new bike store in WC

And the best part of this news, Bean's Bikes, (of Paoli) has a female manager at this 2nd store. So all of us ladies can go in and ask for Kim if we want special help buying a bike or gear. Since men outnumber the chicks in the biking market, Beans was smart to put as one of the managers, a woman.

Beans 2nd bike store will be located at the old Hot Foot Cycles bike store. Beans Bike Store in Paoli is one fine bike shop and we can only hope this West Chester store thrives and stays in business. We really need a good bike store in West Chester and I have to think having a chick in the store is a great first step.

Westchester Guardian Article/The Court Report.

Judge Sentences Kerik To Substantially More Than Upper Level Of Federal Guidelines.



Grants Him Three Months Before Surrendering To Prison United States District Court, 300 Quarropas Street, White Plains Judge Stephen C. Robinson, Presiding.



Last Thursday morning, February 18th, former New York City Police Commissioner Bernard Kerik appeared for sentencing before United States District Court Judge Stephen C. Robinson following his plea of guilty to eight separate felony charges. Although not binding on Robinson, Kerik’s attorney, Michael Bachner, had come to an agreement several months ago with federal prosecutors Michael Bosworth, Perry Carbone and Elliot Jacobson, that his guilty plea would subject him to a sentence of between 27 to 33 months should the sentencing judge elect to follow the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.



Robinson opened the session at 10:11am with the statement, “We are here to sentence Mr. Kerik on his guilty pleading to eight felonies.” Addressing Kerik’s attorney, the Judge then said, “Let me first turn to you, Mr. Bachner; have you had a chance to go over the pre-sentence report?”



Bachner replied, “We have,” and then indicated that any prior issues with the report were “deemed to be resolved.”

Robinson then turned to Bosworth, Carbone and Jacobson, who indicated they, too, were satisfied with the report.



The Judge then reviewed all of the five documents that he had read, (1) the pre-sentence probation report, (2) the sentencing memorandum from Defense Attorney Bachner, (3) the sentencing memorandum from the Government, (4) letters and statements from Kerik supporters, and (5) Kerik’s plea allocution.



Robinson then said, “Let’s move forward,” signalling Attorney Bachner’s opening remarks. Bachner declared, “Bernard Bailey Kerik is before

you with the deepest humility and remorse, Your Honor. He knows by his conduct that he’s let people down.” Bachner emphasized the need for the Court to impose a sentence “sufficient, but not greater than necessary, to achieve the Court’s goals.”





Bachner took the opportunity to remind Robinson that his client’s plea understanding with the Government involved a sentence that would be between 27 and 33 months. He then went into an account of how Kerik, as a detective with the NYPD, had saved the life of a fellow detective, Hector Santiago, at the scene of a “drug buy gone bad.” Bachner referenced “a Talmudic” that “One who saves a life, saves the World.” He then declared, “Your Honor, Bernard Kerik has rescued the world many times over.”



Robinson then broke in with, “I’m going to interrupt your statement. At the same time we have a good cop, the good commissioner, we have the man who was violating the law. Not a bad day, or bad week, or bad year, but all the time.” The Judge repeats, “At the time he is doing good things, he is also violating the law.”





The Judge went on, “He had things on his website that trouble me no end; making it appear he was innocent, and prosecutors were not acting in good faith. We had Mr. Kerik violating orders of this Court, willing to violate the law and obstructing the investigation.”



Bachner broke in with, “Mr. Kerik is a complicated person. He would acknowledge he was inconsistent and wrong. When you’re so high on the pedestal, your fall is very painful.”



Robinson came back with, “At one point I told Mr. Kerik, ‘as you rise through the ranks of public service, you now receive but’...” The Judge was making the point that high office was not necessarily accompanied by high financial reward. He declared, “My law clerks will leave next year and make more money than I do. I can’t afford to send my daughter to the college she goes to.”





He then asked rhetorically, “What is the message that is sent by this sentence today?”



Bachner, as if to calm Robinson down, countered with a remark about general deterrence, and then added, “Twenty-seven months is no slap on the wrist.”





But Robinson was not to be stifled. He came right back with, “I am very seriously thinking about going above the Guidelines.”



Bachner then reminded him of the “27 to 33 month agreement.”





