Letters to the Editor 8/2/2007

Dear Editor,
Tragically Governor Spitzer is allowing the full force and authority of the State of New York to be used to implement the religious directives of the Archdiocese of New York. In a state like New York with its commitment to tolerance and diversity, this decision to force a secular hospital to comply with the religious demands of a Catholic hospital is unacceptable. That this is coming from a Democratic Governor is even more shocking. Significant reproductive procedures are being corporately removed from a secular community hospital under the veil of the demands of New York State law. While this description is somewhat over simplified, the full effect of the decision by Governor Spitzer to continue with the law that implements the Berger Commission recommendations without an exception for maintaining full, legal, medical and surgical procedures within safe hospital settings is creating an ethical crisis. The good citizens of New York deserve relief from this inappropriate use of government authority.
The situation that I am referring to is in Kingston, New York where our secular community hospital, The Kingston Hospital is being forced to move away from its mission, and corporately exclude legal, medical and surgical reproductive procedures because Benedictine Hospital, a catholic hospital, has religious objections. There are other ways to save millions of dollars and avoid the medical arms race, but under the threat of New York State and federal law the other available options are not being considered. Millions of dollars can be saved without creating an ethical crisis.
Please contact Governor Spitzer and state your concerns about this matter, also send a letter of complaint to The Kingston Hospital Board of Trustees and tell them to back away from the alliance with Benedictine Hospital.
Sam Magarelli
Woodstock, NY

Dear Editor,
Last year in July of 2006 Hezbollah, a Lebanese militia, fired several rockets into northern Israel, crossed the border into Israel, killed several Israeli soldiers and captured two soldiers which they said they wanted to exchange for Lebanese imprisoned in Israel. In retaliation Israel bombed Lebanon for 34 days, deliberately targeting infrastructure, encouraged by the Bush administration and paid for by the US. (US tax payers give Israel $8 million in direct aid everyday and an additional $6-8million everyday that must be spent in the US (mostly used for arms) and military surplus.) Hezbollah continued firing rockets into Israel and resisted the Israeli invasion killing 119 Israeli soldiers and 39 civilians. 1200 Lebanese were killed by Israeli forces. 300,000 Israelis fled their homes as did 1 million Lebanese, 200,000 of whom remain homeless today. Over 1 million US made cluster bombs littered southern Lebanon, many still remaining today and continuing the grisly killing and maiming.
Please join us to acknowledge this senseless slaughter and on going suffering in a vigil on the Woodstock Green on Sunday July 22 from 3 to 5pm. Thank you.
Elaine Hencke
Woodstock, NY

Dear Editor,
In regards to the letter by Elaine Hencke, I have a question - to wit, Elaine what is your agenda? First, you seem never to bring to the public attention the situation in Darfur - aren't you concerned that Darfur has now had more than 450,000 people die from violence and disease and more than 2.5 million people displaced? How do you justify your apparent non-concern with the ethnic cleansing and genocide happening in this region since 2003?
Second, while you acknowledge that it was Hezbollah who incited the battle last year by firing rockets, crossing the border, killing Israeli soldiers and capturing and still holding two soldiers, you then go on to describe what Israel did in retribution in more scathing detail. You did not say that the reason for the relatively high death among the Lebanese population (keep in mind that you say nothing about 450,000 murdered in Darfur) is because Hezbollah used its people as human shields. Obviously, you don't find that abhorrent.
Third, I question your objectivity because with so many critical human rights issues confronting the world, your constant tunnel vision focus on Israel is noteworthy. For example, in a recent New York Times article "Palestinians never used to do these things to one another," Steven Erlanger says that at least 210 Palestinians, most of them Fatah members, died in Gaza and some 800 were wounded. Palestinians were "putting bullets in the back of the heads of men on their knees. Shooting up hospitals. Killing patients. Knee-capping doctors. Executing clerics. Throwing handcuffed prisoners to their deaths from Gaza's highest apartment buildings."
Yes, many innocents died in Lebanon and Israel in July 2006, but the reason for the deaths was not precipitated by Israel. And, I for one am glad that the U.S. gave Israel direct aid so that Israel could respond to this terrorist attack.
I get the uncomfortable feeling that you are going beyond a constructive criticism of one or another Israeli government policy, and are giving moral support to a people who have amply demonstrated their murderous hatred of Jews. In the face of the genocide in Darfur, international terrorism and other human rights issues throughout the world, why do you continue to single out Israel, this tiny beleaguered country surrounded by Islamic hatred, for your moral rage?
Susan Puretz
Saugerties, NY

