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(dis)Utopia of Saratoga Springs

  • When I'm walking a dark ...

    Number of comments: 2
    When I'm walking a dark roadI am a man who walks alone' [...]
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    Posted: June 19, 2009, 12:27pm EDT
    by Ben Arnold

  • Fun With Numbers

    Number of comments: 9
    In attempting to grab headlines in support of a rumored Mayoral run, Public Safety Commissioner Ron Kim summoned his considerable mental deficiencies to comment on the controversial Beaver Pond Village housing development. Contradicting written statements from both the Police and Fire Departments, Kim claimed the development would, in fact, "strain" [...]
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    Posted: May 18, 2009, 10:57am EDT
    by Ben Arnold

  • Train Wreck

    Number of comments: 0
    [...]
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    Posted: April 06, 2009, 9:31am EDT
    by Ben Arnold

  • Quote Of The Day

    Number of comments: 0
    "...it is always our position to attempt a more amicable resolution of differences"-NXIVM Prefect Nancy Salzman on conflict resolutionI guess hiring Israeli Assassins to pilfer personal records and lure unsuspecting legal foes into international waters qualifies as "amicable." [...]
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    Posted: April 02, 2009, 2:58pm EDT
    by Ben Arnold

  • The Real Culprits

    Number of comments: 0
    Much is being made of the City's loss of VLT revenue based on a newly formulated poverty test. Of the 17 host communities, only Saratoga Springs has lost all its revenue. The Republicans are blaming the Legislature and lamenting all the ghost-costs incurred by hosting the Racino. Ron Kim* is [...]
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    Posted: April 01, 2009, 11:38am EDT
    by Ben Arnold

  • Lawsuits And Intimidation...The NXIVM Way?

    Number of comments: 9
    Less than a month before Vanguard Keith Raniere will purportedly parade his Holiness, the 14th Dalai Lama, through the streets of Albany, the multi-level-marketing guru turned "ethical humanitarian" has his lawyers busy intimidating naysayers to squelch any voices of dissent prior to the inaugural event of the World Ethical Foundations [...]
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    Posted: March 27, 2009, 11:39am EDT
    by Ben Arnold

  • Mid-Century-Modern Xenophobia And Related Issues Of The Day

    Number of comments: 1
    Plans for the City's expanded convention center were unveiled last week. Some like it...some don't. As planned, the design would be considered appropriate for most municipalities. But, as most everyone knows, Saratoga Springs is not most municipalities. In fact, through independent research, I've determined Saratoga Springs has more turtle-neck-wearing, ascot-sporting, [...]
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    Posted: March 24, 2009, 10:13am EDT
    by Ben Arnold

  • New Rules

    Number of comments: 27
    Since I've grown tired of being held responsible for anonymous comments on the blog, I've changed the rules of the game. Instead of censoring comments I've established a rule whereby any comment must be made by an registered user. You can still remain anonymous under a screen name, and google' [...]
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    Posted: March 12, 2009, 11:12am EDT
    by Ben Arnold

  • Commissioner Kim Calls In A Favor

    Number of comments: 44
    According to the Saratogian, Saratoga County Dem Chair/Union Big Larry Bulman has filed a complaint with the NYS Dept. of Labor citing violation of the state's Wick's law in reference to the City's controversial rec center. According to the law, a municipality may not solicit bids for a large project [...]
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    Posted: February 27, 2009, 12:07pm EST
    by Ben Arnold

  • NEWS!

    Democrats (local, regional or otherwise) do NOT have a moral monopoly. They are just as, if not more, corrupt than their Republican counterparts. Look it up. So every time you see some masquerading liberal claiming moral superiority...rest assured they're either clueless or complicit. In that regard, do the right thing,' [...]
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    Posted: February 26, 2009, 11:36am EST
    by Ben Arnold

  • Stimulus Anyone?

    Number of comments: 80
    With the revelation that every city in the area has prepared a wish-list for federal stimulus funds, are you surprised that Saratoga Springs apparently doesn't need any federal cash? I am. Public Safety facility, East-side EMS, rec facility, waterfront park, storm sewers, Spring Run Trail, ear-muffs for City Council meetings...the' [...]
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    Posted: February 09, 2009, 2:17pm EST
    by Ben Arnold

  • Listen "Folks"

    Number of comments: 14
    Back in August of 2007, Public Safety Commissioner Ron Kim* "staked his career" on the construction of a new public safety facility. Now, with the novel idea that he's competent to serve in Congress, Kim not only advances his prowess in advancing certain "infrastructure" projects, but also in leading his' [...]
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    Posted: January 29, 2009, 3:20pm EST
    by Ben Arnold

  • Delusions Of Grandeur

    Number of comments: 34
    Well, it seems Kirsten Gillibrand is our new junior Senator and at least three local pols are interested in filling her vacated 20th Congressional District seat. Yes, Valerie Keehn, Ron Kim* and JoAnne Yepsen have all, apparently, voiced interest in the seat which stretches from Lake Placid to Poughkeepsie.What does [...]
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    Posted: January 23, 2009, 11:10am EST
    by Ben Arnold

  • Do You See What I See?