Again, the Judge came right back, “That doesn’t bind me.”



Bachner, going for broke, then said, “Heroism and public service must be taken into account.” Then shifting gears a bit, he declared, “Mr. Kerik is an extraordinary good person in so many ways. We have an obligation to remember the good someone has done. The good outweighs the bad he has done.”





Then, assuming a sentence closer to 27 months for his 54-year-old client, Bachner said, “At age 56 there will be many people who admire him, but many more who don’t. He is remorseful and begs the Court to allow him to resume his life. His supporters are heartbroken by his conduct.”



Now, Robinson began to reveal his own fears, declaring, “People will look at what happens here and it will either resonate with them or it won’t.”



Bachner, who earlier spoke of the sentencing, some years earlier, of a former Connecticut governor, John Roland, now made the mistake of invoking that case again. This time Judge Robinson informed him, offering, “I was the United States Attorney who started that investigation.” (Connecticut Governor John Roland had received some $250,000-worth of renovation to his summer home from a developer doing business with the state.)





All told, Kerik’s attorney argued in his client’s behalf for some 40 minutes.



The Judge now offered Bernard Kerik the opportunity to speak in his own behalf. Kerik rose to his feet and told the Court, “I make no excuses, and take full responsibility for the mistakes I’ve made. I ask only that you allow me to return to my wife and our two little girls as soon as possible.”



Assistant United States Attorney Bosworth now had his say, declaring, “However committed he was to enforcing the law when it came to others, he violated the law when it suited his purposes though.” He then remarked, “The Defendant alone is the architect of his public fall from grace. He committed crime after crime in service of himself over a period of a decade.”





And, now Judge Robinson chimed in with, “There are multiple felonies that Mr. Kerik has pled guilty to that do not influence the Guidelines.”



It was now 11:30am, an hour and twenty minutes into the sentencing, and Robinson was seriously agonizing, “As I’ve already mentioned, for me, Mr. Kerik is a complicated character. The Guidelines don’t take into account the almost operatic properties of this case. We don’t just have anyone here; we have the Police Commissioner of New York City continuing to commit crimes. I have been particularly troubled by the way Mr. Kerik, and people on his behalf, continue to behave.”





Robinson continued, asking, “What is the appropriate consequence for his misconduct?”



Drawing closer to a pronouncement of sentence, but still agonizing, Robinson now opined, “That Mr. Kerik would use the 9/11 event for self-aggrandisement is a dark place in the soul for me.”





He then went on to sentence Kerik to 48 months; 15 months more than the high end of the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, plus three years of probation. He was, however, persuaded, after much discussion, to allow Kerik to turn himself in to the designated federal prison on May 17, rather

than remanding him immediately to jail.



Analysis:





The two-hour-long sentencing of Bernard Kerik was ‘vintage’ Judge Robinson, complete with much agonizing and thoughtful consideration to all aspects and individuals sure to be impacted by his decision.



In imposing a 48-month incarceration, 15 months longer than suggested by the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, Robinson was not ignoring those Guidelines, but, rather, rejecting them because of his appropriate concerns for the message he would convey both to the Defendant and to the world of observers.



However, having so lengthened Mr. Kerik’s term of incarceration, the good Judge remained reasonable and fair, allowing him to surrender to prison authorities in 90 days despite the Government’s arguments to immediately remand him.

Green jobs in Elmford NY (podcast)

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WTF is this??

I was at my doctor's this morning, we got to talking about biking. Right away I can see he wants to say something. He tells me about 2 cyclists, riding abreast, going fast and refusing to single up that he was forced to follow for some time.

If I hear about this one more time I am going to scream. Why do elite riders think they can ride however they wish? Their selfish behavior affects my safety on the road. My life on the road is affected by this type of riding.

A few weeks ago I saw two riders from my own bike club biking side by side with cars behind them. As I stated below, the cycling hatred is never going to stop if the elite riders continue to feel somehow that they are privileged and can take up as much room as they want on the road.

At this point, I am beginning to think that club sponsored large group rides are doing more harm than good. These large groups are hard to pass. Cyclists seem to have an entitlement attitude. I have every right to be on the road they say.