Dear Editor,
Over the past few months, sub-prime and predatory loan foreclosures have made headlines in the news. At the RUPCO Homeownership Center we are receiving numerous calls on a daily basis from honest hardworking families that are behind on their mortgage payments and are in danger of losing their homes.
When families finally reach out for help, they are in default of their mortgage. Their credit rating ahs dropped to a level that makes them ineligible for help from any fixed rate refinance loan that would make payments affordable. Nationally, 50 percent of all homeowners three months behind in payments never contact their lender. Most families that come to us for assistance have done a refinance of their original mortgage loan. A majority of the loans do not have a fixed interest rate, but are Adjustable Rate Mortgage (ARM) loans. The loans we've reviewed have low teaser rates and usually reset, or adjust every six months. These mortgages can increase by as much as four percent over the prime interest rate twice annually. The only person the client sees is the settlement or closing agent, who, after earning their commissions, leave the customer with no one to contact but an 800 number. This can make a very stressful time even more desperate for families.
Imagine the shock of families that come for assistance when they discover that they signed a mortgage note with a 40 year term that could grow to an 18 percent interest rate. Adjustable rate mortgages become less and less affordable every year and often, coupled with an illness or loss of a job, can price the family right out of its home.
Homeowners need to understand that most sub-prime predatory loans are not based on their income or ability to repay the loan, but on their assets and the equity in their home.
To address this serious issue, RUPCO's Homeownership Center has partnered with the Housing Preservation Foundation and NeighborWorks America to promote a 24/7 hotline for foreclosure counseling, 1-888-995-HOPE. The purpose of this ad campaign is to encourage families to seek counseling and contact their lenders at the first sign of distress, before foreclosure is imminent and provides immediate access to a trained foreclosure counselor. Unfortunately there are no rescue funds for customers to get caught up on their payments.
We believe education is the key to smart mortgage loan decisions and long term affordability. The Rural Ulster Preservation Company's Homeownership Center provides first time homebuyer counseling, education and grants for downpayment, closing costs and housing rehabilitation. Since the center opened, we have educated and counseled hundreds of your neighbors on their single most important purchase, a home of their own. In addition, local community-minded lenders provide many loan products and options that are affordable.
If you are behind in your mortgage or realize that your loan is no longer affordable, we are available to assist with counseling and education. It is our hope that with the educational tools offered by the RUPCO Homeownership Center, we can reduce the number of Ulster County residents in foreclosure. At the same time, I hope that homeowners more carefully review the reasons for taking equity from their most precious investment, their home.
Kathy Germain
Kingston, NY

Dear Editor,
And so we learn the President has "gagged" the Surgeon General so that he won't talk about stem cells, contraception etc. Wonder what the next fascist act will be? This country has never suffered such degradation as it has since King George ascended the throne. The monkey business committed at his first election, the waging of war unjustifiably, the scandalous gross waste of funds and endangerment of our troops and the people of Iraq because of ineptness in using contractors instead of trained personnel in security and protection in Iraq, the failure to pursue the terrorist forces in Afghanistan and the assumption of powers not allowable a president, the refusing to join the World in measures to reduce global warning and dozens of other assaults on our established government with the resultant destruction of many thousands of lives and monstrous indebtedness into which our country has been thrown along with gross weakening of our capabilities to protect our citizens at home, all cry to be requited. In this case that would be impeachment and immediate rectifying of whatever can be rectified. But we are letting it go on and on! Let us support the Kucinich bill 333 put before congress in April requiring immediate investigation of Cheney, the power behind the throne, and his impeachment and ask for the inclusion of Bush, also. I would think that this would be non-partisan inasmuch as Bush has grossly besmirched the Republican Party as well as the nation. Call Maurice Hinchey locally and talk with his staff. Call 331-4466 and you can talk with his staff. He will get your messages.
Mescal Hornbeck
Woodstock, NY