    Number of comments: 21
    I can't believe that Masie would have the pomposity to deploy a dominant, NXIVM-style handshake on the leader of the free world. ' [...]
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    Posted: January 21, 2009, 12:50pm EST
    by Ben Arnold

  • Kicking And Screaming...

    Number of comments: 98
    Dragged, that is, kicking and screaming back into the fray. With the political silly season soon upon us, it seems necessary to vet some of the issues which will shape the landscape over the coming months. First and foremost: Guilt by association and the legacy of Tom "could not be" [...]
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    Posted: January 08, 2009, 10:07am EST
    by Ben Arnold

  • Gone Life Coaching

    Number of comments: 40
    [...]
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    Posted: December 23, 2008, 3:40pm EST
    by Ben Arnold

  • And The Debate Turns To Paid Parking...

    Number of comments: 25
    Suddenly, with the debut of proposals for a Public Safety facility on High Rock Ave., paid parking in City lots has emerged as a panacea for the purported needs of the Public Safety Department. Parking fees, in addition to sales tax from yet to be built commercial components of the [...]
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    Posted: November 24, 2008, 1:16pm EST
    by Ben Arnold

  • Overlooked

    Number of comments: 18
    Every time I come across a magazine with a "best places to live" feature I snap it off the shelf in anticipation of finding our quaint, little city. Such was the case yesterday when I viewed US News and World Report's "Best Healthy Places to Retire." Much to my dismay...no' [...]
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    Posted: November 21, 2008, 10:11am EST
    by Ben Arnold

  • Feeling The Pain

    Number of comments: 4
    Need proof that the economy is taking its toll on the public sector? Take a look at the pounding the teachers in the Saratoga Springs School Disrict took:Salary increases, exclusive of increments, of 1.45 percent for 2008-2009, and 1.14 percent and 1.39 percent for the remaining two contract years.Teachers eligible [...]
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    Posted: November 21, 2008, 9:34am EST
    by Ben Arnold

  • Just A Heads-Up

    Number of comments: 0
    In light of recent proposals to build a massive parking garage and murmurings about political aspirations based on a so-called "smart growth" or "sustainable" platform, it should be noted: Parking structures aren't considered "smart" or "sustainable"...even if they're LEED certified. [...]
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    Posted: November 20, 2008, 11:32am EST
    by Ben Arnold

  • Don't Forget Your Wallet

    Number of comments: 40
    According to the Saratoga Snippets blog, County Supervisor JoAnne Yepsen is seeking input on how to make everything in the City more expensive by labeling it "green." [...]
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    Posted: November 17, 2008, 2:38pm EST
    by Ben Arnold

  • The Saratogian Troy Record Says:

    Number of comments: 0
    "One of the little ways in which the state can bring in more money is to reduce the amount it shares with local governments. For instance, at least half of the $3.8 million that Saratoga Springs received this year as a thank you for having VLTs at Saratoga Gaming and" [...]
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    Posted: November 17, 2008, 10:05am EST
    by Ben Arnold

  • Quote Of The Day

    Number of comments: 21
    "Rather than chop off at the limb, we may want to do this strategically and surgically,"Public Safety Commissioner Ron Kim's code-speak for: If I sound smart and talk like a doctor maybe everyone will forget the lost VLT revenue is likely equal to the annual cost of my Public Safety' [...]
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    Posted: November 13, 2008, 12:32pm EST
    by Ben Arnold

  • "The Well Has Run Dry"

    Number of comments: 14
    According to Governor Patterson's proposed budget cuts, Saratoga Springs' share of VLT revenues will be cut in half following the 2009-2010 budget year:"Governor Paterson is also proposing to reduce 2009-10 VLT Impact Aid for 17 municipalities by 50 percent compared to 2008-09 levels and limit eligibility for this program to" [...]
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    Posted: November 12, 2008, 11:43am EST
    by Ben Arnold

  • Legal Roundup

    Number of comments: 45
    NXIVM and Rick Ross have entered into mediation.Republican Matt Hogan "has persistently demonstrated an apathetic and neglectful attitude towards representation of his clients in serious matters and has repeatedly brought discredit to the bar." As such, he's been disbarred.The jury has begun deliberations in the fraud trial of plateau resident' [...]
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    Posted: November 07, 2008, 10:09am EST
    by Ben Arnold

  • Responsible Budgeting

    Number of comments: 46
    Lets, for a moment, consider the perspective of the Governor when deciding where to cut expenses in light of the states looming budget deficit. Pretend you're not a Saratoga homer...you're a digit-head with an acute focus on unwarranted state spending.Do you think you might consider the $3.7 million allocated to [...]
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    Posted: November 03, 2008, 10:56am EST
    by Ben Arnold

  • Must Be Nice...