My own club sends out huge groups of riders. Mostly the elite groups. Sometimes as many as 20 or so riders head out in the group.

Is this the best thing for the future of cycling? Not sure.

Make yourself as passable as possible

This is my motto, many cyclists tell me this is wrong. Keep biking they say, maintain your speed, don't pull over. Well, to me this just makes cars angry and I don't want to be hit by an angry driver. With the advent of cell phones and texting, we are at a great risk of getting hit.

Large pace lines, large groups and being totally unaware of the line of cars behind you to me is just plain stupid. Yeah, I know, I can hear the elite riders laughing and telling me they have every right to bike however they want. But putting yourself at risk is not smart. Yes we all have the right to be on the road but being courteous to the cars goes a long way to make cycling less hostile to the cars.

Today I was out doing a solo ride. Here in the Northeast we still have a boatload of snow. The road shoulders are just not there and there is a lot of water on the roads as well. If I had a car behind me today, I did all I could to make passing me easy. Even went so far as pulling into a driveway to let a line of cars go by.

To me this is the only way to bike. Passing a cyclist is not easy. It puts the car at risk. Passing a large group or a pace line has to be near impossible to pass especially if on a 2-lane road.

You can bike however you wish, but with today's distracted drivers, make yourself as passable as possible.

Make yourself as well as visible as possible,too. Lots of bright colors, dayglow yellow jackets and blinkie lights. Be seen be safe and be passable.

hey Lower Merion, you created this problem

Those of you who have heard about the Lower Merion School District case of wire tapping or spying or whatever it is being called let me enlighten you.

The LMSD gives all 2300 students an Apple laptop. Apparently the laptops are able to be remotely monitored. The school district says it is used to track lost or stolen computers.

Now when talking to my son this morning he took a different take of this issue and I have to agree wholeheartedly with him.

Lower Merion gets 2300 computers. LMSD then gives these computers to the students. LMSD assummes many will be lost or stolen and tells this to the kids. Tells them that they will track stolen or lost computers.

My son's take is do not give out computers and tell students you assume many will be lost and or stolen. Just hand out the computers. Tell the kids, bring them back at the end of the year. If the district cannot trust its students and tells them this, then they invited the mess.

Better idea, you hand out the computer, charge the kids for the insurance to cover loss or theft and then forgot about it.

Why have insurance if you are then going to use the spying equipment to track them? This whole case only illustrates the sick mentality of school administrators which assumes students are cheaters, thieves and to be mistrusted.

Why not change this paradigm and assume the kids will use the computers responsibly? If they use them irresponsibly, that is what the insurance is for. You lose your computer or break it, you do not get another one and the insurance reimburses the district for the loss. End of story.

No spying equipment needed. Get an insurance policy that will cover reimbursement. Charge each kid for this policy. Whatever the cost of insurance, surely it is not as high as the cost of the new computer. If students do not want to pay for the insurance, then no computer. If student says he cannot afford insurance, just ask him if he has an ipod or a cell phone. If he does, he can afford insurance.

Sorry for the rant, this case is beyond pathetic and points to all that is wrong in education. That awful "gotcha" mentality, no wonder kids get fed up with school. Schools constantly assume the worst of the kids.

For all couch potatoes who think winter bikiing sucks

Call center jobs in westchester

Must have excellent communication skills, and previous phone experience is a plus. This position involves taking incoming phone calls regarding insurance claims and entering information into a computer database.

Normal work hours are 8:30am - 5pm OR 11:30am - 8pm Mon-Fri.

Email Address: vancancy@gcgroupinc.us

Westchester Guardian Article/Kurt Colucci/Sam Zherka.

Tax Activist Tells Guardian

Politicians Are Greatest Threat To America

“The Power To Tax Is The Power To Destroy” Kurt Colucci, Author And Tax Activist,Tells Publisher Sam Zherka, “Politicians Are Brokers Of Greed” Urges Citizens To Embrace Tea Party Movement

New Rochelle, New York, February 9, 2010... A city, roughly 10 square miles, with a diverse population over 80,000, New Rochelle is the birthplace of Westchester County Taxpayers Association founder Kurt Colucci, a former college professor presently a businessman who continues to make The Queen City Office Sound his home. Last Tuesday Colucci was interviewed by Guardian publisher Sam Zherka.