Dear Editor,
The County’s Special Committee to Investigate the Pre-Planning, Planning, and Construction of the Ulster County Law Enforcement Center is nearing the halfway mark of its self imposed schedule. The committee has established an anonymous tip line and requests that anyone with information that may be relevant to the investigation provide it through the tip line. The calls will not be traced. Callers wishing to identify themselves may do so as part of their message. The phone number is 845-340-3356. Any help is appreciated.
Tracey Bartels
Chairperson, Special Committee
Ulster County Legislature

Dear Editor,
Unless Congress immediately impeaches Bush and Cheney, a year from now the US could be a dictatorial police state at war with Iran.
Bush has put in place all the necessary measures for dictatorship in the form of "executive orders" that are triggered whenever Bush declares a national emergency. Recent statements by Homeland Security Chief Michael Chertoff, former Republican senator Rick Santorum and others suggest that Americans might expect a series of staged, or false flag, "terrorist" events in the near future.
Many attentive people believe that the reason the Bush administration will not bow to expert advice and public opinion and begin withdrawing US troops from Iraq is that the administration intends to rescue its unpopular position with false flag operations that can be used to expand the war to Iran.
Too much is going wrong for the Bush administration: the failure of its Middle East wars, Republican senators jumping ship, Turkish troops massed on northern Iraq's border poised for an invasion to deal with Kurds, and a majority of Americans favoring the impeachment of Cheney and a near-majority favoring Bush's impeachment. The Bush administration desperately needs dramatic events to scare the American people and the Congress back in line with the militarist-police state that Bush and Cheney have fostered.
William Norman Grigg recently wrote that the GOP is "praying for a terrorist strike" to save the party from electoral wipeout in 2008. Chertoff, Cheney, the neocon nazis, and Mossad would have no qualms about saving the bacon for the Republicans, who have enabled Bush to start two unjustified wars, with Iran waiting in the wings to be attacked in a third war.
The Bush administration has tried unsuccessfully to resurrect the terrorist fear factor by infiltrating some blowhard groups and encouraging them to talk about staging "terrorist" events. The talk, encouraged by federal agents, resulted in "terrorist" arrests hyped by the media, but even the captive media was unable to scare people with such transparent sting operations.
If the Bush administration wants to continue its wars in the Middle East and to entrench the "unitary executive" at home, it will have to conduct some false flag operations that will both frighten and anger the American people and make them accept Bush's declaration of "national emergency" and the return of the draft. Alternatively, the administration could simply allow any real terrorist plot to proceed without hindrance.
A series of staged or permitted attacks would be spun by the captive media as a vindication of the neoconsevatives' Islamophobic policy, the intention of which is to destroy all Middle Eastern governments that are not American puppet states. Success would give the US control over oil, but the main purpose is to eliminate any resistance to Israel's complete absorption of Palestine into Greater Israel.
Think about it. If another 9/11-type "security failure" were not in the works, why would Homeland Security czar Chertoff go to the trouble of convincing the Chicago Tribune that Americans have become complacent about terrorist threats and that he has "a gut feeling" that America will soon be hit hard?
Why would Republican warmonger Rick Santorum say on the Hugh Hewitt radio show that "between now and November, a lot of things are going to happen, and I believe that by this time next year, the American public's (sic) going to have a very different view of this war."
Throughout its existence the US government has staged incidents that the government then used in behalf of purposes that it could not otherwise have pursued. According to a number of writers, false flag operations have been routinely used by the Israeli state. During the Czarist era in Russia, the secret police would set off bombs in order to arrest those the secret police
regarded as troublesome. Hitler was a dramatic orchestrator of false flag operations. False flag operations are a commonplace tool of governments.
Ask yourself: Would a government that has lied us into two wars and is working to lie us into an attack on Iran shrink from staging "terrorist" attacks in order to remove opposition to its agenda?
Only a diehard minority believes in the honesty and integrity of the Bush-Cheney administration and in the truthfulness of the corporate media.
Hitler, who never achieved majority support in a German election, used the Reichstag fire to fan hysteria and push through the Enabling Act, which made him dictator. Determined tyrants never require majority support in order to overthrow constitutional orders.
The American constitutional system is near to being overthrown. Are coming "terrorist" events of which Chertoff warns and Santorum promises the means for overthrowing our constitutional democracy?
Paul Craig Roberts, former
Assistant Secretary of the Treasury
in the Reagan administration
Washington, DC

