequent changes in the professional portion of the school system without resulting in a system that Plainfield should be proud to have,the onus must fall on the elected board. It matters not whether this supposedly non political board is composed of "New" or "Old" Democrats or "naysaying" Greenphobic Republicans. What is important is that each member understands the function of a BOE and his/her fiduciary responsibility.

The other two item were editorial comments; One faulted the CABC for not making specific recommendations on budget cuts. I think that before blame can be leveled , it would be important to learn what was the charge given to CABC. Also what were any specific instructions received by the committee and what data they received.

The other was a justified criticism of the State Sports Hall of Fame nominating committee fpr continuing to overlook Milt Campbell. He should have been one of the first inductees.

Aside from the above the other Plainfield news had to do with criminal activities.

SWEET GRAPES

Bernice did kick up a storm with her long article about "kingmakers". I think she set a record for printable comments (10 at last count). If you have not read her blog, do so. After decades of reporting the Plainfield scene for the Courier she has the greatest font of knowledge about area politics. As a true reporter she has to the best of my recollection always been completely impartial.

Dan Damon in his Plainfield Today blog stated clearly what separates a blog from the uncontrolled forums that the Star Ledger runs. In the past I too have expressed my opinion about those who would hide behind "Anonymous" to launch vulgar attacks on others. If you have something valid to express be proud enough to acquaint the readers with the seer that wrote the document.

Instead of a long essay I have three views of harvesting the wine grapes in southern France. I have not had a chance to tweak these slides.

Looks loke a family gathering in the center

Man versus the Machine (below).