    Number of comments: 7
    Its good to know our "full-time" Deputy Commissioner of Public Safety is on the scene keeping the peace at partisan political rallies. [...]
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    Posted: October 30, 2008, 1:08pm EDT
    by Ben Arnold

  • Lorraine Power Tharp, RIP

    Number of comments: 2
    Its not very often that the intellectual capital of a city can be substantially drained by the passing of one individual. Well, it just happened. [...]
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    Posted: October 29, 2008, 3:13pm EDT
    by Ben Arnold

  • Well Done, Dems

    Number of comments: 27
    As of this writing, the newly-formed and "changed" City Dem Committee has managed to provoke eleven (11) City residents to donate to the campaign of State Senate hopeful Mike Russo. Actually, make that ten, since Mike's mom was one of the eleven.Dem Chairman Al Turkheimer summed his duties succinctly when' [...]
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    Posted: October 28, 2008, 10:58am EDT
    by Ben Arnold

  • The Fleecing Continues

    Number of comments: 2
    Almost a decade after the Open Space Project (aka, Saratoga PLAN) secured hundreds of thousands of dollars of local tax funds, state grants and NIMO remediation dollars (all told, combined in a fund that would exceed $1 million) to fund the construction of the Spring Run Trail, no trail (or [...]
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    Posted: October 27, 2008, 9:51am EDT
    by Ben Arnold

  • Local "Bulldog" Lawyer Gets The Spotlight In Federal District Court

    Number of comments: 5
    "...I am tenacious. I don't let go of things when I get my hands onto them. I was for, did they say I was an accountant before I was a lawyer? ... And did they tell you that ah, I don't like to lose and that I'm a bulldog? That's" [...]
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    Posted: October 26, 2008, 11:53am EDT
    by Ben Arnold

  • Non-Posters Syndrome

    Number of comments: 9
    Yup, I knew there had to be an explanation. Recent budget haggling, drawn-out development approvals, partisan political endorsements...all the staples of a healthy blogging diet, yet nary a post. Nothing more than shameless piggybacking on other people's hard work. But I'm really not to blame...it is a "syndrome," after all.[...]
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    Posted: October 23, 2008, 9:15am EDT
    by Ben Arnold

  • Please...

    Number of comments: 19
    Direct your browser to I Saratoga and witness the selfless act of breaking down mind-numbing budget numbers amid the hapless administration of the City's Public Safety Department. And, just in case anyone wants a practical solution to at least a portion of the City's financial woes...Here it is:Its been reported [...]
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    Posted: October 17, 2008, 11:00am EDT
    by Ben Arnold

  • If You're So Inclined...

    Number of comments: 2
    Peruse a lengthy conversation wherein NXIVM corp. is vetted by a determined group of A Cappella aficionados.Cast:The Crosby's: Renegade A Cappella posse, fledgling interior decorators.Mike Eldridge: aka "livingfiction", Professional photographer, NXIVM apologist.Clare Bronfman: Seagram's heiress, former 80th best equestrian in the WORLD, NXIVM devotee and financier.Allison Mack: Star of TVs [...]
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    Posted: October 15, 2008, 10:00am EDT
    by Ben Arnold

  • A Wind Turbine In Saratoga Springs?

    Number of comments: 9
    According to a press release from The Earth Times, Atlantic Energy Solutions is proposing a one megawatt turbine to help power an unnamed state college in Saratoga Springs. Historically, wind turbines provoke a good deal of opposition from neighbors who insist their environmental impacts outweigh their utility.Ironically, if the turbine [...]
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    Posted: October 14, 2008, 9:00am EDT
    by Ben Arnold

  • Will Growth Ruin The Suburban Paradigm In Malta?

    Number of comments: 5
    Commenting on the TU's lead story this day, perpetual whiner Paul Vandenburgh latches onto the notion that the Town of Malta actually HAS "small town character", and its in jeopardy due to the possible location of "The Foundry Company" within its jurisdiction. Yes, the Town of Malta (i.e., Exit 12 [...]
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    Posted: October 13, 2008, 9:40am EDT
    by Ben Arnold

  • AMD "The Foundry Company" Commits To Luther Forest

    Number of comments: 16
    The new company, a partnership between AMD and Abu Dhabi based Advanced Technology Investment Company, in one bold step, "significantly reshapes the global semiconductor industry." Central to this theme is the construction of Fab 4X, a state of the art 300mm manufacturing facility off Northway exit 11a in the town [...]
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    Posted: October 07, 2008, 9:35am EDT
    by Ben Arnold

  • Last Year's Commish Salary?