Colucci, a very outspoken political critic, tax activist and author of the soon-to-be published A Tax Slaves’ Manifesto, has been ruffing feathersand taking potshots at Westchester and Albany politicians. Last year, he helped organize a dozen Tea Parties all over Westchester, including a modest one in New Rochelle, attended by more than 300 people, and a much larger rally in White Plains on April 25th that drew over 2500 people.

The Guardian asked Colucci if he thought the Tea Party Movement will make a difference in races going forward?

Colucci responded, “The Tea Party Movement is in its early stages; they haven’t seen anything yet. The year 2010 will usher in the Rise of the Taxpayer!”

Colucci went on, “It is important that taxpayers, the economic backbone of this country, steer clear of political party loyalty. Both major parties have merged into one national party, The Party Of Big Spending, and are to blame for the current economic crisis. Our Liberty is hanging by a thread.”

During this very difficult economic climate dubbed, ‘The Great Recession’, Colucci’s message would seem to be resonating with taxpayers all over Westchester County and the nation.

Municipalities throughout Westchester are raising taxes at an unsustainable rate, further economically enslaving its citizens and stripping them of their equity, their homes, and, in many cases, everything they’ve worked long and hard to achieve.

George Nivkor, a Yonkers resident and Tea Party supporter, is calling upon every taxpayer to unite against politicians.

“My father, a hardworking immigrant from Communist Poland, is saddened by what is happening in Westchester County, and America at large, and can only compare it to Communism,” says Nivkor.

Turning to his own city, New Rochelle Colucci pointed out Mayor Noam Bramson and City Manager Chuck Strome, two of New York State’s highest paid municipal officials. Colucci reminded The Guardian that in recent weeks both the Mayor and City Manager have come under heavy fire for their exhorbitant tax increases and the layoff of several firefighters from an already understaffed fire department.

In 2007 readers will recall that Bramson, a staunch political ally of former County Executive Andrew Spano, together with the New Rochelle City Council, orchestrated a nearly 50% pay hike for themselves at a time when our present economic downturn was already becoming very evident. At the time many New Rochelle citizens expressed outrage, some calling the pay raises outright corruption. Numerous calls from The Guardian to Mayor Bramson went unanswered.

“The biggest threat to the American Dream is our own elected officials,” Collucci went on. “they are putting our families in harm’s way by reducing essential services in police and fire departments, all the while spending our hard-earned tax dollars faster than we can earn them and, further enslaving us economically.” Millions of Americans are currently losing their homes to bank and tax foreclosures due to bad lending, and, Predatory Taxation by government. Economists are predicting that property values will continue to decline so long as taxes continue to increase, turning the American Dream into an American Nightmare.

As for the average hardworking, economically enslaved, and exhausted American taxpayer, the Tea Party Movement seems to be the only way to take back Westchester County and the country from self-serving, corrupt politicians who appear to be on a course to destroy the American way of life.

The sentiment amongst citizens throughout the nation, and especially here in Westchester, the highest taxed county in the United States, is antiincumbent. As for this 2010 election cycle, it’s a bad time to be one of the incumbents, or, as Colucci calls them, ‘Tax Terrorists’ as 2010 is the year of the Taxpayer Revolution.

George Nivkor reiterated to The Guardian, by telephone, that “2010 is the year of the Taxpayer’s Revolution.”

Chief Judge John Marshal, in the McCulloch v Maryland case, declared, “The unlimited power to tax is the power to destroy.”

get ready folks

NEW RIDE LEADER, FRAN Level D

Biking season is just around the corner. OK, I know that is wishful thinking with all this snow but a gal can dream! Let's make this year better than last year. Somethings I have planned for this year.

1. Opening bike clinic for newbies, and ride leaders and oldies, tentative date March 14, Sunday afternoon - agenda - recruit ride leaders, help newbies get started, tips on how to buy a bike and where to go, how not to get ripped off at the bike store and how to change a flat tire.