Dear Editor,
If the economic potential of the “Solar Energy Consortium” (Daily Freeman, July 17 and 18, Kingston Times, July 19) even approaches what U.S. Rep. Maurice Hinchey purports it to be, venture capitalists should be pawing the earth to get a piece of it. Even “angels” flock to that which more conservative heads ignore.
As the state comptroller’s office routinely informs readers of its annual report, for every million dollars of so-called “state aid,” taxpayers have shelled out $1.15 to 1.2 million. Worse yet, when the State “gifts” a project with federal dollars, the brokerage fee doubles, to between 1.3 and 1.4; a 30 to 40 percent “cost of doing business with the government doing business with our tax dollars,” which few realize - and occasional news sources conceal.
Today, as I read his hyperbolic predictions, I pictured Congressman Hinchey atop a soapbox, megaphone in hand, perhaps auditioning for a sideshow barker’s job at the circus. Had cooler heads failed to tell him: Cole Brothers left town Saturday morning?
Allan Wikman
Candidate for County Executive
Kingston, NY
Dear Editor,
Congratulations to U.S. Representative Maurice Hinchey on his expected approval of a $1.5 million appropriation for the newly announced solar energy consortium at Tech City.
This facility can strengthen New York’s economy and increase Ulster County’s economic growth. For over ten years local Legislator Robert Aiello has been working diligently to try and bring focus on Tech City for research facilities. Finally, his voice and ideas have been heard! This type of facility can build our economy and attract people from the private sector to our area. Thank you Mr. Hinchey and Mr. Aiello for your persistence and your continued concern for Ulster County’s local economy.
Maria Ruffner
Saugerties, NY
Dear EDitor,
I was so pleased to read about your support for making Kingston a solar hub.
Not only is this a great opportunity for economic growth in Ulster County, it is a timely, earth-friendly, and most necessary step toward freeing Americans from oil dependency and the serious threats of nuclear energy.
Thank you, Congressman Hinchey, for taking action in the present to improve the health, environment and economic survival of future generations.
Rose Marie Williams
Kingston, NY

Dear Editor,
My name is Jane Warrick. It was my distinct privilege to share space and my home with George Pignatello, a.k.a. George the Wood Guy (GTWG), for nearly a decade. I'm writing to thank both Jennifer Holz and George Holz for their beautiful tributes published in the last edition of your fine publication. In fact, I need to thank all the Holz', Joshua, Jen, George and Cody Cragnolin for throwing the wake the shook Woodland Valley featuring a balloon release, fireworks and a "sacrificial" lamb named Wanda.
I also want to thank the compassionate members of our great community
> who gave George the kind of send-off usually reserved for Gods and Gurus. A special shout-out to Mark Wilsey of Gormley's Funeral Home for helping us to "stage" an unforgettable funeral service, complete with live Oaks and Evergreens!
I wonder if you might consider publishing the picture George Holz took of GTWG. A lot of folks have been asking to see it and I was of the understanding that you may be able to accommodate them -- nearly 200 strong! I would also like to take this opportunity to announce that in October Peter DiScalafani and his wife, Rose-Marie Dorn of Catskill Rose in Mt. Tremper will be hosting a fund-raising auction benefit in honor of GTWG. Come next April 1st, look for a special event hosted by Larry, Paulette and J Brill of Shandaken and New York City on the first day of trout season. Looking forward to seeing you all at these exciting get-togethers in memory of our friend George.
Blessings & Gratitude,
Jane Warrick, a.k.a. "Miss Jane"
Boiceville, NY
Editor’s Note: We have placed the above-mentioned photo of George on Page 26.