    Number of comments: 16
    ...Or plastic bag proceeds? 2008 Lexington Selected Yearling Sale Session 3 - Friday, Oct. 3 Hip #362 $15,000 SellerTala Ladyb f, Valley Victor-Grand Abbey BuyerThomas G. McTyguePeninsula Farm, inc., Agent

    [...]
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    Posted: October 04, 2008, 4:20pm EDT
    by Ben Arnold

  • Carrying Water

    Number of comments: 19
    As you may or may not know, the upper Hudson River, between Spiers Falls and the Sherman Island Dam, is contaminated with a substantial amount of Polychlorinated Biphenyls. In the halcyon days following the widespread distribution of PCB's as an insulating fluid for electrical transformers and capacitors, resourceful "scrappers" would [...]
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    Posted: September 30, 2008, 12:20pm EDT
    by Ben Arnold

  • Sunday Distraction

    Number of comments: 3
    Kunstler, local tatoo parlor, get boinged. 

    [...]
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    Posted: September 28, 2008, 10:34am EDT
    by Ben Arnold

  • Do You Crave Adventure And Mystic?

    Number of comments: 22
    Then bear witness to the visionary brilliance of Barbara Bouchey's "Newport" series catalog home and Barbara J. Bouchey Asset Management, Inc. "Welcoming new clients holding portfolios exceeding $1,000,000." Blogger's Note: Ticket sale proceeds from the 2008 Showcase of homes will benefit Rebuilding Together Saratoga County and Habitat For Humanity. I'm [...]
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    Posted: September 26, 2008, 9:47am EDT
    by Ben Arnold

  • Collective Brain Trauma

    Number of comments: 1
    The City Council, under the magnanimous leadership of Mayor Scott Johnson, has floated an RFP to develop the much-debated city-owned lot on High Rock Ave into a mixed-use development incorporating 600-1000 parking spots and a Public Safety facility. Once those mandates are out of the way, the developer will be [...]
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    Posted: September 25, 2008, 12:56pm EDT
    by Ben Arnold

  • September Foreclosure Report

    Number of comments: 3
    As of today, 74 properties are in various stages of foreclosure in Saratoga Springs. This represents a 60% increase over 7 months ago when only 46 properties were either bank-owned, at auction, or in pre-foreclosure. As you can see, the vast majority of troubled properties (73%) are (and have been) located in [...]
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    Posted: September 25, 2008, 10:27am EDT
    by Ben Arnold

  • Inside The Numbers

    Number of comments: 72
    By all accounts, the old school Dems were absolutely dusted by the insurgent changelings vying for control of the City party. Ignoring the hotly contested race in the 7th District, where three stand tied w/ 7 votes apiece (the 4th challenger garnered 6 votes. Can you imagine the excitement of [...]
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    Posted: September 12, 2008, 10:21am EDT
    by Ben Arnold

  • City Dem Power Rankings

    Number of comments: 36
    Based on Tuesday's Primary numbers* Elected Committee Members in Bold. Eileen J Finneran (DC) 1 Peter A Tulin (DC) 2 Albert E Ormsby (DC) 3 Nancy Goldberg (DC) 4 Linda L Englert (DC) 5 Nancy K Montagnino (DC) 6 John P Boardman (DC) 7 Caroline P Dugas (DC) 8 Thilo I Ullmann-Zahn (DC) 9 Jaye Janet Kuczynski 10 Mary M Zlotnick (DC) [...]
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    Posted: September 11, 2008, 3:37pm EDT
    by Ben Arnold

  • Wanted: Changelings

    Number of comments: 47
    In the City of Saratoga Springs For: Scurrilous comments, repetitive "um's", "fiscal irresponsibility", acronym murder, fashion faux-pas', touch hypnosis, hero worship, boring mono-tones, shaky films, hollow initiatives, unlicensed human potential development experimentation, Communist undertones, delinquent child support payments, shoplifting, misandry, gay-bashing, witchcraft, paganism,

    [...]
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    Posted: September 09, 2008, 9:11am EDT
    by Ben Arnold

  • Cop Gets Tossed By Drunk Prep...Chief And Commissioner Whine

    Number of comments: 46
    A Saratoga Springs' cop loses a tussle with a drunk Skidmore prep and guess what? The Chief takes the opportunity to claim he's understaffed and the Commissioner uses the occasion to bitch about his recently scorned public safety facility. To reinforce the severity of the "threats" facing his force, Chief [...]
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    Posted: September 03, 2008, 2:40pm EDT
    by Ben Arnold

  • ...Said The Pot To The Kettle

    Number of comments: 3
    "The bureaucracy is very difficult to work with down here, and it takes years to get approvals," -Former Saratoga Springs Planning Board member Bob Israel on why he didn't build a hotel in St. Thomas.