2. Bigger attendance at area sponsored rides, upcoming Icicle Metric, March 27, Girls with Gears April 18, Chester County Cancer Ride May 23, Pedal to Preserve June 5 PLAN NOW AND PLAN TO RIDE

3. NEW RIDE LEADERS who have already volunteered, Fran D - Level D, Ellen Z and Katherine L for C+, Eileen F for Level C, Tom D for Level C and Cassandra H is looking to do training rides on weeknights and I am looking for more folks to step forward. Email me if interested. ALL you have to do is one or two rides.

4. More ride events such as the Brunch Ride, Kennett Square Mushroom Festival, rides on the Perkiomen Trail for those with cross bikes, rides on the Schuylkill River Trail to the Art Museum and a food stop in Manyunk to name a few. Open to ideas from everyone.

5. Email me with ideas or bring them to the March 14 opening meeting where I hope to see lots of you step up with ideas on how to expand our bike riding.

Bike Store Rant #2

bikes are way more complicated today than yesteryear

I was in Performance Bike Store today picking up some tires and tubes for my son. As I waited for the salesperson to bring my order up, I noticed a lady with her husband trying to buy a road bike.

I felt bad for both of them. Neither had a clue as to what to look for in a good road bike. The young man waiting on them, maybe 20 yrs old if he was lucky, looked bored out of his skull. He was no help to this woman. He had picked out a Fuji, probably last year's model I am guessing as the clerk was talking about discounting the bike.

He did put the lady on a trainer with the bike but past that, he did not do much. Told the lady he would move the seat up and put a shorter handlebar stem on the bike for her.

The bike had compact gearing and was priced at $1499 with the discount. I could not tell what brand the components were. But this is a lot of money and watching this couple spend this kind of money and not have a clue as to what they were buying broke my heart.

The clerk almost talked the woman into a cross bike. Luckily, she did not bite.

Bike stores want to sell bikes but do so little to make it a worthwhile experience for newbies looking to enter the sport of biking. No one gives them good information. The fit is hit or miss depending on who waits on you.

If I owned a bike store, I would set up a section just for bike buying. I would have displays about the components. Terry Cycles has many fabo videos talking about fit and how to buy a bike. These could be running for folks to view. There are many things that bike stores could do to lessen the fear and ignorance that most women have when they go into a bike store.

From what I can see, it is not a good experience if you do not know much about bikes. I wish bike stores would address this problem. Maybe more women would take up the sport if they got top flight help when they went into the store.

My town just had a bike store close up. Bike store owners think, just open up a store and put some bikes in it. They have no clue how intimidating it is for newbies to go into a bike store and try to buy a bike. Come on bike store owners, do something different and sell some road bikes to women.

Westchester Guardian Article/In Our Opinion/Social Services Department.

Westchester ‘Slush Fund’
Dept. Of Social Services

In Our Opinion...

Will They Ever Learn, Will They Ever Learn?

It’s not too often we find ourselves comfortably supporting a position taken by Mount Vernon Mayor Clinton I. Young. This newspaper has made no secret of our disappointment with the Young Administration on any number of occasions. However, with respect to the City Council’s proposed elimination of the Office of Inspector General, Mr. Young is clearly on target when he suggests his city “needs to have as many internal controls in place as possible to avoid corruption.”

After all, although former United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Michael J. Garcia, despite announcing a major effort to flush out public corruption, and managing to only produce a handful of offenders, nevertheless found all of those offenders in Mount Vernon; former Buildings Department Commissioner “Gerri” Post and her boyfriend Wayne Charles, Department of Public Works Supervisor James Castaldo, and hauler Albert Tranquillo. Those two schemes, together with $1.7 million of HUD money that mysteriously disappeared, totalled more than $5 million that surely could’ve been put to much better use by Mount Vernon taxpayers.

The present Inspector General, Harry Stokes, earns $110,000, and his secretary receives $55,000. Apparently the City Council, under the leadership of Council President J. Yuhanna Edwards, has concluded that those salaries could be saved. Edwards was quoted as saying, “We don’t feel the Inspector General is needed at this time; we feel we have things in place.” In place? Yes. Under control? No.

Edwards was further quoted stating, “Each department should take it upon themselves to audit themselves.” We believe Edwards, and apparently a majority of the City Council, are naive, indeed, if they believe a self-policing scheme will suffice in the City of Mount Vernon given its history.