Dear Editor,
Over the last few weeks, we have had more than a dozen people as us about a rumor. We would like the opportunity to respond to these inquiries regarding our supposed “closing”. Let us put this issue to rest: We are not ‘for sale’ and we have no intention of closing our restaurant.
The Catskills has provided us with the landscape and lifestyle that we have come to love and are proud to call home. We want to raise our daughter in this terrific community, one that has embraced us since our opening more than two years ago. We will continue to give back to this wonderful community through our support of area organizations, donations, educational programs here at the restaurant, and our work with our local parks. We hope to be here for many years to come. My husband and I are so very grateful for our talented staff and our growing list of loyal guests. Thank you for your concerns.
Marybeth Mills, Co-Owner
Peekamoose Restaurant
Big Indian, NY

Dear Editor,
Golden Stone Productions has been in existence for about four months now. Founded by executive producers Bianca and George Quigley, along with Herman Sebek, Andy Paluselli, and Liz Toleno, they make their home at the Quimby Theater at UCCC. Their premiere
offering was 'Thoroughly Modern Millie', adapted by Richard Morris from his original screenplay.
Of the original score, only 'Ah! Sweet Mystery of Life', 'Jimmy', and the title song remain. New songs by Jeanine Tesori and Dick Scanlan really capture the feel of the Roaring Twenties. Musical in-jokes abound; catching them was like an Easter egg hunt.
The show was directed and choreographed by Herman Sebek and Andy Paluselli. The choreography was energetic and far from the simplistic style one often finds in community theater, and every member of the cast rose to the task admirably.
The multi-purpose set, designed by Richard W. Prouse, gave everything the feel of the Art Deco period of 80 years ago; any regular visitor to Radio City Music Hall would have felt right at home. Bethany Goldpaugh Brown's costumes covered the gamut of period styles, echoing each character-type perfectly.
Music director Liz Toleno led a nine-member band that more than did justice to the score. The playing was always spot-on, and this is one of the few community shows in which I could understand every word being sung, even in the songs I'd never heard before.
Of the cast, one must begin with Jenn Kelly, who appeared courtesy of Actor's Equity. Her Millie was the epitome of the wide-eyed would-be sophisticate. Robert C. Sheeley was excellent as the Harold Lloyd-ish playboy who never expected to fall in love. Jimmy is almost a mirror-image of Millie, and Mr. Sheeley complemented Ms. Kelly admirably.
Susan Lombard was fabulous as Muzzy Van Hossmere, the name-dropping socialite with her feet on the ground. In this incarnation, Muzzy is also a celebrated cabaret artist, and Ms. Lombard had the presence to carry it off. Miss Dorothy was played by Danielle Borkowski. Seemingly the type who gives blondes a bad name, it's a pleasant surprise to discover just how level-headed she actually is. Michael Werner was nicely stilted as Trevor Graydon, the initial object of Millie's husband-hunting plans.
I have to mention Greta Bowers as Miss Flannery, office manager to Trevor Graydon. A Rubenesque lady, Ms. Bowers is surprisingly light on her feet, and brought off her tap routines very well, indeed.
The scene-stealers of the show were Mrs. Meers and her henchmen, Ching Ho and Bun Foo, ably played by Susan Gies (at the performance I attended), Lee
Albright, and Joe Augustine respectively. The chemistry between these three made them a great team. In addition, their rendition of Al Jolson's 'Mammy' (in Chinese with English super-titles) brought down
the house.
The rest of the cast proved the adage that there are no small roles, only small actors. Each character was an individual, no matter how briefly seen. From historical personages to the newsboys, all turned in wonderful performances. Special mention must go to Yuiko McDowell, who made a cameo appearance as Mama in a projected photograph with her 'sons' to complete the fairy-tale ending.
To pull off a show of this size and complexity in such a short amount of time is truly amazing, and shows what true teamwork can do. This definitely bodes well for the future of community theater in the Hudson Valley.
Patricia G. Gerresheim
West Shokan, NY