    [...]
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    Posted: August 27, 2008, 2:42pm EDT
    by Ben Arnold

  • Quote Of The Day

    Number of comments: 49
    "At this point, all of the Democrats have united behind Obama...*" Public Safety Commissioner and alternate DNC delegate Ron Kim**. ...and the good people of Saratoga Springs have united behind the idea of a new public safety facility. *Well, 7 out of 10 ain't bad. **Lawyer

    [...]
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    Posted: August 25, 2008, 11:03am EDT
    by Ben Arnold

  • Vanguard Attempts To Game U.S. District Court...And Local Initiate Runs For Dem Committee

    Number of comments: 25
    In a filing dated August 21, Lawyers representing ex-Israeli Mossad assassin Juval Aviv have requested the court's intervention in scheduling the deposition of Keith Raniere (aka: Vanguard). After numerous cancellations initiated by Raniere, the "supreme authority of all things NXIVM" has recently claimed he "is not presently affiliated with NXIVM", [...]
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    Posted: August 22, 2008, 12:43pm EDT
    by Ben Arnold

  • Citizen Of The Day

    Number of comments: 1
    Karin Vollkommer, for coming to the defense of Mr. Ed's colorful flag display and illuminating the selective authoritarianism of those who seek to regulate everything within our City.

    [...]
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    Posted: August 20, 2008, 11:08am EDT
    by Ben Arnold

  • Democrats For Change: Bring Your Wallet

    Number of comments: 25
    It seems "progressive" has a new meaning amongst the elite in Albany these days. Malcolm Smith, Senate Minority Leader and boss of DFC delegate candidate Shawn Thompson, is nothing more than a corrupt influence peddler. According to DFC: "Shawn's combination of experience in government and his relationships in Albany and statewide [...]
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    Posted: August 19, 2008, 12:43pm EDT
    by Ben Arnold

  • Attention Deficit Thursday

    Number of comments: 53
    Hurray! The City is getting $20,000 to count trees...and we get to match it with 20 large of our own! Good thing there aren't any budget deficits around the corner. Originally, I thought this was a joke...but its true, 'cause locally famous "filmmakers" have a link to it. On a related [...]
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    Posted: August 13, 2008, 11:28am EDT
    by Ben Arnold

  • Quote Of The Day

    Number of comments: 38
    "How can they sue me personally? I didn't put the truck there,'' -Thomas G. McTygue I know this sounds crazy, but is Ron Kim in charge of devising McTygue's legal strategy? And there's more.

    [...]
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    Posted: August 08, 2008, 1:46am EDT
    by Ben Arnold

  • 43rd Senate Update

    Number of comments: 38
    Well, here's one reason not to support Mike Russo...unless the State plans on picking up the tab, and that doesn't seem too likely.

    [...]
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    Posted: August 07, 2008, 3:59pm EDT
    by Ben Arnold

  • Dirty Tricks

    Number of comments: 23
    Check out this ruse posted as a letter to the editor from suburban Guilderland, NY. At first blush, its readily apparent this "frequent visitor" is likely an alternate member of the Democrats For Change duplicate bridge team. Three paragraphs in the letter each pronounce a gross fabrication meant to spur concern [...]
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    Posted: August 04, 2008, 3:56pm EDT
    by Ben Arnold

  • The Keehn Curse?

    Number of comments: 49
    I can't find an article to link to, but according to yesterday's Gazette, 43rd Senate District hopeful JoAnne Yepsen will likely be off the ballot in November due to a petition challenge. According to the story, only 968 of Yepsen's 1300 some signatures were valid. Apparently, a good number were [...]
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    Posted: August 01, 2008, 12:46pm EDT
    by Ben Arnold

  • (d)SS: Fair And Balanced

    Number of comments: 22
    In the matter of Ken Mar Development v. Saratoga Springs DPW, the Appellate Division of State Supreme Court has agreed with the County Supreme Court's determination that the City's "imposition of impediments" (i.e., the placement of a dump truck) to Ken Mar's "use of a paper street to access its [...]
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    Posted: July 31, 2008, 10:47am EDT
    by Ben Arnold

  • Those Pesky Facts

    Number of comments: 18
    As printed in the Sunday Gazette, Jim Kunstler insists, once again, that the "'burbs are done for." Really? Based on what? Well, according to Jim, the "creamy nougat center" of the Capital District, Colonie, "will be mostly abandoned" in the coming years. Why? Simply because its a "suburban" town dominated [...]
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    Posted: July 29, 2008, 3:24pm EDT
    by Ben Arnold

  • (d)SS: Attentive And Responsive

    Number of comments: 51
    After being threatened with an ass-kicking by a "progressive" Democrat and not responding in kind, the blog as a whole was called out as not being "macho" enough. Well Mamie, you asked for it...You got it. Behold! Macho incarnate...in a very Village People sort of way:

    [...]
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    Posted: July 29, 2008, 11:00am EDT
    by Ben Arnold

  • Quote Of The Day

    Number of comments: 38
    "Woe to you, Oh Earth and Sea, for the Devil sends the beast with wrath, because he knows the time is short... Let him who hath understanding reckon the number of the beast, for it is a human number, it's number is Six hundred and sixty six" -Steve Harris

    [...]
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    Posted: July 24, 2008, 11:41am EDT
    by Ben Arnold

  • Save The Date

    Number of comments: 13
    Please support Shelters of Saratoga August 19th at the Union Gables Bed and Breakfast. Details here.