We have reason to believe there is massive corruption in Mount Vernon at this very moment, and that HUD funds are but one source of federal monies getting into larcenous hands. We are aware of hundreds of thousands of dollars hemorrhaging from 100 East First Street, the Department of Social Services, into the pockets of relatives, friends, and political connections of Deputy Commissioner Diane Atkins, a 41-year employee who is accountable directly to Kevin Mahon.

Atkins’ unlawful antics have been causing great anguish and anxiety in otherwise competent, diligent, and honest examiners and supervisors throughout Westchester’s Department of Social Services as they are repeatedly instructed by Atkins to make payments to ineligible individuals; federal monies being used as her personal slush fund. It is our understanding that Janet DiFiore continues to mentor and protect Atkins, and that she has also been closely connected with Reggie LaFayette and Serapher Conn-Halevi, both former Mount Vernon Democratic Chairpersons.

Halevi operates a childcare enterprise reportedly drawing several hundred thousand dollars annually from the Department of Social Services. Her son, her daughter, and other relatives have been cited in the media in the recent past for their own questionable dealings with the Department of Social Services, as well. All that federal investigators will need to do is to speak with supervisors and examiners.

how to fix obesity

Make one rule, you can eat only food that you have cooked, even if it is just a hamburger on the grill or a grilled cheese sandwich, don't eat it unless you have cooked it. Make peanut butter sandwiches with whole wheat bread, and add milk and fruit. Nothing wrong with that meal, way better than Mickey Ds hamburgers.

Michelle Obama is now weighing in (no pun intended) on the nation's obesity. All I hear is how to teach kids to make healthy choices. I hear about some schools labeling food as good food and bad food.

To me this is all wrong and will only make the problem worse. Once food becomes forbidden, you are guaranteed kids will want it.

I know one mom, she would not let her kids have candy, years later when they could ride their bikes to stores, they were binging on candy. So telling kids not to eat some foods is NOT the way to go.

I see articles in the paper talking about 3 things to help control obesity in kids.

1. turn off the TV

2. eat dinner

3. get adequate sleep

I mean, do we really need a study to tell us these three things.

This is insanity.


I say bring back old-fashioned Home Ec classes, teach kids how to cook, not how to eat. Big difference. Once you start lecturing on do this and don't do that, you will have lost the kids. Make real food in home ec class. Start home ec in grade 5. Don't bring out a food pyramid, don't tell kids not to eat fat, don't tell kids not to eat cookies. Just teach them to cook all kinds of food.

Scrambled eggs, muffins, french toast, sandwiches, sandwich spreads, casseroles, meat loaf etc.

Just eat real food and cook real food. Once in high school, cooking classes can be more advanced. How to cook a dinner for 4 with $10 for example. How to buy and prepare vegetables? How to find cheap food such as using Sam's Club or Walmart? How to plan family meals for a week?? and then cook them.

But whatever we do, DON'T tell kids that they cannot eat something. Once they know how to cook and prepare food, good choices will follow. Let's not assume people and kids are idiots.

gonna miss it

hope that is not my husband up there!!

Oh joy, 24 inches of snow coming to the Philadelphia area, what fun, well, maybe if you are a 10 year old. The Mid-Atlantic has been hit hard this winter. Snow fall seems to have switched this year. Instead of the north getting hard with snow, it seems to be pelting the states that do not normally get so hard. The Jersey shore has been hammered this winter.

The sand looks funny with snow on it. The big famous Atlantic City Boardwalk looks downright sad with all that snow.

I have managed to tally up over 300 miles so far this new year. Biking in sub freezing temps has become fun. Once you do it enough, it stops feeling cold. But snow changes everything. Roads are wet and with 24 inches coming, blacktop is going to be something we do not see for sometime.

But winter biking is something more should consider. It is quite comfortable as long as it is above 27. With good tights and leg warmers and a nice balaclava, and your Windstopper jacket, you are set to ride in comfort. I have found that I am improving more during the winter than in the summer. You do less miles but riding in the cold with snow scattered on the ground is really fun.

Today we saw a grey heron amongst the Canadian geese. A nice sight. My son continued on this morning and did 47 miles. We both knew this was our last ride for sometime.