    [...]
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    Posted: July 17, 2008, 8:43pm EDT
    by Ben Arnold

  • City On The Hook For Affordable Housing

    Number of comments: 106
    As reported in the Post Star, the Saratoga Springs Affordable Housing Group has made a down-payment on the $2.3 million purchase price of 28 existing affordable units in the City's west-side affordable enclave off Church St. As part of the deal, the has City posted $300,000 in cash collateral to [...]
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    Posted: July 08, 2008, 1:29pm EDT
    by Ben Arnold

  • Happy 4th...

    Number of comments: 26
    Even to you "merry little red-shirts."

    [...]
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    Posted: July 04, 2008, 10:08am EDT
    by Ben Arnold

  • "Progressive" Dems Seek To Restrict Choice

    Number of comments: 40
    Using her usual superior and abrasive tone, "Progressive" control-freak Nancy Goldberg lashed out at S.S. Dem Chair Lou Schneider for having the audacity to invite a non-Saratoga Springs resident to a meet-the-candidate function in front of the City Committee. In this case, Ballston Supervisor Dem Chair Pat "Red" Southworth was [...]
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    Posted: July 01, 2008, 12:18pm EDT
    by Ben Arnold

  • Mike Russo Bio

    Number of comments: 36
    Some comments have suggested that 43rd SD candidate Michael Russo has some skeletons in his closet. Others suggest there's something to be gleaned from a failed foray into the private sector...neither of which is mentioned here: About Mike Russo Director, 20th Congressional District of NY for Congresswoman Kirsten Gillibrand – responsible for [...]
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    Posted: June 30, 2008, 1:37pm EDT
    by Ben Arnold

  • Monday Musings

    Number of comments: 28
    Valerie Keehn is out of the race in the 43rd Senate district. When Keehn originally announced it provoked the thought: "OK, fine, she can do a lot less damage as a useless State Senator than as the Mayor." Given the likelihood Keehn got something in return for her support of [...]
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    Posted: June 30, 2008, 10:10am EDT
    by Ben Arnold

  • VALium For Breakfast, VALium For Lunch...And A Sensible Dinner

    Number of comments: 34
    Uncle Joe is gone...soon the Republican majority Senate will follow. A year from now State denizens will find themselves under complete control of the Democrats...from the Executive chamber to the floor of the Legislature. No checks...no balances, a State left defenseless to the whimsy of Patterson, Silver and Smith. Upstate [...]
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    Posted: June 26, 2008, 11:00am EDT
    by Ben Arnold

  • DSS: Last Weeks News Today!

    Number of comments: 22
    Nothing like giving the City's perpetual misfits Democrats an open, month-long forum to air their differences in the midst of petitioning for committee seats. But, much as I'd planned to let the free-for-all continue till the end of the month, something has popped up that seems worthy of discussion. And [...]
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    Posted: June 20, 2008, 11:14pm EDT
    by Ben Arnold

  • Lock Your Doors..."Change" Is Coming

    Number of comments: 125
    "Dear fellow Saratoga Springs Democrat, Are you ready for Change? With your help we are about to embark upon taking back the City Democratic Party. As an involved and caring Democrat, you are aware that the divisions in the Democratic Party are based on deep-seated philosophical differences about what Democrats [...]
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    Posted: June 03, 2008, 11:34am EDT
    by Ben Arnold

  • Don't You Feel So Much Safer Now?

    Number of comments: 16
    After an 18-month investigation, City police, the State Police and the DEA have concluded an investigation resulting in the seizure of over 20 pounds of marijuana and the arrest of 9 individuals with links to Skidmore College. Chief Ed Moore stated "The many seizures of illegal drugs have removed lethargic [...]
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    Posted: May 30, 2008, 9:36am EDT
    by Ben Arnold

  • Nimblewits

    Number of comments: 0

    [...]
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    Posted: May 29, 2008, 12:54pm EDT
    by Ben Arnold

  • Memorial Day Weekend Post Peak-Oil Tip Of The Day

    Number of comments: 0
    The kids are hungry and the wife's in one of those moods again (there's just no substitute for Oprah in a World Made By Hand)...spawning bass simply aren't interested in finesse presentations quietly humming above their nests. What to do? Attach a 1/2 ounce sinker to a weedless Carolina-rigged worm [...]
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    Posted: May 23, 2008, 12:08pm EDT
    by Ben Arnold

  • Joke Of The Day

    Number of comments: 21
    ZBA Chair and Comp Plan Co-Chair Nancy Goldberg wants the Johnson administration to bring ex-Mayor Val Keehn's Comprehensive Plan to the table for a public hearing. Citing the "great deal of time and energy" that clueless, conflicted, bored, single-issue, angry, bitter, and ethically challenged "dedicated" volunteers spent drafting the plan, [...]
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    Posted: May 22, 2008, 9:27am EDT
    by Ben Arnold

  • Egregious Transgression Of The Day

    Number of comments: 1
    No, its not that Journey is touring w/out Steve Perry...its your State Department of Environmental Conservation and their apprehension to disclose documents related PCB's in the Upper Hudson River. As chronicled by Mark Mahoney of the Post Star, local resident Kyle York has been fighting for years to provide transparency [...]
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    Posted: May 21, 2008, 9:31am EDT
    by Ben Arnold

  • Capital Region Contenders

    Four Capital Region places (Saratoga Springs, Colonie, Delmar and Scotia) are "contenders" in Money Magazine's 2007 Best Places To Live. No, that doesn't mean they might place within the top 100 in the country, just that they contended for that honor...but missed the cut. See a comparison of the local contenders [...]
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    Posted: May 20, 2008, 12:35pm EDT
    by Ben Arnold

  • Permit Bliss In Saratoga Springs

    Number of comments: 12
    Who says permitting is onerous and time-consuming in Saratoga Springs? Not the Mazziotti's. May 7: submit plans to City for approval. May 9: Get corrections back from the City, "it only took two days"! May 18: Plans approved! "We were able to be over $1000 under budget as well on our permit costs". Imagine, [...]
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    Posted: May 19, 2008, 12:32pm EDT
    by Ben Arnold

  • Chances Are...

    Number of comments: 12
    The "Eyesore of the Month" will be coming home to roost next month. Consider, the Saratoga Associates were actually paid to fabricate this vision. How long do you think it took to sketch seven wavy lines across the width of the amphitheatre?...Right after a creative brainstorming session produced: "Hey, lets do some [...]
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    Posted: May 15, 2008, 11:56pm EDT
    by Ben Arnold

  • Questions That Bother Me So

    Number of comments: 44
    Why does it take a week to upload video of City Council meetings? Why does the City Council set an unprecedented $15,000 not-to-exceed figure on an Labor Dept. investigation they claim no intricate knowledge of? Who's checking Lew Benton's timesheets? Who forged Ron Kim's law degree? What happened to the adult-use ordinance? What happened to [...]
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    Posted: May 12, 2008, 10:45am EDT
    by Ben Arnold

  • Run A Cold Shower...

    Number of comments: 79
    Disrobe...Curl up on the tile and sob*. The socialists progressives are poised to take over the City Democratic Committee with dozens of pledged candidates...and the old-school McTygue faction has neither the will nor the ambition to mount a credible defense. *Unless you're a Republican.

    [...]
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    Posted: May 05, 2008, 3:08pm EDT
    by Ben Arnold

  • Big Surprise

    Number of comments: 59
    In addition to most other ailments in the City, we can now attribute a significant portion of the worsening sub-prime mess to the City's "progressive" central planners and the neighborhood activists who prod them. On a slightly related note, I'm continually perplexed by the ambition to serve on the City's land-use [...]
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    Posted: May 01, 2008, 10:40am EDT
    by Ben Arnold

  • P.L.A.N.ning Your Future...And Your Tax Burden

    Number of comments: 34
    In a shallow and expectedly moronic Reader's View, County do-nothing Supervisor JoAnne Yepsen outlines the costs associated with the planned development of AMD's chip fab nine miles to the City's south. Specifically, she highlights the costs of expanding the County sewer plant and funding phantom school construction as a result [...]
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    Posted: April 29, 2008, 11:25am EDT
    by Ben Arnold

  • Meet EESU

    Number of comments: 70
    A super-capacitor being developed by EEstor which may revolutionize electricity storage. For those in the know, efficient electricity storage is the key to solving many of the problems faced in today's economy. Most notably, it would severely undercut demand for foreign oil. The potential uses are limitless. For instance, the [...]
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    Posted: April 14, 2008, 11:54am EDT
    by Ben Arnold

  • Wi-Fi Task Force Take Heed

    Number of comments: 42
    According to One Economy, a Washington, D.C. non-profit, the conventional model of municipal Wi-Fi is broken: "There was a lot of breathlessness about municipal wireless. People thought it was going to be a silver bullet to bring ubiquitous access and affordable broadband in the United States. They were wrong," Yet, absent the [...]
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    Posted: April 11, 2008, 9:56am EDT
    by Ben Arnold

  • A Not-Too Suprising Shift Of Opinion

    Number of comments: 37
    All of a sudden, now that Mayor has-Keehn is out of the picture, it seems Commissioner Ron Kim* isn't supportive of the inherent departmental over-sight present in a "strong mayor" form of government. While the Mayor's authority is debatable under the current form, there is no question a strong Mayor [...]
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    Posted: April 10, 2008, 10:02am EDT
    by Ben Arnold

  • Mother Of God!

    Number of comments: 12
    I dont care if humans are responsible or not. As a society, we must now do everything in our power to reverse the catastrophic effects of global warming! Because this is truly scary!