Too bad, as winter biking has proven to be very fun. Gonna miss it :(

Westchester Guardian Article/Publisher Sam Zherka.

VOL.IV NO. 27 (Thursday, Feb. 04, 2010)

A Bunch Of Morons?

“They Just Don’t Get It”

Obama, Predatory Government, And Economic Policies Could K.O. Democratic Party Tea Party Movement Picking Up Steam

By Sam Zherka, Publisher

Republican Scott Brown’s victory in the special race for United States Senate from Massachusetts, the country’s Liberal stronghold, was, in fact, a knockout blow to President Obama and his minions, Nancy Pelosi, Chuck Schumer, “the Queen and King of Pork” and the pig himself, Barney Frank, his staunchest proponent of the government-run hostile takeover of the entire nationwide healthcare system.

In a record deficit year, with nearly $13 trillion in national debt, these four have nothing else in mind but national healthcare reform and pork spending which equate to nothing less than hidden taxes, more taxes, and finally, higher taxes.

No matter from which side of the aisle the rhetoric flows, the proposed Health Care Reform Bill will, in fact, include a barrage of new and higher taxes at a time of national economic turmoil dubbed, “The Great Recession”. In addition, this 2733-page, backroom-orchestrated and camouflaged national disaster, promises to raise premiums, cut benefits for seniors, the sick and impaired, burden students and place a massive mandate on many states already near bankruptcy. Democrats can’t change the fact that the government derives its money from the People, and the only way to pay the estimated $3 trillion needed to implement this plan, is to further burden the economically exhausted, enslaved and disoriented American taxpayer, further depressing economic activity, delaying recovery and possibly sending us into a double dip recession.

If passed, this bill requires that all of the 138 million American taxpayers in a country of more than 300 million, pay the increased tax burden for four years before receiving any benefit at all. Basically, the taxpayer will pay in advance for a promise of limited health care, which they may or may never receive.

The latest nationwide polls show that 62 percent of the people believe America is headed in the wrong direction, while 27 percent of the American public currently support the Tea Party movement.

In the states of New Jersey, West Virginia, Massachusetts, as well as Westchester County and Nassau County in New York State, all Democratic strongholds, major races have been lost by well-entrenched Democrats to Republicans in this latest election cycle which may be indicative of an existing anti-Obama tsunami.

The public sentiment is not pro-Republican by any stretch of the imagination, but pro-low taxes, smaller government, anti-illegal immigration, and healthcare reform, which has given rise to the nationwide Tea Party Revolution; the driving force behind the anti-Democratic and incumbency movement. Last year the nationwide Tea Party movement attracted the attendance of an estimated two million people to a rally in Washington, D.C. Tea Party organizers say, “It’s not about politics, but about survival, and taking back America from self-serving politicians.” Hundreds of Tea Party rallies are scheduled to be held all over the country this year, including one right here on Saturday, April 17th in White Plains.

In closing, if this healthcare bill does become law, Nancy Pelosi, referred to by many as ‘The Face lift Queen’, will be subject to a five percent tax on every plastic surgery procedure she gets, including Botox; and that could cost her plenty.

Below is a list of some of the tax increases the Democratic Congress and Obama have proposed to finance health care reform:

• A 5.4% income surtax on taxpayers earnings more than $500,000. A year;

• An excise tax on high cost Health Insurance Plans which cost more than $8500. per year;

• An excise tax on medical devices such as wheelchairs, breast pumps, and syringes used by diabetics for insulin injections;

• A limit on itemized deductions for taxpayers;

• A profit tax on health insurance companies which will force higher health insurance premiums;

• A value added tax, which would tax the value added to a product at each stage of production (which will be passed on to the consumer aka the taxpayer);

• Higher taxes on Alchoholic Beverages including beer, wine and spirits;

• An increase in the Medicare Portion of the payroll tax to 3.4% for incomes above $200,000;

• An excise tax on sugar, sweetend beverages non diet soda and sports drinks;

• A tax on individuals with out acceptable healthcare coverage of 2.5% of their gross income;

• An 8% tax on all wages paid by employers that do not provide their employees health insurance that satisfies the requirements of the Secretary of Health And Human Services;

• A limit on contributions on flexible spending arrangements;

• Elimination of the deduction for expenses associated with Medicare;

• An increase in taxes on International Business;

• Elimination of tax credits paper companies take;

• Increase payroll taxes on students;

• An extension of the Medicare payroll tax to all state and local government employees;

• An increase in the estate tax;

• An increase in taxes on hospitals;

• A 5% percent tax on cosmetic surgery and similar proceedures such as botox treatments, tummy tucks, and face lifts;

• A tax on drug companies (which will be passed on to the consumer);

• An increase on corporate tax on companies that provide health insurance;

• A $500,000. deduction limitation for the compensation paid by health
insurance companies to their officers, employees, and directors.

Groundskeeper needed for estate

A full-time,year round position is available in Westchester. General grounds upkeep including gardening, lawn mowing, weed whacking, chainsaw work and snow removal. A great opportunity for anyone looking for outdoor work. Applicant must have valid driver's license, be in good physical shape,at least 18 years old and be 100 percent reliable. E-mail letter of interest and resume to: marcia@hudsonpines.com

why don't women bike more

I have been wrestling with this question now for over 3 years. Ever since I started the Biker Chicks. When I first started this blog, I thought, oh goodie, lots of ladies will see the group and join it. Lots of ladies will bike with me.

This issue is discussed on other blogs as well, an excellent blog post, http://bikeportland.org/2010/01/12/editorial-my-year-as-a-woman-in-a-city-of-bikes/ gives much insight into the problem.

I was out today on my bike. I bike on rather busy roads, lots of cars and awful road shoulders filled with litter and tons of stones from the winter snow crews. But I WAS OUT!! Yes, it can be intimidating, I almost got hit today, my error, not the car. But I managed to get out the way of the car and I survived.

We have no infrastructure either here in the West Chester, PA area. No place to park our bikes safely, no bike lanes, poor road shoulders and our fair share of hostile drivers. My son biked to our local health club. The club had no idea where he could lock his bike. They finally let him lock it inside to a bench. Apparently though, no one else has asked, if more folks asked, then maybe there would be a good safe place to lock a bike.

I will be 60 years old this June. So just seeing me on a bike is gonna be an odd sight. Not only am I old but female too.

I am a member of bike club. It has lots of members who are female but it is still predominately a male bike club. The good riders, the A and B groups have posted rides all winter long. These men get out and bike and bike a lot. They bundle up and they ride. Man do they ride!

For all the crying women have done about equality, all that falls apart when it comes to biking. I hear:

1. the roads are too scary
2. the cars are too scary
3. i'm scared
4. i can't
5. i won't
6. i hate cold weather
7. i hate hot weather
8. i look stupid on a bike
9. i hate the clothes
10.i cannot afford a good bike (somehow men can)
11. i'm out of shape
12. i like my health club better
13. i like spinning class better
14. i don't have the time

The men in my bike club have never uttered one of the complaints above. But when it comes to excuse making, women win the contest hands down.

Just because the infrastructure does not exist to support biking, does not mean you cannot bike. If you sit around hoping for it, you are going to spend a lot of time sitting. Come on ladies, get off of your butts and come out and bike.

spread your legs

chrissie wellington

OK, now I have your attention! I have been trying for the last 3 years to learn how to stand up on my bike when climbing hills. So far I have been a complete failure, and as my faithful readers know, I have fallen several times when climbing steep hills. Not a pretty picture.

So my success rate thus far is about a zero. The other day I was out with my son. He watched me struggling and attempting my very clumsy stand. He said nothing, but was glad I was attempting to stand.

He went out the other day solo and spent some time trying to stand the way I was standing. He immediately saw my error.

He said I was trying to stand and pedal in the exact same position as when I am sitting. Only difference being I have left my seat.

He said in the most undelicate manner, "mom, spread your legs, get your knees slightly fanned out and spread the hips!"

Yeah,yeah, sounds gross. But today I was out solo riding again and took his advice. MAGIC, I am instantly better at standing up. The improvement was dramatic.

Now I am no Chrissie Wellington (wins the Hawaiian Iron Man) in form, age or abilities, but heck, I got better!

SO give it a try next time out on your bike. For most good cyclists, the ability to stand up is not an issue, but for an oldie like me, it is hard.