    [...]
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    Posted: April 09, 2008, 2:15pm EDT
    by Ben Arnold

  • A Siren's Song

    Number of comments: 10
    "Orpheus with his Lute made Trees, And the Mountaine tops that freeze,Bow themselves when he did sing.To his Musicke, Plants and FlowersEver spring; as Sunne and Showres,There had been a lasting Spring.Every thing that heard him play,Even the Billowes of the Sea,Hung their heads, and then lay by.In sweet Musicke [...]
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    Posted: April 08, 2008, 10:09am EDT
    by Ben Arnold

  • Midnight Express

    Number of comments: 37
    Imagine, if you will, a young man who's lost his way, forced to lift a can of soup from the local grocery store to fill an aching tummy. Now, imagine the "hellish" conditions he might face if he were arrested and placed in the all too real "torture cells" of [...]
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    Posted: April 07, 2008, 10:22am EDT
    by Ben Arnold

  • Meet Vanguard

    Number of comments: 70
    Scientist, mathematician, philosopher, entrepreneur, educator, inventor, author, musician and demi-god. When not organizing a capella festivals, Vanguard enjoys ping-pong, swimming, cycling and human potential training. Already honored by the Guinness Book of World Records for his remarkable IQ, the so-called "smartest guy in the room" is expanding his greatness into [...]
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    Posted: April 03, 2008, 12:05am EDT
    by Ben Arnold

  • April Fools

    Number of comments: 12
    Wal-Mart is sponsoring the 2008 Saratoga Environmental Expo.

    [...]
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    Posted: April 01, 2008, 1:20pm EDT
    by Ben Arnold

  • Scooped!

    Number of comments: 8
    The Saratogian earns high marks for reporting liberal tyranny on the Skidmore campus.

    [...]
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    Posted: April 01, 2008, 10:29am EDT
    by Ben Arnold

  • Egregious Historical Omissions & Contemporaneous Entitlements

    Number of comments: 52
    HBO's mini-series "John Adams" continues a centuries-long tradition of snubbing one particular strikingly handsome American hero. As Henry Knox is greeted by Abigail Adams on his way to relieve the siege of Boston, he recounts his journey down* Lake George and across the Berkshires with heavy cannon seized from Fort [...]
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    Posted: March 17, 2008, 10:04am EDT
    by Ben Arnold

  • A Whole New Ballgame

    Number of comments: 19
    I was talking to a friend of mine a couple of weeks ago about the smell of blood at the Capitol. Being an employee of the Senate Majority, my friend was forced into god's country a few weeks prior to campaign for Republican lawyer Will Barclay. Having spoken previous to [...]
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    Posted: March 13, 2008, 11:02am EDT
    by Ben Arnold

  • Sustainable Suburbs

    Number of comments: 14
    As of yesterday, 46 properties in Saratoga Springs are in various stages of foreclosure (either pre-foreclosure, slated for auction or bank-owned). Notables include a $632,000 condo at Franklin Square (the ONLY high-end condo listed) and a $712,000 McMansion on the ridge. Overall, the average lien is $240,643 and the median [...]
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    Posted: February 28, 2008, 11:00am EST
    by Ben Arnold

  • Park Place

    Number of comments: 40
    $1.9 million provides a penthouse view of Old Smoke's casino and Frederic Law Olmsted's Congress Park. $570,000? One bedroom and sweeping views of the Holiday Inn parking lot.

    [...]
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    Posted: February 24, 2008, 8:21pm EST
    by Ben Arnold

  • Sustainable Spin

    Number of comments: 28
    Its starting to feel like Media Matters around here. From the Gazette: "For retirees, for people who work downtown, it's an affordable place to go," Zack said. He said that the newer, larger Price Chopper Super Center on Ballston Avenue is a mile south of the city's downtown. That's a long walk [...]
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    Posted: February 22, 2008, 12:41pm EST
    by Ben Arnold

  • Smart Growth Would Dictate...

    Number of comments: 3
    Within the context of any other discussion, "Smart Growth" advocates would surely lament the siting of a downtown full-service retail grocer given the existence of another downtown full-service grocer less than a mile away (even more so when its situated in an unattractive "box"). This circumstance, they'll tell you, represents [...]
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    Posted: February 19, 2008, 12:32pm EST
    by Ben Arnold

  • Quote Of The Day

    Number of comments: 12
    "It has been my experience that folks who have no vices have very few virtues." Abraham Lincoln

    [...]
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    Posted: February 18, 2008, 11:17am EST
    by Ben Arnold

  • "This Plan is based on the “City-in-the-Country” concept, meaning a city with an intensively developed urban core...

    Number of comments: 2
    View Larger Map

    [...]
     | Rate | Archive
    Posted: February 15, 2008, 7:45am EST
    by Ben Arnold

  • and an economically vibrant central business district,

    View Larger Map

    [...]
     | Rate | Archive
    Posted: February 15, 2008, 7:44am EST
    by Ben Arnold
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